Grand Opening!

Tonight was the Grand Opening of A Little Known Shop in Anaheim, CA. There was an amazing turn-out and we just got home at 11:30. This is a quick drawing but it gets a good point across.

There is just so much to celebrate! Probably the only thing I'm not celebrating is the choice to add the exclamation point on the final painting. Ugh. Such is life. But I digress....

At the Grand Opening, there was an awesome live band named Partybot, a photo booth, a dessert spot, tamales, make-and-take crafting, friends from the ages, surprise flower from a friend, laughs and even a few tears.

In the excitement, Eva, one of the shop owners, came over to introduce me to the young lady who purchased the hand-painted journal I made. I never thought I'd see the people who bought my stuff because, well, the stuff is in the shop, but I am not... Anyway, it was interesting to meet someone inspired by what I had done. She made the purchase for a friend graduating high school and had been looking for the right journal for weeks because her friend wants to become a writer. I'm so happy she found just the right thing for the gift.

Eva and Danielle, the shop owners, have an amazing space on their hands and deserve boat loads of credit for what they've done. I am fortunate to be counted among those in the shop.

My future as a contributor remains to be seen....

Best wishes for a beautifully rad future, A Little Known Shop!

Acrylic Experiment

Sometimes, after "date night" it's hard to focus on anything serious for awhile. When we got home, I started by painting a base of neon pink. I'd say that is as far from normal as one could get.

I started adding other acrylic colors just to see how they would mix.. Also, I used a palette knife to spread the paint and come up with any size goodies and shapes.

For me, there are plenty of goodies headed my way. I'm starting to write a bunch if gibberish, so this post is almost done. Good night! .

Collage

When was the last time you collaged?

For some people, the answer is, most times, in school, as a kid, nothing more. Others create collage as a form of self expression and release from everyday pressures and, well, life in general. There is something to be said about losing oneself in a project and just being there to create it.

At our Meetup tonight, we brought books and magazines from which to cut images and glue them down on paper, or Bristol board, or cereal box, in my case. I'm a messy collager, and get my hands in the glue, use paint over top, mix glue and paint, and keep layering until I get what I want to see. Others are meticulous and amazing in the care they use to morph existing images into something completely different and thought provoking with no evidence of what holds it all together.

I'm just messy....

My friend has an art studio and she opens it up every month to build art community in Laguna. There are so many artists around here, but it really is a joy to sit amongst them and chat while creating.

Some wander through saying they are not creative or don't do anything artsy. But when they leave, I don't think they should say that any longer. They have come and created and had fun with others who want the same exact company and result.

Art is a beautiful thing.

Everyone is accepted and encouraged. The eye of the beholder determines beauty, but the real beauty is being together and creating. Sort of a real and big art project, you know?

Here is my collage from tonight. I was inspired by the word, "segars" and the warning of smoking one on said red bridge. The rest just showed up.

When is the last time you collaged? Maybe try it again....

Bird

It must have been time for a change today. Not only did I change the medium from watercolor to acrylic, but I also finished this piece at seven tonight. Usually, I'm working up to the deadline of midnight, but I'm actually done early tonight.

I've included the process pics to show that it really just started with a doodle. The acrylic is fun because it dries quickly and the color can be as rich as the color in the bottle. A little water spreads it a bit thinner and it's just fun.

Fun to see a fantastic bird appear today. It was just fun to have fun!

Messy Structure

It is Memorial Day and a time to reflect on the fact so many have served for our country so we can, indeed, stay home today and rest. My Dad served in the Army, Mom's Dad and grandfather served in the Navy and his father was in the Minnesota regiment of the Civil War. I fully appreciate their sacrifices in the name of our nation.

Today was a restful day at home with my sweetie and the pooches. It's going to be a busy week, capped off with the Grand Opening of A Little Known Shop. I just have to make some lists to be sure I get it all done. Also, a trip to the Midwest is in the works. It's an exciting time of year!

Have a great one!

Awesome

Today was filled with awesome. Maybe that's why people call it "awesome sauce," because awesome was just everywhere!

I woke up an hour before my alarm today and that never happens. I, gasp, didn't even have coffee. Freal.

I helped people carry display pieces to their booths, arranged water and sodas in big tubs with ice, made "no parking" signs, and helped to set up a general seating area.

