MMSC69 Sun Drenched and In Flight

It is Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge time and we all love that don't we!  We have loved seeing so many of you playing along and look forward to seeing you again this week!  We have lots of inspiration for you this week!!

I have used an image from our weekly sponsor Prairie Fairy Designs - now I have to tell you, I ADORE this image - it just touches my heart and I loved using it.  I decided it was about time I made an easel card - I love them and would have to say they would be my favourite type of card to make, I need to do it more!

The fabulous DP is from Stampin' Up, the colours are perfect for the summery feel I was wanting to achieve!  The image has been coloured with my Prismacolor Pencils, they are so-o-o smooth to use....the Gamsol just makes them spread like silk!   I cut the figures out and popped them up on foam tape  and added the daisy lace trim around the edge, instead of the scallops on the sketch, I added the pearls to the other side to balance it!

On the base I used the SU DP and added a strip of vanilla CS and followed through with the lace.  I finished off with these gorgeous flowers from my friend Sabrina, punched branches and pearls from Gunn and a silver charm completes this card!

I have used one of Priscilla's images on my second card - you can find the at "priscillastyles" Stores - these birds are gorgeous and have such a great shape - they are so easy to colour.  Again I used the Prismacolors and Gamsol.

The Circled Fleur de Lis is a Die Cut from DCWV - I found these about a year ago at Big W and had them tucked away in mu cupboard, but have been using them a bit lately.  It was just what I needed here!  It is layered into an embossed circle, using Textiles Embossing Folder and then onto white and black CS.

The DP on the base of the card has been embossed with the Stylised Flowers Embossing Folder and distressed around the edges.  I have added Paper Piercing to the two right hand corners.  Finishing off with rows of bling on various corners and across the band on the Fleur de Lis!

Now what you have been waiting for - this weeks sketch...it's "YOUR PICK" Make it fancy, clean and simple, or somewhere in-between. Remember to click on the sneak peek button on the side bar for the following weeks sketch each Friday.

These cards are for the following challenges:
Bee Crafty - Anything Goes
Crafty Emma's Challenges - Anything Goes

Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes
Marks Finest Papers - Friendship card
Crafts and Me - Petals and Pearls
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges - Anything Goes

Our MMSC68 Gold Star Award goes to...
 Sandee #54

Our Remarkables Awards this week go to...
Beate #15
Guro #17
Rita #30
Brenda K #31


Please grab your award logos from the side bar and display them proudly :)

Our MMSC69 weekly Bonus sponsor is.....

Prairie Fairy Designs

Our September Monthly Sponsor is....

Sunshine and Giggles

Thank you so much for coming to visit and for the constant lovely comments you leave for me!  I love seeing that you have been!  We would love to see you play along this week at the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge and also at the Crafter's Digital Art Centre - where the membership is nearly 3000 now - it is so much fun - Priscilla has a Group there too - it is PARTY CENTRAL!  LOL!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}

SSIC Iron Sharpens Iron

I am honoured to be hosting this weeks Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. I have thought about what scripture to share today and decided on this one from the book of Proverbs...

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.. Proverbs 27:17

My challenge for you this week is very easy - to use some form of metal on your card

This scripture speaks to me so loudly and I can think of a number of times I have experienced this  - you know how it is when you first get to know people, it is all wonderful and as friendship grows and definitely has a warm glow about it, all snug and warm as the fire heats up and you are so cosy in its glow- you know the 'honeymoon stage'.  After a while, as you let walls down and you feel comfortable with that person, perhaps even bordering on a little bit of familiarity - then, a few sparks start to fly around and it can get a little bit uncomfortable....then the HEAT IS ON and sparks start really flying!!

Here is the thing - it is at this point we have a choice to make - we can either jump out of the fire and be all bent out of shape and totally nonfunctional and unusable OR we can stay in the fire, let the heat burn away the rubbish and come out as a refined and finely tuned instrument, shaped and formed into what we are meant to be!  The choice is ours....our friends are there to grow us too.  This day and age when things are so disposable, it can be easier to jump out of the fire than to persevere and grow, becoming more refined...in the Masters Hands. 

Interestingly enough,  Friday was International Day of Forgiveness and the focus a number of areas, one of them being friendship and how to heal rifts....personally, I think if we truly understood about friendship and the way it is a blessing in our lives, that friends are more than just people who love us on good days and are there to make us feel good.  Our friends become part of our family and enrich our lives, making us part of theirs as well - these are the people who are there to grow us in our lives - the ones we are 'in the fire' with and need to work things through with - not jump out of the relationship at the first opportunity - remembering that 'friend sharpens friend!'

