4th of July 2016/#3

Wow!  Can you believe it is already July!?   Many of us will be getting together with family and friends playing games, barbequeing, and shooting fireworks.  To many of us it is just an extra day off from work and who cares why, except I don't have to work.  Yay me!  Yes this includes me!
 However, with this statement comes a huge "BUT".  My dad served in the A®ir Force during the Cold War and has very strong Military beliefs and support.  I was raised to honor and respect our Military and our flag as well.  In school we studied all the reasons why, as well as what Independence Day is,along with all the other dates in history, blah, blah, blah.   Yep, this is exactly what I thought about history.  Get ready for it... here it is....BUT...Now it becomes personal.  My son, Nathan, joined the Army seven years ago.  I went with him when he signed up with the Army.  Was I thrilled with this idea of his, heck no, scarred to death, heck yeah.  Did I support him and was I the proudest mom ever, heck yes!,  Now I'm an Army Mom, a part of the proud, the few, and the elite.  Mike (Dear hubby) and I became volunteers and traveled to many Places and took many classes,  to better learn about and help our Military Families, as our way of serving and helping. My parents volunteered their time to help out as well with Nathan's unit locally.  All this history, all my dad's stories, just became personal and came to life and with meaning.

Battleship Missouri, Hawaii May 2015 by Stephi Goodwin/SU

  This would be a good place to mention and give some family history and how personal it all becomes. My brother, was born in Germany, while my dad served there during the Cold War Vietnam era, as an aircraft weapons mechanic and loading the bombs and on the aircrafts as well as all other weaponery armament .  I also had a brother -in- law, who served in Germany and years later died protecting our hometown as a police officer in 1998.   We have a close cousin, who served proudly on the front lines of Dessert Storm, and is married to and both retired from the Army.  I have a nephew that served on the front lines in the Army at Afghanistan, who was hit by a remote detonated bomb, and is now medically retired and discharged.   I have another nephew who has made it his career, currently serving in the Marines and has been deployed multiple times. We have several very dear personal friends, both male and female, who have fought the front battles who all thankfully have been able to return home to their family and friends.  Our son, Nathan, served at GTMO, babysitting the worst of the worst terrorists.  I will not even go into my thoughts about that with you.   I hope all this lends some humility and respect as well as makes you appreciate a bit of old history with a bit of new history, that makes our country what it is today and one of the reasons we get to celebrate 4th of July.  Because without these people past and present there is no country.  Each of these people are our heroes in their own right, but are not looking for fame or notoriety.  They each signed up for their own personal reasons and they each have their stories that aren't found in any of the history books, nor would they probably be allowed to be.  The statement "freedom isn't free" may only be words to us and ones that we take for granted every day, but I can assure you the treachery and nightmares these men and women face everyday and everynight, eyes wide open, are not ones that we should soon forget, for they and their families know the real cost of freedom.  Life is forever changed for all of them both physically, mentally, and psychologically.  Freedom comes but not without a great deal of loss, sacrifice, and cost.

So what does this all mean today and why do you care, maybe you don't, but I hope you take something into consideration and at least take a brief moment in your weekend, and think about what living in our country means to you.  It took on a whole new meaning to me once my son enlisted.  We are fortunate enough to have our son home with us this year and some of our friends just returned from a deployment, so we have a lot to be thankful for, but our nephew and many others are not so fortunate this holiday.   They are still holding the front lines to keep our country safe giving us a reason to celebrate this weekend.  Thank you for your Service everyone!!

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend and was fortunate enough to spend time with friends and/or family.
Hugs and Prayers
Stephi

