MY HOUSE WAS CLEAN.....

A page that was cut out , then ruffled to add to the oval already with ruffles...I finished it all ....to stiffen....with a layer of mod-pauge or could use gel medium.... This above piece is my favorite....now what to do with them!? Below is my new sign that goes on the roof of my shop....YAY!!! My street sign will have more info on it....this one is to just identify which of three buildings on this 3 acres is the store! Yes, my house was all clean and orderly for the up coming Fourth of July crowd coming to my house. It was two days before the first company came and I had a BURNING DESIRE to be creative.....I mean I HAD to create something .....anything!! I didn't want to drag out a bunch of supplies, so I just used what was handy.....a thin marker, my watercolor pencils, mod-pauge, a cut piece of cardboard, a CBS catalog and old paper scripture pages, scissors.....and my hands! I was suddenly immersed ....in heaven! I just began to draw leaves and cut them from the catalog which had different tints of color on the pages and I added the same colors but darker.....then took the pile of leaves, glueing them down as I grabbed them randomly glueing them on the larger cardboard cut, gessoed heart ....then I formed a small paper rose for the small red heart with mod-pauge. ....still don't know what I am going to do with them....keep adding formed or "ruffled paper"...I think, until I know it is finished. But then I played with making some ruffled scripture strips and torn oval from a jelly jar wrapper from Spain....I just kept playing....I love the ruffles best and want to make more. I know this is not finished but I just wanted to share what I got to BE FREE TO DO BECAUSE my house was clean!!! THAT always motivates me!!! Enjoy what was done, and I hope it inspires you in a spontaneous area of creativity!! The sky is the limit!! Big Blessings....and Enjoy! .....oh!.....and there is one of my new signs for the roof of my building!

AMERICA THE FREE....

These are in reverse order of the day, as it is getting dark here with the finale of fireworks!! My son, Scott, wife Carrie, and Peyton above and then Carrie's sister and husband, Janel and Dave, and boys, Preston and Andrew below....it was great to have you all!! Nana and Papa below....come back!!!.....the other Grandparents! Kids are never bored at this age!! Buckey the Longhorn will be retiring this year...we'll miss him at our house!! Thanks Bobby and Bonnie for the years of bringing him to park in the yard!! Are any young ones being trained for his position? The famous Round Top Brass Band! Cowboys and..... Cowgirls riding with true colors.... Transportation way back then...... ....and now.....Even this big truck, beautiful, got in the parade! Just like the bears and the banner say..."God Bless America" From tractors to hot rods... to politicians campaigning....that is a great freedom!! Go ABE. Hey!!....we are behaving and having fun....I promise! No need for CSI to investigate that here! YUMMMM..... All the grand kids piled on with Grand dad.... My hero....my sweetie! Children are our cherished heritage....everyone of them!! All of them!!! Each and everyone!!! Happy fourth....and happy retirement BUCKEY!! Here are some pictures of our 4th of July Parade passing in front of our house..... a yearly tradition in our town with family and cherished friends. Who DOESN'T seek "to be FREE?" Even, "we" who live in a free country "seek freedom" in many different ways. Above are evidences of what kinds of freedom we already have in this blessed Nation. I hope you will reflect and cherish the freedom we have had from the beginning that was also paid for by our veterans and others.....they especially understand what "freedom" is and to be cherished....some giving their lives for us to stay free. THEN there is another cherished freedom.....not only can you obtain it in the USA, but anywhere your heart is open to receiving it and it's eternal blessing! Many in foreign nations have it but don't have the "freedom" to live it or to share it or even talk about it without being persecuted!! Here is not only a cherished freedom like we still have in our Nation that so many seek, but the Freedom that goes beyond life itself! TRUE FREEDOM..... "...if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:32,36 Blessings!

THE "GIRLS" ..... my zinnias

12x16, done using Jane DesRosier's (Gritty Jane) texture idea of paper squares...then painting on top. First coats and beginning drawing... A simple journal page....got Zinnias on the brain! Some photos of the humblest of zinnias.... ..... they are so beautiful, strong and complex in their design. Almost architectural and perfect. There are so many different kinds, shapes and colors of the same thing. They thrive on the sun to become so beautiful and pleasing to look at. After a while, their color fades and their energy is refocused. They appear to suffer and struggle when finally they dry up and their once beautiful, now dead petals blow away. All that is left is the core, or their soul so to speak....that place where the petals held on to for so long. Then the core or soul or seed head dies and breaks open.... releasing all the seeds of new life she was nurturing and forming all along. All along her purpose was to bloom, die and then release new hope for the future. Her cycle continues for an eternity... her purpose for living never ended. As the dried core blows away and the seeds spread all around on the ground, the rain comes and it sprouts new life in a tiny delicate green sprouts that amazingly being touched by the sun grows into a a strong, mighty and beautiful creation to behold. She has given her soul or seed head to begin maybe a hundred new beauties! Her purpose for living is never in vain.... especially when touched by the warmth of the sun and fed by the rain.....Go Girls, Go!! Two people I know went home to be with the Lord this past week. One was a loved younger Mother and Grandmother and the other was an older Grandfather and Father, also very loved. They both "suffered well" with great grace.... as was quoted by a family member. Both left many, many seeds behind, many seeds that were touched by the "Son" that had nutured their own growth and their own unique beauty they each beheld while they were here ... each one different but uniquely beautiful and so pleasing to behold. See you later "Cici" and "Ted"..... see you there. I can't help but wonder knowing we too will someday go home to our Father, if I will be able to "suffer well"? I don't know and so I continue to try and learn and fill myself with the Son and His Mercy and Grace. Also, now when I gather up and "hold on" to all those dead looking seed heads, I will still know and appreciate more all the beauties and possibilities I hold in my hands. But I will "let them go" so they can spread and the new sprouts can come. I have LOVED this flower since early childhood when we planted our own first little flower garden beside the garage wall by the back gate in hot North Texas as children. What grew from those first seeds has stuck with me all my years and through today as I take these photos of yesterday's dried seed heads. My daughter reminded of these references in Scripture as well....I Peter 1:23-25, Isaiah 40:6-8, James 1:10-12, Matthew 13:31-33, Mark 4:7,8.......Blessings to you! An additional note....I would like to link you to the Obituary/ Blog of Ted and Jo Stone, who we had the priviledge of knowing through dear friends....they also counseled us in our marriage and were encouragers in Christ and just someone you could always go to in honesty and never be criticized, but nurtured and loved through whatever you were going through. Ted went home to be with the Lord as mentioned above, but Jo is still here and will continue in her awesome God Given ministries to people! If you ever visit with me I will walk you through the awesome way she walked me prayerfully through releasing things from my childhood that has had a deep hold on me for years....I will never forget it and how my focus went to the One (who I already knew) but who delivers, Saves, Loves and never forsakes!