An August Wednesday in Washington

Oh! my goodness.  It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood and I haven't even finished my coffee yet!  We are truly being blessed with lovely weather as summer wears down.  In our home we are making the most of it for sure.  Our son is here visiting for the week and we've taken vacation so we can all go play.

I celebrated a milestone birthday this past week.  We celebrated quietly just the two of us with dinner and a movie.  Then my son arrived the next day so I'm taking this whole week to make a celebration of sorts!

We've gone to the local race track, we went to market by boat, lazed around the house while it rained (for the first time since about July 4th), yesterday we ventured to the nearest zoo. Today, well, today will hold it's own adventures.  We are considering a ride to the beach in the Westport area.  That area just really draws us in even though there are others in the area this little fishing / tourist town holds a charm for us.

I hope you are enjoying your week and making the best of it all!

Hugs of Love,
Kim

Catching back Up to the World.

Hi there again!  I have a lot tell but I have this oddity about chronological order, forgive me.  Last time we 'spoke' I was catching you up, basically, on my entire summer.  I left you with the end of my trip to see the family in Texas.  By the way, I really miss them, sure wish they would move here were it's cooler in the summers and warmer in the winters.  I swear it's not as cold as you'd think but the chill does last a bit longer.  Anyway....

The local area fair was held toward the end of July.  It's a far-far-far cry from what the State Fair holds, it's just a sweetness of a different variety.  We went last year and actually enjoyed the simple taste of a country fair, since we both had only experienced massively large State Fairs.  I didn't carry my camera this time though and used my Droid for the few pictures I did take.

I am such a lousy self portrait taker...besides it was pretty windy that day too so I lost the battle before I even started.  We planned our visit in time to see a local troupe of 'flame performers': Dragon Slayer, I think was their name.  Like I mentioned it is a small country area fair.  We were trying to choose whether to see them in the early evening or after dark.  If we did after dark we'd miss other things we were considering, however, I still think if we had waited for the after dark performance it would have been better but you can only be in one place at a time.

We then walked around the grounds a bit to see what was going to be for dinner.  Fair food is awesome no matter where you are.  For some reason we settled on a burger, but we followed it with my favorite fair food  "FUNNEL CAKE"!  There is something similar here in the region they call "Elephant Ears".  I think it's a Belgium fried bread done pretty much the same but yet it's thicker and more doughy. I tried a savory one last year at a different event.  I prefer the funnel cake.  Mmmmm it was good and I thought about seconds.  Bill, you need to practice this one for me!  Wait, maybe not. 

We then traveled through the exhibit buildings.  This is one of the things we like about our area fair.  You get to see the work of the kids in their 4H Clubs as well as some terrific endeavors of adults.  Then of course you have all the animals.  Oh my goodness!  All I could think of was Jordan would have an absolute fabulous time visiting all this animals.  Here are just a few I found endearing.

Then it was time for something I've been wanting to do since I was a little girl.  The Rodeo!  Yep! That's right.  I am a native Texan.  My niece even participated in Rodeo events, my grandmother  practically lived across the street from the Mesquite Rodeo (it was a big deal at the time), but I have never been to a Rodeo until now. 

I loved it!  The pageantry of the opening ceremonies, the riders fighting to hang on for 8 seconds, the clowns being well-clowns, the kids gathering out in the middle for a boot scramble, all of it was fun to observe.  We didn't stay for the entire event though, my back just couldn't stand the wooden bleachers for much more than a hour or two.  What we did see was terrific.  There was even a guy riding who was from Texas.  Guess who I cheered for?  Actually, in all honesty, I cheered for every contestant but maybe just a little louder for my fellow Texan.

remember I said I left my camera at home.

Anyway, it was a great day.  The sun was shinning and it was warm, at least until about an hour after this photo was taken.  See, the sun started setting and well you get the idea.

This pretty much catches us up through July!  

Home again Home again....

Wow!  Sorry about being gone so long.

Well, there are a lot of cliques I could write but I won't.  I'll save you from that dribble, for now.  I don't have much of an solid explanation for the long departure from blog world other than honestly, I felt like I was talking to myself, as no one comments here for whatever reason. So... I drifted away, until TODAY!

I'm back....

Let's see, what would be the best way to catch you up on all my little klips of life....?  Hmmm?  Should I present you a professional bullet list of items? Nah - kind sounds and feel too corporate: "bullet list" I have so-o-o-o written my fair share of bullet list in the 13 years of corporate work.  Okay, let's see - maybe just a verbal dump of it all.  Sure that could work, wait no, that might go on for pages and pages. What to do? 

Hey!  I got it!  I'll work in a show and tell fashion, duh!  To avoid any sleepiness, just imagine my voice an octave higher with a smidgen of bubbly rhythm to it.  Not the annoying "I wanna smack her" kind, that's too for bubbly, just a notch or two down from there should work for you and me.

 

Okay here we go (I wonder how long this will take--eek).

