Monday, December 24, 2007

Hannah and Laura

" 'Do you hear what these children are saying?' they asked him. 'Yes,' replied Jesus, ' have you never read, from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.' "

Here is Hannah, my daughter's daughter. She just turned one this month and had one whoppin' birthday party. Hannah's going to know how to celebrate Jesus' birthday with hers so close to His. She is a very sweet-natured and good baby. She's starting to walk by herself a little but is still too afraid to let go. How many times we try to walk by ourselves but are afraid when all the time Jesus just wants to hold our hands. I love Hannah so much.


Meet our youngest granddaughter. Laura is 9 months old and has the prettiest little voice. She almost sings when she talks and she's saying more and more every day. Talk about a sweet disposition--she's precious. Look--Laura's already inviting us to adore the Christ. She's learning so much from her 4 brothers and sister. She's cruising around furniture and has been crawling since August. I love Laura so much.

I am so blessed to have these eleven grandchildren, 2 sons, a daughter, 2 daughters-in-law and a son-in-law and my husband. God has given me more than I deserve and I'm so grateful. We're all going to be together, if it's God's will, for Christmas and we have so much fun. We'll all be able to worship together and we haven't done that in a very long time. I'm looking forward to our visit...

May God bless you and yours this Christmas and I'll return with more art, Bible readings and devotions in the new year.

These cards were created on playing cards on which I painted, adhered copied images and other ephemera, ribbon and I etched in gel medium and highlighted with gold paint.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Will and Cassi

Proverbs 13:1--"A wise son heeds his father's instruction." Here's Will. He's so much like his father that it's scary. They have the same sweet temperment; they look alike; they're very active people; they enjoy everything. If this child had red hair, he would pass for my son at age 6. I love it. My son now knows how interesting our lives were when we were raising him. Will is a pleasure and he does listen to his father's instruction or answer for it. He tries very hard to be obedient. This boy does love to play outside and is up for any adventure. I love Will so much.


Proverbs 17:6--"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." Here is one of my little "crowns." Cassi was three this December and is a joyful child. She can make you laugh by just walking in the room. She has a sweet disposition and a ready, winsome smile. She was her parents' little unexpected Christmas present. We'll never forget the day she was born was bitter cold and her Daddy had a big Christmas program that night. She was obliging and came about an hour before the event, but Daddy stayed with her and her Mom because most of his work on the production came before that evening. Sometimes we can't choose when our babys are born. I'd love to live closer to this little one; she's just a treasure. I love Cassi so much.
These cards are created on playing cards on which I painted, adhered their images, added other ephemera, ribbon and/or jewels and glitter glue. I etched in gel medium and highlighted with gold paint.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Zach and Emma

Exodus 31:1--"I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--to make artistic designs...."

Zachary is next in line. Four boys in a row in three years' time. This one is an artist who can reproduce cartoon characters. Here he has drawn one of the "Cars" characters. He also makes up his own and will cover the page with action shots of "things" in all positions. He has a very vivid imagination. When I was ready to make his quilt, I asked him if he had an idea of a design and he immediately sat down and drew a pattern (age 7), colored it and told me how he wanted it pieced. OK, a boy who knows what he wants. He's nine years old and is being homeschooled with his brother, Jarett. I love Zach so much.


"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does," Ephesians 6:7.

Our first girl! Wow, that was exciting. Emma was born three months after Zach. You'd never find a sweeter child. She is the epitome of a servant. She sees things that need to be done and does them before you even know you need it. She, like her brothers, Caleb and Joshua, likes to read--especially "American Girl" books. And she's the little mother to her new baby sister. Emma also is a an artist. She and I have exchanged Artist Trading Cards (I have a couple of hers on previous blog entries) and her mother has bought her scrapbook papers and stickers to use. It's a lot of fun being artists together. I love Emma so much.

Both of these cards started as playing cards on which I painted, adhered their image and other ephemera. I etched in gel medium and highlighted with gold paint.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Joshua

Proverbs 20:11--"Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."
Joshua is Caleb's brother and he'll be eleven next month--catching up to his brother. The second child many times has to prove himself worthy as compared to his older sibling. Although these two have their disagreements, they are few. Joshua is into needlework. Everytime we're together he wants to help me fix sock monkeys, cross-stitch or knit--whatever I happen to be doing when I visit his family. I helped Joshua make his own scarf last summer--so hot outside you could fry an egg on the concrete. It looks great, too, so I made this card as remembrance of this event. He's such a sweet natured boy, but a fierce competitor. He doesn't like to lose and it's been a battle developing the right attitude when playing a game, but he's done it. The last game I saw them play he was actually happy playing the game and he didn't care whether he won or not. I love Joshua so much.

This card started as a playing card on which I adhered an image of Joshua, old music and other ephemera. I etched in gel medium around the edge.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Caleb and Jarett


Romans 1:7b--"I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!"
This is my second grandson, Jarett, who is also 12. What fun to have my first two grandchildren just 50 days apart. Jarett is such a sweet boy and I love him so much. He's such a good big brother to his two brothers and sister. Jarett was being home schooled for the first time this past Fall and seems to be doing well. He loves the great outdoors, enjoys riding his bike and playing computer games. He has a gentle nature and I see great things in his future. He enjoys helping others.


Romans 1:7--"God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people."
This is my first grandchild, Caleb. He's an avid reader and at age 12 he's deep into the classics. His mom is homeschooling him and his other 5 siblings and doing a great job. He's also into reading the most famous book, The Holy Bible. For fun he listens to sermons on his mp3 player. He has the most awesome memory and is a wonderful big brother to his brothers and sisters. I love Caleb so much.

Both of these boys love the Lord and I pray they will listen to the Lord's guidance in their lives. They can both do great things for God.

I had the notion of making altered art cards of all my grandchildren the eleven days before Christmas. I don't know that this will be done but I'm starting by adding two today. This will be a tremendously big week for me, as it will be for most Americans--the week before Christmas. We'll see what happens. Of course, because it's blogger, I've got the boys in the wrong order on this page.

Both of these pieces of art started as playing cards on which I added an altered image of the boys along with other ephemera and book binding materials. I either stained or painted to add age to each card.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

A Son Is Given

Isaiah 9:6--For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders." How many of us have been in Christmas plays or had our children perform in one. My cousins and I many times held our parents hostage while we "performed" our great Christmas Plays. My daughter, about age 9, got all her stuffed animals out and "acted out" the entire reading of Luke 2 one Christmas for the whole family. It's interesting how children can relate to the Christmas story. Each child imagines what it must have been like to be a shepherd, wise man, Mary or Joseph. What must it have been like to be the child, Jesus?
Did he know what was going to be "on his shoulders?"

This card began its life as a playing card on which I painted, glued a copy of a vintage postcard (courtesy of Deena, http://www.sweetannee.blogspot.com/), old music, decorative trim, glitter pens, and gel stain.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

God With Us

"Matthew 1:23--"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel--which means, 'God with us.' " How glad I am that what has been spoken of old applies to what is today. "God with us." These are words that hold comfort for the believer. Sometimes He is the only one on whom we can depend. What a promise! It is a challenge for every believer to rest on those words but when we do, we find true peace.

This art card started as a playing card that I sanded, painted, adhered old book binding materials (courtesy of my friend, Deena), ribbon, old music, other ephemera and a copy of a vintage image (also courtesy of Deena.) The Jesus image is raised by a glue dot and I have etched in gel medium and highlighted with oak and black gel stain.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

O Holy Night

"On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him," Matthew 2:11.
This was a most holy night. The promised Messiah had been born. Everyone who saw Him was in awe and bowed in his presence. The Kings realized royalty when they saw it even when it was manifested in a young child. How many of us recognize the Savior when we see Him? Do we really see Christ at work in our lives? Look closely, he's there wanting to live in you. Just ask and share in the holiness of this season as you worship the Christ of Christmas.
This card began as a playing card on which I adhered an old Carol and a copy of a vintage image shared with me by my friend, Deena (http://sweetannee.blogspot.com). I altered the image by cutting and painting then etched in gel medium and highlighted with gold. Pray for Deena as she has breast surgery tomorrow. Thank you.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Peace On Earth

"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests," Luke 2:14.
"Peace" is the heart cry of the world. We all want to live at peace with each other. Please note, however, that this kind of peace is conditional. "On whom his favor rests" is the condition. How do we become favored? Here are just a few that the Bible offers as ways to please God:

Proverbs 20:23 Be honest
Jeremiah 6:20 Don't be ritualistic
Romans 8:8 Have a sinless nature
Hebrews 11:6 Have faith in God
Proverbs 15:8 Pray out of a right heart
1 John 3:22 Follow His commands

There are so many more references in the Bible that books have been written on the subject, but the best book to read is the Bible itself. In it we gain the wisdom to please God and live in peace with him and our fellow man.

This is a little journal on which I painted, adhered a vintage image and tissue paper, etched in gel medium and highlighted with gold. I gilded the edges of the paper and added ribbons, gold rick-rack and charms, and added decorative paper to the inside of the cover. It measures 3 1/2" x 4 1/2."

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Overshadowed

"...and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God," Luke 1:35. We're still overshadowed. God watches out for his own. He stills our anxious hearts and calms our worst fears. He allows the Son of God to invade our spirits and direct our lives. He leads us as we face the darkness that tries to overcome us. He helps us bear the burdens of life. What would we do without him?

This art has a playing card as the base on which I painted, adhered altered vintage images, stippled, etched in gel medium and highlighted with gold.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Do Not Be Afraid

"But the angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people,' " Luke 2:9-10. We all fear the unknown and it is comforting when things are explained and we know what to expect. Though the angel was speaking to the shepherds on the night of Jesus' birth, the angel speaks to us on this day, too. So many are facing scary events, things that terrify them and cause them great discomfort. My friend, Deena (http://deenasstory.blogspot.com/), is facing breast surgery next Wednesday and needs the comfort that only the Lord can bring. Her friends and family are bringing gifts and other forms of comfort, but the Lord of All gives comfort that only He can give. This peace goes way beyond any earthly pacification. Turn to Him and trust that He will fulfill His promises.

