We are the Clay

Howdy Friends! I am sharing a new background technique I tried using plastic wrap today, but before I get into all the nitty gritty I have a fun sale to share with you... Sweet N Sassy stamps is having an amazing sale on all their alphabet stamp sets ...buy 2 get 1 free (no code necessary). This is a great time to pick up your favorite sets to use in your Bible journaling, card making, scrapbooking, etc. Okay now on to the fun....

To begin I got my page super wet then plopped (my beautiful technical word) color all over the page. Next I pulled out some plastic wrap and scrunched (yet another technical word) it around to create an interesting texture. Now comes the super boring part....I walked away, grabbed a cup of coffee and let it dry.

When I came back it was almost dry, I pulled off the wrap, but I really wish I had waited it would have created a more vibrant and interesting texture....but I patience and me are not always friends. After the page was completely dry I used StazOn black ink to stamp my title out and used a few tabs, washi tapes, and stickers in matching colors.

Isaiah 64:8 "But now, O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."

You and I were created for a beautiful unique purpose. We are continuously being shaped and molded by the master artist. It's ok if we don't look like our friends and neighbors, we all are called to fufill a different purpose. It can be so easy to see the beauty in others and often overlook our own. I can't tell you how often I look down at my wrinkled, stained leggings and baggy tee shirt and wish my life was a little less messy, but those stains and wrinkles mean I have littles whom I cherish and depend on me. I encourage you today to see the beauty in yourself. You were created for a purpose!

Thanks for dropping by I hope you are leaving encouraged and refreshed.
Don't forget about the alpha sale going on now through the 18th.

Love and prayers,

Jenn @creativegurl85

Supplies Used:

Stamps- (In His Image, Typewriter block alpha, Sunshine girl alpha

Watercolors- Illustrated Faith, Black Ink- StazOn, Washi tape- cross, and arrows (Illustrated Faith), Black and White Stripes (Hobby Lobby), Tabs- Illustrated Faith, Ephemera- Illustrated Faith, Heart Stickers- Illustrated Faith

Beautiful in His time

Hey there! How's it going? Summer has flown by and already we are starting August! This month new release stamps are so versatile and fun...you can check them out HERE. I am using two of my favorites from this new release, In His Image and Faith Wordfetti.

I began my page by stamping the title on the side filling in the words 'beautiful' and 'time' with colorful alpha stickers. Next using a waterproof ink like StazOn I stamped the paintbrushes, paint pallet, and tube of paint. I colored these in using my watercolors. To add a splashes of paint I used my Faber Castell Big Brush markers to ink up the splooshes in coordinating colors and added them randomly around the page. I used the wordfetti stamp on white card stock and fussy cut around the phrases adding them to the page. These phrases are such a perfect finishing touch to add to the page and to help remind us all of His promises. To finish off I added a few bits and bobs...stickers, a tag, and some washi.

"He has made everything beautiful in His time..." Ecclesiastes 3:11

This verse fills me with such hope! In His time are the key words, not my time...ugh that's the tough part. No matter the situation in life we are navigating we need to remember we have a heavenly Father that sees us, is watching over us, and in His time will work all things to His glory bringing about beauty.

Father, grant me patience as I wait in time for you to reveal the masterpiece that will be my life and legacy. Thank you for always keeping your word! You make all things beautiful! Amen!

Thanks all for joining me today! I hope you are all leaving feeling encouraged and filled with hope.

Love and Prayers,
Jenn @creativegurl85

Just be...

Hello everyone! 

Today I am excited to share with you about our creatively growing our faith collab sale going on now thru Monday the 22nd. Enter code (cgofsale) to receive 15% off your purchase and also be sure to check out the other amazing discounts offered! Also there is a party over on our Facebook business page, we recently hit 10,000 likes!! WOOOHOO! So you know what that means...a big ole GIVEAWAY! Yup, so head on over and enter the winner will receive free stamps for a year...winner will be drawn August 1st. 

Now on to my bright fun party page...

Today is a fun new messy experiment that I cannot wait to share! For this fun background I used a little bubble wrap and acrylic paint in a few fun colors. I painted the bubbles and stamped the wrap onto the page creating these fun, imperfect polka dots. Once it dried I added my title using Just be, and Set apart. To finish off this page I added a few tabs, stickers, and puffy hearts.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:7-8 

Sometimes my thoughts are not deep, or even profound. Sometimes I use my Bible to remind myself of my true goal in life....to become more and more like my heavenly Father. 

