WMS Meets Verve Plain Janes

I really feel incredibly fortunate to have collected almost all of the 'plain jane' mini scripture stamps from Verve - most of them during rock bottom sales and lately I am finding so many different ways to use them.

One of my long time dreams is to run Christian crafting workshops at a Christian convention or ladies weekend retreat.  That would just be a dream job for me - well in my head and just how I've pictured it I imagine it would be.  If teaching and running workshops has taught me anything over the past 10 years or more it's just how much work and planning is involved.  Maybe my 'pie in the sky' dreams aren't quite so dreamy in reality huh?

Anyhow of late I've needed a couple of really special cards - you know the kind where you pull out all the stops and pour your heart and soul into your creation, mostly because the person you plan to give it to is really deserving of something extra special.  This is the kind of crafting I love to do and it makes it easier to part with as well.

 

I have two cards to share but it's late so I'm sharing this one first.  It's bright, it's bold, it uses some of my most favourite crafting bits - and most favourite techniques, you know; the ones I go back to again and again, and even the sewing machine made it out LOL!  Besides all that red is my most favourite colour and who doesn't like the combo of green and blue, like lush green grass or leaves and beautiful blue skies. Okay so technically the sky isn't really blue, it's just an optical illusion, something weird our eyes and brain do but it's still beautiful.

 

And here is a bit more detail of these Waltzing Mouse Stamps 'funky flowers' which is my 'go to' set again and again.  Claire stamped up these tone on tone and I'm so glad she did because I liked the look so much I've been copying it ever since.  I've stamped them in coloured ink on white backgrounds and they still look nice but there's something quite special about the tone on tone look.  And of course they're perfect for adding those black gems that I can't put down for long either.

 

 

What I tried to feature in this card is the message I wanted to convey.  Last week my sister-in-love forwarded a package of Verve stamps from America and this cross was part of my order.  I have a couple of cross stamps but there was something quite lovely about this funky looking cross that made it different.  Used as a background for the verse of scripture I think it adds even more to this verse, so much so I have been experimenting lately with adding in different elements behind the text - hearts for love texts, rays of light for others.  I can't think why I never thought to so this a long time ago.

 

I've used my favourite StampinUp! notebook punch too.  I usually have to chase this up from my daughter who actually uses it to punch cute postcards and add them to the many spiral bound notebooks she has.  Basically if I haven't got this punch then she has so it seldom gets put away.

 

And special cards deserve special treatment inside as well as outside so I added a bit more decoration there too along with a WMS stamp that says simply 'trust in Him'.

 

When I look back on my life I can see clearly the times God has been there for me and for my family and thankfully he continues to be there.  All I need do is get myself and my own thinking out of the mix and let him lead the way.  He has never steered me wrong.  I guess I wanted to send a similar message to some dear folk who are getting this card.  I wanted to encourage them right now.

 

And I never tire of the sweet ol' faithful friend that allows me to add a more personal touch.  Despite all the 'handmade by' kinda stamps I have from both PTI and WMS, I go back to this old one time and again.  I think I picked it up in a yard sale bundle so many years ago I can't even remember except that it was $5 for the bundle.  I think this turned out to be the only one I kept over the years but it was worth every penny and I've yet to see another one quite like it.

 

We have had an incredible weekend listening to a visiting Pastor preach and teach which concluded this evening with a great message.  Hubby and I have been praying together before going to sleep for some time now and I have to say it's a lovely way to settle down and close out the day but even so I think we might be challenged tonight after this evenings talk.  It was called 'Sleeping Clean and Living Dirty'.  Basically it meant asking forgiveness for all the wrong doing of the day so you could sleep clean and then getting up next morning to do it all over again which is the living dirty bit during the day. 

 

 I struggle every day to be a better person and I sometimes wonder why I can't crack it in particular areas, like being a nicer person at work which is often stressful.  Some days it's a tougher nut than others.  Admitting where I go wrong and kinda screw up is a bit like looking at myself in the mirror and not liking what I see sometimes so maybe that's why it's harder to admit to - because it menas I have to face the real me and it t'aint always pretty.  Thank God for his grace is all I can say or I would be hopelessly lost!

I will share my other card real soon but Jess is chasing me out of the bedroom and it's time to hit the hay as we say in our house.

I have a jam-packed week ahead but I willmake it back here and perhaps with a quick tutorial on those cute envelope magnets.  It's been a while since I share a tutorial so one's long overdue I think.

Hope you all have a great week.  Enjoy!

Suezie

Easter Treats

It's hard when you're poorly with a chesty cough and cold to muster up much energy to get seasonal crafting done.  Even the thought of a cholcolate egg can't tempt me into a burst of energy right now LOL!  I must be ill huh?

