my awakened heart

the light

2012-02-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

light, beautiful light...

without the light of the setting sun,

this is just another ugly weed in the yard.

but light gives it beauty.

that's what god does for us...

he sheds his love, his light, abroad in our hearts

and turns us into something beautiful.

turns us into...

it takes time.

we make mistakes.

we make a bad decision.

we take a wrong turn.

we hurt the ones we love.

they hurt us.

only the love...and light...of god can heal us.

his mercies are new every morning...

listening

2011-10-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

this morning i made my coffee,

sat down on the couch

and started reading through the psalms.

i was ~~thinking~~ grieving about some relationship issues...

feeling frustration, sadness,

and a

realization

that i give up my power

in those relationships.

i was pouring my heart out to god and he gently whispered:

figure out what you want...

and learn how to ask for it.

wow.

it was like a light bulb went on.

an "ah-hah" moment.

this scripture came to mind,

which i've read.

and know.

and forget about.

for god did not give us a spirit of timidity,

but a spirit of power,

of love,

and of self-discipline...

2 timothy 1:7

suddenly, it was like all the emotional toxins flowed out of me

and i was filled with power.

god's power

and my power.

to be me

and to ask for what i need.

feeling such freedom right now...

to god be the glory...

enjoy your weekend!!

tie it on your heart strings

2011-10-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

because sometimes...

we just need

a little reminder.

back in the saddle again

2011-09-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

...in my shop...

i do believe this is the longest i have gone without posting.

since i retired i have gotten out of a routine,

spent very little time on the computer,

and made very little art.

i have been occupied with other important things...

lunches with girlfriends, reading, lounging,

time with the grandkids,

organizing closets(well, kind of),

just about whatever i want to do,

i have been doing it!

but i am really feeling like

i need to get some kind of routine going.

i haven't worked for three months now

and i feel like i'm ready to settle down a bit...

i plan on visiting you once i get done with my post,

and re-connect with all of you, i have missed you...

yes, i have...

******

oh, i have to tell you!

one of the most exciting things i did

***this summer***

is get my ride in a black hawk helicopter!!

my husband has been promising me for years

(he is a black hawk mechanic/tech. inspector)

that i would get a ride,

and it finally happened.

had the best seat in the house,

right behind the pilot, facing the window.

which i kept open the whole time.

it was a beautiful day, clear for miles.

the pilot flew us over to san francisco,

about a 90 minute ride there and back .

what a rush!

thrill of a lifetime for me!!

happy friday to all of you,

have an awesome weekend!!

wide open heart

2011-07-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

my son wrote some beautiful words on his blog,

and i made art to go with it.

we had never thought of collaborating,

it just happened.

his words and my art come from a place of vulnerability.

sometimes it's easier just to shut down,

not be vulnerable.

not show the cracks.

not show the pain.

god's love transcends all of that...

keep your heart wide open to love

as god loves through you,

even when you are just. not. feelin' it...

the good life

2011-07-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

*in my etsy shop*

yay!

it's finally re-opened...

hello friends

my last day of work was june 30th,

and i have been going non-stop since.

i have missed my blogging family!

this week begins a slow down.

a sense of getting my routine at home.

i have to say,

not going to work is total bliss.

straight up total bliss.

my etsy shop has been closed since may,

i re-opened it sunday.

i have just 4 pieces in there, but it's a start.

i am working on several things,

to include doing some encaustic work.

i am just getting started on that,

it's total experimentation.

if anyone out there has any input,

let me know.

this is all new to me

and it will be trial

and

error.

i am sure there will be lots of that...

ya know, the error part...

so far, my days have been filled with making art,

spending time with family and friends,

gardening,

having our grandsons over,

making raspberry sauce...

i went to lunch with my BFF and her mom on july 1,

my first day of ~~freedom~~ retirement.

we had champagne spritzers

with the most delicious raspberry sauce

drizzled in the glass..

along with fresh berries

and thin slices of kiwi, orange and lemon...

i had to make some myself,

and have been using it in my iced tea,

over vanilla ice cream...it's so yummy.

and yes, i made a few spritzers at home as well...

other than that, i'm just coastin',

and loving every minute of it...

signs

2011-06-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

first star i see tonight,

wish i may, wish i might

have the wish i wish tonight...

big week for me...4 more days of work.

so, i'm on my way to work this morning, feeling on top of the world. just kind of giddy.

i'm cruising down the road, just taking in the beauty that surrounds me.

i look to my left, and parked on the side of the road is a truck. and it's parked with the front end in the wrong direction. on the rear window are these words:

"don't put your dreams on hold"

really.

just like that.

larger than life.

and i just happened to look over and see it.
*
*
*

god moment...

the babies

2011-06-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

here they are...the babies. two little stellar's jay babies.

(click on the photos and you can get a closer look.)

they hatched about 10 days ago.

this morning as i went out to start the truck,

i noticed mama bird was out of the nest.

i grabbed my camera,

zoomed in and took a few pictures of them.

shelby and i have so enjoyed watching this process,

from nest building until now, it is so amazing...

and something i've never witnessed before, can you imagine?!

i hope i am at home and i can see when they leave the nest,

but the likelihood of that would be miraculous, wouldn't it?

i have gotten rather attached to them and their mama...

i will miss them when they fly away...

movin' on

2011-06-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

woo hoo, escrow closed yesterday at 2pm!!!

with the sell of our home and the move into another behind us,

i can get on with the pressing matters at hand...art, art, and more art.

man, have i missed making art, having my art space to go to.

the house is ~~organized~~ liveable so i will be setting up my art room this weekend.

saved the best for last.

i'm crazy excited about diving into these books i purchased.

who of you out there have read any of these?

i can tell you that i adore sarah ahearn's art,

have taken a good peek in her book, and i am loving what i see...

only 8 more working days left for me, my friends. hard to believe.

i am feeling so grateful for this opportunity to really take my art to another level.

experiment with different media, learn more about growing my art business, lots of things.

just to have the time to do it makes me giddy!

with summer upon us, which just happens to be my favorite season of the year,

share with me what your plans are...your favorite things to do...

releasing

2011-06-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

see the mama bird sitting on her eggs?

this nest is at our new home.

this represents so much for me right now.

new life.

nurture.

care.

we just left our home of 15 years.

the longest i have lived at any home in my entire life.

i knew that leaving would be difficult.

i've had times when i grieved.

but i have looked at the big picture and know

that leaving is necessary

to go where god is leading.

i was not prepared for how i would feel when our move was over with this past weekend.

i came to work yesterday, got half way through my day, and was on the verge of a major meltdown.

it took all i could muster to not break down in tears at my desk.

as i left work at the end of my day, i drove over to the house.

i drove in the driveway and began to cry.

when i entered the house, cries turned to sobs.

i walked through each room,

and thought about all that had taken place there in the last 15 years.

it was like i had to release my home...

to let it go...

before i can get on with the journey.

today i feel god's presence so strongly.

i feel wrapped in his love and tenderness, nurture and care...

ready for this new life, new beginnings.

surrender

2011-05-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

(photo by lynnette falls)

today i am really feeling the journey.

the journey of surrender.

as i see the hand of god in my life

leading the way,

i am in awe.

in order for him to lead,

i have had to release...

to let go...

to be still and wait.

at times it isn't easy.

no, not at all...

but he knows me so well

and even in my impatience,

he waits for me...

gently whispering

"this is the way, walk here..."

you see,

what he wants is a willing heart...

and then he can begin

to pour out the blessings.

what a loving god we have.

my heart is full...

enjoy your weekend, my friends...

simple truth

2011-05-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

be still.

wait patiently.

give him time.

he knows best.

answers will come...

linking with emily for imperfect prose

hello

2011-05-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

hello friends...

two weeks. two weeks since my last post.

i have missed being here, my life has been so very busy.

our home is in escrow.

2nd escrow, that is.

you see, when i last posted i said our house sold.

that was really a poor choice of words.

we all know a house isn't sold until close of escrow.

what i should have said is

we had eight offers on our house,

and we chose one.

they backed out.

no reason.

just decided they didn't want the house.

really?

my guess is that our old house was too old for them.

our home is 60 years old.

and it's darling.

it's been re-sided, re-painted, re-roofed, re-decorated, re-everything-ed.

while it is a good, solid house with everything working and functioning

i think they were a bit intimidated by owning an older home.

our realtor called the 2nd best offer we had received

and she was ecstatic the other buyer had backed out.

what a blessing.

so we are in a 2nd escrow, scheduled to close in 30 days.

in the meantime...

we have found a very nice rental and will be slowly but surely moving in.

it's on a lovely piece of property higher up in the foothills

lots of meadows, pine trees and blue sky...

i will be so happy to get moved and be settled again.

i haven't made any art for weeks.

i miss it terribly!

everything is packed away!

and there is no time for such indulgence anyway...

working, packing, cleaning...ugh!!

i can't complain though...only 25 more working days to go until my retirement!

then i will have nothing but time.

i can hardly wait.

in other news...

sunday our 9-year old grandson

is getting baptized.

he loves jesus so much...

he wants to declare his faith through baptism.

now THAT really makes my heart rejoice!!

