Christmas card for Sweepie

I made a card for my little niece Sweepie and have one for her little sister, Little Munchkin, in process.  I had a lot of fun with this card as I got out my colored pencils, Goo-Gone and blending stumps.  I'm a bit out of practice with my coloring technique.  I also finally set up my Cricut and used my new Paper Lace cartridge.  I love this cartridge as there are so many fun shapes and designs, even ones that are doily-like as the one on this card.  It is hard to tell in this photo but I used Stickles to accent the ear and hand muffs.  I ran DP through the Cuttlebug and then lightly sanded it to bring out the white core.

Recipie:
Stamps:  Elisabeth Bell
Paper:  WW, Pixie Pink, Green Galore, DP
Ink:  Stazon Black
Accessories:  Colored Pencils, Goo-Gone, Blending Stump, Cuttlebug, Martha Stewart Punch, SU Snowflake Punch, Cricut, Sanding Block, Stickles, Buttons, Stick on Gems

O Come Let Us Adore Him

I did it!  I made a little over 100 Christmas cards and mailed them out to family and friends.  I usually don't like to make the same exact design of a card more than twice but this project was not as tedious as I thought it would be.  I did do 3 different variations of the card using different Nestabilities shapes.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Come to Bethlehem - SU

Paper:  WW, Not Quite Navy

Ink:  Not Quite Navy

Accessories:  Nestabilities, Stickles, Silver Beads

Let Your Light Shine

I'm finishing up my Christmas cards and I took a little break to participate in the SCS Featured Stamper Challenge 252.  This week's Featured Stamper is Studbo and her gallery is amazing!  I see myself CASing many of her cards.

This card has my typical winter theme of blue, white and silver.  Giving you a hint of the colors that I used in my Christmas card this year.  After I mail out my Christmas cards I will be posting pics.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Baroque Motifs - SU, Starstruck, Grateful Elegance - Verve
Paper:  WW, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy
Ink:  Not Quite Navy Classic & Craft, Baja Breeze
Accessories:  Cuttlebug Folder, Clear EP, Stickles, Corner Rounder, Dew Drops, Ribbon

Butterfly Inspired Birthday

As I am waiting for my SU order with my Christmas card supplies to arrive, I'm making cards for various occasions to have on hand.  This one I specifically made for one of my best friends who's birthday is later in the month.  The sketch for this card is from the SCS Clean & Simple 143 Challenge.  The idea for the punched out and popped up butterfly is from the SCS Ways to Use It 348 Challenge.  This card also fits with the Flutterby Wednesday 179 Challenge.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Inspired by Nature, Flight of the Butterfly - SU
Paper:  VV, Tangerine Tango, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip
Ink:  Garden Green, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  Butterfly Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Our Help, Psalm 124:8

Psalm 124:8 is one of the Bible verses I turn to when I face trials or discouragements. It reminds me that God is the Creator and He is always available to help me.  Since God created the heavens and the earth, my problems are very small tasks for Him.  I was reminded of this in my weekly Waterlilyz table recently as we read Genesis 1.  The verse that spoke to me most and a few other ladies was Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  I'm so amazed that God, the Creator of heaven and earth, loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross and be resurrected to redeem us from sin and death.  Because of God's great love, He wants to be invited into every aspect of our lives and wants us to know that we are never alone as He is always with us!

This card was made using the sketch from ODBDSLC83 Sketch Challenge and the colors are from Color Throwdown 166.  I don't have Baja Breeze ink or paper at the moment so I substituted with my stash of Soft Sky.   I distressed the edges of the DP and sponged it with Crumb Cake ink.  The flower is made using SU's Triple Treat Flower, Vanilla Hodge Podge Hardware, and punches.  The bow came out quite puffy so when it comes time to mail this card off to someone I'm going to have to use a larger padded envelope and extra postage.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Psalm 124:8 from Scripture Collection 3 - ODBD, Triple Treat Flower - SU
Paper:  Crumb Cake, VV, Soft Sky, Old Olive, DP
Ink:  Old Olive, Soft Sky, Crumb Cake
Accessories:  Distressing Tool, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Flower Punches, Hodge Podge Hardware, Brads, Ribbon

Cuttlebug-Crazy Cupcake

I'm still building up my stash of birthday cards for the next couple of months.  This year I decided that I would make Christmas card to send out to all of my friends (to those that I have current addresses for) and that won't leave me much time for other cards.

