precepts & promises

Friday Features, a Tutorial, and a bit of Catching Up

2012-01-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

I have been down for the count. The Male was so very kind to share his virus with me, and it hit me hard. I'm still a bit stuffy, but at least I'm now functioning. It was touch and go there for awhile. Trust me, after the last two years, NEXT year, I'm definitely getting a flu shot.

I have just one new product up in my store (see above!), An Open Book.

In today's tutorial, I'll show you one way that you can add these to your layouts. I think you might have fun with these!

For Friday's Features:

Here's a nice tutorial on How to Make Your Photos Look Vintage.

These adorable pinwheels would make very cute hair clips.

This is a nice little article about how to give your viewers a focal point in your photos.

And, lastly, how to hand-draw a frame in Photoshop.

God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner

drain the sea of its water,

or deprive the sun of its light,

or make space too narrow,

than diminish the great mercy of God.

C.H. Spurgeon

Friday Features; January 20 Edition

2012-01-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a long post, so buckle up!

First up, I have a new product in my store, "Twelve x 12 Album." It's a set of 12 double-spread, 24x12", templates, one for each month. Each page is unique, but each double-spread has 12 photo clipping masks, with a monthly title or text box and a journaling box, too. I've also included single page, 12x12", layouts if you find those easier to work with. I think it's a fun product, and I'm going to be using it myself to document my "twelve in 12."

Over at the goDigitalScrapbooking forum, I started a thread asking for input about template design. If you'd like to chime in, here's the link.
I've decided that instead of bouncing all around the color wheel for my template palette, I'm going to choose a single color scheme. I'm trying to go for a scheme that won't bore me by its repeated use, is colorful, yet neutral enough that it doesn't prevent my customers from seeing their layouts in the design. Here are the swatches that have appealed to me the most, but I'd love your input, too. If there's one that especially appeals to you, please leave a comment either in the forum or in the comments for this post. Thanks!

All those pretty, pretty colors.... How will I ever decide and be happy? So, I hope you can see where a little input from you might be helpful...

Today's tutorial is a quick little tip for free transforming an item in PSE.

And, finally, here's your Friday Features:

What to ask yourself before you take a picture.

Tips for Designing a Photo Book; these can easily be applied to our scrapbook pages, too.

If you have an iPhone, you might find this a fun read: 30+ Super Secret iPhone Features and Shortcuts.

This is an inspiring post about prayer. I'm working on a special project, and this made me want to hurry it to completion.

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised.

John Bunyan

Back Home and Deal of the Day!

2012-01-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

I am back in my beloved home; The Male is sick and in bed, where I hope he stays put. He has a tendency to try to push past illness.
I'm popping in quickly today to let you know that I have the Deal of the Day at goDigitalScrapbooking today. You can get my "Pick a Pocket" for only .99! But, you might want to hurry, as it's only good for a day.

I'll be back tomorrow with a new post and tutorial and a new product or too, as well.

In Houston...with the world's worst "high speed" internet....

2012-01-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

I'm here in Texas with The Male, accompanying him on his business trip. After all the craziness of the last month, we both thought it would be a nice break. He also knew that I was way behind on my digital designing and thought that while he was in sessions all day, I could have some uninterrupted computer time.
Which has been true. I did finish a huge project that's been in the works for a while now, a whole album's worth of templates, "Twelve x 12."

There are 12 double-page layouts, plus a cover and back page, perfect for scrapping your 2012 quickly and easily. I know that I'll be doing this!
The files will be in both .psd and .tif format, with .jpg previews. I will also make each double-page into two single-page templates, as I know that for some scrappers, a 24x12 is just too overwhelming.
But, remember the awful internet from the title of this post? There is simply NO WAY that I will be able to upload this until I get home, back to real high-speed internet.
And, that's why there was no tutorial this week either. :-(
We will be heading home tomorrow, so I'll post a tutorial on Friday's scheduled post.

So, until Friday!

Friday Features; January 13 Edition

2012-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

Well, apologies are in order, aren't they? I've been quite the absent blogger of late, haven't I?
Would if help if I told you that I'd been really, really busy? Truly? Just suffice it to say that there has been lots of sewing around here. And, frankly, I have trouble getting dinner done, let alone design and blog, when I'm in a sewing blur!
In the last few weeks, I've made:
2 embroidered, quilted Christmas stockings,
one baby quilt,
four pairs of PJs for The Littles,
one pair of jammie pants for moi,
inserted four invisible zippers (three in bridesmaids dresses with three, yes, three layers of fabric, one in a mother-of-the-bride dress),
roll-edged 10 flutter sleeves,
and made one bridesmaids dress in its entirety.
And,
one family calendar,
one custom-order calendar,
one story book,
one photo book,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
All the while trying to keep up with family visits, those pesky holidays, church events, and squeezing in a little design and scrap work here and there.
Today, I just finally crashed on the couch and read for the simple pleasure of reading. I realized that sitting and staring at the computer screen wasn't accomplishing anything. But, now I feel better, thank you!
And, as if I already didn't have enough to do, my dear, sweet Male honored my request for a Christmas gift and got me Tangie's 2012 Art Journal Caravan. I've managed to finish the first two assignments and I'm looking forward to the rest of the year.

For today's video (since I've skipped the last two), I'll show you how to use a fill layer with a gradient and a pattern. I've remembered to stop the dryer, too!

For Friday Features:

If you have old books of any kind and a craft knife, you can create these beautiful works of art.

John Piper has a great post, with an article about seeing the glory in the world around you.

This is a great article about anger and justice and sin and all that. It's aimed mainly at moms and their children, but it could just as easily apply to to the guy who cut you off on the freeway or your husband or the IT person who just won't listen to your explanation.

This is a great little tutorial on how to make a button look as if a string has been threaded through it.

God's interest is to magnify the fullness of His glory by spilling over in mercy to us. Therefore the pursuit of our interest and our happiness is never above God,

but always in God. God's greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him.

John Piper

Friday Features: First Friday in 2012! Late Edition...

2012-01-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

Hello, my friends! And, how has 2012 been treating you so far? My year is already going by in a blur! We've had family here, and I've been seriously attacking my to-do list, getting some sewing done for a wedding next Saturday. Hopefully, when that is all done, I'll get back to some serious digi designing. And, scrapping. I need to finish up my 2011 P365 and get those off to the printer.
I've decided to focus on a different type of scrapping this coming year, especially documenting my life time story. I'll have more about that later.

Now, here are you Friday Features:

I have made a few goals, not resolutions, for 2012. More time for more meaningful scrapbooking is one of them. This article was helpful.

Is one of your photo resolutions/goals to participate in a year-long project? Here's one at MCP Actions which looks very low-stress.

And, here's something just for fun: How to improve your iPhone photography. I just tried tip #1 and it works! And, they have a new blog dedicated to phone photography.

And, if you heart Instagram, like I do, then here's an article on new ways to use this fun app.

I don't know about you, but I use my iPhone all the time for quick photographs. Including this one, taken out of the car window:

Why, yes, that is a very tiny dog, wearing a pink harness, a miniature beanie, and wee goggles, riding a Harley trike. And, I wouldn't have this photo if I hadn't use my phone. And, no one would believe me...

Friday Features: Last Day in 2011!

2011-12-31T20:50:00.000-08:00

Well, Happy New Year, my friends! It's so hard to believe that another year has passed; they seem to go quicker and pass faster the older I get!
Thank you for all your faithfulness this year, and I hope you enjoy God to the fullest in 2012.

And, here are your final Friday Features (on Saturday!) for 2011.

I loved reading this article on why the Psalms are the smart phone of the soul.
This article has a whole plethora of photo ideas for the new year.
I love The CoffeeShop Blog! Here's a great tutorial on using a levels adjustment layer to edit your photos.
And, finally, some good words from the Femina blog about being content in the coming year.

Tuesday's Tutorial is Back...on Wednesday!

2011-12-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

Which is really more like a Tuesday today, as The Male had Monday off, so Monday was more like a Saturday (day off without church), and so it goes!
But, I promised you a little video showing a new way to color (well, new to me!). It's really easy and quick.
But, first, I have a few new products up in the store, and they are all 25% off for the first week of release.
You might recognize a few of these word art clusters. :-)
Words of: Providence, Vol.1 and Vol.2:

And, then just because I really like pockets, Pick a Pocket:

And, now, for your video tutorial, here's the link.

He was created by a mother whom He created.

He was carried by hands that He formed.

He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, He the Word,

without whom all human eloquence is mute.

Augustine

Friday Features: December 23rd Edition

2011-12-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

I hope that you all have finished up your holiday preparations and are ready to center your heart. Center it to reflect on Christmas (not the Jingle Bell one, which has its place). But rather focus on the one with the Baby, who is God come down, in the manger.
"The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..."
He came to us to save us, as we are a people in desperate need of salvation. He came to take the scourging and nails that were and are rightly ours. He came to conquer death and Hades. He came to obey His Father, that we might be His brothers. He came to be glorified.
I pray that you might glorify Him this Christmas. And, glorifying, rejoice.

The Professor, The Mama, and their Littles are here with us now. Tonight after dinner, we're going to walk around Naples Island to see the Christmas lights. And get lost. We always get lost. It's part of the tradition. We had to use a GPS one year to get out.

And, now for your Friday Features:

It's only two days before Christmas and you're out of wrapping paper! Oh, no! What to do? You certainly don't want to fight the crowds at the mall, so how about making your ow n? With your photographs!!! Brilliant!

And, then how about a few gift tags made with your photos to go with your lovely new wrapping paper?

Why you need to go look at the stars.

I am obsessed with bokeh. We did this last year and it still amazes me!

Hints and tips for Christmas pictures.

I needed to read this today, as I have been exceedingly grumpy about one particular area of gift-giving in my life...

Lovely Supreme Team Layouts

2011-12-22T15:50:00.000-08:00

Over at goDigitalScrapbooking, we have a store CT, called the Supreme Team. In October, I asked if they might work with my Sew Vintage: The Collection. And, they made some lovely, lovely layouts. Take a look.
By Olivia:

By Briarwoodpups:

By Cathy:

By Sammimagoo:

Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday's Tutorial is Taking a Break...

2011-12-20T19:20:00.000-08:00

...while I finish up a bunch of last-minute Christmas and business projects. But, here's a hint for next Tuesday: I've learned yet another way to recolor images in PSE, and it's even easier than my easy method!

I posted some new products in my store at goDigitalScrapbooking yesterday.
First, Vintage Postcards, Vol.1:

Snowflake Frames:

Summer Overlays:

Fall Foto Mask:

And, finally, Blessings:

Emmanuel. God with us. He who resided in Heaven, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, willingly descended into our world. He breathed our air, felt our pain, knew our sorrows, and died for our sins. He didn't come to frighten us, but to show us the way to warmth and safety.

Charles Swindoll

Providence 365: Week 51, the 4th Week of Advent

2011-12-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, and traditionally, the candle lit for today is the candle of peace.
Isaiah 9:5-7:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Christ has come and brought peace, sweet peace between sinful people and a righteous God. Only when we are at peace with God will we, or indeed can we, have true, lasting, peace among men.

But, our peace didn't come peacefully.
We love the story of the Christ Child, but He didn't stay a pudgy, cuddly, sweet little baby. He grew into a man, fully man and fully God, who walked the earth, who ate our food, who felt all that we feel.

Wonder of wonders!

Mystery of mysteries!

The peace He brought us, he didn't obtain as a baby. It was through His work as a man, His suffering in our place on the Cross, that we can stand before God, clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Our forgiveness came through the blood and sweat and pain and despair of a very real man, who suffered so greatly that I want to weep when I read descriptions of the crucifixion.

But, praise God! the story doesn't end there!

No, the veil was ripped in two, the wall of division between men and God, and between men and men, was torn down with His bare, nail-pierced hands.

And, then the stone was rolled away, for death could not hold Him, the Maker of the Universe. Oh, does your soul not soar with that thought?

The Babe in the manger was just the beginning of the story....

