I'm participating in some card challenges at Scrapbook.com.  Since it's October, already, I decided that most, if not all, of the cards I make are going to be Christmas cards.

The basic card design was inspired by this card, which was chosen for me in the Gallery Inspiration challenge. 

XOXO
by Chantallemcdaniel
Scrapbook.com

I used the color palette from the Inspirational Card Challenge and came up with this card using the above card as a sketch.

This poinsettia stamp set is one of my all-time favorite Stampin' Up!® stamp sets, so I knew I would be using it for several cards this year.

I love to use gold emboss powder to stamp the flower a couple of times, and then cut them out and layer them using Dimensionals.

I wanted a patterned vellum for the bottom triangle of the background mat, but didn't have any, so I used my VersaMarker to make dots, and then heat embossed with a fine gold powder to create my own patterned vellum.

I stamped the sentiment for the Joyful Christmas set and die cut it using a Spellbinders die.

Lastly I added some yellow glitter glue to the flower center for a little bling, and just because it was awfully plain without it.

Obviously, I need to find a better adhesive to use under vellum, because the spots of adhesive from my ATG gun show through loud and not-so-clear! lol

If you aren't already a member of the Scrapbook.com crafting community, I hope you'll check it out.  It's my favorite place to join in the challenges and share my love of scrapping, both cards and layouts.



CREDITS:
Stampin' Up! : cardstock (Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Whisper White), Joyful Christmas stamp set (retired), Early Espresso ink, gold emboss powder, Scalloped Tag Topper punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

DCWV : design paper from The Christmas Stack

Spellbinders : Nestabilities Label Fourteen (retired)

Hampton Art, Studio G : glitter glue

Greeting Card Set: A Birthday Gift

Hi all!

Been a while since I've posted anything here.  A l-o-n-g while.

I had considered combining all of my blogging into one place, and making that place my business site at Shepherd's Song Creations.  I stopped posting here, for that reason, but I've decided I don't like that way of doing things.  I'm the type of person that compartmentalizes things, and so I seperate 'personal' and 'business' as two different categories.  I know that in this day of personal branding, there is the trend to merge the two, and market 'you', but that just isn't the way I work.

And so, although I may (and probably will), make reference to some things going on in the business category on this blog, and include links to my site, the projects that you see here are in the 'personal' category; just the things we do for fun, family, or friends.

So ... here is the first bit of fun I have to share!

I've taken the plunge and started a YouTube channel: Nutty's News  (genius, yes?) ...

...  and here is a video share of a recent project.

January Card Challenge: Theme~Love

 Hi!

I'm back with another card for the January Card Challenge on Scrapbook.com.

This time around I've made a card for the 'Theme' category, said theme being 'love'.

I know, I know . . . I used a 'love' stamp on another card I made for this challenge, which would technically on a practical level possibly be more fitting for this theme.  However . . . I wanted to create a card within the theme, without using words of any kind.  I'm pretty pleased with this one.

Thanks for stopping by to see it!

All products are Stampin' Up!

Happy 2014!!

January Card Challenge: Scrapbook.com ~ category: Color ~ red. pink, white

January Card Challenge: Scrapbook.com ~ category: Product ~ punches

I know I'm a little late with greetings for the new year...life...ya know?

I'm starting the year out right, though, with a couple of cards for a challenge on the Scrapbook.com forum.  The January Card challenge includes 8 categories and these two cards are for the 'color: red white and pink' and 'products: punches' categories.


Thanks for stopping by!  I hope your 2014 is filled with joy and blessings!

Credits
Stampin' Up!: colored cardstocks, punches (oval, hearts), silver ribbon and stamps
Sizzix: Basic Grey emboss folder
EK Success: scallop lace border punch
Stash: white cardstock, pink polka-dot ribbon

Best Wishes

I know I made this card using some challenge as my inspiration.  But alas...It was done so long ago that I don't remember which one it was.

The pink and black combination was way out of my color comfort zone, but I had been seeing so many lovely cards in these colors, I wanted to try my hand at it.  I'm satisfied with this card, but I can't say I'm pleased.  Guess that means I'll be giving it another go someday.

Thanks for stopping by....and Best Wishes to all of you this week!

