new porch pictures

as promised - here's the new porch decor-----

the next stamp camp WILL be February 13. please send an email if you're coming. some people have had trouble with the comments section of the blog, so just email me from now on. thanks. i spent the afternoon making wedding invitations - i'll post some pictures soon.

be blessed!!! i am!!!!

seein' how it's almost february........

i thought it would be a good idea to take down the snowmen from the front porch!!!

i'll post pictures of the new arrangement tomorrow - i had to run to grandma's & it was too dark to take pictures when i got home!

tomorrow's church!!!!! yay!!!!!!!!
have a blessed weekend!!!!!!!

i finally worked out my tension...............

on my sewing machine, that is!!!!!!!!

sunday afternoon & evening i worked on my quilt! i finished the last star (that was cut using the Big Shot & 5point star die), basted the top to the batting, then basted that all to the backing & then sewed it together. love it!!!! i was going to hand-quilt around each of the 15 stars, but once i tried i found that the cotton batting along with the top & back (which is light-weight denim) was just too thick to hand-stitch. plus it would have taken 4-eVeRrrrrrrrrr.....so i machine quilted around each one. so now it's done!!!! almost----i'm going to sew some buttons to the rest of the cross bars rather than stitch all those bars. here are some pictures of the process -- & a comparison of it & the quilt my sister maggie made. amazing how much that little extra makes!

NOW what project can i get started on???!!!!!!!!!!!!!

have a blessed day!!!!

why everyone should stamp-------

because God is a stamper!!!! and here's proof: we sang this song at church on sunday:

(you can click on any picture on the blog to view it larger)

you see that very last line of the chorus? so there!!

stampin'up!'s "sale-a-bration" starts today & i'll be placing our stamp camp order tonight, so email me if you'd like to order anything. remember, for every $50 of your order (before shipping & tax), you can choose a free "sab" item.

have a blessed day!!!

i am sooooooooooo blessed!!!!!

i am so in love with God right now that i could burst!!!! i've dedicated this year to really strengthening my prayer life (notice i didn't say "trying to strengthen my prayer life"---i'm not "trying", i am DOING!!! well let me tell you, it's fantastic!!! all the crappy problems of life are still there, but they're not bothering me & i can truly say i am genuinely happier than i've been in a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time! i've got a smile in my heart & just can't stop thanking God for His love for me! i've started a friday night prayer group with some other people at church and wish EVERY night was friday night!!! what a blessing!!!

try it yourself! ---no, don't try, DO IT!!!

be blessed!! i'm off to a stampin' workshop - will post pictures later!

here's what i've been up to lately....& info on next stamp camp

last saturday i spent some time stamping - here's what i made..........

looks like i've been in a "man card" mood lately!!!

stamp camp sunday was fun - the frames that people made are going to be beautiful once they are finished!!!! our next stamp camp MIGHT be on 2-13 (a week earlier than our usual time) because i MIGHT go to dallas to see suzanne since i have "president's day" off. i will let everyone know for sure soon. we'll be doing our usual "pretty cards"--i've got some GREAT ideas & techniques to show you!!!! if you want to swap, please make 10 cards, your choice of theme!!! from now on, unless we have more people swapping we'll always make 10 cards--it's too much trouble trying to get people to rsvp & letting everyone know soon enough how many to make, so if you just make 10, we should have enough & you'll have a few extra for your stash. ---just trying to make this easy for you & for me!!!


well, i have a few birthday cards i need to get ready to mail out...so i'm gonna head to the craft room..........take care & be blessed (i am!!!)

did some organizin'

a friend gave me some cigar boxes a long long time ago & i finally did something with them! (they looked cute sitting on the shelf in the garage, but they look even cuter now!!!) and now my embossing powders are all organized & neat!!

yay! it's thursday!! i have some fantastic plans for friday night, so i'm happy!!!!

be blessed & stay warm!!!

stamped scrapbook for a friend

here's the gift i made cathy - she's been out sick for 1 1/2 weeks & came back to work today, so now i can post pictures of her birthday gift!

why is it everytime i come on here to make a post everything's different? the way you add pictures, the layout, the funky codes instead of real words......i just don't understand............but then again, maybe i don't need to!!!

i'll see some of you at stamp camp sunday - have a blessed week everyone!!

a few of my favorite things.............

seems like i've done more cleaning than stamping lately.  & since i don't have any new stamped pictures to show you, i've taken some pictures of things around the house.....these are a few of my favorite things...............

antiques, sunflowers, bluebonnets, & the herd!

no need to say anything more!

i love old doorknobs - especially glass ones!

i made this shelf from an old chair that was in my brother's barn.  the candle stick was my mom's - i remember it from when i was younger; the glasses & thimbles were my grandma's.

grant's & suzanne's 1st shoes 

stuffed bear & dog that i made from one of my mom's old bedspreads; my baby quilt that my grandma made & an old tool box that i rescued from my parents' attic a couple years before their house burned.

well, i think i'll go make some potatoe soup & i'll try to stamp something

oh my -everything i typed just disappeared & came back all funky with codes - i hope when i hit "publish post" that it all comes out right - if not, i'm gonna be mad!!! maybe this is a "sign" that i should be doing something else right now!!!

have a blessed week & stay warm - i'm cuddling on the couch wrapped in a blanket right now & don't want to move!!!!!

i love it when it rains at night!!

i spent the evening making a birthday gift for a friend at work - can't post pictures yet til i give it to her, so come back in a few days!  i also made my swap cards for both stamp camps & some invitations.  it's late, so i'll take pictures & post later too.  in the meantime, here are a few pictures for your "blogging enjoyment"!!

a couple cards from a past stamp camp:

 what i gave my brothers & sisters for christmas - bible software, but i packaged it up all pretty!

just a little thought --
about a week ago i was driving home from work & i was talking to God, telling him that i didn't feel very loved & didn't feel close to Him.  satan was filling my heart & mind with all sorts of doubts - even about my salvation.  i was crying out to God that i wanted Him to give me some reassurance.  well, that night as i was doing my Bible reading, He spoke to me through 1st John and gave me that reassurance!  for the past week i have been reading this whole book over & over each night along with my other reading.  it's given me such encouragement!!!  go & read it now!!

have a blessed night - & i hope it's raining while you sleep!!

howdy 2011!!!!

                                  i have a feeling yer gonna be a good year!!!!

i know this is a little late, but i posted what NOT to do on new year's eve, so now i'll post what TO DO on new year's eve:    go to church!!  we had the best time of reflection & prayer last friday night.  i wish we could have church every day!!!!!  kevin did a short lesson on the phrase "one another" in the bible -- it's in there 48 times.  really made me think!  i never do "resolutions"; i just figure i need to try harder with everything & when i mess it up, i need to continue to try rather than think "oh well, that resolution is blown" & give up..............but the "one another reflections" really got me to thinking about things i want to do & change this year.    i'm excited!!  but i need to remember, God's in control & i need to wait for His timing.

i spent all day yesterday taking down Christmas & cleaning......it's amazing how much hair this dog loses every day!!!!!  you'd think she'd be bald!!!!  today i'm going to clean the craft room - a never ending process!!!  tonight it's dinner with ksfj&s, then sarah & i are going to have some long-neglected stamping time together!

monday is another day off!!!!  have a blessed week!!