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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 67 . . . encouragement


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Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ!

This week's hostess is our very own Lisa Hjulberg, who I pray is having a blessed time visiting with family. She has selected this verse for the week from Phillippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." {NJKV}

Her challenge is to make a card of encouragement. And our sponsor this week is Scor Pal! For a chance to win a Scor Pal all you need to do is play along this week and enter your card or project on the home page at http://stampinsistersinchrist.blogspot.com.

Most of my stamping supplies are packed away yet, but I dug through the boxes at the top of the heap so I could play along this week. We don't have internet yet, but I found if I park in the lot near the local library I can get onto their system.

This has been a very stressful season of life, we've had job loss, loss of a loved one and changed locations--and the transition was anything but smooth. If God is collecting all of our tears in a bottle, I think I'm up to a large jug. That's why the verse for this week is so encouraging; it doesn't say that we can do all things with the help of our friends, or do all things through our own strength and willpower, or even say that we can do all things while smiling broadly the entire time and skipping through the daisies. This verse can be applied every day, but particularly encourages us during the hard times. It tells us when we lean on Jesus, we can do all things through His strength.

That has been especially important as we haven't had phone or internet and I've been cut off from all of my friends, who are always a huge source of encouragement for me. They support me and cheer me on and give me a good place to go when I need a shoulder to cry upon. Even when we think we're relying on Jesus it isn't until we're cut off from other forms of support that we discover maybe we haven't been leaning on Him as much as we thought. I've spent a lot of time on my knees this week and it is a good place to be.

Thanks for looking and have a great week, we hope you can play along.

The stamp set I chose gives you a sneak peek of a set being introduced by Mark's Finest Papers in December called Hearts, Hearts, Hearts. I embossed the paper first, then embossed the heart wreath in white. I painted lightly with watercolor crayons, sponged a bit of chalk around the outside to help emphasize the image, and cut out the center for a view of the sentiment inside.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

We have moved

Hi everyone!

Just a quick post that I'm typing here from my new local library.

We have moved to another state. My email has disappeared, address has changed and everything is yet in boxes.

I also will not have internet until Nov. 30th, but hope to be back posting soon!!

Mwah!!! Hope everyone who reads this is doing well.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 65 . . increase or decrease?




Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ!
This week's hostess is the talented and lovely Grace, who selected this verse from John 3:3o "He must increase and I must decrease."

Her challenge is to make a CAS card if you need to decrease and a more embellished card if Christ in your life needs to increase, or, you can do both. Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp! And you can read Grace's thoughts on her chosen verse on the home page for Stampin' Sisters in Christ right here.

I am sorry to have missed last week's challenge. We had a death in the family and were out of town for over a week. Then, just this week a dear friend of mine lost her husband. Every day this week all I could think about were the families I know who have lost loved ones and will sorely miss their presence in the days, weeks and years to come.

Yet each of these people who have gone home had expressed firm belief in the sovereignty of Jesus Christ and their families have no doubts that they will see them again. There is much comfort in that knowledge.

Before I started working on Grace's challenge, because of the events of the past two weeks, my thoughts already were turning to. . .how am I helping others? Am I reaching out as effectively as I can or could I do more? I can if I decrease and allow Christ to increase in my life.

And its those little two- and three-letter words that can really trip you up to prevent you from achieving this goal.

'if'-- If is conditional, it has strings attached, whereas Christ had no strings attached to his love--just accept His sacrifice on the cross and the gift of eternal life is yours.

'my' -- My is a possessive when nothing in this life is really mine. "My' time, 'my' possessions, 'my' next breath--they all belong to Him. How does God want me to use the gifts, talents, time and space that He has given?

'but' -- Just add water and you get instant selfishness . . . I'd forgive him but. . . I'd go visit her but . . .I'd donate that gift but . . . I'd volunteer for that but . . .

I'm sure you can think of more.

CAS . . . I must decrease. More elaborate . . . He must increase. More of Christ in my life means more of life lived more abundantly, because the life lived in Christ is abundant with eternal riches. Who wouldn't trade those eternal riches for a few small, short mys, but or ifs?

Wishing you a blessed week and hoping you can play along.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Mark's Finest Papers November Blog Hop Day 4

Welcome to the MFP November Blog Hop! This month, we are releasing 6 NEW SETS!

We have 6 New Stamp Sets Released: Brick Wall, Bells on Bobtail, Christmas Postage Due, Bold & Free, Musical Holiday and Welcome Home. For your convenience, all 6 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs TODAY. On Saturday, (November 13, 2010), a winner will be chosen from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for today. (There will be four different winners, one winner for each day of the blog hop. You DO NOT have to comment every day. However, the more days you comment, the more chances you have to win!) If you miss a day, you can go back and comment on each day's blogs, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning.


I got the chance to do just one card with this set, as you can tell from a previous post I was having way too much fun with Bold & Free! Then we were called out of town for over a week with a family emergency and just returned back home.

I used Ranger gold tinsel embossing powder for the image and then lightly painted inside the holly berry and leaves with twinkling H2Os. This gives you ample opportunity to pull out the gorgeous Christmas paper scraps we all have lurking in our paper drawers, like the green flocked piece I used on the bottom.

