Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog Challenge #11...

Good morning! It's time for another awesome challenge at the Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge blog!

This week's challenge is hosted by my lovely and uber talented DT sister, Pamela Young! The scripture she chose is Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (NIV)

Pamela's challenge is to create something about when God is "unseen"; i.e., a scrapbook layout that reminds you that God is always with you; a card to encourage a friend and remind them that God is with them; or something to hang on your wall.

This week I chose to make something using the verse from Pamela's challenge. I also wanted to make a "KISS" card (keep it simple sista card). Sometimes we try too hard to "find" God, when all the time He's right there! It's simple, He's everywhere we look! The promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us is such a comforting promise. I've been through trial after trial in my life (mostly self inflicted!), but no matter what He's always been there for me. He was there to welcome me back with open arms when I decided to get my life right with Him again. He simply had never left me, though I might not have been able to see Him at the time.


Ingredients:
Paper-scraps that were laying around the house!
Sentiment-verse printed on the computer
Stamp-Imaginisce
Ink-SU Creamy Carmel (which I also sponged on the verse and around the edge of the card)
Accessories-Nestabilities
It's simple!

I also challenge you to let God love you this week. Let Him show you that He IS in fact with you.

Our awesome this week is Cornish Heritage Farms! They're offering an awesome prize for this week's challenge! Check that out here! Don't forget to visit their site and see all the wonderful things they offer.

Now, hop on over to the Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge blog and see what inspiration the other incredible DT sisters have for you!

Blessings!
~H

Multiple Challenges...

Whew! This is so unusual for me, but I found a few challenges I wanted to enter. The first is a sketch challenge at Taylored Expressions Blog and the second is a "fall colors" challenge at KL Stampin' n Scrapin' Blog. It's my first time entering a challenge outside the Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge! I'm not as pleased with it as I could have been. I loved the colors and nothing says fall to me more than the color brown (don't ask me why, but brown says fall!) I think it's the bow. I might work on it tomorrow and see if I can come up with something that matches but is a little bigger. Anywho...here's my card with the "ingredients" down below! Have a wonderful week-end and don't forget to enter this weeks challenge at Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge blog!



Ingredients:
DP: My Minds Eye Bella Bella "Bellezo" Simply Dottie
Image: Magnolia's Jam Tilda
Embellies: Heidi Grace Flocked Flowers, Ribbon and Stickles
I also used Versamark to stamp flowers on the brown & cream paper, but you can't really tell they are on there. Maybe with a closer up look you can?

Blessings!
~H

Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog Challenge #10...

It's time for week 10's challenge at Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge!

Our hostess this week is Laurie Gatton and she chose the scripture I Chronicles 16:34 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (NIV)

Her challenge is to "make a card that expresses your thankfulness for someone or something they have done, or that encourages someone to be thankful."

Our sponsor this week is Rubber Stamp Shack and they have an amazing stamp set that we're giving away to one blessed random winner! Check out their site, too, they have some awesome stuff!

My card does look a bit like the last one I made, and I did have another one already created for this challenge, but after reading the challenge and verse again, I was encouraged to create this one. It's for a breast cancer survivor and I thought this would be perfect to let them know how thankful I am for them! I know this is my second post mentioning breast cancer, but it's such a real thing in my life with so many people I know being affected by it. Please, if you think you need to get checked, don't wait! Do it now!

Ok, my card...of course I used SU whisper white cardstock (my fav) and I also used what I think is called Pretty in Pink. I used my cuttlebug folder to make the little dots. The digi stamp is by Whimsie Doodles and the stone is by Bo Bunny. The other sentiment is by Kolette Hall and the stamped ribbon is by River City Rubber Works and I stamped it on pink paper then cut it out. I also used stickles and liquid pearls on this project as well as the adorable pink ribbon with white polka dots!

Here she is:

Join us for this week's Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge!

Blessings!

~H

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As you all know October is breast cancer awareness month. What you probably don't know yet is that my mother had it twice and my grandmother had it once. By the grace of God, they both survived through those trials! So, I wanted to make a card for my mom, just to let her know I was thinking about her and that I love her. My Stampin Sisters in Christ DT sister, Lisa, sent us this Whimsie Doodles link today for the most adorable digital stamp ever, and they are giving it away free through tomorrow! I've decided to name this girl "Ali" after my mom (her name is Alice) They've got some adorable stuff over there, so go check them out!

Now, back to the card! I'm in love with it and I'm not sure that I'm going to actually be able to part with it, so I might have to make a couple more just like it!

I found some brown with pink polka dot dp by The Paper Studios laying around as well as some pink cardstock that I have no idea where it came from. I also had this roll of pink ribbon with white polka dots on it, just sitting here screaming at me! I used some punches to cut out the sentiment and the pink behind it then used stickles to add glitter to the flowers in the "dew rag" and on her shirt and shoes. I used some liquid pearls around the pink "flower" behind the sentiment. The button is by Bo Bunny, and it was plain, so I added some dots to it. The sentiment on the bottom of the card is by Kolette Hall and the ribbon I stamped on pink paper is by River City Rubber Works.

I hope you enjoy this card as much as I do!

Blessings!

~H

Giggling Tilda...

I love surprises and this little Tilda is giggling like she has one. Isn't she adorable???

