Today

Today is a NEW DAY!!!  :)

(Isn't it good sometimes to remind ourselves of that)



We are are never finished (we continually grow and change).  Some days are better than others.

God's mercies are new every day.  

The Devil is Real

I have nothing profound to share with you today. I will just share a bit about where I am at.

Sometimes I feel like a puppet on a string. The great deceiver and manipulator manages to reach into my life and get me to do things that I don't want to do....to be someone that I don't want to be. No, I am not putting off the blame. But, I can just picture him laughing at the stuff he is able to get away with...the stuff he is able to get people to do. Why do I let him in???

Lately, more than ever, I have been feeling like there is a war going on for my soul. The devil doesn't want me to serve the Lord and he is fighting for me.

Stamping

I have so many stamps...but I often forget to use them.  Does this happen to you too?  Well, last night I sat down and purposely got out some stamps to use on a layout.  I used several stamps, in different ways.

Stamping:

* First I stamped the circle doodle stamp on to patterned paper and then cut them out.
* Second, I stamped and embossed the smaller trees by the big tree.
* Then I also used small letter stamps.  When I did this, I didn't even bother trying to stamp them in a line. :)



Close up:


I just love this layout.  I have lots of pictures of my boys smiling or not smiling.  This one has expressions that are in between.  I love their looks.  Also, that big picture is one of my favorites.  I love how they were being playful in it.  But unfortunately, most of my youngest got cut out of the picture.  I didn't let this discourage me though...I used it to my advantage.  I placed the tree over his face so it looks like he is peeking out behind the tree.  It made the picture even more playful.  :)

Supplies for "My Favorite Boys" layout:

Patterned Paper--Pink Paislee, Stamps--Pink Paislee (circle doodle), Imaginisce (trees), and Stampin' Up! (letters), Chipboard Letters--Basic Grey, Ink Pads--Stampin' Up!, Embossing powder--Stampin' Up!, Bird Charms--Jewel Craft LLC (Aren't these cute...I bought them here), Thread--DMC, Grungeboard--Tim Holtz, Ribbon--American Crafts

I got out some Pink Paislee stuff for this layout.  I love their stuff!  They are having a Design Team call right now.  Check it out here.  Wouldn't that be SO cool!!!  I wanted to pass that along.

Also, they are having an AWESOME giveaway right now.  I think you have only a day left to comment, but check it out here.

A gift box

So I have been competing in the "Flipping Out for the Holidays Contest" over at AMM.  So far, it's been a lot of fun.  The first challenge was to make Christmas ornaments.  These were what I did.  The second challenge was to wrap those ornaments.  I altered a tin from Maya Road and made it into a gift box.  I added patterned paper to it, and sanded the edges. I cut the middle from the paper and left the see-through area that was on the tin. I turned it over though and smeared red glitter all over the back of the see-through area. Then I added my embellishments to make it look fancy. :)  Here is what it ended up looking like:

And I just found out that I made it to round 3!  Yeah!  :)  So I will be working on the next challenge soon.  

SC Sketch

Here's today's Scrapbook Challenges sketch:

And here is what some of the SC girls did with the sketch:

Alyssa McGrew--

Marilyn Wiggins--

Pinky Hobbs--

Sookie Francisco--

Still Wrapping

Here is a spin off what I posted yesterday.  I am still wrapping around elements.  This time I tried wrapping torn strips of paper around a chipboard snowflake.

I started with this:

Then I just started wrapping the paper around the snowflake.  

Here's how I used the snowflake...I made a Christmas card.  

Supplies

Cardstock--Bazzill, Chipboard Snowflake--Stampin' Up!, Stamp Roller--Glitz Designs, Paper and Rub-on--Imaginisce, button--Basic Grey, Trim--unknown.

Wrap it up!

No...I am not talking about Christmas presents.  :)  I have been playing lately...coming up with new things to try.  I think a great way to add texture or design to a project is to wrap something around another element. Such as wrapping thread around ribbon or chipboard. This is what I tried first.

I took my chipboard and thread and just wrapped the thread around the whole thing.