CS: SU!
Stamps: SU!, Layers of Color
Punches: SU!
Emboss Folders: Sizzix
Embellishments: My stash

Enjoy the Ride

I actually made this card last week, hoping to join in with the Verve monthly sketch challenge on SCS.  I got all the cards done, and photographed, but not loaded here...... or there!

This one is made with SU! cardstocks, inks and bling.  The stamp set is from Close to My Heart.

And now I'll let you in on the secret!  The top strip of black CS wasn't supposed to be there!  I had some ink on the edge of my acrylic block when I stamped the black dot piece.  The ink transfered to the card front and I had to cover it up! =)
All in all, I'm tickled with this card.  Even the mess up! 

Hope you enjoy your ride for the rest of the week!

Blessings...

Two for One

Here is the second card I made from this old Card Patterns sketch.

I decided I was going to make the best of the scrapping time I had the day I made this card, and use up some scraps!  (The first card I made from this sketch that afternoon is found here.)

This card base is, maybe Handsome Hunter...or maybe a green from a variety pack I bought somewhere else.  I'm not sure because it was a half sheet I found amidst one of the various piles of 'stash' that is reinhabiting my stamping room.  The striped DP mat is from an unlabled pack of 8x8 paper I bought at a thrift store.

My SU! supplies include the Real Red DP mat, the Real Red and Garden Green CS for the flower, the Chocolate Chip ribbon and the stamps and ink.
Once again I chalked the Petaloo flowers with Stampin' Pastels and inserted some shiny gold brads.  A few pearls at the points of the sentiment and I was done!  Weeee!  Two for One!  =)

Thanks for stopping by.  I'm always blessed to know you've been here.

No One Like You

Happy Friday Morning!

I've been on a stamping spree here.  I made four cards in three days!  I shared one a few days ago and I have another of them for you today.

I used an old Card Patterns sketch as my jumping off point.

 I wanted the Perfect Plum CS from SU! to be a focus, so I opted not to use the square mat from the sketch.  The yellow CS is So Saffron and the DPs are from the Floral Stack by DCWV.   The scalloped circles are from My Mom's Attic at svgcuts.com and I cut all the shapes with eCal on my Eclipse.  I stamped the SU! flower and sentiment with So Saffron and Perfect Plum inks.  The Petaloo flowers were colored with SU! Stamping Pastels in Perfect Plum.  A few brads and an Old Olive bow and voilá!

Wow!  'Reliving' this card makes me want to go straight to my stamping room and indulge!  But I can't! =(  I have to go to an appointment later this morning.

There's always tomorrow, though! =)

Have a blessed day!  Thanks for stopping in.

I'm Back...with Mojo Monday 281

Hi all!  I've been spending a lot of time in my stamping room lately.  Weee!  Does it ever feel good!

As I've been visiting around to some of the blogs I follow, I've been inspired to try out some new challenges.  The first one I'm taking a stab at is Mojo Monday.  There is a weekly sketch there and I decided to join in the fun this week.

I used SU! Perfect Plum CS for the base and a scrap of a digi paper designed by Trina Clark from DigiScrapKits.com for the Top Note die cut.  The two circles are hand made paper......made by me!! (or one of my daughters! HaHa!)

The top layer of the Petaloo flower was colored with SU! Perfect Plum marker and has an antique gold finished mini brad in the middle.  The sentiment is from SU! and is stamped with SU! Perfect Plum on Very Vanilla CS.

A little distressing with the scissors and Crumb Cake ink on some edges, a scrap of lace, a piece of ribbon and a linen thread bow finish this off.

Fast and fun is what this card was!  And it uses my fave color....purple!  How much better can it get?

Oooo!  I just remembered.....except for the card base, all the CS or DP was scraps!  Weee!  It did get better!  =)


Have a blessed day!  And thanks for stopping by.

LOC Merci Bouquet

Hello friends!
I've been busy with several projects around here.  Some of them involve testing out my new machine, a Sizzix eclips electronic cutting machine.  Samples of those efforts coming soon!

For now, I just have another card I made using my new Layers of Color stamps. 
This time I used the Merci Bouquet stamp set and this challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ for my inspiration.

