{HSCRC13} Hymn #21, Lord, Speak to Me

Hymn Challenge #21: Lord, Speak to Me
Words by: Frances Ridley Havergal
b. December 14, 1836; d. June 3, 1879

Frances Ridley Havergal was the daughter of the Rev. W. H. Havergal who was also a hymnist. She was born in Astley, Worcestershire. We studied her last year in Hymn #14, Take My Life and Let It Be. To read more, click here. Some other facts I found out about her was that she began writing hymns at the age of 7. She also had a great memory and was able to memorize the Psalms, the book of Isai­ah, and most of the New Test­a­ment. Wow, and to think I have trouble memorizing a verse. Anyway, she also had a deep commitment to Christ. She died in a town near Wales but is buried in her birthplace. On her tomb­stone is the script­ure verse she claimed as her own:

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."

The original hymn had 7 verses; however, in a lot of hymnals you will only see 4-5 of these verses. Here are the first 5 verses:

1 Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
in living echoes of thy tone;
as thou has sought, so let me seek
thine erring children lost and lone.

2 O strengthen me, that while I stand
firm on the rock, and strong in thee,
I may stretch out a loving land
to wrestlers with the troubled sea.

3 O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
the precious things thou dost impart;
and wing my words, that they may reach
the hidden depths of many a heart.

4 O fill me with thy fullness, Lord,
until my very heart o'erflow
in kindling thought and glowing word,
thy love to tell, thy praise to show.

5 O use me, Lord, use even me,
just as thou wilt, and when, and where,
until thy blessed face I see,
thy rest, thy joy, thy glory share.

As Thanksgiving approaches here in the U.S., I thought that this hymn was perfect as we think about God using us to speak for Him. A lot of you will be surrounded by family and friends or serving in churches and soup kitchens and other places this coming week. Have you asked God in prayer how He might use you and have you share Him with others? We must always ask God how He wants to use us, and we do that by praying to Him. We must remember to get our own agendas out of the way. I love what Kenneth Osbeck said "We must not dictate to our Lord as to how and when we should be used. We are simply to be available whenever He directs in a particular situation. Then our representation for Him is simply to speak His truth boldly but always in love." The Billy Graham Team said this about today's hymn "God speaks; we are taught by Him and filled with His Spirit; then we are ready to serve as He directs." Christ makes us competent to share His Word:

Ephesians 4:11-13 "So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

Ephesians 4:15-16 "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."

When we give and we love as Christ loved and show grace as Christ has shown grace, we are giving others a taste of Heaven. Now is the time to tell others of our Savior's love and grace. When we focus on Him, He will increase His Kingdom through us. People need to know the source of our joy and peace. Will give that gift this Thanksgiving holiday as He leads you?

Psalm 25:4 "Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths."

Psalm 31:3 "Since You are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me."

Isaiah 50:4 "The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed."

Jeremiah 1:9 "Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'I have put My words in your mouth.'"

John 13:15 "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will."

So, are you ready to serve your family, friends, neighbors, and strangers this Thanksgiving as He would direct? Will you allow Him to use you? Yes, even you!!

Below you will find the sheet music to this hymn, and please click here to listen to this hymn.

For my 6x6 page today, I used Jeremiah 1:9 from above. I thought it went perfectly with the hymn. I also love this paper. It came as "wrapping" with my Webster's Pages September Sprinkles Craftbox. I didn't even realize the words "faith" and "grace" were on the paper until after I was putting the page together. How awesome is that? I also used the Blue Fern Studios Quatrefoil Panel. These panels are 12x12 so I get many uses from just one sheet. I cut the panel to the size I needed for my page and then painted it with Shimmerz Artie Choked Texturez. 

Papers: Webster's Pages, Bazzill cs 
Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Quatrefoil Panel (painted with Shimmerz Texturez artie choked) 
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink brushed corduroy 
Embellishments: October Afternoon Travel Girl doo-dads; Pink Paislee butterfly clip; Prima Soubrette B and Divine flowers; Prima resin clock; American Crafts twine; Zva Creative rhinestone flourish; Wild Orchid Crafts leaves and flowers; Making Memories tiny alpha stickers; Hobby Lobby doily

Remember to use Keyword HSCRC13 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of the information regarding this challenge and the previous studies, please see this post here. Have a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving!

