Moving....

Hey there...I feel bad that I've been such a bad blogger! I recently had a new project come up. If you want to know more about it, you have to check my new blog over at Typepad. I signed up for a free trial and I have to say, I just love all the features and their user friendly system. Anyways, I'm still going to keep this blog open as my personal online journal. but for scrapbooking and designing related articles, they will now be posted on this new blog called "CREATIVE FAITH STUDIO". I've been thinking about doing this for a while and now I felt it was the perfect time. Life is moving quickly and God is definitely moving me in a new direction. I have a feeling that the year of 2008 will be filled with many surprises for me. I can't begin to describe how much in awe I have been.

So, please find me at my new blog if you're still interested in seeing my work and finding freebies!

CREATIVE FAITH STUDIO

*GIFT OF LOVE* First kit for sale & a Sampler Freebie

Has it been that long since I've blogged? Well, I have a very good reason for this and it's all reasonable! :) With the change of seasons from warm to extremely cold, there's been a lot of runny noses to care for including mine. Josiah had another visit to the doctor for a breathing treatment which almost looked as if he had pneumonia instead of just asthma. Fortunately, it wasn't the case! phewwww! So from now on, it's all about preventative medicine--lots of handwashing, lots of fluids, lots of good sleep, healthy food and keeping warm out in the cold weather.

Other than that, I've been designing my first kit! Yes, it's now in the shop and calls for a celebration. This day marks that milestone in my creative life as a designer to have a place in the digital design world where I'm able to share the gift God has given me as a profession. I must say that it was a rather humbling experience. If I went back in my journal or this blog, I would be able to see how the Lord led me here. All the little steps that I took with Him holding my hand the whole entire way. I couldn't have done this without Him. I realize how much time and effort it takes to just design a kit and having to balance that time with everything else. There was one point where I felt like giving it all up. The enemy started making his attacks on my mind, my body, and my relationships with my husband and children. Spiritually, physically, emotionally, I became so tired that I felt like I was never going to see my dream come true. But, whatever God had ordained for my life, He made sure that I perservered and held on to the promises that He gave me. The enemy can push and pull and knock me over all he wants, but because of the victorious spirit of Jesus in me, I'm never going to be defeated. Not by my flesh, nor by my power, but by the Spirit of the Lord God Almighty! (Zechariah 4:6)

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." I Corinthians 4:7

I don't know if this happens to anyone else but, because of the extensive amount of journals that I've kept over the years, I've noticed a pattern in my spritiual life. Whenever seasons change in the natural such as spring, summer, winter, fall, I also go through spiritual changes in relation to these seasons and they are all changes that refine and strengthen my character as a woman of God. Spring is a season of renewal and new growth, summer is a season of active labor and preparation for harvest, fall is a season of reaping the fruit of that labor and an abundance of blessings, and winter is the season of pruning away the old in preparation for the new. Reflecting on these seasonal changes has helped me to gain understanding about the trials and struggles I face to be a necessity if I want to become more and more like the person that God is molding and shaping me to be. Each phase that I go through and situation I'm placed in, is really God's way of teaching me that when I am weak, He is strong and that His grace is more than sufficient in time of need. So I hope you have peace in knowing that whenever you go through trials, as long as you keep trusting in the Lord and seeking Him through His word, you will see His hand working upon your life and your faith strengthened....

So now, let me introduce you to my first kit called "Gift of Love" which is the first series of my Gift Collection. It was inspired by the Bible of course and because LOVE is the greatest gift of all, I knew that this was going to be the theme I wanted to create. It's in the shop @ Faith Sisters for $4.00! But wait! Even better, since I love to give away gifts of appreciation, I also created a mini sampler kit for you for free! Please click on the links below the images which will direct you to the shop.

Get it at Faith Sisters here.

Download at Faith Sisters here.

And remember that Faith Sisters is holding weekly challenges that are not only a fun way to be creative but, also gives you the opportunity to leave a legacy of faith and ultimately, to share what the Lord has done in your life. It is a ministry that will touch the lives of others and leave your loved ones with something to treasure for generations to come. So jump in any time! We'd love to have you join us! Every Wednesday is a new challenge and every Tuesday we announce our winner!

Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

New Shop @ Faith Sisters

Good news everyone! Faith Sisters just announced their debut of their very own digital shop! I have all of my freebies there right now and now I'm so anxious to let the designer in me come out and start designing. Actually, this is another dream that I've been praying and hoping for, for a very long time. It has been a very gradual process but, God knew when that time would come and it has finally arrived. There's no other perfect time as right now where it all seems to fall into place. So be on the lookout for my upcoming designs in the near future! And if there's something faith based or not, that you would like me to create, please email me directly at dahliacodesigns@yahoo.com. Yay!

By the way, the shop was designed by our very talented Faith Sister Co-Owner Techno Queen, Superwoman, Karma Holoboff. She really rocks!

In a matter of just a few months our community has grown tremendously with so many wonderful women of faith from all over the world. And it's not only for digital scrapbookers but, for paper and hybrid as well. We have so many great inspirational ideas for projects that will be hosted on our blog and/or forum in the new year and lots of amazing work are being uploaded in the gallery everyday. It's all based on our love for the Lord and our desire to let our love for Him flow through us to people we love and to those around us. Even more you'll find that when you join our forums and connect with some really great people, you will have found yourself a place where you can be encouraged, uplifted, and inspired in a loving environment. Like I said, it's like family there! So come and meet us! Our weekly challenge for this week is to "Faithbook your church or place of worship." It's actually due next Wednesday so there's still time to jump in. The scripture art to the left was created by Krystal Hartley which you can use for either digital or print. Just go to the gallery to download it for your personal use only. Krystal is also a wonderful designer who designs for Polka Dot Potato, Digitals, and Faith Sisters. She has other scripture word art at Faith Sisters that you can can grab for free.

Well, thank you for all your comments and taking time to say thank you when you downloaded my freebies. Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated and in return I hope to create more freebies that you can enjoy. Take care and have a blessed week!!!

