short & sweet + a printable

download here

We often think of gold as a color, but it's not.  Gold is a way of life.

Go be golden.

0

Thanksgiving {Free} Printable

As mentioned in previous posts, I find printables such a wonderful way to brighten a room and especially during the holiday season.  You may remember this printable from a few weeks ago.

No matter what difficulties you experience in your life always remember to give thanks.  Something happens inside of us when we take our attention off of our problems and put them on our God who is all powerful and more than able to meet every need.  Faith begins to rise in our hearts and we all know that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6).

Be encouraged today and "in everything give thanks" (1 Thess. 5:8).

8

always thankful {free printable + desktop}

We are, yet again, entering the holiday season.  Personally, I have so much to be thankful for, but sometimes I get distracted.  I forget all of the many blessing God has given me.  For example, I take my family for granted.  I forget to make time for my friends, or other little, but important things I should be grateful everyday I live.

I am so thankful for God's many blessings, but I have to remind myself to stay thankful...to always be thankful.  It's in these little reminders around my living and working area that help me remember to be always thankful for life, for love, for family.

DESKTOP

brown 1024

blue 1024

PRINTABLE

brown

blue

11

Guest Post from Aubrey of Oh So Lovely

When Danette asked me to guest post, I knew immediately that I wanted to design and share some free wall art printables.

So I came up with this set of adventure prints (available in 3 different colors). Perfect for anyone with a sense of adventure!

All you have to do is click on your desired print(s) below and drag to your desktop (mac) or right click and save (pc), open and print to your desired size on a color printer.

These prints are sized to 8" x 8" at full size, but can be printed at any size by choosing the print % size on your printer. 

I personally like to hang wall prints in different sizes and odd numbered sets like the example below:

For these prints and many other free printables head over and check out my blog. 

Set #1

Set #2

Set #3 

                               

                         
                              

I hope you enjoy these (and have an adventure or two in your future)!

xo
Audrey

2

in You I'm planted + free printable

When life is terrible and I feel tossed and shaken, I have to find myself repeating the words of David.

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on His law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers."                         ~Psalms 1:1-3 

I have to plant myself in His Word...in His promise...in Him alone.

Linking Up With

Whimsy Wednesdays

Wow Me Wednesdays

Wow Us Wednesdays

3

my Prayer for you + a Printable

Today, this is my prayer for you.  May you find God's sweet peace, joy like you've never know.  May God's love surround you and may your heart be full of love.

To download, click on the image.

3

Mother's Day Printable

Over the next few weeks my life will be busy with end of the school year activities one of which happens to be Mother's Day.  We all want to make Mother's Day special for the women who have impacted our lives, but especially for our mothers.

I'll be sharing a few affordable items that can just brighten the ladies of your life who have impacted you.

The first a set of bookmarks.  After downloading the PDF (here or click on the image) print it on card stock.  Use a paper cutter or really sharp paper scissors to give help give you a clean line.  Then just pass them out.  You might choose to pair the bookmark with a vintage book or cookbook.  Most women I know, including myself, would love that!

Linking Up With

Live Laugh Rowe

2

Making Circles

I have a confession to make.  

No, it's not that I'm a shoe-a-holic (although I am) and it's not that I love the smell of gun powder.  (Don't judge.)  It's not even that I believe in Big Foot and in the possibility of aliens.  (It is possible.)

I'm terrible at navigation.

If you ever spot a little red Ford Fusion stopped on the side of the road with a woman looking at her phone trying to recalculate her position, there's a good chance that's me.  I'm just terrible at directions.  Turning
around two, three, even four times because I've missed a turn is not uncommon for me.  

But there are few things that drive me crazier than when I'm lost on a highway and can't find the exit I'm supposed to take.  Even worse, when I'm lost on a turn-a-bout with other vehicles headed straight for me.  I don't know where I'm going.  Am I supposed to yield or are they?  Why did that car just pass me on my right?  What's going on?

Maybe you've been there to--frantically looking for your turn and second guessing which one you're supposed to take.  You find yourself circling again and again.  Is this the one?  No that one.  No, no, no.  It's this one.

