Words

I don't seem to have any words.   (you might have guessed this with the lack of posts)

I can respond to others, but I can't corral my own thoughts/ideas long enough to make them into words that make sense.
Something is bubbling?
A change is in the air?
Anticipation?
Apathy?

I am reading books that are challenging me to walk the walk....

Maybe I am just scared to know what I know.

I don't know what I know....

Ack.

whatever

No, not that kind of 'whatever', with the eye roll and head toss, that seems to be so popular these days.

I'm talking about this kind...the Jesus kind....the original   whatever....from Phillipians...


Whatever is true, 
whatever is noble,
whatever is right, 
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, 
whatever is admirable -
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --
think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

I am a little bit in love with subway sort of art right now and have been doing canvases with paint and words and felt - my version of subway sort of art.  
Here is my 'whatever' :

Can you see the felt parts?  The heart and this....

So, WHATEVER is sort of my word for the year.  I thought it is a good choice because in this context you get all those other word, too!  Yay!

My e-friend, Marla, has a sister, Bethany, who makes banners (you can find her at Banners By Bethany on facebook) and donates 50% to a project in Cambodia.  I got her to make me a banner that says....

Isn't it amazing?

Now, to train my brain to think on these things.....

Birthday Beginning

I have said it before and will no doubt say it again...I love beginnings and sometimes I need them more than once a day!

Tomorrow is my birthday.

Birthdays are a great time to begin again...to refocus, to reflect.  57 isn't one of the BIG birthdays, smack dab in the middle of two of the BIG ones, but not a 'five' or 'zero' birthday.

I have found myself in a bit of a season of reflection.  I have grown closer to God and closer to friends who are like family.  I have learned to love my husband even more than before...who knew that was even possible?

I am in a peaceful place.
I am in a creative place.
I am in a giving place.

Now, I am feeling a call to refocus a bit...to work out from my peaceful, creative, generous heart...to shine my light....
It is always a little bit scary and a little bit thrilling when you tell God you are ready and ask him to lead you to the work he has for you, but I think that is where I am.

I think I am ready.

This might be a fun year!

Hopefully, this post next year will be from inside our new home...ahhhhh.

Craft Space(es)

So, these pictures might give you an idea of why I am SO excited that in the new home there will be a dedicated crafting area....for me!  The little husband will also have his wood workshop outside in its own building.  Oh yeah.

This was my craft table this morning...well, honestly, this is what it looks like too many mornings when I am in creating mode...

My handy little husband made me the table and the chair and Skippy Jo is up there supervising more often than he is really needed.  So much stuff that I really do try to keep corralled!

And lots of stuff that just makes me happy - like this...

Stella Skeleton riding Gozo!  So much to love!

After a day of tidying it looks like this...

Please tell me you can notice a difference.

Now, you may be asking how I produce such wonderful and amazing craftiness with what you see here.  Well,  there are a few other places that I have supplies stashed.  Different rooms.  Wanna see?

The 'spare' room.  How did it ever get that name?  Who has rooms to spare?

Not me, for sure!

And the built in book case in the living room.  Had to get rid of some books to have room

for the plastic storage tubs...all nicely organized by color of felt or by craft,  

thank you very much.

There are things tucked in a few more places that were just a bit

too embarrassing to show you.

:-)

A happy little Christmas tree...home from school, but not put away yet.

Oh, yes.  I have big plans for the craft space in the new home...BIG plans!  Can hardly wait.

A Gift

I realize that my creative ability is a gift from the creator God and I love when I get to use my gift to do God's work in my little corner of the kingdom.

Sometimes it is to bring joy, like I hope these did.

Drawing by one of my favorite 5th graders....turned into a woolie.

Another favorite 5th grader who is longing for a horse of her own, who she will name Jasmine.

I had to give Jasmine all 4 legs.

 (photo by Samantha)

(photo by Samantha)

My friend, Samantha already got her horse dream to come true.

Sometimes it is to patch a broken place...a hole in one's heart.

I made 2 of these for my sweet friend Rachel 

so that she can still hold Laurel's hand 

whenever she wants to.

Sometimes it is for later, when the hurt is less, and the memories bring joy.

And this one is for them, too.  When Rachel's sister, Beth, died, 

Rachel started drawing these angels every time she wrote her name.

