Trust Fulfilled

When we put our trust in someone we don't know what the outcome will be but our trusting means that we expect the outcome to be as we hope.  So it is with prayer.  I have been praying to God for the last 8 years about an impossible situation and asking for an answer and resolution.  For 8 years the situation deteriorated but my wonderful God had given me an assurance that things would work out and be ok.  I've journalled and posted about this many times.  I put my trust in God - I always trusted that He heard every single one of my prayers and that He would answer in His own perfect way and time.  It's what held me through the years of anxiety and stress in coping with it.

BUT

I'm happy, very very very happy to say that God's time to answer has come and the situation is now resolved!!!  TOTALLY resolved in a PERFECT way.  My trust in God over this one issue has been fulfilled.  I am totally overwhelmed with gratitude and relief.

Obviously I had to journal this, here is my page:

I wanted a busy page to reflect the worry, cares and prayers over the years.  It seemed a perfect excuse to go mad with my stencils and do something to coincide with the abstract theme which is the current PaperArtsy challenge.  It also fits perfectly with Carolyn Dube's new weekly link party with is appropriately called Let's Play.  Following Carolyn's blog has really helped me to stop trying too hard and to simply have fun with paint, etc. and enjoy the process.  So this page is a pretty messy, but who cares, hey?

The white tile texture represents God showering His blessing of care during this time and of course the answered prayer:

I initially started with red, orange and yellow swiped around with a baby wipe which is a favourite thing at the moment.  I did my usual trick of splurging way too much paint at the start which all get left on the baby wipe.  I wasn't going to waste it so spread it on some tags:

And some card (I did add a bit more yellow):

and a canvas which I've had for ages and have been trying to pluck up the courage to do.  I've never done one before you see, and it feels very intimidating!  However, the colour looks so fab I can't wait to get going on it.

I'd like to encourage those of you who have been praying for something which seems impossible.  Don't give up, don't lose hope.  Persevere with your prayers and trust God.  He loves you and cares for you and He really will answer in His own perfect way and His own perfect time.
Blessings to you.

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month
Let's Play
PaperArtsy
Create with Joy Friendship Friday
Art Journal Every Day

Christmas Cards 2

Its day 18 on Art Every Day Month.  I haven't posted every day but I have been making something or other most days.

Here are two more Christmas cards using the same stamp (a freebie from Craft Stamper Dec 2013) as in the card in my previous post.  I like to take a stamp for my Christmas cards and see how many different ways I can use it.  Its fun coming up with different designs from the same stamp, really the number is limitless if you think you can change the colour, shape of the cardblank, embellishments, position, etc, etc.

I stayed with the blue theme inspired by the Country View Challenge this month which is 'the colour blue'.  I love the wintry, snowy feel this gives.  I inked the stamp with VersaColour Icicle which is a 5 shades of blue in one inkpad so you get a lovely shading on the image:

For the second I mounted on inked blue card:

I used different sections of the inkpad to get the different shading on each image:

I'm going to really enjoy making my cards this year!

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month
Country View Challenges

Christmas Card

Here is my first Christmas card for this year.  I've been obsessed with autumn colours for some time and thought I really must move onto something else so since the colour blue is the challenge for November at Country View Challenges I thought blue was the way to go!

I used a lovely stamp which was a freebie from Craft Stamper magazine from Christmas 201:

I inked the stamp with Faded Jeans and Broken China distress ink and spritzed with water before stamping and repeated all over the card, turning the stamp and masking as necessary.  For the single top one I white embossed the stamp and then sponged ink for a reverse effect:

I really like the snowy, wintry feel and I enjoyed using the blues.... :)

I'm linking up at:
Country View Challenges - the colour blue 
Craft Stamper Take It Make It challenge 
Art Every Day Month 
Create With Joy Inspire Me Monday 
 

Fragile but Strong

Those of you who have visited here before will know that I suffer from bouts of chronic fatigue syndrome, particularly in the autumn.  I'm actually getting much better but still can't do very much - I have to pace myself very carefully.  In the past I have often got very frustrated and even depressed when struggling through one of these episodes and feeling so ill.  Did you notice the 'in the past'?  That's right - at the moment I am NOT feeling frustrated and depressed :)   I have learnt to cope with it partly by acceptance, partly by learning to listen to my body but mostly because I turn to God in it all.  I read my bible and draw strength and encouragement from God's promises:

The Lord God is my Strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] 

on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].

Hab 3: 19 Amplified

This was my inspiration for the journal page below.  I felt so fragile in my body but remarkably ok in myself:

  

I stayed with rich autumn colour for the Art Journal Journey Autumn Colours challenge - I'm loving these colours at the moment - and an abstract look for the PaperArtsy  Abstract Art challenge.  I swiped the colours all over with a baby wipe and added stamping and stencillling:

Plus my home made texture paste through a TCW Balzer stencil,

sponging gold over the paste with the stencil still in place because I love the white highlight this gives:

 I wrote the words on card - wonky letters for a fragile effect :)

straight letters for strong:

The words came to me before I started the page, I like to do a page to fit the words. 
This was a fun page to do and came together quickly which is what I need at the moment due to energy levels.  

