Bible Cards: A Christmas theme featuring Anna Griffin Bow Dies

Top Dog Die Mason Jar with personal touch: Plus Sizzix's jar dies

I was blessed last week.  I did my rounds checking on our boarded up childhood family home and discovered the peach tree - thought to be dead- was in fact alive. I was a kid in a candy store as I rushed to my car to find a grocery bag then return in haste to retrieve the last of the trees fruit for the season.  All kind of childhood memories returned as I gazed at the tree in amazement. I remember picking it's then freezing it with some sugar then later eating the best frozen sweet peaches on one of many hot lazy days of summer. How come I didn't know this tree was still bearing fruit? How come my younger brother failed to tell me last year that fruit was on the tree?  anyway i drove home in excitement anticipating vacuuming sealing some fruit for holiday cobblers which i did the next day. I also made peach maple bread which turned out delicious.  I was blessed by this experience because something actually was alive and growing from a place that represented death in a sense and a bunch of not so good memories (both my parents died while living in this home...).  Nonetheless I had fruit from a tree that my parents, siblings and i ate off of and that truth was priceless so in addition to making home made peach/maple bread I tried my hand for the first time at making jam, It turned out superb and I decided to commemorate  this entire experience using my newly arrived top dog mason jar die along with two of Sizzix jar dies. 

Sizzix Jar die and framelit set

Top Dog Mason Jar Die

Top Dog Mason Jar Die

This creation is unique in that the paper on the front of the die is the actual image of my poppy peach preserve.  I created this by spreading the jam on a clear storage cover, took pictures, printed the pictures out in 5 by 7 size (on different types of photo papers) then die cut the pictures with the jar dies. I also used a stamp on the back and wrote the recipe.  I will use this technique to make an album of all the goodies I will use in mason jars including holiday chocolate coco, bread, cookies and cake mixes.  One can also use this technique for candy, morsel, nut and fruit mixes. Isn't this technique absolutely wonderful!  If you use this technique please let me know so i can see what you put in your mason jars.....

We finally got rain....thank you Jesus

I am so glad. We got rain several days ago and some unexpected rain yesterday. Yesterday was actually snippy and I was in love. I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that the weatherman is unreliable but I don’t blame him. God is working with the weather in strange ways. Our poor meteorologist failed to forecast rain yesterday instead prognosticated sunshine. It’s not his fault – our seasons are just transforming before our very eyes. So what does this mean? We never know what tomorrow holds – just have to wait and see. And I’m okay with that. Just thankful to be alive. So yesterday I attended my first ever craft type class. It was a beading class at Michael s. Several weeks ago they had an “open house” where” sign upers” received a twenty buck coupon (our store allowed us to use it on anything) for purchasing a class. I signed up classes for myself and two children so I got 3 coupons, YEAAAAA. The class was small just 4 of us including the instructor but it was a lot of fun. Thank God for my neighbor who taught me how to read the illustration. I failed to complete the task at hand (heart earrings) but I did complete almost one earring (smile). The important thing was the fellowship with other crafters and learning something new. I did get the basics down and tried to recreate the other earring last night but I didn’t have the correct thread. I’m placing an order on Amazon today. I also went thrifting on Saturday and actually last week as well. I have to say it has been a while since I perused my old hang out spots. Oh yea, I also finally went antique shopping again. Can you believe that I stay just several miles away from an heirloom section of my city which is housed with many antiques shops. What took me so long? I found a wooden chest at one of the antique stores and all kinds of other goodies at the thrift stores including lace, wood buttons, clothes pins (old school kind), several new packs of stencil sheets (by Grafix) and some miscellaneous craft sponges and sheets - items I never heard of before. I checked out a new thrift store which happened to be a children’s second hand store and found all my crafting goodies. I was like thank you Lord because I was tired and ready to head home but decided to stop anyway. It was a small store but everything was a $1 or cheaper. I was so excited when I found the crafting supplies for some items I had never heard of like “almost leather” which are foam type sheets when stamped and heated turns into leather like material. I also did something new. I purchased a formal dress ($1) and tore it up and used the lace and other fabric to make a flower. I wish I hadn’t gotten the other dresses… I will surely return this weekend if the Lord willin….. But I was reminded when you find a deal snatch it up while you can. I purchased a bag of clothes pins for $2 bucks last week but when I returned on Saturday all 15 bags were gone. Shoot! I regret not getting at least 1 more bag since altered clothes pins are all the rage right now….. hoping it rains again....

P1050119, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

P1050121, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

I recycled a formal dress found at a thrift store ($1) and made this beautiful flower....Love that peachy color...

P1050129, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

Look at my lace. Paid $2.50 for all of it. Really loving those buttons. Never seen those type before......

P1050132, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

I love this box. Will store my "hoard items" in this...

P1050135, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

Never seen these before. can't wait to try out

P1050138, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

Got this for one buck. Can't wait to altar

P1050139, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

3 packs of new stencils by Graftix for $1 a pack

theirs my box again...

P1050119, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

From This

P1050108, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

TO THIS

P1050121, a photo by yfrh35 on Flickr.

