I Know It's Early! Christmas Cards

I know, I know... It's early to be talking about Christmas. However, I have a dear lady friend of mine who has been asking me for some Christmas cards for some time now and so I started to make some. The top three pictures are of the same card as it is opened up. This is one of my favorite designs as it adds a unique quality that is very 'eye catching' and pleasing to the eye.
This is just the beginning. Usually every year I try to make enough cards to sell either at Church or at a craft sale and that means I need to make a lot of cards. I like to use my 'creative' gift from the Lord in this way because I enjoy making people smile. I haven't decided whether or not I will go in the Christmas craft fairs or not but I know that I will sell some at Church. This is my favorite holiday to make cards for. Keep checking in and I will continue to post some of my designs.
Happy creating.

Preview of Some of My Cards

I moved to Alberta five years ago and met a lady named Nancy... since then I have accumulated an entire room of creative crafty items such as stamps, inks, markers, ribbons, magazines, scrapbook materials... not to mention my growing art supplies. (Yes, my husband is not a big fan of her introducing me to all these wonderful things!) My dear friend Nancy got me into making cards and I was very excited with the entire learning process. This woman is a wealth of knowledge believe me. Check out her site by looking at my "cool links" under Nancy's Creative Mess. She taught me pretty much everything I know when it comes to making cards; techniques galore, where to shop, introduced me to "Stampin-up" which she sells, led me to different websites for ideas... the list goes on and on. I have learned much from her. She is a good friend. So here I am today posting some of my cards... (hey come to think of it Nancy taught me how to blog too!) Like I said earlier "A wealth of knowledge"!
These are just a few cards that I am making to sell for charity for Children's Ministry at my Church. I usually put a shoebox full of cards and the congregation has happily purchased them in the past and have since requested more.
One of the cards is a wedding card I designed for a friends wedding. It was very enjoyable creating this card because I got to use my new tool the "cuttle bug" by Provo Craft. I cut out the lady's dresses in a shape that looked like they would be a wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses... then sent them through my cuddle bug embossing the design on each dress. I then cut some 'glitter dots' (what I like to call them) from words that I bought at the scrapbooking store (they usually spell out words for a scrapbooking page like "birthday" or "congratulations"). I like to use the dots separately or in a small bunch like I did for the brides tiara on this card.
The fuschia pink 'Happy Birthday' card is called a "Slider" card. Basically there is a piece of paper that you 'pull' up that has a message on it. I used my 'word slot' punch to punch out where the message will be seen on the front of the card. The further you pull out this piece of paper the more the message is revealed. Nancy is much better at giving directions with these sorts of cards (as I learned from her) so maybe I will ask her to post a 'slider' card on her site with all the instructions. I don't know where she stores all her information but she is very good at what she does.
Happy Creating Everyone!

Making Cards Lately

Another thing I enjoy doing is creating my own handmade cards. I'm not one for making my own paper and all that, just creating my own designs or using others design ideas. I like to sell my cards and give to charities within our Church. This year I think I will be making some Christmas cards to raise money for Children's Ministry as well as for hampers for less fortunate families. I don't know why, but when I make cards I never end up sending them in the mail. This way I don't have to send them I can just sell them and put the money made from them to good use.
I will post some of my other designs as I go. Right now I'm dealing with a back that does not have the energy to sit at my craft desk as it is currently "out of alignment". Pain in your body makes it very difficult to find energy to create!
Well happy creating everyone.

Kids Bible Camp

This year we went with our kids to "Kampers For Christ" Bible Camp only an hour away from our home. I helped in the kitchen and my husband was brave enough to be a cabin counsellor. We all had a blast! It is amazing to me to think about how much God has healed me in just this past year. No way would I have been able to help in the kitchen last year during camp (besides the fact that there was no camp)... I would have not been physically nor mentally prepared to help. I still had many issues weighing me down from my depression. However, this past February I was prayed over and healed of so many things that I was set free to fly and soar above all my previous illness issues. It was such a great joy to my heart to witness my children being witnessed to by a wonderful teacher of the Lord. My son Ben (the one in the picture) got right into every lesson (as you can see). God is so good to me, to us as a family. I am able to do things I was held back from doing before,. such as having the creativity to start this art journaling blog. Depression takes it all away... and when you become free from it's "death-grip" on you, a whole new world opens up! Only God can heal the emptiness depression leaves in your soul; Only He can take it all away and help you to fly again! For all things are possible for Him. If you are hindered in any way, trust me God can and will help you! He is faithful. He has done so many miraculous things in my life I cannot help but have faith in Him. If you want to know what He can do in your life... seek Him out... ask Him to show you... open a bible. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Trust in Him.
Happy Creating and God Bless you.

Camping In Kanaskis

Last week I was over at my girlfriends house from Church and she told me that her and her family and some other families from our Church go up to Kananaskis for August long weekend every year... I didn't know this but was quickly excited about the idea. So... I got on the phone to the campsite as soon as I got home. Sad news... there were no spots available. I phoned my girlfriend and told her that we couldn't come and then we chatted a bit and the idea came to her that maybe there was room on their site for us and our giant tent. It turned out there was room on their site and not only that but our tent was able to accomodate her and her husband and their seventeen year old son too! Bonus! It was Wednesday when we decided we were going camping and would leave Friday afternoon. I ran around frantically trying to get everything organized making list after list of things we would need to take with us. As it turned out those lists were not needed as I got so flustered that I forgot everything anyway! It was kind of funny, I went grocery shopping and brought all the groceries but forgot to pack anything extra from home, such as utensils, bowls, salt and pepper or other seasonings etc. The weekend was a blast however and all the families shared whatever they needed to. Except for the one rainy day it was a beautiful weekend and very nice to sleep out in the great outdoors. We are planning on booking a few weekends of camping next year!
Now it's raining when we are home... hmmmm... I hope the sun comes out soon again.
Happy creating.