How to Make a Hanging Jewelry Organizer

My poor husband has been dealing with my jewelry all over my new dresser (which is beautiful), since leaving the jewelry tower I had used for a long time. But in my head was an idea that I had been tinkering with FOREVER. I even had most of the supplies on hand, but I was waiting for a frame to present itself, either on a thrift store hunt, or a mega sale or recycling an old painting or print. Enter Hobby Lobby.

While setting up my new class (woodburning and decoupage), I was wandering through, and noticed 50% off of frames. And I LOVED the design of this one. It was very sturdy, and just the right color- metallic- but not quite gold, not quite silver. It was just the sparkle my monochromatic, sleep inducing master bedroom needed. So I scooped it up for about $17.

My new Hanging Frame Jewelry Holder Project was underway!!!

What you need:

Open frame, hot glue, hot glue gun, some screening, glass pebbles (found in the floral section, which have been in my studio awaiting some use for years..) Truth to tell, I don't know how I ended up with the roll of screening I have, but I think it is fairly easy to come by, even in the hardware store, for people who need to repair door screens.

Step One: Cut the screen wider than the opening of the frame, by about 1 inch. Take your hot glue and 4 pebbles and stretch the screen, fastening the points directly across from one another, in the middle.

Pay no attention to the hideous (lack of) manicure. :)

Step Two: Once you have the anchor points established, work your way to the corners, adding to each side of the anchor, and rotating sides to give a more or less even tension.

The pebbles are serving as a decorative element (looking a lot better than staples), but also are really doing all the work, so make sure you add plenty of glue to the top and bottom edge and sandwich it in there really well.

Step Three: Don't worry if they don't seem to fit, in the corners, you can leave small spaces and fill in with glue, if necessary. Mine happened to work out pretty well.

Step Four: Trim the excess with regular scissors (wow that word looks weird). This will be an opportunity to check and see if you have any loose pebbles and add some more glue.

Step Five: If you're like me, you need someplace to put earrings that clasp together and bracelets and necklaces. I added a hardware element, that was as simple as 1,2,3!

Using an eye hook and picture wire, I found a spot in the frame on the front and just twisted. (If you need extra leverage, a nail will do the job well!) I did the same on the long end of the opposite side. Then I strung the wire, and twisted the ends. Voila!!

I also chose a perfect color, so that the picture wire could just blend right in. If you use a dark frame, you could use a permanent marker to color it, or use electrical wire or something else. Be creative. I didn't want mine to compete with the super cool frame.

I added hanging hardware to the back--

And ended up with this!

Turning this clutter-

Into organization and art!  (Bonus: I keep earrings that people give me- if you identify a pair of earrings that looks familiar, comment and share a memory!) The rest are ones that I've made, and some that are from my honeymoon. The heavier necklaces I hung directly from the eye hooks. I love my new organizer! (My husband will, too).

I'm really excited because my class schedule came out-- Teaching at a local craft store in Richmond, that I love, Hobby Lobby!
4/10- 2-3:30pm
4/12- 2-3:30pm
4/14- 11am-12pm
4/24 2-3:30pm
4/26 2-3:30pm
4/28 11am-12pm.

We will be learning wood burning and decoupage. You are responsible to bring a wooden item, paper, pencil, art eraser and Mod Podge!
I will provide wood burners, spray varnish, mats and cutting tools.

Valentine's Day Love

Hoping that everyone has an unbelievably blessed Valentine's Day!

These were my wedding vows, based on 1 Corinthians 13. I hope to live up to them each day of my marriage, and be a woman who honors the Lord in all that she does...

                 "My promise is to let the Love that I have in
 my heart for you this day, grow increasingly more into God's precious
 standard of love. I promise to be patient with you and kind to you. I
 promise to not envy or compete with you or puff myself up in pride over the
 love we share. I promise to not be rude or self-seeking or easily
 angered--*making our home together a safe place for you from the demands of
 your day and the harshness of the world*. I promise to keep no record of
 wrongs, to accept apologies, whether given or not. I promise to be happier
 with a difficult truth, and rejoice in it, than an easy lie that is
 flattering. My love will always protect you, always trust you, always
 believe in you and hope for the best. My love for you will last beyond us.
 It will never give out and it will never fail you."

Aaron's were the same, except he said *"making our home together a safe place where you feel protected, desired and cared for."

Marriage is a blessing that we, having waited ten years to be together, hope to not take for granted. I am giving Aaron a copy of these vows, framed, for our very first Valentine's Day together. It will be proudly displayed in our house as a reminder of what God's Word says about love. He is the AUTHOR of love and the best lover of all time, in that He gave us the ultimate gift, Jesus Christ.

