Just Bee 'n Me

CHA 2012 Show Preparations: Part 2

2012-01-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Banners; check

(click any image to enlarge)

I am BEYOND THRILLED at how the banners for my booth turned out!! The colors are PERFECT and the details are crisp...yay!!!! I have 9 of these wonderful things to line my booth with - I hope they will be a hit!

This is Annie, by the way, my Summer Just Bee 'n Me girl. Annie LOVES to sew and embroider and stays busy keeping her Etsy shop filled with her sweet handmade totes and pillows. She loves the outdoors and sunshine, meadows and butterflies, and denim is her go-to fabric no matter the occasion...

...and this is Sadie, my Autumn Just Bee 'n Me girl...

Sadie is most a home in the kitchen, her cute retro kitchen that is, filled with vintage Pyrex and other great flea market finds. An avid couponer, she can feed two or twenty on a shoestring while always managing to make them feel pampered, honored and loved. She's always sweet, but adds just the right amount of spice to keep things interesting...

I would be remiss if I did not mention the banner company I used to print these jewels...it is Empire Banners, and I am not in any way paid for recommending them, I just can't say enough good things about them. Their online interface was so easy to use and the price is clearly displayed as you enter the size and specifications of your banner. These banners are 3' wide and 6' long, hemmed with 4 grommets, and only cost $40.50 each! (they would have been almost 3 times as expensive at my local FedEx just for a little perspective) Plus, I uploaded the designs in the afternoon, OK'd the proofs by late afternoon, and the banners were printed and shipped that very same day! Now I did pay a bit extra for 2 day shipping, but it was well worth it to get these into my hands so fast. And the quality is superior...the color, fabulous... Thank You Lord for leading me to just the right printer - You are so faithful!!

Oh yeah, I also completely revamped my portfolio website: http://beckyschultea.com It's not perfect or 100% complete, but it is a good start and most of all has all my new art displayed gallery-style...or you can run it as a slideshow. Go check it out if you have a moment - I'd love to hear your thoughts...

So much is happening all at once now and I am documenting it all and will continue to share as I can. We are just under a week until we leave for the show...yikes! But really, things are going well so far and I am not too overwhelmed... Next on my to do list is working on a few craft samples using my new designs - should be fun! My postcards and new business cards are on the way and should arrive Monday - when they come in I'll take pictures for sure...

Thanks for sharing this leg of my art licensing journey with me...I'm grateful as always for your support and encouragement! Have a glorious weekend...I got some crafting to do...

CHA 2012 Show Preparations: Part 1

2012-01-11T13:36:00.000-06:00

(click images to enlarge)

Hello friends! Wow, I have been working non-stop for weeks to prepare for exhibiting in the Licensing and Design section of the Craft & Hobby Association Winter 2012 show and there is finally a little light at the end of the tunnel! The largest job I had was to create several new design collections and then create the artwork for the corresponding banners that I will use to decorate the booth. I thought over the next few days and weeks that I would show you several sneak peeks at the new art collections as well as a look at the various marketing and display pieces I am working on....

The image above is a mock up of the 3' x 6' banner I created for my new Cupcake Cowgirl collection. I had a lot of fun with this set of girly images. I can see these on a variety of cute products...I just hope the art buyers that will be at the show will see the same thing!!

I also did a related collection called Cupcake Cowboy - here's a sample of one of the patterns I created for that collection:

I also developed a new series I have called "Just Bee 'n Me - a celebration of individuality and creativity". (you've only seen bits of their faces so far). I designed a girl for each of the four seasons and created a coordinated set of "accessories" and patterns to go with each. The girls have a slightly vintage 60's and 70's vibe to them in their color combinations and accessories, and they *hopefully* will appeal to women of all ages.

For Spring, I created "Kate", a girly-girl romantic all the way who loves growing and arranging flowers, writing poetry, and making handmade greeting cards. Here's the banner mock-up I did for her:

(click images to enlarge)

...and here's a close-up of one of her patterns:

I have so much more to share, but I had better get back to work. The banners are being shipped (yay!) but there are still a LOT of things on my to do list. We leave for the show 2 weeks from this Friday (yikes!). I will follow up in the next day or so with more sneak peeks and hopefully a photo of the banners when they arrive... Meanwhile, thank you SO much for your continued understanding as I have been designing non-stop and posting very little. Y'all are the best!

Hugs all around!!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2011-12-25T22:49:00.000-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To all my poor neglected blog pals I apologize for the lack of posting, but I have done precious little else other than create art for the past weeks... Progress has been steady and I am pleased with the work, so that's a good thing, but I hate being so out of touch. I haven't visited blogs in I don't know how long...I miss you guys... (Can't WAIT to show you all the new art!!!)

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas weekend with your loved ones - we had a lovely time! I am SO excited about the New Year and the promise it holds for all of us! It's gonna be quite a ride!

Hugs and Blessings to each of you and may God's love and grace surround and fill you!

New Marketing Piece

2011-12-07T09:22:00.000-06:00

Howdy! Just wanted to quickly share a new marketing image that I just completed in preparation for the CHA show in January. I am working non stop on new portfolio pieces and I am having a blast! You'll be a seeing a lot more of these girls and all their "accessories" in the coming weeks...

Oh, you can see my new logo too there in the middle of the marketing image. That, by the way, is the official name for my art licencing business:

Becky Schultea Design & Illustration

where whimsy meets inspiration

...that seems to sum it up pretty well I think...

Gotta run for now...lots more work to do! I'll try to pop in like this a bit more often in the coming days and weeks to share bits and pieces of what I'm up to. See you soon friends - I MISS YOU!!

Have a great week!!

Blessing(s) in Disguise

2011-11-18T13:34:00.001-06:00

I'm here, I'm here!! I didn't fall off the face of the earth...although at times over the past month it seems as if I might.

A few weeks ago, with no warning, my hard drive on my 2 year old computer died...kaput...just like that. Since that happened earlier in the year on my previous much older computer, and since I was able to save my files that time, I wasn't too worried. Well, ignorance can be bliss... After friends and family attempts to check it out failed, I brought it to a PC repair shop and waited for word... Word did come, and it was NOT the word I wanted to hear. The files were unrecoverable...totally gone. My art that I had been toiling over (if you can call doing art "toiling") was simply non-existent...

This is gone (the full version):

...and this one too...

...and another one from this cottage series that I was almost ready to preview. Plus a new logo, and files for Universal Designs, and photos and so on and so on... I was just sick...

You might be asking, "but Becky, don't you do back ups...?" To which I say, "NOW I do!!!!" Truth is, after the last hard drive crash, we bought an external hard drive, put all the rescued files on it from the previous computer, and promptly set it on a shelf where it remained for months.... Oh how stupid can I be?

But, a funny thing happened while I was waiting the 10 days or so for my computer to be repaired...I rediscovered my sketchbook and colored pencils...

I typically do a bit of minimal sketching before I create an illustration, but I rarely do color studies in the sketchbook. I simply do all that on the computer on the fly as I draw. But having time away from the computer, and being determined not to lose momentum in my preparation for the CHA Trade Show in January, I worked through a whole new series of girls that have been in my head for a long time now. It was so therapeutic to draw and color old school. I developed all of their various accessories, borders, patterns, etc. and it was so fun! Those of you familiar with my cartooning style may have noticed that I rarely draw open eyes on my characters...

Basically, I've done that because I like the smiley, joyful look of it, but frankly, it's also because it's just plain easier to draw them that way...

But eyes are so important, and I knew I wanted these new characters to have really pretty, big eyes and more detail overall than I typically do. Plus, I wanted them, and their colors and accessories, to have a bit of a 70's retro vibe. I really had the time to sketch and sketch and get it just right...and here's a little snippet of how they are looking so far...

I am having a blast creating these girls and their stuff - there will be four girls for starters, representing each of the four seasons. (above are the girls for Autumn, Spring, and Winter - Summer is waiting her turn next). I'd love to make a whole calendar of them eventually. For now, the goal is to get them to the CHA show for their debut...I can't wait!

So, what are the "blessings in disguise" that I alluded to in the blog title? Well, one obvious one is the time I was able to spend sketching and coloring my new series. Another one was a bit more subtle, but important...

When I look back at my journals from late Spring and into the Summer, I see one distraction/situation/problem after another that kept me from drawing time...my parents and my MIL each had a stint in the hospital, starting on Mother's Day...we were evacuated for a week due to wildfires...and so on. Plus, I noted several times in my journal that it seemed as if I were drawing in molasses - I was moving SO slow and wondering aloud what was wrong with me, why was I drawing so slow...? Well, as it turns out, if I had had an incredibly productive Summer, I would have lost that much more artwork! So my slowness and distractions and delays were all blessings in disguise! Even the original hard drive crash earlier this year was a blessing because when we got the external hard drive, we put all of the art files from the old computer onto it first, and even though I put those on my newer computer (and thus lost them), they were still safe and sound there in the external hard drive. Losing those completely would have truly been pretty hard to bear...all my Illustration Friday files, all my calendar files, all my photos, all my Aimee Asher artwork, all my Universal Designs artwork, etc. But they are all OK...overall my losses were fairly minimal...

