A New Creation

A Bit of Sunshine

2011-08-06T18:09:00.003-04:00

Whenever I look at this card, it makes me think of a bright, sunny day, with clothes hanging on the line outside. I actually made this card several months ago. You can't tell from the picture, but there is actually a saying stamped on the bottom of the card. I like the crisp, clean look of the white, with the bright colors of the DP. The DP is from a K&Company paper pack that I got at JoAnn Fabrics. Again, it is an 8x8 pack, which means the designs/prints are smaller and more appropriate for card making. The image is from the "Loads of Fun" stamp set by There She Goes Stamps. I used the Spellbinders Labels 16 die for the image, and I accented the card with pink brads. I colored the image using my Prismacolor pencils.

A Multitude of Blessings

2011-08-06T17:08:00.004-04:00

This week has been filled with a multitude of blessings, in the form of answered prayers and provision from the Holy Spirit, at the time of need. The first blessing was in the way of special empowerment from the Holy Spirit, in a time of need. It happened at the beginning of the week, when I was talking with another Christian on the phone. We were having a difference of opinion, and this particular person was objecting to my personal convictions of right and wrong on a particular issue. Instead of agreeing to disagree with me, this person tried very hard to violate those convictions and proceeded to bully me for awhile. It got to the point where I was furious, so much so, that I almost sinned and started yelling at the person and/or rudely hanging up on them. But the miracle is that I did not lose my temper and sin with my tongue, even though I was hurt and angry. It is only the intervention of the God, through the Holy Spirit, that allowed me to keep from sinning throughout the conversation. I know that it was not through my strength, for my flesh was screaming to do the opposite....Praise God that He kept me from doing anything that I would have to repent of later.

The second blessing that stands out to me is that my son enlisted in the Marines. It is a blessing, because after several years of not having any direction in his life, he has found something that he is willing to commit to and work hard for. While I am naturally concerned for his future safety, I cannot help but believe that this experience will instill some discipline in his life, as well as have many other benefits. I also hope that God will use the trials that John will encounter to bring him to Himself, for my son is not a believer.

The third blessing is the miraculous healing of my brother-in-law, Michael Ford. A little over 4 months ago Michael was diagnosed with a very agressive form of cancer. The PET scan revealed that he had cancer throughout his abdomen, and he had tumors that were breaking out of his skin all over his body as well. It was so bad that at the initial diagnosis, the doctors immediately gave him a chemo treatment without working up a treatment plan. The doctors and we all thought that Mike was terminal. Well, after four months of chemo, Michael took another PET scan and it has been determined that he is now cancer free. The doctors chalk it up to the early treatment in the hospital, but we are all convinced that it is the hand of the Lord and that God was not ready to bring Michael home yet. Also, going into this trial Michael and Launa (my sister) were struggling financially, so we thought that at the very least, this illness would place them into bankruptcy. But through various people and such, God has provided for them.

Lastly, my son wanted to go camping around Jackson, Wyoming, which is where we are from, before he leaves for basic training. The problem is that it is wicked expensive to fly directly into Jackson Hole, and for him to fly into another airport and would be difficult for him, because rental car agencies will not rent to a person under 20 and who does not have a credit card. Well when we were looking at plane tickets for him, the Lord provided us with an incredible deal on a flight into Jackson Hole. The price is so low that John can afford to fly into that airport. Well, when we saw how low the price was we talked about how it would be nice if my husband, Matt, could go with John; however, we didn't think that his boss would let him take the time off at such short notice and with the office staff being short-handed. Well, he texted his boss and asked him anyways, and his boss said he could go. So, God has provided the means and opportunity for Matt and our son John to spend a week together in the mountains, before John goes to the marines. It is such a tremendous blessing!

Sometimes, we can pray and pray, and it seems that God is not answering our prayers (or he is not answering them the way we want Him to). Then, all of a sudden it is as though God opens up the flood gates and pours out abundant blessings on us.

Fun With Friends

2011-08-05T07:45:00.002-04:00

This is another card that I made using my "new favorite" paper pad. I say it in quotations, because my favorites change quickly based upon discoveries of new paper. I like this paper pad because of the richness of colors and the earthiness of it. I also like it that most of the papers are textured. That being said the Designer Paper is from the DCWV Green Stack, which I found at JoAnn Fabrics. I scored a great deal, because it was 40% off, and then I had a 20% of the total purchase price coupon. I've gotten so spoiled by those kind of deals that I won't hardly buy anything at full price any more......unless I absolutely can't live without it (we're talking stamping products of course!). Anyways, I paired the DP with a textured, charcoal grey cardstock and accented with a brick red cardstock. I stamped the image on white PTI Cardstock, which is my absolute favorite. I like how heavy the cardstock is and how crisp the images come out. The stamped image is "Daily Grind" by There She Goes Stamps, and I colored it using my PrismaColor pencils. I still am not the greatest at shading, but I am working at it. I am certainly not a natural, and I need to find an art class to help me with this skill.

I gave the card to my neighbor Thely. She is a dear friend and sister in Christ.

The Mercy & Sovereignty of God

2011-08-05T07:32:00.002-04:00

The Scripture that I posted for today comes from Isaiah 55:6-9. In verses 6-7, we see an exhortation to seek the Lord, while there is still time. It is an exhortation for a person to repent of his sins and turn to the Lord for salvation. The promise to the one who will do this, is that the Lord God will hear the cry of the repentant sinner and have compassion upon him and forgive him. It displays God's rich mercy and compassion, but it also displays His justice, holiness and righteousness, for implied within the text is a warning that if you don't turn to Him, you will not receive compassion or pardon. Next, in verses 8-9, we have a warning against trusting our own judment in these matters. Taken within the context, it is a warning against those who would trust their own judgment and thoughts in terms of their eternal destination; however, its application goes far beyond issues of salvation and extends to a person's daily walk with the Lord. We must remember that God does not operate based upon our earthly wisdom but upon His own wisdom and that God's wisdom reaches far beyond ours. His thinking and acting is far superior to ours and is beyond our comprehension. It is our responsibility to trust Him at His word and pray for the faith and understanding to be obedient to it.

Ooops!

2011-08-04T21:27:00.001-04:00

Well, I never cease to amaze myself. I was fooling around on my Blogger dashboard and accidently became a member and a follower of my own blog, and I don't know how to remove myself. If any of you knows how to do it, please let me know. I feel like a total goob

Psalm 73:26

2011-08-04T20:42:00.005-04:00

This is a card I made just last week using a new stamp and some new designer paper. The stamp is part of the Scripture Series 1 set by Our Daily Bread Designs. I love our Daily Bread Designs, because they have beautiful Scripture sets that are either theme-based sets with illustrations and verses, or they are sets that are exclusively Scripture. The Designer Paper I used is a new paper pack that I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics. It is called the Green Stack and it is put out by DCWV. I absolutely love it. You can get this paper pad in either the 12x12 or the 8x8. I prefer the 8x8 pad, because the print is smaller, which is more suitable for a card. The sunflower accents are actually some pewter buttons that I got on clearance at JoAnn Fabrics. I just took a pair of sturdy wire cutters and clipped the loops off of the backs and then I pasted them on the card using glue dots. Lastly, I used a Spellbinders Labels 16 die for my Scripture verse.

I sent this card to my daughter, Meghan, who has been struggling with her health lately. I sent it in hopes that it would encourage her. The crazy thing was so thick I sent it in a padded envelope, because I was afraid it would get bent up, if I put it in a regular envelope.

