Scrappy Mo's Christmas Challenge with Snippets!

Well, it's quick post time for a Christmas Challenge. Over at Scrappy Mo’s it’s time for her Rudolph Day Christmas Challenge! Wanted to do a number of a Christmas cards. Have two dozen done but was hoping to be further ahead. However that’s okay for now. The card is rather unusual but love it ... it’s an upcycle which makes it even better still! 😊

As you can see it has a sparkly base, it was a snippet base as made for another card and simply didn’t work ( you can’t die cut that paper as it’s kind of material like, really weird when you go to die cut it, bought it with Margaret in Wales). Thought it would look great with a Christmas card so then hunted for card top. Found this image, curious use of colour on it! 
The green Lacey die on back is Our Daily Bread Lacey square die which I extended double length. Green, white and gold all snippets so off to Pixie’s Snippets Playground - save me a swing, pretty please! Wheeee, what fun!!
 Added a SB ribbon label die with a printed bible verse.
“The Father sent the Son it be the Saviour of the world.” 1 John 4:14
The Aussie shots today were taken down in Sydney to share when I came back but the fall hindered that. I’m still not great from fall and  had dental issues last week too with SCC cancer removal this Wed 1st in arvo.

Here are two favourite things from my childhood in Hyde Park Syd CBD.  Firstly the Archibald fountain with St Mary’s cathedral behind. 

With shady trees on walk to the Remembrance pool and War Memorial. It had just been spruced up. It was ANZAC Day on Wed, should’ve shared then. You might like to scroll down to Wed, as had some great alcohol and Yupo play.
That’s it today short and sweet. Lord bless your day where ever you maybe. A special thanks if you have time to say hullo.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

Thought for the day:
Was praying asking the Lord for a word when texting someone today, this everse came to me as I prayed, it really blesses me. Hope it does you too. Our loving Father God cares for us and all our dilemma and He is waiting for us to call upon Him at all times.

Also like to link up with:

1. Word Art Wednesday. Anything goes http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/?m=1

2. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Anything goes..https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-61/

ANZAC Day + CAS STencil Challenge.. just!

Hi there .. just watched the Syd Anzac Day March, a bit of a long-standing tradition here. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula.

These became known as Anzacs and the pride they took in that name continues to this day.
May we always honour those who’ve fought to preserve our freedoms and be grateful for the blessing of every single one of those freedoms so many do not enjoy these! 

Here is a quick post and a card for the CAS Stencil Challenge which closes in an hour!
This card was a labour of love, it so did not want to turn out!! 
First of all the gold embossing paste was hard. When I bought the dreamweaver paste on eBay it arrived dented in a plastic container. The seller packed it badly for trip to Oz, so refunded it when I told her what happened...predictably it dried out before full use. I wasn’t giving up! so used Wendy Vecchi clear paste and some gold acrylic paint which looked a bright gold by itself, and even wen wet with paste ... however when dry it was ugh! 
So now what? Tried covering a few media with no success over paste then thought of the Finetec watercolours in metallic (bought after seeing Cathy of Cathy’s card spot use them). YES! they painted beautifully over the paste, also used brown Tombow pen on the sunflower centre. 

Sunflowers are seen all over French fields...  like the poppy so think they’re very appropriate for Anzac Day, and needed spare sympathy card so that’s what it is. Good to remember these dear faithful ones this way too.
The sheet used on back of unamed stencil piece is alcohol play -see the post below or here.. Used also for Elizabeth craft designs With Sympathy die. Corners are from SB Marvellous Square Die.. trimmed off nice corners attached underneath 

An Aussie photo we are enjoying stunning sunshine ... but not one taken recently, as I'm not well at all at mo.
Lord bless dear ones and thank you for reading this post and taking time to comment. You bless my heart. Prayers for you too.
Shaz in Oz.x
Thought for the day
What better verse than this!

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

I'd also like to link up with:
1. Word Art Wednesday Anything goes
http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/?m=1
2. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Anything goes.  https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-61/
3. 

Alcohol ink Yupo Backgrounds + WOYWW

Well, yes it’s that time of week again everyone!! It’s WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday... please head over to Julia’s HERE for desks of the world!

Several desks as been doing alcohol backgrounds on the yupo paper bought at Hobby Lobby, with Marilyn last Sept in Florida. Finally had the courage to try it after looking at lots and lots of videos. 

Here is where first started, note messy work is done on junk mail as no clean up then. 😊 Also used a piece of acetate from a box lid as smooching station as it was really easy to use and lift up. Here's acetate after use and cleaned up brilliantly as well as ease of use! 

