Valentine's Day is coming...

This week's Shining the Light challenge is a Pink, Red, and White Color Challenge.

I used one of the Apothecary Bottles with its matching Apothecary Bottles die, added the cute little heart candies from Canning Jar Fillers, and added the little heart with the "hugs" from Ornate Borders Sentiments.  Keeping it simple, I embossed the white, added a pink doily and matted it.  But then it still needed a little extra something, so I fussy cut a bunch of the little hearts and sprinkled them around the bottom of the bottle.  

Being curious about the origins of Valentine's Day, I found more than I could imagine about how it started and its meaning…good and bad.  

Over the years, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and hearts spread to America. It wasn't until the 1850s that Esther A. Howland, known as the "Mother of the Valentine," made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons, and colored pictures known as "scrap." Initially these cards were hand-colored by factory workers, but by the early 20th century even fancy lace and ribbon-strewn cards were created by machine. And now many of us are back to making handmade cards, which are a delight to send as tokens of love and affection to family and friends. How nice that a handmade card is still of value in this hustle-bustle society in which we live.

This card is going to a precious little girl along with a special gift that is being handed down from her great-grandmother, my mom, who is now with the Lord. I plan to write a note about why it was special to my mom. I am going to share how my mom loved the Lord dearly...and how she would have loved her great-granddaughter very much too.

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until February 2 to join us. You may use any stamps to enter, but if you have any Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we would love to see you use them. If you participate, you have an opportunity to win a $15 certificate toward ODBD stamps or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award (the SLC award is only for those who use ODBD stamps). We would so love to see your creations!

For more absolutely gorgeous inspiration for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

Chris Olsen * Diana Nguyen * DJ Rants * Elizabeth Whisson
Linda Carson * Guest Designer Robin Clendenning

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and leaving a comment or sharing a thought. As I anticipate Valentine's Day, I think of the greatest love…God's...in that He sent His only Son Jesus for us! There is no greater love!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Apothecary Bottles, Canning Jar Fillers, Ornate Borders Sentiments (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Pink (Bazzill)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, ODBD Custom Apothecary Bottles dies, Classic Hearts dies (Spellbinders), Geometric Rings embossing folder (Cuttlebug), doily (Michaels), DMC perle cotton, empressor tool, 3M dimensional tape
Card Size:  4 3/4" square

Graceful Dogwood

This is one of my many favorite ODBD Scripture verse stamps that I've used a lot on cards. It's brief but brings such comfort. When I started this card, it was going in a totally different direction. But then I learned of a friend who lost his wife this week and decided on this CAS (clean and simple) style with the dogwood branch and the verse from the ODBD set Grow in Grace.  I added a few pearls and the lacy border at the bottom.

When I read the larger passage of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, it has great meaning for me personally. And I trust that I will bring comfort to Bob, his children, and grandchildren.

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am in strong."

This week's Shining the Light challenge is an Inspiration Challenge. Hopefully, it's obvious which photo I selected!  It was hard to select one, since they are both so lovely.

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until January 26 to join us. You may use any stamps to enter, but if you have any Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we would love to see you use them. If you participate, you have an opportunity to win a $15 certificate toward ODBD stamps or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award (the SLC award is only for those who use ODBD stamps). We so love seeing your creations!

To see some gorgeous inspiration for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

Chris Olsen * Diana Nguyen * DJ Rants * Elizabeth Whisson
Linda Carson * Guest Designer Robin Clendenning

I have also entered this card for this week's Word Art Wednesday challenge. 

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and leaving a comment or sharing a thought. I trust you will be encouraged and find someone this week who needs words of encouragement and hope. Keep warm, and have a wonderful week!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Grow in Grace (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Cool Caribbean (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Eyelet Lace border punch (Martha Stewart), pearls (Kaiser), PerfectLayers tool
Card Size:  A-2

Sweet Fragrance of a Friend

Proverbs 27:9 says, "Perfume brings joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice."  While our greatest gift from God is Jesus, He also gave us friends.  And precious friends in Christ are those whom God has placed in our lives to pray for us, encourage us, and help us to be more like Christ…and to help us along the way especially during challenging times. I am blessed to have a number of Christian friends who bring great joy to my heart!  

