October is Gone......

and where did it GO!!!!!!    I'm  telling y'all, I DO not know where this month has gone.    I don't even know if my calendar had October in it.    It must not have, that's the only thing that I can think of that would make sense about it being gone so quickly.    When I look for calendars for 2015, I'm gonna make sure there are at least 12 months in it.    I just know I got cheated with the one I got for 2014!!!!!     It must have been a defective calendar!!!!!     Ohhhh that's good, that's what it was, it was defective!!!!   That's what I'm calling it anyway!   hahahahahaha

Well, hubby had vacation last week, and let me tell you, it was a royal stinker!!!!  He got up Saturday morning with a little tickle in his throat that progressed to an out and out "bad" cold.    I stayed as far from him as I could, but not far enough.   My Wednesday started off fairly normal, but by evening time, I was feeling pretty rough and by Thursday it had knocked my socks off.     Here it is more than a week later, and I still feel like I been knocked down by a bowling ball.     Just trying to stay in and away from people, so as not to spread it to others and also, not to pick up something on top of this.     I have sneezed and coughed so much that I am sore from head to toe.    A cough or sneeze quickly becomes a scream, it hurts so bad.   gggg    There is no holding it in either.    As the saying goes, there's more room out than there is in.    So I gladly let it out, I just worry what the neighbors think!!!!     hahahaha     I started thru the kitchen the other day and I felt a sneeze coming on and I stopped and grabbed my side with one hand and my head with the other and then sneezed/screamed and I thought my hubby was gonna get down and roll and then I started laughing too.     I needed about ten arms to hold every where that sore and hurting.    He said he had wondered how I was making that noise and couldn't imagine, I think it had something to do with the way I was trying to not make such a noise, that I was having the opposite effect.    I don't know, just so happy I'm not as sore as I was.  

I haven't had much desire to make anything or do anything either.    I can't concentrate or hold a thought long enough to do anything.    I was fixing lunch yesterday and hubby came through and asked me a question, and I totally forgot what I was doing and what I needed to finish doing for lunch.    I was baking some fish and I forgot to sprinkle the breadcrumbs on it.  Drats!    I can't make a full thought and retain it.    Hopefully that will get better.

I did need a haircut, so, yesterday I got one.    Remember I said I can't hold a full thought or even make a full thought.    Went to the beauty shop.     The next person finished was a man beautician.    I said, ok, this will be interesting.    Nothing wrong with that at all!!!!!    The best haircuts I've ever had was from a man.   Just not thinking well.    He called me back and said what can I do for you?    I commenced to telling him what I wanted.    I don't even remember what I said.    I usually tell them that I don't want the "little boy haircut" that they love to give me.     Understand, I don't remember what I told him!!!!     When I got up from the chair and looked on the floor, I said "where did all that hair come from?"    He said, "your head".    I didn't think I even had that much hair on my head!!!!!    So, now I'm wondering even more about what I told him.     When I got home and went to the bathroom and looked at my hair, I said, "oh (crap), I must have told him I WANTED a little boy haircut!!!!!!!"    I looked it and actually tried to pull some of it to stretch it, that didn't work.    If I had been thinking clearly, I would have known that, but alas, I wasn't.    I finally laughed and said, "oh well, it's hair and it will grow back!"     Well this morning, I shampooed it and blowdryed it, and I actually think it's one of the best haircuts I've had in a while!     I still don't know what I told him, wish I did, so I could remember it the next time and ask for the same cut.    hahahaha     A new day and a new perspective makes all the difference!     And he done a FANTASTIC job on my hair!!!!!      Yay!!!!!

I made a card here back and wanted to share it with y'all.

This was an image that I got with a card of the month kit from Crafters  Companion and the kit contained the Spectrum Noir markers to color the image.   I really love the big sunflower and leaves.    I cut the embossed layer on my Silhouette Cameo and then embossed it on my Cuttlebug.    I have a little die to cut the lady bug out with.   And I covered it with glossy accents to make it firm and shiny.

The little lady bug makes me happy.    It just does.  

I really think the sunflower is a beauty.    I would love to have a stamp of this very image.

I used some very thin ribbon that I got at the Dollar Tree on this card.    I just cut strips and trimmed the edges to a point and folded the pieces in half and taped them down.    Then when I popped on the sunflower it covered up the tape or glue or whatever I put the ribbon down with.

I took a little stamp and used it on the corners of the base card.    I used the same ink to ink the edge of the card front.    I also used it over the embossed area of the card front.    It was a sage green ink.

I was really happy with the over all result of this card.     I really enjoyed coloring the flower and the leaves.    I should have put some bling on it some where.   Oh the shame, just the shame of it all, at not putting any bling on it!!!!!   I will have to give myself a beating with a wet noodle!!!!    hahahahaha    Oh, bling!!!!!