Gathering helpful advice was easy. My first observation was the setting up went very well with more than one person at the booth area. In fact, I saw a woman who brought her mother along to keep an eye on things while she checked on the both site. I also observed a woman who parked too close to another participant and had to nicely tell her to move. Shheeeesh.

But that's not all.

I had just finished both creating and placing a chalkboard sign for the parking situation at a local CVS and furniture store and a woman started to ask whether she cold park there....smh

Ugh. I put the sign up. That was all I could do. More tips? Bring sunscreen. Bring an umbrella. Bring a hand fan. Bring a sweatshirt. Bring a smile and an attitude that screams you want to be there-without the screaming. Figure out where the bathrooms are. Bring water. Then, I got to see a friend I hadn't seen in twenty years! She shrieked and screamed when I found her and we just hugged. I am so glad to have her back in my life! She is a baker of bite-sized goodies and might be interested in some hand-painted cookies, if i can figure it out. I had the opportunity to EAT some of the goodies after our marathon chat and I dropped her home. The day was filled with so much awesome I didn't want it to stop! I'm store and sunburned and totally fulfilled from an amazing festival. Can't wait for the next one!

Sunshine

In the morning, I will be volunteering for an all handmade art and craft festival, called Patchwork, in Santa Ana.

I chose the morning shift in order to get an idea about loading the booths into place. Every indication has noted the morning is the busiest and most hectic part of the festival, but I will love it.

The experience will serve me well in case I decide to go the "show" route in the future. As for now, A Little Known Shop will be the best.

The day promises to be filled with so many things I love, and Hans Christian Anderson's quote is proof. I have these things in life and all is good.

I
Can't
Wait!

This little star

Is not finished yet. I started way too late tonight, but I had the most wonderful day. Will update this painting on the a.m. after current colors have dried :)
Love you!

I felt like it.

It's nice to be able to create at home. The pooches cuddle up and my "office" includes them. Probably the easiest craft I can do, while they are snuggled in next to me, is needle felting.

A friend of mine taught me how to needle felt just before this last Christmas and I was hooked. It's pretty cool to make an object when all there is to start is a puff of wool fibers. It takes awhile to create things, but it is so much fun!

This flower really started out as the base of a tiny basket for an Easter egg. I added in the heart and thought it was done. But it needed something more.

I decided on petals!

This flower could be worn as a brooch,  Hat pin, or as a purse decoration. I like it so much! So much fun :)

The painting seemed only logical as a follow-up. I actually bought some pre-cut watercolor paper today. It's 8x10 140lb watercolor paper and it was a treat to work on it! I used my prang watercolors and all was well with the world.

Take care, love, and have a great time!

Kim

The Reason

Most of the time we want a reason for understanding to just appear and it needs to reveal itself in order for us to move on to the next challenge. But, more often than not, the Reason takes its time and resolves things for us when we are ready.

Maybe the clues are with us all along: When we face a challenge, maybe there was something we could have done to avoid the challenge in the first place. Maybe the Reason reveals itself time and again, but we are not ready to script it. Maybe it's not meant for us to know the Reason. Ever.

Whatever it is, for me anyway, I accept there is a reason for everything. Honestly? I only really like to see the good things. Maybe that is why the Reason seems so clear right away- because I want to see it.

Yep- I pulled these words for the painting from my sister's pinterest page. I don't know if I want to know the reason she was "chosen" to suffer with this cancer crap. I know how strong she is and I admire her positive attitude. I don't envy her at all.

I'll be happy knowing maybe it is bringing my family closer together, even over the miles, because she is very much alive and we can fight this junk. We don't see each other very often, but we are in better contact, now, really, all of us.

I pray that is the only Reason. I pray she just gets better!

Something to think about, anyway.

Do you agree with the sentiment?

Ban Tornados!

It makes no sense to ban tornados, but it makes sense to prepare for the worst.

The Moore tornado was a rare F5 and, at times, cut a two-mile wide path of terror and destruction. I don't know anyone who craves that kind of awful.

Teachers prepare for storms like this, but none could have predicted drowning from a broken water system. We were never given life jackets. Sometimes things just happen out of our control and we can only do our best.

Again, teachers were heroes for protecting the lives of children from a nightmare that well live on for a long time in sleep and in daily life. I am thankful for those who went above and beyond to help others survive, even if it meant losing their own lives.

