Merry Christmas!

 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

It is almost that time!  Our tree is trimmed, our greenery hung, and cookies and bread baked, candy mix mixed!  The manger scene is out.  Family arriving soon, in groups.  Christmas Eve service, then a run to the airport and at least some of us will be together for Christmas.    

I thought I would post to my blog to wish all my followers a very Merry Christmas full of Hope, peace, joy and love.

Here are some last-minute Christmas cards I made with Sande Woodson's digitals and assorted gifted die cut sentiments.  I embossed the 110lb Recollections bases with a star embossing folder and layered the image panels on gold before adhering to the base.

Sande Woodson aka Sande's Poema designs and generously gives these beautiful digitals away for free.  You just must subscribe to her newsletter, here.  

I think this is my favorite:

52 cards have been made and sent or hand delivered.  I still have some to do. In years past I have given out as many as 70, but our list is sadly diminishing.  Some friends and family have passed even in 2025. 

Above is my ticket to the tea party over at Altered Book Lover hosted graciously by Bleubeard and Elizabeth.  Go on over and join TSFT.

Thank you for stopping by and again, Merry Christmas!

T Stands for December

 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Hello December!  Can you believe we are into the last month of the year?  I can't!  I suddenly realize I have only 30 some Christmas cards made of the over 60 I need!  At least I got my international cards mailed Saturday.  So, I am planning this blog on the fly as today got away from me.  I didn’t get this done!  

So, I am back today, to post my layout for Art Journal Journey, and also for the 3 in a Row & Number Mix Challenges on A Cherry on Top. The "other" Sharon has posted out theme this month at AJJ as Winter Theme.  I am documenting our first snow on December 1st on this 12x12 scrap page.  I used two different snowflake punches.  I used Stamperia Blue Winter paper and Stories Simple Fresh Snow ephemera.  Thank you, Sharon, for the perfect theme!

I don’t know if I can link to TSFT or not but will try.  Do you see my ticket on my scrap page?

Have a great week!  Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time.

T Stands for Time to Be Thankful!

 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,

and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Psalms 95:2

It is time to be Thankful as we are celebrating Thanksgiving in the USA this week!  We should always be thankful for all things according to the Bible in Thessalonians .  “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18   Thanksgiving time reminds us to do that.

Today in honor of Thanksgiving I have some photos from my walks and an art journal spread, and of course an entry for our TSFT party over at Altered Book Lover. 

I am very thankful we finally got some color in our trees before our wind blew off all the leaves!

Next is my Art Journal spread for the Art Journal Journey challenge for November: A Moment in Time

I used this week’s Art journal sketch at ACOT sketch . I am submitting for the turkey Trot Challenge to Button up Your Overcoat on ACOT, to use buttons.  Finally using some button stash.  I also used some old stickers from my stash, from PhotoPlay, I think.  The stamped image is SU!  I am still journaling in an old K & Co. Smash Book.

I hoped you noticed my ticket to TSFT!

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy Thanksgiving, whenever you celebrate!

T Stands for Trail Walking

  ​¹ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

² A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
³ A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 
⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
⁹ What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? Ecclesiastes 3:1-9

Our son is here for his yearly visit, and we have been walking the trail; the Red Bud Trail, mainly.  Monday, we started in Andover and walked it to the end as far as they have it done.  We were surprised that the bridge across hwy 400/54 was finished.  We were able to actually walk across it.  I tried to get a selfie on the bridge.  You can tell it was very windy!  I intended doing this post yesterday, but after a 10 miles round trip walk, I wasn't doing much of anything last night!  LOL

I have included some photos of our walk:

We walked from the Andover Rec Center so, not the whole 6 miles, because its starts the mileage before that point.  We walked 5 miles to here.  The bridge is up ahead, yet.

A nice rest spot maybe half way.  And I rested! 

Someone did some art by the bench and we felt loved.

We made it to the Bridge and it was done and open!  A nice surprise!

Our son.

Me on the bridge over the highway.

It was a gorgeous day on the trail with quality time with our son.

Here is a card I made in the morning before we left.

It is a tri fold and opens up going down.  I made it for a challenge on Splitcoaststampers using scraps.

I still have scraps from this kit from years ago.  Someday, I may get all the pieces used.

Now for my ticket to the TSFT party over at Altered Book Lover:  Photos of decorations from our Spring Bible study kick off brunch last April.

I took the photos the day before when we decorated, so no food yet. 

I had made the little favors by the plates.

The book we used this year to study all the remarkable women in the Bible.

