90 Years Young

My mother-in-law recently celebrated her 90th birthday, which I mentioned in an earlier post.  I wanted to stitch a small gift for her, and found the perfect one in an old Leisure Arts publication (which, of course, I don't have in front of me, and is probably somewhere in the living room) called 50 Garden Minis Inspired by Scripture.

I stitched this on 28 count evenweave using DMC threads.  I didn't have some of the colors the pattern used, so I substituted close matches.

It has been a long time since I've stitched anything by Leisure Arts, and I forgot how tedious all that backstitching is!  I finished this as a flatfold and used a pretty pink and blue flat trim around the sides, which perfectly complemented the colors in the piece.

Working on a UFO

Looking through my project tote bag tonight, I decided it was time to at least make the effort to finish some UFOs.  So I pulled out Summer Iris by Blackbird Designs and worked on the flowers at the top of the design. 

I'm still having problems with my shoulder, so stitching is slow, but it felt good to pick up a needle tonight. 

Cassie

Why is it that I only take pictures of Cassie when she is sleeping?  Maybe because she's cutest then.  She said I could share these with you.

Yet Another Birthday Card

The Recipe:

~ scrapbook paper by Kay & Company
~ Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles
~ Spellbinders Fleur de Lis pendant
~  Spellbinders Labels Five
~  flower basket stamp by Anna Griffin stamped with Perfect Plumeria VersaMagic ink by Tsukineco

~ Martha Stewart punch
~ Happy Birthday stamp - unknown

Another Birthday Card

My mother-in-law celebrated her 90th birthday at the end of April.  She doesn't look 90, and is still active at her church and in the community.  She has always been a hard-working woman, raising four children, helping on the farm, sewing, quilting, and pursuing other crafts, in addition to caring for her home.  She canned a lot of what they grew on the farm or could purchase at good prices.  She was widowed several years ago after over 50 years of marriage, but has continued to be busy, which is a good way to deal with the grief and loneliness.

Here is the card I made for her.  

I used the Spellbinders Impressabilities folder Flourish as my base, to which I added Spellbinders Fancy Tags Two stamped with a Happy Birthday greeting from Stampin' Up!    The iridescent white ribbon was probably from the dollar store, and the three purple pearls are by Queen & Co.

I am working on a small cross stitch for her, which hopefully will be delivered by someone from the family at a party on May 20.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend since I'll be recovering from another injection in my knee.  I know we were told no gifts, but I started the piece before that request arrived, plus I'm not good at following instructions, LOL.  I just couldn't let the occasion go by without something for Mom to remember it by.  

Birthday Card

I have been working on some cards, and have finally gotten around to editing and uploading them.  To give you something to look forward to, I'm going to share them one at a time.  Isn't that considerate?

This card is one I made for my son-in-law's mom.  Unfortunately, I didn't write down my "recipe", but I have managed to figure out most of it.

 Spellbinders:  Labels Four, Labels 11, Fancy Tags Two

Stamps:  Stenciled Spring by Gina K. Designs

Because of the large size of the card, which I didn't write down either, I made my own envelope using my Martha Stewart Scoring Board.  I used a Martha Stewart punch to create a strip to go under the flap, which you can see above.

Easter 2012

It's been a long and emotional week, and I was tempted to let Easter slip by unacknowledged here.  But I cannot. 

All week, I have been thinking about what most people associate with Easter:  bunnies, colored eggs, jelly beans, baskets with gifts for the little ones.  The more I thought, the sadder I became.

You see, Easter, or Resurrection Day, has nothing to do with those things.  Instead, it is the remembrance of the most incredible and seemingly impossible event:  the resurrection from the dead of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  It is a matter of faith.  No one saw Him rise and walk out of the tomb where He had lain for three days and three nights.

Now after the Sabbath, 

toward the dawn of the first day of the week, 

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake, 

for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven 

and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
 His appearance was like lightning, 

and his clothing white as snow.
And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 

But the angel said to the women, 

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here, 

for he has risen, as he said. 

Come, see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, 

and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; 

there you will see him. See, I have told you."
So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear 

and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

(Matthew 28: 1 - 8, ESV)

The apostle Paul made this critical observation in his first letter to the church at Corinth:

But if there is no resurrection of the dead,

then not even Christ has been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, 

then our preaching is in vain 

 and your faith is in vain.
And if Christ has not been raised, 

your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, 

we are of all people most to be pitied.

(I Corinthians 15: 13, 14, 17, 19, ESV)

This I believe, and this I celebrate on this marvelous Resurrection Sunday. 

Your Name Alone Can Save

When we were dead in our transgressions
Jesus, You came to bring us back to God
You canceled the debt that stood against us
Set it aside, nailing it to the cross
Now with joy we can proclaim 

You’ve overcome the grave
You took our curse away
There is no other name by which we’re saved
For in Your death we died
In You we have new life
Jesus, Your Name alone can save

Now death has lost its sting forever
Because You arose we do not hope in vain
You defeated every evil power
Disarming them all bearing our guilt and shame
And forever we’ll proclaim

In Your Name there is freedom, life and peace
In the Name above all names
In Your Name there is power, darkness flees
At the Name above all names

© 2011 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).

Words & Music by Zach Jones & Pat Sczebel