 I think the card is a little 'off balance' so I'm going to add another flower in the upper left corner, but other than that, I'm pleased as punch with this one.

Thanks for stopping in.  Have a blessed day!


Credits 
SU!:  CS (Barely Banana, Old Olive), ink (Crumb Cake, Barely Banana, Pale Plum), punches (5-Petal Flower, Flower Trio)
Stash: white CS, pearls, jute, brad

LOC: Touch of Elegance

I have another card to share with you made from Layers of Color stamps, designed by Laura Kirste Campbell.

This is my second favorite of the cards I made the day my new stamps arrived.

I used the Touch of Elegance stamp set, choosing one of the images, but stamping only half of it.  The bottom layer is done in SU!'s Groovy Guava and the top layer, offset by half, in Really Rust.  The base CS is SU! Kiwi Kiss and the ribbon is SU! Crumb Cake taffeta.

If you want to see what lovely designs Laura is currently creating, check out her website here.


Thanks for visiting.  Have a lovely day!

LOC Nature Walk

For most of the past year I was following a company that had some fantastic stamps, very much in my style.  That company was Layers of Color.  Yes.....was!  Laura Kirste Campbell has closed up her independent shop, but the good news is that she is still designing.  You can check out her website here, and her new stamps can be found at Penny Black.

What I thought to be bad news for me was the fact that I wasn't able to put many of Laura's stamps into my collection before she closed Layers of Color.

Thanks to my friend Linda, (She hooked me up with a retailer who still had some stock of LOC stamps.), I now have four of my favorite sets in my collection. 

I was able to ink some up the very day they arrived in the mail! Yea!  I have for you today, my favorite of the four cards I made.

 

This is a very CAS card, for me, although it does have ink distressing as well as scissor distressed edges.  I used the flourish from the Nature Walk set and I just loved the way the stamped image came out, nice and crisp, and oh so lovely!  I couldn't bear to put anything else on the card that would distract from it.

I know I'm going to enjoy using these over and over again.  And......I plan to be diligent about collecting Laura's new designs.  They are just as lovely!

Thank you so much for making a visit here today!  Blessings to you!


Challenges:
Make it Monday: Anything Goes

Credits:
Stampin' Up!: Card stock (Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa), Ink (Old Olive, Crumb Cake), Ribbon (Crumb Cake Taffeta)
Layers of Color: Stamp (Nature Walk)
Stash:  White CS

Color Throwdown #195

I love these colors!  Very soft.  Very feminine.  Very me.

I'm appreciating the digital paper files I've been accumulating over the past couple of years, especially since two of the three local scrapping stores have gone out of business.  I know many of you don't even have a local scrapping store, so having one left may seem like a wonderful thing.  The down side is that each of the three tended toward different styles, so we don't have quite the variety from which to choose anymore.
All that to say, that having digi files of DPs is great!  I can print and scrap whenever the mood hits. Yeah!

The papers I've used on this card come from two different sources, Trina Clark at DigiScrapKits.com, (floral and check) and Tabea at blog.sunshineartz.com, (solid pink).

Both of these ladies have wonderful digital scrapping supplies.

I used the Card Patterns Sketch #168 for my layout, but didn't take a photo in time to link up to that challenge.

Credits:
Stampin' Up!: Card Stock (Barely Banana-retired), stamp, ink, Eyelet Border punch, Top Note die
Sunshine Artz: pink digi paper
Digi Scrap Kits: checked and floral digi papers
Stash: white CS, ribbon, pearls


Challenges:
Color Throwdown - #195

SSIC #142: Isaiah 40:26

This week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ, Diane is the challenge hostess.  She has chosen Isaih 40:26 as her scripture.

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, and that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

 

Stop on over at the SSIC blog to read Diane's devotional.  It's very encouraging.

 

The challenge guidelines are:  Create a card that depicts any element of heaven-angels, music, clouds, sun, stars, blue, glitter, bling, etc.

Here's my card.

I've used SU! Brocade Blue CS for my base and mats. (Unfortunately this is a retired color!)

