WOYWW: Packing

It's time for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday but there isn't anything of interest today on my desk. I have a bad cough and "Fisherman's Friend" takes center stage today.  I am getting ready to leave for Davao, in Mindanao, the southern part of the Philippines and I did some last minute work using my sewing box.

And for Word Art Wednesday, a verse from Isaiah 49...

Mother's Day is coming up soon and God blessed me with a wonderful mother.  She is no longer with us but she lives on in us and in all she passed on to us, especially our faith.  Happy Mothers Day, not only to all the mothers out there but to everyone who mothers someone!

'Til We Meet Again

Socorro "Corit" Alejandro

January 12, 1934 - February 15, 2014

My Mother is an exceptional woman and her example greatly influenced who I am today. In the career I chose, my hobbies, in parenting, in being thrifty, in having faith in God and in many more ways.

She finished B.S. Architecture, and I decided to become an architect.  She loved making all kinds of crafts, and I do too.  When we were young, I remember how she cut and glued felt into shapes of fried eggs and pancit (noodles) so that we could play make believe kitchen or dining.  We did not have a lot of store bought toys but with her example, we made our own.  She showed us how to make paper dolls and playing with paper dolls and making them kept us busy for a long time. Given an old box and a Sears Roebuck catalog that Daddy would pass on to us, we would cut out pictures of clocks and curtains and glue them to the box to make our own dollhouse.  We would make all sorts of projects together with Mommy.  And so when my daughter, Elyse was a child, I would sometimes have our neighbor's daughters come over and we would also do arts and crafts like potato printing, crayon resist and drawing.  This way of creating things, of teaching others to also make things became the seeds of the work I do now in our family business.

Mommy wanted to have a store and she prayed for it.  But even before that, she would make stuffed toys and Daddy would bring them to his office to sell. And they would get sold! When we needed to transfer residence because daddy needed a phone line for his work, we transferred to Tomas Morato, where there was a store space on the ground floor and we lived on the second floor.  At first, Mommy made the stuffed toys and displayed them in the store window.  She also bought dolls without clothes and sewed clothes for them.  When a customer rang the doorbell, she would go down and also be the sales lady.  She was so industrious and she taught us the value of work.  When we had started making figurines and plaques, she hired us to paint them or hammer on them to make them look antique.  We found out that it felt good to have someone buy something we made!

I am really thankful that mommy and daddy started our business (Papemelroti). Not only has it given me my livelihood and an opportunity to take care of my daughter while working, it has helped many people and this is why I love my work. We are able to provide livelihood to those we employ and to our suppliers, it enables us to express ourselves and our beliefs of love of God and family and the environment in the products that we sell.  Her favorite saying was "Yard by yard, life is hard; inch by inch, it's a cinch."  And that is the way she built the business, little by little, one step at a time. It grew to become more than she ever dreamed of.  She gave all the credit to God because she thought of herself as just an ordinary housewife.

Mommy taught us to be thrifty and even when income was not that big, she really tried to save money, putting aside a certain percentage as savings and spending the remaining balance; a really good example of knowing how to live simply and spend on what is important.  She was not one to go for beauty parlor visits (well, she was already beautiful) or shopping for herself.  In the early years, she sewed our clothes.  I remember she sewed our school uniforms. To be thrifty, they needed to be "one size fits all" and we would wear them as hand me downs.  And to be thrifty, the blouse was kinda short (less cloth). But then, when I would raise my hand, I also needed to hold my blouse down, LOL!

Even when she could already afford to buy clothes from the mall,she still preferred to sew.  She loved altering clothes to make them fit her and while she was altering them, she would often change the design as well.  With that example, when I have the time, I also alter clothes that don't fit (but I don't change the design).

One of her favorite stories about me as a baby was about how I could sleep through the night even in a soaked diaper.  To be thrifty with laundry soap and water, during the day, if a diaper was only very slightly wet, she would just let it dry and at night she would make a super diaper for me made of clean diapers sandwiching these reused diapers. It made her so happy that I slept thru the night, the first time I did something to make her happy.  She really could find ways to be thrifty.

