From My Heart - FMH04 - Sweet Nectar Society

Hi Friends!!!

Welcome to Sundays at my blog where I share a little bit "from my heart" and hope to inspire you to encourage others this week. And this week I have a challenge for ALL of you. Stamper or not.

Romans 12:8-10
"If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful. Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. Love each other like members of your family. Be the best at showing each other honor."

At our church back in Tulare, there is a sweet, young momma who felt called to start a ministry that takes professional photos of ill children. Her little act of obedience has turned into a wonderful organization called SWEET NECTAR SOCIETY. And her contagious love for sick children (that she refers to as "sweeties") has gone beyond just taking pictures of them. She also provides food and meals for the children's families while they are at the hospital. (Please take a minute to visit their website and see the amazing good they are doing in the lives of these beautiful children and their families.)

She leads with passion, cheerfully shows mercy, shows honor, and loves BIG. She is the ultimate encourager.

Last week on Facebook, Brittany posted that the Sweet Nectar Society is in need of hundreds of handmade Christmas cards to include in their Christmas meal bags. Well of course I jumped on that right away!! So I've been busy the last couple of days getting some cards together to send. The sweeties could use your help too. 

Here are the details:

So this is my challenge to you... Gather up some supplies. Set aside a little time. Grab some friends and family member and make some Christmas cards to help brighten the day of a child who will be in the hospital on Christmas.

Here is one of the cards I made:

Stamps: Snow Place

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red

Paper: Whisper White, various retired DSP

Accessories: Snow Friends Framelits, Perfect Pines Framelits, retired ribbon

I wanted to send "kid-friendly" cards that were fun and colorful. I searched through all of my cards and found a few more that would work. Here are some of the cards I'm going to send:

My son Trent made the "plaid" cards with the three Christmas trees on the front. I have a few more cards to add and hopefully I'll be able to send 30 cards. If I can find any more time, I will gladly make some more. I love a good reason to have to stamp. :)

I also wanted to send a card along to Brittany and her volunteers and encourage them on the awesome thing they are doing by sharing the light of Jesus all over Valley Children's Hospital. And to also tell her what an inspiration she is to so many.

Stamp: Garden in Bloom

Ink: Hello Honey, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Whisper White, Hello Honey, Vellum

Accessories: Large Polka Dots EF, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Burlap Ribbon, Linen Thread

I had wanted to use a hummingbird stamp because that is the Sweet Nectar Society logo, but apparently I don't have one. So I figured a bee and a flower would be close. 

Thanks for sharing your Sunday with me!

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Krystal

From My Heart - FMH03 - Keep On

Hey Stamping Friends!!!

Welcome!! Happy Sunday!! Here on the blog on Sundays I'll be sharing a card, but I will also be sharing a little From My Heart. I hope it will inspire you to encourage others this week.

Deuteronomy 3:28 "But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."

When I was a little girl, I was extremely shy. I know!! Who would have guessed?! But it's true. I rarely raised my hand in class. In second grade I never played during recess. Ever. For the whole year I just stood on the edge of the playground and watched the other kids. I highly disliked all sports. I never wanted the ball because having the ball, any ball: volleyball, basketball, softball, meant that everyone was looking at you and I did NOT want that!!


When I was a sophomore in high school, our tiny Christian school added "drill team" to their list of extra-curricular activities. Through the fine art of peer pressure, my friends convinced me to try out. The ONLY reason I thought it was possible to stand in front of a crowd and do high kicks was we would be doing all the moves together in unison. No one person would be singled out. I could literally hide in a crowd of girls who were all dressed exactly like me. In a hideous bright, yellow Lycra contraption with red sequins. Oh. My. Word. I'm pretty sure every girl who tried out that year made it.


My junior year, our drill team coach encouraged me to try out for captain of the team. Apparently she did not know me very well. I went along with it for awhile, but a few days before the try-out date, I told her I was not going to do it. I told her I did not make up my own routine, which was one of the requirements. Which was true. But what I didn't tell her that I was terrified of the thought of having to be "in charge".

Long story short, I'm pretty sure she rigged the whole competition because you guessed it... 
I was awarded the role of Drill Team Captain.

Obviously she saw something in me that I, myself did not even know was buried under that shy, little girl. She encouraged me to go above and beyond what I thought I was capable of. She saw my potential.


Like Joshua leading the Israelites, I needed the encouragement of others to do a job that I did not think I had the skills to do. I need the strengthening word of another to show me my own potential.

Stamps: Alphabet Rotary Stamp

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: Smoky Slate, Real Red, Basic Black, Silver Foil, Black Glimmer

Accessories: Stars Framelits, Mini Treat Bag Thinlits, Lucky Stars EF, Silver Cord

This card was created using three challenges. Make sure you stop by and check them all out.

1. Create with Connie and Mary Challenge #380 CCMC380

2. Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #211 FMS211

3. Stampin' Royalty Challenge #302 SR302 

The challenge this weeks is... STARS!!!!

My dad picked up a phrase on the road years ago, "Keep on, keepin' on". More or less it means, don't give up. It kind of has become our family motto. This card will be going to a college sophomore who needs a little extra encouragement. Just a small reminder to take each day as they come and don't worry about the big picture. If you just keep on, keepin' on, when you turn around you will be amazed how much you have actually accomplished.

Looking back, I realize now that what was seen as "shyness" when I was younger, was actually fear. I was afraid of being less than perfect. I didn't raise my hand in class because I was afraid to get the answer wrong. I didn't like having the ball, because I was afraid to miss the shot. I didn't want to be drill captain because I was afraid I couldn't be a leader.

