September 28, 2009 Autunno A Cassano...

Autunno A Cassano (A.K.A. Autumn In Cassano)



This papercut is for my friend, Sue, and her family. They are moving back to the States. It is another hard move for me. Not only is Sue my friend, but her oldest son, N., is one of Luca's dearest friends. He does not have many, so it stinks that they will not grow up together.

I am grateful, though, that we have had them as a part of our lives. We actually have not spent that much time together, but... the time we HAVE spent has been so enjoyable.

We miss you already, Sue, A, and family. God bless you, keep you safe, and draw your hearts closer to His. We love you, and look forward to when we can be together again.

Mozi Esmé: Review/Giveaway: The Princess and the Three Knights

Mozi Esmé: Review/Giveaway: The Princess and the Three Knights

I would seriously love to have this book!!!

September 19, 2009 Autumn Is Upon Us!...

Autumn Pleasures...

Another Autumn is upon us, and with it many changes. In preparation for the routines that Nature follows, the leaves will change color, if you have those kinds of trees near you, which I mostly do not. I miss that.

But we do have many fruit and nut bearing trees that are known to this area. So harvesting is just round the corner.

In all of the changes that are overtaking the scenery and routines, with summer over, school begun and harvesting being prepared for, there is also, today, the birthday of my oldest nephew. He is 24 today. Amazing. To think, he was just turning 14 when I first met him. And now, he is a man.

Life is definitely full of changes. I have said it many times before. It is sad sometimes to see how quickly it all goes, but... at the same time, it is very exciting.

I look forward to seeing where the Lord directs your life, Ale. May your heart always be directed to follow in His steps and where He leads you.

With so much love,
Zia Celita

September 18, 2009 As Promised... THE WINNER IS...

NATHALIE THOMPSON!!! You are the winner!!! Click her name or click HERE to find out more about Nathalie and her lovely, creative blog and her Etsy Store.

Browse around and be amazed at the endless creative possiblities that are around you, too. Have fun being creative!!

celita

September 13, 2009 Romani 12:12...

Romani 12:12 (AKA Romans 12:12 Says, "...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer..."



Life is full of so much change. I have always been challenged by the "hellos and goodbyes" of life, sometimes by death, sometimes by moves, sometimes by a change of interest, sometimes just because.

Today is the last day a cousin-friend of ours will be living in our small town. She will be leaving very early in the morning to move to Milan. We will miss her very much. She is great with my kids, is a sweetheart, and is a part of this community. It will be odd not having her around, maybe indefinitely, but I do not mourn her going. Rather, I just want her to always remeber that wherever she goes she is not alone. I, we, desire that "God protect her, keep her, make His face shine upon her and be gracious to her, and that He give her peace", but we also look forward to seeing the growth and maturation that will become "her" while away from all she has ever known.

God go with you, Titzy. Vi vogliamo tanto bene!!! (We love you so much, T...)


By the way, click HERE to enter my upcoming giveaway. You have until September 17, 2009!!!

Our 10th Wedding Anniversary Card (mine to my hubby)...

This is the card I made for my husband for our 10th wedding anniversary. See my message to him HERE...

And join in a giveaway I am hosting in honor of this special day HERE!!!

A Mix Of Days...

Today is an odd mixture of anniversary days for me...

Please click HERE to see what I wrote about it.

Have a great day!

OOH!! A Prompt Journal...

I love this idea... a prompt journal.

"20 library book pocket cards, bound together with sturdy chipboard covers,
and using a lovely patina-ed antique silver wire.
This handy little prompter measures approx. 3" x 5".
Of course, every page has a book title which suggests something to write about or
illustrate. It could also be used for a spontaneous game of charades!"

That is what my blogging friend, Nathalie, says as she describes a giveaway she is hosting to win one such prompt journal. I love it and would totally use it.

If you are interested in putting in your comment to win as well, click HERE!!!

Try to do something creative today, and have fun doing it!!

I will do just that! :-)

Papercut Giveaway!!!... (see below)

In honor of my and my husband's 10th wedding anniversary which is coming up in a few days, and because I have reached my 100th post on this blog, I thought I would host another papercut giveaway. What do you say? Are you up for it?

I would like you to answer this question, as a way to comment and possibly encourage others as well...

"Which verse, quote, or saying has inspired you in your marriage? And why has it touched you?"

For me, there are SO many, but I cannot let go of the idea that we are to "encourage one another daily". I know that I often think of it for my friends, my family members, my kids, but... I have a clearer understanding that it especially applies to my husband.

And, in those moments, which have been many, when I have not known HOW to encourage Him, I have gone and prayed to our Maker and Best Friend, Jesus, imploring Him to give me ideas since He knows and loves my hubby even better than I do. You see, He knows each of us down to the very cores of our beings, the things we think, feel, hear, see, breath. He loves each of us intentionally and intensely. I cannot be that to anyone without His help. For His is a pure, true, and holy love. So, when I ask Him into my marriage, my days, our joys and challenges, it gives us, as a couple, and our family, the opportunity to see God do amazing things, with love, and according to His perfect plan for each and every one of us.

I desire to trust in, cling to, rely on, believe in and live for Jesus with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Yes, there are moments when we, I, are weak, tired, discouraged, frustrated, but that does not change the fact that God is still there, wanting to be a part of our days, our lives, and each moment.

Lord, take my marriage, my family. I dedicate it to you once again. Make "beauty from our ashes" and bring to completion the work that You have begun in us. Thank you for loving each of us so much. Help me, my family and friends, and each reader to feel Your presence and be drawn into the sweetness of your rest, comfort, joy, and peace. Amen.