ABC Scripture Challenge {Word #1}, Anchor

Welcome to our first challenge for the year 2011. I am so excited to see where God leads all of us this year. He has already been laying some things on my heart, and I am keeping detailed notes as He brings them to me! If you missed the introduction to this challenge, please see my post here for complete details. So, let's get started with our first study.

Early in December as I was working on my Bible Study Fellowship lesson, there was a question at the end of the lesson that asked “Will you ask God to anchor your mind to Him? How will you choose to fill your mind with Him this week?” That was such a powerful and eye-opening question to me. Wow, anchoring myself to God. I have never thought of it in that context before. This is something I have really been thinking about since then, and thus I thought it would be a great word for us to start with this year.

Challenge Word #1: Anchor

How many of you have been in a storm at sea? Probably not many of you but you can certainly imagine how scary it would be. Even the storms on land can be very scary at times. Think of the disciples as they were out on the Sea of Galilee. The twelve disciples along with Jesus went out on a boat that was big enough to carry all of them. They had not gone out in a storm yet once they were out on the water, one caught them without warning. Matthew 8:23-26 says “Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”

Look at Jesus’ response to the disciples, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” It seems so easy to love God and share our joys with Him but when the going gets rough, we panic just as the disciples did. Or maybe you are the other way, when things are easy you leave God out of the picture but the minute something gets tough, you cling to Him. No matter which one of these describes you, our faith should be strong in all things—during the good and the bad. If we are not anchored to God, we drift. We waiver in our relationship with Him, and then we feel like we will drown in the “storms of life.” God not only knows what is going on in your life, He has the power to help you deal with it. We need to be anchored to God just as a ship is anchored to the ocean floor. And this isn’t just once we need to do this but daily. We need to wake up purposely anchoring ourselves to Him so that we can stay firm and secure with Him through our day instead of drifting with the waves. Will you anchor yourself to God today, tomorrow, and the days ahead?

My 5x6 page uses the brand new Memory Box papers and the new ODBD set called "Anchor" that will be released in February 2011. The scriptures I chose were:

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Hebrews 6:19 “The hope we have is an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast.” Papers: Basic Grey Marjolaine, Memory Box Brioche, Paper Trey Ink cs
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Anchor
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink walnut stain and pumice stone, Memento tuxedo black
Embellishments: Tim Holtz tiny attacher and journaling tickets, October Afternoon alpha stickers, Basic Grey Sugar Rush chip alpha, Paper Trey Ink just the ticket border die and rustic twine, Derwent watercolor pencils

So, that's my page. Now it's time for you to study and create! :) And be sure to use Keyword ABCSCRC11 when posting in any galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. You may want to bookmark that page so you can easily find all of the studies for this year.

And in closing for today, remember that whatever comes your way in 2011, God knows what you are going through. He has a purpose behind it. Anchor yourself to Him daily, and know that in time “this storm will pass” and you will have grown with Him through it. He can provide strength in any circumstance. He is our anchor, our security, our hope. Many blessings to you,

{Scripture Challenge 2} Challenge #25, Worth

Challenge Word #25: Worth

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “worth”? Do you think of someone that has wealth, natural beauty, or a higher education? People think that their worth in life is based on how much money they have, the house or cars they own, the college degrees they have earned, the outward beauty they may have, or the recognition they receive from their accomplishments. What if you do not have any of that? Does that make you less worthy? Absolutely not! The world looks at what we have done or accomplished to determine our "worth,” but God looks at our heart. 1 Peter 3:4 says “Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” God created you perfectly as He wants you. You are worth everything to Him because you are His not because of your degree, money, beauty, or lack thereof. We are all of equal worth to Him. Psalm 139:13-14 says “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Now, what if you do have some or all of these things? What happens if you lose them? Would you still feel worthy? We need to place our lives and worth in His hands not in what we have or have accomplished. All of our worth should be in a relationship with Him not in someone or something else. As believers we know that the world cannot make us happy. No person will truly fulfill us. No experience, no possession, nothing will fulfill us like God does. Proverbs 11:4 says "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death." In whom or what are you placing your worth?

