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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas




For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Isaiah 9:6


Blessings to you, may you feel the Peace of Christ this day!

Up Close

Merry Christmas to my friends who celebrate it!  


Have you ever noticed that something looks amazing from a distnce - the beach, a painting, the snow, perhaps your perfectly tweezed eye brows (or maybe that is just me). BUT when you get up close, it may not be so attractive? Maybe the beach sand is hot or the water too cold...or a painting is found to be a print and not the original, or the snow is heavy and wet and not at all romantic...or your eyebrows...well..maybe that IS just me!


My final layout for the AUTHENTIC Kit is called Up Close and I'm talking all about it over on Inside Out today.



Peace, ya'll!



Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas Eve

Today we will do as much of our family tradition - having a Star Wars movie day - as we can.

We will share a Christmas Eve service and then head to my family's home for our very first Christmas Eve ALL together.

Tonight we will read the Christmas Story from Luke and put out cookies and celery for benevolent Santa and say our prayers and sing Happy Birthday Jesus.

And after everyone is in bed, I'll make myself a hot drink and settle with my camera in front of the tree to take my annual Christmas Eve tree photo..

...and remember that a baby was born to save my soul.

I will remember that He could have come with all the force of heaven, in a violent and powerful kingly way...

But that He came instead quietly and serenely as a helpless baby to fully experience humanity.

All Praise to Jesus!


Peace to you all, this Christmas Eve.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

One Solitary Life

I've posted this here often in my blogging time...it never ceases to amaze me how something that seems so very complicated is, in fact, something quite simple.

The credited author is Dr. James Allen Francis.

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in another village.

He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.

Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home.

He never wrote a book.

He never held an office.

He never had a family.

He never went to college.

He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.

He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves.

While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat.

When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.


Never underestimate the wonder that God can do with one simple and solitary life!

Peace, everyone!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Selfie

Have you ever done a project that you loved...but not really so much?  This is one of those projects...

I love it. I love the color, the layout, the message...but I don't. 

It doesn't feel like my work - and yet it does. 

does that make sense?

Today I'm working through AUTHENTIC, this project and selfies over on Inside Out. Join me to explore!




Peace, ya'll



Friday, December 12, 2014

Card Friday

This is my final set of cards from the Embellish Kit November card kit

These last three are larger and/or square..


To be honest, I tend to like these larger or not "card" shaped cards...they catch my eye in stores and I really enjoyed making some of my own. 


This one is a 5 X 7 card...something special maybe for someone special...


For the final card, I took some liberties withe design. I didn't really like the design in the kit, so I played around until I came up with something I liked better. Go me, getting all creative! HAHA!


Christmas is in full swing in our home. I love this time of year...the expectancy, the kindness that is displayed, the generosity. I wish we could have THOSE things all year long!

Peace, ya'll!



Thursday, December 11, 2014

Counterfeit

Hi, everyone!  

When exploring the monthly words at Inside Out, I make an attempt to consider the antonyms as well as the synonyms. For authentic, that would be the word counterfeit...

I'm exploring this antonym over on Inside Out today...I would love if you would visit and share your thoughts. 




Peace, ya'll

Monday, December 08, 2014

Cards on my own - Simple Stories DIY Christmas

You knew it was about to happen, right?  Me venturing into the world of cards without a kit.

So, the honest truth is that its not really "without a kit."

I started with  a very well-coordinated set of supplies - not exactly a kit, but close enough to make me feel comfortable. I began with the DIY kraft cards and envelopes form Simple Stories:


 Then, I added some supplies from their DIY Christmas line.


The supplies were rounded out by some Xmas Red, Crystal and Green Stickles:


The result: eight Christmas cards that went together very quickly and that I absolutely LOVE!









There are even matching envelopes!



Peace, ya'll!


Saturday, December 06, 2014

October Afternoon Santa Sack #2

I'm a great fan of October Afternoon's various lines...last year, I took advantage of their December Santa Sack sale and this year, when the opportunity came up I couldn't pass it up.

This year, I got the Week 2 Santa Sack. (although no two weeks are alike, so if you wanted a sack with different products, there are still two weeks left, plus a stamp sack at the end.

I was quite excited to see the box yesterday...


As usual, the Santa Sack didn't disappoint.:


This one had papers from Daily Flash Snapshots, Daily Flash Girl Talk, Daily Flash Eggnog, Daily Flash All Boy, Daily Flash Apple Cider, Daily Flash Milk Money, Holiday Style, Boarding Pass, Farm House, Travel Girl, Public Library, and Silent Night. (even though there is a huge mix here, I love how the colors of the OA lines all still go together and would work on layouts).


