I’m WONDERSTRUCK - a new bible study by Margaret Feinberg

My friend, Margaret Feinberg, has a new book and 7-session Bible Study called Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God  (releasing Christmas Day)—a personal invitation for you to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life. Wonderstruck will help you:

· Recognize the presence of God in the midst of your routine

· Unearth extraordinary moments on ordinary days

· Develop a renewed passion for God

· Identify what’s holding you back in prayer

· Discover joy in knowing you’re wildly loved

To learn more, watch the Wonderstruck Video, here: https://vimeo.com/53953257

I’ve had the privilege to delve into the first part of Wonderstruck so far and it has stirred me.  I’ve been so busy that I admit at times I’ve allowed familiarity stand between myself and the AWESOMENESS of God.  I hope you might consider pre-ordering Wonderstruck in anticipation of this being a very important gift you give … yourself!

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Craft Sale update & a Pretty FREE Paper and Lace Christmas Tree Template

I’m SO GLAD to be back here and blogging, I’ve really missed sharing my little corner of the world with YOU! 

If you’re a regular visitor here then you know I’ve had my head in a creative cloud in preparation for the two craft sales I take part in here in beautiful Osoyoos BC.  How I wish you could all get sucked through the airwaves to visit my craft table this coming weekend, we would have a grand time talking about making lovely things and DIY. 

Before I go a step further, I have to stop and say how utterly blessed and grateful I feel to be able to use my talents and gifts to bring joy to others (and a little additional income into our home) while doing something I’m passionate about. 

As I was working on some of my crafts, my thoughts were drawn to Irene, my friend (and church family with me from Osoyoos Christian Centre)  who is on a mission of her heart over in Africa near Kampala and is doing the very things I am doing and yet teaching marginalized women how to do this to earn a living.  Irene inspires me because she has health issues of her own to contend with, she often is not well at all - yet she felt called by God to meet this challenge. 

She is teaching women how to sew crafts.  This is an excerpt from her last communication:

“After the first week of being very ill, I am now working hard.  I have had to go around all over the place looking for supplies.  The traffic in Kampala is a grid lock nightmare.  What could take 15 minutes at one Rona store there can take all day long to get here.  Something as simple as sewing needles are hard to find. 

I finally got all the things we need and have started to work.  At the end of each session all the supplies are hidden so no one can steal it. 

I am so blessed by the mainly Christian population.  People are very friendly.  FRIENDS, not THINGS are the treasure people have here.  Even though most are so poor, people still take in those worse off than themselves and just pray and trust God to provide for them all. 

What you have here, you share.  For me, that means giving and giving and giving more.  God has given me grace and this is what a person in missions is called to do.  It is hard work but God is faithful to provide the grace.” 

So, as I host my own craft sales here, I’m donating a percentage of my profits to Irene’s missions and my Mr. is meeting my donation as well.   Can you please pray for Irene as she carries this good work on?

If you live anywhere nearby - the next craft sale is the Kiwanas at the Legion in Osoyoos BC - directly next to the Canada Post building.  The sale runs from 9 - 3.  A portion of the proceeds the Kiwanas charge for table space goes to the local food bank.  This sale coincides with the Osoyoos Festival Society’s Light Up - so lots going on.  You can click HERE to see the pdf poster about all the festivities!

 

 

The first craft sale took place this past Saturday at CASI (the local senior’s centre) here in Osoyoos. 

I’m going to share out photos over the coming days of some of the items I’ve made for the sales.  Today I am featuring my Christmas Tree Cone project which I’m providing as a FREE template so might make one too! 

Pretty Paper and Lace Christmas Tree

 

Supplies:

Designer Paper -

My Mind’s Eye -  Kraft Fun Day - Happy Days “Icing” Paper (stars and cone)

Trimcraft UK - Boho Chic by Kristin Cronin Barrow (trunk)

Glitter Paper - forevermore (stars)

vintage buttons

lace

random ribbon

paper tube (could be paper towel, I used one from the vinyl I order)

 

Method:

I have supplied YOU the free file for the cut for this tree - also a printable one in pdf.  With the cut I’ve given for Cameo and Silhouette sd you will get a perfect size tree to perch on a regular paper towel roll - (cut down of course to the size of “trunk” you desire”  If you use the pdf printable one then you will have to trim out your tree first and then see how big of a trunk you desire and go accordingly. 