This card is inspired by Michelle Pearson's card.  She is SCS Featured Stamper 247.  The colors are from TCPTUES183 color challenge.  The card also fits the OCCC Masculine Card Challenge I used 4 different Cuttlebug embossing folders on this card which may be a bit extreme.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Punch Bunch - SU

Paper:  VV, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight

Ink:  Chocolate Chip Craft

Accesories:  Cuttlebug, Embossing Folders, Cupcake Die - SU, Corner Rounder Punch, Paper Piercing, Clear EP, Heat Tool

Owl Birthday

This is another card using SCS Sketch Challenge 357.  This time I used the color combo from SCS Color Challenge 347.  I need to make some masculine birthday cards and I loved the easiness of the sketch so I used an owl instead of a butterfly.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Punch Bunch, Warmest Regards - SU
Paper:  WW, Always Artichoke, More Mustard, DP
Ink:  Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard
Accessories:  Nestabilities, Owl Punch, Dew Drops, Stick on Pearls

Baja Razzle Island Birthday Butterfly

The title is quite a mouthful!  I'm running out of creative titles for each card I post.  This card is a Stampin' Up Only (SUO) which I haven't done in a long time.  I gave up my demoship in my second semester of nursing school because I had to focus on my studies.  I have rejoined again particularly to take advantage of the free Big Shot offer and to get a discount on supplies for my Cards of Encouragement ministry that the Lord is leading me in.  If you would like to help support me in this ministry and need quality paper crafting supplies, please visit my SU website at www.elizabeth_challenor.stampinup.net to make a purchase.

This card uses the colors from SCS Color Challenge 346 and SCS Sketch Challenge 357.  I love this sketch because the butterfly is one of the required elements!

Recipe:
Stamps:  Fabulous Phrases - SU
Paper:  WW, Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo, DP
Accessories:  Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosilit, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Rhinestone Gems

Soft Sympathy

It feels like I have sent out a few too many sympathy cards over the past week.  This one is for a friend who had a close family member die very unexpectantly.  The sketch is from last weeks SCS Sketch Challenge 355.  The colors I pulled from the DP.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Upsy Daisy, Beautiful Borders - SU
Paper:  Mellow Moss, VV, DP
Ink:  Mellow Moss Craft, Crumb Cake
Accessories:  Clear EP, Heat Tool, Nestabilities, Ribbon, Mulberry Paper Flower

Thoughtful Sympathy

This card is made for some friends who recently lost a loved one.  The sketch is for the challenge at MFTWSC41 and the colors are from SCS Color Challenge 311.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Thoughts & Prayers, Beautiful Borders
Paper:  Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, WW
Ink:  Always Artichoke, Rose Red, Perfect Plum
Accessories:  Ribbon, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, Pearls

Be Strong & Courageous

I made this card using the sketch from Mojo Monday 211.  The colors came from the ribbon I chose.

Recently I saw the movie Courageous and I found it to be very inspiring.  Even though I don't have a husband or sons, I feel that I am called to pray for the men that I come in contact with at church, work, friends and even internet acquaintances to be courageous in God and rely on His strength.  I made this card for one young man who has been struggling with discouragement and loneliness recently.  To keep his identity private I will refer to him as Jay.  For those of you that know the Lord Jesus Christ, I would ask that you keep Jay and the other men that God may lay on your heart in prayer.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Joshua 1:9 from Scripture Collection 3 - ODBD
Paper:  Taken with Teal, Barely Banana, DSP
Ink:  Taken with Teal - SU, Walnut Stain Distress Ink - Tim Holtz
Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, Ribbon, Dies, Button

Be Still

This card was made for SCS Sketch Challenge 353 and Color Challenge 343.  I have been so busy lately that I feel like I rarely get a moment to take a breath.  In the busyness I get frustrated when things do not go my way and think all my time and effort have been wasted.  Psalm 46:10 reminds me that God is God and in control of everything and I am not.  The trials of this life are not wasted time but lessons and building blocks to prepare us for even greater challenges that God has prepared for us.  I believe that through these challenges, He is teaching me to rely on Him and His power and not on my own.

Recipe:
Stamps: Psalm 46:10 from Scripture Collection 3 - ODBD
Paper:  Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, Soft Suede, VV, DP
Ink:  Soft Suede
Accessories:  Nestabililties, Paper Piercer, Ribbon, Mulberry Paper Flower

A Baby Shower

One of my friends and fellow Waterlilys is pregnant with her first child.  The leader of our table has commented that if she has a girl the baby would be a "Little Lily" and if it is a boy, he would be a "Tadpole" until he is old enough to join the WaterBoyz, our brother Bible study group for men.  We are having a baby shower for her but unfortunately I won't be able to go because I will be at work that day.

