The Vintage Angel

New Web Site & New Location...

2012-02-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

This time of year, after the holiday rush, I always seem to reorganize, re-vamp and re-focus. This year was no exception, and so I thought it was time for a new web site...one that would better consolodate and feature all my little side projects. With this blog, I thought I'd take some time to introduce my new web site design and announce a new location where customers can shop in person for my items!

My new web site design...I realized recently that I had collected four different Etsy shoppes over the past little while. Why four? Maybe it's my artist OCD flairing up, but I have this thing for keeping with a theme. Instead of lumping everything into one...I divide them up by collections. I wasn't doing a good job of giving my customers a jumping off point though, and didn't even have all my Etsy shoppes linked up to my site. My site had also gotten very large, and somewhat disorganized and this always drives me a little batty. So, with the help of Julie from Ethereal Designs, I set out to have a new web site built that would feature and focus on my angel art and boutique accessories...the stuff I have in stock most times and ready to ship. We decided my new site should also have direct links to all four of my Etsy shoppes...the places where I feature my one of a kind, hand made really unique stuff by theme. So, with all that said, please do come see the new site! It's up and operational and oh so clean, pretty and still with a little vintage flair: http://www.thevintageangel.com/

Across the top and on the side bar, you'll see links to my four Etsy shoppes: Vintage Angel Gifts (now home to all the gifty stuff and altered creations made with my angel art), The Victorian Garden (home to my ornate, Victorian inspired jewelry), Angelfish Originals (home to my seashell jewelry and mermaid treasures), and Miss Julia Rose (home to my vintage inspired hair pretties and accessories for baby girls and little angels).

The one down side of all this that I see is not having all my stuff under ONE roof and ONE shopping cart. I do apologize for that, but please don't ever hesitate to contact me for a combined order...and I will never charge you extra shipping. Even if you don't contact me and place three separate orders at once (one in various Etsy shoppes)...I'll combine the order into one box, and refund any extra shipping. Or, you can contact me beforehand and I'll create a single listing for you to purchase from.

New location...And now for my super doooooooper exciting news! My dear friend Jacqueline owns a vintage boutique in Burbank, California called Toadstool Farm Vintage. We decided together that my Vintage Angel line just HAD to find a home there somehow. So, I'm renting a little space within her shoppe. It's all set up and ready to go, I sent her fascinators, mini top hats, jewelry, angel prints and more. Below is a shot of some of my items on display there. For those of you in Southern Cal, please do visit this amazing little shoppe...filled with vintage heirloom treasures. Toadstool Farm Vintage, 3202 Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. Call for hours: Ph: 818-729-0584.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I have lots of surprises in store for this upcoming year.

Best wishes,

Jessica

Welcome 2012...a new year begins to unfold...

2012-01-03T12:29:00.000-08:00

"I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I do know Who holds tomorrow."

Call me sentimental, but I love the beginning of a brand new year and all the promise it holds. I know every day is a fresh start to do things better, but there is something epic about a brand new year to inspire changes...

While I was closed for the holidays and resting, I took time to organize and clean my art room, work room and favorite rooms in my house. I have always been influenced by my surroundings, and wanted to set the mood for a new and creative year. Thanks to some cleaning and purging, reorganizing and a bit of redecorating, I have finished and am inspired to get back to work. Here's my painting room: cleaned, organized, drenched in winter sunlight and waiting for me...

I'm super excited about some new photo props I picked up at Hobby Lobby, perfect for staging my jewelry and product shots. I can only let myself go to that store once or twice a year...because it's dangerous, dangerous I tell ya. I end up with two carts sometimes. Here's some of my new Hobby Lobby finds holding some of my OOAK Victorian Garden collection items...

Before I get back to my busy pace, I wanted to take some time to quietly reflect on this past year and then also to put some of my resolutions in writing...

This year I hope to walk more closely with God, continuing to come to Him, not on my terms, but on His terms through reading my Bible, meditating on his Word and prayer. I pray for the courage to tell others what God's saving grace has meant to me, and the right words to do so. I want to be a better wife and mother, and to remember the importance of my role as both. I pray for the wisdom (and energy) to raise my new puppy Jemma Grace right. Someday soon I'd love to be able to volunteer with her to visit nursing homes and hospitals. At only 4 months old, I've been using "clicker" training and she has responded so well to it. She already knows sit, shake, speak, down, roll over, sit pretty, fetch and give kisses on command. As a snow white German Shepherd...she stops people in their tracks and makes them oooh and aaah, so if I can train her to be a calm, grown up girl as she leaves puppyhood, my plan is to have her certified as a 'Canine Good Citizen' which would allow us to visit locations on a volunteer basis. Here's Jemma with her new Christmas teddy bear...

I also want to be an encouragement to others and to remember to put others before me. I want to remember how blessed I am to be able to create art and jewelry for a living, and never grumble when things get busy or stressful. I want to spend more time in my art room, and less time on Facebook (so I'm praying for self discipline).

I look forward to the future as 2012 unfolds and blooms...

~ Jess

Photographing Jewelry for Sale On-line...Tips and Tricks :)

2011-12-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

"For it is in giving that we receive" ~ St. Francis of Assisi

As Christmas approaches, I wanted to enjoy the spirit of giving by sharing some tips and tricks for photographing jewelry. Many of my on-line friends also make and sell jewelry as I do, and even those who don't may find themselves wanting to sell some of their old jewelry on-line some day. I've been making and selling jewelry on the net for several years now, and along the way have learned some nice tricks for putting my best foot forward with great product shots. Now I'd like to share...

First things first, the camera. There are so many options for great cameras these days, and they are surprisingly affordable! I started off with a Kodak camera, and eventually upgraded to my beloved Canon Rebel with zoom lense. You can make any digital camera work, but if you can afford to treat yourself, you too will fall in love with the Canon Rebel and its uncanny ability to self-zoom and capture just the right details and lighting.

It's all about the natural lighting. I have tried ALL sorts of photography lights for jewelry shooting, and have found NOTHING better than God-given sunlight. Of course, since I live in Northwest Ohio, this often means checking the weather reports and gearing up for our ONE sunny day a week in the winter. But it's always worth it to wait. For all my jewelry shots, I wait for a sunny day, then go in a well lit room, or outside on my porch to set up my props for photography. The key is getting out of the direct sunlight though, and into an area that is shaded, yet still well lit. You don't want the harsh shadows that being in direct sunlight causes...instead you want the ambient glow that being just out of the direct sunlight provides. If I'm really in a pinch and need to photograph something at night or on a really dreary day, I will use my Ott light that is on my jewelry table. It's more of a white light, which is much better than the yellow hue given off by regular light bulbs. I ALWAYS set my camera to no flash. I turn the dial to the little lighting bolt symbol so that the flash will not go off no matter what.

Setting the stage. A little creativity with your shots will go a long way. You want to give good, clear shots of your jewelry, but you also want to set the mood. Since I create vintage and Victorian inspired jewelry, I often set my pieces on white lace, or antiqued looking back drops. Lace doilies, lace fabric, and larger pieces of antiqued looking fine papers work great for backgrounds. Choose muted, subdued papers so it lets your jewelry creations take center stage. You can also set props around, like a dried rose, old set of keys, or something that fits your jewelry style.

Earrings: Here's a photo of one of my pairs of vintage inspired flower earrings. I laid them on an aged paper with inspirational words faded into the design...

These earrings look great laid flat, but some earrings that dangle really need to be shown hanging on something for the best possible look. For this, I use a white ceramic mug and hang the earrings off the side. I use white because it doesn't distract from the earrings...but I've seen others use large books, twigs and other fun items to hang their earrings off of.

