Reflections from my soul to yours..an original writing by Chantal Johnson

His Love is as vast at the ocean

Reflections from my soul to yours…

Normally, I share a new art project, a trip or a family event.  Today, I am sharing what is on my heart.  I wrote this reflection in June as I was in the midst of healing from surgery.  I thought of who I am (good and no so good), what I have done (good and not so good) and my thoughts brought me to the One who makes all that I am and all that I have, his and he redeems me and sets me on his path…which is way better that mine! I hope this resonates with you…I put a few scriptures to help us learn to rest in his peace and see his goodness towards us… And for my friends who find their paths on a different road than mine, I hope, this too will resonate with you as we travel this daily living together…

I am …

A gatherer

A doer

A dreamer

A believer

A try-er

A wish-er

A writer

A reader

A listener

A talker

A giver

A teacher

A traveler

A painter

 I am an experience-er.   I have lived, loved, and lost. Lived in the south, homes and apartments. Loved dogs and hens, horses, the Cowboys, but most of all, loved people. I have lost my keys, track of time and yes, people, and relationships. I have had victories, defeats and ties. I've had highs, lows and in betweens. I have seen God’s gift of grace more than I have felt his judgment. I have received redemption rather than his rejection. I see his word is truth where my truth falters.  I have had miss steps, fallen steps and wrong steps and yet my feet are firmly set on his path.  When I feel as if I can't in this day-to-day world, he is already in my tomorrow, cheering me on. He sees my past, is in my present and is planning my future and all is well. Whether I feel that I am sometimes good and other times not so good, God is good all the time. He seeks to give his good gifts to me-gifts of love, life, and forgiveness, freedom from my not so goodness,  his grace, his joy and his happiness. My good gifts pale in comparison to his gracious and loving gifts.

When I make it hard to see him, he gives me eyes to see his goodness. When I can’t hear his voice, he whispers. He asks me to lean in and rest, be still and know that he has it altogether and I don't have to. Whew!! What a relief he brings.

Relief- yes, the breathing deep, shoulders down, defenses down kind of relief. When I give my life's brokenness, my worries, my tired self, to the One who brings rest to the weary, wholeness to the broken, and assurance to the worrier-I can truly breathe in his rest, his wholeness and his assurance and feel relieved.

What do I do with this new rest, this new assurance-I must pass it on to others, to help their brokenness, their worries, their tired selves, and what exactly is "it"-it isn't an it. It is he. It is Jesus, the author and finisher the beginning and the end, the giver of good gifts, the one who delights in me and in you. The gentle whisperer, the ever present help in times of trouble, the ever encourager in our day to day world and the One who will meet me where I am and love me for who I am but will challenge me.  To love and give as he has, to be authentic and genuine, to live a life of love, to speak with grace, to have a pure heart, to offer friendship as it has been offered to me.

And sweet friends,  that is what makes the experience worthwhile- that no matter the road, be it smoothly paved or cobblestone, you and I are not alone!!

                                        - I am© Chantal Johnson, June 2016 

Until next time, I am here for you but better still He is here with you!!!

Ps 130:7

Eph 1:7

James 1:17

2 Samuel 22:37

Psalm 17:15, 66:9

Psalm 62:1,5

1 Peter 5:7

Psalm 55:22

Psalm 34:18

Proverbs 22:11

Hebrews 12:2

Reflections from my soul to yours..an original writing by Chantal Johnson

His Love is as vast at the ocean

Reflections from my soul to yours…

Normally, I share a new art project, a trip or a family event.  Today, I am sharing what is on my heart.  I wrote this reflection in June as I was in the midst of healing from surgery.  I thought of who I am (good and no so good), what I have done (good and not so good) and my thoughts brought me to the One who makes all that I am and all that I have, his and he redeems me and sets me on his path…which is way better that mine! I hope this resonates with you…I put a few scriptures to help us learn to rest in his peace and see his goodness towards us… And for my friends who find their paths on a different road than mine, I hope, this too will resonate with you as we travel this daily living together…

