New Creation Art

Castle in the Meadow (and other stuff)

2008-03-16T22:31:00.003-04:00

I am so excited about this fun opportunity. I am going to Castle in the Meadow, a one-day art event sponsored by ZNE. Because I don't have the extra money or time to go to the big art events, this will be perfect for me. It's going to be on June 8 at the historic Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills, MI. We'll be having a tour of the house and gardens, a lovely reception time, and ART! The brains behind ZNE, Chel Stroud Hery, will be leading us in creating a paper craft castle. If you are interested in learning more or you're wanting to attend, click here.

I realized I forgot to take pictures of my paper dresses before I sent them off. Actually, I've not been good at taking pictures at all. I've received some awesome things as RAK's from Christian Paper Artist members. I just have so much I need/want to do and so little time. And I don't even have a husband or kids! Maybe God is waiting for me to learn better time management before He brings those blessings into my life.

I'm working on my RAK's. I got an idea last week when I was in Goodwill to make decoupaged Easter eggs. I bought plastic eggs and egg decorating kits (for the stickers) there and some flowery tissue paper at Target. I came home and started working on them. Perhaps it's the plastic, perhaps it's the shape of the egg, or maybe I was just having a bad creating day. In any case, I was not pleased at all with how they were turning out. I even left them for a while thinking maybe I would like them better at a later time. Nope. So I've moved onto another idea that I'm enjoying better. Now I just have to sit down and finish them.

I'm actually doing some creating!

2008-02-26T16:36:00.002-05:00

It's really hard for me to focus on too many things at the same time because I want to do my best with whatever I am focusing on. Lately my focus has been on getting healthy. You can check out my health blog for more about that. But I signed up for a swap in the Art in the Word group, and it's due soon. On Sunday I started working on it. It's a paper dress swap, and I'm having fun with it. So far I have the base papers done for the dresses. I hope to do the embellishing this coming weekend. I hope to share some pics once I have them finished.

Well, that's it. I just wanted to check in. Now I have to go finish dinner, finish laundry, memorize my lines for a skit I'm in this weekend at my camp, and go to bed. Hopefully I'll catch The Biggest Loser while I'm folding laundry. I think that's my least favorite household duty. Watching the show while doing it should help.

Blessings,
Carrie

The big announcement!

2008-02-16T13:20:00.002-05:00

I did do the drawing for One World, One Heart on Thursday and notified the winner that day. However, I have not had time to post about the winner until now. I used the random number generator that was provided for us. It "spit out" the number 72. After counting down that far, I came to the comment from Loquacity Of Latharia. She (Susanne) is super excited and plans to show me what she creates with the moo card holders. Thank you all (125 comments) for participating. This is the first time I've done anything to get my blog "out there." I had a great time, and I look forward to having so many more blogs to check out when I have the chance. And thank you to all who sent me get well wishes. I've been back to work for a week, but I've just gotten my energy completely restored in the past couple of days. I know that getting back to eating healthy and exercising definitely helped in getting my energy back. If you're interested, you can check out my journey to better health blog. Have a wonderful day! And may you realize how much you are loved today, not just by friends and family, but by the one who created you, the Almighty God.

The list keeps getting longer!

2008-02-06T12:38:00.000-05:00

The number of One World, One Heart participants seems to be growing longer by the hour. One good thing that has come from me being sick is that I've had the chance to check out everyone on the list (so far.) Now I'm feeling quite a bit better. I'm staying home from work to recuperate the rest of the way. I have a bout of cabin fever, but I'm wary of going out today. We've had some freezing rain over night and this morning. Now it's snow, and there's 4-6 inches predicted. Since I don't need anything, I guess I'll stay inside for another day.

Inspiration from word verification?

2008-02-05T11:34:00.000-05:00

I've been checking out a lot of OWOH participant blogs and entering many drawings. I just left a comment for one, and the word verification was "elfedu." I thought about that and pictured in my head a group of elves at school. Perhaps they are learning toy making for Santa. Or maybe they're Tolkien elves, learning to fight for Frodo. What is rolling around in your head? I invite you to take this inspiration and create. Do a collage. Write a story or poem. If you take this challenge, I would love to see your work. Have fun!

One World, One Heart Giveaway!

2008-02-03T10:36:00.000-05:00

I have just come across a way for you to get connected with other bloggers who are artists and win tons of fabulous prizes along the way. And some of those fabulous prizes will come from me.

Click here to get to the event information and to find a list of all the wonderful participants. You will find details of their giveaways once you go to their blogs. Here are the details for mine. Just leave a comment on this post letting me know you would like to be entered. If you don't have a blog, that's fine. Leave me your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. Please leave some form of identity. How can I contact someone who is anonymous? Also, you do not have to have a giveaway of your own to have a chance to win mine. Come one, come all! You have until 12:00 A.M. EST on February 14 to sign up. When I wake up and get around to it on the love holiday, I'll randomly pick a comment as a winner and then notify you.

Now for what you'll win! I am giving away a chipboard letter magnet and four microscope slide holders that are the perfect size for moo cards. I got a bunch as a PIF on etsy, and I have every intention of decorating them. If you win these and decorate them, I would love to see pictures! FYI, I'm not feeling the greatest right now, so I didn't do much to the pictures. I hope they are a good representation of the prizes.

Good luck! Enjoy viewing the wonderful creations of the participants and making some new connections.

The winner is...

2008-01-29T10:04:00.000-05:00

Denise!

Denise was the closest guesser in the contest. She guessed 33. The answer is 29. It was a few years after my parents were married before they had me. Now for the blizzard story (as best as I can remember it from all the re-tellings.) I was born during one of the blizzards of '79. It had just started to snow when my mom started having her first contractions. Since they weren't very close together yet, my dad wanted to finish up some chores and preparing the pigs for the storm that they knew was coming. Well, by the time he was finished and ready to take mom to the hospital, there was already quite a bit of snow. They called the doctor who told them to head to the hospital and he would get there as soon as he could. He had to call the county to send a snow plow to his house. The snow plow led the way to the hospital as the doctor followed the clear path behind. The delivery went fairly smoothly, and the nurses were so excited to see me. It had been quite a few days of only boys being born. They were glad to see a girl. Because of the blizzard, I didn't get any visitors except for my grandparents. Well, that's the story. Mom, feel free to correct me if I messed something up or left something out.

In other news, I've started another blog to chronicle my journey towards healthy living. I just wrote the intro this morning. You may find it here.

Let's Party!!!

2008-01-23T11:45:00.000-05:00

Today's the day! It's my birthday! As promised, here are pictures of the prize I'm giving away (see previous post for details.)

