Amy's Creative Pursuits: August 2023

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Creative Bible Journaling - June Pages Part Two

Come along with me each month as I journal my way through the Bible. I'm not artistic at all, so you won't see beautiful illustrations and calligraphy, but what you will see is what I gleaned from the scriptures every day and how I creatively journaled what I have learned in the margins of my Inspire Bible.

In last month's Bible Journaling post I mentioned I had way too many Bible Journaling posts for June and very few for July and August, so I decided to divide the month of June into two separate posts and then combine my July and August posts into one. Ah, the life of a gardener, certain seasons we are very busy. Now is a gardener's very busy season: Harvest time! But in other seasons we just sit and dream!

Now, onto the last of my June pages, shall we?

My first page I created to illustrate Isaiah 40:26. The theme of Isaiah 40 is "Comfort and Strength for God's People". Isaiah was trying to get the people to see the greatness of God by seeing His glory in creation. I must admit, anytime I have my doubts about God's inability to solve a problem in my life, all I have to do is take a little walk in nature and see His magnificent handiwork everywhere. Suddenly my problems seems so small and insignificant because if could create "all this", surely He can handle my issues.

To make this page I painted the background with several different shades of craft paint. I stamped stars and diamonds in the background and then used a mixture of stamps and my own handwriting for the verse.

Here is another page that shows how nature reveals God's glory.

To make this page, I colored in the background with a marker, then I added a die cut rainbow. I hand wrote the Bible verse, and added a piece of ephemera from my "Worthy of Worship" kit from Illustrated Faith.

I had so much fun making this page! I read this verse, and then I just immediately thought of all the strange and interesting creatures God has made for us to enjoy.

To make this page, I painted the background green and used a combination of stamps and my own handwriting for the verse. The "creatures" are 3D stickers. I also painted some white dots in the background.

Here is a page that I created that is combination of notes, Bible study, and a verse illustration. There's no rules in Bible journaling, you can do whatever the Lord leads you. It doesn't always have to be pretty illustrations, sometimes it can just be notes or notes illustrated in an attractive way.

On this page I am illustrating a theme from my devotional that came with my "Worthy of Worship". In that devotional, the author went through all the different ways in our lives we can worship God. One way is to worship God with our testimony. Simply share with others what God has done for us. But the most traditional way to worship God, is to praise Him when we are assembled with our brothers and sisters in Christ (as seen in Psalm 22:22).

In addition to notes and verses on what it means to "Worship with your testimony" I also wrote some notes on a "Reminder" ephemera card about what it means to rest in the Lord, based on Psalm 23:2.

To make this page, I painted the background with craft paint and added little white dots. I hand wrote all my notes and the Bible verse. The "Smile Jesus Loves You" and "Reminder" are ephemera from the "Worthy of Worship" kit. The flowers are die cuts.

Keeping with the theme of "Worship with your testimony", my next page illustrates to give thanks to God, proclaim His greatness, and tell the ENTIRE WORLD what He has done! Wow! That's a tall order!

To make this page I painted the background with bright pink craft paint. The rainbow is ephemera from the "Worthy of Worship" kit. The globe and people is a stamp, that I colored in, cut out, and adhered to the page. The flower is a die cut. I used a mix of stamps and my own handwriting for the verse.

Another reminder from God that He wants us to tell others about Him. Worship with your testimony!

To make this page I painted the background with green craft paint then painted in a little background design with blue craft paint. I stamped the Bible verse. The "Kingdom Carrier" and "Smiley Face" are ephemera from the "Worthy of Worship" kit. The yellow flower is a die cut.

This last page is the same verse as Psalm 105 above, but in a different book! How interesting is that? This author was most likely quoting the psalm.

To make this page, I adhered a piece of pink designer paper in the margin and painted some white dots. The flowers and hearts are ephemera from the "Worthy of Worship" kit. The verse is a combination of stamps and my own handwriting.

I hope my Bible journaling pages inspired you this month to get out and tell others about Jesus!

Have A Great Day! Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

Sunday, August 20, 2023

My Summer Perennial Garden

As summer begins to wind down and the kiddos are all heading back to school, I thought I'd better snap to it and show you photos of my summer perennial garden before it's time for a fall tour.

Let's begin the tour shall we. Some photos were taken at the end of June, some around the 4th of July, and the rest were recently taken, but the garden has changed so much already as now everything is already starting to yellow, brown, and fade away and the yard is mostly filled with Black Eyed Susans.

Early July is when the tall Asiatic Lilies are in bloom...just in time for the 4th of July.

In front of the shed I have a large Endless Summer Hydrangea. Mine blooms pink instead of blue because of the soil.

The purple coneflower, day lilies, and Bee Balm also bloom about this time.

I didn't include these late spring blooming Delphiniums in my Spring Perennial Garden post, so I'm including them now.

I have a shade loving hydrangea that I just love! I've been able to dig up and divide this plant a lot as it sends out runners. Hopefully someday I'll have even more of this beauty in my yard.

