::In The Twilight::

@ Little Dreamer Designs
Featuring ::Twilight In My Garden:: by Michelle Coleman
Frame from ::Apron Strings:: by Leora Sanford

I’m entering another chapter in my life and
a new page is slowly turning. I eagerly watch
the dawn break as the sun rises into daylight.
I feel alive with every beat of my heart and
know as long as it still has rhythm,
I will always strive to know my purpose
and the calling that God has for me.
Although night may come and troubles
take hold of me, I know that I am not alone
in my sufferings. And it is in the midst
of my trials that I find true wisdom and strength.
So, even as I go through seasons of change,
I do not question the sovereignty
of God’s hand. If He has control over time,
day and night, weather, seasons,
and all the universe then, I trust that HE
has control over every circumstance that
I face and knows the path ahead. He is indeed
the author and finisher of my faith so let
there be many twilights to come in this journey of mine....

If only....

I had more hours in a day... If only I knew how to keep track of time... If only I could just share a little bit of my life on this blog every day... July was such a crazy month for me and a lot of it has to do with me being so caught up with the challenges of life, challenges of being a mom, challenges of keeping a marriage strong and healthy, and of course challenges of living a life that honors God. On the other side of things, I'm very aware of how blessed my life is at the moment and even though I have no clue what tomorrow will bring, whether it be poverty or fortune, I can honestly be at peace that God has it all under control. I have to trust in His promises and KNOW and not just think, that He will take care of me and my family during these difficult financial times. In my son's Junior Church last Sunday, they spoke about Isaiah during the famine and how God provided food and water for him out in the wilderness. God will provide because His word says that He our PROVIDER. It's been pretty amazing that the last few weeks, even though we had nothing in the bank, God still led people to us to give us money or food without us even saying a word. Little miracles like that give me big reasons to believe that God is with us throughout our circumstances. I hope that encourages you all to put faith in the Lord and not on money. Money is definitely important for our survival, but it's God who opens doors and has inifite resources to bring wealth into our lives.

Anyways, back to the scrappy side of things.... I'm a little late in announcing some news that I've recently joined another CT for a designer at Sweet Shoppe Designs--Fee Jardine. She is wonderful to work with as with all the other designers that I create for. Her style is so unique with her flair for doodles and paint effects that I just love. Her recent release is called ::Lil Bit Cuckoo:: which the colors are totally yummy.

*Click on images for full credits*

Also, new from Julie Billingsley @ SSD -- ::Shebang::

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And ::Lights Camera Action::

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And new from Libby Weifenbach @ SSD -- ::The One That I Want::

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Another new kit from Libby (she's been really workin it!) that I forgot to post about -- ::You're So Tween::

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Using one of Libby's first kits -- ::Marco::

*Click on images for full credits*

And last but, not least---some fun layouts I created for Little Dreamer Designs... Remember every Wednesday, they have selected items on sale for only $1!! And even though that sounds cheap, the designs are sooooo worth it!




Well, that's a wrap!! wheww! I'm also going to be back @ Faith Sisters very soon with the Faith Discovery Challenges which I've been working on. So, if you want to be encouraged and share your faith in your pages, this is the one place you'll want to visit! So stop by and get acquainted with all the wonderful people at Faith Sisters. And they also have some awesome new products in their shop.

I've got more scrapping to do once I take some photos of my son, Lucas, this Saturday for his 2nd birthday! We're keeping it small with just close relatives but, it's going to be fun. The theme is going to be "Elmo's World" since that is such a favorite of his right now... So, thanks for stopping by and I'll be back with more scrap goodness...

What SCRAPBOOKING means to me....

Within approximately a month, I've joined 3 new CT's and found myself applying to a few more...WHY? Well, let me take a moment to think about it because there's so many reasons.

• Scrapbooking is so much fun
• Scrapbooking relieves stress
• Scrapbooking satisfies my soul and is very rewarding
• Scrapbooking allows me to share my faith (faithbooking)
• Scrapbooking reminds me of how blessed I am
• Scrapbooking helps me record precious memories
• Scrapbooking leaves a legacy behind for my family
• Scrapbooking connects me with so many wonderful people
• Scrapbooking challenges me to scrap my photos and not neglect them
• Scrapbooking allows me to learn from others experiences
• Scrapbooking gives me the chance to travel the world through the eyes of others

and I could go on, and on, and on....

Here are some layouts I've done in the past weeks... Enjoy and thanks for looking!

