Bi-Weekly SALT Challenge - GOD'S PROMISES

This week it was Gillian's turn to set the challenge for the SALT team and she gave us "God's Promises." You can read her description below:

"So many times we are guilty of breaking promises, or have been on the other end of a broken promise, but what a wonderful blessing to know that when God makes a promise it's steadfast. We'd love to see what Promise from God you choose to use as your basis for your challenge so leave us a comment when you are finished your piece, so that we and others may see your work."

I chose to create a chipboard tag book for this challenge. I thought it would be a wonderful way to capture a few scripture verses that focus on some of God's promises. I used every other page to state the promise, for example, Hope, and then used the opposite page for a scripture verse.

This was a big project, using many different elements so I won't list them all here but I'll cover the basics. I used Basic Gray paper, "Perhaps", to cover all of my chipboard. The wonderful thing about the Basic Gray 6"x6" pads is that all of the papers coordinate so achieving a consistent look is a peice of cake! The huge time saver was being able to use a book of pre-printed scripture verses that I picked up at Walmart months ago. All I had to do was cut and paste (and PS - Anyone have any good ideas on how to attach vellum with some sort of glue that isn't visible?? A glue stick worked fairly well but I still had some issues...) I then used all sorts of embellishments and images to decorate my book. The best part? See that very cool face on the front cover of the book? That was handmade by my sweetest friend, and SALT team member who set today's challenge, Gillian! (I have more to share on her fantastic creations later this week...)

I have many pictures to share of the book, a few more below, and as soon as I can get them uploaded to my online photo album I'll pass along the link. All of us at SALT would love to have you play along and create something based on this week's challenge. Please visit the site and leave us a comment with a link back to your blog or online gallery. Thanks!!

Looking forward to seeing what you all create!!

Sweet dreams!

Is it just me...

Or have I been painfully neglecting my blog?? I'm sorry! I've actually been really busy, up to my eyeballs, in wonderful, exciting stamp projects for Just Johanna...but I can't share even one little design yet...You'll just have to keep checking back... ;-)

But I won't leave you hanging tonight, I do have some other designs to share! This one, which I totally love, I can take zero credit for! This beautiful design/layout was created by Nichole Heady from Papertreyink. I believe this design was used to showcase the very first stamp release from PTI and I've remembered it all these long months...just waiting for the time when I could shamefully copy her design! I mean what's not to love? It's simple, clean, classy...Nichole - you're one great designer! :-)

Last week I picked up an amazing pack of double-sided paper from K&Company and couldn't wait to break into it and use up some of that beautiful paper. Since I haven't had a lot of free time I thought creating a batch of quick cards, for basic occasions, such a birthdays, would be the perfect opportunity to use the paper.

I simply cut out a circle with my Coluzzle cutting system, cut off one of the edges, adhered my circle to the card, and pierced around the paper. I then used my PTI stamps to create the sayings and embossed them in gold. All of the cards were made with a lovely textured vanilla cardstock, which looks very nice in person. In total, my batch of cards took about a half hour.

Hip-Hip Hooray! And remember, if you do copy a design, give credit where credit is due and don't sell your copied pieces! :-)

Enjoy and happy Tuesday!

Supplies:
Vanilla cardstock - unknown
Patterend paper - K&Company
Stamps by Papertreyink

More Big News!

I'm thrilled to announce that I'll begin teaching at my local scrapbook store, Wholly Scrap, at the end of September! I'm so excited to be working with the team at Wholly Scrap, the store has a wonderful supply of scrapbooking goodies and the owners are wonderful!

The first class, scheduled for September 27 from 6-8:00 pm (EST), is titled "How I Spent My Summer Vacation", the description and photos are below:

Whether you took a trip to the Caribbean or simply enjoyed relaxing in your own backyard, you'll love having a portable photo album on hand to share photos of your vacation excursions (or at-home BBQ) with your friends and family! During this class we'll use 12x12 cardstock, beautiful vacation themed stickers, and envelopes to create a one-of-a-kind photo album that will hold up to 18 photos! Once you learn how to make these photos albums, you'll be anxious to create one as a gift for friends and loved ones! Also perfect for baby and wedding showers!

The cost for the class is $27.00 and will include all materials needed to create the photo album. If you're interested in signing up for the class, please contact Wholly Scrap at the number listed on their web site (link above). You can also view the entire Wholly Scrap class schedule for September here.

Any other questions regarding the class, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll contact you privately.

Cheers!

Just Johanna Has Arrived!

I'm jumping up and down....My designer kit stock full of delightful Just Johanna stamps arrived yesterday, along with a lovely congratulations notecard from Johanna! I was giddy with excitement and could hardly wait to break out the stamps and do some stamping! Of course it was close to 10pm before I finally had a moment to stamp...that was too long of a wait! :-)


This fantastic layout was given to us by one of the design team members, Kerry Urbatch, isn't it fab? Very different and I can think of a million different ways to use those little swatches of paper. I'll probably use this layout again soon but this is my first take on the challange.

