Homegrown Hospitality

What is Miscellany?

I have been using the word Miscellany here and there for a few years now and wanted to tell you a little more about how I am going to be using it even more. First, the simple definition: A mixed assortment of things.

yay.

that is me.

I have spent too much time thinking, pondering and trying to figure out what to focus on when it comes to blogging and creating, what to create, what to teach, what to blog about, if there should be more order to my posts and then in what order they should be in...it just doesn't work because I am Miscellany. (If I was in a beauty pagent, my sash would read Miss Cellany.) 

So again, while this lesson may have taken me 44 years to figure out,  I am embracing the Miscellany-ness of me and my creative life and the products that evolve from it (that's all you are getting from me on that!) and am NOT spending anymore time "himming & ha-ing."

Just know that some days it will be about painting and my love for the Gelli Plate..Some days it will be all about Mixed Media and my love for mixing everything Tim Holtz with my style
Somedays it will be all about doodling or sometimes maybe about stitching, or felt, or stamping...etc. etc. etc. but ALWAYS staying in line with my love for creating, my purpose for creating and the reason I am able to create.  It is my God given ability and gift, HE is the source & reason for my art & my miscellany-ness and for that, I am grateful.
P.S. if you witness me "himming & ha-ing" do not hesitate to remind me of this post.

Encourage

I am working on new ideas for the Fall online workshops but wanted to remind you of a few  ongoing SELF-PACED online classes for you to check out. 

Today is about 52 Pickup because I forget how much I love the concept and this class until I post 12 cards every three months and because I am kitting for my class at The Craft Shack next weekend in Florida.So what is 52 Pickup ??Pretty much a mixed media madness class where we take 52 playing cards (12 at a time) and embellish them to share with others or as inspiration cards for ourselves. The third set of 12 were released just yesterday and I every time I write out the info about the cards, I remember how much I love making these little pieces of HEart.

Here is a little look at the third release: I think this card below is my favorite because I love the "feel" of the colors and because I love the word, Encourage.What can you do today to encourage someone?

Here is my encouragement to you, which I highlighted for myself in the book, Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits by Joyce Meyer.

" Be encouraged by any progress you make and refuse to be discouraged by how far you think you have to go"

This is the type of thing I would write on the back of my encourage card, either to remind myself or to encourage another.

To read more about the 52 Pickup Online SELF-PACED class, click here.
To host a class in your store, home or office, read about it here and contact me at homegrown1(at)att(dot)net to schedule a workshop.

CHA Season

For my crafty friends, it it "CHA" season so my head and neck have been facing down for the past two weeks and my fingers have been sticky, tacky, inky and stained...but the work is done.

Every CHA season I work on a project or 10, I feel like I have created my most favorite project ever, and then each CHA comes and goes, and it happens again.  Alot of it has to do with a awesome products I am working with but most of it comes from God.

Truly, it is my hands doing the work, Tim's products embellishing the process but the inspiration that NEVER SEEMS TO STOP..comes from God...that is again, why I call much of my work HEart.

HE is the source...ART is what my hands create.

Now, I am not sure when I can give you a little peek, but I am going to sneak you a look, and then if I busted, I will take it down... More peeks soon...as well as a new class announcement...eek, it is a a good one...on-line and in-store...

oh, okay, a little peek at that too..
okay, gotta go or I am going to bust myself!

Moved

Something is happening.

A shift of sorts. My heart is constantly feeling (empathy) and my mind is always wondering, thinking and ready to do something to help (compassion).That is the only way I can describe it. My heart is full of empathy and the compassion that comes from it makes the wheels in my mind spin at full speed.

With both empathy and compassion I am being “moved” to respond to others feelings and situations through art. so now what?

I am not sure, but I am ready to move.

Fear Not

The antidote to fear...Genesis 28:15

and quite possible the tattoo that I might get on my foot...I said "might", mom.... 

Fear

Bllahhhkkkk....

Something that I personally have battled for a loooonnnnnnggggg time (just ask my mom and dad!) and just when I thought it was over with (there I went thinkin again), I went and fully surrendered.

Who'd a thunk...

and then Pastor Rick hit the head on the nail yesterday when he said this:

"When you get serious about God..All hell will break loose"

perfect.

I am here to confirm that quote above and the only way to describe it is to say that it is like a garden hose on full blast that is flipping back and forth like crazy and you can not catch it....BUT, when you do get serious about God, you can handle things better than you can imagine.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not looking for sympathy....I am a fighter, sorta (not really, but you know what I mean).  I put on my boxing gloves, punch as hard as I can, kick, scream, battle...then pray through it...and get on with the day...the week..the moment...whatever it is and I am sharing it because I know that I am not alone and because you may need to hear this right now.

Fear has kept me from doing what I was created for and I am learning that I am always going to have to battle it because, dang it, it is not going to just go away....I just have to be stronger than it (so do you) and that is what I am working on right now, ya know, kinda like strength training.

Fear for me, and for you is always going to rear its ugly ugly head (thanks Adam!) and when it does you must believe that you can get through it, even when you are scared...it is called courage.

Studio HEart

Your kind words, compliments and reminders about my work have helped me to create this declaration early this morning

and into a reminder of my job and what I am supposed to do

and spurred an idea to create "Art For Sale" for the studio.  

YOUR studio.

my studio...the place we go to when we create art as a reminder of who we are and what we do.

