Vacation Bible School: Craft or Art?

It's Vacation Bible School week at my home church. The time spent planning, the gathering of supplies and the amount of energy doled out by the volunteers always amazes me. My church follows the American standard of the children rotating through stations to learn the Bible story through music, drama, snack and craft all united under a Biblical theme for one week. I've spent several weeks of my life (or maybe a few more than that!) in the craft room. This brings you to my point today. Because I'm a former art educator I'm sensitive to the art vs. craft debate. I think there is a time and place for both and either can be matched with a vacation Bible school curriculum. Where I draw the line is having children produce items that all look the same after they've made them, that have nothing to remind them of the Biblical message, or will be promptly thrown out once they get home. Here are a few alternative ideas:

• create banners out of paper that can be used in worship for the Sunday after VBS. Butcher paper painted or enhanced with construction paper cut outs can make a large impact visually.
• construct masks that can be used in a drama...I particularly like the directions for paper sculpture masks in the book Paper, Masks and Puppets by Ron Feller. Feller's paper relief techniques are easy to do and the kids will be amazed at what they've accomplished.
• pose an "I wonder" question to the children (something regarding the Bible lesson)...let them illustrate their answer...place their drawings or paintings on large cardboard boxes...stack the boxes for a sculptural display of their work in a prominent place in the church building or in your community.
• develop puppets to retell Bible stories...give children wine bags instead of lunch sacks for a little something different. Allow them to use basic scissors, construction paper and glue...don't hand out any patterns! Encourage them to add large details so people can see the puppet and maybe finish it off with a prop (Moses needs a walking stick, Dorcus has to have her sewing basket and Elizabeth should have her baby somewhere near by) You'll be amazed at how clever they are in their interpretations.

So while I'm on my soap box today I'll encourage you to be a creative planner for this year's VBS or revaluate so you can improve your week next year. Think about how the children can express themselves as individuals, how the craft/art can be used or appreciated after the week is over and if the craft/art will allow others that appreciate it to see the story that is reflected in the VBS Bible message. Not using craft "kits" will probably save you time and will make your art/craft room overflow with inventive, imaginative energy!


Putting my soap box back under the desk--for the time being (grin.)

How Many Stoles?

I was recently blessed by visit from an old friend. While being a great encourager she inquired about my studio work. She wondered how our style was developing, the type of hours I worked, and how many stoles pastors typically had. So I shared that I was really enjoying creating stoles that had a feel of a collage created from using batiked fabrics and interesting fibers in combination with exciting colors and the appliqué process we've used for years. I added that I was thankful that my in studio hours were able to vary due to the season of the year and the needs of my family. But the question that got ME thinking was how many stoles do pastors have or need? I chuckled because I have one pastor friend who wears the same stole every Sunday. But of course there are many others that "collect" stoles and each week wear something new or different. 

This has caused me to remember a workshop I led on "Spirituality and Learning Styles." The time in this workshop had the participants examining seven different learning styles--such as kinesthetic, linguistic, and logical/mathematical, etc. The participants first touched base with their own learning style. Then we thought about how this applied to those whom they ministered to. Among other things we learned that:

• varying an approach in ministry connected the leader to more people because not everyone has the same learning style, 
• knowing your own personal strengths and way of learning can better match you to someone else when doing one-on-one ministry, and
• learning someone you are ministering to's strengths will help you encourage them in their faith walk.

And of course this reinforces that in worship you can't ignore that some of the congregation is visual/spatial. These people think in pictures! So if you tend to think that your stole is not important or wearing the same one every week has become a habit we think you should change it up a bit. Stoles are a visual message that enhance the Word and might even give a parishioner a little something extra to think about.

The green stole shown is our bargain buy on eBay this week. Find out more here!

Bible Cake

Do we love this recipe because we've been eating so much cake lately (five year anniversary celebration, studio son's high school graduation, attending showers, etc) or because we love things that encompass all the senses? The answer is probably all of the above! Soooo....we're passing this recipe from an anonymous author onto you. 


