I am "Making a Wish" at Milliande's Art Community

Milliande's is a wonderfully diversified group of artists (or artists in training)and is full of creative inspiration.

This Christmas Eve, Milliande is granting Christmas Wishes!

Click here to see all the wishes fellow artists have...

Something I want to remember forever

This was so funny!

Angel had a little friend over Sunday afternoon, and they were going to sneak into Poppa's room above the garage (affectionately called "Manland") to read the (extremely organized) list of Christmas presents and where they were hidden that Angel had discovered just the day before - and hadn't had a chance to open it to read yet!!! BUT, the girls had to change out of church clothes to play clothes, and that gave Poppa JUST ENOUGH TIME to run up there AND....instead of hiding the list or deleting it (because believe me, he keeps multiple copies of these sorts of things!) he just changed the present name...so the girls could read a revised list...this is a copy of the list they read:

1. Slingshot Flying Chicken With Cockadoodle Scream Sound (Opened 8 Dec ‘09)
2. Wii (Hidden in Mike’s Room)
3. Memory of a sweet childhood (Hidden in Mike’s Room)
4. Memories of fun and happiness (Hidden in Mike’s Room)
5. Love (Hidden in Mike’s Room)

6. Hugs (Hidden in Mike’s Room)
7. Kisses (Hidden in Mike’s Room)
8. Safety (Hidden in Mike’s Room)
9. Security (Hidden in Man-Land)
10. Knowledge (Hidden in Man-Land)
11. Sweets (Hidden in Man-Land)
12. Warmth (Hidden in Man-Land)
13. Clothes (Hidden in Man-Land)
14. Book of Lifesavers (Hidden in Man-Land)
15. Friends (Hidden in Man-Land)
16. Adventure (Not delivered yet)
17. Happiness (Not delivered yet)
18. Games (Not delivered yet)
19. Skills
20. Education
21. Responsibility
22. Maturity
23. Kindness
24. Awareness
25. Wisdom
26. You can’t love enough not to have problems. You can’t ignore a problem and just hope it goes away.
27. The only way out is through.
28. Integrity isn’t a guarantee against hardship and heartache, but true contentment cannot exist without it.
29. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger
30. Talk low, talk slow and never miss an opportunity to keep your mouth shut. Even a fool looks wise until he speaks.
31. Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while


I guess Poppa was feeling particularly wise, and had to add those last 6 lines!!! The girls didn't even mind not finding the "real" list!

A little something from the Home State!

I found this incredible post at Darla's beautiful blog - go see her sometime! But why I wanted to share this with you is 1) so I could always find it again, and 2) I grew up with John Deere tractors in the good old mid-west - Iowa in fact - on a farm near "the Limestone Capital of the World"! How's that for famous! LOL!

This incredible machine was built at the University of Iowa. Amazingly, 97% of the machines components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa. Yes, farm equipment.

It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video but as you can see, it was WELL worth the effort.

It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.

New food dishes for our Thanksgiving feast!

Just thought I would share two great new recipes that I will be putting on our table on Thursday...(I know I have still been a little quiet - decorating for Christmas, school activities, and making art minis for the gallery).

But anyhoo - here is a great way to do cranberry salad...called "Cranberry-Pineapple Minis". Click here for the recipe!

The other one is called "Citrus salad with bacon and red onion" - and can be found here. Look at this yummy picture!



I really, really, REALLY want to post pictures - but Kraft Foods is using some sort of flash player that I am unable to grab the video on their website to go here : (.

Have a happy Thanksgiving anyway!

Gratitude and Happiness Quote

Well, I must be getting ready for Thanksgiving with the ideas of abundance and gratitude floating around in my heart the last few days!

This quote was the "signature" at the bottom of a friend's email today:

"In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy." Unknown

So true!

By the way, I have many of my "miniature" (as they are technically defined) paintings at the Weatherford Firehouse Art Gallery miniature show here! (No painting photos here, just the Gallery info). We will see where the Lord leads next!

