Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Tag Tuesday - Birds

Thanks to Louise for preparing this weeks challenge, which can be found here.



I stamped a collage Fall stamp from Hero Arts as basis and stamped with the dill and cut out a bird from another collage stamp and pasted it all together. All sides are equal IRL but a photo can show differently!
Sorry I didn't clean up the window sill before I took the photo but it adds interest;

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I hope to think I'm progressing with these stamps...

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Tag Le parfum des fleurs and Sunday scraps with Godelieve

Doesn't that sound nice... le parfum des fleurs



I am still experimenting with my new stamps - it's going to take a while to find the right way to use them and with which paper... it does all make a difference. I used distress inks and water to paint this image on semi-glossy card stock. I will probably have to do some masking to get the flowers to look like they are in the pot and not behind it...!!

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Never thought it would come to this but these are scraps of my scraps that I have put in a huge box and only get out for the Sunday School kids!



I had Sunday school today and needed my scraps to make a crown with the children and I just saw too much potential.... sigh.

Joining in with Godelieve again today on her Scrap Sunday. Take a look at her blog.

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I had posted this card before but saw that it needed some flower centres which I did with a black felt tip pen and took another photo.



Our weather is still incredible. On the veranda it is 30°C which is 86°F. I love being outdoors as long as I can, exercising in the pool and just enjoying the sun and the blue skies! Our pool is still 25°C, which is warm!
Have a great week!

Friday, September 25, 2009

A new stamp plate!

I was very excited to receive a new stamp plate this morning that I chose for my birthday two weeks ago. This is something I have always been looking for, it's perfect for 'my' kind of art and encompasses everything I love.


(Can you see the white roses PP I stamped on?)

The person who designed these stamps is a French lady, and actually she is the Mother of Isa Norris, whose blog and introduction of these stamps can be found here.

These stamps represent everything I love about France, including this first card with lavender in a pot! What I like about these stamps are that I can stamp as many flowers in the pot as I like! I can change the flowers and put pink roses in or any other color I choose. I found some textured PP in my scrap basket which I found ideal for the pots, which is another aspect of art I really like, paper piercing.

My back panel for the flowers is another scrap dear Sue sent to me, of white roses. The stamped sentiment 'Lavende' is in French.



If you are interested in finding out more, where they can be purchased here is the link.



A 'lavender' collage of photos I have taken around the house as I have huge lavender bushes!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Theme Thursday - text or script

Couldn't resist a challenge with this theme.



The backdrop is a scrap from Sue - can you imagine her giving this away! I had the darling little girl in my files and just printed her out on PP so that she had a pattern on her apron. I stamped the French writing stamp with the dill stamp from HA on the back panel and the Friends definition stamp on a coordinating green scrap.
In two corners I have stamped an Archivers flourish branch from HA - a stamp I won on Anne's blog.

The challenge can be found here.

The image was a free download from here. Thank you very much.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Tag Tuesday - Children

It's my favorite challenge of the week time.



Decided to stay with a monochromatic color scheme today. This little girl is from a larger stamp from Crafty Individuals. I framed her and used the butterflies on the stamp to decorate the frame.

All thanks to Louise and if you want to join in please look here for details.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Distress inks

Just sharing a card I made using distress inks. I saw the stamp with the face that I love so much a little while ago on a blog and knew I just had to use it again.



I'm not running over with inspiration at the moment. I have been out in the fresh air, swimming etc. this week which is so refreshing! Only now the weather has changed, it's colder and there are more clouds. I just love the summer, hopefully it will hang around a little while longer.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Pearl of the Word and Tag Tuesday - take two

Like Louise, I made another couple of little grid tags.


I love making them so much!
I use tags from clothing - I have a bunch but they are not that big which means I don't have much room on them - but they are ready made.


I had to tag lift one of Suzanne's tags (didn't succeed very well) I just loved her style and design for this week's challenge! I used all distress inks and had this made quicker than I thought. Then I couldn't get a good photo so had to scan it, grr.


It is harvest time in France and the vineyards are being stripped of their juicy grapes by machine or by hand. This photo is taken next to our garden. Just last night we had a huge rainfall so I expect the fields will be muddy. In any case it will have washed off all the insecticides (most of the vineyards use harmless products) that are used to keep certain insects at bay! The farmers do not want it to rain though because it decreases the sugar level in the grapes if they absorb too much water and they will receive less money for them when they get delivered to the Cave where the wine is made.

I am always reminded of John 15 when I look at the vines:
" 1 Jesus said to his disciples:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of what I have said to you.
4 Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. 5 I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. " John 15:1-5

We know that the branches that don't bear fruit are cut away but that the branches that DO bear fruit need to be trimmed and cut back seems unfair! But the goal is 'more fruit' the next year round. If we bear fruit for the Lord and feel it's unfair if he starts pruning us then it is not because we have done something wrong! We have done something right! The Lord has to trim us because He knows those areas that prevent us from bearing even more fruit still!! We have experienced this lots of time and it gives us the faith to hang on until God shows us His purpose!

Remember: your FATHER is the gardener!