May Collab is up!

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I want to thank everyone who has participated to keep this project going!  Hopefully it will continue to grow with interest.

Thanks to Edina for making the preview!



You can find the download links in the forum here.

Gallery Spotlight on DrGranma!

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I'm so excited to get to know DrGranma better and to see an image of her and her husband!  Marianne has been an active member of our forum for a very long time and I appreciate her contributions to the site as an active user very much.

You can get to know Marianne and leave her some love here.

Help Me ! I drank too much !!

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Help Me ! I drank too much !!

Someone needs to cut me back!!

First step -- I admit I have been given too much to drink and I went crazy. The temptation was just too great.

Designer Call

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I'm considering taking my website to a new level.

It is an educational site and I intend it to remain as an educational site.

It is difficult to compete with other sites because I am by myself. Most sites have many designers and CT members contributing to the site, but my site activity is purely customers (which is actually a good thing!).

I think to take it to the next level I need to partner with some designers to provide products to students.

I know there are many designers out there that work very hard that make a very small amount of money. My idea is to pay them a guaranteed rate (maybe commission or raises) in exchange for their designs being offered at my site.

I'm just now thinking about how to make this work, but if you are interested, please let me know. My e-mail is hummie@hummiesworld.com

I am nervous about replying with rejections, but I do want to be careful in who I accept. I just am not keen on hurting people's feelings!

Unfolding the Rosebud

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A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.

The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal in tact...It wasn't long before he realized how it was impossible to do so.

Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it in tact, the older preacher began to tell the following poem...

It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of GOD's design;

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I.

GOD opens this flower so sweetly,

When in my hands they fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of GOD's design,

Then how can I think I have wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading

Each moment of every day.

I will look to Him for His guidance

Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,

Only my heavenly Father knows.

I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose.

-- Author Unknown

Designer Class Shares

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It has been a while since I've reminded you to visit the Designer Class shares thread.  It seems fewer and fewer are using it and I am thinking of moving to a gallery system for their sharing rather than a thread.  It seems sometimes that when I change methods, the fresh and new are fun and get utilized!  So stay tuned.  Meanwhile, visit this thread for some downloads!

The Designer Collab for May will be out in a few days, if not sooner!  So get the April one before it disappears!

New Cabinet Colors

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I thought I would share our new cabinet colors. We spent a weekend recently painting them.  These cabinets are the original cabinets from about 1965!  We left them as the original light wood color for years, but then a few years ago decided that sanding down and re-staining them would not work any more because some of the cabinets had grey worn places in the actual wood.

The first paint job was red as I was trying to go new and bold.  We never did like the red and every photo we have taken in the kitchen with that red makes me cringe!

So I tried going for a soft blue and it never looked the same as what was on the paint can or color card.  It always had an aqua tint to it and aqua is SO 50's and makes me cringe too!

So I tried finding a soft green color.  I was going after a sage green.  Each year, I repainted the cabinets trying a slightly different hue and each year it always seemed different than what we anticipated.

Last year, I finally painted the same sage green that I absolutely love in my bedroom and in my living room.  I had decided that it was better to just repeat the same color throughout the house than to find a new color I loved.

Nope!  It did not work either!  It looked totally different in the kitchen than in any other room!

I decided this year that it must be the tiles between the cabinets that with its yellow/tan color was changing the color of the other paints.  Therefore, I needed to find something that worked with the tiles.  So, I snapped a photo with my iPhone of the tiles and headed out to the paint store with camera in hand to find paints that matched the tiles.

Standing in the store with the iPhone in hand moving across all of the color palettes, I eventually came up with this dual color scheme of a gold on the bottom and a cream on the top.

We instantly loved it!  I learned a little bit about colors in this adventure in that the kitchen now felt oh so warm and cozy!  Yes, there is something true about the "warm colors" being on one side of the color wheel and the "cold colors" being on the other side of the color wheel.  The blues and greens, as much as I love them, were "cold" colors, but these colors with more yellow in them were "warm" and cozy colors!  Imagine that!

With brand new handles (after 25 years of the other ones which were not bad, but had paint on them from being lazy painters), the kitchen feels all so new!

Now, if I could just replace my refrigerator and stove that we bought in 1988, it would be even better!

My kitchen is SO small, but it is part of our home and I am happy to be a home owner.  The photo above was taken as far as I could get on the other side of the room, so what is between the camera and the cabinets is our very small kitchen table.  We have to keep it pushed up against the wall just to be able to walk through the kitchen.  I should do a layout about that table some day.  It has been a big part of my children's growing up!

Site Graphics -- Would you like to contribute?

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Hey all, I thought about this last week . . didn't have time to post it.


I am enjoying rotating the image at the top of the page and in the forum posts once a month, but since it is just something that takes up time when I could be doing other things (like scrapping for myself!), I thought it would be a fun thing to open up to you all to create and provide.

Kind of like helping to make this place feel more like "yours."

