Art Show and Tell Part 1

I had such fun this past weekend making the things I needed for my groups. I often wait until the last minute as I've often felt I worked better under pressure, but I'm starting to change that thinking pattern. I'm not liking it when I have to rush. I want to take my time and think things through and change it up if I'm not pleased with the results. I did have fun playing this weekend, though, even if it was last minute and wanted to share my projects. This is the two page spread I did for the "Lovely in Lace" altered book.


And here are some of inchies I did with the theme of "Faces".

The ATC's this month were, "Place You Would Like To Go". I did Disney, because it was quick and easy. Everyone's ATC's were amazing and I will share those in another post. One was really creative - a picture of Michelle, our scrapbook store owner. There was a little door at the top of Michelle's head with a replica of her brain inside. Michelle is full of incredible ideas that she always gets so excited to share with us, her groupies. Yep, inside her brain would be a great place to go!!

I really need to make a point of sitting at my art table more often because once I sit in that seat, my mind is on art and I love that thought process!

Change

I changed my blog background. I haven't done that in years. I see many blogs that use the backgrounds on Hot Bliggity Blog so I had to check it out myself. There are lots of pretty ones and I'm not 100% sure about this one so I have to look at it for a few days. It doesn't look real summery, but I think it looks rich and elegant. Now I need to change my header and I don't know how to do that. I want to put all kinds of things that I love in my header. My current photo's are things I love but I don't think it looks good with this background. Well, it's summer and it's time to play around. This might be fun . . .

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We're looking lush here in South Florida! Finally getting some much needed rain, which certainly helps with the flowers. I just love coming out my door and seeing a variety of pretties.

The blossoms just fell off this geranium, but lots of new buds will soon open.

I was going to discard this little palm as I didn't think it would survive with its badly burnt fronds, but all of a sudden new growth appeared and it's looking great!

My friend, Hope, gave me this Gardenia on the left this past Easter. It was so full and beautiful - I just loved it. I flew up to NJ shortly after Easter to visit my mom. When I came back, I realized I never asked Rachel to water it while I was gone as it was dried to a crisp. There were a couple of green leaves still hanging on so I tried to make up for my abandonment and watered it, talked to it and tried to nurture it back to life. It worked! It almost looks as pretty as the day I got it!! Hopefully it will flower for me one day!

So that's what's growing in my neck of the woods. How are things in your little corner of the world?

Saturday

I am feeling great today! I had a miserable task to do that seemed to take forever, but I did it and it's done and it's time to move on. What I have learned over the past couple of months is that stuff is stuff and while it can hold many beautiful memories, our moments together and the memories we cultivate by sharing our time and space in this world, those are the things we will cherish and remember.

Today I am going to make art and I am so excited! I have several projects to do and not much time to complete them but that is my focus and it will be fun! I need to make Inchies with the theme of "faces". What an interesting theme!!

I spent time last night flipping through magazines I've saved for this purpose, cutting out interesting faces. I'm anxious to see the finished product.

I also have ATC's to do with the theme of "Place You Would Like To Go". I'm going to do something similar to one of the photo's in my header, a chair at the beach. Yep, that's where I need to spend some time.

Another project is the new altered book my group started. The book I need to work in is "Living with Lace". I'm so excited about this book as I love all things vintage and lace. I think I will do my page as "The Bride Wore Lace". That will be such fun to gussy up with some of the pretties from my stash.

Last, is a Birdsong Tag Book Swap I'm doing. I have to make seven tags and I will get a little book of seven tags back. I love birds in art and I have a nice little collection of dies that I could use so it will also be fun to sit and design a nice tag for this swap. I haven't done any swaps like this in quite some time so it will be fun to get my feet wet again with this project.

Tonight I'm going to see Bridesmaids with my girlfriend. Sounds like a fun day, so I'm off to enjoy it. Hope you enjoy your day too!!

Guilt

So after my mother proceeds to make me feel guilty for moving away and leaving her . . . which I did over 20 years ago . . . and I tell her to not make me feel guilty, that I would never make my children feel guilty (would I?) . . . she tells me that she is not making me feel guilty, that I am allowing myself to feel guilty and I should not do that . . . I should never let anyone make me feel guilty.

I guess those words and tonights beautiful rainbow give me peace after an extremely stressful, emotional day. My brother tells me not to think about it, that if I dwell on it, the hurt will not go away. My sister tells me it was the only choice. My other sister tells me she is sorry she could not be with me.

Today's Bible verse was, "Lift up your eyes now and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward." Genesis 13:14 And Rachel ended an essay today with . . . "There's not always going to be someone to take you out of misery, sometimes you have to do that on your own." So I shall stand up, dry my tears, brush myself off and try to remember that life goes on . . .

That Peaceful, Easy Feeling

The evenings are so cool and breezy here in South Florida now, which is such a welcome relief after the sweltering midday heat. It is so pleasureable sitting outside after dinner, relaxing, listening to the birds chirping away as they come home to sleep for the night, and watching my puppy try to catch lizards, unsuccessfully!

I've been busy cleaning out my mother's home and have acquired a few things in the process, one being this wooden swing. My brother bought this for my parents and they both always loved it. I've fixed it just the way my mom had it with an afghan she made on the back and some patriotic pillows to make it look very inviting.

When you get something new, it kinda makes you want to spruce everything else up too. I planted flowers along my sidewalk.

It's nice to light a fire in my little fire bowl.

And enjoy the beauty that surrounds me in my little space.



Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.