POST 2 for today-scroll down for the MFT blog hop! 

OH BOY! I am so excited when I popped over to the Craft Critique today to see the review of My Timeless Templates© . The article is by Julie Campbell who is an exclusive designer for Cornish Heritage Farms. When I saw that she gave my templates such a wonderful review my heart just leaped! I was so NERVOUS!

This was a huge leap, and I put SO much work and time into them every month, as does Nichole & the amazing PTI Design Team, so to see other people feel creative, and actually find themselves making affordable gift packaging (especially with the economy right now) is the best thing in the world to me. I love getting emails from people who were never even able to make any 3D items and now they are! It truly makes my day 😀

PLEASE READ HERE!

I hope you leave a comment if YOU have tried the templates too! No excuses! We have 2 FREE downloads for you 😀

Thanks for letting me share-and Julie YOU ROCK! Thank you for such a nice review 😀

My Favorite Things will be hosting a New Release Cocktail Party on TONIGHT!! (December 3rd) 9-10pm EST EASTERN time! HERE!

New releases for this month include:
Isabelle Paper Dolls -OH BOY is this set a knock out!! I love it
Tote-ally Fantastic! (Who’s That Girl set for Dec)
Snow Bunny Flopsey

Before that we have a new tradition of a Blog Hop on Release day to get your day filled with samples! The  blog hop ALWAYS starts with the MFT Lady herself-KIM and when you get to the end, you have a chance to win a FREE set! So don’t skip anyone!

When you are done HERE, you want to ge see what Kirsten has for you!

Then join us  tonight at 9pm EST for a quick chat, as the sets will go live this month at 10pm EST! This month there are THREE new sets being released! Stop by the release party to win prizes, see some MFTeasers of the new sets and find out how you can become MFT’s next Guest Designer! Hope to see you there!

So let me share my little goodie for today.

Im a bit sad, as I have the flu-or some sort of nasty bug that has totally put me out of commission. Not to mention major Internet and email problems!! GRR!!! I wasn’t even sure I’d have Internet to post! Its so on & off lately. I hate being cut off from the world.

My planned project for the hop is only partially done 😀 Between kids, family living with me, appointments and holiday stuff I just didn’t get it done :C I hate being disappointed in myself. That does leave it for another day, I guess. On another note, I do feel when we do a Hop that Flopsey is the image of choice! LOL! It just fits 😀

So here we have Snow Bunny Flopsey

I love these colors-Caribbean, berry sorbet, and spring moss, and had to use them in my card. I wanted warm and cool colors. I love the shimmery snowflakes all over, on the various punched circles. Just too fun. I love him holding the coffee cup. Warms me up.

I used markers to color my sentiment with co-ordinating colors. Then pierced a flurry trail.

Just a fun card.

Speaking of fun-I always make so much stuff, then often forget to post most of it, because I made even more stuff! So tonight if you decide to place an order, maybe some of these will spark your interest in some previously released stuff 😀 (I know Im evil!)

How about a Tip-sy Tini?

I made this card using the Merry Christmas?set. Its a really cute set, and I am loving this image!! I just layered some patterned paper by Imaginisce 😀 It seems to be on every holiday card I make this year! LOL!

Next up is a bag of chives!

This was a quick bag I altered with Annie LaPoint Chives ,when this image was released. Its very 3D and layered on a acetate layer that was stamped with a dotted diamond bkgd from CHF. The textured paper is from Core-dinations-in Lilacs I believe.

Pretty sinple way to dress up a plain bag. I love doing that 😀

SO that is all for me-hop on over the the next blog, and enjoy the projects!! You are almost done!

Till tomorrow.

I am sorry this is late! Im really sick today, and up unitl an hour ago could barely get off the couch. Still feeling awful- but wanted to point you to 2 of my Projects of the month! Both for Lizzie Anne Designs.

Also be sure to check out their retiring list! Some of my faves :C but they are 40% off, when they go in your cart! WOW! Pretty cool deal.

Prior to posting this I didn’t realize how much I LOVE the Chocolate Covered Pretzel Stixs from Archer Farms! (Target Brand) I love the new Pretty Papers. Then also didn’t realize how much I use my nestabilities for gift packaging! LOL!