Bible Cake

1. Peel and shred Song of Solomon 2:3-enough to make 4 cups
2. Put in large bowl
3. Stir in 1 cup Genesis 28:18 and two of the ingredients mentioned in Isaiah 10:14
4. Mix in 2 cups of Revelation 10:9 and
5. 3 cups of 1 Kinds 4:22 and
6. 2 tsp. 1 Corinthians 5:6 and
7. 2 tsp. 2 Chronicles 9:9 and
8. 1 cup sliced Numbers 17:8
9. Mix well. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Frost if desired after cake cools.

*reprinted from my home church newsletter

If you need to double check your ingredients:

• Song of Solomon 2:3--4 cups apples
• Genesis 28:18--1 cup oil
• Isaiah 10:14--2 eggs
• Revelation 10:9--2 cups sugar
• 1 Kings 4:22--3 cups flour
• 1 Corinthians 5:6--2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 Chronicles 9:9-1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Numbers 17:8--1 cup almonds

Enjoy!

5 Year Anniversary Celebration-DAY FIVE!

This is it! The last day of our week long celebration. We are so thankful for our clientèle--you are wonderful to work with! Today we'd like to thank you for your support by giving away one of our celebration stoles! We've made a limited edition of five and the other four will be offered on the website under the peace and healing tab for a special price of $55.55. 


To be entered to win we ask that you tell (or message) a friend about our website or FB fan page. Then just leave us a message that you'd like to be entered to win. Simple fun!


About the celebration stole: This is a visual statement of celebrating peace. The colors are peaceful yet joyful. The dove is a global sign of peace. The laurel leaves symbolize growth and peace. The flow of the lines and colors are active because we believe peace needs to be constantly worked and strived for.
The stole front is crafted from a variety of cotton and cotton blends. The symbols are appliqued and finished with machine embroidery. The accents are handpainted with textile paint and embellished with textured fibers. It is lined with a teal cotton broadcloth fabric and is interfaced for added body.Stole is 49" long measuring from back of neck to the bottom of the hem on one side.   It measures 5" wide at the hem and tapers to 2 3/4" at the neck.

5 Year Anniversary Celebration-DAY FOUR!

The first stole we sold online was embellished with a beehive. This came to be (ha, ha! no pun intended) from seeing a beehive on a worship sanctuary lectern and feeling drawn to the meaning of why it was there. I must confess that I had to research this to discover that it represented eloquence, 'honeyed words', and an ordered community. Tell us what symbol resonates with you when you see it and you'll be entered to win one of these 8 x 10 pieces of collage art. If you are the one randomly drawn winner you may choose the "jump for joy" collage on the left or the "grow through life" collage on the right. They are both small pieces of fiber art that have been added to a collaged, gallery wrapped canvas.

5 Year Anniversary Celebration-DAY THREE!

You, our clients and friends of the studio, best know what is needed to support your ministry. We're guessing there is never enough prayer, time on the calendar or maybe even--coffee and chocolate?! But today we're thinking about ministry stoles. Do you ever search the markets for a particular stole but can't find it? Tell us what we're missing in our inventory and we'll enter you to win! Win what? Tonight's randomly drawn winner will be able to take 50% off one of our online, in stock stoles. The winner will have until next year's anniversary celebration to use their one time discount.

5 Year Anniversary Celebration-DAY TWO

It's our second day of marking Carrot Top Studio's five year anniversary. Today we're reflecting on the church year calendar. I'm drawn to the seasons of preparation and reflection...Advent and Lent. Creatively I think Lent is a little more challenging. Artistically I thrive on challenge. So if I had to chose a "favorite" season in the church year it would have to be Lent. Therefore today we're giving away a copy of our Lent Art Journey book that came to be from an art exhibit we did based on stations of reflection for the season of Lent. 

Tell us why you're drawn to one particular season of the church year and we'll enter you to win this book. Anyone can play-clients, friends of the studio, former anniversary celebration winners! One winner will be drawn and notified in about twelve hours.