The Idea of Abundance

Obviously I have been taking an "online" break! But I promise, promise, PROMISE I will finish the covenant series! (And there is another one cooking in my head!)

But for tonight I want to share with you a great blog that I have subscribed to - "Daily Worth". It is an intriguing place and is an encouragement to me in our present economic times....

I posted today's article here - but click on the link for more interesting thoughts from this gal:


FROM SCARCITY TO INFINITY
By Ali Berlin on Monday November 16, 2009

Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into. ~ Wayne Dyer

Abundance is a state of heart and mind. When we can't perceive life as being good or even fantastic, we repel money, love, beauty, friendship and everything else we think we really want. Some of us feel more at home in chaos, so we invent problems and collect evidence to support what's wrong in our lives. No, we can't ignore reality altogether. Living abundantly merely means being able to accept our blessings without unconsciously sabotaging them. If you live in a constant state of sabotage, deal with it now. Your life is worth it.

Abundance starts with our willingness to see what’s real and wonderful now.

We have the capacity to shift our perceptions from scarcity to infinity. When we ignore the presence of family, friends, employment, money, food, water and health, we negate the basic expression of abundance in our lives. There is always something to appreciate. Instead of looking for what you think you want out of life, notice how you are looking at life. Then, consider what you can give to, not take from, this world.

Approval, appreciation and acceptance will lead us to a peaceful state of mind.
The more you approve of who you are, the more you'll feel invigorated, the more you’ll move with the current of life instead of against it. That's how you know you're on the right track. It takes practice, so be patient -- you may be undoing years of negative thinking. Take it one day at a time. Let me know how it goes, and how your bank account responds to your altered states of abundance.

I am ready to step into boundless worth as a human being.

Step Four - The Exchange of Weapons (covenant series)

Armed and ready for war - 

Click on the link to see Gwen's description - 

she says "YES!" to art being warfare in the Spirit!

4. The exchange of weapons

Think about how we "battle" our fellow man...we might avoid someone, gossip, speak unkindly to them, even speak maliciously. We might yell, slam a door, even strike someone physically. Unforgiveness, hatred, bitterness, and wrath become the internal fruit of such behavior. In this step, we give up our weapons in exchange for God’s. The qualities of His weapons are listed in II Corinthians 10:3-5:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Some of these weapons are:

Praise - Check out these verses!
Isaiah 30:32
Psalm 149
Psalm 22:3

The Sword of the Spirit - which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17)...one author I have read said that the original language could be translated as "swords of the Spirit", meaning that any portion of Scripture could be used as a weapon, depending on the situation....

The words of our testimony - Revelation 12:11. Remembering what God has done for us and for others sure helps when the attacks of the enemy threaten to overwhelm our life and faith!

The Blood of the Lamb - Revelation 12:11. Remembering the price of our Redemption is a phenomenal weapon on any day!

Not loving our own life, even at the point of death - Revelation 12:11. Now this is a tremendous picture of someone who understands covenant! They are willing to lay down everything IN their life, as well as their VERY life, for the sake of the One they are in covenant with! There is so much more in the Bible about loving the world, loving the Lord, loving our fellow man...and each passage can be considered insight into this weapon of warfare.

The Name of Jesus - Philippians 2:10. At the name of Jesus, EVERY knee will bow!

I am sure I have missed one or two - of course any prayer is a weapon against the enemy!

Following the commands in Romans 12:14, 17, 19 makes room for God to fight our battles. See what these verses say:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (verse 14)
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. (verse 17)
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. (verse 19)

Enjoy your thoughts as the Spirit brings more insights to your mind!

Step Three- The Exchange of Belts (Covenant series)

Together in battle (hands lifting the rod) - 

Click on the link to see Gwen's explanation of her picture.

