Pure Joy!

"Joy is the serious business of heaven."   ~ C.S. Lewis

Hello friends,
I have a sweet video and card for you today.   It's no secret how much we are in love with the little boy who came into our lives nine months ago - can you believe it!    Each week brings a sign of growth.  Several new toofies, waving good-bye,  pulling to a stand, commando crawling, and an event we all love - watching him enjoy the pure joys of a childhood swing set.   Our son took one of the sweetest video's of him at the park and set it to music.    He adores these little adventures with his mama and papa and we all love the result (she smiles).

One look and you know he's going to be a little boy who loves to be chased down the hallway - a coaster rider at heart!   With all the activity mama and papa need a little quiet time to rest *laughing*

Just working on that piece of quiet mama

Curious and engaged but never to busy to offer a sweet smile to anyone who asks.

He is loved beyond measure!

Clap your hands, all peoples!  Shout to God with loud songs of joy!    Psalms 47:1
May you experience joy in your hearts today.

I Dig You!

Hello dear friends,

Oh I'm happy, happy, happy!   The sun is out and it's getting warm - yipee!   You know it's been almost 10 years since I've had a garden.   Now that we are back in Virginia a garden is an option (giggle).    Dreams of a garden began when I was small, under the tutelage of my Aunt and Uncle.   The problem:  I was afraid of bugs!   Bugs, garden snakes, bees -- you name it, I was a big scaredy cat. But I was determined to outgrow my fear, and move forward with my dream.   I had a lot to learn.   I hired a landscape architect to help me realize my vision and asked if they would put in the bones of the garden and I would do the rest.   I would learn as I went merrily on my gardening way.   Hat, gloves, trowel; I was ready.

I Dig You!
Mojo Monday Challenge 287

I Dig You!  (Click to enlarge photo)

When the garden was completed I began to plant annuals, then perennials.   Mixing them amongst the shrubs and bushes the garden began to actually look like my vision.   My husband put up a beautiful bluebird house and I planted a four-o'clock climber that twined upward.   And to my surprise, a family of bluebirds!  Did you know that the male bluebird sings to his love as he coaxes her in and out of what he hopes will be their new home?   She, however, has the final say (laughing).   Sound familiar?    I even found myself picking though a pile of meal worms one day, picking out the juiciest worms for the little baby bluebirds.    I would gently put them up on the platform for mama to feed to them.   OH MY GOODNESS, could it be, I had actually picked up a WORM!    My aha moment - a fear conquered.   My garden became a sanctuary.  A place to heal, to pray and see God's handiwork.   The garden encouraged me and gave me hope.  I learned lessons of life and death.

One Mother's day our son gave me the book, From the Ground Up, The Story of a First Garden by Amy Stewart.    Seedlings, weeds, cats and compost, worms and watering.   Transforming a plot of earth into a lovely sanctuary.   But ... like so often in life, a change of course happens and Amy finds she is moving.   The book began to resonate with me.   You see I too was moving away.   How would I  be able to do it?   I had put my heart and soul into the earth, my fingerprints in the dirt.   I had laughed and shed tears in my garden, and prayed for a child to come home.

But gardens don't happen by themselves.  They don't come about by accident.   And neither had this move that would take me away.    I was comfortable in this place, safe and secure in this garden sanctuary.    But there was more for me to discover.    More fears to conquer, more dreams to turn into a vision.   What does one write to the next caretaker of the garden? For that is what we are beloved; caretakers.   We are but sojourners in this world, and when we understand that truth we can move forward in life without fear.   I had seen a garden bloom, a fear fade away, a vision for the future begin to evolve.    I had learned some important lessons.   Color, design, and balance were all part of my lovely garden.    And years later I would put ink and color to paper again - this time unafraid.   The love of art rekindled on a garden path.   Isn't God good?

Blessings,

Glittery Happy Birthday to You!

