Snapdragon Smiles

The snapdragons came back this summer. 

Normally they’re cool weather flowers that say hello in the spring, on long stretches of stalks that explode with popcorn heads of color.

 

We love them not only for their amazing shades, but, as every little child should know, because they “talk”.  It’s true.  Just gently squeeze one of those blossom puppet heads and you’ll soon have a lively conversation going on that is sure to please anyone who is young at heart.  They have such a great personality!

And they are funny.  Just ask a child who has learned how to make them talk and you’re sure to get a giggle.  Even adults smile.  And when you look at them real close, they seem to be laughing. Maybe it’s the popcorn like entrances or maybe they are just laughing at us making them “talk”.

Whatever they are laughing about, we were thrilled when they cheerfully arrived again in July and brought a smile to the garden.

They made us realize how much a cheerful outlook can change things.  It’s a secret source of smiles, just ask any snapdragon.  We think they may have embraced this little truth:

“A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face…”  Proverbs 15:13

 

Smiling...

laughing...

talking to  snapdragons,

Velvet Lime Girls

Snow and Sunny Expectations

It’s snowing in Atlanta this morning! As Southern girls, we can’t believe it’s snowing (actually more of a light dusting) and find ourselves peeking out of our windows every five minutes, just to make sure it’s still falling. J Normally, we’d be outside letting the snowflakes fall on our faces, but today is a special day for the Velvet Lime Girls… more about that in a moment. This surprise dusting of snow this morning has made Laura recall one of her favorite songs of all time, “Somewhere It’s Snowing” by David Stearman. A beautiful soft, snowy sort of song, that she and her husband, James, first heard sung by David himself in the early ‘70’s, while they were all college students together. James & Laura say the words still embrace their hearts like they did years ago and we’d like to share it with you today as the snowflakes fall in Atlanta. http://www.davidstearmanministries.org/getmusic.html

We hope you take a moment to pause and let the words carry their message to your heart.

Now, back to our special day today. Do you remember being a kid and trying to go to sleep the night before something really fun and exciting? Maybe it was anticipating a birthday, a favorite relative’s visit, summer vacation, Christmas, or the circus coming to town. Whatever it may have been, it kept you fully alive and charged … ready for the big day to arrive.

That’s how we feel right now. We’ve been kind of quiet about it lately, but, our art collection will be making a debut this weekend at the Atlanta Mart. We’ll be on display at the Painted Planet booth on the License & Design floor. They were kind enough to even feature us in an ad that is pictured above.

Our new little home on the License & Design floor features art and design for license or sale to a variety of industries including: apparel, linens, decorative textiles, needlework, wall & floor coverings, tabletop, giftware, home decor, greeting cards, gift wrap, stationery, scrapbooking and much more.

We feel like kindergarteners with our pack of crayons, standing next to some Michelangelo type of artists. Really. The creativity that surrounds us is amazing and we have deep respect for these experienced artists. And still, we know, that our artistic message of inspiration and encouragement is unique. There’s no one who expresses it quite like we do. And we are thrilled to see the designs we’ve worked on in our studio for several months placed on display this week in Atlanta.

It’s like being all dressed up for a first date.

We’ll be showing glimpses of our work this week on our blog. To see the entire portfolio, register with Painted Planet Licensing Group, or stop by the booth this week at AmericasMart, Building 2, 774WW.

Thanks to all of you who have supported us and encouraged us. Our hope is that our artwork will draw people like a magnet to the inspiration and encouragement that comes from God… and the “good grace”, mentioned in the song above.

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. Sun is coming out and the last of the feathery snowflakes just blew out of here!

If you have a little time, here are the words to the snowy song:

“Somewhere it's Snowing”
by Stephanie Boosahda & David Stearman


I once read in a poem
When snow covers the earth
That it hides the world's scars and
Gives nature new birth.
And they say when a man turns
From sin to the Lord
That forgiveness like snow
covers him evermore.

(chorus)
And somewhere it's snowing,
See the soft drifting down
As the snowflakes surrender
To the hardening ground.
Like the good grace of Jesus
That now covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven
it's snowing again.

And it's told that the angels lift
Their hearts and rejoice
When one traveler turns homeward
From his way to the Lord's.
If somewhere someone's turning,
He's giving his all,
Then God's grace like the snow,
Is beginning to fall.

