WOYWW #441

Good Wednesday all my crafty friends! It's the day of the week that we play along with Julia over on Stamping Ground and share what is on our desk! We'd love for you to travel all over the world with us as you gaze upon others's desk basking in their creativity! And, of course, share your goodies!!

Today, I am going to share a very special craft that I have made for my sister for her birthday! I've shared in the past how I craft just for fun and to gift others. So, of course, I like to share with my sister, whom I am very close with, to get her sweet encouragement and thumbs up. Well, she has seen my cross crafts (that I LOVE to make and bless others with) going out and so one day she says, "hey, where's my cross (with a little sad face, lol)?" She would always tell me how much she loved them, but it never dawned on me that she may want one?? I know....some folks it takes a brick!! LOLOL

So here is my cross that I made her!

So much love went into this gift because, as I said, we are very close, but this sweet spirit has been there for me like no other. When I was lost in this world we live in, she prayed for me like no other! And she NEVER let up! God puts those warriors in your life to stand in the gap when you don't have the strength to stand yourself! That's God's great love for us! I'm so thankful to Him and her! So, OF COURSE, I had to make her a cross for her birthday! :)

I started this cross by collaging scraps from my bin, which is one of my fave things to do! I get COMPLETELY messy when I collage, but that's what crafting is about for me and then the end result is TOTALLY worth it! As I was doing so, my eldest daughter came in my craft closet and wanted to know what I was doing....flying a kite, I said...ha ha ha....but I was stoked that she wanted to know because she doesn't usually want to know about my crafts. So upon hearing my story, she said, hey, why don't you use this stencil in some way! Well, as she doesn't usually participate, I said OF COURSE I WILL!! So I used some heavy gesso and put through that stencil right down the front, dried it and then gave the whole thing a coat of light gesso.

Afterwards, I pulled out some Lindy's sprays in various colors and the sprayed a fixative over it because I wanted to do other layers of acrylics, caran d'ache and rubs and didn't want things to move. When I was satisfied, I pulled out my other bin with assorted embellishments to find my center pieces. She is such an amazing woman of God, so with that thought, one of the wonderful words I would use to describe her is JOY!! She is so full of the joy of the Lord inside that it oozes right on out to the outside! I love being around that and grab every bit that I can! :) She's someone I admire and aspire to be like! I found a few more yummy embellishments  to create the center piece and voila!

It's finally feeling like "fall" here, although the verdict is still out! Mother Natures loves to play her tricks on us here and tomorrow could be back to 80! LOL But we will keep our fingers crossed. Fall, beckons me to pull out my beautiful Dulcimer and strum away. I don't pull it out as often as I should, but I bought it during a fall trip, so I guess that's why I put fall and dulcimer together! Along with turkey and dressing!!! LOL We leave Sunday to go on our annual Thanksgiving camping trip, so I know I will not be playing along next week due to no service and just general camping laziness! LOL But here's a strum out to everyone that you will have a most wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving as you reflect with friends and family! I for one am VERY THANKFUL for all of my online crafty friends! 

Blessings to you ALL!