Almighty

I just finished up the study I am doing with the His Holy Names challenge. These past two weeks we focused on the Almighty.  In Hebrew, it is EL SHADDI.  Roughly translated it means mountain GOD, apparently because the early writers of sacred text used the highest thing they could see to relate to God.  I lingered on the 84th Psalm as my scripture and chose to highlight it in my 6x6 page.  The Bible I use for my home study is well marked, highlighted, and underlined with dates, situations and prayer requests.  I can go back and find tangible evidence of God's hand on my life!  It makes it simple to fully trust HIM with what surrounds me now.

There are all the details of my design process in the commentary of my SCS gallery, if you would be interested.  One thing I will say, I wanted to use different fonts for the name El Shaddi...it reminded me that the Almighty loves all people and wants everyone to come to the knowledge of Jesus. Technique Tuesdays Calamity Jane large was the perfect mixed up alpha!

Have a blessed day, the sun is shining in the Pacific Northwest...always a blessing!

blossoming

Judy, our hostess for the Limited Supplies issued a great challenge today...all black and white and silver...now usually monochromatic cards have one pop of color, but not so with this one!  My entry just flowed ~~~once I gave up hunting for a sentiment that was nowhere to be found, guess I'll save that for another day!  I used a lovely Reuben's image of an older woman paired with the saying:  like the bulb of a blossoming flower, a woman grows more lovelier with time.  

Now I don't know about you, but I am trying to learn this GRACEFULLY every day.  Just lately, when I look in the mirror, the woman I see looking back at me is NObody I recognize.  The me inside is not quite the me outside!  I've been thinking on this question for years...even asked every friend and woman relative I have:  when the people who knew you all your life are gone, will the essence of who you are (as all the younger versions of yourself) be evident?  That zest for life, the giggles of girlhood, the passions of a women, and the beauty of growing into the wrinkle, silver hair stage!  I want my passing through these years to be lighthearted...but I need to figure out how to embrace all the changes my body is going through...how about you, ever feel any of these crazy musings?  I'd love to hear your take on this...

a tisket, a tasket...

Loved the TLC today on Splitcoast...Easter Baskets!  I think it will be a perfect "little thinking of you" for my sweet mother-in-law and pop by for a visit this afternoon.  The template can be found here.  I would love to see what you created. 

Happy New Week!  

more adventure

Well, my DS is on the road AGAIN!  This time his longest ever---a 5,000 mile round trip!  Destination: Holland, MI for the Division III Final Four women's game.  Sam and his cohorts left last night from OR by car to support this amazing team.  The women (10 freshman and no seniors) are 30-0 this season.  Of course, I have my mother's heart on the ready, covering them with prayer and traveling mercies. Over 10 states and back...for hopefully 2 games! 

I don't know about you, but this takes me way back to my own college years and I would have thought nothing about hopping in a car over an impossible distance for a concert.  Being on the other side of the worry factor...I must admit I'm more than a bit nervous...over the continental divide in winter?  33 hours in a bucket of bolts??? I am so glad he is in God's large hands!

My card today celebrates his sense of adventure...I used Artistic Outpost's wonderful Adventure plate...I'm going to suggest on the next impressions they maybe add TEXT me, please!!! to the choices...we've all sending texts...where are you now...what do you see!  

I'd be blessed if you'd lift Sam in up prayer...for a safe and fun journey there and back again!

 

my little darling

Saturday the day for the Inspiration Challenge over on SCS...I love looking at the various catalogs for my  muse!  This week is was the opposite, I'd been working on my His Holy Names challenge which was the word CREATOR.  I needed to find something in the Fritz & Floyd caddie that would tie my 6x6 page to the IC.  Well, these beautiful vases and the grill were just the perfect objects!

In thinking about the word creator, I was drawn to my favorite Psalm, 139 which talks about the LORD fashioning each one of us in our mother's womb, that every day of my life was written before they came to be, that HIS CREATION is wonderful.  I knew I wanted to use the double helix of DNA to represent both the complexity and the transparency of my life.  And I thought a picture of my loving parents before I was conceived would be a beginning point as is the postmark of my birth date.  Even as I study His Holy Names, it is about my faith journey, also.  I used Tim Holtz's ticket along with a dynamo label MY story.  The key is also from Tim Holtz idea-0logy...this one says Secret...I was made in the secret place.  I used some of a gorgeous Japanese pleated ribbon on the scripture page.  The word CREATOR is stamped on a piece of acetate with olive green Stazon.  Other details of the actual construction can be found in my SCS gallery.  I've left room for journaling behind the Psalm.

I am overwhelmed with the love the LORD has shown HIS people...it is so vast.  And I am thankful for all the gifts HE has given me.  Happy Weekend, my friends 

...the joy of all the earth

What a wonderful color combination for today's CC over on SCS.  It was one of those, "I know exactly what I want to do and use" moments!  I even have two different fonts of the quote I chose. (bad, I know!!!).  I decided to go simple (B LINE Designs)  and let the beautiful K&CO Margo paper carry the show.  A lush, vintage velvet brings the texture.  

In thinking on MY own rose bushes that missed their Presidents' day trimming...I've got 27 different varieties...I can't help but remember a speech on the history of roses  I did for a college class.  I had brought in a huge bouquet of various colors to use as a visual during the final speech.  I just knew I had every one's attention as I spoke of the history of the rose in popular lore and more current cultivation techniques.  At the end, I gave each person a rose.  There was  one person left to speak and I knew, just knew I had carried the day..that is until the last speaker revealed he had also brought in a prop to compliment his speech.  A boa constrictor...needless to say, he stole the show!

I'm yearning for the heavenly smell in my garden...as much as I love my paper and stamps, nothing beats the real thing!  What about you??? How do you reconcile time in the garden?

20 candles and this blog thing!

Thanks dear readers for wondering about me!  I've been traveling and playing and celebrating these past few weeks.  I am back home now and pondering how to catch up...don't really think it possible...I'll just start where I am!  I had such a delightful visit with Amy, cherished my visit with my dear friend (and helped her fill her new scrapbox), and welcomed DS into his third decade. That last one had me reminiscing when I turned 20...oh, I didn't want to leave my teenage years...and be launched on my own...I've spent alot of time in old pictures and thinking on the differences of my 20 and Sam's 20.

Today's challenge over at SC was a small purse which I made into a box to put memories of Sam's birthday's past.  I used a black suede cord to draw it together. 20 candles on the butler's tray (Judikins) and a bold Happy Birthday.  I've always been a later giver...my family covers me with grace...my heart is there, but more times than not, always late.  So DS, I'll get this in the mail...soon...maybe!  Love you!