Hope

OK, this is the last one. I'm tired anyway and need to actually do something other than watch movies and do art. It has been a fantastic day and I have enjoyed myself immensely. As you can see, I have a little Hope in my heart. Gotta leave on a high note. I even threw in a daisy for good measure. I hope that you have been inspired to go and make your own art. Don't worry if you think you're not good enough. Having fun and enjoying yourself is the name of the game. Expressing who you are through paper, pen and paint or whatever medium you choose brings joy into the world. All art is precious to someone. It is just a matter of connecting the right people up to the right art. I'm saying this to myself as much as anyone. A perfect ending to a perfect day! God Bless

Hat Chick

I guess it's a girls weekend. I am limiting myself to just the crayons, colored pencils and pens and I'm having such a great time seeing what appears on the page. I am so fortunate to have this time to play. But both the girls are not happy. The last one looked sad and this one just looks perturbed. What is that all about. The saying, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" came to mind. I am going to have to lighten the mood a bit. Maybe I will try to draw hearts or daises next. Daisies are such happy flowers.

Girly Style

With some time to myself this weekend I decided to try out some new supplies. I just love getting new art supplies. Watercolor crayons are amazing. You can color like you would with regular crayons but when you brush some water over the top it becomes like paint. I also used my new woodless colored pencils and souffle pens. I feel inspired to be creative. I think I will spend some more time seeing what I can come up with tomorrow. Girly ended up looking a little more sad than I expected but that is what happens with art. It becomes what it is. You put the pen to the paper and let the art create itself. I like her and I wonder what she is so sad about. Maybe she's not sad at all and just has sad puppy dog eyes. I knew someone like that once. She always look sad even when she was happy.

Snow in March?

As I woke this morning I was greeted by a dusting of snow that continues to grow by the hour. I don't remember it ever snowing here in March. This is crazy. I was just out taking pictures of Spring flowers and suddenly I feel time warped back to winter. Watching the snow fall reminded me of God talking to Job about the treasuries of snow. The door got opened today for sure and it is falling on my part of the world.

A Touch of Spring

Driving home today I spotted these beautiful trees and had to capture them on the page. I especially like it when they are in rows. How marvelous, how wonderful, makes me want to break out in song. Your fortunate because I have not figured out how to do video yet but the day is coming my friends, the day is coming. I hope you enjoy this scrapbook page I put together and it causes you to stop and take a deep breath and feel serene if only for a moment.

Happy Easter

Easter is such a cheerful time. A time to celebrate new life and hope and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Going to church and singing songs you sing every year that bring comfort and peace and a promise of a better way. Little girls in white patten leather Mary Janes. (I wish every year that I was a little girl again and could where the crisp flowery dress and sweater that matches with white tights and shiny shoes that click when you walk.) The Easter eggs hidden in corners waiting to be discovered and family dinners with too many choices of things you probably shouldn't eat but you do anyway. Driving around this week I have marveled at the beautiful cherry trees in bloom. Daffodils and violets are popping up all over. I especially like the fresh smell when it has just rained and the sun comes out showing off the beautiful colors of spring. I will spend the day with family and, except for my daughter who lives too far away to be here, it will be a blessed day. Happy Easter everyone!

PS. I really wanted to get a picture of those beautiful trees to put in here. Maybe I will put it in later in the week.

Good Friday

I was thinking about the day Christ was crucified and how sad and heart breaking it would have been to those not knowing that Easter was coming. Watching the person you thought was going to save you and be your king hanging there and you could do nothing about it.

Here is what the writing says on the picture below the crosses.

Dark with death pain and betrayal waiting for the ones who would hang there that day.

Blood was shed anguish and crying did it really have to end up this way?

God, God why have you forsaken your son on the cross

Beaten and broken all hope seemed lost

Easter Surprise

I had the best surprise yesterday. It has been kind of a tough week. Headache issues and all. I went to help my niece at her store, paperdoll and we were talking about my morning and in walks this lady from the florist shop down the street. There is just something about someone delivering flowers that brings a smile to your face even if they are not for you. What I didn't expect was that the flowers being delivered were for me. YEAH! They were so cute too. My wonderful husband wanted to cheer me up. What a sweetie pie he is. The other benefit of getting these flowers was that they are the only Easter decorations I have out. It just perked me and my house right up.

On the Big Screen

The funniest thing happened yesterday. I sent my 15 year old son the picture of me in the pink wig. I try and keep him wondering about me. He really likes weird stuff and I fit the bill lately. Anyway, he checks his email when he is at school because he doesn't have access at home. His teacher keeps a pretty close eye on what they are all up to and can put whatever they are looking at up on a big screen in front of the class. His teacher decided at that very moment to pull up my son's screen. There I was big as life in my pinkness. I don't think it was what the teacher expected to see and in a laughing way he asked my son who it was. His reply was, "some weirdo that emails me and that, as of this moment, I am blocking from sending me anything again!" I thought I was going to fall out of my chair laughing when he told me the story at dinner. Isn't life unexpected and exciting? You can bet my son will be right back on today to see what other crazy thing I have sent him.

Monday Morning

Why do Mondays always feel like this? I am resolved to make it through the dreary day, migraine and mounds of laundry. Yes, I can climb this mountain and break through the clouds to the sunny top. I think I will be saying that a few times to myself today. Yes you can, Yes you can; just like the little engine that could, chugging along until he finally made it. I think it has something to do with Monday starting with the letter M. Think about all the words that start with M. Moaning, mad, mutter, mean, miserable, meager, the list goes on. But words that start with other letters of the week are, Terrific, Wonderful, Fantastic, Sensational. OK, I know my theory won't hold up but I'm sticking to it :) for today anyway. Hope your Monday is Meaningful!

Come Out and Play

Can you come out and play this week? As I was making this picture it reminded me of all the fun times I had as a kid playing with my neighbor friends. It was so exciting to have someone come to the door and ask if I could play. We would play Barbie dolls, climb trees, ride bikes and play kick-the-can on summer nights. In later years it was listening to music in my bedroom and talking about boys. I still like my friends to call and ask if I can go do something fun. Although the things I do with friends have changed over the years it's still about spending time with others and having fun. Let's have some fun this week enjoying life, creating art and making a difference in some one's life. It won't happen without some planning so look for opportunities and do one nice thing for someone who won't be expecting it. Call someone and ask if they can come out and play.

Coffee Creation

I made this picture the other day and then in the middle of the night last night I woke with this poem in my head. Of course, I had to get up and write it down because there is not hope of me ever remembering it in the morning. I tried that once and I couldn't sleep thinking I would forget and then I didn't remember it. I was sleep deprived over nothing. So, if you hate the poem then chalk it up to late night musings and if you love it then I'm a poetic genius. I hope you enjoy.

Coffee greets me in the morning

creamy rich and brown

sweet aroma, hot and tasty

perks me up when I am down

Tea is weak and waters nothing

the taste can not compare

to the rich enchanting flavor

when between two friends it's shared

I love my coffee

there's no denying

and I barely miss a day

pretty cups and mugs to hold it

will it be espresso, cappuccino or latte?

Being Pink

Pink Lady

Sunday a few friends and I went to a place that sells stuff, well junk really and we dug through bins to find treasures. I had never been there before and wore a white sweater. Go figure. But it was so exciting imagining what these pieces of rick rack, bottle caps, floor tile and other assorted pieces would become. Mostly I just picked things that look interesting to me and told myself that I would figure out later how they fit together. I couldn't wait to get my hands on them and so Monday I laid them all out in front of me and waited for the creative juices to start flowing. Here is the one I call "Pink Lady". I wonder where I got that title? I put a few of my favorite things in this collage, the color pink, daises, hearts. I think she looks pretty chic standing there with her pink poodle and shopping bag but does anyone really go shopping with their dog? OK, on to make more art. :)

My Journey of Discovery

If I had to pick one word that would describe my journey right now it would be DISCOVERY. Discovering who I am, what I like, new horizons and how I fit into this new adventure I am on. You would think by this time in my life I would have figured out who I am but suddenly it seems that all the pieces of my life are merging together into ME. Art was a part of my early years, then there was music, fashion, crafts, kids and women's ministry. Now I am discovering that all those things work together to make a unique me. I don't have to choose just one thing to focus on. I am discovering for me what it looks like to combine all those interests. I can be a fashionable, creative/artistic women who loves kids and helps women while listening to music. HA! And part of discovery is playing and experimenting. Giving myself permission to make mistakes and look at them as a learning experience. So what if I make art that no one likes. If I make it and like it then that is what matters. If I don't like it then how can I make it into something I do like. I am choosing to believe that God has a purpose for me and when I use the abilities and passions He has given me to bring Him glory then I am truly living. I'm learning to enjoy life and believe in myself to be who I am and not what someone else wants me to be. I am me and there is no way around it.

Who are you the most like?

When I thought up the idea to have a weekly journal prompt, I thought it would encourage everyone to take the challenge and journal. I want everyone to journal because I love it so much. But I realized that I really wanted to see what everyone else was writing about. There was also that voice in my head that said, "shouldn't you be setting the example?" So I will attempt to share my journal here using the prompt in the hopes that you will share yours with me.

I am the most like my mother although I do take after my dad in the creative and fun categories. My mother was a quiet and considerate person. She was devoted to the few friends she had and led a quiet life. Her faith was evident even though she didn't speak of it often. She lived her faith and you could see it in how she treated people. She loved to talk one-on-one but was quieter in groups. I remember on many occasions running into people she knew at the grocery store and it would bring a moan out of both my sister and I because we knew we would not be leaving anytime soon. My kids accuse me of this same behaviour and have resorted to pushing me out of the store and into the car. She knew lots of people and so we were always running into someone every time we went out. She didn't like to drive much but would take her kids anywhere they needed to go. She supported every sport or activity I was in by being there with claps and encouraging smiles. She prayed faithfully for each of her children and didn't tell them what to do but she also had a critical comment when they were making wrong choices. she worked hard when that was what was needed but knew how to relax too. I loved my mom and will miss her because she passed away when I was 18 but I am glad that a part of her lives on in me.

OK, it is your turn :)

Blessed

I was working in my art journal today and came up with this page. I have so many things to be thankful for, family, friends, faith, home, pets, and the beauty around me. The list goes on and on. Sometimes I forget all the good stuff and focus on the bad and it is times like that when I go to my journals and look at what really fills those pages. Yes, there are sad moments but most of the pages are filled with descriptions of times spent with friends at the coffee shop, movies with my husband, places I took the kids and conversations we had. I would forget most of these moments if I didn't have journals that I pour my heart into. Just last night I was talking on the phone to a friend and we both laughed so hard that we had to get off the phone because all we were doing is laughing and neither of us could finish the conversation. I still have a smile on my face thinking about it. I got an e-card today from another friend, just because.

Blessings are everywhere when we take the time to look.

We are a blessing when we take the time to care.

Beginnings

Every journey has a beginning. Today I started on a journey into the world of blogging. My heart was racing thinking of the possibilites. Where will this take me. Who will I meet along the way. Will it be a peaceful ride down a lazy river or a tubulant, fast-paced adventure with suprises at every turn. I hope that it is somewhere in-between the two and that it can be enjoyed by all who dare to step into this journey with me. Welcome to a little bit of this and that.