HAPPY NEW YEAR....2011

RINGING IT IN.....IN STYLE!

Please double click to enlarge picture









BEST OF GOODNESS FOR 2011

LOVING GOD
Samara

THE LAW OF FORGIVENESS....

Forgiveness
restores
our hearts
to the innocence
that we knew -
an innocence
that allowed
us the freedom
to love.

Robin Casarjian
author of Forgiveness:  A Bold Choice for a Peaceful Heart


merry christmas everyone!

I loved dreaming these cards up and box up.
Quite a different style for me and likely part of the fun!
























































My all time favorite!




FANCY SHMANSY LABELS
Card Stock: Stampin' Up
Many of the Die Cuts: Basic Grey
Punches: Stampin' Up
Stamps: Stampin' Up, Inque, Papertrey
Brads: Bo Bunny
Decal Punch: McGill
Fluffy Paint (not called that but I love that name for Santa's Beard) - Michael's
Copics/Prismas/Stampin' Up Markers
Tombow Glue Runner: Stampin' Up
Ribbon: (Red) Stampin' Up, (Green) Michaels
Some Patterned Paper: Basic Grey

Please email me if you'd like more specific detail re Papers or Stamps
DESIGNED BY:
Moi

LOVING GOD
Samara

NEVERTHELESS...


And in spite of, everything,
we are.  Here.

Once.  Our time
is short, the flare

of a candle,
the pulse

of a heart.  Swirl
the wine

in your glass.
Put on

a necklace
of sky.  Invite

the neighbours.  Dance.

By Barbara Crooker in SERENITY PRAYERS, Prayers, Poems and Prose to Soothe Your Soul



 Double click image to enlarge













FANSY SHMANSY LABELS
Kimmie Stamps
Copic Sketch markers
Stampin Up Oval Punch and White Gel Pen and White Paper and Crushed Curry Classic Ink
Cricut New Cutting Frames
DCWV Paper - The Colorful Life
Stash Ribbons

LOVING GOD
Samara

THANK YOU LESLEY....

...FOR YOUR GREAT BEAUTY!

Sometimes a person walks into your life at JUST the perfect time, knowing instinctively when you have made space to be fully available to them, to step up to meet their needs, to come forth to understand them at a deeper level and to pair up in the manner in which God intended.  People are rather facinating in that they can sit in their own corner in life and just observe what is going on in another person's life, even when you don't realize it - and this is the true mystery in life - and the other person patiently waits, intuitively knowing when you are, in that perfect God moment, ready for them "to show up" in your life - maybe for the first time, or maybe once again...  


Ding-a-ling goes your phone, or a knock on the door, or an envelope in the mailbox.  All resistance is gone and all you experience is surrender to the truth of "what God is in your life" and "what God has done for you" and that "God has NEVER left your side" not for one minute, not for one second!  And an amazing flood of gratitude washes over you.


Such was the case at my house last evening.  I was rather astonished, to say the least...


I call this a GOD intervention...


Like in the Psalms of David...God made His people of that time wait, often until the last crunching moment, before the People of Israel could breathe any relief from their relentless despair.


"I am suggesting that, for those of us who have grown up with a more linear sense of our lives, it may also be helpful to situate each breath of our lives within the longer breathing of our lives from God and FOR God.  This is the source of our breath, our spirit, our inspiring."

Still
I breathe in You
You breathe in me
I live in You
You live in me
I come from You
I go to You
You in the beginning
You in the end
From You
With You
For You
Forever.
Amen.


From Radical Gratitude by Mary Jo Leddy
















It is my New Year's Resolution, in the area of my Blog, to begin again to write the Recipe for my creations. I have become lazy and my time is up for that nonsence, given I just LOVE to find out what you use on YOUR creations!!!  A whole whakee-doodle of labels will again be Stampin' Up, given I have become a demonstrator once again.  Thanks for bearing with my sabbatical regarding this task for the last 6 months.

p.s. I used lots of goopy and messy liquid glitter and pearl drops on this card and finger painted!
Very fun indeed.

MERRY CHRISTMAS          HAPPY HOLIDAYS

LOVING GOD
Samara

WELL IT FINALLY HAPPENED....

I HAVE A MAN IN THE HOUSE!!!

and he is 13 years old...lol

THE BAR MITZVAH was a complete success.  Today I am going to post a few pictures so you can see just what we were up to, while initiating my youngest into this wonderful ritual of becoming "a man."

My oldest MAN, Jordan, was leading Taylor all the way.  He taught his little brother all he needed to know to fill his obligations within the ritual.  Without "the two of them" *lol* the BAR MITZVAH just wouldn't have happened with the joy, tears, laughter and celebration that we experienced.

ENJOY!