You are veiwing a polo shirt that I ordered from a great company called C28. It's a juniors size medium. The front has some great graphics of birds, a butterfly, and flowers. The back is even cooler. The word love is printed on T-shirt material and stitched onto the shirt. And the verse is Ephesians 1:4-5, which reads, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."

I am going to keep things going with the contest for another few days to give more people the chance to enter. I've got to go now, so that I can eat and get to my hair appointment. Happy Birthday to anyone else born on this day!

Join me for a birthday celebration!

2008-01-19T13:52:00.000-05:00

My birthday is on Wednesday, January 23. For the first time in a long time, I have that day off from work! I plan to relax the whole day. I'm getting my hair done, and I may even go with a new style. I was hoping to also splurge on a facial and massage, but there's no one available that day at my favorite salon to do it.

When I was in elementary school, the kids would bring some kind of treat to share on their birthday. So I'm bringing a treat to share with you! Just leave a comment guessing how old I will be on Wednesday, and you will be entered into a drawing for a fabulous prize. Pictures of the prize will be posted once I get them taken. Those of you who know how old I will be, please do not enter. (Sorry, Mom!) I'll give you a hint-I was born during one of the infamous blizzards.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you, God, for renewing a friendship!

2008-01-11T10:54:00.000-05:00

A couple years ago one of my friends and I started having disagreements. It got so bad that we stopped talking to each other. This was challenging at times because we work at the same place. God has done an amazing work in each of our lives, though. In September she started a study of the book Believing God by Beth Moore for those of us ladies who work with the kids at Youth Haven. After a few weeks, the other ladies stopped coming. I realize now how God has used that for our benefit. I knew God wanted me to continue because I needed to not only read the book, but have someone to talk to about it. He has used the time to work in our hearts to open up more with one another. I have realized how much we've talked about that we never would have told one another a year ago. The best time so far was this Tuesday night. We started with prayer requests (like always) and never got to the book. She shared with me something she's been struggling with and her resolutions to change that. I have been struggling with the same thing, and I was able to tell her that. We've decided that we are going to go through a program together that she had ordered for herself to help her with her resolution. We got together last night to go over the program. We realized that while we both struggle with the same thing, the ways we struggle are totally different. In some ways, my struggle isn't as "serious" as hers, so I was not as overwhelmed by the information as she was. I am thankful to be able to help her as she makes some pretty drastic changes in her life. She said that me being there last night helped her get through the information, and that she probably would not have gotten through it if I had not been there. And I would not have been there if God had not woken me up about how I needed to change my heart. Thank you God! Please help us to achieve our goals and provide ways out when we're tempted so that we can stand up under that temptation. Thank you that you will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.

My pick

2008-01-08T14:38:00.000-05:00

I've decided how I'm going to use the Bushel and Peck gift certificate that I won through Creative Call Studios. I am going to buy Kira's Winter Mitten. Because the image is copyrighted, you'll have to go here and see it. Isn't it wonderful?!

In other news, I had a relaxing day yesterday. I wandered into a craft and antique mall that I just recently noticed. I've driven by the Little Red Schoolhouse several times, but it didn't dawn on me what it was until a few weeks ago. I had a great time going back in time. I asked God to help me be wise in my purchases, and I believe He honored that. I only spent $10. I bought some Christmas caroling song books to use in future Christmas projects, a bundle of paper ribbon, and a Christmas bell. I'm going to use the bell at work. I ring a bell so that the kids can know when we're ready to serve seconds and when it's time for them to clean up. A couple weeks ago, the bell I was using broke. The wire holding the ringer had been used so much that it snapped in half. The great thing about the bell I bought yesterday is that the ringer is one long, fairly thick piece of metal. It should hold up for several years.

I also bought a handmade birthday card for my friend Heather. I went to her party later that night. Her husband surprised her, and she said it was one of the best birthdays she has had. I gave her a bottle of pomegranate juice (which she loves but rarely buys because it's a bit pricey for a young married couple working in ministry), as well as the recipe and ingredients for Crock pot Candy. I discovered the recipe on the blog, My Messy, Thrilling Life. I love checking it out. I encourage you to do the same. Heather is really excited to try the recipe, especially since it is made in the crock pot.

Blessings,
Carrie

Ringing in the New Year

2008-01-02T12:29:00.001-05:00

My life on New Year's Day--

1. SNOW!!!!!

We got a little over a foot! It is beautiful, but not so much fun to drive on. The heaviest amounts came right after midnight when many parties were winding down. I love the picture of the basketball hoop, how the net caught the snow. It's definitely my favorite picture I've taken.

2. College Football!

I graduated from Purdue but now live in Michigan. I'll always cheer on the Big Ten teams. I watched the University of Michigan beat the University of Florida. It was a great game!

3. Winning another giveaway!

I won two books from Deena (aka Sweet Annee.) She is such a dear woman, trusting God with her life, living with breast cancer. Please go check out her blog. You will be blessed.

I won!

2007-12-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

I was notified earlier that I won a gift certificate from Kira of Bushel and Peck through her Creative Call Studios shop. She does amazing work! Now the hard part comes, deciding what to buy! I'll let you know later what I decide on.

And in other news, my mom won through the Happy Birthday Jesus blog party on the Creative Call Studios blog. When Lennea notified me, she asked if we're a lucky family. After thinking about it, I realized that we have been quite blessed through door prizes, contests, etc. I think the best thing my parents have won has been tickets to an Indiana Pacers basketball game. It's been fun remembering all the things we have that we've won. It's interesting using a pizza cutter that has the name and address of the grain elevator on it!

Well, I could go on for a while, but I need to go to bed so that I can be ready for the last day of the final Youth Haven 2007 Christmas retreats.

Blessings,
Carrie

Just have to share

2007-12-27T17:50:00.000-05:00

I know I've already posted today, but I want to share this before I forget about it.

I heard a really cool example of how God works on the radio a little while ago. One of the announcers on Family Life Radio was talking about what God did in his family a few days ago. They had decided that instead of doing their usual gift exchange for Christmas, they were going to use that money to buy things for their local crisis pregnancy center. He shared that one of the things on his Christmas list was a red plaid flannel shirt, and his son wanted cowboy boots. But those items weren't going to be under the tree because they were buying for the pregnancy center instead. Well, on the way back home from taking things to the center, they passed a yard sale (in Arizona). God showed up! At that sale was a brand new red flannel shirt and used, but in great condition, cowboy boots, all the right sizes. God honored this family's decision to give by giving them some of the things they wanted. Praise God!

Wrapping Up

2007-12-27T10:44:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the day after the day after Christmas. I had a great Christmas. My parents and sister and brother-in-law came to my apartment. I made lunch and dinner. Lunch was supposed to be more of a brunch, but it ended up being almost 1:00 before everyone got here. We ate, talked, opened gifts, watched a movie, and ate some more.

