Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

Since we only have a few more weeks until Easter, I wanted to start sharing some sketches you can use to start your spring cards now. It's always a good idea to make holiday cards well in advance of the date so there is plenty of time to write in them and get them in the mail. For my card, I pulled out three Easter and spring-themed stamps and used beautiful pink and blue ink. The peace frame is a chipboard slide that I had been saving for just such an occasion. Looking at it now, I wish I had made a double mat for the background, adding a blue or dark pink behind the light pink. So next time I'll do that! There is a blue eyelet for the ribbon attached to the phrase, and knotted ribbon around the edge of the slide. Now for your card! The sketch is staggered from left to right with a banner across the middle. You could use anything for that banner, from stamped images like mine to stickers to die cuts. And they wouldn't have to be right on the card stock - try lift

Let's pick a fun pattern for this sketch - it's going to be the focal point of your card, so get creative! I made a travel-themed card with a map background paper and a sweet sentiment. The 3D heart has glitter around the edges, and the map marker is raised on 3D adhesive for some added dimension. The sentiment is broken up into four lines: three lines of writing and one heart image. This makes the sentiment more interesting to look at, especially if you make similar cards over and over again. For your version of this sketch, start with a solid background color that coordinates with your pattern. Then cut your patterned paper down by a quarter of an inch on all four sides. Have fun with how you make your sentiment. You can use alphabet stickers, printed letters, rub-ons or hand-written words. Whatever style you choose, pull out one word and recreate it as an image, like the heart in my card. In the bottom corner, pick a coordinating embellishment with your chosen pa

Happy National Puppy Day! In honor of this special occasion, I will show you pictures of our puppies doing what they love best - napping! Oh, they’re energetic and enthusiastic, but they’re so cute when they’re asleep. And so quiet. I hope you’ll spend the day loving on your favorite puppy. Play games, cuddle and run around outside. I know we will be ... once they all wake up.

These two new bowls came from a college fundraiser for their arts department scholarships. Having gone to the college and knowing how important the arts program there is to the students, we were delighted to attend. So here’s the background: the art students make the pottery bowls, so every one of them is different. The bowls were all laid out on the tables, and you could pick out the bowl you wanted. It was a difficult decision because they were all incredible. Danny’s plan was to find one he liked, carry it around while looking at the other ones and be willing to switch if he saw one he liked better. It worked. The two-toned glaze on his looks amazing. And I couldn’t resist the flowered bowl that was stamped and textured inside. It is absolutely beautiful. Once inside the dining room (yes, all this took place before we even got inside!), the culinary arts classes served a variety of soups provided by local chefs and restaurants. You could take your handmade bowl to every stat

Next week our local community college will be showcasing Ottumwa High School student art in their art gallery. I had the opportunity to stop in to take pictures for the CVB, and it is an amazing display. If you have the opportunity to stop in and take the gallery tour, I would highly recommend it. And make sure you sign the guest book while you’re there. I didn’t take art classes in high school, and that was for a very specific reason. I consider myself artsy, but in a crafty way. (And I mean crafty in the nicest way.) But when it comes to drawing or painting or pottery or anything along those lines, I know when to bow out gracefully. I still have an art notebook I made in junior high, and I pull it out when I want a good chuckle. But that’s the crazy thing about art - there are so many ways you can express yourself. Ways that you can succeed in your own eyes. Ways you can show everyone what’s in your heart. I know exactly which ways are my ways ... and which ways are most defi

Why is it easier to make a list of times we’ve failed? It seems almost comfortable to find the negative in our lives, pointing out our many flaws and imperfections. Where did we get the idea that if we downplay our abilities we will be more accepted? Everyone has weaknesses, but for some reason we think we have to shine a spotlight on them. To say that we’ve done something well means we’re bragging. To accept compliments graciously means we’re prideful. To courageously show what we’re capable of means we’re self-absorbed. God never thinks about us negatively, the way we often think of ourselves. We give God human characteristics, which is a dangerous thing to do. While other people may think of us in negative terms, God never thinks about His children that way. Here are just a few Scriptures to learn from and meditate on. What other verses would you add? And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in r

