NORTH COAST CREATIONS MAY NEW RELEASE

Good morning!
Welcome to the new release blog hop at North Coast Creations!

Here are some samples done with the new release from North Coast Creations and Our Daily Bread Designs.

North Coast Creations "Deer Silhouette Greetings" was used for both of my cards this morning.

The first card was stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with white powder on a background I made with inks and coarse salt.  I also used the Layered Lacey Squares die from Our Daily Bread Designs to frame it up.  I sponged a bit of purple and blue inks on the edges to make it stand out from the dry embossed background (made with an embossing folder).  The ribbon and bow are wide and narrow ribbons of sheer white.  For the sentiment, I used a piece of leftover inked background paper to white heat emboss the Thinking of You.  It was then foam taped to the ribbon.

For this second card, I water colored a background masking off the sun. Let dry completely then used my Misti to line up the pieces where I wanted them on my background and used Memento Black ink to stamp each piece of this scene (more than once, the reason I used my Misti tool).  I die cut the entire panel with the Vintage Flourish Pattern die from ODBD then blackened the rest of the bottom part of the image to give a cohesive look to the scene.  I then mounted it to the coral color panel which had been die cut with the Flourish Star Pattern die (for the stitch lines). Then it was mounted to a black folded card.  The popped up frame (coral color) was made with the Vintage Labels dies from ODBD for the inside cut but because that die was the largest die in the set, I used a compass and pencil to draw along the outer edge of the die about 1/4" out to make the outside cut by hand. After cutting I sponged the inside and outside edges to cover any white edges.  I like the look of the scene continuing outside the frame on this card.  To finish off this card I added the snipped black brads.  I snip the prongs because I don't want holes in my card or the extra bulk the prongs make.  They are attached with glue dots.  Tacky glue would work as well.

Just a note, I did have to trim about 1/16" off each side of the Vintage Flourish Pattern die cut so that the stitch lines of the Flourish Star Pattern could be seen because normally they are the same size. 

Thank you so much for visiting today!

Please visit my design team sisters to see more inspiration:

Lori * Julie * Lisa * Sandee * Dawn   * Robin (you are here) * Angie * Paula

Just for commenting on the Design Team Blog Posts, you have a chance to win a $10 NCC Gift Certificate, good towards the purchase of NCC Stamps. You have until May 31st, 2015 at 10:00 PM EDT to leave a comments on the participating designers blogs for a chance to win! Two random winners will be selected from the comments left on the designers blogs, the winners will be announced on the NCC Blog on June 1, 2015, be sure to check back there to see if you have won!
Robin

Products used for these cards:

DRS Designs Challenge #176- Easy as 1-2-3

Good morning!

Today is a fun and easy challenge at DRS!

Use one of something (like in my case, sentiment), two of something (border cuts) and three of something (butterflies). 

You can use whatever you like, such as: stamps, buttons, ribbons, die cuts, colors, brads, flowers, etc. Come up with any combination of 1, 2, 3.

My DRS stamps today are: 744F Three Butterflies, 1076H Flower Border, 399G Butterfly Kisses Greeting.

I stamped the flower border twice on white card stock, colored and cut out (about 1 1/2 borders). Stamped the butterflies on a separate piece, colored and cut out.

I took a piece of 3 3/4 X 5 white card stock and used the Spellbinders curved border on it with two border dies in place (one scallop and one decorative above it). I trimmed a bit off the bottom so that I could separate the cut from the left over bottom piece (since I wanted to use both on this card).

After stamping the sentiment, I mounted both pieces onto a black panel 4 X 5 1/4 then onto a white folded A2 card.

I added the flower border curving a bit where the two pieces of border met and then foam taped my butterflies into place on the flowers.  I added Stickles to the wings and some pearl flourishes to the panels above and below the cuts.  I wanted some bright colors to go with my black and white card so this hot pink and orange really pops I think! 

Hope you'll join in the challenge! There is a prize giving each week so head on over HERE.

You will also see the other designer's samples for this week!

Thanks for visiting!

Robin

ODBDSLC240-Fluttering or Flying

Good morning!!

Well we have fluttering AND flying here this morning!

Today starts a new challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs so let's create!

ODBD stamps used: Spread Your Wings, Sing To The Lord, Butterfly & Bugs.

ODBD dies used: Butterfly & Bugs, Ornamental Crosses, Beautiful Borders, Birds and Nest, Fancy Foliage.

ODBD paper used: Christian Faith Paper Collection

This is a Lever Card!  It's a great way to show off a lot of stamps and die cuts! This card has a lot of the new release for May. I love the birds and butterflies of this release!!! They are so pretty!

This card is a bit too complicated to explain here so I'll give you a link to a tutorial HERE.

I used the die cuts and stamps from ODBD to decorate and the beautiful paper from the Christian Faith Collection.

