I can not believe that it is the end of June already!  Where has this month went to?  I am getting closer and closer to grad school with each day that passes and I am soooo excited about that!  I think I have finally figured out what I want to be "when I grow up"!  {Well, what I want to be that will get the bills paid and still make me happy :o)  }

Today is Wednesday Case Artist Day over at Christian Paper Crafts!  Many people ask me about playing along, things such as "Do I have to make it just like the other person's", "What do I do if I don't have the same colors/stamp/embellishment?", "What do I do anyways?"  The answer for us at Christian Paper Crafts is simple - You are simply gaining inspiration from that person's gallery.  Most often, the inspiration I leave with is sketches of the card!  I am a total sketch girl!  Today, I decided to do something a little different though, and go off of a color combo that I chose from our Featured Artist's blog, because this Teddy Bear from Deedee's Digis was just begging for some Copic love!  I am rather tickled with the result!

Paper: PaperTreyInk, Stamp: Deedee's Digi, Copics, Button, twine

Come on over and play with us today!

God Bless You,

Rain Rain Go Away!

I could finish that song a few different ways, most important: Me and Abby want to play...next: I've got some cards that need pics took today :o)  We have sure been having a wet Summer around here so far!

I loved combining my new Deedee's Digi stamp with the sketch challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts today!  Deedee's Digis are so fun to color and really give me an opportunity to truly play with more of my copics than one color family at a time :o)

Products used: PTI cardstock, Cosmo Cricket DP, Deedee's Digi, edge distresser, copics, ribbon, jute, spellbinders nestabilities.

Have a great day - wet or dry!

God Bless You,

Monday...Monday

Is it Monday again already?  Ugh - I believe it is!
Today is color Monday over at Christian Paper Crafts and lately I have been right on the ball, but I guess it's true that all good things must come to an end LOL, because I left out green in todays color combo!

Here is my card where I mistakenly used pink rather than green!

The orange is obvious and the blue is distress ink.  All cardstock Papertrey ink, Prima flower, Copics, cuttlebug, lace, jute, button, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, and image from Deedee's Digis.

Have a wonderful Monday!  I sure hope mine turns sunnier :o)

God Bless You,

Wish Right Now :o)

I was going thru the radio stations, (because one week ago, my radio listening changed forever when our communities beloved Randy Jones suddenly passed away) and heard a song...  "I could really use a wish right now....can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars....  I could really use a wish right now...."  It got me to thinking about how much wishing is done...  I am trying to teach Abby not to necessarily just wish, but seek through prayer in Jesus!  Little wishes are okay, I just want her to know to rely on Him for the *big stuff*!  So, have you got a "wish right now"?

The challenge over at Digi Doodle Shop currently is an "anything goes" challenge.  I just had to combine it with this adorable well image from Deedee's Digis, because it made me think of a wishing well!

*PTI cardstock, Basic Grey designer paper, cuttlebug, buttons, jute, lace, copics, edge distresser, distress ink, marvy scallop circle punches*

My *wish* for you - is that all your wishes come true!  :o)

God Bless You,

DollyWood Bound! :o)

My little love is all about a DollyWood trip and I am more than excited to always be taking her!  One of my fondest memories of childhood is that my grandparents constantly took me to DollyWood and made it such a special place for me that I am so honored and blessed to be able to share it with her!
Scripture Saturday over at Christian Paper Crafts today is all about a verse with some healing in it!  Luke 28:8 - I just love how she is told that she is healed and to go in peace!  That just sends happiness head to toe in me!

*note: this looked a *whole* lot better in real life...I used a Copic Spica pen to write the verse with - if you have not tried them, they are totally addictive - best glitter pen ever*

I couldn't decide what to make, but went for an ATC for the office again!  It seems the workplace is a great place to add subtle hints of Scripture!!

Have a great Saturday!  I sure pray we do!

God Bless You,

Another Hot One...

Well, the weather man is saying that it will be another hot one today...oh boy...  Car with black interior + no air conditioner + heat advisory "hotness" = FREE SAUNA!  Come along all my buddies ;)  No need to complain about it.  I am blessed that the car is still under warranty and the dealership is supposed to check on it for me for free :)  God is good!

Thinking of the hot temperatures took me straight back to the beach, well, in my mind at least!  I was so excited to take these pics while we were there, but non of them had actually made it into a scrapbook yet!  Thanks to Candace's Fun on Friday Challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts, this first one finally is!

