Walking Boots

I'm working "in the studio" this week

and sharing a sneak peek

along with these lovely artists:

I keep backing up my Etsy store re-opening date

because I recently sold out {YAY!} my art,

and it is taking me longer to build up some inventory than I expected.

{Joyful challenge!}

This week I submitted an application

to the South Dakota Governor's Conference on Tourism.

A big gulp, deep breath, and sending it off it the mail

with knee-knocking, heart-thumping courage.

Even putting a box in the mail

can seem daunting!

Butterflies in the stomach ~ excitement and vulnerability.

So, today, I have been working on this piece

that I am loving.

Loving the themes

of

stepping out,

journey,

adventure.

I'm playing with my new {old} alphabet set

that I bought from GASP studio in Spearfish.

L.o.v.i.n.g. it!

And step-by-step

building up a new body of artwork.

All new.

My new target date to re-open my Etsy shop is now October 10.

What are your goals for October that you are working at step-by-step?

Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright

Look at the birds of the air,

for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;

yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not of more value than they?

Which of you by worrying

can add one cubit to his stature?

Matthew 6:26-27 NKJV

Give your entire attention

to what God is doing right now,

and don't get worked up

about what may or may not happen tomorrow.

God will help you

deal with whatever hard things

come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:33 ~ The Message

Got some worrying going on

in the house.

So I found the Word,

gathered some music,

and made art.

Erin made some "curly-cue" art also.

"Look, Mom, my first sunshine with curly-cues!"

Joining Jennifer and the artists for a sneak peek in the studio:

Painted Prairie

Find beauty

of

here

now.

Embrace

your

present.

Be present to the moment.

Savor.

Moments

in

time.

South Dakota

prairie

wild roses.

Sweet, sweet smell.

Cliches such as 

take time to stop and smell the roses

are

true

wisdom.

*

Photos copyright 2011 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.

My little "sneak peak"

of photos

getting ready to process and print

for projects and matted prints.

Get some sneak peeks into other inspirational artists here:

Studio JRU

*

Like Nobody Else

From the movie P.S. I Love You

"Find that thing that makes you like nobody else."

I love that line.

Makes me think of birds.

Yes, birds.

Embracing my bird fascination started with my grandma, yes,

but also this that I wrote a couple years back:

Grandma Marj had a unique appreciation for birds that became a natural part of my heart as well.  Growing up next door, affection for birds seemed like a normal part of life.  It never occurred to me until I went to elementary school that it was odd to call a bird by its proper name.  After all, a black capped chick-a-dee was not a nuthatch, nor was a slate junco an evening grosbeak.  Furthermore, to call it simply a bird was to disregard its unique identity.  A bird has a name after all.  The name was an intricate aspect of the masterpiece that each bird was.

A name.  A unique identity.

We all have a unique identity.

And things that make us like nobody else.

We are not the same.

And that

is

good.

The thing that makes you and me like nobody else . . .

some people will

like it,

some will love it,

some will need it,

some will ignore it,

some will think it is foolish,

some will not even see it.

But what others think of it

is not as important

as being true to who each of us is made to be.

Even if those we want

to

notice

and those we want

to

celebrate with

are not interested.

It is ok.  It may not be for them.

And that is ok.

And it does not mean we should stop

being what makes us like nobody else.

If I waited for everyone

I loved

to see and embrace and encourage

me to

write,

create,

photograph,

and to put it all together . . .

I never would have started.

And it is nobody else's responsibility

to find, to see, to embrace, to encourage, or to live

the thing

that makes me like nobody else.

The thing

that gives joy

to my heart

like nobody else.

It is for me

to be,

to live,

even

if

others

think it is weird or foolish.

"Find that thing that makes you like nobody else."

And embrace it.

Be it.

Live it.

*

This was a sneak peek into my studio for this week.

I have been taking these photos of birds

through the windows of my home.

See what others are creating in their "studios" here

at Jennifer's blog:

Studio JRU.

All photos in this blog are property of Jodene Shaw.

Copyright 2011.

Backgrounds With a Growing Big Girl

In the studio this week . . .

I finished preparing and editing a Bible study

for an upcoming women's retreat.



Lots of working with words.



And I have lots of backgrounds prepared

to play with

on little pieces



that help me be brave to try new things

for the big pieces.

Which always inspires

my "growing big" girl

{because she's "not little"}

to try some background

experimenting of her own . . .

with my pastels.

Fearless, she is.

Bold and enthusiastic.

"Look what I did!  Isn't it beautiful?!"



She inspires me

with fearlessness

boldness

enthusiasm

excitement to show-and-tell.

She draws stick figure smiley-faces of me

with square-scribbled hair

and a sunshine over my head

that looks like a flower.

I love it.

If I am writing, she wants to write.

She is learning her letters.

If I paint, she wants to paint.

She knows her colors.

We teach each other.

So much.

Just a "Sneak Peek In the Studio"

linking with my artistic, spirited, inspirational

blog friends.  Visit them here at Studio JRU.

My e-course Believe Truth
an online Bible study
begins Monday February 7.
Info is here ~ Believe Truth

Sneak Peek Lesson is Here:  Introduction to Believe Truth

Have a lovely weekend.
Love & grace,
jodi

In the Studio ~ Sneak Peek Friday

A sneak peak into my "dining room & computer desk studio"

would be full of words.