I am starting a new tradition that I was inspired by to do from my Christmas morning devotion time. I got out some of my Christmas scrapbook paper and wrote on the back side all the ways I've been blessed this year. Then I rolled it up, tied it with some ribbon, and stuck the tube on my Christmas tree. I had paper for the rest of my family, and they did the same thing. I was wanting to share them that day, but time got away from us, and Matt and Michelle had to leave. I decided I would keep them wrapped up with all my other Christmas stuff till next year, and we would read them next Christmas. My dad said he thinks I'm going to cheat and look at them without everyone else, but I know he was only joking. While I am curious, that's something I want to share with everyone one. Here's a picture of one of them resting on the tree.

I also want to share with you something that I received from one of the Youth Haven kids this weekend. One of the activities they did was make Christmas cards. I received a few, and I want to show you one from Austin.

Merry Christmas Eve!

2007-12-24T21:45:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is family day, but I'm taking a break from the last minute stuff to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I pray for safe travels and blessed times with families and friends. As you celebrate, I pray you remember the reason why Christmas is celebrated. Thank you, Jesus, for humbling yourself to become a little baby, grow up in turbulent times, teach, heal, and ultimately die to save us. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas blessings,

Carrie

P.S. The image above is the nativity set that I own. Here is a close-up of part of it.

"All is right with the world."

2007-12-17T15:19:00.000-05:00

That is the look that I saw on the face of one of the little boys at yesterday's Youth Haven Christmas party. For those who don't know, I work at a Christian camp for at-risk/disadvantaged kids. They come for free, and we have fun with them and tell them who Jesus is and how much He loves them. During Christmas time, we have parties for them and give them gifts. Yesterday I helped pass out the gifts then went to ask some of the kids what their favorite gifts were. I looked over to see a red-headed boy with a camo hoodie hugging a Barnabas bear (given to us by Family Christian Stores). I watched him hug that teddy bear for almost five minutes straight. His eyes were closed and he looked so content and at peace. I found out later from his team leader that that was the first teddy bear that he has ever received. I can't imagine being eight years old and never getting a teddy bear. But I was reminded that a lot of the kids we work with live like that. That is why Youth Haven exists, to love kids in ways they've never experienced before. For this young red-head, love came in the form of a teddy bear.

May you find teddy bear love this Christmas.

Christmas blessings,
Carrie

P.S. I took a picture of the little guy and his teddy, but it's Youth Haven policy to not make pictures public unless they're publicized by the camp. For more info on Youth Haven, click on the link.

My favorite thing about Christmas

2007-12-12T22:16:00.000-05:00

Tonight at church I noticed the nativity sitting on the communion table. I asked the lady in front of me about it, and she told me she was part of a group from the church who had visited Israel 26 years ago and purchased it there. It's beautifully carved from olive wood. The stable has been damaged beyond repair, but the rest of the figures are displayed. I was telling Naomi that my favorite thing about Christmas is the nativity. I love seeing different representations of it. I love visiting Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, which is a store in Frankenmuth, MI that is the largest Christmas store in the world. I call it "all Christmas, all the time." They have a whole section of nativities, many from different countries. I have purchased a few nativity ornaments from Bronner's over the last few years. This is the one I bought when I went there in October for a "girls' weekend." I love the sweetness of the baby Jesus in this scene.

Merry Christmas to all! I hope to post more nativity pics over the next few days. Enjoy the Happy Birthday Jesus blog party!

Blessings,

Carrie

Making Snowflakes!

2007-12-11T17:59:00.000-05:00

I just came across a site where you can make digital paper snowflakes! Super cool! When was the last time you folded a piece of paper and cut shapes out of it to make a paper snowflake? I encourage you to either do the real thing or go to Make-a-Flake and make a digital one. I tried to get the picture of the one I did, but it wasn't working. But even though I had no idea what I was doing, it still came out really cool looking. I'm off to do more. Enjoy!

Here I am!

2007-12-10T11:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm back. I didn't go on vacation or have some sort of sickness that prevented me from posting. I've just been busy and prioritizing how I spent my time. This Christmas season, especially, I've been thinking a lot about expectations. I want to do things because I want to do them, not because I'm expected to do them. Of course, there are days I do the work I have to do because I'm expected to but not necessisarily wanting to. I'm talking more about social expectations. Posting on this blog kind of falls under that category. I don't want to post because I feel like I'm expected to, that if I don't, I will be doing something "wrong." I want to post when I want to. Today I want to.

I want to today because I just discovered the Happy Birthday Jesus Blog Party. It's something I want to be a part of, and I want to let other people know about it, also. So here's the info/link for more info.

I love Christmas, and I love celebrating Christ's birth.

Blessings,
Carrie

Time for Whimsy Wednesday!

2007-10-31T19:35:00.000-04:00

Today's featured artist is Jane MacArthur of jewelryforfun. Enjoy some great eye candy and fun reading. And remember to send me a comment about which thing you think is Jane's lie from question six. If you have the right answer, you could win a prize!

1. Who are you? (name, age, where you’re from, etc.—whatever you want to tell) my name is jane and i live in south jersey. i'm happily married with 6 furry kids, 3 dogs and 3 cats.

2. What is your first creative memory? back in the 70's i wanted hanging beads in my doorway instead of a door. i took all of my thick yarn hair ties and started braiding them together to cover the doorway. i could only make about 2 of them that weren't that long.

3. When did creating beco me a passion for you? i was sick for a while back in the 90's and needed something to keep me busy while i was recovering. i started painting small ceramic houses--the kind that light up, Christmas ones. And ornaments, as gifts for the family - and then it got out of control from there.

4. Show and or tell about the piece you created that you love the most. I just made an Inspriation Series of Bracelets that I am very excited about and I love all of them! Here's a photo from myspace http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=104693703&albumID=1208620&imageID=12432655. There are five different choices "love", "believe", "live", "laugh" and "imagine". i created a couple of different stretchy bracelets for each one. i will adjust the size if needed.

5. What inspires you to create? The need to keep myself busy, the natural inclination to design, create, arrange, whatever. Basically, it just happens.

6. Tell us two truths and a lie about you.

a. I never really thought I'd live past the age of eighteen.
b. I've had less than five surgeries since 2003.
c. I have at least three half-brothers who know nothing about me.

7. When you’re not creating, what do you do for fun? hang out with hubby, listen to tunes, play with the dogs, go to a concert, visit friends or family

8. Do you have your creations anywhere else besides etsy? If so, where? http://jewelryforfun.etsy.com
www.myspace.com/jewelryforfun
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12557584@N02/
http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/jewelryforfun
http://www.talentdatabase.com/channels/8-Fashion/profiles/863101-jewelryforfun

WRAP and Whimsy Wednesday

2007-10-31T12:21:00.000-04:00

Before I give you this weeks Whimsy Wedneday artist, I want to talk about something that has been on my heart today.

