CLASSES AND A NEW FOUNDATION

WOW... I have really relaxed and have a new peace of mind since our house sold. It cleared away a lot of physical responsibility which became mental too!! 
TODAY they are putting a NEW FOUNDATION on the corner of our new spot so we can add a porch room ...our headboard was two inches lower on that side of the house! All other corners are good!!  SUCH is life, one corner a little skewed and if the the other three are stable, you'll make it!! Ha! Then I take kids to ART Classes and they are constantly singing in the back seat the FROZEN theme...."LET IT GO.... LET IT GO!!"  SO NEEDLESS TO SAY  I'm covered and doing well!!  AS IS HUBBY!!
NOW THE OTHER THING...is that I have been taking art classes for my own enjoyment on line for the last year or two or three. Right now the one I am taking is called SKETCHBOOKERY with Mary Ann Moss.  It is watercolor joy and journal making about what ever strikes your fancy!!  That is her style and so easy going!! Here are a few shots of rediscovering my watercolors and just PLAYING AROUND with color and letters and some blind one line contour drawing which forces you to look at WHAT you are drawing and not what you THINK it should be....just good eye and hand practice!! AND some POSSIBLE JOURNAL COVERS to add signatures of watercolor paper to....oooo YUMMY!!

The journal, bought, a Canson, for my class...it is 9x12 with lots of heavey watercolor pages...I'll make a journal with real stitching a little later and show you the results...but here are some journal covers I might use for journaling about different subjects...like....

This old "Everyday Cookbook cover.....

OR this cover for writing about REFUGEE CHILDREN in THE WORLD.....

OR THIS OLD PAINTING of a Winter Time House with a little collage I added...this could be about the new season in MY LIFE....

I'll do another post later on my new garden adventure for Grandmas....later!!  BLESSINGS!!

MANIKINS TAKE A REST !!

I will share the last journal pages of the doodling on manikins.  It was fun, but I am a little tired of them. Some new serious art is on the horizon and I'll shared more later.  There is also some pictures of our found puppy and the first visit to the grandkids.  They have really wanted a dog, especially Eli and you can sure see it on his face!! The dog was so comfortable with them and let them hold him however they wanted and he just complied!! He was so relaxed with them and ran and played with them all afternoon! He even got a ride in the dump truck!!  Then two pictures of the usual sleepy heads...whenever Dick sleeps she is right by his side and sleeping too! They are true buds!  Then our beautiful Olivia, who was so good with the dog and said someday she'll get a little tiny dog she can carry around in a bag to her friends! They are so busy with swim meets and competition and home school and piano, dancing, etc that a dog would be home alone!! So they can just visit with Mickey!! He is becoming a real buddy to Dick....following him down every row while push mowing the grass!! 

 I've missed my roses and zinnias at the old house and my crazy mockingbird!!

 A friend visited me in the shop....

 In my new garden...

 My favorite bag, no money no makeup, just art supplies!!

 After the exciting ride in the dump truck...and above is the huge Noah's Ark I did a few months back for children's church.

 One happy boy and one happy dog!!

 He's so little...perfect for one hand!!

 My favorite two sleepy heads!!  Priceless!!

COWBOY CHINTZ...LOOK?

The original (unfinished above) is on wood ....the prints are below...this was a fun, fun piece.... 12x16 ...my favorite...it is a little brighter in person... 11x17 These were done last month, Tallow Berries....originals are 8x8...the prints come with or without the antique German script on front...Mixed media on canvas. Here is one of the new pieces on top...and prints from it...I finished for the Antiques Shows in Round Top/Warrenton Texas....our famous twice a year l o n g show.....in the barns, the fields, tents galore, and front yards....from 77 people in town to 20,000 people....two weeks of pure junkin!!! WOO-HOO!! RAIN-SLEET-OR SNOW...nothing stops them from coming and having fun.... Anyway, I'm as ready as I can get..... with three more canvases to finish....maybe I'll make it!! I have prints of this one and the Rabbit below....11x14 and 12x16's....they are 26.00 each and the rabbit comes in an 8x10 too for 18.00. This one has zinnias around the outer edge ...all from my yard....the swirls are cut out from old Bible pages, a mixed media piece with vintage and new pieces...collage with painting on top of most....I thought it looked slightly WESTERN...pretty colorful!! Many people collect Chintz dishes with all the floral patterns and I love them mixed....so I had a "Chintz" kind of thing going....even with the next ones I'll post next week.....BLESSINGS and ENJOY!!

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.....