Sweet Treats

Okay, I'm so blown away by these awesome kits that you just have to get a hold of! These are some of the newest releases that has been put out there that I know is going to tickle you with sweetness! And I have some layouts to share using these kits! Here they are! Click on the images to go directly to the shop or gallery for credits... TFL! :)

::LITTLE DREAMER::

Summer Time Collab kit!! This is huge!

Under The Sun

Beyond the Horizon

::JULIE BILLINGSLEY @ SSD::

I created two layouts showing how versatile it is!

Grow 2 Love

First Wheels

LIBBY WEIFENBACH @ SSD -
Grand Opening of her new store!! Here's just a few of her fun & funky products!

Here's The Story



Isn't She Lovely


and here's a little peek at what Libby is putting out in the shop
tomorrow!! You gotta visit Sweet Shoppe tomorrow to find out what it is!

Have a nice weekend everybody!!!

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

:: SWEET NEWS - TOOT !::

Just wanted to share this announcement with you :) Julie Billingsley is a super SWEET and TALENTED designer at SWEET SHOPPE DESIGNS and it's definitely a pleasure to be a part of her team and I'm so thrilled to meet so many other gifted scrappers. Doors have been opening for me left and right and I really don't know why except that it's because I love to create beautiful pages of my family and the blessings that make life SWEET... I also thank my heavenly Father above for His favor and provision to be able to enjoy my hobby without having to keep spending all my money to buy digital goodies :D What a super duper privilege and I'm so grateful. I love being creative, it's so fulfilling and satisfies me in a way that I can't explain... anyone feel me?

Keeping this short and SWEET<3

Okay, why is it that it's July 1st already??? Wasn't it yesterday that we were celebrating the new year? I feel like so much time has passed within a blink of an eye--my goodness! Well, I am faced with such a busy month, but excited that it is going to be a blast! I have a list of things to do and prepare for which I hope I follow through with. My BIRTHDAY is in about 2 1/2 weeks! Woohoo!! I'm going on 33 years and life is just beginning for me because I've found something that I absolutely love (besides my hubby and kids) and that is preserving my life stories and photos through digital scrapbooking. I can't imagine life without this beautiful craft and if I can't scrapbook, I think I would've like to become a chef. Yep, I also LOVE to cook... Not just because I think it's fun and because I love to eat good food, but because I love the aspect of bringing my family together and having a good time. Hmmm, maybe I'll share a few recipes with you someday! hehe! Anyways, I became a digital scrap addict since the beginning of 2007, so I guess you can say it's been a year since my born again experience from paper to digi. I feel like I've come a long way, but I know there is so much more to learn. The talented designers and artists that surround me are such an inspiration, for without them I would not have come this far. I'm so grateful that I'm part of some awesome teams (Faith Sisters and Little Dreamers, you ROCK!) and just got accepted to a new CT---which I can't share with you yet! LOL! But, soon you will find out, so check back later!!

Before I go, here are some layouts I've done so far... Thanks for looking!

::Click on images for full credits::

Close to You

Dearest Dad

Us

Happily Ever After

Faith Discovery Challenge #15 - {No Turning Back} and taking a VACATION :)

Summer is officially here and I'm feeling the heat! Heat from the pressure that is rising for me already with so much to plan and prepare for in the next month--Fourth of July, my 33rd birthday, hosting my sister's babyshower and planning for my son's 2nd birthday! So, I'm taking next month off to focus on my lovely family. I will definitely still be around to chat and keep up with the good stuff here at Faith Sisters although I'll miss leading these challenges for the month. Keep in mind though, I will be back!! So, keep your eyes open for me in August with some special news and updates...