My card base is a creamy textured cardstock and the top layer is a lovely piece of polka dotted paper from a new pack of paper I picked up at Michael's last week (got some coordinating tags and sayings with this paper too!!). The paisley print pieces are actually the opposite side of the polka dot paper - ohhh....yummy! The solid pieces are from SU! in Sahara Sand, Blush Blossom, and Bordering Blue. Pauline (my cutie partridge) is stamped on Very Vanilla, colored with my new (ohh, I forget to tell everyone that my wonderful husband purchased a set of 72 Copic Markers for my birthday!! How grand is he??) Copic markers, cut out and adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals. I also added a little swirly under Pauline...perhaps she's swiftly walking across my card...The "thanks ever so" is also stamped on Very Vanilla and has also been cut out and attached with Stampin' Dimensionals. My two pieces of Blush Blossom have been attached with two vintage brads and of course the edges of everything has been sponged, aka aged, with Basic Brown.

Anyone want to give this layout a try? Leave a comment with a link back to your site or gallery, I'd love to see what you come up with!

Enjoy!

Supplies:
All stamps by Just Johanna

SALT Bi-Weekly Challenge - WATER

This week's challenge, WATER, comes to us from Ester...Here's her description from the SALT blog:

Water is such an important element in our lives, we can't live without it, just like our Lord and Saviour! It appears in so many places in the Bible, more than I realised. Here are a few examples to get you thinking, Noah and the flood, Jesus' 1st miracle; water into wine, calming of the sea, walking on water, baptisms, fishing, washing/cleansing, rivers, pools etc. Use this inspiration in your next project, and don't forget to leave a comment with details so we can take a peek!

I really liked this week's challenge as it was...a challenge! I didn't have any "ah-ha" moments for water and then I remembered that I had this fantastic scripture stamp that would be a perfect fit! I have always seen this verse as perfect for a sympathy card or for someone who is going through a difficult trial. There are times when all of us face extreme difficulties but in the midst of the "flood" God has promised that He will be with His children and that the trial will not ultimately overtake you. That is a tremendous comfort...

Now for the card details! I have to thank a SCS contributor (user name: Zindorf) for inspiring this card. (Do a search for her gallery on Splitcoast, she is amazingly talented!) I first used antique cracking and canvas background stamps to stamp on Always Artichoke cardstock, which was attached to a piece of Basic Brown. I then created a sheet of "homemade" patterend paper by swiping four shades of ink across a piece of glossy white cardstock, using a sponge to blend the colors together. I then used white craft ink to stamp shell images on the colored paper and embossed the images with clear embossing powder. A triangle was cut from finished pattered paper, edged in More Mustard and adhered with antique brads on top of my Always Artichoke. I used a pretty leaf stamp from a retired SU! set to accompany the verse, which was stamped on a piece of Basic Gray paper. Lastly, I stamped two shells on the same BG paper, cut them out, and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I'm so happy this card came together quickly (yes, I waited until the possible last minute to get this project done!!) and was even happy with the result! :-)

Please be sure to visit the SALT blog to see all of the other beautiful creations! And don't forget to leave a comment if you choose to play along...we'd love to see what you come up with!

Happy Creating!

Supplies:

Cardstock, shell, background, and leaf stamps, ink, brads by Stampin' Up!
Off-white cardstock by Basic Gray
Scripture verse stamp unknown

An Early Start

The Just Johanna designer kits will arrive soon (I can hardly wait) but I last night I decided that I just had to break into a my existing JJ stash! This little cherry stamp and saying is from her latest image release.

I've had the idea for this card in my head for awhile now and I was happy with how easily it came together. Super easy card - I love those! Stamped the cherry stamp all over my white cardstock, colored my cherries and stems with SU! markers and mouted that onto Real Red SU! cardstock. Added trim across the middle of the card in SU!'s Basic Black and Certainly Celery (the black has also been pierced), a big 'ol scalloped oval serves as the backdrop to my saying and two black brads secure both pieces together. A little tape to hold it all together and I was done!

These were so quick and easy and are sporting such a cute image that I this would be a great layout for a thank you or birthday card gift set. Hum...maybe I'll get to work on that!

Happy Sunday!

Supplies:
All stamps by Just Johanna
Ink, brads, cardstock, and markers by Stampin' Up!

Big News!!!

I'm thrilled, excited, humbled, blessed...you get the idea....to announce that I've been added to the Just Johanna design team!!! This will be a short assignment, just three months, but I couldn't be happier! I adore Johanna's unique images and very fun sayings! The new teams are just getting up and running (soon you'll be able to read more about the rest of the gang on Johanna's blog) and new creations should be posted to team member blogs in the September timeframe. Congratulations to all the other ladies on the team! And if you're not familiar with Just Johanna stamps, get on over to her online store (link above)....hurry....you're going to love what you see!