This is my spot to share my creativity through word and paper art.
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Thursday, June 28, 2012
This week the Design Team at Inspired Stamps got to choose what we wanted to make. Since I needed a birthday card, that's what I made! I also felt like making something simple and I took my cue from the latest fashion and home decor trend: color blocking. I know it is going to be showing up in the paper arts world pretty soon since it is so big in fashion right now. One of my favorite color combos is blue and yellow. In fact, they were our wedding colors almost 30 years ago!
For the stamping, I chose the Birthday Stamp Set. I love the cute little cupcake and the scriptures in this set. For the cupcake frosting, I used Liquid Applique sprinkled with glitter and heated with a heat gun to make it puff. I probably could have set it in the Texas sun for a few minutes and had the same result! It's 105 today-yikes! This is the inside of the card.
Thanks for joining us today, be sure to check out the rest of the team's designs!
We are revisiting the wonderful world of easel cards today with Inspired Stamps. These are such versatile cards and can become gifts themselves. For a great tutorial on how to make these simple cards, check out Antoinette's videoHERE. You can get 3 4x4 easel cards from 1 sheet of 12x12 paper following her video. I used a scripture from one of my most used sets for the focus of the card: Inspired Stampers' Favorites Coll 2.
In addition to using the awesome clear polymer stamps the traditional way, I also used the spiral stamp from the versatileJournal Stamps set to make my own washi tape. I know you've seen all the fabulous designs of washi/tissue tape out in the blogosphere but why not make your own to complement your designs? It's such a cinch and CHEAP. Plus you don't have a huge roll to use up when you're done. I get bored with embellies that I have to "use up".
Ready for the easy peasy instructions? You'll need strong double-sided tape that has a liner on both sides covering the adhesive, plain white or light colored sheet of tissue (thin gift wrapping tissue), stamp pad and stamps. Simply take your desired width of strong double-sided tape (I used the "red kind" from Michael's), cut the length you need. Peel off one side of the liner and adhere to a piece of tissue. Now for the fun! Stamp your desired design all over the taped tissue from end to end and side to side. If you want the background white, then you can start cutting now but otherwise, sponge or use another method to do a lighter background on the tissue. I stamped the spiral in dark pink and then just sponged a lighter pink in the white areas. Now, cut your taped tissue off the sheet, remove the liner and adhere to your project. I also chose to repeat the spiral shape around my scripture to tie the top and bottom together.
Enjoy making your own washi tape to accent your Inspired Stamps projects!
other supplies: Close To My Heart and Recollections
It's designer's choice for the team at Inspired Stamps this week. I made a sympathy card I could send to the family of a longtime friend who passed away suddenly last week. Her home-going celebration was yesterday and this was a scripture that was shared-so perfect for believers! Death is not the last word for Christ's followers! The moment we breath our last, we are present with the Lord! This stamp is from the Inspired Stamper's Favorite #1 Stamp Set. I use this set often.
For the inside sentiment, I used the Card Ministry Basic Set. This set is perfect for all those times you need to say "you are loved and prayed for". The butterfly is from the stunning Butterflies and Blooms Set. Thanks for stopping by today. Please check out the team's designs at the Inspired Stamps' Blogand then leave them some love on their blogs.
My sis-n-law saw read this scripture in The Message and asked me to make her a project that included it so she could read it every day. This is the result and I really am happy with how it turned out. Hopefully she will be as well.
I printed the scripture out with my computer printer on paper from Close To My Heart's Florentine Paper Pack. I used the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge to cut the rolled flowers and leaves out. The biederm flat flowers and heart are all from the Florentine Stickease pack. The rest of the embellishments were from my stash.
Remember, you can always order any of the Close To My Heart products from my website www.belindak.ctmh.com. This month is a great time to purchase your favorite stamp sets as they are all buy 2 get 1 free!
Hello to anyone who has taken the time to stop by today. I expected to have a new devotional to post today but the last several days have been a roller coaster of events and emotions. Our middle son graduated from high school a week ago Saturday night. We had so much fun celebrating his achievement with tons of friends and family. Lots of smiles, laughter and happy tears.
After our celebration weekend was over, we attempted to relax and rest. At least I did-hubby returned to work and the graduate was busy writing thank you notes and filling out applications for summer jobs. On his way to apply for jobs on Thursday, he was in the wrong place when a driver decided to enter a busy highway without being able to see around the 18 wheeler that was stopped and trying to turn. My son did not have time to even hit the breaks before he hit the other driver's front fender and skidded across 4 lanes of traffic. THANK GOD there was no on-coming traffic, his airbag deployed and he had on a seat belt. He came out safe and sound except for a broken wrist caused by the airbag. The other driver did receive the citation and was clearly at fault. Now to deal with all the red tape of getting the insurance to pay and pay fairly so that he can find a replacement car.