Anyway-here are the photos of my projects-maybe it will inspire a nice quick gift for that someone on you list you didn’t want to forget, but couldn’t afford to go all out for. Each project has 4 pretzel stix (people like pre-wrapped stuff) and you can get 2 1/2 projects with one container. So a little under $2 per gift!! Considering the Pretzels are $3.99 (not on SALE!)

December-Lizzie’s Lovely Label Pretzel Packaging

Detail photo-

Directions/supplies——> HERE!

Then from last month’s archive we have……………

November-Falling for you treat box

Close-up detail photo

Directions/supplies—–> found here!

OK Im going back to bed.

Tomorrow I have a Blog Hop project to share from MFT!

Till then

Well it’s December 1st. Am I the ONLY one who thinks that is INSANE?? Where did July go?!

Yesterday we actually got an accumulation of snow.

What I can’t believe is I have to STOP the talk about gift giving and actually get started! UGH!! This means it will be a crazy next couple of weeks.

Anyway every month on the 1st Nichole gives us a Design Team Challenge, and this month was to create a unique presentation for a gift card or cash.

I think this was a great challenge for us all because I know we have many TEENS in our family, and I’m not killing myself making them some keepsake (that they will toss) or try to figure out WHAT to buy-so I ALWAYS go the gift card route. You can’t lose 😀

I decided this challenge would help me get some holders ready in time for the holiday. Often even if I don’t MAKE a gift, and give cash or a gift card, I always like to present it in a FUN way.

Well I decided when I saw this gift card design

at Michaels, that it would inspire my design. Did I have FUN!!!!!

You can see how I used a hobby blade to make the mittens “hold” the gift card in the photo above. I stamped my mittens first, then used a coluzzle to cut a circle around them for the body  Easy peasy.

 I think its great to make your theme fit your gift card theme.

Here is the full view of my first of THREE gift card holders: Spender Snowman

Is he not the most adorable thing you have ever seen?!

I have to say my finished gift card holder just came out better than the vision in my head 😀

The very first thing that ever came to mind when I saw the actual size of the mitten image from the Snowfall set was to hold a gift card! It was one of those ideas that I had, but didn’t execute right away. I just jotted it down, to save for later. Well I’m happy to say that while this was different than my original vision in my head,  I just LOVE it. There is a snowman on the card that sparked the idea, as did the colors in the gift card.

Now the hands and body were the easy part. I had to decide what to do for the face!

I used the top of the tree from the Merry & Bright set for my snowman nose, and a middle image of a different tree from the Merry & Bright additions set for my little hat cuff! I thought it matched the gift card perfectly! The rest of the hat was just a die cut circle from Ocean Tides cardstock. Added a pom pom to the top.

The sentiment on the bottom of the snowman is from Merry & Bright

Now my eyes are Bella Dots– just colored with a black sharpie marker!!

I used Pebbles Pearlescent Chalks for the shimmery pink cheeks.

Now the scarf I used the Aqua Mist grosgrain and pulled the fiber apart, securing it in place with a brad from Making Memories. A perfect scarf don’t you think?

This lil Spender Snowman took me about a 45 minutes to make, which isn’t bad considering I had NO real idea what I was going to use for each step.

The BEST part of this entire project was when I showed my husband. He said it was his favorite thing I have ever made! ( I thought-WOW! REALLY?!!) Then he went on with a FABULOUS idea. He since since I was seeking inspiration from my gift card I should also make a Santa and a Reindeer!

What  great idea. Considering he never offers creative input or shows too much excitement, I figured I better listen to show him his opinion matters (and get some of our family gift card holders done a tad bit earlier than Christmas Eve! LOL!)

NOTE: You can tell the snow started to fall as I stamped! Put me in the Christmas spirit as I FROZE my hiney off taking photos in our yard outside my stamp room. I crawled out the window-in my slippers-no jacket-to get these photos! OYE! What we do for our hobby eh?

Next up: Santa Sends Some $

Now aside from the mittens (like above) the rest is just cardstock and creativity!

I used Pure Poppy cardstock , and stamped his mittens in black and white ink.

For the belt buckle that was an OLD punch I had from EK Success and never used-till now! LOL! His beard is done in white-using a scallop circle nestability, and his face was a large oval, punched from blush cardstock, with the addition of googly eyes, and pink cheeks!!

Ribbon makes his hat cuff here, and another pom pom.

Then I debated-a mouth or no mouth?

