"He is not here, for He is Risen, as He said". (+ Snippets, NBUS, Allsorts Challenge)

First of all, though, thanks to all who care enough to pop over  and say Hi. Things are very topsy turvy health wise this past month and look like being that way for a while. Sorry I wont perhaps be as active at returning comments,.

  

Dear Ones, well today is a day of great rejoicing as my title shares.

Can you imagine the great sorrow of the women and disciples upon the first day of the week? 

They thought all was lost - Jesus was dead upon the cross of Cavalry, and buried in stone tomb!

 "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 

² And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
³ And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
⁴ And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
⁵ And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
⁶ He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
⁷ Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
⁸ And they remembered his words," Luke 24:1-8 (emphases mine)

I think this image of an empty tomb encapsulates the work of the cross the death, burial and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ, the Son of God our sin-bearer on the cruel tree at Calvary - there the LORD Jesus died for you and me!
How rich we are in Jesus if we truly know Him as our own Saviour from sin and love and serve Him.. 
A hymn came to mind as I think upon today, Resurrection Sunday, and as verse 2 says the day of Hus appearing will come at last - one glorious day He’s coming back again! for He promised (John 14: 1-6)! I so look forward to His coming AGAIN!

 It is I serve a Risen Saviour... may it bless your heart as it did mine.
I serve a Risen Saviour by A J Ackley 
I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today;
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

Refrain:
He lives, He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!

2 In all the world around me I see His loving care;
And tho' my heart grows weary, I never will despair.
I know that He is leading thro' all the stormy blast;
The day of His appearing will come at last. [Refrain]
 

3 Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind. [Refrain]

To Him alone be all the glory, honour and praise, with much thanksgiving for Resurrection day!

Shaz in Oz.x

Hymn sung below by Mennonite Youth choir link HERE if not showing 

 

Now to some cards, as most of my cards are snippety, its always hard to pick a snippets card. The first one is  the most snippety! 

Green piece was a watercolour piece done ages ago, added versamark ink on EF & accidentally debossed with poppy stamps folder, so could not use it as intended. 

Recently saw it in "use it!" box desk. Thought, Mm, brayer the beautiful gold acrylic paint over the top, see what happened!? This is it! 

The frame was already cut to right size! that's God's goodness! from a natural coloured cereal box, painted it with same gold acrylic paint. Verse was stamped & gold embossed ages ago, a wooden Stampendous stamp, a favourite verse of mine - "WITH God, ALL things are possible." Mtt 10:26 Frame is a Kaisercraft die. MB butterfly Pippi disc.

Links below to challenge.

Next card - is with vellum, I was given some Prima metallic accents paints for Feb birthday, I've really enjoyed making a lot of cards with them. Have many in wings which hope to share in months to come as health permits.

The frame, punch butterflies (Kaisercraft large, small unknown) and back of embossed vellum were painted with these paints, the frame and one above are Scrapdragon brand, an Aust online company. CB embossing folder disc long ago. Again my favourite bible verse stamp. Used NBUS Prima Iridescent watercolour paints!

Two more cards, I made a number of these, with this NBUS flower stamp die set.

This is an encouragement one with Hero Arts hugs and prayers.

The floral stamp set is disc., though a NBUS! as is mixed Oligagarch (sp?) greetings stamp die set, that was bought recently on Amazon!

 No longer available! I think the EF on background is Altenew 3D folder from memory. Added light spatter in colours used to paint them, with a bit of the gold as well.

These are all NBUS so will pop over to Darnell's challenge. 

Linking up to the following:

1. Snippets playground with green card here

2. NBUS Challenge  here 

3. Allsorts Challenge over here CAS or Anything Goes encouragement card is a favourite and it's CAS

 4. I'd also like to link these cards over to this wonderful challenge- Word Art Wednesday- Anything goes http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/2024/03/anything-goes-weeks-641-642.html?m=1

 

Male cards Shells 3D Embossing multi technique + Serviette Card + WOYWW + Snippets

 Warning- photo overload... again!

