The Four Elements

When the subject of this Challenge was announced,
I knew immediately what I was going to make! I was going to make a polymer clay sculpture of the Earth with fire and wind swirling around it. I would add a heart for a couple of reasons: I love hearts and I love the Earth!

Call me a "Tree Hugger" if you want but I really would like to see us take better care of the Earth.......I do my part----I know I could be better----not in a Al Gore or Sheryl Crow can of way----but I could do better! We all could!

As I think about and look at my creation, I am reminded of Creation. "In the Beginning, God created the Heavens and Earth.", Genesis 1:1

Can you imagine what that was like?

Nothing then Something!

Atoms Crashing...........................Particles Swirling............Molecules Soaring......................Winds Roaring..............Water Exploding.....................Dust bits Colliding...........Is must have been a Most Wonderful Site To Behold!!!!!!!





No wonder God sat back and declared it To Be Good!

Loki Sorrano gave me a SHOUT OUT!!!

She liked my Lil HeartBird and wrote to tell me she mentioned me on her Stylehive (?) Cool!

Lil Red HeartBird To Fly Your Burdens Away by itsmecheri on Etsy - religious - ceramics and pottery - heart Stylehive BM 704863 #:704863

Well whatdaknow! It worked!!! COOL!!!

It'll Be Okay.

"It'll be okay."

"But I am scared, Lord!"

"It will be okay!"

Those words are echoing in my Spirit.
That Still Small Voice whispers those calming words into my being--spreading warmth in my soul, bringing peace to the panic--reminding me that God is in control of the chaos.

I "feel" His arms. I "sense" His closeness. I "rest" in His embrace. His joy is my strength and in that Strength I am made strong.

The storm rages, my world shakes, my resources weak. But still I will trust Him. Still I will follow. Still I will listen and trust Him for all my tomorrows.




"I am afraid, Lord!"

"I know but IT WILL BE OKAY!"

I can rest in that.





"

A Bowl Of Lemons

Lemons. They are sour. But with a little bit of sugar, they make a terrific refreshing drink!

Life hands you lemons sometimes.

Roy and I are dealing with a bowl full of lemons right now. Ya' know, you look at those lemons and you notice things.

The size and shape of the bowl. The color. How it affects the bright yellow of the lemons. You notice how the bright yellow is a cheery color but you know the lemons are sour--makes ya make that ugly pucker face.

You realize you really need do something with those lemons.
Lemonade, Lemon Chicken, Lemon Zest, Lemon Bars.....what do you do with the lemons?

You know you must do something but what? So you head to a book--a recipe book. You find your options and realized you must follow the directions in that recipe in order to achieve the desired outcome. But there are too many ingredients, there's too many steps in the recipe, this is just not the recipe for you to make. It is overwhelming. You can't do this! You need help!

You seek the advice of another cook who is better than you. One that has already made the recipe. One that has knowledge of how to take the lemons and make them palatable. A plan is formed. The first step is there, ready to be taken. Guidance is a breath away. The better cook is waiting for you to ask for help--you are not alone!

So it is with Roy and mine lemons.

The recipe book? The Bible.
The experienced cook? The Lord.
The plan? To step on the stones He lays before us on the path He directs.

Richard Exley wrote: "It helps me to think of guidance as a miner’s cap with its built-in lamp whose feeble beam penetrates the darkness only a step or two. As the miner steps out, the light penetrates ever deeper, one step at a time. So it is with God’s guidance. We receive further direction only as we walk in the light He has already given us."

Still I will trust Him, still I will follow.
Still I will trust Him for all my tomorrows.
Though the storm rages on and I can't find my way.
Still I will trust, still I will follow
Still I will trust, you Lord.

We are making lemonade with the bowl of lemon life has just handed us!

Why I Create!

I can remember the first thing I created in Elementary Art Class. I was in Mrs. Zachery’s 2^nd grade class in Sulley Elementary. It was Halloween and the art teacher gave us a black piece of construction paper and told us to make a cat. She did not hand out scissors, glue, or paint. I was excited! I knew exactly what to do -- take away the parts of that paper that did not look like a cat!

