Just Believe rubberstamp set, on theStampin' Up! Retiring List, is extremely versatile, and I love it for inspirational cards. There are 4 sentiments (words/phrases) in the Just Believe rubberstamp set: friends, just for you, thanks, and Some things have to be believed to be seen. This one stamp set will cover so many occasions in your life, and I love that it gives me so many options for design images as well as sentiments. The fact that the images and simple font work together beautifully ensures that the handmade cards I make will look great!
I've included 5 handmade card samples today for my Sunday inspirational post. My aim is to inspire your creativity as well as your life!
Just Believe rubberstamp set is one of my favorite stamp sets on theStampin' Up! Retiring List. Please remember that Just Believe and all others on this list are only available through June 3rd. That is right around the corner, so don't delay getting the supplies you need to create handmade, heartfelt cards to brighten the lives of those you care about. Join me as I bring inspiration into a world that really, really needs to be inspired!
For my handmade Easter projects this year, I wanted to utilize the Crosses of Hope rubberstamp set as my main theme--my creative springboard. Although I love the bunnies and eggs, the cross is central to the entire Easter message and purpose. We are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ which occurred after he was brutally executed on a Roman cross. As we celebrate Easter in the spring, we typically think of spring colors. But in addition to echoing the physical season of the year, the light and bright colors we associate with Easter also convey the message of hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I plan to send out about a dozen handmade Easter cards this year, and this is my card for Easter 2013. (Come back next Sunday for more handmade Easter projects with the same theme and color scheme!) As I have mentioned before, Summer Starfruit is my absolute favorite In Color (2012-2014). I adore it! To me, it almost works like a neutral. I am also in love with all the designs in the Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper (free during Sale-a-Bration , Jan. 22-Mar. 22), but I particularly love the one in my handmade Easter card here. It's the one that is all Summer Starfruit and white. Talk about elegance! So I had my color palette and main focal point for my handmade Easter card. All I needed was a few more design elements and my card would be ready.
The other design inspiration I was working with is the mantilla. I spent some of my youth in Central America and South America where women wore mantillas to church. I remember them as being very pretty little lace head coverings, and as a young girl, I thought they were beautiful. Although my family was not Catholic, even non-Catholics wore these pretty head coverings, more as a statement of fashion than a religious tradition. So stay with me here. What does all this have to do with a handmade Easter card? Well, the frilly, lacy character of our wonderful new Tea Lace Paper Doilies reminds me of those mantillas I saw as a young girl with their pretty, lacy look. For mine, I added just a hint of Dazzling Details for a bit of sparkle (which doesn't show up well in my photo...sigh). Anyway, I'm pleased with the result of my decidedly inspirational Easter card. Here's the supply list for you.
Stampin' Up! supplies:
Stamps: Crosses of Hope rubberstamp set, Delightful Dozen rubberstamp set
Ink: Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad, Versa Mark Pad
Paper: Naturals White and Summer Starfruit cardstocks; Sycamore Street DSP
Accessories: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Modern Label Punch, Paper Daisies, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Stamping Sponges, Pearls Basic Jewels
I hope you make some handmade Easter cards this year and spread the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with your handmade, heartfelt creations. You can make a difference in someone's life with your handmade expression of hope and love and the hearfelt words you tuck inside. Do it!
For today's inspirational Sunday post, I'm sharing a beautiful inspirational Valentine I received from my friend Suzie this week. Not only is the artwork lovely (featuring the triple time stamping technique), it has a message of God's love for ME. Inside the card is the Bible verse, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world..." I'm usually encouraging others to send handmade cards, but lately I've received a few myself. I can tell you that they make my day! And this one was such a special reminder, in the middle of my work week, that God loves me:)
Stampin' Up! supplies:
Stamps: You are Loved rubberstamp set
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pads
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso Cardstocks
Accessories: Decorative Label Punch
As the whole country was celebrating love this week with Valentine's Day, and doing so via a holiday inspired by a godly man expressing God's love, I thought it was so very appropriate and so special to receive an inspirational Valentine card reminding me of His love. The Bible speaks of three types of love:
agape-unconditional love
phileo-brotherly love
eros-romantic love
Although each type of love is significant and even beneficial, agape love is the most important and farthest-reaching. I'm so glad God loves you and me unconditionally...no matter what! And although we want to think we love people unconditionally, it's just not possible in our human nature. Apart from God's love within us being expressed to others, it just won't happen no matter how hard we try.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..." I John 3:1 KVJ
So as Valentine's Day has come and gone this year, continue to bask in His love, that is unconditional and knows no end. It strengthens us, builds us, comforts us, and fills us. If you are looking for a church home in the San Antonio area or are visiting our great city, come visit us at Tower City Church where my husband is the pastor and the congregation is great at expressing God's love:)
We had such fun stamping in my Stampin' Up! Valentine class last night! Gathering with other ladies that love doing the same thing...well, it's just great. The projects are the icing on the cake! (We made 4 cards and 2 treats--I'll get a pic of the other treat and show you later in the week.)
One of the things I love best about stamping is the social aspect. I meet people I never would have if not for stamping. Many of us become friends, others become special aquaintances.
I often say that you get a double blessing when you stamp:
You are so blessed when you create something--it's a great feeling and really feeds your soul in a special way. If you are in the doldrums, rubberstamping has a unique way of lifting you out of them. And if you are already doing, well, you will be even happier when you finish stamping! I believe it's because we tap into our creativity--part of the unique gifting imparted to us by our Creator God.
You are blessed again when you give your project away (and we do give away most of what we create:). People are grateful for your heartfelt, handmade expression of love/friendship/caring. It makes their day!