You can find the word art HERE. And, this week, when you download, I'd so appreciate a comment, especially if you've been blessed by our journey this year. Pam and I so appreciate each and every little note we receive. This will be my last P365 posting, so thank you so much! God bless you as you seek Him in all of the Providences of your life.

Friday Features: December 16th Edition

2011-12-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

Can it really be that Christmas is only a little over a week away?
Am I the only one just realizing that? Where did the time go....

Tonight our community group is meeting here, and we are having our own little version of Lesson and Carols. If you've never heard of Lessons and Carols, check out the link. I think you'll like it!
I've printed up worship and song sheets, revising the King's College service a bit to fit our little group of 4 families. We're going to have a combination of live guitar and singing along to videos and lyrics on YouTube. I'm looking forward to relaxing a bit and reflecting on the wonder of Christ's coming.

This coming Sunday will be my last Providence 365 post. If you have missed any of the word art along the way, be sure to get them soon, as I will be taking the links taking down in early January.

Over in the forum at goDigitalScrapbooking, I'm hosting a photography challenge. This month's assignment is to take photograph with bokeh and make a layout with it. And, in light of that, I've started off Friday Features with two tutorials on how to get that lovely bokeh:

It's really easy and here's a post with instructions. And, another one.

Another great tutorial from Everyday Elements on how to give your photos a sunny glow in PSE.

Use a photo of your favorite gadget to make a bag or pouch.

Do you find yourself taking off your gloves to use your touch-screen phone? Here's a turorial on how to make your own texting gloves.

I'll be sending out Vol. 2 of Precepts and Promises Periodical next week. Be sure to sign up if you'd like a little something from me and a nice little coupon for my store, too.

Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts, the gift of God to man – His unspeakable gift of His Son, and the gift of man to God – when we present our bodies a living sacrifice.

Vance Havner

Tuesday's Tutorial, on Wednesday, & New Releases!

2011-12-14T12:07:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that the latest piece of me to give way is my left shoulder. I was simply minding my own business, making the guest bed, when -OUCHOUCHOUCH- my left shoulder simply went into a ball of pain. I was useless for the rest of the day and, once again, I have gained so much respect for those who live with constant pain. Only the grace of God gets you through the day after day after day.
It just happened that I had an appointment on Tuesday for a follow-up on my reflux (another part of me not working so well these days), so my doctor looked at my shoulder, moved it around.
"Does this hurt?"
"OUCH OUCH OUCH!"
Why, yes, it does.
So, I have an appointment with an orthopedist next week.

And, that, my friends, is why I didn't get Tuesday's Tutorial posted on Tuesday!
But, I'm feeling much better today, so I have a little video for you. This one is continuing on gradients, learning how to edit the presets.
Click here to view the tutorial.

I also have two new products up in the store, Painterly Papers, Vol. 3 Christmas and Words of: Christmas, Vol.2.

Friday Features: December 9th Edition

2011-12-09T15:59:00.000-08:00

I have two new products this week, Words of:Advent 2011 and Messy Masks, Vol. 7 Winter.
Both are on sale for 25% off for the first week; you can find them at goDigitalScrapbooking.

Now, on the Friday Features:

I am a minimalist at heart, which can sometimes be mistaken for a Scrooge-like attitude toward Christmas. But, it's not. I think that sometimes all the fuss and bother can rather be quite the distraction. So, this article spoke to me.

Here's a quick little 15 Minute Photography Lesson. This is the time of year when we really want to take good shots, so it's a good teaching tool and quick reminder of what's already been learned, but possibly been forgotten!

Here's another DIY for a photo canvas.

Just for fun: A Christmas tree made from old folding rulers! And, to think, I passed up one at a garage sale last weekend, all wonderfully grungy, just because I didn't have a plan.

I'm always on the lookout for new, worshipful, Christmas music and was very happy to find this link to a free download.

And, finally:
I've finished up two more weeks of Providence 365. You might notice that there's not as much journaling on these last few weeks as earlier. All I can say is, yes, you're right. Sigh.

Tuesday's Tutorial, on Tuesday!

2011-12-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

I have a new tutorial for you using the gradient tool to customize an element. You can find it here. It only took 3 tries to get this one posted; I goofed up the first, the phone rang during the second, and I just ignored my mistakes in the third!
I've been sick with something flu-like, the heater quit, the repairman was out twice today, there were bills to pay, and I've had various and sundry of phone calls, so I didn't get to my design work. I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll have something new for you. I have no shortage of ideas, I'm telling you. How about I leave you with a little hint; Words of: Advent.

PS: I almost forgot! Tomorrow evening, 5PST, 8EST, I'll be hosting a chat at goDigitalScrapbooking. If you are new to digi, or just have a question you've been burning to ask, come and join me in the chat room!

What self denial! What self abasement! What self emptying! He, whom no infinitudes can hold, is contained within infant’s age, and infant’s form. Can it be, that the great “I AM THAT I AM” shrinks into our flesh?

Henry Law

Providence 365, Week 49: The Second Sunday of Advent

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the Christian season of Advent, the time of anticipation, of looking back at Christ's first coming, and also looking ahead, expecting, His second. For centuries, Christians have lit candles in an evergreen Advent wreath, reading Scriptures as reminders of what the King of the Universe has done for us, His people. The light from the candles grows each Sunday as one more is lit, reflecting that Christ is the Light of the World, and His light is filling our dark world.
The first candle of the Advent wreath is the candle of hope or prophecy. Traditionally, the second candle, this week's candle, symbolized Bethlehem, the lowly birthplace of Jesus. It reminds us that He came in God's Providence, as a man, humble, to live and "tabernacle" among us.

This weeks verse is from Micah 5:2:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
   who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
   one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
   from ancient days.

This verse is a reminder that God has chosen the lowly of this world to bring His glory to us; He has chosen the weak to confound the wise, leaving us no room to boast in our own wisdom.

My prayer for you this Advent Sunday is that you would seek for Him with all your heart, for He is willing to be found, meek and lowly, in Bethlehem.
You can find the word art here.

Christmas Cards!

2011-12-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

First of all, thank you to all who have left comments; I SO appreciate it! And, you're very welcome!

Over at goDigitalScrapbooking, we have a site CT, called the Supreme Team. The members are chosen via a rather intense weeks'-long process of competitive scrapping.
We designers can ask the ST to work on a specific product, and when they finish that list, they are free to pick another product of their own choosing to make further layouts.
Olivia was on the team last year, and she just won a spot on this year's team, too. I asked if the ST would work with my Christmas Card Templates using my Sugar Plums kit. And, Olivia ran with that, made four cards and has them up in the gallery already! Wow. I'm still working on my P365 layout from the week before last...
Anyhow, I thought you might like to see her work!

Very cute! Thanks, Olivia!

Friday Features: December 2nd Edition

2011-12-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe, but, yes, it's December already! I've been crafting like a mad woman and have a few items finished for Christmas: New stockings for two grandchildren, two pair of pajamas sewn, and the first box off in the mail. Whew... Just a baby quilt, two more pair of jammies, a gift for my MIL to sew, a photo book for my mom, and perhaps a little something for The Male (who reads this blog, so Hi, Honey!). So, I'd better hurry up and get going, right?

Firstly, thank you for the kind comments left for the Traditions Blog Train--they are rare, so if you've taken the time to leave a little note, please know that I greatly appreciate each one.

I have a few new products up in the store, too.
First is an Advent Calendar, a hybrid project. I've included both the top and bottom templates, so you can make little opening doors to reveal what's underneath. There are text boxes with the Bible verses for Christ's birth, but you can easily change, alter, or delete them. There's also a text file with the very easy instructions. And, it's only the 2nd, so you still have plenty of time to get one made for this year!

If you are still working on your Thanksgiving layouts, here's something to add a bit: Gratitude Tags.

These were my gift to my newsletter subscribers last month, so if you'd like to have a little something extra this month, be sure to sign up. It's right in the side bar. Right over there.

And, now on to Friday Features:

Oh, I want to do this. Right Now. Making my own print-on-canvas!

I love this: One Thousand Gifts iPhone app. This might be my Providence 365 format for 2012.
How to photograph sunrises and sunsets.
These photo book marks would be great stocking stuffers or simple gifts for family.
The easiest gift tags ever!
I have been greatly enjoying listening, and worshiping, to this album while I work.

And, that's it for today. I'm off to whittle down my to-do list a bit.

This Gospel anticipates a world far different from C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, where it is “always winter, and never Christmas.” The promise of the Gospel is that it is “always Christmas.” To be “in Christ” is to enjoy each morning as a Christmas morning with the family of God, celebrating the gift of God around the tree of life.

Kevin VanHoozer

December Blog Train Blog: Traditions

2011-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Precepts and Promises! And, welcome to the December Blog Train, "Traditions." It's a gorgeous collection jam-packed with Christmas-themed papers and elements. There is a little something for everyone's style!
I've made for you a set of three holiday templates:

I'm sorry, this link has expired.
If you like these templates and are interested in more of my work, you can check out my store at goDigitalScrapbooking.
If you've been following along all the blog train stops, you should have come from The Urban Fairy. And, your next stop will be The Scrappy Kat.
And, I would so appreciate a comment if you've chosen to download; it means so much when I get a thankful comment!
And, thank you for stopping by! Merry Christmas!

Special End-of-the-Month Coupon!

2011-11-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

For just today, I have three 30% coupons to apply to your entire cart at my store at goDigitalScrapbooking! Just use the coupon code PandP_Nov30 at checkout. Have fun shopping! What are you waiting for??? Go!!!

Tuesday's Tutorial, on Tuesday! And, a New Product, Advent Calendar

2011-11-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

Well, last week got away from me, and there was no tutorial on Tuesday. But, I'm back today with a new lesson, all about using Layer Styles on your elements. As you are well aware, I'm no professional, and it shows! I ran out of time for this video and just kept talking! You'll see that it abruptly ends...
Here's the link.
I have a new product up in my store at goDigitalScrapbooking, an Advent Calendar.

I've included two 12x12 .psd templates, one for the top layer of the calendar and one for the bottom. The top layer has 25 doors, each a separate layer for you to fill with color, your paper or photographs. The numbers and borders are on two separate layers, for you to recolor or style as you'd like.
The template for the bottom has 25 rectangles, which line up with the doors, and again, you can customize these with your papers or photographs.
I've included text boxes with the Bible verses for the story of Jesus' birth, but again, you can replace these, too, with poems, hints for a scavenger hunt, or what ever would make you happy.
So, you see, you can make this calendar truly your own creation!
To assemble, print both top and bottom layers, carefully cut three sides of each door, apply adhesive to the outside edge of the bottom layer, and press together. Each day, open a door and fold it back to reveal what's behind.
The calendar is on sale for 25% off for the first week, but December 1st is right around the corner, so hurry!

I Have the Deal of the Day at goDigitalScrapbooking!

2011-11-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

Yep, you can get my kit, A California Christmas for only .99! It has nine papers, two frames, two tags, four ric rac strips, one acrylic tree, one metallic clip, one ribbon cluster, one light string, and three word art clusters. You can find it here. But, you need to act fast, as these deals are up for only 24 hours.

I've been catching up on Providence 365; truth be told, I got a little burned out this last month. I'm not sure why, but I seem to have my mojo back. Now my problem is too much to do and not enough time!
Here are my latest two finished weeks:

Providence 365 - Week 48, From Pam

2011-11-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Here is Pam's Providence 365 post for today:

For those in the United States, I pray that you each had a blessed Thanksgiving, surrounded by family, friends and loved ones.

It is hard to believe that it is week 48 of our 52 week journey through Providence 365. I have personally been blessed to be able to work with Barbara and share with you His words of inspiration.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12

To be joyful, patient and faithful – these three words represent completely different actions – yet in this verse they are strongly intertwined. When we rejoice in hope, we are waiting confidently for an expected outcome. When we rejoice in hope, we are better able to be patient, sit quietly and wait when times of tribulation occur. And during these difficult times we need to pray without ceasing more than ever.

Where do you find hope? How has hope helped you through those rough spots? And are you faithful in your prayer life?

In addition to Romans 12:12, here are a few more verses to reflect on:
Philippians 4:!9
Hebrews 11:1

Here is wordart I have created for this week’s Providence 365.

