Relax

Can you believe it? This is the last day of July - already! The year is rushing by. I definitely think we need to slow down the pace a bit, don't you?

RELAX!

Because this is the last day of the month, the Crafters of Faith blog group is ready to show you our projects for this month.


Kelly (MiamiKel4), our leader and this month's challenge hostess has this theme for us...


Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. - John 7:38

This month's Crafters of Faith challenge theme is inspired by this verse.

Theme: Water!

It's summer and many of us are enjoying the splendors of the outdoors - boating, swimming, walking along the lakes and rivers. Summer rains, as heavy and burdening as they can sometimes be, bring us new growth all around - trees, green grass and gorgeous flowers blooming. Even spiritually, many people accept Jesus into their hearts and become baptized in water and have beach baptisms. Water is a beautiful, healing, essential! This month I want you to use WATER as your theme on your cards. Be as creative as you like - think boats, oceans, the beach, tilted watering cans, bird baths, falling rain, etc.! Let water be the focus of your card and extra brownie points for using the color BLUE!! Blessings!


As I often do for the monthly Crafters of Faith challenges, I used a stamp set from Our Daily Bread.

Awwww... so peaceful! And relaxing!

I ♥ the Beach!

Here's the inside of my card:

Please head over to the Crafters of Faith blogs to see what the other ladies did with the Water theme. You'll find the links in my left sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by today. Try to find time to RELAX a bit today - and do something you enjoy!

Image & Sentiments: Our Daily Bread Happy Retirement
Ink: Stampin' UP! (for sponging), Versafine Onyx Black and Versamark
Embossing Powder: Stampin' UP! Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Pacific Point and True Thyme
Embellishments: Spare Parts Brads

I ♥ the Beach!

Isn't this a peaceful scene!?!?!? I wish I were sitting in that beach chair or tossing that beach ball right now.

Image: Stamping Dragon - Beach

I made this card for this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge.

July 30 - August 5

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This is the photo that will {PIN}Spire us this week:

The sponsors for this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge are...

Stamping Dragon

and Shelly's Images

Both sponsors are offering FABULOUS prizes to a lucky participant, as well as images for the design team's use for this challenge. THANK YOU Stamping Dragon and Shelly's Images! We appreciate you so much!!!

Here is the card I made:

Here is the inside of my card:

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! I hope you'll participate in this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge!

Image: Stamping Dragon Beach
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Brads

Oh Scrap!

ABC Challenges has a wonderful idea for this week's challenge...

Use Up Scraps

Create any card using up some of your scraps.

I hope you don't think I got carried away with the "use your scraps" idea. EEK!

Here's my card:

 

I used my Stampin' UP! Hexagon Punch and punched out a variety of designer papers in my scrap file. I layed them out on the black cardstock until i liked he look, then glued them down.

I added a heart and other punched pieces for the sentiment:

This card was so much fun to make!

ABC Challenges

July 29 - August 4

PLEASE USE YOUR SCRAPS AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHALLENGE!

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Here are some more pictures of my card:

Here's the inside of my card:

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Sentiment: Stampin' UP! Word Play
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollection Black and Staples Ivory
Designer Papers: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Splish Splash

Look who's taking a bath...

Today is the 28th day of July - so it's time for the Calendar Girls blog group to share their projects for the monthly challenge.

Linda (ljhart on SCS) is Miss July and she gave us a FUN theme!

I would like it to be "Cute and Cuddly". The cuddly being a huggable moose, or a raccoon, or a bear, etc. I really enjoy the Riley stamps and Penny Black hedgehogs, but I'm asking you to pick your favorite furry creature stamp and make a card with any sentiment. I happen to be a hoarder of cute stamps, maybe because my kids share in my stamping addiction. It's always fun to see those little critters come to life on a card.

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Linda

* * * * *

I looked through my stamps and truthfully couldn't find ONE favorite cute and cuddly.... so I decided to pick one of my favorites. ;)

It's a Popcorn Bear!

