sugar ink studio

Heartbeats

2009-05-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have gotten back to my passion for writing in my blog except that I've decided to create a new personal blog with a new look and feel. I have kept this blog (Sugar Ink Studio) open for awhile now since this was my first and original point of connection with all my friends in the digital scrapbooking world. But, with everything in life, things have changed. So, I hope that many of you who have once found this blog to be one of those sites that you loved to visit, it would be nice to see over at my new blog called Heart Beats. It's more of a photo log of my life story and the things that I truly cherish and give me reason to celebrate + other random things that goes on in my little world. I also have been leaning more towards digital photography + stationary design which I realize is my niche after so many years trying to discover what makes me, ME.

Anyways, thanks to all of you who have been a part of this journey and made it possible for me to find faith in the Lord and in myself to get where I am today... God bless you all.

New Blog

2009-04-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

Hello? Anybody still there?

Or maybe that's what some of you have been asking each time you stopped by my blog and found that I haven't been posting anything new. Well, here I am with something new to share for those of you who still think I exist. LOL.

So, I have a new blog. I decided to create it at Wordpress, specifically for business & educational purposes only, maybe with a little bit of personal tidbits thrown in here and there. This blog will remain as my personal family & craft blog so you can still stick around and find me here.

I also have been working on (trying to at least) my own personal website--Dahlia Co Designs--where I will be able to offer graphic design services such as custom graphics, stationary, prints, coffee table books, album layouts, etc. While that is in progress, I have also opened up an ETSY store to get myself in gear. Nothing has been added to the store just yet because I've been preparing & learning about everything I need to know to sell on Etsy, crunching numbers for my price list, getting designs & ideas together, setting up my studio workspace, and simply wrapping my head around the whole idea of actually pursuing something I've always dreamed of.

I had been seeking to do this for a long time, but since the recession of our economy and the effects it has had upon our family, there is no better time then now to follow your dream and do whatever it takes to make it a reality. Because you never know if it will be that ticket to survival during these dark financial times. If others can do it, then there's no reason why I'm incapable of doing the same! All I need is a little seed of faith, plant it, let God water it, and it will flourish...

Thanks to all of you who have seen me grow these past years and watched my life from a distance, striving to reach new heights as challenges arose to push me beyond my limits. I've met countless strangers and made incomparable friendships over the web through the connection of this blog and the creative communities that I've joined. Such a beautiful thing to know that there is no distance in real friendships whether in person or in the world of cyberspace.

Until next time, be blessed...

~Dahlia

::In The Twilight::

2008-11-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

@ Little Dreamer Designs
Featuring ::Twilight In My Garden:: by Michelle Coleman
Frame from ::Apron Strings:: by Leora Sanford

I’m entering another chapter in my life and
a new page is slowly turning. I eagerly watch
the dawn break as the sun rises into daylight.
I feel alive with every beat of my heart and
know as long as it still has rhythm,
I will always strive to know my purpose
and the calling that God has for me.
Although night may come and troubles
take hold of me, I know that I am not alone
in my sufferings. And it is in the midst
of my trials that I find true wisdom and strength.
So, even as I go through seasons of change,
I do not question the sovereignty
of God’s hand. If He has control over time,
day and night, weather, seasons,
and all the universe then, I trust that HE
has control over every circumstance that
I face and knows the path ahead. He is indeed
the author and finisher of my faith so let
there be many twilights to come in this journey of mine....

{CHANGE} - Part One

2008-11-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

Here I am sharing my heart and my deepest, inner most feelings and hope that all who read this will respect my personal views and allow me to express who I am and what my experiences has taught me in light of the my own personal challenges as I travel this journey in life.

Lessons are learned every day, but there are those lessons that will forever change your life. My lesson that I'm about to share is about CHANGE itself. Some changes, like changing our clothes or our bank accounts, have little impact on the world around us. Some changes we have no control of like the weather or seasons, night and day, or the numbers on our clock as time ticks away. Then, there's changes that completely cause a breakthrough in a persons life that literally strips them of everything that they were ever taught or comfortable with and brings them to do the things they never thought they would ever do. Sometimes, it even causes them to do the things they were most afraid of. It's how we react to these changes that determine our destiny or how our future will unfold. It could be a death in the family, a loss of a job, a divorce, a move in an unfamiliar town or city, or even a new life being added to the family. That is the CHANGE that has come into my life many, many, many times...

