Clear Dollar Stamps ~ Comfort

My goodness!  The word comfort conjures up images of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and my Mom's chocolate meringue pie...  all the things that make your troubles seem so far away... 

 

I love my Mom dearly, however, I know my time with her is temporary.  So what fills the void when everything else fails?  Mac and cheese (as great as it is) won't make problems go away!  In fact, it may cause a whole new series of issues as my blood pressure and waistline will attest!  :-) 

This lovely sentiment from Clear Dollar Stamps' Digital collection, Christian Sympathy, says it all...

Aren't you glad we don't have to go it alone? I know I am! Hugs and blessings...

Lori

Card Recipe

Stamps - Clear Dollar Stamps Digis - Christian Sympathy (background & sentiment)

CS/Paper - Neenah, Bazzill

Ink/Markers - Ranger Distress Ink - Pumice Stone & Frayed Burlap (DP edges & sentiment panel)

Accents/Tools - Spellbinders - Picot Edge Circles, Petite Scalloped Circles Large, Standard Circles Large; Paper Punch - Martha Stewart Crafts; Pearls & Flourish - Recollections; Blossoms - Prima, misc.

ODBDSLC123 ~ Stamp Your Own Background

It is time for another Our Daily Bread Designs' Shining the Light Challenge... 

This challenge is all about backgrounds! 

Specifically, we want to see you stamp your own!   

To make the challenge even more fun, we will be giving out a prize, a $15 gift certificate to be used toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread Designs store!! If you are not using ODBD stamps, please do not enter more than once. Additional entries without using ODBD stamps will not be commented on nor will they qualify for prizes.

While it is not required to use Our Daily Bread Designs images and sentiments on your creations, we would love to see them if you have them! As a way of recognizing those who do use Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we will again be choosing 1 to 2 creations to spotlight for our Shining the Light Award. In order to qualify for this award, however, you must use Our Daily Bread stamps and have your submission added to Mr. Linky by Sunday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. EST. If you upload your creations to Splitcoast Stampers or any other online gallery, please use the keyword ODBDSLC123. When creating your posts on blogs please include a link to our challenge.

And my creation for the week...

I stamped three separate images a butterfly, bee and dragonfly on a white background.  Some of the images were stamped initially and then restamped giving a noticeably lighter image the second time around.  I matted this layer with gray card stock and then added a sentiment panel highlighted with a lovely 2 step butterfly!  A few jet beads create the little guy's body.  A little bit more CAS than usual but oh so fun!  Thanks for stopping in!

Make sure to stop by and visit my sister sticks! They have some wonderful creations to share! And don't forget to leave them some love!
 

Chris Olsen *** Jan Keen *** Jan Marie Ennenga *** Kathy Roney *** Rosemary Dennis ***
 and our fabulous guest all this month, Katherine Lawson

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click HERE.

Thanks for stopping by! Blessings...

Lori

Card Recipe

Stamps - Our Daily Bread Designs - With Heartfelt Sympathy, 2 Step Butterfly, Simple Things
Dies - Our Daily Bread Designs - 2 Step Butterfly Die

Papers - Bazzill;  Neenah Solar Crest

Ink - Memento London Fog; Close To My Heart - Dutch Blue

Misc. - Recollections - Jet Flourish; Offray Satin Ribbon

A Non-traditional Sympathy Card

I struggle with sympathy cards. So this time I decided to go non-traditional. I selected ODBD's On Eagles' Wings. The design is very simple. The base is kraft with a slight layer of pattern paper under the image. I have popped this layer up to allow a bit of lace to peek out. I felt like the upper corner of the card needed a little something so I quickly punched out a circle and used the negative to mask a sun. Thanks so much for stopping by! And as always have a wonderful day!

