Saturday 22 June 2013

The Golden Rule

Hello, my friends!
Guess what? I don't have a card for you today....I have a layout and I'm quite excited about! It seems that since I've learned to make cards, I've forgotten all about making 12 X 12 layouts. I decided it was high time I get back to it!
This layout was very therapeutic for me. Yesterday I had a very heavy heart.  A dear friend of mine was hurting and there was nothing I could do to help her. I could pray for her, which is LOTS, but I couldn't do anything to take her pain away. When I feel burdened or heavy-hearted I have a process that takes care of it. First, I pray! Then I turn on some fabulous worship music and I create. The page I have today is the result!
"The Golden Rule" is something we are all familiar with. I often mention that I consider the Bible my guidebook for life. Not everyone feels the same way, but I think that most people do agree with living by the Golden Rule. It can be found in Luke 6:31:

"Do to others as you would have them do to you."

It's a simple concept, right? All we have to do is take a moment to think BEFORE we act! Is this the right thing for me to be saying or doing? How would I feel if someone else said or did this to me? If I  wouldn't like it then I shouldn't do it! Yes, it's very simple!
So why is it that when it comes to the internet there are so many instances where the Golden Rule goes right out the window? Is it because we don't SEE each other...so we're not really there? Is it because we think we won't be found out...nobody will know what we're really doing? Is it because we live in different countries and speak different languages...so it doesn't apply? What is the justification for hurting each other. I don't know! I do know that there seems to be a trend happening online...a trend towards no consideration towards other peoples feelings. I spoke of a similar trend last June in my post  entitled "Just A Little Kindness" which you can find HERE. It's funny that it was also in June. Is it a bad month for people? Are we letting the stresses of this time of year dictate how we treat others? 
I think that every once in a while we need to check ourselves and see how we're doing with following the Golden Rule. We also need to remember that our online friends and acquaintances are real people with real feelings that can be hurt by our poor decisions. Just some things for us all to think about! :o)
I thought this lovely sunflower photo worked great with the Golden Rule theme. I did some layering, some punching, some cutting and some distressing. I even added some doodle stitching! Then I needed some more sunflowers. I made them using my Cricut. The cut was for Mums and not sunflowers but with a little work they turned out. I added a few more goodies, some pretty trim,  and finally a little heart charm to the seam binding on the tag. That's about it! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend! :o)


Materials Used:
Papers: DCWV - Haberdash Stack, Recollections Cardstock;
Punch: Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page - Wildflowers;
Cricut Cartridges: Essentials, Alphabet, Flower Shoppe;
Spellbinders Nestabilities: Labels Fifteen;
Sizzix Dies: Tim Holtz Alterations - Tag & Bookplates, Tattered Pinecone;
Flowers: Recollections and Prima Mini Roses;
Ink: Distress Ink - Walnut Stain;
Charm: Heart - Gift from Lynn;
Garment Pin - Making Memories;
Yellow Sprigs: Art Angels Designs;
Trim: My Stash.

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A closer look at my sunflowers:


Linking Up To:



26 comments:

Tracy said...

This is just sunshine on a page! You should make more of these my friend. :-) Do you think we go in cycles for our crafting? I'm working on a commissioned mini right now and am really enjoying it. I'm really sorry that your lovely page was born out of something hurtful. I'm afraid you may have hit upon the very reasons that people feel they can act in unkind ways. For the most part crafters seems to be a friendly bunch but I too have seen some instances where things got way out of hand. I think that's why I stick with my longtime friends for any personal interaction. Hope tomorrow is filled with blessings and peace from the One who will never let us down. Hugs!

Creations by Shirl said...

Beautiful Nancy - love those Sunflowers, I want that die cuts, LOL~

Gibmiss said...

Hi
Fabulous card... Love those sunflowers....
Thanks for joining us at Crafty Friends.....
Hugs Sylvie xx

Dunja Trautmann said...

Wow my dear Friend, your LO is simply gorgeous. Full of Sun and Summer, Sunflowers are one of my favourit flowers. I love the Sunny feeling that your LO told me. The Borderdie you've used look wonderful and the little flowers also. You've done a piece of art - very well done Nancy.

hope your Sunday will be full of sunshine.

Much Love and Blessings
Dunja

Jennifer said...

What an absolutely wonderful, sunny layout Nancy. It made me smile when I saw it, your sunflowers are amazing. What a wonderful creation. Hugs, Jen :-) x
Krafty Keepsakes

Pop's Cards said...

Good morning sweetie, WOWZERS this is just gorgeously stunning, love your colour choices too, fabulous creation, huggles Pops x x x

Jonia said...