Yet, there is one change that will never change. My love for Jesus. I remember that day when I cried out to God for a change in my life for the first time. It wasn't at church or at home, but it was in my car. I was just coming out of a very horrible relationship, was wounded by friends whom I felt betrayed me, worked at a job that made me feel unfulfilled, and living out of a room I rented and just feeling so alone and scared of where life was going. It brought me to the realization that I was continually making the same mistakes over and over again. I was running around in circles, searching for my purpose in life and only finding myself empty. I depended so much on myself to answer my own problems. I thought I knew everything. I believed in God, but didn't have that faith in Him until I ran out of faith in myself. So, I wanted a change and finally knew it was time to let go and let God have complete control over my life. The prayer barely came out as I whispered underneath the heaviness of my heart, I said, "God if your real, show me. Change me." That day my life was never the same.... From that point on, every change that came into my life was through the unfailing love of Jesus to change my heart and bless me with strength to overcome the trials of life, to grow in His character and image, and to have the passion to fulfill the purpose set apart for me....

Just living life...

2008-11-17T00:26:00.000-08:00

Does anyone realize that 2009 is just several weeks away? Another year flew by and its true what they say, after the age of 30, time zips just like that and each year goes by faster than ever. I never really took notice of that until now. I swear, my son Lucas was barely walking and Josiah could hardly speak full sentences. Now, they both know how to count in Spanish. What next? College? Sigh...

Okay, so what is there to tell. I know some of you in my past CT's or back in the scrapdigi world are wondering what the heck happened to me. I've been out of commission from creating layouts, um...let's see here (looking in my creative journal), about almost a month now. And let me tell you, the transition was not easy. I think I had an emotional withdrawal from not being able to use these left brain cells as much as I did. I was homesick with not being able to connect with those who shared their stories, photos, and creativity with me. However, I did sign up for a FREE class and I'm actually getting a little therapy from Jessica Sprague's - STORIES IN HAND. I really didn't expect to be all that into it, but when I opened up the emails, read through the daily instructions, and printed the materials... Boy, I'm so glad I took part of this class!
So far, Jessica has really done such a beautiful job in desiging this class for those of us who need a little push to dig deeper into our memories. The project is so well organized and easy to create, but most of all, she really makes it fun and inspiring. At the moment, I'm a little behind but that's okay, because the forums and materials will be kept open for me to go back and refer to in my own flexible time. I can't wait to finish so I can share how it looks like with you....

I normally don't discuss much about school on my blog when it comes to my progress since it might bore some of you, but hey, maybe you might find it interesting. So far, I've finished reading and taking notes on FIVE lectures AND submitted work on THREE exercises. And mind you, each lecture takes 2 - 3 hours to go through and each exercise takes a day or two. Yes, my brain hurts and I think I overdosed on too much coffee. But, I'm happy with my grades. I got a perfect 100 (they don't use letter grades) on one exercise and the other two were above 90! Oh yeeaaahhh! :) I'm on a roll! I now know some history of logo design, basics about designing a web page, and using the pen tool in Photoshop to create a figure silhouette like in the iPod ads. Okay, enough about school...

Next random thing that I wanted to share is that I finally get Facebook! I was not impressed with it at first. It literally took me a long time to understand its features and applications and why I was receiving "filipino food", "starbucks", and "christmas ornaments" and what I was supposed to do with them. Then, what really made me like it more was reading everyone's status twitters and feeling that instant connection with friends that I haven't seen since elementary, middle, or highschool. Unlike MySpace, its not focused so much on appearance and how many friends you have, but more on keeping in touch with people you know on a real time basis with back to back conversations, updates, and comments. See? I finally get it!!! LoL! I am especially thrilled and overjoyed to have found a long lost friend that I have been searching the planet for in the last several years and now we are reunited and blessed that the search is over. I can't wait to meet up with her soon!!

Anyways, I'm done catching up with this blog for the day! Hope you all have a great week!

Letting go and finding a way....

2008-10-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

to keep me and my family prepared for what other financial setbacks might occur in the midst of this global recession, I decided to *resign from ALL of my creative teams*. Times are definitely not easy for us right now and who knows what tomorrow will bring. Will it bring devastating news or will it bring us a financial miracle? I hope it will be the latter. So, in hopes that I may try to focus more time in graduating school or possibly looking for a job outside of home, I had to make the heartbreaking, yet honest approach to step down from my teams and focus on the more important issues at hand. I have wrote my emails/PM's with tears and left my sincere appreciations to all for having me join them. It was not an easy thing for me to do since scrapbooking is such a huge passion that I have and I know that it is not something that I take lightly. I've had some good times with these teams, even if it was for a short while. This has been such a humbling experience for me, to deny my wants and desires to fulfill the need to do what is best for me and my family. I absolutely have gained such a tremendous appreciation for the scrapbook community and the inspiration that I've received from so many talented and amazing people. I also know I will greatly miss the friendships I've built and being able to work closely with those who have inspired me a great deal. However, I know that someday I will join them again and will still see them around every now and then.

