PTI's August 2016 Blog Hop Challenge

For this month's challenge I used the color scheme to create a card inspired by this sketch recipe from October 2014 along with this card, which I saw on Pinterest awhile ago and loved!

I started with an Enchanted Evening background layered over a Rustic Cream base.  I blended Distress Ink in Antique Linen, Spiced Marmalade, and Vintage Photo on white card stock, then die cut an image from Turning A New Leaf.  I placed this over four 1 1/8" squares of Rustic Cream, and stamped a sentiment from Tag-its #7 in Vintage Photo.  I think I will send it to a dear friend who shares my love of fall!

Multi-strand Bookmarks

One of my goals for this year was to get back to regular Bible study.  While 'regular' has been rather irregular, I am pleased with my progress.  It seems that the more I read, the more I want to read!  But there are often so many things I want to study at the same time!  What's a scatterbrained girl to do?

Enter multi-strand bookmarks!  With three ribbons each I always have a way to mark the book I'm studying, memory verse I'm working on, an awesome verse a friend shares, the sermon scripture for the week, a topic I need to mediate on...whatever!  I am selling these
on my Etsy shop (also called RibbonsandRoots); take a look!  How do you keep tabs on what you're reading?!

Got Keys?

So forgive me if this is a little too personal…but it's too funny not to share!  I have recently taken to locking the bathroom door when I'm using it...a little privacy goes a long way with a curious toddler!  I guess I was in there a little too long the other day, because I started hearing noises outside the door.  Little man had climbed up a chair to get to our key rack, and was now trying to use the keys to open the bathroom door and get to his mama!  I chuckled and explained that the door locked from the inside and I would be out soon...but 'soon' wasn't soon enough I guess.  Not a minute later his sweet little hand pushed the key under the door so I could let myself out and "pay car truck!" with him.  I love him so!

PTI's Create Along With Us: August 2016

Fall is my absolute favorite season.  The cooler weather, vibrant colors, and anticipation of holidays all bring me joy!  So I've been pretty excited to follow along with the release countdown this month and check out all the beautiful fall designs!  I especially loved this card by Betsy Veldman.

For the challenge I decided to make a similar card, with the intent of sending it to a dear friend whose grandma is in her last days. I started with a Classic Kraft base with a layer of Rustic Cream card stock.  I stamped an image from Turning A New Leaf in New Leaf over a 2 3/4" square of Classic Kraft.  The sentiment from Inspired: Prayer was also stamped in New Leaf, and I added a double die cut layer in Rustic Cream of the word prayer from the same set.  Hope the coming season brings ya'll peace and comfort as well!

Sonshine for me!

I have been pretty crabby the last two mornings, for various reasons.  And while I know I can't perfectly keep my feelings from affecting my actions, oh, how my heart aches when my little man looks up at me in pain or even runs away in sadness because I've hurt him.  Yelling, rushing, failing to show compassion...these are not memories I want my son to have of me.  So  I prayed, I cried, I apologized and asked both God and my little man for forgiveness.  And when I put his loving little self down for a nap, I went straight to my Bible.  Which I really need to work on doing earlier in the day!

As the cloudy skies outside matched my grey mood inside, I decided I needed to read about sunshine.  Heading to my concordance I read over most every verse I could find.  This section stuck out:

“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. ² But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. ³ Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

⁴ “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

⁵ “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. ⁶ He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

 Both judgement and promise, in the same verses!  I needed the reminder of God's healing love (v.2), but also of the consequences of sin (v. 1, 3, 5).  Lord, fill me with patience and right priorities!  Let me shine for You!

Sunshine for my sister!

My sister looooooves sunshine.  We recently went to the beach and she yelled every time the sun went behind a cloud!  Understandably, she also loves sunflowers.  I used to pick up a bunch for her when I went to the farmer's market, but now we live in different states so that doesn't work.  Since today is her birthday and I'm really missing her, I brightened up my morning by making this card (Mere, are you reading this?  Surprise!). 

While cleaning out an old desk the other day I found a whole box of heavyweight ivory card stock left over from hubby & my wedding stationary.  Score!!!  I suddenly find myself using it for every card.  So that's what I used for this base.  I broke out my new PTI Simple Sunflower Mini set and stamped it up with PTI's Summer Sunrise and New Leaf inks, as well as Distress ink in Vintage Photo.  I arranged them over a piece of brown card stock, which I in turn laid over a piece of PTI's Summer Sunrise card stock that I had embossed with my Darice Dot folder.  To finish it up I pulled out my New Leaf card stock and die cut the hello sentiment from PTI's Bloomin Cute Sentiments, and then added some May Arts brown and white gingham ribbon.  Do you love the little bow?!  I learned how to make them here!  Adorable, no?!  I love to put them on baby shower/baby arrival cards.  Try it out!