Christmas 2011

A beautiful day was had by all . . .

 Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night . . .

Christmas Art

I've been having such a fun time catching up on all the art I need to make for various swaps and groups I'm in.  Here is a "stocking full of goodies", without the goodies, for my Yahoo group, Art for the Creative Mind.

A Christmas tag for the same Yahoo group.

ATC's for the local ATC Club I belong to.

The altered book for the local group I belong to.  This was probably my least favorite theme - Op Art.  I love working with black and white, but optical art is not my style.  It is good to step out of our comfort zone, though, and I made this "my own" and I like it.

Two more tags to make, a postcard and a couple of journal pages.  Thank goodness my shopping, decorating and baking is done!  I love the hustle and bustle of this time of year!!

Christmas Banner

Finished my banner for a swap I'm in with my Yahoo group, Art for the Creative Mind.  I love it and am in the process of making one for myself because I think it is just the cutest.

What do you think?

Our Tree

The tree is up!  Yay!   

What's that you say - no tree skirt?  Hmmm.  I'm thinking I got rid of my tree skirt last year.   Must go find another.  This is my first tree at home with white lights.  I've been wanting white lights for years but my kids always wanted multi-colored lights.  Fortunately I needed a new tree this year and chose what I like.  What a novel idea!!   Now on to the rest of the house!!

Ornaments

I had to make two ornaments for a swap I joined with my Yahoo group, "Art for the Creative Mind".  I was so late in getting these ornaments sent because I just could not come up with anything that looked good.  Sometimes I have such a mental block with art - very frustrating!!  Here is what I finally came up with.

Have you seen the tags Tim Holtz is presenting on his blog?  They are divine.  My scrapbooking store replicates tags in their own fashion and prepares little kits that we can purchase to make our own tags.  Here is the tag for Day 1.  I love just about anything Tim Holtz creates, so this is such incredible fun.  Now I want to go make my own version.

Pretty much finished with my shopping, which is unusual for me.  Now I have to decorate and bake.  That was the plan for tonight but teenage daughters sometimes have a way of trashing best laid plans.  This too shall pass, right?

Me and My Muse

Great theme for an art journal, don't you think?  This was my latest challenge with my Yahoo group, "Art for the Creative Mind".  I just love making these journal pages.  This one is one I'd like to keep for myself.  I do hope the recipient likes it also.  We all have a different taste and style in art journalling and I find that I must do what I like, not what I think someone else will like, especially when I do not even know the person it's being made for.  I'm finding that the more art I make, the more comfortable I am with what I make.  My daughter gets so angry with me when I doubt what I make.  She's given me enough of a push to boost my confidence and not worry about if someone else will like it as I do.  It's so much more fun to just let it flow.  Here is what I came up with for "Me and My Muse".

My next art journal theme is "Asian".  I bought some great additions for that page!  Next I'll be starting a Round Robin Art Journal Exchange.  I need to get my book started before we send it off in January.  I'm really looking forward to this!!

Productivity is a Good Thing

I had a very productive day today.  I was up at the crack of dawn, out to Home Depot when they opened, bought red and white impatiens and some yellow marigolds, as well as some red mulch.  Came home, planted and mulched.  Once I recovered from that, I hand washed my car.  Did about three loads of laundry, put Halloween decorations away, "winterized" my bathroom with my taupe and red accessories, put rope lights on my palm tree and am now getting ready to make art.  I'm beat, but feeling good.  How was your Saturday?

Happy Halloween!!

Such a fun day!  We dressed up at work, had a fun lunch together and I'll be welcoming trick or treaters tonight if the rain lets up, which is the forecast.  Today is my brother's 60th birthday.  Can't believe I have a brother that's 60 - wasn't it just a couple years ago that he teased me incessantly?  Hope everyone enjoys the magic of the day!

Fun Sunday

I went to my company picnic today and had such a nice time.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and it was such fun to spend a few hours enjoying the glorious day.  They had an artist there doing portraits of interested attendees.  I've never done anything like that before and I was anxious to see me through her eyes.  I don't quite think it looks like me, but I like the way it turned out.

My Rachel started her first job Friday night.  She's a hostess at "On The Border".  She wasn't too happy when she came home her first night, certain she was not going to like this job at all and "I just cannot believe everything a hostess has to do"!  Where's the violin?  Her second night proved to be a better night.   She came home happy and bubbly, loving the job and confident that she smiled a lot, kept the cooks informed, was fair to the servers and ensured all the menu's sparkled.  When I was a teenager, I could not wait to get a job.  Rachel was perfectly content to let me continue to meet all of her financial needs - imagine that!  Here's a picture of her on her first day, "Oh Mom"!!!

Ah the seasons of our life!

Art Journal

I am participating in an art journal swap with my Yahoo group, "Art for the Creative Mind".  There are nine participants in this group, who have each selected a theme for their journal.  We use watercolor paper, 5x7, front and back in the designated theme to be mailed at specific intervals.  My first page was Alice in Wonderland, which I shared back a post or two.  My second page was "Art Quotes" and I foolishly forgot to take a picture before mailing.  Ugh!  My third page was "Magick".  I had such a difficult time being inspired with this theme that I was unprepared at mailing time as I still had a blank page.  The pressure was on and since I do work well under pressure, my muse kicked in and the following is the result.

 

On to the next journal page, "Me and My Muse".  Gotta go put my thinking cap on and see what I come up with!

Amazing Tribute

Each year on September 11th,  the Fire Chief's Association of Palm Beach County, Florida presents a tribute to those that lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and to honor those that risked their lives on that fateful day.  The ceremony this year was in my town and I was so touched by the day's events.  Every Fire Department and Police Department throughout Palm Beach County was represented.  Each unit had fire trucks parked along the main road in.  A parade was held ending at our Ampitheatre where a beautiful ceremony was held.  Here are some photo's to capture the day.
                                                           

                                                                         

A plaque on the front of one of the trucks reads, "Look Busy Until We Get There"

The Flyover

                                        A Flag That Was In The World Trade Center, Framed

Our Town's Memorial - steel from between the 69th and 71st floors of Tower 2 and the Fountain with an Eternal Flame.  There is also a wall with the names of each person that perished etched in glass.

It was a typically hot, hot, hot Florida day, yet the Firefighters from throughout the County were gathered together to honor their own.  They stood in the blazing hot sun, in full uniform, never showing any discomfort.  As we were standing behind a group of Firefighters, I noticed that every 15 minutes or so, the person in the front of the line who was standing in the direct sun, would move to the back of the line where there was shade so each had a turn in the sun.  Amazing. 

 After the ceremony was over, we were speaking with one of the Firefighters crediting him for withstanding the heat in full uniform.  He commented that they were well hydrated, that they train for "conditions" like this and with a twinkle in his eye said, "even if we were dying, we'd never let you know it"!  Not everyone could fill those shoes.  Thank God for those that do!

An amazing day.  The emotions are overflowing.  I remember what I was doing ten years ago today.  We all do. It was the day life changed forever.

What I Like About Me

I am the type of person that sees the good in everything.  I am pretty much happy all of the time and I don't let things get me down.  I could be going through the worst of times, but life goes on and I don't let those things that I cannot control, control me.  I always want everyone to be happy but realize that it is a choice we each have to make.  I choose to be happy.  I choose to not let things bother me.  If something is going really horribly, I just plod on through and seek the fun, the happy the feel good stuff.  I don't have to be like this.  I choose to be like this.  We're all on a journey and I'm liking my journey.  Hey, it's my journey and I want to enjoy it, so I'm going to.

My travels today took me to my favorite scrapbooking store.  I love the group of friends I've met there and truly enjoy being with them while we take some time to play.  I participated in a 7 Gypsies Printers Tray class.  It was relaxing and fun.  Here is the finished product.

There were a couple pieces that did not come in yet so I'll have to add them when they arrive.  The center on the top row should have two hooks on either side holding the clock with wings.  There should be a hook on the top left holding that little banner;  and there should be hooks on either side of the little photo album in the bottom right with an elastic holding it in place.  I'm going to add some black and white photo's of my parents and perhaps some journaling where I can.  I just love it!  This was a very fun project.

I'm participating in an Art Journal swap with "Art for the Creative Mind", a Yahoo group I belong to.  The theme for my journal is "Words", a theme I've used before and never tire of everyone's interpretation.  I received my first page today, a beautiful creation by our group leader, Tolegranny.



Front



Back

The first page I had to create is for an Alice in Wonderland Art Journal.  Here is what I came up with.

I also made a tag last week at the scrapbooking store to welcome Fall. 

Tomorrow I need to bring out my Fall holiday decorations and pack away my patriotic things until next

smmer.  Hope you are enjoying your weekend too. 

What do you like about you?

I haven't posted in so long I see Blogger has changed.  Why are things centered now?  How can I change that?  Hmmm.  Must go figure this out.  See what happens when you take a month to make a post?!!  The world keeps turning, ready or not!!

Bird Song Tag Book

I recently participated in a tag book swap, hosted by Karla Nathan. I love to create art with birds and music so I jumped at the opportunity to make tags for the Bird Song Tag Book swap. Blue was my color of choice. Here's what I came up with.


Karla always has the best swappers. I love my book and each tag in it.


I can't imagine hosting such a swap. Karla made the covers for each book, packaged them up nicely to send to us and impressed the heck out of me when I heard she had 150 swappers! It's so nice when someone takes on such a project that brings such happiness to so many.

Sullivan

I think I am falling in love, though my heart breaks. Tonight I met Sullivan, a ten year old Weimaranan who was surrendered by his family because they are having their first baby and feel Sullivan is too energetic for their new lifestyle. Hmmmmm.

My friend, Hope, asked me to help with the fundraiser she's chairing for The Big Dog Ranch Rescue. We are coordinating a Howlin Hoedown to raise money for this amazing organization. Our committee meeting was held tonight at the Rescue so we could all get an opportunity to see exactly what our efforts will benefit. They currently have about 120 big dogs waiting for placement.

My heart went out to Sullivan. I cannot understand how someone can give up a ten year old dog. Do you know the average life expectancy of a Weimaranan is ten to twelve years? He just got to the Rescue today after a five hour drive from Jacksonville, Florida. I snapped this photo quick, Sullivan looking out the front door, waiting perhaps for his family to come? He probably doesn't know what's going on.

I never used to like dogs. What the heck? I already have two! How will I ever sleep tonight?!

"....and now that I am old and gray, Oh God, forsake me not" . . . .

Cruisin' The Mississippi

For our final night in New Orleans, we took a two hour cruise on a steamboat on the Mississippi River. New friends from our art classes joined us and it was such fun. The sunset was beautiful and the New Orleans skyline at night was so pretty. It was a guided tour for the first 45 minutes, which is always interesting, and we enjoyed a very good jazz band for the rest of the cruise.

This was the perfect end to a great trip!