What I am thankful for...

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~W.T. Purkiser

It would take all of the world-wide interwebs and then some to list all that I am thankful for. :) But here is a short list of the things I'm "super" thankful for:

My wonderful husband, my beautiful son, my amazing family and most of all the peace of salvation that comes from Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord from whom ALL blessings flow!!

Black Friday at StampInsanity

Stampinsanity Stamps is having a black Friday sale. (Sorry I am a little slow in posting this).

Black Friday-Cyber Monday starts today, ends 11/29.

All Day
StampInsanity Stamps will have a 30% off coupon code of: CyberBlack2010

Now is a GREAT time to stock up on those StampInsanity images you've been eye-ballin'. ;)

New Release and Thursday Challenge at StampInsanity!

That's a long title. :)

I was so excited when I saw these super cute new images from StampInsanity. I love the Renaissance look and to tie it in with Christmas was almost too much! Almost...:)

The challenge this week was a sketch. I like sketch challenges. For me, they are just enough freedom and just enough structure. Here is my project:

The image of course is from StampInsanity. Holiday Princess Maddie 2010. It's a set of two images and some really pretty sentiments. It's beautiful!!

I colored Maddie with my PrismaColor pencils and used Stickles on the flowers in her hair. I used floss to "sew" the holly and more stickles for the berries. I made the border on the left with my Fiskars scallop punch. The border around the image is also floss. I think that covers most of it.

Swing on over to StampInsanity and see what all the fuss is about! ;)

StampInsanity Thursday Challenge - Oh Scrap!

Oh Scrap!

That's the name of the challenge over at StampInsanity this week. I love this challenge because it gave me an excuse to go through all my tiny little strips of scrap paper and put them to use.

I didn't intend for this project to work out so well for Veterans day, it was a happy accident. I wanted to use more masculine colors this time around and I LOVE the star image from StampInsanity and the outcome seems to fit perfectly for the holiday today.

I used black floss and "stitched" it across the bottom of the card over my scraps. I also made little floss X's to hold my corner scraps in place. I colored the image with Bic markers and then cut and scored along the lines of the star to make it pop a little.

I am so grateful to all the men and women who have fought and died for our country and our freedom. Words just don't seem enough. Thank you all and God bless you!

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

I forgot!!

This has been such a busy week that I totally forgot to post Thursday's StampInsanity challenge. I'm so embarassed! Here it is, better late than never I guess...:)

Check out the challenge details here: http://stampinsanity.com/2010/10/sisc33its-a-spookilicious-halloween/

The base of the broom/bag is just a brown paper lunch bag. I took a ruler and cut long slits into it with my exacto knife. Then I put a small piece of cardboard in bottom to give it some support. I tied it off with a ribbon and large twig I found in my yard. :)

The image is from StampInsanity (of course). I colored it with my PrismaColor pencils and adhered it to a piece of black cardstock and patterened paper I got a few years ago at Walmart.

Easy enough, but I don't think I'll be using this as a template for my Halloween favors. The slits were pretty time consuming. I think I will use this to put the best halloween costume prize in. It's almost a prize in itself with that image!! ;)

Worry Dolls

Many years ago while on a school field trip to the Cincinnati Art Museum I had the chance to get a little something from the gift shop. At my age that was the biggest thrill of the trip. :) So as I looked around I saw the cutest little fabric bag. It had a label that read "Trouble Dolls". Inside the little bag were about 8 tiny little dolls dressed in floss and fabric. I loved them! It was so interesting to me to learn about the Guatemalan tradition of taking a doll and telling it one of your worries and then placing it under your pillow when you lay down for bed. Then in the night the little doll would carry your troubles away. I thought it was just the neatest thing. I kept that little bag of dolls for years. As a matter of fact I think I may still have it packed away somewhere.

So, this year I decided to research and find out if I could make some of my own to give out at our Halloween party as favors. Luckily there was no shortage of sites with instructions and background stories. Here is the blog I found most helpful:

http://craftyteacher.blogspot.com/2007/10/make-your-own-worry-dolls-or-toothpick.html

It was surprisingly easy to make. After making one I think that it would be just as easy to personalize or embellish them even. So, for the next few weeks that is what I will be doing. Wrapping floss around toothpicks. :)

What I also discovered was a great way to link these dolls back to an awesome lesson in the bible.

1 Peter 5:7 says:
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

What a wonderful hope to have! No matter what we are facing, God cares for us and He wants to carry our burdens!

I know these dolls aren't intended to teach biblical principles but I think that this verse fits them perfectly. So hopefully this Halloween I can share with my friends and family a little hope and a lot of love! :)

StampInsanity Thursday Challenge

This week's challenge is "Life Free/Die-Cut". :)

I've been crazy busy this week so I didn't get the opportunity to really experiment with my embossing as the challenge suggests, but I did do a little something unusual to this card. I put a "bite" on it. :) My husband said a buck-toothed vampire must have bit it because the teeth are too close together. I told him that I did not care what he thought and the next time he meets a vampire he can measure his fangs and get back to me.

Image: Halloween Henry - StampInsanity
Coloring: PrismaColor Pencils
Embossing Folder: SU
Ribbon: SU
Paper: Cherry Cobbler & Basic Black - SU


You can find the challenge information here:

http://stampinsanity.com/blog/

Or you can purchase this great little vampire here:

http://stampinsanity.com/store/


Thanks for looking and don't forget to give this week's challenge a try for yourself!