BTW, I am going to re-do those illustrations that I shared at the beginning of this post...I just didn't have the heart to jump back into those first thing when I got my newly repaired computer back, but I plan to. They may not make it to the show in January, but they will be ready at the right time, whenever that happens to be...

Through all of this I have even more awe and admiration, and more understanding of this Scripture favorite:

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Oh, one more little blessing to share. I thought I had lost my coloring pages that I created back in July...like this one:

...but I remembered that I had burned them onto a CD when I took them to Kinkos to make sample coloring books, so I still have them! That was a nice bonus... Come to think of it, that Scripture is pretty applicable too! :o)

Have a wonderful weekend dear friends...oh, and back up your files please!!

Another Sample

2011-10-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

Wow, another week has passed already! I just wanted to share another sneak peek at what I have been working on this week. This cottage porch scene sample is another image in a series of cottage-themed illustrations that I am creating for potential licensing. I will be taking it and many other new and recent images to the CHA Winter Conference in Anaheim in January. I am also in the process of re-designing my logo and planning my booth design. It's coming together pretty well, but it all seems too slow for comfort with the show just being 3 months away (yikes!).

In other news, we had a blast at my Youth Group reunion last weekend! It was wonderful to reconnect with dear old friends. It was a special time that I will treasure forever! Oh, and I'd be hard pressed to forget the details because the photographers and videographer that were there captured every last detail of the humidity and then rain-soaked bad-hair affair. Oh yes, and there were skits too...and now they are videos... Good grief. Oh well, it was still a blast - I would highly recommend such a reunion if you were close to your youth group friends. It all came together through the magic of Facebook.

Well, back to the drawing board...the illustration I'm working on now is a still life within a cottage studio/craft room. It's sure to be super-cute, so stay tuned!

Have a great weekend friends!!

A Birthday and a Reunion!

2011-10-08T10:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my Sweetie!!!

I love you so much - God blessed me more than I can express when He brought our hearts together!! I hope your day is wonderful, and that the next year is full of adventure and blessings!

We are headed to the south part of Houston for a very special reunion this evening - my youth group from church when I was in High School is having a reunion for all the kids who were part of the youth group from roughly 1975 - 1985! I spent a lot of quality time with these old friends and I am really looking forward to reconnecting!! Here's a photo of a small group of us from one of our youth trips to Tennessee in 1978 - that's me with the red and blue rugby shirt in the middle (mercy me...so young)

Should be a lot of fun...

Hope you have a wonderful weekend with those you love!! Can't wait to show you more of the art I'm working on...coming up this week! Hugs y'all - we'll chat again soon....

Sneak Peek: New Series

2011-09-29T10:28:00.000-05:00

Hello folks!! I wanted to take a quick break from my virtual drawing board and give you a sneak peek at my latest design project. I am creating a new collection of vintage cottage-themed illustrations that will be part of the work I will be bringing to the Craft & Hobby Association 2012 Winter Conference in January! Did I previously mention that I am going to exhibit at that show? Anyways, I am (in the Licensing and Design section), and I am so excited/nervous/crazy about it all. But I always feel good when I get into the groove with a new set of designs, because then the work flows much more freely. Now that I have this design done, the others in the series should roll out a bit quicker because I have figured out all the basic layout questions, style decisions, color palettes, themes, etc...

But, there is SO much more to do than just design new work and revamp existing work - there are press kits to design and prepare, a booth to design and create, marketing materials to finalize and print, and the list goes on and on...mercy!!

I'll be sharing more and more about my preparations for the show as I go along. Since this is my first time to exhibit, I hope to be able to take my experiences and help future new exhibitors to avoid the mistakes I am sure to make and to be encouraged by the wonderful things I am sure to see and learn. I hope you'll follow along the journey with me!

We'll talk again soon! Have a fabulous day and a fun weekend upcoming! HUGS y'all!

Wildfire Aftermath

2011-09-23T10:25:00.000-05:00

I finally took the time to download and process all my photos from the wildfire and its aftermath here in the Magnolia, Texas area, so I thought I would tell the story through pictures...

The following photo if from my front porch facing East. It was about 3:15 in the afternoon on Labor Day and I had looked out of the window in our home office and noticed the dark black "clouds" near the horizon, and I thought, "it's not supposed to rain today, what are those clouds?" But in a split-second after I had that thought, I realized that those were not clouds - that was smoke - thick black and brown smoke! (the photos don't do it justice -the second photo captures the blackness at the horizon a bit better)

Well as you can see, the fire appeared to be fairly close by, and it wasn't just a small brush fire. About this time the police drove through our neighborhood informing us that we needed to evacuate. Within ten minutes, my husband and I and our dog Maddie were in two vehicles, carrying as much as we could think to grab from the house. It would be six long days before we were able to return, not sure what we would return to...

As I explained in a previous post, our entire neighborhood, with the exception of one house was spared from the fire damage. Strong NE winds blew the worst of the fire South and West of us on that first day, and the firefighters, who are true heroes, made fire breaks and managed to keep the fire from reentering our neighborhood! However, the fire went on to do incredible damage not far from us - 75 people lost their homes and the pretty countryside here is marred where huge swaths of pasture and forest lands were destroyed. Here are a few photos I took after we were allowed to return home. All of these photos are within a mile or two from our home, so it gives you a perspective of just how blessed we really are to come out with no damage...

Burned pastureland...

Charred underbrush...

Melted resin fence...

Torched trees and shrubs...

Destroyed abandoned brick house...

I am still amazed that we were spared...thank you Lord!

A few days after we returned, we got a heaven-sent blessing...RAIN! (though it was only a shower here)...this is our front porch...

(thanks for all your prayers for rain!)

But you can see beyond the fence that the drought has really taken its toll on our area. Here's a closeup of what the "grass" looks like in our yard and all around the region...

Those leaves are not Fall leaves, they are dead Summer leaves that have simply fallen from our trees from the drought. So, we are still in dire need of extended periods of measurable rain...

______________________________

OK, enough about fires and drought! It's the first official day of Fall! I love this time of year!

And I am happy about all the good things coming up! If you don't see me around here very often or if I'm slow in visiting your blogs, it's just because I am very busy with a number of projects that I am very excited about! More about all the upcoming goodies very soon I promise! Oh, and I've managed to do some fun thrifting and I've found some awesome stuff...photos coming!

Have a blessed weekend friends and thank you sincerely for checking in on me from time to time!

We'll talk again soon!

"The Cat's Pajamas" are in the Shop!

2011-09-15T09:19:00.000-05:00

I've been working to complete a new product set in my Just Bee 'n Me online shop, and it's all ready! It's called "The Cat's Pajamas" and it has lots of fun products to help you throw an amazing slumber party! From coordinating flip-flops

...and pajamas...

...to customizable invitations...

...and matching pins for favors...

There's even a large wall-cling sign with the Cat's Pajamas design for decorating!

These products would also be great for the the cat lover in your life - there's lot's of sweet kitty-goodness to go around!

All of these new products also coordinate with my Cat's Pajamas digital clip art kit too...

That kit could provide even more slumber party fun for craft projects, favors, decorations, plus all you need to scrap about the party after it's done!

______________________________

I'm still creating more new products non-stop, so please stay tuned! Next up, a line of cute Fall products for kids and adults, everything from t-shirts to notecards to art journals! Can't wait to show you!!

Now, I gotta get back to work... Thanks again for all your prayers and well wishes during our flight from the wildfire. We are so very grateful! HUGS to all!!

"I thank my God every time I remember you."

Philippians 1:3

Home Again - and Grateful

2011-09-11T08:06:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report that we are home again - safe and sound! Though 22,000 acres have burned all around us, our neighborhood of 70 homes, with the exception of one, was spared. It was amazing to drive in late last night after the evacuation notice was lifted and see that not only were we spared, it's as if nothing had ever happened. Our house didn't even smell of smoke!

I am just so very grateful for all the prayers prayed by family, friends, and strangers, all the sacrifice and hard work of first responders, all the generosity and kindness of neighbors, all the hospitality and care of my parents, and the all the goodness and grace of our Father God! May God shed His grace on thee!

Blessings to you and yours and to this great land of ours on this day of 9/11 remembrance..it will now and forever have an additional significance for me. May I never take for grated the incredible blessings we have and the love that has been shown to us by so many. And may our prayers continue to be with those who lost so much 10 years ago on this infamous day, and with those around here today who are without a home....may God bless them all and bring them comfort...

Wildfire!

2011-09-06T08:42:00.000-05:00

Viewer photo from iwitness.abc13.com - taken about 1/2 mile from our home 9/5/11

Hello friends. I wanted to let you know what's happening in our little corner of the world. We were evacuated from our Lake Holly Hills neighborhood near Magnolia, TX Monday yesterday afternoon as a large wildfire threatened our area. We had about 10 minutes to evacuate and we grabbed as many things as we could think of and got out. Hubby, our dog Maddie and I headed to my Mom's house about 30 miles away and we are safe and sound. The fire is still burning over several thousand acres and our neighborhood and many others are still under mandatory evacuation orders, so there is no going in to check on things at this time...

SO, we wait and pray. And we know God is in control...