This week's Shining the Light challenge is a Sketch Challenge.

I took a bit of liberty in the sketch and used one of the new Apothecary Bottles and matching Apothecary Bottles die as my main image and stamped the bottle "label" with a stamp from Lavender.  I found some papers with a French theme that seemed to work well with my bottle of Eau de Toilette Lavender and used Spellbinder dies for the shape and paper-pierced (I love piercing…LOL!). I added some dimension to the bottle, added some pearls and some ribbon that I love, and added a sprig from ODBD's Fancy Foliage dies. The sentiment inside the front of the card is from the Lavender stamp set, Proverbs 27:9.  

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog.  You have until January 19 to join us. You may use any stamps to enter, but if you have any Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we would love to see you use them. If you participate, you have an opportunity to win a $15 certificate toward ODBD stamps or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award (the SLC award is only for those who use ODBD stamps). We would so love to see your creations!

For more absolutely gorgeous inspiration for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

Chris Olsen * Diana Nguyen * DJ Rants * Elizabeth Whisson

Linda Carson * Guest Designer Robin Clendenning

This week may I encourage you to reach out to a friend and encourage and pray for her or him, as Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."  

I have also entered this card for the Word Art Wednesday challenge this week.

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and leaving a comment or sharing a thought.  Have a wonderful week, and I hope you will think of someone special to whom you can bring the sweet fragrance of friendship and joy!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Apothecary Bottles and Lavender (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Pear Pizzazz (SU), Bonjour Collection (KaiserCraft)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Old Paper Distress Ink (Ranger)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, ODBD Custom Apothecary Bottles dies and ODBD Custom Fancy Foliage dies, Labels 8 and Decorative Labels 8 dies (Spellbinders), ribbon (May Arts), Pewter pearls (KaiserCraft), paper-piercing tool, empressor tool, 3M dimensional tape
Card Size:  A-2
Technique:  Paper-piercing and sponging

Tulip Blessings

Happy New Year!  Can you believe it's 2014 already?  

As I begin this new year, I want to focus more on how Christ is sufficient in all aspects of my life.  He has blessed me in so many ways, and while I continue to struggle with some health issues, I know that He is always with me through the good days and bad days. A precious friend shared this verse with me today, and I trust it will encourage you as well:

"Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; 

He will never let the righteous be shaken."

Psalm 55:22

This week's Shining the Light challenge is a 2-0-1-4 Challenge. Use each number of 2014 for a recipe (for example, I used  - 2 tulips, 0 ribbon, 1 sentiment, and 4 stamps).   

I used the new Canning Jars (with the Canning Jars die), fussy cut Tulip Corner to put two tulips into the jar, used the Amazing Grace Hymn for my background, and added the sentiment from Ornament Borders Sentiments (inside the Ornate Borders and Flowers die).

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until January 12 to join us.  You may use any stamps to enter, but if you have any Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we would love to see you use them. If you participate, you have an opportunity to win a $15 certificate toward ODBD stamps or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award (the SLC award is only for those who use ODBD stamps). We would so love to see your creations!

For more absolutely gorgeous inspiration for this challenge, please visit my wonderful design team sisters:

Chris Olsen * Diana Nguyen * DJ Rants * Elizabeth Whisson

Linda Carson * Guest Designer Robin Clendenning

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and leaving a comment or sharing a thought.  Have a wonderful week, and remember that God loves you dearly!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Canning Jars, Tulip Corner, Amazing Grace Hymn, and Ornate Borders Sentiments (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Pool Party (SU), White (PTI)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Pool Party (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers; ODBD Custom Canning Jars dies (ODBD); ODBD Custom Ornate Borders and Flowers dies (ODBD); Grand Labels 23, Floral Ovals, and Petite Ovals dies (Spellbinders); Dainty Dots M-Bossabilities reversible embossing folder (Spellbinders); empressor tool; 3M dimensional tape
Card Size:  4 1/2" x 5 3/4"
Technique:  Fussy cutting and sponging