Writing in the morning, afternoon, and well into late hours of the night.

My blogging has been pretty light lately as all of the depth goes into Believe Truth.

It seems that all other activites aside from family and writing have come to a halt.

I just noticed that it had been a WEEK since I picked up my camera!

*

Yesterday, for Believe Truth, I wrote about sharing our unique gifts & talents.

Here is how I put it:

if you have an abundance of apples, bless others with apples.

If you have lots of oranges, give oranges.

But don't feel guilty about not being able to share oranges when you've got apples.

And don't wish you had apples when you've got oranges.

Give what... you've got to give ~ not what someone else has to give.

Be who you are, not who someone else is.

Sometimes it is that simple.  I love that God can be that simple for us at times.

And in that simple message, I am free to be me and to give what I have to give.

A simple "apples and oranges" thing is in this scripture about spiritual gifts:

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

...the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.

(1 Corinthians 12:4,6-7)

*

There has been a richness to my spirit in the feedback from the Believe Truth e-course.

I think in anything we do as writers, photographers, & artists - -

the connection with others is the point - -

the completion - -

the full circle of giving and sharing - - -

I love that.

Connection.  Relationships.

Speaking of connection and relationships,

this week I spent an afternoon completing an interview with Jan Avellana of Hazelnut Cottage

that was just posted today here:  Hazelnut Cottage Interview

Jan has such a sweet spirit and I adore her jewelry.

One of my favorite pieces was my "robin's nest" Mother's Day gift this year:



So there is my sneak peek into my "studio" for the week!

Be sure to visit Jennifer over at Studio JRU and the other Sneak Peek Bloggers!

Have a great weekend!

Love & grace,

jodi

Sneak Peek Friday ~ In the Studio ~ This Week's Projects

~A Sneak Peek In The Studio Party~

In between posting from my fun weekend at the

Black Hills Photo Shootout,

this week has been maxxed out with writing for the

Believe Truth E-Course.

These last two weeks have required some outpouring of heart.

In the last lesson, I left it with this challenge ~

Do you believe you are His masterpiece?

Will you allow Him to make you His masterpiece?

To restore, repaint, reshape you into a beautiful new creation?

"And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make." Jeremiah 18:4

~ For we are his masterpiece

 created in Christ Jesus for good works

prepared long ago

to be our way of life ~

*Ephesians 2:10

*

Letting Him be the artist of me . . . the potter . . . the author . . .

Letting go . . .

*

NEW:  Believe Truth E-Course has extended dates!

Because of recent response, I will extend the availability of the Believe Truth e-course material

an extra month for those enrolling after September 27.

Material will be available for completion through January 31, 2011.

If you missed enrolling at the beginning of September,

go ahead and join us . . .you will have time!

Click here to enroll:

BELIEVE TRUTH

Sneak Peek Friday: BEGIN...one small step at a time

Today is . . .

Sneak Peak Friday ~ In The Studio

Sponsored by Jennifer over at Studio JRU

If you'd like to join, just click above!

So here is my sneak peak of creativity this week . . .

I am working on a piece

"Begin...one small step at a time"

It is what I have been doing lately

even though some steps have felt like

giant leaps of faith

those did require small steps to get to the leaping point.

It seems to be a theme at this time of year and life

*back to school for my kids

*New friends from Flying Lessons~artists, photographers, writers taking new steps

*writing this Believe Truth e-course

*registering for the Black Hills Photo Shootout

Beginning one small step at a time

often includes walking toward one thing and away from another.

Even when we know we should and want to

there is a part that wants to stay and hang on to where we have been.

This morning my three year old daughter Erin wanted to visit Grandma.

So we decided it would be a step of courage for her.

She was quite hesitant to go,

but Toby, the beagle, went with her.

I gave her a popscicle for the walk...a treat to occupy her mind.

She walked along the road

looking back at me every so often

standing on the deck.

Then started down the hill.

I saw her blonde top-knot pony tail bobbing along

until it almost disappeared.

Then she called, "Mommmm??"

And the pony tail reappeared.

"It's ok!"  I hollered to her.

Then she disappeared completely from my sight.

Again, she called, "Mom?" from the point where she could not see me

but she could still hear my voice.

"You're ok"  I called back.

She has to pass through a spot

where she can't see home

and she can't see Grandma's house.

But then I saw her appear again at the bottom of the hill . . .

first the pony tail along with the white tip of Toby's tail.

Then bit by bit her whole little body,

and Toby's too,

were visible.

At that point, I could hear Grandma call, "Hi!!"

Erin started skipping and faintly I heard, "I have popscicles!"

Grandma's yellow lab Ruger started barking his greeting.

She was at her new destination.

Starting with one small hesitant step in the way she wanted to go.

Isn't it like that?

I know I am supposed to go a new way.

I have to take that hesitant first step in this new direction.

I take a companion for comfort.

And maybe a little treat for some diversion.

But then I cannot see where I left, nor where I am going.

Yet, I am on the road.

And the road keeps going showing me the next steps.

I call out to God.

To know He is there.

I cannot see Him, but I can hear His voice.

Even if it is not audible to my ears.

I can hear it in my spirit.

And it gives me courage when I can't see where I left

and I can't see where I am going.

But then, stepping one small step after another,

I begin to get a glimpse of the new destination.

And there it is that my fear turns into enthusiasm.

And I start skipping.

Photos and text copyright Sept. 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.