A Good BBQ Day for the Penguins!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

As White As Snow

Snow continued to fall through the night in the St Louis area ... we have about 8 inches on top of ice now, and no one is going anywhere! Our area isn't as well prepared for winter storms as the Northern and Eastern friends are.

Thankfully, the sun has come out, making beautiful shadows across the yards. I got out early before the humans and animals made their tracks in the pristine landscape to get a few pix. As I stepped carefully, I remembered the Bible verses about our sins and how God reminded His people, as He does today, that because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, He makes us "clean like the pure snow."

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18

I'm very satisfied to stay inside, look out, and thank God for all His creation and for our Savior Jesus, and then pray that the sun melts this winter stuff!

As I write, two deer are playing tag in our backyard. I would too if I were a deer.

How about those natural scallops on our cedar fence behind the gardening/potting table? Scrapbookers see a variety of designs in nature!

God's Midwest Winter Weather

In just 24 hours, we've gone from beautiful sunsets & clear winter nights to ice and snow here in Missouri.

I love the glow of the city street lights a few miles away from our hilltop "perch."

But our night is looking much different tonight!

Snow is still falling, mixed with ice crystals ... the thermometer reads 10F ... winter has come to our area ... even the snowblower couldn't get the ice off the sidewalk and driveway today ...

I got some practice using the new camera during the night snowfall ... I set the ISO on these pix at 1600. It sure is fun to experiment!

Creator God, Your every detail of nature is awesome to see (and thank You for letting me see it from a warm home)!

Pregnancy Journal Album for a Friend

Our friends' daughter is expecting their first baby!

What could be more fun than to play with the pretty Key To My Heart papers and Expecting stamps from Close To My Heart to make this gift album?

She can include pix and journaling as she wishes, as they count down the days for the arrival of their tiny blessing.

Click on a pic for a closer view.

I used these CTMH products:
KTMH papers
6 x 6 inch My Creations Memory Showcase
Fancy Cut Botanicals
Tulip & Juniper inks & markers
Expecting stamp set
Sorbet ribbons & ric rac
White Daisy sheer ribbon
Spring Blossom mini-medley brads, clips, ribbon holders
Big white brad
Clear Sparkles
Clear holiday & cranberry buttons
Waxy flax
Vellum paper
Liquid Glass
Edge distresser
Paper piercer

Non-CTMH: paper flowers, flower-shaped brads, pregnant & baby bump figure stamps

MSgreenthumbs Layout

Dear gardening friend Linda took these photos of me on a day last summer after she handed me her shovel and said, "Dig!" That was right after I had enjoyed rolling down her sloping hillside to the creek bed--it feels so good to do kid-like stuff. So I was acting silly, as you can see.

We were in her beautiful botanical-rich backyard among the irises. She wanted to give me starts of pampas grass. The ground was so hard, we took turns digging, and I was able to bring three starts home. They since bloomed with pretty plumes!

Aren't the iris colors pretty with this Key To My Heart paper collection?

The stamped tabs along the top spell "free therapy". (And so it is!)

I used the "Bottom Border-title" layout in the CTMH Reflections book (page 35) with these products:

Key To My Heart papers

Dazzling die cuts in white daisy

Yellow colored pencil & juniper ink/water pen on the die cuts

Colonial white ribbon

Hemp

Spring blossoms brads

Juniper & Chocolate inks

Stamps: Amore lower case & Chocolate alpha small

I'm so anxious to get back to gardening again! I still have some daffodils to plant so I had better find my gloves and bulb planter.

Key To My Heart Layout

Can't sleep? Can't dance? Don't feel like scrubbing the oven? Scrapbook! It works for me!

For this special layout, I used the new CTMH Key To My Heart papers, along with Fancy Cut Botanicals, Dimensional Elements, Juniper, Tulip, and Chocolate inks, Sassy Strands, Sorbet ribbon & ric rac, Chocolate marker, and the September Word Puzzle stamps.

Ella's Aunt B will get to journal in the inked journaling box. (I used the KTMH journaling stamp there, and masked one edge so that I could reverse it, and make it twice the size by stamping side by side.) There's so MUCH to write about little ee!