So I slapped one on, and didn’t like it :C

I didn’t have the right size circle for his mouth and I wanted him to be happy. At the end of the day I ripped this mouth off! LOL! Oh well. What is your opinion? Mouth on or off? I guess writing this it is kind cute…….HMM.

Now he only took me a bit over 20 minutes.

Now last but not least: Buck-a-roo

By now its FREEZING and DARK! Sorry this photo is awful :C

BUT…………Isn’t he cute?!

I created him using Kraft cardstock then sponged the edges. For the stamping- his mittens were done with Pure Poppy and Dark Chocolate ink. I made him also hold a snowball.

Want to know what made his antler’s?  It was the OPEN line image of the tree trunk from Father Knows Best, stamped in black, on dark chocolate cardstock, then cut out!

His ears are colored Bridal Confetti flowers 😀

His Rudolph nose was originally the layered circle stamp-also from Father Knows Best, and covered with a large Bling (colored with a sharpie marker), but you can still see some of the circle outline, which is what I hoped for.  More googly eyes to complete the face 😀

His scarf is a polka dot Ocean Tides ribbon, secured with a button that I embellished with some dotted cardstock.

The sentiment on the bottom is from Merry & Bright

The Buck-a-r00 took about a 1/2 hour since I wasn’t sure HOW to make him look just like a reindeer.

Now here we have a photo of the gift card trio-with the inspiration gift card!

By now I am a icicle! LOL! Covered in falling snow.

I hope you like my version of some cute little gift card holders, all created from the inspiration of the mittens! These didn’t take that long to make, and considering I have done the design part, to re-create them and whip up several, wouldn’t be as long! LOL!

I really don’t care how long they took, as I truly had fun with the challenge, and the extra push of inspiration that my husband set before me 😀 Thanks honey! Im just so happy with these.

Now for MORE inspiring ideas for Cash and Carry be sure to check out the design teams members!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by! Id LOVE to hear which one is YOUR favorite!

Mine is the snowman

Alexa liked Santa

Amber liked the Santa

Noah liked the Santa

I should have expected the kids to say that one! LOL!

Jay wouldn’t pick-he said they were all equally cute. I think he thought it was a trick question! You know like most men think when we ask them stuff. Too funny.

Anyway-hope you find some time to stamp for FUN! Challenging yourself while crossing off your “to do” list is a great way to multitask 😀

Thanks for reading and only 24 more creating days till Christmas!

 Release day! Make sure you check out C.C. Designs! She is releasing 3 new sets, 2 new single images, and a digi set! All TODAY! So check it out.

SugarPlum Snowman

SugarPlaum Winter Scenery

Stampin Spot Studio Snowboarding Brandon & Winter Sadie

Winter Bear

and the digi download set- Sweet Pea winter

The sample to follow uses the SugarPlums Snowman set.

 So many of you out there in cyber world TRULY touch my heart, and my life. The kindness of stamper’s is amazing. Here is another little story I thought I’d share………. 

A few weeks ago I had some intermittent contact with one of my blog readers Sarah N. I had helped her out with some stuff in the best way I could, and after some chatter, she mentioned to me that she was compelled a few weeks before to buy some purple yarn. So not her color she mentioned. Anyway, she went on to say that she thinks she was drawn to it, for the scarf she made, to send to me! How sweet is that?!

I hope she will like this. I love my K & Co Christmas print slab, as it has inspired many recent creations. I used my creative memories wavy cutter for some 3D snow hills. Some Stampendous pink glitter, and silver snowflake table confetti from Target!

 I was just over the moon with her lovely gesture (Now I have MANY thank you’s to write, so many on the list. I get caught up on really making each one special that they all end up so late! This one was just perfect for the gift I received-the scarf is gorgeous!!!!!!!!) so I made her this card as a thank you! I should have made it purple! DUH! Oh well.

I tied a pretty ribbon around her neck-(love the little hearts on it) as a thank you for the scarf. Just an added touch. I think she is SO cute.

SO this will go postal this week I believe. I also hope to get our holiday cards OUT the door!!

So a huge thank you to Sarah 😀

So that’s it for me. I have SO many other samples to share, but will wait till later in the week. Monday’s are INSANE for me.

Later.

I’m excited to share a new kind of imagery with you today! Take a look, maybe give it a try and see what you think!

See this cute little girl…………….OOPS! Look what she has done!

This is First Haircut

Looking at this image I felt she would make the perfect Im Sorry card 😀 So thats what I did.

