Transformations

Mounds of freshly washed celery stalks with colorful, leafy heads of celadon, sulphur springs and soft as summer green are glistening in our studio today. Earlier, they frolicked in a kitchen sink water bath and then stretched themselves out on a long wire basket, like sunbathers on a beach, to let the final drops of water evaporate one by one. They were just too beautiful to ignore with their green reflections in the morning sun and we had to snap a photo to capture their colors and shapes!

As beautiful as these firm, strong stalks are, they were destined for something much more magnificent. Along with onions, garlic, parsley, peppercorns and an array of vegetables, they formed the base of a hearty stock that now simmers in our studio.  
The aroma is absolutely divine and wraps itself around everyone with a deep culinary fragrance hug.

This stock that will nourish our bodies and souls later, in a savory soup, was quite a transformation story. The firm, hard stalks softened and became a smooth, savory, epicurean delight as they yielded to the seasoned broth around them. Their flavor was brought to an entirely new level as they allowed themselves to be changed, enriched and re-created. It's hard to believe that the final creation, a luxurious, silky, smooth stock, was anything like the hard, original celery stalk.

It's a metamorphosis that parallels our own lives, when we yield to the master Creator and allow:

                our hard edges to be softened by grace

                our rough exteriors to be smoothed by love

               our flavors to be enriched by embracing others. 

Like stock, we'll develop a deeper, richer, well-matured, full-bodied quality. What a flavor we can become in the hands of a Master Chef. Little pièces de résistance! 
It's a recipe of divine proportions that we'd like to share with you:
"If anyone is ingrafted in Christ, they're a new creation (a new creature altogether);
the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. 
The fresh and new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

We hope our stock story simmers in your spirit today and reminds you of the total  transformation that is possible for all of us.


Sipping on soup in our studio,
The Velvet Lime Girls

LOVE

Love never gives up.


Love cares more for others than for self.


Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.


Love doesn’t strut,


Doesn’t have a swelled head,


Doesn’t force itself on others,


Isn’t always “me first,”


Doesn’t fly off the handle,


Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,


Doesn’t revel when others grovel,


Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,


Puts up with anything,


Trusts God always,


Always looks for the best,


Never looks back,


But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.

The Message – 1 Corinthians 13

Celebrating an Artist

Last week we celebrated Marybeth, our art director, on the wonderful occasion of her birthday.

Whenever we celebrate a birthday for someone special we often use this expression. "We're so glad you were born!" And this was a sentiment expressed to Marybeth last week from our hearts.

If you happen to have a creative person to celebrate here are a few of our gift ideas:

  

1. Find arty, inspiring journals that just beg you to start sketching, doodling and writing.                     We loved these journals with embossed phrases on leather. Notice the pops of color in the text. We were thrilled to find these at TJ Maxx!

2. Fragrance their life with luxurious scented candles. Marybeth is a packaging connoisseur, so this ginger mango candle by Aquiesse was a visual treat filled with a little aromatherapy.

Who knew a candle could come wrapped so elegantly? Half the fun is just unwrapping the package! These lovely candles can be found at Armour and Co.
@ http://www.armourandco.com/

Just visiting their site is like stepping onto a luxurious beach in the middle of the day. Stepping into their store is absolute paradise.

(In a pinch, you may find these candles
at selected TJMaxx stores, but then you'd miss the 
experience of Armour and Co!  And the memory of the
visit, the essence of the candle and the uplifting feeling
you come away with, will just light up your spirit each time that 
lovely candle is lit.)

3. Finally, wrap up all celebrations with artistic edibles!

We gathered up these little treats from Alon's Bakery, a savory, culinary art museum itself!  You just have to go! @ http://www.alons.com/

With all the celebrating and singing that goes along with birthdays, we couldn't help to remind
ourselves that we're being celebrated everyday. In fact, there's a little bit of singing that occurs over each of us on a regular basis.

"God takes great delight in you...he rejoices over you with singing" Zephaniah 3:17

So, even if it's not your birthday today, just tell yourself, "Hey, I'm being celebrated! Someone is singing over me!" 

Cake and candles are optional for you today, but the singing ... it goes on forever.

Celebrating,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Mart JOY!

"Joy is that bubbling-over, effervescent, fizz of life, that can't be contain inside one person"   © The Velvet LIme Girls

                                                                        

Oh, we are just bubbling over with seltzer smiles today after seeing some of our artwork on Custom Decor products in the Atlanta showroom, Darrah and Co.
Garden flags, mailbox covers and lovely doormats covered with our uplifting artwork and inspiring messages... it's a little bit of the dream and vision in our hearts coming to life.  

Here's a closer view of one of our favorites pieces with Marybeth Wydock, the artist who created these lovely designs.

Some people are just born creative ... notice that her shoes match the pantone color in the artwork. 

