Keep Me Planted...

Hello, Sweet Friends!!

I've just started reading in the Psalms.  Right out of the gate, we are encouraged and instructed!  Oh, that I should be like a tree.....

Blessed is the man....

...but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

Anticipating that I would be in the Psalms soon (I'm reading cover to cover), I ordered this Scripture Journal.  I'm not sure why, but it was a little daunting to get going in it!  It's such a beautiful book!

I hemmed and hawed for a few days and then finally just dove in!  To complete this layout, I used stamps from Sweet N Sassy Stamps and distress inks.  I used Scene Silhouettes: Trees--I was so nervous to stamp that tree, but it turned out great!!  I inked the whole image with a green colored distress ink and then used a dark brown distress marker to go over the trunk and branches.  I also used Skinny Caps Alphabet, Skinny Lowercase Alphabet and Typewriter Blocks Alphabet.

The month has come to a close--can you believe it, already!!  That means......it's the last day to qualify for the beautiful stamp of the month, Made New. 

It also means....it's just about release time!!  Stay tuned! 

TTFN
Jane
If you're placing an order, use promo code JANE10 for 10% off your order of $10 or more. 👍

Love Others

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.....God is love....In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 7-11

Beloved.  If God loved us so much, we ought to love one another.

My kids' schools sponsor a kindness initiative every year.  My son is currently sporting an armful of kindness bracelets he has earned.  At school, there are positive statements on their walls and their lips. They are doing a great job!!  I have great faith in my God that his purposes will be realized both through the direct speaking of His Word in a variety of places and in less obvious ways.  I believe the initiatives of the world, in the pubic schools and other secular places, will also point to Him whether it is realized or not :)  His plans are perfect; he purposes it all.

I was inspired by a bible journaled page created by Haley Tyron on one of my facebook groups.  She had created a lovely page with a rainbow of watercolored hearts.  I immediately thought of Forever & Always from Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps--the perfect stamp set for this page for those of us who are drawing impaired!  I added the side sentiments using Send Me.  It took me longer to catalog my distress inks (a long overdue project) than it did to finish this page.  If you are looking to add to your stamp collection and shopping SNSS, you can also SAVE by using my code JANE10. 

More than anything, I wish you a day of love.  And one anothers.  :)
TTFN, Jane

Eclectic Scripture Book

Y'all!!!  Every once in a while, I get super excited about a project (okay.....it happens a lot!)  This one just has me grinning from ear to ear!!

I made this little eclectic book of scripture for a friend of mine as a source of encouragement and support.  She's got a big heart and a tough job, and, well......who couldn't use a little joy and support?

Each page contains stamps from Sweet N Sassy Stamps (I'll list them all at the end of the post), stitching, bible pages and a scripture verse printed onto card stock.  There are pockets, tags and pages of different sizes.  I used my Bind-It-All to add the coil binding to pull it all together!

This house page was created with Heartfelt Warmth from Unity Stamp Co.

Stamps from Sweet N Sassy Stamps:  Forever & Always, Happy Together, Wood Backgrounds, Teacup Roses, I Am Loved, Nature Silhouettes, Go God's Way. 

This was super fun to create--I'm already planning my next one.  In fact, I"m rather obsessed.  But, it's a good obsessed--you know?

TTFN--Jane

His Love...

I'm going to say it.......I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day.  It's just a day.  I mean, it's super fun when you are a kid--you decorate that fabulous box for all your school buddies to stuff full of candy and cards, make some heart themed art, and maybe even make googly eyes at that cute boy in your class.....but, it's just a day.  Am I sounding too jaded? 

This is probably the most unpopular post of the day...lol!

What I AM a big fan of is the Father's amazing and overwhelming love for us!  I've been doing the #recklessloveofgodchallenge @christianresourceproject and, I'm telling you, It. Is. Amazing!!  I could share tons of verses, but am sticking with two that I've recently been meditating on from the study:

1 John 4:10 "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

1 John 4:19 "We love because he first loved us." 

Truly, His banner over us is love!  I've made a few projects with stamps from Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps to share for today.  The card above features His Love, Texture Tiles 1 and Typewriter Block Alphabet.  

My next project is a 3 x 3 canvas I made for a sweet, brave, special friend of mine.  It also features His Love.

My last project is a simple card I created for a very good friend.  It features His Love along with  a split panel and recessed sentiment.  

Whether you are a big fan or a not so much fan of the Love Holiday, I wish you love today and tomorrow, and all the days after that!

