New Beginnings!

I suppose this is an apropriate time to start this - January. A new year. Perfect time for the beginning of an endeavor called "All Things New Studio." I didn't really make that connection until just now, actually. Hmmm. Pretty cool now that I think about it. I've never been one to participate in New Year resolutions or that sort of thing so that was the last thing on my mind - but pretty cool how it worked out if you ask me.

Truth is though, this vision has been in my head for awhile now. The idea to me is not completely new, so I guess it is just now dawning on me that it will be new to everyone else right now, at the beginning of a new year!

A little background... for some time now, I have been tossing around in my head the idea of taking old things that people have tossed aside and making them useful again... transforming them into useful new, works of art and design. I think about how God takes us where we are and forms us into his own works of art with a specific plan. I think about how, in our brokenness, he can still take us and use us for a purpose we may never have thought. He renews. He refreshes. He restores. He redeems. He gives us a purpose that we didn't know we had. And he doesn't throw us out when we are his, but has a specific plan.

God is not one of those that hoards a bunch of junk because he "MIGHT use it for something in the future." No, he has a specific plan for it! And sometimes that includes "pruning" a piece of work. It involves pain and sometimes breaking, burning, chiseling, stripping, sanding, polishing, scrubbing, welding, chopping, nailing, etc. All to form into a work of art!

I want my work to be of practical use to others and at the same time to speak to those who may feel at times they are "broken" or "useless" or "damaged." I don't know about you, but the fact that God's creative power can use us for great purposes gives me great hope and I am excited to see the work he will complete in us and all of his creation!

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Revelation 5:21

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

With all that said, it's a new beginning and I'd like to share with you my earliest steps in the process! Last Saturday, after much thought, hesitancy, and playing around with paint, I took a huge step (well, for me, it was a huge step!) and actually applied for a booth at a vendor's market! I thought it wouldn't hurt to apply and I was thinking, "Okay, 45 days from now, I will get a booth" because a couple of months back when I was putting out feelers and asking questions at different vendor locations, the owner of this particular market told me that is how long the waiting list was. I really didn't expect it to be so soon, but she said it's a slow time right now. HOWEVER, they are all getting ready and stocking up for a big show in April or May and I was thinking of getting some space just to have a place to put all the stuff I am working on anyways. 'Course, I wasn't prepared to have space at that moment, so I was hesitant and she said, "So you want a space? Don't be afraid! Jump in!" I said "Uh... maybe in a month or two!" I realized, "Wow, I've got to get started stocking stuff... NOW!" So I went shopping at thrift stores and realized how fast it could take to get stocked up!

So I bought my first load of stuff to work on. I crammed as much stuff as I could in my  recently broken down, 17 year old little 2 door, 1996 Honda Accord as I could. It wasn't much, to some people, but it was a lot for me! Two wooden chairs, some picture frames, candle holders, and some aluminum cups! Yep, that was my very first shopping trip and I am so excited! I found a bunch of stuff I wanted to buy and a great place with LOADS of inventory. I've got a piece that someone gave to me, and some that I found on the side of the road. It looks like I will be busy for awhile so I am so very excited that the ball is rolling faster than I thought and decided to go ahead with renting a booth. I've got lots of ideas for projects and can't wait to get to work.

So there you go - the humble beginnings of a new endeavor!