Wise men do still seek Him!

     Another Christmas cards for this year.  Just love this image....you can't tell from the picture, but the center Magi is cut out and popped up to stand out in front of the other two.  The back layer is gold and or course a touch of bling on the star and the corners.  

     I will post this to Stampin Sisters in Christ for their last challenge :(  - I have participated in many challenges there, and the weeks I don't participate I still visit to see the devotional for the week, always inspirational and focused on His word.  They will be missed in blog land, but I give them kudos for prioritizing, and doing what they need for their families.  My son and daughter are in their mid-twenties, and my husband and I always wonder how the years passed so quickly.....you never regret the time you get to spend with them, young or old, you just have a little more time for yourself when you get older.

Supplies:  Copics, Stampendous, cardstock

Challenges:  Stampin Sisters in Christ - #167 Last Chance

Cardinals in Winter

     Every year I make ornaments as gifts for various family members and friends.  Being a bit picky about how they are colored and show up in the glass ornament keeps me busy for months in advance measuring and mentally coloring stamps I see while shopping.  Some are great for coloring, but won't fit.  Others are perfect, but digital :( - some just won't color up well with the Sharpie Paint Pens....so I was REALLY excited when Our Daily Bread came out with their recent release and had several perfect images to choose from.  Having lived in St. Louis for 17 years I am a big Cardinals Baseball fan, and the birds themselves are always colorful and fun to watch in the yard, so it was a simple choice for me to choose this stamp.
     On acetate I stamped the image in Staz-on Black ink, then I  turned it over and colored  the images with my Sharpie paint pens......I am going to work later this week on some shading and giving the birds a little more depth, but I think they look great perched on these pine branches with some snow around them (I am also going to play with adding some snow to the pine cones).
     (Okay I'm very excited to note that I also saw that I won a recent blog hop over at Our Daily Bread Designs - whoot, whoot - can't wait to do some shopping)

Supplies:  Our Daily Bread Design Cardinal Ornament, Celebrate It Ribbon, Shredded sparkly stuff, Sharpie Paint Pens, Acetate.

Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Designs 131 - A Holiday Card or Project, Really Reasonable Ribbon, Anything but a card with ribbon.

Wisemen & women still seek Him

    Every now and then when I am shopping, and have one of those 'just must use' 40% off coupons, I see a stamp whose image is so serene and lovely I must have it.  The day I spotted this stamp I probably walked by it four or five times, trying to imagine how I would use it on a card.  I imagined it colored in Copics, and for sure with some gold around it.......THEN I come home and begin to play and just can't get any of my coloring or layouts to work the way I imagined they would.  Ughh!!!  To the drawer it goes.  A few weeks later I find myself perusing the gallery at Splitcoast Stampers and lo and behold I come upon this CARD that gives me inspiration.  I kept her basic layout of the image in the circle and the sentiment in the banner.  It didn't seem appropriate to use snowflakes as she did, because she used a tree image, so I used an embossing folder on my background.  To fill the little corner I added some embellies.  This layout has inspired me to think of one or two more ways to use this lovely stamp....so glad I kept the tones earthy, and very glad I found a way to ink this up.

     There is something about the Wisemen following a star, in faith it would lead them to the King, that greatly appeals to me during the Christmas season.......Inside I will use my favorite sentiment "Little baby, sweet and small, born to be the King of all".

Supplies:  Inkadinkadoo Wisemen, Paper Inspirations Sentiment, SB M-Bossabilities, The Paper Studio DP, Cardstock, Memento Ink

Challenges:  Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

CAS'd Cowgirl Style

   Recently Stacey (Twinshappy) posted a card for the Dirty Dozen Christmas Challenge - MIM - More is Less, at SCS.   It caught my fancy, and when I commented on her blog I said I was going to case it 'cowgirl' style.  This was the immediate image that came to my mind when I saw hers.  I changed her candy canes to my Horseshoe from Flourishes, kept the layout she used, while using a different edge (Romantic Rectanges, of course),  and I have to say I love it.

    For her challenge they were doing two of the same card - one simple, and one glammed up.  I only made one since I'm not joining the challenge, but it is a great idea, and a fun way to get more cards done.

Supplies:  Spellbinders Romantic Rectangle, Flourishes stamp, pearls, cardstock. 

Lacey Frame

     I needed a special card to send - the person I am sending it to makes lovely cards herself, they are inspiring to me and I am way behind in getting a thank you to her for some things.  While perusing the Cheery Lynn blog I came across this interesting tutorial on a frame. I took two of my Spellbinders oval frames and ran them through the GC with some cardboard to create an oval frame.  Then I used some seam binding to wrap around the frame.  I decorated this with some pearls and on the back side I placed some lace.  When the frame was finished I placed it over my stamped image and scripture.  I had this lovely paper (some RAK) and it worked perfectly with this vintage looking frame, added some oh so lovely pearls and viola a card I feel befitting of the person I am sending it to.  This was lots of fun to work with and I kept it pretty simple, for sure I will be creating another - how fun to dig into my stash of lace, and ribbon.

Supplies:  Spellbinders Oval Die, Our Daily Bread Scripture, Prima Pearls, Lace, Stampin' Up Angel, Corner punch. 

Challenges:  Stampin Sisters in Christ #164, Totally Stampalicious Anything Goes,Word Art Wednesday Anything goes