*
xo

along for the ride

2011-05-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

it has been mr. toad's wild ride over here.

long story short...

we put our house on the market at the end of march.

(part of our plan for retirement to downsize, getting ready for traveling.)

it sold in 4 days.

oh. my. gosh.

something we thought would take months did not.

we are in escrow.

we are packing.

we are looking for a rental.

no time for art. (sad face)

life is....craziness!

but full of god's blessings.

the words in my heart and on my lips

as of late have been "jesus take the wheel"...

oh, how i need him to be drivin' this bus...

it's been a while since we sold a house.

i had forgotten how

~~bleepity-bleep~~ darn stressful it is...

i would appreciate your prayers!

will keep you posted...

truth

2011-04-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

you were born to be open

and

honest

and

brave

and

playful.

to laugh often,

to love much,

to be loved much in return.

that is our core.

that is our deepest desire.

that is god's desire for us.

find it.

share it.

live it...

hearts for you

2011-04-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

i can't believe that i have been home from georgia for almost a week.

i haven't stopped since i returned home, i have been busy. good busy.

i had a great visit with my brother and sister, the weather was perfection.

it was sunny just about the whole time i was there,

rain didn't start until the last day or so.

i came home to sunshine as well, so i have had a good dose!

we did spend a day in savannah.

of course, went to savannah's candy kitchen on the river...

they have the best pralines EVAH!!

oh yes, they do...

changing the subject here...

on my art journey i have mainly worked with canvas and acrylics,

but i have always been so fascinated with encaustic art.

this artist inspires me, i discovered her blog quite awhile ago.

in her post...the mixed media panel to be bound as a journal cover soon???

it's mine!

i knew as soon as i saw the painting that i wanted the journal.

i emailed bridgette, made an inquiry...

and i was able to purchase it (it wasn't even bound yet.)

i got it over the weekend and i have to tell you, it is gorgeous!

the textures, the colors...i can't stop rubbing my hands over it!
and it is very nicely bound, so it lays flat...

i'm swooning.

craziness.

i do know now that i've had a piece of encaustic art in my hands
that i am going to do as much research as possible
and i am going to teach myself this art medium.
seriously. it's luring me in.
i can't wait to get started.

i will keep you posted...

in the meantime, check out bridgette's website for some truly seductive art.
*
have a great week!
xo

rain, rain, go away

2011-03-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

this past weekend i put some spring decorations around the house.

this sits on a little bench in the entryway.

so i can see it as soon as i walk in the door.

from unrelenting rain.

uggghhhhhh.

i have the end of winter blahs.

whether you have a foot of snow

or tons of rain

cooped up is cooped up.

i think we have enough water for our reservoirs,

thank

you

very much!

i planted these flowers in the pot by the front door.

(we had 5 minutes of dry weather once).

they just droop.

they are kind of beat up...

rain. rain. rain. rain. cloudy. sun. cloudy. rain. rain. cloudy. rain. rain.rain. rain. rain. rain. sun.

you get the picture.

i am missing

the sun...
...having said all that....

i do have something to look forward to.

a long weekend. visit. getaway.

i am going to visit my sweet brother.

he lives in southern georgia, in brunswick.

our sister is joining us,

she is coming from minnesota.

a sibling visit. no kids. spouses. parents.

just our time.

so....for a few days i can get re-energized

by the fabulous weather(it's 80 degrees there!)

a break in routine

and spend some really great time with my brother and my sis.

it will certainly lift my spirits...

how about you? something coming up

that will lift you out of the winter blahs???

what is calling you?

2011-03-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

i made this canvas last year for my daughter-in-law.
she had been going through a couple of rough years
due to different life circumstances,
the most devastating being the loss of her mother from cancer.
she is navigating through with such courage.
i admire her and i am proud of her.
*
*
*
isn't that what makes us go?
courage?
courage to start. to crawl. walk. leap.
...run...
courage to change.
courage is defined as:
mental or moral strength
to persevere and withstand
danger,
fear
or
difficulty...
with self-possession
and resolution.
*
do you live with courage?
or do you get up every day and do what is safe?
*
are you living the life you want to live?
i have been asking myself this question for some time.
not that there is anything wrong with a comfort zone.

...unless it stifles you...

when i resurrected my creative self two years ago
it was such therapy for all the sadness in my life,
partly due to the loss of my mom and sister.
when i got past the profoundly therapeutic
experience of my art,
i moved more into a journey of self-expression and spiritual growth.
in doing that,
i have taken more risks than i have in years.
making art...any kind of art is risky, people...
you are vulnerable.
you get out of your comfort zone.
i can't tell you how many things i have thrown away.
only to start over again.
*courage*
making art feels so true and authentic for me.
for who i am.
for who i am going to be.
*
*
*
what is calling you?
i encourage you my friend, take that leap...
god is there...

linking with emily for imperfect prose

xo

doing a happy dance

2011-03-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

just opened up a box of art supplies that i ordered from dick blick. i feel like a kid on christmas morning! all this blank canvas. just calling me...and so little time.

which leads me to this...

i moved my retirement date to june 30th of this year(happy dance)!!! i was going to retire in december, after the fall 2011 semester is over(work at a community college),

but i thought why? why do i need to wait?

and how awesome to have this summer to spend time with my grandsons

while they are out of school...seems like a real luxury.

i will have all the summers i want now, to do what i want when i want.

somebody pinch me.

i discovered an artist that i want to share with you.

her name is sarah ahearn.

oh. my. gosh.

i am in love with her art...

in.

love.

it is.....just so full of whimsy. bright and beautiful. vintage.

check it out here...

i trust your day is going well.

the sun is shining here today.

so nice to see.

it seems to lighten the mood of everyone i have come in contact with this morning.

everyone is pretty much done with winter.

not too much longer now...

i do love hearing the birds when i wake in the morning.

such a a sweet sound...

***

limiting god

2011-03-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

do you limit the lord?
*
*
*
i don't ask
because i don't believe
that he wants to do it for me.
*
having a serious "ahhh-ha" moment.
*
i know god can do anything.
any.
thing.
i know that.
but i always throw a spin...
what if that's not his will for me?
so, i don't lay it at his feet.
well, who am i to decide what his will is?
he created me after all,
and wants his best for me,
but first i have to ask!!
and i will let him
show me
what his will is...
*
*
*
*
"when once we see jesus,
he does the impossible thing
as naturally as breathing".
...oswald chambers...
*
i hope you are enjoying your sunday.
it's raining where i live.
i am tucked inside.
safe and warm.
in more ways than one.
*
god is great...

everlasting arms

2011-03-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

he loves me more than i can comprehend.

he wants what is best for me .

he has it all figured out.

why do i make it so hard for myself?

i'm human and broken.

he is not.

joining emily at imperfect prose

what fills your heart?

2011-02-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

(( happy valentine's day ))

the three b's

2011-02-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

basketball.

bowling.

***

and boys...

today i am sharing some photos of my grandsons.

i love them to pieces.

aidan(# 13) is playing on a basketball team, 3rd and 4th graders.

it's the first time he has played basketball, other than in the yard.

this is somewhat instructional, depending on the referee that's there!

he is learning quickly and enjoying every minute.

i love the shots of him with his coach,

and referee at the free throw line,

listening intently to what they have to say...

tyler turned 5 last month and his birthday party was a bowling party...it was so. much. fun!!
we all enjoyed ourselves, kind of surprised us!
i was a bit reluctant because i am self-conscious at times,
but i got over it
after i threw....uh....rolled
the first ball down the lane.
here is tyler's first attempt...
his expression in the 3rd photo down says it all.
(i apologize, some of the photos are blurry).

if all else fails, just fluff your hair.

boys...gotta love 'em!

++++++

have a great weekend!!

take no thought for your life

2011-01-27T08:57:00.000-08:00

i took this photo in my backyard late last summer. i was at the kitchen window, watching the birds in the yard. the sprinklers were on and they were bathing. the moment seemed so poignant. as i go deeper in my relationship with god, the things of the world seem less and less important. today, as i read the entry for 1/27 in "my utmost for his highest" by oswald chambers, i was praising god that spiritually and emotionally i am not where i was a year ago today. today i am closer to god...and less enslaved to the things of this world. working my way through to where he wants me to be. it is a good place...

"Take no thought for your life."

Matthew 6:25

"A warning which needs to be reiterated is that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, will choke all that God puts in. We are never free from the recurring tides of this encroachment. If it does not come on the line of clothes and food, it will come on the line of money or lack of money; of friends or lack of friends; or on the line of difficult circumstances. It is one steady encroachment all the time, and unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the standard against it, these things will come in like a flood.
"Take no thought for your life." "Be careful about one thing only," says our Lord - "your relationship to Me." Common sense shouts loud and says - "That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink." Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first.
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." How much evil has begun to threaten you today? What kind of mean little imps have been looking in and saying - Now what are you going to do next month - this summer? "Be anxious for nothing," Jesus says. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the "much more" of your heavenly Father."

oswald chambers

i am linking with emily....have a blessed day, my friends...

growing pains and being brave

2011-01-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

this is my youngest grandson, tyler.

this little guy turns 5 today.

he also starts the pre-k program at public school.

i called him this morning to wish him a happy birthday and he didn't want to talk on the phone.

...sigh...

my guess is that he is feeling very anxious

about starting a new school...

having a new schedule.

+++++++++++

i think his tummy was tumbly this morning.

even as adults we experience this, don't we?

i pray today for tyler, and you

that you are being

brave

and

trusting

god...

linking with emily

work in progress

2011-01-09T12:19:00.001-08:00

in my etsy shop

this piece started out as something entirely different than what you see here. in fact, it was kind of ugly. not one of my best efforts. but i kept at it, and i am happy with it. reminds me of how God makes something beautiful out of us...only we aren't finished yet!

it is very soupy and cold outside, the fog made it's way up to the foothills...a great sunday to be inside making art...

demons

2011-01-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

i struggle.

i wrestle.

with truth...about myself.

he speaks his love to me

ever so patiently

again and again.

and again.

let it go

freedom awaits you.

let it go.

i want more for you.

let it go. let it pass.

let it leave.

.......linking with emily for imperfect prose.......

rambling

2011-01-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

i was working on this canvas this morning. i am just getting started, and not sure where i am going with it, but i love this image of the dove. i like that she(i decided it was a she) is flying at night, finding her way. free and simple......

nearing the age of 60, you start(at least my husband and i have)to really see things from a different perspective......things are just things, life is short...work sucks. LOL!! us both having longevity with our jobs, we are giddy over the fact that this is the year. the big one. not next year, or a few years from now, but the one. retirement...oh yeah baby. our dream is to hit the road with our travel trailer, riding(flying) off in to the sunset. really. selling the house, store what we want to keep, and travel the united states. with no schedule except the seasons. and me making art on the road, selling online. we'll do it 'til we tire of full timing. we can hardly wait. but wait we do, as it will be the end of this year when that happens.

...dreaming with faith...

oh, got a little sidetracked, back to the art. as i was working on this piece, the idea in my head wasn't coming out on the canvas and the very thing that inspired me(free and simple) just wasn't happening. suddenly, it all felt bound up and complicated!!! i'm laughing again...i just set it aside, and will continue on later...

enjoy your day and go easy, my friends...

...hugs...

reality

2011-01-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

as with most of us, i have spent the last 5 weeks wrapped up with the holidays. we know how all consuming that can be. and i am glad that they have come and gone. while the holidays can be a very beautiful time, they can also be confusing, and bring out emotional stuff that lays low, or brings to light family issues that need attention. i dealt with that alot this season. some of it was not so good. the holidays don't always bring out the best. i am not being a bummer here, i am just speaking truth. and on top of that, the things in my life that do keep me on track get put on the back burner(frankly, the flame wasn't even lit).

...daily quiet time with God...

...making art...

...my etsy shop...

...blogging...

what a recipe for disaster, my friends. and the weird thing is that the longer i didn't give these pieces of my life attention, the harder it seemed to get back to them. but today i am here, i am present, and it is good. it feels right. it's part of God's purpose for me. and part of that purpose is you. thank you for being here with me and i look forward to all we will go through together this new year...

the true gift

2010-12-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

many years ago i made this manger scene.

i cut the patterns with a band saw...sanded, painted and glued.

i have always loved the simplicity of it.

what the meaning is.

on whom our focus should be.

christ was born.

in a barn.

placed in a manger.

love was the reason.

************

i will be taking a blog break for a few weeks.

taking time to be still.

merry christmas

++++++

happy new year

++++++

god bless you during this holiday season!!!

follow me

2010-12-10T09:56:00.001-08:00

in my etsy shop

my Lord is doing some housecleaning in my heart right now. i want more of Him and less of me.

...careful what you wish for...

feeling inadequate?
i love you unconditionally... follow me.
hanging on too tight to a dream?
your ways are not my ways... follow me.
running ahead and confused?
i will make your path straight... follow me.
it is painful to acknowledge your ego and pride and let go. when you tell God you want more of Him and less of yourself, he takes it seriously.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
love to you, my friends...enjoy your weekend!
xo

powerful stuff

2010-12-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect. . . ."

Philippians 3:12

"It is a snare to imagine that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do; God's purpose is to make us one with Himself.

The emphasis of holiness movements is apt to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you go off on this idea of personal holiness, the dead-set of your life will not be for God, but for what you call the manifestation of God in your life. "It can never be God's will that I should be sick." If it was God's will to bruise His own Son, why should He not bruise you? The thing that tells for God is not your relevant consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your real vital relation to Jesus Christ, and your abandonment to Him whether you are well or ill.

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship to God which shows itself amid the irrelevancies of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that strikes you is the irrelevancy of the things you have to do, and the next thing that strikes you is the fact that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives are apt to leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary, by human effort and devotion we can reach the standard God wants. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God.

God is not after perfecting me to be a specimen in His show-room;

He is getting me to the place where He can use me...

Let Him do what He likes..."

.....oswald chambers.....

linking with emily in the hush of the moon

thankful

2010-11-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

raindrops on the japanese maple

in my front yard.

the colors take my breath away

year

after

year

++++++++++++++

i had a visitor this morning...

i was at my art table and i looked up to see him.....

just staring at me.

i must say, he didn't seem to be startled

by the fact that i jumped up out of my chair

reached for the camera nearby

and took multiple pictures of him!

deer come through our yard daily

but i had not seen this big guy until today.

so strong and powerful...

our house will be bustling with activity

starting on wednesday

on through saturday.

my brother-in-law and his wife

are arriving wednesday afternoon

from southern washington...

parents

kids

and grandkids

will be arriving as well.

the house is cleaned

the grocery shopping is done

the bird is thawing

and the wine is chillin'...

++++++++++

thanking god for every minute of the chaos...

blessings to you and yours...

running the race

2010-11-15T08:29:00.001-08:00

... let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart....

hebrews 12:1-3

+++++++

life can be hard sometimes.

i pray you are encouraged today...

+++++++

*** His love always wins ***

flying on love

2010-11-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

the box
the card

the art

+++++++++++

isn't that one of the most

beautiful pieces of art

you have ever seen??!!

so full of yummy texture and depth.

my friend esther from emakesart made this

and it inspired a blog post she did a month or so ago.

i encourage you to read the post.

it was dedicated to myself and others

and frankly, it was one of the most meaningful things

that has been done for me.

as soon as i saw "don't lose heart"

i knew i wanted it!

i emailed esther right away

and asked if it was for sale

or if she wanted to do an art trade.

she browsed through my etsy shop

picked out what she wanted

and we swapped.

i cherish this piece

with all my heart

(no pun intended).

the day that it arrived was perfect timing

as i was feeling discouraged about some things

and it literally

just filled my heart with joy...

it was love in a box!

+++++++++++

the craft fair that i participated in last saturday was a hoot! i should tell you that this took place in the clubhouse of the senior development that my dad lives in. they have it every year and he asked me several months ago if i wanted to set up a table. having never done that before, i thought "what the heck" and paid for a table. it was fun, to say the least. and i pictured it being myself several years from now when i am retired and selling my art at different venues. sales were not brisk for anyone, except the tables selling food! i did sell 6 canvases, so i can't complain....and it was good for me to do it. i have to say though, sitting and watching others look at your art is like sitting there naked! lol! my heart and soul on the table, and some turned their nose up, some stopped, some looked like they were on the verge of buying then just set it down, and some bought. it was an interesting experience, and one i will do again...

2010-11-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

hello friends...

just checkin' in.

i have had you on my mind.

...alot...

everything going well???

i have felt so out of touch with my blogging world!

i am either at work or at my art table.

been creating for the craft fair.

everything is done now.

made all the art i'm gonna make.

checking things off my checklist.

i am most excited about

people seeing mine and god's art

up close and personal.

selling online has it's advantages

but doesn't do the product justice.

my prayer has been that god would bring

the people there that he wants...

that our art

would stir something in their soul.

i'm anxious to come face to face

with those he has chosen...

