a new ending..........

happy saturday to everyone! i have been very good about blogging this week - worked hard and did not play as much as last week and weekend! i gave my class today, and it was quite full, 7 people in a small space - all with paint dabbers and alcohol inks - and boy, it took a lot of convincing to get the ladies to even TRY the alcohol inks. two ladies did not even try ( it was also a cost issue) but did a similar effect with their paint dabbers. giving the class made me fall in love with my paint dabbers and alcohol inks all over............so i had to do a tag when i got home. of course i also had a little class money to spend on a new paint dabber or two! the only things on this tag that are not from Tim Holtz are the ribbon and the dove stamp. (Whiff of Joy). i used the paint resist technique - for those of you who don't know, that is when you stamp with a paint dabber and blend your distress ink over it, and let it dry. you then blend your distress inks over it, and wipe it with a damp cloth or baby wipe to reveal the painted image. i then stamped Tim's flourish with Distress Embossing Ink and added Walnut Stain Embossing powder. i waited until it cooled off, and then i rubbed the powder to get the release crystals going. if you enlarge the picture, you will see the wonderful distressed look it gives. i then took a circle fragment and added Stream and Espresso Alcohol inks to it, glued it onto the bottom with Glossy accents, and put the Dove on top of it. Oops, i actually first stamped the quote with black Archival Ink. i then took a little grunge flourish from my elements pack that i bought in the USA in 2008 ( i am so STINGY with this set!!!) and i painted it with my Stream Paint Dabber and when it was dry, scratched it quite heavily with Tims' Tonic Scratcher, and rubbed some Vintage Photo Distress ink into it, and also wiped the excess with a baby wipe. glued that on and finished it with a ribbon.
i really hope you like it and any feedback will be appreciated!
while i was stamping this quote, it made me think of something that really moved me this week. yesterday, as i was doing my Bible Study, i was reminded that the Spirit of Jesus was described in 1 Corinthians 13. now we have all heard that chapter MANY times - at weddings, when people preach etc. but i read it again. and did you know that the 5th characteristic of love is that it is not easily offended. the New King James Version has it as "(love) is not puffed up" . the Student's Life Application Bible says " Love is not irritable" . The New International Version says "(Love) is not easily angered". American Standard Version says "(Love) is not provoked". and this has been brewing in my head since then. i am very easily offended. i take things very personally. if a guy takes my parking, i think he has something against me PERSONALLY. if my husband does not KNOW (without me saying anything) that i have had a bad day and i need him to be extra nice to me, i get upset with him, and i get all puffed up. what does he say? he wants to know how is he supposed to know that i was having a bad day - every time he asks me, i have a good day. so he just assumes i have good days all the time!! and it made me realise that when i get offended, irritated, provoked, angered, irritated or puffed up, it does damage to ME, not the person that supposedly caused it - they are mostly unaware that they have even done something remotely wrong!!! so, when i saw this quote, it made me think that i can really start to make a new ending - i can stop being so easily offended, and just let most things BE. i also printed the characteristics of the Spirit of Love and put it where i have to see it every time i go into my bedroom. one day at a time, but i want to really BE the Spirit of Love to the people who interact with me. you know, the delinquents of the world were inexplicably drawn to Jesus. He did not judge and they somehow felt that - a touch, a word, a meal - nothing grand. He did not come for the righteous - he came for the baddies in the world.............and sometimes we meet people on a daily basis and we are not even aware of it, whom we should present Love to - just by the way we ARE. simply with a smile, a friendly greeting and some patience...........small gestures that can have a HUGE impact!! just think a little of the way other people perceive you...........i had to really think hard and fast about the image i send out to the world, and i did not really like what i saw all the time...........
anyway, have a SUPER evening - i am sure i might be back with some cards tomorrow night (or something!!!!) sleep tight everyone!! xxx