Making cards

This weekend is the "Good Deeds" auction at church. It's a fun time on Sunday evening when the teens offer their muscles (for raking, weeding, painting, etc.) to the highest bidder and all the funds go toward paying for their week at camp. This year, we have an added twist... adults have been invited to contribute their own unique talents to the auction as well.

Someone already donated a custom made purse, so I had the brilliant idea to add sets of handmade cards to the auction. With that goal before me, I have spent two days working like a madwoman creating what I hope will prompt people to put their hand in the air and bid.

After the first day slaving (Ha! If this is work, bring it on!) over piles of paper, I had an interesting thought...


how much money will a few sets of cards add to the camp fund? Would it pay for a day? A half day, maybe? Oh my... a drop in the bucket!

Then I remembered a phrase from an old song, "Little is much when God is in it."

So, my little sets of cards will go into the auction. Not much to offer, but maybe, the few hours at camp that the cards provide, will be the exact time one of our teens makes a life changing decision to follow God.

A good investment, indeed.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us... Titus 3:5

Two little birdies

Saturday we went to an auction. The estate being sold included inventory from an antique store that had been closed for decades. We brought home a few treasures. They won't make us rich, but they will add richness to our lives.

Like these sassy salt & pepper shaker birds... alert and ready for the cue to start their song. They look like the front of an anniversary card... or maybe a birthday card "from the two of us."

A little tweaking... some fancy paper... who know's where they will appear?

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. Ecclesiastes 4:9

Having fun

It doesn't often happen that my "love to" becomes a "have to."

I needed a card for a shower, so I had to sit down and play with one of the new pictures from my little artists. I love this happy bird. He had just the right look for this card.


This coming Friday, I will assist in a class that will introduce a group of 10-yr-olds to altered books. In order to effectively kindle the creative flame, the kids need to see and touch a finished book... so I have to make my own altered book.

This is the result of my first afternoon at work. The cover is off to a good start.

(cover detail)

The inside pages, slathered in color, are drying overnight. A pile of fibers, rubber stamps, paper bits and vintage mishmash is on the table ready for action tomorrow. I'll have to work all afternoon.

I can't begin to describe the joy that is bubbling all over in me. I love to do this.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:8,9

I could change the color, or maybe...

It isn't hard to multi-task. We do it naturally, more often than we realize. So, while chopping and browning, I pondered my leaf picture. (See March 17) Should the color be darker? Or lighter?

The assembled ingredients simmered as I wondered, could I change the color yet again? What size would look best? What embellishments would add the most appropriate visual interest?


The individual ingredients in the pot on the stove became spaghetti sauce while I manipulated colors, worked the "undo" command, saved, and printed... and then started over again. I wish I could produce the image I see in my mind, but after all the redos, I'm not so sure what that image is.

Today I held finished products in my hands - a big jar of spaghetti sauce and my first leaf card. The spaghetti sauce recipe I will leave alone, but maybe I could add some ink to the card stock, or try a vintage ribbon around the picture...


I love making cards.

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul. Psalm 66:16

Making pictures

I remember the day I started up my first computer. I sat there looking at a blinking cursor on a blank screen and wondering, when will it start doing something?

I recently invested in a photo editing program, loaded it on my computer and found myself asking the same question. I should have known by now that nothing is easy... computers don't do anything by themselves...

In an effort to master this program, I am working my way through 400+ pages of a how-to book. I have gained a little knowledge, used and re-used the "undo" command and honestly, I have had fun just playing around with my photos.

I turned this...

into this.

And I played with this...

until it looked like this!

You may be wondering, what good can all of this effort possibly bring?

Well..... someday, one of my photos+cardstock+a verse will wing its way across town (or country) to fill a dreary day with cheer. I will benefit first from the learning process and then from searching Scripture for just the right verse to add to the card.

Email isn't everything, you know.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13