Thanks for looking and happy hopping! Best of luck!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010: Musical Holiday
Nancyruth - http://nancyruthat.blogspot.com/
Lois - http://clownmomcreations.blogspot.com/
Vicky-http://villagestamperramblings.blogspot.com/
Dawn L.- http://dawnanewday.blogspot.com/
Anne- http://inkinginred.blogspot.com/
Peggysue- http://rosesbymywindow.blogspot.com/ *** That's me!!!!
Susan – http://simplicitybylateblossom.blogspot.com/
Judi – http://paper-rose-petals.blogspot.com/
Connie – http://sodakstamping.blogspot.com/
Emily- http://mylittlesliceofbliss.blogspot.com/
Karen- http://karenskreativekreations.blogspot.com/
Patty- http://winnieswhimsandmycrafts.blogspot.com/
Roxie- http://paperscaper.blogspot.com/
Vicki- http://allidoisstamp.blogspot.com/
Liz: http://rightbrainmadness.blogspot.com/
Geri – http://geriscards.blogspot.com/
Lynn- http://confessionsofaleft-brainedstamper.blogspot.com/
Mark’s Finest Papers - http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Mark's Finest Papers November Blog Hop Day 3


Hi stampers! While I am not in the blog hop lineup for today, I wanted to show the card I made for today's set introduction, Welcome Home.

The sentiments are big and bold, the images are just plain comforting. Hope you're enjoying this month's introductions. Thanks for looking!

Mark's Finest Papers November Blog Hop Day 2

Welcome to the MFP November Blog Hop! This month, we are releasing 6 NEW SETS!


And…LOOK for a NEW LINK LIST TOMORROW!!!



We have 6 New Stamp Sets Released: Brick Wall, Bells on Bobtail, Christmas Postage Due, Bold & Free, Muscial Holiday and Welcome Home. For your convenience, all 6 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs TODAY. On Saturday, (November 13, 2010), a winner will be chosen from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for today. (There will be four different winners, one winner for each day of the blog hop. You DO NOT have to comment every day. However, the more days you comment, the more chances you have to win!) If you miss a day, you can go back and comment on each day's blogs, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning.





Top card: Christmas Postage Due, silver metallic stamp pad, Ranger tinsel embossing powder, snowflake punch, pearl, Martha Stewart edge punch, random ribbon {The idea here was to use cooler colors as nutcrackers are usually red}

Holiday Greetings Nutcracker: Christmas Postage Due, Red and black inks, copic markers, gold stickles, random DP, gold embossing powder, gold cord {my idea here was the roll of stamps you used to be able to get from the post office, with the emphasis on just one image}

Pink Buffalo: Bold & Free, kraft and melon paper, watercolor crayons, lace from MFP, gold charm from MFP, Basic Grey Indian Summer paper pad MFP, ribbon, Fiskars edge punch {that Indian Summer paper just begs to be used and I know buffalo aren't really fluffy cuddly creatures, but the lace and such just seemed to fit}

Simple sympathy: Bold & Free, black craft ink, Scor Pal, black ribbon, silver cord, sentiment from Thankful Mums set from MFP {sympathy cards are so hard to make, the grasses from Bold & Free make a fabulous border. Stamp in black, add an embellishment and a sentiment and you have a very clean look, easy and fast to make}


Notecards: Bold & Free, kaleidacolor ink pads in Fresh Green, Desert Heat and Cappuccino, Scor Pal, black craft ink, gray ink pad {I also thought that grass border made for a great set of CAS notecards . . . the only think I'm lacking is a kaleidacolor pad in blues and purples for a twilight card, but you've got green for Spring, the Desert Heat pad for summer and the Cappuccino pad for an autumn look. And I put the closeup there so you can see the paper, the paper just makes a very elegant looking notecard, I love it!}

Thanks for looking and happy hopping!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010: Christmas Postage Due, Bold & Free
Nancyruth - http://nancyruthat.blogspot.com/
Lois - http://clownmomcreations.blogspot.com/
Vicky-http://villagestamperramblings.blogspot.com/
Dawn L.- http://dawnanewday.blogspot.com/
Anne- http://inkinginred.blogspot.com/
Peggysue- http://rosesbymywindow.blogspot.com/ *** That's me!!!!
Susan – http://simplicitybylateblossom.blogspot.com/
Judi – http://paper-rose-petals.blogspot.com/
Connie – http://sodakstamping.blogspot.com/
Emily- http://mylittlesliceofbliss.blogspot.com/
Karen- http://karenskreativekreations.blogspot.com/
Patty- http://winnieswhimsandmycrafts.blogspot.com/
Roxie- http://paperscaper.blogspot.com/
Vicki- http://allidoisstamp.blogspot.com/
Liz: http://rightbrainmadness.blogspot.com/
Geri – http://geriscards.blogspot.com/
Lynn- http://confessionsofaleft-brainedstamper.blogspot.com/
Mark’s Finest Papers - http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/