Pencil Lines - Believe

God has truly been so good to us this week. My family's prayer has been answered this week and I have been rejoicing in the news that we are moving to a new home in two weeks! We are sad to leave the camp but totally excited about this new adventure! We have been praying for an answer for five months now and within a week it all played out just as He had planned it.

Before I packed all my scrapbooking supplies, I created my last layout for Pencil Lines Sketch Blog. The term ends this month and I am looking forward to seeing who makes the new team!

 

I used my son's birthday garland on this page. I just couldn't part with it after his party last weekend. ;)

The journaling choked me up this time... ;) It is always good to write what your heart feels.

 

This year with Pencil Lines totally pushed and challenged me to define my style, be myself, and create! I will always go back to Pencil Lines weekly to be inspired.

Create Well: Believe... even when it is hard to wait.

Pencil Lines - When Boy Meets Dog

 

I have been wanting to do this layout for almost a year now. Have you ever read the picture book, Knuffle  Bunny? It is a book about a little girl who is out with Dad and looses her favorite stuffed animal. Yeah, that happened with my husband and son. My husband took my son to the store and let him bring Spud with him. Now, Spud (my husband named the stuffed dog and will now never be allowed to name another thing my son owns again) greeted my son when he was at the hospital and has been loved on for three years. 

I never bring in any of Ethan's blankets or toys into the store (can we just insert an ewww here?) But, in this case my sweet husband caved. Of course, Spud fell out of the cart and was lost. It was quite a traumatic evening as we called the store for them to look in their lost and found. I am not sure who was more sad, Ethan or me! ;) Toy Story kept on replaying in my head when Woody yells in tears, "I'm a lost toy!" 

That night I went online and tried to find the same stuffed animal. The toy was given to us as a gift, so we had no idea where to find it. I couldn't even remember who made it. I had all of these images in front of me like a line up trying to match Spud exactly. I even asked my husband, sister, and brother-in-law's opinion and everyone voted differently on who was "Spud." I finally picked one I thought was "the one" and ordered it.

Of course, we ordered something that was out of stock and we got that email that said something like, "We are sorry that the item you ordered was out of stock but will be shipped out to you as soon as possible. Here is a 10% coupon to make it up to you for anything else in the store." Like I was going to be buying another thing from their store any time soon!

A month later, the box came in the mail. Of course by this time Ethan had put the tragic memory of loosing Spud to rest. Typical. So, we had him open the box. The picture in the layout is his first reaction. Isn't it precious? He yelled, "A dog!", since of course it didn't really look like Spud at all. (Insert my husband saying, "I told you so" right here) Then, Ethan said, "It's not Spud, it's Spudie." And I thought we could finally change the name to something a little less like a name of an edible tuber.

At the top right of the layout I have included a pocket to store this story and another wallet size photo of my little man and his new friend.

Create Well: Is your story long? Store it inside a pocket on your page with some photos you wanted to add but didn't really go with your page design.

Pencil Lines - 38 Years Together

I love this paper. We got it from our Craft Warehouse Scrap Club as a page challenge for January. This Pencil Lines sketch was perfect for it! It helped me figure out how to utilize the busy pattern paper. Plus, I got to use pink, which makes me giddy inside. ;) Not sure why. Maybe it is because I am out numbered in my household.

There is nothing quite like using your own handmade embellishments on your layouts. We use to sell some of these guys in sets in our etsy shop. Sometimes I miss creating for others and other times I am just glad I have time to create for myself. ;)

This page is also a chance for me to use my stash. I just kept on digging for pink, black, and white, and I piled it on. There is a modge podge of manufacturers on here, but I love it!

 

I used this favorite picture of my in-laws because I realized I have used it in projects for them and for the Ella Publishing Company article, but not for myself. It was about time!

Create Well: Use a color scheme and pull out all of those colors from your stash. Use it all on your next layout.

Pencil Lines - This Day

It has been a while since I have pulled out my paper and glue. Isn't great that a sketch can kick start creativity? You can check out this week's sketch at Pencil Lines here.