Today's sketch is a great way to use up some scrap paper and create a versatile card. You can mix and match the colors, patterns and images for any occasion or theme. For my card, I chose the striped paper first, then added the coordinating colors. The watermelon image went with them all perfectly, and I used a contrasting blue for the gemstones. I also like to use Scripture on the outside of my cards, so this one refers to praising the Lord for the provision of our food every day - perfect for the watermelon. Ready to make this sketch your own? Start with a patterned paper, two or three coordinating card stock colors and a fun image. If you mat each one, they'll stand out even more. Then add some tiny embellishments that will stand out against your card stock colors. The sentiment will overlap the other blocks in several places, so it's a good idea to use a larger sentiment or one with several lines. When you've made your card with this sketch, I'd love

What’s the big deal about water? In every diet, workout plan and healthy living article, we read that water intake is one of the most important ingredients in our body’s health. On average, we’re supposed to drink 64 ounces of water every day, which can be difficult to do in the hustle and bustle of the day. So why is water so important, and why do we need to be diligent about drinking enough? * Water keeps the cartilage in our joints absorbing the shock of walking properly. * Our blood carries oxygen throughout our body, and blood is 90 percent water. * Our skin needs water to be healthy and prevent wrinkles. * Our digestive system needs water to digest food and move waste out of our body. * Water helps prevent all kinds of health problems, like kidney stones, asthma flare ups and constipation. * Drinking plenty of water will enhance our body’s performance during exercise and strenuous activity. If that’s not enough reasons to drink enough water during the day, rec

Are you as ready for spring as I am? It's time to lift our spirits, get rid of all the winter colors and focus on the light and airy feel of spring. And these floral arrangements are a great way to start! A quick trip to the dollar store, or perhaps to your storage bins at home, and you'll have the few supplies you need to create a spring arrangement. I used the flowers, jar and pebbles shown here, plus a jar and pebbles I already had. Pour the pebbles in the jar to the desired height and break apart the floral stems. To make the tall, thin arrangement, I took the blue hydrangeas off the stem entirely and tucked them into the mouth of the jar. The glittered onion grass filled the middle of the jar. I trimmed the white flowers to different heights so they would add some variety through the onion grass. And the pink ones are arranged to cascade around the others, creating a little movement, too. I did much the same for the square one,

So we’ve had otters around the big pond for the past few weeks. Having not seen any here before, I had to do some research to find out more about them. Otters were once practically extinct in Iowa until the 1980s when they were reintroduced. Now there are thousands of them, and they can be found in all 99 counties. They often take over another animals burrow once it’s left, and we have some beaver holes that would be perfect for otters. We haven’t seen babies yet, but the mama otters will use the underwater entrances to raise their babies. We haven’t seen babies, but I’m sure they’re there, too. I didn’t realize how big otters could be, either. The DNR says they can be as much as 5 feet long, and a third of that is their rudder-like tail. They’re completely adorable and I love them, but they have got to go. This absolutely breaks my heart, but there’s a very important reason they can’t stay. They are carnivores - they eat meat - and their favorite is fish. Our fish. Lots of f

The more I read about women’s nutrition, the more I understand how important protein is to our bodies. And if it’s spread out during the day, that’s even better. These handy sausage and egg muffins are the perfect size for breakfast, especially if you’re in a hurry in the morning. They freeze incredibly well and can be reheated in the microwave for 60 seconds. If you’d like to substitute freshly cooked bacon, that would be great, too.   Ingredients: 1 pound Italian sausage 2 cups flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/3 cup butter, melted 6 eggs 3/4 cup milk 8 oz bag shredded cheddar cheese 2.5 oz bag shredded bacon pieces 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray. 2. In a medium cast iron skillet, brown the sausage. 3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. 4. Add butter, eggs and milk to the dry ingredients. Combine well. 5. Stir in cheese and bacon. 6. Spoon mixture into muffin tins. 7. B

