art giveaway!

head on over to www.ohmyhandmade.com for a giveaway of my prints!

3 lucky winners will win an 8x10 print.

perfect in time for mother's day, father's day, teacher, or graduation gifts!

grace & peace,
julie

happy earth day!

hi there, hope everyone enjoyed this year's beautiful earth day. we had good weather, played outside, had a picnic at a local park & explored the nature trail. all the while, my favorite little mister & sunshine girl gave out their best tips of caring for our earth (like throw away garbage, use less, recycle, turn off lights, etc... etc... the list goes on!)

over these last few years i have really enjoyed taking nature photography. i especially like the details of the art around me, like the delicacy of a flower to how a root or branch may turn & twist, as well as the shapes and sizes of clouds and the way the sunlight comes through the grass or leaves...

God is so creative & is constantly giving us more to look at & appreciate.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:5
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it... Psalm 24:1
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music... Psalm 98:4

grace & peace,
julie

spring is in bloom!

we are thoroughly enjoying spring over here & hope you are too! i have loved shooting the 800+ photos i have taken in the last couple weeks & thought i would post a few of my favorites.

the above are the magnolia & pear trees in bloom, as well as a sea of daffodils.
here's my kids. love them so much. they are in a magnolia tree.
silly smiles! (i am just so happy they all looked at the camera!)
sunshine girl made a huge bouquet of dandelions. when we got home we put them in the wagon & walked to the train station because she wanted to pass them out to strangers. (too bad they were already drooping, but she definitely spread the sunshine & made people smile).
my favorite little mister had a ball climbing this awesome burr oak tree. 2 of the limbs were so big & heavy, they laid on the ground so it was like climbing up a bridge. so fun!
love this sweet shot of my pumpkin-poos exploring down the path.

the week before easter (during our spring break), i also had the opportunity to go back to the sheep farm with the kids to see 2 week old baby lammies! (lammies & puppies are pumpkin-poos favorite animals)

i had never seen such a young lamb & they were just beautiful. i also loved how the ewe would protect their young (by stomping her feet & trying to get between us & the lambs).

it was also so interesting for me to see them in person because in my reading through the old testament, i have just finished the laws, including sacrificial laws of animals to atone for sin, so to see these firstborn lambs & think of raising them & loving them tenderly for a year to only slaughter them at one year old was really mind boggling to me. (i would not make a good farmer at all.)

then, to think of Jesus as the lamb of God was even more meaningful right before easter! one interesting thing happened: when the farmer picked up a lamb, it literally went limp also in her arms & she spoke of the verse how He willingly gave up His life for us. some powerful hand's on lessons for me & my children!
after the farm, we went to my friend's house in the country & i could not resist their bulldog "diesel"! oh my, i have to get him into my art somehow! soooo cute.

and here are some new pieces i have just listed in my "be..." collection. they make a great grouping for a wall or series going down a hallway~
be joyful
be free
be peaceful
be thankful
be courageous
be romantic
be rooted
be transformed

grace & peace,
julie