But I would like to add a third blessing to my list of rubberstamping blessings:
Social gathering. Although we do stamp alone, we also stamp in groups. Whether in clubs, classes, charity events, or other gatherings, we stamp together...often. And when women gather together, doing something they all enjoy, great things happen! Conversation flows, help is given, new interests are piqued, and frienships are born.
Such is the wonderful world of stamping! If you haven't yet tried rubberstamping, don't delay. Jump in now! I have plenty of events you can try out. Please check out my calendar here.Contact me today, and I'll help you find an event that will connect you to triple blessings! (210-355-5729, or candy@sweetstamper.com) I can't wait to stamp with you!
For today's Sunday inspirational post, I'm sharing the Valentine Make & Take we made at my recent Spring Catalog Open House. I love little favors/treats like this as they are simple and affordable to make, enabling us to spread a lot of love and goodwill. I mean, who doesn't love Pixie sticks?! For those of us "mature" folks, they bring us right back to childhood. For the young, they are just a super fun treat. I created another version of this same Make & Take, featuring Dr. Who, on this blog post. Check it out! Scroll down for a supply list, but first, a word about the real reason for Valentine's Day.
Would you like a little history lesson on the real St. Valentine, the one who brings us to a day when all the world celebrates love? This excerpt is from just4kidsmagazine.com, an online resource for Christian families. I often find that historical information written for children is a great way to get history basics without more information that I'm looking for!
"St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270
A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not
worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested.
Some write that he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages,
but others say it was for helping Christians escape prison.
During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the
Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Valentine said they were false gods and that
the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him
in prison for insulting the gods.
While in prison, Valentine continued to minister. He witnessed to the guards. One of the guards
was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God
could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The
guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized.
Because these people had come to know Jesus, Valentine praised God right there
in his prison cell. When the emperor heard about this he was furious that
Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine
beheaded.
Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian
activities. He knew that if he told the court the truth about the Roman gods
that he would be thrown in prison. And he knew that if he continued to witness
to Christ in the prison he would make his captors angry. But he continued,
because he loved the Lord and his fellow humans. He was willing to risk his
life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those
who needed to hear it.
The Bible Says: "No one has greater love than this, to
lay down one's life for one's friends."(John 15:13) God showed us this
love by coming in Christ to die for our sins. And St. Valentine demonstrated
this love when he died for his friends. This is the kind of love that
Valentine's Day is really about."
Make some Valentine favors to pass out to friends, family, co-workers, schoolmates, neighbors, and more. As you give them away, share the love of God, and watch the smiles:)
Stampin' Up! supplies:
Stamps: Happy Valentine Heart single stamp (part of the Stampin' Up!Valentine treat bundle (132771)--single stamp plus 1 pkg (50 count) of the 1" x 8" cello bags
Ink: Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper: Whisper White Cardstock; Red Glimmer Paper; More Amore Designer Series Paper
Accessories: Full Heart Punch, Small Heart Punch, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, Staples
Please be aware: theValentine Treat Bundle is only available through Monday, January 21st. It's an incredible deal: single stamp plus 50 treat bags for $5.95.
Today's inspirational card is part of my Sale-a-Bration Countdown, and I combined the Madison Avenue stamp set (free during Sale-a-Bration, January 22-March 22), Vine Street Embossing Folder (free during Sale-a-Bration, January 22-March 22), and Blessings from Heaven stamp set to create a cheery card for someone special. I added a few tiny hearts (from the Owl Builder Punch--so versatile!) so that it could have a Valentine greeting inside if you wish and totally transition into Valentine's Day. Or you can use this as an all-occasion card with the hearts signifying extra love and appreciation:)
We are at the beginning of 2013, and I challenge you to spread God's love this year via inspirational cards. Blessings from Heaven and Trust God rubberstamp sets both convey amazingly inspirational messages (as do many other Stampin' Up! stamps). And during Sale-a-Bration, you can get so many free products that you can easily and affordably gather enough supplies to make lots of people in your world feel special all year. You already think your loved ones are special. Let them know that in a meaningful way that continues to bring your love...through a handstamped card. When the phone calls and visits are over, or when the miles stretch so far that visits are much too infrequent, let your handstamped cards--with special inspirational messages--convey your love and care. As you remind them how much you care--and how much God loves them--you will bring encouragement to them again and again.
Stampin' Up! Supplies:
Stamps: Madison Avenue and Blessings from Heaven rubberstamp sets
Do you need to be reminded of God's great promises over your life? I do! I created a beautiful My Digital Studio Swatchbook, packed with Scripture, that is perfect for just that purpose! It's available to you for purchase for just $15.00 (including mailing) and has 13 pages, front and back, filled with Scriptures that are sure to lift you up, keep you on track, and remind you of God's great plan and promise for your life. I have carefully selected 26 Bible verses that you can run to when you need them.
These are fun little books, perfect for tucking into:
purses
lockers
desk drawers
kitchen drawers
backpacks
car
My Scripture Swatchbooks, created with My Digital Studio, are 5-1/2 x 3-1/4 and printed by Stampin' Up!'s professional print service. The pages are heavy, coated cardstock, and there is a clear plastic cover page on the front and back to keep the whole book protected. They make fabulous gifts, and the fun, fresh designs are perfect for any age. Teens love them, moms rely on them, grandmas treasure them. They make a perfect hostess or friendship gift!
Buy in multiples and save! Purchase now and stash them so you are never without the perfect gift! Giving them away is positively addicting!
