Spring Woods...

Spring is very nice here and it is quiet warm today.

This card is my take on some spring woods...

I really like how the wood background paper turned out with the Woodland Textured embossing folder used over it....then adding the ink to darken the trunks more.

Some of the paper used was not Stampin' Up!, but I'm excited to see that there is some wood inspired paper coming in the new catalog that demonstrators get to start ordering from in May, and customers get to see it in June...

But until then, here is the video to show how I got the effects I did for this card.

I used the Woodland Embossing folder on a piece of wood grained designed cardstock,

running it through the Big Shot twice.

I used the Flourish Dies set to cut out the leaves and flowers. 

The leaves were made using Old Olive cardstock, and a light yellow was used for the flowers....

They would probably look great in Daffodil Delight or So Saffron!

The ink used was the soon retiring Tip Top Taupe.

Any sentiment will work lovely on this card.

Thank you for stopping by to Create with Me today!

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart,

all ye that hope in the Lord."

Psalm 31:24

Amanda

Glimmer & a Sara Thing Card Mix...

Good Monday morning friends!

Today I have an April 2017, A Sara Thing, Paper Pumpkin alternative today.

I used some of the now unavailable Sale-A-Bration glimmer paper,

however, there is glimmer paper in the Annual Catalog...

in Blushing Bride

Dazzling Diamonds

Gold

Red

and Silver.

The video was a little longer than I thought it would be,

and I was trying to hurry to get the video done while the house was quiet,

but it all worked out.

So here is the video...

The A Sara Thing Paper Pumpkin kit for this month is really nice.

I like having the black card bases for a switch up from other colors and white.

The pieces I cut from other cardstock was

4 x 5 1/4 inches from colored cardstock - Mint Macaron in the video -

3 1/2 x 4 3/4 inches from white cardstock

and a small piece of the colored cardstock to fit your sentiment.

Here is the intended cards to be made with this kit...

(Click the picture to view the video of Sara showing how to make these cards.)

Pretty huh?

Would you like to still get these supplies? 

The refill kits are now available for $9!

(With the refill you will not get the stamp set or ink spot,

but you do still get the watercolor pencil samples!)

However, you do need to be a current subscriber to Paper Pumpkin to get the refills...

So what are you waiting for?

Stop missing out on great paper crafting kits and subscribe today!

Thank you for stopping by to Create with Me today!

"Those that be planted in the house of the Lord 

shall flourish in the courts of our God."

Psalm 92:13

Amanda

Sweet Sparrow Bible Journaling...

This week went by so fast... 

Sorry for not posting on Monday, 

because, although I have material ready, 

I had not been able to get a post written.

But today, I have a few minutes to share my Bible journaling with you...

For this particular project, I did not use all Stampin' Up! supplies....

I used what I had on hand that went with what I wanted to produce on the page.

I love the bird and hope to get more bird stamps,

 so I can do a variety of them in the pages of my Bible,

not to mention other projects. 

Birds are rather versatile and most people don't mind them!

Here is the process video...

Enjoy!

What Bible journaling have you done lately?

Thank you for stopping by to Create with Me today!

"But even the hairs on your head are all numbered. 

Fear not therefore: ye are of more value then many sparrows."

Luke 12:7

Amanda

Daffodil Woods Card...

Daffodils are the first flowers we have around here when it starts warming up,

and I like them!

So, I went with them as my inspiration for a card...

I just love seeing the daffodils in the woods.

This card is a little more involved, but there is a video!

The card details:

White card base is 5 1/2 x 8, scored at 4 1/4 inches.

Piece of Mint Macaron cardstock at 4 x 5 1/4 inches...

then the middle removed at 1 inch in all the way around, 

then done again at 1/2 inch. all the way around.

White background piece at 3 3/4 x 5 inches

Ink colors are

Mint Macaron

Daffodil Delight

Peekaboo Peach

As of this week, the new catalog has been released to demonstrators.

There is some great stuff in the new catalog!

However, with the new catalog, some things must go...

So there is an extensive retiring list...

(you can find the items here)

And the two stamp sets I used for this card

In the Meadow (which I love)and the Oh So Succulent set

are on the list to go...

You can still get these stamp sets until May 31, 2017

or while supplies last.

The In the Meadow clear-mount set is on backorder,

but they do have it in wood-mount!

And the Oh So Succulent stamp set is 25% off!

Of the colors used, Mint Macaron is also a retiring color,

so you will need to hurry to get it if it is a color you need!

Whew! 

I made this card before the retiring list was released,

so, I had no idea so much of one card would be going away.

Thank you for coming to Create with Me today!

"In his hands are the deep places of the earth: 

the strength of the hills is his also."

Psalm 95:4

Amanda

Super Simple Thank You Card...

Today, I wanted to bring a project that was super easy and didn't take too many supplies.

So I came up with these...

They went so fast that I made 4 up before I even got around to making the video.

I think it helped using different colors.

From front to back:

Sweet Sugarplum

Old Olive

Bermuda Bay

Smokey Slate

Then in the video I make the Bermuda Bay one, 

but I also made one with Island Indigo...

I decided to go ahead and stamp on the inside of these cards as well.

The video here will show you how I did the outsides...

The stamp set used was the Flourishing Phrases from the 2016-2017 Annual Catalog.

I hope you enjoyed this simple card project

and thank you for coming to Create with Me today!

"Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks:

for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare."

Psalm 75:1

Amanda

Just Stop Losing Your Happy...

Today I have a Happy Birthday card for the Remarkable Ink Big Blog Hop...

If you are stopping by today for the hop, welcome! 

If you are a regular follower of Home Designs by Amanda, 

Thank You for your continued viewership!

Today is the April Remarkable Ink Big Blog Hop
and the theme is to use the Retiring 2015-2017 In-Colors.

