These days, we could all use a little more encouragement than usual, perhaps. So I’m revisiting our barnyard friend, Percy the Persevering Rooster. I’m working on a few more of the sculptures, which will be in the shop soon (so if you missed the last one, stay tuned). Percy was one of the most popular […]
Waiting to Reap (pictured above), by Stephen Rountree, is an original painting in acrylic on salvaged, early 1900s barn wood, lightly coated in white pickling stain. The encouraging words of Galatians 6:9 are hand-transferred onto the wood in distressed lettering. Waiting to Reap is available in the shop today. Are you tired yet? You might […]
Keeping a good frame of mind How are you staying sane during the pandemic? Faithful Inspiring Handmade reader, Emmaline, sent me a packet of wonderful drawings last week. She tells me she’s been making more of these lately and says they help keep her walking in the light!To create something beautiful or encouraging, as I’ve […]
Crazy quotes for crazy times Other than Yogi Berra (“When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” and “It ain’t over till it’s over”, among others), few people are as famous for uttering as many malapropisms as Hollywood movie producer, Samuel Goldwyn, who was the “G” in MGM. There’s debate over some […]
Further thoughts on Jonah and the finished sculpture In last week’s post, I shared a new Jonah sculpture in progress on the workbench. This week, I’m happy to share the finished piece. It’s now waiting in the shop, ready for a good home. As I was putting the finishing touches on this, a new perspective […]
Magnificent palette The leaves may have mostly fallen and we’re well into winter, but Patti’s latest work, Last Leaves with it’s warm, comforting colors and gentle, quiet presence, ushers us into the days of autumn. Her wood burned and hand-painted gourd imagines the last oak leaves clinging to their stems. They’ve worked all spring and […]
This week, Patti is introducing a new piece in the Inspiring Handmade shop called Fire in the Jungle. It’s a work full of energy, conflict, passion, and respite—a little bit like life. The name of the piece reflects the tension inherent in its bold colors fighting for your attention. A fire in a jungle evokes […]
A new year. A new decade. 100 years ago, our nation was entering what became known as the “Roaring Twenties.” It was a time of economic and cultural growth and prosperity. As we ease into the 2020s, I’m wondering if these will be the “Roaring Twenties” for me creatively and spiritually. Will I see new […]
What do you want to do or become in 2020? For those who like to set goals, the new year inevitably brings with it the talk of resolutions. Some folks aim to lose weight, eat better, or get in shape. Others will strive to read more, or start—or finish—that book they want to write. You’re […]
This week is the third in the season of Advent. My last two posts have looked at the hope and peace of Advent. This week, the theme is joy and I’m sharing another Christmas card from my archives. I did this one in 2006, before there was TSA Precheck. If you travel by air at […]