Here's my finished layout with my wrapped star on it:

Close up:

Notice that I not only wrapped my chipboard star but I wrapped thread around the felt trim that is on my page too.  

This was a lot of fun...a little time consuming but worth it for the unique look.  :)  

Papers and flowers are from Making memories.  Felt trim from Creative Imaginations.  Various scraps of paper used fro the quilt behind star.  Lace unknown.  One letter from American Crafts.  3D Paint from Scribbles.  Thread from DMC.  

Christmas with Creative Imaginations

Last night I made two layouts on Chipboard that I am going to hang on our wall for Christmas.  These are for my ScrapLovers reveal.  Our product this month is from Creative Imaginations...this stuff is specifically from Creative Cafe (under Creative Imaginations).  They make these awesome 12 x 12 Chipboard pieces that coordinate with their products, so I used those as a sturdy base for my projects.  Here's what they ended up looking like (click on them to make them bigger):

You can find the awesome Creative Cafe line of stuff, including the chipboard pieces, here.  

A New Favorite Layout

Last night I finished a layout that I just love!  It is so not the typical me.  It has one of my boys AND pink on it....but I think it works!  I used the beautiful papers from Autumn leaves by Rhonna Farrer that were in the November kit from the Coconut ScrapShop.  Here it is:  

Oh and on a side note...Memory Makers requested one of my layouts!  Yeah!!!!  :)

An Attitude of Gratitude

This is something I have wanted to start for a little while.  I am starting a new tradition in our household.  For Thanksgiving, we will have a gratitude jar.  We will all write down what we are thankful for and put it in the jar.  

Then I will take all of our notes and make a page for our "Book of Gratitude" where we keep track of everything we are thankful for over the years.  :)

I made the above projects (and more to come) with my November kit from The Coconut ScrapShop.  Even the book itself is in the kit.  It came looking like this though.  I altered it.  The stuff on top popped off very easily and then I added paper and embellishments to make it my one-of-a-kind book.  

SC Sketch

Here's today's Scrapbook Challenges sketch:

And here is what some of the SC Girls did...

Alyssa McGrew--

Sookie Francisco--

Telah Wrenn--

And I also posted this sketch on the Coconut ScrapShop forum last month, click here to see what people did with the sketch there.  

Yet Another :)

I have another Christmas card to show you today.  It was for Deanne's sketch.  You can see her sketch and the other cards here.   Here's mine:

And in case  you are wondering...no, I won't just be skipping Thanksgiving (craft-wise).  :)  I have a little project up my sleeves that I hope to post soon.  :)

Christmas Cards galore

So I am teaching a Christmas Cards class tonight...thought I would show you the cards that we are doing:  

That last one has a pocket, which can be used for an additional note, a photo, a gift card, a recipe...whatever you want.  :)

Christmas Ornaments

Believe it or not, I have never made Christmas ornaments before (besides those awesome ones I made in elementary school that my mom still has).  But today, while Austin was at school, Hayden and I made some Christmas ornaments.  Hayden doesn't want me to show you his, but I will show you what I made.  :) 

I painted the bird white, added rub-on's, and then I place strips of ribbon on it and painted scalloped lines over them.  

All of these are simply chipboard that I painted and decorated.  That last one has a star for each of my kids (even the unborn one).  

Stories in Hand

So I am currently taking Jessica Spague's "Stories in Hand" class.  So far, we have essentially received a free book that we put together.  I can't wait to see what else comes in the class.  But I wanted to show you what all I have done so far.

This is the material that Jessica provided us with.  I simply printed it all, cut, and then bound it.  I didn't do anything special or unique with it.  But it is cool...full of journaling prompts and ideas.  

This is essentially a companion book to use as you work on your journaling projects. So I wanted to make a album/journal to use for my projects.  I will record my stories in it. It will mostly be stories that I do not have pictures for.  But I will still use my scrapbooking supplies and embellishments to design the pages the stories are on.  Anyways...here is the cover that I made for this album:

I used the same digital materials that Jessica designed for the class and added some of my own embellishments.  Since it is going to be a cover of a book, there is a lot of stitching because I didn't want any of my embellishments to fall off over time.

