Category Archives: Holidays

Contests, Crafting, Holidays, New Releases

New Gingerbread House Digital Craft Kits Coming Next Week by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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(UPDATE: Now available in the Daisie store for $5.98 for the decorated house and $4.98 for the undecorated house.  Just click on the pictures to go there).  Gingerbread House Digital Craft Kit I have been working on these Gingerbread Cottages for almost two months and finally have them completed.  I have created one that is in essence a "blank" for you to decorate as you wish either by using my own Gingerbread Cottage Christmas kits that will also be coming next week or utilizing graphics you may already own. 

The Cottage kits are a nice large size, but are printed entirely off of letter sized cardstock so every one can create it no matter what printer you own. 

Gingerbread House Digital Craft Kit, PlainThese cottages can be used as gift boxes and look quite lovely when tied with a glittery wired ribbon bow to keep closed.  They can also be used to create your own Gingerbread Village display for the holidays.

I am working on add on kits that will have gingerbread people, trees, candy, signs, mailboxes, light posts, snowmen and other cute items to poplulate your village with.  I am having way too much fun on this (I thought this was supposed to be my work 🙂 )!

For the 100,000th visitor contest, we crossed 99,500 visitors early this afternoon and will probably go over the mark some time tomorrow.  If you want to be entered in the drawing for the random winner, be sure to post a comment today, tomorrow and every day until we cross as I will select from the comments on the actual cross over day!

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Prov 9:13-18  The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge.  She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way.  "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment.  "Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!"  But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.  NIV

UPDATE/EXPLANATION:  This proverb contrasts lady wisdom (the verses prior to the ones used today) and the woman folly.  The writer uses an artistic device to personify character traits and make them come alive.  I can only quote a small portion each day and I rotate through them picking a couple verses out of the proverb that matches the date as there are 31 proverbs, so sometimes you may need to pick up your bible and read it in it’s context to get its message clearly.

 

Daily Life, Health & Lifestyle, Holidays

It’s a Great Time to Start Changing Your Eating Habits

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Are you thinking about the holidays already?  Does that thinking also include how you’re going to avoid putting on the 5-10 pounds that sneaks up on you each year during this season?  If so, now might be the best possible time to start a new eating plan.

When I lost my weight two years ago, we started the first of November.  By Thanksgiving our results had already been so excellent and we were feeling so much better than we had before starting our eating program, that we sailed through the holidays without even a temptation to eat the goodies and candies that came our way.  We just regifted them and passed them along.  If you’re even thinking about it, let me encourage you to make the step and go forward.  Before the holidays is the perfect time to get started.

Some pointers I’ve learned along the way to losing weight permanently:

  1. Don’t do the latest fad diet.  They don’t really work and even if you do lose the weight you haven’t changed anything about your eating patterns and it will come right back and usually with a few more pounds to boot.
  2. The people that lose weight the best and keep it off the longest attend a meeting of some sort.  We all need encouragement, accountability and support.  There are many groups such as Weight Watchers, Prism Weight Loss, and others that can help you go through the process.  It’s always easier to do something with others than all alone.  There are many good weight loss programs, but the successful ones use this principle in their plan.
  3. The weight loss programs that work the best and help you keep the weight off the longest will all require the same thing… that you measure your portions, keep track of what you are eating, excercise and change the types of food that you put in your body.  Sorry to have to be the one to break it to you 🙂 but there’s no magic pill.  Once you get over the fact that you need to do this, it really is very easy.  The benefit of having to weigh, measure and plan is that it becomes a part of your routine.  Americans especially have absolulely no idea what a proper serving of food is — it’s definitely NOT what the restaurant serves you!
  4. Simply changing the quality of the food that you are eating, such as changing out brown rice for white, 100% whole wheat for white bread, eating more fruits and vegetables and eliminating sugars can actually make it easy to take your weight off and keep it off permanently.  Good food satisfies your cravings, bad food kicks them into high gear.
  5. (UPDATE: I thought to add this one later)  Find someone who has succeeded and kept their weight off and ask them how they did it.  When I wasn’t serious yet about losing weight I formulated a lot of spontaneous plans on how I was going to lose weight — the problem was that none of them were based on any knowledge that had led to success.  I was guessing at things rather than finding out what worked and what didn’t work and why.  I was following pop culture, rumor and the latest easy fix program.  The problem with easy fixes are that they are neither easy or fix anything!

