ABC Scripture Challenge {Word #16}, Portion

Today’s post is a bit personal but I truly felt God wanted me to share. May He use it for His good and His glory!

Challenge Word #16: Portion

When you see or hear the word “portion,” what do you think of? I think for most of us, we would say food! But I do not believe that God wants us focusing on food in times of stress, disappointment, boredom, etc., and that’s exactly what I did after my triplets were born. For most of my life, I have been tiny and have never had a problem with food or weight until my triplets were born and they started getting older. In times of stress, in times of busyness, in times of boredom, I would use food for all things instead of turning to God. He alone should have been my portion instead of food. Eve was tempted with food, and she gave into that temptation. Jesus was tempted with food, and He fought Satan with scripture. I was tempted, and I was just like Eve!

Lamentations 3:22-24 “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.’”

Well, after being overweight and not feeling good about myself at all, I lost the pounds. However, as it seems happens to so many of us, I gained it back plus some after I turned 44. My avatar is me at 44 just before giving into those temptations again. Now for the past two years, I have been using food as an excuse yet again, and to be blunt—I was sinning against God. I wasn’t waiting for Him. I wasn’t fighting Satan and those temptations with scripture. I just gave in and was disobedient to the Lord. However, in May of this year, He showed me and convicted me like never before with this verse:

1 Corinthians 10:23 “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial.”

Yes, I have freedom in Christ but I don’t have freedom to partake in more than my portion. Yes, food is permissible—we need it to survive but food in excess or more than my portion is not beneficial. He is my portion. He is what fills me up. I don’t need anything else—just my precious Lord and Savior! Since that conviction, I remember that verse every time I am tempted. I am now fighting Satan with scripture just like Christ did. He is our perfect example! But to be honest, He has also completely removed my desire to eat poorly, to overindulge, or to have more than my portion. Praise God! I have lost 22 lbs., and I have more to go but I truly feel He has completely and utterly changed my thinking for good. He truly is my portion!

So, who or what is your portion? Do you cling to Him and the inheritance that He has promised or do you run to the food, the cigarettes, the drinking—you fill in the blank?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

For my page today, I chose bright papers by SEI called “Sunny Day.” I felt the bright colors bring joy which is what God does for me. I also love the butterflies on the teal paper. I am that new creation in Christ, and I need to remember to honor Him in all I do including what I eat. The scriptures are two of the ones listed above—1 Corinthians 10:23 and Lamentations 3:24. The Lamentations verse is included in the ODBD stamps set called “Scripture Collection 5,” and the frame is from the ODBD set called “Brocade Borders.” I also used the Splitcoast Sketch SC343 for this page.

Papers: SEI Sunny Day, Paper Trey Ink cs
Our Daily Bread Designs Stamps: Scripture Collection 5, Brocade Borders
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink barn door, Archival Ink coffee, Ranger clear ep
Embellishments: Memory Box double ticket die, Paper Trey Ink rustic twine and buttons, Basic Grey Nook and Pantry chip alpha, Tim Holtz tiny attacher, sewing machine, hand-dyed Hug Snug, misc. charm

Whatever the situation is, depend on Him—I know now that He is ALL I need. He is my portion. He fills me completely, and He is enough! How about you?

As you share your pages, please be sure to use Keyword ABCSCRC11 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. Blessings to each of you,

Art {Journaling} Recreating a Page

**Please note: To see today's {Faith Journaling} post, please click here.

Today I wanted to show you how I tried to recreate a page yet show you how different they turned out too. This is my very first art journaling page that I did back in May. You can see details in this post if you missed it.

This page was actually done on the front of a 5x7 notebook. It's the notebook where I keep all of my art journaling notes from classes I take. I love that cover, and I really wanted it to be part of my 9x12 art journal. So, I decided to recreate it, and here is the new 9x12 page.

