The inspired stampsEye on the Sparrow stamp set has me in a "cutesy card" mood! Hope you don't mind:) For this card all of the stamps are from this fabulous set. Once again, I colored the birds with Copics and then covered them in Liquid Glass for dimension. Hope you like!
Don't forget to link an inspired stamps project to this post on inspired stamps blog for a chance to be a guest designer!
other supplies: skittles, scrap paper, CTMH Kraft cardstock, CTMH Scallop Punch, CTMH ink and Liquid Glass, Cricut zebra cut from Create a Critter, google eyes, Copics
I created this card for the sketch challenge at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com. Instead of precisely following the sketch, I interpreted the sketch. I used the gorgeous new Sonoma papers from Close To My Heart that will be available for order on Aug. 1st. I also used the wonderful CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I am not going to be able to get enough of all these fabulous cuts! EVERYTHING pictured was straight from the cart-the trees, the diamond, the snowflake and even the tag card itself!
The "joy" stamp is from the Art Philosophy set of stamps that are included with the cartridge. Merry Christmas in July!
I have had my Cricut for about 4 years and have been a CTMH consultant for almost 2 years. I've often thought how wonderful it would be to be able to combine CTMH's fabulous stamps with Cricut cuts that would fit those stamped images. Well, I'm dreamin' no more! As of August 1st, Close To My Heart will release the exclusive Art Philosophy cartridge and stamp sets!
I have never been so excited for a Cricut OR CTMH release. I received my order yesterday and have been playing with all the goodies every second I can. This is my first project from the new collection but I promise there will be many more!
I began with the gorgeous new Dreamin' papers. Another exciting addition to CTMH is that our new patterned papers are printed on a heavier weight paper than before. Also, the price is lower on the patterned paper packs AND all of our stamps! The papers cut beautifully in the Cricut. Everything on the layour was cut with the new CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge, including the dimensional flowers! After cutting the three banner pieces, I used the coordinating stamps to stamp the pieces with the border and words. Since, I followed the guidelines on the stamp set, the images fit perfectly on the cutouts!
Be sure to click on the photo so you can see all the yummy details. The "leaves" for the flowers are actually the pieces that were left after the large background "flower" was cut. I also added a design to the background cardstock using the "star" stamp from the Art Philosophy stamps.
Are you ready to get your own Art Philosophy Set? When you order it, you will receive the Cricut cartridge (it includes over 700 images and an alphabet), 3 coordinating large stamp sets and 3 sheets of coordinating chipboard shapes. All for $99. Imagine all the gifts, home decor, cards and more you can make with this set! You can pre-order by contacting me now or wait and order on August 1st from my website: https://belindak.myctmh.com.
Cricut Cut Sizes
Lg. Mat 7 3/4, Sm mat and frames 6 1/2, Background Flower 10", Butterfly 2 1/2", Banner pieces 3", 3D Flowers 2 to 3"
The challenge last week at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com was to use a doily or lace in your project. I simply cut a doily with my Cricut to use on this Joy Fold card. Hope you like!
One more week until the new CTMH catalog is released to the public!!! You can still preorder the amazing Cricut and Stamp bundle from me!
Supplies used: CTMH Mayberry paper, CTMH black and white CS, CTMH Love Birds Stamp Set, CTMH Garden Green and Hollyhock Ink, Creative Charms ribbon and Prima flower
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
The Song I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin
My Thoughts “There’s a peace I’ve come to know, though my heart and flesh may fail. There’s an anchor for my soul and I can say it is well”. I did not pen those words but Chris Tomlin was anointed to write what my heart has felt throughout the last several years. “Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed. Victory is won, He has risen from the dead. What is every human’s ultimate conqueror? Death. No man can defeat him. But Jesus was no man!
Our flesh begins its descent to death from the very moment it is conceived. Even as it begins to form and grow, the very seeds of its mortality are planted. Life begins but death will be the end. How hopeless and helpless our lives would be if life and death were the only equations for our futures. But Jesus overcame death, hell and the grave! The One who snatched the very keys to our eternal prison, still holds those keys today and offers our everlasting freedom!
This paltry life we cling to so desperately on this imperfect globe is a vapor! Our vain attempts to postpone aging and our pitiful cry for one more day of youth is really a denial of the inevitable. No matter what potions and lotions we use and no matter what wonder pill or surgery is discovered, we are heading ultimately to the end of this life. It’s the end of our earthly, mortal, feeble, physical home. But my dear friend when our body breathes its last breath, it will release our soul into eternity. You can choose to say “I will rise, when He calls my name. No more sorrow, no more pain. I will rise on eagle’s wings. Before my God, fall on my knees and rise. I will rise.”
