No Ordinary Paper Stamping on Tea Bags

 In case you are wondering, yes I am addicted to rubber stamps!  My lovely friend, Bonnie, saved these giant tea bags for me.  I decided they would be perfect for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - No Ordinary Paper.  I am going to give this card to Bonnie as a thank you for having us at her house to make our Cardboard Crush journals.

 The tea was removed from the bags and the bags left out in the sun to dry.

 I decided to try my new Distress embossing powders.  They are different!  But good color choices.  I colored the image with a watercolor brush and Aged Mahogany and Evergreen Bough Distress pads.

 I glued the tea bag to a piece of light brown cardstock, then crumpled and distressed the edges.

 I hot glued some vintage trim to the seam, between the two Authentique papers.  Aren't these drool worthy!!!

 Then I took the cut off of some Authentique paper, with this little sentiment and spritzed it with water and crumpled it up.

 Lastly I added some vintage seam binding and a DIY button brad, tutorial HERE.

 I've enjoyed making distressed cards lately and curling up the paper edges with a bone folder, similar to curling ribbon.

Here's my finished card, which I am linking to the SSS Monday Challenge Blog HERE.

Another Penny Black Butterfly Card for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday

 I am on an Penny Black card making marathon these days, after borrowing some from my lovely Mother and getting back this butterfly stamp that I left at her house.  We made these cards together and I wanted to share with you

 We used beautiful Graphic 45 papers and stamped the Penny Black butterfly in Chalk ink - the best ink ever.  I used my new Martha Stewart punch set to make the white trellis background.

 The paper was so pretty, not much was needed, but I added some ribbon to complete the dimensional look.

 I'm linking up to the SSS Wednesday Penny Black Challenge HERE

 I also wanted to share with you this sweet summer birdie card my Mother made for me.  THANKS MOM!  Love it!

 And then a throw back with this Penny Black card my mom and I made ten years ago, a copycat from the Penny Black catalog.  This card started a passion for Penny Black stamps and is still one of my all time favorite cards!!!

Penny Black Butterfly Card for Simon Says Stamp

 I am so excited that Simon Says Stamp is running a Penny Black challenge this month, so I created this butterfly card using some more pink Authentique paper.  Not my usual color, but this paper is to die for!

 The Worn Lipstick Distress Ink pad goes beautifully with this paper line.  I stamped the Penny Black butterfly onto a circle and mounted it over layers of paper, washi tape, and Authentique stickers.

 I added some pearls and a loopy bow of twine.  I made this by wrapping the twine around my fingers three or four times then tying a knot in a second piece of twine around the center.  FUN!

 I felt like this little bow just set the card off!

 And I couldn't resist using this sticker...

I'm linking up to the SSS Wednesday Challenge HERE in hopes of winning some new Penny Black stamps!  Woo hoo, wish me luck!

Now I Know Handmade Card for Word Art Wednesday

 I recently found the challenge site, Word Art Wednesday and was immediately struck with an AH HA moment!  Like why haven't I been doing this all along?!  I absolutely love lettering and word art - and love using scripture in my work.  The gals at WAW offer a printable for each week's challenge, but I decided to make my own simple lettering for this week's challenge.

I'm so glad that now I know Him!  I wanted to use some leftover cardboard from making my Cardboard Crush journals, so I picked some funky paper, distressed the edges and layered with the corrugated board.

 I chose a little stamp from Verve to accent the lettering.  Cutest little stamp on the block!

 Tattered edges and lovely teal and mustard combo working so well with the cardboard.

And there you have it, my entry for the Job 42:2 challenge.   I'd love to hear from you ways you are incorporating repurposed items into your art and new ideas for creating your own focal points.  I heart your comments!

I'm linking up to Word Art Wednesday HERE.

Verve July Inspiration Sensational Stripes Card

 I am thrilled to share my July 2015 Verve Inspiration Challenge card for the theme Sensational Stripes.  I was so in love with this month's challenge colors, but very sad that I didn't have any paper in those colors...