So, you can still be kept updated through my blog and please feel free to leave me any comments or just say hello. After having such an emotional week, I'm finally starting to feel some peace knowing that I can begin moving forward and start the journey to accomplish what needs to be done. Thank you for reading and allowing me to share this with you. May God continue to bless you and enrich you with His abundant blessings....

Layouts to share...

2008-10-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Okay... here's some pages that I've done within the last 2 months or so. Just click on the images to see the full credits.

This is Krystal's newest kit ::Crush:: over at Funky Playground Designs. Love the attitude of the colors and elements - funky and fresh!

And Misty Cato has a toad-ally cute kit coming out this Saturday @ SSD that you should be on the look out for! And for Libby, let me just say she finished working on something that I'm sure will you will love if you have boys, but definitely can be used for girls as well... And last but, not least, Little Dreamer Designs $1 sale is every Wednesday which is tomorrow! You definitely have to head on over there and see what featured product will be for a dollar because it's always something way too good to pass up! Anyways, that's it for now! Take care!

Trying to do the right thing.....

2008-10-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

For the past week, I have been STUCK with this voice inside of me, that was really hard for me to ignore. And finally, after discovering that my husband has taken a pay cut and hearing of company lay-offs due to this economy crisis, has left me without a choice to step up my game and prioritize my time to prepare for the worst in case, God forbid, my husband loses his job. So, today I had to face the facts and listen to this voice, to let go of some of my creative teams which was difficult, but in doing so I hope to focus on finishing up my graphic design program and if I have to, work part-time evenings and/or weekends. I definitely loved working with Fee Jardine and Julie Billingsley, both @ SSD. Julie was the one designer who took a chance on me and introduced me to SSD and all the lovely people there. Fee, will always be my favorite when it comes to handrawn doodles and alphas. Both these ladies were such a wonderful source of inspiration to me and has played such a big part in my journey as a scrapper. So, even though I was sad to leave, I know I have to do what I have to do that's best for me and my family.... Hopefully, when this economy crisis is finally over and I'm done with school, then maybe I'll have more time to join other teams, but for now four is enough. :)

Support a Dream....

2008-10-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Help me in supporting a Faith Sister to realize her dream of expanding her family. Click the banner below to purchase this beautiful collaboration kit!

Dream A Little Dream

Layout by me...

"Little Angel"

FOBTY challenge @ SSD...

2008-10-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

My Ice Cream Personality:

Your Ice Cream Personality:

You like to think of yourself as a fairly modest person. And it's true that you don't talk yourself up... but you're also pretty happy with who you are.

You are incredibly cautious. You rather miss out on something than make a mistake. No one would ever call you wild... but they would call you responsible.

You are a somewhat open minded person, but deep down you're fairly conservative. You don't like trying new things very much. And if you do find something new you like, you stick with it.

You tend to have a one track mind. You prefer not to multitask.

You can be a big dramatic and over the top sometimes. You are bold in every way

The Ice Cream Personality Test

Rain

2008-10-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

It's past midnight and I'm still wide awake :O I should be sleeping... But since I'm up, I thought I'd take time to do a little blogging. While I'm typing at this very moment, I'm also listening to the wind and rain that just started a while ago. It's the first little storm we've had in quite a while and the first sign of cold weather since fall began a few weeks ago. Nights and mornings are getting colder and I'm beginning to miss the warm summer nights that we just had. Brrrrr.... But, I'm also looking forward to nights by the fireplace with the loves of my life--my hubby and precious little boys. Just the thought of it just warms my little heart.

Tonight, out of nowhere, my son Josiah, who is turning 4 in just a few short months, said to me, "Mom, I don't want you to die." My heart sunk just hearing the sound of his little voice filled with so much concern for me. I stood there for a moment and finally sat beside him and almost cried. It struck a painful cord in my heart as I thought of how that was probably what I must of said when my mother was dying 22 years ago. It amazes me how much my son understands about life and death. Because we believe in life after death and have faith in eternal life through Christ Jesus, I've spoke to him about how our bodies are temporary, but our spirit lives forever to go back home and live in heaven. To a child, that must sound confusing and maybe a little too complicated. But, I did explain in terms that he could understand which he did. So.... after embracing him and soaking up all the love that he was giving me, he then went on to say, "Mommy, I want your spirit to be strong." Which I believe he meant that he never wanted my spirit to leave him. I am thankful for his sweet spirit and I hope that nothing will take that away from him. I just love these little moments and I thought I'd share them with you. Thanks for listening....