There are a couple of birthdays coming up in the next couple months that I need cards for... 

so I decided to make some cards for them.

I used the Number of Years photopolymer stamp set for these cards.

While I was working on these cards, I was away from my desk, 

and a family member caused an unintentional misplacement of one of the stamps...

specifically the 'happy' stamp.

So, when I discovered that it was gone, we went looking for it,

and found it in the entry way to another room of the house...

But the story doesn't end there...

That night I left everything where it was on my desk because I wasn't feeling well..

and still needed to work on them.

The next morning my youngest daughter (she's 6) was in the room with me, 

and I said,

"I think I lost my 'happy' again."

She was so cute and said, 

"Would you stop losing your 'happy'!" 

as we found it on the floor near my desk.

I think we both saw the underlying meaning to that statement...

because as I was thinking about the application that could have in our lives,

she asks, "Mommy, are you happy?"

I answered with a nonchalant, "I guess so." 

(I'm not a definitive person when it comes to these types of questions...)

and we moved onto getting some breakfast.

The happy was found and now lets see how the card was made...

Number of Years Stamp Set

Large Number Framelts

Again, the stamp set used is the Number of Years stamp set 

and I also used the coordinating die set,
Large Numbers Framelits Dies.

The card base was 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, scored at 4 1/4 inches.
The white background piece is cut at 3 3/4 x 5 inches.
Numbers and 'flag' are cut out of pieces of white and colored cardstock.

The theme of this month's blog hop
was the retiring 2015-2017 In Colors,

so I used the ones I had...

Mint Macaron

and Tip Top Taupe

Do you easily lose your happy?

Recently, I did a Ladies Bible study on Joy 

and this little episode just reminded me

 of how our happiness is based on what happens to you...

Joy is based on what is in your heart.

Although, we may at times seem to lose our 'happy,'

we can have Joy.

The best base for joy in your heart comes from a relationship with Jesus.

If you want more information about this, 

click the TODAY...

 to see how you can have that relationship and find real joy!

Thank you for stopping by to Create with Me today!

And for joining the blog hop...

check out the list of fellow Stampin' Up Demonstrators below
to get more great card and project inspiration using the retiring in colors.

"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."

1 John 1:4

Amanda

Getting projects ahead...

So, like I mentioned in Monday's video, I am trying to get some planning and projects done ahead 

so that I am not scrambling each blog/video day to get something posted.

It is going well, but I am far from feeling far enough advanced...

So, for today, I am going to take a day off from posting a new project and video.

This planning ahead will hopefully help me add to my posting schedule...

When I first started the stamping and doing videos in January, 

my husband and I decide that I should post videos two days a week 

- Monday and Thursday - and thought that would be a good start.

Well, two-ish months and some social media insights later,

a better number sounds like three.

So, I'm setting up my plan for posting three projects/videos a week...

but to do this and keep up with consistency, 

having them ready ahead of time will be crucial.

Hope you don't mind the day off...

but to keep you going, you can sign-up for my newsletter,

either by clicking on the tab at the top of the page 

or filling in the form on the left side bar on my home page.

You will receive a welcome letter from me that includes a newsletter exclusive video,

and then two newsletters each month.

There may be occasional extra emails, especially to inform you of specials, 

but I promise not to send too many!

Thanks for stopping by to Create with Me today...

even if we didn't make anything :)

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,

 and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Luke 11:9

Amanda

Planner Update and Decorating...

Welcome to a new week friends!

This weekend I was watching videos to find out ways that other people

 keep track of their blogging and video making schedules...

to keep from scrambling around on the days needing post to get a video and post ready to go!

With that, I did some layout changes to my planner and decided to show that, 

and the decorating of it today!

I'm still liking the lighthouse - High Tide - stamp set, 

so I went with that for this weeks planner decorations and ended up using 5 ink colors...

I really liked the colors and look that worked out this week :)

Here is the video showing what I did to my layout and how I stamped it...

To review a little on the colors... I ended up using

Tempting Turquoise

Old Olive

Daffodil Delight

Tip Top Taupe

and Bermuda Bay.

Along with the photopolymer stamp set, High Tide.

So, do you decorate your planner for each week?

Thanks for stopping by to Create with Me today!

"Then are they glad because they be quiet; 

so he bringeth them unto their desired haven."

Psalm 107:30

Amanda

Minimalist Cards...

These super simple cards are based from the Monochromatic cards I posted here on Thursday, 

but are basically the same concept...

When I was editing the video of the original card (shown below...), 

I noticed how cute it looked even before I put the larger plain white piece over the stamped piece 

and thought I would see how they looked as cards...

So, I started making this one in Bermuda Bay to have just the ONE stamped layer, 

but when I stamped the sentiment on, it was crooked! 

So, another small piece of cardstock to the recuse to cover it. 

I just "smudged" the edges, stamped the sentiment, and assembled.

However, I still wanted one with just the one stamped layer, 

so I made another one in Peekaboo Peach... very simple!

Flourishing Phrases Stamp set
$37.00

They just use a card base 

(5 1/2 x 8 1/2 scored and folded at 4 1/4 OR  like the Peekaboo Peach above, 4 1/4 x 11 scored and folded at 5 1/2), 

a piece of white cardstock at 4 x 5 1/4, 

ink,

 and a stamp set (Flourishing Phrases is what I used). 

The Bermuda Bay card does need the third piece of cardstock cut at 2 x 3 1/2.

So, which do you prefer...

the more involved Monochromatic Cards or the simpler Minimalist Cards? 

Thanks for stopping to Create with Me today!

"The day is thine, the night also is thine: 

thou hast prepared the light and the sun. 

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: 

thou hast made summer and winter."

Psalm 74:16-17

Amanda