the cross

in these last few days as we enter into Good Friday & Easter, i have been meditating on Jesus & the cross. mostly due to the fact that we are in the Passion week, but also because i have just finished designing some crosses for DEMDACO.

when i worked in house at Tyndale, i had a friend who was basically against wearing a cross necklace or jewelry or really having any "decorative" cross around. her reasoning always has intrigued me and i have never forgotten that conversation (& here i am creating "decorative" crosses)... she basically did not think it is right to make the cross look pretty, nor to have people wear it who do not even believe.

so, i started thinking more about her words & wrestling with it...
yes, the cross is a gruesome place where torture & death were at the forefront of the event, yet to us as Christians, it is also a beautiful place where our sin has been washed away. it is a powerful, central, symbolic image of our faith. our faith rests on that event as well as the resurrection Easter morning.

so, in moving forward with my designs, if anything it is my prayer to somehow honor God through them, bringing people to want to think about Christ more, and be able to focus their love and attention on Him, as well as be reminded of what He has done out of His great love for them.
i hope in the next couple days you all will take time to really sit & think about what Jesus has done for you, how much He dearly loves you and wants you to put your faith in Him alone.

happy Easter! Christ is Risen!

grace & peace,
julie

behind the scenes: children are like flowers

to celebrate the great weather here in the burbs, i decided to post a "behind the scenes" of one of my favorite spring photos ever. sunshine girl is my model & Demdaco gave me the wording (if i remember correctly).
the above is the original image, which i love partly because it was not posed at all. she was being her silly self & i just snapped away & caught a good one.
here's a family photo at the time, now almost 2 years old.
oh, how i love them & am the most blessed mommy to see them bloom more & more every day!
favorite little mister, my nature lover.
sunshine girl, taking time to stop & smell the tulips :)
pumpkin-poos had just learned to sit up. love her sweetness!

ok, out for a walk. (it is supposed to snow again on sunday!) ugh!

grace & peace,
julie

giveaway

you will find a review of my art on simple.com & they are also doing a giveaway of a FREE 8x10 print.

go enter now!

thanks to h for the tip & drea for the great review!

grace & peace,
julie

spring please COME!

i am now laughing (a bit... just a little bit) at my last post, celebrating winter, as our house took a nosedive into sickness right after my "magical" post... now, i am counting the days till spring. it cannot get here fast enough!

to celebrate & be hopeful, i have decided to give away a FREE* set of postcard samplers (sets of 5) with any order received in the month of march. *one per customer please.

in order to get your free goodies, you must write "BLOG" when checking out of etsy in notes to seller.

if you need any ideas of art you may just have to have, here are a couple irish blessings for the upcoming st.patty's day celebrations! enjoy.

grace & peace,
julie