Silent Night; Holy Night

I'm part of a blog group known as Crafters of Faith. We are all women whose faith is important to us. We enjoy chatting, encouraging, laughing, praying... even crying with one another when the circumstances call for it. And once a month, we create something and post it on our blogs, suitable to the theme chosen by one of our group.

This month Mary Rose is our "hostess" and she gave us a great challenge.

NOVEMBER CHALLENGE!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

 
Hello, Crafty sisters! Can you believe the holidays are here? I LOVE this time of year! Peppermint Mocha Lattes, twinkling lights, Hallmark Christmas movies...every good and perfect gift pointing to our Savior. My favorite part of the season? Christmas carols. I LOVE Christmas music, and I have so many CDs that I have to start listening to them in October just to fit them all in! LOL I have a few favorites that make it into heavy rotation (Amy Grant, Kathy Mattea, Point of Grace, Sara Groves), and others that are strictly instrumental and fill the house with the ambient sounds of the season (Jim Brickman, Windham Hill's Celtic Christmas, and more). This month's challenge: Make a card based on one of your favorite Christmas songs or carols. (The Bible verse I chose is often associated with Handel's Messiah, another favorite!) Make sure your card has a little twinkle to represent the light of the world. Bonus points to anyone who includes kraft and gingham in their design (just because I LOVE kraft and gingham!)

So there's your challenge! Plug in that Christmas music and get inspired! I'm even learning some Christmas carols to play on my dulcimer.

Peace and Joy to you!

mary rose


I wanted to use a piece of sheet music - Christmas carol sheet music - for my designer paper. I actually own a worn out hymnal that I have from time to time torn pages out of for creative purposes, so I thought this was an easy thing to have on my card. Not so! I could not find that little green hymnal. I'm still not sure where it disappeared to. But not to be swayed from my thought, I searched online for free sheet music and I found just what I needed............ Silent Night.

Here's my card:

In keeping with  Mary Rose's theme, I used  nativity scene that depicts the scene on that Silent (and Holy) Night of years ago. And I used Kraft paper (for my card base and some of the layering) as well as gingham (ribbon and I stamped the image onto a soft yellow gingham.) It doesn't show up well in the picture, but I also added glitter glue to the points of the star and in the center of it, too.

Here's the inside of my card (very simple):



I can't wait to see what the other Crafters of Faith ladies created. I hope you'll go take a look, too. You can find the links to their blogs in my lefthand sidebar.

Image: A Muse Holy Night

Sentiment: A Muse Newborn King

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft

Sheet Music: downloaded and printed on White Staples Cardstock

Designer Paper: A Muse Gingham

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones, Stampin' UP! Gingham Ribbon, and Stickles Glitter Glue



Gratitude

The state of being grateful; thankfulness

Isn't that a beautiful definition?

Today's card is a reminder to all of my blogging friends... there's a challenge going on at Craft Us Crazy and there's still time for you to participate. The challenge runs through December 5.

Theme: Theme: Give Thanks/Thank You

and/or Inspire Us!

If you choose to use he theme Inspire Us, please post who/what you were inspired by



The sponsor for this challenge is The Cutting Cafe. Not only did they give the design team images to work with (including the great definition on my card today), they're also giving a prize package to one lucky participant in the challenge... so here's a big THANK YOU to The Cutting Cafe!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the inside of my card:

 

 

 

 

Now it's your turn to create a card/project for the Craft Us Crazy Challenge!

Definition: The Cutting Cafe

Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Soft Saffron

Designer Papers: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

 

 

A Quirky November Holiday

I've been waiting and waiting and WAITING for today to arrive. Could hardly contain my excitement.I'm so glad it's here!!!

This is the 28th of November and that means it is the day for the Calendar Girls blog group to post their monthly creation. As you probably know, one of us hosts each month and comes up with a theme and we all create based on that theme. However, there are only 10 of us in the group, so November and December end up being "hostess-less" months. We kind of decide as a group what our theme will be.

This month the Calendar Girls decided to look for quirky/unusual holidays that happen in November and to create a card/project based on one of those holidays. Isn't that a cool idea?

In fact, I've had so much fun with this that I think I'll try to do it more often - just for the fun of it.

Okay, enough chatter.................. wanna know what my holiday is???

Here's a glimpse of my card to give you an idea:

World Toilet Day

November 19

How fun is that!?!?!?!?

Here's the whole toilet:

I actually purchased these stamps a couple of years ago, on one of my many road trips. I was on my way home from visiting my daughter (she lived in western Kansas at the time) and stopped in the Stamper's Ink store in the metropolitan Kansas City area. While there I found this toilet stamp and the stamp of a roll of toilet paper, and I don't know why... but they just had to come home with me. LOL! Today I know why.

Here's my card:

I know; you're surprised... but I didn't use any designer paper on this card. EEK! What's happening to me??? Instead I tried (very poorly, but I tried) to create my own cloudy sky paper. I punched a piece of scrap card stock with the large scalloped circle Stampin' UP! punch and used it as my template while sponging Bashful Blue ink onto white cardstock. It sort of worked. The "grass" is a piece of Garden Green cardstock. I tore the top edge for texture.

I added a roll of toilet paper to the card front (popped it up with pop dots), as well as to the inside of the card (which was stamped directly onto the cardstock).

I didn't have a suitable quote/sentiment for the inside, so I computer generated my own.

Anybody really want to go back to the good ol' days before indoor plumbing???