This card is my first attempt at paper piecing.  I have done lots of cards with paper piercing but the piecing I have avoided because I just don't like to cut out shapes.  If I don't have a die or a punch for a stamp or shape, I usually will not cut it out with scissors.  That is my lazy area in crafting.  =-) 

Recipe:

Stamps:  Baby Bundle, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper:  Barely Banana, Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Gable Green, WW, Real Red, DP from Dollar Store

Ink:  Stazon Black, Not Quite Navy

Accessories:  Brads, Markers, Ribbon, Cuttlebug, Chipboard Buttons, Puffy Moon, SU Border Punch, Twine

Proverbs 30:5



Last week I had a happy mail day!  I received my first stamp order from Our Daily Bread Designs with this nice purple totebag.  I was so excited as I had been looking for more stamps with Bible verses and I was very pleased with what I found at ODB.

I just found time to play a little with one of my new sets and made this card.  The verse is Proverbs 30:5.  One of my goals for this year is to spend more time in God's word to grow in my relationship with Him.  I have been making it a priority to read or listen to at least one chapter of the Bible each day.  At first it was a little difficult but as I kept doing it each day it got easier and sometimes I read two or three chapters in a day. 

There is a weekly Bible Study group I attend called the Waterlilyz.  I have met some wonderful ladies through this group and have been encouraged to get study God's word more even outside of our meetings.  I am looking forward to making more cards with Bible verses and sending them out to people to encourage them to have a relationship or closer walk with Jesus Christ.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Serenity - Verve, Proverbs 30:5 from Scripture Collection 7 - ODB

Paper:  WW, Chocolate Chip, Peach Parafait - SU, Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Chocolate Chip Craft, Cool Caribean

Accessories:  Border Punch, Butterfly Punch, Twine, Clear EP

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

Flutter By Wednesday #170

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #105



Butterfly Kindness

This card fulfills 3 card making challenges.  If you haven't figured it out by now, I just LOVE butterflies!  So this card by Understand Blue for SCS Featured Stamper 238 was an easy inspiration for me.   The colors are from the previous weeks SCS Color Challenge 337 using Real Red, Night of Navy and Daffodil Delight.  The card also loosely fits with the Flutterby Wednesday 169 challenge to celebrate.  My card celebrates kindness and is a reminder to be kind with my words and actions.  The Bible verse that encourages me is Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,".


At work in the busy Emergency Department we write our names on the board in the rooms so patients know which nurse will be caring for them.  I have started adding a simple smiley face under my name.  The smiley face reminds me to smile and speak with kindness.  Some of my patients have commented that the smiley face makes them feel a little more at ease in the stressful situation.


Recipe:
Stamps: Filigree Fantasy - Verve
Paper:  WW, Real Red, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight
Ink:  Real Red
Accessories:  Butterfly punches, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, Stick on Gems

Birthday Silhouette

So I finally made a birthday card with colors that are Lyssa worthy. She and her family are headed to the beach so this will be a nice surprise for her when she returns.

A lot of what I used on this card is new or stuff I had and never used. The gorgeous DCWV papers I bought about 2 weeks ago because they were half off at one of the local craft stores. These papers have butterfly themes. If you look closely on the green DP you can see a butterfly peeking out. The main image is from a set that I have used previously but this is the first time using this particular stamp. The leaves are from an Embosselit that I forgot I had and never used. The blue mulberry flower I purchased in a pack a couple of months ago and this is the first time using them. The Spellbinders Borderability I just got and the Dew Drops I had for a couple of years but haven't used until now. The sentiment I cut out with my new set of petite oval Nestabilities. This card fits with the Just Add Inc challenge to use stuff from your stash that has been long forgotten.

Recipe:

Stamps: Birthday Surprise - Verve, Garden Silhouettes - SU

Paper: VV, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, DP-DCWV

Ink: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz

Accessories: Dew Drops, Nestabilities, Pearls, Borderabilities, Embosselit, Mulberry Paper Flower

Owl Bunch

This card was inspired by this towel from Patina. Patina was chosen for this weeks SCS Inspiration Challenge 298. Lately, since getting my craft room semi-organized, I have been trying to use items from my craft stash that I haven't used yet. The towel was the perfect inspiration for using my SU owl punch and the coordinating stamp. The sentiment is from a set that I have had for years. I have used a few of the other stamps in the set but not this one.

Recipe:

Stamps: Punch Bunch, Party Punch

Paper: Craft, WW, Garden Green, Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze

Ink: Cajun Craze, Garden Green, Close to Cocoa, Crushed Curry

Accessories: Owl Punch, Dew Drops, Designer Punch, Cuttlebug, Paper Piercer, Border Punch

New Granddaughter

One of my friends just became a grandmother for the first time. Her son and daughter-in-law had an adorable baby girl last month. I think my friend reads my blog so I set this entry to post a few days after I mailed the card to her.