"Snack"- It's What's for Dinner

There are many nights where cooking escapes me, for whatever reason- big lunch, working on other projects, not wanting to heat the house up.... Having a laid back husband, in that case, works out swimmingly. We have developed, early in our dating life, a meal we call "snack" for dinner. It was born out of the days when he used to come and visit me, on his leave from Afghanistan,  arriving at different times of day that weren't necessarily meal times, and he needed 'a little something' to get him to the next meal. I always have certain things on hand- fresh fruits and veggies, but I also have crackers and a hearty dip, be it hummus, or home-made bean dip.

This last addition to the "snack" repetoire included greek yogurt dip, turkey slices, Mary's Gone Gluten free crackers, carrots, celery, red pepper,pears, apples, oranges and cucumbers. It's mostly organic (except things that get pealed anyway) but storebought. I CAN'T WAIT until we have snack this summer, and it is from our very own garden... baby steps.

I think the secret to the success of this meal is abundance and visual presentation. there is absolutely no guilt eating any of this. And cutting up one of each thing, makes it very affordable. I always arrange it on a pretty platter, like the feast that it is. They say you eat with your eyes first, so I like to be conscious of the colors. This could work with a great cold quinoa salad, or bean dip, or anything you have on hand that can be served cold or at room temp. Next time you feel like you only have time to chop- make "snack" for dinner. It's a satisfying way to end the day! (Just make sure you don't wreck it with a huge ice cream sunday later!) But if you do... hey, you've saved the calories where you could! :)

New Schedule, New Year, New Life

So.. it didn't take long for me to figure out that I am not disciplined enough to be productive in my new 'stay at home life' unless I have a plan.
Last week, I downloaded a couple of things that have helped me tremendously. One was a meal planning form. The other was a month at a glance calendar, that was accompanied by a daily schedule.
I sat down and was honest about what needed to be done around this house.
Now, you should know that I am NOT one of those women who LOVES to clean her house, and gets a perverse satisfaction from everything being perfect and in its place. I'm an artist. And though I can't work in the chaos that I have seen tolerated in the spaces of other artists, I am not OCD about mess. I have my breaking points, though. It will usually take a few days of looking at a mess, before I break down and DO something about it. But I decided that it is less stressful to live everyday ready for someone to drop in (instead of praying that they don't go to the bathroom) and to be hospitable, than to wait until someone is coming to visit and stress out, becoming a whirling dervish of clean and order. No thanks.
So this phase of life is about working smarter, not harder.
Plus I have a fledgling business I'll be getting off the ground shortly, and the shop I already have on etsy needs stocking, so I've been hard at work creating. I apparently need to be able to "see" that I have time to fit in everything that I need to do, and that it all works-- stuff for mind, body and soul.
Here's the basic breakdown:
6:15 is gym time with the hubby. Yuck. I will never like this, but have determined it needs to be first to get it over with.
7:30-9:00 I fix Aaron's lunch (yes, I do:)) and get any prep for dinner done. This will only help me later, when it is time call it quits in the studio for the day.
9:00-9:30 is time with the Lord. Bible reading. Worship music. Prayer.
9:30-12:00 House Stuff!! On Mondays I do our bedroom and the laundry. Tues- I do the downstairs floors. Vaccuuming, sweeping or whatever with any of the guest rooms that need anything. Wed is deep kitchen cleaning day- floors mopped and deeper cleaning than nightly straighten up. Thurs. I am off, since it is Bible Study morning with the ladies of Hope. Friday is the WORST. Bathroom cleaning day. Boo. But it helps to go into the weekend with it all done, and I think it will add to my overall peace.
12-1pm is lunch and What Not to Wear (my indulgence)
1-5pm is studio time. Sometimes I forsake other things I may need to do (like if the laundry is all caught up) and work all day. Or go shopping for supplies.
5pm is time to start dinner. Even though Aaron doesn't get home till 6:30, it helps to change gears and get ready.
Friday is date night, so I don't work in the studio much, in the afternoon. I do grocery shop then. It is nice at the grocery store around 2pm.
I find that having the schedule, even if I don't follow it to the letter, helps me so much. It lets me not feel overwhelmed or like I have to "clean the house" all the time. By doing it in bite sized pieces, it keeps everything moving.
I love things that make life easier. And I have to say- I think I'm feeling more from the bathroom cleaning than from this morning's work out. I am going to mess around in the studio and get ready for my date!

Artist Studio Makeover-One Man's "Oops" Paint is Another Man's Perfect Color

My husband bought the house, in the summer, before our wedding in November. "My studio" was a woodshop. The guy had tons of equiptment, and once it was all gone, it seemed like it could totally work... I began the "please, please, please" process that ended with my husband saying that I could have the space. It was electrified, sort of. The previous owner had an extension cord running out to the space.

