by Great Joy Studio | Apr 30, 2010 | Field Trip
Beautiful evening at the Chase Park Plaza – Over a hundred artsy/craftsy people from all over the country in the Starlight Room, 11th floor!
Guess who was standing right behind me after I walked in? We had a nice little chat. Both of us in the same big, linen, “artist” shirts from J-Jill, offered even more common ground for us to discuss. Then we talked about our shoes, LOL! Mary commented that she liked my Missouri cardinal bird name tag! It was a very nice reception that included shopping, cocktails & hors d’ oeuvres. Also lots of meeting and greeting. Very fun. Can you tell us apart? LOL, ME and me.
by Great Joy Studio | Apr 29, 2010 | Field Trip
Wow! My workshop weekend is underway. It began with a personalized tour of ME’s studio and offices. The Mary Engelbreit Home Companion Workshop event is local for me so, I drove to the very trending location on this gorgeous morning. Arrived early enough to enjoy a coffee in the breezy courtyard. Pretty neat.
I was greeted by Mary’s trade mark character, Anne Estelle. To my surprise I was the only one taking the studio tour in my scheduled time slot. What, all to myself? Yipeeeeeeee!
With my head pivoting in all directions and eyes moving at a frantic pace, I attempted to take absolutely everything in.
I only have a short time now to post some of the many photos I took. These are right inside the door at the front desk. As you can see, a lovely suite of offices. I’ll be heading back down for registration and festivities at the reception this evening.
My Gracious Guide was Jan-her apron pin collection
by Great Joy Studio | Apr 28, 2010 | Field Trip, Getting Started, Projects
Hi – This morning I’m multitasking, AS usual! Gathering some supplies for my first workshop, stocking up baked goods to help feed the church building group in June and a hair cut at nine. Crafting, baking and candlestick making!
I’m attending my first artsy, craftsy workshop which begins tomorrow. Several months ago I signed up for Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion Workshops, which is where I’ll be for the next few days. Since this is a first for me, I’m not sure what to bring so, perhaps a little bit of everything?
I’m looking forward to learning some new techniques and having some FUN! Really, I’m not sure exactly what I’ve signed on for but, I’m filled with nervous excitement. Wish me luck? Eeks, do I really have time for fun? I think I need to gather some more crafty stuff, maybe some paint or more glue, er, um……. ribbon?
by Great Joy Studio | Apr 27, 2010 | Home Arts, Treasured Tuesday's
Treasured Tuesday – The very first antique that I was fortunate enough to acquire, held much sentimental value for me. It was my grandmothers dresser, given to me when I was sixteen years old. Although I’m not sure why, the attraction to antiques at such an early age, just seemed like a natural. The strong interest has remained with me these many years. For the most part, I try to stay out of shops now and often describe myself as a recovering collector.
Enamel ware pots are among the first collections I began. The large pitcher, top left, is the first piece I purchased around age 19 or so. In the same shop, I also discovered a couple of nicely shaped pots with wire handles and a wooden hand grip. When my mom explained that these were old “potties,” kept under the commodes or “water closets,” they didn’t quite hold the same attraction for me. A short time later, she was able to convince me to part with those pieces.
The items shared here today are only a portion of my collection and still one of my favorite subjects to include in my artwork. Some of these will be featured in an upcoming fabric line. Stay tuned to see when they will make their debut.
Some Local History – I only discovered in a search I conducted this morning!
by Great Joy Studio | Apr 25, 2010 | Spiritual
From an E-mail I received this morning:
GOD versus Science
Let me explain the problem science has with religion.’
> The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.
> ‘You’re a Christian, aren’t you, son?’
> ‘Yes sir,’ the student says.
> ‘So you believe in
> God?’
> ‘Absolutely.’
> ‘Is God good?’
> ‘Sure! God’s good.’
>
> ‘Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?’
> ‘Yes’
> ‘Are you good or evil?’
> ‘The Bible says I’m evil.’
> The professor grins knowingly.
> ‘Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment.
> ‘Here’s one for you. Let’s say there’s a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?’
> ‘Yes sir, I would.’
> ‘So you’re good…!’
> ‘I wouldn’t say that.’
> ‘But why not say that? You’d help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn’t.’
> The student does not
> answer, so the professor continues. ‘He doesn’t, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to
> heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?’
> The student remains silent. ‘No, you can’t, can you?’ the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the
> student time to relax. ‘Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?’
> ‘Er..yes,’ the student says.
> ‘Is Satan good?’
> The student doesn’t hesitate on this one. ‘No.’
> ‘Then where does Satan come from?’
> The student falters. ‘From God’
> ‘That’s right. God made Satan, didn’t he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?’
> ‘Yes, sir..’
> ‘Evil’s everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything, correct?’
> ‘Yes’
> ‘So who created evil?’ The professor continued, ‘If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and
> according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.’