For my page this week, I chose Ephesians 4:1-2 "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." I also used Romans 8:31b "If God is for us, who can be against us?" How so very true! I am Christ's representative here on earth. I need to place my worth in Him, live as He has called me, and let others see Him in me. My worth should be placed in living for Him and nothing else.
Papers: Webster's Pages Waiting for Santa & Sweet Season
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Flower Frames, Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 3
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink forest moss
Embellishments: Paper Trey Ink spiral notebook page die & rustic twine, Zva Creative pearl flourish, Hero Arts flowers, Maya Road small organza rose ribbon & mini tag, Making Memories tiny alpha stickers

When sharing your page for this challenge be sure to use Keyword SCRC210 when posting in galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. I will be back with our last study for this year on December 19th.

And lastly, I wanted to let you know that as I prepared for this study today, God has given me insight on what He wants me to do with this study for next year. So, be watching for details in the next week or two. I pray you will join me and invite others to join in too so that they may know the Lord, live for Him, and know that their worth is in Him and nothing else! Have a blessed Sunday!

Our Daily Bread Designs {Challenge 39}

Can you believe December is this coming week? Oh my! Do you have any snow yet? We see snow very rarely but I will enjoy watching the snow everyone else gets. :) Our fun ODBD challenge for today is centered around snow! Your challenge is to add snowflakes to your creation (this can be on the patterned paper, punches, the image, your ribbon, etc.).

For my card, I decided to use the ODBD snowflake stamp from the Peace & Joy set. I also used the ODBD snowflake die, and a Tim Holtz snowflake border die. The sentiment also comes from the Peace & Joy set. Isn't it perfect as we think about God's beautiful creation falling from above? Love it!
Papers: Bazzill cs (for snowflake), Webster's Pages Holiday Collection combo pack , Paper Trey Ink cs (for card base)
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Peace & Joy
Stamp Ink: VersaMark, Ranger bridal embossing tinsel, Tim Holtz Distress Ink vintage photo
Embellishments: Our Daily Bread Designs Snowflake die, Tim Holtz Alterations snow flurries border die, sewing machine, Zva Creative brad, lace from Ellen Hutson

If you would like to see more challenge creations, please be sure to check out the other ODBD Challenge Team creations here:

Chris Olsen
Chris Dickinson
Francie Gumprecht
Sabrina Jackson

To see all of the challenge and prize details, please see the ODBD blog post here. Yes, there are prizes, so you don't want to miss the details! Also please don't forget to upload your creations to Mister Linky in the same post by Thursday, December 2nd, at 8 p.m. EST to be eligible! Remember to use Keyword ODBDSLC39 when posting to online galleries. Thanks for stopping by, and blessings to each of you!

Tuesday's {Tip} 2011 Calendar using ODBD Stamps!

Well, today my calendar project is being featured on the Our Daily Bread Designs blog. I thought I would share it here with my readers also. The instructions are in the paragraph below followed by lots of images and a complete supply list with links!

One thing I love about Our Daily Bread Designs stamps is that there are images for every single month of the year! Since that's the case, I thought I would make a 2011 calendar for fun.

To make my calendar, first I cut twelve 4 ¼” x 3 ½” pieces of white cardstock. These pieces will mat each month. I then printed out a 2011 calendar on the same white cardstock. You can find many 2011 calendars in my post here. :) Next, I trimmed each month to 1 7/8” square. Then I had to decide on papers to use. I decided to use Webster's Pages papers because I had papers for each season, and they also had designs that worked well with each month. Then the fun began! I decorated each month using various papers, embellishments, and stamps. I created a mat for each month using the same Spellbinders lacey squares die. Here is how January through June turned out:And here you can see July through December:
I used a 3x3 Vertical Frame that I got from How Do You Glue. And here are some close-up images. (Note: You can see the entire frame in the October photo below.) 3x3 Vertical Stand: How Do You Glue
Papers: Paper Trey Ink white cs (for base pages); Webster's Pages pp; Memory Box thistle, dill, wassail, lavender, and mocha cs
Our Daily Bread Designs Stamps: Peace & Joy, Bless this Home, Love One Another, Brocade Borders, The Lord Has Risen, The Cross of Christ, Mother’s Day, Father's Day, Happy Birthday, Fishers of Men, Fleur de Lis Borders, Harvest Blessings, Randi's Song, The Living Bread, Blessed Christmas
Tim Holtz Distress Inks: old paper, aged mahogany, peeled paint, tattered rose, dusty concord, vintage photo, faded jeans, pumice stone, forest moss, scattered straw, wild honey, and barn door
Stamp Inks (other): Adirondack espresso
Embellishments: Paper Trey Ink rustic twine and buttons; Spellbinders lacey squares die; Chatterbox wooden brad; Bazzill parakeet and white tulle; Stickles diamond, cotton candy, Christmas red, baby blue, and lavender; Distress Stickles scattered straw; Hero Arts pearls and flowers; misc. baker's twine

