Seize the Day

Being a mom of girls, I have always had a soft spot for sweet pastels and woodland creatures. Glitz Design's new "Carpe Diem" showers projects with a fresh dose of whimsy. Just a couple of weeks ago our family had the pleasure of welcoming our new little goddaughter into the world. To commemorate one events from Claire's big debut, her baptism, I stitched several layers of soft patterns over the crisp white background then sprinkled it with hearts. Keeping the colors and patterns light and ethereal draws the eye right to that sweet baby girl in her baptism gown.

"Claire's Baptism" layout supplies:
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" papers: Squirrels, Brocade Hearts and Bits & Pieces
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" 6x6 paper pad
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" Whatnots
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" Titles & Accents sticker sheet
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" Alphabets & Words sticker sheet
Glitz Design "77" Alphabets & Words sticker sheet
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" Puffy Words stickers
Glitz Design "Carpe Diem" wash tape - chain
Glitz Design "77" Alphabets & Words sticker sheet
other: vellum, heart punches (Martha Stewart), sewing machine

Gratitude & Thanks

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” -G.K. Chesterton

With Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays approaching I've been reflecting on the many blessings that make up my daily existence. I have come, in the end, to the pillars that I am truly grateful for, and they are faith, hope and love mixed with a healthy dose of prayer. Through all of the shifting tides of my life those have remained.  

For my project I decided to highlight a photo of my daughter with an heirloom family rosary with a burst of color against a dark background, as if a "light in the darkness". I embossed the "don't stop believing" stamp, from the "Hello December" stamp set, with watermark ink and clear embossing powder to give it a glossy look against the black cardstock. A little tulle, rhinestones and sequins to mirror the softness and shine dress and rosary in the photo.   

"Faith, Hope & Love" Supplies:
Glitz Design "Finnley" paper: Bows
Glitz Design "Wild & Free" paper: Arrows
Glitz Design "Raven" papers: Countdown, Triangles
Glitz Design "Finnley" Titles & Accents sticker sheet
Glitz Design "Wild & Free" 6x6 paper pad
Glitz Design "Wild & Free" Whatnots
Glitz Design "Finnley" Giant Rhinestones
Glitz Design "Dapper Dan" Giant Rhinestones 
Glitz Design "Wild & Free" washi tape - Plus
Glitz Design "Hello December" Rubber Stamps
other: VersaMark, clear embossing powder, sequins, tulle, wood heart (Freckled Fawn, sewing machine

Focus on Color

This week our Glitz projects focus on a current color trend - aqua, yellow and grey. Aqua has been my favorite color since childhood, in fact as I type this I am wearing an aqua dress in my aqua living room next to an aqua painted table. Perhaps it's not a bad thing to tame my aqua habit with a little grey and yellow. This layout combines grey papers from "Sunshine In My Soul" with yellow paper from "Color Me Happy" and mixes it up with some aqua accents from "Sunshine In My Soul". To add subtle depth I layered tulle trim, vellum, doilies, a Peek-a-Boo, cardstock stickers.  

"Ash Wednesday" Supplies:
Glitz Designs "Sunshine In My Soul" paper: Rays
Glitz Designs "Color Me Happy" 8x8 Paper Pad
Glitz Designs "Sunshine In My Soul" 8x8 Paper Pad
Glitz Designs "Sunshine In My Soul" Titles & Accents Sticker Sheet
Glitz Designs "Sunshine In My Soul" Alphabets & Words Sticker Sheet
Glitz Designs "Uncharted Waters" Rubber Stamps
Glitz Designs "Beautiful Dreamer" Peek-a-Boos
Glitz Designs "Vintage Blue" Trim
Other: cardstock, vellum, doilies, sequins, ink, sewing machine

Life in an Instant

Keeping up with staying behind is becoming a regular occurrence for me. The sun has been out, showing off the glory of spring in the Northwest. Our family is preparing for another deployment, so we are, as always, striving to squeeze the fullness of joy from every moment we have. In light of this, combined with my many shortcomings, the photo update will be in the form of Instagram snapshots from my phone. (One of these days I'll catch up on my photo editing, and get my "big camera" photos up as well.)

A beautiful design and an expensive window replacement.
(One should be mindful of flying rocks from weed eaters.)

"There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect. Men do not quarrel about the meaning of sunsets; they never dispute that the hawthorn says the best and wittiest thing about the spring."  
~G.K. Chesterton

Trivial Pursuit with Fr. Harkins

Precious time with daddy while he is stateside

Deceptively simple homemade bread

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” 

-G.K. Chesterton

The beautiful broken window being replaced 
with an ordinary unbroken window.

Our spring fruits & veggies all planted, complete with a homemade sign made with the spring sunshine and a magnifying glass.

Bike ride in the sun, with an ice cream break half way. Not a shabby way to spend a Satruday.

"The truth about life is that joy and sorrow are mingled 
in an almost rhythmical alternation like day and night." 
-G.K. Chesterton

Insta-Update

True to the pattern of life in the spring, things are busy around the house with Church, home schooling, enjoying the spring flowers and wondering at the common wonders of life. However, we're also preparing to send Stan out on his ninth Navy deployment in just a few days. We were able to head out of town for a last minute trip to spend a little family time before he heads out for the next six months. 

Since I'm terribly behind on editing the photos from my "big camera" I'll post a litany of Instagram shots from our last couple of weeks.  

I am one lucky girl.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Our first stop on our trip was a few quiet days in Mt. Angel, Oregon. We stayed at the Monastery, visited St. Mary's for Mass and the Mt. Angel Abbey & Seminary.

St. Mary's Parish 
Mt. Angel, OR

Our Lady of the Angels Monastery

Our tour guide and friend, Brother Leonel

Mt. Angel Abbey & Seminary 

I enjoyed paroosing the library at the seminary. It was one of the places my dad had wanted to visit for years. Walking through three stories of books was a flood of thoughts and emotions. I especially enjoyed the several shelves of Chesterton books I found.

The redwood in front of the Monastery.

At the foot of the redwood tree.

Silver Falls

The girlies walking behind the waterfall

On the road again

Beach camping in sunny Southern California

Journaling our trip

Excuse me, I mustache you a question...

Shave it for later.

Chesterton on the beach

Campfire dinners

Castles in the sand

He is pretty amazing

San Juan Capistrano Mission

Lunch in a train car

Home Sweet Home

Came home to our rhodie in full bloom

"THE fact is that purification and austerity are even more necessary for the appreciation of life and laughter than for anything else. To let no bird fly past unnoticed, to spell patiently the stones and weeds, to have the mind a storehouse of sunsets, requires a discipline in pleasure and an education in gratitude." -G.K. Chesterton, Twelve Types