Penny Black Rose Sympathy Card

Happy Memorial Day!

Something a little different for me, yet still the same . . . 

Dies & Alcohol Inks!

Our son thinks my terms are a little gloomy,

"dies and alcohol",

but he just doesn't understand the joy in this kind!

Lattice Die behind a 'fussy cut' rose stamped over Alcohol Ink background.

Swiss dots embossed backgrond over a shiny silver layer on

a black card base.

I think the results are a very acceptable Sympathy Card.

Are You Thorny?

I am certain that all of us, at sometime or another, feel the pressures of life so weighty on us we walk around in a fog and we wonder "how am I going to get through this?" We wait for "normal" to arrive and "normal" never comes! I've been studying about the "cares of this life" the past few days. What I learned, I want to share with you.

First of all, "cares" defined is anxiety or disruption to personality or mind.

Reading in Mark 4:18-20 "Others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it (the Word) proves unfruitful. But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

In these verses I see that I have been thorny ground. The cares of this world have come in and choked God's word in my life. I looked up choke in the Greek dictionary and it means to overpower the Word. Unfruitful means to make unproductive. Well, so I ask, how am I supposed to deal with the cares of this world. I mean, I have to deal with everything that faces me. I can't run away in attempt to avoid the issues that are present. I can't ignore them and pretend they don't exist! So, what do I do...? Oh, yes, remembering another scripture about cares. I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares about you." I was reading Rick Renner's bible study the other morning and he said that word "Cast" in the Greek means to 'hurl', 'throw', 'fling with great force.' Well, that's surely one way of getting rid of my cares. Better yet to fling with great force all my cares that weigh me down upon God. He is far more capable of handling them and bring the end result to an appealing closure.

So, I sit in my quiet corner and in my imagination I vision everything that is weighing me down in one big pot. I mentally and verbally take each care and talk to God about them, one by one imagining dropping them into His bucket to handle for me. I do not see that I should forsake doing what needs to be done regarding these issues, but I leave the ANXIETY of it all, the weight of the responsibilities, the pressures and then end results in God's hands for him to deal with and now, I have successfully "cast my cares upon the Lord, for He cares for me." I remember now, that I turned it all over onto to Him to deal with and so when I feel the anxiety rising up within me again. I make myself remember that I gave that to God to deal with and leave the Cares there with Him.

But, I don't want to be "Thorny". I want to be "Good Soil". What do I need to do to change this issue in my life. Well, I just did step one! I recognized I was allowing the cares of this world to overpower the Word of God in my life making God's Word unproductive for me. Explain . . . well, we blame God for what is going on. It's not right to blame God. Life happens. There's carnal flesh that we have to deal with and there's a devil who has come to steal, kill and destroy. God did not do any of that. He shows us the way to go to live successfully. When we don't follow His instructions on how to handle things we are letting "Life" take precendence over  God's Word and, well, when you don't put something to work or action it's pretty hard for it to produce something, right? We've effectively allowed the hassles of live to cause us anxiety and disruption to our personality and our mind. By doing that we're thorny and allowing the cares of this world to impact our life, not the Word of God.

So, now we change our way of dealing with things. Cares - you no longer rule me. I cast my Cares onto God - He cares for me. He will work powerfully in my situation. I hear the Word of God, I agree with God's Word and I obey God's Word. Now God's Word can produce God's plan for me in my life. I am good soil! Don't allow the cares of this life to rule you! Don't be thorny. Don't let the cares be more impacting in your life than  God's Word. Hear God's Word. Let His Word be what you put your attention to and agree with it and obey it and watch and see it produce in your life!

Have a Wonderful Weekend Care-Free!

"I'm Not Pharaoh"

Imagine God talking to you right now . . . imagine Him saying this: "I, God, am not Pharaoh. 'Pharaoh' oppressed you, treated you harshly, abused you, beat you, condemned and criticized you. Pharaoh hurt you emotionally, physically and sexually, but I Am NOT Pharaoh. I am your Deliverer, your Healer, your Help, your Strength, your Protector. I love you, I Am Love. I am your Guide, your High Tower, I Am God. There is none like Me. I am not Pharaoh. Ascribe to me glory and honor and praises, but do not ascribe to me Pharaoh's behavior. I am the one who overcame Pharaoh. Listen, I will overcome "Pharaoh" in your life, too. Please don't respond to me as you have toward the 'Pharaoh's' in your life for, I am not Pharaoh. I am the God of Mercy and Lovingkindness. I am the Most High, the Almighty. I am the I Am."