Bracelets: I LOVE making grand cuff bracelets! And they are fun and easy to photograph too. I try to get various angles to show customers the piece from lots of directions. With this cuff, I used a large shell to prop it up a bit, and some white lace for the surface...

I also find that it helps to show the bracelet being worn on a real wrist. So, I use my own! I always put them on my left hand so I can shoot the photo with my right. I think showing the bracelet on my arm gives customers a true vision of the size and look of the piece being worn and helps them click that ORDER NOW button :)...

Necklaces: My necklaces are always my best sellers. I know as a jewelry shopper myself, I get most excited about a new, gorgeous necklace than anything else. In my opinion, to successfully photograph necklaces you need a jewelry bust or dress form to give shoppers the look of how the piece will fall. For years I used a light gray jewelry bust purchased at Firemountain Gems. Recently, I splurged and bought myself a super fancy French style dress form that stands as tall as I am. Oh, I love it, I love it, I love it! Did I mention I love it? I try to show various angles of each necklace I shoot on the form, and also show a great zoom shot of the focal point laid flat. For example, this flower necklace I just made looks great at lots of different angles. For the first shot, I laid it flat on some lace, and got really close to it, and shot it at an angle...

As pretty as I think this photo came out, it doesn't really give a customer an idea of how it will look on though. So I added a second photo of the same piece on my dress form...

One last tip for the snapping stage...I always take extra shots of the same angle. You often can't tell until your downloading the photos, but sometimes a shot will come out fuzzy, but the next will be crisp and clear. Having more shots to work from is always better. Now you're ready for the final editting stage!

Final Touches in Photoshop. I use Photoshop for all my photo edits. I have never used anything else, so the only advice I can give is Photoshop advice. The first thing I do is open all the photos and start picking out the ones I like best. Once I've done that, I crop them to my liking. Then, I resize. When sizing your photos, I try to keep them at about 1000 pixels on the shortest side by 72 or 100 dpi. This is more than adequate for on-line display and is the size Etsy seems to prefer. Now that they are cropped and sized, I almost always go into the Curves setting and lighten the exposure. I find that jewelry looks really great in BRIGHT lighting...so I raise that curve up just enough so it's nice and bright before it fades out the jewelry piece. Finally, I always sharpen the image once. This helps grab those ornate details.

Now I'm ready to upload my pics and spam my Facebook fan page with my new listings - hehehe.

I truly hope this helps some of my fellow jewelry artisan friends. I still have a lot to learn, but this is my formula now and it seems to be working well.

I'd also like to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas.

My very best wishes,

Jessica
http://www.thevintageangel.com/
http://www.thevictoriangarden.etsy.com/

It's a Vintage Angel thing, dahling....

2011-11-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

I have been having SO much fun developing my new brand, The Vintage Angel, over the past year. I started off with a focus only on angel art and related products, then started dabbling in jewelry. Now I'm juggling my time between creating new angel paintings and new accessories. What I want most of all is to keep a distinctive style going with everything...and just what is that Vintage Angel style???

MY RECIPE
A cup of faith, a teaspoon of angelic fantasy, three pinches of lace, a dash of glitter, a hint of shabby chic torn and singed fabric, 3/4 cup of antiqued and aged brass findings, an extra splash of Victorian inspired goodness finished with a sprinkling of vintage whimsy.

My newest angel paintings feature (what I hope is) a vintage look, especially with the lace-effect backgrounds surrounding my angels like this new one Winter Wings:

And for my accessories, I always go with what I love and would buy myself, hoping my fans and customers will love it as well. For me, that's a timeless, elegant look combined with a touch of fantasy. I love to make and offer things that you just can't find at any old department store. Something that when you put on, you'll feel amazing, and people you don't know will ask you "where did you FIND that?!". From hair pretties to jewelry, my obsession with adornments borders on manic these days...

My new lacey, fingerless gloves are oh so yummy:

And there is no easier way to dress up a plain top or scarf than by adding one of my new shabby chic, singed flower brooches...

And I always LOVE making jewelry, from necklaces to bracelets; rings to earrings...my jewelry will always feature a touch of vintage, a splash of Victorian and an extra helping of fantasy, like the Guardian Angel cuff bracelet from my collection shown below...

Last but not least, my very favorite pieces to make are my grand Victorian lace chokers. They are so feminine, unique and elegant, you can't help but feel like a queen while wearing one like this Midnight Garden lace piece below...

I am feeling especially thankful and blessed today...to have so many lovely, kind and supportive customers and fans. So much so that I want to do something to thank you, and figured it was high time for a giveaway. In going with the theme of this blog, I would like to offer my OOAK Midnight Garden lace choker shown just above to one lucky person.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter for your chance to win this (no purchase necessary and it will come FREE to one person)...go to my Facebook page and LIKE me there if you haven't already: http://www.facebook.com/thevintageangel

Once you've done that, post on my wall ONE word (even if it's a big run on word - hehehe) that describes my brand, The Vintage Angel. I will pick one response next week on Monday, and will contact that person letting them know they've won - and will make arrangements to ship this necklace to them completely free of charge.

Best of luck, and with my most heartfelt thanks to all!

~ Jess
http://www.thevintageangel.com/

An imagination set free by grace...

2011-11-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

Looking back over this past year, and realizing the amount of new art and hand crafted jewelry items I've created, something dawned on me this morning. God didn't call me to tame my imagination or take away my creativity...gifts He had given me in the first place. In fact, I can't ever remember feeling so inspired and creative at any other time in my life as I have this past year.

I got an e-mail message this past week from someone asking me why I had retired my fantasy art and expressing their unhappiness with that. I also happened to see a thread from a collector of my figurines wondering why I had retired my fantasy art and wondering out loud if there was something evil about fantasy art, etc. Whenever I read these messages, it gets me thinking and I always feel the need to respond, but always try to do so thoughtfully.

I think some people felt that with me retiring my Enchanted Art collection, that I had given up on the idea of fantasy and imagination. What a shame that would have been if it was true! Still others who work in the fantasy art business seemed to feel that me retiring my old body of work was an attack on the genre or them personally. Also, I say, what a shame if that would have been true!

Christian writer C.S. Lewis once said:

“An individual Christian may see fit to give up all sorts of things for special reasons - marriage, or meat, or beer, or cinema; but the moment he starts saying the things are bad in themselves, or looking down his nose at other people who do use them, he has taken the wrong turning.”

When I read this quote, it illustrated perfectly my intentions. I retired my old art because I no longer had peace about it once I had begun a close relationship with God. It was a personal decision reflecting only on my own unique situation. It was also part of my testimony.

One of my very favorite Psalms reads "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free". With that new found freedom in my heart, my imagination also has been set free to soar. I may have changed the emotions behind my pieces and the reasons for creating them, but I haven't lost any of my creativity or imagination. As a fantasy artist, I take both myself and those who enjoy my art on a bit of a journey with each image. I now strive to set my sights on heaven...hoping to shine a light into the shadows, letting my mind wander to things eternal.

When I read in First Corinthians: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.", I can't help but look forward to eternity with great anticipation. With all of humanity's imaginings, philosophies and wonderings, the Bible says we can't even begin to understand the wonders that are in store for those of us who have chosen to love God. So it is with that in my heart and mind that I create my new pieces, with a humble attitude and thanks always to God for His blessings.

My hope is that we all remember we have been given special talents. Yours may be art, or writing, or music or the gift of encouraging others...whatever it may be, always remember...

"Your talent is God's gift to you; what you do with it is your gift back to God." ~ Leo Buscaglia

Shine your light,

Jessica

Release and Reflection...

2011-10-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

You may remember reading a few blogs back that I was raising an orphaned baby duck. Rory, my little feathered friend and beloved sidekick, stayed with me all this summer, and I wanted to update everyone on my super spectacular duck...

Rory was and is so special to me. He came to me by chance on the day of my baptism in early summer, and imprinted on me specifically as I raised him from a tiny ball of fluff to a grand, feathery mallard who could fly laps around the sky above our yard. Living in the city, and not being a duck expert, I took things with Rory one day at a time. By the grace of God, I was able to keep him safe and healthy all summer, learning so much about mallards in the meantime. We would hunt for worms in the garden, snuggle in the afternoon sun, I'd pick him wildflowers to eat every morning and at night I'd carry him inside to sleep to keep him safe. It was hard work cleaning up after him and keeping him happy and fed, but oh so rewarding. As I mentioned in my first blog, Rory helped to teach me to slow down and enjoy life.

Here I am holding my duckie...it was amazing that this normally wild animal would let me, his human momma, pick him up and carry him around.

We even taught him tricks, much like a dog. He'd jump a few feet in the air to catch worms like in this photo. He'd follow me everywhere, and even though he could fly, he wouldn't leave our back deck area...

Well, at least he wouldn't until the very end of the summer. I was working inside one day and my neighbor came over to tell me that Rory was out on the bike trail behind our house. He had never done this, never even left our yard before, except for some brief mid-air flying just above our yard. I went out and got him, thanking God he was still safe. But I realized that Rory was starting to become wild, and was outgrowing his baby pool and our back yard. Although I was prepared to keep him as a pet, I really wanted what was best for him. That night he nearly wouldn't let me catch him to bring him in.

I prayed, and I prayed hard...I didn't know what the right thing to do was. So, I asked God. And He didn't take long to answer me...

A day or so later, while grocery shopping, my husband ran into someone we knew and started talking about our duck. Long story short, this person told him about a private pond with mallards and other ducks where we could take Rory. I called them, and as soon as I talked to the owner of this home, I knew it was the right place. Despite being so sad to lose my friend, I knew this would be best for Rory.

The next day, I took Rory to see this place. I cried the whole way there, and the whole way home. Instead of thinking I was crazy, the owners of this private pond smiled knowingly because they love animals just like I do. We walked out back behind their home and there was a huge pond, with 20 or more mallards and white ducks swimming around. Cats were playing, and their dog was keeping guard over the ducks. Rory flew into his new pond and swam around like crazy - this was no tiny baby pool.

We tagged Rory with a cute little ankle bracelet so they would know which mallard he was in the mix. They kept him in an introduction pen for 48 hours, then let him out. At first, my goofy little duck wouldn't even get near the other ducks, and preferred to play with the cats, making friends with a little black one specifically. He was also depressed without me for the first few days, which of course made me want to run there, grab him and bring him home. But I gave it time....

I'm so happy to say that the last time I went to visit him, he was swimming with all the other ducks, eating with them, and was barely interested in me. It was such a relief, there was my little feathered baby living a real duck's life. His new owners feed their ducks daily, don't allow any hunting on their property, and they have built the ducks a little winter house to stay warm in. They think that Rory will be like the other ducks they hatched and will not migrate. As we joke, I have full visitation rights and go to see him every couple weeks. Along with the other mallards, Rory has now even made friends with the elusive white ducks, and is the only mallard they allow to eat with them.

Here he is digging for bugs in the grass at his new home...with his best kitty friend looking on, and the big white ducks pretending to be uninterested...

Thank God for happy endings and answered prayers...

~ Jess

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." ~ Matthew 21:22

Creating an ocean themed bathroom paradise (even in Ohio) :)

2011-09-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ever since my Mom gave me her seashell collection before her recent move, I've been absolutely enchanted with the ocean. As a midwestern girl, living in Ohio (about as far from the ocean as one can get), I realized I had to bring the ocean to me. I set out to turn our master bath into an ocean-themed mini paradise. I did it all on a very small budget, and thought I'd share my ideas. In a nutshell, with a bag of seashells and a glue gun, a girl can have her ocean dream bath...

The first thing you see when you walk in is the corner tub. I remember our builder telling me that most people never use these. Not so at my house, I'm in this thing as often as possible. I'm surprised I haven't grown a mermaid tail from soaking in this thing. I wanted to make this the focal. Thanks to some corner shelves, seashell accents, and the gorgeous glass suncatchers I found on Etsy, I think I managed to set this area off the right way. Those big suncatchers I purchased from http://www.etsy.com/shop/windsongsglass (both together were under $100).

This little shabby chic corner shelving unit I found on Etsy also...only $20! They hold some favorite shells, starfish and an angel sculpture my hubby gave me.

This side of the tub holds some beach treasures. I glued a starfish on a little basket to hold some bubble bath and a wash cloth. The pretty frame holds one of my favorite quotes about seashells, and I glued a white starfish on it for added ocean flair.

Is it cheesy to hang your own art up on your walls? Probably, but it sure is handy to be able to paint a picture that matches your room perfectly :) My Tranquility angel hangs on the little wall near the tub.

I love our glass block windows...when the sun shines through them, it makes a wave pattern of light on the walls. For the shelves, I bought some glass bottles with cork lids and filled them with tiny white seashells. I then glued on a big seashell to the front. Candle holders and a few randomly placed big shells complete the look.

This organizer shelf was another purchase. I snagged it at Target for $100. I liked that it had doors to hide our cleaning products and the little shelf for pretty stuff. I used some twigs placed in an ornate tissue holder for added texture. I glued a big white shell on the face of the tissue holder.

I grabbed this fishing net prop at Hobby Lobby, I love it! I added a favorite book, more shells, and a crystal dish filled with turquoise glass chips.

I thought this cross with the Serenity Prayer on it was perfect. The little white starfish I glued on allowed it to match the going theme :)

Our vanity before was a jumbled mess of products, hair dryers and stuff laying everywhere. I bought some baskets and holders, and you guessed, glued more shells to them :) The Starfish Wishcatcher on the mirror is one of my creations, part of my Angelfish line on Etsy: http://www.angelfishoriginals.etsy.com/

This concludes the grand tour. I hope this has inspired you and given you ideas on decorating with an ocean theme. I did all this for under $350...woohooo!

Happy decorating and ocean dreaming!

~ Jess

Being sure of what you hope for...

2011-09-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

I still remember where I was, what I was wearing, the beautiful weather of that September morning...small details that would have long been forgotten had it been any other September morning. I was working at an office, a company called Lucas Products in Toledo, Ohio. My husband called me that morning at work...right away I heard something strange in his voice. He said a plane had just hit the World Trade Center in New York, and I said "it must have been a terrible accident". He said solemnly "no, I don't think so". As a member of the 180th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Toledo, he told me that they thought we may be under attack and that he wasn't going to be home until very late that night. News then came of the second tower being hit. I remember sitting at my desk, and the man in charge of the warehouse where I worked came in and said "They just hit the Pentagon". Shock, disbelief, dread and fear overcame us all that day.

How we, as Americans, have dealt with our pain and fear, and have rebuilt and soldiered on is a testimony to our spirit as a nation. I am so proud to be an American...a country built on the foundation of God. Patrick Henry said, in 1776...“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religious, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.”

While watching the coverage of the ten year anniversary this week, I heard that the mayor of New York wasn't going to be allowing any prayer at the memorial service tomorrow. I also heard that the statue of the cross, made from a chunk of rubble shown below, errected at the site, was causing all kinds of trouble. A group of atheists doesn't want it there. As a Christian woman, this doesn't make me angry...it makes my heart break for those people who would choose this, of all things, to be worthy of fighting. I can't help but wonder how they can face life with such little hope.

