...and with a simple coat of paint, the elephant was beautiful again...

What is a painted elephant? I suppose the idea came to me almost a year ago. It was just a simple image of an elephant with a paintbrush in hand, painting himself. I thought it would make a cute logo, but didn't really know what it meant or if it would ever mean anything. Then it hit me. Through my life I have participated in many 'white elephant' gift exchanges. A white elephant, in Siam (which is now Thailand) was considered a sign of wealth. While a white elephant might seem beautiful and exotic, given as a gift it only becomes expensive to own and rather useless. Often at Christmas parties such presents are exchanged. In my life I have received a ceramic mermaid, a very old fur scarf and other useless, strange things. My idea of the painted elephant came to me when I walked through my house one day. So much of what we have in our home has been remade into useful, beautiful things. I recovered a chair which was about to be tossed out as garbage and now it is one of the most beautiful things in my living room. At Goodwill I bought two canvases with Madonna's face on them, which I painted over and now hang above our bed. I've recovered pillows, chalkboard painted signs, stenciled walls, tiled tables, refinished coffee tables, spray painted picture frames and lanterns, made scarves and blankets... So much of what sits in my house has a story, and that story usually didn't cost much. What might seem useless, like an elephant, can so easily be painted, altered, and made new for a small price or no price at all. Elephants are a symbol of love as well. They have always been a favorite for me. I'd like to use my inspiration and creativity to make lovely things from what other people might find useless. By reinventing things, making them lovely, we reuse what we have rather than spending money on more stuff to pile in our homes. Call it creative recycling, art, or maybe just a fun hobby I would enjoy sharing through this blog. It is my hope to inspire and use the crafty gifts God gave me. I believe he created us to create. So grab your hot glue gun... let's get to work.