Prayerful Nation!

Good Thursday my crafty friends! Today is National Day of Prayer! The theme this year is "Lord Hear our Cry." The theme this year is based on the scripture in 1 Kings 8:28 that says "Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day." This scripture most surely emphasizes the need for individuals to place their faith in the unfailing character of their Creator, who is sovereign over the nations, over EVERY authority and ALL men. It is time that we come together as a nation, one body, one mind and one accord to lift this country up before our Almighty God in repentance and prayer! This means across every line that would divide us as a nation, as a world....race, culture, religion, male, female. etc.....it's time we come together for Him!

This day is near and dear to me for I was honored to serve as the Chairman of our local National Day of Prayer Task Force for about five years. Each year I wasn't sure how it would all come together, BUT GOD set people on my Committee each year that had a desire to pray for our community, nation and world. He continually shows up and shows out each year by setting the stage, going before us and drawing those who have the same desire as the committee, to see His Kingdom Come and His will be done!

I will share a quick tag today, and I mean QUICK! I bet it took me all of 10 or 15 minutes to make this tag! A record to be sure, but it was a thought that just came together like that. I used one of the brown tags, I can't recall what they are called, but they are not my favorite and each time I make one I remember why. But I keep giving it the old school try thinking I will change my mind.......but I don't! LOL I just don't happen to like how they take mediums. I simply prefer the manila tags, but I will share this one with you anyway! LOL
I began this tag by applying one of my faves, Silks Acrylic Glaze in Sunflower. Since I don't like how it applies to these tags, I then went over it with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, also in Sunflower. I then took this really cool round plastic doohickey (for lack of better terms because I don't know what it is!! LOL) that I got in my Mixed Media Kit that I got from The Kraaft Shaak and sprayed Glimmer Mist in Slate over top...I loved it! When Heather was showing off her kits and she showed that doohickey on the video, I was so hoping one would be in my kit and alas it was! I love that guy, it's really cool!! I am sure I will have many uses for it!

I then stamped using a stamp from the March Unity Stamp Layers of Life Kit with Versa Fine and then embossed with white embossing powder from Zing. I added some ribbon and twine and voila! Pretty simple, no?

When I thought about this tag, I thought about that feather and the old saying "light as a feather." To me, being a believer is like being "light as a feather!" Why? Because there is freedom and liberty in Christ! Because of that, we can go through life, light as a feather because He bore all of our burdens on the cross! He took it all! There should be nothing weighing us down anymore if we live in Him. That's what brings us freedom, that's what brings us liberty!

I am reminded on the scripture in Psalm 91:4 that says "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." That's a promise from Almighty God! If we are in Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through us daily and walk in those promises, we will be light as a feather because WE KNOW we are under the shadow of His wings! He is faithful to shield, guard and protect us! What an amazing gift!

Today, I hope you took the time to take part in your local National Day of Prayer or even had a moment of silence in your work place, but most importantly I hope that you don't just make it one day of the year, but DAILY Pray for our nation, world and communities to come together for Christ! You be faithful and I guarantee you HE WILL BE FAITHFUL! :)

Blessings to you today! :)

Happy Dance Mail! :)

Good Tuesday all my crafty friends! I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things around here! It's a one day at a time slow process for sure! I am up for the challenge however!! LOL

Today I am going to share some AMAZING happy mail that I got from my FABULOUS friend Becky Wentworth! Becky and I met on the online art community on Google+!! Becky and I just seemed to hit it off immediately, to which I have been extremely blessed ever since! She is not only a neat gal, she is a very talented and creative artist! You can go over to Google+ and check out all of her wonderful creativity!

Becky and I were swap partners for the month of May on the "Creating and Sharing Mixed Media Art" group challenge, to which the theme was "Growing!" Becky, as usual is on top and ahead of things this month and I had mine by the 1st of the month!! Woo hoo, go Becky! :) LOL Well, to say that Becky did me up right, is an understatement!! Not only did she send me quite a few tags, she sent along some great RAK to a VERY HAPPY recipient!! LOL

IMMEDIATELY upon opening my package I was blessed with ALL THESE yummy papers! One of the things I love about Becky's art is that she has an eye for color! Not only that, but though she is very versatile with her colors, she uses a lot of "me colors!" So, yippee for me, right! :) These papers were no exception! I believe a good portion of these were done with gelli printing, but I do know that some were done on papers that were crumpled, sprayed and I believe ironed, which is such a cool effect!! I love it! The one at the top is a card that she made which I simply love!!

