Watermelon Days

Watermelon Days

The first sure sign of summer is not the summer solstice, June 21^st or lightening bugs captured in a jar.  It’s a juicy, sloppy, slurpy bite of ice cold watermelon. A head plant into an entire watermelon half, as pictured above, is the best way to enjoy it.  You really should try it sometime.  Just forget about all pretense and plunge in. Make sure you aim for the middle. When you come up for air you’ll know the true definition of “delight”.

The dictionary describes delight this way … a high degree of pleasure, enjoyment, joy or rapture. Mr. Webster must have been thinking about watermelons.

These girls just describe it with a big “YUMMMM!”  Adding a long hanging - on– the –end  twang to the “um” part.

Sheer delight. Summer bliss.  Watermelon days are here again.

So, go feel like a kid again. Find a watermelon. Slice off a big chunk. 

And take your first bite of summer. Head plants are optional.

                                                                          

With watermelon slurps & smiles,

Laura

Lilly, Alexa & Sophia - watermelon girls.

Go Where You Are Celebrated!

“Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated”.

Do you remember the last time you were really celebrated?  Applauded, cheered, exulted, praised and partied over? Let this photo remind you of what it feels like.

Photo by Kathy Ward

 This is Marybeth, our creative art director, as she completed the grueling Iron Girl Triathlon last Sunday at Lake Lanier in Georgia.  Most participants were dragging themselves over the finish line at this point, with grim but accomplished expressions, after completing a 1/3 mile swim, 19 mile bike ride and 3 mile run.  It was tough. Marybeth, however, crossed the finish line with a steely determination and then glanced up to see that, to her surprise, her supportive audience had grown! James & I were among her family & friends cheering her on!  She hadn’t expected all this attention, all these adoring fans! This photo captures that moment.  That split- second moment when she realized that she was being celebrated with extravagant love.  A cheering crowd of family, friends and surprise supporters, shouted, yelled, hooped and hollered and completely abandoned all respectable forms of congratulations.  We we’re insanely proud of her, unashamed in our expressions, and we loudly and publicly showered Marybeth with support.  She was celebrated and it absolutely caught her off guard.

 I love the expression in this photo. It’s an expression we should all feel. Really.

We should all have this arms-out-stretched-I-can’t believe-I’m-so loved-and-celebrated-feeling everyday.  Because we actually have someone who does celebrate us.  Everyday.  He rejoices and shouts joyfully over us. Just listen to how much:

“The Lord your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy. Zephaniah 3:17

Just read that over again with your name in place of the “you”.  You are celebrated every single day. It’s an amazing thought. It’s a running- around- the- yard- I’m- so- incredibly- filled- with -joy –and-love- I -can’t -contain –myself- feeling.

You really should allow yourself to feel this way today.

  

 And tomorrow.  And everyday.

 The lover of your soul is having a party over you all the time.  Just think about it awhile and let the champagne bubbles of that being- loved- emotion pop the cork off of any ordinary day.

Feeling bubbly,

Laura

Celebrated granddaughters, Sophia, Lilly & Alexa running around the backyard.

Mother's Day Artists

Some kids just have a joyful spark and touch your heart as soon as you meet them.  The young artists we are featuring today are two such people! Their creative expressions simply pulse with life, laughter and love.  Perfect sentiments for Mother’s Day!

These young artists, Madison and Katie, are the daughters of Marybeth Wydock, the creative art director at Velvet Lime Girls.  They began to show signs of their artistic DNA, passed on from their mother, at a very young age.  Here are a few of their early expressions.

Madison Wydock created the piece above, entitled, “Sunflower”.  Who would have imagined that a sunflower could explode with such vibrant color?  Looking through the eyes of a child can be so inspiring!  We love the color washes, the squiggles and the center section filled with circle details. (“Those are the seeds, silly”). We’ll never look at sunflowers again without thinking of Madison’s spectacular interpretation. It just makes you want to celebrate when your eyes are pulled into the party going on in the center of that flower… and then, dance around a bit with those salsa-style squiggles scattered around the petals. If you look at it too long, you may find yourself dancing around the room with a sunflower clenched between your teeth doing the rumba.  Watch out, this painting has passion.

