Get Hippity With Ippity Challenge #17

Just stopping by with a quick reminder that the Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge #17 "things with wings" challenge is still going on. You have until Saturday to enter.  The winner is chosen by random generator and you have a chance to win a free set from Aletha's sales blog!! 

Here's a little inspiration for you:

I used the set Your Friendship. 

Thanks so much for stopping!! Blessings and Hugs!!

Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge 17 Inspiration

Happy Wednesday!! I'm here to share a little {ippity} inspiration. Remember you have until Saturday to enter the Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge #17 - Things with Wings.  All you have to do is make a card, LO, tag any project that has something with wings on it!!

Here's one I made using the Now and Always set and the Friends + Flowers = Priceless sets.  

If you love {ippity} as much as I do then be sure to hop over to Aletha's sales blog and check out all the wonderful sets!!

Thanks for stopping by!!  May your day be filled with many blessings!!

Exciting News

YIPPEEE!!! It was still here when I opened it up after all!! Thanks for stopping by!!

I have some very exciting news today!! Elizabeth has reopened her Soft Pencil Studios store. She has asked me to be on her Design Team again and I could couldn't be more excited!! Elizabeth has her adorable creating digital stamps for sale in her new shop right now.  Eventually she will be adding  stamps, stickers and papers.

You will find her new digi images available in the store now.  The latest release is for Easter. Here's the full collection!!

For this week the team is using Painting Eggs with Michu and Ratiny.  Here's my creation this fun little Easter Basket.  The basket is a template is from the Silhoutte store and I cut it using my Cameo. Can I just say I love that machine!! :-)

Be sure to check out the rest of the team!! You'll find them list on my right side bar.  I also wanted to let you know that a blog hop is being arranged for April!! So keep watching for details!!

I'd like to enter this project in the following challenges:

My Sheri Crafts - Easter

Bloggers Challenge Easter Challenge

Delightful Challenges - Easter Treats

PaperCrafting Journey - Pretty Pastels

Thanks for stopping by,  Many blessing and hugs!!

Posting issues

I had my Softpencil post written and ready to go. I realized I scheduled it for the wrong time. So I tried fixing it from my phone since blogger is blocked at work. Somehow I completely deleted the post. I'll be back later today with my post redone. In the meantime check out the other DT members blogs. You will find them on my sidebar. Sorry for the mess up. This is not easy doing from my phone!! Have a blessed day. Hope you'll make it back later.

A Long Time in the Making Layout

I was lucky enough to attend an all day crop yesterday. I was able to complete a mixture of projects - some DT work, some mini album pages and this layout!! It honestly has to be one of my favorite I've made in a long time. I have had these pictures for almost 3 years waiting to be scrapped. I'm not sure why it took me so long!! Maybe I need to right moment and the right papers. All of the supplies are from the new Praise collection available at Faithfully Yours.

 I apologize for the poor pictures - I couldn't get good lighting and the papers curled on me.  

I have to share the story behind this layout. One day I was sitting in my craft room watching my youngest who was about 4 at the time talking away. I stuck my head out the front door and asked, "Who are you talking to?" She looked at me with a you should know mom face and replied, "God"

Thanks for stopping by!! I hope your Sunday has been restful and filled with the peace of the Lord.

Another piece of my faith journey - Grace

I've been making my morning quiet time a priority with the Lord. It started with me focusing on verses about specific words - grace, strength, surrender, humility...  Now it's more about reading my devotionals, choosing one of the verses and reflecting on that verse. I still have so much to learn! 

Everyone once in a while, I skip reflecting on the devotional verse or a verse on my current word. I read the devotional and move on with my day.  Those days always seem the hardest for me. The worst part is that I know it and still do it. I am learning that for me to connect and build my relationship with the Lord I just can't read and think about it. I must actually write about it. 

I did do a couple of simple layouts about Grace and what I've learned about it. I used the Faith Goals kit from Faithfully Yours. I really love this kit and the papers because it allows you to combine layouts that focus on journaling as well as those that are more creative. (Hope that makes sense)

For the first layout I just simply used a page from the kit and wrote what I have learned about Grace so far.

Now this one I did in a more traditional scrapbook layout. I focused in on one part of my understanding of grace. Not sure if you can read the journaling so here's what I wrote, "In Grace, God loves me as I am, not as who I want to be, try to be, or hope others see me as and yet He loves me."

The paper is from the Faithfully Yours kit again. The butterfly image and swirls at the bottom of the page are from {ippity} which you can find on Aletha's sales blog.  I also just realized that I have a butterfly which means it meets the requirement of Get Hippity With Ippity Challenge #17 - "Things with Wings" We'd love to have you join us for the challenge!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me share a bit of my journey with you!!

Blessings and Hugs,

Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge #17 - Things with Wings

Welcome to the newest Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge #17.  The theme this time is "Things with Wings." You can use any image that has wings to make your creation!! It can be any type of project - ATC, card, scrapbook LO. The Challenge runs until March 31st.  Also remember you get two entries for using an {ippity} stamp. The prize will be any set from Aletha's blog.