Well, true to my promise (or hopeful promise), this is my next monthly post! And believe you me, WARNING - loads of cards here, mostly so I remember what I've done! Lots of male cards early in year so try to use one idea as leaping off point, this time every card is different. Link each of techniques used. Several desks to share at Julia's WOYWW - What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Desk one with gessoed embossed foil (see link here) Don't have gesso so used watered down texture paste, worked just fine. The 3D EF was bought from Poppy Stamps, but was originally Sizzix 3D EF, both called "Shells". Male cards for 2024 but are different techniques so far! From this technique I learnt how to lightly brayer a fine layer of gold acrylic paint, so used it on a number of various techniques as the gold highlights it beautifully. NOTE: first time I did it made gold layer too thick. It's not shown in video technique, but prayer with trial and error won out. Don't give up too soon on a technique - I've learnt the hard way.

Desk 2 shows the embossed watercolour with DI then brayered gold highlights on top.

First card was this new technique (Splitcoast Stampers link here), it looks better in some lights/ angles than others. 

Alcohol ink on Alfoil (kitchen aluminium foil variety) backed on heavy cereal box card (NOTE: attach foil with tape, so doesn't move about). Texture is from a shell 3D Embossing Folder. At end brayered on top to highlight with very thin layer gold acrylic paint to catch the highlights. Greeting diecut out of another similarly coloured piece of foil on card.

Above watercolour technique on card 2.

Card 3 and 4 were actually brusho snipppets and used this technique blogged here with black Versafine on Embossing Folder (EF). One brayered with gold acrylic highlights and the other copper highlights.

This fifth card instead of black used on EF (Embossing Folder) tried a blue Distress Oxide, Peacock Feathers (?) you always have to do several lots of inking on folder no matter how inky your pad is, 3 to 4. Liked this one and while it was still wettish, added some iridescent EP but doesn't show much. Will try this again, was the last technique tried! 😍 

Last male card is again alfoil technique, my very first attempt where messed up paint application (so bit more golden!) but still managed to rescue it. The greeting is stamped on thin layer of cork too.

This is all male cards but first one, as it was already in Brisbane!

What was interesting is how varied this 3D folder could be made!

Next is a group of ladies cards all made with Serviettes, two are glittery.

One was blogged in last post but share a new card. The two glitter ones have DST with TH Rock candy glitter on them, all with assorted die cuts - most of mine now are disc. The purple one with butterfly is for my friend who loves them both!  My new favourite easy way to adhere very top layer of serviette to card is with spray adhesive. It's way easier! Last card (phew).

It's a Golden Wedding Anniversary card, the creamy Diecut was a gift from Marilyn in US, so coloured it with Gold Perfect Pearls. Greeting on computer, but frosted card meant had time to heat emboss in gold EP.

Now to some Aust photos.

The scene ones are from friend on FB post but are from here.

The rose is Apricot Delight (I think, lost label?) in garden at various stages. It has been as very hot here - just as it has been very cold in northern hemisphere. My nephew in Norway had great fun (not!) digging their car buried in very deep snow!

Thanks so much for popping over and saying hi, may God bless your day wherever you maybe.

Prayer hugs,

Shaz in Oz.x 

 

Thought of the day:

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18

Do you ever look at the way your country is going and despair... things are so different  NOW!

Or so it seems, yet this verse was written by King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived (who fell into folly despite his great wisdom).

Depite this, God's word is truth. This truth reverberated then in Solomon's time, in Jesus' day hundreds of years later and now our day two millennia later!

..  but surely it can be encouraging!

I am but one, but if one walks in obedience to God's Truth and teaching, God promises us we will be happy in it, not necessarily for it though! 

Or as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
 

AND I AM thankful in it, despite the daily struggles - I am so very blessed, especially in counting my blessings and name them one by one.

Praise Him!

Linking up also with:

1. http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/ Anything goes! All cards I've made as linked.

2. What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Over HERE at Julia’s 

3. Snippets playground 😃 over HERE! Male Card (fifth) with Peacock Feathers,  it was a brushos Snippet on back of a cereal box made ages ago. Loved how it turned out.