Barbara and I love to see the layouts you create with the Providence 365 wordart. Be sure to post it in our Faith Sisters Providence 365 Gallery and share with us in the Providence 365 forum - here

As I close this week’s Providence 365, I have a special prayer request for a young boy named Peter. Prayer is so powerful. Peter is fighting a strong battle against a few known illnesses and a few yet to be identified. While he has seen a couple of upswings in the last 2 weeks – his current condition is one that has his doctors and family very concerned. Please lift Peter and his family in prayer. His Mom shared a message today on his ‘Care Page’ that brought me to tears. Despite his health conditions, she puts her faith in our Lord and knows that Peter is not alone and is in His loving arms. She had prayed early on that regardless of what his little body was fighting on the outside, that he would not be alone and would find comfort and joy on the inside. She knows that this is the case and this brings her hope. Thank you for lifting this lil guy in prayer.

Happy Thanksgiving & A Black Friday Special!

2011-11-24T15:03:00.000-08:00

I hope you all are enjoying your families and loved ones today where ever you are around the world. Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, but one does not need a special date on the calendar to be grateful.
Our son and his family are with us today, the turkey is in the oven, the Littles are playing, and we are filled with gratitude here.
I have a new word art collection up in the store, Words of: Gratitude, and as always with new products, it's on sale for the first week of release.

And, for tomorrow, Black Friday, I have a Template Bundle on sale. All my templates, in one bundle, for $10.22, 50% off the individual price of $20.44.

Thank you so much for being faithful readers of this blog; I SO appreciate your support, to allow me to do what I so enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

"We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good,

if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world

and the hope of our eternal country."

C.S. Lewis

New Products and My First Newsletter

2011-11-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

I have been on a design tear recently, and I have three new products up in my store:
Sew Vintage: Word Art, Instafaux, and Words of: Gratitude.

All are still on sale, for just the first week after release, for 25% off.

And, I sent out the first issue of my newsletter, with a nice little gratitude freebie. It's not too late to sign up to get this issue. Just check for the subscription box in the side bar of the blog.

Now, I'm off to get a little shopping for Christmas projects done!

Providence 365, Week 47: With Glad and Generous Hearts

2011-11-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

This week is Thanksgiving, for any of you who have been too busy to check the calendar! It's hard to believe how quickly this year has flown by. Our year of Providence 365 has just a few short weeks left.

I'd been mulling over what I would be using for my verse for this Sunday, knowing that I wanted something related to gratitude and thanks. And, I read this verse this past week, as I've been reading through the ESV Bible, using a through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan via email.

"And day by day, attending the temple together

and breaking bread in their homes,

they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

praising God and having favor with all the people."

Isn't that just perfect for Thanksgiving? Receiving food with glad and generous hearts, praising God.

When our children were little, we worked very diligently to teach them that they couldn't reject out-of-hand the meal that was placed before them. That God, in His Providence, had provided food for them through their father's employment and my preparation. We wanted them to see God's care for them in the pizza, which they loved, or the lentil soup, which wasn't their favorite. It was still all from His good, kind, loving hand. So, not only were they to not reject it, they were to be thankful.

Do you see your life in the same light? If it's hard enough to be thankful for lentil soup when it's not your favorite, we need to know and watch for a lack of thankfulness for life's truly difficult and unpleasant circumstances. The only possible way to rejoice in and through them is to recognize that God is loving you by them. He is working out His ultimate plan in your life, to make you more like His Son.

So, my prayer for you this Thanksgiving is that you are truly thankful to God for the ups and downs, the joys and the sorrows, the pizza and the lentil soup. May you indeed have glad and generous hearts, praising God.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

I'm sorry; this link has expired.

A New Product & Friday Features: November 18

2011-11-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

I have a new pack of Christmas card templates in my shop, on sale for 25% off for the first week.
Christmas Card Templates, Vol. 2 has four different styles and sizes, all in .psd, .tif, and .jpg formats.

And, now on to Friday Features: (Which I'm having way too much fun doing--I need to limit myself!)

I am loving my chai tea these days. Every since I got the flu last January, coffee has (for the most part) just tasted nasty to me. But, I like strong flavor, and a robust chai seems to best fill the void. Here's a nice recipe for a gift.

I bought some pearls years ago when we were on a cruise. I've not worn them much, as nothing says "You're old" faster than a grey-haired woman wearing a string of pearls. (Confession: I am vain.) So, I've been looking for some way to refashion them and this just might do the trick.

Here's a great printable of holiday photo ideas.

These vellum candle wraps would be very pretty with some of my word art... :-)

This will be for me! I've been wanting a purse-like camera bag, and this might be a compromise.

This fabric photo album for children is a wonderful idea. I might be making one for a certain Little Person in my life. I think I'd print out my photos on my ink jet with fabric sheets, though.

And, this, this, just speaks for itself...

And, now, I'm off to a wedding tonight! So, until next time, God bless!

Tuesday Tutorial, on Thursday!

2011-11-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

I got back yesterday from my trip across the country. I had a wonderful time with my daughter and her family. We thrifted, we read lots of stories, we cooked, we cleaned, we went for walks, we went to church, we went out to lunch, and more. The days were just packed!

Are they not just the cutest??? They were showing off their art projects from preschool, a book and a bee. I took the photo with my iPhone, hence the graininess.
I'm working on getting back in the swing of things and thought I'd give you a late-breaking tutorial on blending modes. You'll hear my washing machine buzz in the background as I'm trying to get caught up on the laundry. And, you'll need to turn your volume waaaay up, as the recording turned out to be very soft. But, dinner is needing attention, and I am short on time to redo the video.
You can find the tutorial here.
Enjoy!
PS If you have a question or suggestion for a tutorial, please leave me a comment!

Friday Features

2011-11-11T08:40:00.000-08:00

I'm off to fly across this gigantic country of mine today, trying to get out of the house in 20 minutes (!) to visit my darling daughter and her family for a few days. I'm busy packing as I write this (I can multi-task!), and I'm hoping to get a few post scheduled before I leave town. We shall see how far I get.

For Friday Features, I have these for you:
These ornaments are so cute; they would be great with a photograph inside!
Peppermint Bark! Homemade! Yummm...
And, while I'm on a food kick... Who doesn't love customizable caramel apples???
And, now back to photography! This is about back-button focusing, which I've been meaning to learn for ages now. And, this one is about night sky photography, which I wish I had known before we went on our camping trip...

I'll be back next week!

We Have a Winner & New Christmas Card Templates1

2011-11-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

Well, in a very scientific and completely random drawing (The Male drew the name!)---and drum roll, please--the winner of the give-away is Webdesignmom! So, send me a note at preceptsandpromises at gmail dot com, and I'll send you your Spiro Circles!
Thanks to everyone who played along. I'll have to do this again!

I have a new item up in my shop today, Christmas Card Templates.

And, it's 25% off for the first week, too.

The Christian who has stopped repenting has stopped growing.

A.W. Pink

Tuesday's Tutorial

2011-11-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a new series of tutorials all about how to modify the word art or elements you get in black or white .png format. This first video covers resizing, changing the opacity, and changing the color. In future lessons, I'll cover blending modes, styles, gradients, and more. It should be fun!
(And, the strange noises you hear in the background are my dishwasher and my bracelets hitting the keyboard. I was so focused I didn't hear them!)
You can find the video here.
And, I still have a giveaway going for the Spiro Circles until 6PM PST Wednesday evening.
Next week's tutorial might be a bit late, as I'm heading off to visit my darling daughter and her family for few days. Until next time, God bless.

New Spiro Circles--And a Giveaway!

2011-11-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

I have a new product up in my store today, Spiro Circles. I was inspired by the beautiful hand-drawn mandalas I've seen in art journal tutorials, and then I learned how to make them in Photoshop. I had to make myself stop making them--it's really fun!

And, I'm going to giveaway one of these! If you'd like a chance to win, just leave a comment for this post by Wednesday night, 6PM PST. If you would like a second chance to win, just like my Facebook page, and then come back here and post again to let me know.

Providence 365, Week 45: Nothing, Nothing at All...

2011-11-06T09:33:00.001-08:00

...can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

Are you living in the truth of this? Paul, who penned these words, was a man who lived this. He was beaten, lashed, shipwrecked, stoned, driven out of town, lost at sea, imprisoned, and ultimately martyred for his faith in Christ. He also wrote these words: "...God causes all things to work together for good..."

He obviously had no trouble reconciling the trials and hardships he endured, one after the other, with God's Providence in bringing those same hardships into his life.

My goodness, wouldn't we moan, groan, complain, and then write a book and go on a lecture tour if just one of those things happened to us? I'm afraid that would certainly be my inclination.

But, we are to stand, firmly rooted, in the truth of God's Word, not on our feelings and experiences. Those feelings and experiences vary tremendously from person to person, and even in the same person, can vary from moment to moment. But, the Word stands sure, unwavering, for all time and for all people.
I, for one, will stand on the promise:

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels,

nor principalities, nor things present,

nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,

nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate

us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus."

How about you, my sisters?

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Friday Features and DSD Sale!

2011-11-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, November 5, is Digital Scrapbook Day, and to celebrate, I've put my entire store on sale. For just one day, iDSD, everything will be 40% off! Happy shopping!

Yesterday was The Male's 60th birthday, and he did something quite radical. He took the day off from work. Yep. No, really; it's true! This is the man who went to work 4 days after major, life altering, surgery. He wanted to go for a ride, so we geared up and headed down to Oceanside, to visit the Mission San Luis Rey. This, too, was radical, as it meant that I'd be riding the freeway for 60+ miles. Which he hasn't been comfortable with me doing. But, everything went great; it was a lovely day for a ride, the mission was beautiful, and we made it home safe and sound. Not too shabby for two old people!

And, now, here are today's Friday Features:
I love the yearly Handmade Holidays month of tutorials over on Sew Mama Sew.
Should I just stop linking here to Femina and just have all of you subscribe??? This is yet another good one...
I might be making these this Christmas.
And, these. This is a great use for a paperback book that needs to be removed from polite society!
This article might open a can of worms, but I think it has hit a certain nail right on the head. Especially with the advent of mommy blogs, women have done themselves a type of disservice. It used to be that our expectations of being a "proper" wife and mother came from our family, friends, and neighbors. Now, those expectations, and points of comparison, come from around the world, literally, every day into our RRS feeds, in the multiples, if we let them. It just might get a little overwhelming and lead to some self-condemnation.

I hope you enjoy the sale tomorrow.
God bless.

New Template Pack and a Layout

2011-11-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

I love pages with LOTS of photos. And, because of my love for lots of photos, I tend to scrap mostly double-paged layouts. So, my latest template pack is a collection of three 2-page layouts, Template Pack Vol.5: Doubles.

It's on sale in my shop at goDigitalScrapbooking for only $2.99 for the first week.
I just finished a page using the third template from this pack, all about a visit to the Barboursville Vineyard and the ruins there of a house designed by Thomas Jefferson. I used a sketch effect on the photo of our wineglasses in the upper left corner. I'm really liking this technique!

This Saturday is Digital Scrapbooking Day, and I plan on having a big sale. I'll give you a head's up about what will be specially priced. Tomorrow though is The Male's birthday, and we're planning an outing (more photos!), so look for a blog post on Friday with the details. Until then!

Tuesday's Tutorial: Easy Fix for Sharpening & Grammar for Scrapbookers

2011-11-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

For today's tutorial, I have another quick fix. This one is for sharpening those photos when the unsharp mask just isn't enough. I was about to go into a coughing fit at the end of the video, and in my hurry to finish, I forgot the last step: When you are happy with the final result, just merge down (control + E) and save.
You can watch the video here.

And now, here's a bonus Grammar for Scrapbookers lesson! Yay!
Something I've been seeing a lot of recently is "I's."
As in, "...a friend of Doug and I's..."
Or, "...Doug and I's house..."
This one just makes me twitchy.
There is no such word as "I's."
The possessive of I is either my or mine, depending on its placement in the sentence.
A quick way to check is to remove the other person's name from the sentence, just like in this post.
"This is my house."
"This is Doug's house."
"This is Doug's and my house."