Lori

Supplies

Card Stock - Bazzill, Gina K. Pure Luxury Cardstock
Designer Paper - Chatterbox Scrapbook Walls Small Vest Stripe
Stamps - ODBD - On Eagles' Wings
Ink - CTMH Garden Green; Memento Dandelion & Tangelo (sun); Memento Tuxedo Black (eagle)
Copics - E00, E13, E33, E37, Y08
Corner Rounder, Paper Piercer, Lace, Circle Paper Punch

So Sorry - Sympathy Card ** Lengthy Post Alert

In July of 2005, hubby and I locked the door behind us and set out on an adventure. At that time we were buying St. Bernards to start our program. In order to find the best of the best we had to drive. And since we had to drive anyway, we decided to make a trip of it. I wanted to see Mt. Rushmore.

As the days leading up to our departure ticked away, I continued to find other destinations. I poured over the Atlas (yes, people still use those) to find new and exciting spots to tour. One morning as I prepared for work, I happily told hubby that Yellowstone was just a half days drive away. The next day I mentioned Glacier National Park in Montana. Oh, but don't forget the Battle of Little Big Horn in Wyoming... and did I mention all the cool Lewis and Clark stuff?

So on D - Day or in this case Friday, John and I loaded my little Pontiac, locked the door and left on our road trip. A little over 24 four hours later we arrived in Rapid City, South Dakota in the same clothes we put on in Kentucky and with ZERO sleep. Did I mention we had to visit the Corn Palace as we drove by???
:-P

We were so excited, we pitched our bags in the nearest hotel room we could find and set off to see Mt. Rushmore. Then we had to see the Geronimo monument. It was a crazy week! I kid you not when I say we traveled through 11 states, 4 national parks and 3 national monuments. It was interesting to say the least and we racked up the miles on my little Grand Am. Sometimes we got quite "testy." I'm amazed we both made it home in one piece!

I really didn't get to see a great deal in Glacier National Park. If you have ever gone up the Road to the Sun you can appreciate this fact! I was driving and with the fear of going thousands of feet off the edge of the road... well... I couldn't take my eyes off the road! John swears there were glaciers there but I'm still not sure... lol...

As we were heading back to North Dakota to pick up our beautiful fluffer Dakota (hence her name) we stopped at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Well the welcome center wasn't quite so welcome. You see on the counter in a large jar of furmaldehyde was a rattlesnake! It seems they have those in North Dakota. And park management felt people might want to know what they look like! Yikes! Let me tell ya... I'm not getting that close to ANY snake!

But here's the funny part of that stop... As we are driving through, hubby spots a wild mustang. John yells for me to stop the car so he can get out and take a photo of this true western sight. John steps out of the car and gingerly steps onto the pavement to take a photo. Picture this (no pun intended)... My hubby took professional photos for years so he is PARTICULAR about shots. I am a point and shoot gal... To my chagrin... he keeps stepping farther and farther out into the prairie... AND then I notice the BIG SIGN he walked by... BEWARE OF RATTLESNAKES! Yikes! John is just moving on toward the horse looking through the viewfinder determined to get the perfect shot! Now I am hyperventilating! I yell politely (maybe not so politely) at him to move back. And frantically yell out to him about the sign he just passed! Oh don't worry, he yells back! I will hear it long before I need to worry! ACK!!!! I am thinking... no way am I dragging you out of that potentially snake infested patch if you get bit!!!! lol... Well, John made it back safe and sound and to this day he reminds me of the day I just about left him in the middle of a North Dakota prairie!

So sorry to take so long to get to my point... but here it is. When we begin our Christian walk, our destination, our ultimate goal is Heaven. We close the door behind us (the old man) and put on the new one. And we begin that journey toward the other side. We don't know what might cross our paths. We most certainly have joyeous times (like seeing the mustang), we may fear (rattlesnakes) and we may have something in between. Ultimately we are trying to make it home.

After our adventure, we pulled into our little farm with a beautiful fluffy new St. Bernard in tow. We were tired! We were grumpy! But we had an amazing ride! It wasn't always easy and it wasn't always safe (John if you are reading this... I love you!) but it was an adventure. And boy was it nice to be back where we belonged. I imagine that when we get to Heaven it will be the same. Life here may be hard and it may be trying but we will be so relieved to be home with Jesus. I bet life on this side will be a distant memory.

