Pink Prayer Box

Hello Paper Crafters,

The project I'm sharing with you today is a Prayer Box, which contains seven encouraging scripture cards - one for each day of the week.  I like to give them to friends in the hospital, home bound for some reason, or just needing some encouragement when dealing with personal problems.  And we all have those - right!  I've never attempted to share a project that encompasses as many steps that this project has.  Now I'm excited to take on the challenge.  But please don't let the length of the directions intimate you.  I believe I have written the step-by-step directions in a clear manner that will be easy for you to follow.  However, be sure to allow yourself enough time so you won't feel rushed.  In two weeks I'm teaching this project plus two cards in the time length of two hours.  But, of course, I'll have everything cut and ready to go for the gals.  So, let's get started!

Supplies:

Light Pink Plaid Card Stock by Core’dinations – One 12x12 sheet

White Card Stock 8x11” Card Stock – One sheet

Pale Pink Card Stock 8x11” – Two Sheets

Dark Pink Card Stock 8x11” – One Sheet

Paper Trimmer

Score Board

Bone Folder

Double Stick Tape or Tape Runner

Corner Rounder (I like the Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper used at the ½” corner setting)

Fiskars Scallop Border Punch (narrow design)

Small Embellishment Punch or (I used Cricuit Swirly Flower)

Brilliance Moonlight White Ink Pad

Foam Tape

Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush

My Paper Studio Gemstones, Clear

Darice Jewels Metallic Cord, Pearlized White, 30 inches

Box Directions:

1.  Cut box top from Light Pink Plaid card stock 7 x 5 ½”

2.  Cut box bottom from White card stock 6 7/8 x 5 3/8”

3.  Cut inside box bottom cover (optional) from Light Pink Plaid card stock 4 3/8 x 5 ¾”

4.  Score ½” on all sides of both the top and bottom pieces.  Do not score the box bottom cover.

5.  Looking at the box top piece in a horizontal position, just to the score line make ½” cuts at top two

corners and bottom two corners. Do the same for the box bottom piece.  Fold all sides using a Bone Folder.  See the diagram below.

6.  Place a ½” piece of Score Tape on the outside of each of the 8 flaps (shown on the diagram in Pink).  Fold the flaps to the inside of the box ends to adhere in place. 

7.  Using Double Stick Tape or a Tape Runner, adhere the box bottom cover in place.

                                                    Cut down to Score Line on both ends.                           

                                                     Cut up to Score Line on both ends.

Flower and Leaves Directions:

1.  Highlight each of the four flower layers with Brilliance Moonlight White

2.  Adhere one layer of Foam Tape between each layer of the flower.

3.  Attach a double layer of Foam Tape on the bottom of the fourth flower.  Do not remove the protective covering on the bottom of the Foam Tape.

4.  Embellish the flower petals with Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush.

5.  Place a Gem Stone in the center of the flower.

6.  Contour and wrinkle the two leaves.

7.  Place the white cord over the lower right end of the closed box, bringing up the two ends together over the diagonal end, left top, and tie a bow.

8.  Arrange the flower, leaves, and sentiment label in a way that is visually pleasing to you, and glue in place.

Prayer Cards:

1.  Cut 7 panels from Light Pink card stock – 4x5”

2.  Use a Corner Rounder on all corners.

3.  Using a Border Punch, make one punch in the middle at the bottom of each panel.

4.  Computer generate scripture verses to print and attach to panels.  Choose ones that are encouraging and uplifting.  I used 2 Corrinthians. 1:3-4, Romans. 8:18, Psalm 55:22, Philippians. 4:19,  Philippians 4:6-7, Proverbs. 16:9, and Hebrews 13:5.  Print on Dark Pink card stock.  If you would like a printable copy of my scriptures which you can use to copy onto to your colored card stock, please give me your email address and I will send you a copy.

5.  Cut each scripture into a small rectangular card, approximately 2 1/8 x 3 ¼” .

6.  Attach one scripture to each panel using Double Stick Tape or Tape Runner.

7.  Punch 7 small flowers and attach one to each panel.

Remember, if you want a printable copy of the scripture, send me your email address.  I hope you like today's project.

Blessings,

Annie

                                                 

Ms. Maddie Hatter

  Hello blogging friends!  What a beautiful Sunday afternoon we're having here in Wenatchee.  Since I had to come inside to cool off from the heat of the sun, I decided to show you what I've been creating for the past week or so.  My church is having a Mad-Hatter Tea Party and we've been challenged to decorate a hat and wear it to the tea.  Naturally, there will be a prize for the owner of the hat that is voted best hat.  Woo, woo!