Missing my parents, Potty Training, and Pumpkins

What a day today! Not because it was Halloween. But, because I felt like a new person today, refreshed and renewed. I'm striving to begin each day with a positive attitude and making the effort to decide that I'm going to have a BLESSED day even if things don't seem the way they should be or if my circumstances are less than normal whether physically or spiritually. The enemy may pour his lies into my thoughts and keep me from believing that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." but, if "Greater is He that is in Me, then he that's in the world." Then, the devil is a big fat liar! I'm sick and tired of being tired and depressed. My life is way too precious to waste time being unhappy. I want to be content with the fact that I am a child of God, a daughter of the King. That no matter how hard life can get, He will never leave me nor forsake me. Today, I had a chance to visit my parents' grave and each time I go there, I cry because I miss them so much and wish they were here to see their grandchildren. Most of all, to be there for parental guidance, support, comfort, wisdom, and just to feel their love. But, because of their absence, I know that I've grown to seek and rely completely upon my Father in heaven. A Father that hears me when I pray, corrects me when I'm wrong, supplies all of my needs, heals me when I'm sick, shows me understanding, comforts me when I'm grieved, strengthens me when I'm tired and weary, rewards me for being obedient, loves me unconditionally...


Also, today my oldest son Josiah made the effort to use the potty without putting up a fight. I was so happy for him and just the fact that it gives me hope that one day he'll finally say goodbye to his diapers for good! On the other hand, my heart had slight sinking feeling that my son is growing up so fast. These toddler days will be over before I know it and I'll be wishing I had more time with them at this age. The fact that I'm the most important person in their life and that noone is as beautiful to them as me, makes me wish they could stay this way forever. I love them so much.... Here are some photos we took at Arata's Pumpkin Farm last Sunday. It was there first time to go pumpkin picking and will be a tradition for us from now on.

Faith Sister LO's and FIRST Template FREEBIE

Before I begin, I just want to say thank you for being so supportive and including me in your prayers. Just the thought that people I've never met or spoke to, have such a heart to say a prayer for me. It really meant a lot and I'm humbled by it. After the storm has passed and peace began to settle, the Lord spoke to my heart and said these simple words, "My love is constant, I am constant." Constant. Unchanging. Consistent. Steadfast. Persistent. Ceaseless. Endless. Perpetual. When I think of the word consant, I think of the waves that are in constant motion or how the sun rises every morning and sets every evening or how seasons are always changing but, they always return. Hope this is a reminder to you that God's love never fails. We may fail but, He never fails. The power of His love on the cross is endless. There was a verse from a song we sang the other night at church and it said, "His blood will never lose its power." This, I've come to believe with all my heart.

Well, I'm finally going to post some of those layouts from our Faith Sister challenges! With every layout I've done so far, I've really poured my heart into them. They're not just any typical page for my srapbook, but they're priceless documents worth so much more than life itself. It is my legacy of faith that I'm leaving behind for my children and for future generations and pray will lead and guide them to Christ. These pages are a testimony of what the Lord has done for me and the reasons I stand firm upon my faith. My creativity is not just all fun and games but, to me its a ministry that I've been called to do. It's my purpose and my destiny. So, with pleasure I would like to present my first faithbook layouts that were done as part of the challenges at Faith Sisters. The challenges now begin on Wednesdays instead of Saturdays so if you're interested in creating a faithbook with us, join our challenges or see our past challenges in our forum or gallery for inspiration!

My Testimony

Credits here.

Let Your Light Shine

Credits here.

A Day In My Life

Credits here.

I've been wanting to create templates and here is my first try so let me know what you think of it and I'd love to see your pages if you use them. Thanks!

Download here.

Need prayers...

There's been alot going on lately and I feel like I'm in a middle of a storm. When it rains, it pours. I'm asking that you'll pray for me to hold on to the strength that God provides and to keep His truth hidden my heart. It seems like the devil is busy trying to tear down my household and making my life in general, miserable. It's warfare and it's ugly. Everyday I pray for God's armor and the weapon to defeat all the arrows and darts that are being thrown at me, especially my thoughts. On top of all of this, I'm starting to come down with a cold....uggghhh. So, if you could just say a little prayer for me today, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you in advance and hope things get back to NORMAL soon... {{BIG HUGS}}

Weekly Challenge @ FaithSisters and a LO....

Hey everyone! Life is getting busier as the holidays are approaching. So much to plan and prepare. In between, I've been having so much fun creating layouts for the weekly challenges at Faith Sisters and if you haven't joined us, it's never too late. This week's challenge is to scrapbook about "A Day In Your Life or Week". There is a word art freeie of Ecclesiastes 3:1, created by our own creative team member Krystal Hartley that you can download in our gallery and also use in your LO. You'll also be able to see what our CT already created for this challenge in both paper and digital. Don't forget to leave a comment if you do. Every Friday is when we announce our winner! So come and join the fun and create pages that will leave a legacy of faith!

Sweet Stuff

Find Credits here.

I forgot to post a LO that I did a while back that was in response to a CT call at Little Dreamer Designs. It was created using all of their products. I really love the colors in this LO and I used one of my favorite photos of my son, Josiah, holding a bouquet of flowers that my husband bought for me. It's just one of those sweet little moments that I want to treasure forever...