This is a CASE of Daisyfreak's card for SCS Featured Stamper 235. This is the second card I made from this challenge. I had a hard time choosing which card to CASE from her wonderful gallery so I narrowed it down to 2.

Recipe:

Stamps: Baby Bundle

Ink: Pretty In Pink craft

Paper: WW, Pretty In Pink, Gable Green, DP

Accessories: Nestabilities, Ribbon, Clear EP, MS Border Punch

CASing Myself

I got a lot of compliments from friends on this card and I myself liked it so much, I decided to CASE it using different colors and stamps. Birthdays seem to sneak up on me and I have been making a lot of birthday cards so that I can have a stash to pull from. I was thinking of giving this card to my sister, but she doesn't really like yellow-orange colors so I may have to come up with something else. I have a few color combos in mind that she would like. She is going away for the week of her birthday so that gives me some extra time to create something new. If don't get to making a new card with her "approved colors," I'll use this as the back up.

Recipe:

Stamps: Birthday Surprise - Verve

Ink: Basic Gray, Versamark

Paper: WW, Basic Gray, Apricot Appeal, DP

Accessories: Nestabilities, Ribbon, Paper Piercer, Flower Eyelets, Pearls, Clear EP, Border Punch, Markers

Cherry Sunshine

This card was made using SCS Sketch Challenge 345 and Color Challenge 335. It also fits with the Our Creative Corner Challenge for this week Fun with Fruit. The color challenge was to use kraft, any yellow, and any red. I used Summer Sun as my yellow and Cherry Cobbler as my red. To create a highlight effect I first stamped the sentiment in Summer Sun and then stamped it again in Cherry Cobbler. The band has piercing which is hard to see in this photo.

Recipe:

Stamps: Tart and Tangy, Friend to Friend

Paper: WW, Cherry Cobbler, Kraft, Summer Sun

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Summer Sun, Green Galore

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Sizzix, Paper Piercer

How've You Been?

I was sorting through some old files and I came across the address of a friend from nursing school who I haven't heard from in a long time. She stopped using Facebook a while ago so I lost track of her. When I was in school I was always seen with a large cup of coffee. In fact, I was sometimes seen in class with 2 large cups of coffee on my desk and during the break I would run out and get a third! This friend and some other fellow students said they were going to have an intervention and send me to coffee rehab after graduation. Well since school my addiction to coffee has improved...a little ;-) I'm hoping this card will get a least a chuckle from my old nursing school pal.

The inspiration for the style came from this card by Daisyfreak. She is this week's featured stamper for SCS FS235 challenge.

Recipe:

Stamps: Fiskars

Paper: Early Espresso, VV, Craft, DP-SU

Ink: Early Espresso

Accessories: Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Brads, MS Punch, Colored Pencils, Goo-Gone

Serenity

This card is a combination of SCS Color Challenge 334 and SCS Sketch Challenge 344. At first I wasn't sure how the colors would go together but the combination worked very well with this sketch.

Recipe:

Stamps: Serenity - Verve

Ink: Tempting Turquoise

Paper: WW, Tempting Turquoise, Going Gray

Accessories: Border punch, Butterfly Sizzlet, Butterfly Sizzix Die, Ribbon, Stick on Gems

Bright Butterfly

This is a combination of 2 challenges on SCS. One is Color Challenge 333 using Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, and Tangerine Tango. I don't have Island Indigo so I subbed Pacific Point. The other challenge is Featured Stamper 234. My inspiration was this card by AmylovesNormaJean. I used butterflies instead of bees, changed the sketch a little and used different colors.

I had a lot of fun with this card because of the colors and the butterflies.

Recipe

Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly, Very Versatile
Paper: WW, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Early Espresso, SU DP
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Early Espresso
Accessory: Nestabilities, Sizzix Butterflies, Ribbon, Silver Beads, Border Punch

FS233 Birthday

I found some time to play tonight! My life has been busy as I recently changed jobs. I am working at a different hospital now in the Emergency Dept. Emergency is very different from the ICU but both are fast paced. However, in the ICU most of my patients were unconscious or sedated and couldn't talk & walk. I decided to change jobs because my commute was almost 30 miles one-way, while the hospital that I am currently at is only a couple miles from my home.

This card I made for the SCS Featured Stamper 233 challenge. I CASEd this card by Mocjen.