I made this card months ago and never published it on my blog! I put a lot of work into this card, all those little bows are tied by hand! The paper I used was by daisyd's. I picked it up at a dollar store! It's awesome paper! I made those little packages from the same paper pack. I stamped them with basic shapes from SU, then cut them out and mounted them to cardstock so they could be raised on the card. The white of the card is SU, of course, and I think the green is, too. I ran a little sizzix swirl die in my cuttlebug then put a little stickles on them to put in the corners of the card. The sentiment is a little clear set that I picked up at Michaels and I put some liquid pearls around the edges of the punch. This giggling Tilda is one of my very favorites! She looks like she's got a little secret about those little packages she's sitting on! Hope you enjoyed this fun card!

Blessings!
~H

Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge #9...

Today's Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge is based on Luke 2:11: "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." The challenge is to make a card or project featuring the nativity or other religious theme about Christ's birth. Without the birth of Christ, we couldn't have had His death and the price for our sins could not have been paid. Isn't is wonderful how God sent His only Son to us to die for our sins? Please, if you're reading this and don't understand what Jesus did for us and our sins, contact one of our DT Sisters. Any of us would be more than happy to share with you the joy of salvation in Christ Jesus.

My card:

Years ago I purchased this adorable stamp by "Stamps Happen" to make Christmas cards with. I loved it, but it's been in hiding for a couple of years...until now! I've taken some kraft colored cardstock to use as the base of my card (no idea what brand, it was just sitting ther in my old pile of cardstock) and then used my nestabilities to cut out some dp from Bo Bunny and the stamped image on whisper white cardstock from Stampin Up. I used sheer white ribbon around the front of the card. I made the tiny snowflakes in the corners with a stamp by "Judith" and put stickles on them. "Noel" is a small clear stamp by G-studios, (I think), with stickles tracing it. I almost always use Colorbox Fluid Chalk for stamping, but the white ink on this card is by Imprintz.

Blessings!

~H

Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge #8...

Good morning! Here is today's challenge for Stampin Sisters in Christ:

Kathy chose this awesome verse for this week's challenge: Jeremiah 1:5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb." It's amazing to me how God created each of us and knows even the very hairs on our head! This verse is comforting because it tells how we were cared about from the VERY BEGINNING. God did not make a mistake, He knew exactly what He was doing when he created each one of us. Each one of us has a specific purpose for being here. I like that Kathy's challenge is to create a baby card because A) I needed to make one for a friend that just had a baby and B) to me, babies are the very essence of life.

I'll have to post the ingredients later, as I'm on my way home from Milwaukee!

Blessings!

~H

Happy Birthday,Laurie Surprise Blog Hop!!!

Today at Stampin Sisters in Christ we're celebrating our DT Sister, Laurie's birthday with a BLOG HOP!!! What a party this is going to be! AND, IT'S A SURPRISE! She doesn't know yet that we're throwing her this awesome party!!!

If you came here from Ceal's blog, then you're on the right path, if not, you might want to head back to Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge blog and start from the beginning.


So, here is what I've brought to the party:

Balloons for everyone!

and

a party dress for Laurie!


I also have a card for Laurie!





Now, it's time to head over to Pamela's blog to see what she brought to the party and don't forget to wish Laurie a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURIE!

Blessings!
~H

Wow...

Still in shock...
SO, a couple weeks or so ago, I learned that a challenge blog that I dearly love was having a design team "try out" so to speak. I don't normally try out for things because sometimes my confidence isn't what it could be, but for some reason I felt very compelled to try. I'd never done anything like this before, but I made my entry, the best I could and sent it off, not giving it too much thought after that. After all, it was the first time I'd ever done something like that and I didn't think I would really stand a chance to making it this time around! Anyway, so days go by and I finally get my weekly challenge up on my blog and then I head over to Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge blog to link my card for week 6, when I saw the notice about the DT at the top of the blog. Then I remembered I had sent my card in! I wondered how it went. I hadn't heard anything so I got a little nervous. That's when I kick into prayer mode..."Lord, please give me the courage to accept whatever comes out of this. If it's meant to be, please help me be the best I can be and to be a blessing to whomever I come in contact with, if it's not meant to be, please allow me the courage to keep getting better and try again next time." I felt peace about it and I was cool with whatever the outcome was. I was proud of myself for trying to do something that I feel is way above what my experience is. A couple more days go by and then I get the e-mail. Of course, I prayed before I opened it for that peace to flood over me again, and it did. Then I read the e-mail...I cried, I felt overwhelmed, so many emotions. SO, after this incredibly long (hopefully suspensful) story, it's my pleasure to tell you that, along with 6 other extremely talented ladies, I was chosen to be on the design team for Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge blog! I feel very honored and completely blessed to have one of my dreams come true. I love making cards and I want to be a blessing to others through my creations and God has allowed me another opportunity to do this. When I let myself think about it, I just sit and shake my head...
Thank you to the Senior DT members for taking the time to see what I have to offer and being willing to take the risk of a "first timer" for your DT! I'm looking forward to the next few months and to making a few new friends along the way!

Blessings!
~H

Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge #7...

This week's challenge is based on Psalm 97:1 "The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!, let the distant shores be glad!" We were to make a card either with the verse on it or showing the earth rejoice, such as blooming flowers, trees, mountains, anything that shows the earth "being glad" I chose to use the verse and put some flowers on my card as well. Just looking around, we can see all the ways in which the earth rejoices! The earth is so magnificent! Some of my favorite sites are distant mountains, fall leaves and waving grass. It's just wonderful to look at the earth and know that the God who created each of these things also created me, and He created me in His image!



The DT of Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge made some awesome cards this week! Head over there and check them out! Don't forget to add your entry, too, for a chance to win the lovely stamp set that Julee Tilman of Verve Stamps has donated!

Blessings!
~H