The two DPs as well as the images are by Trina Clark at DigiScrapKits.com.  (No stamping for me this time.)  Trina's stuff is so so cute!  Especially her newest kits depicting several nursery rhymes.  This is from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  Not only is it perfect for this challenge, but the sleeping bear reminds my of the Wee One who joined our family in March.

 

 

I popped the cluster of stars up with foam dots, added glitter glue to a few of the stars and some brads near the top of the card.  Easy to make.  Went together quick as a wink! And I'm ready for the next baby boy that needs to be welcomed into the world!

Thanks for stopping by.  Blessings to you and yours!

Challenges:

Stampin' Sisters in Christ: #142-Isaiah 40:26-Depict any element of heaven

Make it Monday: Always anything goes

SSIC #141: Psalm118:6

This project has quite a story to it.

Candace is the hostess this week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ and the scripture she chose is Psalm 118:6.

 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

The Challenge is to:

Do something on your card that you're "afraid" of!
(ie. something you wouldn't normally do, like if you’re a “CAS” girl, try to pile it on… or maybe it’s a technique you’re scared to try etc.)

Now here's my story.
I've spent a lot of time these last weeks on a big sewing project for hire, on top of having a new baby. (Ten weeks old now.) Which means I haven't had much scrappin' time.  Yet, when I go to my paper crafting area, there are all these usable scraps staring at me.  I have great ambitions to make them into pretty things because they are too good to just throw away.
The problem:  every time I sit down to make something 'using only my scraps', I don't like the way it turns out.

So here's what happened.
 I visited Lovely Linda's blog post here, and was encouraged to dig into my scraps---again!.  I was also feeling discouraged over all the big projects I have going that are moving slowly toward completion and wanted something to do that would be an accomplished project, done quickly.  And I have a little daughter who was wanting to stamp, and we hadn't done that together for a while.

I found a piece of SU! DP lying on the scrapping table and a piece of Cameo Coral CS, (which matched the DP!), already partially used.  I cut the card base to the best size I could.  Then I cut the DP to fit at the bottom of the card to make the front the proper size.  I  punched the scalloped trim on the DP for the outside edge, and then decided it would be cute to have that same edge on the inside, too.
I wanted to use my Spellbinders Label 14 so I cut out the second largest size for the front.  When I took it out of the die I noticed that the paper (another piece of scrap, just big enough for the die) had slipped and one curve was cut off the edge.  =(  Major NoNo in Nutty's book of doing things right!  But I decided to use it anyway.  Then guess what!!  It happened again on smaller die I cut for the inside! Argh!!
While my little Dinky was inking the Labels for the stencil effect, I went looking for a stamp set to use.  I found an old SU! set,  , that I haven't used in along time, and decided to make a bouquet with the flower and leaf stamps.  Lots of cutting out, but it went fairly quickly.  I had The Dinky girl stamp those, too, and it took us three tries to find the yellow we liked best! (Which just meant more stamping for her! =) )

As I was cutting, I wondered if I could possibly use this for the SSIC challenge for the week, but the chances of a card I was making on SATURDAY evening fitting in with the challenge that wouldn't be posted until the next morning were pretty slim.  Oh well, that just means more scrappin' for me! =)
I finished the card by gluing everything together, popping one of the pink flowers up with a dimensional, and adding pearls to the center of the flowers.
Voilá!  A finished card...made from only scraps.....And I LIKED it!  Done in one evening, and I stamped with my little girl.  A very pleasing accomplishment.

When I checked my blog reader for the SSIC challenge the next day, I found the above info.  I had a hard time thinking of something I'm afraid of, or haven't tried in stamping/scrapping.  Then I thought of my card of the night before.  And of the fact that it was the first time I had a 'scraps only' project turn out to be something I liked.  (Had to get over that 'fear of failing' to even try again.) And of how I used the two labels, even though they weren't perfect.  (A confessing perfectionist, here.)  I decided this card did fit in with this challenge.
I'm reminded of how we aren't perfect, but God accepts us when we are cleansed from our imperfections by the blood of His Son, and even though those imperfection still show.  He helped me conquer the dread of having it all come out wrong...again!  And of not having everything 'perfect' on the card.
I'm reminded of how God knows what we need, and won't let us have more than we can bear.  He knew I needed a 'pick-me-up' so the card came together quickly and beautifully!