 As I leave you today, I leave you with this scripture:    1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Paul's conclusion in this letter to the Thessalonians was to remain faithful to God during the times they were living in.   He was encouraging them in Chapter 5 to build one another up, to help one another, to respect those who work hard, to live in peace with each other, to be kind to each other and a lot more encouragements like that.   And then Paul says "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."     Oh no, did he really say to "give thanks in all circumstances"?     Well, yes he did.     That is totally opposite the nature of most of us, isn't it?     Am I really supposed to thank God when I loose my job?    Am I really supposed to thank God when when my child gets in trouble?    Am I supposed to thank God when family and friends are being diagnosed with serious health issues?     Am I supposed to thank God when it looks like our country is crumbling down around our ears?    These are just a few of the scenarios that each and every one of us have going on in our lives at any given time.     And there are soooooo many more things that are, have been, or will be taking place in our lives.    Do we thank God, that we get to go through these difficult times?  
Paul isn't telling us to be thankful "for" these painful scenarios.    He is telling us that when bad things happen, and they will, that we can thank God "in" the midst of those things, because we know that God will see us through those times.    We can, at all times, thank God for the clear evidence that He is at work in our lives.    We may not know why we are going through stuff, but we can count on God to be with us through it.

I don't know what any of y'all are going through.     I would suggest that maybe you challenge yourself to look at it differently.    Don't thank God that your are going thru something, but do thank God that He's "in" the trenches with you.    Each day brings it's own set of circumstances and what ever those circumstances are, just know that God is "in" it with you.     Our circumstances change.    God can change our circumstances, but until He does, He will be "in" it with you.

Hi ladybug!!!    It was good talking to you the other evening.    You are an "amazing" ladybug!!!!!  Sweetpea loves you!

Have a great rest of the day y'all!!!    I hope you enjoyed your visit here today.    I pray that you will come back soon.    Share with someone, what you have seen here today.   God loves y'all, and so do I!!!    hugs and love, Patty

October, ouch!!!

October has just slipped up on me this year, y'all!!!!     That is why I said "Ouch", it just seems to hurt a bit, that this year is 3/4 gone already and it just seems like it was yesterday that I hung up my 2014 calendar.     Time certainly has a way of skipping on by, whether we like it or not.    The only thing I know to do is just skip right on along with it and enjoy the scenery and the changing of seasons.     Just turn the page in our coloring books and crack open that new set of crayons and color and craft away.     How does that sound?      It sounds like a pretty good game plan to me.     Whether we do it or not, time will keep on skipping by, and at least we'll have a coloring book full of gor-juss scenery.

Was it cold in your neck of the woods over the weekend?     It sure was in mine, y'all!!!     Saturday night and Sunday morning it was down to 30*, y'all!!!      I know it was at least that, because I seen it on two different thermometers and that was at 6:15am on Sunday morning.    What I wonder, did it get colder than that, and I just missed seeing it?     I don't know.     The real kicker, y'all, "our heat is NOT working".     Go figure!!!      I got ready and went on to church.     Hubby had to work this weekend, so when he got up, after I left for church, he started the gas fire place and it needed to be vacuumed out before hand, so all the collected dust had to burn out, and it really did stink, y'all!!!!     He turned that off and resorted to the itty bitty heater that we have and he finally got warmed up.     Now, today, we have to call the repair folks and see what the damage to our check book will be. 

It has been a week today since I updated my blog.    Wow, what a difference a week can make.     It has been a sad week for my church family.     One of our Saints went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday morning.     She's walkin' the Streets of Gold today and enjoying the presence of her Savior and Father God!     It truly was a shock for those of us who are still here and maybe questioning why.      But, in reality, God has His plans and we just have to be ready at all times to be in the will of God's plan.     I certainly know that this lady was.     She will be sadly missed because she was loved by all who knew her.     What a grand legacy!      In the midst of the sadness at church yesterday, there was also a boat load of joy and excitement.     Our church membership grew by two yesterday!      So, in the midst of such pain and sadness, God showed up with so much joy and excitement.      God is good all the time!!!!!

While everything was taking place this past week, I crafted a bit, just to keep my mind occupied and in a good place.     What I want to share with y'all today though, is a card I made a week or so ago.     One of my friends on a Google+ community called Kraafters Kommunity had made a card a couple of weeks ago and I really loved it.     It is a fabulous fall card with lots of colors, lots of texture and lots of layers.     What more could anyone want?      (You can find Kraafters Kommunity by going here: http://kraaftshaak.com )  I wanted to make one similar to hers.     And I did.     I used her card, +Angela Conklin, as a starting place for mine, you can find it here:  http://heartedlyhandcrafted.blogspot.com/2014/09/autumn-leaf-greeting-card.html     Now, mine isn't made exactly like hers.    I just used hers as a starting place and then done my own thing.

I used a 12x12 sheet of double sided card stock and cut it in half.   The inside portion of the card had pumpkins on it making it very appropriate for my sentiment.    I scored it on the 3" and 9" marks, that makes a double door closure for the card.    I had a piece of cardstock that looks and feels like the texture of a basketball.     No joke, it really does.     I love the looks of it and had been wanting to use it for a long time, just didn't want to waste it.     So, I used it, and because I didn't want to waste any of it, that's why mine is folded instead of the corners cut off.    I used that card stock as a layer on the front, so what I cut off the bottom layer, fit perfectly on the flap that was folded back.    No waste!    Yay!!     Instead of cutting the corners off, I folded them down and kept them.  I put two eyelets on each side of the folded corners and ran a couple pieces of burlap string thru them and knotted them.