During our intitial renovation phase, the hub had it REALLY electrified. Line buried, light switches and everything. We have done absolutely nothing with the space since then. All of my art supplies went in, and it was basically storage.

Starting my new bridal accessories business, it had become obvious with my stuff all over the house, that I need to get the space usable. So, over the weekend, we went to Lowes, got new light bulbs for the overhead flourescents (boo) and yes, we found OOOps paint in just the right shade!

In case you don't know what oops paint is, there is a section in the paint department that has paint, mixed that the customer decided they didn't want. I have found this is an AMAZING way to save money for DIY projects. Most of the time I have a 'general' color in mind, but nothing super specific, and I knew I wanted orange. We've done one room in the house an orange that is very different, more pumpkin/saffron color. This is Campbell's Tomato soup orange. Love it! I couldn't WAIT to get started today....

But there was so much cleaning! Years of being a wood shop made my shop vac work over time. I had to sweep walls! But at last, after the terrible job of painting the ceiling twice, I got to play with the color. And let me say, that even though the space is roughly finished (no baseboards, window unframed, rough patched drywall) the paint did remarkably well. It was Valspar's Ultimate Hide formula. I have painted many years, and never had a red or orange that looked this good in one coat!

Tomorrow, the fun parts of organizing, painting some bookshelves, painting some lamps, organizing...the floor is rough plywood, and my plan is to stain it and seal it so the grain comes through. If that doesn't work, maybe I'll get some peel-n- stick tile. I love resourcefulness. :)

Flushing Out the Old!!

Saying goodbye to carbs for a while!
Came across this 'fat flush' plan for 3 days and my dear hubby is willing to try it, too. Getting back to 'pre honeymoon, pre-holiday' weight in short order. The plan looks easy, and it is only three days. I figure we can do anything for 3 days.
The plan is to have one of a few breakfasts- 2 hard boiled eggs and half a grapefruit, or a two egg plus 1/2 c. veggie omelet, or 1 1/2 c. greek yogurt with 1 1/2 c. berries. Then the soup comes into play.
The Soup is
1 3/4 c. lean ground beef turkey or chopped chicken
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion peeled and chopped
1 large red, yellow or green pepper seeded and chopped
1 large yellow squash chopped
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 bottle reduced sodium tomato or veggie cocktail juice (46 oz)
1 can pinto, garbanzo or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c. each fresh cilantro and parsley
1/2c. grated daikon (japanese radish)
1 small peeled and chopped eggplant
1 tsp turmeric
*the basic soup is everything except the last three ingredients. The last three ingredients you are to add for carb cravings/GI distress and bloat, headaches and colds. This is all from for Women First magazine, but the original is the fatflush diet.
We will see. Starting tomorrow. I will post pics and results.

New Year- New Life

wow! I can't believe it has been so long. I remember my last post... how excited I was to share it with a certain friend of mine who was in Afghanistan at the time. That thought ripped through me until it was dissected in an intelligible way. And I couldn't wait to share it. Once he heard it, he encouraged me to write it. That friend is now my husband!
I live in a different city, with a fantastic husband that I've known trusted and loved as a friend for 10 years. I have a studio, and finally the freedom to do my 'side business' full time. So that is what I am going to do.
The shop is back up- designs by Gina- selling the stuff I've sold previously.. but a new shop is in the wings that will be all things bridal. It is called "The Peacock Princess" which is a nod to my maiden name which means peacock in Italian. It seems that doing creative things for my wedding unlocked a whole new avenue of things I want to do to make the bridal experience a little easier- but still handmade! When I saw what was out there- and how expensive it was, I knew that it didn't have to be that way. It will be interesting to so how things evolve.
I am adjusting to the new normal- and I'm looking forward to all the wonderful things 2012 will bring! I hope you are too!

Why Does God Care if I pray?

Unbelievable thoughts from a simple non-theologian:

I was barely conscious, ready to wake up and face the day- gearing up to go and sit at the feet of the Lord and gleen His Wisdom from His Book, when I thought of the things I wanted to remember to pray for. There were the usual people- coworkers, friends family, loved ones- and right in the middle of it, I heard myself ask, "Lord, what difference does it make if I pray, really?"It was actually more of a half-connected unintelligible flit of a thing in all honesty, as I rolled from one side of my bed to the other to hit the snooze bar.