If it sounds awkward, you can always substitute "our" or "ours."
Or, rephrase the sentence completely: "This house belongs to Doug and me."

Thanks for stopping by, and I commend you if you've read all the way through!

Monday, Monday...

2011-10-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been up all through the night, coughing and hacking. I actually went to gym class, though, didn't pass out, nor did I have yet another uncontrolled coughing fit while there. Yay! Progress!

I have another Supreme Team layout for you today. This one is by Kathryn, and it's lovely. She used my Words of: Joyful Song. The kit is by Amanda, of Outside of the Box Designs. I think it's a great collaboration!

I need to spend the rest of my computer time today working on the calendar for The Male. My goal is to finish it up today, just squeaking in under my deadline of the end of October! If you like having a desktop calendar, you can get the kit here.

Providence 365-week 44 TIME TO SERVE

2011-10-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

This was Pam's week for Providence 365, so I've copied and pasted here for you to read. Or you can go to either the Faith Sisters blog or Pam's by the Shore blog to follow the links. Enjoy!

TIME TO SERVE

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Yesterday, my 10 year old daughter participated in our regional Special Olympics competition in bowling. Another amazing experience for our family. The event always begins in prayer and I cannot think of a better way to start. All of the athletes had a wonderful time and their positive spirit resonated throughout the bowling alley. What really struck me yesterday were the volunteers. They were out in full force – all to help make this experience the very best it could be for the athletes.

Where do you serve? Where would you like to volunteer? Where is the greatest need? We often serve in our church, but there are so many more opportunities in each of our greater communities. Reach out to all of our brothers and sisters, lend a helping hand. Perhaps in a soup kitchen, in a school, a homeless shelter for families, a food pantry, Special Olympics….His children need us.

This week, reflect on where you serve or where there may be a need in your community that you have not considered before.

Here is word-art to get you started on this week’s layout.

Barbara and I look forward to seeing your layouts in the Providence 365 gallery and here in the forum. Oh, and my daughter earned a Silver Medal. We move onto State Competitions in two weeks!

Friday Features

2011-10-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still hacking and coughing, but I'm slowly, ever so slowly, feeling better. Colds just knock me down for days... But, enough complaining!
I got another layout done, Mission San Juan Capistrano. I loved this mission; the grounds were absolutely beautiful. Every time I turned a corner, there was another gorgeous photo in the making.
For this layout, I used the sketch technique I told you about last week. The cross and mission bells on the first page are actually a photograph that I turned into a sketch. I then applied a blending mode and erased the parts of the photo that showed hard edges. I really like how it turned out, and I think I'll use that technique more often.

And, for today's Friday Features:
These are good words from John Piper, about Steve Jobs, living under the shadow of your funeral, and choosing what to do with your time.
Another great one by the Femina girls. This time about our milkshakes running low. It will all be clear, I promise!
This isn't profound. Or, even useful. It just made me laugh. Out loud. Which, given the congested state of my lungs, set off a coughing fit that I'm still trying to rein in.
My Craft Channel is a new video-based site that features all sorts of crafts: sewing, scrapbooking, and more. I Heart Faces has a channel there and these episodes look very interesting.
This is probably the BEST BOOK EVER, at least for me, about getting off of Auto and over to Manual on my DSLR. Exposure, by Bryan Petersen. Read it. You won't be sorry! (I have NO affiliation with Amazon. This is just a great book.)

And, with that, I'm off to finish up the calendar for The Male's company. I'll post a few photos when it's all done.

Lovely Supreme Team Layouts

2011-10-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Over at goDigitalScrapbooking, we have a store CT, called the Supreme Team. This month, I asked if they would work with my Sew Vintage: The Collection. And, they made some lovely, lovely layouts. Take a look.
By Olivia:

By Briarwoodpups:

By Cathy:

By Sammimagoo:

Aren't those wonderful layouts? I so appreciate the wonderful job they all did.
Sew Vintage: The Collection is still on sale. You receive all four collection sets, Fabrics, Patterns, Notions, and Trims, for only $6.99.
And, I have two new items up in the store as well, Messy Masks Vol.5: Fall and Autumn Leaves Clusters.

Both these new products are on sale for the first week, too.
Thanks for stopping by!

Deal of the Day! This time for reals!

2011-10-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well, the kinks are being worked out, and Words of: Thankfulness really IS the Deal of the Day today at goDigitalScrapbooking! You can pick it up for only 99 cents, but only for today, October 26. You can find it here.

And, I have a new product, Autumn Leaves Clusters, on sale for just a week for 20% off. You can find it here.

This cold still has the upper hand, but I must soldier on regardless and do some errands today. Until next time!

Tuesday's Tutorial: Easy Fix for Underexposure

2011-10-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

Today's video isn't my best work. I am fighting a cold, and for the moment, the cold has the upper hand. Giving me more-than-usual foggy thinking and a rather sultry voice, I'd like to believe. But despite my shortfalls, you will get the gist of it, as it's really quite easy, quick, and simple to fix an underexposed (too dark) photo with this method.
So, here we go! Click here to watch.

Supreme Team Contest

2011-10-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

Are you interested?
You can read more about the details in the thread here in the forum at goDigitalScrapbooking.

Providence 365, Week 43: What are you gifted with?

2011-10-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

Do you realize that your gifts, abilities, talents, and knowledge have been given to you for a purpose? They aren't random; you have been given them for a purpose.

The trick to life is figuring out just exactly what that purpose is!

In Exodus 31:2-5, the Israelites were in the desert, and God gave instructions to Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle. Have you ever read this story? It's truly incredible; the Tabernacle was a wondrous work of art, with carving, tapestries, perfumes, and sparkling jewels. Moses needed some expert workers for the job, and they were provided:

"See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do."

These craftsmen (and there were women, too) were gifted specifically for this. Someone who had spent his whole life in bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt and was now wandering in the desert was placed here to weave the high priest's garment. A woman who labored making bricks out of Egyptian mud was now honored with mixing incense for the altar of God Most High.

Where have YOU been placed?

If you are a mom, that place is obviously your family and home.

If your children are grown, or perhaps you don't have children, have you been placed in a church, a neighborhood, or profession?

Usually, God is gracious in placing us in spots where those gifts are needed and appreciated, so we really don't have far to look. Sometimes, He nudges us in the right direction by a request or an obvious need for help.

Have you been asked to help out at church? At the local homeless shelter?
Or maybe, you have been asked to assist in your child's classroom. Perhaps there is a special assignment at work, just waiting for you to fill.

So, take honest stock of your talents, gifts, knowledge, and abilities; chances are they have been given Providentially to lead you to the special task God has in mind. Just for you.

I'm sorry; this link has expired.
And, then come back and share with us in our forum and in our gallery. Pam and I love to see how God is at work in you!

Friday Features and a Freebie

2011-10-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hi all!
I've had such a wonderful response to my soon-to-be published Precepts & Promises Periodical that I thought I'd get the party started by offering my blog readers an exclusive little bonus!

I love fall: the weather, the early evening dusk, the colors and textures... I saw this photo in my catalog and had to make something with it! So, here it is; a 12x12 paper for you! Enjoy!
I'm sorry; this link has expired.
And, now for today's Friday Features:
My favorite subject for my photos has to be flowers (after adorable grandchildren, of course), and here's an article with some easy tips on photographing them.
I am so longing for these gluten-free maple doughnuts... I miss maple doughnuts...
A great guide to clothes-shopping...
Ouch. This one might hit a little too close to home... But, sometimes, that's a good thing.

'Till next time!

2012 Desktop Calendar

2011-10-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Every year for the past four years or so, I've made the calendar for my husband's business. He hands these out to his salesmen and clients. I'm completely embarrassed by the first one I did. I was still learning Photoshop Elements and didn't even know how to put a border around a photograph. I "MacGyver'ed" it somehow, but whew...it was a stretch.
I've gotten better each year, not only with the photographs, but with the design. And, we've gotten better at working together, as our artistic visions couldn't be more different. It's my photos and design, but it's his business that's represented. So, you can see that those two might not always line up neatly. Sadly, there have been slammed doors, that's all I'm sayin'. But, God is good and sanctification is a life-long process.
This year, I decided to offer the calendar template for sale; after all, most of the work has been done. In this pack, you'll find templates for all twelve months and a cover, text layers with editable months and dates, a date grid layer already complete (if you like the font and don't want to make changes), a grid background, an .abr set with with additional grids, and instructions for printing and assembling.
It's on sale at my shop for just a few more days, for only $2.99. You are free to use it for CU/PU/S4H,
too.

In the preview, you'll see a photograph of last year's calendar, showing how the finished product will look (of course, with your photographs and elements!) I used frames for the inset, but you can use the template as is, add a photo mask, or use frames. We will be using a large photo instead of paper for the background, so that's another idea for you, too! If you have any questions about using these, please send me an email at preceptsandpromises at gmail dot com.

Mission Santa Ines

2011-10-19T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Male and I have a new goal in life: Visiting all the California missions. We must have pre-dated the mandatory 4th-grade mission curriculum. Regardless, we have visited three in the last year. Only 18 left to go!
We visited Mission Santa Ines the same weekend we went camping with our son, The Professor, and his family. They turned left, to head back home upon leaving the campground. We went right, returning to Solvang.
It was a beautiful sunny, fall, Sunday afternoon, and we happily explored the grounds. However, it was Sunday, so a service was in session, as the mission is a thriving church. So, we didn't get to linger in the chapel, just peeking inside. We hadn't showered in three days and felt more than a little conspicuous.

Next up: Mission San Gabriel. Or, possibly, San Juan Capistrano. We'll see!

Tuesday's Tutorial: Easy Fix for Overexposure

2011-10-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to show you a really easy way to improve an overexposed photo. It won't work miracles on a completely blown-out photograph, but if there are pixels to work with, it can be rather dramatic.
Here's the before, taken out in the bright sunlight:

And, here's the after, using this quick technique:

You can watch the video here. And, I love to hear from you, if you have any questions or tips of your own!

Doing a Little Scrapping

2011-10-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

We went camping with our son, The Professor, and his family a few weekends ago, and we had a marvelous time! Roasted marshmallows and starry skies. Getting lost in the dark on the way to the bathroom. Collecting treasures with The Littles. No showers for three days. (Well, that last one wasn't my most favorite!)

Providence 365: Pam's Post

2011-10-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

Today was Pam's (by the Shore Designs) turn to post for Providence 365, so I've copied and pasted here. Enjoy!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I thank my God every time I remember you. Phil 1:3

Last weekend, Barbara of Precepts and Promises and I had the unique opportunity to meet “in real life”. We attended a conference with over 75 digital scrapbookers from around the country. What a blessing it was to spend time together with my Providence 365 friend.

During the conference, we heard a quote that really put in perspective why many of us scrapbook.

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anaïs Nin

What does it mean to “remember”? Recall, reminisce, ‘think of’, ‘bring to mind’ are just a few of the words and phrases that we use to define remember.

We “recall” events and occasions. We “reminisce” about people we have met in the past that have made an impact on our lives. We “think of” people that are in our life today that are important to us. Certain situations “bring to mind” special memories from the past. And we thank God when we remember.

When we scrapbook, we sometimes let our pictures do the talking (a picture is worth a thousand words). More often than not, we journal our thoughts – documenting details and sharing feelings and emotions. And as we journal ~ we taste life twice.

Here is your challenge this week. Why do YOU scrapbook? What do you scrapbook? Who do you scrapbook about? Who enjoys your scrapbooks? (And do you actually get those layouts printed out or posted on a blog so that your loved ones can enjoy them too)

Here is word art to use on your layout.

I look forward to seeing your layout about this week’s challenge. Please post your layout in our Providence 365 gallery and share it with us in the forum at Faith Sisters.

Friday Features and New Word Art

2011-10-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

I've just put a new item up in my shop today, Words of: Joyful Song. It's on sale for one week only, for 20% off.

And, here's a few interesting things I've come across this week around the web:

Here's a great article on an easy way to improve your photos by holding your camera steadier.

