Big Birthday Hugs for Kara

My sweet Granddaughter will celebrate a birthday in two weeks! This is the card I made for her.

This large Swallowtail Butterfly rubber stamp is one I bought from Stampin’ Up several years ago. Today’s Retro Rubber Challenge Blog says “Anything Goes”, as long as my rubber stamp is more than 1 year old.

I got the idea for this technique from a Jennifer McGuire YouTube today. Great fun to try! After using clear heat embossing power (twice) of the stamp on FSJ’s Beach Ball card stock, I used my finger to rub on some Craf-T Products metallic rub-ons. We have had these rubs for a lot of years and I forget about them.

“Hugs” was cut from a Waffle Flower die from shiny gold card stock. The words were heat embossed with gold detail powder right onto the card. The gold flat pearls I think are from Michael’s. I tried a few different ideas formatting and making the card base – ended up with matting with the same Beach Ball blue and pasting it the a SU River Rock card base.

This technique was fun and I really like the metallic look the different colors blended into.

It’s getting late and I’m about to go heat up some yummy leftovers for supper.

Thanks for stopping in!

“V” is for Valentine

I chose some of my older stamps today for this card. The stamps are from Stampin’ Up sets dated 2012 and 2013. The metal frame and punch are quite old too.

This is for two great challenges! I started with Sketch – N – Scrap for this delightful sketch:

I couldn’t resist the banner layer. I picked two papers from my scrap bin for the two panels I matted in black for the gray card. The strip under the sentiment is some leftover Echo Park paper and I used a corner rounder on it. The added stamped and punched hanging banner is backed in a thick black to give it good body, punched a hole and tied twine which I wrapped around the main panel before adhering. Gives it a nice little dangle.

It is always a pleasure to be able to participate in the Retro Rubber Challenge, and these two sets are very old!

I’m thankful for those of you who stop in and let me know you have taken a peek at some crafty item I have put together. You make my heart happy!

We have just received the tragic news today that a sweet friend who was a close friend over the years of my granddaughter (age 30) just lost a friend of theirs – just dropped dead. He said he didn’t fell so well and fell out. How shocking. They will wait for an autopsy but it doesn’t matter now. This comes to this friend 3 days after his dear father has died suddenly. My heart breaks for this young man. (Age 30 something is very young to me.)

With St. Valentine’s Day approaching, please tell the people you know how much you care about them. Actually, we should never let ANY moments pass without telling someone you care about them.

We are all children of our Lord God. Remember God so loved us, we are his creation, that he sent us Jesus to help and guide us to do what is right and just. The world tempts us to be led to the worldly distractions, abandoning what is our loving purpose as we wait in this life. Do not disregard the call you hear to return to your faith and love our God, who is the very origin of LOVE. We are called to love one another as Jesus loves us. Not just sometimes. So, I ask you to turn away from any wrong doing and try harder – this is what I struggle with, so I know what I am asking!

I leave you with this last thought, make something pretty and give it to someone, especially someone who could use a warm smile!

Christmas Greeting with Watercolors

This card came into being because of a few card challenges.

The first was to use some older rubber stamps. That I have plenty of!

Here is the rundown on the stamps I used. The circles with snowflakes and the Merry Christmas sentiment are from Stampin’ Up! from at least 12 years ago. The poinsettia background is Stampendous probable 7 years old, and the bird is from Fun Stampers Journey about 5 years ago.

I applied a general coloring with my w.c. paints after stamping the two images with Versafine Onyx Black ink. I used the same black ink for the sentiment. The circles are stamped in Memento Summer Sky. The panels are cut with Sizzix dies on a Gemini Jr.

I hope you find these challenges inspiration as I did and to play along!

Retro Rubber Challenge #168

The 3 choices I picked are “Something that Flies”, “Foliage”, and “Circles”.

Atlanta Hearts Sketch Challenge #441

https://atlanticheartschallenge.blogspot.com/

Happy Little Stampers Blogspot – HLS October Watercolour Challenge

The watercolor paints I used are from Kuretake Gansai Tambi, a set of 18. I love the rich colors and for this project I watered them down a good bit. Still, my bird came out somewhat too dark.

Here are the 3 challenges all together: Retro Rubber Challenge #168, Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #441, and Happy Little Stampers 1 Oct. Watercolour Challenge.

