From My Heart - FMH02 - Grandma's Green Bible

Hi Stamping Friends!!

Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your day. On Sundays here at the blog I've started something new. I call it "From My Heart". It's where I share a little bit of encouragement with you, in hopes that YOU will encourage someone this week too.

When I was a little girl, my dad was a long distance truck driver. It was quite normal for him to be gone for a week or longer at a time. Often when he was not home, my mom and us four kids would have dinner over at my grandparents house. 

Every night after dinner, my grandma would get out her green Living Bible from "the Bible drawer" and would read aloud from it. I never heard my Grandpa read the Bible out loud. He had only a fourth grade education and may not have felt comfortable doing so. I don't know. I never asked. When we were old enough read, we often got the privilege of choosing a scripture passage and reading it out loud after dinner. Or as my grandparents always called it "supper".

Even though my grandparents normally read the Bible from cover to cover, when it was our turn to read, grandma would often direct us to one of the Psalms. It amazed me when we would stumble over a word and she knew what it was before we even sounded it out. I've always wondered how many times they read through the entire Bible.

I felt pretty special when it was my turn to read. But what really made me smile wider and sit up straighter was when I would finish reading and my grandpa would say, "That was really nice." I'm not exactly sure why such a few, simple words could make me beam, but they did.

Often I hear people say that they don't send cards because "they don't know what to write inside of them". Trust me. You do not need big fancy, flowery words to make someone feel special. A few short and sweet words from your heart work just as well. Maybe even better.

So this week I want to encourage you to send a card to someone and tell them "That was really nice". Maybe your child needs a little "I'm proud of you" encouragement. Or your child's teacher needs an extra "job well done" to finish the semester strong. Maybe a co-worker needs a "Great job!". Whoever it is, send them a card this week and let them know that you see they are trying their very best.

My card for this week will be going to my fifth grader who has been improving his cursive by leaps and bounds. I think I will hide it inside his lunchbox and surprise him.

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Crazy About You
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Retired DSP
Accessories: Hello You Thinlits, Brick Wall EF, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Itty Bitty Star Punch


A little piece of advice... If you are making one card, you might as well make two. You are already have all the supplies out. Even if you don't need the card right away, you can always save it for later. I needed a second card for a friend's son who was recently injured in a motorcycle accident. And since teenage boys are the most difficult age group to create cards for, I figured this would be the perfect card for him too. I just changed up the sentiment and BOOM!

(Sorry for the awful pictures. My camera battery decided to die. I think I need a new one. It no longer holds a charge.) :(
I used two challenges to create these cards.

The color challenge came from the Splitcoast Stampers Color Challenge CC554:

And the sketch challenge came from the Paper Craft Crew Challenges blog PCCCS168:

Of course you don't have to make your cards. You can go and buy them. But what fun is that?! Just make sure to send someone a little piece of your heart this week.

I love finding Bible verses and quotes on Pinterest. After I wrote this post I went searching for a fun little quote to add. I can't believe how perfectly this one fit!!

Thank you so much for spending part of your Sunday with me.

I hope you come back and visit again.

Be blessed and be a blessing!!

Krystal

Stampin' Up! Acorny Splitcoast Challenge

Hey Stamping Friends!!

Surprise! Surprise!! I'm blogging on a Saturday! Can you believe it?! Me either. I rarely have a free Saturday. But since I did, I thought I would play up in my stamp loft. 

I used to participate in the stamping challenges over at Splitcoast Stampers All. The. Time. But life got busy and that was one of the things that had to go. Since I had some free stamping time today, I thought I would go see what challenges were going on.

I decided to combine their weekly color challenge with their weekly sketch challenge. Here is my card:

Stamps: Acorny Thank You

Ink: Sahara Sand, Pistachio Pudding

Paper: Whisper White, Gold Soiree DSP (retired but on the Clearance Rack!), Sahara Sand, Pool Party, Pistachio Pudding, Gold Glimmer, Vellum

Accessories: Acorn Builder Punch, Woodland EF, Decorative Dots EF, Pool Party Baker's Twine, Candy Dots

Here is the color combo CC552:

I had to dig around to find a piece of Pistachio Pudding. I used mine all up! Glad I had some of the Gold Soiree DSP in my stash. It's on the Clearance Rack right now for super cheap. Go get yourself some!!

Here is the sketch SC562:

I've always enjoyed playing along with the Splitcoast Challenges. I'm glad I could join in this week. Hopefully it will fit into my schedule more often. Challenges are a great way to get your creativity moving. And it's fun to see others stampers take on the challenges.

Just a reminder, Monday is the last day to place your order to join my October Online Stamp Class.

Here are the details:

I am offering an online class featuring the Vintage Leaves stamp set and Coordinating Leaflets Framelits. They are offered as a bundle on page 88 of the regular catalog.

It so simple to join my Online Stamp Classes...

First: Purchase the Vintage Leaves Bundle #140235 for $43.25 from my Stampin' Up! website using Hostess Code: BPUD7TT4 by October 19.

Second: Wait for me to send you a FREE card kit with 4 unique cards featuring these fabulous products.