Please visit my design team sisters for more inspiration:

Elizabeth Whisson, Robin Clendenning (you are here), Diana Nguyen, Paula Bigelow,

 Gracie Chavez, Chris Olsen

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC240 or to join the challenge click here. You have until May 31, 2015 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a  $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post. Please do not post on Flicker as many of us do not have the ability to comment on your cards nor can we spotlight your cards on the blog.

Things that flutter and fly, they inspire us to paint, photograph, learn to fly...they inspire us to look to the One who made these things and all things.  Our Father in heaven, who loves us and provides everything we need, He made these things as part of the beautiful world we live in; to be part of our lives.  God is so good to us! He blesses us in ways that, for the most part, we take for granted.  How many times do you think about your beating heart or the air we breathe?

Do we think about the grand plan when we go to the pharmacy to pick up our medication that very likely was made from the leaves of a plant? Or put on perfume made from the oils of flowers?  When I think about the way the body is made and forms in the womb and how everything works so perfectly, it is just beyond my comprehension. 

Look up in the sky and see the stars and know that there are galaxies upon galaxies  beyond the star that we can see...our Lord God made them all!  One of my favorite verses is this: Ps. 8:3 "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him." Ps. 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork". And one more, one of my all time favorites is Ps. 139:13-14 "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well". How can I not love He who loves me so much.

Thanks for visiting today.

Robin

DRS Designs Challenge #175- Color Challenge

Good morning!

Time for another challenge at DRS!

Today starts the color challenge.

DRS stamps used: 417E Sun Shine on You, 1023M Bloomin Huge Flower

You know the out of the box cutting technique for dies right? well, this is the reverse.  Instead of having part of the image poke out of the die cut, I have part of the image poking into the opening.  I stamped the large flower and then put my die dow and traced around the area where the flower was.  I then started my scissors inside of the marked oval and cut around the flowers that would poke in, laid my die down and put the petals on TOP of the die.  Then I cut.

I made my blue folded card base and laid the flower/oval panel on top of it and put the next size die dow into the open oval, tape it to the blue and then ran it through my cutter (just the blue card base).  I then colored my image after masking my first flower and stamping some more.  When finished I foam taped it to the card base with the oval opening.  Stamping the sentiment inside was another bit of a challenge.  I placed removable tape under my white panel and LIGHTLY drew a line where my oval opening was and the petals, I then used my stamp aligner and stamped the sentiment.  Took off the removable tape and stuck it down good then erased my lines.

That's about it!  Hope you have time to join the challenge.  To see the other designers cards and to join in, click HERE.

ODBDSLC239-Inspiration Challenge

Good morning all!

His mercies are new EVERY morning!

Today starts a new challenge at ODBD.  You can get inspiration from the photo below.

ODBD stamps used: Trois Jolis Papillons, Lilac, Sentiment Collection 3

ODBD dies used: Tres Papillons, Birds and Nest, Quatrefoil Pattern, Vintage Labels

I cut the frame from two sizes of the Vintage Label dies, cut the quatrefoil die and cut it down to fit inside the frame and backed it with lavender paper.

I cut a white rectangle and used an embossing folder on it then sewed around the edge.  I foam taped the frame up onto it.  I stamped, cut and colored the butterflies and flowers (fussy cut the lilac flowers) and then cut the little flowers from the birds and nest set and formed them.  I arranged all of these plus some sheer ribbon around the edge of the frame.  I mounted the front to some pattern paper then to a white folded card!

To see more inspiration please visit my design team sisters:

Robin (That's me), Gracie, Diana, Elizabeth, Paula, and Chris 

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC239 or to join the challenge click here. You have until May 24, 2015 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a  $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post. Please do not post on Flicker as many of us do not have the ability to comment on your cards nor can we spotlight your cards on the blog.

Psalm 145:9

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.

Our Father God, creator of all heaven and earth and everything in the earth, above the earth and below it. Can you imagine, every herb of the field, tree, flower, every smell, every color!  He keeps every atom together gives every breath!

This same God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. We can have the righteousness of Christ in God's eyes just by believing in His son Jesus and that He died and rose again from the dead.  Salvation is a free gift from God.

Jesus said "I am the Way the, the Truth, and the Life, No one comes to the Father except through me". John 14:6 

Thanks for visiting today.

Robin

DRS Designs Challenge #174-Birds and Bees

Good morning!

The new challenge this week is anything bird and/or bees!

DRS Design stamps used: 1020A Bitsy Bumble Bee, 1143L Beehive, 1147B Bee Trail, 544F Bee Cause You're Special, 561C Happy Bee, 019C Honeycomb Design.
The top panel is stamped with VersaMark on white and embossed with white then sponged with Distress inks.  The bottom panel was embossed with an embossing folder in a honeycomb design. I then mounted the two panels on a dark honey color and stitched around the outside with a zig zag stitch.  The beehive and Bitsy bee (plus a reverse image of Bitsy Bee.  I stamped the Bitsy bee on the back of a clear stamp then stamped it onto the stock.  Easy!) I then die cut with a DiNamic nesting die leaving the branch out of course, "Out of the box" style. I die cut a dark honey square to mat. I stamped and cut out the Happy Bee and the sentiment (as if it is a bee trail). The wings are glittered, of course, all bug wings are glittered...right?
To see the other design team cards and to join the challenge, click HERE.
Thanks for stopping by,
Robin

ODBDSLC238-Sketch Challenge

Good morning!