The previous FDC challenge - {Remember This?} - was to create a layout about remembering the lessons or moments that had an impact on your faith whether it was something God had taught you or when you first realized the power of His love and grace upon your life or even times of difficulty that taught you to hold on to faith. Remember. I'd like to congratulate Theresa aka Scrapper_Smiles for her very thoughtful and inspiring layout about September 11th, a day that shook our country and to some of us, our faith. This is a day that should never be forgotten and when we reflect upon this tragic event, we can also remember the grace and compassion of God through countless humanitarians who helped restore NYC and extended their love and support to the families that suffered from their losses. So, THANK YOU Theresa for sharing this with us! Please leave her love and praise for her efforts in her gallery!

By Theresa aka * scrapper_smiles *

{ No Turning Back }

In the past, I've dealt with everything you can imagine that was ultimately going to destroy me even to the point of death. Yes, I know. Me? No way! But even I, can hardly believe that what I've experienced in the past really did happen. It seems so unreal to me now that I think of where I've been. It was a long, dark, winding road, but eventually I saw the light. I remember those dark moments of despair, the emptiness, the anger, the careless lifestyle, the search for true love only ending before they begin, just total confusion and blindness. I survived a car wreck, an overdose, an abusive boyfriend, a broken home, a shattered heart, and so much more all due to the abandonment or so I felt it was, by my deceased mother and my father who had given up his will to live and surrendered everything to drugs and alcohol. From child to young adult, were years wasted on things and people who literally brought me to a deep pit of darkness. And that is when Jesus came to save me. Sounds like a fairytale, but it's the truth and nothing can ever change it or take it away from me. Despite all the things in this world that may argue about the reality of Jesus, nothing will cause me to turn back on Him because only I know what He's done for me and how my life has been completely transformed by His love. The moment I received Him as my personal Lord and Savior, was the moment that I instantly gave up on smoking cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol, it was the moment that I began to shed all the bad habits that had me bound, it was the moment that I saw how precious life is to not waste it, it was the moment that I knew that I had so much to look forward to and soon enough, I was blessed with a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful children. Now, how can anyone tell me that Jesus is not real? How can I ever turn back to what I was before? I would not exchange my life now for anything in the world because I found the treasure of my heart. HE is so ALIVE and He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow....

Challenge # 15 - I thought if we created a LO about a specific way of life or behavior in our past that God has delivered us from, it would be a great way to share our testimony with others about how God has the power to set anyone free from anything. You just never know if this LO will be used to reach someone out there who is struggling with the same thing and is in need of some encouragement and hope. So if you'd like, create a LO that will share what personal transformation took place in your life or lifestyle that you know was done only through the power and grace of God

*This challenge will definitely be something that I'm sure will cause you to ponder into the core of your heart. And if this isn't something you're ready to do then by all means, skip this one or return to it later when you feel comfortable. For me, I felt the Lord led me in this direction and also wanted to share with others the struggles I faced in my old life which only God was able to deliver me from. *

Faith Verses:

Isaiah 43:18 - "Forget the former things; Do not dwell in the past."

John 8:36 - "So if the Son set you free, you will be free indeed."

Philippians 3:13-14 - "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."


Please upload your layout to the FDC gallery and also visit our forums to share your thoughts, comments, and questions if any. I look forward to being blessed by your inspiring layouts and THANK YOU SO MUCH, to everyone who has supported me and encouraged me to continue this ministry! And a SPECIAL THANK YOU to my awesome CT, you guys are the best!! Love you all and hope you all have a wonderful summer! :)

*Click on images for full credits*

By Dahlia Co

By Scrap Evangel

By Tammy

By Jackie Ann

By Rita S.

Faith Discovery Challenge #14 - {Remember This?}

Hello! Hope all is well and everyone is blessed today! I've had quite a roller coaster ride these past few weeks. It's funny, after posting the previous challenge about FEAR, guess what? I was faced with that very challenge just last week--more details about that down below. It's just so awesome that the Lord puts these topic ideas in my heart and literally uses them to not only present them to you as inspiration for your layouts, but also to personally challenge me in my own walk with Him. So, now I'm always anticipating for something to happen where God can draw me closer to Him each and every time. :)

Okay, for our Featured Layout for the previous Faith Discovery challenge - FEAR NOT -is from one of our faith sisters, Laura B. Her layout was selected for her journaling that I found was amazing. I also love the photo she used to covey her overall message about her greatest fear. Please take time to read the journaling and leave some love for her in her gallery! Thank you Laura B. for your inspiration!

