Day #13 – Worthy

The last word!  Finally.  Some of you are probably very anxious for me to be done with this little project, and that’s okay.  I know it’s not everyone's cup of tea (or coffee if you’re me ;) ).

The picture for Worthy seemed a little more difficult.  How do you capture value or worth?  It’s not always a tangible thing.  I decided to photograph one of my rings.  The ring my husband bought me for our 1oth anniversary.  White gold, and gold is of value, or worth. 

Here is the link to the Worthy Frame.

wor·thy

/ˈwɜrði/ Show Spelled [wur-thee] Show IPA adjective, -thi·er, -thi·est, noun, plural -thies.

adjective

1.having adequate or great merit, character, or value: a worthy successor.

2.of commendable excellence or merit; deserving: a book worthy of praise; a person worthy to lead.

Worthy.  Value.  I AM WORTHY.  Somedays, it doesn’t feel that way.  But the truth is, I AM WORTHY.  i am worthy.

Today, we are going to journal about being worthy.  This one might be difficult.  Yeah, you can admit you’re talented, creative, friendly, but worthy?  Well, YOU ARE.  You are worthy my friend.  You have great value.  God made you in His image.  He loves you.  You are loved.  You are worthy as a person.  You are worthy. 

Day #12 – Beauty

Oops!  I lied yesterday.  We still have one more day, today isn’t the last!  As my kids would say “silly me.”

Today the word is beauty.  What?  Yup.  You heard me.

This picture was pretty easy for me to choose.  I’ve always liked my eyes.  So that’s what I went with.

Here is the link to the Beauty Frame.

beau·ty

/ˈbyuti/ Show Spelled[byoo-tee] Show IPA

noun, plural -ties.

1.the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).

2.a beautiful person, especially a woman.

There is something beautiful about everyone.  I certainly am not a super model (yeah, I wish….LOL…).  And I know I’m not the most beautiful person by a long stretch.  My spine is crooked, I have an underbite, and my fingers are crooked as well (hmmm….I’m all twisted up I think….).  But I do have beautiful features.  I have great hair (usually), and I have always loved my eyes. 

Even more though, I believe true beauty is reflected from the inside.  Some of the most beautiful people I know aren’t so much physically beautiful, but it’s the outward reflection of the inner heart that sets them apart.

This one might be a stretch for some of you.  If it is, find something, even if it’s just a small part of you that you think is beautiful.  Rather than dwelling on what you don’t like about yourself, think about what is good.  I challenge you to do so continually until you can see yourself as beautiful as a whole.

Alright, so now, really, tomorrow is the last word!!

Documenting Life

For several months I’ve been wanting to do a page about our morning routine.  The kids (or A at least) is like a little alarm clock.  At nearly the exact same time every morning (no matter when she went to bed) she wakes up ready to begin the day.  Whether she’s ready or not in attitude doesn’t matter, she’s up.

Our morning routine is very routine.  Every morning the kids get up, wake us up, then go get breakfast.  It’s always Life cereal for C and either Orange Cereal (Wheat Chex) or Green Orange Cereal (Corn Chex – leave it to a four year old to figure out that one) for A.  A glass of milk and a half hour of tv is our morning wake up routine (they don’t usually watch tv during the day unless they aren’t feeling good).

I had pulled the cereal boxes yesterday before I recycled them as the Life was empty.  I knew I wanted to do something with it.  Then I saw the sketch at Frosted Designs and kinda did my own twist on it. 

I used my Paper Trey Ink dies to cut out the butterflies from the cereal boxes (well, C did that part for me) and then hand stitched the fun little stitching (I free handed the pattern  with my paper piercer).

Here’s a couple close ups.

Some may be appalled that I used something that’s not acid free on my pages.  But you know what, I don’t really care.  If this page doesn’t last 150 years, then that’s just fine.  But I didn’t touch the cereal box to my photos, so I’m not overly concerned with it.  Life is too short to be ruled by fear of acid. :p

Thanks for stopping by!!

Missing Frame Links

Oops!  I’ve been a little (okay, a lot) forgetful lately.  I’ve been so focused on what I wanted to say I forgot the minor detail of some links for you….here are the missing links:

Hope Frame

Friendship Frame

(I will have all the frames as a group download on Friday I believe).

Day #11 – Talent

Talent.  Last week we did creative, but this is a little different (at least what we are going to talk about).

My picture is a picture of a pie I made.  I am good at many things, but I think my greatest talent is in the kitchen.  I can make some pretty yummy food (as the scale will confirm everytime I step on it).  Yes, it is a place that I am creative, but I am creative in many aspects of my life I’m not extremely talented at. 

