What a Wonderful World

It is with heavy heart that I post today's card. Why? Because it is the very LAST card I will make for the Crafters of Faith blog group. Kelly, our leader, has decided that it is time for COF to end and today is our last challenge. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this group of Christian blogging/papercrafting friends and will  miss the group.

*sniff *sniff

But as Kelly reminded us not long ago, we are in other ventures together, so we will still have fun together.

Kelly, thank you for all you've done for the Crafters of Faith! and to all the ladies in the group, I admire you and appreciate you more than you will ever know.


Now, before I have to drag out the box of Kleenex, let me tell you about this challenge.

Kelly is our hostess this month, and here is her challenge:

 Psalm 113:2 (KJV) "Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore." During this celebratory time of year, we rejoice at the miracle of the birth of the son of God! One of my very favorite Christmas songs is Holy Night, heads bowed before the Redeemer. The literal translation of the first verse is:


Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour,
When God as man descended unto us
To erase the stain of original sin
And to end the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night that gives it a Savior. 


With that, I ask you to create a card based on the blessing we receive from knowing how much was given for us! May we all be aware of the beautiful blessings we have and bestow to others. 


For your December card, create a card of your choice in color and design with the theme: Sprinkle an abundance of Blessings!

Here's my card:

To be quite honest, I'm not really sure I met Kelly's challenge. EEK! But let me tell you where my thoughts took me. Kelly said we were to create a card based on the blessing we have received knowing how much was given for us. We've just come  out of the Christmas season when we focused on the birth of Christ. Certainly his life, death, and resurrection were the ultimate sacrificial gift. But I didn't want to focus on that for Kelly's challenge. Instead I focused on EVERYTHING that God has given us. He is the Creator of everything - the whole world! So I created a card with that in mind.

This is the inside of my card:

I really do feel blessed with all that the Lord has done for me! One of the many blessings he's bestowed upon me is the Christian friends He has given me, like all of the Crafters of Faith!


Thank you, Ladies! The world is a better place because you are in it. My life is better, too, because you have enriched, inspired, challenge, and befriended me! I am going to miss you!

* * * * *

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. Tomorrow is a new day, a new year, and a new 100 Cards in 100 Days experience. Last year I met the challenge and I'm excited about giving it a try again this year. 

Image & Sentiment Inside: Our Daily Bread The Earth
Scripture On Front: Our Daily Bread Earth Verses
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Staples White
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Offray Ribbon

My Favorites Of 2013

Last year I noticed that some of my blogging friends did a post on December 31 that featured their own personal favorite card/project they made from each month of 2012. I thought it was such a fun idea and decided that I would do the same thing this year. Then I realized I have a bit of a glitch in doing so, since the Crafters of Faith blog group will have its/our final challenge on December 31st. So I'm doing my "favorites" post a day early.

While obviously this is a matter of personal taste and you might not agree with my choices, these are my favorite cards made/posted for each month of this year. I'm also including a link to the original blog post so you can see more photos/details.

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

I just linked this post to A Scrapjourney's Favorite Five - with my favorite five of these cards being: January, May, June, August, and September.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

New Beginnings

It's time for a new Twisted Tuesday Challenge!

December 24 - January 6

New Beginnings

Theme: Show us something crafty that is new to you - either received or bought

Twist: Make the theme of your creation something new 

or the beginning of something 

(baby, car, house, beginning of a race, etc.)

I needed a new baby card for a baby shower I'm attending soon, so I decided to make a new baby card.

The striped Designer paper is new. It's a paper pad that I bought it less than a week ago - DCWV Stack #8.

It doesn't show up well in the photo, but the "saddle" on the horse is actually paper-pieced. It's the same speckled pink paper that's found on the bottom of the card.

There's also a treasure on this card. Remember my treasure hunts? I go to yard sales and thrift stores and purchase inexpensive items that are not intended for card-making and use them on a card.

I purchased a bag of baby-themed items:

♥ Baby rattles ♥ Pacifiers ♥ Diaper Pins  ♥

Cost: 50 cents

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I hope you'll participate in the Twisted Tuesday New Beginnings Challenge!

Image: Whipper Snapper Rocking Horse
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Pink Pirouette
Designer Paper: DCWV Stack #8 and scraps from my scrap file
Treasure: Baby Novelties Trinkets
Embellishment: Ribbon from an unknown vendor

Ski You Later

You've probably noticed I haven't been updating my blog much lately. That's for good reason - I'm busy enjoying the Christmas season with my family members. I love this time of year!

But I have a challenge to tell you about so I'm here today.





It's a MelonHeadz Friends Challenge, which means I used a MelonHeadz Illustrating image to make my card...

Isn't she adorable? She's part of the Terri's Skiing Bundle.

MelonHeadz Friends Challenge

December 23 - January5

Theme: Anything Goes

Anything Goes is a great theme because no matter what you're making, it qualifies. So please plan to participate in this MelonHeadz Friends Challenge!