Featured Layout by LauraB.

{Remember This?}

As mentioned above, I said I would share more details about the fear I had faced last week. I woke up with this stabbing pain in my back side and severe cramping in my lower abdomen. After talking with my doctor, she immediately told me that I need to go to the ER right away. So, my poor husband rushed me to the ER which later turned out that I needed surgery to remove a kidney stone. First of all, I have never had surgery in my whole entire life, this was my first time. So, you can imagine the trauma that this had brought me even though the surgery was considered non-invasive and minor compared to other situations. A lot of things were bringing me down with fear during that very moment I was in the hospital, but the biggest of them all were thoughts of dying and leaving my children and husband behind. However, amidst all of the frightening things that were happening to me, I gave it all to God and I said, "Lord, you have my life in Your hands and I put my trust in You." After my surgery, I realized that God had done something to prevent them from actually going further into my kidney because the stone had already passed into my bladder (sorry if this is unpleasant) and therefore, eliminating the process that would have had a potential risk to cause inflammation and damage to my kidney. Praise the Lord! I wept with joy because I knew deep in my heart that the Lord intervened and had mercy on me. What an awesome touch He had a upon my heart that day that I will never forget.

It was also a great moment of truth for me and I know that God didn't cause this to happen, but He did use this opportunity to teach me about taking better care of myself. I've been pretty stubborn and careless when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. I would tell myself over and over again, I'm going to get in shape, I'm going to eat healthy, drink a lot of water, get enough sleep, not stress over little things, etc. yet, of course I was never good at sticking to it because I didn't think it to be that important--until now. Because I've had a history of kidney stones, although not nearly as bad as what I just experienced, I know that this recent incident was a result of my lack of attention to what doctors have advised me to do in order to prevent them from reoccurring. Remembering to do even the simplest thing of drinking PLENTY of water was something I ignored and it eventually backfired and caused me tremendous pain and grief. So, I contemplated with the question, "Why is it so hard for me to take better care of myself? What am I doing wrong or not doing in order for me to do what's important for me?" Well, the answer came quickly while I lay in bed, in a still, quiet voice, "You need to learn to love yourself." It was a word from the Lord that made so much sense and I felt a burden lift.

Loving myself for who I am has been a lifetime battle for me and it's something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. God knew it was time for me to overcome that obstacle which I've prayed about for so long. Since that day, I have made a commitment to gain back my self-confidence and appreciation for me and my life--mind, body, and soul. I'm always making decisions for my family, but now I've been making better choices and decisions for a healthier me. Yes, I'm drinking my water! :) It took a life changing moment for God to open my eyes that before I can love others and become a better person, I must remember that I need to love ME first, not just for the things I do, but for the person that God created me to be. Amen!

Challenge #14 - This topic is about remembering the important things. It could be things we may have forgotten about in our walk with the Lord such as those moments how God opened our eyes to see things we may not have seen or realized before. Sometimes we forget how God has brought us through our struggles and challenges in the past and when we face another problem, instead of praising Him for bringing us through it before, we tend to focus on our circumstances rather than His faithfulness. Overall, this challenge is to remember what the Lord has done for you or for someone you know and how it has effected your faith. I'm sure you'll have many ideas for this challenge, but hopefully as you pray about it, the Lord will give your clear direction for your pages! I look forward to seeing your inspiration!

Faith Verses:

Genesis 9:16 - "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Psalm 143:5 - "I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done."

Philippians 1:3 - "I thank my God every time I remember you."

Here are our layouts for this challenge and please remember to post your layout in our FDC gallery for us all to see and for me to select the next Featured Layout for this challenge! Also be sure to visit our forums for anything you'd like to share or discuss! Thank you!

