SS310 Triple Heather Thanks

Happy Monday, everyone!  Hope you had a fabulous weekend!  I did get some stamping time in and managed to make a fun card using the sketch from Sunday Stamps:

I did deviate a wee little bit from the sketch, as my panels are all the same size; I used a Stitched Rectangle die, which gave me a nice stitched edge around each opening:

I cut the rectangles from a piece of Basic White cardstock, then added panels of this year's DSPs in Highland Heather on a Highland Heather base.  The big bold patterns really pop!  The panel is popped up by lots and lots of adhesive strips, too! I added two diecut hearts from the Radiating Stitches die, and stamped a "thanks" from Best Family Ever right on top:

I even found wee little retired purple adhesive sequin to stick on for fun!  This card makes me smile!  Thanks so much for popping in today--enjoy it and be blessed!

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Matthew 10:29

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Best Family Ever
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Highland Heather, Highland Heather DSP
Ink	Highland Heather
Accessories	Adhesive Sequins (ret), Dimensionals, Adhesive Strips
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Radiating Stitches Dies, Stitched Rectangle Dies (ret)

PP643 Hubby Father's Day Card

Happy Sunday, friends!  Another Sunday means another Paper Players challenge with the talented Ann as our hostess!  It's theme week and here's what she chose:

A timely challenge indeed! Love all those little inspirations!  However,  I took some inspiration from the inspiration photo AND the sketch at Inspired By this week:

So that's what I used for my hubby's Father's Day card:

I used a few new goodies on it, too!  I first embossed a panel of Smoky Slate with the Timber embossing folder; I found that a quick, easy way to add ink to the raised areas is to used a little ink spot, inked with Craft White ink....went on like a charm!  I diecut three panels using Night of Navy, Balmy Blue, Very Vanilla and the new Copper Clay with the Stitched Rectangle dies, then ran them through the new Twisted Rope embossing folder in keeping with the nautical theme!

I added a diecut anchor in Brushed Silver cardstock, "anchored" by some twine, and added a sentiment banner using words from Best Family Ever.  On the inside, I stamped the Father's Day sentiment in Night of Navy and then stamped the compass image on top using Versamark ink so it wouldn't detract from it too much.  I really like the effect it made!

John might be disappointed that there's no sailboat on his card, but it does  have a nautical theme!  I hope you'll find some inspiration to create your own masculine card for our challenge this week too!  Check out what the DT created at the Paper Players blog....we can't wait to see what you create as well!

I am also going to enter this over at the As You See It challenge---it's their 300th, and their theme is "Adventure"!  Life certainly can be an adventure, right?!

Thanks for popping in today--enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	He's All That, Best Family Ever
Card stock & Papers	Smoky Slate, Night of Navy, Balmy Blue, Very Vanilla, Copper Clay, Brushed Metallic Silver (ret)
Ink	Night of Navy, Copper Clay, Versamark, Craft White
Accessories	Dimensionals, Thick Baker's Twine (ret)
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Timber Embossing Folder, Twisted Rop Embossing Folder, Stylish Shapes Dies, Stitched Rectangle Dies (ret), Sea Charms Dies (My Favorite Things)

FMS588 Happy Lemon Lolly Birthday

Happy Friday, peeps! It's going to be HOT here in SE PA! We've had a string of absolutely gorgeous weather, so I am not complaining, although we are going to need some RAIN here very soon!  Anyway, I have a very simple card today for the FMS sketch by Jen Mitchell:

I am still getting used to the new colors SU revealed this year, and Lemon Lolly is one that I haven't used much.  I am not much of a yellow fan, so I challenged myself to use it and I paired it with another subtle, Soft Seafoam:

I embossed a half-diagonal panel of Basic White with the Leaf Falling embossing folder, then added the diecut scallop along the edge.  The stamped image is from Timeless Arrangements, stamped in Soft Seafoam and colored with a Blender Pen and ink.  Sentiment is from Inked & Tiled.  I did ad a wee little gem and some really old retired ribbon (I recently "organized" all my ribbons--amazing what I found!) and mounted it all on a Lemon Lolly card base.

Originally I had planned to use these images from Courage & Faith for the front panel but it was too big, so I added it to the inside:

Thanks so much for popping in today---enjoy it and be blessed!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28-29

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Timeless Arrangements, Courage and Faith, Inked and Tiled
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Lemon Lolly, Soft Seafoam
Ink	Lemon Lolly, Soft Seafoam
Accessories	Dimensionals, Genial Gems (ret), Daffodil Delight Narrow Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (ret)
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Scalloped Contour Dies, Blender Pen, Leaf Falling Embossing Folder

Inkspirational 290 Thank You for Being My Friend

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Happy June 1!  We're on the downhill slide to the weekend! My friend Jaydee had a pretty card on her blog recently and it directed me to the mood board at Inkspirational:

Aren't those colors yummy?!  I was reminded of a retired SU stencil that I had, and since they scare me a little, I rarely use them! So I mustered up my courage, gathered up some colors and blending brushes and went to work:

