MDS Blog Hop--Hooray for Mom!

It's hard to believe this will be my 22nd Mother's Day! My children are my greatest creation and I thank my Heavenly Father every day for them!  It's also my mom's 45th Mother's Day and I am also truly grateful for her love and encouragement!  I decided to make her a fun tote bag for all stuff she has to carry to her many women's Relief Society meetings. Did you know that the Relief Society (organized in 1842) is one of the largest and oldest women's organizations in the United States as well as the world? As the President over all the women in her stake (similar to a diocese) she gets to visit many different congregations and gets to know so many wonderful, loving Relief Society sisters and often she gets to speak to them and give them an inspired gospel message.  I just felt that this saying was perfect for her as she spends so much time caring and praying for all of the women that she has stewardship over.

And for one more project that always has to do with moms...babies!!  My best friend's two daughters both gave birth to their 3rd sons 2 days apart.  I decided to make some onesies for them!  I also am in charge of preparing a small gift for the ladies of our congregation who have babies, so I started by making a cute baby girl onesie.

Iron-on paper is easy to use (make sure to follow the directions on the package).  As you create in MDS, just remember that when you are printing on iron-on transfer paper, your image needs to be mirrored.  For most stamps, that's not an issue, but if you are using words or text just make sure you select "mirror" option and it will flip backwards.

I know the other moms on our blog hop will have wonderful projects for you to re-create or even just spark your imagination for you to come up with your own creations!  If you create something with MDS or any other Stampin' Up! products for Mother's Day, use the hashtag MadeForMom and post them all over social media...let get it trending!

I received my daughter's graduation announcements yesterday, I'll post photos of the winner...and the runner(s)-up tomorrow!

Julie

Thankful Thursday

"Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth" 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Charity Never Faileth is the motto for the Relief Society, one of the largest women's organization in the world with approximately 6 million members. I have the honor of being a part of this wonderful organization and although membership usually starts around 18 years old (or after graduation from high school) I feel that I've belonged all my life!  It's so delightful to spend time with the women in the Relief Society, I have learned so much from them. There are women from all walks of life; single, married, widowed, divorced, stay-at-home moms, working moms, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, great grandmothers, daughters, wives, friends, and neighbors.  We call each other "sister" because that's what we are, spirit daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. We all have something to offer and something to learn.  Last night we had a delicious dinner of yummy soups, salads, and homemade rolls and of course, dessert!  Bishop Yamane talked to us about service and charity and how we can become closer to our Savior by serving others and being truly charitable, by actually helping others in need and learning to love them.  As I helped clean up, it warmed my heart to see these women that I love and admire putting together hygiene kits for humanitarian aid and write letters to people who might need a kind word of encouragement, and even write memories of a young man who has passed away so that the family can have a priceless book of remembrance of their son.  I know that what I do is so little compared to some of these great women, but I'm thankful to be able to learn from their example.
I love this quote from Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley:
"The history of the organization has shown that women of the church have not had to wait to sit together in heaven to taste the sweet fruit...They have experienced much of heaven on earth as in life they have cherished one another, comforted one another, and instructed one another."
That is exactly how I feel about these women!  I get to catch glimpses of heaven when I am with them! We are all on the same path, some moving faster and some slower, but headed in the same direction--toward their Heavenly Father and their Savior!  What a divine blessing!

Julie