In this article, you'll find 10 great Photoshop shortcuts. Most of them will work in Elements, too. I use keyboard shortcuts all the time and they really speed up my work and take some of the stress off my mouse finger, too!

In my video earlier this week, I promised more information about the unsharp mask settings. This article goes in to some detail.

Here are the settings I've used before. I believe I got them out of Digital Photography Magazine:

          Portraits: Amount 100, Radius 1.0, and Threshold 6
          Landscape/buildings: Amount 150, Radius 1.5, Threshold 3
          If an image is especially noisy (a lot of little specks), try upping
the Threshold to 10-12.
          These aren't hard and fast rules; they are suggestions.

Artscow has a special promotion: Three canvas prints (unstretched, up to 18x24") for $20, shipping included. Use this code on checkout: 3FOR1CNVS. If you like their page on Facebook, you'll get updates on specials. I've bought quite a few articles from them (cosmetic bags, playing cards, stretched canvases, etc) and have been happy. I've not purchased their photo books, however, so I can't recommend them one way or the other.

And, lastly, Words That have Shaped My Life, over at True Woman. This made me think of words that have shaped my life, and I came up with two right away, both uttered by The Male. "You can't be the Holy Spirit in someone's life." And, "Make a decision, and then make it the right one."

Pretty Much Caught Up

2011-10-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

I finished another Providence 365 layout this morning. The best thing about doing these is that I get to remember the times and places where God has shown me kindness. The week, I was especially thankful for the fun time we had with our son and his family camping and then meeting Pam and new friends in Las Vegas.

I have plans to get a new product up in my store before the weekend, depending on whether or not I get called for jury duty tomorrow. So far, I've been released each day this week.
I'm also working on the 2012 calendar for my husband's company. I do it each year, and this year, I plan to release the grids as a new item. So, if you're looking for calendar brushes, I'm working on them!
Thanks again for stopping by!

Catching up on Providence 365

2011-10-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

I have just realized that I've not shared a Providence 365 layout here in quite some time. In fact, I'm not sure I've EVER posted one! I could go back and check, but I'd rather just move on.
I'm a little bit behind, just a week or so, and, hopefully, it won't take me long to catch up, even though I have some big events to document. I'm still using the same kit that I started out this year with, and I'm using variations on the very simple template that I began with, too. I've also been using my iPhone photos nearly exclusively. It's quick, easy, and, they are just about the right size. I've enjoyed using larger photos as backgrounds, too.
So, here's Providence 365, Week 39:

Tuesday's Tutorial: Easy Photo Edit

2011-10-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Isn't that blog title original? I pondered, thought, and puzzled over a cute alliteration for "tutorial" and ended up resigning myself to the above. I considered that the time I'd waste trying to be clever was better used in doing something productive.
I was at Spraguefest this past weekend, and I was reminded how intimidating Photoshop and Elements were to me when I began. It was so overwhelming just to get my photo in to the clipping mask that I all but abandoned editing my photos. And, my photos were what got me going down this path, so that's a little ironic.
I thought I'd begin a series of photo editing tips and tutorials by showing you the simple editing process I do for nearly every photo I put in a layout or print. I'm going to show you how to go from this:

to this:

in just a few steps. It's easy; I promise!

Here's a link to the video showing my steps. Enjoy! And, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment and I'll try my best to answer.

Just Back from Vegas!

2011-10-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

Oh, I had such a wonderful time meeting new and newer friends there! I got home this afternoon, and I should be in bed, but I wanted to post a quick picture first.

Yes, it's my partner-in-providence, Pam!!! And, yes, she's just as nice and lovely (even more so) in person as she is in your computer. It truly was like meeting an old friend.
And, I just have to throw this one in, too.

Yep, it's me with the digi rock star herself, Jessica Sprague. Who is lovely and genuine.
I feel very blessed to have been able to spend the weekend with friends, new and old, learning, and creating.

Deal of the Day at goDigitalScrapbooking

2011-10-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Over at goDigitalScrapbooking, my Words of: Thankfulness will be today's Deal of the Day, available for only $.99! I know that Halloween decorations are everywhere right about now, but as we move into Fall, I start to think about Thanksgiving. And, I thought that this would be an appropriate product to initiate my participation in this new program.
And, to make it even better, I've put my entire shop on sale, too, for 10% off.

There might be a chance that you'll visit GDS before this product is featured, just bookmark it and come back later today.
I'll have a new P365 post up this weekend, too. I'm writing it early and scheduling it, as I'll be in Las Vegas this weekend for Spraguefest! I'm most looking forward to meeting Pam, my partner in Providence this year, in "real life!"

Unexpected Changes and New Items

2011-10-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Once again, I have big news for you. My products are now exclusively sold at GoDigitalScrapbooking. I didn't anticipate this change, and I would like to assure you that there is no drama whatsoever involved in my leaving Faith Sisters. In fact, I will still be posting Providence 365 at the Faith Sisters' blog through the end of the year. So, rest assured, I wasn't asked to leave, nor did I leave in a huff. Life can just change quickly sometimes...

Now, I'd like to tell you about some new products I have for sale! September was National Sewing Month, and in honor of that fact, I made a new collection, Sew Vintage. This collection has four parts, Fabrics, Notions, Trims, and Patterns. The collection with all four packs is on sale for 25% off the individual prices.

In Addition, I have a new paper pack, Painterly Papers, Vol.1, up in my shop, too. It's on sale for one week only, 20% off. This collection is a set of six papers with a watercolor-type effect.

I think that's enough new for one day!

Providence 365, Week 39: Without Batteries

2011-09-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to live only 30 minutes of one of the two Nikon repair facilities in the US. This past week, I took in my beloved D40 for some cleaning and adjustments, and I just got it back. I could take it to a camera shop closer to home, but who better to fix a Nikon than the original maker?

It's back home now, on my kitchen counter, all spiffed up and ready to go to work. But it sits there powerless and useless. Dead.

That's because it doesn't have a battery. So, as soon as I fix that, I'll have a camera ready to do what it was made to do.

In many ways, we are like my camera. Before we are made alive together in Christ, Scripture is clear that we are dead, too. Dead in our transgressions and sins. But, God in His great, wonderful, mysterious, irresistible mercy called us to Himself, making us alive in Him. Is that not happy news???

"When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh,

He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions..."

He, our Maker, has provided our battery, so to speak, by giving us His spirit who lives in us, enabling us to do the work that we were created for. Without our power source, we are like my camera: not completely useless, but not doing what it was created for. It would make a great paperweight. Or, I could hide a secret note in the empty battery compartment. But, it was made to take photographs. So, I will put the battery back in, and we will go take some photos together.

So, this week, reflect on how He has called you and made you alive. How did He call you? What were you made alive for? What is your unique purpose?

Pam and I would love to have you post in our forum and show us your layouts in our gallery. We love to see how God has been good you.
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Big News!

2011-09-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to let you know that I've been accepted as a new designer at Go Digital Scrapbooking! I am SO honored to be there; it's a warm, busy, and fast-paced site. I've gotten their newsletter for some time now, and I've taken a class in the past. So, when I saw the designer call, I applied and was so pleased to be accepted.
But, not to worry if you are a Faith Sisters' loyal fan! I have the same items in both shops, and they are at the same pricing, with a few exceptions (if I made any changes, for example). So, if you have a preference for either shop, you can find my stores at both Faith Sisters and Go Digital Scrapbooking.
It took a while to get everything I already had at Faith Sisters up in the new shop, and that, for the most part, explains my absence here. But, things are up and running smoothly, and I'm back with a few new products.
This is a new template pack. It has four templates, 300ppi, and is CU/S4O:

I really like this next collection, Travel Journalers. I never seem to have enough journal mats in my stash! This is a set of 10 different .psd files, with a mask for you to add you favorite paper, and the lines are on a separate layer to use or not as you wish. They are PU/CU, too.

And, finally, I have a collection of eight Vintage Frames. I've made these in both .png and layered .psd files with a photo mask and a texture layer. You can change the opacity and blending mode of the texture or just leave it off. These are PU only.

You can find these at Faith Sisters or my new shop at Go Digital Scrapbooking.
Thank you for stopping by!

Providence 365, Week 37: Beauty for Ashes

2011-09-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago today, I was sitting at home, reading the morning paper. I was scheduled to work the red-eye to Dulles that night, so I wasn't in any hurry to start my day. My husband came in from the gym, asking if there was any big news in the paper, as all eyes were on the TVs at 24Hour Fitness. We turned on the television and began to witness the horror unfold that was 9/11.

It's hard to believe that was ten years ago. So much has happened; so much has changed, and it all feels rather normal now. While not directly affected by those events (I didn't lose a loved one, for example.), that day nevertheless has had a huge impact on my life. My working life as a relatively new flight attendant at one of the airlines targeted would never be the same. And, the repercussions continue today.

For those who lost a friend, a parent, a child, or a spouse, these ten years probably haven't dulled the ache or the anger all that much. And, every birthday or anniversary is just another reminder of the evil that exists in our world.

What do we, as Christians, take from this? The events of that September morning weren't the first time that evil seemingly triumphed. History is littered with incidences of evil, from the early Assyrians to politically-caused famines and starvation today. It's easy to become discouraged, depressed, and defeated in light of the larger evils of the world as well as the ones closer to home, the personal, the evil within and around us.

An article in Christianity Today about 9/11 reminded me that our battle here on Earth is not with flesh and blood, but with powers in the spiritual realm. And, that Christ has conquered them all at His Ground Zero, the Cross:
In the word of the Cross, God tells us he knows all our traumas, our insurgencies, our secrets—and that he has already executed them at Golgotha. We need not fear hell, then, not because there isn't one, but because—if we are found in Christ—we have already been through all of that. We are free. And whenever our consciences accuse, the gospel takes us away from denial or preoccupation and right back to Ground Zero—to the Cross.

That bloody day, when it seemed that Jesus' enemies had indeed silenced Him and triumphed, was the very day of our salvation and redemption. From despair came hope. From evil came holiness. Scripture is resolute; evil will not triumph, there will be a judgement, and God will wipe away every tear, heal every wound, and comfort every broken heart:

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Again from Christianity Today:

Let's remember that the gospel brings peace and reconciliation to every Ground Zero in the cosmos. On the day when graves are opened, even those accidental tombs beneath the rubble of terror, we will see just how good this news is, even better than our shiny churches and happy choruses can convey.

I pray that God will allow you to see His Providence this week in even the heartbreak and sorrow of life. May you see the peace of the Gospel and may it sink deep into your soul.

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Providence 365, Week 35: What is Wisdom?

2011-08-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today, I've chosen James 3:17 for our verse:

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Do you ever find yourself at a loss as to what to do in a given situation? I know that I have. Perhaps there is no "good" option, or perhaps there are too many equally good choices. Or maybe your mind is just blank!

How do you know what is the wise thing to do? How do we become wise?

God has graciously given us the ability to know what is wise. The Proverbs are full of words of wisdom, telling us what wisdom looks like and where it can be found. The book of James in the New Testament is all about wisdom as well. We read that wisdom has certain characteristics, that it is gentle and full of grace. In fact, wisdom shares many of the same features as love. Hummm...

So, this week, I am asking you to focus on wisdom, looking for the signs that God in His Providence has placed in your life, visible if you are attentive, there to assist you as you make decisions and choices. And, when you've made your layouts, Pam and I would love it if you'd come and post in our gallery and forum. We want to rejoice with you as God reveals Himself!

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New Products and The Dreaded Comma Splice

2011-08-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but this summer has been a whirlwind of company and activity!

I've had family in and out for over a month (not that I'm complaining), and we've gone to museums and festivals, had birthday celebrations, spread a cold virus around, and in general, had a wonderful, if not exhausting, time.

This poor blog and my store have suffered from neglect, I'm afraid. On the up side, I have LOTS of material to scrap.

So, to get you up to date on my new inventory, here's what I've done:

They are available in my shop at Faith Sisters: Clusters, Papers, and Overlays.

Now, on to the comma splice.

Commas are used to separate parts of a sentence, but there are certain rules to follow. Of, course there are! This is grammar!