4. NBUS Challenge. The Alfoil Technique is new = never used before Schtuff, as is the Shell folder too. Link here https://mynbus.blogspot.com/2024/02/nbus-challenge-59.html?m=1

5. Allsorts Challenge -  anything goes option - Serviette card with glitter,  purple and butterfly! 

Lunar pastes,+ 3D Embossing folders, Serviette Card, WOYWW, NBUS, Snippets

 Warning! Photo overload!

 Well, here is 2024! That happened in a blink?!! now rocketing through the 2020's, I decided, God helping me, was going to blog once a month. So here is January! I am not sure how long it will last. 

As it is Wednesday & is desk day! See "What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday", over HERE 😁 at Julia's .. so where’s my desk!?

This morning I was doing some old fashioned stamping with a Stamp-a-ma-jig, even though using an unmounted stamp (a very annoyingly made unmounted stamp - crooked on front image to back, but beautiful so I persist). Doing the old way is safer in having it straight, and shock horror! I'm making Christmas cards for 2024. I don't want to be as behind this year - last year was appalling. Next desk!

This is yesterday's desk, with Mister 14, we had great fun playing with lunar pastes, brayered on with embossing folders and die cuts, these are four cards he made! three with blue green lunar paste and deep blue solar paste for extra brilliance on turquoise, and purple orange and ? on other card. Dies all disc. but two folders 3D are NBUS & first use, floral (poppy stamps) and geometric Altenew folder (two cards on last image)

Desk no 3!

Now to my cards since last shared, quite a few. Some are remakes, needed a number of cards for a present for a very special lady, but first one is complete NBUS as used spectrum noir iridescent pens - see above desk, with a Poppy Stamps 3D Marigold Embossing folder. Both were Christmas presents. Saw technique on this video HERE, but I don't have right gold ink so did it on gold frosted cardstock, much easier. 😆

These are card techniques have been done before, some watercolor and stencil techniques. Designs though are slightly different to previous shares. 

Last two cards are out of my snippets drawer for “cards in a hurry”, the gumleaf birthday is a serviette card (alas only had one of these serviettes sooo beautiful), with SB border die and the watercolour sailboat is using gloss card with markers added ink colour, plus later blending, stamping a Darkroom Door stamp for male 80th card, verse stamp is Stampendous.

Now to Aussie photos, some roses, a one day cactus flower and fuchsia.

Last photo is your beach fix, on a walk some time ago.

I was horrified how long it I since I've taken photos, life has been too busy. I have a welcome summer visitor in ten days, so won’t be around much for rest of month, hence joining on first WOYWW. 

It is officially 12years since I first joined WOYWW! Yippee!

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek and chat!
May God bless your day wherever you may be. 
  Will do my very best in commenting, and truly appreciate your visits!
Shaz in Oz.x 

PS if you're struggling to comment on a mobile device like I was, select use Web version, it usually fixes all but embedded comment boxes that don't have anonymous activated. Those ones are impassable on mobiles.

Thought of the Day 

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

 Psalm 90:12.

Tomorrow is the 4th January, 2023 and 58 years ago was the most momentous day of my life!

 After learning this passage:

 (1 John 1: 7-9: "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 cleanseth 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.") 

I was walking back to the tent with my sister’s teacher (yes, we camped here annually for over 20 years, near the beach where I now go swimming).
It was the Children's Special Beach Mission. They came there each year, run by Scripture Union, or CSSM as we called them...

My sister’s teacher was asking me as we walked back if I knew what these verses meant. 

Being 12, 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 and asked me if I would like to take Him as my Saviour. ?

To which I said yes, and so here is the spot (today’s photo) of where I prayed and asked the LORD Jesus to be my Saviour all those years ago. It is kind of hallowed ground to me. I remember I was told that the angels were rejoicing in heaven over a soul coming to Him, for forgiveness of sins.

