Pottery Class

My friend Diane is the hostess for this week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. 

This is the scripture that she choose.

 Isaiah 64:8 Yet you, LORD, are our Father. 

We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

When I was little I took a pottery class. We kneaded the clay for a long time to get the air bubbles out, and then we used the pottery wheel to thow the pots. We had to use just the right amount of water and pressure. Too thin of walls and the pots would crack. Too thick was bad too.Sometimes, we would have to start over and rethrow the pots. When we got a pot that we liked, then they went into the kiln to be fired. 

When I am tempted to judge others, I need to remember that we are all "works in progress". God isn't done with us yet. Some of us are being kneaded, some of us are being thrown, or rethrown, some of us are being shaped by the potter's hands, and some of us are in the fire of the kiln. God's goal it to turn us into His masterpieces. His works of art.  Unfortunately, from my experience doing pottery, I know that sometimes when we put our pots into the kiln, no matter how much work we put into making them, they exploded and were worthless pieces of scrap. 

The amazing part of salvation, is that we have a choice. We can submit to God and what He wants to do with our lives, or we can go our own way. He loves us so much he gives us that choice.

 One choice leads to life however the other leads to death. 

If  you haven't made that choice, today could be the day that you choose life. If you have any questions about making that choice, you can leave a message with me or any of my Stampin' Sisters in Christ and we would all love to share with you about how we made that choice for life. 

Diane's Challenge for this week is:

 Use punches, dies, or shapes of any kind. 

These are the punches I used to make my card. I used the two on the left to make the roses. The middle punch I used to make the little black music notes. The next punch I used for the border on the left and the punch on the right is the one I used to make the two medallions on my card. The sentiment on my card is another wonderful sentiment from MY DAY DREAM DESIGNS. It is from Harvest of Gratitude Sentiments.


Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci
And Guest sister Yolanda.

This is the old hymn that comes to my mind when I read this scripture. I pray that you have a blessed week.

Clouds

Last night my son Joshua and I were running errands when we saw this cloud in the sky. I just had a feeling that it was going to be pretty, so we drove down by the river and we sat and watched as the sun went down. He was sitting with me playing the ukulele. We laughed and just enjoyed eachother's company. There were a thousand things we could have chosen to do, but we chose to watch the art work of the most amazing artist of all times. I feel blessed that I could capture a glimpse of it to share with others.

Gardens and God's Word

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

 That is the scripture that my Stampin ' Sister in Christ Candace picked for us to think about this week. 

I have an interesting insight into this verse this week. With my oldest spending her first week away from home. I know I had a harder time than she did with the separation. She was ok with a quick text saying "Hi" when I wanted a long conversation to see how she was doing, to encourage her, to be MOM to her. At one point I caught myself wondering if she had read the texts I had sent her. I was thinking, that it would take so little time in her day to just give me a call or text me back. Then I got to thinking about my heavenly Father. What if He had sent me a text and I didn't even bother reading it because I was too busy? What if He had sent me a text with really important information that would protect me? What if He had sent me a text to encourage me? What if He had sent me a text that said, "I LOVE YOU."  The method isn't quite the same, but He did send me all of that in the form of the BIBLE, His word.

Dear God, I am sorry for the times that I haven't read your word because I was just to busy and wrapped up in doing my own thing. Help me to be a better daughter by reading your word and spending more time with you. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Candace's challenge was to make a card with no images, with the sentiment as the main focus.

 

Don't you love this sentiment? I do.

 I am so excited to announce that I will be one of the designers

 with the talented designers for MY DAY DREAM DESIGNS.  

This sentiment is from the GARDEN INSPIRATION SENTIMENTS.

To place emphasis on the "colors" part of the sentiment, I choose to keep everything black and white and just add the colored flowers.

 These roses, I'm naming FREE REGISTRATION ROSES. I'm naming them that because, this last week when I went to register my boys for school they handed me so many papers.After getting the information from the papers, I was about to throw them away, but there were several sheets that were printed on pretty purple paper. I took my scallop punch and punched out the blank areas on the purple paper before tossing them in the trash. It was enough to make these quilled roses. I told my husband about my free roses and he reminded me of all the taxes I pay and how they were probably very expensive roses. I still like to think of them as free. 

This last week was very stressful and my creativity was stressed as well. With this card, I let all expectations go and just had fun. I found my SPARKLE. "Getting your sparkle on" as away to express creative inspiration was the idea of my Stampin' Sister in Christ, Helen. Isn't that a great word?   

