Mid-Week Joy Report

This past week was FANTASTIC! If for no other reason than our son and his girlfriend came to visit, I can say the week was a great one. The long weekend afforded them an extra long visit - which we loved!

I was also reminded this week of one of the blessings of living in a small town. We have a sweet little bakery here in our town - Amy's Sweet Gallery. My son's girlfriend loves this little bakery, so much that she follows them on Facebook and knows what "new" treats they have. She goes there every time she's in town - which is literally usually only 2-3 times a year. This visit was no exception... and one of the things she wanted to get was the newest craze. Dill Pickle Cupcakes.

Okay, I'm not gonna lie... they sound weird. But apparently they are quite popular.

But I digress. Remember I said she only comes to visit 2-3 times a year... but when she got to the bakery this weekend, Amy knew who she was and even remembered what state she's from and who she came to visit. WOW!

For those who like to keep track, I made 8 cards this week, which is pretty good since 4 days I didn't do any crafting at all.

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50 Truths Worth Knowing

Chapter Twenty-Two

You Might Be More Like Your Parents

than You'd Like to Admit

Brian recalled how as a child he and his dad spent time EVERY summer working on some project. Building a brick walkway or a two-story barn. Digging a trench. Framing a wall. Nailing. Cleaning. Working together all day every day for two weeks. And he said, "It wasn't fun."

Why? Because no matter how he did, his dad would always say things like "that's good, but it isn't right."

Brian couldn't wait for those days to end... and they did. First it was a job that kept him busy in the summers - jobs that paid money. Then college. Graduation. His real first job. His wedding.

As he distanced himself from those summer projects he began to realize that his dad was really trying to teach him to take pride in his work and to do his very best.

Eventually Brian and his wife bought their first home. She offered to mow the lawn - a lawn that desperately needed mowing - while Brian worked at unpacking/organizing the garage. Soon, Jen cam to Brian and proudly proclaimed the front yard was finished. He took a look and said, "That's good, but it isn't right."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. Fortunately Jen knew Brian's dad. She smiled and reminded him that he sounded just like his dad, which Brian had to admit was true.

Jen declared that the grass was just fine.

Brian recognized it was just a lawn, but he had to wonder what his dad would say to that.

Yes, Brian was more like his dad that he'd like to admit.

This is the card I created as inspired by Brian's story:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiment: Stampin' UP! When I Grow Up stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishment: Paper Studio Ribbon

Try Something New with Washi

I need to credit today's "something new" to my sister. I was visiting her a couple of weeks ago and she showed me some of the cards/projects she was working on. On one of the cards she had die cut (a cute little sentiment strip) glitter washi tape! SAY WHAT?!?!?! Why hadn't I ever thought to do that?

Now, you would think with all the dies I own, I'd find a skinny sentiment. Nope! So I die-cut an arrow.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp: Printworks Say I Love You stamped with Gina K Onyx Black Ink

Papers: Recollections Black and White and Stampin' UP! Bashful Blue and Metallic Copper CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: American Crafts Amy Tangerine (arrow) and AMuse Studio Heart Trio

Embellishments: American Crafts Sparkle Spray and Washi Tape from unknown vendors

Cheers or Cheese?

Today I have two more cards to show you featuring items from the May Release at Frantic Stamper. (I sure love being on the Frantic Stamper DT!) Look at the two cards and see if you can figure out what is unique about the use of one of the dies.

Card#1

Card #2

Did you figure it out? I used the Modern Cheers Die (#FRA-DIE-10175) on both of them. The word "Cheese" is spelled with letters from "Cheers".

The flower on the "Cheers" card is a flower in the Frantic Stamper Flower Garden Background Stamp (#FRA-CLG-B002). I fussy cut just a single flower and leaf for the card.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Frantic Stamper Precision Die: Modern Cheers #FRA-DIE-10175

Frantic Stamper Stamp: Flower Garden Background #FRA-CLG-B002

Papers: Recollections Black and White and Stampin' UP! Pink Passion CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishment: Glitter Washi Tape from an unknown vendor

Frantic Stamper Precision Die: Modern Cheers #FRA-DIE-10175

Stamp: Camera from an unknown vendor stamped with Lawn Fawn Jet Black Ink

Papers: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Daffodil Delight CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Enamel Dots and Washi Tape from unknown vendors

Joyful Flowers

This is a two'fer card. What's that mean? It's my word for a card that serves two purposes.