I was listening to Family Life Radio today and heard that this week is WRAP week. WRAP stands for White Ribbons Against Pornography. I had not heard of it before today, but I am definitely going to support it. I know first hand the evil of pornography. The man I was in love with and wanted to marry broke up with me because of pornography. He had told me a few months after we started dating about his struggle, but at the time, he was in a Teen Challenge program and was getting help for that addiction, as well as others. I believed that God was helping him and was supportive of him being there, even though the rules of the program challenged our relationship. He did very well in the year long program and went to work for another Teen Challenge facility after he graduated. Things were going well, or so I thought. Then he broke up with me. The reasons he told me for the break-up had nothing to do with the real reasons, I later found out. He had gotten back into pornography, and he knew that I would not satisfy that addiction. We had established strict physical boundaries for our relationship early on, partly because of his previous struggle, but mostly because I did not want to put either of us into situations that we would have to fight the temptation to have sex. As far as I know, he is still deep into his sexual addiction, and he isn't acknowledging that it's a big deal. I am not hurting anymore from the break-up, but I do still hurt when I think that he is so far away from where God was taking him when he was willing to follow. I know that there are men and women everywhere who are struggling with pornography today. In my opinion, it's the worst addiction. A person can get away from drugs. Even if he is constantly thinking about them, he isn't taking them. But pornographic images don't leave a person's mind. Even if he isn't at a strip club or looking at a magazine or the Internet, the images he looked at in the past are still in his mind.

So this is something that I want to make more people aware of. I want to do this so that we can pray. If you know someone struggling with this addiction or someone who has experienced the horrible effects, pray for that person by name. If you don't know anyone specifically, pray for those people in general. And pray against the pornography industry. Whenever my ex-boyfriend's mom passes the strip club that he used to work at, she honks. She thinks of Joshua and the battle of Jericho each time she does that. She is praying that one day, that place will come crashing to the ground. I also encourage you to wear a white ribbon this week. Make peole aware of the extreme battle that so many people are facing. Make them aware of how it adversely affects relationships. I also encourage you to educate yourself about WRAP and pornography. A starting point is this Webpage on the Concerned Women of America site. Another page that has even more info is this one. Please read, support and pray for this cause.

I will post on Whimsy Wednesday later today. My lunch break is about over. If there were any typos, I apologize. I just typed what was on my heart and don't have time to read through it again.

Blessings,
Carrie

It's been awhile!

2007-10-29T21:01:00.000-04:00

It certainly has been awhile since I've posted anything. I've been concentrating so much on my etsy shop, probably too much. And I've been busy with work, also. But I'm back, and I'm hoping to have another Whimsy Wednesday feature in a couple days.

Not that God isn't good every day, but He was particulary good to me yesterday. I decided that I wanted to go to the mall before going to church last night. I was really looking forward to relaxing in Barnes and Noble. And I needed to buy a new pair of tennis shoes (sneakers.) I was walking through B&N and saw the men's director of the Teen Challenge facility that I used to work at. He told me that some of the men and women were going to be doing a program at the church that I usually attend. However that was not the church that I had planned on going to last night. I was glad I ran into him, so that I knew to change my plans. I was able to see some people that I haven't seen in a while. And I was energized by the testimonies of the students, and I even got to pray for one of the ladies who is graduating soon. I encourage you to click on the link to find out more about the amazing ministry. The other great thing was that I found a pair of really good shoes on a super sale. My feet are small enough to fit into youth shoes, which are sometimes cheaper. I found a pair that I liked that fit great in the clearance section at JCPenney. That meant that I was able to buy the purse I've had marked as a favorite in Baggavond's shop. What a great day I had yesterday! Thank you, God, for how You worked.

Here's a pic of the purse that I bought. Isn't it great?!

I'm back, and just in time for Whimsy Wednesday!

2007-10-10T13:01:00.000-04:00

Yay! My computer has come back to me after having brain replacement surgery. Important software has been reinstalled, and I'm ready to go.

I hope you all enjoyed the previous Whimsy Wednesday post with GnomesRoses. And I hope you went to check out her work. Unfortunately, no one had the correct answer to her two truths and a lie. Everyone that responded guessed that the lie was that she is terrified of whales. That's true! Her lie is that she used to live in Pennslyvania.

This week, I am featuring Joy of Boulder Glass Monkey. She has some amazing jewelry using lampwork beads that she makes herself. My favorite right now is her "I Went to Mars and All I Got Was This Lousy Ring."

Enjoy reading about her and her work. Then go check out her etsy site. And if you would like to praticipate in my contest, leave a comment with what you think her lie is.

1. Who are you? (name, age, where you’re from, etc.—whatever you want to tell)

Joy Memmen, age 30. I've lived in Boulder, Colorado for 8 years but was raised in Arizona.

2. What is your first creative memory?

My first creative memory was when I was 3. I had a desert tortoise (turtle) that we had rescued and it had came time to release him. My dad told me I could draw on his shell with crayons before we let him go. I don't remember what I drew, but I remember the colors and shapes and the bittersweet goodbye with my reptile friend.

3. When did creating become a passion for you?

Creating has always been a passion for me, and I think most people are happiest when thay are creating something, whether it be art, friendships or children.

4. Show and or tell about the piece you created that you love the most.

This is always evolving for me. Lately, I have been toying with the idea of making lampwork glass beaded rings. Of course I love color too, so the ultimate marriage of these ideas is a piece called "Under the Big Top". It is a fabulous ring that is currently for sale on Etsy, so please check it out and tell me what you think.

5. What inspires you to create?

Color, form, nature, light, a picture I saw last week, the glint in a friend's eye, a dream I have last night, my cat -- just about anything.

6. Tell us two truths and a lie about you.

Let's see...
1) I once saved a bicyclist who had a heart attack on the roadside and went into cardiac arrest by performing CPR. He lived to tell the story and each year we celebrate his re-life day on the anniversary.
2) I have a rare congenital defect that make me have 2 less ribs than the average person 1 less vertabrae. It doesn't effect me other than that I should be 1 1/2 inches taller.
3) My husband and I saw each other from afar at an event 10 years ago and each thought "Wow, I want to marry that person!" However, we didn't do anything about it for 8 years until a mutual friend invited us over for dinner. Two years to the day later we were married.

7. When you’re not creating, what do you do for fun?

I love hiking, biking, taking care of my husband and animals!

8. Do you have your creations anywhere else besides etsy? If so, where?

I also sell my jewelry in a shop called Art Mart on the main walking mall of Pearl St. in Boulder, Colorado. All my pieces are one of a kind, so if you see one you like, buy it because you won't see it again!

Boo Hoo!

2007-09-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

My hard drive crashed this weekend! It was a sad day, indeed, especially since I've only had my laptop since May. I just shipped it off to HP to have it worked on. I'm using the library's Internet. Needless to say, I will most likely be putting my blog on hold until my computer is fixed. Hopefully, that won't be longer than 3 weeks. I will feature the next Whimsy Wednesday artist the Wednesday following the return of a healthy computer. Keep guessing on GnomesRoses's lie, and check out her etsy site.

Blessings,
Carrie

Welcome to Whimsy Wednesday!

2007-09-19T13:02:00.000-04:00

Well folks, it's time for Whimsy Wednesday! I have decided to feature an artist each Wednesday who is a bit on the whimsical side. I had a great response from an etsy thread that I put out about it. If you are interested in having me feature you, leave a comment.

I sent each artist a list of questions, and many of them have already sent me their responses. It has been a lot of fun so far. One of my favorite questions is "What are two truths and a lie about yourself?" That's because I've decided to make a contest out of it. You all can guess which is the lie. Leave a comment, and I will draw names from the correct answers. Next Wednesday I will let you know what was the lie and who won a special prize from your truly.

Our artist for today is Jennifer of GnomesRoses. Enjoy reading, playing, and taking in some great eye candy.

1. Who are you? (name, age, where you’re from, etc.—whatever you want to tell)

-My name is Jennifer Artiglier, I'm 23 years old and I live in Oak Ridge, New Jersey. (USA)

2. What is your first creative memory?

-My first creative memory would be all the drawing and creating I did as a kid and that I would try to sell at my grandparents yearly garage sale. I love making beaded jewelry and I would always set up a little table and show it off to everyone at the garage sale.

3. When did creating become a passion for you?

I've always loved creating...whether it was drawing, jewelry making, painting, writing, sculpting...anything! My mom was always a great artist and I guess I got it from her! As a little girl arts and crafts were always my passion and still are today!

4. Show and or tell about the piece you created that you love the most.

Hmm...Lets see...The piece I love the most would have to be my big autumn wreath. It's a simple wreath but captures my love of fall. It sits in my kitchen about the sink and I love to see it everyday to remind me of all the beauties of the autumn season.

5. What inspires you to create?

I think nature and fantasy are my greatest inspirations. Nature because it is beautiful and bountiful and amazing. There are so many apsects of nature that are inspiring to so many people. Look around you while you are outdoors and there is so much wonder to behold...trees, clouds, leaves, water, earth, animals, colors, the sky, the moon and the sun...that list could go on for days! Fantasy is also a big part in my inspiration to create. I love faries, gnomes, dragons...anything mythical and whimsical. You can let your mind really wander when thinking and dreaming of such things.

6. Tell us two truths and a lie about you.

My two truths and a lie:
-I am a huge Rush fanatic! Their music makes me complete!
-I am terrified of whales.
-I used to live in Pennsylvania.

7. When you’re not creating, what do you do for fun?

Well, when I am not creating I am usually at work... and when I am not doing either I like to spend time with my boyfriend of four years, Michael. He makes my life complete and spending time with him means the world to me. I also enjoy reading, the outdoors, shopping and just relaxing!

8. Do you have your creations anywhere else besides etsy? If so, where?

I do have my fairy dust bottles available in a store in New York state called Moon Dancer. It's a very cool store that sells handmade incense, oils and other whimsical goodies! My jewelry is only available on etsy.com :)

Busy week!

2007-09-16T21:47:00.000-04:00

I've had a pretty busy week this week. I opened my etsy shop this week and have been working on more items and ideas for that. Then on Wednesday, an idea came to me that I am now sure is from God (because of all the great opportunities it will bring forth.) I was on etsy browsing through some shops and came upon something that I thought very whimsical. (Unfortunately, I don't remember what it was now.) I suddenly thought, it would be cool to do a "Whimsy Wednesday" feature on my blog. I love whimsical things. And I love using the imagination. So I put out a couple promotion threads on etsy to see if anyone was interested in having their shops featured. I got some great responses! So I am planning on doing my first "Whimsy Wednesday" feature this Wednesday. There will also be a contest along with it. I have asked each featured artist to play the "two truths and a lie" game. Each will tell two things about themselves that are true and one thing that they make up. You all will have the chance to guess which is the lie. Everyone who guesses correctly will get a chance to have their name drawn for a prize given by me. So check in on Wednesday to meet the first featured artist and for the "two truths and a lie" contest.

Grand Opening!!!

2007-09-11T21:59:00.000-04:00

My Etsy shop is now open! The first item I listed was a pay it forward. I have purchased a couple pay it forwards, and I wanted to pass it on. Well, it couldn't have been more than a couple minutes after I listed it that it sold! No one can pass up a deal like that. I have four other items in the shop, and I hope to list a couple more tomorrow.

On an entirely different topic, this was the first fall day in central Michigan. It rained last night, and today was cooler with dark clouds mixed in. But then occasionally the sun would peek through. I wish I had my camera when I was out. There were quite a few times when the sun's rays shown through the clouds. I love it when that happens.

Thanks, God, for providing for me just when I needed it. Thanks for the encouragement of friends and family to start selling some of my artsy/crafty stuff. I'm having a lot of fun. Thanks for leading me to groups of women who love You and love art. Thank You for changing seasons.

I pray that you have experienced extra special blessings today. If you think you haven't, look a little bit closer. I'm sure they're there.

Blessings,
Carrie

Accomplishments!

2007-09-10T23:45:00.000-04:00

I got quite a few things done today, and I want to show you two of those things. The first picture is a result of my bead organizing venture. The rest are of a RAK that I made today for a lucky Christian Paper Artists recipient. I'm not telling-you'll have to wait a few days to see if it arrives in your mailbox! I did an album a couple months ago using the recycled blue jeans that I found at Goodwill. Here is another one quite similar to the first. Enjoy!

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I also received an ACEO that I purchased from Sally Smith, fellow Art in the Word member. It's beautiful! I haven't taken a picture of it yet, but you could check it out in the sold section of her etsy shop. It's the one called Faith. It spoke to me because I have begun a group book study of Believing God by Beth Moore, which is about making our faith and belief in God active. I bought the card to have a visual reminder of what God is teaching me through this book.

I hope you got lots accomplished today, as well. Thank you, God, for giving us the ability to work and play.

