Have you hokey pokeyied lately???

Is there anyone out there who hasn't done the HOKEY POKEY???  Ernestine asks that ethereal question today in my card for the Queen for the Day and Free4All Send a Joke challenges over on SplitCoastStampers today.   I love this imagine of Lily Tomlin in the character of Ernestine...check it out, I guarantee a JOY break.

Have a wonderful weekend.

breaking hearts

Hello fellow artists and friends, I thank you in advance for your time.  I am writing today with a broken heart, aching for a young wife who lost her husband unexpectedly. He leaves young daughters also.  And while I am so very sad, I know that God holds each of us in HIS hands, with HIS timing and our understanding of events might not be known this side of heaven.  

I can't begin to imagine how she feels. And yet, I am compelled to pour time into these bits of papers and inks.  Isn't that the gift we give when we are moved to express what is in our hearts.  Words so often fail and yet, we continue on to find the right image or sentiment that will be a salve to a broken heart.

The Inkadinkadoo Kid's Quote sentiment reads, "if you need to fix a BROKEN Heart, friends make the best glue".  Such comfort out of the mouth of a precious child!  Having lost loved ones, I do know there will be many stages of grieving.  My prayer is that she will find each need met along the way.

This card is entered in the Stamping Sisters in Christ Challenge #123 Proverbs 3:3
Scripture: "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3.  The challenge was to include a heart on your project.  I chose to use a foil doily that I embossed with Tim Holtz distress powder in dusty pink.  I tore the heart, rolled it back so the sentiment would be visible.
A Kaisercraft lace die cut from their recent paper group adds a bit of color at the top.


I would ask if you would cover this family in prayer.  Thank you.

Cherishing YAWNS...

It's been a long time since I've played with a color challenge.  Today over on SplitcoastStampers, the colors were black, limeade, and poppy.  And I must admit they made me think of the hues of sherbet.
I've had this beauty from Stamp Francisco inked and waiting for a spell.  I knew I wanted to use the amusing Bette Midler quote:  Cherish forever what makes you unique. Cuz you're really a YAWN if
goes.

What do you think makes U unique...one of a kind, remarkable, unusual?  I've thought about this in many ways throughout my life and pondered about when family members who knew me as a child and growing into a women died...would the essence of who I am continue.  My sons know me as their mom, but can only relate to my stories about times 'BC' (before children).  And my husband has a window into me that didn't begin until well into my 30's.

As Shakespeare said so well...through Polonius, in Hamlet, "to thine own self be true".  Keep on remembering and pondering and telling your stories...look in the mirror and truly cherish the woman looking back at you.

Blessings

in a word...GO

Over on the Moxie Fab World, way back the 4th of January, was an absolutely fabulous collection of map inspired creations....map lampshades, map chairs, map paper boats, map legwear...who doesn't adore the sight of a map, would you tell me?  They invoke tender  memories of getting back to people or leaving people 'till soon' as my friend Stella says. Maps inspire hopes, dreams, adventures, challenges all the while bringing us back to the very essence of our hearts.

So I've been thinking on how to convey the idea of exploring that big~O world outside and kept coming back to the thought of what is outside your vision.  A limitless world.  You just have to take that step!  Sometimes, maybe often times, it's a leap of faith, but open your eyes, take a deep breath,  and pack those bags!

For my card, I've used Lynn Ward's Green Pepper Press Physical Graffiti stamps which include the window and sentiment.  My intrepid adventurer is an unknown image.  The beautiful world out his window is a DCVW map paper.  I added 'go' and the twine at the top. The wallpaper for the room is Basic Grey.

 I never want to stop exploring my world and while the days of international travel for me are more in my past, I have so much right in my own backyard that beckons me.  What about you?  I would love to hear w{here}  is calling you.

Be blessed

it's 2012, T

Happy New Year, everyone!  And even though it's wintery, snowy, frosty, cold, foggy, rainy, I can't help but feel optimistic about the fresh breath a new year brings.  How about you?  I am giddy just thinking of all the potential that lies ahead.

 Over on the Moxie Fab World blog, the current Tuesday Trigger is all about  'By the Numbers'.  When I saw the charming quilt with the field of random numbers, I couldn't help but think about those Cosmo
Cricket 'Joy Ride' numbers.  So to celebrate 2012 and the journey it brings, I designed a card for a dear friend who has been very brave this year, journeying onward and into the next chapter of her life.  And while the road has had lots of twists and hair bending turns, I am confident she'll also find smooth straights ahead.

The Amuse sentiment : The journey is the Reward was inked along the side of my card.  I used the sketch from SplitcoastStampers SC366 for the layout.  A piece of upholstery fabric along the side (actually from my friend) and the bottom horizontal panel crimped.  The 'T' charm was created with a Tim Holtz fragment.  The 2012 numbers are from Crafty Secrets.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I encourage you to stop now, close your eyes, take a deep breath and slowly exhale...and pause....Happy Fresh New Year!

Blessings for today,
Susan