Word of the Year

For those of you who are blog-lovers... you'll probably see a lot of people blogging about their "word" for the year to come -- something to symbolize their vision, goals and aspirations for the year. I've been thinking about what my 'word' would be... and then I came across this:

“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”- Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

2009 was an eventful year, to put it nicely. (If you want to, you can read a little about it on my post HERE.) When I look back on it, I know that I was given the opportunity to learn some important life lessons. --- Not that I've got it all figured out (I've got a LONG way to go), but I've taken some big steps. I saw how God amazingly brought us through some tough situations... and I saw miracles happen right before my eyes. 'He made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters'.

There have been so many things I've had to go through over the years... and when hard times come, my thoughts seem to run right back to those tough memories --- making me replay them over and over again in my mind... feeling those hurts rush back when I thought I'd covered them up. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" I am SO ready to step into a fresh beginning.... and I can't wait to see what plans await me for the new year to come.

"Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” My prayer is that I stay close to the heart of God. I want to perceive... to 'get' all that He wants to teach me. So many times I look around and see the things that we're still struggling with -- that desert that seems to surround our lives. I'm ready to see the streams, baby! ;) I want to see with new eyes.

Yesterday, I was stressing out... worrying about how we were going to make it from step A to step Z.... my face breaking out in a teenage-like frenzy... knowing that we had change in our pockets that needed to last us a week ---- and then I came across THIS post by Melody Ross. If you've never been to Melody's blog, you really need to take some time and read her life story. This post is titled, "Just Exactly Enough"... and it was just exactly what I needed to hear at just exactly the right time. I hope your heart is touched by her words.... and I hope that this next year brings you so many of life's blessings, in just the form that you need them. I find myself still worrying and trying to do everything on my own strength. You'd think that I would have learned this lesson by now... but obviously I am very hard headed and STILL struggle with trying to figure out everything on my own. ;)

May 2010 be the starting point for a new way of looking at life.

Happy NEW Year!

The Last of 2009

Wow! I can't believe that today is the last day of the year! So much has happened this year... and I'm ready to start fresh and new. :)

Since Thursdays are all about Unity, I wanted to show you a couple more projects I've made. This one uses a sentiment from December's Kit of the Month (so... if you want this kit, you'd better snatch it quick!) I cut a heart out of thin cork using my Cricut machine (LOVE this guy!) and then adhered multiple buttons on the layer below.


Here he is, up close & personal. I faux stitched around the cork to set it off a bit... and that fun paper is from the Nook & Pantry line by Basic Grey. (- one of my favorite collections of the year!)


I wanted to try out this week's SFYTT (sketch for you to try) --- one, because it's a challenging sketch for me... and two, because there's a chance of winning a 1 yr. Splitcoast membership! (And... I just got notification that my membership fees were due. LOL!) So... maybe I'll get lucky. ??? ;)

Did you see this sneak peek yesterday? I think January's KOM is going to blow your socks off! It's so full of big, yummy stamps! Mmmmm!

So.. here's my rendition using Jen's sketch and the new stamps. I covered a banner with some paper that I had (it just so happened to match perfectly!!!) and added my own sentiment. (The banner was part of October Afternoon's Be Merry sticker sheet... and I knew I wouldn't be using a Christmas sentiment for awhile!)


Thanks for being with me this year. I appreciate each and every one of you & love to read the messages and comments that you leave me. It means so much that you take the time to say 'hello!'.... and your support this year has touched me more than you'll ever know. May the next year be full of blessings for you and your families!!!

The New Year is Coming... In a 'JIFFY'!!!

Howdy folks! Today, some of my friends & I have gotten together for another "Jiffy" Challenge! (For those of you who are not familiar with the "Jiffy Girls"... basically, once a month, each of us receives an image and patterned paper from a group member. None of us know what the combo of image/paper will be until it hits our mailbox... but we all are sent the exact same supplies. Sometimes the image goes well with the paper... and sometimes it's more of a challenge. But-- either way, it's always fun to see what everyone creates using the same basic supplies. The term "Jiffy" is sort of an acronym for Just For Fun.)

Now... onto today's Jiffy project! :) Carole Burrage sent us a fun little image from The Cat's Pajamas called 'New Year Sprinkle' from the Make Merry set. And... Kim Hughes sent us some gorgeous paper called - Carefree "Cherish" Forever Floral/Cream paper from the 29th Street Market by My Mind's Eye. (Say that 3 times fast!)



I wanted to soften my 'kitty' a bit to try to get it on the same level as my paper, so I inked the edges with several shades of ink... bringing in hints of soft purple and green. I added lots of sparkle to his top hat & then added a couple crystals to his eyes. To make the card feel festive, I added several crystal swirls from Zva to the black background. Mmmm! :)

Make sure to take a look at the other Jiffy Girls' projects! I'm so curious to see how THEY paired these fun products! :)

• Alli Miles
• Carole Burrage
• Kim Hughes
• Lori Craig
• Michele Boyer

Unity KOM Sneak Peek! - Be Who You Are

Two posts in one day. Incredible. ;)

Hey! Would you like to get a sneak peek at January's Kit of the Month by Unity???? Look how cute these images are! (You're going to LOVE this new kit!!!)

