Thursday, March 31, 2011

Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #46



Hi Stamping Friends!!
Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth?!!  Not quite, but I did spend a couple days at Disneyland!!  I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.  But for today, I actully stamped something.  I know!!  It's a miracle!!! 

Don't you love the colors in these photos for the Stampin' Celebration Inpsiration Challenge?  I'm a sucker for any color combo that contains pink and orange. 



Stamps:  Great Friend
Paper:  Whsper White, Daffodil Delight, Pink Pirouette DSP, Melon Mambo "faux Mother-of-Pearl"
Accessories:  Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Decorative Label Punch, Oval Punch, Basic Rhinestone, Pumpkin Striped Grosgrain

Sketch Challenge:  Clean and Simple FTL133

Nothing fancy, but at least I stamped!!  It's been so long, I think I've forgotten how.  The Faux Mother-of-Pearl technique is very easy and fun to do.  I did it with my hostess club last month and had these extra pieces laying around.  I thought they would be perfect for this card. 
Here's what you need:
Glossy Cardstock
Frost White Shimmer Paint
Melon Mambo Ink
Brayer
Plastic Wrap
Paper Plate

Take a piece of plastic wrap and wad it into a ball.  Pour a small amount of the Shimmer Paint onto the paper plate.  Dab the scrunched up plastic wrap into the paint and dab off any excess on the side of the plate.  Then dab the paint onto the Glossy Cardstock.  Keep dabbing.  Do not cover up the entire cardstock with the paint.  Leave some clean spaces.  Let the paint dry.  When completely dry, use your brayer to ink up the entire piece of cardstock in ink color of your choice.  I used Melon Mambo.  Then you can punch out any shape with it.  If you do want to stamp on your Faux Mother-of-Pearl, make sure you use Staz-On ink, so it doesn't wipe off.  Super easy!!!

I hope you will take a minute and visit the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge.  Our Design Team always does such a fabulous job week after week.  I'm so glad to be among their company!!  And I hope you will take a minute and play along with us!!  We would love to see what beautiful stamping project you create!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!
Happy Stamping!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #45



Hi Stamping Friends!!
Well, I'm sorry to say that I still don't have any stamping goodness to share with you today.  But I did want to share the gorgeous inspiration picture from the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge this week.  I hope you have a chance to play along with us!  If anything, you need to stop by and check out what our fabulous DT has created.  The are a talented bunch of stampers!

I think I figured out the reason my mojo has joined Elvis and left the building.  I've had the chills and achiness and a headache for the last three days.  Not feeling like myself at all.  I've been trying to take it super easy.   I really don't need to get sick!!  Our 5yo has strep and is on antibiotics.  There is just too much yuck being spread out there!!  Here's hoping next week will be a better week.

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

ColourQ #77


Hi Stamping Friends!!
I have been in a major creative slump lately.  Too many other activities grabbing for my attention I guess.  So I don't have a card for you today.  But I wanted to share the gorgeous color combo that Arielle has for the ColourQ challenge this week.  Beautiful!!!  I hope you can play along.  And I hope I feel motivated to stamp something very soon!!!  Maybe after I take 5yo DS to the doc.  Or after I meet with a bride and her mother.  Or after the swim meet.  Or after Family Night.  Or after the wedding rehearsal.  Or after...  aaahhhhh!!!!  I very much dislike a busy schedule!!  Especially when it doesn't involve busy stamping!

Thanks for stopping anyway.  :)
Happy Stamping!

Friday, March 18, 2011

For Real Friday 3.18.11

Welcome Friends!!
So glad you stopped by for another For Real Friday, where I share fun stuff (stamping!), family stuff, friend stuff, and faith stuff.  I hope you'll stay and let me chat for a moment.  :)

First the fun stuff!!!


