Thursday, October 30, 2008

Clothed With Salvation

Isaiah 61:10--"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

I made this little dress last summer in answer to a call for a ball gown from one of my art groups. I really like how this turned out but even as cute as it is (in my opinion) it doesn't hold a candle to the garments of God. The salvation He gives us totally covers us from head to toe. In Bible days, people were considered rich if they owned outer garments. God makes it clear that He provides it all. The garment he gives us is even covered with a robe. His salvation makes us right with him. All the beautiful clothes in the world cannot display the beauty of his salvation. Even the most shabbily dressed person who knows Christ owns his righteousness. What a delight!

I used strips of fabric, hankies, ribbon, trim and lace to make the skirt, part of a ribbon for the bodice, a silk flower on the shoulder and faux pearls at the waist.

Monday, October 27, 2008

All the Starry Host

Nehemiah 9:6--"You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host."

I spent Saturday making these little starry, angelic lovelies for the shop. I also finished a large journal, embellishing every fourth or fifth page--did that on Thurs. and Fri. Though I enjoy creating, it can get a bit back breaking and neck stiffening--especially at my age. I had a big day a church as well because, along with my music duties for two services, I also had to fix lunch for a visiting band we hosted. I also enjoy cooking and serving, but again, it means I'm on my feet most of the day. I also had to come back Sunday evening and sing in the choir that backed the band. Does it sound like I'm complaining---I little but I am very grateful to be able to do what I've done the last few days. I feel extemely blessed to have had the energy for it all. Today--well, I'm pooped! I think today will be a "day off." However, I've finished putting on hangers on the ornies, added scripture and signed them, took pictures of them, wrapped a sale from my Etsy shop, found and printed pictures to use on other projects for Christmas, and my husband and I are going to do some early voting today. Maybe that will be a few hours off.....hmmmm.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Be Glad

Psalm 31:7--"I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul."
Look closely and you can see the words "be glad." This little pixie looks so sweet and unpretentious, if not a little impish. Happy, well-cared-for children are unapologetic in their gladness. They don't mind laughing out loud and shouting with glee when they are filled with happiness and enjoying life. When did all that change? It seems the older I get, the more dire the world becomes and there is very little around us that causes happiness. I'm normally a happy person inside, but at times things just get me down. It took me a while to realize that happiness comes in a package that has to be opened--just like the gift of salvation. We have to make the move toward happiness. Even when it's dropped in our laps, we sometimes fail to open the gift. Being happy take a conscious effort at times. "I will be glad" takes determination.

This little necklace is made from a dragon domino on which I adhered a Paper Whimsy photo and other ephemera and glitter glue. I etched a design around the outside and highlighted it with gold and silver paint. Crystals from an antique necklace adorn the top and bottom.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Unlock

Deuteronomy 28:12--"The LORD will open the storehouses of the skies where he keeps the rain, and he will send rain on your land at just the right times. He will make you successful in everything you do. You will have plenty of money to lend to other nations, but you won't need to borrow any yourself."
What a promise! God gives the rain at just the right time even when we don't think so. Sometimes when an event is planned and people have come to work or have fun, we're not too sure whether the rain came at the right time or not. It's funny how things work out anyway and usually everything gets done or we continue to have fun only in a different venue. I like the fact that God will make me successful. I have to remember that success is not necessarily measured by how much money one has. I believe I'm very successful when I survey what the Lord has given me. The last sentence of the scripture above does mention money and I believe when we are blessed with money, we need to be responsible with it and not hoard it for ourselves. When we have plenty, the scripture says to share.
The USA and many other countries have been very successful in the past--enough so to lend to their neighbors. I wonder how long this will last? We need to look at verses 1 and 2 in this same passage--"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God." Then he continues by pouring out His blessings on the obedient ones. We need to take heed, lest we fall.

This journal is going to the little shop around the corner, S'More Couture. She liked my journal and wants more for Christmas. She loved the little Christmas ornaments and said she'd take as many as I could make to cover a thin, tall tree. Wow! I've been busy more than half the day working on the journal. You know--artist's rarely get paid for the time they spend in creating... so it's a good thing I like what I do. I know, the Lord will make me successful if I obey Him and that is my intention.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Sing For Joy

Psalm 5:11--"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."

