Longline Roses Frame with Concord & 9th

Hello!  Today I have some beautiful roses to show off!  These lovely ones are from Kristina Werner at Concord and 9th and are called Long Line Roses Bundle, and it includes a stamp set, stencils, and coordinating dies.   Later this week I’ll show you how the stencils work, but for the first card, I decided to emboss the roses in gold, and then pull out my watercolour brush and watercolour the image.  The set has such a unique lined design, so it was perfect for varieting tone with watercolour.  

After embossing and watercolouring, I created a frame using a Spellbinders Embossing Folder and gilding it with gold Lunar Paste, trimming out the middle of the frame with a die.  

I trimmed apart the pieces to get them to fit nicely in an arrangement around the frame and then added in the gold embossed sentiment.  

Just a couple of gold enamel dots finish the design.  So many possibilities with this beautiful set!  

 

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Longline Roses Frame with Concord & 9th

Flowers for Ukraine from Honey Bee Stamps

Hi There!  I wanted to do a card this week to honour Ukraine and the ongoing war, as they fight for their country.  So much news is painful isn't it? However, today I wanted to also speak about something encouraging related to Ukraine.  When the war started 3 years ago, our church sponsored a family and their friends, nine people, to come to Canada as refugees.  The father in the family has a life threatening condition and would have died had they stayed in Ukraine.  What has followed has been such a story of restoration and hope.  They are a beautiful family, and have chosen to live a life of influence, reaching out to many other Ukrainian refugees in our city.  This has developed into a significant ministry focus out of our church.  Due to the language barrier, we started an English Language Learner program, which now serves hundreds of refugees from many countries in helping them learn English, Canadian customs, assisting them in navigating the different systems here, and helps them build friendships and community.  It has not only helped the refugees and newcomes, but has dramatically impacted our church culture in all the most beautiful ways. It has made us more intentional, compassionate and joy filled.   They have made a difference in our lives equally as much as we might have had an impact in theirs.  When the news gets discouraging, it’s important for me to remind myself of things like these - and the difference we can make.  

This card was designed to convey that hope.  I started with a lovely set from Honey Bee Stamps called Squared Spring Florals, and the coordinating Honey Cuts Dies.  

Rather than using the stencil that goes with the set, I coloured the image with Copics in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.  I also added some background stamping in white using the set as well.  

Then I turned the center portion of the stamp set into a shaker design for Simon Says Stamp March IG Challenge.  

A few extra holeless mirrored sequins accent the design outside of the shaker as well.  

Great to have you stop by!  

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Flowers for Ukraine from Honey Bee Stamps

Peace on Earth Angel with RAM Stamps

Hello!  Popping in tonight with a precious little Christmas Angel from Rachelle Ann Miller called Peace Angel .  She’s just delightfuly isn’t she?  I’ve coloured her up with Copic markers and then added in lots of sparkle to the design with a shimmery glitter pen.  Contrasting colours of purple and yellow work really well together for this design.  

The background is foiled with stars to coordinate and add lots of gold, and I also die cut some stars to accent using glitter paper.  This picture grabs a little of the shimmer from the pen in her dress.  

I think peace on earth is a beautiful thing to herald at Christmas and through all seasons.  I pray it begins in me, and extends to my world. 

If you haven’t finished your Christmas card and tag making, I’m including my RAM Stamps affiliate link provided at no cost to you....but every little bit helps me out!    https://rachelleannemiller.com/?ref=hyicmakm 

Blessings Dear Ones!  

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Peace on Earth Angel with RAM Stamps

Jeweled Christmas Florals with Power Poppy

 

We are snuggled up inside today because of what the National Weather Services calls “a major snow event”, where a good 8 - 10 inches, or 25 cm fell in the past 24 hours.  I have thoroughly enjoyed it - but I’ll admit, I wasn’t doing the shovelling.   So, tonight I’m in the mood for Christmas!  I pulled out this beautiful image from Power Poppy called Ultimate Poinsettia Digital Stamp set. Marcy always had the most beautiful arrangements of florals for any season, and this one is one of my favourites with the poinsettia and anemone flowers, plus berries and dusty miller greenery.  

