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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Strong Enough

Hello there!

This is my FINAL project from the Soft and Strong Kit from Inside Out. 

I don't know if I can gush enough about how much I enjoyed the exploration of this kit!  Its been a great kit for thinking and digging and discerning and documenting. 

My final layout is about how I wonder sometimes if I'm strong enough to mommy two boys. 





Peace, ya'll!




Friday, April 24, 2015

I simply remember my favorite things…

Some days are so busy all I can do is pass longingly by my scrapbook studio sanctuary and gaze longingly at my favorite things…

So if I can’t create…I’ll blog about it…seems logical, right?

Alrighty then…

I’m a patterned paper girl…I love paper, especially patterned paper. I tend to favor certain manufactures in spurts…These days, it’s Echo Park, Bella Blvd and Pink Paislee.


And plain old white cardstock…followed closely by kraft. (and right now I'm in love with the MME cardstock!)




I love spray INK…LOVE it…my favorite used to be Mister Huey’s from Studio Calico…but these days, I’m diggin’ Heidi Swapp Color Shine…the colors are amazing and the Gold is the best I’ve ever seen.



My favorite adhesive “trick” is Scotch Mounting Tape. I use this stuff for all kinds of dimensional projects…I learned at a workshop taught by Angela Moen from The Button Farm to put it on the back of stickers, die cuts, and even chipboard.



One of my favorite tools is a little Close to My Heart edge distressor…I won it at a crop and it has been the best “win” of all, I think.



My final cool favorite is Perfect Paper Adhesive. May Flaum introduced me to this stuff while I was taking a workshop of hers on multi-media. It’s the greatest stuff. Matte finish, dries clear and holds fast very quickly..perfect for embellishments. 



There you have it...my favorite supplies of the moment. (actually...probably of all time...they are pretty universal).

Now...to find some time to hide out in that blessed craft room!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

These Hands

Hello, scrappy crafty friends!!!

I'm sharing another project from the gorgeous Soft and Strong Kit from Inside Out...this one MIGHT be my favorite!  





Its just that I so vividly remember my grandmothers hands...I want them to be somewhere in my books. They have been so important...

Head on over to the Inside Out Blog and get the rest of the story!


Peace, ya'll!



Monday, April 20, 2015

Crazy Town USA...

Since January, I've sort of felt like I've been living in crazy town..

There was the very cold winter, coupled with a kitchen/living room remodel. and while we are IN the two new rooms, we haven't gotten all the displaced stuff OUT of the other rooms yet. I did, at last, donate our kitchen table, chairs, coffee table sofa and chaise lounge to various charities.  But my garage still has no room for the second car becuase..well...stuff....

There were a couple of crazy work months...I haven't traveled for work so far this year, but even so, when critical projects deploy, there are some wild work hours and a constantly ringing cell phone.

There was the flu...yes, my friends...I was a lucky recipient of the flu a while back...and my husband was in Las Vegas at the time.  For some reason, I've had difficulty getting back into the swing of things since...just about the time I get my energy back, my littles bring home a new, fun version of the stuffy nose.

There has been the great strides my husband has made in his own business. Which probably doesn't mean anything to you all, but it does mean that household chores that he used to do may not be done by him any longer...

and so on and so forth...

Translation...i'm just not getting my projects done! ACK!

I have, however, been cataloging inspiration and things I so totally want to try...

There is a major shift this time of year toward projects that have that washed out summer feel. I'm totally in love with the sun-shiney, over-exposed look...like this one from Studio Mirabeel



I'm somewhat in a tizzy over Mel Blackburn's work these days. Even tho her projects are smaller than I typically create, I'm quite in love with how she handles layering and details...especially these:



I have become somewhat obsessed with globes and maps over the last couple of years...so far, my obsession has only included pinning...but I saw this on etsy and thought it was amazing and wonderful. Is it worthy to be my collection starter?


Oh, and I've also been etsy obsessed with a little shop called A Flair For Buttons. WONDERFUL shop...and yes, I'm enabling you...Coolest thing? You can get them backed one of three ways so that you can do what YOU want with them. These are some of my faves:




I pinned this lovely little thing to my Gift Goodness board from Bonkers About Buttons...it would make a great tag for a crafter, wouldn't it?


I added these Tim Holtz Robot Blueprint stamps to my Wish List...I am CERTAIN I can find a ton of use for them...

.




So there you have it...my random creative wanderings...at least I can dream about my projects!

Peace, ya'll!


Thursday, April 16, 2015

Love Me

Happy Thursday, everyone! I'm super excited to share my second Soft and Strong project with you today over on the Inside Out Blog.






While it is certainly true that my body is more Leave It To Beaver than How I Met Your Mother, more traditional than modern, I am perfectly ok with that. I have grown to love how I'm made. 


Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, April 09, 2015

Speak Softly

Hello, amazing artists!!! I'm sharing my first project from Inside Out's Soft and Strong Kit over on their blog today.


The juxtaposition of Soft and Strong brought all sorts of things to my mind...but first and foremost, I thought about my mouth. 

Come and check out the rest of the Story Behind the Art.

Peace, ya'll!



Wednesday, April 08, 2015

Soft and Strong

I'm SO late in posting this, but it doesn't change how beautiful it is!!

