Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving with a little card I made a while back... actually I think it was at a class my sis, SU demo, taught.

My hubby & I are heading to the "Thumb" tomorrow morning to be with my family & some of his family for Thanksgiving... it should be a good day... at least that is what we are believing!!! *Ü*

On Saturday I will be attending a holiday gift class that my sis is having... I am really looking forward to that... you should check out her blog & her SU website.

But for now... thanks for stopping in ... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Snowflakes...

I came across this neat site from Amazing Paper Grace... it is called Popular Front where you can create your own snowflake in honor of someone or just for fun... you should go there & try it... like Becca said it can be addictive.

I am off today to volunteer in the church office... I will try to stop by later.

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

testing...testing...

I have been having so much trouble with my uploading, so I wanted to see if it would finally work... I don't know what changed... I messed with my security settings so I don't know if that had something to do with it or not.
Anyway, here is a little bookmark I made for our ladies ministry at church... it is just a handmade, little something extra to go with the small birthday gifts... I always want to do something handmade because all our ladies are so special... I am thankful I have the chance to work on the gifts for NOFL.

OK, here goes lets see if it stays when I post!!!!
with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Sorry the pics not the best! I used CS: bliss blue, chocolate chip, very vanilla; ink: bliss blue, versa mark; gold embossing powder, gold 3/4" ribbon; stamps: SU Baroque Motifs, So Many Scallops; punches: scallop circle, 5 petal.

blog trouble

I am sorry for the problem I am having with my uploading of pics right now... I have no idea what the problem is... if anybody can help I would appreciate the info.

even so with a grateFUL HEART, carin

thankful monday (part 2)...

It was a fabulous weekend... we had plenty of snow last week and it is starting again... but that is OK! Here is a pretty, snowy pic taken of a poor little tree in our yard.

It is "thankful monday" so here is a thought I want to share with you today:

“Thank God for His power to do all things according to His purpose, and ask Him to give you the faith to accept His control over every aspect of your life."

I have so much to be thankful for... but am I always thankful for when things don't go the way I want them to???... I'm sure I am not the only one that struggles with this... why do we struggle so when we find out we are not in control, but Someone else is in control?

Anyway, I have so many "deep, meaningful" things I am thankful for... but today what I am really thankful for is God giving me a sense of humor... He knew that somedays that would be what helps me keep my sanity!!! *Ü* Now, it is your turn... what light-hearted thing are you thankful for today?

Oh yeah, I am also thankful that you stopped in to visit today... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Love Dare...

I have been having some problems with getting my pics to upload onto my blog... hopefully the problem has been resolved.

I made this notebook for my hubby... he likes to take notes in church so I thought it was a thoughtful gift. We (my hubby & me) started the book "Love Dare" from the movie Fireproof... it is a 40 day challenge to love each other more in new ways... so on day 3 we were to give our spouse a little something just to let them know you are thinking about them... so this was my lil' something for him. He brought me candy... just what I don't need but really appreciate.

Daring to love & be loved is why I have a grateFUL HEART, carin

just a note

Here is a box with note cards I made for a gift... I saw the card idea somewhere, but can't remember where.

I have been trying to get creative but sometimes it is hard for me to get started... thanks for stopping.

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

thankful monday...

Can you believe Thanksgiving is only 10 days away???? Since there is only 2 Mondays left before Thanksgiving Day... I decided to make them "thankful mondays"... I am going to list a few things I am thankful for... will you do the same???

I am thankful for my husband, my family, my wonderful friends, God's provision... I am even thankful for losing my job, because that has given me time to help out with our ladies ministry at church & volunteer in the church office... that is it for today. NOW-- it is your turn... share with me on this "thankful monday".

Here is a little turkey I did with my punches... I saw him on another blog (don't remember where), but I made my own adaptions... I think he is cute!

Oh, one more for today... I am thankful for my blog reading friends too!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

FUN! FUN! FUN!!!!!

We made it back from Chicago last night around 11:30... we had so much FUN... at least I did. I am exhausted, but it is a good exhaustion. My sis, Chele, took some pics but she never put them on my computer before she left to go home... so here is a picture that sums up one of my fav foods I had in the Windy City... The Cheesecake Factory's Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple... what more do I need to say????? It was heavenly... did I savor it... what a treat! I only had 1 piece not the whole cake!

Here is the wrap-up... Filene's Basement, American Girl Place, Macy's, Coach, Borders, Crate & Barrel, Disney Store, Debevic's restaurant, Cheesecake Factory, Rain Forest Cafe... and that was just on Thursday! On Friday we went to Ikea... oh my goodness... that was my first-time there & it is sooooo overwhelming... but I loved it... could I ever get into trouble there!!!! Then we spent the rest of the day at Woodfield Mall... my sisters & I were so tired from walking that we did very little shopping at the mall, but that was OK... I had a great time with them & I hope they did with me. They behaved themselves so I don't have to tell Mom on them!!!