Stamps: Prima foam heart, SU heart, Unity Hearts of Old
Stamp Ink: Archival Ink jet black
Pens: Faber-Castel PITT big brush pens, Pentel EnerGel
Stencils: The Crafter's Workshop circles, punchinella
Paints: Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay India Inks; Liquitex Inks; Adirondack Paint Dabber stream, cranberry, citrus and aqua; Neocolor crayons
Other: Liquitex Light Modeling Paste and gesso, Tsukineko Squeegee
Ephemera: scriptures from vintage Bible encyclopedia and Select Notes on Bible Lessons, hymns from old hymnal, title from The Old Schoolhouse magazine

Of course, I had to add a bit more because the page is so much larger. I also used light modeling paste on this page. You can see where I used it on the right-hand side above and below the word "art" in the title. I colored the modeling paste with aqua acrylic paint before applying to the page.

This page was super fun to do, and I am glad it is now in my official "journal." Thanks for stopping by, and as always, let me know if you have questions. I will answer in the comment section. Blessings,

{Faith Journaling} Challenge #85

Because our girls have been working in our church nursery since last September, we have had to switch which church service we go to. Our church has 5 services total between Saturday night and Sunday. I love having so many options. So, today I thought it would be fun to talk about that:

**What day and time is your weekly church service?

1 Corinthians 14:26 "What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up."

Remember, to find all previous faith journaling questions, please see this post here. May you enjoy your time of worship this week! Blessings,

Tuesday's {Tip} Plate Rack?

In Roben-Marie's art journaling class, she mentioned how she uses a plate rack to dry her pieces. Well, I thought that was a great idea. So, I found this one at Target.

It has 8 spaces, and holds a lot. I really don't use it for drying like Roben-Marie does; however, I use it for art journaling supplies. In my rack I keep:

*my art journal
*box of background stamps
*newsprint paper I use on my work surface
*folders with various items
*magazines I tear things out of for my pages
*old hymnal I use on pages
*other old books I use on pages
*my inky fabric
*package of doilies
*etc.

I love this little rack. I call it my "art journaling rack." Not sure why I never thought to use one. You can use it for many things other than art journaling. You could use it to stack a bunch of folders. Then in each folder you could keep the projects you are working on (cards, layouts, etc.) or to store memorabilia, etc. Lots of uses for this little baby. :)

I hope you find this helpful, and thanks to Roben-Marie for the great idea! Gosh, I am now even bringing the kitchen into my craft room. LOL! Have a blessed day everyone!

Organizational {Friday} Color Idea Book

Keeping color swatches or color ideas can help in many ways. I have shared previously how I keep some of my color swatches. You can see those posts here:

*A Copic Swatch Book (look just past the printer's tray in this post)
*Color Idea Book/Rolodex
*Color Swatch Book (I am going to show this in detail in a future post as it has been updated.)

I use all 3 of these a lot especially the last book. I use it every time I create something! Today I wanted to share what I do with the ideas I get from Ellen Hutson. Of course, you can use this same idea for any color ideas that you get.

If you have ever shopped with Ellen Hutson, you know that she mails a zip lock bag with ribbon and a cute color card with every order. I have collected these color cards for several years. Recently I suggested to Ellen that she start noting the Copic colors she uses on these cards. I thought it would be GREAT to know exactly what she uses to color these images.

Now that I have collected several of these cards, I decided it was time to organize them. I purchased another Art Profolio from Hobby Lobby. This is the same portfolio I use for my Copic colors and swatches except it is 5x7 instead of 4x6 like this one.

These little portfolios are thin and barely take up any room. They are also easy to pack and travel with! Anyway, I then used some removable adhesive to stick the cards to each page. Here is what a few of them look like in the book:

These cards are just full of ideas--color combinations, coloring guides, etc. If I am ever stuck and need ideas, this little book may just get those juices flowing! Think of all of the different ideas you could put in one of these little portfolios! Love it!

Anyway, I hope you find a way to keep a little inspiration book like this. Now I don't have to shuffle these cards. I can see them easily in this cute small idea book. Have a great Friday, and thank for stopping by!

