From Concept to Reality

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, states that, "The cure for our self absorption is an encounter with God.  The real God is infinitely glorious, weighty, and beautiful.  When God moves from concept to reality, he changes our beliefs and priorities by displaying his beauty, man's sinfulness, and purifying man by grace.  Once changed, we can live new lives for him."

Holy Name of Jesus
  

St. Bernardine of Siena was an "Apostle of Italy."  He frequently preached on the Holy name of Jesus.  His preaching attracted sometimes as many as 30,000 people.  It was said of him that by his sermons he "cleansed all Italy from sins of every kind in which sin abounded."  The Sienese were so moved and changed by his preaching that they would put the symbol in the picture above their city gates, businesses and homes.  The preaching of Jesus' name brought peace to an area that was plagued with hostility.  God must have moved from "concept to reality," and Italy was changed because of it.  In God's Word, Philippians 2:9-11 tells us that, "God exalted him *(Jesus) to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  People are radically changed by Jesus.  What would your city look like if it were radically changed by Jesus?

*Word in parenthesis mine.

Are Names Important?

I remember when I was pregnant with my first child.  My husband and I were trying to choose a name for our son.  We went to the local bookstore, sat on the floor, and surrounded ourselves with baby name books.  I had no idea how hard this task would be.  As a little girl, I already had my children's names picked out.  I didn't realize that my future husband wouldn't share the same fondness for the names I had chosen.  “How about this name?”  We would ask each other.  The names we mentioned were never good enough for our firstborn.  I felt like we were branding our child, and it was our responsibility to make sure his branding was well received.  We promised not to tell our family or friends the name we chose.  We didn't want feedback on why the name we chose wasn't good enough.  In my husband's family, everyone has a family name.  And I do mean everyone.  This tradition has been going on as far back as his ancestors can be traced.  This never crossed my husband's mind.  Yes, we became the first in his family to break that tradition.  We still are the only family that has broken that tradition.  In fact, his father's first question after finding out the name of our son was, “You didn't want to give him a family name?”  To which my husband replied, “I gave him my last name.”  Names are important.  Have you ever met someone and after getting to know them thinking their name really doesn't fit with who they are?  We come to conclusions when we hear someone's name.  Names can sound strong, dignified, wimpy, fat, bubbly, calm, kind, stable, easygoing, stubborn, reliable, shy, foreign, religious, the list could go on.  Think of the names, William, Bertha, John, Alice, Chester, Elizabeth, Jackson, and Apple.  Did you have a mental association with any of these names?  If we like our name, we love to display it with pride.  Today, I am sharing with you some of the Etsy.com shops that customize and personalize their products.

Rumpelstreet Boutique provides custom personalized decorative signs 

and vinyl art.  Click here to see this wonderful shop http://www.rumpelstreetboutique.etsy.com/.

Family Description Sign
Available In Different Colors

Vintage Style Initial Sign

Miss Pretty Pretty loves to sew.  Her love for sewing and a creative imagination gives children the 

benefit of being able to play in one of her wonderful table playhouses.  

These can be customized and personalized.  Click here to stimulate your imagination http://www.missprettypretty.etsy.com/.

Neighborhood Bakery-Front

Neighborhood Bakery-Back

Pet Shop-Front

Pet Shop-Back

Tanner's Touch specializes in special occasion, hand painted, ceramic plates.  Click here to check out

the wonderful hand painted items this shop has to offer http://www.tannerstouch.etsy.com/.





Personalized Birthday Plate

 Her hand painted plates are customized just for you!

This of course is my shop.  These two items were customized

for friends of mine.  Garland and Grace specializes in hand painted, personalized

hair bow holders, room plaques, collegiate theme bow holders, and holiday decor. 

I would love your visit to my shop http://www.garlandandgrace.etsy.com/.

Personalized Sign-Teacher





Hand Painted Custom Bow Holder

I love the name of this shop, Dr. Felt Good.  Isn't that a great name?  The owner of Dr. Felt Good is very creative.  The things she can do with felt...birthday crowns for boys and girls, personalized party treat bags, Trick or Treat bags, personalized sport pennant, wine bags (for the adults of course), gift envelopes, Christmas items, and more.  I enjoyed visiting this shop.  It is fun, happy and colorful.  Click here to felt good http://www.drfeltgood.etsy.com/.