I've found that life can be very similar to that monotonous circling looking for the correct turn, but never finding it.  So round and round you continue to go.  Moving is better than standing still, at least that's what they say.  But the point is that you're moving just to stay alive but never leaving the dizzying circle.  

For a while, making those circles can be entertaining...fun even.  But eventually the merry-go-round of life looses it's flavor and all you want to do is get off of the ride.

But how?  Which turn is the correct turn?  And how did we get on this never ending turn-about anyway.

First, we can't be paralyzed by fear.

Fear might be the most effective of all robbers in the world.  Fear will absolutely de-habilitate us leaving us paralyzed inside our own mind.  The Bible says that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind."  John wrote that God's perfect love for us cast other all fear.

Because of His love we don't have to be afraid of that car headed straight for us.  That's just an illusion.  That car that we think we'll strike head on is enter the turn-a-bout too.  We're safe if we'll follow the directions.

Second, we have to keep an open mind and avoid a critical attitude.

I have found myself becoming so critical of other people.  It's wrong and I know it and it keeps me from moving on to my destiny.  I judge people for having, what I consider, double standards.  And I am enraged with those double standard.

I get so angry and I don't know how to deal with that anger.

But...it's none of my business.  They're the ones who'll answer for their actions.  Not me.  I'll have to give an account for my actions.  I'll have to answer for why I let that judgmental, critical attitude grow into anger and even hate.  I'll be judged because I didn't act in love.  

The Bible is very clear on this.  It says, "Judge not or you too will be judged" (Matthew 7:1).  Jesus said that people would know we were His disciples by our love for one another.  If you're judgin' we're not lovin'. 

Kill that critical spirit and learn to act in love.

Third, remember that we've got to let go of the past.

The enemy's greatest trick is the lie of condemnation.  Over and over again we rehash what we did wrong and how we could have changed it, but we fail to realize that the past can't be changed.  We must work hard to forgive ourselves and move on.

In Romans 8:1, Paul writes, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus (and His redeeming work on the cross) I've been set free from the law of sin and death."

So let's break this down again.  How are we going to avoid the stagnant, unmoving circles that can come our way and keep us from moving towards or our God-given purpose?

Here's a "cheat sheet" to help you out.

click to download

9

Happy {February} + Free Download

It's February!  The month of love.  Here's you February desktop calendar created for your enjoyment and usefulness.  Just download the size that fits your screen best.

Enjoy and live love.

2560X1440          1600X1000          1024X640

Linking Up With

Get Crafty Friday

Fancy This Fridays

Show Off Friday

Freedom Fridays

Weekend Wonders

Do Something Crafty

Inspiration Gallery 

7

Easy Valentine DIY {free printable}

Brightening someone's day is always so much fun--watching the smile come across their eyes...seeing the joy of their mouth as it spreads wide in a smile.  See, there's not very many things that are better in life than changing a bad day or an okay day into the best day all week.

And what a better time to do that than around Valentine's Day?

Here are a few ideas that I love.

For a quick and super easy tutorial of how to paint feed sack towel visit Make and Takes.  (Here's the link.)  I'm telling you...super easy.

Who doesn't love chocolate   Seriously, I know of one

person who doesn't eat chocolate and it's because she's allergic to it.  But trust me, if given the chance she'd still eat it.

Personalize your gift by molding your own chocolate treats.  For these, I melted the Wilson's chocolate in the microwave and used a squeeze bottle to pour it in the molds.  Before putting the molds in the freezer I added small toffee pieces.  They are so good...I had one.

For the little man in your life you could make a mustache.  I know he will like.

Every lady know that the packaging always sets a package apart from the rest.  For these I used craft bags from Kawaii Goods and 1 1/2 inche personalized Avery labels (22805).

I designed the stickers in photoshop and then loaded them on the the templete.  Here is the pdf file of those labels for you to use.

For the best printing quality make sure to print on full ink and be very vigilant to align your printer with the labels correctly.

You should be set to go.  I hope you have fun making and using these labels.  I just want to go around the house and put them on things!

XOXO

Linking Up Today With

Clever Chicks

Monday Funday

Make the Scene Monday

Craftastic Monday

Twigg Studios Sunday Showoff

10