The first of our new designs is based on 1 John 4:19 and features brush lettering by Darlene with garlands of white roses and eucalyptus leaves painted by Pam. Its green and white neutral colors will match any decor and the label may be personalized to make a unique keepsake for a wedding, anniversary, housewarming or any occasion.

Thank you to all who came to the Merriest Market last Saturday!  It was so fun to connect with everyone and we are so grateful for your support. 

Come see the latest from Hymns and Hydrangeas and items from other talented artisans at this upcoming Holiday sale.  We will have lots of towels and pillows and will be introducing some of our newest products- jersey knit infinity scarves, table runners, baby blankets, and 10x 10 canvases.  We'd love to see many of you there!

A Mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing. The words to this hymn by Martin Luther have encouraged Christians for almost 500 years. The lyrics are based on Psalm 46 which begins, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
As Pam and I designed this towel we felt that a castle represented a strong fortress, a shelter of protection from the storms of life.  This is a castle in Switzerland (Chillon Castle in Montreux) where I visited this summer.  Pam painted the castle and mountain scene in pastels and I did the lettering in a blackletter calligraphy hand.  The design elements are my rendition of some of the murals and woodworking details from inside the castle and the manuscript style is a nod to the medieval time period of both the castle and the hymn.

Many hymns of the faith have an inspirational or profound background story. Each of our products come with a tag that give the history behind the hymn. One of our favorites is about the author of Revive Us Again- the story of Dr. William Mackay.

"My dear Mother had been a godly, holy woman, quite often telling me of the Savior, and many times I saw her on bended knee in prayer for my soul's salvation. But nothing had made a deep impression on me. The older I grew, the more... wicked I became... One day a seriously injured man was brought into the hospital. His case seemed hopeless. He seemed to realize his condition for he was fully conscious and asked me how much time he had left to live. I gave him my opinion in as cautious a manner as I could.
“Have you any relatives whom we could notify?” I asked.
The patient shook his head. He had only one wish, it was to see his landlady because he owed her a small sum of money and also wished to bid her farewell. He also requested that his landlady send him “The Book…” I went to see him on my regular visits at least once a day. What struck me most was the quiet, almost happy expression constantly on his face...After the man died, some things about his affairs were to be done in my presence.
“What shall we do with this?” the nurse asked holding a book in her hand.
“What kind of book is it?” I asked.
“The Bible of the poor man...As long as he was able to read it, he did so, and when he was unable to do so anymore, he kept it under his bed cover.”
I took the Bible and could I trust my eyes? It was my own Bible! The Bible which my mother had given me when I left my parents' home, and which later, when short of money, I sold for a small amount. My name was still in it, written in my mother's hand...
With a deep sense of shame I looked upon the precious Book. It had given comfort and refreshing to the unfortunate man in his last hours. It had been a guide to him into eternal life, so that he had been enabled to die in peace and happiness. And this book, the last gift to me from my mother, I had actually sold for a ridiculous price...
Dr. Mackay left the field of medicine to become a Presbyterian minister and hymn writer. His work lives on as he points many others to the Great Physician."

Four of our designs are now available in 18x18 pillows.
 They are a perfect accent for a family room, bedroom, or sun porch reminding us of favorite hymns or scriptures.
The back of each pillow has a coordinating design
and a label sporting the scripture reference or name of hymn, author and date.
They are made of a linen cotton blend fabric and have a zippered closure.

Hymns and Hydrangeas was started as a way to support missions. This month's spotlight is on my cousin, Laura Collins who is with CRU, excited to encourage and equip college students in Boston. Proceeds from all of our towel sales (all designs) thru the end of April will go to Laura.

Our designs begin as original artwork.  Pam drew this pen and ink hydrangea
that we feature on our "Revive Us Again" tea towel. 

Our 'Tis So Sweet Towel is now available for sale.  It is a beautiful design with blue hand drawn flowers and a pale sage green background highlighting the familiar hymn, 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.  Here are the lyrics of this beautiful hymn:

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word,
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord"
Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

Each towel has a label at the bottom left corner with the name of the hymn, the author of the lyrics, and the date the hymn was written.