A Welcome Return

2011-08-04T20:27:00.002-04:00

I am finally back, after a very long break. A lot has happened in the past year, which I hope to eventually put down on this blog. Let's just say that I got distracted. I also wanted to change the look and the format of this blog, which took me awhile to accomplish. Some of my goals for this blog is to share my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ with those who do not yet know Him as their personal Lord and Savior, encourage those who already do know Him, through Scripture and personal testimony, and share my love of crafting with others. I have several friends in church, but there is no one close by that shares my love of crafting, and in particular...making cards. The only thing more fun than making a new card is sharing it with someone else. I love sharing new techniques, stamps, papers and ideas with other ladies, and I love talking about the Word of God. So, that's what I hope to do here.

In light of this, I am hoping to regularily post new Scriptures on my blog, offer short challenges from the Word, and post the occasional card. I also hope to add to the list of my favorite Christian books, which are great reading but are never to take the place of Bible reading.

The Scripture I have posted today is from Roman's 8:1 which states, "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". This verse points to the security of the believer in Jesus Christ. In it is the promise that whoever, in faith, entrusts their sole to the Lord Jesus Christ, will escape judgement (condemnation), in the end times, at the judgment seat of Christ. This is the believer's hope and should bring him/her a sense of peace and security.

Isaiah 41:10 Card

2010-02-01T16:59:00.003-05:00

Here is a card I made on Sunday. I actually started it on Saturday, but I was so frustrated with it I had to walk away. I considered chucking it all together, but I hated to waste the paper. I came back to it on Sunday and reworked it. Now I am glad that I didn't chuck it, because I like it. The designer paper is called Bella Blue, and it is from Stampin Up. Unfortunately, it is retired paper. The verse stamp is from the Scripture Collection 1 by Our Daily Bread Designs. The decorative squiggles in the corner are from the new Vintage corner dies by Cuttlebug.

Recipe: Stamps: Scripture Collection 1 by Daily Bread Designs. Paper: PTI White, Bella Blue DP by Stampin Up, Close to Cocoa. Ink: Memento Black. Accessories: 7/8" white satin ribbon, cuttlebug vintage corners, dimensionals, fiskars borde punch.

The Discipline of God: Hebrews 12:4-13

2010-02-01T13:47:00.002-05:00

Today, I wanted to talk about the discipline of God in a believer's life. Often, when people hear the words "discipline of God", they only think in terms of punishment. It is true, that when a believer is involved in unrepented sin, he will undergo the discipline of God. We see this in 1 Corinthians 11:23-30, where the believers in Corinth were practicing communion in an ungodly manner. Because of this, God allowed some of those believers to become sick, and some of them He took home to be with Him. We also see it in the case of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5, where they lied to the Holy Spirit and as a consequence they were struck dead by God. And we mustn't forget the familiar Biblical principal from Galations 6:7, which states, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." There is however, another kind of discipline that has nothing to do with any sin in the believer's life. This is the discipline that comes in the form of the various trials and tribulations we encounter in life.

In Hebrews 12:4-13, we see this kind of discipline from the Lord. In this epistle, the Christians were suffering hardships and persecution because of their faith. As a result, some were discouraged, disheartened and confused. The author of Hebrews takes this opportunity to remind them of the purpose of these trials and of the Father's love for them.

In verses 4-13, the author calls the trials "discipline", which is the Greek word paideia referring to the training of a child. It is a broad word that signifies what parents and teachers do in the life of a child to mold them into responsible, mature adults. Sometimes that discipline is rebuke, sometimes it is instruction, and other times it involves allowing the child to suffer hardship. The parent does this out of love for the child and with an eye to his future benefit. In the same way, the Father lovingly brings discipline into our lives through rebuke, instruction and hardship. This discipline often comes in the form of trials, such as financial hardship, sickness & death, social stress, persecutions and etc., all of which are the things that God uses to mold us into His image.

The author further encourages his audience by reminding us, that the "discipline" is proof of God's love and ownership of us For just as a father disciplines his "own" child, so also does the heavenly Father discipline His own. If we never experience the discipline of the Father, we do not belong to Him; instead, we are illegitimate. (Heb. 12:7-8) Knowing this should bring encouragement to our lives.

Lastly, the author encourages us in our trials by reminding us of the fruit that comes from them. He states in verse 11, "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." In this verse, he acknowleges the pain that comes from the trials, but then he encourages us with the revelation that it is those things that work righteousness in our lives. It is the hardships and sufferings that we go through, that mold us more into the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
While the knowledge of this does not remove the sufferings of the trial, it does bring to our souls and minds a steadied peace and joy in the midst of the trials. It is so much easier going through hardships, when you know that it is a loving God that holds you in the midst of them and that there is a wonderful, God glorifying purpose in those sufferings. This is the encouragement that is found in Hebrews 12:4-13.

I hope this passage of Scripture is a blessing and encouragement to you just as it has been to me, as I have walked through the trials/disciplines of life.

God Bless!

Lisa

Teapots

2010-01-28T12:35:00.002-05:00

This is a card I made this weekend. I usually make my cards on Friday afternoons or on Saturdays and Sundays, after I have finished preparing for Tuesday's Bible Study. This one took me awhile to make, because I kept getting stumped. It was only after I had added the splash of blue cardstock, that I started to like it. There is still something about it that bugs me, but I don't know what it is. Anyways, the picture doesn't do the colors justic....as usual. I just can't seem to get my photography right. I guess it's just another thing that God uses to try and teach me humility....I sure wish I would learn it! lol

The stamp set is called "A Cup of Life", by Verve Stamps. I love their stamps. They are clear polymer/acrylic, and they stamp wonderfully.

Recipe: Stamps: A Cup of Life, by Verve Stamps. Paper: Border Blue, Chocolate Chip, PTI White, American Crafts "Letterbox" DP. Ink: Memento Black, Copics. Accessories: 1", white satin ribbon, Fiskars border punch, nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Spellbinders Labels 5.

Answered Prayers

2010-01-28T12:05:00.003-05:00

In the past week, among many prayers that God has answered, there are three in particular I would like to share. The first two are on going helps from the Lord, which I would be lost without. These in particular relate to the Bible study I teach to women on Tuesday morning. Consistently, when I am studying I come across Scripture I don't fully understand; I struggle with how and what I am going to teach from the Scripture; or I struggle with learning something new. It used to be that I would keep at it a short time, and if I still had no success I would rely on the words of another teacher or I would just teach what I knew and forget the rest, which really isn't wrong; yet, I wasn't persistant in pursiing understanding...I gave up too easily. However, recently that has changed as a result of reading the life of George Muller. In his life he was persistent in his studies, and he would bring them before the Lord in prayer until the Lord brought him understanding. I have been trying to practice this in my own life, and God has consistently blessed. Last week was one instance in particular. I was studying for our lesson covering Jesus' call of Matthew the tax gatherer, and I had hit a brick wall. I knew there was something more there than the basic facts of the story, but it wasn't coming together for me. For three days I looked at it and studied it, and I prayed to the Lord for help. On the third day, after praying about it, I started studying, and in an instant the Lord brought some relevant Scripture to mind and brought understanding to me on how I was going to teach the Lesson. It was truly a blessing, and it confirmed the need to be persistent in prayer..

The second answered prayer, and also one which occurs every week, occurs on the day I teach the lesson. Every Tuesday morning, right before class, I am lost as to what I am going to teach. It does not matter how much I have studied for the lesson or how good my notes and outline are. The morning of the lesson, it is as if my mind has drawn a blank and I haven't a clue what I am going to do. In fear and anxiety, I go before the Lord in prayer, asking Him to help me teach the class, acknowledging my helplessness before Him. When the class begins, I still feel lost, but then as I speak the Lord brings it all back to me an enables me to teach what I have studied. I really believe that He allows me to go through this each week to keep me humble and dependent on Him for the class and the teaching.

Lastly, over Christmas, my son's dentist told us that one of his wisdom teeth was coming in and pushing into his lower molar. It was going to have to be removed; otherwise, it would come in and ruin 2-years worth of braces. I was not thrilled, because we do not have dental insurance, and it cost $3,600 to have my daughter's 4 wisdom teeth removed. So, I began praying for a miracle. My husband had all four wisdom teeth removed, and so did my daughter. I however, only had one wisdom tooth, and my sister did not have any. So, I hoped and prayed that John would take after me. Well, Monday, right before we went to the oral surgeon, I prayed for God to intervene, acknowledging that He had the power to remove existing teeth (which I was skeptical that He would do), or He could have John take after me. Well, guess what.....they took John's x-rays and found that he only has one wisdom tooth! I was so excited! Instead of paying $3600, which I did not have, for 4 teeth, we only have to pay $890 for 1. Let me tell you, I was praising God...He answered my prayers.

I share all of that with you, to encourage you to pursue God in prayer. First, when you pray for the things that you know are God's will, such as understanding of His Word, greater spiritual growth, etc, you can be confident He will answer them. It may not be in the time that you want, but He will answer them. You just need to be persistent. Second, God wants us to bring all of our needs to Him in prayer. He listens. He may not always answer them the way that we would like. When He doesn't, we need to rest in the assurance that He always does what is best for us, and when He does, we should thank and praise Him.

Lamentations 3:21-23

2010-01-25T13:56:00.005-05:00

Today, I am posting card featuring one of my favorite passages of Scriptures. It is Lamentations 3:21-23. Lamentations was penned by the prophet Jeremiah during the time when God's wrath was being poured out on Judah. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. He was the prophet that witnessed the gross sin of Judah and the subsequent discipline by the Lord. During this time, Jeremiah preached repentance and judgment to the people, but they did not want to hear it. They persecuted him, imprisoned him, and threw him down a well. He witnessed the carrying away of many of the people into exile and the terrible effects of famine, due to the seige they were under. In Lamentations, Jeremiah spends the first two chapters and half of the third chapter, lamenting Judah's downfall & crying out to God. In it, we see that he is depressed, discouraged, and disheartened, but starting in verse 19 of Chapter 3, we see his attitude change as he remembers His God. As he reminds himself of the faithfulness & goodness of God, his attitude changes from one of complaining and despairing to one of hope and encouragement. This is a great lesson to us, in that whenever we are discouraged, disheartened, discontent or despairing, if we will go back to Scripture (and to our own experiences in the Lord) and began remembering the goodness of the Lord and the might works He has wrought, our souls will be lifted up and encouraged....It is a beautiful example of the great things that God will do when we lift our eyes unto Him.

As to the card, the stamp comes from the Scriptures 1, set by Our Daily Bread Designs. The DP is by Heidi Grace. The front side has the flower pattern, and the backside has the gold, with white polka dots pattern. I used my nestabilites labels to cut out a frame from Always Artichoke cardstock, and I sponged the edges with black to make it pop.

Recipe: Stamps: Scriptures 1, by Our Daily Bread Designs. Paper: Heidi Grace DP, Whisper White, Basic Black and Always Artichoke. Ink: Memento Black. Accessories: Nestabilities Labels, Dimensionals, Sheer, black 1/2 inch ribbon, Antique Brads, faux white pearls.

Recent Cards

2010-01-14T19:44:00.007-05:00

This is my most recent card. In fact, I put on the finishing touches this morning. I made this card using my new stamp set "Loads of Fun", by There She Goes Stamps. My base is PTI White cardstock, and I layered it with Lavender Lace Cardstock and Heidi Grace DP. The next layer is Mellow Moss cardstok that I embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I sponged the grass for the picture with Mellow Moss ink, and I colored the image with my Copic Markers.

Recipe: Stamps: Loads of Fun by There She Goes Stamps . Paper: PTI white, Mellow Moss, Lavender Lace, Heidi & Grace DP. Ink: memento Black, Copic Markers, sponged mellow moss. Accessories: Dimensionals, Circle nestabilites, pink brads, 5/8" and 1" moss green ribbon.

On this next card, I used another new stamp set (to me), called "Up, Up, and Away", by Verve Stamps. I used a Navy cardstock for the base and layered it with Stampin Up's "Maine Blueberry" DP. The corner embellisments were made with Cuttlebug's "Vintage Corners" Die, and I colored the image with my Copic Sketch Markers

Recipe: Stamps: Up Up & Away by Verve Stamps. Paper: PTI White, Certainly Celery, Navy, SU DP. Ink: Memento Black, Copic Markers. Accessories: 3/8" Navy ribbon, Circle Nestabilities, Navy Brads, Cuttlebug corner dies, dimensionals.

Hello Again!

2010-01-14T19:28:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm not so good at this blog thing after all. I should have known, because I'm not much of a talker (chit chat) or letter writer either. So what's been going on here? Let me see, I am still teaching our women's Bible study. I am in my 5th year and loving it. We are going through Dwight Pentecost's book called "The Words and Works of Jesus Christ". The title pretty much says it all. The book covers key themes and events in the life of Jesus Christ, taking us through all four gospels. The challenge is to see more of the person of Jesus Christ through the study. We don't want to just learn more facts about our Savior, but we want to see Him as more in His person and deity. As we see our Savior more fully and begin to more fully understand the salvation He purchased for us, we will grow in our love and passion for Him and the Father. It has been a challenging study. We are going through it a lot more slowly than I expected, and I don't think we will make it through the book by the end of May. But, the Lord is in control, and He will allow us to get through what we need to at this time.

I also host the Women's Christian Biography group at my house every other week. We are finishing up the biography of George Mueller, and will start a new one (to be announce) in a couple of weeks. This has also been a spiritual challenge. George Mueller was a tremendous man of faith. He was known as the man responsible for building and running orphan houses, but he was best know for his tremendous prayer life and implicit trust in God to provide for all of his needs.

On the homefront, our daughter Meghan just finished her first semester of college at the University of Wyoming. We miss her a lot, but we know she is where God wants her. I will elaborate more at a later post. Our son John, is entering his last semester in High School, and Matt is tremendously busy at the litigation firm where he works.

In the meantime, I try to get in a card here and there, and hopefully, I can be more dilligent about posting here.

Labor Day 2009

2009-09-07T21:37:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you have had a wonderful, blessed Labor Day! Ours was relaxing. We didn't do much. I ran a couple of errands, got my oil changed and the tires rotated on the VW, packed up Meghan's Birthday box, and photographed a couple of cards. Oh, and I did lots of other things in between. Tomorrow things really get into full swing, because it is the day that our Ladies' Bible Study starts back up. I have decided to go through the book The Words and Works of Jesus Christ by J. Dwight Pentecost. In this book, Mr. Pentecost has taken the four gospels together and examined the life of Christ, from birth to death. I initially just wanted to go through a gospel with the class, but then I realized how overwhelming of a task it would be to go through line by line & verse by verse, not to mention some of the theology is very daunting, and I am no theologian. I prayed quite a bit about it, and that is when the Lord brought this study to my mind. Matt & I went through this in our Wyoming church many years ago. It will be a very good study, if the ladies commit to reading the book and looking up the referenced verses. So, anyways that starts tomorrow. Tomorrow's class will be relatively short, because I do not have a lesson prepared. I will be introducing the books and passing them out; giving the class requirements; taking the ladies' names, numbers, emails, etc., taking prayer requests and praying. Then, the following week I will go through the introductory chapter with them. We will see what the Lord will do this year. I will keep you posted as we go.

