Tree House

The Tree House

If you remember last winter Ursula and I painted cartoon figures on the nursery wall of our church.

Notice the mouse and rat.

Shortly after we had finished the room we were asked if we would paint the Sunday school room. This time Yvonne, head of children's' ministry, wanted the room to look like a tree-house.

We did not start the project until the winter. The room was smaller so I thought it would take less time.  Wrong!
In the nursery big things were painted on the wall while this room had small things and less cartoon figures so more detail.

I wondered how I should tackle this room. We started by painting a large oak tree in the corners for the tree house to sit in.  Then the wooden walls for the tree house came next, complete with a ladder on the door. The walls were the easy part.

Eagle Looking for Lunch

What would be a tree house with out animals? The animals were the most fun. Birds, nests, squirrels, and an eagle, bears with the honey hive, even a cat hanging in the tree began to come to life.

Mrs. Moose

Moose are very tall so one sticking his head over the wall was added, and a lady one. By the time we got the vulture, the moose and owl we realized we had too much brown and green. The moose became blue, the owl pink and green and the vulture purple. It is amazing how we can see cartoons in weird colours and not even think about it, at least I do and others who paint them that colour.

Vulture Peeking Out and the Raccoon too.

Vulture's Spying the Praying Mantis.

One challenge with this room is that there are two wooden tables that hinge up against the wall when not in use. We painted the tops of the tables to look like wood. Then we painted the tree house both on the wall and the back of the tables so the tree house is still there no matter how the tables are placed. Behind one table is the purple vulture with his head sticking out.

The other table has a cub bear licking the honey while his friend not behind the table watched on.  As we painted we had to remind ourselves not to forget the painting behind the tables.  

Watch the Bee Sings Little Bear

Where' the Other Bear?

Three months later Ursula had the room finished. Again both of our creative talents grew along with our friendship. Following God's plan for us is exciting. God knew that Ursula and I are very much alike and we would get along well so he put us together painting these walls.

Just Hanging Out.

 Enjoy the pictures and if you are in Bracebridge pop into the Wellington Street Pentecostal church to see it.

Fire Works

Fire works are those things in life that we all sit and watch in amazement. The awes and oohhs  come out as we gaze into the night sky. 

With some friends we went to the fire works. Greg and I set up our tripods as our families longed on the lawn to watch.

It is not easy to figure out where in the sky they will explode. I didn't want the camera to move so I could get long exposures. There were plenty of fireworks to take and a few came out great. 

It was an interesting experience. One I will do again.

Blue Jay On A Tray

I enjoy turning on the wheel to makes mugs and bowls, but sometimes I just need to be creative and China paint is one avenue that allows me to do this. 

This winter I bought forms to make platters. I made a rectangular platter from porcelain, bisque fired it than glaze fired it. It was ready for the China paint and just in time to take a course on painting a blue jay. 

For years I have been trying to take pictures of blues, they are flitty. This winter I was able to get a few shots of them at the bird feeder and in the spruce tree.  This one in the tree was just the blue jay for my platter.

I painted the base colours of the blue jay and the background and the tree in China paint. Then into the kiln it went. Next came the shading, then back into the kiln.  Last came any details and finishing touches and a final firing. With China paint you can paint many layers and keep firing it or do only one firing, like my first painting of the apples.

China paint comes as a dry powder and the mixing medium I use does not dry the paint. One advantage is you can easily take off anything you don't want on there. The disadvantage is you can muddy up the painting my mixing the paints. That is why it is done in stages, firing in between each one to fire the paint to the glaze.

China paint brings back my folk art painting techniques, combined with the fine art techniques I have learned.  When I was taking the folk art painting courses back in 1996 I had no idea that training would help me in the China painting. God, who knows every thing, will lead willing people where he wants us to go and even though we don't know were it will lead, if your heart says do it chances are it will lead to something better. 

Setting Goals

Last year I posted a blog that I was going to set a goal and make X amount of pottery for 2011.  Well I didn't make my goals. Due to the economy sales were down so  I didn't need to make a lot of pottery. God knew that I didn't need a lot of pottery.

I have tried in the past to set goals and it has never worked out. Not only do I not meet them, but it also adds undo stress to my life. Being creative with my pottery also gives me peace, but I didn't do very many creative items last year. 

Years ago someone spoke a  Godly word over me. They said I was called Joyce because my life would be joyful. At the time I was in deep depressions as I used to suffer from bipolar. I also did not know whom God created me to be, as a result I was doing every thing for other people and not what God called me to be. To have my joy I must follow God.

I know that I find my joy in making pottery and God has opened many doors for me.  My goals weren't met last year as God had other plans for me. I was introduced to China paint on porcelain, which also excites me.  I also started taking drum lessons which apparently I am a natural at. I had no idea I would do either of these. They weren't in my goals.

God even impressed on me this fall not to attend our ladies bible study as he'd rather I go out to the world and witness.  It is a good study, but its not what God wants for me.  He doesn't want me to go to any more religious activities that don't enhance my life. The day after I submitted to God and said I wouldn't go to the study I witnessed to 3 people in as many days. This was confirmation that I did what God wanted.

This morning I was reading Ezekiel 29. God is cutting down Egypt due to their sin, but also in verse 16 it says, never again will Israel be tempted to rely on Egypt.  When I read this I realized I relied on setting my goals instead of following God. When I follow God I am content and happy, just like this chick-a dee.

As the old song of the 80's went, Be Happy, Don't Worry. Hopefully this year I'll just follow God and be happy and I'll see where God leads me this new and exciting year.

Who Art Thou

Every year in November our local art gallery The Muskoka Art and Crafts Gallery http://www.muskokaartsandcrafts.com/ has a very interesting fund raiser.

Local artist pick up  8 x 10 canvases from them. We then put on the canvases what ever we want and hand them back to the gallery. The art is hung on the wall without any names as to who has done the work, hence the title. All the art is sold at $45.00 and for one week people flock to the gallery to purchase original art work.  Behind each peace is the photo of the art work along with who created it. Once they have been bought the artist is revealed.

Last year was my first time doing this. I did two pieces last year and also this year.

I create the main theme out of clay and painted in the background. The finished and fired clay piece is glued on after the paint dries.

Last year I was able to go to the opening and my sail boat picture had been sold before I got there. The lady who bought it was standing in line so I was able to introduce myself. 

This year due to a snow storm of the opening night I decided not to go. When I did get there a few days later my mountain goat had been sold. 

All four of my pieces sold.

I recently won some oil paints so I think I will try this technique with oils and sell them.

Peace Be To You

With the Christmas season coming I was compelled to write about peace on the CASTTEAM blog. I thought I'd share it on my blog too.

Ephesians 1:2

"I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ."

We as Christians celebrate Christmas because it is the time God the son left his perfect place in heaven and came to live with us, to die on the cross so we may be saved from the wrath of God who gives us peace on earth.

So in this busy hectic time of preparing for Christmas, how is your peace?

I put up the tree, earlier than normal this year, because the family flies in for holidays early. It took almost all day because I also decorate the house and clean as I go too. About half way through, I thought maybe I won't bother putting it up in future years, if we don’t have the kids here to enjoy it. Then I thought. It takes one day to put it up, one day to take it down. That is 2 days out of 365 days. I can do this, especially for the beauty it brings to our home. It has been up for two weeks. The family has enjoyed, especially the old electric train of my husbands running around it. I enjoy looking at and every evening hubby turns on the lights.

Buying all those Christmas gifts can be another stress factor. I start in October and little by little I get the gifts from my list. It spreads out the money and the time. Then there is the baking and cooking of many foods we only eat once a year.  And sending out cards. Many people now use the email for this. I like cards as decorating and the pictures get used as next year’s tags or for my art. I used to write and annual letter and last year I stopped that. I got a few complaints, oh well. 