This is what the inside looks like.    I just love all those pumpkins with the oak tree and sentiment.     I took my little Ranger ink daubers and colored the stamped image with three or four colors just daubed on.    The next layer back is just a piece of white Georgia Pacific cut to size and then inked with orange on all the edges about a 1/2" all the way around.     Saves colored cardstock and there's no use in inking any more than necessary.     I then used my Gun Metal embossing folder and Cuttlebug and embossed that layer.    I put down strips of orange sheer poly ribbon, one going east to west with a bit of wrap around and another one going north to south with a bit of wrap around, placing them off center on purpose.     The last layer is a layer of burlap.      Or as I grew up calling it, "grass sack".      Hahaha!!!!      I know some of y'all have heard that term before.      I'm telling y'all, it may be my favorite thing to work into a card now.      I love it, thanks to you, +Angela Conklin.

I then got that layer affixed to the first two layers and wrapped the ribbon around to the back side and used my scrappy tape to put that down on the card base.

I used a couple of the small movers and shapers by Sizzix and cut a couple of leaves and acorns and attached them to the front of the finished card.   I wish I had taken a picture of the envelope I had already made and didn't use.    It was about a 1/4" thick, just perfect for this card.     I have to tell y'all, that cardstock I used on the front of it really helped make this card for me.     I wish I had ton more of it, but I don't, so I will have to be very judicious about how I use it.   ggg

As I leave you today, I want to leave you with the scripture that God has used to deal with "me" as of the last month or so.    James 3:5 "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark."  

James is speaking about that little ole' thing, the tongue, and how hard it is to tame it.    He had compared it to a bit in a horses mouth; such a tiny tool used to control such a large animal as a horse.     Also, he gave the image of a tiny rudder on a large ship and steering that ship in the storms at sea with such a tiny piece of equipment.     Then he starts talking about our tongues.     How dare he do that!      Shame on him!      Well, this is where the rubber meets the road for me, y'all!!!     How many times have I spoken with that big ole' little tongue of mine when I should have remained silent?     James then proceeds to tell us about whole forests being burned down by one little spark!!!    We know how truthful that is.     Every year certain parts of the U.S. deals with massive forest fires, started by one little spark.

Have you ever been caught up in the forest fire of speaking when you should have remained silent?     I have!!!     It's not pleasant at all.    The best you can do is apologize after the fact, ask for forgiveness, and seek restoration with Father God.    I have been in that situation more times than I care to admit.    I hope and pray that I can learn from my own mistakes.     As much power as there is in a single spark, there's that much power or more in the tongue.     There is either life affirming words coming from our mouths or there is destructive words coming from our mouths.    That's it folks, just two choices.      We either teach, bless, build up, encourage, praise, speak truth in love, even if it is painful; or we curse, tear down, discourage, bad mouth, speak hurtful harsh words.     We have the power to speak life or death over someone.     Oh, our words will not actually cause someone to die, but they can kill a dream, or discourage someone to the point of never trying, or cause someone to believe the lies of the enemy that he is always spewing out at us.      Or, we can speak life and excitement over someones dreams, we can cause them to dream even bigger dreams.    We can encourage someone to take steps they may have never taken.     We can help someone to see that the lies of the enemy are just that, lies!  

I just hope and pray that God will help me in the future to watch my tongue a little more closely and to speak only when it is purposeful and will be for the edification, or the building up of the one I'm speaking to.    That is a prayer that God is more than ready to help me with and He will help you too.     I hope that this doesn't land at anyone's doorstep, other than mine, but if it does, just know that there is restoration available by apologizing sincerely, asking for forgiveness, and then seeking restoration with Father God.    Those things are not easy to do, been there done that, and folks, it just ain't easy!!!     But.....it is necessary.     We have to be willing to do whatever is necessary to tame our little ole' big tongues!

I pray that y'all have a wonderful rest of the evening.    I hope you enjoyed what you seen here today; if you did share it with someone.     Someone you know needs to know that they, too, may need to work on controlling their tongue.    God will help them, if they so desire.

Ladybug, I hope you had a great weekend and look forward to seeing you sometime soon.    Sweetpea loves you.

Come back again real soon, y'all.   God loves y'all, so do I!!!   hugs, Patty

Click Your Heels

That's a catchy title, isn't it?     Just you wait and see what it's all about.   ggg    I hope and pray y'all are having  a great day today.     It's sunny, humid, and hot in my neck of the woods.    The sun is good.    The humid and hot, I could do with a lot less of it.    If I remember correctly, back earlier in the year when we didn't think warm weather would ever get here, I think I remember making a promise that I wouldn't complain about the weather.    So.......I'm pretty sure I just broke that promise, y'all.    I really didn't mean to, but, I just don't do very well in the humidity and heat.    Ugh!!!    One thing for sure, I am so thankful for our air conditioner.  

So, back to the title of my post.    I seen a card that a friend had made, +Tina Van Eick.    I loved her card and she shared where she had gotten the stamp from, and I ran as quickly as I could; without knocking anyone else over; to the web site, Paper Wishes, over in my left hand column, and ordered the stamp.   I love it!!!   My card isn't as beautiful as Tina's was, but I do hope y'all enjoy seeing it.   Thanks Tina!

So, this is my completed boot card.   I love this stamp!!!   This if the first stamp I have that is "steampunk".    But, I thought it was so gorgeous that I had to have it. 

The embossed layer is from an embossing folder I ordered the same time I ordered the boot.   It is called "gun metal".   I can see it quickly becoming a fav.  It is a 6" x 6" embossing folder.    I do think I will enjoy that size.   It does fit in the Cuttlebug nicely.   I get grungy with my ink on the edges of my card stocks.   I love that look.