For more information, see this thread in the forum.

Egg Shape and Text Within a Shape

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After I had shared a link to an idea on the internet, someone wrote me and requested this file, so I have created it for you!

Here is what I did with it.  It is on our table for Easter.  I realized I meant to cut the white edges off the sides!  I guess I will have to go do that this morning, although it doesn't look so bad as it is either.  I will have to decide whether to cut or not to cut!

You can download this shape file, with border and text within a shape here for a limited time, but always in the Subscriber Area (which is a limited cost of $5.50 per month for all downloads and videos and classes).

If you use this, please do share with me (either comment with a link or upload to the gallery and post in the forum) how you used it.  I want to see your creativity!

Stuffing people into a toilet booth

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Some construction person made a huge mistake by putting the toilet off center in the stall and closer to the paper roll side, rather than the non-paper roll side.

I sat down and was like "what in the world!"  You try being a fat person and sitting here - raise your arm over the paper dispenser and try to do your business while not being centered over the hole. Let's just say it was "cheeky."  Leaning to one side does not help either.

When dinner talks....

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He said: chocolate and wine; I'm in my happy place; the only thing that could make it happier is being next to you.

She said :That's cheesy .

He said: But you like cheese.

She said: But not on your head (as in Green Bay Packers)

He said: But I'm not going there (as in.... you figure it out)

Yes, original conversations only we could come up with!!

He said: Now that's cheesy.

She said: But it was on your phone, you big cheese head.

Delmonicos

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We are so pleased that Delmonicos has moved to a new building near Highway 55 between Cape and Jackson.

It is only about 5 miles closer, but that makes a big difference. You would not think that me, from St. Louis, would care about such a short distance, but that's why I don't live there any more!!!

The food bar is fresh and tastes great. My one recommendation would be real mashed potatoes, not from a mix.

Pipe puke

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This is what you get when you mix hairballs, sand, and hard water! That's right another way of saying it is "pipe snake!" Most of the hair was "donated" by our dog of 14 years Abbie Rae (who we just lost:0(!)

However I was able to clear the pipes and get the tub back on line! Lol

By Hub -E

Hail - oh the storms

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I'm testing the Blogger Plus ap before I get it for hubby. I thought he might blog more if he could use his phone. He hardly ever gets on his laptop.

Here is a photo if our hail from the beginning of the work week last week.

Look whose a Pro now!

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I SO miss blogging!  I'm having a good time today blogging again on my day off (although I should be doing a ton of other things, but hey, I cannot take a shower until hubby unclogs the drain and I won't be doing much else until I can get dressed! 

Yes, it's all related, trust me.  See, he needs to clean the drain... so I can take a shower...so I can get dressed . . . so I can help him put the new handles on the newly painted cabinets . . . so the handles won't be on the table anymore . . . so I can decorate the table . . . so I can take a photo of my next freebie in use on the table . . . so I can upload it, blog about it, and give it away . . . so I can put it in the next newsletter and get that out.

Oh, what little does hubby know how much he needs to get that drain unclogged!  But, um, he's vacuuming and I'm not complaining! oh oh. 

Yes, apparently since our beloved Abbie Rae - - aka Baby Rae - -  aka fuzzy terd maker - - aka vacuum cleaner has passed away recently, I am finding out how bad our eating habits really are!  There are crumbs everywhere in the living room!  We've always had a dog in the house and we have lived here now going on 25 years and, oh, how hard is it going to be to break these bad eating habits!  It was so much easier to allow our dog to be a vacuum.

Anyway, back to the image above.  Since I blogged about the new Yahoo Beta E-mail and how I'm beginning to get it organized, I thought it would be fun to share some old e-mails by screen shots that still reside there before I delete them.  It would make a fun new series for my blog, huh?

This one is from Bon Scrapatit from Thursday, September 11, 2008 4:17 PM!  Really, seriously!  Now why is that still in my inbox!  Don't laugh at him.


She ends her e-mail with "looking forward to learning from a Pro."  Yeah, right!  Look who is a pro now!  She has the most fabulous designs and a great following!


I often reflect on all the e-mails I've gotten over the years from people who say they have gotten their start from my free tutorials.  It's surreal.  

Then I wonder why these people don't keep following me and participate in the forum? If all those people over all those years were actually active in the forum, wouldn't it be a hopping place?


Where are they all now?

Yahoo Beta Mail

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Today I was invited to upgrade my Yahoo e-mail (with a thank you for using them for 8 years!) to the new Beta Yahoo E-mail.  So I did! 

I have never liked the last version of the Yahoo e-mail.  It seemed to freeze my browser a lot, especially with long newsletters with lots of graphics.  I had gotten in the habit of just deleting certain e-mails, even though I wanted to read them.  My first test of the newsletters in the new beta Yahoo e-mail went smooth!  I was excited for that.