Bible Journaling with In the Meadow #2

 Hey Friends!!!  Can you believe me?? I'm here and posting another entry!  I hope you are as excited as I am, because seriously, who ever thought I could do this, twice in a row??  whoohoo me!!!!  Just ask my hubby, I am a computer techs worst nightmare, and ask him how he knows.  Wait--no don't ask him.  Lets just suprise him with this, and I did it all by myself.  I'll stamp to that!!!  teehee :) 
So ok, focus here again.  I told you in my first post that I was going to post a page I created in my Bible.  Not only am I new at blogging, this is my very first Bible page as well.  I'm celebrating lots of firsts!!
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I briefly mentioned in my first post, that I am a Stampin' UP Demonstrator, and this entire page was done with a set from Stampin' Up.  If you didn't know, we just started the new year off June 1, which also means we have a brand new catty, and probably one of the most exciting cattys they have done in a very long time.  Everyone is raving about it
 Sorry, I get side tracked easy. So anyways, the name of this stamp set is "In the Meadow"  I debated and debated and then finally I got this brilliant idea that I had to have this set because it would make a perfect page for one of my favorite Hymns,  As the Deer, by Martin J. Nystrom, which is also found in scripture as Psalms 42:1  As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after Thee.....

So if you don't have this stamp set yet or even a brand new catty, you have to get them both!  For goodness sake stop reading this post and ask me to order them for you. Lol.  The set is on pg 129
I went on pinterest and found some ideas how and how they were arranging them as a scene. These are a couple of the ladies I based my page on was, Judy May, https://www.pinterest.com/source/judymay.typepad.com,  Nancy Endwright,https://www.pinterest.com/source/imastamping.blogspot.com,  and Stephanie Fischer,  http://www.thecraftythinker.com.au/2015/12/occasions-2016-catalogue-preview-in.html   I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you checked them out as well. 
I took all their ideas and turned them into a page that would work for me in my space.  I did prep the page first with Dina Wakley Glazing Medium by Ranger.  I painted a thin layer across this whole page let it dry, turn over and do the back side too, just so it is done in case you ever want to journal that page.  The reason I did that was, I believe I  read somewhere, if you didn't do it and you later decided you want to journal that page, you risk the chance of it ruining what you designed previously.  I could have my thoughts all jumbeled up here, so if anyone knows what I was trying to say, feel free to jump into the conversation and leave me a comment setting me straight.  Sometimes I lie without really meaning too and can have quite a vivid imagination how things are supposed to be.  Lol   Like I'm not even sure all the rules about telling you every persons name, blog, brand, composer, on everything I talk about.  I'd be much better off just saying somebody made this and I bought this at some store, it would be a whole lot simpler.  But, I am trying to do this all the right way and not give out improper information and hopefully I am giving all the credit to where it is do.  I apologize if I am not, because I really don't mean to leave anybody out and definetly don't want anyone mad at me.  People really do deserve the credit for the work they do.  Like I love this page I completed.  In fact, I still can't believe how cool it turned out, and I still just want to sit and stare at it because I love it so much.  Sometimes, I just totally impress myself and what I can do. Who knows, maybe someday I'll be famous and you can say, you knew me when, and that it was I who created this Bible page that everyone loves, and my name will be the one that's on it and gets passed on, how amazing would that be. :)   Back to reality and back to coloring on the page here. I did stamp my images in Momento Tuxedo Black ink and colored everything with Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils to finish it off.  I have a faint bleed through onto the back of the page from the stamps, but nothing that bothers me that much.   

I think this about brings us to the close of this post.  Thank you for letting me share in a part of your day, I'm so excited to be sharing with friends, both near and far, and developing more new friends along the way.

Hugs & Prayers,

Stephi
 

Welcome to my Blog

Welcome to my very first Blog and post!!
Just a little bit about me and what I hope to do on this blog.  I have been stamping for over 20yrs now. There is not one stamp thing I need, but there is everything I want.  And if you are a stamping addict,which apparently I am,  I always tell myself I am not going to buy one more thing, I already have it all. I don't need one more thing, but wait--then I see something new that I don't have, and well hellloo, oh my gosh, I just gotta have that!!!!  I am convinced I will die if I don't have it. (hopefully dear hubby doesn't read and follow my blog)   I have this dear friend, Pastor Mo, that always said, "if God thinks we need it in Heaven, than it will be there".  Now when  Pastor Mo said this, he was referring to our dogs, (Mo loves his dogs too),but I'm pretty sure it must apply to everything else as well, like stamp supplies and stamps stores, and bacon, YUM!!
Let me introduce my fur-babies and helpers as stated in my title.  Aren't they just the cutest!! (looks can be deceiving) Lol.  Jazz is my Sheltie, Malibu is my Yorkie, and Gretchen is my parents Miniture Schnauzer.  We have her with joint ownership while my parents go away in the winter months.  And they are great helpers, or so I tell them.  With their constant interuptions to pay attention to them because they know they rate above all else, an occassional paw in the ink pad as they hear and chase after sounds of the neighbors.  Standing or sitting on my stack of paper or materials I am trying to use, and the occassional missing marker or rubber stamp taking off when you turn your back just for one tiny minute.  Yes, these are my helpers indeed. 