Maybe the pieces I create will inspire you to create something similar on your own, or maybe you want to buy a piece.  The decision is yours but it is important for all of us to remind ourselves of who we are, what we were made to do and then to remind others!

The photos above are a look at what is to come in the way of handmade original art on wood, glass, canvas..who knows, but they are one of a kind, just like each one of us.

New "STUDIO HEart" posted soon!

Big Honkin Bookmark

I usually tear piece of paper off of the local Realtors magnetic business card/paper pad that is on the side of the refrigerator or grab a picture and use it as a book mark.

BUT...because I am in the habit of creating something every morning and because I have a big book to start reading, I figured a big book needs a big bookmark.

I was 3/4 of the way into it when I realized that I had not taken any pictures of the process, so here is a brief run down of what I did...

• sprayed ink on a 4" x 9" manila hanging tag and did not like how it looked so I covered the tag with tissue paper here and there.
• Dried it
• LIGHTLY swiped white crackle paint here and there
• Dried It
• LIGHTLY swiped more crackle paint here and there going the opposite way
• Dried it
• LIGHTLY swiped another color of crackle paint wherever and..you got it, dried it.
• Inked the edges
• Tore out a heart and adhered it to the tag
• Dried it
• Sprayed some water on the heart and rubbed off a little of the color using a paper towel.
• Dabbed a little Barn Door ink on the heart
• Dried it
• Added a little red paint to the heart with my finger
• Dried it
• Added Rock Candy Crackle to the heart...and you know, dried it.
• Inked around the edges of the heart with a Black Distress Pen, smudged it around and dried it.
• Stamped my phrase "Create a Life that Reflects your Dreams" using some stamps, and well..ink and then I dried it
• Tied a bunch of trims to the top

done.

Distress Crackle - Broken China	Distress Crackle - Picket Fence	Distress Crackle Paint - Vintage Photo	Distress Crackle Paint - Clear Rock Candy	Ranger Heat It Craft Tool
Idea-Ology Paper Seasonal	Distress Ink - Barn Door	Tim Holtz Distress Markers	District Market Tissue Wrap - Terminology	Distress Ink - Walnut Stain
Idea-ology Tissue Tape Commute	Ideaology Trimmings - Seasonal	Tinsel Twine - Silver	Ideaology Paper String - Stripes	Ideaology Lavish Trimmings

InLinkz.com

Do Something - July 2012

Dang July went fast....pretty sure that I was reminding you that once 4th of July passes..it is all down hill till Christmas...

see, I was not making that up.

It happens every year.

Anyways, if I were a scrap booker, maybe an active participant of Project-Life 2012 (I do have all of the stuff..) or had Insta-Gram (which Jack referred to last night as the "world's greatest invention") then this would you might have seen:

starting at the top and moving left to right:

• Working out at Athlete's Choice several days a week..more than I ever have in my life (both working out and sweating..thanks Maria!) http://www.athleteschoicersm.com/
• Still displaying the biggest American Flag (probably designed for a building) that you can on a little house
• Enjoying the renewed relationship with being creative everyday, thanks Tim! http://timholtz.com/
• Documenting big things in the smallest ways
• Children being water ambushed by big mean neighbors...(just kidding, they are small..and bald..the neighbors..not the kids. Was that nice of me to say?)
• Finding heart rocks
• Rollerblading (kids, NOT me!) running, walking and riding around the lake
• Baking for a cause http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/
• Chicken fights & bbqing chicken..alot
• Blazing trails with Regina & Amy...and Ben, too!http://www.ocparks.com/whitingranch/
• Sailing the Maui sea and tanning feet at the same time http://www.teralani.net/
• Spreading the word http://www.jessie.org/
• Joining forces with the wives http://www.racerxonline.com/2012/07/27/racer-x-films-surfercross-day-1
• Selling cookies for the cause....http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/
• Watching Plumerias bloom in the backyard, wishing we were back on vacation
• Watering and wondering if the pam tree is going to get attacked by the giant zucchini plant
• Loving him and wishing he would stop playing car salesman..no, I mean car buyer.
• Finding more heart rocks
• Trying to convince boys not to throw signs in EVERY picture
• Riding bikes
• Sailing the high seas of Lake Mission Viejo
• Reading & studying http://www.onlyyoucanbeyou.com/
• Buying socks for the cause http://www.jessie.org/joyjars/
• Becoming more civilized campers...bye bye tent
• Sticking to a schedule

Today...or maybe tomorrow, bake some and share some...Click HERE for the recipe.

here is the recipe for these.

Our Creative Best

Whether it is being creative with paper, paint, wood, computers, spreadsheets, organization, food,etc. we are all creative in one way or another and it is our responsibility to do our best at what we were created to do.  In "Only You Can Be You" page 102 there is a great verse that reminds us of this fact.

"Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life" Gal 6:5

I really love this verse so I painted it on a canvas over layers and layers of paper, paint, texture and more paint...well and added a heart, of course!

It is part of my "HEart" Collection because HE is the reason for my ART and this piece is for sale.  I have decided that as I create, share and sell my art, 10% of the sale price will go towards the purchase of socks for Joy Jars.

Canvas Details:

• 8 x 10 flatback canvas suitable for framing (Frame Not Included)
• Created using acrylic paint, distress ink pens, watercolors & ink
• Heavily textured 

Price $37.00 plus $5.00 shipping.

SOLD...thank you Linda!

More coming soon...