The Christ of Christmas + WOYWW

Yes, it’s that time of year, my favourite time, busy but fun! It’s also time for WOYWW which is will share below.

Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth, yet He is often banished these days, out of hearts and homes, stores and public locations.

However we mostly know Christmas is more than an excuse for gifts, family and food.

Mary at this time saw only in part: not as we do looking back - Christmas to Easter, through birth into death, then new life again, the defeat of death, at Christ’s resurrection. 
Seeing it from Mary’s point of view is quite different.
The greater the trial and sorrow, the greater the blessing given from our Father God, for He sees what we cannot.

Christ came in human form, in complete submission to His Father's will.

He yielded to the frailties of human flesh all the way to the cross. 
Mary was told that her soul would be pierced through with the suffering to come.

Luke 2:34-35
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

 This prophecy at Jesus' birth for Israel is still being fulfilled today, and also around the world. This virgin birth  of God's own Son is indeed "a sign which shall be spoken against"! 

Christ is still often condemned, as are His followers out of favour.

So in this celebration:
**May we shine the clear, pure light of Christ's birth, coming as Redeemer of mankind, as Emmanuel. "God With us".
**May only the Lord Jesus Christ be lifted up and no other replica to replace Him, or even be along side Him!

******

As it’s also WOYWW, or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday at Julia’s Stamping Ground.  

My desk earlier! True to season I’m starting to make some more Christmas cards for 2020. Actually really excited as this is the first crafting in a month. Those wondering re health report, I’m much better 😊. Not 100% but well on the way and incredibly grateful at how well my shin healed this time around! Yay! Praise God. 

Using Distress ink pads and Tombow watercolour pens on rectangle ink block. Colouring, spritzing, smooching on paper a number of times to get background. I go over each rectangle about three or four times till colour develops, and am happy.

Used backgrounds several ways.

This first card is a snippet base, odd size as piece white card, sitting on desk. Background I cut down as was messy in smooching and laid on navy snippet then gold rectangle CCD.

The verse is “For unto us a child is born” from Unity Itty Bitty Stamps. 

Washi tape across lower border.

Second card cut in Creatif Wonky rectangle. Stamped silhouette of Escape to Egypt, baby Jesus Stamp is by Nellie Snellen, inked in Versamark + ultrafine gold EP by Stampendous. Added some inky highlights. Mounted as shown.

Greeting by Poppy Stamps Joy to the World.

I’ve made other two up, but differently. I found this stamp difficult on watercolour card, an excellent quality artist pad, freebie from a garage sale, but rough surface not ideal for stamping. Will share later.

Would love to say the fires and drought are all gone, but now in just NSW, an area the size of Wales is burnt. It’s astronomical, almost 1,000 homes in NSW since started in Sept and in last week two volunteer firefighters were killed (young dads, sooo sad) and others injured with burnt falling trees.

 Oh, please, Lord, please send rain soon. We have had rain, showers though and soaking drought breaking rain is needed.

And oh SO many fires, too many, started deliberately! 

That beggars belief. 😢

Lord bless you all dear ones, thank you to so many who’ve sent me cards, I’m sorry to those I missed out. 

Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, our Lord and our Saviour.
Christmas is remembering this, as able, with God's family, as well as our own family and friends Whom God has given us.
How blessed are we!

O may we walk this Christmas time, and every moment of every day God gives in the presence of Emmanuel "God with us" (Mat. 1:23).
For when God is truly with us, we will live for Him and love Him only.

May the LORD bless your day, wherever you maybe!

Prayer hugs, 🙏🏻🤗🙏🏻🤗🙏🏻

Shaz in Oz.x

How true is this today? And every day? 
Corrie ten Boom is a Nazi concentration camp survivor. She saw it all as a young teen.. her own sister murdered and more. 

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. All cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/
2. Snippets Playground 

Snippets and Scrappy Mo’s Christmas challenge + WOYWW

Well, will try to be brief, not 100% here - more of that later, am here for crafty share. So pop over to Julia’s for WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday at Julia’s Stamping Ground! Also linking up with the last Christmas challenge over at Scrappy Mo’s here.