$15.00 each
$60 for 5 swatchbooks
Bible verse selections are from both the Old and New Testaments and from a variety of versions. You will be inspired, encouraged, and empowered as you read them again and again.
This beautiful handmade Christmas card was created by one of my team members, Carolina Hinojosa. This was her swap at our November Southern Sweet Stampers meeting for my group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators. I love the way Carolina has taken bold, simple images and combined them with a combination of bright and soft colors resulting in a modern look for a classic handmade Christmas card.
The angel is a favorite image for Christian Christmas cards as angels figure prominently in the Story of the Nativity from start to finish. From an angel visiting Mary and then Joseph, an angel visiting the shepherds, and then an angel visiting the wise men--each time with important messages from God--you can see why angels are an important and popular Christmas image. Rejoicing With You rubberstamp set has the beautiful angel image pictured above as well as 3 beautiful scripture and inspirational sayings in elegant fonts. They can be used to create lovely handmade Christmas cards like Carolina's as well as gift tags, treat holders and even home decor items.
Making your own handmade, heartfelt creations during the holidays is a great way to express the love of God--as we give them away. Even as Jesus Christ is the gift of God to us, offering us eternal life and a relationship with our Heavenly Father, so we give gifts at Christmas as we celebrate His birth. Although people can get caught up in commercialism, the giving of gifts is a wonderful expression of love and appreciation. Gifts that you make with your hands and warm with your heart are gratifying to make and especially meaningful to give. I've provided a supply list below for everything used in Carolina's card in case you wish to duplicate it.
Stampin' Up! Supplies:
Stamps: Snow Swirled, Rejoicing With You Rubberstamp Sets
Ink: Real Red, Bashful Blue Classic Stampin' Pads
Paper: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White Cardstocks
Accessories: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals
All supplies are found in the main Stampin' Up! catalog. If you don't yet have your own copy, email me today and I'll send you one free of charge. It's a gift!
Evergreen rubberstamp set, from the Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog, is a perfect choice for handmade Christmas cards with an inspirational message. The entire first and second verses of Silent Night, that quintessential hymn of Christmas loved by all, are in a tree shaped rubberstamp image. How cool is that?!!!
I received this beautiful inspirational Christmas card as a swap when I was at the Hilton Head incentive trip for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, and I love it! This handmade card has lots of what I call "touchable texture" and I love it's combination of earthiness and beauty. All this loveliness was created by Cat Power.
For today's post, I want to share with you the supply list for this inspirational Christmas card--in case you want to reproduce it in part or in full.
Stampin' Up! supply list (*denotes Holiday Catalog item):
Stamps: *Evergreen rubberstamp set
Ink: Gumball Green, Summer Starfruit Classic, Soft Suede Stampin' Pads; Versa Mark Pad
Paper: Pool Party, Very Vanilla Crumb Cake Cardstocks; *Early Espresso Coredinations Cardstock
Accessories: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, *Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Pool Party Seam Binding Ribbon, Antique Brads, *Early Espresso Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Stamping Sponges, Vanilla Smooch Spritz, *Stampin' Sanding System, Anywhere Glue Sticks, Stampin' Dimensionals
As a Christian, Christmas is one of the most meaningful, special times of the year for me and my familt. As you celebrate the true meaning of the season, I hope you make some of your own inspirational Christmas cards...maybe even with the Evergreen rubberstamp set highlighting that silent night long ago that changed history and life on earth forever.
For Christian-themed cards for the holiday season,Beautiful Season rubberstamp set makes lovely handmade Christmas cards that hit all the right notes of classic Christian Christmas. I love all the "sentiments" or greetings in this Stampin' Up! rubberstamp set. With two inspirational greetings for cards plus a little label for gift giving, it's great value. I created the cards shown here for a Christmas Card Class earlier this year, using a classic color scheme (Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, and River Rock) to coordinate with the classic images.
The sentiment "May your season be blessed with all things bright and beautiful," calls to mind the lovely Anglican hymn "All Things Bright and Beautiful," extolling the wonders of God's creation. We spent 9 years in England, and our two older children attended a wonderful Church of England school for a few years. "All Things Bright and Beautiful" is a favorite hymn in the UK, particularly among children, and it brings back very fond memories for my family. Here are the charming lyrics:
Refrain
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings.
Refrain
The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly, And ordered their estate.
Refrain
The purple headed mountains, The river running by, The sunset and the morning That brightens up the sky.
Refrain
The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, He made them every one.
Refrain
The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water, To gather every day.
Refrain
He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well.
Refrain
I hope that you make some handmade Christmas cards this year to share with those you love. Consider using Beautiful Season rubberstamp set with its lovely, classic images and inspirational words. And I hope you enjoy the lyrics to the All Things Bright and Beautiful hymn, a true classic for any season.
Christmas is, above all, a truly Christian holiday. Its beauty is a reflection of its roots: the birth of Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world. May your Christmas season be blessed with all things bright and beautiful.
I am loving the First Christmas rubberstamp set for making inspirational Christmas cards! This is one of the designs for my upcoming Christmas Card Class: Stamp-a-Stack. It's a quick and easy design, perfect for making multiples. Personally, I mail and hand out lots of handmade Christmas cards, so I need quick and easy ones.
First Christmas rubberstamp set is versatile and easy to use. Here, I've created a super simple handmade Christmas card that evokes the simplicity of the very first Christmas. I love the Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Bashful Blue color scheme for its symbolism. The Crumb Cake and Early Espresso conjure up images of a humble stable full of animals. The Bashful Blue symbolizes heaven and the heaven-sent gift of Jesus Christ.
I also like the Window Frames framelit that gives the focal point a great geometric/architectural look. Its shape reminds me of a window from an early church building--perfect for my inspirational Christmas card.
