Choose Joy Free Mini-kit

Today was one of those days where I started on a project and it morphed into something totally unexpected.  I started off with the idea of making a Word Art with some watercolor splashes.  Something that would only take a little bit of time but I was going to use that to make the front of a card for some friends.  Off I went searching through the CU files I had on my laptop which led me down a rabbit trail (I never found the brushes I was looking for.).  I started playing around with different things I found and before I knew it, I had a mini-kit designed.

Now, it's been a while since I really put on my designer hat and after today, I'm sure I'm not going to pick it back up for a while longer other than these random moments like today.  I'm too much of a perfectionist and I get wrapped up into the design and neglect other things (like laundry that was already piled up).  That was one of the reasons I stopped designing in 2012, I couldn't balance my design focus with my family's needs.  However, from time to time I'll have something here on the blog to share with my digital scrapbooking friends.

Here's what started my foray into designing today.  Super simple but it was fun to play!

I may offer that card front sometime but instead of that, today I'm giving you a mini-kit. Now, I have to be upfront with you.  I didn't include some of what is on the card in the kit.  The kit went a different direction but I think some of you may enjoy the mini-kit more.

DOWNLOAD FREEBIE HERE

If you wind up using the mini-kit, I would love to see what you make!

I'm off to crochet for a little bit and then off to bed because I have an 8 am class tomorrow.

Have a great week!

Susan

My Hope is Built....

It has been a beautiful day today.  I have enjoyed having our windows open and being able to listen to the birds outside.  It's peaceful and I've enjoyed taking a day just to enjoy being still and working with some digital scrapbooking things.  I actually started this post earlier today because of a piece of music and that led to me spending some time scrapbooking/crafting/designing.



The words I used in the WordArt title kept spinning through my head this morning.  The hymn " The Solid Rock" is a favorite of mine and was written by Bill Mote in 1834.  I felt pulled to use these words from that hymn in something creative today.  The kit I used is by Connie Prince called Garden Party.

There are pieces of music that I have held close to my heart that God has used to speak to me.  Some in instrumental form and others in song form.  Hymns of faith, songs of worship, and songs that have a depth of emotional connection beyond the notes on the page.  These pieces of music have the power to bring me to my knees in a reminder that I serve a God that knows my every thought, hears every prayer, and only wants to pull us closer to Him.

My heart is breaking for the brokenness of our world but my hope is built on the promises that God will bring us through these troubled times.  I have seen the resilience of His people.  That even when we are separated, we find ways to connect with each other.

This song by for King & Country spoke to my heart today and I hope it brings some comfort to you as well.

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Scrapbooking friends, crafting friends, I have a gift for you for stopping by the blog today.  It'll only be available for the month of May but I hope you can use it in some way.

BLOG FREEBIE

DOWNLOAD HERE

Jeremiah 29:11

From 2016 to 2020 ... Time warp

Well, that went well.  The adventures for the past 4 years have kept us rather busy and I honestly forgot about this blog that I started.  Hannah grew up and graduated High School then started her Freshman year at Angelo State University, Nate survived Middle School and is almost finished with 10th grade, Rachel has had one crazy last year/first year type situation as instead of finishing out Elementary School as a 6th grader she was part of the first 6th grade class at one of the newly established Intermediate Schools.  Well, that all was until COVID-19 hit. 

This last quarter of the 2019 - 2020 school year has been spent making the best of a horrible situation.  We keep looking for the silver linings and praying for better times to come.

So, what have I been up to?  Trying to keep up with the ever changing path life takes us on.  I'm still teaching music, just a slight shift in what that looks like.  This year I only taught 5th grade advanced ensemble (choral/instrumental) and 6th Grade Choir.  Next year, depending on how things play out with going back to school, I'm supposed to take up the mantle of teaching 6th Grade Choir and one other class still to be determined.  I'm still teaching piano, playing for Sunday services, and blogging for a designer friend.  Right now we're all back under one roof until the time comes that Hannah can return to her college campus and all the kids are trying to wrap up the school year with online/remote learning.  Gaylon and I have been teaching online but I think we're all ready to greet Summer and take a moment to regroup.

Now that we're all caught up on flash forward 4 years, you may be wondering what my plans are for the blog.  I'm hoping to be a little more active and share a variety of things.  Digital Scrapbooking of course because that's what made many of our paths cross, some inspirational/faith posts, music, recipes, and my rediscovered passion - crochet!  We'll see if I can keep up with this for a while.

Crocheting has been my stress reliever lately.  My family says it has taken over.  Well, not really, they love the things I've made for them but my yarn stash and WIPs (Works in Progress) have exploded around the front room and my bedroom.  However, as I've been listening to student recordings, I've finished up several projects and only have one WIP at the moment.  I actually have a couple of things planned out to start but I'm trying to use up some of the yarn I have.

Here are just a few of the projects I've finished in the past month.

Dragonfly Baby Afghan

2 Bonfire Totes
(The one on the left was a request, the one on the right is now one of my WIP bags)

A few cuddly Octopi.  Here are the first ones but I still need to take photos of the rest.

Messy the Fox
(Rachel asked me to make her a fox.)

And tonight I finished up Buddy Puppy.

I almost forgot!  My aunt gave me a crochet magazine that had an afghan she thought I might want to make.  Well, there were parts of the pattern that I loved so I took those parts and made a piano bench cover.

I hope you will come back to visit!  I would love to hear how you are doing and feel free to leave me a link back to your blog!

Hebrews 11:1

~Susan~