If you’re like me, the first brownie leads to the tenth.  The first cookie or piece of pie never satisfies it just makes me crave more and more and more.  If that’s the case for you too, it’s so much easier to avoid the first bite than to resist the second, third, fourth… well, you get the picture.

I lost 63 pounds in less than a year participating in the Prism Weight Loss Program.  Their web address is www.pwlp.com if your’e interested.  Miss Stacey, in response to her health crisis earlier this year has also worked through the same program and has lost to date over 50 pounds!!!  Way to go Stacey!!!!!!  But what I love feeling the most isn’t "skinny" it’s ‘healthy."  No more yucky, I ate too much and am miserable feelings.  No more guilt for being out of control.  No more having my mind consumed with thoughts of food all day long.  If I can do it, you can too!  Happy Holidays.

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY: Prov 4:10-12 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.  I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. NIV

Crafting, Faith & Inspiration, Holidays, New Releases

Fall, Harvest or Thanksgiving Decorations for Crafting with Digital Clip Art by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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(UPDATE: Now available at the Daisie store for $5.98.  Just click on the picture to go to the store).  Well, after a good night’s sleep I’m feeling ready to tackle the crazy list of projects that need doing, but not before I show you a little bit of what’s coming in the next week or so.  I designed 3 crafting kits for decorating your home, office, school or other location for the holiday season coming ahead.

This first of three kits has a Thanksgiving card that can also be used as an invitation to a party or family get together and a Thank You note that also comes blank to create your own personal message.  I love to send "Thank You" notes around the holiday to the people who share my life telling them what I’m thankful for about them.  If you’ve never done it, you’d be amazed at what a little bit of time invested in thanking others can mean in their lives.

There is also a 3D magnet and a 3D tent style place card for dinners or special events.  Also, I’ve created two options for decorating candles and a circular mat to put under them.  Each of the three craft kits will work together to create a great environment that reminds us of our blessings and all that we have to be thankful for during this coming season of Harvest and Thanksgiving.

If you’ve been looking for a Halloween kit from me, I have to confess that I’ve just never been much of a Halloween fan (believe it or not, even as a child!)   I just don’t have much inspiration for that holiday so I’ll leave it to many of the other wonderful artists at DAISIE COMPANY!

I do, however,  love the Harvest/Thanksgiving season for what it stands for.  I have the same challenges that you have… family struggles at times, wondering how I can get more hours in my day, or how I can ensure my children will do well in life.  Yet I find that when I focus on what I have to be thankful for, the struggles seem to feel as though they shrink back to a manageable size.  I try to work hard, all year around, to convey my thankfulness to those I love, to those I’m privileged to work with and of course, most importantly to my incredible Heavenly Father. 

PRACTICE THANKFULNESS… that’s what it takes, practice and lots of it!  Listen to your mental thoughts.  Do you seem to see the downside of every situation, every possibility, every relationship? If so, your natural bent may be to see from that perspective, but it doesn’t have to be where you choose to focus in the future.  I grew up in an environment like this.  It will probably be very surprising to those of you who know me now, but in my early years I was a very negative person.  Virtually every conversation I was surrounded with growing up was a discussion about  the negative characteristics of people and situations around us.  

Until one day,  when I was talking on the phone with several friends and for the first time I heard myself, REALLY heard how negative I was — and hated what I heard.  I was complaining about this, critical about that, negative about every situation…. and on and on and on.  My friends weren’t negative and I felt how my communication was a drag on them.  They didn’t participate back with me, but just left my comments hanging in mid-air.  It made for a very one-sided conversation that finally made me realize I needed to change.

The Lord spoke to my heart that day.  He said that  I didn’t have to live the rest of my life in that place if I would let him change my heart.  It didn’t happen overnight… in fact it took years.  But when I asked Him to help me hear myself and see myself as I really was, so that I could see what I needed to change and then ask him to change me, He did.  So much so, that now my nickname in my family is "Pollyanna!"   In the process, this verse became a life verse for me.  It’s one that I read often and work hard to put into pracitice in every area of my life, I hope you will too!

THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  Phil 4:8-9  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  NIV

Freebies, Holidays

Yippee It’s Fall! A Thanksgiving Freebie For You to Celebrate With

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Click here for link to downloadI LOVE FALL!!!  I love all of the seasons for different reasons, but because I just really don’t like the hot, hot, hot days of Summer, I welcome the change to Fall like no other season.  When I got home from the Las Vegas Memory Trends Scrapbooking Show a couple of days ago, the weather here had turned cool and now we’ve had stormy skies and 60 degree temperatures.  Right up my alley, now all I need is a foot of snow (I know, I’m a sick puppy!)

If you click on the image above, it will take you to a site where you can download the bookmarks.  On the right hand side of the screen about 3/4 of the way down you’ll see a small button labeled "download."  All you have to do is click on that button and follow the directions from there.

I’ve been working all day on my kit for the DAISIE CLUB next month and it’s all about Harvest and Thanksgiving.  Which got me thinking about how thankful I am for all of you regular readers (about 500 or more a day on average!)  This blogging experience has been an amazing one and I feel that I have grown so much through it.  I’ve made some wonderful friends, had a lot of fun and enjoyed sharing my life with you in the process.

These bookmarks are a free gift from my heart to yours.  I hope you’ll enjoy using them to say "Thank You" to all the special people in your own life.  The simple two-word sentence, "Thank You," goes a long way in relationships.  Even if you have told someone before how much you appreciate them, you can’t say it too much. 

Feel free to let anyone you know would enjoy this gift know about it, but please send them here for the link to the download rather than simply passing the file along.  I’d like to meet new people as we’re entering a new season.

Happy Fall!!!!

Contests, Crafting, Holidays

The “Creating a Special Christmas” Random Drawing Winner for the Week is….

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The week's winnerA very lovely Christmas card created by "Shazbar."  As a prize, she will win her choice of my Victorian Christmas Gift Bag set or my Peony Cottage Giftbag set! 

Just so you know, no talent at all is required to win the weekly drawing (though it’s obvious that Shazbar has plenty of that!) All you have to do is create an item that is being given as a Christmas gift or could be given and make it using my digital art kits and upload it to THE DAISIE COMPANY gallery

I hope you’ll take a little time to browse through the contestant’s entries and leave them some encouragement.  Perhaps you’ll also pick up an idea or two along the way.

I’ll be sending out the prizes from the last week in just a few moments so if you’re one of the winners, look for an email from YouSendIt and your goodie will be there!

Today, I’ll be working on some overdue kits for Daisie… one will be in next month’s Club kit and 3 more will be Bingo prizes!  Then I’ve got to start working on my next set for the store… Whew!  It’s a good thing this is fun work because I sure have a lot of it.  Have a great weekend!

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY: Proverbs 22:9-11  A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended. He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.  NIV

Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

More Previews for “Windows on Christmas” Digital Clip Art Kit by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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(UPDATE: This kit is now available for $6.48 at the Daisie store.  Just click on the first picture to go to the store.)  These are the three remaining product shots from the "Windows on Christmas" collection that will be in the DAISIE COMPANY store next week. 

Here you can see the windows without their illustrations behind them and one window with a beautiful swag and crystals hanging inside of it, framing the view of the classic English Christmas tree inside.

The papers shown behind the windows are Chrismas fruits taken from the fruit topiary to make creating a Christmas card or tags super easy!

The second product shot shows a couple of Christmas trees, one featuring fruit and the other assorted ornaments.  Also included is a separate set of presents on a tree skirt with a toy train running around it that you can use on any of my trees (or any tree you might have).  There are also packages that are separate and a jewelled Poinsettia wreath..

And finally there is a Christmas card front, a santa star ornament and a couple of additional papers.  This kit is really, really easy to use… virtually every element combines to work seamlessly together.  It will also combine extremely well with my earlier "Holly Berry Christmas" kits 1 and 2 and their paper pack.  Several of the elements are isolated in this kit that were in a complete illustration in the earlier sets.

I hope you’re starting to think about the gifts you’re going to make for those you love this coming Christmas… I sure am!!!

 THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Prov 15:10-11  Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die. Death and Destruction lie open
before the LORD — how much more the hearts of men!  NIV

A word of explanation here, how often does disobedience lead to death, destruction or terrible tragedy?  Think of drunk driving, a drug overdose or a rebellious choice to run away from home and into tragic circumstances.  God’s heart is like any good parent’s, He longs for good things for His children, but allows them the free will to go their own way if they insist on taking the road to destruction.  Any rule He has made is for our own protection and blessing, just as a good parent doesn’t allow a child to touch a burning stove.  This proverb is a warning given in the negative for greater impact, but you could easily turn it around into a positive instruction like this:  "Blessings await those that delight in pleasing the Lord and following His commands, she who delights in His instructions will avoid much sorrow.  Blessings and honor lie open before the Lord — how much more the hearts of man!"

Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

Windows on Christmas Digital Clip Art Kit Previews by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Windows on Christmas Preview 1(UPDATE: Now available for $6.48 at Daisie.  Just click on the first picture to go to the store)  My newest kit, "Windows on Christmas" will be in the DAISIE COMPANY store next week.  I’ll show two of the previews today and 3 tomorrow.

My inspiration for this kit was being a little girl looking at the beautiful Christmas trees lit and in our neighbor’s windows or looking out a window watching the snow fall.  There’s something magical about how windows frame our view of the world and the holiday!

This kit has four images that can be used as the front of your Christmas cards as well as quite a few Christmas trees, a poinsettia wreath, presents and the windows you see come with images behind them and empty for your to use with your own image.

Windows on Christmas Preview 2Imagine a Christmas card with the window on the front cover with its panes cut out and the interior of the card peeking through!  I’m excited to see what you can make out of this kit and enter into my "Creating a Special Christmas Contest" at THE DAISIE COMPANY.  Rules and information on this contest can be found here:http://www.daisiecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21136

 I’ll have more previews tomorrow and then will be gone until Thursday night.  Remember, tomorrow is the first half of the month contest ending date, so all you have to do to enter is post your comments on the 1st to the 15th of the month.  The prize will be a set of my Peony Cottage Quilt gift bags, so good luck!

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY: Prov 14:7-9  Stay away from a foolish man,
for you will not find knowledge on his lips. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.  NIV
 

Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

A Cup of Christmas Tea Inspired Clip Art by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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(UPDATE:  This kit is now avaiable at Daisie for $6.48.  Just click on this link to go to the store.  )I received my first tea pot and tea cups as a gift from my dear "Nanny."  She introduced me to the delights of tea and the sparkling beauty of her china tea cup collection.

When I was just 10 years old, she took us to the Princess Hotel in Victoria British Colombia.  I remember how the polished silver sparkled in the candle light. ladies were elegantly dressed and I carefully watched everything that my grandmother did to make sure I did it too.  It was so fun to hold my pinky finger, just so!

Christmas Clip Art Preview 2My newest clip art set "Victorian Rose Christmas 1"  has lots of tea inspired art, swagged borders, pine boughs and elegant coordinated papers.  There are delightful tea cup charms and an elegantly jeweled "ornament hanger" that can be used to "hang" a frame, charm or tea cup ornament on a scrapbook page, Christmas card or craft. 

I hope that you’ll enjoy working with the Victorian wallpaper inspired background papers on your crafts or projects.  There are four of them included in this kit. 

I can’t believe how close Christmas is getting!!!  I received some product samples from one of my favorite manufacturers today, Brownlow Gifts.  http://www.brownlowgift.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=1406~subid=59/index.html

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the goodies I created with and for them. I’m so excited about how I plan to use these for Christmas gifts for those I love.  There’s something really special about a gift that has been made by hand inspired by the love we hold in our hearts.

I hope you’ll make many of your Christmas gifts this year and bless those you love in a very special way!

Contests, Holidays, New Releases

Digital Clip Art Christmas Papers by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Here is the newest paper pack that I will be releasing this coming week at THE DAISIE COMPANY. 

Preview Holly Berry Christmas 1 Paper Pack

It’s designed to coordinate with the Holly Berry Christmas Art Kits 1 & 2 and has 14 papers in it.  Several of the papers come in 3 color ways to allow you to easily coordinate in your crafting creations.  For example, a box bottom might be in the wonderful green star ornaments paper with the box top in the red version and then ornaments placed over the green paper on the bottom of the box wrapping all the way around it.  (Hmmmm…. I’m giving myself ideas!!!_

Have Fun!  Remember that I am giving away two blog contest prizes this month, the prize for the second half is my Victorian Christmas Gift Bags that you can see featured several posts below this one.  All you have to do to win is post a comment on any (or all) the posts from the 16th of July through the 31st of July. 

