Keep Christ in Christmas w/Stamp Simply

At this time of year with all the Christmas hustle and bustle happening around us, it's easy to loose sight of what's truly important, and what Christmas is really all about.  This is one thing I love so much about Stamp Simply Clear Stamps products.  They allow me to make wonderful cards all year round that keep the life-changing message of Jesus at the forefront.  This week at Stamp Simply, the Products of the Week include the darling O Christmas Tree Stamps & Dies that I used on today's card.

I used basic black and white cardstocks for the base of this card.  Next, I used a piece of pretty patterned paper from The Craft Consortium's Ombre 6x6 Paper Pad.  I machine stitched the edges of this piece and attached it to my base.  The top layer is a piece of Tim Holtz Watercolor Cardstock that I stamped with a sentiment found in the O Christmas Tree Stamp Set.  I used the Scripty Background Minis 2 Stamp Set to add lightly stamped words to my background.  Finally, I splattered the background with a few coordinating colors of Tim Holtz Distress Spritz.

The darling trees (one of three differently styled trees) can also be found in the O Christmas Tree Stamp Set.  I colored them with Copic markers and cut them using the O Christmas Tree Dies.  A few sequins were the finishing touch.  Stamp Simply has a wonderful SALE each week, lots of inspiration on the Stamp Simply Blog, and so many awesome stamps, dies, papers and more.  Please stop by to take a look around, and thanks again for visiting me here today.

Blessings,

Karen 

November IG Hop w/Creative Worship Stamps

It's time for the November Instagram Hop with Creative Worship Stamps.  By visiting my Instagram Page or the Creative Worship IG Page, you can hop along and be entered to WIN a $25 gift card to spend at Creative Worship.  The theme of this month's IG Hop is THEN & NOW as we celebrate 19 years of Creative Worship products.  God has #BLESSED Creative Worship Stamps over the years with the ability to provide artists SO many Christ-honoring stamps, dies and products.  The talented Design Team Members have created some amazing projects to share with you that combine the THEN (older products) with the NOW (newer CW products).  My card combines some of both, and it's always FUN to see how they all complement one another so nicely.

This card stars with Twine Cardstock layered with Cranberry Cardstock, and then another piece of Twine Cardstock that was stamped with the Psalm 23 Background Stamp.  I love how that one simple background stamp adds so much to the overall feel of the card.  It really sets a lovely backdrop for the focal images.  The foliage/berries were stamped using the Botanical Branches Stamp Set, and I fussy cut each one.  This is a fabulous stamp set for adding different branches and fill-in foliage to your cards.

The red piece was stamped using the super cool Vintage Elements Stamp Set.  The sentiments are found in the NEW White as Snow Stamp Set.  The main sentiment is stamped onto a journalling spot found in the NEW Sermon Notes Stamp Set and the smaller sentiment is stamped on a tab cut with the wonderful Tabs, Tickets & More Dies.  Some vintage lace, jute and a rusty bell are the finishing touches to this THEN & NOW card.

It would be wonderful to have you stop by the Creative Worship IG feed to hop along with us.  You could be this month's lucky WINNER.  And in addition to that, I'm always super grateful for your visits here and at my Instagram Page.  Thanks so much for visiting me today, and may God bless you as you create and share your art.  I hope you'll take a look at Creative Worship Stamps to see what you may "need" under your tree this year.

Blessings,

Karen

Merry Christmas w/Creative Worship Stamps

I'm so blessed, and when I say that "my cup runneth over", I really mean it.  God has been SO good to me, and one of my biggest blessings in the artistic/crafting realm is that I get to be on such amazing Design Teams.  Representing Creative Worship Stamps is nothing short of a blessing from God's hand, and I'm so grateful for this opportunity....however long it lasts.  God is control of ALL things.  This truth is something you'll see as a recurring theme at Creative Worship, and it reflects in their awesome products.  Creative Worship Stamps is celebrating 19 years in business, and 19 years of honoring our Lord Jesus through their awesome stamps, dies, stencils and more.  In honor of this BIG 19-year CELEBRATION, you can SAVE 19% off all stamp sets this week.  There's a CELEBRATION all month long, so be sure to stop by often to check out what's happening.

I used an AI generated background for these photos.  I used the Bingo Card Stamp Set, Christmas Wish List Stamp, Christmas Pine Stamp Set, Christmas Pine Dies, Lantern Light Stamp Set and Lantern Light Dies to create all my images.  There are SO many fabulous stamp sets, dies, inks and other products waiting for you at Creative Worship Stamps.  If nothing else, you'll sure have FUN looking around and getting some inspiration from our helpful On-Line Classes.  This is a great time to get yourself a Christmas gift or two (ones you'll actually want to receive).  There will be special promotions each week this month so you can SAVE on the amazing products carried at Creative Worship.

