Thank you for taking time to visit, and I hope I am even a tiny bit helpful as I have been helped and blessed by so many others. I have been doing Calligraphy since teens, and card making for many years as well. In 1990 I delighted in the joys of stamping with ink and embossing after a trip to Cairns, Qld. In 2009 I discovered the brayer, 2010 the Cuttlebug, also have now taking to reading up on crafting blogs and lo! Here I am, on one of my own.

I live on the coast of eastern Australia. I am a Christian. I trusted in the LORD down here at the beach, amazingly it is not far from where I now live. It was over 50 years ago, after a Beach Mission Service at the age of 12 years

Friday 29 March 2024

Illuminated Work + Why is Good Friday Good?

  Hullo there everyone! 
Hanging on my bedroom wall is a printed Illuminated text. A lot of my texts are similar to it as  is the book I learnt from see - here it is
Isn't it a beautiful verse? 
It is the true reflection of what occurred on Good Friday all those years ago. On a rocky hillside, in sorrow and pain, a young Man shed His blood on a cross - a shameful, sinful death.
WHY?
Years ago (over 50) I well remember my sister's teacher and I were on a beach hillside near where I live now, and she asked if I knew why Jesus had died? 
I said, " No."
.. and so she told me He had died for my sin, and the sins of everyone. 
Now I was a child.. and you may wonder - how a child can have sinned?
.. but believe you me, there was not argument at all from me on that point.
I knew I had done wrong.. and that was sin.. but that Jesus had died to take away my sin totally blew me away. 
That memorable day, when I saw Jesus on the cross for my sin, has lived evermore for me in these words of this hymn.
 There Is A Green Hill Far Away
There is a green hill far away, without a city wall,
Where the dear LORD was crucified, Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell what pains He had to bear,
But we believe it was for us He hung & suffered there.  
 
He died that we might be forgiven, He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heaven, saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin,
He only could unlock the gate of Heaven, and let us in.

Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, & we must love Him too, 
And trust in His redeeming blood & try His works to do. 
By C.F. Alexander
  This is a hymn from my childhood - link here or see below.

 
Jesus is our Living Redeemer, Saviour and Friend - if we have sought salvation in Him, the Lord Jesus.
"God sent His Only Begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him."
1 John 4:9
This is why Good Friday is Good.
By faith in Him we have the certain hope of life forevermore with Him. 

The Easter story. The gift of His transforming love. The reminder of what Jesus has done for us.
His sacrifice brought us life.
Taken from a Dayspring e-card
There is sadness in the story. There is pain in the story. There is death. But there is more. The whole story includes the beauty of Easter. 
The triumph. 
The joy.
I would dearly love that all who read this might know that Beauty, Triumph, and Joy.. in Jesus.

I would like to close with a very early Illuminated text done in the early 1990's. 
(sorry, it is very poor "best-can-do" enhanced image - bad flare from old camera, etc. not digital.)
 The observant among you will realise it's the verse done on the header of my craft blog. 
It is also on the very first post I did on my craft blog, back here, better photo there too of different one.
(I have done it four times now, three different colours, and one was duplicate of one on the header.
This, the original is the one and only one done in Aluminum leaf - very hard to work with but will not tarnish like silver leaf.)
May we all take time to ponder the importance of these words of the Lord Jesus, as He speaks to each of us - it will help to keep life with a real perspective. 
"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?"  
Mark 8:36
Zip, zero, zilch is the answer... 
The whole world will profit us nothing.
This is the whole key to Easter... Eternity... and what counts for eternity. 
May we live this truth.
 May God richly bless you wherever you maybe and thank you SO much for  making my day - being real encouragers!
Shaz in Oz.x
 
Personal update:
This post was originally done here here on my other blog, I'm not well so I'm not up to writing new posts at the moment. When I am quiet that is the usual reason. 
 
 However when we look at what Jesus suffered for us at Calvary, none of our suffering, though severe at times, can compare to those moments when (in the garden of Gethsemane) Jesus "sweated as it were great drops of blood, saying, "If it were possible ley this cup pass from me, nevertheless not My will but Thine be done." 
 
