Thank You

Ξ May 31st, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ For The Kingdom, The Healing Garden |


Take time to remember

 

The Three Maries

Ξ May 28th, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, For The Kingdom, Les Petite Dolls, The Healing Garden |


♥Marie in Purple♥

♥Marie in Pink♥

♥Marie in Blue♥
I got the idea to do a trio of Marie Antoinette paintings this week and it took me all week to do them. The reason it took so long was because of her hair! Do you have any idea how long it takes to pin that much hair up that high?☺ I used only three colors for the trio, rose pink, Tahiti blue, and light purple. Each Marie has light purple eyes with an iridescent medium added for extra pizazz. Some of the many things I used for this trio include:
  • Texture Medium
  • Chipboard shapes
  • Punched shapes from collage papers
  • Glitter glues
  • Fingernail art stickers
  • Liquid Appliqué
  • Decorative brads
  • TLC!

It’s been quite a week for me. My ankle hasn’t been agreeable at all. I made an appointment with an foot & ankle specialist for this coming Tuesday to make sure things inside are okay. I’ve had a lot of pain and swelling and took 2 days off in row from physical therapy to rest and elevate my leg. Today I’m back to therapy with a rested ankle and we’ll see how things go. My mom is doing quite well and has a much shorter recovery period for her injury. Thank you GOD! She’s got a great support system set up and a friend of the family who is a nurse visits her each morning to change her dressing and help her with “female” things. It’s amazing what we take for granted when we have our legs beneath us.

It’s Memorial Day weekend once again and I have an outing I have to attend that I’m not really looking forward to as I’m showing up in yoga pants and a walker. I’m very uncomfortable having to face a large group of people like this and would much rather stay home and paint. I’ll likely have to sit in a corner with my leg out of the way and with throbbing in my ankle and grin and bear it. I want to cry! I’ll just say my prayers and hope for the best.

I haven’t started a new painting yet but I’m about to hobble down the hall to my art closet and grab another pocket full of 4×4″ wooden canvases to play with. I need the art to keep me sane while I go through the longest recovery period of my life! Any ideas for a painting would be welcome. I’m going to be painting for a very.long.time! Until soon! Have a great TGIF and a fantastic three-day-weekend! God Bless.

 

The Girl with the Curl

Ξ May 24th, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, For The Kingdom, Les Petite Dolls, The Healing Garden |


The Girl with the Curl
While painting this painting I couldn’t help but think of my mom. She used to tell me while I was growing up that I was like the little girl with the curl. When I was good… I was very, very good… and when I was bad I was nasty! Mostly for sassing. I smiled as I painting this mini painting with anticipation of sharing it with my mom… imagining the look on her face when she saw it. I finished it Thursday. Touched up the edges, painted the back and set it aside to dry. I went to physical therapy. I came home and cooked dinner. I sat down on the couch to elevate my ankle and then it happened. The phone rang. My mom was in the hospital… she had broken HER ankle. I was overrun with emotions and my imagination ran stark-raving wild. I felt heart sick. I couldn’t imagine my mom having to go through the months and months of what I’ve been enduring. After long hours of waiting for phone calls and more long hours of calling and putting a support system together for her return home from the hospital…with phone calls in-between of talking to my brothers and my sister. We are tight family. When one falls we all flock in to mend wings and do what needs to be done. Our machine is well oiled. We did what we each needed to do and the job got done. Saturday morning mom had surgery. Good news follows. The bones she broke are the outer bones of the ankle. She doesn’t need a cast. She’ll likely get released from the hospital today and will be using a walker with a walking boot for a while till she gets the feel of relearning the simple skill of walking.

It’s incredible to me that mom and I are both down with broken ankles. God is definitely doing his “mysterious ways” here somehow. I’ll keep you posted on what I learn from “his mysterious ways.” This is just such a twist (no pun intended!) That I know there is something important for so many of us to learn. Until I know more! God Bless you all.. and for God’s sake… watch you’re step!

 

Summer Sonnet

Ξ May 20th, 2010 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, For The Kingdom, Les Petite Dolls, Tammy's Toys, The Healing Garden |


♫ Summer Sonnet ♫
This mini 4×4″ painting painter herself. I love paintings that give birth to themselves. I just go along with the process. Most all of my work happens that way. I freely let the creative process just “happen.” I don’t know what it is about the process that I love so much but I get caught up in the moments. As you can see I have a plethora of mediums and bling in this painting. Everything from vintage sheet music (thanks sis) to music note confetti. Some of these supplies I used date back so far if they could talk this piece could truly sing. I’ve had some of these goodies in drawers for years! One would think with all the supplies I have that I don’t need more. That is so NOT true! For some reason it’s like therapy to head to the art supply stores. They are ALWAYS coming out with new products and more and more must haves! As I type this I have a gift card to JoAnn’s burning a hole in my purse! I got it for Christmas but as you know… I’ve been off my feet for quite a long time. And what a story I have to tell there! (which I plan to in a book-let) So many projects to little time. If I could have been doing half of what I’ve wanted to do while I was a prisoner to the couch for 3 months I would accomplished so much! So now I must put myself into overdrive ~ FOCUS ~ and get these ideas into fruition. How? Check out this post and you’ll see how.☻Getting out of the broken ankle/three-times-a-week therapy FUNK is challenging at best. I think making this map will help me focus. I need to turn OFF the news and turn ON the ♪~music~♪ and let my mind clean out.

It helps to come here and share my thoughts even if no one replies. Although… I am still eager and waiting to hear from you.☻ Today I am off for another session of PT and am anxious to ween to a cane full time. Although I know it will take about a week for that. But what’s a week in the speck of eternity? Time flies by so fast as it is and I do have so much to keep me occupied. I guess I’ll close this by saying how thankful I am to God for giving me my talent. If I didn’t have that to keep my mind growing in creative directions I’d be lost. So All Glory and Honor go to Jesus Christ for all the gifts he’s blessed me with in my life! Rock on God!

 

The Magic of Merlin

Ξ May 19th, 2010 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, Les Petite Dolls, The Healing Garden |


♥Merlin♥
This painting was inspired by the Merlin series I’ve been watching on TV. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. It’s family friendly and a great hour of fun! The series originated on NBC but season 2 was picked up by the SYFY channel. I started with layers of torn papers and tons of acrylic paints. I dripped and sponged and gobbed and dabbed and repeated again and again. Using rubberstamps and confetti along with stars punch from glitter and foil papers I made a wonderfully magical night for Merlin and his frog. I used collage papers for his robe and hat. The paper I used was from my most recent art supply purchase. The Once Upon A Time Stack. If you like mystical and magical things this is to drool for. It’s always fun getting new art supplies to get your fingers dirty with. My fingers are super grungy today as I have a day off from physical therapy and I’ve been playing with every medium I can get my hands on! I finished “Summer Sonnet” which I will share tomorrow and I’m working on “The Girl with the Curl.” I dug out 4 more 4×4″ wooden canvases and will be playing on them getting them ready for wood-burning tonight. I love a rainy day of sitting at my desk with a beautiful mess to play with.

My physical therapy is going along fine. It’s a slow process but well worth it. I am happy to announce that the wheelchair is going back to the drug store and I am now part-time walker, part-time cane, and full-time sore! Physical Therapy is a process you can’t rush. You can’t “microwave” yourself better. You have to “crock-pot” yourself. It’s a learning process, you learn about you and you get to spend time with other people who are in the same situation you’re in. It’s very supportive. I have the most awesome and supportive team of physical therapists to lean on as well so it’s a win-win situation. One day I’ll be wearing one of these!


Talk about total insanity! To see more fun and funky shoes check them out here.

 

Frida’s Flowers

Ξ May 12th, 2010 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, Les Petite Dolls, The Great Outdoors! |

I love painting Frida. She’s just so much fun to paint and play with. There are endless possibilities and situations to put Frida in. This painting was inspired by the abrupt change in weather. I know the change really hasn’t been quick… but I broke my ankle on the ice in the middle of winter. I wasn’t able to get out of the house until the cherry blossoms were in bloom so it seemed to me that winter had instantly transpired into spring… and now… nearly summer! This painting isn’t quite finished yet…the flowers at the top and bottom of the piece will have something done to them but I have yet to decide exactly what that will be. I did a simple green wash for the background as I knew I was going to have shower of flowers all over Frida. I used brads and rhinestones to really make this pink painting pop! Once it’s varnished it will truly sparkle like the gem that Frida was. All the trials and tribulations that she faced in her life she really inspires the artist in all of us to excel!

 

Works in Progress

Ξ May 11th, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Around The House |

This is one of my Mother’s Day presents! What a fun book. I can’t wait to dive into it. I think I’ll do a project for each artist I read about and share a tidbit about the book as I go. It’s going to be a fun and educational on-going project! What a fun way to paint through the summer.  At the moment I have FIVE! paintings going on my desk at the moment. Two of them are nearly finished and 3 are mini 4x4s. Frida and Merlin will be up this later this week! My latest Frida is very close to being done so the countdown will continue as the week goes by. Today I’m back to physical therapy again and then again on Thursday. Friday I’ll be seeing my Orthopedic Surgeon for a check in and an X-ray and a list of questions I want to ask. Lack of sleep in upon me today so I’m off to make some tea to try to get my energy level up a bit. I’ll be back tomorrow to share again. =) Keep the comments coming! I always love hearing what everyone else is up to.

 

No Fear

Ξ May 7th, 2010 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, For The Kingdom, Les Petite Dolls, The Healing Garden |


No Fear
We all have some sort of big bad wolf in our lives at one time or another. Sometimes we might even feel like we have a pack of wolves surrounding us. When you feel the presence of the wolf ~ Look up! God will never desert you. He loves you unconditionally and wants the best for you. He has glorious plans for your life so don’t let some silly earthly little wolf get you down. You are far bigger and better than the “pup” that dares to threaten or scare you! This little 4×4″ painting done on birch wood had a delightful amount of mediums in it. What fun it is to pull out a bunch of artsy toys and mess up your desk to make a creation. This happy mess was made using:
  • Printed Kleenex Tissues
  • Black Lava Texture Medium
  • Turquoise Stickles
  • rubber stamps
  • Acrylics, Watercolors, Pastels, & Colored Pencils
  • Fingernail Art Stickers
  • Love

It’s TGIF once again and another day of Physical Therapy. Progress is slow but sure ~ but no matter how slow I move at the moment ~ that wolf still can’t catch up with me.

 

Orange

Ξ May 3rd, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Art-tastic, Challenges, Les Petite Dolls |


I did this ATC for a challenge proposed on Milliande’s art site. Orange is not a favorite color of mine. It’s actually one of my least favorites. I’ve learned that pairing orange with turquoise or pink makes it pop out more to my liking… and of course orange and Halloween are favorites regardless of the fact that it’s orange. As much as I don’t tend to lean toward oranges when I paint it’s good to work outside our comfort zones. To play with a color that you don’t normally incorporate into your work or play. I resisted the urge to add turquoise or pink to this ATC. I forced myself to use my orange mediums to their advantage. It turned out fun! It’s vibrant and cheerful. It screams spring and summer. It’s quite refreshing. Toys I used for this ATC include:

I’m working on a few pieces at once right now as I wait for physical therapy days. I really can’t get around much so I exercise my ankle and foot while I sit and paint. Hopefully I’ll be dancing soon! Hmm… must be time to paint a shoe! I’ll share more soon. What’s on your easel?