To me, this photo is so symbolic of the hope I have for eternity. On September 11th those ten years ago...so many people boarded planes or went to work assuming that their flight or day at work would be just like any other. They could have never guessed it would end so quickly and so violently. I can't help but remember that it is appointed to all of us to die. Some of us may go gently in our old age, some may go quickly at a time we don't expect. Either way, it awaits us all.

Those of us who have stepped out in faith, accepting the Lord as our Saviour, have a peace that lives within us despite our surroundings because He has revealed himself and his truth to us. Just as the cross in the rubble stands upright amidst destruction in this photo, we as Christians stand with our eyes toward eternity in a sometimes dark world that seems to get darker with each passing day. We've taken God at his word, and believed on his promise. As John 3:16 says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

I know that this blog, and these words I've written will offend some. But I believe this, with all my heart and my soul, and hope that everyone who reads this will give their eternity deep contemplation over this weekend of reflection and remembrance.

Let your light so shine,

Jessica

Gathering Momentum & Feeling Like A Giveaway!

2011-08-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I pretty much started over with a new vision, a new plan and a new direction just after the New Year. That has been an exciting challenge for me. I have always loved the art of promotion and marketing almost as much as I love creating, and my business changes have given me the opportunity to dust off those skills and get to work. Of course many fans stayed with me and continue to keep up with my creations and ramblings, and I am so grateful for that! I've also found lots of new fans and collectors along the way and am equally grateful for that too.

Just this week, I hit a milestone on my new Facebook Fan Page for my art. Over 5,000 members strong - woohooo! As a thank you to everyone for being there, and as a way to celebrate, I thought I'd have a free giveaway contest. I'm offering this vintage-inspired seashell necklace I made called "Ocean Angel" shown below. Read on for details on entering to win...

To enter to win this necklace, simply send me an e-mail to thevintageangel@aol.com with the subject line: Free Necklace Contest. Don't post your address in a reply to this blog, we want to keep your address private. Within the body of your e-mail to me, please include your full name and full mailing address. No need to include your phone number, just your snail mail addy will do. This is so I'll know where to ship your necklace if you win. I'll also hang onto all the addresses I get so that I can send you a printed Vintage Angel catalog that I'm planning for the New Year! And I will not ever, under any circumstances sell your address or share it with a third party! I hate junk mail the same as the next girl. I'm going to wait a couple days and then draw one lucky name from a hat this Saturday. That person will receive this necklace, shown above.

One of the unexpected twists of my new direction is the interest in my new jewelry and accessories. I have really enjoyed delving into the world of jewelry making, and love creating one of a kind adornments. My first love will always be painting and drawing though, so you can expect lots of new angel art from me in the near future. In fact, I just dusted off my colored pencils and created this new piece called "Angel Eyes". I didn't realize just how much I had missed my Prismacolor pencils until I used them this week.

I hope that these past months of creating jewelry and art is just the beginning. If the Lord is willing, I hope to continue on and explore imaginative themes on into the future. I hope you'll keep in touch.

With gratitude,

Jessica

And sometimes God gives you a duck..

2011-07-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." ~James 1:17

I've become one of those girls who believes there are no coincidences, and that God weaves the tapestry of our individual lives, mindful of each twist and turn and what it will allow us to learn.

When I gave my life to Christ this past fall, many things shifted in me. My priorities, what I deemed valuable and important in my life, my viewpoint on many topics and above all, the desires of my heart. For many years, I worked at a pace that bordered on manic, always wanting to achieve more notariety, financial success and popularity with my art. As those priorities began to shift, I began to realize that God needs to be my first priority, others second and me third. All those competitive desires I had seemed to melt away, and I now am able to enjoy all those things I worked so hard for, and just enjoy the simple life without always wanting something more. That nagging emptiness that always left me striving for more has been filled with the Lord, and that has been an amazing transformation for me to go through.

However, up until these past few weeks, I still struggled with my work pace...and the pressure I put on myself to crank out a large amount of art and other creations at a constant, super-fast pace. Although my heart's desires had shifted, I hadn't yet learned how to relax and breathe a little. Well, God had plans to teach me how to slow down, meditate on Him and his word, and enjoy life just a little bit more...He sent me a duck.

My mom had come in to see my husband and I be baptized early in June of this summer. She brought with her a duck who was a few days old. His mother and the rest of his siblings had hatched a day earlier than he did, and the mother moved her babies from the nest near the golf course she lives on. Rory, being only just hatched, searched for his mother and saw only golfers on a golf course, and began following them around peeping. My mom searched for the mother and other babies to no avail all around the pond and in the creek next to it, and decided when Rory began following people in the parking lot of the golf course nearly being run over by a car, she needed to intervene. When she arrived in town for our baptism with a tiny little fluff ball in tow, I thought, here she goes again (my Mom seems to always find orphaned animals). As we played with Rory (named for my Mom's favorite golfer), he took to me. In fact, he snuggled up under my hair on my shoulder and wouldn't let anyone take him from me. Knowing that Josh (my husband) and I both work from home, that we have a great big back yard with a fence, and that the kids would love the chance to help raise a baby duckling, my Mom talked us into taking over for her.

At first I thought "what have I done?!". This baby duck needed constant attention, and would not settle for less than being held constantly. He was so needy for love and attention. But, slowly I adjusted...or should I say I was forced to adjust. Now instead of being able to work for hours on end at a break-neck speed, I am forced to take frequent breaks so Rory can swim in his pool, roam the yard and exercise his little legs. After a month he's quadrupled in size, his voice is changing from a tiny little peep to the occassional quack and his first "real" feathers are coming in. However, he still is so attached to me that he goes everywhere with me. Thanks to a spacious yet moveable indoor dog carrier, I'm able to move him from room to room with me, taking hourly breaks to let him swim and play outside. I've even taught him how to hunt for worms in the garden. Right now, I'm typing this on my lap top on our back deck while he sleeps at my feet, a fuzzy little head tucked under his wing.

Here's a photo of Rory and I snuggling...

At first I was focussed on what I was doing for him...giving him love, food, a place to swim, a safe place to sleep, etc. But slowly it dawned on me that he has taught me how to slow down, take a breath and enjoy the outdoors. It's also shown my children a picture of God's grace, to see us save and restore an orphaned baby duck who would have never survived otherwise.

Soon we will probably take Rory to an area farm with a pond and other ducks. Although I will admit I'm deeply considering adding a pond to our back yard with a little duck house attached, but shhhh, I haven't talked to my husband about that yet ;-)

I hope that all of you are enjoying God's blessings, both large and small, this summer.

~ Jess

Springing into Summer...

2011-06-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

I know it isn't officially summer yet, but it sure feels like it here. After a strange week of raging storms and lots of rain, the sun is finally shining and the warm weather is here in Ohio. Thanks to all that rain, my garden is in full bloom and looking better than I ever can remember it looking. Here's a photo I just took of my very first rose of this season opening up...

As I look at its perfect petals, drenched in a bright pink that almost hurts to look at, I'm reminded of what an amazing artist God is. I'm also reminded that He shared a little bit of that creativity with humanity. Unlike the animals, insects and other creatures of the earth, we humans have been given imaginations, and creative talents to use those imaginations to create things JUST for the joy and beauty of creating. What an adventure it is to create! Whether it's creating paintings, jewelry, an exotic meal, or simply planting a garden...I believe it's so spiritually rewarding to be creative. Someday I hope to have a little gallery near my home in Ohio, where I can not only showcase my work, but teach others how to create paintings, jewelry and crafts. I would also love to give art lessons to children. As my own kids get older, hopefully my schedule will open up and when the time is right, this dream will come true.