In the meantime, I have a couple of cards to post. This first one is a card I made for my mother's birthday. Unfortunately, I mailed it to her late. It took me a bit to get it finished, and then I was having problems getting it photographed, because we kept having cloudy days. Finally, I got it photographed this morning. I used the Sugar and Spice stamp set by Whipper Snapper Designs, and I colored it with my copic markers.

Recipe: Stamps: Sugar n' Spice by Whipper Snapper Designs. Paper: SU's Bella Birds DP, Pti White, Bordering Blue, Barely Banana . Ink: Memento Black, Copics, Basic Grey. Accessories: Nestabilities Labels two, Dimensionals, Martha Stewart Border punch, Faux pearls, 5/8" satin whie ribbon.

I made this second card for my daughter Meghan's 19th Birthday. Again, I used the Sugar 'n Spice stamp by Whipper Snapper Designs, and I colored the image with my copic markers.

Recipe: Stamps: Sugar n' Spice by Whipper Snapper Designs . Paper: Pirouhette pink. PTI White, Elegant Eggplant, SU's Tea Party DP . Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Memento Black, Copic Markers. Accessories: Nestabilities Labels 2, dimensionals, nestabilites ovals, faux pearls, olive/sage ribbon.

Long Time...No Blog!

2009-09-02T16:28:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry it's been a very long time since I have posted anything. Lots of things have happened, and I got sidetracked by this game called FarmTown on Facebook...when I have more time I will fill you in. In the meantime, I have made a few cards. Posted above is a thank you card that I made for a friend. I used a stamp by Leigh Hannan, which I purchased from Impression Obsession. The card really does look better in person...the photo doesn't do it justice. I used my copic markers to color it, and I popped up the carrots, the white background, and the blue background up on dimensionals.

Hello Wednesday!

2009-07-29T16:55:00.005-04:00

I did a post last week with these pictures, but just when I was done, my internet cut out and I lost everything. I was so mad and disgusted I logged off and didn't redo my post. I know I haven't posted in ages, but I have been busy. Mostly I have been working out with Meghan, doing Algebra II with John, getting Meghan ready for college, and doing housework (as little as possible). Oh, and we are still meeting on Thursday mornings for our Christian Biography group.

Anyways, I have two cards that I like well enough to post. The first one features a verse from one of my favorite passages of Scripture. The Scripture passage is Lamentations 3:19-35, and it is written by the prophet Jeremiah, who is called the weeping prophet. I got the idea for the layout of this card from Amy Schaeffer's blog Pickeled Paper Designs. To get the antique look, I sponged Close To Cocoa around the edges of the verse, the pink and the designer paper. I used a pink Copic Marker to color the Faux Pearls a pinkish hue, and I sewed around the outside edge using a beige thread.

Recipe: Stamps: Scriptures 1 by Daily Bread Designs. Paper: Pink Pirhouette, Close to Cocoa, PTI White, DP from Michael's craft. Ink: Close to Cocoa. Accessories: Nestabilities Labels 1, Martha Stewart border punch, sewing machine, 3/8" pink grosgrain ribbon, Faux Pearls.

This next card, took me forever to do. I know that it is fall/halloween colors, but I wanted to match the oranges in the designer paper. I like the card personally, but I didn't get a very enthusiastic response for it on Splitcoast Stampers.

Recipe: Stamps: Scripture Collection 1 by Daily Bread Designs. Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, PTI White, Basic Grey Amrosia DP. Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red. Accessories: Fiskars border & embossing punch, Spellbinders labels 4, black brads, sheer black ribbon.

Extraordinary Men & Women of Faith

2009-07-05T17:36:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, I started a prayer & study group in my house, on Thursday mornings at 9 am. This group different than my other studies in that we are going through biographies and biographical sketches of followers of Christ. In the scriptures, we are encouraged by the apostle Paul to "follow me as I follow Christ", and we find the principles of discipleship and fellowship in the scriptures as well. We can do this be examining the lives of various believers in the Bible, as well as those saints that have gone before us. By doing this, we can see how God works in other people's lives, and we can see how they respond to the trials, testings and mercies of God. It is a great way to be encouraged in our faith, and it is another living example of how God works in the lives of his believers.

This study is not meant to take the place of time in the Word. That must take precedence in every believer's life over any other book. Also, we are only to follow other believers as they follow Christ, and where their behavior, experiences or beliefs deviates from or contradicts the Word of God we must part ways.

The first book we are going through is Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God, by Noel Piper. It is a book of biographical sketches, covering the lives of five women...Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare. You can get the book at Desiring God Ministries, http://www.desiringgod.org/Search/store/?search=faithful+women+and+their+extraordinary+god&submit.x=7&submit.y=6.

I decided to go through this book first, instead of a full biography, to get the ladies used to this kind of reading. Afterwards, we will go through the Hiding Place and then The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss. At the beginning of the class, we share prayer requests and pray. Then we discuss the reading for the week and how it convicted and/or encouraged us. I also encourage the women to share Scripture relevant to what they learned. So far, it has gone well, and if I get enough interest I plan on doing it in the evening for any women who are unable to come in the mornings. I would encourage any woman reading this blog to find and read biographies of godly men and women, with sound doctrine. It is a great encouragement.

Lisa

A Touch of Elegance

2009-07-05T17:27:00.002-04:00

I made this card yesterday afternoon. It took me forever to do, because I couldn't get it right. I got the stamp, which is by Inkadinkado, from Michael's the other day. There is also a hummingbird, butterfly, and tree from the same line. If you look closely, the patterns in the dragonfly's wings and body are actually birds. The other stamps are the same. They also have patterned pictures within the image. I wanted an elegant card for this stamp, so I chose the Bella Birds DP from Su. I coupled it with the Bordering Blue Cardstock and the Barely Banana Cardstock. I also added some elegance using my Fiskars border punch and some Faux pearls. The base is popped up on dimensionals, as well as the dragonfly. I think the Bella Birds DP has just been retired. If not, I am going to order more, since I like it so much.

Recipe: Stamps: Inkadinkado Dragonfly. Paper: Borderin Blue, Whisper White, Barely Banana, Bell Birds DP by SU. Ink: Not Quite Navy. Accessories: Faux Pearls, Fiskars Border Punch, dimensionals, 5/8" pink grosgrain ribbon.

Gorjuss Girls, "Sent With Love"

2009-07-03T12:15:00.004-04:00

I tried out my new Gorjuss Girls stamp for this card. Once again, I got to fooling around with the image first and had it colored before I even thought about the card I wanted to make. Sooo, I had to fool around until I found some colors and a card that would compliment the image. My cards actually seem to work out better if I do it the other way around. I do love the image, and she was so fun to color. The card is not my favorite. I like the red & white, but I am not so sure about some of the rest. The one thing that is driving me crazy, which I just noticed but it's too late to fix, is that my layering is a bit crooked. Oh well, better luck next time. (I guess we'll just call it the "homemade touch" lol!).

Anyways, my daughter is in my closet making a card right now, so I will have to make another one later. At this time I do not have a dedicated room for card making, and the only table I have for crafting is the downstairs downing table, which is too far to drag all of my stuff. So, we sit on the bottom of my closet floor (which is somewhat large) and stamp there, but there is only room for one at a time. We''re not doing much the rest of the day. We were supposed to have dinner guests tonite, but my hiatel (sp?) herni acted up pretty bad around midnight, and I am wiped out. I never feel well the day after it acts up. So, we postoned to next week. While I was sitting up in the throes of painful spasms, I did have an opportunity to pray and really contemplate the suffering of Jesus Christ at the cross. In light of that, my discomfort seemed pretty minimal.