When you release all that you are on this earth to a loving, heavenly God then you entrust your very soul, your true being into His hands and on the day your body has had enough, your soul will “hear the voice of many angels sing, worthy is the Lamb. And you will “hear the cry of every longing heart, worthy is the Lamb.” Jesus is worthy of our love and adoration, for He first loved us. He is worthy of our devotion for He is devoted to our ultimate victory. Loved one, Jesus is worthy because He has overcome our ultimate adversary.
I don’t believe we should long for death or hasten its appearing. Death itself should never be our goal. Heaven is our destination and it should be the longing of every heart. It is the home that was created for our souls and our souls were created to dwell there. Our task here on earth is to endure and even thrive through our journey. We are to occupy this earthly shell for as long as God ordains and no man has the right to shorten one moment that God has planned for us. Our earthly life from beginning to end will bring us joy and pain. Living on earth will provide us with an abundance of wonder and an abundance of grief. I believe the moments that are our most fulfilling are the glimpses of heaven and the times of turmoil are glances into hell.
Our only saving grace and our only ability to withstand our light and momentary afflictions is the very presence of a loving and faithful God. But if one chooses the path that turns from Him then the eternal hell they will endure is complete and utter separation from God for all eternity. Those who choose His love and light on this earth will rise on the wings of eagles and will live in the warmth of His light forever and ever and ever AMEN!
Your Response My dear friend, if you have never taken the time to tell your heavenly Father that you want Him to be in control of your coming and your going, your every breath, then take a few moments to say this prayer: Father, I know that I have sinned in this life. I know that I am powerless on my own. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He has overcome death, hell and the grave. I ask that He would enter my heart and life and that Jesus would become my Savior. I thank you for your love and your mercy. Thank you for the strength you are giving me even now to endure this life. In your precious name, Jesus, I pray, AMEN!
Actually, you are winning something much better than a chicken dinner (Yes, Texans-even better than Babe's!). Our winner gets to choose any stamp from the inspired stamps store (except for the colorable alpha) thanks to the generosity of Antoinette! Without further adieu, our winner is......
Babe O'Mara said...
Absolutely gorgeous project.
Congrats and THANKS Babe! I've sent you an email so we can get that shipped asap:)
Thank you to everyone for the wonderful comments. Hope to see you all here again!
This card just makes me smile! It ended up looking nothing like I planned it but the cuteness of the birds and the praying boy just led me to add one cute detail after another. The birds and sentiment are from theinspired stampsset called Eye on the Sparrow ( E3019).
This set is one I knew I would buy from the beginning. It includes another bird and scriptures about sparrows. The sentiment I used is actually one I put on my dining room wall in vinyl a couple of years ago with all my birdhouses. The boy praying is one of the His Little Ones stamps: Boy Praying (B4001 )
Anyhoo, back to the card. I used Copics to color the birds and boy. I actually stamped the boy on a piece of patterned paper and glued it over a 2nd stamped image, then colored his face and hands. The "cardinal" was colored and then covered with Liquid Glass to make him dimensional. I also used a glitter jelly roll pen to add sparkle to the eyes and cheeks. If you click on the photo you will be able to see the details.
The dimensional grass effect was made using my new Martha Stewart fringe scissors.( I really hate making her richer but she does have some great things!)
Thanks for stopping by today and be sure to check out my fellow Design Team's art this week! Remember, you have a few hours left to win FREE inspire stamps by leaving a comment HERE. I will be drawing after 12 tonight for a set of free inspired stamps and will announce it by Sunday night (spending family time Sat and Sun).
I made this in early July, took photos, hung it in my den and forgot to post it! These colors are not ones I typically use in my art but the center "frame" paper was left over from another project and I thought it would hold a scripture from inspired stamps perfectly. Luckily, I was correct! The scripture is from E3013 His Cross stamp set that came out for Easter but the scriptures are appropriate for any time of year. This scripture is near and dear to my heart because I claim it every day for my healing from MS and spinal cord damage.
It appears this paper and this stamp were made for each other. The background paper and the butterflies are from a kit I bought on clearance months ago and then just could not decide what to do with them. I adhered the scripture page to the front of the acrylic page and the background paper to the back.