If you’re going to do a study on Jesus’ parable of the sower, you probably need to eat dirt cups while you write, right? There’s something about the combination of chocolate pudding, crumbled cookies and gummy critters that makes Bible study easier. The parable of the sower is found in three of the four Gospels, and it is one of the few that Jesus explained verse by verse and line by line. And if He is that detailed in His explanation, we are meant to pay special attention to it. Jesus told the parable while sitting by the sea, surrounded by a multitude of people who wanted to hear Him, see Him and just be near Him. In Matthew’s account, Jesus detailed four times the sower went out with his seeds: * on the wayside where the birds ate them * on stony places where there was little dirt * among thorns where they were choked out * on good ground where they grew fruit The disciples first reaction after hearing this parable was to question Jesus - interesting, isn’t it? Their que

After all these cards covered in snow and snowflakes and snowmen, it's time to pull out some spring cards! This blue and purple card got me in the warm weather mood, so let's talk about how to put one together. For my card, I pulled out three coordinating decorator papers and two colors of card stock. I love using big patterns in blocks like this because they offset the smaller prints, tiny embellishments and simple verse. The two smaller patterns are perfect for bands across the width of the card, as they would be way too busy to use as a background. Ready to make this sketch into a card of your own? This is a great opportunity to use up some paper scraps you have stored away, especially long, thin ones that would be perfect for bands and borders. Choose a small sentiment for this one, as the focal point is really going to be the large decorator paper block. A few coordinating embellishments in the bottom corner will really balance this layout. When you get your

Thinking about getting a Great Dane? Already have a Dane but don't quite understand how her brain works? Just want to be supportive to your friendly neighborhood Dane owner? Here are a few insights into the Great Dane personality. As opposed to popular belief, Great Danes know exactly how big they are. They'll throw their weight around when they need to, but for the most part they are gentle giants. And they don't really eat that much more than smaller dogs, which is also a misconception.  Protective should be every Dane's middle name. (Molly's is Jo, but you get the idea.) I firmly believe that we will never be burgled because they'll hear her coming and head for the hills. Danes know that they have a home and property to protect, and they do it to the best of their ability. They may nap frequently throughout the day, but Danes are definitely not lazy. They just conserve their energy for the important things like chasing squirrels,

Yes, it’s snowing again. Snowing. Again. It’s pretty from inside, but definitely not necessary at this point. So to make everyone feel a little warmer and look forward to spring days, I put together this joyful bulletin board in the Sunday school hallway. The Scripture reminds us to praise God no matter what the weather is like, and the spring tree is just a hint of what’s to come. The background blue is from a roll of paper that lives in the church copy room. It’s my go-to paper when I need a blue sky. The dark blue border is a different shade of blue to keep the theme going. To make the tree, I cut a piece of brown mailing paper in one long strip, then trimmed it to fit under the bulletin board frame. A few thinner pieces make the perfect branches. I used 3D bird and flower stickers from the dollar store for all the accents, and I punched out leaves from green textured paper. For the verse, I created a text document in a fun font and cut them out as squares. They’re matte

Danny had last weekend off, and we both got the urge to bake! So, just for the fun of it, I suggested a bake-off. We would make two versions of blueberry cake that we had found and see who could make it better. His response was, let's just bake together. So we just baked. I made mine Saturday evening and he made his on Sunday morning. When his came out of the oven, Danny's exact words were "I win." We took them to church with us for treats in Sunday school and as dessert at the potluck lunch. I let the ladies in the adult Sunday school class know that Danny and I had each baked one, but they could decide for themselves which one they liked better. Danny's won hands down. Many of them said it was because his was still warm. Yes, I can see the unfair advantage there. But it was also SO good. Here are the links to the two blueberry cakes we tried. We'll let you make them and decide for yourself which one you like the best. Have fun! Blueberry Butt