We do lots for Christmas to make it special, but how many of our friends and family would complain if every decoration wasn’t in place, every traditional baking wasn’t done, only a few, and tones of present weren’t under the tree? Maybe the last one they might complain.

 Less than one week left before Christmas and two days before we go to our daughters to meet up with the family. As usual the house got decorated, cards were sent, presents bought and wrapped and today the baking will be done. The peace is still here. Our grandson's and my father's birthday stuff is done too as they both fall in the holiday. 

 One reason for my peace is I have cut down on what I used to do. I don't get hung up on the small stuff either.  

We have a choice in life. We can make our lives stressful or stress free. It depends on how much we do and our attitude. I always say things go better in my life if I want to do something instead of have to.

In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul is taking about marriage but verse 7 can apply to anything.  ‘God has called us to make the best of it, as peacefully as we can.’

So I’ll ask you again. Is their peace in your heart this year?  Do you fret and worry or have contentment like these birds. 3 John 14  ‘Peace be to you’ 

I Am the Potter: You Are the Clay

We live in a microwave society; but God uses slow cookers.

I’ve been told it takes 12 years to become a good potter. I’ve been at it for 8 years, part time. Be it12 years or 8, pottery is something that I will always be learning to do. Taking a lump of clay and making it into a mug, a sculpture or even a vase is exciting. The best part is I get to decorate it. I feel I have only touched the tip of the iceberg in pottery. Learning to make pottery is a slow cooker process.  I will always be tweaking and improving my pottery.

God works like this in our lives.  “I am the potter and you are the clay.”

The first thing I do when starting a clay project is to take the clay and wedge it, which is similar to kneading bread. This aligns the molecules causing the clay to become smooth.

God some times has to pound at our lives to align us to Him and to mold our self will into His will, smoothing out our rough spots.

Imagine my shock if my clay said to me, ‘make me into the most exquisite vase, not a plain mug’. That would be absurd to think this would happen, but how often do we do this with God, the one who created us and knows us better than we know ourselves?

After I have created bowls, cups, vases, dishes, animals, any thing I like, I place the piece a self under plastic, which allows it to dry slowing, preventing it from cracking. During the drying time, about 2 weeks, I will take a peak at the pottery to see it progress.

In my life with God there have been many times when I feel God has ignored me. Have I been set up on the shelf to dry off slowing after he has worked on me? God has not ignored me, but is checking up on my progress, anxiously waiting for the drying time to end.

When the clay is bone dry, no moisture left in it, I place it in a kiln and fire it to about 1800 degrees F. It takes several hours to fire the clay, then a few days for the clay to cool down before I can take the bisque ware out of the kiln. Now I can give it color and make it unique by painting on glazes and or decorations. Back into the kiln it goes, but up to 2195 degrees. At the end of the day the kiln has finished, but again I have to wait a few days before I can see what the pottery looks like. If I take it out too early, before it has cooled down the shock of the cool air will cause the glaze to crack. It is all in the timing of the clay and I can’t rush it. God knows he can’t rush us or we might crack too.

Sometimes I will put a luster finish of gold, or pearl and it will need another firing in the kiln. Most pottery is only in the kiln twice, but the fancier it is the more times it is fired.  Often the brightest finishes are some of the last to be applied. In some of the high gloss glazes I can see my reflection.  

 

I see each kiln firing as God’s refining fires of tribulation. The more he works on us, and the more heat we endure, the more our lives can shine his glory. People will be able to see the reflection of Jesus our creator in us. It takes patience to do pottery. God takes time and has abundant patience with us, which I am thankful for.  

When we allow God to work on us our true personality comes out into the light.

Clay can be made into almost anything. There is such a wide variety of finishes and uses of pottery; earthenware to matte finishes to high gloss and several in between.  With hand built pottery no two pieces are exactly a like.

 Our beauty of whom God created us to be is unique. No one is the same.

My pray is that each and everyone find out who God has created you to be. May your life reflect the glory of God so we become the kingdom of God’s on earth.