ODBD stamps used: Spread Your Wings

ODBD dies used: Antique Labels and Border, Layered Lacey Squares , Birds and Nest, Flourished Star Pattern

ODBD Papers used: Shabby Rose Collection

I started this card with the Flourish Star pattern die on the Shabby Rose Collection paper (blue), it gives a nice pierced edge. I then mounted to a tan piece of stock and sewed around the edge with a straight stitch.  I die cut two Layered Lacey squares (the largest one) and cut apart the second one to use inside the first.  I sponged all the edges with Tea Dye.  I cut the second size Layered Lacey Square die in blue and then embossed it with a folder.  Before attaching to my card front, I ran the 1" tan satin ribbon under the top of the card and laid it over the large lacey square.  I then attached my blue embossed panel.  I stamped and die cut the birds, nest and sentiment and die cut the little flowers that come with the bird and nest die set.  I formed the flowers a bit , sponged them with a darker pink and added them to my card with pearls and gauze.  I stamped the sentiment on the bottom of the card and on a white piece of scrap.  I die cut the white with the Antique Labels and foam taped over the sentiment on the card.  I added some pearls. Finally I attached my card front to a white base, added a dot bow, my birds and more pearls.  That's it!

For more inspiration, please visit my design team sisters:

Robin (you are here), Paula, Diana, Elizabeth, Gracie, Chris, 

and our special guest Amy!

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC238 or to join the challenge click here. You have until May 17, 2015 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a  $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post. Please do not post on Flicker as many of us do not have the ability to comment on your cards nor can we spotlight your cards on the blog.

Well, I know I've used this verse before but with a card like this how can I not use it? Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap no gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?
Yes, our heavenly Father takes care of us.  He loves us beyond measure.  He forgives our blackness of heart, our stumbling and faltering and blindness.  He has mercy on us and in fact His word says His mercies are new every morning! He is gracious and compassionate and He has a plan for each life.  We can live in His plan if we will just trust Him and give our life to Him.  He blesses us with every blessing, what's not to trust?
Blessings to you!
Robin

DRS Designs Challenge #173-Hot Trends-Beautiful Backgrounds

 Good morning!
Today starts a new challenge at DRS Designs,  "Beautiful Backgrounds."

Outside

Inside

DRS stamps used: 395H Leafy Branch, 413H Love Bird Branch, 035D On Mother's Day, 402F Mermillod Mother's Greeting

I've done the Watercolor Bokeh technique for my background.  There is an excellent tutorial at SCS here. 

I stamped, colored and cut out my branches and birds then made a little nest from a 1/2" glue dot and fiber wound around and around.  I added three tiny turquoise beads for eggs (since it is for a Mother's Day card).  I also used an embossing folder from Darice and made my front sentiment into a banner of sorts then added a threaded button ( NO naked buttons!!!)

Except for the fussy cutting, this was a very simple card to make!

To see all the samples for this challenge or to join in the challenge, click HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

ODBDSLC237-Color Challenge

Good morning all!

ODBD stamps used: My Lifeguard

ODBD dies used: Faithful Fish Pattern, Flourish Star Pattern, Vintage Labels, Umbrellas.

I love these bright colors, don't you?  I've decided to use the bright colors to do a beach scene today.  My umbrella is a beach umbrella and you know how brightly they are colored. I die cut each section a different color  and mounted to a white base umbrella. I cut off the usual handle and added a 1/8" strip of white paper for the post instead, then colored it with Copics.  I stamped the lifeguard scene and colored with Copics then used the Vintage labels to die cut it.  My  burlap is suppose to be a kind of beach mat. The background is the Faithful Fish Pattern. You know that stitched layer is from the Flourished Star Pattern? Yup! I use it a lot! Love that stitching!!

This is a very simple card but it is so colorful I just love it! Hope you do too!

For more inspiration, please visit my design team sisters:

Gracie Elizabeth, Paula, Robin Diana

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC237 or to join the challenge click here. You have until May 10, 2015 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a  $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post. Please do not post on Flicker as many of us do not have the ability to comment on your cards nor can we spotlight your cards on the blog.”

Psalm 46:1; Ps 119:114
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
There are so many verses that talk about God being our help, our shield, our salvation, our strength, our source, our deliverer, etc. 
God made us, keeps us, has a plan for us and has our days in His hands.
Most importantly, our God loves us.
The sentiment on this card reminds me of that as well as Jesus walking on the water.  Our God is a God of miracles!
Thanks for stopping by today.
Robin