Annie's Friday Smiles + Our Daily Bread Challenge

Hullo everyone! 
First of all want to share my card for the Our Daily bread challenge "Use old and new"  Old are SU purple cardstock + Papertrey quatrefoil die. New Designer paper + very new ODB stamp - this is birthday card for my friend. 

It will make her smile, as she loves purple and butterflies.

And as it is Friday is time for Annie's smiles!

This was like a jigsaw puzzle - matching the right piece in the right hole. Believe me, there are teeny corner bits easily lost. Liked the right one best so made it up into a card. To me it looks like a view out of a window, through a lattice screen.

This verse always makes me smile, as it is so full of Gods promise to help all who put their trust him. "With God all things are possible"
.. love the gorgeous scrollwork on this stamp by ODB, from a set called "God verses. There are five verses in all.

This Bromeliad makes me smile every time I see it. The flower is so much more beautiful in real life - very hard to get a good photo of it they all seemed fuzzy.

This variegated Cordyline was dying, so I thought, so cut it right back to its very base. And look how it rewarded me .. and so it too makes me smile too - with thankfulness for the miracle of plants. :D

 These two shots were taken when a friend was here two weeks ago now .. had great fun swimming here! and went for swim today too, but not here - at our creek five mins down the road.

Isn't God's creation enough to bring the biggest smile to your face with thankfulness for it??

I will comment as able - a busy day today  :D

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek as chat, and may God bless your day wherever you may be!  

Shaz in Oz.x

if you want to save this just right click on it. :D

Am Linking up to: 

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets card http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

3. Our Daily bread challenge - Use old and new http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/odbdslc269-something-new-something-old.html

WOYWW + Cards + Serviette with Cling Wrap Ironing Method

Hi there one and all - how quickly a week flies by .. mm, so yes this year is not different to others. It is Wednesday here already!

Do pop  over at Julia's for WOYWW or What is On Your workdesk Wednesday! 

Am sharing for my WOYWW post an old method, well known I thought - but have found lots dont know about it, so thought would share it with you, step by step..

... so picture heavy post but not many words :D. To my my desk yesterday ..

1. separate layers of serviette/ napkin to very top pretty layer of a three ply serviette .. the paper napkin variety. Have at the ready from the kitchen some cling wrap, or plastic wrap.

Heated up my cheap $10 Semco craft iron on high (you may need to check your iron. I tried a lower temperature first but did not take). As on heat proof craft mat, didn't need to worry about heat.
 2.Lay first the serviette/ napkin face down, with pretty side on the non stick heat mat. i.e. away from you.
3. Lay on top of back of serviette a sheet of plastic wrap, smoothing it out.
4. Place on top of plastic a sheet of plain white card or heavy duty paper.
Iron and iron really well repeating coverage over it all.
You may need to go over several times, especially on edges as they are slowest to take.
If using a good iron, then put piece of printer paper to protect your good iron.
This one has good Teflon surface so didn't worry.

Untrimmed complete sheet, double check complete adhesion especially around the edges before trimming it..

Found some snippets in my folder of gold card of die cut pieces with SB Curved border die, so using it with these two pieces.

Have huge list (for me) of birthdays for Feb., so here is one down and six more to go.The Happy Birthday die is Quietfire design by Elizabeth craft designs and double cut in blue under to complement colours in serviette.

Surfs Up Downudner - we have had huge seas with the swell form a tropical low .. rain has been welcome, if impinging on my swimming a tad. These three were taken by my BiL a few days back, on their home surf break thirty mins north of here.

May God bless your day everyone

... and thanks so much for all your wonderfully, encouraging comments, too.

Shaz in Oz.x 

"The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God. " Luke 18:27

Am Linking up to: 
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets.
2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

Happy Australia Day +Christmas cards - Rudolph Challenge @ Scrappy Mo's

Hullo there everyone ..  happy Australia day, Australia! .. yes it is our national day today

May God watch over and keep this land, and bless all who dwell here, with the hope and joy of His salvation.

However as it is after 25th of the month, I am sharing some Christmas cards for Scrappy Mo's Rudolph day Challenge. You have until the 31st of the month to join in by making one card over at ScrappyMo's - and the prize is a beautiful Memory Box die. 

A great way to get a head start on cards for this coming Christmas :) YAY!

This is really snippets ++++card - stamped the central image many months ago by masking an old tree stamp bought second hand. The greeting is digi and attached onto ribbon with extended tag die.

The theme over at Our Daily bread is use old and New .. well this is a very old LOTV image which ties in perfectly with the ODB stamp in embossed gold stamp from Christmas Flourish set. the Ultimate Crafts Embossing folder bought on sale after Christmas had a first try today and think it is my new favourite folder (called Christmas Tradition).