STAMPS:  Refuge and Strength (retired), Easter Blossoms (sentiment)
PAPER:  Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry
ACCESSORIES:  Basic Pearls, Floral Fusion Sizzlet, Little Leves Sizzlet, Eyelet Scallop Border Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Oval Punch, Olive Grosgrain, Vintage Wallpaper EF

Color Challenge:  JUST ADD INK #60
Sketch Challenge:  TECHNO STAMPER #165
Recipe Challenge:  PAPERTAKE WEEKLY  Trio-Tastic
Recipe Challenge:  SUO CHALLENGE #14  Favorite Retired SU! Stamp Set-Refuge & Strength
Scripture Challenge:  STAMPIN' SISTERS IN CHRIST #80 Matthew 6:21


Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Linda Lucas' challenge for the Stampin' Sisters In Christ was to create something that represented what we treasure most.  As she says, "But when it comes down to it, the things I treasure cannot be bought or sold-they are a matter of the heart and of the Kingdom!"  That is why I chose to use my retired cross from the Refuge and Strength set.  Because what I treasure most is the salvation I have received through the death and resurrection of my faithful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Salvation that is not deserved, but is given freely, to a sinner such as myself.  A treasure indeed!!!


Some of you have asked me how I keep track of all the challenges I partcipate in.  I have all of the challenges saved to my "favorites".  In my favorites, I've created categories:
SUO Challenges
Non-SUO Challenges
I also have sub categories of:
Color Challenges
Sketch Challenges
Multi Challenges (blogs that offer a different challenge each week)
Some of the blogs I subscribe to through Blogger, so I get updates on my Dashboard.  But not all blogs have that option available.  So those are the ones I "have" to visit each week.  If it is a challenge I think I will participate in, I jot (or scribble!) it down in my little "challenge notebook".  Funny thing about these little books... a year ago, some girlfriends and I "dared" each other to lose weight.  These little books were supposed to be my food diaries, but they quickly became my stampin diaries instead.  :)  Here's a pic of my current notebook, messy handwriting and all.



It really is a simple system.  Nothing fancy or elaborate.  I try to keep sketch challenges on one side and color and recipe challenges on the other.  But sometimes they overlap and then it becomes a fun creative mess!!


Last week I shared that the 14yo man-child and 12yo DD were going to be playing in the worship band on Sunday.  They did a wonderful job.  I was a proud little momma!!  DD even had a little "organ" solo on the keyboard.  What a blessing to see your children begin to share their gifts in ministry at such a young age.  It's another treasure of my heart!!




We are so blessed to have a Christian music school in town called Fusion School Of Music.  14yo man-child started playing bass 3 years ago.  Last year he took accoustic guitar lessons and this year he is taking bass lessons again.  12yo DD started keyboard classes two years ago.  This year she added violin, voice, and music essentials.  Between music lessons and swim practices, I spend my afternoons and evenings carting kids around!  Thankfully, the pool and the church where the music school is located are just up the road from each other.

And speaking of DD, here is her first official "brace face" picture!


She chose purple and turquoise rubber bands.  :)  Her mouth was only sore for about a day and a half.  She has quite a few teeth that they are trying to make room for, so she has a couple of springs on the wires and those always hurt.


Yay!!!  Spring is almost here!!  Here are a few pictures I took in my backyard yesterday.





Isn't God's creation glorious?!!  I'm always amazed at the beauty of nature.  The gorgeous colors and shapes.  I'm always inspired to create something after I've gone for a walk and gazed at the depth of the blue in the sky and the brilliant shades of green in the grass and the trees.  The colors of creation are another thing I treasure!


Last weekend, hubby had a church demoninational meeting in Sacramento and I got to tag along.  (I'll go anywhere for a weekend away!)  The day before the meeting, they had a one day conference featuring Reggie McNeal.  I was thankful that I was able to attend.  He's a very dynamic speaker.  And really funny too.  He does have a bad habit of starting sentences and thoughts and never completing them.  Listening to him can sometimes feel like playing pinball.  He just bounces all over the place!  The thrust of his message was about Christains being more missional minded in their everyday lives.  Some things I took away from that day:

Be a people of blessing
Be Jesus in your neighborhood
I am the church
Serve your way into peoples hearts
Move from internal to external

Not everyone in our group agreed with what Reggie had to say.  But I think that is part of the maturing process in your walk with the Lord.  We have to be able to decide why we do or don't believe in an idea and then back up our reasoning based on Scripture.  Hubby and I also listened to Rob Bell last night online.  The church he pastors at is called Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI.  He has a new book coming out about heaven and hell.  I read his last book, Velvet Elvis.  He also, is somewhat "controversial".  He really likes to push the envelope with his ideas and ways of thinking about faith.  Again, another opportunity to reevaluate, what do I believe and why?