Each tag offered something catchy and creative and a different style, which I love and shows her versatility at creating! I always ask her about her techniques and she's always so quick to share! She spreads the love, I tell you! :) The tag with flowers in the pot has a background of hand painted paper scrunched up and glued on and I also know that she experimented with 3-D Gloss Gel through a stencil, which looks like the one with those amazing colorful flower on it! I loved how that turned out Becky! The "growing" tag had yummy color and cute emphemera - love that butterfly!


If that wasn't enough, that sweet gal made two other smaller tags that I just loved! The orange and yellow "Let Your Spirit Soar" tag was so yummy with that great feather which was embossed and the edges were also dredged and embossed! I love how that looks on projects! Then there was the cutest bird on that fabulously colored green/blue tag! I just loved the creativity of that tag and how it wasn't the "norm!" She also outlined that tag with what looked like stickles for another cool effect!

Becky also gifted me with an amazing bag of stone pieces and bits and bobbles that could be used in jewelry or to do those lovely pieces like she had hanging from the tags she made me! What a clever idea! I am working on a new project whereby I already have an idea of how to incorporate some of those pieces in! I can't wait!

Needless to say I did a happy mail dance for sure...grinning from ear to ear and itching to get into my closet with my new goodies! I shared with Becky that my daughter always goes to the mailbox with me in great anticipation as to what my crafty buddies are sending me and then she and I sit down on couch and open the packages together and eeeewwwwhhh and awwwhhhhh till our hearts are content! It's fun mommy/daughter time for sure!

Becky, I can't thank you enough for such a special blessing my friend! You are so creative and I love your projects and always learn something new with your creativity! If you have never visited Becky's Google+ site, you must go visit! She is hot and heavy making some gorgeous projects for an upcoming Festival! They will be blessed for sure! :)

Hey, share your talent with someone today! God gave us all gifts to share with another! In His word He says "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:10) It was a free gift to you, so freely share it with another.

God placed a gift inside of you to share with another. Whether it's art, crafting, baking, sewing, planting, shopping for another, taking someone somewhere, it doesn't matter, "whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of the Lord's, you do for Him!" (Matt 25:40) I guarantee that you will put a smile on their face and in their heart! Gift a blessing today! :)

Blessings

Seasons!

Good Monday to all my crafty friends!!!! Phew, it has been a LONG time since I have posted!! A few weeks to be exact!! I feel terrible, but at the same time, it was a time that I needed to focus. First of all it seems like the last several months have been piled with many things to do and all had to be done in a timely manner! Boy that can get taxing! Second I had committed myself to things that took me away from my first love. What is that you say? My Bible studying!!

The Holy Spirit has been nudging me on several levels that I had gotten complacent with my studying and my relationship with the Father!! Boy, there is nothing like being corrected by the Holy Spirit!! LOL I don't mind because I have always been one of the "brick over the head" kind of people! LOL It's still uncomfortable, mind you, but I don't mind because I NEED to be about my Father's business!

I love my art and it is a sure weakness for me because if I had my druthers, I would stay in my art closet 24/7! But.....that is not realistic! Who would do the laundry????? LOL There is quite a bit of truth to that however! In my growth as a Christian, I have come to understand that we can be too frivolous with our time! God speaks about being a good steward of our time and that time includes HIM!! Any time you let something take first place over Him, your priorities have gotten out of order!! Hence, the correction. I had overloaded myself with so many art projects that I took Him out of the drivers seat! Never a good idea! Why? Because every gear in my body runs more smoothly when the main gear, "My Lord," is in tip top shape, oiled and in FULL operational order!

So, I had to step back and take a breather for a few weeks and get myself back into order!! I managed to get one of my challenges in the mail last month, but that was all! But that was ok, because I have since gotten back on track with my studies, which was what the "down time" was for! Thank you Lord for keeping me straight! And thank you Lord for much needed season in my life whereby You continue to encourage my growth as a believer!  I hope to get back into the swing again with my other challenges this month.