This is for the following Chalenges:

Our Daily Bread Designs - Texture It - Distressed edges
Floursihes Timeless Tuesday Challenge - Lace
Alphabet Challenge Blog - Roses
Crafts and Me Challenges - Petals and Pearls
Kaboodle Doodles Challenges - Lovely Flowers and Lace

For more inspiration make sure you visit each of the Design Team:

*Lisa * Chris * Cindy * Grace * Peggysue * Randi * Miejse * Rebekkah *

You can see more of my projects in my Layers of Color Gallery, while you are there make sure you check out the other Design Team galleries there is so much inspiration waiting to be discovered.  You are invited to join us on our SNR Group where there is lots of fun and chatter (No surprises there I know! LOL)  There are also discounts and previews that are exclusive for the Group Members - come and join us!!

Thank you for your comments and all of the encouragement you leave me here!  I love seeing that you have visited - it makes my day!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}

MMSC68 PSDT Shady Rest

This is double the fun for me, here is a card I have made for the "priscillastyles" Design Team and I have played along using the  Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - how much fun is that!?!?

I have used Priscilla's image 'Flowering Tree' and had so much fun colouring it.  I started with my Chalks but then went to my Prismacolour Pencils and they made all of the difference to the depth of colour - I am loving those Prisma's!!  Only one problem with them - I wasn't looking what I was doing and nearly drank the Odourless Mineral Spirits by mistake - true!!  I had it to my lips and then realised - skeery!!

I have also made this for a number of the challenges over at the Crafter's Digital Art Centre - for Colour Challenge, Corners and Distressing - I am on a roll!!  LOL!  How do you like this corner embellishment - I picked them up at KMART one day on sale - something like 50 cents for 8of them - laughing!!  The Martha Stewart Fence Punch just had to be used on this card - how could it not!!

Distressing - I L-O-V-E to distress, cards that is!  LOL!  This photo shows the dimension that is happening here!

Thank you for looking and for the lovely comments you leave me - you make blogging such a fun place to be - I am so honoured to be part of the "priscillastyles" Design Team and hope to bring you lots of inspiration using Priscilla's creative images. 

This is for the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments Challenge - Anything Goes

Practical Scrappers - Lace Cardstock - Lacy Punched Leaf Edge

Cowgirl's Sunday Stampen Challenge - Summer Time Feeling 

Crafts and Me Challenge - Petals & Pearls

Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - Sketch

It is Saturday morning for me and it is deceptively sunny through the window - if we walk out the front of the house, there is now on our beautiful mountain - The Brindabella's - they are breathtaking!! Amazingly enough, as I am typing this post we have had a phone call and my DH, DS and DD! are up in the air in a helicopter now - our neighbour is a pilot and was doing a test flight - so he got to take some passengers - how cool!!  I hope you have a great weekend and get to do some things you enjoy - and maybe even some crafting!!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}

LOC Faith Art Friday - Forgiveness

It is Faith Art Friday today over at Layers of Color and I am honoured to be hosting it!   Today is the International Day of Forgiveness and one of the main focus is friendship and how to heal rifts.  Friends are the most amazing people, God brings them into our lives on many different levels - some for a season, some for a reason and some for life!!  As we get to know one another and slowly let down walls, we make ourselves more vulnerable - and this in itself can make us cautious. 

Friends are those people who can help us grow in so many ways and brighten our lives, at the same time they can cause us so much hurt and disappointment in those moments where we border on familiarity and sometimes cross boundaries.  I  am reminded of when Peter asked Jesus how many times does he have to forgive his brother or sister who hurts him...and put forward the number seven

Jesus replied, '"Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven. 

How does that make you feel when thinking about your own relationships and hurts, the times you have been let down and so disappointed.  Our instant reaction in these moments, would be IMPOSSIBLE, but that is so very far from the heart of God as we can see here

 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, having forgiven one another, even as also God forgave you in Christ.  Eph 4:32

Forgiveness is such a powerful tool - if only we realised it at those times we are hurt, it brings such freedom and release, not just to the one who has hurt us, but to us....we can get so bound up in the 'offence' that has happened that we lose track of God and don't allow Him to work in us, we let that hurt fester and it can cripple us on so many levels!  If only we would recall, at that those moments the words of Life that have been given to us in the Word of God our walk would be so much easier.

We all want to be forgiven by God and need to forgive in the same way....

You can see more of my projects in my Layers of Color Gallery, while you are there make sure you check out the other Design Team galleries there is so much inspiration waiting to be discovered.  You are invited to join us on our SNR Group where there is lots of fun and chatter (No surprises there I know! LOL)  There are also discounts and previews that are exclusive for the Group Members - come and join us!!

Thank you for taking the time to visit with me today and for the comments and encouragement you leave me here!  I love seeing that you have visited - it makes my day!  It is the beginning of the weekend here and I am so-o-o looking forward to it - I hope you have a great weekend and get to spend it with those you love!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}

MMSC68 Some Cards and Some EXCITING News

Welcome to this weeks Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - another week and another great sketch - some of you may have already 'peeked' and had a head start - don't you just love that!  We have a lot to show you today and we also have some EXCITING announcements for you today.

First I am showing you my card (s) you knew I was going to say that didn't you!! LOL!  The first one is using this darling image from our weekly sponsor Wags'n Whiskers - who wouldn't love these gorgeous images.  This one is called 'Budding Artists'

 .


I used some delish DP from Basic Grey, it all co-ordinated and  saves me a lot of time!  I coloured the image with my SU Chalks, but it out and popped it up onto an embossed panel with foam tape.  I criss crossed ribbon to the side panel and added black gems according to the sketch!  Finishing off with these cute mini roses.

My next card is using Priscilla's butterfly image - I love this butterfly - it is so lifelike when coloured.  I thought I would go for warmer colours with this card.  The DP is from my stash of cut papers, I am slowly getting the pile smaller! LOL!  The gorgeous braid is from my friend Ann - I had it tucked away in a drawer and when I saw it, knew it was perfect for this weeks sketch.

I layered it onto the Beaded Flourish also from 'priscillastyles' lightly chalking it to soften the flourish and tone it with the Butterfly.  The edges are sponged with Distressing Ink to give it an aged look, naturally I had to add bling and some mini roses (thanks Gunn!)

You can see the dimension here - I have used double thickness of foam tape to give the wings MORE dimension as my foam tape is not too high.

These cards are for the following challenges:

Lexi's Creations - Emboss it - card 1

Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes - both cards

Floursihes Timeless Tuesday Challenge - Lace - card 2

Cowgirl's Sunday Stampen Challenge - Summertime Feeling - card 2

A Pocket Fulof Posies - Winged Things - card 2

Before I go any further we have some wonderful announcements for you today. First, we are just thrilled to have three new additions to the MM Design Team for the next few months.  You will find out a little bit about each of them here. They are each so talented and will add their own special flair to the MMSC each week.  

Connie M.

Holly Moore

Marsha Sanderlin

Next, I am so excited and proud to reveal the first ever “priscillastyles” Design Team. Click HERE to see who these fabulous and talented ladies are.....hurry and get there as it may well involve people you know....like ME!  How exciting is that!!  I will be posting my first card for the Design Team a bit later in the week - once I have made it!  LOL!  So watch this space!!

Congratulations to

Our MMSC67 Gold Star Award Winner

#28 Renee Matarese

and

Our Remarkables Awards Winners

#9 Denise Pettigrew
#12 Beate
#80 Dreamtime
#88 Colleen Dietrich


Please grab your award logos from the side bar and display them proudly :)

A  BIG thank you to

*Our MMSC68 weekly Bonus sponsor

Wags n' Whiskers

and

Our Aug Monthly Sponsor

Michelle Perkett Studio

Here is what you have been waiting for - this weeks sketch!

Thank you for visiting today and for staying with me during the post, I know it was a bit longer than usual, but all for good reason.  You can see so much inspiration over the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge- we would love to see you play along!!  It is as easy as 1-2-3!!  God bless you!
{{{hugs}}}

SSIC LOC All of Your Heart

What a great week we have had at Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge, thank you so much for all of you who visited us and let such lovely comments and encouragement - you certainly inspired and blessed us!!  Congratulations to the winners too - enjoy those 'goodies' and don't forget to come back and show us what you have created with them!!

This weeks scripture is brought to us by the one and only Cindy Coutts!

 'When I am afraid, I will trust in THEE.' Psalm 56:3

Cindy's Challenge is ...I would like you to make something that representing what could be your life verse, a place where God has revealed to you that you can trust in him, something representing a turning point in your life, or just focusing on Psalm 56:3. This is more of an open challenge, something that only you understand. I want you to be encouraged and remember those special "Jesus and me" moments when the Lord truly revealed Himself to you and praise Him for it ! You can read Cindy's devotional at the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge

This was an easy challenge for me, from the time I first became a Christian 35 years ago this week actually, I was given this scripture and have received it on the form of encouragement, prayer on cards and so many other ways - it has been a 'constant' in my life!  What a blessing to be sent this scripture in a RAK from a dear friend - it made is so easy....I think I may need to invest in this stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs!!   I added it inside a 'window' on this card, bordering it first with a negative from a Nestibilities Oval, to create a framed look.