I thought it would be fun to go as "Ms. Maddie Hatter" (with name tag also saying AKA Annie).  I plan to wear white pants, a white jacket, a red top, a small red fabric purse with red shoulder strap, and red shoes.  Yep, I think I'm going to have some fun with all of this!

I moulded the hat and brim from chipboard, then covered them with a beautiful white specialty paper.  The tulle rose trim around the brim is from Stampin' Up.  (It's only available until the end of May - it won't be in the new catalog, I'm told.)  The red feather was stamped on red card stock (Stamp A Mania), and the butterflies are from a Martha Stewart punch

The flowers were made using two shades of red, but all from the same die - the Sizzix Quilled Rose/Carnation.  I quilled the dark red roses, but separated the petals and glued them together to make the light red flowers with white center.  For the tea cup, I found a template on line at www.layersofcolor.com called Paper Tea Cup and Saucer.  Actually, it was fairly easy to put together.  I cut out one set using the flowered scrapbook paper and then another set using red scrapbook paper, gluing one cup inside the other; same with the saucer.

Well, that's my tea party hat - I can hardly wait to wear it.  Thanks for letting me share this project with you.  Wishing you a blessed week. 

Annie

A Christmas Card Making Party!

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of hosting a Christmas card making party at my home for some of my church family gals.  Amid laughter, eating, talking, laughter, eating (get the picture?), we did manage to make a few cards.  What a fun memory-making time we had!  I wish I had a recording to play for you – you’d have to join the laughter just from listening to it.  Anyway . . . here are the 3 card designs we made.  I did the embossing and die cutting ahead of time with my Cuttlebug.  I really like the new Spellbinder Christmas dies.  How did we ever get along without this invention???

Spellbinders Frosty Forms & Spellbinders Labels 18

Spellbinders Lacey Circles

Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia & Cuttlebug EF Disressed Stripes

While shopping for cardstock, I made a great find in the Christmas Stories double sided paper line – Christmas Bingo cards – 12 to a sheet.  Immediately I thought this would make a great ice-breaker game for my party.  I could hardly wait until I got home so I could get started.  After cutting out the Bingo cards I glued them onto a rectangle of heavy weight Christmas paper and added a small embellishment at the top.  Next I went to my stash and pulled out some kids’ white letter tiles, glued a red CS square inside, used stickers to make the Bingo numbers, then covered the inside with Diamond Glaze by Judi-kins, giving them a nice clear, glossy finish.  Next, in that same “stash” I had a white box (like a pencil box or a cigar box) that I had purchased about 6 years ago and now, finally, found something to do with it, so out it came to be decorated which was accomplished by using some wonderful, beautiful Graphic 45 Christmas paper from the "Christmas Past Collection."  The finishing touch to the box was adding the name of the game on the lid using brown wooden letters and a button in each corner.  And finally I rounded up a bunch of small colored buttons (with lots of red and green) and put them in a clear plastic container to use as the game pieces.  Oh, the name of the game you ask, “Button Bingo” of course.  Oh, well, maybe not the greatest choice, but it was all I could spell with the number of wooded letters I had on hand. J  Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of how it turned out.  We had lots of fun with it – too bad we only had time for one game.

 In case I don’t have time to post again before Thanksgiving, please know that I’m thankful for each one of you and pray that our Heavenly Father abundantly blesses your family gatherings on Thanksgiving Day.

Annie

Wait . . . I'm Not Ready for 2010!

Out with the old and in with the new, as the saying goes. But I'm not quite ready to put away my Christmas stamps. I still have some ideas for Christmas cards that I might forget if I wait until next year. So I'm just going to continue making a few samples using those ideas.

One project that I want to make more of is this 25 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar which is shown here. You can see both the front and back sides.

Didn't have time to make more of them for gifts this year, so I figure starting now is my best bet in order to have them ready before December 2010. The holder is a 12x12" picture frame with a sheet of black card stock covering the glass. I marked off the sections using strips of black chipboard. The picture and the back side are from a scrapbook collection from Graphic 45, Christmas Past. I trimmed the picture down to 10x10" and then cut it into 5 across and 5 down 2x2" sections. Each section of the picture was adhered to a 2x2" piece of chipboard, with the edges painted black with a black Marvy Marker. The dates on the back side of the pieces are diecuts from my Cuttlebug. Since all the pieces are totally removable, I'm going to make another set of calendar pieces using the angel page from the Christmas Past collection (pictured here).

