Twinkles Glow with Stamps

Happy Sunday Everyone!! I hope you are having a great weekend!!  Mine is busy but I have not been feeling too well so I am trying to keep my spirits up and keep going for our girls.  They get so excited for all the holiday happenings and traditions!!

Anywho...I want to write a brief post for the Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge this week.  This is the last challenge for the year.  The team will be taking a break for the holidays and will return on January 8.


This week's hostess is the ever so sweet and talented Miesje!!


Miesje has chosen one of my fave verses for the holidays:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14)


What do you think of when you think of Christmas? Is it the presents or the tree, the lights, or Christmas decorations?  Each and every one of these are symbols for the holiday...not the true meaning but what people long ago used as reminders of that blessed Christmas in the stable.  


The evergreen or tree reminds us of everlasting life.  The Lights representing the Light of the world.  The presents representing God's Gift to us and those given by the wisemen.  Even the colors red and green representing His Blood shed for us and the everlasting life He has given to us if we believe in Him.


What is Christmas without the humble birth of our dear Lord and Savior a long time ago.  What gift to send His one and only Son for us!!  How many kings have been born?  How many royal men have been born in a humble manger as our Savior was?  How many humble or royal births do we celebrate internationally and all around the world yearly?  Jesus, though spiritual and God's Son was born to save us from our Sins.  The greatest gift of Christmas is not only His birth but what He came to do for us.  Born as a Son of God and Man, He came to die that we all may have eternal life if we believe in Him and what He has done for us.  This Christmas message is what gives us Peace and Joy not only at Christmas but all year long!!  Glory to God!!!


Miesje has challenged us to create 
A Christmas card or project that is Christian, including a Christian image and/or sentiment  about the TRUE meaning of Christmas.


For my creation, I decided to make a gift box that I created with Origami.  The tag uses the verse "Glory to God in the Highest..." and the ornament from the Ornaments 2 set at Our Daily Bread Designs cut out with the Spellbinders Holiday Tags.  The candy cane is made with beads and a pipecleaner.  


If you don't have a box in the house and you need to have a small box to package a gift for someone, these origami are a fun, quick, and inexpensive way to create one.  Some may know how to create one of these boxes, but for those who don't, I plan to create a tutorial in mid to the end of January.  All it takes is some adhesive and 2 pieces of 12x12 designer paper!!




This week's Sponsor for the challenge is Our Daily Bread Designs who is offering one random participant a $15 gift certificate toward stamps at their store.



Speaking of  Our Daily Bread designs...did you know that they are having a BIG SALE!  Many sets are 30% off and they are giving "Daily Dough Dollars"!  Customers can  order daily and for every $50 you spend you will receive a coupon code for  $10 in Daily Dough Dollars, redeemable from January 1 - March 15.  The sale runs through December 25th!



This may be my last for the week unless the busyness and schedule changes and I am able to create something or blog.  Between some real estate happenings and the so many things I need to do as well as prepare for the holidays, it just seems there is no time.  If I am not able to post, I want to wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.  May the Peace and Joy of that Christmas long ago be yours at Christmas and throughout the New Year!!!!


blessings,

Happy Sunday All!!! I hope you are all enjoying this weekend!! This one is very  busy for me as my family is here to celebrate Thanksgiving early.  Last night we had our turkey with all the fixings.  How Yummy and oh so fun!!  I feel like I gained a few pound over night. LOL!  It does feel good to think the big preparations for the Thanksgiving holiday are done.  Thursday, we will just have a nice quiet dinner among our family with a little less work or stress. LOL!

Today I am popping briefly to share this week's Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge hosted by Rebekka.

Rebekka chose the verse:
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him


Rebekka challenged the team to:
make a card of praise,using music, stamp, or design paper or just the word praise.


Here is my take on the challenge using the Blessed Christmas stamp set (an older set from ODBD) at Our Daily Bread Designs.




I used music on my card background using the Allegro embossing folder.  I also drew musical notes on my sentiment panel and added gold baubles.  The designer paper is from SU Holiday Traditions and K and Co. Elizabeth Browd (Holiday paper).  My panels are antiqued with gold embossing powder on the smaller panels and Antique Gold on the largest panel and over the embossing.  This card uses the layout from this week's Mojo Monday sketch 215.





This card was also made for the Splitcoast November Theme challenges using the Word Challenge: WORD1011 which is to use the letters in the word PLAY.
P- Pearls, Pin
L- Lace, layers
A- Antique Gold, Allegra embossing folder
Y- Yellow- yellow buttons and yellow gold accents


Card Recipe:
ODBD stamps: Blessed Christmas
Paper: SU Holiday Traditions, K and Co.- Elizabeth Browd, Ivory, Real Red
accessories: pearls strand, Allegra embossing folder from Provocraft, gold baubles, May Arts Ivory Wrinkled Ribbon, red cording, lace, buttons




For more inspiration please visit my DT Sisters:

Hello All!!  I hope you have been enjoying the weekend!!  After having a very rough week, it was great to be able to spend some time with my hubby and girls.  We have spent some quality time together.


