Creating with my Girls!!

The times of being able to get together with

people who love to create, are some of the most

fun times for me. We learn from each other and laugh a lot!

Two amazing girls that I have the privilege of knowing and creating with are Hannah and Erin.

For two days this week, I've had a painting day at my art studio....and we've had a blast!!

Hannah brought us handmade wooden boards to paint on. Mine already had a great textured foundation, so making it come alive with my touch, was pretty quick and easy.

This is the piece I did, and I must say...came out pretty cool!! I named it "Great South Bay" which is where I grew up, and I just can't seem to get away from the sea, again.

This piece also, really should have Hannah's signature on it as she gave me some great ideas and stretched me in certain areas.

Sharing each other's gems are so nice. Hannah brought some great colors which ended up on my piece. (It's always nice to share with the class)

And here are "My Girl's!"

Hannah, who is an awesome teen-aged friend of mine, inspires me beyond measure. Her talent is immense and she has no fear or inhibitions, so her work is beautiful and free. I think that's what draws me the most to her work. She opens up my mind and brush to new things. When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

This is the piece she finished on that Saturday afternoon. She tried some new texture ideas for the foamy sea, and it came out very nice. What I love about this piece, are the billowing clouds, the choppy sea, yet the boat is calm.... "Even in the storm, I am with you" is what comes to mind.

I can't wait to paint with you again!!

I met Erin a few summer's ago at our church camp. She quickly became our daughter's best friend, and a very special part of our family and thus, my friend too!! She and I painted together for two days this past week, one of the days, her just getting her feet wet with this whole world of mixed media art. She pencil draws beautifully, so she wanted to incorporate that into her piece. After getting her elephant done, I showed her my techniques for creating a unique piece of art...and what emerged was absolutely beautiful and she was hooked!!

"There is no death, only a change of World's" was the piece she created on our fun painting Saturday.

I love to see the different ideas we all have floating around our heads and see how they are transfered to the canvas, or in our case, boards. Even though we like the same mediums, our finished pieces are each different, and reflect part of who we are.

I love being with like minded people, and one's who love to do the same thing as I do. I love the laughter that fills my home when we get together, the seeds of creating that get planted and grow, and the satisfaction of a thought or idea, that when put down on the board, comes out really good. But probably the main one is the joy that is felt when you stand back and say "Oh, I love how that came out!!" There's not much else that is that satisfying!

I can't wait until we have another Creating Day and get our hands all messy....for it really is so wonderfully fun!!!





Check out Hannah's new blog by visiting the following link! www.vesselart.blogspot.com

Black to Hope

This painting took on many forms and was literally put through the ringer.

I wanted to try a few new ideas, one being holding my painted canvas under running water to see what emerged.

A mess is what I ended up with, but I kept at it and this is what evolved.

I loved the bird cage, but thought it was ruined when my printer spit out a badly colored copy, so I used it as a practice piece. Well, that resulted in a bigger love, so I put it on! Oh, what one can do with seemingly junk!!

New Each Day is stamped on a swatch of boat canvas. There's anything to do with the sea sneaking in again.... ;)

Day is a choice to be New!

I have realized that as an artist, I've come a long way, a long, long way. I used to be so self-conscience about my work, what people might think of me...and the list goes on. But lately, I see myself coming out of that place, that Black, and into a more secure and confident place that is full of hope, knowing that what I create is pleasant to me, and to my Father, and who else really do I have to have the

acceptance of?

Black to Hope

Mixed Media

12x12 on canvas

"I awaken, and breathe in the air.

New hope is born."

Grace Remains

My soul felt chilly. It was like the warmth of the summer that once had filled my being just vanished, and I was left shivering. I've been listening to those constant, nagging voices that seem to surround me and say that my life was slow and mundane, and felt like my purpose had waned.

I don't say all that to be a downer, but as a testimony of the goodness of God that met me, let me know that His grace is big enough to keep me perfectly centered, and that I do count, just as I am. And all those feelings of insecurity melted away, as the sun melts the snow, when I let His love secure my heart. Grace and love, I cherish.

During this time, "Grace Remains" came to be.

It started out with longing, evolved, with an ending of sweet peace.

It symbolizes the knowing that Spring is faithful to come and

that His love is real & it never needs to be doubted!

Tucked in the corner is a little diddy

of the childhood game

"He loves me

He loves me not",

but ends with the fact that YES,

HE LOVES ME!!!

Who's a size 2 anyway?!?

Thriftstoring (one of my many made up words) is one of the more fun events of my week. I usually go with my daughter, daughter-in-law, and sometimes with my mom. It's always a thrill to see what treasures we're going to find, and on Wednesdays at the Salvation Army, well, all clothing is 50% off so the thrill is doubly as wonderful. On this one particular day, I didn't find a thing and was a bit disheartened, but did come across this very beautiful wool skirt with a unique trim a the bottom. Well, pretty is was, although in a size that has never grace my body...but my mind went wild with what it could become! So, I bought it, for a mere $2.

The trim actually coordinated with the wall color in my living room which led me to think...Pillow!!

I stared by sewing up that slit with a whip stitch. Then measured how big I wanted this pillow to be. To have the ruffly part be in the middle, I measured up from the ruffles the same distance it was from them, to the bottom, then sewed a straight stitch across to make it symmetrical.

Next, I found an old feather pillow which is pictured below. (I'm rather mortified to put this picture on the blog since this one had been around for a hundred years or so and has many disgusting stains on it) (I really am a clean person) I knew it would be all covered up and no one would know...well, until now. So, I went to work stitching in two places so I could cut in between to the size I needed, without that poor goose's coat go a flying throughout

my whole room. It worked!

Now I was ready to put the new-sized feather pillow into the skirt bottom and sew up the bottom with a whip stitch.

Here is the finished pillow sitting proudly on my new Ikea chair I got for Christmas. I think it came out rather nice and am certainly going to be looking for more

fun skirts to make a few others.

I just hope the lady who once wore that skirt never comes for tea and recognizes one of the items that once hung in her closet. That would be a strange thing to have to explain.

But for now, I'll just relax in my chair and enjoy my skirt pillow!