I created this card for a wonderful lady who recently lost her father. The loss is very real but his reward is so great! Blessings to you and have a wonderful Lord's day!

Lori
Saintsrule!



Card Recipe

Card Stock - Bazzil; Designer Paper - Doodlebug - Black Divine
Image/Sentiment - Gina K. Designs - Framed Greetings
Ink - Memento - Summer Sky - sponged on dp flowers, Memento Tuxedo Black;
Copic - B32, B34, Y11, Y15, YG03, C3
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels Sixteen
Pearls - Silver - Jolee
Ribbon - Gina K. Designs

Mothers

Mothers have a rough job! Might I add... a thankless one! I laugh when I hear some of the stories my Mom tells about my childhood (like the time I put a kitten in the refrigerator...) The kitten was fine... Fluffy was only in there for two to three minutes... But my poor mother had to completely clean out the frig as a result of this escapade. Then there was the time I crumbled Oreo cookies in the fish tank... I liked them, so wouldn't they? (Another 3 year old stunt...) You get the picture... my mother is a saint and believe you me... she could discipline me. And from the sound of it... it was well deserved! lol...

To this day, if something is wrong, I talk to Mom. Her mere presence comforts me when I am troubled. Just a few months back I was very ill. Who did I ask for? Mom, of course... Today's verse shares God's promise that just like our mothers we can count on him for comfort. That is wonderful to know. God always loves us and will always be there to lend a shoulder to cry on. Blessings to all you mothers out there. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Lori
Saintsrule



Card Recipe

Card Stock - Bazzill
Designer Paper - K & Company - Classic K Charlotte Paper Pad
Ink - Memento Rich Cocoa, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic - R81, R85, YG03, YG05, C3, C5
Ink - Tim Holtz for Ranger Distress Ink - Antique Linen (used with Fancy Label stamp)
Stamps - ODBD - Fancy Labels, Mother's Day, Poppy Die
Dies - Spellbinders - Labels Ten, Sixteen, Seventeen
Glitter Glue (Poppy) Stickles by Ranger - Cotton Candy
Corner Rounder
Seam Binding - Stampin Up
Pearls - Recollections
Lace - Simplicity 7/8" Flat Cluny Edge

Black, white and blue all over....

Happy Friday! If you think you have already looked at this card.... you have... sort of... Last week I used this image from ODBD. I decided to use a more muted palette on today's card. I simply sponged the background with a soft gray and let the butterfly catch the eye. I submitted this card for a challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow. Check it out here. This card was designed as a sympathy card. I wanted something a little more subdued but upbeat. Here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend.

Lori

Supplies

Card Stock - Georgia Pacific - white & black, Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury - images
Stamps - Images - ODBD - Butterfly & Butterfly Corner
Stamps - Sentiment - ODBD - Scripture Series 1
Butterfly Die - ODBD
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black - Images; Stampin Up Going Gray - background; Copics - butterfly

B24, B29, B39, B41, B93

Smooch Spritz - Vanilla Shimmer - lightly misted on butterfly
Pop Dots

The journey... and a sympathy card

Sympathy cards are something I rarely do. I started this blog roughly two years ago to showcase some of my work. My card making has changed (for better or worse) over the last several years. I started out scrapbooking almost 9 years ago but changed to card making after a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. Kathy battled breast cancer roughly 8 years ago. She had just passed the coveted 5 year point. Not long after, she found out her cancer had returned. This time the prognosis was anything but good. Her doctors gave her a year at best. I decided to try my hand at card making. And for close to 2 years I mailed a card nearly every week. That is until the last few weeks.... life slipped up on me and before I knew it 4 weeks had passed without sending a card.... and then Wednesday I was given the news.... Kathy had passed on....

