Everyday Blessings!

How blessings brighten as they take their flight. This was the quote we were asked to use at Scrapping Everyday Miracles this time. As I thought about what I wanted to document I realized that everyday I thank the Lord that I am able to be home with my babies and that I get to teach them. Yes, sometimes it is very hard to be a SAHM and homeschooler with 5 - so hard that I'd like to scream! But I can't imagine not having them with me each and every moment. I can't imagine someone else having the priviledge to shape these little lives - lives that God gave to me for safe keeping. Now I know homeschooling isn't for everyone and that is fine, but it is for me. Plus, what else do I do with my math education degree? :) So here is my layout, taking flight.

Materials used: pp - Echo Park, Basic Grey, Studio Calico, MME, Girls Paperie, House of 3; paint products - Stampin up ink, Tattered Angels mist and glaze, Golden molding paste; Hambly washi tape, K&Co daisy, American Craft Thickers, chipboard, and vinyl, MME stickers, My Sentiments Exactly stamps, buttons, flowers, twine and lace from my stash.

Journaling reads: What a blessing it is to spend each day with you. Yes, homeschooling is a challenge at times, but every morning I wake knowing you are safe. I love teaching you so that one day you will be prepared to take flight.

Winner!

http://www.scrapbookcircle.com/2011/06/challenge-10-winner/ My layout from my last post just won! :) Thanks so much Scrapbook Circle - you are the best!

Getting Fit

So last week I lost 5 pounds and just needed a few more to fit into the next size down - so exciting. Unfortunately, due to a very busy weekend and birthday cake now I will need a few more pounds before those other capris fit, but I will get there! ScrapFIT issued workout #46 and seeing that I wasn't being fit lately physically, I thought I would take the challenge in the art world and exercise some paper tricks! Scrapbook Circle also issued a challenge to create a scene with paper - I chose to combine the two and make this layout documenting Anthony's nursery and preschool years (about time as we are half way done 2nd grade now).

Materials used: June Scrapbook Circle kit, American Craft thickers, Hambly sticker, assorted stash

Sneak Peeks

It's that time again, sneak peek day at Citrus Tree Studio http://www.citrustreestudio.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=5506 . Go take a look they are wonderful! I've had so much fun playing with my kit the past few weeks and I still have so much I'd like to do with it. Here are some of my peeks:

Seek and you will find

This is a layout I made for a challenge at Memorable Seasons - we were supposed to be green and that got me thinking. Then I remembered the stuff I had just pulled out of my washer that my son had filled his pockets with, ahah! Instead of just making a neat layout though I also wanted to encourage my son to not only seek his (junk) treasure, but to also seek after the Lord. It really reminded me that we might think we are actively following the Lord, but have you really sought the Lord as a little boy seeks treasures? I know that I haven't been lately, I have gotten so tired with all the things that are going on that I've taken a here I am approach. How desperate are you for the Lord? What promises are you waiting on? The promises haven't changed at all, the call hasn't changed, but maybe just maybe you have grown weary. I know it is hard when you are tired physically and spiritually, but begin to thank the Lord for all He has done for you. As you meditate on His goodness, faith will begin to rise up in you and empower you to go on again. I promise, if you seek you will FIND!

How strong are you?

Lately I'm not very strong. Getting through a day sometimes can be a hard thing. So often I go to bed completely drained and thinking I can't go on, and yet I wake up ready to try again. I found this quote on Pinterest (ya I dabble there too), "You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice." So true, you see I have to keep going on the Road to Destiny because it is what the Lord has called me to do at the end is a great reward if I can perservere. I take great comfort in the fact that the Lord promises to never give us more than we can handle. (I think the Lord thinks too highly of me though b/c I think I can't handle this!) So even though I am SO ready to put this day to a rest, I will get up tomorrow praising the Lord b/c His mercies are new EVERY morning! Who knows tomorrow might be the day that our promises come true! I don't have any projects to share right now b/c they are top secret until sneak peak day on the 24th, but I promise you, you don't want to miss this kit from Citrus Tree Studio it is beautiful!

Everyday Miracles

I created this layout for the first challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles using Webster's Pages and some of my stash. Here are some close-ups of the details (I think they were pretty cool!).

I've been reminded lately that sometimes things don't look the way we want but it doesn't mean that the Lord isn't taking care of us. I really don't want to be like the Israelites and miss entering my Promised Land because I couldn't trust the Lord. The Israelites had enough to eat and drink and yet they complained that they would have been better off in Egypt where they had meat to eat. When the scouts returned from checking out the Promised Land they again forgot the Lord's goodness because it sounded hard/scary yet the Lord had promised. Instead of remembering all the miracles in Egypt, the Red Sea, their daily provision they complained that it would be better to have stayed in Egypt or even the Wilderness. God wasn't doing things the way the Israelites thought He should and so they spent 40 more years in the desert. Can I look outside of the box that I want the Lord to perform in to allow Him to be GOD and do as He knows is best even if it doesn't look like what I wanted?

I'm so excited!

I made a card and I think it looks really good! This week has been a hard one so I haven't had time/mojo to scrap with, but yesterday I decided to take a few minutes and try making a card. http://www.scrapbookcircle.com/2011/06/challenge-9-card-sketch/ I used this sketch and my new June kit from scrapbook circle to create this card. I'm thinking I might even go make another one now.

I've been playing with my camera a lot lately trying to learn how to do things out of auto mode. This picture was another one of my attempts at setting my white balance and using ISO 400, I then edited it with Gimp - which I am loving! If you need some help with photos I've been reading this blog and it is so helpful, http://sideoatsandscribbles.wumple.com/ .

I just got back from taking Marc and Vinny for their birthday pictures. They looked to be pretty good this year and I didn't even have to resort to bribery - well I did give Vinny a penny to hold while he got his pictures done.

It's kit day!

Today is kit day at Citrus Tree Studio, check out the kit I worked with:

I created with this kit the following projects.

Here is a link to purchase this kit or another one that is being offered, http://www.citrustreestudio.com/currentkits.html .

Taking inventory

I made this layout based on a challenge at Scrapbook Circle to use this inventory paper by Crate Paper - so I took an inventory of our everyday life. Here is a look at our everyday and all that we do. Thanks SC! http://www.scrapbookcircle.com/2011/06/winner-of-challenge-8/