My studio has been the most fun place to be lately! Having two months off from being at Saturday Market has been so refreshing! My heart is doing the happy dance and I'm trying to savor every moment!
I've also been pondering the word CELEBRATE a bit more... and created this little banner as a reminder to pause... look around... and rejoice in the everyday blessings of life. I love banners and buntings... they just say PARTY in the most fun way! To download your FREE CELEBRATE BANNER click here! You could hang it to celebrate a birthday or other special moment... or simply hang it, like me... to remind yourself to rejoice in those everyday moments of life that slip by so quickly!
The truth is that life is full of pain and suffering... we all have more than our share throught our lifetimes. We don't get to choose our struggles... but we do get to choose how we live with them and through them. And we do get to choose what... and WHO... we focus on in the midst of them. I am always so inspired by someone who goes through a devastating experience and still shines forth the love and joy of the Lord. I want to be like that... so my desire is to fill my heart and thoughts with what is God and godly... and I know that is your hearts desire too! To think on... and truly celebrate what is... True. Noble. Right. Pure. Lovely. Admirable. Excellent. and Praiseworthy! (Phillipians 4:8)
When I hung my little banner here I had to stop and think about all the sweet memories tucked in and among this little vignette. There's one granddaughter's doll high chair that she has now outgrown. The sock monkey handmade by the other granddaughter. The brightly colored art in the background that I painted at a workshop taugth by my daughter. A little bird my niece gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago. Reminders of relationships I cherish... reminders to stop and thank God for each one of them... who they are and what they mean to me!
I can't help but smile as I'm typing this... thinking of all the blessings... great and small... sprinkled throughout the days of my life... blessings that far outnumber the struggles. Oh Lord... let me think on these things!
One of the blessings of this last week has been new art! I am so LOVING my studio time and celebrating every moment of it! I thought you might enjoy seeing a little bit of the process on this one! I loved the brown paper doily in the lower right corner but felt I needed to leave the space lighter for the addition of words so I'm saving it for another day!
At this stage I'm liking the red and white striped vase but...
... I knew I wanted to add the heart... so I traded in the bright red stripes for black and am happy with it. I love the line art in the lower corner in lieu of the doily. Line art has always been so much of who I am that I feel like it adds a special dimension of "me" to the painting. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else but it's like adding my signature touch to it and it feels good.
I posted this painting over on my Facebook Page with a request for your ideas and suggestions for what verse or words you saw as fitting with the art and the response has been absolutely delightful. It's so fun to see how we each can respond so differently and yet with the same heart. The vote is still out. With so many good suggestions I will have to ponder this one for awhile for sure! If you'd like to leave your own suggestion in the comments below I'd love to hear from you!
And I leave you with this little doodle love to encourage your heart and lift up your soul! God is our shield and strength in times of trouble... He is the lifter of our heads... and that my friends is something to stop and ponder and CELEBRATE!
(And before you ask... yes... someday she will most likely become a coloring page!)
Bye for now... with love and God-hugs