A few examples of the their proper use are:
   To separate items in a list: "Please bring home milk, bread, and eggs."

   To add a parenthetical phrase: "Please also buy apples, the green ones, and carrots."

   And, when used with a conjunction, to combine two complete thoughts:
   "And, don't forget to pick up the dry cleaning, but remember to hurry home!"

It's the last use that seems to trip up most people. A very common mistake I see is to use a comma to combine two complete thoughts, but the conjunction is left out (a comma splice).

Here's an example of that mistake:
   "I'll have dinner ready, we're having pizza!"

Both "I'll have dinner ready" and "we're having pizza" are complete phrases. They could both stand alone:
   "I'll have dinner ready." "We're having pizza."

When two complete sentences are combined, they require a comma with a conjunction:
   "I'll have dinner ready, and we're having pizza!"
   "I know tacos are your favorite, but we're out of tortillas."
   "So, please buy tortillas, or tomorrow night's dinner will be pot roast!"

And, but, and or are the most common conjunctions, but other examples are nor, so, for, and yet.

So, when adding a comma to combine two thoughts, remember to ask yourself if on both sides of that comma, you have a proper sentence. If you do, add a conjunction, and you'll be all set!

Providence 365, Week 33: Your Prayers of Providence

2011-08-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

The verse I chose this week is Ephesians 6:18, which says:

With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit...

...with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

God is indeed Sovereign, but He uses means, or the things of this world, to accomplish His will. "Means" might be things that we can't control, like the weather or the actions of others. It might also be the things that we can do in our lives, like acts of mercy and generosity.
Prayer is one of those. Scripture speaks of God changing His mind after hearing a prayer from a faithful follower. Whether or not He had already determined that changed course of action is for greater minds than mine to determine. What I do know and believe is that God hears the prayers of His people.
When God hears, it is not like when you and I hear. Implicit in the hearing of our prayers by a faithful and good Father is that He will act on those prayers in our best interest and for His ultimate glory.
What a great responsibility we have! Our brothers and sisters all around the world are suffering various levels of persecution. We have close friends out of work. Our families are fractured. Our own hearts need encouragement.
This week, be on the alert for the things God brings to mind or in your path that need prayer and petition, knowing that you could very well be the means He has chosen to accomplish His will. What a great privilege and responsibility!

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And, then, when you have your layout completed, we (Pam and I) would love you to come and post in our forum and gallery. We want to rejoice with you!

Template Pack 3:Gradients and Grammar for Scrapbookers, Part 5

2011-08-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Despite being nearly over-run with marauding preschoolers, I did get a new item both made and put in the shop! Go team! The preschoolers in question are my 4 grandchildren, who are both adorable and photogenic and will be making an appearance later in this post.
Template Pack 3: Gradients features large areas to focus on your beautiful photograph/s. They will blend nicely into the background paper, but you can get different looks depending on what paper you choose. And, as always, you can change the blending modes. It's available in my shop at Faith Sisters for $2.99.

And, here are few layouts (remember I promised cute grandchildren) made with these, with a modification here or there:

Now, if you're still with me, it's on to grammar!
I've been seeing more and more lately plural nouns written with an unnecessary apostrophe. (Have you noticed that a lot of the most common grammar errors involve apostrophes?)
Here are a few examples:
Fall Apple's
My Photo's
My Kid's are Adorable! (Which I sure is true, but it's not correct!)

Like many errors, this one started innocently enough. When acronyms began to enter our vocabulary in force, there wasn't an agreed upon way to write their plurals. So, dvd plural became dvd's, because dvds looked like a new acronym.
So, one cd became two cd's. One tv morphed into two tv's. And, then soon enough one dog turned into two dog's. And, it spread like wildfire.
But, plural acronyms are easy to fix: just write the original in capital letters and the plural -s in lower case. Viola'!
One CD; two CDs. One TV; two TVs. One CPU; two CPUs. You get the idea, I'm sure.
So, what about more than one kid, or dog, or photo? Just add an -s. No need for an apostrophe:
Kids
Dogs
Photos

If you're ever stumped, just ask yourself, what is the apostrophe for? Remember that the -'s shows possession, so you DON'T need an apostrophe to make a plural. In most cases, all you need is to add an -s (some words add an -es, but we won't go in to that now.)

Now, do you have any nagging grammar questions you'd like answered? Please just leave a comment, and I'll do my best to answer.

August Faith Sisters' Speed Scrap

2011-08-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

I'm just popping in today with a quick announcement: The August Speed Scrap at Faith Sisters is tomorrow! The first Tuesday of the month came quickly, didn't it???

I have little grandgirls here, so I'm scheduling the speed scrap for their nap time, as they are extremely cute and adorable, but quite distracting, too! So, join me in the forum at Faith Sisters, tomorrow, August 2, at 1PM PST, 4PM EST. For everyone who posts a layout within 24 hours of the end of our scrap, I will send you this template:

I hope to see you tomorrow!

Providence 365, Week 31: In Him

2011-07-31T17:22:00.001-07:00

My verse this week is Acts 17:28:

"In Him we live, and move, and have our being."

We are living in a bubble of sorts, surrounded by the Presence of the LORD. He is all around us, He moves with us, and our life, our very being, is dependent on Him.
If you are anything like me, however, your thoughts of Christ are fleeting throughout your day. I read my Bible in the morning, and there is no doubt that I am blessed and fed by the Word. But, then, the cares of the world creep in, and my thoughts are of groceries, dinner, laundry, children, work, and the rest of the life that I've been given.
But, the good news, the really joyful, awesome, and wonderful news, is that our relationship to Christ isn't dependent on our feelings, or lack of them! Our position in Him is secure because of who He is, not because of our efforts. So, this week, look to see where He is all around you, sustaining you and giving you life, especially during those times when you aren't even thinking of Him.

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Please come and join in our forum discussion and post your layouts in our gallery; we'd love to see your pages!

Come Fly with Me Blog Train, and Grammar for Scrapbookers, Part 4

2011-07-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my stop on the Faith Sisters' Blog Train (or flight, or ride, or cruise)!
I never seem to have enough, or perhaps just the right, journaling mats. Especially when I have a wonderful, interesting, detailed story to tell. So, for my part of the Faith Sisters' Blog Train, I've made for you a set of 6 travel-inspired journal cards, in both lined and unlined, versions.

This link has expired!
If you're following the links, you should have come from Cinda's site; your next stop is Lori.
And, if you get completely lost (Your flight was rescheduled!), you can get the entire itinerary here at the Faith Sisters blog.

For those of you who are sticking with me, we're on to Grammar for Scrapbookers! This time we're tackling the "between you and I/me" dilemma. This one is quite common, and I blame a pop song from years ago for the confusion. To make the song rhyme, it was written as "between you and I." And, a song can't be wrong, right???

Well, it can and it was! I tell you, it's like fingernails on a chalk-board for me... :-/

Now, hang on to your hats, because we're going into tricky grammar-heavy language here for a bit. But, I promise, it will once again all make sense!

(I imagine my voice in your heads like the teacher's in the Charlie Brown movies: "Wa-waww, wa-wawww, wa-waww.")

Do you remember a few posts back, when I spoke about the subject and the object of a sentence?
I (subject) love you (object). You are the object of my affection.

Well, phrases (smaller parts of a sentence) can have objects, too. And, like their name implies, objects must be in the objective case. Objects just can't be subjects: I (subject) love I (subject). It just doesn't work. Even if you were inordinately fond of yourself, it would be written as, "I love me."

Now, the word between is a preposition, a word that tells position (preposition) or relationship. Other prepositions are in, around, through, over, under, for, to, etc.

In a phrase that begins with a preposition, the word or words that follow are objects of the preposition. And, being objects, they must be in the objective case; they aren't subjects.

So, here are some examples:
...between you and me. (me is the objective form of I)
...for Mike and her. (her is the objective form of she)
...to them. (them is the objective form of they)

If these sounds strange to your ears, it's just because you have heard the incorrect form for too long!

So, here are some (pretty silly) examples of titles for your pages:
"A Prayer for You and Me"
"Quiet Words between You and Me"
"A Vacation with Him and Her"

Not great examples, but I think you get the idea! Next up: photos or photo's???

Digidoodling, Vol.1 & Grammar for Scrapbookers, Part 3

2011-07-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

I had the flu yesterday.
Not the stomach kind, but the kind where my head felt like exploding, my joints ached, and my back had a boot in the middle of it. So, in between naps and Project Runway re-run episodes, I sat and doodled. Despite how terrible I felt, it was really rather enjoyable.

You can get it at my shop at Faith Sisters.

Now, before I go lay down again, 'cause I'm not altogether back up to speed, we'll tackle grammar, Part 3: It's and Its.

Getting these confused is quite common today; I see it all the time. But, it's (it is) really easy to remember its (possessive pronoun) rule.

Remember in our last lesson, I discussed how possessive pronouns don't need an apostrophe, because their definition includes possession. Its is just like his, hers, theirs, ours, and yours. These are all possessive pronouns and don't need an apostrophe.

It's, however, is a contraction for it + is. The apostrophe takes the place of the space and the letter i. Just like don't, can't, and won't.

So there you have it. It's really easy!

Next up: Between you and me/I.

Providence 365, Week 29: How Are you Holding Together?

2011-07-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

Do you know that all the protons in the atoms in your body should be flinging themselves away from each other at light speed? Do you remember those experiments in science class, where you held two U-shaped magnets end-to-end? Do you remember how hard it was to push them together? That's the force of two similarly charged particles; they repel each other like two people on a terribly mis-matched blind date! All those positively charged protons in the each atom's nucleus should be repelling each other, flinging themselves into atomic space.
But, they don't.
Here's a great quotation from one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, from "A Short History of Nearly Everything" about the mysteries of the atomic world: There was also the problem of of how protons, with their positive charges, could bundle together inside the nucleus without blowing themselves and the rest of the atom apart. Clearly, whatever was going on down there in the world of the very small was not governed by the laws that applied in the macro world..."
Scientists finally discovered two new forces, the strong and the weak nuclear forces, that explained atomic behavior. But, the more that was discovered, the quirkier the atomic world became. Soon, there would be two sets of laws, one for the world where Newton's laws (like gravity and inertia) govern, and another for the the teeny-tiny universe of the atom. And, they don't play together nicely.
I find this fascinating. Every time we (as in our collective knowledge) think we've figured things out, we just find one more layer of mystery in our world. Our universe is infinitely more complex and puzzling than what our wildest imaginations can conjure. God in His Heaven must be enjoying this!
Paul writes in Colossians 1:17:

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And, we can find great comfort in this; while we go about our lives, He holds it all together for us. Not just in our atoms, but in our lives and our very souls. He has promised to never leave or forsake us, so we can do the work He's given us and then sleep in peace at night.

This week, look for the little ways that God has held your life together. Sometimes, it's very evident, as in an accident avoided. Sometimes, it's very quiet, as in a Scripture brought to mind just precisely when needed. And, then we'd love to have you post in our forum and upload your layouts to our gallery.

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World Map Overlays and Brushes, and Grammar for Scrapbookers, Pt.2

2011-07-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends!

I love maps.
I love knowing where I am (or where I was supposed to be!).
I love seeing strange and puzzling names for towns (For example, Busti, New York. I'm sure there's a story there that has nothing to do with the common usage of that word!).
I love finding out interesting historical or geological facts (The tallest TV tower in North America is in North Dakota. Hummm...).
Maps are interesting and classic and will never go out of style (They might be on your iPhone, but they are still there!).
And, in light of all this, I've made a new product, World Map Overlays and Brushes.
This is a set of 8 12x12" world map overlays and full-resolution (8x8") brushes. Four of the overlays have Scripture verses; 1 Chronicles 16:31, 2Samuel 22:44, Isaiah 11:9, and 1Chronicles 16:21, all with a theme that the world belongs to the LORD of Heaven and Earth.
If you would like to use the brushes as 12x12 overlays, they are easy to resize once you have made your layer. And, remember, these overlays, whether .png or .abr, can be recolored, resized, and the opacity changed to get just the look you want.
They would be perfect for pages about your travels, overseas adoption, or mission work.
You can get them here.