First, I'm part of the Challenge Your Stash group on SCS that my friend Barb hosts. On the 28th of each month one of the members has a theme for us and we are to use what we have - no shopping allowed! - to make something with that theme. This month Terry is the hostess and she has challenged us to use our "favorite floral stamps" for our focal image. Now that IS a challenge... because I don't have one favorite floral stamp. I have many. So I chose one of them for my card - Unity's Everything Joyful and Beautiful.

Second, this is the day for a new challenge at International Art & Soul and the theme is stitching. So I added some stitching to my floral card. Voila! Two'fer completed.

Please join the flower'y fun at

May 28 - June 10

Theme: Stitching (Faux or Real)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiment: Unity Everything Joyful & Beautiful stamped with Gina K Black Onyx Ink

Papers: Paper Studio Doily, Recollections CS, and DP from my scrap File

Stitching: Stampin' UP! Stitching Pattern and Coats & Clark Quilting Thread

Embellishments: Your Next Stamp Glitter Gum Drops
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Very Old Stash

Sweet Stampin' Challenges has a FABULOUS theme this week - Very Old Stash. What's that mean? Dig out your old stamps, papers, embellishments and have some fun.

For my card I chose to use a 2007 stamp set from Stampin' UP! called Dog-gone It.

Now it's your turn to play with your very old stash!

Sweet Stampin' Challenge

May 27 - June 3

Theme: Very Old Stash

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiment: Stampin' UP! Dog-gone It stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Ribbon FX Ribbon and Washi Tape from an unknown vendor
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Rain Down on Me

I have a Bible Journaling entry to share today.

Oh, that we might know the Lord!

Let us press on to know him.

He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn

or the coming of rains in early spring.

Hosea 6:3

Now it's your turn to Bible Journal, art journal, create 3-d items, or basically do anything other than a card. Why? So you can play along with the PDE Linky Party Challenge, of course.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp: Stampin' UP! Beautiful You stamped with Gina K Onyx Black Ink and colored with Chameleon Colored Pencils

Papers: A Muse Studio DP and Stampin' UP! CS

Letters: EK Success

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestone Butterfly and Oriental Trading Washi Tape

Jesus Is In the House

After years of preaching nearly every Sunday (unless on vacation or a guest speaker came to our church) my husband now preaches when invited to do so, but it's not an "every week" thing. He's still a minister but not a pastor. Now he's a Director of Missions for an association of 25 churches.

He thoroughly enjoys EVERY opportunity he has to preach... and lately there have been  many.

Last week he preached at one of our churches that is currently without a pastor. Brent spoke from the passage in Mark where the men helped their friend who was paralyzed. He needed to see Jesus (to seek healing) but the house was full and they couldn't get him to Jesus. Being ingenious people with a determination to help their friend, they lifted him to the roof, where they proceeded to make an opening and they lowered the paralyzed man into the presence of Jesus.

I've always loved that Bible story. The miracle. The friendships. The compassion of Christ.

The humorous side of me can just visualize it. The debris is falling as the men make the opening. What did the people in the house think when they saw the mess coming from the ceiling above their heads? The paralyzed man, too, must have had some unique thoughts at that time. Can you imagine being lowered through the ceiling on a makeshift contraption? Was he afraid? Did he wonder what Jesus would say/do?

But God.

Christ chose compassion when he cast eyes upon the paralyzed man and He healed him. He. healed. him.

The man must have been overjoyed. Brent suggested he probably picked up his mat and slung it over his shoulder as he left the house that day - a healed man with a skip to his step!

Yes! Amazing things happen when Jesus is in the house!

Mark 2:1-12

If Christ is in our house (in our lives), we can expect amazing things to happen!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!




Supplies Used

Image: Stampin' UP! Heart & Home stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Michael's Washi Tape

Mid-Week Joy Report

Life is good! Enjoy the Ride! That's the theme of today's post.

First, it's my mid-week Joy Report and it's been a good week. We celebrated Brock's birthday on Saturday. He reminds me so often that life is good in SIMPLE ways. That's a lesson I need to be reminded of from time to time. As his birthday approaches each year, Brock begins to talk about what we'll do. It always - ALWAYS - includes eating at his choice of restaurants... and presents, of course. But the presents he wants are things like EL Fudge Cookies, Pringles, Fun Fruits, Butterfingers. His wants all seem to go straight to his stomach, don't they?

And he tears into those presents much like others of us would do if we thought there was an extravagant gift inside... with enthusiasm and excitement.

Thanks for the reminder, Brock. You enrich my life in many ways!

* * * * *

I made twelve cards this week. One of them was the one I'm about to show you.

50 Truths Worth Knowing

Chapter 21

The Best Things to Own Are Those You Earn

As I do every week, I read a chapter/excerpt of the book 50 Truths Worth Knowing and used it for the inspiration for making a card.