I was going to post my latest layouts I've done, but now the rain has stopped and it's really quiet which has suddenly made me a tad bit drowsy. So, I'm going to call it a day... Good night!

Totally forgot...

2008-10-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

...to mention that my ::Forever:: layout was chosen for LAYOUT OF THE WEEK last week and that I was also selected for this week's SPIN-A-LIFT challenge @ SSD! I'm so flattered and thankful that I was chosen to be featured, it is such a reward after putting all my heart and soul into creating pages about special moments and people in my life. This just makes me love what I do even more! So, if you want to join in on getting some sweet rewards for the Sweet Shoppe, come play and lift any one of my layouts found in my gallery here.

Also, I was surprised to receive a PM from Joyce over at Funky Playground Desi gns that my layout, ::I'll Stand By You:: , using ::HOOTENANNY:: by Libby Weifenbach and ChereKaye, was selected for their first Featured Layout Friday debut! Wow, it was such a good week for me... Hope it continues! So far, I'm feeling low on my scrapping mojo this week, just taking time to catch my breath and remembering to find balance in life. Without balance, life can turn into chaos and that is definitely not something I can afford to happen. So far, life is good and I'm enjoying the things that I've been so blessed with--family and preserving memories!

Faith Discovery Challenge #17 Featured Artist!

2008-09-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Michele (Creatively Obsessed) for being selected as our featured artist for last week's Faith Discovery Challenge! Please leave her some love in her gallery here.

~Journaling~

But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3

Upon A Shelf
I am a lump of clay, in a jar upon a shelf.
A sculptor reaches in and gently and pulls me from my vessel.
He holds me in his warm hands. I am safe.
“Oh my lovely child, I know the beauty that is within you.
But if I shape you without first preparing you,
Thee will not be able to bear the heat of my kiln.”

“To become the masterpiece you are meant to be thee must be wedged.”
Through many trials and tribulations,
I scream in pain as my being is torn to pieces.
I have done nothing wrong,
Why does he strike at me so?
I cry out “ Stop or you will destroy me!”

The kneading begins,
Oh what pleasure.
I smile as I look into my sculptors eyes,
“I am ready“.
“No!” he cries.

I tremble at the brutish force, now worse than before.
I am perplexed, exposed, dry and hardening.
I begin to crack and flake.
I yell out , “This must be the end”.
My sculptor, he says nothing but continues to wedge.

“Why? Oh Why?” I cry
As the cold hard blade stabs at my soul.
I let forth a deafening howl,
“I am hard now, I can stand no more!”

In that moment, tender fingers begin to massage me,
Gently caressing my jagged edges.
Soft hands smoothing my fractured surface.
I feel strength rising within me.

The sculptor is putting my broken pieces back together.
The building process begins.
A soft voice speaks, “My creation, you are almost ready.”

I am being carried now, carried to the kiln.
I feel the fire of my father’s love,
A love so strong
I finally know where I belong.
I am transformed.
I rejoice as my beauty is revealed.

I am a jar made of clay
Shinning in the light.
Sitting upon my father’s shelf,
It was worth the fight.

Thank you Michele for participating and for sharing your creativity with us! And thank you for your inspiration! You can snag this blinkie if don't have one already!

SSD challenge ~ From Our Blog To Yours 9/25

2008-09-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

Okay... Here is how did on the typing test... It's funny because it has not changed since high school :)

65 words

Speedtest

To earn your sweet reward points, just take this test and post it on your blog. When you're done, go back to the Sweet Shoppe Blog and post a link to your blog in the comments along with your SSD username! Have fun!

Happy Birthday Mom...