3. The exchange of belts
The belt is the symbol of strength - see II Corinthians 12:9.

Belts were used to hold weapons (bow, arrow, sword, dagger). The belt also holds my armor together. So symbolically I’m giving you all my strength and pledging you all my support and protection. As I give you my belt, I’m saying, “Here is my strength and all my ability to fight. If anybody attacks you, they are also attacking me. Your battles are my battles and mine are yours. I will fight with you. I will help defend you and protect you.” And you do the same to me. (This paragraph is adapted from the book “The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread” by Richard Booker)

Wow, this is a little daunting - I like the idea that God will protect me, but the idea that His enemies are also now my enemies???? But yet experience says that this is true...I have to fight a spiritual enemy who hates me simply because I am made in the image of his enemy, and now that I am in covenant with the Enemy, the other hates me doubly! I think I REALLY need God in my life!!!!!

Step Two - The Exchange of Outer Garments (covenant series)

Clothed in righteousness - click on the link to see Gwen's description of this picture

2. The exchange of outer garments

Scripture says that He has given us His divine nature - II Peter 1:3-4.

To the Hebrew, a person’s robe represents the person. By taking off my robe and giving it to you, I’m symbolically saying, “I’m giving you all myself. My total being and my life, I pledge to you.” And then you would do the same to me.

Also read Colossians 3:8-10; 12-14 for more information on His garments that are given to us, and that we need to reach for and put on ourselves!

Step One - Counting the Cost (Covenant series)

Behold -A New Thing - artwork by Gwen Meharg. 

 Click on the link to see her explanation of the painting!

1. Count the cost
Read Luke 14:27-33. This passage is about considering the cost of entering into a covenant with someone...
God initiates covenant with us - read John 1:1-5; 9-13.

Remember, if a person has considered the cost, and chooses to walk away, there is no covenant...if the parties move on to step two, the covenant is initiated and binding. Can you see how this applies to a person who has heard the Good News, and doesn't take the step to receive Jesus into their heart?

heARTfilled blessings,
Cindy

A little fun interruption

My dh and I love Don Francisco and his music....well, here is a fun little piece by his wife!

Covenant - the ancient steps

Here is another image by Gwen Meharg - a friend and inspiring artist.

I chose this image to illustrate a new study series I am posting about covenants as they were understood in Biblical times. Understanding the process of covenant deeply enriched my Christian walk, and helped me dig out even richer truth from well loved scriptures!

For today, I am giving you a simple list of the steps of covenant, and in the days that follow, I will explain in more detail each of these steps...

7 Steps of a Blood Covenant:

1. Counting the cost (you can decide not to go through with the covenant at this step. If you progress to step two, the covenant is initiated and considered binding to both parties.)
2. The Exchange of outer garments
3. The exchange of belts
(the belt is a symbol of strength. It was used to hold weapons.)
4. The exchange of weapons
5. The walk of death: Berith (walking in a figure eight between the pieces of a sacrificed animal)
6. Covenant mark
7. Covenant meal

Intrigued? I bet the Holy Spirit is already whispering the details to your heart!

Hooray!

I added a third column!!! Go here for the best instructions I found - after all, since I am not a computer geek, and I could actually get the codes to work, it must be a good tutorial!!!

I was just checking my favorite art blogs and....

Thank you so much Julie Ann for featuring me!

I wanted to hurry back here and post something that she inspired me to do...there are three...so keep scrolling down!






These are wooden crosses, about 8 inches tall...

Julie-Ann is always a blessing with heARTfelt paintings and in sending messages of love out to the world...

I hope you enjoy your visit to my blog

Casa and Heelys!

Last Friday (October 9th) was our first Casa (the local theater that features plays for children throughout the year) field trip for the year - The Jungle Book! It was great! After that a trip to Central Market for lunch with Susan and Catherine and families. Sophia had her new heelys on, and told Angel that she got them at Ross...well Angel had been wanting Heelys for - like forever!....so when no one could come over for a playdate, we decided a shopping adventure was just what we needed...and we found two pairs - one pink and one blue. The blue ones were closer to Angel's size, yet still a little large but that was OK because she could just wear thicker socks for a while till she grew into them....