Katie Wydock created this next piece above, entitled "Butterfly”.  You have to know Katie to really appreciate this piece.  Notice the smile on the butterfly.  It’s not just a normal smile.  It’s a larger than life, I’m- about- to–pop-out-of-my–skin-smile. (Or, out of my membrane, green shell or exoskeleton).  He’s grinning from ear to ear, or antenna to antenna, since they don’t really have ears, do they? He has to be the happiest little butterfly ever created and he seems to be holding a surprise.  He knows something you don’t know and he just can’t wait to tell you.  There’s a little flap down his side that opens! Really. A little slit that holds a secret message inside! His smile almost gave it away, but the kaleidoscope-colored wings filled with unimaginable patterns hold your eyes in fascination.  You just have to rest a bit on those wings before you open up this dimensional piece … those wings almost look illuminated. When you do open up that long green body, the sentiment inside gives the butterfly away.  He was really a love bug, with beautiful wings, carrying a message from the heart.  That’s what Mother’s Day is really all about anyway. Carrying messages of love from the heart.

Celebrating Mother’s everywhere,

Laura

Message inside Katie's butterfly.

Mother's Day Art

Rebecca Rhodes Ladikos.  Circa 1987.  Copyright RRL.

The next few days we’ll be featuring some of our favorite Mother’s Day artists.  The first two artists that are featured belong to that heart- warming group that mothers everywhere recognize. Children. Many mothers have artwork from this talented group gracing their walls and refrigerators.  Today’s selections come from a collection known as “our children”.  In my mind, they were the finest little artists around in the late '80’s and early '90's.

Our daughter Rebecca, did the first piece above, an explosion of vibrant colors in an expressive, watercolor palette, around the age of eight. The color combinations and styling hint at a future talent now showcased at Velvet Lime Designs, as she splashes us with color selections and ideas for artwork that inspires.

  

Caleb Rhodes. Circa 1991.  Copyright CR

Our son, Caleb, did the second piece, an architectural study in pencil and watercolor, at around the age of eight also.  The linear projections, lines and “scaffolding” reveal a passion for building structures that is now seen in his projects at Green Friendly Homes. http://www.greenfriendlyhomes.com/

We love creative expression around here and we’re especially fond of the ones made by children.  We’d love to see yours and share them with our friends!  So, send us a copy of your favorite little artist’s work to: info @velvetlimedesigns.com

Look for originals from Marybeth’s girls tomorrow!

Celebrating “our little works of art”,

Laura

Collateral Creativity

They say a bamboo forest springs up suddenly. But, long before any signs of growth or shoots appear, a flurry of activity occurs underground. A vast network of roots busies itself for years…connecting, knitting and weaving a strong support system that will become the foundation for amazing creations. The little root connections all work together, helping each other grow and in the process, they become the “seeds” of the skyscraper-sized potential hidden inside them. 

Their quiet connections become a framework for their future success.

That just how we felt today as we participated in the design seminar, Discovering Yourself As An Artist, at the Hudgens Center for the Arts, led by renowned artist, Kathy Fincher.  A lovely, diverse group of artists gathered and the creative connections began immediately, with Kathy weaving an informative seminar around each participant. (You know it’s a good talk when everyone completely forgets about lunch and looks up to see that 2:00 has arrived!)

How does such a diverse group of creatives connect so quickly? By having the right “growing” environment.  Instead of competition, there was a camaraderie and a willingness to share every professional and artistic piece of advice that could be passed on. An absolute abandonment to creative development seem to spread through the entire session and all of our artistic roots were well watered.

Insights from Kathy on developing a creative voice, art licensing, branding, and web development had many scribbling notes rapidly... and her personal story of discovering art was so moving,(see yesterday’s blog and video link). Our wrap up included a review of artwork and websites by some of the participants … “bamboo shoots” themselves, some large, some small, some undiscovered, but all being strengthened and celebrated by each other for the unique creativity they possess.  Just get ready for the silent explosion of artistic expression that will come from some of these “bamboo shoots” we met today! Wow. We hope to share photos of their work in future blogs.

All this time for connecting could be considered unnecessary.  Why not simply focus on creating  artwork?  Because, like the bamboo forest, these connections make you stronger, better and open up collateral creativity. The kind that just makes you explode with new ideas and inspiration.  That must be how bamboo shoots feel when, after five years of no visible growth, they shoot through their earth canopies with a skyscraper soar and grow up to 90’ in 6 weeks.  An astounding rate of growth only achievable with a strong, connective, supportive root system.  Imagine the possibilities with a supportive network of creative people!

