All Sorts of Cake

Another installment in the "I love cake" creations! This card features the same Odd Bird Planet images as yesterday's post. On this card I paper pieced the two birds and ribbons around the cake so that they pop up off the cake. Tiny red crystals have been added to the end of the branches and the fact that you can't really see that makes me realize I really need to take better photos! :-) The patterned paper is from the same pack of Martha Stewart paper and the cute felt flowers are from Stampin' Up! Tomorrow it's onto cupcakes!

I Love Cake!

I'm not kidding, I really do...as evidenced by my expanding backside! LOL! Egad! It's time to head back to Weight Watchers and the gym! I love being a SAHM but it sure doesn't bode well for my eating habits. ;-) However, cake stamps are completely fat free with zero calories...what's not to love!

Over the next few days I'll be sharing a few cake/cupcake cards created with the same Odd Bird Planet stamps and coordinating papers. The OBP cupcake and card images are some of my favorites and the one I used on the above card was part of my very first purchase. I love the versatility of this cake as you could use it for a wedding card, birthday card, or an I love cake card, as I did! **smile** The image was embossed with brown powder and colored with Copics and the background paper is from Martha Stewart. Both of the images on the card; the cake and the "I love cake" background stamp are both from OBP.

Enjoy and go eat some cake!

SALT Challenge - Give Thanks

This week it was Ester's turn to set the challenge on the SALT blog and she choose a timely topic of giving thanks with a grateful heart. You can read her entire write up here. November, with the holiday of Thanksgiving, is traditionally a time when people conjure up lists of what they're thankful for but shouldn't we be thankful and grateful every day for the many blessings that are bestowed upon us by a merciful and loving God. Most importantly, the gift of salvation brought to us through Jesus Christ. Psalms 107:1 says, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." In verses 4-6, talking of how the children of Israel were wandering in the desert after leaving Egypt, "They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He led them out of their distresses." And later in verse 8-9, "Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." The Psalm ends with sound counsel, "Whoever is wise will observe these things and they will understand the loving kindness of the Lord." If you are alive and walking around today, praise God, He has given you that ability. His hand has delivered your provisions; jobs, food, your ability to succeed, homes, clothing, etc. God even gives daily provisions to those who curse Him, as evidenced by so many who are well off and yet never mention the name of God, except in a profane way. And yet there are just as many who suffer terrible disease, hunger, emotional distress, loss, but are able to each day sing with joyful hearts the wonderful praises of an all knowing and loving Creator. (Check out Johnny Farese's site to read the testimony of someone who suffers joyfully. He's an inspiration!) If we claim to love God, how can we not thank Him each and every day not only for our provisions but also for the cross of Christ, where we can be relieved of our heavy burden of sin, and the work of the Holy Spirit that enables us to be thankful even in the midst of great distress. There is a hymn that says:

"Why should cross and trial grieve me? Christ is near ,with His cheer, never will He leave me.

Who can rob me of the heaven, That God's Son, for my own, to my faith hath given?

God oft gives me days of gladness; shall I grieve, if He give, seasons too of sadness?

God is good and tempers ever, all my ill, and He will wholly leave me never."

I pray that today you may be compelled to lift up your voice in thanksgiving and praise, with a heart overflowing with gratefulness, for how God has blessed your life! Please visit the SALT blog to see all of the beautiful creations made by our talented design team!

A Little Birdie Told Me...

That it's been a long time since I've posted! Holy cow, where did a whole week go?! Seems like life just keeps getting busier and busier...I really need to find a way to live on only two hours of sleep so I can get more done each day! LOL! A quick and easy card to share today, utilizing Odd Bird Planet images. This is a 4" x 4" notecard. The peach patterened paper is from a Maaartha Stewart collection. Happy Monday!

Cupcake Happiness

One more card using the Flair "Keep on Cooking" paper along with Odd Bird Planet stamps. This card showcases two of the cupcakes from the OBP "cupcake row" image (there are a total of four cupcake images on one stamp). Each has been colored with Copics, cut out and adhered with dimensional tape inside the Bon Appetit circle sticker, which coordinates with the "Keep on Cooking" Flair paper. And you can just make out the "I love cake" background stamped, which was stamped with a VersaMark pad on the brown background. It came out a little too light, embossing the words probably would have been a better idea! I also tried a new design element on this card. Attaching the brad to the center of a tiny piece of punched paper. I like it...like a little border for the brad! Enjoy and eat a cupcake today! PS - In my last post I referenced a web site where I purchased the pocket card, which was part of a larger kit. Not sure if that specific kit is still available but I found the link to the site, which is Lisa Bearnson's (Kit of the Month). She has great stuff, you should definitely check it out!

