T.I.P. #1 ~ Tuesday's Inspirational Passages: Phil 4:6

While fellowshipping with a friend last week, an idea came to me to start a post weekly on things that inspire me scripturally.   I tend to lean towards passages and live by the goodness and power of His Word ~ hence, T.I.P. was born!  (Tuesday's Inspirational Passages) 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6, 7

This was the blessed verse that greeting me this morning as I awoke -  it is humbling, beautiful, perfect!  

First, I need to thank my wonderfully sweet daughter, Kaitlyn!  In my drugged stupor, I was able to give her very little information on my unfinished post that was due but she came through!   Although the mom is me shuddered at her less than stellar grammar and sentence structure *wink!*,  I am proud of her and it was uber sweet that she went through the trouble with her already full schedule to post my card for me :)  I hoped to make a new card and finish this post, but ....     ** Telegram version - I'm okay ~ today is a new day! I'm badly bruised, have big time pain and soreness, and will have to walk a whole lot slower in the next few days, but nothing broken from a slip and slide through the dining room to the kitchen!  Our poor doggie is battling terminal cancer and makes water messes when she drinks - being a mastiff, she doesn't drink in her water bowl,  she  *swims*!  And it goes everywhere.   We try to catch her, but missed this one - and I slid right into her water mess .... I started in the dining room and didn't stop sliding/falling/twisting/crashing til I got 12 feet into the kitchen.   Ouch!!   I have a "bruised spine" - which is a very super cool way of saying I hurt my back, go home and kick the feet up.  If I weren't in agony, I'm sure kicking my feet up would be pretty cool! :)   Alas ....

I tell you, I have honestly felt that my life has been in constant upheaval this past month ~ no matter what I seem to do, adversity seems to be 2 steps ahead of me.  I try to stay upbeat, positive .... I think push onward, keep going - it will get better!  And I'm knocked right back down again, falling faster and harder than the time before!   What to do?  Keep getting up!  Eventually I'll be standing on my own two feet again.   I just keep reminding myself that we are not the ones in control and NOTHING is bigger than my God! At the end each day, everything - and I mean everything - will fall into place!  Can I get an AMEN?!

 

So ... in seeing that daily verse, I was inspired to create today's card.  Luckily, I already had it stamped out and the papers chosen!   I followed the Mojo Monday sketch #183 to pull it together, and was inspired to submit this as well to SSCC #81 which challenges us to create  a card with something hidden from view - in this case, my prayer note is on the inside :)

I hope today finds you filled with joy abundant :)  I'm off for a follow up with my regular dr today and really hope PT/a Chiro is not in my near future.  I am praised that my dh is home with me, taking such good care of me and the kids and the house and the dogs and !!!!!!!!!  I've got my Starbucks to ease the pain, hee hee ... and I was able to get much needed rest and stay off my feet for many hours {not to mention a personal blogging assistant - oh a girl can get used to this! *wink!*}

Blessings! 
~Kelly

Entered into these challenges for consideration:
1.  Mojo Monday #183 - Sketch
2.  SSCC #81 - Hidden from view

Deets:  Pixie Pink; Old Olive by SU!  PTI, white:  Image and sentiment - Verve; dsp by Basic Grey; Cuttle bug, nesties, Momento Black ink; border punch, 3D dots, ribbon from London, England; BG buttons, embroidery thread, Tombo

Take time for Bubbles!

Hi.  My mom is Kelly.  My mom got hurt and  is resting in bed so  I am posting for her today.   I would have made a post earlier but we went back to school today and I had rehearsal after school.  And a lot of homework.  She already had her card colored and it needed to be photographed and I
just now finished doing that.

She told me the card was from The Deedee's Digis.   This is the one that came out today called Greatest Joy.  I hope you make it to the Deedee's Challenge blog, too.   There is a sketch challenge going on.  But her card isn't following the sketch.  She told me her card was done before she remembered the sketch challenge, and then she got hurt and couldnt' make a new one!   I don't know anything else so I will say bye!

 

From Kelly

Deedee's Digis "Time to Bloom" Blog Hop!

Spring is such a marvelous time of year! A time of warming weather, of lengthening days, and best of all, a time of vibrant colors and new life -- a time to BLOOM!  Join the Deedee's Digis Design Team today as we celebrate the (almost) start of this very special season with a "Time to Bloom" blog hop!


If this is your first stop on the hop, be sure to visit the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog, where you will find the directions for participating in the hop, a chance to win the grand prize of a $15 credit to our store, AND a little gift for you!  If you arrived here from Kelly C's blog, then you are on the right track :)

My card for you today is using God's Peace.   The moment I saw this image, it just spoke to me with it's quiet beauty and serenity ~ spring to me has always had a focal point on Christ, Our Savior and what the ressurection has meant.  I love Spring - bunnies, baskets, bonnets!  But truly God's Grace and the peaceful sentiment that Deedee has captured beautifully in her scripture that comes with this image from Colossians 3:15 is what captures the essence of this beautiful season! 

From here, you will hop on over to Lawren's blog to see what she has created for you!  But before you leave, please be sure to leave me a comment in order to be entered to win $5 in free digis of your choice from the Deedee's Digis store! You have until 12 noon Eastern Time on Sunday to comment. I will choose a random winner then, and all winners will be announced on Monday at Crafting with Deedee's Digis -- be sure to check back then to see if you've won. Thanks so much for joining us today, and may all the blessings of Spring be yours!

Blesssings!
~Kelly

Card Deets:  SU!  Cameo Coral, Certainly Celery, So Saffron; PTI White;  Image and sentiment - Deedee's Digis God's Peace;  DSP = Fancy Pants Little Sprouts collection; Cuttlebug, nesties, prismacolor markers, brads, ribbon scraps.

She made it, She made it, SHE MADE IT!!! :)

Top 'o the morning to ya!  I'm Irish, and don't have a card for today - ACK!  Scandelous! :)  But I do want to wish all of you a most blessed St. Patrick's Day today!

And share with you some most wonderful news!!!!!!    Finally our "luck" has turned around and in the midst of choas and upheaval, we received two letters in the mail this week from dd14 trying out for high school next year ...... yes, trying out, lol - I get asked a lot why do you apply to high school, doesn't everyone go?! They are speciality schools for voice/choral performance and you have to apply, wait an excruciating couple of months, and then stalk the mailman the week of the 15th!

Our Chrissy received not one .... but  two acceptance letters to both high schools she applied for!  We are over to the top giddy and blessed and humbled!  Competetion was fierce - in one school alone, they had 9 openings of the 100's that applied - NINE!  We could not be more excited and at the same time, help her decide which path to chose and which school would better fit her ... still much praying left to do but we know He will lead us to where we are supposed to be :)

And I remember the wonderful wishes you sent to us as she applied and how nervous we were, and all the cheers, prayers, and wonderful wishes you sent our way meant the world to me!  I can't thank you enough for your support, friendship and love!   *MuAh!*

Stay tuned! Celebration candy soon to follow!  Thanks for letting me share this blessed news - a Lucky Day indeed!! 

x0x0x0
~Kelly

OWL have another cup, please! :)

Hee hee, cheesy, I know!  But I love me some coffee!  I can't go a day without (a trip to Starbucks) coffee and that's the first thing I thought of when I saw this absolutely adorable coffee owl from Fresh Brewed Designs :)  

Our challenge this week at FBD was to use *spots* on our cards :)  Another thing I love to work with is spots and dots, so I was two for two this week!  

Here is the front - again, pretty simple and no fuss ~ a few sheets of dsp, ribbon, flower and button und das ist alles!  {eh, catch that?  This is a test ... to see if I'm awake ... and had my coffee, yet!!}

Sideways: 

And the yummiest part is on the inside!  I thought this would make a cute coffee card  holder :)   I'm seem to always need one in a pinch!

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Blessings to you!