Don't forget to use that code (cgofsale), as well as check out the other amazing shops participating in the creatively growing our faith collaboration sale (see image below). Also remember to hop over and enter our 10,000 like giveaway over on Facebook page.

Love and prayers!

Jenn @Creativegurl85

Wildly loved

Hello all! It's summer here in Iowa and as you read this I am returning from a week long vacation. Summer time can be really hard on my creative mojo...so I picked up my acrylic paints and tried a few techniques I tend to forget about. It was such a fun breath of fresh air, to be spontaneous, and different. I hope you enjoy...

This page started with the acrylic paints. I used a credit/ gift card to squish the paint on around the page in broad strokes. Then while my paint was drying I stamped the hymn word art stamp in three colors on to plain white cardstock. I really wanted the wording to pop so I mounted it on pink cardstock that I actually repurposed from my mothers day card. Side note...I am so guilty of cutting up cards I get and using them in my Bible or other crafty adventures....they are sooo pretty I hate throwing them away. Ok after I mounted the stamped image I used puffy foam tape to pop it up even ever so slightly more. The big bold title I found in my stash from a print and pray printed on clear sticker paper. Finally comes my favorite part all the little fun details....the puffy hearts, washi tape, tabs, wordfetti and art marks created using my markers.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Romans 8:37-39

I have so enjoyed looking up all the hymns in this stamp set and really digging into the words, meaning and scripture behind the words! This song is no exception. The lyrics made me really pause and think about how much my Father God truly loves me. He loves me so much that nothing...absolutely nothing on heaven or on earth can keep me from his wild love. Wow! I know I have read that passage of scripture tons of times but do I really sit and dwell on the magnitude of those words? Summer can be a crazy time for many of us, but if you can steal away a few precious moments read, reread and read again....let the words soak in and penetrate your heart. Let God illuminate truths and fill you with joy! I want to leave you with a few lyrics from this hymn...you can go listen to it Here if you like.

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus vast, unmeasured, boundless, free! 

Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me! 

Underneath me, all around me, is the current of thy love 

Leading onward, leading homeward to thy glorious rest above! 

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus spread His praise from shore to shore! 

How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore! 

How He watches o'er His loved ones, died to call them all His own; 

How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o'er them from the throne! 

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best! 

'Tis an ocean vast of blessing, 'tis a haven sweet of rest! 

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 'tis a heaven of heavens to me; 

And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee! 

Love and prayers,
Jenn @creativegurl85

It is well

Hey there! Happy June 1st! ...bet you know what that means...our new stamps launch today for preorder. We have some beauties this month including a new designer that just joined  the team. Hop on over to the SHOP and check out the new releases then come on back and I will share a page I created in my Bible using the Hymn blocks set.

I used distress inks to create a soft background using the colors salty ocean, peacock feathers and mustard seed. I stamped the amazing lettering design from Hymn word art using StazOn black ink. Towards the bottom of the page I pulled in the He is Risen stamp set and used the crown of thrones, crosses stamp and the word hallelujah. I stamped the crown using the distress inks...it bled really bad so if you don't love that I recommend putting gesso down on your page before you start. I colored in the rolling hills with a touch of watercolor, and added a couple tabs and pieces of washi to complete the page.

Colossians 2:13-15 "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

The hymn "It is well" was written by Horation Spafford, he was a very prominent and profitable Chicago lawyer who owned many properties and had a beautiful family four girls and one boy. His life was blessed! However, just as he was becoming more successful tragedy struck and his son passed away, then the Chicago fire destroyed nearly all his investments. A few years later he decided to treat his wife and daughters to a much-needed escape and sent them on a boat trip to Europe. He had plans to join them after he finished up his business. Just a few short days later he received a telegram from his wife "saved alone".  All four of his daughters had perished at sea. It was while crossing the same waters that stole away his daughters that he penned the hymn.

I loved learning more about the beautiful tragic story behind this hymn. It can be easy to love God and see the good when life is rosy and we are feeling blessed, but what comes out of our mouths when life turns upside down? Do we grumble? Do we lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving? That can be such a struggle! Are you in a pit, are you struggling? Lift up your eyes to our Father, He is still on the throne! Praise him for the gift of salvation and the hope of a future you have, then like Job watch what God does. I highly recommend sitting back and letting the words soak into your soul...It is Well

Thanks so much for popping in I hope you found this encouraging and uplifting!
Love and prayers!
Jenn @creativegurl85

No Longer a Slave

Hello all! I hope you are all enjoying the new stamp releases this month and feeling inspired and creative. You can hop over to the shop and check out all the stamps here as well as some sets that have come back in stock.

