That’s just one of the many activities that I did this past 2 days to do some research and planning on some new coffee art.  I sat there drinking my Cafe Americano, sketch pad in hand drawing their various coffee mugs in different positions with customers and store clerks looking over my shoulder from time to time.  It was fun.

Now my problem is I have about 1/2 a million ideas and I need to narrow things down a bit.  My agent heads to Atlanta this week.  During the show season things are generally pretty quiet so I have the opportunity to paint a lot without interruptions. 

This is my favorite time of the year as a licensed artist.  My older art is just hitting the marketplace in new product lines and I’m off exploring what to do next!  I love working on projects with my manufacturers and designing products out of art that has already been completed, but having the freedom to just “play” and see what happens makes me feel like a little girl again on a rainy day pulling out my mother’s secret weapon (the “rainy day box” of art supplies!)   

For those of you that buy my digital art kits, this art won’t make it there for a very long time, but perhaps I will throw together a bookmark of other goodie to give you a “taste” of the coffee collection (pun fully intended!!!)

Remember, the blog contest will be concluding on the 30th and I’ll be drawing a winner on the 1st of July, so if you haven’t commented on posts between the 16th and th 30th you still have time to catch up and get your entries in.  All you have to do to enter is write a comment and we pick one at random to win a FREE digital clip art kit from my collection at www.daisiecompany.com.

Now, back to my painting studio I go…

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  Isa 60:1-3  “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  NIV

COMMENTS:  I love this verse as a “coffee” illustration as I am not much of a morning person (to put it mildly) so shining brightly in the morning is not exactly my M.O.!  However, God loves to meet us in the morning and shine His light in our hearts and through us into a very dark world. 

I have been spending more time out in the day-to-day world in the past few months than I have in many years and have met many people whose lives seem to be filled with a darkness, heaviness and hopelessness.  They don’t know that their lives can be filled with God’s light and His love, and they won’t unless I (and you) let that light shine into their darkness.

PRAYER:  Lord, I am so blessed to live in your light.  I know that it is purely because of your grace and mercy.  I realize that I’ve grown so accustomed to the light, I don’t even realize how bright it is in comparison to the darkness that is around me any more.  Lord, let your light so fill me and shine in my daily walk that I am a walking flashlight that brings light to those who are in darkness without even having to think about it.

Lord, let your glory shine over me in ways that draw men and women to seek you.  Let them see the difference that having you in my life makes.  For those I meet, who are dwelling in the darkness of sin, confusion, death, addiction and all manner of dark-filled places let them see and begin to long for the freedom that comes from living in the light of your word.  AMEN