So, there I was, with my floor covered and stumped. I pulled out my package from Debee Campos's shop that I ordered during Christmas break. She always packages her customers orders with the prettiest things. I emptied the items onto the paper. It was laying on the page and I decided... well... that looked just good laying just like that! When in doubt, just glue it down! Ha! Since Debee's product did the embellishment trick, I pulled out her line of paper and punched out circles and added them to the page (inspired by the sketch of course).

 

 

 

I even cut the packaging and placed it on the page. I love other people's handwriting. ;) 

Create Well: When in doubt, just glue it down!

Pencil Lines - The Most Wonderful Time of Year

The Most Wonderful Time of Year, originally uploaded by createoften.

What is your favorite music to play during the season? I can't help but crave Irving Berlin and listen to as much of White Christmas and Holiday Inn! Pandora Radio is so awesome! I can just listen to the "Swingin' Christmas" and get my fill!

It doesn't seem like Christmas is only six days away! This month went by way too fast. I hope this week goes by slow and we enjoy every moment of it. Our family watched Charlie Brown's Christmas for the first time together. It really helped remind me that everything around us can get so busy that we can forget the real meaning of Christmas!

Create Well: In the hustle and bustle remember the real meaning of Christmas! Luke 2:11!

Pencil Lines - A Vintage Holiday

Do you have any photos that you don't have the story behind them? My family have many vintage photos where the stories behind them are lost. This photo is one of them. The memories behind it have to do with Grace sitting in her favorite chair. But, my favorite part of the photo is the Christmas tree although the memories of this Christmas is lost. It's sort of sad, really. But, it is beautiful to document even a little bit of what we know now before anymore of our family history is lost.

Create Well: Document what you love about a photo even though the story behind the photo may be lost.

Pencil Lines - True Things

We just finished our ninth week at bible study and it has been a hard and joyful week to say the least! This week we learned how to keep the enemy from twisting our thoughts to his. My eyes were opened wide to how I have been listening to his lies for quite sometime. Maybe you hear them too. You are worthless. Your job isn't important. What you do all day isn't worth it. You are all alone in all of this. The bible study shows in steps how you can tear those lies down and place truth in your heart and mind instead.

My son's gift to me for my birthday last week was JJ Heller's Painted Red album. The song True Things, was just what I was feeling in my heart this week. This layout uses those words written by Andrew Osenga, JJ and David Heller.

 

 

"There are true things inside of me, I have been afraid to see. I believe, help my unbelief. Would you say again what you said to me? I am loved and I am free. I believe, help my unbelief." (Isaiah 43:10, John 8:31-36, Mark 9:24, Song of Songs 4:1, 1 John 4:8-12)

I used the pocket in this week's Pencil Lines sketch to place all those things I am not (that JJ Heller wrote about in the song). I added a couple of my own. 

I love the play on words in the title of this layout. JJ Heller sings, "I am... who I am. I am who I am." 1 John 4:13 says, "We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." In Exodus 3:12-14, God explains to Moses that He will be with him and that Moses should tell others that his name is "I AM." So, when we are hearing the lies of the enemy telling us that we are worthless or unimportant, we know if we have faith in Christ, we can overcome it all. We are who we are. We have the I AM living in us and for us.

I hope you are encouraged and blessed today. This week has been beautifully hard. Are you going through hard times right now? Does God seem quiet? Ask him to reveal himself to you. I don't know when the last time I saw a rainbow. When was the last time you have seen one? It has probably been years for me. It is a reminder that God loves us and will deliver his promises (Genesis 9:12-15a).

On Tuesday, after praying that God would again reveal himself to me and deliver me from the lies of who I am not, on the way to bible study there was a rainbow right over the road the whole way to bible study. It might seem silly to some, but for me, it was enough to know I can get through this rough and dry time.

If you are going through dry or hard times right now, claim this verse with me now, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Sing it!