There are always going to be people who have ideas we don't necessarily agree with 100%.  But is there anything in their message that we can take away and apply it to our lives to make us a more loving, caring, compassionate people?  People who are slow to anger and abounding in love?  People who see the world the way God sees the world?  As broken and hurting and in need of hope? 

That's always my struggle.  I'm so busy just trying to be a halfway decent wife and mom.  Running a house (or it running me!).  Making sure everyone has clean underwear and is eating something besides Pop-Tarts.  I never feel like I'm doing enough to help heal the hurts of others around me.  Am I being Jesus in my neighborhood?  Am I a blessing to others?  If there were just more time in the day!!!  But for now, I have to be satisifed with the small things I can accomplish, teaching Sunday School to 5th-8th graders, reading devotions with my kids at the dinner table, sending a card to someone who is sick or hurting, meeting with a friend who needs a listening ear, speaking at Young Life when they ask.  I need to remember that not all of us were created to be the Billy Grahams of this world.  Some of us just need to be Jesus where we are... at the pool, at a swim meet, at school.   So I will try my best to be a blessing to others, no matter how small of an act that may be.

In case you are wondering, no, I did not win the She Speaks scholarship.  I think I'm more of a She Chats kind of girl anyway.  :)   Someday it would be wonderful to attend the conference.  Who knows what the Lord has in store.  I checked out the blogs of the two gals that won... wow!  They deserve it!  You can check them out too:

I'm so glad you stopped by today.  I hope you will stop by again sometime!
God Bless!


Thursday, March 17, 2011

Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #44


Hi Stamping Friends!!!
This post is much later than I wanted it to be.  But when you don't start stamping your Stamping Celebration card for today's challenge until 8:30 am this morning, things tend to run a little behind!!  :)  I wanted to stamp yesterday, but just couldn't squeeze it in.  So this morning I felt quite rushed and had to keep things a little simple.

BECAUSE I CARE

STAMPS:  Beacuse I Care, Great Friend
PAPER:  Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Very Vanila
ACCESSORIES:  Decorative Label Punch, Circle Punches, Basic Pearls, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Vintage Wallpaper EF, Champagne Glass Glitter

Sketch Challenge:  PALS PAPER ARTS #85
Reipe Challenge:  STAMPIN' ROYALTY #63 Texturize

I love the soft greens and golds in the inspiration photos.  Very elegant.  It doesn't look very pretty in the picture, but the Champagne Glass Glitter really adds some elegant sparkle to the flower.  I did a little bit of thumping on the flower with my More Mustard and Soft Suede markers.  I should have done a little more.  But since I was pressed for time, I had to leave well enough alone!!  I hope you will stop by the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge and play along with us this week.  We would love to have you as our next Party Guest Designer!!

Tomorrow will be my second segment of For Real Friday.  I do have a card I will be sharing, so I hope you at least stop by for the stamping stuff.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

ColourQ #76


Hi Stamping Friends!
Don't you just LOVE these colors?!!!!  I sure do.  And what about those daisies?  Oh!  Be still my heart!!!  These colors and style are so "me".  That's why I was super excited to play with the ColourQ colors this week.  Arielle done herself a good job pickin' out this combo.  :)



STAMPS:  Perfect Punches
PAPER:  Kiwi Kiss, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Playdate DSP
ACCESSORIES:  Daisy Die, Designer Buttons, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, White Grosgrain, Decorative Label Punch, Wide Oval Punch

Sketch Challenge:  CLEAN & SIMPLE #131

I love daisies.  My grandparents had a long sidewalk that led from the street to their front door.  In the spring, the entire walkway was lined with white Shasta daisies.  We used to pick them and play the "He loves me... He loves me not..." game.  The only thing I didn't like about those daisies was if we were visiting on a Saturday, grandma would give us a clipper and tell us to dead head the flowers.  Man there were a lot of them!!