Love Embossed Feathers Card

Wow! It's been raining, raining, raining here!

It's one of those nights I just can't sleep,

so how about working on my cards.

Sounds like a plan.

This one is just white embossed feathers
sponged over with a varety of colors and

wiped off with a kleenex to clean any ink off from the embossed part.

I stamped the sentiment and then dry embossed the cream card.

Pretty easy and I like the results.

The weather man says we could see some snow . . . excuse me . . . it's the middle of May!!!

Clearly Besotted Dragonfly Card

I think this dragonfly die from Clearly Besotted is beautiful!

I love 2 - part dies, too!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Oh, alcohol inks make lovely, well, lovely everything!

Enjoy!

Dogwood Blossom Memory Box Card

I hope your weekend has started out wonderfully!

My husband and I got a video of our 5 month old

grandson taste testing broccoli and banana.

The banana went over great, but broccoli, well,

they have a ways to go on that one!

I also had a great time stamping with my Mom and Friends today.

Of course, in addition to "Playing", we ate yummy food.

This is not one of the cards I made today, 

but it is one of my favorites!

Probably because I am hooked on 

Memory Box dies and

Alcohol Inks!

This is the Dogwood Blossom and Outline - Love the 2 part dies -

and the border is the Lucienne Tile. 

Both from Memory Box.

I keep thinking I should keep record of the alcohol ink colors that I really like.

The problem is I get going and having so much fun I forget and

besides part of the creativity is how much ink and the arrangement of

the ink spots on the felt.

I can use the same colors on new felt and can't ever seem to

replicate the look just the same again.

I guess that's why it is creative art!

Have fun playing when you get a chance.

ENJOY!!!

Memory Box Waltzing Butterflies

Memory Box Waltzing Butterflies!

This works with Alcohol Ink on Glossy Cardstock, too!

Daily Bread Stamp "Faith"

Stampin Up Strawberry Slush ink and accent layer.

Clearly Besotted Birthday Dragonfly Card

Another Dragonfly Card!

Another Border Die - this one is from Die-Namics

Surprise - - - - this is not an Alcohol Ink background!

This one was a new and fun experiment.

Melted crayons!

I followed a tutorial you can find here:

It was Fun!

You should try it!

I have a whole shoe box of used crayons from daycare days...

I wonder how long it would take to use them all up?

Well, it's sort of hard to leave these dragonfly dies alone -

they are so beautiful!

Have a Great Day of Creativity!

How to handle conflict

Ahhhhhh, do people ever frustrate you? Well, I'm having a time of it right now with people difficulty. This one is a family problem over the estate of our recently deceased brother. The challenge is in getting everyone to work together and agree!

So, my question isn't how do I feel? It isn't how I can get this problem resolved? It isn't anything about me - I don't need to ask those questions. I already know how I feel . . . grumpy! I already know what I can do to resolve the problem - I've already tried, that answer is nothing! I can't change people, I can't force them to agree, I can't force my opinion upon them. I can, however, start war and that is exactly what I need to avoid! I know from past experiences that responding according to my feelings when I am upset, saying what I think and what I feel and giving my frustrations room to act out is a good way, no, really, a great way to make war and make things even more difficult. When I behave that way, I do and say things I regret later.

So, my question is . . . what is the wise way to handle this situation? What can I do to make things better? How do I handle my own frustrations, irritations and impatience? Ohhhhhhhhh, can you tell - it's all on my nerves.

Well . . . what does God say to do in this situation? That's what I need to know and whatever He says to do . . . if I'm smart, that's what I will do.

So, let's find out the answer for my problem today.