Mommy was also very generous.  When the business grew and we had some employees already, it was her dream to provide housing for them.  My dad's sister told my parents about a property in Bulacan with an area we could use for a factory and some apartment units beside it.  They bought that property and her dream came true. When her church group, Women for Christ, honored her, they shared even more of how generous she was with helping many of their members. She was generous with her treasure because she was generous with her love.

Mommy, Me, Elyse and Pepito (her "baby" egg)

In the area of parenting, I learned a lot from Mommy.  She was a hands on mother.  When I was pregnant, I decided to work full time with our family business so that I could be with my daughter during the day.  She was an example of loving unconditionally, of taking parenting very seriously, of being firm in what was important to her as a parent, of providing for her children.

She wanted to provide for us in the best way she could.  She and Daddy bought lots near to them and we were able to build our houses in these lots.  She wanted to save for us and she wanted to have enough so that she would not burden us financially in her old age.

She wanted to protect us and was quite strict with her rules. No dates without a chaperone, no boyfriend until you are seriously considering marriage. I was already a widow and I still needed a chaperone.  Good thing our kids were our ready made chaperones.  When my daughter rolls her eyes at those rules, I tell her, but look how we ended up with excellent husbands.  The guys knew we were precious to our parents and they would only persevere in courting us if they really valued us also.

But more than all these admirable qualities, more than anything, Mommy is a woman of faith and she passed on her faith to us.  I am blessed to have been brought up by God fearing parents who taught me the values of loving God, of honesty and of knowing right from wrong and choosing to do right.

In the late 70s, Mommy started going to prayer meetings and eventually, I was curious enough to go with her.  Going to these prayer meetings led me to attend the Life in the Spirit Seminar, and have a personal relationship with God.  It was in one of these prayer meetings that I first saw my future husband and it is thru him that I became a member of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon. The legacy of faith that my parents passed on to me is the most precious inheritance I can ever receive and this is the same legacy I strive to pass on to my children.

When Mommy was already very ill, we got a caregiver and nurses to care for her.  They were so sad at her passing and they said it was because she really touched them.  We wondered how that could happen specially since one of them never even got to see Mommy when she could still communicate.  She said she grew to know Mommy by the family that Mommy had, by the children and grandchildren she raised with Daddy.  How wonderful to know that Mommy lives on in us.  And I will continue to live my life according to what she taught me.

No goodbyes, because the faith that she passed on to me, makes me certain that she lives on.  I know she will be praying for us and we will see each other again. I know that she continues to love me even now.  'Til we meet again, I love you, Mommy!

Paint Party Friday: Ang Aking Ina

Happy Paint Party Friday!  Here is the mother and child painting I was working on.  It started out like this...

I wrote part of a poem called Ang Aking Ina (My Mother) on the top right.  It reads...

Gaya rin ng iba, ang ina kong giliw
Ay inang mayumi't lubhang maramdamin,
Inang hindi yuko sa mga hilahil,
Inang mapagbata at siya kong virgen.

Mayrong isang Diyos na kinikilala,
May isang dakilang pananampalataya,
Sa kanya ang madla'y kulay ng umaga,
Ang galit ay awa't sa poot ay tawa.

Siya ang dakilang Batas sa tahanan,
Kamay na masipag, Kampana ng buhay,
Susi ng pag-ibig na kagalanggalang.

Sa kanya ang lahat ay pawang mabuti,
Ang dukha't mayaman ay kapuripuri
Palibhasa'y inang may puso't pagkasi.

I was trying to translate it but there are parts I don't understand and neither does  Google translate!  Besides, I'm already late for the party!  Have you joined my giveaway?

Inspire Me Monday

Twenty two years ago, I gave birth to the most beautiful little girl in the whole world (although I would understand if the other mommies won't agree with me).   Becoming a mommy was life changing for me and I learned so much about LOVE, unconditional love. 

And as I reflected on today's verses from Matthew 25, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me..." I thought of how, as parents, we are able to do this for our children.  

The challenge now is for us to also be able to do this for the less fortunate around us.   I do want to hear the words, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world." Matthew 25:34

In the Word Among Us daily devotional, it says, "Imagine what it must feel like to hear Jesus tell you: “Come, enter the kingdom you’ve spent your life build­ing. You’ll feel right at home!”

