THINGS ARE LOOKIN UP!

ART PLAY.... I just noticed the title in the flower!...."Christ Helps Us".... that was not an accident! Play...collage, water color, stamping....work in progress... Working on a border for an order... found these metal birds I had and just traced around them for the bird shapes.... Some old wrapping paper to see what kind of background would work.... A poem a friend ordered for her granddaughter...with new border.... The fun light sticks...with my camera! The Christmas gift HIT!!!....all 12 for one dollar!! Nativity we made in the kids class at church....Dick and I had 34 kids, all ages, therefore we made lots of extra camels and sheep and angels....but there could only be ONE Jesus! I meant to post sooner....to apologize for the "down" post last time, but it was just one of those days !! In time they pass and the comments and voices from the world around us don't always affect us so strongly each time....that day was just different ..... we unfortunately live in a very selfish world ..... ANYWAY .... things are lookin' up and Christmas Day is around the corner!! We opened the "only" gift early since we had kids here early..... Dick and I (grandparents) bought each other .... ha, ha, ha... the Wii !! Do you think there was a little pressure from the grandkids!?!? ....actually from our 38 year old son as well!! He is still a kid at heart... thank goodness! And as I am blogging right now Grand dad Peck and Tito, 9 are "bowling" right in our living room ..... no cigarette smoke or smell of beer!!! YAY! (Too bad the modern day bowling alleys are more like bars now and not a good atmosphere for kids.... but I guess they have to make money.) You would have to have a "Wii" to realize how much fun it is! We only need a second remote or "numchuk" so we can both box.... tee hee ....who do you think will win??...me or Dick? I have no doubt....I'll beat the socks off of him .....ha! I love this game! You actually get up and do the actual movements....so you aren't sitting around! Forgive me..... we are a little behind!! I may be boring you ....THEN, the other totally fun thing the kids liked was purchased at Dollar Tree....for a dollar!....They are light sticks....they come twelve in a cardboard tube and are 8" long and you can hook them together.....well, the kids played with them for hours and hours....in the dark.....it was very entertaining and so darn cheap!! I'm buying more next time I go there....it was almost the favorite gift....sorry, I only have a few photos, but here they are..... The other good news is that six of my art pieces are in fact going to be reproduced for the Fall and Christmas Season of 2010 ...... for The Round Top Collection. I am so excited as they will have scripture on them!! More details later ..... I will have the product in the shop next year, as well as my prints of them ..... but cannot post them on a website or blog to sell .... only in the shop .... (as the company will own them, and it will be their product on their website, except for me getting to sell them (their product is metal) and my "prints"in my shop/gallery) .....so next summer come see them! We worked on the art until it was what they were looking for....a few months of long night hours!! The best art job I've ever had!! Am I excited or what?!?! Now I'm just painting for some fun and doing some Christmas orders.... and eating way too many sweets .....! OK, now the boys are playing baseball,.....Dick is swinging that bat like he was 24 again!!! Hey, we may loose some weight! I'll post pictures next time.....Love you all.....Merry Christmas...... remember, the joy is in the little things...! Blessings....sherry

Contentment in Tiny Things...

THIS SONG "SPEAKS" MY HEART ...Jesus King of Angels by Fernando Ortega...tried to add music unsuccessfully....it is my all time favorite song....find it....sleep with it...embed it in your heart....it is beautiful....beautiful....album called Hymns Mother's dishes...she loved roses....as I do....I miss you.....so. Is Christmas a hard time for you? It is hard for many people for many reasons.... a lost loved one not present, a family member that won't contact you anymore, a list of Christmas gifts bought from a list that is not in your heart, emptiness, loneliness, no money, debt, too much TV, politics, arrogance, selfishness, disappointment, anger and fear.....just the stress of not getting along, never agreeing, joy squashed.....this comes from a day that was just about full of all of that...all in one day....instead of being spread out over the week..... I wish....and wish some more. Then reflect on the long ago trips to a small poor village in Mexico..... and long to be there at this moment.....mostly women with the men far away working in a foreign land......the women and children surrounded by obvious need and pain, but an inexplicable joy they have because of the ....the thankfulness they have.....expressing thankfulness of another day to be present and alive, of good health with no hospital visits, of having enough work to have provision for their family, thankfulness for each other, of the prodigal son or daughter that returns home, thankful for a God that they love and for His care for them in hard and good times....they are always sooo thankful ....and they have sooo little ....they gather together, eat together, praise together, work together, they give up their bed when you come to visit, they put their resources together to feed you their best meal, they honor and cherish your visits, they want you to share words of wisdom in their little white washed prized church with the beautiful aqua blue tile floor....as though you are God sent......they give you gifts made with their hands that money can't buy.....they sing with you, laugh with you, cry with you. Why do I miss them so?....and I long to go? THEY are the gifts.....the worthy gifts....to one another. I don't know why this Christmas has been so hard, but it has.....I have reflected on so much.....and in my searching and reflections, see the tiny reflected lights in my ever so small tree this year...... I didn't even unpack the normal Christmas stuff....but found this old box of glass balls in the garage in a box that I think were grandma Peck's.....so they are from the forties and fifties.....not so clear and bright and shiny like new ones.....but a "GLOW" comes from them with worn surfaces that reflect warmth and would have many stories to tell. Then just the word... Jesus.... fills my heart in a very special way today .....a longing to know .....more .....but comforted that He covers me in His love ...... giving me contentment today in the tiny things.....resting in His care. A special kind of comfort and care for this Christmas is sent your way....if you are having a hard Christmas.... blessings.... comfort.... hugs... sherry