This card measures 2 1/2" x 4" with the gold cording extending another 2" above. I have used computer generated images of an old book cover and a vintage angel. I then repainted them, added painted edging, lace, gold trim, gel etching and gold highlighting.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Angels On High

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men
on whom his favor rests, "
Luke 2:13.

As a musician, I've always loved the fact that the angels actually sang on that first Christmas night. Low and behold, the scripture never mentions their singing at all. It says "saying." What a blow! Songs have been written about singing and we sing Christmas carols and cantatas "like the angels." It doesn't really matter how the praise was given, it just was. No matter whether we sing or not, we must praise God either silently or openly. What a night that must have been.

I took a picture of the old carol and edited it, adhered it to cardstock, added other ephemera and a copy of a vintage postcard, gold trim and added jute cording, bells and buttons for the hanger.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

The Proclamation

" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about,' " Luke 2:15.
Little did they know that they would be the theme of many a sermon. Could it be that the Lord would proclaim the birth of his Son to the lowliest of low on that Judean hillside? Who were they to witness such an event? Jesus came to everyone, the shepherds and the kings, and He comes to you today if you choose to accept Him.

The photograph in this collage is courtesy of clappstar at Flickr.com. The art is based on cardstock on which I adhered the photo and other ephemera and stippled with antique gold paint. It measures 2 1/2" x 3 1/2."

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Pondering

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart," Luke 2:19. According to Webster's she "weighed mentally, considered carefully, meditated, deliberated and reflected" on the things that happened relating to Jesus' birth. There is much thinking when you're expecting a baby but the thinking only begins then. The pondering comes after the birth. Oh, that we would think so carefully about our Savior and consider him our treasure along with all he brings into our lives.

The base for this art is cardstock on which I adhered background, an altered vintage image, antique gold paint and etched in gel medium highlighted with gold in the corners. The inspiration comes from this week's verse prompt by Art In The Word, my Christian Yahoo Group.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Swaddling Clothes

Luke 2:7--"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths [swaddling clothes] and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Swaddling clothes were strips of cloth wrapped tightly around a newborn to simulate the constriction of the womb. A child would be quieted when they felt comfortable. They must have had to use a lot of swaddling clothes because they didn't use diapers then. Mary would have had to be prepared for the long journey with this result in mind. I also heard once in a sermon that these cloths were a precursor to the strips of linen wrapped around the dead before burial, like the mummies. So even at his birth, Jesus' death was foretold.

This card is based on cardstock on which I painted, adhered a drawn image and other ephemera and tissue paper. I etched in gel medium and painted with antique gold paint

Monday, December 3, 2007

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord," Luke 2:11.
Christmas day has been around since the birth of Jesus, our Savior, Christ and Lord. Today, however, there are many people ignoring this holiday as a holy day. Even shops who used to use the word "Christmas" are using the term "holiday." There's no Christmas shopping this year, folks; it's holiday shopping. There are no Christmas trees this year; they are holiday trees. Don't give Christmas presents, dear ones; we now shop for holiday presents. What gives?! We need to step forward and announce to the world that this day is a Holy Day and the word "Christ" needs to appear or there is no holiday. Stand up for what you believe and be bold presenting the gospel message by telling shop owners how you feel. Does it matter to you enough to profess your faith? Think about it.

This tag was made on cardstock on which I painted, adhered ephemera, lace, ribbon, scrim and old text. I etched in gel medium and highlighted it with gold paint. The finished product now has jute cord, silk holly leaves, artificial berries and a jingle bell. It measures approximately 2" x 5".

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The Decree

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world....And everyone went to his own town to register," Luke 2:1, 3. It didn't matter how old or young you were, you were to register to be taxed. Just think if everyone in the U.S. had to go to their town of birth to register so they could be taxed. How many would go? Things are quite different now than they were. I can't imagine back then how demanding that would be without means of travel. Jesus advocated paying what was due the government in Matthew 22:21: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." People didn't have a choice and they accepted their duty regardless. We're so lax today that some Christians don't even vote, much less be honest with their taxes. Shame on us.

This art is based on a playing card on which I adhered ephemera and painted figures and stippled with black paint.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

A Child Is Born

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,"
Isaiah 9:6.
This prophecy was written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The Jews were looking for the perfect ruler, one who would relieve them of their captors. This one would be their king and mighty savior. Everyone would be happy and grateful and all would be well once more. Little did they know that this mighty ruler would come as a tiny baby born in a barn somewhere in Bethlehem, a small town in Judah. He didn't wear the clothes of royalty but he wore the titles given to him by the Prophet, Isaiah. Wonderful Counselor--one who gives worthy advice; Mighty God--the ruler over everything; Everlasting Father--one who cares for us forever; Prince of Peace--the Sovereign of comfort. This little baby was all of these in one. No wonder the angels sang "Hallelujah!"

This playing card-sized art is based on cardstock backed by old text and on which I adhered a vintage image, computer-generated text, paint, stain, and gel medium etched, dried, then painted. I added eyelets and ribbon. The items in the photobucket above and more are in my shop at http://www.creativecallstudios.com/lydia'slineage.html.