AND when Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, WHY hast Thou forsaken Me". 
 
It was at that moment our sins were on Jesus on the cross, and God the Father turned His back on God the Son. 
Depths of spiritual and physical suffering none but Jesus know.(see Isaiah 53 for prophecy of all this)
All for us!

 Would like to join these over with: Word Art Wednesday - here

Wednesday 7 February 2024

Male cards Shells 3D Embossing multi technique + Serviette Card + WOYWW + Snippets

 Warning- photo overload... again!

Well, true to my promise (or hopeful promise), this is my next monthly post! And believe you me, WARNING - loads of cards here, mostly so I remember what I've done! Lots of male cards early in year so try to use one idea as leaping off point, this time every card is different. Link each of techniques used. Several desks to share at Julia's WOYWW - What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Desk one with gessoed embossed foil (see link here) Don't have gesso so used watered down texture paste, worked just fine. The 3D EF was bought from Poppy Stamps, but was originally Sizzix 3D EF, both called "Shells". Male cards for 2024 but are different techniques so far! From this technique I learnt how to lightly brayer a fine layer of gold acrylic paint, so used it on a number of various techniques as the gold highlights it beautifully. NOTE: first time I did it made gold layer too thick. It's not shown in video technique, but prayer with trial and error won out. Don't give up too soon on a technique - I've learnt the hard way.
Desk 2 shows the embossed watercolour with DI then brayered gold highlights on top.

First card was this new technique (Splitcoast Stampers link here), it looks better in some lights/ angles than others. 

Alcohol ink on Alfoil (kitchen aluminium foil variety) backed on heavy cereal box card (NOTE: attach foil with tape, so doesn't move about). Texture is from a shell 3D Embossing Folder. At end brayered on top to highlight with very thin layer gold acrylic paint to catch the highlights. Greeting diecut out of another similarly coloured piece of foil on card.
Above watercolour technique on card 2.
Card 3 and 4 were actually brusho snipppets and used this technique blogged here with black Versafine on Embossing Folder (EF). One brayered with gold acrylic highlights and the other copper highlights.
This fifth card instead of black used on EF (Embossing Folder) tried a blue Distress Oxide, Peacock Feathers (?) you always have to do several lots of inking on folder no matter how inky your pad is, 3 to 4. Liked this one and while it was still wettish, added some iridescent EP but doesn't show much. Will try this again, was the last technique tried! 😍 
Last male card is again alfoil technique, my very first attempt where messed up paint application (so bit more golden!) but still managed to rescue it. The greeting is stamped on thin layer of cork too.
This is all male cards but first one, as it was already in Brisbane!
What was interesting is how varied this 3D folder could be made!

Next is a group of ladies cards all made with Serviettes, two are glittery.

One was blogged in last post but share a new card. The two glitter ones have DST with TH Rock candy glitter on them, all with assorted die cuts - most of mine now are disc. The purple one with butterfly is for my friend who loves them both!  My new favourite easy way to adhere very top layer of serviette to card is with spray adhesive. It's way easier! Last card (phew).

It's a Golden Wedding Anniversary card, the creamy Diecut was a gift from Marilyn in US, so coloured it with Gold Perfect Pearls. Greeting on computer, but frosted card meant had time to heat emboss in gold EP.

Now to some Aust photos.

The scene ones are from friend on FB post but are from here.
The rose is Apricot Delight (I think, lost label?) in garden at various stages. It has been as very hot here - just as it has been very cold in northern hemisphere. My nephew in Norway had great fun (not!) digging their car buried in very deep snow!

Thanks so much for popping over and saying hi, may God bless your day wherever you maybe.

Prayer hugs,
Shaz in Oz.x 
 
Thought of the day:
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18
Do you ever look at the way your country is going and despair... things are so different  NOW!
Or so it seems, yet this verse was written by King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived (who fell into folly despite his great wisdom).
Depite this, God's word is truth. This truth reverberated then in Solomon's time, in Jesus' day hundreds of years later and now our day two millennia later!
..  but surely it can be encouraging!
I am but one, but if one walks in obedience to God's Truth and teaching, God promises us we will be happy in it, not necessarily for it though! 
Or as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
 

AND I AM thankful in it, despite the daily struggles - I am so very blessed, especially in counting my blessings and name them one by one.
Praise Him!