On another note, I recently finished a painting that I'm very excited about, entitled 'The Comforter'. It's a symbolic representation of God's Holy Spirit, the mysterious, supernatural aspect of the three-part living God I've come to know, love and call my best friend. Much like gravity, photosynthesis and other invisible forces...though I can't see it, I see the evidence of the Holy Spirit all around me...in my life and in the lives of other followers of Christ. I really had to work up the courage to do this painting, and struggled with feeling unworthy to paint it...but once I started on it, I so enjoyed the journey!

It's a large, acrylic painting on canvas. Though it's not yet available on my site, I plan to release it with another new painting in the next week or so. As I was working on this painting looking out over the stunning skies with big fluffy clouds and sunbeams, the thought occured to me that I too was created in the image of the three-part God...we all were! I suppose I already knew this from reading about it, but as I followed the steps of creating this piece, I realized it on a deeper level. Just as God is made up of God the father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as One, I realized plain as day that I had three parts too that made up one me. I realized this as, with my mind, I began to envision what I wanted this painting to look like and mapped out the stages and physical actions needed to create it (i.e. reference photos, getting out my paints, getting water ready, etc.). Then, through my body, specifically my right hand, I began to create the painting. And finally, with my spirit I prayed to God to help guide my hand, and let that inspiration guide me along the way as I did the more mysterious things of painting (i.e. instinctively knowing where to put highlights, colors and low lights, composition, etc.). All three parts of me came into play with the creation of this art. What a gift that God has shared with us, even if it is in a small way compared to His amazing works of art. It was so awesome to think on this, and also so humbling! Here I struggled for many hours just to paint a two dimensional rendition of a dove in flight, something He already created as a living, breathing creature. Talk about a greater appreciation for the Creator! I realize now so clearly that everything is a gift, and I take absolutely no credit for my artistic abilities, or any talents I may possess...I only thank God and give Him all the glory. With that said, I hope that this painting will be a blessing to you.

Before closing, I want to announce that I sold my shoppe at the Michigan Renaissance Faire. Though I will be sad not to see and catch up with all my friends this season there, I am so thrilled and grateful to have been able to sell it so quickly and to a wonderful artist who will find the shoppe to be a blessing. I will be doing some other one-day appearances in the Michigan area - so be sure to visit my Events page on my site http://www.thevintageangel.com/ to see my schedule. I have one coming up shortly in Frankenmuth.

Shine your light!

~ Jess

Moving On & An Opportunity For Someone New!

2011-05-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I own a shoppe at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. I have been there for years now, and have truly enjoyed this show and getting to know so many local Michigan fans in person. Even after changing my artistic direction recently, I had still planned to go back to my shoppe offering all my new angel pieces along with the altered arts and crafts, and the fantasy inspired jewelry I've been creating for my new Vintage Angel line.

As the faire season looms on the horizon, I face a tough decision. I've been pondering, praying and weighing pros and cons. See, it's a lot of hard work doing a show this large, especially since it's two hours from home (not exactly close enough to be local for me). It involves making a HUGE amount of product to sell, driving back and forth, hotel stays, and working there for seven weekends in a row while still maintaining my web site where I do the bulk of my sales from. And on top of all that, it happens when my children, who will both be in school next year now, start back to school with a ton of responsibilities and activities related to that falling on my plate. Still I thought I could manage it, but as my new web site and collection gathers momentum, I find myself blessed to have the problem of keeping up with inventory on the one of a kind stuff. Because of my amazingly awesome customers, fans and collectors, I am selling out of my one of a kind pieces almost as quickly as I make them at times...not to mention the custom orders and still trying to find time to paint new angels. It has become apparent that although I like to fancy myself super woman at times, I'm not, and it's time for me to offer up the shoppe to someone else.

Now, before all my Michigan Ren Faire friends get too sad, the new crafts coordinator offered to set me up a tent for a weekend or two and have me do a guest artist gig up there. So I could still see you, but wouldn't have the 7 weekend long repsonsibility or a huge shoppe to fill with items. So, when and if my shoppe sells to someone else, I will still most likely be appearing there for a weekend or two with some of my new stuff.

So, with all that said, up for consideration is a double wide, super spectacular Ren Faire shoppe that has new roofing, fairly new paint, a second story storage area, two sales counters, a sweet outside deck area, many displays that will come with the shoppe, and electricity. I have listed it on Etsy of all places, because I think it will be perfect for another artisan (like those talented peeps that sell on Etsy), artist, jeweler, costume or crafter. Despite even the dismal Michigan economy, I have never been disappointed with sales at this HUGE show. Also, because of the nature of how the shoppe is set up, it would be ideal for two friends to split. It used to be two separate shoppes you see, but we opened them up to be one big one, but it still has a "two shoppe feel" to it. To view photos, pricing and more details, here is a link to the listing on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/74207501/large-permanent-shop-structure-at-the

If it by chance doesn't sell to someone, I would consider renting it out (only if that is my only, last option). And if that doesn't pan out, I would have to make arrangements to open up shoppe there despite not knowing how in the world I'd handle that. I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out - such is life!!! If anyone is interested or knows someone who may be, please don't hesitate to give me a shout at: thevintageangel@aol.com

With thanks!

Jessica

A love like no other...

2011-05-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

Recently one of my friends asked me if I had any regrets about my recent life changes, or about being so public about those changes. I gave pause to reflect so I could give an honest answer. The answer is no, not once have I had any regrets. From the outside looking in, I can't imagine how my answer could be no, as honestly, it's been a pretty bumpy ride at times. And yet that is my honest answer, not a single regret.

Before last fall, I was probably what would be referred to as Agnostic. I believed in a God, but felt it was some sort of impersonal force that created the Universe, and then sort of left us all alone to be what we would be. When I would hear others talk about Jesus Christ, Christianity, the Bible or anything related, I would shut down and turn away. I would say things like "the Bible was written by men, not God" or "what does something that happened in Israel thousands of years ago have to do with me", and even "Christianity is just a way to use fear and guilt to control people". I realize now I had been making those comments out of ignorance. I'm saying this because I know many of you still get those feelings when you hear me or others talk about loving the Lord and giving their lives to Him. I suppose today I wanted to shed some light on why those of us who follow Jesus have such a tendency to want to share that love with others...

Imagine that you and some friends are at a corn maze...one of those giant, amazing ones they make these days. You had started off together having fun, but soon the hours passed by and none of you could figure the way out. After you had all been lost for many hours inside this giant maze, you decided to split up and do it on your own, hoping to find a way out. By chance, or by fate, who can know, you found a raised platform with a small wooden ladder going way up to a little platform high above the maze. A little nervous and unsure, you climbed up, and from up on the platform, you could see all the maze...and you could see the way out. It was now twilight, and darkness would soon be taking over. Do you shout for your friends and show them the way out? Or do you climb down and run out quietly by yourself leaving them alone? Personally, I think most of us would shout for our friends and try to show them the way out.

I wanted to illustrate how it feels to come in to the presence of the Creator and to make Him your best friend. It's like finding the purpose of life, and finding a love that you've never ever felt before. Once you feel it, you'll never be the same. I'm not up on the platform because I'm special, or because I was "good enough"...quite the opposite. I can see the way out of the maze only because I gave Jesus a chance, and He turned my entire life upside down, then sat me rightside up again with a joy that borders on giddiness and a peace that often surpasses the madness around me. And I know that is waiting for everyone, and only has to be asked for. So please, if you aren't a follower of Christ, and if it drives you a little nuts when those of us who are want to talk to you about Him, be patient with us, and know that it is coming only from a place of love. And if by chance you're ready to climb up on that platform, or at the very least, take a peek at what things look like from up there, then pick up a Bible and read starting in the New Testament. If you will only read one section, go with John, often referred to as the gospel of love. I read it and it changed my life.