P.S. If you saw my post yesterday on my favorite art journaling products, check it again. I have already added a few more products to the "Miscellaneous Section" that I forgot to note yesterday. Eeek! :)

Art {Journaling} My Favorite Supplies & a Page

**Please note: To see today's {Faith Journaling} post, please click here.

Since I am new to art journaling (since May 2011), I am finding products I love along with products that are "okay." I thought it would be great to list some of my favs here today. I will keep this list updated also so you may want to check back. These are things as an art journaler that I find I use on all/most pages, and I love them. But before I share the "Favorite's List," I wanted to show you this week's page.

My Page
My page for today was another one that started without a purpose, and I actually did not like it. The kids were laughing as I tried something else, and then the page got "messed up" further. We all ended up having a great laugh as I started this page. Here is where I stopped and put it away:

Yuck! Now what was I going to do with that? Well, the next morning I woke up, and I began adding pieces here and there. The page started taking shape, and by the end of the day it turned out to be one of my favorite pages! And while I didn't think there was a purpose for this page--oh there was! I will share that in a minute. Here is the finished page:

Stamps: Rollagraph Designer 10, Prima Large Flower Stem
Stamp Ink: Archival jet black
Pens: Faber-Castel PITT big brush pens, Pentel EnerGel
Stencils: The Crafter's Workshop basic hearts and eternity
Paints: Liquitex Inks, SEI Orange, Adirondack Paint Dabber sail boat blue, Tim Holtz Distress Stain antique linen
Ephemera: scriptures from vintage Bible encyclopedia, title from The Old Schoolhouse magazine

And remember I said there ended up being a purpose for this page? Look at the 3rd and 4th photo. Do you see where I wrote the word "clouds"? Oh my! When I created the blue splatters, first I had NO idea I would be using this page to share my love for God's creation. But then for that word to show up there on the page where it looks like a cloud. Wow! God is amazing! He is in the details! I just love that!

Favorite Products List
Okay, now for my favorites. I will update this list as I learn new techniques and about new products that I love so be sure to check back. :) Also, I included links to the products where I buy them or where I have spoken about them before. Be sure to click on the links for more information.

Journal
*Strathmore Mixed Media Visual Journal--9x12. My FAVORITE journal. Nice weight pages that are perfect for mixed media! After trying MANY others, this one is the winner!

Ephemera
Note: I get a lot of my old books for free from paperbackswap.com. See my post here.

*old Bible encyclopedia--to use scriptures.
*old hymnal--used in the page above behind the yellow hearts.
*old magazines--favorites include The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and Today's Christian Woman.
*old 7Gypsies tags and cards from my stash.
*Postage stamps
*Security envelopes
*Tickets
*Etc., etc., etc.--think out of the box and look at everything as potential!

Miscellaneous
*Invisible Care--This stuff doesn't stop the paint from getting on your hands but makes the paint wash off VERY easily. I wouldn't create without it!  Here is my post about it. :)

*Muslin fabric--learned about this in Roben-Marie's class. She suggests using it to blot up color from a page. It makes gorgeous painted fabric. She calls it "inky fabric." Here is a piece of mine thus far. Ooh, I can't wait to use this on something!

*Liquitex White Acrylic Gesso--works great to prime pages, chipboard, or use as white paint!

*Blick Newsprint Paper--perfect for keeping your work surface clean. The kids love using it too!

*Holbein Atomizer Bottle--I purchased some regular travel spray bottles from Target only to find they kept clogging. These bottles by Holbein do not clog when I create my sprays. I should have started with these in the first place. :) (newly added 7/22)

*Krylon Matte Finish--I spray each finished page with this. Works great! (newly added 7/22)

*Pentel EnerGel Pen--0.7mm tip with acid free ink. Writes very smooth. You may hear that the Permaball Pen is everyone's favorite. It is a GREAT pen; however, is not longer being manufactured. The Pentel EnerGel Pen is a GREAT replacement.

