Thursday, April 29, 2010 - IT'S A LADY'S (BUG) WORLD!

HOW SIMPLY ADORABLE ARE THESE LITTLE CREATURES? 

Well, I just love them...so much I have 2 tattoos of them on my bod (long story I'll make short-ish.)  I had a patient who as dying and told her I just exterminated a bazillion ladybugs.  She said to me, rightly so "how can you talk to me about ashes to ashes dust to dust and officiating my funeral when you kill God's most beautiful creatures."

Whoa!  That was telling me.

After Sue passed, funeral was complete, her family gave me lots and lots of ladybug prezzies.  They kept "falling off my bookcase"....seriously!  Oh, Sue made me promise NOT to kill a bug until after she passed, which I have kept.  So, her husband and I made an agreement (when he was installing a ladybug blind that he gave to me as a gift) when it literally fell out of his hands and smashed a ladybug lamp on my dresser.

I decided to get two ladybug tattoos and gift all the prezzies to the goodwill.  It seemed that there was a permanence that was needed for me to remember the values that Sue taught me.

So, in light of my card, using a DESIGNED 2 DELIGHT digi for their challenge, there is my story to match!

I hope you enjoy my card!  Please pop over to the site.  You surely won't regret it!  There are some absolutely gorgeous digis for you!

LOVING GOD

Samara

Thursday, April 29, 2010 - FRIENDSHIP IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST...

KAREN'S INSPIRATION'S....... is a wonderful blog! You must check it out...

I was remiss the other day, when I gave credit in my "Lovingly made by" as solely "Gift."
This needed to be corrected, which I will dedicate my post to today.

Today's post is about friendship.

Karen is a wonderful, among the many, on-line friend.  Karen, in her own special - very special kindness and intuition and Christian ways, gifted me with so so many card making and paper items.

She has sent me packages of surprise goodies...things that I would never expect to receive from someone I met through our creating sites on the internet!

Karen has punched out frames for me (the one used on my daughter, Ayla's Grad card, and the paper behind it) crosses she took the time and ran through her dies and machines, and the most beautiful papers that were gifted to her!

These are things that I could not afford to purchase myself, nor many of the items she has sent to me, find here in Canada.

So a huge shout out for the LOVE SENT IN THE NAME OF GOD!

KAREN - you are a beautiful soul and an angel in my life!

I love you and I thank you for the aliveness you bring to me, with your friendship, and you dedication to the One!

God Bless "you"  Beautiful Womyn,

LOVING GOD,
Samara

http://www.karensinspirations.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 - LEARNING....

LEARN HOW TO BE

HAPPY

WITH WHAT YOU HAVE WHILE

YOU PURSUE ALL THAT YOU WANT

~jim rohn

lovingly made with...

Stamp:  Farrer

Bling:  Dollar Store, Basic Grey, Michael's, Stampin' Up!

Silver Trim: Starfit from Ecstasy Crafts

Brads:  Stampin' Up!

Sewing:  Michael's and Piercing is from Stampin' Up! Piercing Kit

Paper:  Taylored Expressions Monthly Kit

LOVING GOD

Samara

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 - TRANSFORMATION

GRADUATION and MILESTONES!

My Daughter, Ayla, just graduated from her Honor's B.A. and has landed a sweet job with an ad agency.  Unfortunately, this has nixed her plans to go off to Korea for the year, but fortunately, she is working for a feature ad agency (Apple, Uncle Ben's Rice etc. - bling bling!!) and being the good girl that she is - work and building her career comes first!

Transformation is a powerful process - whether it be rite of passage such as graduation, or meeting a person who literally changes your life!  We have all had this experience...realizing that we are in the midst of someone who it isn't always the most comfortable person to be around, but on the other hand, someone who in those uncomfortable moments teaches us things about ourselves we would have very little opportunity to find out otherwise.  These are the people we tend to really love greatly, whether they be our children, our BF's or our lover's and spouses or family.

So today is dedicated to TRANSFORMATION of every sort...to getting new jobs, to meeting new people and, through whatever means, moving from one level of consciousness to another.

So Happy Graduation Ayla!  I am so proud of you...you made it with flying colors...You are the best daughter I could ever hope for - My dream come true!!!

Please double click for an enlarged picture

LOVINGLY MADE WITH...

Paper - Solids:  (Stampin' Up!)

Stamps - Words:  Ephemera Book (Michael's)

Shapes: Starfit (Ecstasy Crafts)

Glitter: (Stampin' Up!)

Bling: (Basic Grey)

Paper - DSP:  Gift

Frame:  Gift

Flower:  (Prima Flowers)

LOVING GOD

Samara

Sunday, April 18, 2010 - KEEPING ON COURSE....

The passage below from "Day By Day Love is a Choice" spoke to me today, as I reflected on the card I created last evening, while in deep reflection.

KEEPING ON COURSE

All the ways of man are pure in his own eyes,

But Lord weighs the spirits

Commit your works to the Lord,

And your thoughts will be established.

-PROV. 16:2-3

LOVINGLY MADE WITH...