I hope you all have a blessed, and wonderful week.

Our sponsor for this week is: Our Daily Bread Designs

Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci
And Guest Sister Yolanda

Picking a song to share with you was an easy one. Take spending time with God and Gardens you get this timeless song. My first memory of this song is when I was probably about 4 or 5. I remember my mom and dad and aunt and uncle singing it as an accapella quartet.

August MFP Blog Hop- Oh Crab

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

   August Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Lesson Learned Featured August 14
Bring on the Sun Featured August 15
Tree Greetings Featured August 16
Oh Crab Featured August 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 August 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 August 17, 2012.

 

My first thought when I saw this set, was what a cute little crab. The next thing was a song that my mother in law told me that she always sang to her kids when they were having "A MOOD"
The theme song from Captain Kangaroo's Crabby Appleton.
 My name is Crabby Appleton,
I'm rotten to the core.
 I do a bad deed every day,
and sometimes three or four.
I can't stand fun for anyone,
I think good deeds are sappy,
I laugh with glee, it pleases me,
when everyone's unhappy.

 Have you ever just been in a crabby mood? I have noticed lately that my hormones are doing wacky things. One minute, I'll be happy and then the next, I'll be wanting to strangle someone, in a VERY CRABBY MOOD. A couple of weeks ago at church, I was sharing this with my dear friend Jean Shanks. I love having older friends, because they have been where I am going. She said, she thought that when my hormones got a little more regulated, that I would stop having such wild mood swings. I saw her this last Sunday after church. She was standing by the door with her walker, with a big smile on her face. If I had known that it would be the last time I would see her this side of heaven I would have run back inside to give her another hug, and tell her that I loved her. She passed away today. I am so sad for me, but so happy for her. Last year we sat a funeral of another dear friend of ours, and my friend Jean shared that she didn't know why she was still around. Her body had started giving out on her many years ago. She had so many stents put in her heart, she lost count. She had to have dialysis, and she was in so much pain, but you would never know it because, she always had a smile on her face and NEVER complained. What an example to me. Next time I am feeling crabby, I hope I will be able to put things in perspective and get cheerful again and not be a CRABBY  Appleton.

. This song by Chris Tomlin is how I imagine my friend Jean tonight...
"I will rise, when he calls my name.
NO MORE SORROW...NO MORE PAIN.
I will rise on eagles' wings, before my God, fall on my knees and rise."
 

August MFP- Tree Greetings - Storms of life

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

   August Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Lesson Learned Featured August 14
Bring on the Sun Featured August 15
Tree Greetings Featured August 16
Oh Crab Featured August 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 August 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 August 17, 2012.

 When I saw this tree stamp, this is what I dreamed about doing. I often will be inspired while I am asleep. This card is not at all my usual style. Very CAS. I also don't usually stamp with anything but black stazon ink. This quote I printed using my computer and stamped the tree over it using a brown ink. In my dream I envisioned a square card, and I rarely do square cards. I also tend to make cards on the feminine side. This one could be used for either male or female. 
I love the meaning behind this quote. It made me think about after the storms, when I go through the neighborhood, I just seem to notice all the trees that didn't make. A branch here a limb there. What I really should be saying is,
"Wow, look at that tree over there. It is so strong it withstood the storm!"  

I am so comforted by this song "FAITHFUL GOD" that Gateway Worship does.
I love the part where it says..." I can't see past this STORM, but I'm counting on a faithful God."
 

August MFP Blog Hop- Bring on the Sun

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

   August Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Lesson Learned Featured August 14
Bring on the Sun Featured August 15
Tree Greetings Featured August 16
Oh Crab Featured August 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 August 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 August 17, 2012.


My first card used scraps from my scrap basket. I embossed them. I added the scripture that was printed on vellum. I've had it for several years. Today just seemed the right card to use it on. I water colored the sunflower and stitched around the edges.

For my second card, I did paper tole on the flower. I added lace and embossed with the dotted swiss embossing folder.  

 

I love sunflowers. I have them all over my house. I would have them planted outside my house, but I have a deer problem. About 10 deer call my yard home and eat anything that grows. I love to drive by a field of sunflowers. It makes me feel so happy. What I really like about sunflowers is how they will follow the sun as it makes its way across the sky. Now how they do it? I don't know. It is a wonderful example though for me to follow the SON through out my day. Today, was still rough, missing my daughter, I was also really stressed with work. I have wonderful friends who prayed for me. I could feel their prayers. After that, I tried to find things to be thankful for and to foster a positive attitude.  That helped me so much. So.. bring on the sun, I mean the SON.