(Beth was 16 and Rachel was 15)

This is her Laurel Angel.

So, while I do make stuff to sell and I am supposing they bring joy to whoever buys them, my biggest happiness comes in creating something especially for someone special.

It is heart warming to use my gift to do God's work....joy and comfort....

Imagine...Inspire....

This might be a long rambling post or it might be quite short.  I have a heart full of feeling, but not sure I have words...so, I will just begin.

Weeks ago, maybe even years ago, I realized that I am not a big fan of Christmas...at least not the frenzied festivity filled version.

I don't know why we have to squish all the love and peace to the world and joy and brotherhood and gift giving into the few short weeks from Thanksgiving until December 25th.

Maybe it is just my age or this season in my life.  Maybe I am just turning into a Grinch.  I used to enjoy searching for the right gift, wrapping it up pretty and presenting it to the one person it was meant for especially.  I used to love bringing out the Christmas carols.  I have an amazing collection of Christmas creches and I know how to decorate a Christmas tree that I want to just sit in front of for hours.   Now, I don't want to be bothered with getting them out and putting them away....sigh.

All of that was already going through my head, when a most horrible thing happened on December 21 to my sweet friend Rachel, and her family.  Lives lost....Christmas forever changed...

But, it is in this tragedy, that the miracle of Christmas begins to blossom...
LOVE.  Not for a season or a holiday, but for a lifetime.

So,  I am beginning again to imagine the Love of Christmas and I am beginning to see it lasting all year long.  I won't be waiting to try to get it all done in December.  I will be peacefully spreading it out from now until then.  I am inspired.

If I have the perfect gift, card, song, letter, word for you in my heart or hands, I am going to give it to you and we will share joy.  I am going to look for ways to share joy each and every month...maybe I will be celebrating the 25th of each month!  What can we call this celebration????

God didn't come to love us for a season.  He's in it for the everafter!

So, Happy New Year and here's to celebrating the Miracle of Love all year long!
Here's to bringing light to dark places all year long.
Here's to joy everlasting.

And peace.

Christmas Show & Sale

Here's the thing.  I love making my Whimsical Woolies.

I NEED to create to be happy,

 but I REALLY don't like standing in a 'booth' trying to sell my things.  I'm not sure, exactly, why that is, but it is.  Really.

I could sell your stuff like a pro.  I could convince a reluctant buyer that they do, in fact, want to buy whatever you are making and selling.  I can smile and schmooze and chat....about YOUR stuff.
 
My stuff?  Not so much.

I set up a tiny booth.  Cute, but much tinier than anyone else's at the show.

  I stand behind my space and create.  Eyes on the work.  If someone stops and lingers I look up and smile.  If they pick something up, my heart beats a little faster...maybe they like it.  Oh, no.  They put it back down.

I tell you what.  This has made my arts and crafts shopping different.  I chat with the seller when I can.  Compliment their work when I like it...even if I can't afford it.

Then a friend comes to shop...and buys!  "How much will that be?" they ask.  And almost all of me wants to say, "Oh, just take it and enjoy."  Christmas Show and Give Away!  But, I did make these really cute sales receipts!  They were fun.

I was so humbled by the fact that friends did buy for themselves and to give as gifts to make others happy.  Happy...that is why I do this.  To bring joy and happiness.
That is why I create.  It brings me joy and happiness.

Wonder if I will ever find joy and happiness in shows and sales?

One thing I did do was help a facebook friend, Marla Taviano, raise money for a project in Cambodia.  I had purchased some bracelets from her girls and then I resold them.  The money will go right back to them.  I also created a special piece of art featuring one of the bracelets.  I sold it and all the money will go to them.   That part did bring me joy and happiness.

So, I had a good show and sale by my accounts.  I would guess I sold as much as anyone else there.   One of the other sellers even told me that because I was selling so much I was pricing things too low.  See?  That's what I just can't get....if I want them to sell, I want most people to be able to afford them.

A few of the artists do this full time and I am extremely grateful that I don't HAVE to sell to survive.  That would take all of the fun out of it for me I am afraid.

OK.  Enough ramblings of a crazy crafter creator creature.

Anyone else suffer from this particular kind of crazy?

Wanna see some more of what I had for sale?

And if you are still here, I leave you with one of my favorite new painted canvas with felt creations.