Restoration

Need a little restoration today? A little renewing, recharging, recreating, refreshing, repairing, or reviving? We have something to give you then... it's kind of like a soothing balm for your soul. It's a collection of healing words straight from the promises of God in scripture, the whispered prayers in our hearts and random thoughts on restoration.  This is for you today, just soft, encouraging words spoken straight to your heart:

We'd like to give this to you. Please click here for your free printable:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4R8A0B0RLCjLW1IbFIzZU5GTW8/edit?usp=sharing

We hope this brings a little comfort to you today... a little refreshing, renewing and restoring.


There is something so transforming in seeing and saying these healing words and letting them soothe away the cares, challenges and weights we've picked up along the way. We hope it becomes part of your restoration today.


Refreshed and Renewed,

The Velvet Lime Girls




Summer's Goodbye

Summer officially said goodbye a couple of days ago, but like the birds trailing behind this shrimp boat in a never-ending party, we're still living like its summer here in Georgia. 

We haven't even put away our white pants.

We're still slipping around in flip flops and shorts, swimming laps in the sun, snapping photos in the garden and creating artwork in our sun drenched studio. 

Summer girls at heart, we're relishing every bright morsel nature tosses our way... sunny days, blue skies and those porcelain, white puffy clouds. But, we know a change is coming. Fall is here. A new season is being ushered in.

Instead of holding on to this summer season we love with a salty-old-knotted-rope-grip, we're embracing change and setting our eyes on the horizon ...on the good things to come. 

The gentle rippling in of autumn always refreshes us with a new expectation and a promise from Proverbs.

The path ahead can be "brighter and brighter".

"The path of the just is like the morning sun, shining brighter and brighter until the full light of day."  Proverbs 4:18

Hearts swaying with anticipation in the breeze of change, 

The Velvet Lime Girls

Photos captured on the banks of Shallowbag Bay in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Our Artwork on iPads!

© Velvet Lime Girls 2012

We're absolutely giddy today about our artwork being selected to grace the covers of phones, iPads and laptops. Here's a peek at the first three of our designs now available on the Zing Revolution site. 
http://www.zingrevolution.com/browse-by-artwork/art/velvet-lime-girls.html

The company was gracious enough to send each of us preliminary samples of the artwork on iPhone covers and we slipped them on right away...and loved the responses they brought! It's fun to pick up your phone and have a little message greet you like "Sing With All Your Heart!"

© Velvet Lime Girls 2012

                           

Or, to answer your phone and have this gentle reminder of home embrace you in the middle of a busy day.

© Velvet Lime Girls 2012

Feel free to give us a call today, so we can answer our cute little phones again :-)

Grateful Hearts,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Raindrops from Heaven

The rains have fallen almost daily in Atlanta this summer.  Refreshing the landscape and filling our lakes and reservoirs to the brim.  In summers past, the land around us has endured hot, dry, parched days, until everyone and everything around us seemed to be longing for one-single-drop-of-water.

So, imagine our delight when this refreshing photo rippled softly into our studio!  It made us so thankful for the saturating rains that have fallen lately. We found our thoughts trickling over to the restorative, living-water offered to us each day from God. He showers us with droplets of grace daily and offers the promise of a river that flows from our very hearts.

We hope you'll pause and take a refreshing sip with us today... through our photos and the thirst-quenching quote below.

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  John 7:37-38

A special thanks to James Rhodes, our "platinum advisor", for helping us see the world through a creative lens and for snapping this early morning photo.

Catching every little raindrop,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Hands that Nurture

A recent visit to a real chicken coop for a few cage-free, fresh, organic eggs left us with a basketful of something more than the dozen yellow-yoked gems we cradled home.  

It left a gentle deposit in our hearts, the essence of something that is more often felt than seen. 

It left our hearts filled with 

NURTURE.

Nurture is defined as something or someone that provides support or nourishment.  It carries the idea of caring, tending, protecting, nourishing and watching over.  We saw nurturing on display all around this little chicken coop.

In hands that tenderly calmed a hen, as talk was made of the extra care given to each feathered friend

 ... good diet, safe habitat and a peaceful dwelling.

In the ever-watchful eyes of a protective hen, always ready to cover and protect.

In feathered and fluffed nests, prepared and kept with love.

In the "green pastures" 

and  flowers blooming, thriving, and flourishing in the NURTURE.

          And in the grace-filled hands, embracing five perfect eggs.

Absolutely everything in the garden surrounding this chicken coop seemed to be thriving.

 Even the tree canopies overhead!

Nurturing does that.  
It benefits not only the ones cared for, but all the lives around it.

Nurturing is such a beautiful act of love and our hearts couldn't resist feeling the parallel of God's nurturing heart toward us.  It's been said that He watches over us like this hen, 
covering us with his "feathers", 
pulling us under His wing. 
He cares for, 
tends to, 
protects 
and watches over us.

What a lovely message from this little chicken coop. 
A reminder to let ourselves be nurtured and loved by our Creator, and as we do, we're able to nurture and love those around us.

We hope you'll let yourself feel the NURTURE, the care, the love, the embrace of the One who loves you the most, and as you do, just watch your world change... transformed by the ripple effect of receiving NURTURE.

"He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge..."
Psalm 91:4

Living under His feathers,
The Velvet Lime Girls 


P.S. A special thank-you to Suellen Lithgoe, the gracious lady who nurtures this chicken coop in Louisiana and reflects a life of one who is well-loved by God. 

Red, White & Blue

Our flower garden started a 4th of July celebration last week. 

Explosions of red, white and blue began popping out in every direction. 

And we didn't even have to wait until dark!

Two young, budding photographers captured a few of these patriotic portraits 
just in time for a little fireworks celebration right here in our blog.

So, if your annual 4th of July parade has been rained out.. pull up a chair, roll out a blanket, find some barbecue, spray on a little insect repellent for atmosphere and celebrate with us. 

                          Our eyes are filled with wonder at the

                                                           RED

Photo-Saxon Skinner - 11 years old

                                                      WHITE

                                      

                                                    and BLUE

Photo-Saxon Skinner - 11 years old

                        Our hearts are filled with praise at God's
                                                     GRACE

                                                    JOY

                                                             
                                                and  LOVE

  

Photo- Meredith Skinner- 15 yrs old

This 4th of July garden celebration has us singing in the studio today and we hope you'll join along.

"God bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home

God bless America, My home sweet home."

Celebrating Independence Day,

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. A special thank-you to Meredith and Saxon Skinner, Laura's niece and nephew, for letting us see the garden celebrations through their lens.

Summertime

                                                         SUMMER

When time rolls out like a long stretch of beach.

Time 

to

collect seashells

build sandcastles

catch lightening bugs

stretch out on a beach blanket

chase fiddler crabs 

walk in the surf

count stars

body surf

fly kites

eat shrimp

feed seagulls

stroll on a beach

find hermit crabs

leave footprints in the sand

flashlight walk at night 

run through sand dunes

 look at shooting stars

catch crabs

relax...

Enjoy this first day of summer,
The Velvet Lime Girls