TWO MORE PASTOR CARDS

 In keeping with the snowy scene outside my tower window, I've used my tree die and torn paper "snow" for these cards.


First, I made a tri-fold  4 1/4" x 3 5/8" (from a 4 1/4" x 11" piece) and used the two-part verse so that the first half would be on the outside.

 The second half is stamped on the inside flap, with another plain piece for the personal note on the inside center panel.


The second card (scroll down) is a top fold with Stickles painted on the tree with a brush.  I added a narrow strip to ground the tree and verse which are mounted on a piece of embossed white cs that looks like bark.

Thank you Sweet and Sassy for such wonderful verses!

BYE-BYE JANUARY THAW!

It's snowing here again, and the night temps are going to be single digits the rest of the week.  We were enjoying the milder temps for awhile, but it's back to winter now.

Good stamping weather, though!

ARGYLE DESIGN

Re-discovering a paper pad I bought ages ago, I came up with this card.  It was very hard to photograph--it kept popping open.  So here's a TIP:  to keep a card shut while photographing, hold it shut with some temporary tape you can remove later.

The dsp along the bottom is actually on the inside of this top fold card. I just cut a quarter inch off  to let it show.  The dsp has glitter along the white criss-cross lines, and the white and silver bakers twine adds extra shine along with the three silver pearls on the left. Unfortunately, the gray cs  looks a bit dull in the photo; but in real life, it's just right.

The verse is from a set of scripturally-sound sayings from Sweet and Sassy.  Since we're expecting snow again this week, I'll be posting more cards using this set later...

HOW'S THIS FOR A CHALLENGE???

...and now for something entirely different...

I'm challenging myself to NOT BUYING anything new, stampingwise that is, for the rest of this year.  The only exceptions would be using the SU gift certificate I got for Christmas and keeping the commitment I signed up for at Technique Tuesday (for the Greenhouse Society stamp of the month.)  Surely I have enough in this room to last until next Christmas, even enough to supply my Mothers Class projects!  It should be interesting to see how long it all really lasts, although I could ask for something I might need in Sept. for my birthday.  I'm calling it the "stamping diet" ;)

I'll be keeping you posted (literally.)

SIMPLE SATURDAY #33--Untimed

One more pastor card before heading off to my daughter's house to celebrate my son's birthday there.  Although I forgot to set the timer, this card didn't take long!

I hope you will take the opportunity to reflect on the verses I post for these pastor cards.  They make great "thoughts for the day."

BRRR...

I've used this Greenhouse Society stamp set for several cards, and every one of them has turned out great!  It looks so realistic, and even has lines for where to place the Stickles or glitter for the snow.

The image is stamped with Versafine Smokey Gray ink on Very Vanilla and then torn along the bottom.  Before coloring it in, I glued it to a piece of gray textured cs; then glued both to the card front.  Usually I would mount it with dimensionals, but this time I must confess that I had to cover up my first attempt at stamping it directly on the card.  Then I added the jute on the left.

The berries were colored with an orange glitter pen and the "snow" added,  working from left to right so as not to smear the ink or Stickles with my right hand. 

The Bible verse was stamped in the same Versafine ink directly on the card, and I was sooo happy that it stamped straight!


(The stamp set is from Technique Tuesday and the Bible verse is from Our Daily Bread Designs.)

ANOTHER PASTOR CARD

Thanks to the extreme cold this week, I've been on a roll for making pastor cards!

This one took all of 5 or 6 minutes to layer.  First I stamped the verse on a scrap of vanilla cs and set it aside.  Next, I cut the two layers of dsp, the woodgrain being the reverse side of the other.  Then I attached some coiled jute to the paper with plain ol' Scotch tape which is covered by the verse mounted with SU dimensionals.

After adding some pearls, the card was done!

MY FAVORITE STAMP

This is my favorite stamp for 2 reasons:  one because it's just a natural backdrop for so many themes and two because my dad gave it to me many years ago.  So here it is for another pastor card this week!