Desires of the Heart

{Psalm 37: 4-6 } "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your ways to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this. He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. "

I love how this verse speaks profoundly about our purpose in life. I'm sure there are other verses that do the same but, what I love about this verse is the simple fact that if we 'delight in the Lord' and 'commit our ways' and 'trust' in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart. What are the desires of my heart? I sat and pondered this question because there are so many desires I have, so many that I can write a book. Among them are for financial freedom, a bigger house, finish school and start a thriving business doing what I love, be a better wife and mother, live long enough to see my children's children, learn to be a better cook, and be able to travel and discover new territories. But, the desires of my heart that have greater value are the things that are more eternal such as seeing my children and their children live for the Lord, reaching my loved ones and leading them to Christ, be an effective witness and example of God's love, doing all that God called me to do, taking the Gospel as far as I can, become more like Jesus and love unconditionally, to see revival in our city, our nation, in our world, but most of all to see the fullness of His glory and be that light to the world and to future generations. I often questioned in the past, "Does God want to use me? If so, how? " And, "What can He possibly do through me?" I was reading an entry in one of my first devotional journals and reread the things that God put in my heart at the time. I don't know word for word what I wrote at this minute, but it went along the lines of something like this: "In His time, God will do great things in Me and through Me. Be patient. God is preparing you for something big, something you will not expect for He is the God of the unexpected. Anything is possible through Him." Lately, it's been such an amazing time in my life because I'm starting to see my calling and purpose in life unfold. I have yet to really experience the dreams I have had for so long but, because I know He is faithful and true to His promises, I'm going to just sit and enjoy the ride and believe that it will one day come to pass....

If you haven't yet, please visit Faith Sisters and be sure to register on the forums. So much is happening and will be happening in the future which you definitely don't want to miss out on. The challenges are very inspirational and really give you more of a reason to scrapbook. We call it faithbooking and it is a way to leave a legacy of faith behind to those you care about. Here is a more detailed explanation of what faithbooking is all about written by one of Faith Sisters co-founders, Michelle.

What is faithbooking? “Future generations will also serve Him.
Our children will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn. They will hear about everything He has done.” Psalm 22:30-31 LBT The Bible commands us to remember what God has done in our lives and that is what faithbooking is all about! It is incorporating your faith and how God is working in your life into your scrapbook, to leave a legacy of faith. It is about remembering God's fingerprints in your life and passing those memories along to anyone who looks at your faithbook! In Deuteronomy 4:9, Moses tells the people, “Be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.” The Lord didn’t want it to be difficult for us to remember His blessings and fingerprints. In the Old
Testament Days, He used festivals that the people were required to celebrate or He instructed them to make piles of rocks. Today we have the means to create faithbooks! Alan Wright author of The God Moment Principle makes this statement, “Even mature, well-meaning Christians have an incredible ability to forget the extraordinary moments of God. The memory dulls. The moment loses its luster. And soon, the life changing power is gone – spiritual amnesia has set in.”
Here are a few other benefits of having faithbooks: First,faithbooks will increase our faith so we can withstand tomorrow’s tests - that is one reason they are called faithbooks. When we look back and remember times when the Lord healed us, rescued us, sustained us through a difficulty, provided for our needs, gave us abundant gifts, our faith in Him grows. When we remember how He paid our bills last year and got us through the winter months, we will have the faith to trust Him for this year’s needs. A second benefit of Faithbooking is that it demonstrates obedience in training our children about the Lord’s faithfulness. If we go back to Moses, he goes on to say,"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are upon your hearts, impress them on your children.” Deut. 6: 5-6 It’s not simply for us to remember, it’s for our children. In fact Psalm 78:4 says: “We will tell the next generation the praise worthy deeds of the Lord, His power and the wonders He has done.” Isaiah 38:19b LB “Each generation can make known your faithfulness to the next.” Joel 1:3 NIV “Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation." We are admonished to “TELL the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.” Psalm 78:4. The Word does not say if we have time, if we have money, if we don’t work outside the home, if we have a housecleaner and a supportive spouse. As Christians, we are to remember all the things God is doing in our lives and we are to tell the next generation. By creating faithbooks for and WITH our children, we are obeying God’s word and obeying the Word of the Lord produces JOY. Our children too will benefit greatly from that obedience. Their lives will also be changed by the power of your Faithbooking stories. Dr. James Dobson made a statement in favor of faithbooks: “If there is anything I feel we have lost as a people in the western world it’s that nderstanding of who we are, where we’ve been, who our ancestors were, and what our identity is. And that is done through the family structure. Continuity from generation to generation depends on taking the best from the past and passing it along to
our children (June 22, 2000 broadcast). Our children are faced with pressures to conform to the standards of this world everyday. Disrespect and rebellion against God and all authority is played-out at school, on television, in music and with friends. Reinforcing your family values and God’s word in and through our photo album/faithbooks, will give our children the help they need to stand firm in this very pressure-filled world. A third benefit of Faithbooking is that it glorifies God. A “traditional” photo album tends to place the emphasis on “me” and the who, what, where and when of the photos such as; where we went on vacation, what we did, who came along and when did we go. However, a faith book can take the same events and find the Lord’s fingerprints (His influence) in the same activities. A faithbook captures God IN me and God at work AROUND me. Literally, His power affecting our lives. A faith book causes us to take pictures of events that we normally wouldn’t think of documenting. When our 2-year-old lathers his face with jelly we run to take a picture of him for our PHOTO album. “Isn’t HE cute and what a charming
personality”…. With a mindset of Faithbooking you are now ready to take a picture for your faith book of your four-year-old kneeling by her bed to invite Jesus into her heart. That photo and story is about her AND the Lord. “I don’t have my camera ready at times like that” you might say. With Faithbooking, it’s permissible to “recreate” scenes. Increasing our faith, obeying and glorifying the Lord are just three benefits. As you get into this project you will see that faithbooks also: 1) Help to develop a grateful attitude in our lives 2) Encourage us and others
3)Help us memorize God’s word 4) Teach and warn us almost like a Family Bible 5)Reinforce our family values and beliefs. These are just some of the benefits we can experience when we take the time to discover the spiritual power of our own pictures and stories.

My very FIRST creative team @ FAITH SISTERS...

It's way past midnight and I just finished doing some homework but, I couldn't help but announce that I made it on the Faith Sisters creative team!! The day before, I was pretty sure I wouldn't be picked and I was telling God, "Hey, if it's not Your will, then You have something greater." But, to my surprise I saw my name on their list and was laughing out loud! I was totally speechless! This means a lot to me and I look forward to what this has in store for my life. I know that people will be touched and reached with the love of Christ through the work that God called us to do there. I did apply to some other CT calls - Little Dreamer Designs, luaraskathi, and Melanie Colosimo. But, like I said, if it isn't meant to be, then so be it. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to be part of Faith Sisters and hope you'll come and visit me there. They have some really awesome inspirational challenges, layout gallery, and a faith forum for those of you who are interested in faithbooking and meeting some super sweet faith sisters that are there to share the love of Christ!

