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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Is It Any Wonder That I’d Use Paper for Creative Endeavors?

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

The Elnora Monet released this week. Who is Elnora's Monet, and why is he called that? And what's with a cat having its own private wing? via @chautonahavig

A paper filled with lines, shapes, and color blocked the words on the page of my book. I looked up into the wide, excited eyes of my youngest daughter, and like nearly every parent who ever lived, I said, “Oh!  That’s…  Well, what is it?”

With that optimistic confidence that only toddlers seem to possess, she gave her answer.  I don’t remember what she thought the blob was, but I recall taking a second look and thinking that it looked remarkably like an embryo. If only my doodles and scribbles could be “translated” into something recognizable.

As a child, my attempts at art were… well, let’s just say that I never won any art prizes.  No honorable mentions.  And Mrs. Elkins, my second-grade teacher, did assure me once that you couldn’t fail “art.”

I think I may have cried in relief.

A few years into marriage, I discovered the illustrations of Tasha Tudor.

The simple, magical drawings left me determined to learn.  So, I did what I do best.  I copied them. Line by line, I drew things exactly the same length, the same curve, the same… everything.  Did they look like hers?  Not hardly–more like the cheap imitation of the cheap imitation.  But it taught me something.  I COULD copy. Not well, but I could do it. Copying taught me the value of just a tiny curved stroke for a nose or an ear instead of trying to copy the whole shape.  It taught me to pay attention to shadows used by the artist.

I can’t do it with actual objects.  When I try to sketch a box, I’m right back to those pathetic drawings of childhood.  But if I look at a box someone else has sketched, well…

Buoyed with that exciting change, I tried something else.  Paint.

There, I found more success.  I found I had an eye for color, for shadow, and for how to blend a brush.  I could trace the shape of a ship in a bottle onto wood and paint it so that it looked like a ship in a bottle!  Pansies with the colors all blended together?  Not a problem.

This took my crafty endeavors out of just fibers and textiles and into a whole new world that eventually led to… paper.

The Elnora Monet Release

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Is It Any Wonder That I’d Use Paper for Creative Endeavors?

I mean, I’m an author, after all! During the early years of writing, I found less time for sewing and painting, but I need a creative outlet.  So, I took up cardmaking.  Scrapbooking isn’t really my thing, but cards… I can get into those.  You can spend as much or as little time as you want on them.  Lately, I’ve even been planning one kind of card per week and making several of it.  I pick them out one day, gather the papers the next, stamp the images the next, and so forth.

I really think everyone, no matter how creative or “artistic” they think they are or aren’t, really should take time to do something creative on a semi-regular basis.  In this, we imitate the true Creator.

Here are a few of my cards that I found pictures of. #becausecards

elnor
This one uses a stamp of the Wynnewood map! You can get those stamps on Etsy. Isn’t that COOL!
Elnora monet card
I LOVE this stamp so much. It fits with the Independence Islands, don’t you think?
elnora monet card
I use more birthday cards than anything else.

 

the elnora monet cards
Coloring is still one of my favorite things, obviously.
the elnora monet card
Like I said…

Why am I yammering on about creativity and art?

Well, this week is the release of the next book in the Independence Islands Series!  Rachel Skatvold’s, The Elnora Monet is live and ready for you to dive in.  See what is happening on Enora now and who they call “the Elnora Monet” and why!

It’s a wonderful story, and I just loved the personalities, the clashes, and seeing restoration in this tale!  Not to mention, one really pampered cat.

the elnora monetAbout The Elnora Monet:

Islanders call him the Elnora Monet.

Is that island speak for “pompous, arrogant jerk?”

When Carly Mulligan volunteered to make house calls on Elnora, she never imagined treating the richest cat on the islands. What other feline has his own wing in a mansion like the Belshaw Estate?

After a wrong turn in the mansion, Carly stumbles across a secret room—one filled with incredible paintings. Perhaps there’s something more to the man than she first thought.

Most people envy Jean-Luc Belshaw’s position. The heir to a lucrative business and family fortune, he should have everything he could dream of.

But Luc dreams of days past. Days when he traveled the world with his wife and painted the breathings of his soul disappeared with Angeline’s passing.  Faith and inspiration gone, he wonders if returning to France to take his place in his father’s business is the right thing to do.

Carly has a few relational demons of her own, and she’s reluctant to trust him, but Luc’s paintings draw her in even as his story touches a long-empty place in her heart.

Only God can transform two broken pasts into a work of art.

The Elnora Monet continues the Elnora Island romances of the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

Summer’s not here yet, but hey!  Beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

To celebrate Rachel’s release, the islands authors are having another round of giveaways!  Check out each one and be sure to get entries in on each website. You won’t want to miss them!

Rachel Skatvold (4/27)

Tabitha Bouldin (4/28)

Carolyn Miller (4/29)

Chautona Havig (4/30)

Melissa Wardwell (5/1)

Kari Trumbo (5/2)

Celebrate Lit (Sandy Barela- 5/3)

Get your entry in for giveaways for The Elnora Monet.