And.....God knew I really wanted to start participating in the SSIC challenges again, but only have so much time while I'm still finishing these dresses I'm sewing.  So He orchestrated my time available, and the inspiration for this card to fit with the challenge.  Thanks, Lord!
God really does care about the littlest things in our lives.  And He does want to help us in every little battle we have to face, as well as the big ones.

Thanks for coming by!  Blessing to you! 

(If the SSIC team determines this does not fit the challenge, I'll gladly have it removed from consideration for the prize!)


Challenges:
Stampin' Sisters in Christ #141: Do something you are 'afraid' of
Make it Monday # 91: Always anything goes

SSIC 121 - Phil 2:3-4

So far, so good! =)  I'm ready with my one challenge entry for this week!  Yea!

The ladies at Stampin' Sisters in Christ have a wonderful challenge that posts every Sunday.  One of the DT chooses a scripture, writes a bit of encouragement, and then selects a challenge for the week based on all of that.  I really enjoy reading through these encouraging words and the cards made by the DT and other challenge participants are so lovely!!

I have entered several of these over the past year, and I hope to enter every one of them this year!  A bit ambitious, probably, since my 'realistic' goal is to make a card for one challenge per week, and there are so many other inspiring challenges out there!  We'll see how it goes! =)

For this week, Challenge #121, the scripture chosen is Phillipians 2:3-4:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

The challenge is to make a 'Thinking of You' card.

Here's mine.

This is made with the second half of the digi DP CS (from the City Slickers kit at Everyday Mom Ideas) I used for the last card I posted .  And again the photo was taken with the flash so there is a glare. (Sorry! =( )

I stamped the swirl from the SU! Friendship Blooms set right onto the DP with SU! Real Red ink.  The sentiment is from the SU! Three for You set, stamped in Basic Black on white CS (from my stash), matted on a piece of SU! Real Red.  The flower is also from the Friendship Blooms set, stamped with Basic Black onto white CS, cut out, accented with a Filigree flower from SU! and held on with a colored brad from my stash.  Then I popped it up with a dimensional.  The ribbon is a double faced satin left over from my 'crafting days' of years gone by.  I tied three knots in it, then glued it down with two sided sticky tape.  Et voila! 

These aren't colors I usually do well with, but I'm really pleased with this card.  I'll be sending it to a friend who's been having a tough time in life the last several months.  I hope it will be a ray of sunshine in the midst of the clouds.

Thanks for visiting! Have a blessed and beautiful day!!

Challenges:
Stampin' Sisters in Christ # 121

Color Throwdown 173

One of my goals for this new year of 2012 is to participate in at least one card challenge each week.  For the first week of January, I chose The Color Throwdown #173.  The challenge colors for this week were:

I'm getting better at putting together black and white cards, but throw in that 'red' and I'm 'color challenged' to a big degree!  To make it easy on myself I used the sketch at Card Patterns (#147) so all I had to do was figure out how to make something with these colors.
Here is what I came up with.  As I look at it, I wish I would have done some things differently, but it's done.  And since I have a friend with a birthday this week to whom I will be sending it, I won't have to look at it for long! LOL

The card base is a digital DP from the City Slickers kit at Everyday Mom Ideas.  I inked the edges of it with SU! Basic Black using first a nylon stocking, and then a sponge.  I stamped the swirly from the SU! Friendship Blooms set in SU! Real Red right on the DP.  The flower trio is from the same stamp set.  I stamped it in Basic Black right on the white CS, then colored with Real Red from the Stampin' Pastels.  I didn't like how flat or dull that was, so I stamped the flowers again on a scrap, colored them with Real Red ink, then cut them out and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  The sentiment is from the SU! It's Your Birthday set, stamped in Basic Black.  The corners of the white are punched with a Fiskars corner punch.  I used the SU! 1/4" circle to punch the holes where I threaded the red sheer ribbon (which I found in my stash drawer).  Then I decided the white was too stark so before I glued everything down, I removed the ribbon and used the nylon stocking to rub some Real Red ink onto the edges of the white, and my sponge to ink the very edges with Basic Black.  You can't see these in the photo very well, since it was after dark when I finished and this had to be taken with the flash.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my first posted card of 2012.  Hope we'll be seeing lots more of each other this year than we did last year! =)

Blessings!

Challenges:
Color Throwdown #173
Card Patterns Sketch 147

Happy Thanksgiving!

This card was created with digital elements from Sunshine Artz My Fantastic Little World.  The card base is a digi paper from that kit, with another digi paper printed on the other side of the white card stock for a contrasting but colored inside.  The DP cut with Spellbinders Labels 14 and the heart came from the same kit.
The leaf, and 'Gratitude' stamps are from SU! Day of Gratitude and the flower is from SU! Seasonal Icons.  I used SU! inks, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze and Cameo Coral.
The leaf branch was also stamped on the inside with Chocolate Chip ink, but I can't show it to you since my photographer forgot to take a picture of that! =)

Blessings!

I'm squeeking in for The Color Throwdown Challenge #160, but nice and early (the first day of the challenge ~ Yea! =D ) for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #108.

The Color Throwdown combo:

SSIC scripture:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

SSIC Challenge:  Create a card that says 'blessings' or uses an encouraging scripture.

I didn't have any Very Vanilla, or any ivory card stock of any kind!  (I'll have to fix that very soon!)  So... I used white CS and softened it with some ink distressing using a nylon stocking.  Since I didn't have any Soft Suede ink (I know, I'm batting a thousand, here!) I used a combination of Crumb Cake and Close to Cocoa.  I used the same ink combo to stamp the image, and then colored the flowers with Regal Rose ink and the leaves with Crumb Cake ink using a blender pen.  The paper flowers were colored with Regal Rose ink applied with the nylon stocking.  I also highlighted the tips of the petals and the centers with Crumb Cake.

Challenges
The Color Throwdown #160 ~ Regal Rose, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
SSIC ~ 'blessings' or an encouraging verse

Credits

Stampin' Up ~ card stock (Soft Suede, Regal Rose); Ink (Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake); stamps (Herb Expressions); Vintage Wallpaper emboss folder; Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon.

Petaloo ~ paper flowers

Mark Richards ~ Pearls

Stash ~ white card stock

Last But Not Least-August Challenge #8

Hello. blogging and scrapping friends!  I am entering a new challenge.  I've been following the Last But Not Least challenges for several months now, but haven't ever entered.  Well, today is the day that changes!

The challenge for the August, Last But Not Least is, 'embossing'.  Dry or heat.  I like to do both!! Yea!  And, if you do both on your project, it qualifies for two entries! =D

 

This was such a fun card to make!  First of all, blue is one of my favorite colors, and this is SU! Bordering Blue.  I was very sad when this color was retired.  I used the card stock for the base, and the BB ink on the embossed panel.  To make the panel I ran white card stock through my Big Shot in the Ornamental Iron emboss folder from Cuttlebug. 

The sentiment is an SU! stamp done in silver emboss powder, also from SU!, and then lightly colored with SU! chalks using a blender pen.  I then punched it out with the SU! Scallop Oval punch, matted it on Spellbinders Label 14 cut from more BB card stock, and embelished with SU! jewels.

Just to the left of the sentiment you may (or may not! =( ) see a shiny little embelli.  This is a medallion cut from white card stock with the Ornamental Iron die, coated with VersaMark, and embossed with SU! silver emboss powder.  I'm sorry it doesn't show up very well.  The best place to take pics of this card was outside and the sun made quite a glare on the silver items.

The flowers are a combination of SU! Boho Blossoms punch, Trio Flower punch, an EK Success punch, fabric flowers from my stash, and a blue paper flower from Faith at Mark's Finest Papers.  (A sweet little bag of these paper flowers was a 'thank you' gift because I had to wait for an item that was on backorder! Lovely Faith! =) )  I inked and crumpled some of the flowers and various brads, pearls and jewels adorn the centers. An SU! ribbon is laced through the 'bouquet'!

I'm sorry to say, I like this card so much, I don't know if I'll be able to part with it!!  Maybe I'll just write a sweet note to DH in it.  Then I can 'keep' it, and some day frame it with a nice Bible verse or poem in a collage! =)