As a kid, those were the most painful drills out there. We had to tuck down facing the walls in the hallways, lock arms, and envision all of us being sucked out of the building in a chain of kids. We had to stay down for an extended period of time and wait for the inspector to check our preparations. Oh, and it had to be silent. What better way to scare a kid than to make them be quiet first, then listen for the tornado.... But seriously, I am thankful for all of it, how we took the drills seriously, and grateful for never having to use what we learned in reality.

It doesn't make any sense to ban tornados, but it's for sure, some people need a break from them. Moore was hit in the same areas by a powerful tornado just last year, and by another F5 once before in 1999.

It's simply impossible to ban an act of nature, but you get the idea. You can try to ban something all you want, but the problems will still be there.

Ban tornados.
For real.
Ain't nobody got time for dat....

Give Love

When it seems like you have nothing left, give love.

What I know for sure is, if you give love unconditionally, it will come back to you and give you hugs through the love of others.

Be careful with tough love- be sure it's not causing pain instead. Encourage without demanding and forcing your own way. Give love.

Pray for the sweet angels who were lost in the wake of a horrible storm today. Twenty angels in waiting now have more playmates.

Communities have been smashed to pieces, but the people will build again. Things are just things. Lives are important.

How can our world be so violent?
Oh, how awful these storms can be. I spent about twenty years being afraid of tornados. I'd rush to the basement when the sky turned green, light candles, and wait for my family to join me. I knew I was safe if Mom and Dad stayed upstairs. I think they joined me once.

Then, in my twenties and thirties, I had recurring nightmares about tornados. I'd usually see one in the distance, in the dream, lead others to safety, then wait for the storm to pass. Oddly enough, I never saw a real tornado until about 2006. But these days I've come to realize those dreams were really about stress.

People tonight will be dreaming of tornados, but for different reasons. I am thankful for not having that type of experience with them.

I gained an appreciation for them in a Meteorology class in college. Our instructor was going through a storm of his own, so our lectures were a little lackluster. But, I made it more interesting by watching weather reports and learning new vocab on the TV.

Regardless, I appreciate the storm components, but I am vigilant and I am aware during a watch or warning.
Be careful out there, friends,

Heed the warnings.
Protect yourself.
Listen and believe.
Pray for the babies lost and their families.
Pray for the service men/women as they face the eyes of lives passed.

Give love.
Give life.

Sprout

There was a workshop today where I learned some good tips and got great advice for starting a small business. It was aptly titled, 'Grow', and showcased a book by the same name. The author, Eleanor Whitney, led a panel discussion with members of the newly formed Academy of Handmade.

Probably the best advice is to raise my prices. Many of you know how difficult it is to set prices on your own work, but raise them for every body else. Because, if you undervalue your work, then you're actually undervaluing the works of others who do the same as you. 

Next, I've struggled with having to make listings on Etsy. I learned today that I should maybe come up with four basic designs/types of pieces which can carry a rather generic description. This should make an overwhelming task seem a little more do-able.

Third, and I try, but lists are good things. I will try better to make lists and get the gunk out of my head to make room for the good stuff.

It was great to see some of my new friends in this community and to share in the experience today. I left with a renewed sense of hope that I have been on the right track and will continue to take steps in the direction of my dreams.

Have a great week!

Un/seen

This painting is a view from behind my eyelids. I wasn't sleeping, but I covered my eyes and hoped I'd never see again.
For  now, i am going to sleep.

Later-it's the next day, but I couldn't have written about this last night because I would have had nightmares. So if you have a weak stomach, it's probably not a good idea to continue reading. Have a wonderful day.

Oh, you chose to stay.
Well, here goes. To really understand the contrast here, one has to know the good and the bad. I'll start with the happy part of yesterday.

We traveled to the California high desert to attend an amazing event for high school students with perfect attendance. Victorville Motors gave away two cars to these kids. My sweetie acted as rep for Dodge and we were treated like VIPeople.

The greatest part of this event is attendance has skyrocketed in the involved schools because of the giveaway.  It was the second year of the event and 1,400 kids were entered into the drawing, so they decided to give away two cars.

We were blessed to see the winners get their cars and witness a community pull together to raise attendance in schools to help teachers and the education system to really work.