I love this song by John Denver. I played it off and on all day.

August- MFP Blog Hop - Lessons Learned

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

   August Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Lesson Learned Featured August 14
Bring on the Sun Featured August 15
Tree Greetings Featured August 16
Oh Crab Featured August 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 August 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 August 17, 2012.


 

Of the lessons I learned today:

1. You can make plans and then have them completely fall apart. (I had planned to go with my oldest daughter to help her move in at college. That plan fell apart, when I had too much work that had to be done today. Of all days why did all the work fall on this one?)

 2. There are only so many tears you can cry. (It wasn't until about 6pm that I was able to think about my daughter without crying.)

3. I have a lot of friends who are helping me through this sadness.(One of the reasons, I love having friends and sisters in Christ, who are older than me. They have been there before and can encourage me.)

 4. And not really a new lesson, but a reminder, that God is with me no matter what
. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5b 

 My card is very CAS, not my usual style. I stamped the words "Teach" "Learn" and the "2+2+4 ABC" with black stazon. I stamped the apple with black stazon too. I then watercolored  the apple. I used an embossing folder that my daughter bought me last Christmas. I thought that the notebook embossing went perfect with the school theme. Then I just added a red and black layer. I have so many teacher friends, I am not sure which one I am going to give this card to, but I am sure I will figure that out.

HOME sweet HOME

John 14:1-6 "Do not let your heart be troubled;believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am , there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going."

That is the scripture that my stamping sister in Christ, and friend Traci picked for this week. Her challenge is:

Create a card that depicts something that says "home" to you.

At first, I thought "Oh this will be an easy card to make." The more I thought about it, the harder it got. To be truthful, I almost didn't get it done. Everytime I would start, I would end up bawling like a baby. No matter what I started with, I ended with the thoughts that my two daughters are leaving my "HOME" this week to start their college adventures.

The town that I currently live in, is a small community. I would estimate that 70 percent or more of the residents, have lived here their entire lives, as well as their parents and grandparents and so on. Most of them have traveled less than 500 miles from this area. So when you ask them where HOME is, they have a definite feeling, and image. I on the other hand don't have that connection. In my life I have moved 23 times. When my husband and I got married, he said, "I don't ever plan to renew my driver's license, I'll just get new ones." I thought he was joking. Apparently not. The house we live in now is the longest my husband has ever lived in one location. We have stayed here the longest because we didn't want to have the kids disrupted with their schooling.

So if you ask me where HOME is I don't have a clear picture. The places I have lived includes, trailers, apartments, long-term hotels, a duplex and several houses. I have lived in new houses and hundred year old houses.None of them are what I would think of when I think of the word HOME.   The only thing that comes to mind is my family.  I love the saying... "Anyone can build a house, but it takes love to build a home." 

I have often thought of the brave women who traveled in covered wagons to "GO WEST". They left their homes to go to the unknown.The made "HOME" along the trail, and at their final destinations. I can't imagine ending up in South Dakota, or having to make a HOME out of a sod house. HERE is a link to a photo of a sod house.

My mother has had the best job ever, she is a homemaker, as was her mother, and her mother. Somewhere, my generation believed the lie, that to be a homemaker was unsatisfying, and that to be truly happy we had to have careers. I was blessed to be able to stay HOME when my children were little. It wasn't until they were all in school that I had to start working. Today, I was thinking about my girls leaving, and the only thought that kept going through my head, was "I want a do over." I want to spend more time at home, I want to have more family dinners, I want to have family time. Not to say that I didn't do those things, I just wish I had done more. 

  There is one song, that has been going through my head all week. 

"This world is not my home."

I still had to make my card, so here is how my card is home.  (My family)

1. I used pink paper to represent my girls.

2. I used blue paper to represent my boys.

3. The blue paper has words, like "TREASURE", "MEMORIES" "CHERISH" (It was paper that I never thought I would use because of those same words.I just held on to it because I'm a hoarder.See... there is always the chance that I could use that...)

4. The birdhouses, are because I love to bird watch, I also love butterflies. 

5. The sheet music is an old hymn. That represents that my family, because, we are all Christ followers, and we are all musical. I picked this specific hymn because a line in it says..."Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep,when the darkening shadows round about me creep, knowing I shall waken never more to roam. anywhere with JESUS will be HOME, SWEET, HOME."

