Sunday, November 20, 2011

Cards by Traci and Let's Give Thanks!

Dear Friends,


I hope that you had a fantastic weekend!  Please remember that everyone is invited to participate in our challenge this week.  It is a challenge to Praise the Lord for the entire week...through Thanksgiving!  I first shared it at the end of Michele's powerful post on Friday.  (I hope you read her post...it was wonderful!)


I thought it would be fun to share some cards with you today.  I usually put the sentiment (words) on the inside of the card...that is a bit different from most of the cards you see on blogs.  I do this, so that I can use a card for many different reasons.  If I put the sentiment on there in advance, I would be forced to use it for that occasion.  And, we all know what it is like when you need a card for a certain reason, and all of your previously made cards are marked "Happy Birthday!" 


The first card I made has a background from Hot Off The Press called Floral Backgrounds.  I just love this book of design papers!  I do not know where the stamp was from, but it could work for Birthdays or Sympathy cards...or many other uses.   I colored it in with Marvy Markers, Sakura Gel Pens, and a few SU! Markers.  It is a fun stamp to color...but a bear to cut out...there are spaces that are so fine and thin!  I added some flowers from the Our Daily Bread Collection called "Sing for Joy."  I added pink Stickles to the centers of the flowers. 



Sadly, I needed to make a Sympathy card yet again this year.  I made this for Dear Joan's family, as they went through the passing of her Father-in-Law.  I used Stampin' Up! white card stock as the base for this card.  I put it through my Cuttle Bug machine in a Texture Folder by Tim Holtz named "Sun Rays."  I really like how deeply the sun is embossed on this card.  I took yellow ink from "Judiths" and applied it ink to paper. That is when you just rub the ink across the paper.  Just like it sounds!  In an embossed case, the ink really only hits the raised areas.  I love this cross.  It is from an ink-a-dink-a-doo set called "Spiritual Sketches."  A friend of mine gave me this set, and I LOVE it. (Thank you!) It comes with a stamp of a Bible, a candle wrapped in a plant, and some words like "Rejoice."  (One of my very favorite words!)  Some people believe flowers should only be on Easter crosses.  I wanted to use this one for THIS card...the combination of the cross and flowers.  I thought it was perfect for a Sympathy card.  I colored it with SU! Markers.  And, I cut it out and used dimensionals to attach it to the card base.


You know, one of the reasons I love  our "Praise Days" is because there are so many people that are so down.  They don't see many, if any, reasons to be thankful.  When we share what we are thankful for...we are encouraging others.  We aren't bragging...that isn't the heart that I feel we should be sharing with.  Perhaps one of these people will see something on your list, and realize they have things to be grateful for.  So, let's all praise the Lord.  In fact, I have challenged you not to do it once...but each day or as often as you want through the American celebration of Thanksgiving.  (This Thursday)


This was a card I made back in October.  My very special, very wonderful MIL passed away 2 days before her birthday, in October three years ago.  It is a hard time for all of us, as we miss her so very much.  I know, however, that she is with our Lord Jesus and with her parents.  Mom collected elephants for years and years.  She has a couple hundred of them in Dad's home now.  They are from all over the world, some realistic, some not, made of just about every substance you can think of.  We all think of her whenever we see an elephant somewhere.  Anyway, October came around, and I wanted to make a card for my husband, Dave, reminding him that he is loved very much.  And remind him that his Mother loved him so much when she was here on earth.  This is the card.  And, he has kept it because it is special to him. 

I never wrote down what this card used...but I think I remember most of it.  I used an SU! grey card stock paper for the base.  Then, a square of SU! black.
The next layer was a scrap of a pink marbled paper that I have been saving for about a year.  And, the next layer didn't photograph very well, but I  should have known it! It was from a book of papers that were glossy and this one was made of pink and white and light grey colors.  I stamped this image (All of the images you see) with black Versa Mark ink.  And, I colored Mom and son elephant with colored pencils.  I used some grey and black on the bodies and a bit of pink in the ears.  I went over the crease lines in the elephants with a black glaze marker from Sakura. The glaze markers leave a raised line.  By the way, this super cute stamp was made by Rubber Stampede and it is called "elephants." This card has nothing on the bottom of the front. It had the look I really loved for this card.  It had the impact on Dave that I wanted.  (I think he knew anyway. *wink*)

I wanted to remind you of some of the Scriptures that Michele listed on last Friday's post.  They are beautiful, and worthy of being memorized.  I also challenged everyone to list their favorite of the Scriptures listed in the comment section, and to try to memorize it.  I am only listing a few of them here:

1 Chronicles 16:8 - Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.

1 Chronicles 16:34 -O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving kindness is everlasting.


Psalm 28:7 -The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

Psalm 34:1- I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.


Psalm 69:30- I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Thank you so much for being here today!  It is always a pleasure knowing you have visited.  Please feel free to join us in the comment section to read each other's list of things for which they give thanks to the Lord, and to add something of your own, if you wish. 

If you leave any comment, you will of course be eligible to win this week's set of cards!  Remember, they are made by our Michele!  Thank you, Michele!

He IS Able!
Traci Starkweather

3 comments:

  1. I am so thankful for my family. Most of you know that Josh joined the Air Force last week for Basic Military Training. He called Friday night, and I was thrilled! I thank God for keeping him safe, fed well, and for the maturity I already hear in his voice.

    I am especially grateful for Michele, Joan and Wendy for helping me so much with this blog. We do it to Glorify God, and to hopefully encourage Believers in their walk with Christ. And, to hopefully bring others to Jesus to ask Him to become their Lord, Savior, and Friend.

    He IS Able!
    Traci Starkweather

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanksgiving! It should be every day.
    I am thankful that God interuppted my life in February of 1972 with a dream that changed my life, and led me to Himself. I an thankful that in my retirement, a dear friend introduced me to rubber stamping, and it has become my pastime and passion. I am thankful that I live in this great nation where I live free.
    Praise Him!
    by seamom

    ReplyDelete
  3. What beautiful creations. Love that second one, very peaceful.
    Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete

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