First, I stamped the tree on a white panel and then stamped twice more without re-inking.  I used Versafine Olympia Green ink and a brown marker on top.  I stamped the top again on a scrap and used Chestnut Roan for the verse over it.  I had a tree brad in my stash that I added.

After punching a hole in the top left corner, I added some gold twine and mounted the layers as shown.  Since the tree panel is mounted with dimensionals, the verse is attached with dimensionals on the right side only so they would both be the same height.

This is one of those cards that just "evolves" as you go along, and I love how it turned out!

BTW, did you notice that the last few pastor cards had a woodsy theme?  I didn't realize it until this post, so I guess that trees must symbolize strength to my way of thinking...

SECOND DAISY CARD

 The first card I made with this stamp was a lot more vibrant, but I like the softness of this one also.  I started out with clear embossing over Versamark ink, then watercoloring.  After cutting down the watercolor paper to the size I wanted, I sprayed the panel with Shimmer Spritz Sparkle for an equally subtle effect.

Next, I added the greeting and embellishments,  mounted the panel to a golden cs and attached it to the deep purple card base.

Done!


(Click to enlarge for a closer look.) 

SIMPLE SATURDAY #32

IS IT SPRING YET????

Here's the first card I made with the other new stamp set shown in the previous post.

Enjoy!

New Stamps!

Yesterday I stopped in at Hobby Lobby to pick out a numbering set, and here's what I came out with.  Not only does it have numbers in a variety of styles and sizes, but it also has some bar codes for the back of my cards!  The narrow bar code says "expensive"--very appropriate for all of us who create cards, dontcha think???

The card I made started out with a white side-fold base with the top piece cut shorter than the inside.  Since I wanted to use blue and yellow (avoiding red and green after Christmas) I found this yellow floral dsp in my scrap box and worked with it.  After mounting it on the card base with dimensionals, I glued on the "happy" die cut and stamped the numbers individually onto a piece of white scrap.  Stamping them one at a time allowed me to fit them closer together.  Next, I added the gems and rounded the top right corners.  To make the cardfront stand out better, I glued a strip of the same dsp on the inside to serve as a border.

This should make a nice notecard during the month of January. 

TIP:  When gluing down delicate thin pieces like this word die cut, I use TomBow Mono glue.  First, I put tiny dots on the back at the widest spots.  After mounting it on the card and letting it dry, I place a dot of glue on a piece of scrap and gently slide it underneath any loose spots.  This applies the smallest amount of glue so that it doesn't ooze out all over the front.

WINTER TREE

What better symbol of winter is a barren tree (except, perhaps for a snowman!)  Imagine if you had never seen a tree with leaves how impossible it would be to imagine what this tree would look like in the summertime.  Then try to imagine the things referred to in this Bible verse.

Even more impossible is to imagine the eternal future of God's people!

SUB-ZERO WEATHER...

...EXCELLENT STAMPING OPPORTUNITIES!

I saw this designer paper on the rack at Hobby Lobby months ago, and today is the day I decided to use it.  What better use than for one of the cards I've made for our pastor.

After cutting a piece to size for the card, I matched it up with a larger piece of kraft paper from my stash.  When I cut it, I made sure to center the main design for a simple card with an emphasis on the Bible verse presented on the front.

The Martha Stewart punch seemed to fit the pattern perfectly, allowing a little more of the kraft paper to show through.  The dots matched the colors in the design, as did the jute.

This was an easy card to layer and finish.

WINTER BIRTHDAY CARD

When I came across this card already embossed, I thought it would make the perfect card for my friend who will be celebrating her birthday on January 10.  Although it's hard to see here, I painted the flower petals with Star Dust Stickles and added crystal gems in the centers.  The twine is white with a silver thread, and the greeting is silver embossed.  It's very sparkly IRL!

CLEMATIS IN JANUARY

I joined the Greenhouse Society at Technique Tuesday and believe me, that's the only way I like to get my hands dirty around plants!  Whether stamping or gardening, I have a black thumb--except that with stamping, it's a lot safer for the plants...

I used watercolor pencils for the image, Olympia Green ink for the greeting and inside message, and yellow Stickles for the flower centers.

