Christmas Ornament

This is Week One of our Shining the Light Anything Goes with ODBD Challenge.

I made my very first Christmas card this year! Since I just love poinsettias (which grow naturally here), I decided to make a "Christmas tree ornament" using the new Poinsettia Ornament and colored it with Copic markers. I used both the Circle Ornaments and Matting Circles dies to make my ornament and used a gold Krylon pen to edge the circle and to make my ornament top gold. The background paper is from Christmas Paper Collection 2013 matted with red and pierced. I added one of the Beautiful Borders dies threaded with DMC floss and then used an Elegant Oval die for my popped Christmas greeting from Poinsettia Wreath. I did add just a touch of yellow Stickles for some sparkle in the center of the poinsettia, and a bit of red grosgrain ribbon hangs my ornament on the card. And I like that it is very mailable.

It's hard to believe here in South Florida that Christmas will be here in a few months...because it's still very warm! But Christmas is always a very special day to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus. At times, I can hardly fathom that God the Son came down to earth to live among us and to die for us, making the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen His glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

So while Christmas is a wonderful time to celebrate and give each other gifts, I am reminded that we celebrate God's greatest gift to us, eternal life to all who believe in Jesus as Savior.

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until October 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. 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

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:  Poinsettia Ornament, Poinsettia Wreath (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Vintage Cream and Poppy Red (PTI), Christmas Collection 2013 (ODBD)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Circle Ornaments dies (ODBD), Matting Circles dies (ODBD), Beautiful Borders dies (ODBD), Elevant Oval dies (ODBD), gold leafing pen (Krylon), yellow Stickles (Ranger), red grosgrain ribbon (Offray), DMS floss 817, Perfect Layers tool, Diamond Glaze adhesive, piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing
Card Size:  4 3/4"

Happy Birthday, Kelley!

Welcome to Our Daily Bread Designs Birthday Blog Hop, celebrating Kelley's birthday! 

Kelley Holland is owner of Our Daily Bread Designs, and the "breadsticks" have come together for this special hop to share cards using Our Daily Bread Designs stamps and custom dies to wish Kelley a wonderful and blessed Happy Birthday! We would love for you to hop along with us and leave birthday wishes for Kelley!

For my card, I decided to use this old-fashioned image called Elizabeth and colored it green with deep pink for the trim. This dress reminds me some of those worn in the wonderful television series, "Downton Abbey." I die cut the main Vintage Flourish Pattern die for the background, sponged it, and then glued it to the cream card base. Then I fussy-cut the focal image just a bit smaller than the solid inside shape so the sponging would serve as a mat and then pierced around it. I added my sentiment from Birthday Doily, edged the circle with a Copic marker, and popped it just to the right. A simple but heartfelt birthday card, Kelley! 

Thank you so much for joining us on the Birthday Blog Hop, and we hope you enjoyed it! 

In case you may have missed someone, here's a complete list, and you can see all the cards together on the ODBD Blog.

Chris Olsen * Lisa Somerville * Sandee Shanabrough
Grace Nywening * Wanda Cullen * Elizabeth Whisson
Robin Clendenning * Paula Bigelow * Linda Carson
Angella Crockett * Cathy McCauley * Silke Ledlow
Dawn Lusk * Diana Nguyen * Sabrina Jackson
Cheryl Scrivens

Happy birthday, Kelley! Have a wonderful birthday celebration, and may God continue to bless you! Hugs, sweet friend!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Elizabeth, Birthday Doily (ODBD)

Paper: Classic White (Neenah), Vintage Cream (PTI), Pistachio Pudding (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Pistachio Pudding (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Circle dies (Spellbinders), Vintage Flourish Pattern dies (ODBD), Glue n' Seal adhesive (Ranger), white Enamel Accents (Ranger), piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing, sponging
Card Size:  A-2

Pumpkin with Flowers

This is Week Two of our Shining the Light Fall Inspiration Challenge –– such a wonderful selection of ideas to inspire you!

Since I love that top left-hand corner inspiration photo, I used it again this week but used the Fall Pumpkin Flowers with the matching Pumpkin & Flowers die. My designer paper served as my color pallet, and I layered two patterns matted with Cajun Craze to add contrast. I added the sentiment from Doily Blessings just below the popped pumpkin and also added some floss underneath it and paper pierced the top layer (how could I resist...hehe!) and made room for three "buttons" from the Doily dies (aren't they cute?). What I especially like about this card is that it is mailable and needs no special packaging. That's one of my goals this year - to make more cards that are mailable - and to mail them!

I am so thankful for so many things, and I love this sentiment. It reminds me of the wonderful blessings from God, one of them is the wonderful friends He has given me. Once again, I'm reminded of a wonderful hymn, "Count Your Blessings."

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Life can be hard sometimes. One of the verses says, "Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?" But when I stop and think about all the blessings God has given me (in spite of the hardships of life), how can I not be thankful? He is always with me...through it all!

