Mother daughter DAY
Christmas Tree Making...fun day w/ my girls! 🎄 #mixmedia #cardboard #bookpages #scrapepaper
Oh Christmas Tree
I wanted to share my tree with you!
and the ornaments I've made...
Ornaments I made last year!
*holiday girls
*holiday houses
*cupcakes
*owls
*sheriff badges
Ornaments I made this year
*old shirt pom poms
*camo balls
*Mississippi maps
*cameras
I also pinned a few
Instagram pictures with
old clothes pins to the tree!
They turned out really cute, here's a few.
Different views...
Old to New
Last week I posted a picture on facebook
of a bracelet I made.
I've had several people ask
about the bracelet. So, I wanted to share
just how I made it!
Take these old shirts
and make this Cute red, green and blue
Christmas bracelet...
This year while getting ready
to make a few ornaments for my Christmas tree
I knew I would use some old clothes
I saved from last year
while cleaning out closets.
I tossed the bags of clothes in the attic
before actually taking them to Goodwill.
When that time came to take them,
I begin viewing the old clothes
as potential items to make something.
Not knowing what that something would be,
not knowing when the time would be,
I kept the shirts, on my art shelf they went!
Preparing to make a Christmas ornament,
I cut long strips of all three
colors out of the backs of the shirts.
I played with those strips for a day
realizing they would make a
cute braid bracelet.
Only I didn't know
how I would attach the
ends of the bracelet together
to make it presentable.
So the next day I finally
come up with what
ornament I would make.
Doing a little research on Pinterest
I found the pom pom ornament
I envisioned making.
(picture of ornament is later in this post)
Moving past the ornament making
for a moment, I was standing
in line at Hobby Lobby one day
after making my ornament
still thinking about
making a bracelet.
I picked up a magazine while I waited.
There it was bracelet making. See
do your homework, research, and your
sure to find your answer.
They showed how to simply sew
the ends together. Bam, there it was!
Off to bracelet making land
here's how I did it.
cut my strips out of the backs of old shirts
safety pinned them together attached to something,
I used my jacket in this picture. It was all
I had one day in car pool.
start your braid, braid as tight or loose as you like
thread your needle
release from safety pin
and sew your ends together
once your done cut the end off, each
strand individually.
Now here's
the
ornament I made...
like the strands use to make the bracelets,
around a piece of cardboard wedging a piece
of twine between the strands and
cardboard. The twine is then tied to hold
all the pieces together. Tied tight!
Slipping the tied strands
off the cardboard
I cut the circled strands
in half!
This gives you a pom pom look!
I am very in love with
my ornaments.
It took me a time or two to perfect
how tight to wrap the strands and
just where to cut getting the look I personally
wanted.
I also tied another piece of
the twine already used to make a
hanger.
People often ask
how I come up with my ideas.
As far back as I can remember as a child,
I remember looking at stuff
and telling myself if I had the right materials
I could make that
or
look at stuff
and imagine making something
out of it.
Well this has carried on into my
adult life and I am just at a point in
my life where I am able to put this to practice.
I hope you enjoy!
If you make something
share it with me,
I'd love to see it...
P.S. this is the second time
writing this blog post. I lost the first
one some how....sad face!
It's in the mail
Friday I was feeling alittle on top of the world
and thought I'd share something with my
facebook buddies...
This was my facebook status from Friday!
*when/win
(oh boy at how my mind works)
Well one of my readers guessed it right...
Styrofoam
If you've read Daddy's Briefcase chances
are you already knew that but
just didn't get a chance
at
guessing!
Well be on the look out for future
give aways. Not sure when they
will be but maybe when
the moment
is feeling just
right!
I
heart
feeling
lead to do
something!
This painting was inspired by
Chris August's song Starry Night
I wanted to share with you a little behind
the scenes of just how I came up
with this painting.
This is my original sketch....
me working it out of my head
on to paper.
Listen to the words of the song...
these are the words that
stuck with me while painting....
birds that sing
tallest trees
desert sand
He is everything
painted sky
moon reflects the sun
starry night
autumn leaves
To write, To teach
I am at a point in my life of wanting
to find a balance. A different kinda balance,
a balance that will fit my life at the moment
of being the stay home mom that I am.
One reason I rid photographing weddings,
by putting my camera on the shelf is the amount
of time it took away from my family on Saturdays.
Needing to find something more to do during
the week while every ones at school and work.
No ones getting married during those hours,
well at least not in my neck of the woods!
So for the past year after launching the sales
of my book (a tiny glimpse of inspiration of
my life already) I 've given myself alittle
free play time, still in the art world
with paint brushes, canvas, journals
etc. but I am thinking it's time to
move forward into alittle more.
More being one of two things or both:
1. writing another book, something fun,
something beyond what I've mentioned
in the past I would do, my list of books to write!
2. teaching an online art class, a personal
mix media art class.
Writing a book from my already list would
require me rumbling in some old emotions
and because I've done that with my first book
and the point I am at in my life I am thinking it's
not healthy. Being called to do something alittle more
fun, alittle more of a challenge, away from something
I am not so already attached to, I need a place
I can dream, dream and be free! A relaxing playground
yet that would still be inspiring to others.