I/we have a Son, the most amazing kid and Paramedic ever.  He is 25yrs old and still  available, (I think) if you know of  anyone. (shhh don't tell him I dropped a bug in anybodies ear) He only hopes he is not blood related to us, but adopted into our crazy family.  Sorry Baby :) I cannot be any prouder of my son though, for the honorable job he is doing now, as well as his time serving in the US Army. Thank you for giving your time in both.
And then there is my dear Hubby, who I'm pretty sure is from Mars or some other completely wacked out planet,(don't ask how I know).  He obsessed with his photography, and has an avid amount of crazy followers as well, so I guess we both have a little bit of obsessive compulsive behavior going on in this family.  He plays a bit in stamping and mixed media too, but there is probably something you should know about me, because anyone who does know me, knows that I do not share well.  Not even if I'm married to you for 30 years.  So he had to have a few of his own supplies, just so he wasn't using mine.  Shew, that was a load off my mind to admit.  I am an ADDICT and I DO NOT SHARE, there, I said it again. teehee.   

So anyways, back to my "stamp" blog.  As I say, I have been stamping for a bit over 20 years, and was hooked the very first home party I went to, except it was held in my church. I was the only one of us that thought it was the greatest thing ever and continued on with it.  Every card I make is made especially for that person, with thier likes and interests in mind.  My cards truly come from my heart. 

I have been a Stampin'UP Demonstrator for about the past 2yrs,and would be happy to assist you in purchasing any of their products if you see something I have used and you like.  Often you will see me C.A.S.E. fellow stampers ideas and change it up to make it into my own. Unfortunately, I am not always so thoughty (I makeup words) on my own when it comes to designing my own ideas.  Pinterest is the greatest thing since chocolate I think and just as addicting!!  I am happy to share what I do with you, and let you in turn, take those ideas and make it your own too, hopefully you will remember to give credit when credit is due and I will always try to do the same.  I would love it if you share back with me your ideas and what you love and how you made it your own, and any comments you might have.
It is funny because the trends we are seeing right now, ie.... shaker cards, water colors, 2 step stamping, and magic cards, those were all big 15-20 years ago and dis-appeared, just to be wowing a new generation of stampers again.  I love it, and don't forget to add some glitter and bling, I am all about that bling. Lol

I also am one of the crazies who is getting involved with the Bible Journaling and mix media rage.  I am not an artist, but remember all those wonderful and glorious stamps I collect and own, you can put those together and make one amazing Bible page. Stamps are not just for making cards, let your imagination be endless and don't limit yourself to the obvious.  I will be sharing with you my Bible page, as one of my first posts, very soon. 

Well, I think this post is way longer than I anticipated and planned, but I do have this great skill for jabbering on and on to anyone who will listen, or at least acts like they are interested in me.  So I look forward to meeting many of you here, on my blog, as we share our passions together and embrace our inner-child, creating, coloring, and exploring those Gifts God has given each of us.  After all, God is the original Creator, therefore, "we were created to create".  That came from a blog I follow, and thought it was the coolest statement ever!!.  Thank you Natalie Elphinstone, creative designer with Illustrated Faith 4-15-15.

I hope my first blog hasn't disappointed you or bored you.  I do have a full time day job, (sob, whimper, and whine)(I gotta pay for my addiction somehow), and am a bit slow at getting any cards and projects completed. That is another little tidbit about me, I never give you your card on time. (Oops, but eventually you get it),  so hang in there with me,  I will post here as I get things done.

I am excited and I look forward to making new friendships as we share our card crafting ideas and Gods Gifts together.  Thanks for journeying with me today!!! 
Hugs & Prayers

Stephi