Pray - well, of course, let God into this situation. I have certainly tried unsuccessfully to deal with this on my own. Why do I wait until I am frustrated to pray? God says in Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Well, it's pretty clear, that this scripture is speaking right to me! Be anxious for nothing. I certainly AM anxious! But, how do I NOT be anxious? Bring my issues, my problems, the things that are making me anxious to God and make them known to God. Talk to God about what's going on with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving? I understand the anxious part and the part about bringing my issues to God, but, why thanksgiving? I think Psalm 75:1 answers that question, "We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near." That makes sense to me because I can look around and see the sun shining, the beautiful blue sky, the grass turning green, the crabapple trees blooming beautiful white blossoms. The new growth coming out of the ground on my hydrangea bushes and the other perennials coming to life after the winter is now gone. Just those "simple" things are actually wondrous works of God and as I see those things in nature that God established to be that way, they declare to me that God's name is near (allied - joined in relationship and agreed to work together, at hand, more ready).

What does that mean? Well, I know from previous studies that the "Names" of God represents all that God is. They explain the character of God. God has many names and each one of His Names tells me about a part of God's person. So, like my "names" . . . I am a wife, a mother, a Grandmother - Yeay!, a daughter, a homemaker, a business woman, a female. All these "names" tell something about who I am and what I do. Well, the names of God do that same kind of thing, except His names represent far more than the names or "titles" that I have. For instance, one of the names of God is, Jehovah Rapha - the Lord that Healeth me. Another name is Jehovah Jireh - the Lord that sees and provides. Another name is Jehovah Shalom - the Lord of Peace.

So, as I see the wondrous works of God, they are declaring (proclaiming and announcing emphatically) that my God, who sees and provides, my God of Peace is near to me! In other words, by bringing my requests to God, I can leave my anxiety at the door and with thanksgiving, tell Him about my issues and know (confidence, faith) that He will provide help and peace to me in my situation. My God is my ready help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). My God is mighty (Job 9:4). Nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17). My God is on my side (Psalm 56:9). My God is well able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I can ask or think (Ephesians 3;20). Those alone are enough reasons why I would bring my requests to God with thanksgiving! I am so thankful that I am not talking to the wind! I am talking to the One who will hear and answer! He is the one who is actually able to help! No more anxiety - I have rolled my cares over on to Him, because He cares for me (I Peter 5:7)! Now, I shall stand and watch and see the salvation of God (Psalm 25:5, Psalms 62:1, Micah 7:7)! Watch and see what God will do! I have suddenly gone from anxious to excited, from irritated to appreciative, from grumpy to thankful. God IS good. Find out what He says about your situation, follow His directions, do what He advises and then believe and watch and see what the Lord will do!

Watercolor Flower Card

This is a test!!!

I followed a Watercolor tutorial from Jennifer McGuire.

You can watch her tutorial here:

This is my first draft and I am fully pleased.

I could have tried to stay in the lines,

but, well, you know - I just didn't want to!

I like the overall coverage of color.

Framed it with Spellbinders Rectangle Deckle edge die.

Penny Black Stamp. Versa Mark and white embossing powder.

I used Tim Holtz Distress ink dropped on an old  CD,

Sprayed water and dropped ink around the picture.

Love the results!

I think I passed my own test!

Washi Tape Dragonfly Card

Good Morning!

I think these dragonflies from Clearly Besotted are wonderful!

Alcohol Ink behind dragonflies

Washi Tape strips are edged by a punch

 design that I cut in half.

Pretty, easy card and great for Just a Note!

God is Able . . . But Will He?

It's an easy thing to say "God Is Able . . " The question that comes to us is,  "But, Will He?" Often times we make our own doctrine or theology in attempt to answer our questions and try to bring ourselves comfort instead of going to God and His Word to find out for ourselves what "His" answer for our "Will He?" question is. Just because it doesn't "appear" that God is working, doesn't mean that He isn't. We must allow God to answer to our question: "I know you are Able, but Will you . . ." It is necessary for us to search the scriptures to find our answers and know that we know, for our very own selves, what God's answer to our doubting question is

Do ever feel that just when life seems to going back to "Normal" you discover that you actually have no idea what "Normal" even is anymore. One thing bombards you right after another and another. You may feel like crumbling apart - you may even ask "God, where are you?" The answer from scripture is: "I am a very present help in time of need" "Ask and you shall receive" "Only Believe", "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lea n not on your own understanding" "God is Faithful". To all that you may say this is just too difficult - I don't know how to believe or trust. But, certainly you do know how to believe or trust. It's actually easier than you think, you do it all the time.