I used my Spectrum Noir markers on this.   I also used a little generic gold ink pen that came in a card making mag that I picked up at Joann's around Christmas of 2013.   I used that to color the gold sections.

Then I used my perfect pearls on each corner and also on the boot in diff places.

You can see the dark raised spots in this pic, that is perfect pearls.   I love that stuff.

The slight glittery finish that you see over the purple (have I ever told y'all I love purple?) part of the boot is my faux stickles.    I brushed on a very light coat just to give it a little bling.    Hey, I gotta get a little bling in, y'all!    I was soooo happy with the outcome of my "steampunk" boot, I hope y'all are too!

As I leave you this afternoon, I leave you with this scripture:

Isaiah 26:3  "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

Chapter 26 of Isaiah, in some translations has the title as "A song of Praise".   This song of praise is addressed to God in the form of a prayer, not petitioning God for something, but making a statement to God agreeing with God and proclaiming His work.   The people had honor for God and only God.   Their hope was in God.    Just as our hope is in God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Verse 3 talks of peace.    Perfect peace is a gift from God.    Peace does not come from anyone else or anywhere else.    We can search a lifetime for peace, but we will never find it, till we trust in Him.    When we place our confidence in God, through the Blood of Christ, then we can have peace over the things of this world that tries to steal our joy and contentment.

People are striving for world peace.    You can't mandate peace, you can't legislate peace, you can't make peace a law that has to be followed.    Peace only comes thru that "individual, personal" relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.   Keep your mind on God!   If you don't have a relationship with Christ, you don't have peace.    It's just that simple.    Peace is based on our "steadfast" trust in God.    Do you have enough trust in God to say, "what ever happens, I will trust God"?    That trust produces internal peace, personal peace.    That kind of trust in God, on a personal basis; each individual having peace; CAN bring about peace on a larger scale.    That is the only way this unsettling world will ever know peace.    Individually.   

If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, thank Him for that and the peace that comes from having a relationship with Him.    If you know people that don't have a relationship with Christ; and we all do; put those people on your prayer list.   We also should pray for peace.    The peace that I pray for people to have is the peace that passes all understanding, and it comes only from God.    May you have peace in your heart today and stay focused of God and all He's doing for you, through the Blood of Christ.

Ladybug, I pray that each new day is better than the one before.   Keep on keeping on.   Sweetpea loves you lots and can't wait to see you, soon.

Have a blessed rest of the day, y'all!    God loves you and so do I!   hugs, Patty

Grungy Card # 1

Good evening y'all!!!    I hope y'all are enjoying this fine day.    The temp has been back up in the mid to high 90's in my neck of the woods today.    That is a huge change from the last few days, when we had temps down in the 50's.    Yikes!!!!    Get out the winter coats, no...put them up, wait a minute, get them out again!     Oh well, it keeps us on our toes, doesn't it?    We did get a little bit of rain too, while the temps were lower.    It really was a blessing for the farmers, whose crops were about to burn up.    Some of the corn crops we had seen were just about ready to start twisting from being so thirsty for water.    So, it kinda looks like we may be back to what is considered more normal temps.    Hot, sweaty, and sticky!    Not my three most favorite words, but as long as our air conditioner works, it's all good!    hahaha

I have been working on some new cards and I wanted to share one with y'all this evening.    How many of you have trouble with remembering you have supplies and all kinds of tools and things to use in your card making and paper crafting?   I am awful about forgetting to use some of the stuff I have.    I get so focused on one thing that I forget about some of the other things that I can be using.    So, for this card and a couple more, I tried to use more of my stuff and I was happy with the outcome.    I hope you are too.    I do have a tendency to get a little on the grungy side of life when making cards, but that is just my style.   Where a lot of people choose to keep their cards stark and pristine white, or what ever the colors are, I choose to use a lot of ink and smear it everywhere.    I just like the looks and enjoy it.   I hope you do too.

This is the final outcome.   I thought I would show it first and then show you the other three pics I took of the card "before" I added the liquid pearls dots to the sides and top and bottom corners.   In this pic, the flower looks blue, but in reality, it is the color of the bow.    But, I started with a white card base and then I added a lt. gray layer that I ran thru my Cuttlebug with a barbed wire embossing folder.   You can't see it very well.    But, I took a darker gray studio brand ink pad and then rubbed it over the embossed area of the layer.    Then I took my top layer and used memento black and stamped my magnolia and colored it with my Spectrum Noir markers.    Then I took a little bit of grosgrain ribbon and tied two lengths together and clipped the ends and used one of my home made glue dots to adhere the ribbon to the front of the card.

Ok, the above pic WAS the finished card until I eyeballed my liquid pearls and added those to the card.    I really think the liquid pearls added a lot to the card.    The flower looks blue in this photo also.

This is what I really love and it does not show up at all in the first two pics.    I took my Sakura Clear Star Dust gelly roll pens and went all around the edges and the highlights of the design.    It just adds such a subtle sheen to the card.   I absolutely love it.    It really makes me happy.    I'm gettin' my bling on!   By the way, this is the real color of the flower.    I don't know why it is blue when in the full front pics, but it is.   ggg

I tried to get a couple of pics at an angle to show the glimmer of the gelly roll pen.   I love it!    Around the edge of the flower layer, I used a shimmering copper ink pad just swiped over the top of the card ever so lightly.   I grunged up the edge of the white card layer, the gray layer, and the top card layer.    So, it is really grunged up, but that's what makes me happy.    I do have a couple more to share in the near future.    I really hope you like this card and enjoyed seeing it.

As I leave you this evening, I leave you with this scripture:   Psalms 147:3  "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

I LOVE this scripture!!!   It shows how God is at work in our lives extending grace and mercy to His people.    Read the whole chapter.    It is very uplifting.

Verse 1 says Praise the Lord.    Then it proceeds to tell why we can sing praises to the Lord.   He builds up, He gathers the exiles, He heals the brokenhearted, He binds their wounds, He knows the stars and has named each one, He sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground, He covers the sky with clouds, He supplies the earth with rain, He makes the grass grow on the hills, He provides food for the cattle and the birds of the air, He delights in those who have reverent fear for Him, He delights in those who put their hope in Him, He gives strength, He gives peace.    Every thing in existence exists because God created it for a reason.   Nothing that God created can cause God to have fear.   God knows no fear, because He created everything.

We live in a world of uncertainty.    But, it is not uncertain to God.    He knows all about His creation because He is actively involved in His creation.    He also knows there is evil in the world because we, God's greatest creation, have "free will".    In our "free will" we either choose to serve God or we choose to ignore God.    In our ignor-ance of God, we choose evil.   We choose to inflict pain on others.    That is a choice that we make.    We can not sit on the fence.    We choose to serve God or we choose NOT to serve God.    Back to "not sitting on the fence", I heard it said the reason we can't sit on the fence is because the enemy, the devil, owns the fence.    No choice IS a choice to not serve the Lord.    Since we know there is pain and heartache due to people choosing NOT to serve God, we know that God does heal the broken hearted and God does bind up their wounds.

I know that God has healed my broken heart and He has bound up my wounds.    I pray that if He hasn't healed your broken heart and bound up your wounds that you will choose to let Him.    Christ died on the cross for my sins and your sins. Sin is a word we don't like to acknowledge, but until we do acknowledge sin and confess it, repent of it and invite Christ to be Lord of our lives, we will keep on hurting and being hurt.    "Hurting people hurt people."   That's just the way it is.   I can speak of that with a "been there, done that" knowledge, because I've "been there, done that".    I'm sure you have been there too.    Or you may even be there now, but you don't have to stay there.    Change is as close to you as whispering "help"!    Jesus Christ is ready to help you, but He is a gentleman, He will not force Himself on anyone.    But, just as quickly as you can say, "help", He will.

So, I sing praises to God for the help He has given me in my life.    I sing praises to God for the help He has given you.    I sing praises to God for the help He is waiting to give to those who are ready to receive His help.    Thank you God for loving Your creation enough to provide us help through Jesus Christ!!!

Ladybug, I sure hope you are feeling better and look forward to the days to come for you.    Sweetpea loves you bunches!!!

I hope you seen or read something here this evening that you liked.   If so, tell someone.   Share it, pass it on, just don't sit on it.   ggg

God love y'all and so do I.    Till next time, hugs, Patty

Welcome July and Two New Cards

Greetings one and all y'all!!!    God Bless every one of y'all as we go into the month of July and as we celebrate "Independence Day".    What does that day mean to you personally?     I hope, where ever you are, and what ever country you happen to live in, that those words, alone, mean something to you.    Here in the great country of the United States of America, those two words mean an awful lot.    There was much blood shed and loss of life to gain our independence from another great country.    We should never forget that our freedom was purchased at a GREAT price!!!!     I pray that as we go into this holiday weekend, that each and every one of us will take the time to pause and thank God for the blessings that He has bestowed upon this great country!

I made a couple of cards recently for some friends that have been recovering from surgery.    I hope the cards will be an encouragement and uplifting for both of them.   

This is a new stamp set that I ordered.     It is Hello Daisy from JustRite Papercraft that I ordered through Blitsy.

I love the boldness of the flower.   As usual, here lately, I'm trying to use my Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.

The flower itself, doesn't require much coloring, if you choose to go that route.   After I got the image colored, I used my Studio brand glitter glue, or faux stickles, as I call it.    After all, I just gotta add a little bling.   hahaha

I used my standby Spellbinders die and Cuttlebug to cut and then I inked the edge so it would stand out on the card front.   I also inked the card front ever so slightly with a purple, yeah, my fav color.

I was really happy with this image and I'm sure it will become a favorite of mine.

This is the second card I made using the same stamp.   I used the Sizzix Postage Stamp Die to cut this image.    When I got it cut, I used my Martha Stewart Score Board to make the straight lines just inside the scallops indented a little more than they were.   I am trying to find something else that I like as well as I like the Spellbinders Die, just so they all won't look the same.   Anyway...

I oriented the stamp differently on the front of this card.    I inked the edges and also the raised straight lines inside the scalloped edge.    Then I took some of my liquid pearls and went around the scalloped edge.    I really loved that, it makes it look like lace when you are holding it.

In the center of this flower, after I used my faux stickles all over the flower,I used my glossy accents and covered the center of the flower.  I loved that also.

This is just a close up of the swirly effect of the liquid pearls.  

I really liked this card and I know I will use the stamp more and more.   When I was finished with both cards, I went around the images with a pale blue for this one and a pale gray for the other one.   I love to do that to give a bit of dimension to the stamped image.    Any way, I hope you have enjoyed looking at my latest two cards.

As I leave y'all today,  I would love to share another scripture with you.

