Saturday, May 26, 2012

A season for everything!

To everything there is a season, 

a time for every purpose under heaven. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1



ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #110

This week, the Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge Team challenge YOU to use the colors pink, black and/or grey and white/vanilla in your project! This is a two-week challenge as next weekend is the June ODBD new release blog hop! So. . .you have two weeks to enter!!

To make the challenge even more fun, we will be giving out a $15 gift certificate to be used toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread Designs store!! And, if you use Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we will again be choosing one to two creations to spotlight for our Shining the Light Award. All submissions must be added to Mr. Linky by Friday, June 8 at 8 a.m. EST. Complete details are available on the ODBD blog.
Please take a bit of time to visit  my fellow challenge team members blogs, you'll be blessed!

Project Details

This is a little thank you gift for a special friend. The "easel" is a re-purposed fork (see the ODBD blog for instructions) and the holder is made from three Spellbinders Label 18 die cuts adhered together. There are several different scripture cards, though only a few are shown.


Back
ODBD Stamps Used:  Scripture Collection 1; Not Forgotten; Sentiment Collection Serve the Lord; Happy Mothers's Day; 
Ink: VersaFine Onxy, Ranger Distress Spun Sugar
Paper: Black
Designer Paper: Stampin' Up! Parisan Breeze; Paper Company
Accessories: Prima Gems, Spellbinders Scallop Rectange and Labels 18, ruffly ribbon, re-purposed fork, clear embossing powder.
Notes:  For instructions on making an easel using a re-purposed fork see the ODBD blog post on May 17, 2012
Challenges:

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Saturday, May 19, 2012

The LORD is a strong fortress!

The name of the LORD is a strong fortress. The godly run to Him and are safe. Proverbs 18:10

ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #109

This week the Our Daily Bread Designs' Challenge Team brings you a SKETCH CHALLENGE and to make the challenge even more fun, we will be giving out a $15 gift certificate to be used toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread Designs store!! And, if you use Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we will again be choosing one to two creations to spotlight for our Shining the Light Award. All submissions must be added to Mr. Linky by Friday, May 26 at 8 a.m. EST. Complete details are available on the ODBD blog.

Please take a bit of time to visit  my fellow challenge team members blogs, you'll be blessed!

Project Details

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Fortress and Sentiment Collection
Ink: SU Baja Breeze, Ranger Distress Antique Linen
Paper: SU Black, Naturals Ivory, Baja Breeze
Designer Paper: Prima Printery
Accessories: Prima Gems, Really Reasonable Ribbon twine (Thanks Gloria Stengel, Scraps of Life!); Spellbinders Scallop Oval dies
Notes:
Keywords: ODBDSLC109, ODBD, ODBDDT, Our Daily Bread Designs

Challenges
  *Our Daily Bread Designs ODBDSLC109

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Thursday, May 17, 2012

God's Love. . .

 


May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 
2 Thessalonians 3:5

Fun with Forks. . .

and it's not eating!To find out what I mean and for details on this card, please visit the ODBD Blog.

Challenges:

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Saturday, May 12, 2012

It's a SNAP!

ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #108


Tomorrow we celebrate Mother's Day- since most have already made cards for their moms, the Our Daily Bread Design's Challenge Team wants you to use one of the photos to inspire your project this week.  Please let us know which photo (by number) you used.

And why should you play along? For starters, there's the chance to win an ODBD gift certificate. And, if you're using ODBD stamps, your project just might be spotlighted as one of our Shining Light Award winners. For complete details, visit the ODBD Blog. The deadline for submission is Friday, May 18.
Please take a bit of time to visit  my fellow challenge team members blogs, you'll be blessed!

It's a SNAP! (and a tip, too!)

There are some who can sit down at their craft table and come up with a gorgeous card in a matter of minutes. There are others who spend spare moments drawing sketches of their future card layouts and have their next masterpiece all planned out ahead of time.

Then there are the rest of us. . .who usually have very little idea of what the end result will be when they sit down at their craft desk. A piece here, no there, wait over there . . and over time it comes together. What I want to share with you (those of you who are camped over with the "rest of us," that is!) is a little trick I've found that helps me not only make decisions about where things should go, but helps me remember where all the parts go when assembling a detailed, multi-layer project.

Gold or B
That trick is a really a tool and that tool is my digital camera, or in a pinch, my phone! Just how does it work? Well, first step is to get your digital camera out! It doesn't have to be a fancy one! The main thing is to use something that enables you  to view the photos within moments after you've snapped the shot.

Next up, pull out something to start with. . .I really liked combination of blue and brown and the new Spellbinders Romantic Oval Dies which frame perfectly this scripture from the ODBD Scripture Collection, so that's what I started with.

Don't you think  these ovals need to be tied down somehow or like balloons they will look as if they're floating off the card? A panel! That's it! But should what side of the paper to use? Click! This side. . .or  (click) this side? As you can see it doesn't really matter if your photo is blurry because the whole point is to give you a quick visual to help you compare and decide.


The orange has it! Don't you agree it provides a nice contrast?

