Let's be mermaids

I thought I'd try the bokeh technique again.

This time on watercolour paper. I am not happy

with what happened, but when I use regular

card stock the ink rubs off if you touch it. The

watercolour paper makes it look like it bled

and it's not very defined.  Oh, well.

 The stamp set Karen sent me for my

birthday last year. Isn't it cute?!

It's been in the 40's and 50's the last few

days, but this morning it's rather cold.

I know it's coming, but I'd like to hold

off the sub zero temps for a bit longer

yet. Actually, I'd like to skip them altogether.

Isaiah 41:13

 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Happy Tuesday!

Lots of green

No, not money, although I did pick up

some extra money this week helping a friend

get her house ready for Christmas. It was

more fun than work! I don't know where

I came up with this idea but I don't think

I like it. However, it does use up a lot of

little tiny green flowers that I've had forever

and a day, so that fulfills the challenge.

Sorry no post the last two days, by the way.

It was a long and crazy weekend.  I'm not

holding up my part of the bargain with Karen

and it was my idea to start with!

Robin is still hoping she will be able

to come by the end of the year.  I know it

would make my parents very happy and

we get sister time since she stays here

at my house.  And maybe we can get

together with my friends for lunch like we

usually do when she is here.  Except for
Dianne.  She is basking in the sunshine in

Florida.  I'm so jealous.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Did you know that the phrase “do not fear”

is in the Bible 365 times? God is so loving.

He wants us to depend on him for everything,

even in (and maybe especially) times that are

hard and we can't understand His reasoning.

It surely makes us stronger. At least it does me.

Happy Monday!

Trying something new

Occasionally I try something new and more often

than not it doesn't really work out. This is one

of those fails. When we were at coffee chat

last week I grabbed up the coffee sleeves

and my friend, Coleen, asked why I wanted them.

I told her I was going to decorate it. She said,

“you crafters make things out of everything!” Well,

we try anyway. So I thought I'd make her a decorated

coffee sleeve. It, apparently, isn't my cup of tea.

Get it?!  Karen's card is here.

There's really no where to put anything, so i don't

like that.  I had a terrible time trying to figure

out how to seal the top.  It's just not a fun project.

No one will accuse me of being a good cook, either.

I'm going to try to make cashew chicken in the crock

pot today.  I'll let you know how that goes.

I lost my bone folder a few weeks ago.  I had another

but I don't like it as well.  So yesterday I went and got a 

new one.  I looked all over.  I finally asked someone.

She looked at my blankly when I asked her where the

bone folders were.  So I described it.  She said,"oh,

you mean a paper creaser".  Yes, that's what I mean and

wouldn't you know, that's exactly what the packaging

calls it.  Furthermore, as soon as I got home-after

searching high and low-I found it.  Sigh.

 

Hebrews 11:1

 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

Happy Friday!

Comfort in Christ

  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

I wanted to put this first because 

  Larry and I attended a hospice memorial

last night. It was very nice, but difficult.

Those things always are. Going into the

holidays is always hard as well. I remember

I was in grief group and told the chaplain

that 2015 was going to be a very hard year

because that would be the first full year

without John. He said that was the first

time he'd ever heard that and was going

to remember that for future groups. It's

hard to believe he will be gone 5 years in March.

This is not an optical illusion, I guess, but

that's what it reminds me of. This is another

piece of fun that I received in a swap. I've

had it for months and never knew what to

do with it, although I knew I wanted to

keep it. Then this came to mind. I had not

intended to ink the outside of the card,

but I smudged a little ink on the bottom so....

You can see Karen's cards here.  I love them both.

Happy Thursday!

Joy to the world

The skirt is gold foil card stock but I couldn't

get a good picture of it without it glaring, so you'll

just have to use your imagination. I have to thank

Karen for the stamp. She sent me a stamp set in

her loaded hoop. We exchanged them for Christmas.

I know, it's early, but you know how the mail is

this time of year. Oh, and I have instant

gratification issues so.... I have never done one of

these before. They are made with embroidery hoops

and the front has a pocket. You can actually

get quite a bit in there. Now I want to join swaps

with them so I can have lots of them hanging

on the wall. So much fun.  Here is the hoop:

here is the card:

She sent me some glitter snowflakes, too, so I put

one of those on the inside with the sentiment.

I'm getting some real mileage out of the gorjuss

girls.  I just love them.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Let all that you do be done with love.

Happy Wednesday!

Butterfly lattice

I think this card would have looked better if

I had put two smaller butterflies on it, but

it's OK. I always see what I might have

changed when the project is over. I am

so critical of what I make.

 

I'm happy to report that my sister has power

again after more than a day without-and

she has a parrot. Unfortunately NC doesn't

have experienced snow plow drivers apparently,

and all the mailboxes on her street got taken

out. You'd think he'd have noticed after the

first one, but I guess not. Hers is destroyed

and she will have to get a new one. I think that

ought to be on the city, but I don't get a vote.

My friend, Dianne is basking in the sunshine and

warmth in Florida.  Life is not fair.

Jeremiah 29:13

 And you will seek Me and find Me,

when you search for Me with all your heart.

Happy Tuesday!

Lattice hugs in blue

I love my lattice die but I don't use it enough.

I saw another card I'm going to try today.

This card you can look through, so there

won't be anything on the inside. But the

oval is on the back as well, so I can at least

sign it. I think it came out pretty well.

  Yesterday began Christmas songs at church.

I hate doing them. You sign them once a

year and can't remember how to do it the

following year. So I asked Coleen if I could

opt out this month. She said not without a

doctors excuse.....

Sorry for the poor quality picture.  I forgot to take

a picture of the real thing.  But you get the idea.

She laughed so hard and said she was going

to keep it forever.  A side note: I was still not

allowed to opt out.

Luke 1:30-31

 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary;

you have found favor with God.  You will conceive

and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

We are doing a series on angels now and I love

this verse. From the time my oldest, Nathan,

was only 8 months old, we read the Christmas

story each year before they were allowed to open

any presents. I wanted them to understand

that this was much more than just presents.

Happy Monday!