Consider It Summer

Last year when summer time rolled around I found it very difficult to keep up the blog posts.  Well, consider it summer because I’m currently having the same problem.  I have so many things I’d like to blog about: new paint color, thrift store finds, yummy foods, antique store shopping, big lessons learned, house guests from California and lots of other fun stuff.  I simply just can’t get around to getting it all together.

In the meantime I’ll share a beautiful song with you, a place to go visit and an excerpt from a book I’m reading.

My new, favorite song for the moment:  Set Free by All Sons and Daughters

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Local people, GO TO OUR LOCAL THRIFT STORE:  Sacks Thrift Avenue

Tucked away behind the liquor store/car wash on Broadway in West Memphis is one of my favorite little places to visit in town.  Sacks Thrift Avenue is a great thrift store with lots of surprises waiting for me to find!  I got these metal chairs there last week!   The people that work at Sacks Thrift Avenue are so nice, their prices are incredible, they get new stuff all the time.  Go there and support their business!  Find them on Facebook here:  Sacks Thrift Avenue

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From Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper:

“Everyone can read the stories of Jesus and “see” the portraits painted by the words of those who knew him.  But not everyone sees truth and beauty and infinite value.  Some only see myth.  Some see foolishness.  Some see offense.  “Seeing they do not see.”  It is as though a child should look at a Michelangelo and prefer a comic strip.  When you see something as true and beautiful and valuable, you savor it.  That is, you treasure it.  You cherish it and admire and prize it.  Spiritual seeing and spiritual savoring are so closely connected that it would be fair to say:  If you don’t savor Christ, you haven’t seen Christ for who he is.  If you don’t prize him above all things, you haven’t apprehended his true worth.”

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Tags: All Sons and Daughters, Excerpt from Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, John Piper, John Piper book, Local Thrifting, Sacks Thrift Avenue, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, Set Free, Set Free by All Sons and Daughters, Support local business, Thrift Store

Road Trip Cookies

A couple of years ago my husband and I took a West coast road trip that included spending a few days in California with family.  We spent one of our nights at our Auntie Sue’s house and the next day when we left her house to continue on up the coast, she handed us a pink bakery box filled with what she called Chewies.  They were the most delicious light, chewy, chocolatey cookies– kinda crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, thin and perfect!  These cookies came from a local bakery in San Jose called Dick’s Bakery.  So for the next several days as we traveled the coast, I would snack on those Chewies!

I’ve never forgotten those cookies.  That was almost two years ago.  I started searching online for recipes that I thought would resemble Dick’s Chewies.  After reading several recipes and modifying one of my own, I think I hit the jackpot!

Auntie Sue is coming for a visit today so I made these yummy dudes.  I like to call them Road Trip Cookies, but they really are chocolate flourless cookies.

 

Road Trip Cookies // Chocolate Flourless Cookies

• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
• parchment paper

1.Preheat oven 350 degrees

2. Place parchment paper on a sided cookie sheet.  Light mist with non stick spray.  These cookies are delicate, so you want to insure no sticking takes place.

3.  In a large bowl whisk together confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder and salt.

4. Whisk in egg whites and vanilla until batter is moistened (batter should be thick, but not dry–if dry add an additional egg white)

5. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

6. Scoop out about 1 Tbsp of batter per cookie.  Cookies will spread out to 3-4 inches so space them far apart.

7. Bake approximately 13 minutes.

8.  After baked, transfer parchment paper with cookies on it to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before removing.

9.  Enjoy!

Tags: chocolate, chocolate cookies, chocolate flourless cookies, cookie recipe, crispy chewy cookies, Dick's Bakery, Dick's Bakery San Jose, flourless, flourless chocolate cookies recipe, flourless cookies, Road trip cookies

Love More

 

circa 2003

This is us just a few months into our courtship.  My love for David was so grand that I didn’t think it was possible to love him more.  I was wrong.  Today, almost nine years since the time this picture was taken, God has grown a deeper, stronger love inside me for David that I am incapable of producing on my own.

I love you, David Matthew!

 

Tags: love, marriage

Winner Announcement

This morning the true random number generator from Random.org gave me the lucky number 13 as the winner for the two dipping bowls by Misty Collins Pottery.

I counted my comments and comment number 13 was by

Vicki Taylor Bates

She wrote, “I shared the giveaway link on FB. Now, send me the cute bowls, lol! =)”

So now I will send her the cute bowls!

Congratulations, Vicki!

And thank you to ALL that entered this giveaway!  Mucho gratitude from me to you!

Buy Handmade!  Buy Art!

Misty Collins Pottery on Etsy

Misty Collins Pottery on Facebook

 

 

Influence (Includes Misty Collins Pottery GIVEAWAY)

In my early elementary years at school my handwriting was a mess.  Somewhere around my preteen years I got interested in improving my penmanship.  I can still remember studying my older sister’s flawless handwriting and wanting so badly to be able to write like her.  I practiced a lot and in all that practicing my handwriting greatly improved and it got positive attention from my teachers.  All this to say, my sister’s artistic influence in my life started at a very early age.

When my sister, Misty was in high school she decided to take an art class.  Before that class her art experience went no farther than doodles on the front of her school folders and paint pen decorations on her clipboard.  That all changed in high school– a new discovery unleashed as she soon learned that she had the ability to draw pretty much anything.  After high school she went on to study art education in college.

Misty was the first person I ever knew to be bold with color.  She challenged me to think outside the box.  She introduced me to the idea of seeing shapes, colors, texture, light and beauty in everyday life.  She was the first person that encouraged me to put drawings on paper and paint on a canvas.  I’m pretty sure if it had not been for Misty I would have never started trying this thing called art and I would still be living in a world with muddy colors.  To this day my sister is one of my biggest fans and a huge source of inspiration and encouragement to me.  Thank you, Misty (RH)!

