WINNER {Growing In Unity}

Thanks to all who stopped by and commented throughout my week as the Growing In Unity gal...and a very special thanks to each of you who are followers of this blog.

cghundley

Congratulations!

Please send me an e-mail with your US mailing address and the two Itty Bittys you would like to receive so I can get your information to Unity.
{You can find my e-mail address in my blog header or on my Blogger profile.}

If you didn't win - stay tuned! Looks like it is time for a 600 follower giveaway!

Nuts About You {Growing In Unity: Day 5}

Welcome to the final day of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

It's been a wonderful week and I am so thankful for each of you that have stopped by to check out and comment on each of my projects using Unity Stamp Company stamps. If you haven't already, be sure to go back and comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!

For my last project I created this cute gift card holder using my I Am Nuts {About You} stamps.

I paper pieced the peanuts with some cute patterned paper and layered them with dimensional adhesive.
The ribbon is threaded into the gift card holder so that when you pull on it the gift card will be revealed.

Simple, but fun!

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can win some stampy goodness!

And, of course, I'd love it if you sign up to be a follower!

From the comments that are left on each of my posts this week I will be randomly choosing someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Patterned Paper: American Crafts (Dear Lizzy - Lucky Charm 6x6);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (I Am Nuts {About You});
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);
Ribbon: Offray (7/8" Grosgrain - Antique White);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); We R Memory Keepers (Corner Chomper); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Rain Must Fall {Growing In Unity: Day 4}

Welcome to day 4 of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

Stay tuned each day this week as I show you something I've created using stamps from Unity Stamp Company...and be sure to comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!

Today's card is one that can be made using a minimal amount of supplies, but I love the look of the marbled cardstock.

(You can find my tutorial on making marbled cardstock with Distress Stains and shaving cream here.)

Once I created the background, I simply stamped the umbrellas and sentiment from the Rain & Flowers kit, and my card was done.

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can win some stampy goodness!

And, of course, I'd love it if you sign up to be a follower!

At the end of the week I will randomly choose someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Rain & Flowers);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);
Color Media: Ranger (Distress Stains - Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Stormy Sky);
Other: Barbasol (Shaving Cream);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

BIG and small {Growing In Unity: Day 3}

Welcome to day 3 of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

Stay tuned each day this week as I show you something I've created using stamps from Unity Stamp Company...and be sure to comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!

I've got two projects to share with you today. The first is this tag created with Celebrate BIG and Grandma's Doilies:

I started by cutting two tags from white cardstock, one large and one small. I stamped Grandma's Doilies on the large tag and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. Once the embossing was set I misted over it with two colors of mist and then wiped off to reveal the resist. I then layered the smaller tag on top which I stamped with my Celebrate BIG sentiment. I used an eyelet and twine to adhere them together.

Next up is a small card.

(It is approximately 2 1/2" x 3".)

The card base is created using the zebra frame from the {aBIT} of Insta-Frames kit that I created. I cut out the center picture-portion of the frame and added some vellum. I then stamped the hearts from the Jars of Love x 3 on the vellum. I love making mini cards, and the Insta-Frames are perfect for that.

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can win some stampy goodness!

And, of course, I'd love it if you sign up to be a follower!

At the end of the week I will randomly choose someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.

Celebrate Big Tag Supplies:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Celebrate BIG, Grandma's Doilies);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black); Tsukienko (VersaMark - Watermark); Tsukienko (Aquatic Splash);
Mists: Studio Calico (Mr. Huey's - Boss Lady, Mint Julep);
Other: American Crafts (Zing Embossing Powder - Clear);
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Caribbean);
Other: Stamp Studio, Inc. (Eyelet - Silver);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); We R Memory Keepers (Crop-A-Dile); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Mini InstaFrame Card Supplies:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Paper: The Paper Company (Vellum);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company ({aBIT} of Insta-Frames, Jars of Love x 3);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black); Tsukineko (Pink Grapefruit, Persimmon, Mango Madness);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors, Craft Knife); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Feel the Joy {Growing In Unity: Day 2}

Welcome to day 2 of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

Stay tuned each day this week as I show you something I've created using stamps from Unity Stamp Company...and be sure to comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!

Today I will be sharing two projects with you. Both feature the Feel the Joy Itty Bitty.

This first one is a card. I stamped the flowers from Feel the Joy with bleach. I used a heat gun to quickly process the images and then stamped the sentiment (from my All About Hope kit) to finish the card.

For the next one I created a bookmark - again stamping with an unusual "ink". I stamped the flowers from Feel the Joy with Elmer's school glue. Stamping with glue acts as a resist (similar to embossing). I then used a paintbrush to add some mists (first sprayed on a craft sheet), and then wiped away to reveal the resist image. When stamping with glue you won't get as crisp of an image as you will with heat embossing - but I love the effect.