This week Tony wrote about when he was 14-years-old in the early 1970's. He decided he was going to buy himself a ten-speed bicycle. Up until this time, his parents had given him every set of wheels he'd owned - first a Radio Flyer tricycle, then a two-wheeler (that he didn't describe), and finally the Sting-Ray bicycle with the banana seat and gooseneck handlebars that had been his "wheels" since he turned eleven.

Not only did Tony dream of the bike he would buy, he also dreamed of where it would take him - scenic backroads, and even a crosss-country ride. If nothing else, Tony was a dreamer.

But first, he had to earn some money. For nearly a year he mowed lawns, raked leaves, collected soda bottles, etc. And he deposited his earnings into his savings account and tallied the amount in his small green passbook.

Finally the day came. The tattered and curved passbook (it had been in his hip pocket a lot) revealed he had enough money to buy the ten-speed bicycle of his dreams. He rode his Sting-Ray bicycle to the bank and withdrew the entire balance of his savings account - a single $100 bill. And then, not long after that, he turned that green one hundred collar bill in for a yellow Schwann Continental bicycle.

Tony remembers riding that bike for a time, but soon its two wheels gave way to four -  after he "claimed the ultimate prize" - his driver's license. The bicycle might have only served him for two years - and he didn't make that cross-country trip on it - but he still recalls with a sense of accomplishment that it was the first thing he'd ever bought with money he'd earned himself, which he says makes it the best money he ever spent.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiments: CTMH It's Your Day

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress (Black Soot and Salty Ocean)

Papers: Recollections CS and AMuse Studio DP

Embellishments: Oriental Trading Ribbon and Your Next Stamp Gum Drops

Anything Is Possible

Terry was the hostess of the Creative Card Chicks group this month. She sent out summer'y fun flamingo kits for us to drool over... hmmmm... I mean create with.

Terry's Kit

Stamps - SU Tickled Pink and MFT Tickled Pink (stamped on Gina K Layering White CS with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink)
DSP - American Crafts and Core'dinations
K & Co - pink Gems
Paper Studio - Doily, Twine, Ribbon
Recollections - Vellum and Paper Flowers
MFT - Sun Die, Punch Bunch Sun

THANK YOU, Terry! You included so much stuff in the kit there was no way I could use all of it on my card.

This is my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

The only thing I used in addition to Terry's kit was some cardstock - Recollections Black and White and Stampin' UP! Purely Pomegranate

My Heart Beats for You

I think the heartbeat die I used on this card is just way too amazing. It features such a fine line... and cuts like a dream. Of course, I would expect nothing less from Frantic Stamper dies.

Frantic Stamper Precision Dies Used:

Heart Heartbeat #FRA-DIE-10201

Sending Love Hugs #FRA-DIE-10200

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Frantic Stamper Precision Dies: Heart Heartbeat #FRA-DIE-10201 and Sending Love Hugs #FRA-DIE-10200

Papers: Recollections Black, Red, and White CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishment: Heart Bling from an unknown vendor

Try Something New

Normally I have a Try Something New post on  my blog on Tuesdays, but this Tuesday I have something else that needs to be on my blog, so I'm Trying Something New a couple of days early.

I actually got the idea for the "new" thing on this card while surfing the web. I ran across a video that piqued my interest. You can see it HERE. I happened to have a soft makeup brush in my stash (I'm not sure why). I got it at the Dollar Store a while back thinking it might be handy sometime. I guess sometime is now.

I used four colors of Tim Holtz distress ink for the soft blending on the card front. I liked the way it turned out... but then I couldn't quite decide what I wanted to do beyond that. After looking at several options, I finally decided to stamp some flowers on it but not color them. And of course, I wanted a bold sentiment/statement on it, too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Images: Unity Big Summertime Bouquet

Sentiment: Heidi Swapp Magnolia Jane Collection

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black and Tim Holtz Distress Inks in a variety of colors

Cardstock: Recollections Black and White and Stampin' UP! Dapper Denim

Embellishment: Michael's Rhinestones

Frantic Stamper Has Background Stamps

Did you know? Have you seen them??? Frantic Stamper released 6 awesome background stamps this month! Check them out HERE.