 But just like every stampaholic, somewhere buried in my stash I found exactly what I needed!  I combined two different My Mind's Eye mini pads with a sheet of Authentique and came up with this rather lovely grouping.  YAY ME!  I took the scraps and cut some flowers and added some vintage seam binding to my stamped tag.

 I wanted to layer this blue label die in somehow, but didn't like covering that beautiful grey paper, so after much agonizing, I came up with the idea to cut it in half and piece at the top and bottom.  I thought it would have been cool to attach string to each piece, but that seemed to detract from my layout.

 I decided a row of pearls on the top and bottom would really make this card fun!  Lastly, I stamped the pretty little stem and stuffed it behind the flower.  Love using my stamps to make embellishments!

 And there you have it, my Sensational Stripes & layered goodness.  I am so excited to have found Verve stamps.  I simply adore the sentiments and scripture Julee creates!  GUSH!

I'm linking up to the July challenge HERE.  Remember to celebrate every moment.  It's a gift!  I'm giving this card to my friend Mrs. Radke, who will be 81 on Tuesday.  She makes every day feel like a birthday, with her love and friendship!  Happy birthday!

Hope Maketh Not Ashamed Journal Page

I am in journal mode after spending the weekend making cardboard crush journals, so I wanted to share this page, "Hope Maketh Not Ashamed" with you.  This page was inspired by the Documented Life challenge of using your "inky papers".

I cut a big 'ole circle out of my newsprint pad, which I journal over, and glued it right in the middle of my page.  I actually use my newsprint pad as a palette when needed, but usually pour paint directly onto my pages.  I layered the promise sticker over the cutout.

I added little torn bits of paper and washi, lots of doodling and stamping.

Used some pale paint with a new stencil and some rubons.

Everyone asked why I made the little girl off centered.  I guess it was figurative in my mind of not being on top of the world, but leaning a little to the left...

I love using rubons, a technique learned from Christy Tomlinson's old videos.

Some actual journaling here and a lovely label reminding me to "read instructions before cutting" which is so funny to me.  I always jump into things head first and think later - "I should have thought that through!"

Again, my pages are part of my spiritual process of really taking things I am learning full circle.  Our promise in Christ is certain, regardless of conditions as this definition says.  He will not change and this is what gives us the kind of hope that makes us unashamed.  There have been so many times in life that I hoped for things that let me down so deeply and the feeling of disappointment again and again imparts a certain shame in the soul.  But THIS hope, this heavenly hope, this hope that is certain makes us not ashamed!  I am so thankful...

So this is my upcycled journal page repurposed from file folders.  I'm really digging it!  If you haven't signed up for the Documented Life Project, go now!  Click HERE.

Penny Black Watercolored Blossoms Card

 I'm playing with Penny Black stamps this week and created this lovely watercolored blossoms card for the monthly challenge at PB All Sorts.  This month's challenge was to use a sentiment.  I borrowed these beautiful Penny Black stamps from my sweet Mother's collection - THANKS MOM!  ;0  I'm trying to do some new things with my cardmaking, and the process is stretching me a bit, so bear with me as I grow these new muscles.  Ha!

 I embossed the flower in white and went over it with watercolor inks.

 I made some flicks with the brush and gave it a spotty look.  I stamped a Penny Black sentiment stamp over the image in Memories Soft Stone Shadow Ink for added texture.

 I left the layers rather loose at the ends, trying to create more dimensional work.

 While I was playing around I smooshed some ink onto scrap paper and created the side stripe.  Stamped another Penny Black vine stamp onto it in green and layered it onto a second card.  This sticker was calling to me, so I used it on the second card.

I've really enjoyed using these Penny Black stamps.  Their elegant and hand drawn stamps were always favorite of ours and I hope the company will continue along this line.  We have used these type of background stamps more than any others over the years.  I'm linking up HERE to the All Sorts challenge blog.  Have a stampin' fantastic day!