Happy Birthday, Vista Ysleta United Methodist Church

Today we celebrated the 100th birthday of our church, Vista Ysleta United Methodist Church in El Paso, Texas. We enjoyed a yummy catered bbq lunch...shared fond memories...recognized our "old" members...and had fun with skits and special music.

The Ladies Aid Society presents a skit remembering the good ol' days of the church. (That's me with the white hat on the far right.)

"Oh, my. Those bygone days were hot with no air conditioners in our little church."

We were treated to beautiful music by a string quartet during our lunch.

Our oldest member is 101 years old and has been a member of the congregation for 69 years. Wow! Many other "old timers" we recognized as well.

Happy Birthday, Vista Ysleta UMC. May God bless us for another 100 years and more. May we always be in His service.

Teaching Tim's Talent...

I had the opportunity to teach my first ever stamping/scrapbooking class yesterday at The Stamp Act in El Paso, Texas. (Thanks, Polly!) Our morning class was the Tim Holtz Journey Journal from Creative Escape 2009. Polly and I picked some lovely brown and blue papers with flocking for our version of the book. In the afternoon, I taught a version of the Tim journal that I designed entitled "Home For The Holidays". It used cute paper with houses, another with presents, and another with trees. All nestled in one of those cute lil' suitcases. Polly had some wonderful poinsettias for the pages to add that warm Christmas feel.

Some of the ladies in the afternoon class show off their finished books. Thanks, Gals!
Adding the finishing touches...lots of wonderful idealogy goodies and Tim hardware.
Having fun distressing...and de-stressing. Lots of stuff to distress in this lil' book.

More distressing..Totally Tim!

I'm Teaching a Tim Holtz Inspired Class

Here I am with the Terrific Tim Holtz at Creative Escape 2009 where I had the opportunity to make this too cute journey journal in a mini-suitcase. Luv it...and Tim!

Now I will be teaching this class to other wonderful women. Thanks, Tim!

So I then made a "Home For The Holidays" Christmas Memory Book...

...complete with poinsettas (dusted with Rock Candy Stickles) and Christmas gifts paper.

...and pockets to place those treasured photos.

Check it out at The Stamp Act in El Paso, Texas. If you're in the area, we'd love to have you join us! The more...the merrier!

Hugs and Kisses to you all...especially Tim!

Relaxing and Refeshing Ruidoso

In the mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico during the Aspenfest Weekend...

Meet my new friend! :D He was visiting outside our cabin...with his fish to share!

The splendor of the aspens as they change colors...brilliant and breath-taking beauty.

Saturday morning along the Ruidoso River. Cool, clear mountain water. Blessings...

Little cabin in the woods...Forest Home Cabins in Ruidoso, New Mexico. So cozy.

My boyfriend/significant other and I spent a wonderful relaxing and refreshing weekend in the mountains of New Mexico this past weekend. We drove up Friday evening and stayed in a wonderful cabin on the Ruidoso River.

Then on Saturday we had a delicious breakfast while waiting for the Aspenfest parade to pass through town. Went to the wonderful store of DeCarol Jewelry. Of course I couldn't resist taking home one of her gorgeous rings. :D Love the cross on the side...

Next we went to the Aspenfest Arts and Crafts Show in the park. Cool and rainy, but such fun. Had hot chocolate...with extra whipping cream...and pistochio carmel popcorn from a local pistachio farm. Yum! Bought some wonderful cashmere and silk shawls.

Then we drove the beautiful winding mountain road over to Cloudcroft, New Mexico were we went to another arts and crafts show...and visited more little shops full of unique finds. More awesome handmade arts from people with like passions - giving of their hearts through their hands.

God's glory was everywhere. Thanks, mi amor, for sharing it with me. :D

Look who's a winner!...

Congrats to the four lucky ladies: Margie, Shannon, Shermala, and Sandy! I couldn't pick just one of you and let the other three be sad. :( So each of you will receive a bag/box of goodies. :) Send me your address at deex355@aol.com.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Hugs, denise

Wanna Win?...

Who wants to win something?
Here's what you gotta do...Leave a comment to this post no later than Friday, October 2. I will draw a name on Saturday to see who the lucky winner of a box of goodies perfect for the upcoming holiday creating.
Good luck! Hugs...denise

Chalk the Block Art Event

What fun we had at Chalk the Block Art Event

Just to give you an idea how large these works of art were. Gorgeous!

This past Sunday we went to Chalk the Block - an art event in downtown El Paso. Area artists had drawn various works of art on the sidewalks outside the art museum, but the heavy rains on Saturday night pretty much washed away their beautiful creations. We were able to get a few pictures, so I thought I'd share...

Art indeed comes in so many forms...just like artists!

Color your world happy!

