Sharing an old tradition!

Hope everybody had a blessed Christmas. My Christmas was spent sharing old traditions with some of the newer family members. Now that Christmas is over I got to spend some time doing some art.

STRESSED!!! And making time for myself....

Every year I tell myself,I'm not gonna stress about Christmas and every year I do.. How does everybody find the time to do a million of things. Housework,presents to buy,presents to wrap,what to buy for who, cookies to bake,decorating, company coming so sheets to be washed and clean, get a tree but when?? What night is available? Christmas parties to go to! What to wear to those Christmas parties,when most of my clothes have paint on them. Not to mention the normal everyday stuff like working full time,grocery shopping,dinners to be cooked,clothes to be washed, take Niki to school and pick her up and go to all of her afterschool drama performances. Oh and wait my sister had her baby so I voluteered to cook a couple of dinners for her. And lets not forget to plan Christmas eve and Christmas dinner,Oh my it just doesnt end. No wonder I drink three cups of coffee a day and usually skip lunch and breakfast. After that all said I decided today my only day off besides sunday would be a me day,no phone calls,no work stuff,no Christmas stuff just a me day,do whatever I wanted so what did I do?? Finished a painting finally, alittle housework,alittle shopping, alittle wrapping,alittle decorating,thought and planned Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner,baked some cookies,cooked dinner,washed clothes,took niki to and from school, and drank four cups of coffee! Its amazing what another cup of coffee can do for you.

When she dances flowers fall from the sky and alittle holiday decorating.

"Baby its cold outside" Actually it really is cold down here in florida for a change. It puts me in the Christmas spirit, I started to decorate my house I'm actually almost finished. I decorate my house like I decorate my store so it usually takes me awhile. I'll share some more pictures later. Diane I know you already seen most of them. Speaking of Diane, go over and check out her blog at dianesalter.blogspot.com shes doing a giveaway that you won't want to miss out on. Plus she just opened an etsy store so if you don't win you can still purchase some of her beautiful art. And last this but not least is a piece I just finished, "when she dances flowers fall from the sky" its a 9x12 watercolor paper. I'm gonna list it in my etsy shop. Everybody 's doing a sale in their etsy shop so I thought I would join in. My coupon code is christmassale15 that will give you 15% off. Have a great week everybody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=player_embedded#!
I got this link from lk ludwigs blog, I got the goosebumps and cried at the end. I just wanted to share it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everybody is having a blessed day with family! Every thanksgiving my husband says a prayer before dinner and I always cry,not because I'm sad but because I always think about how much I have to be thankful for. I thank God everyday for everything I have,even though theres some days I wish I had more but he knows exactly what I need and what my hearts desires are and that is what I am most thankful for. For his blessings of family and friends ,of things that really matter! Speaking of hearts desires, we are being blessed with a new baby girl in your family. We all went to the ultrasound last friday and found out it was a girl,my daughter made them double check,she couldnt believe it. Her name will be "Gracie May" I just love that name. Kind of old fashion.

This is my latest piece,"animal instinct" I framed it. Wanda over at wandamarie.blogspot.com inspired me to frame some of my art. Thanks wanda! Her art looked so beautiful in the frames, if you get a chance stop over at her blog for some inspiration. And she was right, when you frame it, it makes such a difference. I think I'm gonna list this is my etsy shop.

Have a great week!

Alittle folk art and "letting your light shine"

I feel like I have been neglecting my blog and my painting. I've been so busy making things for my store,getting ready for the Christmas season. The first painting is a folk art painting for my store but the next one is what my heart loves to do,her title is letting your light shine through. I always feel sad or like a part of me is missing when I don't have time to paint,does any of you ever feel that way? If I can't find the time to paint,I always feel better looking at all of your art on your blogs. They always inspire me. Thanks for that. Hope everybody has an art filled week! Not me,work all week,then two baby showers(one I'm throwing for my sister) then dinner on saturday night with my husbands business,oh and friday night going to an ultrasound to find out if my daughter is having a boy or a girl. She has two boys so I'm thinking another boy,I'll let you all know next week. Of course I would love to have a grand daughter since I have two grandsons but after going through everything with my youngest grandson,I'm just praying for a healthy baby.

silent watch.

Primitive snowman mixed media style!

I know its alittle early for snowmen but I was painting this for my store and I missed doing mixed media and faces and collage sooooo much that I just had to put collage in the background and just play. I had sooo much fun with him. Back to work tomorrow. Hope everybody has a great week.

Happy Halloween!

