Scripture Sunday

Tonight I would like to share with you one of my very favorite verses.  It's a blessing, actually, that the priests were given to give to the people.  The important words here are "LORD" which is the translation of "YHWH" (what we know as Yahweh), the name God gives Himself in Exodus 3:13-15 -- meaning "I AM."  Anytime you see LORD capitalized in the Bible, it refers to YHWH. This was the name of God that was the most holy -- so holy, the Jews would not pronounce it aloud.  

The other portion of this blessing I'd like to point out is the very last word -- peace.  This is the Hebrew word "SHALOM" which, translated, means much more than our English version of "peace." Hebrew words go beyond their spoken pronunciation. Each Hebrew word conveys feeling, intent and emotion. Shalom is more then just simply peace; it is a complete peace. It is a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, well being and harmony. According to Strong's Concordance 7965 Shalom means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

How wonderful is this God, YHWH, the God who created all and put everything in its place, the great I AM, wants for us not just "peace," but quite literally "perfect peace."  HIS peace.  I'm needing that tonight, as I'm a little sad and lost.  And so I share His blessing with you, hoping that you are blessed as well.  

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

24 “‘“The LORD bless you

and keep you;

25 the LORD make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

26 the LORD turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”’

Until next time,

Just 3 Days Left!!

As the first month of 2012 comes to a close, (can you believe it??) I wanted to remind you that you have just a few days left to take advantage of the awesome specials Close to My Heart has this month -- as well as to get your hands on retiring products, as our NEW Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book goes live on Feb. 1st!!!

Here are a few reminders of the specials going this month, and how to get your hands on them!

1.  Stamp of the Month -- Little Reminder

You can get the stamp of the month in two ways:  

• Order the set outright for the retail price of $17.95.  -OR-
• Place an order of $50 or more, and get the set for just $5!!

2.  Rock the Block!

Get your hands on this awesome special before it's gone!!  When you place a $25 minimum order from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book, you get TWO valuable new products for just $15: the My Creations Collage Cubes (this is a sneak-peek product from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book, will retail for approx. $15) and the EXCLUSIVE "Rock the Block" E-size stamp set (available only during this promotion and a $29.95 value). That's over a $45 value for only $15!

Heres a hint!!  If you take advantage of the "Rock the Block" special, you will have spent $25 and then an additional $15 on the kit. That means you only have $10 more to spend to get the stamp of the month for $5.  AWESOME! 

3.  A Perfect 10 for Studio J Members

For every 9 custom-printed Studio J layouts you buy, you'll receive the 10th layout free. To receive the discount, just add 10 or more layouts to your card. You'll see a discount reflected in your order total. And you can totally take advantage of this promotion by ordering multiples of 10.  Buy 9, get 1 free. Buy 18, get 2 free.  Buy 27 and get 3 free. And so on!  If you're not a member yet, NOW is a GREAT time to join!  To access your account, or to set up a new one and purchase a membership, just go to my website (www.ctmh.com/creationsbykate), click on "Studio J" and go from there.  Easy, peasy!

4.  Products retiring on January 31, 2012

And now, for the list of retiring products.  I'm going to be mean and not link to each product.  You can see the product in your idea book or by visiting my website at www.ctmh.com/creationsbykate and searching for the product name or number.    

Paper Collections:

Typeset Workshop on the Go (WOTG) Kit - G1024 - $29.95

Roxie WOTG Kit - G1025 - $29.95

Elemental WOTG Kit - G1026 - $29.95

Mischief WOTG Kit - G1029 - $29.95

Dreamin' L2 Paper - X7142B - $9.95

Dreamin' My Stickease - X7142C - $4.95

Dreamin' WOTG Kit - G1027 - $29.95

Sonoma WOTG Kit - G1028 - $29.95

Mischief L2 Paper - X7144B - $9.95

Mischief Compliments Rubons - X7144C - $4.95

Believe L2 Paper - X7145B - $9.95

Believe MyStickease - X7145C - $4.95

Believe WOTG Kit - G1030 - $29.95

Wonderland L2 Paper - X7146B - $9.95

Wonderland MyStickease - GX7146C - $4.95

Wonderland WOTG Kit - G0131 - $29.95

Sophia L2 Paper - X7131B - $12.95

Sophia MyStickease - X7131C - $4.95

Lucky L2 Paper - X7137B - $12.95

Lucky MyStickease - X7137C - $4.95

Fanfare L2 Paper - X7138B - $12.95

Fanfare MyStickease - X7138C - $4.95

Stamp Sets:

A Hop - A1112 - $6.95

A Little Buzz - B1353 - $9.95

A Little Everything - D1408 - $17.95

A Love - A1103 - $6.95

A Paisley - A1105 - $6.95

A Posey - A1102 - $6.95

Adoption - A1098 - $6.95

Adorning Corners - D1322 - $17.95

Always in my Heart - A1101 - $6.95

Ambiance - C1349 - $13.95

Around the Block - D1377 - $17.95

Baby Love - B1368 - $9.95

Backgrounds and Borders - D1463 - $17.95

Beary Best - C1363 - $13.95

Beary Busy - C1409 - $13.95

Beautiful Butterflies - B1373 - $9.95

Beautiful Things - D1298 - $17.95

Believe in Your Dreams - B1322 - $9.95

Beloved - B1343 - $9.95

Birthday Blast - C1436 - $13.95

Birthday Boy - C1411 - $13.95

Bless this Nest - C1445 - $13.95

Blooming Layers - C1449 - $13.95

Bon Appetit - D1367 - $17.95

Boom! - B1354 - $9.95

Bunny Love - B1324 - $9.95

Campin' Fever - D1353 - $17.95

Carefree - C1447 - $13.95

Catching Waves - D1466 - $17.95

Charmed - C1385 - $13.95

Cherished Flourishes - D1413 - $17.95

Ciao - D1461 - $17.95

Circle Around - D1300 - $17.95

Circle of Love - D1438 - $17.95

Circle Together - B1372 - $9.95

Connections - D1330 - $17.95

Cruisin' - D1471 - $17.95

Cupcake Sprinkles - D1336 - $17.95

Daydream - D1297 - $17.95

Down By The Sea - C1451 - $13.95

Dream Big - D1399 - $17.95

Dreams Come True - D1470 - $17.95

Enjoy Every Moment - C1395 - $13.95

Extreme Happiness - C1356 - $13.95

Family - C1305 - $13.95

Family Ties - Adult - C1346 - $13.95

Family Ties - Children - C1345 - $13.95

Family Ties - Pet - B1350 - $9.95

Fill in the Blank - D1465 - $17.95

Flower Pot - D1409 - $17.95

For Every Occasion - D1187 - $17.95

Friendship Blessings - D1191 - $17.95

From My Heart - C1443 - $13.95

Fun Times - B1309 - $9.95

Happy Holidays - D1431 - $17.95

Happy Moments - C1437 - $13.95

Hero - D1474 - $17.95

His and Hers - C1460 - $13.95

Horizon - C1454 - $13.95

Hot Diggity - C1407 - $13.95

Howdy - D1435 - $17.95

In the Month of February - C1403 - $13.95

In the Month of March - C1404 - $13.95

In the Month of April - C1405 - $13.95

In the Month of May - C1415 - $13.95

In the Month of June - C14016 - $13.95

In the Month of July - C1417 - $13.95

It's a Zoo - C1360 - $13.95

Just For Boys - C1338 - $13.95

Just For Girls - C1337 - $13.95

Just The Ticket - B1323 - $9.95

Kanji Phrases - C1339 - $13.95

Let's Go Camping - C1355 - $13.95

Little Princess - C1414 - $13.95

Love Always - D1337 - $17.95

Love Birds - C1396 - $13.95

Love Ya - D1460 - $17.95

Magic Tabs - C1448 - $13.95

Makin' Waves - C1365 - $13.95

Ms. Chillin' - D1404 - $17.95

Ms. Scrapbook -B1352 - $9.95

Notice the Details - D1378 - $17.95

On the Edge - C1399 - $13.95

On This Day - D1468 - $17.95

One of a Kind - D1410 - $17.95

Over The Rainbow - D1426 - $17.95

Paisley Praise - D1414 - $17.95

Piece of Cake - D1407 - $17.95

Play Day - D1360 - $17.95

Post Card - Travel Series - D1357 - $17.95

Precious Love - C1444 - $13.95

Priceless Love Word Puzzle - D1348 - $17.95

Recipe Box - D1364 - $17.95

Retro Tech - C1446 - $13.95

