Happy Birthday to me...

It is my birthday today... it has been a fantastic day... I am sooooo blessed! My day started with my sweet, adorable hubby bringing me breakfast in bed... awwwww... isn't he so sweet! Then 3 of my phenomenal friends invited me for lunch... we ate "El fresco"... good food... good conversation... lots of laughs! Thanks Barb, Deb & Sharon! Then I got to spend the rest of the afternoon with another fabulous friend... making plans for our Stampin' Up party we are having together... eating ice cream... gabbing a little... ok a lot. Thanks Ruth! I love all you ladies! I had phone call birthday wishes from my parents & big sis. All kinds of birthday wishes from my facebook friends. Two ladies sang Happy Birthday to me tonight at church. Then we went to a Mexican restaurant for fried ice cream with more friends to end my day! See I told you I am blessed!

So to get to the card I made for myself... well, kind of, but I will be giving it to someone else. That is me... I am the angel! Do you see the resemblance???

It is past my bedtime... better wrap this up! Oh, BTW my hubby gave me a beautiful card that made me cry... he does that on purpose... he is disappointed if he gives me a card that doesn't make me cry. It is pretty easy since I am a cry-baby!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Have patience... have patience...

Here is the card from yesterday's post... don't know what my problem is with uploading a pic... I am learning patience!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Serene Scenery...

We had a great 4th of July weekend... hope you all did too! It was just relaxing... spent time together with family & good friends. My parents came on Thursday & left this afternoon... it was a good visit... BTW - I beat my mom at Scrabble... she won the last time we played so it was my turn! *Ü*

I came across a new blog... new to me anyway... it is called Scenes by Sandy... she has some beautiful creations on her blog... she is very talented! I attempted to case a card she did... of course I used SU inks (Apricot Appeal, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Perfect Plum) & the stamps I used were SU "Organic Grace," "Fantastic Foliage," & "God's Beauty." The CS was basic black, white, really rust. The way the brayer blends the colors... I find it to be serene looking.

Do you ever have days where you can't quite focus? Those days when everything seems to be piling up and you just go from one thing to the next, but never get anything accomplished???

"We don't look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen." II Cor. 4:18

This verse spoke to me today... about focusing on eternal things, not focusing on temporary things. I know we can't just ignore bills, phone calls, laundry, screaming kids... but focusing on God will make our hearts joyful... I know it may not change our circumstances, but it can change our attitude. And I can honestly say... I could use an attitude adjustment right about now! How about you???

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Blog Candy...

You can find some blog candy from Mary at Primitive Seasons... congrat Mary!

Let Freedom Ring...

Just wanted to wish everyone a great 4th of July!

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I was thinking this morning how blessed I am to live in this country... it is not perfect, but I am so thankful for the life God has given me here in the USA!

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My prayer is that our nation will turn back to our roots which started with "In God We Trust"... it needs to start in each one of our homes... stand for what is right & righteous in God's eyes. Our government can only be as strong as we the people are... I came across this quote in my quiet-time "Freedom doesn't give us the right to do what we please, but to do what pleases God!"

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"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;" Psalm 33:12

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be blessed through the rest of your weekend, with a grateFUL HEART, carin

God Bless America...

Just a quick post to share a couple projects... I finally took the time to do a little stamping today... yeah!!! So in honor of the up-coming 4th of July weekend I did a little experiment with an old SU stamp, "God Bless America"... I did a little brayering (if that is a word?), some sponging, some embossing... and viola! The colors I used were Baja Breeze, Ruby Red, Not Quite Navy, Really Rust... what do you think... I am so critical of myself when I try something new.

My other little project is a bookmark (ok Captain Obvious!)... my sister, Renee, that is the SU demo got us a bunch of bookmark sleeves to share so I thought I would give it a try. I used some generic dp along with Blush Blossom & Ruby Red. I used the "Flight of the Butterfly" once again... there is stickles on there too, but you can't see it in the pic.

That's it for today... do you all have any plans for the 4th... food, fireworks & fun??? It is cool & rainy here in Michigan, but I know that is going to change.

Be blessed! with a grateFUL HEART, carin

God's Beauty... really!

I have bunches to share with you today... I am getting back into the swing of things... hope I don't over-due it with this one post! *Ü* First, I have a card I tried to case, well kind of, from Michelle at Freedom in Creating... I just love her stuff... the miracles she does with a Versa Mark... WOW!

My card is okay... still not too sure. What do you think? Once again the stamp is SU's God's Beauty.Then next... here is a pic of the ink pad/marker holder my dad made for me... I told him what I wanted & he did it just like I wanted... it is great having a daddy that is so handy! If you might be interested in one for yourself... I think I could arrange it... he can do them to accommodate any number of pads, markers & ink refills. I think I may paint mine white... haven't decided.

During my quiet time this morning I came across these verses... I am sure I have read them a million times before (well, ok not an actual million, but you get the idea!). Anyway, I was thinking how blessed I am to have grown up in a Christian home... I was taught from birth what it was to be a follower of Christ... in fact I was 2 days old the first time I went to church. I thank God for my parents & that He placed me in this family... where could I have ended up if that wasn't the case????

"Listen, my son/daughter, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck." Proverbs 1:8-9

The part of these verses that really jumped out at me was "will be a garland to grace your head & a chain to adorn your neck"... I have to question myself... am I wearing what is gracing my head & adorning my neck as a good representative of what I have been taught????

Recently, Pastor Chris (that is the senior pastor at RLC) gave us a 90-day challenge... the challenge was to wear a bracelet that says, "AM I HONORING GOD?"... for those 90 days we are to see what a difference it makes in us. We are now at day - 20 & it does make a difference... it is a visual reminder of what I am doing to represent Christ in this world. How about you would you take the challenge... would it make a difference in your life, when you are in a hurry & you get behind the lady with 50 coupons at the grocery store... when your kids are getting on your last nerve... when your husband doesn't get home when he says he will... when someone hurts your feelings... when someone makes you mad... listen I am "stepping on my own toes" here too... does it/would it make a difference? Just something to think about.

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The last thing I just had to share today are these gorgeous pictures my hubby took of the sunset looking off our patio... no I did not doctor these pictures... that is truly God's beauty!

This one looks like angel wings with that little puffy cloud being a halo... can you see it or am I totally bonkers????

have a great day... with a grateFUL HEART, carin