A Joyful Christmas Season!

May this season bring abundant blessings to you and all your loved ones!

And the winner for my ATC giveaway is... NancyJB! Congratulations, Nancy!

Advent

Advent Sunday is the New Year’s Day of the Christian Church, when we begin another “year of the Christian mysteries.”    We can also use this season as a time to reflect on how we can also start anew.

Advent is a term from the Latin word 'adventus' which means "arrival" or "coming".  It is a period of expectant waiting...

…a reminder of the original waiting of the Jews for the birth of their Messiah

... of our own waiting for the celebration of the arrival of the Lord into the world through the birth of Jesus

... and for the second coming of Christ.

Sometimes it seems like we're always waiting for something.  When we are young, we are waiting to grow up.  Even now, all grown up, we wait in line, in traffic, or we wait for more important things. Answers to prayers. How can we wait in a meaningful way?

The season of Advent is a good time to practice waiting with patience, humility, and expectant faith... a time to practice waiting prayerfully, much like the waiting of those expecting the Messiah long ago.  We can start simply, just by waiting patiently as we wait in long lines this season.

We can also spend more time in prayer and scripture reading.  I usually have an advent reflection guide like The Word Among Us.  There are also Advent readings and prayers that go with the ceremony of lighting the Advent Wreath.  Simple activities like these remind us what we are really celebrating when we celebrate Christmas. 

Another way we can have a meaningful Advent is to delay, as long as possible, the celebration of Christmas.  In the Philippines, it seems the Christmas season starts as soon as the "ber" months arrive.  Christmas carols are played in the malls starting September 1!  I usually put out the Christmas decorations on "Gaudete Sunday", the 3rd Sunday of Advent (this year it is on December 13).  That is really late in this part of the world.  One idea I found interesting was to put up the tree without the decorations, and have the ornaments in a basket under the tree.  Every time a member of the family does a good deed, he/she gets to put an ornament the tree.  Hopefully, the tree will be full on Christmas day.

Almsgiving is another meaningful way we can celebrate Advent. Sharing our resources and preparing gift bags for the less fortunate, for me, is a way to give Jesus a birthday gift.  After all, he said "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me".  Matthew 25:40

Artist Trading Card: Portrait Step by Step

I have been making a lot of ATC portraits using variations of the technique I will describe in this post.  I thought it would be good to share it step by step in case anyone wants to try it out. My pictures aren't great because I took them at night and so there's a shadow but if I were to wait for perfect lighting, I'd never be able to get it done so I decided to just go ahead.

When I started making ATCs, my sister lent me a tub of gesso and I used it to coat some cards.  When it ran out, she told me that she found out that the inexpensive wall putty available in construction supply or hardware stores can give you the same texture at a much lower cost.  I am all for lower costs!  In fact, when I was looking for materials to make my ATCs, I found a pile of my wedding invitations (the printer printed too many), so now, many of my cards are drawn on these.

1. Gesso or Wall Putty

Brush on some gesso or the more inexpensive wall putty onto the card.  You can use whatever stroke you want to get the texture you want.  Since I will be making a portrait, I don't want to have too rough a texture.  So, I just brushed on a thin layer with circular strokes.  If I were just making a background for a collage or a landscape maybe, I can use a thicker layer to give a rougher look.  I really think the texture that the gesso/ wall putty gives adds a lot to the finished card.  That's why I use this technique a lot.  Wait for the putty to dry and then...

2. Measure to size

Since I am recycling my extra wedding invitations, I measure out 4 cards at 2.5 by 3.5 inches, which is the standard ATC size.  You can use any medium to make an ATC but, they must be that particular standard size.

3. Cut to size

I use a steel ruler and a cutter to cut my cards.  I find it easier to get a straight cut with the blade rather than a pair of scissors.

4. Pencil Sketch 
This is the tricky part if you aren't confident in your drawing skills.  I have been drawing women since I was a young girl (I made a lot of paperdolls!) so I can either make a pencil sketch freehand from my imagination or have a magazine photo as a guide.

Another option would be to trace a magazine photo (choose one with sharp contrasts) and rub a soft pencil on the back of your tracing.  Put the pencil side of your tracing on the card and trace over with a ballpen to leave the pencil markings on the card.  Hmmm, I wonder if those instructions were clear enough. (Edit: Tutorial about drawing a face using the tracing technique here.)

