New Year's Eve ~ 2016 ~ I Love You in the Morning

Since we're staying up all night (right?)...
I'm sending you this little fellow today to keep you company tonight.  

This new Craftwork Cards clear stamps "It's a HOOT" set arrived about 2 weeks ago, 

 just in time to make my "Owl Loving" friend Linda, a special birthday card.  

And 'The Folder' in dark blue gave me a great background to work from. I just loved the rich textured background.

I also took a second lighter blue sheet, embossed and cut on the curve to add to the bottom.   The owl, branch and moon were colored with copics.  The sentiment is stamped on a spellbinders labels two die.  The blue flat back pearls are from Lori's Lovely's Paper Crafts. 

Wishing you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA! 

And To all my Blog followers and readers ~ 

Remember to SPEAK THE WORDS, "I LOVE YOU" to those 

special people in your life.  Life is too short not to.

Happy New Year! 

This design could be used for many special occasions and can be ordered through my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

It will also be posted on Artsy Craft, Karle's Passion,

Cute Card Thursday ~ #458

and my site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by to view my cards 

and for following my blog. 

With this completing my postings for 2016, my first year of blogging, 

I look back with a grateful heart. 

Thankful for my online friends who encouraged me to start this project and those who patiently helped me learn the right buttons and links to use!  

I am grateful for the comments and followers, especially design team members who have to look at hundreds of entries and make comments. 

You all make it worthwhile and I am humbled and blessed by each of you. 

God is so good to me, to Him be the Glory in All that I do. ~ Pam

Reasons to be Happy

Today blogged card is an example of using some of your smaller stamps, all stamped in the same color

with an added large embellishment as the focal point.

For my card, submitted for the Flower swap for 

Addicted to Card Making,
I selected a clear stamp set of 1" outline flower stamps.  

Once lined up, I added a large silk flower and the sentiment 

There are so many 

BEAUTIFUL

reasons to be happy

As we get ready to welcome in the new year in just a few short days, I hope you can take a moment to get grateful the the beautiful reasons God gives us each day to be happy. 

This posting will appear on the following sites where I invite you to visits for other card ideas:

Addicted to Card Making, Christian Card Makers, 

Karle's Passion, 

Word Art Wednesday

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by and following my postings.

Following a Risen Savior ~ Pam 

Only Best of Friends

For my Coffee Cup challenge on 

Addicted to Card Making this month I selected this adorable 

House Mouse stamp, Mudpie, (HMV04 Warm Cup).

Using warm red papers and yellow shades of copic markers the little cutie came together quite well with the special sentiment stamp..

Only best of friends

could share this moment

The rush of Christmas is over, and soon all the decorations will be put away for another year.  

But our BEST OF FRIENDS will still be here - ready to share your special moments.  

Blessings to my special friends ~ You make my life worth remembering. 

This posting will appear on the following sites, where I invite you to visit to see other beautiful cards and crafting ideas.

Addicted to Card Makers, Karle's Passion,

Christian Card Maker

Crimbo Crackers #122

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by and for following by postings.

Serving a Risen Savior ~ Pam 

Adorned with Love

Christmas Day ~ 2016

and we are today, and every day, 

Adorned with Love!

Today in the Town of David a Savior has been born to you;

He is the messiah, the Lord.

This will be a sign to you:

You will find the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes

lying in a manager... Luke 2:11-12

{reference: Penny Black Stamp, Adorned with Love}

To God be the Glory in all that I do as I serve a Risen Savior, Pam 

Warm Hugs ~ Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve and the temperatures her in South Carolina at Lake Murray will be in the low 60's with plenty of sunshine!  

So today's card is definitely for my northern friends... I love to see your snow, but you can keep your cold temperatures. 

However,  I am sending you warm hugs for your Merry Christmas with my gatefold mug card today.  And of course, hope that you are able to sit back now 

and enjoy the season and celebrate the birth of our Savior.

For the base of the card I used white card stock, 8 1/2 x 11 cut in half and scored and the wonderful 'cheater' dots on the score pal which give you the perfect folds for this type card. 

Scraps of blue paper were used for the blue panel.  The embossed background is white card stock, run through a pre-inked swirl folder to give it the effect of swirling snow.  

