God Cares About Skillful Design~ Guest Post

Today's post was written by my dear friend Kayla, who is the awesome and talented graphic designer behind Kayla Phillips Design. She has generously donated several prints from her One Hundred Verses Project towards the Beautiful Giveaway that I have running this week.  Kayla recently opened an Etsy Shop, is one of my collaborators for [un]common workbasket, she blogs at Ceasing to Strive, and  she designed the most stellar invitations for my upcoming birthday party.  I'm so excited to share her thoughts with you today as part of my Why Make Beautiful Things Series!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Edith Schaeffer, the wife of the famous philosopher and missionary writes in her book Hidden Art:

“It is not a waste of man's time to be creative. It is not a waste to pursue artistic or scientific pursuits in creativity, because that is what man was made to be able to do.  He was made in the image of a Creator, and given the capacity to create.”

Yes, we believe in God as our Creator and we know that we are made in his image and can reflect his creative attribute. We understand that he fixed the stars in the sky and fashioned the lilies in the field.

But somehow, we overlook billboards and brochures.

We slap together Power Points like nobody’s business.

Oh, it’s just another sign-up sheet, we say.

Yes, God is the Creator. And we are creative.

Yet, there’s a disconnect.

Why waste time making beautiful invitations that will be only thrown away?

GOD CARES ABOUT SKILLFUL DESIGN.

In Exodus 35 and 36 the Israelites are constructing the tabernacle as God instructs them.

“Skill or skillful” in regards to craftsmanship or design is used at least nine times (I’m not as gifted at counting). Not to mention, God set apart certain people to do this work. He gave them the talent.

Good design, skillful design is not thrown together haphazardly.

This building was not thrown together, it was thought out, planned, methodical, orderly.

And since God cares about design and craftsmanship, I want to too.

And because he has given me talent I want to use it to serve him. 

I’m not a designer, how do I care? you might ask. 

Well, the next time your asked to put together a flyer for a  Bible study or children’s event, find someone who is already skilled in this area. 

Or better yet, give it a stab yourself. You were made in God’s image.

There are places all over Pinterest that talk about combining fonts or offer quick hints about laying text out.

While I know I’m a bit bent towards the world being a more beautiful place because I am graphic designer, I’m thankful that God cares so much about it too. He cared about it first.

So go. Do design skillfully to the praise and glory of God. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Kayla's post is part of my Why Make Beautiful Things week:
-Read my thoughts on the seven reasons why making things beautiful matters here.
-Visit my Granny's Closet post to see pictures of the beautiful and fun vintage dresses (which used to belong to my Granny!) that I have been wearing this spring.
-Go read Emily's thoughts on hospitality, beauty, and home through the lens of being a military wife in her guest post Love is the Beauty of the Soul
-Read Steph's post about printing and displaying family photos in Simple Beauty in a Picture
-AND make sure you go enter my special giveaway with seven beautiful items that I know you are going to love from Kayla Phillips Design, Steph Zimmerman Photography, and [un]common workbasket.  You don't want to miss it!

 

The Beautiful Giveaway

This week, I have featured some thoughts about why we make beautiful things. 

You can check out this week's posts here:

Why Make Things Beautiful

Granny's Closet- Wearing Vintage Clothing

Love is the Beauty of the Soul- Military Life & Hospitality

Simple Beauty in a Picture- Treasuring Family Photographs
God Cares About Skillful Design- Being Intentional with Graphic Design

I am in awe of the beauty of our world, which always points me to my Creator.  I am blessed to have friends to create and celebrate beautiful things.  And I am grateful for an online (and in-real-life) community like this with which we can share beauty, truth, and goodness.

So, in gratitude for you, dear friends and readers, and in celebration of my birthday later this month, I have collected some lovely donations of beautiful things that could be yours! 

Check out these seven gifts that could make your home and daily life more beautiful.  All the ways to enter the drawing are at the end of the post!

First up, we have some beautiful Scripture prints from Kayla Phillips Design.  She makes the most lovely and unique prints, and I want to hang one of everything that she has created in my home! (Which would be A LOT because of her One Hundred Verses Project!) Check out her three contributions to the giveaway:

You could have this whimsical 4"x6" of Deuteronomy 10:17- "For the Lord your God is God of gods, Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God."

Or there's this lovely 5"x5" design of Psalm 27:1 on special glimmery paper- "The Lord is my light and salvation."

And there's the fun design of Ephesians 5:8 on a 8"x10" peach paper- "Walk as children of the light."

Next up, Steph Zimmerman Photography has sent us two awesome photos. She is known for portrait and wedding photography (like these that I posted last week) but these project shots would look great in your home or at your desk at work!

You could win a unique matted 5"x7" photo to frame, like this one of a Midwestern farm at night (aka- my dad doing harvest a couple of years ago!)

Or there is this breathtaking photo of the Rocky Mountains, also in a matted 5"x7."

And finally a personal contribution from [un]common workbasket, my little craft-sale-hobby with a couple of friends.

We have a set of three pretty cards inspired by my girl St. Catherine of Siena, made using an old map.

And here is a Scripture print of a favorite verse- Exodus 14:14, "The Lord will fight for you," actually stamped on that page from an old Bible.  It is a ready to frame 8"x10."

Show some love, and please follow and like these ladies on social media:

***Kayla Phillips Design***
on etsy     on facebook     on instagram     blog

***Steph Zimmerman Photography***
                   on facebook     on instagram     website

***[un]common workbasket***
                   on facebook     on instagram    

I hope that there is something here that you love or that you would love to give as a gift.  The Beautiful Giveaway will be open until midnight on Saturday, June 20th.  Because I will have to mail the gifts, winners must have a US mailing address.

There are lots of options for how to enter- start by leaving a comment on this post about the beautiful item you would most like to win.  Then make sure to click the "I commented!" in the Rafflecopter widget to unlock five other ways to get more entries.  After the winners are randomly selected, I will contact you on Sunday, June 21st using the email that you share through Rafflecopter.

***I've heard that some people have had trouble leaving a comment on a mobile device.  If it doesn't seem to publish, you may want to try it on a regular computer.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway