I promised that I would do a freebie for those of you that were so patient during my loooooong break in posting.  I also got a request for a butterfly bookmark for a Women’s retreat so I decided to combine their request with the upcoming graduation season and provide a bookmark for you to include as a package topper, or to add inside your graduation card envelope.

You can print them on card stock and laminate as a basic bookmark or cut out the butterflies that are included and make them 3 dimensional.  Use foam double stick tape to attach your butterflies and perhaps a little glitter or jewels and you will have a very special little gift!

LINK TO FREEBIE DOWNLOAD HERE

This is made out of the Winged Jewels Clip Art Kits which I am going to be uploading this weekend to this site.

I promised!  Here’s the newest Birthday Cupcake Clip art graphics from Audrey Jeanne’s Expressions.

LINK TO “WE CELEBRATE YOU KIT IN STORE $5.48″

This art was just created and is perfect for celebrating not only birthdays but other special occasions and achievements since the wording is “We Celebrate You!”  There are lots of different very fun and special cupcakes, three birthday candles, intricate borders including a corner border so you can create any size paper, frame or border that you would like.  If you click on the pictures they will enlarge so that you can see the intricate patterns that form the details of these art kits.

I plan on creating a gift bag, tag and greeting card kit in the next few weeks (fingers crossed!)  So look for a new Abigail Scott kit soon.

Thanks to each for the sweet emails about missing me and my writing.  It has been a long, exhausting sprint with the Surtex Show preparations and The Licensing Show that occurred last weekend.

I have to say I have been, VERY, VERY blessed with the results of these shows thus far.  My “to do list” just keeps growing instead of shrinking but in this economic period of time I’m thrilled to be working hard and enjoying my work.

I’m going to try to pull together a new art kit “We Celebrate You!”  Which is based around whimsical cupcakes and a birthday theme.  Perhaps I’ll even throw together a little “freebie” as a thank you for all of your patience.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:

Ps 18:32-36
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
NIV
Strength… it has been a cry of my heart in prayer these last few months.  “God, give me the strength to get through this day, week, month….”  There are times when small bursts of energy are required to make it through and then there are times where the demands of the day totally outpace your natural ability to cope.  I’ve been living through the later.

Even with the most disciplined of behaviors and not a moment of wasted time my tasks have been virtually un-doable.  And lets be honest here, I’m pretty darn diligent,  I gave up the luxury of procrastination years ago, but still I am not even close to being perfect in this area.  So how do you make it through a list that is impossible?  By starting and ending your day sitting at God’s feet.  By taking some of that precious time to study His word and gain the knowledge you need to carry you through the day.  Sometimes you may need to give a tithe of your time to someone else in need and ask God to multiply your effectiveness for the remaining time.

I had an experience this week.  A dear woman who is not a believer, asked me some very poignant and searching questions about Christianity.  I had a deadline to get two brand new art collections (art that had to be created and then formatted for product) done for a presentation that had to go out to Target.   It was a hard choice, but one that seemed very clear to me.  The eternal is much more important to my heart than the temporal so I chose to spend whatever time I needed to, to answer the questions and then asked the Lord to multiply my time by giving me the vision for the product and enabling me to capture the essence of what the Target buyer was looking for.  I won’t know for a while if I will have my designs selected — but I will say that the art came amazingly easily and it had a fresh and exciting feel to it.  If it isn’t placed at Target I know it will be placed somewhere else down the line.

Perhaps you routinely tithe of your money, but have you ever thought of tithing of your time?  I challenge you this week.   Perhaps your finances are in such a difficult place that you aren’t even able to tithe financially.  I have been there.  I remember vividly one Sunday writing on a scrap piece of paper a note to the Pastor that said something like “I don’t have a dollar to spare right now, but I will give a tithe of what I have and that is time.  I will commit to pray for you, your family and the fruitfulness of this church this week.” Somehow, like the widow’s two pennies, I think God enjoys this gift from the heart more than the wealth of the nations placed at His feet.

If you have been struggling with your work load or all that is required of you, ask God to show you a way you could tithe of your time to bless others and then ask Him boldly to enable you to accomplish all that He’s set before you as well.  I promise you, it’s an adventure in the making!

PRAYER:  Lord, the hurrieder I go the behinder I get!!! My list keeps growing and my sense of failure grows with it.  Please help me this week to accomplish the tasks that you have set before me, weed out the tasks you HAVEN’T set before me and find a way to tithe of my time to help meet the needs of others.  I ask you boldly to teach me something very new about how to live my life in this time and to make the time I sow into other’s lives bring increased eternal fruitfulness and productivity into my own.  AMEN

Spring Quilt Market was an excellent show and a great experience.  I hung around Studio E’s booth as much as possible while still walking the show to see what else is going on.  I wanted to watch how the quilt stores made their decisions, how the sales reps presented lines and be able to ask questions and listen to those who are on the front lines — the store owners.

It was a very valuable experience.  I was so blessed that my “Deja Brew” collection is being so well received by the stores as was my “Chocolate Love” line this spring!  That’s what allows me to keep designing which is such fun.

I have to try to figure out how to retrieve the photos from my daughter’s digital camera.  I’m going to post this without photos and add them when I can if I can.

I had a wonderful time with Cheryl, who traveled over 6 hours to come to Pittsburgh and stay with me.  She was so kind and funny and helpful.  It’s especially fun to put a face and voice to a name when you’ve only known each other through the internet.

Life SHOULD settle down a little in the next few weeks so hopefully I can catch up on loading some kits and maybe even creating some new art!  I’m going to have a new cupcake art kit soon so I’ll get to work on finishing it first.

I’m packed and headed out the door.  Hopefully I have everything with my, if not I’ll survive, LOL!  I am very much looking forward to seeing the big wide world of quilting and seeing the “Deja’ Brew” Quilt fabric line alive and in person for the first time.  Also it will be fun seeing what pretties they made up out of it for displays.

Cheryl Briggs is going to be keeping me company so that will be really a joy.  The contest will happen when I get home since I won’t be able to connect up reliably.  I am taking my daughter’s laptop but don’t always connect well on the road.  My site was malfunctioning this morning on orders so if there are any problems I’ll attend to them as soon as I get home.

Blessings and I’ll talk to you guys on Monday.

If I don’t collapse first, LOL!  The finish line is near, Surtex starts a week from Sunday and this last week I am working to develop as many new collections as I possibly can for the shows.  It’s been a great and productive season, but I am so ready to get back to “normal” and start writing again, and maybe even playing a little again.  What a concept!

Thanks to all that have sent sweet notes of encouragement and prayers for me.  It’s hard to work 12-15 hours every day, this old body doesn’t do it as well as it used to… but God’s grace is always there for me!

A week from today I will be heading to the Quilt Show in Pittsburgh and I’m so looking forward to the experience.  My fabric company, “Studio E Fabrics” is so delightful to work with.  I really enjoy them and the process.  They’re taking great care of me and I’m going to get the opportunity to meet so many of the quilt shop owners, I’m REALLY excited about that.   I love to pick their brains and learn from their experience.

So keep bearing with me, I’ll be back to normal soon

The third comment on this post LINK TO POST HERE She will win my newest kit that was posted yesterday.  Congratulations!!!

There are 16 pieces in this beautiful, hand watercolored BRAND NEW art kit by Audrey Jeanne Roberts. Made up of very detailed and elegant artwork, there are 4, 12″ papers, 3 tea labels, 4 large art pieces suitable for card fronts, 3 tea cup elements and two incredibly detailed borders.

This kit would be perfect for making all kinds of printables including teabag covers, greeting cards and to decorate gift bags for Mother’s Day or other feminine gift giving occasions. Use it to create scrapbook pages of a special day or High Tea, the uses are endless.  This artwork is extremely detailed and life-like. This kit can be used to create your own cards, craft with or for scrapbooking.

I have been very, very, VERY busy this past month and have really missed being able to write a little here every few days.  I’m hoping that I’ll be back on a more normal schedule in a few weeks once Surtex starts.  Actually most of my work hasn’t even been doing new art for the show, but fulfilling manufacturer’s requests for artwork and designing products.  I’m very “itchy” to get creating again soon, but also very, very, VERY thankful for the work in a time when many in my industry aren’t working.

TOMORROW I’ll be drawing for the twice monthly FREE digital clip art kit.  Just post a comment on any post in the month of April and you’re entered!

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  Isa 40:28-41:1
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

DEVOTIONAL:  I thought I would write something I was currently very familiar with… being weary!  Weary is more than tired, it is tired beyond easily being refreshed.  Weariness is an accumulation of a long season expending a great deal of energy.  When we grow weary we also can be easily overcome — by sickness, by discouragement and by the enemy of our souls.

Sometimes we have no choice but to walk through seasons where we are required to give out more than we have within us.  When those seasons come, how can we get through them in a victorious manner?

We can turn to Him who never grows tired or weary and who freely gives us His strength if we just ask Him for it!  During this season of long days (and even long all-nighters) I love to remember this verse and ask God to give me His strength for the task.  I especially love the “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.”  I used to be on the front end of that scripture but now find myself on the other end of life and my strength isn’t what it used to be.  But God’s strength can enable me to run and not grow weary, walk and not faint!

PRAYER:  Lord, I have tasks to accomplish that are greater than my strenth can handle.  My day is long, my time to rest and renew is short… please refresh me with Your strength.  Make my hands strong enough for each task, help me run and not grow weary, walk and not faint.  Renew my strength like the eagles and let me mount up on the winds of the storm to soar in your strength.  AMEN

I just happened to check Studio E Fabric’s website this morning and noticed that “Deja’ Brew” is up on it.  This coffee collection was so much fun to put together, it combined two of my favorite loves  — COFFEE and the color palette!

If you click on the images they will enlarge so that you can see the detail.  The first fabric is a panel fabric.  It was designed so that you can use the squares to create fun and creative quilts, or use the individual designs for pillows, place mats, kitchen decorative items and wall hangings.  I can’t wait to see what is made with them.  If you make something out of my fabrics, please let me know I’d love to see what you’ve created!

LINK TO DEJA BREW QUILTING FABRICS.  I will be attending the Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, PA next month for the debut of the line.  Anyone attending that show please make sure and stop by the Studio E booth and ask for me, they’ll know how to get a hold of me and I’d love to meet you!.

My paternal grandfather, Earl Flint, went home to be with the Lord yesterday.  He was a few days short of 99 years old and was a rock and a pillar in our family.

Grandpa was tiny, I think maybe 5′ 4″ but he was a big, big man.  I remember him for years smoking a pipe and quietly presiding over family gatherings.  When I was a little girl, all I had to do was smell a pipe and I would frantically look around for grandpa!!

Grandpa didn’t come from a Christian home.  In fact, from what little I know of his youth, I believe he had a very difficult time of things.  I never heard how he came to the Lord, but when he did it was for LIFE and with his whole heart.  He was a prayer warrior.  Even in his declining years when he was in and out of things mentally, he still prayed.  When the tsunami hit he sat in front of the TV and prayed non-stop for those who were suffering.  My grandmother, his wife of 73.5 years had passed just a few weeks before but he was consumed with praying for others not wallowing in his grief.

He was a hoot too.  At one of their anniversary parties, he literally put a lamp shade on and was dancing around the house!  Grandpa and grandma were still madly in love after all those years and would be frisky with each other right up until the end — what a wonderful example of married love they were.

Grandpa saw grandma at church, she was the organist and figured out how to arrange a “blind date” with her!  He said he was very, very patient… he waited 2 weeks before asking her to marry him.  I believe she was 15 at the time.  The two of them didn’t come from Christian homes but they sure built one together and their influence has spread far and wide in the family they raised.

Bye, Grandpa… give Grandma a hug for me and tell her how much I love and respect you both.  I’ll see you again one day.

I am missing writing so much, this is the busy season and my head is spinning with new ideas and not enough time to get them all done!!  I also am very blessed to have manufacturers that are clamoring for work to be done (believe me, especially in this economy that’s a VERY GOOD THING!)

But I woke up and actually remembered that I needed to draw the blog contest winner this morning.  I had no helpers so I had to pull the numbers out of the jar myself… and the winner is the 11th comment on this day’s post: LINK TO POST HERE.

She won my newest kit “Retro Doodles” which I’ll be uploading here some time today or you can see it at www.aimeeasher.com.  Congratulations to the winner!

Lambie reminded me that there haven’t been any posts to draw the names for the free digital clip art kit that I give away twice a month sooooo…..  How about I’ll extend the date back to March 16th through the 15th of April.  You can post  comment on any thread including this one and I’ll pick one at random.

Good luck!

The 5th comment on this post LINK TO BLOG POST HERE. The winner will receive a free digital clip art kit!  I’m sorry I’m not posting much right now, I am painting most all day every day getting ready for Surtex.  Thanks for you patience with me!

The next collection I am working on is going to be filled with birds.  Here’s where you can help.  If you have excellent, up close, high res images of birds that you would share with me and allow me to paint, please leave a message in the comments section (which will give me your email address) and I’ll be in contact.

I’m especially looking for the classic birds that people love: hummingbirds, blue birds, cardinals, all types of songbirds etc.  You are the most generous and amazing people I’m so blessed to be able to turn to you guys for source materials.  Thanks in advance!!!!!

I thought I might even make it a contest.  Each person that supplies photos for me will be entered into a drawing and will receive a digital clip art kit as a gift. By the way, if I use your photo, I’ll provide you the art on disk for personal use as a thank you.

I’ll have to have a release form filled out granting permission for me to use your photos as they are copyright covered items.  You will retain your copyright, but grant me permission to use it.

For those of you that are regular readers, now is the time of year that I have to bury myself in new design work to have it ready for the two biggest licensing shows of the year as well as other lesser shows.  So I’m going to apologize in advance for neglecting you from time-to-time.

I will try to use this time to upload many of my classic digital clip art kits to this site and www.aimeeasher.com since that doesn’t take too much time, but what I REALLY have to do is clean my art studio so I can CREATE ART IN IT!!!

The trash can is in the middle of the floor and I’m working from one end to the other.  It’s beyond awful and NO I will not post pics of it, LOL!  I am vulnerable to blackmail if pictures ever got out!

Have a great weekend all and thanks for your understanding and patience!