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until October 5 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

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:  Fall Pumpkin Flowers, Doily Blessings (ODBD)

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card (Copic), Vintage Cream (PTI), Cajun Craze (SU), Collectable/Notable paper pad (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Pumpkin & Flowers die (ODBD), Doily dies (ODBD), DMS floss 3830, Perfect Layers tool, Diamond Glaze adhesive, piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing
Card Size:  5 1/4"

Sunflower Blessings

This is Week One of our Shining the Light Fall Inspiration Challenge –– such a wonderful selection of four ideas to inspire you!

I chose the top left corner image with the beautiful sunflowers using the orange and green of the pumpkin and leaves. I colored Sunflowers as my focal image and layered it on two matted designer paper patterns, piercing the top layer. Then a simple seam binding bow dyed to match with the wonderful sentiment from Doily Blessings using one of the the Recipe Card & Tags dies. It's a simple card that I hope will express my love for the friend who receives it - she has been a blessing to me in so many ways! 

Yes, I do love sunflowers, and I love that they follow the sun as it moves from dawn to dusk. It's amazing, and it reminds me of this precious passage from Psalm 34 (such a wonderful Psalm):

I sought the LORD, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
Psalm 34:4-5

We can learn a lesson from the sunflower by always turning our face to the LORD by reading the Bible and praying.

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until October 5 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:  Doily Blessings, Sunflowers (ODBD)

Paper: Classic White (Neenah), Vintage Cream (PTI), Really Rust (SU), Stella Rose/Mabel (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Recipe Card & Tags dies (ODBD), Petite Ovals dies (Spellbinders), seam binding (dyed with E97), piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Fussy cutting, paper-piercing
Card Size:  5" x 7"

Warmth of a Quilt

This is Week Two of our Shining the Light In Stitches Challenge. We'd love to see your designs using stitch themes (real or faux stitching), quilt layouts, stitched images or sentiments. Be creative.

Using an image from Quilts, I colored my quilt in blue, red, and green. When making a quilt, you need special tools. So I fussy cut and added the Spool & Tape and the Pincushion layered over the bottom of the quilt after I used a stylus to give the pincushion dimension. And I love this sentiment. The background is embossed, sponged, and matted - and of course, paper-pierced. By now, you must know I love to pierce! 

Back in the days when early pioneers traveled west, women made quilts out of necessity using fabric from worn clothes and blankets. Women would gather to make quilts, and it was essential for socializing as well as for making quilts for new brides and new moms. I especially thank God for the wonderful friends He has given me to love me, pray for me, and encourage me to be a woman who fears God and desires to praise Him in all that I do. And my precious friends do not lose their warmth as we age together!

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:36

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until September 21 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

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:  Quilts, Pincushion Single, Spool & Tape (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Marina Mist (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Marina Mist (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Circles dies (Spellbinders), Aida impression plate (PTI), bitty buttons (threaded with dental floss dyed with B32), Empressor tool, stylus, piercing tool, Perfect Layers tool, 3M Diamond Glaze adhesive, dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing, fussy cutting, sponging, adding dimension
Card Size:  4 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Sharing Joys and Sorrows

This is Week One of our Shining the Light In Stitches Challenge. We'd love to see your designs using stitch themes (real or faux stitching), quilt layouts, stitched images or sentiments. Be creative.

As you might imagine, I enjoyed making a card using a quilt theme. It started with the beautiful new Doily die, and I sponged it and added my sentiment from the Quilts stamp set. Next I cut four squares from the new Soulful Stitches Collection paper pad and adhered them to the background card stock. Then the "quilting" began! I pierced around each square and then "poked" each hole with the fine marker to add some color and then drew the lines for the faux-stitching (remember how patient I try to be - hehe!). I find this really gives the faux-stitching a more realistic look. But I thought my patience needed more work, so I added the sweet little cluster of buttons and thread from the Quilts stamp set, fussy cut it, and placed it on the doily. The doily is "floating" on the card and is adhered only in the center and has dimensional tape under each oval shape to pop it. 

As I consider the friends with whom I can share my joys and sorrows, I am truly blessed by God. I can share prayer requests and know that I will be upheld in prayer, and I also know that these same friends will be happy with and for me when God brings joy into my life. Are you a friend like that? I trust you are, as it is one way to show our love for Christ.

Rejoice with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.
Romans 12:15

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until September 21 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

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:  Quilts (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Vintage Cream (PTI), Crisp Cantaloupe (SU), Soulful Stitches Collection paper pad (ODBD)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Crisp Cantaloupe (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Doily dies (ODBD), Crisp Cantaloupe Stampin' Write marker (SU), piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing, fussy cutting, sponging, faux-stitching
Card Size:  4 3/4"

Secure Anchor

This is Week Two of our Shining the Light Sketch Challenge.

The anchor from Anchor the Soul is my focal image that I colored and added "happy birthday" from All Occasion Sentiments. In keeping with the sketch, I added the Pennant Swag die. I sponged the die and added brads, and popped the entire image. My background paper is from the Christian Faith Collection paper pad with a double matting, sponged and pierced. And I used some burlap with pearl cotton tied in a knot.