All that said, I will share a journal spread that I did in the interim and in light of spring and the wonderful saying "spring showers bring May flowers!" I sure hope that's true because we have had a lot of showers here in Georgia for the spring! So this month should be quite colorful! LOL

I had great fun doing this journal spread. It was so relaxing and enjoyable and probably because there was nothing attached to it. I could work at my own pace and with not thought to a "theme" but just because! LOL That being said, I hope I remember the process! LOL

I started this spread by taking some just cheap tissue paper and crumpling it up and then adhering it to my journal with mod podge. I then pulled out my Dylusions because I LOVE their vibrant colors! Got to love Dyan's sprays!! I sprayed here and there with Lemon Zest, Bubblegum Pink and Squeezed Orange. I have always loved that combination and how it looks. I then took a green oil pastel crayon and grazed it over the top of the crumples to get a really cool effect and then simply distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The rest of this spread consisted of A LOT of fussy cutting! Normally, I would have been taxed, but since I used this as a time to reflect on the season I was going through and what God was ministering to me, I welcomed the cutting! I stamped using stamps from Dyan Reaveley, Unity Stamps and Prima with Archival inks onto old book page. After fussy cutting, I simply distressed with Vintage Photo and adhered with Aleene's. 

I had some twine that I thought would look cool and coiled up like a flower and then used Finnabair's awesome glass beads in the middle. I also had some really cute emphemera butterflies that I thought would look good in my little "fairy like" garden. I added my sentiment, a cute little dragonfly and some of Finnabair's yummy glitter to give it a "sunshiny" look!

Do you get off track sometimes or allow things to exalt itself above the Lord? In His word in 2 Corinthians 10:5 He tells us to "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." There are many thoughts in that one verse that you could expound on. And you may think that I am being extreme with my art vs. my studying, however when it takes my attention away from my Lord, I have to be careful! In His Kingdom, He is number one and I always want to be sensitive to that! Anything can become extreme if you let it! I want to be obedient to what I know He is calling me to, especially in these perilous times when the enemy can be quite clever with any open door!

I encourage you step back and have a good look about where and how you are using your time. Is it wise and does it bear fruit? My Father knows my heart, so I am certain He knows I would never jeapordize our relationship, but He's a little jealous, so I want to make sure I give my first love the #1 spot! :)

Blessings to you today! :)

Tag Swap!

Good Wednesday all my crafty friends! As I noted yesterday, I am playing catch up with things on my craft table! Before I left on holiday, I meant to post my tag swap for March and completely forgot! Yikes! I was so excited about getting away that everything else took a back seat! LOL

As a part of the tag swap on Google+ art community Creating and Sharing Mixed Media, March's theme was based on International Women's Day. My partner was Clemencia. I shared the tag that Clemencia sent me before I left on holiday here. As it was quite a few weeks ago now when I did these tags, I will try to remember the creating process of both as best as I can! LOL

The first tag I did for Clemencia I knew I wanted to keep it light and focus on a piece of emphemera that I had gotten online of a girl that looked like she was celebrating being who she is! I loved it! So I started by applying gesso to my tag and then took out my fave Silks acrylic glaze in Pink Azalea and Sky Blue. I placed them on my craft sheet and watered them down and just began to drip them from the sides until I got the look I was going for. I then distressed the edges with Distress Ink in Dusty Concord.

I found some need sentiment "stick-ons" in a bargain bin one time that had the sentiment "Go Your Own Way," which I thought was fitting for the month's theme. I then simply adhered it with mod podge and added a little doodling. I splattered some watered down Liquitex Black Ink here and there.

I adhered the girl and I die cut some starts and a cute butterfly and then added a Prima flower and butterfly that I had painted and splattered with the Pink Azalea Silks. To finish it off, I sprinkled some of Finnabair's awesome glitter for some glitz!! :)

The second tag I did for Clemencia, I also knew that I wanted to do something using my "she..." from Unity Stamps that I love! I applied gesso randomly with an old credit card on the tag then did the same thing with some Calypso Sky acrylic paint from Folk art and Pretty Peridot Silks Acrylic Glaze. I really like how it came out. I then randomly stamped using a cute, cute music score stamp I have from my February 2015 Layers of Life Kit with black Archival Ink.

I had die cut some rounds out with book page and applied color with Cotton Candy and Blueberry Gelatos using my finger and then highlighted with gesso and then adhered to the tag. I then took that lovely flower stamp from the same LOL Kit from Unity and stamped using black Archival Ink. I also applied color to the flower with Gelatos in Red Cherry and Gold Champagne. I then simply stamp embossed my sentiment using ColorBox Ink and Clear Embossing Powder. :)

I like doing ATC's as well, so sometimes I will add in a little ATC just as something extra. It was quick and simple and I don't even remember exactly the colors I used, but they were both from Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (an Olive and Lavender I think) and them stamped using that same music score stamp and a great little "swirly" stamp from my Unity January 2015 Layers of Life collection. I added a cute little "you" stamp and embellished with little jewels and a cute butterfly that I colored with Gelatos. Just a little something!