The paper is appropriately titled Abbey Road, although we don't use an "e" in Abby, I just had to get it!  Just about everything that sat still got some love from the Glimmer Mist Bottles, and since I totally despise journaling, a tattered angels calling card is all I needed!  This lovely sketch is an adaptation of the challenge over at Scrabooking Supplies R Us.  What is the adaptation?  No journaling block is found on mine, of course!  LOL

Hope this Friday is the beginning to a wonderful weekend!

God Bless You,

Two Ways to Tuesday

When I saw Gloria's sketch over at Christian Paper Crafts, I immediately knew what I wanted to created, it was just which colors to use that was my problem...  So, I chose both!  Same layout, basically the same elements, just 2 different cards with different color schemes! First up, you'll see our "earth tones"...  This card is done with brown and naturals!  Gotta love that PTI Heartprints set, I think it is one of my most used sets!

Next is still done with PTI products, but I changed the browns and naturals to pink and blacks!  The pink lace *was* white, but ended up getting some love spritzed on it from a Glimmer Mist bottle!  :o)

Have a spectacular Tuesday!

God Bless You,

Godspeed Our Dear Friend...

*This morning is a rather sad one here in our little part of the world.  The voice of our local radio station, Mr Randy Jones passed away Sunday morning.  We are all so very saddened and shocked at his sudden passing.  Randy was one of the kindest men you could have ever met with an amazing radio voice like none other.  I distinctly remember Abby's first time meeting him in person.  At just over a year old, she had already grown accustomed to his voice because it is what she heard on the radio every morning as we woke up and on the way to her Mam and Pap's house...  Her face lit up like she'd saw Santa Clause, and with his amazing love for children, Randy's lit up as well :o) Please keep Randy's family in your prayers.*

How appropriate that today's challenge over at Deedee's Digis is one of encouragement.  She has an awesome scripture digi as a freebie today and you totally don't want to miss this one!  I decided to pair this challenge with the color challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts today.  To be honest, I *tried* to combine it with The Sweet Stop Sketch challenge for this week, but got a little too far off track when I couldn't find an oval (or the cord for my Gypsy to cut one out)!  LOL  My wonderful image is of course from Deedee's Digi's Bloom Where You're Planted.

(Items used: PTI Cardstock, Cosmo Cricket DP, Fiskars border punch, lace trim, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Riptide, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Tea Stain, Edge Distressing Tool, Cuttlebug)

So, what are you waiting for!  Click on over to the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog and pick up your freebie!  While you are making the encouragement for someone else, remember to add it to Mr Linky for everyone to see!

God Bless You,

Jam Packed

Happy Saturday!  I am so blessed to be sitting here in my office this morning typing to such lovely visitors like you!  If this is your first time stopping by, I sure hope you enjoy yourself and if you like what you see, please click and follow me!!

*I finally posted my Copic Certification badge on my blog thanks to a sweet reminder from an encouraging friend!  :)*

Today over at Christian Paper Crafts is Scripture Saturday and CASE Artist Saturday!  Our Scripture for today is Luke 6:19 and a decided to make an Artist Trading Card (ATC) for my stand that I keep on my desk at work!  I am loving how it turned out so cute and shabby :o)

I used PaperTreyInk cardstock and designer paper, buttons, twine, Tim Hotz Distress Ink in Tea Stain, a Zig Marker to write the Scripture with and last but most certainly not least, I spritzed some Tattered Angels glimmer mist on what was white lace for the trim!  Almost everything on the card was run through the cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder and I distressed the edges on the small button holder squares to rough them up a tad!  Such a sweet Sketch from SplitCoast Stampers could not be passed up, so I had to try it out on here!

Next up - CASE Artist Saturday!  Today is the last day for CASE Artist Saturday, but don't be sad, that's 'cause we're moving to Wednesday!  Starting Wednesday the 23rd, we will be WAC or Wednesday Case Artist, or "Hump Day Cards" LOL

I used PaperTreyInk Cardstock and Cosmo Cricket designer paper from the Early Bird Line!  A little lace, some jute, a button, some pearls - all those were the frosting :o)  The stamped image is from the Ippity stamps by Unity and colored with Copics!  A fiskars punch was the perfect addition to the side panel to give it some pizzas and I rounded the corners of the card just to be a little different!

I hope you have a wonderful Saturday! 

God Bless You,

Mary

Saturday

Sweet....

That's what today is! Friday's are almost always sweet, but today I get to FINALLY tell you that I will be on the Design Team for Deedee's Digis! :o) If you've never tried digi's, Deedee's gives out a freebie weekly, what easier way than that to try it out and see if you like it!!

Over at Christian Paper Crafts today, our Fun on Friday challenge is masculine themed! Mine of course is a Father's Day card since I am totally stumped at what to get for my dad this year...