And CHEERS!!!!!!!!!! :)

Dueling Darlings - Round 1: Be a Kid at Heart!

**Let the games begin!**  We are ready to duel again with the Deuling Darlings starting a new round of friendly kit swapping!  This month, I am the hostess for the Divas kits ...   Since my birthday is this month ::: eeek, getting closer - I won't look!  My eyes are closed!!  29 Forever!!  Tee hee! :::: , I thought the perfect and most fun theme would be how I always strive to be each and every day - young at heart, and always let the kid in me come out and play!!  (with 4 kids, this is quite easy to do, lol!) My children's friends always tell me "your mom is FUN!" - to which I am glad they aren't saying I'm funny LOOKING :)-  But I digress!

I actually thought of SO MANY stamps when I put together this kit. I knew I wanted fun, bright, primary colors that really bring out the memories of childhood and all the fun things we would do ~ but what sealed it for me was this adorable Riley stamp, bouncing along and so happy!   I thought of jump ropes and bikes and hopscotch, but Riley finally won me over with his happy face bouncing ball!  {Now the only one I have is by Leslie Sansone but it comes with a yucky tape that she makes me work out to for 3 whole miles!  Ugh! :)~ }

My card is simple and no fuss - just a wee background in papers called "Celebrations" by Cricut (yep, the big cutting machine!).  I actually forgot to make a kit for myself when sending this out - oops!!  I managed to squeeze enough corner pieces to make a full back ground piece and a center focal point and wee flower, rofl - note to self, count out the correct amount of kits before mailing!  Doh!  

*We try to include an optional CHALLENGE to the card kit - this month, to reflect something from our childhood, I chose pieces to a Winnie the Pooh puzzle :)  My son thought I was trying to spell out the word "HI" and said I need the "I", LOL!  Oh to see things through the eyes of a babe!

Here are the other Divas who have this exact, identical kit and you can see their take on it:
              Barb *  LauraJean  *  Carol  *  Joan  *  Judy  *   Jamie   *  Tami *

Then hop on over to the Dazzlers and see what "Kid at heart" image they came up with! You can start here, on Jeanette's blog, and she'll take you through the Dazzler roster!

Blessings to all ~ In the midst of all the fun and crafting wonder, I hope you are able to take a moment of prayer as I have for those hurting and lost in the devastation of Japan.  The news clips are just so heartbreaking and it's a terrible tragedy, one that weighs heavy on my heart.

x0x0x0x0x0

Blessings,

~Kelly

Sitting here, THUNKING of you .... :)

When our  6 year old son was around 2-ish, he used to tell me all the time "I thunk of something!"  It cracked me up every time ... his "past tense" version of think - instead of thought, he usually said thunk :)  Even now, I tell him *thunk* insead of thought and he gets pretty giggly, knowing that we do it out of love and sheer cuteness ... and that's exactly what I thought of when I saw this adorable Hello Teddy image from Glitterbabe's!   So I titled it a tad differently, since this is a card I plan to send some a special someone ;)

This weeks, Deedee's Digis is a sponsor at Glitterbabe's Digis - I was gifted this adorable Hello Teddy image to work with and just love, love him :)  It comes with a sweet stary night background, but for this card, it worked to have him as an outlined figure, peeking out of his card to share he is thinking of someone special :)  I paired it with some bright and fun papers to represent the happy card I'm hoping it will bring a smile to my friend!

Also, the Happy Monday Challenge at Deedee's Digis is to decorate insides of our cards - something I really love to do almost always, so this was a real bonus for me!   I kept the same bright, happy theme and added a sentiment.   Be sure to stop in to the HMC, too, and enter your inside and outside cards! 

Blessings,
~Kelly

Card deets:  Stampin Up! Marina Mist, close to cocoa, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango; Image:  PTI White and by Glitterbabe's Digis, sentiment PTI white and computer generated; DSP - October Afternoon; Colored with prismacolor markers; Ribbon; SU! Fairy Tale; Basic Grey Buttons; Cuttlebug, scallop + ric-rac die, nesties; tombo; aileens

Entered into the following for consideration:  

SSCC #80  - treasures (ribbon!)
Simon Says stamp - Anything Goes
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Anything Goes
The Rubber Cafe - Favorite Die

Karber's Customer Blog Hop!

