Sneak Peek Friday - Creativity?

 

The Lord gave me this word one day for those who would come across the website...

Such a full week - and if our creative natures - instilled by the Creator Himself - touches each aspect of our lives, then this week has seen much creativity!  Tho' none has been 

pencil to paper

paint onto canvas

thread in and out of fabric...

and I long for that sort of creative endeavor soon!

but this week I did create:

language worksheets

bread pudding (twice!)

quiet spaces in my heart

and in the heart of another

another page in the book of heaven where the Lord records when His children talk about Him

new techniques in photoshop (to the left)...

learning to take better photos - still with my little shoot and go camera!

and if html code is art, then I did a lot (!) as I was able to integrate my blogger blog into my website! 

(Notice the new heading and navbar?)

I am still getting my blogger links into the new navbar...

And I invite you to come visit on Wednesday, when I reveal what God has been teaching me about counting, and you can see how these images will be altered and how they fit with that theme (and new images will be there as well...)

The whitest place for photo shoots!

    

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU...

The Lord's Mercies...Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today

September 11, 2012

Late summer grasses near our house...

Outside my window...the cooler air seems to make the blue of the sky that much more crisp!

I am going...to get my fall garden planted this week!

I am reading...lots of things to sweet tweener...

From the learning room...school has begun - and days are full and or so fun!

I am pondering...more on contemplation and found a lovely spot to infuse my own journey...

A favorite quote for today...on education (at my flicker site)

One of my favorite things... lacy things

A few plans for the rest of the week: Sort and organize sweet tweener's clothes and new "beauty" products in her bathroom...

A Scripture to meditate on from this morning: 

Lectio Divina:
We read the passage slowly: lectio
                 Lamentations 3:22-23

We meditate on the Word or phrase: meditatio 

In the Jewish calendar, the month of Elul is a month of preparation, leading up to the Jewish new year (marked by Rosh Hashana).  It is a time of reflecting on the greatness of God, of our severe limitations when it comes to leading a holy life, and on how much we  desperately need Him, especially how much we need His mercy, or more accurately, His mercies...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope...(1 Peter 1:3).

The Hebrew word for "mercy" is rachamim. It's plural. In Hebrew, you can't say "mercy" (singular). You can only say "mercies" (plural). God provides abundant mercy—; not just one mercy, but mercy upon mercy upon mercy. It's enough not just for one time, but for every time we need it. It's enough not just for bad sins, but also for the very, very bad sins.

We ask for mercy and God gives us rachamim. He gives us mercies overflowing and able to fill up and cleanse every sin and failure, with mercies to spare. So open your heart wide. He doesn't just have mercy for you. He has mercies— - and more than enough for you to live a life of abundant joy and victory.

...let the failures, the sin, the pain, and the guilt of the past be healed by God's rachamim. 

(The Voice of the Lord for Elul 20)
(You can sign up for "The Voice of the Lord" daily devotions to be delivered to your inbox at www.studylight.org)

 We talk with God: Oratio

We are silent: Contemplatio

Joining with the Simple Woman's Daybook community here
and
Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday here

Raindrops are the perfect lullaby

It rained Saturday morning, and a cool front came through - it finally feels like fall in Texas!

When you find yourself wanting to be Mary in a Martha digital world...

found this great info graphic/mindmap here

Remember this...a new idea

Another great find on Tumblr...since I like collage, why not try this - same shot, different times of the day, different times of the year, slightly enlarge, slightly decrease, then collage together - I love the artsy feel to this!

What your journey may look like:

Photo Source

Sneak Peek Friday - Book Spine Poetry Hop!

I had the pleasure of guest-posting about "Book Spine Poetry" 

for my friend Jennifer at Studio JRU last Friday -

Today is the reveal of everyone's (who are playing) work!  

I am so looking forward to seeing what friends have put together...

Here's my new one:

I simply ran the Photoshop Action called Lomo-fi - free download found at Daniel Box's Tumblr blog (plus quite a few more)

My poem reads:

Leaving Home

Walking a Sacred Path

The Path to Serenity

Daring to Draw Near

The River of Life 

To see what others have created - click here and let's go the the Sneak Peek!

