Birthday Blessings

It's the start of birthday season in my world!!  The season always starts with my momma's day in April.  I do work on birthday cards a lot, but as the season starts, I'll be in full bday card form!  I shared some of the cards I made for my nephews in this post called For The Boys.  Boy cards are always the toughest ones!!  Today, I'm sharing some sweet, flowery cards.  The card above features the Delightful Daisies set from the Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps April release.

I was really just goofing around with my stamps when they first came.  I couldn't wait to ink them up and see how they stamped.  I had a mess of gelli print scraps on my desk so, I grabbed one.  Afterward, I used my white gel pen and colored in the flower petals.  The gel ink is thick enough to cover up most of the background color.  When I made the gelli print, I used distress inks so, coloring the stem worked out great.  The green ink is darker and just blended with the colors that were already on the paper.  I took the sentiments from another SNSS set, Spring Blossoms.

My final card, is the one I made for my mom!  It features the Stamp of the Month:  Happy Day!  It is your gift with purchase of $75 or more.  It's beautiful--I love it.

For this card, I stamped the roses using the masking technique.  I then layered in several different colors of distress ink.  And, then, I took a risk (for me-you smarties likely knew what would happen already).  I covered each rose with distress glaze--which to my happy surprize, acted like a resist.  I was able to dip the card into a blue wash to fill in the white spaces.  I added some extra ink with a stencil for texture and--wahla!  A birthday wish......you can see the details on Happy Day right here.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jane

*All links on this post are affiliate links.  When you shop using these links, you are supporting me as I earn a small commission through the use of the affiliate links.  Thank you!

But, Thou...

On a recent thrifting trip, I was lucky enough to find this old hymnal titled "Book of Worship for US Forces."  Naturally, I had to have it--God and country?  Yes, please! It was printed in 1974, and though my brain says that was just a few years ago, it has a great vintage feel to it.  As I was paging through the hymnal, my eyes landed on this song that I had never heard of before--certainly not in the top 10 hymns of all time!

The song is called "Where Restless Crowds Are Thronging."  It goes like this:

Where restless crowds are thronging along the city ways,

Where pride and greed and turmoil consume the fevered days,

Where vain ambitions banish all thoughts of praise and prayer,

The people's spirits waver, But thou, O Christ, art there.

There are two more verses, but you get the idea.

It so resonated with me.  The very human condition.  We are restless, ambitious; full of pride and greed.  And, yet, He reaches out to separate us from that which will surely mean our death.  As I pondered the words of the song, the idea to journal it came about.  I was thinking specifically about the words that are spoken over us and how we repeat them.  I started thinking about the youth of today and the impact of social media on their development.  It reminded me of the song, American Noise by Skillet.

"Angry words and honking cars

Satellites and falling stars

Distant dark blue radios that whisper down my boulevards

Ghosts and chains rattle in the attic

Broken headphones filled with static

Lonely room you've got nowhere to run"

But thou, O Christ, art there!!  Praise His steadfast and holy name!!  We can turn off the noise and find peace in Him.  The author and perfecter of our faith!  He cares about the noise and offers us a way out--how awesome is that?

Because I was dwelling on all of the beautiful teen girls I know who are struggling with the noise and seeking the way out, I had to use the brand new Walk Humbly set from Sweet N Sassy stamps.  This set was designed by team member, Colleen Gaddie and it is adorable!!  It is such a versatile set; for sure a must have!

Do you not just love those images?  I have so many ideas for this one little set--I need a month of solitude and stamping!! As if--right?  My hymnal page also uses stamps from Forever and Always and the Typewriter Blocks Alphabet.  Please be aware that when I link in my post to the actual stamp set, these are affiliate links.  When you shop using these links, I earn a small commission, and appreciate your support!

Here's a super quick and simple card also featuring Walk Humbly and His Love--just a scrap of some gelli printed paper and a few quick images/sentiments.  Ya'll we don't have to be super complicated, layered up and color with highlights!!  It's still a paper hug :)

And.....you are beautiful!  Have a great day and leave the noise for His peace.

Amen.  In Him, Jane

SNSS April Hop!

Bunnies hop and so do we!!  Today, the Sweet 'N Sassy Creative Team is hopping to share lots of inspiration, featuring our April release!  This release is very special to me, please keep reading!!

If you did not start at the beginning of the hop, please go to the very start so as not to miss any of the inspiration!  Hop along to the blogs linked below for all sorts of paper crafting inspiration with our April stamp sets. Leave a little comment love on each stop along the way for a chance to win a $10 gift voucher to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps shop. The winner will be announced on the SNSS blog, Tuesday, April 23.

