Thank you for taking time to visit, and I hope I am even a tiny bit helpful as I have been helped and blessed by so many others. I have been doing Calligraphy since teens, and card making for many years as well. In 1990 I delighted in the joys of stamping with ink and embossing after a trip to Cairns, Qld. In 2009 I discovered the brayer, 2010 the Cuttlebug, also have now taking to reading up on crafting blogs and lo! Here I am, on one of my own.

I live on the coast of eastern Australia. I am a Christian. I trusted in the LORD down here at the beach, amazingly it is not far from where I now live. It was over 50 years ago, after a Beach Mission Service at the age of 12 years

Thursday 24 December 2015

Brayered Cards + God's Blessing for a Happy Christmas!

Hi there everyone! 
Well, another Christmas is soon to be upon us :D 
May we manage to keep the focus on the things that are important at Christmas time.
This year is very special one for me - as the insert I wrote for the inside of my cards shows.
Have shared it with you below, and show a few of my cards also:

"...fifty years of walking with the Lord, daily brings the reality of Christmas to me...

Years ago when young, Christmas meant a month's holiday at the beach no matter where we lived. Beach meant Beach Mission, run by the Scripture Union. It's still held at Park Beach after Christmas time today.
Christmastime or shortly there afterward was when I came to know the Lord Jesus as my Saviour as a child on 4.1.1966 at S.U. Park Beach Mission.
This Christmastime it will be 50 years since that day, fifty years of walking with the Lord.
As a child I understood the simplicity of the gospel, trusting in the Lord Jesus as my Saviour, believing He saved me from my sin.

Since then He has been a true and ever present Friend. "

No Christ of Christmas means no Peace.
No Christ of Christmas means no Hope of a heavenly home.
But Joy!
We DO have Christmas, for Christ came that first Christmas.
In Him how rich we are,
When we take the Christ of Christmas as our own  ...
Oh, I long that all knew these riches in Him today. 
These two cards are upcycled from a single card from last year which I cut in half and made two cards out of it, embossed and inked background the verse.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the LORD." Luke 2:11 is digital image I made and printed out, the double mounting added and makes the card pop.

Here below I am making a bunch of cards.
Ages ago, on this post here I was sent a whole lot of Cottage Crafts nativity die cuts very kindly by Victoria - see her blog Furry Tale Cards and crafts - the post was on the nativity silhouette.....

Brayer background being made for silhouettes (see here for brayer video and more details). The key when doing any blending whether with inks paints or chalks etc. but especially smooth brayering is to get a good base colour down the add to it.
See steps below - the base coat is Peach Bellini. Next add Mountain Rose top and bottom, and then more carefully the strong colour of Purple Twilight ... colours will always fade as they dry. Redo if not deep enough. Used are Adirondack die inks. Patient brayering will remove most if not all boo boos I have found .. gently does it. I actually make boo boo on video and fix it up. I brayer on junk mail as it soft and gives and disposable.
 



Completed card, used some snippets here .. and also the CB Candy strip EF, the EK Success arrow punch, verse is digi with SB Petite oval and scallop, as in above upcycled cards.

Thanks so much for popping over, for a peek and a chat - and every blessing of the real peace of Christmas for you and your family,
Shaz in Oz.x 

Linking up to:
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/
2. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

19 comments:

KT Fit Kitty said...

Your cards are very pretty, Shaz! My favourite is the final one! In case you are wondering... no holly die yet but I'm not in any rush. Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

Betsy said...

AMEN and AMEN!! Happy 50th Christmas of following our Lord and Savior Shaz! What a wonderful anniversary to celebrate. I just passed 40 years. Love the cards again today. I wish I had someone to teach me these beautiful things you do with ink and paper.
Blessings,
Betsy

kiwimeskreations said...

Hi Shaz - what a wonderful 50 years - congratulations and may your Christmas be richly blessed with peace and joy this year.
Loved your cards - your brayer-ing is beautiful.
Christmas Blessings
Maxine

Anne said...

Hello Shaz beautiful cards. Lovely words from you as well. If only more people believed then the world would be such a better place. For me - I've held my beliefs for over 55 years - since as a child I started going to a local church where we had moved near to and I started Sunday School.y church now is a different one but have been going there for more than 45 years.
Have a happy and blessed Christmas. Anne x

Di said...

A beautiful post Shaz, such lovely words you wrote. And I love your snippets cards - just perfect!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!

Hugs

Di xx

Barb said...

Hello Shaz, Your post is lovely and your cards are beautiful. I wish you and yours a very happy Christmas. Barbxx

Pia S said...

I shiny you and yours a wonderful and peaceful Christmas.
Such beautiful cards. I love the idea of upcycling old cards, also a great idea for quick yet personal Christmas cards.

Conniecrafter said...

Both cards are just Beautiful, love the colors you used for the brayered background!! Wishing you a wonderful day of celebrating our Lord's birth!!

cheiro urgia said...

I love your oriental-inspired Christmas cards.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, V

Marilyn Mathis said...

Such lovely cards. I watched your video on brayering a while ago and tried it. I may have to try it again. It made the cards so pretty. I really like the die cuts of the nativity scene. Do you know what die it is? Anyway the best part of your post is your testimony! That is what it is all about. Hope your Christmas is beautiful and very happy. Hugs to you and your family.

Kathleen said...

Totally stunning cards Shaz, love the vibrant colours and the fabulous images.

When I was young we used to have Beach Missions here too and me and my Sister used to go, if we were on holiday at the right place and at the right time.

I wish you the peace and joy of Christmas and all the very best for 2016.

Kath x

MaryH said...

Sharon, just wanted to dash by to wish you a very Merry Christmas, followed by a Happy New Year. Enjoyed this post, as it is especially important to remember exactly WHY we celebrate this season...and not for all the commercial reasons that are rampant today. Enjoyed hearing how you came to walk with Our Lord, and what a blessed 50 yrs you've had with Him walking beside you. (well He would have done anyway, but it's good that you recognize His Presence). I loved all the cards, and the recycles are fantastic use of a bold color design. I especially admire your brayer efforts too, look really pretty with the nativity scene. I try periodically but have never really done any brayering that I thought was very good! Big hugs, TFS & appreciated all your encouragement this past year. Always enjoy seeing the countryside where you live.

Craftychris said...

All you cards are gorgeous! Love the die cut nativity. Your backgrounds for these are lovely! Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and all the best for 2016. xxx

aussie aNNie said...

Beautiful card and verse Shaz, I hope you had a blessed day for CHRISTmas.... {aNNie}


JD/ Jill said...

All so lovely! Your post and your beautiful cards!

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!
And wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Sarn said...

Hope you enjoyed your Christmas Shaz.

Loving the cards in this post. You're so good at those brayered backgrounds.

Hugs, Sandra Stamping For Pleasure

Ginny Maxam said...

Stunning Cards Shaz, I love your Brayer-ing!!! They are all beautiful and I enjoyed your testimony so much! To God Be the Glory!!Thank you for joining us at Word Art Wednesday! Ginny M DT WAW

Jo Ann said...

Oh wow...Love the colorful background and scene you created. So delighted you blessed us with your project during our two-week Challenge at Word Art Wednesday. We started a new Challenge today and I hope you'll join us again. Leaving you with God's Word in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 which says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:" Have an awesome New Year!

JO ANN
http://jatterburycreations.blogspot.com

scrappymo! said...

These cards are so vibrant and full of promise!

Could you drop me an email about the guest designer spot for Rudolph Days. I have written the post with all the info but need your email to do the group delivery of it. I think you applied for a spot
Thanks
Maureen

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