Paper:  Taylored Expressions Kit

Letters:  Close to My Heart Stampable Polka Dot Letters

Frames:  TV Kit

Die Cuts:  Bohemia - My Mind's Eye

Ribbons:  Taylored Expressions Kit

Empbellishments:  Taylored Expressions Kit

LOVING GOD

Samara

Friday, April 16, 2010 - FATHERS...

....BE GOOD TO YOUR DAUGHTERS!  (by John Mayer)

I am a huge John Mayer Fan.  On his album, Heavy Things, he has a song called Daughters.  Each song on that album speaks to me at this transformative point in my own life...but this song, can speak to many of us...

DAUGHTERS

By John Mayer

I know a girl

She puts the color inside of my world

But she's just like a maze

Where all of the walls all continually change

And I've done all I can

To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands

Now I'm starting to see

Maybe it's got nothing to do with me

Fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Oh, you see that skin?

It's the same she's been standing in

Since the day she saw him walking away

Now she's left

Cleaning up the mess he made

So Fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too.

Boys, you can break

You'll find out how much they can take

Boys will be strong

And boys soldier on

But boys would be gone without warmth from

A woman's good, good heart

On behalf of every man

Looking out for every girl

You are the god and the weight of her world

So fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Please double click image to enlarge

LOVINGLY MADE WITH

Paper:  Kiwi Kiss Base (Stampin' Up!), DSP (Making Memories) So Saffron (Stampin' Up!)
Stamps:  Forever (Inque), You're Absolutely Fabulous (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: River Rock, Rich Razelberry (Stampin' Up!)
Hardware: (Stampin' Up!)
Bling: $ Store, Brads (Taylored Expressions Rock and Roll Kit)
Ribbon:  Local Sewing Store
Accessories:  Gel Pen, Holographic Glitter (Stampin' Up!)

LOVING GOD
Samara

Love really deeply this weekend...it will come back 10 fold!

April 14, 2010 BELIEVING....

IS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, WHEN IT IS GRASPED AND HELD ONTO...WITH ALL ONE'S MIGHT!

I am a fan of the Author, Rumi.  He touches my heart. Rumi writes about love, using his own life experiences as the sign post for his books.  There is much written about and debated about "to whom" Rumi was writing, in his prose.  One of my favorites...

WE THREE

My love wanders the rooms, melodious,

flute notes, plucked wires,

full of a wine the Maji drank

on the way to Bethlehem.

We are three.  The moon comes

from its quiet corner, puts a pitcher of water

down in the center.  The circle

of surface flames.

One of us kneels to kiss the threshold.

One drinks, with wine-flames playing over his face.

One watches the gathering,

and says to any cold onlookers,

          This dance is the joy of existence.

I am filled with you.

Skin, blood, bone, brain and soul.

There's no room for lack of trust, or trust.

Nothing in this existence but that existence.

By The Essential Rumi, p. 130

Remember...Believe!

Lovingly made with...

Paper:  Papertrey

Stamps:  Taylored Expressions and

Colorings:  Copics, Chalk

Punches: Martha + Corners

Paper: Taylored Expressions Rock and Roll Kit

"Yoga Mat": Bleached Cotton

Yellow Card Stock:  Papertrey

Digi Stamp: (Need to look in my stamping Bible this evening)

LOVING GOD

Samara

MORE FLUTTERBY! Monday, April 12, 2010

GOOD MORNING TO THIS GORGEOUS SUNNY ONTARIO DAY!!! 

And to the tulips that are starting to show their little heads, the crocuses that are in their purples and yellows....ooooh I am starting to get excited about getting out there.....April 24th....Hurry up!  

I had some questions regarding the DETAILS of my flutterby creation so I shot some really UP CLOSE pics...Hope you get this today.....

AND GOD, THANKS FOR LIFE TODAY AND GIVE US ALL at least ONE SMILE and one new stranger that we make a friend ON THIS SUNNY GLORIOUS DAY!

So there we have it.  As my friend is encouraging me, I may have to start to dress more like a girli girl! (even tho' I am all girli girl!)  Seems my tastes are leaning that way with the appeal of this flutterby....OH NO!!!!!! HELP......

I hope that clarifies both what I used for the flutterby, from (Chatalaine Mag)

And how I used my frame (Marchant Stamps)

How I used my black circle (cut with the SU circle cutter)

And how I "propped"

See you this week!

Make a great day...

GOSH I LOVE GOD

Samara

April 11, 2010 - FRIENDSHIP

IS THE SOUL'S HOSPITALITY.

Hospitality

I saw a stranger today.

I put food for him in the eating place

and drink in the drinking place

and music in the listening place.

In the Holy Name of the Trinity

he blessed myself and my house,

my goods and my family

And the lark said in her warble:

often often often

Goes Christ in the stranger's guise

O, often often often

Goes Christ in the stranger's guise.

Traditional Celtic Prayer

I read in a Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism) Daily Tune Up the other day that saying something bad about someone is like sticking your finger in the light socket.  It never comes out without severe damage, and there is always damage surrounding the burn that we can not readily identify.

