NEW POSTCARD....

Before below and the after is above....the lines under the truck are actually petal lines of a gerbera daisy from one of her textures....it just gave that dry August ground interest! I took this photo for an AD campaign .... maybe .... and then started fooling around with it digitally. In DJ Pettit's Class (listed in my favorites under Gentle Whispering Hues) we learned how to do layers and photo manipulations. We also learned how to use photos of different texture to add texture to our photos and use or manipulate them in an artistic way. On this photo I used three of her new FREE textures she so graciously shared with us. Really I was just wasting time playing and the more I played I began to like what was transpiring ...I thought it looked like those old forties or fifties photo postcards that have that super enhanced saturation that make them look almost surreal, but colorful. Anyway, I've decided to use it for a card or postcard to advertise the Fall Collection at the shop. (But I will wait until I see if I won the competition I entered!) I guess wasting time can be productive!! Don't tell your kids or husband that...teehee. Honestly, we all need to play ..... enjoy the present moment ... and relax. BLESSINGS!! TODAY, THE 31st, WE JUST FOUND OUT WE WERE ONE OF THREE WINNERS ON THE PRODUCT DECOR IDEAS FOR THE ROUND TOP COLLECTION!!!!! WE GOT A BIG PRIZE!!!! WOOHOO!

JUST PLAY..... and TRUST

Now that I see this, I think I will add the word "TRUST" to it..... The TRUST part I am still learning. I say I totally trust the Lord, but does my daily life really show it? When fear sets in over "the news", "illness", "children's well being", "debt", "God's Will", "our future here", "Prayer"....among other areas that I THINK I trust Him....but do I REALLY? I've been praying about that for a while and have had some very interesting God "THINGS" happen lately that had been evidence of His LOVE and proof that I can and MUST trust Him.... and really I WANT to completely....actually I HAVE to....there is no other choice.... so I CHOOSE to. Actually, isn't that wonderful?!?! We CAN TRUST and have Faith in Him ...my stories are too long to tell, but trust me....ha...you CAN TRUST HIM!! While contemplating and drawing a very detailed watercolor of my "Tree Letters" to do for a God Sent order.... I needed to loosen up and so I did this painting..... from the "found" or "pulled" method that Mystele has taught us to experiment with, and I have to say it was so relaxing and fun to do.... it did loosen me up for the night of detailed drawing I needed to do.... I was in the groove! Thank you, Lord!! You are faithful....Blessings!! sherry

THE BIRD DOG FINISHED....and school headbands for Pilar

The picture above is a little off on the color...it is richer colors in person. My favorite part is the trees in the far left upper corner....and the fun stockings on the big blue bird...life is not sooo serious! Goofey, I know, but it was fun... I finally finished "The Bird Dog" as a result of Mystele's "Story Telling Basics" Class....as discussed in the previous post with the first posts a few weeks ago on the discovery of the the BIRD DOG in the painting....which gave it a story....it may be my story of life right now. As I look at it, it has A LOT going on.... which is how my life is right now. I am always too involved with projects and so many things in different areas of life. I also live in a beautiful place with lots of birds and flowers and trees and solitude if you want it....and I love it.... HOWEVER, the Bird Dog is ever lurking to disturb my peace and rob me of my joy in Christ or try anyway. I know the Lord uses it to make me stronger and more dependent on Him. The Bird Dog itself is not evil because he hunts innocent birds....and the bird dog who lurks in our lives may not be a dog, but a person or circumstances and they are used by evil to upset the flow of peace in our lives. BUT .... he is small in comparison to our Keeper (Christ) who will be with me always!! The painting was fun and I got lost in it which I love to do. Time becomes unimportant when I'm painting or playing with paint. It is soo soothing for me. The next thing is I made two headbands for Pilar, age 9 who has beautiful black thick heavy hair and she is letting her bangs grow out and it is driving her crazy hanging in her eyes constantly. SOOO I made these two thicker stronger but funky headbands that stretch for her upcoming school days. She is also really into being fashionable (new) and she is artsy and loves hair stuff, but it never works for her thick hair..... hopefully these will. They aren't in her beautiful black hair yet, but propped on my knee to get a photo. The pink one is crocheted with chain of 62 and a needle # 10 ...then five rows, then sewn together and flowers added. The red check is wide bias tape with elastic sewn in the middle pulling slightly to gather, then joined in the back to fit child's head. The felt flowers are sewn with random design and then stacked and sewn on headband. I hope they fit well and stay in her hair. I had a thought of putting a long line of hot glue along the area that touches the hair(after it is dry of course!) to hold to her hair in better....??? what do you think?... not sure about that part... anyway...ENJOY and BIG BLESSINGS to YOU!! Keep a watch for the bird dogs... in your life.

PLAY, PLAY...