Are you making your own handmade Christmas cards this year? I encourage you to do so! You will be so blessed by the creative process and love that goes into each handmade Christmas card. I like to pray for the people receiving the cards while I make them as well as praying that my card will help connect them to God. And giving/mailing the cards is fantastic as you send out that love! You will send handmade, heartfelt, prayerful Christmas greetings to the special people in your life. Give them love this Christmas with your own handmade creations! It is a wonderful expression of the true reason for the season of Christmas: Jesus Christ.
The simplicity and beauty of First Christmas rubberstamp set hits all the right notes of expressing the "reason for the season" aka what Christmas is all about. There are 4 simple stamps in the First Christmas rubberstamp set including the baby Jesus in the creche shown here, a lovely star, the sentiment shown here, and another that says, "This Christmas may you know Him more fully through the love and grace He so richly bestows."
On Sunday's I like to feature faith-based posts, inspirational posts, and the like. Sunday is the Lord's day, and I make it a practice to not offer anthing for sale on my blog except for charity, so you will find me featuring my stamp camps since they are charity events and actually benefit the Tower City Church Storehouse. And you will find handmade cards and other projects that are inspirational or can be used as such.
This lovely handmade card is one I actually received at a swap during Stampin' Up! Convention. When I first saw this rubberstamp set, I liked it but was not wowed by it. Well, it has really grown on me and is the set I'll be using for personal handmade Christmas cards this year. On the sample shown here, there's a little bit of "fancy" which, to me, depicts the royalty of Christ Jesus. But there's also a simplicity in the First Christmas rubberstamp set which depicts the lowly birth of Jesus Christ as well as the simplicity of the Gospel. That's a great combination for an inspirational Christmas card.
How about you? Are you planning to celebrate the upcoming holiday season to the full? When we lift up Jesus, the reason for the season, we don't get burned out from the holidays. We don't get caught up in materialism and meaninglessness. Jesus Christ is the center of Christmas, and as we honor Him, our celebrations are special and meaningful. After all, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ. As such, let's celebrate to the full! Handmade Christmas cards, gifts, lights, trees, festive parties, special times with friends and family...all because we are celebrating the birth of Jesus. He is so worth it!
I love all things Christmas, and Christmas Blessings rubberstamp set has lovely, classic Christmas images of poinsettias, misteltoe, and holly as well as Christian greetings of the season. This handmade card is a swap I received, and it's full of classic Christmas with its poinsettia and holly images and classic color scheme of Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler. Notice the pewter-embossed holly. It adds a nice touch of glimmer along with the Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details in the center of the poinsettias. Both those elements add a little shine while still keeping a subtle look overall. Although this handmade card is really lovely, it takes only minutes to make.
I love handmade cards at any time of year, but Christmas is really the pinnacle of handmade cards...and handmade gifts and goodies, too. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, what could be more appropriate than using our God-given creativity to bless those around us? Handmade gifts and cards enable us to say "You're special!" to those we know well and also to those that are on the periphery of our lives.
The people I most enjoy giving to during the holiday season are those that don't expect anything from me. For years, I have given homemade goodies to the garbagemen and postmen and others that do thankless jobs year round for me and my family. But I also enjoy giving handmade gifts to cranky neighbors (I don't have any at present:) and people that are not on good terms with me and/or my family for one reason or another. Forgiveness is God's way for us year-round. But at Christmas and the holiday season, it just seems particularly appropriate to give a tangible expression of forgiveness. It puts "feet to our prayers." Forgiveness is a choice not a feeling. After I have forgiven someone of a wrong, it takes forgiveness to another level when I pray for them and ask God to bless them. It takes forgiveness further still when I take/send a handmade card and/or gift to them.
I invite you to join me this Christmas season in using our God-given creativity to bless those around us. Let's give of ourselves and our substance to friend and foe. Let's do what Jesus has done for us--extend a hand of grace. Our tangible expressions of love and grace, handmade gifts and cards, express the true reason for the season: the love of Christ Jesus.
For today's Inspirational Sunday Post, I want to share this lovely handmade card featuring the First Christmas rubber stamp set from Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Catalog. I received this swap recently and love its simplicity that mirrors the simplicity of the true meaning of Christmas.
With an all-neutrals color scheme of Crumb Cake and Early Espressp and the touchable texture brought by the new Core'dinations Cardstock (sandable!) and Woodgrain Embossing Folder, I think it evokes the mood and feel of that First Christmas night in the stable in Bethlehem long ago.
Although there are many beautiful images associated with Christmas, the Christ Child in the Manger is where it all begins. Without Jesus Christ, there would be no Christmas! Startling to think about. What would our world be without Christmas? Both the holiday season and the coming of Christ?
Although there are people who struggle with sad feelings at Christmas brought about by the death of loved ones, memories of difficult life experiences, and more, the fact remains that there is a LOT of goodwill spread during the Christmas season. From the airwaves being filled with upbeat, happy music as well as lots of carols bringing the Word of God to our world via music, there is a positive atmosphere injected into our stores, homes, and cars. With the many holiday decorations in homes, front yards, shops, and public spaces, there is lots of bright color brought into our world...and nativity scenes again bringing the message of Jesus coming to earth to save mankind from its sinfulness. As people gather for holiday parties and family get-togethers, there are lots of celebrations that bring renewal of relationships. (Now, I'm not ignorant of the fact that there are also family explosions during the holidays--but they are not the norm. There are far more positive gatherings than angry ones.) All these expressions of cheer, good will, and just plain fun are brought about by Christmas--the holiday season birthed (!!!) by Jesus Christ.