Ours is just one of over 63 wildfires raging in Texas right now. The massive wildfire near Austin (about 150 miles from here) has already burned 500 homes and it is not contained. The severe drought here coupled with high winds has made all of Texas one huge tinderbox. We would appreciate your prayers for our region...

I will keep you updated as often as I have news...Hugs to you all!

Create!

2011-08-31T07:23:00.000-05:00

Oh yes, I am a huge fan of Pinterest, no doubt. LOTs of great inspiration to be found. But when I find myself doing more pinning than creating, that's when I have to step back a bit. Somebody has to create that next awesome 5 ingredient casserole recipe, or try that fabulous art journaling technique, or crochet a granny square garland....and it should be, us! We were created by the Creator to be creative!!

So, what's on your creative plate today? I encourage you (and me) to step out and do it, try it, experiment with it, enjoy it! It's what you were made to do...

...and oh yeah, I'll be sure to pin it once you're done!

She's Always our Biggest Fan!

2011-08-26T09:18:00.000-05:00

Well with school back in full swing and Friday night football starting again, I thought it would be a good time to debut a fresh new version of "Sports Mom" in my CafePress shop. I wanted to honor those Moms who tirelessly (and loudly) cheer their kids on at every game (in any weather), taxi the team to get ice cream, put up with muddy cleats and grass stains and finger sprains, all to support their kids. I thought she deserved a design that celebrated her dedication and enthusiasm!

I've added this design to a wide variety of Sports Mom gear in the shop - everything from baseball jerseys...

...to Thermos bottles...

...and even laptop skins!

...and just about everything in between!

I hope you'll go check out the new gear - I had a lot of fun putting it all together! I think our Sports Moms deserve some fun gear to coordinate with their enthusiasm!

This is just the first of many, many new products and updates coming to my CafePress shop - stay tuned for more fun cute goodies to come...

Drawing to the Music

2011-08-17T10:05:00.001-05:00

I often play music when I draw (or paint or write or do housework) - do you? Or do you do better with it quiet? Well today, I have Michael Buble on my player and I do believe I can draw better while he sings :o). Now if I could just stop getting up and dancing every other song, I might actually accomplish some things...

So here's a little serenade for whatever you are doing right now - I guarantee it'll make it go smoooother...

Enjoy!

______________________________

PS friends...I am still here, it is still oppressively hot in Houston, and I am still drawing and designing non-stop, trying to get a whole new set of products ready to debut for the Fall. I really appreciate you stopping by to see what I'm up to and check in on me! Hang on with me just a bit longer until I can debut some really fun stuff! It won't be long now...

"He has made everything beautiful in its time..."

Ecclesiastes 3:11

You just have to laugh...

2011-08-04T11:33:00.000-05:00

When it's 104 degrees outside, and you're a heatwave hostage, you just have to laugh...and color! Feel free to grab my little coloring page as my gift to you for your personal use - and get coloring before your crayons melt!

(click the image, then right click and "Save As" - then just print and enjoy!)

I'm sorry I have been away from the blog for so long - I was out of town at a women's conference most of last week (connecting with old friends from Colorado) and I have been working on a licensing project and a blog design project...plus I have been working on a grown up girl coloring book idea (the coloring sheet is from that project). If you enjoy coloring, I'd love to hear from you. I find it very relaxing...do you? Anyway, look for more from me on the coloring book project soon!

Thanks for hanging in there with me...I just didn't want to let one more day without stopping to say hi! Stay cool friends - we'll chat again real soon!

Savor the Summer!

2011-07-23T09:22:00.000-05:00

It's the weekend - what'cha got planned?

Will you play in the water,

or play in the sand...?

Or lie in meadow, gazing at the sky

pretending you're a butterfly, flying up high...?

Will you open a paint box

and make a glorious mess...?

Or color outside the lines

without one ounce of stress...?

Will you scale the highest mountains,

or climb the tallest trees...?

Or fly to the farthest planets,

or sail the seven seas...?

Will you dance with abandon,

and skip as you go...?

Or catch fireflies just after

the sun's final glow...?

Will you rejoice in each day,

let your imagination run wild,

and savor your Summer

like you did as a child...?

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them!

For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

In Class

2011-07-13T09:43:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody! I'm taking an online class this week that has been awesome so far. It's all about creating multiple revenue streams from your art/crafting/creative endeavors, and it has been so inspiring! I am already loaded up with ideas for new art adventures (and revamping existing ones). The course is about so much more than revenue generation though - we have a vibrant, creative, supportive group and and active message board/interaction - the brainstorming and sharing has been wonderful. And Laura Bray, the course developer and leader, and the specialists she lined up to share with us have all been fabulous!!

BTW, I found out about two new-to-me blog sites that I have added to my right sidebar - you might want to check them out and perhaps get added to their directories...

Faithful Bloggers

and

ArtSee Bloggers

Just more great resources for connecting!

I'm looking forward to sharing some of my new plans with you after class!! Have a great, creative week!!

A Pinterest Flea Market

2011-07-08T08:14:00.000-05:00

source: http://thewillowshomeandgarden.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-friday-flea-markets.html

Happy Friday friends! I thought it would be fun to do a little Pinterest "shopping" today and share some of my fun "finds"! Since I don't do too much garage saling these days, this helps a bit to get my junk "fix"...

CUTE pink Pyrex

source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/63421088/holiday-sale-vintage-pyrex-pink

Awesome vintage tablecloths!

source: http://alovelymorning.blogspot.com/2009/06/tablecloths-advice.html

Gorgeous china plates!

source: http://itsybitsyvintage.blogspot.com/p/gallery.html

LOVE vintage buttons...but ones one cards are even better!

source: http://teaforjoy.blogspot.com/2009/09/five-friday-faves_09.html

Really, can you ever have too many vintage hankies?

source: http://justbeenme.blogspot.com/2011/04/round-top-report-part-2-shopping.html

Can't pass up doilies - hopelessly addicted!

source: http://soandsewproductions.blogspot.com/2010/08/doilies-doilies-everywhere.html

A glorious tangled pile of lace and trims - one of my favorite things to do when I get a pile of lace like this at a garage sale or flea market is to slowly go through the whole pile and wind each separate trim onto a card or just pin it into a loop...very relaxing...

source: http://caleenrae.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-love-lace.html

OK, the back of my Jeep is full, so I'd better head home...thanks for Pinterest-junking with me today! C'mon and follow the fun with me over at Pinterest!!

Have a great weekend friends!!

Land of the Free!

2011-07-04T10:52:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday America,

land that I love!!

Have a wonderful holiday dear friends and fellow Americans!

May God continue to bless this wonderful land of ours!

Dog Days of Summer: Louisiana Trip

2011-06-29T07:49:00.000-05:00

On Father's Day weekend we took a trip to Louisiana to spend time with hubby's wonderful kids, grands, and great-grand. We were also there to celebrate his two oldest daughters' birthdays, which are one day apart...

We had a wonderful time, as always! Here's a few shots of the day - you can probably feel the heat and humidity from the photos; what a sweltering day...

Here's little Addie, the great-grand - hard to believe she is almost two already!

and here's Hope...almost 4!!

Addie with her Daddy, hubby's oldest grandson...

Jill and Hope

Hope's brother Kane, keeping cool on the homemade slip and slide...

We always hate to leave the kiddos...they grow up so fast and we miss them so much!

Hope you are enjoying your summer - any fun plans for the 4th? Fireworks are banned here because of the extreme fire danger, and it was a BBQ pit that started the fire that burned 5000 acres just a few miles north of us, so we won't be cooking out either. I guess we'll just be celebrating in spirit...

Hugs & Blessings y'all! Stay cool!

Don't Worry...Pray!

2011-06-23T08:19:00.000-05:00

(click image to enlarge)

Many thanks friends for your prayers as the Dyer Mill wildfire burned a few miles north of our home near Plantersville, TX. I am happy to report that we had a glorious, slow moving, soaking rain yesterday (first one in months) which helped the fire situation immensely. Though the fire is 75% contained now, there are still trouble spots, but we are in much better shape overall and breathing a sigh of relief!

So, I thought it would be good to create a little word art poster with one of my favorite verses,

Philippians 4: 6-7 from the Message translation to emphasize the importance of praying instead of worrying. I hope you can apply the truth of this encouraging passage to whatever worrisome situation you may be facing today...

Hugs all around, and thanks again!

The Heat is On!

2011-06-21T08:57:00.001-05:00

Welcome Summer (I think....)

Well, I don't want to sound too chipper at the official arrival of Summer, because here in Texas, the heat is already on, and has been for quite a while now. We are in a severe drought and high 90s/100 degree temperatures show little sign of moderating any time soon. Oh, and those Texas wildfires you may have seen on the news, well one of the largest ones is burning just a few miles north of our home near Plantersville. Scary stuff - many have had to be evacuated - 30 or so families have already lost their homes, and over 4000 acres have already been burned, and the fire is only about 20% contained. Our beautiful woodsy area is like a huge tinder box after months without any appreciable rain, so we are on pins and needles as we watch the wind direction, watch the weather, and pray for rain and protection. We are fine here so far - the wind from the south is keeping the flames to the north of us, but we are prepared to act fast if needed...