Secret is less is more, ie stop when you first think stop.The beauty of course is that you can remix and fix any mistakes with alcohol ink. Especially on Yupo, plastic paper, really weird .. but oh so much fun.

 Also used glossy cardstock and did whole lot of them... they’ll be great for Christmas cards. As mostly blues and silver...

Also did some violently different colours for me and loved them too! Not made into cards yet but have two cards to share.

Here is today's desk this morning, now late evening here. All backgrounds are made of Yupo and gloss card, the two Yupo cards are in various stages.

 Two of three birthday cards in first week in May, I have 6 birthdays in 8 days! Wonderful  backgrounds!

These were done with smooching technique where you load up one sheet of card stock and then smooch same size blank paper on the other side. Use blending solution to help move colour and tip sheet or blow to mix more.

Here are the three cards, the first two have Yupo backgrounds which were smooched together, one uses nearly whole sheet (5” x7”).

Flower dies on large one are CCD, on small one Memory Box and Creative Expression wonky rectangles. Both use Elizabeth Craft Designs happy birthday small one.

Showing the layering up here - the layers show I used all of that sheet of yupo with die cuts and background.

This last card is a serviette Card, a small one from my sister have enough for another card. Mounted with natural blue and gold Elizabeth Craft designs Quietfire happy birthday layering on card.

Here are Aussie shots from late last year, still not on walks but my crook knee from fall has actually been bit better last two days so very grateful indeed. Next week my post will be done early at 2pm Wed having hour surgery on SCC on right shin, so won’t be walking soon.

Well, that’s a long post this week.
Thanks for being patient, I do hope it helps someone. 
Happy WOYWW and God bless you all in your day and keep you in your way.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
To close this verse is blessing indeed, Lamentations was written at a time of great sorrow, Jerusalem is under seige, cut off on all sides, about to be overrun and in severe dearth, starvation and death all around. 

Yet Jeremiah pens these words. Truly this shows real faith in God. May I likewise be faithful.
 Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”
Praying for Sri Lankans in their great loss.

I’d like to link up to:

1. Word Art Wednesday  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/?m=1

2. Snippets Playground, used loads of snippets on those die cuts, brilliant fun, and a serviette lightly used for a card!! http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/2019/04/pixies-snippets-playground-challenge_21.html?m=1

3. Simon Says Wed challenge https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-61/

The Wonderment of Resurrection Morn

Imagine... . 

It's not 2019, but back about 30AD?

What do we see looking down the centuries?
What would I do, if I was in Jerusalem back then?

Would I cry: "Hosanna! to the Son of David", waving my palm branch a week ago?

Or just four days after, would I join the mob crying, "Crucify Him!"?

Would I the next day shout, "..he’s saved others, let Him save himself.." mocking Him, the King of Glory, in those three hours of darkness, along with other scoffers?

******

Or perhaps I dare to hope we'd be one of the women coming early that morning with the spices... 
I truly hope so. 

See.. behold ..

A look of wonderment in our eyes, as we gaze upon a Risen Saviour on the Resurrection morn?

In our imaginings, there are several certainties.
*****

A woman did see Jesus.. thought Him to be a gardener.. let us have a peek with her and refresh our memories with this most joyous scene:

John 20:11-16

“… Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 
 And they say unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” 
She saith unto them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”
 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 
Jesus saith unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?”

She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”
Jesus saith unto her, "Mary".
 She turned herself, and saith unto him, “Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”
******

The boldness of Mary in this scene really strikes me.
Here is this dear lady standing her ground in the midst of deep, all-encompassing, overwhelming grief!

Jesus, the Messiah of Israel is dead. 

Mary could have thought... 
I’m at His tomb.

I’m just trying to honour Him in His death.

All this is against me.

Isn’t this often like us?

We may think all is awry, our dear one we long to see be saved is still lost, or wayward?! No matter how much I pray, and yearn for it it’s not working! What's the point of all this this prayer, this walk of witness before them, or asking for a job, a place to live, good health, etc... is it all too hard to ask? what does it accomplish? 
Yet our tears are seen!
*****

Yes, she hasn’t given up!

She keeps seeking ..

Suddenly all becomes real - with a single word, the spell of engulfing heartbreak is broken with her name:

“Mary!”

The deep sorrow is no longer!!

“Rabboni, which is to say, MASTER!”

John 20:17-18

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."

So let us do likewise. 
Mary ran and told the others. 
They may not have believed (which we see in various accounts).

However their reaction was not her responsibility, nor is it ours. 
We are to sow the seed, and water in prayer.

Faith is believing what God say He can do!