If any of you want to ask me anything about my journey with the Lord, please know you have an open invitation to e-mail me anytime at: thevintageangel@aol.com I don't claim to have all the answers, but what I do know I will share willingly and kindly from a place of understanding with no judgements.

I realize that most of my blogs are about my faith, and while it's hard at times to be this open about such matters, it's also a joy to share it, so I thank you for reading this far, and for your interest in my ramblings and my art.

Shine your light,

Jess

The Promise of Spring...

2011-04-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter with their loved ones. To say that Easter had new meaning for me this year would be an understatement. While I still enjoyed our usual family feast, coloring eggs, hiding baskets and eating too many peeps, at the core was a gratitude like I had never felt before to my Lord and Savior for what He did over 2,000 years ago that forever changed everything. It was amazing to spend the morning at church with our new brothers and sisters in Christ, to hear the amazing music, sounds of praise and to just rest in God's house thinking about how He died and rose again, conquering death and building us a bridge back to Him in heaven. I think of His disciples, these men who went from having such doubt and fear, all but one being even too afraid to even stand at the cross with Him, to becoming completely and radically changed after seeing Him risen again. No longer fearful and unsure, they went into the world bringing it the Good News, all but one being eventually killed for their beliefs in Him, yet staying faithful to the end.

I recently finished reading a book called 'Heaven is For Real'. It's a little boy's account of a near death experience in which he was taken to Heaven. It's a quick read, one of those you can't put down because you don't want to miss what this little, matter-of-fact, unassuming child has to say about our eternal destination: http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Real-Little-Astounding-Story/dp/0849946158

In addition to the stories of the Resurrection, I find God's promise of new life written on the tulips just starting to peek out of the ground in my garden, and on the tiny buds forming on the tree branches. I hear it sung by the birds just outside my studio windows, and in the sounds of the spring rain turning everything a rich green. I can't wait to watch the blooms in my garden start to unfold in a symphony of colors and textures, I have so missed my flowers over this long winter.

Wishing you all the best that this season has to offer,

~ Jess

A letter to my fans, both old and new...

2011-03-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

This letter is to fans of my art...to old fans who are no longer, to old fans who continue to enjoy my new works, and to new fans who have only now just found enjoyment in my creations...

First, to those fans who are angry with me for retiring my old collection, for becoming a follower of Christ, and for changing the types of images that I paint....thank you. Even to those who have lashed out a me publically with many nasty words...I still thank you, because obviously you were connecting with my works of art on a deep level and for that I am grateful. I do not regret my former works of art, nor am I ashamed of them, they represented the place where I was on my journey. They simply no longer represent who I am any longer, and I needed to free myself up to create and concentrate on the direction that is right for me now. Although I retired my old web site, you will still be able to find these images on many items from other sellers. As for taking down my old web site, I do not apologize for this, but I do say thank you for following my old work. I also do not condemn anyone embracing any other type of spiritual path. Only you can decide what is right for you, much like only I can decide what is right for me. I will miss you, and hope someday you may change your mind and come to enjoy my new work as well. You are always welcome in my world.

Second, to those fans who were old fans and remain fans of my new work...thank you. You have made my heart smile and given me much inspiration as I go in this new direction. You make me feel so blessed and are so appreciated, and you give me hope that I can not only survive this transition, but succeed with it.

Third, to those new fans who only now are finding me through my new angel artwork. Welcome, and thank you for your new interest. I hope to continue to bring you new angel paintings and creations in the future. Embarking on this new journey has left me excited, renewed and more inspired than ever before.

This will be my last and final say on the matter, as I want to stay in a positive place. I'm aware that there are people griping, complaining, and saying all kinds of negative things about my testimony and changes. I'm not angry about this, in fact, although it may sound strange, it encourages me in my walk with the Lord. I will, however, draw the line at allowing these people to spread their hatred on my own Facebook wall. Yesterday, someone came in and started in on my wall, and while I left it up for a bit in hopes of showing others what I'm dealing with, I decided that this is my space, and no amount of defending myself to these people will serve any purpose. They will be as they will be, and aren't coming to me for understanding of my position, but rather are only attacking my position. Ironically, some of these people that demand tolerance from me (and have my tolerance) on their right to follow other religious paths, condemn my own with their intolerance. Therefore, I will not waste anymore energy on these battles, and will simply delete and ban any users who choose to do this.

I'd like to close with a quote that I hold fast to right now...

"The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!"

~ A. W. Tozer

With love and gratitude,

Jess

The heart of the matter...

2011-03-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

I always feel so inspired to write about God on Sundays.

Our sermon at church today was about being intimate with the Lord. The message was a beautiful reminder to me to continue to draw close to God...to praise Him, love Him and keep those lines of communication open.

For me, the most amazing and transformational experiences have come through studying and meditating on God's living word. The pages of the Bible continue to unfold for me, showing themselves as a great love story, the greatest love story ever told.

I've always loved inspirational quotes, even before becoming a Christian. Now, I find that the Bible itself provides all the inspiration and truth I could have ever hoped for. From the wisdom of the Proverbs to the hopeful Psalms, God's word continues to come alive for me every day.

With this in mind, I have decided to create a new line of art that I'm calling "Faithful Reminders". This line actually started as a personal "pet" project, creating images combined with Bible verses for my own home, to serve as reminders to keep the faith. I enjoyed making the first few for my own home so much, that I decided to continue on and make more, in order to offer them to my customers. Below you'll see a sample of one of the first, there will soon be one for each angel image. Each is created using one of my angels along with the collage, altered art look that I so love, combined with uplifting Bible verses scripted in imaginative fonts. Soon I'll be offering them through my site in a separate gallery called Faithful Reminders in several different home decor-type formats...

I hope that everyone is enjoying their Sunday, and I appreciate you taking the time to let me share!

~ Jess

My little world...

2011-03-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

I know that when I'm interested in an artist, I love to see where they work. Perhaps it is because I want to catch a glimpse into their world...to get a closer look to the environment that they create in. I thought I'd share a few photos today of my craft room and craft table.

Lately, I'm making altered art creations, collages and fantasy-inspired accessories as often as, if not more often than, I'm painting. With my new brand, The Vintage Angel, I love to explore the imaginative side of whimsy, the Victorian era and all things vintage, combining them into a unique look that finds its way from my paintings to my jewelry. As with most artists, where I work is important to how inspired I stay. While I show a photo of my art studio on my Artist Bio page on my site, I haven't yet posted a photo of my beloved craft table. So, I'd like to take you on a quick little tour...

Above is the overall view of my craft room. It used to be our formal dining room, but since we aren't often hosting formal dinners, it was rarely used. I've since taken it over as my "creative space". I pushed the big table over towards the big windows to get lots of light. The big wood table somehow manages to hold the majority of my MANY craft supplies so they are always within arms reach. My daughter takes piano lessons, and so we recently got her a piano and put that on the back wall. My absolutely favorite time of the day is when she gets home from school and plays me songs while I work at the table.

Here's a closer shot of my table. I've got some fantasy cuff bracelets there waiting for photography, some feather hair clips, my beloved new Ott Lite that is AWESOME for crafting on dreary days, and of course my mascot, Frazzle the buttfreckle. Never heard of a buttfreckle? Well let me divert for a moment and send you to check out: http://www.buttfreckle.etsy.com/ This lady makes these adorable little wads of fuzz with eyes and all kinds of personality. My friend Amy Brown got me hooked, and although my kids have taken all my others, I insist that Frazzle stays on my craft table to keep me company.