The new Soft and Strong kit is UP at Inside Out...



I don't normally scrap with the beautiful colors in this kit...I had such a blast with it!

Here are the luscious contents:

Paper:
Pebbles cottage living tweed  
Pebbles cottage living petals   
Pebbles cottage living lovely lace          
Pebbles cottage living let's visit        
My Mind's Eye on trend awesome mini dots          
My Mind's Eye on trend part gems           
My Mind's Eye on trend party confetti   
My Mind's Eye on trend happy happy    

Embellishments:
American Crafts Thickers Jen Hadfield Pebbles Cottage Living Imprint White and Gold
American Crafts dear lizzy serendipity gold foil mini alpha stickers         
My Mind's Eye on trend awesome mixed bag die cuts, 12 pcs.
Pebbles home + made kraft pocket tags, 2 pcs.
Pebbles home + made project life mini kit dazzle, 12-13 cards
Queen and Co bubbles green   
Queen and Co rhinestones just peachy        
We R Memory Keepers Bling Sequin Stickers Gold     
      
Cardstock: 
My Mind's Eye snowbound canvas        
My Mind's Eye Aquatint Canvas              
My Mind's Eye coral rose canvas             
My Mind's Eye cloak grey canvas            

Technique:
The Crafters Workshop Tech RP Fragments simple feather tag         

Color:
Faber Castell Gelato double scoop Guava 
Head on over and take a look at the beautiful pics and inspiration.  

Peace, ya'll!!

Exciting opportunity!!

Have ya'll seen this???



If you have questions, go HERE and ask away!!

Sunday, April 05, 2015

He Is Risen!

He is risen...

for you and for me...

For any who will accept the gift of life.

Praise Jesus, the Risen One!




Friday, April 03, 2015

Good Friday

I’m not so much a fan of the term “Good Friday”

I prefer the moniker “Black Friday” Because the events of this day are dark and filled with hatred, deception and sin.

First, Jesus is bound by his fellow Jews – leaders, priests, elders and rabbis – and is taken to the Roman Governor, Pilate. He has done nothing to break Roman law, but Pilate is no foo.

He’s well aware that there is a city full of Jewish people, pilgrims for the Feast of Passover, that the city has swelled beyond reasonable control of the Roman soldiers if a riot breaks out.

And he knows that these Jewish leaders have the ability in this time and place to cause these huge crowds to turn against him with just a few words…

Peace is preciously vicarious.

So he takes the safe way out…

He has a tradition to uphold for Passover…he can release one prisoner as a gift. So he offers to let the crowd choose:

Jesus, or Barrabas - a revolutionary Zealot who has already committed murder.

And at the urging of the Jewish leaders, this crowd chooses Barrabas. And the crowd doesn’t just call for the death of Jesus, they call for crucifixion.

To keep the peace, Pilot released Barrabas, orders the whipping of Jesus with a lead-tipped whip and turns Jesus over to the Roman soldiers for crucifixion.

After being whipped and beaten beyond recognition, the soldiers place a crown of thorns upon his head and press it into his skull, drawing blood. They also cover his raw flesh with a purple robe and taunt him with words of “Hail! King of the Jews.”

Then, Jesus, who likely has not slept since Wednesday night, bleeding, beaten, whipped, and probably hungry is forced to carry his own cross through the crowded streets to Golgotha.

24 Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice[c] to decide who would get each piece. 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 Two revolutionaries[d] were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.[e]29 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. 30 Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
31 The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.
33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 34 Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”[f]35 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 36 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”
37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
39 When the Roman officer[g] who stood facing him[h] saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
(From Mark 15)
 And here I meet the Jesus who’s birth I celebrated just a few short months ago…a Man who is truly the Son of God…

He came as a child for this moment…to go through death in order to undo it for all who will accept the gift.

And I am challenged once more…is there enough evidence in my life to convict me as a follower of Christ? Do I live as if death has been undone? Do I live as if all of this has happened on my behalf, for the benefit of mankind?


Peace, ya’ll

Thursday, April 02, 2015

Maundy Thursday


My mom always used to speak of this Thursday as “Maundy Thursday” and I never quite understood what she meant.

Some call this Thursday “Holy Thursday” and some call it “Covenant Thursday”

It commemorates the Last Supper and the Maundy – which is the foot washing of the Apostles by Christ.

It is recorded in the Gospel of John, Chapter 13, Verses 1 through 17:

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Interestingly enough, the concept of washing the feet of a guest is probably just as dramatic today as it might have been in the time of Jesus. 

Imagine yourself, washing the feet of guests in your home. 

Imagine being a guest in the home of another and having your feet washed.

Most of us dare not even take our shoes off in the home of another.

The apostles found it shocking, and somewhat embarrassing…why would their leader wash their feet?

Symbolically, the fact that Jesus, the leader, teacher, rabbi,  willingly placed himself in the role of servant to wash the feet of his disciples is an easy concept to get. Its not hard to see what he was trying to do.

And he set before us an example: Serve one another.

I am once again challenged to consider which Jesus will be on the Cross for me…

I am once again challenged to consider the example placed before me and ask myself some hard questions…who have I served and to what end?  

Peace, ya'll!