Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Mojo 321 Card Challenge

I had a few cards to make up first thing Monday morning so I decided that I should match it with a Mojo Challenge.  So here we go. 

Mojo 321 Card Challenge:

I chose the square option.  I’m afraid I’m not so good with round - they always roll away on me.  Winking smile 

Here is my take on this challenge:

Mojo-321-1_Barb-Derksen

Supplies:

Cardstock - We R Memory Keepers

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug

Designer Paper - sorry, can’t identify this scrap.

Scallop Cut - Silhouette Online Store

Stamp - Bo Bunny

Vinyl

Ribbon

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I like to “personalize” a card with a name - it makes it all the more special, at least this is the feedback I get from the recipients.  This is where I fall in ♥ with vinyl.  Its pretty tiny work but my Cameo has no problems with that, I just can’t have much caffeine before I “weed” the letters out.   I thought the sparkly silver works well.

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Especially when I paired it up with a sparkly ribbon and bow.

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Friday, November 15, 2013

Simplify Your Life workshop leads to an adoption…

I’m delighted to say that the Simplify Your Life workshop which I hosted at my church Osoyoos Christian Centre for the past seven weeks drew to a successful conclusion this past Tuesday evening.  This DVD workshop - authored by Marcia Ramsand “The Organizing Pro” taught us to take control over the clutter in our homes and lives, be it housework, email and applied it to Proverbs 31. 

There were an average of 10 people for each class - a nice number, if I do say so myself.  This was my first time to host any sort of workshop and I do confess I was very nervous.  I needn’t have been for several reasons. 

Marcia’s book and workbook were logical in the process.  She tells us “I can do this!!” is the thought which will change us from procrastinators into accomplishers in our own lives.

The wonderful women of our church and community who took the course were very helpful and accommodating as I hosted and helped me out at every turn. I could not have done it without them.

 

Simplify Binder

The very nature of the course helped me organize the running of the course itself.  I progressed from a basket full of papers, pens etc to a basket neatly packed with a labeled binder with all materials in sequence.  I used my trusty Silhouette Cameo to cut vinyl lettering for both the binder for this course but also the Windows course I’m taking at youlearn.ca  By the last session came around I had everything running in sequence.

SO, you’re probably wondering what all this has to do with the title “The Adoption” so I will cut to the chase. 

One of the women who is taking the Simplify course and began to attend my church was best friends with my Aunt.  Through my Aunt my grandma was commissioned to make a beautiful clown doll as a gift for her.  My grandma made many of these dolls in her lifetime, all the monies going to charity.  Her dolls went all over the world!  Both my grandma and my Aunt have passed away.

 

1-pollyanna

Well, as my friend was getting into the sorting areas of the Simplify workshop, she began to downsize and consider what to do with some of her most treasured items.  She knew how close I was to my grandma and she  touched me deeply by asking me if I might be interested in “adopting” her doll … well YES!  I am now the proud Mommy to Pollyanna.  What are the chances of all this? 

I have so many happy memories of my grandma’s front room, the chesterfield lined up with dolls in various stages of completion.  I watched as they formed from scraps of material into “little people”  Polly looks right at home in my home… and my heart.  One day Polly will go on to live with one of my children - along with the stories and memories. 

I will end here with saying that Polly was delivered to me the last night of our workshop, so fitting.  If there is a moral in this, its that when we “simplify” our own lives, sometimes by releasing some of our treasures we truly bless someone else.  Hold on to things not too tightly, but hold onto the people tightly, and let this be your guide to the stuff  that owns you if you don’t it! 

An especial thanks to Marcia Ramsland - you are a very gifted organizer.  You truly blessed us.  I wish I would have introduced you to Pollyanna during our LIVE skype call which we had with on our last night.  Everyone loved meeting you face to face!  We especially appreciated how you sewed Proverbs 31 into the very fabric of us as women being good stewards of our homes and lives. 

For those who are reading my post, may I encourage you to consider taking or hosting a class by Marcia?  Its life-changing.  I urge you to check out her website - which features many free downloads, good information and valuable resources.  Would you also consider liking her facebook page - she’s got a “likes” goal and it would be a super nice gesture - as well as keeping you up to date and enriched in her wealth of terrific advice.  Oh - she has some downloads specially targeted to help you get your holidays organized… and, Marcia was also featured on Midday Connection on Wednesday and you can listen to the archived program by clicking HERE and choosing November 13th, 2013.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Random Photos - November Walk

Melanie Trail Nov 2013

My friend Melanie and I enjoyed a two hour early morning walk yesterday.  We have been enjoying some very mild November weather and I’m afraid we both completely over-dressed for our little jaunt and we both wound up carrying various articles of clothing.  This is Melanie on one of my favourite spots along the way.  I always feel an especial peace in this particular area of our local hike and bike trail. 

Mushroom - Nov 2013 walk

this is a strange looking mushroom which was on the side of the trail.  The green ring is  gooey.  Do you know what type this might be?

UPDATE:

thanks to Siskyou Sue who suggested this might be a Ravenel's Stinkhorn - it turns out it  is related, it is a Phallus Impudicus.  You can read more about it HERE on wikipedia.  Very interesting.