I used a very popular set from Layers of Color - Nature Walk -it is one of my personal favourites - although I say that each time I use one of the sets - but how could I not - they are all divine!!  The Flourish is gorgeous and I stamped it directly onto the CS.  The flowers have been cut out and added to the side along with one of the gorgeous flowers I won on a Challenge.  I have added colour to the flowers with Distressing ink, just by wiping my dauber over them.  The luscious pearls in the centre are part of a RAK from my dear friend Gunn and the pearl swirls are part of some flourishes I won from McMahon Five Designs - thank you Sue - I am loving these!  I just love it when cards come together  so easily!!

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart - how easily it rolls off the tongue!  I don't know about you, but I find it so easy to trust Him with the bigger things, like...my life, but when it comes to smaller things, it seems to be so much harder.  One of the biggest battles with is trusting Him with my children!  Sure, I hand them over to Him in prayer and when 'the rubber hits the road; I do trust Him, but at times 'take them back'!  It is not that I don't trust Him - how could I not, He has proven Himself to be faithful and true time after time - I think for me  the hardest part is 'and lean not on your own understanding!'

The truth is that my own understanding is what brings things undone for me at times.  I have been brought up knowing I am capable of so many things and it is an ongoing journey to not trust in my own ability and understanding.  God has shown both my DH and I that He does things His way, which a lot of the time is definitley not our way and HE has directed our paths - inspite of me at times!  It seems that 35 years of reminders is not enough for me - I am committed to the process of learning, maturing and growing in Him - trusting Him with all of my heart!!

*Lisa *  Chris * Cindy * Grace * Peggysue * Randi * Miejse* Rebecca *

I am linking this to the following challenge:
Mark's Finest Papers  - Harvest cards - colours

Thank you to our sponsor for this week

Sassy Studio Designs

You can see more of my projects in my Layers of Color Gallery, while you are there make sure you check out the other Design Team galleries there is so much inspiration waiting to be discovered.  You are invited to join us on our SNR Group where there is lots of fun and chatter (No surprises there I know! LOL)  There are also discounts and previews that are exclusive for the Group Members - come and join us!!

Thank you for coming and visiting with me today and for the comments and encouragement you leave me here!  I love seeing that you have visited - it makes my day!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}

Exciting News!!!

Announcing the Grand Opening of

Laura Kirste Campbell's

new line of digital stamps

offered exclusively on Squigglefly!

Announcing the arrival of a brand new product...original, hand-drawn digital stamps!

Expanding Layers of Color art stamp line with an entirely new look in a fresh hip style!

Squigglefly, a popular digital website is announcing their newest artist, Laura Kirste Campbell!

But there is a very special purpose above and beyond these exciting facts that give this new direction personal meaning for the artist. Laura is donating 100% of her Squigglefly profits directly to The Theological Biblical Academy, (TBA). TBA trains pastors and church planters who will establish and lead biblical churches in Croatia and the bordering countries of Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia. This is the ministry of her dear friend, Nina Brackett, who is also a Squigglefly artist. This is not only a way for Laura to lend support, but also to give thanks to God for gifting her with talents and her art business, Layers of Color.

Please come by Squigglefly, visit Laura's "about" page, and help support this wonderful ministry by choosing several delightful digis! And may God be glorified through us all!

As one of Laura's Layers of Color Designers, I am thrilled for Laura and can't wait to check out these images - I will see you over there - I know you are going to love them - don't forget to leave Laura some LOVE!! 

LOC Winged Bouquets & Blog Candy Winner

I have been busy with projects that I can't show you yet, but last night I decided to create something for The Shabby Tea Room - I saw their inspiration challenge for this week and my fingers were itching to use the Layers of Color Merci Bouquet and Flutterescent images.

I was given some of these cards with the windows in them - I don't know the right term, but decided it was time I used a few of them!

I also used a negative from a Nestiblities Oval that was lying around on my desk, in THAT EVER GROWING PILE of scraps!!  I lined the oval window with the smaller negative and sponged around the edges.

Using the page from a Hymnal, I inserted it inside the oval and lightly chalked in brown over the actual music and then added a butterfly from the Flutterescent Clear Art Stamps and added a portion of some pearl swirls!

I finished off with one of the images from Merci Bouquet Clear Art Stamps, stamping it around the edges, giving the impression of a frame!   How easy was that!!   I love the more eclectic look of cards and enjoy the creative process with them, but I have to say it was great being able to make this one so easily and still keep that vintage feel - what do you think!?!?