The CTMH Reflections book gave me ideas for the one-photo per page layouts. If you haven't seen this helpful resource, check it out on my CTMH Idea Book link.

A scrapbooker will never have "brain freeze" with all of Jeanette Lynton's practical resource books! In fact, they've been known to keep me cutting and glueing into the wee hours of the morning.

Wonderful Sunday Workshop

Make a Smilebox slideshow Eight friends came to Sunday afternoon's memory keeper box and album workshop. Each person's project was so beautiful and unique. Each used a different packet of Close To My Heart papers: Boom-Di-Ada, Vintage Travel, Whoops-A-Daisy, Emporium, Magic Moments, Silhouette, Free Spirit, and Sweet Pea. Thank you, Hollie, Becca, Sandy, Linda, Kristin, Paula, Elaine, and Emily for being with me this afternoon! Special thanks to my upline, Deb, in Ohio for getting the new Idea Books to us for today!

More That's Amore Card & Mailbox

Buttons, flowers, and flourishes!

Here is more of the "That's Amore" papers and Stickease from CTMH! I'm definitely not finished with this beautiful paper yet.

This is my first "altered item" as a fairly new papercrafter. The red metal mailbox was in the dollar bin at Target a few weeks ago...I wish I had bought more!

It was fun to make this little surprise for a friend who has been hospitalized lately. I've been praying for her often, hoping she feels God's loving arms around her. She'll enjoy the special chocolates I'll tuck into the mailbox and laugh at the silly jokes I've been collecting for her--what could be better medicine?

That's Amore

Seven layers of paper and some pretty embellies make up this special Valentine's card.

I used Close To My Heart "That's Amore" papers and Stickease, Heartfelt and Heartthrob stamps for the hearts and sentiments, Tulip and Blush inks, Clear Sparkles, and sheer ribbon. The pearl hatpin is from my sewing box, until the pretty pins arrive from CTMH. (Check those out in the new CTMH spring catty on page 29!)

I scored the chocolate background paper and sanded the lines with a sanding block for the distressed effect. No, I didn't evenly space those lines on purpose ... and more about that quirkiness about me ...

The whole front looks off center now that I look closely, but that just goes with me, 'cause I'm always a little off center and not too concerned about being precise. (I eyeball most projects.)

When I was young, I remember my mom said, "Everything we see in God's world is so unique and special...the trees don't always have symmetrical branches, and it's okay if one side of your hair doesn't look just like the other side!" (That usually happened on a Sunday morning when I lamented about my bad "do" and wouldn't leave the bathroom without crying.) Now I've probably rambled long enough. But here's the little life lesson:

I learned from Mom that even off-centered and not-so-perfect things are very beautiful and special! I'm thankful that she ALWAYS made me feel so special even when I didn't like my un-perfect looks. And I have grown into my nose (just as she told me so!) ... but that's a whole 'nother story!

X Box and Album

Here's a memory keeper box and a coordinating photo album for a young boy who likes trucks, cars, boats, and everything that moves! I repeated circles and dashes throughout the project and added some "all-boy" stamps and journaling pull-out cards.

I used the Close To My Heart box, album, Childhood Boy stamps, chocolate ribbon, autumn mini brads, chocolate photo clip, buttons, hemp, chocolate marker, and a chipboard X (inked with outdoor denim). Papers are from a local scrapbook store.

The Birthday Tree Tradition

For nearly 25 years, we've had a tradition of keeping the Christmas tree up and its lights glowing to help celebrate Bethany's birthday in early January.

The Christmas ornaments get packed away and the birthday theme changes each year--sand and beach toys; Barbies, Kens, and Skippers; Scooby Doos; Smurfs; Strawberry Shortcake & friends; musical instruments; mini-volleyballs; car keys; plastic champagne glasses; Betty Boop; plastic skeletons (when DD began chiropractic college); and colorful paper parasols, just to name a few.

I love the bright lights in the darkness of mid-winter and really hate to pack it all away.

Any suggestions for DD's next January celebration?

