SUNDAY SCHOOL AT BETHANY CHURCH IN UKRAINE

 I must admit that I'm not sure who has more fun.....the kids or me.  Today they got to try their hand at collage.

 This is the biggest class of the four classes I do.  We had twelve today.

 Our project is a practice run of collage in preparation for the next project which will be a folder they will collage to keep all their work in from the school year.

 They are learning about colors, placement and juxtaposition.

 I think I shall have to come up with some sort of prize for whoever collects the most pieces over the school year.

 Or, maybe we'll do an art show at the end of the school year.  We did that several years ago.

 This is our oldest children's Sunday school group.  I did crafts with them all last year as well.  Of course, I've done crafts with them from the time they started Sunday school since I've been doing this for about 15 years now.

So this is my last years with these sweet kids.  I do four classes alternating two each Sunday.  Next week, if I don't forget my camera, I shall take pictures of the younger two groups to show you.  They are so much fun.  Thanks to all of you who send supplies for me to be able to do this ministry.  It is my joy and love it.

BEAD BRACELET MINISTRY

It is my privilege to do this "Bead Bracelet" ministry.   It started years ago.  People would send their cast-off jewelry that we would re-purpose into craft projects.  I had bead necklaces that started to accumulate.  Finally I thought maybe I could do something with them besides craft projects.  So now when I receive such I cut apart and put them into little baggies, as you see on the table above.  The girls work on paper/plastic plates to keep beads from going everywhere.  This was a teen camp, but as you can see here, we had all ages. Every time I do this the ladies/girls are always so pleased to have a new bracelet (girls will be girls, right?) and especially that they got to make it themselves.  I told them these beads were an expression of God's love because people from the west care about them and send the materials for us to do this.  Thank you to you who have done so.  I couldn't do this ministry without your help.  It is always a blessing to see their smiles and they all say thank you.

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY IN UKRAINE

Just posting to show you the lovely ladies I work with in Ukraine.  These are just some of the Sunday school teachers that lead the children in the weekly Bible training.  I have the privilege of doing crafts with three of the four age groups every Sunday morning.  They said to be sure and tell you all thank you for the craft materials you send.  What a blessing that so contributes to the joy of creating the children  experience every Sunday morning.

CRAFTING HEARTS IN CZECH REPUBLIC

 This week Jeff and I have been in Prague, Czech Republic for The Mid-Atlantic Missionary Conference.  It was so good to spend the week with old friends and new ones and to be fed with the blessed words from our BMAA missions director John David Smith and also one of our stateside pastors, Clif Johnson.  What a blessing they were.  As you see above, the ladies did a break-out one evening to have some fun.

 These are a couple sample hearts I did to get them started.

 I don't know who did this one, but it sure is pretty. 

 This pretty piece was done by our missionary care director's wife, Sue Kidd.  Hasn't she got the most beautiful smile?

 Rachel Cross, left, came in from France and Jerene Reddin, from Arkansas, blessed us with her music ministry all week long.

 Jasmin Nahapetyan, came in from Armenia and did a pretty piece. You can see it better in the shot below.  Jasmin in Armenia starts with an H.

 Isn't that pretty?  We all had fun layering with doilies, more hearts, silk flowers and beaded buttons and earring backs.  This is how I use some of the old jewelry people send me.

 This one was done by Celia Broom who came in from Ghana, Africa.  Someone said it looked like and owl.  Who doesn't love owls, right?  They are so popular now it seems.

Our whole group of ladies representing the U.S., Romania, France, Armenia and Jordan.  I love doing this and we all had such a great time.  Thank you to all who send materials that allows me the privilege of this ministry.  You are a blessing to so many folks.

CRAFTING AROUND THE WORLD ~ #CZECH REPUBLIC

Back in November or December of 2014 I started making all these pretty papers recycling my many scraps.  Just the process alone was such fun, but after awhile I remember thinking, "what am I going to do with all these pretty papers.  I didn't know at the time, but Somebody else did.  Our mission invited us to join  our all-European mission conference in Prague.  Well, given the crafty one that I am, I started thinking about what I could do with the ladies there.  So these big papers became hearts.

These are some of the embellishments I made for them to decorate with.  Don't worry you crafty ones, I'll do a tutorial on this too.  They happened the same way.  I started making them.  It was so fun and addictive I just kept doing it.  This was all before I knew about the conference.  I love how God works, planning things even before he lets us in on the plan.

These are a few more with lovely gems and buttons sent by Cindy Williams,  Antioch Baptist Church of Conway, Arkansas and done on craft foam sent by Rebecca Crawford,  First Baptist of Gary, Texas.  What would I do without all these lovely folks who make this mission happen.

And lastly, some more lovelies we will use sent by Stefanie Walsh of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan for decorating the hearts.  There will be children at this meeting too so I'm just supposing they may be doing a few hearts as well.  I love doing crafts with kids and you can see how we go through a lot of materials in a short time.  So grateful to all who help with this.  We shall meet from the 16th to the morning of the 20th.  Pray for our meetings and the travel to and from please.  And I promise to post pictures of some of the finished hearts.  May God lift you up and give you encouragement today as I'm praying for you who read this.

FEATHER STAMPS FROM STYROFOAM

Living in Ukraine has made me quite aware of recycling since I can't just go out to a big craft store as one can in America.  So my studio is quite full with things like tea tins, cookie tins, boxes, Altoid tins, tin cans, paper, card board and Styrofoam.  So here is one of the crafts I do.

In the top picture you can see I cut off the curved edges to get a nice flat piece of foam.  Upon that you can draw any picture you want for a stamp.  I've been into feathers for some time, but I've done flowers and other things as well.  This is the back side.  Turn over for the smooth side.

This picture is an example of the drawn feather.  I simply used a pen to make my marks.  At this point you can stamp in a square or your can remove the outside negative space to have the feather shape as I did in the picture below.

And don't feel like you have to make things realistic.  A little whimsy is always fun as you see with my curls.  I love curls, don't you?

Finally, the actual stamped images.  Styrofoam is soft so these won't last a long time, but then they are so easy to do.  And as a mixed-media artist I've learned to embrace imperfection.  As a matter of fact, I like imperfection.  It gives that hand-made feel that creates the distinction of art as opposed to something manufactured.  So give this a try and see what you come up with.  I know you'll love it.

TERRI KAHRS ~ FREE ONLINE CLASS

You are going to love what this sweet lady, my friend on Facebook has to offer.  She is such a good artist and she does what so many others charge a lot for with online classes.  Here is the  intro and you can find it all on YouTube. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN UKRAINE

This was a fun day with the children in Sunday school with a special treat of a visiting clown.  He had all kinds of games and play and there was a lot of laughter and as always, good food.  It was hard to get good photos as everyone was always moving, but you get the idea.  In this time of war and stress for many parents we try to keep things as normal as possible for the children.  Thank you to those of you who send craft supplies.  The children love making things and I love doing it with them. Bless your hearts.

Bracelet Ministry

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I have always liked beads and buttons.  I use them both in my own arts and crafts, but also in my ministry with the people of Ukraine.  I have what I call my "Bracelet Ministry."  That is where I gather youth girls and sometimes ladies and we all make bracelets like these above.  Women always love bracelets.  I have folks who send me the beads or old jewelry that I take apart to re-purpose for bracelets and other crafts.  These are a few I made above.  I do that, wear them and from there often give them away.  I love doing that.  If you have any bead necklaces,  bracelets or out-dated jewelry you don't want, please send them our way.  We make smiles with them.

CARD CLASS IN UKRAINE

Greetings from Ukraine

Though life has been rather chaotic with all the political action in the country we try to keep a  semblance of normality in our day-to-day activities.  Sometimes that is difficult.

 This group of ladies and I have been crafting together for several years now.  We've done a prayer journal, a min-book and now we do cards, which is always a useful craft to give friends.

 Most of them have children and they are in a church about 45 minutes away from where we live.  That sometimes hinders our winter classes, but not often since the busy highway that connect us is usually clear.

 My thanks to all those of you who have sent lovely materials that they use in their creations.

They have joy over doing them and I couldn't do it without your help.  Bless your hearts.