As many people trickled out after the ten finalists were announced, it was easier to see what became the worst part of the day. We were watching kids try their keys in the ignition when a rush of police officers ran toward the fairground parking lot. It looked a lot like when I taught in middle school and a fight broke out- authority ran from everywhere, hands to ear pieces, to get people to safety.

I actually wrote it off to a fight because the math of students + jealousies+ hot sun + misunderstandings might have been the perfect cocktail for it. I guess my experience had desensitized me after breaking up a couple of fights at school myself. I didn't think much of it until most people had left and we were chatting with the guys who organized the whole thing.

We were discussing the drama of kids not knowing the brake pedal, to the absolute beauty of the whole day, to the kids and parents who attended, to the social issues of the area, to the addition of a teacher car giveaway next year, to the fight in the parking lot.

"There was a fight in the parking lot?" He asked.
"Sure. Didn't you see the rush of cops going toward the parking lot?"
"No," he said. "That wasn't a fight. Somebody out there was killing puppies."

WHAT?

I didn't want to cry. I just met this person. But my stomach was suddenly raw.

"Who does that?" He asked.

I don't know who does that. We changed subjects because who likes talking about that? The day was way too powerful to be trodden with sorrow. And besides, no way. I was almost sure it was a fight. Maybe it would just go away.

We made our way to the gates and started the trek through the parking lot. Our car was way way out there because the lot had been full when we arrived. We were bubbling with joy over the events and how amazingly well the day flowed and how we never expected it to be so huge!

Then I spotted a crate. Those of you who know me know re-use things if I can. I asked my sweetie, "Hey, want a crate?" Then something hit me and I looked around the parking lot.

It looked like a pile of clothes that got left behind. I walked a little closer and my sweetie said, "Kim, don't go over there." I had been close enough.

Fur. Puppies. Not living. Still there. It was real. I never could have imagined that. It couldn't be real.

"Oh my God, it's the puppies!"

Sad. ANGRY! wanting the same for whoever did it! Angry! Sad! Biting tongue and walking all at the same time. The puppies! Who does that?

All I could do is close my eyes and pray for those little puppy bodies and pray I would never see anything like that again.

All I could see are the colors in the painting behind my eyelids. The sun was setting and we were driving home and all I could do was pray.

Today, I am thankful for having rescued our two dogs. I'm sitting here, with them wrapped around me, typing on my phone to get this message out.

If you ever have the opportunity to save a dog, I highly recommend it.

A little color

The space is set for me in A Little Known Shop, in Anaheim, California. The rent is really great and their take is only ten percent. I am hoping to clear my shelves!

I took an assortment of goodies in tonight and arranged them as best I could. I thought I wouldn't have enough, and quickly found out my space was kind of cluttered.

The one thing the owners kept mentioning is the color! I'm so happy too have filled someone's corner of the world with a little color and positivity.

More pictures, soon!

Thanks, everybody!

Just smile.

This song, Smile, came on tonight as I was waiting to talk to the owners of A Little Known Shop in Anaheim. I heard it first in the movie, "Hope Floats," and fell in love with it via cassette on a solo road trip from Minneapolis to Chicago in about 1999.

The song reminds me to stay strong when emotions start to overcome old situations.

I've discovered it is time to move from some personal anchors set only by, and within, myself. It is time to, "get a move on," like my Mom says. I've gotten off the couch and onto walking the roads and park nearby.

And, wow, "a body in motion trends to stay in motion." Yeah, that's some good stuff right there....thanks,  Newton.

Friday, I will be busy from the time I wake up, to the time I get in the car to go to Anaheim to display some art and craft.

I really cannot wait! I'm so excited to begin this new adventure of being "bigger than my body gives me credit for", just like John Mayer sings.

Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy the weekend!

Materials:
Canson XL mixed media 90 lb paper
Faber Castell Opaque Watercolors

Delicate Flower

Sha. Hright.

This sweet African Iris, and its friends, are in our back yard all spring, summer and even fall. The blooms seem to pop up like fireworks and fizzle out overnight. But, the plant from which this flower springs is understated, yet quite powerful.

This could be a story about not judging a book by its cover, or how beauty is fleeting, but it is only a story about the slow, patient growth of the leaves of this plant.