Just some PLAY I learned in DJ Pettit's class with a beautiful Iris in my yard that I photographed in May or June....I really love these colors....flowers for me are a must!! I deheaded my zinnias today in 99 degree weather...HOT August and not much else blooms in this heat except zinnias....but they are struggling. The bees were all over a native white flower vine and the zinnias getting what they could of nectar...lots of very busy bees! This art looks pale here...it is darker in person. I may print it on vellum and put it on an off white card stock for a card...ENJOY....I DID....Blessings!

The Bird Dog...

The unseen story....just paint randomly layed on. Above I saw the old lady with red glasses and green hair piled on top, and long nose. A big face at the top with maybe a mustache?....Naw.... The birds began to come out...NO PAINT is added at all during this process...only graphite or drawing...the shapes seen. little houses, trees, lake... Above a house, birds, flowers, SEE the Bird Dog on the upper right? More flowers, birds and trees... and the BIRD DOG that showed up... He made the story a story...click on pictures to enlarge... to see the complete drawn in story before painting.... The BIRD DOG..... That is the name I came up with for this developing story in this canvas (piece of wood). It is about 6.5 x 23 inches or so. I did as Mystele (in our free class, basic story telling) has been showing us and enjoyed randomly (with nothing in mind) laying gesso, paint, collage, and other items to add texture to this canvas. Then I let it dry .... then I sat it up to look at and to find the story ... one way I saw a big face at the top, but could never make the rest come out. Then another way I saw an old woman with her hair piled on top of her head, and she had glasses on and a long nose that I couldn't get away from .... she was there, clearly....but I just didn't like her or have a feeling for her .... I'm feeling old lately and it was just too depressing .... believe me, she would have turned out ugly .... really ugly .... so I searched and searched for some other story in the canvas and it began to develop! I saw a couple of little houses, a lake, some trees, a sky line, and birds kept coming through....lots of birds ... and flowers. Well, it was not much of a story UNTIL....THE BIRD DOG showed up! I guess that is why the birds appear to be still, very still, ready to take flight if he gets any closer! A little like our lives sometimes! Do you see him? He is small and pointing! OKAY, I have my story and I kept drawing in what I saw in the shapes and colors. NOW ..... this where I usually mess up a good thing!!! When spreading the "unknown" shapes and colors, I am really free and loose ..... BUT when I "know" what that shape is, ( a bird, tree or dog) .... I begin to fill it in like a coloring book and become tight with my brush applying the rest. Hmmmm ... I will leave you these without the finished product ..... and post the results later .... and I will also take any advice! No spiritual message here, except watch out for THE BIRD DOG!! Enjoy and Blessings!!

A SPECIAL VISIT...

Monday was day one for a new online class with Mystele .... and I was ready to go with my little canvas smeared with paint. It's an excersize called "pulled" or "found" art where you randomly smear paint on a canvas , let it dry and then return to see what you see to begin the story in the canvas, which I did on Sunday night. Monday came with a call from Elizama, and I needed to go spend the day with her to advise and encourage her in her life's events. She is one of my kids ... and as we talked, laughed, prayed and cried ....watching her tenderly nurse and care for her baby brought the situation into focus with so much hope for her future with her little family. ANYWAY, I came back home that evening and decided to try and focus on my art class and take a look at my little smeared canvas ..... and there she was in the canvas!! The class is called "Story Telling" ..... so here is my story of the day with Elizama. Sometimes we just have to relax in our art to see what is there waiting for us. The scripture on the leaf, randomly picked from a pile of leaves I had cut out for a collage, said " Be patient with those weak in the faith." It was prophetic! The map signifies..."Where will they go?" The answered prayer for the story is that they have found a place to live, and want to have Bible Studies at their home every week, which Trini has agreed happily and faithfully to do! Trini, Maxi and their family are awesome!! ENJOY THE PROCESS!! BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!

NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY!!!

Here is the new POSTER for the FALL COLLECTION .... it is all displayed .... hard work that brought back memories of having the store on the square in Round Top!! Probably one of my favorite memories.... working until the wee hours in the morning decorating with no interruptions .... allowing the creativity to flow!!! NOW if I could just paint pictures all night and still function as a person, I would be the happiest of persons!! Anyway, this is JUST a poster and to catch up on at least having a recent post on my blog.... I am doing some art, but nothing is finished and I need to get pictures.... It was fun designing this poster!....I may frame each poster I make and put them in my office....it is art too!! Will be back soon.....the new TALL sign is almost done...getting the 16 foot posts this week and the sign maker said next week it will be done....then I'll look more professional and you'll see the sign from town!!! I HOPE!!! BLESSINGS!! ....An extra note.... I have added two favorite blogs for you....two very rich real people who put themselves out there to benefit others "I Can Fly" and "Jo and Ted Stone. blogspot" . I love them both! They share their losses in the most Glorious (because it glorifies God) real way.... which leaves you rich with a special care that is available to us all. Thank you both for your "Lion Hearts". BLESSINGS AGAIN AND AGAIN!!! sherry