I actually didn't get to go as the day of the brunch, I had my shoulder replacement surgery, April first.  And that is not April fools joke!! LOL

As you can see, I am doing great now.  Thank you for stopping by!  Please let me know you were here.

I appreciate you all.

Tuesday Stands for Too Busy!

  ​¹ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

² A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
³ A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
⁹ What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? Ecclesiastes 3:1-9

Yes, too busy to post, but doing it anyway!  I wanted to do the Art Journal Journey November challenge.   Wendy’s challenge is A Moment in Time.  Mia generously offered photos for this challenge for free on her blog.  Thank you, Mia!  I remembered these time quote stamps from My Favorite Things.  I am doing this challenge for two other challenges:  sketch challenge on ACOT and the Alpha challenge for letter Q on SplitcoastStampers.  I included a stamped image of a lady writing a letter with a quill.  I thought it worked well with Mia’s photo.

I used stamps from 3 different sets, Stamp'n Up! "Vintage Postcard", Stampin' Up! "Sense of Time", and the My Favorite Things "Clearly Sentimental about time".  I used a coffee filter for the element in the sketch, I followed.  I added postage stamps just because I thought it worked with the whole theme, of the photo.

I am doing zoom with friends while doing my blog, although this is photo is from another time, but it is my ticket for the party at Elizabeth & Bleubeard's at Altered Book Lover for TSFT.

Happy T Day to the T gang.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great week.  See you next time.

T Stands for Time for Baking

 "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2:42 KJV

Hi readers!  How are you today?  It is grey and cold outside here, perfect for baking!  It took me most of the day to bake a loaf of orange cranberry bread and to clean up after! LOL My hubby claims when I cook, I dirty every dish in the house.  Judge for yourself.  I took a photo of the dishes I wash washing afterwords! LOL  I was baking the bread for our Bible Study Brunch tomorrow morning.

Before I baked, I did have a nice morning from 9 too 11 at Panera with friends where we were celebrating two of our birthdays.  I forgot to take any photos but still had my Panera cup and it is in one of my photos for TSFT over a Bleubeard & Elizabeth's at Altered Book Lover.   I even spy another cup by the sink, although that doesn't have tea in it.

For a craft, I will show a project I am currently making for my sister, a heritage album.  The page I am showing you has a photo on it over 100 years old.  The baby girl is my late mother, and she would have been 100 years old this past April!  And the lady is my grandmother!  The photo had been colorized so even though it was a heritage photo, I did the layout with colors.  I will add journaling to the banner.

That's it on this dreary gray afternoon.  Happy T Day to the T Gang.  Thank you for stopping by.  I really enjoy reading your comments, too.  It is like we are talking to each other even though many of you are live across the pond or at least across the country!  See you next time!

T stands for Terrific Day!

  "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you," Philippians 1:3

I did get outside for a walk after a busy morning.   I was hubby's designated driver for his eye appointment, as he had to have his eyes dilated.  I read my book on my iPad while I waited about an hour and a half for him.  We then did banking and headed to Mardell's Christian Bookstore where we bought items for a church ministry.  Then we headed home, and I took my walk.  I did not wear Elizabeth's hat today as it was very windy! The temperature was really mild, even cool.  Even though I begin my walk wearing a jacket, I soon took it off and tied it around my waist.  But it was definitely an enjoyable walk. 

Now to show you what I did over the weekend.  I attended virtually another card summit and learned lots of new techniques and crafting tips.   One of the speakers was Alicia with www.papercraftsecrets.com.au.  She gave us a free digital to make 6 cards with envelopes. Her digitals are gorgeous!  The theme was Steampunk/ Country Western.  I will show you one that I made.   She made the digitals to be printed and cut with a Silhouette or Circut machine.  I have neither, so all were fussy cut. I added pearls to flowers, butterfly and cowgirl's neck.

Maybe you can see the pearls on this one and the front of the envelope.

Here is more of the kit I printed.  Aren't these adorable images?

I plan on making more cards using these.  I even decorated the inside of the card.

Remember last week when I said I had made 20 cards for challenges on ACOT for World Card Making Day?  I won one of the drawings and here is my prize that I already received on Saturday.  Lots of goodies.  I haven’t even had time to play with any of it yet!

Since I am joining Bleubeard & Elizabeth over at Altered Book Lover for T Stands for Tuesday, I will share the following.  We had a scrumptious lunch at Longhorns, but I forgot until after to take any photos.

Our drink of choice:

Western decor: 

My favorite: 

That is about it this time.  Thank you so much for stopping by. Just like my posted Bible verse says, I am thankful for each one of you.

 Happy T Day to the T Gang!  See you next time.