I hope you liked my tags today and Clemencia I hope you enjoyed celebrating YOU in the month of March and celebrate being YOU every day! :))))

Blessings

Be Brave, Be Happy!

Another post today crafty friends! I have a lot of catching up to do!! LOL I was able to play a little bit on my craft table before I left on holiday, so I wanted to share one of my projects. You will recall at the end of March I shared some happy mail I had received from the Kraaft Shaak and from Sheri Whitfield at her Etsy Shop. You know how that goes, you just can't wait to get to your table and start using all that crafty goodness! So it went with me!!

In my Mixed Media Kit from the Kraaft Shaak, I opted to receive the 5x7 canvas. I knew that I wanted to try some steampunk style on canvas but wanted to start on a small scale. With that in mind, I also ordered some extra embellishments from Sheri at her Etsy Store to enhance my project.

I had an idea of where I wanted to end up with the project, but sometimes you aren't sure about the beginning!! LOL So I started by laying down pieces of Tim Holtz's tissue tape here and there. I then put a think layer of gesso over top. Then I just started spraying with Lindy's Stamp Gang in Red Hot Poker Orange and Cattail Copper Brown, some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Candy Apple Red and Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Gold until I got the look I was going for, which was a "rustic look."


The main thing I wanted to get to was the Gold Crackle Paste from Finnabair. I had used it on a project a couple of weeks ago, but wanted a thicker look. So I took a Tattered Angels gear stencil/mask and put a thick layer over top. I had to let this dry over night because I wanted to get the "full" effect of the crackle. I was so delighted by the outcome! That product is soooooo yummy and you just have to try it!!

I then just began to lay down all of my elements. All of the elements were gesso'd and then distressed with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo and then sprayed with the same combination as the canvas. I do hot glue my elements down as I am too impatient to wait for anything else to dry. I did add my homemade flowers that I did out of bookpage, some Maya Road embellishments and other, what I call "lost things" (can you tell I am a Tinker Bell fan...hee hee), besides the goodies from Heather and Sheri. I finished the project by using Finnabair's awesome Art Ingredients Glass Glitter in copper and one of my favorite products Inka Gold Metallic Rub in Gold.

I had so much fun doing this canvas and I will be exploring more of this kind of creativity. I don't want to get into a same old, same old style, so I will have to be doing my homework. I would love to take one of Fin's classes and noted that to her by asking her to come to the states!! LOL I think that's in her plan at some point and time this year, so we shall see if somehow I can make that plan happen!!! You never know, sometimes wishes do come true! LOL

So what are you guys working on? Hope you are having as much fun as I am!! :))))

Be blessed!

Coming Home to Happy Mail!

Good Tuesday all my crafty friends!!! It has been over a week since my last post!!!! EEEK! LOL! I am happy to say it was for good cause....we have been on holiday!!!! Yay to my family! We had a FABULOUS time of much needed family "togetherness" and camping time!! My girls were on spring break, so we took the opportunity to break out the camper for the first trip of the year and go traveling! We went to FDR State Park and had a ball. While we were there we also went to Callaway Gardens, which was just lovely. We were, in fact, a week or two early and all the flowers had not yet budded out, but we still saw some beautiful early blooms and scenery! I continue to be amazed at ALL of God's creation and how blessed I am to be able to go and see His craftsmanship!

Here are a few photos to share:

Some of the pictures are from Callaway, a couple while hiking and a couple of me with my "bestie" sister-in-law and one of my hubby and our camping partners, my sister and brother-in-law! We usually go together because MORE is better! LOL My girlies always take girlfriends and together we have great family/friend fun!!

