Thinking of You

Good Morning! Well, it's the end of September and we are still experiencing temperatures in the 90's. Cadie is still swimming with her friend "Big Haley" every afternoon. Cadie is 3 and Big Haley is having her 7th birthday party tomorrow, hence the name Big Haley! I have been busy at my crafting table. This is a busy week, Hostess club Tuesday and Fall sleep over Friday and Saturday. We have 19 ladies attending sleepover this year. I can't wait. It will be a blast and the weather is suppose to be perfect. A little cooler and maybe some rain! Lord, we need some rain.

Sticking with the Fall theme colored cards I have a really simple but pretty card to share with you today. Again, I'm using the Autumn Days stamp set #115452). It is just perfect for this time of year. The cardstock is More Mustard, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Very Vanilla. Inks are the same colors, except no Vanilla and I used a Pumpkin Pie marker to highlight the pheasant. The Rich Razzleberry piece is stamped with the oak leaf from this set in the same color. This is another great masculine card. Happy Birthday or some other saying could be used in place of Thinking of You. Well, it's that time again, gotta go. Live passionately today, bless those around you and then you will be truely blessed.

Fall Color challenge

I participated in a Chat and Challenge with the Sudsol yahoo group last night. It was my first to attend (online). It was really cool. The challenge was fall colors and ovals. I choose More Mustard, Rich Razzleberry, and Old Olive. The stamp set is Autumn Days. The wheat is stamped in the background with versamark and the pheasant with Rich Razzleberry. I think this makes a great masculine card. Hope you like it. Gotta go. Live passionately today, be blessed and bless someone else.

Passion 101

The Oxford American Dictionary defines passion as "strong emotion, great enthusiasm for something". The Bible says in Psalm 38:9 (NLT) "You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh." Why is this even important? We are often motivated by our passions, whatever they are. It is important to understand how our passions affect us and how we can use those passions to achieve all God has for us. In my part of the country people are passionate about Football! It dominates most conversations during the season. Much money is spend on tickets, tailgating, apparel, and a host of other stuff to support the team. People go crazy over football. I like football okay, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over a lost game, coach, or player. I tried to make a list of the things that really bring out strong emotions in me, good and bad. It really all boils down to relationships. My relationship with Jesus Christ, my personal Savior, my husband, my children, other family members, friends and even customers from my Stampin' Up! business are what motivate me the most and most often control my decisions. My business does allow me to focus on my other relationships. It offers me the flexibility to put first things first. I love to stamp! It is relaxing and invigorating at the same time. I really love to get comments on the cards I send and to know I touched someone else with a word of encouragement wrapped in a little card I made. I have been very blessed with new relationships and really good friends I would not have met if it hadn't been for my stamping business. For this I am very thankful. One of our Stamp sets that I love is named Inspired by Nature. I used it this week to create this card as a reminder to live each day with passion for the things that are truly important to me. This card is for you, my customers, family and friends. Thank you for your love and support for growing my business and blessing my life.

Supplies: cardstock Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, and Natural White Ink: Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede, Always, Artichoke, Chocolate Chip Stamp Set: Inspired by Nature Technique: sponging background, large flower stamped and then colored with Chocolate Chip marker

Isn't my new signature great! Michelle Laycock of Laycock Designs made it for me. I just love it! I'm telling yall I'm gettin' fancy! Tomorrow we will start to explore the word of the week, so stay tuned, til then be blessed and go bless those around you.

testing the automated siggy

Write your post here!

Passion

The word for this week is going to be Passion. Hummmm, what's that all about you wonder? Well come back during the week and find out! What is your passion? Do you know? How does Passion affect our lives?

I'm on a Roll!

Two days in a row, that hasn't happened in a while. While it is 90 something degrees outside, it is fall and Christmas is 98 days away. So, I'm sitting in my bathing suit creating Christmas cards. Sweet, wonderful Hubby had to go to the office today, so I am alone in the house which doesn't happen very often. I have been looking on the web at several different sites were stampers go to post there creative ideas and others can leave comments. I have some cards on these sites. The statistics tell you how many times your card has been viewed and marked as a favorite by some unknown stamper friend. What struck me today was how excited I got when someone let a small encouraging comment! What I also noticed was several cards that had been viewed alot of times and even placed in a number of "favorites", but no one let a single comment. It was a great reminder to me that I need to be an encourager for someone everyday! Just a kind word goes so far to lift another persons spirit or mood. Who do I encourage each day and who encourages me? Do I appreciate these people? DH and I live alone now. All the kids are "on their own", so Tombo is the person I try to really encourage everyday. He has a difficult job like many people, and doesn't necessarily get a lot of encouraging words at work, but I can change his mood fast when he comes home by just thanking him or encouraging him, his work is not in vain. Another great way for a stampaholic is to send CARDS! Don't you love to get snail mail that is happy? Whose day can you brighten this week by sending a great, made by you card?

The card I am sharing with you today is made out of Night of Navy and Sahara Sand, using the Come to Bethlehem stamp set. This is a great stamp set. It has everything you need for wonderful Christmas cards in this one set. I stamped the image in Night of Navy and sponged around the top note die with Cajun Craze and Daffodil Delight. The wording is in Night of Navy and punched out with the modern label punch and a little piece of ribbon added in the top corner. Simple, yet really striking I think. I hope you like it and it inspires you to create your own special Christmas card. If you need help just drop me an email. Now, be blessed and go bless someone else today.