A Little Girl and a Little Boy (repost from December 8, 2020)

A Little Girl and a Little Boy {Old Timey-Times}

December 8, 2020

A few years ago, when I was knee-deep in mixed media projects, I made several little “board books.” I did not save most of those, but there is one that is very special to me. I happened to see that little book today and decided that a “look back” might be fun. In retrospect, I can’t believe how much time and effort I put into this book, but I’m so glad I did, because it is now even more special to me. I photographed the “pages” today and will share it here.

Talk about a “look back” into the “old timey-times!”

Note: This book is about my hubby and me, our first three grades of elementary school (we neither one went to kindergarten). But, we did not meet each other until my husband was starting 9th grade, and I was starting 7th grade. So, after the fact, after we were married even, I got some of his old pictures from his mom.

Another side note: Just for fun, at one point, I had a company make my own print handwriting into a digital font file. So, the printing on the little tags inside the pockets of the book is actually my own printing, though typed.

*In order to read all the little true stories that are on some of the tags, you may want to click to enlarge the photo.

The cardboard book is 6x6.

Loving This New Bible Study

A Beautiful Year in the Bible: The 52-Week Bible Study for Women (from Alabaster)

This Bible study is designed in such a way that when you finish it, you will have read through the Bible. It is not dated. You can take as long as you like. But it is organized by 52 topics, not by chronology or sequence. Each week begins with a direction to read a relevant passage in your own Bible, a brief thought about the topic, and then a list of Bible passages (from Old and New Testaments) to read each day of that week. After Day 1 of each week, the only “task” to complete each of the other 6 days, is to read a passage of Scripture. No homework, no reading of other people’s thoughts with each passage. Just reading the Bible.

So far, I love it. I am using a new Bible (CSB) and am enjoying using a highlighter as I read the passage each day. It’s so refreshing to just read the Bible (passages on that week’s topic).

I am in Week 3, New Beginnings, and the focal passage this week is Romans 5-6. (I am thinking about the dramatic new beginning in Paul’s own personal life.)

I am intrigued by these thoughts, quoted from today’s Day 1 devotional:

“‘Just as Christ was raised from the dead […] so we too might walk in newness of life.’ (Romans 6:4) This is a declaration that what might appear irreparably broken or too far gone can be transformed by God into something new, whole, and beautiful. Every aspect of our narrative can be refashioned by God into something new. Here, kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending breaks in pottery with gold, emerges as a poignant metaphor. Our past remain a part of us, much like the crack lines remain visible in the mended pottery. But God, the divine artisan, reshapes our fractured past into a future filled with promise. In kintsugi, the gold-filled cracks of restored pottery don’t just repair; they create new and previously nonexistent beauty. Likewise, through Christ, we are recreated—the grace and resurrection power of Jesus continually mend the places where we are chipped and cracked… Even paths marred by trials and mistakes are being transformed into landscapes of beauty and purpose. Amen.”

I absolutely love the kintsugi metaphor!

I will add this: This wonderful new beginning is made possible through Christ; however, it is up to the individual to accept this offer and personally experience His miraculous transforming power!

#NewBeginnings #ABeautifulYearintheBible #Alabaster #kintsugi #JustReadingtheWord

Enjoying Watercolor Again

Recently I posted a painting of two geese, and the main purpose of that painting was to “get me going again” with a hobby that was very enjoyable. I had been away from it too long, and the fear of not being able to “feel good” about my work again was a nagging enough fear to keep me from actually trying it again.

This week I have done an easy tutorial of a Tufted Titmouse, based on a lesson from Louise de Masi. I follow her through Patreon, and have done several of her tutorials through the recent years that I have been painting.

While it is far from being great, it’s good enough to make me realize that I am enjoying watercolor again, and that’s good enough for me right now.

This painting is using Schmincke professional watercolor paints and Artistico Extra White 100% Cotton Cold Pressed Watercolor Paper.