*Click on images to see credits*

By Dahlia Co

I wanted to create a LO as a reminder of
what the Lord has taught me through
my recent experience mentioned above.

~Remember to Love You~

By ScrapEvangel

By Jackie Ann

Loving yourself for who you are... and some GOOD NEWS!

One moment, life is like a big storm and the next minute, things go back to normal and I'm still breathing and things are just the way they were except this time, I'm filled with more gratitude and more appreciation for my life, my family, and most of all for the Lord's unfailing mercy.

Reflecting on this past week, I find myself bewildered at how unexpected circumstances came in a way to teach me something that for a long time I've been wanting to understand for the longest time. I know this concept has been taught in many different forms or ways, but after my traumatic experience in the hospital, I finally get it--I need to learn to love myself if I want to take better care of me.

Loving ourselves is not easy and it takes some work. We always find it easy to focus on our weaknesses, but never our strengths. When I look in the mirror, I'd always spot all the imperfections, but find it hard to look at myself with confidence and pride that what I see is what God created and in His eyes, I'm a beautiful masterpiece. Not only do I need to love what I see on the outside, but I need to also love what is in the inside--mind, body, and soul. I've struggled with this for as long as I can remember and all of sudden, it just hit me. I love to be there for others and putting them first, but didn't realize how much I've been neglecting my own needs. But, after my recent emergency experience, I'm determined to take better care of my body, take better consideration of what I can't and cannot do because I know I can't do it all, and I hope to try my best to speak positively about myself and keep my mind on things that will keep me motivated to do better and be a better person.

Well, that is my life lesson that I wanted to share with you today! Hope it makes sense to all you hardworking moms out there and may it encourage you to learn to love who you are, not just for the things you do. :)

Anyways, I have some exciting news to share~ready??? If you've read one of my previous posts about a layout I've done @ Little Dreamer Designs being featured on their blog as Dreamer Showcase, then this will be not so much a surprise to you. However, I'm still finding this extremely hard to believe. A few days ago, Michelle Coleman--owner/designer/visionary--of Little Dreamer Designs emailed me an invitation to become a DREAM GIRL!!! Being that I've never been asked to join a CT especially to one that belongs to such a fabulous group of designers, was a huge shock because like I was speaking of earlier, I just felt I could never be as good as those around me. But hey, maybe after the "love yourself" revelation I had, maybe it supernaturally opened those doors to the desires of my heart?!! LOL! ya never know, huh?

So, I don't have a clue if they have asked a bunch of other ladies to join in and if this will be announced on their blog, but either way it doesn't matter to me because I'm just so honored to be a part of LDD! Hold on, wait a minute though, I'm still a committed member to Faith Sisters and will still be very involved with my family there. Without FS, I believe I wouldn't be where I am now so, don't forget to visit me there as well!

In conclusion, I will leave you with this note--BELIEVE in yourself because God BELIEVES in you and will fulfill the purposes for your life! There is no limits to what God can do and if you have dreams, He is going make them come true...

Here are a few layouts I forgot to post! Thanks for looking! You can click on the image for credits...

Happy to be alive.....