I ♥ the designer papers I used here.  The My Mind’s Eye Kraft papers are very toothy and vintage look and perfect to make new projects yet appear vintage.  I cut the tree shape and then thats when the fun starts.  I chose to SEW my lace right onto the cone shape, its easy to put it where I want it.  You could also hot glue the lace on too, I suppose.  My auntie gave me a BIG BIN of lace and I dive into it without having to wonder! 

 

 

After sewing, I folded the cone and glued it into shape.  Next I added the thinner ribbon on, here and there using a hot glue gun.  Next, and again with glue gun, affixed the vintage buttons and the little stars which I had punched out of glitter paper.  I cut a larger star from the My Minds Eye paper, added a small glitter star in the middle for a tree topper.  I did doubles of it, glued them back to back with a stick pin inside and then pushed that through the top with a dash of glue at the bottom to anchor it. 

Lastly, once my tree was trimmed, I eye measured the trunk and used my rotary cutter (you could use a ruler and exacto) to cover the trunk with paper.  I was SO EXCITED to use some of my dear friend Kristin’s REAL paper - like printed out designer paper, from her Boho Chic line.  I have an entire pad, I’ve already completed another upcycle DIY item I created in the near future.  This wood grain look was ideal, ya think?

So, without further ado - here is this oh so fun Christmas Tree project FOR YOU!  Go forth and make trees.  I’d ♥ to see what your trees turn out like! 

 

 

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One Snowflake - Two Cards, FREEBIE, An Honourable Mention, and a GIANT Rolling Pin!

Hello, anybody still out here?  If you’ve had  your nose pressed against my window you’d think I was an elf in a festive workshop because I’ve been working from sun up to sun down on crafts crafts CRAFTS! 

Let me clarify something - there has been no “sun up” and “sun down” because it has been dull, bluh, yuk outdoors.  I’m not complaining, every time I look out at YOU through the window I am grateful to be all cozied indoors with too much to do. 

And every hour I say,

Noting my step in bliss,

That I have known no day,

In all my life like this.

~ Robert Bridges

Before I go on I want to say THANKS to the  “Always Playing with Paper” blog gals who awarded me and Honourable Mention for my snowman card in a recent post which I entered into their Merry Monday Challenge.  I’ve placed my badge in my sidebar and wear it with pride!

And and AND I have to show you what I found at my favourite store, the thrift.  One can find the most unique and fun items there. 

Yes, the metal one.  It towers over my regular rolling pin.  I know I KNOW - its ridiculous big, must be a commercial item.  Its very lightweight and wieldy.  I carried it around the store six loops and could not let it go, even had it been just for conversation sake. 

IT WORKS!

I made my Mr a pie.  THIS pie in fact, a delicious concoction of lemon and butter and fresh apple-y goodness.  My Mr picked these gargantuan Granny Smith apples up special for it. 

Lastly, last bit of chatter here:

PET

I’ve mentioned its brrrr… well. 

This poor lil critter was paralysed by the frigid clime and sat just outside the door looking at us EVERY time we came in from outside. I felt sorry for it.  Now that’s normal.  I tend to think of it as a female nurture thing.  But then, my Mr and I were talking about it and he said he felt sorry for the fly.  So it’s our pet, for as long as it can survive.  Have YOU ever had a strange pet?

Some of my projects are going to remain top-secret for now - I’m shy and also want to see what works and does not.  My first sale will be held Saturday, November 24th at CASI (senior’s center) 17 Park Place here in Osoyoos.  The sale will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and I hope to see you there!  There will be crafts, baking, art, jewellery and good food!  Call 250-495-6925 if you need more info!

At any rate, I made a couple of cards recently using just one cut file of a snowflake.  Here are the two different versions:

can you see the SPARKLE paper under here?

I used some elegant patterned designer paper under this one. Basically I created the file to be a “face” for the card with the snowflake shape punched out.  Very simple!  I embossed the cut after to have a pebbly, hopefully suggestive of snow, appearance.

So, after this I was left with the positive shape of the snowflake so I made another design using it, too!

Shhh don’t tell, this tinsel was something left over from a pretty Easter basket our daughter gave us.  I could never throw it away, glad I did not now. 

I used  a random Designer paper and once again used the embossing folder.  I used glue dots to hold this snowflake in place nicely.  I said BEHAVE snowflake!

So here are the files for you to download and cut for your own pretty cards:

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Remembering - November 11

I don’t know what you went through,

Or what you’re going through yet,

But I know it bought my freedom,

And I shall not forget.

LISTEN UP - a FREEBIE, vintage gramophone silhouette for YOU!