I ripped. I crumpled. I wet the paper with my spit. I rubbed. I tore little pieces off that paper until there it was! A hunched-back black cat with it’s hair standing on end, caught in a frozen scream at an invisible ethereal being! Scary! I got an A+.

That was it! I was hooked! I began to create: glue and paste, scissors and crayons, chalk and paint, you name it, I begged my parents for it! My mother even found crafting kits for me to make. One year for Christmas every Aunt, Uncle, Grandpa, Grandma, Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Friends of my Mom and Dad…..EVERYONE got Woven Pot Holders I made on a loom. Remember those?

But as I grew, I lost touch with that part of me. Got married, had a baby, jobs were lost, bills had to be paid…………………….Life happened. Until one day, my ‘baby’ grew up and left the nest.

I lost me. I wasn’t needed anymore. I had no one to take care of. What was there to do anymore? My husband had gone with our Son to his Permanent Duty Station. I was alone in an empty house. I had an empty bedroom—albeit a clean but empty bedroom. Dark.

A friend kept inviting me to come to a Stamping Party. I always had a good reason to not go but deep down, I had a really good “funk” going on and I did not want to get out of it! She did not give up—she invited me one more time and told me I was the Guest of Honor! The presenter had a project especially designed for me. Well, I had to go this time—ugh!

When I arrived, everything was set up. Work stations had placemats with our names stamped on them. The colors were red, white, and blue. She had two projects for us, a card and a scrapbook page. They were both a military theme.

I did not want to participate! My Son had recently joined the Military, completed Basic Training, and left home to his Permanent Duty Station. Didn’t they realize I missed him and this was hurting me? I was sad, doggone it! And she should know it!

I frowned. I was here but I did not have to like it! I sat quietly, watching her demonstrate. Hey, wait a minute! That’s cool! Look at that! She was using rubber stamps and ink to make a title page for her son’s birthday party album.

I could do that for my Son! For the start of his Military Career! I was creative as a child. Those “talents” have to still be in there somewhere! A spark started a deep bubbly sense of excitement deep inside me. I felt my soul exhale and start to breathe again. I felt me SMILE!

I had a Mission! I had a Purpose! I had a Goal! I had Something To Do! I plummeted into my scrapbook and never turned back. I firmly believe that God used that Scrapbook as therapy for the Empty Nest Syndrome I was suffering. I am now grateful for my friend never stopping to ask me to come to a Stamping Party!

From that moment on, Creativity returned to my life. I went on to create many more scrapbooks, greeting cards, wedding invitations, birth announcements, jewelry, knitted items until I found polymer clay.

Whoa! This is awesome! Polymer Clay--The Most Fabulous Creative Medium In The World! I can make anything out of it! Again……… I plummeted into my clay creations. I love this stuff! I mean L-O-V-E making things with Polymer Clay. I am HOOKED and forever shall be!!!

I was amazed people liked the things I made from Polymer Clay! They asked me to make gifts out of Polymer Clay for them! They paid me for making stuff for them! I was paid for playing!!!!

Then, I got an email for a custom order--HeartStones!

HeartStones are my own creation, born out of my love and support for my Best Friend. Her husband was recently diagnosed with Stage Four Cancer. I wanted to create something tangible for her. Something she could hold during the rough times she was about to face. Something that would remind her I was praying for her. Something that told her I was supporting her. Something that reminded her she was not alone. Polymer Clay was the perfect medium for my HeartStones.

I thank God for Creativity. It is His gift to me.

Roy's Wild Chair Adventure!

We had a lawn chair. You know the kind--a four legged, aluminum frame, fold up fabric chair.

And it was Amelia's chair. She sat in it in the cool of every morning. She chewed the arms. She watched the birds fly overhead. It was her Chair.

On this particular day as she sat enjoying the morning, the seat of the chair ripped. Not too much, but enough to startle Amelia. She jumped straight up and out of her chair. Then she cautiously crept around it, sniffing wondering what had happened! Then a bird flew overhead and she was off doing the "I'm Gona Get You" bark and jumping in the air.

