Trust ...

So ... some reading this might have heard of "getting a word" for the year. I'm thinking about a new year right around the corner and what I would like to see happen. Goal setting ... I'm a humongously (is that a word) goal oriented person. So, I'm praying about and considering what this year's "word" might be. 2007's word was "freedom" - I've had some new discoveries about what it means to be free. Whether it's spiritual freedom, personal freedom, whatever. I need freedom, but I realize now that freedom the way God designed it has nothing to do with what I want to do with my life, but more about how I can serve Him with my life. Because of Jesus sacrifice for me, I am free from sin (forgiven) and can serve God with purpose! Free to use the unique gifts he's given me to bless those in my sphere of influence. Perhaps that sphere of influence has grown with the start of this blog - open to whomever might happen upon it! I hope that's true. Well, 2008's word seems to be "trust." Whoa. Scary. I need to trust God for his provision. I need to trust that what my husband says is what he means. (It's okay to laugh if you can relate). I need to trust my gifts. No more doubt. No more worry. ...yeah right, I'm human, but I believe this year is going to bring some growth in that area. In an effort to do something creative everyday, today was a journal day. Here's what I came up with as part of my journal entry - thought I would share it with you. It's simple, but I like it. copyright 2007 all rights reserved

Here's to a new year and a continued journey in the freedom to trust God for everything!

Christmas break ...

Here we are with two weeks off school and two active boys who need structure. I wish I had a basement to send them to. Oh well ... I guess I'm going to have to be creative! Ha - but this is not the kind of creativity I like. My favorite answer to the kids boredom is suggesting all the chores around the house that are calling my name but not getting done. That seems to help them find something to do in a hurry!

Here's a picture of my daughter in her Christmas dress ... just before the sheer under layer ripped ... oh joy. She only got to wear it once but ... she was beautiful.

A special thanks to all of my friends for your feedback regarding this new blog. Your encouragement means the world to me!

Blessed ...

"Every good and perfect gift comes from above." I can't remember where to find that but it's scripture. (Edit: James 1:17, thanks Lina!) God is good to us! Just yesterday we were blown away with blessings one after the other! I'm so grateful - God opened the floodgates of His love on our family yesterday and it overflows into today. What a beautiful thing ...

1. We were given a bounty of groceries by a dear friend ... just because ...
2. A friend found tickets to Wicked for $21.75 and we're going in February!
3. My husband brings home a 32" TV that was given to him for free by a customer who had upgraded to a plasma tv. (32" is huge compared to the 19" we're accustomed to!) Kenny installed it last night and surprised the boys with it this morning.
4. We received a very generous anonymous gift by someone who knows us well. Just to use in a way that would be a blessing to us!
5. I was able to work on our christmas card all afternoon! What joy - I feel like I've rediscovered Christmas. Here are the results of my zoning out in my creative spot. To me ... Hope is the center of Christmas!

Front: the exposed section of text is Jeremiah 29:11-13Back

copyright 2007 all rights reserved

Wishing all my readers and their families many happy memories and lots of hope in the coming year!

Strange but cool ...

Check out the white elephant I got Wed. night - it was the last legitimate steal of the night! Isn't he cool? ... in a strange way I'm so drawn to him. Does anyone remember Salty (or was it Psalty)?

Christmas pictures

So, I tried getting a cute picture of my kids for our christmas card this year. Here's what they gave me... isn't this lovely?

... and this is just adorable too?

the perfect pictures for the not-so-perfect-normal family.

maybe we'll just use them anyway ...

Funktified!

Thank you dear friend Laura for coining the new term funktified!Love it. Here is my funktified pom pom star - I'm going to have to aquire enough pom poms slowly throughout the year to make the garland I wanted for the tree . All will have to tune back next December to see the funktified tree with pom pom garland! Here are a few pictures of my renewed burst of creativity. The star is actually quite sparkly ...

Teacher gifts! My boys write a little note on the back so their teachers have a personalized keepsake bookmark. I wonder if they use them.

My funktified daughter ... she adores the tree, much to my frustration. Gotta love the entire bell in her mouth.

Refurbished

I just wanted to show off a piece that I did shortly after my daughter was born. I was craving creative time once I began to get more sleep so, inspired by Collage Unleashed by Traci Bautista, I set out to refurbish a $5 garage sale coffee table. I love the result. I was looking to make a statement in my living room and this does it! I carved my own rubber stamps and everything! The orange flower is one of the stamps I carved. I traced the outline of a flower from my living room curtains and transferred the image to a piece of E-Z cut printing block and carved out my own stamp! What a blast. The printing block feels like a giant white eraser. You can slice it to whatever size you need for your stamp. One sheet can yield many stamps. Way more fulfilling, creative, and cost effective - though I like to use the rubber stamps from the local stores as well. This was so fulfilling. Ahhhh ... (note to self: remove baby and kid paraphernalia from background of photos in the future)

Something's missing this Christmas

I think I've figured it out. As I realize this, I'm so ashamed! In an effort to simplify the Christmas chaos over the last two years, I've gone the nutty route of shopping at 5:30 in the morning the day after Thanksgiving. I would hit one or two stores and finish my Christmas shopping by 9 am. Get gift reciepts so they can return the gift if they don't like it. that's a good use of money right? I would rather they got something they liked with the money I used to buy it. There. I don't have to think about gifts for the rest of the season .... but ... I miss thinking about the gifts. There's something about putting some thought into what individuals on my gift list might like. There's something about taking the time to make handmade gifts that come from my heart. Even if they don't appreciate that they're handmade, I know what thoughtfulness and care went into making it for them. I miss spending hours getting ready and presenting something that I really put some time and thought into. It's not about crossing the gift shopping off of my list of things to do ... the time that it takes and the thought that goes into it is a big part of Christmas for me. I'm missing that part this year. So ... next year ... I'll be hand making my gifts again. I won't be finished until the day before Christmas and the last week will be a little stress filled but I will have the joy of the season in my heart again. And I'll honor the creative gifts that God has given me to bless someone else at Christmas time. It's a joy to use those gifts and I'm cheating myself by not using them at Christmas time! I can't wait!! I think I'll start this week by making a pom pom garland. See the link at the right - it's so cute!!

Portrait examples

I just finished this portrait for someone who was giving it to her husband as a christmas gift. What a beautiful picture. It was pure joy working on this for her. I could just imagine what a sweet moment it was for them as they captured it first on film and then for this woman to present her husband with this treasured image. I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see his reaction. She's so excited about giving it to him. She told me her story about how this little miracle came to be ... I (almost) would have done the picture for nothing! By the way, she found me on Etsy! I have other examples of my work at http://www.creativepassionz.etsy.com/ ... check it out!

New blogger!

Hi!
I'm starting a new blog for yet another creative outlet! I'd love to use this as a marketing outlet for my portraits and to direct some traffic to my etsy shop! Visit it at www.creativepassionz.etsy.com

thanks for visiting!!