> Again, the student has no answer. ‘Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?’
> The student squirms on his feet. ‘Yes.’
> ‘So who created them?’
> The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. ‘Who created them?’ There is still no answer. Suddenly the
> lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. ‘Tell me,’ he continues onto another student. ‘Do you
> believe in Jesus Christ,
> son?’
> The student’s voice betrays him and cracks. ‘Yes, professor, I do.’
> The old man stops pacing. ‘Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?’
> ‘No sir. I’ve never seen Him.’
>
> ‘Then tell us if you’ve ever heard your Jesus?’
> ‘No, sir, I have not..’
> ‘Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your
> Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?’
> ‘No, sir, I’m afraid I haven’t.’
>
> ‘Yet you still believe in him?’
> ‘Yes’
> ‘According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn’t exist.. What do you say to that, son?’
> ‘Nothing,’ the student replies.. ‘I only have my faith.’
> ‘Yes, faith,’ the
> professor repeats. ‘And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.’
> The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. ‘Professor, is there such thing as heat? ‘
> ‘Yes.’
> ‘And is there such a thing as cold?’
> ‘Yes, son, there’s cold too.’
> ‘No sir, there isn’t.’
> The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The
> room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. ‘You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat,
> unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don’t have anything called ‘cold’. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero,
> which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the
> lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter
> have or
> transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of
> heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the
> absence of
> it.’
> Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
>
> ‘What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?’
> ‘Yes,’ the professor replies without hesitation.. ‘What is night if it isn’t darkness?’
> ‘You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light,
> flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it’s called darkness, isn’t it? That’s the meaning we use to define
> the word. In reality, darkness isn’t. If it were,
> you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?’
> The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. ‘So what point are you making, young man?’
> ‘Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.’
> The professor’s face cannot hide his surprise this time. ‘Flawed? Can you explain how?’
> ‘You are working on the premise of duality,’ the student explains. ‘You argue that
> there is life and then there’s death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can
> measure. Sir, science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either
> one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
> Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.’ ‘Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a
> monkey?’
> ‘If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.’
> ‘Have you ever observed evolution with your
> own eyes, sir?’
> The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.
> ‘Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you
> not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?’
> The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. ‘To continue the point you were making earlier to the
> other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.’ The student looks around the room. ‘Is there anyone in the class who has ever
> seen the professor’s brain?’ The class
> breaks out into laughter. ‘Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor’s brain, felt the professor’s brain, touched or smelt the
> professor’s brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol,
> science says that you have no
> brain, with all due respect, sir.’ ‘So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?’
> Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man
> answers. ‘I Guess you’ll have to take them on faith.’
> ‘Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with
> life,’ the student continues. ‘Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?’
> Now uncertain, the professor responds, ‘Of course, there is. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man. It
> is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.’
> To this the student replied, ‘Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is
> just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what
> happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like
> the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.’
> The professor sat down.
> The student was Albert Einstein.
> Albert Einstein wrote a book titled God vs. Science in
> 1921…
Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.
by Great Joy Studio | Apr 23, 2010 | Healthy Stuff
Is everyone enjoying the Spring weather, flowering trees, bushes and sprouting splendor? We have had a good stretch of incredible weather here in the Midwest making it very pleasant to continue with my healthy walking commitment. Dodging rain for the next few days, however.
I brought my camera yesterday to capture my neighbors snowball bushes. I’m guessing that they are the common variety and not yet full grown which, according to the site listed below is 8 to 12 feet. These bring to mind another memory, of visits to my grandma’s garden. She had a gigantic snowball bush, the largest I’ve ever seen, but of course, I was just a small girl so maybe it only seemed that way.
About the common snowball bush : The Common Snowball Bush, Viburnum opulus, also called the European Cranberry bush produces white flowers in late spring. It is a deciduous thicket-forming Old World shrub. In the fall, the leaves turn a wonderful burgundy reddish-purple. About the same time, the bright red, attractive berries ripen, and persist on the plant throughout the winter. Birds, particularly Cedar Waxwings, are very fond of the berries, and can often be found snacking during the winter. Have a snowball fight in June! Kids and adults alike love this rounded plant with masses of flowers. Grows best in full sun to partial shade. Bushes & Shrubs
by Great Joy Studio | Apr 22, 2010 | Getting Started, Studio
After running errands all day yesterday, an early birthday present, to myself, arrived late last evening.
Ooooh, what could it be?
Kidding, I knew…
my first lap top!
My only other computer, about seven years old, is an IMac G4 and is filled up and slowing down. So, I took the plunge and ordered something I could sit in the easy chair with. Since the growing demand on an artist/designer to do much more computer generated, product mock-up work, I thought it was time to get comfy.
Admitting, I’m a little intimidated by the change. Good thing I have kids.
Charging….
Hey, kids? Jason, Kate, anybody? Eeeks!