If you like to use botanical images on your cards, check out Technique Tuesday's monthly stamp, discount and automatic delivery HERE.

ONE LAYER SIMPLICITY CHALLENGE

Being restricted to only one layer really is a challenge for me!  I do like how this one turned out, however--in spite of the fact that I could have used the matching die cut ;)

To start, I masked the card with a 4x5" piece with the oval cut out and sponged a background with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  Next I stamped the image and colored the bird and branches with chalks.  I then stamped "thanks" (a little too far to the left than I intended) and finished by coloring the berries with a Jelly Roll pen.

To bring out the white of the bird, I used the Picket Fence Distress marker which covers the blue ink from the background nicely.

This stamp is a favorite of mine since we have so many Black Capped Chickadees at our bird feeder.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

...AND HAPPY STAMPING IN 2014!

A CLOSER LOOK

 Here's my desk blotter and most-used items surrounding it.  I recently came up with a way to maximize the stamping area with a very simple product by Crayola.  It's a sheet of thick frosted plastic I got at Hobby Lobby and cut to fit the blotter.  (Sorry, I forget what it's called.)  Underneath, I placed a sheet of SU grid paper which I use to line up my stamping or to center something on a card front.  What a help that is!  As you can see, I keep my Cuttlebug handy on the right since I use it often.

One of my most annoying problems was having to waste time looking for things that got buried under scraps, etc.  Clear acrylic handles were the items "lost" most often.  I used to store all my embossing folders and dies in the top drawer underneath the Cuttlebug; but I moved them elsewhere.  In the front of the drawer, a plastic container holds all my adhesives so that I can put them back as I use them--no more hunting for them on the table!  I just keep that drawer open whenever I'm working.  On the right side of the drawer is a container for my acrylic handles, which you can hardly see--proof of just how easy it is for one of them to "hide" on the table.  Behind those containers is a shallow one to hold incoming cards that need to be answered.

 Having a small space forces me to be more efficient and to purge my supplies often, so bigger is not always better!

DE TOWER DECLUTTERED!

 Compared to previous post, notice the absence of clutter on desk and table tops.  No more piles on the floor, either.  Plus I got all the work done in time to meet Jackie for lunch at Wegman's...

Hope this inspires YOU to start off the New Year with a more orderly creative space!

DECLUTTER DE TOWER!

 Was I busy this Christmas or what????

It's time to put the tower back together, but first I thought I'd give you a tour of the "before."  The first photo was taken from my desk chair toward the closet and Jenny's (my cat) chair.  In the foreground is the edge of my table with a pile of papers on the end.  Next is my desk with the monitor and keyboard.  The waste basket is pulled out from underneath the desk.  In front of it is a stack of 2 plastic containers filled with Christmas stamps, with even more on top.  Behind the waste basket is a box on the floor with a duplicate order that came in on Christmas Eve that I have to return -- like I needed the extra work!  To the right of that on the floor is a pack of printer paper, which belongs in the white cabinet currently blocked by two tote bags.  Behind the chair is the closet, which remained fairly neat, probably because everything I needed is pulled out!  This part of the room shouldn't take long to get back together.  The real challenge is my stamping table area.

The second photo shows my Cuttlebug still open from the last use.  Paper piles in several spots have to be sorted and put away, as well as some punches, stamps and inks.

But first, I need to go downstairs and have my coffee.  See you back here later for the "after" photos!

MODERN CHRISTMAS CRACKERS

I saw a video on YOUtube for making these Christmas Crackers with the Envelope Punch Board, and they couldn't have been easier!  Since our house is a contemporary, I decided to keep the ends pushed in instead of tying ribbons around the narrow parts as is usually done.   They each hold two Lindt truffles and will also serve as place cards for the table setting.  I thought I'd try the less traditional look for a change.

There were lots of versions of these on YOUtube, some large enough to use as small gift boxes.  (Just do a search for Envelope Punch Board.)

BIRTHDAY DEER

Click on the photo to see the glitter on the snow.  I used Star Dust Stickles, and it really glistens the way snow is supposed to!

