Inspired by Lin

Hello on this beautiful Sunday afternoon!
I was inspired by a beautiful card by Lin, which you can see here. Isn't it beautiful! I just wanted to make a little vase of flowers and had to think of a Hero Arts stamp I have, and hardly use.

I mixed up some colors with distress inks and water and after gold embossing, started painting. The vase was printed on a scrap paper (a stamped project not yet used) and after arranging the flowers I added a little branch of leafs.

And my second one in pink.

Blessings to you!
Jacqueline

Shadow inks

Hola! (That is Spanish for 'Hello'). Hope everything is well in your part of the world.

I am sharing this card which I stamped with Hero Arts shadow inks. I usually only use distress inks so it is new for me. They are completely different in their usage. I have seen lots of card designs like this which I like. It is a matter of finding your smallest flower and leaf stamps and making a pattern on your card stock.

This little bird is from Wplus9 which I love. I colored it in with distress inks.

Distressed the background with green distress ink and stamped with green and used white embossing for the leaves. I stamped a HA leaf stamp six times to create a nest for the SU bird.

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Last weekend DH and I were in Spain to celebrate our 28th Wedding Annivesary. We have found the perfect spot where we enjoy staying and the weather was good. I don't have one with the two of us, have to think of that next time.

Lastly a photo of my son who turned 23 on the 14th of May with Seréna who is 11 months old today.

Thank you for your visit.
Jacqueline

Color Q Challenge #290

Happy Weekend!
Loved the colors, so joined in the Color Q challenge, which can be here.

This stamp from Hero Arts has long been a favorite of mine.

I don't use it enough, but had to think of it while looking at the inspiration photo which can be found below.

I recently purchased some shadow inks, also from Hero Arts. Never really worked with them before, as I always use distress inks.  But amongst them were some colors which matched up pretty well with the asked colors.

Have a great weekend!
Jacqueline

Dare I say... bird cards?

At the beginning of a long weekend here (National holiday tomorrow) I am posting five cards which I made with birds. I can't help it, I love creating with this little bird at the moment and that is what creating is all about, enjoying the moment and going with the flow. I would give myself a headache if I had to come up with something that isn't natural to my heart.

 I used a scrap of patterned paper for the smaller panel and found this red paper that I don't use very often, so it found a place here. I stamped and cut out a leaf from Clearly Besotted stamps for the nest. The little bird is from Stampin' Up and the Spring definition is Hero Arts (thanks Lin!). I will always be grateful to Linn (from Sending Hugs) for sending me this stamp. Before we know it, it will be Summer here, so always grateful when I can use a Spring definition!

My granddaughter, Serena will be one year old in June and will be with us at that time. So, I was thinking of giving her this card.

I had a scrap of paper that I had used distress inks sprayed with water on and hadn't used yet. I stamped over the top with a leaf stamp from Clearly Besotted and then stamped a few orange flowers. This little bird was already cut out and fit just perfectly on the branch.

Happy birthday sentiment is Stampin' Up.

This card was made by stamping a piece of paper out of a very cheaply found Nature Book.

I stamped directly onto patterned paper with several different stamps on this one. The ruler was not straight, so I had to hide it with two flowers.

My final card, with layered stamping.

I used a mix of Hero Arts and Stampin' Up for this card.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Just to leave you with a little thought. A book of Derek Prince helped me to realize that God is not looking for success. Sometimes on the Mission Field, or wherever you strive to be a witness through your daily lives, the fact that there is a lack of fruit is not a sign of disapproval! God is looking for the 'faithful' servant! That blessed me so much. I can't always have success but I can be faithful!

Jacqueline

Spring news and collage cards

Hi to everyone! Hope you are all well. It has been a while since I posted. I have spent some quality time in Spain with DH and have enjoyed every second of it! We have found a spot that meets all of our expectations and it is a beautiful place to be on the Costa Brava coastline in the North of the country.

 

These cards use the same design as I used in a former post. Once I find a design that I like it can be used with all different colors, scraps, embellishments etc.

