Showing posts with label handcrafted. Show all posts

CAST Shop of the Week: bobloveseleanor

Take a look at the CAST Shop of the Week, bobloveseleanor. Sarah has handmade clutches, totes, purses, and fabric organizer baskets and she takes custom orders. Her shop is named after her grandparents. Enjoy browsing!

Reversible fabric organizer bin bucket - Buttercup in Gray Jade

Please note that the only way to be featured as the CAST Shop of the Week is to tag your shop items "castteam" on Etsy and to not hide your teams in your Etsy profile. You will also have to have at least 12 items to feature. Those are the ways that I find great CAST shops to feature each week.

CAST Members: If you have a minute or two, please feel free to favorite ♥ this shop or promote it on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or other social media. Thanks!

by Sue of SueRunyonDesigns

9:12 AM | Category: bobloveseleanor, cast shop of the week, handbag, handcrafted, purse | 1 comments

CAST Shop of the Week: HandiworkinGirls

I have to admit being drawn to rugs of all kinds. HandiworkinGirls shop has these wonderful, colorful t-shirt rag rugs that keep catching my eye. In addition, you'll find all sorts of other great handmade items for your home from re-usuable gift bags (also something I'm very fond of) and doll clothes. Click on the shop link and browse to your hearts content.

Rag Rug T Shirt Rug Coral Melon Pink Peach Cottage Chic Farmhouse Kitchen Rectangle 24 in by 33 in FREE US SHIPPING

CAST Members: If you have a minute or two, please feel free to favorite this shop or promote it on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or other social media. Thanks!

by Sue of SueRunyonDesigns

9:24 AM | Category: bean bags, cast shop of the week, doll clothes, fabric, gift bags, handcrafted, handiworkingirls, handmade, rag rug | 12 comments

Word Pictures

Purple coneflower & bee photograph by EllieLee

By Phyllis Ducey of pfdoriginalartworks

Being in the field of Human Resources I am constantly reading to keep updated with all the trends in hiring, employee issues and training. The other day I read an article that just made me chuckle. I think it was suppose to be cutting edge on changing employee’s behavior but it is taking a practice that was implemented thousand of years ago by our Creator and declaring it as a “new trend” in training. The concept is based on the study by scientists in the 1950’s that states people absorb only about 5% of what they learn in a lecture but if given a story or word picture they will retain much more. People identify with a story helping them to understand and retain it better. The scientists said that this was a better method to get people to learn and the writer of the article shared that this is how we should be training our employees. Once again scientists are barely catching up to what God has presented to us since the beginning of time.

When I started writing this I thought I would pick out one of my favorite word pictures from God’s Word to share with you… but how can anyone choose one? I suppose it depends on the day, my trials, or joys and what He has laid on my heart. Today I am on vacation relaxing in a condo overlooking the ocean, feeling privileged to be able take such a trip. Here is the verse that speaks to me as I take some time to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful creation He has chosen for us.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is hidden from its heat.”

Psalm 19:1-6

I have tried over and over to memorize Psalm 19 and have achieved doing so 3 or 4 times but if you asked me to recite it, I could not. The word picture speaks so vividly to me that I can close my eyes and know that if I choose to I can see and hear God through every ounce of creation. Not only do I, but so does every living person have that ability! God declares this as fact in this psalm.

I am going to share some wonderful Etsians shops that I feel relate well with this psalm but first I have three suggestions that I hope you will consider.

#1. I would like to challenge you to take time to see God’s glory in His creation whether you have an overwhelmingly awesome ocean to view, a unique unmatched snowflake or an incredibly intricate dandelion to pick. It does not make any difference, take time examine it closely and know it has something to declare to you.

# 2. I would ask you to pray for those who have chosen not to see or hear God speak to them that they would be able to hear and see.

#3. And lastly I ask if you could share with me your favorite word pictures from the Bible. I would like to write about them some time and if you choose to write why they are your favorite, I can include your remarks, maybe it will be your post that week instead of mine! You may add them to the comments here, convo me at my shop pfdoriginalartworks and/or you may email me at phyllis@pfdoriginalartworks.com.

Close up beach pictures by NewCreationNZ

Original painting the Garden by Treasuresheart

Relax cute girl folk art by VintageNiki

Baby bird purse mirror by greerdesign

Large pod flower pendan t by Echoesofstars

Sparrows nest original watercolor by bethstonestudio

Wood carving of northern phalarope by glassnwood

Deep purple rose ring by ZudaGay

Gourd vase botanical by BeantreeDesigns

ACEO sunny flowers by peppercorns2

Butterfly wine glasses by mommysdream

By Phyllis Ducey of pfdoriginalartworks

9:00 AM | Category: CAST, castteam, christian, creation, etsy, handcrafted, handmade, psalm | 8 comments

Words That Bind

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

By Phyllis Ducey of pfdoriginalartworks

Friends come in many packages. I have friends that took years to build…years of tears, years of laughter, years of thoughtfulness and years of being there for each other. Some friends we were born with like our moms, dads, sisters and brothers. I moved four years ago and I have good friends in the making that will need a few more years of building memories to bind us tight. I have work friends who may spend more time with me than my husband. Oh and speaking of him… he too is my friend of 38 years. And there are also accidental friends. They are the ones we first met and thought “I don’t plan to see them again.” Sometimes they are the best, because as they are unwrapped slowly, cautiously with trepidation…then they suddenly surprise you with their unique inner beauty. My best friend was one of the accidental ones.

Recently I have opened a few new packages… they were wrapped in Etsy paper. My first one, who now is very dear to me, I have never seen her face nor heard her voice, but we became friends when our shops were new and we decided to do a trade. Then I joined two Etsy teams. The initial one I joined the tie that binds is our love of creating. Together we celebrate the artistry we each possess. They are a wonderful group of artists that I truly am enjoying getting to know.

The next package I opened was the second team I joined, the CAST team. It is the one that I felt instantly bonded to. This team is bound by God’s words and the Word – Jesus. My fist day on the thread I felt surrounded by friends united by our love of God and by our love of His Word. I found them to be a group who wish to encourage and be encouraged in knowing God better and bringing His Word into our lives daily. I think it is amazing that God has blessed us with a technology to create a network of friends throughout this strange world, don’t you?

The work of our hands is a gift from God. We can use this gift to help us to meditate on the God’s word day and night. Below are some of our wonderful CAST team member’s items for your enjoyment and encouragement.