Take That Mask Off!

What mask are you wearing today? 

Are you willing to take it off?

Do not be so hard on yourself!!

Todays Video can be found here:

Take That Mask Off!

"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself
and another to the multitude, without finally getting
bewildered as to which may be true."
-Nathaniel Hawthorne

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!

That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.”

Romans 8:15-21 MSG

Thank you for meeting me at Studio 52

                                           where serendipity moments happen!

                                               Teresa 

Mixed Media using Color Burst

Introducing Covered Bridges by Ken Oliver Crafts!

I absolutely am enjoying this line of papers and last week when I was creating all of those leaves I could envision them drifting through the air over one of those beautiful bridges and hence the idea was birthed for a mixed media canvas. And just for the record this canvas did not come together like I imagined it, but that is what I enjoy about mixed media is just creating layer upon layers! It is the process that is fun! Not really sure if I am finished with this one, but for tonight I am calling it good!

This past week one of my scrapbooking friends, Patrice, lost her battle to cancer. I will always treasure the hours, the retreats, the memories we made! Crafting, like the quilting bees of days gone by afforded us the opportunity of spending quality time together. She was a blessing to all who knew her! She fought the good fight and maintained her faith until the very end of leaving this earth. Friday afternoon we gathered for a memorial celebration of her life and we sang a song I was not familiar with. 

Hymn of Promise 

by Natalie A. Sleeth

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;

In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,

Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;

There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,

Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;

In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,

In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,

Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. 

I originally had no intentions of adding a butterfly to this canvas, but the words of this song kept coming to mind as I was painting. I kept thinking how "free" Patrice is today and the celebration she is reveling in! Her pastor even brought a great round of laughter when he mentioned that James, Peter and John were now having scrapbooks made of their lives now that Patrice had made it into her eternal home! As I was placing the leaves about the canvas I loved the way it came together. Leaves are in their finest colors of brilliance as they depart from the tree and drift downwards to their death. The butterfly is free and is drifting upwards! 

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! John 8:36

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. Rev. 22: 1-3

Patrice dancing with Elvis at NSD ….
Today she is dancing with the King of Kings and is healed!

Thank you for meeting me at Studio 52

  where serendipity moments happen!

 Teresa 

more Artful Words by Teresa

Sometimes an app is fun and then there are those times that an app just adds a new dimension to your creative side. The Rhonna Designs is so never ending! I may be stuck here for awhile! So much easier than other software programs and I love the fact that I do not need an internet connexion to create! I am uplifted and inspired with the ease of it!!  

My girls have been singing "Let it Go" from Frozen. I finally sat down to watch the movie last night with them and fell asleep at the end! Guess I will have to finish watching it tonight ..... Sometimes I need to be reminded by Papa God when I am worrying about too many things! Hence this inspiration came forth! 

THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.] Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood. (Hebrews 12:1-4 AMP)

Yesterday was the last day of school and I find myself with bittersweet emotions! It was fun having both of my babies in Jr. High. Damita goes off to high school next year and the schedule will be crazy! Not even sure I will get any kind of break! Alas, the time goes too fast. I took this pic yesterday afternoon while we were waiting on my car to have a minor repair made. Can you believe my door handle broke on a Cadillac?! Well it did and it became a pain in the past month not being able to open that door! We are such creatures of habit. And we take too many things for granted. You cannot believe how many times we all reached for that door handle only to be disappointed again because it was not going to allow entrance into the car!!!! I feel relieved that I finally took time to get it replaced. So thankful that I can access my Heavenly Father 24/7! 

And summer starts now! 

Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! (Hebrews 12:28, 29 MSG)

Ahhhhh I guess I should go and do something!

Go and make some melodies!

Till next time my coffee cup and mouse meet.....

Teresa

Getting in the Mood!

Good Morning to all of my peeps in blogland!

I had such good intentions of posting this blog prior to NSD, National Scrapbook Day, for those of you that might not be familiar with that set of letters! As usual my to do list was way too long and the days were rolling by me like the evening tide. I was putting the finishing touches on a couple of my senior proof books and had made a huge pile of scraps. My son-n-love and daughter had shown up and was sitting at the kitchen table visiting as I was beginning  to clean up my mess. Well if you have ever sat at our kitchen table you know what can happen. NARNIA time, yes they began to talk and I started "playing" with the scraps of paper as I listened to the current events of their daily lives. The following pics will tell you the rest of the story......

Reece and Leslie have a beautiful pink rose bush growing in the front of their home!   Nothing blesses me more than to have a few fresh picked flowers in my kitchen, after all that seems to be the room I spend the most time in! As I was making my frenzy of cards I kept noticing the petals drop...... ahhhh, but the fragrance was beautiful ..... and of course the camera had to come out in the middle of my chaos!