TTFN Jane 

My Boast...

Today I'm sharing a Bible journaling layout I created recently---I haven't art-ed in my Bible in quite a while and it sure felt good! 

My sweet friend, Deirdre (IG @mercies_journaled) issued an IG challenge to journal Psalm 34.  It's an amazing book full of the sweetness of God with something for everyone!  If you join in, please use #ps34journalingchallenge

If you read my "no longer" post, and know nothing else about me, I am still sure it is easy for you to understand why my boast is in the Lord!  I sought the Lord and  He answered me!  I will praise His name for as long as I have breath in me.  And, then, I will praise Him FACE to FACE for all eternity!!  Glorious Day!

Won't you join in this challenge, too?  You'll find me on IG @stampymom5

To create my layout, I began by shading distress ink along the bottom portion of the page.  I then added some silhouette flowers found in Sweet N Sassy Stamps Nature Silhouette stamps set.  Using several other sets, I created the remainder of the page--the heading and embellishments:  Forever & Always, Typewriter Blocks Alphabet (both new releases) and retired alphabet Lynzee Alphabet (any scripty alpha would be a good alternative to creating a similar look).

It's THAT easy!

"My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!  I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears."  Psalm 34:2-4

TTFN, Jane

I Chews You....

Hello, Sweet Friends!  It's time to start thinking about Valentines---can you believe it is February already??  Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps has a brand new release this month and it is fabulous!!  You can see the whole release here.  The early bird bundle is available until Saturday; you don't want to miss this one!!

There's also an AMAZING Stamp of the Month--FREE (with purchase):  Made New

I used Forever & Always alone to create the above card, and then combined it with a few other SNSS favorites for this fun card:

 In addition to Forever & Always:  Sweet As Candy and In Stitches Alphabet

What could be happier than candy faces?  LOL!

Have a sweet day!  Jane

No Longer...

Hello, Sweet Friends and Warriors!!  I've been dwelling on this post for several weeks now.  This post is the follow up from my post on surgery day.  If  you've just come by to look at some art, welcome!! I hope that you also will be blessed, as I have been.

I want to start with praise and thanksgiving.  All of my praise and thankfulness resides with my Father who loves me with a reckless kind of love.  He has loudly and clearly shown me this love over and over again.

I also want to, again, thank you all for the prayers you have surrounded me with.  I truly have felt them and they have made a difference.  I continue to covet your prayers and add them to mine for you.  That we all should believe and experience the overwhelming love of God each day; that we should all claim His promises.  That we not accept "just so" in our faith lives, simply believing in Him, but that we are driven to a real and perfect relationship with our Creator in which we don't simply believe in Him, but that we BELIEVE HIM.

I entered into this storm of cancer knowing that He was able to heal me; what I didn't know was if He would.  Not at first anyway.  As I clung to the cross and poured myself into the word, it became more and more to clear to me that the healing He desired for me was not simply that which is confined to this world.  He wanted---wants--so much more for me.  He wants so much more for you!!  The more I drew in, the larger my picture became.  You see, this world is temporary and fleeting.  God is eternal.  Eternal life with Him is the big picture!

I don't know-none of us do--how much time I will have left in this world. What I do know, is that He has healed my physical body.  My pathology report reads like the miracle it is!  No cancer cells remain in any of my tested/removed tissues.  Not. One. Cell. My doctor has said "you have a 100% cure!" He is careful to remind me how dire my presenting picture was, how large my tumors....lest I forget how wonderful my response has been?  I know where my help comes from!!

I remain a work in progress, no longer who I once was.  Some may look at me and focus on what no longer remains.  Some may say there is less of me.   I KNOW that I am so much more now than I once was.  And so, I go on.

My future holds newness; priorities, plans. I don't know what the plans are, but I know who holds them.  "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11

He holds your plans too!  Let's pray today for the removal of barriers that prevent us from living under His will and following the plan He has for each of our lives.  {heart}

There are lots of ways to praise Him.  I use art a lot to connect, dwell and praise.  I had these silly selfies on my desk; printed ages ago for some other purpose.  One day, I sat at my desk, not really able to do much and this page completely unfolded.  I used one of my favorite Sweet 'N Sassy stamp sets, Capture This, and the Shake it Off Lowercase Alphabet.

My word of the year is "surrender."  This is my verse of the year:  "Behold! I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?   I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."  Isaiah 43:19

He is always the way in your wilderness and living water in your desert.  Always.
Be blessed--Jane