Moving right along with new creations for my upcoming craft sales I’m going with whatever hits my brain at any particular moment.

I got it in my head I wanted a vintage gramophone for a card design.  I located a nice gramophone silhouette at an online store but it was for personal use only and I need it to be on cards that I’m selling so I had to go hunt down my own photo on the internet, bring it into my vector program and trace and tweak it.  So I figure, if I’m going through all this work it might be a blessing to YOU too.  I’m putting this out here as a personal use element but if you would like to use it for craft sales or commercial, you just need to contact me and we can discuss that. 

I was tickled that my sister Nina said she’d also give my file a “test run” so we are both posting today so check her version out HERE. 

I wanted this to be suitable for masculine or feminine so i felt the canvas background is masculine, yet the lace softens it.  I made a batch of four and I already have one picked out for someone dear to me and I went ahead and added some stamped flowers on the top left and again bottom right.

 

And I love to get my hands on a vintage typewriter and tap out my greetings.  I put these on a nice hand-made paper. 

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Thanks for visiting, your support of my blog and creations and leaving a comment!

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Merry Monday # 40 Card

I have been resisting making festive cards this year - I’m not quite sure why but all of a sudden I find myself in the mood so here am I, taking part in the oh-so-fun Merry Monday Challenge hosted by the Always Playing with Paper website

Merry Monday Challenge #40

SKETCH:

MY CARD:

I couldn’t resist using this fun Wal-Mart Stamp,  from the Holiday Stamp Set which was one of the FIRST stamps I ever got as a gift from my sister Nina who lured me into the world of card-making.  I used Wonder&Wishes Designer Paper by Little Yellow Bicycle - and then I used some transparency paper I was given on the other side, because it supplied a “third” different panel without taking away from the nice pattern.

I stamped this guy onto a nice piece of 140 lb Arches watercolour paper.  Using quality paper makes for the wonderful way the paint applies.

 

I painted with pearlescent paints for the body and background and used regular watercolour paints for all other sections.  I added interest and elevation to the card by applying black gems as coal “buttons” on Mr. Snowman’s body.

Thanks for visiting!

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Happy Birthday to my Sister, Winner (signature sheet) and a FREEBIE!

 

 

Beautiful Patchwork of Autumn Orchards and Vineyards

Happy Birthday wishes go out to my sister Nina (Nov 6th in case its a miracle and I get to publish this a day early)  I ♥ you - you’re the whole reason I’m dreaming up all these creative things!  I hope you have a fan-tabulous (not AWESOME) day. I encourage you to jump over and visit Nina as her birthday is the reason I’m giving away a fun FREEBIE today! 

Congrats to Sandi who is the winner of a custom design for her own signature “stamps” which she can print and cut from her Silhouette software!  Please email me, Sandi and we can talk about the specifics.  Sorry it took me an extra week to draw names but I was healing up from oh - so - sore ribs (don’t feel sorry for me, horsing around with my Mr!)  and then it was also his birthday so…

I have been whipping up new ideas for the upcoming craft fairs - end of this month, beginning of the next and there are no holds barred!  I’m working primarily with paper and fabric for my projects and today I’m going to share my paper earrings and also give the pattern away AND the backing card.  I think many of you will REALLY appreciate the backing card for gifts this Christmas!  I will be making more backings, ones which can accommodate necklaces and I will post these as well, when I’m done.

I

Paper Earrings

I bought a few “cards” of stud earrings recently on sale and I’d set them aside thinking they might come in handy for a project.  It hit me yesterday - Paper Earrings.  Granted these earrings are on the “fragile” side - there are ways I am going to experiment in the future with various shellacs or sprays, but for now they are more on the “wearable art” side and will be sold with a warning to handle gently. 

I basically chose a double sided paper to match the stud and then cut both the flowers and card with the same paper.  It works out beautifully that the paper and earrings complement each other.  I bet you’ll make some wonderful “jewels” too.

But the part I’m most of all excited about is making the actual card for them to be displayed on.  I eyeballed the original package they came on and then modified what I saw to fit how I’d like to display these.  I included three sets of earring holes and you can also loop a necklace through the “flaps” if you wish. I hope you have fun!

Jewellery Display Card

You’re free to use this file for ANYTHING just don’t redistribute it as your own please - I will put it in the FREE Studio files Tab for always and ever if you should need.  Please send folks here to download for themselves.

PS - thanks for all of you who’ve left me ♥ comments ♥ on my Ge.tt files

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