THis is so Cool!

Baby Jesus

I found this great vintage baby Jesus at an antique shop. I created a nativity scene with it by putting the baby in a birds nest and placing a beautiful angel next to it. I think it's my favorite nativity so far.

Mary Did you Know?

A little sketch I did and then digitally colorized for an Art in the Word weekly inspirational prompt. " Mary pondered these things in her heart" Luke 2

What I LOVE about MY Holiday HOME!

snow, white feather trees, white bottle brush trees, handcrafted ornaments made by friends, my Dept. 56 Dickens village, my overloaded trees with sentimental ornaments, Christmas music, peppermint coffee, nativities, family...

Thank you Karla's Cottage for hosting this blog party!

Happy Birthday Jesus! Bloggers Party

The above photos are of the handcrafted nativity scene that has graced the homes of my parents since 1960. I remember cars slowing down to view the scene and the year we won the city Christmas lights contest. I wonder if a Nativity scene would win today? This is what my mom wrote when I asked her to write the history of their nativity.

"Originally, in about 1960 we cut out the characters from masonite, painted the features and clothes. We also made one set for the church. This was in Marshall, OK while Garry was in seminary. Then we added bales of hay for the background in Clearwater, KS until we made a wooden stable. Also used the stable in Beatrice and North Platte. I think I dressed them in real clothes when we moved to North Platte. Added the jewels for the crowns and gifts at that time. The clothes have changed through the years as they faded and wore out. Added furs, brocades, satins, cordoroy, woolen fabrics, beads and more jewels. The hands were made from plastic milk cartons and painted. The hair and mustaches are real human hair.
The characters were stolen once in North Platte and twice in Lincoln, with some of the characters returned by a dad in Lincoln from his back porch. All of the characters stolen in North Platte were returned to the back alley. One time, most of the characters were broken in half or decapitated. My nephew came down to help Garry repair them. He refused to let the vandals win!. "

The photos do not do the nativity justice. The detail and artistry are amazing. I'm pretty sure my mom was the first Martha Stewart!

Take time to drive around this Christmas and notice the different nativities. Plastic, wood, elaborate or simple- they remind us of the Reason for the Season!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!








You're invited to a Happy Birthday Jesus Party for bloggers from Dec.13th-Dec.20th!

Click on the image above to be taken to the Creative Call Studios blogspot for more information.

Let's keep Christ in Christmas !

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Did I mention I LOVE snow!

Outside my studio door

We have SNOW! I LOVE SNOW! This is the view out my studio door ( well, maybe just a wee bit embellished)!

Deck the Halls

A couple more pics. My 15 year old son is now almost as tall as our 6 foot tree. I guess he's the official treetopper!

It's Here! It's Here!

The GRAND OPENING of CREATIVE CALL STUDIOS http://creativecallstudios.com/.
is TOMORROW, Sat. Dec. 1st! WOO HOO! Deena Warner and I have been working like crazy to create this online handcrafted marketplace. The site is beautiful, easy to navigate and chock full of the loveliest of handcrafted goods. Sign up for our newsletter to be entered for prizes and take advantage of the specials that each artist is providing for the Grand Opening! Thank you for supporting the independent artisan.

Deck the Blog

What a great idea! A deck your blog for the holidays contest!

A Very Vintage Christmas

I altered this cigar box for a vintage Christmas feel. It will be listed in my shop in the new CREATIVE CALL STUDIOS MARKETPLACE during the grand opening on Dec. 1st!

Creative Call Studios Preview

Grand Opening on Sat.!

A Cottage Christmas

I love to see how other people decorate their homes for Christmas. Here's a few snapshots of mine.

Grand Opening ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

Creative Call Studios:

A gathering of Christian Artisans

Creative Call Studios has done what no other internet art site has done: brought together a diverse group of independent artisans whose work reflects their Christian beliefs and offered that work for sale to the public in a unique virtual market setting.

At Creative Call Studios, you will find the best work of juried artists in a variety of genres, including mixed media, collage, altered art, dolls, bears, primitives, folk art, contemporary art, wearable art, jewelry, paintings, sculpture, and pottery.

If having a “safe” place to buy your art isn’t enough, shoppers will also find shopping at Creative Call Studios is easy. Artisans accept a variety of payment methods, including, and most preferring, PayPal. We have created not only a beautiful website, but a user friendly one as well.

Creative Call Studios plans to launch the website with their Grand Opening on December 1. Make a point of putting http://creativecallstudios.com/
on your list of favorites. On December 1, grab a cup of coffee, pull up your chair, get your mouse finger warmed up with a few flexes and be prepared to admire and shop at the newest art studio on the ‘net. The artisans at Creative Call can’t wait to share their goodies with you!

She is Pretty in Pink

My beautiful new friend, Deena Warner, has started a new blog journaling her fight with breast cancer. She was just diagnosed in late Oct. If you have or know anyone who has breast cancer, you should visit this blog. She offers a candid yet optimistic dialogue about her journey. And while you're there, lift her up in prayer. Visit her blog at http://deenasstory.blogspot.com

A New Adventure!

