Saturday, December 1, 2012

Calling All Angels


Happy December!  This is a month to think about miracles and angels and to draw close to our hearts those who are both near and dear, as well as those we don't know or even dislike.


 Great teachers have been teaching us this for centuries.

In John 13:34, Jesus tells his disciples, “I give you a new commandment, Love one another." 

Leviticus 19:18 famously commands that you “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (This extends even to the neighbor you dislike!)

The Upanishads:  The Self is hidden in the lotus of the heart. Those who see themselves in all creatures go day by day into the world of Brahman [God] hidden in the heart. Chandogya 192.

And: "O mankind! Allah created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you despise each other). " Qur'an (49:13)

So why do we still demonize each other?  Is it our human fate to seek to dominate and fight one another?  Some of the stories in the news this week have made me so sad - Buddhists and Muslims fighting in Myanmar; Palestinians and Israelis unable to live together in peace.  On the other hand, there have been stories of great acts of love and kindness:  a police officer giving boots to a homeless man on the streets of New York;  and people like my friend Adam working day and night to help people displaced by Hurricane Sandy get back into their homes.   How does so much love and kindness exist side by side in a world with so much anger and hatred?

Inspiration Avenue and Art Journal Journey have put out a call for angels; we need them in our lives more than ever.  Here is an art journal page I created:

First, I squirted some magenta and yellow Golden Acrylics paint and wiped them on my page with a credit card.  Then I added some bubble wrap stamping of Phalo green and wipes of blue on the edges.  


Next, I used Titanium Buff and the Hebrew Calligraphy stencil (yes, this is a "sneak preview" for Thursday's first stencil test drive!) to add this beautiful lettering to my background:


I decoupaged some pictures of angels that I printed out on my computer, and painted their halos with gold acrylic paint:


And lastly, I wrote a phrase that we must constantly remind ourselves of:  We must love especially those who are hard to love.  It's easy to love those we are fond of, but maybe more important to love those we don't like by reminding ourselves that we all share the common goals of happiness and freedom from suffering.

The heart in the bottom angel is stamped and then painted with Silks, and the hexagon and dotted stamps are by Michelle Ward.  

Linking also to Simon Says Stamp and Show (A project with Heart.), Pin & Tack, Spark Your Creativity, and Art Journal Cafe.

And of course, as it is the first of December, I had to create a new calendar page.  I was inspired by Ronda Palazzari's color palette in this post to swipe grey, cream and pink paint on my page.


I used the grey paint and the Medievil Leaves stencil to make this pattern:

Then I stenciled over that with the dots and dashes stencil and some teal and pink paint. 
Snowflake and swirl stamps:


Little rectangles cut from paper from Kaisercraft, and my December calendar is done!


Here's my November calendar all filled in:


Linking to The Kathryn Wheel calendar challenge.

How do you make sense of the love and hatred in the world?  I'd love to know. 

Thank you for visiting! I read and treasure every comment and will answer any questions as quickly as I can.
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30 comments:

  1. Beautiful! I try to make sense of this world and it's war, hatred, sorrow...and sometimes I just cry...but I pray and I believe in love, angels and miracles all around us too. Balance and faith, huh? Peace, Jessica! ~ kath

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  2. beautiful art , beautiful post, calling on all angels!

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  3. I love that sentiment. I've read somewhere and thought it especially true that people fight because they hurt in their hearts. Wonderful art!

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  4. Your calendar pages are beautiful. Very impressive for both November and December.

    People abuse who have been abused. People bully who have been bullied. Maybe the abusers and bullies should stop and show a bit of love and compassion instead. But I somehow doubt that's going to happen in our lifetime.

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  5. I don't think I can make sense of what is going on in our world. I am encouraged and disheartened again within minutes. I just try to be the best person I can be. It's not always easy and I often don't succeed in that. But every day offers a new chance.
    I love your journal page, and the stencils you use are wonderful, especially the Hebrew alphabet. I often work with stencils, although I am not very good at it.