I hope you have a chance to stop by the ColourQ blog and see the other fabulous creations the design team has created.  And hopefully you will feel inspired to play along!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Challenge Monday 3.14.11

Hi Stamping Friends!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Hubby had some church stuff he had to be at in Sacramento, so I got to tag along.  You know you're desperate for a weekend away when you say yes to a Classis meeting!!  :)  That left me little time or motivation to stamp this weekend.  I actually did not pick up any ink or paper until 9:30 pm Sunday night.  I was waiting up for 14yo man-child to get home from the Rock and Worship Road Show.  When he finally gets home, he informs me that he has a report to finish.  Aaaahhh!!!  Anyhoo.  While he was typing, I stamped a couple of clean and simple cards.



STAMPS:  Easter Blossoms... LOVE this set!!!
PAPER:  Whisper White, Concord Crush, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz
ACCESSORIES:  Elegant Bouquet EF, Square Punch, Oval Punch, Pear Seam Binding

Color Challenge:  STAMPING 411 #152
Sketch Challenge:  STAMPING 411 #194
Inspiration Challenge:  PALS PAPER ARTS #84




STAMPS:  Create A Cupcake
PAPER:  Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Blushing Bride Patterns DSP
ACCESSORIES:  Peferct Polka Dots EF, Decorative Label Punch, Build A Cupcake Punch, Square Lattice EF, Designer Button, Linen Thread

Color Challenge:  THE PAPER PLAYERS #38
Sketch Challenge:  SKETCH FRENZY FRIDAY

I hope you are able to play in a challenge this week!!  Stop back by tomorrow.  We have new colors at the ColourQ!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Krystal's Sunday Favorites 3.13.11

Hi Stamping Friends!!
Happy Sunday!  Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!  Just wanted to share a few of the beautiful stamping creations I saw this week on the WWWW...Wonderful World Wide Web.  Enjoy!





















So much amazing stamping talent out there!!!  I hope you've been inspired to stamp something.  Stop by these very talented artisits blogs and see what other lovlies they have to look at.

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!


Friday, March 11, 2011

For Real Friday 3.11.11




Hi Friends!
I'm trying out something new at my blog.  Don't know exactly what it's going to look like, but I'm super excited to reach outside my little box.  Now if you typically come here for paper and ink inspiration, don't run away just yet!!  I promise there will be some of that too.  I'll even put it near the beginning, so you can skip the rest if you want.  On For Real Friday, I'm going to be sharing some "For Real" life stuff about myself.  My random thoughts, highlights of my week, special family moments, those awful "mom" moments, just whatever I feel like chatting about.  At the end of the post you may be asking yourself, "Is this chick FOR REAL?!"  And the answer is yes, I am.  :)


My first "for real" random act is to convince the Jesus girls over at Proverbs 31 Ministry why I deserve to win one (of only two!) of the Cecil Murphy Scholarships for the upcoming She Speaks conference that Lysa TerKeurst is giving away on her blog.  She Speaks is a conference for women who want to "step out with the message God has placed on our hearts."  It is geared towards speakers, writers, and leaders of Women's Ministry.  I read about this conference a few years back and was completely intrigued by it.  I feel God is nudging me into some kind of speaking ministry.  Which is a HUGE faith leap for a former shy girl, who in 2nd grade never even played on the school playground.  For the entire year, I just watched from the sidelines as all the other children played.  I was just too afraid to go and talk to anyone.  Many years and tears later, God has worked a small miracle in my life and has taken away those fears.  If you can wear a wet suit in front of the entire congregation while giving an announcement for VBS, you've come a long way baby!!!  So the question of why I would like to win the scholarship really should be... why not?!!  If that's what God has planned for me, He's going to work it out.  If not this conference, maybe the next one.  And let's be "for real" for a moment.  I'm the wife of a full-time youth pastor slash part-time seminarian student.  There's no way I'm ever going to ANY conference except on a scholarship!  :)  Plus I think I have an extra special touch I can add to the whole Proverbs 31 Ministry.  They already have blogs called, She Speaks, She Reads, She Cooks, She Seeks.  What they really need is a blog called SHE CRAFTS!!!!  Can't you just see a roomful of Jesus girls getting together with their sewing and their quilts and their knitting and their scrapbooks and their STAMPS and encouraging and praying for each other?!  Seriously girls!  Think about it!  :) 


