A New Leap – Fibers

Here are the fibers I used for the background.

image, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

The top one is the heavy thread I used for the trees.  Next is a loose spun thread used on the darker meadow areas.  Finally, the lighter meadow areas were stitched using a silk with flames, which means tighter areas and looser areas.  Laid down with long stitches, these fibers show off their irregularities to make a rich background that looks complicated while actually being fast and easy to stitch!

Prayer: Father, thank You that our irregularities make us unique, beautiful, fitted for individual purposes in Your world.

A New Leap – Background Stitching

Rather than leaving the background openwork, I decided to do some fancy stitching with different fibers to make a scene for the leaping lamb.

This was done freehand, using different variegated textured threads.  I stitch the trees first, then fill the landscape in around them and the lamb and Joy.  Fun and quick, as the stitches are long.

image, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the beauty we each can bring just working in the background.  I pray for those who work quietly to know that they do Your work.

A New Leap

Recently our pastor and his wife left for an encouragement trip to missionaries in the Philippines sent by our church 20 years ago.  20 years in the field!  Perhaps this is normal, but I didn’t grow up in the church and it seems extraordinary to me!

He asked the church members to send cards of encouragement.  There was just enough time for me to stitch this piece for them.

Missionary Joy, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, please bless this family which has devoted so much of their life to your service and service of your people.  Bring them an ever closer walk, unexpected joys, long worked for successes, wisdom for their path.

Blue Luna – High Contrast

Next it’s time to paint the canvas.  This is easier to do if I transform the design into high contrast colors which I can easily distinguish as compared to the subtle shading of the design.

For each color in the palette, another is substituted.  This always makes a cool, pop-art kind of image!

HC–Blue-Luna, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, grant her Your guidance and insight.  Help her to see her choices of treatment and of her journey, and to choose wisely among them.  Once they are made, grant her peace with them.

The world’s standard…

“The essence of the world’s standard is that it sets self in the centre; the essence of the Christian standard is that it sets Christ and others in the centre.”

From my morning readings in “The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians”, Daily Study Bible Series, by William Barclay.

Bromley Solo Violin, a photo by markvall on Flickr.

The focus is on service.  Not just for people we know and love, but for all of God’s creation.  Which doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t start at home, as it were.  But many of my NeedlePrayer projects are for people I have never met, and I never meet them.  But I love them because God does.

Blue Luna – Final Design

And here is the final design.

Blue-Luna-Design, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the beauty and light around us.  Help her to see and remember that beauty during the dark times.

Blue Luna – Subset

Now it’s on to the background!  To break up the work, I decided to concentrate first on a smaller design within the overall piece, which includes the moon and the moth, but not the words.  This design I may use again.

Blue-Luna-Saleable, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, our needs are shared.  While each of us in unique, and experiences a unique life, many aspects are common.  Help her to see how she may benefit from, and benefit, others in similar situations.

Blue Luna – Text

The final foreground element is the text.  Her amazing, brave choice is

Always Victory!

Blue-Luna-Text-Context, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, grant her strength and faith to continue to strive for victory in You.

Blue Luna – Tree

Unlike the other elements, I need to substantially change the tree.  I need a branch for the moth and the cocoon to cling to.  The challenge is to make the branches I introduce work visually as part of the tree the photo shows.  The branches should be similar, but not identical.

Blue-Luna-Tree-Context, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, grant her support in her journey towards the light.

A friendship which does not grow closer…

“A friendship which does not grow closer with the years tends to vanish with the years. And it is the same with us and God.”

From my morning readings in “The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians”, Daily Study Bible Series, by William Barclay.

No Boundaries, a photo by premasagar on Flickr.

I believe that friendship to be the cornerstone of each of our lives.  And how do we grow our friendships?  By giving time to our friends.  By sharing with them.  Laughing with them.  Crying with them.  Telling them what is in our hearts.

But also, crucially, by listening to them.  Trying to understand them.  Concerning ourselves with what concerns them.

Prayer lets us do all of these things!