Thankful for the getaway, but am thankful to be home-- with a grateFUL HEART, carin

look out Chicago...

here we come... yes, I am heading to Chicago for an over-nite shopping trip with a group of ladies from my church... we are taking a chartered bus & we head out tomorrow morning at 5 a.m.... YES... I said 5 A.M.!!!! I am sleepy just thinking about it... but I am really excited... I have never been to Chicago... unless landing at the airport or driving through as fast as possible to get away from the traffic counts! We will be in downtown Chicago for most of the day tomorrow... we are staying in Schaumburg & then going to Woodfield Mall & Ikea on Friday. I really don't have any mullah to spend but I am going just for the fun & fellowship... oh yeah, and my two sisters are coming up to go with me... so it will be a "sista thing"... hopefully no fights breakout & no one is arrested... just kiddin'???? *Ü* No, it will be great! My sister, Michele (we call her Chele) works like a dog at a day spa & she rarely takes any time off... so I want this to be good for her & my other sis, Renee (we call her Na) too!

Well, got to go... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

ribbon bookmark...

Here is a bookmark I tried... I saw the tutorial video here... I thought it was a neat idea... I think it turned out okay for my first try... what do you think?

We have "Night Out for Ladies" (NOFL) at church tonight... I take care of the gifts for birthdays & first-time visitors... Ella, a lady from our church, is the guest speaker tonight, so I made this bookmark to give to her along with a couple books from our bookstore at church... I wanted to add a little personal touch to her gift of appreciation. I am so looking forward to NOFL & especially hearing Ella's message.

better get moving... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

snowy sunday...

YES! it has been a snowy Sunday... nothing accumulating but it has snowed all day... we woke up this morning to snow covered rooftops... what a surprise! It was a good day though... good church, good people, good message... what more could you ask for... oh yeah, good nap!!!!

It honor of the flakes today... I tried my hand at one of these snowflakes... I saw it on my sister's blog... I know mine isn't as good as hers, but she is a professional *Ü*

My hubby & I went to see "Fireproof" yesterday... it finally came to our local theater... it has a wonderful message & I am so thrilled that there are people who care enough about families to make this kind of a film. It made us both just appreciate each other all the more.

Time for "Amazing Race", so with a grateFUL HEART, carin

simple bookmarks...

It has been a busy week & it isn't over with yet... but it is a good busy for the most part... only small doses of housework. I have been volunteering as receptionist at our church on Thursdays... it is a good thing... it is what I love doing & besides it makes me feel useful... feeling useful is also a good thing... am I sounding like Martha Stewart? *Ü* My hubby & I have "small group" for church tonight & tomorrow night we start taking dance class again... ok, don't laugh too hard... it is line dancing, swing dancing & all that stuff... we took a couple classes last winter & we both really enjoyed it, but what a workout... hope I can keep up!

Anyway, I have been working on a couple projects that I have to do in multiples... so here are some bookmarks I have been doing... I just got this Ps. 37:4 stamp from Verve & I really like it, but it is my first time using acrylic stamps... still getting use to it. Love that verse! What do you think? It is very simple because I need to do so many... but I think it turned out ok.

Will get to more stamping... hopefully tomorrow... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

calling on your vote for righteousness...

I usually try to keep my blog more fun... but as a Christian sometimes I just need to share things that hopefully will impact others lives... a friend sent this video clip to me this morning & I knew I just had to pass it on. Some things in life are just too important to ignore... I feel this election is one of those things... in this video clip it says it just like I have been feeling but didn't have the words to express that. When it comes to voting... pretty much politicians are politicians... the economy is up... the economy is down... unemployment is up... unemployment is down... no matter who is in office things are always changing... but as a "Christian Nation" how can we expect God's blessing on us when we aren't voting for righteousness... I'm not saying either presidential candidate is more righteous than the other, but what I am saying is that we need to look at what each candidate stands for or better yet what they stand against. Where do they stand on the one & only living God that this country was founded on? Where do they stand on the sanctity of life of an unborn child? Where do they stand on keeping marriage in a traditional state? These are the real issues as the video shows... my question to you is where do you stand on these very very important issues... it doesn't matter if you are democrat or republican... the real question is are you on the side of righteousness????

I am sorry if I have offended anyone with what I have to say... maybe it is not me offending you but Someone trying to reach out to you... think about it.

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

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