Quick Cards

I couldn't resist making some more cards using some dies from the Our Daily Bread Designs' November release - they're just so gorgeous! 

Here is my first card:

For this card I've diecut some DP (ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2014) using the largest die from the ODBD Flourishes Star Pattern dies. This has then determined the size of the rest of my card. I stamped the sentiment from Our Daily Bread Designs Shine On in the bottom right corner using black ink.

For the stars I have stamped the two larger stars from ODBD Shine On using clear ink onto ODBD Winter Paper Collection and then embossed with silver EP. I've then diecut these using the coordinating ODBD Sparkling Stars dies.

I placed some DP (ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2014) cut to size (so that you can see the sentiment) underneath the two stars that I've popped up on foam tape. I've then placed all this on my card base of Bazzill textured card and added 3 rhinestones to the top right corner.

Here is my second card:

This card is really quick and easy as it is just all the dies from ODBD Flourished Star Pattern diecut from DP (ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2014). With each successive die I've just alternated between the green DP and the pink DP. My card base is Bazzill textured card. 

I popped up some layers on foam tape to give some more dimension and I added some Stickles Turquoise to give it some sparkle.

Thanks so much for looking and enjoy your Christmas!!

ODBDSLC220 - Sketch (Week 2)

It's now into week 2 of Our Daily Bread Designs' Shining the Light challenge, ODBDSLC220, which is a sketch challenge. You can see the first card I made for this challenge here. Here is my second card:

Here is the sketch again:

You can see that this time I've rotated the sketch 90 degrees anticlockwise.

I've made this card for my much younger cousin who won the 2015 Indigenous Scholarship for the school he will attend next year. Congratulations to him!

For my card I've used the image from Our Daily Bread Designs For the Graduate stamp set and coloured with Copic markers.

Copic markers used:

Bridge - E42, E44, E47, E49

Water - B41, B34, B45 and W5 (under the bridge)

Trees - E71, E74, E77

Foliage - YG23, G24 and R89 for flowers

Rocks - W2, W5 and W7

Sky - B21

Ground - E70, E42, YG23, W2 and W5

I've matted the image with some blue Bazzill textured card and then a piece of white card that I've stamped one of the verses from the same set, Our Daily Bread Designs For the Graduate.

I've used ODBD Patriotic Collection as my DP (love the blues in this collection!) and I've added some chocolate brown twine down the right side of my card. I've diecut a tag from ODBD Mini Tags Dies and stamped it with "Congrats!" which is just one of the many stamps that you get in the Our Daily Bread Designs' Mini Tags Sentiments stamp set.

For more inspiration for this challenge please visit my talented design team sisters:

Chris Olsen ~ Linda Carson ~ Diana Nguyen

Cheryl Scrivens ~ DJ Rants ~ Robin Clendenning

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC220 or to join the challenge click here. You have until 8 pm Sunday, 28 December 2014 EST to join us (or 9 am Monday, 29 December 2014 AWST). By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate that can be used towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” in the ODBD store; or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge! The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post.

I am entering my card in the Word Art Wednesday Challenge #163 - Two Weeks Anything Goes challenge.

It's only two days until Christmas! I hope you all have a lovely Christmas with friends and family and I pray that before all the food, presents, talking, laughter and everything else that happens on Christmas day, that we remember the greatest gift of all - our Lord Jesus Christ.

I attended our church's Christmas carols a few days ago and one of the ladies did a beautiful telling of the story of the birth of Jesus. She described the place where He was born as messy - which it would have been because He was born in a stable where the animals ate and drank and "did their business"! Can you imagine having your baby in that place? What a mess! But it is a messy world that we live in, and Jesus came to save those who are lost - to teach them about and bring them to God. God loves all of us so much that He allowed His only Son to come to this messy world, grow up in it and then be sacrificed on the cross for all of the wrongs that we have committed against God! What a gift that we have been given!

Thanks for looking and have a Happy Christmas and New Year!

Christmas Ornaments

About a week ago my Mum and I managed the "kids craft stand" at one of the Christmas Carols here in town. We had a few different crafts that the kids could make and it all went really well :-) One of the crafts we had was a Christmas ornament. I remade this ornament with a few variations - here is what I made:

Circle Ornament:

For this ornament I've used ODBD Circle Ornament Dies, image from Our Daily Bread Designs The Babe (coloured with Prismacolor pencils), sentiment from Our Daily Bread Designs Silk Stars and the DP is ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2014. For instructions on how to make this please click here.