2008-09-20T23:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom,
You would have turned 60 years old on your birthday, September 17th. I wonder all the time what my life would be like to have you around, but this time, I can't help but feel like I really need you right now. I get torn sometimes just thinking how unfair it is that you had to go so early and how I feel sad that my children didn't have the pleasure of meeting you and having a grandmother who I know would've loved them to pieces. I admit, I envy those who have their mothers to support them as they raise their kids or when they have their mothers to help them around the house when they get sick or need a break. There were many times I had gone through things that I know only a mother would understand and wish you were here for me to confide in. I just feel like you were never meant to go so soon, but who am I to argue about it. If this was God's plan, I can't do anything, but surrender it to Him. I can't argue against His will and whatever reason my life turned out the way it did, I have to remember what the Bible says, "And we know in ALL things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. I hold on to that verse not only for myself, but also for you because I remember strongly how much you loved the Lord. I'm sure as you were clearly aware that your life was coming to an end, the only thing you could do was pray that God would take care of your children and that our lives would turn out just fine without you. In my heart, I believe that God heard your prayers and He's done an awesome job answering it. I know our lives aren't completely perfect, but my sisters and I turned out better than expected knowing that our lives could have been totally destroyed without having you there throughout our younger days when we needed you the most. So, now that I've followed in your footsteps to serve God with all my heart, I have a greater appreciation for you and for my own children. While I'm still breathing, I promise to love my boys the way you have loved me when I was a child--kind, compassionate, patient, selfless, and sensitive to their needs. My prayers for them is the same prayer you shared with me the very last time I saw you. These were your words, "I pray that you will always love the Lord because if you do, He will take care of you. I pray that you will study hard and finish school and that you will marry the right person. Remember not to do unto others what you don't want done to you. Love each other." I was only 11 years old when I heard you say this and for most of my life, I didn't even seem to care about those words until the day that I found myself and knew that God needed me to change my lifestyle. It wasn't until I desperately needed God, that made me reflect upon the meaning of your prayer and how much I needed it to become a reality. Soon after I made the choice to pursue a life in Christ Jesus, my life has been blessed beyond measure. So, thank you Mom. Thank you for everything and even though you've been gone for 22 years, you are always in my thoughts each and every day. I know I'll see you again and when I do, I can't wait to be mother and daughter once again...
Happy Birthday, Mommy... XoXoXo

Love,
Dahlia

It's beginning.....

2008-09-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

to look a lot like CHRISTMAS! hehe...I don't know but, I'm getting that giddy feeling I have whenever I think of the holidays. Maybe because I've been waking up to colder mornings and the sun is starting to lay lower on the horizon throughout the day, making the skies look hazy. My husband who spends a lot of time in his greenhouse, shared with me that his plants are preparing to go dormant for the winter season and soon our flower garden will stop blooming. *Sigh* If only flowers could bloom all year long, right? Right now, I'm even listening to my favorite Christmas music collection while my little boy sits besides me, eating zucchini bread. Yum, another favorite dessert during the holidays that we would enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate or apple cider. Well, only a few short months and that special time of the year will be here to spend time celebrating with our friends and families and taking time to rejoice for the precious gift of God's Son, Jesus Christ.

Anyways, I've got some digi news to share about all that's going on in my little world and the cool sales that are happening right now with Little Dreamer Designs and Faith Sisters. And maybe this is partially why I'm feeling like it's Christmas....

First of all, Little Dreamer Designs is having there Semi-Annual Sale where everything is 40% off!!!! You don't want miss this sale... I know before I was blessed to become a part of their CT, I was always excited about stocking up on a lot of their amazing stuff. Hurry before the sale ends on Sept. 21st! And you want to know what else is exciting??!! C.D. Muckosky is our guest designer! She's got some awesome talent and will be selling some of her designs @ LDD! :)

Next at Faith Sisters, a celebration is going on to mark their ONE year anniversary! In one year, this amazing site has grown and changed to become such a thriving community of scrapbookers who share the same passion for Jesus Christ and who ultimately love to scrapbook whether it be traditional, digital, or hybrid. Faith Sisters has a special place in my heart because for me, this is where it all began. It was the open door that led me to a whole new adventure in discovering who I am and what God has called me to be. And I'm forever thankful for the ladies behind Faith Sisters who made it possible by trusting and following God's will to take that step of faith and create a place for those who love the Lord and want to honor Him with their creations. Happy Birthday Faith Sisters! Visit the blog to stay updated on all the great things that are going on!

If you purchase $10 or more in the shop, you'll get this BIRTHDAY BASH collab FREE!!

And last but, not least... I have a lil' announcement regarding moi'! heheh....

I've admired Misty Cato for a long time now... And it's a blessing to have this chance to work with her. She is another extremely talented designer coming from SSD and I look forward to playing with her designs. Her blog is always filled with so much inspiration, tutorials, and freebies every now and then. Whatever she comes out with is always amazing... I'm so thankful to be part of her team!

