Paper Crafting Explosion & Lesson Learned!
Hang on friends. Â I have a load of great cards to share and a little of what’s going on here on the home front at the bottom. Â It’s a bit of the good, bad and ugly. Â Common theme, huh?Â
I don’t know about you but I am all over watercoloring lately. Â With the quick demise of Blendabilities and my continued love for coloring I had to take hold of one thing that is always around- ink pads and aqua painters. Â
For this card below I used the beautiful Natures Perfection stamp set and watercolor paper. Â You can see a nice variation of the color and this is because the watercolor paper absorbs perfectly and I can add color to brighten or add water to lighten. Â By embossing the image it just added a little extra pop. Â
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The butterfly card is my version of lazy watercoloring. Â Yes. Â I die cut the butterfly (hopefully available SOON-I’ll keep you posted!) from Whisper White cardstock and then watercolored three colors onto Watercolor Paper. Â The “flecks” of color you see is a simple technique of tapping your Aqua Painter after inking it with your color choice. *Tip: Try this on scratch paper first. Â You can create an ugly card quickly with too much ink. Â Trust me. Â Â The embossing… well… I used Melon Mambo Embossing Powder. Â Guess what? It’s retired. Â Who knew? *bangs head on table!*
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Melon Mambo Stampin’ Emboss Powder
[123223]
$4.75
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This last card was one that we created in my Artisan Embellishment class.  The Artisan Kit is filled with beautiful trinkets that are perfect for making a card dainty elegant. One of my favs in the kit is the rose template.  I used the template to sponge the little roses on the Very Vanilla cardstock.  I love how soft they came out.  What do you think? 
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Now what the family has been up too. Â
You know I keep telling you how crazy things have been around here and this past week has been no different. Â Russ took a class last week on transitioning from the military to the civilian world. Â Prior to his stroke this really wasn’t a big deal. Â He’s super intelligent and truly I had no worry. Â This class was like taking a brick and hitting me in the face with REALITY. Â
Reality is- He has a disability.  Reality is- life is different.  I guess we have created our new normal so much that this transition period was not even a thought of mine.  Yes, he would retire but who cares… he’ll get a job.  Let me say this first before I get too deep in my thoughts.  I know Russ will get a job after the military.  I don’t think getting a job will be an issue but before his stroke I had NO doubts at all.  Doubt was setting in for the first time ever.  When faced with questions of what are his strengths and weaknesses my heart sank.  Here we were sitting at the table Sunday night answering pre-class questions -me doing all the writing.  That was the first REALITY. He can write but we would of been there ALL night long. Â
Ya know, the questions were not going as expected.  We giggled and then we cried.  For the first time I didn’t like the answers and I couldn’t fix anything.  It was real life.Â
After we got his suit prepared for his first day of class, he went to bed. Â
I sat on the couch and had a good ole fashion MELT down and prayed. Â But not like I normally pray. Â Like HELLO God… WHERE ARE YOU????Â
Why did this happen? Why are you not hearing me God? Why are we in THIS position?? Why are you not making him stronger? Â
Yes. I had that moment. Â I like to call these temporary moments of insanity but it was real. Â A very dark moment so to speak. Â Have you ever felt this way?Â
Tuesday my mind was about to go stir crazy. Doubt and fear sets in really quick. Â Essentially I didn’t want to move off my couch and my trusty potato chips.Â
Wednesday morning I had my bible study.  I was late as usual but this time an hour late.  I ran inside to catch the last hour of the lecture.  My butt wasn’t in the pew 2 minutes and the speaker says…Â
“Have you ever faced a dark time in your life and wonder if God was listening?”
Okay, I’m not kidding.. this is what she said.  It was at that moment I looked around the sanctuary filled with women but I felt like it was only myself and the lady in the front speaking.  She rattled off Numbers 21:2-3 and I instantly felt an overwhelming peace come over me.  The scripture says… GOD LISTENS!  I almost wet my pants from excitement.  I wanted to stand up and turn to everyone and say… “Did you hear that? He just answered my question! He listens!!”  It was that profound. Â
Now, I didn’t mean for this to come off as a whirly twirly sermon but you are my friends and I’m telling you what is on my heart. Â God heard me LOUD and CLEAR. Each little struggle we have God is paving the way for us to learn something. Â We’ll never know why this all happened but we learn something from it each day. Sometimes its a hard lesson. Sometimes its a humble lesson. We also see the blessings when faced with adversity too. Â Slowly with time he is refining me to accept the things I cannot change. Â Friends, I’m struggling but I know He is listening.Â
The rest of the week was essentially a blur.  It went so fast.  Alexis had a gymnastics meet 4 hours away.  It was a girls getaway as my mom drove with us.  In a 24 hours period we drove 8 hours, enjoyed 8 hours of 2 gym meets, ate and I believe slept at the hotel.  After church Sunday I fell onto the couch in a stupor and didn’t wake up until 4 hours later. This body needed a re-charge.  The good news…. Alexis took 1st place in her Floor Routine for her age group.  You can see her ginormous smile below. Â
Brandon enjoyed a great camping trip and Russ had the house to himself. Â I was slightly jealous of his peace and quiet. Â
And the BEST news of the weekend… my Dad got Baptized. Â SWEETNESS!!
