Favorites of 2018 and a Celebration!

For the past few years I've put together my Favorites post where I choose my personal favorite card of each month of the year and repost those here on my blog on (or very close to) December 31st. I hope you like re-visiting these with me.

Oh... and the celebration? I made a goal this year to have a blog post EVERY day. This completes that goal. I did it! (insert beaming face)

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Winter Is Cool

Now that Christmas is over, my mind turns to winter... snow, cold temperatures, etc. So far, it's been pretty mild. In fact, as I write this blog post, it's actually quite warm, rainy and WINDY! But that's sure to change at some point and winter weather will be upon us.

Winter is Cool!

I used the Raisin Boat Winter Heart and Sole stamp set. To create my sky, iced-over pond, and grassy hillside, I colored broad strokes of Zig Clean color marker onto the watercolor paper and then used a water pen to move the color around to the desired affect. Such a fun technique. I'll have to do that again sometime soon.

I colored the ice-skates with Copic Markers.

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Raisin Boat Winter Heart and Soul stamped with Memento Cottage Ivy and Tuxedo Black Inks

Markers: Copics and Zig Clean Color

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Ballet Blue CS and Watercolor Paper

Embellishments: Nuvo Crystal Glaze and Paper Studio Brads

Better Than Sliced Bread

Did you have a good Christmas? I sure hope so!

One of the things that makes the holidays special is spending time with those we love the most. 

Whether you saw your loved ones in person, called them on the phone, sent them a text, connected with them on social media... whatever... I hope you told them...

You've the best thing since

SLICED BREAD!

featuring Eyelet Outlet Toast Brads 

(from the Bacon Egg and Toast Brad set)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Eyelet Outlet Products: Bacon Egg and Toast Brads

Stamp Set: Peachy Keen Sandwich Fun stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# Blue and Staples Ivory CS and TPC So Delish Stripe double-sided DP

A Special Hop for the Birthday Girl

Today there is cause for celebrating! It's Denise's birthday! Who is Denise? The owner/designer of The Project Bin Stamps. To celebrate, the design team has a fun blog hop showcasing some of her amazing cards.

If you've arrived from Stasia's blog you're in the right place on the hop. If you haven't been hopping along, be sure to go back to the beginning - Kelly's blog - and hop along for all the madlib fun. ;)

I’m the sixth stop on birthday hop and I am Jovial Jeanette!  

Denise is talented and such a kind person.

I’m feeling excited to be part of this birthday hop because birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate someone dear to us! (Oh, plus there's usually cake and ice cream!)

Denise, the wish I have for you on your birthday today is time to relax and enjoy your family - and let them spoil you a little bit.  

It will be fun to see what stamp sets from The Project Bin are used and if the design team is able to surprise Denise at least a wee little bit!

I used the Many More stamp set to create this card today and the favorite thing about this stamp set to me is its versatility (new baby, birthday, thank you, congratulations, get well).   

Denise, I hope you get to eat cake on your special day and make sure to take a nap sometime today because getting older is exhausting. Just kidding, sweet friend... ENJOY every moment of YOUR day! You are well loved and appreciated!

Now it's time for you to HOP on over to Andi's blog to see what she's created and her fun responses to the mad-lib, too.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp Set: The Project Bin Many More stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black CS and Simple Stories Let's Party DP

Embellishments: Brads and Ribbon from unknown vendors

Owl Always Love You

It's the 28th of December - and the 28th of the month means it's time to reveal the card I made for the Challenge Your Stash group. Each month one of the members gives us a theme and we use what we have (no buying allowed) to make a card based on that theme.

This month's theme (chosen by Jody) is...

OWLS

Not a problem. I have a lot of owls in my stash! In fact, the biggest challenge I had was choosing which ONE to use. LOL!

Whipper Snapper Otto the Owl

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamps: Endless Creations "Owl" Always Love You and Whipper Snapper Otto the Owl stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 100# White and SU Cajun Craze and Garden Green CS and Paper Studio Cosmic Sky DP

Embellishments: Brads from unknown vendors

Diets are Hard

The holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) are over and we now turn our minds toward dieting. UGH! 

