In a 'Nutty'shell: 2014 in Review

Wednesday, December 31, 2014


Well . . .

There wasn't a whole lot going on in my blog this year. 
I started out with some scrapping, dropped in now and then to share a project, and then decided, toward the end of the year, that I was going to be more consistent with my blog.  Which now becomes the resolve for this next year.






My word for this past year was 'Diligence'.  Although my presence here has been sporadic, and really, my efforts in several areas of life this past year have been so, I still feel I have arrived at the end of 2014 with a better grasp of that word, and how I need to implement it regularly.

One of the things that helped me with that was a goal-setting webinar I saw, given by Amy Porterfield and Michael Hyatt.  It was very encouraging, helped me organize my thoughts and how to act on them in the coming year and confirmed for me that many of the traits I have that some people consider to be 'perfectionism' or 'controlling', are really just a good grasp of the details that are part of a project or situation, and how to move through those to accomplish a goal.

I'm really looking forward to 2015, not only because I'm joining many other ladies for Documented Faith, but also because it's a chance to take what I've learned this year ~ the seeds planted, and put them into action next year ~ see the flowers bloom!

Fairwell 2014!

See you all next year! 



Documented Faith 2015: Getting Started

It all started with this post on my blog ~ here ~ where a friend made a comment.

Which lead me to ~ this post here ~ on her blog.

And then, to ~ this post here.

And now, you are about to follow the rest of the story as it unfolds.  Yes, I joined Stephanie, my friend Rushed Lady, and many others for Documented Faith 2015.

God is so good to bring to us the things we need, at just the right time.  And Documented Faith is one of those things.  This past year has been one of many where I was battered and bruised by an enemy who never fights fair!  But the whole time I have been clinging to a promise God gave me in 2011.

So many times I have thought I was seeing the fulfillment of that promise, but then the rug was pulled out from under me.

Ah! Yes!!  The epitome of 'the trial of your faith'.  I've matured in many ways through these years, and I'm looking forward ~ yes, I said 'looking forward' ~ to what this next year holds. 

I don't expect any less battles, but I do still have Faith ~ hope for the unseen.  Maybe this is the year that promise will be fulfilled.  I know it will be a year where I celebrate me ~ The Me that is a Princess ~ a daughter of the King of Kings, and that in itself is going to make it a year worth remembering.  But now I have a group of other women who are walking the same path, that of Faith, however that plays out in their lives, as a support group.  There is comfort and strength in those numbers.

So ~ sit back, grab a cuppa, and hold on!  This could be a bumpy ride.  Or it could be a 'Happily Ever After'.

Maybe it will be a little of both.


 Title Page
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Documented Faith 2015







Life, Friends & Love: The Color Throwdown #323

Monday, December 22, 2014


Hello!

I've been getting inky again.  This time I'm playing along with The Color Throwdown, specifically ctd323.



I was a bit disappointed when this challenge stopped using Stampin' Up!® color names for the selections, mainly because I eat, sleep and breathe Stampin' Up! colors for my scrapping, so it was super duper easy for me!  Now I have to work a little more! LOL
I do understand that many players had the opposite perspective, that they felt stymied by those names, felt like they had to use those colors, and maybe some didn't play because of that.  Thanks ladies, (over at CTD), for recognizing that and reaching out to those crafters.  Sharing our creativity with others who understand and appreciate is what it's all about, after all.

And now, on to my creations.  More pocket cards!  Yah!




I used Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom, Rose Red and Very Vanilla for my color selection.
While I was looking through my stash for some Rose Red cardstock, I came across a package of Cameo Coral.  yep!  I think I might be making another set of cards substituting that for the Rose Red.

Flower punches are always a favorite, pearls a must, and some gold embossing is a special treat for any project.


I'm really reflecting on the 'Life Happens. Love Helps.' sentiment right now.  Love is so powerful, and not just the love God showed when He gave us His Son, born in a stable and cradled in a manger, and ultimately crucified on the cross to pay our debt of sin; but also the love we demonstrate toward each other.  It covers a mutlitude of sins, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.  Even the rough places in relationships, circumstances and the world around us.

The Greatest of these is Love . . . . What Christmas is all about.

Merry Christmas!


Credits:
Stampin' Up!®: cardstock~Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom (both retired), Very Vanilla; ink~Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom, Rose Red (all retired), VersaMark; stamps~Vintage Vogue (retired), Petite Petals, Bordering Blooms; punches~Petite Petals, Boho Blossoms, Decorative Label, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, Elegant Butterfly, Scallop Edge Border; gold emboss powder, basic pearls, basic rhinestones

Scraps: dark pink cardstock, gold cardstock

Mojo Monday meets Project Life®

Friday, December 19, 2014

It's been a long time since I've played with any challenges.  I had to step back from them for a while because of all the things demanding my time, but it's something I've missed.  I know I need some 'me' time.  Time to put aside the load I carry on a daily basis and refresh my perspective, my emotions and my attitude.  What better way to do that than to indulge in some creativity??

Which means I have decided to play along with some challenges again, and the first project I created this week is for playing along with Mojo Monday #376.

This is the sketch Julee created . . . . .







. . . . . . and this is the Project Life card I created.



I dug into my scraps ~ Yeah!! ~ and didn't cut into a single big sheet of anything to make this.  One of the things I like about creating PL cards is how many of my scraps are used up. 

I plan to use this one as a mat for a photo but don't know which one.  I'm just going to add it to my PL stash, and see where it fits sometime.  Who knows.  It might wind up with a verse, or sentiment, or date, or title or something on it.  At least it's some scraps out of the folders and into a creation . . . . . some 'me' time taken . . . . . and sweet time spent being creative.



Credits:
Stampin' Up!®: Cardstock ~ Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding; DSP ~ Venetian Romance; Victorian Crochet Trim; Basic Jewels Rhinestone; SNAIL®; Dimensionals; Envelope Punch Board (for rounded corners)
Petaloo: flower



Project Life: Nutty Style

Wednesday, December 10, 2014


I just read a very inspiring post at This Blog.  I know it's a few months old, but it is timely for me.  You see, I've gotten hooked on Project Life®.....Sort of.

Sort of??

Yah!  I still like to make traditional 12x12 layouts, but I also like the ease of Project Life.  So what do I do about it??  Combine, of course!

Now, I also have YEARS of back scrapbooking to do.  And the post mentioned above fits, because it gave me some ideas for how to organize all that history so I can actually accomplish the scrapping.

These are my first three goals:


These are baby steps, but you have to crawl before you can walk . . . . . I am going to do this!



 
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