My mother burst into tears when I went back to the tent and told her.
Years later (in my 20’s) I asked her why, she said because you looked so happy. And I was. I went down to the beach and sang my head off!! 

The promise of my home in heaven was what I had found, and 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, and He has never EVER failed me.   

Linking up to:

 1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes, all three cards   http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  

2https://mynbus.blogspot.com/2024/01/nbus-challenge-58.html the Marigold 3D is NBUS, as are Thomas’ two cards with NBUS EF.

3. Allsorts challenge Anything Goes Allsorts

4. Linking over to Snippets playground with the Snippets drawer sailboat 80th card, as all snippets except card base.see here

What Cost is Today? + NBUS Challenge + Oxides Altenew Beautiful Bergenia 3D Folder

 As I thought on this Friday's purpose thoughts wandered to childhood. I don’t know about you, but growing up in the 60's that little question - COST was very important to us in everything. 

Treats were that - treats not like today, or perhaps I should say last year. This year that focus has returned.

My favourite thing as a child were the hot cross buns of Good Friday… yum! Lightly toasted, eaten warm with butter & cinnamon sugar melting into it. Yes, it’s on today’s menu 😋

This simple acrostic came to mind, so relevant today …. COST

  C Christ  (Messiah - Anointed or Promised One)

  O Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent 

  S  Salvation - in our LORD Jesus Christ's own Sacrifice

  T Trinity - Three in One God

The very first time the reality of what Good Friday COST our Saviour hit me was 4th January, when twelve years old.

  God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM.               1 John 4:9

  

Was in a park by the beach, five mins from where I now live - I loved books! I’d won a book prize at the Scripture Union Beach mission. 

 

Collecting that book prize gave me a far greater prize. 

For the first time, as the teacher talked to me, I saw Jesus, hanging on the cross, for my sins - I saw my sin put Him there. 

What cost indeed!

AND LOVE, Jesus' deep LOVE kept Him there!

That memorable day, when I saw Jesus on the cross for my sin, has lived evermore for me in these words of this hymn. (or see link here)

There is sadness in the GOOD FRIDAY story. 

There is pain in the story. 

There is death. 

But there is more. 

 

The whole story includes Love's beauty of Easter. 
The triumph. 
The joy.

I would dearly love that all who read this might know or already KNOW that Beauty, Triumph, and Joy.. in our Lord Jesus.

 

Now sharing a couple of cards - and used new Sweet 'n Sassy stamp set - so they are NBUS (Never Used Before Schtuff)! 

Yippee. So thankful for my friend Marilyn who forwards US mail to Oz.

 The verse up closer - a great favourite of mine.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; 

but of power, 

and of love, 

and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7
 

Well, a continued theme from this post back here - with variations, of course. I am still using Oxides mostly - though for that blue one I used mixture of 3 inks, Oxides + DI with Altenew Beautiful Bergenia 3D EF.

Technique- smooch all over top surface of EF with chosen ink, inked three times, and emboss each time, without shifting the folder on bottom side. 

I also lightly water spritzed the last smooch to activate the oxide, pop the colour and even out the tones. 

I chose top side to ink up but optional.

The New stamp set is called "Fear Not set" and is over here!

On the 80th birthday card I used another older set - called Wait on the LORD.

 

An Aussie views to close with to brighten your day - north and south view from a nearby lookout.

 

 Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek and chat!
May God bless your day wherever you may be. 
  Will do my very best in commenting, and truly appreciate your visits!
Shaz in Oz.x 

Linking up to:

 1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes, all three cards   http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  

2.  https://mynbus.blogspot.com/2023/04/nbus-challenge-49.html  NBUS items are stamps from Fear not set. 

3. Allsorts challenge Anything Goes / option spring garden  First and last card  Both have spring flowers on them

4. https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=31110    Simon Says MONDAY Challenge - add texture -  cards 2 and 3.
 

Ten Year THANK YOU Blogaversary!! Wow! 😁 Come Join my Blog Candy!

(Drawn here on this post here)

Just popping in to say ... a TEN YEAR Blogaversary is HERE!

