Coffee Lover's Hop!

Hello, Sweet Friends!  It's the Coffee Lover's Fall/Winter Hop and of course, I wanted to play along!

Mine is a simple one layer card that uses masking and a bunch of goodies from Sweet N Sassy Stamps.

I started by stamping the layered cups from Special Blend and then masked them off to add a few more layers of texturing stamps from:  Texture Tiles 1, Texture Tiles 3 and Women of Praise (hearts).

I created a few embellished hearts using Bottom of My Heart and stapled them on to the base for just a little more texture.  The cute little xoxo sentiment is also from Bottom of My Heart.  Now is the time to get this set!  It's on super sale and will only be around for a little while longer. I adore it and use so often! 

Using distress inks, I shaded the kraft card stock for an overall shabby look, and boom!  All finished.

Enjoy!  Jane

I got crafty with: 

The Rules of Love...

We had a new preacher on Sunday who preached a great message and totally inspired my time in the Word.  I don't often find myself in Deuteronomy, but here is where I have dwelt so far this week.  Deuteronomy 6:1-7:

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, ² that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. ³ Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

I work with a lot of kids who struggle to follow rules, struggle to understand the point behind many rules and in general find themselves wandering in one desert after another desperately trying to find their way.  They need leading, but like the rest of us stubborn humans, leading is the last thing they seem able to seek, let alone accept.  

Rules {commands} are all about God's desire to remain in relationship with His children.  His law teaches us how to stay with Him.....how, blessedly simple is that?  His law is about His affection for us! I get that....because in my humanly parental heart, I know what it feels like to want my child to stay...to share who they are, to talk to me, to seek my counsel, to allow me to tend their pain and share their joy....no matter how old they get.  I want them to stay.  God wants me to stay.  He wants you to stay.

Hopin' to touch some hearts with this perspective and simple truth.....

I have to add a quick little note about my bible journal page, too!  I {heart} the way it turned out!  I used three different alphabet stamp sets from Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps:  Shake It Off Caps and Lowercase and Outline Alpha.  I also used a few other sets for accents:  Stand Tall and Bottom of My Heart.  I stamped everything and then masked off some of the accents and the Outline Alpha letters.  I used post-it notes because I don't have a better idea...it's kind of putzy, but I like that (especially while watching the Packer game....I need my coping skills!).  After everything was masked off, I applied four different colors of Ranger Distress Inks.  To finish things off, I added a page marker, some white signa pen outlines and a little bit of sparkle.  Don't you love that sweet little birdie?? (Stand Tall)

Be Blessed--Jane

Celebrate You....

Right up front, I want to apologize for this photo.  I've really been struggling with my lighting lately, but I didn't want to try to reshoot because I am just SO excited about the new alphabet stamps from Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps! Did I mention there's an ALPHABET special right now until the December 15th!!?  Check it out, you won't be sorry!

Also a struggle for me, cards for boys--am I right?  I always think mine are too fru fru (yes, a very acceptable technical term....) My brother's birthday happens this month (maybe, it's even today!!!)  I wanted to make his birthday card unique by combining some favorite colors and using the new Shake It Off Caps alphabet set.

I started by custom creating a stamp pad using felt and a few reinkers.  I brought out my highly hoarded and protected Cool Caribbean and Kiwi Kiss reinkers.  These are two of my all time favorite Stampin' Up! colors, long retired...but still alive in the Studio!  I even have the card stock to match!!

After stamping the "YOU", I added the rest of the sentiment using Keep In Touch, Too and a heart embellishment using Bottom of My Heart and matching dies (retired).  And, I even got out my little Janome sewing machine for a little extra touch.

I love it!  TTFN, Jane

Be A Daymaker.....

Happy Wednesday, Sweet Friends!  Today is Sweet N Sassy Stamps day here on my blog.  I'm so glad you decided to stop by!  Sweet N Sassy Stamps is moving and shaking--I'm sure you aren't going to want to miss any of the upcoming goodies, so be sure to stay tuned!

I want to bend your ear just a little bit about being a Daymaker today!  Read this story; it touched my heart.  It was written by David Wagner--the founder of the Daymaker Movement:

"It only takes a moment to make someone's day - to become a Daymaker. Sometimes those moments even change lives as I discovered a number of years ago. I was working in my salon one day when a client came in to have her hair styled. I was surprised to see her since it was right in the middle of her five-week period between haircuts. I figured that she must have an important social engagement, so I asked her about her evening plans.

"I don't have anything special going on," she told me. "I just want to look and feel good tonight."
I gave her a great scalp massage, then shampooed and styled her hair. During our 30 minutes together, we joked and laughed. At the end, she smiled radiantly, hugging me goodbye.

A few days later I received a letter from this client and began to realize the enormous potential of Daymaking. My client admitted that she had wanted her hair styled so it would look good for her own funeral. She had planned to commit suicide that evening. But the wonderful time she had during our appointment had given her hope that things could get better. She decided to check herself into the hospital and get professional help. She thanked me for caring, even though I hadn't known what she was going through. She wrote "thank you for being there without knowing that you were."

You can read and learn more about the Daymaker movement here.  I interact in my world, under this philosophy, often.  My kids often comment when I start a conversation with someone in the grocery store..."do you know that person, mom?"  Usually, I don't.  You just never know when a smile or a kindness will transform someone else's day.

I like to use my art to reach out, too!  The above project was completed using Sweet N Sassy Stamp's Bottom of My Heart stamps and dies.  I cut two differently sized circles from both the base and card front then pieced it all together using baker's twine and die cuts.  It's a fun card sure to brighten someone's day!

What will you do to be a Daymaker today?
Be Awesome!  Jane

I got crafty with: