How Sweet the Sound...

This is Week Two of our Shining the Light challenge to make a card or project using Sponging or Stencils.

Oh, I had fun with this card! I had an idea in my head, and it came together ever so slowly - finally! I started with the violets from The Lord is Risen, and I used Antique Labels & Border dies and the Pennant Swag die with the Pennant Swag Alphabet to spell out "grace," after I sponged it with pink. But then the fun began! I wanted to add the Amazing Grace Hymn in the background. So I had to cut one of the Radiant Rectangle dies and cut out the center for a mask, and then I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the hymn and cover half at a time to extend it the width of the space. This is my second try - LOL! But don't we just love a challenge? Then I added some pearls and popped the swag banner a bit and the violets, which I fussy cut (you may know I love to do).

I love "Amazing Grace," and I've shared a link to a beautiful rendition of it in this previous post, so I decided to share the first verse and refrain of another old hymn about God's grace. Perhaps you may remember it:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled

Grace, grace, God's grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until August 3 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. By participating in the challenge, you have an opportunity to win a $15 ODBD gift certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the "stamps column" on the ODBD website or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award. We would love to see your designs!

For more beautiful inspiration ideas for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

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

Be sure to visit the ODBD blog for the "Flower/Garden Stamps and Custom Dies" sale to save 20%. 

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

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought, or prayer request, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Amazing Grace Hymn, The Lord Is Risen, Pennant Swag Alphabet (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Blushing Bride and Pistachio Pudding (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Blushing Bride and Smoky Slate (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Antique Labels & Border dies (ODBD), Pennant Swag die (ODBD), Radiant Rectangle dies (Spellbinders), Empressor tool, stylus, pearls (Recollections), Multi Medium Matte (Ranger), Glossy Accents (Ranger), 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Sponging and fussy cutting
Card Size:  4" x 6"

Hello, My Friend!

This Week One of our Shining the Light challenge is to make a card or project using Sponging or Stencils. 

A dear friend loves purple irises, so I really enjoyed coloring this with her in mind. I used the image from the Iris stamp set and sponged and pierced around the oval. The sentiment is also from the Iris stamp set, and I used the fish-tail tag from the Pennants die set and fussy cut a mat. I used a stencil and sponged over it for the background and matted it with purple. I used a Copic marker to color both the seam binding and the pearls to match. It's a fairly easy card, and I enjoyed making it.

Having good friends is such a blessing. A good friend is someone who encourages you, loves you, and -- most importantly -- prays for you. Now that's special! And yet, we have a friend Who is always there for us, no matter what. I'm reminded of an old hymn, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus." I especially love the second verse. I trust you will be encouraged by this verse today and take all your cares to Him, the Friend Who is always with us and will never forsake us.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged--
Take it to the LORD in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the LORD in prayer.

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until August 3 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. By participating in the challenge, you have an opportunity to win a $15 ODBD gift certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the "stamps column" on the ODBD website or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award. We would love to see your designs!

To help you get a head start on your Christmas card, this week ODBD is having a "Christmas in July Sale" this week through Saturday, July 26, 11 p.m. EDT.

For more beautiful inspiration ideas for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

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

Perhaps there is a friend you might call or email and say, "Hey, I was thinking about you today and prayed for you. Is there some special way I can pray for you?"

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought, or prayer request, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Iris (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Perfect Plum (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Pale Plum (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Petite Oval dies and Petite Scalloped Oval dies (Spellbinders), Pennants dies (ODBD), Dot Fade stencil (Tim Holtz), Perfect Layers tool, piercing tool, pearls (colored with V15), seam binding (dyed with V15), Glossy Accents (Ranger), 3M dimensional tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing, fussy cutting, sponging, and stenciling
Card Size:  A-2

Birthday Blessings

This is Week Two of our Shining the Light challenge to make a card or project that is Patriotic or Red, White and Blue. 

This is a birthday card for a friend who loves this color combination with the softer blue and also loves red-work (where just the outline of an image is embroidered). I stamped the rose from My Friend, matted it in blue, and paper pierced (yes, I can rarely resist!). Then I chose the word blessings from Pennant Swag 1 with the matching Pennant Swag Die and used the YouTube video that Lisa Somerville did showing how to line up the clear stamp image with the die. It worked perfectly. I die-cut the bows of the die in red and added them with a pearl. I used Daisy Chain Background Die for my background over the red and matted it with blue. I popped the center of the swag with some dimensionals. 

We often use the word "blessed" or "blessings." In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us a list of nine "blessed are...," known as the Beatitudes. In His sermon, "blessed" refers to happy or blissful. Only as believers in Christ can we be truly happy internally regardless of our circumstances or environment. This gives the believer great confidence in trusting in God for our true happiness here on earth:

But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in Him.
Jeremiah 17:7

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until July 20 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. By participating in the challenge, you have an opportunity to win a $15 ODBD gift certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the "stamps column" on the ODBD website or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award. We would love to see your designs!

For more beautiful inspiration ideas for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

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

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

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought, or prayer request, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Pennant Swag 1, My Friend (ODBD)

Paper: White (PTI), Brocade Blue and Rose Red (SU)

Ink: Brocade Blue and Rose Red (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Pennant Swag die (ODBD), Daisy Chain Background die (ODBD), Petite Ovals dies (Spellbinders), piercing tool, Perfect Layers tool, Seal 'n Glue adhesive, Glossy Accents (Ranger), 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing
Card Size:  A-2

Thank you for your service!

This is Week One of our Shining the Light challenge to make a card or project that is Patriotic or Red, White and Blue. 

I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. Fourth of July is one of my favorite national holidays. Not only do I love fireworks and parades, but I am proud to be an American and especially proud of all those who serve in the military. I decided to make a card thanking a female member of our military for her service.

I used Patriotic Pennants with the matching Pennants dies and stamped the sentiment along with the tiny flag that I colored with markers. To make it more feminine, I colored and fussy cut the small flowers from Sing to the Lord. I embossed the white background and added some dyed pearl cotton (finally got the blue ink off my fingers - LOL!).

Reflecting on Independence Day, I'm reminded that it's the day we celebrate when the 13 American colonies declared their independence. But as believers, every day is a day to depend on Christ...alone.

I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; 
for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until July 20 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. By participating in the challenge, you have an opportunity to win a $15 ODBD gift certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the "stamps column" on the ODBD website or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award. We would love to see your designs!

For more beautiful inspiration ideas for this challenge, please visit my talented design team sisters:

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

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

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought, or prayer request, and I hope you have a wonderful week!  

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Patriotic Pennants, Sing to the Lord (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Pacific Point (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Pacific Point (SU), Lipstick Red chalk ink (ColorBox)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Pennants dies (ODBD), Circles and Lacey Circles dies (Spellbinders), Baby's Breath embossing folder (Sizzix), Night of Navy and Riding Hood Red markers (SU), pearl cotton (DMC), stylus, Glossy Accents (Ranger), red tape
Techniques: Fussy cutting
Card Size:  A-2