I know its been a long time. My days and nights have been filled with sewing christmas stuff,sewing halloween costumes,carving pumpkins, decorating the house,and buying(eating) candy.
My daughter Niki loves Jersey shore and wanted to be Snookie for halloween. So we looked everywhere for a leopard short dress and could'nt find one. Well since I can sew dolls and doll dresses I said I'll just make a dress,easy,no problem. I don't even need a pattern for this. Lets just say after 4 nights sewing, a yard of material later,catching a cold probably from exhaustion not to mention that she looked like a balloon after I was done I decided to go and buy a pattern that cost me ten dollars and the new material another ten dollars and all the zippers, elastic,ribbon and everything else I needed was another ten. So I'm now pleased to say that I finished a cute little dress that probably cost me around fifty dollars. You're probably wondering like my daughter why I didnt just give up well simple it would have drove me crazy! After all this and finishing the dress late saturday night my sweet daughter now wants to carve pumpkins. I don't want to carve pumpkins, I WANT TO PAINT!!! So I decided to paint on my pumpkin instead of carving it. With tissue up nose,hot tea by my side I finally got to paint. Pure relaxation.
Hope everyone has a spooktacular night!

Pumpkin bread,YUM!! and the night angel

Finally made the pumpkin bread. Here's the recipe if anybody wants to try it. I serve this on thanksgiving too. 1 can of pure pumpkin 15 ounce
4 eggs
1 cup veg oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups of suger
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon gound nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves ground
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

oven 350 degrees, grease and flour loaf pans. 7x3 loaf pan 3 of them or you can use the small ones. Thats what I do so I can share. If you do the small ones theres enough for 8 small loafs.

Mix all dry ingrediants together and whisk. Set aside. In another bowl mix all the wet (suger is wet) Mix all the wet ingrediants with a mixer and slowly add dry ingrediants until mixture is blended add to pans and bake for about 45 minutes. You can check to see if done with a toothpick if it comes out clean then its done. Enjoy! Oh you could add raisins or nuts. I add raisins sometimes. Well now I'm craving more pumpkin bread!

Busy,Busy,Busy!

I've been busy making stuff for my store like stitcheries,grubby candles,fabric covered books,grubby tealights,snowmen (picture later not finished yet)plus trying to fit some art time in. Off to grocery shop and tomorrow baking pumpkin bread,(I'll try and post the recipe tomorrow its the best pumpkin bread ever)decorating house and maybe alittle time for art! I also listed a stitchery in my etsy shop. Hope everybody has a blessed week!

Birthday,art,and free online course

I just wanted to share a picture of my son Michael and his beautiful girlfriend Jessica. I always post pictures of my grandsons and Niki. So this time I thought I would post a picture of them. It was Jessicas birthday this past sunday so I cooked up some ziti,meatballs,salad and of course a chocolate cake for her. Had the whole family over. I love family time.

Of course I love my alone time too!! I had lots of that this weekend so I had some time to do some art. Speaking of art theres a free online class called Art,Heart&Healing over at willowing.ning.com . We're suppose to use a little sidebar thingy but I'm not very good with those things so this is the best I can do. Go over and check it out!

Inspiration!

Sometimes when I don't know what to paint,I'll flip through magazines and art books looking for inspiration. I also search the internet. This time I found some inspiration in an art magazine. I love this painting done by William Meyerowitz. The more I paint the more I love the work of impressionists. What inspires you? Have a great week!

Sometimes all you can give is a prayer...

God showed me something today,he opened my heart. I was driving my daughter to school today and I was deep in thought worried about money problems. I just was argueing with my husband the night before over money and we usually don't do that. After I dropped niki off at school I'm driving home still worried and you want to know what I was worried about? My grandsons birthday is this weekend and I told my daughter I would buy him this toy that is alittle costly but trying to be a good memaw I said oh I'll get that for him and anyway things are really tight for us right now and we just don't have that extra money this week. Yup you heard it right I was worried about buying my grandson a toy! I argued with my husband over a toy! Guilty!!! Well anyway back to my driving home as I was worried and talking to God about it I looked over on the side of the road and there was a family a mom and dad and a little boy about the same age as my grandson,they were digging in the trash,I don't know what they were digging for but I just started to cry because I was worried about how I would buy a toy and God showed me how some people don't even have food. I wanted so badly to pull over and give them money but that made me cry more because all I had in my wallet was some change, I said I don't have anything to give them and then I realized or as I like to believe God whispered in my ear and said you have a voice,say a prayer. I love when God does that!