Sweet 'n Sassy Blog
Julee Tilman
Ceal Pritchett
Diane Zechman
Jane Bosi
Lucinde van Ballegooijen
Lyn Tomlin
Monika Davis
Sheri Gilson
Stephanie Serrano

I'm super excited to share a stamp set that Korin and I designed together.  Surrounded in Prayer was born during my recent struggle with a breast cancer diagnosis.  While going through chemotherapy, I was embraced by communities of believers.  Friends from near and far reached out to my family truly showing us the hands and feet of Christ over and over.  During this time, a dear friend of mine sent me a video of Michael W Smith et. al. singing, "This is How I Fight My Battles."  It became the basis of my "fight" play list--a collection of scripture based music that I would pour over myself when I could literally do nothing else.  Each time, I would envision the multitudes of warriors who had drawn to my side in this storm.  Surrounding me; helping me to fight my battles with prayer and in communion with our Great Father.  I'm overwhelmed each time I hear it, even to this day.  I am not alone.  You aren't either!  We are surrounded by each other, but the best news is that He surrounds us in His loving care.  He is both in front and behind.  We are pressed in and battered, but never forsaken. Never left, never lost.  I've not known this more clearly than in the last 9 months.

For each procedure, test and treatment, I would engage with the lovely staff who cared for me.  I heard many stories about others who had to travel great distance to receive care.  I have been so blessed to have an amazing Cancer Center right in my town!!  So many others do not have this blessing which continues to add to the burden of fighting this nasty opponent.

When Korin and I spoke and decided to create a fundraising stamp set, I knew immediately that I wanted to support the Aspirus Cancer Center.  After reaching out to the Aspirus Health Foundation, we settled on using the raised funds to support a brand new project in the Wausau area.  The Aspirus Family House will break ground this summer with a January 2020 goal of serving families receiving care at Aspirus Hospital.  The Family House will be a place for patients and families to stay while receiving treatment and removes a significant barrier for those fighting cancer and other life threatening situations. 

Shortly after my diagnosis, I read a meme somewhere that said "figure out what you would die for and fight for that!"  Jesus did exactly that for us!  He didn't have to figure anything out.  He loves us enough to die for us and, He fights for each one of His children.  As a mom, this is a notion that, in my humanity, resonates with me.  The main image of five people was specifically inspired by my five children.  It is generalized to the many many people who surround us during the difficulties and joys of life.

My project for the hop is a paper bag album, I created to hold all of the notes, cards and letters I've received since my battle began.  As you can see, I have a lot of treasures to store!  Initially I had them all taped up on what is now my war room wall--a place where I can rest, study God's Word and create.

I started by stitching together four paper bags.  The front cover features Surrounded In Prayer and Shake It Off Lowercase Alphabet.

This page contains printed scripture and features the Delightful Daisies set.  I super love the Delightful Daisies set.  Daisies have always been my favorite flower, in general.  This set is versatile and so much fun to play with!

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The next page features some stenciling (just like on the front of the album) along with the stamp of the month, Happy Day.  Please remember that the Stamp of the Month is yours FREE with your purchase of $75 now to the end of the month.  I've also used Sunshine Girl Alphabet.

The last page, features Walk Humbly.  Another great set that is perfect for all kinds of projects!  The sentiments are from Surrounded in Prayer.

Everything fits nicely inside!

Thanks for stopping by--I hope you are enjoying our hop and finding lots of inspiration.  You support my efforts when you shop using my affiliate link:  Sweet N Sassy Shop.  I appreciate your support so much!

Have a blessed week and enjoy the rest of the hop!  Don't forget, leave a little comment love on each stop along the way for a chance to win a $10 gift voucher to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps shop. The winner will be announced on the SNSS blog, Tuesday, April 23.

Be Blessed, Jane

Surrounded....

Happy Monday, Friends!  I'm super stoked about the stamp release from Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps this month for two big reasons!  The first reason is that I collaborated with SNSS owner, Korin Sutherland, to design a special stamp set called Surrounded in Prayer.  This set was born due to my recent health struggle and a true labor of love.  I plan to share the full story next week when we hop as a team to with lots of inspiration and the full release.

The BIG reason I'm stoked is because the sale of this set will be used, $10 from each set sold, to raise funds in support of the Aspirus Health Foundation and the Aspirus Family House--right here in my backyard!!  I'll be sharing more about this worthy cause, as well, in the next weeks.

Enjoy some art this Monday, surrounded in love and prayer.....

In Him, Jane

I got crafty with:

Surrounded In Prayer