On 01.11.10 I started this blog with this post (here), with just calligraphy, and explained name of blog.

So 1st Nov. 2020 is special! 

I wrote my first post on the unusual date of 01.11.10! 

Ah, my very own Palindrome. 😊

  The purpose of THIS post is to say a really huge thank you to all my Wonderful Encouragers! I really did not know what I was starting back then, so many friends made through the wonders of blogland, and met many on international trips. Truly a miracle of God’s goodness!

The prize is below: 

Two options

Option 1:

A Scrapdragon (Aust. company) Happy Birthday die, hand made card with it shown, and 100 mini pearls. Light enough for OVERSEAS post, so goes anywhere... as long as you’re an encourager.

Option 2:

A handmade book mark with a verse of your choice calligraphed on it. Example here:

To enter, you must:

1. Be an Encourager of this blog ie join through the follow button, on side bar (instructions below).
I suggest you check it is showing "un-follow" button - as sometimes blogger plays tricks and un-follows you - it has with me! and had to re-follow blogs.

To follow... then please go to this link here and follow instructions.

So if you are an Encourager of my blog (or Follower) please put a comment below (I don’t know how to do the Mr Linky bit) and you will go into the draw for this candy. 

You will receive two entries as an encourager, and you may chose one entry for each of two candy, or both to one. **Please say clearly which you chose in your comment. 

2. If not yet an Encourager, please do join on link above. I would dearly love you to occasionally visit and comment, and I will happily reciprocate. 

I’m sorry but if you’ve not joined, your entry will not be counted. This is a THANK YOU to Wonderful Encouragers!

3.  I would appreciate it if you would kindly put a link for the candy on your sidebar of your blog, if you have one (EXTRA third entry if you do this so please let me know in your comment if you've added to sidebar). 

4.  It will be drawn on 1.12.2020 (sometime that day here in Australia). No fancy methods for the draw – I will put names in hat, old style!

Many, many thanks again to you one and all.

 I'm hoping for an increase in Encouragers, as its been stuck on 343 for a year or more... so different to 2010, lots more new bloggers then. 

******

To cards. 

First one, part of the candy prize 1, as shown..

A piece of scrap card coloured in blended oxides and spritzed with glimmermist.

2nd sample to give you ideas how this die maybe used. This card is separate to candy, is a serviette mounted background, actually wallpaper oriental design in Blenheim Palace, UK. I've seen it in one of my visits, a beautiful palace, loved the china there too. Both cards have greeting multi mounted with gold in this and silver in candy card.

This HAPPY birthday die is VERY easy to layer and use. Be good on A2 card too. 

When adding to card, use the piece you've removed it from as placement guide as that really helps.

**AFTER a comment on previous post, I thought I’d share this tip for single layer embossing. 

These card fronts below are dry embossed. I've an A4 size machine and love that you can make one layer base cards with embossed fronts.

It beats layering and is great for a CAS look with extra pop!

I've just run the folder through spread out length wise on A4 in opened up 5 x7 cards. I've quite a few 5 x 7 Embossing folders too. The one on right is Enbossaliscious Recency Swirls, on candy card with rounded corners.

On left is a Courture creations 5 x7 EF, and has a perfectly fit border around it.

Thanks so much for your visit, especially I thank you if you're a wonderful encourager and PLEASE DO join in the fun with this candy!

May the Lord bless and keep you all well and safe.

Prayer hugs 🙏🤗

 Shaz in Oz.x 

Edit:  please do not refuse candy because of distance, post cost very little on both prizes.

It will spoil my desire to say thank you, you are so precious to me. 

THANK YOU!

***CANDY IS NOW CLOSED!!***

Today's thought:

In the words of the hymn:

 To God be the glory .. great things He hath done, 

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, 

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,

And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done

Linking over to these challenges:

**Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. Both cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/

** Di's Snippets Playground Latest Snippets Challenge here - both cards have snippets.** NBUS challenge the Happy birthday is a NBUS “NEVER BEFORE USED SCHTUFF”over here at Darnells.