Cover of a Mag and DT...no not me

Blessings are pouring all around me and I am so excited for two very deserving and talented artists and sista girls. Lucrecer is featured on the cover of Indigo Leaf Magazine...Yeah...The world is getting ready to embrace your greatness. And Adrienne is on the design Team at The Red Lily and her local scrapbook store. I am so proud of you both.

I finished another layout for the HOF...only 8 more to go...but I am so loving what I've already done...I like Adrienne's philosophy. I'm already a winner because I have the courage to compete...and there is power in our words and our beliefs.

Giant-Killers

A friend of mine sent me to Today's Word, online devotional, and I wanted to share this affirmation or confession as it touched me and is encouraging me in many ways. Lord God. I believe You and I believe Your Word. No matter how many people doubt You, I am not one of them. I walk in faith and not fear. I walk in trust and not doubt. I sift my thoughts through the filter of faith. I am a giant-killer in Your kingdom. I overcome every hindrance, every obstacle, and every attack. 2006 is the best year of my life. Forward ever, backward never! The best is yet to come! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let us not forget the power of a dream!

When I picked up Elijah from daycare yesterday, he had on the cutest hat. I'm sure its message was beyond what he could comprehend, but I hope he grows up knowing that the impossible becomes possible first in a dream and a prayer sent up in faith. I thank God for trailblazers both past and present and I pray that I can continue to blaze my own trail and path on this road of life called Purpose. Lately I've been thinking a lot about Purpose, and Dreams and God's plans versus my status quo comforts. I need the kind of courage that Martin and Malcolm had, to sacrifice everything, to include their life to pursue a dream. Be encouraged.

Here are pictures of the album I made for a lady who received a NAACP award. It was a lot of fun making and I am very proud of how it turned out...and I learned a whole lot in the process, like the absence of African inspired/influenced papers and embellishments in the stores...luckily we come from a creative history and I learned to improvise and create my own. What do you think?

For some reason I can't post the pictures...so I'll try again later. Have a great night, off to work on my HOF.

Purpose Driven Praise Pages (PD Praise Page)

Hello Ladies,
Who: scrapping' Sisters (Sisters is defined as anyone who is related by love)
What: Scrap Book Bible/Book Study
Why: Our goal is to do a page a week that corresponds with a chapter in the book. But this should not be a burden or an additional obligation, we have enough of them in our lives. This is an opportunity to fellowship and share our scrapbook passion with God and other Sisters and continue to grow in our faith and our spiritual walks.
Topic: Our first Bible/Book Study is on The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
How:Each Friday night someone, initially me, will post a challenge with some prompts to get us thinking about a chapter in the Purpose Driven Life. There are no rules, restrictions, or requirements, only an openness to let God lead you and to grow in this experience as an individual, Christian, and Sister in the Body. If you feel led to go another direction, Go and Grow, Beloved...And if you feel led to stay...Be still and Know that He is God.
Logistics: Post your page at a minimum on your blog and/or on 2 Peas. I would love to see more 2 Peas participating.

PDL Praise #1: The Prework ( opportunity to go buy the book if you don't already have it)
I don't know how many of you have read the Purpose Driven Life, if you have not, prepare to be blessed. If you have, prepare to be blessed again. Remember wherever 2 or more are gathered in His name, there He is...Let's gather ladies. Before we dive into the book, the first challenge is about your spiritual journey up 'til now or where you want your journey to take you? Another question might be, 'Where is God Leading You?' I think all of these will be a great opportunity to compare with a layout at the end of the year.

I'd also like each of us to pick a scripture every week to share with the Sister Circle.

My scripture for the week:

Trust God from the bottom of your heart, don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."Prov 3:5-6 (Msg)


Please invite others into the circle!

One last thing before I go to bed, check out what I did with the fabrics...the papers I made are so awesome...move over rusty pickle and basic grey...Rachel Juanita is on the map now...

Dessert First!

So yesterday I had my root canal...or a ...let's just say I can't say it, but they removed the nerves in my tooth until I can get a full root canal. Since I knew that the afternoon was going to suck, I decided to eat my dessert first, not literally, although if I had some banana pudding, I would have enjoyed it...but I went to AC Moore, Michaels and Joann's and don't hate me Juliet, Recollections, all before my appointment. And boy did I have a blast. I only had 100 cash and gift card but look at all the loot I got... My tooth feels better already...Sizzix are 50% off at AC Moore.