There are Mini Market letters in Kraft & Black, Sticky Keys in Teal & Cream, one chip board and sticker letter sets from Daily Flash, Daily Flash Apple Cider Stickers, two 6 x 8 paper packs from Daily Flash, Border Stickers and Sew Fun Banners from Travel Girl, and Word Stickers from Public Library.


The embellishments are also so amazing! There are three sets of die cut shapes from Daily Flash Eggnog, Daily Flash Snapshots, and Daily Flash All Boy. There are Doo-Dads from Public Library, and two sets of Memory Cards from Daily Flash Milk Money and Daily Flash All Boy. Some brads from Public Library, a Miscellany set form Witch Hazel and two washi rolls are included. Finally, two stamps from Daily Flash - one is the Decade stam and the other is the Catch Phrase.


If you are looking for a great infusion of new bits, pieces, tapes, letters and papers for your stash, this is a GREAT little investment.

I'm so ready to go play now!!!

Peace, ya'll!!!

Friday, December 05, 2014

Card Friday

Some more amazing Christmas cards as we embark on the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

(I guess that reveals how old school i can be when it comes to Christmas!)

These are a couple more from my Embellish It November Kit. 


I really love the RED that Simple Stories uses in their lines...Being a Coke person, that red is almost the PERFECT red to my thinking...Its like Jillibean Soups green...PERFECT.


And again, the bits and pieces in their DIY Christmas die cut pack are amazing...

and Plentiful...

And so so gorgeous.


I kind of wish I'd ordered two of this kit so I could make more of these...but those I have will have to do!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, December 04, 2014

Real Deal

Hey, everyone!


I have but a handful of "real deal" friends, though I attempt to surround myself with "real deal" people on a consistent basis...

These two...they just love me and my family for exactly who we are...our authentic selves. 



Peace, ya'll!

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Authentic.

I'm a day late on this one...but I just HAVE to show you this kit...

As one last month of 2014 lies before us, its is only right that we end with AUTHENTIC at Inside Out.



I have serious love for this little baby...Its THE most colorful, luscious kit...and it made me WANT to just do 100 layouts about all the ways that I am trying to embrace authenticity and all the ways I fear I might not be fully authentic. 


Let me tell you, there is no word I want to embrace more than AUTHENTIC. I can think of a thousand ways that I hope my life embodies this one word.

And these beautiful products have me really excited to explore!!!

And...if you join us today by getting your own kit, there is an exclusive cut file available...its really amazing!

I'm working on being a more authentic artist, more true to my own style, more willing to play on layouts and really have fun with my art.

I will admit my fear of judgement is deep!

Come on over and explore Authentic with us!

Peace, ya'll!

Friday, November 28, 2014

Card Friday

Its BLACK Friday.

I don't officially shop on Black Friday...except perhaps on line.

I refuse to become part of the "stuff for cheap" masses. 

Plus, people are crazy and I don't need that in my life.

But one thing that this day DOES mean for me: the Christmas Season can officially begin in the Krech household. 

For my kickoff, I wanted to share some awesome Christmas cards from my Embellish Kits November card kit.

I
LOVE
THIS
KIT

Ok, really...there hasn't been one I didn't love...


This kit came with the DIY Christmas Die Cut pack from Simple Stories. I couldn't believe the variety and the GREAT pieces that were in that little baggy. 



They so beautifully coordinated that the cards go together in a snap. 


This little gem of a paper is from the December Documented line by Simple Stories. I like this line so much that I'm getting some more of the Simple Stories DIY line to make more cards.


So....Uh oh, and look out...I'm finally going to venture out on my own in this card making realm...

Peace, ya'll!

and for those of you shopping today - may the force be with you!

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Kiss

It seems appropriate on Thanksgiving that I would be sharing a layout about kisses from Heaven...

Check out Inside Out today for the story behind Kiss...






Peace, ya'll. 

Friday, November 21, 2014

Card Friday

One more set of beautiful cards from the July 2014 Card Kit from Embellish It...I have loved every single card I've made with this kit!

Once again, the blue ink pad was used for edging each piece.



The hello paper is the most adorable paper in the 6 x 6 format. In fact, the re-sizing of all of the prints for the 6 X 6 used in this kit are adorable. The whole pad is eye-catching and versatile.


This little typewriter is my favorite element...


Have a beautiful Friday, every one!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Me vs Me

How do you measure "luck"? or for me blessing? 

I mean, if I were to take a look at MANY of the lives around me, I might think THEY were more blessed than me...

And, oh, my goodness, isn't that the easiest thing in the world to do?

Head on over to Inside Out today as I get into how I measure "luck".



Peace, ya'll!