As you think about the upcoming holiday season, consider reconnecting with the true meaning of Christmas. At Tower City Church (my home church where my husband is Pastor), we love celebrating the true meaning of Christmas and helping people connect with Jesus Christ and one another. Join us now and get ready for your best Christmas season ever...reveling in the true reason for the season:) Full details of our church may be found at towercitychurch.com.
This lovely framed papercrafting piece was in the Home Office of Stampin' Up!, at the desk of one of the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Support Staff. I call them often, so they felt like family to me when I was touring their offices and was so happy to put some of their faces with names. I was struck by the lovely papercrafting projects that decorated their individual spaces and was very taken with this one which celebrates family.
Family is God's idea. He created the first family on earth and has been encouraging family life ever since. My home church, Tower City Churchin San Antonio, recently hosted Vacation Bible School, and it was wonderful to see the many families coming through our doors with kids ready to learn more about the Bible. My husband Buddy Rattray is the pastor at Tower City Church and together, we taught a Parenting Class during VBS. That was an opportunity for parents to learn more about family life while their kids were in their Vacation Bible School classes. Our class was an open discussion format so questions could be asked freely. Normally when Pastor Buddy and I teach together, he is the teacher and I am the assistant. He does the teaching and I provide some commentary and additional examples. For the VBS Parenting Class, we switched roles, and it was great fun. There are no experts on the topic of parenting. Although there are tried, true, and timeless truths of parenting--which we taught--we are all very human, parenting very human children, and we don't always get it right.
We began our class with that premise, that we are all continually learning. Pastor Buddy and I have already raised our 3 kids and they are doing well in life and serving Jesus with a whole heart. As Christian parents, that is our goal. If our kids--at any age--will serve the Lord wholeheartedly, the rest comes into place. It's the order of God:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33
In our Parenting Class, we laughed, cried, learned, supported one another, and got fresh vision for the lifelong commitment to parenting God's way.
Learn more about the joys...and challenges... of family life and serving Jesus with a whole heart by visiting us at Tower City Church. Our fantastic children's ministry, led by amazing volunteers, will help you reach your family goals of unity, togetherness, and children and parents who love God. God is the author of family and His ways of doing family are the best. Let's work together and learn from one another. It's the way God intended it to be:)
Each year at the Stampin' Up! Convention, there is a theme song composed especially for Convention. The whole theme of Stampin' Up! this year, unveiled at the Leadership Conference in January is "My Way." The idea is that we each do our business "our way" which is unique to us and has a whole host of ways to be customized (just like our totally customizable Starter Kit for new Stampin' Up! Demonstrstors--check it out here and think about joining my team:) to fit our life. The theme for Convention 2012 was "I am..." which totally synced with "My Way." I loved it! As a very happy Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, I think it perfectly conveys what this stamping business is all about:)
Here's the song so you can share a bit of my Stampin' Up! Convention experience. Be inspired by the great lyrics and very catchy music. And get some of that God-given creativity unleashed in your life!
In trying to make sure I got the You Tube video in, I loaded it twice and can't seem to remove one! Oh, well, enjoy a double blessing today:)
Stampin' Up!'s Crosses of Hope stamp set has 3 different crosses, each lovely in its design, and the simple phrase "God bless you." These simple images and phrase lend themselves to a host of craft projects, and this photo is part of a Stampin' Up! Convention display that I was admiring in the Hispanic section.
Stampin' Up! has an entire catalog of Spanish stamps as well as full demonstrator support for Spanish speaking demonstrators. I loved the Hispanic displays at Stampin' Up! Convention with their strong themes of family celebrations and faith.
The lighting is not great on these cards (sorry!), but I thought they were excellent handmade cards and wanted to share them with you. My Spanish is very, very sketchy. But it's enough to make out that the card on the right is for a First Communion, and I'm not sure what the one on the left says. But I'm reminded again that although we may not share language, Christians share the love of Christ which knows no boundaries, and has ways of communication that stretch beyond words.
On Tuesday night, my husband and I (he is the senior pastor ofTower City Church) were privileged to host a group of Burmese Christians from the Zomi tribe. Dr. Chin Do Kham is our friend and wanted to gather with the Zomi of San Antonio while he was here for a short time. Thankfully, our church building was free, and so Buddy and I opened our building for them and got to sit in on their service. Although we do not share language (even though my Spanish is very sketchy, it helps me with my Spanish-speaking friends:), we do share the love of Christ. Several musicians were with Dr. Kham, and as they shared their music, singing of the wonders of the love of Jesus Christ, well...the language differences seemed to disappear.
Kim Pi gave her testimony of being one of 8 children. Her Christian father asked the Lord for a family, as a single man, pledging that he would teach them all music and they would share the Gospel through song. God gave him a wife and many children, and he taught them faithfully. They went from village to village, on foot, sharing the Gospel in song all along the way. Kim Pi shared that as a young girl, she was often hungry and tired as they traveled. Her father would put her on his back and carry her. As she grew up and her musical gifts became more apparent, she still traveled from village to village, singing for Jesus. Having earned her bachelor's degree in India, her dream was to study further in America. She was denied by immigration 8 times and told the Lord that she would be content to sing in the villages and jungles of Myanmar. But then the Lord opened the door for her to attend Oral Roberts University. She now sings in many places, in 8 languages (!!!), with the voice of an angel and the heart of a sold-out, born-again believer who has sacrificed much for her Lord. I was so touched by her story as well as her songs, delivered with great humility of spirit.