The mug die is by Sweet 'n Sassy, thank you Marilyn M. 

This posting will appear on the following where I encourage you to visit to see other cards and challenges:

Artsy Cards, Karle's Passion

Through the Purple Haze ~ Anything Goes

and my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by ~ Pam 

Happy Holly Days ~ Don't Forget the Kids!

Now that Adult Coloring is so popular and Online Card Swaps,

today's card is to remind us

Don't Forget the Kids!

The excitement they get when the mail is for them is priceless, yet so many of our Christmas cards especially we address to Mr and Mrs.... and family. 

Today's card was sent the Lauryn, who for those that follow my blogs, know is a young girl fighting stage four cancer.

I know Lauryn will enjoy each little character on her own special card. Through lots of prayers, we are grateful that she is able to continue to fight the terrible disease. 

Do you know a special child that needs encouragement? It really doesn't have to be a holiday - make them a personal card today!

For reference the template is a Gina Marie Design and the stamps are PSA Essentials.

This posting will appear on the following sites where I encourage you to visit to see other beautiful cards.

Christian Card Maker, Artsy Cards, Karle's Passion, 

Kraftin Kimmie #362 Winter

and on my personal page, Not Just Scraps.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam

Come Let Us Adore Him

For today's card, I'm excited to get to play with the new

Gina Marie Design Angel 

and some beautiful metallic gold paper that a sweet friend shared with me. 

Like all of the Gina Marie Dies - Perfect cutting, crisp lines, every time!

I added a light blue circle behind the angel die to highlight her appearance on the card as the focal point against the dark background.

For the Christmas Cards, I selected Come Let Us Adore Him for my sentiment, although many would work. 

I think this die is so perfect for many designs!  Another Hit for Sure Gina!!!  

Since I also needed a Sympathy Card and a Get Well card, 

I simply changed the sentiment and made several extras.

I know I personally am so very glad that Angels are Watching Over Me.  Thank you for stopping by and for following my blog.

This posting will also appear on the following sites where I encourage you to visit to see other beautiful cards:

Addicted to Card Making

Christian Card Maker

Karle's Passion

Word Art Wednesday ~ #262-263

Crafting from the Heart #141

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

Be Merry ~ Even When You Goof Up!

For today's Christmas Card I started with another 'free' die from one of the crafting magazines from the UK.  

This little Be Merry circle die is so dainty and the 3 options increases your creativity.  

I did two of the cards at the same time, and tried several different combinations of the pieces before I decided on the one that I wanted to use.  I knew I wanted to change and put green leaves for the holly and red flat back pearls for the berries also.

As you can see below - I took out the center solid circle so that more red would show. 

Having glued both cards down now, I grab the bottom one to add a bit of white crochet thread and a bow....

ONLY TO REALIZE,...  I have somehow picked up green card bases that have 

LET's CELEBRATE on the back of them!

and the scripture rings in my ears.. 

The Lord has a reason for everything (Proverbs 16:4)...

Then as quickly as that ran through my head, 

I thought of the other card challenges that I had signed up for... 

Perfect - Let's Celebrate!... will make a great New Year's Card!

So a quick split down the middle of the two bases and turn it into two fronts! Awesome! Now I have my Anything Goes card too. 

As we count down the last days before Christmas - may you BE MERRY, even when you goof up!  And may you focus on the birth of our Savior and Celebrate HIS Birthday!

This posting will appear on the following sites where I encourage you to visit to see other crafter's work:

Addicted to Card Making

Artsy Cards, Karle's Passion

Cards in Envy ~Celebrate the Season

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by and for following me.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

Merry Christmas Mittens

Earlier this month was National Mitten Day, which gave me a 

great opportunity to make several Christmas designs cards using the cute little mittens from the Whimsy Stamps, Bundled Up Die Set (WSD316), 

For todays card, the background is a snowflake embossing folder with the inside inked using Stampin Up Bashful Blue before running it through the machine. 

Tiny blue brads were added to the corners, then red crochet thread to make the clothes line.  The little mittens were easy to die cut from lots of scraps being generated by all my Christmas cards!  

Some of this design I sent to families that had three children, carefully writing each child's name above a pair of mittens. 

