Finally Tag Tuesday #27

I just love the color combo of Red, Green and Golden Yellow, it's so traditional Christmas-y!! I finally found some time to finish a tag or two. I have enjoyed seeing how everyone used this combo all week, what an extraordinary group of artists who participate in Louise's Tag Tuesday Challenge.

 

Thanks so much for your comments, your kindness is such a wonderful blessing!

Thought for the Day:Matthew 1:21 "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." 

Advent Blessings to you!

Nancy

Creating New Traditions

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family and cherished friends, good food and happy moments. As my boys are grown and Andy is married now we are staying home for Thanksgiving and creating traditions with our own little family. This year we had Ben home with us for the first time in 5 years. He has either been in boot camp, deployed or training in another part of the world every year since he entered the Marine Corps. I decided to let him choose the menu this year, so we had ham instead of turkey.

I usually make placecards for the large Thanksgiving gatherings at my sister's so this year I made placecards too. Because there were only seven of us (my niece and her boyfriend were last minute additions) I made nameless placecards. I stamped a Hero Arts sentiment on each and asked each one to try to pick the one selected for them. It was fun to watch them walk around the table debating and consulting with each other. This may be a new tradition.  After our meal we gathered in the family room to watch "The Princess Bride" a classic movie that is a family favorite.

Some of you may remember photos of my old crafting space in which I used my old dining table as a work table. It was painted white with a light colored butcher block style top, very country style.  We had planned to purchase a new dining table and chairs this year, but we figure at least one of us should be gainfully employed before that happens. So with a little paint, stain and sealer (not to mention the hubs' mad wood working skills) this is the "new" dining set, reworked for 2009.

Everything white was painted black to match the kitchen counter tops and the wood was stained a beautiful light cherry color to match the new kitchen cabinets. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

Thought for the Day: Continuing to look forward to Christmas....from Isaiah 53:6

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way; and the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all."  One can't fully celebrate the joy of Christmas without acknowledging the reality of the Cross.

Blessings to All,

Love Nancy

Two more Trimming Cards for Hero Arts Challenge

I had just enough time to throw together 2 more cards out the scraps, trimmings and stamps on my workbench.
I found another oldie but goodie Hero Arts Christmas stamp from 1991. This is the Merry Christmas with Lights Garland D124. I've always loved to color in the lights and letters.

This next card is based on the Thank You card I made awhile back with black and white ribbon. Here I used poinsettias from the HA clear set Decorate Your Own stamped in Fired Brick Distress ink to bring in the color, along with the felt poinsettia.

 

Thought for the Day: In preparing my heart to celebrate Christmas, I like to start at the beginning, with God and His love for the people He created in His image. We were separated from God by our sin but His plan was to redeem us through Jesus Christ, His Son.
1 John 4:9-10 God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the World so that we might have eternal life through Him.  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.
Blessings to You!
Nancy

Hero Arts 2010 Launch Party Open House!!!

For those of you who are Hero Arts fans in the Southern California area, specifically Orange County, I've got an invitation for you from Stamp Fever, your local stamp store in Orange.

I hope to see you there!!

Vintage Hero Arts Stamp

The multi-talented and oh so sweet Lucy Abrams has started a new challenge on her delightful blog and since I am such a fan of hers, I was very interested in joining in on the fun. Her Challenge #1 is a Color Challenge, these colors were so far outside my comfort zone that I just had to go for it. I am also a traditional Christmas color person too, so to make a Christmas card with Light Pink, Aqua and Kraft was a really fun way to challenge myself.  This is my submission for Lucy's Cards-Challenge 1 Colour.

That color scheme made me think of 1980s colors and the sweet country style so popular then. I've been wanting to use the precious old Hero Arts Country Christmas Tree stamp again so the plan was hatched.
I stamped the image on Kraft cs, and Light Pink and Aqua patterned papers and also on white cs. After about an hour of cutting, gluing assembling and reassembling (you know you do it too) this was the result. You know I rarely use cute animals on my cards so adding the cat was a big deal; she just sort of goes though doesn't she? I have to say I think I really like this.

Stamps and Supplies Used: Hero Arts Stamps-Country Christmas Tree H111; Dot Pattern E2097 from the Textures and Patterns Poetic Prints set LL635; Clear Design set Decorate Your Own CL366.

Cornish Heritage Farms Christmas Expressions ML-7008FUM. Martha Stewart punch; Cream colored embroidery floss; Ranger Frosted Lace Stickles; patterned paper Aqua-K&Co. Que Sera Sera collection, pink-unknown.

 Thought for the Day: Dealing with fears that seem to be mounting in spite of my best efforts, I am strengthened by God's Word found here:

Micah 7:8 When I sit in darkness; the Lord will be a light to me

Psalms 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 

Have a wonderful day!

Nancy

 

Brown, Pink and Burgundy Tag

Just a quick post to play along with the Tag Tuesday Challenge to use Jacqueline's favorite color scheme. You can find Tag Tuesday at Kard Krazy.
I used an image from the Graphics Fairy.   I also used another bit of paper from Jacqueline, it seemed appropriate to include it on a tag inspired by her color scheme.

Thought for the Day: From the Life Application Bible a Model for Praying for Christians according to Colossians.

1-Be thankful for their faith and changed life (1:3)

2-Ask God to help them know His will (1:9)

3-Ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding (1:9)

4-Ask God to help them live to honor and please Him (1:10)

5-Ask God to give them more knowledge of Himself (1:10)

6-Ask God to give them strength for endurance and patience (1:11)

7-Ask God to fill them with joy and thankfulness (1:11,12)

I keep this list handy for quick reference when praying for family and friends.

Have a blessed day filled with joy and thankfulness!

Nancy

Happy Monday!

I've been working on a little Christmas tree ornament using an image from The Graphics Fairy. I appreciate Karen for finding all this vintage wonderfulness and then sharing it with the masses. I found this charming Poinsettia girl and thought she would make a lovely vintage decoration.

 
This ornament is a 3" layered circle. I stamped the top part with Hero Arts Poinsettia Circle Cling in Fired Brick Distress ink, and on the bottom I stamped Old Letter Writing in Vintage Photo. Then I distressed around the edges with Vintage Photo, added the thin brown ribbon and then attached the circle to the scalloped circle. I re-sized the image in Microsoft Publisher and reduced the brightness a bit. After printing on white cardstock and cutting it out I covered the image with VersaMark watermark ink and clear embossed 3 times to give it a shiny finish. Then it was adhered to the ornament base. I punched a hole in the top and used gold thread for a hanger. The final finishing touch was a little Gold Stickles on the poinsettia centers.
The paper that I used as a background in the photo was custom made using images from The Graphics Fairy.
 


Thought for the Day:
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person; the old life is gone, a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17