Linking up also with:
1. http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/ Anything goes! All cards I've made as linked.
2. What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Over HERE at Julia’s 
3. Snippets playground 😃 over HERE! Male Card (fifth) with Peacock Feathers,  it was a brushos Snippet on back of a cereal box made ages ago. Loved how it turned out.
4. NBUS Challenge. The Alfoil Technique is new = never used before Schtuff, as is the Shell folder too. Link here https://mynbus.blogspot.com/2024/02/nbus-challenge-59.html?m=1
5. Allsorts Challenge -  anything goes option - Serviette card with glitter,  purple and butterfly! 

Wednesday 3 January 2024

Lunar pastes,+ 3D Embossing folders, Serviette Card, WOYWW, NBUS, Snippets

 Warning! Photo overload!

 Well, here is 2024! That happened in a blink?!! now rocketing through the 2020's, I decided, God helping me, was going to blog once a month. So here is January! I am not sure how long it will last. 

As it is Wednesday & is desk day! See "What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday", over HERE 😁 at Julia's .. so where’s my desk!?

This morning I was doing some old fashioned stamping with a Stamp-a-ma-jig, even though using an unmounted stamp (a very annoyingly made unmounted stamp - crooked on front image to back, but beautiful so I persist). Doing the old way is safer in having it straight, and shock horror! I'm making Christmas cards for 2024. I don't want to be as behind this year - last year was appalling. Next desk!


This is yesterday's desk, with Mister 14, we had great fun playing with lunar pastes, brayered on with embossing folders and die cuts, these are four cards he made! three with blue green lunar paste and deep blue solar paste for extra brilliance on turquoise, and purple orange and ? on other card. Dies all disc. but two folders 3D are NBUS & first use, floral (poppy stamps) and geometric Altenew folder (two cards on last image)
Desk no 3!

Now to my cards since last shared, quite a few. Some are remakes, needed a number of cards for a present for a very special lady, but first one is complete NBUS as used spectrum noir iridescent pens - see above desk, with a Poppy Stamps 3D Marigold Embossing folder. Both were Christmas presents. Saw technique on this video HERE, but I don't have right gold ink so did it on gold frosted cardstock, much easier. 😆



These are card techniques have been done before, some watercolor and stencil techniques. Designs though are slightly different to previous shares. 

Last two cards are out of my snippets drawer for “cards in a hurry”, the gumleaf birthday is a serviette card (alas only had one of these serviettes sooo beautiful), with SB border die and the watercolour sailboat is using gloss card with markers added ink colour, plus later blending, stamping a Darkroom Door stamp for male 80th card, verse stamp is Stampendous.

Now to Aussie photos, some roses, a one day cactus flower and fuchsia.



Last photo is your beach fix, on a walk some time ago.


I was horrified how long it I since I've taken photos, life has been too busy. I have a welcome summer visitor in ten days, so won’t be around much for rest of month, hence joining on first WOYWW. 

It is officially 12years since I first joined WOYWW! Yippee!

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek and chat!
May God bless your day wherever you may be. 
  Will do my very best in commenting, and truly appreciate your visits!

Shaz in Oz.x 

PS if you're struggling to comment on a mobile device like I was, select use Web version, it usually fixes all but embedded comment boxes that don't have anonymous activated. Those ones are impassable on mobiles.

Thought of the Day 

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

 Psalm 90:12.

Tomorrow is the 4th January, 2023 and 58 years ago was the most momentous day of my life!

 After learning this passage:
 (1 John 1: 7-9: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.") 
I was walking back to the tent with my sister’s teacher (yes, we camped here annually for over 20 years, near the beach where I now go swimming).
It was the Children's Special Beach Mission. They came there each year, run by Scripture Union, or CSSM as we called them...
My sister’s teacher was asking me as we walked back if I knew what these verses meant. 