When we got home and Angel was trying them out, she remembered that Rosetta had a pair of heelys...and that is when we discovered that God had been ordering our steps all along! Rosettas heelys (purchased at the beginning of the year) were the same light blue color as Angel's!!!! She was so delighted! God is so good!

What I've Been Doing...

Well, today has been quite productive, after a week of being under the weather! Now fall is in the air, and I have the "re-organize, inventory, purge, simplify, sort" bug! Clothes - both Angel's and mine - have been sorted and some given away, some in a pile to embellish, and mostly, inventory for the cool weather has been accomplished!

Now today, the kitchen!!!! I have counters once again, the plastic container cabinet has been R.I.P.S.S. as well - mostly initiated by my younger son's generous donation of RUBBERMAID STACKABLE STORAGE CONTAINERS! Wow! That WAS organization!

I have decluttered countertops, decorated for fall, and even lit an apple-cinnamon candle....ahhhh, caramel apples coming up!

Here is the proof, my counters are clear! This is my first attempt to upload a video - and I think sound and video may not be working together...but at the very end, you will see my little girl's "Science Genius Lab" a.k.a a Barbie kitchen!

(Note the fall centerpiece - yes, I was on a roll!)

I just reviewed the video and there are dishes in the sink!!! Seed dishes...know what I mean?

Come check out ETC's Design Challenge - "Enchanted"

Y'all Come on Over Now, ya he'r!

Our Etsy Texas Crafters group is hosting their design challenge RIGHT NOW - till midnight Wednesday, September 30th! Click here to see all the entries for this months theme "Enchanted"...you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom to find the "vote" link...there are some really clever ideas here, plus, I DO have an entry...another item that will be at ArtsGoggle this weekend...

OMG - My little fledgling has just graced me with a BEAUTIFUL lullaby

I wish I could include the melody - but I don't have the capability!!!

Here it is...


Moonlight, starbright
My light is shining on you…
Somewhere,
out there,
Someone is praying for you!


Is she awesome or what!!!!???

Check out these projects!

You know I have an 8 year old fledgling....and any of you who have little girls (or not so little girls!) might enjoy this post by Sharon Tomlinson of AllNorahsArt. Especially check out the Castle Towers - wouldn't this make a great art activity for girls of all ages?!



Be sure you click on the link and look at all the photos of her art party to get inspired!

Genius Defined!

Another one with a vintage novel page from 1891 and mounted on mahogany. The text of the page has some adjectives that define what is NOT a genius, but in the story, the one this is written about achieves all that he had hoped to...

You know, I think I already posted this, but I can't find it! Who knows! I don't know if it is the anesthesia left in my system or the fact that I am 50 - or maybe it is simply trying to prepare for this upcoming art thing!

heARTfilled blessings,
Cindy

A Gift Tonight

Tonight I was gifted with new friendships - deep friendships - some that I have had for quite a while, and others that were new...but the thing in common was our hearts for God. We are a group committed to prayer - we are women - of various ages - of various life stages - all with unique giftings and leadings and anointings - all with the same passion for Jesus! Thank you Julie for being such a wonderful leader; for being such a transparent vessel; for being pure of heart and hearing from God!

I came home and continued painting a new piece for the upcoming ArtsGoggle - and as I was painting, I began to "see" another painting - my head and heart were still full of joy and anticipation over what God is putting together! The painting would be a tribute to this group, to prayer. I could "see" our hands, the hands of our hearts, lifted to the Lord in worship and prayer...

And then I remembered my friend Gwen and her inspired paintings! Perhaps she already had something like what I was seeing! And she did!