The truth is, the kingdom that Jesus describes in this parable is very much like the kingdom that these “sheep” have been building. They have been laboring to create an envi­ronment where there is no more suffering, no more hunger or want, no more sadness or isolation. They have been pouring themselves out so that everyone is treated with the dig­nity and honor befitting a beloved child of God. Isn’t that what heaven is going to be like?

In that kingdom, there will be no more thirst because everyone will have access to clean water— and access to the Living Water of the Spirit. In heaven, every injustice will be wiped away. There will be no more ragged refugees driven from their homeland by violence or fam­ine. Everyone will be clothed in a garment of dignity perfectly fitted to his or her unique nature. No one will be wrongfully imprisoned or exiled , and those who were justly impris­oned will not be forsaken but will be forgiven and restored.

Isn’t this the life we all long for? Well, if we want it so badly, let’s go out and start building it!"

I'm sharing this in Inspire Me Monday.

Palette and Paint

I came across Palette and Paint last week and I thought it would be fun to join today!  Here are what may be the messiest watercolors you've ever seen!

And the Artist Trading Card I've just finished...

Reminding you that you can still join my giveaways for  My Latest ATCs and My Memories digital scrapbooking software.  Happy Thursday, everyone!

Golden Madonna and Child

Starting out with the backing of a picture frame which I covered with Gesso, my Madonna and Child is now finished and in the picture frame.  Aside from the watercolor, colored pencil, rubber stamping and paper scraps I showed last week, I also used gold poster paint for the haloes and veil, and a gold Sharpie pen for the veil trim details.

I thought it would be interesting to show you how this piece progressed, in case you missed my previous posts.  Here it is after I made a sketch with brown colored pencil and colored it in with watercolor...

Then, I added shading using colored pencils...

And last week's picture after adding rubber stamping and paper bits...

I'm linking up today with Paint Party Friday.  Happy PPF!

WIP: Madonna and Child

I have done a number of Madonna and Child pieces and when I started this one, I was thinking of putting it away for a while since it seemed to be somewhat uninspired.  But I received so much encouragement from my visitors these past few days (who seemed to see things in this piece that I hadn't seen) that I decided to continue working on it.

Starting out with watercolor and colored pencil, I added some stamping and bits and pieces from magazines, gift wrapper and an old devotional magazine, with a quote from a familiar Christmas carol...

"What child is this, who, laid to rest,

On Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?"

I am liking it now!  Thank you so much, dear blog visitors for encouraging me.  I am blessed to have you!  Today, I am linking up with Jennifer's Studio Sneak Peek and Artists in Blogland's Show and Tell Saturday.

You Make Me Smile

"You Make Me Smile"

7.5" x 10" Mixed Media

I became a mom more than 21 years ago and I can still remember the sleepless nights, the loud cries, cleaning up the mess and seemingly endless diaper changing (we used cloth diapers).  But most of all, I remember the great joy of becoming a mother.  And so, I love painting mothers and babies.

I have always loved children.  When I was 10 years old, my mom had my youngest sister (visit her blog!)  I was the happiest girl in the world!  Babies always make me smile (have you seen this cute baby video?)

And you, my dear blog readers, make me smile, too.  Every comment you leave me delights me!  Thank you so much!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Mother and Child

Happy What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (or whatever day you are visiting)!  As you can see, there is not much difference in the neatness of my desk from last week but at least I was able to unearth my sewing machine to do some altering (like I shared about in this post).  I have also made some progress in my Mother and Child painting...

  

Here are some other closeups of my desk.  Right under the painting is a brown envelope my daughter doodled on while waiting in line...

Pretty doodle, isn't it?  I can use it in a collage or something.

Then there is a wonderful ATC that I traded for in ATCs for All, and a tag I got from a pair of sandals I bought.  The butterfly illustration is something I can use in a collage (by now, are you wondering if I throw anything away?)

 

Here is the badge souvenir from my elementary class reunion last Saturday (gosh, I am that old?)...

and the World Vision progress report from a child whose education I am sponsoring...

World Vision is a "Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice."  Sponsoring a child and making a difference in his/her life only costs $13.90 (£8.70) a month.  Anyone interested?

In my previous post, I shared about Artsee Bloggers, a new blog/directory.  If you are a blogging artist/crafter, you might want to have your blog listed.  It is a great place to find new blogs and be inspired! But for now, be inspired by what's on the other desks in the What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday list!