REST and PEACE.....

A friend said this looked like a broken bridge or boat with all this glorious life coming out....I loved what she saw....and I think it says there is Hope, even when broken! It is oil pastel, charcoal, scripture collage on dark grey pastel paper....a first for me. This doll piece was a "pulled" piece by mushing on paints and seeing what might be there....and this is what I saw.....again oil pastels on acrylic...with crumpled tissue paper for matted look border. Enough snow in Ohio for a snowman on the hood of our Texas car! thanks Scott! Our son and his daughter with cousins in Ohio enjoying the snow on Thanksgiving Day! Our daughter and son getting to visit....sorry I'm prejudice...my two children...wonderful kids to this day!! Thanks Dad. A "Congratulations" card from girl cousin to boy cousin who was a "party boy in the Nutcracker" ballet in Ohio....he played his part well! And flowers for our ballerina grand-daughter who had three parts in the Nutcracker Ballet in Ohio at the Midland Theatre!...It was a special night!! Bravo!!! She is beautiful with a beautiful heart like her Mom! Our grand-daughter's personal Christmas tree.....she is into decorating like her beautiful Mom! See the "Clara" Nutcracker ornament her cousins gave her? The Texas cousin enjoying the snow... Our baby girl of the family in Ohio....saying cheese! Opening my birthday presents from the kids and look at that awesome cake they decorated and made!! We all got to stick our finger in the yummy chocolate icing!....without Mom seeing! My awesome daughter in law made a video and photos she put on "Smile" as a special momento for me....thank you !! And do you see my precious grandson waiting to give me "his" present?....he built me this big Lego Sculpture!....just for Mimi! I loved it! A good throw by a great grandson with snowballs in Ohio.... Snow balls going everywhere that day.....on Thanksgiving in Ohio! See that pretty freshly painted Deck, that Daddy did? Thanks for a great time kids and parents!! And that carved and cooked turkey and all the goodies!! And below, a rare opportunity for us all to be together with all the grandbabies....what a blessing! Thanks to our Ohio Family for hosting Thanksgiving Day!....and now Merry Christmas!! Two words come to me today..... REST....and ....PEACE. I think they come to me because I am resting from the long and hard work of accomplishing six pieces of art work for the 2010 season of a Company I can mention at a later date .... a small job....but BIG for me. I hardly slept for weeks, working through the night and sleeping for five hours in the day! It was some of the most glorious days I've had in years of Art Making.....just pouring myself into it, not wanting to stop and having the "legitimate" excuse of it being a "real" paying job for someone with a deadline...... and my family understood that! Usually Art Making takes a back seat ... letting everything else....take precedence. I recently had a serious talk with the Lord about what He wanted me to do....mostly with my ART, since people don't come by the little gallery much anymore.... very slow business wise here.... anyway, it was CLEARLY felt in my heart as a result of prayer that I was to proceed...."Get MY (the Lord's) WORD UP AND OUT THERE".....that was the message I have felt so strongly since that conversation with Him in September-ish. Then in October the "JOB" came....and what did they want?....My art ...in "their style and product" with what?....GOD'S WORD ON IT....YES!....GOD'S WORD! After my conversation and prayer with the Lord and before this job came....I was thinking....well okay, I'll just paint as much art as I can with the "Word" on it and "cover" all the walls in the gallery.....thinking that was the biggest thing I could do.....and that the Lord would bring the people......how else COULD I do it? We are so limited in our minds and sometimes our faith too..... because what "HIT" me after the Company hired me to paint their pieces of art with God's Word on it.....that the Art would go all over the WORLD..!!! EVEN to China....!! His Word would be seen by workers in the process of reproducing what six pieces I did....having to paint it over and over.....those who would pack it would see His Words....those who shopped and did or didn't buy it would SEE HIS WORDS! WOW, when the Lord wants you to do something....His IDEAS surpass what we could even think or dream of!!! So I know I can REST in His love and care.... The next word that is in my head today is..... PEACE.....it is an incredible "peace" that I have inside my head and heart....that He truly is in control.....that He is truly ALIVE and WORKING in our lives....especially when we hand our life over to Him to occupy our hearts and trust Him with it.....so today I am RESTING in PEACE with my life in "His" hands....... and it feels so wonderful..... even though I'm tired and my bad feet still won't let me walk as much as I want.....yet! His works are wondrous and I marvel at Him! I can't share the work I did yet until it is out for the Company.....but I will share some recent fun pieces done in my Online Gut Art Class and photos of our trip to Ohio to see Kellie (our daughter) and Family with Scott (our son) and his Family going with us....a great drive and time with those I hold so very dear....my gifts from the Lord! I have to say, I missed my "precious church" and extended families and my sort of adopted children here too! BLESSINGS for a meaningful Christmas to you all.... sherry...and (dick)! Rest and Peace to You All.....