She looks just like a cupie doll, maybe a Campbell’s soup kid-only not so pudgy, or an adorable vintage postcard. I love her to pieces. This line totally brought out my other shabby/vintage side (OK as shabby as I get) of me.

So my dear cyber friend Holly (she made me this frame) has a UBER talented daughter Chesney. You may have known some of Chesney’s work from My Favorite Things. She is the illustrator for the BC Dzyns line. When I saw some of Chesney’s drawings (made into cards on Holly’s blog) I told Kimabout them. Soon after, with collaboration from Kim’s daughter Brianna,  that  line was born. Pretty cool stuff. Little did I know that Chesney could draw some of the CUTEST images-I had never seen until recent.

Here is the info-

Get Squigglefly

 Squigglefly is offering digital downloads of all kinds of images that people can print and use like stamps.  They will come flipped right and left and come in two pre-set sizes for convenience, but can be re-sized for personal preference.

This is the card in its entirety

So I printed her onto my vintage cream cardstock, and die cut with the Labels set.

I then took my gold marker, and ran it along the embossed edge of the die cut for that VINTAGE, antiqued look.

I had to add a velvet flower in chocolate by May Arts. I also added a vintage button I got from my stash for more “vintage” stuff.

The stamp along the side I believe is Hero Arts-my dear friend Paulette bought that for me some time ago and I felt it went with the vintage, almost faux stitched looking element to the card. I just added some color to my leaves and petals.

I stamped the I’m so sorry sentiment from Stampin Up, and die cut it with a Spellbinder’s tag. I also drew my line and pierced it around the tag for a faux sewn look.

Pretty cool huh?

I think for me the coolest part came when I did get to make that same image SMALLER to suit a card I wanted to make

Here is a close up of the SAME image, only smaller

Now, looking back I WISH I paid attention to the sizes I made it as to help you-sorry! You can figure out what they will look like before you print my hitting PRINT PREVIEW.

On that image I used a ruler and the wide end of a copic marker, and “drew” my wall paper. I then lightly traced with a ruler and a black marker-faintly to make it like the drawing and not over power it.

I layered it with a vellum scallop. So soft.

Now the full view-

What better sentiment? You make my world a better place. It is from Papertrey Ink’s Mailbox Greetings set. The dotted circles are from the Borders & Corners Circle set

To me this was like when times are tough you make everything OK. I was thinking what a perfect image-First Haircut-locks on the floor-this is bad! LOL! But YOU make it all ok.

See the difference in size from the first to second card? These are BOTH A2 size cards, and the bottom image is significantly smaller. It reminds me if Elzybells. The UK has the larger images (which I ADORE) and the US sells select smaller images. Sometimes you wish a particular image was either bigger or smaller. Sort of the best of both worlds as far as sizes go.

I used my Scor-Pal to make some scored lines at the bottom, and added a scallop border (using Martha Stewart punch) and a vintage cream underlay for a fun feminine touch. I then used some Bazzill flower tied in the center with ribbon.

I’ll share another sample I have on Tuesday 😀

If you check it out let me know what YOU think.

I’m a busy girl today-so I better run.

THINK-Mrs. Fields Raspberry Chocolate Stix-Think super simple, inexpensive, yet a CUTE way to give a small gift of cheer to a neighbor or from “Our home to yours” kind of gift.

Here is yet another view-from the roof top of my house box

I had WAY too much fun using the little house image from C.C. Designs upcoming release called Sugarplums Winter Scenery-this set goes for Sale on December 1st. Release party HERE at 9pm (on the 1st) EST.

Make sure to check the blog daily for a giveaway too!

So for my house box-

I decided to measure the house (about 2 inches) and I scored every 2 inches, adding a 1/2 inch to the end for my tab to adhere the panels together. In other words my paper was 8 1/2 across. I then scored up 2 inches from the bottom. I then left a empty block-stamped my house (right on the bottom score line), left a empty block, and stamped my house.

I then colored my 2 houses, and sponged my “sky”. I did go to the bottom of the box to make it look like snow on the ground. Stamped some light snowflakes, and added glitter and a white gel pun for now SNOW .

I used my paper cutter to cut an even line (end of roof tops to end of other roof tops) Then trimmed out my roof/details.

 Before putting it together I added a punched border from Martha Stewart to add to the design.

I then put my house box together! I added my little snowman as a 3D element, and added that glittery snow from Michaels. Glitter for the snowy icicles 😀 I love this little box.