How easy is that?! That's all you need to do. Purchase the bundle using the Hostess Code: BPUD7TT4 and I will send you a FREE card kit after the October 19th cut-off date.

I'll say it one more time... DO NOT FORGET TO USE THE HOSTESS CODE. :)

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back again on Monday. I will be starting to share my Feel Goods cards that I created for my Greeting Card Fundraiser.

Now go STAMP SOMETHING!

And participate in a stamping challenge. Or two. :)

Krystal

Easter Project Day #2

Yesterday I showed you my Top Note Bunny bag topper. Today I have another Easter project using the Top Note die. This time it's a cute Easter Basket with ribbon roses. I cut strips of retired Chocolate Chip DSP and wove them like a basket (under, over, under, over). Then, using a gluestick, I glued them to a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. Then I ran the whole thing through my Big Shot and cut it out with the Top Note die. If you do not own this die yet, you need to! I use it ALL the time! The box part was made using a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. I'm not super happy with the dimensions of it, so I didn't write them down. I wish it was a little wider. This is the first time I've made my own box (without following a tutorial) and I didn't play around long enough. Hopefully in the future I'll try again and get it right.

The ribbon roses were made using 12" pieces of grosgrain ribbon. ChristineCreations has an awesome tutorial on her blog. I made one Chocolate and five Saffron roses and then attached (with Glue Dots) them to a scallop circle that I cut out of Whisper White.

The sentiment is from All Holidays, and the color combo is from today's Color Challenge over at SCS. You can click on the link on the right side.

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a blessed Easter week!

Another Color and Sketch Challenge!

O.K. I'm really starting to think I need a 10-step program! How many color and sketch challenges do I need to do? A lot! Especially if I have the time, inclination and need samples for my upcoming classes. Yep! All is good in stampingland. Today's card uses the sketch from Jen del Muro's Sketch For You To Try SFYTT .

And the color combo comes from the challenge over at Splitcoaststampers CC213.


I'm really lovin' the new set from the SU! Occaions Mini called Great Friends. Love the butterfly. I can't wait to post the card we'll be doing at my next class. If you haven't RSVPed yet, you better! Seats are filling up quickly. So here's my card for the double challenge:






















I think these colors would make an awesome card for a baby boy. But I'm not doing a class on baby boy cards. I'm doing a class with butterflies, birds, and blooms!

Stay tuned! I hope to post another Easter project.
Thanks for stopping by!

February BVC09

Well, I finally had time today to upload something to my blog! I've been crafting, but I just don't seem to find enough time to stamp something, take a picture, edit the picture and then post it. I don't know how these gals do it everyday! Today's card is a combination of four different challenges. I know some folks who don't like the mixing of challenges, but I just don't have the time to do them all separately, so I usually combine a few. This is the first time I've combined four challenges. I've done three before, but never four. It started off, because I knew I wanted to do the Divine Design Bible Verse Challenge BVC09 over at SCS. When I looked at the Ways To Use It Challenge WT205, which was to use fabric, I thought sure, I could do that. I also knew I was going to use Wednesday's Sketch Challenge SC215, and Tuesday's Color Challenge CC205. So here there are in ONE 4x4 card!

I love these colors together: Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss and Perfect Plum. Really great Valentine colors. The fabric that I used is the pink fake fur. I used my Big Shot to cut out the flower shape. I've decided that I need to start purchasing more fabric and using it with my Big Shot. It cuts through it so easily! I used my SU! Bigz XL die Baskets and Blooms for this flower. I wanted to add a heart somewhere, because of the words in the verse, so I chose to use a piece of chipboard. I love the glittery look, but I wished I would have thought to use Heat and Stick powder. The Fine Cosmo glitter is falling off all over the place. I just smooshed the chipboard piece into my White Craft ink and sprinkled it with glitter. It's not sticking too well. The Bible verse stamp is from Verve. It's part of their Plain Jane collection. This verse has been a favorite of mine since jr. high school. It really helped me through some tough years of high school and college. I really took this promise to heart. I knew that if I just kept my eyes and heart focused on God, He would take care of the rest. And He still does! What I love about these stamps is the way they incorporate different fonts to highlight certain words. I just love that! What I'm not crazy about is that they are acrylic. I love the see-though capabilities, but I still don't think you get a clear, crisp image like you do with rubber. Sorry! I'm not a fan yet! Everything but the verse and the fake fur is SU!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stmaping!

A Year of Cupcake Challenges!

Here's another card for another one of Taylor's Cupcake Challenges. This one is for Taylor's Sketch Challenge TECC52TV. I also used a few of the challenges over at SCS, since I didn't have a chance to participate in them at all this week. I used the Color Challenge CC202 to use Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, and Bravo Burgandy. Not 3 colors I would choose on my own, but I made it work. I did add black and vanilla as neutrals. Because I used black as my main background, this card also fits the Limited Supply Challenge LSC204. Here's my card:















CARDSTOCK: Bravo Burgandy, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
STAMPS: A Rose Is A Rose (sentiment is a rub-on)
ACCESSORIES: SU! Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, SU! Black Brads, SU! Scallop Edge Pinch, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
When I stamped the Bravo Burgandy onto the Regal Rose flower base, I first stamped off, so I would get a lighter color. I do not have Bravo Burgandy Classic Ink, so I had to use my Craft Spot. It was a little too dark. Stamping off helped to lighten it a little. I didn't think I would like these colors together, but they're kind of growing on me!
Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Two Cards For Two Challenges!