Hopefully today, I will be back and fill you in on my new Bible study group I started a couple of weeks ago. Until then, I hope you have a day filled with the blessings of God.

Recipe: Stamps: Gorjuss Girls "Sent With Love". Paper: PTI white, Ruby Red. Ink: Memento Black, Copic Sketch Markers. Accessories: Nestabilities Lavels 4, So Saffron Brads, Fiskars Border Punch, 3/8" Grosgrain ribbon from Jo Ann Fabrics, Nestabilities Ovals, Cuttlebug "Stylized Flowers" embossing folder.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

2009-07-02T13:54:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday! Here's a new card I made the other day. I found this DP at Jo Ann Fabrics a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with them. At the time, my daughter Meghan was not too impressed with them, but she came over to my way of thinking after I made a card out of them. the DP is made by Cloud 9 Designs. The stamp is another one of my favorites by Whipper Snapper Designs. His name is Chester.

Stamps: Chester by Whipper Snapper Stamps. Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Pink Passion, Lovely Lilac, Confetti White, Enchanted Forest DP by Cloud 9 Design, Palace Walls by Coud 9 Designs. Ink: Basic Black, Copic Sketch Markers. Accessories: Dimensionals, 5/8" satin ribbon, Faux pearl embellishments

New/Old Cards

2009-07-01T08:07:00.004-04:00

I made a couple of new cards the past two days, but it's been too cloudy to photograph them. So, I thought I'd post a couple you might not have seen before. The first one is a birthday card I made for my friend in May. I used one of my favorite Fluffles stamps for this card. I got the idea for the shape from someone's blog on the internet; I just can't remember whose it was. I used my scalloped Nestabilities to create the flower shape. The one thing I would do different is to use the circle Nestabilites for my base. Then I would cut out the flower shape using the scalloped circle Nestabilites. Next, I would paste that on my circle base. By doing it this way, none of the petals would be cut off and the card would sit straight. Next time I make the card, I will do it that way.

Recipe: Stamps: Fluffles & the grasshoppers. Paper: Baja Breeze, PTI White, SU's Parisian Breeze DP . Ink: Basic Black, Sage Shadow, Regal Rose, Copic markers. Accessories: Nestabilites circles & scalloped circles, Pearl embellishments.

This next card is one I made for a good friend of mine. I used one of my new favorite stamps sets by Whipper Snapper Designes. It is the cling mount set called "Sugar n Spice" designed by Shelley Comiskey. http://www.whippersnapperdesigns.com/store/shop/anna-wight-cling-mount-sets/shelly-comiskey-sets/sugar-n-spice.html

I colored the image first, so I was limited in my card color choices. I embossed the yellow with Floral Fantasy Cuttlebug embossing folder, and I used my SU mat & piercing tool set for the paper piercing.

Recipe: Stamps: Sugar n' Spice by Whipper Snapper Designs. Paper: PTI White, Yo Yo Yellow, Taken with Teal. Ink: Memento Black, Copics markers. Accessories: silver brads, 3/8" White grosgrain ribbon, Fiskars Border Punch, Floral Fantasy Cuttlebug embossing folder, Nestabilities circles and scalloped circles.

Happy July 1st!

2009-07-01T07:33:00.003-04:00

I am terrible at titles, hence the "Happy July 1st" title. I do however, wish you a happy July 1st. I can't believe it is July already. Ony six more weeks until we take our "baby" Meghan to college. We are flying out to Wyoming on August 15 to take her to college. The hardest day will be on August 21, when we give her a great big hug goodbye and drive to the airport to come home. To all of you who have little children and think in your frustration that they will never grow up, it comes all too soon. I remember when Meghan and John were little, having a particularly bad day and Matt telling me that soon they would be 18. I would just wail that that was still a long way off. Now I look back and can't figure out where the time went. I have posted a picture of Meghan when she was about 10 years old. I hope you like it.

The one consolation that I have is knowing that Meghan knows the Lord and that she will be involved in a solid, Bible preaching church in Wyoming. She will be attending the church that both Matt & I got saved in and spent the first several years of our Christian lives. They have a great college ministry that she can lock into, and there are plenty of godly women to disciple her.

A Little Bit of Sunshine

2009-06-26T17:23:00.003-04:00

I am absolutely in love with this stamp set. It is the Sugar 'n Spice set by Whipper Snapper Stamps.

http://www.whippersnapperdesigns.com/store/shop/anna-wight-cling-mount-sets/shelly-comiskey-sets/sugar-n-spice.html. The little girls on this set are simply adorable. I wanted to try something different and break away from the earth tones that I had been using lately. I popped the wagon and flower pot for added dimensio.

Recipe: Stamps: Sugar n' Spice by Whipper Snapper Designs. Paper: Lovely Lilac, PTI White, DP from Michaels. Ink: Memento Black, Copics. Accessories: Dimensionals, Nestabilities Labels 1, Lime green large brads, Fiskars border punch.

God Will Carry You

2009-06-26T17:11:00.002-04:00

I made this card for a friend that has really been tested this past year. She has had one trial after another, and sometimes in the midst of the trials one can get weary and feel a little lost. It's at those times that followers of Jesus Christ need to remember that God is by their side willing to carry them through the fires.

Recipe: Stamps: Refuge & Strength. Paper: Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, 29th Street Market DP. Ink: Elegant Eggplant. Accessories: 5/8" satin ribbon, dimensionals, Nestabilities Labels 4, faux pearl embellishments (from Michael's)

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-26T15:07:00.002-04:00

This is a card I made for my dad for Father's day. He is an outdoorsman who loves to hunt, fish, camp & etc. The fish stamp is supposed to be a large mouth bass, but I did not get the colors exactly right. It should be more of a brownish green, but I didn't have the right colors. I went onto the internet searching for photos and artwork depicting the bass, and it helped a little bit. The recipe is as follows.

Stamps: Large Mouth Bass, by Inkadinkado. Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, PTI White, SU's "To the Nines Specialty" DP. Ink: Close to Cocoa, Memento Black, Always artichoke, Copic Markers, Chocolate chip. Accessories: Oval Nestabilites, Dimensionals, Brushed nickel brads, Sewing Machine.

In Memory of Winston

2009-06-13T22:26:00.006-04:00

I made this collage of Winston. I miss him very much; he was my buddy!

A Word of Encouragement

2009-06-13T21:43:00.002-04:00

I made this card for a good friend of mine who has been going through hard times. She has been out of work for almost a year and her house is going into foreclosure. On top of that, she has developed an allergy to her cat, who she has had for 15 years, and she has various health problems. I have been praying for her daily, trusting that God will provide. While He has not provided a job with a consistent income yet, He has been providing for her basic needs through gifts from various people and by other means. Though she knows that people are praying for her, sometimes a card is enough to brighten a day a put a little encouragement into it.

The stamp I used on this card is by Verve Stamps, http://shopverve.com/, and the designer paper is Stampin Up's "To the Nines". The base of the card is Chocolate Chip, and I stamped the image on PTI white.

All Grown Up

2009-06-13T08:34:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone!

It's been a long time. I need to be better about writing, and I will. Well, we have our first high school graduate. Meghan graduated a week ago, Friday, June 5th, from High School. I know everyone says this, but I can remember when she was little and in pig tails. When their small and wearing you out, you think they'll never grow up, and foolishly, you wish they would. Then, you wake up one morning and they are graduating from High School, and you wish that you could go back to when they were little, if only for a few moments. My advice to all mothers of young & younger children is to take your time. Savor the moments you have with them; really get to know your children; take lots of pictures and videos.