Royal Birth - D1441 - $17.95

Salutation Seals - C1461 - $13.95

Shining Star - D1320 - $17.95

Smiles - C1397 - $13.95

So Lucky - C1390 - $13.95

Soul Mates - D1354 - $17.95

Springtime - D1415 - $17.95

Star Power - D1403 - $17.95

Summer Breeze - C1453 - $13.95

Summer Days - B1375 - $9.95

Sweet Baby - C1359 - $13.95

Take Luck - B1364 - $9.95

Tasty Treats - D1427 - $17.95

Tea Time - C1438 - $13.95

Thank You - D361 - $17.95

Thrill Ride - D1425 - $17.95

TLC - C1364 - $13.95

Togetherness - D1402 - $17.95

Treetops - C1368 - $13.95

Trellis - D1451 - $17.95

True Happiness - D1365 - $17.95

Two-Step Backgrounds - D1473 - $17.95

Unity - C1422 - $113.95

X-Treme - D1432 - $17.95

You Did It - C1351 - $13.95

You Rock - D1346 - $17.95

You're Great - D1434 - $17.95

You're Sweet - B1351 - $9.95

Accessories:

Ribbon

Colonial White Ribbon Collection - Z1126 - $7.95

Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon - Z1103 - $6.95

Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon - Z1100 - $6.95

Colonial White Grosgrain Ribbon - Z1102 - $6.95

White Daisy Grosgrain Ribbon - Z270 - $6.95

Wings Level 2 Assortment - Z1398 - $4.95

Floss

Embroidery Floss - Red/Pink - Z1092 - $3.25

Embroidery Floss - Green - Z1094 - $3.25

Embroidery Floss - Blue/Purple - Z1093 - $3.25

Waxy Flax

Cranberry - Z1086 - $3.95

Sorbet - Z1249 - $3.95

Juniper - Z1248 - $3.95

Crystal Blue - Z1247 - $3.95

Brads

Designer Brads - Colonial White - Z1274 - $3.95

Decorative Brads - Pewter - Z1146 - $3.95

Mini-Medley and Eyelets

Mini-Medley - Antiqued Copper - Z1275 - $4.95

Mini-Medley - Colonial White - Z1276 - $4.95

Foundry Metal - Bookplates - Z1147 - $3.50

Soft Set Eyelet Tool - Z1208 - $14.95

Soft Set Eyelets - Black and White Daisy - Z1228 - $3.95

Soft Set Eyelets - Chocolate and Colonial White - Z1229 - $3.95

Coordinating Collection Embellishments

Midnight Felt Shapes - Z1462 - $3.95

Harvest Charms - Z1633 - $4.95

Holiday Pockets - Z1486 - $4.95

Top Coats Icing Overlays - Z1468 - $4.95

Lucky Level 2 Assortment - Z1356 - $4.95

Lucky Level 2 Journaling Spots - Z1359 - $3.95

Bliss Level 2 Assortment - Z1355 - $5.95

Sweetheart Level 2 Assortment - Z1386- $4.95

Fanfare Level 2 Assortment - Z1400 - $4.95

Just Blooms Spring Blossom - Z1266 - $7.95

Just Blooms White Daisy Variety Pack - Z1300 - $5.95

Color Ready Alphabets

Color Ready Alphabets - Oxford - X5749 - $3.95

Color Ready Alphabets - Hodge Podge - X1406 - $3.95

My Creations Chipboard Items

My Creations - Board Book - Z1310 - $6.95

My Creations - Journal - Z1268 - $7.95

My Creations - Memory Showcase 9x9 - Z1198 - $5.95

Misc.

Rubber Brayer - Z616 - $12.95

Eyelet Tool Replacement Punches - Z1245 - $2.95

So, you can see, this is a great time to visit my website!!  Grab up your favorite products before they're gone, AND get deeply discounted product in the process!!  As always, if you have ANY questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below!  Thanks for stopping by -- until next time,

