Healing Words

We've just finished our morning walk outside the studio on this lovely morning here in Georgia and we wanted to send out the third art sentiment in our faith-seeds series.  These are heartfelt expressions and watercolor plays that we scatter around here to build our faith or encourage one another.  They're simple, but powerful, because we layer a love note, a love expression, from God on top of everything.  And that changes everything.  As a well-known speaker once said, "One word from God can change everything."* We believe the words we place on these simple art expressions can change things in your life, and the lives of others. So, print it out, tape in on things, and pass it along to someone who may need a love note from God to them.

This third faith-seed is for those who need healing in any area of their lives.  Those who need a visit from the Great Physician himself.  He reveals Himself through His Word, and these words are so powerful.  We hope you let them soak into your spirit all day long.

Nothing is impossible with God,
The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. Quote by Gloria Copeland

Faith- Seed #2

Well, hello again! Thanks for joining us on this second day of our seed planting :-)
We're scattering these little faith seeds out over the next 7 days for readers to print out for themselves, tape onto walls, or pass along to someone who just may need to be reminded of a beautiful promise from God.  

We hope our watercolor wash builds your faith today. 

We'll see you here tomorrow with another faith-seed just for you.

Live Blessed,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Faith Seed #1

Here's a little gift for you on this Monday morning.  It's the first of 7 art sentiments for you to print out for yourself or share with someone who may need a little extra faith right now. We're calling these faith seeds... simple art expressions that come straight from the heart of God.  They can also be found in their original form in that treasury known as The Holy Bible.

We're scattering these seeds out there for anyone who has a battle they may be facing in their health, or in a relationship, or in their emotions, or in their finances, or in their family... or in anything.  Join us over the next 7 days as we share a simple piece of artwork for you to plant deep in your spirit. 

These will build your faith.  

We were inspired to do this by the Battle of Jericho, one of the most intimidating battles every fought and recorded in the Book of Joshua.  The Israelites faced a formidable city named Jericho. This walled fortress could have been intimidating, if they had tried to conquer it in their own strength, but with bold, brave faith in God, the Israelites listened and obeyed His instructions, and with a loud shout on the 7th day ... they watched the walls come tumbling down.  

The story is a blueprint for us today when we face formidable challenges. It reminds us that with God, nothing is impossible.  

Nothing. 

Nothing. 

Nothing. 

In fact, with God, all things are possible.

So let these faith seeds empower you with strength.  Print them out, tape them on your walls, hang them in your car, stick them on your mirrors, share them with your friends, or pass them on to someone who needs a lift in their spirit today.  These are powerful words, because they are not our words, but God's words, straight from The Bible.  And when these words are mixed with faith, you're  going to want to shout ... as you watch the walls you face come tumbling down.

Believing with you, that all things are possible with God,

The Velvet Lime Girls

P. S.  As a reminder, we do not sell products with our artwork.  We just license our artwork to manufacturers.   If you are a retailer and would like to have the Be Brave Keep Going artwork in your store, it is available in various canvas sizes through MET Colors

Their website is being updated but the highlighted link will connect you with them.

Royal Color

How does the color purple bring such elegance to everything it touches? 
From those stately iris heads giving royal waves in the summer breeze...

To regal clematis blooms moving with grace...even as they drop their petals.
                         

The color purple just lifts a person up to a loftier place, a royal place, and it was the color we picked for one of our favorite pieces of artwork that called for a noble look ... our "You Are Chosen" artwork.

A study of Ephesians was the initial inspiration for the "You Are Chosen" artwork. As we read and reread the amazing verse that mentions our being "seated together with Him in high places",  we could hardly wrap our minds around that thought.  Us... being seated near God, in heavenly places?  Yeah, that's what the verse says:
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus..."  Ephesians 2:6

Wow, we are really loved.

This verse painted a picture in our heads...a picture of a royal purple, plush chair. The kind you would just want to sink into and stay awhile.      

More cozy than stately.

More comforting than commanding.  

A place prepared with pure love and grace.

Marybeth, with her gift of turning the art in our heads into realities, created this initial piece of artwork in soft, pale purple watercolors and we wrote about it an earlier blog.  (Click Royal Seating  for earlier blog.)