Being 12, I had not really given it deep thought, but as we walked she explained how Jesus had died for all our sins, including mine on the cross and asked me if I would like to take Him as my Saviour. ?
To which I said yes, and so here is the spot (today’s photo) of where I prayed and asked the LORD Jesus to be my Saviour all those years ago. It is kind of hallowed ground to me. I remember I was told that the angels were rejoicing in heaven over a soul coming to Him, for forgiveness of sins.

My mother burst into tears when I went back to the tent and told her.
Years later (in my 20’s) I asked her why, she said because you looked so happy. And I was. I went down to the beach and sang my head off!! 
The promise of my home in heaven was what I had found, and a Friend Who would never leave me nor forsake me! No wonder I was so happy. I have found joy where joy would not be possible, in the simple faith of a child believing God and His word, and He has never EVER failed me.   

Linking up to:
 1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes, all three cards   http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  
2https://mynbus.blogspot.com/2024/01/nbus-challenge-58.html the Marigold 3D is NBUS, as are Thomas’ two cards with NBUS EF.
3. Allsorts challenge Anything Goes Allsorts
4. Linking over to Snippets playground with the Snippets drawer sailboat 80th card, as all snippets except card base.see here

Sunday 24 December 2023

“In the Fullness of Time, He came..” + Snippets Challenge + WAW

    Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth, yet He is often banished these days out of hearts and homes, stores and public locations… some even substitute X for Christmas calling it Xmas. 


X is an unknown quantity but Jesus is never that. For He is our LORD, our Saviour and coming King.

There are many prophetic passages promising Jesus would come, starting with Genesis 3:15 - man sinned, so our loving God promised a Saviour.

Another promised our coming Christ oft forgotten is of His second coming: the promise given by the angels when Jesus went back to heaven after His resurrection … .

“… HE SHALL COME AGAIN, IN LIKE MANNER AS YE SEE HIM GO into heaven”

 Acts 1:11

As in the fullness of time, ie God’s time Jesus came the first time, He was born, died and rose again - Paul says here: 

.. but when the fulness of the time was come, 

God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

to redeem (save, buy back) them that were under the law...” Gal 4:4

With Christ’s coming there were a few faithful ones in total expectation of the promised Messiah.

They were not surprised in unbelief that He should come as a babe not a conquering King was to rescue them from the Romans. 

Here’s a list of five but I’m sure there are more:

Elizabeth - the mother of John the Baptist was believing (though Zacharias, his father was struck temporarily dumb for his unbelief) Luke 1: 5-26, 40-45

Mary - Luke 1: 26-80

Joseph - Matthew 1:15-25, 2:13-23

Simeon - Luke 2:25-35 faithful prophecies were made by Simeon, to Mary.

Anna - Luke2:36, 38, at 84 yrs, she’d long waited, in expection. 

Two gospels tell of Christs birth.

Matthew gives it from Joseph’s perspective and dealing in angel appearances and Magi coming; Luke is Mary’s perspective, each also share their respective genealogies.

Are we likewise expectant that our beautiful LORD Jesus Christ will come again, AT ANY DAY, as promised?

 "THEREFORE BE YE ALSO READY for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”  Matt24:24

Will Christ find us ready longing for His coming as these faithful ones were at Christ’s first Advent? I pray so with all my heart, perhaps it might be today!

At Christmas time may Christ not be left out - but may we ALL remember the most important gift is not UNDER THE TREE,

BUT WAS PLACED UPON THE TREE TO DIE for our sin.

 
Praying earnestly that the real reason of Christmas shine brightly in your home and heart.
 
Just sharing some cards too, partly so I remember what I've made 😆😅, and sent out! The multi coloured cards are done on black card with Lunar Paste then embossed with various folders. 
Most of my cards this year were recycling, which is what the second one in this list here is, stamped with "Jesus is the reason of the season". Stamps are mostly wood mounts from 1990s.
May God richly bless your Christmas day wherever you maybe! And thank you so much for popping over especially if you’ve time for a comment, you are much appreciated.
 I’m with family and enjoying a lovely low key day. God is very good to me.
Prayer hugs,
Shaz in Oz.x
1. Linking over to Snippets playground with the Recycled card, as all snippets except card base.see here
2. Linking over to Word Art Wednesday for first five cards. link here
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