When I got back from my glorious week I had....YIPEEE....Happy Mail from Sherie Eddy over on my Google+ art community!! Sherie and I were swap buddies for the month of April in the Creating and Sharing Mixed Media art group. We have great fun swapping tags and I have enjoyed all the creativity! I have to get cracking and get yours in the mail Sherie!!! LOL

Sherie, I was stinking THRILLED at the treasures inside!! Sherie made a tag/journal page that I can't wait to put in my journal!! It was FULL of what I call "Sherie Style!" Inundated with amazing colors and doodles and then she made this crafty flip card/tag with just AWESOME art, colors and doodling! Of COURSE I loved those Stampotique stamps Sherie!! One day, I am going to get me a few of them, they just rock in my book! LOL And she just brought the creativity right around to the back side with "Color your world....and your art and the person you are will continue to "shine" and brighten everyone's life!" That just made my heart "goosh!" How special and precious!

If that wasn't all enough, Sherie put some amazing goodies inside!!! She made some AWESOME masks or stencils, if you will, out of glue that I can't wait to use and then included some deli sheets with awesome color on them and this soooooo yummy knapkin with great birds on it that I also can't wait to use! Sherie......you just WENT OVERBOARD!! I feel so blessed! Thank you, thank you!!

I can't say enough how much I have enjoyed doing the tag swap with everyone. I know sometimes it's all you can do to get a tag done and out the door, but when you are done, it feels so good to know you are blessing another and then when you receive all that creativity and love back in the mail from so many other talented artists, it makes it ALL WORTHWHILE!! It's a joy to create with all you artists!

Thanks again Sherie, your tag should be coming later in the week or the first of next week! I hope you all are enjoying spring where you are and have had time to get out in it all and enjoy God's creation!

Blessings

Life's Blessings!

Good Wednesday all my crafty friends!!! It's really Thursday for me because tomorrow is going to be Friday, since we actually have Friday off at work! Yay!! One for the team!! LOL I'm sooooo excited because I will have Friday through next Sunday off! Can I hear another round of applause! LOL My kids are on Spring Break next week and I decided to take advantage of that and take off with them! I've been mentioning that we are going on vacay and it's well overdue! I love spending time with my family, it's such an amazing blessing!!

Speaking of blessings, they come in all forms! I like to believe that God fashions it that way so that we grasp the understanding of what a blessing really is and never take those blessings for granted! So today I will share a quick project with you that I dedicated to YOU!!! Yep, that's right, I dedicated it to ALLLLLLL my crafty friends and you wonderful people who visit my blog and leave just the loveliest of comments!! I dedicate it to you because you are a blessing to me!!

I was at Tuesday Morning (one of my favorite places to go) not too long ago and came across some Sizzix Dies that I thought were just the cutest and.......I got for like $4!! What? Got to love Tuesday Morning! The die set has these cute birds, a lamp post and banner goodies. I don't have the name of the die, but I had to have it, soooo...LOL! I knew when I saw those little birds that I wanted to make a cute tag with them, so here you go!

I was playing around on my awesome Gelli plate with just some cheap acrylic paints in a great turquoise color, a lime green and cute "pinky" color and and a couple of Tim Holtz stencils. I didn't fuss around with it too much, just enough to get a little background. I then distressed and edged the tag with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo. Then I simply die cut the lamp, banner and birds using book page and scrapbook papers, distressed them all with Vintage Photo and then applied them with Mod Podge. The lamp post has a second piece that you could make it look like it was lit up, so I took that piece and applied Finnabair's awesome glitter in a gorgeous yellow color to it to give it that "lit" look.

I have some "old" Prima word stamps that I got at a flea market one time and I simply stamped in Distress Ink Mowed Lawn onto the banners "you are kind." I then had another stamp that said "thankful" on it and I tried to do the same thing under the banners, but boy what a blunder that was! It happens, as you know! So I just tried to make the best of it and took my Sharpie and wrote over it and added the "so and for you!" Blunder fixed! LOL Mother always used to say, "where there is a will, there is a way!" LOL Voila!

A quick tag, but I simply wanted you guys to know that you ALL are a blessing to me!! I am a member of a couple of "Art Communities" and since I joined I have had NOTHING but encouraging, kind and uplifting comments on those communities and then also here on my blog! I am so blessed and thankful for those who actually come to my blog and take the time to read it and comment as well! It's a joy to me and my heart!

Blessings do come in all different ways. However small this may be to some, it is truly a blessing to me to have gotten to know so many wonderfully talented artists and a complete joy to share each others ideas and creativity with one another and support one another in a very positive way! You guys are JUST THE BEST!! :))

So today, I am blessed and "Thankful for YOU!" Share and spread the love! Take the time to encourage, support and lift another up today! You never know what a blessing you are being to them!! :)

Bless you!