*Plate Rack--for drying pages, storing journal and newsprint, etc. Will show in a separate post soon. (newly added 7/22)

Paints and Inks
*Acrylic paints--I use my old stash of Making Memories paints and the Adirondack Dabbers.

*Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay India Inks--I use direct from the bottle for painting, and I also mix with water and make into sprays! Love them. These are translucent and permanent.

*Liquitex Acrylic Ink--I use these exactly as the inks above; however, these have opaque and translucent colors and are permanent.

*Ranger Archival Inks--I much prefer these over Stazon. I am not friends with Stazon. LOL! Anyway, the Archival Ink is waterproof, smear-proof, fade resistant, and acid free. They come in many colors but I use the black and brown the most in my journal.

Stamps
*a few versatile wheel stamps

*background stamps--anything you like but I love using sheet music, hearts, circles, etc.

*bubble wrap--Paint with gesso or paints and "stamp" onto page. Love it!

*Flip flop--use the sole. I got a pair at the $1 bin at Target and cut it apart. Love the image it creates.

*Prima Foam stamps--Love the heart and flowers the most. Works great with acrylic ink!

Stencils
*Alphabet stencils--I found some in the drafting department at Hobby Lobby.

*The Crafter's Workshop 6x6 templates--I have many but use the hearts and circles the most. At CHA, they just came out with a Chickenwire template and a Punchinella template. I've got to get those! :)

*Delta Daisy Stencil

*Delta Flower Trio Stencil

*Doillies (paper)--use as stencils. Works great. As they get old, toss, and get a new one. :)

*Punchinella

I hope this list is helpful. If you want specific stamp names or products, feel free to e-mail me. I also try to include the names in my product list below each page I share so be sure to look there too. :) Thanks for stopping by today!

{Faith Journaling} Challenge #84

Okay, so I may not be very popular today. I am going to bring up the word "discipline." As parents we discipline our children. As Christians, God our Father must discipline us at various times. It is good to see it, recognize it, and be obedient too to that discipline so that He can grow us and mold us into the people He calls us to be. With that being said, I think it's also good for the generations to come to see also. God may use it for their good also as they read what you have written. He wastes nothing! So, I pray you can share, and I know God clearly opened my eyes to something a few weeks ago, and I praise Him for it! So today:

*How has God disciplined you recently, and what was your reaction--rebellion, remorse, obedience, thankfulness and praise?

Deuteronomy 8:5 "Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you."

Remember, to find all previous faith journaling questions, please see this post here. May you enjoy spending time in His Word and growing into the person He calls you to be! Blessings,

Tuesday's {Tip} Messy Hands?

Since I began art journaling, my hand are becoming quite messy (but it's fun). :) Anyway, I found wonderful product called Invisible Care. It creates a barrier on your hands so that it makes "wash up" easy. My hands still get covered in paint, ink, gesso, or whatever I am working with but it washes off so easy when I use this lotion beforehand. Acrylic paint has always been the hardest to get off of my hands but not anymore! Oh my, this stuff is GREAT! I order a lot of my art journaling supplies from Dick Blick, so I added this to one of my orders a couple of months ago, and I have been very pleased with it.

There are several other companies that make hand barrier creams/lotions. You can see the 4 that Dick Blick sells by clicking here. I personally love the feel of Invisible Care and the fact that it soaks right in and doesn't feel greasy. It also has a lovely smell but not powerful. Perfumes can bother me and give me headaches. This does not. It has just a hint of smell.  So, if you want "easier cleanup," you might want to try this.

Also, remember on Thursday I will share my list of "favorite products" for art journaling. And lastly, be sure to check the ODBD blog today for the latest scrapbook page inspiration and some news! Blessings to each of you!