Then, I can alternate the sets over the years. Oooh, fun!

Speaking of the future, I wonder what God has in store for me in the coming new year. In what ways will He reveal Himself to me? How will He involve me in His work? Who will He bring across my path and ask me to minister to them? Well, it's okay that I don't know the answers to these questions, for I shall be living in faith and joyful anticipation for whatever comes my way. As Paul said in Philipians 4:11, ". . . for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content . . ."

The light of God surrounds me,

The love of God enfolds me,

The power of God protects me,

And the presence of God watches over me;

Wherever I am, God is.

Wishing you many blessings in the coming New Year.

Annie

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Everywhere

There's another way to tell that autumn is coming on besides the leaves turning the beautiful fall colors and the crispness of the morning air. Pumpkins suddenly come to life -- appearing on front porches and steps, nestled among a dining room table decoration, and stacked in front of grocery stores displayed in their blazing coats of orange. Autumn also means that I get to play with my pumpkin stamps. So yesterday I browsed through the drawer where they had been hibernating until their season came around again. And that reminded me how blessed I am to live in a place in God's world where the seasons are uniquely and distinctly different from each other -- each with a glory of its own. What a gift!

So I set about, pulling out stamps, papers, inks and got busy. Here's a couple of cards that resulted from the flowing creative juices yesterday. Sometimes I like to do something special on the inside of the card also.

Sizzix Big Kick dies and Stampin' Up punches were used for all the different shapes.

These teeny pumpkins are set out every autumn. They're made using little clay pots and are only a bit over one inch tall. A sparkly cord comes out at the top and they have tiny punched leaves on their head. I never fail to chuckle when they once again make their appearance.
For those of you who love carving pumpkins, here's a PUMPKIN PRAYER for you to use for yourself, or with children or grandchildren.
(Remove the top of the pumpkin and pray:) "Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you."
(Pull out the seeds and pray:) "Remove the things in my life that don't please you. Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others."
(Remove the eyes and pray:) "Open my eyes to see the beauty you've made in the world around me."
(Take out the nose and pray:) "I'm sorry for the times I've turned up my nose for the good food that you have provided."
(Remove the mouth and pray:) "Let everything I say please you."
(Place a candle inside, light it, and pray:) "Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do."
One final thought, we can be close to God in whatever we do -- even when carving pumpkins. May you be blessed in a special way this autumn season.
Annie

Butterflies -- God's Flying Flowers

Oh boy, do I love butterflies! They truly are like flying flowers. When I saw the cover of the October issue of Scrap & Stamp I just fell in love with the 3D butterfly wall art. It was just one of those "gotta have it" things so I spent a morning stamping and cutting out butterflies to make my own wall art. Mine is smaller than the one I saw in the magazine, only 8x8", but I'm thrilled with the finished project. Um mm, but now where am I going to hang it? The base is actually a canvas for oil painting which I covered with scrapbook paper. Using 12 colors of card stock, I stamped a small, medium, and large butterfly on each color with a set of Basic Grey clear stamps, using black dye ink. Yes -- I did cut out 36 butterflies! But since I didn't use all 36, I have several left over for another project. The edges of the butterflies were inked with coordinating colors of Tim Holtz distress inks. To give them a 3D look, several different thicknesses of pop dots and mounting tape were used to get the desired effect. I don't know how anything so pretty could be so easy to make. If you decide to make one, let me know if you need some help or have any questions.

Butterflies are one of God's especially beautiful creations. That butterfly eggs hatch into little caterpillars is strange, amazing, miraculous, and wonderful. Why don't they hatch into baby butterflies? Anything you plant from seed comes up like the plant it came from. Fish eggs hatch into little fish. Human eggs develop into baby humans. Yet it pleased our Creator to make butterfly eggs hatch into caterpillars. The Caterpillar grows, sheds it skin a couple of time, takes a week or two nap, and finally wakes up as a butterfly. Did I already say strange, amazing, miraculous, and wonderful!!!

I think we are like butterflies -- every shape and size, different colored, unique, and beautiful to God. When we invite God into our lives, He changes us, we emerge, spread our wings . . . and fly. The minute we know that God is within us, there is nothing that can hold us back from living the life that He wants us to live, according to His plan. If you are living a life that doesn't feel right, you are like a butterfly that cannot spread it's wings. If you feel something holding you back, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you to the path that God meant for you to walk. So think of yourself as a butterfly that God created. Isn't it wonderful to know that there is no other butterfly on this earth just like YOU.

God bless and keep you as you find your way and spread your beautiful wings and fly!

Annie