Create Well: Express what you are going through in song on a page

Pencil Lines - Say Cheese

We had our first trip to Chuckie Cheese's this month and since I was without my husband for this birthday party I didn't bring my camera. Every time I bend down with that thing around my neck I knock anyone smaller than me in the back of the head with it. ;) So, I figured the best thing to do to record the event is to go on the ride that takes your picture.

 

Isn't it hilarious that in the second photo we both aren't looking at the camera? ;) Like mother like son...

Create Well: Don't have your camera? Use a photo booth to capture the day.

Pencil Lines - It Is In These Moments

"Let's be honest...

Parenting is a lot harder than I thought it would be. But it is in these moments that make it all worth while."

Maybe you have difficult days like we do. You know, those days where gum is in the hair, you cut your finger while cooking, the laundry is piled up, you stubbed your toe, and the crying just won't stop. (From you and the children) ;) Don't forget to journal about those times and the times that make you laugh it all away.

Create Well: It is in these moments that make it all worth while...

Pencil Lines - Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday Pencil Lines! Join Pencil Lines all day for the celebration with RAKs, sketches from each designer, and inspiration galore! ;)

Pencil Lines Birthday Party

Can you believe that tomorrow, Pencil Lines is celebrating 4 years of inspiration?

Tomorrow we are celebrating with sketches past and present. The design team have picked a sketch from the archives, and will be sharing with you why they love sketches so much.

On the hour, every hour from 8am GMT, a sketch will be posted along with a RAK from one of our sponsors. That is alot of prizes and alot of inspiration! At 8pm GMT we will post a brand new sketch as normal.

To start the celebrations off, go to Pencil Lines and get a blinkie to spread the word on your blog, leave your name at Pencil Lines, with a link to your blinkie! A winner will be drawn on Sunday at 8pm GMT!

Pencil Lines - Today Is

We had a blast last weekend at the pumpkin patch. We got a photo shoot done and then we played a little at the farm. Isn't fall wonderful? It's raining today, but last weekend it was lovely outside. Warm but the air was crisp. We even had time to eat ice cream at the shortcake stand. Yum...

Create Well: What do you love most about Fall?

Pencil Lines - Soul Searching

I have been so blessed this last week. The car I have owned for ten years has been sitting in my driveway, broken, all summer. It has been hard to stay at home or depending on others to get me here and there. So, last weekend, my husband bought me a "new" used car! I was able to sign up for the bible study I have been wanting to attend, only missing one week. So, Tuesday, I started Beth Moore's Breaking Free. It has been so good and I can't wait for next week!

Create Well: Are you joining a bible study this season? Make sure to document as you go. I am thinking of doing a layout a week, to document the journey.

Pencil Lines - Just Lovely

One of the reasons I love sketches is that you can totally be inspired several times by one sketch. I used this week's sketch twice and decided to turn this layout in for Pencil Lines instead of the other. ;)

I used a clear Fancy Pants acrylic sheet that I won at our last local Scrap Club (at Craft Warehouse). I won last month's entry for "unique use of product" {I guess}. What was my prize? A collection of clear acrylic pieces from Fancy Pants, which was picked out by our dear friend Lynn {scrapbook department supervisor}, for obvious reasons when looking at the clear pages I have been working on. 

Here is a view with the other pages peaking through. {Sigh!}

I finally got to use some of the vintage items I got at Molly Mo's Antique Faire at one of the sweet vendors selling ephemera kits. I was thankful to get these brown tickets and letter game piece! Yippee!

The tag, journaling block, and red tickets were all from Debbe Campos' etsy store.

Make sure to check back this week for this week's guest designer! You won't want to miss it!

Create Well: Use the same sketch twice in a week and see how different your pages are.

Pencil Lines - A Day to Take Note

I loved playing with this sketch in "mini". The layers and embossing {rocks} through the acrylic pages! Makes me sigh with happiness.

Are your kids back in school? Are you ready for summer to end and Fall to begin? I have mixed feelings about it all. My son, whom we were thinking of starting preschool, is actually going to have another year of preschool at home. (Which means new installments at Teach Well Teach Often, for sure!) But, with school starting it means colder weather will be upon us soon. I will miss summer here but am looking forward to wearing layers. ;)

How about you? What are you looking forward to as this season ends and a new one begins?