5. Final Pen Sketch
Trace over your sketch with your final pen (use a waterproof pen if you will be using watercolor).  Sometimes, I use a well sharpened dark brown colored pencil and skip the pen outline.  For this portrait, I used a black ballpen which I find is more "forgiving" if I make a line I don't like, since it is so fine.

6. Erase the Pencil lines
I use a kneaded eraser to clean up the sketch and erase any pencil lines that are too noticeable.

7. Colored Pencils
The next step is to color in the sketch with colored pencils. So far, all the materials I've used are very inexpensive and although you can use inexpensive colored pencils, mine are Berol Prismacolor pencils. They are expensive if you buy them in the regular stores, but this year, I was able to get a bargain on eBay for a new set.

I start out with the lightest flesh colors and if I'm making the portrait from my imagination (just like this card), I imagine where the light is coming from so that there will be a darker side and a lighter side. The darker the shade, the more the texture of the gesso or wall putty shows.

8. Darken the Edges
I like to darken the edges of the card to frame the card and I also sometimes finish it off with running a stamp pad along the edge. If I'm not satisfied with the card yet, I can also add a bit of watercolor or watercolor pencils.

9. Watercolor pencil / Watercolor
For this card, I used a dark brown watercolor pencil on the hair.  I brushed a little water on those parts I wanted to darken. The order of the steps are not that important. I just keep layering on the colors until I'm happy with the card. Sometimes I start with a light wash of watercolor and build up the color with pencils. Sometimes the watercolor goes on last.

Here is the card, almost finished, with the colored pencils I used on it. I used a variety of colors in shades of flesh, browns, orange to give depth and volume (so that it will look like more than a coloring book image).

 

10. Finish
I like to spray a fixative on the finished card.  It think it gives a nice sheen and makes it look more professional (at least to me).

11. Information on the Back

Artist trading cards should have the artist's information on the back of the card.  I usually glue a blank card back (hides the wedding invitation and any mess on the back of the card) with my username in ATCs for All, my email address, city and country, blog address and I fill in the blanks with the title of the card, my signature, and the date the card was made. If the card needs flattening, put it under some heavy books.

13. Plastic Sleeve
Put your finished ATC in a plastic sleeve to protect it (make sure it is all dry).    Scan it, post it in the ATCs for All gallery and it's all set to be traded! 

If you found this helpful and if you would like to have the chance to receive this ATC, please post me a comment. 

Congratulations to NancyJB for winning this card!

Remembering those in Prison

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners.  Hebrews 13:3

A few of us go to the Quezon City jail every Thursday at 3:00 in the afternoon.  How did I ever get myself into this situation?  I feel I am the most unlikely person to serve there.  Not only am I female(it is an all male prison),I can hardly talk in straight Filipino (the product of parents who came from different provinces and had different dialects, and therefore ending up speaking English).

It started when the son of one of our friends was sent to jail on drug charges.  And then, in August, as part of our prayer community's activities, we started a time of reflection.  The theme for the first week was "An Open Door! Walk through it!"  The following week's reflections were also so meaningful to me.  And so, when an opportunity of a time slot for religious instruction in the jail was offered to us, how could I refuse that open door!?  The fact that I was allowed to miss an afternoon's work every week to go there was enough of a sign for me.

On the first meeting, after someone gave a teaching, I just sat together with my husband when he led the small group sharing. Eventually, in the weeks ahead and with so few of us going regularly, I had to handle a group myself.  At first, it felt so weird for me to lead a group of inmates in the small group discussions. Since I do not speak Filipino very well, I sometimes, even now, have to ask them in Filipino, "What is'______' in Filipino?" hoping one of them can translate for me.

But God can use even the most unlikely person,and the more I go to the jail, the more I grow in love and compassion for the inmates. So now, I am comfortable to sit among a small group of inmates. Many of them are very young, young enough to be my sons. Many of them are innocent and waiting for their hearings, waiting in such distressing surroundings.  The Quezon City Jail is unlike the prisons in the movies, with jail cells with bars and individual beds for each inmate.  Since the jail is extremely overcrowded, many of them have no space to sleep, even sleeping one person to each stair step.  

