Wednesday Stamper - CHARM

Made this card with a stamped heart "Charm" as per Wednesday Stamper's recent challenge. I also used it as an opportunity to experiment with stamping and embossing for the workshop on Saturday.


Ingredients:
Stamp by Anna Griffin, inkadinkado and Heritage stamps.
Key charm and Funky Fibres.

SALT - abounding Grace

Here is the Salt challenge for the week...

This week it's my (Kim) turn to set the challenge and since I've had a song running through my head, "Grace by which I Stand", for the past few weeks, I chose:

God's grace

God provides us with a measure of grace each and every day, to face hardships, to grant us patience and forgiveness, to strengthen us in a time of temptation....but most importantly God's grace delivers us from the bondage of our sins by enabling us to trust in Christ as Savior. I am encouraged by this description of grace from D. Scott Meadows' booklet, "God's Astounding Grace" and pray that it might be a blessing to you as well:

"The word grace is a kind of shorthand for the whole sum of unmerited blessings, which come to men through Jesus Christ. Primarily, it describes what we, for want of a better expression, have to call a "disposition" in the Divine nature; and it means the unconditioned, undeserved, spontaneous, eternal, stooping, pardoning love of God."

Amen and Amen! Surely, God's free gift of grace can cause us to sing His praises each and every day!

This is a quote a friend gave me on a bookmark years ago. It has always stayed with me and is very precious.

Found this frame in a charity shop, it had some decorative flowers in it so I took them out, I like it because it's a boxframe, so the contents sit back from the glass allowing for 3D items.

Can you spot the mistake? I've since rectified it, but not taken new photos.


Ingredients:
PP by Basic Grey, punches.

CPS 49

Had a go at the latest CPS sketch, very elegant and simple, check it out HERE

Ingredients:
PP by Basic Grey, flowers by Prima, Stamps by Stampin Up! Ribbon, button and vintage lace from stash.

New Look Blog

Do you like it?

I've even designed a "bottomer" as well as a header!

Inspired by Bety...

I love blog hopping, and one blogger that never fails to delight me with her creations is Bety.

My sister gave me the flowers, tag and thin ribbon ages ago, and whilst I was sorting some paper out today I found them, the flowers reminded me of Bety's creations so I've made something inspired by her work...

I added the sentiment "friend" to the tag.

Ingredients:
PP from unknown, flowers and tag courtesy of Esther. Friend stamp by Stampin Up! Swirl stamp by HOTP.

Thou O Lord are a shield...

Haven't made it to church this morning, Ethan has a sore tummy from all the coughing, and Jadon is still really snotty.

Tom is preparing a sermon he's preaching this afternoon.

So I'm enjoying Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and will look up a John Piper sermon later. I find him so easy to listen to, always challenging, encouraging and uplifting.

What fantastic resources there are to help us worship and learn more of God.

Woooohooooo

Both my sisters have passed their driving test in the last couple of weeks, and first time too!

I'm sadly lagging behind without even had an official lesson! - too much card making!

Made this today, trying to prepare for an all day cardmaking workshop next week. I only used two stamps. The flower shape is chipboard with black embossing powder on it.

Ingredients:
Stamps by Anna Griffin, Chipboard by TLC, ribbon and butterfly punch.

DI HICKMAN no 4

Latest card for Di Hickman

Ingredients:
Paper by Basic Grey, TLC and Maria DeMarco, Stamps by Heidi Swapp, Stampin' Up! and Clever Cuts. Buckle and Ribbon from my stash.

Ooh do you like my water mark? I did it all by myself - well, with some help from an online tutorial.

Wednesday Stamper - Button Dollz

I must admit that when I first saw the challenge on Wednesday Stamper I didn't think it was my "thing". But on reflection, I do love butterflies so had a go and enjoyed it!

Things are quiet in the house as we're still getting over this horrible bug, Tom was in bed all morning after gallantly taking Luke to school. Ethan was watching various dvd's and Jadon fell asleep, so I made the card.

I've incorporated the doll into a card, and my new Heidi Swapp stamp was just perfect! Was also insired by Tim Holtz with the embossing then inking over the top.

Ingredients:
Stamps by All Night Media, Anitas, Heidi Swapp, Rhonna Farrer and Rubber Stamp Tapestry.
Glass pebble, Repro vintage postcard, buttons, wire and thread for stitching. WIngs stamped then painted with Stargazers water colours.

Ice, snotty noses and Oscars

Well, we had a mixed weekend, had a lovely time with our friend and at High School Musical on Ice.
However on the way there on Friday evening Luke had a very high temp and then Jadon came down with it on Saturday night. We're back home, but Tom and I and our friend have now come down with the cough, hgh temp and snotty nose!

Anyway, here is a pic of HSM on Ice to prove we did go!


We went on to the roof of the flat where our friend lives and I handed the camera to Ethan to snap away, I love doing that because the results are often so delightful and suprising. Like this one, he managed to catch the rainbow!

Wooohooo

We're off to see this tomorrow! My boys... by that I mean Tom, Luke and Ethan love High School Musical! Will let you know what its like!

Arty Girlz - RED

Over on Arty Girlz this week the theme is RED

So I had to have a go with some new paper and new stamp!

Ingredients:
PP by Basic Grey
Stamps by Heidi Swapp, All Night Media and Anna Griffin.
A felt tip pen and Sakura glaze pen and ribbon.

