confirmation

 Renee was Ryan's sponsor and they are pictured here with Bishop Boyea of Lansing Michigan

 I had the honor of sponsoring Claire, pictured here with the Bishop.

 Renee & Ryan

 Claire & I

 Kevin, Ryan & I

 Adam & Ryan

Last night was the 8th grade confirmation at Holy Rosary Parish. What a wonderful experience and what a pleasure it was to see so many young teens receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our son Ryan was confirmed along with many of his school mates and students from surrounding parishes. Bishop Boyea gave a passionate and very inspiring homily. He spoke of how the holy spirit dwells in us and gives us self control and confidence in order to do what is right and just in this troubled world. He told the teens before the ceremony started that once they receive the Holy Spirit to ask God what his will is for their lives and surely they will learn what that is.....maybe not today or even within a year but if they continue to seek God's will, it will be revealed to them. He said each and every one of us on this earth has a special job that God needs us to do and if we don't do it, it doesn't get done.....no one else can do that particular job but us, so continue to seek God's will for your life. (great advice not only for the teens but for all of us)

What is Confirmation you ask??

Confirmation, a sacrament of initiation, establishes young adults as full-fledged members of the faith. This sacrament is called Confirmation because the faith given in Baptism is now confirmed and made strong. During your Baptism, your parents and godparents make promises to renounce Satan and believe in God and the Church on your behalf. At Confirmation, you renew those same promises, this time speaking for yourself.

During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles on Pentecost and gave them courage to practice their faith. Catholics believe that the same Holy Spirit confirms Catholics during the Sacrament of Confirmation and gives them the same gifts.

Traditionally, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are supernatural graces given to the soul. The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, and chastity — human qualities that can be activated by the Holy Spirit.

remembering angels today

 

"Solace"

-comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness

12x12 acrylic over collage papers on cradled board

©Teresa Kogut

photo taken with instagram

Today we honor those men and women who served our country in order to preserve our freedom. Some lost their lives defending it.....freedom that we often take for granted. When I stop and think about those who sacrificed themselves for us, it inspires me to do my best to live a charitable, honest and upright life. They gave EVERYTHING, so the least we can do to honor them is to give this gift of life our all.

God Bless our Veterans

God Bless America

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13

Mary & Jesus wip

I wanted to share with you my painting process......had so much fun painting this one!

 

 

 

(Detail)

"Mary & Jesus"

10" x 22" x 1.5"

acrylic over collage papers on cradled board

©Teresa Kogut, all rights reserved

Hope you enjoyed seeing the process....maybe someday when I figure out how, I can do some video...now that would be fun!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

tis the season....

for weddings!!!

I just added these prints on wood to my Etsy shop today. Makes for the perfect gift for the upcoming wedding season! Allow 7-10 days delivery, please. Also, if you see another print at my shop that can be easily changed to a personalized gift, just contact me.....these can also be gifts for graduates and new parents!

weekend fun

Troy Hanna & Angela Kogut

wedding shower 05.19.12

What a great weekend! Started off Friday night at our friend's house...hadn't gotten together with this couple in a while so it was fun to catch up. Saturday morning I worked for a few hours then off to my beautiful niece's wedding shower. Saw many people there that I hadn't seen in a long time, too! After the shower, off to watch Ryan's last bowling game. Came home, washed the card, washed the dog, weeded the flower gardens (which I hadn't touched yet this spring so it was BAD) until about 8:30, then showered and off to the Eagles club to watch my hubbies band play.

Sunday morning went to church, did some cleaning, then off to Edge for cookout and relay race games all afternoon. Closed the weekend at Bubba's for the karaoke semi-finals in which all three of the people I came to support are going on to the finals!! The place was packed and two tables were full of some of my closest friends! I love weekends like that......family, friends and fun. Hope yours was fun too!

NOW FOR A PRODUCTIVE WEEK

(so I can take Friday off....maybe????)

maker of them all

THE LORD MADE THEM

acrylic paint over collage papers on 18x24 cradled board

©Teresa Kogut

This is the latest painting to date.....I love her sweet face! This photo is only showing a partial of the original in which she has a long white dress on and the scripture verse will be on her dress in block letters.....I have yet to paint the text....hopefully today. The text you see here was typed in photoshop.

