Shadow Shot Sunday

Our week in St Louis was mostly gray and rainy,

so we had to make our own sunshine

except for a day when the sun peeked out

long enough to get these two outdoor SS.

Fall mums, leaves, and acorns decorate our deck

with spots of color and detail...

And a "ready to party" set of wine glasses.

We won't even wait till the sun comes out!

Check out more Shadow Shots here--

thanks to Tracy who keeps this fun meme going, going, going!

Have a great weekend, everyone,

and unless you're in Arizona or Hawaii,

remember to "Fall Back" late tonight--

set those clocks and change your smoke and carbon monoxide

detector batteries too!

Remembering Herb & God's Promises

One month ago we made a roadtrip to the Thumb of Michigan to say goodbyes to DH's oldest brother, Herb, who died suddenly when the three brothers were on a vacation together.

We are so grateful we got to spend some time with Herb before they left, and were able to celebrate his birthday.

We are so thankful that three of the brothers were able to travel and sightsee together and make wonderful memories. Herb loved to travel and hike in the mountains and see God's beautiful creation.

Before the guys left, I had used "Everyday Celebration" to create a two-page layout to document the brothers' time together, hoping to add flip flaps showing their scenic photos. I'll do that on different pages now.

Instead, I've used the layout to remember Herb, all God's blessings to him, and His promises to us.

The first page of the layout has a hidden journaling section behind the photo. The second page shows the surviving siblings--DH (third from left) with his brothers and sister.

Thank You, God, for making Herb Your child through Baptism, and for keeping him in Your everlasting arms. We trust we'll see him in heaven someday.

The Good News:

God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. John 3:16

If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

Jingle Origami Christmas Wreath Ornament

When I saw Tina Sutton's "Jingle" origami wreath here, I knew I had to try one of these! What a pretty tree ornament or a gift ornament this can be.

 You can find the origami tutorial here. It's easy AND fun!

I used 12 four-inch squares of Close To My Heart "Jingle" papers, and an additional four-inch square of cardstock for the measuring tool.


I cut two holly leaves and attached them with Liquid Glass. (You could also use a cluster of silk holly leaves or a leaf punch.) The sheer white ribbon I used is White Colonial from CTMH.


I painted the pearls using a Hollyhock marker to create the holly berries.


This was a big hit at my CTMH Open House yesterday afternoon! Thanks for the heads up, Tina! Keep up the great work.


Happy new week, everyone!