My First Love and NEW layouts to share...

First love. Who or what was it? Your first boyfriend, first pet, or perhaps it could've been an iconic teen superstar or music artist. Maybe it was a hobby or favorite toy you once played with. To some, it could be a lifestyle or trend. Whatever the case may be, most of the time first loves tend to be replaced or forgotten because we change & we grow out of it, or simply because life takes its course and forces us to move forward. Well, not for me. At 32 years old, it's hard to get over my first love and if anything my first love has never left my side and has been with me through it all. He knows my strengths and weaknesses, understands me when I don't understand myself, loves me no matter what I've done or been through, keeps me safe and secure, and provides all of my needs. His love never fails and is faithful to me through even the most precarious circumstances. Regardless of my faults and mistakes, he helps me to become a better person and teaches me the importance of appreciating life and the people around me. If you want to know who he is or haven't guessed it by now, my first love is JESUS. Although, my husband is an incredible person and I love him dearly yet he and I both know that if our Lord is not the center of our marriage and if we don't put Him first, then there is no foundation that our marriage can stand upon. I wanted to share that with you because I know that alot of people can relate and probably feel the same way but, I also know of alot of people who have also forgotten Him as their first love or replaced His love with the love of other things, things or people who can only satisfy them so much or love them to a certain limit. People are always searching for something real, something true, but only finding it in the wrong places. Some are filled with so much greed and envy, wanting more and more, but are always left feeling alone and empty. Then there are some who just do not know or never heard of this kind of perfect love that's only found in Him. The simple answer, in my opinion, is it's never too late to receive Him into your heart. The moment you open that door for Him to enter your life, I promise you, you will never be the same. You will have found your FIRST and TRUE love. Those who have left and lost their way, I pray you'll return home and find that your first love has never stopped loving you and no matter how far you've gone, there's no distance in His love. I don't know who most of you are, but I care enough for you to let you know that life is too precious to waste, and if you need help finding answers, or are searching for purpose and meaning to life, or simply need a change--don't wait any longer and pray this simple prayer with me....


"Father, in Jesus Name, I confess that I'm lost without You and need Your forgiveness. Thank you for laying down your life for me on the cross and setting me free. Lord, come into my heart and cleanse me from all of my sins. Make me a new person and show me the right way. I pray that each day, you will continue to draw me closer to You that I may know You more and more. Give me strength to live a victorious life and help me to forgive others just as You have forgiven me. Thank you Lord for my gift of eternal life. I love you, Lord. In Jesus Name....Amen...."




What do you do now? Well, I suggest that you find a good bible-based church home where you can continue to build your faith, be strengthened in the Word of God, and also meet other folks just like you who have been changed by the grace of God and will be there to encourage and bless you in your walk with Christ. Remember, just because were Christians doesn't mean we live a perfect, stress-free, drama-free, problem-free life...Jesus told his disciples that we would face many troubles in life but, to not lose heart because HE has overcome them. Everyday will be a challenge and life will still have its storms, but one thing that is different is that we don't have to face it alone, because we have someone who is bigger and more powerful than our problems. He gives us wisdom, patience, and understanding to things that we wouldn't have otherwise. Our fears can be rest assured when we have the Lord by our side. Why does God allow these things to happen? Well, for one thing He knows the beginning from the end and one thing I've come to understand is that alot of the trials I've been through has molded and refined me to become a person much stronger, much wiser, more humble, more patient, more forgiving, and more grateful then I was years ago. Whenever I face a trial, I always say to myself, "Ok, what is God teaching me now?" Sometimes, He reveals things about our nature that need to be corrected, sometimes He uses us to reveal things to others, sometimes He tests our faith and draws us to depend on Him rather than ourselves or others, or sometimes all we could do is wait to figure it out one day. Overall, it teaches me to surrender my life to Him not just once but, on a daily basis because I can do nothing and am nothing without Him.



So much for a little sermon there, I didn't realize I started preaching! If you want to know what sparked me to blog this, is the video that I added to my blog under "My Testimony". When I first watched it (on FaithSisters.com in the Faith Forum) I was completely balling my eyes out. The skit was so powerful and it really moved me because it really reflected what had happened to me. And how I've returned to my FIRST LOVE. Please take time to watch it and maybe you'll understand.



Well my friends, I'm trying to keep my eyelids open but, want to share a few layouts that I completed this week. I'm beginning to love scrapbooking as a result of a challenge. My first official layout done as a result of a challenge is from FaithSisters.com is the one of my sisters and I - "True Friendship". This is the current challenge going on over there but, I think I'm going to do more and catch up with the previous ones. I really love how challenges motivate you to get scrappin' and also gives you topics that you probably would've never thought of. The other two layouts are of my adorable hubby and I - one was an engagement photo and the other was on our wedding day.



Oh, one more thing--my Bittersweet PP, Wild Tropics PP, Rise Up PP, and Harvest PP Pt1, all have reach over a 1000 downloads!! Woohoo! Wow, that is more than I expected and it really encourages me that people actually like my designs. I've also developed a few friendships that I found to be such a blessing. I hope to design sometime soon as I complete the end of my homework session. So be on the lookout since I've been working hard and learning so many cool techniques in the digi design world. As always, THANK YOU for visiting and taking time to read my blog. Hope you are blessed and know that God loves you!



Here are my layouts this week!

True Friendship

Find credits here.

Created 4 Me

Find credits here.

Lifetime Journey

Find Credits here.

CT call for FAITHSISTERS.COM...check them out!

