Content

My sister, Tracy, told me a few weeks ago her "Word" for the year is CONTENT.  She also mentioned that she wasn't too thrilled that it was her word... you know how when you ask God to show you what you need to work on and then He does, and you start working on it.... it isn't so easy?  (note to self: NEVER pray for patience.  Just saying.)  When I got my "Graphically Speaking" Cricut cartridge and saw her jumbled up word, I knew exactly what I wanted to make her for her birthday! 

A word about "Content":
    So, I was hunting around for a verse to put in the frame.  I knew this verse since I was little (Philippians 4:11 "... for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.") but never realized that it came 2 verses before my favorite-since-November verse.  Kind of made me smile, you know?  ANYWAYS, I had to add in "I can do all things through Christ" on there when I payed attention to what verse 12 says:

I have learned the secret of being content

in any and every situation...

then verse 13 comes in with "I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me".  Love it.

I loved making this for her, it was fun, but also really good for me to figure all that out.

I cut out the "Content" word using the Cricut my sister, Laurie, gave me for Christmas and my Bday (LOVE IT, thanks, Laurie!).  I cut it out 6 times on SU! Kraft cardstock, then one more time on patterned paper (K&Company, Urban Rhapsody).  I glued it all together (layer by layer) so it would be like chipboard.  I touched it up randomly around the edges and top with Bravo Burgundy craft ink (SU!) then embossed with clear glittery embossing powder.  Same deal for the verse, but using nestabilities Label One, and printed the verse on the computer onto the same paper (K&C). The patterned paper on the side is Basic Grey, 6x6 lemonade paper pad that my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas (also, LOVE IT!!!).   I got the frame at Marshalls... and it's official!  I like making "art" :)

Happy Birthday Tracy!  So happy you were here this weekend to celebrate with your Birthday Buddy, Ben... and Ryan wanted me to remind you that you said if Ben was born on your birthday, we never had to give you another birthday present... so, I want the frame back!  You have my address.

Gift Sets

Here are a few gift sets... Cards and post it holders.

Paper:  K&Company, SU (cardstock)
Stamps: TAC

Scripture Word Challenge: TEMPTATION

Hard to say if it's the little gleam in her eye, or the mischevious smile.. this picture seemed pretty appropriate for the word challenge.  This picture of my daughter was taken 2 years ago, and just seconds before that snowball hit ME!  I think her face says it all: most days I GLEEFULLY prance towards temptation with little thought of consequences.

I have to be honest... I wasn't crazy about thinking about this word.  I'd rather ignore the fact that it's a problem for me.  LOVED these verses the most:

For we do not have a high priest

who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,

but we have one who has been tempted in every way,

just as we are, yet was without sin.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,

so that we may receive mercy and find grace

to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:15,16

Even though the actual words are not on my image, I love the aspect that Christ gets what we are going through, by experience.  His experience.  I wanted to focus on these 2 parts of these verses:

1. we have a high priest who can sympathize,

2. what to do about tempation... go to God (with confidence!) for help!

Might not have loved the word, but taking the time to search and think about God's word really made a difference to me in the past couple of days, and I really am thankful for this challenge... it's been good for me:)

New Challenges for 2010

I have come across a Challenge on another blog that I have decided to "Play along" with this year... it seemed like a great resolution, and "spoke" to me.  If you have read our family blog, then you know that I love to make new blog headers, especially with bible verses on them that are "speaking" to me at the time.  When my niece introduced me to http://www.picnik.com/, I'm sure she had NO IDEA the monster she was creating! 

Anyways, the challenge can be found by following this link HERE and you can see Patter's first entry, as well, HERE.  For me personally, it was GREAT to look for verses and spend some time thinking about what it REALLY meant to me. 

I decided to NOT make scrapbook pages of the word (my family has heard enough about my issues with scrapbooking lately!) or a card!  But a digital image that I can get printed and put wherever.. I am thinking they will make great magnets for my refrigerator! 

Oh!  and this is no random photo, either! (shocking, I'm sure!) I'm not sure they will ALWAYS be this appropriate, but this picture was taken last week while we were in Michigan.  It's my mailbox where I used to send letters to Ryan every day when he was home on summer break.  The mailbox where HE sent out letters to me everyday (those were Pre-Email days!)  A box filled with HOPE.  I knew there would be letters.  My mailman in Massachusetts KNEW there would be letters.  In fact, he always KNEW when Ryan was actually visiting because there were NO letters!

Ok, that's Jack. The mailman. That picture is from our summer vacation 2007, when Ryan and I drove by my old house (keep in mind my parents hadn't lived there for over 5 years at the time!) in Southbridge, Massachusetts.  I couldn't believe he was out delivering mail still!  (yes, I had just gotten finished telling Ryan how much I REALLY wanted to see Jack!) He said he was retiring in 3 months and seeing us again made his day!  Hope. 

If you aren't inspired to take on this challenge, I HOPE you will at least be inspired to take a minute to think about what YOU are hoping for today.

Birthday Girl

Hard to believe our little Princess is 8. If you know her, then you are WELL AWARE of her love for the cupcake! In fact, I think her nickname should BE "Cupcake" instead of Carly. My friend Debbie tells a GREAT story about the time she took Carly to her son's school with her on the day that happened to be his bday and she was passing out cupcakes to all the kids. Carly's eyes followed each cupcake longingly as she PATIENTLY waited her turn to be served. HA! sounds about right.

Of course, Cupcake need a cupcake card. And I've been wanting to try making a Spinner Card for a while now, and it seemed the PERFECT occasion. Turns out, they are pretty easy and fun to make. Instructions are on Splitcoaststampers under the resource tab. Yup, that glittery cupcake SPINS. You should have seen her face when it MOVED! Hilarious.

Patterned paper from a little stack from DCWV (die cuts with a view). Cupcake stamp from the dollar bin at Michael's... covered with clear lacquer, then sprinkled with glittery snow glitter. The cherry on top was made Stickles.

Yes, she tried to eat it. Cupcake. Told ya.

Advent Calendar

If you follow our family blog, then you know that Advent is a big deal to us. I made this Advent calendar for our nephew, Eli. His Mama fancies herself a baker (actually, WE fancy her a baker!) so making it on a cookie sheet seemed like the PERFECT idea for their calendar! This idea is not original to me, someone over at Splitcoaststampers.com came up with it, and I'm a copier.

The watch boxes can be found at Michael's or JoAnns in the wedding favors section. I put magnets on the back of them, but I'm going to have to replace them because they are falling off... I think they weren't strong enough once you put something in the boxes because of the background paper I put on the inside of the cookie sheet... lesson learned. (the REAL lesson was, "don't-give-your-magnet-roll-to-Ryan-to-use-at-school) Paper is from K&Company.... ribbons from Michael's.... and the number stamps are a hodge-podge of every number stamp I own, all mixed together. Clever, huh?!

When I was over Rochel's today, I see she has displayed the calendar beside her Famous Refrigerator (a place of honor, really). Which is really handy since she put the tins that were already used onto the frig. Hmmm, turns out SHE'S pretty clever, too!

Nuts for the Squirrel

Love this set from TAC... inside says "I missed your birthday". Paper from K&Company... Platinum stickles on the scallops. That's all...