A self seeding bellflower that's really overtaken my shade garden, but that's ok as it is so pretty!

Year after year the spirea bushes never stop showing off their beautiful blooms. If only they would stop self-seeding everywhere though!

This sun-loving plant was quite the show stopper this year! It is called "Rose Campion".

Every year I try something different with my front yard garden bed. It's a mix of annuals and perennials. This year I did a wild mix of rudebekias, zinnias, and begonias. Nothing matches, but it's very colorful and cheerful.

I purchased this rudebekia variety at my local greenhouse. The lady that sold it to me swears it's a perennial. I have my doubts. But it was definitely a show-stopper this year, and if it doesn't come back next spring, I'm still buying more because it looked gorgeous all summer long.

This is the red version of purple coneflower. I LOVE this plant! I recommend buying it if you see it at your local nursery. It is so hardy, and blooms most of the summer. It's just stunning!

This is the other end of the same front garden bed. Here I have my pond, which sits right underneath my kitchen window. I love to watch all the birds and animals come here and get a drink while I do the dishes.

A lovely creamy yellow daylily with purple coneflower and phlox in the distance.

This is another rudebekia version the lady sold me at my local greenhouse. Once again, she said it was a perennial, but I'll believe it if it comes back next winter. I love the fall colors of this one, but it didn't grow quite as large as the previous one I showed you.

There were so many butterflies in my yard this year! It seemed the entire yard was filled with flying colors! I love how this one matches the colors in the zinnia.

We had a drought this spring, so unfortunately most of my seeded zinnias didn't even germinate. But I did get a few like the next two beauties.

I love the sherbet colors of this one!

A soft pink day lily.

These bright red day lilies that lined my walk way were show stoppers this year!

A white coneflower.

Sunflowers planted by the birds. I never pull a sunflower, even if it grows in the most ridiculous spot. I just can't bring myself to do it.

Even when plants and bushes stop blooming, they leave so much interest and color behind in their seeds. I love the seed heads of this Viburnum bush.

Black eyed Susans with phlox in the background.

Purple Liatris

This is my septic mound where I have mostly wild orange day lilies growing so hubby doesn't have to mow it and I don't have to give it much attention.

I do have other things growing on this mound like Black Eyed Susans and other types of day lilies.

Here is the same mound looking the opposite direction back at the house.

There is a lot of phlox on this mound too. The deer are always eating it, which I actually don't mind, because they eat it early in the spring which causes the plant to bloom on shorter stems.

Hollyhock

A white Asiatic Lily

Yellow Asiatic lilies mixed with red Bee Balm.

Pink Day Lily

And finally, the annuals in pots in my back patio. I just realized I never showed ya'll my newly renovated back patio. I have just been so behind on my blogging. I don't know why, but I'm having trouble keeping up with this blog. I use to post 3-5 times a week, and now it's a miracle if I do one post a week. My life hasn't changed, so it must be my energy level. I have so many home renovations, travel, and lifestyle posts I want to share. Oh well...someday!

I hope you enjoyed my summer perennial garden tour, hopefully I'll be able to come back with one more garden post this fall but I wouldn't hold your breath. 😂

Have A Great Day! Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Summer Denim with Ageless Style

Ageless Style is a monthly style challenge and link up for women of all ages. Each month we pick a different theme and style an outfit based on that theme. This month's theme is "Summer Denim" and was picked by Jodie.

This month's "Ageless Style" theme is "Summer Denim". When this theme was first announced my initial thought was "I don't wear denim in summer, it's too hot!". Well, I do occasionally wear denim shorts, but usually only around the house. And frankly, I've been finding those too uncomfortable to wear too and prefer lightweight cotton or linen drawstring shorts. But, what I do wear in summer is chambray: denim's look-a-like cousin. It's really not denim at all, but it sure looks like it.

So what is the difference between denim and chambray you ask? Well, denim is designed with a twill weave whereas chambray is made with a plain weave resulting in a softer fabric more suitable for shirts. Denim is more rugged and is used more for pants and jackets.

Chambray is my summer denim. I own two chambray skirts and one chambray dress. For the challenge I chose this ruffled hem chambray skirt from my closet. I paired it with a new top from "Daily Thread". It's a new-to-me store in our local mall, but I found the top on-line and linked it for you. I would never normally buy such a bright floral top like this, but the second I saw it I knew it would go perfect with my chambray skirt and to wear on my anniversary date with my hubby to a botanical garden.

It's a peasant style top with ruffled elastic sleeves which I pushed up above my elbow. The fabric is so comfortable, I loved wearing this top. I tied the bottom of the top into a knot instead of tucking it in.

Because we were touring a garden in the hot sun I wore a white sun hat and comfortable, neutral sporty sandals. I carried a hot-pink cross-body bag to match the colors in my top and also for travel convenience.

This was a beautiful garden in Madison Wisconsin that I can't wait to tell you more about in a future travel post. My favorite part of the garden was the Thailand Garden; isn't the structure pictured in the background beautiful?