Then I just put my Raspberry Mrs. Fields Chocolate Stix in a baggie-stamped a tag and tie it closed.

Thats it. This took MAYBE 15 minutes to make (due to the coloring) I think if I made more it would go much quicker.

Well thank you for reading!!

Have a super night.

Tomorrow I have a sample for a new kind of company for you to check out- Till then!

UGH! Im FINALLY sitting down here, about noon on Saturday. We lost our Internet/email since early Friday morning. That mean I had no connection to the outside world, OR the ability to post on my blog or notify the people I work for that I had no Internet. You don’t realize how cut off from the WORLD you feel when your Internet goes down. Im so disgusted with Verizon-let me tell you! LOL!

I had so many great things planned and now no time for it GRRR!!!

OK thanks for letting me spew all the negativity out. Feels good to get over it. I have to say I really don’t do well under a lot of pressure. I don’t procrastinate, and when things are beyond my control, and puts me behind its a killer

Lots to share today!!! Some I just HAVE to put off till tomorrow because my kids are pulling at my legs to get the Christmas tree put up! We usually do it the day after Thanksgiving ( yeah I know it seems early but my kids LOVE to maximize the holiday feeling and I don’t blame them), but I haven’t felt too great, so we waited until today.

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving! I hope you did too! Thank you to those who sent emails and kind words for the holiday! You all made my day. I didn’t go shopping on black Friday-which is INSANE! I always go, but there wasn’t anything overly appealing so we skipped it.

I want to share our holiday family photo with you. This is all of us on Thanksgiving and will get sent with our family Christmas cards

So let us be one of the first to say-From my family to yours-Happy Holidays! We truly wish you all a upcoming year of the love of family & friends, health, happiness and dreams fulfilled!

I feel like I can finally post my Christmasy stuff without guitl now! Once Thanksgiving hits, its all good! LOL! I am also feeling the overwhelming need to get my holiday everything DONE!

See there is Daisy! So many ask about her. She is doing great. I haven’t posted photos since she hasn’t been too naughty these days! LOL!

As you can see Noah is HUGE!! Is is now 50 inches tall and only just turned 6 (Alexa is a mere 46 inches and is 9. She won’t get to be much over 5’2 I think). They say he will be looking me in the eye by 12. (I’m 5 “11) And YES Noah was difficult getting to smile saying he doesn’t like getting his picture taken, and we are all taking TOO long. In this photo he looks so old and like “Hey! How you doin?” LOL! Very funny.

Amber-she had a cute smile for every photo. She loves the camera. I wish she didn’t hang her down but at least she co-operated.

I wish you could have full view of the girls outfits-they are really cute, and they match! I love that. But taking the photo outside of our home this was the best way to get a photo.

Getting Alexa to look at the camera is like asking someone to donate a kidney without anesthesia! You should have seen her school photos! YIKES! LOL! Some of the faces this girl can make are pretty funny!!

As for Jay & I- we basically wrangled Daisy the entire time. A photo the kids look great, Daisy decided to ear my earring, that kind of fun family stuff. Or she’d chew on her pay, of my fingers. So NOT regretting going to a photo place to get a picture. To have to PAY for the pain of a family photo-no thanks! I’ll wait till January after the holiday.

Anyway-out of over 50 photos this one was the best of the bunch with the majority of us all looking at the camera. With 3 kids and a dog, its near impossible to not have one of us looks REALLY funky! LOL!

Just thought I’d share that with you all.

Anyway this post will be JAM packed as I need to play “catch up” on sneak peek samples for C.C. Designs newest release which is available December 1st.

Check the BLOG for more design team samples, daily, and your chance to WIN a free set 😀

OK OK now before I get into the NEW stuff let me share a Saturday Sketch

There is no time limit, or restrictions- just have fun with it, when you can.

Use Keyword mytimess13-

I want to thank Dawn as she helps me tweak my sketches when I can’t get something to work right. She is seriously awesome for always figuring out what I can’t!! Dawn you are just the best! THANK YOU!!!

Now here is my sample:

So Stinkin Sweet

Is this lil skunk not adorable? I had to use her.

I had some black & white paper from Imaginisce, and I used my copic’s to color it in to match my colors! Cute huh? I have done that before but wanted to point it out in case ya’ll were wondering where I got that paper! LOL! I used PTI white,  Lemon Tart, and Ripe Avocado for my solid cardstock.