This is smaller entry because some days you only have a few moments or you may want to add extra entries later. I began this page with one of my favorite techniques embossing and watercolor. I used the Freedom in Christ set for the stamped images, Versafine clear ink and white embossing powder. If you have never tried this technique before it is an absolute blast and makes you feel a little like a magician. I first stamped the images with the clear sticky ink then pour the powder over the areas dumping the excess back into the container. It is very important that you clean the area around the images with a clean paintbrush, sweeping away all the stray powder that wants to stick in the wrong spots. If you don't do this you could end up with spots of raised embossing in areas that you didn't intend. Next comes the magic...the heat tool. Warm up the powder slowly moving your tool so the area doesn't burn once the powder melts you are finished. Ta da! Now it doesn't pop off the page yet so I like to use watercolor to create a background, but I could totally see using distress inks and oxides too. Finally I like to add a little extra pizzazz with some washi, stickers, and a tip in.

 "We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we are no longer enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him."  Romans 6:6-8

Father, Thank you for reminding me that Satan has no power over me! His kingdom is defeated, through your death. You give me the power to fight the temptation of sin. Amen! 

Love and Prayers,

Jenn @creativegurl85

Holy Holy Holy!

Hello lovelies! It's May and I am very excited to share this months new stamp sets with you all! You are totally going to want to run on over to the shop and preorder/order these new stamps in the shop HERE. Today I am sharing a page from my hymnal ...

I normally never prep pages using gesso because... well I am lazy! However in this very old vintage hymnal I decided to use a very thin coat of clear gesso so the inks and stamping didn't bleed through. I used the 'Holy' stamp from the Joint Heirs stamp set and stamped it using my Distress inks in evergreen bough, picked raspberry, mustard seed and mowed lawn. I used a stencil with the same inks to create the floral image on the page. I really find great joy and satisfaction in using up the supplies I have laying around from past kits or projects, which is why I pulled out this praise tip in from an old Illustrated Faith kit as well as some stickers and cut outs. I stamped the, earth and of, His from the Joint Heirs set in StazOn black and mowed lawn. The word glory came from the All in All set and I first stamped it in StazOn black then offset it with the mustard seed. Now lets dig into the deeper meaning...

This hymn is probably familiar to many of you reading this. Our mouths have probably uttered the words Holy a time or two am I right? We may even say it and no longer elicit any deep emotion as we say them. Which got me thinking .... what does "holy" mean, and why is it repeated three times? Isaiah 6:1-3 "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" Wow can you just imagine! Holy means something or someone is exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. The word "holy' dates back to the 11th century with an old English word halig derived from the word hal meaning 'whole' and is used to mean "uninjured, sound, healthy, entire and complete." So when the seraphim are singing holy, holy, holy they are proclaiming He is the uninjured, spotless lamb of God who is to be exalted as the one who took away the sins of the world. Ok, now onto why holy is said three times...it was a number of completion or perfection, as we see through the trinity, and in the book of Revelation 4:6,8. The holiness of God is indescribable in human language; therefore, the heavens proclaimed and provided the revelation of the eternal. This beautiful hymn allows us to use our voices to surrender our hearts to experience God's mercy and love as well as enable us to proclaim God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to the world.

Thanks so much for stopping by I hope you leave feeling a sense of awe of our holy Father God. I encourage you to slow down and really listen and study the words you are singing; meditate on the merciful, loving God we serve.

Love and prayers,
Jenn @creativegurl85

Shine

Hey everyone! Have you all checked out the fabulous new stamps released this month?....if not, jump over to the shop HERE and check out the lovelies added this month. I always have a hard time picking and choosing which sets I prefer to work with! The Marquee Caps Alpha is one of my favorites this month. I love the bold letters.

I began by stamping out my title 'Shine' using the 'Marquee Caps Alpha' onto cardstock paper using black StazOn ink. I added a dash of yellow in the dots and then fussy cut around the letters and set them on the page. Then I sketched in some lanterns and hanging lights. I used a little yellow watercolor to create the illusion of glowing lanterns and lights and to also pop the sketch a little more off the page. Finally I added my title, filled in some journaling and highlighted my verses. This is a simple page...if drawing is scary or intimidating you can always use the Starry Sanctuary printable and add those gorgeous images to your pages. I find that doodling is a fun way for me to spend some extended moments pondering and meditating on the words.