Now, on to today's grammar lesson: Your and You're!
First,though, I must say thank you to Vicky for the kind comment after the first lesson. I appreciate it.
Your (or yours) is a possessive pronoun. It means that you possess something.
"Your coat is lovely."
"Those seats are yours."
Like all other possessive pronouns (its, my, mine, hers, his, theirs, ours, etc.), they do not need an apostrophe.
In contrast, a simple noun doesn't have possession already built in, so to speak.
"The coat is teal." (Just a regular old coat.)
"The coat's color is teal." (Now, the coat has something--the color teal--, so it needs the apostrophe to differentiate it from a simple coat.)
So, just remember that possessive pronouns already have possession built into them. They are possessive by definition, so there is no apostrophe needed to show possession.

You're is a contraction of two words, you + are. The apostrophe here represents the missing letters and shows where the two separate words have been melded together. It is similar to can't, won't, and wouldn't. The apostrophes in these words stand in for the missing letters when the two words are scrunched together.

To sum this all up: You're welcome for your grammar lesson!

Next up: It's and Its.

Happy Birthday to Me Sale!

2011-07-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'm turning 53 (!!!) tomorrow, July 11. And, do you know how blessed I feel? Getting another year older means that I've been given the gift of time with my dear ones, and I hope they feel the same. Especially after my (mis)adventure of yesterday.
And, the older I get, the more I enjoy my birthdays. I love getting presents, that's true, but I feel more and more like it's a real celebration just to be here. It's actually becoming a bit of a conflict: I hold dear this life, knowing how precious and temporal it is, yet I am finding that I long more and more for the New Heavens and the New Earth. So, I will enjoy and revel in the blessing of each new birthday God sees fit to give me.
And, to celebrate with you all, I'm putting my entire store on sale for just one day, July 11, and everything will be (you guessed it!) 53% off! Happy shopping!

Painted Pixels, Vol. 2 and Grammar for Scrapbookers, Part 1

2011-07-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

I have a new item up in my shop today, Painted Pixels, Vol. 2. There are 11 .png files and 1 .abr set with 11 brushes. I've included frames, a swirl, an arrow, a heart, and hugs and kisses. The .png files are black, so you can re-color them just like any of my word art collections. But, you can also re-size them, add a style (like glitter or a slight bevel), apply a blending mode, or change the opacity. Have fun!

They are available in my shop, here.

And now, I'm sorry, dear readers, but I'm probably going to step on a few toes. but, I will forge ahead regardless. In the interest of full disclosure, I confess that I am a grammar snob. A stickler, if you will. One of my favorite books is Eats, Shoots & Leaves. So, please indulge me. Or, just close this window and move on with your life. But, if you'd like to improve your journaling, just hang out with me for a bit. I'll try to make it worth your while.

Today, we're going to tackle what is probably the most common error I see, which is something like this:
"A Lazy Day with Mike and I"
This one is really simple to check to make sure you have it right. Simply write the title leaving out the other person's name:
"A Lazy Day with I"
If English is your first language, you will know right away that that is incorrect. It should read:
"A Lazy Day with Me"
Now, just add the other person's name:
"A Lazy Day with Mike and Me"
Viola'! All better!

The grammatically boring explanation has to do the with placement of the pronoun in the sentence.
"I" is what is called a subjective pronoun, meaning it is the subject of the sentence.
"I (subject)went swimming,"
"I (subject)love you."

"Me" is what is called an objective pronoun, meaning the subject acts upon the object.
"You (subject) love me (object)."
"Sue (subject) called me (object)."

So, it's easy to see why you wouldn't say or write, "Sue (subject) called I (subject)." Oops!

I have no intention to offend, and I know that there is a great possibility to do exactly that, so please know that it's more about me and my grammatical hang-ups that any one's possible mistakes.
We as scrapbookers want to tell our stories, and we want to tell them clearly. Grammar helps us to do that.
Next up: Your vs. You're

Speed Scrap July 5th!

2011-07-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hello, my friends!
Once again it is time for my monthly speed scrap at Faith Sisters. It's scheduled for Tuesday, July 5th, at 10 AM Pacific, or 1 PM Eastern.

This time I have made a participation prize for anyone who makes a layout and posts it to our gallery within 24 hours.

I hope you will come and join us! It's always fun, and you have a completed layout to show for it! Join us here; we'd love to have you.

Providence 365, Week 27

2011-07-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? 2011 is half over now. I know that I'm not the only one who is thinking that Someone wound the clock too tightly this year, and it's now unwinding much too quickly. Projects like P365, blogging, and scrapbooking help us to pause, consider, and give thanks in the midst of the busy-ness of our lives.

In the United States, tomorrow is Independence Day, our nation's birthday. There will be fireworks displays, neighborhood BBQs, parades, block parties, speeches, picnics, and red-white-and-blue cakes, popsicles, ice cream.

Our Canadian friends just celebrated Canada Day with many of the same festivities, and the French will have Bastille Day soon, too. Our friends down under will have to wait a bit for their next Australia Day, however. In most of the world, each country will celebrate its heritage in some festive way.

These holidays are wonderful reminders of our responsibilities as dual citizens, having citizenship in both our earthly nation and in the Kingdom of God. We are reminded to be good citizens here, to pray for our fellow citizens and for those in authority over us, that they might be wise, courageous, and righteous:

"...I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings,

be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority..."

Whether or not we agree with the views and actions of those in authority, whether or not those actions are righteous, God's Word is clear, stating that authority was given them by Him:

" Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.

For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God."

So, I urge you, whether or not you are celebrating Independence Day this weekend, to say prayers and petitions for your governmental (nation, state, city or town) authorities. To seek the good of your city and fellow citizens, "that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

Please feel free to come and comment in our Forum and post your layouts in our Gallery.

I'm sorry; this link has expired.

July Desktops

2011-07-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I read daily is written by Tim Challies, a pastor/writer/reviewer in Canada. I most enjoy his A la Carte posts, which are random, interesting bits and pieces from around the web-iverse. I appreciate the fact that he does the footwork for me!
On the first of every month, he posts desktop wallpapers made and submitted by readers, for the free downloading by his readers. And, this month, yours truly entered the fray.
So, go check it out if you'd like to spiff up your computer screen. There are some lovely ones, so I don't envy your choice!

Words of: Wisdom and Other Stuff

2011-06-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hi all!
Over at the Faith Sisters' blog, I posted today about the speed scraps I host over there. Here's the link to the blog where you can get details about our speed scrap on July 5, next Tuesday. I'm giving away a little participation prize for a completed layout.
And, up in my shop, I have a new word art collection, Words of: Wisdom. I was inspired by our daughter-in-law's recent Master's graduation to make this; some just might end up in her photo book of the occasion!

Providence 365; The Other Half

2011-06-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

It dawned on me a few days ago (I know! You'll be saying, "Really, it took her that long to figure this out?"), that if you're not a regular reader of the Faith Sisters' blog, you're only getting half of our P365 posts. So, I thought it was about time that I introduced you to my Partner in Providence, Pam.
She designs and blogs under the name of by the Shore Designs. Her most recent Providence 365 post can be found here.
I hope you go and check out her designs and posts. If you download her freebie, please be sure to leave her some love and tell her that Barbara sent you.
Thanks so much for stopping by today.

New Item Words of: Fatherhood

2011-06-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I have a new item in my shop, one that was supposed to be up before Father's Day. But, as normal, life happened. But, if you all are as behind in scrapping as I am in designing, the timing is perfect!
This is a collection of 6 word art clusters with Scripture verses about fathers and one 12x12' overlay with words for father or dad in languages from all over the world.
If you make a layout with these, please come back and link up here in the comments. I'd be so happy to see your creation! You can get this item here in my shop at Faith Sisters.

Providence 365, Week 25: A Providential Pile-Up

2011-06-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Did you happen to see the news Friday night? The story about United Airline's computer system going down, worldwide? Well, my husband and I were caught in the thick of that.
We had been in Vancouver, BC, for our daughter-in-law's Master's graduation ceremony and were on our way home when someone spilled Coke all over the big keyboard, so to speak. We were stuck, firmly going nowhere, in San Francisco's airport, for over 6 hours. We finally pulled into our driveway about 1:30AM.
I knew that I had this blog post scheduled, and as I waited I pondered Providence:

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Proverbs 16:33

There had been several "random" , casting-our-lots-type, events earlier in the day that led us to being in SFO when the plug was pulled, one little decision or occurrence after another to get us to that point.
And, I have no idea why, for it really doesn't matter. It most likely wasn't anything planned by God for me in particular. He surely has better, less globally disruptive, ways to teach me patience than shutting down an airline. But, rather it was an event that showed how my heart was submitted to His will in my life, in things large or small, no matter how the "lot" was cast.
Yes, I would have really, really liked to have gotten home hours and hours earlier than we did. I would have really, really liked to have been in my comfy bed sometime before 2AM. I would have really, really liked to have NOT had to spend more money on food and snacks for a 16-hour day, rather than the originally planned schedule. So, no, I wasn't wonderfully happy about the added delay.
But, God was most interested in how I responded to the change of MY plans. Did I kick at the circumstances? Did I yell at the customer service representatives? (There were plenty of folks who did just that.) Did I fret, was I irritated, did I show a lack of patience, snap at my husband?
If I had, that would have revealed a heart that was not looking to the Savior for peace and satisfaction. It would have shown a heart that wasn't joyful in all things, a heart in rebellion. That's not the heart I want. All too often I do fall on my face, for sin is my constant companion. And, occurrences like this are good reminders that I am still in the process of sanctification, awaiting the day when I will be like Him, for I will see Him as He is. In the meantime, He remains a willing and able Savior for sinners like me.
I have for you this week a template for your P365 layout. There is a gradient layer to use to blend a photo into the background layer. Just place your photo above the gradient layer, enlarge it to cover the entire layer, position it, and then clip it to the gradient by pressing "Control + G" in PSE. You can then also adjust the blending mode and opacity. I'd love to see your layout in our gallery and our forum. I'm sorry; this link has expired.

New Item: Painted Pixels, Vol.1

2011-06-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

Boy, did I have fun with this! I had paper and paints all over the counter and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think every once in a while, I need to make a creative mess.
And, this is what I ended up with: a set of 10 .png brushed files and a corresponding brush (,abr) set. And, like all my wort art, you can recolor, re-size, add a bevel (to make your "paint" 3-D), add a gradient, clip a photo or paper, or change the blending mode and/or opacity. I've included doodles, frames and paint strokes. Please note that the .png files are in black. But, if you are unfamiliar with how to recolor in PSE, I've included a text file with easy-peasy instructions.
You can get this set in my shop at Faith Sisters.

Speed Scrap, June 7th!

2011-06-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

I'll be hosting the monthly speed scrap over in the Faith Sisters' forum tomorrow, June 7th, at 4PM Pacific Time. I've made a little freebie for you to use on the page we'll be making, so be sure to download before we begin.

This link has expired; check back next month for another speed scrap and freebie the first Tuesday of July, the 5th!

Providence 365, Week 23: Is Your Light On?

2011-06-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is Barbara, of Precepts and Promises, back with Week 23 of our Providence series. I've chosen Matthew 5:16 for the verse this week:

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

You might be asking, what does this have to do with Providence?
I'm glad you asked!
When you "shine" before men by doing the good, gracious, and sacrificial works He has placed in your path, you give honor and glory to our Father. These are the same works that He placed there for you to do (not by accident) according to Ephesians 2:10:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

So, our ultimate purpose in these good deeds is to glorify God, through Christ Jesus.

And, how does a light shine best? By blaring directly into someone's eyes? Obviously not.
A light is best used when it shines as a beacon, like a lighthouse, to direct the lost to safety. Or, as a guide, such as a flashlight on a dark path, to illuminate the way.
Our deeds are to be like that. Not glaring, causing people to flinch and turn away, but as a beacon and guide.
So, this week, be aware of how you are shining. Look for those times and places where light is a help and a comfort, knowing that God has placed you there for a purpose: to serve others and to glorify Him.
And, please join us in the forum and post your layouts in our gallery. You're always welcome!