 But wait! There's not room for this luscious silk ribbon I've pulled from my stash! May it never be! Solution:  I'm going to have to go with a bigger size card base, and the blue panel needs to go under the die cut, the Spellbinders Lattice Rectangle die that is. . .and if one is good, two are better!   There all done. . click! Or is it? It looked finished on my craft room table but under the cold eye of the camera lens, it looks a bit barren.



So it's time to rummage around in an embellishment drawer. There we go: a few flowers from the stash. . .spritz them with a bit of gold glimmer mist so they match the ribbon, add a glimmer brad and a pearl for the centers and we're all set!   




 Oh, but now another dilemma!

Click! Should the flowers be bunched together in the top corner? Click! Our should they be separated?

  Click! I think they look best grouped in the bottom corner, don't you agree? But what about that bare spot in the upper right hand corner?


A butterfly! That's just what is needed to fill the void.
 


 But a (click!) a blue butterfly or a (click!) gold butterfly? Blue, don't you think?

And with all of that. . .here's the finished card. . .outside and inside!
So with the help of your trusty camera, you gain an extra set of eyes to aid in arranging the elements where they look the best. And, for those times when your project is precariously perched on the desktop perfectly assembled but not glued down. . .get out that camera and CLICK! Quickly before the cat hops up on the table, you sneeze or some inevitable paper crafting adventure occurs that scatters your project across the room and you are left with only tales of the great project that got away!

Project Details

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs 2 Step Butterflies, God's Love & Scripture Collection 8
Inspiration Photo #5
Ink: Stampin' Up Early Espresso, Bashful Blue; Versamark
Paper: SU Early Espresso, Bashful Blue
Designer Paper: SU Paisley Petals
Accessories: Spellbinders Lattice Rectangle and Romantic Ovals Dies, EK border punch, satin ribbon, Zva Creative Pearls, Stampendous Sapphire and Champagne Pearl Lustre Embossing Powders, Prima flowers, gold shimmer brad. 
Challenges:
  •  Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge 108 ~ Inspiration Photo #5
  • Word Art Wednesday
  • Little Birdie Blessings Scripture Thursday
  •  

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Saturday, May 5, 2012

In His Time. . .

He has made everything beautiful in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 


Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #108


Since today is National Scrapbooking Day, we want to see you make a scrapbook layout and any size will do! 
And just why should you play along? For starters, there's the chance to win an ODBD gift certificate. And, if you're using ODBD stamps, your project just might be spotlighted as one of our Shining Light Award winners. For complete details, visit the ODBD Blog. The deadline for submission is Friday, May 11.
Please take a bit of time to visit  my fellow challenge team members blogs, you'll be blessed!

Project Details

This simple layout celebrates my parent's golden wedding anniversary. Thanks to my talented and imaginative sister, we had a James Bond style event, very top secret going by the code name: Operation Goldfish (golden anniversary. . .celebrated on the water, life preserver key chains, etc.) My parents knew something was up, but not that we had gathered more than 100 friends and family members on the Delta Queen for a surprise celebration journey on the Sacramento River (the town were my parents lived after they were first married). It was a wonderful celebration and they were just glowing. . .I am most thankful for the Lord's provision of my dear parents and their commitment to each other honoring their marriage covenant and the Lord.

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 1
Size: 8x10
Ink: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, 
Paper: Black and Gold
Designer Paper: Basic Grey Curio
Accessories: Key chain memento and ribbon from The Event; Prima Almanac Trinkets timepiece; Stampendous Champagne Pearlustre Embossing Powder, Zva Creative Gems, corner punch.
Notes: The edges of the photo mat and the scripture mat were pressed into the Versamark pad and then into the embossing powder to created a gilded edge.
Challenges: Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #108
Keywords: ODBDSLC107, ODBD, ODBDDT, Our Daily Bread Designs

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Taste and See: The Lord is Good!

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8


These cards were made in honor of two sweet friends to celebrate their big news which was announced today!

Both are very gifted artists who use their talents to honor and glorify the Lord and help those of us in the crafting world, do the same. . .I am so thankful for the Lord's gift of sweet sisters in Christ, Laura Kirste Campbell and Nina Brackett.

I met both through Layers of Color stamps, a company owned by Laura and her family. Many of the beautiful stamp sets were designed by Laura and many others by Nina. Laura also designs die templates and embossing folders for Spellbinders and Nina has designed stamps for several companies, as well as having her own line of die templates through Spellbinders.

Today's big announcement? Laura and Nina are now designing stamps for Penny Black and you can see the announcement here!










Stamps:  Layers of Color. . .from Laura and Nina!
Ink: VersaFine Onxy, Spun Sugar, So Saffron
Paper: Rose, White
Designer Paper: Retired Stampin' Up
Accessories:Lace, Seam Binding, Burlap, ribbon, brad, rose, Zva Creative Gems, Spellbinders Dies, Doily, Glitter, glassy accents.
 
Challenges:
  • Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge 137 Green or Growing
  • Word Art Wednesday #26
  • Shabby Tea Room ~ Spring is Love: photo, flowers, polka dots and a heart. . .Colors: check; polka dots: check (dp has polka dots) heart. . .well, not ON card, but my heart went INTO the cards as they were crafted in honor of two sweet friends! Hugs to Laura and Nina!!

Blessings! jme ~ SDG