 When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing. James 1:9-11 Message

Card #1 - Insipiration in the making....

I had been trimming 4.5 x 6.5 pieces of paper down to 4 x 6 for my albums and had created a nice big pile of strips that for all practical purposes should have been tossed into the trash can! I tend to doodle or move my hands in some small activity, or drink a cup of coffee, but this moment in time found me "weaving" strips of trash! Reece teased me and said and so now you are going to throw that in the trash?!  My creative juices started flowing and I decided to see what I could create.......

Card #2 - outside

Card #2 - Inside - I enjoy adding a bit of pizzaz to the inside as well!

Card #3 - Using more scraps from my scrap box.....

Inside of Card #3

Card #4 - Keeping it really simple

Card #5 - Funny thing about trash.... see the little piece of paper with the scripture? Our puppy chewed up the corners of one of my daily devotional books. I was not a happy cropper and picked it up off the floor along with the other books she chewed on and was about to toss them in the trash. New thought, tear the pages out and ink them for embellishments on cards! There you see one! My contribution to recycling!

Card #6 - Thank You!

Card #7 - Blank on the inside so it can be for any occasion!

Card #8 - My inspiration was picking up with steam because I had decided to create an entire set of cards to give to my daughter, the cosmo girl in my life. She had agreed to do my hair because I couldn't go to NSD with my roots showing! 

Card #9 - you have to have a few birthday cards....

Card #10 - Another friendship card and don't you just love the antique sparkle  button?

Card #11 - I finally used my new Stampin-Up banner punch! 

Inside of Card #11 - This card can be used for a wedding, anniversary or any kind of love message you need to send!

AND finally Card #12 - yep got three cards out of the trash I weaved together! 

Inside of Card #12

Finished product..... 12 cards all sealed away in a tin can that my friend purchased for me at Goodwill for .50 cents! We take pieces of scrapbook paper and cut a piece to line the bottom of the can and bam you have a nice gift! I surprised my Leslie with this token of love the morning she took care of my root issues! She was most surprised because she thought I just brought them to show her! 

LOVE is a fun lane to travel in the highway of LIFE ... and truly it is really brief, so don't forget to really live today....... AND learn a little more about LAUGHING.... I promise you it will do your heart good!

Scrapping up a little fun in the kitchen really got me in the mood for the four day NSD celebration/convention that was approaching quickly on my calendar. That my dear shall be another blog, however I think I will leave you with a sneak peek .......

and I promise you the funny flamingos really showed up!

and guess who "rocked" the house.....!??!

Today is WOW Wednesday over at Cat's..... If you've made it this far, leave me a little luv "comment" and you have a chance to win a prize ~that would be some "blog candy". Cat's Creations randomly picks someone who has commented on blogs that have linked their handiwork to Cat's Creations Blog blog. Go to Cat's Creations for all the details!  And while you are there check out more about National Scrapbook Day. I hear rumors that people are already signing up for next years retreat?  Something about a jungle!?? 

Go and make some melodies with those you love today!

Till my coffee cup and mouse meet again,

Teresa

Be Mine Sweet Valentine

"To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven."

 -Karen Sunde

Scrabble Letter Fun!

Making Valentine Cards with my girls....
we cut printed scrapbooking paper 4.5 x 5.5

Then we cut card stock 4 x 5

And then we ran the card stock through the Cuttlebug and embossed it with
the Tim Holtz folder from the LOVE collection....

Adding a little swipe of Pixie Pink ink from
the Stampin' Up! collection dressed
up the embossed paper.....

punching two holes through the entire stack of papers
and adding a piece of twine or ribbon
held our project together.....

close up of the embossing....

and finally signing the back of the cards and
getting ready for the Valentines Day party....

The scalloped punch from Stampin' Up! and their rubber stamp
made for a nice embellishment!

"Follow your heart~it knows the way"

Sharpie fine point perma marker makes a nice writing
tool to sign the back of the cards.....

And Damita gets in on the action!

"live like you mean it"

is a Stampin' Up! stamp too

a little lady bug and button add a touch
of pizzaz!

and look at those nails..... cute manicure for
a day of fun!

and one last glimpse of our batch of cards ....

Hope you enjoyed our little crafting  moment....

Making Valentine cards has become a
family tradition that all
of my children have
enjoyed!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in 

Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Romans 8:37-39

WOW Wednesday over at Cat's..... If you've made it this far, leave me a little luv "comment" and you have a chance to win a prize ~that would be some "blog candy". Cat's Creations randomly picks someone who has commented on blogs that have linked their handiwork to Cat's Creations Blog blog. Go to Cat's Creations for all the details! I just won a last week and it was so much fun I decided to try and link up my page. So we shall see if I succeed in doing so!  


Go and make some melodies with those you love today!

Till my coffee cup and mouse meet again,

Teresa