Isaiah 41:13 says, "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the One who helps you."

Have you ever thought about holding hands with God?    Maybe you don't, but He does.     God wants to hold our hand with His "right" hand.    There is all power, all strength, all favor, all glory in the Father's right hand.    God is the One who helps you!    God is the One who says to you, "Fear not!"

Recently a sister in Christ asked me where God was at in my early life.    All I could say at the time was, "I don't know".     She asked me if I would like to know.     I said, "I really don't know if I want to know."     On the way home from our visit, I asked God where He was.    This is the response I got that evening while in the kitchen, cleaning up a bit, and in the blink of an eye, the answer was,  ""God spoke to me thru the Holy Spirit and said, "When your hands were clenched, as if making a fist, you weren't;  I was with you, holding your hands!!!""

Picture, if you will, someones hands in a closed manner.    Anyone seeing those hands would assume they had made fists, and getting ready to fight.    Ok, now picture those same hands holding hands with God.    There's no fight in those hands at all.    Just the hands of God holding my hands.    To think that God loves me enough to hold my hands is more than my feeble mind can comprehend.    Thank you God, for loving me and being my El Rohi, "the God of Strength who sees me".

God has held my hands my whole life and I praise Him for that!    I'll bet that God has held your hands too.    There's only two people that I want to hold hands with and that is my husband and God.    Just knowing that God has held my hands in the past, it does not matter what the future brings, because I know He'll hold my hands through it.

I hope and pray that you have a right relationship with Father God, through the blood of Jesus Christ.   If not, then maybe this is the time or the weekend  for you to have an "Independence Day" from sin.   Knowing that your "freedom" from sin was bought and paid for with the blood of Christ.   Christ died for one and all, only once.    One death was sufficient saving grace for me, and everyone before me, and everyone after me.   One death paid the penalty for "all" sin.    But, you don't automatically have the ransom just because you belong to the human race.    You have to acknowledge the sin in your life, repent, and ask Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of your life.    He will!    He wants to hold your hand!     Jesus wants to be your, "Fear Not"!    Let Him, you won't be disappointed.    Happy Independence Day!!!!

Ladybug, I hope you are staying cool!    Praying for the days ahead!    I love you bunches and look forward to time with you soon.   Sweetpea loves you!

Where ever you are, what ever country you live in, I pray for all to have a happy and blessed weekend ahead.    God loves y'all and so do I!   hugs, Patty

New Card

Howdy folks, "how y'all are" today?    I know, I know, not proper grammar, but if I have told y'all once, I have told y'all a time or two more that that's not me at all.   gggg    Some of y'all out there will remember a cajun chef by the name of Justin Wilson some years ago.    He had a cooking show that aired on our local Public Broadcasting System (PBS) some many years ago.    I loved watching him cook and tell stories while he done so.    His was as much a story telling time as it was cooking program and I always watched, till they stopped airing it.    One of his favorite greetings was "How Y'all Are?".    So, that was my homage to him this morning, from me to y'all.   ggg

I hope today is a most glorious one for y'all.     I will be ever mindful to ask y'all to pray for those around you that are hurting.    We all now people that are hurting, sick, awaiting surgery, friends healing from previous surgery and the list goes on.    Please remember these folks, y'all.    We all need help from time to time, so let's be diligent in keeping these folks lifted to God in  prayer.

I have had a fun filled week so far, starting with my birthday on Monday, and Ladies Night Out at church last night where one of the ladies asked me if I was trying to get the preachers job.    By the way, our Pastor would get a kick out of this.    I said I wasn't, but...if he ever needs a break, I would be happy to fill in, because if it was the will of God, He would certainly give me what I need when I need it.   We never know what God is preparing us for, so we just need to be ready at all times.   So, guess what y'all, I'm ready!   hahaha     It really was a fun time, just being with our sisters in Christ is always great.

This morning I needed to make a card for a friend of mine who's beautiful daughter graduated from high school.    So, I got to work on it and got it made, it is happily awaiting a trip to the post office, here in a bit.    I did take pics and I hope you enjoy them.

This is the cutest little stamp.    It is from a set of Inky Antics called Swirly Sunshine and Flowers.    It is such a fun and uplifting stamp and it also has several really nice sayings with it, but I didn't use them this time.

I used my SN markers to color it in.   I am really starting to enjoy the markers more and more.

Then I used my Cuttlebug and fav Spellbinder die to cut it out.   I used Tsuneko Brilliance Archival Pigment Pearlescent Beige color Ink Pad to ink the edges of the cut out.    It has a very subtle shimmer to it.

I then took a frosty mauve Studio brand ink pad and inked the edge of the card base and adhered the top to the base.    I didn't take a pic of the inside, but I had written a verse, then chose a pretty font and printed it out, to go on the inside left of the card and just square cut then and used the frosty mauve again and inked the edges so it would pop a little.

I know the young lady will be thrilled with it.    She is a wonderful young lady and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for her.    It will be awesome, for sure.

So, this was just a quick update for y'all this morning and I hope you enjoyed it.    It seems as if all I do anymore is colored images, but I am just trying to learn to use the Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.    It has really been challenging for me, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I just hope it's not a train coming.    hahahah    My mantra, "I will learn, I will learn, I will........"

God bless you as you go through your day.    May you see all the beauty that is before you.    May you have the mindset to thank God for seeing it all!

Mark 11:22 says:  And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God."  