Here is the link for the talent frame.

tal·ent

/ˈtælənt/ Show Spelled[tal-uhnt] Show IPA

noun

1.a special natural ability or aptitude: a talent for drawing.

2.a capacity for achievement or success; ability: young men of talent.

Let’s journal about talent:

• What is your greatest talent?
• Did it come natural, or did you learn it?
• Is there other things you’d like to learn?
• What are your lesser talents, but talents none the less?

Alright, tomorrow is the last word, then we’ll have the completion of the project on Thursday! 

Day #10 – Friendship

Day #10 – we’re getting close to wrapping up here, just a couple more.

Today, the word is Friendship.  For some of you, this may be very easy, others it may be more difficult.  I had a hard time with this picture because I don’t have any pictures of myself with my good friends (that will be changing, but I wanted to get this posted regardless).  So I used a picture of those who really are my best friends anyway, my family. 

friend·ship

/ˈfrɛndʃɪp/ Show Spelled[frend-ship] Show IPA

noun

1.the state of being a friend; association as friends: to value a person's friendship.

2.a friendly relation or intimacy.

3.friendly feeling or disposition.

Some quotes about friendship/friends:

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.  ~Douglas Pagels

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.  ~Author Unknown

And I think there is way too much truth to this saying:

A good friend is cheaper than therapy.  ~Author Unknown

I’ve often had times in my life that I’ve struggled with friendship.  Not because I had bad friendships, but because I felt I had no friends.  Lots of acquaintances, but not true friends.  Now, I know my real struggle wasn’t so much friends (or others) but myself, my own confidence. 

The last many years I’ve developed a few very cherished friendships.  And I can’t even begin to tell you how much of a blessing they are.  Truly, they helped change me, and I’m so appreciative and thankful for the friends God has put in my life.  And I’m so grateful that I learned to be confident and to allow myself to open up to others to build those friendships.

Now, let’s journal a little bit about friendship.  Hopefully this will be very easy for you, that you abound in good friendships.  If not, use this as an opportunity to think about how you can be a friend and build a friendship.  One other thing I’ve learned is that I can’t wait for friends to come to me, I have to be proactive.

• Do you have friends you are thankful for?
• How have your friendships affected you?
• Are you a good friend?
• What can you do to improve your friendships?
• What is the greatest blessing in your friendships?

Repurposing Cricut Mats

I know we all have some of those worn out cricut mats.  Ones we for some silly reason can’t bear to part with. 
I knew my mats won’t be resurrected, but I still couldn’t bear to part with them.  I know there had to be another use.  And I found it!!
I reorganized my patterned paper, and wanted to put dividers in it.  Only trouble, I knew they had to be more than 12” tall, and I was afraid chipboard wouldn’t be strong enough to last long.
BUT>>>>those silly mats!!!  YES!!! 
I headed to my kitchen for my kitchen sheers, and used the grid on the mat to cut them into 2” strips.  Then I used a black permanent marker and wrote on the backside the manufacturers (because I organize by manufacturer).

I organize my paper in this crate I picked up at Home Depot.  My stickers are all in front on binder rings (again by manufacturer).
  

“So Proud”

Learning to read didn’t get off to a fabulous start in our house.  It was just as much my fault in that I struggled to teach it.  But a ncouple weeks ago, we found a new curriculum (by Saxon) and the difference it has made has been incredible!  C took his first test this week and he scored 100%.  We were ALL so happy and proud of him.

And of course, what would a celebration be without a scrapbook page to document it! 

I created this page inspired by the Sketchy Thursdays 6.23 sketch.

  Supplies:  DCWV (cardstock), American Crafts (patterned paper), MME (velvet alphas), Making Memories (ledge alphas), Misc (thread & ink)

“Sun Mountain”

For our anniversary, my husband I and went to the Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, WA.  It was fantastic!!!
I took some of the random pictures of the architecture and did a layout.  This is again a Cathy Zielske sketch, so again, uber simple, minimal embellishments.

“Every Day”

I just made this page inspired by the Frosted Designs Friday challenge.  My uber talented friend Ashley was the guest designer this week, so I thought it was the perfect time to join along for a little challenge.

The challenge was to use a black & white color palette with a pop of one more color.  I used this picture and tried to pull the bright blue from the sky for the the color.  I used the theme of the calendar and titled it “every day”….”is a great day to love you.”

Says it all.

Supplies:  MME (Meadow lark paper & Lush alphas), Making Memories alpha ledgers, misc blue paper

Day #9- Creative

Now we’re going to change the words up a bit.  They won’t be so deep, but for some of you, at least one of these next few words will be challenging still!!  So join me!

Today’s word is creative.  This one I’m scratching my head for a picture still.  So I guess I finally decided on a close up of one of my projects I’ve done.