One scoop of pistachio, please! :)  

Good morning!   One of the fun places I found since I've been in blogging land is Karber's digital images and was excited to see the customer Blog Hop sign up sheet :)   I had this adorable ice cream digi that I have used for a card - it's sooo cute!  And summer IS right around the corner! :)   If you are hopping along, you should have arrived from Jamie's blog.  If not, you can find the hop participants below and make sure to start HERE. 

For my card today, I used the adorable ice cream digi - available in the store - paired with some summery papers.  I paper pieced the ice cream with mint green and dark cream colored cardstocks and kept the theme of coordinating papers and embellies to match :)    I have made this lil ice cream in strawberry and chocoloate as well - so much of the fun of having images to play with - you can make them your own!

Be sure to keep on hopping and leave a comment along the way on each blog - on Monday, Karbers will draw a lucky winner for a prize!

I'm entering this card into these challenges for consideration :)
1. Do you stack up?  Layers!
2. Digi Doodle Shop - Pearls
3. Paper Playtime - Anything Goes

Happy Hopping, Happy Weekend, and Blessings to all!!
~Kelly

Blog Hop participants:

Andrea
Carol
Jamie
Kelly {you're here!}
Kerry
Laurel S.
Laurel B.
Melissa
Nanea
Sharon
Tanya J.
Tanya R.
Karber

Card Deets:   Martha Stewart Cardstock: Mint; Daffodil Delight by SU!, DSP by Making Memories; image "ice cream" by Karber; PTI ribbon "Aqua mist", Basic Grey buttons; twine; prismacolor markers; aileens, tombo, trimmer, Kaiser pearls, 3D dots (under ice cream)

Something about the beach ....

Happy Afternoon, blogging friends :)  I have missed visiting you all and seeing your blog creations, and really missed creating anything here, too!  My crafting is currently on hiatus until I can figure out so many things  and appreciate your prayers, for those that know what I'm talking about :)  Your texts and prayers and thoughtful words have meant the world to me and I know that above all things, I'm truly blessed to know you all! 

My post is short and sweet, and my card even simplier.   This month for the S.O.T.C, our uber sweet hostess was Barb (if you swap on SCS, then you surely know Barb!)  She asked us to create a card this month using the theme "love" and to incorporate what we love onto our cards.   My first intent was to make a card showing my first and strongest love - my love for our Savior.  But since I made one 2 months ago using that theme, I had to think of something else in my many loves :)  So I went with the ocean - a place my heart is always happy and I love to be at and blessed to be so close to!  I love being outdoors, and there is something about sitting under the beautiful palm trees here in Miami on a warm day, the tropical breeze blowing and the smell of the salt in the air drifting off the waves.  Especially if I have a good book! LOVE IT!! 

 

Digging out a very old SU! stamp set and happy to do so, I used "warm" colored cardstocks to accentuate the warm sunny theme I was aiming for.  My card is simple and no fuss ;)  At least in the midst of winter weather, snow and storms, a little sunshine will be arriving for someone!  ;)

Love and hugs!
Blessings,

Kelly

Have a TWEET birthday! :)

Hello Bloggin' friends and Happy Monday!!

Mondays are tons of fun because that means another Happy Monday Challenge at Deedee's Digis! This week, our challenge was to use pastels :)  I'm a bright, whimsical "here I am!" colors girl so I hope I did okay :)  I loved pastels, but for some reason my mind goes straight to baby cards and then I get confuzzled, ROFL!  I used the super adorable "Home Tweet Home" which is an adorable bird house set and came up with a sentiment on the inside that reads "Hope your Birthday is super Tweet!"  I won't show the inside just yet as it's on it's way to a very special friend and at least that part will be a wee surprise if she stops by and sees her card :)

For my card, I used the Hopscotch K and Co mat stack that I found while wandering thru the aisles at Michaels - it costs a whoppin' .64c!!  I hoped to find more but it was the last one and somehow jumped into my basket!  {even craftin' on a budget you get lucky once in awhile!} :)  I added some soft pastel SU! cardstock in Blushing Bride and Pale Plum and Pink Pirouette - lots of girly colors :)  The flowers were handmade from a Fiskars small punch, and this image was colored with my prismacolor markers.