Blessings,
Carrie

Girly Girl Time

2007-09-06T23:10:00.000-04:00

That's what I'm thankful for tonight-girl time. I had some good girl time on Tuesday night. One of the girls I work with decided to start a book study at her house. We're going to read Believing God by Beth Moore. No one had the book yet except the girl starting it, so she read the back cover, the inside jacket, and the chapter titles. Then we talked about what we thought about those little bits. It was good the hear "the word of their testimony" Until more of us get the book, we're going to pass around the one copy. I have it now, and I've read the first couple of chapters. I think it's going to be a great book-just what God is going to use to speak what I need to hear right now. We continued the girl time tonight. One of the other girls just got engaged, so there has been a lot of wedding talk. Tonight was no different. Tonight's discussion and playing centered around hair and make-up. We also talked about a project I'm doing for her. I'm making memory/words of wisdom books for her to put on tables at the reception. We talked about colors and styles. One thing I like is that her fiance is pretty involved with plans (at least for right now.) He was around for some of the talk and gave good input on the books.

On an entirely different note, some of my art is available for viewing on Whimsy Love's blog. She had an "ugly biz card contest" and I entered. She sent me some of her plain white with black writing cards, and I altered them. A few others participated as well. Now she's having people vote on her blog for which ones are the best. I would love for you to check them out and even vote for me (Carrie-#4) if you like mine the best. If you like someone else's better, that's cool. Vote for them. Check it out here.

I don't have to be at work till after lunch tomorrow. Yay! That's because we have kids here again this weekend. I'll be back to cooking but not quite so much. I'll probably have 60 people to cook for (instead of the 140 that I had each week this summer.) I'm excited about getting to sleep in tomorrow. I really hate the alarm clock, no matter how much sleep I've had. I dread the buzzer.

Have a wonderful day tomorrow and a great weekend. I highly doubt that I will post anything this weekend.

Blessings,
Carrie

Getting Closer

2007-09-03T22:06:00.000-04:00

I'm getting a little closer to opening an etsy shop. I have the shop, but there isn't anything in it yet. I'm taking things slow. I did finish a few items, but I want to have a few more before I put them in the shop. Right now I'm making magnets and calling them the "Defining Monograms" magnets. I got an INCREDIBLE deal on chipboard letters. They had a pattern on them I didn't care for, but I knew the deal was too good to pass up. Later I found the same brand and size but different pattern for 90% more than what I paid. I told you, it was INCREDIBLE! As I was thinking of how I wanted to alter them and what I really wanted to do with them, my inspiration was "defined." Take a look at what I have done so far. Take a look in my etsy shop in the next couple of weeks for your chance to have a "Defining Monogram" magnet. One lucky person will be able to get one as a "pay it forward." I'll keep you posted on that and other grand opening specials I have up my sleeve. You'll be able to find me at www.newcreationart.etsy.com.

I am thankful that I was able to get some things ready for etsy. I'm also glad that I organized my art/craft supplies. I found a lot of "oh yeah, I forgot about that" things that led my thoughts down rabbit trails of inspiration. I just need the time to actually follow through. I got a lot of other things done today. Yes, I labored on Labor Day. But things needed cleaned and organized, laundry needed to be done, and I wanted to make a pot of chili so that I could freeze individual servings. That way, on days when cooking for the camp overwhelm me and I just want something easy for myself, I can pop a bowl of chili in the microwave. So I'm thankful for all the things I got done today. I had hoped for more, but was easily distracted. At least I have clean clothes and an empty sink.

Now it's time to head to bed. There's Youth Haven work that needs to be done, starting at 8:00 A.M. I pray that your work, whether you start earlier or later than me, goes well tomorrow.

Blessings,
Carrie

Let's play some games!

2007-09-01T13:20:00.001-04:00

The first game we're going to play is Show and Tell. I'm going to show you some pictures and tell you about them.

I recently did a "favorite things" swap. This is one of the things I made for my partner. These are magnets for Mindy. I also sent her some stickers and rub-ons, which I love to use. And I sent a book by my favorite author, Terri Blackstock, which I found at a thrift store, my favorite place to shop.

These are the things that Mindy (my "favorite things" swap partner) sent me. She made a "journal in a box" where I can put pictures and writing. The first pic is of the whole thing. The next two pics are of two of the pages in the box. She sent me an adorable picture frame. I'm hoping to use the picture of the kids that came with it in some of my art. Then she sent me the apron and necklace. She knows that I do a lot of cooking for my job. The beads are to "help you feel beautiful" while cooking. I had a lot of fun with this swap, and I enjoyed "meeting" Mindy.

These are some things I found at the flea market in Shipshewana. You have the ever popular rooster created out of discarded metal. Then there was this scroll work window. And my favorite, an Amish (probably kerosene powered) ice cream making machine. I should have bought some ice cream, but I didn't.

This is a statue that's in Davis Mercantile, a store in Shipshewana with a bunch of different shops in it. I should have taken a pic of the "tree" that's "growing" in the middle of the building. It's actually a log from a giant tree that they brought in and built the building around. Check out their Website. Unfortunately, I couldn't find pics of the tree, but it's still a great site.

These are two of my purchases from my vacation. The first is a song book I found at an antique store in Shipshewana. I got it because the songs are by a woman with my name. And I like the cover. I think I'm going to use the flower image in some art. The second pic is a bit of fabric I bought at Lolly's Fabrics at the Davis Mercantile.

I hope you enjoyed the "eye candy." Now it's time for our second game.

We're playing tag. Linda tagged me, and now I need to list six weird things about me. I suppose I should then tag other people, although Linda didn't say I had to. But I don't want to stay "it" forever. So here we go:

1. I use pot holders as "art" in my kitchen.
2. I just looked out my window to see some wild turkeys walking across the lawn. I'm used to it, but I'm sure not many of you have wild turkeys wandering through your yards.
3. I learned my colors by my dad giving me peanut M&M's that he had leftover from his lunches when he got home from work. That was when they still had the brown and tan ones. Those colors were replaced by red and blue.
4. My roommates and friends across the hall in our apartment building at college fed Thanksgiving dinner to 100 of our closest friends. It was fun to show the other residents of the building that we could have a bigger party than they could and not have any alcohol around.
5. I've owned my Sebring convertible since April and I've only washed it twice.
6. My family lived in the basement of our house until I was 16. Growing up, I thought that was really weird, and I was embarrassed. I never invited friends to sleep over.

Well, hope you had fun playing the games. Speaking of tag, I heard on the radio yesterday that there's a school in Colorado Springs that is banning tag from the playground. In my opinion, that's a very sad thing. What do you think? I think I'm going to wait to tag people because I need to run some errands. Watch out, you might be next!:)

Blessings,
Carrie

Lots to be thankful for today!

2007-08-29T22:10:00.000-04:00

I had a great mini vacation. I met up with my sister and brother-in-law and parents to do some flea marketing, shopping in quaint Shipshewana (an Amish town), and eating good food at one of my dad's favorite restaurants. I found some great deals. Then I got back to my apartment and found a wonderful package from a swap partner. She was amazing. I can't really describe the package without pictures, and I can't post pictures now because I really need to get to bed. Thanks, Mindy! I'm back to cooking tomorrow, but thankfully I'm easing back into it. I'm feeding a group of about 30 adults who volunteer once a month to put together our newsletter, and the occasional special mailing. They work very hard, and to thank them, we have lunch for them.