Today I am popping in to share this week's Stampin Sister's in Christ Challenge.  This week's hostess is Traci.


This week's verse chosen my Traci is:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ESV


It is very easy to say thanks for things when life is going well or when things turn out just the way want them to but it isn't easy when life gets rough.  When life seems to be at it's worst, we always have something to be thankful for.  During this upcoming Thanksgiving holiday remember to say thanks!!


This weeks challenge:


Create a card or project that depicts gratitude...it can be an image of something you are grateful for, a scripture that evokes your gratitude, or it can be a card made especially for a person you would like to thank this time of year!!


For my card I chose to use the verse: 


The Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23


 No, this is not a Thanksgiving or a thank you card but it shows the one thing that I am deeply grateful for!!!  Without this gift from God, my life would not be worth living.  Thanks Lord, for your Grace and for your salvation.  As we approach the holiday season, I pray that it is remembered that  this is the true gift..there are no gifts in comparison!!!




CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs- Gift of God, Sacred Season
Accessories: lace, gold metal bells (hoarded stash from last year), liquid applique, lace, ivory wrinkled ribbon from May Arts, Provocraft Soft Swirls, Gold embossing powder
Dies: Holly Accents from Spellbinders, ODBD Window Die

Happy Sunday All!! I hope you are all enjoying the weekend!!  It has really changed a lot in a week's time from summer to very cool Fall days.  The leaves are colored but many are dried up and dropping due to the rain and wind.


Today it is time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge.  This week's hostess is the sweet and talented Marilynn!!

Marilynn has chose the verse: 
Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...


This verse seems very appropriate for what my family and I are currently going through. For two years, we have felt God was calling us elsewhere and that He had a different plan for us.  At Easter this past year, we felt we should act on that call and beginning looking for employment for my husband in Virginia, close to where his brother lives.  When we began looking, we thought we were just looking for opportunities or if there was any employment, not a real position or job at this point.  We went to three different companies.  The third company Scott felt was a long shot but he wanted to apply anyway.  The first day we went there, it was Easter Monday and most of the employees were on vacation.  We were asked to come the following day (the day we were to be going our 500 mile trip home) since the secretary who had the applications was not in.  As we left me in laws, we went to one more company to apply and then went a round about way to apply to the company he was to apply at last (the long shot!) since I had wanted to check out a house.  These delays were meant to be.  By the time we got there, the supervisors and bosses were coming in.  By God's grace, Scott had the opportunity to be sought out and talked to by one of them.  It then became a formal interview with all the president and vice president of the company (an hour and 45 minute long interview, while my girls and I sat in the car ready for our trip home).  Scott felt that God was calling him to this company after that interview and within less than 2 weeks there was a salary and benefit package offered to him.  While it is hard to leave this beautiful home we now live in and leave everything familiar, God has prepared us to follow His calling, although difficult.  We will be leaving parents and siblings behind (but thank God we will have a sibling and his family to go near as well as an aunt and an uncle).  With all this in mind, for the last 5 months we have been trying to sell our home and relocate.  It has been a lot of ups and downs...we almost had a contract but then they were not approved for a loan.  Anyone who has tried to sell a house knows what I am talking about...especially during these awful economic times (But God can do all things...With Him all things are possible). Throughout the process, we have been praying that God's will be done and not ours.  While the timing seems right to us, it is not God's yet...maybe next week...or the next....All in God's time.  I have to admit my faith and trust in Him has become stronger.  There are some circumstances in our lives that we have no control over.  At times like these, you learn that you are not in control of your destiny, God is.  All our circumstances or the events in our lives, have a purpose. These events help us grow and to have a better relationship with Him!




Marilynn's challenge: 
Make a card that shows the passing of time. A clock ( for hours) a sun (for days) a calendar for (years) etc.


Here is my take on the challenge using the Elegant Oval Frames, Faith, and Scripture Collection 1 stampsets from Our Daily Bread Designs.  The designer paper is My Minds Eye Lost and Found. I have two dry embossed panels behind my flowers but it may be less noticeable with my leaf detail (top right). The clock piece is part of a chain of clocks I found at AC Moore and I took a part.  The flowers are old paper flowers that I crumpled, sponged in soft sky, and recycled to make layered flowers. I stitched around the edge and added some lace (given to me by a friend) and some pearl strands (also given to me by a friend).  I was trying to create a elegant yet vintage flair to my creation.  Not sure if I really accomplished this or not.

I hope you enjoyed my creation.
Totally Papercrafts - layer upon layer,  Moving Along With The Times - VintageShelly's Images -  Anything Goes,   My Time To Craft - Punches & Dies,  Sweet Stamps - Lots of Layers,Emerald Faerie Garden -Flowers, Flowers and Flowers
Art Impressions Stamps Challenge  - Lace



Thanks for stopping by and for all your comments!! They are greatly appreciated!!

Have a great day!!

Blessings,