Here's the inside of my card:

One of the things I love about digital images is the fact that you can resize them. You might have noticed that the image on the inside of my card is the same as the tiny image on the front of the card (in the ski girl's hand). Isn't that fun?


Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Image: MelonHeadz Illustrating Terri's Skiing Bundle
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Baja Breeze
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Stickles Glitter Glue and Rhinestones from an unknown vendor

O Holy Night

For the past several weeks I have posted a Peek in My Week post each Sunday. If you've stopped by my blog today to see that feature, I apologize. Today is the `15th, which is the day that the Dueling Darlings have a little fun, so there will be no Peek in My Week post this week. In fact, due to the holidays and extra activities that surround this time of year, I will most likely not have another Peek at my Week post until next year.

Now, for the fun!

The Dueling Darlings is a group of papercrafters who like a good challenge. We are actually two groups - the Divas and the Dazzlers. Each month there is a hostess from each group. The two hostesses put their heads together and come up with a theme. Then they send out kits for the members of their group based on that theme. On the 15th of the month we post our project.

This month Kelly and I are the hostesses! How fun!!!

We came up with the theme

A Christmas Story

I have no idea (yet!) what Kelly put together for the Divas, but for the Dazzlers, I had to go with the story of Jesus' birth. I sent images from Kraftin Kimmie O Holy Night stamp set along with designer papers and embellishments. Ideally, the only thing the Dazzlers will have to add to the kit is some cardstock.

The kit included:

Images: Kraftin Kimmie O Holy Night (stamped on Staples cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink)

Designer Paper: Paper Studio Hay, Religious Subway Art, and Wood Fences

Embellishments: Crafter’s Square Yellow Star Button, Hobby Lobby Burlap, Hobby Lobby Gold Glitter Organza, Hobby Lobby Plywood Star Stickers, Michael’s Rhinestones, and a gold star paper clip (vendor unknown)

Treasure Hunt Find: a piece of blue trim (from a HUGE roll that I bought at the thrift store for $1.50)

Here's my card:

Truthfully, I played and played - and played some more with the embellishments in the kit and nothing seemed quite right for my design, so I ended up using just some rhinestones.

Here's the inside of my card:

As an additional challenge, we've asked the Darlings to share a Christmas story of their own on their blogs. Perhaps it's a story about a special Christmas decoration, or a Christmas memory from their childhood, or even a Christmas tradition.

I've decided to share about on of my many Christmas trees.

This tree is special. It is our International Tree, which means that every ornament on it comes from a country other than the United States. Some were ornaments my husband or I have brought home from international mission trips. Some are ornaments that family members or friends traveling abroad have given us. Some are ornaments made by individuals in other countries and sold through World Crafts as a way of supporting their families. Even the tree topper (a huge sombrero) is from another country. My parents brought it to me from Mexico. In this tree are so many treasured memories!

Next year there will be yet another ornament on this tree, since my husband is going to the Holy Land in January and I'm sure he will be bringing me an ornament when he comes home.


Now, let's go to the other Dueling Darling blogs and see what everyone else has to show us...

DAZZLERS

April

Darlene

Deb

Melina

Paola

Terry

DIVA

Barb

Carol

Judy

Kadie

Kelly

LJ

Tami

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

The only thing I used in making my card other than the items in the kit was some Stampin' UP! Cardstock (Early Espresso and Pear Pizzazz).

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away!

Today may be frigid outside, but on my blog it's a breath of summer.

Image: Penny Black Ladybug 'n Hedgehog

Terry is the hostess of the Unidentified Image Card Swap this time and she sent this adorable image that brought warmth and sunshine in midst of the snowy weather outside. THANK YOU, Terry! I needed that.

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Penny Black Ladybug 'n Hedgehog (stamped on Gina K cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink)
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black  and Stampin' UP! Crushed Curry
Designer Paper: Paper Studio Yellow Daisies and scraps from my scrap file
Embellishment: Ladybug Brad from an unknown vendor

Winter Fun

Today is a GREAT day because I have TWO challenges to tell you about and TWO cards to show you.

{PIN}Spirational Challenge

December 10 - 16

This is the photo to {PIN}Spire our creativity:

The sponsors for this challenge are:

Bugaboo

and Scribble and Scrap

Both sponsors have donated images for the design team's use and a GREAT prize for a lucky participant. THANK YOU Bugaboo and Scribble and Scrap!

Here's the card I made:

Image: Bugaboo Girlz Christmas Present

The inspiration I took from the photo were the softer colors (shades of pink and soft green), and the image has a ribbon and tag on it just like the photo does.

Here's the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in the {PIN}Spirational Challenge this week!

Twisted Tuesday Challenge

December 10 - 23

Theme: Fussy Cut 

Twist: Make special cuts on the corners of your creation

Here's my card:

I love Darcie's Stamps - so I used one of the Darcie snowman sets that I have to create this little scene...

I fussy cut the tree and the snowman.

Here's the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in the Twisted Tuesday Challenge!


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Bugaboo Girlz Christmas Present
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Wild Wasabi
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Images: Darcie's
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Blue
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishment: Ribbon from an unknown vendor