Make a Difference

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. ~ Galatians 5:22-24

I found these beautiful die-cut photo mats from K&Company over Christmas in my Archiver’s store. They are double-sided, beautiful prints. You have to trim them in the middle to be card sized, but I have been having fun making cards with them the last few days. This is one card I can show you right now, and it showcases the stamp of the month from CHF, Joyful Winter Wishes. Isn’t Kim’s snowman darling?

Last night, I was excited to post this first thing this morning, but I awoke to a ‘bad news’ phone call and cards just weren’t on my mind as I prepared for church. Then at church, we had a time of prayer for a family whose father is being deployed to the Middle East this week. He’ll miss his oldest daughter’s ’sweet 16′.  Most of you know that my friend and teammate at SCS, Beate sent her husband off this week, as well. My heart breaks when people I care for hurt. I have cried all day long.

As I was thinking about posting the card and ‘joyfulness’, I was reminded of the fruit of the Spirit. Joyfulness is listed right there with patience, faithfulness, self-control. The Holy Spirit meets you whatever your present circumstance, if we just ask.

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful, kindle in us the fire of your love….meet us where we are, with what we need, be it joy, faithfulness or patience as we start a new year.

As I drove home from my parent’s yesterday, I was respectful of a long funeral procession on the interstate. It was dreary weather and my heart felt sad for the family who had spent Christmas Day waiting for the known funeral day to approach. Then when I returned home, it was with great sadness that Wes & I learned of some friends from church lost their 38 year old son very unexectedly to a heart attack this week. Sorrow knows no season…if your family is suffering from a recent loss or has struggled with facing the first Christmas without someone special in your life, I pray that you receive peace and assurance in abundant proportions this season.

For Frank and Juanita ~ with heartfelt sympathy, friends

This card is folded at the top. The window is cut from the front panel to reveal the inside sentiment on a scalloped square mat with Fresh Rain Dew Drops. The butterfly is stamped on Cryogen White and the colored with Copic Markers. After that, I covered with Ranger Crackle Accents and allowed to dry. ‘Allowed’ is used loosely, as the crackle effect was hindered by my heat gun. I recommend a natual drying time with the Crackle Accents. Once dry, I cut the butterfly out and adhered to the card with adhesive.  

• Stamps: Au Naturale by Lizzie Anne Designs

• Cardstock: K & Company premade cards, cut up and used with Prism Spring Willow Medium, Curious Iridescent Cryogen White 

• Ink: Palette Burnt Umber

• Accs: Copic Markers, Nestabilities by Spellbinders, Dew Drops all available from www.ellenhutson.com and Crackle Accents by Ranger

Here is a little monochromatic, monogrammed gift set that I put together for a customer. She needed a last minute gift, too. I don’t know anyone who is immune to that issue.  Since I didn’t know the recipient, I tried to keep it clean and simple. Silhouette Blooms II was perfect, and black and white is a classic choice.

These are some more of the smaller sized (A1) notecards and envelopes that www.cutcardstock.com made up for me on request. I see that Cindy has a stash of them in stock. They are going to be perfect for Valentine’s Day. I might need to pick some more up. I’ve linked the notecards in the supply section of this post, envelopes are sold separately.

• Stamps: Silhouette Blooms II by Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms & Black Tie Alpha from Paper Salon
• Cardstock: Curious Iridescent Cryogen White and Black Prism
• Ink: Palette Noir
• Accs: Black ribbon, Spellbinder’s Nestabilities

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“Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ”Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”                             ~  Luke 2:11-14

The tag raises to reveal the Christ child, laying in a manger.

• Stamps: Angel and Manger - Inky Antics, Snowflakes Spot - Stampin’ UP

• Cardstock: Cranberry Crisp, Mellow Moss and Natural Ivory - all Stampin’ UP!

• Ink: Timber Brown StazOn and Cranberry Crisp

• Accs: PrismaColor pencils, Gamsol, blending tool, glitter, acetate sheet, gingham ribbon, Marvy Scalloped oval punch

 Merry, merry Christmas from Missouri

When I was in Portland for the Stampin’ UP! Regional Training event back in October, one of the items featured and shared was this double pocket bag. It’s just perfect for slipping a gift card or cash into. I came home and made this one right away. I guess I forgot to take a picture and share it. You can find easy-peasy directions from this Splitcoast Tutorial. You just need one 12×12 piece of cardstock, plus embellishments. The bag goes together very quickly. I also stamped a little insert card that I could sign and slip into the ‘purse’.