Cricut and Close To My Heart have teamed up to create an awesome cartridge and coordinating stamps! No "fussy" cutting needed! Simply choose your Cricut design, let the Cricut do the cutting and stamp with the coordinating stamp! It will be available August 1st but I am taking pre-orders for this fabulous new collection from Close to My Heart.
God’s Word Galatians 6:9 (NIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
The Song
“Before the Morning” Josh Wilson and Ben Glover
My Thoughts
On a recent day of total frustration with the difficulties I faced, this song popped on the radio and stopped my little pity party. I didn’t hear the first words but it caught my ear when I heard “would you dare would you dare to believe that you still have a reason to sing? Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling , it can’t compare to the joy that’s coming.” All God asks of us is to dare to believe. Dare to believe that He is in control. Dare to believe that He holds the answers. Dare to believe that He can heal. Dare to believe that He can do the miraculous.
Then the song really hit home with me in the next words “My friend you know how this all ends, you know where you’re going. You just don’t know how you’ll get there. So say a prayer”. Yes, I know this all ends with God’s triumphant victory over death, hell and the grave and with Satan’s imprisonment. I know I am going to my heavenly home to live with my King for all of eternity. None of us knows how we’ll get there so sitting in our pity is wasted time when we could be seeking God in prayer.
Later, I looked up the lyrics to the song on the internet and was so thankful that God spoke these words to these gifted songwriters. As so happens in a struggle that lasts for many years, I needed a reminder of my responsibility in this fight. I must “Press on and just fight the good fight.” Every single painful moment on this earth is a minor blip on the screen of eternity. “Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling, it’s just the dark before the morning! And hold on cause there’s good for those who love God, but life is not a snapshot. It might take a little time but you’ll see the bigger picture”. We truly see just a dot of the whole picture, our Father sees the whole picture. He knows what will happen in the next millisecond and the next millennium. We have to know that “maybe there are things you can’t see and all those things are happening to bring a better ending .” A better ending for me, a better ending for you, a better ending for every blood bought believer of Christ.
My friend, my heartfelt prayer is that you will remember that our afflictions and our pain and our burdens are nothing in the face of eternity. Yes, we are human and we will hurt and we will have moments we feel we can’t take one more breath but with that breath if we would breathe the name of Jesus we will find that the next breath and the next will come with a peace that wasn’t there before, a peace the world will never understand.
You are His precious lamb, dare to believe He will never abandon you in your pain or turn His back on your fight. Dare to believe God is. God was. God will always be. He is bringing your morning and “once you feel the weight of glory all your pain will fade to memory.”
Your Response
Tell your heavenly Father that you dare to believe in Him. Tell Him that you need a reminder of the dawn that is coming. Thank Him for the glory that is coming.
This week at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com the challenge is to find something to inspire your artwork. It's probably not the kind of inspiration they had in mind but, I found lots of inspiration starting with this white shadowbox frame I found on clearance for $1.20!!! at HL. However, I didn't think I could get the back off to change what was on the inside. Then, I was inspired by Antoinette at inspired stamps who actually figured out she could take the back off and made a cute anniversary display with the frame. So, back to the store to buy several of these frames.
My final inspiration came from the rejection I received from a card magazine for my card submission. I loved the card and didn't want to put it away so now it is proudly residing in my clearance shadow box! Thank you to H2H for the challenge and to HL, Antoinette and the not to be mentioned magazine who rejected my card!
Be sure you check back August 1st for some THRILLING news from Close To My Heart, our new catalog is available that day and it is a DOOZY!
Supplies:
Close To My Heart Sophia stamps
CTMH Miracle and Emporium papers
CTMH card stock
CTMH Buttons
CTMH Inks
Baker's Twine and reproduction stamps
Be sure to check out my previous post for a great give away!
Like any avid Scrapbooker, I have a room absolutely FULL of supplies. Often, I look at my workspace and see lots of leftover bits and pieces from my latest creative frenzy! This week, instead of trying to find somewhere to store the leftovers or in a fit of cleanliness (gasp!) throw them away, I determined to put them to use. This little wall hanging is the result. To tie all the ephemera together, I used an inspired stamp which was actually already stamped on a little brown paper bag (thanks Antoinette). I trimmed the bag, crumpled it up and then adhered it to the leftover pennant piece in a free form way to give it dimension. Click on the photo to see all of the yummy goodness.