The forecast does call for scattered rain showers today and tomorrow, so that's some welcome news.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for us here in Texas and throughout the dry Southwest...I know some of you blog buddies up in the Northwest and in the Midwest would gladly share some of your rain with us! :o)

Hugs and Blessings to all my friends across the country and around the world - seems as though few of us are NOT touched by some sort of natural disaster or another. But take heart...there is hope...always hope...

"When you go through deep waters,

I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty,

you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

you will not be burned up;

the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2

Father's Day Freebie(s)!

2011-06-17T11:41:00.002-05:00

In celebration of Father's Day this weekend, I designed this word art based on Psalm 112:1-9, which is full of beautiful promises for the important dads in your life. It is my gift to you for your personal use, and I hope you will use it as a blessing. It would be great to use for card-making or as a simple piece of framed art. Feel free to pass it along on your blog or Facebook page too. Simply right click the image and save to your hard drive.

Speaking of freebies and Father's Day, Casting Crowns is debuting their latest *amazing* music video titled "Courageous", which is the title song for the new movie "Courageous" premiering in theaters September. (This movie is made by the creators of "Fireproof" so it is sure to be awesome!) The message in the song is custom made for dads. If you go to this link on God Tube, you'll also see a link to get a free download of the song "Courageous" - it would be a great, free gift for Dad! When you view the music video, after the song ends it plays a short trailer for the movie - it looks really good...

Enjoy your Father's Day celebrations this weekend - and hug those awesome Dads in your life! We are heading off to Louisiana to see all of sweet hubby's kids and grands - perfect Father's Day gift!

Family Health Update

2011-06-10T22:46:00.000-05:00

Well y'all, I've been going through what seems to be an endless revolving hospital door these past few weeks as I've visited one family member after another. I have a quiet moment at home now, so I thought I would give you a quick update...

First was my dear Mother-in-law who broke her pelvis and hip a few weeks ago. She is walking well with a walker now and was recently moved from the hospital to a nursing facility for a bit more rehab. Hopefully she will be back in her lovely little assisted living apartment later in the month. She is blessed...

Next was my Mom, who, one week after my MIL's fall, took an ambulance ride to the emergency room for near fainting and a high temperature and was admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. Thankfully her issue was swiftly determined to be thyroid related and has been corrected with thyroid medication. She's doing just fine...praise the Lord!

But alas, my Dad has now joined the ranks of the hospitalized. He was admitted this Tuesday for what was supposed to be a day and an overnight stay for tests related to some breathing problems he'd been having. But Tuesday to Wednesday has now turned into Friday to Saturday and maybe beyond, as now they cannot seem to keep his blood pressure under control. Most all of the many, many tests have shown good results, but if the blood pressure problems persist they are likely to do a heart catheterization to better determine blood flow and test how well the heart is pumping....
so...plenty to pray about. Poor Daddy - he is so tired of being there. Poor Mom, so is she...

Hubby and I have been camped out at Mom and Dad's since Tuesday and I've been with Mom at the hospital and also at her house taking care of this and that while hubby was at work. We came home to our house tonight to take care of things here tomorrow, and we will await the latest updates from the cardiologist and other various specialists...your prayers are greatly appreciated.

So, that's what's been going on around here. I'll keep you updated as I know anything definitive...
Thanks friends!

Happy Donut Day!

2011-06-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

National Donut Day 2011!!

Yes folks, today is National Donut Day in America! It's true! National Donut Day was started in 1938 by the Salvation Army to honor the women who served donuts to soldiers during WWI.

So, who am I to scoff at such a renowned holiday with such noble beginnings? No, I will embrace National Donut Day and celebrate it with all the revelry and donut consuming that the day affords!

Who's with me!!??

What's your favorite donut? Plain glazed (yep, that's mine), cake, powdered sugar, chocolate, donut holes, fancy eclairs, what? Do tell...and go out and have one of your favorites in honor of those awesome donut-serving women and their selfless acts on behalf of the troops!!

:o)

We Remember

2011-05-30T08:59:00.001-05:00

Happy Memorial Day!

Blessings to all our brave service men and women
who paid the ultimate price for our freedom...

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I hope you enjoy a lovely day with your family and friends. We'll be hanging out at my Mom and Dad's house later today...we're just going to have a laid back kinda day....sounds nice.

Hugs to you all!!

Flexibility and Frogs

2011-05-22T14:59:00.001-05:00

As I sit here on a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon, I'm reflecting on yet another week that has flown by, and the word that keeps going through my head is "Flexibility". It is definitely a word that applies to my week...hang in there, it's a bit of a long story....

After visiting with my Mother-in-Law at the hospital last Sunday (she's doing very well after hip surgery and should be back home in a week), it was MY Mom's turn to go to the hospital on Monday night...! She is just fine now (had a bit of thyroid trouble that caused her to almost pass out), but it is always a scary thing to ride in an ambulance to the ER and be admitted for overnight observation...bless her heart. We are so grateful that everything is fine, she checked out OK, is taking her thyroid medication, and she is much, much better! Her "adventure" is yet another reminder of the fragility of life and the way things can and often do change in a mere moment...

I was so grateful that I had the flexibility to be there with Mom early the next morning (my brother and sister-in-law were there Monday evening when she went in). It was great to sit and visit with her until the afternoon when she was released. It was a very sweet time as we talked and talked, which is our favorite thing to do, pondering who would be voted off of Dancing with the Stars and American Idol as well as the mysteries of life, the joys and frustrations of family, and the goodness of God. My husband and I spent the night with Mom and Dad Tuesday night just to make sure all was well, and once again, I was so glad we had the flexibility to do that.

I went home Wednesday afternoon, and went right back to Mom's Thursday to drive her and Dad to Beaumont for the day for a previously planned visit with my aunt (Mom's younger sister) who is battling brain cancer and recovering from her own hip surgery. Another of my Mom's sisters and both my uncles were there too. It was a wonderful visit full of hugs and laughs, deluxe chicken salad sandwiches, and more talking and talking (it was fun to hear my uncles who are in their 60's weigh in on Dancing With the Stars and American Idol too!! :o) As we were driving home, we were again so grateful for flexibility. My Mom wants to visit with her sister and all her family as often as possible...because life is fragile, and moments are precious...lessons brought home again and again this week...

We spent another night with Mom and Dad Thursday night, (and watched American Idol results together of course, which was fun) and I planned to go home Friday morning and start searching Craigslist for a good used washing machine - seems the one at the home we rent to our tenants stopped working. But, Mom and Dad and I agreed to go to a quick garage sale (or 2) Friday morning before I left. While I was getting ready that morning, I felt the Lord impress on my heart that I would find a good washing machine at a garage sale, pay X amount for it, drive to our house, get our truck, bring it back to Mom's, and have my hubby come to Mom's after he gets off, and we would go together to pick up the washing machine and bring it to the rent house and hook it up. He laid out the plan for the whole day!

So, sure enough, at about the third garage sale we went to we asked if they had a washer for sale, and what do you know, they had one in the garage that they hadn't set out yet...it was only 3 years old, a Whirlpool, worked great, and they wanted X for it, exactly the amount the Lord told me, oh, and I had that much cash on me too. The woman I bought it from (who was also a Believer!) said her husband would be home at 6pm to help us load it, so, I went and got the truck and hubby and I picked up the washer after his work and installed it at the rent house, and it worked great - all as the Lord said!!

No, this past week did NOT go as I had planned...not by a long shot. But, the Lord knew what the week would hold, and He set everything up so that I would be able to flow with everything that happened. He's so very good...

So, why the frogs...??

To remind us to Fully Rely On God....instead of on our own understanding. We have precious little control over our circumstances, but we can TRUST in the One who sees the whole picture...

Here's verse five as well as verse six in The Message version...how very appropriate for my week...for my life...for all our lives...

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)

I have no clue what this week will hold...but I know the One who holds Me...and that's really all I need to know.... Have a blessed week in Him friends!

Another Week Gone: The Recap

2011-05-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all! Another week has flown by and I haven't stopped to blog about all that's going on. It's late, so I'll boil my recap down to bullet points:

My mother-in-law fell and fractured her pelvis and hip this past Sunday the 8th (Mother's Day, bless her heart). She had surgery and is doing remarkable well...already doing minimal walking on her own, praise the Lord!!

(Johnny and his Mom from Easter 2008)

Got word from Universal Designs Inc. who license designs from me, that they are licensing 2 seasonal collections of mine for 2012! I am so excited - I love their seasonal products and matching displays!
After 2 days of being at the hospital with my Mother-in-law, I returned to my computer to prepare all the files for Universal and make a few other requested designs. All done now, whew! It feels good to have it all finished!
Worked to create a new art site (made one on Blogger that's easy to update with new designs). Sent out numerous licensing inquiries/links to art directors through email and regular mail in hopes of landing more licensing gigs!
We FINALLY got rain!!! I know for many of you, you can't think of anything you'd like having less than more rain, but we have been (still are) in severe drought, so the soaking we got yesterday was a welcome delight!
If you haven't tried Pinterest, you gotta try it!! If you love clipping beautiful images from a magazine and pinning them to an inspiration board or collecting them in a notebook, then you'll love Pinterest - the digital way to "pin" photos to your own virtual inspiration boards! Caution - it's highly addictive!