We take her out to Laramie, Wyoming, on August 15th, to go to college. This is where Matt & I went to school. She will also be going to the church where Matt & I both committed our lives to Christ and where we first met. We are excited for her spiritually. For some time now she has wanted a friend who is also a follower of Jesus Christ, but she has not had one. Now however, she will have many opportunities for that, Lord Willing, because Paul's (the Pastor) Church has a huge college ministry. It is in this church that we hope she will also be discipled in Christ. Another benefit of her going to Laramie is that her childhood friend lives there. She also is a Christian. So, while we will miss her terrible, we believe this is the best for her spiritually. Oh, and it is a good school too, but that is not the top priority.

The first picture above was taken right before the graduation ceremony, and the group picture has in it, from left to right: Matt, Meghan, Me, Pastor Spivey, and Joyce Beck. Pastor Spivey has known us since Meghan was about 3 years old. His wife, Patricia, is my good friend. She was unable to come to graduation, because their daughter just had her third baby. We met the Spiveys, when we were living in Wyoming, and Myrue came to preach at our church. We have been friends ever since. Joyce is a precious friend from our church here.

In these pictures, Meghan has long hair. Well, a few days later she had her hairdresser cut it off into a bob that comes a bit above her shoulders, and she donated her hair to Locks of Love, which makes the hair into wigs for children with cancer and leukemia. Below, is a picture of her around 5 years old, up in the mountains of Wyoming. I hope you enjoy it and the rest of the pictures.

Lisa

Many Thanks

2009-05-04T21:39:00.002-04:00

We moved from our house to a townhouse about a week ago. We didn't hire a mover; instead, we did ourselves with the help of some very special friends. Some girlfriends and I started at 9:30 am and we all finished around 11:30 pm. We couldn't have done it without our friends. What made it an especially tough day was that our English Bulldog, Winston, died unexpectantly that morning. I have posted above some thank you cards I made as well as a picture of Winston.

Happy Mother's day Momma

2009-05-04T21:33:00.004-04:00

Here is a card I made for my mother. We live approximately 2000 miles apart, and I rarely get to see her. I miss her a lot. I cased the card from one that Amy Schaeffer, at Pickled Paper Designs did. The Beehive is a Leigh Hannan stamp from Impression Obsession, and the DP is from SU's Parisian Breeze. I used a Martha Stewart border punch for the bottom, and I made the ovals with Nestabilities' Oval & Scalloped ovals.

As You Walking in Christ Jesus

2009-04-23T19:21:00.004-04:00

I started this card with something different in mind, but it didn't work out. I was so frustrated with the base that I almost threw the whole thing away. Instead, I let it sit for a couple of days and then picked it up and tried something new. This was the result. I love the verse on the card. "As you have received Christ Jesus, so walked in Him." That is a powerful verse to all who have entrusted their life to Jesus Christ. We have received Christ Jesus in holiness, love, purity, etc., and we are to walk in those very things. It also means that if you are a born again Christian, eg. you claim Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior, then you are to walk in fellowship and communion with Him. It is such a high calling, which is only made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. (Galatians 5)

I hope you have a blessed weekend! Lisa

Passion for Crafts Blog Anniversary!

2009-04-23T12:16:00.004-04:00

Hey everybody, Debbie, over at Passion for Crafts is having her 1-year anniversary. You should go over and check out her blog. Not only is it a great blog, but she is having an outstanding Blogoversary Candy to commemorate her anniversary. Head on over there and take a look! Below is a couple samples of her work. http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/

New Cards

2009-04-22T15:59:00.003-04:00

I've posted below a couple of cards I did a couple of weeks ago. They are in my gallery at Splitcoast Stampers, which is at the following address. http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=147591

I made the above card using This Crazy Nest from Whipper Snapper Stamps. http://www.whippersnapperdesigns.com/store/shop/rubber-stamps/animals/birds/this-crazy-nest.htmlThe The DP is from Imaginesce; the cardstock is Certain Celery, Whisper White, Cameo Coral, Imaginesce at Michaels, Real Red; the ink is Basic Black, Cameo Coral, Appricot Appeal, Barely Banana, Summer Sun, Real Red, Certainly Celery, Bordering Blue; and the accessories are Dimensionals, Nestabilities Circles, Martha Stewart Border Punch, White 1/4" brads, 1/4" white grosgrain ribbon.

On this card, I cased the shape from somebody; I am just sorry that I don't remember who it was. I used the Quartet Birds stamp from Inkadinkado and DP from Heidi & Grace. The cardstock is Bordering Blue, Mellow Moss, Whisper White; the ink is Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Bordering Blue, Sagte Shadow, Lavender Lace, So Saffron ; the accessories are Nestabilities Circles & Scalloped Circles, Corner punck, 1" wide pink ribbon from Walmart, Dimensionals.

One of My Favorite Bloggers

2009-04-22T15:47:00.003-04:00

I camp out on blogs all the time looking at other people's creations. When I find a card I like, I save it to my computer under a file titled "Other people's cards". One of my Favorite bloggers is Amy Schaeffer from Pickeled Paper Designs. I have so many of her cards saved. I like her layouts, color choices and her artistic abilities. Above I have posted some of my favorite cards of hers. Also, here is a link to her site. http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/

It's Been Ages

2009-04-22T15:35:00.002-04:00

I have been away for ages. Lots has happened here, and I haven't felt much like blogging. Instead, I've been sitting on other people's blogs. We are in the process of moving this weekend to a townhouse. Last weekend I had my garage sale with another girl from church who is also moving. We had it at the church, because both of us live in neighborhoods that don't allow garage sales. Our friend Joyce helped us with it. We moved everything to the church on Friday and priced it then. Then we opened up at 8am on Saturday. The Lord blessed us, and we sold most of our stuff.

I've been busy packing this week. Once I move into the new place I have to come back to this house and make sure it is thoroughly cleaned & ready for sale. Other than that, my husband has been crazy busy at work. He works for a litigation firm south of here and is kept pretty busy both during the week and on the weekend. This Friday he has to take the bar exam for the South Florida Federal court. Hopefully, he will pass. He is incredibly smart but is not the greatest test taker.

In the middle of everything I have been making a few cards. Oh, and guess what? My birthday is May 8, and I am getting a set of 72 copic sketch markers. I have been wanting them for forever. Up until now I have been doing all of my coloring by either watercoloring with my SU in or using my SU markers. Soooo, I am pretty excited about my Copics. Now, I just have to learne how to use them.

Trust Me

2009-03-15T09:46:00.002-04:00

Hi, the image on this card reminds me of the snake on the Jungle Book movie that sang "Trust in Me". I got this image from Whipper Snapper Designs. I went with a more masculine or neutral look, because he just didn't look like he should be done in girly or "sweet" colors. The DP paper is from Americn Crafts, and I used my water color markers from Stampin Up.

A Beautiful Scripture Verse

2009-03-12T16:39:00.002-04:00

I had been looking at this stamp for months, at Agape Gifts, and I finally bought it. I love this scripture. If more people took the hidden advice, there would be a lot less nonsense said and more that benefits and encourages others. The DP paper I used is Basic Grey's Ambrosia Paper.

2009-03-12T16:36:00.004-04:00

I just ordered my daughter's High School graduation announcements. It is hard to believe that she is 18 and getting ready to go to college. The front of the announcement has a 3 x 5 of her senior picture, and in an oval overlayed on the corner of her picture is a photo of when she was 4 years old. Boy has she grown. This is the picture of her. We were up on the mountains, during the summer and she and her brother were picking weeds and flowers.

Love Ya Bunches

2009-02-01T16:25:00.002-05:00

I got this Changito stamp from my sister for my birthday last year, so I made a card for her. It is a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 card, which is quickly becoming my favorite size for a card. The background color is Certainly Celery cardstock. The polka dot DP is American Crafts, & the other DP is something I picked up at Michael's. I stamped the monkies on Whisper White & used a Martha Stewart border punch on Whisper White. I used 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon in the colors of Whisper White, Certainly Celery & Rose. The brads are white, Certainly Celery & Pretty in Pink.

