Trees and gears

I have a set of stamps that are very masculine-looking, with gears and trucks, trees and leaves, but I don't have a lot of occasions when I can use them even though I really like the look I get.  However, I found just the use for them when making a card this morning for a friend.  I used the current challenge sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  This is the sketch:

and here is my take on it:

I used copper embossing powder for the tree and one set of leaves and the word is die cut from turquoise holographic paper from Paper Wishes.  They sell it as blue fireworks paper but it looks very close to turquoise and I thought it looked really good with the copper colors.

On the inside I used the birthday greeting from the same stamp set to carry through on the gears theme:

I hope our friend enjoys his birthday card!

Dragonflies

This week the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches is a simple one, and fit perfectly for a get well card I wanted to make for a friend.  This is the sketch for the week.

Here is the card I made:

I had some paper that had dragonflies on it, then I added a dragonfly sticker.  I backed the wings with metallic mirrored blue paper,

One the inside of the card I used another piece of the same background paper and added another dragonfly prepared like the front one along with a tiny little pink-winged dragonfly to add a touch of other color.

Salvation and restoration

Jeremiah 30-31 “I will…”

As I read through these chapters this morning, I was struck by the multiple ways God describes His loving restoration of His people.  Making a list of those ways is a blessing as I am reminded of God’s love and willingness to restore me when I wander away from Him, and of the bountiful blessings I have in Christ as a result of my salvation.  I could not make a “Top Ten” list today … there are more than ten blessings in spiritual restoration!  Look at this list!

            1. I will restore their fortunes

            2. I will bring them back

            3. I will break the yoke off your neck

            4. I will save you from far away

            5. You will have quiet and ease

            6. None shall make you afraid

            7. I will restore health to you

            8. You will be radiant over the goodness of the Lord

            9. I will comfort them

            10. My people will be satisfied with my goodness

            11. I will satisfy the weary soul

            12. I will forgive their iniquity

            13. I will remember their sin no more

100th birthday

Our friend Dot is having a birthday party this afternoon and it is not just any birthday ... she is turning 100 and that calls for some special celebration!  And it called for a special birthday card as well, so I made her a bouquet of flowers, in a box.  And they will not wither very quickly, either!

The box folds flat, like so...

The effect is so pleasant then you "open" the card and all the flowers pop up and dance around.  I think she will enjoy this bouquet for a long time to come!

I even decorated the envelope with her name: