Blessings

(For my post today, first scroll to the bottom of my blog and turn of radio worship.)




John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."



Grace picked this wonderful, encouraging scripture this week for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. I like to notice what this verse doesn't say. It doesn't say "IF" you have tribulation. Are you like me? There are times that I wish that being a Christian would mean that there would be no problems in my life. However, that isn't what we have been promised. It is enough to know that I can have peace because of Christ, and I can be of good cheer. He has overcome the world. Praise be to God.



The challenge this week from Grace is: create a card / project that either says "Blessings" or uses an encouraging Scripture.



My first thought went to this song by Laura Story.

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you’re here?
What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?


The sponsor this week is Pink Cat Studio.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created:

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Traci Grace

Aleene's Burned Paper Bag Leaves Tutorial

It has been a long time since I did a tutorial. I thought I would share with you how burned paper bag technique looks. I remember doing burned paper bag technique more than 20 years ago. I used a candle to heat the glue then. Now I use my heat gun and it goes a lot quicker and makes less mess.

Start with putting a puddle of Aleene's Tacky Glue, onto the paper bag.

I use a scrap piece of cardstock to smear the glue in a thin layer



I take my heat gun and I heat the glue. It will bubble and pop. I heat it until the glue is transparent.


When it cools it looks like this. It is shiny and has texture. It feels a little like leather.

Using black stazon ink, I stamped the leaf over the layer of dried glue. I used the leaf from Mark's Finest Papers set called AUTUMN GLORY.

To add color to my leaves, I took an acetate report folder and I scribbled with "Fall" colored markers onto the folder.

I dipped my paint brush into water and picked up color from the scribbled markers.

I then painted over the glue. Since I was going to cut the leaves out, I wasn't very careful about painting in the lines. I just put down the color.

This is how the leaves look when the leaves are dry.

I cut the leaves out.

I shaped the cut out leaves by folding the leaf in half lengthwise.

I further shaped the leaf by folding the sides backwards.

Here is the card that I made with these burned paper bag leaves.

Petal card with LOC gold butterfly

The technique lovers challenge at SCS today was to make a petal card. I saw this technique when Beate released it as the Wednesday tutorial. I was hesitant to try it at first because I don't have any circle dies. I ended up using labels four and love how easy this card was to make. I used 2 sided dp. I gold heat embossed my Layers of Color butterfly. The scripture on the inside was Karen's WORDart. I think it still fits the SSIC challenge this week to have wings and a scripture.

Isaiah 40: 29-31

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.




I love this scripture that Chris choose for this week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ. It is one of my favorites. There are so many days that I feel weary. (Mostly because I don't surrender my burdens to Christ, and I try to carry them all myself) I love the promise of these verses. I love to personalize this scripture... I, who hope in the Lord will renew my strength. I will soar on wings like eagles, I will run and not grow weary. I will walk and not be faint.

It is getting closer to eagle season for me. Where I live along the Mississippi river, bald eagles come to fish in the winter. I love to take my camera and try and capture them. These are some of the eagle photos I have taken in past years. The first one was taken at sunrise. The other two were taken in the evening time.

The challenge this week was to make a scripture card with wings. I used this scripture from Karen's Word Art

The butterfly is a Layers of Color butterfly embossed with gold.


The sponsor this week is Our Daily Bread Designs.


Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created:

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Traci Grace

Get your Broom On - Wicked witches- MFP Sept 2011 blog hop

Hello! Welcome to the September 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are:Autumn Glory, Boo To You, Covered Bridges, Get Your Broom On .For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set:Get Your Broom On? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Get Your Broom On. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's MFP blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Faith
Dawn
Marilynn
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Markie
Carol
Mark’s Finest Papers

I shared a photo a couple of days ago of my daughter with other cast members from this summer's production of The Wiz. As soon as I saw this quote, I knew I was going to use it on a picture frame. My daughter was the wicked witch of the west. She had a wig and fat suit on. The photo I used in the frame is of her and the other two wicked witches. When she was "melting" she ran behind a box and Jojo the middle sized witch ran out and then ran behind the box. Finally they held up the barbie wicked witch. Each time they performed it, this scene got tremendous applause.