What is the source of my strength?  I can say that the source of my strength is Jesus.  Are you struggling today?  Turn to Him, He will help you through.

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month 

PaperArtsy Abstract Art Challenge 

Art Journal Journey Autumn Colours 

Create With Joy Friendship Friday 

Grateful Journal 4

Its day 10 at Art Every Day Month and I haven't been posting every day - I haven't got the energy at the moment due to a flare up of chronic fatigue which I tend to succumb to in the autumn for some reason.  But I have been doing some art every day - I find it really helps to keep me positive.  Art and my faith of course, really I should say my faith first and also art!  I don't know how I would cope without God in my life even more during these times of being unwell.  As I pray and spend time with Him I am so aware of His love and care and compassion.  He gives me strength to endure.  I give thanks to Him for all the many, many wonderful and good things in my life and as I do that my focus is on Him, not on myself.  If I start to focus on myself I can easily succumb to the POMs (poor old me!) and that wouldn't get me anywhere.  I'm thankful for these times, actually.  I've been here many times before and I know what to do.  I look on them as little 'selahs' - selah is a word in the bible, in the psalms which is thought to mean pause and think, lift up and praise.  Its an opportunity for stillness and rest in a very busy world.  You see?  There is a silver lining in every cloud, or as the bible says, God brings good out of everything.

I find my gratitude journal a good thing to do at the moment.  The pages are small and being grateful keeps me positive.  Here are a couple of pages, they are quick, very imperfect pages!

 They are facing pages so the colours are co-ordinated, sort of in a reverse way:

Here are the tags which have a thanksgiving bible verse on one side and the things I am grateful for on that day written on the reverse:

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month

Give Thanks Triptych

Its day 8 on Art Every Day Month and I didn't post yesterday but I did do art!  I was working on the project below.

I have been all inspired by the current challenge at PaperArtsy which is on Triptychs.  I love making them.  I've made several as gifts but this latest one is for us.  It is a 'Give Thanks' triptych.  Having a grateful heart is something very much on my heart at the moment.  When we remember to be grateful, not just for the big things in our lives but also for all the little ordinary things of life, we definitely feel better, more positive, optimistic, happy with our lot.  I don't ever want to take anything for granted but to be grateful to my God for His provision, big and small for me, for the beautiful world we live in, for friends and family, for the hundred and one little things that make up each day. When I thank God for these and everything it takes my focus off me and my problems and puts them on Him and His greatness and on the wonder of what it means to be His child.

Here is my triptych inspired by the beautiful examples on the PaperArtsy blog. 

I wanted to do a traditional type triptych which I love.  I cut the three sections using a double layer of thick cardboard packaging which gave a great sturdy base, then painted with Nougat and Claret PaperArtsy fresco finish chalk acrylics.  I did the crackle glaze effect but wasn't happy with it so overpainted in Nougat again and distressed.

Then I stencilled:

Stamped a script randomly all over and a flourish around the edges - the November challenge at Craft Stamper is to 'Take a Stamp'.

I stamped the flowers and highlighted in gold, added texture paste through a PaperArtsy leaf stencil and painted over in gold with the stencil still in place which gives a lovely white highlight.

I edged all the sections in gold and added the hinges which are card painted gold.

Finally I printed out the thanksgiving verses.  Here is the triptych lying flat:

It was so fun to do and I'm really pleased with it.  It will serve as a great reminder to keep a grateful heart.

The triptych challenge finishes today but I'm going to go on making them!

I'm linking up at:

PaperArtsy
Craft Stamper
Art Every Day Month
Create With Joy Inspire Me Monday 

Grateful Journal 3

Its day 6 at Art Every Day Month and I didn't get time to post yesterday or do anything in my gratitude journal either.  The days I go to work (only Tuesdays and Thursdays now) its just not going to be possible I discovered yesterday .  I simply haven't got the energy after work.  The last few years I've had major flare ups of chronic fatigue in the autumn.  This year I'm keeping going but really have no reserves of energy at all, so I go to work and church and that's about it.  Thank God for creativity because it keeps me sane!  I might not have energy to go careering around doing loads of stuff but I can play and pray :)

Here are my next 2 pages in my gratitude journal, I did the backrounds on Wednesday and the tags today.

I love the bible, I find it really helps me.  When I read about God and how much He loves us and all His promises its a huge encouragement.  So the idea of the tags is to have a thanksgiving scripture on the front and my own thanksgiving for the day written on the back.  The tags are stuck with repositional glue dots so I can read what's on the back at any time.

These were very quick and simple backrounds and tags.  I added texture paste and stamped into the circles:

Today I'm so thankful that this year I am working and not totally laid up.  I'm thankful for the energy that I do have and for the wonderful gift of creativity.  I'm thankful for colour and paint and fun things to do.  I'm thankful for my wonderful supportive family and friends, including all my blogland friends who are so very encouraging.  Bless you all.