I used the Flower Garden one on this card:

Frantic Stamper Flower Garden Background Stamp (6 X 6") - #FRA-CLG-B002

Frantic Stamper Brush Script Hello Precision Die - #FRA-DIE-10195

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Frantic Stamper Stamp: Flower Garden Background #FRA-CLG-B002

Frantic Stamper Precision Die: Brush Script Hello #FRA-DIE-10195

Papers: Recollections Black and White CS and all other papers from my scrap file

Embellishments: Paper Studio Brads

The Anchor in the Storm

There a new "Tags" challenge at PDE Linky Party. I like to do something with my tags (add them to a card or a Bible Journaling page) since I don't really have any use for tags in and of themselves.

So that's what I did. I made a tag that goes on my Bible Journaling page.

I also used an oversized tag (it's actually a tag-shaped notepad) for the base of my column/page. That entire piece opens, so there's space behind it to write some thoughts about the Bible passage. And the added benefit is that none of the Scripture is unreadable.

But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,

mightier than the breakers on the shore - 

the Lord above is mightier than these.

Psalm 93:4

Be sure to head over to the PDE Linky Party Challenge Blog to check out the challenge details - and play along, too!

May 19 - 25

Theme: Tags 

(Optional Theme: Nautical)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Supplies Used

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Anchor the Soul stamped with Gina K Black Onyx Ink

Dies: American Crafts Amy Tangerine, Lawn Fawn Puffy Cloud Borders (used the relief part for the waves), Our Daily Bread Clouds, and Paper Smooches Sailboat

Papers: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Target Baker's Twine and Washi Tape from an unknown vendor

Mystery Girls

Many years ago we started a swap group on SCS called the Mystery Image Card Swap. The group creates/swaps cards bimonthly with one group member being designated as that round's hostess. The hostess chooses the image so we are all using the same image. Carol is the current hostess. She chose a fun Art Impressions image for us to use. THANK YOU, Carol!

Today is the due date so we can now reveal our cards.

Here's mine:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Art Impressions colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections and Stampin' UP CS and DP from unknown vendors

Embellishment: Button from an unknown vendor

Mix It Up!

Ready, Set, Go!

There's a new challenge in town!   The 3 Musketeers  (Barb, Jeanette and Kelly) are about to kick it up a notch!  In the 3M, the 3 of us take turns sending the same image out and we all create a card with that same image.  We're living up to the adventurous Musketeer name and adding on an additional challenge on the 3rd Wednesday of each month {courtesy of Barb's adorable Smoochy-the-Wednesday-camel.}   The challenges will be bolder, creatively adventurous and artistically out of the box.   When thinking up our challenge name,  we thought:   We got this.  "We're ready.  Dates, challenges, hostess - all Set.  Let's Go!" 

Kelly is first to throw down the gaunlet and she's chosen theme #1:   Mix-it-mash-it-up!  Taking the oldest stamp set that we still own and the newest stamp set that we've gotten, create a card using both stamp sets.   Mix it, mash it, and combine the two.   If it has multiple stamps in the sets, we must pick at least one stamp from each set.  The added fun was that even if the two don't mix and mash at all, we have to make it work :)    Ready?  Set?  Go!

So, are you curious? Do you want to see what my first entry in the SCS Gallery was???

Here it is:

My Halloween Diaper Fold Pouch

from SCS Gallery September 22, 2008

This item in my gallery had a whopping 1580 views

The stamp set I used to make this pouch was 

the Stampin' UP! Carved and Candle Lit set:

Now, in keeping with Kelly's Ready, Set, Go theme... I need to show you what my most recent stamp purchase was. I actually bought TWO stamp sets at the same time/place. I was on my way home from my trip to visit my family last week and stopped at a Michael's in the St. Louis area. They had these two stamp sets in their clearance section ($2.09 each) so I bought them both.

I used the leaves image from the first set.... and did you notice? Those flower petals are actually the pumpkin bodies from the SU Carved & Candle Lit set. I stamped them and then also sponged the edges to take away from the pumpkin look.

The leaves are too small for my flower, but a challenge is a challenge... and that's what I came up with. LOL!

I used a sentiment from the other bargain stamp set I bought:

The inside of my card is pretty plain:

Be sure to GO to Barb's blog and Kelly's blog to see what they did with this Ready, Set, Go Challenge.

And if you loved seeing this Ready, Set, Go! post, come back the third Wednesday of every month. Next month, Barb has another challenging theme for us. And I'm up in July with another theme.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Images/Sentiment: Heidi Swapp (2 sets) and Stampin' UP! Carved & Candle Lit

Ink: Brilliance Dew Drops (Rocket Red & Sunflower Yellow), Gina K (Black Onyx), Memento (Cottage Ivy), Tim Hotz Distress (Barn Door & Peeled Paint), and Copic Markers (for coloring the leaves) 

Papers: Recollections CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Cork Dots from an unknown vendor