But,inspite of this, in the midst of the many men who are there, I have seen men wanting to accept Jesus and asking me how; I have seen teary eyed inmates listening to me share, and men who are just so glad to have someone - anyone, visit them there. I have heard them share how light and happy they felt after forgiving those who caused them to be in jail unjustly.  

Indeed, it is a joy to see God working through this ministry and to visit Jesus in (what Mother Teresa calls) His distressing disguise. "I was in prison and you came to visit me."  Matthew 25:36

What Matters Most

The recent typhoons that have passed through the Philippines have left many of us with life lessons about what matters most.  As we listened to our officemates share about what happened to them and to their homes, the recurring sentiment was always, "Those things can be replaced.  What matters most is that all of my family were safe from harm." "Those are only material possessions.  They don't really matter.  What matters most is our faith in God."

What matters most to you?  Great-Granny Grandma's comment in my previous post reminded me of something I sensed in prayer a long time ago, sometime before my first husband passed away - "Cherish every moment for you know not what tomorrow brings and life holds many surprises."  Indeed we don't know what life will bring and sometimes the surprises are not what we would want.

But Jesus promises in John 10:28-29,  "I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand."  As it is said, "I don't know what my future holds, but I know who holds my future."  And so, for me, whatever happens, Jesus promises that He will always be with me and so, I will always have...what matters most.

Typhoon Ondoy and the Filipino Bayanihan Spirit

It has been a difficult past few days in Metro Manila and the surrounding areas.  Last September 26, Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) brought record rainfall of almost 18 inches in 24 hours (the previous record was 13.2 inches in June 1967).  This caused severe flooding in so many areas, resulting in  lives lost and thousands of people homeless.  Everyone here has a story to tell about someone they know who has been affected.

Rich and poor were not spared.  One of my friends has a brand new house in a gated subdivision.  But there is a river nearby.  The flood in that area reached up to the ceiling of the first floor.  And all their brand new furniture, curtains, and everything else on the ground floor was left with a thick coat of mud.   The flood rose so quickly, and for many there wasn't even time to bring their things upstairs or transfer cars to higher ground. Others we know lost all their belongings as the flood just washed them all away.  So many people who lived along the river banks lost not only their belongings but their homes as well.  And all along the roads, expensive cars and SUVs were submerged in the flood, sometimes ending up one on top of the other when the floods subsided.  And yet, those who lost their material possessions have still been able to be thankful that they and their families have survived the typhoon.  So many others lost their lives.

Difficult times can bring out the best in people and the Filipinos' Bayanihan spirit has been evident during this time.  The origin of the term "Bayanihan" can be traced to the tradition which used to be very common in the rural areas.  When a family was going to move to a new place, their neighbors would volunteer to help them.  They would use a strong bamboo frame to lift the house stilts from the ground and men positioned at the poles would carry the whole house to the new location (the house was made of bamboo and nipa).  The word "bayani" is Filipino for "hero".

And so, just as everyone has a story to tell about someone who has been affected, it is heartwarming to see how so many have also done something to help.  The Bayanihan spirit, where everyone lends a helping hand to those in need, is still very much alive in the Filipino.  We have seen how so many have helped clean up muddy homes, clear the streets of mud and debris, pack relief goods, and donate money, food, blankets, clothes and other goods.  So many companies and individuals have done and are continuing to do their part to help out. There are drop off points for donations all over and people have been volunteering to pack and distribute goods. There are medical missions for those affected by the typhoon. Even students have volunteered to help in relief efforts.  There are even ways for people to donate to Manila from abroad.

All over the world, not just in times like these, there are so many people in need.  Let each one of us do whatever we can, wherever we are with whatever we have. Let each one of us, Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike have the "Bayanihan" spirit and be a "Bayani" to those in need.

Blog Candy

FOR WOYWW, PLEASE GO TO THIS POST (I made a mistake in posting the link)

Once in a while, while taking break from making artist trading cards, I like to go blog hopping and looking for blog candy. My, there are some wonderful craft supplies, papers and all sorts of goodies being offered by bloggers around the world! It's nice to imagine those wonderful goodies in my mailbox!