For the past month, I've been constantly checking DST and JustDigitalCalls.com for CT and DT calls, mostly just browsing and seeing what's out there. Everytime I find one that I feel interested in, I get excited and think "maybe this is it" or "maybe I'll apply and see what happens" but, its the "maybe" that gets in the way of it all. That word "maybe" seems to control my actions causing me to doubt the possibility of me ever being selected. I've been taught in God's word that our words have power and we can choose to speak life or death into our midst and whatever it is we have spoken can manifest into reality. Our words can change our mindset and mislead us to think the opposite of what God thinks of us. So, everday I make the extra effort to speak words that will encourage and not tear down, words of kindness and hope that will strengthen and not weaken my faith, not only in HIM, but in myself.

So, after that realization that I needed to stop doubting myself and stop comparing myself amongst others, I decided to take that step of faith and applied for the CT call at FaithSisters.com. Whether I get selected or not, I know that I didn't give in to that "maybe" that was trying to keep me from believing in myself and believing that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!".

Anyways, if you haven't heard of FaithSisters before, you should definitely visit their site. It's so awesome that this group of ladies created a place where not only you can participate in inspirational challenges, be inspired so much creativity, but also meet people from everywhere who believe in the Lord and just want to be a blessing to each other. I strongly believe that their community will grow rapidly and I'm sure it will be a great success.

Their CT call ends on Sept. 28th and they should be announcing their members on Oct. 1st. I know whoever does get selected will be truly blessed and even if I don't get in, I'm going to suppport this community all the way!

My passion to create....

I've been playing catch up with homework and hopefully will be done with Illustrator Basics and Color Theory soon. I love learning and being able to take my skills further with each lesson. The creative possibilities are endless with Illustrator. I love Photoshop too but, when it comes to creating art, Illustrator rocks! Whenever I would marvel at a designer's creation, I always sat there and wondered, "How did they do that?". Swirls and flourishes are so in right now and I was so eager to know how to create them. Finally, I actually learned how!! I searched all over the internet for Photoshop or Illustrator tutorials and found only a few but, not exactly the swirls I was looking for. Then one day, while finishing up my assignment, I suddenly understood what to do. Let me tell ya, I was crazy happy.

Okay, so I finally decided to work Saturdays at my local craft store. I used to work there before I got married and always kept in touch with my manager. The moment he found out I was looking to work, he kindly offered me the job and welcomed me back without hesitation. It's only one day a week but, it will help our financial situation a little. I'm really glad with this decision instead of working night shift after my husband comes home from his day job. I know God directed me to do what is best. This store is also where I began my love for scrapbooking and all kinds of other crafts. I know I'll enjoy being in a place that will be full of inspiration and creative ideas. In the meantime, I hope to keep my life balanced with family, church, school, and of course designing. In response to my previous post, I have been greatly blessed by so many wonderful people who took time to share their experiences with me. I can't say how thankful I really am. Someone also thought I might be interested in an "interesting business opportunity" and said a friend would be contacting me. I still haven't heard from her but, it was nice to know that someone was thoughtful enough to try to help. Thank you Krista. If it were up to me, I would love to be a designer for a digital scrapbooking store. I know that I still have much to learn but, I do know that I'm passionate about designing and scrapbooking and someday would love to have my own store!! I have a vision and I intend to keep dreaming and believing for that vision to come true. Only God knows how much I love being creative and using my creativity to inspire and bless others.

I have a new LO to share with you, but before I do, here are my finished assignments in Illustrator.

Petting Zoo Postcard

Energy Drink Bus
My Dahlia Garden

Get credits here.

There's more to LIFE... {HARVEST} FREEBIE

Another summer has come and gone. Autumn is upon us and soon winter will be here before we know it. I'm sure I'm not the only one but, the holiday season is my favorite time of the year and everytime it comes around, I get so anxious and excited when we get together with family. Reminded of the importance of family and how precious we all are to one another, I reflect on the little details of how much they all mean to me. How they've been a part of my life in ways they probably least expect themselves to be. So, this year I intend to let them know just how much they've touched my heart and life. I hope to make gift albums for certain people and show them just how special they are. Anyone care to do the same? I have so many album kits that are sitting on my hard drive just waiting to be created and printed out. Oh, what fun it will be!

By the way, regarding my last post about deciding whether I should go back to work, God has been so gracious and his wisdom and understanding has surpassed my own. At the time, I was so anxious and so concerned about it that I was ready to do things my own way and could have made careless and hasty decisions that would have led me to even greater consequences. But, I knew I had to pray and wait, wait for an answer, wait for a confirmation, wait for a revelation that will make better sense. See, sometimes we get so frantic and we panic about our circumstances that we want to do something about it right then and now. We'll even go to the extreme and find ourselves over our heads about something that is totally against what we would normally do or isn't practical. Then we end up in the wrong place and in a greater mess then what we first started out. Remembering God's words has kept me from making those mistakes. Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious in anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." Well, I did wait and I let the situation settle as I continued to pray about it then soon I begant o feel peace within that God is in control. A week later, things started happening and suddenly opportunities began to arise for my husband and for myself. I also realized that I needed to evaluate our expenses, find ways to cut back on spending, and ideas just started to flow on ways to earn income while staying home with my kids. Also, there were so many things that I didn't notice before that were in front of me all along. It just suddenlty all made sense! And if I hadn't waited on God for His wisdom and understanding, I probably wouldn't be so at peace with the direction I'm taking now and most importantly I wouldn't of seen my weaknesses and corrected them. God is Good!!