I thought with a sentiment like this... my owl needed to show her true colors! She's paper pieced with patterns from Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry collection. I used the branch from a previous KOM (June '09's 'Perfect in Every Way') and made it a little longer to fit my card.


My little guy's got the pukes AGAIN (thought he was over it)... so I've got to scram. He likes his Mommy time even more when he's not feeling good. Have a good one!

enjoy the little things....

I wanted to use up the last of my yummy paper from my Torendi kit - Modern Red. :) The cute floral image is from Unity's December KOM & the sentiment is a rub-on by Melissa Frances.

Don't you just love the combo of yellow & gray? Mmmmm! :)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great one! :)

Oh, how I LOVE a SALE!!! ;)

Hey everyone! I thought I'd pass on a sweet sale going on right now at Unity! :) These new sets are SO cute! (I'm a sucker for a sale & free shipping. What can I say?)

I Only Have Eyes For You

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! Our boys are 4 & 8... which are PERFECT ages to experience the magic of the season. :) All was going great until my little guy said that his tummy hurt when he breathed & then preceded to vomit all over the place. He's been sickly all day but is resting now - so I had a little time to sneak away & make a couple of projects before he needed his mommy again.

I made this card using paper from my December Torendi kit, "Modern Red". The papers in this set are from Jillibean Soup & I just love the colors & patterns. :) I cut a large heart from the checked print using my Cricut machine & added a sentiment made with a vintage label maker.

I can't believe how fast this month is soaring by! If you've been thinking about treating yourself to December's Torendi kit, make sure to snatch one of these up soon before the month is over! ;)

Shine!

TGIF!!! Only 2 more work days after today... and I'm on vacation for a week! Whoot! Whoot! I can't wait! :)

Today, I have a card to share with you for Unity's Friends With Flair day! Do you remember that funky paper I used yesterday on my floral card? Well... this paper is from the same collection (We R Memory Keeper's Merry & Bright) & I just LOVE it!

This card was SO simple to make. The paper does all the work for you! I just stamped a cute little tree from Unity's Joy & Wonder set & heat embossed it... popping it up with some dimensional tape. The pink tree is a sticker from the same collection by WRMK & the sentiment is from Unity's Embellished Season set. A few yummy hot pink rhinestones from Kaiser... and the front was all set! :)


And... here's the inside of my card. The sentiment is from the same kit as above.

Girly and pink. I think I must have needed a little Estrogen release or something. It makes me feel happy just looking at it. :)

Whole Lotta Dirt

Happy Thursday, peeps! :) Today, I wanted to show you a card I made using Unity's newest set from their Scrapbook/Collage collection (Priceless Reflections). This kit is AMAZING... and I don't even scrapbook! :) These images are definitely universal!


My starting point for this card was this fun & funky floral journaling block. I'm not a huge fan of my handwriting, so I decided to hunt through my rub-on stash and found something that worked just perfectly! I just cut apart the sentiment to fit on the lines and applied them word by word.

Next, I went to my paper stash. This colorful paper is actually part of We R Memory Keeper's Christmas line... and I love how it works for ANY season! Universal. It's the word of the day. ;)

I added a fun brad from Sassafras to my flower's center & then embellished the card a bit further with a yummy rhinestone flourish by Zva Creative. Mmmm!


Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to check out the Unity blog today to see all of the sales & specials!!!

Riding Hood Winner!

Drum Roll Please.....

True Random Number Generator Result: 17 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Jenn B. said...

Julie,
You are one of the craftiest chicks I know!! :D
Love your new creations, think I might just have to try making a bag with one of those adorable flowers!!
Shipping would be super cheap...you could hand deliver that cute little bag :D
One of your biggest fans and Crafty Chicks ;)

OK, Jennifer -- I promise everything was fair & square when I picked your number! LOL! Looks like I'll be doing a hand delivery!

Thanks to everyone who commented! Have a great one!!!

I Have to Share....

I finally got an up close and personal look at the latest issue of Paper Crafts... with my card on the COVER!!! Yippee! This was one of my goals for the year, so I made it just in the nick of time! Thanks for letting me toot my own horn for just a bit. :)


And... here's the card that I sent in:

American Jane Bags

As promised, here are a couple more bags I've made & can be found in my Etsy shop if interested. :)

I call this bag the American Jane tote. This is a BIG tote made out of dark denim & a fun yellow floral print. I think this would be a great bag for someone who likes things with a little vintage flair. The yellow fabric is so fun and chalked full of personality! :) There is a big pocket on the inside of the bag, as well as on the front. I added a ruffle of coordinating fabric to the pocket for a touch of whimsy... and made a cute denim flower embellishment to go along with it. This bag measures 25" across & is 13" tall (not including the handles).