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  6. Your calendar is such a lovely, colourful tool.

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  7. The angel in this story is you and all that you and your family do! I am calling all the angels to Staten Island, Far Rockaway, Long Island and the Kersey shore to bring some love and healing this holiday season. Thanks for the stencil sneak peak!!!! I am enjoying playing woth mine so much. Lovely layered calendar for December....xox

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  8. Visiting your blog is always so inspiring! It's often hard to make sense of what goes on in our world. In my opinion there is love (God), and there's hate/evil (Satan and his forces), both fighting for the hearts and minds of all people. Satan has reign for this time and season, but we all know who will win the battle ultimately, and that knowledge brings me peace.

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  9. I adore the madonna page with its bright colors! and cool calendar too!

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  10. Love your gorgeous and vibrant angel page! Same with your Nov. calendar. The color combo of pink grey and cream is lovley and I really like the way you brought up the colors with the added stencils in the bright pink and teal.

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  11. wow, lots of eye candy up here! gorgeous layers and colors!

    thanks for playing with us :)

    xx france
    frappuccino @ the art journal café

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  12. This is the second post I've read about December being the month for Angels. Something I hadn't heard before, but I'm willing to embrace!
    Thanks,
    Rinda

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  13. Gorgeous project and a graet sentiment. Love all the layers of colour and patterns. Great calendar page too! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show!

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  14. the art turned out beautiful, I love the step-by-step photos!

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  15. What an absolute touching post!!! Can't we all just get along??? Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous Art Journal Page!!! So much thought and empathy there! The vibrant colors and angels are fantastic! Love your calendar pages as well! So much talent you truly have!!!!

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  16. Such a beautiful creation, the colors so rich and so full of detail, such emotion! Love and hate are such strong emotions, they make us feel alive they are so strong! Surely better if we can all love more and let go of all those negative edges! I love your calendar pages, you've got me on to something new...

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  17. Whew! If everyone or most everyone would think like his holiness, then the world would be a better place. I pray for that. Now, these colors are blowing me away. You calendar is loverley, girlfriend. I'm getting ready for my first stencil drive.. Excited and nervous. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

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  18. love your journal page and the calender too. great reminder to love others, i just did a painting with a similar theme! I'm a new follower and hope you will follow me too!

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  19. I love your angel page! I love your calender ..I love your post!

    so true words Jessica!
    Thank you for joining our Art Journal Journey challenge!
    I am so happy about this!

    xxx Susi

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  20. You are so creative!! It's awesome. Your angel painting is beautiful and inspiring...I love your use of the stencils and I can't wait for the Test Drive to start!!

    I love the heartfelt message in this post. Let's hope that eventually Love will overcome Hate in this world. We have to have faith that it will!

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  21. It is sad that world peace today remains a elusive dream. It's hard to make sense of it all. :(

    You do amazing work. Especially that November calendar. Love the idea!

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  22. love these vibrant colors! the hebrew stencil will be on top of my must-have list, looks so gorgeous!

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  23. Amazing depth on your journal page... LOVE the rich colors and yes, if we all followed that sentiment the world sure would be more peaceful. Your calendar pages look great, too. Need to get cracking on December over here!

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  24. Your journal page is so expressive and beautiful.It fits in with your topic so perfectly.You are so right.We should join hands despite our differences..that's what all our religions are teaching us, yet we continue fighting and peace seems more like a dream than a reality.I loved reading your post..it was really deep and you certainly looked at the topics in another light completely.

    Brilliant work!

    Duaa

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  25. Wonderful artwork and creations

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  26. oh Jessica- THIS could be my favorite post of yours...love your thoughts and this page is absolutely STUNNING...sending u blessings.. :)

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  27. Another amazing post! I only came to look at your calendar pages, which of course are fantastic, love your colours for November! Chrisx

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  28. Beautiful and inspiring post and angel journal page!
    oxo

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  29. Lovely journal page! Beautiful colours and very inspiring words!

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