Is Our World Brighter in the Presence of our Leaders?

I pray this is a truth our world leaders would strive to make come true.

Here are the details on how I put this greeting card together. The white base is stamped using a light brown ink with various Stampin’ Up! stamps from The Open Sea set. For the spatters, which I can’t seem to get the knack of making when doing outright with any technique so far, I sponged over a Kaiser Craft stencil Speckles with a light ocean blue ink.

The sentiment is from a Verve stamp and the lighthouse is from Our Daily Bread that I purchased many years ago.

There is a reminder for the world leaders in Psalms 2. It is a message to rebellious kings. The speaker in this Psalm decrees that the earthly representatives of the people are of God. And why not? The number one job of this “Shepard” who rules over the people should be to protect the God-given rights of all the people. Isn’t it sad how far this country has moved away from the very beliefs the country was founded on!

During the uncertain times we find ourselves in today, lets remember our world leaders with prayerful hearts. I know of nothing else that I can do but to pray to God for a return of our people to a righteous love for the LORD.

The catchphrase “God is Good”, needs to be on our lips and in our heart. For the most part I believe people want to be good but all the worldly problems like greed and selfishness are full of overwhelming temptation. So, if your lips do not speak of, nor does your heart feel that God is truly the source of what is good, pray that you will embrace the essence of this catchphrase and know that God is truly what is good.

I suggest you card makers who have stopped by today will consider making, or finding, a card to send an encouraging thought to someone is leadership soon. It just might make them, and you, feel better.

Hugs and prayers to you,

Joyce Ann

Feeling Overly Concerned about Family Today

Here is a layout of my dear family. I followed a Becky Fleck Sketch, pretty much, had to tweak it to accommodate the 8 ½ by 11 format.

Speaking of our families, do you feel overly concerned these days for yours like I do? The world situation gets so scary. I have to stop myself from excessive worry. Remember the saying: Let go and Let God?

I invite you to pray the following with me. I wrote this to help me to stop worrying today.

“O Lord, you are full of mercy. You are a God of love.

O God, give us the love for others in our hearts now.

Deepen our sense of reverence for you. We are your lost children. Without you, God, there is no love in this world.

Nurture in us what is good for this whole world so we will love others as you love us. Our hearts are heavy. Help us to see what we must do to show our love for others. Without you, God, a world of peace is lost.

Teach us, enlighten us, fill us with your mercy.”

My patterned papers are Prima, solids are Stampin’ Up! Two border punches, the EK Success Square Binding Punch and an older Martha Stewart Border, the aqua on the bottom.

Often I go through the little containers on my table and hope for what I’m looking for. I’m always surprised when I find the perfect something, even though I went looking for “it”. That happened with this fancy jewel looking piece. I added some white crochet thread and loved it.

DD was working on something and she had cuts of corners dies that I got excited about! Had to go cut some pink ones. Do you like them where I placed them? I thought they went with the fancy stone work and frilly flowers. That was also the reason I used these papers from a Prima pack, the marbling looked like it fit.

I pulled out my old SU toolkit to pierce the center strip, top and bottom. Didn’t want to stitch it for real or even use my stamps like I often do. The flowers are fussy cut from patterned paper, and I think it is Bo Bunny, it was just a small scrap so not sure.

For the title I had to text my DGGD. She sent me the locations. This got typed up on the computer and printed.

It’s done and I’m okay with it. Not a lot of extras, just went with the sketch.

So glad you stopped in! Be at peace, my friends, and stay crafty.

Hugs,

Joyce Ann

Made My First Thanksgiving Card for 2020

This design follows the sketch offered by Sketch N Scrap #177 on their blog.

Can you see the gold embossing powder? I added Versamark to the leaf and placed it on a piece of patterned paper, the scrip collage piece, and pressed it by running through the Big Shot. Then added the powder and heated it with the heat tool. I did it again with the second leaf. I think this made an awesome background. The pumpkin was stamped and fussy cut out, colored with pencils and some die cuts I made for the leaves were added. After stamping the sentiment and cutting the strip I sponged on a few different shads of ink and finished it off with Vintage Photo, added a brad and pasted everything down. Nothing popped up, bad enough it has a brad, but hoping it will still go through the mail okay.

