Friday Sketchers and Magnolia stamps

I was so inspired by the design team's efforts at Friday Sketchers I decided to give my Magnolia stamps another go. I love the work that I have seen people produced with them.

I went for a paper piecing technique, where you stamp the image a few times of different papers then cut and stick pieces onto the image.

It was quite fiddly and time consuming, so might have another go at the watercolour pencils next time. Used a pencil to give the face and other areas some depth, and a white gel pen to highlight.

Used some lovely new papers from Cosmo Cricket and some TLC papers. Prima flowers just had to make a showing and managed to use some vintage eyelets I've had for ages that I've discovered the Cropodile is tough enough to handle!

Anyway, here it is, thanks for looking!

Baby girl brag book

Have had an eventful few days on the technology front.

For a few months the fan on my computer was making a very odd noise, then last week it stopped. Then it would cut out and a red light would shine from within the shuttle and then Tom said he could smell burning! Time to change the fan! I didn't want to fork out loads of money and loose my computer for days, so I phoned the friend who built the computer for me and he told me what I needed to get.

A cool spanner, a trip to Shrewsbury and a funky new fan later and its fixed! For about £25, not bad for a diy job! Only, I then discovered I had put it in the wrong way! All corrected now :)

The other issue was my brand new all singing all dancing phone that I haggled for 50mins to Orange for. I dropped it in water! 3 days of drying it later and it seems to be working... phew!!!

Anyway, enough of that! Here is a brag book I made for my sister's Christmas present. It's pics of my cute niece!

SALT challenge - SELF CONTROL

Hello there, it's my (Ruth) turn this week.

When I was setting the theme a few weeks ago I was realising how little patience I can have with those nearest to me. It is frustrating that in some areas of my life I can be very `on top' of things, yet in others seem to lack SELF CONTROL. This is serious, as one of the fruits of the spirit - the outworking of LOVE - is SELF CONTROL.

So as I have been meditating on this theme I've been thinking about what helps me control my reactions when under preassure, my tongue and my body. Ultimately a closer walk with the Lord and a life led by LOVE and HOPE in Christ will help me be more SELF CONTROLLED.
As always I am humbled that I alone can not achieve this. It is only because of what Jesus did for me on the cross and the righteousness HE gives that enables me to even start on the road of renewal.

Thank you for reading, please enjoy the contributions of the rest of the SALT team, and lookout for information about become a Salt team member after the pictures.

Ruth

`The key to Self Control is Love'

Our Creative Corner sketch challenge and more cards!

We had our little `Creative Corner going last night. We had some friends over for dinner and while the boys got creative on the Wii, us girls got making!

My friend made these gorgeous cards



And I made these...


And it so happens that this one fits in with the sketch over at OCC, so just had to share it with girls there! The'r challenge blog is lovely, just brimming with inspiration and ideas, do check it out!

New Year's Day thoughts

I have to confess I do make resolutions...

Not always on New Year's Day itself, sometime throughout January. Or throughout the year. Whenever I am challenged about the way I think or behave, a new resolution is created.

I guess that is what the Bible calls Sanctification. The constant renewal to be like Jesus. Not that we can ever be on our own merit.

I do however have a few new resolutions that have popped up over the holiday season, and even a new one today. Some are ok to share, and some are too personal to mention, and one is left over from last year!

I'll share what I can...

• Learn to Drive
• Love my children more and be more self-controlled in the way I deal with their behaviour (esp when it annoys me).
• Only make, show and sell beautiful crafts - I feel I have to explain this... Sometimes I have put images on my blog of things I have made that I have not totally been happy with. I aim to keep striving till I am satisfied with a piece before revealing it.
• Sell more of the things I make.
• Keep striving to be a better organised homemaker.
• Be more hospitable.
• Use computer time more productively so I can cut down computer time! ie stop window shopping for stash I don't need!
• Write on my calendar things that need to get done on certain dates and use my phone to remind me.

Anyway, don't want to bore you, so here is a card...

Sorry, one last thing, I have been thinking, in the past I have put list of materials I have used on a card, they take a little time to do, and I don't know if they're worth doing. Do you like reading what products have been used?