Pretend It's Saturday...

As if trying to adjust to the time change isn't enough, I'm going to ask you to pretend it's Saturday. I'm running a tad bit behind with my weekend posts. (*sheepish grin*) You wouldn't think it would be difficult to get four young men ready for a fancy wedding, would you? ha! And despite my warnings (and good intentions), most of the running around to pull outfits together didn't occur until the 11th hour. Somewhere in the midst of all that excitement, my mojo left town. So please bear with me and pretend it's Saturday and time for another fabulous sketch challenge at Sketch Saturday!!!

Jo has come up with another fun sketch for us to play with... I'm loving all the circles! I paired this sweet Gnome image by Whiff of Joy with patterned paper from the Campfire collection by October Afternoon. The greeting stamp is by Verve.

Our sponsor for this week's challenge is Simon Says Stamp, offering a $25 Gift Certificate to spend on goodies in their store!!! Wow, I wish I could win that! lol SSS offers lots of yummy Whiff of Joy stamps.

I hope you'll come along and play with us this week! Be sure to nip on over to the Sketch Saturday blog to see the lovely cards made by the rest of the design team using this sketch. You will surely be inspired!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'll be back soon, asking you to pretend it's Sunday. (*wink*)

Get Well Soon

A blessed Sunday to you! This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Our hostess for this week's challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is our very dear Rebekka Reed.

Rebekka chose as her inspiration scripture Psalm 9:10 "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Her challenge is "things that secure" - use buttons, no less than three, on your card/project.

I confess, I struggled with this card... things kept going wrong, but the thought of starting over was daunting... I just didn't feel like it. I sat and stared at it for hours (okay, I was also watching TV). I tried to figure out what was missing, how I could make it look better, felt frustrated that her hair didn't turn out with enough highlights, fiddled with the shading which is the wrong color, tried various embellishments and tossed them aside. And then I smudged it. And then I forgot that I was supposed to use three buttons. Something that should have been fun turned into stress. Worry worry worry.

I'm not telling you this to fish for compliments, but rather to draw a parallel to today's scripture. How often do we struggle with something, worry over it, pick it apart, examine it too closely, drive ourselves crazy with self-doubt? I'm ashamed to raise my hand. I do this far too often. My excessive worry makes me sick at heart and soul.

This past week, I was reminded of Matthew 8:25-34, which begins, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..." So why do we worry? We're human, of course. Don't add to your burdens by feeling badly about worrying. Instead, when you find yourself worrying too much, to the point of distraction... or even of indecision and inaction... remember David's words and rest in the knowledge that the Lord will never forsake those who seek Him.  He is with you. He cares for you. He will carry your burdens if you let him. Read Matthew 8:25-34 and Psalm 9 and take comfort. The Lord your God is with you in all things.

A quick note about my card... that sweet image is Willow's Hot Chicken Soup by Whiff of Joy, our challenge sponsor this week. The vertical greeting is from So Random Sentiments by Claudia & Company. I followed the fun color challenge at The Play Date Cafe, pairing Pacific Point and Tangerine Tango cardstock from SU with patterned paper by October Afternoon and a flower embellie by Basic Grey (Max & Whiskers). Notice I had to tuck two buttons into the flower so that my card would meet the SSIC challenge. Hopefully they sort of look like leaves. (*grin*)

I hope you'll come along and play with us this week. Be sure to stop by the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog to read Rebekka's devotional on her inspiration scripture and see the wonderful cards created by our design team featuring buttons. You will be blessed!

Oh, and don't forget to vote in my survey... just a quick click in the right-hand column of my blog. Thanks! Have a blessed day!

More Joy!

More joy indeed! Happy Saturday!!! Because of my recent travels, I've been on break from Sketch Saturday the last three weeks. Yikes!!! I'm so glad I could finally sit down and make a card for this marvelous challenge. Yes, folks, it's time for another fabby sketch at Sketch Saturday!!!

Terry Wietsma-Girbes is our sketch hostess this week and has a very special guest sponsor. You'll have to jump over to the Sketch Saturday blog and check it out! (*wink*) I love Terry's sketch, but I could not figure out how to add an element underneath the angel. I was so anxious to ink up this cutie (Angel Delivering the Christmas Tree by Elisabeth Bell for Whiff of Joy), that I didn't think it through! LOL

The patterned paper is from the beautiful Holly Jolly collection by My Mind's Eye. I stamped text from the Text-It stamp set by Waltzingmouse Stamps on a piece of the patterned paper with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain distress ink and then sponged around the edges of the oval and the main panel with the same ink. The JOY greeting is done in felt by Hero Arts. I created the holly in the left corner with a Martha Stewart Crafts punch.

I love angels because my mother loved angels, and I think of her every time I see one.

I hope you likey and will join us this week for our sketch challenge!

I'm off and running today to, of all places, the American Girl store in Los Angeles to belatedly celebrate my and my sweet friend Alicia's birthdays. We have reservations for tea. Both of us love dolls. Alicia has the most amazing collection of American Girl dolls and accessories I've ever seen, and I'm totally enchanted. I can just imagine we will feel like little girls today. It will be a blast!

I hope you have a JOYFUL day, my friends! Thanks for stopping in!