• Stamps: Christmas in the City and Snowflake - both by Lizzie Anne Designs

• Cardstock: Winter Bright Simply Scrappin’ Kit - Stampin’ UP! and Cryogen White

• Ink: Bashful Blue and Wild Wasabi

• Accs: Stitched Satin Ribbon, Rhinestone Brads, Tab Punch, Dazzling Diamonds, Corner Rounder and Nestabilities

I love my husband dearly….but by the end of December I am done with dove season, duck season, deer season, turkey season, goose season. I am done! D-O-N-E! The inside reads: “I’m done with the ducks, already”

I picked up this Paper Inspirations stamp at a stamp store in Branson a few weeks ago. I thought I would use it to make a nice sweet hunting card for Wes. Hmmm, it’s December 21st, we are full-throttle into Christmas and I needed some stress comic relief from the hunting season. I know that you cannot possibly relate to my post if you aren’t married to a hunter, but trust me, it’s not easy. You know, they are up at all hours, gone long before the first morning light and then need to nap all the time to catch up on all their missed sleep. It’s like the world stops turning for whatever season.  Hey, good news, I heard him tell his dad today that he was done deer hunting for the year. Woo-Hoo!

OK - rant over.  I have a cute Lizzy Anne last minute gift that I am trying to get photographed. I’ll try to have it up in the morning. Thanks for stopping by.

• Stamps: Paper Inspirations, Alphabet by Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms

• Cardstock: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Confetti Cream by STampin’ UP! and Noteworthy by Making Memories

• Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic

• Accs: ribbon (manufacturer not known) buttons by Foo-foo-la, brads by American Crafts and Nestabilities

We were surprised to find a beautiful evergreen wreath at our door late last week, a gift from our good friends, Matt & Tracy. They are so thoughtful, and I love that we are neighbors. Though the origins of who first used evergreens, wreaths and holly as Christmas decorations are disputed, the burst of color does remind us to be hopeful of spring and of vibrant living even in the dark of winter. I hope there is a burst of color and a hope of vibrant living in your life this Christmas.

• Stamps: Woodgrain Backgrounder (wood panel lines drawn by hand), Christmas Cheer from KIM HUGHES COLLECTION both by Cornish Heritage Farms

• Ink: Palette Burnt Umber, Real Red from Stampin’ UP!

• CS: Real Red, Creamy Caramel and Cryogen White

• Accs: Copic Markers, Red Mini Brads - Paper Studio, Stitched Ribbon (Wrights) and Nestabilities by Spellbinder to cut the door.

What is the one object this always drawn in line art, that you would really love to stamp solid just every once in a while??? Oh, for the love of snowmen! Look at this darling Kim Hughes Original. You’ll love the December stamp of the month set, Joyful Winter Wishes, from Cornish Heritage Farms. $5.49 folks…put it in your cart. Richard and Liz are practically giving it away.

The layout for this card was a challenge from Sweet Miss Daisy. I {heart} her. See what she and Sharon did with their own snowman challenge. They used an adorable snow-gal from Anna’s pending release with WhipperSnapper! Both these gals are just amazing with a little rubber and ink. I stamped the snowman in White Craft Ink and embossed with white EP. Then, I colored in the scarf and carrot with my Copic markers. I added some fluff snow balls and gave just a hint of movement to them with a light rose colored Copic. The first brush strokes blended into the paper, and that is the wonderful thing about Copic markers, you can go over something again and again to add depth or richness of color without any damage to your paper.

I’m off to pick up a few gifts. Someone gave me heart failure when I was volunteering at school this morning. They say there are only 11 days til Christmas. Surely it isn’t that close…can’t be…Hope that your weekend brings a closure to cards or gifts or seasonal ‘obligations’ so that you and your family can turn your focus to the Reason for the season. Blessings ~

• Stamps: Joyful Winter Wishes
• Cardstock: Razzleberry Light, Tawny Light and Wizard Dark Prism Cardstock, Curious Iridescent Cryogen White
• Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic, White Craft
• Accs: May Arts ruffled chocolate ribbon from Jacksonbelle Embellishments, American Crafts Chocolate Bradds, EK Success Puffs, Oval Punch, sewing machine, small SU! corner rounder

Thanks for stopping by!

A few weeks ago at the wholesale club, I came across these tins of shortbread cookies. I knew they would be perfect for some of the people who make my life easier: the school secretary, the church secretary, the ‘grandma’ in my daughter’s class. I also knew that my Crafty Secrets vintage Christmas stamp set would work wonderfully for pretty and fast tags. I did 8 of these tins in about 2 hours, little less because I was talking on the phone at the same time…gotta multi-task this time of year. Whew…one thing off the list, only 30 more to go. Off to tackle the next ‘to-do’.  Thanks for stopping by.

• Stamps: Vintage Christmas from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps & Fancy Flex Phrases

• Cardstock: Chocolate Chip and Caramel Stardream Metallic

• Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic

• Accs: Misc. ribbons, Dew Drops, metallic gold thread, Nestabilities by Spellbinders