Gratefulness

Hello!  ¡Hola!  Welcome to my weekly post, where I foster a love to read, explore, and create through art and spirituality.

"Believe" Christmas Card
Freshly Made Sketches #707 - A Sketch by Judy
Just Add Ink Challenge #771 (Choose Two or More)

For my first project, I'm sharing a Christmas card I designed using Freshly Made Sketches' #707, as well as Just Add Ink's #771, choose two or more challenge; Plaid-Plants-Pretties-Pens.  I recently purchased the Sizzix Pete Hughes' Infinite Doodless #1 and #2 Thinlits sets, and was excited to explore the plethora of creative possibilities.  I used the sets to create the pretty little church scene.  I also used Sizzix's Tim Holtz Vintage Labels Thinlits, as well as their Plaid and Vintage Holiday embossing folders for the background.  I used card stock and vellum for all the pieces.  I hand lettered the sentiment with an Arteza calligraphy marker.

Frida Kahlo Portrait
Friday Face Off 10/10/2025
Ellibelle's Garden Party No. 8
What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 853/73

For my next project, I have a portrait of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican artist known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico.  I've had the Sizzix Tim Holtz' Abstract Faces Thinlits set for a while, but used it only once or twice.  Pete Hughes used it to create Frida's portrait, so I took some creative liberties to do my own.  Hence, I also used a Spellbinders' Annie Williams Garden Builder cutting dies set to design her hair piece; and a Studio G skull punch and a Marvy Uchida oval punch to create her necklace ornament.  The background was pieced with MO Card Newspaper Ticket Decorative Papers, and illustrated with Mont Marte Real Brush Pens. The quote around the perimeter was handwritten with a Pentel Brush Sign Pen.

Bougainvillea Digital Art
Word Art Wednesday - Weeks #720-721
Art For Fun Friday 178

For my last project, I have a picture of a Bougainvillea, which is a thorny flowering vine native to Mexico and other Latin American countries.  My grandmother had an enormous one in her garden, under which my cousins and I used to play house.  My wife's Bougainvillea is not quite that big, but it's flowering beautifully, as you can see in my picture.  I used my Procreate app to digitally alter it, and then inserted an inverted version of the Karen's Word Art.  It's such an inspirational Biblical verse.

In closing, I'd like to leave you with the synopsis of my sermon for tomorrow.  It's based on Jesus' encounter with the 10 Lepers, found in Luke 17:11-19.  In this Gospel, Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"  This is a short, but poignant story.  Perhaps Luke tells this story to show that Jesus didn’t just come for the Jews, but also for the outcasts, the foreigners, and for the people of all nations around the world.  Perhaps Luke wants to illustrate God’s love, empathy, and mercy for everyone, regardless of how they look, speak, praise, think, or love.  Perhaps Luke wants to remind us about how when things are not going well with us, and we’re recipients of God’s mercy, we often fail to demonstrate our gratitude through our thoughts, words, and actions.  No matter what Luke's reasons were, a grateful heart should always emanate goodness, and we can do that by praising God and paying it forward onto all our neighbors.

I hope you'll leave a comment, and I'll be thrilled to visit your blog and reciprocate the favor.  Thanks for your visit!  ¡Gracias por su visita!

Arnoldo+