Wednesday, July 24, 2013

HSCRC13 #12 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Hi Everyone,
This is my card for the current Hymn and Scripture Challenge located HERE.  The hymn is "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.  I will admit I had a little trouble coming up with an idea to run with.  I think the first part of all three stanzas is great and put those words on the card.
"What a Fellowship..."
"Oh, how sweet to walk..." and
"What have I to dread..."
These three lines are the best for me, but I did have a hard time relating to snuggling in God's arms. (I am way to independent)   I concentrated on the word "Lean" and finally came up with Bill Withers song "Lean on me" which helped by being a stepping stone to the real thing.  Withers is talking about leaning on a human being "when you're not strong".  I can relate to that.  It's all about trust.  You would not "spill your guts" to a person you didn't trust, nor would you ask for help if you didn't think they could give it.  If you leaned on someone with a broken leg, you both would fall.  So the verse I picked is Proverbs 3:5a (Living Bible) "Trust in the Lord completely..."  This is even more than to just 'lean'.  It's going all the way.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Victorine #64 Summer Fun

 
Good Morning,
Today starts a new challenge on Victorine Originals.  Check it out.  There is always a winner.  The challenge this week is to make a Summer Fun card with the colors of summer.  You can find it HERE.  I chose green as it's my favorite color and I am totally enamored with the green that's everywhere this year because of all the rain we've had.  Last night was an AWESOME storm.  I swear I saw snow 'splopping' on the window once, but didn't want to believe it.  Then later the weather man showed a picture that someone sent with hail, so I suppose I saw snow.  It was LOUD and CLOSE and scary at times. They also said there were 780 lightning strikes in our county in 10 min.  I believe it.
 The frog on my card lives in our lake with his buddies and even HE was hiding last night.  He is big and loud, but only comes out on nice summer evenings to sing and eat mosquitos.  I love him.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Victorine Challenge #63

Good Morning, Cardmakers and everyone else.  Soon to be listed is the Victorine Originals  current challenge and you can find it HERE.  Last I looked it was not up yet, but you can get the jump on everyone else.  The #63 challenge is Friendship in Bloom.   Both the 'friends' image and the sentiment are Victorine Originals stamps and the girls' dresses work really great for paper piecing too.  I left them plain this time as I wanted a sort of raggy homemade look and I wanted the entire image to show. Such pretty calico dresses. My background is a Basic Grey cardstock.   Picking flowers and sharing in the sunset.  What a dream.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Bugs! Keep Away!

Hi People
I am thinking this recipe might be a good one for some of you if you are having the same problem we are.
We had a beautiful Independence Day.  We think we counted over 40 people at our annual picnic.  The food was plentiful and wonderful.  The people were friendly and the bugs were few.  I had made up some of my homemade "Bug Keep Away" stuff and Bob sprayed it around the yard just before guests were supposed to arrive.  It seemed to do the trick as there were a few mosquitos, but not enough to have people leaving for home.  And I didn't see anyone doing the "Slap Dance".   But that all changed the next day.  Dramatically.  The next day the mosquitos were thick.  We were shocked as it happened so fast.  So I made up more of my 'brew' and have instructed Bob to keep the area around the back door sprayed so when I let the dog out, he and I both don't get eaten alive.  I am giving the recipe to anyone who wants it.  I got it from a friend a few years ago.  It works well for at least half a day and probably longer. So, it's good for a party.  Just spray again if it seems to wear off.  Here is the 'skinny'.
 
1 cup lemon scented dish detergent
1 cup lemon scented ammonia
2 gallons water
 
That's all there is to it.  We have a two gallon sprayer that you carry around, but if you don't want to be bothered with that, just mix up the brew and get a spray bottle from Walgreens or the hardware store.  You need to spray the grass and the bushes and anywhere you think the critters are hiding.
This does not kill the bugs.  The citrus is just a smell they don't like one bit and the dish detergent makes it stick to the grass for awhile, so they stay away.
I'm not saying it's magic, but sometimes it sure feels that way.  I was not bothered at all at the picnic, but the next day the little critters came out in full force in broad daylight.  I ended up with bites all over including three bee stings.  (No worries.  I'm not allergic and they just itch)  The aloe that I usually use for mosquito bites (and it takes them away) did not work, and they swelled quite a bit, so I'm assuming a bee got me when I was rinsing off soda cans to recycle.  I saw some little ones in the grass.  I hope this will be as helpful to you as we have found it.  We are thankful for all the rain we have had this year, but it sure made the mosquitos hatch. Good luck to anyone who tries it.

Monday, July 1, 2013

HSCRC13 #11

Good Morning
This is my card for the current Hymn and Scripture Challenge located HERE.  The hymn is Jesus Never Fails and I remember singing it a lot when I was young, but somehow the idea never stuck back then.  I think sometimes you need some of life's hard experiences where you are forced by the circumstance to call on God and then WAIT.  During the "wait" for His rescue is the time when you have to remember that Jesus Never Fails.
The verse I picked says I stand 'silently' but I have to confess that most of the time, it's not.  Most of the time it's kicking and screaming and wanting my way, but then you get to a point where you maybe think you just don't care anymore and give up.  Up steps God for the rescue (drum roll here) because then you are pliable in His hands and He can be in charge.  I thank Him so much that He never fails whether it's planning our lives, just watching our situations or actually rescuing us from the deep doo doo we get ourselves into.  He DOES what He said He would do.