Stamps, Paper, Scissors and Donkey Smiles - til Sept 26 
jodi's scraphaven - til September 29
Scrapping Mommy - til September 30
Artsy Fartsy Scraproom - til October 2
Boots Blog Spot - til October 3
Blodwyn3's Night's Drem Blog - til October 5
Inky Impressions Challenges - til October 7 
Cards n Greetings - til Oct. 9
Kristine - Lost in Creativity - til October 10
Bizzy Becs Blog - til October 11
Skaperglede i Anne's Hobbyhile - til October 13
Crafter's Kitchen - til October 29

Blog Candy from CraftyCat957 Designs

Surfing around crafters' sites, I came across some blog candy. Get a chance to win some wonderful craft supplies!

Artist Trading Cards: Turkish Women

A predominantly Muslim country, it is common for the Turkish women to wear headscarves in all sorts of different colors and fabrics. 

Researching in Wikipedia, it says "The term hijab, as commonly used in the English-speaking world, refers to the types of head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women, but can also refer to modest Muslim styles of dress in general.

Travelling to a country far different from my own, seeing traditional styles of dress of different peoples makes for great inspiration for art.  The Turkish women, with their various scarves, make great subjects for artist trading cards.

On my trip to Turkey, I brought with me some pre-cut cards (2.5 inches x 3.5 inches), already coated with a layer of gesso, a pencil, an eraser, a pen and some colored pencils.

The waiting times in the airport, and the long bus and airplane rides are usually so tiring but with these materials in hand, these times became wonderful opportunities to make those small art pieces.   Never did the waiting times seems so short! What? Time to board the plane already?!

Here are some of the ATCs I made both while I was in Turkey and after I got back home.

Turkish women are beautiful, aren't they?

Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia is a fascinating place to visit. Wikipedia describes it as "a region of exceptional natural wonders and a unique historical and cultural heritage." When we planned our trip to Turkey, this was one of the places I was most interested in seeing. And I must say, I was not disappointed.

The first place we were scheduled to visit was the Goreme Open Air Museum. On the way, we caught sight of the unique rock formations. Amazing! So many, many formations which seem they belong out of this world. Looking closely, here and there, we saw windows and doors. People still live within these rocks! Our tour guide told us these rock formations are the result of ancient volcanic eruptions. There are areas where the soft rock eroded with time, forming tall thin pillars called fairy chimneys.

The Goreme Open Air Museum is just a small part of the large area of rock formations where you will find many of the soft rock carved out to form houses, churches, monasteries. Goreme became a monastic center between 300 to 1200 AD.

The Chapel of St. Basil.
The first chapel we entered was the Chapel of St. Basil. It is a very small chapel with simple frescoes on the wall. It was amazing to think of the early Christians who worshipped there in early times. Because there were so many of us in the small chapel, taking pictures and marvelling at the experience, it was a challenge to be there as a Christian and not just a tourist.

The Apple Church
The next church we entered was just amazing! Hmmm, seems like I can't stop saying the word amazing! Well, it was fantastic! The frescoes there are so beautiful! The designs and the colors are wonderful! In Goreme, the many chapels and churches have depictions of the Old and the New Testament stories because these were used to teach people about the Christian religion.

Sadly, many of the frescoes were damaged during the iconoclastic period, when there was the the deliberate destruction of the religious icons because some people believed it was a sin to paint these icons.

The Dark Church
The most well preserved church in Goreme is the Dark Church. Here, there are still some frescoes that are intact. Apparently, since the churches are hidden inside the rocks, the iconoclasts did not find the church right away. As I looked at the fresco of Jesus above the altar, I marveled that the same recognizable face we see in churches today was depicted in the painting of so long ago. In the frescoes, all Christians are painted with haloes and Jesus is identified by the cross in his halo.

The Tokali Church
Here, there is a small underground chapel and a large fully decorated Church over it. There are so many bible stories depicted in this church. The Last Supper, the Annunciation, the Nativity, Lazarus and many other bible stories. There is also a Madonna and Child that has been often copied by other artists.

Visiting Cappadocia reminds me of Jesus' promise to Peter, "upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Christians of Cappadocia had to hide in their rock homes and churches to escape persecution. They even lived in underground cities. But Christianity managed to survive such hardship and although Christians are a minority in Turkey today, Christianity continues to remain strong and vibrant in many places, even in far off countries like the Philippines.