Happy Halloween

Found this cute guy lurking on another blog. Thanks Anita!

CTMH's November SOTM

Want to join an exclusive club? Every month CTMH offers you an exclusive My Acrylix® D-size stamp set FREE or at a large discount. The stamp set is available to qualifying customers for that month only. It’s our way of saying thank you, and your way of getting fantastic deals on our amazing stamps!

November's set, "A Little Thanks", is adorable and a must-have for card makers and scrapbookers alike. The versatility of A Little Thanks will make this your go-to sentiment stamp set for a multitude of projects. Contact me to place your order and grab your own set!

Shopping at IKEA

I am plowing through another round of the Organize Your Stuff Challenge over at 2 Peas in a Bucket. Some of us "organizers" were summer drop-outs and our illustrious leader (thanks Crisann!) decided to host a third round. And since my knitting hobby has kicked into high gear since the first challenge started back in January, my space has taken-on an additional function. Yarn storage is quickly becoming an issue, and I want to incorporate my fiber stash in my scroffice. So off to IKEA we go ...

I'm lucky to have 3 IKEA stores just about an hour from my home. I grabbed a scrap buddy this morning and we hit the road. I picked-up a 2x2 Expedit unit and the shelf insert shown above. I wanted some lower storage space to move my Clip It Up from the 4x4 Expedit to a more accessible height. I will be adding the upper tier to my base CIU and it will no longer work on the higher Expedit unit.

The shelf insert should work perfectly to display some gorgeous fibers I've been acquiring. The top 2 cubes will be for my yarn stash and knitting books, while the bottom 2 will be utilized for scrap stuff. The top surface should hold the CIU and my Cuttlebug.

And I couldn't resist this cute plastic bag holder for only $1.99. We are half re-usable and half plastic bag user at the grocery store since the plastic bags are perfect for dog walks. This handy dispenser will work great out in the garage. Cheap bonus buy!

Off to build my new Expedit and organize my stuff. I'll post before and after photos, so check back often.

Color Me Monday: Farewell, Indian Summer!

Farewell, Indian Summer!

"Indian summer has officially bid us goodbye, and the chill of fall is finally upon us. When I got up this morning, it definitely felt like fall (or maybe winter!). While I’m a little sad to bid farewell to the warm days, there is something cozy about chunky sweaters on rainy nights and finding frost covering the pumpkins on the porch. As a tribute to the end of October, the studio has whipped up a grand trio of ghoulish artwork featuring a truly autumnal color combination in Goldrush, Barn Red, Olive, and Black."

Jeanette Lynton

TPDL - Life On Earth Is A Test

Life on Earth is a Test by Rick Warren

God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.
2 Chronicles 32:31 (NLT)

Over your Decade of Destiny, you will be tested by God as he develops your character, faith, obedience, love, integrity, and loyalty. Words like trials, temptations, refining, and testing occur more than 200 times in Scripture. God tested Abraham by asking him to offer his son Isaac. God tested Jacob when he had to work extra years to earn Rachel as his wife. Adam and Eve failed their test in the Garden of Eden, and David failed a test from God on several occasions. But the Bible also gives us many examples of people who passed great tests, such as Joseph, Ruth, Esther, and Daniel.

Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment, and even the weather! He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open a door for others, when you pick up a piece of trash, or when you're polite toward a clerk or waitress.

We don't know all the tests God will give you, but we can predict some of them, based on the Bible. You will be tested by major changes, by delayed promises, by impossible problems, by unanswered prayers, undeserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies. In my own life I have noticed that God tests my faith through problems, tests my hope by how I handle possessions, and tests my love through people.

A very important test is how you act when you can't feel God's presence in your life. Sometimes God intentionally draws back, and we don't sense his closeness. A king named Hezekiah experienced this test. The Bible says, "God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart." (2 Chronicles 32:31 NLT) Hezekiah had enjoyed a close fellowship with God, but at a crucial point in his life God left him alone to test his character, to reveal a weakness, and to prepare him for more responsibility.

When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.

The good news is that God wants you to pass the tests of life, so he never allows them to be greater than the grace he gives you to handle them (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Jon Schmidt playing All of Me Live in Concert

Here's another dose of the amazing Jon Schmidt. His music truly moves me. I only wish I hadn't stopped playing the piano so young, but stuck with it and developed the ability to tackle this piece. Hopefully one of my daughters taking lessons will eventually try a Jon Schmidt composition.

Our Best Bites

Sara and Kate our at Our Best Bites are competing in the Better Homes and Gardens Cook-Off this month. And ... they're giving away two of the BH&G's Non-Stick Porcelain Enamel Cookware Collections shown above. Just pop on over to their blog, vote, post a comment and cross your fingers you win.

Then browse Our Best Bites for awesome Halloween Party Food ideas. These ladies are very creative. I especially like the Mummy Dogs and Cheesy Fingers, but my sweet tooth is calling for the Nutty Ghosts. Enjoy!

New CTMH Art & Soul episode

Autumn Projects To Fall For

You’ll fall head over heels for the techniques featured in this episode! Add subtle texture and a variety of colors with tissue stamping; create layouts, cards, mini albums, and home décor with Flip Flaps™; and learn how to cluster embellishments and move or resize them in Studio J®. With all this inspiration, you’ll be unstoppable in all your autumn artwork, so tune in now!