Each Design Team member will be sharing a SCRIPTURE FOCUSED project sometime between tomorrow and next Tuesday. EACH Design Team member will be choosing ONE person who commented on that inspired stamps Scripture-focused blog post to win a FREE INSPIRED STAMP SET of the winner's choice!! You have from the time the DT member posts their inspired stamps Scripture-focused post UNTIL Friday, July 22nd at midnight CST to get your comment in to be eligible to win. the inspired stamps blog is participating in this BIG GIVEAWAY too!! You'll want to comment on each DT member's Scripture-focused inspired stamps blog post plus our inspired blog Scripture-focused blog post to enter to win. YES, if you enter on all 9 DT blog posts and the inspired stamps blog post you can win more than ONCE!! You could win up to 10 times!! WAHOOO that's a lot of FREE stampsets!!
I picked up this pink canvas in the Michael's clearance bins for 50 cents! The finished project took about a week to evolve and started quite differently than it ended up! I love the end result and it now has a home in my studio. I started the project with the scripture stamp from the fabulous inspired stamps Strength set. Psalm 18:2 is definitely a scripture I have turned to many times in my journey of living with both MS and a damaged spinal cord. I can attest it is TRUTH.
I know I've said it before but it is worth repeating-inspired stamps stamp so clean and neatly. The clear polymer allows you to see exactly where to stamp.
How do you like the "flowers"? I found the example for them on the eighteen25 blog. Simply cut a card stock circle. Completely cover circle with adhesive and press a piece of twine in center and then start tightly winding and pressing all the way around the circle. When you get to the end, tape the end to the back of the circle.
Be sure you leave a comment on this post because the creator of inspired stamps, Antoinette,is giving away a stamp set of your choice (except Alpha set) to 1 lucky winner on EACH of the Design Team Members' blogs! So, leave a comment here and then go check out the other amazing blogs and comment there.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The Song
Trials Turn to Gold by Keith Green
My Thoughts
I was enjoying a movie with some family and friends. We were completely absorbed in the story and the movie had just become intense when one of the characters lives was threatened. This young Hispanic gang member had “done the right thing” and gave testimony against a fellow gang member who had committed a murder. In doing so, she had signed her own death warrant. Fellow gang members were waiting for her when she left her home for school the next day. They chased her down and had her up against a fence when the leader said to her “You should be dead today. The only reason you’re alive is because of who your father is.”
Unbelievably, they let her go free. Why? Her father was the adult leader of the gang. Everyone in the theater was thrilled with this turn of events. It didn’t hit me until later that night that all of us need to ask ourselves a very important question: “Who’s your Daddy?” I hate to break the news to you friends, but we should all be dead today. But, praise God we’re alive because we have a Father in heaven!
Job knew who his daddy was. What he didn’t know was that Satan wanted him dead, but because Job honored his heavenly Father, he lived. Satan wanted to kill Job but Job’s daddy said, “NO!” (Job 2:6) Job wasn’t aware that the horrible things that were happening to him actually weren’t the worst that could have happened.
When you are feeling sorry for yourself because of all your trials and tribulations, stop for a minute and think of what could have been going on in the throne room of heaven on the day your struggles began. Isn’t it just possible that Satan asked God to test you? That Satan wanted to end your life because of your faithfulness to God. Imagine your heavenly Father telling Satan-“my child will remain faithful through anything you can dish out but I’m telling you now-you must spare her life”. I don’t know about you but that thought changes my perspective quite a bit. I look forward to eternity in my heavenly home but my home here on earth is filled with a family that I am not ready to leave. Yes, my life is lived with physical challenges and struggles but I would rather live this life as it is with my hubby and boys than to leave them at this time in the journey.
Daniel and his buddies knew who their daddy was. They were bold enough to declare to the king that their daddy would save them from the furnace but even if he didn’t, they would never worship the image of gold. Not only did their heavenly Father honor their bold statement but he sent His Son to join them for some fellowship in the fire! Now, as a Royal Ranger wife and mom, I have enjoyed my share of campfires. I must say, I have never been IN a campfire as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were, but just sitting by a fire causes every fiber of my hair and clothing to absorb the odor. These boys were walking IN the fire. The ropes that “firmly tied” (Daniel 3:23) them were burned away! But when they were brought out, they didn’t even smell like smoke (Daniel 3:27)! Leave it to our heavenly Father to leave NO DOUBT in the minds of skeptics that he had completely protected them from every physical property of that flame.