Star Ornament:

For this ornament I've used ODBD Sparkling Stars dies and ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2014. For instructions on how to make this ornament please click here (on same page as instructions above).

These are both quick and easy little ornaments that you can make for your Christmas tree or just around the home at Christmas.

Thanks for looking
and don't forget the instruction sheet if you're interested

(P.S If you have trouble viewing the pdf try downloading it to your computer first (click on the down arrow at the top of the page) and then open it from your computer.)

ODBD Nov and Dec releases

I've been making a few cards lately and wanted to share one with you that I made using Our Daily Bread Designs' November and December releases. Here is one of my cards:

And here is a angled close-up so that you can see I've popped up the tags on foam tape:

You can also see the gorgeous shiny embossing powder I used :-)

The DP I've used for my card is from ODBD Winter Paper Collection (released in November 2014).

I've stamped the largest star image from Our Daily Bread Designs Shine On (also November release) in clear ink and then heat embossed using Aged Copper frantage EP. The sentiment is also from the Shine On stamp set and I've also stamped it in clear ink and heat embossed using black EP. I've then diecut this using ODBD Sparkling Stars Dies (November release) and diecut one from black card to use as a "shadow".

For the tags I've diecut 8 of the same tags using ODBD Mini Tags dies (December release) and stamped two different sentiments on them from the Our Daily Bread Designs Mini Tags Sentiments stamp set (December release). I've popped these up on foam tape and threaded some vanilla coloured twine through them all to make two loops.

Most of the layers have been inked on the edges with Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy. 

Thanks for looking!

ODBDSLC220 - Sketch

Welcome to another Our Daily Bread Designs challenge and the last ODBD challenge for 2014 (more to come in 2015)! This challenge, ODBDSLC220, is a sketch challenge.

I decided to have a break from Christmas cards this week :-)  Here is my card:

This is the sketch:

For my card I've left the sketch "as is" (haven't flipped or rotated it) and I've used a base of Bazzill textured card which I've matted with more layers of Bazzill textured and ODBD Patriotic Paper Collection (new in December 2014!)

For my poppy I have stamped the image from Our Daily Bread Designs Mother's Day set onto X-Press It blending card and coloured with my copic markers. I've added some very light highlights with a white gel pen that I smudged with my finger before it dried (to soften the highlight).

Copic colours used:

Petals: R32, R35, R37, R39, R89 and W7

Leaves: BG93, BG96, BG99 and W7

I've then added some blue coloured seam binding that wasn't quite the right colour - so I coloured it with my B99 Copic marker. 

The gorgeous little tag is a sentiment from Our Daily Bread Designs Mini Tag Sentiments stamped on X-Press It blending card and diecut with one of the dies from the coordinating ODBD Mini Tags dies set. There are soooo many sentiments to choose from in the Mini Tag Sentiments and LOTS of die combinations to make with the ODBD Mini Tag dies - I know these are going to become two of my favourite sets!

Everything has been inked around the edge using Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire to match the ODBD Patriotic Collection papers that I used. Even though I'm an Aussie (gold and green are our colours) I love the ODBD Patriotic Paper collection :-) It has some awesome papers and you don't have to use them for US Patriotic cards (as you can see from my card above!) You can also check out this post of mine for a teacher's gift box that I made using the ODBD Patriotic Paper Collection.

For more inspiration for this challenge please visit my talented design team sisters:

Chris Olsen ~ Linda Carson ~ Diana Nguyen

Cheryl Scrivens ~ DJ Rants ~ Robin Clendenning

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC220 or to join the challenge click here. You have until 8 pm Sunday, 28 December 2014 EST to join us (or 9 am Monday, 29 December 2014 AWST). By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate that can be used towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” in the ODBD store; or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge! The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post. 

I am entering my card in Word Art Wednesday challenge #162 - Anything Goes.

Just before I go.... Our Daily Bread Designs is having a Gift Certificate special!

ODBD is offering a  

FREE $5.00 ODBD Gift Certificate with 

every $50.00 in ODBD Gift Certificates purchased!  

These would make awesome Christmas gifts!

You better hurry... this offer is only valid until 20 December 2014!

(Click on the image above for further information.)

Thanks for looking!

More teacher's gifts

A few days ago I showed you this Teacher's Gift box using some Our Daily Bread Designs' products. I made another two for the two part-time teachers who also taught my daughter this year. Both are made using the same template as the first and both hold 3 Ferrero Rocher chocolates (or you could use other suitably sized chocolates/gifts).