Giveaway Alert

I won some wonderful prizes in the recent One World One Heart event (I'll post about them when I get them) and thought I would share some other giveaways I came across while blog hopping.

Tara @ Aquamarine Art is having a giveaway! You only need to leave a comment for a chance to win of a set of  her cards (aren't they great?) and an original painting. She will draw the winner next Monday.

 WOYWWer Jude at Crafts-International is also having a giveaway for her followers.  It includes all sorts of goodies, even some Tim Holtz items.






Sonya at Counting my Blessings is giving away some lovely fabric collages to celebrate her 100th post. Leave a comment for a chance to win, post about it for another chance and become a follower for a third chance.

Betsy at My Salvaged Treasures is giving away a collection of some wonderful vintage items.  Just a comment will get you a chance to win!

One World One Heart 2011

 

The Giveaway is now closed.
Thank you for all your comments.
I will announce the winner in the next post.

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog,
where I like to think I am sowing seeds around the world -
seeds of faith, or hope or maybe, creativity!

It's finally time for the much awaited
international bloggers' event organized by Lisa Swifka,
One World One Heart,
where bloggers get to meet one another
by visiting one another's blogs. 

I hope you will enjoy your visit to mine.  

I wish you...

and all the other

in life.

As a mother,

 I remember well,
hoping for all of these for my baby.

As an artist,
one of my favorite themes is
the Mother and Child.

I make mother and child artist trading cards

as well as bigger works.

I also like painting and collaging bookpaper trees
(more trees in this post.)

To make my One World One Heart giveaway,
I used the technique I described in this post
and I also added a bit of lace and paper collage.

I am giving away an original 9" x 12" mixed media piece
of a mother and child and her tree of hopes and dreams. 

May this painting remind us to plant seeds, of faith maybe, or generosity, or wisdom, or goodness, with hopes that, like the leaves in this tree, these seeds will sprout and flourish in abundance, and bear fruit.

If you are a blogger and would like a chance to win my giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and a way to get in touch with you if you win.  I will announce the winner on February 17th.  Since Lisa, the organizer of OWOH encourages us to have the giveaway open to bloggers only, I am following her recommendation (she is organizing it, after all). Even if you are not a blogger, I hope you will drop by and visit again, since my other giveaways are open to everyone.

Thank you so much for dropping by!  Now that you have visited me here in the Philippines, why not drop by the other blogs on the OWOH list!

 

from peggy aplSEEDS

I'm having my 200th Follower Giveaway!

I have reached 200 followers and as promised, as a heartfelt thank you for all my wonderful visitors and followers, I am having a giveaway!  I am giving away an original 5 1/2" x 7 3/4" mixed media piece entitled "A Mother's Masterpiece" (the title was Morti's suggestion). 

Those of you who follow my blog know that the Mother and Child is one of my favorite themes.  And those of you who visited me when I shared about this piece on What's on Your Workdesk Wednesdays know that this piece has some text from a devotional which reads...

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paint his own nature into his pictures." 

Henry Ward Beecher

and...

"In everything we create, works of art, music, literature, even our children - a bit of ourselves is revealed."

Ephesians 2:10 says "You are God's work of art" so isn't it wonderful to think that each one of us is beautiful in some way and reveals a bit of God?

This week's word for the Words of Me Project is "bliss", 

- noun

1.supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment: wedded bliss.

2.Theology . the joy of heaven.

3. heaven; paradise: the road to eternal bliss.

4. Archaic . a cause of great joy or happiness.

For me, happiness, joy, contentment come from the knowledge of God's love for me, and from the love of family and friends around me.  When I became a mother, I understood God's love for me in a deeper way.  Though I love my children imperfectly, I love them so much.  And so, I realize how great is my Father God's love for me since His love is perfect.  God is love. (1 John 4:16)  If I want only good for my children, how much more does my Father want only good for me, His daughter.  To know this, is bliss!

If you like "A Mother's Masterpiece", and would like a chance to win it, here are the rules...

1. For one entry, please leave a comment on this post.

2. As a special thank you to my followers, for a second entry, please leave a comment on this post telling me you are a follower.