Create Well: Journal prompt... what are you looking forward to as the next season approaches and what will you miss when this season ends.?

Pencil Lines - Inspired to Be Creative

Inspired to Be Creative, originally uploaded by createoften.

Totally loving these sweet teeny pictures I have been printing. I have all my photos printed outside my home. I actually only use my home printer for journaling. So, I have been creating a 4x6 size project in Photoshop and placing four pictures on it. I get these sweet tiny photos and have been using them in an acyclic mini album.

 Go to Pencil Lines to enter in a Studio Calico giveaway and see the rest of this week's layouts. Colour Combos Galore I guest designing with us!

Create Well: Print several pictures on a 4x6 so that you have the sweetest little photos to use on a page. ;)

Pencil Lines - I Heart Jane Austen

This week's Pencil Lines sketch was a lot of fun! I really wanted to play with the heart aspect of the sketch but you can hardly see all the stitching and hearts in the shot above. Good thing I have close ups! ;)

I stitched all across the bottom half adding little pink Sassafras punched hearts. I also stitched a heart around the book... I bought this 1950's set of Jane Austen novels with the most beautiful covers on them. This is my friend Sarah reading "Sense and Sensibility." {The gray color compared to the cover of "Pride and Prejudice" matched the dress better lol!}

Today is a special day... it is our family reunion where the digital preservation album will be "revealed." I am so excited and nervous at the same time. I hope the family will like it!

Create Well: Pick your favorite author or novel and do a layout about it.

Pencil Lines - Make a Wish

Make a Wish, originally uploaded by createoften.

This layout was created with Pencil Lines' sponsor this month, Nikki Sivils' product. I actually had fun creating with this unique color combination. Go to Pencil Lines and create a layout with this sketch to try and win product from Nikki!

Create Well: Use a different combination of colors that you wouldn't usually use to help you create your next layout. (I had fun using this lime green)

Pencil Lines - When I Grow Up

I had a blast working with this week's Pencil Lines' sketch. I pushed everything over to have enough white space to add this journaling. When my son was born, I really looked in all my baby pictures trying to find at least one that showed me we looked like each other. Here was this bright red headed baby that looked just like his daddy... I got a little jealous. ;) The photos of my husband in this digital layout look exactly like my son. They have the same laugh and expression.

Later, I did find some photos that looked like Ethan. I actually have a few two year old pictures that looked liked Ethan when he was an infant. LOL! I was a preemie and he was small for like... two weeks. He hasn't stopped growing since!

Create Well: Journal prompt - write about how much someone has "grown up" or changed as they have grown.

Pencil Lines & Giveaway!

Today's sketch from Pencil Lines was so freeing! It is a great feeling to be able to rely on a sketch to let you be creative! Here are some close up pictures of the detail...

Today I am also doing a giveaway to say, "Yippee to over 250 posts!" I am so grateful for all the support and online-love that I have received since beginning this blog over a year and a half! I never knew how many amazing artists, designers, and photographers I would get to "meet". It has been so rewarding in so many ways! I wanted to say thank you! To show you some love,  CSN Online Stores is generously giving away a $60 gift certificate to spend at any one of their stores! There is so much eye candy over there it would be so hard to pick something! ;)

Along with art, shoes, handbags, lighting, there is also some brilliant modern items for the home! Here's some of my favorite items...

To find the items photographed above search wall stickers and under shoes, women's flats. 

To enter for your chance to win a $60 gift certificate, tell me in the comments section below what your favorite CSN Stores product is. You'll have to take a peek of their product in order to answer the question, so dash over there now and come back with your answer before Saturday, June 26th at 8:00pm (PST). Increase your chances of winning by posting about this giveaway via twitter, facebook or your blog, or by following this blog. Be sure to come back here and post a link in the comments section! {sorry, this giveaway is for US or Canadian residents because of shipping costs. But know that I love you just the same!}

Create Well: Tell someone you love them this week!