This verse speaks volumes and what a different world it would be if we all lived it. We are ALL children of God and He loves us equally. Whether young or old, man or woman, rich or poor, God made us all in His image!

happy mother's day!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday! Mine started out with a walk around the property with my dogs (I am an early riser, so everyone else was asleep). I then went into the studio and started to go through all the photos on my computer for Ryan's 8th grade graduation coming up in a couple of weeks.....I laughed, I cried, I laughed again......So many great times we've had together as a family! Almost EVERY picture of Ryan was of him being silly and making funny faces! He had no idea these pictures could be in his classmates slideshow at the end of 8th grade! teehee

I teared up a bit because the pictures brought floods of memories back and I remember taking each photo as if it happened yesterday. The kids have grown soooo fast and when I stop and realize how fast time goes it disturbs me a bit and makes me want to spend every possible moment enjoying my family.

I had only gotten through year 2005 when the intercom went off.....it was Ryan....he had made me a Mother's Day breakfast and was calling me up to the house to eat :) It was a wonderful and delicious surprise!

After breakfast we went to mass, then spent the rest of the afternoon at my parents house for a cookout and outdoor games. A perfect day! Sunny, in the 70s with a nice breeze and best of all we were all together!

Kyle 19, Me, Ryan 14  

 
 My wonderful Mother :) 

Kyle, Kevin, Me and Ryan 

Ryan, Dad, Kyle and Mom

 Kevin planted red Dianthus for Mom

 
 Ryan and Dad  

 

Ryans toss

Kevin and I took a walk around the property when we returned home....what a beautiful warm evening....and so still. You can see by the stillness of the pond below. A perfect end to a perfect day!

Wildflowers behind the spruce trees at the back of our property

 The view of our house from across Kogut pond......

Wishing you all a fantastic week!!! and remember....

God never creates anything mediocre....you were born for greatness!

love

HOLY FAMILY, BLESSED

20" X 20" X 1.5"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

©Teresa Kogut, all right reserved

I have never been so nervous to paint an image as I was this one. I kept saying "but, it's the Holy family!" whenever my family would ask me why I was so anxious. It just has to be perfect......but yet keep in my style. ALSO, add in the fact that I have never painted a man or a lil' boy before!!!

I kept the sketch within my sight so I didn't stray too much. I first covered the canvas in black gesso. Then put a layer of chipping creme from Caromal Colours over the black, that way when I sand the painting the chipping creme protects the black paint so the white canvas won't show through. I meticulously painted the Holy family, then sanded, crackled and stained it for an aged look.

The halos, accents on clothing and lettering are actually painted with metallic gold paints so they shimmer in the light!! I wish that could translate in photos, but no such luck.

This is just one of hopefully many paintings of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Maybe when I paint the next one, I will be more at ease. 

Hope you are having a blessed week! Mother's day is just around the corner :)

 

with border....

I think this will frame better with the border....still an 8x10 for easy to find frames......what do you think?

may give away

"Without Ceasing"

©Teresa Kogut

8x10 print

Win this 8x10 print just by entering a comment below. I am thinking of creating a "mat" around this print so when it is framed the frame won't cut off any of the image.....what are your thoughts?

_____________________________________________________

CONGRATULATIONS

Andrea Martin of West Virginia

you are the April give away winner! I will send you, free of charge, the angel lace wall hanging by Heritage Lace!!!! Only four people entered this drawing so your odds were amazing!!! So happy for you, Andrea :)

what have i done now.....

"AMERICANA"

(detail)

acrylic over antique board

©Teresa Kogut

I have wanted to have my blog and website all at one site for a few years now......I started the process yesterday and now I have a MESS!!! My blog is ok but my website is inaccessible now.....so the pressure is on to get the new one rolling!! Even though I LOVE blogger....I am creating my new site on wordpress. My understanding is that wordpress blogs are for businesses, not just for journaling. I was up way past my bedtime last night getting a start on the new blog. You can view it here.

Eventually you will be able to type in www.teresakogut.com and the front page will be my blog and I will have a separate pages for biography, photos, and e-commerce pages for original art, calendars & other licensed products, punch needle patterns, prints and wholesale punch needle patterns (accounts will need a password to purchase wholesale). EVERYTHING in one spot!!! I am so excited about this but a little nervous and overwhelmed too. So I keep telling myself.......patience, Teresa, patience........