The ads seem to be off to the sidebars now and are less intrusive, although visible.  The last version of Yahoo e-mail was very annoying regarding the ads.  I accept that there has to be ads for free services, but they needs to be a workable way of sharing them and this seems much better to me now.

Yahoo has had "applications" since the last upgrade, but since I could never get past the troubles reading my e-mails, I never really played with the apps very much.

I played with the Flickr ap today and found I could quickly and easily insert an image from Flickr into a compose message for Flickr.  I like this feature.

I tested the "Fontself" ap and found it fun to utilize.  You can create an e-mail using fun fonts to send to your friends.  With both the Flickr and the Fontself aps, though, I found that you need to use the ap first and then create the e-mail compost box.  It would be nice to be able to create your e-mail first and then add the features.

I tested the Yahoo Greetings and even sent an Easter message to a friend.  I need to remember this is here and use it more often.  I do like it!

I was nervous testing the Automatic Organizer and had to spend time on the internet researching it before I decided to give it a try.  It utilizes a service by OtherinBox which is available for both Yahoo and Gmail.

I found OIB (other in box) Youtube account and watched a few videos and that made me feel a little more comfortable.  I was mostly concerned about what would happen to my e-mails if I choose to disconnect OIB from Yahoo and found this page.

Apparently OIB simply creates folders which begin with OIB.  If you disconnect, it merely leaves those folders.

So, I tried it out and it seemed to work okay.  I had remembered that I was only allowed approximate 15 filters previously and that this might give me the ability to organize further to more than 15 filters.  However, I decided to check on the filters while writing this blog post and I see now I am allowed 100 Yahoo filters!  If I only would have checked before instead of after!

So, is this automatic organizing better than if I were to organize it myself.  I'm not sure yet and plan on giving it some time.  I do like that I am allowed more Yahoo filters now!  That is the only reason I had not organized more before.  Yahoo "filters" is so much easier to understand than the Gmail "labels" for me.

OIB really didn't move that many messages automatically.  OIB organized by general groupings (business, finance, groups, home, shopping, social networking) and I'm not certain these would have been my choices for organizing.  I can change the settings qquickly by creating new folders that have a name that starts with OIB and dragging an e-mail to that folder, but is it any easier than creating my own folder and then a filter?  I'm not sure.

Regardless, I did start going through and deleting e-mails and I think one way or another I've been inspired now to get organized again.

I had tested the Yahoo Messenger from within the e-mail before and wanted to test it again.  Previously, the messenger was docked on a tab at the top.  Now it is a floating window and all conversations can be contained in tabs at the bottom of the box.  I like that it is floating and that you can continue reading and using the other features in Yahoo E-mail while tucking the IM box aside whereever you want to tuck it.

Of course, what bugs me is that when the IM signs in on Yahoo E-mail, it signs out of the desktop ap.  You almost need to commit to keeping your e-mail open all the time in a browser to use it as an IM also or turn off the IM on the e-mail all together.

You can also connect your Facebook account and have the Facebook IM's from there on the e-mail.

You can also utilize the updates feature to connect Facebook and Twitter to the Yahoo to read all the updates in one place, as well as post.  This does not work well with Facebook Fanpages, only personal profiles.

Overall, I am pleased with the changes and like this version better than the last version.

Polar Bear for a day

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Written 2/8/11

My lovely wife and I were looking on line a few days ago and we saw folks taking the"plunge!" It turns out there is a Polar Bear Plunge here locally for the areas Special Olympics.


We watched several videos on line of all kinds of people young and "old" taking the plunge for a good cause.


As we watched we discussed how fun and exciting that must be to jump in the icy cold water.

The next thing I know I said "I can do that"! Silly boy! My dear wife assured me that it would be great fun to raise money and go take the plunge. She also stated that she was capable of taking the plunge herself and I wholeheartedly agreed. It was decided however that on this go round that she would take photos and video of me in action!


So we shifted into high gear as we only had a couple of days to raise money. The donations had to be at least $50.00 or more. We both asked people at work to help out if they could no twisting any arms. With such short notice we were still able to raise $132.00 and change. Yeah!


Saturday came quickly, the day of the big plunge! It had snowed outside and the sky was bleak.

There was a slight breeze in the air. A perfect morning to "train" before the afternoons plunge!


I put on my running pants and wore no shirt as I went outside. I walked and ran around the backyard occasionally letting ice cold water dripping off the roof to splash onto my face chest and back. Brr! :0) I did this for some time and on more than one occasion throughout the morning. At one point my dear wife took a picture of me "training" laughing all the while! :0)


Finally its time to drive out to the State Park where we get registered and turn in our money. Next I'm in a parade of "plungers" going past the grandstand with my Hawaiian lei around my neck. As I did my Hawaiian "dance" past the M.C. I was informed that I was only a few thousand miles off course! The crowd lol'd with me! Then we got into groups to wait our turn to plunge. Since I was by myself I was added to a group(#11). I watched in anticipation as each group went down to the water and at the sound of the horn plunge! Some just waded out and splashed, some dove right in, and some even wallowed a bit. Everyone seemed to have their own style of "plunging."