Personalized Treat Bags
Customize With Any Theme



Java Jane Designs specializes in alphabet photography and custom keepsakes.

To see more from Java Jane click here http://www.javajanedesigns.etsy.com/.

Even though names are important to our sense of self, thankfully they aren't the only things people can remember us for.  The legacy we leave, isn't about us or our name we leave behind.  It's about being a blessing to others.  It's not about our accomplishments, it's about others.  In the end if your life didn't matter, and no one remembers your name, maybe it's because you didn't invest your life in others.  We are more than our name.  Let's act like it.  Blessed be your name.

Living Graciously,

Lisa   







Garland and Grace Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Shannon Wheatley!  She won a monogrammed pumpkin from Garland and Grace.  A special thank you to Miss Monogram for hosting this giveaway.

Be sure to check out my special Wednesday blog.  I have the privilege of sharing with you the talent I find on Etsy.com.  Have a beautiful day!

Living Graciously,
Lisa

A House Divided...I Can't Stand It!

I live in a house divided, and I can't stand it.  My children are Gator fans, I am a Vols fan, and my husband is an SEC fan.  My best friend...also a Gator fan.  I have to listen to my children cheer for the Gators.  They taunt me with their Gator chomp, even when it's not football season.  My friend taunts me with her texts.  Tennessee, you let me down.  Please don't let it happen again.

Let's Get Personal

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

Today I would love to share with you Garland and Grace's hand painted hair bow holders and room decor.  Bow holders can be made into room decor and room decor can be made into bow holders.  Get one custom made for you today.  They make a great gift.  Click here to visit Garland and Grace http://www.etsy.com/shop/garlandandgrace.  Next Wednesday, I will feature six of the best Etsy.com shops that personalize their products.  Don't miss it!

Bella Personalized Bow Holder

Custom Hair Bow Holder

Margaret Hair Bow Holder

Olivia Room Decor

Madison Room Decor

I hope y'all have a blessed weekend.  Be encouraged by the verse below.  Bask in God's goodness, and give him glory!

Numbers 6:22-27

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, "Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace."'

So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I 

shall bless them."

Living Graciously,

Lisa

Turning Beads Into Wearable Art

A few weeks ago, I said that I would conclude my Etsy.com jewelry posts with the shop I thought deserved the title, "Best Overall."  It didn't take me long to figure out which shop I would feature.  When I came across Cindy Caraway's shop, I knew I had to show y'all more of her striking jewelry creations.  I wanted to do more than just another jewelry feature, so I decided an interview was in order.  This week, I have the privilege of introducing to you, Cindy Caraway.  I featured her shop in two of my previous blog posts, "What a Girl Wants, What a Girl Needs" and "Off the Cuff."  One of Cindy's gifts is turning beads into wearable art.  Take a look for yourself at her impressive attention to detail in her jewelry collection and enjoy getting to know a little bit more about the designer. 

When did you start creating jewelry?

I can remember buying beads and string at Woolworth's when I was very young and was into macrame jewelry when I was around 10 or so. I didn't really start making jewelry to sell until the 1990's. I was looking for a craft to fill spare time and found a book at the library on making wire jewelry. I started selling it in a record shop run by a friend. She suggested I add some beads for interest and that was the beginning of the end! Pretty soon I was more interested in the beads than the wire and then the beads got smaller and smaller. I sort of stumbled on bead weaving and am totally self-taught. I put the beads away for a few years because no one else was doing what I was doing - in retrospect, I see how foolish THAT was!!

Fire Starter
Beaded Pendant Necklace

How did you learn your craft?

I am a self-taught bead weaver. Some of the things I was doing with beads early on were techniques I was sure I had invented. Then I saw some beaded art made by Native Americans and some African art and realized that I was just a tiny stitch in a long tradition of beadwork.

Canyonlands
Beaded Statement Necklace

How did you get started on Etsy?

Hard to say - I can't quite remember. I had sold vintage items on "that other auction site" for several years and was becoming disillusioned with it. I think I found out about Etsy through an add in a magazine and decided to check it out. I opened a vintage shop first and was pretty successful and then opened my beadwork shop a few months later.

Dancers at the Fiesta
Beaded Cuff Bracelet



What or who inspires you?

Is it fair to say EVERYTHING?? OK, probably not...

Nature, movies, decorative arts of all forms, architecture, Chuck Jones cartoons, paint chips at the hardware store, illustrations in children's books, other artist's work... the list goes on and on. Although I love music - especially classical and new age music - I do not find too much inspiration from non-visual stimuli. I get more excited about beautiful things I can see and/or touch.

Egyptian Journey
Statement Charm Necklace

What do you do when you aren’t creating?  What activities do you enjoy?

I am a singer - professionally trained in opera but I am not an opera singer! My husband is a very talented guitar player. He and I have an acoustic duo and perform at wine bars, coffee houses and do the occassional wedding. We have a website at www.carawaymusic.com. I also sing with a local chamber choir of 24 voices and I love it!

Movies are a love of mine - my favorites are romantic comedies, fantasy and science fiction - and I enjoy theater, both doing it and watching it.

Mahogany Dreams
Beaded Cuff Bracelet

What are five things you want people to think when they see your product?

1. Wow!
2. How does she DO that!?
3. I could wear that.
4. I wish that were mine.
5. I would love to learn how to do that!

Chameleon
Beaded Statement Bib Necklace

Which item in your shop do you secretly want to keep?

Nebula. I love the color combo of pink and green. I have worn this piece out to functions and always get a great response to it!

Nebula
Beaded Ocean Jasper Neckalce

Aside from Etsy, how do you promote or sell your items?

I have a blog - Artful Living on the Bluff  http://artfullivingonthebluff.blogspot.com/ and a website at http://www.cindycaraway.com/.

Mardi Gras
Beaded Cuff Bracelet

Is there anything about yourself or your shop that you want to share with us?

I would love to teach beading techniques - especially bead embroidery and bead weaving. Beadwork has been passed down through the ages by oral tradition, passed from generation to generation - I feel fortunate to have "discovered" it. I would like to do my part to keep passing the tradition along.

As for my beadwork shop, I guess I would like everyone to know that I use repurposed and reclaimed materials in almost every piece of jewelry I make. Beads and findings are salvaged from vintage jewelry and I like to use vintage brooches and earrings as centerpieces for my necklaces. The leather backing on all my bead embroidery pieces is reclaimed from damaged leather clothing I find second-hand. You never know what little nick-nack or treasure unearthed at a tag sale will make it's way into my beadwork. I think it's important to use the materials around us because those are almost always more economical and eco-friendly. I try to reduce, reuse, and recycle in my life as a whole and try to incorporate that thinking into my art as well.

Tidepool
Beaded Statement Necklace

Thank you, Cindy, for sharing yourself and your time.  I loved getting to know a little bit more about the lady behind the extraordinary jewelry.  And I can honestly say that I have thought the five things that you said you want people to think when they see your jewelry. 

If you would like to see more of or purchase Cindy's jewelry click here http://www.etsy.com/shop/CindyCaraway.

I hope y'all enjoyed Garland and Grace's first blog interview.  Don't miss a post by Garland and Grace, subscribe or become a follower today.

Living Graciously,
Lisa







Garland and Grace Giveaway: A Monogrammed Pumpkin

Personalized Monogram Style

Happy Monday Morning!  I have some exciting news.  Every Monday, Miss Monogram features businesses that provide fabulous monogrammed products.  Garland and Grace is being featured in the giveaway this week on Miss Monogram's blog.  She is giving away a monogram pumpkin that I hand painted.  The winner will be able to choose between the monogram style or initial style.  A personalized pumpkin is a perfect addition to your autumn decor.  Miss Monogram says that all you have to do to enter is simply leave a comment, and a winner will be announced next Monday!  If you spread the word on Twitter, you will get an extra entry.  Let her know by leaving an extra comment.  Enter today to win.  This giveaway is for this week only.  Click here to enter http://www.missmonogramblog.com/2010/09/monogrammed-monday-garland-and-grace.html.

Personalized Initial Style

Living Graciously,
Lisa