One of my ideas that I've always dreamed and thought about for so long became more and more evident to me. God gave me a gift and talents that aren't just for fun and play but, to use these gifts and talents to establish a career that I can enjoy while making income. I know all of would rather work doing something we love and are passionate about than to be stuck at a stressful, hard, dead-end job. We all want to feel like we're fullfilling our purpose and doing something that satisfies us physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally. I sat down and I wrote down ideas and it made me reflect on all the events in my past that led me to this passion of scrapbooking. Then a lightbulb came on! Why not make custom scrapbooks for others? Why not help others preserve their memories? I'm sure there are so many out there who don't have the time or just don't know how to make their own scrapbooks but, would love to preserve all those memories they have stored in a box or in a non-archival album. Notice up above, the words "others" were highlighted. Because I want to stress that not only is it a business I would love to do but, it's also going to help and touch other lives which makes this even more meaningful to me. I know this will take time and alot of research to get it started but, I feel strongly about this as if this is my calling and my purpose which is the beginning to something wonderful--a journey for me is about to begin. I know there are so many who already do this for a living and it has inspired me to pursue it for myself. God knew this was part of His plan because of where He has brought from in the past from all the job experiences working at a craft store, to working as a Creative Memories consultant, to taking Graphic Design classes, to knowing how to paper and digitally scrapbook, just endless situations of why this all makes sense to me now. All in His timing....

Thanks for reading this far and sharing in my journey called LIFE! I do have a gift for you and hope you like this one. It's full of rich colors that remind me of Autumn and the special holidays associated with it. There's a Part 1 and a Part 2 to make it easier to download. I'm still learning how to create my own elements but, papers are all I could do for now. One day, I'll be giving away full kits when I feel more confident in designing elements. Without all the wonderful resources and talented designers out there willing to teach others, we'd all be lost in the digital world of scrapbooking. God bless them all! So here is the FREEBIE called "HARVEST" for my wonderful blog readers. Please do not share this gift but, you may send them to my blog for them to download. Thanks!

HARVEST PAPERS PART 1 & 2

Download Part 1 here.

Download Part 2 here. *This is no longer for free but, you can purchase this for$1.99 in my store at Faith Sisters. Thanks!*

Change

Some of you must of thought I mysteriously disappeared. Actually, even I sometimes felt like I've lost myself. Can I just be real with you right now? I've been struggling with so many decisions that my mind is spinning. I know that life is constantly changing and change is inevitable if we want to grow. Yet, like most people, I tend to fear change. What I've been dealing with the past few weeks is deciding whether I should go back to work. I've been a stay at home mom for the past 2 1/2 years and my boys are under 3 yrs. old. But, with the financial situation that our family is in, I'm left with this dilemma to either go back to work and put the kids in daycare or figure out a way to earn income and still be able to raise my children. I've researched the internet, read books about home based businesses, found job opportunities on job search engines, emailed friends and family, and so forth. Yet, I feel confused and afraid of sacrificing my attention away from the kids whether I work outside or inside of my home. I know God has blessed me these past years to be able to be there for them and I know if it's God's will, then He'll open a door for to be able to work from home with something flexible. Anyways, I've been super busy with so many family events, birthday parties, and school. I haven't even had time to blog or do much designing. I'm really thankful for all the people who continue to leave comments and who are able to download my freebies. I wish I had more time to work on another freebie but, for now my hands are full. I do have some layouts to share and hope it gives some of you inspiration. Check it out...

Credits here.

Credits here.

I also got some new stuff from Little Dreamer Designs which I can't wait to play with!

Dreams

At church yesterday, our youth campers and counselors were given the chance to share their experiences at youth camp and give their testimonies of what God has done. It was amazing to hear what they had to say and how awesome it is that even at the ages between 11-15, God met them in such a special way. They had been dealt with about forgiveness, honesty, purity, and what it means to be the child of God that they are called to be. To me, it gives me such a strong desire to see my boys grow up and live godly lives but, most importantly to love the Lord with a whole heart. My cousin, Joy, who was a counselor really ministered me when she said one of the points that the speakers taught them was that DREAMS DON'T HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE. Sometimes we have these dreams, goals, and aspirations that we feel may be impossible to achieve and even if we've been waiting for so long for it to happen, sometimes the enemy can come along and destroy our belief that our dreams are of no value to God and that God doesn't care about our dreams. But, just like the story of Joseph in the Bible, regardless of all the horrible things that have happened to him, God remained faithful to him and through Joseph's obedience to God, God made his dream a reality after all. People tried to shatter Joseph's dream, his own family sold him into slavery, and he was cast into jail several times as an innocent man. But, God was with him the whole time and no matter what the circumstances were, Joseph had so much favor and was later blessed to become one of the most respected leaders in his land. Thus, Joseph's dreams were fulfilled. This is what's been in my heart today and I thought I'd share it with you. Perhaps you have a dream that you desparately long for or a dream that has been shattered and left you feeling hopeless or maybe you gave up on a dream you had for so long but, simply because you think it'll never happen. Just read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37 - 50 and I hope you'll read for your self the awesome testimony of God's love and faithfulness. God is a BIG God, so don't be afraid to have BIG dreams and to ask largely of Him. He surely will grant the desires of your heart if you will put Him first and love Him with your whole heart.

I also wanted to share with you the layouts created by some of my readers who used papers that I created. It's unbelievable to me that people actually like my designs and I am so grateful for all the encouragement and kindness that I've been receiving as a result. It's so nice to meet all of you who also are sisters in Christ and truly understand what it means to be blessed to know Him. And it's always a pleasure to be able to witness to the world who may not know the love of God and I hope in return whether or not you believe, that at least it would shed some light to those who are looking for encouragment and peace in their lives. Also, I want to say that I was so glad to have read comments from some of you who lived in or nearby to Seattle. You guys are so blessed to live there!

Here are the layouts created by Julie and Agring using my papers...

Layout using Bitter Sweet papers by Julie.

Layout using Wild Tropic papers by Agring.

Thank you for using my papers and sharing them with me! I appreciate it so much!

If you are looking for a desktop calendar freebie, here is a really cute and SHABBY one by SHABBY MISS JENN at her site. You'll also find a quickpage for free, too. Click on the image to go directly to her site. Check it out!