Mushroom 2 Nov 2013 walk

And plenty of regular looking mushrooms as well.  Notice the grass is very green - in the open fields one could almost be tricked into thinking it looks like spring around here, besides the lack of leaves on the trees and the snow creeping down the hills each morning…

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Family Challenge #7 - Paper Piecing

Once again Nina has tossed us another fabulous challenge, based on the following tutorial:

And here’s my take on that:

Family-Challenge-7---1_Barb-Derksen

Supplies:

Designer Paper - Blank Canvas by Kristin Cronin Barrow

Cardstock

Stamp - Jar by Dear Lizzy

Stamp - Bo Bunny, Sentiments

assorted punched hearts and pearl accents

pearlescent paints

embossing powder

Ok, so I fully confess I wanted to cheat and fit my trusty Cameo in here somewhere but I resisted and look it turned out just anyhow.  How cool is that? 

Family-Challenge-7---3_Barb-Derksen

I stamped the jar image onto the card itself, then stamped it again onto a scrap of music -themed designer paper.  I cut the lid apart from the jar. Then I stamped the tiny hearts all into the jar.  I coloured up the jar and lid with a wash of pearlescent paints.  Then, I embossed both with a transparent powder.  Now I used double sided foam tape to raise the lid and jar, but I also spaced it enough away from the top of the jar that I was able to glue the top of the “glass” part down to the paper, to give it a more 3d look. 

Family-Challenge-7---2_Barb-Derksen

Lastly adding the cardstock layer behind the sentiment adn affixing the pearl and winding it all up with a teensy bow made with crochet cotton. 

Hope you enjoyed your visit and suggesting you might hop over to my sister Nina’s blog and my SIL Judy’s blog too to get their take on today’s challenge.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Thank You, I REMEMBER

No matter what you may believe about war, today is a day to think on 1 Corinthians 13:1 which states “What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels?  If I did not love others I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” 

To put this plainly, for the purpose of my post today I will ask you to think about this -

someone died for your freedom. 

Today is the day to think about this.  Even if you feel strongly that there should not be wars - our history is founded on the fact there were. People you don’t even know gave their lives hoping that that you would experience freedom through their sacrifice.  So today I hope you feel love for these (sometimes unknown and unrecognised) people gave their lives for you.  Out of love. 

Surely if it were your friend, today, who saved your life by doing whatever it took if they thought you were threatened, you would experience a love unlike any other.  A love that is made up of awe (that they would so willingly trade their lives for yours) respect and a bond (we stand together)  No choice ever comes without having to give something up.  Its difficult, its messy its sometimes easier to stand on the line than take a choice. 

I have the privilege of living in a country where we have such freedom.  Because of this freedom and freedom of speech and being blasted with news on every device we own it would be easy to watch the news and condemn others for entering into wars.  But because my own life has never been touched in this way how can I possibly judge others?  There have always been wars, I’m afraid there always will be. 

I believe I’m to simply LOVE - to honor those who stepped right into their convictions (and some did not even have a choice!) and gave up everything, for our Country, for you, for me. Today is a day for us to remember

As a Christian I know that Jesus gave His life for me  so that I can live a life of freedom and choice.

John 3:16 (CEV) “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and will never really die 

I too surrender all to HIM in this sacrifice, and pray for a heart of love that I may always appreciate and live in this gift every moment. 

Today, I thank God for every person who stands on the freedom I have today.  I pray for them, their families and for the world today. I pray for those “out there” fighting at this very moment while standing on the hope of world peace.   Perhaps today to a degree we may think peace is a new kind of war in itself, for we are taught that love conquers all but we need to also keep our eyes and ears open and be willing to understand how it is all to unfold around us with an open mind.  And we need to be thankful that those before us took their choice - for us. 

TS Rememember

I will leave you with this link from The Star newspaper which has a terrific article about Veteran’s Day and an interactive map where you can learn about a FREE ipad App called “The Fallen” where you can find the stories behind 118,000 fallen soldiers around the world. 

I hope you will take a minute of silence today to ponder.

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

I took the Mojo 318 Challenge! Yayyyy

FINALLY, its not like I have not made a few cards lately - but I’ve actually made so many that I don’t have time to blog them all. I like to have a “stockpile” on hand.  Do YOU? 

I decided to tie in a Mojo Monday challenge card with one of these.  Here is the sketch for this week’s:

Mojo Monday #318

I have to say its hard to live up to all the wonderful examples the talented design team gives us and also the submissions I see posted by the time I get to post my card.  Wow, is all I can say.  Here is my take on things:

Mojo-318-1_Barb-Derksen

Supplies:

Paper - Colorbok from WalMart

Clock bits - Stickers by Kelly fanacci

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Aren’t these clocks the most fun?  They are an adhesive and are sort of an acrylic or plastic feel.  Love ‘em!

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I finished the tag off with a twist of both a grosgrain and then a sheer. 

Thanks for stopping in!  I encourage YOU to try your hand at a Mojo challenge card, there are some stamps up for grabs if you’re lucky!

 

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