2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (The Message) In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.

The previous is the scripture that my Stampin' Sister in Christ Peggysue choose for this week. I used The Message version because it made it the most clear to me.

I kinda smiled to myself when I saw that the scripture that Peggysue choose was about fragrances. I consider myself to be an expert when it comes to smells. I am one of the unlucky people who has a super sensitive sense of smell. If smelling were a super power, I would have that super power! My family and close friends know not to wear perfumes or fragrances around me. Most perfumes or fragrances are chemically recreated, and something about smelling them gets me very sick and the smells trigger migranes for me. I inherited this sensitivity from my Dad and my dad's mom. One of the worst places for fragrances is when I go to church. I almost always end up with a headache on Sunday afternoons.

What some people may not realize is how long their "SMELL" lingers on things that they touch or have in their possession. I work with truck drivers. A lot of them smoke in their trucks and give me the paperwork to invoice. I sometimes have to set their paperwork aside and put it in front of a fan to try and diminish the smell of the smoke, just so I can work with it.

What kind of smell are you giving off spiritually? I thought it was interesting in the scripture for today, that the smell we give off is the same, but it is recieved differently. When we share Christ, those who are saved or being saved, say "Wow, That smells really good!" and at the same time to those who are lost, they say "Whoa, what died?"

Peggysue's challenge is to make a card/project with flowers on it. I used dogwood flowers. This set, DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS, was released this last week by Mark's Finest Papers. I have been having a lot of fun playing with this set. I needed to make a sympathy card for a friend who's mother died this last week.

This week's sponsor is VERSES.

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

Kristine
Linda
Miesje
Peggysue
Traci

When I think of fragrant flowers, the rose comes to my mind. I remember smelling the roses that were growing in my mom's garden.

February Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop- Last Day- DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's February Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Relax A Bit Featured February 14
North American Woods Featured February 15
Blessings Featured February 16
Dogwood Blossoms Featured February 17

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on February 18, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday February 17, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Dawn M.
Marilynn THIS IS ME!!!
Chrissy
Karen K.
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Harriet
Kathy
Brenda
Mark's Finest Papers

Our new promotion begins this month! With the purchase of the February New Release Package, you will receive this stamp set for FREE!

Our February New Release Mini:

Spring Joy

I think you will be able, with the 4 projects that I am sharing today, to figure out that this set is my favorite one of this months released sets. I love dogwood flowers. When I lived in Georgia, springtime meant Magnolias, Azaleas and Dogwoods. I love doing paper tole with flower images. The first project on the origami box, shows how I would typically do paper tole with cutting out each petal and layering them. I thought when I saw the set that with only 4 petals a flower that it was going to be the easiest flowers yet that I have used the paper tole on... WRONG!!! This spray of flowers took me almost 2 hours and I still didn't really like the results. I added hot glue centers and colored the glue green. Don't get me wrong, I do like this project it just wasn't matching what I had in my head.

So my next attempts were to have 2 layers of the full flower with the top layer shaped. I added hot glue between the layers and shaped the top petals down over the glue. That gave the dimension that I was looking for with a lot less work. Still the flowers on this book mark took me about 45 mins each. I had this scrap of dp that was designed for a scrapbook where you didn't do anything but put the pictures in the provided squares. It sat in my stash forever because I hadn't found a way to use it... until this project.

The next two cards I love how they turned out. I love the sentiment. I am going to give these cards to my daughters. I want them to know I love them and support them. The flowers on these two cards were done like the bookmark, except I added a huge drop of hot glue to the centers and I took pearl fingernail polish and painted the centers.

This is one of my favorite sketches and just screamed out to me to be used as I was making my projects this week.

I love this song and thought I would share it with you today. Have a blessed day. I hope you have been inspired by my projects today!

SSIC and WAW Valentine blog hop

Welcome to the Valentine Blog Hop where "It is all about love... HIS love." The Stampin' Sisters in Christ and our sister site, Word Art Wednesday, are joining together for a hop in celebration of love. If you came to my blog from Karen L's blog then you are in the right order if you haven't you might want to head to the start of this hop at the Word Art Wednesday blog.

In celebration of Valentine's Day, this hop is all about love - God's love! Besides all the LOVE-ly eye candy you will see on this hop in the way of cards/projects, we'd like to share the love by offering prizes to our hoppers as well, so be sure to leave comments on each stop along the way!! There is a "Grand Prize" of this complete SU! Stamp set called "Cute by the Inch" donated by the lovely Vicki of The Stamping Room (you can also visit her Stampin' Up page.)




In order to qualify for the Grand Prize Drawing, you simply need to leave a comment on each blog on the hop list. We will announce the Grand Prize winner as well as the winner of our prize here on our blog the afternoon of Tuesday, February 14.

There are several other fun prizes to be won along the way on some of the Designers' blogs as you make your way through the Hop.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9
What stood out to me when I read this verse was the last part… REMAIN IN MY LOVE. The image that came to my mind was a big old tree with its roots going down deep into the ground. When I was young I moved quite a few times. I had hoped to settle down, but since my husband I got married we have moved 8 times. We have lived at our current location for 6 years now and it finally feels like we are putting down roots. For many years I would pack our Christmas ornaments as if I was packing them for moving (to save time having to pack them later). I remember the first year that I just put them back in a box with out the extra wrapping. In an ever changing world what a wonderful thought to be rooted, secure, hanging on, persisting, dwelling, waiting, surviving, continuing … REMAINING in Jesus’ love.

When I started making this card, I started with different paper and a different layout, but the card had a mind of it's own. The dogwood blossoms are a sneak peek at a Mark's Finest Papers set called DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS that will be released next week. Make sure you drop back by my blog next week for the Mark's Finest Papers blog hop. I did paper tole technique on the flowers and then I sprayed them with champagne paint spray. The centers of the flowers is drops of glue that were colored after the glue dried.

This song is one of my favorites. I know it will bless your heart as it does mine.

Now head off to Karen C 's Blog