The image is coloured with jewel toned Copics, with finishing detailing done with coloured pencils.  I’ve die cut the image out of the box style with the tiny dusty miller greenery in the lower corner peeking out.  The background is foiled in light lilac with a Spellbinders called Glimmer Monoline Stars.  

The sentiment is embossed on vellum with the Power Poppy set,  Joy to the World Bouquet. I ink blended Blueprint Sketch ink on the vellum to coordinate with the purply-blues.  

A few pretty rhinestones give extra shine, and I accented the sentiment and corner with silver die cuts from Spellbinders Christmas Bird Poinsettia Die.   Appreciate you stopping by! 

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Jeweled Christmas Florals with Power Poppy

Holy Night Nativity with RAM Stamps

Happy Wednesday evening!  Have you explored the wonderful world of RAM Stamps recently?  Rachelle has a treasure trove of gorgeous designs with such sweet whimsy!  At the end I have a special coupon for you at RAM Stamps, so don’t miss it!  

I could not resist this beautiful image Nativity Scene Creator to work with for Christmas.  She’s captured Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus so tenderly, and you can design the scene any way you like, including puffy sheep and wisemen, (which I didn’t include).  

I wanted to spend more time on this image using coloured pencils on kraft paper, so I took my time wiht the layers of colour.  I kept any other detailing very simple so the image takes centre stage.  

I did add a textured stripe die background for the slimline card base, and some white gel pen stars in the distance.  "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"  (2 Corinthians 9:15).

As a way of saying thank you for being a faithful reader - I’m extending my 10% off coupon to RAM Stamps - use CHRISTINEOKKEN at checkout! 

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Holy Night Nativity with RAM Stamps

Rustic Bouquet with The Greetery

 

A friend of mine just had a major surgery that will mean recovery and physio for a while.  Along with a meal, I’m going to slip in this card to encourage her.  I purchased these beautiful dies and stamps from The Greetery called  Floral Sampler Stamp Set and the coordinating Floral Sampler Dies.  

I was totally inspired by the packaging that Betsy included in the set with this lovely palette of peach, crimson red, yellow and cool green.  So, I used the dies and stamps to create a pretty arrangement to overlay this rich warm grey background using The Greetery’s Herringbone Parquet Die .  A little ink blending on the edges gives it a bit more richness, and then I framed up the floral arrangement with the Hoopla Oval Die  also from The Greetery. 

The sentiment die is from an older retired MFT die that was perfect for the occasion.  

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Rustic Bouquet with The Greetery

Golden Leaves with PTI

 

Alright, I’m giving in that it’s ok for Autumn to come.  It is such a golden season with the changing of leaves, vibrant colours and new starts.  I pulled out a gorgeous background from Simon Says Stamps called Overlapping Dots.  To me it looks just like interlocking leaves, and it’s perfect for embossing, and using resist techniques.  

I used some jewel and autumn toned Lindy’s Magical Pigment Powders  and spritzed lots of water to create this gorgeous rich coloured background.  Then I used the same powders to also run through some leaf die cuts to accent this beautiful embossed verse from PaperTrey Ink called Psalm Reflections:  March Mini.  

Then I went a little crazy with gold splatter....I think I’d dial that down if I could now!  

Thanks for enjoying the beautiful colours of fall with me! 

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Golden Leaves with PTI

Purple Prayer Bough

 

Hello!  Today is my last purple card day this week, and I’m bringing a lovely thoughtful card of support using multiple products from multiple companies, but I think they work together well.  Its fun when you can “shop you own stash”.  

I started with The Greetery’s stencil set Spring Sprays in lovely varied shades of purple, as well as a cool Evergreen Bough in Distress Oxide Ink.  I used the coordinating dies to cut out a few extra “blooms” to accent with the sequins.  

The prayer die cut (retired) from MFT is cut several times in white and then in ink blended cardstock so it’s raised well.  Then I just wandered through my Power Poppy sets to find a couple of words I could stamp that would create a great sentence.  

Seems like a great way to end off my purple week of cards!  Hope you’ve enjoyed it!   