Truly, life can feel like being in the midst of a raging storm on a ship being tossed about the waves. A secure anchor serves to keep a ship from drifting onto a rocky shore or drifting out to sea. Our secure anchor against the dangers of this world is Jesus Christ. This card is for our 17-year-old grandson, and it is our prayer that he will continue to follow after Christ, his sure and strong Anchor.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary
behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us,
has entered on our behalf.
Hebrews 6:19-20

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until August 31 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!

Before I forget, ODBD has a sale through August 30 - 20% off all ODBD stamps, ODBD custom dies, and ODBD paper pad collections (more details).

For some beautiful inspiration for this challenge, please visit my wonderful design team sisters:

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

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:  Anchor the Soul, All Occasion Sentiments (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Vintage Cream (PTI), Brocade Blue (SU), Christian Faith Collection paper pad (ODBD)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Brocade Blue (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Pennant Swag die (ODBD), burlap (May Arts), pearl cotton #799 (DMC), brads (SU), white gel pen (Signo), Perfect Layers tool, piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Sponging and paper-piercing
Card Size:  A-2

Every Remembrance of You

This is Week One of our Shining the Light Sketch Challenge.

I chose tulips as my focal image and fussy cut three from the Tulip Corner stamp set. Chalkboard Vine Background is my "designer paper," and I added an embossed, matted layer with ribbon, under which is a sponged Pennant Swag die (sans the bows) with pearls. Then I used one of the Antique Borders & Label dies instead of the rectangle, sponged it, fussy cut a pink mat, and popped it with dimensional tape. The tulips were arranged and glued in place, and the "Thoughts of you" sentiment from Rose Bouquet "holds" the tulip bouquet together. 

As I was making this card, I was thinking of the many people for whom I pray. It gives me great joy to do so, and I feel a special connection to them. And I know I have precious friends who remember me in prayer as well. What a blessing, and it reminds me of this passage:

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Always in every prayer of mine for you all
making request with joy,
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Being confident of this very thing,
That he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Philippians 1:3-6

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until August 31 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

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: Tulip Corner, Rose Bouquet, Chalkboard Vine Background (ODBD)

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

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Blushing Bride (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Pennant Swag die (ODBD), Antique Labels & Border dies (ODBD), Script embossing folder (Cuttlebug), Oval punch (SU), seam binding dyed with R32, Perfect Layers tool, pearls (Recollections), Diamond Glaze adhesive, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Fussy cutting and sponging
Card Size:  A-2

Friendships Blossom

This is Week Two of our Shining the Light Sketch Challenge. I really have enjoyed this sketch.

This week I didn't change the sketch as much as last week, and it's been fun to see everyone's take on this sketch. I colored the flower from Cherry Blossom as my focal image and framed with the Elegant Ovals dies, fussy cut a narrow mat for it, and then paper-pierced. The base is embossed, and I added one of the Beautiful Borders dies with some pearl cotton, along with one of my "go-to" additions of Copic-dyed seam binding. (Can we ever find the right shade of ribbon?) The final touch was the sentiment from the Iris stamp set inside one of the Antique Labels & Borders dies. It's a fairly simple card and will be easy to make more of these for a quick card for any occasion.

This year has been a special year of new friendships for me. Since joining the ODBD challenge team and getting to "play" on Splitcoaststampers with the Dirty Dozen, I've become friends with some very special gals. Friendships truly do blossom with encouragement, love, and prayer. We are called also to equip each other and spur each other on to draw closer to our Lord. I trust you have at least one dear sister in Christ with whom you can share.

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until August 17 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

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:  Cherry Blossom, Iris (ODBD)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Pretty in Pink (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Antique Labels & Border dies (ODBD), Beautiful Borders dies (ODBD), Elegant Ovals dies (ODBD), Dainty Dots M-Bossabilities reversible embossing folder (Spellbinders), seam binding dyed with RV11, white pearl cotton (DMC), piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Paper-piercing and fussy cutting
Card Size:  A-2

My Anchor

This is Week One of our Shining the Light Sketch Challenge.

My card is wide, so I "stretched" the sketch. After all, a sketch is a starting point, right? My focal image is from one of the new August release sets called Anchor the Soul, and I used the Scripture verse from there as well. I stamped the small anchor to add some interest to my background designer paper, and I used it for a little tag on the ribbon tied with twine. I sponged and pierced it, and that's it - a fairly simple masculine card with a nautical theme.

This wonderful passage reminds me that Jesus is the anchor of our souls. He intercedes with the Father in our behalf. And hope does not mean "wish," but certainty. He is the solid Anchor.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, 
a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 
where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf,
having become a high priest forever 
after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:19-20

To see all the designs in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until August 17 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:  Anchor the Soul (ODBD)

Paper: Vintage Cream (PTI), Riding Hood Red (SU), Anchor Collection (Authentique)

Ink: Buckaroo Blue (SU)
Tools/Accessories: Circles and Oval dies (Spellbinders), Riding Hood Red grosgrain ribbon (SU), linen twine (PTI), Perfect Layers tool, piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Sponging, paper-piercing
Card Size:  A-6