Merry Christmas was also stamped with Bashful blue and mounted on a scrap of blue paper. Then the entire card top was mounted a kraft card base.

I'll be posting this card on the following sites - where I invite you to view other cards and projects for ideas.

Karle's Passion, Artsy Cards, 

Crafting From the Heart ~ #141

Use Your Stuff ~ Merry Christmas

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by and following by blog. Your comments are welcomed.  

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

Tech Challenge ~ Triple Easel

TECH CHALLENGE....I'm not sure what Mr Webster or Ms Google would define this as, but many of us on the card making group Addicted to Card Making read that and think... Oh No! Not Doing That One!  Too Hard... Too Much Time, etc.  

However, for me, skill growth and stepping out of my comfort box is exactly why I joined a card swapping group. 

The December Tech Challenge was to make a Triple Easel Card and the suggested video reference was posted on YouTube by Kim Score. (Ref: https://youtu.be/ThAo6Jj-AZc )

The base of the card is simply a matter of following the steps whether you use her video or any posted on this technique. 

My base templates were Sizzix, Labels Regal #559202.

To me, the hard part is uniquely decorating three panels that match in a descending order.  Being a South Carolina beach girl, I selected an ocean theme using lots of sea life dies.

Each panel is decorated, then applied to the base.

The size made it really hard to get a good photo in the light box. 

The Seahorse and the Mermaid are Gina Marie Design dies, the Dolphin and the Seaweed are from Elizabeth Crafts (#1183) and the "you gotta have it" Jellyfish is a Memory Box die, Elegant Jellyfish #99395.  One extra that I did with the jellyfish.. I just about always use wax paper between my die and paper (such a neat trick to instant paper release).  On the jellyfish I left the wax paper over the gray die so that there were two layers of tentacles flowing down.

The end result is a very large card, but amazingly folds down quite well and was carefully shipped to my swap partner who happen to be in Florida!  Perfect theme for sure! 

I hope you've enjoyed this little bit of summer in the middle of the Christmas season.  I sincerely appreciate you stopping by and following by blog postings.  This will also be posted on the following sites where I invite you to visit for other great crafting ideas:

Artsy Cards, Karle's Passion,

and my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

 

ATCM Christmas Envelope Challenge Card

Addicted to Card Making is a great card making site if you like the smaller site without a lot of stress and enjoy receiving  positive  comments from fellow crafters.  There are usually 10-14 swaps available to sign up for each month, weekend challenges, and some special card sets and different events during the month.  

One of my favorites is each month, is a member hosts an envelope challenge - 15 members are allowed to sign up to receive the same items, to create their cards.  You are required to use some of each item and can add two of your own and a stamped image if you'd like.  Our December host, Deb sent this winter package out to us this month. 

For my card, I used the white rope for the left side ribbon and snipped the snowflakes in half for the right side border.  I used a Tree shaped die on the wood grained paper to make my tree in the center, and tied the silver string with the little silver bell.  The bling was randomly placed on the tree.  Not many of the crafters turned the paper over to see that the other side had red and green presents on it.  So I added a couple of those under the tree.

I've taken the liberty of adding a few of the other cards to show you the vast differences in how we all see the supplies differently.

Created by Pam Mott

Created by Jennie Amaker

Created by Linda Dicks

Created by Cindy Wangen

Aren't the all beautiful? And unique?  Just like the Snowflake and just like US, uniquely created, each for our on purpose and beauty.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and for following my work.  This posting will also be on the following sites where I invite you to see the work of other creative artists:

Artsy Cards, Karle's Passion, 

Robyn's Fetish #347 ~ Add a Bell

My Time To Craft #336 ~ Christmas Non Traditional Colors

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

Mailing Journal Challenge ~ Christian Card Maker

For several weeks during December the members of Christian Card Makers have been working on our December Long Challenge, which is to use our current stash and create a mailing journal for the new year to keep track of swaps, challenges, blog postings or other mailings.  

What a great idea and for me a much needed tool... but to get it done in DECEMBER?

Yet every time I've posted a blog or mailed a swap card during this month, I've thought about this journal idea.  

So, I found a spiral bound album that actually had some pretty leaves printed on the heavy pages, and went to work pulling together a few ribbons, and digging out a jar of modge podge from many years ago. 

