How do you like it?

Welcome to my new look. I've been playing with this idea for a while. You know, if you've followed any of my blogs for the last 5 years, that I can't leave my blog alone. Sooner or later I need a new name, new theme, new host site, something. I've wanted to change the look to fit my art and this seems to capture it pretty well. As a matter of fact the picture in the header is one I used for my new necklaces on Etsy.

There may be more changes in store. I have yet to decide. I want a place where I can feature my artwork and talk about it more. That and auctions, antique markets, etc. Funny thing is a friend of mine just started a second blog for that very purpose. I don't want to look like a copycat so I'll hold off and we'll see what's what here.

Currently I'm in a bit of a holding pattern art wise. I don't want to spend too much money if there's not a market for my art, and yet I don't want to be afraid to try new things. I have a project which I hope will come to fruit by next fall. I'm very excited about it, but it's going to stretch me. I'll have to learn to solder, and I'll have to be looking for certain pieces of metal and I'll also have to do a Bible study. Doesn't that make you curious? Well, I won't be telling.

In the meantime I have more charms to make for necklaces, a large collage on canvas, and am hoping to do some assemblage, or "3D collage", in some beautiful old wooden drawers and boxes that I have waiting.

Of course, this is all presuming I find any kind of a market for my items. The Etsy shop is just not generating the visits and I'm still trying to work on that. My memory boxes at "Lola Rue" downtown are not moving fast, although I have sold a few. And, I have one gallery in Nashville that may be interested in my bottles, but the consignment is high... 60/40 and I don't want to price myself out of the market when the economy is so bad. Guess I need to keep praying and to trust that if my art voice is going to be heard that God will do the guiding... it's to His glory, and not to my own and I must remember that.

Meanwhile, please be in prayer for JoAnnA and her husband Ron. They've been experiencing some pretty hard trials and now Ron is headed back to the hospital for complications from his brain surgery.

Blessings, and Happy 2010. I'll be writing more now that the break is over.
Shalom,
Kim

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Welcome, come in, don't stay outside where it's cold. I'll be happy to take your coat. I'll just put it back in my bedroom... oh, you can't look there... still pretty messy. But, please have a seat in the living room with me and we can chat.

I'd offer some cookies, I had a bunch baked, but I guess some little elf must have eaten them all... Can I brew you a cup of tea? Offer you a plate of yummy fruit?

As you came in you probably noticed all the vintage touches in the entryway. Mama Magpie has been teaching me about some of these items. She also helped me to rekindle my interest in vintage items. Much of what you'll see is from my Gram, she was very special to me!

I was able to purchase this cute little feather tree from a friend of Mama Magpie. The decorations on it are ones I didn't sell at the show. I NEVER thought I'd have a pink and blue themed tree!

This is the whole glass front buffet. I know... a buffet in the entryway? It works. Doesn't it look sweet against the pale blue walls?

These sweet little candles came from Gram years and years ago. Mr. Deer is a bit melty... I guess I shouldn't have stored him a hot attic! Poor fellow!

Not all the Shiny Brites go on the tree. Besides, Mr. Bluebird needs a nest and with all his glitter don't you think this is just the perfect place for him to rest?

Now, if you turn this way you'll see my vase of "Christmas flowers"... so nice, you never need to water them!

I liked them so much I made some more. Cheery! (And Shiny... if it can't be glittery then shiny's a pretty good substitute.)

Oh, did you think I was done with the ornaments? Sorry... 'fraid not. This is part of a vintage silver tea service from the Illinois Central Railroad. Grandpa worked for them for years and when the service closed employees were given remembrances.

And here are some sweet angels, also from Gram. The squirrel... AHEM.. was a Christmas gift from my oldest son. It's to memorialize a "special event"with a stubborn squirrel. And no, I did NOT kill him, nor did I hit him with the snowball. I merely startled him... it was his fault his leg was stuck in the "squirrel proof" (HA!) feeder and he broke his leg. As if I needed any help remembering. Oh my... where was I? Oh yes, Christmas decorations...

At the other end of this half-wall is the first of my many nativity scenes. This particular ornament is from Dear's Grammie.

Before we have a seat why don't you step into the dining room? Another find from Mama Magpie... a reminder to be joyful during this season. Don't you love all that glitter?!

Here's our advent tree. Each day a new ornament goes up, accompanied by appropriate scripture. A family in our church started this tradition and many families are now using it and it's updated versions. Sorry it's a bit out of date... took this picture a few days ago.

As you walk through the doorway look up and you'll see these sweet swallows made by Mama Magpie. Years ago I lived in Washington state where we had a barn on our property. It was FULL Of barn swallows and I've loved swallows ever since. Wasn't Mama Magpie sweet to remember? Also, tucked in the beak of one bird is an envelope in which I found my gift for that year. Each bird is adorned with a word for the season: hope, joy, love, bliss, etc. An incredible gift from an incredible friend!