This is actually last Wednesday desk, but no time to share. In middle of making a birthday card for a dear friend in nursing home in Melbourne, using 2010 SU chalks. With fingertip adding little highlight with appropriate colour around embossed edge of die. I chuckled when a video crafter said we have the best ink dauber on the end of our hand, fingers! inks work too, somehow it’s more subtle. 

Surprise with next announcement, I’ve made all my Christmas cards and mailed them!
Yesterday  had my lesion removed from right shin 🙁 and yes, it’s hurting lots. 
I knew it would, and worked like crazy to get all done, now I can lie on bed and read, as must be elevated..

Firstly sharing Christmas cards, these number 15 in total, quick & easy but varied style with a topper.  Love Nativity image and “He is still found of them that seek Him”
 Oh, that all would!
Washi used on most of them, few embossed.

This Christmas card was using a diecut negative as stencil, with DI colours + coloured pencils too, Nellie Snellen Nativity Stamp in Versafine blue embossed and Sweet Poppy die Stamp set Joy to world, white embossed.

Last card is completed birthday card Die is SB Gold labels 8, ODB lace border, Lala land filigree die. Lots of snippets on card - the small piece of digi paper was sitting around for months, in “use it or else” bag, white snippets for other pieces.
Verse is Stampendous Stamp, in Versafine Imperial Purple, embossed. Love verse from Ps 91. Will share at end.

Last images are again local on fires, our fire now controlled (praise God) but still growing, and largest (183,000 hectares = 452,000 acres).

The first image is a new fire started overnight in mountains west of here.

Next is image one of Darryn Michelle’s home late yest, their property was the badly drought affected farm shared a month ago - that’s a storm in background, brought good rain but bad winds lost part of roof but RFS and SES put tarps over it.

Last two are good coming out of bad. 

First is my hometown in high school years, where “Blaze-aid” volunteers are rebuilding fences for farms in some difficult terrain. Hard work working with barbed wire and fencing tools!

Last image shows God’s blessing, a lot of Australian fauna depend on fires for flowering, fires are so much part of environment here. These beautiful Christmas bells used to flower here where live, before homes were built.

For those who think I’m writing this sitting at a computer, don’t worry I’m lying in bed with leg elevated, writing on iPad. To be honest leg wouldn’t let me do other wise. I write all my posts on iPad these days, add images and edit on Android phone. Both on Chrome, Google talks to Google but is limited with Apple, unless download an app.

Well, that’s it for me, I pray with all my heart that soon drought breaking rain is here, we have had some small amounts and larger amounts in needed areas and grateful for it, but praying for much more, presently over 100 fires in our state..
God bless your day wherever you maybe, and keep you and those you love safe,
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

Thought for the day:

This chapter in Psalms is sometimes called the Christian’s insurance policy.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 

He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:1-2

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. All cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/
2. Snippets Playground using lots on birthday card.

3. Mos Christmas challenge 
4. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Any thing Goes

Ros’ French 70th card, Snippets + WOYWW

What a difference a week makes. Things topsy turvey here. Many evacuations yesterday in town, north west south of here, due to severe fire threats across North coast,into Sydney, Hunter district.

Mercifully I'm not near timbered bush but beach. Am continuing to earnestly & often to pray for rain, BECAUSE until we have it , this rollercoaster will not go away. Now watching weekend.
“.. a sunburnt country - of drought and flooding rain” to quote a well known poem. For us, a balance would be good.
My desk is distracted today because I am.

Do pop over to Julia’s for WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday at Julia’s Stamping Ground!
On the far left is a contemplative pile... or what am I going to do next? I did actually go with top Brusho stencilled piece from few weeks back, as you’ll see below. At back is usual collection, far right you can just see a messy Milwaukee heat gun, that is 26 years old, still going strong! Well remember it cost an astronomical $60 in 1992! Next is mug of black tea which I think I managed to drink hot, not cold! 

To cards, this first card is order by family member in exchange for one of his birthday gift certificates. Ros' 70th birthday card is of her favourite location in France. The image is a painting entitled Beaune by CP Logan (she’s a French lecturer at Uni, so hope the French greeting from Google is right, it’s supposed to say “Best Wishes on your 70th birthday”).

