Stacks and stacks and stacks!

Early stacks - neat, tidy.

The problem with that early stack is it was hard to tear into these once loved, now discarded, books. It was almost impossible to take an old illustration (that I might never see/hold again) and attach it to a project that I would certainly never see again!

Unruly stacks!

Too many thrift shops... too many bargains... I had to loosen my grip on this stack of "wonderful".  Amazing what happens, deep inside your soul, when you open the hand wide and share. It took a while to understand this. Fortunately for me, a lesson learned late is still good.

REmade stack - joy, down in my heart.

The stack of books in the re-make process is small. The finished projects moved to new homes. May this stack never grow high.

The life stack.

Early in the building of this stack, pages that looked like ransom notes expressed the cry of a heart desiring conversation with God. Over many years, new pages were added, then new books. They became more personal - and so did the conversation. What started as "I should", became necessary, like food.

My goal? That this conversation might become vital ... like breathing.

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. Psalm 130:5

Leaving the comfort zone

Tomorrow, I am expanding my horizon. I will participate in my very first online collaboration. Sounds interesting, huh?

Go here to see what it's all about.

Then come back here tomorrow. Such fun.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Rocks

In the search for interesting, arty photos the other day, I happened upon a trio of attractive rocks!
They were huddled together, guarding the top of a bin from the disruptive effects of wind, rain and critters.

Hoping for interesting ... and intrigued by the varied colors, I tried stacking the rocks. To be arty, of course.

That's when he appeared! How amazing! How adorable! How arty!

So that's what I call him... Artie!

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Psalm 119:18

Around the yard

I took some time to walk around the yard ... noticing things. I grabbed my buddy (my camera) and together we captured the sights. Some, far more interesting than I imagined!

Trying to be artsy, I put my camera under the mushroom. Surprise!

I am amazed at the translucent quality of these mushrooms... or shall I call them fungi?

The bounty of the earth for both man and beast. These make the best grape juice you will ever taste!

I love the fall nights when the mist is over the fields. My camera isn't sophisticated enough to capture the scene exactly... but close enough to catch the moonlit mist over the fields. A beautiful night.

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

Halfway there!

Where did August go? I closed my eyes to sneeze one day and when I opened them... September was here!

My bundles of paper that are enduring all of the summer's harshest elements have now passed day 45... halfway through the process.

The biggest visible changes occurred during the fourth week. This is what I found on day 35...

Won't this lacy white paper be a beautiful addition to some guerrilla art? Or a card?

Fast forward to day 45... today. I notice that the colors are fading. And on one set of papers, there tiny gray spots that look like mildew.

Layers appear in the paper as the holes grow. But I have to say... I'm loving these rusty trails!

I still have the greatest curiosity about what is happening in the middle of these bundles. I tried peeking, but couldn't see anything. Even if the paper doesn't work out... at least I will have learned some patience. And that's a good thing.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

The birthday party

We met in Shipshewana - grandparents from South Dakota and from Michigan, together with the happy family that was celebrating the advent of their oldest daughter into the teen years.

There's a comfortable mix of old and new, natural and man-made in Shipshewana. Horses and buggies sharing streets with shiny cars.



Women in traditional Amish garb serving at a rooftop restaurant with continental flair.

An olive burger like no other!



A hungry bird waiting for leftovers. Hmmm... could he be the reason for the charming umbrellas?



Throw in cherry cream pie, shopping and a posh hotel... the stuff celebrations are made of.

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. 

Proverbs 17:6

Favorite things

Out of all the pictures they produced, I wonder if artists like Picasso, or Rembrandt, or even Claudine Hellmuth, have one creation that they love above all others.

Although the things that I create are "crafts", I do have a favorite piece. Back here, I had a finished background and wondered what the final product would look like. Well... here it is.

 

It is the most fun when I can find a new, significant place to leave guerrilla art. So it was perfect when my favorite piece ended up in a family conference room, just off a surgery waiting room.

 

 

I rest on the promise from Scripture (Isaiah 55:11) that the words carried by that transformed Bingo card will accomplish their mission. What a privilege to have a hand in that!

Yet... I also can't help but wonder if the person who found and claimed this piece likes it as much as I do.

I will never know.

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. Ecclesiastes 11:5

Paper watching - day 29

After taking the weekly pictures of my disintegrating bundles, I spent some time examining them closely. I do notice a lot more surface damage that I have previously seen. Lots of holes scrubbed into the paper. Hmmm... Weather? Insect? Bird?

And then my impatience got the best of me. Convinced that I had chosen a location too protected by the tree, I moved one bundle to a spot exposed to harsh morning sunlight. It is also now open to all wind, rain and *sigh* snow. (Not that I'm planning on snow before October. But this is Michigan after all.)

Last night, we were pounded with heavy rain. Wave after wave of storms swept over our house. Visions of beautifully distressed paper spent the night dancing in my dreams. I couldn't wait to get outside this morning to see what happened.

But, as it is with people, so it is with paper... change comes slowly.  The rain seems to have had little effect.  Time will tell if the change of location makes any difference whatsoever. It will be interesting to compare the two bundles from week to week. 

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Psalm 37:4