Exciting News!!!! Deena Warner and Lennea Truesdell have collaborated to create the first online marketplace for independent Christian artists and Crafters.



The new website is called Creative Call Studios and you can preview it here at http://creativecallstudios.com/. Each artist will have their own page to sell up to 8 items. You may preview a sample artist page on our website.

The mission of this new website is to
1)Offer consumers one stop shopping for handcrafted arts and crafts from some of the best Christian artists in the country.
2) Shine Christ’s light in the handcrafted marketplace.
3) Provide Christian artists another low-cost venue to market their goods with the benefits of pooled resources for advertising, access to press releases for your local newspaper or church newsletter and banner, hotlink button, avatar, and business card design. Creative Call Studios also has it’s own blog and private Yahoo group for members to share information and ideas.

If you are interested in having your own shop at Creative Call Studios, please e-mail Lennea Truesdell at onceuponacottage@yahoo.com. And I will get you more details on how you can join us in this exciting new venture! Your first month is FREE! to give you a chance to try out this new venue and give us the chance to work out any kinks and get the word out about our site!

I consider this to be a ministry. I have previous experience in owning my own brick and mortar boutique, website, etsy and Ebay shops. I am a design team member for ZNE and a moderator for ZNE network as well as owner of a Yahoo! Group for Christian artists “Art in the Word”. I am volunteering my time and resources to establish this new website and am not looking to make a profit but only to cover ongoing expenses.

Lennea Truesdell

New Etsy Listing

http://scatteredmomentos.etsy.com

A couple more blog banner designs

A couple more blog banners. These will be listed on Etsy later today.

New Blog Banners

I've been having too much fun creating blog banners, so I'm offering my bog banners to you! The blog banners below are currently available and one-of-a-kind. No one else will EVER have your banner! All banners measure approx. 800pixels by 330 pixels. I'll be adding new ones to my Etsy shop frequently. http://scatteredmomentos.etsy.com/.

These banners are easy to install or I can install them for you on blogger ( blogspot).

The banners shown above are on Sale for the introductory price of only $8.00!

Many more styles and colors to come!

New Blog Banner

I just can't stop playing with my blog banner. I think I'll stick with this one for a while. What do you think?

Frosty Autumn Glory

You know those few days of the year when it is just so BREATHTAKINGLY beautiful outside that you can't help but sing praises to the Creator of such Beauty? Today is one of those days. We had our first heavy frost of the year and the sun was hitting the Fall trees just right. So gorgeous.

Week 14 Inspirational Prompt from the Art in the Word Yahoo Group

Deuteronomy 32:2 (New International Version)

2 Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.

As I was searching and praying for a verse for this week, I came
across this wonderful verse from Deuternonomy.
Here in Ohio we have had a LOT of rain and in California they are in
desperate need of rain. This verse reminds us that the Word of God
is more important than the rain. Without it, we become parched and
if we get too dry, the fires (tribulations) will quickly consume us.
However, if we read His word, His teachings will fall on our parched
souls, making us fertile ground to bear fruit for His Kingdom.
May the reading of God's Word bless you this coming week
Lennea

Now for sale in my Etsy shop! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7638356

Christmas is coming!!!!

Oh yes it is! For artists and crafters we have to start thinking about Christmas months in advance. Here's a sneak preview of some vintage silvery soldered ornaments that I will be selling in my ETSY shop and a local boutique starting Nov. 1st. Each ornament will be $25.oo and there will be a very limited number made. If you would like to preorder an ornament just e-mail me at onceuponacottage@yahoo.com

These ornaments for 2007 are the first in my Christmas box series. This year's theme is White Christmas. I will create a new theme for the Christmas box series every year.

Each ornament is created with my own collage of acrylics, vintage glitter, vintage victorian photo, vintage lace, and may include a tiny bottle brush tree, antique buttons and other baubles. No two ornaments are the same! These box collages are then sealed with handcut glass and hand soldered to create a beautiful silver box. I have added chandelier crystals to dangle from each ornament. A Christmas heirloom to be enjoyed for generations!

The ULTIMATE BLOGGING AWARD!!!!!!!

The AMAZING, TALENTED and VERY FUNNY Jan Thomason http://polkadotbarn.blogspot.com/ has presented me with the FIRST EVER CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!!!!!!!!

Unlike many other blogging awards, THIS award requires much thoughtful deliberation and strict adherence to the following CREATIVE SNIT AWARD criteria.

THis award shall be presented only to worthy artists who have shown evidence of being in a creative snit.

To help with the selection, we need a common frame of reference. I found this definition of snit:

snit
noun
a state of agitated irritation; "he was in a snit"

However, I think a CREATIVE SNIT requires a somewhat different defintion:

creative snit
noun
a state of creative chaos, creative frustration, or a state of obsessive creativity: "she was in a creative snit"

Therefore, worthy recipients of this prestigious award should demonstrate one or more of the following criteria:

1) photos of their chaotic creative studio spaces (see my blog for example)
2) reports of staying up till the wee hours of the morning while consuming large amounts of coffee and or chocolate in order to finish a swap or prepare for a show
3) documented frustration over the creative process
4) evidence of a large quantity of art created over a small period of time
5) photos of the recipient at vendor night at any art retreat ( it goes without saying that ALL attendees at such events are either in or will soon be in a creative snit)
AND FINALLY

6) ( created especially for Jan) witnessing the recipient in a SNIT at a CREATIVE EVENT!