Anyhow, this concludes the quick tour of my little creative space. Today I'm sitting down to make some new Feather Hair Clips & Fascinators, and then will be moving on to jewelry. Thanks for taking a peek into my little world :)

~ Jess

The day that changed everything...

2011-02-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

I think we all know how everything can change in a day, an hour, even a moment. Sometimes it can happen on a seemingly ordinary day, when you least expect it...

I have struggled to tell this story, because I know that some will think I've gone crazy, and still others that I care about may be offended by parts of it. But what I've realized is it's not meant to be kept secret or selfishly kept for myself. So now I'll share this story, a story that up until now has only been shared with a very few close friends and family members. Some of these topics I touched on in my last blog so I apologize if anything is repetitive.

It had been a long time since I had thought much about Jesus or the Christian way. I was raised Presbyterian, but honestly, the deeper meanings were lost on me. As I grew into an adult, I stopped attending church, and quite honestly, didn't give religion or its purposes much thought at all. Instead I was drawn to the New Age, and other occult subjects. This interest reflected quite obviously in my now retired Enchanted Art collection. In looking back now, I can see that I had always believed there was more to life than what one could see and touch. It was my craving for supernatural experiences that led me to this genre. I had no idea there could possibly be anything dangerous or misleading about it. As the years went on, my art delved deeper and deeper into the shadows. My specialty was images of dark seduction, attempting to give beauty to dark beings such as vampires and sorceresses. Despite the worldly success I obtained with my art, and the loving family I had support from, I felt an emptiness that I never could quite put my finger on.

Thanks to the grace of God and my relationship with the Lord, that emptiness is gone now. My decision to follow Christ has surprised so many people, causing them to ask me why and how, that I finally feel ready to share the entire story in hopes of shedding some light on my new found faith...

Over a year ago, my husband Josh and I had gotten to be friends with a pastor named Dan through our son's preschool. The first thing that struck me about Dan was his great sense of humor...he always made us laugh. This past summer, Dan experienced a personal tragedy. He lost his sister, her three year old son (his nephew) and her husband (his brother-in-law) in the tornado that struck Northwest Ohio. To be completely honest, the first thing that began to change my heart towards God was seeing Dan handle this tragedy with such grace and faith. I distinctly remember him saying he was able to handle it that well because he knew they were "home" now with God. Perhaps it was partly that tragedy that spurred him to approach Josh with the good news one day. Whatever it was, I'll be forever grateful to Dan for bravely challenging us in a kind and loving way.  We were so lost that we were actually offended at first. Our foolish pride made us ask "what in the world do WE need help with, and why would WE need to be saved". In looking back, I thank God for Dan's patience as he answered our many questions and listened to quite a bit of our initial nonsense.

Dan recommended some books to help us start to learn a different way, and recommended one of the most amazing DVDs I have ever seen...a video called "How Great is Our God" by Louis Giglio. I cannot recommend seeing this video enough. Josh and I started reading the Bible at night and talking about it with one another.  Little by little, our hearts were beginning to melt for God...all those bricks in that big wall we had built between ourselves and God were slowly coming down. And although reading books and watching videos is a wonderful way to learn about God, I think the most valuable thing to us was having someone like Dan who wanted to share the good news with us along with what it has meant for him and his life. Josh started meeting with Dan for coffee, and would come home and share things with me. One day, I was invited to go to coffee with them.

As we sat in the corner, I remember thinking that I didn't even recognize myself. Here I was in a public coffee shop, talking about God, holding a bible, and crying! As someone who normally cared a little too much what people thought of me, this was highly out of character. Something was shifting in me. I was beginning to see that there was a better way, a way to the truth of what life was really about. A way to find true peace, and a love like I had never experienced before. That day in the coffee shop, Dan asked us point blank, quite unexpectedly, have you and Josh accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? YES! YES was our beautiful, unashamed answer! I bounced out of there on cloud nine, thinking to myself "so THIS is what it's all about, I GET IT!".

Well, I had to go home and get to work for the day...back to reality so to speak. I came home and picked up that week's orders from the web site and started running prints out of my printer. As I sat and watched the images coming out...images of dark goddesses, vampires, shadows and dark enchantment, images I had created...my heart sunk. It literally dawned on me at that moment just what I had been using my God-given talent to create.  I started sobbing and fell into a depression like I had rarely felt before. I was home alone, so I grabbed my phone and called my Mom. Even though I'm 36 years old, I still call my Mom when I don't know where else to turn. Sobbing uncontrollably, I blurted out everything that had happened and explained to her how I was sure God could never forgive me. How could I ever undo what I had done? My images were EVERYWHERE on EVERYTHING from here to the other side of the world. She quietly explained to me how God loved me no matter what and that with his help I could start on a new journey with my art.  Well, as great as that sounds, I wasn't hearing it. I was so far gone into my guilt and sorrow that I couldn't even let her words sink in. During this phone conversation, I made my way from our work room to my painting room.  My painting room happens to be a small room made up of almost all windows on the back of the second story of our home. That day, all the shades were drawn tight because I hadn't been painting. I sat on the floor crying my heart out in the dark, listening as my Mom tried her very best to talk me out of feeling so desperate. Something told me to go to the window and lift one of the shades. I didn't hear a voice with my ears, but I just felt this uncontrollable urge to do it. I crawled over to one of the 7 windows in the room, and lifted the shade. Through my tears, I saw the most beautiful rainbow. This was not your typical arching rainbow after a rain storm. This rainbow was shooting straight from the horizon into the sky just beyond the field behind my house on a sunny day. Had I lifted any other shade, I wouldn't have seen it. But there it was. I hurried up and let my mom go, telling her I was about to have a moment with God. Through my tears, I looked at this rainbow, and smiled from ear to ear. I must have been a sight.

At that moment, I fell flat on my face and humbly worshipped my Creator for the first time in my life. I felt as if He stepped right in that room with me, embraced me and told me everything would be okay now. Waves of indescribable peace and love flowed over me. When I came back to reality a bit, I looked again more than half expecting my rainbow to be gone...perhaps it had been a vision that my poor, guilt-stricken mind had conjured. But there it still was. I took a photo of it, and although this photo doesn't do it justice, I hope you will be as moved by it as I was. I know that rainbow wasn't just for me that day, it was for many people...but for me personally, it was a symbol of hope and forgiveness that I needed more than anything I've ever needed in my life. I learned later on that the rainbow itself has long been a symbol of God's promise.

This was the moment I fell in love with God. This was the moment I understood that His love and his grace is for everyone. I wish I could say that every day was filled with miraculous rainbows, but we all know that you can't always be on top of the mountain.

Since that day, I've had to make some painfully hard decisions. I retired a body of artwork that had taken me ten years to create, a body of artwork that supported my family. I have let many people down by doing this and while many have been kind and supportive, many others have lashed out at me or expressed their dislike of my decision. There are other aspects of my life that this has changed too, many many others. And I'm still a work in progress, far far from being anything near perfect. But through all the hard decisions, I've felt His guiding presence and love all around me in such a way that I'm often brought to tears, but now they are tears of joy.

I'm fully aware of how crazy this may sound to those of you who don't yet know His love. I just hope that everyone who reads this will be inspired by my story. I also hope you know that I don't mean to condemn anyone's beliefs or interests with this story, but in order to tell it, I had to share all of it...