In honor of my sister, I am hosting a giveaway for some of her hand painted ceramics!  Yay!  If you didn’t say yay you should have because her work is amazing, fun, one-of-a-kind and functional.

My cabinets are fully stocked of lots of Misty Collins Pottery pieces and among them are these little dipping bowls.  I LOVE THEM!

I love these little dipping bowls because they are so cute, each one is different, we’re always dipping things around here and they are hand painted by my sister!

Enter To Win These:

These two little Misty Collins Pottery dipping bowls could be yours if you enter!  All you have to do is enter by commenting on this blog post!  See rules and guidelines below.

Rules & Guidelines:

You can enter up to FOUR times:  Be sure to make four separate comments!

• Entry One:  comment on this post and tell me what you think will be the first thing you use these for.  In my house it is salsa!
• Entry Two:  ‘LIKE’ Misty Collins Pottery on Facebook and then come back here and comment and let me know that you liked her!
• Entry Three:  If you’re on Etsy, ‘FAVORITE’ Misty Collins Pottery shop and then come back here and comment and let me know you favorited her!
• Entry Four:  Share this giveaway by Tweeting it, posting it to Facebook, E-mailing it to friends or any other share method.  Then come back here and let me know you shared it!

• Be sure to include contact information when commenting.
• On Friday, March 16 at 8am/CST  a winner will be drawn at random using the random number generator from Random.org and then will be announced on here.

Misty Collins Pottery on Facebook

Misty Collins Pottery on Etsy

Tags: art giveaway, art influence, bowl giveaway, Giveaway, handmade bowls, Handpainted ceramics, kitchen giveaway, Misty Collins Pottery, small dipping bowls

Mini Home Tour

Almost eight years ago my husband and I got married and moved into a house.  Over the course of those eight years we have made that house our home.  Gallons upon gallons of paint, a lot of sweat, more elbow grease that Mr. Fast Lube owns and a load of creativity have gone into transforming this house into a space that feels so comfortable and perfect to us.  Here’s a little peek inside our front door:

My dog photo bombed so many of the pictures.

To get an idea of all the work that we have put into this house you should view the before and after photos on the MAKING HOME page of this website.  There’s a permanent link to it on the home page or just click below:

MAKING HOME

Tags: artistic home, Before and after home, bold wall colors, comfort, cozy home, eclectic style, Home tour, house transformation, inside my home, mini home tour, perfect home, vintage home, vintage style, Where I live, whimsical style

Art 40% Off

Hey Friends!  I’ve moved a lot of art into my SALE section in my Etsy shop.  I’ve marked several things 40% off in hopes to clear some space for new items to sell.  Visit www.jilldenton.etsy.com now to get a deal!

 

 

www.jilldenton.etsy.com

Tags: 40% off art, Art on sale, etsy, jill denton art, jill denton etsy, original watercolor illustrations

Day By Day

In the 1800′s at 26 years of age, Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg accompained her father on a trip by boat that ended in the tragedy of his death.  With a sudden jerk of the boat her father was sent overboard into the torrent waters and his life ended as she watched.

26 years old.  She watches her father die.  Pain.  Trial.  Fear.

Some time after that event she wrote these words:

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest

It’s evident by her words “…gives unto each day what He deems best…” that this young lady had a resting peace in the sovereignty of God.  And because she knew peace and rest in this situation it is evident that she knew God, heard His voice and followed Him.

My trials, tribulations, troubles, difficulties seems are so small in comparison with this.  But let’s not compare.  We all have things in our life that cause us to fear, worry, hurt or feel distressed.  So, whatever it is, size doesn’t matter.  WHATEVER IT IS happens for a purpose.  My soul was so encouraged this morning when I read this text:

““My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” II Corinthians 12:9-10

My weaknesses–  insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties– situations that make me look and feel weak.  I often want to escape them.  Avoid them.  Don’t we all?  If I had the human power to remove them, I’m sure I would.  But God in His wisdom and lovingkindness knows what is best– that when I am weak, when I am insulted, distressed, persecuted and faced with difficulties that’s really when I become strong because by His grace alone I become TOTALLY RELIABLE ON HIM.  That is strength.  Humble, leaning on the Rock.  And in that God is glorified, His grace and power are displayed.  His grace, His grace, His grace is sufficient.

II Corinthians 12:9                                                                   Printable Scripture on Etsy

This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me.  Psalm 119:50

Coming up next week on Inside Out:  Misty Collins Pottery Giveaway, Mini Home Tour & BIG jilldentonART sale!

Tags: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Day By Day, Hope in distress, Hymn Day By Day, Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg, Pain, Sovereign grace, Strength in weakness, Trial

Word On

Six years ago David gave me some art supplies for Christmas– which included a couple of large blank canvases.  The largest canvas has been begging for my attention.  For several years now I have thought about and thought about what I wanted on that canvas.  One of the things I kept going back to was a white textured canvas with large wording in my handwriting in black paint.  So now all I need were the right words to paint.  After much contemplating, I finally got the inspiration I was waiting for.

 

 

 

 

Tags: black and white painting, black writing on white canvas, canvas art, handwriting, inspired art, painting handwriting, Psalm 145, wording

Read & Hear Psalm 145

Read. Hear. Worship.

Psalm 145

¹ I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
⁶ Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
⁷ They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

 ⁸ The LORD is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
⁹ The LORD is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
¹⁰ All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
¹² To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

 ¹⁴ The LORD sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

 ¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
²⁰ The LORD keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

Tags: Psalm 145, Psalm 145 to music, Shane and Shane