As I hugged her before she left, neither of us wanted to let go. The Love of Christ Jesus is a powerful force, connecting us together in ways that go beyond culture and language. It binds us together with glimpses of the joys of uninterrupted fellowship we will enjoy in eternity with the Lord Himself and with one another. Come share a bit of that fellowship with us when you are in the San Antonio area. Full information of Tower City Church is on our website towercitychurch.com, as well as some fantastic sermons that will feed your spirit and soul even as they teach you the ways of the Lord and encourage you in life. Thanks so much for stopping by today and allowing me to share with you:)
I recently found this Keep Calm and Carry On mug at my local discount store and was thrilled to snatch it up. Having spent 9 years in England and being a serious tea drinker, this is a perfect mug for me! I also thought it to be an excellent subject for today's Inspirational Sunday Post here on my stamping blog. You may wonder how this mug figures in to my stamping blog, but hold steady. I will reveal the connection!
First of all, let me extol the virtues of my mug. If you love tea, this is a perfect size for a nice, large "cuppa." I also much prefer the lip of my mug to be thin. China is wonderful, but porcelain and even glass are also nice when they are thin at the top. Personally, I don't think chunky mugs bring the most enjoyment to the tea drinking experience. I know--sounds picky. But if you really, really like tea, you are probably picky, too! Note: the tea in this photo is Mighty Leaf Organic African Nectar (rooibos)with a spot of soy milk added. I drank black tea for decades and dearly loved it in its many forms but mostly just really strong with plenty of milk. Then I encountered tummy problems, and the gastro-interologist restricted me from my favorite drink! Ugh! I discovered rooibos teas which are not actually teas at all and therefore do not have caffeine or acidity. For me, they are the perfect black tea substitute. Okay, so there is all the info about the actual mug as well as the tea in it. Now on to the Keep Calm and Carry On words and crown image!
This phrase "Keep Calm and Carry On" with its crown image was devised by the British government during World War II (1939) and made into posters. In the event of a German invasion, the posters would be displayed to encourage the Brits to just keep moving forward and all would be okay in the end. They were meant to boost morale. Thankfully, the Germans did not occupy Britain, so the posters were not used, and they were not seen by the public. The posters were simply archived and the crown copyright on the materials expired after 50 years. The posters were "discovered" in 2000 and copies were made public with some degree of popularity. Although the Keep Calm and Carry On phrase and crown became public doman, Mark Coop registered the domain name "keepcalmandcarryon.com" and is trying to copyright the phrase and image.
Stampin' Up! used this very popular image and saying, along with some other really cute sayings like "Keep Calm and Shop On," Keep Calm and Stamp On,"--my personal favorite--and "Keep Calm and Eat a Cupcake" in a hostess stamp set in the new catalog. Alas, it has been pulled from the shelves aka no longer available, due to copyright issues. Although there is loads of merchandise out there with the Keep Calm phrase and crown--everything from mugs (like mine:) to Tshirts to notepads to posters--the copyright issue is in the courts. And I can't imagine the guy getting exclusive rights to this as it has been very widely used--globally--but one never knows what will happen in the courts these days. So until it's resolved, and that could be years from now:(, the Stampin' Up! Carry On stamp set is no longer available. Sniff, sniff!
So how did all this make it into my Inspirational Sunday Post? Well, the British Government created this great poster with its succinct way of saying "It's going to be all right," and that is actually a very Biblical statement. Numerous times, God tells His people:
Fear not...
Do not be afraid...
Do not fear...
This is throughout the Bible, New Testament and Old Testament. God consistently delivers His message of "Fear not!" to His people. Although God never promises us a bed of roses or complete lack of trials and/or trouble, He does exhort us again and again to fear not! The reason we can "fear not" is because He promises to be with us...in the midst of the fearful circumstances. So whether we are in the midst of:
dire medical prognosis
rejection by family members
lost job
dwindling income
failing marriage
betrayal of friendship
earthquakes, fires, etc.
God will never leave His people! So now matter how terrible things may be around me, I do not need to be afraid. The Lord God, who made me and saved me by His grace, will keep me. I do not need to be afraid because He is with me. Because of this, I will "Keep Calm and Carry On." No matter what! If you don't yet have a church home, come see us at Tower City Church where the message of Keep Calm and Carry On is taught and lived out, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
For today's inspirational Sunday Post I'm sharing a sympathy card featuring simple, beautiful stamps and papers from Stampin' Up! I love the way Stampin' Up! gives us the latest and best in papercrafting to take care of all the creative needs I have, making it easy and enjoyable to create handmade cards to enrich, brighten, and even soothe my world. In a time of great loss when words seem so insufficient, I think a handmade sympathy card is one of the nicest things we can give someone. When the funeral is over and all the out-of-town guests have gone home, the card remains and can remind the person, again and again, how much they are loved, thought of, prayed for.
A dear friend of my family passed away about a month ago. To be honest, I started this blog post then, lost the whole thing, and didn't have the heart to write it out all over again. Pastor Dave Bell's sudden and early death has affected me--and my whole family--deeply. When Christians lose loved ones, we mourn. Yes, we understand they have gone to be with the Lord which far surpasses anything in this world and life. However, they leave a big hole in our lives. God has given us the ability to love deeply. This will result in grieving deeply as we process our own loss, miss the person we love, and draw near to the Lord who alone can soothe our soul. Grief is not to be avoided. It is a sign of great love. I mourn for Dave's sweet wife Jodi who has lost her soul-mate. I mourn for Dave's 5 sons who have lost their dad. But I also recognize afresh how precious life is and how much I need to make each day count...for Him.