It's Our Blizzard Baby's Birthday

Today we celebrate Bethany's birthday, thanking God for the gift of her life and for all His blessings to her.

Bethany was born between blizzards on an early morning when the wind chill was 40 degrees below zero. Her doctor made it to the hospital in his Wrangler, snow boots and down coat just in time to catch her--I couldn't have waited a minute longer.

Birthday dinner today will be Bethany's favorite lasagna, steamed veggies, an Italian-dressed salad, garlic bread, and lemon meringue pie decked with candles. Our DD has a long way to go before she'll need the fire extinguisher.

Best wishes, Bethany, for a fabulously full-of-great-things new year of your life!






Bethany at 7 months and at 2 1/2 years
with her same big, sparkling hazel eyes, bubbly personality, and sweet, caring smile!

Prepare to Get Mooned on January 10

Are you a sky watcher? Get ready for a treat! Not only are Jupiter and Venus still bright in the southern sky, but also we'll get "mooned" again soon in a special way. (Tell me you didn't moon someone at least once in your teen years! Woohoo!)

Here's the scoop straight from NASA:

A second "perigee" moon of this season will appear tomorrow night in the sky. Perigee means "the point of closest approach." This evening the moon is larger and brighter in our Midwest sky than it was in December when the first perigee moon appeared for our winter 08-09 season. Tomorrow should be an even more awesome site. Get your cameras and tripods ready! (Photo credit: Ron Hodges)

Okay, scrappin' friends, I'm already thinking some great moon shots would make a beautiful "Stardust" papers layout ... let's get snappin'!

Unforgettable Gift Set

I used the CTMH "Unforgettable" Level 2 Paper Packet, Stickease, Fancy Cut Botanicals, Clear Sparkles, Sassy Strands, Square Window Charm, and a lot of Liquid Glass for these items--Close To My Heart's Memory Keeper Box, 9 x 9 inch accordion album, and birthday card.

Colors of papers and inks are Juniper, Sorbet, and Cocoa. Stamps are from the sets of Adorning Corners, Say It In Style, and Special Friendship. Ribbon is Sheer Elegance. The card design is a template in CTMH CEO Jeanette Lynton's Originals book.

This is a good example of how easy, fun, and simple CTMH products are to use!

Gifts for Our King

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus. Our heavenly Father God revealed His Son as the Savior of the world.

Wise men (magi) from the East followed the brightest star ever, traveled many miles, and found toddler Jesus with His family in a house where they bowed and worshiped Him. They gave Jesus their gifts of gold, incense, and myrhh, the most precious gifts they could bring to honor Him. (Matthew 2:1-12)

What a commitment! What a journey! What gifts from their hearts! What faith!

How is Jesus the brightest light shining in your life?

In what ways does He guide you and show you His perfect love?

What gifts might you and I give to our Savior, King, and Friend Jesus?

One carol says it simply, "I'll give You my heart."

Blessed Epiphany season! May Jesus' bright light be the light for your path in this new year.

Stardust

It's so much fun to play with the new papers from CTMH!

Here is Stardust on the memory keeper box and accordion album

that fits into the box.

I used the Stickease embellishments, lots of pop dots, Liquid Glass,

hemp, buttons, and pewter brads--it's ALL BOY.

Senior Intern Beth

A year from now, we'll be planning a graduation party for Bethany, now a senior intern with chiropractic clinical practice on her calendar through next April. She's going to be able to use her new business cards and monogrammed card holder that Santa stuffed into her stocking on Christmas Eve.

Here's the page I scrapped for her while waiting for the NYC ball to fall last night! (Yes, DH and I stayed awake until 1 a.m. EST--something we hadn't done in a lonnnnnng time.)

I used the pretty Notebook papers from CTMH, Connections Club charms, dimensional elements alphabets, spot-on background stamps, chocolate and tulip inks, chocolate rub-on flourishes, twilight marker, and M*s ribbons.

Thank You, Lord, for Beth, and for all her gifts she uses to help others. Thank You for helping her on her way to becoming a very caring doctor. Thank You for growing her so beautifully both inside and out, and for keeping her faithful to You.