The Mind of a Child: A New Perspective

So exactly two months ago today I began my journey into Bible Journaling.  I'm enjoying carving time out for Jesus.  For me it's a way to illustrate a favorite passage or song in a way that makes my heart sing.  

Job 22: 21-23

If you haven't heard about this wonderful way to spend time with Jesus let me suggest that you check out Stephanie Ackerman's Documented Faith and Shanna Noel's Illustrated Faith.  There are many ladies leading studies, journaling challenges, and teaching via their blogs, YouTube, or Periscope. There are Facebook Communities dedicated to this as well.

I'm no expert but there seems to be at least three stumbling blocks to a getting started.  (Which coincidentally coincide with My Faith Walk). 

The first is simply not knowing about it, followed by a strong desire to learn everything you can.  This results in not in fact spending time creating in the Word but searching the Internet: Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest for ideas and reveling in the wonderfully creative expressions of faith shared by fellow Christians.

Psalm 94:19 When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

The second is doubt - I'll never be as good as they are.  I can't draw, paint or letter like that.  I don't have the correct tools.

And finally acceptance.  Here as in my Walk, I'm good enough and won't grow unless I try.  He equips us differently and speaks to each of us on our own level.   Sometimes it's just colored pencils or a few stickers from my Scrapbook stash,  Other days it's tracing and coloring my favorite digital images or stamps to summarize my Pastor's Sunday teaching.

I encourage you to try it.  Whether it be in a journaling bible or faith note book.  Take some time this week to doodle out & color your favorite verse or worship song.   You'll be glad you did!

Mark 10:15 ...whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.
Digital Image: Tiddly Inks 'Swinging By'

Fall is in the Air

I love Autumn!!  The crisp mornings, leaves changing colors, pumpkin spice lattes.  Break out that fall decor, spice scented candles, crock pot dinners    Let's usher in another school year & football season. And of course we can't forget Halloween!.  Little costumed people excitedly dashing about in the dark.

This happy homage to Halloween features an adorably sweet little witch for Gerda Steiner's September Monthly Challenge .  Isn't she adorable?    My camera just doesn't do it justice.

I colored her with my Prisma Color Pencils then fussy cut her out & popped her onto a distressed ink background. Her 'jet stream' is silver embroidery floss.  I printed out that fun sentiment in Word using a font titled 'The Speed of Oatmeal'.   And the house was my biggest challenge.  I don't own a fancy machine so I traced an image onto DCWV Halloween paper, pieced in those windows (colored with a brilliant yellow highlighter) then added some details with my Prisma Color Pencils.

Too Cool For School

I've been in a bit of a slump lately.  Even took a short break from card making & the related challenges.  But there's something about Fall that just gets my creative juices flowing.   Maybe it's the cooler weather or the return of that infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte.  In any event this weekend I finally got back in to the swing of things.  Tonight I grabbed a favorite Tiddly Inks digi stamp & my Spectrum Noir Markers to create a Welcome Back to School card.  I'll be entering it in the current  SCHOOL RULES Tiddly Inks Challenge

Sending Love

Are you up for one more challenge?  Bryce has been making a few cards along side me,  So this morning we were checking out a few of the current card challenges.  I thought I'd stretch my creative skill and try my hand at a few new one's.  This morning's was Waffle Flower and this evening's card is for the current colour me card challenge featuring only red red & neutrals.  A fun way to spend the afternoon indoors out of the heat!

CMCC#78, Tiddly Inks Kitties

The paper is from an old My Minds Eye 6x6 pad.  The sentiment is from a pack of vellum quotes I picked up at JoAnn's ages ago.  And those "dots" are pearls colored with my spectrum noire DR7 marker.

Weekend Fun - Card Challenges

Okay I admit it, I'm a wimp when it comes to the Central Valley summer heat!  So what better excuse than to hide out in my crafty den and work on that final box of cards for Operation Write Home finishing strong.  I have two cards today that were created using Kristie's awesome 6x6 tutorial & OWH Sketches. 

Card #1  A a while back I stamped and clear embossed this cute little firefly bug jar.  The multiple layers of  clear embossing gives it a glass effect.  Unfortunately you can't really see it in this photo. It's also a lot brighter and teal toned then today's soft light captured.  

OWH Sketch 256, Lawn Fawn Summertime Charm

 Since it has the general color scheme and lightning bugs I'm entering it into this Waffle Flower Photo Inspiration Challenge.

Card #2 is a Thank You card using the adorable Tiddly Inks Birds in a Line Digi Stamps,  They are so much fun to color.  And those little blank note cards are perfectly sized for my little letter stamps!  I'll be entering this card into the July OWH ODBD Challenge.

OWH Sketch 123, Tiddly Inks Birds

Inspired by Pinterest #3 Use up Those Scraps!

You know Pinterest really comes in handy sometimes.  Especially late at night when you have an idea in rattling around in your head but you just cannot get your fingers to understand the concept.

I had this beautiful pile of patterned paper scraps forming on the corner of my desk.  The quilter in me said "Oooh, scraps!!  We'll just piece it together."  Unfortunately the accountant side of my brain went into it's "everything must balance" mode.  So in frustration I perused Pinterest and found these lovely cards.

The first is by Mariana Grigsby.  You can see her creative process here mariana grigsby10-minute-craft-dash-2-video

Mariana Grigsby  10 Minute Craft Dash

The second was from Britt Bass who blogs at pinkpapercrowns via a DCWV Page Maps Challenge post.

Britt (Kidlet 6x6)

And here are my cards.

Say Cheese

I've been so focused on creating cards for Operation Write Home that I forgot to post this little fellow before mailing him off to Washington last week.  Luckily I snapped a few photos as reference along the way!  Gerda's images always bring smiles so sharing that sentiment seemed appropriate.   I'll be entering him in the June/July 6 week challenge

Gerda Steiner Designs Say Cheese