When  you have time, sit down and read a few verses in Mark, Chapter 11, verses 20-26.    Maybe read the whole chapter to get a good grip on what is happening here.    The religious people already wanted to kill Jesus.    Jesus had turned the religious crust up side down, and they were seething mad at Him.    They had their little money rackets going, right on the temple grounds.    They had turned the House of God into a den of thieves and Jesus called them out on it and they was plotting to get rid of Him.    When people that need Jesus listen to the teachings of Jesus, religious folks start getting scared and they want to get rid of Jesus and His teachings.

The same is true today.    Most churches are so full of religion and law, there is no room for Jesus and grace.    Examine some of the traditions that take place on a regular basis in your church.    Why do we do what we do?    Is what we do rooted in what "man" has determined we should do, or is it rooted in the foundations and principals of Jesus Christ when He said "Loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself" is the two most important commandments.

Do we have faith in God enough to say that it doesn't matter what my worship and praise to God looks like to others, I'm still gonna worship and praise God as He sees fit for me to do.    The calling of God on my life is gonna look different than the calling of God on your life.    He didn't use cookie cutters to make us.    He created us in His divine image.    Each one of us is unique, but each one of us possess characteristics and traits of our Creator.    Let your worship and praise of your Creator reflect "how" He created you to worship and praise Him!    

What is God calling you to do?    Jesus said, "Have faith in God."    Those words are as applicable today as they were when Jesus spoke them more than 2000 years ago.    Again, what is God calling you to do?    Maybe God is calling you to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life.    If He is, then that is the very first step that each and every one of us who is serving the Lord, took.    You have to accept Christ as the Lord of your life, first.   Repent of you sins.    Yes, I said sin.    That is a word that people don't like to hear, but for the life of me, I can't call it anything different to what God called it.    He called it sin.   Ask Jesus into your heart, the soul of your being, the essence of who you are.    Ask Him to make a difference in your life.    Ask Him to help you to "Have faith in God."      Those are requests that He, Jesus is eagerly and patiently waiting to fulfill in the lives of those who will ask.

May God bless the rest of this day for you.

Ladybug, I hope today is a a fun filled day for you as you minister to those around you.   Sweetpea loves you and prays for you daily and for the days ahead.

Y'all come back again real soon.   God loves y'all and so do I.   hugs, Patty

Sharing a Couple of Cards

Good morning y'all.    I pray that wherever y'all are today that you're excited to be a part of God's plan!     I know I am.    I don't know what kind of plans y'all have for today, but I will assure that if you invite God to be a part of your plans, your plans will be much better.    Don't believe me!     Try it!     I, again, am reminded of a tv commercial from way back in the day that said, "Try it, you'll like it".     So, that is the challenge for the day.     Invite God to be a part of all that you do.     Then, thank Him for blessing you in an amazing way, by being present in you life and plans today.

I have a couple of cards I want to share with y'all today.    I made these cards for some friends at church whose mother went home to be with the Lord after a lengthy illness.    God heard the prayers of all who had been praying for her.    She is now healed and in the presence of her Maker!    Praises for that!

This first is a Magnolia Blossom from Crafters Companion, by Sheena Douglass.  I love this big blossom and I loved the challenge for me to use my Spectrum Noir Markers to color it.   

For the blossom itself, I used just one color, my lightest color purple, and outlined the stamped image.   That's it.    I definitely enjoy the way it turned out.

The biggest challenge for me was the leaves.    I really had a time with them.

But, I think I finally got them blended pretty well, using three colors.

Then, after I got it colored and I always use a very light color and outline the image all the way around.     For some reason, I like that look.     Then I stamped my sympathy sentiment and used my Cuttlebug and a Spellbinders die and cut out around the image.    This particular die has become my "go to" die for the images that I have used my SN markers on.    I just like it.   I have tried to find something else, but I haven't found anything I like as well as I like this particular die.   I lightly inked around the edge of the image with a pale green ink pad.     I took another ink pad, a shade or two darker, and inked all around the front edge of the white card base, about an inch all around.     After I mounted the image to the card base, it looks like it is layered with another piece of cardstock.

Then my second card was another of my Iris images from Crafters Companion, by Sheena Douglass, again.     I love her images.    They have lots of great detail and there is also great videos showing how to color them.    I sure need all the help I can get.   ggg

I have colored this image so many times now, but I still never get it quite like I want it, but I think I am almost there.     I love the Iris and my friend that gets this one love Irises also.    

I used the same Spellbinder die to cut this one out that I used on the Magnolia. 

I used the same sympathy stamp on this one also.     I think I may be getting the hang of blending the three colors for the leaves.    I also forgot to mention that over the Memorial Day Holiday weekend, Crafters Comapnion had a half price sale.    So, I ordered two packages of the cardstock they recommend for using with their SN markers, and I do really like it!    I do think it has helped me get just a tad better with my blending and it has a wonderful feel to it, plus it is a lot thicker than the cardstock I had been using from Wal-Mart.

This is a close up of the edge of this card.     I inked the edge of my cutout with my small ink pad in a lt. purple.    Then for the outer edge of the card front base, I used parchment color.    I really like the way this one turned out.

I hope and pray that they give a little comfort to my friends as they go thru this painful transition.    I just pray for their hearts to mend a little every day.     I know they will lean on God also.