Hi! I wanted to post these two cards yesterday, but had computer issues and then had to get ready for my class. I had 16 wonderful ladies come and stamp. The last gal left around 11:00 pm. I do not make my cards easy I guess! I have such a fabulous time with all of these women. My kids lovingly refer to them as "the card ladies".


This first card was for the Color Challenge CC201 over at SCS. The color combo was Night Quite Navy, Baja Breeze and Kraft. I've never used these three colors together, but I love it! I CASEd this card from page 202 of the new Stampin' Up! Spring/Summer Idea Book and Catalog that will be available to purchase from on Jan. 19th. Here's what I came up with:

Here's some of what I used:
STAMPS: Season of Friendship, Always, Seeing Spots, Upsy Daisy
CARDSTOCK: Kraft, Baja Breeze, Night of Navy, Whisper White
ACCESSORIES: Circle Punches, Button Bouquet, Brads, Baja Striped Grosgrain, Oval Punch, Key Tag Punch
If you haven't bought Season of Friendship yet, you better do it now. 'Cause after Jan. 18th, it's gonna be gone!




The other card I did was for a Sketch Challenge at Our Daily Bread ODBDSC01.
I started buying these beautiful stamps for a card ministry I'm starting at church. I didn't want to use Stampin' Up! stamps, not because I don't LOVE them (because everyone know s I do!) but because I didn't want people to think I was trying to promote or sell my products through this ministry. I wanted to keep the two separate, even though all the other supplies are SU! Here's my card for the sketch challenge:



















I tried (quite unsuccessfully) watercoloring this lovely image. I will continue trying to watercolor until I master it. Or at least get a little better! I was telling my husband how unhappy I was with the results. As soon as I was done complaining, my 10 YO daughter walked into the room and exclaimed, "Oh! That bird looks beautiful!" She totally made my day! I love the soft feel of this card. I don't use the pieces out of my SU! Pretties kit near enough. I dyed one of the flowers using my Pink Pirouette re-inker. I love the results.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!
Krystal

Triple Threat Challenge!

Hi! Today's card is a combination of three challenges:


Technique Lover's Challenge TLC202 over at Splitcoast
Color Challenge CC200 also at Splitcoast
Mojo Monday Mojo68 at the all new Mojo Monday blog


*The first challenge was to use glitter (I used micro beads) on tacky tape.
*The second challenge was to use the color combo of Brilliant Blue, Pumpkin Pie and Garden Green. This was the biggest challenge of all!
*The third challenge was a sketch challenge.
Here's the sketch:









And here's my card:

















I'm not in love with these colors, but it is a nice break from all the Valentine cards I've been working on for my class next week. I have three of them designed and hope to post all five by Friday. It was also fun to use a new stamp set. This set, Petal Pizazz, will be in the Stampin' Up! Spring/Summer 2009 catalog that will be appearing sometime next week. I can't wait! I always love new catalog time. I love to just sit and flip through it and plan my next six months of classes. Of course there never seems to be enough time to do all the things I want and to use all the great products.


Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!
Krystal

Be Inspired 28 and Color Challenge 189

Well, it took all day, but I finally finished the two cards I started this morning! Between getting cavities filled, driving kids around, and delivering Stampin' Up! orders, I think I spent less time in my house today than out of it. But I did want to play the Color Challenge over at SCS and I also wanted to participate in Beate's Be Inspired Challenge. You can click on the links to check them out. I have a raging headache at the moment, so I'm only going to post the pics of the cards. After my tooth extraction (YIKES!) tomorrow, I may come back and add some more details. You can always find more info at my SCS gallery. The first card is for BIC28 and also for WSC61:

The second card is for CC189:

Thanks so much for stopping!
Have a great stamping day!

Chocolate Tangerine Kisses!

This is for today's Color Challenge on SCS. The challenge was to use Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango and Kiwi Kiss. I think these are gorgeous colors for Fall, so I chose to use my Autumn Harvest stamp set. Here's my card:

I've never used my Aquapainters until today. Boy! Have I been missing out! Watercoloring with re-inkers and the Aquapainter is a ton of fun! I know I'll be using this technique again soon! I made my own Kiwi button by painting a Vanilla button with Kiwi ink and my AquaPainter. I also made my own Chocolate Chip brad! I first dipped the top of the brad in White Staz-On ink, then in Chocolate Chip Craft ink and then in Clear Embossing Powder. I then used my Heat Tool to melt the Clear EP an viola! I have a Chocolate Chip brad! Is that cool or what?! The main panel is raised with SU! Dimensionals and the smaller gourds are also raised with dimensionals.

Thanks for stopping by!