That’s what Mary did this Resurrection day, what a tremendous victory over sin and death our Saviour accomplished.
Joy unspeakable indeed!! 
So let us go forth believing and living for Him, until He comes again or takes us home.

Do you know this Risen LORD Jesus Christ as your very own Saviour?

If you do not or are unsure, please read this post HERE

What a day of rejoicing that Resurrection day! 

Let us rejoice in His Goodness and remember He sees the big picture! and I pray the precious Word blesses you. If it does, please bless me in return in a comment.

Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

Two Thieves - Was Good Friday GOOD for Them?

On this sad, sad day, almost two millennia ago, we see three crosses on a lonely hill.. the hill of Golgotha or place of the skull, outside God's chosen city, Jerusalem. 

We read this in each of the four gospels, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned by four somewhat unlearned men (with the exception of Dr Luke) is the Good News or Gospel story. 

They each share different views, for example the seven sayings of the Lord Jesus, whilst hanging in great pain and torment of spirit upon the cross, aren't shared in one gospel. The different sayings are shared in each of four gospels, but none have all seven.

It's the thieves upon the cross we're considering today. They are mentioned in Matthew 27:38, 27:44, Luke 23:32-43 and Mark 15:27. 

But not at all in John.

The two gospels we look at are Matthew and Luke.

Notice in both Matthew and Luke there's one particular verse linking the veracity of these two accounts. 

Matthew 27:38, 43, 44

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. 
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Luke 23:32-44

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. ...
And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God....

 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

This last verse speaks of the darkest hours in human history (total darkness, maybe an eclipse, however definitely manifesting God’s power over His creation). 

In these three hours of darkness, as the Son of God bore the sins of the world and the Father, holy and perfect, turned His back upon His Son, the Lord Jesus bore my sins..

"..my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?"

Oh, the anguish of that cry by the Lord Jesus! 

Darkness all around, thick and impenetrable. Bodily pain unspeakable, as He fought against gravity for every single breath, as His body weight pulled Him down, emptying His lungs as fast as He pushed up to breathe. Anguish of salvation wrought for me and for you!

His lacerated, whipped back of 39 lashes, piercing thorns upon his crowned brow, nails driven through his four limbs... yet the agony greater than all this bodily pain was the separation from God when He “bore our sins in His own body upon the tree”. 

The reaction of the two thieves sharing in this suffering..

As the scripture says;

One was Left 

One was Right.

There's a real truth in their placement now and then.

Initially they both mocked... and believed not. 

Matt 27: 43, 44 
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Notice here both thieves cast upon Jesus the mocking words of unbelief.

Yet in those dark, dark hours upon the cross one had a change of heart, a lesson for all eternity....

This thief rebuked the other for his mocking of Jesus and said:

 ”.. we justly receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." 

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

This passage proves that works do not earn salvation.

Salvation is by faith alone. 

All his life he walked in unbelief yet with his last breath he calls upon the LORD ... 

I saw this in my dad’s own life. He passed six months ago at 89 years old. Eighty nine years without Christ. His grandfather had the Communist manifesto read out at his funeral and he was brought up as an atheist. However the LORD worked and brought him to affirm 10 days before passing these precious words, “I didn’t believe, but I do now “ to read full story HERE.

What about you? 
Where are you now? 
We can’t earn heaven. 
If we could earn it, Jesus' death was pointless!!! 

"What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world
but lose his own soul?"

When is it too late to be saved? 

When we breathe our last breath, as the other thief found out. 
But none of us know when that will be!

One was Left, One was Right.

https://youtu.be/fM_bP25WKoY

As the question is asked:

One was Left, One was Right. 

Which one will you be?

So for one of those two thieves, it was a GOOD day that Friday all those year ago, it was so very good for him for all eternity.

May it indeed be good for you too, as the day when our salvation was bought by the Saviour’s precious blood.

May God bless you all, and thank you 😊 if you kindly leave a comment to encourage  me.

Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

Washi Card with Scored lines + Die cuts + WOYWW

Hi one and all, yes it IS WEDNESDAY! Curious isn’t it how it comes.. in a blink. Of course it’s also time to do WOYWW! What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday... over at Desks of the World first - over at dear Julia’s desk at the Stamping Ground. To my desks..

 I’m working with washi tape! Do love washi...here I’ve three wide rolls of washi bought on eBay from Asian sellers, it’s certainly not readily available here! I’ve also a strawberry clear container full of regular washi. There is corner rounder punch on far top left. Front one of my non stick scissors, have four pair, two different sizes and love them all. 

I’ve made three cards with washi of differing widths.. 

Two with wide and one with regular - to show you don’t need wide. If you want to check out more look here (standard width, and using die cut words), here, here and here, all have examples mostly with regular width Washi.