The birch trees are from a new set I just got in the mail last week from Sweet 'n Sassy.  First I cut down the stamp so that I could use them separately or all together for whatever effect I'm after.  This one is the left 2/3 of the whole stamp.  The deer are from a Memory Box die, which also has another deer with antlers; but I thought these two were a better balance.  In fact, they show up a lot in the headlights around here ;)

The birthday greeting is from a Simon Says Stamp set, and I used Versafine Smokey Grey ink to keep it softer than it would be in black or dark brown.  The twine also came last week, and I love the silver thread running through it.  It's also a bit heavier than bakers twine.

Although it could be a nice Christmas card, this card will go to my son for his birthday on Jan. 8th.

WARMTH AND WONDER

I just love this Hostess Set from SU because it has everything you need for a card, including the inside and outside greetings.  I've already made several cards in different variations and colors, some with emphasis on the tree, some with the deer, and even a background panel with white snow flakes on kraft.

This card started out with sponging the background in Broken China and Tumbled Glass Distress inks.  Next I inked up the tree in Versafine Olympia Green and stamped off before stamping the main tree on the card.  Then without reinking, I stamped the tree a second and third time (very faint here.)  The snowflake was inked with Broken China and stamped off before adding to the card.  The tree ornaments were stamped with Encore Champagne Metallic ink.

The reindeer was stamped in dark brown twice:  once on the card base and once on a scrap of white.  After adding the light green overlay, I cut the deer out (minus the antlers) and mounted it over the first one with a piece of  foam tape.  After applying Tombow Mono glue to the greeting , I was able to slide it in place underneath the deer legs to finish the card.

The inside greeting from the same set is stamped in the dark brown.  This set made it soooo easy!

TIP:  Since this is a wood mounted set, I came up with a way to center the ornaments perfectly on the tree.  I turned the ornament stamp upside down on the tree and marked on the side of the wood mount with a pencil line exactly where the tree trunk is.  Now I can line up the dots every time!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

EXCERCISE FOR AGING STAMPERS

Now that I'm starting to feel my age more and more these days, I don't have the energy (physical or mental) that I used to. (forget about tennis!)  However, I now appreciate participating in the "sport" of stamping.  I get my exercise stretching to reach something that falls on the floor, aerobics jumping out of my chair to get a stamp set from across the room and muscle-building applying pressure on a stamp or cranking out a die cut on my Cuttlebug.

Praise God for a sense of humor!

BIRTHDAY COFFEE

The UPS man arrived today with my precious SU order--YAY!  After sorting all the guest orders and bagging them, I ran upstairs with my new toys and started making some cards.

This one combines the Perfect Blend and Endless Wishes sets...hello Scrap Drawer!  After stamping the cup on a piece of light green, I stamped the lid portion on white and the collar on light brown using Smokey Gray Versafine ink.  For the greeting, I curved the polymer stamps to line up with the curve of the cup and stamped the top part in black and the larger word in light brown.

Since the card is a side fold, I ran the front through the Cuttlebug to emboss the birthday greetings.  Then I added a piece of brown textured cs from my Scrap Drawer, already zig-zag cut on the right side, after wrapping some natural hemp around the top.

Once I add the inside greeting, this should make a nice masculine birthday card!

THANKSGIVING CARD

Using a long-retired SU set, "Bountiful Blessings", this is the card I came up with for the members of the Mothers Class this year.  Rather than color in the image, I decided to keep it simple and rustic looking.  After tearing the edges, I sponged brown ink on the sides, then added some black sponging just on the very edges over the brown to give it a little more definition.

For embellishment, I used 2 pearls and a gem in the lower right corner.  Inside, I first stamped the wheat sheaf of the set in brown, then stamped "bountiful blessings..." in black over it.  The embossing folder on the front gave it a bit more texture.

I am so thankful for the members of my Mothers Class.  They truly are an inspiration and make Wednesdays the highlight of my week.

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT

For the next Mothers Class, we'll be making these Christmas ornament cards--soooo easy!