6. The "THINKING OF YOU" is from a Mark's Finest Papers set that will be released this week called "BRING ON THE SUN". I used the thinking of you sentiment because, I am going to be sending a lot of happy mail to my daughters to let them know that I am thinking of them!!!

7. Now to just decide which girl to send this one to.....

Our Sponsor this week is DRS Designs. This birdhouse is from DRS Desings. They so generously gave it to me a couple of months ago. When I used it before I colored the flowers along the fence to look like sunflowers. Today, I glued paper roses over the flowers instead. I also trimmed the image. There is a third bird house on the stamp.

Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci
And Guest Sister Yolanda



I know my post for today is extra long, but I just really wanted to share this.
This really made me laugh!!




I saw this house yesterday when I was out with my boys. It is hard to see, but it is as wide as it is deep. Maybe 5'x5' for the floor plan. I joked about how we could sleep there if we all slept in little balls with our knees all tucked up tight.  I've seen outhouses about the same size as this HOUSE.
Hope this made you smile. I hope you have a blessed week.

Roses for Rose

This week's SCS Ways to Use it Challenge, WT387 was to make a card with something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. That is where I started with this card. The something old, is this rose dp. I thought that this paper was especially gorgeous, and have been hesitant to use it, but it just felt right for this card. The something new, was this week's NEW sketch at MOJO MONDAY, MOJO253,. The something borrowed, was this TUTORIAL from my friend Pat. I have tried several ways to make paper roses. This one from Pat is super easy. I think the results look more like rose buds than other ways of making roses. The something blue is hard to see, because my camera didn't pick it up too well, there a little blue splotches on the dark pink background. It kinda looks like someone flicked blue paint accidentally onto it. There is a little bit of blue behind the greenery behind the dp roses.

A lot of times as I am making my cards, I will get a feeling that it is supposed to go to a certain person. I believe that this is the Holy Spirit leading me. This week as I was making this card, I was thinking about my friend, Ardy's mom. She has been visiting from Arizona. I have been calling her "ARDY'S MOM" I know that she gets lonely, and as I was making this card, I felt the Holy Spirit's leading to give it to her. Now, I didn't want to address it to ARDY'S MOM, so I texted my friend and asked for her mom's name. When I got the response, I got chills down my spine. My friend's mom's name...? ROSE.

Little tiny babies...grow up

This week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge Hostess is Sandie.

She has picked the following scripture.

I Peter 2:2&3 ...as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, 

that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The natural progression of newborn babies is that they grow and continue to grow until they are all grown up. Two of my babies are leaving to go to college this month. I'll have to admit that I am struggling with this. On one hand, I am so proud of the women that they have become. They are strong, kind, compassionate, confident... women.But the thought of them leaving is so hard. I listen to music on my computer that brings up a memory and I start crying. The Alan Jackson song, "Remember When" is the worst one. I get about half way through the song and start to bawl. Especially when he sings... "

 Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won't be sad, we'll be glad
For all the life we've had
And we'll remember when .

But as sad as I am to have them leave, what would be sadder is if they stayed like newborn babies. I have friends who have had handicapped children, that aren't able to care for themselves, and for all practical purposes, their minds are like little children even if their bodies grow.  

 I don't want to stay a spiritual baby. I want to grow up to be the mature Christian that God has planned for me to be. This scripture says that when we crave this spiritual food, the word of God, we grow, we mature.

I wanted to share with you 2 photos that were taken this Saturday night. With my daughters leaving for

college, we wanted to have a special girls night out.

We drove 2 hrs to get to the big city of Iowa City. We ate dinner at Chili's and 

laughed the whole time. After dinner we drove about 20 more mins. to go to an

Accapella concert. We went to hear Tonic Sol Fa. We are all big fans of this style of

music. The concert was jammed packed, standing room only. I had hoped that while

we were in the city to get to go to Hobby Lobby or Michael's, but that didn't happen. 

Oh well, there is always next time. 

 

 Standing outside after eating at Chili's.

 

The girls with Tonic Sol Fa.

Sandie's challenge this week was to make a baby card or make a card using only pastels.

I used this retired MFP zebra. I went with PINK for a girl in honor of my two girls. I also

did pink, because I had some baby embellishments... but only in one color... You guessed it... PINK.