Recipe:

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun, Very Versatile - SU

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: WW, Rich Razzleberry, DP

Accessories: Colored Pencils, Goo-Gone, Blending Stump, Nestabilities, Ribbon, Gelly Roll Pen

Mojo 196 Sympathy

I learned that a friend's mother passed away recently so I made the is card him. I used the sketch from Mojo Monday 196 again. I love this sketch, just something about it that is very appealing to me. It is quick and easy and will probably be one of my go-to sketches when I need to make a quick card.

Recipe:

Stamps: Refuge and Strength - SU, Circular Sayings - Verve

Paper: River Rock, Close to Cocoa, Dusty Durango, WW

Ink: Dusty Durango

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Embossing Folder, Sizzlet, Nestabilities, MS Punch, Corner Rounder, Twine

CC220 Birthday

I'm still working on organizing my craft room and guess what I found? This is a card I made about 2 years ago for Split Coast Stampers Color Challenge 220. I think I forgot about this one because I didn't like it very much at the time.

Recipe:

Stamps: SU

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue, So Saffron

Paper: Bashful Blue, WW, SU DP

Accesories: Cuttlebug, Embossing Folder, Buttons, SU Markers, Nestabilities

Floral Symphony Thank You

I made this card using the sketch for Mojo Monday 196. This card was relatively easy and only took me a few minutes to create once I chose my colors and stamps. I am hoping to get my craft room organized this week so I am not hunting around for my supplies. Some friends from church helped me pick out some shelving cases from Target for my living room so I can use the old shelves in my craft room. Thanks again Stephanie and Matt!

Recipe:

Stamps: Floral Symphony, Circular Sayings - Verve

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, WW, SU DP

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Crushed Curry

Accessories: Markers, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Punches, Paper Flowers, Button

Another Thank You Card

This card uses the sketch from Mojo 191. I started this card about a week ago, but just got to finish it now. It is hard to tell in this picture but the main image was stamped first in Versamark and then stamped in the colored ink pad so I could heat emboss it.

Recipe:

Stamps: Circular Sayings - Verve, Carte Postal - SU

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede, Versamark

Paper: Blush Blossom, Bermuda Bay, VV, Soft Suede, SU DP

Accessories: Cuttlebug, embossing folder, clear EP, Nestabilities, MS punch

Amethyst Thank You

This is a card I made a few years ago that I forgot to post. I think I actually CASE'd this from someone on SCS. If you are the original artist, or know of, please let me know & I will give proper credit.

Recipe:
Stamps: In the Spotlight, Thank You Kindly

Paper: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, WW, SU DP

Ink: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery

Accessories: ribbon, stick on gems,

Home Going

Yesterday I started out on a card that has taken me more than a day to complete because I am very rusty and most of my craft stuff is still in boxes. However, today I received very sad news that a friend’s husband suddenly died. These are friends from church. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t know Steve as well as I would have liked. The times that I did talk with him he was full of humor and the conversations often lead to us agreeing on how good God is. Steve knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He knew that the only way to know the Father and have eternal life with Him is through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice and resurrection. Even though we who knew Steve are grieved, we know that he is seeing Jesus face to face and worshipping him. We will miss him but we know that our hope in having eternal life with Jesus Christ has now been fulfilled for Steve. My prayers and heart goes out to his wife Kathy, their kids, grandkids, and other family and close friends. This card is for Steve’s family. The crystal in the cross symbolizes hope, light, and new life in Jesus Christ. What we can only see dimly, Steve now clearly sees and knows. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Recipe:
Stamps: Notes of Prayer - Verve, Close as a Memory - SU
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, SU DP
Ink: Old Olive - SU
Accessories: corner rounder, stick on crystal, copper brads, SU border punch

Bloom

Again, I have been a negligent blogger. A lot of changes since my last post. Unfortunately some of it is sad. My dear little April Kitty left us in October. She was 19.5 years old and was a very feisty until she could fight no more. We all miss her greatly.

Sweepie is now 4 years old and has a little sister, whom I call The Little Munchkin, who just turned 1 year. Sweepie is learning she now has to share her reign as princess in the castle.

I moved from my sister's house a couple of months ago and now I have my own craft room. It is not set up and most of my stuff is buried in boxes but I was able to make one card. I am in a new city and learning my way around. I believe God has planted me here for His service. Psalm 37:3-5 says

"³ Trust in the LORD and do good;

Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
⁵ Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it. "

The phrase that sticks out and is the theme for the card is "Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." This is where God has placed me for now and I am to trust Him, do good, and grow in my relationship with Him by trusting in His faithfulness."