For this card, I drug Tractor Time off of the shelf and went from there. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure all of my cards for dad have tractors on them... The papers are from PaperTreyInk with the exception of the designer green paper, and it was actually in the left over pile! Some cuttlebug action and jute tied it up! The fabulous sketch is from the Sweet Spot this week :o) Stampin Sisters in Christ and A Crafty Little Place are also both all about dad for their challenges this week!

Have a fabulous Friday!

God Bless You,

Blessed

How appropriate that Ang's keyword for Bible Verse Thursday today at Christian Paper Crafts is blessings when I have been thinking lately of just how blessed I truly am. Everything may not be exactly like I would like it to be, but it could sure be a lot worse! Yesterday evening I was having a cruddy time, nothing would go right and I just got mouthy {nothing bad, just sassy and snappy ;) } I posted on FaceBook that although I was in an awful mood I considered myself blessed that I have a Savior that loves me and the American soldier to defend my freedom! That in itself is enough to be blessed! If you are familiar with FB, you know people can "like" your status, so I was very honored when Sargent Hotelling of the US Army "liked" my status! I'm here where I'm free and people like him defend the freedom that God gave us, like I said...blessed!

So, there you have it! I decided to make an all out girly card that simply has the word "blessings" on it, 'cause this girly girl is truly blessed! Paper by PaperTreyInk, Stamps from Unity KOM, Ink SU Pink Passion, Brown Zig Marker, lace, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist: Cotton Candy

Do you see your blessings all around you today? You know the "not so obvious ones"!

God Bless You,

Forever Flowers

Forever Flowers are a new creation that I decided to dabble in! I'll tell you more about them in upcoming months, but for now, this is the first time that I have "modified" one to fit as a card embellishment! I really like the way it turned out!! The layout of my card today is inspired by the incredible sketch over at Christian Paper Crafts for Sketch Tuesday!

Now how fun and yummy is that! Papers are PTI, My Mind's Eye, and some misc green pp. Stamp set is Fruitful by PTI, I also used copics, my edge distressing tool and some trim that was showed some loved by the Glimmer Mist bottle!

Thank you for your visit!

God Bless You,
Mary

May I Have Your Attention Please....

I have an announcement! (I actually did this Friday night for my Relay Team and have been waiting until this morning to announce it to the rest of the world!)

I have been accepted into graduate school!!!! Thank GOD!!

This news has totally sent me over the moon! My mood is totally in the mode of nice bright colors, much like the ones on the color challenge at Christian Paper Crafts for Color Monday today!
The challenge, pink, yellow, orange, blue, and neutrals - either a combination of some or all... I just had to take a go at all of them and managed to fit it in!

I used PTI cardstock and patterned paper, bling from The Robin's Nest, Ippity What Matter's Most stamp set, misc lace trim and some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to spruce up my trim! The sweet little birdie is colored with copics and the wonderful sketch is from Card Positioning Systems - way too long since I have played over there!
So let's see, there's obviously pink, blue, and neutrals there, the little birdie's beak is yellow and all my edges are inked in orange!
Have a wonderful day! Hopefully my happy news will keep me on cloud nine even if it is a Monday!! Special thanks to everyone who kept me in their prayers! I truly appreciate it and ask that you continue to pray for me as I begin this new journey!

God Bless You,
Mary

Relay Friday

I am so excited...and relieved! The day of Relay is finally here! We have worked so hard this year and from being so busy with last minute prep. last night along with a sore throat, I think I am ready for it!
Today is Fun on Friday over at Christian Paper Crafts and Candace has such a fun Friday challenge planned! It's something I had never tried! An easel card!

This was just so fun to make! All papers are from PaperTreyInk, as well as the stamp set (Up, Up, & Away). The kraft paper was run through the cuttlebug for texture, then I covered it with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (love that stuff), The balloon is colored with copic markers. I added the lace, ric-rac, button and jute for a fun addition! My flowers are actually made out of paper and I did it myself :o)
Below is a picture of the card when used as an easel card!

This wonderful sketch is from Fussy and Fancy, I simply adored it from the moment I saw it!!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Join me tomorrow for CASE Artist Saturday and Scripture Saturday at Christian Paper Crafts!

God Bless You,

The Waiting Game

And so I continue to play the waiting game when it comes to graduate school. While waiting to hear the fate of my application I have been putting in quite a bit of time on a Statistics class AND paper-crafting! The stats class is more beneficial when it comes to school and work, but the paper-crafting is better for the heart, mind, and soul!

Thursday's always excite me, because that means that it is Bible Verse Thursday over at Christian Paper Crafts! Not only does the challenge help to get you more into God's Word, but for me, it serves as a good started for a Prayer Shawl Ministry card!