 Our Sponsor this week is Denami Design.


Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci


If you are sentimental like me, you will need a tissue box to listen to this song.

Keep on Keeping on

Matthew 27:51 "The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

 That is the scripture that my friend Peggysue picked for this week at Stampin'Sisters in Christ Challenge. I thought about this verse all week. To me the great significance of the veil being torn is the fact that I don't have to go to someone to have them go to God on my behalf, I can pray to him directly. I love the thought of having that direct line to God. Two weeks ago our senior pastor was asking the congregation how many people remember the old southern gospel song "Jesus on the Mainline." Mostly white haired people raised their hands. The exceptions were my kids and me. Not a song that most teenagers know. With all the trials of this life, I am glad my kids know where to turn. If you are unfamiliar with Jesus on the Mainline here it is:

The scripture on my card for this week says...

 "Consider it all JOY when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." James 1:2 (One of our sponsor's images)

This week really has put this to the test. My family and I are in our second week of dealing with the fleas in our home problem, and no air conditioning. We didn't really want to use poison on the fleas, but felt we had to. It was very discouraging that after doing the poison route, they were worse than before. My husband finally decided to call a professional. After talking on the phone with the professional, we went home to bag up any clothing or bedding that we had. Now I'll admit that I'm a hoarder when it comes to clothes. I have the clothes that are too small, but I really liked when I was skinnier and maybe I'll wear again if I loose like 80 pounds. I have the clothes I wear now, and the clothes that I need when I gain the weight. Now take my habits and multiply them by the 5 other members of my family and we have a lot of clothes. We also have a lot of bedding because in Iowa, in the winter, you never know when you might need a lot of blankets. We stood Thursday evening, short tempered because of lack of sleep, in sweltering heat bagging the clothing and bedding. The fleas were biting us even though we had sprayed ourselves with OFF bug spray. . It was a very low moment. I felt very discouraged. I didn't really feel like being JOYFUL. I'ld almost reached the point of saying fine, the fleas win, we'll just move out and leave everything.  My boys and I were getting our cots and air mattress out at work where we have been sleeping. They started to complain about not having our comfortable beds. I realized how my attitude was affecting them. I decided to thank God that he had provided what we needed, even if it wasn't what I wanted. That was a turning point for me. I started having a happier spirit. I praise God that the next day I found out that fleas stayed off of us when we rubbed our legs with vaporub. I also found out that this species of fleas really likes water. So we set bowls of water around a light with a little bit of Dawn dish soap. When we checked the bowls this morning, we had captured quite a few of the little monsters. I also found out that you can use salt  on your carpet. They don't like it and will leave. (Add that use to the list of uses for salt that I shared a couple of weeks ago. )  I still have a daunting task ahead of me. I still have no air conditioning, and when we decided to go to the laundry mat to wash all the clothing and bedding at one time, we found out that the laundry mat is closed indefinitely because the owner was found dead in his home this week. I am able to find some humor in the irony of this situation. If I look at all I have to do I start to feel overwhelmed, but I keep reminding myself that I can't worry about the big picture, I can only look at what I have to do this moment and keep on keeping on. That is where the ENDURANCE comes in. I was especially blessed by our sister blog Word Art Wednesday's post this week. I have read it several times.

Peggysue's challenge this week is: use torn paper technique (just tear paper with your fingers and use it somehow on your card, but it must be torn, not cut)

I might have gotten a little carried away with the tearing, but I really like how it turned out.

Our sponsor this week is Inspired Stamps. Make sure you check them out.


Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci

When I thought about the trials of life, I thought of this song. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.

Summer by the Mississippi River

This morning, my son Joshua and I were driving along the Mississippi river. 

It was hot and muggy. Even though it was early, it was well into the 90's.

I just had to take these photo, because even though it was

hot, it was a beautiful morning.

 

 Mommy and Papa Geese.

 When I went to take this photo,

 all the little babies who had been

 swimming right next to the shore 

quickly swam under the lily  pads.
(Correction... I mistakenly called these water lilies when in fact
they are lotus flowers. I learned that to be a water lily the leaves float
directly on the water, while lotus leaves are on stalks that are
above the surface of the water. I love learning new things. )

 A field of Chicory and Queen Anne's Lace.

Summer on the Mississippi River.

Season for sympathy

Mojo251  and TLC387 were the two challenges that influenced this sympathy card.

SEASONS

A Time for Everything  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
   a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

There is one thing I know about the seasons of the year, it doesn't stay the same forever.  Right now we are in the hottest days of summer (Today it was 107, still no air-conditioning), but in a matter of weeks, it will be fall and just a few more weeks then the cold days of winter will be upon me.
Life is filled with changes.
 It made me think of the seasons of life. My daughters are starting a season in a couple of weeks called "moving away from home to go to college" and I will be starting the season of  "half empty nest" (Half empty because I will still have my two boys at home.). In the past 2 months, 3 of my friends have started the season of being widows. What season are you going through? The comforting thought that the Holy Spirit gave me tonight, was that God is in control of the seasons.

 Daniel 2:21
He changes times and seasons...

He is always with me no matter what the season. When I was a young mom with crying babies, He was there. When I went through the season of having toddlers, who refused to take naps, He was there. When I had teenaged daughters suffering from pms, and the drama that goes along with that, He was there. He is with me now and as I head into unknown seasons, He has promised never to leave me

.Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. 

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,

 for the LORD your God goes with you;

 he will never leave you nor forsake you.

I just hope that my friends know that I am thinking of them, and praying for them, and that God is with them.

I have been listening to this song tonight as I made this card.

"God will take care of you"

Hostess this week for Stampin' Sisters in Christ:  Michelle

Scripture:  

 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:30

Michelle's Challenge: To make a CAS (Clean and Simple) card.

This last week has been a struggle for me with dealing with a flea infestation in my home as well as the air conditioner going out with HOT JULY weather. I was also struggling with the fact that I really couldn't afford to deal with either of these problems. I was very sad and having a pity party for myself. I am thankful that I have sisters in Christ who came along side me this week. They prayed for me and encouraged me. My Stampin' Sister in Christ,  Helen reminded me of this...

 
My God shall supply all my needs
According to His riches in glory
He will give His angels charge over me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me

 My Stampin' Sister in Christ, Traci, reminded me of the Ten Boom sisters and how God used the fleas to protect them when they were sharing the gospel in the prison camps. 

The hymn "God will take care of you" was going through my head all day Friday. I even broke out singing it, to the frustration of my youngest son. I guess it isn't cool for teenaged boy's moms to just start singing out of nowhere. 

How does this tie into this week's scripture? Well, when I was hot and tired and trying to deal with these problems, I was feeling very weary.  The two verses before this week's scripture say...

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest

. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

 for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 

 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

When I turned my burdens to Christ, I felt a peace and a rest in my soul. I still have the fleas and I am going on day 4 with no air conditioner at home, but I am still trusting that God will a provide a way to solve these problems.I don't know how, but that is where FAITH comes in. I hope someday,  to be able to look back on the events of this week, and be able to see how God was moving in my life. Even if it is just to increase my faith.

 

This week's sponsor is A DAY FOR DAISIES. I was blessed to get one of the images. I choose this little girl with the flowers.She has such a sweet little face. I really struggle with CAS, because there is no room to make mistakes. I have to admit that I frequently make mistakes when making my cards, but they can quickly be covered over with another layer or an embellishment. This card is CAS, in that it is very limited in layers. Just the white on top of the blue. I simply colored her in. The phrase "God will take care of you" was printed using my computer. I know that most people wouldn't sew on a card that they considered CAS, but I just couldn't help myself. I just wanted to frame her.

I love this version of the song "God will take care of you" sung by PLUMB. It was a big blessing to me and i know it will touch your heart too. Let the words speak to your soul.




Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci

MFP July Blog Hop Day 4 Hot & Spicy

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

    July Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Asian Delights Featured July 17
Wild & Free Featured July 18
Garden Art Featured July 19
Hot & Spicy Featured July 20

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 July 21, 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 July 20, 2012.

I decided to go with a very CAS card. So not my usual style, but I love how these chili peppers look, and I decided to let them speak for themselves. Only one layer on this card. I stamped the peppers and "HOT" with black stazon ink. I used 5 different shades of red to color the peppers. What is fun with this set is the coloring, and the most fun is seeing how these peppers look where I don't color. The highlights really make the image pop.I then used one of the reds to draw lines around the images. I also used a cuttlebug border to emboss a line between the two. It is kinda hard to see in the photo. I then sprinkled gold embossing powder over the card and heated. I liked the look of the randomness.

There is another reason that I made a CAS card. I wanted to emphasis how much fun simple can be. When I first saw this set, this is what I heard in my head.

