My New Novel

Wow. It's been a very long time since I posted anything here. A lot has changed in my life. I'm painting on a regular basis, selling my work, sharing a studio with my husband and...

Last week, I published my novel. “Bee Singer Queen”, which is the first book in my fantasy series, “Tales of Ellmoria”.

Long ago in a tiny forest village, one woman was given a gift. She was shown how to hear and sing with the ancient song of a giant hive of bees. The mud of the hive grew soft and warm as she sang, and the bees freely surrendered the honey within. She fed it to the starving and the sick, and they instantly recovered.

Every full moon for generations, the women of Veroven's chiefs harvested the life-giving honey. They became known as Bee Singers and the chiefs' daughters fetched large dowry prices for their fathers.

In a land and time where women were bought and sold like cattle, 16-year-old Coleesta was bartered to a greasy little man twice her own father's age. Seeking for a way out, she found only lies and betrayal.

But she would be the victim no longer. She would arise to be the Bee Singer Queen.

“Bee Singer Queen” is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions. You can find it by typing in my name (Teresa Arsenault), the book title, or by following this link to Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/BEE-SINGER-QUEEN-Teresa-Arsenault/dp/B084QLMQC9/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Teresa+Arsenault&qid=1582330557&sr=8-1

If you decide to read it, please consider leaving a review.

Hugs & smiles,
Teresa

Choose Joy

Louis Armstrong was born to a 16-year-old mother, abandoned by his father and raised by his grandmother until he was 5 years old. Growing up in the early 20th century, he faced poverty, violence and discrimination. Yet, he chose joy. Look at that face. What a wonderful face. What a wonderful attitude. When this song was first recorded, there were difficulties (An ABC Records president tried to stop it. Train whistles interrupted it twice.) so the work stretched from 2-6 a.m., after Louis' midnight show. Yet Louis laughed off the interruptions and chose to receive a lesser than average rate so the orchestra could be paid for their overtime work. He chose joy.

I wrote this poem recently and would like to share it with you.

JOY

By Teresa Arsenault ©2019

Joy beckons in nuances of colour and form

Shell-pink pearlized or dazzling shades of orange

A soft entreaty or blaring right out loud

A blaze of coloured sky

Or single ray within a cloud

Joy embraces, Joy salutes

Bear hug or softest kiss

Joy greets in lively shouts

Her whispers often missed

Walk with joy on stumbling ground

Or join in vibrant stride

She waits for you on every path

And vigils by your side

Choose joy, wondrous joy

Her intentions ever kind

Love joy when she’s apparent

Seek when she’s hard to find

Joy is a cheery companion

In sorrow a closest friend

Choose to love, choose to believe

Hold Joy until the end

May you choose joy today.

Blessing hugs,

Teresa

Index Card Art

Hello Friends,

Recently a friend posted her lovely art done on index cards. I thought it was a great idea, so I started some of my own. Here is my first batch.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessing hugs,
Teresa

Anniversary Book

Hello Friends,

I made this little anniversary book for dear friends who are celebrating 12 years of marriage this month. My friend, Angela Hoynes (Crafting with Jack), inspired the design. You can find her tutorial HERE.

I used mixed media painted, stamped and textured cardstock for the cover.

I used many digital verses and images for this project. It would be too time-consuming to name them all. I hope the artists will excuse me for not giving each one a mention.

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your visit and look forward to reading your comments.

Blessings,
Teresa

Women of Fire

Hello Friends,

Just a quick post to share a painting I did at a worship and prayer event a couple of months ago. I call it, "Women of Fire".

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs & smiles,
Teresa

Beauty for Ashes

Hello Friends,

My family has been going through hard times for a while now, but we have gotten lots of prayer support. The other evening a group of friends were at our home, praying for us. Some of them recommended reading and meditating on (thinking about) Psalm 91 and Isaiah 61. My meditation brought forth this art journal layout.

Psalm 91 came from an old family bible that a friend picked up at a thrift store. She gave it to me to use in my art journaling. This was the first time I was actually able to tear a page from it. It was hard for me, but I told myself it was better for pages from it to be given new life, than for the whole thing to collect mold and dust, and eventually fall apart. Still, it was hard. I aged the page further by crinkly and dabbing into rust-colored ink. I added some sparkle from my fingers, after dipping them in watery gold acrylic paint.

For my non-realistic watering can with flowers, I used Gelatos and acrylic paints. The words are taken from Isaiah 61. The background of both pages was made with acrylic paints, stamps & stencils.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have people to pray you through hard times. If not, why not reach out to your local church to let them know you could use a little support. If there is a Grace Healing Rooms ministry in your area, I highly recommend them for physical or emotional healing needs. They are non-denominational and welcome non-believers, as well as Christians.

Blessing hugs,
Teresa

Oaks of Righteousness

Hello Friends,

Last night my family and friends threw me a surprise birthday party for my 60th. It really was a surprise because my birthday is not until Friday.

My family gave me a wood-burning tool. It has variable temperatures so I can use it in my encaustic painting. Plus, it has lots of cool tips. They even bought me two extra packs of tips - alphabet and numbers/symbols.

This is the first painting I did, using three of the tips that came with the tool. I did it on hardboard. It is an intuitive painting that I call "Oaks of Righteousness".

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your visit.

hugs & smiles,
Teresa

Something About that Name

Last week I practised making cloudy skies, using a blog post tutorial from ArtTutor.com  I cut in half a 9x12 sheet of 140 lb. watercolor paper to do my practice skies.

Then I tried out the technique in my art journal. I ended up adding in a bit of a landscape with castles in the background.

When I went in to add some details, I noticed a partial face in the clouds. I enhanced it a bit, but not so much that it looked super-imposed upon the sky.

A song from my youth seemed to fit the painting so I added it to the page.

Thanks for dropping by. I appreciate your visit and love reading your comments.

Blessing hugs,
Teresa

Mixed Media Tag

Hello Friends,

Here is a mixed media tag I made recently with recycled materials - boxboard, an old pin and an earring. I stamped the dove on a background made with Brushos and shimmer spray, and then cut it out.

I call these pieces "Chookie's Artspirations" and sell them as wee bits of art to encourage or inspire. Chookie is what my Scottish cousin calls me.

Thanks for dropping by.

Blessing hugs,
Teresa

Lay Your Burdens Down

Dear Friends,

One assurance in Life is that we will have problems. Sometimes those troubles threaten to overcome us. It is in times like those that I am most grateful to have a loving God in whom I can trust. He brings me peace - sometimes moment by moment - when that treasure is most elusive. In the midst of turmoil, he lifts me with hope that stretches far passed my circumstances. Even in sorrow, he sustains me with joy that plunges deep roots into my soul.

The other day I wrote a poem about this and put it into my art journal. I added a backpack and "Lay your burdens down" at the bottom of the page.

Here is the poem, in case you can't read it above:

LAY YOUR BURDENS DOWN

Burdens

All have them

No escape from pain

Troubles

To one and all

Tailored for our gain

Fire

That purifies

Makes us more like you

Peace

Is available

Strength to get us through

Life

That was poured out

Heaven’s precious flow

Joy

Thought impossible

Found in the One I know

Teresa Arsenault ©2018

I hope this has encouraged someone today. Thanks for stopping by.

Blessing hugs,

Teresa