Top Fold Cards

 All of the background dies used on these cards are

slightly larger than the standard A2 size.

All are from Spellbinders.

 The butterflies and flourishes are

Cheery Lynn Designs dies.

 The flowers are mostly from Punch Bunch.

The card above has flower centers that

are from Viva Pearl Pens.

Vintage Garden

 By carefully cutting apart a Graphic 45 piece

of scrapbook paper I was able to make multiple cards.

Adding just a little bit to finish off the designs really

makes them pop.

Sunflower Birthday

A soft sunflower DP with sponging

around the outer edge of the card and 

around the oval die cut phrase help

pull this design together.

The frame for the happy birthday is

a Spellbinders decorative oval die.

Going Prehistoric 2

 Dinosaur stickers on a faux snakeskin background.

The leaves on the top card are from 

Cheery Lynn Designs olive branch die.

The phrase is computer generated.

On the lower card the tree was cut free hand

and the leaves are punched.

 A totally different dino sticker for

a totally different look.

 The stickers on the upper and lower cards came from

the same sticker pack.  They are 3-D and

awesome.  (so is the price)

The background is distressed leather paper

from Karen Foster, which of course is no longer made.

I loved the very first papers that Karen Foster came out with.

Going Prehistoric 1

 The phrase is computer generated.

That band of faux snakeskin on the right

has been created using a Fiskars texture plate,

various inks with a final finish of a coat of

glossy water based varnish to give it a snaky sheen.

 The dinosaur skeleton is a die cut from Die-Versions.

As soon as I say it on Frantic Fran I just had to have it.

On the card above the base "rock" is done with 

the polished stone technique.

 For a little variety try sponging around your die cut.

The results can be interesting.

 More sponging around the die cut.

This one is inside the card.  

That dinosaur is sneaking up on someone

to help an "old timer" with a sense

of humor celebrate their birthday.

Treasury of David

I have been reading Charles Spurgeon's Treasury of David.  Now you have to understand that I have been chewing on Psalm 1 for several weeks.  It is just so profound and deep that I have to share some of Rev Spurgeon's observations.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not standeth in the way of sinners, not sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  Psalms 1:1

 

The original word for blessed is plural, meaning multiple blessings on the one God has justified.

 

The one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.  The Godly's counsel is the Lord.  We are to walk in His commandments.  These ways are the ways of peace and contentedness.  Our walk or steps are ordered by the Word of God.  This is an outward sign of an inward grace.

he standeth not in the way of sinners.  We have a choice of who we spend time (and thus are influenced) with.

nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  We are to find no rest with the athesists and their scoffings.

Note the graduations, if you walk with evil, soon you are standing with it and then finally sitting down with it.  To me this means we get comfortable with sin and evil doers if we even walk with them.

Personally I want God to help me recognize clearly the evil, no matter how prettily it is presented, then I want Him to make me very very very uncomfortable around it.  I want to flee evil.

Cheerful Birthday

 Papers are by DCWV, the scallop border is a Fiskars

border punch.  The flowers and leaves have been punched 

with my trusty Punch Bunch punches.

Sizzix is the maker of the Happy Birthday die.

 Centers for the shaped flowers are Viva paint pens 

or glitter glue.

The plaid border has been raised off the card 

base for a 3-D look using the flat portions of paper egg cartons.

Corners have been rounded using a chomper.