 "Not last night but the night before...24 robbers came knocking on my door... I asked them what they wanted... This is what they said.... "H" "O" "T" hot peppers!!"

Do you remember this? I volunteer and work with a lot of youth programs with scouts and our church. I am saddened that so many simple games that I played as a child are being lost on this generation. I have played these games with my own kids, but the kids in the programs have never played, jacks, marbles, hide and seek, hand clapping games or jump rope rhymes. These kids think of a game  as something that has to have a cord or controller and is hooked up to a computer or television.  A very sad statement indeed. If you know any little kids, I challenge you to share one of these older, simple games with them. 

 

This is a card I made the other day using this set.

. It made me think of a giant tortilla chip. I love

Tex-Mex food. I grew up in New Mexico and Arizona.

The midwest is a nice place to live, but they don't really

know what Tex-Mex tastes like. 

What they call hot here in Iowa, I taste and go, that

isn't hot. The hottest food I have ever had, was

in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I had green chili 

enchiladas, that made you feel like your mouth 

and stomach were on fire. I could go for some of that

right now. How about you? 

MFP July Blog Hop, Garden Art

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

    July Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Asian Delights Featured July 17
Wild & Free Featured July 18
Garden Art Featured July 19
Hot & Spicy Featured July 20



What is it about bugs? Some are scary looking, like centipedes. Some are dangerous, like scorpions. Some are annoying like flies. Some are pests and present a health issue, like mosquitoes. And then some capture my imagination and make me smile, like butterflies. I was thinking about that this morning as my husband and I bombed our house for the third time this month to try to eliminate some stubborn, pesky fleas.As I walked
out the door, I was thinking "DIE, BUGS DIE!!!!!!" Then I looked over at my flower bush and there were two little yellow butterflies dancing in the air over the flowers. Such a contrast. I think it is in part, that butterflies have such wonderful colors and varieties, and I have never had one bite me!!!

When I saw this set, I was intrigued by this butterfly.(If you follow my blog at all, it won't take you long to see that I am a butterfly aficionado.) It is quite different from all my other butterflies. It is a little more stylized than most of the butterflies that I use. I usually try to color my butterflies to mimic realistic butterflies. I'll have to admit, I struggled with this one. You probably wouldn't, but I did, just because it was outside my comfort zone. I must have stamped this butterfly 20 times and I rejected those 20. Finally, I took a scrap of the paper that I brayered for yesterday's card. I just stamped the butterfly with black stazon onto that scrap.  Then with my pink and orange prisma colored pencils, I added just a line of color to the top butterfly. The bottom butterfly I didn't add the color. (It is the same butterfly by the way. I just cut 2 of the right hand side of the butterfly and glued one on top of the other). I used this last Monday's MOJO 250 sketch.. Making this card was a nice distraction from my other bug troubles. I hope you enjoy looking at what the rest of the design team has created using this set.

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 July 21, 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 July 20, 2012.


 

MFP July Blog Hop Day 2 Be Wild and Free

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

    July Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Asian Delights Featured July 17
Wild & Free Featured July 18
Garden Art Featured July 19
Hot & Spicy Featured July 20

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 July 21, 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 July 20, 2012.

I haven't made a waterfall card in a long time. These small animals
seemed to me to be the perfect size
to place on a waterfall card.
To make the background of my card,
I took my brayer and I wrapped rubber bands
around it. I then rolled the brayer using brown ink.
I randomly rolled the ink. The end result kinda
looked like leather to me. 

I have always used THIS TUTORIAL by Dawn to make my
waterfall cards. She makes it so easy. 

 

 

 

 

 

MFP July Blog Hop Day 1- Asian Delights

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

    July Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Asian Delights Featured July 17
Wild & Free Featured July 18
Garden Art Featured July 19
Hot & Spicy Featured July 20

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 July 21, 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 July 20, 2012.

 

I stamped the cherry blossoms from the MFP - ASIAN DELIGHTS set on a piece of white cardstock, colored them in, and cut that cardstock into 3 panels. I sewed paper lace over the top. I used paper tole technique on the cherry blossoms cluster. I stamped the symbol and sentiment for peace on a piece of white cardstock and matted it with maroon and black cardstock.  As with any flower cards I make, I just can't help myself. I have to add a butterfly. I used a butterfly from the new MFP set called GARDEN ART, that will be featured on the 19th.

This is a card I made last week using the same set, with special stitching and pearls.