OK, that's my quick update - sorry for being out of pocket for so long. I really appreciate your understanding...

Enjoy the wonderful weekend that the Lord has handcrafted for you!!

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

2011-05-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

We'll be busy enjoying some family time on a little excursion out of town...

Hope your weekend is lovely in every way!

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One more quick note - there is so much suffering and heartache going on right now with the devastating tornado damage and flood damage in the country...I don't want to gloss over what must be some terrible times for so many of our neighbors. I am so blessed to have my Mom, my home, my health...thank You Lord...may I never take that for granted. I pray that those who are suffering will reach out to the One who Comforts the Brokenhearted and receive the Peace that only He can bring...

A Little Piece of Quiet

2011-05-01T08:52:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all...

I'm at that strange, quiet place between projects...

You know the one...the time when you have a gazillion things you need to, but you just finished something kinda major and want to just enjoy a bit of nothingness...a little "piece of quiet"...

I think that's appropriate for a Sunday, don't you?

My projects will still be there Monday morning...they'll keep...

I hope you find your own little "piece of quiet" today...

"Be still, and know that I am God..."

Psalm 46:10

Holy Land Homecoming: a Retrospective (conclusion)

2011-04-26T14:18:00.000-05:00

Falls at Caesarea Philippi

Hello friends! I trust you had a blessed Easter celebration? I told you when I started this Holy Land retrospective that I had a book-full of photos from my trip. Well, I only showed you a fraction of the photos that were most closely associated with Easter so far. Now in my final installment, I want to show you just a few more favorite photos from all over Israel. I'll keep commentary to a minimum and let you just enjoy the images...

Caesarea (on the Mediterranean)

(Roman Aquaduct)

Dead Sea

Yes, you really do float in this water without trying...

(sunrise over the Dead Sea)

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Ein Gedi

This long, hot climb...

...led to a most lovely, lush oasis...

This enclave in the Desert of Judah is where David hid from King Saul, and where he likely penned Psalm 63...

"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water..."

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Galilee Region

(Loaves & Fishes Mosaic)

gorgeous flowers everywhere...

This church is built on the shore of the Galilee where Peter jumped out of the boat and swam to Jesus after the Resurrection...

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee...

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Jerusalem

Scenes from around the city...

(exterior of "The Upper Room")

(interior stained glass in "The Upper Room")

Holocaust Museum display

The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

Visiting the Wailing Wall was an unbelievably moving experience. I want to wrap up my Holy Land retrospective with a few words and photos to try to capture a bit of the sacred, special nature of this most Holy site for the Jewish people...

This holy place of prayer is visited by the local Israelis of all ages and walks of life and by Jewish Pilgrims (and Gentile Pilgrims like me) from all over the world.

The men and women go to separate areas of the Wall, so I mostly have photos of women at the Wall, though I caught the image of this man through the divider...

You'll notice in the following photos that many of the young women are carrying automatic rifles at the Wall, and most of them are not in uniform. That's because military service is required of ALL 18 year old Israeli boys and girls, and they are to carry their weapons at all times, whether on or off duty...

The bits of folded paper that you see in the clefts of the stones are prayers that worshippers write and tuck in there. I was so blessed to be able to write out my own prayer request and tuck it into a space...what an incredible experience!

Here's one of the families that were on our tour after they went to the Wall...that's pretty much how we all felt...it was a very special place...

I visited the Wall twice during our trip. At the end of my first visit, a white dove landed right in front of me...it's not a great photo, but it was an awesome moment...

Then at the end of my second visit which was in the early evening, we encountered a group of young Israeli men/teens just outside then Wall who were celebrating a particular festival (I wish I could remember what it was). Anyway, these young men were dancing, waving flags and singing in a circle nearby, and I was taking photos of the revelry...our guide urged me to approach the group, and before I knew it they surrounded me and another woman from our tour with their circle and kept dancing and singing with us now in the center of the circle taking photos! It was a magical moment!

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I'm so glad you came along with me as I shared memories of my incredible trip! It was unforgettable! I hope you got at least a taste of the wonder and beauty of the Holy Land...

Lord bless you all!

Holy Land Homecoming: a Retrospective (part 3)

2011-04-24T00:34:00.000-05:00

Hallelujah! He has RISEN!

The empty tomb...

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"

Luke 24:5-6

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die."

John 11:25-26

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Enjoy the celebration of His Resurrection today!

Holy Land Homecoming: a Retrospective (part 2)

2011-04-21T22:52:00.000-05:00

(view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives)

It Happened One Thursday

Matthew 26:17-75

On Thursday night, the first night of the celebration of Passover, Jesus and His disciples gathered in a room in Jerusalem to share the Passover meal. Afterwards, they walked across the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives to a garden called Gethsemane to pray...

Garden of Gethsemane

(2000 year old olive tree)

"Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Matthew 26:45

The House of Caiaphas on Mount Zion

(Armenian Church on the Site of Caiaphas' House)

"Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered..."

Matthew 26:62-66

It is believed that Jesus was placed in a cell like this empty cistern in the basement of Caiaphas' house...

He would have likely been let down through this very small opening into this cistern by ropes tied under his arms, bound, as depicted in this mosaic...

Our entire tour (50 people) gathered into this small cistern where Jesus spent His last night on Earth and our pastor read from the Bible (Psalm 88) and spoke about what it must have been like for Jesus...

At that moment, there in that prison cell, I began to weep and I couldn't stop. With my back up against the wall of the cistern, I felt with raw unfettered emotion the reality of what my Saviour had done for me...how He had willingly taken MY rightful place in that cell...what love, what sacrifice, what grace! The Lord whispered gently to my spirit that He thought of me that night...I could hardly bear the beauty of that thought...

He thought of ALL of us that night...

...He thought of Peter, even as he denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed...

"Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly."

Matthew 26:74-75

...He thought of you reading these words now...

...and every human soul ever created and those yet to be created....

...in the midst of His immense suffering...

such. amazing. grace.

Holy Land Homecoming: a Retrospective (part 1)

2011-04-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

Gate at Mount of Beatitudes

As I mentioned in my last post, in honor of Holy Week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, I wanted to share some images and memories from my amazing 11 day trip to Israel in May of 2004. The pastor from my church in Colorado lead tours to Israel every year for 20+ years, and I was fortunate to be able to go on that year's trip.

I couldn't possibly show you all the photos I took or tell you all the incredible stories...it would take a book to do that, but I will do a few posts over the next few days and try to give you at least a taste of this most beautiful land, its wonderful people, its rich history, and its deep spiritual significance...

The Galilee Region

Mount of Beatitudes

One of my favorite visits was to the Mount of Beatitudes, the place believed to be where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. At the top of a hill is a beautiful Catholic chapel built in 1939...

The grounds of the chapel were gorgeous...I was continually amazed at how relatively lush the gardens and farms were in Israel despite the arid climate...

We had a wonderful lunch here served by the nuns at the chapel...I am not a big fish lover or a very adventurous eater, but despite it having its eyes, head and tail, I really liked this fish...it is called Saint Peter's fish from the Sea of Galilee, you will likely better know it as tilapia...

Our visit to the Mount of Beatitudes was capped off appropriately with a reading of the Beatitudes by our pastor....it was very moving there in that setting...

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..."

Matthew 5:3-12 (NIV)

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Capernaum (Capharnaum)

The town of Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee is where Jesus made his home during His ministry:

"When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Matthew 4:12-17

Ruins of homes in Capernaum from Jesus' time

It was also the home of the disciples Peter, Andrew, James, John (Matthew 4:18-22) and Matthew [Levi] (Mark 2:13-14). This place was so wonderful because it was so easy to picture where Jesus walked and talked and fellowshipped with the townspeople. There are also ruins of the Synagogue built in 4 AD and they are right on top of the location of the local Synagogue that Jesus taught in during that time...

From the Synagogue, it is just a stone's throw to Peter's house...

And it was then, when I saw the two places and how close they were, that I could see right where Jesus would have walked when He went from the Synagogue to Peter's home, where Jesus healed the paralytic that was lowered by his friends through the roof because of the huge crowd.

(Mark 2:1-4; Matthew 9:1-18; Luke 5:17-26)

Being on that same street and taking those same steps was an

utterly amazing experience... THAT was when every Sunday School lesson about Jesus from my childhood and everything I had studied about the Lord as an adult came so vividly alive and real as it never had before...I will never forget that moment as long as I live...

Here are a few more images from Capernaum...

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I'll be back in a day or so with more photos and memories from Israel...I hope you'll come back and take these steps through history and faith with me!

Pancakes on the Porch

2011-04-18T11:02:00.003-05:00

It's not every day in Houston, Texas that we have a morning with less than 20% humidity...

...and temperature in the mid-60's...

...so with just a bit of extra effort...

...and a few pretties from our china cabinet...

...we had our simple Sunday pancake breakfast...

...on our humble front porch...

It was great! We gotta do this more often!

(if we can get the weather and the bugs to cooperate :o)

I hope you make sweet special memories with your family this wonderful Easter week!

