what's happening...

First things first... last Wed. was my hubby's birthday... I meant to post a Happy Birthday to him but I missed out... so HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY my sweet, sweet hubby!

I have been terrible lately about blogging... I let myself be too busy & then I miss out on posting another day. My parents have been here visiting since Thursday & they went home today... we had a great time... they hadn't been here to stay since August... too much time in between for me... I love them so much... not only that, but I appreciate them too!

While my mom was here we did a little playing with my Cricut Expression... as you can see I cut out some vinyl to decorate my machine... first attempt at vinyl... tuned out OK... love that little birdie... too cute! I realize these boxes I made are nothing too fabulous but I had fun just messing around... after all "it's just paper"! This little heart box is just about the right size for a Hershey's kiss or two... wouldn't you like a little treat for Valentine's Day???

While my parents were visiting I really didn't get too much work done around here... now back to reality... all the FUN that goes with that.

I feel like I need to share something else today... it was something I needed & maybe someone else that reads this needs it also... I came across this devotional today by "accident" it is called This Little Light of Mine and if you click on that link you will be blessed... I guarantee it. As a Christian I know I am always to be a good example of Christ... this just proves that we can have an impact on people that we may not even know about... but God does.

“You are the light of the world. . . . Let your light shine before men.” Matthew 5:14-16

Blessings to you... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

The more things change...

It is Sunday evening... it has been a good day... woke up to (what a surprise!) SNOW!... but the sun was shining today too... it all balances itself out. Really, I don't mind the snow... it is pretty... but I do need the sun... can't handle too many gloomy, gray days!

I haven't been doing much stamping the last few weeks... but thought I would share something I did make this week... I had the idea for this necklace, but finally got the right stuff to make it... I think it turned out pretty good... it is kind of hard to see it clearly in a picture... what do you think? I love the little butterfly hanging from the bottom. The butterfly -- beauty, new life, resurrection, transformation... that is what I see when I look at a butterfly... a stamp set I received for Christmas has a stamp that says, "if nothing ever changed there would be no butterflies"... I have always fought against change... I always wanted to be sure & safe & comfortable... but in the last few years... I have had to get out of my shell, or rather cocoon, & do some major changing... I am now thankful for change... although my first instinct is still to run from it... but I try not to. Right now, our pastor is doing a series of sermons called "Change or Die" -- it is how that no matter what you are going to change... human life can never stay the same... you will either keep changing for the better or you will change for the worse. Think of how you have to purposely change your life for the better... but changing for the worse comes so easy... you don't even have to try... the lack of trying will move all of us in the negative direction.

Sorry, got a little deep on change... I do have a question for you though... what are one or two things you have done to change for the positive in your life in the last year??? One fun thing that Luke & I have done is to take dance class from a sweet couple at our church... we have learned line dancing & right now we are learning how to do the East Coast Swing... I love to watch people do that... I am sure we don't look like they do, but at least we are trying... now it's your turn to share.

Thanks for spending a little time with me... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Award for me????

It has been a busy couple of weeks... I am hoping to get back to regular postings... Marlene gave me this sweet award a few days ago... it is so nice to know somebody is reading my babblings... the very cool thing about Marlene is that she lives in Beijing... I know I am soooo low-tech... but I still find it amazing that I, a country girl from Michigan can have blog friends in China... and what is even cooler than that is that she is a sister in Christ... thank you Marlene for honoring me... her comment about my blog was "she loves to share"... yes, that is true I love to share... probably more than I should sometimes... my initials should be T.M.I. *Ü*

Award "rules":
1. I have to nominate another 5 bloggers that I really love to visit their blog.
2. Put the logo in my blog and link to the person who gave me this award.

Ok here comes my list:
1) Julee at Poetic Artistry -- I know she gets many viewers already but I just think her blog is so heartwarming.
2) Deann at The Little Inker! -- she has great ideas & her blog is so neat.
3) Silvia at Mabie Stampin' -- it is just a wonderful blog... check it out!
4) Becca at Amazing Paper Grace -- I know she probably gets a million awards... but her creations are just too beautiful.

and last, but definitely not least
5) Renee at Rubber Stampin' Ramblings -- yes, she is my sis... but she has a "swell" blog, no, seriously her blog was what inspired me to start mine.

So check out these lovely ladies blogs... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

He calls me beautiful...

It has been a few days since I last posted... ok, more than a few... but today I will show you what I have been doing with my time for the last week or more. First of all I have to tell you that my hubby surprised me with a Cricut Expression for Christmas... he is such a sweetheart!... which led me to "project butterfly" for our January Night Out For Ladies at church... so I started cutting 324 butterflies... in 3 sizes... 1 1/2, 2 1/4, & 3 1/2 inch & in four colors.

As you can see in these 2 pics three double sided butterflies were put on wires... three single sided butterflies were "perched" in the tulle around the vase... also each butterfly was accented with diamond stickles... I thought it gave it a little extra touch... the pics don't do the arrangements justice... This pic shows how pretty it looked with the candles lit The message for the night was "He Calls Me Beautiful"... the scripture that was used was Psalm 45: 11 "The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord. "

Beth, our senior pastor's assistant, was the speaker... she did a great job of sharing her heart... what God put on her heart... I am sure there were many lives touched last night... a lot of work goes into our monthly Night Out for Ladies... but if just one soul is changed... it is worth it 100 times over.

There are many days I am sure every woman doesn't feel beautiful... but if you are a daughter of the King... you are always beautiful to Him because He made you... He knows your heart... besides there can't be any ugly princesses! *Ü* Enough for now... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Blog Candy of the Heart...

Valentine Blog Candy until January 15 at Stamps, Paper, Scissors & Donkey Smiles - love that name... check it out!

I will be back later to post something else too, but until then, with a grateFUL HEART, carin

2009... Season of Change

First I want to share a card with you... I got 4 new stamp sets for Christmas... too cool!... and Seasons of Friendship was one of them... I just love that set... I also included the butterfly from Flight of the Butterfly which I also got for Christmas... I know it is a very simple card, but I liked the way it turned out... groovy guava & baja breeze were my colors along with chocolate chip.

Happy New Year! How was your celebration or was it a celebration? I have in the past looked at the new year starting as a way of looking back at all I failed to do in the previous year... that was definitely a different time in my life... I no longer look back to see what I didn't accomplish but I try to enthusiastically look forward to see where my path may lead... you never know what great things maybe waiting around the next corner. "2008" was a great year for us all the way around... physically, emotionally, spiritually... the only glitch was losing my job, but we are surviving & we are so thankful for God's provision. Plus, I am getting to do so many things for the ministry of the church that I would never had the time to do... oh what I would be missing!

Yesterday I was reading in Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

It goes on to explain all the "seasons" of life, but verse 6 just jumped out at me... "A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;" That is how I want to start my year off... realize that life keeps going & changing... there will always be loss in life, but from that loss I need to be able to find the good to come... I better be ready to accept it & roll with the punches... I need to keep growing & changing or I will become stale & sad... I do know for sure that no matter the season of my life I need to keep trusting God... and all He is really asking from me is an open, willing heart and a good attitude.

Just as the winter turns to spring,

Our lives have changing seasons too;

So when a gloomy forecast comes,

Remember -- God has plans for you. - Sper

with a grateFUL HEART, carin