Called to Home!

Called to Home...

"100 Days of Change"

May 17th I started a "100 Days of Change"...change as in drinking more water, making good choices in what I eat and how I spend my time.  I have found change does not come easy.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so that means by the end of my 100 days, I should have many new healthy habits.  One of my new habits is drinking more water.  Crisp, clean, water, with sliced lemon...totally refreshing and totally good for you.  Lemons have great benefits like,vitamin C, it helps the body fight off infections and is low in calories too.

Something else I am doing for me is consciously setting aside time to be creative in My Joyful Art Studio.  I sneak away from all the other "stuff" like my "To Do List",  and sit down with my paper and pen, my bible, a journaling book, my media of choice, which  lately has been, watercolors and writing pen's and pencils  This is a time for me to "be still'" write, think on paper, and dream, and pray.  

   I have been wanting to create "How To" video's for awhile now.  One night this past week, I got an unction to create a video, so I Meagan, rigged it the best way I could...now that would be a sight to post...haha.  But I won't for now.  But, yes the video turned out okay.  I will show it to you here: 

I really enjoyed creating a journal page "off the cuff" so to speak.  I didn't really plan on anything elaborate, it just happened.  I know this is the first of many video's to come.  So keep checking back to see what will be next.   

Something else I love to do, and never thought I was very good at, was writing.  I love to write.  I've never been one, (so I thought) who had many words to share, and if I did, didn't know if anyone would want to read them.  So out of boredom, maybe, I don't know how a wife, mom, artist, homeschooler, christian, busy momma could be bored, but I was, so I decided to create a BLOG.  I had ideas to share, words to speak and write, and my faith in Jesus Christ to share.   Yippee!  I love it.  I love to be able to go share with the world all that I am learning on my journey in life.  There is so much to learn, the world to see, things to create and people who need to know that there really is a God who cares about us.  There is a world out there that needs to know God's Not Dead, and that people like you and me, need a Savior, and can live and breath in this world, knowing God is with us and wants a relationship with you and me.  I want to encourage people all over who love the Lord, and those who are seeking Him to be encouraged through my blogging site.  Practicing the Presence of God, has changed my life.  I recognize that He is with me everyday, whether it's me doing the dishes, and housework or teaching my boys, or creating in my studio, God is with me.  I talk out loud to Him, saying things like,

"Lord I know you are with me..."

and thanking Him for my life and family...and sometimes, I say that out loud, and just feel Him near.  My relationship with the Lord, is most important in my life.  That is why I saved the BEST part for last.  

Hope you enjoyed this blog, be looking for new video's and new creative ideas, and journaling techniques.  I want God to be glorified in all that I do.  I am on a journey with Him, won't you join me in Practicing His Presence?

Joyfully His-

Meagan Boone

Happy June Everybody...

Hello again.  June is a month of business with family and friends gathering for fun and fellowship... It's a month to relax and regroup.  I am actually re-grouping.  I want to do something a little different on my blog and that's encourage you towards life changes that will truly help you to become the best YOU, you - can possibly be.  

Since May 17th, I started a 100 day of change for me.   I have decided to drink more water, exercise, eat healthier, read the my Bible and memorize scripture, plus get some "Einstein Time" in the studio.

It's really about taking care of Body, Soul and Spirit.  God made us into 3 parts.  Therefore each part needs a different activity to help it function in the way God intended.  Our body needs  proper nutrition, rest and healthy choices of food  to maintain our energy throughtout the day.  We need creative time too.  Whether it's creating through art, gardening, decorating, or your choice of creativity, you just feel better doing something you enjoy.  

Exercising:  I do have a confession to make.  I hate to exercise.  How about you?  I do love to dance and was on a the drill team in school.  With that said, the only exercise I have found  to enjoy with my personality is Zumba.  It's fun and fast and has a lot of upbeat Latino style music and even some of the instructors throw in upbeat christian music.  Zumba is pretty popular these days and can be easily found in your area or local YMCA.

There you go...some new changes going on around here...Don't forget to check back in and look for something new.  Change is good, especially when it means we are going in the right direction.

Have a Joy filled June!

Meagan

Life Happenings...

How in the World are you Anyway?

May 24th- Happenings.  

Hey there friends, hope you are doing well.  Life is so crazy busy, please slow down and breath...Yes, we all need to slow down, breath, smell the roses, and take in the sweet smell of honeysuckle growing in the fields and forests.  Enjoy every little moment, because, they pass so quickly.

My oldest son and his wife will be having a baby soon, and it just seems like yesterday, I brought him  home from the  hospital.  Zach and Sasha will make wonderful parents.  We are very excited about a baby in our family.  (mi-mi is doing a happy dance).  I love this photo of them.

Well as you know Summer is just around the corner...June 21st is the beginning of Summer.  For me June will be filled with tons of fun, art classes for kids, Ladies Journaling classes and more.  Going to enjoy the busy, bustling summer extravaganza's we have going on as a family.   My calendar is filling up with a wedding, a grandson's birth, art shows, and mini stay-cations here and there.  Did I mention me and my sweetie will be celebrating 16 wonderful years together in June as well. 

I have been one busy gal, planning summer classes, and art projects, and creating new ideas for the next school year.  I love being on the go, and busy, and overloaded-haha, that is the only normal I know.  But no matter how busy I become, I always make time for my Lord.  He has blessed me in ways I could have never imagined.  God constantly loves me and forgives me.  I sure do fail.  God knows, I am surrounded by 4 males!  My boys and my husband have been the best thing to ever happen to me.  Although they don't quite understand my  pink ways, and that's okay.  So I eat my chocolate, and sometimes have a good cry for no reason at all.  Then I am fine!  They seem a bit confused at my female behavior. 