ABC Scripture Challenge {Word #15}, Others

Challenge Word #15: Others

Earlier this week, my girls and I were watching “Say Yes to the Dress.” This particular show focused on bridesmaids as they went with the bride to pick out their dresses. While I can’t say this is the best show, we used it as a learning opportunity for the kids. As we watched the bridesmaids say things like “Well, if I don’t like the dress, I will not be in your wedding.” Or a bride that said to her bridesmaids “I went over on the price of my dress, you can go over on the price of yours.” I asked my girls as we heard such comments over and over “Who are these girls thinking of when they make these statements?” My girls answered “Themselves.” We talked about how none of the women in the show thought of others or even showed the love of Christ. It was really sad to see such strife in what should be a happy occasion.

As Christians, we are called to seek the good of others, carry each other’s burdens, value others above ourselves, encourage others, serve others, etc. Here are just a few examples of what God’s Word tells us about others:

• Glorify Him before Others
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

• Acknowledge Him before Others
Matthew 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven." (see also Luke 12:8)

• The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (see also Luke 6:31)

• Forgive Others
Matthew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

• Seek the Good of Others
1 Corinthians 10:24 “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.”

• Carry Each Other’s Burdens
Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

• Build up Others with our Words
Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

• Value Others Above Ourselves
Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

• Encourage with Sound Doctrine
Titus 1:8-10 “Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”

• Serve Others with our Gifts
1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

• Don’t Share in the Sins of Others
1 Timothy 5:22 “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.”

Wow, what a list, and I did not even list them all. But God clearly shows us through His Word that we are to put others before ourselves. In today’s world, this is especially important to share with the younger generation. I pray that you will use these scriptures to share with your children, grandchildren, Sunday School classes, and wherever else God may lead you to share. His Word is clear. Will you pray about how God might use you in everyday circumstances to show His love by putting others first? And as we put others first, His Word promises:

Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

What a beautiful promise!

For my page this week, I chose the Matthew 5:14, 16 from the ODBD set called "Light of the World." I also used the ODBD set called “Kind Hearts.” It just painted a beautiful picture to me as I think of being kind to others. I also used an older sketch from Crafting Life’s Pieces (CLP-31).

Papers: Authentique Journey, Paper Trey Ink cs
Our Daily Bread Designs Stamps: Light of the World, Kind Hearts
Stamp Ink: Memento bahama blue
Embellishments: flowers and leaves from Wild Orchid Crafts, Prima flower, lace from A Million Memories, Basic Grey Piper chip alpha, Maya Road chipboard "o", hand-dyed Hug Snug, sewing machine

As you share your pages, please be sure to use Keyword ABCSCRC11 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. Enjoy your week ahead, and I pray as you are out that you will look for opportunities to put the needs of others before your own. Blessings,

{RAK} Winners & Coupon

Good Friday morning everyone! You will want to read the whole post as there are two additional things I am posting today--a "wild card" winner for the RAKs so I am now giving away FOUR gifts, and a coupon for Hug Snug! If you don't know what Hug Snug is, keep reading. :) But first, let's get onto our RAK winners.

RAK Winners
I must say, I was humbled by the comments and then actually asked God for His forgiveness as I wanted Him to get all of the glory--not me. I cannot touch the glory. It all belongs to Him. I thanked Him that He let me see a glimpse into how y'all have used the Scripture Challenges over the years. To be honest, I was actually surprised at the number of you that said it was your favorite posting! While I am so thankful it is, I wasn't sure more than a handful of you are reading them. He told me back in 2007 when He called me to do these challenges that He would take them far and wide, and that I wasn't to worry about where they went. I totally trusted that but sometimes have questioned whether He wants me to continue them. Your comments and a few other things He has shown me, tells me He does want me to continue writing and posting them. I am SO thankful because they bless me tremendously! Thank you for your sweet words and sharing how God has used those challenges in your lives and the lives of others. I am humbled and blessed beyond words!