So, go develop that root system of yours! There’s still time to catch a few of Kathy Fincher’s seminars before her show closes.  Call the Hudgens Center for the Arts for details, since these last seminars may not appear on the events calendar. http://thehudgens.org/?page_id=42

Feeling quite creatively nourished, 

The Velvet Lime Girls

Letting Her Light Shine

                           (L to R - Beth Burns, Lisa Cheeley, Kathy Fincher, Laura Rhodes, Penny Anne Machemehl.)

Light. 
That’s the first feeling you have when you meet Kathy Fincher, a gifted artist known for capturing the very essence of children in a “feminine Rockwell” style and telling heart-warming stories through her artwork.  Her creations simply capture your heart the moment you view them and the light, the layers, the details, pull you in deeper and deeper the longer you gaze.  Oh, it’s a little bit of heaven on earth viewing her artwork!

Imagine our delight at meeting her in person today at her current art exhibit at the Hudgens Center for the Arts.  I had read about her show on Demdaco’s facebook page and quickly organized a trip with my dearest friends, a small Bible study group that has met for over 22 years.  Little did we know that our trip would become a lesson.
We arrived at the art center as Kathy and her friend, another Laura, were leaving for lunch following a full morning session.  Kathy recognized one of our group members as an acquaintance and a lively conversation began, introductions were made and the next thing we knew, our little group was given a private art tour by Kathy Fincher herself!  She does “light up" a room!  The stories behind each of her pieces of artwork were absolute treasures and had us laughing, reflecting and being inspired for close to an hour. 

But, the real art treasure was Kathy Fincher herself … refreshingly honest, transparent, inspiring, and encouraging.  Her artwork moved us and touched us, and she inspired us to the core.

I think we all came away humming a line from an old children’s song …


“This little light of mine, 
I’m going to let it shine. 
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” 

Kathy’s paintings all shine with light, but for our little group today, the biggest reflection of light was Kathy Fincher herself.  

Laura

Be inspired at http://vimeo.com/38565754  or http://www.kathyfincher.com/

Current exhibit at http://thehudgens.org/?page_id=42

You are rejoiced over...

So I was on a long run early this morning...8 miles of a new route that I’ve driven a thousand times but feels so different with your feet. Headphones were plugged into the Shuffle and I’m running to the rhythm of the music. I ran past a church and the sign outside says “He rejoices over you with singing.” I am not sure why, but that phrase can just about drop me to my knees every time I read it. Really? He’s REJOICING over ME? It gets me every time. A friend once sent the scripture to me (and it made me cry) and I have it taped to the inside of my notebook...

For the Lord your God is living among you.

He is a mighty savior.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

– Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

And then I chuckle to myself. Who wants to rejoice over me? I’m nothing special. I’m not glamorous. I’m not rich. I prefer flip flops and running shoes to high heels. I don't have any special talents. But He rejoices over me anyway. In spite of everything.

There’s been a lot of challenges lately. Sometimes I feel like I am about to fall into an abyss and there’s nothing to grab on to. It’s like those bad falling dreams everybody talks about...and I wake up with my teeth tightly clenched but without ever really hitting the bottom. Am I strong enough to keep myself from falling all the way in? Whose hand can I grab on to for strength? Am I making the right decisions? Why am I the one that has to be in the hot seat and make them? Why do I always have to be the strong one? What do I do when that anger almost bubbles over....when I feel like I can’t keep the lid on it anymore? How do I stop the tears from flowing when certain songs play on the iPod that bring memories flooding back?

The answer, of course, is prayer and God. Praying A LOT. Praying when I’m running. Praying when I’m driving. Praying when I’m working. Praying when I wake and before I go to sleep. ASKING for God’s love and peace to envelop me and calm my fears.

I read a book many years back about a woman who “died” at the hospital and had an out-of-body experience. She was in the presence of God and she said His love was so overwhelming, it was almost indescribable...it just bubbled out of everywhere it was so overwhelming. It couldn’t be contained.

Wow. Can you imagine that? There should never be a question mark on this one. He loves me so much that there’s no way it can be measured in human terms. God’s hand is the hand that grabs me and keeps me from falling. He’s the one that wraps His arms around me and pats me on the back and tells me to keep on going. He rejoices over me. And loves me. And comforts me. He gives me unimaginable strength.

Thank you Lord, for rejoicing over me.

~ Marybeth