Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Christmas Gift Boxes

Don't you just love these adorable little boxes and gift tag?
They will be perfect for hanging on the tree. 
They will keep safe those Christmas gift cards and little treasures.

I made these using
Close To My Heart's Cricut cartridge, Art Philosophy. 
This amazing cricut cartridge contains 700 images!
It contains layered images, coordinating tags and cards,
 2 full fonts and numbers, and 3D images.
The possibilities are endless! 

Monday, October 10, 2011

Christmas Card Workshop








I am really jazzed about these cards because I was able to make them ALL using:
1 12x12 red cardstock
1 12x12 double sided patterned paper
4 8.5x11 white cardstock
6 envelopes
1 1/2 ft red ribbon

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Envelope Album


Check out this easy to make
Envelope Album...

cover


opened up

I used 6 envelopes (sealed each flap to the back of the next envelope), a cover and decorated inserts in each envelope.
I can't decide what I want to do with my album... I might use it to hold photos of my boys, or as a purse organizer (coupons, receipts, to do list, etc...). I might even use it as one of those budget organizers - where you put your allotted cash into each envelope. I make one out of smaller envelopes to hold business cards.
 So many possibilties and so easy to make!

Friday, March 18, 2011

MARCH WORKSHOP: All About Alphabets!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to using Close To My Heart's Clear Stamps. Their alphabets are what first caught my attention when I was checking out their products, and they are still one of my favorite items. At this workshop, we are going to make wonderfully personalized gifts and cards using some of CTMH's beautiful alphabet stamps.

As many of my friends know, I have this obsession about rocks. For years I had been wanting to find a way to put words and verses on rocks - CTMH held the answer. It is so easy to put YOUR MESSAGE on a rock using Staz-on ink and CTMH's clear stamps. At this workshop, you will put your own favorite word on a rock. I will be showing you some indispensable secrets that will ensure your success for this project. Practice with this little project, then you can graduate up to putting entire verses and sayings on your rocks.

This simple and elegant card was made using the new Bohemian Alphabet set. That special friend will feel so treasured when they receive this personal card.

Our block style Baroque Alphabet set is perfect for this style of card. You can change up the colors and personalize it for many occasions. Words like BABY, LOVE, HOPE, HOME, NOEL, are all possibilities.

My alphabet stamps are used to personalize so many things around our house. We have personalized birthday gifts (tool boxes, shovel handles, gift bags) to make them extra special. Each guest at the workshop will be able to personalize a canvas bag/backpack. I have many colors available.
 

Be sure to reserve your space at my workshop!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Do you ever have those times when a sermon or a story just stays with you? It keeps coming back to you over and over? It touches such a place deep in your soul that it seeps in and changes you? Well, this happened last Sunday morning. Our Associate Pastor, Ron Dingus, brought to mind 2 examples of people who responded with Thanksgiving.
The first example was Bible commentator Matthew Henry. Many years ago as he was walking home one night he was robbed of all his money. Knowing that it was his duty to give thanks in everything, he meditated on this incident and recorded this prayer in his diary:

“Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” (Matthew Henry)

This is a great example of “giving thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I can’t help but wonder how I would respond in that situation. It is not in our nature to give thanks in difficult times - especially when we are hurt by others. I don’t even think it is humanly possible. It has to be one of those, “OK, God, I can’t do this so you take over” kind of dependencies on Him. I bet you have a difficult person or difficult situation that you are dealing with right now, don‘t you? (If you don’t, just give it some time.) We can be encouraged by Matthew Henry’s example and strive to look at it through the eyes of Thanksgiving and offer up a prayer of thanks for all the good that is surrounding it. It may not change the situation, but it certain can change us.
The second example is a woman we all know, but I have never heard her used as an example in a Thanksgiving sermon. Her story can be found in Matthew 26:6-13. She is known as the woman of ill-repute, an immoral woman, a sinner. Jesus had touched her life. She would never be the same. She was so driven with gratitude that nothing could hold her back from displaying it - she did not worry about how much it cost her, what others thought of her or what others said about her. Her focus was Jesus. It was all about Him. She displayed her love for Him with such bold and reckless abandonment. I want to be like that! My Lord has done so much for me. I want to come to the place where I am willing to demonstrate my love, devotion and gratitude to Him with no thought of what it costs me or what others think

Cece Winens captures the beauty of this woman’s deep devotion and compelling love in her song, “Alabaster Box”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5zIOcBiTGg&feature=fvsr

THE ALABASTER BOX
The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus
She stumbles through the tears that made her blind
She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There's no place here for her kind
Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last, she knelt before his feet
And though she spoke no words
Everything she said was heard
As she poured her love for the Master
From her box of alabaster

And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When he wrapped his love all around me and
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

I can't forget the way life used to be
I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound
And I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I'd thought I'd found
Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul
With the wonder of His touch
So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven
And that's why
I love Him so much

And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And dry them with my hair (my hair)
You weren't there the night Jesus found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped his loving arms around me and
You don't know the cost of the oil
Oh, you don't know the cost of my praise
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box


Thanks for letting me share my heart with you. Praying your Thanksgiving is filled with genuine praise, devotion and a reckless love for our Lord!

~michelle

Monday, November 1, 2010

6x6 Desk Calendar

DESK CALENDAR
Each page measures 6 x6
Stamp sets used: Everlasting Life, Make It Count, and Moments In Time
Papers: Cherry-O, Olivia, Magnifique, and Moon Doggie







Hope you enjoy it!



Thursday, October 14, 2010

Christmas Card Workshop


Here are the pictures of the cards we are going to make at our October workshop.
Going clockwise...
1. The wreath is gold embossed on a dark green background. I love the simple elegance of this card.
2. Our cardinal is from a beautiful stamp set call "Harmony". This is a fast and easy card to make using a stencil technique with a sponge dauber. So simple. So beautiful.
3. On the easle card (link in previous blog on how to make these) I used the quote and baby Jesus from the "Christmas Story" stamp set.
The blending pen  makes coloring in the Baby Jesus much easier and smoother.
4. On the last card, I used one of the Wishes patterens, called "Just Right" as the design. This stamp set, "A Timber", only costs $7.95. Couple that with a pack of the Mistletoe Christmas papers, and you have inexpensive tools for making your Christmas cards.


Merry Christmas - a bit early!
~michelle