The stamp sets I used for each month were (click on the set name to look at the set in the ODBD store):

January: ODBD Peace & Joy and Bless this Home
February: ODBD Love One Another
March: ODBD Brocade Borders
April: ODBD The Lord Has Risen and the Cross of Christ
May: ODBD Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Birthday
June: ODBD Happy Father’s Day and Fisher’s of Men
July: ODBD Fleur de Lis Borders
August: ODBD Happy Birthday
September: ODBD Harvest Blessings
October: ODBD Randi's Song and Bless this Home
November: ODBD Randi's Song and The Living Bread
December: ODBD Blessed Christmas

I hope you will give this calendar a try. It was a lot of fun, and it was wonderful to use so many of my ODBD stamp sets for one project!

And if you have made it throught the post this far, then you will be excited to know that Kelley at ODBD will be running a Free Shipping Special for Thanksgiving weekend as a thank you to her customers. This will run Thursday through Sunday of this week! This is the perfect time to pick up those ODBD sets you have been wanting or those sets you need to add to your collection to make a 2011 calendar!
She will also have blog candy of a free Bread Basket Bundle so you will want to be sure to check the ODBD blog during the holiday this week!!!! Thanks for allowing me to share, and have a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving!

{Scripture Challenge 2} Challenge Word #24, Help

Challenge Word #24: Help

Friday of this week, I learned I have a big task before me that will happen just after Thanksgiving. My first thoughts were—oh my, I am so swamped. We didn’t have Christmas decorations last year because my husband was so ill. Now I won’t be able to put up the decorations Thanksgiving weekend. I have Christmas cards to do, presents to wrap, design work to do, etc., etc., etc. All selfish thoughts. Then God woke me up at 3 a.m. Saturday with a song by Casting Crowns—“Praise You in This Storm” which is actually from Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

God knew this was coming. He has prepared it for me. When He prepares something for us, He enables and helps us through it. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit living in us that gives us the power to do things He brings our way. He is our help. John 14:15-17 says “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.”

How amazing is that! The power of the Holy Spirit lives in me and in all believers. We can rely on that power. He is our help in all things. And when God calls us to a task, He will enable us to do it—not by our own strength but in His. Are you relying on “self” for help and failing, or are you relying on the Holy Spirit within you to complete the task He has given you?

Now the “task” may be a difficult road but we can trust that He is our help through it! Now this doesn’t mean we can run around and do as we please. If we are just running without an intent purpose in following His will, we can lose that closeness to the Lord because we are running and not listening to or following Him. He is there to help but we must be in His will too.

What difficulty or task are you facing right now? Is it a medical situation? Family issues? The craziness of the holiday season? Where are you turning for help? Do you turn to complaining thoughts like I did? Do you turn to friends to voice your frustration? Do you turn to the internet to get other’s advice? Or do you turn to our precious Lord and ask for His help? He is our Creator. He is always watching over us, and He is all-powerful. We certainly should not turn to anyone or anything else for help. Give it all to Him and turn your eyes to Him. We can depend on Him for our help. Psalm 54:4 says “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”

For my page today I used two of the scriptures listed above—Psalm 54:4 and Psalm 121:1-2. I also used Psalm 124:8 from the Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 3 stamp collection. I also loved this pink paper from Webster's Pages. This soft pink is my absolute favorite color, and I need to remember to stay in the background just as this pink paper is behind the scripture. I need to allow Him to lead me and help me. I am not in control; He is! And praise God for that!
Papers: Webster's Pages Postcards from Paris
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 3
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink aged mahogany
Embellishments: Tim Holtz journaling tickets and type charms, Hero Arts flowers, Paper Trey Ink buttons, sewing machine, misc. twine and lace

When sharing your page for this challenge be sure to use Keyword SCRC210 when posting in galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. I will be back with another study on December 5th. Have a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving week ahead!