Here's the inside of my card:

Now, let's go see what Cute and Cuddly things the other Calendar Girls have to show us. You can find the links to their blogs in my left sidebar. They would love for you to drop by and leave them a comment!

Thanks for stopping by my blog, too! I appreciate you!!!

Image & Sentiments: Popcorn Bear Bath Time
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Marina Mist
Designer Paper: Sandy Lion Mermaid Image
Embellishments: Michael's Ribbon and Stickles Glitter Glue

Gratitude

A few days ago I was trying to make a card for the Virtual Card Club that I host each month. I wanted to play with a product that is new to me... Splash! (Just the name sounds like great fun, doesn't it?)

You know the kind of product I'm talking about - it's spray ink. It can't be that difficult to use, right? WRONG! I discovered very quickly that it is MUCH TOO EASY TO SPLASH TOO MUCH.

Take a look:

Yes, this is definitely too much splash!

So... I tried to use a different technique on the next piece. I sprayed off to the side first and then gently sprayed a wee bit onto my sentiment.

Much better!

A Little Splash Goes a Long Way!

GIVE THANKS!

Not wanting to let my efforts go to waste, I decided to make a card with my less than ideal attempts at using Splash. I am sure you'll be glad to hear that I ended up not using these for the Virtual Card Club. LOL! If you want to see the card I made for it, click here. (You'll notice there isn't any Splash on it at all.)

Here's the inside of the card:

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Image & Sentiments: A Muse Studio Give Thanks
Ink: A Muse Studio French Roast and Orange Splash
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Chocolate and Staples White
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishment: Brad from an unknown vendor

FREEBIE Alert!

I don't have a card to show you today - I have something even BETTER! A Freebie Alert!!!

Have you noticed? For the past few days MelonHeadz Illustrating has had a FREE image on their blog every day. It's only good for ONE day, so you have to get it that day........... but the good news is, there is a new one TODAY!!! So hurry!!!

Click here!

Love Is Sweet...

... and so is sledding!

WHAT does that mean, you ask??? Check out my cards for today....

 

 

Love AND sledding... both are sweet!


Okay, now for the details.

Twisted Tuesday "Bingo" Challenge

 

July 23 - August 5

 

Theme: Use a Letter on Your Creation

(other than in your sentiment stamp)

 

Twist: Also Use  Number on Your Creation

 

 

Scrapbooking with M.E. is the Twisted Tuesday sponsor this month.

 

 

 

THANK YOU Scrapbooking with M.E. for providing an AMAZING prize for one lucky participant in this month's challenge!

I immediately thought of real Scrabble tiles - since they have both a letter and a number on them.

And I had the perfect designer paper to go with the Scrabble tiles... so I was ready to create.

 

 

 

Here's the inside of my card:

 

 

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{PIN}Spirational Challenge

 

July 23 - 29

 

 

Here's the Photo to {PIN}Spire us:



As always, there are two GREAT sponsors for this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge...

Inky Impressions

and the Cutting Café

Both of our sponsors have provided images for the design team's use as well as a FABULOUS prize for a luck participant in the challenge. THANK YOU Inky Impressions and Cutting Café!

Here's my card:

The image I used is from Inky Impressions.

I used some colorful buttons and subtle ribbon for embellishments.

 

Here's the inside of my card:

 

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! I hope you'll participate in the Twisted Tuesday "Bingo" Challenge and this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge, too.

Image: Meljen's Love Is Sweet Bear digital image
Sentiment: A Muse Studio Essential Sentiments
Ink: Copic Markers, Memento Lady Bug, and Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Cool Caribbean and Real Red
Designer Paper: E K Success Scrabble
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Mistletoe Ribbon and actual Scrabble tiles

Image: Inky Impressions Marisa Sleigh Ride
Sentiment: A Muse Studio Holy Night
Ink: Copic Markers and Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and scraps from my scrap file
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Buttons and Studio 18 Ribbon