SSIC Challenge #87

I have not gotten to play along with Stampin Sisiters in Christ very often the past few weeks because I have been busy with other projects. I have missed it.

This week's scripture is:
Romans 8: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I have spent many years of my life just trying to avoid or survive the bad things that happened. There were several moments when I pleaded with God to change the circumstances. A lot of those times I even wondered why God even allowed these bad things to happen to me. I spent so much time focusing on the circumstances that I lost focus of God and what He was trying to do for me and in me.

Just like Peter, I stopped looking at God and looked at all the waves crashing in around me. Just like Peter, I started to sink into the raging ocean. Yet just like Peter, everything that was "over" my head was "under" Jesus's feet. Thankfully, like Peter, I have learned to stop looking at all the circumstances and just focus on God. I know that He has me in His care. He is Lord of all, He is in control, and He loves me.

No matter what happens to me, God can use it to bring about a better ending. I just have to trust that He has everything under control and that He wants the best for me.


Here is an awesome analogy from Marilynn (this week's host) that I think we can all relate to: 


A piece of white cardstock rests comfortably in a drawer. Sometimes it can be a little boring, and sometimes friends move out and he is sad but for the most part, life is good. Then one day the creator takes him out of the drawer. He is confused. Before he knows it, he is cut, punched, pierced, heated to high temperatures. Why is this happening to him? How can these things work for his good? He is put in an embossing folder and rolled through a machine. He is marked, stamped, painted, colored, sewn and glued.  When the creator is done what started as a plain piece of cardstock is now a card.  The creator takes a picture of the card and posts it to her blog. Her friends leave comments. The creator knew that ALL the things (that includes all the "painful" things that were done to the cardstock. piercing, cutting, punching.) were going to make that plain piece of cardstock it into a beautiful card. 


Challenge: No designer paper, Paper must start as a solid color.

Everything on this card started out as plain white cardstock. I used Stormy Sky distress ink to color the card base. Then I added a white panel. On top of that I added a panel that I inked then stamped on with a medallion stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps. Next I cut two of Penny's nested shapes, inked the edges of one, and inked my embossing plate before running the second shape through the embossing machine.

I stamped a butterfly, cut it out, ran it through my Xyron sticker maker, and added clear micro marbles on top.

I stamped a sentiment on on another shape I cut

and added a Really Reasonable Ribbon.

Finally I made a new flower.

I used a cut file that I have been working on for a while. (I finally got it to look the way I wanted :)

I inked just the edges, hand embossed, shaped, and stacked the pieces.

I LOVE this flower! I am calling it "open rose". (more about that later)

So out of plain white cardstock, I made a beautiful creation that will go to a special friend and show forth God's love to her.

Open rose cut file: SVG    SCAL