Monday, October 27, 2008

BACK TO CLASS-





NO, I am not back in school in the formal sense although I have been told that I am teachable ( by my Pastor and a few others). No, I am actually helping teach a stamping class. I had the idea for reaching out to the retired people who live in the condo building next door to our church. We have wanted to make contact with them for over a year now and making cards, and other related stamping crafts seems to be a good idea. The two buildings have had their first class (8 ladies from the first building and 13 from the second.

I took a Martha Stewart fir branch punch and punched out 20+ branches per each person. We used these branches to create a wreath, added a red bow and red "Stickels glitter glue berries that sparkle and we stamped the little word "JOY". They were quite pleased with the outcome. We also made three tags, one with punched snow flakes, that are glittered and mounted on light blue snow flake paper mounted on white card stock with dimensional adhesives to raise them up. Some stamped "To:" and "From:" in black ink. The other two are two different papers of a holly design mounted on white card stock but have a scalloped red or burgundy circle wih the word "merry" in script. The corners were cut with a punch on the light colored one and left square on the dark one. A little Stickels glitter glue was added to the scalloped circle which is a Stampin Up punch.

I worked three days getting ready for these projects and they WERE well received because they said it was lots of fun and asked for more classes and some asked questions about our church schedule and our craft day twice a month. So we are doing a second class in Dec and probably next year too. The Pastors wife will do the ones when I am gone to WI for a month at-a-time. She has been so helpful providing rulers, pencils, scissors, colored pencils and stamps and some other equipment that was necessary. We are brain storming ideas together for the classes and welcome any suggestions. We are so excited to meet these new neighbors and happy to share something we love with them (stamping), hoping to share the greatest gift of all, our Savior, Jesus.

A quick note about the grand daughters, my favorite topic. I was able to go with son Bill, Jodi and the girls to the Little Farmer pumpkin/apple farm. We arrived mid afternoon, took a hay ride, saw farm animals, played in the hay bale maze and playground (those big tricycles are so much fun for them). As we waited in line for a caramel apple, my son hefted Emma up on his shoulders which is pretty high up there (he is 6' 5"). I took this picture of Emma wearing his hat. The picture of Matti is from her perch on Jodi's shoulders. Every outing with them is a blessing to me. God is so good in all that He provides for us.

November is just around the corner. The leaves have turned and we definitly had frost on our MN pumpkins last night. Thanksgiving is everyday for me and the beginning of my worship. I am so "thankful" for my relationship with such a loving God, my family, and friends. I will claim Him as my Savior until my last breath.

2 comments:

Bethgun said...

The card looks great!

Barb Hardeman said...

Your card is just wonderful Martha. I'm so glad that your classes were so well received. Good for you, my dear friend. The pictures of the girls are adorable. Please go and check out my blog and scroll back a ways to see why I haven't been in touch. I did receive your long e-mail, but haven't had the time to repond. Hope you next classes do as well...