Another Color Me Monday ...

Stamping Is My Favorite Embellishment:


"I love the flexibility, durability, and beauty of stamping. Always have, always will! In today’s artwork, I’m showing some fabulous artwork cooked up in our spooky studio that really showcases stamping. Note on all of these items how minimally they’re embellished, yet how complete and ornate and adorable each piece looks. That’s because stamping IS an embellishment. And a perfect one! From cute and simple cards to 3D items and tags (which didn’t use a pattern, by the way), stamping simply WORKS."

Jeanette Lynton

God be in my ...

"God be in my head,
And in my understanding;
God be in my eyes,
And in my seeing;
God be in my mouth,
And in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
And in my thinking;
God be at my end,
And at my departing."

author: unknown

Elegant Bookmarker

Helena Johansson was a guest designer on the Making Memories blog and I love her work. Especially the gorgeous bookmark she created (shown above). I've been going through my CTMH stash to find just the right papers to scrap lift her work. I think I've settled on the new Magnifique paper pack with some Booksmart Dimensional Elements for that layered look. Some Licorice Opaques and coordinating ribbon should finish it off nicely. I'll post photos when the final project is completed.

Paper ornaments

These adorable Christmas paper ornaments were listed in the project section on the Slice website a few weeks ago. No, I'm not going electronic, but I am always searching for interesting and fun new projects. I clicked through to the Slice website from the Making Memories blog and stumbled upon a great source for inspiration.

I thought the ornaments would make cute teacher gifts for my girls to create. A little extra holiday paper (scraps will do) and some ribbon is all that's needed to re-create these simple, yet elegant, ornaments.

Color Me Monday: Artwork After Dark

"Halloween is best enjoyed in the dusk-to-dark hours when the little spooks prowl the sidewalks and the street lights cast a ghostly glow. That’s the feeling I get when I look at this awesome color combination that’s anchored in Pacifica, a wonderful brooding blue, to convey the air of a Halloween night. Add the traditional holiday flavors of Sunset, Sunny Yellow, and Black and it’s spooky but still vibrant and interesting.

A great element of CTMH’s products (so of course, I can’t resist sharing it with you!), is their flexibility. A little creativity blended with versatile paper and specific stamped images, you can create projects so adorable and unique it’s downright SCARY."

Jeanette Lynton

Harbor Scarf from Lion Brand

Next up on my needles is a free knitting pattern I found over on the Lion Brand website. This Harbor Scarf is perfect for my husband and will give me more experience with cables. Now to pick out the perfect burgundy-color yarn for him. Off to shop at Knit Picks.

Faux Prima flower tutorial

I found this great tutorial by Meridy over at Something Scrappy. She uses a synthetic, silky fabric to create the most beautiful faux flowers. With the flame from a candle and some brads, you can make the stunning flowers shown above.

Her tutorial is clear and straight-forward, plus it includes pictures to help visually. Her blog is full of ideas for turning non-scrappy items into interesting and unique embellishments. I look forward to more tutorials and ideas from her!

Color Me Moday by Jeanette Lynton

Let's Get Spooky!

"Today’s artwork borrows inspiration from our new Hooligans kit using Lagoon, Gypsy, Pear and Black as focal colors. One of the things I love about the Hooligans kit is that it is an obvious Halloween kit—and it’s also obviously not! (It can be used for kids’ themes, outdoor events, and recently, I even saw WEDDING artwork made using this kit. Your imagination is the only limit!)"

Jeanette Lynton

Sometimes God has a better idea

Sometimes God has a better idea by Rick Warren

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

"If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:15 NIV

Have you noticed that things don't always turn out the way you want them to? That sometimes God has a better idea? The Bible says in Proverbs 27:1, "Don't boast about tomorrow. You don't know what tomorrow's going to bring." It's okay to make your plans, but remember that life is unpredictable and God says we shouldn't presume on it. On the other hand, we shouldn't worry about it because God is in control.

James 4 tells us the proper attitude to have: "Now listen you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.' Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. ... Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" vv. 13-15, NIV

James is saying it's OK to make plans, but just realize that ultimately God has the final word. The right attitude is to always keep your plans submitted to God. Make your plans but say, "God, if this is what You want, this is the direction I'm going to go. I'm doing this with flexible faith." Proverbs 16:9 says, "We should make our plans counting on God to direct us."

How do you do that? By praying. When you get up in the morning and have your quiet time, say, "God, what do You want to do with this day?" Then when interruptions come, you'll remember God is in control. It will dramatically lower the frustration level in your life as you remember it is not all up to you.

Jon Schmidt's "Game Day" Original Music Video

Another fantastic performance by Jon Schmidt. I can't get enough of this guy and his amazing talent! His fingers fly so fast, you barely notice the bandage on his left-hand finger. And how about those canyon views.

Share the Magic - October SOTM

Want to join an exclusive club? Every month CTMH offers you an exclusive My Acrylix® D-size stamp set FREE or at a large discount. The stamp set is available to qualifying customers for that month only. It’s our way of saying thank you, and your way of getting fantastic deals on our amazing stamps! Contact me to get your own "Share the Magic" set.