Hello. It's so good to be alive. A few days ago, I was in a hospital bed in so much excruciating pain from a kidney stone. Even though I was being heavily intoxicated with pain relief meds, it didn't soothe my fears as I lay there thinking I wasn't going to survive. I thought of my kids and how much they still needed me. I thought of my husband and how much he would suffer if I had gone. But, a part of me still had faith and hope that this isn't anything serious, I am in good hands, in the hands of God and He had control over my life. So that was my constant, my source of not giving up hope, my anchor during this time of complete despair. The stone in my kidney was too huge for it to pass through the tubes that led down to my bladder therefore, causing blockage and pressure to my entire back and abdomen. Each contraction was like knives fiercely stabbing me in the side. All I felt was torture. But, as time slowly passed by I was finally admitted into surgery to have it removed. And after that, I was fine and now back home with my family. It did cause me to do some major thinking about my lifestyle, my habits, my personal decisions about how I want to live so that my children will have a healthy, strong, and happy mother for as long as possible. I know I need to be more aware of my diet, get more exercise, drink a lot of water and make sure to get enough hours of sleep to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. The problem is, I don't know where to start. I'm home with the kids all day and spend alot of time in front of the computer. I guess some would say, just do it! Just get on a schedule and run with it. That's just the problem...motivation, inspiration, encouragement, and a plan is something I'm lacking in. Anyone want to help? Any moms out there who can point me in the right direction? I guess I could do some research on my own, but I'd love to hear from others who have found something that worked for them and can relate to what I'm going through. This is my first time reaching out to the cyber world and I'm taking a chance to find out if it's worth asking. Thank you in advance and I'm definitely blessed that God was by my side throughout this. I know He's giving me a chance to do better and have a deeper perspective about taking care of my body. For that, I can only be humbled and thank Him for caring enough to teach me this valuable lesson. I'm just so happy that I'm still alive...

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.}

Faith Discovery Challenge #13 - {Fear Not}

Hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend! It was a long weekend for our family and we had such a great time together. I'm sure many of you were taking time to remember our troops and loved ones who served to protect our nation. It's amazing to know that we wouldn't be enjoying the freedom we have today if it weren't for all the lives that fought for our country. May God continue to bless America and those serving in the military!

For last week's Faith Discovery Challenge - {Little Things Do Matter}, I selected a layout created by one of our sweet faith sisters, Kristi D. aka krispysky. She did a great job with putting this page together and what I love most is her list of 'LITTLE' things that she chose to recognize as the big moments that she'd never want to take for granted. **Due to temporary technical difficulties in our gallery, I wasn't able to upload the image of her layout in this post. But you can go directly to her gallery here.

{Fear Not}

Fear. There are so many things that can cause fear to creep into our lives and rob us of our peace. We all can fall prey to the fear as we are surrounded by the many things in this world that can harm us or those we love. So many times I have been overcome with fear and I know when we fear, we lose hope, and eventually we lose faith and sight of God's plan and purposes for our lives. Fear can spiritually paralyze us from doing what God has called us to do and eventually can affect us mentally and physically if we don't have the courage or tools to overcome it. Fear is such a huge obstacle in our walk with God and no wonder God has commanded us in the Bible so many time to not fear. So how do we overcome these fears? By trusting in the Lord and believing in His promises. There are so many stories and messages in the Bible that speaks about fear but, one verse that I'd like to share in this case is in Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Also in 2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." If we know that His spirit is with us wherever we go, then we can be at peace that He is watching over us. There is nothing hidden from Him and He knows when we are afraid. But, we can come to our heavenly Father during times that we are filled with fear or anxiety and He will grant us peace so we can enjoy living a life free from fear.

Challenge #13 - This challenge is to create a LO about the thing(s) you fear most and your thoughts and prayers to the Lord to overcome this fear. If God has delivered you from certain fears, you could also create a page that will serve as a reminder of what God has done to set you free from them.

Faith Verses:

Psalm 27:1 - "The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?"

1 John 4:18 - "There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear..."

Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."


Because we our currently experiencing some temporary technical difficulties with our gallery, I couldn't post all of the CT layouts on here. Once the gallery is back up, I'll be sure to include the other layouts. In the meantime, you can check this gallery link to see the other layouts created for this challenge.

*Click on images for credits*

By Dahlia Co


By Tammy

Breathe...