Hi everyone,

The weeks are flying by aren't they?   I love Fridays.  Fridays are for  leisurely waking up with coffee in bed.  I appreciate moving into the day a little slower now - how bout you?   Fridays also mean that I can work in my stamp room and play along with a few challenges.   And that's just what I did today.

Jeanne, from Splitcoaststampers was hostess for today's Free for All Challenge:  Glittery Happy Birthday to You!   She asked us to apply glitter to a birthday card.   I was happy to oblige (smiling).

Several weeks ago I purchased some dies from Spellbinders; the Nestabilities Create a Card Mats and some of their beautiful filigree edged dies.   A week ago I used one of those dies on my card, Grey Skies.   But with a fussy, glittery birthday card I thought I better bring out the big one this time.   Nestabilities 5x7 Detailed Scallops - so pretty.   I had seen Becca Freeken's filigree hinged card tutorial using these dies and well, you know the rest - I had to try it for myself.

F4A163 Splitcoaststampers

Now every once in a while I get to feelin' a little mischievous and like to cut up paper.  Not any ol' paper, no sir, my good stuff - the designer paper.   I like to create my own embellishments, and Graphic 45's paper collections are a wonderful source for fussy cutting.  I don't think there's a collection I don't like.   So today I did just that.   I hand cut a branch from Once Upon a Springtime and a small bird from Secret Garden.   I layered them and popped them up for more dimension over a panel from Secret Garden.   The entire panel was placed on top of a filigree hinged card base.   A little glitter and some bling on the birthday sentiment and I'm done!   I really would have preferred to put the sentiment inside the card and probably should have.   Sometimes I just feel like that what's needed.   To often though, I try to second guess myself - bad Susie!

I have a friend in Phoenix who had a birthday last week, and I didn't have a card ready.  I think I'll surprise her with this one.   Enjoy your weekend my friends.  Savor a cup of coffee or tea, make a memory, and just relax.   That's where I'm headed (she smiles).

Blessings and hugs,

Thank You Friend

Hi Friends!

This is my card entry for Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday #110 (Collage Elements).   Dawn McVey hosted the Make it Monday video and in her words, "Collage elements on projects look so effortless to create, until you actually start putting the elements together to make your own."   Whew, she wasn't kidding!   I decided on a thank you theme.   I really enjoyed the challenge of creating this collage because I've thought about trying some art journaling.    It made me think about how I might approach my pages, the prompts, and layout when I start (I better have a lot of scratch paper handy - laughing).

Make it Monday #110 - Click on the photo to enlarge

I also realized that I am seriously limited when it comes to background and small word phrase stamp sets.   I used Papertrey Ink Background Basic: Houndstooth, Inside and Out: Thank You, Turning a New Leaf, and the large sized font Thank You (I'm not sure which set that comes from).   I also used a set from Hero Arts called, Friends Definition, and a set from Stampin Up, Four Frames.   The only embellishment on this card is a small Pure Poppy button also from Papertrey Ink.   The card base uses the neutral Soft Stone.   The other two mats are Pure Poppy and Stampin' Up's, Certainly Celery.   It all sounds rather simple doesn't it?   Let me tell you I sketched this card out at least a dozen times trying to come up with something I liked.   Dawn is absolutely correct - it isn't as easy as it looks.

"Thank you Friends" for stopping by.   It's the thoughtful messages you leave behind that touch my heart.

Blessings,

Lullaby Baby

Hello Friends,

What a week this has been!   I've had a wonderful time of relaxing and getting back into the swing of things (stamping) again.    Even had some jammer time too (she smiles).  I played a lot of challenges this week and enjoyed each one.   I'm not sure that I'll be able to keep up the pace next week though.    I'll be back on duty taking care of our delightful grandson, Teddy, who by-the-way, has just turned 8 months old!  Can you believe it!?   Where has the time gone?   He has two new teeth on the bottom and two teeth trying to  come through up top.   He's becoming such a big boy as he sits so nicely in his high chair.  He's getting better results getting that solid food to his mouth (laughing) too.

