Sure and Steadfast

It's my last card as October Guest Designer for Our Daily Bread Designs Shining Light Challenge - I've enjoyed it so much!  

This time it's One for the Men - to make a masculine card.  I have to admit, I always find these a challenge, but I got great advice from my Dad when I asked...."which one do you like best?"  Unsurprisingly, it was the one with "less" instead of "more"! I simply added twine (Dad said leave off the twine bow!) and star brads to finish!

I used the fabulous set Anchor - I love this one, I find the ocean scene easy and fun to color and the sentiments are SO encouraging.  And of course, though it can be used for anyone, it seems a natural for masculine cards!

  This particular card will go to a man in our church who has an illness which is very debilitating - the way that he and his wife have handled all their hardship has been amazing.  They have kept their eyes on their Saviour and remain convinced of His care and His eternally loving purpose in their lives.

Supplies include:

Our Daily Bread Designs Anchor

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small

Star brads

SU Real Red cardstock

Twine

My Minds Eye dp

Making Memories Pitter Patter dp

One of a Kind

I made these little treat bags for Patty's Hope You Can Cling To challenge at Splitcoaststampers today  - to make a treat holder in pink, black, white and silver.  I love making these quick and easy treat bags....they look great with foil wrapped chocolates or candy in bright colors but here I simply filled a cello card sleeve with white mints to make sure they'd go with the color scheme.  

I used Nesties with sponging and stamping for the bag topper, then added a silver and black gingham ribbon with a silver heart to finish.

Supplies include:

Flourishes Magnolias

Papertrey Ink Flourishes

SU Blushing Bride ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Lacey Circles

Pearls

Ribbon

Thank You in Pink

I made this card for the Featured Stamper challenge at Splitcoaststampers and for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenge today - A Clean and Simple Statement.   

Janine (nines) is the featured stamper today and HERE is the card that inspired my card - Janine used chalk to make two softly colored strips, I did my strip by masking with post it notes. To make a mask, I googled a leaf image, cut it out from the inside so I could use the negative piece of paper to sponge inside with ink.  This works well with almost any image which is easily recognizable by it's simple outline.  

The Hope You Can Cling To challenges are nearly over, it's been a fun month for a wonderful cause!

Supplies include:

Waltzingmouse Say It Loud

SU Blushing Bride, Melon Mambo, Cherry Cobbler ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

buttons

post-it-notes

Vintage Hope

Today's Hope You Can Cling To Challenge at Splitcoaststampers is to go postal - Mary's Challenge is the creatively named - Let's Lick This Thing!  Perfect opportunity for me to pull out Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Vintage Postcard set and do one up brown and dark pink!  I sponged the edges with distress ink and stamped a partial background with the Light of Christmas from SNSS.  The only embellishments on the card are some little pearls, this was fairly easy and quick!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Vintage Postcard

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Light of Christmas

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

SU Soft Suede, Melon Mambo ink

Pearls

Chicken Soup

Here's a card I made for Sabrina's (Cook22) Hope You Can Cling To challenge at Splitcoaststampers- Chicken Soup.  We were to use a chicken image on our cards in honour of the legendary soothing, healing effect of chicken soup!  I just happened to have the right image and sentiment, thanks to Janice (catcrazy), who sent me some stamped images from Paper and Such!  All edges have been distressed and I cut the sentiment with My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Die-namics - love those for being able to add sentiments of almost any size!

Supplies include:

Paper and Such image and sentiment

October Afternoon dp

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals

My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Die-namics

October Afternoon button

Copics

Sewing machine

Twine

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

God's Comfort and Love

I loved making this card for my third week as Guest Designer for Our Daily Bread Designs Shining Light Challenge.  This week the challenge is to use three letters of the word LEAF.  I used:

L - Lace

          E - Embossing

     F - Flowers

I'm very into this shade of deep coral pink right now - it's seems to have the best of both red and pink all wrapped up in one colour!

I embossed the top panel of dp and also sponged around the edges for a very slight distressed look, then stitched the panels down. 

I sponged the Nesties while still in the die before stamping this beautiful sentiment, which is almost a prayer or blessing, from the ODBD set Sentiments Collection.
I hope you get a chance to play along in this week's challenge!

Supplies include:

Our Daily Bread Designs Sentiments Collection

Spellbinders Nestabilities Petite Ovals, Small, Large

Prima roses

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

Pearls

Cosmo Cricket dp

Sewing machine

Pearls

Stampin Up Blushing Bride, Soft Suede ink

Lace

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade cardstock

Sizzix Plaid embossing folder

A Merry Christmas Candle

Here's a card using one of my favorite Sweet 'n Sassy Christmas sets, Christmas Light.  