"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. And  when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face."  Exodus 34:29-33

I have read the story of Moses receiving the ten commandments so many times, but in the last couple years Jesus has caused me to see a part of this in a new light. Moses went on top of Mt Sinai in Exodus 34 to talk to God and receive instruction and when he came down in verses 29-35 something remarkable happened. The people saw a visible change in Moses's appearance...his face shone. It even said that Moses had to wear a veil because the glory of God was so thick on him that the Israelites couldn't look at him. WOW that is some intense Jesus time! So this has me thinking...Does my face shine? Do people look at me and wonder whats up?

Father, let my face shine bright! When people around see me may they be drawn in curious and wanting to know more. My life goal is for everyone around me to see me and say..."She's been with Jesus!" Amen

Thank you all for stopping by I pray you go out into your Easter weekend and shine bright!
Hugs and prayers!
Jenn @creativegurl85

God is good...All The Time

Hey friends! Life has been a little crazy, chaotic and topsy turvy lately. But April is here and now we have beautiful new stamps joining the line up in the shop...you can go check those out here. Let's jump on in and get our hands a little dirty and I will share my heart...

The splotchy, textured paint at the top and bottom of the pages I created by using a new technique I learned from Shanna Noel. I used a piece of wax paper and a drop of paint then sprayed it with water to create a looser consistency. Then comes the fun part, I smooshed the wax paper into the page. This created a very loose almost watercolor like look to the page. Once the paint was completely dried I stamped the happy day florals. I stamped the triangles around using a little watered down acrylic paint. For the title I used the All in all stamp set (this has to be one of my new favorites, I think I have used it on nearly every page since I received it!) and stamped out 'all the time God is'. The last step is my journaling, stickers, tabs, wordfetti, and puffy hearts.

Ever have a few weeks that you just feel so defeated and frustrated? I am just passing through that ... A few weeks ago my basement was flooded when my area experienced massive amounts of heavy rain. Then the next weekend my water heater began to leak all over my basement...ugh I was beginning to feel like everything was against me. Later that week I sat down to some much needed quiet time and these verses fell into my lap like much needed ointment for my soul.

"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit - not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength- that Christ will live in you are you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Ephesians 3:14-20 MSG

Talk about knocking my socks off and making me want to shout "Hallelujah"! I needed this reminder that no matter the stuff going on around me my Father is holding all things together. He sees me, loves me and cares. I simply need to seek Him, and He will open the gates wide. Sometimes our circumstances can cloud our view making it hard to see the truth. Just remember ALL THE TIME God is good!

Hugs and Prayers,
Jenn @creativegurl85

Jesus Paid it All

Hello lovlies! Is it beautiful sunny and spring like where you are? .... Not here in Iowa in fact just yesterday morning I looked out and saw snow. I am so ready for spring so today I am sharing a very spring like Bible journaling page using our beautiful new March stamp sets. We have so many beautiful sets in the shop this month hop on over and go have a look! I tried something new...I made my first video! I hope you enjoy it...it's a little rough but I promise to get better! If you enjoy seeing videos shoot me a comment and let me know and I will try to keep them coming.

Hugs and Prayers,
Jenn @creativegurl85

Stamp sets used:

All in All

He is Risen

Itty Bitty Blossoms

Heal the broken

Hello everyone! I am back this month to share a page in my journaling Bible using the Healer of my Heart stamp set. This set has so many different words and connector phrases it is so easy to pull together many different pages and I can see using it over and over again.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives , and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." Isaiah 61:1

I chose to do a smaller entry this time as I thought I may want to come back and add another entry to the top of the page. I first used clear gesso and prepped the page...yup my first time ever prepping a page. I decided to use distress inks and I knew they would bleed a lot if I didn't first add the gesso. I pulled out the colors salty ocean, evergreen bough, and seedless preserves and lightly swirled the inks into the paper. Once they were dry I used the heals stamp and simply used a small piece of washi to cover the 's' so I could have the word heal. Then came the finishing touches and a few wordfetti stickers, some simple hearts and a prayer.

Father, show me, open my eyes to those around me that are hurting. Give me your heart. Show me ways to help the hurting around me. Amen!

Thanks for stopping by! Come on over to our Facebook group and share your pages and creative worship. Then swing by the shop and pick up these stamps or any others you love and be sure to use code jennifer15 to save 15% off your purchase.

Love and prayers,

Jenn @creativegurl85