After punching out a circle of dsp,  add a gem in the center and set aside.  Next, take a piece of white cardstock cut to
3 3/4"x5" and stamp the greeting on the bottom in an ink to match the cardstock base (SU Choc. Chip in this case.)  Then attach a piece of red metallic cord on the top of the card, taping it securely on the back.  Use a dimensional to attach it on the front underneath where the ornament will go.  Then add the  ornament on top of the dimensional.

The "pine branches" are done with a Martha Stewart fern punch and glued into place with TomBow mono glue.  A bow is added for the finishing touch with a glue dot.

Although you could use red or green cs for the base, I thought this dark brown made it a little richer looking and a bit more unusual--who would have thought!

WHITE HOLLY BERRIES

I just HAD to CASE this card shown HERE!  (10/29/13 post)

Holly trees do have red berries, but the white looks so much better here.  It's ok to be creative, right?

First, I ran the Penny Black holly die through the Cuttlebug using Pear Pizzaz cs.  Then I sponged the ends of the leaves with Color Box Olive Pastel chalk ink.  Using the same ink, I sponged the left third of a textured white panel and tied the natural hemp around it.

After stamping "Christmas Blessings" with Versafine Olympia Green ink, I mounted the panel on the card front with dimensionals.  TomBow mono glue was used on the left end of the branch and three leaves to hold it in place.  I slid the branch under the hemp, leaving the rest of the leaves and branch free so that it gives some dimension to the card.   After adding tiny pearls for the berries, the card was done.  This, by the way, took very little time to make--which means I'll be making more!

Thanks, Birgit, for such a wonderful design!

NEW TOY, OLD TECHNIQUE

The new die that I ordered from Penny Black came the other day, and I finally got a chance to try it out today!
This is the design I came up with for Mothers Class next week.

Using scraps from our previous Christmas bargello card, we'll snip them and place them on a piece of cardstock that was run through the Xyron machine.  Leaving spaces between the pieces, we'll add gold embossing powder on the remaining glue and heat.  After trimming and mounting the mosaic piece to the upper left of the card, we'll color the holly sprig and gently glue it to the card, add the tag and gold or red twine bow.

UPDATE ON JACKIE:  She should be home this weekend, thankfully, and plans to be in class next week.  Meanwhile, one of the other moms was in the hospital with an obstruction--what are the odds of two from the same class being in the hospital with the same problem at the same time.  Her issue resolved itself without any drastic measures, however; and she was released on Tuesday and in class yesterday.  Thanks for all of the prayer support that I'm sure helped in their recovery!

Birthday Card for a Good Friend

This was a fun card to make, and it didn't take very long.  I made it a folio card that "hinges" on the left.  The stamp is from a SU set, "Have a Seat."  Since my friend has this kind of furniture in her house, I thought it was just right.

The sun was very strong today, so this card photographed  a lot brighter than in real life.  It was fun making the cushion and pillows out of scrap dsp.  Inside it reads "The most valuable antiques are old friends."  I added that the older the antique, the more valuable.  We've been friends for over 30 years.

SIMPLE SATURDAY #31

BARGELLO CHRISTMAS CARDS...

...TWO FOR ONE!

Next Wednesday, the Mothers Class will be revisiting the Bargello technique which they learned last year and requested that we do again.  (See Splitcoast Stampers for this technique.)

After cutting all the pieces and mounting them on a piece of white cardstock, we'll run it through the Cuttlebug with the Christmas Tree die.  Using the negative space shown on this first card, we'll cut some trees from Pear Pizzaz cs to place in the opening.  Students will have the choice of taping it to lie flat or using dimensionals to raise it above the background.  After gluing sequins, a star and the greeting to the front of the card, we'll go to the second card.

Using the tree that was cut out of the Bargello panel, we'll then make a horizontal card.  (The red background is a richer shade of cardstock than it looks here.)  After attaching the star and a lime green gem, the tree and greeting will be mounted with dimensionals.  This one should take no time at all to complete!