I am also starting a new Bible Study today. Looking forward to getting into this one—I have discovered that I LOVE spiral-bound workbooks, so it will lay flat for writing.

Slowly But Surely

Because I know it is good for me to have a hobby, I most definitely want to get back into the flow of watercolor painting on a regular basis. The only way to get past being “rusty” is to get back at it. 

So, I did it! But it is certainly not my best effort. In a way, I almost feel like I am starting over, even though it has only been a few months (okay, several months).

Also want to re-awaken my blog, so here goes a post with a watercolor piece I just finished (tutorial by Louise de Masi).

(These geese are not speaking to each other…..)

Proverbs 17:22 says: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (NIV)

Different Email Delivery Plan

Thanks to all who have faithfully followed my blog through automatic emails.

Mailchimp has been causing major problems, and I will not continue to use that service for automatic emails when I publish a new blog post. It is the service I have used for several years.

This will be the last post I publish that will be shared through Mailchimp. After this post is shared, I will be switching to a different email delivery service.

If you would like to continue to receive an email when I post, please go to my blog and sign up (again) to receive emails (the box in the right column that says “Get New Posts by Email” ). It just asks for your email address. The new posts will be shared through the new service. It will be seamless on your end, once you subscribe.

My blog address is https://scrappermamo.blogspot.com

Returning to Routine

After a long break from the blog, I will likely return to some of the routine things that have somewhat “fallen by the wayside” for these first few months of 2026. We have been extremely busy, and while my blog has never functioned as a “journal,” but rather more as a place to “share my art and my heart,” still the events of life have taken priority, and I have, of necessity, let some things “go.”

We are so thankful for how God has continued to bless us. Since January, these are the highlights, all good.

January - River, our fourth great grandchild was born (our grandson Conner and his wife Caroline live out here in the PNW, as do we). They now have two boys and two girls (Leeland and River, Lily and Oakley).

April - hubby Russell had a total knee replacement and is doing well with recovery. It has kept us both pretty busy.

June - our granddaughter Tory (also out here in the PNW) married a wonderful man Jonah (youth pastor); they look forward to serving God together in ministry; she teaches at the Christian school that is attached to his church. At their wedding, we were SO honored—Tory asked her Grandad (my hubby) to walk her down the aisle and give her away. Her daddy (our son Mark ) officiated the wedding, and her mom Kristy was the Matron of Honor. Tory asked me to play piano (actually keyboard, as it was an outdoor venue) for the wedding. Words fail to express how special this was for us. Her brother (Conner) led everyone in a praise song, “Goodness of God,” after the recessional. His wife (Caroline) was a Bridesmaid. Our oldest great grandson (Leeland) was the ring bearer (carrying a pillow handmade by my grandmother for my wedding), and our two great granddaughters (Lily and Oakley) were flower girls.

Our routine includes family dinner at our home after church on most Sundays. We are blessed to have three pastors (representing three churches) around our table for dinner (our son, starting his fourth church plant in a nearby town), our grandson (our pastor), and our new grandson-in-law. There are 12 of us now for Sunday dinner.

We continue to keep up with our Missouri family (sister Janene and husband David—who is my husband’s brother, my brother Keith and wife Michele, our daughter Sharida and husband Greg and family), with visits at least once a year (most of them were here for the wedding) and with virtual visits on Google Meet. Our grandson there, Dawson, is starting his junior year at our alma mater (Southwest Baptist University).

I have kept up with scrapbooking (huge deal these days with so many events to include), but I have not kept up with watercolor. That begins again today, and I will share a painting soon (if I can remember how to paint).

There are technology challenges, even with keeping the blog (things like, where are the pictures stored, do they disappear eventually?, etc.), so for now, I’ll just post this text update.

So, for those who have been wondering if I fell off the face of the earth, it has all been good, but back to more routine days now!

After 15 years, I’m also researching ways to export/back up the blog, for the time I feel like I’m ready to stop blogging!

Thanks to all who have been hanging in there with me—after this many years, I’ve had over 1,398,000 visits.