 Think about this one. Do you ever go to your car, put the key in the ignition intending to start driving to work or the grocery store or the gas station and decide that it's not worth it to turn the key because you don't think it will get you anywhere? No! Apparently, you trust that when you turn that key your car will start and off you will be going to your intended destination. Now, of course, your car can disappoint you and decide not to run, but God IS Faithful and He will never disappoint those who will trust Him at least as much as you trust that your car will start when you turn the key. If you can trust that . . . . most certainly you can trust that God will be your ready help in time of need.

Not Only IS God Able - He is Faithful and He Will Do what he says He will do. Your brain will often give you a fuss over this. Tell your brain to shut up and tell your brain to do what You tell it to do. Don't you know that doubts are thoughts that you can control by changing those doubting thoughts in to trusting thoughts. What a foolish thing to do to have a perfectly fine car in the garage and the key in your hand and allow your thoughts to tell you that it won't start so why bother to go and even try. In fact, most likely you don't even think about what the car is going to do or even think about putting the key in the ignition. You simply EXPECT that the car will start. Well it's time to start EXPECTING to see the Faithfulness of God to show his Ability on your behalf to meet your need and to answer your questions and to heal your body and to direct you in the best way to go. These are all things that God says He will do! Yes, God is Able - God is Faithful. Expect God to do what He says he will do. Treat Him with at least as much respect as you treat your car! "God is more than able to do exceedingly above and beyond all that we can think or ask according to the power that works in us." Ephesians 3:20. That power is the Holy Spirit that was imparted to us when we became a child of the Most High God. The same power that raised Christ from the dead!

If you are a Christian, recognize you have the powerful One dwelling in you. Trust Him! If you are not a believer, I would highly suggest you change your beliefs immediately, because without God you are without the help you need! Trust God's ability on your behalf. God is the Father who takes great joy in giving His children what He has available for us - all the privileges and benefits of His Kingdom. He lacks No good thing and is a ready help in times of need. Those are all scriptures. I suggest you study the Bible to find them for yourself and believe what God says and Act like you believe!!! God is Faithful, God is Able, God is Good to those who are His who love him! Yes! God is Able and Yes God Will - Only Believe!!!

Happy Day Dragonfly

As you can see . . . I have been having fun!

Alcohol inks, Memory Box Piestra Tile Die 

and Dragonfly Die!

A little attempt at something new in the

photography department too!

Enjoy!

Elliana Memory Box Die

Good Morning!

The weather is beautiful and Max, our cat only cares

about going outside!!!

This card is, what else?

Alcohol Inks and Elliana Background Memory Box Die!

I am still trying to become a photographer . . .

I could try to blame it on the camera, 

but I think it's the one behind the camera - 

not the cat either!

I didn't want to cover up the beauty of the alcohol ink

background or the lovely die,

so, I silver embossed "Best Wishes" on vellum.

I think it works!

Beautiful results for a Wedding Card!

Enjoy this day! 

Hope it's nice weather wherever you are.

We Can Count On God!

Just a bit of encouragement for us this morning...If you are a child of the Most High God, then you must know that God Loves You! After all, He sent His only Son to die for you so that you could become part of His family and be set free from the power of the enemy if you believe.

Well, the other Good News is that not only did He forgive us our sins and make a way for us to live with Him forevermore, he also put us in position to be overcomers in this life! He wants to be our help every day, all the time, in every way! He says He will never leave us or forsake us but rather He is with us as a ready help all the time! That's a good thing, because I need His help - all the time!

We can count on God. Just pray and talk to Him and give Him the Thanks that He is ready to help us. Get to know what He says in the Bible so you will know all the great things God will do for you. He is our Healer, our Provider, our Deliverer, Our Present Help, Our Counselor ... so, so, so much more! Keep studying the Bible and believe what you read. It doesn't make sense to our natural mind how God can work out things for our good when we can't even understand it. But He is Mighty and All-Powerful. Nothing is impossible with God and coolest is that He is not a man that he can lie. It is impossible for Him to lie! So, irregardless how impossible it seems to be to come out of the deep trouble we often find ourselves in, if we will trust him no matter how it appears and just say: "Father, I do not know how you work this all out, but I know you are Faithful and True and your word says 'nothing is impossible for you' so I put my trust and confidence in You to work this out entirely for my good. Thank you for your Faithfulness! Amen"