This was made using a set that released last month by Jen Ofiana called Forest Friends. I really fell in love with the skunk image. I also have a few other cards using this set to share but have others that NEED to be posted, so will wait-again.

Now on my sketch there is a flower cluster-that is meant to be any sort of swirl of image in the corner. Use your imagination!!

This is what I did-more piercing and flowers! I LOVE my Onare piercing template, and use it endlessly!!

Isn’t that so pretty??

Now check out my sketch team for more samples using the sketch

Now onto more piercing and another peek I was suppose to share yesterday, but had no Internet!!

Snowman Friends-OK I have to say my layout is LAME, but I wasn’t feeling good. I do LOVE the hanging mittens in the corner though! ( I also have a 3D items to share but it deserves its own post I think)

This uses a new set called Winter Bear-to be released December 1st. I LOVE it! The snowmen particularly adorable, as is the bear. I fell in LOVE with the mittens too.

I did the piercing and free handed a heart to match that of the sweaters and mittens. I think its cute. You can’t see the shimmer on the snow, but its nice in real life-PROMISE!

I chose to get inspired from a Slab of Christmas themed paper by one of my FAVE paper co. K & Co. Isn’t it yummy??? Its like Berry Sorbet, and poppy! Just love it. I also decided to try the faux texture technique that Debbie did using Copic’s on her blog. She is the best! You have to try it-so fun. I need practice but Im OK with that. More excuses to color 😀

Some close up details-

The hanging mittens, the snowman to the left is totally cut out, and the head of the one of the right is cut out and popped up. I also see I went a little too happy with my singlo white gel pen 😀 Oh well.

I just has fun with it.

So that has to be it for today-I am so behind and lots to do.

Thanks for reading my blabbering. I hope you all get to try out the sketch, and something here imspires you to get inking!

Thanks for checking in-till tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! 

I am thankful: 

Thankful defined-

grateful: feeling or showing gratitude; “a grateful heart”;

Gratitude, appreciation, or thankfulness is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive

an expression of gratitude; a short prayer said at meals; grace, a benediction

Thanksgiving to me-

T-is for TODAY! I am so thankful for today. I feel that way everyday. To be able to wake up and live another day. I try to take a moment and find something to be thankful for everyday. T is also for time. I am thankful for the time I have with my family, and loved ones. The time I have whenever I get to do what I love. Time is precious, and passes quickly. Hang on to every second you have.

H-is for Health. Having gone through Cancer with Alexa, makes me SO eternally grateful for every day that each one of us awakens, and we have a healthy day! Each day is truly a gift, and your health is one of the best things to be blessed with. I am thankful that God has healed Alexa, and carried us through a difficult time, to all be here, so thankful, not just today, but everyday. I am also thankful that I have a healthier lifestyle, and have met some major goals for myself 😀 I feel AMAZING!

A- is for appreciation. Appreciation for my family who means the world to me. I could do a entire post on JUST that. In fact Im sure I have! LOL! A is also for- a higher power. I am thankful to God for everything he has blessed my life with.

N- is for Never Knew/met. You may wonder what this means, but to me its being thankful for all of you whom I never met or would have never known if it weren’t for this CRAZY world of stamping. I have developed so many relationships and friendships I never thought possible in a cyber world. TRULY AMAZING. I am so thankful for all of you who visit me here, who have shared and I have become friends with. You are all like an extended family if friends that keep me going everyday.THANK YOU!!!

K -is for kids! You know I had to use this letter for my kids! I can’t imagine my life without them. As insane as they make me most days they are my heart and soul. My reason for breathing and living. The love I have for them is indescribable-although I am certain you know what I mean. I also have to add Jay in there! I know its not a K word but he is my best friend! My rock. My soul mate. I strive to be as good of a person as he is. He is the most amazing person I ever met. Oh and Daisy our dog. She is the best little furball a family could ever has asked for. For someone who never wanted a dog, she is my little sidekick. I love her to pieces. K is also for kindness-I have been blessed by a world of kind people, so thank you to all of you!

S- is for Stamping (of course)! I am so grateful that I have been able to find a creative outlet that not only helps me de-stress and get some “my time” but has connected me to so many people that I never would have come in contact with had it not been for this insane hobby! Stamping saved me during some difficult times.