May God shower you with His abundant love. denise

Hannah goes to the hospital

Today began with church, sang in the choir, guest pastor delivered a wonderful sermon, and ate lunch with my daughter, Bekah. Drove to the home of my church/choir member friend, Tori, for a nice afternoon of scrapbooking. Was going to work on my memory book from Creative Escape. Well, God had different plans. Tori's brown lab, Hannah, got bit by something. Her little eyes were swollen almost shut and her muzzle was HUGE. So off we drove to the animal emergency hospital - Hannah and Tori in the back seat and me driving the "doggie ambulance." After several hours...and many friends...two shots...and some TLC from the wonderful staff, Hannah was on the road to recovery. She was quite a popular girl! As we were leaving, people in the waiting room were saying, "Bye, Hannah."

Have you ever noticed how God has different plans for us quite often? Through Hannah's trip to the hospital Tori and I were able to meet many other dog and cat mommies and daddies. We witnessed the love they had for their "fur family." Some had happy endings...and some did not. We experienced the kindness and caring of the staff - even with the long wait. The doctor had an emergency surgery to perform. Her gift from God - saving the lives of animals. And last, but certainly not least, Tori and I were given the opportunity to become better friends.

So...thank you, God, for Hannah's trip to hospital. :D

Hot chiles on a cool day...

What a way to spend a cool fall morning - a leisurely drive through cotton fields and pecan groves to buy freshly picked and roasted long green chiles. These aren't just store-bought-roast-in-the-parking-lot chiles. No sir...these are fresh home-grown chiles from southern New Mexico - home of the best chiles ever. I'm a wimp...muy guera (very white girl in Spanish!). I had to buy the mild ones called Big Jims. They'll be great for chile rellenos, salsa, and quesadillas. Muy yummy, mi amigos.

In addition to cotton fields in bloom (guess that's what you call cotton that the little "pod" has opened and it's ready to be picked), we saw a quite unusual bird in the fields. Looked a lot like a sea gull. I'll have to ask my bird-friend, Karen, what that strange birdie is called.

Even met an old...really old...dog named Guero (white boy in Spanish.)

Cool morning with warm hearted friends. What a blessed Saturday morning. :D

Something old...something new...

"Something old...something new." Not just for the lovely bride on her wedding day, but for each of us every day. Cherish something old and dear to you - a family photos perhaps, a piece of your grandmother's jewelry, a handmade card by your son or daughter (circa Kindergarten) - or your favorite doll when you were a little girl yourself. What do they all hold? Memories...memories of love and comfort. Today's moments will be tomorrow's memories. How will your preserve them?

I've promised myself to devote more time preserving those memories - thanks to Creative Escape - in the form of books. BIG books and little books - books with lots of pockets and folds and pages that reveal surprises. Books that take me back to those days of love and comfort. Yes, they did exist...if only in my little girl mind at times.

Another form of preserving those precious possessions is through jewelry making. Thanks to Art Unraveled and learning to solder, I can now make those wonderful necklaces and bracelets I've until now only admired from afar. Using my mother's and grandmother's jewelry, old silverware, and other trinkets, I plan to create lasting treasures not only for myself, but also for my sister, daughters, niece, niece-in-law, and sister-in-laws.

Make memories each day! With your family and friends - or just with yourself.
xoxo, denise

God is good!

Indeed...God is good! It is through His adundance and bountiful blessings that I finally am "brave" enough to share some of my artistic creations with you. I had the opportunity to attend ARt Unraveled in AZ in August and then Creative Escape also in AZ. Wow! I learned so many new techniques, but the bestest thing I learned was to share myself with others. The friendships I made with others who share the same passions has been awesome.

God is good!

Growing Pains? :D

Well, found out today what was first presumed to be possible problems with breast pain may be heart concerns instead. Actually was hoping it was "growing pains"...could use a bit of help in that area! More doctor's appointments to see what's going on. Blood work wasn't too positive - high bad cholestrol and low good, plus triglycerites were way up there. I know our Heavenly Father watches over me.

Blessings, denise

Labor Day Labors

Ever so thankful for a 3-day weekend. Still trying to sort through all my goodies from Creative Escape and Art Unraveled. Gonna learn this blog posting stuff...eventually! Finished up some of the projects from CE - just love 'em. Went to out local stamp store today - spent way too much $$ money $$. May get the opportunity to teach some classes using some of what we learned at CE from the talented artists there.

Blessings to you all, denise

A new beginning

Just home from Creative Escapes 2009 in the hot, hot town of Chandler, AZ. (But it's a dry heat...ha!) Learned so many fun techniques, meet fabulous and fun like-minded women (and even a few men), and completed some awesome projects. But the best part of the event was the inspiration and uplifting messages from the teachers. Wow! Words do not even begin to describe the emotional experience. :D

Create each day! Hugs, denise