I have often wondered what this 'prayer thing' is all about. I have heard theological sermons on prayer and the power of it, but never really made a deep connection to how the power of an Almighty God is harnessed in the prayers of His people. I just took it on faith that that was how things worked. God cares about what we care about. He is 'open for business' 24 hours a day, and doesn't care if our prayers are long and eloquent or short and sweet. I have prayed both. I have seen COUNTLESS answered prayers, and yet I confess, it has always slightly eluded me and remained a mystery. After all, God isn't ringing His hands wondering what is going to happen in the whole universe until I check in with Him in the morning (or anytime). He is not to be manipulated and yet all throughout His Word, He encourages us to seek Him out and ask Him for the things He already knows we need. So just what is the power of prayer?

When you ask God a direct question, you better be preparing yourself for results.

This time was like a lightning bolt of information that all snowballed on itself into one gigantic, revolutionary thought that came together like the pieces of a complex puzzle that I had been waiting to see the image of, my whole life.

I started to approach it from God's perspective. If God made me, His little Pride and Joy-- the apple of His God-eye, what would it mean to Him to have me pray? Like all relationships, it would show that I cared about asking Him for advice. Seeking Him to know Him better, is certainly and element of it. The discipline of relying on Him to solve my problems and help me to give better advice would surely be one advantage. And I always thought that the act of praying was a piece of it, as well. Having the discipline to clear your mind of the clutter of life to set aside and wait and hear from the Lord is crucial.

And what about what it says about my fellow man? When I enter in to the concerns of others, doesn't it show that I am valuing people and honoring people? Like leading strays in to the house of my rich, powerful Father, it would indicate that I know He is good and wise and will do the right thing for people. And they are always welcome, even to be adopted into the family.

Of course there can be a selfish element to prayer, in a sense. I know many a Christian may never break out of the 'laundry list' type of prayer-- "Lord I need A, B, and C.. thanks. Have a good day." Still, I find that any serious Jesus follower will go beyond that way of thinking at some point. The more you read the Bible, the more the Lord has to say about prayer. We're supposed to cast all of our cares on Him, because He cares for us... and what about praying for those who persecute us? We are to ask for wisdom and knowledge-- something that James says the Lord LOVES to give us.

But ultimately I think that prayer really shows that we are gasping for meaning and connection in our world and going to the source that will provide it. By offering up intercessory prayer- praying for the needs of people, we are entering into their pain and celebrating their victories. We are becoming entwined in the fabric of their lives. This was the Lord's great plan for us.

As I thought through prayer, another pillar of the Christian faith popped in my head. Maybe because I was just getting ready to have my time that consisted of those two primary things- prayer and Bible Study. I wondered again, "Why is it so important to read the Bible?" Again, the hypotheses came rushing like a mighty wind...

The Bible-- a collection of stories, poems, letters written over 1500 years on several continents with hundreds of authors of all different occupations... Why am I reading it? Why is it new to me everyday? Why can you spend a lifetime reading it and never cease to find something to speak to what you are going through in every situation?

If you believe it is the Word of God-- and I do because, let's face it- that we have it at all in it's unaltered state is a miracle in and of itself. Plus, it is LIFE CHANGING and transforming. I have seen the words of this Book stop demons in their tracks, on the mission fields of Central and South America. I know that it cuts through religious backgrounds, skin colors, creeds, and socio-economic status. Anyone can study it. But they will not remain the same if they are truly seeking the life that it contains.

Because of its historical and literary content and its use of storytelling, it speaks to the human heart like no book ever could. In reading it you will enrich your mind, learn about the foundation of the world, and your place in it. Its apex is the coming in the flesh of God in human form-- Jesus, the Christ. All antiquity points forward to the coming of this Messiah, and all history since His resurrection is lain on the foundation of His time here. The messages are timeless and relevant for every generation and yet written in historical context and culture. It has the power to engage your mind, heart and soul all at once.

At the end of my thoughts about these two pillars of the faith, I was dumbstruck to reach one final conclusion. God impressed on me, "What are the two Greatest Commands taught by Jesus?"

Quickly I replied, "That's easy Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second one is like it- Love your neighbor as yourself." And just as I finished congratulating myself for remembering it, so early in the morning and so close to unconsciousness, I remembered that He also said that all of the other Commandments hung on those two.

THE CONNECTION:

The Ah-ha moment came when I put together that reading the Bible was our way of telling God that we trust the record He left for us, of human history and divine inspiration-- enough to attempt to live our lives based on it. We are saying that we want to enrich our minds and renew our spirits and let the wisdom of the Lord to infuse our hearts. We are submitting to Our Creator by reading His ownership manual and love letter to us all rolled up into one. We are choosing to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.

And when we pray, we are interacting and entering into the lives of our fellow man. Our neighbors, coworkers, friends and enemies are being blessed when we intercede for them, and we are having our hearts for them transformed and our perspectives bending more toward seeing them the way Jesus sees them-- flawed, weak, redeemable-- just like ourselves.