Another online workshop,new art and new moleskin

I've been on a roll,I love when that happens! Things just work out,go smoothly. You just have fun,no stress. I don't know about you but sometimes when I work on things and they don't go smoothly I get alittle stressed about what to do next or if I should just trash it. These pieces were just stress free!

I also bought a new moleskin journal,my other one is all filled up. I sold a piece of art and decided to treat myself to a new moleskine. Besides they were on sale at barnes and noble. 20% off so I couldnt resist. I love the look of my filled up journal but theirs something about a new journal that I love to. It just sat there for a day,(I didnt want to mess it up) but then I just started writing in it and painted some white paint over the writing. I added a picture of my sillohouette and painted over that too,journaled around the silohouette(is that how you spell it) and now its broken in.

I"m taking another journal class by LK Ludwig. She's having a sale right now. Go and check it out. I love her journals. I'm not much of a photographer but I'm having fun using my own images to journal with. Thats where I got the idea about the silohouette and the picture of my daughter and her cousin at the beach. Thats called vingetteing. (spelling again? ) Well anyway if you like to journal her class is worth taking. Off to walmart(UGH)hope everybody has a great week.

Trying to find the time to paint...

I'm trying to find the time to paint this weekend but family keeps popping in,which I love and would'nt change for the world. I just get frustrated when I start something then the paint drys and I have to go in a different direction. Hope everybodys having a relaxing weekend.

Mom was down!

My mother came down for a visit,so when she comes down I put my art aside and bring out the sewing machine. She doesnt like my art,well thats not exactly what she says,she says that I should stick to my sewing and stop wasting to much time on my other art. When I told her that I sold a few pieces she said well you are getting alittle better. Ugh. Those kind of comments hurt alittle but I'm getting better with accepting the fact that not everybody is going to like my art but some will and I'm not gonna stop because it makes me happy. Anyway we had a couple of days just sewing up a bunch of things. Some of you know that I own a real country store that sells antiques,country decor and candles. And this stuff is all for my store. I love the way the pillows with the doilys came out,then theres the pin cushion and the pumpkins are made by Niki(my daughter) I'm so proud of her. She whipped up about ten of these pumpkins and I already sold three of them for her. I give her a percentege of them,that way she has a little extra spending money. Oh and the other day I came home from work and she made a bikini out of and old tshirt.

I finally had alittle time after mom left to finish up a piece that seems like I have been working on all summer,just adding alittle here and then alittle more there. Well hope everybody has a great weekend and thanks for listening to me whine about my mother.

The Evidence and the Culprit. Plus an image transfer.

This is what happens everytime my grandsons come over. I find pieces of clothing heading right for the pool. They just strip down (to nothing),no time to put one of their 5 different toy story bathing suits on. They just walk in and say hey Memaw and start stripping. Next thing I know their in the pool swimming,of course mommy makes them get out and put their suits on.

The journal page is a image transfer of my daughter blowing bubbles. I took the picture because of the lighting that was coming in. It made one side of her face completely dark and the other side completely white. I then just painted the face as I saw it,and since it was black and white I made the bubble gum pink. Have a great week.

Rainy days and starry nights...

We had a little tropical depression come through so it was rainy for a couple of days. I enjoy it when it rains,its a nice change from the heat and plus it gives me a reason to stay home and do some art. Not that I need a reason, I think I just feel less guilty. Did a couple of journal pages. My moleskin is finished. I just love it,its so thick ,with stuff sticking out of it. This is my second completed book. I always have two or three going on at once. I really don't know why but from what I read on other blogs,I'm not the only one.

My daughter goes back to school next week. I'm always sad when she goes back. I think I just know that it means she's getting older. I always cry alittle on the first day. I know thats silly. Off to do more school shopping. Hope everybody has a great day.

Back from vacation!

and the only picture I got to show you is my pile of dirty laundry. We were in orlando and at the waterparks all day so I did'nt bring my camera with me but I have lots of memories so thats all that matters. We had a great time,even though we're alittle burnt from the sun and exhausted from trying to keep up with a 13 year old and my neice who is 11. I worked in my journal alittle,did a quick sketch of a lady relaxing in the pool and another page about the beauty around us. How everyday we walk through life and not taking the time to notice the beauty around us. I hope you find something beautiful about today!

The sweet side of summer!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sweet side of summer too! You know what I mean the fresh blueberry muffins I made last week,the sweet plum tomatoe salad to go with some grilled steaks and corn on the cobb. And we can't forget everybodys favorite the Popsicle! Remember when you were little? That was the best part of summer!