(chorus)
And somewhere it's snowing,
See the soft drifting down
As the snowflakes surrender
To the hardening ground.
Like the good grace of Jesus
That now covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven
it's snowing again.

King of kings

This artwork came out of our hearts a couple years ago and we thought it was fitting to share it again as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.

Names say a lot about a person. Parents often spend months selecting a name that will convey the essence of all their hopes and dreams for that child. They know names are important. It’s the manner in which a child will be addressed and referred to for life and often serves as a remembrance long after they are gone.

Sometimes a person can have a descriptive name that kind of sums up what their life is all about. Thoughtful Thomas, Caring Cathy, Insightful Ian, Wise William … you can easily add to the list.

But a descriptive name like the King of kings is an entirely different category. You’ll notice the dictionary even points out that when using this phrase in reference to Christ, that the first King is to be capitalized. It denotes an authority that is higher than any king in history. The KING of kings.

We wanted to weave the historical record of this King’s birth in the background of our artwork, wash it in a symbolic red glaze and crown it with a reference to His royal lineage. We love the way Marybeth took all these ideas and distilled them into this creative birth announcement/name declaration that creates a powerful remembrance.

We have a few more descriptive names we captured in artwork and we will share them over the next few days. Come back and be inspired this week, as you see just how powerful a name can be.

The Velvet Lime Girls

Real Comfort

Yesterday Rebecca was driving in the car with Alexa, her 22 month old daughter. Alexa is the tiniest little fan of the Velvet Lime Girls. She often provides her artistic opinion on our upcoming artwork (see Sept. 30^th blog). As their short trip progressed, Alexa became restless and a bit fussy. A series of questions began, to help comfort her.

Did she want juice? “No”.

Did she want gummy bears? “No”.

Did she want her paci? (pacifier)? Again the answer was surprisingly, “No.

Finally Rebecca asked, “Alexa, tell me what you want.” A long pause occurred in the car… and then, her tiny little voice replied from the carseat … “hand”.

She wanted her mother’s hand. She just wanted to have her mom hold her hand. Nothing else could bring the comfort, the solace, the calm like her mother’s hand …not even the revered “paci”.

A hand. Sometimes it’s all that’s really needed. A hand to comfort, to calm, to care.

As soothing to the soul as a hand extended may be, it’s a mere glimpse of the powerful hand continually extended to help us. A hand that actually has us engraved on it, or, in other words, “indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) us on the palms of each of His hands.”

Now, that’s real comfort. Talk about a tight hold … why, you’re tattooed on God hands! J

The Velvet Lime Girls

“I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands.” Isaiah 49:16

Photo of Alexa's hand in the palm of her grandmother Laura's hand taken days after her birth.

Rhythms of Grace

“Live in the unhurried rhythms of grace” … we loved this phrase the first time we read it in The Message years ago. Last year we began creating artwork to convey this thought and a lovely blue heron came to mind. The blue heron is recognized as a solitary feeder. Her nourishment comes in moments of solitude, as she silently seeks her food ... a quiet reminder for us to also receive nourishment in moments of solitude with God. Our heron, with her graceful long neck and calm stance, was washed in watercolor shades of coastal colors. We wanted her to convey the calm, deliberate, simple life that is available to us. The life not weighed down with cares and unnecessary obligations. The life lived in the unhurried rhythms of grace.

Imagine our delight at discovering an entire book about living in the rhythms of grace! (We found a book review of this treasure in life:beautiful magazine.) The book is Abundant Simplicity - Discovering the unhurried rhythms of grace. The author, Jan Johnson, has drawn a picture with her writing pen of the stillness, the calm, and the peace that comes as we begin to live simply and in connection with God. Here’s one of our favorite quotes from the book ... “To live deliberately means to move slowly, to look people in the eyes when they speak to us and to follow up on the ideas that the Spirit has possibly nudged us with.”

We can’t tell you how this inspired us and we hope it inspires you! So, since we’ve been nudged to follow up on the ideas the Spirit has given us…we are dusting off our blue heron and finishing her! When she’s finished, she’ll have a lot to say, dressed in her simple stance and calm colors. And we hope her sentiment will “look you in the eyes when they speak” and remind you to “live in the unhurried rhythms of grace”. She’ll make an unhurried debut in our 2012 coastal collection. (We think she must somehow be related to the elegant swan above.)