For my cover I printed a piece from the internet that I have always loved, one that I try to live up to in my faith walk.

I added Pam's Pearls, my blog name to the side along with several strips of ribbon to complete the front cover.

The inside of each person's book I believe will be very different, some just a calendar, others more detailed.

My left side includes a small calendar for reference,  followed by lines for my card swaps, weekend and monthly challenges.

While all of the right sides are devoted to space for my monthly blog listings and follow up notes.

I love how the green leaves are softly transparent though each page.  There were actually 16 pages in my book so the last several pages I added half page pockets to give myself some additional storage space for notes and supplies.

With sign ups for January card swaps just ten days away, I'm so excited to have my journal ready for 2017.  This is one organizational resolution that will be easy to maintain.

Thanks Ginny for the great challenge!

In addition to being posted for the Christian Card Maker Long Challenge, this will also be posted on the following sites and blogs where I encourage you to pop over and see other great ideas!

Karle's Passion, Koala T Crafts,

Addicted to Card Making

Creative Artiste Challenge #21

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for following me and stopping by.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

Lacy Tree Christmas

For today's card, I used an extra large lacy tree stamp as the center focal point of my card. 

Due to the large size of the stamp, there really wasn't room to add any words to the front, so I decided on a little fancy border using the Memory Box ornament die. This allowed more of the burgundy background paper to show also.    Then I added several red rhinestones and gold wax beads to complete the card.  

This was a limited design of four, sent to four very special online friends, who's friendships I treasure very much each day. 

Do you have Virtual Friends that impact your life? 

Don't forget to wish them a Merry Christmas also.

This posting will be submitted to the following where I encourage you to also look to see what others are making:

Create and Makes #6

Lemon Shortbread #29

Christian Card Maker

Karle's Passion

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thanks for following me and stopping by.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam

12 x 12 Makes Six

While searching through my Christmas papers for ideas for cards, 

I came across one 12 by 12 paper that was Ivory and had multiple 3" blocked designs on it. Each design had a lovely SNOWFLAKE and a sentiment.  

Using a basic layout design, I added a few different background papers, ribbons and snow drop pearls to make the following six cards, with left overs for another project. 

I love the variety of cards that the one sheet gave me. So if you are looking for some last minute, quick cards...be sure to check your scrapbooking paper stash.  You might be pleasantly surprised what you find!  

This posting will also appear on the following sites where I encourage you to visit:

A Snowflake Promise #35

Tuesday Throwdown #323

Christian Card Maker, Karle's Passion

Koala T Crafts

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by and for following my posts.

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam

Season's Tweetings!!!

My special tradition....

handmade Christmas ornaments.

For almost 40 years now, I have made about 2 dozen 

handmade Christmas ornaments for my family and closest friends.

A tradition started by my Mom, one I have enjoyed doing each year and one I know that means a lot to my children, grandchildren and other family members.

This year's ornament ~ 

For he base miniature music sheet, I used several 12 x 12 scrapbook pages that were printed randomly with the song sheet, and cut them apart.  (Boy was I lucky not to have to shrink down music paper!) The birds and sentiment and coordinating die set are by Lawn Fawn (Season Tweetings). 

A tiny line of glossy accents and white snow glitter was applied to the brim of the red hat.

This is the first time I've used Lawn Fawn products, and I really enjoyed using them....

which equals, I need more!

Birds were colored with Copics and raised with pop dots. After punching and adding the red thread for the hanger, I did go back and apply glossy accents to the front and back of the punched hole to help reinforce the paper and prevent tearing. 

What is your Hand Me Down Tradition for the Christmas Season? I welcome your comments and stories. 

This posting will also be submitted to the following sites where I invite you to visit to see what other great cards and projects you might find:

Addicted to Stamping ~ Challenge #137

Crafting Circle ~ December Challenge

Facebook groups: Christian Card Maker, 

Addicted to Card Making, Karle's Passion,

Koala T. Crafts, Lawn Fawn Addicts,

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps

Thank you for stopping by and for following my blog postings.

Serving a Risen Savior  ~Pam

Singing Merry Christmas

One of the things I've enjoyed this season of making cards is using the new dies that I've accumulated through the purchasing of crafting magazines from Craft Stash in the UK.  