Jordan is showing Taylor how to don a Prayer Shawl or "Tallit"

Taylor and Jordan are saying the Blessing after putting on The Prayer Shawl (Tallit)

Jordan is teaching Taylor how to use Tefillan (each one - arm and forehead - contains the SHMA) a Sacred Prayer - "Hear O Israel, The Lord Our God is One...." but written in Hebrew Script and said in Hebrew

Taylor is "all wrapped up" trying to follow his big brother's perfect instructions

This part was hysterical!  Taylor did not know that part of the tradition is that when the ritual is over, the guests (40 of them) pelt him with candy that I gave to them when they entered the house.  You can see what he is protecting!!! lol  Jordan is playing his guitar and we are all singing SIMON TOVandMAZEL TOV, in other words - CONGRATS!  Hey, notice the banner - Thank You Mrs. Cricut Expressions Machine and many late nights!! 
Taylor is just figuring it all out and having a blast!  Maybe one of relief that his hour of Hebrew and singing Hebrew and learning all these new tricks of Tallit and Tefillan are over!  And boy, was my floor covered with candy!!!  Lucky my dogs were in the back room...


This was a HUGE surprise to Taylor!  He did not realize that part of the ritual is that 4 strong people lift Taylor on a chair while we sing and clap and they bounce him up and down!  You can see him saying: "Whowwwww" and holding on for dear life!  I'm the one in red on the left, jumping and clapping with Glee!  Proud Mommy!

Teary Mommy!
I am giving my speech to "my baby" but God's MAN! Oy Gavolt...or Oy Gavoy as I like to say, was this a teary moment, having my baby looking up at me and my big boy (MAN) Jordan just behind him!
And here is my new MAN not taking his eyes off me for a second while I told him all kinds of stories about him and situations he's not known about before - for 15 minutes!  He is a cutie eh!!!

And Mommy and Child.....ahhhhhh 
Look at that look of pride on Taylor's face.
Isn't that darling?  Oh, and on the fridge to the left, you get a peak at Jordan and Ayla too!

YUMMY YUM!~
The reward at the End!!!


TRULY LOVING GOD FOR MY 2 MEN
THANK YOU GOD FOR THIS LOVELY RITUAL AND FOR MY BOYS DEDICATION
SAMARA

p.s. Hi Ayla...You are not forgotten and are "my Goddess always!" xox Mommy

THE LITTLE BIG BOOK OF LIFE....by Fried


 

By Helen Keller

One can never consent
to creep when one feels
an impulse to soar!

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF IS MY MESSAGE FOR TODAY






















LOVING GOD
Samara

Label:  Taylored Expressions Kit and Stamps

THE SPECIAL 25 YEAR OLD JORDAN....

YOUR FIRST BORN IS ALWAYS "SPECIAL" ...

and the child that, unfortunately, is the "test drive parenting" child!

Well, I made this card with my Jordan in mind...because he "is" so special to me...he NEVER forgets his mom. The "fathers" in the sentiment is with the Dalai Lama in mind or whomever Jordan wants it to be, including his own father. Jordan respects the Dalai Lama highly, so that is what I was particularly focusing on...as well as all the prophets, and greatnesses of being in all faiths!  But first, as a way of sharing the essence of my son's and my bond, and just "who" Jordan is, I want to share a gift he gave me for my birthday - a song he wrote and taped for me.

HAPPY FIFTY TWO

verse
You're one half the agreement
That brought me into being
And twenty-three years later
You're the best mom I've seen
Today you're one year older
But it's really just one more day
I've put these words together
To wish you a Happy Birthday

August fourteenth nineteen fifty six
You came into this world
And though I didn't know you, I'm sure
You were a beautiful girl.
Now fifty-two years have passed
And there's many more to come
You have three kids that are sure of one thing:
They have the world's greatet mom!

CHORUS
We love you
And I love you
It's really, really true.
Happy Birthday to you, mom.
Happy fifty-two.

verse
At twenty-nine you had a son
And loved him through the years
You listened to his stories
Through the laughter and the tears
At thirty-two you now had a pair
With your daughter's pretty face
And loved her too, with all your heart
Though I know she came from space.

Then finally, the trio was complete
After you turned forty-two
And ten years later, he's grown so tall
And wears bigger shoes than you!

CHORUS
We love you
And I love you
It's really, really true
Happy Birthday to you, mom,
Happy fifty-two

BRIDGE
Sometimes it may feel like we're far away
And sometimes we don't speak for several days
But you're my mom and we share a soul
And I'll love you past the end
How many people are as lucky as me.
With a parent as a friend?

CHORUS
We love you
And I love you
It's really, really true
Happy Birthday to you, mom
Happy fifty-two

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Love,
JORDAN (my now 25 year old who is engaged to marry "our Laura!")

How great an honor to hand over the torch to a woman (Laura) that you positively love with all your heart and that you KNOW is the best woman in the world (besides me of course lol) for your son.









  























































LOVING GOD
Samara