The corners are from SB marvellous Square, 2nd largest die, EF is Embossalicious Regency Swirls.

The second card was asking to be made! I’d fiddled with this from two weeks ago when it was pastel shades, with TH Mosaic stencil (extended) in glittery paste on base card from recycled food box. Not happy .. added more brushos spritzed and dried. 
Die cut frame with Poppy Crafts Double Stitched rectangles, largest die. Added frame to card base, flat then popped up the internal rectangle. 
Used more snippets to multi due cut MB Chloe stem, extended the stem on the second one, the birthday die, is a CCD. When die cut the rectangle piece flattened the stencilled mosaic which I really liked.
Now the Australian photos today.
Sharing past week on the north coast, sadly 150+ homes and three lives lost at weekend. Last night (Tues12) 50+ homes were lost, 3 were just out the back areas of our town.

This is our town 4pm yest.. 

and 7pm at creek yesterday. The blanket of smoke was actually a Godsend, for the blanket meant the winds and temperatures were not as bad as predicted. 
As the cloud went before the children of Israel and kept the Egyptians from attacking, so the Lord kept worse happening yesterday, as it often is in our lives. I heard amazing stories of people who had everything around them go up in flames but some how they did not!! Prayer works, I've (&others) prayed for such miracles.

And so we pray on for properties, human lives and animals. Many are suffering as the next few photos show from FB. This poor kookaburra south of here, is a striking silhouette on a fiery landscape. The firies are simply amazing. I cannot thank them enough.

This Sat night at Nymbodia, is the area north west of here. Our fire is biggest in NSW, fire front is over 1,000km (621 miles) long 150,000 hectares 370,660 acres, burning since mid  Sept. 
Our fire has joined to four other fires, that make up roughly same size again, so over a third of million hectares, or 700,000 acres.
That is incomprehensible to be honest.

This comparison may help comprehension, as roos flee before the flames.
Numbers are out of date already. As one million hectares burnt in NSW alone😥😥😥.

Last one for today, such a pretty cactus flower, they last about 2 days, soo big, roses are pretty at moment too but not had rain either of them.

On other news, start new meds on Fri 😊. 
Also having at another excision on my right shin on Tues 26th, two inches above last one. 
Life is never dull. It will be stitches in three weeks, this time to make sure it doesn’t open, like last one, stitches only 2 weeks, May 15th. At least looks like this one is not malignant, just very fast growing, glad I jumped on it quickly. 
Well, that’s it for me, I pray with all my heart that this time next week I’ll be sharing rain again. At least all the rain of two weeks ago means 
those areas out west aren’t burning, a blessing indeed. It's places that missed that rain that are burning.
God bless your day wherever you maybe, and keep you and those you love safe,
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
Thought for the day: 
God sends rain, blessings even to the unworthy..

We're a nation of sinners, who've willfully disobeyed God's holy laws (eg "love your neighbour as yourself").
I must continue watchful in prayer for a sinfilled Oz, as this rollercoaster has not ended.. till rain comes in God's great mercy. 
We never ever do deserve any of His blessings.

Do click on this, and read, it's a beautiful prayer. May God keep tgem all safe, and draw them to Himself too.

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. Two cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/
2. Snippets playground  http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/2019/11/pixies-snippets-playground-challenge-365.html?m=1 card 2 is all snippets except card base. Food packet for Brushos piece.

Ink Resist Stamped Sympathy + Christmas + WOYWW

Well, yes, back again, like the proverbial bad penny 😁 
‘Tis Wednesday, so it’s time to pop over to deskland for WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday at Julia’s Stamping Ground!

My desk has a recurring theme, a little like last week, but using diecuts instead of stamp for greeting. Another card in snippets on right hopefully. 
Seem to need to put scissors away there on top left, it’s pile!

I’ve a question for all wise crafters out there.

I need a gold Embossing or texture paste. 

What’s your favourite gold stencil paste, please???

