From My Heart to Yours - For Women Everywhere
...here's what you do...
...click on the image above to enlarge it...
...let it fill your screen...
...let the music play...
...and go about your business.
Just look back here, every so often.
Be reminded.
The Father loves you,
and so do I.
...click on the image above to enlarge it...
...let it fill your screen...
...let the music play...
...and go about your business.
Just look back here, every so often.
Be reminded.
The Father loves you,
and so do I.
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to each woman out there who has nurtured a young one - whether from the womb or from the heart and soul.
I've been blessed this morning by a grandson, by each of my children, and by a heart-child...a note from a spiritual daughter...and it isn't even 9 o'clock yet!
My heart is full, and my wish for you is that your children rise up and call you blessed, both the ones you carried in the womb, and the ones you've carried in your heart.
There are many women out there who have never had biological children, who are truly mothers.
New Art For Missions - "Galatians" Canvas...and More
I have only a few weeks left to contribute to the June mission trip our youth group is taking - so please buy quickly, and visit my shop, if you are considering any of my paintings!
Brand new -
This one is entitled "Galatians". It is a 12x12 canvas, done in all gauche, and graphic style renderings done in General's Sketch and Wash, also inks. The background is the usual antique book pages, but this time they are very visible. Love this one! See the bird standing outside her cage? The text says, "For you are called to freedom!"
Next is a small 5x5 canvas. I wish you could see how these come mounted! I will take another picture of this one mounted, soon:
I've named this one "New Creation". It comes mounted uniquely and beautifully on a cast iron, antiqued "door knob" type of feature. Can't wait for you to see! But for now, you can click on the picture, for an enlarged view of this canvas, done in ink and acrylics and watercolor pencil, and hand lettered with a Pitt pen. Perfect for any woman you may know who has recently chosen to pursue a relationship with Christ.
Last, another 5x5 canvas, and it also comes mounted on antique hardware, but I don't yet have a picture of it actually mounted:
All original photography...the cup is Depression era lustreware in peach. The quote says, "He was my cream, and I was his coffee - And when you poured us together it was something."
Holla. I bear witness to this quote, so much so, I had to put my interpretation of it on canvas. My Preacher and I are like that...a sweet, hot mess, and when you put us together, we are so much more than the sum of our individual selves.
If you search carefully, you will find on each of my pieces of art a tiny, inked key. This is something I began to do about a month ago. On some pieces there is only one key hidden in the painting. On others, it might be more, and on some pieces, the key isn't so hidden. When I sign each piece, I put a number, indicating how many keys are tucked away in the painting, then my initials, then the year I painted the piece.
Why a key?
Because of the Gospel. The Finished Work of Christ is the key to understanding all of Scripture, Old Testament and New. The law and the prophets pointed to Jesus. In the last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.
Once you choose to view all of life and Scripture through the lens of grace ("grace came"), through the lens of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the veil is lifted, and you begin to walk free.
Brand new -
Next is a small 5x5 canvas. I wish you could see how these come mounted! I will take another picture of this one mounted, soon:
Last, another 5x5 canvas, and it also comes mounted on antique hardware, but I don't yet have a picture of it actually mounted:
Holla. I bear witness to this quote, so much so, I had to put my interpretation of it on canvas. My Preacher and I are like that...a sweet, hot mess, and when you put us together, we are so much more than the sum of our individual selves.
If you search carefully, you will find on each of my pieces of art a tiny, inked key. This is something I began to do about a month ago. On some pieces there is only one key hidden in the painting. On others, it might be more, and on some pieces, the key isn't so hidden. When I sign each piece, I put a number, indicating how many keys are tucked away in the painting, then my initials, then the year I painted the piece.
Why a key?
Because of the Gospel. The Finished Work of Christ is the key to understanding all of Scripture, Old Testament and New. The law and the prophets pointed to Jesus. In the last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.
Once you choose to view all of life and Scripture through the lens of grace ("grace came"), through the lens of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the veil is lifted, and you begin to walk free.
Chapter IV, In Which Sheila Attempts to Apply Hair Removal Creme to Her Upper Lip Area Without Her Readers On
Some things come with being a raving brunette beauty. Some things come with being over forty. If you don't think you have fuzz on your upper lip area, step out into the sunshine with me. Come on. Don't be ashamed.
For me, however, some things come with being preoccupied, and addled in the brain.
::sigh::
So I was going through my usual beauty ritual of coloring my hair, shaving the legs, yadda yadda. I was applying exfoliant to my face, whilst soaking in the tub, whilst listening to Steven Pressfield's book on Audible, entitled "Do The Work".
Oh. My. Word. I was completely absorbed in Pressfield's book. Completely.
