Living in Full Bloom

Living life in full bloom is the best way to live.
We've been doing just that this summer in our studio! 
The art tables are full of flowers and treasures from the garden and they've been bringing a bounty of nourishment to our souls as well as our palate.
                 

We've also had the lovely hum of grandchildren in the studio this summer. Their petite handprints covered in paint, original works of art and occasional sprints across dew-covered grass have brought in a fresh breeze of giggles and inspiration to our studio.

                                         

These tiny finger-painters, bubble-chasers, feather-finders and gigglers really know how to live life in full bloom! They find joy everywhere and squeal in sheer delight over the tiniest little treasure...like this soft, delicate bird feather nestled in the leaves.

These little ones who dance around so carefree and light have brought new insight into what living life in full bloom is all about.  They find joy, treasures and giggles in the ordinary, everyday rhythm of life.
  
The free and light pitter-patter of these little ones in our studio is a beautiful reminder of one of our favorite quotes:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?  Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.
Matthew 11:28-30 The Message 

So we hope you'll take a moment today to rest, relax, laugh, (maybe even chase bubbles) ... and begin to live your life in full bloom. You are so beautiful in full bloom.

Living free and light,
The Velvet Lime Girls 

The Color of Light

Lighthouses are slipping into our studio each week.  It's true.  A fresh new one seems to have appeared weekly over the last month.  They've been bringing a little color and light into our studio as we prepare our portfolios for the Surtex show in New York.  These lighthouses, created by Laura's husband, James Rhodes, are quite different from our whimsical, inspiration artwork, and they just seem to fuel our creativity.  We thought we'd share a little of this color and light surrounding us today. So, step into the studio and take a look around with us!

All the lighthouses began with strokes of pigment from Sennelier soft pastels that lie in casual piles along the edges of our studio. Chalky containers holding color, light and life.

At first glance, one might think these simple sticks of earthy substance were just stubby chunks of color. Nice to look at, but not much potential for anything beyond lying in rows.

But in the right hands, these chalky, earthen vessels are transformed into beautiful works of art. 

The soft pastels are quiet reminders of how beautiful our lives can become when we place them into the hands of God.  The master creator will pick us up, regardless of how ordinary we may look lying on the sidelines of life, and transform us into beautiful works of art. His strokes shape us into little earthen vessels that carry His light into the world and spill reflections of His color and life on to everyone around us.

Oh, you can be so beautiful in the right hands.

"Get away with me and you’ll recover your life... Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30

Grateful for the colors surrounding us today,
The Velvet Lime Girls