3.  If you would like another entry, make a post about the giveaway, or post it on the sidebar of your blog for the month of October, and link it to this post.  Comment on this post to tell me you added it to your blog.

  

I will be picking the winner after October 31, 2010. 

Again, thank you so much to all those who follow my blog, come to visit me and leave me a comment to brighten my day.  It is a joy and delight to share with you and to hear from you.  I hope you like my giveaway and join it!  Blessings and Bliss to you!

The giveaway is now closed.  

Thank you very much to all who joined.

What's on Your Work Desk Wednesday: Mother and Child

Well, that's the state of my desk, hardly anything has changed except for more piles of stuff all around (even on top of my laptop!)  I was so tempted to clean up before taking the picture but then, what's the point of WOYWW if I don't show you the real thing.  (Visit Julia if you want to join or know more about WOYWW).

But, there is no more space to work comfortably so as soon as I took this picture, I started putting things in their proper places - pencils in the mugs, scissors in the blue container on the left, rubber stamps in a box on the shelf, ink pad in a bottom drawer, checkbook(!) also in a drawer, throw out the water... I am not yet done.

I have made some progress in the Mother and Child piece I am working on and perhaps it is finished (who knows)...

I added a bit of gold stamping, colored pencil, magazine paper, a flower stamp and some text from a clipping from a devotional.  It goes...
 

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paint his own nature into his pictures." 

Henry Ward Beecher

and...

"In everything we create, works of art, music, literature, even our children - a bit of ourselves is revealed."

And the devotional goes on to say, "the same is true of God; each of us reveals a bit of Him."  Thinking of my own children, and looking at this Mother and Child piece, I remember the verses in Ephesians 2:10, "You are God's work of art."  And so, I delight to think that we are all beautiful in some way, because we are made "in His own image. Genesis 1:27

Anyone want to suggest a title for my Mother and Child?

Every Child is Precious

Such sad news.  My friends' 2 1/2 month old baby died in his sleep the other day.  He was a premature baby but we all thought he was out of danger, having overcome many challenges in his first few weeks.  We had just celebrated his baptism last February 12 and then, we were back in the same church compound, only this time, to say goodbye.

I was reminded of a poem which I came across some time ago and it is about how our children are just lent to us.  

TO ALL PARENTS
"I'll lend you for a little time a child of mine, " He said,
"for you to love the while she lives and mourn for when she's dead.
It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three,
But will you, till I call her back, take care of her for me?
She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and shall her stay be brief,
You'll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay, since all from earth returns,
But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.
I've looked the whole wide world over in my search for teachers true
And from the throngs that crowds life's lanes I have selected you.

Now will you give her all your love, nor think the labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call to take her back again?"
I fancied that I heard them say: "Dear Lord, Thy will be done!
For all the joy Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter her with tenderness, we'll love her while we may,
And for the happiness we've known forever grateful stay;
but shall the angels call for her much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand."
by Edgar Guest

Isn't it so terribly sad and ironic that this beautiful baby, so beloved by his family, died in a world where so many abortions take place?  This site says approximately 42 million abortions take place in one year.  "Every child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever fresh and radiant possibility"(Kate Douglas Wiggin) and I believe even the ones who have not yet been born are already so very precious.

In the Philippines, March 25 of each year is celebrated as the "Day of the Unborn". This day is "devoted to the vast number of babies forbidden to live and partake in this world."  Who knows what potential a baby would reach if he were allowed to live.   

Listen to "A Baby's Prayer"...

  

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." Jeremiah 1:5

Let us treasure our children and the precious time we have with them.

Vigan on My Mind

Last weekend, my daughter was away on a field trip to Vigan, a Unesco World Heritage Site that is well-known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine building design and construction with colonial European architecture.

It's a long way off from where we live and it's the first time she's been away with people I don't really know. Time flies with our children. One day they are little kids and the next thing you know, they are all grown up. But I guess, no matter how old my daughter is (she just turned nineteen), a part of me will always think of her as my baby. To keep myself from worrying about her safety, I read Psalm 91 and claim these promises...

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you...

Here are some Vigan inspired ATCs I made using pen and colored pencils. I copied the designs from a newspaper clipping, but I asked my daughter to take lots of pictures in Vigan for more inspiration. I think the details of the houses make for lovely ATCs.