As I was gently exfoliating my face, I sort of thought, "Hmmmmm. I need to grab that little tube of Oil of Olay Hair Removal For Upper Lip Area" - a product tailor made for all raven haired beauties and women over forty. It works great, really, and comes with its own little moisturizing stick that you rub on your lip first, to minimize any chemical burn from the removal creme.
I schlepped out of the tub, and absent mindedly pulled the middle drawer of the vanity open, and grabbed that little moisturizing stick that comes with Oil of Olay's Facial Hair Removal Creme...and grabbed the first other tube that seemed right. I plunked myself back into the warm jacuzzi - after all, getting out makes you cold, so I was in a hurry.
And Pressfield's book is so good.
I applied the moisturizer, and then generously smeared a dime sized dollop of said tube all over my upper lip, glanced at the time on my smart phone (which was also playing my Audible dot com Pressfield book) and sat back to relax. A full six minutes later, I thought...
..."Hmmmmm. This book is so great. But this creme smells really odd. Really. Odd."
I held the tube at full arm's length, and squinted in an attempt to read the words on it:
Itch. Cream. As in...itch cream for a woman's extremely sensitive area. Back late winter/early spring, I had to go on a brief antibiotic for a sinus infection, and as a result, got the requisite, mild yeast infection. That stupid cream was still in my drawer.
Oh dear Lord. God grant me the serenity. Jesus take the wheel! I yelped and grabbed my wash cloth, scrubbing madly. I had just put that...that... that cream all over my upper lip!,
(I can hear you now..."Oh no you di' int!")
Oh. Yes. I. Did.
And...the story gets better.
I schlepped out of the tub and checked the mirror. No whelps, no bumps, upper lip still there. What a relief. So I opened the middle drawer and grabbed a small black tube.
Somehow, I associated that black tube with Oil of Olay hair removal creme.
I was confident. This time I had it right.
I sank once again into the jacuzzi and turned on the jets, and turned up the volume on my book. I then generously smeared the contents of small black tube all over my upper lip. I glanced at the time on my smart phone.
About five minutes in, I thought, "This book is amazing, but this creme smells too good to be hair removal creme."
I held the tube out at full arm's length, squinted as hard as I could, and read:
"Neck Firming Cream"
::sigh::
It was a sample tube that had come WITH my Oil of Olay Hair Removal creme. I had sat for a full five minutes with neck firming cream all over my upper lip.
By this time, I was howling. I sat and giggled so hard, I cried.
Then, I schlepped out of the tub for the third time, opened middle drawer, and really looked, this time. As in, I turned over all two or three remaining miscellaneous tubes, squinted, held them out at full arm's length, and read them. Towards the back of the drawer...bingo. Found it. Oil of Olay hair removal creme for the face.
Dripping wet, I climbed back in the tub. I generously smeared the contents of said tube allllllll over my very, very firm, and definitely not itchy upper lip.
Only this time, I grabbed the smart phone and took a picture:
For me, however, some things come with being preoccupied, and addled in the brain.
::sigh::
So I was going through my usual beauty ritual of coloring my hair, shaving the legs, yadda yadda. I was applying exfoliant to my face, whilst soaking in the tub, whilst listening to Steven Pressfield's book on Audible, entitled "Do The Work".
Oh. My. Word. I was completely absorbed in Pressfield's book. Completely.
As I was gently exfoliating my face, I sort of thought, "Hmmmmm. I need to grab that little tube of Oil of Olay Hair Removal For Upper Lip Area" - a product tailor made for all raven haired beauties and women over forty. It works great, really, and comes with its own little moisturizing stick that you rub on your lip first, to minimize any chemical burn from the removal creme.
I schlepped out of the tub, and absent mindedly pulled the middle drawer of the vanity open, and grabbed that little moisturizing stick that comes with Oil of Olay's Facial Hair Removal Creme...and grabbed the first other tube that seemed right. I plunked myself back into the warm jacuzzi - after all, getting out makes you cold, so I was in a hurry.
And Pressfield's book is so good.
I applied the moisturizer, and then generously smeared a dime sized dollop of said tube all over my upper lip, glanced at the time on my smart phone (which was also playing my Audible dot com Pressfield book) and sat back to relax. A full six minutes later, I thought...
..."Hmmmmm. This book is so great. But this creme smells really odd. Really. Odd."
I held the tube at full arm's length, and squinted in an attempt to read the words on it:
Itch. Cream. As in...itch cream for a woman's extremely sensitive area. Back late winter/early spring, I had to go on a brief antibiotic for a sinus infection, and as a result, got the requisite, mild yeast infection. That stupid cream was still in my drawer.