Pastor Dave Bell, of Destiny Church here in San Antonio, was a gifted song writer, worship leader, and pastor. One of the great legacies he leaves behind are the many songs he wrote that help usher us into the presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord was Pastor Dave's passion, and he was a true spiritual and musical mentor to all three of my children (who are also all musicians). He left an indelible mark on them all. The Sunday after Pastor Dave's memorial service, my Timothy was leading worship and led all Dave Bell's songs. They were as relevant as ever, and our time before the Lord was especially moving and poignant. Worship is one of the few activities we do on earth that we will also do in heaven. On that Sunday, it was almost as if we were all still together, simply separated by a realm called earth, engaged in worshiping the Lord, the One who has saved us and is so very worthy of all our worship and praise.
Here's a link to some of Pastor Dave's worship songs, freely available on the internet: http://www.myspace.com/davebellrecords May they bring you into the presence of Jesus who alone is worthy of all praise and honor and who will touch your life as you worship. Such is the generosity of our Savior.
I received this beautiful handmade Mothers Day card last week, made by my very talented daughter Tiffany. The color combination in this card is especially pretty with a softness that is very modern. I will miss Peach Parfait as it is one of our retiring In Colors. The other retiring Stampin' Up! product on this card is the Eyelet Border punch. The designer paper is from this year's Sale-a-Bration--which means it was free!
I am so proud to be the mother of a daughter who is, herself, excelling as a mother! This is the way it is supposed to be but often is not. I can say, without reservation, that following the Lord Jesus Christ with a whole heart is what has made the difference for me and for Tiffany. We cannot do this with our own wisdom and our own strength. But the Lord will lead us, guide us, teach us, direct us, and love us all the way.
Mothers Day 2012 was a special day from start to finish! I actually began Mother's Day this year in the House of the Lord (church!) at Tower City Church--which is exactly where I wanted to be. That is my home church where my husband is the pastor. Worship was fantastic, and it was such a privilege for me to speak about motherhood from a biblical perspective. I did the preaching for Mothers Day! I may share a bit more about that in a post in a few weeks as I'm writing this late at night and need to get to bed. This is my Sunday Inspirational Post where I share a bit of my journey with the Lord as well as my creativity. I'd like to invite you to come visit us at Tower City Church...on the web if you don't live in San Antonio, and in person if you do!
My handmade Mother's Day card for this year uses the Stampin' Up! Retired List Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set. I have loved this rubber stamp set for its great versatility and incredible beauty. Here, I have used the large rose image as my focal point with the "watercolor spread" technique. This fun technique combines heat embossing with watercoloring for a fun, quick technique that produces unique roses. No two are alike...just like real roses!
As this is my inspirational Sunday post on this special day to honor Mothers, I was privileged to share the Word of God with my church family this morning at Tower City Church. I delivered a message on motherhood, looking at 3 mothers in the Bible: Eve, Deborah, and the Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15). God calls us as women to not only deliver and raise our own children but also to "spread our wings" over others around us. Deborah is called a "mother in Israel." She didn't actually birth all of Israel, but she acted as a mother in her community, seeing the potential in others and spurring them into their God-given destiny.
I thank God for my own mother today as well as the wonderful mother my daughter is to my grandchildren. But I also look beyond my natural family and thank God for the women who have modeled godly motherhood to me, some from afar, some by books they have written, all with great wisdom. And I look to reach beyond my own family (as precious and dear as they are) to affect and influence others for the Kingdom of God. Judges tells us that Deborah "arose as a mother in Israel." I arise in my calling to "mother" many by caring, loving, nurturing, encouraging, and praying--as only a mother can--for those God brings to me. Let us, as women, arise into the great destiny God has for us, and help many others come into theirs as well. God has a plan for my life and yours; it's a good plan. Let's share that good news--that He has a good plan for those around us, as well. And let's help them find it.
For today's Saturday Sample, here's an autumn flavored card featuring Bright Blessings wheel and the Leaves #2 Die. All month, I'm celebrating the Stampin' Up! Retired List by showing projects using Retired Products. These products are only available through May 31st, and some are only available while supplies last.
I have used Bright Blessings wheel and Leaves #2 Die together for soooo many Thanksgiving projects! They seem to just go together. From handmade cards like this to table favors to teacher gifts to centerpieces to placecards to scrapbook pages, the possibilities just keep going! But they are both incredibly versatile papercrafting tools on their own. I've made Inspirational cards with some of the many great sayings on the Bright Blessings wheel. I particularly like, "Blessings brighten when we count them" (because they do!) and "In everything give thanks" because it is a great snippet of scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And the Leaves #2 Die spans the seasons! I especially love to texture the leaves with an embossing folder - as shown above - and scatter them on a table or across scrapbook pages.
Here's the supply list for the handmade card above. All retiring products are denoted with an *
Stamps: *Bright Blessings wheel
Ink: Old Olive, So Saffron, Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pads
Paper: Old Olive, So Saffron, Cajun Craze Card Stocks; Regals Collection Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, *Leaves #2 Die, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Scallop Trim Border Punch, *Old Olive 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, SNAIL Adhesive
This handmade card was one of the many great projects featured in my rubber stamp clubs. Full information is here, and there is room at the table for you! Join us for monthly stamping fun:)
For today's Inspirational Sunday Post, I'm extending an invitation to you to come and stamp with me this Thursday, April 19th, at 7 p.m. We are making these clean and simple Mother's Day cards for the ladies at the Battered Women's Shelter here in San Antonio.
We aim to spread a bit of God's love and kindness to the ladies at the shelter by delivering handmade cards to them. Each card will have a handwritten message inside, letting them know someone is thinking of them on Mother's Day and acknowledging their bravery in seeking shelter from harm for themselves and/or their children. It takes a lot of courage to get out of a place where you are rejected, misused, abused, cast aside, endangered, and more. We want these ladies to know that they are being thought of.
RSVPs are not necessary but appreciated so that I can plan table space (email me!). We are making the clean and simple Mother's Day cards for 40 ladies. So there is plenty of stamping to do! I'm excited about using the God-given creativity He has given each of us to make something unique for these special ladies. We are not giving them something mass-produced in China. Rather, we are giving them something handmade, heartfelt, just for them.
For today's Inspirational Sunday Post, I'm showing a simple but lovely handmade Christmas tag. I love gift tags, and Christmas ones seem extra special with the many Christmas images we have to choose from in a never-ending array of new ideas, color schemes, designs, and shapes. This one was designed by one of my team members, Jamie Sanchez, and my team will be making this tag at our Christmas party tomorrow, and then my club members will all be making it at this month's club meetings as well. So this little tag will get lots of mileage! And that doesn't count the ones that will be on family Christmas gifts! The handmade Christmas tag below features the following supplies:
Stamps: Christmas Greetings set
Ink: Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper: Wild Wasabi Textured Card Stock, Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series Paper, Red Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, 3"Circle Die, Garden Green 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearls Basic Jewels, White Bakers Twine
Sometimes people get upset over the "commercialization" of Christmas. Personally, I love everything about Christmas and am thrilled to see so many decorations in neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, homes, etc. Christmas is a big deal and deserves a big celebration!
The Wise Men, or Magi, are part of the Christmas story. The Wise Men travelled from the East and brought gifts to Jesus. These were not small, inconsequential gifts--they were gifts befitting royalty. Jesus is the King of all Kings, and the Wise Men honored Him accordingly. This is where our tradition of gift-giving at Christmas originates. And I make no apologies for giving gifts at Christmas. In fact, as our children were growing up, we made sure there were loads of gifts under the tree! They weren't expensive--finances were extremely tight. I wrapped up everything that didn't move and made gifts out of a single pair of children's socks, a new pack of pencils for school work, hand-me-down clothes, simple hair ribbons, homemade clothing (I made a simple blouse for my mother-in-law one Christmas that she wore for over 20 years!). We only gave gifts to our children on birthdays and Christmas when they were growing up, and we didn't buy clothes before the school year, so these life occasions were a big deal in our home. They were the only times my kids got anything new, so the anticipation was incredible, and the actual events even better:)
Now that our kids are grown, Christmas is still a really big deal in my family. Gift-giving is still very special for us and still quite economical although finances aren't quite as tight as they were when our kids were small. The excitement of choosing something for a loved one, wrapping it up pretty, and watching them open it under the tree on Christmas Eve doesn't get old. We take turns going around the room and watch each person open their gifts so that we can all share the joy together. It's fun, it's special, and it all began with Jesus. Not only did He receive gifts, He gave gifts. But I'll save that topic for another blog post!
Make some handmade Christmas tags for your gifts this year to make them extra-special. Handmade, heartfelt at Christmas.
For today's Inspirational Sunday Post, here's a handmade card featuring the lovely Nature Walk stamp set from the All Natural section of the Idea Book and Catalog (made by one of my swapping buddies, Cathy Somody). This timeless design and color scheme make for a classic look and a delightful way to give thanks. At this time of year, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, we are all thinking about giving thanks.
Giving thanks is a foundational part of our spiritual life and has benefits for anyone and everyone who engages in it. We teach our children, from a young age, to say "please" and "thank you." This is not mere manners (although manners are important). It is the beginning of teaching our children to give thanks, to look beyond themselves, and to acknowlege that they have been given something. It starts with simple, tangible things like offering thanks for a cookie or cup of juice. As our children mature, they give thanks for bigger things like Christmas gifts, music lessons, and more. And as they (and we) mature, we look beyond the material and give thanks for people--our treasured relationships, kindness and love expressed, sunny days, fireside chats, game night with the family, beautiful flowers, and so much more. We ALL have much to be thankful for. Let's give thanks to those we love. Let them know how much they mean to us. Let's give thanks to our neighbors and friends. Let them know we appreciate them. And most important of all, let's give thanks to God who makes it all possible.
As you give thanks, consider giving handmade cards like this (made with Nature Walk stamp set) with a simple message of "Thanks so much." They are a great way to make your thanks "last." Long after your words have been uttered and you are no longer standing near the person you are thanking, your handmade card will continue to convey your message of thanks.
For today's inspirational Sunday post, I'm sharing this lovely card--made by Yvonne Newton--featuring The Sounding Joy stamp set. What a gorgeous stamp set for inspirational Christmas cards! You can make quick and easy cards like this in no time at all with minimum stamping supplies. It's easy on your time and easy on your budget--a winning combination:)
Don't you love the way the words to this ever-popular Christmas carol are nestled into the star?! The name of the stamp set, The Sounding Joy, comes from the refrain of the second verse of this very famous carol, and Stampin' Up! managed to squeeze the first and second verses into the star image.
What a fantastic way to spread the joy of Christmas! This handmade Christmas card conveys, not only the words of a Christmas carol, but the essential message of Christmas. "Let earth receive her King!"
Are you making your Christmas cards this year? If not, why not? If the answer is you don't know how, call me at 210-355-5729. I'll help you get on the road of making handmade cards. You will know double joy as you create beautiful cards like this, enjoying your God-given creativity, and then see the incredible joy people experience as they receive your handmade Christmas cards. They are handmade and heartfelt: what could be more appropriate for Christmas:)