And speaking of stamps!!  I promised there would be stamping involved in this already long and no where near the end post.  This is for my newest Stampin' Up! team member, Syreeta.  It's a cute little chick I CASED from Stampin' Connection.  I hope you have a fabulous workshop.  You go girl!!!!


PAPER:  So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black
ACCESSORIES:  Milk Carton Die, Scallop Circle Punch (wings), Cherry Blossom Embosslit (feet), Small Heart Punch (beak), Owl Punch (eyes), Pumpkin Pie Taffeta Ribbon


Some of you have asked to see my stamping space.  Well, there really is not much to see.  I stamp on the end of my kitchen counter.  It's about a 2' x 3' space.  I used to be embarassed by how messy it looks.  But everyone who really knows me, knows how much I love to stamp.  So I rarely clean it up.  Unless my MIL is expected.  Then you better believe it all gets put away!  It's the curse of being a Dutch girl.  We know our "clean" limits!


Looks like I need to file my scraps!  Yes, that is a little "contraband".  I can't live without my Scor-Pal or my ATG gun.  I beg Stampin' Up! every year to add them to the catalog.  But they haven't listened to me yet.  Here's hoping for July!!


A highlight of the week was our 14yo man-child (he's 6' 3" and 190 lbs!) got his name in the local newspaper.  His high school swim team took first place at their meet on Tuesday.  He didn't come in first in any individual events, but the 400 freestyle relay team he was on did take first. 

GO TUHS!!!



This is what a high school swim team looks like in between events:

OH MY!!



And here is a face only a mother could love:


This is what a 5yo looks like after he stops his fall off his bike with his nose... on the concrete!!  A little red scrape, a big green bruise, and two black eyes.  If he had green eyes and red hair, I think he would look just like a little leprechaun!!  Gotta love the leftover peanut butter around his mouth!!  This guy is allergic to all dairy products and everything made with red 40 food dye.  Which is pretty much every candy on the supermarket shelf.  Plus most medicines.  Food allergies are a major bummer!!  And we just recently found out that he is allergic to almost every tree, grass, weed, and mold known to man.  His allergist was real hopeful.  He said to expect it to get worse in two years.  Yikes!!  Here's hoping hubby gets a position at a church near a beach someday!!  :)


12yo DD is in the process of getting her braces on.  I wanted to do a "before the appointment" picture and an "after the appointment" picture, but she said NO!  Can you believe it?  Next Tuesday she gets the rest of the work done.  Maybe by then she will let me take a "brace face" pic.  She looks adorable.  I'm sure some turquoise rubber bands in her mouth will just add a little more flair to her already fashionable style.


Sunday morning I'm going to be a very anxious mom.  14yo man-child and 12yo DD are both playing in the worship band at church... at both services!  Aaahhhh!!  I've been nevous for days and they are both totally fine.  14yo man-child plays bass and 12yo DD plays the keyboard.  Of course I plan on toting my big fat camera along, so hopefully next Friday I will have a picture. 