It is a delicate flower, only to be guarded by some of the strongest leaves around. They grow tall and thin reaching for every drop of sunlight they can get. They must be pretty happy to be in the sunniest spot, too. In fact, these plants were trimmed down to a height of about twenty four inches. I didn't measure, but I can tell you they are at least twice as tall now and show no signs of stopping.

It's been sunny and hot the last few days with temps in the upper nineties. Without a.c., it's always nice to open the windows to get just a little fresh air inside the house. Funny thing is, my sweetie tried opening the window in the room with a ceiling fan, and the screen was broken.

I panicked a little inside. We live in a nice neighborhood, but I'm not naive.  My sweetie told me we'd had an intruder last summer.

The African Iris.

Seems its leaves had grown large enough to finagle slipping through a crack and invading the window space. Conditions must have been prime, for it grew enough to bend the screen and break it. Seriously.

Delicate flower.

Yes, it's enough to get upset, but not really upset. The screen can be replaced and the plants cut back to avoid the intruder coming back.

But as I took my walk this morning, after the scale hadn't budged, I was reminded of this amazing plant. None of that screen break-in happened overnight. In fact, it was a slow and steady invasion that happened under our noses.

Obviously, I had to be reminded to persevere. My goal will not happen overnight. Hell, it won't happen for months. But it will happen.

I'll be patient.
I'll work at it every day and the reward will be sweet.

And I promise- no break-ins! Unless, of course, you mean "breaking in" a new pair of jeans....

Great thanks!

It was fun today to watch all the love light up on Facebook in honor of my sweet sister. I know we have common friends, but I was so touched to see all of the messages from so many from all over the place and appreciate the time and patience of those who did. It means a lot to show love, support and kindness to those we rarely see anymore in our friends group. It is good to know, and let me paraphrase a quote, "Friends are like stars in the sky: we may not always see them, but they are always there." Thank you friends, for being here today and always.

Hope, For the good fight

Maybe you've wondered about the melancholy, lately.

Truth is, my sister is in a lot of pain. She's thirty-five and has just had a full hysterectomy in order to rid her body of cancer. It's not my story to tell, so I've held back. I know it's come through in my work and now she's made the request for all the love she can get.

She really needs all the cheer and prayers, good vibes and karma you can send her way to help with her healing.

Of all the people in the world strong enough to fight this, Carrie is at the top. It's not time to feel sad- it's time to fight the unwelcome visitor.

She is home now, but sore and hurting, as well as experiencing some very tricky emotions.

I'm asking for you to spread the love. Open your heart and let the love flow!

This piece is in her honor, as it's all I can do right now. Funny thing is, she hates hearts....but what is the symbol of love?

Send some her way.

I love my sisters and never want them hurting- I love my whole family and we will power through this. Life is always better than the alternative.

Re-Work It

I believe this piece was destined for the trash can.

It started fine enough with watercolor swirls and then the dashes. I was using a brush that could be used for watercolor calligraphy, so I wanted to practice brush angle a bit with curls and loops.

Next, the empty loops got filled with blues, greens and purples. I traced the existing curvy lines with other colors to help create interest. It started to be nothing I wanted to see.

The dashes really saved it all.

Dipping the brush into greens and blues was really satisfying. It began to look like, "maybe I should have done that with the whole piece," bitty I didn't want to start over.

The hope was there.

I find such peace in the blues and greens of life. As summer approaches, cool colors sort of bring relief in a house that is too hot. We don't have air conditioning in the whole house and I was raised on the a.c. This summer will bring new challenges to keep cool.

These colors helped bring me to a much cooler place tonight. And what color, but white, is the coolest of them all? "What's cooler than being cool? Ice Cold. Alright, Alright, alright...." I got out the Faber Castell opaque watercolors only to use the white tonight. It's been awhile, but glad to have tried it.

The rest of the story is painted in white. In my mind, this piece took the fast track from garbage to gallery in just a few minutes. Hope is alive and well.

I like it now.

Maybe the path isn't just right. I'll have to re-examine and bring in a familiar element to move on.

Hope is present.
The challenge is on.

Materials:
Canson XL Mixed Media 90lb paper
Prang watercolor ovals
Faber Castell opaque watercolor

Mother's Day

I've read from Anne LaMott about how much she hates Mother's day. Don't get me wrong, it's not because there are Moms, and she is one herself. It's more like, why aren't other women celebrated for being Mom-like when they have no babies of their own, or why is it just one day?