Great America

Full Credits


Always Be My Baby

Full Credits


Sweet Cheeks

Full Credits


Oh Brother

Full Credits

Woot, woot!!

I woke up this morning to a sweet little surprise! I've never been spotlighted nor have I ever received a gift certificate for any of my layouts I've ever created, but today that has changed! So, as I was going through my google reader, I had to take a second look when I saw my layout on the front page of LITTLE DREAMER DESIGNS blog as this week's DREAMER SHOWCASE (previously known as Gallery Standouts), I almost jumped out of my skin! This was a layout I created with 90% or more of LDD products, which I didn't realize was their one requirement for this type of prize. So, here is that one layout that got me smiling with glee today and yes, I already did my shopping and bought a fabulous new kit that I've been having my eye on. Did I mention that I'm such a huge fan of Little Dreamer Designs?

View of You
Click for credits here.

Amour by Michelle Coleman
{For more details, click here.}

Weekly Challenge @ FaithSisters and a LO....

Hey everyone! Life is getting busier as the holidays are approaching. So much to plan and prepare. In between, I've been having so much fun creating layouts for the weekly challenges at Faith Sisters and if you haven't joined us, it's never too late. This week's challenge is to scrapbook about "A Day In Your Life or Week". There is a word art freeie of Ecclesiastes 3:1, created by our own creative team member Krystal Hartley that you can download in our gallery and also use in your LO. You'll also be able to see what our CT already created for this challenge in both paper and digital. Don't forget to leave a comment if you do. Every Friday is when we announce our winner! So come and join the fun and create pages that will leave a legacy of faith!

Sweet Stuff

Find Credits here.

I forgot to post a LO that I did a while back that was in response to a CT call at Little Dreamer Designs. It was created using all of their products. I really love the colors in this LO and I used one of my favorite photos of my son, Josiah, holding a bouquet of flowers that my husband bought for me. It's just one of those sweet little moments that I want to treasure forever...

My First Love and NEW layouts to share...

First love. Who or what was it? Your first boyfriend, first pet, or perhaps it could've been an iconic teen superstar or music artist. Maybe it was a hobby or favorite toy you once played with. To some, it could be a lifestyle or trend. Whatever the case may be, most of the time first loves tend to be replaced or forgotten because we change & we grow out of it, or simply because life takes its course and forces us to move forward. Well, not for me. At 32 years old, it's hard to get over my first love and if anything my first love has never left my side and has been with me through it all. He knows my strengths and weaknesses, understands me when I don't understand myself, loves me no matter what I've done or been through, keeps me safe and secure, and provides all of my needs. His love never fails and is faithful to me through even the most precarious circumstances. Regardless of my faults and mistakes, he helps me to become a better person and teaches me the importance of appreciating life and the people around me. If you want to know who he is or haven't guessed it by now, my first love is JESUS. Although, my husband is an incredible person and I love him dearly yet he and I both know that if our Lord is not the center of our marriage and if we don't put Him first, then there is no foundation that our marriage can stand upon. I wanted to share that with you because I know that alot of people can relate and probably feel the same way but, I also know of alot of people who have also forgotten Him as their first love or replaced His love with the love of other things, things or people who can only satisfy them so much or love them to a certain limit. People are always searching for something real, something true, but only finding it in the wrong places. Some are filled with so much greed and envy, wanting more and more, but are always left feeling alone and empty. Then there are some who just do not know or never heard of this kind of perfect love that's only found in Him. The simple answer, in my opinion, is it's never too late to receive Him into your heart. The moment you open that door for Him to enter your life, I promise you, you will never be the same. You will have found your FIRST and TRUE love. Those who have left and lost their way, I pray you'll return home and find that your first love has never stopped loving you and no matter how far you've gone, there's no distance in His love. I don't know who most of you are, but I care enough for you to let you know that life is too precious to waste, and if you need help finding answers, or are searching for purpose and meaning to life, or simply need a change--don't wait any longer and pray this simple prayer with me....


"Father, in Jesus Name, I confess that I'm lost without You and need Your forgiveness. Thank you for laying down your life for me on the cross and setting me free. Lord, come into my heart and cleanse me from all of my sins. Make me a new person and show me the right way. I pray that each day, you will continue to draw me closer to You that I may know You more and more. Give me strength to live a victorious life and help me to forgive others just as You have forgiven me. Thank you Lord for my gift of eternal life. I love you, Lord. In Jesus Name....Amen...."