You can see more of Gwen's work here

I will paint what I saw in my spirit, but for now, this will commemorate tonight's knitting together of hearts.

Getting ready for ArtsGoggle

Just thought I would share another mixed media piece I finished up tonight - getting ready for ArtsGoggle on October 3rd. You can read more about this Fort Worth Near Southside Event here.

The vintage novel page is from a book published in 1891. The things you can find for a quarter at a garage sale!!

THE STUDIO

Here is my messy office/studio. You can see some "works in progress" leaned up against the case of my embroidery machine. Note the knee space with carpet showing!!! And the box full of kindergarten memorabilia still in place!!! Some other "works in progress" leaning up against a desk leg (to the left of the box), some of Angel's artwork - definitely inspirational - to the right of the laptop. I have a great window that you can see (sort of - the gleam of light at the top), and Angel's desk and chair is positioned in front of that window. She likes the "wall of separation" that the sewing machine creates - and she added some shoeboxes...no wonder things get a little cramped!!!

Below is a close-up of my carpet showing under the knee space - hooray for a little bit of organization lately!



Uuuuuummmmm, can someone get my cleaning lady to vacuum in here? Ha, ha!

Creative Studio Spaces!

Today Pamela Angus invited all readers in to her studio - so pristine and beautiful - shows off her glass exquisitely!



Tomorrow I will show where I create - the infamous home office/art studio! But till then, you can check out other creative spaces here...

To "CafePress" or Not To "CafePress" - that is the question

sidesaddlecard2, originally uploaded by Deb Trotter - Cowboy's Sweetheart.

Ready for things a little bit Cowgirl? I loved this!

Check out this little bit of interesting info about Cafepress I found on Deb Trotter's "Cowboy's Sweetheart" blog

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

I thought I would go ahead and leave this in - though as it says "This is just a test". I highly recommend you install this in your blogs if you are going to blog your own photos or promote what others have done - it is soooooooooo easy!

PROCRASTINATION!!! Or, the Pre-K Scrapbook is DONE!

Finally! I have the pictures, artwork, and those special worksheets I saved from my daughter's Pre-K year placed in a "scrapbook" - not just any scrapbook mind you, but a big 11 x 17 inch legal binder...special to hold those big sheets of construction paper art projects that the teachers of younger children are so fond of using!

You would think that it was elaborate, creative, beautiful...but it's not...functional - a place to have it all contained neat and organized and in some sort of chronological order...

Did I mention that all that STUFF lived under the desk in my home office/art studio? In a low, yet long and wide cardboard box? Kindergarten and VBS crafts for those two years still live in that box - still under my desk! My toes always bump the side of the box! The good news is - Pre-k is finished. The stack of folders that leaned up against the side of the desk (between the box and the desk drawer) can now fit inside the box - yep - that is how I kept Kindergarten and Pre-K separate...

Now - you will just be amazed by this - do you know how old my daughter is? Go ahead, guess....whew, well, OK, she isn't a teenager YET! But she is 8!!!! I have had Pre-K under this desk for FOUR WHOLE YEARS!!!! And it took me about 3 hours to organize it in the scrapbook...what do you think that says about me??????

PROCRASTINATOR!!!!

But since it is a holiday weekend, I may get Kindergarten done too!!!! Just need to find some more adhesive!!!

HeARTfilled blessings,
Cindy

A fun little art video from YouTube

I was browsing around some artists' blogs and found this really clever little video on one...at Gritty Arts Studio Blog.







Andyradorfman is one creative person!

First of September

We have been having something of a "cold snap" for Texas at least! Around 80 degrees in the day, dropping to 70 degrees at night! It feels like it is finally time to go out to the garage and do a little stained glass work....I did have to battle the mosquitoes a little (thank you Avon Skin so Soft bug repellent!)

