TRAINING IN WAITING....by TRUSTING

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEYTON!!!!! ARE YOU HAVING FUN TODAY!!?? Maybe my new banner for the blog.....or am I too attached to the old one? All with a ball point pen....fun doodling and some color.....bliss!! Who knew?! ...Alisa Burke did!!! Love her class! More ball point pen doodling....such fun!! I discovered this on the chalkboard after the children went home .... Pilar drew this !! She is 10 and going to be baptized in two (weeks) Sundays.... I would say she is excited!! I would love this on an invitation..."Today is Sunday!" There are a lot of activities for the youth on Sunday at our church....so happy when the kids look forward to going! Waiting is not one of my pluses .... and I am learning to accept someone else's (God's?) timing. Actually, I am at peace with the timing of our "downsizing" progress .... sort of up in the air until the next project is finished and we move on to the following item that usually we are tripping on! And in between I sneak in a little doodling and drawing with a ball point pen, pencil or micron pen and some water colors added ... my joy is doing SOMETHING creative....it is the fuel for my being along with the THANKSGIVING of a true God who is soo alive in our daily lives. Even in the tough times, he must be by my side in my soul like life blood for me to continue each day. There is so much more good than bad about this world if you see it from His perspective! Anyway, things are good right now and I am loving the process of the progress!!!! No matter how slow!! One exciting item to mention is that they have built a sleeping loft in the big garage that I am turning into a studio in the new old house we will be moving to! I needed another bedroom for my kids and family when they come and the sleeping loft is what the kids are sooo excited about!! It will have a railing around it and they can see below.... kind of like being on the side of a mountain!! For a four year old, that is wayyy up there!! Blessings to you today!!!

The LAST LEAVES...

It is January and these are the last leaves on the Spanish Oak Tree .... my favorite tree in the yard. Christmas was really wonderful this year with the kids and grand kids here. A few people were missing, but real Christmas will be celebrated in Heaven someday with a celebration like no other!! Yes, we all gained weight .... so what?!? Tried some new recipes which were a success, especially the "skillet green beans" by Pioneer Woman .... which we will repeat for sure! Dick and I are still working towards downsizing .... and eventually moving. We are working on the new "old" house 20 miles away and trying to go thru all the years of stuff here .... to rid ourselves of "encumbrance" to be freer in many new ways and hold tight to the fondest of memories .... and looking forward to what is ahead for us with this move!!! We are truly excited. The following pictures are some of the things done with grand children ... the stuffies , which they drew, colored and then sewed and stuffed....they were a hit!!! Then some ball point pen drawing inspiration from a small class I am taking from Alisa Burke..... and a little watercolor "food" inspiration from the "stew" I made ..... and a trumpet vine at my neighbors. Winter really hasn't hit here yet! BUT the leaves.....oh those glorious red leaves.....so beautiful with the evening crisp sun shining through .... this tree I wish I could take with me .... but I am sure there will be one near the other house for me to photograph! We don't usually get those colors around here. Enjoy and I will try to update you on some progress of the move. We did tear out two walls last week , you know kind of like the DIY shows you see on TV.....we had fun doing it , but tried to save the good stuff! We'll share photos later.....hugs and big BLESSINGS!!!

IT IS ALMOST HERE!!!!!!

Oh My!!! One week ..... LESS!! .... left!!! I am behind, but catching up and anticipating the grandchildren coming to Mimi's and Grand Dads!!!! YAY!!!! I was doing good until my computer and scanner wanted to take several long naps today!! I am trying to finish a little book I made for my grand kids to go with a special ornament I bought them at "The Mustard Seed" in LaGrange!! What a cute shop!!! I went there three times in one day! Anyway, I'll show you the booklet and ornament when and IF I get it done! Pray for my machines .... they are only four years old, which according to MAC and PC people....that is old! I am 65 yrs old and I still work!!! So I will show you the Christmas card we made for this year. (I painted it and Dick wrote & mailed them!) He had the hard part! The verse was different.... but I JUST HAD TO PUT IT. I have several people in my life that have had medical hardships this year ... one precious friend in particular has been very sick and a mystery to the doctors. Her nick name is "Ampie" .... so if you are in prayer mode please pray for her to be comforted from her severe pain and to begin to heal. She is young and was very vibrant. Worked very hard to have a home along with her husband and has been a good mother to two girls. She is loved. The other reason I put it on my Christmas card was I thought the one part fit God's CARE for His OWN Son after He was born, guiding and protecting them as they went their way. It was such a huge and monumental event that only God really knew how special that the time had become fulfilled ..... what so many had been anticipating and waiting for .... and His birth was the beginning of showing us how very much He loves us and knows that we need Him. That He, Jesus, would be the only answer to any ailment or purpose in life ... even beyond death. So He came here to let us get to know Him, experience His love in a human way ..... a love like no other could show us. So Ampie , this is for you ..... I love you too! ....here it is ...."He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalms 91:4 In Spanish it is this...."Con tus plumas te cubrira; y debajo de sus alas estaras seguro; escudo y adarga es su verdad." Salmos 91. verso 4. Blessings to you all during this special time of reflection of how God has provided for us THE ANSWER .... not found in anything else. MERRY CHRISTMAS..

