Leah Stirewalt

Out of Deep Waters

  • Home
  • About
  • Speaking
    • Speaking Topics
    • Endorsements
    • Booking – Inquiry Form
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Disclosure

Day 40 is Here with a Giveaway!

November 9, 2011 by Leah Stirewalt 16 Comments

We’re here friends. The end of my 40-day consecutive blog writing journey. I can’t believe I’m going to actually say this, but out of the 3 times that I’ve done a 40-day journey like this – I do believe this one to be the easiest! Yes…you heard me right! Out of one of the most chaotic times of my life, I’ve found this to be very therapeutic and joy-filled. So, where do I go from here?

I don’t want to make promises I’ll have trouble keeping, but I will tell you my blogging goal from this point forward. My GOAL is to blog Monday through Friday. Yes – it’s simply a goal. I’m not going to hold my perfectionistic self to that standard as a rule, because I’ll fail…for sure. And, then I’ll disappoint myself. So, it’s goal. I’ll do the best I can and simply leave it at that.

To end this 40th post on a fun note…I have a giveaway to announce!

It’s not too hard to see that I’m all about making memories. An avid scrapbooker, it’s always been a passion of mine, but with my husband’s death, I’m even more bent (if that’s possible) on preserving memories, hence my Chris Tree project, among other things.

Very recently, I was introduced to My Memories, the #1 rated scrapbook software. For those of you not into scrapbooking, don’t look the other way just yet. You just might be surprised! As a paper scrapbooker for years, I’ve been hesitant to even try digital scrapbooking. It just seemed to take the creativity out it for me. But, I said that – assumed that – without even trying a digital scrapbooking program. Until now…

My Memories gives you the ability to simply pop in your digital pictures into an already pre-designed template if you lack the time or creative juices to try anything else. That’s a perfect solution for busy people that want to capture photo memories in a creative format (like a scrapbook) but don’t have the know-how or drive to do so.

However, My Memories also offers the ability to create your own design. Simply start with a blank slate – of various size pages – and, be as creative as your mind allows! Here are two of my own “start from scratch” creations:

Friends, these were sooooo easy to make – trust me! And, they weren’t even from a template! With My Memories, you can not only create digital scrapbook pages, but you can also do cards, calendars, photobooks, etc. So many possibilities! Now that I’ve gone on and on about this software…let me tell you about the giveaway.

The folks at My Memories have donated one free My Memories Suite (a $40 value) for me to giveaway on my blog. You actually have a couple of opportunities to enter, but you can’t do #2 without doing #1:

1) First of all, please visit My Memories and then come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite digital paper pack or scrapbooking kit.

2) Either start following My Memories Suite on Twitter by clicking here or “Like” their Facebook page by clicking here – OR do both! After doing so…come back and leave a SECOND comment telling me you’ve done so. This will get you entry #2 in the giveaway.

That’s all there is to it! The giveaway will run today and through 9:00 pm ET Thursday. The winner will be announced on Friday’s blog post. Be sure to enter and share the giveaway with your friends.

There will only be one winner, but I’ll also announce on Friday a huge discount opportunity for anyone that doesn’t win and chooses to still purchase the software or anything from the My Memories store. So, be sure to check back on Friday!

Thank you for taking part in this 40-day consecutive blogging journey with me! It would have been very lonely without you! Let’s continue the journey together…shall we?

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

11 More Days

November 8, 2011 by Leah Stirewalt Leave a Comment

It’s only 11 more days until my Chris Tree arrives. In one of our favorite holiday traditions, we’ll be traveling about an hour further up into the mountains to a beloved tree farm that we go to each year to cut our own tree. My husband was passionate about having a LIVE tree, so I’ll actually be getting two this year – our “normal” family tree and now the Chris Tree. We usually go the weekend after Thanksgiving to procure the trees, but I’m actually going with some dear friends that will help me bring them back home, and the weekend before just works better. I’ll be watering those babies well to keep them nice and fresh through Christmas!

Thank you to so many of you that have generously participated in this project with me by donating ornaments for the tree. You have no idea how much that has blessed my heart! Chris would have been blown away by this kind of Christmas love, and I pray that God allows him a glimpse of it from heaven. If you are still planning to participate, feel free to email me for the address to mail your ornament to ([email protected]). I’ll still be placing ornaments on the tree long after it’s decorated, so it doesn’t have to arrive by the 19th.

Lastly, I’m still collecting addresses for my Christmas card list this year! I would love to send you a card from our family (my girl and me)! It’s something that brings me a lot of joy during the Christmas season. If I don’t already have your mailing address, and you would like to receive a card from us, then please email me your address, and I’ll make sure to add you to our list!

Please pray for us as we enter this first holiday season without Chris. Please pray that Thanksgiving is FULL of us GIVING GOD THANKS for the multiple blessings He’s given us. Please pray that I don’t dwell on what I don’t have (my husband) but give thanks that due to the security I have in my eternity – I’ll be reunited with him again someday soon.

Please pray that I won’t feel loneliness – especially the closer we get to Christmas. This holiday was a BIG deal with Chris…a VERY BIG deal! From decorations, to baking, to watching Christmas movies, to traditions – we celebrated Jesus’ birthday BIG! Please pray that I can still celebrate BIG!

Tomorrow will be Day 40 of this consecutive blog-writing journey. I can’t believe it’s already here! I began this journey with a giveaway, and I plan to end it with a giveaway as well! So be sure to come back and see what I’ll be giving away!

I treasure you, my blog friends! You bring light into my dark days!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Meet Leah

Leah StirewaltI became "twice widowed" when my beloved prince, Joel, went to his Heavenly home after a brief and sudden illness on February 12, 2017. I’m in a place of shock and devastation, but I intend to use this format to journal my second widow journey, much like I did my first. It’s my open journal, my electronic oasis, and it’s often the place I find true healing as I allow myself to “come clean” with my feelings. Read More...

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe for Updates

Enter your information below to subscribe to blog updates!

Privacy Policy

For Sharing

Leah Stirewalt - Out of Deep Waters

Latest Posts

  • Lost in the Desert
  • What I Remember Most About the 2016 Election (and it’s Not What You Might Think)
  • Have you heard the crickets chirping?

My First Book

My first book details the account of my first widow journey. Learn more below.

Rescued and Restored book

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2026 Leah Stirewalt | Design & Development by MRM | Privacy | Terms | Log in