Oh dear Lord. God grant me the serenity. Jesus take the wheel! I yelped and grabbed my wash cloth, scrubbing madly. I had just put that...that... that cream all over my upper lip!,
(I can hear you now..."Oh no you di' int!")
Oh. Yes. I. Did.
And...the story gets better.
I schlepped out of the tub and checked the mirror. No whelps, no bumps, upper lip still there. What a relief. So I opened the middle drawer and grabbed a small black tube.
Somehow, I associated that black tube with Oil of Olay hair removal creme.
I was confident. This time I had it right.
I sank once again into the jacuzzi and turned on the jets, and turned up the volume on my book. I then generously smeared the contents of small black tube all over my upper lip. I glanced at the time on my smart phone.
About five minutes in, I thought, "This book is amazing, but this creme smells too good to be hair removal creme."
I held the tube out at full arm's length, squinted as hard as I could, and read:
"Neck Firming Cream"
::sigh::
It was a sample tube that had come WITH my Oil of Olay Hair Removal creme. I had sat for a full five minutes with neck firming cream all over my upper lip.
By this time, I was howling. I sat and giggled so hard, I cried.
Then, I schlepped out of the tub for the third time, opened middle drawer, and really looked, this time. As in, I turned over all two or three remaining miscellaneous tubes, squinted, held them out at full arm's length, and read them. Towards the back of the drawer...bingo. Found it. Oil of Olay hair removal creme for the face.
Dripping wet, I climbed back in the tub. I generously smeared the contents of said tube allllllll over my very, very firm, and definitely not itchy upper lip.
Only this time, I grabbed the smart phone and took a picture:
New - Grandmother's Song
This one is named "Grandmother's Song"...for the first song I ever sang to Timothy, and the first song I will sing to Adyn Esther, and the first song I will sing to each and every grandchild yet to be...
12x12, in acrylics, watercolors, inks, and General's Sketch-n-wash pencil, on a background of antique book papers...
If you love this, grab it. Trust me, a happy mixed-media painting is hard to find.
Perfect for a nursery or playroom or any room where you want to be reminded of some little someone who is your sunshine!
"Grandmother's Song" is a happy painting. It should be - becoming a Mimi has been one of the greatest joys of my life.
So far, I can only do happy work. I pray my work will never get moody and broody. The joy of the Lord is my strength!
If you are interested, please either email me, or visit my shop. You'll find Paypal there, and I'll get this out to you right away!
"Grandmother's Song" is a happy painting. It should be - becoming a Mimi has been one of the greatest joys of my life.
So far, I can only do happy work. I pray my work will never get moody and broody. The joy of the Lord is my strength!
If you are interested, please either email me, or visit my shop. You'll find Paypal there, and I'll get this out to you right away!
A Season of Harvest Is Now ALSO "Sheila Atchley Designs"
random picture from my archives, because I didn't want to leave you pictureless...
I've heard from a couple of you!
You typed in my blog address, like you always do, and you ended up redirected to a more or less blank page.
I know, right? What was I thinking?!
Well, here is the scoop, hopefully condensed: since my art is actually selling, since I might even do a big art show in the fall, since I am taking Jeanne Oliver's class on small business, I am looking at making some changes to my web presence. You can still always find me at "aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com". But, effective immediately, anyone and everyone who types www.sheilaatchleydesigns.com into their browser will also be taken right here.
To our blog. It isn't "my" blog, because that means nothing. A blog is nothing without readers.
And I couldn't give you up. All one dozen of you. You mean so much to me, I've spent hours and hours figuring out the simple act of directing all traffic to sheilaatchleydesigns.com, to this blog, so we wouldn't lose each other.
I did it. Finally figured it out. Bam.
Sheila Atchley Designs Dot Com. I may start a small business by that name, who knows? And if I do, people need to be able to find me by name. Hence, the new/old address Sheilaatchleydesigns.com, which will take you to this old/new blogspot address.
One thing is for certain: I will be making some changes to the Season of Harvest blog you've always known. Good changes. But you will still find me at the address you've always known.
I'll be creating a new header, and launching into a new project that I want to keep a surprise.
Regardless of what I decide to do, I need your support!
How can you support me? Just keep coming back. And pray for me. I have several new avenues I want to take with this very website, and sharing the Gospel of the Finished Work of Christ will always the object of all my endeavors - be it through art or business or websites or whatever.
And just for fun...please type "www.sheilaatchleydesigns.com" into your browser. Let's get this party started, and blow up Google Analytics!
Well. ::cough::
I can dream, right? Whatever happens with my Google ratings, I am glad we had this little talk.
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