Well, let me know what you think of it.  I will have to set it aside for now, and I will probably get back to the pages of the book in a few months.  Too many current projects to work on.  :)  But I will show you when I do start telling my stories.

Gods speaks in unusual verses

"The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?  Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of bethlehem.  I have chosen one of his sons to be King."  (1 Samuel 16:1)

As I read this verse I couldn't help but compare this with Christians and this recent election.  For many, the results of the election are not what we had hoped for.  Whether we are mourning Bush or McCain's loss, we can't seem to wrap our heads around this idea that God HAS determined who shall be President.   His ways are not our own, but never-the-less HE is in control.  

In 1 Samuel 16 it goes on to tell of how Samuel visits Jesse and meets his sons...several who could certainly be king material...but who has God chosen...not the one people thought He would.    

"But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him.  Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart."  (1 Samuel 16:7)

Do you know the heart of a man?  It's hard not to think you know somebody by what you have seen or by what others have said about them.  The Lord sees and knows people differently than we do.  It may be a stretch to think of our current political situations as relating to these Bible verses in 1 Samuel.  But you know what...that is what the Lord was speaking to me about as I read these verses.  

Further thoughts on our new President Elect:

I don't doubt for a second that God has put Obama in this position:

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God."  (Romans 13:1)

What I don't know is the reason that Obama is in this position.  The way I see it, either God IS going to work through him and do wonderful things.  Or...(as I have heard from many Christians) he is the precursor to the antiChrist.  But even if the later is the case, there is nothing we can do about it...it is God's will.  We don't know what is going to happen.  I am hearing all sorts of things..."mark my words ____ is going to happen", "we have brought it on ourselves", I even heard "we must not have prayed enough."  But the truth is 1) we don't know what is going to happen.  2)  We don't really know who Obama really is.  3)  We do know that God has picked him for our next president.  

I am choosing to trust God and wait and see what He is going to do.  How about you?  

Question for my readers

So this is my 15th post in November, even though it is only the 11th.  I have posted a lot lately.  My question for you is should I spread it out and schedule posts so there is only one post a day?  I know that often when we look at a blog, we just read the top post and that is it, and I would like people to see them all.  Do you read only the top post or scroll down and see everything since you last viewed it?  What are your thoughts on this?

A lot of Green :)

Lately it seems I am using a lot of green on my stuff!  This is not very typical of me, I guess I just have been in a green mood.  Does that say something about me?  

Anyways, here's a layout I just finished.  I wasn't too sure how much I liked it at first, but it is totally growing on me.  :)  

It's hard to tell unless you click on the photo and see the bigger image, but there is glitter on the chipboard circles and a label folded around it.  Inside the circle, on the photo, I put bubble rub-on's that you would only see through the circle.  

Supplies:

Paper--GCD Studios, Cardstock--Bazzill, Letters--American Crafts, Rub-on's--K and Company, Chipboard--Creating Keepsakes, Label--Jenni Bowlin, Cheeky Flat Clip--Making Memories, Paint--Making Memories and Scribbles, Stickles from Ranger, Rhinestones--Darice, Computer Font--Conrad Veidt, Computer Program--Microsoft Word.

An intro to David or Pamela?

So I have had the study "David (90 Days with a Heart Like His)" by Beth Moore sitting on a table for several months.  I had bought it and really wanted to get back into a study...but then there it sat, untouched.  Has that happened to you?  If it has, I encourage to go, right now, and start that study!  I am thankful for people that remind us of such things.  A person who I don't even really know, who simply directed me back to my own blog...to my own Spiritual Journey was that reminder for me...I am thankful for her.

Anyways, I opened it up and started.

The introduction amused me.   As Beth introduced us to this person (whom we all have heard about) it sounded as if she was describing myself.  Not because I am anyone special (in the way that David was) but we do have a lot in common.  David was capable of having the most loving, disciplined relationship with God.  He was capable of doing right by God and helping others to also.  He was called (what I believe to be the highest compliment) a man after God's own heart.  But he was also capable of the worst sins...the kinds of things where we simply think "what was he thinking!!!"  And he did both...he had the best and the worst in him...very much like myself.  