The day proceeded as normal until Roy came home. As is their habit, Roy and Amelia go in the backyard. Amelia runs and runs and runs while Roy watches--almost like she is saying, "Watch me Dad! I can run fast!" And she can!

Roy usually just stands on the patio drinking a bottle of water, watching her ..........but not today! Of ALL days, he heads toward Amelia's chair------

"Um. You might not want to sit there! The chair ripping some this morning while Amelia was sitting in it."

He looks at it. "It's not too much.", and sits down. He was warned!!!!!

I stand at the door........waiting for 'it' to happen........'it' is inevitable........I will need to help him get up if 'it' happens.......'it' doesn't break.........'it' is holding.........I guess I will go fix din.....................................

Zip................................DOWN HE GOES! He just sits there! Look on his face was amusement! He just sits there.

"Are you okay?" (I start to laugh)

"Yeah." (I laugh harder)

Where's my camera? (laughing)....phone.......has.......camera.........(At this point I am laughing so hard, I am crying!!!!!)

Take........the........pictures.......(laughing harder--can't breathe!)

"Help me get up! Push on the back of the chair" (by the way, Roy is laughing too!)

"okay" (laughing so hard I am crossing my legs so as not to wet myself!)

GRUNT---Roy is a big guy. Can't.........move.........the.........chair.

Now you have to get this picture--I know the neighbors thought we had lost our minds: Uncontrollable laughter, dogs barking, Roy's butt is on the ground through the chair, I am pushing on the back of the chair, Roy's feet not able to touch the ground, he is lurching in a forward motion to help me get leverage while I push and both us are laughing so hard--we can barely breathe!

"PUSH!" "I...........AM!"

Finally, he gets his footing and stands. He looks just likes a "Three Stooges" scene where Curley's butt is stuck in a chair!!!! I absolutely loose it! I am laughing so hard, I can barely stand!!! I have to hold on to the door frame!

He shuffles to the edge of the patio......"Pull it off!".........that does it! I am totally useless! I am gone! I can't breathe I am laughing so hard! My stomach hurts! I can barely stand!

I stumble over to the chair, grab the legs and tug hard...once......twice....three times.....the chair comes off! The motion causes me to take a step backwards and causing Roy's pants to slip down as the chair comes off, and he sits down in the grass with responding thud!

He sits there a few moments.......reaches for his bottle of water.........chugs it..........slowly screws the cap back on...........he is just sitting there!!!!! Remember, I am laughing, hyena laughing, I can't breathe laughing, my stomach hurts laughing........oh my!

"You........ o........kay?" "Yeah" "Need help to get up?" "No-there is grass in my butt."

Well, that set me off even more!!!! I just know the neighbors are peeking through the fences trying to figure out what was going on. Roy and I are laughing so hard we can barely stand.

Roy gets up and brushes the grass off his butt and comes inside. We laugh about it all night long. Several times during the evening and even this morning, I break out in uncontrollable, convulsing laughter! Even as I write this, I am laughing so hard I cannot see what I am typing!!! Oh my!!!!!

Funeral services for the chair were held at the trash can shortly thereafter. Roy will need a new chair for 4th of July!

Amelia is in mourning.

Roy is injury free.

I am still laughing.

LemonLollipop Purchase

I had recieved samples of http://LemonLollipop.etsy.com in a sample box. A small vial of Pink Vanilla(tm) Perfume Oil.



I was in love with this fragrance from the get-go! It reminded me of cake and cookies and cotton candy and the icing on the cakes my Grandpa and Grandma would make...................ummmmmm!

I contacted Michelle/PinkLollipop with my specific skin issue and she took the time to write a very informative response with helps and suggestions on how to help my problem. She put together as Sample Pack for me and sent it right out.

The samples she sent were delightful and after using them for several days, I ordered the Whipped Cream Soap and Perfume Oil Roll On in my favorite--PINK VANILLA!

The package was professional and well done--I worried because, in the Texas heat, things tend to melt if left in the mailbox too long (all you Texans out there raise a hand and say Amen to that!)

There are so many other goodies in this shop I am going to try..... Man, I wish I was independently wealthy! You should visit--you will love it too!