Recycled this dress into a flower

Ask him his name....

Okay, so I have decided to start back blogging but in a different way. When I started this blog a couple of years ago it was with the intention of making craft videos too. I’m sure I will start back making videos but now I just want to write. I was going to start another blog but figured “why fix it if it isn’t broke”. Yes, it was much easier to work with what I already have so I’m keeping this blog. The weather has been crazy here. Its winter time but you wouldn’t know it. Before my eyes the ecology is changing in my home town. We have yet to have a winter as it is so warm- in the 70’s to be exact. Now I have never witnessed this temperature climate change in all my life. Yes, the last several years I saw an extension of summer falls and winters but who would’ve thought we would bypass winter altogether. I did some pruning in my garden yesterday and saw that my hydrangeas are budding. So glad I saw the buds before I chopped down the other branches lol. I’m disappointed, however, to say the least. I look forward to the changing of the seasons always mindful of those dates as I celebrate in my own quiet way. But there has been no changing of seasons and yes I’m praying asking God for winter to come. I love being cold and knowing I snug up in bed to get warm. I want to be able to drink hot coco or my favorite vanilla almond tea but it’s not cold enough for those things (okay it does get chilly at night but still). My biggest complaint is not being able to wear my boots and scarves. I love when fall and winter comes because I’m most fashionable when I’m styling legging, boots and scarves but not this season. Or rather not just yet for I believe God will hear my humble prayer and bring winter but in the meantime I try to be grateful for the sun shining knowing it doesn’t shine for a lot of people (if you know what I mean). The Lord awoke me to pray this morning at six. Early morning prayers are the best times for my time with God but the last couple of weeks I have been praying mid mornings really missing those before sun up experiences with my Creator. I have been staying up late and just being too lazy to get up early but I heard a loud thump sound that awoke me and knew it was God giving me my alarm to wake up and pray. I asked Him last night “Lord just help me get out of bed, awake me” and He did. It was so nice being up before everybody else (well, my Chihuahua was up) at the time I know I can meet my God. I prayed for the children of our Awana program in a mighty way thanking d God for having such a program because without it I know we wouldn’t be touching the lives we are touching. I also prayed for someone I don’t know but want to get to know. You see I often times see a man walking/ wandering in certain areas of my community. He doesn’t appear violent or on drugs. If I had to guess he has a mental illness (though he has no outward signs so I could be wrong). Several months ago, I purchased him food and drinks while he was in the front of a Von's super market sitting on a bench. I had never heard his voice before when he told me “thank you”. Now I saw him the other day and remembered him in my prayers this morning. When I saw him, I wondered who he was and what his story was. I had never thought of him in this way before though I have seen him many times over the last couple of years. I don’t even recall ever praying for him, wow! I can’t even say with certainty that he is homeless, in a boarding care facility or has special needs. What I can say is he is always alone, wears the same clothes, keeps the same backpack, walks a lot and is quiet and to himself. Anyway, when the opportunity arrives I’m going to ask him what his name is and if circumstances permit I want to get to know him more and more. Oftentimes, we let fears, stereotypes and personal experiences keep us at bay with certain persons and in this dangerous world we live in we should to a degree. But I thought about all the good people that have given either money or food to this man yet probably never asked him what his name is. Just think how a person feels when someone asks “what is your name”? I felt convicted at this thought. After all he is a human being and though he may need help for the physical and mental body his heart needs the help of knowing that someone cares enough for me to not just feed me but want to know that I have a name. So if there is someone in your world that reminds you of this man take it a step further – take the challenge and while giving that slice of bread ask the person name and you won’t be like me and so many others referring to him as “this man”. Taking one scrap at a time….

Happy Valentines

Happy Valentines Does the thought of Valentine’s Day make your heart cringe with stress and anxiety because you have no love? Or perhaps your heart beats tense because you want a new love. Maybe your heart is distressed because you lost a love. The season of love is upon us. Valentine Day is today. While many are dancing and dining on cloud nine even more are morning and fasting on planet earth. Why, because of a distressed, lonely unhappy heart. For whatever condition of your heart state- just know that God loves you and cares for you. Jesus told His disciples to let not their hearts be troubled (John 14:1). In today’s time of death, divorce, heart break, and heartache one may wonder if having a troubled free heart is even possible. But if Jesus said it is then it is. So no matter how you may feel today just know that God is thinking about you and the Holy Spirit is praying for you making intercession for you (Rom 8:26). So if you have no one to bring you flowers then take a walk in the park with God and pick all your heart desires. If no one brings you chocolate covered hearts then take a bite of God’s goodness and taste and see that nothing is as sweet as His love. If no one offers to take you to dinner remember you can take the Lord’s Supper and dine with him. If no one sends you a text, email or a card well God has thought of that too and prepared a greeting for you in His word. And finally, if no one calls you on the telephone phone, remember that God called you this morning and you answered His call when you open your eyes to another day of His love, protection and provision. If you think on the truth that you are blessed - I promise you- your heart won’t feel so distressed. Happy Valentines