People, God’s going to join you in your fire. He’s not about to watch you from a distance. Your daddy is standing right beside you and holding your hand. Jesus knew who his daddy was. He even prayed to him in the garden. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” (Matthew 26:39) That tells me that it’s okay for us to pray that the trials we are going through be removed. But, we also need to remember the rest of his prayer, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus knew that his Father’s purposes for the world would be accomplished only through his sacrifice.
Are we willing to allow our heavenly father to accomplish his purpose through us? God is working all your trials for good. Keith Green had a wonderful song that said “He's brought me here, where things are clear and trials turn to gold. He shared with me, His victory
He won in days of old.” I have no idea what God’s plan is for your trial but I do know the end result will be that when you allow Him to be your daddy and you trust Him with your life then He will “change our filthy rags to linen white as snow and our trials will turn to gold.”
Your Response
Tell your heavenly Father you are so thankful to be His child and you know that he is turning your trial around, even if you can’t see the results.
I have been into "simple layouts" this summer. Could be the awful Texas heat or could be the mound of photos that stare at me every day! Anyway, this photo came together very quickly using the Sophia papers from Close To My Heart. Anytime you buy a paper pack from CTMH, you know you can put together a beautiful layout in a matter of minutes because all the "matching" is done for you. The scalloped circles were cut using CTMHs punch and the butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch. The journal box was cut with the Cricut. Rhinestones are from my stash. Stay cool and keep it simple!
This week's challenge at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com is an "inspirational" challenge. The inspiration they provided is the photo above. So summery!
I was 1st struck by the colors, then the 3 panels and finally the flowers. This is the result:
I used flowered Sophia paper in the colors from the photo and added 3 punched areas at the bottom to fulfill my inspiration. All supplies and stamps are from Close To My Heart except for the butterfly punch and green pearls. Thanks for stopping by and for all of you who are sweet enough to comment!
You have until Saturday to enter this contest and have your favorite verse printed on a stamp and then receive the free new collection of Favorite Verses Stamps Set! Click on the picture to enter.
“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 The Message
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” NKJV
The Song Always by Building 429
My Thoughts When Christ had completed his visit with the disciples, following his resurrection, he gave them instructions to go and make disciples throughout all the world. He was giving these instructions in the moments before he was leaving this earth and ascending to heaven. I’m sure the disciples were more than a little apprehensive to realize that they were being asked to go into the world and convince people to follow a God who had been killed and buried. Yes, the disciples were seeing him resurrected and in the flesh but Jesus was telling them that he wouldn’t be there as proof of their outrageous statements to a skeptical world.
For 3 years he had been the star of their show. He performed the miracles and made the bold proclamations. He was their front man and eventually their fall guy. Now, he wanted them to travel without him and bring in new followers to the fold? Jesus had full knowledge of what he was asking them to do and what their journey would entail. I believe that is why his final statement to them was the assurance that he would always be with them. I like the way The Message interprets his words to say that as they followed the path he was asking them to take, that he would be with them “day after day after day”.
The task he had set before them would be a day in and day out lifestyle. They would face trouble and persecution. But how comforting to know that he would ALWAYS be with them. Even though he was leaving them physically, he could now be with them every moment in his glorified state. No matter what they faced, even until time ended, they had his assurance of his presence. What had his presence meant to them in the last three years? It had meant provision of their daily needs, joy, companionship, all manner of miracles, laughter, peace, comfort. It had meant the world. Now he was promising that those things would not end.
My friend, Jesus promises the very same thing to you. Day after day after day as you face difficulty and the life you live, he is with you. He never fails. As the song says “ I don’t know where you are and I don’t know where you’ve been. Maybe you’re fighting for your life or just about to throw the towel in. But, if you’re crying out for mercy, if there’s no hope left at all. If you’ve given everything you’ve got and you’re still about to fall. Well hold on, hold on, hold on, cause even when all hope is gone, God knows our pain and his promise remains, He will be with you always.”
Your Response Acknowledge to your Savior that you know he is with you always. Thank him for walking by your side through every moment of your life. Know that you are not alone.
Our assignment for this first week of July at inspired stamps was to make something patriotic. Well, I don't think there's anything more patriotic or adorable than this cute little sailor from inspired stamps "His Little Ones" stamps so I gave him center stage! If your loved one is in a different branch of service then you need to check out this little guy's buddies at inspired stamps. The sentiment is also straight from inspired stamps.
Please be sure to check out my fellow Design Team members' patriotic designs throughout the week on their blogs as well. Their blog addy's are on the side of my blog or all projects will be on inspired stamps blog on Thursday.
