Welcome Back!

Good morning!  So...how many of you have kids that started school today?  School starts for Kyler on Thursday but today we are going through his supplies making sure he has everything he needs.  Fun stuff!

Today I thought I'd show you the set of door hangers that I made for the teachers of Kyler's school and also the version I made for the male teachers which is right in front.  The images are from Doodle Pantry's School Sheep set and are pre-colored.  There was no way I was going to color all of those! I also printed the A+ and apple background on the door hangers that is in the School Time paper pack.  I did just a little select coloring on the apples and then highlighted the colored apples with glaze and the leaves with some stardust gelly roll pen.

As you can see I added the Ghirardelli chocolates and some Starbucks Via (instant) coffee in the pouch and they are all ready to go!  Yay!

I also added a photo of what the door hanger looks like on the door.  Pretty nice I'd say although I do think I don't want them to hang there too long as the cardstock isn't as thick as it could be and my other concern is little hands (since I did one for all the teachers K-8 plus the principal and office secretary).

Anyway, there you have it!  Kyler's school does do a little student orientation day with a hot dog lunch that allows the kids to drop off their backpacks full of stuff, see their friends, and get oriented with the school again tomorrow so I think  I'll go ahead and put the door hangers up tomorrow.

I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

Thought of the day:  Never let your kids walk away without a kiss!  My kids are not allowed to leave or hang up the phone without saying 'I love you' especially if it was a particularly difficult conversation.

Yee-Haw!

Happy Labor Day friends!  I hope you have a wonderful day filled with friends and good times planned!

Today is Doodle Pantry's new release day!  I LOVE Doodle Pantry's images and this month is no exception!  I had fun creating with the Cowboy Birdie image which is perfect for this time of the year in my town.  You see, we have a rodeo Labor Day weekend every year.  Actually our county fair and the rodeo run consecutively having started on Thursday last week and today being the last day.  We got tickets for the rodeo finals today.  I won't look nearly as cute as this birdie as I own absolutely nothing even close to something that looks western but it will be fun anyway!

Anyway, the patterned paper are also from the Doodle Pantry release this month and are called, appropriately, Western Papers.  They match perfectly with the colored Cowboy Birdie that I used for my card. 

Make sure you click on over to the Doodle Pantry Blog HERE to see what the challenge is for this month.  You will have a chance to win one of two $15 gift certificates as well as receive the set Popsicle Ants set for free just for playing along...very neat, huh?

Thought of the day:  What will you do for someone else today that will show them the love of Jesus?  Remember it doesn't have to be something big...it can be a smile, an "I'm here if you need me", or a hug. 

A Conversation

I got to talk with my son on the phone the other day...I LOVE to hear his voice!  It went a little something like this...

5AM:  Phone rings.  It is amazing what can go through your mind in just a few seconds.  At first I thought maybe it was my DH but nope, too early, then my heart stopped for a second hoping it wasn't a different type of call.  I answered 'hello' and after a the longest one second delay I heard my son's voice.  Ahhhh...love it!

DS:  Hi mom.
Me:  Oh, hi Jon.  How are you?
DS:  I'm fine.  (phew!)
Me:  Good!
DS:  I'm sorry mom, I forgot what time it is I was walking past the phones and they were open so I thought I'd call.
Me:  It is just fine...I told you to call whenever you want.
DS:  I know.
Me:  So, what did you do today?
DS:  Got shot at.
Me:  Did you shoot back?
DS:  Yep.
Me:  Well, good.  I guess if you are going to get shot at then you should shoot back.

Yeah, pretty much the conversation after that is a blur as I absorb, once again, what clear and present danger he is in.  When relating this story to my oldest son's girlfriend she said "well as least he went on after the 'Got shot' and added the 'at'.  I think that is an excellent way to look at it!

If you have ever wondered what it is like to be a mom to a kiddo that is deployed I think the above gives you an excellent idea.  I have to put my son in God's arms and leave him there.  I can't honestly understand how anyone without faith makes it through their child's deployment.  Yes, I am aware Jon could be hurt or even killed but if that happens...I still trust in God's plan.

Please be praying for our troops, of course pray for their physical safety but also pray for the morale of the troops, their emotional and their spiritual well being as well.  Satan works hard to draw everyone away from God but I think he works extra hard on those who are in a combat zone. 

1st Sweet Stop Post!

Good Saturday morning friends!  I hope your weekend is going well so far!  I am excited to welcome you to my first Saturday Sweet Stop post!

This weeks sketch is such a wonderful one.  It can be used to either be more clean (like mine) or a little more fussy if you'd like.  So fun! 

The image I used today is from MFT and is called Poppy.  I got it because I love the sentiment behind the poppy in November...Veteran's Day.  The patterned paper I used today is a downloadable set that I found on Etsy.  If you are interested in the designer just shoot me an e-mail. 

I was disappointed at the football game we attended yesterday because our team lost, darn it!  Good news is...the Packers won on Thursday night, yay!

Anyway, I hope you will hop on over to The Sweet Stop to see what the other designers have made as they are ALL fabulous!

Thought of the day:  Sometimes God calms the storms...sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.  My thoughts are with a friend of mine that is going through a really tough time right now.  HUGS girlfriend!

Book Ants

Good Thursday morning friends!  As you know today is fair/rodeo week in my town and with that it means that school starts next week.  Eek!  Next week!  I have to finish those back to school gifts for the teachers!  Anyway, Kyler has an orientation day on Wednesday and then on Thursday is the first day of school.  I'm excited and nervous (kinda like him I'm sure) all at one time for the new year.

Since I am a card maker I thought maybe it would be nice to make him a card for the first day of school...I'll probably put it at his breakfast spot on Thursday.  I just had to use the super cute Book Ants image and sentiment from Doodle Pantry for his card this year.  It is getting harder and harder to find images (digi) that are good for a teenager that aren't emu, skulls, or tats.  I just want clean cut, video game playin', hangin' out type of images.  Anyway, I paired this image with the School Time Digi Paper Pack.  I have grown to love it when a set comes with or has separately the perfect papers! 
Here is too a wonderful new school year to all children that are headed back this week and next!

I do have a little exciting news for ya.  Yesterday I told you that I was done on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps design team well...after I had already posted that Korin asked me to be a part of The Sweet Stop sketch team so I am now a Sugar Baby!   I absolutely love the sketches at The Sweet Stop and the fact that you can use any images not just SNSS images so make sure you go check that out too, k?!

Thought for the day: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."  Hebrews 10:24  How can you spur someone onto love and good deeds today?

PS:  If my post looks a little funky for the next couple of days, forgive me.  I'm trying to get used to the new blogger template.