Living simply,

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. More inspiration from the book and Jan Johnson @ http://janjohnson.org/book_table.html

All is Calm

Intercessory Hands … that’s what the artist who created this piece of artwork calls her creation. We were fortunate to have a glimpse of this moving piece two years ago and it totally captured our hearts. The artist is Sarah Beth Cowart, the daughter of a dear friend of Laura’s, and she currently holds a degree in Studio Art.

The word “intercessory” may not be a word you hear often, but it means “the act of offering prayer to God on behalf of others.” It’s such a humble and noble act … whether you’re on the receiving end or the praying end.

We were especially drawn to the position of the hands in this artwork. Many artists portray hands in prayer from an outside view, tightly folded, in earnest effort. But this artist went straight to the heart of the matter …. the hands, wrinkled with worry and concern, have opened up, let go and released all their ability and faith to God.

You can almost feel the calm that has come.

As we begin this busy and wonderful season of Christmas, we wanted to bring a sense of calm into the lives of all who visit our site… and these hands do it so beautifully. We hope the artwork inspires you to open up, let go and release your ability and faith to God. And we hope you feel the calm that will come.

The Velvet Lime Girls

Christmas Seed Story

Christmas Seed Story

This slender seedpod graced our lives this past month. Gathered on a walk with a granddaughter, it found a home among a collection of natural fall decorations. The slim, tight green husk sat silently, in obscurity, among the collection.

Early one morning a silent explosion occurred and the green husk was split from top to bottom, bursting and birthing light, airy seeds too numerous to count. Fine cotton candy puffs, holding rainbows of light in each lash exploded from the gathered grip of each tiny seed. They could no longer be contained inside the tight green husk. Their time had come. Their season had arrived. They were ready to multiply, replenish, and take dominion over their new dwelling places.

It seemed fitting to have this seedpod arrive so close to Christmas. Like the child born in a manger years ago, who carried a unique seed potential within … son of God and son of man, this “seed” also produced a harvest too numerous to count. When he left this earth, history records that like the seedpod, a veil was torn from top to bottom. A new season, a new arrangement, began and endless numbers of seeds like him were born.

We’ll look at seedpods differently now. They echo an eternal love story. God giving his only Son for us … opening the door for us all to join His family … a family of little seeds too numerous to count.

The Velvet Lime Girls

The Word (Christ) became flesh and blood; and moved into the neighborhood.” John 1:14

Painted Planet Licensing Group

Gratitude. It’s the overwhelming emotion that mounts in our spirits, swells up through our expressions and spills out into every crevice of our lives lately.

G R A T I T U D E.

Here’s one of the reasons why…

Painted Planted Licensing Group is now representing our artwork!

http://www.paintedplanetlicensing.com/velvet-lime-girls.html

We’re thrilled beyond expression as we busy ourselves around our design studio pouring out new artwork in a continual stream. Like young mothers about to give birth, we’re filled with that amazing burst of energy that comes shortly before their little “dream” meets the world. Overwhelming, overflowing, creative energy just floods our studio each day as we begin to give birth to the dream we’ve nurtured for over 4 years … creating artwork to encourage & inspire.

It’s so moving when other people believe in your dream. We honored that Jan Draheim, President of Painted Planet Licensing Group, picked us to be a part of the team. And we’re soaking up the art direction that Creative Director & Art Licensing Consultant, Julie Hosley, is providing. We love working with these girls!

So, if you feel a little breeze lately, it’s just the whirlwind of creativity we’re stirring up here in our studio under our new licensing name … Velvet Lime Girls. We hope you’ll be seeing a lot of us! J

Thanks for all the encouragement so many of you have given us. We have treasured every phone call, email, comment, tweet and expression you have given!

With Gratitude,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Sunflower Smiles

Sunflowers make us smile. Every time. Their perky little faces bright with noonday sun just sunbathe you in happiness. When they first uncover their little faces, releasing their solar flare, the whole world lights up. They stand there in the rain, wind, heat and neglect … sunshine spears, unmoved by circumstances. Then, something amazing happens … they sink their roots down deep into their source and grow. They grow tall … I mean really tall. A towering presence in the flower garden, they become lighthouse beacons shooting down every melancholy thought with their shafts of light. They become bigger and bigger everyday … better and better.

