Luke 1:45

I want to do a special post today in honor of my late parents. Today would have been their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married on a Sunday afternoon, and I thought it was just so cool that it happened to land on what would have been their 50th year of marriage. I miss them terribly and I just wish that today could have been a day that we would have all been together with them celebrating the love that brought them together. Instead I am left with the memories of the short time I had with them on this earth. I am sure they are together in heaven celebrating with a glorious dance today. So...because I had to celebrate them somehow, I decided to put together this photo of them today. I thought that today would be the perfect day to do this project. It has been a BEAUTIFUL day outside!!! I love it that the sun has been shining all day. I just know they have big beams of shining faces that are just reflected in the glow of today's sunshine. I love you mom and dad!!  ...

I had so much fun with the cloud technique last week for the Unity Stamp Co. FWF challenge that I decided to do another project using this technique. This is the June ATC for my buddy Lindy. I love clouds and this cloud stamp that I used to make the dimensional clouds is a freebie that I got a while back from Unity Stamp Co. To make the clouds, I stamped and fussy cut it. Then I rubbed the cloud with Versamark, embossed it with white embossing powder, and cut it into two horizontal pieces.     Materials used: Patterned paper-Everyday Eclectic by Echo Park Bazzil and Neenah cardstock Tim Holtz Distress Inks by Ranger-Broken China, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade Versafine-Black Onyx Versamark Unity Stamps: Welcome To My Life and Present In My Heart White embossing powder-Zing Twine-The Twinery & Indie Chic by My Mind's Eye Gems-Spring Fling Teresa Collins  Craft cut scissors

Today I want to share a challenge project that I am posting over at Crop Chocolate . About six weeks ago the website closed the retail side. I was disappointed. This website was the main reason I was able to afford my crafting craze!! I hadn't been over there for a while, so I decided to check in on the challenge and I have just discovered that the retail side will re-open with a different flair. I look forward to seeing what they have in store!! Ok...back to my challenge project. The challenge is to make something that is inspired by something that is your favorite. You are also supposed to use your favorite stamp. Well...the first part was a piece of cake! The second wasn't as easy. My favorite stamp!!! Ummmm....I have so many!!! So I decided to go with the stamp that I get the most use from...which would have to be a happy birthday stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs . I make TONS of birthday cards!!! Now...on to my inspiration. My inspiration is two fold. First, the pe...

I am participating in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge . The challenge this week is Summer Fruits. They are also showcasing American Crafts products and I decided to use my American Crafts twine. Other materials used: All papers, except green-Country Drive by Echo Park. Green cardstock-Little Girl by Echo Park. Sentiment, berry stamp sticker and green alpha sticker-also Country Drive. Yellow alpha stickers-Doodlebug Designs. Pink alpha stickers Be Mine-Echo Park. Gems-Spring Fling by Teresa Collins. Ribbons-Webster's Pages.

This is the current challenge at Unity Stamp Co. I decided to pick the color inspiration and make a card. Materials used: Bazzill cardstock, Patterned papers-Echo Park's Life Is Good, Misc. buttons and cabochon from craft supply, Hug Snug ribbon, 7 Gypsies brad, Petaloo flower, Making Memories Chelsea's Place ribbon, Jenni Bowlin butterfly, Versifine ink, Momenta key, and Unity Stamp Co. set- Encompassed Grace

I just discovered a challenge over at another one of my favorite stamp companies. Our Daily Bread Designs has this sketch challenge. And here's what I came up with: Materials used: Patterned papers and brads-My Mind's Eye Indie Chic Nutmeg papers, Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Double Dot cardstock, Hug Snug ribbon, Spellbinders die, Silhouette die cut, Versafine Majestic blue ink, and of course my sentiment is from Our Daily Bread Designs (Birthday Blessings).

This is a card for my great-nephew. The paper is from Echo Park's Little Boy line. The ribbon is from Fancy Pants It's Your Day collection. The number is an American Crafts Thicker (Stroll). The sentiment is from Our Daily Bread Designs. The ink is Versafine Onyx Black.

I decided to enter this graduation card in my first Friends with Flair challenge over at Unity Stamp Co.  I found this cloud technique on Pinterest . It was super simple and fun!  And I have to say that I just ♥♥♥♥ Unity Stamps !!!!

    Saturday afternoon, my daughter joined me in my craft room and made a card for her daddy. I was tickled to have her with me. She doesn't enjoy crafting as much as I do, so whenever she decides to spend some time with me there, I am THRILLED and I make the most of it.  I am so proud of her creation!!!! 

  Here's the Father's day card that I made for my hubby. He always enjoys my work and is sometimes my worst enabler when it comes to purchasing craft items, so I love making cards for him!  

  I just love the look of denim and leather in this card!!! Here's the inspiration for this one.

John and I are so blessed to share a friendship with two people that we can just "keep it real" with. They know our faults, shortcomings and failures, yet they still  laugh with us, cry with us, and celebrate life with us. Little did we know, so long ago, when we were both in their wedding (we were not even dating at the time) that they would end up being in our wedding a few years later! We are so lucky to have them in our lives! Happy Anniversary Skip and Lindy !!!                    

For today's post, I'd like to share a wedding gift, card, and re-purposed gift bag that I made for a friend's wedding.                  I hung the card outside the bag to add to the bag's décor.      

I've been trying to challenge myself to use more scraps lately and here's a card I put together last night for my nephew's birthday.  Here's my inspiration for this card.