Aren't these the coolest African and Ethnic inspired fabrics I got from Joanns...I can't wait to put them into a layout.
Since I have to stay home today to recuperate, I plan to spend the whole day in my studio finishing a project for hire so I can work on my HOF stuff. I'll return later tonight to post our Friday Purpose Driven Challenge.

Tag I'm It!

Let's start with the tag...Guess who tagged me...Cathy Zielske...no...the Cathy Zielske...as in Clean and Simple...as in Mrs. Queen of the Graphic Design Scrapbook Pages...I love her book and she tagged me...How cool is that!

So here it goes:
Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Burger King Drive Thru: I was always smiling so they put in drive thru, although I always asked to me on the grill...that's where all the cute guys were
2. After graduating from West Point Military Academy, I spent five years in the Army in Fort Bragg, NC as a personnel officer (human resources)
3. Worked for my father in law as a program management consultant
4. Currently work as a leadership development professional for the Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC & Full time Mommie and Super Wife

Four movies you would watch over and over:•

1. Color Purple...I know everyline in the movie...I hope to go see the play on Broadway this spring...the movie is a part of my vocabulary...It's gonna rain on your head
2. Color Purple...I said that already. How about Dodge Ball...that movie gives me stomach cramps from laughing
3. Imitation of Life...powerful movie...I cry everytime like I don't know how it is going to end.
4. Malcolm X the movie with Denzel Washington...whenever I see that movie I am always in tears and wishing there was some way I could get him to turn his car around rather than drive to the meetng house to give his speech and ultimately die... Is there a trend here...I guess I like tear jerkers of both the dramatic and comedic type...

Four places you have lived: (I'm an Army Brat (kid of Army parents) so I have lived everywhere, to name four:

1. Ausburg, Germany
2. El Paso, Texas
3. Indianapolis, IN
4. Triangle, VA

Four websites I visit daily:

1. 2 PEas...its my homepage
2. ScrapJazz
3. Keisha's Blog
4. Ali's, Donna's, Cathy's and Stacy's Blogs

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Banana Pudding
2. Peanut Butter Cookies
3. Cherry Tomotaes
4. IHOP Pancakes...um...I'm hungry now

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. IHOP...you started it
2. I'm in my scrap studio so I'm at Peace

Four bloggers I am tagging: (does Oprah have a blog?)

1. Lucrecer
2. Keisha
3. Tiffany
4. Marie C

Tag you are it...

How Can I Serve?

I hope they always feel free to create, dance, and shake they rumps (Elijah in the white t-shirt and Isaiah in the blue sweater) .


I believe that when we ask God a question, and truly seek His face and open our eyes to see He will always answer. Lately I've been asking 'What is not my Purpose, but God's Purpose for me and How can I use my gifts to Serve Him?" I know the obvious, I'm a wife, and so I'm suppose to serve my hubby (easier to write than do...but I am a work in progress and he is a great man and continues to love me inspite of...that's his reflection of Jesus) and I have been blessed with two sons who will face challenges in this world merely because of the color of their skin, and it is my role and responsiblity to raise them to be Men of God and to know that people on this earth can not define them or limit them, only they can. But I feel myself always saying...and...how else can I serve, like that is not enough...but in my spirit it is not enough. I've read an awesome book that I recommend to anyone, The Path that asks a very deep question...What did you want to be as a child?What were your natural gifts as a child Why? because that is probably what you are suppose to be and do? So how about it ladies...what was that dream as a child? What were your natural abilities as a child before you were corrupted by the limitations of the world and the negative inner voices...back when only dreams and possibilities danced in your imagination? If you feel inspired, I'd love to see a scrap page about it...at any time...
On a lighter note, thanks to Adrienne for updating my banner for me.. Lu for the encouraging words...I wish the throbbing would stop so I can sleep...and my new Angel Friend...Tiffany...you have no idea how you blessed me today with your subtitle for me on your blog..and to my long lost Kindred Sis Kim, He is Awesome and He abides...

