contagious creativity

"What outlets are you finding to exercise your creativity to balance your work overseas?"  

My friend Sue, who is an artist, asked me this unexpected, 

unusual question while we were home in 2012.

(I loved this question. Did I ever tell you that, Sue?) 

It made me stop and ponder, and evaluate.  

I realized that I really hadn't done much creating during our first term, 

and that it would be really healthy to build time into my life for that purpose.

Here's a glimpse into some of the creative juices that have been flowing around our home lately:

Elise (top left with camera) loves to use her photography 

(all the rest of the pics below are ones Elise shot) 

to bless others in our community.

See more of her photography at her blog.

She's also been using some of her graphic design skills to help various ministries.  

I can't show you examples of those, since they are private property (!)

Every child is an artist.  

The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.  

~Pablo Picasso

Michael, thanks to free on-line plans and input from his really smart aeronautic engineer of a dad,

 has been building an R/C Spitfire from scratch.

It looks cool, Michael - but will it fly?

And Mark (lower right) is building a flying wing.  

I think these might both be launched soon...

Amy's been working on some Christmas gifts, 

(sorry, I can't show those, at least not until after Christmas!)

as well as a new scherenschnitte cutting. (below center)

She also recently completed her first attempt at oil painting...

And me?

For the past several months I've been having way too much fun

teaching some craft projects and techniques to the beautiful ladies of our church.

We get together often on Saturday afternoons, and we turn up the fans, break out some cookies and water, and a bunch of crafting supplies.  And then we create!  We've made everything from cards, to upcycling bottle caps into Christmas ornaments, to learning to sew on the machine.

I've loved the research, as I find new crafts to try,

and even more the sweet time of fellowship as we sit side by side, 

learning, crafting, laughing and planning together.

Creativity is contagious. Pass it on. 

— Albert Einstein

And it's been so much fun to see the joy as our friends have learned new skills...

upcycling paper into rolled beads,

learning to doodle from a book passed around from hand to hand,

("May I have the doodling book next week, after you?")

and the magic of turning a piece of sewing right side out and seeing the finished product.

Made in the image of our Creator God,

it's no wonder we too find pleasure in creating!

And God saw everything that He had made, 

and behold, it was very good.  

Genesis 1:31

What creative outlets have you found this fall?