Diets are hard!

Maybe that's one of the reasons why I like the Hole Foods stamp set from The Project Bin so much, not to mention those yummy looking donuts.

Not to worry, though... there's still a few days until we need to get serious about dieting, right? Let's all enjoy a donut, what do you say?

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: The Project Bin Hole Foods stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Fun Stampers Journey Hazelnut Blend, Recollections 110# White, and SU Grapefruit Grove CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Enamel Dots from an unknown vendor

Grace and Gratitude Week 8

I'm continuing to use my Grace and Gratitude Devotional Journal daily. I've enjoyed the process and also the group on Facebook. If you've missed my previous six weeks and would like to see them, you can find them by going to these links: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, and Week 7.

Day 50

Joy Clair Stamps - He Has Risen

Our Daily Bread Stamps - Names of Jesus

Penny Black Die - Love to Travel

Day 51

Unity Stamps - Celebrate the New

Day 52

Jillian Vance Stamps - Miss Adventure: My Books
My Favorite Things Stamps - You Make the Grade

Day 53

Joy Clair Stamps - God's Love

Day 54

Hanna Stamps - Bookworm
Inky Antics Stamps - This Is

Day 55

Stampin' UP! Stamps - I Love You
Unity Stamps - Love Brings You Home

Day 56

Illustrated Faith Stamps - Seeds of Faith

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Gallery Gazers CASE #6

It's hard to believe it's been six months since I started the Gallery Gazers blog group. We are a group of women - five of us - who like to check out the SCS Gallery often and also love to blog and encourage one another. 

In addition to all of that, we each commit to CASE a card we find in the Gallery each month, being sure to give credit to the person/card that has inspired us.

This month I found a card by Deb (debdeb on SCS name). You can find her card in her gallery HERE. You can also see it on her blog HERE.

I love the Scripture on her card (Hebrews 11:1) and interestingly enough, I actually own a stamp set that also has that Scripture in it, so that's what I used.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, 

the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

I tweaked her overall design a bit, but for the most part my card is a true CASE of her card design.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Supplies Used

Stamp Set: Sweet N Sassy Faith stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: American Crafts Enamel Dots and Martha Stewart Seam Binding

Joy to the World

I married a pastor. The first Christmas that we were married, I was overwhelmed with joy by the generosity of our church members. So many of them gave us Christmas gifts that year. I determined the next year I would give gifts, too, so that year and every one since then while my husband pastored local churches, I made a Christmas gift for each church family. It was most often a Christmas ornament - many of them angels. I still hear from some church members of previous churches who comment about those ornaments.

Well, three years ago my husband took a new job. He's still a minister but instead of pastoring a local church he is now a Director of Missions (or the new term: Associational Missions Strategist). Our association has 25 churches in it. We are members of one of our churches, but we attend ALL of our churches... so every Sunday we are in a different church and often times it is a different one on Sunday morning than Sunday evening. We both LOVE this job and being able to be part of so many ministries. BUT... it is not possible for me to make Christmas gifts for every church family any more. LOL!

So, with this job I started a new tradition. Each year I've made a Christmas card  for each pastor/family in our association. The card on my blog is this year's card. 

These cards (each year) stretch me a bit. First of all, I don't like making multiples of the same design... but I do it. I made 30 of these. I also LOVE to color but choose not to color on these cards, due to the time it would involve. And thirdly, I strive to keep them flat and under the weight limit so they don't cost extra postage, since we're mailing so many.

I hope the pastors/families like my card.

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamps: Altenew Peace on Earth stamped with Memento Cottage Ivy and Tuxedo Black Ink, Technique Tuesday Christ is Born stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, and Stampin' UP! Blended Season stamped with Memento Cottage Ivy Ink

Papers: Recollections Black and White and SU Garden Green CS and Paper Studio Big Stripe Red/White DP

Embellishments: Hobby Lobby Sequins