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I invite you to check back here throughout the week - in honor of Resurrection Sunday, I am going to be sharing lots of photos from my incredible trip to Israel in 2004.

I've posted just a few here over the years, but I wanted to show you quite a few more and include more memories and impressions from my adventures. It'll be a fun, free way to tour the wonders of the Holy Land close up! Don't miss it!!

Have a blessed week friends!

A Paper Bag Journal for Mother's Day!

2011-04-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

(click any image to enlarge)

Hello friends! With Mother's Day right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to do a new Mother's Day themed paper bag journal! This one is a bit different from the Valentines Day journal I did earlier this year - I changed the orientation to vertical (like a little purse), made it with two holes instead of three, and I used one larger brown paper bag as the cover and two smaller white paper bags as the interior...

I cut the holes in the brown paper bag first, then used a pen to mark the location for the holes in the white bags...it makes hole placement much easier this way...

I used images that I printed out from my new digital "Sweet Spring Stitches" Clipart Kit to decorate the journal (I keep saying journal, but the way this one came out, it is more of an elaborate card or small album though it would be very easy to add journaling elements)...

Next, I cut out all the elements I wanted to use...

Since I was doing this like a little purse, I wanted a contrasting top where the handle would come out, so I used decorative edged scissors to cut a length of paper to fit the top with about an inch overhang covering the front and back...

Then I marked it for hole placement, punched the holes, and glued it in place...

At this point, I have a rough idea of the layout, but no real specifics. I surround myself with all the art elements, the Scripture verses and sayings that are part of the kit, and my stash of trims, ribbons, buttons, and lace, and let the glue and inspiration flow...

I always add a few touches as they occur to me like these little stitch marks on this saying...

Here's how it all came out in the end (sorry Mom, but you're getting a really early preview of one of your Mother's Day gifts!) I used wire and coordinating glass beads to make the handle...

(Sorry for the poor photo quality, I had terrible lighting...
the beads on the handles look much darker than they really are)

I used a large button on front and a smaller on in the back along with some ribbon to fashion and enclosure to keep the journal closed...

I used this verse to make an little card to slip into the open end of the outer paper bag...

I did a two page layout here...

...and added embellishments like white covered wire for the "steam" coming from the cups, ric-rac, and
buttons...

...and little touches of lace and tiny ric-rac here and there...

Finally, here's the back cover. You can see that I used a small button glued on top of a length of ribbon to create the back of the button enclosure...

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little variation of the paper bag journal. I had a lot of fun putting this together! As usual, there is SO much more that you can do with these little creations...you scrapbookers and card makers out there are brimming with ideas and techniques that I haven't even dreamed of. But no matter your skill level or creative ability, a handmade gift is a wonderful (and thrifty) expression of your heart to your friend or loved one...one they will always cherish.

Happy handmade crafting and giving!!

Round Top Report (Part 2): Shopping

2011-04-08T13:14:00.001-05:00

Hello again friends! As promised, here's part two of my Round Top Report; The Goods! I'll tell you upfront that a) we didn't go to tons of places, it was hot and we were'nt really shopping, just looking, and b) even though we only went to a few places, I STILL have tons of photos. I'll keep my commenting to a minimum, but where I can I will share the vendor/and or venue and a link to their webpage/blog/etc.

Enjoy the colors, the textures, the junky abundance, the whimsy, the fun that is Round Top...

LaBahia in Burton, TX

The next several photos are from the Old Oak Cottage booth at LaBahia. This wonderful shop is owned by my newest Home Girl, Marci. She is a delight and I love her merchandise! If you haven't heard, Mandie at Altar'd is opening a showroom for her handpainted furniture and a spot for her furniture painting workshops at a brand new building at the Old Oak Cottage in Huffman (near Kingwood). I am definitely going to pay these girls a visit, camera in hand, during the grand opening of the new showroom April 29th & 30th! Check out the Old Oak Cottage blog or Altar'd's FB Fan Page for updates!

Warrenton, TX - Various Venues

Love the funky vibe in Warrenton...here's a taste from our wanderings there...

The Texas Rose near Round Top

(across from Marburger Farms)

We spent a fair amount of time here at the Texas Rose. The parking was free and plentiful, plus we were looking for Lesley of Saving Grace, another one of my Houston Home Girls. We found her, plus quite a few other vendors with wonderful stuff! Here's what we found there...

Saving Grace

I met sweet Lisa of Pix up Stix at The Texas Rose. She had some great stuff and was a really friendly gal!

Pix Up Stix

The Cajun Cottage and Lisa at Pix Up Stix share this cute space at the Texas Rose. Here are some photos from the outside of their little cottage. (I'm sorry, but I'm not 100% sure who's stuff is what outside...but that's OK...it's all good!)

The cute cabin was right next door to

The Texas Rose Cafe. We didn't eat there, but it sure looked and smelled good!

Funky Junky - Peely Paint

(sorry, couldn't find a website)

S.D. Meadows Folk Art Gallery

crazy fun stuff...

Miscellaneous Junk

Probably my favorite places were the random tents and spots that dot the roadside from Burton to Warrenton and beyond. These places are SO fun to dig through, and definitely cheaper that the more established spots. Here's just a glimpse...

It was at one such place that I made my one and only purchase, $11 worth of vintage greeting cards, Valentines and postcards. Yep, that was all I bought the entire weekend! It really wasn't even worth taking a photo of, but they are very cute...

I hope you enjoyed my little Round Top report. I can't adequately express how HUGE this collection of sales and markets really is. My photos represent merely a fraction of a fraction of the vendors and venues there. It was a lot of fun, for sure, but it can also be very overwhelming. Now that I know how close it is to where I live and now that we have found the perfect close by B&B spot, we will definitely be going back...I hope to go to the big blog party this Fall!

Thanks for hanging in there with me...I was SO busy all week working on this...

My newest clipart kit, "Sweet Spring Stitches" is almost 100% complete, I just have to upload the files and write the product descriptions and it'll be all ready...(the image above represents only about a third of what's in the kit!) You'll be the first to know when it's complete. Oh, and I will be making a new Paper Bag Journal with this kit for Mother's Day...can't wait to get it all done and share it with you! Meanwhile, y'all have a wonderful weekend! HUGS!!!

Round Top Report (Part 1): The Bed and Breakfast

2011-03-30T15:38:00.001-05:00

Hello friends! I've been downloading and editing photos from our weekend birthday trip to Round Top and I decided that there were so many that I should break up my "report" into two parts: 1) the Bed & Breakfast Cottage, and 2) Shopping at Round Top.
(Fair Warning - there are bunches of photos, so you might want to grab your favorite beverage and get comfy!)

The Bed & Breakfast Cottage

(click any image to enlarge)

Let me tell you what, I about had a happiness heart attack when we pulled into the driveway of this incredible PINK Bed & Breakfast Cottage! KUDOS to Tami & Troy, the wonderful, sweet innkeepers at Tara Farms in Brenham, Texas!! They have created a peaceful, beautiful retreat that really lives up to their motto: "Come Renew Your Strength", based on the Scripture,

"Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31).

This was one of the best Bed & Breakfast experiences I have ever had, and it was the attention to details that helped make it so.

Troy owns a landscaping business in Brenham and Tami is an avid gardener, and boy does it show on this property - the grounds and gardens were GORGEOUS! Here's a tour of the grounds leading to the front porch...

What's not to love about a white porch swing hanging from a huge pecan tree overlooking a gorgeous garden?

Welcome to the garden...

LOVE this little bridge that leads from the guest parking to the cottage walkway...

Quite a view! That is the most luscious Bermuda grass...we walked barefoot all around that velvety expanse of grass; it was heavenly!

In about a month, I imagine the pecan trees will all be green and the rosebushes will be in bloom, but even without that, it was still gorgeous...

I have a thing for porches...especially adorable pink ones!

And that was just the outside! Now we're entering Mia's Cottage...

Pink cottage with a dark pink cottage door and adorable Victorian white screen door...yep, I'm moving in!

Here's a look around the main room...LOVE all the details! It's as if it was decorated right from the pages of my idea notebooks...

The TV was tastefully hidden inside this great old armoire...

More details...

The gorgeous, fluffy queen bed was as comfortable as it was beautiful!

But what really stole my heart was the dining nook with the wall of mis-matched pink rose china, chippy white table and green chairs, and tiny pink chandelier...SWOON!

The table was set with beautiful china, an assortment of homemade goodies, and fresh flowers...

The kitchenette was a great chippy old cupboard that they had rehabbed to house a sink, microwave, and a mini-fridge below. It was filled with more china and various serving pieces, and it was stocked with everything from coffees and teas to yogurt and fresh fruit....lovely!

Finally, the all important bathroom. I can't tell you how many times I've stayed at B&B's where the room was wonderful, but the bathroom, not so much. Well, that was NOT the case here...the bathroom was beautiful and very functional, roomy, and comfortable. It was thoroughly modern, but looked wonderfully vintage like the rest of the cottage...

It had a great garden tub as well as a separate shower...and more china plates!!!

...and lots of sweet details...

One last look at the cottage from the front door...

...and from the back looking out...