Hmm, didn't I say I would post the winners? Gracious, I need to quit talking, and let's see what Random.org came up with this morning. Our 3 winners of the prize packs are:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
16
107
128
Timestamp: 2011-07-15 10:25:37 UTC

And those winning numbers belong to:

#16 Anonymous (Jennifer in Ohio) said...
Amen to all of the above! Congratulations on making a positive influence in what can become a gift to the world or can be a source of unreasonable pride and angst: our creativity. God is obviously central to your existence, and I love many of the posts.
Some topic suggestions: how to organize a series of layouts into actual scrapbooks since some of us are working on recent photos as well as our stash of pictures from earlier in life (or the lives of our relatives), how to arrange finished cards and store them until we give or send them, how to earmark some photos or subjects that inspire me far more than others, and keep track of a growing collection while putting it to use rather than just accumulating papers and embellies. May our marvelous Lord bless you mightily today---Love, Jennifer in Ohio
July 12, 2011 6:58 AM

#107 Lori C said...
Hi, Patter! First, I want to thank you for being such an inspiration... I love your blog! The Scripture challenge is one of my favorites, as well as your organizational tips. I feel so blessed to have found your blog. Thank you so much for sharing!
July 12, 2011 9:05 PM

#128 Jonia said...
Patter how cool is this! With all you got going on and you still have time for your followers! Thanks for all you do and most of all for the scripture challenges as they are what got me started!
July 13, 2011 3:51 PM

I will let the boxes be a surprise so I am not going to tell you which prize pack you will receive. Eeek, I love surprises! I pray you do too!!!! :)

Oooh, and did I say I had a 4th winner? I sure do!!! I let Random.org draw another number, and that number goes to:

#100 Tamrah T. said...
Organizing is stewardship! There are so many ways you've shown how to organize. I love, LOVE your examples!! And you have been been such a great blessing in each and every post! Thank you for sharing your light!!
July 12, 2011 6:55 PM

Tamrah, here is the "Stamping Pack" you will receive:

Fun, fun, and HUGE congrats to all of you! Please e-mail me with your snail mail address so I can get these off to you. :)

Hug Snug
Now onto Hug Snug. You can see some of it in the baggie in the photo above that will be headed Tamrah. The Hug Snug she is receiving has not been colored or crinkled yet. If you remember, Hug Snug is what a lot of us use to make crinkled ribbon. You can see my post here.  Well, normally I just use the ecru or white Hug Snug and color it. Well, Sew True has a lot of the colors on clearance for $4.75 per 100 yard roll! That is 50% off the normal price PLUS they have free shipping through 7/18/11! Use coupon code "11H71F" to get free shipping. I have ordered from them several times, and I have always had great service.

What I now love about purchasing the Hug Snug in colors is that I can just add one color to make it multi-color or I can just add Glimmer Mist Pearl to add a little sparkle and to get it to crinkle well. Look at this that I have colored with the pearl Glimmer Mist for an upcoming class:

So gorgeous! It's hard to see the shimmer in the photo but it is pretty! :)

Also, a lot of you in your comments had questions and great suggestions. I will be doing a post addressing all of those in the next week or two. And so now, I will end this long post. HUGE congrats again to the four blessed winners, and I hope some of you enjoy the Hug Snug information and can use the coupon code. Have a blessed Friday and weekend ahead!

Art {Journaling} Recycled Envelopes!

**Please note: To see today's {Faith Journaling} post, please click here.

Okay, so most of us get junk mail, bills, or other pieces of mail that contain a return envelope. I have been collecting those window envelopes to use on mail art--something fun I learned in Roben-Marie's class. Well, then last week, I realized "Those envelopes have neat patterns and designs one them on the inside. Why not use them for an art journaling background." So, I tore open the envelopes and got to work. Here are some of them:

Look at the variety of colors and patterns. Too cool! For my mail art, I only need the window part anyway! Now I have two ways to recycle these extra envelopes. I began by tearing up the envelopes into pieces and putting them on a page using Collage Pauge.