ALTERED BOOK ART JOURNALING ~ SPRING

In celebration of spring this is one of the latest pieces I did as part of a year-long art course I'm doing called Life  Book 2014.  Nothing like a weekly assignment to keep you turning out the art work.  I do well with that sort of pressure.  Plus I'm always preparing for classes I teach and crafts I do with the kids in Sunday school  All of this with the back drop of possible war in Ukraine.  As you think of me, pray for peace.

The sun was a saw blade left behind by the roofers last fall.  I picked up several around the yard.  Some half pearls and glitter on top of yellow paint and waa-laa.  This is done in a 10"x14" altered book.  Though you probably can't see it, there is some found poetry in a couple of the flowers.  Left pages says, "Family, where everything begins and love never ends."  Right page, "Thank you for a house full of people I love.  Amen."

"LET US REJOICE"

This year went so fast.  2013 is about to end.  Did the year go the way you expected?  Did you have some disappointments?  Maybe some unexpected delights?  God doesn't promise that all will be roses, but he does promise to take care of us, one day at a time.  If we can have a heart of gratefulness in all things, we will have joy.  If we have an expectancy of good and look for it, God will bless that attitude.  I made a decision a number of years ago to exercise a grateful heart....to look for the things I should be noticing and glad about....to count my proverbial blessings.  Has everything been roses since I made that decision?  No, there's been death, illness, injury, and more, but as I look back, the Lord was with me through it all and gave me peace.   As you go forward into this new year, why don't you make a decision to "rejoice and be glad in it."  I hope you will.  You will never regret.  Happy New Year to all our friends.  We love you.

THE DARKEST NIGHT

I started this art journal layout wanting to do something to demonstrate home made stencils to my students in our altered books class.  As an American in Ukraine I don't have access to all the goodies offered in the big mega-stores in America.  And I don't want to teach my students techniques they can't repeat on their own.  Now, I must admit, as I roam the internet or read a Stampington publication, I sometimes desire those new materials and goodies I see out there.  The flip side of that, not having them, can sometimes extend one's own creativity.  So the stencil figures you see here came from figures I cut out of magazines.  Rough cutting I glue to cardboard, then cut out again accurately.  If careful with your cardboard cutting step you can end up with both a stencil and a mask.  Here I used the cut-out mask and dabbed paint around it.  The leaves in the lower corners are what were left from a leaf stencil.  I used regular household spackle plaster and pushed it thru the cardstock stencil.  Being paper I had to throw it out after these two.  Now if one could laminate these they would last a lot longer.

By the way, I called this an art journal and it is, but all my art journaling is now done in altered books. This is an Amway soft cover catalog we didn't need.  Anything bound is subject to my scrutiny for an altered book. . . softecovers included.  And it has a spiral binding that will be fun to hang pretties from to decorate.

I also noticed that this page fits well with a challenge that is going on now at Kat McNally's blog, "words to soothe the weary soul."  Self-compassion is today's prompt.   The words on my page are a reminder that when we are tired and depressed, the morning comes and all looks better.  I learned that lesson years ago.  Now, I don't take my thoughts and emotions so seriously at night....I may just be tired.  Kat's blog:  http://www.katmcnally.com/2013/12/reverb13-day-19-self-compassion.html?showComment=1387432800751#c8887281586528337712

The last step was to add the verse on the tag:  "Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy coeth in the morning."  Psalm 30:5.

Hope you like it.  I love reading your comments.

FEATHER FUN

This has been my silliness of late.  I did the lower ones first from hymn sheets of an old book that was put in it's binding upside down.  So it made a perfect candidate for crafting.  What you can't see here is the beautiful shimmer they each have.  The upper group was made from cardboard headed to the recycle bin.  I really do like birds so it stands to reason I would like feathers as well.  I'm already making more on this feather kick.  Not sure where it will end, but some have already flown off to other parts of the world.  I also shared this idea with my class  and they all wanted to make some as well.  So fun!  Hope you like them.

Altering Books in Ukraine

I have such fun with these high school students.  They are learning to alter books.  Most never even knew of such a thing.  As you see above we started out last Saturday with a video....they were intrigued.  Here are the backgrounds several did.  I think they are off to a good start.