A FULL LIFE...

OK, I DID get this picture up, our mermaid Peyton! That's my girl! She loved her dress..... 16x20 in progress collage... like my house... unfinished! A woman on a mission!! That's how I feel .... but with the children in tow! That is a wicked little purse ... but it has some money in it .... YAY! My art studio mess .... I love the metal letters in the window ...A R T Mushed paint, rolled a pointed roller thing over it and wallah.... I saw a jar with a flower.....this was fun. Used oil pastels over acrylic ... new for me. Loving those colors from the pastels.... gotta have more! Finished page for the GUT ART JOURNAL.... An idea coming from one of the field trips .... these were old photos (copies) of us when young and more shapely!....or I guess I should say LESS shapely! My Mother sewed my "Vogue" pattern dress...my whole wedding with cake, reception and four bridesmaids cost $500.00! Yes, the dot is in the right place! Collaged tissue around him in his flight suit (1967).... this is NOT Michael Jackson, (with the great lips and black glove, chuckle) but it is my honey ....I want to pursue doing something with these..... it will come to me. A quick line drawing with color pencil wash from a woman on the TV.... quickly done. Good practice.... These two (of five) beautiful children (after church) are awaiting the finished home they will have .... little by little they work on it ....it was a condemned house that got to be saved and done for a family! All their saved money and efforts and prayer! Many of you know or remember Elizama, my sort of adopted child.... known her since she was nine (now 21) .... this is her precious baby girl, a happy child, and Mom and Dad are so proud of her! She laughs a lot! Here, she has on a dress that MY MOTHER made me from feed sacks in 1947!! I still have it.... my Mother embroidered little flowers on it. We had to try it out for a photo! These are some of Pilar's ART (age 6 to 7) she would do this all day long!! We need to loosen up like the kids do with their art! And YES, SHE is a WINNER! I tried to post a picture of my grand daughter in the Mermaid dress I made her and couldn't get it off the email...will try another way later.... she is my heart! Hello to all .... I know I have not posted in a while. Here are photos and art projects ( unfinished) of what is going on in my life at the moment. Just too much to write about. However the art of mine is from some of the reflections of field trips taken on the GUT ART CLASS.... I'm very behind ....but I have taken a ton of notes and have drawings that will go in my GUT ART JOURNAL......behind?..... well, because I was blessed with an opportunity to do nine pieces of work with a deadline of three weeks, which is ending tomorrow. I can't show them and will tell about it when it all comes together ..... since it is only my work for another group. So with that I have had my head swirling in the studio ....painting nights and sleeping days.... as there are no interruptions at night. And it is probably my body clock anyway! Sleeping from 7AM to 3PM, then doing regular life...and then painting from 7PM to 7AM in heaven ... I must say. This project came as a result of much prayer and soul searching and direction that the Lord wanted me to go in my life, plus a few other things. WELL, He is MAKING it happen .... WHY am I surprised!!? Also, you will see little precious children in my life, one of the Mom's lived with me for four months when she was fifteen (now 21).... the other children are from church and a favorite family.... and then Pilar's Art.... my little artist! I keep her in sketch pads and markers...and she will draw or paint all day long! We have four full note books (sketch pads ...9x12 thick from Wal-Mart) that she has filled. Some day when she is grown I will give them to her.... so they won't get thrown away. Any who..... as you can see, I am behind in my class, but live a FULL life! And thank goodness the Lord motivated my hubby to take care of me with food during all this!! ENJOY HIS BLESSINGS!!! I AM.....

JUST A LIST OF PRACTICE FROM GUT ART CLASSES

Some things look better upside down.... I will try to keep you posted on the practice art and new expressions in art after seeing videos or going on a field trip with Mystele in the GUT ART Classes.....I have realized two things....ONE: I DO love the freedom to create and play freely (not perform!) with the art....and TWO: I'm way too busy to be able to do all I need to do....especially in my art. It is something I have to do and will begin to dedicate more time to it. I'm working on some commissions and also trying to find my authentic voice in my soul of who I am through my art expression..... I have loved the play...I already said that!! Anyway, here are a few drawings done quickly after seeing a video on the Omo people....although my girl has way more hair than they do.....she was fun and want to continue to strike out in new directions, stretching myself and using different mediums...etc...etc....enjoy! I feel blessed to get to do this class with Mystele!!! Thank you girl!!!

I HAVE BEGUN!!

Every joy in my life is a Gift! The COVER for MY Gut Art Book.... The figure is from previous pulled art I did..... One of my favorite scriptures...He started the ART in me....from a depression... A dedication page to our teacher Mystele..... you think I'll get an "A"? ha... This one gives me a giggle....yes, it is US...... having been addicted to "approval"...and trying to find my authentic self could be frightening! He is wrapped in gold..a favorite T-shirt the color of his Cub ...and the words for this was... two eyes, one mouth...the rest is art! A Dr Pepper box with handle opening.... See the texture? Delicate like the silk threads seen on a video in class... The back of the Dr Pepper box ..... Then what I saw and developed it , but it told the story.... I'm playing catch up with my Gut Art Class by Mystele. I have totally enjoyed it even though I start late at night when I have no interruptions ....I was up til 5AM last night in heaven! So shorter sleeping hours for now....thanks to a good husband I got to sleep really late! SOOO here are some pages we have done after seeing a video of other artist's work or story of fine silk woven by hand on an ancient loom and putting down quickly what we felt or something.....? Becoming our authentic self ... could be scary! I'm going to get the hang of it hopefully by just doing it even if I don't totally get it yet.... I AM GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH NO MATTER WHAT! It is kind of like playing in the mud .....so soothing to just let go and have fun....let it squish through your toes so to speak! It is fun to go through your trash and pull paper boxes bits of scraps to use for the pages for this book .... I am determined not to buy a thing! The cover pages which are folded to make the cover are from my Epson Art paper box, just cut down. Then the paper used for the "AH HA!" and portrait of Dick and I is a Dr Pepper box with the handle opening..... the more delicate piece was plain thin cardboard with gesso and when I pulled the wet side up off the surface I was laying it...it created this texture (hard to see) that resembled leaves and flowers .... so I went with it and used derwent inktense water based pencils and graphite pencil then washed the dark with water..... ANYWAY ..... not fabulous but sure was fun! The perplexed girl came out of the background but sure describes how I felt..... but in total fun. I get a kick out of what developed into Dick and I .... it says... "I love him even if he loves airplanes more than me!" Notice the big mouth, big hair.... can you see a strong personality? It bites me every once in a while .... and sweet little hubby, consistently there, maybe silent... but there! We are both studying Revelation at CBS on Mondays and boy the descriptive visuals that John described when he saw heaven. He only had earthly things to describe in comparison to..... like precious jewels, earthly animals but with six wings and eyes all around.... anyway ... it paints a picture in your mind! We can't even imagine.... well, enough said....Blessings to you all! Enjoy!

GUT ART IS HERE!!!

I opened the first videos on Mystele's GUT ART classes..... and she is a natural at teaching. She can really get you inspired to strike out and try new things in a free way.... We are going to make a book to remember all the classes and learning by.....and as I was preparing and cleaning my art space in the studio, I came across a pile of papers, some art notes from last year and a magazine I had torn collage material out of. Well, I was flipping through the magazine and came across this ad of a child eating her food.... and I got the idea to just paint on top of it and make it what "I" saw! It is a "Thank You" to Mystele for giving these classes to help us find or discover... "Ourselves" and our true style ....I think I said that right!? So here is my first FUN to just PLAY....oil pastels on top of magazine ad.....and a HEARTY THANK YOU MYSTELE.....!! Enjoy... and Blessings! ..... to be continued!! Click on picture to enlarge.

I'M READY FOR A VACATION!!!

Sorry guys.....I have been so busy with work and company for this antique weeks that I have had NO TIME to post and no time to take pictures of new art or the 21 newly framed pictures of my art I hung in the gallery day before yesterday.....yes, my feet STILL hurt, but I'm on medication for two weeks to help me through. I have the most wonderful women stay in my house, a new group of two, Linda and Perry, sent by Debbie of "Toodle Lou" baby clothes.....are like my new best friends!! So creative and fun.....we went to Fayetteville to eat at Joe's...YUM!......and shop late on the square....that was fun!! The new tennis shoes and medication gave me relief! I wish I had something new to show in photos, but no time.....so here is one of my grand daughters....in the tub last summer....cool....and right where I wish I was!! And a piece of art I didn't get finished! And big sister pushing little sister in the buggy that belonged to my daughter ...their Mother! Love that picture....wish someone would push me around to shop! Blessings to you all.....and again, sorry for no blogging....one person can just do so much!! But I am blessed....so no complaints......and THANKFUL for the people that the Lord puts in my paths!!

OH! MY HEART...I HAVE BUTTERFLIES!...TAKE FLIGHT AND FIND GOD'S GLORY!

What more can I say than what the photos already say? Our glorious creation ..... by His hand. Enjoy!! These are from this morning in the garden after needed rain yesterday .... and a needed "mind" rest for me ..... too busy these days, but love all that I have to do .... that I "want" to do. Thank you Lord for the extra energy! ....I'm so thankful that I don't have to perform for Him, that He knows me better than I do, and that He loves me in spite of myself.....that makes working for Him a lot more fun! This one's for you and Ted, Jo....we love you both for helping us be free and are praying for you! ....no more felt pincushions for a while, but will show more later.

MORE FELT CUPCAKE PIN CUSHIONS....WHILE FOOT HEALS!

More rolling the foot on a bottle of FROZEN WATER (wonderful).... and stretching excersizes ..... seems to be working for plantar faciatis ... if that is in fact what I have!? This sitting to rest the foot has been boring accept for the hand sewing of the pin cushions and some good reading. So here are a few more pin cushions I created. The angular one is a copy of an antique one I have and it consists of five squares of each fabric design. My squares were almost three inches and that makes a really big pin cushion.... so you may want to make them two inches or one and a half! The red heart with old buttons is one I had started at least fifteen years ago, so I finished it. And that is what we made in Girl's Club last week. We had to sit in the sanctuary of the church because the A/C is broken in our bigger fellowship room, so the heart pin cushion was the easiest thing to make sitting on pews. Next week hopefully the A/C will be fixed because we have all those mermaid outfits to make for our Groovy Girl Dolls ... and believe me ... they are all excited about that one!! The "Oh Solo Mio" pin cushion was inspired by a friend who loves music and is an artist, the girl that has done some barrel racing in Texas and has a famous brother in California....TEEHEE! These cup cake pin cushions have been a hit in the shop! Two are gone in one week .... so at least sitting I have produced SOMETHING ..... a teenage girl had to have one for her room!! She loves cupcakes.... it was the orange topped one on the previous post and the one with the leaves is gone as well. I may not have to put them on Etsy after all! There just isn't enough time in the day to do all I have lined up to create and paint ... boohoo! I have been going through stuff to sell at the Barn/Estate SALE that we are going to have in Round Top, Tx the weekend of Aug 28th, Fri and Sat...all day. I have gleaned things that don't mean much to me, like my Roseville collection, a chair or two, windows, doors,dishes, Raggedy Ann Dolls, antique stuff, old Needlework Magazines from 1923, etc. So come to the sale if you want some treasures from the past..... we'll have a small tent in the yard and maybe some lemonade!! Heal foot, heal foot..... thank you, Jesus!!