The artwork evolved to a collage-style final stage for use on products with some of the wonderful manufacturers we work with. 

So, now this little message of grace and God loving us enough to seat us in heavenly places with Him, is now being shared around the world on journals, coasters, notebooks, memo pads and cards.  Thank-you so much to  Legacy Publishing Group,  Divinity Boutique and Painted Planet Licensing, for helping us pass this wonderful truth along to others.

Grateful hearts in Georgia,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Brave Bluebells

The bluebells are blooming in our studio garden.  They pushed their heads up through the dirt, moss, and pine straw last week and this morning they've been catching dew drops on their turned-up curly heads. We've caught them dancing around too.

We think it's because they've been brave.  
Brave enough to push through the hard, brown barrier that hung over their heads all winter long. 
Brave enough to believe their Creator had a purpose for them.  
Brave enough to trust the love they are wrapped in.  


When you've been so beautifully created, wrapped in such love, how could you not be brave?
When someone cares enough to trace the length of your petals with lavender love lines, mist your face with drops of dew from Heaven and wrap your heart in a tender embrace... you can push through anything.  

Love makes you brave.

"You make me brave, you make me brave,

 You call me out beyond the shore into the waves

You make me brave, you make me brave

No fear can hinder now the promises you have made."

                         Bethel Music

So take a cue from the bluebells.  Be Brave.

You can push through any challenge you face today with the strength that comes from being loved by God.

"Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

The Velvet Lime Girls

Coaster with Velvet Lime Girls artwork, courtesy of 

Legacy Publishing Group

A Work of Art in Progress

We love the beginning of any work of art.  Those first few strokes of color that slip out, so brave and bold, pulling shapes off a blank canvas, liberating the vision inside an artist. The first stroke, as beautiful as it may be, is merely the beginning of something so much bigger and grander.  

There are other strokes to add, other colors to blend, other highlights to scatter, for a true work of art to be created.  To a casual observer, there may be moments when everything just seems to not-be-working-out-well-together.

But, the artist has a vision inside and sees the final end before the beginning.  And each stroke, even the ones that seem out of place or the ones that mess things up, bring the piece closer to it's beautiful completion.

                            
At each stage, it simply progresses to something more glorious than before.  And those little strokes that began the artwork's story are so very glad they trusted the artist with a master plan. 

"Trust" 12"x16" pastel on paper
© James Rhodes 2015

Life is so beautiful when it's lived in trust. 

     " For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. 

 They are plans for good and not for evil, 

plans to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. A special thank-you to James Rhodes, (the husband of Laura, one of the Velvet Lime Girls), for letting us photograph his latest piece of artwork as it progressed in our studio.
Gratitude also to his art instructor, Kathryn Gentile , who gently pulls the gifts and talents out of each of her students as she teaches at Johns Creek Art Center.
                                           

Mini-Flags for Spring Gardens!

Spring has fluttered-in to all of Georgia.  The cherry trees have been in full bloom and, as Laura's youngest granddaughter recently observed, the trees look like snow trees filled with puffy clouds of snow petals. We are totally captivated by these snow trees when an April breeze fills the air and releases hundreds of blushing pink petals to dance across the sky.  Oh, spring is so beautiful here in Georgia under a cherry tree filled with snow petals.

We started announcing the arrival of this beautiful season with some of the cute mini-flags we created for CARSON.  The mini-flags grace our garden pots, flowers, and herb gardens. The flags seem to echo the thoughts we hum in our hearts as we stroll around our studio garden.
This one greets us every morning as it rests in a glazed pot of moss:

This one settled into the herb garden:

And this one waits to be given to a friend:

We just create the artwork for these cute flags and do not sell them here, but you can find the flags online at  AMAZON ,  ChristianBook.com or retail gifts stores that carry CARSON gift products.  (The helpful folks at Carson customer service can direct you to a store with a call to 1.800.888.1918)

If you own a retail store, here's a link and photo of the current Carson wholesale catalog: 
CARSON- Retailer Catalog for Mini Flags

We hope you take a moment to enjoy the sites and scents of spring around you today... and take a pause to sit under a cherry tree that might be "snowing".

Enjoying springtime,
The Velvet Lime Girls