Here's a close-up of the pocket:


And here is a view of the inside of the bag:

Here's a picture of the American Jane Tote along with her "sister" bag, Little Janey:

The Little Janey bag might be small compared to her "big sis"... but it's actually a nice "purse" size. This bag measures 15" across and is 8.5" tall, so there's plenty of room for the necessities. The Little Janey bag comes with a coordinating zip pouch (5" x 8") and is great for keeping smaller items in their place.

The Little Janey bag is also embellished with a denim flower & has a magnetic snap closure.

And... here's Little Janey's insides (sounds gross... but it's actually pretty cute). ;)

Anywhoo... thanks for checking out my new bags! I have several pieces of new fabric coming my way, so you'll be seeing more bags pop up soon!

And... for those of you who've asked me for a pattern - I don't actually have anything written. I just did a Google search for bag patterns and looked at how other people put things together. Then, I just cut things to the size I wanted and added parts and pieces here and there. If you're wanting to make your own bags, I'm sure there are some great resources out there! Sorry that I can't be of more help.

Red Riding Hood Give-away!

Happy Monday! :) I've been sewing away and stayed up WAY to late last night.... but I had to finish a few projects! Just a heads up... I'll be posting a couple of bags for sale today, so keep your eyes open for an update! :)


I think this Red Riding Hood fabric from Torendi's December Kit (Modern Red) is just adorable! So... I thought I'd make a little pouch for one of my blog readers. These little pouches are great for stashing your loose change, lipstick, etc. :) If you live in the US (Sorry international gals! I'm on a tight budget!) and would like to win one of these... just leave me a comment. Just let me know where you're from & anything else you feel like sharing.... and I'll pick a random winner on Wednesday.

Also - Don't forget about your chance to go to the CHA TRADE SHOW as a Torendi employee! Details can be found HERE!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Oh man! I can't believe I haven't posted anything for a week! Yikes! Life's just been busy! I've been working on making some Christmas gifts too & thought I'd show you some of what I've been up to.

First up... let me show you this little tag I made to coordinate with my goodies. :) I LOVE this "Handmade By" stamp from the November Kit of the Month by Unity. Fun stuff!


So... here is the first bag I made (I have several more on the drawing board). I wish I knew how to photograph large items better, because this is SO cute in person! I made this tote bag with some nice, heavy dark brown corduroy & lined it with some fresh & funky fabric from Joel Dewberry (Ginseng in Rust). I've never made a bag before, but now that I've done it... I just want to make more and more of them! They're not very difficult & I'm hoping my recipients will like them just as much as I do. :) It's hard to tell in the pic.... but this bag is nice & BIG! (They're about 2 feet wide and 1 foot tall... with tons of room in the inside too!) There are several teachers in my family & I thought they could use these to drag all of their books & papers back & forth.


Here's a pic of the lining of the bag. Love that fabric! :)


I made my own custom fabric covered buttons and added an elastic loop to keep it closed. I learned how to make these fabric flowers from Courtney Baker's blog (she has a great video tutorial!) -- so now I'm putting them on everything! LOL! I added some aqua ribbon "leaves" that peek behind the bloom.

Here's a peek of the pocket looking down from the top. I gathered some ribbon to make a decorative edge on the top & lined the pocket with some of the rust colored print.


Here's a little pouch that I made to coordinate with the bag. It's super simple... just one piece of fabric & a zipper. --- 5 minutes and you're done!

Thanks for checking out my project! Have a great one! :)

You're My Cup of Tea!

Hey everyone! Today, I wanted to show you the newest Kit of the Month by Unity (in case you haven't had a peek yet). And... there's a Garage Sale going on today too! Make sure to make your way to the Unity Blog to check it all out! :)


I was a crazy Black Friday shopper this year and snatched up a baby Cricut machine (they were $125 off!!!). So... I wanted to try it out and made this retro tea pot. This machine is so fun! My boys love helping me push the buttons. It's like magic to them. :) I used some Domestic Goddess paper from Graphic 45 & woodgrain paper from Cosmo Cricket... and then added the tea bag image from the KOM.


And... here is the inside of my card using a sentiment from the kit.

Thanks for visiting! Have a great one!

I'm Torendi!

Wow! I can't believe it's the 1st of December!!!! I must be having fun because time is FLYING! This month is going to be extra fun because I was asked to be the Torendi Setter of the month (in other words... the guest designer for Torendi - which means 'trendy' in Japanese). If you haven't heard of Torendi yet, you should really go check out their site! Their shop is full of cool & trendy products from overseas AND right here in the states. Their imported goodies are so fresh & fun! I can't wait to see what they come up with next. :)

Today, I'm using some products from Torendi's December Kit. I love this little wooden tree backed with a mini clothespin! So... to make it look a little more festive, I adhered rhinestone "ornaments" on it. I thought the clothespin would make a great treat topper! So... I just filled a glassine bag with fresh baked cookies and clipped on a homemade tag.

I used some dotted paper from the kit to mimic 'falling snow' & added a snow drift out of another sheet of glittery paper. Then... I added some chipboard letters to finish it off. It was a super fast and fun project. My favorite kind. :)