This is as much as I have managed to do for the grand kids this year.  I was determined NOT to buy chocolate eggs.  Not only is it getting expensive now but I'm disgusted at the prices of eggs in the store si this year I'm digging in my heels a bit in protest.  Besides I happen to know Mummy got them eggs so they didn't miss out completely.

 

I cheated and used one of my 'disposable piping bags' and filled it woth some orange candy coated mini chocolate eggs I stumbled across several weeks ago.  I had in mind to do them a carrot each but one giant one seemed so much easier right now.

 

I couldn't quite figure out how to make the top green.  My idea had been to ruffle some green crepe paper into a cuff for the top but I didn't get around to buying that. Instead I decided several green ribbons would work equally well.  Add a simple tag and there you go - job done!

 

Then earlier this week I stamped up those fabby funky flowers onto tissue paper - I am sooooo doing this again! and as good fortune would have it I decided it would be perfect wrapped around a punnet of biscuits.  The tissue paper was a recycled piece that had been in a shoe box from Jessica's new shoes. I salvaged it when I threw the box out and stamped it up just for fun.

 

And inside the plastic punnet?  Can you see this little bunny character?  The kids love these biscuits and I think even Charlie at 10 months old can have a munch on one.  The kids love these biscuits so they'll be happy.

 

And did you happen to notice the bright pink floral background (first shot)?  Yesterday hubby and I got out for a bit of a drive so I could get some fresh air in my wheezy ol' chest.  I often think that the air in our homes, what with central heating and dust doesn't help with chesty colds.  Anyhow we stumbled across a charity shop or two and I found this vintage sheet.  It looks quite modern but the labels tells a different story.  I must be getting close to having enough pink designs by now to finally make a patchwork quilt I should think but I keep collecting.

 

I do have a card I made up as well but I will share that with you at a later date.  Now I'm off for a drive to deliver these goodies.

 

Hope you're all having a great Easter.  Many blessings

 

Suezie

Craft Workshop

Last week hubby and I (plus 3 grankids) spent 3 days at the holiday club at our church.  Each year they run this just before Easter instead of the usual summer like many churches.  It's always a super busy time of year in the run up to Easter but it's nice to get it over and done with before the weather gets too hot to do it.

Anyhow we were on 'KP' as hubby referred to it - otherwise known as 'kitchen patrol' and in charge of getting the bacon butties made up each morning plus running an open cafe for the team of willing volunteers that made it such a fun week.  They had the really tough jobs so we gave service with a smile and no request was too much trouble -  the very least we could do.

Whether it was the combination of all the work ahead of time - my trusty Big Shot and sewing machine were put through their paces plus the busy three days of club  - or that work has gotten particularly busy (and stressful) again - or maybe that we were out in the countryside and the fields are full of golden yellow rape (always bothers me), plus the pollen counts have been high in Suffolk - or maybe just because, I really don't know but I came down with a stinking rotten cough and cold so have been out of action for the last couple of days.

However, just before this hit with full force I managed to get through not only holiday club but also a charity craft workshop on the Saturday afternoon and thought I could just about sit here long enough to share a picture or two of what we made.

 

With every workshop I do I usually anticipate both beginners and experienced crafters so I try to create projects that are easy to do and will appeal to both groups.  We made up a simple card that was layered up with lots of 3D so the flowers literally burst off the card.  I pre-stamped all the flowers for time saving and could've die-cut them too but I decided they were easy enough to cut out by hand.  Besides that I had to leave the crafters something to do for themselves huh?

 

Our other project was one of these cute envelope messages that go on the fridge.  I just love how this envelope die works with my growing collection of Verve scripture stamps - although sadly they seem to be doing away with their 'plain janes' and combining them into other sets. 

 

We desperately need a company that will come up with a few of these here in the UK because I'm asked for them all the time by crafting gals who can't get them here.  I love em!  They're clear, stamp really well and are generally less than $3 each - in fact I usually buy most of mine whenever they have a sale on so I get them for $2 or less.

 

Oh dear!  I'm beginning to cough and sneeze and in need of another cuppa so I'm not hanging around - sorry.  I've watched the entire Bible mini series on DVD over the past couple of days cos I've not been able to do much else so I'm not gonna push it now.  I only managed to catch a couple of episodes when it aired over Christmas so I treated myself to the DVD set.

 

 

I'll just have to leave you with a last look at one of these sweet scripture magnets up close.  These make fab gifts for friends.  Oh and Sis - I'm planning on sending you the bits to make up a few of these to give to friends - will pop a package in the post just as soon as I feel better (hopefully I'm getting a package with a last few Verve stamps coming this way some time soon too).  A word of warning though!  You will probably struggle to give these cuties away and want to keep em on your own fridge - I know I do even though I can make a limitless supply!!!  I'm already planning a women's craft afternoon activity at church with this project just so I can make a bunch more - super quick, super easy - I love em.

 

Hugs

 

Suezie