At Your Own Pace Center Step Card---Join our Neighborhood, 613 Avenue Create, for another "Anything Goes" Challenge with an Optional Twist....

Hey there Crafty friends---It's Mother's Day! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful time with your mothers.  For Moms like me, I am certain you are enjoying being pampered for a day by your hubbies and kiddos.  My 8-year old son is such a wonderful blessing and so grateful to the Lord for bringing him into my life.  Many years ago, I thought my life would be great without a kid.  Working in a Cruise ship industry allowed me and my hubby to travel together and we had fun moments exploring every place we went to.  But soon, that lifestyle came to an end upon realization that we had to start a real life off the ship.  Few more years passed and little man (Jared) came and boy, was I pleasantly surprised!  When I first held him in my arms (shortly after he was born), I stared at him for few minutes as I marveled at the awesome miracle I held so gently in my arms...I fell head over heels in love to the most gorgeous baby I've laid my eyes on that very moment!  He  never ceased to amaze me with the knowledge and wisdom he was gifted with from the Lord. The desire to document his growth was what got me started with Scrapbooking which then lead to Cardmaking.  He grew up seeing me create all kinds of things using very basic materials to sophisticated gadgets.  He always visit me in the Craft room as he investigates and observe every thing I do---asking many questions about what am I making.  Next to my husband, he's truly my biggest fan!  He wanted me to show him my finished product every time I'm done.  My heart melts when he says,  "Mommy, you made the best card ever!" 

As a Mom, I am unable to put into words the love I have for my little man.  The Bible declares in Psalm 127:3, "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him."  I've done so many mistakes in my life that sure grieved the heart of God.  For the Lord to reward me with a wonderful blessing such as my son purely speaks of the love, grace and goodness in the heart of our Father in heaven that is never based on our merits but our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.  He gave His best, His One and Only begotten Son, so that we can enjoy a life filled with great rewards and blessings in His presence forever.  If you are like me, whose been blessed with a child/children, lift up a praise and thanksgiving to our Almighty God---teaching our kids what the Lord has done for them through the finished work of  Jesus Christ!  One day, our children will grow up and will be eternally grateful for all the love, sacrifices and teachings we've shared with them.  They will realize that Mom's are  "rewards" to them as well---straight from the heart of a God who always love and  care for them.  Here are some verses I want to share with all mothers out there  as we celebrate the gift God has showered us with through the lives of our children:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates."  (Deuteronomy 6:5-9)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created." (James 1:17-18)

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations"

So, we have another wonderful Challenge starting today at my neighborhood---613 Avenue Create.  One of our sponsors, All Dressed Up Stamps,  graciously provided me this digi called "Love to Shop Girl 03".  I love the whimsical style of the images and always get good results when I used their digis.  The image was colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  A part of the image was   paper-pieced.  The base is a white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches center step card.  All the DP's are from Recollections, die cut oval and lacy oval done with Nestabilities and Cuttlebug and border punch using MS Punch.  I layered a few Prima flowers and added a brad in the center and some glitters (Stickles-Diamond) on the petals.  Lastly, I adhered several white nail head gems, stitched the card  and attached a sentiment I got for free from Create with TLC (Thanks, Paulette!).  I am very happy with the turn-out.   So, what do you think?

AT YOUR OWN PACE CENTER STEP CARD:

  AT YOUR OWN PACE CENTER STEP CARD LAYERS:

 AT YOUR OWN PACE CENTER STEP CARD SIDE VIEW:

 AT YOUR OWN PACE CENTER STEP CARD INSIDE:

AT YOUR OWN PACE CENTER STEP CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered to the following Challenges:

Challenges 4 Everybody---ATG
Dragonfly Dreams---How Does Your Garden Grow
Fairy tale Stampers---At Least 2 Punches
Glitter n Sparkle---Female
Lacy Sunshine---ATG
Scribble and Scrap---ATG
Stamping Sensations---ATG
A Little Bit Crafty---Flower Power
Emerald Faeries---Flowers/Ribbon/Lace
Bearly-Mine---Flowers
Crafts Galore Encore---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
Doodle Pantry---Any Digi Goes
Feeling Crafty---One for the Girls/Ladies
Flat Friends---Dies and/or Punches
Just B Creative Crazy---ATG
Ladybug Crafts---Favorite Embellishment (White Nail Head Gems)
Mema's Crafts---May Flowers/Celebrate Mom
One Sweet Challenge---Flowers
Words 2 Scrap By---Bloom Where You are Planted
Crafting at the Weekend---ATG
Digidesigns---Use those Markers
My Sheri Crafts---April Showers Bring May Flowers
Stampin with the Dragon---Flowers
STAMPlorations---Stamps and Flowers

I better get going but let me remind you to visit our Blog at 613 Avenue Create and join our Anything Goes with Optional Twist Challenge.  Lots of great prices to be won from our  two great sponsors this week---All Dressed Up Stamps and Sassy Studio Designs!  Have an awesome day praising the Lord and would appreciate any comment you will leave me here.  If you enjoyed visiting my Blog or found some wonderful inspiration, please consider being a Follower.  Leaving you with this, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.." (Proverbs 22:6)  God bless!