What do you do now? Well, I suggest that you find a good bible-based church home where you can continue to build your faith, be strengthened in the Word of God, and also meet other folks just like you who have been changed by the grace of God and will be there to encourage and bless you in your walk with Christ. Remember, just because were Christians doesn't mean we live a perfect, stress-free, drama-free, problem-free life...Jesus told his disciples that we would face many troubles in life but, to not lose heart because HE has overcome them. Everyday will be a challenge and life will still have its storms, but one thing that is different is that we don't have to face it alone, because we have someone who is bigger and more powerful than our problems. He gives us wisdom, patience, and understanding to things that we wouldn't have otherwise. Our fears can be rest assured when we have the Lord by our side. Why does God allow these things to happen? Well, for one thing He knows the beginning from the end and one thing I've come to understand is that alot of the trials I've been through has molded and refined me to become a person much stronger, much wiser, more humble, more patient, more forgiving, and more grateful then I was years ago. Whenever I face a trial, I always say to myself, "Ok, what is God teaching me now?" Sometimes, He reveals things about our nature that need to be corrected, sometimes He uses us to reveal things to others, sometimes He tests our faith and draws us to depend on Him rather than ourselves or others, or sometimes all we could do is wait to figure it out one day. Overall, it teaches me to surrender my life to Him not just once but, on a daily basis because I can do nothing and am nothing without Him.



So much for a little sermon there, I didn't realize I started preaching! If you want to know what sparked me to blog this, is the video that I added to my blog under "My Testimony". When I first watched it (on FaithSisters.com in the Faith Forum) I was completely balling my eyes out. The skit was so powerful and it really moved me because it really reflected what had happened to me. And how I've returned to my FIRST LOVE. Please take time to watch it and maybe you'll understand.



Well my friends, I'm trying to keep my eyelids open but, want to share a few layouts that I completed this week. I'm beginning to love scrapbooking as a result of a challenge. My first official layout done as a result of a challenge is from FaithSisters.com is the one of my sisters and I - "True Friendship". This is the current challenge going on over there but, I think I'm going to do more and catch up with the previous ones. I really love how challenges motivate you to get scrappin' and also gives you topics that you probably would've never thought of. The other two layouts are of my adorable hubby and I - one was an engagement photo and the other was on our wedding day.



Oh, one more thing--my Bittersweet PP, Wild Tropics PP, Rise Up PP, and Harvest PP Pt1, all have reach over a 1000 downloads!! Woohoo! Wow, that is more than I expected and it really encourages me that people actually like my designs. I've also developed a few friendships that I found to be such a blessing. I hope to design sometime soon as I complete the end of my homework session. So be on the lookout since I've been working hard and learning so many cool techniques in the digi design world. As always, THANK YOU for visiting and taking time to read my blog. Hope you are blessed and know that God loves you!



Here are my layouts this week!

True Friendship

Find credits here.

Created 4 Me

Find credits here.

Lifetime Journey

Find Credits here.

Change

Some of you must of thought I mysteriously disappeared. Actually, even I sometimes felt like I've lost myself. Can I just be real with you right now? I've been struggling with so many decisions that my mind is spinning. I know that life is constantly changing and change is inevitable if we want to grow. Yet, like most people, I tend to fear change. What I've been dealing with the past few weeks is deciding whether I should go back to work. I've been a stay at home mom for the past 2 1/2 years and my boys are under 3 yrs. old. But, with the financial situation that our family is in, I'm left with this dilemma to either go back to work and put the kids in daycare or figure out a way to earn income and still be able to raise my children. I've researched the internet, read books about home based businesses, found job opportunities on job search engines, emailed friends and family, and so forth. Yet, I feel confused and afraid of sacrificing my attention away from the kids whether I work outside or inside of my home. I know God has blessed me these past years to be able to be there for them and I know if it's God's will, then He'll open a door for to be able to work from home with something flexible. Anyways, I've been super busy with so many family events, birthday parties, and school. I haven't even had time to blog or do much designing. I'm really thankful for all the people who continue to leave comments and who are able to download my freebies. I wish I had more time to work on another freebie but, for now my hands are full. I do have some layouts to share and hope it gives some of you inspiration. Check it out...

Credits here.

Credits here.

I also got some new stuff from Little Dreamer Designs which I can't wait to play with!