At least in my area, it's hard to find the crafting magazines and their site offers a good variety.  Plus buying from the clearance section really helps justify the high shipping expense.

Today card includes three different dies.  The first is a circle die "Merry Christmas" with a small clear stamp 'birdie' from one of those magazines. 

With this and all dies, I used wax paper between my paper and the die to ensure easy release without having to spend a lot of time cleaning the die.  
The second die is the white circle behind the Merry Christmas which is one of the Spellbinder Stately Circles. 

At the bottom I added a single line of one of the special Christmas hymns and topped that with another free die - a holly branch. 

The small red flat back pearls that I added came from Lori's Lovely Paper Crafts 
(be sure to check out her huge selection of flat backs and charms! You can find her on Facekbook). 

The yarn bow was added using two different shades of green to pull the different shades of the trees in the background. 

Like many of my cards, certain designs were made for special sets of friends.  There were only three of these, made for my special scrapbooking sisters, who are also my sisters in the Lord.

This card will also be posted on the following sites where I encourage you to visit to see what others are making:
Robyn's Fetish ~ Christmas Card with a Die Cut #346
Creative Craft Cottage ~Die Cut Card challenge #77
Facebook groups: Artsy Cards & Karle's Passion
and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by today - I hope you will follow my postings and I always welcome your comments. 

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam 

A Lot Like Christmas?

This weekend I am enjoying a few extra quiet days at the beach, 

YES, the beach is great in the winter too!

And here in South Carolina it is actually a bit cooler as we had our first freeze last night...

well it is December.  

In between my shopping excursions and enjoying the wonderful 

fresh seafood meals, I'm steadily working on completing my

Christmas cards for 2016.  

Today's posting is also another entry for the weekend challenge on 

Addicted to Card Making as well as the other blog challenges listed at the end of the posting.  

For this card I used the Unity stamp, Just Skating By.  

I don't know about you - but I can never just skate by Unity, I always have to stop and shop!  

So with my limited supplies of 12 pieces of Christmas paper, some white cardstock, a handful of Copic markers, a few tools, some scraps of yarn and plenty of ink ~ here's what I came up with.

Did I mention poor lighting?  My green designed paper and inked matted paper look more brown.  And the glossy accents aren't showing up very well, but hopefully you can use your imagination on this one. 

The cute little fellow does remind me that the closer we get to Christmas, we need to take time to stop and enjoy the reason for this wonderful season.  I made four of these cards - they are going to four of the ladies I worked closely with before retirement 

and who's friendship I still treasure.  

So in your busy schedules, make time this month for your girlfriends.  

Be sure they know how important they are to you and how blessed you are to have them in your life. 

This posting will also be listed on:

Unity {Show & Tell}

Crafty Catz - Challenge #350

Creative Knockouts Challenge #171

Karle's Passion

Artsy Cards and my personal site, Not Just Scraps.

Thank you for stopping by - your comments are welcomed.

Serving a Risen Savior ~ Pam 

  

SNOW in South Carolina?

There are tons of cute stamps and sentiments for Christmas and winter that focus on SNOW.  

Yet living in South Carolina my entire life, my personal stash is very limited in snowmen, mittens, sleds, cute winter words etc. 

The card today is a combination of two stamp and die sets, both of which were in my box to sell ... never used.  But I decided to give them a try and am tickled with the results!

While you could use a white card base and add a blue background, I selected a light blue card base for this one.  The snow mounds are two strips cut with my old, reliable, Creative Memories wavy 12" cutter.  As an addition, I did ink the top edge of the snow mounds to give dimension before adding to the card base.  The tree stamps are a set of three with the design on each and the matching die.  The sentiment set has several holiday words that fit nicely into the die shape. So even though we don't have mounds of snow in South Carolina - I can still send mounds of Merry CHRISTmas wishes out very soon.

This posting will be featured on 

Alphabet Challenge T for Trees

Christmas Cards All Year Long

Addicted to Card Making 

Artsy Cards

Karle's Passion 

and on my personal site, Not Just Scraps. 

Thanks for stopping by ~ 

Serving a Risen Savior, Pam