Refuge. Protection. Sounds like there's trouble. Well, of course, there is. This is life, isn't it? Silly me. Why do I not seek refuge? Why do I not ask for protection? He's there to provide it and I take it for granted. I love your name, O Lord. I rejoice in your presence, O God of All Creation. I am glad when I'm in your safe place. I do sing for joy when I realize I've been protected from harm. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King.

This jewelry is made on an old dragon domino on which I added assorted ephemera and text, a transparency and glitter glue dots. I've etched around it and highlighted it with gold paint and added two key charms on the waxed linen thread.


Monday, October 20, 2008

Christmas is A-Comin'

Victorian Christmas Cone
Victorian Christmas Star
Victorian Christmas Tag

I've begun making Christmas ornaments to sell. Hopefully the lady at the shop will accept them from me. I'm behind on this. Usually artists start earlier than I, but it's difficult for me to think Christmas when it is still hot. The days lately have been cooler and Fall is fleeting. Thoughts of hot chocolate and s'mores fill my mind. Speaking of s'mores--the little shop of which I have been speaking opened last week and it's called S'More Couture. Lovely little things live there.

The birth of Christ was foretold centuries before he was born. The prophets of old told the people to expect a King. Isaiah 40:1-5 says, "1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 3A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.' " God had really been blasting Israel through his prophet, Isaiah, so to hear these words must have been soothing to both Isaiah and his listeners. Comfort, tenderness and paid-for-sins were given by God to everyone--both then and now.

I used scrapbook papers, hand drawn star, tag and cone, wired star garland, feathers, copies of vintage photos, an old angel calendar, wired snowflake garland, glitter glue and background papers from both Paper Whimsy and Shabby Cottage Studio.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Hope and A Future

Cover of Journal, "Hope and a Future" based on Jeremiah 29:11--" 'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This is a wonderful verse for us as we travel through life. This journal will hopefully help someone else in their travels as it contains scripture thoughts, snipets of quotes, vignettes of years-gone-by and much more. I started it yesterday afternoon. The cover is an old altered book cover I did last year and adhered it to the cover of a notebook, added ribbon, scrapbook paper and lace and changed the label to "hope and a future."
I've given just a few examples in this post of the vignettes I put in the journal but the lighting is poor since I took this before sunup inside under just a ceiling light. I love this old photo. They look so nice and dressed up. I wonder what they were thinking as they sat for this shot?
I love putting little pieces of ephemera on the side of the page like this. Notice the old trading stamp. I collected stamps like this in my early years of marriage and my husband and I traded them for some things to decorate our first home.
This is an old plastic buckle into which I pulled some ribbon and scrim from an old doll slip.
Isn't this little one adorable? Paper Whimsy is a great place for gorgeous photos to use in art and scrapbooking. I also used a quote on vellum and a snipet of scrapbook paper. I'll post more tomorrow, maybe. I woke up early this morning, about 4:00, with thoughts of this book swirling in my head and I couldn't get back to sleep planning what I was going to do to finish this book. I worked on it for a couple hours and just stayed up since I have to play for a funeral this morning. Guess I can sleep this afternoon. Off to greet the day.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Fleur


Exodus 25:31-"Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it."

It's interesting to me that the temple pieces had flower decorations. Do you know that God chose specific men to make them and their blossoms were even put on lampstands? Even in the old Bible times, flowers were to be used as objects to bring people to God. Their beauty revealed the wonder of creation and the promise of hope. Yes, their time comes when they are withered and gone, but while they are here, we are to enjoy them. I love putting flowers on my artworks. They give me joy and in some way I'm preserving their beauty.

This little domino necklace is a way to preserve the beauty of flowers. Notice that the lavender flower is part of an old hankie. I used a tiny bud from a Shabby Cottage Studio collage sheet.
The little girl, from Paper Whimsy, is a little adoring flower. Children, like flowers, aren't children for long. Enjoy them while you have them. Preserve them for eternity by introducing them to their Creator.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Beauty

Proverbs 31:30--"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

My mom always told me, "It's what's inside that counts." She encouraged me not to stew about how my hair looked or what I was wearing. "If you have a smile like that, no one is going to care about what you're wearing." She was so right. It really doesn't matter. It's the heart, the seat of emotions and love, that matters. So often the Bible tells us that "the Lord looks on the heart" and what comes out of the mouth has come from the heart. People know if we're genuine or fake, if we truly love them or just want something from them. Children, especially, can see right through us. I can tell a Godly woman by looking at her eyes. I see gentleness and peace there. I honestly want to be like that woman.

I'm making domino necklaces like this to hopefully sell at a sweet little store that just opened around the corner from where I live. I'm to take them in and let her look at them and she will let me know whether she can sell them or not. I'm excited about the prospect. I used a vintage domino with colored dots, ephemera, gel medium, gold paint, old text, beads, shell buttons and waxed linen thread. The photo is from Paper Whimsy.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Lovely Thoughts

Philippians 4:8--"Whatever is...lovely...think on these things."

There is so much violence, abuse and ugly in this world that the thought of such bombards the brain. What a pleasure it is to just appreciate the "lovely" that God has created. This time of year screams "LOVELY." Look. See. Appreciate. Only God, the Creator, can provide this kind of loveliness. Look at a baby. How can this be? Yes, yes, I know the procreation part, but what about the product of creation? How can a little being do all those little things? I bonded with my youngest grandchild last weekend. I got to hold and love him for two long days! What a joy--how lovely that was!!

I made a fiber art creation using a spiral-bound sketch book. I decorated the covers with scrapbook paper, added fabric from an old doll dress, antique lace, ribbon, text from a French/English Dictionary, a copy of a vintage image (Paper Whimsy), book cover fabric, a curtain ring, perle cotton thread and part of a costume jewelry pearl necklace. I added old foreign text to the inside of the covers and muted it with gesso. It's on Etsy this week. Click on any picture on the right side bar and that will take you to my shop.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Always Have Hope

Psalm 71:14--"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

Where there is life, there is hope. Sometimes the approach of Winter puts some people in a tailspin. My husband, for one, starts to hibernate. As the days grow shorter, he grows more tired. He wants to quit his day at dark and sleeps in much later than in the Spring and Summer months. Many people go into a depression when secluded by the weather. I love that there are winter birds that give me the hope of Springtime. I'm brightened by their appearance. This piece is a reminder that God is the Creator of such wonderful creatures. I will have hope and I will praise God (both take a conscious effort on my part.)

I used the back of an old square frame, giving it a shadow box effect. I added embroidered cloth, lace, buttons, linen, the hem of an old doll dress, perle cotton thread, a word on vellum, book binding materials, washed slip from doll dress, old text, tea bag, resin bird, copy of old lithograph, metal washer, decorative pearls, raffia, glue, mod podge and gel medium.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Going To A Wedding

We're going to a wedding of our used-to-be neighbor and a son of friends who went to high school with our daughter. It will be a joyous occasion where we will see many people we know. The best thing is our daughter and her family will be there. We're all staying at my in-laws home and we get to visit with our newest grandson and his sister. Yippee!

The Bible many times refers to the church as the bride of Christ. Revelation 19:7-8 says, " 'Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.' (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)" How important it is to be right with God and the only way is to know his Son. He stands waiting like a bridegroom for his bride, ready with open arms to receive her as a pure and holy bride. What a wonderful vision. Are you ready?

I made this gift, combining both the shower and wedding invitations. I made a handmade transparency of the couple and overlaid it on the wedding invitation, added the scroll decoration from the wedding invitation, added ribbon, flowers, plastic doves and etched in gel medium and highlighted with paint. I had reversed a frame making it into a shadow box and had painted it.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Honor To God

1 Samuel 2:30--"Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained."

It's important to honor God. Even the Levites, the temple priests were being dishonorable, selfish and disobedient. It's one thing for the common man to disrespect the Lord, but it's another thing when it's being done by those who have accepted the call to serve the Lord with their whole being. No one is exempt from sin. As much as we'd like to think that the church leaders are the holiest and closest to God, in some instances, that is not the case. It's only a respectable job for some and they don't take their position seriously. We need to constantly check our attitudes as related to service.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Sharing Some Photos From the Pure Journal