Each and every designer that I create for are all wonderful and I appreciate them so much. They all bring something different to the table which allows me to grow and challenge myself to be as creative as possible. I've been totally surprised at the pages I create, sometimes hard to believe that my imagination can manifest into something wonderful. I feel I've come so far, yet I know I still have a lot to learn and I just want to enjoy the ride....

Thanks for reading this far!! I know I can sometimes write such long novels! LOL! I'll be back to share layouts and other good stuff! Take care and may you have a blessed week!

{FDC #16} Compass of Peace Winner!

2008-09-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

Wow... I was utterly moved by some of the stories that were shared through this challenge and how God ministered to each and everyone in different ways concerning His PEACE. It was a tough decision to pick one out of all the awesome pages, but this LO by one of our faithful members and new CT member, Connie Jean, was really something else. Not only do I love the colors and designs of this page, but her journaling was beautifully written. Thank you Connie Jean for your inspiration!

SHALOM by Connie Jean

Journaling reads: When I think about peace... what comes to my mind? The lack of it, that's what. As one that has struggled for years with depression and anxiety, peace is not something I would often feel. Over the course of my life, I have had many panic stricken moments... moments that leave me breathless and shaken with undeniable fear. Most of those times the source of my fear was my own mentality, something I had conjured up, not of something actually happening. I would then cry out to God for help, uncertain of why I was feeling this way. I could not understand the purpose of my anxiety or why God had not cured me of it. Yet He has never let me down; He has never failed me. When fear would come and I'd call out to God, a sense of peace would wash over me. I knew God was with me. I knew He would not leave me. Eventually the physical aspects of anxiety would lessen and I'd be relaxed once again. As I have grown closer to my Abba, I have learned that inner peace is attainable only through the Creator of Peace. He grants it to those of us who call on Him, who love Him, and who desire to be more like Him. As the Creator of Peace it would make sense that being made in His image we would crave His True Peace. He is my Jehovah-Jireh; my Provider, my Constant Hope. As I walk hand in hand with my Saviour, He continues to fill my soul with a peace that no one can take away from me.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. ~Numbers 6:24-26

Thank you to all that participated!! Please be sure to check back for a new Faith Discovery Challenge on Wednesday, September 24th! :)

Faith Discovery Challenge #16 - {Compass of Peace}

2008-08-26T23:13:00.001-07:00

I'm back everyone! Summer has come and gone so quickly and the fall season is just around the corner. Soon after that, just when life seems to slow down a little bit, we're back to being busy and making plans for the holidays! I'm already thinking of what to make for Christmas presents, ornaments, and cards :) Anyways, I'm getting way ahead of myself here! Better get back to the present and on to this next challenge...

{Compass of Peace}

Peace. In the dictionary, it says it is a state or condition of tranquility, serenity, or harmony or is also a state of being silent or still. Whenever I'm at peace, I find myself feeling content and secure. Peace, according to the Word of God, is one of the fruits of the Spirit. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, we will find peace, but if we are led by the desires of our flesh, we will most often find ourselves struggling to find peace and sanity in our lives. We are all often faced with a decision that sometimes are easy to make based on common sense, but what about those tough decisions like those that affect our jobs, our relationships, our home, our children, our money, and so on... These are situations that we know as Christians, are to turn to God for His guidance and direction that we may do what is best in the eyes of the Lord and not something that will ultimately bring us to regret our decisions.

Let me share a little bit of my story... A few years back when my husband and I bought our first one bedroom condo as newlyweds, we had only lived in it for a few short months when my first son was born. We realized that the space was extremely too small for our family and felt maybe we should start looking into a two bedroom. I had already made a decision to be a SAHM, so basically we were living off one income which made more sense not to even consider looking into a new home. However, we still searched for other condos or homes for sale within a certain budget that we thought we might be able to afford but, didn't feel peace about the ones we found. As disappointed as we were, we felt that God had something better and maybe it just wasn't the perfect time for it. Several months later, we came across a sign in one of our neighbors windows right across the building from us that said "For Sale By Owner". We made an appointment to look at the place and something began to tug at me. I had this unusual "knowing" feeling that this was for us. Later that night, after praying and lifting it up to God, I felt this peace about it. Although my husband was feeling pretty uneasy and reluctant to move forward, I told him, "God is going to give this to us. I feel at peace about this." And he trusted that if it was God, then He'll surely give us the favor we needed to own that home. The offer we placed on it was lower than what the seller was asking for, but it was what we were able to afford. After a few days of waiting with suspense and anticipation, we got a call that even though they have received an offer higher than ours, they felt led by God to accept ours. In fact, they were so happy that we were also Christians! They also had asked us to pray for their daughter who, a week later, had willingly asked to come to church with us. Even until this day, we still keep in touch with this family and thank God that He led us in the right direction with the power of His peace, to fulfill His purpose and for His glory! If we had chosen to have purchased a home several months before, we wouldn't have seen or experienced the goodness of God and have had our faith strengthened. Also, we would not have given this person an opportunity to come to church with us and hear the Gospel. Most of all, we would not have learned this valuable lesson about walking in faith and trusting in His peace to help us do what He has called us to do!

