Aiming Past the Wood

"Aim for the chopping block. If you aim for the wood,

you will have nothing. Aim past the wood,

aim through the wood." - Annie Dillard 

We've made some progress on the tree I mentioned in the last post and the logs are starting to pile up. It's time for my thirteen-year-old to learn the fine art of log splitting. 


The Annie Dillard quote above is true, not just literally, but symbolically, and I hope I can use this opportunity to teach a greater truth to my son.  Sometimes you just have to fix your focus beyond what lay just before you to get where you want to be.


I often think if we could see too far down the road of any endeavor we might never dare move forward.  If known in advance, the challenges and obstacles ahead might well overwhelm us before we even got started.  Often the only way to progress is to set our eyes on the prize...the end result...the finish line.  This is, afterall, hope.  This is, afterall, faith.

Our Weekend Project

It's a gorgeous day, which is good, because we have some major work to do outside.  A big storm moved through some time ago, taking several trees down, and today is the day we are finally going to start cleaning up one of the larger ones.  This particular tree was an oak measuring almost 100 feet tall.  It will supply plenty of firewood for our wood stove this winter!

I am most interested in the root system of this tree because it provides a great illustration of why I chose the name Taproot for my studio.  As large and heavy as oaks like this are, they do not have taproot systems.  Their roots tend to spread laterally, generally staying within a few feet of the ground surface.  They have no deep reaching roots to anchor them firmly to the earth.

As you can see, when the storm and strong winds came, this huge oak fell right over, exposing the weak root system, and killing the tree.

This is the reason I work under the name Taproot...It reminds me that I must reach deep to grow strong.  Every day I must be "furtile ground"...growing stronger by walking in faith, hope and love. 

A Change of Scenery

One of the greatest things about seeing and appreciating beautiful things is that I can employ that inspiration to bless people I love.  The lovely potting shed/bedroom installation I shared with you yesterday encouraged me to surprise my family with a special outdoor setting for our lunch today.  I love the way a beautiful table setting looks against the backdrop of nature.

It all started with a white canopy and some patio furniture placed under the big oak tree in our front yard.  Several patio plants helped to anchor the grouping and help it feel "set apart" from the surrounding area.

After choosing simple table linens, I searched the house for items that would add visual interest and personality to the environment.  One of my favorite ideas was to personalize each place setting with a message composed with scrabble tiles.

Once the table was set, I added several items meant to encourage the family to "linger" a bit after the meal...

...nice fluffy pillows in the seats and a soft blanket nearby, in case someone felt chilly (we had a cool front move in yesterday!)...board games...a few sketch books...and more scrabble tiles. 

We had a simple little picnic, made extra special by the beautiful environment. 

The piece de resistance was the beautiful sunshine and the fresh, cool breeze that graced our entire afternoon.  Just as I had hoped, we spent much of our day together in our beautiful outdoor room.  A simple change of scenery and a little creativity turned a simple meal into something extraordinary.

Still Reeling...

Have you ever taken in so much through your senses that your whole system feels like it's on overload?  It happens to me fairly often, this week being no exception.  My mind is still reeling a bit from the sights and sounds of my trip to Round Top.  Maybe writing about it will help me calm me down!

I want to tell you about an amazing room we happened upon toward the end of our journey.  It is still calling my name.  In the entry was this beautiful potter's shed, filled with vintage tools,  miscellaneous garden items, and earthy accents.   There was even a raised flower bed installed in the middle of the room.

Now, here's the really great part.  This potter's shed also contained a totally scrumptious bedroom...beautiful linens, fine furniture, and all.  It was all I could do not to to squeal in delight.  (Okay, well maybe I did squeal just a little.)  My heart definitely skipped a beat.

Imagine...not only was every detail of this setting just gorgeous, the huge overhead doors on either side of the building were wide open and a fresh morning breeze was blowing across it all.  I so wanted to curl up and take a nap, but I was afraid the three bears might come home and chase Goldilocks out of town!

 



The blending of the two environments was what made the room so exquisite.  Both the bedroom and the shed were delightful on their own, but the two intermingled...that eclectic mix of earthiness and refinement...was breathtaking.  Did you notice the birdbath with the mirror top next to the bed?  How about the sophisticated little silver containers on the mirror or the beautiful china and jadite dishes nestled in the pile of clay pots?  Pure genius...


Oh, maybe this will be the year I build the outdoor room I always wanted.

Oh, Where to Begin?

After spending three days at the Round Top Antiques Fair (read about it here), I am excited, inspired, and worn out.  There is no way to see everything at his huge event, but my friend and I certainly tried.  Now that I am home... jammies on, feet propped up, and a puppy nestled at my side, I have no idea how to even begin to describe it all to you.  Just imagine good company, beautiful weather, and  miles and miles of vintage, altered, and artistic finds...



Many of my first impressions had to do with the beautiful colors surrounding me.  Being a graphics girl at heart, I was drawn to the collection of old signage pictured below.  I love the juxtaposition of the different typefaces and orange and blue is one of my favorite color combinations.  Funny...I doubt that whoever stashed these items against the back of a tent realized that someone would view their arrangement as a work of art!

And just look at the slippers below,  from Feathering Your Nest in Smithville, Texas.  I really should have brought a pair of these home.  How could you not be happy with these yummy colors and textures on your feet? 

I love the way they were just piled together in the display bin.  It reminded me of the relay game we played as kids where we had to pick our shoes out of a pile and put them on before tagging the next person.  Slippers would have been helpful in that game...lacing up my sneakers always slowed me down.

I am winding down fast and so I leave you for now with one last image.  If ever I were to buy a sleigh (which is highly unlikely, to say the least), this would be the one.

The tufted burnt orange cushion on this piece is simply stunning.  And how about those ginormous bobber things on the ground beside it?  Talk about a random combination of objects...

Well, I have many more things to show you, but they'll have to wait.  My pillow is calling, rather, shouting my name!  Ah, it's good to be home.

Transformations

A few weeks ago I developed a new semi-obsessive interest in silver plated spoons.  (Did you see my last post?)  Since then I've scoured second-hand shops and rummage sales for vintage utensils, the older the better.  I've got some ideas for Christmas ornaments and jewelry, but for now I am having a lot of fun hammering the spoons flat and embellishing them with stamped words and phrases.

Each piece is absolutely unique and full of character, bearing many marks and imperfections. 

I think a lot about spiritual parallels when I work in my studio.  When altering these spoons I remember that they were uncared for and discarded until I purchased them, seeing the potential each one held.  Despite their layers of tarnish and grime, I believed that each one could be transformed into something new and beautiful in its own right.  Do you see where I'm going with this?

I can't think of a better illustration of the transforming love of Christ.  Even in our lowest moments He sees our potential.  He looks far beyond our imperfections and sees something beautiful.  He values us so greatly that He gave His life as the purchase price. 

That's a big message for a little spoon to carry and it was a huge cross for one man to bear.  I hope today you know how valuable and full of potential you are.  In the capable hands of our Creator, marks left by hurt, shame and regret are not only redeemed, but transformed.  Our scars become an essential part of our character and beauty.