I just loved coloring in these cute little houses with my copics! They are stamped in London Fog and all paper is from PaperTreyInk. My sweet copics are what they were colored in with. With the addition of some jute, twine, and lace, my card was all set!
Well, tomorrow is our Relay for Life! I can't believe it is FINALLY here! Please pray that we have a fun, SAFE night and trip home the next morning!

God Bless You,

Who's Glad it's Wednesday?

Oh that would be me, right here...the girl with glimmer mist all over her hands!! This week has been forever long! It may be because we are looking forward to Relay for Life on Friday night, but no, it's most likely because I am waiting to hear a decision about grad school!

With that being said, I guess it will serve as an explanation for my mind not being on track this week! For example, today's creation is a Christmas card that serves as an invitation to my annual Christmas cookie/candy swap! Abby has been watching the Tim Allen Santa Clause movies over, and over, and over, as well as Elmo's Christmas, so I guess it's rubbed off on me... Only problem with that, now she wants to know when we are putting up the tree!

The papers are from papertreyink as well as some misc pp. Fiskars treading waters punch, PTI holiday button bits stamp set, prima flower, jute, buttons, edge distressing tool, momento rich cocoa ink and GLIMMER MIST of course!!
Hope you are having a wonderful week! Send up some prayers about grad school for me if you don't mind!

God Bless You,

Dude - I Made Another Boy Card!

Seriously now! I am sooo not your "masculine" go to person, but with little boys on the Prayer shawl list I am having to "suck it up cupcake"!

This is really one of my favorite old stamps from Stampin Up! The great little Frolicking Frogs! I followed the sketch challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts today and used PTI papers and cardstock! A little button and jute made me some sunshine in a land of glimmer mist sky and pond! The little froggie, he's rockin cool since he was coloured with Copics :o) Only the best for froggie since he is swimming toward Stampin Sister's in Christ for the challenge over there this week! A little touch of ribbon made this card my "bestest" attempt at masculine for the Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge! Oh, and look how good that PTI Signature Sentiments fit, really now!

Oh and by the way, I am cleaning out my scrapbook room! Take a look over on my eBay if you are wanting to find some old and retired SU sets for CHEAP! All my auctions are starting at 0.99!

God Bless You,

Color Your Monday

Here is my creation for Color Monday over at Christian Paper Crafts. Today Jen's color picks for us were awesome, CM60 is the softer colors of Summer. Being at the beach a couple of weeks ago definitely showed me a peak into these wonderful soft colors and is intwined into my card even more.

I used PTI cardstock, SU Summer by he Sea Stamp Set, Copic Markers, and jute! This card also follows a SplitCoastStampers sketch, but I can't remember which one right now LOL!

God Bless You,

Mary

Think...Happy...Thoughts...

That's me when I see/experience Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in any color there is! The stuff is totally addicitve, much like my Copics :o) The two of them together on the desk in my office...bliss!
This little card is a product of the two together!! The Copics couldn't resist the Birdhouses and the Glimmer Mist was just as magical as ever! Love the cute sketch from A Crafty Little Place (Die Cuts R Us) and the button challenge from Digi Doodle Shop! And see that little birdie on the last house there, well he is headed for the Stampin Sister's in Christ Challlenge this week :o)

Supplies: Stampin Up Chocolate Chip c/s, PTI Stamper's Select White c/s, Kraft c/s, PP, Stampin Up Brilliant Blue Ink, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Tea Stain - my fave, Momento Rich Cocoa; Stamps: Unity KOM, PTI Background Basics: Retro and Signature Greetings; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Moonlight and Frost; button; jute.

Happy Sunday! I hope your work week flies by to an amazing weekend! Our Relay for Life is next weekend - we are so excited!

God Bless You,

Love Day

I know, I know... It's not Feb 14th, but it is my anniversary! Just in case my hubby happens to pop over here (which he actually does from time to time), I just wanted him to see that I love him and am wishing him a Happy Anniversary!

On to the creativity of the day! Today is Scripture Saturday and CASE Artist Saturday over at Christian Paper Crafts and I am ever so excited as always! Today's Scripture card is up first. The scripture for today is Psalms 30:2 and how powerful it is. Knowing that we can cry out to God for healing! This is the card I made for today:

The papers are all from Papertrey ink and the stamp is from the Music of My Heart Ippity set. I used my Copics to add color and a button with some jute and lace :o)

Next up, we have CASE Artist Saturday! Today, our featured artist is debils! I just fell in love with her cards and the layouts are wonderful! Click here to see the card I chose as inspiration, and below you can see my creation.