Here is the first one:

DP: Bo Bunny Autumn Song

Here is the other one:

DP: Meg's Garden The Romantic Garden

Other products used on both gift boxes:

Dies: Spellbinders Shapeabilities "On the Edge"

Flowers and apple: from Live and Love Crafts

Leaves: Green Tara 3.5 cm green paper leaves

Other: hole punch, double sided tape, Scrap Dots, AnnaBelle Stamps satin ribbon, button brad

Thanks for looking! 

(Download the free gift box template (with basic instructions) here)

Teacher's Gifts

Something else I've made this week are teacher's gifts for my eldest daughter's teacher. I saw that Stacy Morgan had made a nugget purse - which inspired me to make my little box below.

My box is still triangular in shape but has different dimensions and I added sides to the box. It fits a little bag of 3 Ferrero Rocher's inside (or other chocolates / gifts). If you're interested you can download a free template here.

Here are some photos of my box:

For my box I have used a base of Bazzill textured card. I've then added ODBD Patriotic Collection as my DP to all sides except the base. All panels (and the tag) are inked using Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire.

For my front flap I've added ODBD Beautiful Borders die. I wanted to use a fairly largish brad so a regular hole punch was not going to punch a large enough hole. So I ended up diecutting a hole (for where the brad will be used to keep the flap closed) using the small circle die from ODBD Circle Ornaments Dies.

The little red flowers are diecut using ODBD Ornamental Crosses dies from the same Patriotic collection. I've added some blue "sprinkles" to the middle of each flower. The leaves are diecut from one of the ODBD Fancy Foliage dies using Bazzill textured card and inked (while still in the die) with Distress Ink Peeled Paint.

The brad I used was originally yellow (I didn't have a red one) - so I airbrushed it using my Copic Airbrush system and my R89 Copic sketch marker. 

The cute little tag is stamped using Our Daily Bread Designs' Mini Tag Sentiments and diecut using the coordinating ODBD Mini Tag Dies.

Lastly I've added some ribbon and tied it together underneath (you can see the knot in the last photo). 

Thanks so much for looking (and don't forget the template if you're interested)!
(P.S. If you have trouble printing the template, try downloading it to your computer first (down arrow at the top of the page) then opening it from your computer and printing.)

Starry Christmas

Just want to share with you another Christmas card I made using some stamps and dies from Our Daily Bread Designs' November release! 

Here is my card:

I've use ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2013 for all DP and my card base is a piece of Bazzill textured card (cut to size). This card is 5" x 5".

I've put down a red layer of the Christmas Paper Collection 2013 and then matted with the snowflakes piece from the same set but I've cut out some stars (the larger ones) using the smallest single die from ODBD Sparkling Stars Dies (November release). The small stars are placed on top of the paper and come as a set of 5 little stars joined together in the same die set. Two of the small stars are also popped up on foam tape to give added dimension. I've also added some glossy accents over the little stars.

I've then added one of the ODBD Beautiful Borders dies. 

The two largest stars are stamped with images from Our Daily Bread Designs His Birth stamp set (November release) and then diecut with the ODBD Sparkling Stars dies.

The sentiment is also from the His Birth set and diecut with ODBD Elegant Ovals dies.

Almost everything has been inked with Distress Ink Aged Mahogany.

Thanks for looking!

ODBDSCL219 - Christmas with ODBD (week 2)

It's week 2 of the Our Daily Bread Designs challenge, ODBDSLC219, Christmas with ODBD. You can see the first card I made for this challenge here. Here is my next card:

I had lots of fun making this card and I really love the Peaceful Poinsettia dies from ODBD. They are gorgeous and I cannot get enough of them!

I've used Bazzill textured card as my card base and then for the layer of green. The gorgeous stripey DP is from ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2013. I love how this piece has a bit of swirly pattern to match my leaves :-)

I've diecut one of the ODBD Beautiful Borders dies from Bazzill textured French Vanilla and also diecut the ODBD Peaceful Poinsettias dies from the same card. I've inked the Peaceful Poinsettias with Distress Ink Aged Mahogany and Peeled Paint while they were still in the die. The poinsettias have been bent slightly, lengthways, along each petal and I've glued them altogether with "normal" glue except for the smallest piece, which I have used a small piece of foam tape.

The holly looking leaves (which I think match the Poinsettia's nicely) are from ODBD Circle Ornament dies and the swirly foliage/leaves are from ODBD Fancy Foliage dies. Both are diecut from Bazzill textured card and have been inked with Distress Ink Peeled Paint while still in the dies.