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Purple Prayer Bough

Golden Glow Petal Die Cuts from PTI

Hello and Happy Monday!  I’m popping in with a design from Paper Trey Ink that celebrates their beautiful Into the Blooms: Gerber Daisies dies.  These are such detailed layering dies that are so fun to use!  I cut out several layers of flowers on heavy white cardstock, and ink blended some golden warm shades for the layers, and glued them up.  

Meanwhile, I foiled one of my fancy Spellbinders dies onto whitc cardstock, and embossed this beautiful Psalm from Psalm Reflections:  February Mini Set to continue that golden glow.   I arranged the flowers on a card that’s 5 x 6 1/4, a little larger than I normally work with, but it needed some extra real estate for all those pretty flowers.  Some watered down gold Lunar Paste is splattered across the layers, and over the card base to give a shimmery but weathered look.  Golden-shabby-chic!  

A lovely flowery start to the week!  Thanks for joining me!   

 

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Golden Glow Petal Die Cuts from PTI

Cherry Blossoms from PTI

I think because we have a cherry tree in our backyard, I have such an affinity for all things cherry.  Those blossoms are always just gorgeous in the spring.  So, this new die set from PaperTrey Ink really spoke to me.  It’s called Into the Blooms:  Cherry Blossoms.  It’s so elegant and classy, and you can colour it up, cut it from cardstock, or add variation in colour using ink blending.  

For this design I paired it with the Psalm Reflections:  March Mini stamp set, stamping this beautiful verse from Psalms in Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide Ink, and the coordinating Joy die.  

Each of the blossoms is given colour with ink blending, and layered for a gorgeous multi-dimensional look.  The background is run through a quilted die, and I added a ombre background with Distress Inks as well.  

Spring is SO SLOW in coming to our part of the world.  I can’t wait to see these blossoms in real life!  Thanks for joining me today.  

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Cherry Blossoms from PTI

Morning Glory Mercies: Watercoloured Die Cuts

 

Hello!   Today I’m bringing you some beautiful pops of colour on die cuts!  I don’t know how it works for you with inspiration, but sometimes ideas pop into my head that I just have to execute in real life.  As I was thinking about these beautiful new Morning Glory Botanicuts dies I received from The Greetery I knew that I wanted to use bright fushia pink on a navy background.  I think this palette is a really great one!  So, to get that vibrant pink I was looking for, I pulled out my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and watercoloured the flowers and greenery on watercolour paper.  Those Zigs really have saturated colour!  I used direct to paper with the markers and then blended with a water brush. Even then the colour is eye-popping.  

After running a slimline cards layer through a Quilted Card Front die from Concord and 9th.  I began to assemble the layers of flowers and attach them with foam dots.  The dimension is really lovely, like the flowers are bursting off the paper. All those layers from the die give such realism.  

The sentiment from The Greetery’s beautiful New Day sentiment set is embossed on navy cardstock for the perfect touches of white and texture.  It’s part of a very hopeful and encouraging Bible verse from Lamentations 3.  Isn’t all that colour lush?  

Appreciate you joining me today!  I hope you’re inspired to create something that delights you too!  

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Morning Glory Mercies: Watercoloured Die Cuts

The Blossom Challenge: Sponge Bath

Happy Spring friends!  Today I’m bringing you another fun "The Blossom Challenge” for the month.  I’m feeling especially Springy this month, and ready for all the fun colour that’s soon to come.  This month’s Challenge has the theme “Sponge Bath”, and its all about using your sponging tools to bring smooth inky colour to your designs.  

I’ve got two cards to show you today that showcase different ways to sponge ink.  

First off is this beauty from Power Poppy called Spring Border One.  I adore this image and its sweet border style of blooms.  All the flowers are coloured with Copics, and I stamped the large tulip twice so I could add it to the left of the arrangement to balance out my how the flowers appear in front of the arched die cut windows.  

For my sponging technique I used a simple background technique, using Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide Ink on the card base, splattering it with water, and then splattering again with white ink.  Such an easy way to add a background to a scene.  It’s one of my favourite properties of Oxide ink, when you see how great it reacts with water.  

Perfect for a little note for a friend.  

Next I’ve used another gorgeous Spring image from Power Poppy called Daffodil Bouquet.  