Then suddenly I heard the call for group 11! Oh boy.....! So down to the water we went. As we lined up my wife got my attention so she could take my picture and get video of me going into the water. After lining up and handing our glasses and gear to the helpers we waited for the horn to sound already freezing in the cold snowy air. Hoooonnnnkkkkkk! I ran full tilt into the icy water and dove head first and was completely immersed in water colder than I have ever felt before! WOW! It took my breathe away!

I struggled somewhat to regain my footing as I was now a "mancicle" and oddly enough I seemed to weigh a ton as the saying goes. As I headed back to the beach I looked over to my lovely wife and said "how's that?" She was smiling and laughing at me and told me I did great. :0) Off to the warming tent which is a big tent divided in two parts for the men and the women. After changing into dry clothes (thank GOD) I rejoined my lovely wife to watch the other plungers before going home.

We later went to the after party at a well known local eatery and had a good time! Prizes were awarded for best costumes raising the most money etc. A good time was had by all for a good cause! Until the next "plunge"! Polar Bears are "COOL!" lol

By Hub-E

Cootie Catchers are Not Just for Fun Anymore

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I thought this idea at ScrapGirls was brilliant!  Now, you could probably figure this out on your own, but for only $3.99, why would you when you can purchase the template and by-pass all the frustration.

I think everyone remembers playing with Cootie Catchers as a child.  They were so easy to make by quickly scribbling on a piece of paper and folding it up.  Of course, my old feeble brain couldn't remember how to fold one of these so quickly any more and that's why a handy template would be so great.

The below are some inspiration from Cherise Oleson.  I can see these sparking inspiration for many more ideas.  Please visit this website for Cherise's credits for products used.

(Images taken from ScrapGirls website, but hopefully they won't mind since I'm promoting them!)

Google Video to YouTube

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Recently I learned that Google Videos is closing because Google owns YouTube and obviously, there is no reason for them to have two video sites.

At first, Google informed everyone with uploaded videos that they would need to download to back up their videos before April 29.

Today, I received an e-mail that Google is now allowing you to transfer your Google videos to a Youtube account.  This makes much more sense to me and I'm not sure why the didn't allow accounts to be connected in the first place.

The April 29 deadline is gone and you can move your videos now, or Google will automatically move them to Youtube for you if you take no action.

The constant changing of website services over the years is so hard to keep up with, in my opinion.  Services close, open, are bought out, migrate, and change, whether popular or not.  It seems there always has to be something bigger and better. 

I guess that's what makes life so interesting and our world a constant improvement.  It makes me wonder what things will be like even 10 years from now.  What cell phone will I be using?  How will I be watching tv?  How will I be surfing the internet?  What will I be driving?  How will I be cooking and shopping?

Album of Hope - A Gift to Your Child

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I found this Creative Memories Book from Nancy O'Dell called Full of Love and her "Album of Hope" Initiative.

I started a discussion thread in the forum here and on Facebook here. The book is almost $20 and I am wondering if it is worth the cost.  Does it inspire you?

I've found Nancy O'Dell's Full of Life book as an ebook (Nook), but I did not see this one as an e-book yet.

What a great idea for a book.  I could print it hardbound at Shutterfly for my boys for Christmas.  I was thinking about doing a "Sports through the years" theme this year, but I think a "Book of Hope" would make a great gift for them too.

I've long ago thought leaving books such as this for our children is a great idea.

Only my ideas have been a little bit different in that I have wanted to create a "Prayer Book" for my boys and I started that project long ago and never finished it.  See blog posts. See challenge in Subscriber Area. It's been a very long time since anyone has taken advantage of these challenges.

Credit for Graphic - My Heritage Add-on Irish Kit

Along with the above Prayer Journal idea, I've long wanted to create a book about "Mom's Teachings" and create a challenge in the forum for that too.  However, since I spend so much time doing things for everyone else in the forum, and everyone else in personal life, I never seem to find the time to do the things I want to do.  I keep thinking that I need to make some changes and start doing things for myself, but what would happen to the forum and the amount of subscribers if I stopped creating new content?

I found this book online sharing a Book of Love as a graduation gift.

Still He Walked

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He could hear the crowds screaming "crucify" "crucify"... He could hear the hatred in their voices, These were his chosen people. He loved them, And they were going to crucify him. He was beaten, bleeding and weakened... his heart was broken, But still He walked.

He could see the crowd as he came from the palace. He knew each of the faces so well. He had created them. He knew every smile, laugh, and shed tear, But now they were contorted with rage and anger...his heart broke, But still He walked.

Was he scared? You and I would have been. So his humanness would have mandated that he was. He felt alone. His disciples had left, denied, and even betrayed him. He searched the crowd for a loving face and he saw very few. Then he turned his eyes to the only one that mattered. And he knew that he would never be alone. He looked back at the crowd, at the people who were spitting at him, throwing rocks at him and mocking him and he knew that because of him, they would never be alone. So for them, He walked.

The sounds of the hammer striking the spikes echoed through the crowd. The sounds of his cries echoed even louder, the cheers of the crowd, as his hands and feet were nailed to the cross, intensified with each blow. Loudest of all was the still small voice inside his heart that whispered "I am with you, my son," And God's heart broke. He had let his son walk.

Jesus could have asked God to end his suffering, but instead he asked God to forgive. Not to forgive him, but to forgive the ones who were persecuting him. As he hung on that cross, dying an unimaginable death, he looked out and saw, not only the faces in the crowd, but also, the face of every person yet to be, and his heart filled with love. As his body was dying, his heart was alive. Alive with the limitless, unconditional love he feels for each of us. That is why He walked.

When I forget how much My God loves me, I remember his walk.

When I wonder if I can be forgiven, I remember his walk.

When I need reminded of how to live like Christ, I think of his walk.

And to show him how much I love him, I wake up each morning, turn my eyes to him, And I walk.

-- Author Unknown

May Class Sign-ups/Site Sponsor

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I would like to introduce our new 'Site Sponsor' for May Jenn of CK Designs.

I have never actually met Jenn or worked with her, but am familiar with her designs.  I first learned of her when receiving a freebie at a chat at SBB.  I decided that I liked her designs and actually bought a few of her kits.  (I bet she doesn't know that!).  I have used her designs in several layouts and you can probably find them on my blog or in my gallery, but I don't have time to dig through to find them for you.  Sorry!


About Jenn:

Hi all!

I'm Jenn and I am 38 and live with my boyfriend and kitty. I worked in technical development and project management for over 15 years, but left the field about two years ago. I've officially been designing since September 2009 and am a long time paper crafter. I am also a dedicated digital layout artist and am creative for many teams and publications in addition to designing.

You can find Jenn at in two stores Scrapbook Bytes and A Cherry On Top, also on Facebook, Twitter and her Blog Jennck.


For May Jenn has chosen to sponsor the Themed Thursday Class and you will see a preview of the kit Jenn has offered 'Butterfly Flower' pictured below. The kit will be available to download by all who enroll in the class on May 1st.  (You can find it in here store here or here.)

Enrollment to the class will be open through May 7th.

We are looking forward to working with Jenn and hope she enjoys her month as our site sponsor in May.
These classes are also open for enrollment through May 7.
Course 1
Course 2
Templates
Filters
Scrapping Goal
Heritage
Themed Thursday
For more information, please read the class sign-up page.
You must first register in the forum before paying the small subscriber fee of $5.50 per month.

The Yellow Shirt

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The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra-large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front. It was faded from years of wear, but still in decent shape. I found it in 1963 when I was home from college on Christmas break, rummaging through bags of clothes Mom intended to give away.

You're not taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she saw me packing the yellow shirt. "I wore that when I was pregnant with your brother in 1954!"

"It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class, Mom. Thanks!" I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object.

The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe. I loved it. After graduation, I wore the shirt the day I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday mornings when I cleaned.

The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I wore the yellow shirt during big-belly days. I missed Mom and the rest of my family,since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois. But that shirt helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it when she was pregnant, 15 years earlier.

That Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had given me, I patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me for her "real" gifts, she said the yellow shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again.

The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at Mom and Dad's to pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt!

And so the pattern was set.

On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt under Mom and Dad's mattress. I don't know how long it took for her to find it, but almost two years passed before I discovered in under the base of our living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The walnut stains added character.

In 1975 my husband and I divorced. With my three children,I prepared to move back to Illinois. As I packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if I could make it on my own. I wondered if I would find a job. I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In Ephesians, I read, "So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attaches, and when it is all over, you will be standing up."

I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was the stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned on me. Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's armor? My courage was renewed.

Unpacking in our new home, I knew I had to get the shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer. Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A year later I discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet. Something new had been added. Embroidered in bright green across the breast pocket were the works "I BELONG TO PAT." Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and added an apostrophe and seven more letters. Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER."

But I didn't stop there. I zigzagged all the frayed seams, then had a friend mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington, VA. We enclosed an official-looking letter from "The Institute for the Destitute," announcing that she was the recipient of an award for good deeds. I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the box.

But, of course, she never mentioned it. Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our wedding, Harold and I put our car in a friend's garage to avoid practical jokers. After the wedding, while my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite, I reached for a pillow in the car to rest my head. It felt lumpy. I unzipped the case and found, wrapped in wedding paper, the yellow shirt. Inside a pocket was a note: "Read John 14: 27-29. I love you both, Mother."

That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room and found the verses: "I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do,you will believe in me."

The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for three months that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's disease. Mother died the following year at age 57.

I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the love-filled game she and I played for 16 years. Besides, my older daughter is in college now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a baggy yellow shirt with big pockets.

Author Unknown

Unknotting the Tummy

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OH, THOSE TUMMY KNOTS!
What a week I've had.  Most of this week my tummy has been in knots.

I have never had knots stay in my stomach this long and I am wondering why it is that I cannot untense myself.  Is this a sign that I am getting older?  Is it a sign that age makes us less able to handle stress?  I have always handled stress fairly well.  I do not want to get to where I have to worry about my blood pressure levels.  What can I do to get back to my former stress tolerance level before this happens again?

I never recall waking up in the morning and still feeling those knots in the tummy still there from the previous day.

PSALM 23 - "HE RESTORTH MY SOUL"
Of course, at times like these I'm drawn to the Lord and this week I've been directed to “He restoreth my soul.” Psalm 23:3

For the first time, I've finally had a life application to help me really understand Psalm 23.  What I thought I understood before is now even clearer.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake." Psalm 23

MY SOUL RISIDES IN MY TUMMY
I have never studied much about the Soul and Spirit and how they differ, and really have no desire to think on the difference, but my gut conceptualization this week is that my soul resides in my tummy. 

Now don't laugh!  I suppose it could reside in my heart, but all week I kept saying that my heart was in the pit of my stomach!  That is where it felt like it had landed and where I was physically feeling those knots.  It only made sense to conceptualize the facts that my soul was shook up and my physical feeling was in my stomach and, therefore, my tummy must be where my soul resides. 

Yes, I'm silly, but if you think about it, it is an abstract theory that does seem a little logical.  So just go with me on this one, please.

BEING RESTORED
To restore means "to repair or return to a past condition."

Since God made me, only He can restore me! Praise God for that!

My "past condition" is the beginning and where I know God would prefer I stay because He loves me.  My past condition is one of joy and happiness, contentment and peace.  I am His child and He wants me to be happy at all times, just like a parent wishes happiness and no troubles for their child.

He wants to restore my soul and untie these knots for me.  When joy is gone and discouragemnt surmounts, he fixes those broken places by making me "like down by green pastures" and leading me "by quiet waters" to "restore my soul."

I love nature and the concept of quiet time at a peaceful location.  I've always said my dream vacation would be a cabin in the woods with nearby beautiful landscape and scenery to just sit and relax.  I do not need to travel to all these fancy places far away, but just be somewhere that feels like paradise.

With so many lyric videos on Youtube containing photos of nature, it makes you realize that for many people, the beauty of those quiet places is something that restores the soul. That's why so many people enjoy these videos.

However, each person's "quiet waters" and 'green pastures" may be something different.  Some people may respond to other things, such as music or a book to restore their soul.  Maybe it is a friendship or a food or drink that is calming for you.  Maybe it is just simple quiet meditation thinking on the Lord.  Whatever your "quiet waters" is, become aware of it and thank God for it each time he brings you to it.

WHAT PSALM 23 DOES NOT SAY
What Psalm 23 does not say is how long it will take to restore.  It does not promise restoration immediately.  God only promises to calm things down and allow me time with those things such as green pastures and quiet waters so that my soul can be restored.   It is unreasonable to expect my tummy knots to be gone immediately just because I've said a prayer and turned to Jesus. 

MY PRAYER
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Restoreth my soul, Lord, and give me the eyes to see myself and others as You do.

SOME VIDEOS

Twitter Round-up

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I do hope you enjoy these Twitter round-up posts! I think you do, although I don't get a lot of feedback.

Happy clicking!

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DIY Bokah! I want to do this!

Easter Treat Holder Hybrid project from The Hybrid Chick!

Growing grass in a cup! Now why am I not that prepared ahead for Easter decorations?

Use digital scrapbooking papers to make origami

How to Create a Contrast Gritty Effect in Photoshop

Exporting to Facebook and Flickr From Bridge CS5

Happy 7th birthday DSP !

How to stickerize your title

Photoshop Tutorial: Using Adjustment Layer Masks for Photography 

I'm cracking up here. What better than to have @johndissauer the local weather guy tell @oldguycomedy hubby to mow the lawn! #21stcentury

Dear @oldguycomedy - John says to mow the lawn tonight RT @johndissauer SPC keeps KFVS viewing area in SLIGHT RISK for severe storms Friday.

Hey, that's my nickname for her! You called her fuzzy terdmaker @oldguycomedy Dear wife I miss "Baby Rae"! 0( (April 14)

Congratulations to @The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond on her new Food Network cooking show! (April 14)

Hybrid Easter digi s

Have you ever heard of green garlic? Love stuffed potato s.
Cupcake lines for bows! Love the .

Who would have thought to stencil easter eggs w/ doilies!

Have you ever downloaded from download psd ? What are the TOU's?

