Funny how 15 years ago...

Fifteen years ago was there really any OTHER mail than SNAIL mail? I guess people had voice mail, but I know that "I" didnt have email, infact, 15 years ago I had never even dipped my toe into the wonderful waters of the internet. I certainly didnt have a cell phone (or I guess BAG phone is what they were back then) and my answering machine still had 2 little bity tapes that recorded the incoming and outgoing messages. I guess now we are truly seeing what our elders meant when they said the good ole days. I am not saying that ALL of these new inventions are not fantastic. I mean, I LIVE for my email, Id feel like I had lost a limb if you took away my cell and I am quite grateful that the phone service offers an answering system so I dont have to keep checking the tapes. But in fifteen years look at how much WE have witnessed. Amazing.

Anyways. On to the card. I am having SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH a blast with my new set from PaperTreyInk. These baskets are totally awesome! Theres all different kinds of baskets and then all different kind of stuff to put in it. I looooove this snail mail one. :)

Today is sposed to be another gorgeous day with low humidity. So we are heading out!!!! To the library and the park. I am so blessed!!

I hope that YOU too, have a blessed day!

Be Yourself.

BE YOURSELF. NOBODY IS BETTER QUALIFIED!

Wow. With today's economy and all that is happening with jobs and everything. I just looove this saying. There is ONE job out there that only YOU can do. No matter who submits their resume, they will NEVER beat you in winning the job of just being YOU!

Anyways. Heres this week's Copic challege from Kimm's Artful Sentiments. I sure hope that youll join us in the spectacular challenge!!!! This week its B24, G24 & Y21. Lets see what YOU can do with it!

Its Thursday---head over to Dustins!

Today's release day over at Dustin's -- have ya gone to check out all of the cool dinosaurs??? This is just a quick card I whipped up.


Things are going well here. Hannah bridged on Monday. She is now a BROWNIE girlscout instead of a Daisy. She is excited about that. Heather has an endo appt this morning, so were starting our day out there. Then a trip to the library and then going to spend the entire afternoon at the fountains in Knoxville. It should be warm...and I just KNOW that the girls will have a good time. Then its back home to continue prepping for the Open House here on Sunday.

Its FREEBIE WEDNESDAY!

Yeah, get on over to Dustin's again today! He has a killer image for you today that is free. But do you know what the best part is?? Its all the stuff that goes WITH the image that will be out tomorrow. SOOOO CUTE! And soooo much fun!

This image is back from the Easter release that he did. Yeah, this little guy was originally holding a little chickie. I thought tho--to get into the spirit of things he needed a flag!

I sooo dont know what happened in this pic, cause the lettering really does NOT look this messy in real life.

I looove this time of year. Everything starts getting all sparkly and patriotic. ~sigh~ I know that it is still an HONOR for me to be an American...I pray that for future generations that will still ring true.

God Bless!

ARGH!

Well fiddlesticks and gumdrops. I have been so diligent and pre-posted cards for you and blogger held on to them!! So it was much much to my surprise when I came on to see that there were no new posts! DANG!! I was trying to be sooo good! So now you got posts...and I gotta go fight with Blogger.

Hope your day is gushing over with blessings.

Get Well

This is my version of the MOJO Monday for this week. I am not gonna enter it, cause well....long story short I didnt follow the sketch exactly. But I still love how this Stella came out. It says IT SUCKS TO BE SICK! on the outside. Then on the inside it says, HOPE THAT YOU FEEL BETTER SOON!

So do you have huge plans for the weekend? Its sooo hard to believe that June is already tick tocking away.

Chin Up!

Recently there have been sooo many awesome
Monochromatic cards out there that have totally
just made me drool all over. I had never done one before, so I thought Id give it a try. I kind of like how it turned out, but of course its no where NEAR as awesome as so many of the ones I have seen elsewhere in blogland.

On the inside I wrote KEEP YOUR CHIN UP! and then drew a matching little ladybug. CUTE CUTE CUTE!

(for those that always want to know... the image is from WHIPPER SNAPPER.)

Bloom

I just love this stamp set and I especially love these colors! Kimm's Artful Sentiments challenge this week is to use B05, YG23, YRO4 and a purple. I had to substitute just a bit cause I didnt have the exact colors she wanted. But I think it turned out well. How bout you?? I hope that youll go over and play with us too. Even if you dont have Copics, why dont you try it with the coloring things that you DO have!

Outa This World!

Isnt it fantastic that DUSTIN is out there workin his tail off to give us all of these fabulous pics to choose from? I love this little dragon. Dont you? I mean...look at that tail hole in the space ship! Soo wouldnt want to get a CRAMP! *LOL* Anyways, the moon surface is a freebie from yesterday. And there there are all kinds of little stuff to go with them in todays release. So go over to Dustin's and check em out!!!





I used diamond glaze on the helmet just to give it some extra pizazz!!







Then I put the sign on the inside. I added the words to say HOPE YOUR DAY IS OUTA THIS WORLD!

So now, click yourself right on over to Dustin's and see whatchya see.

Invisible Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0

HOLY SMOKES! Go, go now! This is just the inspiration that "I" needed.