+++++ enjoy your weekend +++++

god bless...

slowing my roll

2010-10-20T12:00:00.001-07:00

do you ever run ahead of god?

talk and not listen?

i do.
it's not intentional.
i don't mean to....
*****
god is showing me
in a very real way
to
ask...
wait...
listen...
particularly when it comes
to making art.
i do want to make art
to glorify him.
often i make art and haven't even invited him in the process!!!
sadly, at times i do that in other areas of my life.
just kind of make plans without involving him in the process.
he wants more from me.
i surrender.
*****
i am reading
"finding divine inspiration: working with the holy spirit in your creativity"
by
**j. scott mcElroy**
in it he says:

"god is passionate about collaborating with you.
he can't wait
to create beautiful, inspired art
with you in true collaboration.
it's what you were made for.
ask him what his ideas are, what he wants to do.
then take some time to listen..."

+++++ WOW +++++

he can't wait to make art with me...

ask

and

listen...
puts a whole different spin on things.
here i thought i was doing him a big favor...
i'm sure god had a good laugh over that one.

so simple.
i get it...

today i am linking with emily for imperfect prose

xo

brave girl

2010-10-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

little baby sweet and small

born to be the king of all...

6x6 canvas

better not pout...

10x10 wood block

let every heart

prepare him room

8x10 canvas

6x6 canvas

5x5 wood block

+++

hello my friends...

before i say anything else

i want to extend a heartfelt thanks

to all of you who left comments on my blog

when i shared about my son.

your words were so very comforting...

+++

i have been busy.

a very good busy.

i will be selling my art at a craft fair on nov. 6th.

this is a very brave thing for me.

i have never participated

in any kind of fair or show.

YIKES!!!

i decided that this would be a good venue to start with.

***something small and not so intimidating***

i have sold art only to friends

family and in my etsy shop.

this will be something new.

a little scary.

like i said, i'm being brave...

so....

i just continue

to collaborate with god,

hold on tight

and

bust. out. art.

he'll take care of the rest...

+++

art retreat

2010-10-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

a collaborative gift to me from my soul sisters

watching in awe

god painted a masterpiece

i just spent the last four days with four very talented women.

together we...

painted

collaged

sketched

shared techniques

collaborated

took photos

laughed

cried

gave comfort

enjoyed the beauty of lake tahoe

cooked

ate

prayed

listened to music

danced

shared stories

slept in

received healing massage

spent time alone

spent time together

hiked

read

watched in awe as god painted

the evening sky...3 nights in a row

made messes

cleaned up messes

and

gave thanks...

it was all i had hoped for, and i know it was for them as well. god's presence was felt very strongly, in many ways. we knew without a doubt that he was there with us...

my prodigal

2010-09-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

today
old grief
rushes in...

sadness grips my mother soul.

he must come back
to grace
to love

*
to hope
to home
to Him.

sadness grips my messy soul
i know the empty place.
sadness gripped His father soul
when i turned

from His beautiful face.

i returned home
i know hope lives for him.
god is there waiting

when
his grief
rushes
in.

******************

god layed these words on my heart earlier this week,

after another cry for help

from my youngest son.

when you reach the end

of what is healthy to do as a parent,

you must keep pointing them back to jesus.

god knows his heart, and he belongs to Him.

sometimes, it is just difficult...

just keeping it real, my friends...

linking up with emily for imperfect prose

life is good

2010-09-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

*****these are for you*****

hello friends...i have been preoccupied it seems.

working.

resting.

making art.

spending much needed time alone with my husband.

over labor day weekend, very shortly after the kids and grandkids moved out, we had a houseful staying with us when we had the 50th party for our parents...whew!

things are finally settling down

into our normal day to day routine,

**********

are

lovin'

it!

**********

thursday-sunday of next week is my retreat at lake tahoe. i am so very excited!! 4 women are attending, all from out of state. i pick them up early thursday morning in sacramento, then we head up to the lake...it will be 4 days of

art

girl time

great food and wine

music

and the best scenery one could ask for...i'm thinking there will be some walks on the beach, in the mountains, i can hardly wait...and the weather is going to be perfect. between the 5 of us, we make jewelry, create collage, paint, do photography, and illustration. i say god is bringing together a talented group of women who are excited to share all we have with each other...

for that i am feeling very grateful...

nothing compares

2010-09-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

i was on my way to work this morning, thinking about what i wanted to post about, and listening to third day...many of you have probably heard their music. i discovered them probably 0ver 10 years ago, and i still to this day, listen to their music over and over. mac powell writes lyrics that speak my heart. they have a song called "nothing compares". the lyrics talk about "people wasting their time, building up riches for a life that's fine"...why do we do that? we fill our life with people, places, and things trying to fill that hole. even after many years in a personal relationship with god i did that. but nothing can fill that hole. i know that now. i really, truly know that. in my soul.

"i find myself just living for today,

'cause i don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring...

so no matter if i rise or fall,

i'll never be alone..."

nothing compares

to the greatness of knowing god

linking with emily today...

some art...at last!

2010-09-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

this is a wedding gift i have been working on for a bit, an 11x14 canvas. the wedding was in july and i just finished this today. oops!! anyway, the bride and groom grew up and went to school together in lake tahoe, have a dog named tyson, and love adventure. click on the image and you can get a better look at the text. i got this idea from another artist/blogger, erin carver...you can see the canvas that she did here. i thought it was such a great idea, such a personalized gift for a couple naming important pieces of their life. so here is my finished canvas. just have to seal it, then mail it off to them...
today i am linking up with jennifer from studio JRU...just catching a sneak peek of what others are doing in their art space...

2010-09-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

star thistle is pretty prickly stuff. and that's where i am right now. in a prickly place. i am not liking it too much. but it gets me on my knees and that's precisely why it is happening. god knows me better than i know myself. he is taking me through a place of backing away...of letting go...reinforcing trust. and it's not easy. it seems i can talk a big talk, but walking the walk is where he wants me to be. i have much to learn, even after all these years of being his girl. so take heart my friends, if god has you in a learning place, it's because

you are important to him

he wants his best for you

that he loves you...

it's thursday...link with emily

inspiration

2010-09-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

truth is here

i signed up for jodi shaw's e-course a few weeks ago. little did i know that when i went to read the first post for the course, which was this morning, that i would have been so overwhelmed with comfort and tenderness to my soul. the scripture was just the reinforcement my heart needed, and a story that jodi tells about her own journey, was just what god wanted me to hear.

check out the info on her blog, and if you want to be truly blessed, sign up for the course...

go easy

2010-08-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

thinking of you

my friends...

feeling very grateful

and thankful

that you are

a part of my life...

enjoy your weekend

take time to

renew your soul...

***

slow down the pace

***

don't sweat the small stuff

***

god was reminding me this morning(again)

of these very things

so i'm just

sharin' the love...

god whispers

2010-08-26T07:25:00.001-07:00

(bliss)feeling a bit of overwhelm this morning. ever get so much goin' on that it just all of sudden hits you? that is what is happening to me right now. the kids moved out last friday. we spent last weekend putting the house back together. it has been a frenzied week at work. this weekend i will spend shopping, cleaning and preparing for my sis, her husband, and my brother who are coming from out of state and will be staying for 5 days...we are giving a 50th wedding anniversary reception for our dad and step-mom which is on sat. 9/4.

so, this morning as i was spending too much time "in my head" (you know what i'm talking about), sitting on the couch whining to god about all of this, blah, blah, blah....he lovingly whispered...

"so......get out of your head, get up off of your butt, and get busy".

really...he said that.

i feel sooooo much better.

just a little perspective while linking with emily...

to have and to hold

2010-08-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

chrissy at fireflies and hummingbirds is doing a marriage series on her blog, along with the regular topics and points of interest that she shares. she asked for stories from her readers with regard to marriage...whatever the reader wanted to share. so i decided to contribute and today is my guest post. if you want to read a little of our story(the very condensed version), take a peek over here....

question for you

2010-08-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

if you were forced

to eliminate

your material possessions

except for what could fit

into a single backpack,

what would you put in it?

happy dance

2010-08-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

i just had to shoot this pink anemone this morning.

i was so excited i had a flower, the deer usually get to them before i do.

***********

well, this friday is the big day...

the kids and grandkids

leave the nest

and we

return to empty...

***

hallelujah

***

praise the lord

***

can i get an amen??

***

the adults are doing a happy dance, for our own reasons...

when i asked my oldest grandson if he was excited about moving back into their own place, he said "well, sure i am nammie, but i really love living here with you and papa..."

melted my heart...

***

but not enough to want them to stay!

( i'm so laughing out loud at what i just wrote!!)

***

they will be living 15 minutes away

there will again be sleepovers with the boys

back to normal is good...

****

what a ride

2010-08-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

most times when i do a post,

i know exactly what i want to write about.

today i wasn't sure, but i knew i had something to say.

i was looking through my pictures on the computer

and came across this one.

it tugged at my heart.

"boy-ness" scattered in the yard.

i am not sure why i took it at the time...

maybe just so i could do this post today.

i shared earlier in july that our son, daughter-in-law,

and our two grandsons were moving in with us temporarily

due to tough economic times.

i am happy to say that god has

blessed them beyond measure

and they are moving into their own place next friday.

their time here with us has been a mixed bag.

it's been rainbows and butterflies

along with times of struggle.

through it all

and our ability to work

through those struggles

some very positive things happened

and the floodgates opened for them...

god has been right there amidst us

in our struggles and joys...

leading us and teaching us.

and it's been

pretty

darn

cool

to finish my post

i want to say

to you...

my friends...

this online community

just blows me away...

the support and love you have given

has really strengthened my soul...

thank you for that...

keepin' hope alive

2010-08-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

well, my friends, god has really humbled me this week. my previous post expressed that i was thinking about closing my etsy shop...wondering if selling my art online was really what i should be doing...not the making of art(that will never cease!), but the selling...and then i sold a canvas titled "hope". when i e-mailed the buyer to let her know it had shipped, i asked her, out of curiosity, what motivated her to buy that particular canvas, and this is what she sent back:
"Bev, I purchased it for a lot a reasons. I'm 26 and disabled. My faith is my rock and without hope I don't want to even imagine where I would be. I have a service dog. He changed my life in many ways. His trainer helped me to find God. My service dog was the first glimmer of hope I'd seen in years. There is a passage from Romans, my fave book in the bible, that reads: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit...Romans 15:13. I find that to be a very powerful statement.
I noticed "walk by faith" was also on the canvas. I live by the saying, "walk by faith if not by sight" because my life has been has been so filled with many trying times. I lost a close friend back in October to a homicide, then January another friend died of cancer. Then in February I was in the hospital 17 times with one emergency surgery. I was sent home and then ended up back at the hospital with a raging bacterial infection. It was really a period where I was walking by faith and faith alone. I felt like my faith was the only thing solid I had to hold onto because I knew it would carry me through.

My family is remodeling. This will go in my bedroom. I will send you pictures in about 9 months when the remodel is complete so you can see where your work will finally hang. I want to have artwork to pass down to the children that I one day hope to have."

you could have knocked me over with a feather.
her words brought tears to my eyes and she encouraged me.
i let her know that and we have very quickly become friends.
i will continue selling art.

god is great, isn't he??

for more inspiration check out

"imperfect prose on thursdays"

on this blog

reflection

2010-08-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

i have been thinking alot lately...reflecting. thinking about my art and what it means in my life, what the purpose of it is. thinking about other dreams that i have.

when i started making art a year ago, after several months at it, i felt led to open an etsy shop. while i have sold some art, it has never been a dream of mine to make and sell art. never. having said that, the process i have gone through emotionally and spiritually to start expressing myself creatively and then mustering up the courage to open an etsy shop and actually sell art has been.....well...invaluable to me as a person. for my growth.

the last week or so i have been thinking about closing my etsy shop. and then i sold a canvas yesterday. one i had made earlier this year, titled "hope". and i realized i needed to get my eyes off of myself and remember why i am doing this art thing in the first place. the "hope" is not for me, it is for others. god has asked me to do this, and i need to keep that in perspective. i really don't know what prompts someone to buy one of my canvases...where are they in their life? did it stir them spiritually? it could be any number of things. but i have to remember why i do it. and if sales aren't vigorous, so be it. if i sell only one canvas a month, so be it. all i know is that it puts god out there and that is how all of this started...

a mary heart in a martha world

2010-08-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

hello friends...i have a guest posting today, her name is chrissy, her blog is a delight, and she would like to share about a bible study she is doing...check it out!!

Hi, I’m Chrissy and I hang out at a little blog called Life’s Not Always Fireflies and Hummingbirds. I want to begin by offering a great big thank you to Bev, for allowing me to hijack her blog for a few minutes today, and then I want to invite you to join me in my brand new book club/bible study! When you look closely, it’s easy to see that the lives of us twenty-first century women really aren’t all that different from the lives Mary and Martha lead in the New Testament. We're a lot like Mary because we want to be what God designed us to be, and to worship Him, and to devote our time and energy to His purpose.But boy, life just never slows down, does it? That's when we're like Martha: so tired and weary from trying to keep up with everyone and everything, and then we become a little resentful about all that's asked of us.We know what Jesus expects of us, and that's what we want, too, but how can we just ignore those piles of laundry and those dirty dishes and that barking dog? If we don't take care of them, no one else will!(Isn't that how we all think?!?)That’s why I’m inviting you to join me for my Mary & Martha Book Club and Bible Study! We’ll be reading Joanna Weaver’s book Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World, beginning with our discussion of chapter one on Wednesday, August 11th. I’d love to have you join us! Just click on over to my blog to get more details! Post my button on your blog to encourage your friends to take part, too!

art and south lake tahoe

2010-07-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

beautiful lake tahoe...my favorite vacation spot.

i have been coming to this lake since i was a young girl.

i am having an art retreat at a private condo at this lake...and i want you to be a part of it...

this has been a desire of mine for awhile.

i have not found an art retreat that has met my needs,

so god whispered "why don't you create your own?"

i thought that was cool...

i prayed for a location...

he provided one.

when i say art retreat,

i mean it in the sense that there will be

us and our art

(mixed media, jewelry,photography, scrapbooking, you name it)

lots of different kinds of art...

together

learning and sharing.

no formal classes

but a lot of exploring

and hands on activities that are planned...

at one of the most beautiful places in the world...

who doesn't need

a few nights away

from family, kids, jobs, stress...i know i do!

this is an opportunity to really decompress

with other women who have the same interests...

the same heart and soul...

i am extending an invitation to you...

yes, YOU...

to join us.

the dates are

thursday, september 30th-sunday, october 3rd.

the cost per person for 3 nights stay

at the condo

is $15o

(yes, you read that right)

to include food/beverages i stock the condo with.

it's a very sweet deal i have worked out with the owner of the condo

who is a longtime family friend.

the condo is on the beach

of south lake tahoe at

lakeland village resort.

i have 5 spots left

for what promises to be

an amazing weekend...

i have prayed for god to bring

the women he wants to be a part of this...

are you one of them?

if you are interested

please email me

for all the details

and we can talk...

bevfalls@gmail.com

love was all around

2010-07-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

...the wedding was in a meadow...

the groom is the son

of our best friends...

we have watched him grow up

from baby to man.

our friends

joyfully accompanied their son

down a grassy aisle...

they all took their place

to wait

for his beautiful bride.

...the day was perfection...

chosen

2010-07-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

you are a chosen people

a royal priesthood

a holy nation

a people belonging to God

that you may declare

the praises of him

who called you out of darkness

into his wonderful light

1 peter 2:9

...

chose

...

because

love

******************************************************

today begins "imperfect prose"

at hush of the moon.

to quote emily

"each week, let's meet and find redemption

in the grace of the other.

let's be broken on canvas

on material

on paper

on screen

together...

for God is there."

join us ...

i got my mojo workin'

2010-07-20T11:06:00.001-07:00

i have been so out of sync

since the kids and grandkids moved in.

it's been two weeks(yikes!)

since i have created a canvas!!

nothing would come to me

when i sat at my art table.

nothing came to me

when i wasn't at my art table.

at times i just kind of went through the motions

for the discipline of it.

feeling pretty uninspired.

this morning i woke up

and it was back.

my mojo...

it's workin' again.