All of us know people who are hurting, sick, or just plain trying to deal with a boat load of junk.    Put those people on your prayer list.    I have several family members and friends and church family on my list that I pray for daily.    It not only helps them, but it helps me to pray for these folks.    It will help you too, to pray for the people that you know, who needs your prayers.

Galatians 6:9 says "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season
we will reap, if we do not give up."

One of the best ways we can do good, is to pray for those around about us.    We may not know someones story, but you can bet your bottom dollar, every one has a story.    Some are not easily shared, just because of the nature of the story and the pain that goes along with it.    Just because you may not know a person's story, doesn't mean you can't pray for them.     God knows all of our stories.     He has seen us thru them whether we acknowledge He did or not.    So, don't grow weary of praying for the people that you know who needs it.     The time will come when you need the prayers of the people who care for you.    We all hope and pray that those times don't come, but they will.     It is a wonderful thing to know that your prayers has helped someone thru a trying time and then when you need prayer for the situation you are facing, just knowing that your brothers and sisters in Christ are ready to pour out their heart to Father God, on your behalf is equally wonderful.    Your "due season" will be blessed by God.    Hang in there, don't give up praying for those that need it, which is all of us.

Sweetpea is sending many hugs and much love to Ladybug today!!!!

May God Bless each and every one of y'all in such a special way today!     Come back again real soon and see what I have for y'all.    Stay dry and keep on crafting.    Until next time, God loves y'all and so do I!    hugs, Patty

Happy Hump Day

Good morning y'all and Happy Hump Day!   It kinda reminds me of the commercial I seen on tv here back where the camel was walking through the work place asking everyone if they knew what day it was.   It was hump day and he finally got to be the center of attention.  I don't even remember what the commercial was about, I just remember the camel was excited because it was "Hump Day".   So, I say "Happy Hump Day" to all of y'all and hope you are busy making plans for your wonderful weekend ahead.

Here in the United States, it is Memorial Day weekend.   A day set aside to remember the fallen, who have given their lives in the service of this great country, the United States of America.   I know lots and lots of plans are being made, but I don't know how many of those plans actually involve remembering the fallen and those who have served our country.   I do hope and pray that each one of us will remember those heroes, dating back even to the early days of this country when it was still a fledgeling country.   The founding fathers fought hard for this democracy and the principles on which this country was built.   I just pray that our actions and deeds are pleasing, not only to the founding fathers, but also to our Heavenly Father.   This great country was built on the teachings from the Holy Bible.   Even our money has the inscription "In God we Trust" on it and some would love to have that removed.

Who is that God?   The same God that spoke this universe into existence!   The God that this great country has been built upon is the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.    The God of Israel!    The same God that went before the Israelites as a cloud in the day time and a pillar of fire by night!  The same God that provided manna from heaven!   The same God that parted the Red Sea!    The same God that caused an axe head to float!   The same God that preserved Daniel in the lions den!    The same God that was with the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace that was heated to seven times hotter than usual!  The same God that caused Balaam's donkey to talk!    I could go on and on and on.    Back up to the donkey talking, God caused that donkey to talk for a purpose.    I submit to you that there are a lot of donkeys talking today, but they are not talking because God has caused them to speak, they are talking because they are filled with the lies of the enemy.

We've taken God out of our schools, out of our government, out of our work places, and out of our hearts and it shows.   Our leaders don't acknowledge God as the foundation on which this country was built.   Any structure that has been built, is being built, or will ever be built has to have a strong foundation for that structure to withstand the elements of time.   When we rip out the chief cornerstone of any standing structure, it's not long before you see cracks and breaks and then the whole structure will crumble.   Any new structures that doesn't have a chief cornerstone, will soon collapse.  We have ripped God out of His rightful place in this great country and I pray every day for our country to put God back in the forefront of everything we do.  

So, this Memorial Day, let's not only remember the fallen heroes of this great country, lets also remember God, as the God who goes before us, making straight our paths.   We can't fake it till we make it!    We either trust God or we don't.    I pray that our leaders will humble themselves and repent and ask God back to His rightful place in this country.   Join me, as I pray that God will forgive our grievous offenses and make right, the hearts of all men, and that we will flourish as God intended, with Him at the forefront of all we do.

I have a neat project for y'all today.  It is one of those box cards.  It is the first one I have ever done, but it won't be the last one.  Hope you enjoy it.

This one was fun!!!  Everywhere you look, there's something to see.

I cut my box from white card stock.  Then the overlay panels from party hat paper.

I inked all the edges of the party hat paper before I placed it on the box.

All around the base of the box I used chipboard decorative pieces, premade.

I used my cuttlebug to cut two circles and a green glitter butterfly.   One circle has "it's you day" on it and the other one has a cupcake on it. 

I just put little feminine items around the flaps of the box.  It is a girly girly card.

I will be making more of these because they are fun, really fun.   If I remember correctly, this came from http://paperpulse.blogspot.com   I will check for sure and make amendments here as necessary.   Have fun with it when you make one.   We should always make something as if we are making it for ourselves.

I hope you enjoyed this little project.   It sure was fun and made me smile a lot.

As I leave you this morning, I leave you with this Holy Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14  if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

I promise you that if this is the prayer of our hearts, all of us, God is faithful and will hear our prayers.   He is attentive and waiting for us to call out to Him.

Have a wonderful rest of the week and a splendid, God filled weekend.   God loves y'all and so do I.  Blessings and hugs y'all, Patty