I promise not all of my blogs will be this heavy, and I thank you for reading this far, and for letting me share this experience with you.

~ Jess

A time for release and reflection...

2011-01-31T12:24:00.000-08:00

I recently finished this new angel painting titled "Release"...

This piece, as with all of my new angels, has deep personal meaning to me. As most of you probably know, I have been working as a fantasy artist for many years, up until very recently. My fantasy collection, called Enchanted Art, became best known for its fairies, goddesses and dark fantasy images. It seemed that my darker works of art always sold the best, and so I continued to explore this subject as the years went on, delving deeper into ancient myth, folklore and occult subjects with my paintings. Through my art, I experienced many blessings of success, notariety and also got to travel often. I'm so grateful for these experiences, because they allowed me to meet so many wonderful people that I never would have met otherwise.

Spiritually, I had always been attracted to anything of a supernatural nature. Fairies, goddesses, witches and the like captured my imagination, but I never was able to label myself as any certain "religion". As a matter of fact, I thought little of religion itself, and didn't spend much time considering what I really believed deep inside. I was lost in my world of fantasy, and for many years, that was enough for me.

This past October, I experienced what I consider to be a miracle. I was saved by the grace of God. What makes it seem so extraordinary to me is that I wasn't looking for it - at all. It, or He I should say, found me. I know that many people come to God out of crisis, but that was not the case with me. I truly thought I had all the answers and thought I was living a full life. I had no idea what I was missing! Someday soon, I'll share the beautiful things that led me to my Lord and savior. The story starts with a meeting in a coffee shop and ends with a rainbow...and as funny as that sounds, I get emotional just typing that, and wonder how I'll be able to do the whole story justice when I finally share it.

After coming to Christ and experiencing his unconditional love...my pride, ego and quick temper melted away, I was filled with humble awe and utter appreciation for my blessings and gifts. I began to see the world in such a different way. How I interacted with my husband, my children, my own parents, friends...it all changed. Falling in love with God allowed me to truly love others in a way I never had before. Before, I had always thought of the bible, church and anything related to Christianity as restrictive, even boring, and sometimes scary. Little did I know that I had never really given it a chance. I never looked beyond the surface at the sheer beauty of it, the freedom, the perfect peace it offered...the truth that stared back at me from it.

I also began to look at my art a different way. Instead of being impressed with myself and the talents "I had developed"...I came to understand my art was a gift from God. The images of dark seduction I used to pride myself on creating no longer appealed to me as they did before. I say this with hesitation and a hope that fans of my former art will understand that I don't regret the images I created in the past and that I do look back on them fondly. It's just that they no longer represented who I was inside, or what I felt in my heart. They do and will always represent a wonderful part of my journey though, and while I was ready to move on, I have a deep connection to many of those images.

Soon I was filled with a new inspiration and drive that was so strong, I could barely contain myself at times. I put away all my colored pencils, which I used formerly, and picked out a set of acrylic paints, brushes and got myself some big canvasses. I had never used this medium, but I somehow knew it was the way of the future for me. With great joy in my heart, and a love for God that moved me to tears of joy often, I set to work on a new collection of angels. Not only did I want to honor God with my new art, but I wanted to bring forth images of hope and faith for others. And not just for other Christians...I actually chose angels because one of the books I was reading explained that in addition to being God's messengers, angels are also positive "beings" that transcend religious barriers with a common sense of wonder and peace.

The funny thing about falling in love with God is the uncontrollable urge it gives you to try to share that love with everyone else in your life. Not in a condemning "you have to do it this way" kind of way, but in a "you guys have to get IN on this, it's amazing" kind of way. Some days, I wanted to stand on my roof and start hollering about how great Jesus is and how He loves every last one of us, and all we have to do is reach out to Him. But alas, I knew I'd sound like a crazy woman, and that I could truly speak better with my art than with words. So, quietly I worked behind the scenes. When I was ready, I put my new Vintage Angel web site up along with my new artist biography that offered some insight about the reasons for the changes. The new site not only offers my angel art, but all my vintage-inspired crafts that I so love to make. Even from the start, I had a perfectly clear vision of what I wanted to create with this new brand, and how I wanted to present it, and truly, it all fell into place so easily, I knew I was on the right path.

The response to my new collection was so overwhelmingly awesome that I felt truly blessed. It soon became clear that it was time for me to retire my old artwork, and dedicate myself full time to this new direction. Afterall, I'm pretty much a one woman show, and every moment counts...and I felt really strongly that I needed to be able to dedicate myself to this 100%. I've never been a "half in, half out" kind of girl, and I wasn't about to start being one now.

So, I proceeded to announce that I would be retiring my old web site as of February 1st. I wish I could say that everyone in my life supported this decision. They did not, and many people didn't hesitate to tell me how I was letting them down, disappointing them, etc. Things got a little heated on my former Facebook page in fact, and it made me so sad. I tried so hard to convey to everyone that I was not trying to push my new faith on anyone, and how everyone was welcome to follow my new work - whether they just liked the style of the new images, or whether they liked the deeper emotions or reasons behind them. I have always loved and embraced others from different faiths, and I certainly wasn't going to stop doing so now! Especially since I'm filled with such a deep love and appreciation for others now...so much more than I ever have been before, no matter who they pray to, or if they pray at all.

Thankfully, my husband and a few close friends have made all the difference with their support of my decisions...both my personal and business decisions. And best of all, I have felt the loving presence of God around me with such intensity, I have truly been able to make these hard decisions with an indescribable peace. My favorite Psalm 119:32 says it so well: I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

I know that I've rambled a bit with all of this, and I hope my words make sense. Thank you for reading this far, I know it was a long one :)

~ Jessica

Feelings of wonder and gratitude...

2011-01-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

Sundays are always a time of reflection for me. Feeling refreshed from church today, filled with hope for what this week will bring, I wanted to post a new blog.

A little over a week ago, I debuted my new art, and the new direction for the future of my art career. I was filled with butterflies...excitement and nerves rolled into one, as I invited my fans to join me as I embarked on a new journey in a new direction. I experienced such an outpouring of love and kindness that it left me feeling so grateful and inspired.

Someday I hope to share the full story of how and why I accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and savior this past October, but I know also that there is a time and place for everything. For now, I will refer to it simply as "the day I fell in love with God". Since that moment, I have felt such peace, comfort and unconditional love, that I can now only imagine creating images that celebrate these feelings that are oh so real, and meant for all of us. Angels seemed a wonderful choice, since angels have always been known as God's messengers.

As I further explore this genre and build up my angel art portfolio, my mission is to capture positive emotions and to portray angels in a unique way, and to provide images that comfort and inspire others. I love that my two most popular angels so far have been Vision and Earth Angel. These two paintings feature angels with colorful feathers and natural elements, with deep vibrant colors. I look forward to delving deeper into creating more paintings like these.

If you are interested in seeing my painting process, I'm doing a step by step tutorial with photos of an angel painting in process at my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thevintageangel

New year, new beginnings...new, new, new!

2011-01-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

Happy new year! I have high hopes for 2011...lots of plans for my business, my personal life...lots of new ideas...now here's hoping I find the time for all of them.

As you may have noticed, I recently completed a new body of art...angels, and have created a new web site for it, along with all of my vintage-inspired jewelry creations and altered arts and crafts. I'm anxious to see what my fans will think of the new site and all the changes. Honestly, it's been nearly impossible not to show any of this new stuff for the months I've been working on it!

I'm hoping this blog, which I'll update often with both personal and professional musings, will allow me to get more personal with those who enjoy my art and creations. I'm also hoping to follow other artist's blogs here, and share ideas.

I hope to see you around here often!

~ Jessica