Here are a few pics of our weekend. Â I truly love these pictures. Â
Have an amazing Thursday and as always thank you for listening! Â
XOXOXOXO
15 thoughts on “Paper Crafting Explosion & Lesson Learned!”
Kimberley just know that many of us are here for you, and, most often we are going through some D.R.A.M.A. of one sort or another also!
My journey started 12/24/1989 after walking out the door of work to go home to my precious little boys (ages 5 and almost 9) ….they were waiting for Momma to open their Presents from Santa & Mrs. Claus! Well, reaching the stairs outside down to the parking lot (figured it was safer as it had a hand rail and the asphalt or grass did not). The night before we had a whole night of freezing fog….sidewalk was slippery however, I was sure maintenance had salted the stairs, all 4 flights, and I had a handrail too! Long story short, I took one step, flew up in the air, banging my back on withes the handrail or the concrete steps all 4 flights….if that wasn’t enough I literally was airborne and came down on the asphalt driveway bouncing down two more layers of parking lot to the bottom, then ended up plowing my head into a very large Sycamore tree. It was Christmas! AND MY ANGER is what kept me awake instead of in a coma like the Dr’s. Proclaimed I should have been in.
I was Mad! And Where Was God, as I lay there not feeling my legs, arms etc. Why did he do this to me? Oh, I am embarrassed to say all that was racing through my mind in the ambulance on the way to the Trauma E.R. You see I was working as an R.N. at that time, and when I say this, know it is so true of us in medicine! I KNEW IT WAS Bad, REAL BAD! YOU JUST PLAIN KNOW TOO MUCH!
WELL, Was told would not walk again, had blown every disc in my back from the shoulders down as well as cracking many vertebrae and some in my neck too. Dr’s. Wanted to do surgery, My mind was on my little boys and this hard-headed German woman rose up and left that hospital against medical advice and went home! GOD WAS THERE! NO OTHER EXPLANATION WHY I WALKED OUT OF THAT EMERGENCY ROOM! NO OTHER REASON WHY I WAS ABLE TO WALK! Granted I was quite the sight, no way to put it other than I looked like the bloody walking dead when I got home, and, oh my–the pain! My poor boys thought Mom was mixed up with Halloween I suspect.
We praised God that Christmas Day, had our Christmas….dinner and all. And, am blessed God was our guest on Christmas!
Due to those injuries, and student nurses loans to pay, I went back to work because I had no other choice….no relatives nearby, and someone had to pay the bills. Unfortunately, I damaged my spine to where my back collapsed and was forced to retire in 2007. Again, God was carrying me! I lost 6 and a half inches of height, constant chronic pain that is Is unrelenting. BUT, God is with me….still walking albeit with a walker now. I have nerve damage in arms and legs and the wonderful drawings, fine detail work I used to do in crafts is now the bumbling deposits way of crafting, a constant source of me throwing 2 years old temper tantrums. It is my constant NEW NORMAL I just cannot salted with! Along with the slowed mind that used to recite any medical text from memory….NEW NORMAL: SLOW AS A SLOTH!
THEN in Oct. 2014 I had a major heart attack, as you know. AGAIN…had to argue with God! What a Forgiving God we have. NOW, God was with me again….you see he sent me an Angel by the name of Kimberley! Remember my craft slowness and fumbling with little things….God has a sense of humor too! Kimberley, you are a blessing to me and to God. I thought I was unteachable and God sent you and now I make beautiful cards, slow, but I make them….and am proud of them! SO….Thank you Angel Kimberley and please know God is with you…carrying you when you think he is gone! I believe all of us should thank the Lord for our ability to talk, walk, read, write, or Remember – You see, it can all be gone in a millisecond! God gives us what we can handle and sends people into our lives as his Angels! So take a moment and breathe in a deep breathe, and look up, down, all around and see and hear what Busy does not sound like! Take in the beauty and Grace and his Love in the God created people, places, and things he Created for You!
