Amazing Grace

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice

over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult

over you with loud singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

How sweet is that?  Our Father sings over us? I've been exploring different techniques and hand lettering for my bible journaling.  It's definitely a learning process.  One of the things I'm learning or trying to learn is to be gentle with myself.  My letters aren't perfect.  The color technique didn't turn out like I wanted....on and on.  So easy to criticize and frustrate myself.  I need to remember that it is an offering, as is and just be sure my heart is rightly focused on Him. 

I love the song How Sweet the Sound by Citizen Way.  The verses of the song remind us that His grace is amazing..."amazing grace, how sweet the sound, it covers every part of me.  I once was lost, now I'm found.  It's a beautiful sound."

It makes me think of the times when I would of sing with, to and over my own children.  I couldn't resist adding the sweet silhouetted images from Happy Together and Sweet N Sassy Stamps at the bottom of the pages.  Just picture it--it's how He sees us!  

I tried my hand at some lettering....I need more practice, but it's a fun challenge--especially to find a style of my own.  I also added color with distress inks and the watercolor smoosh technique--not sure if that is an actual technique name or not.   I added inks to my nonstick kraft sheet, spritzed with water and dipped the pages.  It's definitely something you need to have an open mind about as it's hard to control for a specific outcome.  It's good for me as I then have to work with what I have rather than what I wanted.....kind of like life--you know?

I used several other Sweet N Sassy sets to complete the layout:  Borders and Backgrounds, Words of Life-Collection 1, Choose Faith and Note This. 

It's a beautiful sound......grace.....

Be Amazing--Jane

I got crafty with:

Heart & Soul

Today, I am wishing a Happy Birthday to my sweet friend, Korin!  She IS Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps and today is her day!!

Korin has a heart for God that inspires me.  In her honor, I created this page in my new bible journal.  It's a brand new creative process for me--one that Korin has encouraged with her amazing Creative Worship line, her words of encouragement and her generous sharing of her own art and learning process.

As I began my creative process for this page, I poured over the words found in 1 Chronicles.  This particular portion starts, "set your heart and soul to seek the Lord your God..." 1 Chronicles 22:19 (My ESV actually says "set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God..." however, the heart and soul wording from another translation really resonated with me.  Therefore, I'm using it all!)

I find art to be much like music for me....it meets me in a place where I cannot articulate sentences or words, even, to describe my experience.  To be truthful, sometimes, it's just a project or just a song, but other times, it feels transforming and like another form of worship.  A wordless way to meet my God and feel His strength, comfort and love.

I'm so grateful to know Korin and to be able to work, learn and worship with her.  Happy Birthday, Sweet Friend!  I wish you a year of health, restoration and the desires of your heart!

Seek....and, find......
Jane

If you are curious to know what stamps I used, I got crafty with:

Splendiferous

It's Monday again.  Spring Break is over.  Vacation is over.  If ever there were a reason for a cheerful project and flowers, this is it!!  I'm brakin' for I Brake For Stamps, today--thanks for joining me!!

This easy card features a background created by some tone on tone stamping using my favorite daisy/cone flower set, Floral Half Sheet 148B.  The tone on tone created the perfect backdrop for the focal flowers.  Truthfully, I have no idea what kind of flowers those are....they look like daisies to me.  I'm a crafty girl, but not so much with the growing of plants or naming nature things...LOL!

My focal flowers were stamped and water colored, then trimmed and adhered to the background.  I added a strip of patterned paper and also tore the top of the card stock for some added texture.  Easy peasy, just like monday morning......

If you are looking to purchase your own naturey things to make some super cool projects, stop on over at the I Brake For Stamps store and be sure to use my coupon code for some cool savings:  SAVE10JANE.

Be awesome!  TTFN, Jane