The verse in 1 Corinthians that says "(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...!" has also had great impact on me.

To enter the giveaway:

1) For one entry, leave a comment on this post answering the above questions (INCLUDE YOUR NAME SO I KNOW WHO IS LEAVING THE COMMENT ALONG WITH A WAY TO CONTACT YOU).

2) To leave a second comment for a second chance to win, link me on your blog and come back here with the info on where I can find where you did so. (leave a separate comment from #1's comment) AND (INCLUDE YOUR NAME SO I KNOW WHO IS LEAVING THE COMMENT ALONG WITH A WAY TO CONTACT YOU)

The giveaway will be open until September 17, and I will inform you of the winner on the 18th.

Weave Your Way In Me, Lord...

This is how I feel about my papercuttings... It is my own tangible way to understand God's own role in being Creator, Master, Artist of my life. I have an idea which I draw out in pencil. I correct, adjust, and organize, then I cut it out carefully, anticipating that, with each snip or slice, I am getting closer to the official surprise piece of art. I am never 100% sure how a piece will come out, but I love that rush of hope and joy that fills me as I see it all coming together.

I love that God KNOWS the perfect way to Create, Correct, Adjust, Organize me and my life. He does not guess, but KNOWS. I can trust that He really does see the whole picture, and He knows what is best. His seeing is for the past, the present, and the future, and my ways, in every sense, are known to Him.

Weave Your way in me, O Lord!!

Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."

And...

Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Corrie ten Boom Quote: (which I remembered when looking at Mud And Coffee's blog... Thank you for the reminder!!)


MY LIFE IS BUT A WEAVING

My life is but a weaving
between my God and me,
I do not choose the colors
He worketh steadily.

Oftentimes He weaveth sorrow
and I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper
and I the underside.

Not 'til the loom is silent
and the shuttles cease to fly,
will God unroll the canvas
and explain the reason why

the dark threads are as needful
in the skillful Weaver's hand,
as the threads of gold and silver
in the pattern He has planned.

Less is more???...

I have had to do some soul-searching both spiritually and creatively in the last few minutes, and I realized... I am not a fan of "less is more"!! In my papercuts I have come to relish color, while still appreciating the works of fellow papercutters whose work is more muted in tone.

I am going through a phase, let us call it, of wanting color, color, and more color. And less color is not satisfying to me.

The last two cuts I made are an exception, though. There is a time for everything, it says in Ecclesiastes, and those two cuts needed to be more calm.

I have seen that my life, in general, often reflects little desire to live with "less". It is easy to fall into the "unsatisfied" mode and always want more, more, more, but... It is never quite satisfying, is it?

I think there is a good reason why Paul says in the book of Corinthians that he had learned "in whatever state I am in, to be content"... He learned the value of doing with what he had, the value of suffering and still being able to praise and give glory to God with thanksgiving in spite of it.

Ouch! Not such easy lessons to learn, I tell you, but I am learning that I need that.

CONTENTMENT...

"Less is more" may not always be comfortable, may not be what I always want, but... Who actually said, or why would we think, that "having it all" is better in the long run?

September 7, 2009 Sister-in-law Birthday Cut...

Isaiah 26: 3-4

Says, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord is everlasting strength."

That was the verse that touched my heart today. As I did this papercut, I originally thought of the title "I surrender all"; but this verse came to mind as I was brainstorming, and it fit PERFECTLY. So... God inspired the title, since I was not on that track.

Peace is not something we can naturally attain, as some people might try to make us believe. It isn't just about a white flag that we wave in surrender to our will, or some other more powerful force, or otherwise. It IS, rather, found in trusting and surrendering to God above, who knows the best way for each of us. When we trust in, cling to, rely on, and believe in Him as a small child does to his father, we learn that He directs us, guides us, challenges us to grow in His loving way, and He gives us "strength for today and hope for tomorrow". His discipline is not to destroy us, but... to make us better and help us.

Ironic? Maybe so. But, I guarantee that we will be much better off if we lean on Him instead of ourselves.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

You may be a good person, but the smallest sins that exist in our lives mess up all the goodness. It is like mixing just a smear of dog poop into a chocolate cake. Putting it that way, "a little goes a long way" in destroying the goodness.

God's standards of goodness are not our own. He regards a lie as murder, and lust as adultery. That is intense, but His ways are perfect. He plans are perfect. If we do not surrender to His ways, and trust in them, we will always struggle to have peace, hope, inexplicable joy, and true and amazing Love in our lives.

Those things and all things truly good are found in God, whom loves and cares for us.

September 6, 2009 Just Back From The Beach...

We have just returned from the beach. Although I took my papercutting equipment with me, I did not have the opportunity to do any cuts. :-( I was sad about that, but I believe that my creative break was also a little necessary.

Anyhow, here is the newest cut based on a wooden piece of art that we picked up from someone selling them on the beach. I loved it at first glance, knew I wanted it, and knew I wanted to see how I could do a papercut on it.

(Note to my papercutting buddies: is that allowed?)




Blessed And Joyful...


That is how I feel about motherhood, even with all of its challenges, difficulties, and passing milestones... I miss my babies already, for my baby is a toddler now, and my others are getting so big so very fast. sigh...




This is the wooden piece of art that we bought, alongside the papercut. There are some differences that I added or took away in making the cut. I really like it... It is very simple, but lovely.


This papercut is a gift to a very good friend of mine, Kathy. She just celebrated her birthday while we were away.

Kathy, Love you. Happy Belated Birthday!!!

If you desire to see it in larger form, just click the picture.