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Previous Post: « What’s Better Than a Suspenseful Book? What about a Romantic One?
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Comments

  1. Sabrina Templin says

    May 3, 2021 at 12:06 am

    I love love love your cards. I am going to be having an online craft time with a friend in England this week so she can help me make a pocket purse card.Nervous but excited She does everything so well and many times the first time….lol Your cards are works of art Chautona. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 3, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      Aw, thank you! I love making cards! It’s so nice to have an outlet for creativity that has a physical expression.

      Reply
  2. KAREN says

    April 30, 2021 at 11:04 am

    I loved your article. What fun you must have.

    At 72 I took up watercolor and now have branched out to watercolor and pen and ink. I took 4 years of art in HS and loved it. For some reason I decided I could not draw or paint and quit trying. Because of an intro class at church, I started painting and drawing. I am sorry I missed all those years because I found out I really can draw and watercolor.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 3, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      I LOVE that you found something you enjoy and are good at. Perhaps you needed the extra years to develop that patience and eye or something. Who nows!

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 234: A Chat about The Chosen Kids with RM Ruiz
byChautona Havig

Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to help with whatever the family was doing, so Great Aunt Tissy gave you a stack of napkins and told you to put one at each plate? Remember how she commented on what a  “big girl” you were?  And then, as if that weren’t bad enough… remember how you were fourteen and a “big girl” was the last thing you wanted to be? 

RM Ruiz’ The Chosen Kids Saga does just the opposite. She has a cast of related characters who are given real work by God–important work. They’re pulling on the armor of God and doing real battle with real enemies of the Kingdom of God and all while He works out their sanctification. Listen in to where she got the idea and where the Chosen Kids are going next.

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you!

What if God Decided to Use Ordinary Kids to Battle the Underworld?

Can I just say that I love the respect Rosemary shows her characters? These kids, as young as eleven, aren’t told to fold napkins and praised as if they saved the world. They’re given tools and assignments and do save the world… or at least a piece of it and with the real help of the Holy Spirit. How cool is that?

And she does it with a tortilla in one hand and some eye and mouth-watering chili stuffs in the other.

Oh… and don’t forget the research for Encounter at Paradise that sent her up a literal slippery slope into frozen tundra. In July. #BecauseResearch.

And the result is book two of the Chosen Kids Saga! (To listen to the first episode where we talked more about the first book, go HERE.)

The Chosen Kids: Encounter at Paradise by RM Ruiz

A thrilling adventure for middle-grade readers, showcasing the supernatural powers of God, His son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.This is the second book of The Chosen Kids Saga.The Chosen Kids are ready for their second mission!

It’s been two weeks since Caiden and his family’s summer of fun turned into a secret quest for God. After their first mission, the Chosen Kids step into their new roles without fear or reluctance. With revived faith and God’s blessed tools, they embark on their second hunt—ready to track, capture, and expel the enemy.

But the day turns into a tedious game of hide-and-seek as the family races to get ahead of the fiend. When the unthinkable happens, and their mission becomes personal, they must keep the faith and trust God’s plan. They could set things right with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, but only if they obey His commands completely. Caiden thinks he’s uncovered the answer, but no one ever listens to the youngest cousin…

With nightfall quickly approaching, the Chosen Kids set a trap.

But if their plan fails, they could lose one of their most valuable assets, and their quest will end in heartbreak and disaster.

In this next chapter of the Chosen Kids Saga, readers will see the cousins in action as they take on their new roles with renewed spirits. Just like the first book, this fast-paced adventure includes family love, kid banter, and humor with even more adventure, danger, and spiritual growth!

This series mixes fantasy and adventure elements with transparent Christian themes for young believers who want a story that includes gospel truths without reading through symbolism.

Middle-grade readers will follow along as these flawed, relatable characters—still finding their way in Christ—embark on a life-transforming quest to save humanity. With family love, spiritual growth, kid banter, and humor all mixed in for a fun and exciting journey.

The adventure starts with Encounter at the Dunes and continues in Encounter at Paradise. Grab a copy of both to begin the redemptive journey today! Book three, Encounter At Ambrose, coming summer 2024.

Learn more about the series, the characters, and Rosemary at TheChosenKids.com

And the series she mentioned was The Son of Angels.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

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Episode 234: A Chat about The Chosen Kids with RM Ruiz
Episode 234: A Chat about The Chosen Kids with RM Ruiz
June 6, 2023
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Episode 233: A Chat about In Feast or Famine with Mesu Andrews
June 2, 2023
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Episode 232: A Chat with Janine Rosche
May 30, 2023
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Episode 231: A Chat with RomCom author, Shannon Sue Dunlap
May 26, 2023
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Episode 230: A Chat with Bryan Timothy Mitchell
May 17, 2023
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Episode 229: A Chat about Murmur in the Mud Caves with Kathleen Denly
May 12, 2023
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Episode 228: A Chat with Author Emilie Haney
May 9, 2023
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Episode 227: A Chat about the New Jewels of Kalispell Series
May 5, 2023
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Episode 226: A Chat with Archaeological Thriller Author, Doug Powell
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Episode 225: A Chat with Dani Pettrey
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