Dreams

At church yesterday, our youth campers and counselors were given the chance to share their experiences at youth camp and give their testimonies of what God has done. It was amazing to hear what they had to say and how awesome it is that even at the ages between 11-15, God met them in such a special way. They had been dealt with about forgiveness, honesty, purity, and what it means to be the child of God that they are called to be. To me, it gives me such a strong desire to see my boys grow up and live godly lives but, most importantly to love the Lord with a whole heart. My cousin, Joy, who was a counselor really ministered me when she said one of the points that the speakers taught them was that DREAMS DON'T HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE. Sometimes we have these dreams, goals, and aspirations that we feel may be impossible to achieve and even if we've been waiting for so long for it to happen, sometimes the enemy can come along and destroy our belief that our dreams are of no value to God and that God doesn't care about our dreams. But, just like the story of Joseph in the Bible, regardless of all the horrible things that have happened to him, God remained faithful to him and through Joseph's obedience to God, God made his dream a reality after all. People tried to shatter Joseph's dream, his own family sold him into slavery, and he was cast into jail several times as an innocent man. But, God was with him the whole time and no matter what the circumstances were, Joseph had so much favor and was later blessed to become one of the most respected leaders in his land. Thus, Joseph's dreams were fulfilled. This is what's been in my heart today and I thought I'd share it with you. Perhaps you have a dream that you desparately long for or a dream that has been shattered and left you feeling hopeless or maybe you gave up on a dream you had for so long but, simply because you think it'll never happen. Just read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37 - 50 and I hope you'll read for your self the awesome testimony of God's love and faithfulness. God is a BIG God, so don't be afraid to have BIG dreams and to ask largely of Him. He surely will grant the desires of your heart if you will put Him first and love Him with your whole heart.

I also wanted to share with you the layouts created by some of my readers who used papers that I created. It's unbelievable to me that people actually like my designs and I am so grateful for all the encouragement and kindness that I've been receiving as a result. It's so nice to meet all of you who also are sisters in Christ and truly understand what it means to be blessed to know Him. And it's always a pleasure to be able to witness to the world who may not know the love of God and I hope in return whether or not you believe, that at least it would shed some light to those who are looking for encouragment and peace in their lives. Also, I want to say that I was so glad to have read comments from some of you who lived in or nearby to Seattle. You guys are so blessed to live there!

Here are the layouts created by Julie and Agring using my papers...

Layout using Bitter Sweet papers by Julie.

Layout using Wild Tropic papers by Agring.

Thank you for using my papers and sharing them with me! I appreciate it so much!

If you are looking for a desktop calendar freebie, here is a really cute and SHABBY one by SHABBY MISS JENN at her site. You'll also find a quickpage for free, too. Click on the image to go directly to her site. Check it out!

Happy Fourth of July and a FREEBIE!

Beware! This will be a long post....

Hi everyone! Tomorrow is July 4th and I have to get up early and clean house because we're having our yearly Fourth of July gathering. This year will be a little different since it falls in the middle of the week and also because it probably won't be the usual big group of people as we had in the past. However, it will be small and intimate with close friends and family. For the most part, I look forward to seeing the look on Josiah's face when he sees all the fireworks. Last year, he was so fascinated by the noise and the lights that he would not stop talking about it for weeks and weeks after. It will be Lukie's first time to experience such an exciting event and I don't know how he'll react but, I know one thing for sure is I'll probably end up being inside watching from our window. sigh....

Anyways, I had a good week last week but, my poor hubby did not. There seems to be a stomach flu virus lurking around and he had it really, really, really bad. My poor baby. So watch out people, wash those hands really well.

Aida C. and I finally reunited after so many years. She and I realized how much we've grown and despite all the time that has passed our friendship has not changed. That is one of the sweetest gifts to have - a friend that is always a friend in and out of season. Rob (my husband) and I were having a conversation about friendships one night. We reflected on all the friends we've had since youth and which ones are still considered our "close" friends. It turns out, that only a few still remained and those friendships that we thought would last forever have either disappeared or have turned to casual acquaintances. He always refers to the lessons he learns as a gardener when it comes to life issues. For example, I never knew what the difference between a PERENNIAL and an ANNUAL flower was until now. For those who don't know, a 'perennial' is a plant that is recurrent or everlasting and will continue to grow but, the 'annual' are plants that will only grow once for one season and then die. And it really made sense how it relates to friendships. Miriam G. came over for dinner and came to the same topic about friendships and because she has such a gift of communicating and has a very articulate way of expressing her words, she really hit home and gave me some valuable insight about friends. Her perspective is that sometimes friends are there for that specific time for a reason but, then things change not necessarily because of something bad but, because of the different directions that life leads us. People change and that's life. Yet, there are some friends that are God-given partners who will stand the test of time with you and no matter what you go through together, nothing can separate you, not even time itself. There are only a few people who has proven that to me and I am eternally grateful for them. I believe that one of the greatest gifts from God is a true friend. One who has seen me at my worst and seen me at my best yet still loves me for who I am. When I think of what a true friend should be like, I can't think of anyone other than my Lord and Savior, Jesus. Because He still loved me even when I did wrong and He brought me back to this place where I could be free from all the things that held me down. Because of Him, I'm so blessed to even be here and to even have the opportunity to be loved by my husband and two precious sons. Lord, thank you.

