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

Monochromatic Flower Burst Card...

I really liked how these cards turned out and they were fun to make too!

Obviously... I made 4, and I think I'm going to end up making even more. I tried to make them somewhat minimalistic on supplies...which may have helped make them a little faster to make too.

I think my favorite ended up being the Bermuda Bay one here in the foreground of this picture. While I was editing the video this morning, I had an idea for an even faster card using the one color and one stamp set... I'll try to share that tomorrow!

Here is today's video showing how to make these monochromatic cards.

Whisper White Cardstock
8 1/2 x 11 $9.00

The dimensions for this card as follows,

 starting from the base and working up...

The card base is 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, scored and folded at 4 1/4 inches.

Larger base is 4 x 5 1/4 inches.

Medium base is 3 1/4 x 4 1/2 inches.

Small front base is 2 x 3 1/2 inches.

A small piece of white is need for the size of your stamp 

that you will be fussy cutting out (or die cutting...)

All of this was using white cardstock.

On the main cards, the stamp sets used were High Tide and Flourishing Phrases.

High Tide stamp set
$26.00

Flourishing Phrases stamp set
$37.00

The colors used for the four different cards were

Daffodil Delight

Bermuda Bay

Calypso Coral

Temping Turquoise

and Tip Top Taupe was used for the sentiment on a couple.

I have so many ideas to switch up the look of this card design, but yet keeping it mostly the same.

I can't wait to start playing with more paper.

Which one do you like the best?

Thank you for stopping by to Create with Me today!

"For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help."

Psalm 71:5 & 12

Amanda

Bible Journaling of Healed Woman in Luke 8:48...

Along with a flip through of some other journaling through my Bible.

This blog post is a little later in the day than normal for me, but I was having trouble getting going on what to write and record today...

But I did finally decide on some Bible journaling...and then I had to record it! Typically, I try to have the video recorded BEFORE the day I need to edit and post it, but that did not happen.

So, not only did I have decision making issues this morning, I then had some technical issues this afternoon once I started the recording.

But I finally got it done and edited...ready for you to watch my journaling process...

In the end, I liked the way it all came together and hope that you enjoyed seeing my Bible.

Beautiful You clear mount
stamp set  $28.00

Oh So Succulent stamp set

$21.00

I did use stamps from two different sets:

Beautiful You

Oh So Succulent

I'd also recommend trying out the Stampin' Up! watercolor pencils... but you might have to wait a little while...they are currently unavailable to order! So obviously, they are very popular, probably because they coordinate with the Stampin' Up! ink colors.

I haven't taken the opportunity to order them for myself yet either, and so now I'll have to wait even longer...

oh, the pains of procrastination!

Have you tried the SU watercolor pencils yet?

What do you think of them?

What is the passage of your favorite Bible journaling that you have done?

Thank you for stopping by to Create with Me today!

I hope you had fun!

"And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."  

Luke 8:48

Amanda

March 2017 Paper Pumpkin Alternative Ideas...

In case you haven't heard about it before, Paper Pumpkin is a monthly subscription box from Stampin' Up! It is a very fun box full of great paper crafting fun. I'll explain more in a few moments...

This month's kit was Bunny Buddies...for Easter. However, I don't really need any bunny items, so I changed mine up a little!

I really like the Happy Spring alternatives I came up with, and hope the ladies I'm giving them out to do too!

Here is the video of making these for you to get an idea of what I did:

The Paper Pumpkin kits are just so interesting to get... they are a surprise each month and have everything you need inside of them to make adorable crafts. Also, if you happen to not necessarily care for what comes in your kit at first...you can always switch it up!

The March 2017 kit came with the products needed to make the Bunny Buddies, which you can watch how the did them in this Paper Pumpkin video. However, I added a few items that didn't come in the kit to make my alternatives...

In the Meadow Stamp Set$20.00

like the In the Meadow Stamp set, Sweet Sugarplum ink, Peekaboo Peach ink, Dapper Denim ink, sequin, and metallic enamel shapes.

The refill kit for this Paper Pumpkin is available now (no full kits though...), which would be great for getting the great bags, baker's twine, small cards, and mini clothes pins for only $8! There is 9 bags and 9 cards & envelopes in this kit...
                            
So, would you do the bunnies? or switch it up with me, and do something more Springy? If you switched it up, what stamp would you use on your bag?

Thank you for coming to Create with Me today!

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:

and he shall hear my voice."  Psalm 55:17

Amanda