My first digi-stamp

I had the idea of making my own definition stamps, but then in a digital way, by using Bible verses in the same way as the Hero Arts definition stamps are made.



This is the result, my first digi-stamp using Isaiah 61:10 - which better verse to use!!

The orange/pink PP comes from Vanessa.

Playing with distress inks

I had a couple of mornings off work this week because my son David was sick and when I saw these links on Godelieve's blog, I really wanted to experiment with distress inks again, now I had more time.



These are the little tag cards I made.



This one is done by sponging on shabby shutters (green), placing a mask (Tim Holtz) on the bottom of the tag and then sponging over the top with broken china (blue) to achieve this kind of teal color.



This one is done by sponging on two different inks and then flicking on water from a paint brush to get the splotchy effect. I love this technique.



The third one is made using pink and brown distress inks on the tag. Then ink up your chosen stamp with versamark, spray it lightly with water and then stamp on the distressed tag. Nice effect I think.

Nice to know some of the basic techniques with distress inks.

A little brown/blue card share and part two on forgiveness!

Just a little share of a vintage card made with brown and denim blue tones.



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Hi! My sharing today was not easy to get on here. I lost it so many times I had to make a separate document on my hard drive and just couldn't work on-line. So let's hope it will be ok this time!

As I received a very analytical insightful response to what I shared a couple of weeks ago from Deborah Nolan, I want to carry on with the subject of forgiveness..
To give you a little recital of what happened: I had reproached a colleague about her coming in to work late, thinking that she would accept the truth - but instead provoked a harsh aggressive response. Both being Christians and having known each other for four years - what was missing in this confrontation? The conclusion was that I had spoken the truth without love, which had resulted in tension. I was the one who had to forgive first to save the situation which cost me a little sacrifice of my pride.
Look at what Deborah wrote:

« I know from experience that you are dead-on right. It is easier for the "wronged" party to offer the apology because she's not in the wrong. (She's really not got anything to lose, now does she?) Once she does, the wrong-doer is suddenly freed to apologize herself. That earlier apology gives her the advance forgiveness she needs to give her the courage to admit she is wrong. I think we don't like to apologize because we fear rejection. When you said you were sorry first, she knew she was being embraced not rejected, so she was able to apologize. »

Isn’t this a great picture of how God forgives us? Although we are the wrong doers He takes the initiative to open a way of acceptance by a sacrifice which cost Him His Son and now the debt has been paid we can come freely to the throne of God without being rejected!! That is the divine law of LOVE!

God loved us first - we have been « accepted in the beloved » Ef.1:6

That same Love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit - it should give us the courage to walk in forgiveness, to quit criticizing and judging and by walking in this Godly example, opening the way for others to want to walk in the truth and come to the light! That is the way the Cross works in our lives so that the character of Jesus Christ can become a reality in us!

In this light I believe that this Bible verse speaks even louder:

"This is real love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." 1 John 4:10

I really appreciate any input you might have so that this can become interactive! It is good to meditate on these things not to just live on the surface and follow our natural inclinations.

Thank you Deborah for sharing!

Tag Tuesday #26 - Christmas color scheme

It's Tuesday again and here is the challenge on Louise's blog where you can see her gorgeous example tag.



I love this color combo but I am also looking forward to other color challenges that Louise has in store for us in the coming weeks. It's nice to have a tag ready for that special little Christmas gift!

I used a stamp from Sugar lump studios and different patterned papers.

Just want to thank Godelieve, Sanne and Daniëlle who helped me out on Sunday as I thought I was having problems with my blog. Thanks girls!

Art Declassified Bunchberry Stamp

This is an Art Declassified stamp which I recently got sent to me By Vicky Martindale. I had sent her an ATC and she wanted to send me something in return, a Cling from Hero Arts or an Art Declassified stamp. I had never heard of Art Declassified before but when she said it would be an outline flower, I didn't hesitate! In the end she sent me a Cling as well! So kind!

I have to say that I just LOVE this stamp as it offers me a half hour of pure enjoyment just selecting different patterned papers and paper piecing!



Everytime, this card will look different, according to the papers I choose and that's what I love about a stamp.





Here are two I have made so far but actually can't wait to make another one!

Theme thursday - patterned paper

It's nice to have a little challenge on the Tuesday and the Thursday. Patterned paper, which is the theme, is something I just love. I especially love stamping on it!
Here is the link to the challenge.