I have the privledge of meeting with two dear friends on Wednesday afternoons for Bible study and another friend on Thursday evenings for another study.  Those are very precious moments for a crazy busy homeschool mom like myself.  On Wednesday's we are going through Max Lucado's workbook, Experiencing the Heart of Jesus.  Love it!!  Love his children's books too.  :) 
Here are some quotes from this week's lesson:

"God allows us to make our own choices."
"Because God gives us choices, we must realize that all choices have consequences, both good and bad."
"No matter how many bad choices we have made in the past, they are redeemed by one good choice-to follow Jesus."
"Jesus loves you enough to let you choose."


And here are some verses that touched my heart from my Thursday study:

"Anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

"Now your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better.  Yes, you must be a new and different person."  Ephesians 4:23 TLB

"Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me salvation.  I have no hope except in you."  Psalm 25:5 TLB



And finally (yes finally!!!) I want to share a book I just recently finished reading that rocked my socks.  Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl, by Lysa TerKeurst.  Besides stamping, my other passion is reading.  I'll read anything that has print on it, cereal boxes, road signs, you name it, I'll read it.  But I never read a book twice.  I always remember too much of it and it bores me the second time around.  Not this book!!  I can't wait to read it again with a big fat highlighter pen.  I want to soak up more of Lysa's inspirational message.  So many wonderful things to think about and ponder.  Here's one little tid-bit from the final chapter which is entitled: Forever.  "Becoming more than a good Bible study girl means that we desire God's revelations in our life more than we desire our own carefully constructed plans.  So easy to say, so hard to actually live out."  Amen sister!!


If you've made it this far, you are a trooper!!  Thanks for hanging out with me in this first "For Real" moment.  Like I said at the beginning, I have no idea where this whole idea is headed, but it should be a fun little ride.  Hope you'll visit again soon!!

Thanks for stopping by!




Thursday, March 10, 2011

Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #43



Hi Stamping Friends!!
Doesn't all that chocolate just look delish?!!!  If St. Patrick's Day includes this much sweet stuff, I think I want to be Irish!!!  Candace put together a yummy combination of greens and browns for us at the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge... my two favorite colors!!  I hope you can join us and play along!



STAMPS:  Season Of Friendship, Punch Bunch, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Woodgrain BG, So Happy For You (SAB)
PAPER:  Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Very Vanilla, So Saffron
ACCESSORIES:  Owl Punch, Bird Punch, Top Note die, Elegant Lines EF, Tab Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Glimmer Brad, Chocolate Grosgrain (retired)

Sketch Challenge:  TECHNO STAMPER #164
Theme Challenge:  HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #58

I just couldn't resist making one of those cute little owl leprechauns that I've seen all over the web this week.  I created his hat using the Tab punch, but I had to punch it a few times to make it smaller.  I also cut the "brim" of it to shorten it.  I really should have had him holding a little cupcake in his wing.  That would have been perfect!!  As usual, all my great ideas come a day late.  :)

I have a fun "shamrock" story to share.  On Saturdays, when I was much younger and we would visit my grandparents, my grandpa would mow the lawn and he would intentionally mow around the clover patches.  In the afternonn we would go outside with my grandma and sit around the patches and look for 4 leaf clovers.  They were really hard to find!!  If we found one, grandma always made a really big deal about it.  We would take it inside and press it between the pages of a book.  I never thought much about those "lucky" clovers until many years later when we were packing up grandma and grandpa's house.  I was told to look through all the old books on their bookshelf, in case they had stashed any money in them.  I found no cash, but I found something even better...  lots and lots of 4 leaf clovers that had been lovingly searched for on sunny afternoons with my dear sweet grandma.

I hope you have a chance to stop by the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge and see what our fabulous desing team has created.  Those girls just rock my socks every week!!  It's so exciting to be a part of such a talented group of stampers.  And I hope you are inspired to create something yummy to share with us.  We look forward to seeing all your scrumptious creations!