*** i did a happy dance ***

simple things

2010-07-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

today i am celebrating the simple things

details that make up the tenderness of our lives

raindrops on flower petals

sound of the sprinklers

strength of my husband's hands

an apology

gummy, drooling baby smile

flickering candlelight

laundry on the clothesline

folding that laundry while standing on the lawn...barefoot

flip flops

that perfect sunlight for that perfect shot

first cup of coffee

smell of summer rainstorm

comfortable bed

***souls that connect online***

glass of wine...on the deck...friday after work

snow falling

silence

stillness

whispers

from god

i am also celebrating the birthday of sweet christina

from soul aperture

she is having a beautiful party

and i think you should join her here

there is soooo much loveliness there

you will not be disappointed...

sweet friendship

2010-07-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

my friend eva is posting an interview with me, on her blog today...you can check it out here.

this is not my first interview and being naive about these things, i did not post my other interviewers blog when they posted the interview(my apologies), i didn't even mention that i was being interviewed on my own blog!...so visit eva today...you will find out a little more about me, and a lot about her and her art...she is a beautiful flyer!!

i wanted to say thank you to each and everyone of you who have given me so much encouragement and support these last few days, it means so very, very much to me...

three little words

2010-07-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

this is a necklace of mine. i have had it for years and the chain broke, so in the jewelry box it went. i was rummaging through the box this morning...i spotted this and i thought about how much these three little words have meant to me, and how much they mean right now. in love we have our kids and grand kids living with us. we trust god for the strength and fortitude to go through this time of their lives with them, and faith that god has some amazing things in store....because right now the realities for all of us are sinking in(the grand kids are fine, it's the adults that are fumbling!). it has been a week, they are moved in, and we are all feeling displaced, trying to navigate our way through this. just being real here, my friends. we know we have made the right decision, but there are and will be adjustments...

for me, i don't have my usual routine and i am feeling a bit displaced. my art room is now the boys play room....and that is how i want it. they have gone from having their own room to sharing, and they need an extra space to call their own and to put their toys and things.

so i am in the process of setting up my art elsewhere, and it will give me more privacy anyway. as soon as i get it set up, sit down, turn on the tunes, start makin' art, i'll be fine. and i'll be soaring again...

don't worry...bout a thing...

2010-07-09T10:48:00.001-07:00

remnant of this morning's brief thunderstorm

can ya see it???

ohhhh yea, god's promise....

every little thing gonna be alright....

asking for prayer

2010-07-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

i wasn't sure if i was going to share this or not, but this blog is all about being real. and true. and authentic. i realize that what has taken place the last few days of this week has kept me from being here, i haven't posted since sunday...and i want to connect...so the best thing is to be............real. and true. and authentic.
i am asking for prayer for our family....this economy has hit the lives of our kids...hard. our oldest son was laid off his job with intel over a year ago. since that time work for him has been sporadic at best. our daughter-in-law has worked part-time, and goes to school...is one semester away from getting her bachelors degree. she is now out of work as well. our youngest son is struggling with steady work, but thankfully his living arrangements aren't at risk.
it is necessary, at this time, to have our oldest son, daughter-in-law, and our 2 sweet grandsons move in with us. the part that is hard right now is to see how this has affected them over time. they are emotionally broken. no matter how old your kids are, you still want to hold them in your arms and "make it better". these are hard times, and hard life issues. our grandsons are happy as clams coming to live with nammie and papa....but the reality for them is there will be new schools, they will miss their friends...there will be challenges around the changes in their lives.
that having been said...our faith is strong, we love each other like crazy. shelby and i are supportive of them. the kids are a very functional family unit, and they are hard workers. there will be days where we will be basking in the glow, and days where we will drive each other crazy. we aren't living in la-la land thinking this will be all fun and games (although there will be some of that going on).
soooooo....my dear friends.....just keep us in your prayers 'cause this family is in for a wild ride!!!!!!!!!
xo

sweet land of liberty

2010-07-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

***happy day of independence***

laugh..pray...eat...love...laugh and play some more...and be safe

believe it

2010-07-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

just for you...in my shop

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i am so excited about these two canvases i just finished, and put in my etsy shop.

it seems i am finding my style. finding my groove...after my meltdown last week...having the time away to get perspective was so very healing. the inner critic has quieted down. and when it did show up, i was able to shush it away. i am feeling more confidence each time i paint. all of you creative ones know exactly what i am talking about.

i feel more at peace right now than i have in a while...
that peace in my heart is what inspired the art

i am showing you today...

i want you to know how much your encouragement and your kind words have really helped me to get to where i am feeling today...an extraordinary community has been formed from kelly rae's class, and with others that are just out there in blogland trying to find their way...we are all here for each other, and that is a gift from god...

chillin'...

2010-07-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

i don't know about you, but i am gearing up for this weekend...friday and monday off...lots of time in this chair. in the back yard. reading a delicious book (re-reading east of eden by steinbeck)...there will be some bb-que-ing, wine drinking, luscious food eating, and sparkler lighting going on...and of course, as much art time as possible...woo hoo!!!

tell me your plans for the 4th.......

cupcakes or...bread and water

2010-06-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

philippians 4: 12-13

i am pretty sure paul wasn't talking about missing cupcakes when he wrote this...so whether you are having cupcakes...or struggling and having bread and water...god will see you through my friend...

he loves you so very much...

visit here for some of god's love on this word-filled wednesday...

perspective

2010-06-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

before i start, thank you to all of you who left comments last week when i was so weary...such encouragement and goodness. thank you so, so much. i left here last thursday to head up to the mountains...amazing what 4 days of rest will do. god is so good. i spent alot of quiet time with him, walking through some beautiful wooded canyons, sitting by the campfire, by the lake. i feel so renewed...and have a better understanding and perspective of where he is taking me on my art journey. sometimes things get all jumbled up inside my head, and i run too far ahead of him....he very lovingly brings me back where i belong.

i also love the talks my husband and i have when we are away like that. talks about your life in the here and now, and your future. where it's headed, where you want to go. we talked more about our dream of selling the house and hitting the road in our trailer full time...to see this beautiful country we live in...it's becoming more of a reality when we retire.

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i sat at my art table this morning to continue working on a collage i started last week. nothing came together. i left the table, ok with the fact that it just wasn't happening. while i was in the bathroom drying my hair, god gave me a verse and a design idea. i stopped drying my hair, went to the table, laid down the embellishments and there it was. i love it when that happens...

where does your inspiration come from?

come to me

2010-06-24T06:01:00.001-07:00

this has been a tough week for me. how easy it is to get caught up in the passion of making art for god, of doing this blog, of having an etsy shop. juggling a full time job, all the responsibilities of running a household, the stuff of life. how easy to get away from the real heart of it all. i find myself getting so consumed by the number of hits on my shop, the number of hits on my blog, did i sell anything today, why didn't i sell anything today. my art sucks!! why am i bothering!!! i hear myself encouraging others, then i do this to myself!! my inner critic is showing up every time i try to paint the last few days. this morning as i sat on the couch, i came across something in my bible that i printed quite a while ago. the basic content was about being with god. and where god meets you, where you meet him. i hear god best in the stillness. in the quiet. and as of late, when i have been there, my head is clamoring, clanging ....work. kids. finances. future. just the stuff. it's like i have been meeting him in my spot i go to every morning, but my heart hasn't been there. i haven't connected with him. i have been coming physically, but not mentally or spiritually. and not intentionally. just distracted. this morning i heard his whispers..."come to me"...i realized then how weary i really am. just from life. and how life stuff can break my connection with him. sometimes i resent it!!
we leave this afternoon for the high lakes, returning sunday. i can hardly wait. our first camp trip of the summer. i know while we are there i will get some clarity, some renewing. i need to unplug(electronically)and recharge(spiritually).
my prayer is this: if you are feeling some of this in your life, take some time and recharge...be good to yourself.
love and hugs to you...
the photo: in may, we visited the canyon in our hometown in southern california. parts of where we lived(when we were first married)had burned last fall, including the house we lived in(so sad). while we were driving, we came around a bend, and this cross was on the hill...

word-filled wednesday....comfort

2010-06-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

i love quilts. i love to buy them and make them. i cuddle up with them. they comfort me. that's what god's love does for me. it brings me comfort, and wraps me up....

may your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. let your compassion come to me that i may live, for your law is my delight...

psalm 119: 76-77

visit here for encouragement on this word-filled wednesday

sweet love

2010-06-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

i have an 8 year old grandson...just turned 8. he is an artist. he was here on sunday and saw something i have on my art table. the words are from artist mati rose. he asked me why i have this on my table. i explained to him that i am really hard on myself sometimes in life and in art. he said to me, very matter of factly..."i know, i do that with my art. isn't it exhausting"?!! out of the mouths of babes.

the demons start early don't they?

he then made this...painstakingly following the lines with his 8-year old cursive...tracing some metal embellishments he found laying around on the table. a gift...to me.

big sigh....

hugs to you dear friends...

goodness and a giveaway

2010-06-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Internet Cafe Devotions

today i want to share about this inspirational website. i stumbled upon it(translate: god brought me to it)just several weeks ago, and i have teamed up with these wonderful ladies to bring forward all the lord has for you! there is a ton of goodness goin' on...new look to the website, wonderful devotionals, women with a strong love for the lord...right now they are having a giveaway and one of my canvases is part of the magic...there are some lovelies to be had, so take a look...grab a cup of coffee and soak in all god has for you over here

liberated

2010-06-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

for sale in my etsy shop

i am astounded at what god is doing in my life. when we really just let go and ask him, with pure motives to lead us....everything changes...the blessings come. the soul blessings. the abilities that we have buried erupt. the conciousness of him becomes even greater. ever-present. i am truly humbled.