SALT Challenge - Rest

This week is was Casey's turn to set the challenge for the SALT design team and she choose Rest. You can read Casey's excellent write up over on the SALT blog. Such a timely and encouraging message this week...one I am quite sure the Lord providently provided...at least for me. :-) My inspiration text for this week was Matthew 11:28, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Jesus tells us that His "yoke is easy and His burden is light." Sometimes, in the midst of great trials it doesn't seem that way. It can actually seem that being a Christian, and striving to live a holy life, is the hardest thing to do in the world...especially when sometimes it's just easier to "go with the flow", doing what everyone around you is doing, or because you could be mocked for your beliefs. In reality, living as a Christian is the most enjoyable experience in life. Only through Christ can one have true and everlasting joy, even in the midst of trials. Which one of us feel that we could have withstood the great trials that Job endured; the loss of all of his material wealth and health, the death of all of his children (this would be enough to push me right over the edge!). Yet when he received word of his calamity, he fell to his face and cried, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Is this some foolish response from a man who has lost his senses or is it the faithful response of a man who trusts in an all knowing God who is far greater then himself? God answers Job in the end of the book (it's a riveting and humbling response), restores him and then blesses him with more than he had before. Even in death, the Christian can still rejoice knowing that soon he will be in the loving arms of Christ Himself, forever erased of pain and heartache. So even in the midst of great hardship, we can rest in Christ, knowing that He loves and cares for His own and that He will never leave or forsake them. These are such encouraging thoughts, especially as our country and freedoms faces such an uncertain future. If Christ be for us, who can be against us? My pocket card was created with pieces received in a kit I purchased through a link at Ali Edwards site (I tried to find the site...it's a great one but wasn't able to. If I find it, I'll add it to this post). The stamps I used were from Stampin' Up! (circles and big flower) and my Walmart special swirls stamp set. Foam letters are from American Crafts. Thanks so much for stopping and I pray that you have a restful weekend! :-)

Let's Eat!

OK, how funny is this? Three space owls...I'm quite sure from another planet...have arrived on Earth and want to grab some lunch. (Hopefully, they're friendly...) I love it! I love this stamp from Odd Bird Planet! The look on their faces is just priceless...This has to be one of my all time favorite OBP stamps! The paper is from Flair designs, this design is from the Keep on Cooking collection. Enjoy and grab a snack while you're at it...

Tomorrow is World Making Card Day!!

And Odd Bird Planet will be paricipating in a big way! ODP DT members will be posting challenges and samples on their blogs and will also be listing them at our Forum and on our Spiltcoast Stampers Forum. There are some awesome prizes, so you should most diefnitely participate. Winning freebies is always such fun and it's a win-win situation since you'll be creating gorgeous cards that will be sure to challenge you! The OBP DT members' blogs are listed along the right side of my blog and some of them are giving sneak peeks and others, like Mandy, who owns Limelight Paper Crafts is having other great challenges and prizes. She's also running a Design Team search, so you should check that out as well. Challenges will be posted all day Saturday, starting at 6 a.m. PDT and will run until Midnight. You'll have until Sunday to complete the challenges, and winners will be posted early next week. Good luck and have fun with all the great challenges. I can't wait to see what you all do!

A La Tarte Photo Holder

Another project created with the Odd Bird Planet A La Tarte kit. This one is a photo holder created from a large wooden spool. The spool has been covered with paper from the kit and the top has been covered with a beautiful fine black glitter that also comes in the kit. Wish I knew how to photograph glitter so that you could see the sparkle! (I sponged black ink on the bottom of the spool to cover the wood.) The letters for "boo" are also from the kit, as well as the bat gate stamp that was used to support my dancing skeleton, who was cut out of one of the decorative paper included in the kit. Since we don't do anything about Halloween, I didn't have a fun "kid dressed up in a costume" photos but this one of my oldest kind of looks like he's saying "boo" doesn't' it! I actually think he was playing peek-a-boo at the time...Fun!! Enjoy and get on over to OBP to pick up your kit before they're all gone!!

My One Time Political Rant

I was not a huge supporter of McCain, and Palin, well...the idea of her being VP kind of freaks me out but not as much as Obama being our President. The more I find out about him, the more concerned I am....Please, if you're on the fence about which candidate to go with, do even a small amount of research on Obama's experience, past, and speeches. They all point towards a man who is not really concerned about the safety of our country or the citizens of our beautiful and free nation but towards furthering his own agenda. We may need change in our country but you must ask yourself what change is Obama really going to bring to America...He has a questionable background and has been surrounded by very questionable mentors for the past 20 years. I wanted to share just two items I've recently found on Obama; First, an online test that discusses all of the hot topics. There is an opportunity to select an answer and then find out if you agree with the changes Obama is suggesting. It's worth the five minutes to take the test to make sure you a) know where he stands on the issues and b) to see if you agree or disagree. www.barackobamatest.com Second, a You Tube video where it appears that Obama's camp and/or supporters have taught children to sing the praises of their "savior" Obama. To teach children that a human being is a savior is disturbing and just one of the harbingers that hearken back to pre-war Germany. It's creepy... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9b0xr06qA I believe that this may be one of the most important elections in our history. I long to remain an American citizen who enjoys the safety and freedom to live as I choose, without the government's involvement. We don't need more "help" from the government that will only further enslave and bankrupt the American public. Thank you for allowing me to voice my political concerns on my normally happy crafting blog. This isn't a normal occurance for me, nor do I intend to post more political opinions here but the video with the kids pushed me over the edge! :-) We'll be back to our regularly programmed card posts tomorrow...