HUGS
Life makes you stronger. I learned that the last 13 years. Before that I almost took life for granted. Not any more. I could explain here but this is your story.
Take care and keep going.
Eveline.
Love, Love, Love your blog today! Again – real life, real feelings – helps us to know that we are not the only ones! I love God moments like that – and better yet, knowing that I am His because I can recognize those moments! Chills!!!! Cards are great, too! Great news about your Dad! What an exciting week!
Wow! Thanks for sharing! I love it when God does stuff like that! He is so personal, He walks with us every step of the way, even when we doubt. Life is TOUGH, God is TOUGHER. Praise the Lord! Celebrating with you!
Love your amazing projects! And, I admire your honesty about your life!
You are always welcome to share your story my friend. ALWAYS. XOXO
Lori, you made my laugh, cry and say AMEN all together. Love you and love that our paths crossed. This is the beautiful thing about the stamping community and why I love it so much. It brings relationships together that will last a lifetime.
thank you Susan. XOXO Looking for many great blessings for the rest of the week.
Wonderful painfully honest story Kimberly, thank you for sharing. Life is not all good, but its not all bad either. And God does listen, it is just that many times his ways are not our ways! He is with you on this difficult journey, and will continue to be. Hugs to you and your family today!
Your cards are gorgeous Kimberly. God is good all the time, everyday, God is good. I believe in so many things that happens and I always say God does hear us, he just answers our prayers when he is ready and gives us what we need, not what we want. So glad things are going well for you and your family. Congratulations on Alexis getting first place, that’s amazing 🙂
Kimberly,
I can so identify with what you are talking about. A year ago I found out I had ovarian cancer and was recovering from surgery and then had chemo. Thank goodness my doctor caught it early but coming two months after my mom had died from cancer it shook me up that’s for sure. But God is good and I made it through chemo and my last check up was good, but every 3 months I’m a nervous wreck before those check ups. I’m glad that you heard what you needed at the right time and I’ll continue to pray for your family. Love your cards too! Congrats to Alexis too!
Dawn, thank you. I will pray for you. I am sure those check ups can be VERY nerve wracking. What a blessing you are cancer free. That’s a celebration right there. XOXO
PRAYING FOR ALL WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPHS….I MAY NOT KNOW ALL OF YOU, BUT, GOD’S LOVE SHINED THROUGH ON ALL YOUR COMMENTS TO OUR ANGEL KIMBERLY! THANK YOU TO:
SUSAN A.!
EVALINE!
SUE A.!
M.M.!
SUE L.!
LISA S.!
DAWN D.!
GOD HAS BLESSED US ALL BY SHARING AND CARING FOR EACH OTHER! PRAISE GOD!
MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU AND KIMBERLY TOO!
(I OBVIOUSLY NEED PRAYER ON TYPING WITH A THING CALLED A STYLUS!)
LORI
Hi Kimberly,
First, love, love, love the photos and those adorable smiles. How wonderful to have your Mom share these moments with you and Alexis! Thank you for sharing your beautiful cards and tips, too.
Now to answer your question… YES, I have had those dark moments and the answers came to me the exact same way, in a sermon that seemed to be written for me! I am so happy that you got the affirmation you needed during the difficult time of realizing just how different your world has become. If you are like me, you are so busy living it that you don’t realize how all those changes add up. You are an amazing spirit so I really think you will be more than OK.
Lori, wow, what a story! Wishing you better times and no pain! Amazing how positive you are, what an example you are to your family!
Dawn, I share that feeling before scans! It is so common that there is a name for it: scanxiety. Do you read Cure magazine (oncology)? Lots of great articles that address this very issue. All the best to you!
Kimberly, yiu have the best little group here! All motivated by your open heart. You make a difference in our days with every one of your posts. Thank you!!
Good luck to Russ on the transition. Soon you will be writing about his awesome new job!
Kimberly ~ BSF is an amazing Bible Study and I’m so glad to know you are going through it. I’ll pray for you and we can all learn these God-lessons together. I’ve never been through what you’re going through, but I know that Jesus has, and he IS there with you. You will get through this. God has always promised to meet all of our needs and remember the part about the complaining the Israelites did? Well that hit me in the gut. I’m working on gratitude and less complaining. Hang in there. You are loved by your blog followers, your fellow SU demos (I’m one too), and the best part is you are loved by God. You are His child and He loves you even more than you love your own children. Just like you want happiness and everything good for your children, God wants and has planned the same things for you. Jeremiah 29:11 — don’t forget it! XOXO Melanie
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