Covered Bridges- MFP September 2011- blog hop day 3

Hello! Welcome to the September 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are:Autumn Glory, Boo To You, Covered Bridges, Get Your Broom On .For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Covered Bridges? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Covered Bridges. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's MFP blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Faith
Dawn
Marilynn
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Markie
Carol
Mark’s Finest Papers

I was going for a collage look with this card. I tried using common elements, like the staples, notebook paper, and paper clip and newspaper cliping. I also hand wrote the list on the notebook paper. I listed things I like about Autumn: Football games, marching band, hayrides, cool nights, hot chocolate... I added lace, vellum, and raffia and leaves made using AUTUMN GLORY. I stamped the ticket and covered bridge image using black stazon ink. I watercolored the image and adhered it to the card with photo corners and sewing. I made this card for my good friend Carol. Our kids are in a lot of the same activities. My favorite time of year is when Carol and I can sit by eachother at football games and at marching band competitions. Our schedules are usually so busy, it is nice to just get to sit and visit and watch our kids perform.

Boo to You- MFP September 2011 blog hop day 2

Hello! Welcome to the September 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are:Autumn Glory. Boo To You, Covered Bridges, and Get Your Broom On.For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

This little guy with a flair for dramatic clothing was stamped using BOO TO YOU. I paper pieced his outfit.

My kids are very active in drama. They are in several productions each year. There is a lady named Daisy who makes the costumes. She really works hard for the kids and does a fantastic job. I am always needing thank you cards for her. That is what I was thinking when I made this card. This photo below shows some of the costuming from the youth production of THE WIZ. My daughter was the wicked witch of the west (Far left in red dress)

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Boo To You? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Boo To You. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's MFP blog post.

Lois
Vicky
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Linda
Karen
Patty
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Debbie
Mark’s Finest Papers

Autumn Glory - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop day 1

Hello! Welcome to the September 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are:Autumn Glory. Boo To You, Covered Bridges, and Get Your Broom On.For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Autumn Glory? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Autumn Glory. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's MFP blog post.

Lois
Vicky
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Linda
Karen
Patty
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Debbie
Mark’s Finest Papers

This set is so much fun to use. I have lots of samples for you to see.

Autumn Glory combined with Autumn Fun

Rebekkah chose these verses this week.

Mt. 7:7-8 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

The thought that came to me for these verses is a childlike persistance. When my kids were little and were were at the store and they wanted something, they didn't just ASK once. NO... they ASKED and they ASKED until they got what they wanted. When they were looking for their presents around Christmas time, they didn't just look casually, they searched the house top to bottom to find where I had hidden the packages. When they KNOCKED on the locked bathroom door(my only quiet time when they were little), they didn't just KNOCK once and let it go at that, they would stand there KNOCKING until I opened the door. I believe God wants us to have that same persistance when it comes to seeking Him.

The challenge this week was to make a card with a door. My "Door" is more like a gate, but it is what I had. I used the sheet music for "In the Garden" my kids when they were little called it the Minier song. We lived in a very small village in Illinois called Minier. There is a line in the song where it says "and the voice I hear falling on mine ear." It sounded like they were saying the name of our town. So this song has special meaning to me. I just found out recently that a dear sister in Christ from that area, named Bonnie, has breast cancer that has spread. She may be going to see the Lord sooner, rather than later. I wanted to make a special card for her, letting her know I was thinking about her.
When my kids were little and my husband was driving trucks over the road, there were lots of times that I felt lonely and sometimes overwhelmed as the task of raising the kids fell to me. My sister Bonnie helped plan a ladies night out where several of the ladies from our Church showered me with love. One lady, Kathy baby sat my kids, Bonnie, who was a hairstylist, did my hair. Rhonda was my kidnapper and took me to Olive Garden where the rest of the ladies met me for dinner(a total suprise party) and they showered me with gifts. I can't ever begin to express what wonderful friends these ladies are to me. Even though it has been over 6 years since I have seen them in person, I know that the love is still just as strong. God has since blessed me with another group of Christian sisters, who also shower me with love. It is my Stampin' Sisters in Christ. I thank God every day for their friendship.





Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created:

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Traci Grace

Peggysue is this week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge hostess. She picked the following words.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living, just as we told you before.12 In this way you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need."

What good advice. I struggle with the quiet life. With working full time and raising 4 kids there is always noise and busyness. This afternoon, my daughter and I went to the lake to take some photos. We had fun being together. After we took the photos, we sat on a bench and listened to "NOTHINGNESS" which was really quite a lot. We could hear birds singins, the wing blowing through the trees, the water lapping on the rocks, and in the distance we could hear thunder. I really enjoyed this quiet time. I would encourage everyone to find some quiet time today to go spend it with God.

The challenge this week was - Nothing bright. Use 'quiet' colors in your creation, either pastels, or low key earthtones, soft, muted shades of beige or neutrals.

This is my card. I used WORDart by Karen on my card.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created:

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Traci Grace