You can see more of my projects in my Layers of Color Gallery, while you are there make sure you check out the other Design Team galleries there is so much inspiration waiting to be discovered.  You are invited to join us on our SNR Group where there is lots of fun and chatter (No surprises there I know! LOL)  There are also discounts and previews that are exclusive for the Group Members - come and join us!!

Oh my giddy aunt - I nearly forgot - the winner of my Blog Candy from the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge Birthday Blog Hop is:

Natalie said...

Your butterflies are soooo pretty!! Love the card. The verse you've chosen is a wonderful word of encouragement! God bless.

August 17, 2010 3:26 PM
 
Congratulations Natalie - if you email me your details,  I will send your goodies to you - if I don't hear from Natalie by then - I will draw another winner!  Thanks!

Thank you for your comments and all of the encouragement you leave me here!  I love seeing that you have visited - it makes my day!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}

MMSC67 Triple the Fun!!!

 As we begin this week's Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge we are saying a with a HUGE thank you to a couple of our GDT members. Pam and Brenda- It has been a pleasure the last three months creating, laughing and just goofing off with you guys. You are both so much fun and I hope you come back to play with us again really soon. We are not saying goodbye, because I know you both said you would be playing and stalking us ..LOL  As we see two of our team members leaving us, we are thrilled to say that we have three more additions to the team starting next week. I am so excited to tell you who they are, but I will just have to wait and tell you next week.

This week I am going to shock you as I have not got two cards for you this week - but THREE!! No it is not because I don't have a life, but there is a reason ....My first card is made using one of Michelle Perketts gorgeous whimsical images, Abby and Walter.  Now here comes my reason - after making my cards for the challenge we realised that we had not used any of Michelle's images - and we couldn't have that, we all love Michelle and her delightful work, so I quickly made this card!

Now I have to say, it was not without it's share of trials - as I was cutting around Abby I cut off her legs by mistake - Michelle we could have started  a new line of stamps featuring disabled images!!  I emailed the girls and told them that I had made Abby a amputee but had googled how to be a Neurosurgeon to reattach them!  Not to be outdone Walter lost his tail and it had to be carefully taped back on - then I over sponged around his butt and it looked like he had a terrible accident (ewww!!!)  - thankfully some wipes and an eraser helped there - what a laugh I have had with this card - finally it was finished and you are seeing the finished item - what do you think - can you see the 'trouble spots!?! LOL!

 I have used Priscilla's images for two cards!  The first is using this gorgeous Chandelier digi.  I don't know about you but I just love Chandelier's - we have a gorgeous one hanging in our room it holds tealights and looks amazing when lit.  I love the ambiance that it gives!

  I kept is very simple as I wanted to highlight the gorgeous DP from Stampin' Up, embossing one side of it and sponging around the edges of both pieces.    I added a piece of lace and threaded it through a pearl buckle/slider and finished off with Corners and small gems!

My third and final card is using Priscilla's new image The Dragonfly - these images certainly make the sketches easy.  How do you like my gorgeous DP - it is from one of my Design Team Sistah's, Gunn - you can imagine my surprise  when  I came home to find an AMAZING RAK from Gunn - it was filled with the most delish things to use for cards - the gorgeous ribbon and bling was part of this RAK - thank you so much Gunn, I am having so much fun with it!!

I coloured a second set of wings with Pearlised Chalks and added fine lines of Kindy Glitz to try and add that almost iridescent shimmer dragonflies wings have and then popped them up on foam dots!  You can see some of the shimmer and dimension below!

These cards are for the following challenges:

The Pink Elephant - Ribbon and Sparkle - all 3 cards

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes - all 3 cards

Everybody Art Challenge - In the Garden - card 3

Now to this weeks sketch...it's "YOUR PICK" Make it fancy, clean and simple, or somewhere in-between.

Our  MMSC66 Gold Star Award goes to...

#8 Pat (mspfd) 

Our Remarkables Awards this week go to...

#4 Darlene
#23 Suzi
#35 Sharon Basel


Please grab your award logos from the side bar and display them proudly

Thank you to our weekly Bonus sponsor

Sugar Creek Hollow

and

Our Aug Monthly Sponsor

Michelle Perkett Studio

Thank you so much for visiting and for persevering through a slightly longer post!  I do appreciate you visits - you make my day so much brighter with your comments!!  I hope I have inspired you just a little bit and I would LOVE to see you play along with the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge this week - it is a gorgeous sketch and I look forward to visiting to for inspiration!  God bless you!
{{{hugs}}}