Christmas Girlies

I did some coloring on two simple Christmas cards ...

(stamps: My Favorite Things Ala Modes Sparkling Season/Stampendous Yule Penguins)

Simon Says (Wed): Clean and Simple Christmas

(stamps: My Favorite Things Ala Modes Sparkling Season/Die-namics Christmas Ornaments)

What I love about coloring is you can change the hair color and outfits on every character.

My girlies are all about lavendar, blue and pink hair...so I added a little fun on each girl's head.


I've dealt with non-conventional hair color before on my girlie's REAL heads...let me tell you....it's easier to color a pic with Copics!


There is so much involved...one of which is to bleach the hair out first.


ugh...I think we spent almost 2 hours in bleaching, rinsing, drying and bleaching again before actually adding the fun color.


In the end they loved it, thank goodness!!!

2 Simple Cards

Here are a couple of cards I created to admire the paper and sentiments.

;)

This one showcases patterned paper I've had forever~

and I'm submitting this autumn colored creation to

TIME OUT Challenge #41

"Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile" by American Poet William Callum Bryant.

Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday

 (stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy Grunge Elements  dies: Papertrey Ink Circle Scribbles, My Favorite Things  Die-namics Blueprints 11)

This one is newer (to me) striped paper.

(stamp: Jillian Vance Simply Said:Coffee & Jesus  die: Spellbinders Postage Stamp)

I'm linking this up at

Word Art Wednesday #204: Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by~

Friend in Orange and Grey

I've been all about using my patterned papers ...but sometimes I just wanna



STAMP


I created this because I wanted something with my husband's and my favorite colors....

(stamps: October Afternoon Farmhouse, Sweet n' Sassy Precious Poppies sentiment, Papertrey Ink Happy Trails "thread"  dies: Verve Pennant Trim Die, Papertrey Ink Edgers #1  inks: Jenni Bowlin Weather Vane, Versafine Onyx, Memento Tangelo)



He's the orange & I'm the grey.


yummers 


Love these 2 colors together!!!


Simon Says Stamp World Cardmaking Day.


I'm sending this to a friend who I keep wanting to drop in on.


Either I'm sick or she's sick...so I told her I'd send a card. ;)


Thanks for peeking in~

Can't Park Straight

I hardly ever park straight.

ever.

You know I've parked the car if it's at an angle.

;)

It's my creative "mark".

However, when it came to this week's challenge at Papertrey...I made an extra effort to not be "me".

Papertrey Ink Make it Monday #226: Creating with Stripes

 hosted by Laurie Willison

Watch the video...you'll learn a thing or two about how to attract ink to your stamp.

 (stamps: Papertrey Ink Background Basics Super Stripes/Songbirds  inks: Raspberry Fizz/New Leaf, Versafine Onyx  other: Copic Gray)

 This second card is for my artistic brother-in-law.

He will be so impressed I stamped those lines~they aren't perfect...but they might as well be, coming from me!!! ;)

He knows how I roll...willy nilly and what not. ;)

(stamps: Papertrey Ink Background Basics Super Stripes/Grunge Me  ink: Papertrey Ink Enchanted Evening/New Leaf, Versafine Onyx)

By the way...I must have used 20 baby wipes to keep these cards smudge free~

Thanks for stopping in~

Eat More Ham

(stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Save the Turkeys, Waltzingmouse Teeny Trees sentiment  die: Avery Elle Dotted Borders Elle-ments, Spellbinders Classic circles  other: Copics)

This silly turkey cracks me up.

I brought him out for 

 

 

I went with bright slabs of color inspired by this challenge...

I know who to send this to...

my aunt who was always the one who cooked the ham for Thanksgiving back when I was living in Hawaii.

 It was her thing.

I bet she'll get a kick out of him. ;)

 Thanks for stopping by...

 

 

Where There Is Love

(stamp: Verve More than Love  die: Avery Elle Dotted Borders Elle-ments)



I stumbled upon The Hop to Stop hosted by Becca Cruger 

via the lovely Darnell J. Knauss

To quote Becca's post...

"...purple is the color of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. 

1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence over the course of their lifetimes." 

15 years ago I had a new friend bravely share the harrowing life she was living with her husband.


It was definitely one of those God moments...because I'm not one to pry.


I'm really not.


For some reason she felt she could trust me and little by little pieces of her nightmare eeked out in words~


10 min here and there as we whispered in between worship and women's Bible study classes. 


There were moments here and there when our kids had play dates.

As the reality of what was going on in her home settled in on me...and the shock wore off (because I seriously WAS floored)...


I prayerfully advised her to speak with a local mentoring couple who gave her and her child the resources to flee this dangerous situation.

  I know it was God directing me because

I had only lived in the area a few months prior to her arrival (typical military atmosphere).

 I had never experienced this dilemma before.


I was a new Christian and clueless to what the "right" answer was for this.


I mean, this is a MARRIAGE and FAMILY we are talking about.



I didn't know what to do or how to help her.


I'm grateful the Lord gave me timely words to enable her.
 

So grateful for this sweet, GODLY couple who didn't sweep it under a rug.


Super grateful they BELIEVED her and put her safety first.



By the way...her husband didn't look like a monster.


 He appeared like a doting, faithful husband and behaved well in a public setting.


In fact,

he was charming, nice, and smiled.




Just because it isn't obvious doesn't mean it isn't happening.


It is what it is.


 Unfortunately, even if it's not happening to you...more likely than not,


you know someone who is living it and probably hiding it.


May God give us the ear to listen & the boldness to be encouraging.


Also, may He give us wisdom to help those that can't help themselves.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, reach out for help! 

Call the 24/7 confidential National Domestic Violence Helpline at 1-800-799-7233