dragonfly...

Happy Sunday...the sun has just broken through the dark clouds left from last night's rain.  I can feel it's warmth as I sit here at my computer reflecting on Pastor's message from this morning.  It was aptly titled..."Yeah, but", so perfect for the situation I am struggling with.  That fine line between grace and enabling someone you love.   Enough said...

These cards were made for this challenge over at Taylored Expression called Dragonfly.  Please click over and read the whole story but in short the cards will be donated to families who have lost a child during delivery or in the early stages of life.  The dragonfly is the symbol of hope for those families as they struggle and grieve.

The cards are based on the sketch provided over at the Taylored Expressions blog...our only restriction was that they must include a dragonfly.  Luckily I had a couple of Unity stamps with dragonflies...the sentiments are Papertrey Ink.

I wish you could see them in real life...they all have a touch of glitter in the dragonfly wings.  I really like the effect of the Webster's paper on this last one.  I think the font on the sentiment couldn't be more perfect and the words...Faith, Hope, Love...I added the rest of the verse... and the greatest of these is love...on the inside.  My hope and prayer is that the dear parent's who receive them will find all three in Jesus Christ as they walk through this unimagineable trial.

Blessings,

Patty

kiss...

Like a lot of you, masculine cards are not easy for me, I am definitely into girly, vintage embellishments.   With that said...Valentines Day is the holiday of love and I do love my hubby and I want to give him a card that I've made since it's what I love to do.  When I saw the challenge sketch for CPS 153 this week I had no idea what direction it would take me but I think as it turned out, this is the perfect card for my husband...

The paper is Bo Bunny Love Bandit (how perfect is that, since he stole my heart), the buttons are from PTI 's Vintage button Holiday Collection mix, the ribbon is PTI Berry Sorbet, the hearts are Martha Stewart and yes mom, I meant to sew crooked like that...

Are you ready for Valentines Day?

XXOO's

Patty

surrender... (D)

My devotional for this year is Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest. It is a wonderful, old classic book just full of wisdom and spiritual truths. Right now he is talking about surrendering all to give your utmost to Jesus. He says it takes..."a surrender of will...without reasoning, just out of pure obedience...shut out every other consideration...not the good of others, not the pain or sacrifice, not the embarrassment...only my utmost for His highest." So that has become my word for this year...Surrender...of my children...my grandchildren...my husband...my parents health...my finances...my very life.

"For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And trust that my life will bring honor to Christ whether I live or die." Philippians 1:20


Something sweet and full of love...
The beautiful image on this card is from Heartwarming Vintage...the paper is by Pink Paislee...the cute pick is from Michael's...the flower is EK Success and the ribbon is PTI.

I've read somewhere that envelopes are highly overrated and since my cards keep getting thicker and thicker I can certainly see why. Guess this will just have to be hand delivered!

Blessings,
Patty

making spirits bright...

I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic tonight...Every year the holiday season comes with so much anticipation and expectation. I always envision slowing down and really enjoying every aspect of the Christmas season...then life rushes in and somehow those plans seem to get steamrolled over and replaced by the hustle, bustle and chaos of the everyday.

Sometimes my life seems as busy as these little mice, scurrying from here to there...

I guess it's not too late to slow down...to enjoy a quiet evening...to sip hot chocolate...to bake a batch or two of cookies...to curl up with my favorite movie...to start a new book...to browse through a magazine.

Well...a girl can dream can't she.

Blessings,

Patty

pretty please...

just because...

get comfy, rest and get better...

happy birthday...

thanks for all you do...


Thanks for stopping by my blog. When I began this site a few months ago, I wasn't sure if anyone would ever visit. It's reassuring to know you're out there...

I just came home from my Women's bible study and I can't tell you how special my table ladies are to me. Some of us have been together a long time and have been through the highs and lows that life brings. We have also been joined this year by new ladies and time is revealing to us why God has placed them at our table. It amazes me how He weaves together such diverse women with so much in common. What a blessing it is to have such a support and accountablity system in place. I am really looking forward to studying and growing with these women this year.

It's getting late, so I am off to bed...

Blessings,

Patty

The cards I posted tonight came together easily because of the beautiful paper from My Mind's Eye - Pretty Please. The stamps are from Papertrey Ink, Karen Lockhart, Unity and G Studio, the buttons are vintage from PTI, colored with copics and distressed with rose coral chalkbox ink.

If you're here from the Gratitude Hop, your next stop is Pam Speidel at http://smileycollector.blogspot.com/ ...enjoy.

autumn blessings... {D}

the buttons...

vintage autumn blessings

boo...

I found these great vintage buttons in historic downtown Temecula, CA. Each one is different, each unique and that's what I love about them. I love that about people, too. Each of us, with all our quirks and insecurities, is different with a story to tell as to why we are the way we are.

I watched Gran Torino last night with my husband. It was a movie that was hard for me to sit through because as my husband says, I don't like to see things that are too real. I would rather not see that a darker world exists. It is one of those movies that sticks with you, I can't stop thinking about it. It's a world foreign from mine and yet, the family ties, the love, the loyalty, are the same.

I find myself this morning thankful to God for a safe place to live and raise children and thankful for a heart that longs to make a difference even if it's just one life at a time.

Psalm 86:11 says, "Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death."

What are God's ways? What does his truth say? We are to love Him and to love one another... We are to put other's needs above our own... We are to show others the love of Christ. We can't do that, if we don't venture out of our comfort zone and trust him to show us the way.

How does that look for me? I come before God and ask him to show me some way, each day, how I am ignorant to someone else's struggle. How can I make a difference for them, right now? Whether it be a kind word, a meal to eat or an ear that will listen. There are hurting people out there living in a too real world. I know I will be held accountable for having eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear. Thankfully, we have a merciful God and he gives us today to make a difference. Forgetting the missed opportunities of yesterday, I want to live according to his truth, today.

Blessings,

Patty

The cards are made with My Mind's Eye paper, Papertrey Ink sentiment and crafty secret flowers plus some really cool vintage buttons!