The matching bookmark I made to go with this card was cut using the Bookmarks & More Die Set.  I used the Lantern Light Stamp Set and Lantern Light Dies on my bookmark as well as the Texture Tiles 1 Stamp Set that was used to (very) lightly stamp the music background on the lantern in Shadow Ink.  The ribbon on my card is super old, and there's natural burlap string on the bookmark.

Thanks so much for stopping by today as I shared these two little projects with you.  It's always so nice to have you stop by and say hello.  Hopefully, you're having fun crafting, getting ready for Christmas and having fun.  I do hope you'll visit Creative Worship Stamps to look around.  Have a wonderful week, friends.

I'm sharing this card and bookmark duo in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges - Anything Goes

Peace On Earth Challenge Blog - Anything Goes w/Inspiration Photo - I was drawn to the lantern, the colors, and the greenery with red berries.  SO festive and FUN!

Blessings,

Karen

Merry Christmas w/Poppystamps

Hello, sweet friends and thanks for visiting me here today as I share a Christmas card I created for Poppystamps.  For this card, I used just four of the many fabulous die sets you'll find at Poppystamps.  It's always easy to create pretty cards when you use the fabulous layered and intricate dies from Poppystamps.  Every time I use my Poppystamps dies, it's easy, it's fun, and my cards always turn out well.  It's pretty much impossible to go wrong with these gorgeous easy-to-use dies.

I started with ivory cardstock for the base, and I layered that with a kraft piece.  On top, I used more of the ivory cardstock to cut the largest oval found in the Scalloped Oval Pinpoint Dies.  The center of the oval was splattered with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Spritz.  I cut the gorgeous bird using the Nordic Valley Bird Die Set using various shades of ivory, kraft, and brown.  A bit of Saltwater Taffy Oxide Ink on the bird's underbody and beak gave some nice shading.

The darling Nordic Valley Bird Die Set is sitting on a nest of sorts that I created by cutting several trees with the Trimmed Trees Dies.  I used the same colors to cut the "nest" that I used to cut the bird.  I also tucked in some of the foliage (stems) found in the Lovely Floral Bundle Die Set.  The Foil Greetings Sentiment is from our sister company, Memory Box.  There are so many different die-cuts available at Poppystamps from animals and flowers to all sorts of other lovely images.  You're sure to find something you'll LOVE.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and please know how grateful I always am for your visits.  There's always a lot of great inspiration on the Poppystamps Blog and there's a FUN Monthly Challenge where you can WIN a $20 gift card to Poppystamps.  Have a great week, everyone.

I'm sharing my card here:

As You Like It Challenges - Favourite Christmas Critter and Why - I'm choosing the bird for my favourite Christmas critter.  I enjoy seeing cardinals, robins, sparrows, and yes, even penguins on Christmas cards.  I love ALL BIRDS, and I think they're super cute on Christmas cards.  When there's a critter on my Christmas cards, it's almost always a bird of some sort.  What a FUN challenge.

Double D Challenge Blog - Theme: Wings

Triple B Challenge Blog - I used a pretty bird for this card, but no blooms or butterflies.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - TREES - I used the Trimmed Trees Dies from Poppystamps to create my nest.  But after all, nests are built IN trees and made out of trees, right?

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges - Challenge #2643 - Anything Goes sponsored by Lawn Fawn - How exciting!!

Blessings,

Karen

Slightly Spooky Slimline w/CutCardStock

If I'm being perfectly honest with you, I'm not a big fan of Halloween.  I do, however, get a lot of trick-or-treaters who stop by our house on October 31.  For that reason, I continue to participate in Halloween so that I can use the opportunity to share the #truth and good news of Jesus Christ with all those sweet little souls who stop by our house.  One company I designed for a few years back, Whimsy Stamps, carries lots of fun Halloween stamps and dies.  Those were the ones I chose to use when creating this FUN slightly spooking slimline card with lots of great CutCardStock.

I used Astrobright Black 80 lb. Cardstock layered with Conservation White Cardstock and Pop Tone Grapesicle Cardstock for the base.  The Pop Tone Grapesicle Cardstock was cut using the Slimline Scallop Die.  The other Whimsy Stamps products I used include the Halloween Postage Stamp Set, A Murder of Crows Die Set, and the Pumpkin and Mini Jacks Die Set.  I did lots of inking on all my cardstock colors including the Astrobright Orange Cardstock and the Astrobright Black 80 lb. Cardstock that I used to cut the crows and pumpkins.

This card came together quickly and easily.  By inking the die-cut pieces, it allowed me to add color and a spooky bit of mystery to my slimline.  Whimsy Stamps carries so many great slimline dies, stamps, die-cuts and patterned papers.  I do miss designing for them, but God had other plans for me.  I do love, however, how well the CutCardStock papers work with these products.  The high-quality papers they carry make such a big difference in both the look and feel of my cards.