I wasn’t 100% over only gold I’ve owned which was Dreamweaver - on colour + tendency to dry out.
Hard to source here, so few ideas from folks who’ve used them would be great!
Well, just two cards today.
First partly on desk with nativity CCD from last week, inked background like last week. Used Embossalicious Regency Swirls EF with CCD die set sentiment of “Wise Men still seek Him”.

I really like this sentiment, but must confess found the layering tedious! 
Although leaving bottom words in white card base and adding each layer on top helped. Then lifted up each word as one thick layer, this made it much easier. 
Used T ruler to make sure they were straight and balanced (have fixed two errors didn't see till saw photo🤔).

Second card was in my Almost Made Up bag, it’s a SU very old stamp of silhouette daisies stamped in white EP, added ink resist and mounted ages ago.

The stamped greeting is sympathy set by Inspired to Stamp.
Now to Aussie photos. Quite few so you may skip, but so pretty very many of them! Taken by family travelling over a month ago in Western Australia, four hours flight or more from here.

We drove up to Cape Peron which is the most northern tip of Francois Peron National Park. It was a varied 4WD track. We set out in the rain, still very windy. Rain made the track sticky, and the clay pans a little slippery. As drove further north there was little rain, so the track was drier. Then it was very soft sand but so very bumpy 😳😳 The coastal views with the red sandhills, white sand on the beach, and aquamarine coloured water was simply stunning. Strong winds were not conducive to seeing any sharks, giant manta rays, dugongs or dolphins - a little disappointing. However, we had a fantastic day and this part of the coast is certainly a unique part of Australia. Springtime in W.A. is so varied!

The drive through the National Park to all the walks did not disappoint with wildflowers.. although some had finished many were in full bloom! We even managed to find a couple of Mangles Kangaroo Paw which was beautiful.

Our stay in Kalbarri was very windy for all but the last day. The coastal drive was well worth it despite the strong winds and rough seas. The rugged coastline was interesting and the Natural Bridge was the stand-out of all the stops.

It was here that and we managed to find a great specimen of the Murchison rose.... the others were all too windblown! It was too windy for any whales or dolphins but the gorge walks we found to be more spectacular than the coastline here.

Down on the waterfront there is a unique piece of public art. It’s an intriguing 1.5metre sphere named Horizon by artist Lucy Humphrey. It turns the world upside down because of the water inside and how the light reflects off it.

UPDATE - Drs visit had good and not so good results, but hopefully new meds just beginning on PBS will help. Start next week, time will tell, I pray so.

On our rain front. MUCH answered prayer over weekend. I sat up late into Sun night, watching, praying over towns, naming them one by one, on the Bureau of Meteorology map. 
Much rejoicing as the rain bands pulsed across, and numbers in green showed rainfall. 

Darryn & Michelle at Carroll had 22mm (almost an inch) praise God, and Bourke had almost 100mm. It was amazing to see water lying around in giant lake-like paddocks, and FB videos of old farmers dancing and running around jumping in it like kids! The joy of rain.. in Oz.

Praying on for spiritual and physical rain upon our land. May God have mercy as VERY much more of both is needed. Some towns out of water had none, but it was amazingly wide-spread, good falls. 

We had none too.. but we’ve more access to water here.
Well, that’s it for today, sorry long rambling post but folks ask, so I update. 
Thanks for popping over particularly if you’ve time for a chat, it’s deeply appreciated. 
May God bless your day wherever you maybe.
Prayer hugs,
Shaz in Oz.x 
Thought for Today:
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

This is what prayer is for believers - prayer is chatting, talking to our Heavenly Father, over big and little things, just like we would our earthly dad. 
God loves us, knows us like no one else does - what concerns us, concerns Him. 
So sitting, kneeling, walking or working we can be praying..
Casting my care upon Him knowing He cares for me.
God gets it.. the length, depth, breadth of our burden.
We can trust Him with it.
If we are trusting in the dear Lord Jesus alone for salvation, then nothing is too big for Him. 

Linking Over To:
1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. Two cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/

2. http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2019/11/chnc-challenge-462.html?m=0
3. http://helenscrafthaven.blogspot.com/2019/11/abc-christmas-challenge-w-x-are-for.html?m=1 W for Wreath X for FauX. My nativity scene is in a faux bauble.
4.https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-67/