Jesus could have said that the two greatest Commands were "Live Cleanly and Go to Church" or "Keep away from society and Be Nice"-- but He didn't. We have no way to accomplish those things.And if we could, we would say it was by our own will power or determination. But by making the Commands what He did, He set us on the path to find out how to achieve those things. And the only way is to seek Himself-- for grace, mercy, strength, encouragement and wisdom. And we find Him when we read His Word and pray.

Home Sweet Home! I have been enjoying the new Spring weather... first Spring in my new little house, and we are enjoying all of the rain that can be tossed our way with the new roof, thanks to Noah Construction. (really!)

I am looking forward to some great weddings this summer. I am even working at one! As the photography jobs pick up, I'll be posting some client photos, so stay tuned for that.

I've also been hard at work 'spring cleaning' and what I call solving some organizational problems-- like replacing the bookcase I hoisted up on my work table in my studio. I will be posting some before and after photos, very soon! It seems like there is always so much to do.

One of my new favorite toys is camo duct tape. I am featuring it in a couple of my decoupage boxes for men. Nothing says 'manly' like camo, or duct tape!! I am determined to get some products going that aren't just for men. I am also in the R& D stage for some new upcycled/recycles desk top gifts for guys. Can't wait to see what ideas will be next. I will share them here as soon as possible.

In the meantime I need a garden fairy to whisk in and take care of the front and side beds at my house... I'll take pics when she shows up!!

You are my beloved child. I chose you before the foundation of the world, to walk with Me along paths designed uniquely for you. Concentrate on keeping in step with Me, instead of trying to anticipate my plans for you. If you trust the My plans are to prosper you and not to harm you, you can relax and enjoy the present moment.

Your hope and your future are rooted in heaven where eternal ecstasy awaits you. Nothing can rob you of your inheritance of unimaginable riches and well-being. Sometimes I grant you glimpses of you glorious future to encourage you and spur you on. But your main focus should be staying close to Me. I set the pace in keeping with your needs and My purposes.

Ephesians 1:4, Proverbs 16:9, Jeremiah29:11, Ephesians 1:13-14

Perfectly timed message for the day!! I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, and remembers Jesus... the reason for the season.

Photography Sessions

Take a look at what is new in the Roanoke Valley! It's time for pictures...

Now's the time to be thinking about those Christmas cards, and portraits to frame. Email me to sign up for a session, while the weather is nice. The colors of Virginia autumn are second to none!!
These are some photos of my latest clients-- Senior Portraits, Engagement Portraits and Family Portraits.

Contact me for pricing and details.

Cup O'Tea

Although I am not Irish or English, I have to say that tea has been part of the fabric of family life for me since I was young. It is not unusual to still gather my sisters, brother and mom around the table for a "spot".
The tea at my mom's house is straight forward and to the point. Decaf, non-flavored, served in mismatched mugs collected over the years (we all gravitate toward our favorites) and served with evaporated milk or regular milk and lots of sugar. The children in my family are practically weaned on tea. When they are young, it is really mostly milk warmed by a hint of tea, and usually is only a vehicle to deliver wet, sludgy sugar to eager, waiting lips.
As I got older and decided what tea time was going to be like at my house, I had to decide if I was more of a mug, or refined tea cup kind of gal. While I had a full set of china when I first got married (the china outlasted the husband) it was beautiful, but not fussy. A Mikasa pattern that had a very modern straight up and down tea cup.
I probably stopped drinking tea with milk when I became suspicious of those large machines dispensing milk in college. I considered myself more 'low maintenance', since I only needed sugar and I was done prepping for my tea experience. I also enjoyed herbal teas, and started to collect them. I do not collect mugs from various places. All my mugs are large, look handmade (even if they aren't), match and have shapes that I enjoy drinking out of, while I curl up someplace cozy.
I acquired a taste for a type of tea in Paraguay, while I lived there for a year as a missionary, that the locals call terere. When I came back, we Americans had discovered it and made it all the rage, here, in the trendy form of Yerba Mate. You can drink it warm or cold. But the Paraguayan way is with herb flavored cold water, poured over loose tea, sipped from a community filtered silver straw. That is community... as in, we all share. It is sort of like smoking a peace pipe. It is a great honor to be offered terere. The "pourer" holds the jug, and fills the cup, passes it, that person drinks it all without a word (not moving the straw around) and hands it back to the pourer. Now it is the turn of the next person in the line or circle. This actually goes on during church services! Because there is no talking, it is very unobtrusive. It has a natural stimulant in it that is far less jitter producing than caffeine. And man, those Paraguayans can work in the heat, with a jug of cold terere nearby!
In the winter, Paraguayans drink it hot. Their preparation is Cocito. Cocito is actually the yerba burned in a pot with sugar, and tons of milk. It is an unusual smoky, sweet, delight on a cold morning. I never learned how to make it. But most families make a large pot on the stove, and leave it to be ladled into smaller, rounder shaped guampas (cups) or hollowed gourds. I was a big fan, and drank it every time it was offered to me.
I have recently started to drink all decaf teas at all different times of day. I will zap a mug of water, in a pinch. But there is something about the act of filling the stainless kettle, getting out the mug, selecting the flavor, and waiting for the glorious whistle sound, that prepares the body for the act of ingesting tea. It seems to whisper excitedly, "It's tea time! It's tea time!" And with all the health benefits of tea, what is not to like? I actually found myself choosing tea over ice cream for it's own particular type of satisfaction!
There are many ways to enjoy tea, for sure. Whether you skip the fancy pot, and go straight from the kettle, enjoy flavored or non, like yours with lemon or with milk, one thing is for sure-- the best cup of tea, is a cup shared with a friend or loved one!
The next time the chilly night air blows and you are looking for something that won't blow your diet, but will cap off your night without guilt, grab someone you love and ask, "Care for a cup o' tea?"