I am …

A gatherer

A doer

A dreamer

A believer

A try-er

A wish-er

A writer

A reader

A listener

A talker

A giver

A teacher

A traveler

A painter

 I am an experience-er.   I have lived, loved, and lost. Lived in the south, homes and apartments. Loved dogs and hens, horses, the Cowboys, but most of all, loved people. I have lost my keys, track of time and yes, people, and relationships. I have had victories, defeats and ties. I've had highs, lows and in betweens. I have seen God’s gift of grace more than I have felt his judgment. I have received redemption rather than his rejection. I see his word is truth where my truth falters.  I have had miss steps, fallen steps and wrong steps and yet my feet are firmly set on his path.  When I feel as if I can't in this day-to-day world, he is already in my tomorrow, cheering me on. He sees my past, is in my present and is planning my future and all is well. Whether I feel that I am sometimes good and other times not so good, God is good all the time. He seeks to give his good gifts to me-gifts of love, life, and forgiveness, freedom from my not so goodness,  his grace, his joy and his happiness. My good gifts pale in comparison to his gracious and loving gifts.

When I make it hard to see him, he gives me eyes to see his goodness. When I can’t hear his voice, he whispers. He asks me to lean in and rest, be still and know that he has it altogether and I don't have to. Whew!! What a relief he brings.

Relief- yes, the breathing deep, shoulders down, defenses down kind of relief. When I give my life's brokenness, my worries, my tired self, to the One who brings rest to the weary, wholeness to the broken, and assurance to the worrier-I can truly breathe in his rest, his wholeness and his assurance and feel relieved.

What do I do with this new rest, this new assurance-I must pass it on to others, to help their brokenness, their worries, their tired selves, and what exactly is "it"-it isn't an it. It is he. It is Jesus, the author and finisher the beginning and the end, the giver of good gifts, the one who delights in me and in you. The gentle whisperer, the ever present help in times of trouble, the ever encourager in our day to day world and the One who will meet me where I am and love me for who I am but will challenge me.  To love and give as he has, to be authentic and genuine, to live a life of love, to speak with grace, to have a pure heart, to offer friendship as it has been offered to me.

And sweet friends,  that is what makes the experience worthwhile- that no matter the road, be it smoothly paved or cobblestone, you and I are not alone!!

                                        - I am© Chantal Johnson, June 2016 

Until next time, I am here for you but better still He is here with you!!!

Ps 130:7

Eph 1:7

James 1:17

2 Samuel 22:37

Psalm 17:15, 66:9

Psalm 62:1,5

1 Peter 5:7

Psalm 55:22

Psalm 34:18

Proverbs 22:11

Hebrews 12:2

This is part of an art journaling project for Gauche Alchemy..
stay tuned for the complete tutorial in August

Happy Sunday!  Can you believe is it is almost August?  Last Christmas, when I was making, creating, celebrating and shopping, getting a little lost in the frenzy of the season...I thought back to July when Hobby Lobby begins to put out Christmas and how it all makes us crazy and we think..."Come on -its way too early for this." I told myself that I should have started in July....Fast forward to today, July 31st and no, I haven't started Christmas Creating, Celebrating or Shopping...but it will all be ok come December 25th!


Travel is where I am today.  We are getting ready for our trip to Europe..It's definitely exciting much like Christmas...We anticipate the day, the presents, the feast, the family, the memories and then it goes too quickly.  Of our trip to Europe, my youngest said "We plan this for months and then it's goes so fast and then it's over!" Time does fly when you are having fun.  This is so true of all the things we love...whether it is a day in the studio, a day at the park, a great movie, a vacation or Christmas Day.



When we see the Christmas aisles in July, what we are really saying is {perhaps}we want to live in this moment not 5 months from now.  Retail has a calendar, what to sell and when.  To them it makes sense, to us it seems to rush us into the future.  So for now, I'll put Christmas in December, embrace it when it arrives..and yes, plan ahead (perhaps, I'll start in August) just as we did for this European vacation..Today, I will keep my thoughts in the present, my heart in the cities we visit, embrace the moments...and create lasting memories.