{Scripture Challenge 2} Challenge Word #16, Worship

Challenge Word #16: Worship

What is worship? When you think of worshipping God, what do you think of? Do you think of going to church to worship the Lord once a week? Do think of singing hymns and worshipping Him? Worship is that and so much more! Merriam-Webster defines worship as "a person of importance used as a title for various officials (as magistrates and some mayors); reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power also an act of expressing such reverence; a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual; extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem (worship of the dollar)." Notice how in the definition it mentions a divine being and money all in the same definition. We need to be careful what and who we worship! So as Christians, what should our worship look like?

Worship is about living life for God every day. We need to show Him reverence. We need to be thankful. We need to glorify Him in all things showing His power in our lives. Everything we do should be an act of worship to God. Not just one day a week in a corporate setting but every single day no matter where we are, who we are with, or what we are doing. Yes, even doing the dishes, the cooking, the laundry, cleaning, etc.

Romans 12:1-2 says “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Our bodies are to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him! True worship leads to a surrender of self. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about Him, doing as He calls, serving Him, glorifying Him, sharing Him, etc. Worship involves a sacrifice of some sort whether it be time, money, emotions, etc. He created us, and therefore He has authority over all His creation. Nehemiah 9:6 says “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” And Psalm 100:3 says “Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His . . . “

Evelyn Underhill said "If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshipped.”

I love that quote! So how do you openly express your worship to God? We need to think about what He thinks not what others think. What does your daily worship look like?

For my page this week, I used Sketch #134 from Sketch Inspiration. The papers are mix of Webster's Pages and Basic Grey. I also embossed the white base because it looked too plain without it. :)
Papers: Basic Grey Olivia, Webster's Pages die cut kit, Paper Trey Ink white cs
Stamp Ink: Colorbox Fluid Chalk dark brown and chestnut roan
Embellishments: Cuttlebug Victoria embossing folder, Paper Trey Ink buttons, Paper Trey Ink spiral notebook page die, Basic Grey piper milk chocolate chip alpha, misc. twill, Paper Trey Ink rustic twine

The scriptures are two of the ones I mentioned above--Nehemiah 9:6 and Psalm 100:3. They both really spoke to me, and I wanted to have them displayed on this page.

When sharing your page for this challenge be sure to use Keyword SCRC210 when posting in galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! I pray that with the Holy Spirit, you will see daily how to be that living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. I will be back with another study on August 15th. See you then! Blessings,

Our Daily Bread Designs {Challenge 12}

Welcome back to another ODBD Challenge Saturday! With the school year coming to a close, this week we thought it would be fun to challenge everyone to make a graduation card!

For my card, I used the new great set from ODBD called "As You Graduate." This set is quite versatile and could be used for cards other than graduation cards. I decided to use black on my card as I thought of a black cap and gown. :)
Papers: Webster's Pages vellum & die cut kit, SU black cs, misc. vellum
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs As You Graduate
Stamp Ink: VersaFine onyx black, Colorbox Fluid Chalk charcoal
Embellishments: Martha Stewart pop-up butterflies border punch, Prima black bling, Paper Trey Ink button, misc. string, sewing machine

If you would like a little more "graduation" inspiration, please be sure to check out the other ODBD Challenge Team cards:

America Kuhn
Chris Olsen
Christine Okken
Francie Gumprecht
Natalie Dever
Sabrina Jackson

Have fun everyone! To see all of the details and prizes for this week's challenge, see the ODBD blog post here. Also don't forget to upload your creations to Mister Linky in the same post by May 13th at 8 p.m. EST! And remember to use Keyword ODBDSLC12 when posting to online galleries. Blessings to each of you!

ODBD Anniversary New Releases & Blog Hop!

Today is a VERY special day for Our Daily Bread Designs. You know we have been celebrating for several days, and today marks the 2nd Anniversary for Kelley at Our Daily Bread Designs! And we are celebrating in a huge way today! We are having a Design and Challenge Team Blog Hop, and Kelley is releasing FOUR new special edition sets today! Each of the designers has created something amazing with the new sets, and you will have a chance to hop, check out their creations, AND have a chance to win one of the new sets! For all of the details, please see the ODBD blog. You will find the blog hop list there also! If you have been following the hop, you should be joining me from Sabrina's blog. If not, hop on back to the ODBD blog to begin.