We can be like them. An ancient writing of prose says, “our paths will be brighter and brighter” (Proverbs 4: 18). It means better and better. Like sunflowers, we can begin to tower over circumstances and challenges as we let our roots sink down deep into our source, our God. No matter how challenging a day may have been, we can pull from our source and become a shaft of towering sunshine in our own little world.

We hope our sunflowers make you smile today ... and shine. J

The Velvet Lime girls

The Giant Oak Inside of You

Acorns. They’ve been a tiny participant in our design studio for several years. They first arrived a couple years ago following a walk . Acorns with their little “hats” were scattered under all the trees. I picked up one of these tiny little seeds and looked up at the massive tree canopy above, amazed that this would be the destiny of this tiny creation. James & I gathered several of these “message carriers” and he placed them on Marybeth’s desk. They sparked a creative force inside of her that was first seen in our photographic acorn series and now revealed in this fresh graphic artwork.

An acorn still amazes all of us. This tiny seed becomes a giant oak. By faith it “sees” its potential. Its future is always on its mind …looming over it while it is at its smallest point. It just sinks its tender roots down deeper into the soil when times are tough … it knows its destiny. It’s a destiny that is always clearly visible. No matter how small the acorn may begin, it knows it will become a majestic oak.

We hope you are encouraged to have faith to see beyond the things that may be sleeping in your life. Things that have the power and potential to change when fueled by faith. Faith does see the giant oak in the sleeping acorn.

Let the giant oak within you awaken today.

Laura

HAPPY Winner!

HAPPY! That's how we hope the winner of our Bloom necklace will feel tonight. We've had a full day of creating designs for our new collection in the studio today and the drawing occurred a little after 8:00 tonight. Thank-you to those of you who took the time to friend us, comment to us or like us. We also appreciated the emails and phone calls.

We'd like to announce that the winner is ... Lynn Weatherly Davis!

Congratulations Lynn! We hope you enjoy wearing our necklace as much as we enjoyed creating it and that it always reminds you to "Bloom where you are planted".

We LOVED doing this giveaway and are already planning another one for next month!

Marybeth, Laura and Rebecca - The Velvet Lime Girls

Beach Trip

Some thoughts just refresh you. This one floats over the most relaxing place we know … a slouchy, comfortable chair on the beach. Just sit in it for a minute. You can feel the tension seep out through your toes as they sink in soft sand, every care melting away in a caress of sunlight.

A beach rest is a ripple compared to the overpowering wave of deep rest God offers. It envelopes our cares and pulls them out to sea with a strong rip-tide…. leaving us refreshed and restored.

We’re sparkling sea glass lying on the beach.

Washed. Fresh. Clean. Reflections of peace.

So, sit down in our beach chair today and wrap yourself up in the big thirsty blanket of thought conveyed in our art image … a thought about real rest. We like the way The Message says it:

“Are you tired and worn out? 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 … Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” Matthew 11:28 & 29

Laura

Ballast Rocks

I have a collection of prized possessions in my garden … three ballast rocks from the Outer Banks.

A few years ago, my Dad would regularly dive down and haul these heavy rocks from the waters off Roanoke Island to use as borders in his garden.The rocks are protected today and only the “old-timers” seem to have any in their yards. I admired their beauty and recently my Dad gave me a small collection. According to Dad, ballast rocks were used to stabilize the early ships and counterbalance the stress and strain of wind on the sails, giving the ships stability and enabling them to sail without danger of capsizing. I’m told that these rocks, so essential for safe voyage, had to later be thrown off for safe passage into the new land. The throwing off of the ballast rocks created a lighter vessel that could safely navigate the shallow, rocky waters that encircled the new land and new opportunities. Had the ships held on to the things that had once provided security, they would have never been able to arrive at their destination safely.

Ballast rocks are a great reminder to let go of things…even things that may have brought security… and embrace change. Change that can bring about new opportunities and “new land”. Change that will never come without letting go of the old way of doing things and navigating into new thoughts and new visions.

“Forget the former things.. I will do a new thing.” Isaiah 43:18-19

Laura

New Artwork!

It’s been a busy summer for us... traveling, staying home with the kids (and trying to find just one spare hour a day to be creative), swimming, playing....you get the idea. We’ve been busy creating and thinking and planning. And we couldn’t wait any longer to show you some new artwork. Remember when you were a kid in art class and you’d weave paper or make mosaics? (We sometimes get the best inspiration from their ideas!) This is just the beginning...there’s more to be uploaded. And we’ll be offering prints soon on Etsy.