Good night to all. Check back in the next couple days to see pics of my trip and the awesome package from Mindy.

Blessings,
Carrie

I have pictures!

2007-08-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

Yay! I went with a friend last night who helped me pick out a digital camera. She is even letting me use one of her SD cards until I can buy one for myself. I've taken a few (appx. 100) pictures since last night. I picked some of my favorites and editted them just a bit. Now I'm going to try to post them. Hopefully it works. Here they are--

This is an altered puzzle piece that I received from Jan when I joined Christian Paper Artists.

This is a flower that one of my coworkers has planted.

This is one of the many old wagon wheels we have around the camp grounds.

And, finally, this is of the clouds at sunset.

Hopefully once I click publish post, everything will look how I want it.

So, tonight I am thankful that I now have a camera and that my friend has been such a help to me.

Blessings,
Carrie

Art and Community

2007-08-21T22:07:00.000-04:00

Tonight I finished two altered photo albums that I'm giving as birthday gifts. Alas, I don't have pictures of them. I haven't bought a camera yet. There's so much that I want to do in an evening that I haven't gone to make the purchase. And that's something I would rather buy at a store than online. I was going to try to scan them, but I haven't done any scanning yet. And I need to go to bed soon. I'm afraid that my inexperience will keep me up late and frustrate me. Maybe tomorrow before the birthday party I can try to make scans. I am extremely thankful for a good art night.

I'm also thankful for community. I'm thankful for the community in which I work and live. Today we had a visit from the managers of our Youth Haven in Arizona. I like Roger and Marilyn a lot, and it's always a joy when they visit. And, in honor of their visit, the president decided to take us out to lunch. A free meal (especially one that I didn't have to cook or clean up) is always something to be thankful for. Then when I got off work, I checked my e-mail. I had some wonderful e-mails from women in this wonderful community of paper artists. And the custom banner that I ordered for my etsy shop was e-mailed to me. Jelene (www.jelene.com) did a wonderful job. You can check it out at my etsy shop. Just be aware that there won't be anything for sale. I'm still working on that.

So tonight I'm thankful for art and community. I'm also thankful for sleep, which is what I'm now going to indulge in.

Blessings,
Carrie

Traveling Mercies

2007-08-19T01:13:00.000-04:00

When I was working for Sisters' Maternity Center, one of the things we always did was pray for traveling mercies before we went anywhere, even if it was just a few blocks to the grocery store. Ever since then, I've been more in the habit of praying before I drive. I don't always pray before short trips, but it's a given when I'm going on longer trips. Today was one of those days. I'm thankful that God honored that request. It was raining pretty hard for the first part of the trip and then continued off and on for the rest of the 220 miles. And I ended up going the wrong direction. It was raining and I ended up in an exit lane that I didn't realize was the exit. My exit was the next one. But the traffic was way too heavy to try to get over. I was kind of familiar with the area and knew how to get going the right way without having to go too far.

I'm also thankful for our church service this morning. I was at my parents during the end part of the week so that I could be at church this morning. My dad was hoping that I would be able to share with the congregation a little about the ministry that I'm involved in (Youth Haven Ranch.) The minister was going to have me speak at the end of the service during the announcement time. But as we got started, he realized that there wasn't any special music scheduled today. He asked if I wanted to speak then, and I did. For about 10 minutes I shared my passion for the ministry. I could tell that people were touched because I saw some tears. I didn't do anything fancy, just shared from my heart. Well, God worked to have me speak at the beginning, because I probably wouldn't have been able to at the end. As the minister was preaching, it began to thunder. He could see out a side window, but no one else could. He said it looked like it was getting bad and decided to end his sermon early so that people could leave before it got worse. So I'm thankful that God allowed me to fulfill my purpose for being home this weekend.

Thank you, God, for watching out for us and sheltering us in the shadow of your wing.

Blessings,
Carrie

Family Ties

2007-08-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today I'm thankful for family ties. Like I said, I'm visiting my parents for a few days. We went into town tonight to have dinner at the town's yearly festival. I'm from a very small town. The population sign says something like 525. Of course, I don't think that counts all the people that live in the country. It's a farming community. My dad grows corn and soybeans and raises pigs. I almost said "hogs," but I figured more of you would think of motorcycles than animals. Anyway, after a very good pork chop dinner, we went out to "Irvin and Jeanetta's." I knew they were related, but I couldn't remember how. They are in their 80's and 90's. A few years ago, I would have thought going to their house would be boring. But it wasn't. There was a lot of good conversation. And our conversation led to more good conversation between my parents and I on the way home.

All the time that we were there, I was secretly admiring a piece of furniture that Jeanetta was calling the island. It was between the kitchen and dining area (like most islands), but it was lower to the floor, at about the level of a desk. It was about 6 feet by 4 feet and had drawers on the side that I could see. The top of it came out over the drawers so that a chair could scoot up close to it. I was thinking, "That would make a great craft work table." I was sure that it was heavy because it looked like it was solid oak. As we were leaving, I saw that it had cabinets and drawers on the other side. I told Jeanetta that I really liked it. She said that Irvin made it, and that he made all of their kitchen cabinets. I was really impressed by that. I was surrounded by beautiful work.

On the way home, I commented again on the work Irvin had done. My dad told me more about him and how skilled he was with his hands. He used to build furniture, grandfather clocks, and farm machinery. Then I asked how we were related. Irvin is my dad's first cousin. He's the oldest cousin at 90 something, and my dad is the youngest cousin at 58. I asked how that happened. I found out that my dad (an only child) wasn't born until my grandpa was 40. My grandma was 26. I never knew my grandpa. He died when I was a baby. And my grandma died when I was 6. I just barely remember her. So I learned more about my family tonight. That's what I'm thankful for tonight. I learned something new and was able to admire a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. I told my parents that I would like to have it when Irvin and Jeanetta pass. It might be wishful thinking, or it may just come to pass.

Here's to family, talents, and wishes.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks for today

2007-08-17T22:16:00.000-04:00

What am I thankful for today? Well, I didn't do a whole lot of anything, which is what I'm thankful for. There was no responsibility, whatsoever. I'm spending a few days at my parents' house. I had thought about bringing some craft stuff to work on, but I knew there really wouldn't be a place to work. But I brought my computer and my wireless Internet card. So I've been doing a lot of playing today. I think I've mentioned that I'm in the process of setting up an Etsy shop. I did a lot of playing with that today. I know that I probably won't have a day like this for quite a long time, so I have taken advantage of it.