Deuteronomy 3:22 "Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you."

Even Joshua had to learn to overcome his fears and trust God with the big picture.

I only wish that I would have learned earlier in my life to "fear not". But thankfully, through the encouragement of many people like my drill team coach, I finally figured out that being less than perfect is okay. Life is not something to be afraid of.

If you've stuck with me all the way to the end... THANK YOU!! And I hope you've been inspired to send a card of encouragement to someone in your world this week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Now go SEND A CARD!!!

Krystal

From My Heart - FMH02 - Grandma's Green Bible

Hi Stamping Friends!!

Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your day. On Sundays here at the blog I've started something new. I call it "From My Heart". It's where I share a little bit of encouragement with you, in hopes that YOU will encourage someone this week too.

When I was a little girl, my dad was a long distance truck driver. It was quite normal for him to be gone for a week or longer at a time. Often when he was not home, my mom and us four kids would have dinner over at my grandparents house. 

Every night after dinner, my grandma would get out her green Living Bible from "the Bible drawer" and would read aloud from it. I never heard my Grandpa read the Bible out loud. He had only a fourth grade education and may not have felt comfortable doing so. I don't know. I never asked. When we were old enough read, we often got the privilege of choosing a scripture passage and reading it out loud after dinner. Or as my grandparents always called it "supper".

Even though my grandparents normally read the Bible from cover to cover, when it was our turn to read, grandma would often direct us to one of the Psalms. It amazed me when we would stumble over a word and she knew what it was before we even sounded it out. I've always wondered how many times they read through the entire Bible.

I felt pretty special when it was my turn to read. But what really made me smile wider and sit up straighter was when I would finish reading and my grandpa would say, "That was really nice." I'm not exactly sure why such a few, simple words could make me beam, but they did.

Often I hear people say that they don't send cards because "they don't know what to write inside of them". Trust me. You do not need big fancy, flowery words to make someone feel special. A few short and sweet words from your heart work just as well. Maybe even better.

So this week I want to encourage you to send a card to someone and tell them "That was really nice". Maybe your child needs a little "I'm proud of you" encouragement. Or your child's teacher needs an extra "job well done" to finish the semester strong. Maybe a co-worker needs a "Great job!". Whoever it is, send them a card this week and let them know that you see they are trying their very best.

My card for this week will be going to my fifth grader who has been improving his cursive by leaps and bounds. I think I will hide it inside his lunchbox and surprise him.

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Crazy About You
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Retired DSP
Accessories: Hello You Thinlits, Brick Wall EF, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Itty Bitty Star Punch


A little piece of advice... If you are making one card, you might as well make two. You are already have all the supplies out. Even if you don't need the card right away, you can always save it for later. I needed a second card for a friend's son who was recently injured in a motorcycle accident. And since teenage boys are the most difficult age group to create cards for, I figured this would be the perfect card for him too. I just changed up the sentiment and BOOM!

(Sorry for the awful pictures. My camera battery decided to die. I think I need a new one. It no longer holds a charge.) :(
I used two challenges to create these cards.

The color challenge came from the Splitcoast Stampers Color Challenge CC554:

And the sketch challenge came from the Paper Craft Crew Challenges blog PCCCS168:

Of course you don't have to make your cards. You can go and buy them. But what fun is that?! Just make sure to send someone a little piece of your heart this week.

I love finding Bible verses and quotes on Pinterest. After I wrote this post I went searching for a fun little quote to add. I can't believe how perfectly this one fit!!

Thank you so much for spending part of your Sunday with me.

I hope you come back and visit again.

Be blessed and be a blessing!!

Krystal

From My Heart - FMH01 - Encouragement

Hi Stamping Friends!!

I've been praying about an idea I've had for awhile and I wanted to share it with all of you. Most of you know that I love Jesus and I also love papercrafts. I serve a very creative God and I am confident that he enjoys the creativity of His people. I've been trying to figure out how I can best use my papercrafting creativity to honor Him. And I've settled on a key word: ENCOURAGEMENT.

"Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds." - Hebrews 10:24 NLT 

What better way to encourage others than by sending them a card?!! So I've decided to use my Sunday blog posts to share, create and encourage you to encourage others. :)

I looked up the word ENCOURAGE in the dictionary and this is what it means:

1. to inspire with courage, spirit or confidence

2. to stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.

3. to promote, advance or foster

The root word of ENCOURAGE is the Latin word COR which means HEART. So in essence, when you encourage someone, you are sharing your heart with them. I love that!! That is why I chose to call these blog posts: From My Heart.

I hope from week to week that you will be inspired to encourage others and to share a little piece of your heart with someone who needs it.

This week's encouragement card is for my Mother-In-Law who recently had knee surgery. (If you know her, she would love to get a card from you too!!)

Stamps: Reason for the Season, Papillon Potpourri, And Many More, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Bermuda Bay

Paper: Whisper White, Vellum, Elegant Eggplant, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Large Polka Dot EF, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Elegant Butterfly Punch, Banner Triple Punch, Festive Flower Builder Punch, Candy Dot, Retired Ribbon

I used two Splitcoast Stamper Challenges for this card:

Along with my Bible study, I wanted to learn more on the art of encouragement so of course I needed to buy a few books to read. ;)

I hope you take the time this week to send some encouragement to someone in your world. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Sunday!!

Krystal