I already have an ISBN number
I already have the knowledge, the in's and out's
of publishing a book. (layout, design, print, proof)
I just would need to plot out a good story,
have lots of time for hours of writing, have an editor
on stand by, etc.
I've always wanted to teach something, something
I am knowledgeable in. Teaching an online mix
media art class would so be up my alley. It would
be video classes taught so that the students could
work at their own pace in the comfort of their
own home. All I would need is a good video
recorder, editing, uploading videos, have private
class access, a private facebook group-for students
sharing class work, plan the class, create prompts,
etc. Even though this may seem like more to do it's mainly
because I've never done it before. And boy, oh boy, do
I love a challenge, a time to learn something new.
My thoughts are what do others think!?
Which one should I do, or should I do both!?
Tell me, tell me....
l'll never look at another sunflower the same...
Days go on...
As many of you know the dentist
I last worked for (eight years ago)
battled pancreatic cancer
and went to be
with his Lord
and Savior
on
Among preparing for
the visitation, I spoke with
his dental assistant-whom has been a very dear
friend of mine since before her and I were of driving age.
She was telling me about
the flowers she ordered, how
specific she was in ordering them.
I knew she did this because
she wanted them to be
perfect for him!
And they were!
At the visitation,
I asked her to show me. I knew for my sake,
my eyes must land upon these
special ordered flowers.
When she showed me,
I was mesmerized,
the beauty was unreal!
I seriously wanted
to pull out my iPhone and take a picture,
but felt it was very inappropriate
for the occasion.
So fighting myself off,
I continued to look, feel,
touch the hummingbird placed
in the center of miniature sunflowers.
Sunflowers just like I saw
earlier that week behind a coffee
shop, I insisted my daughter
stop the car for me to
photograph.
She wouldn't stop!
My endless photographs
drive my family crazy.
My hands still touching the
hummingbird as his assistant
tells me her story about ordering.
She wanted it to be "very" outdoorsy!
His closed casket was behind me covered
with an American flag!
She continued to talk,
we had just walked through his line
of family hugging each ones neck.
I really wanted that picture.
I just couldn't do it. So I listened to her as I
continued to touch the precious soft hummingbird!
Greenier surrounded the sunflowers
along with wooden branches
and other miscellaneous
arrangement pieces giving it
a outdoorsy look for sure.
Outdoorsy!
I exited the room.
On my way out, I noticed
another arrangement had those
same miniature sunflowers.
The next day at the funeral service,
my husband and I entered from the side
of the church which took us to the front
of the already filled church sanctuary.
Upon his assistants eyes landing on us,
she point to the church pew right in front of her,
it was half empty, but was so close to the front.
Down front was the closed casket with a
few flower arrangements. One was with the
miniature sunflowers, I couldn't keep my eyes off
of it!
Days later,
my mom came out to be
with me and the kids for the day.
I planned a day of painting,
painting a sunflower
using watercolors.
My mom is not big into
what she calls "art". My goodness
she's a retired hairdresser, that's art in itself!
Silly woman!
this is my sunflower painting
in memory of Dr. Buchanan
upper left is my oldest daughters
upper right is my moms
lower left is my youngest daughters
and
lower right is mine
Mom was amazed how different
they all looked. And she was right,
they do look different,
to me that's the beauty
of art!
I wasn't able to visit with Dr. B.
once he was diagnosed, but was just in
his office two weeks prior for some dental work.
We had a really good visited!
Upon waiting for my next appointment,
I couldn't wait. I had so many things I wanted to
tell him, tell him about my eight
years being at home.
I finally worked the nerve up!
Working a nerve up because for
so long I felt like a failure leaving him.
I wanted to share the beauty that God has
so gracefully splashed over my life
that I never in a million years would dream
of. I guess that's kinda how life
goes no matter
where you
work!
Being it was a very hard thing for me to
leave his office, because of how
special he was, it was an
honor to work for him,
with him.
He was such a father figure,
he reminded me so much of my father.
I've spent many of days lonely, lost at home.
Why God, why on this earth would
you want to put me at home.
I loved my job.
I seriously grieved over him,
over my job
eight years ago,
which makes it so
hard to watch everyone
now
but
know there is hope
and healing
in time!
Over the course of years
being at home
God has showed me
so many things about my life,
about me, my family.
He aloud me to fully open up my heart in
sharing my own cancer battle
in my book. Something I know
I could have never done while working.
It was a time of healing
and was very rewarding.
Alongside a time I saw my marriage
blossom in a new direction.
God seriously took me from the work force
to allow me to see my life
from a different
perspective.
Because I wasn't able
to see Dr. B for my next visit,
I hold the peace of the visit I did have
with him. We had good
conversation, about life, family, etc.
So maybe what else I wanted to share
with him, he really already knew
because he was a smart man
like that!
Here's my view
of our last visit...
this is how I will always remember
him, him looking down on
me giving that peaceful
injection!
One things for sure,
I'll never look at another sunflower the same.
I'll always think of
Dr. B.
In fact, I am thinking of planting
some next year in my
yard in memory of him.
Why don't you
join me!