We rode an Elephant!

My family went to the Orange Show today and I was REALLY looking forward to riding an Elephant, once I found out they had them there. This was the highlight of my whole day-it was SO kewl!

Orange Show Art Exhibit Pre-Opening reception

Tonight I attended the Orange Show Art Exhibit Pre-Opening Reception! Wow-talk about elegant! They had a harpist and wonderful food-the art was wonderful! Such a variety!

To the left here is a pic of myself and my old Friend Kat-I have known her since high school! She's the one who got me entering these art shows! She and her husband Phil came. It was great to have their support (and laughs from Phil!).

What a great night! I was so happy to be involved :) You can see my art behind me there :)

*** I despise having pictures taken though! They always add about 100 lbs on me!LOL****

stamping today

I threw my neck out pretty good-probably the worst EVER but today have felt like doing a bit of stamping :) Other than that today I have layed around-my neck is still really sore, since the adjustment at the chiropractor. I did feel good getting some stamping done though! Here's what I did. These are from my newest Bird Sheet, "Birds of a Feather"

I've been tagged! 7 Random Facts

Okay, I am REALLY late with this-sorry! A couple folk have tagged me for this and my brain this week has just been either busy or dead !LOL

I have thought about this and here goes:
1-I won a coloring contest with the local paper at the age of 8
2-have played the piano since age 6
3-I was in the elementary school band and played the clarinet
4-I wrote a short story that got published in the local paper at around age 7
5-I have two brothers, which are both 15+ years older than me.
6-I LOVE to cook!
7-I have a hard time finding shoes, because my feet are so narrow!



Lets see.............now I tag:
Aileen, Marilyn H , Kelly B, Lonecrowart (Laura), Debby Boltman, Debby H, Audrey H.

Beautiful Papers

I just got a pack of BEAUTIFUL papers from Kelly Kilmer today that she was selling-ohhhhhhhhh these papers are SO gorgeous. I have tons and I am a paper whore, but

these are different, and Kelly has the best taste in stuff so I jumped at the chance when she was selling some :) The patterns are scrumptious!

Angel-A Work in Progress

This Cemetary Angel photo really spoke to me-it is a work in progress. I started it over a week ago, and set it aside and now it sits, waiting for me to get inspiration to finish it. The Angel is a transfer directly to canvas-you all know how I am a nut about doing transfers. I LOVE them. I can't get enough of doing alllllllll kinds of transfers. For some reason the peeled paint effect was calling to me too-I haven't done that technique in AGES. For some reason it seemed so perfect for this piece. At the top and bottom I have collaged a piece of border like stuff from a vintage magazine-I really liked it. As it sits now, I need to find the inspiration to finish. I know it will come, in time. I have another piece in the works also, and as of today, it sits unfinished. I am not doing too much today-I did get many packages out today (my newest bird sheet #2) and had my hair done but its hot today and I just feel kind of tired. I think I will lay my butt down on the couch and read a while, I am too tired to do much else :)

The boys are going to the movies tonight, leaving Gilly and me home by ourselves. I want to do something with her-maybe I will go off my diet tonight (Yes, I am on a diet!LOL) and get a Coldstone. That seems like a girly thing to do. Then I will have to work off that ice cream next week at the gym!LOL. I really don't have a whole lot of weight to loose-5-7 lbs is it, but I do want to loose it-my jeans are a wee bit tight :)

OH! I am really kind of excited. We have a deaf couple that live across the street and they have 2 daughters-one day when I was showing one of my canvases to my dear neigbor, one of the daughters mentioned that her dad is an artist. So I did briefly chat with him yesterday and he told me he does acrylics and mixed media-I am looking forward to seeing his work. Exciting to have a fellow artist across the street :)

Open Your Heart

I just finished this small collage for a charity art auction. Actually its for a friend who is having some fundraisers to get her back for a trip to South Africa to help children there. She sweetly asked if I would donate some art for an auction she is having and I gladly said I would. This is small, its 6x8 and will come with a small easel for a tabletop. Normally I am not into hearts, but for some reason I was in a real "Hearty" mood last night and started this.

Its amazing how a small piece can almost take as long as a larger piece! I have just been so creatively dry, I wanted to start to do something to donate, and I do still intend to do more-hopefully this next time a larger piece. I just started playing last night and this is where it ended up. I like it-I really like the bright, cheery colors.

another one-last one for today

I am all done creating today-here's my last one. I couldn't resist getting another one done while the kids were across the street and dinner's in the oven!:)

another one!

These are becoming too much fun! I am just relaxing and going with the flow........its amazing how you get other ideas when you relax and just have fun.

Of course, the scans never do look as good as the real thing.

Fun with Magazine Page Images

I signed up for a swap with a group I am on, and it was to "try something new" that you have not done before. I did some acrylic paint backgrounds-I have done similar but not exactly like this-and I stamped them with images coated with Gesso.

Next I tried something else new to me-magazine images. Talk about going out of my comfort zone! I have sweated this.......but I am starting to relax and enjoy it.

Its definitely feeling good to do a little bit of art today-all week I have been so swamped! I have taken a 3 day weekend, I was so tired and needed a break.

I had a great day yesterday-I dropped my art off for the National Orange Show. I met a man who is an awesome "Outsider Artist" and is the chairman of this entire art show. He was such an inspiration to me. It was like a breath of fresh air meeting him and after I met him I felt a huge burst of energy. I have been a bit discouraged with the Art Association I have joined. Its VERY traditional, and I feel like such an outcast. Not to say I should be doing what they are, but I feel like because I don't do what they do, like they think I am weird or something. I do what I feel. I have NEVER taken a class and honestly, I am proud to say I have taught myself everything I know. I go with the flow. I keep trying new things (even though sometimes I am WAY out of my comfort zone). Anyway, when I was dropping off my art, He stared at my work for a while. He asked if I had to leave right away, and of course I said no. He took me out to his car and showed me some of his work. Its SO awesome. He used Acrylic Caulk from the Hardware store-he, like me, LOVES texture in his work. He uses VERY inexpensive supplies and found objects. It was refreshing to have found someone in this art association who thinks alot like ME!!! I can't tell you what that meant. I needed that. I have been sort of feeling artistically dry lately-I have kept doing some small projects, but this guy inspired me to keep going. He told me to! "keep up what you are doing" he said. VERY cool. I even emailed him to let him know how much he inspired me yesterday, and how honored I was to meet him. I hope that didn't look too goofy LOL

And, something cool yesterday-I met a REAL Monk! He was from Thailand. Kinda funny though-before I was introduced to him, He was introduced to my new friend I just spoke of. Naturally they shook hands. Then I was up-I reached out my hand to shake his and he would not get near me. It puzzled me. Then the translator told me he could not touch me-Monks do not touch women!LOL I felt SO embarrassed-I didn't know that. Oh well, that was my history lesson for the day!LOL

Running over canvas boards

Aidan and I had a blast today running over a canvas board with the car today! We painted one of the tires purple -boy I am sure my neighbors thought I was clearly nuts. Now we have paint in the street, as well as still on my tire. LOL

After that, we got his bike out (ohhhhhh I LOVE the look of the bike tires!), and did the same with the bike. Now it has me thinking what other things we can use to run over canvas with-hows about the lawn mower and rototiller? hmmmmmmmmmm-that muse is working now!

I know that some other folks have done this recently-but honestly, I have wanted to do this for AGES!!!! I can imagine my poor car tires will be stained with different colors of paint.............LOL

Heck, I don't care!LOL

New Pieces added to Etsy Shop

Added these two pieces to Etsy!

these are already framed to display on your tabletop :)

(Etsy shop link is on the right!)

Piece juried in to art show

Some people have asked me which piece was juried in to the art show-here it is :)

I am still really excited that they chose the piece with my Great Grandfather :)

This is a piece I am giving to my mom for her Birthday-she is really into family history so she is thrilled to be getting it.

A Little Stamping today

I took the day off pressing to do some much needed housework. Finally today I was able to clear off my stamping/art table (it was TERRIBLE!!!) So I was inclined to do a wee bit of stamping! Just a quick couple of ATC's, but hey-its something right?

I started a collage the other day-its using a cemetary type angel transferred to canvas-it looks great, but of course my muse has gone away-at least for working on it. So here it sits, waiting for me to get inspired to work on it again. I am working on it for a Charity piece to donate to a good cause :)