I decided to use all four of the new special edition sets on one creation! I altered a 9x12 canvas for my new craft room/office. It was a lot of fun but the inking got pretty messy! Yes, I inked the entire canvas, and then I Mod Podged it to seal it. It got a little streaky but that added a fun touch to it!
Papers: Webster's Pages Petite Papers Garden Gala & Seaside Retreat
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 3, Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 4, Our Daily Bread Designs Ironwork Borders, Our Daily Bread Designs Vine Borders
Stamp Ink: Adirondack denim, Adirondack espresso, Tim Holtz Distress Ink vintage photo
Embellishments: misc. cloth, Basic Grey Archaic buttons, sewing machine, Spellbinders Cross Collection Shapeabilities, Ribbon Retreat satin ribbon, Quickutz Vines, Memory Box 24 Karat pearl stickers, Tim Holtz Distress stickles antique linen, Deluxe Designs scalloped square chipboard, Prima flowers

Well, I hope you are enjoying our big celebration, and congrats to Kelley on 2 years! Praying that you have many more ahead of you!!!

Remember to collect your secret LETTER so that you can spell out the special message. My secret letter is 'D'. :) Now be sure to hop on over to America's blog to see what she created with the new sets! Have fun hopping, and have a blessed day!

Our Daily Bread 2nd Anniversary Challenge #3!

Are you having fun with the ODBD Anniversary challenges? I hope so! Today brings another very fun challenge! Silver and gold are the traditional gifts for those special milestones in a marriage--the 25th and 50th anniversaries. Today's challenge is to make a project that includes silver and/or gold. For all of the details on the challenge and to submit your entry, be sure to see the ODBD blog post here. And entries must be received by 8 p.m. EST tonight!

My card for the challenge uses the ODBD set called Lift Up Your Hands. In February, we lost two family members in the same week. One of them was my uncle. This card is going to my aunt. I chose to use a silver cross charm, silver Stickles on the embossed parts of the photo corners, and lastly, I used silver embossing powder on the stamped image. The bling kind of looks silvery too so maybe it will count also. LOL! Papers: Bazzill, Webster's Pages Petite Papers Magical Wishes & A Sweet Life, Creative Memories CS
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Lift Up Your Hands
Stamp Ink: VersaMark, Stampin' Up pale plum, misc. silver EP
Embellishments: Ribbon Retreat ribbon, cross charm from Hobby Lobby, misc. safety pin, Prima crystals, sewing machine, Stickles silver, Spellbinders Renaissance Hearts Pendants, Spellbinders Scalloped Rectangle

To see other silver/gold challenge cards, be sure to join:

Debi Southard
Dawn Lusk
Lorelie Kim
Kathy Jones
Becca Feeken
America Kuhn
Connie Mc Cotter
Chris Olsen

And remember, there is hidden blog candy out there somewhere on a few of our blogs. You won't know which blog has the candy so be sure to leave comments on all of them! You might just be a lucky winner! Have fun with the challenge, and make sure you get your entries posted to the ODBD blog by tonight. Lastly, be sure to use Keyword ODBD2AC3 in online galleries. Blessings,

{Scripture Challenge 2} Challenge Word #6, Neighbor

Challenge Word #6: Neighbor

Are you new to your neighborhood or do you know someone new that has moved in? Are you a neighbor that acts neighborly? Do you even know your neighbors? Are you asking yourself as Jesus was asked in Luke 10:29 “. . . so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” Just who is your neighbor?

I love how dictionary.com defines “neighbor.” It says “a person who lives near another; a person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward his or her fellow humans.” Do you just think of your neighbor as someone who lives near you? We also should be looking at those around us everywhere as our “neighbors.”

I really began to think about “neighbors” as my husband was away in Asia recently. Our dog got into the neighbor’s yard at 6:45 a.m. I didn’t even know them. They back up to our house so they really are on a street behind us. Well, the husband ended up driving over to our house that early morning. We ended up speaking for 30 minutes and getting to know each other’s families. It was a true and amazing blessing! I was filled with such joy that day. Had our dog not gotten into their yard, I still would not know them. God can use anything and turn it to His good. There was a blessing behind us I didn’t even know. I am now excited to see where God will take our families as we get to know each other.