If you step back towards the living room you'll be able to see the first of many nativities. I have a thing for them. I guess I get so tired of people missing the reason for this special time of year that I more than make up for this. At last count, including Nativity music boxes, ornaments and pillows I believe we have more than 15 sets in one form or another. There's another done on "letter blocks" just next to this set... sadly I'm not such a great photographer and blurs seemed to be all I could shoot!

On a lower shelf is this this little placard I made for Gram years ago when she was still alive. It came back to me when she passed away. It's a sweet reminder of the true meaning of Christmas, and also a sweet reminder of a special woman who was influential in my spiritual life.

Same shelf, other end. It's not all vintage here. Don't forget my love of cows. This is "Moodolph."

Now, if you'll just turn back towards the living room you'll see the rest. The olive wood nativity is from Grammie and Grampie... it was their wedding gift to us from their last trip to Israel. The music boxes are from my mom. The Precious Moments nativity was given to me by a special aunt... a piece each year. You can see it took a few years to build it up! The tree ornaments are vintage Shiny brites, indents, polish, Czech and German glass, a few "fillers" of modern balls... hadn't yet started collecting, and also some family prizes. The banner over the tree didn't sell at Art and Soul, but Dear was glad and asked that we keep it.

Perhaps you'd like to pull up a pillow and rest. Yes, that one, don't you love the needlework?

It reminds me of one final Christmas tradition in our "decorating"... the decorating of our souls. Every year we work on memorizing the Luke 2 Christmas story. Want to join in?

"And it came to pass in those days... " Well, trust me, it's a sweet tradition, just look up Luke 2 and see if this story isn't one of the best ever told. I think so because it's gift given to me by the King of Kings. I pray you receive a gift from Him as well this Christmas season.

Shalom!
Kim

for more tours of homes just visit "The Nester."

Art and Soul

Okay, I'll bravely step out and say it:

I've been invited to participate in a local art show. This is the first year for this show and it will feature women from the community. It's called "Art & Soul" because it began as a venue for local Christian women to share their art.

I've been creating for a bit over a year now and am enjyoing it. Opened an Etsy shop a while back "All That Glitters Paper" (allthatglitterspaper) but have yet to sell more than one item, and that was a special order for my mom. (Thanks Mom!)

I have such items as notecard sets, vintage style greeting cards, wall hangings and the like. I just finished my first "3D" item for a friend's birthday and look forward to more of that... collage is just too fun!

Part of the invitation was for us to help create the signage for the event. Each artist was invited to choose a letter from the title and create that letter in an 8x11 format. Then all the letters will be placed together to make up the sign. My "signature style" is to use vintage images, ribbons, buttons and "angels" (please understand that I am in NO WAY trying to show what a true angel looks like... these are merely whimsical creations). I ended up with the letter "U" and this is what I finally turned in today (the last day we could do this):



Anyway, I also had to find a name for my business, and since "All that Glitters" was just not cutting it I worked on the name for a while and came up with "Whimsy and The Word" because I like to use whimsical ideas like my angels, but it's also important to me that my faith shows in my work, hence "The Word" as in "The Bible"... but it's a play on words, because I am a very wordy person and I just like to use words as well. We'll see.... hopefully it will fly.

Below are two projects I completed, and hope to do more versions of the same type.



Sorry the picture is a bit blurry... I'm still working on lighting for the pictures. This one is "Blue Christmas ~ Believe."



I love taking nature photos and have found an outlet to use these photos... handcrafted totes with one of my nature shots, scripture quote, vintage and new ribbon and flowers and vintage buttons. I was so excited when I finished this bag. Hopefully others will enjoy it also.

Well, that's it for now. Stay tuned for the curtain post... where I turn a vintage table cloth into curtains... sure was hard to make that first cut!

Blessings, Kim

Welcome to my latest blog!

Greetings Friends and Family,

As you can see I have started another, yes another, blog. I am sure some of you may wonder why, while others could really care less. Well, for those who could care less you might want to skim over the next little bit.

My blog writing of late has been slim to none. That is to say, it was too much of a bother to get into my other blog at the other blog site. Not only that, but I was doing a lot of soul searching. I find myself wishing I were more of a "Sebra" or an "Anne" with their quiet spirits, or a "Barbara" with her deep devotion to God, or even a "Kim" (not me) with her beautiful transparent desire to be a more godly woman, or an "April" with her innate artistic talents. While desiring these qualities is not wrong if desired for the proper reasons, I found myself wanting to be someone else so that I would become more special, rather than more godly. My daughters were actually the ones to point this out to me, which was rather humbling, but also quite excellent.

So, here I am. While I have many interests ~ books, antiquing, crafting, knitting, childbirth, etc. and so forth ~ I have decided that this blog will be about my journey to become the woman God created me to be. So, you may actually see some of my crafts, or photos of my kids, or even see some school plans from time to time, but I won't be blogging to impress you all, but rather to document my journey to trust joyfully in His will, not mine!

I would LOVE to have comments from you all if you see some way in which you might encourage (or even rebuke, should the need arise) me or simply to get some clarity to what I have said. Unlike past blogs I will not be bringing over all my old posts from my old blog. This is new and you can join me on the journey.

Shalom!
Kim