(note: Jan is a lovely, kind and generous person, who would not normally qualify for this award - However after traveling several hours on a plane to Art & Soul, she arrived at the hotel in the wee hours of the morning only to discover that THEY HAD GIVEN HER ROOM AWAY! And didn't have any rooms available! Now, if that's not cause for being in a SNIT, I don't know what is!)

I am quite honored to be the FIRST EVER recipient of this most prestigious award. Thank you Jan!!!

AND now, I award the following AMAZING and TALENTED artists with the INAUGURAL CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!!!!!!!

Jan Thomason http://polkadotbarn.blogspot.com/ for being in a SNIT at a CREATIVE RETREAT and for creating the CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!

Lani Kent http://artistlanikent.blogspot.com/ who may have first coined the term creative snit and I quote" I always get a bit overstimulated and in a creative snit after those events! It really is amazing..all that creativity in one room!"

Chel Hery http://chelise.typepad.com/ who is ALWAYS in a creative snit and graciously writes about if for our amusement

Keesha http://lemoncholys.blogspot.com/ who , DESPITE being very tired and getting sick, still felt compelled to add all the charms from Art and Soul to her necklace! Read about it here https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu95CLk4ctHOiEYX77Qf2HOy9rW6QN2IdEHZ6Tz_weSXSYPG7QfQyCqMlGfNK9YDHwo1S09IrK1gWi3eooW2f-PypHne420Fjkxl8XOodoLL2seMvTuc5fh_E26FmNYuqNXH_Ig/s1600-h/IMG_0747.JPG

To all CREATIVE SNIT AWARD RECIPIENTS;

Congratulations! You have now earned the right to award other artists with this most prestigious award! There is no limit to the number of artists you award this to and there is no time limit on handing out this award. Just please post the CREATIVE SNIT AWARD button on your blog and refer your recipients to this post for more information.

Healing Rain post

The following post is the Healing Rain video by Michael W. Smith. It is my prayer for the people in the line of fire in San Diego as well as everyone that needs the grace and power of God's healing rain. I pray that you will receive the healing rain from God today - whether it be the literal rain needed to quench the San Diego fires or the spiritual rain that comes from God to quench your spirit.
Blessings,
Lennea

Healing Rain by Michael W. Smith

More Videos

Paper Dress Swap

Heather at http://www.speckled-egg.com/ hosted this wonderful swap. It was a five for five swap and Heather included ribbon and small clothespins to hang our dresses from. I LOVE the dresses I received!

Lennea Poppet

I Created this poppet for the Art in the Word inspirational prompt.

Colossians 3:12"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."That's a pretty tall order , isn't it? It's easy as Christians to get caught up in the law ( as the Pharisees did) and our own self-rigteousness. And there's always people at church, in our family and neighborhoods who try our patience! But God commands us to exhibit all the above qualities. Notice, he doesn't add Clothe yourself with..... WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT! or if the person deserves it! We would all do well to wake up each morning and remember to also put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience just like we put on our shoes!

Directions for making Claudine Helmuth's sitting pretty Poppet People are on Martha Stewart's website along with printable templates. They're very fun and relatively quick to make! I did not enlarge the template when I made this one. I also was jumpy with a headache, excedrin and coffee, couldn't find my tin snips or utility knife and was too impatient to let the ink dry from the printer, so the ink smeared a bit. I know better than to create when I feel like this, but I did anyway. I was in a bit of a creative snit. ( wouldn't that be a GREAT name for a blog??) If I ever make another blog - I think I'll name it Creative Snit!

Where one organizationally challenged woman creates

These photos won't get me into any lovely book on where women create, unless it's titled "Where Real Women Create when there studios aren't staged for a photo shoot". I invited all the women from my Art in the Word Yahoo Group to view my studio after a lively discussion on messy studios. NOTE! IF YOU ARE MY MOTHER, YOU MAY NOT WANT TO VIEW THESE PHOTOS!

Please notice my many attempts at organization- the labeled plastic bins, wire shelving, canvas drawers, magazine folders buried underneath the mess. I'm good at setting the system up, but not good at USING the system!

My favorite pieces in the room are the antique dresser that my Grandpa made and the antique book rack that I picked up along the curb of a shop that was giving it away.

These photos are my BLESSING to you today! May you go back to your own studios feeling better about yourselves!

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes " HOme is a place for creative Expression, NOT a place to make an IMPRESSION"

Bless the Broken Heart

New mixed media painting.

practice, practice, practice

These are a few pieces I made in Sally Jean's Soldering for Virgins class. I finally got around to adding the jump rings today. I really need to learn to take better photos because the scanner makes every little bump look like a CAVERN! These look a lot smoother in person - really they do! Except for the Christmas one which I wanted to add bumps around. Now I need to get busy and start making some Christmas charms and ornaments.