For the banners I've first lined up my Our Daily Bread Designs Christmas Pennant Swag stamps with the ODBD Pennant Swag dies (place the die cutting side up on your table, then line up the stamps on the die (stamping side down), once lined up press your acrylic block onto the back of the stamp and pick it up. When you stamp it you know it will line up with the die (this works because it is a symmetrical die)). I've inked the stamps with Distress Ink Aged Mahogany and stamped onto Bazzill textured French Vanilla (but on the non-textured side). I've then diecut them using the ODBD Pennant Swag die and inked the bows while they were still in the die with Distress Ink Aged Mahogany. These are popped up on foam tape to give some dimension.

Here are some more photos:

For more inspiration for this challenge please visit my talented design team sisters:

Chris Olsen ~ Linda Carson ~ Diana Nguyen

Cheryl Scrivens ~ DJ Rants ~ Robin Clendenning

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC219 or to join the challenge click here. You have until 8 pm Sunday, 14 December 2014 EST to join us (or 9 am Monday, 15 December 2014 AWST). By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate that can be used towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” in the ODBD store; or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge! The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post.

We put up our Christmas tree a few days ago. My girls, who are 6 and 3, were soooo excited to get the tree out of the shed (we just have a plastic one - not a real tree), check for spiders (you can get some nasty big ones in Australia - like the huntsman! - thank goodness there were none in there!), and then put it up in our loungeroom. This was a bit of an ordeal in itself as our house is only small and we had to re-arrange the lounges in our loungeroom to fit the tree in - so now you have to turn sideways to get past the lounge to get out the front door! I think we'll be using the back door quite a bit more in the next few weeks :-) We then got out the Christmas tree lights to find out they wouldn't turn on :-( The girls were rather disappointed. So we postponed our Christmas tree decorating a day while my husband sourced some new lights. Back to tree decorating the next day, both girls were excited to see the new, coloured, star-shaped lights (the last ones were white, small, round lights) and helped to carefully put all the decorations on.

A few years ago my Mum bought me some material that has the nativity scene on it that you can sew together. I've only got as far as Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus and the manger... but it's a start and it was a lovely time of sharing the Christmas message with my children as we placed them under the tree. It's amazing how much little children understand, even my 3 year old, who will proceed to tell me all about baby Jesus and him growing up and dying on the cross for the "bad things that we do". It reminds me of Mark 10:14-16 which says:

"...He [Jesus] said to them [the disciples], "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it al all." And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them."

How precious are our children!

It's getting more of a struggle each year as my children get older and they are exposed to more "wordly" things, like Santa (my husband and I are anti-Santa.... but it doesn't seem to be rubbing off on the kids too well!), to keep the true meaning of Christmas as the main focus. But as we look at the decorated tree each day and discuss what Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus have to do with Christmas - I pray it is planting seeds of faith in their hearts.

I am entering my card in Word Art Wednesday Challenge #161 - Anything Goes.

Thanks so much for looking!

ODBDSLC219 - Christmas with ODBD

It's a new challenge with Our Daily Bread Designs! ODBDSLC219 is a Christmas challenge with ODBD Stamps. Here is my card:

And here is a close-up angled view:

I've used Our Daily Bread Designs stamp Midnight Clear on ODBD Christmas Paper Collection 2013 in the background. Then I've sprinkled and heated some white frantage embossing powder over the layer.

The beautiful diecut down the left side is from ODBD Beautiful Borders dies. The other gorgeous dies are from ODBD Fancy Ornaments - and I've inked them while still in the die with Distress Ink Festive Berries.

In the middle of the left ornament you can see that I've added a diecut piece up on foam tape. This piece is diecut from one of the dies from ODBD Ornate Borders and Flowers and fits perfectly in the ornament. I've then stamped the border using Our Daily Bread Designs Ornate Borders and Flowers and the "rejoice" is from Our Daily Bread Designs The Babe stamp set.

"It's Christmastime" is from Our Daily Bread Designs God's Timing stamp set and it's diecut using one of the larger dies from ODBD Ornate Borders and Flowers.

I've also added some white cotton for strings for the ornaments and some pearls.

For more inspiration for this challenge please visit my talented design team sisters:

Chris Olsen ~ Linda Carson ~ Diana Nguyen

Cheryl Scrivens ~ DJ Rants ~ Robin Clendenning

To see all the projects created for ODBDSLC219 or to join the challenge click here. You have until 8 pm Sunday, 14 December 2014 EST to join us (or 9 am Monday, 15 December 2014 AWST). By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate that can be used towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” in the ODBD store; or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge! The random prize winner will be posted on our next challenge post.

Thanks for looking!