Cross Making 101

We did not have 

Cross Making class this week.

So I leave you with this...

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. 

Then God made you alive with Christ,

for he forgave all our sins.

He canceled the record of charges against us and took it away

by nailing it to the cross.

Colossians 2:13-14

These beads are called Jobs tears and they are real seeds!

They have a hole naturally coming through the center

and they are the most beautiful colors of gray.

This beaded cross was created with dark annealed steel wire

and rests on a copper chain.

Thankful for forgiveness on this artist holiday,

hannah

Turn Forth Her Silver Lining

The words of John Milton 

(Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634)

I see ye visibly, and now believe
That he, the Supreme Good, to whom all things ill
Are but as slavish officers of vengeance,
Would send a glistering guardian, if need were 
To keep my life and honour unassailed. 
Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud 
Turn forth her silver lining on the night? 
I did not err; there does a sable cloud 
Turn forth her silver lining on the night, 
And casts a gleam over this tufted grove.

"Every cloud has a silver lining" was derived from the poem above.

Though we sit under ice and a dusting of snow

in North Carolina,

with and without power~

I sought and found the silver lining-

The beauty surrounding me.

The bowing of nature to its

Supreme Maker.

The delicate balance of water's beauty and destruction.

Nature's simplistic calling

Is this our silver lining?

I have learned that with every storm life brings our way

we are also blessed with a silver lining.

We only need to find the gleam cast over our tufted grove.

Searching with heartfelt gratitude for the fleeting beauty

surrounding me on this artist holiday,

hannah

Cross Making 101 - Wooden Cross

I am delighted to teach a cross making class

each Wednesday night to 2nd and 3rd graders.

I have based this class off the book:

Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God

by

Ellen Morris Prewitt

This week - wooden crosses

Like this week's class ~

simplistic is always best.

Popsicles sticks, buttons and glue

Create more organic edges by cutting the popsicle stick ends with scissors.

Our verse tonight - Psalm 37:23-24

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives.

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by hand.

Our lesson tonight discusses

how God wants our attention, not our perfection.

Perfection is not acceptable during this class.

We will need to be process-oriented.

(I am telling myself just as much as I am telling the children!)

Children glued the crosses together 

and chose one button to apply to the center.

I hope to share this journey with you

as we make a cross each week.

May you change you perspective as I have about the cross.

Not as a symbol of  pain and unbearable grief,

but rather a symbol of pure love.

A love for all of us like no other.

The cross making journey continues

on this artist holiday,

hannah

Free Coloring Pages and so much more...

Adult coloring books and alike are everywhere!

It thrills me to see them because just maybe
it has opened up our views as a society about
coloring as adults
and how therapeutic it can actually be.

To sit with a beautifully designed page
to color peacefully with your own unique color combinations
helps to quiet the mind and recenter.

If you haven't been bit by the coloring bug yet,
maybe this will entice you.

As many of you know I have been doodling for many years now.
(Creating a doodle is it's own therapy too!)

I want to share my own doodles -now turned coloring pages- here with you!

I have created PDF files you can download (for free) and print
here on this blogpost.

As you may have suspected, my pages are going to be a little different.

Each series holds 3-4 small doodles on one page.

Dainty Series Color Page


Aerial Dream Series Color Page


Woven Love Series

Please use these links to find a coloring page you may enjoy.

Now...

The one issue I see with all these coloring books is you color and then close the book.  The end.

Well...
Here are some suggestions I want to encourage you to use these
Hannah Koch coloring pages for:

~Gift tags
~Cardmaking
~Collage ephemera
~Doodle starter
~Prayer doodles
~Bookmarks
~Postcards


Here's a few photos for inspiration...


A bookmark and card created
using the coloring pages available.

Card making Directions:
Step 1:  Print color page
Step 2:  Cut a piece of card stock in half and fold
Step 3:  Glue or sew doodle on front that you beautifully colored!
Step 4:  Write loving note to friend, place in envelope and mail
(Don't forget the stamp!)

Bookmark Directions:
Step 1:  Print color page on card stock
Step 2:  Color as you wish and cut out 
(I like to round off the edges)
Step 3: (Optional) Add ribbon or twine at the top





From the Woven Love Series


Prayer Doodle Directions:
Step 1:  Print color page
Step 2: Write a note or the person's name in the center of the doodle.
Step 3: Begin coloring as you wish while thinking about whom you are praying for.
(No worrying, no what-if's - try to only focus on loving thoughts while you are praying 
[coloring] for your friend)

You can stop there and not send to the person
(keep it as a reminder that God heard your prayer)
OR
Cut out and glue to a blank postcard
and mail to the person
whom you prayed over.


No matter how you use them, I ask you only use with love!
Enjoy and may you find happiness in whatever you color.


sharing my gifts with those I love
on this artist holiday,
hannah

Cross Making 101

I am delighted to teach a cross making class

each Wednesday night to 2nd and 3rd graders.

I have based this class off the book:

Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God

by

Ellen Morris Prewitt

Cross Templates, my Bible, paper and my 

beautiful Manila Extract bag that houses my *good* pens!

(Thanks Tanya!)

My front cover - needs some color!

As I seem to do with all the classes I teach-

I love something the kids can go to every week to

doodle, draw crosses, write prayer requests, Bible verses etc.

Then at the very end of class - they can take home this

beautiful book they used to document their cross making journey.

Blank books are easy to find these days sold in packets!

Examples of crosses I brought to inspire the kids.

Our verse for tonight - John 3:16

Our lesson tonight reminds us

how much God really does love us -

we can't even begin to understand it-

God loves us that much!

Book covers decorated~

Kids at work...

Our cross making tonight was doodling on card stock...

Cut it out, laminate it and add a ribbon to the top.

I love them all - but one child wrote the Bible verse

on the cross and it caught my eye.

It was striking to see the Bible verse in a child's handwriting,

on an imperfectly cut cross written in pencil. 

It is such a reminder that as adults our creative products must look that way to God-

our best attempt at whatever it is where we are right now.

I cherish these moments of clarity and hope I gain all I should from them.

I hope to share this journey with you

as we make a cross each week.

May you change you perspective as I have about the cross.

Not as a symbol of  pain and unbearable grief,

but rather a symbol of pure love.

A love for all of us like no other.

the cross making journey begins on this artist holiday,

hannah

Tassel Necklaces - Hannah Style

Before you can call it a tassel necklace,

you first need a tassel.

I was so curious to try making my own tassels

and quickly enjoyed the process!

I wanted to use a variety of yarns, twines and jutes,

and create long and short tassels.

I found myself excited to incorporate my

metal skills on the tops too!

Loving the metallic thread!

Metal wrapped or yarn wrapped.

Next comes the necklace...

Long Tassel Necklace

Twine and dark annealed steel wire

on a beaded necklace.

Long tassel necklaces coming soon to my etsy shop.

beads, tassels, and love on a string on this artist holiday,

hannah