52 Photos 2012 Week 2

In the mountains above the little suburb I live in, there is a tiny old cemetery called the "Pleasant Green Cemetery."  (Why it's called that, I don't know, as that's not the name of the town, but anyways.)  It's a pretty little cemetery, and though most of the headstones are older and neglected, the cemetery itself is kept up by a local scout troop.  Recently, and I'm not sure who did this, a huge metal cross was erected, with little spruce trees around it as well as plaques and markers.  This is an odd place for a cemetery, for while it is in the foothills, in a tiny valley surrounded by mountains, it is also near the power plant for the large copper mine here, so there is a road behind the cemetery where the big mine trucks run.  It's a crazy mix of modern and yet, when I go there, it's almost as if time stands still.  Yes, I'm one of those people who finds cemetery's peaceful.  Anyways, we had an unusually lovely day here yesterday, as it had just snowed and cleared all the smog out of the air.  There was not a cloud in the sky, and so I wandered up to see if I could capture a picture to represent this weeks theme:  SHINE.  I am thrilled with what I captured:

Of course, there is the obvious result of the "sun" shining.  But I feel the cross adds to the theme, by letting the "SON" shine!  It's just a reminder to me of the opportunity we have, each and every day, to let God's love SHINE in our life.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check back next Wednesday for next weeks photo challenge!  Until next time,

One Little Word 2012

Here it is!  I decided to take Ali Edward's "One Little Word" class over at Big Picture Classes this year, after hearing all about and seeing posts about "OLW" and the impact it's made on people's lives.  After much thought, I was sitting one day, and it just came to me.  My word for 2012.  I spend so much time regretting the past, and worrying about the future . . . why not just BE?  In the present, be happy, be creative, be patient . . . the possibilities are endless, but I want to spend this year taking those opportunities, whatever they may BE.  :)   So, here are the results of my first assignment:

Above is my title page for my OLW 2012, using a download provided by Ali in the classroom.  The color-ready letters and border I used are both from Close to My Heart.  The interesting thing about this "title page" is it's 4x6 -- and stuck to our main page, which is an 8.5x11 - 9 pocket page protector.  I used what I had available for this, which happened to be (you guessed it!) from Close to My Heart:  our Memory Protectors Flip Flaps in the 4x6 size.   The one Ali used adhered on the side of the page, but I ended up adhering mine directly to the page protector, as my images were vertical.  With the see through adhesive, it worked perfectly!  

Ali's next suggestion was to include a current photo of yourself -- hard for me, because I HATE having my picture taken!  But I did it, and again, used the download that came with the class on my photo:

The rest of the assignment was to create a page about your word, including why you chose it, it's definition, synonyms, a quotation, and what you are inviting into your life this year by choosing this word.  She then invites you to decorate the page in your style.  I chose pink and browns, not only because they're two of my favorite colors, but the pinks matched my shirt!  LOL!  Don't know if the rest of my album with follow or not.  We'll just have to see! 

Thank you for joining me on this journey.  I would love any comments you might care to leave about my page -- it's always a little scary to embark on something new!  Join me the 2nd Monday of each month for my "One Little Word" album updates.  Until next time,

Scripture Sunday

Matthew 6:5-7

New International Version (NIV)

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

This spoke to me today, because one of the habits I want to change this year is how much and how often I spend with the Lord.  This is a good reminder that I need to take the time to make time to spend one on one with Him.  My plan is to set aside about a half an hour in the mornings, to start, to study Scripture and pray.  I have a little prayer journal I made, that I can put photos in of the people I currently pray for, and write notes in the margins.  My days always go better when I start them off with God!

Happy Sunday!  Until next time,

52 Photos 2012 Week 1

I'm sharing my photo here, as well as on Flickr.  This is my submission for the first week of 52 Photos 2012.  The theme is "NEW" and I wanted to do something a little different . . . so to me, the empty road signifies a "NEW" journey I'm starting.  

Thanks for looking! Until next time,

Scripture Sunday

Revelation 21

Today, Revelation 21:3-5 is the Scripture on my mind and in my heart.  It is one of my favorites, and I thought it went well with the "new"year.  We need to remember that because God gave his only Son to save us from our sins, that each day, each hour, each moment, we have a clean slate.  Christ died on the cross for our sins.  We are saved by the grace of God.  He loves us that much.  How can we not love Him in return? 

 ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”   NIV

  

How excited I am for the day that the old order passes away -- when there is no more death, or mourning or crying or pain.  What a day that will be!!  Happy Sunday to you, my friends!  