I hope you enjoyed the tour of Mia's Cottage at Tara Farms! I enjoyed myself all over again! Here's a peek at the back porch of the main 1880's era farmhouse that the owners completely remodeled and where they currently live (next door to the cottage which is situated to insure privacy).

You can get an idea of the gorgeous terraced grounds...it's a really beautiful place!

But here's the best part of the whole special birthday weekend...

...my sweet, cute Hubby that made the whole thing possible!

Thank you for an unforgettable birthday!!

Love you Sweetie!!

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Next up: Shopping at Round Top! I hope you'll stop by again to see all the fun junk!!

Deep in the Heart of Texas

2011-03-25T06:15:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all! I'm heading out for a very special birthday celebration. It's the big 5-0 for me on Sunday (wow), and my sweet hubby is taking me to a wonderful Bed and Breakfast cottage for 2 nights...yay!

But, guess where the Bed and Breakfast is...right near Round Top, Texas, home of the famous Round Top Antique Show which kicks off this weekend!...and we're going to do one of my most favorite things in all the world...look at miles and miles of vintage junk and antiques!! Plus, see some great blogging buddies, which is really what I'm looking forward to the most...

...and as a bonus, it's the height of bluebonnet season here, so there's sure to be lots of this yummy loveliness all over the place. Oh how I love Texas in the Spring!

Yep, should be a fabulous birthday weekend!! You know I'll have my camera around my neck the whole time, taking photos of the things we love to see...I'm definitely taking you, my sweet friends, along with me in my heart...

I'll be back at the blog Monday with a full report! Have a wonderful weekend y'all!

(I know I will!!! LOL)

Featured at Launch Your Creativity!

2011-03-21T16:02:00.000-05:00

I'm am so excited to let you know that sweet Sharon Hughes, the woman behind Launch Your Creativity (and Pansy Cottage & Garden), has featured me and the story of my artistic journey on the Launch Your Creativity blog today! What an honor - thank you Sharon!!

Launch Your Creativity was started by Sharon as a way to share knowledge, inspiration, and encouragement with women who have a dream of starting their own business. The first Launch Your Creativity event will be held April 9th, 2011 at the Paris in a Cup Tea Salon located in Orange, CA, and will include a luncheon, all kinds of goodies, and five dynamic, inspiring speakers including Jacqueline deMontravel, the editor of Romantic Homes magazine! It's sure to be a wonderful day! Read more details about the event and all the speakers, and even buy tickets online at the Launch Your Creativity website.

Thanks again Sharon for sharing my story.

And friends, I hope you'll visit Sharon and read mine and other stories of women stepping out and following their dreams - I know you'll be blessed and encouraged!

Cherry Pickin'!

2011-03-19T17:35:00.000-05:00

Don't hate me...Garage Sale this morning - CUTE Kate Spade Cherry Purse - 50 cents!

(you can click the Kate Spade link above to see how expensive her handbags are!)

I haven't been pickin' in earnest for quite a while now. After our last flea market show at Winnie in November and the wedding I styled in December, there's been precious little reason (or opportunity because of the cold weather) to go to garage sales. But reason goes right out the window when dayglo orange and green signs pop up on street corners everywhere like so many dandelions in Spring, beckoning you with words like "GIGANTIC Moving Sale!", "HUGE Multi-Family Yard Sale", or the heart-stopping "Estate Sale"!. What's a junk-loving girl to do?

Actually today was a lousy pickin' day overall, but this one little .50 gem saved the day from being a total loss. And isn't that why we keep our eyes peeled for those crazy signs in the first place, and go to garage sales when we have no business going?...because of the HOPE that there may be a hidden treasure in a fifty cent junk box...?

Well, the cherry purse got me to thinking about other fun cherry stuff, so I thought I'd top off the post with a few cherry images to sweeten your day...

Birdie illustration based on Kathy's sweet stuffed birdie-in-a-teacup...

EASY Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe

No-Sew Cherry Valance Tutorial

Thanks for stopping by friends - BIG Texas HUGS to all of you, and...

Happy Weekend...with a cherry on top!!

I'm the lucky one...

2011-03-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

...to have friends like you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Designing Woman

2011-03-11T09:40:00.000-06:00

Good morning friends! I have been glued to my computer screen for the last two weeks or so designing seasonal illustration collections for submission to potential licensees. This sweet little momma bird and baby bird are part of a vintage linen-inspired Mother's Day collection. Hopefully these designs and the many others I've been working on will resonate with art directors. Whether or not they do, you WILL see these images and many more in upcoming digital clip art kits in my Aimee Asher Digital Boutique! Plus, I am planning a major overhaul of my currently under-utilized CafePress store, and you will be able to purchase many of the designs I've done over the past two years or so on everything from baby onesies to mugs to mousepads! I'll surely keep you up to date on these developments!!

Right now, I have to switch gears back to drawing...I'm creating Thanksgiving designs at the moment, which can be a little mind-bending, but I'm loving it! (pumpkin pie anyone?)

But before I go, I would be remiss to go any longer without sharing with you that I was the winner of a great giveaway that my talented artist friend Monica Lee of Monica Lee Studios had a while back. I won this AWESOME book, created by the wonderful folks from Where Women Create!!

(image courtesy of Monica Lee)

Yep, it is just as inspiring and lovely as you would imagine. THANK YOU Monica for the generous giveaway...I will cherish it always! Please stop by and check out Monica's newest fabric collection for Timeless Treasures...it's SO VERY CUTE!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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PS - Please keep the victims of the Japan earthquake and all others effected by this tragedy in your prayers...

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:1-2 (NLT)

The Big Easy

2011-03-07T21:44:00.001-06:00

Hi friends! Just wanted to share a little tip of the hat to The Big Easy on this Mardi Gras eve (I'm not really a big Mardi Gras fan, but I appreciate the colorful quirkiness of it). I made this poster for Illustration Friday when the topic was "Alphabet" back in 2007. It was one of the most fun and most labor intensive illustrations I've ever done...it's a favorite of mine. (btw, this design is available on a variety of products at my CafePress store)

I love New Orleans; it is a unique and wonderful place with incredible food, amazing architecture, and an infinitely interesting variety of people. After a 2007 trip there, I also made the following poster from photos I took around town...such a cool place, and a photographer's dream!

I hope you have a fun, festive Tuesday!

I'll be back very soon to show you a great giveaway prize that I won, give you a sneak peek at the images from what will soon be a new Aimee Asher digital clipart kit...plus a preview of a new post I am putting together for the Aimee Asher blog about where I get my inspiration. I hope you'll stop back by and check it out!

Blogger Guilt

2011-03-05T23:26:00.000-06:00

Will a cute kitty all scrubbed and ready for bed help make up for the fact that I'm a lousy blogger...?

What if I throw in a pizza?

Y'all ever feel blogger guilt? Just wondering...?

Beach Cottage Birthday Present

2011-03-01T22:39:00.002-06:00

I set out at the beginning of this year to make birthday presents for family and friends instead of buy them. I wanted to save money, true, but more importantly I wanted to give gifts that were unique and personal and that reflected the heart of the recipient. Well, so far, so good! My latest birthday present project was this beach-inspired wall art for my sweet sister-in-law. She loves all things beachy and reflects that in her decorating, so it wasn't too difficult to come up with a theme...

I started with a piece of beadboard and a garage sale frame for the base of the art. My Dad cut the beadboard to fit the frame, fastened it into the frame, then I painted the whole thing Heirloom White.

Next, I painted an 8" x 10" canvas board with a sand dollar/beach motif using acrylic craft paints...(I REALLY enjoyed doing this kind of painting again...it's been a while since I've painted anything non-digital...it felt good!)

...then I printed Psalm 139: 17-18 onto white cardstock, cut it into strips, artificially aged it with antique glaze, and used Mod Podge to attach it to the painting once it was dry...

I have a stash of various knobs and found three matching ones to use as hangers on the beadboard. They were stark white, so I used the same antique glaze on them as I used on the Scripture and then they matched just fine. I attached them using E-6000 glue. Then I topped off the frame with seashells from a family trip to the beach, also attached with E-6000 glue. Finally I glued the canvas board onto the beadboard to complete the framed wall hanging...

Once the framed part was complete, I took a 4" x 6" canvas board that I had, and painted a coordinating background on it. After that I simply painted "beach cottage" on the board, and glued on another shell at the top. To finalize it, I drilled two holes in the top of the small canvas and strung coordinating glass beads on a length of wire to make a hanger. I curled the ends of the wire to secure it. This made a nifty little sign to hang on one of the knobs...

I really liked how the whole piece turned out and my sister-in-law was thrilled with it...yay! Mission Accomplished! This project definitely got me thinking of similar things to make. After this one was completed I created another similar project for my bff's birthday, but with a different design and colors. I'll share photos of that wall art soon...

Thanks for letting me share a little taste of the beach with you! I hope you'll be blessed by the message of the Scripture passage I used for the art. God has definitely got YOU on His mind today and always...you can count on that!

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand."

Psalm 139:17-18

Have a glorious week friends!!

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I'm linking up to the Thank Goodness it's Friday party at Craft Junkie Too!

and

Go check out all the great creative ideas!