Actually, it's one of my favorite Christmas sets ever!

Maybe it's because candles, especially scented ones which give the whole house a gorgeous aroma of berries, spices, and evergreen, give us so much joy over the holiday season during the dark winter nights!

I love coloring the candle image and this time I used Crystal Glaze on the candle and the berries, though it's impossible to tell in my photo!  It does add dimension and shine, even giving the little berries a round shape!  

I always choose my dp's first, then lay my stamped image right near them so that I can match up my coloring,  keeping my copic color chart near by too, so it's easier to get close to the same hues and shades.  

I sponged the edges of the dp a little with distress ink before stitching them.  The square has been sponged while still in the Nestie with several distress inks.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Christmas Light

Spellbinders Nestabilities Sqaures Large

Cosmo Cricket dp

October Afternoon dp

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Frayed Burlap dp

Stampin Up Soft Suede ink

Memento Tuxedo Black in

Paper Mill Shop Cream Linen card stock

Sewing machine

Copics

Buttons

Ribbon

Kind Words

Here's a card I made for yesterday's Hope You Can Cling To Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - Ardyth's Vital Signs.  We were to make a card inspired by the elements of heartbeat, breathing, circulation, etc. 

I sponged a large heart while still in the Nestie die, and stamped it with a sentiment from my favorite Verve set, Kind Words.  The flourish is by Papertrey Ink.

It's a CAS card with lots of black space instead of white!

Supplies include:

Verve Kind Words

Papertrey Ink Flourishes

Prima Rose

Couture Creations Houndstooth embossing folder

Twine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

SU Blushing Bride ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Hearts

Lace and Pearls

I made this card for today's Hope You Can Cling To Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - Pinking Shears.  Lynn's challenged us to use a decorative edge on our cards.  I went with scallops, using bright Daler Rowney card stock in Bubblegum Pink.  The image and sentiment are from one of my favourite Verve sets, 

Kind Words.

If you haven't yet checked out the Hope You Can Cling To card drive at SCS, HERE are the details.  It's a huge effort to help encourage cancer patients at MD Anderson in Texas, and there's an opportunity to win prizes from sponser companies.

Supplies include:

Verve Kind Words

MFT Jumbo Scallops Die-namic

Pearls 

Lace

Couture Creations Houndstooth embossing folder

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Color Box ink

Daler Rowney Bubblegum card stock

Anchor for the Soul

Hello! Here's my second card as October's Guest Designer for Our Daily Bread Designs - I'm having so much fun working with the beautiful sets, and this is one, Anchor, I simply LOVE coloring.   This week The Shining Light challenge is a sketch challenge, and being a fan of circles, I enjoyed it a lot! 

 I wanted to go for soft teal and coral, like you might see in an ocean sunset.  

All edges have been sponged with distress inks, including the image circle, for a soft, vintage feel.  I also colored over parts of the image with copic E41 as it softens the brightness to give a more distressed hue to the colors.
Life throws us unexpected and difficult circumstances, the world changes daily and our feelings go up and down - this verse encourages me trust unswervingly in God's promises because He and His promises never change - He is utterly trustworthy! 

Supplies include:

Our Daily Bread Designs Anchor

My Minds Eye dp

October Afternoon dp

Twine

October Afternoon Button

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Copics

MFT Simply Scallops Die-namics

Ranger Distress Antique Linen

Memento Tuxedo Black

Hope Perches

This is the sample card I made for the Hope You Can Cling To challenge I'm hosting at Splitcoaststampers called Hope is the Thing - to be inspired by the poet Emily Dickinson:

Hope is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul

and sings the tune without the words

and never stops at all.

I used a Papertrey Ink cloud to make the sponged sky and to make the sun cut a  circle Nestie  from a post-it-note - you need to use both the positive and negative die-cut for a scene like this, sponging the pink inside the circle of the negative die-cut.

When stitching layers of dp, I generally stitch them onto a separate panel than the card base, attaching it afterwards, sometimes popping it up as I did here.  It just means there's no unsightly "backside" of stitching showing when you open the card.

If you haven't checked out the Hope You Can Cling To challenges, we'd love to have you join us for this very worthwhile cause - it's a fun way to do your bit to help make a difference for those affected by breast cancer.