For this design I utilized a stencil to create a backdrop for this amazing bouquet of daffodils and muscari (grape hyacinth).  Once my bouquet was coloured with Copics, I used some pale pink cardstock and a diamond stencil with soft shades of peachy pink (Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserves).  Using coloured cardstock and stencilling over top gives you a base colour that you don’t have to add with ink.  

I also lightly sponged the embossing of the die cut frame which allows it to tie in to the colour and accents the embossing slightly.  The sentiment is from Power Poppy’s Peony Muse polymer set. 

 

Those bright pops of colour really shine!  

Want  more inspiration?  See what Barbara has to show you today!  

Now we’re extending the Challenge to you!  It’s Sponge Bath time!  Use your sponges or blending tools to add inky colour to any part of your design.  You could simply distress the edges of your paper with ink, blend multi-colour or ombre backgrounds, or use stencils to create a background or layer to your design.  All you need to do is use at least one Power Poppy image to be included in the challenge.  Link up HERE.  

Thanks for visiting today!  

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The Blossom Challenge: Sponge Bath

Bird Wreath Blessings with The Greetery

 

As I’m writing this, I’m looking out at frost covered branches from days of fog we’ve had.  It’s spectacular and sparkly, and one of the reasons I love Winter.  But, if I had to choose, I think Spring is my favourite!  This design using The Greetery goodies and Stamp Simply feels just like spring to me!  

There’s some lovely components that went into this design, that I originally created for some missionaries that were returning home after many decades of service, but I chose a different card, and just got around to finishing this one up.  To create the beautiful wreath I used The Greetery’s beautiful Floral Arches Stamp and Stencil, and the coordinating die.  Using Disress Oxide inks for the colour for the flowers and leaves.  The sweet goldfinch was created with The Greetery’s Robin and Wren Stamp set and Coordinating Die.  And he looks perfect perched in the flowers!

The sentiment is from a Stamp Simply set called Pastor and Ministry Appreciation Scripture. And I’ve added some background using a basketweave stencil for extra texture and pop of colour.  

It makes a lovely encouragement for someone who is making a difference!  

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Bird Wreath Blessings with The Greetery

Inspired Nativity

 

Oh the days are counting down towards Christmas!  In a busy season for us I have not done any decorating, or shopping or baking....I’m a little behind.  However, I did do a little creating!  I spoke last week at a Christmas event at our Church and as received a Christmas card thank you from one of the leaders that was so lovely!  I was so inspired by it, that I decided this Christmas design above with many nods to the original card (pictured below).  

I just loved the nativity scene of the shepherds entering Bethlehem, the metallic stars, the circle motif and the great colour combination with navy, blue/green white and peach.  

So I pulled out this beautiful set from Power Poppy called Enchanted Branches Nativity (on sale!), and in Digital its called Enchanted Branches Nativity:  Baby Jesus.  I started by stamping several of the branches in the set, a lamb and the baby Jesus, colouring them up with Copic markers with that great colour palette.  I trimmed out each piece with fussy cutting and added glitter pen to parts of the images.  

For the background I began by embossing silver stars from the set in silver onto cardstock and then sponged an ombre of Salvaged Patina, Unchartered Mariner and Grey Distress Oxide ink to give you that night sky feel.  To tie in the circle motif I placed Jesus onto the die cut circle and framed the image with the branches, accenting with the lamb and the sentiment from the set.  

Love how it turned out!  Hope you enjoyed it too!  

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Inspired Nativity

Wildflower Prayers

 

It’s hard to believe that we’re in October and my flowers are still blooming.  Today I’m bringing you another celebration of flowers using The Greetery’s August Release items including Sketched Wildflower Bouquet Stamp Set, Sketched Wildflower Frame Stamp and then Sketched Wildflower Frame Die.  The sketchy feel to the flowers gives it really nice flow.  And the flowers feel so delicate.   

I enjoyed colouring up this floral frame with Copics and used a complimentary colour palette of orange and periwinkle blue as the main colours.  It always makes for a nice contrasting colour combo, that and it’s my hockey team’s colours!

I used some distress oxide ink to create the background blue and then added this MFT sentiment die that I also coloured with Copics.  A few clear holeless sequins add a bit of shimmery colour and accent.  

Thanks for popping by stamper friends!  

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Wildflower Prayers