Hope you will pop on over to the Sketch N Scrap blog and check out their sketches and play along.

Have a happy day!

Hugs, Joyce Ann

Saying Hello Card

What a good time to make a simple “Hello” card. This card is made with all scrap papers. I found the sketch on the Sketch N Scrap’s Monthly Challenges on Facebook. Loved the banners because I could rummage in my baggie of strips for a color scheme. Even the dotted panned, it’s backing and the dark green base were in my scrap bin.

Here is the sketch.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SNSmonthlychallenges/?tn-str=*F&fref=gs&dti=334845453830785&hc_location=group_dialog

The stitches and sentiment are from Bo Bunny stamps with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The ribbon is very old Stampin’ Up.

Have a good day and thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,

Joyce Ann

Unicorn Birthday

My precious Great grand wanted her 8th birthday cake to be a unicorn. They were between homes at the time, so her celebration of her eighth birthday was celebrated at Abuela’s house in Nevada. Everyone was happy for the pool and the fun.

I’ve had these photos for a year. She just celebrated another birthday! I’m not one to get everything scrapped before starting something new. And, this unicorn embellishment was given to me last year as well. We were at a crop and someone announced she was giving away this unicorn. Lucky me!

This page came together quickly, once I went looking for birthday photos for the “Lasting Memories” challenge. I also used this old sheet of Stampin’ Up! paper and did some stamping for the challenge at “A Cherry on Top”.

Sending Cards to Friends

Here are two recent cards completed.

• 

• 

Using a Unity stamp set I added watercolor. I’m enjoying playing with watercolor more and more. I tell myself I will get better if I keep practicing! The second card is design I copied from Splitcoaststampers Featured Stamper today. I followed her idea with the open circle and cut mine with a circle and piercing die. Inside that is a couple of old Stampin’ Up! stamps, to which I added some watercolor pencils, but no water. This upper panel is adhered with pop dots then pasted to the card base. I added a few sequins for the sky.

I didn’t go out again today. I did, however, watch the mass from my church live on my laptop. I’m thankful for the distance measures my church is following. I still feel better watching from home.

So, hope you are having a blessed day where ever you may have wandered in from, do continue to be safe and may you get ‘crafty’ also!

Hugs,

JoyceAnn

3 Tasks for Your Creative Slump

Task: Focus on my creative goals so I can appreciate my personal creative activities.

When I feel burn-out I will do something else and not stop being creative. If I’m not feeling another scrapbook page, perhaps I will make a card. Tired of paper, go sew something.

Task: Express my creative energy every day to find the joy in making art.

Sitting and wishing for something amazing to inspire me is futile. I make amazing happen! Not liking a result? Quickly survey the project and come up with one thing I could have done differently and jump back on the next project. Remember that practice changes everything; just don’t strive for perfection in art, doing art is the goal.

Task: Analyze why I am feeling this way about my particular art by looking below the surface and identify the reason.

Is it because my page doesn’t look like other peoples pages? The obvious answer is that mine doesn’t look like another person’s page is because every creative person is different. My page shouldn’t look like another page or it is just a copy and not mine. I have struggled with that, finding my style. It is fine to admire the work of another. I will keep ding that. Now, though, I will analyze the parts to see what I want to incorporate in my own work. I want to do more layers and clusters, so I will look at what others do to accomplish that to my liking.

We scrapbookers are coming off a major event and I wonder if this has contributed to my slump. Since iNSD I have made 17 layout pages. Those were done in one week. I’ve made only two pages since.

One is for Sketches in Thyme blog, as a DT, and that page I will show when it goes live.

The other is for a challenge at A Cherry On Top to use certain cuts, and only those cuts, of patterned papers. Unfortunately, I was not feeling embellishments, but I may add some before putting the page into the album.

Yesterday I started working in a book by Dana Fox. “Watercolor With Me In The Ocean”. I forced myself to start it and once I did I was so happy! I have so wanted to work with watercoloring. I’ve only dabbled it and would like to get better. This has been a delightful step to sparking my joy of art again.

Thanks for stopping in, hope you enjoy my little task list. Won’t you share with me and the rest of the viewers your ideas on this subject of not letting our love of art fall into a clump?

Hugs,

JoyceAnn