Just checking in to say hello! I'm catching my breath and stopping to take a break from my busy life. I've been caught up with designing and preparing challenges for Faith Sisters that I finally made a point to take some time to just be creatively free... My creative juices are just overflowing that I created FOUR layouts (very unlikely of me) in one week and have two more that are close to finish. So, I thought I'd upload it and share it with you... It was really liberating to create a layout that I felt inspired to do by looking through random photos that I've been meaning to scrap so I can finally start collaborating some albums. I also saw how I've filled up my hard drive with so many digital candy that I've never even used and thought I really need to get my money's worth and use them. So, I'm challenging myself to scrap at least 2 layouts a week if I can manage to set time aside from school and my priorities at Faith Sisters and of course, with my family.

Anyways, one of my favorite places to shop and hang out is Little Dreamer Designs. I remembered when they first opened and immediately knew that I was going to love it there. I look forward to every Wednesday, when they have their $1 sales!! Most of all, I love their playful designs! Every time I start on a project or layout, the first place I look to in my collection is Little Dreamers. Here are some layouts that I created with them!

Build A Dream

Credits here.

Through It All

Credits here.

View of You

Credits here.

Another thing I'm also being drawn to is the 'minimalist' approach that I found very interesting and actually really cool. I met a sweet friend over at Scrapbook.com, Warrior Princess, and absolutely adore her work! The clean, modern, and simple design really bring the photo into perspective as the central focus of the layout. As a graphic design student, I've been taught that 'less is more' and I didn't really grasp that concept at first, but now I see it clearly as to why it makes such a huge difference. So, I took up the challenge to try it out!

Cherish The Moment

Credit here.

Today is Memorial Day and hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend! And may we continue to remember those who fought for our freedom and for the liberty of our country. May God bless you all!

Faith Discovery Challenge #12 - {Little Things Do Matter}

Hope everyone had a blessed Mother's Day last weekend! The last Faith Discovery Challenge - Woman of Virtue - was a chance to celebrate and honor those special women in your life, whether it was your mother, friend, daughter, or mentor. Also, some of you chose to create a layout about your own experiences or thoughts about the virtuous woman you'd like to become. Proverbs 31 not only had a strong influence upon my life as a woman of God, but as a true servant to my family which is why I chose to highlight that portion of biblical scripture.

And now for the Featured Layout...

By Debra

Journaling:

"It’s taken a long time to get to the point where I feel like I am at peace in my walk with God. In the past I’ve not been the virtuous woman and feel ashamed that I wasn’t. I have so many perfect role models, how could I not be that kind of woman that God wanted me to be. Hard lessons learned and mistakes made have only drawn me closer to Him and constant prayer will keep me here."

Debra is one of our newest members of our Digital CT and she not only did a great job with designing this layout but, I also admired her honesty and truth in her words... Something I definitely found to be true in my own walk with God and because we are all imperfect human beings, I agree that with constant prayer and following hard after Him, is what will help us to be that woman of virtue. Thank you Debra!! Please leave her some love and see more of her talented creations in her gallery!

{Little Things Do Matter}

This topic was something that God has been putting in my heart for a long time and many times I have gone back to this little saying "little things do matter", especially when I'm feeling so lost in my own world of wanting more than what I have or when I feel so insignificant at times that I'm not doing enough or if I'm simply worrying too much that I hardly recognize the importance of what really matters in life and what really matters to God. Do you ever find yourself asking the Lord, "Do you really care?" I know I have many times. There are times that I can't help, but feel desperate for God to answer a prayer or a need. Or there are moments when I'm so afraid of what my future might hold for me or my family. Other times I wonder, "Does God really understand or care about all the things that happen in my daily life?"--the bills, the leaky faucet, my achy back, my husband's commute to work, the little accidents my kids have when they play, etc.--which I've felt were things that God may be too busy to care about when there are so many other catastrophes and bigger problems to handle in this world. But, not true at all. There have been so many incidents that God would prove to me that even the smallest requests are heard like needing help with finding my lost keys or to find good parking at the mall or to be able to get a good grade on my final exam. Those are just a few of the many reasons why I can trust that even the LITTLE things that matter to me, matter to God. We are His precious children and He cares!!