Well tomorrow I'm starting a new little adventure here on the blog.  And I have to admit, I'm really nervous about it!!  Don't ask me why.  It's just silly.  Each Friday I will be posting "For Real Friday".  It's going to be a day where I share all kinds of real randomness from my everyday life.  Stamping randomness.  Mom randomness.  House randomness.  I have no idea what it's going to look like, but it should be fun.  You will probably find out more about me than you care to know.  :)  And yes, there will be pictures.  So stay tuned!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

ABC Scripture Challenge -E-


Hi Stamping Friends!
I'm posting later than usual today.  I didn't have much time to work on my ABC Scripture Challenge page for Patter Cross' challenge on her blog, Triple the Scraps.  One thing that tripped me up was I didn't connect with the word she chose for the letter -E-, so I changed mine.  She chose the word "easy", but I chose the word "everything".  I finally started excersing again and while I was listening to my iPod, the words from a song (which are really words from a Psalm!) stuck in my brain... "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord".  The thought that everything... the sky, the trees, the air, the entire world belongs to God alone, found a place in my heart.  It was a beautiful reminder that "I am not my own, but I belong, body and soul, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ."

To create this digital page, I used the Botanical Gazette Designer Series Paper and Brush Set for My Digital Studio.  Every Tuesday, Stampin' Up! offers new downloads for MDS.  It's so tempting to keep getting more MDS goodies.  But I've been trying to use all the yummy stuff I already have.  This page came together quickly since I used a fabulous sketch from the February 2011 sketches at PageMaps.

I hope you can stop back by tomorrow.  We have a new challenge over at the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge and we want you to play along! 

On Friday I plan on starting something new here at my blog.  I'm calling it For Real Friday.  I read a blog recently (can't remember which one.  I read too much stuff!) where she did a kind of weekly photo journalistic list of "stuff".  Family stuff, life stuff, etc.  I plan on doing something similar, but I will also include some stamping "stuff".  We will see how it goes.  I never thought I would use this blog for "personal" things, but I think it's time to branch out.  And since I did name it Krystal's Cards and More.  I think it's time to get to the "more" part.  :)  As Lysa TerKeurst (one of my Jesus girl heroes!) chatted on her blog today, I realized it was time for me to add a little "and then some" to my world.

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping and Digi Scrapping!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

ColourQ #75


Hi Stamping Friends!!!
It's time for another fabulous color challenge from the ColourQ!!  Didn't Arielle just pick out the cutest bunch of colors this week?!!  And I love the inspiration photo.  If I hadn't used my Animal Stories set last week to make my ColourQ card, I would have used it this week.  Love those animal cookies!!



STAMPS:  Flight of the Butterfly, So Happy For You (SAB), Dot, Dot, Dot
PAPER:  Daffodil Delight, Cool Caribbean, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, Ice Cream Parlor DSP (SAB)
ACCESSORIES:  Curly Label Punch, Daffodil Pom-pom Trim, Butterfly Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Glimmer Brads, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Scallop Ribbon Border Punch

Sketch Challenge:  CREATIVE SKETCHES #22

I was so excited about this card.  It wasn't until I uploaded it to the ColourQ site that I realized I didn't use any black!!  I could have at least stamped the sentiment in black or something!!  Last week I added a color, this week I forgot a color.  If I keep at, I may end up with the wrong colors all together!  Thankfully, Arielle is the sweetest, easiest challenge hostess I could ever work with.  She has nothing but encouragement for all of her team members.  I'm super impressed because she has actually called me at home.  More than once!!  To me, she is a stampin' super star.  And I'm glad she keeps me around, mistakes and all.  :)

I hadn't inked up this set in a looooong time.  It's so fun to dig out those old favorites that have been swept to the side when something new comes along.  I really need to make a concerted effort to use some of my older sets.  There are so many great ones to choose from!!  I had just a scrap of Cool Caribbean cardstock leftover.  I have the ink pad, but no full sheets of cardstock.  Imagine my surprise when I took out the Subtle Glimmer Brads and they matched so perfectly!!

I hope you have a chance this week to stop by the ColourQ challenge blog and see what the other amazing Royal Court team members have created.  I know they will give you lots stampin' inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope I see you again soon!!
Happy Stamping!