Okay...don't want to be over dramatic here! I do have some eye candy to share with you. I've been working hard to finish some scrapbook pages and finally got them done today! I also have a FREEBIE!!!! Yes, I know. It's about time lady! Well, I don't even know if anyone will even use them but, I sure hope someone will care enough to grab them and create something with it. Please comment me if you do and maybe it'll give me the confidence to keep trying and creating more freebies. Special thanks to Chickypow Designs for giving me words of encouragement to give it a try. Anyways, check out my layouts first and then scroll down for the freebie! Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July! God bless!!!!

In Your Eyes

Credits: Papers, flower, labels, ribbon, stitch,and buttons-Welcoming Spring Kit by Weeds & Wildflowers; Stapled Tag - Linda Billdal; Stamped Alpha - Michelle Coleman; Paper tear template - Traci Sims;

Fonts - Agency, Rage Italic

Journaling says:
"There was a time in my life when I didn’t believe in true love. But,the moment you looked into my eyes, I already knew that what we had was meant to last forever. I remember that still voice in my heart saying,“You’re purpose is to love each other,so other purposes will be fulfilled.” And because of our love we have witnessed so many miracles. You have made me the happiest woman alive and I can’t even express how blessed I feel to have married you. Being married to you is one of the most precious gifts God has given me. You are my husband, my best friend, and the greatest father to our beautiful children. I LOVE YOU...."

Dada - Our Father, friend, and hero

Credits: Papers - J'adore Kit by Michelle Coleman; Chipboard Alpha and Brackets- Leah Nicole; Corner chipboard and Scribbled alpha - IMadeThisToday; Brown label - Jackie Eckles; Stapled Tag - Linda Billdal; Stitches - Tracy B; Fonts - Kunslter Script, SF Grandezza, 8514oem

Journaling says:
Even though you tell us all the time that you love us, you prove how much by your actions. We know you work hard so that you can support our family while Mommy can stay home to take care of us. You teach us how to love and respect one another and how important it is to cherish our family. Loving the Lord is one of the greatest lessons you have taught us and that if we put Him first, then all our needs will be taken care of. Thank you for always taking the time to be a part of our lives and showing us that not only are you our Dad but, you are our friend too. We look forward to all the years of of wonderful memories that we hope to create with you...We love you, Daddy!

Introducing my very FIRST FREEBIE!!!

*this link has changed, please use link on 7/5/07 post*

You can download this here.
7 colorful grungy polka dot papers in 300 ppi res. Enjoy!

Just another blog...

There's not much for me to blog about or maybe I'm a little too exhausted right now to even think. But, I do have a layout to post and maybe a few photos of my kiddies. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to also give away freebies but, that is still in progress. With all the setbacks that happened in the last few months, I kinda just forgot about them. So, I promise that they will appear SOMEDAY! Hopefully this long weekend will free up some time for me to do some work and more scrapping. I just wish I had more time in a day to just scrap all my memories of my little ones before I lose all the fresh details. Well, I'm gonna leave it at this and call it a night. Hope everyone has a blessed and safe weekend and may our brave soldiers be honored and remembered on Memorial's Day.

Credits can be found here.

The Cousin Bunch

Desma's girls - Akaela & Arielle - and mah boyz - Josiah and Lucas

Don't these kids make you smile!!! They are all so precious and I love them so!

The Gift Of A Mother

My mother was and always will be that strong pillar of faith, that loving, softspoken, forgiving, selfless, and nurturing mother that has given so much of herself to her family and to those that were dear to her. I've been thinking so much about her lately and wonder what life would be like if she were still here. My children remind me everyday of how blessed I am to be a mother and I am thankful to God that they're strong, healthy, and happy. I know if my mother had a chance to see her grandchildren, they would brighten her life and give her so much joy. Well, there will be a day where we'll meet again....Happy Mother's Day Mommy...

My Beloved Mother

Read credits here.