What blessings are waiting in your neighborhood? Could it be that God is calling you to reach out to a neighbor (near or far) to bless them--even if you don't know them? Maybe you know of a neighbor that is struggling in some way. You could invite them to your church or to a Bible study. You could even anonymously provide a bag of groceries or a gift card, or you could mail a card with uplifting scripture. Watch for opportunities to help your neighbors either in your neighborhood or those you pass in your day-to-day outings. Pray about it. God will open your eyes and bring you those opportunities.

For my page this week, I used the amazing Webster’s Pages papers along with the new release from Layers of Color called “Vintage Rose.” I loved the awning on the paper and thought of it as my window looking out to my neighbors. For the roses, I stamped them onto watercolor paper and used my Derwent watercolor pencils to color them in. Papers: Bazzill, Webster's Pages Petite Pages Postcards from Paris & Sweet as Cherry Pie, Aquarelle watercolor paper
Stamps: Layers of Color Vintage Rose
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink vintage photo, VersaFine sepia, Ranger clear EP
Embellishments: Quickutz blossom, Distress Stickles frayed burlap, Distress Stickles scattered straw, Stickles diamond, sewing machine, Derwent watercolor pencils

The three scriptures I used were:

Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

Mark 12:31 “The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Romans 15:2 “Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

I pray that with God you will open your eyes, hearts, and minds to all of the neighbors around you and those you pass. How might God use you to reach out to them this week?

Remember to use Keyword SCRC210 when posting in galleries. Also, feel free to leave a link here for others to see using Mister Linky. Also, if any of you are looking for a 6x6 wooden stand for this challenge or any other challenge, Cherie (one of our participants), has them for sale for $5 here. Enjoy your time of study, and remember to see all of our previous lessons, visit this post here. Blessings to each of you, and see you with a new study again on March 28th. In Him,

Layers of Color {Masterpiece Monday}

Happy Monday morning to each of you! For the next three weeks, I will be sharing some of my Layers of Color creations with you using the new releases. Today I want to share my creations using these three new sets: Flowering Gems (11 stamps in set), Flutterescent (7 stamps in set), and Granny’s Jewelry (11 stamps in set).

For my Flowering Gems creation, I used my watercolor pencils to color the flowers. The center section of the flower is separate, and I used pop dots to give it dimension. Papers: Basic Grey Wisteria, Paper Trey Ink, Strathmore watercolor paper, sheet music from 1940 hymnal, Memory Box wisteria notecard
Stamps: Layers of Color Flowering Gems
Stamp Ink: Memento rich cocoa and sweet plum, SU creamy caramel
Die Cuts: Quickutz scallop circle, Shapeabilities decorative photo corner
Embellishments: KaiserCraft chino pearls, Smooch grape soda, Derwent watercolor pencils

And here is my Flutterescent creation. Several weeks ago while I was sitting in church, I noticed one of our banners had a butterfly on it that looked like stained glass. So, I used that banner as inspiration to create this card. Papers: Paper Trey Ink, Strathmore watercolor paper, Stampin' Up (black CS)
Stamps: Layers of Color Flutterescent
Stamp Ink: Palette black
Embellishments: Smooch pool, green apple, taffy, pumpkin, snicker doodle; Derwent watercolor pencils; Stickles black diamond, Glitz black frosting, Cuttlebug stylized flowers embossing folder

And for my Granny's Jewelry card, I embossed the piece of "jewelry" in silver embossing powder. I then used Stickles and Liquid Pearls to fill it in and give it sparkle! Papers: Paper Trey Ink, SU black cardstock, Webster's Pages, sheet music from 1940 hymnal
Stamps: Layers of Color Granny's Jewelry
Stamp Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Versa Mark, misc. silver embossing powder
Embellishments: Martha Stewart lattice border punch, Cosmo Cricket rub-ons, Doodlebug rub-on '&', Liquid Pearls petal pink, Stickles silver, Robin's Nest silver dew drops, Bazzill black tulle, Prima crystals

I hope you have enjoyed today's inspiration. To see more creations from the rest of the Layers of Color design team, see this post here on the Layers of Color blog! Have a blessed Monday, and thanks for stopping by!