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Proverbs 22:3-5
"A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life. The deceitful walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will stay away. "
The New Living Translation

Audrey Jeanne Roberts

Holidays, New Releases

New Digital Christmas Clip Art Coming Next Week by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Did you hear?!  THE DAISIE COMPANY is having a Christmas Crafting Competitition where you can win DAISIE DOLLARS to spend in the store!  I’m really looking forward to seeing your wonderful creations.  Here’s the link http://www.daisiecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19368 

Preview Holly Berry Christmas 2 Kit

My next kits are also Christmas themed and are coming out next week.  Here’s the preview of the first, Holly Berry Christmas 2 which is filled with more traditional red and green Christmas goodies.  This one has some very fun ornaments and some "ornament hangers" that allow you to mix and match and dangle your ornaments on a page off of a ribbon or? 

There are also a couple of ornaments that you can add a picture to to focus on your children, grandchildren or pets in a layout.  There are some papers in the kit, but I am also releasing a complete Holly Berry Christmas Paper Pack kit this week.

Preview #2 Holly Berry Christmas 2 KitMost of the ornaments have all been hand  watercolored and then digitally enhanced to make them sparkle with Christmas cheer and a little glitter and glam!  The borders are cheerful and bright.  It makes me long for Christmas to come!  Of course in reality, I’m almost in panic mode because Christmas is right around the corner!!!!!

Tomorrow I’ll show you more and the paper pack previews, so stay tuned!  Normally I would have my Proverb for the Day here, but I have to run out the door to our Women’s Ministry Breakfast, so I’ll put it up later today when I get home.  Have a great Summer Weekend!

Audrey Jeanne Roberts

 

Crafting, Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

Digital Clip Art & Crafting Christmas Gift Bags, Cards and Tags Kit Coming Next Week, by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Those of you that have read my blog for a while, will remember that I was working on a large sized gift bag set that could be printed out on ledger-sized paper (11" x 17") for those of you that have over-size printers.  It took quite a bit of work to reinforce the bag handles so that they wouldn’t tear, but I finally finished the templates this week and then created this Victorian Classic Christmas set that will be coming out next week.

Preview Christmas giftbags

I don’t know about you, but having gift bags around the house makes gift wrapping so much easier and less overwhelming for me!  I can especially never have enough gift bags at Christmas time… so I really designed these for myself (and you get to tag along!)

UPDATE:  Several of the comments have mentioned that you don’t have a ledger-sized printer.  One nice thing about my including all of the sizes is that IF you do eventually purchase a larger sized printer, you will already own the files to use it.  It’s amazing how fast you can discover the need for the larger sized capability once you have it!  Also the paper I used for this printing can be ordered on line for those of you in the USA, It came from Kelly Paper and is called "Mohawk Color Copy Gloss"  Kelly paper’s website is www.kellypaper.com.

I printed mine out on a heavy weight gloss, brochure paper and reinforced the handles with white card stock. Brochure paper gives them that beautiful sheen and brighter color of store-bought bags.  You could also print them on card stock or the heaviest weight of paper that you can find.

The kit will make three size of bags, the large size as described on the preview image, a medium sized bag (10" x 6" x 4") that prints on legal sized paper and a smaller ( 8" x 5" x 3 1/2" ) sized bag that prints on letter size paper.  Four sheets of paper are required per bag.

Preview gift cards and tags

The kit also includes a pair of small gift  cards and 6 gift tags.  The image from the front of the bag is included with and without the bow.   I would encourage those of you that purchase the kit to make these in advance and store them away for Christmas and it will make your holiday that much more pleasant and less rushed.  You can carefully fold them up after assembling them to store them more easily.

The DAISIE COMPANY’S "Christmas in July" sale will go through the end of the month and all of my Christmas kits (even these new ones) are included.  For less than the price of 2 gift bags purchased at the store, you can make these for the rest of your life!

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Proverbs 18:4-6  "Many words rush along like rivers in flood, but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.  It’s not right to go easy on teh guilty, or come down hard on the innocent.  The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him."  The Message Bible   

Audrey Jeanne Roberts

Crafting, Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

I’m Ready For Some Snow, Jingle Bells and Sleighs! Digital Christmas Clip Art Kit Preview by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Well… maybe not… at least until the next 100 plus degree day hits!!!  