Supplies include:

Papertrey Ink Cloud die

Memory Box Nestled Bird die

Memory Box Woodland Branch die

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles die

SU Blusing Bride ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Brilliance Starlite Black ink

Verve Hope Perches

Pearls

Sewing machine

Tomorrow!

Here's a card I made for the Hope You Can Cling To challenge over at Splitcoaststampers - Dina's challenged us to make a card based on a musical or song from a musical - Start Spreading the News.  I chose "Tomorrow" from the musical "Annie".  

And I must warn you, sing it once and it's in your head for the rest of the day!

I used a long retired Stampin Up set called Rainy Days and popped up this happy little guy on a Nesties Circle which has been sponged and colored with copics.

I added the sentiment which is computer generated using Albermarle font.  

The card base is covered with dp for a blue gingham sky - just to add to the happy feel!

Supplies include:

Stampin Up Rainy Days

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Papertrey Ink Cloud Dies

MFT Sun Die-namics

Copics

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Release Blog Hop

Hello, and welcome to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Release Hop - today we're focusing on Christmas!  We're so glad you've joined us - hope you can stick around and be inspired by the new stamps and what the Design Team have created for your enjoyment!

Don't miss a single stop along the way because one lucky commenter from a random DT blog will win a $25 gift credit at the SNSS store!

Also hope you can  join us for the Virtual Stamp Day at Splitcoaststampers for some fun challenges and chat.

I've been into making CAS cards lately so that's what I went with for today's cards...I love a pop of color against clean, crisp white space!

My first card uses the new set Poinsestta - the flower is colored with copics and popped up, with the leaves and petals being curled up for dimension.  I kept it to one popped up layer for less expensive postage because I'd already popped up the sentiment panel but it would be very easy to do multiple layers for even more dimension!
I added white pearls for the flower center/centre and put it all against a lattice embossed background.
There are a number of wonderful sentiments with this set but I went with the simple "Merry Christmas"!

Supplies used:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Poinsetta

Creative Expressions Lattice embossing folder

Copics

Pearls

Memento Tuxedo Black

My second card uses a beautiful silhouette set called An Old Fashioned Christmas - there are so many ways you could use this fab set, but I sponged some snow banks by masking with post it notes.
I also thinned down a bit of white acrylic paint with water so that I could use a toothbrush to spatter
 it for a "blizzard" effect!

I added some punched snowflakes with pearls for embellishments, keeping plenty of white space, with only a wide plaid ribbon bow and matching button to finish.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Old Fashioned Christmas

SU Pool Party ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ribbon

October Afternoon button

Circle Cutter

Woodware snowflake punch

Pearls

Post-it-notes

Acrylic paint

Here's a list of everyone participting in the hop today, enjoy all the inspiration!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps
Makiko Jones

Monika Davis

Jessica Fick

Cathy McCauley

Mary Faus

Kim Singdahlsen

Bridget Finlay

Dina Kowal

Gloria Stengel

Kim Schofield

Ceal Pritchett

Giovanna Smith

Jennie Harper

Korin Sutherland

After the hop, join us at Splitcoaststampers for the Virtual Stamp Day for an opportunity to win more fun prizes!

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day!

Leafy Lattice

Hello!  If you've arrived here looking for my card as Guest Designer at Our Daily Bread Designs for October, please scroll down to the next post!

I've got the fun privilege of being a guest designer this week for the CASology Challenge - the cue card this week is LEAF.   

Though I love to make cards with combo's of dp, I get huge satisfaction from making cards with lots of clean, white space and then pops of bright color - embossing is a good way to add interest without losing that clean space. I used a lattice effect embossing folder for a background, then added a little row of popped up leaves in autumn colors. I left a strip along the bottom smooth for the sentiment which is stamped in SU's Real Red.  

I hope you have lots of fun designing a clean and simple card with the LEAF challenge!

Supplies include:

Joy Craft leaf dies 
(mistakenly listed these as Marianne Design dies originally, so sorry if I caused confusion!)

MFT More Essential Sentiments

Creative Expressions Lattice Folder

SU Real Red ink

SU card stock

He Restores My Soul

I'm absolutely delighted to be Guest Designer with Our Daily Bread Designs for the month of October!  I've been a huge fan of their Scripture stamps and beautiful images for a long time!

The challenge this week is to make a card in fall colors with a verse, and I've used the set Porch, which was designed by my dear friend Dina Kowal.

I was aiming for the colors of crispy fall leaves and the warm glow of an autumn sunset here with gold, brown, and coral red. 