Until next time,

 

A Perfect 10!! Studio-J Members Only Constant Campaign

January is free layout month for Studio J® members! For every 9 custom-printed Studio J layouts you buy, you’ll receive the 10th layout free. To receive the discount, just add 10 or more layouts to your cart. You’ll see a discount reflected in your order total. And you can totally take advantage of this promotion by ordering in multiples of 10. Buy 9, get 1 free. Buy 18, get 2 free. Buy 27, get 3 free. And so on! If you’re not a member yet, now’s a great time to join! With Studio J, you create digital scrapbook pages that are then printed and delivered to your door, ready to slip into your classic 12" × 12" scrapbook albums.  Plus, it's easy to make them into hybrid layouts, if you love embellishments and that "touchy-feely" look. 

Studio J Members get:

• 50% off layouts
• Free monthly shipment
• Members-Only Templates and Kits
• Free JPEG files
• Free Page Protectors
• Special Members-Only promotions like this one

 

Give Studio J a try—there’s no cost until you place your order. Upload some of your digital photos and find out how quickly and easily you can create a finished scrapbook layout, preserving not only your pictures but the all-important stories behind them! If you like it, you can either order your layouts at full price or purchase a Membership for 3 months or 1 year, or purchase a 5 pack that includes 5 layouts, shipping, and page protectors.

 

 

Above is a layout I created last year.  Stay tuned for new layouts with the new paper packets!  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!  Until next time,

 

Habits, not Resolutions!

Ah, welcome, my friends, to 2012!!  I hope that you all had a blessed Christmas and a fun and happy New Year celebration!  I've been somewhat MIA on my blog, as I started the Christmas week with strep, which quickly moved into a rather nasty sinus infection.  We postponed our trip for Christmas by one day, and so have just arrived back home and are getting settled back in.  Our "girls," who were at the doggie spa for a week, were happy to see us, and have needed a little extra attention these past few days as they felt neglected over the holidays!

So, it seems that the blog topic for the week is New Years Resolutions.  Do you make them?  I have for years, and have just as consistently failed at most of them!!  Anyone know what I mean?  I resolve to lose weight.  Mmmmm, not so successful.  I resolve to exercise more.  Does shopping count?  I resolve to quit (fill in the blank.)  I'll say "chewing my nails."  (Nervous habit I've had since I was young.)  Never happened.  And each year, I feel a little worse about myself.  Anyone else feel this way?  Ever?  Well, I've decided to change my thinking this year, and do things a little differently.  Instead of making resolutions, I'm going to change habits.  Yep.  You heard me.  Big difference.

For one thing, when you set resolutions, they are often arbitrary, and so you are spending all your effort working towards something that is (basically) meaningless -- IE. "I'm going to 'get fit' in 2012." And then if you don’t achieve it, you feel like you failed, even though you didn't define what "get fit" meant.  Did it mean exercising more?  Eating better?  Changing habits is different, if you approach it with an attitude of “this is one little change I can make and I will enjoy the change as I do it."  Another thing we do to set ourselves up for New Year's failure is trying to do too much at once.  Ten resolutions.  I'm going to eat better, exercise more, get up an hour earlier, blah blah blah.  And when we fall off the wagon with one, more often than not we fall of the entire track, because why bother?  You can make a list of habits you want to change.  That's fine.  But don't change more than one habit at once.  Why?  Because it takes about 30 days to create a new habit.  So, if you plan just one little change a month, in a year you'll have formed 12 new habits!  

To start myself off for 2012, the habit I want to change is how often I post to my blog.  So I've created the following schedule to follow, to make myself accountable, and to hopefully keep you all coming back for more!

Blog planner 2012:

Weekly:

• Project Life – Weekly on Tuesday
• 52 Photos – Weekly on Wednesday
• Gratitude Journal – Weekly on Saturday
• Sunday Scriptures – Weekly on Sunday

Monthly: 

• One Little Word – Monthly on the 2^nd Monday
• Scrapbook*Life* Journal Class – monthly on the 2^nd Thursday 
• Close to My Heart 
• Layout/Playgroup – Monthly on the 4^th Monday 
• Stamp of the Month Card – Monthly on the 4^th Thursday 
• Studio J Layout – Monthly on the 4^th Friday

As needed:

·         CTMH Special Projects

·         CTMH Constant Campaigns

·         Art Journaling & Sketching

There may be a few things added or taken off of this list as I fine tune my year, but I hope that you'll follow the posts that interest you, and encourage your friends to, as well.  

I'll be back tomorrow with a NEW Close to My Heart Special, and later this week with a "Special Project" that relates to my "changing habits" goal for 2012.  Check back soon!  You won't want to miss it!  Until next time,