Have you been dreaming of owning a Big Shot?

What would you think if I told you I'm going give someone a Big Shot, an embossing folder, pay your shipping & taxes, plus give you 4 Free lessons so you know how to use it? Read on...

Wouldn't this make a nice Mother's Day gift?

First Lutheran Church is doing fundraising for a team of kids that will be going to Tanzania this summer. I am offering ONE silent auction Big Shot package. The Stampin' Up! package value is $173.70 $138.55 plus you'll get $60 in free classes bringing the total package value to $233.70 $198.55   It includes the following:

2 Sale-a-bration stamp sets - value up to $14.95 each

Sizzix Big Shot Machine - $99.95

Your choice of embossing folder (pg.214) - $7.95

2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog - $9.95

Shipping and Taxes - $25.95

4 Free Big Shot classes, I want you to know how to use it! - value $15 each class

Bidding starts at $100 and ends 
midnight March 30  April 24th

I will contact winner on Thursday the 31st on Monday April 25th to finalize your order. Cash or check should be made out to First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, MN. You may come get your package or I will delivered it if within 50 miles.

To bid (in increments of $5) simply add a comment to this post.  Include in your comment which 2 items you want from the SALE-A-BRATION mini catalog.  Remember to check back often to see where your bid is. 

Happy Bidding!

The Sizzix Big Shot for Stampin' Up! product line is a BIG deal! Cut over 50 materials with the Big Shot and duplicate creative and intricate designs quickly and easily. Get exclusive dies that coordinate with current Stampin' Up! product lines as well as standard Sizzix dies. 
     
UPDATE:    I've had a lot of lookers but no bids. I would love to see someone get this little package and the church team raise some cash so I'm extending the bidding until midnight April 24th (Easter Day). So tell your families you'd love to get this for Mother's day. The SALE-A-BRATION promotion has ended which means I no longer can get those 2 stamp sets for you. Sorry. The Stampin' Up! package value is now $138.55 and with the 4 FREE classes the total value of this package is $198.55

Friends, Flowers & Faith Grow in God's Love

The first 30 flower peppermint paddy favors were fun to make. The 90 others that followed made me so very glad that I had friends helping me. The fellowship made the time and task enjoyable. I never could have done it without them.

We had several ladies taking some pictures of all our lovely decorated tables, I am trying to track down some pictures. We had about 110 guests attend our Supper Flower event on Wednesday evening April 28th with a demonstration by Karen Kreiser, owner of Wildwood Nursery.

The wonderful compliments we have received have us all energized and excited. We have already started making plans for a fall event. If you have a suggestion for a fall type favor - I'd love to see an example. Just post a link in the comments.

All Saints Day

One of my volunteer jobs is to decorate our church for the various special services and seasons. I replaced the mums in the entry with bumpy/warty pumpkins and decorated the sancturary with white candles and bows. Today we remembered the 20 saints, that passed away this last year,  by reading their names and lighting a candle in their memory during the tolling of the bell. The larger candle in the back represented our family and friends that had passed away previously.

When I was loading all my decorations into the van, I remembered that I had meant to take a picture (from a distance) showing what the table looked like up in the front of the church. Also of all the white bows, awesome banners, and all the other candles on the pillars and in the windows. It looked like the church was ready for a wedding, which was fitting since that's what the readings of text was about.

Between our Sunday worship services there is an adult discussion class. Today it was about the origins and traditions of Halloween. It was so interesting. 

It helped me decide that next year I'm going to use the following poem to top my Trick-or-Treater's cello bags and of course it will have a pumpkin and smile also stamped over it just like this year's (see pic in previous post):

To 

      be 

a Christian 

is like being a pumpkin.

 God picks you from the patch, 

brings you in, and washes all the 

dirt off of  you. Then He cuts off the 

top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. 

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, 

and greed. Then He carves you a new

smiling face and puts His light inside 

of you to shine for all the world to 

see. From one pumpkin to

another…Shine on!

Isn't that a cool poem?

It reminds me of  Matt. 5:16 which says:  Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 

Fall decorating at church

First I need to thank Wendy A. for all the preliminary work she did for me. I would have been at church a lot longer if I would have had to do all the arranging by myself. She has a wonderful sense of design and layout. I'm hoping she'll help me put up the Thanksgiving eve decorations.

Yes you could say I was being a little OCD again. I took pictures of how she had everything arranged because I wanted to be able to put things back as close as to what she had already done. It sure saved me a lot of time and was so handy to place the gourds along the edge of the planter and then put them back in place. Thanks again Wendy!

So this is how it looked after I had added more mulch to the planter to raise everything up. All I really did was to add a large pumpkin and the mums for the upcoming wedding.

The first pumpkin was too small, so I was off to find another taller one for the middle. In the meantime, while I was on the pumpkin hunt I came across some gorgeous croton plants and just had to get them also. I put one on each side of the front doors along with my first pumpkin. Here's another view:

Since they were having live string music in the Narthex, I put together this centerpiece on the table that was going to be behind the musicians.

I really enjoy decorating, especially in the fall. If you're in the Fergus Falls, Minnesota area, stop by and visit First Lutheran Church. We're west across from the Court House.