Christmas Digital Clip Art

UPDATE: THIS KIT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE DAISIE COMPANY STORE.  THE PICTURE IS A CLICKABLE LINK.  IT’S ALSO ON SALE THROUGH THE 30TH AT 25% OFF SO GET IT WHILE IT’S HOT!!!  It is so strange to be working on Christmas in the middle of July, but that’s my normal procedure as when you develop product for licensing you are working 6-12 months out or more.  So turn on the "Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night" and let’s get in the mood for Christmas.

This collection is called "Holly Berry Christmas" and features everything holly.  It’s based on the Classic Christmas colors and theme and will easily coordinate with almost any Christmas art you already own to make lots of beautiful new crafts and projects.

I’m not exactly certain when it will make its debut, but soon!

Audrey Jeanne Roberts

Daily Life, Holidays

Take Time to Remember, and Then Celebrate! by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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God Bless America Tag

Some really amazing things happened to allow our country to come into existence.  Many men and women laid down their lives for a dream that they believed God was calling them to be a part of founding.  Our country was a battle away from death many times.  If we weren’t fighting the British, we were fighting each other, the elements, the need for men and money, battling despair and a desire to quit. 

Sometimes we glorify the events and put a rosey glow on them, not realizing that ordinary men and women like you and me, accomplished a truly extraordinary goal that was to be for God’s glory.  There’s a book that I highly recommend called "The Light and the Glory" by Peter Marshall and David Manuel that you can find on www.Amazon. com and other book outlets.  I read it years ago to myself and then to my children as they came of age.  The picture below is a clickable link to amazon’s selection of these books.

The Light and the GloryPeter Marshall and David Manuel researched the stories of God’s providence in the founding of our nation in detail and present them in a totally captivating manner.  There is a follow up book as well titled, "From Sea to Shining Sea."  Also, each book is available in a children’s coloring book format as well as a children’s reader format.  These books were part of my children’s education process and helped to form a love of history in them.  The books made history come alive and not simply be about facts and figures and memorizing dates.

I spent some time in South Africa some years ago.  Part of the time was on September 11th, 2003.  It was hard to be away from home on the anniversary of such a devasting experience and to be with people that hadn’t experienced it.  At lunch that day with a group of South Africans we discussed the founding of America and of South Africa.  It is one of my treasured memories knowing more of how they felt about their country and how the respected how I felt about mine.  I know that I have many readers who are not from America, and perhaps don’t understand the emotional nature of our pride in our country and what we feel our purpose and calling as a nation is.  So Please bear with us today as we wear our hearts on our sleeves!

My country makes mistakes and often take positions and sets policies that I do not believe in, as does any country and any particular leader.  But we also live by a creed that freedom is worth dieing for and our young men and women will put their lives on the line for the weak, the cowering, the helpless anywhere in the world.  These young people value life and liberty, they make us proud and today is a day to honor their service not just to our country but to a better world.

If you have children, today would be a wonderful day to have them make cards to send to our troops.  They would truly touch the heart of a soldier and be a blessing to both your child and someone else’s child who is away at war.  Or perhaps today would be a great day for you to make a card to send to someone else’s son or daughter to honor their service on your behalf.  There are many organization that send cards to the troops, but if you can’t find one, our church sends care packages and cards each month.  You can send them to: Mountain Vally Community Church 30598 East King’s Canyon Road, Squaw Valley, CA  93675, ATTENTION: Sue Graff and we’ll be certain that they get to a soldier somewhere in the world.

Have a wonderful holiday with your family, say a prayer for a soldier, for the people of Iraq and that God would lead us to a true peace in the world.

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Proverbs 4:3-9  When I was a boy at my father’s knee, the pride and joy of my mother.  He would sit me down and drill me: "Take this to heart.  Do what I tell you — live!  Sell everything and buy Wisdom!  Forage for Understanding!  Don’t forget one word!  Don’t deviate an inch!  Never walk awy from Wisdom — she guards your life.  love her — she keeps her eye on you.  Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!  Write this at the top of your list:  Get Understanding!  Throw your arms around her — believe me you won’t regret it; never let her go — she’ll make your life glorious.  She’ll garland your life with grace, she’ll festoon your days with beatuy."

Audrey Jeanne Roberts

Crafting, Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

I Lied… One More Sneak Preview! Fourth of July Clip Art, Flags, Stars ‘n Stripes ‘n More! by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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UPDATE:  THIS WILL BE IN THE STORE TODAY, BUT HAS BEEN DELAYED BY COMPUTER DIFFICULTIES SO PLEASE BE PATIENT !