Encouragement - SALT

This week Hazel set our theme...

'Encouragement'

Here on Salt we have been very encouraged by your comments and by the wonderful creations that you have shown us as together we have combined our faith and our love of crafting.

I love that verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:11: 'Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.' - in fact, there is so much about encouragement in those letters, and indeed, in other letters from Paul. Encouragement is such a blessing to receive and also to give.

We'd love to see your take on this challenge
so please leave us a comment when you are finished your piece,
so that we and others may see your work.

When I first heard the theme I immeadiately had the idea of creating a set of cards that would have encouraging verses on them. When I set about looking for some the Beatitudes just seemed fitting. So I printed them out onto acetate with a new font I downloaded called Route 3. I managed to get 5 done this for this morning, will finish the others and add them later.

Ingredients:
Papers by Basic Grey, Anna Griffin, TLC, HOTP and others.
Ribbon, eyelets, brads and butterfly punch.

DCM - Me and My Shadow

This week it's Janes turn on DCM, she says...

I want you to create not just one but TWO cards ! But wait........there's more ! I want both cards to contain the same embellishments and papers, ribbons etc- but arranged in a different way for a different occasion....the only thing being different is the wording....I'll let you have different wording ! (How nice of me eh?) I'm well aware this is a really hard challenge, and that I have thrown everyone into 2008 off the deep end....but go on- give it a go - I DARE YOU !

So... here's what I did... I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think I'll use this technique to build up a card stash. It's a great way of getting a few cards done in one sitting that have a similar feel about them, but are different.



Ingredients:
PP by Basic Grey
Stamps by Hero Arts, Anitas and HOTP
Flowers by Sainsbury's!
Grossgrain ribbon from stash.

New Camera New Candles New Toppers!

As the flash was becoming unpredictable on my Fuji S5000 I looked into getting it fixed. The nice man on the phone said it could cost between ������70-100!!! So, I did a bit of googling and with come help from a camera wiz friend we found the S5700 for just over ������100!!! so.... got it this morning and used it to photograph some new toppers to be put on ebay. That with a lovely lie in my DH gave me this morning and some new smelly candles I got from my friend's party last night I'm a very happy and blessed girly!!!

Here's a couple of pics of the toppers...

BARGAINS on EBAY!

Sorry to do this... but I'm having a clear out and have listed some things on ebay, thought someone might like a bargain!

So if you're into Anna Griffin... click HERE


Want a load of new ribbons and other bits, click HERE

Or maybe I could tempt you with a whole collection of Urban Lily papers HERE


And lots more!!! To see them all click HERE

I'm blubbing!

Found this on youtube... if anyone is about to get married how about this...

4x4 Friday TEXTURE!

On 4x4 on Friday it said...

For this week���������s challenge, use some sort of textured paper somewhere on your 4������4!

So I did! Used a piece of lovey green tissue that has specks on it, it was wrapping paper around Tom's birthday present from a friend.



Imgredients:
Stamps by Stampin up and Clever Cuts
Dragonfly punch
Green flecked tissue, corrugated card inked with white Versamark.
Vintage lace
Ric Rac

CPS #45

This started out as the CPS sketch, but didn't end up that way...

This is based on the CPS sketch no 45

Ingredients:
Stamps by Anna Griffin and Anitas
Prima flowers, vintage lace
Butterfly and sun punches

Carina, you are 1!

A year ago tomorrow a sweet friend of mine gave birth to a gorgeous girl. I've been invited to her birthday party. I've been making a few of these recently for little friends and am thinking of making myself available for comissions...what do you think?

Ingredients
PP by Making Memories
flowers by Prima
Stamps by Anna Griffin, All Night Media, Rubber Stamp Tapestry and unknown
Glitter pen by Sakura (I just love it)
Circle and butterfly punches

SALT - Where is your treasure?

This week it was Gillian's turn to inspire us! This is some of what she writes on SALT

The Start of a New Year
and so many of us make New Years Resolutions
we look at the New Year as a sign of Change & a time to Grow.
In order to Change & Grow
We must Examine
So this weeks Challenge is perhaps a verse
that may help you to examine
Please take Inspiration from the
Gospel of Matthew
Verse 6, Chapter 21
For where your Treasure is,
there your Heart will also be.

I started work on this "treasure" box last night and intended to have it done in time for our 10am deadline. I've got a bit of a snotty cold at the morning so really didn't want to get up, and with DS no 2 pestering me to help him go to the loo, and then get him a drink of water, and then me getting cross with him because he already had water, I realised i should be up and finishing off the project. It was really timely as it reminded me of how precious my children are, and although it can feel really hard to look after them when I'm tired and snotty, God has entrusted them to my care and I should "treasure" them ALL the time!

Anyway... here is my piece, and altered glasses case.



Ingredients:
Card by Colorbok and from stash.
PP by Anna Griffin.
Various punches.
Flowers by Prima
Stamps by anna Griffin, Sarah Lugg.
Dymo machine for lettering.

They are now happily sitting at dining table doing crafty bits and colouring, so I'm finishing off this post. We spotted a blue tit on our feeder today and I managed to grab the camera before it flew off.
Couldn't resist charing a picture of Luke and Ethan with 2 of their cousins...

Di Hickman sketch #1

Ingredients: Stamps by Anitas, HOTP, Stampin Up and Rubber Stamp Tapestry. Flowers by Prima with ribbon and vintage buttons.