The Atlanta Mart is just buzzing this year and we loved the energy and creativity that freely flowed throughout the day. We stopped for a fun visit with our licensing agent, Jan Draheim and her assistant Rebecca Hubert of Painted Planet Licensing Group,  to discuss new color trends and designs with Alison Gordon of Custom Decor.

And we were thrilled beyond expression to spend some time with Jacqueline Decker, an artist we admire who is as refreshing and genuine in person as her lovely works of art.  Jacqueline's studio is the choir loft of an old church, now restored into her family's  home. You really have to take a look:http://jackiedecker.blogspot.com/

Two gracious gentlemen at Little River Gift spent some time telling us about the heartwarming history of this family-owned company and the inspirational products they create. Thank-you Bret and Clay! Take a look at their uplifting website if you are not familiar with them, so inspiring!

http://littlerivergift.com/

And we re-connected with some old aquaintances at Kindred Hearts.  They're another creative family owned business that are just so uplifting to visit.  

http://www.kindredhearts.com/

We'll have some more Mart info to come, including our fun trip to the Westside Provisions area for gourmet cookies for Jan and a relaxed, casual dinner at Taqueria del Sol. It's just around the corner from the Mart, for those of you in town this week.   http://westsidepd.com/dining/

Grateful Hearts in Atlanta,

The Velvet Lime Girls 

Impressions

 

Some creatures leave the most beautiful impressions. 

When a little dove flew directly into this sunroom window yesterday, it left behind an imprint on the glassy canvas and a story in our hearts.

We're grateful to Laura's Dad, who captured this feathery photo and sent it to us with the following note: 
"...there was a heavy frost on the ground, and as the sunlight struck the glass, an image of the dove impacting the glass became abundantly  clear. The combination of frost, sunlight and dust on the glass created a breathtaking image that faded away almost as quickly as it appeared."

An impression left behind...

                  a fleeting glimpse...

the lingering essence of something beautiful.

It reminded us of the impressions our lives can leave behind everyday.  We're little carriers of light and even when we face bumps in our road, just like this dove, we can leave behind

 an imprint of beauty, 
                  an imprint of grace,
                           an imprint of hope. 
                               
In fact, we're encouraged to do just that.
"Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message ..." Phillipians 4-16 

The faint impression left by this dove still radiates a fluid, transcendent feeling of flight. Our spirits kind of soar when we stop and gaze at it.  He left a beautiful, uplifting image and a quiet reminder for us to do the same in our world. 

We hope you'll be encouraged to be little light carriers today. Spilling out joy, grace, compassion, hope, love and beauty as you soar through this world.

Leaving impressions,
The Velvet Lime Girls 

detail of dove wing... the sparkle on the end just appeared.
Photos by Clarence P. Skinner

Nativity

This slightly crooked and fragile nativity scene is a quiet reminder that the birth of the Son of God was not quite perfect looking at first glance. A long trip, instead of the comforts of home, a manger instead of room at the inn …this was probably not the way they had it planned.

God had a plan though and it was perfect. Nestled within this humble beginning was the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace … our Emmanuel.

This little nativity whispers to each of us that the bent places in our lives, the weathered journeys and the fragile moments of life may not always be perfect looking from the outside … but our God always has a good plan and tenderly reminds us:                        

“...I have come that you might have life and life more abundant.”                      John 10:10

  

Thanking God for each of you this Christmas and for all the shared moments of crooked times, fragile times and good times.  The best is yet to come!

The Velvet Lime Girls

Christmas 2012

Season of The King

 

December is here.

Ornaments are coming out of hibernation, Christmas trees are slipping into festive attire and lights are filling the nights with brilliant expressions of joy.  The celebrations of Christmas are unfolding everywhere.

Here in our studio, in the midst of all the anticipation and excitement, we’ve paused a moment to reflect on the heart of Christmas.  We’re remembering that it’s the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings.  This is the moment we wait for all year. Celebrating the One who loved us enough to come to earth and “move into the neighborhood” (The Message- John 1:14)

What a love story Christmas is to all of us. The King of Kings humbling himself and being born as a child in the little town of Bethlehem.  Just for us.

We captured these thoughts and reflections into some artwork a few years ago.  We filled a background with ancient manuscripts telling the story of the birth of Jesus,

 added washes of symbolic red and gold

and then finally sealed the layers with a crown, signifying the royal lineage of the King of Kings.

We like to pull this artwork out each December, just to remember what it’s all about, and we hope it brings a moment of peaceful pause to your day today.

In the spirit of Christmas, we are giving away one archival print of this artwork to one of our facebook “friends” in a random drawing on December 10^th.  To be eligible, simply tell us what word or words capture the heart and the essence of Christmas for you on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/VelvetLImeDesigns

We’ll be looking for your facebook comments whether they are funny, pensive, insightful, silly, thoughtful or brief. Just a word or phrase will do!

Anticipating Christmas,

The Velvet Lime Girls

 Print also available @ http://www.etsy.com/shop/velvetlimedesigns?ref=pr_shop_more