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can win some stampy goodness!

And, of course, I'd love it if you sign up to be a follower!

At the end of the week I will randomly choose someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Feel the Joy, All About Hope); 
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black); 
Mist: Studio Calico (Mr. Huey's - Bluegrass, Mint Julep);
Other: Elmer's (School Glue); Clorox (Bleach);
Ribbon: May Arts (1/4" Silk Ribbon - SK-4-01);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); We R Memory Keepers (Crop-A-Dile); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Gift Tags {Growing In Unity: Day 1}

Welcome to day 1 of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

Stay tuned each day this week as I show you something I've created using stamps from Unity Stamp Company...and be sure to comment on each of my Growing In Unity posts this week because Unity Stamp Company is allowing me to give away some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!

For my first project this week I wanted to share these quick and easy gift tags:

They were started out as a blank shipping tag, then I stamped some buttons from Totally & Utterly Amazing - KOM 5/13 and initials using the Grid Alpha kit, and finished it off with a little bit of washi tape and twine.
Super easy, but a great way to dress up a gift bag.

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can win some stampy goodness!

And, of course, I'd love it if you sign up to be a follower!

At the end of the week I will randomly choose someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.

Supplies:
Twine: The Twinery (Iridescent Blossom, Caribbean Rainbow);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Grid Alpha, Buttons from Totally & Utterly Amazing - KOM 5/13);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black); Memento (Angel Pink);
Other: My Mind's Eye (Washi Tape); (Cardstock Shipping Tag);
Tools: Fiskars (Scissors);

Blessings Book {The Twinery}

The Twinery has another inspiring challenge going on...the "In The Round" challenge.

My project may be a little more along the lines of "In The Round...and Round...and Round" because I spiraled my twine to create my circles, but that's what I love about these challenges...they just get your creative juices flowing and allow you to create something fun.

I've created a "Blessings Book" for my newest niece. (I've been blessed with two new nieces born less than two weeks apart.) She's a 1 pound 3 ounce bundle of preciousness and I am thanking God that she has had a relatively gentle transition into the world - even if it was three months earlier than we expected.

The book has a small paper bag as the base and patterned papers for the cover and interior pages. I used The Twinery's Solid Natural twine to bind it all together. I also added a band that simply slides on and off to keep the book pages from spreading out too far when it is not being looked at. The band is decorated with a die cut doily, some circle punched pieces of patterned paper, and then I layered on tiny "dots" of spiraled twine (again using Solid Natural twine). I love the extra texture the twine adds.

You can find all the details about how to join in on The Twinery's In The Round Challenge here.

And if inspiration isn't enough to make you want to join in...how about this awesome prize?

I can't wait to see what you create for this challenge!

Supplies:
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Natural); 
Patterned Paper: Prima Marketing (Songbird - A4 Paper Pad); 
Other: (Paper Bag);
Dies: Papertrey Ink (Parisan Lace Doily Die);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors, Round N Round Squeeze Punch); Tim Holtz (Tiny Attacher); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Baby Shower Invitations

Wow, I can't believe how time has flown!
Our life has been busy with packing, moving into a new house (and cleaning out the previous one), sickness, and just general craziness in life. Also, within the past two weeks we've been blessed with two precious new nieces.

I recently shared a little bit of the baby shower decor I made, but hadn't shared these yet. These are the invitations I created for the shower:

I used the same papers I used in the shower decorations and tied on a simple twine bow. (I tired to keep them relatively flat for mailing.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Natural); 
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (The Sweetest Thing - Lavender 6x6); 
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#); 
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); 

Book Review :: NIV Integrated Study Bible

The NIV Integrated Study Bible (NIVISB) is a fantastic blend of a chronological bible and side-by-side parallel passages. (By "parallel passages" I mean similar events and/or concepts. The verses are all from the NIV translation.)

The NIVISB is organized into seven sections of history: Creation Through the Patriarchs, Exodus to Conquest, Conquest Through United Kingdom, Divided Kingdom and Exile, Return to the Land, The Life of Jesus, and The Early Church. The historical sections are introduced with 2-3 pages of background information and a large-overview timeline. (These introductions are the main "study" portion of the NIVISB.) At the bottom of each page there is a general timeline (that spans the two-page spread) to give you a good idea generally where in history you are.

If you are looking for a particular passage, you can turn to the Scripture Index (which starts on page 1447) and it will direct you to the page that the passage you are looking for is on. (There are some passages that are included more than once - for example once as part of the running text of the Old Testament and once as a parallel concept in the New Testament.)

The NIVISB probably will take some getting used to, but there is a great breakdown at the beginning that explains the layout (and it even gives you page number to look at for what they are explaining - I really appreciate that).

Overall, I think this is a great study tool and well worth purchasing.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through BookSneeze®. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.