Going on holiday..

Just to say goodbye for a couple of weeks - we are leaving for our holiday in the North of Spain on Saturday. I will not have Internet but might find a Cyber cafe some place, or a little booth on a beach!



This is my entry for this week's Hero Arts challenge which is to use a tag on a card, box or whatever. As I don't save anything I couldn't find a thing in the house to decorate, so I had to use a card!


(please click on the photo)
I took this yesterday evening from the side of the pool - this is my back garden where this scene radiates complete rest. I can sit and soak up the silence watching the sun go under. A complete silence fills the air. Now and again I will hear a car but otherwise I only have the company of the swallows that come for water from the pool. At the end of the day I need to soak up the quietness and beauty outside in the warm evening air and let nature refresh me. It's one of God's ways of speaking - without words, but OH what a message!

I wish you all a wonderful summer holiday time!
Jacqueline

Tag Tuesday - Metallics

The theme for Tag Tuesday today is Metallics. I was inspired by one of Louise's tags a while back that she stamped half of a heart onto her tag in gold. So I stamped half of a Stampingtons heart I have, in silver, thus using a metallic.

The challenge can be found here. Thank you once again Louise for the Tuesday enjoyment!

Challenge Hero Arts - monochromatic colors

I have been so busy! Yesterday we were at a wedding, the secretary of my DH got married at the age of 47! Never been married before. She looked stunning! It is amazing what make up and a new hair-do can do for somebody!
We saw our youngest son off to Holland where he joins his brother at Bible camp for a week and this week I have to prepare for David, our handicapped son's holiday camp where he will be for three weeks. It will give me a good break although I will be thinking of him every day - it is so hard to let go! I love him so much and he is so dependent on me for everything! I have done it before, so this time I will let go again and let God care for him!



I joined in the challenge for monochromatic cards this week at Hero arts - not too keen on this kind of card making but I like to join in.

Tag Tuesday - Magazine inspiration

Challenge nr. 9 this week at tag tuesday hosted by Louise, which can be found here.
I love Tuesdays!


Here is my tag - the background and the pot are from a magazine which I attached to a tag from a dress I bought recently. The black thread shows an XL on the little label with the white tassels. I did add a stem from the pot to the flower but it is a bit light. I might be making another one later on as I have visitors this afternoon.
I stamped a Hero Art flower and added a bit of bling and used a definition stamp to give it a bit of punch.

This is my second tag that I made a little later on. I stamped some swirls on the tag but the rest is all magazine snips. I really liked these colors.
Thanks Louise!

Sunday Postcard Art - vintage children

I can't pass up themes that I get inspiration for, so here is my postcard for this theme.



The challenge can be found here.

Distress inks on glossy paper

I probably have tried this before but I rather like the effect of distress inks on glossy paper.

Hero Arts weekly challenge - inspired by the website

The challenge this week is to make a card inspired by the Hero arts website. The card I chose is here



I used the scallop circle and the Misty flower Dot N Pattern stamp in distress ink for the centre.

Another two little vintage cards I made this week when playing with some scrap papers.




Have a lovely weekend!
Jacqueline

Wednesday Stamper - Dream

Since I have some new patterned papers and vintage paper images to play with I have found it relatively easy to get inspired! I'm putting together quite a lot of cards lately as I need to send alot and the pile is getting low.



This is for the Wednesday stampers challenge which can be found here.

I used the Hero arts scallop circle stamp and cut out the middle for my frame. I love this face, so beautiful for vintage cards.

Tag Tuesday - Stamp away!

The weekly tag Tuesday challenge can be on Louise's blog here.

I don't think I have ever made a quicker tag as the challenge was to use only ink and stamps! I had a collage image in my scrap basket that I had made with spraying water on the inked up stamp so I decided to stamp over the top of it and that was all I did.
Thanks Louise.

Meditation Monday - holiday break

I am taking a little break from Meditation Monday for the Summer holiday period and hope to be back in September, when I am back in a normal routine.
I have so enjoyed sharing with you and have so appreciated the feedback.

I can honestly say that the divine law of giving and receiving has been so true in my life these last years - only, God has given me so much more than I could ever have given.