Until next time, Embrace the moments here and now, I hope that your days are filled with those you love, doing the things you love and watch time fly and then when the days are long, we can look back at these moments that have become cherished memories.


"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."
                                        -Dr. Seuss


By the way, there are only 147 days until Christmas...we have plenty of time!

Christmas in July....not this year.

This is part of an art journaling project for Gauche Alchemy..
stay tuned for the complete tutorial in August

Happy Sunday!  Can you believe is it is almost August?  Last Christmas, when I was making, creating, celebrating and shopping, getting a little lost in the frenzy of the season...I thought back to July when Hobby Lobby begins to put out Christmas and how it all makes us crazy and we think..."Come on -its way too early for this." I told myself that I should have started in July....Fast forward to today, July 31st and no, I haven't started Christmas Creating, Celebrating or Shopping...but it will all be ok come December 25th!


Travel is where I am today.  We are getting ready for our trip to Europe..It's definitely exciting much like Christmas...We anticipate the day, the presents, the feast, the family, the memories and then it goes too quickly.  Of our trip to Europe, my youngest said "We plan this for months and then it's goes so fast and then it's over!" Time does fly when you are having fun.  This is so true of all the things we love...whether it is a day in the studio, a day at the park, a great movie, a vacation or Christmas Day.



When we see the Christmas aisles in July, what we are really saying is {perhaps}we want to live in this moment not 5 months from now.  Retail has a calendar, what to sell and when.  To them it makes sense, to us it seems to rush us into the future.  So for now, I'll put Christmas in December, embrace it when it arrives..and yes, plan ahead (perhaps, I'll start in August) just as we did for this European vacation..Today, I will keep my thoughts in the present, my heart in the cities we visit, embrace the moments...and create lasting memories.


Until next time, Embrace the moments here and now, I hope that your days are filled with those you love, doing the things you love and watch time fly and then when the days are long, we can look back at these moments that have become cherished memories.


"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."
                                        -Dr. Seuss


By the way, there are only 147 days until Christmas...we have plenty of time!

Gold Ribbon Moments Journal - for Gauche Alchemy Studio

Gold Ribbon Journal 

Happy Friday!  I wanted to share with y'all today my first Design Team post for Gauche Alchemy! I received a wonderful creative packet full of color, inspiration and gorgeous papers, embellishments and other artistic elements.  I chose to use these gorgeous handmade papers to create a journal for those Gold Ribbon Moments - firsts, bests, changes, victories... really everyday is a Gold Ribbon day and there are Gold Ribbon moments...just look around and you'll see things through Gold-colored glasses.  For the full article including the techniques visit Gauche Alchemy today!!

Until next time,...hoping you Go for the Gold each and every day!!!

Write each day what matters most....

Classic Centerpieces with ICE Resin®, vintage bottles and your creativity

Elegant Centerpiece with ICE Resin®

Happy July!! We are home from our time in Florida...Ohh, how the water, waves, sand and shore can renew and refresh my spirit... I hope you have a place like that....I actually have a few places like that......the Beach being one of them but also my home, my studio, my little plot of earth....It nourishes my heart and gives me time and space to create, to cultivate and to...clean....that is part of everyday living, isn't it?  Well, on the ICE Resin® blog, I found a few moments to create and celebrate with an elegant, Classic centerpiece that can be made just one time or a million times.... It's perfect for weddings, showers, parties or just your kitchen table.  Grab a few vintage (or new) bottles, ribbon and of course ICE Resin® as we see how wonderfully easy it is to cast images either in sugar craft molds or molds using our silicone putty.  Here's the link to creating and inspiration your centerpieces....After it's done, you might have just a little cleaning to do:)

Until next time, Find that place that can nourish and renew your spirit....and yes, a little bit of cleaning too.

Art Inspirations from the Sand and the Shore

A few art inspirations from the Sand and the Shore. 

Until next time, enjoy your view and see the inspiration all around.