RUNAWAY? HIDE? OR PUSH ON ... FORGIVE AND PLAY!

We have been definitely busy downsizing and fixing our next spot, so I haven't blogged much! But while going through things a few things have come back across my heart lately that made me think about how kids forgive one another..... better than we do!!! When you are hurt by someone, do you RUNAWAY? Do you HIDE? Maybe you PUSH ON ....which feels right ..... but do you (speaking to myself) FORGIVE? When I am hurt by someone I do runaway and I hide to protect myself and I push on .... but usually I can't get past the fact that I love that person who hurt me or disappointed me and it doesn't go away. SO I am learning and wanting to FORGIVE THEM, SO I CAN CONTINUE TO LOVE THEM .... either closely or at a slight distance. BUT I CAN LOVE THEM IN SPITE OF HURT .... I CAN and I DO. It also made me remember how the children played when they were all here last year.....they had the greatest of times and couldn't wait to be together..... then they would get selfish and fight or get mad or hurt at the other...... but usually five minutes later they were back to normal having a great time. That is what I want to learn ..... to get over myself and get over hurts!!! And to learn not to hurt others!! I am trying ..... it is "THANK GOODNESS" not a trait of God .... to runaway, to hide, to just push on, to pout and hold a grudge or guard the hurt in His heart feeding on it..... I have much still to learn at the age of 65!!! Praise God, I can still learn and He can still be patient with me. And thank goodness He loves me and He loves them equally! Who was hurt more? Jesus in His being rejected and dying in humiliation on the cross or all of my past hurts in the past? Then look how His Father lifted Him to such a glorious place because of His love for His Son and for us! I think for sure I can get over my hurts and forgive ..... He did. Honestly, each person who has ever hurt me is a person I can't get over because I LOVE them...... so I forgive them!!! ALL! And I HOPE they will forgive me. I am working on it with His help!! Blessings to you all!

FUN DAY FUN STUFF....

"A" was for their last name, and "G" was her maiden name....wish I had pics of each letter with all the different children....maybe later! This was a joy to do for them!!! A picture for the author page.... An old page piece from a book.. AND now the fun day with a grand daughter!! The old fifties case was a dirty blue color and we got to work to make it something new!! The first pictures are of a small "ABC" book I made for a special new baby in our circle of friends! There was a "tree letter" for each letter with different pictures of children or a horse etc painted on them....then a blank page opposite for the new parents to add their story each day....the cover paper was a manipulated antique page from an old book....and inside a little collage from another antique book....I used my "Zutter" for the first time to cut the pages and align them....can't wait to do more personalized little books with my art!! THEN here is a series of an afternoon project with my grand daughter before she moved. She needed a bag for hair stuff etc....so we went to the garage and found this old makeup suitcase from the fifties and we mixed a color of purple she so desired and we printed, quickly, some photos and began to arrange it the way she wanted....It was all HER design and with her favorite Kitty, Sunny! ....and all her cousins, grandparents and family! Her favorite things this year while living next door were the birthday parties, cooking, spending time with family, friends and the cat!! So here is her finished suitcase!!! It was another "special day" to remember for us two!! My first grand child!!! Enjoy doing something with one of your family or a friend today!!! Blessings to you!!! sherry

DWELL IN YOUR HOUSE....