I found some art that I had forgotten that I had created (that happens frequently when you have 700GB of art on your computer!)  I hadn’t been sure that I could pull off getting it in on time for release this Friday, so I didn’t say anything about it.  Betcha didn’t believe that I could keep a secret so well did you?!  So I’m doing a last minute sneak peek!

Patriotic Clip Art for the Fourth of July I’ve shown the tiniest portion of this set, it’s a smaller set, but it has 3 different types of bunting, star borders, stripes borders, striped papers, frames, a text piece suitable for framing and a bookmark.  Bright, colorful and patriotic (for those of you in the United States) this set can be used to create invitations to a BBQ, make annoucements for your community’s parade, to create military salute pages or greeting cards for projects such as our recent Cards for the injured troops at Daisie Company. 

Hope your plans for the Fourth of July this year include taking lots of wonderful family photos and if you do, be sure to scrap them for your family!

PS  There’s a special coupon that will be good at DAISIE COMPANY through July 14th, make sure you enter the coupon code when prompted!  The coupon is a clickable link to the DAISIE COMPANY STORE.  It will take you to the new releases section of the store, where this kit and all of the tropical and summer kits featured this week will be available tomorrow. 

UPDATE: PLEASE USE COUPON CODE summer-day2, the first code was not working properly for some reason.  Sorry for the inconvenience!

DAISIE COMPANY COUPON

Audrey Jeanne Roberts

Crafting, Freebies, Holidays

A Mother’s Day Bookmark, Clip Art Gift For You!

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I have a present for you to give to your mother, grandmother or someone special in your life (I always was the kid who was good at "kissing up" to my friend’s parents Innocent).  This bookmark comes with a Mother message already on it or blank for you to personalize any way you would like.  If you don’t have a Mother to honor this Mother’s Day, perhaps you can make it as a little gift for an older woman in your neighborhood or at church to let her know she’s being thought of? 

Link to freebie (UPDATE: the link has expired.  Please check back for other specials about once or twice a month).  Perhaps Mother’s day is a little difficult for you to celebrate.  Either your mother has passed on, of perhaps wasn’t the Mother you always dreamed of having.  You read the card racks and just can’t pick one without feeling uncomfortable.  For those who struggle with issues in this area, it can be painful to hear stories about incredible mothers or hear about how "wonderful all Mothers are," when your experience has been so different. 

But perhaps taking the time to think about someone who WAS special to you and nurtured you (whether she was your mother or not) can help you enjoy the holiday a little more.  Thinking about the relationships you’ve chosen to have with the special people around you can actually start a journey toward healing for your heart.  Family is a rather involuntary enlistment… but friends are chosen with care… and special friends that are like family can make up for so much that might be lacking in our lives. 

So… if you’re blessed to have the most amazing mother ever, celebrate her!  If your mother did as good a job as she was capable of doing, honor her effort.  If you are thrilled that your mother gave you birth — rejoice in what you can!  If you’re a mother yourself, delight in the honor that your children bestow upon you and enjoy your special day. Happy Mother’s Day!

To download your gift, simply click on the image and save to your computer.  This gift is subject to the DAISIE COMPANY angel policy.  Thanks for visiting!

Link to QVC 

Oh by the way, if you click on the picture there’s a link to a scrapbook kit that I designed for QVC if you’re looking for a non-digital gift for a scrapbooking friend or family member.  Super easy to use even if you aren’t artsy!  It is made from my Blue Hydrangea and Cottage Garden art. 

I’ve shown a closeup of the 3D on just one of the pages, these are raised and have jewels on them as well.  They’re really fun and elegant.  What I haven’t shown are the letter stickers of two different Alphabets and several pages of die cut pop outs (no cutting involved for the clumsy of hand!) 

The entire kit includes:

  • 12" x 12" album with 10 sheet protectors
  • 24 double-sided printed flat papers
  • three embellished paper sheets
  • six alphabet sticker sheets
  • two phrase sticker sheets
  • two icon sticker sheets
  • four die-cut sheets
  • two 3-D embellished picture frames
  • two self-adhesive resin frames 
  • Contains hundreds of pieces  and is only $30.  Link HERE.

    Audrey Jeanne Roberts Special thanks to Atomic Cupcake