I'm sorry, but this link has expired.

Messy Masks Vol.4: Dad

2011-06-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

I need to be quick about this! I'm taking care of two of my grandchildren this weekend, and while it's a blessing indeed and lots of fun (especially now that no more diapers are involved--Yay!), it's still pretty busy around here. Did you know that toddlers pretty much talk ALL THE TIME? I'd apparently forgotten...
But, on to the business at hand, my new item in the shop, Messy Masks Vol.4:Dad. They are a nice companion to Vol. 3: Mom!
You can get them here.

Taped Scripture

2011-06-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

Have any of you discovered washi tape yet? I think it's marvelous stuff: a semi-transparent rice paper-based tape from Japan, usually in fun colors or patterns. I have two rolls of striped tape that I'm using in my Junque Journal. Now's the time I'm missing my job, as I NEED a layover in Narita so I can go peruse the stores for more tape!
I decided to make some digital washi tape with Scripture text on it. You can use these to "tape" your journal mats or photo frames to your layout. Or, just use them as accents.
In the preview, I enlarged the tape just slightly, in order to see it better. The pieces range in size from 1" to 3". They are all 300ppi, .png, and PU/S4O. You can get this collection HERE in my store at Faith Sisters.
Thank you for stopping by!

Words of: Joy

2011-05-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update today to let you know that I have a new word art collection up in the store. Words of: Joy was inspired by our recent women's retreat topic. I was greatly blessed hearing again just how much Christ has done for me and was reminded that that is our reason for joy in any circumstance.
I hope you're having a wonderful Memorial Day, too, remembering and honoring those who gave so much so we could enjoy the blessings of freedom.

Available in my shop at Faith Sisters.

Providence 365, Week 21

2011-05-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but 2011 is almost half over! I pray that you and I will look back on the year with praise for the One who led us through all of its ups and downs, sadness and joy, pain and pleasure.
For this week, I reflected on Psalm 103:2:

Bless the LORD, o my soul,

and forget none of His benefits.

The Psalmist continues by listing some of those benefits:
-pardon for our iniquities
-healing for our diseases
-redeeming our life from the pit
-crowning us with lovingkindness and compassion
-satisfying our years with good things...

His benefits and mercies are everlasting and without end, promised to us through the finished work of Jesus. They are not dependent on us, weak and changeable as we are. But, rather, they are sure, flowing from His character, which never changes.
Recently, I read a letter written in 1567, by a Reformer just a month before his death. He was in prison, writing to his wife of seven years, the mother of his five children, to encourage her in the face of her certain widowhood:
I am happy; my heart is light and it lacks nothing in my afflictions. I am so filled with the abundance of the richness of my God that I have enough for me and all those to whom I can speak. So I pray my God that he will continue his kindness to me, his prisoner. The One in whom I have trusted will do it, for I have found by experience that he will never leave those who have trusted in him. I would never have thought that God would have been so kind to such a poor creature as I. I feel the faithfulness of my Lord Jesus Christ.
This man truly believed and lived out Psalm 103:2, not forgetting, even in the direst of circumstances, the benefits of God. Surely, this is encouragement for our souls as well.
As you go through this week, be looking for the benefits of God, both large and small, in the nooks and crannies of your life. And, then come back and tell us about what you found!

Please feel free to comment in our forum and post your layouts in our gallery. Even if you are just starting a 365 project of your own, it's not too late to join in!

I'm sorry, but this link has expired.

Back in Town!

2011-05-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I've been out of town for the past week, visiting our daughter in Small Town America. We had a lovely time, and I was quite inspired walking through her little hamlet. It's chock-a-block full of beautiful old stone churches, houses with gingerbread trim, and little pocket gardens or front porches that make you want to sit with a mint julep and enjoy the afternoon. If it weren't raining cats and dogs, that is. In between down bursts, we did manage quite a few fun excursions, and my camera got quite the workout!

I was inspired to make a different kind of kit, using some of the photos I took. I have also been inspired lately by the doodling and art journaling I've been dabbling in, too. So, this kit is intended to be a little more free-wheeling in its use: Add elements, layer, change blending modes, etc.
In the kit you'll find:
8 Papers
2 Frames
2 Window Frames
1 Border Overlay
1 Painted Edge
3 Word Art Clusters
1 White Picket Fence
1 White Carved Railing
3 Word Art Clusters
1 Rock Wall Section
2 Flowers (Poppy and Sunflower)
1 Brush Set (Fence, Flower Cluster, Railing, and Stone Wall)

You can find this kit in my shop at Faith Sisters.

Providence 365, Week 19

2011-05-08T08:16:00.000-07:00

I have a new post up for Providence 365 over at the Faith Sisters' blog. If you hop over there, you'll find the link for this week's word art, too. I hope you enjoy using it and meditating on its truth...
I'm sorry, but this link has expired.

Easter Pages

2011-04-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Did you have a wonderful, faith-building, Scripture-affirming Easter? Oh, I do hope so. We are so blessed at our church to have a pastor faithful to The Word and not ashamed to proclaim it loudly and clearly. I was built-up and rejoicing.
And, the blessings continued with a family- and friend-filled afternoon of feasting, fellowship, and foraging. An Easter egg hunt, to be specific. Just wanted to keep the alliteration!
I made a layout, and then had one of those, "Duh!" moments that seems to be happening more often: This would be a perfect page for Words of: Easter 2. So here it is, in two parts:

Remember, we still have the Faith Sisters Designers' Blog Train up and running until the 30th. And, my store is 30% until then, too.
Thanks for stopping by!

Faith Sisters Blog Train: Peaceful

2011-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this stop on the Faith Sisters' blog train, "Peaceful." You should have arrived here from Angel's site, and your next stop is Theresa.
I have a mini kit for you with 6 papers, (3 patterned, 2 solids, and 1 stripe), 3 word art tags, 1 frame, 1 journaling box, and 2 brushed borders. It will be available until the 30th. And, to celebrate, I've put my whole shop on sale for 30% off, just for this week, too. If you've been wanting to pick up a few things, now would be a great time!
Thanks for stopping by, and if you need a list of all the blog train stops, it's at the end of this post.

This link has expired; thanks for stopping by!

Cinda
Vicky
Erica
Angel
Barbara
Theresa
Kris
Karma
Pam
Faith Sisters

Providence 365 and a New Item for Easter

2011-04-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that there just aren't very many digi scrap items for Easter that don't involved bunnies and eggs? Not that I don't like either of those! I've eaten more than my fair share of Peeps and Cadbury Creme Eggs. It's just that a huge part of Easter has just gone missing. And, with that in mind, I have a new paper pack up in my store, Papers: Easter.
They all have a gradient background, evoking the sky either on Good Friday or Easter morning, with simple words to bring our minds back from chocolate rabbits and jelly beans to Christ. You can find it in my shop at Faith Sisters, for $1.99.

And, I also have a new Providence 365 post up at the Faith Sisters blog.

I'm sorry, but this link has expired.

I hope that you and yours have a lovely Easter, not only eating sweets and treats, but remembering the work of Christ on your behalf, taking your sin and rising again to give us new life. May you sing and rejoice greatly.

New Goodies! Now With Proofreading!

2011-04-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm a terrible typist. I use the backspace key more than any other. So,what do I decide to do? Design scrapbook items that are typed. Go figure...
I have fixed the "disciples" in my Words of: Easter, even though the preview still says "discipes." I think I should probably fix that, too....
But, for now, I have two new items up in my store at Faith Sisters.
The first is a set of photo masks: Messy Masks, Vol. 2: Springtime.

And, then I have a set of word art clusters and an overlay, Words of: Easter 2:

Both are $1.99.
Keep watch here and at the other Faith Sisters designers' blogs: we have a nice surprise for you coming at the end of the month.
Thanks for stopping by; I really appreciate it!

Providence 365, Week 15

2011-04-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

I have a new Providence 365 blog post up at Faith Sisters; you'll find a little freebie there, too.
Enjoy!

Two New Products

2011-04-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hey every one!
I have two new products up in the store at Faith Sisters.
The first is just fun, "I've Got your Number."

This collection has a 12x12" page overlay, 1 12" border, 1 photo mask, and 10 numbered photo overlays (which you can also use as frames). I've made them in both black and white. (White is not shown in the preview.)
Here are some examples I've made with this product:

The next new item is Words of: Easter.

This is a collection of six Easter-themed word art clusters. Like everything I make, they are 300ppi, .png, and PU/S4O.
Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back this week end with another P365 post. See you then!

A Little Video, or Two...

2011-03-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd make a screencast to go along with my latest tutorial, I Know I had it Here Somewhere... Sometimes it's just easier to learn something by seeing it done. And, after this, I have a lot more respect for the real talents in this industry who can talk, type, and use the mouse all at the same time. That's not me. So, keep in mind that this is new for me and that typing isn't my forte even on the best of days...
Video 1
Video 2
If you have any questions, please post them in the comments.

Providence 365: Week 13

2011-03-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to rethink my belief that doing a 365 project is a good idea: it seems that the time just flies by now that I'm keeping track of it! We're already over 1/5 of the way through 2011, and I thought we just had Christmas. So, I guess I'd better not waste any more time.

One of my very favorite blogs to read is Femina, written by a mother, her two daughters, and her daughter-in-law. I enjoy it so much partly because I never know what I'm going to get in the next post. It might be a tasty recipe, an funny story about the crazy things children do, or a deep theological insight.

A few days ago, the post was a little essay on providence. I'm sure by now that you might be in need of another voice of encouragement to look to the struggles of your life as opportunities for a little faith-growing. So, I heartily recommend that you go visit Femina and drink in the wisdom that's found there.

For our verse this week, I chose Romans 11:36, which says,:

For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.

To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Just a good reminder that our lives aren't chaotic happenstance. But, rather, they are for the express purpose of bringing glory to Christ. That would be a huge, unattainable goal were it not for the fact that it is only through the One to whom all glory belongs that we have the ability in any measure to exactly that! Isn't He good? What He commands, He enables. We serve an awesome God.

Please stop by our forum and gallery at Faith Sisters and let us know how your Providence 365 is going. We'd love to hear from you and to see your layouts.

I'm sorry, but this link has expired.

I Know I had it Here Somewhere...

2011-03-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Do you have loads of digi scrap supplies, but they aren't organized, you can't find what you want, and you spend so much time searching for things that you don't actually scrap?
Well, if you have Photoshop Elements, I have some help for you! I've written a new tutorial showing you how to set up up the Organizer that comes with Elements, getting you on the road to organization. I'll help you to set your preferences, determine what Categories, Sub-Categories, and Keyword tags you need, how to import, tag, sort, and search for your items. You will see how easy it is to use the Organizer and will be on your way to scrapping, rather that searching!
It's available for $4.99 in my Faith Sisters shop.

As promised...

2011-03-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

...I have something a little more cheerful for you today! I have a new pack of floral papers up in my store:

And, it's on sale for $1.49 for the next week.
Thanks for stopping by!

Words of: Time

2011-03-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have a new word art collection up in my store at Faith Sisters, all based on the theme of time.
The older I get, the more acutely aware I am of the passage of time. Not in a morbid way, but hopefully, more in a counting-my-days for wisdom's sake. It didn't help my reflective state of mind that I went to a funeral on Saturday right on the heels of the truly horrible news out of Japan.
We might rightly assume that with careful, healthy living that we will live happily into our old age. But, we should also be ever mindful of the fact that we aren't in control. There are asteroids whizzing by Earth that could collide at any moment. We live on a planet that at its core is a huge molten ball, teeming and seething, able to cause all sorts of tragedy at any moment. Our own bodies teeter between perfect health and any number of chemical or biological processes going haywire. And, then there is that little problem of living in a sin-filled world...
I realize that I do sound rather morbid, so I'll stop now, as I think I've made my point.
My encouragement to you is to live in a state of repentance as much as possible;
seek peace with those around you;
meditate on the comfort and wisdom of the Word of God;
be mindful of the legacy you are leaving.
Thank you for stopping by and enduring my rather gloomy post. I hope to have something much more cheerful for you next time!