But, I did manage to fix Angel's kaleidoscope that I had made her a couple of years ago (lead-free solder of course). You know, I should have taken a "before" picture! It had gotten quite oxidized for some reason (even tho' it was kept inside our house!), and the last time we tried to turn it, the little brass piece that holds the wheels to the scope actually broke off! Well, I have it soldered REALLY good now!! Almost couldn't get the mirrors back in!



The first image is a side view - pink is the color of choice for this little girl! I enhanced the next picture a little, so that you could really see the way the glass looks!



Finally, I took a picture through the eye-piece to see if I could capture some of the kaleidoscope images...I love the changing beauty of the images!!!! Remember you can click on any image to have it enlarged in another window of your browser!

Finally!!! The final fruit of the Spirit picture (for now!

Here is the last installment of the "Fruit of the Spirit" art creation I was inspired to do during Paulette Insall's "Faces" class...not all of my art was faces, but having seen the collection all together, I may add four more faces as inspiration leads me...I do think I like this face the most, and next is the Angel face attached to "Love"...

And of course I am busy on other half- finished canvasses/boards started before my surgery...speaking of boards - I still definitely need a pillow to sit in the chairs in my counseling office/art studio for any length of time!!!

HeARTfilled Blessings!
Cindy

Next up - Gentleness

I usually scan my canvases, but the only way to do this one was to photograph the picture, as the nest and eggs are copper wire with beads woven in...

No face, but the next to the last piece of the "Fruit of the Spirit" series!

Joy is...love smiling

I am finally back in my messy home office/art studio and creating! Although, I still need a pillow to sit on, but a small price to pay to get to so many unfinished projects! So many backgrounds and half-completed faces...I will feel like I am whizzing through to some of these finished paintings!

Anyway, here is the next (and almost last) installment to the "Fruit of the Spirit" series I started in the spring! Yippee!

Hey, I just figured out that you can click on the image and it will enlarge in the same window that you are viewing the blog in! I am getting so computer literate!!!

Finally!

Today marks 4 weeks post-op and I am finally feeling a little more energetic and almost pain free. Hooray! I have done about 4 loads of laundry, cleaned the kitty litter pan (yes, I am really the only one at home who can handle it...I made a deal with hubby that I would do the litter if he would make supper, and he gladly agreed!). I even pushed a shopping cart through the super Wal-Mart, but that sort of did me in.

The good news is that with all this down time, I have almost completed a cross-stitch bell pull that I began about 18 months ago! I got hubby to lift the sewing machine up onto the dining room table/part-time sewing studio so when I complete the handwork I will be able to back it and finish it for hanging in my home office/art studio.

Well, back to cross-stitching (or maybe cuddling with Angel).

Look at this great book on Estonian knitted lace I found through Knitting Daily! It looks awesome! There are 8 various pages of the book that you can browse...it just might be worth getting!

8 year old dreams

While watching the "Love Comes Softly" and etc. marathon on the Hallmark channel, Angel turned to us and asked "Poppa, will you 'give me away'?" A lengthy pause followed, as Poppa considered that future day...I teasingly interjected "No, he won't give you away because he doesn't want you to go anywhere!!!" But she smiled widely at the thought, contentedly knowing she "belongs" with us and in that belonging rests protection, provision, and parenting...

I wonder who will earn her heart away from her Poppa's!!

I wish I was painting...

Just a little update - very little painting has been done lately, the electric outage caused some delays as I had to do "catch-up" housework and counseling as soon as the electricity was back on...then our oldest son got out of rehab (and all the ups and downs of that) - a great time of inner healing prayer with a client (maybe I will journal more about that later) and then....SURGERY! Necessary, but I WISH I WAS PAINTING! Perhaps next week, when I am not on so many pain meds...this was a scheduled surgery, an abdominal approach hysterectomy and repair of lower areas. My husband and family are doing a great job of taking care of me...it almost feels like being pampered...almost! I seem to be capable of only watching TV, and now I have been able to check my emails and update this blog. **Yawn** bye for now!

