Steampunk anyone...?

Recently I've become fascinated by a type of fantasy costuming called steampunk. I thoght I'd give a try at it, and came up with this. It's a mannequin, as a friend of mine calls my drawings (since they are usually minus a head and hands). I'm hoping to actually make the costume to wear for a thing I'm hoping to go to this summer. Hoever, the jacket and blouse can easily be worn with modern clothing. Enjoy, and hopefully I might have posts soon of the construction!

Forgive the funky whiteness in the background...my attempt at compter erasers didn't turn out as planned. ;)

Reflections on love....

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are....The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters....This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us....My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love....My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God....My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other....But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love....God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house....We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first....

~Selections from 1 John (The Message)