Pool Fun!

No THIS isnt the freebie this week over at DUSTIN'S but I just KNOW you are gonna love the one that IS there. (and YES! You CAN still get this one too!) These kids are soooo cute!! And I added a little plastic SPLASH! When I saw the image I just KNEW it screamed for that little added thing. And that little added thing has been living in my embellishment box waiting for an image to scream out to it! So its a perfect match!!

I have had a terrible case of diamond glazitus. EVERYTHING has been getting glazed! But what can I say?? I just LOVE its effect!

So the week is almost gone and I am here to tell ya that I am missing my babies. I think its about time to head up the mountain and go pick em up!

Cutie Patootie & UGH!

Lets start with the cute card huh?? This is an image from DUSTIN! Isnt it precious?? Its hard to tell, but I put Crystal Effects on the bubbles so they are all shiney! They look awesome! And this little guy just screams fun! Have you been over to DUSTIN'S lately? Hes got some fantastic things going on! TOO FUN!

Now on to the yicky card. I am NOT happy with this card. I had originally thought of tracing the outline of the big flower with crystal effects and then chalking in the negative space. Sounds simple enough right? Yeah, except when it was actually done...it looked like I had let glue dry and tried to color it. Blech!

Anyways...my only saving grace here is that it DOES look a little bit better in real life than in this photo. ~sigh~ The blues arent QUITE as clashing. Just didnt LIKE this card. But I cant be perfect ALL the time right? :)

Today is stamping day! WOOHOOOO! What are YOU doing with yourself? Go and be blessed!!!

Some days youre the dog...

Some days you are the dog....

And some days you are the cat. I pray that no matter which one YOU are today that you will be blessed. ((HUGS))

Yer old...

I remember when I used to think that 20 was OLD. I mean like close enough to the grave to go ahead and head there right away. Then once I became 20, I realized I was just learning how to live...so I cruised into Thirty. Now that I am thirty *...cough...spat...cough...* "something", I am starting to think...ya know I am not old. Even if I were to live a short life...I still might have over half to go. So tell me...are YOU old? Anyways. This is an adorable image my mom sent me! Isnt it toooo cute?? The saying that came with it says: YOU MAY BE OLD BUT YOU'RE NOT EXTINCT. I had to flip it a bit on the computer cause I couldnt get the stamped image to fit. I just love it! I am not crazy of the yellow behind him. But it was one of those things that once ya start it, yer in it. Probly wouldnt do that part again. Oh well.

So its Monday. Today I am getting ready to re-list the house. Gotta ttidy up a bit of the rooms and retake some pictures and well...you get the idea. My babies are still gone and Ronnie is at work, so I am cranking up the radio and having another blessed ME day! OK, so Ive got laundry in there I have plenty TO-DOs to do too. But its a great day! I talked to the girls and they too are having a fantastic time. I wonder if they will miss me as much as I miss them by the end of the week? Hmmm....

God's Beauty

Another Artful Sentiments Challenge.

These colors look soooo springy! I love em! Forgive me for my photography skills. I am trying so hard to just knock out so many things today that I am not taking a lot of time to pay attention.

I double stamped the leaves and masked the flower in the middle of the one. I also cut out the butterfly and glued just the middle of his little body down so that his wings could pop up. I of course added glitter to the butterfly and a bling to the flower. The inside of the card says BEAUTY IS GOD'S HANDWRITING.

I have to admit that this is as close to beauty that I am going to today. Its sooo sticky and humid out there today. I looove the sunshine, but like to be cool.

Sunshiney Sunday

OK, so I am a little bit behind in posting this. But I told you all that this week was soooo gonna be my catch up week! This is for June 6th Copic Challenge over at Kimms place.

If you havent been over there in awhile, you SOOOO much go check it out. Go HERE.


Did you get that? No? Well HERE you go again.


Kimm offers a challenge for Copics each week. She really wants ya to branch out and try some colors that you might not put together.


I just got this new set this week and couldnt wait to stack those flower pots into the wheelbarrow. (Thanks again Alicia for blessing me.)


How are things with you? Are you enjoying your summer? I want to send up a prayer for Kimm (yeah the one from HERE), she has been without power for the last couple of days. I guess the storms have come thru and really did a number on her. I couldnt imagine a day without air conditioning. YICK YICK YICK!


Things are good here for me today. Im getting inky and really doing some self meditating and getting some things DONE!!! (Some of YOU will be thrilled with this endevor this week too). R went out gold panning with his friends today--so I am blasting my music and doing what I wanta do. God is good.

Just a quickie

Trying to get my babies out the door and so on. But I HAVE been working! And I so wanta show off all the great things that Alicia has sent me recently. She is such a doll! I am soooooo greatful for her! I know that I followed a sketch from last week, but I cant remember from where and well, I quite frankly dont have time to go find it! But you can bet I will be doing better soon. My girls are going to Grammee & PawPaws fer the week. AGH!

Im so excited!

Every once in awhile I do a project that absolutely rocks my world! This is a present for my Mom in-law for her recent 28th Birthday! ☺



Its a prayer book.