Rainbows after the rain....and a *Rise UP* FREEBIE

Rain. Something about rain that fascinates me. It rained almost everyday when we were in Seattle, except for one day - my birthday - which was also the day before we returned home. We called it the real Seattle experience so we couldn't complain. Usually, the summers there are hot and humid but, it so happened that this was the one week that it had to rain. Sigh. Each day that it rained, we still made the most of our vacation. Still made it to the Spaceneedle, Westlake & Pacific Place Shopping Centers, Pioneer Square, Pike Place market, Snohomish (very rustic, but simply beautiful), Tukwila to visit my favorite store - Impress Rubber Stamps, and visited with family I haven't seen in years in Tacoma. We did all this with our kids and my sister, Daisy, all in a short period of a few days.

Seattle Center - Lucas & Josiah

Impress Rubber Stamps store

Everyday was an adventure. We did get lost not once, twice, or three times but, several times. Yet we didn't mind, it was pretty exciting if you ask me, to explore and discover the streets of Seattle. If we needed help with directions, there was always a friendly Seattlite who was more than willing to help us. Although, their information was often inaccurate and we'd get even more confused, it's what made our trip a trip to remember. All the while that we drove almost everywhere, my two boys were surprisingly tolerant and didn't seem to mind at all except when of course they were extremely bored and so desparately needed some "playtime".

To be honest, it was a major challenge traveling with small children and it made this vacation more of a learning experience. There were times that I felt like I never left home and that I couldn't really enjoy myself. But, I had to slap myself out of that attitude and choose to live my life with gratitude and to see that we were making memories as a family. Memories shared with each other that I hope one day we can laugh at and reflect on when we look at it in a scrapbook. Memories that even though my children may not remember it when they're older but, will always warm my heart in my aging years when they're away from home. It was our first family vacation and it will definitely not be our last. So, the least I could do is learn and grow and adapt to the fact that my kids will only grow bigger and traveling will only get easier. Let them be little because they're only little for a little while. I had to have this reality check and remember that it's not all about me anymore whether I'm at home or someplace else. As long as my kids are happy, I'm happy. End of story.

My cousin Tess & I

The highlight of this trip to Seattle was the day of my birthday. Like I said, it stopped raining and the sun was shining! But, what really made my day was all the rainbows that peeked through the clouds. I recall Josiah screaming from the backseat, "Mommy, look! Wainbow!" , over and over and over again. It something we rarely see here at home in San Francisco. I thought of how beautiful everything turned out to be despite all the muggy, rainy, gloomy days that greeted us when we got here. Also, my cousin Tess who I haven't seen in years was so very generous to welcome us in her home, made us lunch, and took us to this beautiful garden. She and I were childhood playmates yet, we were separated by thousands of miles which made it complicated to really keep in touch. Growing up, we tried to stay close by writing ( when email wasn't popular ) and also during times that I would come visit her when she lived in Hawaii. Then, we got busy with our lives, finishing college, beginning relationships, getting married, having kids and time just slipped in between us. Reuniting with her again was a blessing and being able to see our own kids playing together was timeless. I look forward to many more gatherings together. The garden she took us to not only had roses, but it also had dahlias, too. The flower that I was named after didn't become my favorite flower until my husband started growing them for me in our own backyard. After such a wonderful day with family, my husband treated me to Ruth Chris Steakhouse and it was the BEST dinner ever. Steak and lobster did it for me. It was da BOMB! Expensive, but worth it. And thanks to my sister for putting the kids to bed for me even though she couldn't wait for us to get back so she could go out and have her some fun, too. I didn't expect her to really like it in Seattle but, when we got back, she expressed how she actually misses it.

Now that we've been back, it feels like I'm in zombie mode. All that walking and eating we did has left my body in complete shock. I've been slowly getting back into the routine of the normal life. My body is here but, I feel like I left my heart in Seattle. :( If I want a taste of Seattle, I'll go to Border's bookstore and grab me a cup of Seattle's Best coffee. Or, I'll browse over 1000+ photos that my husband took and try to recapture those moments. The one photo that I absolutely love is the one of my babe and I at Kerry Park. It gives me this magical, nostalgic feeling everytime I look at it. We got lost before we got there and was rushing to make it before the sun went down. As soon as we arrived, another rainbow appeared right above the Seattle skyline. It was the perfect moment to capture on film and is what made this birthday as memorable as can be. It wouldn't be so bad if I blew up this picture and hung it on a wall would it?

You can't have rainbows without the rain. Call me corny or weird but, this is what it means to me. Life will always have storms and unexpected pitfalls, let downs, disappointments, defeats, and sorrows. But, the beautiful thing is, the sun always shines after the rain. Life gets better as we grow wiser, stronger, humble, thoughtful, compassionate, and most of all thankful. Even more, our faith continues to perservere. It gives you the belief that even if the world falls apart, with God you're life can never be shaken. He is our foundation, our stronghold, and our refuge in time of need. That is what He has taught me throughout the years and I will continue to hold on to that as long as I live. Sometimes we have to see through the rain and know that there is a rainbow waiting to adorn you with renewal and hope for a better day and the determination to not give up and keep moving on. So, rise up people and enjoy life. You only live once so live it, not waste it.

Here is my FREEBIE that I created in memory of this soul searching adventure and also of the beauty of Seattle even though it rained and poured, it's beauty still existed and brought some sunshine into my life....

You can download this here. Leave me a comment and remember to respect my terms of use! If you create a layout with this, I'd love to see it!

A new day to celebrate...SEATTLE here we come!

I woke up this morning and thanked God for another day. I thanked Him for my family, for my home, for showing me that everyday is a NEW day. And today we're leaving to Seattle! I pretty much got most of our things packed and should be on our way by noon. I'm anticipating our first trip with our two kids and know that it will be a challenge but, also an adventure for all of us.

There's also a freebie in process and it's going to be called "Rise up". You can imagine what that might look like but, I know for sure you will love it. So, when I get back I'll be working on it to bless you all who have been so kind to me and have showed me sincere appreciation for these gifts. I love to give and love to see God's children be blessed. As it says in God's word, it's more blessed to give than to receive.