Look at this beautiful verse:
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you.
For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”

I can honestly say that the effort I have put into my marriage has paid off with dividends! Also, the cards and little surprises I have sent with love to people have been given back to me in a way I would never have thought possible... and the list could go on and on - WE CAN NEVER OUTGIVE GOD!! Just a while back I was in a prayer meeting at work and I was feeling a bit empty.. the moment I opened my mouth to pray the Holy Spirit just took over and I felt the joy of the Lord just bubbeling inside of me... I was SO thankful - WOW, God so surprised me! I don't have that often but its at those times that my faith gets a boost. God is like that!
Life with God can be like a desert but if we perservere it becomes an OASIS - I can never thank God enough for His faithfulness - LIFE WITH GOD IS A GOOD LIFE!!

Gothic Arch Sunday - Roses

I had found a free image of a little girl with roses in her hair which gave me a start for a gothic arch challenge.



I know she looks sad but I love those eyes! The challenge can be found here.

I can't remember where I found it, but I know that Nancy Doornen has one on her blog here.

Shabby Chic Challenge

On this blog there is a great challenge going, with a lovely prize too. I don't have any Purple Onion stamps and thought I would just go for it.

This picture is the source of inspiration.


Here is the card I made solely according to the colours of the inspiration piece.


I thought I would try my luck, thats all!

Theme Thursday - pink and brown

I feel a little bit more inspired this week - the temperature has dropped at least ten degrees and the wind is cool and fresh which does help with the energy level!



This is my card for the challenge that can be found here. I absolutely love this face!
I found the music background on this blog.

Created by Hand - Inchies

I saw that 'inchies' was the theme yesterday and I couldn't resist such a challenge as I love playing around with scraps and papers to create inchie cards.



The challenge can be found here - with thanks to the girls that come up with a challenge week after week!

I kept to a beige, yellow and blue color scheme.

Tag Tuesday - Emboss it

Every week I look forward to the Tuesday tag challenge on Louise's blog, which can be found here for this week.

My paper background is basic grey (thanks Tania) and I embossed in white using stamps from Hero arts and in black using a swirl stamp (thanks Sue) from Inkadinkado.

I love embossing and hope it stays a favorite in the stamping world!

Meditation Monday - The Way Out Is Up

Good morning! Today I am sharing another devotional from Derek Prince - I hope to get my calm back after the holidays to share from the heart. I am too preoccupied with so many preparations and in this heat wave I think it is the best thing to do.

Quote:
"Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
Psalm 50:14-15

Here is the divine way out of trouble. Just now you may be in the midst of it. Everything is going against you, and you cannot see any way out. But listen to what the psalmist says: The way out is up - to God. "Sacrifice thank offerings..." That sounds senseless, but try it anyway! In the midst of all your problems, stop worrying and start thanking God. Lift your voice to God - not in complaining, but in praise. Offer Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

A sacrifice always costs you something. But it is a sacrifice that pleases God. In return, God promises: "When you offer Me your sacrifice of thankfulness in the midst of all the trouble, then i will intervene on your behalf. I will deliver you and you will honor me."

In the last verse of the psalm God returns to this theme. He says: "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God". God is waiting to deliver you. But He requires you to prepare the way for Him to intervene in your situation. This you do when you begin to sacrifice your thank offerings to Him.

In Philippi Paul and Silas were in the "maximum security" section of the jail. Their feet were fastened in the stocks, their backs bleeding from a beating. Nevertheless, at midnight, the darkest hour, they were praying and singing hymns. Suddenly God intervened with an earthquake. They were instantly released and the jailer converted (Acts 16/22-34). It was their sacrifice of praise that had prepared the way for God's intervention.

Faith's response 'Right now Lord, in the midst of my trouble, I offer to You my
sacrifices of praise and thankfulness.'

Unquote

Hope that this leaves a blessing in your life today! It certainly blessed me while I was typing it!
Jacqueline

Grid card

It's too hot to craft!! The temperature this week was as high as 106 degr F in the shade and although our house is quite cool due to the thick walls, without air conditioning it is tough! My cool DH installed a fan in my room which does help because I so love to play with paper and stamps when I can.



This is a Hero arts silhouette stamp which I dissected into squares to give it another effect. The background panels come from a basic grey pad which Tania so kindly gave to me when she visited. I stamped on a distress ink background and embossed in brown before I punched out the squares.