I love collecting everyday things from the past and this is one of them--a page from a stamp book from the sixty's or seventies, not sure which. Did you collect these? I dolled it up a bit with old paper, scrapbook paper strip and lace.
This is a copy of an old postcard I own, a ribbon, embroidered lace, silk flowers, a sprig of sparkly baby's breath and embroidery thread.
The pocket comes from the fly-leaf of an old book, pretty cool. I added three bookmarks: scrapbook paper strip with added rose (Joanna) and silk ribbon, scrapbook paper strip with added scripture sticker and button, and manila folder strip with added bits of what was on my table--what fun for me-- and a silk ribbon.
I have a habit of looking down when I walk which gets me in trouble sometime, but I usually find bits of life as I walk. I found this feather (washed it in antibacterial soap and microwaved it for 30 seconds to get rid of any mites--my daughter wouldn't let me use her microwave for this--hmmm, go figure), rusty chicken wire, old rusty spring and rusty washer, sewed them to a fabric strip and glued it to the page. I like it! My son-in-law actually got with the program and helped me find stuff on one of our walks while I was with them a few weeks ago. His eye-sight is way better than mine! A rusty found paper clip holds some of the same info I have here. The page is titled: "Lost To Found."
Deena gave me the back of a great book she bought last year while we were shopping at an antique store. What a great piece of ephemera. I protected it with paper sealer so it will last longer.

More Ideas From the Pure Journal




Paper cut with fancy scissors, text, copy of old postcard, reinforcements, waxed thread, beads

Printing on tissue paper, copy of old postcard, seam binding


Chinese text, fabric from cover with trinket pin pushed through all.




I used old text, shell butten, book binding material, raveled fabric, and a sticker.


Copy of old postcard, text, old music, silk flowers, ephemera.

Frame from old magazine, cut-out from Joanna's, paper flower stem, old music, handmade transparency, colored brads.


I used fabric matching the fabric used on the cover to make a pocket, a strip of scrapbook paper covered with a sheer ribbon, book binding material and a word from a magazine to make a bookmark. The other piece was in a bag of goodies from Heather.





I used a copy of an old postcard, a strip of unknown paper, a sheer pink flower and an old button.
The arrangement of these pictures is pure chance... so be it.

Pages of the Pure Journal

Book binding scrim, book cover, paper flower, photo, ribbon stapled
Vintage measuring tape, glass button, fabric, text, wallpaper, scrapbook paper, seam binding, plastic curtain ring, old music, old bank deposit slip, velvet ribbon, dried onion stem, rusty mesh from dry walling, stained tea bag
scrapbook paper, old text, dried onion stem, tortoise shell button sewn on papers
Old text, wording from ephemera, colored brad, string tied around brad
Old text, photo from ephemera sewn on text, seam binding staped on

Maybe you can get some ideas from the ones I've gleaned in my searching and brainstorming.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Pure

Philippians 4:8--"Whatever is pure--think on these things." Psalm 51:10--"Create in me a pure heart, O Lord." Matthew 5:8--"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." 1 Timothy 5:22--"...and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure."

The Bible has much to say about purity of heart. When the word "heart" is used, it means the whole body--physically and emotionally. We are admonished to think about the clean, the pure, and the untouched around us. We are to consciously think on purity. "Impossible," you say? Yes. We are actually sinful people and our thoughts are bombarded with what is going on around us. It is difficult for us to do this on our own. We need to turn to God to create a desire for purity. The "pure in heart" are those who seek purity. One way to do this is to be with people who share the same thoughts as we have. That means, don't hang out with people who bask in impurity and call it pure, who are confused about morality because they're not acquainted with what God teaches or those who do know about God and refuse to live for Him. Think pure thoughts. That's pain enough.

This notebook and background scrapbook paper was given to me by my friend, Deena. We visited the other day and exchanged some art goodies with each other. The next day I started altering the notebook. I've had this great hardware for a few months but didn't know what to do with it until everything fell into place. I've created fiber art in the past so I've combined that knowledge and experience with collage and came up with this. It is a 100 page notebook and the first 25 pages have a touch of decoration on them--a springboard for journaling for someone. I decorated about 10 other pages as well. I'll put this on Etsy when it is completed, but you get to see it first.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Honor Others

Romans 12:10--"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

We'd all be in better relational situations today if we heeded these words of Paul.

I used an old book cover, leaving the edge with the title, embroidered cloth, linen, a copied vintage image on fabric, crocheted flowers, buttons, thread, a key with a brass heart attached, beads, a button, a pin, a swatch of lace, old cloth measuring tape, seam binding, sheer ribbon and the words on vellum sewn to the cloth. I sewed the layers of fabric together and added all else.