No internet!!! No electricity!!!!

Hi all - sorry it has been so long - and I can't even post to my etsy shop yet! We are part of the 260,000 North Texans without power, but it has been great! I am really finding out what is important and what isn't!!! Though I love the internet, I can live without it! I have also found that I can live without air-conditioning, though in that regard I am very thankful for the warm water addition to the showers at our local pool! Everyone else is probably thankful for that as well!!! I can read, paint!!!!, sew by hand, garden, and play with and love on my family! And the other great thing is that there are no real expectations for cooking (another yay for easy meals and lots of fruit and water to drink!)...so, blessings on each of you - I am at a Starbucks presently trying to check emails, and then back to primitive living!

A Life Purified

I can't believe it has been a week since I posted! It has been full...

But here is a painting I (finally!) finished! I am trying to use up materials that I have lying around, and I found several old wooden embroidery hoops, thought they would make good frames for painted pieces, so "hooped up" some canvas paper, primed it, and proceeded to paint! The image is one that I will use to prepare prints from, so I purposefully didn't show the wooden hoop. The original will be available tomorrow in my etsy shop -

There are five crowns in the picture, can you find them all? One is a little tricky, but I bet you will find it! Below the picture I have included references to the five crowns of the believer in Christ...enjoy!



THE FIVE CROWNS OF THE BELIEVER

The believer’s life and faith are rewarded by Christ at His coming I Thess. 2:19 -20
Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 3:12-15; II Corinthians 5:9-10

1. Crown of joy for those who suffer - I Thess. 2:19
2. Crown of endurance for those who master the old nature - I Cor. 9:24-25
3. Crown of righteousness for those who long for and pray for the return of Jesus Christ
II Tim. 4:8
4. Crown of life for those who persevere under trial or even die for the sake of the gospel
James 1:12
5. Crown of Glory for those who are faithful in the leadership of the flock. I Peter 5:4

Art and Life

No pictures to post tonight...I am working on 5 small ones all at the same time, but tonight life needs to be tended to...I must compose a letter to our son who is making many, many, MANY bad choices...so if you read this and you are a praying person, please lift him up. So, here I am, in my easy chair with my lap top - "Under the Tuscan Sky" is on - I love this movie and I have watched it so many times that is won't be a distraction while I write.....well, not much of a distraction....mmmmm, ok, here's a comercial - no distraction here!!! Not sure that's what the advertisers had in mind though!

The Fruit of the Spirit is - Faithfulness

Another one in the "Fruit of the Spirit" series...Home is the best living illustration of constant love and faithfulness that I know of - thus a little treehouse for ... butterflies? Fairies? Birds? Or perhaps a highly imaginative symbol of your own home?!

I didn't start out painting a night-time scene...but with the deep blue and the circular strokes I used to put in some white, the background sort of shaped up like a moonlit night...I did an antique glaze over this one, too, still didn't like it, and realized that a guardian angel would fit in nicely behind the tree. I used a light wash for the wings. Her hair was black, but my little girl thought it looked too mean, so I added white streaks which my little girl really liked, and she really liked that it made the angel look holy and fierce.

I just noticed...the leaves are sort of heart shaped too! That will tie in nicely with the hearts in the robin picture for patience!

Patience is complete!!

Here is the final rendition of Mrs. Robin and the Fruit of the Spirit of "Patience". I think I will do a "mini tutorial" on the process of how I did this piece, and incorporate all the good feedback and help I got from feedback to help others through this...maybe after the holiday weekend!!

I got out some of my mixed media pieces I did last year (on discarded flooring tiles) and I can really see how I have grown...I can barely believe it myself!!! And tonight, in the midst of getting ready for the Artfest in Weatherford tomorrow (oops, I mean later this morning - Yikes!!!) I worked on these older pieces, giving them a little more "mix" - and viola - I have four more pieces to take with me!!!

heARTfilled blessings!