If you find yourself without some {ippity}goodness be sure to stop by Aletha's sales blog and pick yourself up some!! I also wanted to remind you that you can now buy {ippity} through Aletha at the Unity Website. All you have to do is pick Aletha as your Ippity check.  Then you order your {ippity} and add your Unity and you're good to go!! 

For this challenge I used the All Things are Beautiful set from {ippity}. The swirl came from the Faith Goals Die Cut set by Faithfully Yours. The inside butterflies are from Unity's October 2011 Faith, Hope, Love..live by it Kit. The sentiment is from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.

I'd also like to invite you to stop by our Get Hippity with Ippity Group at The Crafter's Cafe and join our March card game. You'll have a chance to win a grab bag of 6 stamps!! We've also started a Facebook group as well!!

Hope to see lots of entries for the challenge and all your other {ippity} creations in the TCC group or on Facebook!!

Blessings and Hugs,

Free time ...

It's a beautiful sunny Wednesday here in Ohio. I am home so I can take my youngest to the dr. So, despite the sunshine, I am taking advantage of the extra time and getting crafty. I do have 2 nicely sized windows leaving in the sunshine!!

I created the following card using the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch and an Ippity Image.  The flower swirl was made on my Cameo and purchased from their store. Every week they have clearance and images are 50 cents. I found this one in that area!! 

This is from the set {ippity} set Cuppy Cakes 

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges -

Crafts and Me - Circles

Outlawz - Sketch

Make it Monday - always anything goes

You can find it on my dear friend and {ippity} chick Aletha's blog.

Thanks for stopping by today!! Hope it's a beautifully blessed day!!

My lessons from Daily Bible Study

This is not a crafty post but rather a post of faith.  

When I started the year, I decided to choose One Little Word per Ali Edwards and that word was Grace.  I set out to learn everything I could about Grace starting with reading and studying the Bible verses that had the word grace in them.  I read some other sources as well - such as Patter Cross's Hymns and Scripture challenge, the book One Thousand Gifts and Ann Voskamps blog A Holy Experience. I realized that grace is God's gift of unearned forgiveness, mercy and salvation. 

As February approached, I realized that many of the verses I was studying that came from one of my two daily devotionals, Streams in the Desert and Jesus Calling, had little to do with Grace.  I thought maybe God was telling me that instead of one little word for a year mine needed to be on a month by month basis.

The verses and reading seemed more focused on giving me strength through Him.  It has been a difficult time the past few months and God was helping me to see how He had been there all along and how He would help me through everything. So I thought hmmm....maybe my word for February would be Strength. 

Then, as I went back through my daily studies and reflections I wasn't sure that strength was what He wanted me to focus on. I kept coming up with surrender as a word that stood out. As we know God's hand is in all things, it was also the word for the Scrapbook Life Journal 2012 class I had signed up for and have not really participated in.  (That's a story for another day) 

Well now it's March and currently I am working on the word Humility which is an area that I struggle with daily. The amazing part though is that not only am I learning about Humility but I am also learning more about grace and surrender.  

I don't quite know how to put it in words but the Lord is at work in my heart and my life. He is helping me to see connections I never made.  I am beginning to grasp that all of these words, ideas, concept are interrelated.  God is starting to help me create an understanding of his Word that I have never known before.

May your day be filled with many blessings!!!

TCCCB March Challenge - Ribbon and/or Lace

Welcome to the second monthly challenge at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog. This month you have to use lace and/or ribbon on your creation. Remember you can create a card, ATC, layout whatever you find your creative muse calling you to do!! 

Our fabulous sponsor this month is Digital Delights!! 

The prize you ask?? It is $10 gift voucher!! I know I could certainly spend that in a heartbeat!!

Here's my inspiration card for the this week.

Now isn't that THE MOST adorable little tiger ever!! They have so many wonderful images in their store so be sure to check it out!!

We do respectfully ask you to follow the following guidelines when entering -

·You MUST follow The Crafter’s Café Challenge Blog.http://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com

·You can enter just ONCE.

·You need to stay with the current theme. You can create any project you like, card, ATC, tags, layouts, mixed–media, altered art, vintage, etc.

·You MUST link your entry to your actual entry blog post or gallery, not your entire blog, with mention of and link to The Crafter’s Café Challenge Blog.

·You will also need to HAVE FUN! That’s what we are here for!

Remember to check out the TCCCB blog for lots more inspiration from Design Team A and next week Design Team B will be sharing!! 

I am looking forward to seeing your crafty work and having a chance to leave a comment for your creation!!

A wonderful gift from a friend!!

I am so excited to have received this wonderful award from my fellow DT member and friend Julia!! She is an AMAZING artist and you really need to check out her work!!

The Liebster award is given to show appreciation for those blogs with less than 200 followers and that provide inspiration for others! To accept the award, you must:

• Link back to the person's blog who gave it to you and thank them.
• Post on your blog.
• Give to five other Bloggers who you appreciate and value.
• Leave a comment on the five blogs you choose and let them know.