Well, thanks for popping over - and staying for a peek and chat.

May God bless your day where ever you may be. 

Shaz in Oz.x 

 "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

As Well as Mo's Challenge Am Linking up to: 
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on both cards http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

3. Our Daily bread challenge - Use old and new, first card - old Square dies plus LOTV image and new ODB stamps and EF. http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/odbdslc269-something-new-something-old.html

Word Art Wednesday Guest Designer - Jan 2016

For WOYWW post - see post below ... thank you! 

  This is my second post as a guest designer for January. 

I love this challenge and the Design Team is a great team of talented card makers. I thank them for asking me to join their team for this month :D

This year we are having two week Challenges so this makes it easier for folks like me - and as always - Anything Goes! so please join us! great prizes to be won.

So here is my offering - two cards in all for this week (again :D I cant help myself - these are such great verses, I do so love it again).

Used the SB Majestic Labels 25. I cheated in the middle crimson die. **It does not have an inner die to make a frame. I cuttled it with the second smallest die which does have slight rolled the pin pricked edge to it. 

Cut the pin-prick edge off, shape carefully into the nice roll of edge. Looks like it was made as frame.
When printed verse, as the card was shimmery card, able to emboss it quickly.
1. Before putting it in printer use embossing buddy (hand made one, see this post)

2. Have embossing powder (clear) + scrapsheet to catch waste powder ready.

3.As soon as it is through printer, sprinkle embossing powder.

4. Heat emboss as normal. It works for any glossy card. Will not work on matte card.

  

This card has already been mailed yesterday. The one above is going to Japan for Missionary lady's February birthday from our church.
The digi of the birds is a Nicecrane Birds and Blossoms digi, and also the file is a transparency I overlayed it in Word on the bird digi. Printed it out on the special coated inkjet paper on high resolution. Triple mounted it, then added the two embossed pieces.
The one on the left in gorgeous inky coppery hue is from my snippet drawer. 
Been struggling to recall what ink I used on it .. so creamy and sheeny. It is on cheap piece of card from a sock packet too!! I used TH Dots Matrix EF, debossed. The other (embossed with CB Moroccan Screen) is the lovely Kaisercraft Metallic Emerald card you can buy at Lincraft in Oz. I go to big smoke tomorrow to catch up to with RosA of WOYWW :D and hope to visit there again, God willing.

This is the png, file, large size and transparency if you right click for download this is the best one for use.

This is a smaller file in jpeg format.. open it up by clicking on it, then right clicking so save think will work best. It is not transparent and will not overlay.

 Don't you love Isaiah? I do .. it is in the old Testament my favourite, along with Job and of course the book of Psalms.
 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight;

 I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron. Isaiah 45:2 

What powerful imagery there is in these words!

.. of the power of our LORD God and how He goes out of His way to keep those who love Him and serve Him. We are so unworthy of His love and care..

But He gives it freely when we come to Him.

Coming His way, not our own way, for forgiveness through the cleansing power of the blood of Christ.

This daily such a comfort and blesses my heart.

In times of unwellness, which often seem to be there - His love and watch-care enable me to go on.

He makes those crooked troublesome paths straight!

He tears down those boundaries/ strongholds to His will in our lives!

"I love you, Father. I thank you for the riches of Your love in Jesus, Amen."

 Well, thanks for popping over - and staying for a peek and chat. May God bless your day where ever you may be.
 Shaz in Oz.x

Linking up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on both cards http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

WOYWW, Distress Inks + Sunday Sculpture in the Park

Hi there folks - back after wee break from WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Do join our wonderful head of Deskland is Julia at the Stamping Ground, for WOYWW, over here.

Desk 1: making an inky background for a card which will show below. Using DI - Salty Ocean (appropriate, went for swim there yesterday :D) on large piece mixed with Dusty Concord and Victorian Velvet on small piece. Also another piece not made up yet in Greens and Mustard seed.
I sprayed the large piece with pearl shimmer mist and snippet of mixed blending with mini mister just to get them to spread.
Its curious but in our humid Summer weather Distress inks on paper/ card never dry completely. I put them in the sun, bone dry - bring inside flatten. When go to use them -> flexible almost moist.

Completed v. quick card - embossed in Black and Gold Forever Friends EF - Petals, then sanded it a little and it became very suede like with and shimmery sheen. Die cut "Thanks" the smaller piece with thanks from CB Olivia alphabet die set. The image is sticker mounted on card by Country Companions. Cute plus. It was very sunshiny when took this so tad washed out.