I just love the way this came together so that none of the bargello panel was wasted.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Jackie will be missing some classes because of being in the hospital.  Instead of heading for a trip to Oregon to see her new grandchild as planned, she had to have emergency surgery to remove a blockage in her intestines.  She was in a lot of pain and is still recovering.  We're hoping she'll be out of  ICU soon.  Please keep her in your prayers.

FUN HALLOWEEN CARD

Here's the card we'll be doing at Mothers Class today--too cute!

The Candy Monster is from a set I just received in the mail from Taylored Expressions, along with some orange candy dots.  The matching die made this card super easy to do.  The small details are colored in with Gelly Roll glitter pens.  Jackie is bringing her large googlie eyes to class--they'll look much better than the small one I had on hand.

The polka dot dsp behind the circle opening is from a 12 x 12 K & Co. pad I picked up last year.  (Unfortunately, it looks washed out in this photo.)  It is mounted on the inside of the card to show through the die-cut circle behind the one-eyed monster.  I attachd him to the card front with a piece of foam tape below the opening.  Notice his green teeth, probably rotten from eating too much candy *lol*!

Should be a fun class!

WORLD CARD-MAKING DAY COMES TO A CLOSE

We enjoyed another sunny Indian Summer day today, so I was outdoors for quite a bit.  I did manage to make three new cards for pastor, though.  This is one of them.

It won't be long before all the leaves are off the trees and the days grow colder.  That's the best time to stamp.  Christmas cards, here I come...

I hope you all had a creative day today in honor of World Card-making Day!

GUESS WHO'LL BE GETTING THIS ONE!

Although the design is simple enough, the creative process took well over an hour.  I was experimenting with the stained glass look, but it didn't come out the way I'd hoped.  (I'll give it another try later this week.)

After gold embossing the leaves on vellum and coloring the back with markers, my first attempts at finding an adhesive that didn't rub off is what took all the time.  I finally ran the bottom leaf through my Xyron Label Maker, but I wanted the top one to be a little looser.  Nothing else worked, until I tried my TomBow Mono Glue down the center of the leaf.  The acorn was done on cardstock, so it was easily adhered with a dimensional.

Please click on the image and take a closer look!

HAPPY STAMPERS!

 Today at Mothers Class, I not only remembered to bring my camera; but I also remembered to USE IT!






Evelyn donated her card to the package I made up for the pastor.  I had only three, so hers was the fourth.  Thanks, Evelyn!

Jackie gave the camera a big smile, while Bambi finished working on hers in the background.

Kim's card came out great!

Each stamper used a different Bible verse for her card, so it was a nice variety.

Finally, the class worked on their Christmas cards.  Nicole is on the left.  Although she arrived late, she caught up quickly and finished all three of her cards.  (We do two of the Christmas cards each week so that everyone has a nice stash by December.)


If you click on the photos, you'll see why they're called the Advanced Class!

MOTHERS CLASS CHRISTMAS CARD

This should be an easy card to do in class.  First, we'll stamp the image in Versamark and gold emboss it.  Then with just red and green markers, we'll color in the word and the holly leaves, mount it on a green panel and attach it to the card base with dimensionals.

This is the original card I came up with but later modified it a bit to improve the scale.  The card base is a side fold, and the stamped panel is cut smaller.  I also rounded the bottom right corners of all three layers instead of using the diagonal strips.  One strand of red embroidery floss is wrapped around the left side of the top panel with a small bow at the top, allowing the image to stand out more. 

For the inside, we'll be stamping "Wishing you all the blessings of this happy, holy season."

Mothers Class Cards

This Christmas card is a great way to use up some scraps.  Using a hexagon die, I brought a batch of pre-cut hexagons to class for this simple card..  I got the idea from Kim Singdahlson's blog, September 8th post.  Be sure to visit her HERE!

The Fall card was very easy to duplicate also.  The leaves were inked on a Kaleidacolor pad, fussy cut and mounted on the card front with ds tape.  Twine was wrapped around the panel before mounting to the card.