Papers are all from PaperTreyInk. Stamp is from Ippity. I also used my cuttlebug, jute, prima flower, turquoise stickles, and GLIMMER MIST! I glimmer misted it all and loved every minute of it!

Come join us at Christian Paper Crafts and play along. When uploading a Scripture Saturday card for this week's challenge, tag with SS49 at Christian Paper Crafts and CPC-SS49 elsewhere. For CASE Artist Saturday, it's simply CAS55 at Christian Paper Crafts and CPC-CAS55 anywhere else!!

My mommy and I are planning to work on our Relay for Life banner for next weekend and grab me some blue Glimmer Mist! Tattered Angels - ahh, bliss!!

God Bless You,

New Camera Day!

I'm so excited to have my new camera today! My old faithful CyberShot came back from the beach as a "souvenir" for my dad. Complete with sand and water in the display screen, it truly looked like one of those snow globes except with sand! Fortunately, I have an awesome daddy who was able to not only save the pictures, memory card, and battery, but has also repaired the camera to full use!! I still ended up with a new camera though - he felt I should get something "water proof" - wonder why! So, I ended up with the Canon D10!

My card today uses some new papertreyink goodies along with my faithful Copics! Check out Fun on Friday over at Christian Paper Crafts for the super fun challenge this card was made for! The awesome layout is from SplitCoastStampers sketch challenge this week!Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget tomorrow is Scripture Saturday and CASE Artist Saturday at Christian Paper Crafts!

God Bless You,

C-O-P-I-C Bingo!!

Filling in Copic color charts leaves me wanting to shout this out loud! Having one color chart to see what colors I have would be awesome enough, but no - I have to have one for each of the four papers I "regularly" use my Copic markers on! And I wonder where the time goes sometime hehehe :o)

Since it's Thursday, that means that it's time for Bible Verse Thursday over at Christian Paper Crafts! Today's keyword - encouragement! I thought this little stamp set from way back was a cutey and had the perfect image - I chose to simply add the scripture reference Matthew 11:28-30 in hopes that the recipient will then look the verses up and read them!

The challenge over at Stampin Sister's in Christ for the week is to use hearts on your card, and I love that these little sweeties just happen to be in one!!

Also, the layout is from the awesome sketch at 2Sketches4You this week!

Stampin Up Vintage Valentine -retired, Copics, jute, prima flower, lace, cuttlebug, tim holtz and momento inks, PTI patterned paper and cardstock

Hope your week is going great and that you are well on your way to a terrific weekend!

God Bless You,

Truckin' On through the Work Week

You know, I'm totally girl. I don't care to admit it either! I can deal with shades of blue and green, but chances are, there's some pink thrown in there and definately some bling. So.... this little card was a true challenge!

I took the plunge and made it anyways! I'm not too dissapointed in it either! See, as we give the Prayer Shawls away at church, we are also doing blankets for children who are ill. As I have been making adult and girly cards, I admit the cards for boys have been store bought! (It's okay - I make sure to find out their favorite characters!!)

The stamp set used on here is an oldie from Stampin Up called Little Trucks. I actually purchased this one off of eBay to make a birthday card for my little nephew Cole a few years back! And yes, that's the kind of Aunt I am - I'll buy a whole stamp set for ONE card for the babies :o) The papers are PTI cardstock and Cosmo Cricket the Boyfriend pp line. Making Memories mesh star brads, Tim Holtz distress ink, copics, nestabilities, and jute!! The card is also for the Fun on Friday challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts from last week when we were out of town. One stamp set, two embellishments, and three different pp's!

Have a wonderful wednesday - Half way through the work week!!

God Bless You,

Mary

Fairy Dust and June Bugs

I can't believe that June is here already! It seems like Christmas was just the other day, especially since Abby woke me up a couple of nights ago and asked me if it snowed while she was asleep (trust me, at 90+ degrees, nope it didn't happen)! Yes, this is the same sweet girl who will pick up a bug and chase me around the yard with it until she falls down from extreme laughter!

My little lady is loving me coloring with the Copics. Let me tell you, for 3 years old, it is quiet comical to hear her "explain" them! Needless to say, she picked out all the "pinks" for today!

Today's card is based off of Sketch Tuesday over at Christian Paper Crafts!

I used the old Stampin Up Fairy Nice stamp set, PTI cardstock and misc patterned paper, lace, prima flowers, my copics, Momento Tuxedo Black ink, Tim Holtz distressing ink, and my cuttlebug stylized embossing folder! This is also my work of art for the Paper Garden Projects Blog, to make something "girly"!

Have a wonderful day!

God Bless You,

Mary