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you again this week at the HMC!

Blessings!
~Kelly

5 Sweet Peas in a Pod!

Good morning!!  Sorry to get a late start - we had very unexpected company at 8:30 am who had the wrong day scheduled for visiting, lol!  Oh what an unexpected surprise - all of us in our jammies, scrambling to get ready for services and two happy faces ringing the bell :)  

This month, we had a little fun thrown into the KitCats -- rather than our scheduled hostess card kits, we went with this adorable digi that I commissioned last year from Tracy @ Sugar Creek Hollow to make just for us!  *Please note - this is not digi sharing :)  This digi was designed/paid for by me specifically for this group and is being used accordingly!*   She has also added this to the store and all of Tracy's proceeds from sales go straight into her ministry :)

My card is pretty simple as I really thought this adorable 5 peas in a pod were just the total showcased! I paired it with some Sugar Rush green and purple papers, a wee scallop border, some nesties, coordinating ribbon and button - ta-da!   This was a fun card to create and I just love the fact that we are all such warm and wonderful crafting peas in a pod!

Please stop by and see what the other kittens have created!

Jeanette
Lorie
Michelle
Susan!

Blessings!
~Kelly

Card entered into these challenges for consideration:
 Cute Card Thursday - Signs of Spring
 CCEE -- Swirls (in the design)
 Stamp Something - digi day!

Cutest lil Dragon :)

**Good Saturday Morning!**  Just a quick update to announce the winner of the Cutie Pie Stamp ...

by random selection, congratulations goes to .........

Paola, That's Amore!

Congratulations on your win!

Hi blogging friends!  I'm sorry to be MIA .... everything is whirlwind crazy here and crafting time has been zero! Tomorrow my son has a birthday party for a Kindergarten classmate and I had to whip up a card in a jiffy - and all I can say is thank goodness I had this card kit with an image and dsp!  This was sent to me in a swap last year from Tanja (wie gehts!!) - I colored up the image that she sent along, added the paper with it's bright and bold boy colors paired with some cardstock I had on hand ~ added the ribbon and accent bling and ta-da, easy breasy!

I kept the card pretty simple overall - I think it's hard pressed to find 6 year old little boy card connoisseurs, ROFL!   And if you know who this image is, please let me know!  It's adorable - looks a little like a Whipper Snapper, but I'm too tired to go and look it up ;) 

Big hugs, Happy Crafting, and stop in tomorrow to see if you are the random winner of the Cutie Pie Stamp!

Blessings!
~Kelly

Fresh Brewed Designs - New Stamp Release Blog Hop!!

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice, That's what little girls are made of!

I think even as we grow, we ladies are still made of sugar and spice and everything nice, don't you? Today we have lots of girly fun to share with you! Fresh Brewed Designs has released (today) 7 brand new rubber stamps that are perfect for girls of all ages! Heather has designed 3 coffee gals to add to the already sassy series. These latte lovin' ladies have an extra sprinkle of sweetness. Each stamp has a little cherry topped cupcake added to it. We are also excited to introduce to you today Cutie Pie!!! She is a cute little butterfly fairy with a love for adventure and loves to spread smiles wherever she goes.

If you are just getting to the hop, you will have to start at the beginning at the Freshly Brewed Challenges Blog. If you are getting here from Catherine's blogg, you are on the right track. 

My card for you today is featuring Cutie Pie Flowers.  I just love how she is sitting in a field of little flowers! I paired this image with some spring floral paper from My Mind's Eye called "Breaking Free" and is a little less bright than it appears here :)  I kept the card simple as I really wanted you to see how absolutely adorable these stamps are!