I am thankful for creativity. I have seen a lot of creative things today. I have done some reading about how God has created us to be creative people. Unfortunately, a lot of people base how creative they are on other people's opinions. There were some things I've seen today that aren't my taste, but I see the creativity that has gone into them. If you are having one of those days where you have been doubting yourself and your creativity, please stop. A creative God created you in His image. You are creative. Even if you don't make things, you've creative. Even if you don't write songs, poetry, or stories, you've creative. The way you live your life is creative. Look at it with different eyes. Look at it with God's eyes.

If you don't understand how I can say something like this, please ask.

Blessings,
Carrie

New Element

2007-08-17T01:37:00.000-04:00

I just added the Song Spot element to my blog. I discovered it through LaRinda's blog. My main purpose in life is to glorify God. I hope that having this element will help. As you're reading, listen to the words of the songs I selected. God just might have you listening to a particular song for a reason. Let me know how God works. Maybe you don't know God in a personal way. Maybe knowing God in a personal way sounds strange to you. I urge you to listen to the songs and let me know what you think.

Well, I've taken advantage of my vacation to stay up late and sleep in. But I think I've stayed up late enough. I got the clue when my mom just woke up and peeked in to see why the light was still on. Good night.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thankfulness time

2007-08-16T22:09:00.000-04:00

I was thinking today about how I would like part of my blog to be an arena to share what we're thankful for. I know that on the days that I've thought about what I'm thankful for that day, all the stuff that was "bad" didn't seem as bad once I thought about all the good things from the day. So I'm hoping to do a bit every night here about what I was thankful for that day. And I would love to hear from everyone else who reads this to comment about what you're thankful for. I would love to fill this blog with gratitude.

So what am I thankful for today? Well, I'm thankful that I got 2 free meals that I didn't have to cook or clean up. (Most days that's not a big deal. I like to cook. But at the end of a summer when I've made 400 meals a day, it's nice to not have that responsibility.) I'm thankful for a safe trip from my place in Michigan to my parent's house in Indiana. I'm thankful that the man at the restaurant that my mom and I went to knew that it was me he was cooking for by what I ordered. It's nice to be known like that. It reminds me of how well my God knows me. He knows everything about me that I know about myself, plus so much more. Psalm 37:4 in the Amplified Bible says, "Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart." To me, that means that I have desires that I don't even know I have, but God knows them. I'm thankful that God is using this blog (as long as I'm willing) to give me the chance to bring Him glory.

If you're reading this and don't understand what I mean when I talk about God the way I do, please ask.

Blessings,
Carrie

Scents of cleaning solutions abound

2007-08-15T16:17:00.000-04:00

Well, the summer season is finished at Youth Haven. I won't be cooking 400 meals a day for almost a year now. We'll start the weekend sessions in September. That will seem like a piece of cake since there will be a little less than half of the people to cook for than I have been used to for the last three months.

I have a week's vacation, which I am enjoying now. I'll go home to my parent's house at the end of the week. But until then, I'm cleaning. It's so hard for me to keep my apartment clean during the summer. When I'm not working, I either want to sleep or play. Cleaning certainly doesn't fall into either of those categories. I have decided to tackle one room a day. I now have a clean bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. I've left the living room till last because it's the worst. There's lots of stuff that needs to be put away. When I haven't been cleaning, I've spent some time with a friend, watched movies, done artsy things, played on the computer, and slept.

I believe God has given me an idea that will help me to keep my apartment cleaner next summer. I have been thinking about turning my living room into a prayer room next summer. So many staff need a place to get away to pray and get refreshed. Working with the kids we work with is hard. Their cabins aren't necessarily good atmospheres for prayer (mostly because they can be pretty hot in the afternoon, when the staff have their break time.) I have air conditioning and what I think is a cozy place. I have a lot of ideas in mind for this prayer room. Please pray that if God wants it to be developed, that it will happen. About keeping my apartment cleaner, I would want to do that so that the room is an atmosphere conducive for prayer.

On a completely different note, I looked at some digital cameras Monday night. I was with a friend who has done quite a bit of digital photography, and I asked her if she could help me pick one out that would work for my needs and not be too expensive. I think I'm going to go with a Kodak Easy Share (I don't remember the models that we looked at, only the specifications.) But I need to wait until I get my next paycheck. I had to pay my car payment and car insurance this weekend. I decided to pay the six months in full because I'll save $108 doing that. That's a lot of money to save. But that meant that buying a camera was out of the question. So hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll actually have some pictures on my blog. My friend got a great picture on Monday. The building she works in has doors with recessed locks. When she went to unlock the door Monday morning, she discovered a tiny, bright green tree frog hanging out in the lock. She ran to get her camera and captured a quite unique picture.

Well, enough rambling. I need to eat and get ready for church tonight.

Blessings,
Carrie

Darn computer

2007-08-06T00:07:00.000-04:00

I just hit some button that deleted the post that I just finished typing. It was rather long and I should already be in bed, so I'm not going to retype it. Maybe it was God's way of not having me post it.

Pictures?

2007-07-26T19:50:00.000-04:00

Have any of the few of you who have checked out my blog wondered why there aren't any pictures? Well, here's the answer. This is all brand new to me. I don't have a digital camera. I just bought my first computer a couple months ago. It's brand new, so it has Windows Vista on it. I've heard various opinions about Vista, but it seems like I'll have to spend more money to learn how to do things like download pictures unless the little bit of info that is in the help section of the computer is enough to help me. So until I have the time and money to pursue that, there won't be any pictures. If anyone wants to offer suggestions, please do so. Thanks!

Have a glorious day!

Blessings,
Carrie

Yard Sale Finds

2007-07-14T22:02:00.000-04:00

One thing I love about spring and summer is yard/garage sales. Some days I plan on going yard saling, other days (like today), I just decide to stop at ones that I see on my way to wherever I'm going. I find a lot of people are getting rid of their VHS videos because of how great DVD's are. While I prefer DVD's, I take advantage of others' selling their VHS's. I stumbled upon some good ones today. My favorite find is Wizard of Oz (which I'm watching as I'm writing this.) I remember as a kid when it would come on TV. I would almost always fall asleep on the couch before it was over. It's not that I didn't like it, it was just so long for a kid to watch when it was getting past her bedtime. It's such a creative movie, especially for the time that it was made. I'm at the "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my part." It's something how some movie lines almost become standard vocabulary. Even people who have never seen the Wizard of Oz know "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my." Well, I could probably ramble on, but I think I'm going to focus more on the movie now.

First Entry

2007-07-09T23:32:00.000-04:00

Well, I've just created a blog. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but it seemed like a good thing to do. I'm not doing anything else with it tonight because I should already be in bed.