I got this rubber stamp from Art Journey's on-line shop in Holland. I loved the image of the praying girl. Again it is a stamp I have been pondering on for ages... shall I, shan't I - but I think it is a very versatile stamp for many occasions which is always the reason why I purchase in the end. If stamps don't prove versatile enough I usually end up selling them on Ebay, so I'm very careful.
I used my little flower embellishments again and a butterfly stamp from Paper Artsy.
I used five different types of patterned paper on this card.

Tag Tuesday # 25 - Use a picture

Louise posted her tag for this week's tag tuesday challenge here. Everybody is welcome to join in!

It's so strange that I can use any vintage image but as soon as I try to use a photo, or even a copy of a photo I get into a complete mess. So, I opted for a little sweet vintage image that Nancy Kreuger sent me and used up some scraps.

Theme thursday - Borders and a Pearl of the Word of God

The Thursday theme is 'borders' at this challenge blog today.

I added some borders to this card by punching out two strips of paper lace.



I never usually use this color but I really like it. I saw this stamp used in such a nice way a while back and the effect is achieved by inking up your stamp with distress ink and then spraying a little water over the top before stamping.



This is a photo of the gorgeous roses (50 of them) I received from my sweet hubby today, just to encourage me, he said....
The florists name for this bunch is 'Indian Summer'.

PEARL of the WORD

I'm going to share something today in which God taught me a good lesson about His wisdom! It's just a small example but they are all worth learning from in discipleship!
You could call me a simple girl... for me truth is truth and I don't let much get in between. But I am still learning that truth without Love, is a very cold truth and Love without truth is not worth much either!

So what does the Bible say about this and how do we apply it in a wise way in our daily lifes? I used to think that I would rather have a row than hide the truth - somehow that still appeals to me - to get 'stuff' out in the open, to be transparent, to let nothing get between me, God and other people. But 'stuff' happens, and we learn by it.

Here is the Bible verse from James 3:17

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

OK, here is the scene. My DH was in Cyprus and I was alone in the office with his secretary who I have known for four years. She is French, a Christian of course and we have had good times together. Due to circumstances in her life she is going through a very hard time and just had three weeks sick leave. Officially we start at 9 o'clock. The first day she was back to work she was there working before I arrived and I love that sort of enthusiasm! But the following days she started getting later and later and it started irritating me.... Thursday morning I thought, right, truth is truth, I am going to say something about it because she had been late in the past and we had better not make a habit of it.

WRONG.. I got the full blast and instead of feeling better about saying the truth I suddenly felt very bad and realized that I had caused tension between us. It lasted two hours. My husband called around 11 o'clock and could hear on my voice that something was wrong, so I told him. Here's what you do, he said to me, you are going to go to her, put your hand on her shoulder and say you are sorry - that is applying the Cross to your life, to allow peace to reign in the office again. GULP - me?? But I was right!
I had to fight off some pride but I did it and what happened?? She melted on the spot - Oh no, she said, I was wrong and I should never had reacted so aggressively - she just couldn't stop saying sorry to me!! We felt instantly better and the peace was restored in the office.

So what am I learning here - that wisdom is firstly pure (my irritation should have been dealt with first) then peaceful (it really wasn't my responsibility and blessed are the peace-makers), then gentle, reasonable.. full of mercy!! It is an application of the Cross, that will choose to deny itself instead of claiming my right of 'being right'. Truth without love is hard.

I believe that if I cannot say the truth in love than I just might as well keep my mouth shut and deal with my own heart first before the Lord in prayer!

Love without truth is just as wrong - but that will be for another day.

Tag Tuesday - no paper

Grumble, grumble... NO paper...
Louise certainly raised the bar but I don't think I could as I just love my paper!! So I had to use something else and I found some canvas which I printed an image on. With the same canvas I cut out a tag and sponged over a Tim Holtz mask which Louise had sent to me, with distress ink. I sewed the image on and I also sewed the little pom-pom lace on but it went all crooked - so this is an imperfect tag, but I don't have the time now to make another one!
Thanks Louise!

Gothic Arch Sunday

The Gothic Arch Sunday challenge is back on blogger which I am really pleased with because it feels like it is 'home' again...
The theme is to be inspired by the paintings of an English man called Lord Frederick Leighton, which are quite vintage in appearance.



My DH returned last friday night from Cyprus, so glad to have him back! We are having real fall weather at the moment and the birds are getting ready to migrate as they are sitting in their thousands in the trees - the noise they make is awesome! That is probably what inspired my tree on this arch.