John 3:16

For God so loved the world; that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,  but have everlasting life.

This is perhaps the most oft quoted verse in the entire Bible. And for good reason!

* * * * *

This being the last day of the month, it is time for the Crafters of Faith blog group's monthly challenge. This month Jackie is our hostess and she gave us a challenge based on John 3:16.

Here is her challenge (in her words):

This is my most favorite verse in the Bible. It speaks to me about love... a great love that will never end. How awesome!!! For the month of May; I would like you ladies to create something out of love. Interpret this anyway you want... it can be a fave stamp set; some of your fave embellishments, maybe even a project for a loved one. There's so many possibilities & I can't wait to see what you all come up with! Have fun & Happy Stamping.

Jackie, THANK YOU for giving us such a great theme!

Since, like Jackie, John 3:16 is a favorite verse of mine, I decided to make the verse I love the focal part of my card. I didn't have a John 3:16 stamp, so I went to the next best thing... free clip art from the web. ;)

I also added two of my favorite embellishments -

ribbon and pearls!

Another thing I love -

I love to decorate the insides of my cards, too...

so I did.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! I hope you'll also check out the other Crafters of Faith blogs. You'll find the links in my left side bar.

Image & Sentiment: free clip art from the internet
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Staples White
Designer Paper: Recollections Black & White Paper Pad
Embellishments: Michael's Pearls and Studio G Ribbon

So Many Things...

I have so many things to show you today! So please bear with me. I'll try to use few words and lots of pictures instead. ;)

There's a new {PIN}Spirational Challenge starting today.

The sponsors this week are

Meljen's

and

Milk Coffee.

I want to express a big THANK YOU to these two digital stamp companies for providing a prize package adn digital images for the design team's use.

Here's the photo to {PIN}Spire our creativity this week:

I used a Milk Coffee image to make this card:

I decided the thing that stood out in the photo for me was the chevron, stripes, and dots... so that's what I used on  my card.

Here's the inside of my card:

{PIN}Spirational Challenges only last ONE week, so you have until June 3rd to participate!

There's also a new Twisted Tuesday Challenge today.

May 28 - June 10

Theme: Children

Twist: Use the color Yellow

Here's my card:

I used a Taylored Expressions image and sentiments on this card as well as the Market Street sunrays image.

This is the inside of my card:

Are you still here? I sure hope so because I have one more thing to show you. This is the 28th so it's the day that the Calendar Girls blog group has their monthly fun. This month April is our Calendar Girl hostess and this is what she had in mind for us...

My theme is easy. I would like you each to make a card represendting one thing you hope to accomplish over the summer. It could be a garden, a vacation, a weight loss, whatever. but you do have to tell us what you are hoping to accomplish.

Easy? She's got to be kidding! I struggled and struggled, trying to think of my summer plans. Hmmmmmmmmm...

Okay, here it is!

Do you have a clue???


Well........... it apparently DOES have something to do with turtles. ;) (I'm guessing my daughter knows what it is!)

I hope to accomplish doing something special for my daughter! See, she's a special encourager for someone who is on camp staff this summer, which means she sends cards and such to this young lady throughout the summer. My daughter asked me if I'd make her some cards to send. Isn't that cool??? The camp staffer likes turtles, so to begin with I dug through my stash and found a couple of turtle cards that my daughter could use. And then for the Calendar Girl project, I made this card...

Isn't that turtle adorable? He's a digi stamp from QKR Stampede.

Here's the inside of my card:

Oh, and just in case you want to see a better picture of those two cards from my stash (pre-Copics), here they are...

Whew! Long post! I'm sorry!

I do hope you'll go to the Calendar Girl blogs and see what they made, too. You'll find the links in my left sidebar.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Coffee Milk Soccer Boy
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections and Stampin' UP!
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishment: from an unknown vendor

Images & Sentiment: Taylored Expressions and Market Place Stamps Ink: Brilliance Yellow, Memento Tuxedo Black, and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections and Stampin' UP!
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Image: QKR Stampede
Sentiment: Stampabilities
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Embossing Folder: Swiss Dots
Cardstock: Recollections and Stampin' UP!
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Memorial Day Challenges

It's Memorial Day and if you're like me, you are remembering the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom. It is with utmost gratitude that I say THANK YOU!

Many of us will spend the day with family and friends - gathering together for picnics, activities, and a lot of food, fun, and fellowship. As we do so, let's also think of those for whom this day holds special meaning. As they gather, someone is missing from their family gathering and they grieve over their family's loss.

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.

-Joseph Campbell

I also have a couple of challenges to tell you about today  - and a couple of cards to show you.

ABC Challenges

May 27 - June 2

This week's challenge is a SKETCH challenge:

You can turn it to horizontal or flip the sketch, but your CARDS need to use this sketch to participate in the challenge.

Here's my card:

I used the Stampin' UP! Praying Hands image.

Here's the inside of my card:

The other challenge is

MelonHeadz Friends

May 27 - June 9

Theme: Male/Father's Day

Here's my card:

I used the MelonHeadz Illustrating Little Family image.

Here's the inside of my card:

The sentiment is computer generated. After I had the card all finished, I wished I had made sentiment...

Happy Father's Day

from your personal fan club

Oh well. :/


Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I hope you will participate in the ABC Challenges Sketch Challenge and the MelonHeadz Friends Male/Father's Day Challenge.

Image: Stampin' UP! Praying Hands
Ink: Memento London Fog
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Garden Green and Staples White
Designer Papers: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Image: MelonHeadz Illustrating Little Family
Ink: Copic Markers
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Cardstock: Recollections Black, Stampin' UP! Real Red, and Staples White
Designer Papers: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Rhinestones from unknown vendors

Fun Times!

I'm getting ready to go on an incredible trip where I'll have the opportunity to lead activities, crafts, games, and Bible studies with a group of preteens. Part of the time will be spent with the VBS materials "Colossal Coaster World" (think roller coasters, popcorn and cotton candy, theme parks, etc.). I wanted to give them an opportunity to make a Smash Book/Journal project as an option during free time. I really like how the sample turned out - so thought I'd show it to my blogging friends.

I mostly used things from my stash to make it, though I did purchase some DP and Journaling Cards - October Afternoon Midway Collection.

The pages in this picture are actually on a white lunch sack size paper bag:

Therefore there's a nice little pocket for adding memento's to the book:

I love the fuzzy little duck - coordinates well with the Duck Pond Journaling Card that is in the pocket of htis page:

The striped part on the page is actually the bottom of a paper sack (you'll see the rest of the sack on a later page of the book). It makes a nice little SECRET compartment:

The SAY CHEESE! Journaling card twists up (thanks to a mustache brad) to show something underneath:

Here's the red/white striped bag I was telling you about:

I love the quote:

It's part of a Taylored Expressions stamp set called Adventure Land.



I used a variety of Washi Tape to make a background to attach the daily themes to this page:

These images are from an older Stampin' UP! set called Time for Fun:

The Colossal Coaster World stamp is manufactured by Lifeway.

I made another pocket - this one holds index cards. We're going to write "Warm Fuzzies' to each other on the last day together and tuck them into the pocket.

The "ticket" is such fun - I purchased it at Hobby Lobby. You use a wooden stick to etch onto it.

These are the last two pages of the book:

Another clever pocket for storing things is formed by putting the ticket DP onto a small sack:

On the last page there's room for us to share email addresses with one another:

I put it all together with office rings and added ribbons and such to them for color. I actually used pieces of brightly colored shoelaces that I found on Clearance at Walmart for part of the fun.

Now, I need to make the kits....... EEK! I'm leaving in two weeks!


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!