Bittersweet FREEBIE

As I wrote down my list of things I need to get done before our trip to Seattle, I just had to stop and let myself be still for a moment. Sometimes my life slips away when I get too caught up in life's endless responsibilities. I know that when the load starts to get too heavy, my only retreat is to give it to God and cast my burdens upon Him. What helped me feel at peace was Psalm 42 and it taught me not to be discouraged because God is my helper. So, if anyone is discouraged right now, I hope I can encourage you to keep your head up and don't give in to life's pressures. Tell yourself it will only make you stronger and wiser.

I finished another lesson in Illustrator and still have 3 more classes due before the end of this month plus 2 more classes in Color Theory. I'm doing so well that it gives me this sense of accomplishment that even though I'm at home raising my kids, I can still achieve my goals to finish school. It's such a blessing and I praise God for it. I look forward to what this will eventually lead me to do in life and hopefully it will be very rewarding. Because money is no object to me, it's about fulfilling my purpose in life.

Last week was awesome! I couldn't believe how many people downloaded my Wild Tropics freebie. Those of you who left me comments are so very welcome and I truly appreciate your thoughts and just taking the time to say "thank you". It really blesses me. So in return, I created another FREEBIE for you. It's called BITTERSWEET. It was a name that just came out of nowhere. I guess it's something that reflects what I think of life sometimes, it has it's good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet, it is what life is all about and it is what makes me who I am. Just like ingredients in a cake recipe--the elements combined together make it taste wonderful but, if you were to sample the ingredients separately, it would be unpleasant.

Life is somewhat the same but, in the end I'm just grateful for the lessons learned and have a deeper appreciation for life, love, and my family. God bless! Enjoy this paper pack called "BITTERSWEET".

You can dowload it here.

Catching up with school

There's so much homework I need to catch up on! I just finished my second lesson in Illustrator Basics and I don't know if I'll get a perfect score this time. I just don't feel completely satisfied with the final outcome but, it was a lot of fun practicing and learning the tools. I'm going to share my work with you but, please don't laugh! My assignment was to make two CD covers for "West Coast Jazz" and "New In Blue". Each one had to be unique but, share similar elements so that they look part of a series. We were to create our images entirely by Illustrator and try not to use any pixel based images but, if we did it could only take up 25% of the entire cover design. It gave me the opportunity to play around with my Wacom tablet and get used to the feel of it. So this is what they look like....

I should be getting my grade within the next day or two so, we'll just have to wait and see!

I'm working on a new freebie which I should be able to get out to you this week. I'm so blessed to hear all the kind words and encouragement from those who left me comments. One had asked me to maybe think about writing a tutorial about how I created these papers which I would love to do but, I'm not sure how to do that yet. I eventually will learn and most definitely would love to be a resource to the digi scrapping community. In the meantime, there are so many valuable resources out there that can help you get started. The places that I found that were very helpful to me was Digital Scrapbook Place, Scrapbook- Bytes, Two Peas In a Bucket, and Sprague Lab, just to name a few. However, the real answer to how to learn a program is to just play around with it and go to its Help menu and start from there. Most designers who create such beautiful designs are self-taught and didn't have any educational or professional backgrounds which I wish I could have done but, for me I chose to pursue formal training. I'm the type that needs some sort of structure in order for me to really learn something. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the motivation to take time to sit and try to figure it all out on my own. That's just me. Whatever you prefer is all up to you. I believe that everyone has creativity in them and if you really want to learn how to create and design, all you really need to have is PASSION within you to do what you love.

Hope everyone has a safe, blessed, and wonderful week! Be back later!

Dreaming of paradise and another FREEBIE

Do you ever close your eyes to picture you on an island of beautiful imagery everywhere, feeling the warmth of the sun, and smelling the sweet smell of flowers in the breeze? I do, all the time. For several years in the past, I made yearly trips to Hawaii to visit family and also to get away from the busy life. But, long gone are those days and all I could is just dream about it. So, that's why I created these papers and perhaps it would take some of you back to that place where summer days were spent in the tropical sun. Scroll down to see the preview and download link.

Our Fourth of July celebration was our usual annual gathering of close family and friends. This year was my youngest son's first time to see the display of amazing fireworks. To my surprise, he loved it and didn't cry at all despite all of the loud sounds. The photos that my husband took weren't quite as amazing since our Canon SLR doesn't have a good flash attachment. So, they were pretty dim and blurry. I guess we'll try again next year. But, our good friend Josh, the other camera guru, took some pretty good shots and you could check out his album here. I'm not sure but, you might need to have a Snapfish account or create a free one. The one thing I did enjoy this year was the view from our back deck which we did not have a year ago. This year we cut down all the trees that blocked the gorgeous view of the Montara mountains and the valley below. I just couldn't help myself but get chills just seeing all the firework shows that were going on in all directions. Too bad, I couldn't take photos of it because everytime I tried, I had the worst timing and all that came out was just a black photo.

Okay, 9 nine days and counting until we leave to SEATTLE! I'm so excited and will be sure to take photos of our vacation. This year, we're bringing our kids and my sister Daisy with us. I'm sure it'll be a blast celebrating my birthday with them. I took some photos of my last trip to Seattle with just my husband and I so if you want to check those out, just click on the link "Yahoo Photos" on the left.

Well, here is the freebie for all you fabulous scrappers out there! I enjoy sharing them with you and love hearing comments because I know that I'm blessing someone with the creativity that God has given me. But, be sure to read and respect my Terms of Use. Don't be a pirate and what I usually would say to my kids, "Do unto others, as you would do unto you."

Download Wild Tropics papers here.

New link to freebie

First of all, I want to say thank you for all those who left me comments about the freebie. It's all new to me and I didn't know what to expect whether or not it would do well but, to my surprise it did. If it were not for all the talented designers, amateur and professional alike, I probably would not have had the inspiration that I do now. Therefore, I'm grateful that I'm a part of this digital scrapbooking community because we're here to inspire and encourage one another.

I uploaded a new zip file that included my TOU agreement with special thanks to PODGURL who was kind enough to point this out to me. I originally did have it typed up but, forgot to include it in the previous file. So, if you would like the Lotsa-Polka-Dots freebie, you can download it here.