Now, let's go see what holidays the other Calendar Girls chose to highlight (I kind of doubt anyone else chose World Toilet Day, don't you?). You'll find the links to their blogs in my lefthand sidebar. Be sure to leave them a comment, it will make their day!

Images: Judith Stamps

Ink: Copic Markers, Memento Tuxedo Black and Stampin' UP! Bashful Blue

Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Bashful Blue and Garden Green

Embellishment: Gingham Ribbon (vendor unknown)

Be {PIN}Spired...

Yes, it's Tuesday, so time for a new {PIN}Spirational Challenge!

November 27 - December 3

Here's the photo to inspire us:

Our sponsor this week is 2 Cute Ink.

2 Cute Ink graciously provided digital images for the design team's use for this creation. I chose to use their Owl Sparkler's image... it's just too darling! THANK YOU, 2 Cute Ink!!!

It sure looks like that little guy is having a party!

Here is the inside of my card:

I hope you'll play along with this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge, too! Oh, and be sure to check there to find out who are the newest members of the design team! WELCOME LADIES!

Image: 2 Cute Ink Owl Sparklers

Ink: Copic Markers and Copic Spica Pens

Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Pink Passion

Designer Papers: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Ribbon (vendor unknown)



I Have GREAT News...

The challenge at ABC Challenges is ANYTHING GOES this week!!!

What does that mean? That means there is absolutely NO reason why you can't play along. Any card you make fits the challenge. Isn't that exciting?!?!?!?!?

November 26 - December 2

Theme: Anything Goes

(the only thing you need to remember is that ABC Challenges is CARDS only!)

Here's my card:

The inside of my card:

I can't wait to see YOUR card!

Image & Sentiments: Peachy Keen Recess Jump Rope Girl
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Crushed Curry
Designer Paper: Prima Marketing Inc. Breathe Paper Collection
Embellishments: Recollections Brads and Stampin' UP! Melon Mambo Ribbon

Thanksgiving Turkey

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed whatever you chose to do on Black Friday, as well. Mine was great! We had a good meal (okay, maybe that was bragging, but I did enjoy what I cooked. LOL!) and our daughter was able to come home for the holiday so that was AWESOME!!! Sadly, our son was not here, but hopefully they will both be able to be here for Christmas.

The Craft Us Crazy Challenge blog begins today, having given all of us a wee bit of a break to celebrate Thanksgiving.

November 24 - December 5

Theme: Give Thanks/Thank You

and/or Inspire Us!

If you choose to use he theme Inspire Us, please post who/what you were inspired by

The sponsor of this challenge is

The Cutting Cafe generously gave the Design Team images to use for this challenge and will also be giving a prize to a lucky participant. THANK YOU, The Cutting Cafe! We certainly appreciate you!!!


In celebration of Thanksgiving, I created a TURKEY card.

My images for this card are part of The Cutting Cafe's Thanksgiving Day set.

One of the things I really liked about this set is there is a row of little turkeys that match the big turkey. I thought it worked well to use both.

Here's the inside of my card:

Now, it's your turn. Please participate in the Craft Us Crazy challenge! I'd love to see what you make!

Images: The Cutting Cafe Thanksgiving Day
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! So Saffron
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let me wish you a great day with family, friends, and feasts!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Craft Us Crazy Challenge, which normally would have started today (on a Thursday) will not begin until Saturday night. See you then!

Bright and Cheery

SNOWMAN!

Perhaps you've noticed this same little snowman on some other blogs recently. There's a good reason for that. There are about 20 of us in the Mystery Image Swap. Terry was the hostess this round and she sent us each these adorable images. In the Mystery Swap, each participant gets the same images and it's a big SECRET until the due date... we can't post pictures until then. The due date was a couple of days ago, but my blog was busy with other things, so today I get to show you my card.

Here's the inside:

Terry, I had so much fun with this little guy! THANK YOU!!!

I hope the next round will be a good one, too... since I'm hosting.......... AND I sent the most unique of images. ;)

Image: My Favorite Things Holiday Hugs Snowman
Ink: Memeno Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock & Designer Paper: Recollections Jolly Holiday Pack
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Ribbon (vendor unknown)

Thanks a Latte

It's Tuesday... time for some Challenges!

First of all, it's time for a new {PIN}Sprirational Challenge.

As you know, {PIN}Spirational Challenges present a photo and crafters are encouraged to create a project as they are inspired by the photo.

Here is this week's photo:

November 20 - 26

The sponsor for this week's challenge is a company dear to my heart...

I used to be on Heather's Fresh Brewed Designs design team and found her to be kind and generous then, as she is now.

Heather gave the {PIN}Spirational Challenges Design Team images to use for this challenge. She is also giving a prize to a lucky participant. THANK YOU, HEATHER!

Here's my card:

Today is also the day for the new Twisted Tuesday Challenge.

November 20-26

THEME: Make a Thank You creation.

TWIST: Food is a big part of Thanksgiving, so include something "foodie" in your creation.

My card fits that challenge, too. Isn't that fun!?!?!

Here's the inside of my card:

Now it's YOUR turn.... I hope you'll participate in both the {PIN}Spirational Challenge and the Twisted Tuesday Challenge this week!

Image: Fresh Brewed Designs Perfect Pair
Sentiment: Close to My Heart Expreso Myself
Ink: Copic Markers and Memento Rich Cocoa
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Curshed Curry and Tempting Turquoise
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Tempting Turquoise Brads