he is really rocking my world right now.

unleashed

2010-06-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

i have chosen the way of truth; i have set my heart on your laws. i hold fast to your statutes, o lord; do not let me be put to shame.

i run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free...

psalm 119: 30-32

god has helped me loose the chains that bind...i am so very grateful today.

visit here to be encouraged on this word-filled wednesday...

let's party

2010-06-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

my grandson is turning 8 on june 15, sunday was his birthday party. it was such a fun day...i am posting more pictures than i normally would, i am totally in nammie(what my grandsons so lovingly call me) mode right now! it was quite warm yesterday(hit 98) and we were at the perfect spot...on the lawn, by the water area, with a breeze that brought some of the water mist over...

birthday boy...8 years old...

youngest grandson...he's 4...ice cream on a stick had blue food coloring...

sat under this...

so being boys...

these were torn into in typical boy fashion...

opening the card i made him...he loved it...he is an artist too and appreciates handmade things...lusciousness...

oh yeah baby...controlled chaos...this seriously made me wish i had had a suit on...contemplating his next move... gotta love boys... all in all, i would say it was a great day...in my book, summer is officially here!!!

if you would like to leave a comment, scroll down a little further...not sure what i did, but there is lots of empty page!!!

best part of my day

2010-06-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

i took this photo this morning. the moment was lovelier for me than this photo conveys. i absolutely love early morning. everything is renewed. i have energy. lots of it. i love it when i am home and i just start gettin' in to what needs to be done around the house. i am more "artfully" productive during the day as well...i pretty much start going down hill around 4-ish...i am not a high energy person, never have been. so if something needs to be done, it will get done the first part of the day. when i was a young mom, it was the opposite!!! i so remember the nights of staying up late to work on projects while the boys slept so peacefully(or not!).

on a work day...after i get home from work...productive??? not so much. yes, i will cook a meal, start a load of laundry...but hard labor is out of the question. no cleaning the bathroom, scrubbing floors. no, no. none of that.

i am curious to know when your most productive time is...when do you swing the highest??

word-filled wednesday

2010-06-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

if you haven't discovered this website, you must visit! very inspirational posts going on over there...and today is "word-filled wednesday"...and i would like to share this verse with you...

your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great work in god's sight...

1 peter 3:3-4

share with me some of your beauty...what is god doing with your inner self?

keep making art

2010-06-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

10 x 10 canvas...in my etsy shop

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shelby and i had a great time with our grandsons on saturday. we took them to a BMX track, they rode their bikes there for about an hour. we then went to the show to see "shrek forever after". it was cute, had a good message. but holy cow!!!...we spent more on snacks then on the admission!

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today was a beautiful day...although by the time i was ready to do art it had warmed up too much, and the air was so still, not a breeze whatsoever. i decided to stay indoors at my art table. with a fan. it was much more comfortable than being outside on the deck. the verse god gave me for this piece really spoke to my heart as i am on this journey of making art to * glorify him * and * encourage * others. at times i jump ahead of him and have these ideas which i think are so great. but they are my ideas. not his. i know without a doubt that he wants me to do this creative biz, i just need to do it his way, not mine. his timing, not mine. sometimes i get carried away and forget...

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judging by the comments i got with regard to your art area, sounds like some of us are, or have had to make do. in the past, i did art at the dining room table, which was a pain, which seems what some of you are dealing with. we have a very large living room, so i put the dining room table in there, put a large folding table in the dining room, and that is where i do art now. the room has 3 large windows which i just love(i understand what you mean about lots of light leslie, gotta have it). i have a tall bookcase, some storage bins and my stereo. i'm good to go!

...i do know how you feel about having to make do...

just keep making your art, don't ever give up on that. you need it, and so does the world...

friday rocks

2010-06-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

oh happy day...friday is here and for me that means the end of the work week. saturday will be spent with our sweet grandsons while our son and daughter-in-law do their thing. sunday is not planned, which is just the way i like it. that leaves the door open for doing art. i think i will move some art supplies on to the deck table and do art outside... doesn't that sound delicious!! nice glass of iced tea, good music to inspire. hard to be inside when the weather is going to be so gorgeous.
ok. i do think i just planned my sunday...!

so...let me ask you...where do you create, what does your space look like?? do you love it, hate it, wanna change it, clean it up?
share with me...

feelin' groovy

2010-06-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

i have had the best morning.

*while drinking my morning coffee all i could hear were bird songs

*put in some great tunes and painted for 2 hours

*i painted intuitively with no planning of any kind. i am learning to do that.

have you had time to be creative today? if you haven't, make the time. seriously. it's great mental health therapy (you probably already know that).
i am diggin' kelly rae's creative business class, yes i am!! there is so much wisdom and depth to what she is sharing. if you haven't signed up for this e-course, there is still time. it is already changing me and my art-life.

you gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. you must do the thing which you think you cannot do...
-eleanor roosevelt

be good to yourself today......oh, and be sure to check this out...

clarity

2010-05-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

these windows are in my living room and look out into my front yard. i do alot of reflecting and thinking while sitting on the couch. in this room. looking out those windows...which leads me up to this post...

"the deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. you are not discovering yourself but creating yourself anew. seek, therefore, not to find out who you are, seek to determine what you want to be."

-neale donald walsch

"seek to determine what you want to be"....i want to be an artist. i AM an artist!! i want to bring glory to god through my art, encouraging others, and making money while doing it(as kelly said, we do need to eat, afterall).

there.

i said it out loud.

i wrote the previous words this morning, after digesting the first post from kelly rae's e-course, which i read yesterday.

then i read today's post, probably about 90 minutes ago. it spoke of facing our fears. i then visited brene brown's blog to watch a video which was part of kelly's post reference. i am sitting here...totally and completely blown away, lump in my throat over all i have read and watched.

all i can say is god is doing great things in me and through me. for me and for his purpose. i can feel it. i can sense it. and i welcome it...

the weekend

2010-05-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

memorial day....remember those who sacrificed for us...

and take some time to be good to yourself...i do love the 3-day weekend when you take friday off and make it 4 in a row, which is what i have done...and this weekend we have no plans. no schedule. no company.

what are your plans this weekend??

this made me giggle

2010-05-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

we have been in southern california since thursday of last week, got home yesterday afternoon. we spent some time driving through our hometown, and as we did, we came upon this...not bumps, not undulations, but humps...hadn't seen that before...it definitely got our attention, which was the point, i'm sure!!

these geraniums are in my father-in-law's back yard. they are orange...not orange and yellow...the sun was coming up, the morning light hit them just right, they were so beautiful! jumped right up and grabbed my camera.

the reason we were in so. calif. was for a "celebration of life" service. the mother of one of our oldest and dearest high school friends passed away. it was kind of a bittersweet weekend....grieving the loss of such a wonderful, wonderful woman, and seeing and re-connecting with old friends at the same time....i was thinking alot about how times such as this bring people so close together(yes, it can go the other way). the sense of family and community are so great when there is tragedy.....out of sadness and grief comes such connection. we are at our best when things are at their worst...

is this how god has to get our attention?

it's the heart that really matters in the end

2010-05-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

excerpt from "little wonders" by rob thomas:

our lives are made

in these small hours

these little wonders,

these twists & turns of fate

time falls away,

but these small hours,

these small hours still remain

most of you are probably familiar with this song...i was listening to it this morning while i was painting(swoon), and was thinking about how so very true the lyrics are. our lives are made in these small hours...sitting with your mom while she takes her last breath, tucking your babies in bed, helping the little lady who can't get the door open, laying under the stars with your husband as you talk about your uncertain future, being present for the birth of your grandchild, bringing resolve to an argument with a loved one....

we will only just remember how it feels

powerful stuff....

if you haven't visited this website, you must! it is full of goodness...

i hope your day is full of little wonders!

examining my motives

2010-05-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

"I have one non-negotiable prerequisite and that is the ongoing examination of my own motives in the creative process yielding art that is both original and personal."

this is a quote by julie prichard...mixed media artist. if you are not familiar with her, travel here. i visited her blog today, and her post from monday asks the question "how do you feel today?"....
today i am feeling frustrated...i then read the quote by her in the bio and it jumped out at me, i needed to read this today as i have been struggling with some things. i realize that i often do not let myself really communicate myself in my art, it causes me great distress at times, and i am trying to figure it all out, something i am really examining....
i signed up for an online course of hers called "layer love"...i really like her techniques of layering and collaging, the course is quite good, what i have been able to view so far(if i could just quit my day job...!!).