Kathy was a devoted Christian and not a day went by that she didn't share her testimony. The love of Christ beamed in her eyes even as the rest of her body failed. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend and will be missed by her friends and family. She is no longer suffering. But I know she would want me to continue on and make cards for others. She enjoyed them so and took every opportunity to share with others how much she loved her "mail" from me. So this card (2 actually) will go to her husband and daughter. They close a wonderful chapter and friendship in my life. Until we meet again Kathy....

Blessings -

Lori

This card was inspired by a card I spotted in one of the many magazines I receive each month. I used my brayer to roll on a light coat of gray ink and then followed by stamping the tree image on top. I finished it off with a red bird and the sentiment in black.


Card Recipe

5 x 7 Inches

Card Stock - Black, White - Georgia Pacific, Silver - Bazzill
Designer Paper - The Paper Series - Silver Wedding Ornate
Ink - Image & Background - Stampin Up - Going Gray
Ink - Sentiment & Scripture - Memento - Tuxedo Black
Ink - Cardinal - Memento - Rhubard Stalk
Stamps - Image & Sentiment - Front - Papertrey Ink - Through the Trees
Stamps - Scripture - Inside - Our Daily Bread Designs - Scripture Series 1
Ribbon - Offray - 7/8 Simply Sheer Black


I added one of my favorite scripture stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs inside. The red bird came from the Papertrey Ink set.

Faux Marble Card and Puppy Pic!

Drum roll, please! I have puppy photos! Bear with me as today's post is fairly long. I wanted to cover the technique I used to create this card plus post some cute fluffer photos!

Have you ever created a card that sort of happened? I really did not set out to make a sympathy card but after creating the marble look paper it seemed a natural fit. So here goes!

Marble Paper

Inkssentials - Glossy Paper
Memento Reinkers - Desert Sand, Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black
Tim Holtz Adirondak Alcohol Ink Mixatives Silver
Tim Holtz Ink Applicator
Rubbing Alcohol
Cotton Balls



I cut the glossy cardstock into a 5 X 7 sheet. I was unsure starting out what size I would need plus this gives me a little room to trim off any imperfect edges. First I applied a light coat in swirling motions of Desert Sand and let dry. Then I added a few drops of Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black to a new felt pad and applied in patting motions. Once the paper was covered I varied the motions, swirls, feather strokes, etc to get the look I wanted. Then I applied the silver mixative (daubing it on) with a new felt pad. Finally I saturated some cotton balls with rubbing alcohol and daubed the paper, particularly where the silver was to give it a sort of veining. Easy, huh?

After it dried thoroughly I was ready to use it in a card!



The marble paper came out a nice shade of gray and silver so I decided to dig in my paper stash and see what I had. I came across a piece of discontinued paper that I purchased for 10 cents! Gotta love that!

Card Recipe

5 X 7 Inches

Cardstock - Black and White - Georgia Pacific
Pattern Paper - The Paper Studio - Silver Wedding Ornate (who says you can't use wedding paper for other projects?)
Punch - Martha Stewart - Punch Around the Page - Modern Garland
Stamp - Our Daily Bread Designs - Scripture Series 1
Ink - Scripture - Memento Tuxedo Black
Ribbon - unknown - Satin Black
Pop Dots
Adhesive - Herma Dotto
Corner Rounder

A fun note on the ribbon -

I ran the ribbon through and secured it behind the sentiment intending to tie a bow. When I ran the ribbon under to tie it, I realized the area was so "tight" that the ribbon took on the look of a bow-tie. So I just trimmed the ribbon and left it as is! A wonderfully happy accident... if there is such a thing!



Now on to important stuff... I have attached a photo below of a few of the new fluffers. They are 2 days old! We can only keep half of the litter in with Mama at a time as Saints are such big dogs they can sometimes crush one of their babies. :-( So all is well here with the new additions. As you can tell by their little bellies the Morgan buffet feeds well! Until next time and as always thanks for looking, reading and giving me feedback! God Bless!