"Blessed are the poor in Spirit" Matt 5:3

I have to be honest, and say that anytime I take the time to ask the Lord to reveal Himself in my life, reveal Himself, he does!! As I know Him more, it seems that He delights in sharing His gigantic power, generosity, and showering His unmitigated favor and mercy on His own. If we could only stay in one truth forever, the moment that we find it.. and never struggle with it again.

I had to share another Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest) daily devotional. This man's words strike straight through the heart of what I deal with, when I need it, and I know that the Lord has used this man mightily, in my life and many others. Prepare for world rocking!!!

Beware of placing our Lord as a Teacher first. If Jesus is a Teacher only, then all He can do is to tantalize me by erecting a standard I cannot attain. (This is a true Ah-ha moment for me. Perhaps a little insight into the psyche of the non-believer?) Waht is the use of presenting me with an ideal I cannot possibly come near? I am happier without knowing it. What is the good of telling me to be what I never can be-to be pure in heart, to do more than my duty, to be perfectly devoted to God? I must know Jesus Christ as Saviour before His teaching has any meaning for me other than that of an ideal which leads to despair. But when I am born again of the Spirit of God, I know that Jesus Christ did not come to teach only; He came to make me what he teaches I should be. (Wow!) The Redemptionmeans that Jesus Christ can put into any man the disposition that ruled His own life, and all the standards God gives are based on that disposition.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount produces despair in the natural man- the very thing Jesus meant it to do. As long as we have a self-righteous, conceited notion that we can carry out our Lord's teaching, God will allow us to go on until we break our ignorance over some obstacle, then we are willing to come to Him as paupers and receive from Him. "Blessed are the paupers in spirit," that is the first principle in the Kingdom of God. The bedrock in Jesus Christ's kingdom is poverty, not possession; not decisions for Jesus Christ, but a sense of absolute futility-- I cannot begin to do it. The Jesus says-- Blessed are you. That is the entrance and it does take us a long while to believe we are poor! The knowledge of our own poverty brings us to the moral frontier where Jesus Christ works.

So much depth to this Jesus!! So many times He has to break through the tiny box we put Him in. Praise to His holy name, that He hears our weary cries for help and mercy. I am thankful, ever and eternally for a personal God who knows our struggles and bids us "Come to me" to bear up under them.

I pray the words of this incredible saint of old, have blessed you tonight!!! I know that they are exactly what I've needed...

1000 Markets

1000 Markets

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This is one of the latest "designs by Gina" just finished tonight!! There is more to come...

Walking Out in the Storm

Have you ever scampered out onto the lake after Jesus? Maybe there has been a moment in ministry or worship, where you rush out, before you realize that you don’t have the credentials, or the education, or the talent to be doing the thing you are doing? That is exactly where Peter found himself one stormy night…
Matt 14:22-33 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
So many times in our lives we get the opportunity to truly see Jesus—we know what He wants of us. We know what the right thing to do entails. Do we rush lovingly out on the water? Or do we tiptoe in and let fear overwhelm us?

This exchange between Peter and Jesus is so fascinating, to me. First, they don’t believe it is Jesus, thinking that He is a ghost. But notice that is it Peter who has the presence of mind to ask the Lord to command him to come to Him. Peter knows that even though the task is impossible in his own strength, if Jesus commands it, it can be done. He knows that with certainty or he would never have left the boat deck. Everything is going along swimmingly until the moment of “realization.” As long as his eyes were on Jesus, and on doing as He commanded, everything was a-okay. When he looked at the circumstance: dark night, stormy waves, possible death by drowning… he gets a little panicky.

