WOYWW: Burning Hearts!

I’m almost finished with The Sketchbook Project which I did in a rush after procrastinating a loooong time! 

I thought, what would be the easiest to do? Collage!!! So I started cutting and pasting! 

The idea is taken from a papemelroti bestseller, a poster, which says you’re supposed to close your eyes and point to get some advice for the day. In my book, you open to a random page.

“Were not our hearts burning inside us?” Luke 24:32

The story of Cleopas and another follower of Jesus walking to Emmaus is fascinating. We can be like them, busy going somewhere, discussing events happening around us. Then a stranger comes along and joins in the conversation. They tell Him the story of what happened in Jerusalem, the same way we tell our officemates, our friends, or sisters, our exciting news. 

God likes to break into our world sometimes but we do not recognize Him. We are too busy with “important” things. Jesus tells Cleopas and his companion, “You are such foolish people!” Then Jesus quoted passages from the writing of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what the Scriptures said about Himself. Cleopas and his companion felt their hearts burn while Jesus spoke to them. 

Are we foolish people too? Do we spend more time with the things of this world that pass away, than with the things of God? If we spend time with Jesus our hearts will burn too! Any time spent with Him is never wasted. And there is so much to learn and discover. Especially today when we don’t have to go borrow a book in the library if we want to delve more deeply into a Bible story. I listen on Youtube to many Bible scholars, theologians, missionaries and pastors, and read their writings. Yes, our hearts can be on fire and filled with joy if we walk with Jesus! 

Previous Posts

For my growing collection of prompts, 

inspirations, creative pursuits,

courageous artists and their art, join me here!

or on Facebook and Instagram

Joining the lovely Julia Dunnit for a 

peek at desks and projects!

I find a lot of inspiration

visiting my friends here:

Mondays @ Soul Survival, A Round Tuit
One More Time
Small Wonders, Testimony Tuesday,  Titus 2 Tuesdays, 
Count Your Blessings, Word Art Wednesday, Wildly Original

 Unite,  Rubie Tuesday Link Up, Be Inspired

 A Little R and R,  No Rules Weekend Blog Party
Cheerleaders of our Faith, Reflect
Wow Us Wednesdays, Sitting Among Friends

The Weekly Creative, Three Word Wednesday
Word Filled Wednesdays
Great Blog Train Bloghop, Cheerleaders of Faith
Women with Intention Wednesdays
Christian Blogger Link Up, Word Filled Wednesdays

Thoughtful Thursday,  Hearts4Home Thursdays, Thought Provoking Thursday
Tune In Thursday Homemaking Party, Purposeful Faith

Thriving Thursdays with Serving Joyfully

Thursday Favorites, Desire to Inspire Legacy Leaver Thursday
Beloved Brews Thursdays, Sincerely, Paula

Creative Things, Bloom! Soul Survival, Inspiration Gallery
Hearts for Home Thursday

Dance with Jesus Friday, Lyli Dunbar, Fresh Market Link up
Grace & Truth Link Up, Dance with Jesus
Glimpses of His Beauty

Blessings!

Patsy  

Knowing the Artisan from His Work

My journal page for Friday

is about how we know the artisan

from his works.

Like you know something about me

by looking at what I create.

We should know from the beauty

and order of creation, 

that our Creator is a God of love,

that he wants to bless us,

and that He wants to provide for us.

And here is my canvas,

"Hold on to Hope".

I decided to put a real necklace

hanging from her neck.

I'm still thinking of where to put the words,

and whether it's going to be straight

or curving....

Linking with

Artists in Blogland,
Spiritual Sundays,
In Search of Beauty,

and 

Blessings,

Patsy

Are you Up or Down?

Here is my finished canvas.

Thank you to all who gave me suggestions 

last week.

I tried covering up her arm with a shawl,

but the too small hand could still be seen 

and it bothered me.

So I just made another hand,

and used the "Shawl"

to decorate her dress!

The title of my work is Psalm 16.

"The boundary lines have

fallen for me in pleasant places.

Surely I have a delightful inheritance."

This is what is on my journal page.

St. Paul is rather harassed by his sinful ways!

"Miserable one that I am!

Who will deliver me from this mortal body?"

Sometimes we are up,

and sometimes we are down.

Some days we feel blessed, 

everything is going good,

and sometimes we feel miserable like St. Paul!

Whatever we feel, 

we should always remember 

that God is journeying with us!

Linking with

Artists in Blogland,

and 

What's happening in my craft room?

Here is what I've done so far.

I did not realize her arm was small

compared to her head and her body

till I had glued it on.

Now I am going to have to cover it up

with something! 

Any suggestions?

This is how I did her face-

My sister Peggy told me the easiest way to

learn how to draw a face was 

to trace faces again and again

till your hand muscles remember.

So that is what I did.

Linking with 

Paint Party Friday,
Artists in Blogland,

and 

Studio JRU.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

Here's my desk for your perusing.
It's very crowded as I have a small desk.
One canvas is on top of another.
This is the canvas on top.
It's still a long way from done.
This is the canvas at the bottom.
Did some experimenting with
undertones for the skin
and I'm afraid I just made her look
like she had a rash or something.
I need a LOT of practice!
This is the 3rd canvas,
also a work in progress.
It didn't fit on top of the table and
is lying on top of a magazine,
on top of a box of crochet thread,
which is balancing on top of goodness knows what!

