Pink flowers birthday card

I used a new set of tools for this card... the set had an embossing folder, which I used on the white background, a set of flowers and leaves, which I used to make the pink flowers and green vines, and a set of (mostly) flowered papers, which I think suits this card very well.  I am pleased with the outcome and can hardly wait to give this card to the person for whom I made it!

Woven embossed strips

I have done a very poor job of recording my cards lately... too much going on even though I've made a lot of cards.  I never seem to remember to take photos of them.  I think it is a combination of my never having been a big "take a picture" person (I've left that to Russ and he does a good job) and not thinking about the social media aspect of what I do (I am just old enough to have to have taught myself to think about that).  Anyway, I've been working with a new set of dies, stamps and embossing folders that I got from Paper Wishes and this card that I just made fits right in with the Freshly Made Sketches challenge for this week, so I am going to submit it that challenge.

The embossing folder makes a strip of five squares of designs, so I embossed two strips of gold, one of grey, one of pink, one of turquoise and one of purple and wove them together into a square-ish shape for the front of the card, then cut out the letters with the new die in that same package of materials.  I added the black flower to make it 1) a stark contrast to the other colors, and 2) less feminine-looking, so I might be able to use it for a man.  I kind-of like the way it turned out although it is definitely out of my comfort zone!

This is the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches:
and here is my take on the sketch:

ADDENDUM:
I am soooo surprised and pleased to say that this card made me a Princess at Freshly Made Sketches this week!    I never dreamed I could make a card nice enough to receive any recognition, but I am so pleased.  It gives me the mental energy to keep trying to improve my skills all that much more!!

Keeping myself

Joshua 6:18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction.

God’s command to Joshua and the children of Israel was to not leave anything that lived and breathed when they took over the Promised Land because of their vulnerability to being led astray from God and His Word of commandment for a pure and holy life.  From the remaining part of this verse we know that to leave anything would bring trouble to them.  God knew how easily the people could be led astray.  As I read this verse this morning I was reminded that I too must keep myself from anything that is a part of the sinful world that might lead me astray in my walk with God.   In the words of the Apostle John, I must not love the world, neither things of the world because if I do love the world, the love of the Father is not in me.  This was true for Joshua and his time, and it is true for me in my time.