In His Grip

Three Word Thursday

Reduce, reuse, recycle. . .

 

FREE Spring Banner Download

Hey, gals I have figured out how to share my Spring Banner design with all of you as a PDF file.  Just click here and print your banner on card stock.  You can go to my Spring Banner post to see exactly how I made this banner from start to finish.  This is my first offering of a design of my own.  So if you like this and use it just leave me a comment so that I see how many people are interested in things like this and maybe I can design some more fun things  and post them for sharing.  Happy Spring to you all!!!!!

Helping Japan

I just can not get the images of the devastation in Japan out of my head.  Sitting here in my home with water, electricity and many other comforts makes me feel so helpless.  From here, I know there is really only one thing that I can do and that is pray for the leaders and people of Japan.  Their need for comfort, daily needs, and wisdom in the face of all the destruction has to be overwhelming.  My heart goes out to the organizations that are on the ground in what I am sure is a desperate need to help and not stop until there is nothing else to be done.  I always have a yearning to go to these devastated places in the world and help, but I have no way to do this, let alone funds to make a difference.  I do know I can help with my donation to organizations that are there on the ground and they do need the funds, even if it is just my little bit.  Here are few ways you too can make a denotation.

Heart to Heart International is an organization that mobiles volunteers and supplies in the face of disastors.  Find out how you can help with a donation or provide personal care kits at their website.

Salvation Army has made it possible to donate by texting the words "Japan" or "Quake" to 80888 to make a $10 donation, or make a donation via their website here.

The Red Cross also offers this option, text "Redcross" to 90999 to donate $10 as well, or visit their website to make other donations.

Spring Banner With Digital Scrapbooking

Update:  I was able to offer a free download of this as a PDF file click here. 

 Late last Fall I wanted to try my hand at this digital scrapbooking craze I keep seeing all over blog-ville.  I began to research digital scrapbooking software.  I wanted something easy to use with not only lots of style options, but I also did not want to invest much money in case I was not able to figure it out.  As you know, I am self taught in most of what I do creatively and there are times I am just not a good enough teacher to continue with a particular skill.  The program I decided to use is Scrapbook Max.  I have found it very simple to use and there are hundreds if not thousands of different kinds of elements that you can download.  Now that I have some knowledge of the ins and outs of this program I decided to try my hand at a spring banner for the hearth.

 
I chose the Cotton Tail Kit to make the elements that would make up my banner and then printed them on card stock.

 
 
After cutting out each tag and backgrounds, I used foam pop ups to adhere the tags to the backgrounds to give them some dimension.  Then using brads and millinery flowers embellished each.

 
Using an exacto knife I cut a slit 1 1/4" down from the top large enough to allow the ribbon to thread through it.

 
 
Next, with several different colors of pastel ribbon, I tied bows and then hot glued them between each letter and added just a tag to the beginning, end and between each word.

 
There you have my first digital scrapbooking project.  If I can figure out how to upload the pdf files of this, I will share it with.  If you have any ideas of how to do this or can direct me to a website, let me know.

I am participating in the following link ups: The DIY Showoff, Boggieboard Cottage, Its So Very Cheri, The Girl Creative, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Between Naps on the Porch, Skip to My Lou, Coastal Charm, Ladybug Blessings, Today's Creative Blog, All Things Heart & Home, Blue Cricket Design, Fireflies and Jellybeans

Three Word Thursday

. . . Love Really Means

 

Panda Hat

Crocheting hats has become something I just cannot stop doing.  I found this design for a panda hat and just had to make it.  I made some changes to the pattern to make it just a bit better.  There is just something about yarn and I just cannot get enough of it.  Its like that with fabric for me too, but at least I have a job that uses fabrics everyday.  With yarn, I have to make some kind of excuse to buy it, so knitting and crocheting is a good thing, right?  I always seem to have some kind of hand work project going. In fact, there is a basket next to my chair that has all of my current projects in it.  I often think that it will some day be empty, but some how new projects seem to show up it my basket and it is never empty. Today I visited a new yarn store on the Plaza, The Studio, and purchased a beautiful cream colored suri yarn to make some more fingerless gloves.

 
The pink owl hat I made for, Lindsey, our 23 year old daughter.  She just had to have it for a trip she took to Colorado over President's day weekend.  It went perfect with her black, white and pink snow boarding outfit.  She gave the panda hat to her boyfriend who has a thing for pandas.  She says that he liked it but I have no proof that he actually wore it.  But you never know with snow boarders, they will likely to wear anything.

I am participating in the following link ups: Between Naps on the Porch, Its So Very Cheri, Keeping It Simple, The DIY Showoff, The Girl Creative, Skip to My Lou, Coastal Charm, Krafty Kat, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, All Things Heart & Home

Three Word Thursday

Born this way. . .