I have started the downsizing process of going through things to eventually move to our "new spot in life" ....and I found this older spontaneously done piece I did in Mystele's class. I LOVE what it says..."Stay awhile ..... find the music of your heart .... find your gift ...... arise to the occasion ..... Dwell in your house(in yourself) .... it's yours!" I see the car with it's bags packed and stacked on top ..... basically, life is a fast trip, with us always searching ..... then I see the eyes are like windows .... to your own house so to speak .... then I see .... the arrow pointing to the Cross ..... once there, you will find your heart, no matter where you are .... and HE will never fail you or forsake you!! I may print this bigger .... to remind me of HIS never ending love, care and promise!! Have a GREAT week .... Blessings!!!! sherry .... we close on our next house the 11th ....and it won't be our last ....I may do a before and after series over the year of moving and change .....keep watch!!! The creative processes "hopefully" never cease!!

EXCITING NEWS!!!

I know I haven't blogged or posted for a long time....truth is....I couldn't TOP what I wrote below about the "The Wind.... Being Still". Since that post God has ""been moving"" in big gentle giant steps! I am amazed once again how He works...... We have made the decision to downsize and MOVE to a smaller house and smaller yard and in the next town south in a real neighborhood!! We have always lived in the country and always worked really hard at taking care of all that we had. From fifty acres to 3 acres to a third of an acre!!! But we are SOOO ready for LESS to take care of. We have prayed, looked and prayed more.....and have purchased a smaller house on a corner in a neighborhood where I even know the neighbors!!! It is closer to the church, the grocery store and to the Doctors!! Forgot to mention that Dick will be closer to his playground at the airport too!! Another "project" always excites me....although I hope this one is smaller in nature. I will have a large room for my studio.....YAY!!!! ..... and for the kids when they visit.....they want some funky lockers with real locks for their stuff....I have agreed and they will have their very own spot in Mimi's new house!!! I have always heard that saying that "LESS IS MORE".....and I am loving the sound of it!!! It will free me up to just "BE" and have more time with people and with my passion of ART and SEWING. Hopefully some teaching will take place there too!! ....maybe! GREENPECKS will remain open physically here at the shop in Round Top until the house sells and then business will be from the next house....which will be announced later. It is antique weeks, now thru Oct 2, here in Round Top, with many people in the fields during the favorite buying venue of the year. So we have been pulling things from the attics in the house and garage and selling and even giving away!!! IT FEELS SOOO GOOD!!!! "The Apothecary", on the square in Round Top purchased THE ROUND TOP COLLECTION inventory and has moved it "up" town, one block away where it soo deserves to be .....! I read the post below with the "quilt" and can see that He, GOD, heard my heart's desire....again!!!! Now, back to humming praises and packing more stuff to sell or give away!!! Blessings and Thanks on this day!!! Will return soon!!!

REMEMBRANCE AND HEALING...

THE WIND...being still

The 4th of July has come and gone with all our guests leaving the house empty once again. We had close to 70 people and many more hotdogs!! It was very HOT and DRY and we were thankful for what breeze we had as we watched the parade go by. I didn't venture out into the heat much this year and stayed inside. I've been staying inside a lot!! I needed to work on a QUILT AD for an upcoming publication ...so I took an old worn 100 year old quilt I bought around 40 years ago and hung it outside on a cedar tree branch to photograph it. It was briskly blowing around and wouldn't stay on the branch and the sun was bright and I needed shade to shoot it. After the fourth or fifth try on my little step ladder it finally hung on the fat branch and gently moved in a soft breeze.... and the sun went behind a cloud! I snapped my camera up quickly to begin to shoot the photos.... then on the computer analyzing them and picking one to manipulate and paint..... I began to think of my life lately and how I am tossed by the wind!!! And how I want to only be "gently" blowing in a soft breeze ..... MYSTELE is having a group of us do art or write about "BEING"......each Wed. I am late posting , but here is the work in progress of the log cabin quilt that I hung on the tree branch .....and click the following to see the incredible reflections of scripture that help me to see that He can calm the wind in my life and I can be stilled in my soul ...... the best "ME" I can be is to be in His boat, but not fall asleep to the power He has in my life! I really think there is an opposing force that tries to keep you from who HE made you ..... just as you are with what He has given you to nurture your soul. This quilt picture makes me feel like BEING STILL, and just KNOWING He is God .... TRUSTING Him to continue to mold me and use me ... even though I am further down the road in years! Be Blessed and Be Still in your soul...... my prayer is to be who He made and not be afraid of who I am not..... to be me.