Loving Your Husbands

2008-11-18T12:22:00.002-05:00

I just got back from our Tuesday morning, Ladies' Bible Study. We have been going through Elizabeth George's book, A Woman's High Calling. The focus is on Titus 2:3-5. Today, we looked at God's admonition to the Older Women to teach the younger women how to love their husbands. It 's interesting that He would say that, because we all think that we just naturally know how to love our husbands. Apparently, that is not the case, because God says that we need to learn how to do it. Another interesting part is that the phrase "love their husbands" is not talking about an emotion or feeling. This phrase is comes from the Greek word, philandros, which means friendship, companion, being a friend and companion to our husband.

We are called to be our husband's friend and companion, and this is regardless of whether our husband is lovable, kind, spiritual, etc. It is made more palatable (or easier) when we remember that the Bible says that Christ set His affection on us and saved us when we were unloveable and unloving. Romans 5:8 says, "God showed His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God...." If God could set His affection on us nasty sinners, who am I to say that I can not be a friend & companion to my husband and set my affection on us.

There was a lot more to the study than that, but that's just a synopsis. The next time we meet (we're off for the week of Thanksgiving) we are going to discuss practical ways that we can "love" our husbands, starting with prayer.

Well, I'm headed to Orlando soon to pick up my mom from the airport. Pray that we have a great time of fellowship.

May the Lord be with you & richly bless you!

Lisa

"Walk in Him"

2008-11-17T14:28:00.003-05:00

Hi, I am taking a break from housecleaning to make this post. The Lord has blessed me today with the ability to get many things done. I actually made everyone pancakes this morning, before they went to school. After 19 years of marriage, I am finally making breadfast about 4 days a week, relying on cereal. After everyone left, I cleaned up the kitchen, started the laundry, & sat down to pray and read. I read in James 1, where it talks about having joy in the midst of trials and praying for wisdom to walk through the trials victoriously. I also read in Psalms & then had a good time in prayer. Afterwards, I dusted upstairs & picked up the kids' "clean" rooms. They are required to make their beds & pick up their rooms before they go to school, but their idea of clean & mine don't always match. Next, I made the bed in the spare bedroom & cleaned the corresponding bathroom (my mom is coming tomorrow to stay for about a week). I took a break from that to photograph the two cards I made this weekend, of which I am posting one right now. Then I went back to my housework. I decided to take a break from that to post this update & card.

I had the idea for this card Saturday night, but I didn't have the paper. So, Sunday after church I went to Michaels & got the paper & ribbon. Unfortunately, Michaels & JoAnn Fabrics is the best we have here. I so wish we had a Hobby Lobby. I was unable to photograph the card very well, but that is the story of my life. It is one of the many ways God tries to keep me humble. I say try, because I am afraid I still have a long way to go. Anyways, I love the verse from Colossians 2 that is pictured on the card. The recipe for the card is below.

Cardstock: Christmas Red & Tan cardstock (from Michaels). Ink: Basic Black, Really Red, Versa Mark, Clearly Cocoa, Summer Sun. Accessories: Always Artichoke Brads, Antique Brads, Nestabilities, Red & Tan Grosgrain Ribbon, Martha Stewart Scallop Punch. Stamps: Inkadinkado Bird, Clear Dollar Stamps Bible Verses, Refuge & Strength.

Warm Friendship

2008-11-14T08:23:00.003-05:00

Hi there!

This is a card I made a couple of weeks ago. I have been playing around with a new color (for me) called Really Rust, by SU. The base of the card is this color & it is accented with Old Olive, Navy & SU Designer Paper. The stamp I used is from one of Inkadinkado's clear stamp sets. A word of warning, there's a lot of break-in for those stamps. When new, you need to get a good eraser & erase the stamps quite a bit to break them in. Otherwise, they do not stamp very well. I hope you like the card!

A Long Time Gone

2008-11-13T15:03:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time since I posted anything. The Lord has been putting us through many trials lately that have really tested our faith. That, coupled with the business of life & studying for my Ladies' Bible Study, has kept me pretty busy. I have been going through the book of Hebrews in my personal study & have been spending much time in Hebrews 12. It is a wonderful passage of encouragement & hope for those who are being tested. It reminds us that God disciplines (either as chastisement or the kind of discipline that an athlete goes through to become the best-training) those that He loves, and that if you never experience chastisement or trials in your life, you are not a child of God. We are then reminded that "All discipline for the moment seems not be joyvul, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:11

This is such a message of hope and encouragement. He then tells us to "strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble". This can only be done through prayer and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. If we are lacking wisdom in these trials, we are told in James 1;5-8 to ask for it and God will grant it. This wisdom is for decision-making, but it is also the wisdom to go through the trial with joy (James 1:-4), patience, endurance and thankfulness, looking to the hope that is laid up for us in heaven.

The trials that we have been going through have been lengthy & rough at times, but I am trusting that God will bring us through with a more mature faith and a deeper love for Christ than when we started.

I hope that this is encouraging to any who may also be going through tough times.

Because of the Love of Jesus Christ,

Lisa

Happy Monday

2008-10-06T19:24:00.003-04:00

Hi, Here's a new card I did this weekend. I didn't have to prepare for Bible Study this weekend, so I had some extra time. I just got this stamp in from Cat's Pajamas, and was anxious to use it. I tried some of my favorite colors together for a light & cheery look. I embossed the white with the Birthday Folder from Cuttlebug, & I used my Nestabilities rectangles & scalloped rectangles for the phrase.

I spent the day doing laundry & learning Algebra II. My daughter Meghan is struggling with her Algebra II class and needs help. Tutors are pretty expensive, so I thought I'd give it a try. My brain is tired!

The stamps for this card are "Smells Like Cake", from Cat's Pajamas. The Cardstock is Taken With Teal, Whisper White, Ballet Blue, YoYo Yellow & Pixie Pink.

Seasons of Change

2008-09-18T20:50:00.002-04:00

Hi, sorry it's been so long since I've posted. Things have been pretty busy here, since school started back up. Meghan & I went out to Salt Lake City to be tested by a Naturalpath, in Mid August. We were gone for 3 days. The trip was worth it, because some issues with our health turned up, that we were hopefully able to catch early on.

The week after we got back, the Women's Bible study at our church started back up. I have been teaching it for four years now. We have gone through various studies during that time, with my favorites being when we went through the book of James; John Piper's book When I don't desire God: How to fight for Joy; and we went through the life of King David. This year we are going through Elizabeth George's book A Woman's High Calling. It is a book that goes through Titus 2:3-5. We meet every Tuesday morning from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, and our class generally averages about 11 ladies. Most of the ladies have been coming for at least 2 years, so we have developed into a close family. With the starting up of school and teaching Bible study, my time for making cards has been cut back quite a bit. I clean a house on Thursdays and spend a good portion of my time on the weekends studying for the Bible Study.

In the middle of all of that, my daughter Meghan turned 18. That was exciting, but it was also awful. I can't believe my baby has grown up; it just blows me away. Part of me wishes I could turn back the clock to when she was little and do it all over again. She is very precious to both Matt & I, and has become even more precious since she gave her life to Jesus Christ. The change in her since then brings us tremendous joy.

On top of all of that, our son John turns 17 next month. My advice to everyone with small children is, cherish every moment that you have with them.

Shown up above is the Birthday card that I made for Meghan. I can't remember if the stamp is by Hero Arts or Inkadinkado. The cardstock colors are Basic Black, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, And Old Olive.

Nestabilities Sale at Ritz Camera Online

2008-09-13T15:49:00.002-04:00

Hi, it's been a very long time since I've written. I've been pretty busy, what with going to Salt Lake City with my duaghter, the start of my Bible study, preparing for hurricanes, & Meghan's 18th birthday. Anyways, I have been looking everywhere for affordable Nestabilites, and I found a place. Ritz Camera is having a sale on them. You can get a bundled 4-pack for $50.89, or you can get singles packs for $15.89. For instance. I got the complete set of the classic rounds, both large & small and the corresponding scallops for $50.89. If I just wanted a set of something like the classic rectangles, small, I would only pay $15.89. There is no sales tax, and what's more, shipping is free for purchases over $100.00. What a blessing!

After the Storm

2008-08-24T15:13:00.005-04:00

It's Sunday afternoon and we finally have more than 1 hr. of sun. It was dry enough for my daughter and I to mow & trim the lawn after church this morning, so we took advantage of it and got it done. It is so humid though that after 1/2 hour I was soaked with sweat and flushed in the face. I took advantage of the downtime this week and caught up on my card making. With Ladies' Bible Study starting soon, I wanted to stockpile some cards for birthdays and such. Pictured above is one of the cards I made. I still am having problems taking good pictures of them, so the colors aren't near as nice as they are in person.

I used one of my Fluffles stamps for this card. I get all of my Fluffles stamps from Simon Says Stamps. I shop for them on ebay, but you can also purchase them through their website. Their shipping rates are reasonable, and they get them out fairly quickly. I used a textured navy base that I got from JoAnn Fabrics. I then layered it with Whisper White, Banana Yellow, and I print I got from Michaels. I used my nesting flower dies from cuttlebug to create the flowers, and I used my scallop punch from Martha Stewart. On another version of this card, I embossed the yellow with my Swiss Dots folder. It looks much better that way; however, I don't have a decent picture of it yet.

Meghan and I take off for Utah tomorrow. We are going to see a holistic/naturalist for a check up. I have been seeing her for 10 years. I prefer to go the natural route for our health needs, and the Lord has allowed her to achieve great results. Unfortunately, it is expensive as we have to fly to Salt Lake and stay in a hotel. We will get back on Wednesday, and I'll let you know how it went.

Take Care!

Lisa

In Everything Give Thanks

2008-08-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

Good Morning! It's still windy & cloudy here from Tropical Storm Fay. School is cancelled again & our street is flooded with rain. It's at times like these that it's even more important to remember the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Posted above is a card I made yesterday, while we were riding out the storm. It reminds me of Thanksgiving and the verse I quoted up above. For a list of the materials I used, go to my gallery page, http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=147591 , at splitcoast stampers. This was a time consuming card, because of all the leaves I had to cut in paste, but it was worth it to achieve the textured look. The tricky part was getting the glue on the stems.

I have to go now, and do some housework. In the meantime, I hope God blesses you today with the peace & Joy that are to be had in Jesus Christ.

Lisa

Delight in the Lord

2008-08-19T11:47:00.002-04:00

Good morning! I am sitting here at home riding out the outer edge of Tropical Storm Fay. Thankfully the Lord kept it from reaching Hurricane status. It should be out of our territory sometime tonite, and the kids can go back to school tomorrow. Right now we're getting lots & lots of rain & some wind. The wind should pick up later this afternoon.

I am posting a card I made about a week ago. I got the scripture stamp from Agape Gifts on Ebay. I love their store, because they carry a lot of Scripture stamps. The backgrond stamp is SU's Polka Dots & Petals. I used Cuttlebug's Paisly embossing folder & Martha Stewart's border punch. The card stock colors are Bashful Blue, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow & whisper White.

Happy Hellos

2008-08-18T16:15:00.001-04:00

Posted above is a picture of a card I made a while ago. It's cheerful & bright with some layering & cut outs.

I used several stamps for this card. The flowers are from the SU set Friendship Blooms, the bear is from SU's You're Neat, and the words are from SU's Lots of Thoughts. The cardstock is Real Red, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Summer Sun, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa.

Waiting for the Storm

2008-08-18T15:10:00.003-04:00

It's 3:11, and I am taking a break from housework to write in my blog. I was going to photograph two cards I made over the weekend, but it's raining outside and I usually photograph them out there. We live on the Southeast coast of Florida about 60 miles north of Palm Beach. Today is the first day of school, and wouldn't you know it, school is cancelled for tomorrow because of Tropical Storm Fay. The storm is supposed to hit somewhere on the Southwest side of Florida and cross the state going Northeast. It is possible it will be at least a cat. 1 hurricane when it hits. We are already starting to get rain from it and will get a bunch of rain and some wind tomorrow. There are flood watches and tropical storm watches, thus there is no school tomorrow. The kids will be glad, but it just means they might have to make up the day later. Another system is ramping up in the Atlantic and has a good chance of hitting us late next week. We'll see what happens.

2008-08-17T21:41:00.001-04:00

This is a card I made the other day. I love pink & green, and I love flowers. I used SU's Pretty in Pink for my base & layered it with Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Brocade Blue, and the striped pink from Michaels. The stamp is from Hero Arts. I used dimensionals to pop up the flowers & staggered the "panes" on my daughter's suggestion. If I were to do this differently, Iwould stamp the flowers in a darker green than the certainly celery. The photo does not show this to its best advantage. I am a lousy photographer.
Lisa

Hello

2008-08-17T20:21:00.000-04:00

Hi, this is my first post on my very first blog. The only blog I have ever posted on is The Weather Underground Tropical Hurricane blog. I don't have a My Space page, or AIM or anything else of this sort, so this is relatively new to me.

I decided to blog, because I have been surfing all of the other stamper blogs and have enjoyed reading them and looking at the beautiful cards that are posted on them, and I was hoping that by starting my own blog I could meet a bunch of other stampers. So, basically this is a social thing. I hope it works!

As I said on my profile, the most important thing about me is that I am a born-again believer. God graciously reached down in my life in 1989 and saved my soul. My life has not been the same since. I am certainly not the model Christian, but with the help of the Holy Spirit I am becoming more Christ-Like. I married my husband, Matt, on September 2, 1989 and we have been married ever since. He is also a born-again Christian. We have two children: Meghan is 17 and is starting her senior year in High School, and John is 16 and starting his Junior year in H.S. Meghan is a born again believer. God saved her soul about 2 years ago, and the change in her life has been tremendous. John, however, is not saved. While he does not completly reject the gospel, neither does he accept it. Matt & I continually lift him up in our prayers for his salvation.

We are pretty active in church, with Matt teaching a Bible study on Wednesday night & Wednesday morning before work, and me teaching the women's Bible study. I have been teaching for a little over 4 years, and I love the Ladies. We start up again in two weeks and will be going through Elizabeth George's Book A Woman's High Calling, which goes through Titus 2.

As far as my hobbies. Stamping is my passion right now. I just started a year ago and I love it. I have a friend that was a demonstrator & she invited me to a card party. I was hooked right away. It is a great way to relax, and I love giving the cards to my Bible study ladies & family members. In addition to stamping, I used to have my own beaded jewelry business, but I closed it down last summer, (But that's another story) I like to cross stitch & crochet. I also am the household handyman (person), because Matt hates doing that kind of stuff, and I like it (in moderation)

Anyways, I hope you like this blog, and I hope you like some of my cards. Some of them I love, others are so-so. I find that I get better as time goes by, but I have a long way to go to even match some of the cards I have seen elsewhere.

Well, gotta go! In the meantime, I hope that God blesses you with joy & peace.

Lisa