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month
Art Journal Every Day
Create with Joy - Friendship Friday
That's Crafty - Tag Challenge

Bless This House Triptych

Its day 4 at Art Every Day Month. 

Here is another triptych which I made inspired by the triptych challenge at PaperArtsy and in particular by a gorgeous example by Jo Firth-Young who is the designer of my favourite Jofy stamps.  Her Bloom and Grow triptych was a horizontal rectangular one and I thought it would be fun to try and do one with the house stamp. 

It was really fun to do.  I cut the rectangles from thick cardboard packaging and brayered Smurf and Glass Blue freso finish chalk acrylics, then had fun with stencils and stamps on the backround.  I love the house stamp, love that its got the word 'sanctuary' on it which is what everyone's home should be.  I stamped, painted and cut out.

I really don't like fussy cutting but these trees, part of the house set, were just crying out to be cut out:

I die cut the letters from card which I had painted with London Bus, same as the house, then added a little stamping for interest:

Then I stuck it all down, mounting the house on foam pads with a tree partly behind.  I punched holes with my trusty Crop-A-Dile and threaded cord from my recycle stash.  I didn't have enough cord so will need to redo this when I get some otherwise I will have two spare holes on the bottom layer!

and layering the trees, leaving some unstuck for depth:

Triptychs are amazingly fun to do and they made lovely gifts.

I'm linking up at:

PaperArtsy - Triptych challenge
Art Every Day Month
Create with Joy Friendship Friday

Grateful Journal 2

Its day 3 on Art Every Day Month and page 2 in my Gratitude journal :)  which I am going to keep this month, the plan being to do a page a day or as near as I can manage.  I thought I'd look at the meaning of gratefulness for this page and looked it up in the thesaurus.  I love some of the expressions for grateful - overflow with gratitude, receive with open arms, praise Heaven.  Overflow!  Open Arms!  Praise Heaven!  All words that speak of brimming and fullness and joy and good feeling.  Isn't that how we all wish to be!  Its how we all CAN be by having a heart that is thankful and never forgets so never takes things for granted.

Here is my page, since it faces my title page I've done it in the same style in autumn colours which I can't stop using at the moment!  Perfect for this month's theme at Art Journal Journey!

I swiped the colours, a simple yellow, orange and red, around with a baby wipe:

and stencilled and stamped:

What am I particularly thankful for today?
For my job which I love and which I can do despite flare ups of chronic fatigue,
For special friends who have been there for me in recent trouble,
For a God who loves me, wants the best for me, walks beside me,
For autumn colours!

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month
Art Journal Journey
Art Journal Every Day

Grateful Journal

My friend Sarah gave me a beautiful journal for my birthday and I thought it would be fun to turn it into a 'Grateful' journal.  I'm going to try and do something every day in it for the whole of November to coincide with Art Every Day Month and also The Heart of Gratitude Journey  which is for two weeks. 

Having a grateful heart is so important, no - more than that - its necessary!   It helps make us positive people, who will always see the best in everything and everyone and won't let us take things for granted.  Dominic (my husband) and I have a cup of tea (made by him :) ) every morning before we get up and have a chat and a pray and we start off by giving thanks to our amazing God for the good things that happened the previous day, or just for whatever we can think of.  It gets the day off to a great start!

Here is the title page for my Grateful journal:

I used autumn colours again, can't seem to stop using them!  I love them and its also the theme for the month at Art Journal Journey.  I started off by splodging paint and spreading with a baby wipe then stencilling.

I remembered I had a thank you stamp which seems perfect for this journal so its going to appear in lots more pages!

I stamped some more and stamped the title which I wanted with the bright yellow in the backround:

This is going to be fun!

I'm linking up at:
Art Every Day Month
Art Journal Journey
Create with Joy Inspire me Monday

Friend Triptych

Here is a triptych which I have made for my friend Sarah, inspired by the current challenge at PaperArtsy which is Triptychs.  I have only ever made one before for my daughter, see it here.  They are really fun to do and I am definitely going to be doing a lot more of them! 

Its also the first day of Art Every Day Month at Creative Every Day.  This will be the second year I do this.  Last year I didn't quite manage every day, but the idea is to give it a go and if you miss a day - it doesn't matter.  The whole point is not to get stressed but to have fun with it and encourage creativity.

Here is my triptych:

I cut the backround out of thick cardboard packaging and added tissue paper and layers of paint:

some stencilling - including a Crafters Workshop houndstooth which I love:

and stamping:

texture paste through a gorgeous PaperArtsy stencil and finally the words which were all on friends:

 

I love using texture paste with this stencil, although I made a bit of a mess in my haste!  I initially sponged in a creamy colour and edged in black but didn't like it so I put the stencil back over and sponged again in white.

Friend quotes are great to include on gifts and cards for friends and I hope Sarah will like this triptych.

Now I'm off to start my next one!  There's lots of inspiration on the PaperArtsy blog.

I'm linking up at:

Art Every Day Month at Creative Every Day

PaperArtsy

Create with Joy - Inspire Me Monday