A couple of photos of my garden this year. I have been overwhelmed with the beauty of Spring, the delicate scent of the flowers and the fruit trees!

 The bushels here are the dead stalks left over from the lavender bushes. I get a handful and tie them up with  ribbon or string and save them for lighting the fire in the winter. Not only do they smell lovely but when they smoke the scent of lavender fills the room. In total I had about eight of these for the coming winter.
 

And I have been visiting some flea markets as it is that time of the year in France and have found some nice bargins. This little cupboard was only €15. I painted it to fit in with the rest of the room and really enjoy it.

And lastly, a picture of my little grand daughter Seréna, who is stitting here in her little chair eating ice-cream. Although she lives in Holland now, my son sends me pictures and videos of her so I can follow how she is growing. We will be seeing the whole family in June as we have arranged a family reunion in Spain. Can't wait!
Many blessings,
Jacqueline

Easter Chicks

These chicks are the most enjoyable thing to make. If anybody would like the pattern, here is where I got it from. I used a prima flower for the comb. In real life they measure 7,5x7,5cm. I suppose you can print the pattern out as big as you like, but I prefer the little ones as they fit perfectly on the paper of the 15x15cm patterned paper pads.

The chicks below are what I made two years ago, I used a stamp from Hero Arts to make the feathers which are upside down flowers.And a heart stamp to create the comb.

I hope you all have a very blessed Easter weekend.

Jacqueline

Some more Bird cards

Well, my Blog is not called 'Craft's Nest' for no reason - I just cannot get off the birds to the butterflies at the moment.

 

 I used a piece of patterned paper from the Graphics 45 design. Painted the roses and teapot with distress markers and water and attached one of my favorite bird stamps on top of the pot. I stamped the Hero Arts Postcard Stamp over the top and cut around it for the tag style.

A very quick card using another bird which was cut out from a scrap. I made the nest with the leaves from a stamp from Inkadinkado.

The same bird again, cut from a scrap. This is collage style.

A little stamping collage with two different stamp sets from SU, An Open Heart and Butterfly Basics.

Looked for a background of patterned paper to match these birds that were mounted onto a diecut. 

So I want to share something that spoke to me so profoundly, I want to share it for those who maybe going through a 'why me' time at the moment. I know it sounds so selfish to be busy with 'me' when there is so much to be grateful for, yet God knows we are but dust and still His heart beats for us with a passion!

Quote:
The desire for God
For reading & meditation: Psalms 42
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God '" (v.2)
Yesterday we looked at the words: "Whom have I in heaven but you?" Now we examine the second part of that text: "And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (Ps. 73:25b). Personally, I find these some of the most enchanting words in the whole of the Old Testament. The first part of the verse is put in a negative, and the second in a positive form. Having looked around and seen that there is no satisfying substitute for the Almighty, the psalmist goes on to make the positive assertion that from the bottom of his heart he desires to know God. He has come to see (so I believe) that it is more important to desire God for who He is than for what He does or what He gives. In a sense, the psalmist's entire problem arose out of the fact that he had put what God gives in the place of God Himself. The ungodly were having a good time while he was having a bad time. Why was he having to suffer like this? His trouble was that he had become more interested in the things God gives than in God Himself, and when he didn't have the things he wanted, he began to doubt God's love. Now, however, he has come to the place where he desires God for Himself. The ultimate test of the Christian life is whether we desire God for Himself or for what He gives. Each one of us must ask ourselves: "Do I desire God more than forgiveness? More than release from my problems? More than healing of my condition? More than gifts and abilities?" How tragic that our prayers can be full of pleadings that show, when they are examined, that we are more interested in enjoying God's blessings than we are in enjoying God.

Prayer:

O Father, forgive me that so often I am concerned more with Your gifts than I am with You - the Giver. Help me to long after You, not because of what You give me, but because of who You are. In Jesus' Name I ask it Amen.

We are having rather bad weather at the moment, so wanting to see the sun again!
Have a great week!
Jacqueline