I will leave you with a couple thoughts.  These are basic, simple truths.  But I think that perhaps us Christians have a problem, because we so often forget to come back to the basics, because we think it is for baby Christians.  I say it is for ALL Christians...to be reminded of over and over again.  

*  "...an intimate love relationship with God is the highest blessing possible in this life or the next."  (Beth Moore)

*  "Studying God's Word has enormous life-enhancing value."  (Beth Moore)

How could I have neglected such simple truths...truths that I KNOW to be true from my own experiences?  

Upsy Daisy Designs ROCKS! :)

So a little while back Upsy Daisy Designs had a design team call.  I chose to submit to the call, but of course found out that I did not make the team.  BUT about a week or so ago, I got a package in the mail from them.  It said thank you for trying out for the team and they sent me some of their product.  I thought that was very cool of them!  So, I made a page with some of the awesome product that they sent, here it is:

SC Sketch

Here is the Scrapbook Challenges sketch for today...

And here is what two members of the DT did:

Brynn Dukes--

Marilyn Wiggins--

How about you?  Would love to see what you do with the sketch...leave me a comment with a link so I can check it out.  :)  

I am horrible.

So I haven't posted in forever on this blog.  I am so sorry to anybody that happened to have been by.  I actually forgot about this blog.  At some point in time I had clicked "hide this blog" on my dashboard or profile and so I never saw it.  I didn't know anybody had even read it.  Someone reminded me of it tonight...she said she read both my blogs, and I had no idea what she was talking about with the "both" until she said "A Spiritual Journey."  I immediately came over to look at the blog, and saw there were actually comments on it!  So, now I feel horrible.  I should have posted more.  The truth is...I should have posted more, not for anybody else's benefit, but for my own!!!  Having a spiritual blog is like having a spiritual journal...it holds me accountable.  I am ashamed to say that I haven't had a journal or this blog lately for my walk with Christ.  I have occasionally read the Bible or done a devotional...but it is nothing like I used to do.  So I am reminded tonight of the importance of spending time with my God!  I need to do more.  I will do more.  Lord, I am so sorry for putting other things above You.  Please forgive me.

CPS 90

I have so many posts this week, it is crazy!  So make sure you scroll down, because there may be several posts a day for a while.  :)  Anyways, I was quick this week with the CPS sketch (sketch 90).  I made a Christmas card with it (no surprise there, huh).  Here it is:

Supplies:

Cardstock--Bazzill

Stamps--Hero Arts and Stampin' Up! 

Lace Paper (Christmas Tree)--Deja Views

Gems--Hero Arts

Ribbon--Stampin' Up!

Markers--Stampin' Up! 

Glitter--Stickles from Ranger Industries

School-time with Creative Imaginations

Here's my second reveal for ScrapLovers.  This layout was made with Creative Imaginations "Smarty" line (under Helen Dardik).  I had a lot of fun making this one...I bet you can tell.  :) 

The letters I added are Thickers from American Crafts.  I love this line...it is so cute.

Halloween with Creative Imaginations

Here is my first Halloween layout for this year. :) It is also my first reveal for ScrapLovers for November. This month we were sent several different collections from Creative Imaginations. So I will make a layout from each collection to show you. This is the "Spooks and Spirits" collection (under Studio Basics 101).

A Christmas Wall-Hanging :)

So, yesterday I showed you my Maya Road house and told you that it came with a mini album.  I decided to make the mini album a wall-hanging.  It's cool, it folds up and is stored inside my Christmas house.  I picked a saying that went with the house..."It is Christmas in the Heart that puts Christmas in the Home."  I used a heart chipboard for the "heart" part of the saying, and cut pieces from the chipboard that was inside the windows to form a house for the "home" in the saying.   Here it is:

Here are some close-ups of each part:

All the paper is from Imaginisce's "Snowy Jo" line.  The tags are from Making Memories.  The chipboard (and the album) are from Maya Road.  I used a lot of different brands of letters.  If there is something that you want to know who makes it...just ask me.   :)