In March 2018, almost a year ago today, we turned our Junior Sunday School classroom from an ugly, beige, flood-damaged cement room into a fun place to learn and study God’s Word. It was a project of love, for sure, and we have 50 weeks of great Sunday School memories in this room. But this weekend we were able to trade rooms with the tiny people’s Sunday school class - the 3-year-olds up through third grade. It was sad to say goodbye to the room, but there are so many younger kids in our church that they were literally overflowing out of their old room. It was such a joy to move their furniture over and see how much it belonged in there. Everything is miniature and absolutely adorable. And now we have the opportunity to update another room on the Sunday school floor. We've already chosen the theme - something totally different than this one - and we're excited to get started. There are about 27 different ideas floating around between the two of us, and the

Whether you are in a spiritual battle right now or you are resting in the grace of God, prayer is still at the center of everything a Christian woman does. Our heart longs to reach out to God when we're surrounded by the trials of life, just as it does when we sing His praises. There are three very specific ways we can change the way we pray forever. It's my personal prayer that you will be able to learn from my story of life-altering prayer and apply it to your own situation today. Praying Scripture During one of the most difficult times of my life, I read through the book of Psalms so many times. There was something about reading David’s words of suffering and all the prayers he prayed that struck a chord in me. I didn’t know exactly what to pray for myself, but I found the words I needed in David’s psalms. In my prayer closet, I taped the words of Psalm 143 to the wall. I read it to myself, prayed it out loud and had most of the 12 verses memorized. It became the a

This sketch is one of my favorite card layouts of all time. It’s incredibly versatile, and its simplicity has so many possibilities. Like last week’s sketch, I’m sticking with the “oh my goodness, it’s cold” theme. I used two coordinating patterns, two colors of card stock and two embellishments to create this fun design. The sentiment is the perfect size for the open space on the card, and 3D embellishments really make it pop. For your own version of this layout, mat a patterned paper on your background, then make a fun border with a pattern or card stock...or both. Ink distressing would be fun on this layout, too. Your two sizes of embellishments will be fun to match up - a large one up top and a small one on the sentiment. Whether you stamp a sentiment or use some type of pre-printed words, mat them on a coordinating color to make them pop off the page. When you’re done with your take on this sketch, show us how you tweaked this layout!

I don’t need a special day to prompt me to read. With a healthy book addiction, I’m always working through two or three books at any given moment. And knowing a huge local book sale is coming up in just six weeks, I’m immersed in some older books to make room for the new ones. So in honor of Read Across America Day, here are four books on my bookshelf right now: * A Journey Into Prayer - Devotional Selections from Evelyn Christenson. I loved this author’s book What Happens When Women Pray, and found this lovely little devotional. With a great prayer-related Scripture and just two pages of devotion each day, it’s a good, simple read to start the day with. * Whispers and Wildflowers by Sarah Beth Marr. I learned about this amazing writer on Ann Voskamp’s website, A Holy Experience. Sarah Beth Marr is a ballet dancer, and her beautifully descriptive writing have me looking forward to devotion time. I don’t like the mix of Bible versions she uses, but I have my Bible on hand to rea

Happy Peanut Butter Lovers Day! Yes, that’s really a thing, and it’s an amazing thing! In honor of this peanut-buttery day, here is a simple energy bar that celebrates everything wonderful about this concoction. You can trade out some ingredients for your favorite mix-ins, making it even better. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter 1/3 cup honey 2 Tbsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp vanilla 1 cup quick oats 1/4 cup ground flax seed 1/2 cup coconut flakes Sliced almonds Sea salt caramel baking chips 1. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with wax paper. 2. Combine all ingredients through coconut flakes in a large bowl, mixing until combined. 3. Scrape bowl into the baking dish. Press firmly with the back of a spoon until evenly packed in. 4. Sprinkle top of bars with almonds and baking chips. Press into the top. None should move when you tilt the dish. 5. Refrigerate for at least three hours. Remove from dish using the wax paper. Cut and place in a n airtight container.