Oh my goodness Nancy this is just beautiful. What great therapy. I hope your friend is feeling much better.

TLady said...

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL NANCY!!!!!!!! :) I'm SURE your friend appreciates your prayers!!!!!! It IS VERY DIFFICULT when people aren't kind!!! The internet is VERY TRICKY! It ISN'T A REAL WORLD, YET THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE THAT CAN BE HURT! HUGS & PRAYERS for your friend!!!!!!!:)
THANKS for coming over to visit!!!!:)

Melanie said...

So beautiful Nancy! I too haven't done a layout in, oh, forever! At this point I am years behind on my kids scrapbook...I guess it feels so overwhelming that I am chickening out on jumping in! Maybe this will be a little motivation for me.
I hope your friend will be feeling better soon, or at the very least that this page cheered her a bit!

Susan M said...

I am sure your prayers have helped your friend enormously Nancy. Your page is so beautiful! What gorgeous sunflowers! And your beautiful punch around the page! The scripture is certainly one we should remember every day, what a wonderful way to display it !

chanya13 said...

Beautiful LO with amazing colour combo!!! I love sunflowers very much, hugs chanya13 :)

Marilyn said...

This is a gorgeous, cheery and bright page Nancy. I love your 'made sunflowers'.. gorgeous. And you are a wise woman too... the Golden Rule is a good one and if we could all try a little harder to follow it, this would be a much better place.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful post Nancy, you are so right. I love people, but sometimes I don't understand them at all. What's the point in hurting each other when there's so much love to give (which is such an easy thing to do!) I'm truly sorry you couldn't help your friend, but on the other hand I think your support, patience and kindness will certainly be felt by her... Love your gorgeous page, your sunflowers are absolute perfection!! Take care, Ira x
irascreacorner.blogspot.nl

Kelly said...

This is a gorgeous page and your writings are well said. I think this would be gorgeous and meaningful framed in your kitchen! lol Love the sunflowers, they are perfect. The heart and tag with the scripture is perfect for this layout. Fabulous work and I love what you wrote about for us Blog people, even though we are not face to face we still need to remember there are people on the other side of our computers, great scripture for us.
Hugs, Kelly

alexandra s.m. said...

Argh....what a wonderful work of art Nancy!
Your inspiration and wise words are contagious!
Thank You~

Tfriday said...

Gorgeous page, Nancy. Love those sunflowers to bits. I hope your friends gets better soon. TFS... Hugs!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Nancy! I always appreciate you coming to my blog and leaving a comment... thank-you! xo A fabulous layout... I love sunflowers too... my Mom's fav! Beautiful words of wisdom...

Jennifer said...

Nancy, this is just golden! I love your flowers and the inking you've done on them! May we always remember that each one of us is beloved of the Lord Jesus and we should treat each other with understanding of our eternal worth. Love the tag you tucked under the heart, and all the stitching is wonderful!

Marsha Fisher said...

This is a lovely page and post! You are such a lovely soul :0)

Jo Ann said...

What a great lay-out. Love the colors and the flowers. fabulous! Thanks for blessing us with your artwork at Word Art Wednesday this week. Hope you'll join us again. Big hugs, always!

JO ANN
http://jatterburycreations.blogspot.com

Today's Beautiful Moments - Tracey Fehr said...

Nancy...what a beautiful creation! I was saddened as I read your post because it is all too true! We have become a faceless society where we can spew hurtful things from our finger tips in a written form and not have to face the consequences of the damage we do to someones spirit! If only we could all follow another simple rule..to love one another as Christ loves us! What a different place this world would be! Well done on the project and the message behind it as well!
Hugs, Tracey F.

Antoinette/Cultivate Life in Joy said...

Beautiful card...I love these yellow flowers and the scriptures you use.

CardsbyMarianne.blogspt.com said...

Wow Nancy! This is absolutely gorgeous! Such an important reminder as well. I wish people would just stop and think sometimes before they act or speak.

StampArt Design by Kathryne said...

Lovely card Nancy and wonderful write-up. It should be a message to spread all over! xx Kathryne

Embellishments said...

Hi Nancy, very beautiful and cheerful... makes me smile, I think yellow does that to a lot of people :-) Your flowers looks very much like sunflowers, great job! Love the mini rosette trim, nice touch.
Hugs, Steff

leslieb said...

Love this layout, Nancy. Your handmade sunflowers are beautiful and so full of brightness.

Sadly, I think the demise of common courtesy has been hastened by the use of computers which consume our everyday lives. There are way too many unhappy people in this world and it is too easy to spew out to others via the computer.

I hope both you and your friend are doing better.

Love you my friend - Leslie

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