Getting Crafty.....again

Hello Y'all!   It seems like it has been forever since I updated my blog.   I have been under the weather since before Christmas and am finally on the upswing now!   Praise the Lord!!!   I do hope and pray that each of you had a blessed and Merry Christmas!   I hope that you found time in your busyness to thank God for all He has done for you and for the Greatest Gift that has ever been bestowed upon humanity, Jesus Christ!

Since I have been feeling a little better, I thought I would take time to make a thank you card for a friend at church that went "above and beyond" for me.   A card isn't quite enough, but, I hope that it is an expression of my gratitude for her and all she does for others.   I am always so thankful, but sometimes I don't take the time to express my thankfulness.   That will be a goal of mine for 2014, is just to take the time to express my thankfulness to God, first; and then, everyone else.

Anyway, this is the card I made.

I used a new Sizzix die, the scalloped card die.  And I also used a new little die that I got from somewhere, I can't remember right off the top of my head.  It may have been either Blitsy or Melissa Samuels, I just don't remember.  But it is a cross.   I really like it a lot!   I used Viva Inka Gold Metallic Rub on the cross, let it dry and buffed it a little.   Then, I used a Colorbok verdigris color on the edges of the cross.

Then I blinged it up a little and made a easel to sit it on.   I even inked the edge of the card a little.   I am not one to do anything and keep it pristine.   I like to add a little grunge to everything.   I inked and grunged up the easel also, and put a little bling on it.   Gotta love a little bling.   The cross actually looks like its made of metal.  I really love the look.   Sure hope you enjoyed seeing it!

Just one more day and we will be saying good by to an old friend, 2013, and welcoming a new and strange friend in, 2014.   I hope you look back at 2013 with gratitude and thanksgiving.   Thanking God for the year and all that it brought to your life.   I pray that we will all look with great expectations to 2014!  Not with great expectations of what we are going to do, but with great expectations of what God is going to do for us, and through us.  God wants to do much "for" each of us.   God also wants to do much "through" each us.   God wants us to be vessels through whom He can bless others.

I know some of the greatest blessings in my life have come through people who have allowed themselves to used by God to minister to me.   That is such an awesome blessing in many ways, when we allow ourselves to be used by God to minister to those around us.   Think of the ways that God wants to use you for His purpose, to bless those around you.

I pray that 2014 will be a year that we will choose to live purposefully, thoughtfully, and intentionally, every day of our lives.  That is one of my goals for the year; to be on task every day for the purpose of serving God first and then others.   I pray that it is one of yours, also. 

May God bless you all.   Thank you so much for being a part of my life this year and I pray that you have been able to take a little something away from each visit that you made.    I look forward to 2014 with each and every one of you walking beside me.

Hugs and much love, y'all!   Patty