The Bible also gives us some examples of how even the LITTLE things are used to do great things. For instance, when Jesus fed the five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two small fish (John 6) or when God instructed the widow and single mother to give her last piece of bread to the starving prophet which God then miraculously provided enough for her and her son throughout the famine (I Kings 17), are such powerful examples of how something LITTLE becomes more than enough through His power and grace. God is so awesome!

Another LITTLE thought on this topic is also being faithful in the LITTLE things even when it may seem unimportant or useless. Many times, we forget that if we want God to trust us with more of His blessings, it's important for Him to know that He can trust us with even the little blessings. If we can appreciate the little things, we also can appreciate the bigger things. The reasoning in this can be more understood in this example: You receive a two gifts, one is inexpensive and the other one is rare and priceless. Which one would you take more care of and keep safe? My answer would be the more expensive gift of course! However, God is wanting us to be faithful in being good stewards with every gift, whether big or small, that He so graciously gives us in order for God to trust us with more of His blessings... (Luke 19:13)


Challenge #12 - So this challenge is for you to create a LO that acknowledges the LITTLE things described in the article above. Whether it's about cherishing the LITTLE moments with our loved ones, praising the Lord for answering our prayers for the LITTLE matters of life, or for turning our LITTLE blessings into something big, I hope this challenge will help you grow to trust that our Lord cares about us in every LITTLE way and that every LITTLE thing we do or go through matters to Him.

Here are the layouts from me and the CT! Hope you enjoy this challenge and look forward to seeing your take on it in our gallery! For discussion about this week's challenge, please visit us in the forums, I'd love to chat with you and get to know you as well! Find us back here in 2 weeks to also see who gets selected as the Featured Layout...

* Click on images to see credits in their gallery*

By Dahlia Co

By Tammy

By Jackie Ann

By Terrie L.

By Rita S.

By Cheryl in FL

Out with the OLD and in with the NEW and a FREEBIE

Hello! May is here and it's officially spring in my neck of the woods! I'm trying to get myself in the habit of keeping my blog up to date and hopefully stick with it. So much goes on in my life that I rarely can keep track of it. But, with a little bit of discipline and motivation, I hope to make a point to blog at least once a week. I know there are bloggers who post something everyday and I must say, that is such a huge task for me to even accomplish. I've got two active toddlers which is enough to keep me super busy! Love every bit of it though! They are my life and without them, I wouldn't be doing what I love--cherishing and preserving MEMORIES!

I'm doing a little SPRING cleaning in my shop @ Faith Sisters. There are a lot of products that I'm currently working on and uploaded a few NEW things. I didn't have much to begin with since I was super busy with hosting challenges along with the usual stuff that goes on in my little world as a SAHM. But, it looks like I've finally managed to cut out some work and let my creativity flow. Anyways, in the process I've decided to put some of my older products on SALE in the CLEARANCE section with discounts running from 20% to 60% off! What a deal, huh? So, hurry and take advantage of the sale and grab these retiring products before they're gone! Here is a preview of a few of these goodies that you can grab here.

Gift of Love Kit

Reg. $4.00 / Sale $1.60


Gift of Faith Kit



Reg. $4.00 / Sale $1.60

WHAT'S NEW...

I've also taken some of my kits from our collaborations @ Faith Sisters to make them available to those who would like to purchase them separately and also ADDED more elements to it for your scrapping pleasure! The Kits is $3.50 and Paper Packs are $2.00. Grab them here.

Beautiful You Kit and Paper Pack







Unconditional Love Kit and Paper Pack







And here is my newest item - RENEWAL PAPER PACK. The full kit will soon follow so please check for updates!




Here is a FREEBIE sample for you!




Download here.

Have a wonderful day!! And don't forget to visit our site to find tons of creative inspiration from all of our faith sisters! The challenges are still going on every week for the Inspirational Faith and Scripture challenges and for a more in depth, out of the box, challenge - Faith Discovery challenges are posted here on my blog and at Faith Sisters every other Thursdays! Be creative and be blessed!