Hidden Treasure Cedar Keepsake Box

Look what was waiting for me when I got home!!!! 

You're going to LOVE this!!!

!

It starts out as a gorgeous cedar box, but it just keeps getting better and better with each discovery! 

... A perfect fit for a study Bible.

... Wait... what's that little oval... ?
Why don't I just try to take that off...

Oh, my goodness...
... How about if I just put it down on the bottom of the box...

... GASP!!... It sticks...
and... GASP again!!

The bottom lifts out! 

Big GASP!!

... Treasures.... hidden in a secret compartment!  
Each charm represents a scripture from the Bible.

BUT WAIT!! There's more!!!

There's a tiny little glass bead at the top of the oval... 
When you hold it up to a light and look through it...
This time... a long SIGH...

Wow!
How do they get the whole Lord's Prayer to fit inside there?!




Besides being beautifully designed and crafted, the treasures hidden within hold the truth of salvation.  The creator of the Hidden Treasure Cedar Keepsake Box tells her inspiration for her design.

• When I was very young, my grandfather gave me a cedar chest that he had-crafted.  It had secret compartments, and each compartment held a treasure that shared his faith in Jesus and pointed me to Him.  May this be a blessing to you and bring glory to Jesus.

You see...
I know him, her grandfather... 
He's my dad.

Before he made those special little cedar chests for her and for her cousins, he made a big one for me and for my sisters.
Yes, it does have secret compartments.

Yes, it does hold some precious items.

Visit Inspired Traditions to see the Hidden Treasure Cedar Keepsake Box and other beautifully crafted items with eternal meanings.

:) Joni

Meet our newest family member..

Andrew's girl... JONI (Joni Mitchell Eaton)

Not sure who is happier... :)

Love at first sight...

He claims she understands everything he says. :)

Aunt Olivia is not impressed.

Amen Corner

There was kind of a time table for finishing this piece, so it was a huge relief when a bunch of green blobs finally began to look like trees and bushes and grass.  

Apparently, this is a famous spot from Augusta where the Masters tournament is held. 
I am not a golf person...  I could expand on that... but I think I'll just leave it hanging...

While I worked, I thought a lot about my in-laws; they both loved golf.  They played some, but mostly they loved watching golf, living on a course, and admiring the landscaping of the courses. 

So, how did I... a country girl from the farm, end up with a city boy from country-club family?  That's a good question.  I'm not sure I have the answer, but we sure have had a good time.

Just look at these two kids!! 
30 years ago this week!

Want to know a funny little fact about exactly what they were thinking at this exact minute?  "I can't believe we didn't kiss?"  "We did. Sort of."  "That doesn't count as a kiss!"  "The wreath was about to slide off my head. I couldn't look up."  "What?" "Sorry! We can kiss once we get down the aisle." "How could we miss the kiss?" "Let me fix my wreath. Ok, now, you can kiss me now." ... sigh...  Oh, well. :)

"Amen Corner" 
12"x 24" Oil
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Dogwood Blossoms

Do you love what you see outside your home?

I hope so. 

My blog friend Renee posted a photo of some dogwood blossoms a while back... gorgeous!  Right away I knew wanted to put some on canvas.

When our house was being built, the builder asked if we wanted to keep the scraggly tree beside the deck. He said, "It kinda got banged up.  Don't know if it'll last more'n a year or so."  We kept it.  And we were delighted the next spring (and every spring since) when we discovered it was a dogwood.  

If you look closely you'll see the white blossoms hanging down behind my herbs... my herbs that I'm having fun growing, but am just learning how/what to cook with them...

Here are a few other favorite springtime things I love to see  (and smell) around my house... 

Purple Irises... Yellow Irises... Honey Suckle Vines... My Vegetable Garden... Marigolds...

My pitiful one-eyed trusty brave owl guards the garden.

(It's my 300th painting by the way!)

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