These pieces did wrinkle a little when the Collage Pauge dried but I love that. It gives more dimension and character. Here is how my page about my love of mail turned out. You can still see some of the envelopes and designs underneath. It really makes a great background.

Stamps: SU Extra Postage, Serendipity Stamps Postoids, Unity Retro Bubble Borders and Just My Type
Stamp Ink: Archival black
Stencils: Delta, The Crafter's Workshop
Other: Liquitex Acrylic Ink and gesso, flip flop

So, if you have room for a little something else in your room or space, save a few window envelopes to make a fun background on a page. You could even use this on a card or layout too! Why not? :)

Next week, I am going to share my favorite products I use on my art journaling pages. So, if you have questions or want to know something specific, please let me know here in this post and I can share in next week's "favorite" post. :) Thanks for stopping by, and have a blessed Thursday!

{Faith Journaling} Challenge #83

As Christians, God's Word should be alive and active daily in our lives. I know it speaks to me each day. So, I think from time-to-time as we journal, we should share a scripture that speaks to us that week. How exciting it will be to look back on those various scriptures. So today:

**Share a scripture that has spoken to you this week and why?

1 John 2:5 "But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him."

Remember, to find all previous faith journaling questions, please see this post here. May you enjoy spending time in His Word and living for Him each day! Blessings,

Guest DT & A Sneak!

Oooh, today is a great day! Not only am I the guest designer for July at Christian Paper Crafts (CPC), I also get to share a sneak of one of the pieces I have created for them! This month's theme is 'Vintage and Retro'. There are such a fun variety of projects in the gallery which will be revealed on July 15th! You won't want to miss it but you can see more sneaks by looking here! They are amazing!

Most of you remember I started with CPC on the design team when the site first started back in 2009. God called me away from that design team but has blessed me by bringing me back to guest design. The site is FULL of amazing Christian women that lift you up in prayer, that listen to your struggles, AND that share their love for the Lord through their designs.

Well, my sneak is of my new notebook for my Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) notes. This year we will be studying the Book of Acts which was the book we studied in 1997 when I first started BSF and came to Christ. I am so excited. Anyway, I chose colors that I guess can look retro but also decided to approach this as an art journaling project! My cover is made out of off-white canvas from fabric.com. I painted it and used both ODBD and Unity stamps. This is very different from how I usually create my notebooks but I must say this was the most fun! I finished the canvas with Krylon Matte Finish so that it holds up through the years.

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 3 and Cross of Christ, Unity Just my Type
Stamp Ink: Archival jet black
Paint: Adirondack Paint Dabber pitch black and raspberry
Stencils: Delta daisies
Other Products: Liquitex gesso, Dr. Ph Martin's India Inks, Pilot permaball pen, flip flop, sewing machine

So, I hope you will join us on CPC! Come say hello and fellowship with some amazing, Christian women! Thanks for letting me share! Blessings,

A {Triple RAK} to My Subscribers!

As of last night, I have approximately 1578 subscribers. Now that does not count those of you reading in other readers I cannot track. I have also had 833,801 hits since I started my blog in 2007! Wow, 1 million hits isn't too far off. How fun! But I can only give Him the glory! He takes His words where He wants them to go, and for that I am blessed and humbled. Anyway, I thought I would interrupt my usual "Tuesday's {Tip}" post and offer 3 RAKs--yes, a triple RAK!  I appreciate my blog readers though sometimes y'all are quiet. LOL! :)

So to get you talking, you must share a comment today--a favorite post over the years, a favorite theme, whatever. Or you can say what you would like to see in a future post--an organizational idea, Tuesday tip idea, art journaling, anything! Leave your comment by Thursday, July 14, at 11:59 p.m. Central, and you will be entered in a random drawing to win one of these THREE RAKs:

The Pink Paislee Pack

The SEI Pack

The Bo Bunny Pack

All items in each RAK are brand new!!! I will post the 3 winners on Friday, July 15th. So, good luck to all of you! Can't wait to see who the winners are! Blessings,