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.

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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::

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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...

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.}