Below you will find some of the blogs that are currently an inspiration to me: 

Lisa Atha - Inspired by Purple

Christy Dilman - Christy's Zaney Creations

Kerry - Kerry is Chilling

Betsy Burnett - Aim Happy

Kristy - kristyleesworld

Thanks again Julia!!

Get Hippity With Ippity Challenge #16 Sketch

Welcome to the newest Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge #16 !! Yep it's one of my favorite types - a sketch!! Don't forget if you use an {Ippity} image you get your name entered twice for a chance to win!!! Also be sure to read the challenge rules and follow them so you don't give up your shane to win!!!

And you may be asking where might I get some lovely {ippity} images? Well at Aletha's blog of course!! 

This month we used a sketch from SplitCoast Stampers.  Remember if you join us for Challenge #16, you can also post it in your gallery at SplitCoast Stampers. Don’t forget to put the “SC349” in your keywords. 

Here's my little inspiration piece -

I used one of my favorite and definitely go to sets - Flowers + Friends = Priceless.

I thought it would be fun to make the flowers pop a little so I put some pop dots behind each one. All of the papers came from my scrap stash so I have no idea what company they are from. the sentiment is from My Time Made Easy.

We'd also love to have you join our Get Hippity with Ippity group at The Crafters Cafe  where we have a Card game that gives you another chance to win. We also have a new Facebook group as well.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

Crafty Calendar - Spring Cleaning - use your stash

As always, I am so grateful that each of you take the time to stop by!! Blessings and hugs!!

Faith Goals 2012 - The Journey Starts...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my major goals this year is to grow closer to our Lord. In my journey to accomplish that I have set up goals to keep me focused on doing that.  I purchased the beautiful Faith Goals kit from Dawn at Faithfully Yours store but wasn't quite sure how I wanted to use it. 

Then last weekend at a crop, a friend I hadn't seen in a long time and I spent much of our time scrapping and chatting mostly about our faith. As a result of those conversations, she suggested that I set up my journal in a monthly manner and I knew that was my answer.

My first instinct was to create all the monthly dividers right away so they were ready to go. I had already decided that instead of One Little Word for the whole year ala Ali Edwards; I would go month by month. I am letting the Lord show me the way on this. So my plan now is to create the month's divider and layouts the following month. (Hope that makes sense). I do my daily Bible Study on good old fashioned notebook paper so it works great to pop open my binder and put the month's study pages in there. Then I can look through them, pray, reflect and create LO's about the word of the month as lead by the Lord.

My word for January was Grace It was originally my One Little Word until God pointed me in a different direction for February hence my new approach.  Here is my divider I created yesterday for January.  I will keep reflecting and listening to the Lord about this word and add to the section throughout the year.

February's word came to me a little differently. I thought it would be surrender but then as I read through all the verses that the Lord had me study in February, I knew it was Strength - not in myself but from and in Him.  I'll be working on that divider next.

At this point my March word, appears to be humility but again I will wait and see how the Lord leads me!!

The Faith Goals kit has already helped me to document my faith journey for the year of 2012 in a very doable way. Not to mention the papers are gorgeous. It comes in a Kraft colored binder which I have still not decorated but that will come with time.  Dawn has also created all of the papers in digital format as well!! :-)

I am so excited to have reconnected with Dawn and Faithfully Yours which is much more than just a store. It is an incredible resource of ideas for including your faith in your daily scrapbooks, creating a faith book and wonderful devotional thoughts. You can also find some wonderful conversation and support taking place in the Facebook group and I invite you to join us there. 

I am really looking forward to my year of building my relationship with God and learning how to make sure my life focuses on "thy will be done" rather than my will be done!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope your week ahead is filled with many blessings!!

Blessings and Hugs,

Ahh...the Weekend is here!!!!

Happy Saturday!! I am so grateful to have a restful day!! Kendra was sick all week and it was quite an emotional week at school. My heart hurts for so many of my students and the situations they must live in.

As you know, I get all my wonderful {Ippity} goodies from Aletha.  BTW - you want to be watching our Get Hippity with Ippity blog next week - new challenge and new release!! It is going to be awesome. I am really excited for my friend Tracey Malnofski (Unity Artista and owner/artist of The Stamping Boutique) because the entire {Ippity} release is her images!!

Anyhow, on to some Happy Birthday cards made with some {Ippity} goodness. 

For this first one I used the Sweet on You set. (this one also happens to be drawn by Tracey)

I made this card for one of the teachers at school. This image was perfect because he wears a tie almost every day and most of the men teachers wear polos and such.  

The set I used was "The Man"

Remember you can find these and so many more wonderful sets on Aletha's sales blog.

I'd like to enter the following challenges -

Eat, Sleep, Stamp - sketch for the top card (cupcakes birthday card)

Aud Sentiments - must have Happy Birthday sentiment

Divas by Design - spots or stripes

Thanks for stopping by!! Hope you are having a peaceful and restful weekend!!

Blessings and Hugs!!