What's Blooming at My House. . .

Well, they aren't really blooming anymore but I just loaded my pix and I wanted to share. Those of you that have known me for awhile know that I LOVE Calla Lilies!!! They are my most favorite flower and they just conjure up all sorts of memories and emotions for me. Since moving into the new house (can you believe it has been 5 years now!) I have really missed my calla beds that I grew for over 15 years at the old house. I have planted them here but they barely grow and never bloom. This year as they started to poke their heads up out of the ground again, I prayed "please dear Lord, let them bloom this year. I really need to see the flowers this year after the year I have just had". I don't know why, but I am always surprised when God answers these simple and unimportant prayers and just gives me the desires of my heart. So this year in February I got my first blooms here and I cannot tell you the joy it brought me! I immediately got on the phone and called Gary at work . It actually brought tears to my eyes!  

Delight thyself also in the LORD:

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalm 37:4

 This spring my beloved callas produced 21 blooms of hope and joy for me! Sadly, this past week I pulled the last withered flower from the plant. There will be no more blooms this year. But I have faith that next year they will return and be even more prolific than they were this year!

So, That's what has been blooming in the garden, now let me show you what's blooming inside. . .

This year I have started collecting markers. This is a new obsession for me. I started doodling this past summer when I was too sick to do anything else. The problem with collecting something new is trying to figure out how to store your new collection. As we all know I am a little anal and need to have everything nice and tidy, organized and labeled. I try a few methods of pen storage and none of them fit the bill. I finally asked Kathie, my friend and owner of "The Occasional Artist" if she could order me in one of the display racks for the Copic markers. As luck would have it she had an extra one in the shed. That day after class I went home with a new marker rack. I could barely wait to get home and fill it all up!!! As soon as I got home that is exactly what I did. It took me a bit to get it set up just the way I wanted it and of course to get it labeled. But once it was done I was just so happy!

 I just love this thing - it is just perfect for me and I actually use all of my pens now because I can see them all. I have them set up by color so I have no trouble at all finding the perfect color of green I need to color in my leaves. Or the perfect color of pink for a flower I am coloring. This rack also has a large open section that is the perfect place to put my pastels and my water color pencils. Kathie, I know you are reading this and. . .

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

 This is a little doodle I did for my granddaughter London today. Yesterday I was doing a little doodle and when I finished it, all I could think of was "this would be so cute in London's room. It totally matches all of the bedding I made her". So I showed it to Bryanna and she loved it. I told her I would have to draw it again so that it would fit into a standard frame. She suggested I add her name to it somewhere when I made the new one. I suck at lettering! But I am trying very hard to teach myself. So, I accepted the challenge to add her name to the new doodle. It's far from perfect, but I am pleased with how it turned out. And even nicer is that Bryanna was happy with it and willing to hang it on her wall! I really wish you could see all of the little details in this doodle. I did a lot of tone on tone texture with my new Glaze pens and some glitter with my favorite Sakura glitter pens.  Hey, while we are talking about markers, did you know Kathie is offering the new 25th Anniversary Collection of 36 Copic markers for $225 if you pre-order them? That's right, I have to get my order in, I really want those. Have you seen them? They all have black barrels for the 25th Anniversary!

Well, That's all for tonight folks - I hope you enjoyed seeing what's blooming around my house. What's blooming at your house? If the answer is "NOTHING" draw yourself some blossoms!

Til we meet again. . .

Is There Anybody Out There?????

I know, I know, I did another disappearing act but honestly I have some good excuses! That's right I have more than one excuse, are you ready for them all? Well, here we go. . .

It has been another trying month around hear - I hate sounding like I am complaining but really I am just explaining what's been going on. As luck would have it I am still not feeling well, some days better than others. I have seen a new Dr and now have some new referals to 3 more Drs and some more tests. If all of the regular health problems aren't enough in the past 2 weeks I have had the stomach flu - if you know me, there isn't anything I hate worse than throwing up!!!! I have also had a UTI, ear infection, sinus infection and some issues with my teeth. These last few afflictions are still with me - gotta love life!!!

Oh and I didn't mention that my desktop crashed!!! I finally got a laptop so I didn't have to be in the studio and I had it linked to my desktop. One night I was getting ready to back up some files (something I have not done in months because I just can't be in my studio too long) when I realized that my linkeddrives gone! I went to the desk top and sure enough the drives were totally gone!!!! I called my son in law and he took the drive home and couldn't retrieve anything. I was just so sad, it had only been 18 months since my last computer crashed and lost everything! But frankly I just have too much other stuff going on to really spend too much energy on it. I would just have to figure out how to recreate as much as I could. I got my drive back and had EZ AZ Techz come pick it up and give it a try. This guy is my hero! He salvaged EVERYTHING!!!!! I was so happy! He even found out that my drive was still under warrenty and contacted the company and sent it back for me and a new, FREE, replacement drive is on it's way! Once it gets here he will install this drive as a back-up drive for me.

But I have taken some time to create some new class project samples. I will share them with you below. Just click on the photo to see more detailed photos of the project.

Art Quotes Wall Hanging

This will be taught at The Occasional Artist on Sat, May 26th

This is using the new G-45 Kraft Collection. I love it - even though I didn't think I would like it when they 1st previewed it. The wall hanging is an impressive 14x14 and hastons of pearls on it, a couple fun, handmade flowers and of course several fun quotes about art and creativity. and it all hangs from a pretty silver chain.

 Sew Many Memories Book in a Box

This will be taught at The Occasional Artist on Sat, April 21st

 You know I love these book boxes! I have done them before but this time I altered it in a new and improved way. I love how it turned out! I used a line of paper by Fabscraps for this project. Lots of lace and buttons, as well as a couple of tiny spools of thread and a tiny pair of scissors all snuggled inside a cool resin frame.

 This is the book that goes inside the box . It has a simple stitched binding.

Olde Curiosity Shoppe Curio Box Album

This will be taught at The Occasional Artist on Sat, June 9th

This is a SUPER FUN project and I hope you will take a look at the detailed images on this one! I just finished it yesterday morning. I have been wanting to make another one with another paper collection all day today but I still haven't totally cleaned up my mess from this one yet.

So that's what I have been up to lately - I hope all is well with you and that you have been busy creating art of your own!

Till we meet again. . .