Here is the link to the Creative Frame.

cre·a·tive

/kriˈeɪtɪv/ Show Spelled[kree-ey-tiv] Show IPA

adjective

1.having the quality or power of creating.

2.resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing.

This one should be pretty easy for most of you.  If you follow my blog, I’m sure it’s not because of my insane beauty, my charming wit or my great wealth.  It’s because this is my little corner of the internet in which I share my creative side.  So you at least have the desire to be creative if you’re here. 

You don’t have to be the most creative person you know, I certainly am not the most creative person.  I can think of many many people way more talented and creative than I.  But I have a creative spirit.  Maybe it’s not crafts that you’re creative with, it could be food, it could be the garden (we all know that one is not me LOL!).   Maybe it’s computer programming (again, so not me – but there is still certainly creativity required to develop a new program/product).

I think there is something creative in all of us.  And it’s so fulfilling to be creative.

“Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm”

Earl Nightengale

So today for the journaling, lets journal about being creative.

• In what area are you most creative?
• How do you feel when you have a creative strike?
• What creativity fulfills you the most?
• Can you stretch yourself in other creative ways?
• How can you embrace your creative side in all of life?
• Do you do something creative everyday? 
• What can you do to expand your creativity?

“Tractor Girl”

This page is from the Sketchy Thursdays 6/16 Sketch.  I stared at it a few times before I decided to go ahead with it.  For some reason, I couldn’t wrap my brain around changing the squares.  But then I decided to let the paper I had pulled be my inspiration.  I mimicked the shape of the burst (or whatever you want to call it) and used that as my lines come out from the photo.

Supplies:  October Afternoon, Coredinations & American Crafts

Day #8 – Hope

The word for today is HOPE. 

For my picture, I chose this photo I took a couple months ago (the snow was still on the ground).  It was a dark overcast day, but about sunset, there was an amazing break in the clouds.  To me, after a good rain, or a lot over overcast days, the sunburst is such a time of hope and happiness.  That is why I chose this picture.

hope

/hoʊp/ Show Spelled [hohp] Show IPA noun, verb, hoped, hop·ing.

noun

1.the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.

2.a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.

3.grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is little or no hope of his recovery.

Today, lets journal about Hope.  I think we’ve all had moments of feeling hopeless.  But what can we cling to for hope?  How can we rise above hopelessness. 

My hope is found in my faith.  One day, this earthly life will be over and I will be with my Savior in Heaven.  What glory to look forward to.  Beyond that though, I have hope in this world that He has promised to never leave or abandon me.  My hope if firmly rooted in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Journal prompts:

• Do you have hope?
• Where does your hope come from?
• Have you felt hopeless?
• How have you changed the focus of your thoughts to rise above the hopeless?
• What can you have hope in?
• How do you feel when you have hope?

Day #7 – Thankful

Welcome to day #7.  The word we are going to focus on today is Thankful.

We use this word a lot come November, but it’s something I think we need to remember to do and be more often.  An attitude of gratitude is a motto I try to live by. 

And again, thankful was a picture I found hard to photograph.  Last weekend I took a picture of a barn on some of the flats in Central Washington where they grow a lot of wheat.  There are some old barns up there, and they always seem to stand out to me as a shelter from the elements for the animals and the grain storage.  And being a shelter, it reminds me to be thankful.

Here is the link to the Thankful Frame.

Definition of THANKFUL

1: conscious of benefit received <for what we are about to receive make us truly thankful>

Being thankful.  I think it’s a little thing that we can be that goes a long way.  People usually seem so receptive to a thankful attitude expressed.  And I know that when I focus on being thankful, I’m so much happier!  I don’t focus on the things lacking or that I want to be better and thus create a negative thought process.   Being thankful can be such a powerful attitude!

Today, let’s journal about thankfulness.

• Are you thankful?
• What are you thankful for? 
• What should you be thankful for that you’re not?
• How can you be more thankful?
• Is your thankful attitude apparent to those on the outside?

Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day! 

Butterfly Mini-Album

I’m sure you have no idea what I’m going to talk about today.  I’m sure your kids don’t fight over everything being “equal” and “fair.”  I’m sure it’s not a battle if one gets something and the other doesn’t.
So since I’m sure none of you can relate to that, you can just enjoy this mini album without understanding the story.  But for those of you who can relate (which I’m sure is none), I made another mini album.  After I made C’s train mini album, I had to make a “girly” one for A.  She insisted I maker her one.  But fortunately, I did have the butterfly mini album in my stash.  I had just been putting off using it because I knew it would be a pain in the rumpus to make.  And it was.  But I had a happy little girl, so it’s worth it.
Album is by Kaiser Craft, most of the other supplies are Cosmo Cricket.