Now the shots from Oz this week are quite a few, so skim if feed be. It is of Sunday Sculpture in  the Park, really enjoyed it with dear dad and the inevitable summer icecream :D

First two were by children - the white birds from plastic milk bottles, a prize winner are little Terns, a small seagull here. 

These are Echindas - sort of like hedghogs but not.

 

This represents the Satin bower bird with the bower .. see this link video here and here - they make a bower of sticks and collect all blue bits from everywhere around it, to attract their mate and do a ritual dance around it. I've seen them along the creek banks here near our botanic gardens.
Sadly I have also seen a photo of a bower bird with a blue ring stuck on its mouth - the left over ring when you open a plastic bottle. This stuck blue ring prevented it from eating and it died. So I always cut/ slide off off any rings off milk bottles or bottles of any kind. :(

"The Bolt"... funny eh!? :D

This kangaroo made from all sorts of wooden and metal things, won the grand champion. There was (as you can see below) band playing too- a fun day all around.

 

Image a tad soft, was taken swiftly, it is two pelicans coming into land on the river.

I'm delighted to welcome two new wonderful encouragers.. sometimes they come in a rush and sometimes none for ages .. welcome to Ellen Corey-Watkins and to Jeannie.

Unhappily I dont know blog links for either as they have not commented so please Ellen and Jeannie let me know so I can join your blogs as an encourager also.
Of course thanks to blogger changes my numbers have gone down in spite of this but cant be helped :)

I will comment as able - a busy day tomorrow and hope to catch up with RosA of WOYWW :D

 

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek as chat, and may God bless your day wherever you may be!  Shaz in Oz.x

Linking up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au 

Word Art Wednesday Guest Designer - Jan 2016

For WOYWW post - see post below ... thank you! 

Last month I had an email from the wonderful Karen Letchworth of Word Art Wednesday Challenge asking me to be a guest designer for January.
I was actually surprised and honoured. I love this challenge and the Design Team is a great team of talented card makers. I thank them for asking me to join their team for this month :D

This year we are having two week Challenges so this makes it easier for folks like me - and as always - Anything Goes! so please join us! great prizes to be won.

So here is my offering - two in all for this week.

 This was the first one I made.. I had two ideas as had to make some cards for a FB challenge too.The colours I wanted for this card wouldn't work for the challenge so decided to make two :D
The verse lends itself to a circle so a plain circle  edged with black edging used, and yellow chalk to shade it softly.  Cut a yellow *SB Shapeability Lotus Pendant, mounted it (*this year I want to use things in my stash ie hardly or unused items so here is good start on both cards).  Cut 3 Dienamics Daisies and leaves, plus leaves from a Marianne die and Nellie Snellen leaf swirl. The embossing folder is new one from trip to Brisbane craft show @ $3.95, a bargain and love it .. very different on emboss and deboss sides .. this is Debossed and it is a 5' x 7" Couture Creations Circles Folder. I extended this too. see how here.

Its been so much fun playing with these verses as so often I don't get to do this for the actual week's WAW verse.. and to do it ahead is really special, I so appreciate it.

This is the second card which I scanned a piece of DP (in case idea didn't work didn't want to waste the piece so could skip that step). Added the digital verse in Word by adding the DP image first in to a text box right size, + added verse as an overlay and printed it off high quality. I had checked the size the verse needed to be for die before overlaying it on rough piece cut out.
With the barely used SB A2 Divine Eloquence I cut the verse with a green snippet, and largest die. The saved negative part of the die was pasted for reinforcing onto a scrap piece of card, then also used on the bottom. To check out more on how I made this please look at the desk post over here.

 This is the verse this week, it is clickable for saving if you right click on it and select save. 

I wanted to share how much this verse means to me. 

As most of you know I was born with some health issues. 

It was something that as a teenager really affected me and into my twenties. I was different from my "normal" friends and younger sisters. 

I came to know the LORD Jesus when I was young - I share it in the post below or see this post here (as it's fifty years two days ago that I trusted Jesus down at our beach). 

However I was so angry at God. 
He could've made a better job! He is God after all. 
Finally after about eight bitter years the LORD brought me to the end of myself, a key part in this was this very verse. 
Proud, angry, stubborn, "self-willed" me was able to say with all my heart:

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" Psalm 139:14

I know now - God doesn’t make mistakes. As Romans 8:28 says:
 "ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God to them that are the called, according to His purpose."

His purpose note,  not mine.

His ways are always best.. 

Hard? yes, not easy, but best - do we want second rate?

Well, thanks for popping over - and staying for a peek and chat.

May God bless your day where ever you may be. 

Shaz in Oz.x

Linking up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on both cards http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

3. Our Daily bread challenge - Use old and new, first card - old SB circles and Shapeablitiy and new EF.
http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/odbdslc269-something-new-something-old.html

WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Well everyone, I shall endeavour this year to be not so absentfrom WOYWW as I was towards the end of last year .. mind you I decided to end and start the year off  with an infection. This time last week I was going to join, but slept for 22 hours instead.. its a long time since I remember doing that! All good now. to the matter in hand WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - our Julia's blog at the Stamping Ground is home base for WOYWW, over here.

So folks here you see me hard at work. :D
Here I am making the second of two cards for WAW or Word Art Wednesday.
I needed to only make one card but problem was I wanted to use my card that popped into my head then realised they weren't the colours I needed the FB challenge - so why not make two! here are the barely used SB A2 Divine Eloquence I cut the verse with a green snippet, and largest die. The saved negative part of the die was pasted for reinforcing onto a scrap piece of card, then also used on the bottom. See both cards completed plus free digi for the verse over at this post above or here

 

To close here is the moonrise over the Pacific from the balcony, on Christmas day night - a full moon.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." Psalm 19:1 
Truly God's creation quite takes your breath away.

  Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek as chat, and may God bless your day wherever you may be!  Shaz in Oz.x

Fifty years ~ Walking with the Lord.

I wanted this special memory to be the first post for 2016.

"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1: 7-9

 I learnt these verses simply to win a book prize at Christmastime fifty years ago, but I gained oh, so much more.

Roughly the spot where this took place, as shown today.

On 4.1.1966, after received my book prize, I was walking back to the tent with my sister’s teacher. It was the Children's Special Beach Mission (CSSM). They came there each Christmas, an interdenominational outreach run by Scripture Union.

As we walked, I was asked if I knew what these verses I’d learnt meant.

Being young, I had not really given it deep thought, but as we walked she explained how Jesus had died for all our sins, including mine on the cross so that we could go to heaven, and asked me if I would like to take Him as my Saviour.

I remember standing by the road, at the top of the path to the park below. A crossroad in every way; I stood thinking about it.

I found it amazing to realise that Jesus had died for me, for my sins!   

My reply was yes! So we walked back down into the park (see above image). Here I prayed and asked the LORD Jesus to be my Saviour all those years ago.

I remember I was told that the angels were rejoicing in heaven over a soul coming home to Him (Luke 15:10). My mother burst into tears when I went back to the tent and told her. This was unusual, my mother rarely cried.

Years later (in my 20’s) I asked mum why, she said because you looked so happy.

And I was.

I went down to the beach ~ and sang at the top of my voice those simple CSSM songs!!

The promise of my home in heaven was what I had found; a Friend Who would never leave me nor forsake me! No wonder I was so happy. I have found joy where joy would not be possible, in the simple faith of a child believing God and His word. 

Many folks come to the Lord in later years.  

It matters not when or where but simply that we take His gift of salvation. 

A gift isn’t ours till we’ve received it.

"For the wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b

Each card sent out this Christmas time contained this testimony above of what the LORD Jesus mans to me. 

I pray with all my heart that the LORD will take each word written, shared and prayed over and bless it for His glory.. that more like me might find true hope, joy and peace with God .. through our LORD Jesus Christ. For this is what makes life worth the living.

This illuminated verse from the passage hangs in our loungeroom today, for more details see this post here.

Our dear LORD God and Heavenly Father watches over you and all for whom you care..

He knows you intimately and cares for your every burden that you carry.

He is the Burden bearer, our sin bearer, He wants to be the Hope, the Help that He is to me and everyone of His children.
Hear His call today, I pray.
If you want to know more, please read this post here ... or read the Bible starting at the gospel of John. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post. I pray it blesses you – for how richly I am blessed as a result of this gift of salvation at such a young age.

I did not know unless someone had told me, someone had asked me..

So this is why I share it with you today.

Praying for you.

Shaz in Oz.x

There Is A Green Hill Far Away

                      There is a green hill far away, without a city wall,

                        Where the dear LORD was crucified, Who died to save us all.

                        We may not know, we cannot tell what pains He had to bear,

                        But we believe it was for us He hung & suffered there.  

                        He died that we might be forgiven , He died to make us good,

                        That we might go at last to Heaven, saved by His precious blood.

                        There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin,

                        He only could unlock the gate of Heaven, and let us in.

                        Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, & we must love Him too, 

                        And trust in His redeeming blood & try His works to do.

Hymn by Cecil Frances Alexander