Ooh La La!

2011-02-24T10:10:00.000-06:00

I just created a new digital clip art kit for my Digital Boutique called the "Ooh La La - Lingerie Shower Kit"! The artwork was inspired by the lingerie shower we threw a while back for my then niece-to-be...

You can see more of the fun pictures from this previous post. There are a lot of great party ideas in that post that would be applicable to many kinds of parties, not just lingerie showers...

The new kit itself makes it easy to personalize your decorations, invitations, and favors with French-inspired flair like these cupcake toppers and candy wrappers, plus it would provide the perfect accents for a lingerie shower scrapbook layout or photo album!

We posted a 2-part review of the the shower post for my column over at the Aimee Asher blog. I hope you'll bookmark the blog and check out lots of great creative crafting ideas from the editor and artists of Aimee Asher!

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I'm working on the garden-themed kit now...I hope to be able to finish it for next week!! And we'll be sharing more great party ideas too, this time with a garden theme, just in time for your Springtime event planning!

Thanks as usual for stopping by friends...you really make my day!

HUGS!!

That's better...

2011-02-18T10:09:00.000-06:00

...I needed to get my Valentine greeting off of here...

...and get some visions of Spring going...

...much better.

I hope, no matter what you may see outside your window right now, that you at least have a little Spring in your heart!

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"For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations."
Isaiah 61:11 (The Message)

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PS - I've started work on my newest digital clipart kit...it's called "Get Your Garden On!" and will be full of all things Garden! It'll be perfect for garden journals, Spring parties and showers, and all manner of Spring cardmaking and crafting! And like Spring, it's right around the corner...

Please Bee Mine!

2011-02-14T15:10:00.000-06:00

Big HUGS to you all on this fine Valentine's Day!

(and an extra squeeze for my sweet hubby - Love you Johnny!)

"Creative Celebrations with Becky"

2011-02-11T10:43:00.000-06:00

New, exciting things are happening over at the revamped Aimee Asher Blog, and I invite you to check it out and follow along with us! (for those of you who may not know, Aimee Asher is a printable and digital crafting mall selling all manner of digital clipart, printables, digi stamps, and much more, and I have a storefront there selling my digital work) The sweet, uber-talented Tammy DeYoung, one of my fellow artists at Aimee Asher, has stepped in to reorganize and reinvigorate the blog, and she is doing a great job!! As part of the revamp, several of the Aimee Asher artists are going to be contributors, writing "columns" for the blog. I am honored to be one of them! My column is called "Creative Celebrations with Becky" and we kicked it off with a post linking to my Valentine Paper Bag Journal Tutorial, just for starters...

But there is much more to come as I will be writing about all kinds of fun celebrations and sharing inspiration for making those celebrations even more memorable - from Bridal Showers to Birthday Parties, Girls Night Out to Women's Retreats, DIY Weddings to Baby Showers...and so much more...!! I am so excited! I hope you'll bookmark our site and follow along with all our crafting adventures. (You can go here to "Like" us on Facebook too!) There are so many CUTE, clever, and very affordable crafting kits available...come check it out!!

Let the party begin!!

Valentine Paper Bag Journal Tutorial!

2011-02-04T12:19:00.004-06:00

I'm so happy to be able to share this simple Valentine Paper Bag Journal project with you and show you the step by step instructions! It's really simple and VERY versatile...you can use any combination of papers, trims, and embellishments...whatever suits your fancy!

(BTW, I am in no way the inventor of the paper bag journal...I saw lots of these all over the place on Google Images, and they were all fun and different, with different ways to combine the pages and bind the edges, etc. I just played around with the inspiration I found and came up with this...)

For this tutorial, I've used my new "Valentine Variety Pack" digital clipart collection, available here at my Just Bee 'n Me Digital Boutique at Aimee Asher (just $4.99!)

To make the Paper Bag Journal, gather standard size paper lunch bags (I used 3 for this project), glue stick (or whatever whiz-bang glue stuff the pro scrappers use...I'm just a rank amateur), single hole punch, scissors, ruler, pen, and your papers, trims, ribbons, and embellishments...

Fold your paper bags in half, and alternate the direction of the bag with each section. I chose to have the bottom of the bag to the right for my first section...

...and the top of the bag to the right for my second section, and so on...

Next, use the hole punch to punch 3 holes in the folded part of your first bag. (I just eye-balled the placement cuz that's just how I roll, but you can measure if you want them to be more precise)...

I tried to punch through more than one bag at a time, but my little hole punch just couldn't cut it, so you can use a pen to mark the position of the holes on the subsequent bags and punch them individually. Here's a little tip (but a blurry picture), use the open part of the hole punch on top of the bag so you can easily see the pen mark and center your punch...

Once you have all the bags punched, you are ready to start embellishing. Measure your paper for the cover - I cut my cover piece 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" to leave plenty of room for the holes, then I covered the back of the paper with glue stick...

Adhere the background paper to the front of the cover, then start embellishing to your liking...

I used a heart shaped paper doily and some trim from my stash to get it started. I chose my heart cherry clipart from my kit to add to the layout...simply print on white cardstock and cut out leaving a little white border if you desire...

To add a bit more interest, I used these little double-sided sticky foam dots to raise the cutout image slightly above the surface...

I added quite a bit more to this cover a little later as you can see in the first photo, but you get the idea. And let me give this disclaimer at this point; there is SO much more you can do with these pages than I did here. For example you can "age" the edges of the papers with distressing ink, use decorative edged scissors to cut your backgrounds, etc, but I kept it really simple to 1) allow me to finally get this finished, and 2) give you basic ideas that you can build on with your own cool ideas...

The front page of the journal has an opening that is perfect for tucking in little goodies of all kinds. I used printed inserts from my kit to share an inspirational sentiment, but you could easily add a CD, a candy bar (wrapped and decorated with papers and cutouts), a gift card, a flavored tea bag or hot cocoa package, a vintage hankie, or whatever you can dream up! To use one of the printed cards, simply print it out on white cardstock and staple on a piece of ribbon to add a little pull...

...then slip it into the bag opening...

Next, decorate the inside of the folded bag. I used background paper and an index card (for journaling or a personal message) for this layout. Then I added red rosebud cutout images with foam sticky risers and ric rac trim...

On the facing page I added one of my ready made printable designs and didn't add any other embellishments. I just glued it right over the folded over flap at the bottom of the bag (but you can actually utilize that folded part and decorate it as two separate pieces if you'd like (I did that extensively on the first paper bag journal I made)...

Next, flip the bag over and embellish the back...I made a "pocket" for this page by cutting a piece of coordinating paper 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" and gluing just 3 edges...

...then I made a little tag insert with an index card, hole punch, and ribbon...

I then cut out a word from my kit and added a button with ribbon trim...

Next, start on the second paper bag section...I used another printable for the entire page and simply added coordinating trims around the edges... (disclosure: I made the printable pages 5" x 5" in the kit, so if you use them as a page, you will need to trim them just a bit to leave room for the punched holes)...

Open the section #2 bag and decorate the interior...

I think the photos are pretty self explanatory (don't you love the glue on my fingers and nails...cute!)...

For a fun little touch, I glued the word "sweet!" and a rosebud image from my kit onto a circle tag, then attached it to the edge of the fold of the bag with the hole punch and ribbon (hint: don't try to punch through glued down ribbon...argh! I did it but it wasn't pretty!)

Here's another place for an insert - use your imagination! I used another printable Scripture card with a ribbon pull...

Then finish off the back of section #2...

Grab the final paper bag section #3...

...but please don't do this (this photo shows just a fraction of the white buttons I dropped on the floor :o(

After picking up every single button, I went on to finish section #3...

...and added a third and final insert...this time with ric rac for the pull...

Open the bag to complete the last center section...

And for the back of the journal, it might be nice to add a personal message or closing sentiment. I used a ready to print tag and rose image from my kit and added a bit of trim for mine...just keeping it simple...

The final step is binding the journal...I used ribbon and ric rac, but you could easily use twine, small metal rings, or whatever you'd like. To tie the journal together, simply cut ribbon lengths, stack the pages in order, thread the ribbon through the holes, and tie securely. I repeated this with two additional trims to make it extra frou frou!

That's it - it's really pretty simple, very versatile, and lots of fun! This would be a unique and inexpensive Valentine's gift for teachers, BFFs, kids, and others...simply adjust the contents and embellishments as appropriate! (by the way, it's my understanding that these paper bags are not acid-free, so keep that in mind if you want to use photos in your project...you might want to opt for a color copy rather than an original photo...)

Here's a quick look at how it all ended up when I was done...

I hope you enjoyed that and found it helpful...? I had SO much fun making the kit then putting the journal together! I'd love to see your spin on the paper bag journal...I hope you'll share it with all of us!

Happy crafting y'all, and stay warm and safe out there!!

Next up, a new kit for Spring/Easter, and I'll be exploring new crafting possibilities with the images. I hope you'll hang around to see more!

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Hey Y'all - I'm linking up to Get Your Craft On over at Today's Creative Blog! (Thanks Kim for this awesome Linky!) - please go and check out all the incredible projects for more crafty inspiration!!