Patience revised - "Please be patient" - LOL

you can go to my flicker page here to review the suggestions I received on what might help my piece (shown again on the left). The piece on the right is how it looks after some more revising...what do you think now? It is amazing to see the difference in viewing them side by side!

The Fruit of the Spirit is - Patience

I would like some feedback on this piece - it is the mixed media piece that I needed that feather stamp for...

Maybe it is just because it isn't a face - I just am not satisfied with it, but can't put my proverbial finger on the reason why it doesn't seem right...

What do you think?

How many times do you have to try???????

Here is the answer; 30!!! But then you end up using one of the first four that you did! That is how many times I stamped this little feather stamp before I got one or two that I thought would work for the current mixed media piece...and I had to resort to doing that because the stamp just didn't like the texture on the canvas and REFUSED to imprint any semblance to a feather! Here are some of my other tries....




They are a little messy in places, but I think I can salvage a few more for other projects!!

Another input into the Fruit of the Spirit series

This one is self-control. She started out with a white dress, but with her auburn hair it just didn't look right. Also, she has gold metallic highlights around her halo and the collar of her dress. All of these paintings are on 5" x 5" gallery wrapped canvasses. I am hoping they work together as an entire installation when I am finished. Actually, I only have two more to go, and finishing touches on the rest!

Kindness - love showing itself sensitive to others

Just a little something for mother's day - another finished piece for my Fruit of the Spirit series...

My Big Find of the Weekend!!!!!

Here is just one picture of the wonderful book I discovered - and immediately bought! - this past weekend...an illuminated work of the entire book of Psalms from before 1910...almost 100 years old!! Honestly, I could have shown you any page in the book and it would have been wonderful! I am looking forward to using this for some of my daily quiet times, reading through it one Psalm at a time, being inspired every second!!!!

A wonderful post on copyright issues!

Oh, I have been swamped with homeschool activities and all the general "well" check-ups for my 8 year old these last couple of days, but I wanted to share with you this great post on copyright issues and art...it is just good information for EVERYONE to know!!! It is at http://lisacole690.blogspot.com/2009/05/copyright-stuff-or-much-ado-about.html - copy and past into your browser, or just click on the title of this post and that will take you right to it. Lisa has a great blog, too.

I can't wait to get to my scanner so I can show you all the great finds from the weekend - a trip to the local Half-Price Bookstore to find sheet music to use in mixed media resulted in "THE JACKPOT"! I'll show you soon!

heARTfilled blessings!

Butterfly peace!

Next installment in "The Fruit of the Spirit" (not necessarily in order!!)

The inspiration came from an old devotional in which the author was developing the list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit as different characteristics/facets of love (since the word "fruit" is used in its singular sense!)

Thus, peace is what you call love when it is at rest...I love the word play here and in all of the remaining fruit!

heARTfilled blessings!

The Fruit of the Spirit is - Love

Here she is, finished! Let me know what you think! She is the first in a series of 9, based on the Fruit of the Spirit...not every "fruit" is represented by an angel....hmmmm, maybe that is what I will do next!

Art and Life

It has taken me some time to decide how I wanted to organize my "blog world". Questions about what to post, how to be relevant and yet true to myself, should I keep it study oriented (I REALLY LOVE the study of the Bible), and even the question of "do I want to blog?" have meandered through my mind as I have dug deep into my creative side this year! Somehow, this week, it finally "clicked" on how to do it - before I was compartmentalizing each aspect of my life - now, somehow, I have integrated my life and my artsy side...thus the title!

I really enjoyed my online faces class that I took with Paulette Insall! Tonight I finished the first canvas of a little series I am doing on the fruits of the Spirit...if I can ever get my computer to upload the sketch, you can see that first, then after the painting dries I'll show that to you, too!!

Hey, I did it! The sketch got a little wet somehow - so there is some smeary shading on the chin...but no big deal...see you tomorrow!