(I love these boys of mine!)

 I tell my boys, this is just preparing you for what is to come, when you get married! (haha-They aren't impressed with my advice, since they are 14, 13 and 10 years old.)  So, I will just "Keep on Keepin' On " in this journey with my Lord, and my blessed busy life as a wife, momma, artist, soon to be mi-mi, daughter, sister, friend, and daughter of the King.

~~~Have a Happy Summer~~~

Have a great summer and remember to check back here for updates on what's happening at My Joyful Art Studio.  Just want you to know, Jesus loves you best.

Joyfully-

Meagan

JANUARY 18th ~~~ SeRiOuSleee ~~~

I seriously can't believe it's the 18th of January.  How has your new year gone so far?  Hope it's been well.  Time flies when you are  having fun. 

 Today, was a great day with the kids in My Joyful Art Studio...I always love to hide away in there, especially, after I have cleaned up my creative messes...and able to find my supplies.  It's my "woman cave" so to speak.

I have been taking online classes, and just loving the experience of meeting, and reading about different artists.  I am a small town girl, living in a country setting, in Southern Indiana.  Just me...laid back, and free-spirited so to speak, loving my days with the boys, and counting my blessings.  

One artist imparticular that I have started following is Danielle Donaldson.  I discovered her somehow on facebook and watching an interview she did with Jeanne Oliver, from www.jeanneoliverdesigns.com.    She does amazing watercolor paintings and has inspired me to create some different style techniques in my journal that I am working on.  She is a very talented woman.  She wrote an article on her website about creative practicing...I believe she put into words the thoughts of many artists, and why we have been afraid to show our work for fear of someone copying it.   Creative practicing to me, is important.  I have taught for many years now, and when I first started it was with some ladies from church, who knew I was an artist.  It was a step of faith, because, I really wanted to  teach kids, but with their persuasion, I took the step.  It was a success.  Anyway, if it weren't for artists like, Bob Ross, and Dorothy Dent, I wouldn't have known really where to start.  But start I did, I painted like theses artists.  Then would gradually get my own ideas, from photographs I would take around the country side, and then put them on canvas, or sawblades, or anything that didn't move.  I support Creative Practicing, and think it's wise, and honorable to pay it forward so to speak, so other artists, won't be afraid, to share their gifts and talents with the world.

I also teach a Master's Study for Kids...I love Wassily Kadinsky, and Claude Monet, and Paul Klee, the list could go on and on.  However, as we study these artists, we are able to know them as a real person, and can practice their technique, until it becomes a part of us, then we are able to put forth our own personality and flare onto canvas.  By experimenting with different colors, and technique we are able to discover our own style of painting.  It may be that we discover we love the feel of the brush in our hand as it glides across the canvas with short brushstrokes like Claude Monet, or painting with "loud" colors of circles dashes or lines, like Wassily Kadinsky.  However and whoever we study, and become an apprentice under, we are sure to add some form of charisma to our own style.  Remember to check out Danielle's website...www.danielledonaldson.com.

HUGE BLESSINGS to you and yours.

Meagan 
Phil. 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Happy New Year Everyone...It's 2014!

Happy New Year Everybody!!! 
           from
~~~ My Joyful Art Studio~~~

Greetings Friends, hope all is well with you this New Year!  Our family has had a busy year, probably like yours, the up - the downs, the good, the bad and the ugly.  I am thankful for all the lessons I have learned, the friends I have made, and continue to make.  

It has been a while since I posted last...I believe I was getting ready for my son to move home,  he moved home...then he moved out...then he got married...it was an exciting year to say the least!  Zach and Sasha just celebrated their 1st year of marriage in December and I found out in November I am going to be a "Me-me." aka "grammy"~  I am very excited about that.  My son and his wife live in Canada for now.  I hope to persuade them to come back to the states.  

A new year brings about new beginnings, new ideas, new dreams, new clothes, new diet plans, and the list goes on and on.  I am very thankful for the past  year.  It's been a good year, and a year of learning lessons.  We are

always learning lessons, aren't we? 

God has allowed me the privilege to speak at different events last year and to share the gift of art.  It was an exciting, overwhelming year.  

This  year brings new beginnings for our family.  Two of my boys will be going to a private school for the very first time...they are in 7th and 8th grade.  We have home schooled all these years until January.  As a home school momma, I am a bit nervous letting my little birds fly the coop, so to speak, but also know, it will be a good experience for them.  I will have one boy at home with me.

I had the privilege of teaching many art classes from My Joyful Art Studio to some wonderful children.  They learned to paint like the Master's, Kadinsky, Monet,  Van Gogh, and O'Keefe.  They also learned how to make a Mixed Media Christmas tree, and many other projects over the summer and school year.  It really was an exciting year.

I signed up to take a class with the wonderful Christy Tomlinson from scarletlime.com and Junelle Jacobson from www.yesandamenblog@blogspot.com this past year.  They are two amazing artists.  I am also really excited to be taking a class with Jeanne Oliver from www.jeanneoliverdesigns.com~~~I am one busy gal for sure.  This class starts January 14th.



I will be hosting a Mixed Media Art Class for Women on January 10th.  We will be creating a piece of wall art for ourselves or to gift...

What are your plans and creative ideas for the NEW YEAR???  I would love to hear them.  You can also connect with me on facebook at My Joyful Art Studio...Do you have a word for the year to focus on?  What is it?  Mine is "Enjoy."  More to come on that...Enjoy...

love N prayers~~~Meagan

 Give thanks to the Lord for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.  Psalm 106:1