We all have that moment where we can choose to give in to fear, or we can do what Peter does next, which I think is the most profound part of the story. He cries out to Jesus to save him!!And what does Jesus do? It is Jesus’ point of view that had most interested me, as I tried to imagine His perception of this whole event.

“Oh, Peter. My beloved friend. So much enthusiasm and belief. And he will struggle the most. My denial will be his near-undoing. But he will be the rock on which I will build the church. If a simple fisherman with no formal education can love me honestly, he will show the world that great love—through his flaws and weakness. There he is on the boat. Of course it is Peter who asks to come out! Good job, Peter. You know I won’t let you fall! Keep looking at me, keep your eyes right here… that’s it!! A few more feet, you are almost here!! Look at that? Doing something humans aren’t supposed to do!! Oh, he got scared. ‘I’ve got you. If you’d only kept believing you would have made it, Peter! Why did you forget who I am? ’”
And Peter’s response (and everyone who watched) is to worship the Lord!!

How many of us have watched a child learning to walk, thinking those same kinds of things in our minds? Watching how they fall, we encourage them to try again. Even when we know we will rush in to pick them up, when they have reached their limit.I am grateful for a personal God, a living Savior—who expects wholeheartedness from me. Solitary confidence in Jesus, is the only thing necessary for a powerful walk with Him. He is not there only in the turbulence. He is there encouraging us, celebrating our joys, longing to bless us in small ways that make our hearts sing. He is willing to teach anything we ask to learn. And when we ask Him to call us to come to Him—He always will. And we can charge headlong into any circumstance, knowing that what He has called us to do, He will give us the power to do.

What's For Dinner, Anyway?

So....What’s For Dinner, anyway?

My kitchen has been alarmingly clean these last few days, and as happens more often than not, I get inspired to cook, when it is ‘waiting for creating’, as it were. In that same way, I need my studio to be semi-neat before I work in it, as I am not one of those artists who thrives in chaos…
Tonight, I had an idea for something I have never attempted. Since working on the cholesterol thing (this is for your information, Dr. Murchison, if you are reading this!) I have had only one fast food hamburger/French frie day, and have been making a lot of my own stuff, eating a lot of salad—you can ask my co-workers, I promise! But tonight I felt like having something ‘fried.’ Unwilling to abandon the wagon so quickly and thoroughly, however, I cast my memory back to a wonderful thing I had, called a potato latke.
I was invited to a Hanukah celebration, one year by a dear friend. When I arrived, it was a bustle of activity, as the mom prepared these little shredded potato cakes. They had various sauces for dipping and it was my first one—but lets face it, I have never met a potato dish that I didn’t like.
I haven’t grocery shopped for the week, so tonight I had one sweet potato and one parsnip on hand, and I thought, “That is what I will do!” I shredded both into a bowl—really it was the whole potato and half a parsnip, since my arm got tired on the hand grater. I try to be pretty "old school" in kitchen tools-- still have the hand can opener, too. I didn’t have traditional bread crumbs, so I used sun-dried tomato and olive oil Triscuits—ground up in the blender. Into the shredded vegetables went 2 whole eggs, and the crumbs. A short time later, I had a little assembly line going, and ‘fried’ them, using a very minimal amount of oil. I paired the cakes with a piece of chicken on the George Foreman grill ( a single gal’s best cooking gadget) , fresh frozen green beans (the only kind I like) nuked in a Pampered Chef steam bowl with lid, and a mound of spaghetti squash with Promise spread on it for the sterol benefits. For those of you who have no idea what to do with spaghetti squash—here is the tip. Cut it in half and put it, cut side down in a dinner plate with a few tablespoons of water. Make sure you stab it a few times with a knife ( for less explosive possibilities) and microwave it for 15-20 minutes. That is my secret, and it comes out great everytime! Who said going healthy couldn’t taste great? And if you fry something in Omega-3 heart healthy oil, does it really count, anyway?

"Super" Markets!!