And what's more --  I have one Cutie Pie to give away!  I LOVE these stamps so much, I bought an extra one just for the hop!  For one lucky winner, I'll send you your very own Cutie Pie Butterfly - they are so very, very fine rich rubber with amazing detail!  Heather also includes a generous card back stamp with her stamped images so you'll have two to try!   (It's NIP!  Removed only for PHOTO purposes!)  Please leave your name below in the comments  so I will know where to find you! :)

AND THERE'S MORE!!!!!!!  Here is what you could win just by hopping!!!  Here the RULES for your chance to win the prize.

*You will have to complete the hop in full and leave a comment on each hop stop.

*The hop will start AND end on the challenge blog.

*After you finish the hop, leave ANOTHER comment on the challenge blog post and let us know what your favorite image was from the hop.  To be able to decide which is your favorite, though, you will have to keep hopping!

Your next hop stop is Stacy's Blog and you won't want to miss what she's made :)

Hop order:

Freshly Brewed Challenges

Carolyn (Guest)

Heather

Stacie G

Audrey

Jeanette:

Catherine (Guest)

Kelly (you're here!)

Stacy

Linda

Rhonda

Shazza

Kathy B

Freshly Brewed Challenges

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Happy Hopping, Happy Crafting, and Good luck!

Blessings,

~Kelly

Entered into the following for consideration :)

Stamping Sisters in Christ - 3 Buttons

Here ye, Here ye! It's a ROYAL BALL!

Here Ye, Here Ye!  By royal proclamation …… I welcome you all to the Calendar Girl's Ball!  I'm the lucky hostess this month for the CG's and I invited each of the beauties to be Belles of the *~*ROYAL BALL!!*~*   

My challenge for them this month included these 3 things :)

1.   What's your style?   Make a card showing what they will "wear" to the ball, not using a dress stamp, and the card should speak for itself using color and style!
2.  Show off your true colors!  They had to add their favorite color somewhere to their card, even if it’s the smallest of a brad or a little tiny flower – it might not match your “dress personality” but that’s the whole challenge!  In the words of Tim Gunn, “Make it work!”
3. Shape up for this ball!!   Use a SHAPE somewhere on the card!  Any big-shotted, Cuttlebugged, hand cut out shape, etc will work! 

I was so excited when the Royal Court  accepted their invitations and I quickly thought of an idea for my gown!  I actually did a prototype, ditched it, made another card in a completely different style, then came back to my original idea and reworked it :)   To be honest, I would not wear a shimmery gold gown to a ball - not only do I not have the figure, confidence or sense of style to pull it off, but it seemed to work for my card, hee hee!   But I would love to wear a sweetheart style, poofy ball gown with a tiara if I could!

Challenge 2 - True Colors!  I added some beautiful green glazed brads - they look a little yellow/green but IRL they are a vibrant gorgeous light emerald!

Close up of the dress "Trim" - I used gold ric-rac and delicately glued it to the shimmery paper ~ The waist has a matching belt, but it's covered up with my gold sash ;)

 

I hope you get a chance to stop by the other Calendar Girls and see what gowns they will have on at the Royal Ball!  Take a peek!

Jeanette - Miss January

Kelly - Miss February {you're here!}

April - Miss March

Terry - Miss April

Barb - Miss May

Carol - Miss June

Michelle - Miss July

Debbie - Miss August

Paola - Miss September

Tami - Miss October

  Thank you so much for stopping by today - I enjoy your visits!

    Blessings!
~Kelly

Card deets:  GKD - Black Onyx; S.E.I Gold Lame; Cuttlebug, spellbinders; Gold Ribbon, Gold Ric-rac; Glazed brads from Basic Grey, MM Trimmer, Tombo, Aileens

Card entered into these challenges: 
A gem of a challenge -- bows, brads
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Girly Card
Stamps R Us - For the Girls!