I used inks in Old Olive, Parakeet Party, Petal Pink and Calypso Coral for my blending, and a sentiment from Timeless Arrangements, diecut with the matching die.  The dies come with little sprigs to attach behind the sentiment box:

I diecut sprigs in Parakeet Party and Calypso Coral, but I flipped the Parakeet ones around and cut them apart to tuck between the Coral ones so they were aimed in the opposite direction.  Now, I have a question; the back sides of the diecuts never look as clean as the front sides; I say that the back sides look "crusty", LOL!   So do any of my expert stamping friends know a trick to get the back side to look a little less "unprofessional" and more finished?  Sometimes I try to rub them with my bone folder to flatten them out, but these are so delicate, I didn't want to try to do that. So any suggestions would be helpful!  

Anyway, all of this went on a Parakeet Party card base and all in all, I like the finished effect.  I was concerned about blending these colors together but I think it worked!  Thanks for hanging in there with me today---enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Timeless Arrangements
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Parakeet Party, Calypso Coral
Ink	Old Olive, Parakeet Party, Petal Pink, Calypso Coral
Accessories	Dimensionals, Basic Patterns Decorative Masks (Stencils, ret)
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Timeless Arrangements Dies, Blending Brushes

TMS709 Inked & Tiled Birthday

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  I have a quick, easy card today that uses a fantastic sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches:

I still had a few pretty scraps left from my Regency Park DSP, so I decided to use some coordinating ones along with one of the floral images from Inked & Tiled:

The measurements I used for each 5 1/4" panel were 1 7/8", 1 1/4" and 3/4" but I think the next time I use the sketch I may increase them a wee bit as there is a lot of white card base showing.  Anyway, the florals were stamped in Petal Pink and the sentiment in Calypso Coral, with a Calypso Coral scalloped mat behind the Stylish Shapes circle.  

I added some gems, and stamped some other florals on the inside, along with a sentiment from the retired Peaceful Moments:

This will be winging its way across the world to a special friend for her birthday! 

A couple more "ducky" pictures from the hike...well, technically they're geese and goslings:

 Thanks for popping in today--enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Inked & Tiled, Peaceful Moments (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Calypso Coral, Regency Park DSP (ret)
Ink	Petal Pink, Calypso Coral
Accessories	Faceted Gems (ret), Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes Dies, Layering Circles Dies (ret)

AHSC427 Just a Note

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It feels like Sunday to me...or Monday, can't decide which!  Anyway, I have a card today using the Atlantic Hearts sketch:

For the background, I didn't really have any diagonal DSP that I liked, so I opted for the diagonal gingham DSP in Pretty Peacock that's new in the catalog this year, and paired it with Lost Lagoon for my card:

It gave me a chance to use my new Cane Weave embossing folder too!  I added a sentiment from Inked & Tiled on a Tailor Made Tag die:

And some flowers from Dainty Delight finished it off!  They were stamped in Lost Lagoon, then filled in with Pool Party and Lost Lagoon inks with a Blender Pen:

I am so happy you popped in today!  

The kids took a hike at Susquehanna State Park yesterday!  It's right along the Susquehanna River in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Look at this mama duck and her ducklings!  So cute!  The water looks rough, but they're keeping mama in sight!

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Dainty Designs, Inked & Tiled
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Lost Lagoon, Pretty Peacock Glorious Gingham
Ink	Lost Lagoon, Pool Party
Accessories	Dimensionals, Lost Lagoon Ribbon
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Dainty Delight Dies, Tailor Made Tag Dies, Cane Weave EF

Memorial Day Remembrance

Happy Monday, everyone! I guess I should not say "Happy" Memorial Day, as it is not happy for those families whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice.  I watched part of the PBS Memorial Day concert last night and the stories that were shared just brought tears to my eyes.  We are SO BLESSED to live and worship freely in the USA and I am negligent in remembering how costly that freedom really is.  

I just wanted to share a little video I took on Saturday; it was the ending of the ceremony that our town has following the Memorial Day parade.  Of course, I had to get hubby in there, but hearing Taps played is a great reminder as well of those who paid that price.  (Be patient, it may take a couple seconds for the video to load!)

I did some research about "Taps" and this is what I found.  It's not really a "song", but a bugle signal:

Even though it's a bugle signal, many started putting words to Taps.

Words to Taps

(Note: there are no "official" words to Taps but the most popular Taps Lyrics are below.  These Taps Lyrics are the most popular, however several adaptions have been created.)

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake, from the skies.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep, may the soldier
or sailor, God keep. On the land or the deep, Safe in sleep.

Love, good night, must thou go,
when the day, and the night need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all To their rest.

Fades the light;
And afar Goeth day,
And the stars Shineth bright,
Fare thee well;
Day has gone, night is on.

Thanks and praise, for our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars, 'Neath the sky,
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Enjoy your day and be blessed!