Mojo Monday 286  (Click on photo to enlarge)

For today's card I decided to play along with the Mojo Monday crowd.  I've always liked their sketches.   And I'm smitten with Graphic 45's Little Darling paper collection.    A little paper piecing and fussy cutting with the adorable stamp set "Baby Clothesline" from Pink Persimon and the result is one sweet baby card.    And wouldn't you know there's a new baby in town today - long time navy friends became grandparents again.    Their youngest son, Dr. Charles Clark and his wife, Ashley, are the new parents of one very sweet little baby boy.   Congratulations Chuck and Ashley!   I hope the boys become life long friends.   Of course I'd like to leave you this evening with our newest photo of Theodore (Teddy).   We had a good snow storm this past Monday and his mama bundled him up and took him out to experience it and for a little photo-op.   Because we're a navy family I can't help myself ...

"Hearts are breaking wide open all over the world tonight!" (Top Gun).

This will be my last post this week, hope to see you again next week.   Until then I want to wish everyone a very happy Easter.

He has Risen Indeed!  Hallelujah!

Grey Skies

Hello dear friends!

This is my entry for yesterday's TLC422 (Monochromatic Madness), and CAS213 (Line only) challenge at Splitcoaststampers (SCS).

I loved both challenges.   I have always enjoyed monochromatic coloring and using pen and ink for drawing.   So, when I find a stamp that gives me that type of line look - well ...     And, I adore all of the wonderful Spellbinders beautiful filigree die cuts as well and wanted to give this card a bit of winter beauty by using them.    The swiss dot embossing folder represents the snow we had yesterday (I will say no more about the winter weather we've been having) -- thus my title, "Grey Skies."     The card is made using a base of charcoal grey, layered with a softer grey, and ending with my stamped image on soft stone by Papertrey, Ink.    No other embellishments were used.

Click on photo to enlarge

I purchased my Winter Hills stamp set from Papertrey, Ink before leaving Phoenix this past fall thinking I wouldn't be able to use it this winter -- I love it when a plan comes together.    Stamping in my new room yesterday was pure joy even if the skies were grey.    But, I'll confess that I'm a summer gal within so the inside sentiment from My Favorite Things (IB-Winter) was a prefect statement.    From here on in it will be color and plenty of it!

Grey skies have cleared and the sunshine has come out again - it always does doesn't it?

Wishing you blue skies and sunshine today.
Thank you for your visit today.   Come back again and bring a cup of tea - stay awhile.

Blessings,

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Happy Palm Sunday!

   This afternoon I have the honor of creating a card for Jennifer Timko, who is Splitcoaststampers (SCS) Featured Stamper for the week.   A huge honor to be chosen.   SCS members who would like to participate in this challenge may go to Jennifer's gallery and create a card based on one of her fabulous cards.   You may CASE the card or create a card based on one of her themes, which is what I did.    Last May, Jennifer created a sailboat project and card for a baby shower (hmm, I believe I was at a baby shower last May too, she smiles).    You can find Jennifer's sweet project and card here.

Oh the Places You'll Go - FS320 on SCS

For my card this afternoon, I used a stamp with little sailboats from one of my favorite companies - Lockhart Stamp Co.   Love their little images.    I didn't have one of the new "polaroid" die cuts but I did have PTI's Fabulous Frames Die and used that - it worked.   Since summer isn't here just yet, how about a photo of what we all wish we could do - go to the beach!   Soon enough friends, soon enough.  

My inside sentiment is from Verve.   "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Click on photo to enlarge

I think Jennifer is going to go far, how about you?   Lots of good things in store for her I'm sure.   Congratulations Jennifer, enjoy this week and thank you for sharing your talent with all of us at SCS.

And thank you for stopping by.   What an encouragement you all are to me!    Enjoy this day, for it is the day the Lord has made.  Let us be glad and rejoice in it!

Blessings and see you soon.