TIP:  When wrapping twine or ribbon around a panel, start with a small piece of ds tape on the back to hold it in place while you tie it on the front.  Most of the time, it will be looser on the front than you'd like.  Just turn it over, snip the twine or ribbon and tape it down again with regular Scotch tape.  Then adhere the panel to the card.  Easy!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

When I walked into the dining room earlier, something caught my eye.  It was Jenny!  She had climbed into the gift bag on a chair and was quite happy with herself. 

BACK FROM MY BIRTHDAY TRIP

Just got back this morning from an overnight birthday trip with Rick to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut.  The weather was just perfect for walking around outside and watching the sailboats go by.  Our room at the Steamboat Inn was delightful, except that the bed was a bit scary being 4 feet high!  Dinner at the local pub down the street was wonderful.  We even got home in time this morning to get all the garbage out for pickup as the truck was making its way toward our street.  Even though we were only gone a total of 30 hrs., the cats were delighted to see us back so they could go out.

I'm looking forward to getting some cards done later on today before "Stamping Withdrawal" sets in!

FINALLY BACK IN THE TOWER!

To bring you up to date, here's what's been happening since my last post:

First, I was able to "erase" the damage to my car on my own with a spray bottle of Orange Blast and a paper towel.  All that's left is a tiny scratch or two that need some touch-up paint.  This is after 2 estimates of $1200 and $1400 from the collision repair shops--what a rip-off.  No wonder our insurance rates are so high.  I also saved the $500 we would have had to pay as our deductible--that's a LOT of stamps!

Sunday (the 8th) we were able to get to church, and I'm so glad we didn't miss it.  We usually go to the early service, so we don't often get to hear the choir.  They sang four times during the early service, which was just beautiful; and the sermon was outstanding.  It felt really good to be back after missing 4 in a row because of my fall and being on vacation.

Speaking of vacation, here are a couple of pictures:  The first sunrise from our bedroom windows and the pool the next day.  The house was very comfortable for all 10 of us, and we already reserved it again for next year!

Back at home, we are having a new heating and A/C system installed, so the house was "invaded" by workmen for the week.  We still have one more installation to go, and then we can get back to normal.  

BUT, the "fun" really started Thursday night with a line of violent storms that came through and knocked out power for two days.  Thankfully, the generator enabled the workmen that were here to keep going the next day.  We had heat overnight on Friday, and we could see a huge improvement over the old system!  Saturday we still ran the generator (on and off) all day, but went to our daughter's house for a hot dinner and some laughs.  By the time we got home, the power had come back on.  Yesterday was bright and sunny in the 70's with no wind, so I was able to sit on the deck with the Sunday Times crossword and enjoy the weather one more day before it gets too cold.

Stamping has resumed, so check out my next post! (below)

FOUR MORE PASTOR CARDS

Autumn is in the air, as you can see by these designs.  (Please click to enlarge!)

The green one was pretty straight forward and took very little time to make.  The red leaf one was also quick to do, using a piece of dsp from my stash.  The other two took a lot longer.

The "faith" card started out with the letters mounted individually over the leaf pattern on another card front; but I couldn't get it to work.  After scrapping the original card I intended, I came up with this one using the negative strip and a piece of neutral background paper with a lined texture to it.  The orange leaf is from a set with the matching dies by Papertrey Ink.  After using some matching embroidery floss to highlight the verse,  I like how it turned out.

The striped cardfront was even more of a design challenge, but I also like the way it finally turned out after fussing with it for over an hour.  The verse on that card was curled to give it some depth, attached with ds tape on the left side only.

Thanks for stopping by!

BACK FROM VACATION...

...AND STILL CATCHING UP...

We had a wonderful time at the beach house we rented on the Outer Banks of NC for the week of Aug. 25.  All ten of us went; and the grandkids had a ball going from surf to pool to hot tub and back again each day!  Can't wait to do it again next year.

Meanwhile, after resting on Labor Day from the 9-hour drive, I drove the 100 miles (each way) to visit my 96-year old Dad who is still doing amazingly well.  Unfortunately, I had a minor accident on the way home from there, so I've been busy getting repair estimates for the scrapes on my car.  No injuries, thankfully.

Stop by later for vacation pictures!  Hope to be stamping again soon...