I would like to share that I had a VERY successful downtown Roanoke farmer's market experience.
I was trying to determine what it was EXACTLY that made it spectacular. The financial part, of course. (I hadn't done that well previously, but last year was a crazy summer and all-- with my dad... me being brand new with no online presence, either.) So now I have sold a little online, at work, home party, and I am feeling more comfortable with 'the process.' I offered up a prayer to the Lord, that He would bless this venture, and reminded Him that this business is His to bless or not bless as He sees fit. Needless to say, I was blessed.
The other AMAZING thing was that I had a repeat customer from last year who was super excited to find me again! What an honor to be remembered-- but not just because I was an artist. She told me that she had told all her friends to come check out my stuff, because I had been a missionary. She supported an idea that I've had for a while, that I maintain personally. When I have the option of choosing, in business, who I want to deal with, if there is a Christian option, that is what I want to choose. (It's part of the reason I like Chick Fil A). I also felt great about having some unique Christian gifts. Not only the believers in Christ, but non-believers as well, were exposed to His Word-- and the Bible says that will not return void. So Praise God about that!
Plus, the weather was nothing short of GLORIOUS!! 70's and no rain! I almost didn't know what to do. That was all God, too.
Also, I received God's favor-- got one of the stalls on the market proper. No that may not seem like a big deal, but you are talking to a girl who has only ever had the tent/table option. Set up was a BREEZE! And my car was in the space behind me. I couldn't believe what a difference that made in the overall experience. No tent to deal with, no wind to fight, a feeling of comraderie with goat cheese vendors on either side of me-- it was fabulous.
I had fantastic rapport with the customers-- everyone seemed happy and enthusiastic. And one of each thing that I made-- necklace/earring sets, bracelet, box, earrings sold. I was especially excited about the sets, because I don't usually show those at work. It was just confirmation that my designs really spoke to someone's heart, enough that they had to have them, and that made me feel great.

The other super Market is the long awaited Christian market-- at the 1000Markets website (which is now Live). The rapport in the market is wonderful-- the name is Marketplace of Blessings. It is blessing lives, as we have opportunity to get to know each other, and write back and forth and pray for one another. It is what I've been waiting for in an 'online community' experience. I hope you will stop by and support those lovely artisans for all your Christian gift giving needs!

I will be at the farmer's market every Saturday that is sunny and above 65. Look for me! :)
* if you live in the Roanoke area, and purchase something online, please let me know, in the message box. I will refund your shipping and you can pick it up at the market. Because items are one of a kind, I want to tell you that if it is online, it is for sale. When I sell the item, it is immediately removed. Please do not be disappointed-- if it is online and you want it, buy it. Don't assume it will be at market the next sunny Saturday. :)*

1000 Markets Going Live Very Soon....

It is only fair to say, that I think I am going to love my new home at 1000 Markets. It is another online venue that sells only handmade things. I love that it is small and just starting. (It has been in the "sneak preview" stage for a while. But pretty soon (weeks) they will begin driving online traffic into the site, and the vendors have to be ready....
To be a part of this, you have to be approved. Then, within the site, you can be a part of various Markets. I am currently in Handmade Haven (boxes, some jewelry), Jewelry Artisan's Market (JAM- for all of my jewelry) and Captured Image (photography.) I think the site is lovely to look at and easy to use.

For those of you interested in handmade Christian gifts, there is a new market being formed, which I am going to help found. I will do a lot with their outside blog. I hope you will bookmark it, and go there when you are looking for something special and unique. We will have a variety of things and various artisans to appeal to everyone's taste! I will keep you posted as it unfolds!

My Etsy shop will continue to receive orders, but I will no longer be listing new merchandise, there and will gradually phase out when listings expire. I will maintain my account so that I can continue to be a buyer there. It has been a great experience, but 1000Markets is a better fit for me! Blessings, everyone! Gina

First Snow 2009

Ok-- so this is a little late, now that we are in to Spring, but I had to celebrate the first Roanoke, VA snow with everyone. I know, it is not a big deal. But for the 2 winters I have been here, this is only my second real snow.
One thing that was totally bizarre about this is one week later, we had highs in the 70's!! This was only a few weeks ago. There is a peace and reverence that comes over the world when it snows. For me, it never means staying home from work. (I need to be a teacher!) But the pace of life is definitely different. Things slow down. And I love the sound. I live remarkably close to an interstate, and I can actually tell, when I wake up, if we are having some type of inclement weather-- the traffic is too slow!
I left the US in the summer, and arrived for a couple of weeks of Paraguay's winter (which is wet and cold at night, but can still have temperatures that are amazingly high in the mid-day.) When I left the following year, it had just begun to get cold in PY-- now I know why they wear coats when it is 60-- and arrived to the US in July. So I had almost perpetual summer for a year.
So, forgive me, if I make a big deal out of snow. I love it. It is beautiful. One of the things that is dear to me about Virginia is that it has 4 true seasons. I love the transition months, especially the Fall (the Blue Ridge Parkway, is one of God's masterpieces in the Fall!) But I like my winters only one way.... If it has to be cold... I want it white!!!