Because there was no space on my desk,
I had to do my journal on my lap.
I was reading about St. Paul,
and how the Jews in Antioch
were so enraged at his preaching,
that they stoned him and
dragged him out of the city
thinking he was dead.
The very next day, he was out
preaching again!!
Now, how does a man do that,
where does he get his fire,
his passion, his conviction?

In Corinthians, St. Paul claims,
"I am what I am what I am
by the grace of God."

And we are what we are
by the grace of God too!

Visit the amiable Julia of Stamping Ground
for more desks and ongoing projects.

Arts and Crafts Fair

I joined my first ever arts and crafts fair
this weekend
and am ecstatic that I sold 3 paintings
on Saturday morning.

The first one that got sold was "Prayers".

When I was making this I thought
the woman was Mother Mary.
She wasn't. As I was finishing her dress,
the first piece of paper I picked up
was a reading about the
woman who was sick and
touched the hem of Jesus' garment.
This is what I used for her dress.
So I knew who the lady was,
and that the flowers were her prayers
reaching up to heaven.

When I told this story to Cathy,
this tall and thin lady selling
interesting jewelry at the fair,
she said she wanted to buy it
because that story in the Bible
meant something to her.
I was so pleased.
Even if I was sleepy and tired,
I knew I just had to finish it Friday night...
and now I know why.
It was for Cathy!

And here is the husband of the lady
who bought "Bloom".
This is the first time I saw someone
fall in love with my painting
the minute she saw it.
She just kept coming back to it,
till finally she asked how much it was,
and then said she wanted to buy it.

I told her that it was all about pruning,
and how we bloom with God's pruning.

How wonderful to create something
that gives others pleasure!
It made me so happy,
and I knew God was telling me
to use my gift.

Sharing this on Paint Party Friday and
Creative Friday.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Mrs. WOYWW

I decided on making a

mascot
for my desk for WOYWW's anniversary.
I use an ugly bottle for my white glue and decided to pretty it up.

I cut up some old Indian pants,
found a face I had made out of sculpey a long time ago,
made arms out of thin leather, wire and cotton, and voila!

Meet Mrs. WOYWW!!



She just covers up my glue bottle.
I lift her up when I need to use the glue.
Here she is guarding my desk.

Thank you
for all the lovely, enthusiastic comments last week-
10 votes for straight, 8 for crooked.
I chose to put them straight not only because there were more votes
but also because Deuteronomy 6 is about obeying God,
and keeping on the straight path!
I've been gluing torn bits of painted brown paper
(applied wall putty on old meditation book pages,
painted them in various shades of brown)
to make the tree.

Now I'm in a quandary where to put the verse-
on the tree trunk, the background, around the house?

If you'd like to take a sneak peak at what
other people have on their work desk, head over to Julia.
I guarantee you'll want to join in on the fun!

New Year Artivity

For the holidays, my family went to the beach. Apart from the usual things you do on the beach like swimming, sailing, kayaking, walking in the sand and taking pictures- we had another family art activity. We made 5 1/2" square cards using paint, wall putty (instead of gesso), paper, glue, scissors, pens, etc. My sister and my mom used sand on their work! It turned out interesting to say the least!








We shouldn't be afraid to try something different or new. You'll never know where it leads. Like when I started my creative faith journal and it led to a workshop. Or when my sister asked if I wanted to make a piece for an exhibit on a Chapter of the Gospel of John. I had never worked on a big canvas before but I said, "Yes!"- I learned a lot from making that collage, I also learned what not to do! Now our family is embarking on a new family project- a book! We'll see how that comes out. I guess that's how we grow- setting out in our little boat across uncharted waters.

Gifts

Here's a collage I did for my niece's Christmas present. I cut her picture out, glued it on a painted background, coated it with gesso and painted over it. I then used my stash of painted paper to make a frame.

I remember my niece when she was this age- so lovable, and so loved. She called me her valentine! Such a funny little girl- when my husband-to-be came visiting, she would say, "Auntie Patsy, you can go to sleep. I will entertain him." Or she would sit between us while we talked.

I can't believe she is 18 years old already! Still very precious and still very funny! I enjoyed making this frame for her. Here, she is wearing a "filipiniana", our national costume in the Philippines. My sister made it for her, and she looked really cute in it. Time spent in making things for others is always time well spent.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The greatest gift is a portion of thyself." Wish I had more time and more discipline to make my gifts to family last Christmas.

Speaking of gifts, through the course of my blog-hopping with the One World, One Heart Gypsy Caravan (my prize for this is a few posts down), I chanced upon blog candy on these sites:
Crafty Makes, Marlene's, and Siggi Shop. Who can resist craft supplies, paper, brads, flowers, etc? You can join their raffle which ends on Jan.31 and maybe, just maybe, get a nice gift for yourself!

Nothing is Impossible with God

This is a mixed media collage I did for an art auction to benefit patients suffering from kidney disease.

This has been years in the making- sometimes you don't like what you're doing and you leave it. That's what happened to this canvas. I sewed on some dark green cloth for hair and I didn't like the face. So I left it languishing and dusty on a shelf.
But this year I came back to it, covered up the face, pasted different colored paper around to frame it, and attached my favorite flourishes on the hair or the bandeau.

With art, you're not supposed to give up! God doesn't give up on us! Even if all we can see is the ugliness of sin, God sees what we can become! Truly nothing is impossible with God!