I love this phrase from a verse in Psalm 23, a Psalm full of comfort, hope and encouragement about God's tender care and provision!

Supplies include:

Our Daily Bread Designs Porch

MFT Fishtail Flags Die-namic

October Afternoon, My Minds Eye, Basic Gray dp

October Afternoon button

Ribbon

Twine

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Sewing machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small

Copics

Pearls

Musical Birthday

I made this card for two challenges - the Featured Stamper Challenge and the Hope You Can Cling To challenge today at Splitcoaststampers.  The Featured Stamper is Lynn Put, aka justbehappy - HERE is the card I chose from her fabulous gallery for inspiration. 

Tenia's HYCCT challenge today is to make a musical card with pink on it - I've been into this deep coral pink lately and though you might not find an actual bird, other than a flamingo, this color, I've taken artistic license!  I used a bird image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Under His Wings and a sentiment from the set Poppies and Greetings.

I masked the bird and sponged around it for a background - the plan was to put a wide black and white plaid bow on this, but when I tried it, the whole thing looked too cluttered, and lace along the musical strip seemed a good compromise!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Under His Wings

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Poppies and Greetings

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish

Pearls

Lace

Copics

SU Basic Black card stock

SU Cool Caribbean ink

Ranger Distress Broken China ink

Echo Park Victoria Gardens dp

Coffee and Scones

Here's a card I made celebrating the joys of chatting with a good friend and having a cuppa, as we call it here in Northern Ireland!  And if we were out for coffee together, I'd buy you a delicious scone to go with it - my favorite is a hot cinnamon scone with real Irish butter dripping over the edges!

I colored this cute Cocoa image with copics and popped up the main image over the tail - I stamped the image on the circle and colored in the tail - an easy way to get around the problem of fussy cutting around that cute, curly little tail!  

This set, Cocoa's Latte,  is a favorite of mine - it has a number of different sentiments that you can add to the coffee cup.

A doily seemed in order for our chat over coffee and scones and why not some flowers too!  

Whatever your weekend holds, I hope it's a good one for you...

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Cocoa's Latte

Cheery Lynn Designs Doily die

MFT Flower Trio Die-namic

SU Cherry Cobbler cardstock

Sewing machine

Twine

Brads

Copics

Anything is Possible

Here's a card I created for the Hope You Can Cling To challenges at Splitcoaststampers, a month long card drive to help benefit those affected by cancer.  

Kathy (CaKath) asked me to make a sample card based on her challenge about COURAGE.  

I used a Taylored Expressions set called Hope - the sentiment seemed fitting as it's by someone who faced very difficult circumstances with courage and hope, Christopher Reeve.

I colored this little sweetie with copics and sponged around the outside of the oval with SU's Blushing Bride.

I had some pearls in soft coral pink which matched perfectly - don't you just love it when that happens?

Don't forget to check out the Hope You Can Cling To gallery and if you can, join in with some of the fun and inspiring challenges!

Supplies include:

Taylored Expressions Hope

Echo Park Victoria Gardens dp

Spellbinders Nestabilties Ovals

Pearls

SU Blushing Bride pink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

White Linen card stock

It's Your Day

I made this card for today's Hope You Can Cling To Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - Five Words.  Edna has us making a card with five words as the focus.  

The sentiment could be for a birthday or even for someone who just got the all clear or who is getting to go home.

I used post-it-notes to mask a strip and then cut thin strips on the sticky end of the notes with a craft knife to make a lattice effect before sponging.

The ink is Tsukneko Brilliance Starlite Black which has a sort of gun metal gray sheen.

I added a few little snippets of flourishes and leaves to the trio of flowers.

Here's all the info about Hope You Can Cling To!

Supplies include:

Waltzingmouse Say It Loud

Post-it-notes

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish

White Linen cardstock

SU Lucky Limeade cardstock

Tsukneko Brilliance Starlite Black ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Leafy Blessings

Today's CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers is to use the colors aqua, yellow, coral and white - my hubby needed a quick thank you card so I went with a fall theme using Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Autumn Leaves, coloring them with copics and popping them up over a dp panel.  If I had more time I might have masked and sponged a strip for the leaves but this is a speedy alternative!

 It also helped that these leaves are very easy to cut out.  

I used a lovely blessing from the SNSS set Blessings and Thanks for the sentiment.

Not only quick but using limited supplies, it's very rare my supplies list is so short!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Autumn Leaves

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blessings and Thanks

Copics

Echo Park dp