And I got to use my new stamp set that my darling friend so richly blessed me with (THANK YOU ALICIA)---I LOVE IT! The small stamp says: YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, BUT IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, ONCE IS ENOUGH. And then it says MY BOOK OF PRAYER. Mama is a true prayer warrior and she is so diligent about praying for those in need. I have to say, its an honor to know I am a part of her family and know that shes on my side and praying for me constantly.

Each little tab has a folder that can hold notes or whatnots and I also made a clip for each tab.

Theres Prayer List, Praises & Encouragments for her to also list the scriptures or other things shed like to keep note of.

I added a touch of ribbon and a fancy dancy bright red (it writes black) pen to finish it off.

I hope that she will love it!!!

Its a great day to be swimming!

OK, so in light of my post yesterday, I am still in deep meditation and ponderation (ha! a new word) of what we are doing and what is happening with us in the world today. In particularly here in the US. My Encouragement Today devotional that came in today (go here...if yer interested CROSSWALK ) spoke of learning to surf with the wakes and waves or sink in them. Hmmm...so today...dog gone it! I am SWIMMING!!!!! I have to admit I am NOT good at surfing. No, I am the one out there that looks like an octopus is trying to sit on an ironing board. But by heck, I CAN swim!!

Anyways. My darling friend Rainy emailed me to tell me that she got the gift I sent her last week, so YAY! I can post it!!! The swap was to fill a cup full of stuff --any kind of cup. Well most of the other stuff was just STUFF but here is the candy bar I decorated with one of Dustin's images. Hard to read in the pic, but it says: I hope that your day holds everything you wish for and more.
And this mug is just sooo fun! Its huge! Like gallon size. Honest! I decorated it with SU! rubons and then I used my Copics! I colored big blotches of colors and then spritzed it with my blending solution. A little dab with the nasty rag...and whala! I looove the tiedyed look! And its one of a kind! *LOL* Rainy said she only has to fill her cup twice now. So I saved her some leg work.

My inlaws are on their way in today. So I am scurrying around trying to tidy up for them. I know the girls are sure excited to see them...and SO AM I!!!

Planning and Exactness.

WOW. I had a huge epiphamy this week.

As many of you know we have been floundering around for quite some time now. TRYING to figure out what to do with our lives.

Should I go back to work?
Should my husband change jobs?
Should we sell the house?
Should we not sell the house?
Should we homeschool?
Should we have a garage sale and liquidate everything?
Should we keep on as we are?
Should we?
Should we?
Should we?

Then as time went on, the should WE, became should I? And thats when the self pity, the depression and the agonizing pain took over my well-being. I pushed away friends, I ignored obligations, I closed myself up in the cocoon. Rationalizing that I needed to be alone to hear what God wanted me to do! After all, I KNEW that I was waiting for my next big PROJECT and I didnt want to miss His orders.

But then He DID speak to me...He didnt tell me where to list my house. He didnt tell me where to get a job (in fact he slammed more doors in that area than he opened). He didnt even give me a hint as to where our future was heading (even tho it was quite evident to me it was heading for someplace NOT fun).

He didnt hand me a box of bandaids and tell me that all was going to be ok.

No...the Lord spoke to me...

and told me I had already received my orders.

Hes already GIVEN me my to-do list. How many times have we told our children that they must do something to get something else? Keep your room tidy and you can play outside, Eat your veggies and youll get dessert, or well...you get the idea. God said to me...Becky--I have already asked you to be a mother to your babies, I have given you a man that needs a loving and an obedient wife, you have countless friends that depend on you and need your friendship, you have a home that is supposed to be sale ready, you have a temple (your body) that should be in the best working order and I have called you to be a Christian Warrior.

WHOA---Now wait a minute Jesus...I do all those things. I am a good mom, my husband is cared for, I am healthy, I do and I do and I do....well ok...so I am falling short in every single area. I cant lie to you, after all...you already know.

Now before I go on...please let me explain I DO NOT believe that you have to EARN God's graces. PLEASE do not misunderstand me. I KNOW that God loves me and I have countless blessings. But I also know that God is molding me and shaping me to be as Hed like me to be and unfortunately to do that, it generally means a good reprimanding too.

God has not asked me to sell my house. He has asked me to have my house in SELLING CONDITION, He will sell my house.

God has not asked me to control every aspect of my children's lives, He has asked me to guide them, love them and raise them, He will control them.

God has not asked me to serve my husband as a chore, but to Love him, He will do the other stuff.

I could go on here for hours. But lets just say I have a brand new outlook on my TO-DO list for Jesus.

In the Bible, Ecclesiastes 9:10 says: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...
When they were building the wonderful Mt. Rushmore monument each ping of a hammer had to be exact. I mean, really....could you go in at the end of the day and say--sorry Boss, I accidently broke George Washington's nose off, you can just take it out of my paycheck alright? No, they had to be precise. They had to work with such exactness.

God has not revealed where our future is going. But He HAS revealed where my present should be. He has revealed that I need more exactness in my life too. How bout you? How do YOU size up? If you have already mastered this great thing that I just got the AHA! moment over, could you please sit a little closer to me so I can learn the ropes and succeed too??

Go and be blessed!