So my friends, if we allow His peace to guide us and lead us to do His will, then our lives will be filled with peace and we will see His purposes accomplished. There were many times in my life that I chose not to be led by His peace and suffered consequences, but I chose to share one of the few times in my life that God was my compass of peace!

Challenge #16 - Alot of times we make decisions based on our own will rather than God's. And from my own experiences, whenever I chose to do something even though there was this unsettling feeling that I felt deep down inside, there was always a reason for that because it was God's way of trying to get my attention to change course or cancel what I had originally planned to do. Had I obeyed God's leading I probably would have spared myself from undue stress or grief. It has taught me that the peace of God and His words should be our life compass in every situation when we are faced to make a decision. If we don't feel peace about something after praying and waiting upon Him and know that it is in line with His teachings, we should let that be our guide or compass in life to make the right decisions. We are to be led by peace no matter how much we want something or else we'll find ourselves sorry if we go against the leading of the Holy Spirit. There are different ways that God will help direct our paths with peace. Some receive direction and peace through His Word, some receive through hearing a worship song, some receive through prayer and meditation, but, whatever the scenario, God's peace can be felt with the heart, an unexplainable joy. So, this challenge is to create a LO about a time or moment in life when you were either led by His peace or when you learned that hard lesson of being led by your own instincts rather than God's... Hope this gives you all something to think about! I know it has been a personal experience of mine and creating a page about this will always remind me to follow His compass of peace that I may enjoy a peaceful life...

Faith Verses:

Psalm 34:14 - "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 14:30 - "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Romans 8:6 - "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."

1 Cor 14:33 - "For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace."

Phil 4:7 - "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

2 Thess 3:16 - "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way."

Here are layouts created by me and some of our Challenge CT! Click on the images to view full credits.

By Dahlia

By Jackie Ann

By Tammy

Again, please upload your layouts to the Faith Discovery Challenges gallery. I will be choosing a layout to be featured on our blog next Tuesday. And remember that every new challenge is posted on the last Wednesday of the month! Thanks for joining me and hope you enjoy this challenge!

~Dahlia

Faith Discovery Challenges Returns.....

2008-08-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

If anyone reads my blog, you know how I love sharing my faith and what it truly means to me as a mom, a wife, a friend, a sister and most of all as a person. My journey through life as had it's shares of trials and tribulations which has molded me to become one who is less reliant on myself and more and more dependent on God each and every day. I'm a work in progress and hope that one day, I can be made perfect in His image and likeness. But, while I'm going through these challenges in life, I find it to be my purpose that I share my faith with others through scrapbooking and allow my life experiences hopefully be an inspiration and encouragement to others. So, please be praying for me as I restart the Faith Discovery Challenges at Faith Sisters... Next week, Wednesday - August 27th - is the next challenge. I will be hosting it once a month, every last Wednesday. These challenges are for everyone who wish to gain greater insight into their faith or would simply like to leave a legacy of faith for their family. Whatever the reason may be, I pray that it will be a blessing to your heart and help draw you closer to the Lord.... Hope to see you there!

Also, Faith Sisters is looking for new Designers to join the Design Team for our shop. The deadline to apply is August 29th, so if you're interested, please find more details about it here.

And last but, not least... I have new layouts that I'd like to share! It's been a great month of creativity for me and have had so much inspiration and motivation through the talented designers I create for and all the wonderful people out there in the scrap community.

So first off, I'd like to showcase a collaboration @ Little Dreamer Designs, ::HOPE for Ryleigh::, a charity kit that will help a wonderful little girl, Ryleigh, who is battling with a bone marrow abnormality called myelodysplasia. Because she has to live 3 hours from home for at least 4 months as she undergoes chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. The profits from this charity kit will go towards this family to cover medical costs and living expenses. If you'd like to hear more about what you can do to help this family, please visit Ryleigh's personal website here. This kit is jam packed with lots of yummy goodies to play with! You will not be disappointed!

{You Are My Hope}

{Little Dreamer}

And there have been some recent collaborations between some designers at LDD with other talented artists in the digi community!

{Climb} using ::Camp Out::
by Jackie Eckles and Amy Martin

{First Love} using ::{FALL}ing For Retro::
by Leora Sanford and Paislee Press

Today, at our LDD blog will be the Scrap A Moment Challenge - Behind the Scenes @ Birthday Parties

{Pin The Nose On Elmo} using almost everything from
::Candy Pop:: by Lisa Sisneros @ LDD

On to SSD layouts....

{Perfect Love} using ::Retro Boy:: sampler by Fee Jardine
for the Sweet Shoppe Quarterly Assortment Vol.3 @ SSD

{Sweet Gift} using ::Little Miss:: by Fee Jardine @ SSD

{Little Toes} using ::Hey Hey Baby::,
a Perfect Pairs Kit By Libby Weifenbach & Amanda Heimann @ SSD.

{No Doubt} using ::Caught Thinking:: , a Two Scoops kit
by Julie Billingsley & Eva Kipler @ SSD.

{Live Your Dreams} using ::Atomic Bounce::
by Melissa Bennett @ SSD
*For the August Treat of the Month challenge, lifting Amanda Resende's ::Smile:: *

{Last Time} using ::Natural Beauty::
by Kristin Cronin-Barrow @ SSD
*For the SWTSB #33 challenge - Tell Me Your Time*

Okay...whew! These designers are always cranking up new stuff each week so, I'll be working it like crazy! Keep checking back because I have a little gift that I want to share, it's been a while!
Thanks for looking and God bless you!

Welcome Baby Asia!

2008-08-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to introduce the newest member of my family!! I'm so very proud to announce that ASIA DAWN GO was born yesterday 08/14/08 @ 10:06 am, 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 20 inches long. She is the third daughter of my youngest sister and brother-in-law, Dez and Junior Go. And will be meeting their TWO big sisters later today -- Akaela and Arielle. As much I wanted to be there at her exact time of delivery, I barely missed it by 20 minutes due circumstances out of my control :( One of those obstacles was due to my little accident while I was walking to the hospital where I took a fall and twisted my ankle. I'm thankful that I had my other sister, Daisy, and my niece, Farah, with me to help hold me up and be my crutch the whole time I was there. :( Regardless of the sprained ankle, I was super blessed and overjoyed to hold my precious niece, Asia. What a beautiful gift from God! It always amazes me, whether it's a newborn baby of my own or someone else's, that this tiny human being was formed in a mother's womb and brought into our world. Just blows me away....

Mama Dez and Baby Asia

Fresh out of the oven!

I'm an Auntie again!!! woohoo!

Precious gift from God! Praise the Lord!

I'm hoping to post some cool stuff later on and will have some layouts, goodies from my designers, and announcements to share! stay tuned folks!

If only....

2008-07-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

I had more hours in a day... If only I knew how to keep track of time... If only I could just share a little bit of my life on this blog every day... July was such a crazy month for me and a lot of it has to do with me being so caught up with the challenges of life, challenges of being a mom, challenges of keeping a marriage strong and healthy, and of course challenges of living a life that honors God. On the other side of things, I'm very aware of how blessed my life is at the moment and even though I have no clue what tomorrow will bring, whether it be poverty or fortune, I can honestly be at peace that God has it all under control. I have to trust in His promises and KNOW and not just think, that He will take care of me and my family during these difficult financial times. In my son's Junior Church last Sunday, they spoke about Isaiah during the famine and how God provided food and water for him out in the wilderness. God will provide because His word says that He our PROVIDER. It's been pretty amazing that the last few weeks, even though we had nothing in the bank, God still led people to us to give us money or food without us even saying a word. Little miracles like that give me big reasons to believe that God is with us throughout our circumstances. I hope that encourages you all to put faith in the Lord and not on money. Money is definitely important for our survival, but it's God who opens doors and has inifite resources to bring wealth into our lives.

Anyways, back to the scrappy side of things.... I'm a little late in announcing some news that I've recently joined another CT for a designer at Sweet Shoppe Designs--Fee Jardine. She is wonderful to work with as with all the other designers that I create for. Her style is so unique with her flair for doodles and paint effects that I just love. Her recent release is called ::Lil Bit Cuckoo:: which the colors are totally yummy.