Why don't you try one too!?

Remember this:

"Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of travelling."

▼

  Margaret Lee Runbeck

Remember this:

Photo Source

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

August 28, 2012

A peek into my day:

Looking for rectangles for a Beyond Layers challenge - and looking for them from old picture files on the computer...


I took these last fall,  when sweet tweener was having her pictures taken...it was such a good opportunity to snag some great texture...and shapes (as it turns out).

I loved the peeling paint, the crumbling stones in this old alley - and then I noticed the sign on the boxes stacked on the other side of the doors ->...
so many questions remained unanswered when I think of what that sign might mean!

 
Here are some vertical styled rectangles...and a horizontal one above and rectanglish crumbled stones around the bottom...and of course sweet tweener...I can't wait for her pictures this year!

























Outside my window...it was cloudy - and so cool for the dog days of summer here in Texas!  I love the rain we've been having lately!

I am thinking...about this school year - 6th grade already!  And so very Tween...

I am thankful...that she shares so much of her heart with me...I am honored...and for fat hummingbirds visiting our feeder every morning...

In the kitchen...just made another batch of laundry soap (recipe here).

I am wearing...a black T with little ruffles across the yoke and a "carpenter" style smokey blue long skirt.

I am creating...an image gallery on my Wordpress site!  I finally figured it out! (Keep checking back to see the progress).

We are going...to visit David over Labor Day weekend; it will be interesting I am sure...

I am wondering...what will happen with the elections this year - illegal immigration, the health care bill, and the ever extending Federal government's reach...

I am reading...the Audiblox manual (a program for correction of all sorts of learning disabilities).

I am hoping...that the Audiblox program will also help Gary's slight TIA issues...

I am looking forward to...field trips, Texas State Fair, and an upcoming "stitching retreat" with the smocking guild!

From the learning room... from an article here...

Are geniuses really only better stewards then the rest of us? 

What would happen if every Christian used the 4 hours daily spent in front of the television a day (more than 126 hours a month!) or the near hour a day the average American surfs the internet and spent two of those hours developing their skill in a particular domain (woodworking, quantum physics, photography) and one hour more on the spiritual disciplines that lead into a deeper relationship with God, (prayer, memorization, Bible meditation, fasting) – only repurposing three hours a day from the five we spend on passive entertainment

Around the house...I finally have all the paper off of the refrigerator and proper "mini" magnetic whiteboards installed inside the kitchen cabinet doors.

A favorite quote for today...

I carry your heart with me; (I carry it in my heart); I am never without it; (anywhere I go you go, my dear)...E. E. Cummings

 One of my favorite things...white T's trimmed in lace...

A few plans for the rest of the week...going to the Birds, Beasts, and Beauty art exhibit on Thursday afternoon...

A Scripture to meditate on from this morning: 

Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people!  Selah...Psalm 3:8

Lectio Divina:
We read the passage slowly: lectio
We meditate on the Word or phrase: meditatio 

A life of beauty is to be like a psalm, and a psalm needs many selahs. Our selahs will allow us to consider and reconsider what is most important. Our selahs will allow us to be refreshed, to receive and take God to heart, soaking in his love. The Voice of the Lord for Elul 4

We talk with God: Oratio
We are silent: Contemplatio - (Selah)

Joining with the Simple Woman's Daybook community here
and
Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers here

Yes!

Photo Credit

Remember this:

Photo Credit

Yes - even if you don't know where this road of life is taking you, or what's around the next bend even, just keep going, and you WILL move into deeper and greater maturity...

Sneak Peek Friday - Book Spine Poetry

I have the honor of guest posting at my friend Jennifer’s blog today.  Won’t you join me there for a little fun with books and poetry?

Click here or on the "In the Studio" button above to go see what all the fun is about!

The Healing Journey:

I saw this on "Tumblr" and thought it was such a good image that defines the journey of healing emotions and trauma - or even just living life! I hope you enjoy it too!

Remember this:

Blog Hop Networking Party! {Plus a birthday surprise}

This is what I've been working on this week - we won't be able to go back to Iowa for the party, 

except in Spirit...

Photo Book - Present for Poppa Murry's 85th Birthday 

(SHHH, don't tell him, it's a surprise!)

Click here to view the photo book- click the "view" button

And I'm joining in this new blog hop:

Are you ready to network??

Are you prepared to make some new bloggy friends??

Well, here's your chance!

RULES:

Link up to the homepage of your blog.

….follow Host and Co-Hosts {pretty please}
Feel free to follow by Facebook, Twitter, or whatever works best for you!

….hop // network // have fun!

If you'd like to post this linky on your blog, grab the code HERE.

The more, the merrier!

Simple Woman's Daybook

Today is a different input to "Simple Woman's Daybook" - a list of simple things that are important to me - every day...
Processed with Pioneer Woman’s “Old West” action (adjusted to be less yellow) and one layer of Kim Klassen’s “Reverie” set at colorburn – love the vintage dreamy effect!

There are so many favorite everyday moments!
Each small event, each hour, each little happening
- these are what builds a life -

(Read the rest of this post here)

Painting with Light - Sneak Peek Friday

Using a technique of "painting with light" in Photoshop to try to produce a halo effect...I can "see" using this on photos of sweet tweener!

Sorting,

Sewing,

Contemplating,

Deciding,

Reading,

Creating,

Gathering,

Preparing,

Nurturing,

Adorning...

All these things are working within and without this week...

May your weekend be full of the blessings of He who watches over you...

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives here at Studio JRU this week...

Simpl Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

August 7th, 2012

A peek into my day...it's all about the tweener - someday she may be embarrassed about the "bedhead"!

Bed head, 3Ds, "chillaxin'" in the recliner, and fancy knee high tennis shoes - it's a tweener life!

Outside my window... it is dawn - I love how the sky lightens gradually, a slow revelation of the beauty of nature...


In the kitchen...Made an incredible mixed melon salsa - a flavor burst in the mouth!  Who knew onions and serrano peppers complemented melons?  And sweet tweener's mint collection came into play, too.

I am wearing...a white sundress to stay cool in!

I am creating...headbands, bracelets, and chokers out of leftover t-shirt knit from working on sweet tweener's T-Shirt quilt.  It is a tweener world.

I am going...to take sweet tweener to the last free summer movie at the Weatherford theater - Madagascar 2 -

I am pondering...how to make today's scripture reading into art...I can sort of "see" it, but I'm wondering...

From the learning room...Setting the schedule for the coming school year - only 3 weeks of summer left!

Around the house...sewing projects, cleaning out the school closet, planning the fall garden.

I am thankful...35 years of marriage {how did the years add up so fast!?} to the same steady, loyal man...

Our photos already have a vintage, faded look without ANY processing!  But on this one I did add Pioneer Woman's "soft and faded" action, because it really added an overall softness...

A favorite quote for today...

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.                                                      Robert Frost

One of my favorite things...compliments from sweet tweener on what I have cooked.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a birthday party overnight at sweet tweener's friend's house, another get together with another friend later in the week, swimming?

A Scripture to meditate on from this morning: 

"Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land." Isaiah 32:2

Lectio Divina:
We read the passage slowly: lectio
We meditate on the Word or phrase: meditatio 

We talk with God: oratio
We are silent: contemplatio

Joining with the Simple Woman's Daybook community here
and
Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday here

Whatever - subway art for tweeners

We don't allow sweet tweener to use the word "Whatever" at the house...

It is often used (when we hear it in media) to convey disrespect...

however, of course we use a "valley-girl accent" and goof around with the word

 - alot...

It is good practice for her, to be able to bridle her tongue, but....

she is still a tweener - and since it is her Poppa who is more strict than me and, well, God just dropped this in my heart during quiet times one morning to bless her with....

 

More "whatever" verses to come:  1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; Colossians 3:23

You can order a digital or paper print from the etsy shop.

Linking with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU here ☺.