One of my first layouts when I started digiscrapping. Abbie Rae would have been 14 on Sunday, but she left us yesterday. I am missing her toenails tapping on the hardwood floor. It's so quiet in here. I actually miss tripping over her every time I get up as she was always underfoot (my feet because she always stayed with me). And I miss the "silent beggar" staring at me. She was the dog my boys grew up with. I will miss our daily walks together in the flower garden every day during lunch hour. (April 13)

I miss the annoying tripping over my dog underfoot. I miss the tapping of Abbie Rae's toenails on the hardwood floor. So quiet. (April 13)

Goodbye Abbie Rae. I will miss you. You were a good dog. (April 13)

knots.....how hard can they be to untie? (April 13)

Kaisercraft magazine!

Thanks! Now I'm hungry!

Art fragmentation of the photo tutorial

What's the best way to get these knots of stress out of your stomach? (April 12)

Has anyone tried the SpyderCheckr? I like the concept! How much is it?

Do you have a UV filter on your good lenses?

@realDonaldTrump Did I hear you may run for President? Is that why you have a new Youtube channel? PR? (April 8)

Wow...it's almost 80 degrees in this house! I'm so hot...and supposed to be 86 outside tomorrow....we may have to turn on the air! (April 8)
 

Using Christine's Kit

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I want to than Chrissy and Barbara for taking time to give back to our site sponsor, Christine Smith, by making a layout with the kit and sharing it. This mostly red and white kit is unique and makes for unique layouts.

To read more about our site sponsor and find the store coupon, please see this area of the forum.

LET'S create A BOOK together!

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We are creating a book to be shared at http://issuu.com/hummie

You will be able to download the .pdf. and embed the book on your blog or website.

Please use the template available for download in this thread.

Put a nature photo in the photo area and fill the color layers with colors from that photo.

You may add more text to the "submitted by" area if you want to share a link or other information.

E-mail the .jpg to me at hummie@hummiesworld.com
        (or hummdingertub@yahoo.com) for submission in the book.

You can submit as many as you want. The more the better!

Upload and share to the gallery too using the "color palette" category and share in the forum.

See others here in the gallery.
You can submit through May 30, 2011
***
I love how nature gives us color palettes naturally! Let's use just photos in nature.


If you want to upload your photos to a color generator and then transfer the color to the palette, you can do that too.  I've linked a few for you in the forum thread.

I merely used the eyedropper tool to grab six colors from my photo.

....or you could use my tutorial --the subscriber video or the free .pdf -- they are also linked in the forum thread.
I'm so excited about this!  I think it will be a great resource and the photos will be wonderful to see!

Be sure to use your own photos, of course!

Pinterest

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Pinterest seems to be the new image collection site fad! Here is my account. Before Pinterest, there was first vi.sualize.us (blog post from 9.23.08) and then there was imgfav (blog post of and then 7/14/09). Of course, before these three, there was Kaboodle (blog post from 9/16/07) as the fad which is now rarely used. Image collection sites are comparable to link/bookmarking sites, (ie. del.icio.us), only for images. Kaboodle was strictly shopping, but now with the new image sharing sites, one can keep a "shopping kaboodle" at any of the image sharing sites. I am learning that I have to keep up with the trends and fads of the digital scrapbooking community. People get tired of the old and always seem to want something new. I am personally still happy with vi.sualize.us and will continue to use it, but because so many digital scrapbookers are now on Pinterest, I plan to bookmark at both sites. Of course, vi.sualize.us contains all my former links, so I want to continue to develop that collection. In addition, vi.sualize.us allows me to embed my collections on my website. Pinterest is still in beta and, therefore, maybe they have intentions on adding that service yet. Pinterest, because it is in beta, is by invitation only. However, everyone who uses Pinterest is allowed to invite 5 people per day. So if you would like an invite, please send me an e-mail and I'll gladly do so.

As with the other image collection sites, with Pinterest, you can have "friends" and follow what they have shared. You can "repin" their images to one of your own "boards."

A "board" is their word for "category." You can create whatever boards fit your interests.

You can follow all of your friends boards or just selected boards which are your same interest. You can unfollow selected boards if you are getting images in your stream in which you have no interest. (choosing individual boards/categories to follow is an option vi.sualize.us does not have--at vi.sualize.us, if you follow someone, you receive all of their images)

You can also "like" an image, but I don't really see this use for this because if I like it, I'm just going to add it to one of my boards.

Commenting on images is also available.

As with the other sites, you can add images from any website page by installing the link in your browser toolbar.

There is also an iPhone ap coming soon.

*****

I love image collection sites because they allow me collect digital scrapbooking layouts that inspire me from everywhere into one spot. So instead of cruising galleries when I need inspiration to jump start a layout when my mojo is gone, I head to my collection.

In addition, each image saved is linked back to the original website where you can go to find tutorials, credits, or other helpful information.