We never know who is walking in our midst, who the stranger is at our side, or who our "enemy" is...for all we know...it could be GOD, teaching us GOD's way....to LOVE.

To many, the butterfly is about LOVE, FREEDOM and TRANSFORMATION.

LOVING GOD

Samara

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 - AT A LOSS FOR WORDS....

....NOW HOW UNUSUAL IS THIS!!!

so I will just have to say "God, I luvs ya!"

Lovingly Made With....

Paper:  Two Scoops (Basic Grey)

Thread:  Two Scoops (Basic Grey)

Stamps:  Two Scoops (Basic Grey)

Glitter: Stampin' Up!

Corner Metal: CTMH

Die Cut: Two Scoops (Basic Grey)

LOVING GOD

Samara

Sunday April 4, 2010 - Easter - IS THERE ANYTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A HAPPY WOMYN?

I GUESS THE ANSWER HAS TO BE YES....A HAPPY CHILD!


But for argument sake (for today's card) I entered a Splitcoast Stamper's Challenge where we were asked to Copy a card (to get the inspiration) from William Chambers Millinary Internet Site.  Well, take a little dance over there and you will see that it isn't all that easy.....until


I remembered about my beloved womyn!


There is a wonderful yearly calender called THE VILLAGE RHYTHMS by Julie Cairns.  It features the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen on a calendar....they remind me very much of my days spent dreamily in The Caribbean, and especially of my 2nd mother, Lorna - who brought me up.  Lorna is from Jamaica.


So, in my own fashion, I used my beautiful womyn from the calender, studied William Chambers Millinary site very carefully and took pieces from each of the hats from his Millinary site and put them together to form my own vision of what a beautiful womyn is.

and here she is, and here is her head -covering

I covered the image with white paint then rubbed it off with a cloth to soften the image.

Lovingly Made With...

Paper:  Papertrey

Stamp:  CTMH

Ink:  Stampin' Up!

Paint:  Americana

Ribbon: Local Store

Paper Flower: (back) National Geographic Paper (front) CTMH

Feather: (National Geographic Paper - shaped by my)

LOVING GOD

Samara

 This may be one of the more special cards I make.

This is, for me, a picture of a "true Womyn."

Easter Saturday/Fifth Day of Passover...Saturday, April 3, 2010

ANGST: 1. formal - a feeling of deep anxiety of dread.  2. informal - a feeling of persistent worry about something trivial.


While yesterday I was celebrating the collision of Passover and Easter, last evening I carried with me this unavoidable feeling of "angst."  Let me go further into the word ANGST -


It is a NOUN.  It's main definition is Anxiety and it's secondary meaning is worry and tension.


It's SYNONYMS (like words - those you would find in a thesausus) are:

Ants in Pants

Apprehension

Concern

Disquiet

Fuss

Flutterflies

Distress

Fuss

Misgiving

Pins and Needles

Suspense

Watchfullness

Uneasiness

The AUTONYMS (the opposite of SYNONYMS) - or the opposite of being in the state of ANGST are:

Assurance

Calmness

Composure

Contentment

Ease

Happiness

Peace

Tranquility

We have transitioned from Good Friday to Easter Saturday.  This makes sense to me know.  My feelings are starting to calm, as they would have in Christ's time in those who Jesus surrounded during these 4 days, and in those who recognize that Jesus surround them today.  As my own Superior Nun at the hospital used to tell me, when I was a Chaplain and suffering this or that spiritually,  "You are on the Cross - it is OK - just give into it."  Oh, she was SO wise...this is what I miss terribly about working with the Sisters of the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph.  Everything seemed to make sense when they spoke to me.    Segue....sorry! (it's one of my give credit where credit is due thingi ma bobs!)


THIS IS PRECISELY WHY  I "LOVE".  And why I say it in that particular way because to me LOVE and JESUS are the same word....because JESUS is the replication of LOVE and SUFFERING all wrapped up in one.  Isn't the experience of love just that?  When will we be ready to accept that...and not fight it or fight people and countries because of it, or fight for everything and everyone to be at peace ALL OF THE TIME!


The world is experiencing LOVE and the world is experiencing SUFFERING.  Today, just for one moment, I am not so worried.


The following piece of artwork is what I created when I was at the utmost of my "angst" last evening.  Incidently, while I was in this state, I created and watched THE BUCKET LIST.  Very Powerful Metaphor!

The heart medallion (at the bottom) says "made with love)

It is subtle, but can you see the cross in the middle of the medal charm?

I specifically chose the flutterbies to symbolize the freedom and "coming out of" of this time of year, yet the groundedness of the minerals and medals and precious stones of the earth

...and I believe the word I have chosen speaks to all of us, individually

Lovingly Made With...

Paper:  Kraft (Stampin' Up!), DSP Marrakech (Basic Grey)

Letters:  becham Milk Chocolate Chip (Basic Grey)

Flutterbies:  CTMH

Pearls: (Basic Grey)

Lace: (Local Sewing Shop)

Beads: (Wallmart Sewing Section)

Medallion: (Earring Collection - 1$ Store)

LOVING GOD

Samara

May you see yourself risen to greater heighths this weekend!