My Blog is Up and Running...still a few Glitches

So I spent most of the morning altering the look and feel of my blog...Thanks so much to Adrienne and Lucrecer for their blog assistance. I still need to figure out how to add just one banner picture and maybe add a title or jazz up the picture...but it works for now.

I am getting a root canal tomorrow...how exciting. My silver lining is that I'll be off on Friday to recuperate...which means a free day to CREATE...Currently I am debating whether or not I should enter the HOF this year or wait until next year...I could let time decide...meaning I do what I can to prepare entries and if I meet the deadline I submit, if not, I hold off until next year. Decisions, decisions. If you are thinking about entering, here is the link for the entry form and guidelines. Hall of Fame 2006. The deadline is Feb 9...I could do it and I should do it...Wish me luck...so Adrienne let's encourage each other as we prepare...thanks for the motivation.

I've talked to a few of my scrappin buddies about doing a Scrap Challenge based on the Purpose Driven Life book. If you are interested, we are going to scrap our way through the book. The goal is to do one chapter a week and post on both your blog and 2Peas...I'm hoping some other women will join in and we can all grow from each other.

The pictures above are from this weekend. Still learning how to use my camera. The picture of Isaiah (blue shirt) is actually taken without the flash on Manual settings. I'm learning how to use aperture and f stops... thanks again Marie C . I better start working since I will be out until Tuesday of next week... May God Bless You until we meet again.

Can Do All Things- God First, Me Next Album

Things are looking good in the O-6. I actually did a regular layout that wasn't a part of a gift album and oh did I enjoy it. I woke up coughing around 3 am and decided to go up to the scraproom to work on the layout...two hours later, this is what resulted.

I know you can't read the journaling, so here it is:

Lately I've been feeling overwhelmed...Ready to throw in the towel or at least scream Uncle. The other day I was in the grocery store and I just wanted to scream...of course my outer refinement (another word for mask) wouldn't let me do that. So instead I turned to my best friend who is always there and will never leave me nor forsake me or judge me or reject me...who'll only love me and lead me and cried have Mercy. And like always, His peace became my strength and He reminded me that I can do all things through Him because with Him nothing is impossible and dishes and laundry are immaterial.

He is awesome. I want you to know that when I originally sat down to do this layout,

411 About Me...Rachel Juanita

Good Morning World. That pretty much sums up how I am feeling these days. Like when I'm walking I can hear Nina Simone singing "It's a new dawn, its a new day...and I'm feeling good." I've been peeping into everyone else's blogs and decided to get my own. Of course I will have to figure all of this out, but that's what friends are for (so Lu and Keisha, HELP!)

First a little 411 about Me: My full name is Rachel Juanita-Clark Bellamy. Clark is my maiden name and I added it to my middle name on my official records when I got married to my Blessing and Best Friend, Lonnie, aka Jerry six years ago. (Boy does time fly.) I am the proud mother of two little angels Elijah Jayden (3, 11/02) and Isaiah Jeremiah (almost 2, 2/04). I am a corporate Mommie and work for the Federal Government developing the government's leaders. A fact that a lot of people find interesting about me is that I graduated from West Point Military Academy and served in the Army for five years and use to jump out of airplanes.

I have been scrappin for exactly a year now. I found this wonderful artform last year in an attempt to create a family tradition for the boys for New Years Eve and Day. I wanted to print off pictures from the previous year and put them into an album. See we had this situation where we took a lot of pictures but they all stayed on the computer and never got put into an album, let alone printed. And thus began the adventure. I went into Michaels and fell in love...My mother says I was destined for this because I have always loved...okay...been obsessed with paper...not just paper...but beautiful paper...to this day I still think white paper with dark blue lines and no holes is beautiful...for me when I look at a beautiful tablet of white paper with no holes down the side and dark blue lines I see a clear canvas that is waiting for me to write beautiful words on it...which reveals another passion...Writing. Since I could write and read I have been writing fiction and non-fiction.

Somehow over the course of a year I have met some great scrappin Queens on 2 Peas and other sites and picked up my Ace Juliet in Michaels, and amassed a hoard of paper and supplies. Now if I could only buy some time to scrap. But like I said, its a new dawn, its a new day, and this is my year. In the O6, I plan to let my creative Queen free and let her play and create and dance and sing. TO the Queen in you, God Bless.

Back when my babies were babies....