The Colors of the Rainbow...

"I set My rainbow in the cloud..."
Genesis 9:13


I am definitely not a black and white gal!  I LOVE COLOR!  I am so grateful that God does too!  He created a world that is overflowing with extravagant color.  There are endless shades of green and blue, purple, red, orange, even white, to tickle and excite our senses.  I love exploring them all, photographing them, and just plain enjoying the visual feast our God, The Master Artist, sets before us each day!
What a wonderful world He has blessed us with!

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do was to color in my coloring books!  Do you remember that?  I always prided myself on staying in the lines!  Today, I am learning to break the rules, color "outside the lines" and let myself explore the possibilities of my creativity.
Sooooo much fun!

 I hope you enjoy the Do It Yourself projects I have posted for you below.  Use the Source Links posted below each picture to go to the website of the originator for the full instructions on how to proceed.

 Whatever you do, have fun!  This is an invitation to the "child within" each of us to "come out and play today!"  Or, invite the children in your home to create something with you.
They might just make you a keepsake you will treasure from their childhood.
There are few things in life sweeter than that...!




Here is a DIY project to creatively re-imagine a favorite photo of your child.
Although you could use a picture of anything you love - a parent, a lover, a favorite flower.
The possibilities are endless!

Source: growcreative.blogspot.com

Easy-Peasey watercolor votive candles for your table!  

DIY of course!

Source: blogs.babble.com

I have become a great fan of Art Journals!

Introduce your children to them with this super easy DIY project!

Encourage the creative spirit in your child and celebrate the natural artist in every child!

Source: tinkerlab.com

Can you tell by now that I love watercolors?!

Oh, yes, I do!  

If you see the world in black and white,

give watercolors a try!  Just play with it!

I think you will love this DIY project for a unique, one of a kind calendar!

Easy-peasey!

Source: blogs.babble.com

Who doesn't love children's art?

Especially your own little artist in the making?

Spontaneous and simple, always unique.

This is an art journal page from a child's book.

Give your child the gift of freedom to explore his creative side.

Who knows - you may have given birth to the next Picasso!

Source: tinkerlab.com

I couldn't resist including a picture of the beautiful watercolor artwork of

Vivian Hersefield.  

Check out her website if you want to see more of her work.

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Source: vivianhershfield.com

Kissing Hands!

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Source: crissyscrafts.blogspot.com via Maureen on Pinterest

Here's a wonderful (and easy!) idea for parents as your kids are returning to school!  I really wish I had done this for all four of my kids over the years.  I bet they would love to have them as keepsakes of their childhood!  

Even though school has already started for most kids, I would still encourage parents (grandparents, and aunties!) to do this with your kids.  I bet you will be very glad you did "some day"!

Credit for this creative idea goes to Crissy at the above linked blog.  If you visit her blog, you will find complete directions for how to do this yourself.  

I am realizing as I do this blog just how rich the blog world is today!  There are incredible ideas, tutorials, and resources on the blogosphere!  We are all the richer for the work bloggers are doing, often unnoticed and unheralded!  If you use this idea, be sure to leave a comment and thank Crissy for her post!

Have fun, CREATING!!!

Who Loves Ya Baby?!

Source: debsphotographs.com via Paula on Pinterest

I loved this idea! Can be time consuming, but you can do it with your kids little by little over a week or two or however long you decided to give to the project. This is taken from a great website, linked above. You can go there for the complete directions on how to do it if you decide to try it. Of course, it doesn't have to be as big - YOU'RE IN CHARGE of creativity at your house! Have fun and play with it! I'm going to try it with my grandchildren and I'll let you know how it comes out! If you do it, please send me a picture! I'd love to see what you're working on at your house!

Masterpiece Under Construction!

"Fearfully and wonderfully made..."
Psalm 139:14  NKJV

We are works of art, under construction!  We aren't completed pieces, yet!  God still has to finish His work in us! We have lots of rough edges that He is smoothing out!  We may have started out thinking of ourselves as pictures in black and white, but God sees us in all of the glorious colors of the rainbow!  In the hands of the Master Artist, we are on our way to becoming a work of art, testifying to His glory.

I read somewhere that the problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps jumping off the altar!  That's a great picture of us as we wiggle and squirm under the hand of the Lord.  But, we can rest in the knowledge that He has us in His hand.  He is doing the work.  He erases this and scribbles that.  He blots out the imperfections and fills in the blank spots with radiant color.  He has a finished picture in mind that we could never imagine!  He is at work in you and me to finish a master piece to His glory.

In my own life, I have often wiggled out from under the Master's hand as He does a transforming work in me.  I don't really like the hammer and chisel He carries in His hand.  Besides, I tell myself, I'm good enough as is!  But, He has a different vision of what He is completing in me.  Although I run from the hammer of the Master, in the end, I trust, He is making me over into something much better than the slab of clay I started out as.

As a mom and grandmother, I have always loved encouraging my children and grandchildren to draw, paint, write, sew, learn a musical instrument - find some artistic pursuit to give back to Him.  I was thinking recently how much I wish we had Facebook when my kids were little!  I never had the opportunity to post their "works of art" on the Internet the way parents do today.  Neither did we have the digital cameras that make picture taking and posting so instant today!  The best I can remember is the old Polaroids we had back then!  I remember giving my in-laws one as a gift and them being amazed by this "fancy new technology"!  Completely obsolete today!! Life is moving at breakneck speed, isn't it?!  One of the pictures below is from my 7 year old grand-daughter, entitled "The Love Highway"!  I love that!  SLOW down, baby! You are on the Love Highway!!

At my house, there will always be pens to write with, paint brushes and markers to draw with and music to dance to.  I watch with fascination the unfolding work of art before my eyes in my grandchildren.  Some are pursuing acting, some love to dance, some to write, some to draw.  I have one granddaughter that draws intricate works of art on gym shoes!  They are transformed from plain old shoes to beautiful works of art!  Where did she get that from?  I think I see a touch of the Master in her...!

Here's a little glimpse of what's happening at my house!

It thrilled me to have Ella ask me if she could draw a picture this past weekend!
Previously, she had been a little reluctant to try, 
thinking she had to measure up to some arbitrary standard.
No, no, no.  Just be spontaneous!
She created this little piece in about 10 minutes.
I love that she drew a picture of what she called "The Love Highway"!
Now, that's creative! :)

STOP!  YOU HAVE ENTERED THE LOVE HIGHWAY!
Slow down and enjoy the ride!!!

This is a picture of a table runner I am working on for someone special.
I am learning a new technique 
with my sewing machine called "sew wild".
The blue stitching on the white spaces 
is my first attempt to do that in a sewing project.
It's fun and very creative!
I think of it as "graffiti" sewing!

I did one of these previously for my sister and hand quilted stars

all over it!  (There are lots of different ways to do fabric art!)
I didn't think to take a picture of it before I gave it to her!

I have given away so many handmade gifts and never took a picture of any of them!

Silly, silly girl!

The beginning of a piece that is fabric altered with paint.

Lots of fun!

A little more added to the above piece.
Again, "graffiti art" on fabric.

Close-up of "America"

Close-up of "Freedom"
This is a very patriotic piece!