G is for giving back. I think it is important that everyone finds some way to give back to others. No matter how big or small. Every small gesture makes a difference. I have some goals for myself and family to do our best to give back! Be it sending boxes of cards to places that need it, to raising awareness for causes I believe in, to donating clothing, volunteering, so pitching in to help a friend during a difficult time. Sometimes its a RAK, or lending an ear. Ask yourself for ways that YOU can giveback with the coming New Year! Not only will it help someone else, but you will feel AMAZING!

I -is for inspiration. I am thankful that I can get inspired everyday from something. Be it one of you, my children or my surrounding. I am also thankful for the oppourtunities I have been given to work with/for some amazing people in the stamping world

V- is for valuable. Value has different meaning to everyone. I think finding value in yourself is so important to your own outlook on life, and feeling of selfworth. When you feel you have value you exude confidence. Also make sure you make the people in your life feel valuable to you is so important. Acknowledging the little things that shows you listen and care makes someone feel very valued by you 😀

I- is for I can do it! I truly believe we can do anything we set our minds to. Often that is our only limitation. If you are positive in yourself you really can do anything you set your mind to! I don’t just sit here and say this stuff, I not only believe it but I live it.

N is for NOW! I hate the whole “tomorrow” attitude. I think it has to do with my dad. He ALWAYS said “tomorrow” and promised big things for “tomorrow”, and you know what tomorrow turned into? Not TODAY, tomorrow-again! It would never happen. It made me so upset. I try to never put off for tomorrow what I can do today. I am NOT a procrastinator, and I think its because of that. Also we need to really treasure what TODAY has to offer. Make the most of it. Having a sick child taught me that NO ONE is ever promised tomorrow. Make today, your tomorrow.

G- is for GO FOR IT! See above “N”.This has always been my attitude. If you want something you have to go after it! Its not going to just fall in your lap. Whatever it may be, believe you can achieve or obtain it, and nothing is impossible.

Well thank you for stopping by here today. I have so much more to say (don’t I always) but the family is calling 😀

I hope that whatever your today brings, you find something to be thankful for.

Lauren
 

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substance of all things hoped for.

Faith:

Faith-its a simple word, but a difficult thing to have when you are going through a trial in your life. I know first hand how hard having Faith can sometimes be. Often it is all we can hold on to when times are tough, and we are at out lowest point. It often seems when one big thing goes wrong the rest of our world falls apart with it. The bottom of our bucket just falls out, and there is nothing to hold everything we need to fill it with. But with Faith we keep it all together.

That all being said I made this card for a friend. I haven’t had as much contact with her as I would like, but I when I heard her mother passed away last week I KNEW I had to get a card made and out the door, so she knew, despite my lack of interaction, that I was thinking and praying for her through this difficult time. I cannot imagine the grief of losing a mother.

The sentiment is from Everyday Blessings. I inked just the scripture for the front, and stamped the sentiment inside.

Another view

I LOVED this image from Stampavie . This one is  Lily-the Magic Fairy . I just bought several from ATS-HERE! OMG! I think I’m addicted, these images are just TOO cute. I wish I bought more! LOL! Seriously adorable.

Anyway, this image in particular struck me for this card-to me, she looks like a sad little angel, looking at her ladybug friend for comfort. I used blue for the solemness of the card. I wanted to keep it very soft. I LOVE the labels 1 nestability . I used the inner rim to trace my blue lines, and pierced holes for the “sewing” effect. Looks pretty good I think! LOL!

I colored her with my Copic markers, and added some white dots to her dress. I had so much fun coloring her. I LOVE her glittered wings.

I stamped the bkgd using the old Damask bkgd from Stamping up, on glossy white paper. I felt the bkgd pattern was a mimic to the shape of her wings.

The satin ribbon was a perfect feminine touch, which a stuck a pin in that holds my sentiment.

I hope this brings her some comfort knowing so many of her friends love her, and are wrapping her up in their prayers, and I hope she keeps the faith as she travels the difficult road of grief from the loss of her mom.

Well I hope you all hold tight to your families tomorrow, enjoy this time together, and you acknowledge all you have in life to be thankful for.

More so I hope you don’t wait for a holiday to make those who are important to you know just how much they mean to you. We are never promised tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving (in case I don’t get to post tomorrow!)

Lauren

PS I do plan on having a thankfulness post, but need to make sure the things I need to do for the people I AM thankful for, actually get done first! LOL!