I remember when vi-sualiz.us first came out there was much concern about copyright. I would imagine that if there was a copyright problem, the makers of these popular website would have already investigated for their own risk. Basically, they are only organizing small thumbnails from the original photos and the originals are retained on the originating website. By linking back to the original website, it gives credit to the owner of the image. Of course, copyright is a complicated issue in which only attorneys should be consulted to interpret.

Spiritual Vitamins A to Z

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Remember to take your vitamins every day!

Anxious? Take Vitamin A. "All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Blue? Take Vitamin B. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name." (Psalm 103:1)

Crushed? Take Vitamin C. "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

Depressed? Take Vitamin D. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

Empty? Take Vitamin E. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name." (Psalm 100:4)

Fearful? Take Vitamin F. "Fear not, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God." (Isaiah 41:10)

Greedy? Take Vitamin G. "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put unto your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." (Luke 6:38)

Hesitant? Take Vitamin H. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'" (Isaiah 52:7)

Insecure? Take Vitamin I. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Jittery? Take Vitamin J. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Know nothing? Take Vitamin K. "Know this that the Lord is God, it is He that made us and not we ourselves. (Psalm 100:3)

Lonely? Take Vitamin L. "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Mortgaged? Take Vitamin M. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Nervous? Take Vitamin N. "Never, no never will I leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Overwhelmed? Take Vitamin O. "Overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

Perplexed or puzzled? Take Vitamin P. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

Quitting? Take Vitamin Q. "Quit you like men and women, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Restless? Take Vitamin R. "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." (Psalm 37:7)

Scared? Take Vitamin S. "Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the
one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe with me." (1 Samuel 22:23)

Tired? Take Vitamin T. "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Uncertain? Take Vitamin U. "Understand that I am (the Lord). Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." (Isaiah 43:10)

Vain? Take Vitamin V. "Vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. (Acts 5:16)

Wondering what to do? Take Vitamin W. "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

eXhausted? Take Vitamin X. "Exercise thyself rather unto godliness." (1 Timothy 4:7)

Yearning for hope? Take Vitamin Y. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you art with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

Zapped? Take Vitamin Z. "Zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2:14)

Author Unknown

Accepting Everyone

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Written 5/18/07

I've been learning lately that as Christians we need to practice accepting others for who they are, especially in light of gay marriage debates.

We have to accept everyone for who they are or we as Christians appear as if we think we are better than everyone else. That is so not true. We are all sinners and even one sin makes us all equals.

So, the question seems to be, how can we accept others and get along with them without being tempted to become someone we don't want to be. They say to choose your friends wisely, right?

How can we reach people with Jesus's love if we avoid them because they are sinning?

Doesn't everyone deserve Jesus's love?

It's not our job to judge, right?

It is our job to love people right where they are at, right?

By: Hummie

Twitter Roundup

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I've been so busy! There isn't much here, but do have "happy clicking!"

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I liked a YouTube video -- Bon Jovi - Have A Nice Day 150 scrips for Photoshop

Suffering succotash -- need some sleep and back relief (March 21)

An amazing post by @karladudley with many scraplifting examples.

Just when I think I've seen them all, I see we can make flowers from duct tape.

Rt @ScrapGirls DIY: How to Create a Camera Bag from a Favorite Purse

As requested, photo of new chair -- gotta have that back thing! Love it!

Must have! Takes pressure off back of legs

DST has been sold to yet another non-scrapbooking company

This wind is going to blow me down'n (March 23)

Just learned that Pixel-peeping is a photographer viewing pixels from a full-resolution image at 100% or more for quality. Are you a DIGI PIXEL-PEEPER? (March 25)

RT @CNETNews Everything you need to know about Firefox 4 I'm working on a watermark for the corner of my photos. Except the H, it's my own handwriting font

The success of a young photographer.

Facebook wall sort by lists. Took me a long time to find this again after they moved it!

Color GridDesign In Photoshop.

Just found Jo Totes camera bags.

Centering Background Papers - Quick Tip (new video!)

Spring Issue of Scrapbook & Cards magazine is out. I always enjoy reading this mag.

I really like the Digital Freebies "friday freebie" this week

Aging your Photos Gracefully by Miss Behaving

Fall 2011 fashion trend colors - Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2011

I want to try to make this little origami gift box

Don't forget to visit the April Blog Train Happy 7th birthday SBE (Scrapbook Elements!)

check it out: http://www.drinklocalwine.com/

This biker is crazy fun! ...daring!

Cut out and Keep craft tutorials

Text in an egg shape - would be great framed for the holiday!

Spring font inspiration!

Ruffled Easter Egg Basket is cute!

Easy tied hybrid mini book at ScrapMatters - so easy!

What is color fringe? How do you fix it? (video - photoshop only)

Tutorial - creating stone effect (photoshop only)

Tutorial - cute signature lines in forums

25% Off Coupon

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Stop by the forum thread here for more information on a coupon code from our site sponsor, Christine Smith. She is offering 25% off at her store at: http://christinesmith.net/store.

How generous and wonderful of her to offer us this coupon code!