There are so many other types of mothers in this world who don't fit with the Hallmark description. LaMott writes, "[Mother's Day] celebrates the great lie about women: That those with children are more important than those without."

The truth about the lie is so hard to stomach. There are a lot of mommas out there who do so much, but don't have little ones at the table with them today. They help make our world a kinder and caring place.

I spent the evening with a friend who has no children of her own. She hosts us at her house, cooks for us, loves us like her own, and makes her home ours to find comfort. She takes care of us, like your Mom. (see what i did there?) Today, she is hosting Mother's Day at her home for her husband's parents. She cuts no corners and cares deeply.

But,
Mother's Day is not for her?
She doesn't have her own kids.
I'll be wishing her a Happy Mother's Day, today.

I'm not sure people really know how painful this holiday is for so many mommas. There are tons of reasons, too many to mention, but like infertility struggles, birth moms, single moms, and four-legged or winged mommas, the reasons are there.

Teachers who serve as Mom during the day because there is no Mom at home.

And the friend whose Mom has just passed away and nothing comes easy on this day.

The list is endless, but it is very real.

I'm not saying we should cancel the holiday. I believe the scope should be wider, but know that won't happen, really.

It still comes down to the mommas with kids.
It's not wrong, it's just tradition.

I love my Mom!
To ALL my Mommas, too!
Happy Mother's Day!
I CELEBRATE YOU.

Crabby.

Today was one of those "I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed" kind of mornings. I've had plenty melancholy mornings, good-n-plenty happy days and nonchalant nothings, but today I was Crabby Patty.

There was no good reason for it either. Last night was really fun, had bomb gelato, made stuff, and my sweetie came home from a work trip. As for today, I'd made plans to go to a friend's house for coffee, bake banana muffins for said-plan, and then keep the party rolling with other friends in HB (that's Cal-speak for Huntington Beach). So why so crab-tastic?

There is just no reason. Not even the"usual suspect" female issue could  be blamed for this one. All I could do is just go. Just go do something. Follow through. Hug friends! So, I did.

I made it through everything except going to HB tonight. On top of crabby, I'd also put some "older" concealer on my eyes and it made my eyes sting. Maybe those things really DO need an expiration date...

Anyway- this day is done and I am thankful for the time spent with my friend, my sweetie, and the dogs. It's all accounted for now..

Wave

A wave of good feelings for the day;

I talked to my sister on the phone, made some beaded treasures, had a great walk, met some new people, and created a tote for fun summer time, who's on the way!

I have no idea why the pictures showed up in the order they did, so you'll have to imagine the steps for painting the bag.

Lisa, from The Makery in Anaheim, made these cute welcome bags by stitching craft paper and creating an envelope that holds our goodies. She is so thoughtful! All the little details are so amazing!

We used a muslin bag with acrylic paint and textile medium. We also used carpenter's tape with the idea of painting over it for the gain of negative spaces.

Each of us had separate ideas for our bags and they all turned out nicely!

The painting is a wave of goodness. Life is good, even when things don't always seem so. I'm thankful for having met a new bunch of friends! I look forward to crafting with them soon.

Laugh Anyway

Are the people of SoCal super happy? Well, the earth is because there are flowers everywhere, and if Emerson is right, the flowers are loud with laughter.

Recently I made a post a named, "A Cloudy Day" and the color in it would have suggested a full-sun day, or a rather ironic post. It drew attention from the name, as well. Someone asked, "why?" And I let them know it was a way for me to cheer up. In other words, I needed some color.

Likewise with today and color. The sky was gray, off-and-on, and I just can't go without finding more and more flowers. Living in the desert made me appreciate the world outside of the desert so much more.

As I walked with the pooches today, we found a lemon in the road, near the curb. Like THAT would have happened in the desert. It was still a little green, so I know it is fresh, and I suppose we'll make the proverbial lemonade.

If you can, get outside. Go smell the laughing flowers and breathe in the color. Spring is here! Enjoy!

Materials:
Canson xl 90 lb paper
Prang watercolor ovals
Staedtler Pitt Pens

Teacher Appreciation

Thank you, to all of the teachers I have had in my life. Each one had an important message about life rolled up in, and disguised as, regular classwork.
After a few years in the classroom, I can appreciate the sacrifices made to educate the students in their charge.
I appreciate their attention for not only being a good student, but also for helping develop us as human beings.

I have a green "happy" box filled with notes of thanks going back as far as the mid-nineties from students, parents, and my colleagues. Although I an not in a classroom this year, the green box is a source of hope for when I doubt my abilities as a teacher. Sounds funny, but being away this long sometimes plays funny tricks on me. I know I can do it, but the green box is a nice pick-me-up, because someone took the time to say thanks.

So, if you're thinking of how to recognize your child's teacher, or perhaps your own, there is no greater gift than thanks.

Just go.
Thank a teacher.

Scrap Flowers

More flowers for the Creative Every Day challenge. I guess I've been working on my style of flowers. They're not very realistic, but parts could be. I've been trying to relax a bit and the same style comes through, so I am going with it.

The purple flower was created on a Crystal Light box I unsealed, gessoed, and stiffened with texture medium. I used a dictionary for the words, tissue paper, painted scraps from other projects, and acrylic paints. Oh- and mod podge!

A while back, I found an old dictionary for kids and thought I'd use it one day for collages and I just can't stop now! I like the way the pages have yellowed over time and how they tear easily. When I couldn't find the word "recycle" in it, I checked the copyright date to find 1968 on the inside. No wonder! It was worth a laugh and now I just rip it up....

More collage to come! I'm loving it!

Just Beachy

Waking up to a request to go to the beach? Yes, please! Top that off with a visit by my cousin, his wife and kids, and that is a fine recipe for a Sunday morning.

We chatted at the beach, they flew a kite, and we saw dolphins from the shore! It was a beautiful day, especially with the clouds. I think cloudy days make it easier to spot dolphins and keep the beach quiet. It's nice to have the beach to ourselves.

After the family left, I wandered through a few of my favorite shops on the way back to the car. The design from my painting comes from the textural pattern on a pitcher I spotted in one of those shops.

The background started with brown. Brown is such a rare choice and I am not really sure what made me choose it, yet, I do like the result.The pitcher, however, was a white-glazed terra cotta style pitcher.-Artistic license at its best.

I hope you enjoyed your Cinco de Mayo!

I'm so thankful for family!

Shrinky Cinco

Tonight I created flowers, but with friends and shrink film. My friends traced some really elaborate designs and I made a commemorative something for the hostess. I also tried to create some jewelry flowers, but used ink that was too dark. If I make these again, I'll be sure to use lighter colors.

We had so much fun just chatting and creating fun things tonight. Oh, and who could forget the round of "Mystery Date," the game? What a blast from the past and so much fun.

I hope I greet to see the new friends I made tonight, again, sometime!

Cheers and
Happy (day before) Cinco de Mayo!

Thanks so much for a great evening!

Bittersweet Bouquet

"Bittersweet, more sweet that bitter,
Bitter than sweet."
-Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Sometimes the news is bittersweet.

Hug your loved ones and let them know you love them.

This is an entry for the Creative Every Day Challenge theme of "flowers" for May. I love flowers but have had a hard time getting started. All is well- and there are ideas a-brewing!

Materials:
Canson XL mixed media 90lb paper
Prang watercolor ovals

Just a Doodle Do

Some days it's just enough to relax and make a doodle. On paper, canvas, a receipt, a coffee cup slip,... well, anywhere there is to put paint/pencil/pen/media of choice.

Some days, it's enough to listen to what really matters. Or, get the things out of the bottle that has been sitting too long with craziness inside. Some days it's what is said that is important.

Some days, it's enough to have coffee at a dear friend's home instead of going out. The scenery is much better anyway and talks lead to rainbows, parrots, lizard push-ups, Kermit the Frog and of course, hummingbirds. Way better, don't you think?

And, some days, when nothing else can be done about other things happening outside of our control, all I can do is breathe. And pray. And breathe. 

And pray. All days.

 

Flowers

 Today marks the first day of the "flower" challenge through Creative Every Day. This piece was made with Canson XL 90lb paper, Prang Watercolor Ovals, and a fuchsia sharpie marker. 

Today was also very busy. I spent some good time at the DMV getting my life current. 

Then, I went to an arts/crafts store and got some really bright acrylics, the Staedler Pitt pens, some new beads, and some other things for sweetie. 

It's been a  long day, so I'm turning in. 

Ciao!