today, i wish you freedom in your heart and soul, and time to create...
xo

remember our troops

2010-05-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

please pray for the men and women of my husband's army reserve unit...they are on their way to afghanistan as i write this. my husband is staying back, he was taken off of the deployment after his illness and subsequent surgery in february. regardless of your politics or opinions about war, lift up the men and women who serve our country, and preserve our freedom. they are out there, every day, putting their life on the line...for you...for all of us...there is no greater sacrifice...

putting things in perspective

2010-05-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

this morning i was lamenting about myself and my art to my sweet husband(who loves golf). he looked at me and said, so wisely...."well honey, i'm no tiger woods, and you're no rembrandt...so just have fun with it."

slam. dunk.

not much more to say, other than enjoy your weekend, my friends...

a little of this and a little of that

2010-05-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

is this supposed to happen in may? almost the middle of may? i think not. this was on my deck this morning. we are an hour west of lake tahoe. they got snow yesterday and last night, on top of what they already have. crazy!!! i watched the first video for carmen's "spill it" e-course. i spilled paint and made a mess. it was fun. fun. fun! i will use these backgrounds for a collage at some point, they aren't finished. the monitor does not do the colors justice...they are vivid and rich.

i spent the last two mornings working on these, before i leave for work...i get up very early so i can create, because that's about the only time during the week that i can. it's really hard to pull myself away from making art. the creative process doesn't like to be interrupted or on a schedule. i could seriously do this all day. since i started on this art journey less than a year ago, it is interesting to see where i go with all this. i have tried many new techniques and will continue to do so, i'm sure. there is so much i want to put down on canvas and paper my brain gets jumbled up...

tell me about your art....photography, scrapbooking, painting, whatever it is...tell me what gets your juices flowing....

monday, monday...

2010-05-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

i took these photos on a walk during my lunch. this is the field behind the college campus where i work. we live in a small, rural foothill community. i am very blessed to work in this environment...this is where i go, every day! i have a 3-mile...yes, 3-mile commute to work. i keep all of this in perspective when i am feeling whiny about life...you know, the day to day work grind....all in all, i have it pretty darn good.

mothers day was wonderful. we met our kids and grandsons at a great cafe for brunch...had good family time, then went our separate ways. shelby and i went home...he watched golf, and i did art. i put a new canvas in my etsy shop, and started working on a background for collage. i am taking an e-course with julie pritchard...she is such an amazing artist, love her layering techniques. check this out. another e-course i am taking is one with carmen torbus. she does awesome mixed media art as well. go here to see her beautiful work.

blessings to you...

mothers day love

2010-05-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

what a privilege it is to be a mother...a mom...a caregiver...a nurturer...whether you are called mom because you gave birth, adopted, by way of marriage, just taking under your wing...it is indeed a privilege, and one that i thank god for. every. day.

to all of you......have an absolutely beautiful day...

love...love...love

random stuff

2010-05-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

today is cinco de mayo....we plan on patronizing our favorite mexican restaurant after work. it's possible margaritas could be consumed.

i love old buildings. especially when they are brick. this building had been painted at one time, and the peeling paint looks....well...old. and crackly! heavy metal doors. love it....we were in the little town of plymouth, meeting dear friends at a deli, for lunch. we had a glass of wine, ordered some great sandwiches...it was a good day, a very good day.

it's half-way to the weekend...and i have friday off! love a 3-day weekend.

friday i am planning on heading downtown to our little main street and hit some of the antique stores. i am looking for old books, ephemera....need to build up my supplies for my canvases. lots of art will be done.

* friday evening we are having dinner with friends...

* sat. is a brunch at my dad's clubhouse, where he lives...he and his cronies fix brunch for the ladies in their lives...my mom, aunt, cousin, myself and my daughter-in-law (lynn) will be there. the men prepare everything, set beautiful tables, serve mimosa's when we first arrive, it's so lovely....mind you, my dad is 82, and some of his friends are older! it is such a loving gesture, something that was started about 5 years ago...it is always the sat. of mothers day weekend...afterward i will take lynn and mom to a salon, we are getting pedi's and mani's... oooooohh lala....lovin' it!!

* sunday.....mothers day! sweet hubby and sons are making plans....i know nothing.

share your mother's day plans, i would love to hear what you are doing.....

being still

2010-05-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

be still and know that i am god...
psalm 46:10
text on lower right says:
*connect with life
*the love of god surpasses knowledge
*go with him

*on it's way to my etsy shop after varnishing!

being still...god is teaching me to listen...really listen to him. and the best way to do that is in the stillness. hearing his gentle voice...listening to his creation. the breezes... bird songs...the quiet in the early morning as i drink my coffee...really being "present" in the moment. being present allowed the opportunity to photograph this butterfly. i was standing at the kitchen sink, just looking out in to the yard, watching the breeze through the trees, and this butterfly fluttered across my view...i watched it as it landed on the lilac bush. grabbed my camera and took 5 shots...then it flew away...so beautiful. this was the best picture...
i hope your day is so very lovely...

i know this much is true

2010-04-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

believe: to have faith, confidence, or trust

as i struggle with the parts of me that lack confidence, at the same time i hear this whisper: "you can do anything"....those words come from the deepest part of me that knows this to be true....the part of me that knows that i can do anything...

i'm 56 years old, i have raised a family...to me that was my purpose, my heart's desire ...to get married, have children, create a home....when my boys left the nest, i then spent the following years enjoying the freedom. as of late, i have struggled with having a purpose....what am i supposed to be doing now, what fulfills my soul?...

what is in my heart is spilling out on to canvas...and god wants me to share that with others, to share the hope and love he gives...he has brought me through much pain, sadness, grief, sorrow, and confusion these past 5 years...he has also given me such depth of gratitude, joy, forgiveness, and peace....and i am humbled....

i leave you with this poem...even at my age, it speaks to me...

listen the mustn'ts child

listen to the don'ts...

listen to the shouldn'ts

the impossibles

the wont's...

listen to the never haves

then listen close to me...

anything can happen, child

anything can be...

shel silverstein

some art...and some exercise

2010-04-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

i put this canvas in my etsy shop a few days ago, i am lovin' it....so much inspiration in god's word, and i am humbled to be painting for him! ......i just finished doing a custom piece, for a friend's sister...that was something different for me, because i get inspired and just start making art, don't really plan out what i am going to put together. i may have a verse in mind, but not a layout. a custom piece was a little different for me...i was happy with the finished project....
shelby and i went for a long walk on sunday(about 4 miles), on the new section of trail through town. it was amazing, i had not been on this section since they had the ribbon cutting last year. so scenic, and the bridge that goes over weber creek is awesome! i am not so great with heights, so taking the photos from the bridge that i did kind of gave me the heebie-jeebies!!!
all in all, it was such an enjoyable morning...

saturday morning

2010-04-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

justin giving aidan a few batting tips...

i love this photo of tyler, it's so tender...he was so deep in thought at the time

aidan had a 9:00 saturday morning baseball game...we got up, shelby made breakfast, we grabbed our unfinished(2nd) cup of coffee, and hit the road. it's about an hour drive to where the kids live...we didn't mind being on the road that early toward the city...the traffic was light, we enjoyed the visit in the car.

the game rocked, the kids are improving each week, it seems. although, they did seem just a little distracted...a bit of spring fever, i'm thinking...

i'm rebelling

2010-04-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

ok. it's official. i don't care if it keeps raining for another month. i am NOT putting on another pair of socks and shoes. it's flip-flops from here on out. i am done. done. done.

i feel better already.

one lucky shot

2010-04-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

it is absolutely gorgeous today, i came in from outside for an ice tea break...downloaded some photos...i was doing some macro shots in the yard and this little guy flew right into my view...

i am totally excited about "experimental art e-course" with amanda critchlow....amandacritchlow.co.uk...it starts tomorrow and i anticipate great things for my art soul....

good day sunshine

2010-04-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

i saw the sun today. i am a happy woman. better yet, it will be seen again tomorrow and should be in the 70's. on a saturday. and we get to sit and watch aidan's league game. doesn't take much to make me happy...
after aidan's game, we are going out for pizza, then bring the boys home with us for a sleepover. we plan on taking them to the community observatory, which is on the college campus where i work. i think the boys(and nammie and papa)will have an amazing, star gazing evening....

stuck inside

2010-04-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

why is it that the rain seems to come on the weekend? when i want to go outside and play. to clean up the yard. enjoy the deck. just play...
the sun will come soon, at some time. just not soon enough for me. i did get some art done. varnished some pieces, and started on some new ones. certainly an alternative to being outdoors that i do love. but the sun would be nice....

hand wash cold

2010-04-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

if you have not seen this, you must watch it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeZgoQeebv4