Great Give-Away ....

There is a great "give-away" on The Creative Connection Blog. Go there for a chance to win 2 tickets and hotel stay for the Creative Connection/ blogHer coming up in MN. Have a blessed day everyone!

Time out

Ok, so I have taken some much needed time out from my blog and my arts/crafts to spend some much needed spiritual time w/ God, a vacation w/my family and some great friends to our favorite place at the beach, and a trip to the mountains to my mom's place there, with my mom and sister. Here and there, under no pressure, as it should be, I have created a few projects though that I will share, a couple of which were shared with me, and one my own custom design. As for my spiritual time out, I have SO enjoyed my time alone w/God, He has blessed me in SO many ways ...family, friends, health, church family, the things I see, hear and feel everyday of my life that are so frequently taken for granted and so often go unnoticed. Along with my Bible and my devotional "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young, I have also read a couple of books by Francine Rivers, "Redeeming Love" and "Unshaken". Also, "Having a Mary Heart In A Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. The latter three books were referred to me by( a friend to me and relative of my husband), Karon, who has been a real inspiration to me. I encourage any and every one to read these books, they are wonderful....not forgetting to mention a previously read "The Purpose-Driven Life" a "must-read". I keep buying extra copies and have been handing them out. As for the projects I have been working on... the bracelet is a "spoon bracelet" ( I saw while in the mountains with my mom and sis) and just had to make one (customed designed it though)... a necklace I created out of the Tim Holtz fragment pieces and some jewels, charms, beads, and some circle-punched, embossed , aluminum soda cans. Also, a "record bowl" of which I saw on you-tube.

Card Organizer

I designed and created this card/organizer in hopes of being better at sending cards on birthdays and special occasions. I used bookboard and covered it with paper for the cover and the book is bound using the Bind-it -All. The front cover has my inital and a frame, both of which I made. The "flap" on the front has a magnetic closure. The organizer includes a page with a pocket to hold cards/envelopes for each month of the year. Included on each page/pocket is a numerical listing of dates with a line beside each, on which to "pencil in" birthdays, anniversaries, etc. for that month. Also, included on each is the birthstone and flower for that month. In the back of the book I created, printed, and included "address book" pages so that I will have them handy when I am ready to mail the cards. This organizer/book was quite time consuming, but very well worth it. I am pleased with the way it turned out!

Pottery Painting

My son's girlfriend ( who by the way is a very talented artist) and I went to Hearts of Clay Pottery in Columbus, NC a few weeks ago and painted pottery there. It was soooo fun and relaxing. This is the plate that I painted. She painted coasters (wish I had a pic). It was a very nice day together as we ate lunch, painted the pottery, and went thrift shopping. I will be going back to paint again in a few weeks with some very special friends of mine, as we have planned lunch and pottery time together.

Card Class

I created these 3 cards for a card class I taught at a local retirement facility for a "Open -House type event they held. Have taught the ladies there at the facility cardmaking for a couple of years now, on several different occcasions and really enjoy those ladies very much. They actually have a lot of talent there, some are painters (watercolor,oil, and acrylic) and some make jewelry, while others knit and crochet. There artwork is beautiful and is diplayed in their art room for sale. I have bought several pieces of jewelry in the past and just recently had my eye on a watercolor painting that I hope to purchase soon. Sweet, Sweet ladies!

Handmade Art Journal

I incorporated paper and fabric in the design of this art journal. I painted the flowers on the fabric with acrylic paints (fluid acrylics) and stamped the butterflies and script with Staz-on ink. The fabric is sewn onto the paper (for the cover) and then the paper is glued onto the bookboard. I bound the book using the Bind-it All and coils. I covered the coil by making a spine out of the bookboard and paper . This book is one of those projects that I definitely WILL do again. Sometimes I just want to meet the challenge, but this book was a lot of fun to create, from making the cover to painting the fabric, even the sewing!

Well, Ain't that the Bombdiggity!!!!.....

And just how much fun was it making this? Way too much!!! Last Tuesday night I went (along with a friend)to The Inman Quilt Cottage and made the "to die for" casserole carrier. So practical and so easy to make. I am not good at sewing, so, I was elated to have been able to make this. Cutest thing ever... so proud of myself.

Next Project...

A quilt. Went to pick out the fabric yesterday with a couple of friends at The Quilt Cottage in Inman, SC. My first time there and it was so much fun. If ever in Inman, need to go in and see the place, it is wonderfully stocked with so much fabric and notions, Becky was so much help and so talented. Now, hopefully my quilt will at least resemble the picture shown, taken from American Patchwork & Quilting, Aug. 2009 issue. But... I will need encouragement along the way, as I have started a quilt or two before and never quite finished them. Starting fresh and anew with this "first time" applique quilt. Now that I have posted it, I HAVE TO FINISH IT, right?!?!! Send me encouragement, and keep asking about it so that I will feel "the pressure" to complete it!!! Will post the progess. Whew!!!! Here goes......

I AM BLESSED!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

Thank you Lord, for your gifts, these two wonderful boys, that I love and am so very proud of. Thank you for entrusting me with them and may I, with your guidance, be the example for them that you would have me be. Please help me daily to continue to encourage them, teach them your ways, and be there for them. I ask your continued blessings on them and grant them safety. Amen.

OUR FAMILY

God made us a family. We need one another. We forgive one another. We work together. We play together. We worship together. Together we use God's word. Together we grow in Christ. Together we love all men. Together we serve our God. Together we hope for heaven. These are our hopes & ideals. Give us the grace to attain them, O God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

My heart goes out

My heart goes out to and my prayers go up for all those affected by the recent storms and tornadoes. May God bless and heal you and your communities/neighborhoods in the days to come as you begin to rebuild. The losses (homes and lives) are devastating numbers. You will remain in the thoughts and prayers of my family daily.

I'll be back soon...

...but until then, I'll leave you with this file folder book/journal that I made a few months back after seeing one and getting the idea from a Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine. Just the base, not sure what I am going to do with the inside pages yet...but, when it hits me, I'll dive right on in.
I have taken a little time off lately to enjoy some reading, The Purpose-Driven Life, along with some of my Somerset books that I have not finished entirely. You know the saying (I have a coffee mug with it on it) "So many books...so little time"...well, I am making/taking the time to read them. The Purpose-Driven Life is helping me prioritize, and sacrifice a few things (w/o guilt) in order to have more time, and to allow "less of me and more of Him. Guess what?!! It's working!!! God is so good!

Sunday Service

Received such a blessing today at church. A very touching sermon, inspirational music, exceptionally nice people, as always. Family w/ me (one son, the other out of town and hubby missed due to outages caused by the strong winds), and a special friend came today. A lot of people think its not necessary to attend church....but there is such a "missed blessing" when you don't. I have both "attended" and "missed" and I have to tell you, when I miss it's like eating the cake w/o the icing, or like someone putting art materials in front of me but not letting me play with them. I don't want to miss any blessings! It jumpstarts my week, and usually by the end of the week, I need another dose. Looking forward to this coming week and in celebrating Easter and the meaning of Easter....He is risen!!!

Exhausted

After a long day in the studio, Bis and Sadie need a nap! They are so sweet and doing so well....they are always right there with me , creating 'til the end! (sometimes 2:00 am).

Bless 'em.

My New Comfy Shoes

A great find, comfy and cute as can be....looked very "artsy" to me. Comfort is my number one concern though and I give them a 10 in that category.

Beautiful Spring At My House

"This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever."--1 John 2:17 (NLT)

Life on earth is just the dress rehearsal before the real production....It is the practice workout before the actual game; the warm-up lap before the race begins. This life is preparation for the next. You will spend far more time on the other side of death--in eternity-- than you will here. ------Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life

Choco's Idea of a Bath

My First

My first "fling" with encaustics. This encaustic collage was soooo much fun. A word of advise...wear summer clothes! Standing over a griddle is, uh, VERY warm indeed. Was very proud that I didn't burn myself. I learned a lot and have a lot to learn... but for my first...I thought I did pretty good. The main thing for me is that it was fun. Excited about "dipping"in again very soon.

Beautiful Evening Sun

I like to call it SONshine!

Angry Sky

Captured this shot of an angry sky just before the bad storms the other night. Choco came inside for the night, Bis slept in the closet and Sadie slept on top of me...all night long. Many, many power outages. Needless to say, I was a" Power Company" widow for a few days/nights. Hubby is now back home, safe and sound...and all have power! Thanking God for safety.

Finding My Purpose In Life...

I have "started over" reading and studying "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. I am sooo bad, I purchased it a year ago, and am just now settling into it. Too many "other things" have taken precedence over it in the past year. And already in the first day's reading I am understanding how to " do less" in life by focusing on what is most important. And, as a result, everything else is falling right in line as it should. How many times have I heard this? All through my childhood, growing up in church, throughout Sunday School, sermons, etc. It is sooo true. So many times I find myself trying to fit everything in, take care of everybody (and I mean everybody), people I don't even know. And that has been the whole problem.."myself". It is not about me. God created me and had a purpose and plan for me even before I was conceived. I can choose my career, my spouse, my hobbies and other parts of my life, but not my purpose. I am His "invention" and since He is my "inventor" I must go to Him to find my purpose. This 40 day study is so perfect for me at this point in my life. Kids are grown, the world seems so chaotic, what used to be wrong is now somehow considered to be right and "okay", so much going on, etc. What a "breather" this book gives. And ths significance of this study's "40 days" is in itself amazing. You will have to dig in yourself to find out why if you don't already know. And I encourage you to join me in doing just that. Have a blessed weekend!!!

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

My gallery (continued)

Gallery of some of my layout creations

"Collage Unleashed"....

This book that I created came from a book that I am soooo enjoying called "Collage Unleashed" by Traci Bautista. It is a latch hook spine bound book that I have entitled " "Play". I am using it to play around with techniques of Traci's that are in the book as well as a few other techniques I have picked up here and there. I created the covers using a variety of paints, Golden, (acrylic, metallics,irredescents, glazes) and incorporated some stamping and "rubs" and some Ranger Distress Embossing Powders, as well as some Ranger Crackle Paints. The spine is made of latch hook rug canvas filled with ribbons, fibers and fabric along with a few beads and buttons. "Collage Unleashed" is one of the most fun and playful books I have purchased...so much inside , and every page and every technique gets more and more exciting.