We are so thankful he is alive and well and that God prevented this from being a tragedy. Unfortunately, that same night we received the sad word that a lifelong friend of ours passed away from a heart attack that same afternoon. She was a beautiful, Christian wife and mom who was only 41. So, as my title states, life had us soaring on the heights and plunging to the depths of emotions this week. We have learned time again that you never know what a day holds but I can say without a doubt God holds my days!
I covet your prayers for our friend's husband and 2 daughters (18 and 3). I also ask for your prayers for our son to heal quickly, be able to find a job and to have all the insurance red tape to be cleared away. At this point I do not know when I will resume my Monday Musings, just please keep checking in and I might surprise you with one soon!
Oh my goodness, it has been very hectic around here with a graduating HS Senior in the house! All my posts the last few weeks were planned and "posted" weeks in advance in order to give the party, the guests and the graduate all my attention! This week is "recovery" week for mom!
It's red, white and blue week at Inspired Stamps. I took advantage of the opportunity to get a Father's Day card done for my Dad by using the Men of Favor stamp set. All 3 word elements were stamped using this versatile set. This is the simple inside sentiment:
I didn't think to add the staples until the card was done so this is how I covered the staple backs on the inside:
It is pouring down rain here today so the photos aren't great but they at least give you an idea:) Just a note on the "clip" on the card-I didn't want a thick embellie but thought the clip was perfect for the Dad tag. To "flatten" the clip, I took pliers and pulled out the pin holding the spring on the clip. This allowed me to be able to use only 1 part of the clip glued over the tag using Liquid Glass. Now I have an "extra" clip for another project.
Be sure to head to all of the teams' blogs andInspired Stamps Blog to see all the patriotic colored goodies!
I recently shared the baby girl shower banner I made for our church. This is the one I made for a boy baby shower. It was so much fun to create and I was thrilled with the way it turned out! All the critters were cut out using the Cricut Create A Critter Cartridge. The onesie shape is from the B for Boy cartridge and the letters are from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge. I used blue and brown paper from my stash and most of it is unavailable now. Click on the photo to see the banner in a larger format.
Belinda Kersey 2007 (originally posted in Feb 2011)
God’s Word
Psalm 3:1-2 says “O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him”.”
My Thoughts
Notice David is not asking God “how many?”, he is telling him “GOD, do you see HOW MANY?!” I didn’t notice this Psalm until our choir sang a song based on this passage. The first time I heard these words, set to music, I was deeply touched and could feel each word pierce my soul.
The song interprets it this way: “Many are they increased, that trouble me, many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, “there is no help for him in God”.”
On my very worst days I have that very litany playing in my mind. MANY are against me, MANY are upsetting my life, MANY say there’s no help, no cure for me. But thank God the Psalm, the song and my litany do not stop there. The all important six letter phrase follows: BUT GOD. The song says “BUT THOU OH LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the lifter of my head.”
All of the ten or so versions of the scripture, I looked up, interpret the phrase this way…”But you are a shield AROUND me.” Now, we have all learned from childhood that a shield is something you hold in front of you. When the word “shield” is spoken, I automatically picture a Roman soldier’s shield or a royal Knight’s jousting shield. But read the word I capitalized one more time. It says “AROUND”. Now, I can’t picture the Lord jumping around me holding one little shield. If He did, then important areas would be left vulnerable. No, it says AROUND me.
It also says “you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.” When you see someone using a shield in a battle scene, they really aren’t holding their head up too high above that shield because then their head would be vulnerable. But the scripture says He lifts up my head.
Now that I have seen the movie “The Incredibles”, I can replace the shield picture in my mind. The daughter in the movie protects her family from the enemy with a clear, impenetrable bubble that encircles them. They are protected on ALL sides by this shield. That, my friend, is how I now see God’s shield. He SURROUNDS me, is AROUND me, and has me ENCIRCLED in his protection. Because I am invincible with his shield, I can lift my head high to face the accuser and the tormentor.
I can “cry to the Lord with my voice” and He will hear me and answer me from “his holy hill”. I can lie down to sleep and awake again because the “Lord sustains me”. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side” because the Lord is a shield AROUND me.
Your Response
Picture an impenetrable, clear bubble encircling you, your family and your home. Thank God for His protection. Praise Him for being mightier than your enemies. Lift your head to heaven and proclaim He is your shield and defender against every foe that comes your way.