Washi tape one or two layers, if desired, on card base, depending on width, that’s what I’ve done here.. Score couple of lines either side with score board. 

TIP: If you score top line first, allowing room for one or two or three lines on top then you put the washi tape on straight.

I forgot to use washi diecuts for these cards, but if you remember die cuts in the washi are best. Think I’m might go back and do this. 
Links above have the washi diecuts done. Then for any die cuts you put the washi on scrap of white card to size needed. Then layer  up die cuts while still in base one, to hold it in shape.

To the cards, I’ve used I.O. and CCD sentiment dies, added various peel offs some of which came from crop 2018, love border peel offs and there were some there. Love all of them, will be using sentiment with washi so will update if I do..

Adding this one has washi diecuts. It’s with regular washi width, two different sort from a set.

Now to the Aussie shots, as I’ve not been able to go walking (left knee and wrist injured in fall still recover) these are from last June when I wasn’t blogging. I love both of them.

Well, that’s me this week. Done zero cardmaking until these three cards since last week’s Mario Kart pop up slider card. The fall has knocked me more than realised but am improving.

Happy WOYWW everyone and May our dear Loving Father God bless your day wherever you may be, hugs Shaz in Oz.x 

Edit: (14.7.19) adding images with the three cards and their top layer of washi. I put it on scraps of card, add DST and die cut. First image shows the three layers of die cut. Layerthe up in bottom layer to hold it in place. 

 Add the tape after you've added the first lot of scoring, you'll have it straight and know where to put bottom layer.

Thought for the day:

This has to be one of my many favourites... lead me to the Rock ... as the hymn says, that Rock is Jesus, the Only One!

What a blessing to have One upon Whom we can cast our EVERY care.

Linking up with:

Word Art Wednesday   http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/2019/04/anything-goes-382-383.html?m=1

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Animal Antics   https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-animal-antics-3/

Simon Says Monday Challenge Down on The Farm. https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=16344

Mario Kart Pop Up Slider Card + WOYWW + Snippets

Well, another week flown... and this one was very eventful for yours truly, more of that later! To Desks of the World first - over at dear Julia’s desk at the Stamping Ground. 

Here I am making a pop up card... my desk as I left it last night. If you want the best tutorial on this card see this Video HERE! Was I ever glad to find this tutorial. My desk is midstream. Trying to work out what colours DP (disc. Stampin Up) to use. Have the pop up mechanism made and the 3D image of Mario and Luigi done, both done before went away. Prototype run through was on last week’s desk, if you want to scroll down. Really this method is quite an easy card, as there is no measuring, etc. However, I of course, made it more complex. The comedy of errors today as I completed the card, shows that I wasn’t with it. The best (or worst) was putting final card base on upside down! 😉 So cut it all down make new base and re-adhere! 😆 

The completed card, (image courtesy of Google) as a flat card, C5 size as it’s gone by Express post to Brisbane and that’s the Express envelope size. At least I thought to check that! 
Downloaded a Mario Kart Font from da Font site and installed it on Word for greeting.

The ribbon was to help pull up pop up mechanism. Rounded the corners of pull up mechanism cardstock and used fancy Star punch for ribbon hole, it was coloured with a Promarker to match card as had nought that shade.

The card popped out below. 
And a side view.

This beautiful pile of print out water colours for card toppers are by the lovely Sandra De... aren’t they ever so VERY clever?? Look at her blog HERE for more! We were so happy to finally meet up and have a cuppa together and maybe a bit of shopping! Sadly RosA wasn't  able to make it.

The eventful experience took place after I left Sandra, I tripped over a faulty tile and executed a face plant in the middle of Pitt St mall, 4pm Fri! Which necessitated a visit to Syd Hospital emergency via ambulance! Nothing like a bit of attention.(will report it, if I can) I’ve discovered a new shade in eye make up. 😁 Truly miraculous there are no broken bones or serious injuries, painful.. but not serious. God is gracious and so many kind caring hands to help.

My Aussie shots were taken down in the big smoke, they have lovely beaches there too! I was there with my uncle, and aunt's neice! We had an enjoyable meal together. 😊 

Well, thanks for popping over for a peek and a chat, I really am sorry I did not make one comment last week, not even on Julia’s blog. I barely had time to link up. 
Will do better this week, the trip was successful medically by the way and all is well. So very grateful.
Prayer hugs for every blessing on your way, Shaz in Oz.x
Thought for the day, a good verse to pray  and strive for:

Linking up with:
The Snippets playground, DP cardstock mostly were snippets.
WAW - Word Art Wednesday 
Simon Says Wed Challenge Anything Goes