Whenever you're looking for cardstock, please take the time to treat yourself to CutCardStock papers.  They carry every gorgeous color you can imagine at CutCardStock and you really will SEE, FEEL and appreciate the difference these papers make in crafting.  Thank you so much for your visits here, my sweet friends.  Your support means so much to me.  Happy crafting, everyone.

I'm sharing my slightly spooky slimline in the following challenge:

Whimsy Stamps October Halloween Challenge - I used Scalloped Slimline Die, Halloween Postage Stamp Set, A Murder of Crows Die Set, Pumpkin and Mini Jacks Die Set from Whimsy Stamps.  Come and join the FUN, everyone.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Spooky/Halloween - This is my version of "terrifying". lol

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenges - Anything Goes Halloween - I was inspired by the elements of pumpkins, colors and candles from the inspiration photo.

Blessings,

Karen

Sweet Christmas Tags w/Stamp Simply

It's hard to believe, but Christmas is just around the corner.  In fact, it's something like sixty (60) days away from today.  Yikes!  Well, rest assured that Stamp Simply will always have the perfect stamps, dies and products to help you create beautiful Christmas cards, tags and gifts.  In fact, Stamp Simply has the perfect stamps for just about every and any occasion you can imagine.  For today's post I'm sharing a couple of quick little Christmas gift tags that I created using products from Stamp Simply.

Just to perfectly transparent and honest with everyone, please know that my photo background is AI generated.  I'd like to say that I'm great at photography, but that would be a lie.  I need all the help and all the input I can get when it comes to photographing my cards.  Anyway...I cut four tags in total (two larger and two smaller) from Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock.  I used Raspberry and Citron oxide inks that I alternated between the two tags.  Using the Scripty Backgrounds Minis Set 2, I stamped the words onto the background of the larger tags.

The next thing I did was to stamp the mittens by using our Product of the Week, the Stockings &  Mittens Stamp Set.  I cut them out with the coordinating Stockings & Mittens Dies.  Next, I used both the Scripty Backgrounds Minis Set 2 and the Snowflake Blessings Border Strip Stamp Set to give my mittens a fun design.  I used the Stockings & Mittens Dies again to cut the tops of the mittens using some wool felt in the same coordinating colors.  The smaller tag was stamped (to/from) using the Farmhouse Christmas Stamp Set.  The finishing touches include some little gems and the solid Baker's Twine that I tied through the loops of my tags.

Thanks so much for visiting me here today.  I'd really LOVE to have you stop by my Instagram Page to Follow me there, too, if you so kindly will.  I've really been struggling to grow my IG Following, and the struggle continues.  You'll find so much great inspiration on the Stamp Simply Blog and IG Page, and you won't want to miss this wonderful SALE on the Products of the Week, our Stockings & Mittens Stamp Set and Stockings & Mittens Dies.  Happy crafting, everyone.

I'm sharing my Christmas tags in the following challenges:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge Blog - Challenge #2643 - My Entry #2/3

Blessings,

Karen

Creative Worship Team Takes Challenge

For those of you who love Creative Worship Stamps, this is a great opportunity to play along in their FUN monthly Team Takes Facebook Challenge where you can win a $20 CW gift card.  This month's challenge theme is Color Blocking, and we'd love to see your take on this fun technique.  Don't overthink it or stress about it, just show us your idea of Color Blocking.  I'm certainly not a pro at this, but I had a lot of fun making my inspirational card for this challenge.

I used both black and white cardstocks.  I cut my top layer of white cardstock with the Stitched Rectangle Dies to complete my base.  Using a taping technique, I added four color blocks by inking the open spaces.  I also stamped over the inked block using the super cool Typewriter Text Background Stamp.  That covered the Color Blocking part.  Next, I added some stamping by using the Vintage Snippets Stamp Set to stamp the numbers (at bottom) and the Going Postal Stamp Set at the top.  The fun stitches were stamped using the Sew Many Stitches Stamp Set.  I also did some ink splattering for additional color.

The sentiment was stamped using the NEW White as Snow Stamp Set and was cut using the smallest rectangle found in the Stitched Rectangle Dies.  I raised up the sentiment with 3-D Foam Tabs.  Sadly, it covers up some of the Color Blocking, but hopefully you can still get the basic idea.  You're able to use any technique you like to add your color blocking.  Just let your creativity run wild, and most of all, have FUN doing it.  We're really looking forward to seeing what you'll create to share in this FUN challenge.

Head on over to the Creative Worship Instagram Page to get started on this hop.  There's a $20 prize for the hop AND another $20 prize for the challenge, so please be sure to join us in both.  Thanks so much for stopping by to visit here today, and happy crafting to everyone.

I'm sharing this card here:

Paper Funday Challenges - Challenge #92 - Anything Goes: Optional/Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice - I used the Anything Goes Option - Entry #5/6

Blessings,

Karen