 

We left off toward the end of June.  That will be our starting point.  I was working on charms.  Oh my goodness.  I worked on them a bit that week and the next.  I haven't actually worked on any since, other than ideas and gathering supplies that is.  I love, love, love gathering supplies, except I have a weird buyers remorse afterwards.  I don't morn the purchase just the loss of funds...  So my best defense is to think frugal and outside the box.  Sure, it would be so easy to run to town (Olympia that is) and buy what I need or order my 'stuff' on line.  Have I ever mentioned I don't tend to always take the easy route? 

So, I scout out the thrift stores for things I can convert, gut apart or use as is.  I use other artist's blogs and works as inspiration to look at items in a new way.  For instance,  don't you just love magnetic message boards and creative magnets!   Yet, you find you can never find one in the color or pattern you like or that will match you room.  I've seen all over the place how crafters will take a cheapy cookie sheet, paint it with a can of rattle paint in their color(s) of choice, add a picture hanging kit on back if needed and Wa-La!  Add magnets, hang on wall of choice and you're done. Of course there are many, many variations to this little craft, you are only limited by your own imagination.  You do have more of an imagination, you know!  You have just probably chosen not to trust yourself enough to let it out and color outside the lines.  Go for it!  Anyway, I digress we were going to catch up....

You may recall I had purchased a set of Pan-Pastels a while back.  I also signed up for a class using this lovelies at the same time.  My class was held the last week of June at: Art-N-Soul in Olympia.  We created a series of cards using the Pan-Pastels, nothing real extensive at all.  I learned a bit more about how I can use them in masking/layering techniques and I did enjoy sharing the experience of creating.  Here are my finished products, which do you think is my favorite?

Then came July.  We honestly did nothing special for July 4th this year.  It's pretty sad actually.  I had ALWAYS celebrated the Fourth in some manner from childhood, to parenthood into empty-nester.  This year we just didn't have it in us, Bill had to work on-call so we couldn't go anywhere and well, I don't like to go alone where's the fun in that I ask ya!  We did sit out on the deck after dark and watch all the firework displays going off all over town.  I was wrapped up in my snuggie eating an ice cream, if those of you in Texas can imagine that!  I'm betting next year will be better!  With the onset of July came me favorite part of summer....travel to my babies in Texas!~

I think they are starting to realize, that no matter how grown up they think they are, they are and will always be:  My babies~I love you guys to the moon and back.

I was sort of having mixed emotions about traveling to Texas the week or see before I was to leave.  I don't know if you are aware or not but see Texas is unique.  And in that I mean Texas doesn't have just Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.  Nope, not Texas, we do it up big on EVERY thing in Texas.  In Texas you have, Winter, Blizzard time, Spring, Tornado/Hail Season, Summer, Super Summer, Drought, Fall, Rain and More Rain.  Then the cycle begins again, but wait! There's more!  If you don't like the weather give it a few minutes, it'll change and fairly drastic too, except in Super Summer.  During this time of year, well, it's damn hot! That is all there is to it.

Again, I digress - forgive me.  My point was, I'm now in Washington State were if it gets anywhere near 80 degrees the natives think we are having a heat wave and face it, your body tends to acclimate to your environment over time.  I figured two years had gone by now and I had sort of adjusted to being out of the furnace.  I was worried I'd step of the plane in DFWhoo!

I stayed with my lovely sister-in-law and brother-in-law this trip, along with their cutie pie daughter.  That reminds me, I'm delinquent on sending my thank you note-oops better get on that one or I won't be welcome back.

The day after my arrival my darling grandson turned three years old.  Oh, my how time flies.  We took him to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch, hoping he might eat.  We were viewing it as a test run for Character Meals at Disney later this year.  Ummm, he failed the test.  He's going to be one hungry little man when he gets home from Disney, that's almost all I have to say about that!  Other than it taking for--ever to get our food he behaved very well.  We'll have to hope for faster service at Disney, crossing my fingers here.

Isn't he a cutie pie with that little pucker!

The next day was his party at Gatti Town.  Oh my goodness there was so much going on the poor child couldn't hardly focus on anything.  That being said, I think he had a blast.  I actually stole away with him all by myself into the arcade area.  We just strolled around alone, he lead the way and I trailed behind him. 

I was snapping pictures at about waist level of him trying to capture at least a few shots from his perspective.  I let him climb into every game console they had as long as it wasn't occupied.  Believe me, he had no fear of climbing into someones lap if it interested him, he only tried to do that once, it was so funny to me.  Anyway, he'd climb up handled the controls for a few seconds then move onto the next. He went all through the room like that, then went back for seconds on some of his favorites.  All without a swipe of the card or a coin in the slot!  Imagination is great!

Yes, my visit was focused around this little dude.  I miss not being able to go grab him up for a date night with Nana.  My daughter is great about keeping me posted on his doings and all but it's not the same as a slobbery kiss or hearing a pure gut wrenching laugh.  Oh well!  I keep telling her what a great place Shelton is for kids but she hasn't bought the idea yet.  What's a Nana to do but keep trying!?

I then went and spent a few days with MY Mom. It was a really nice visit.  We hung around the house and just visited, went to Allen and then Denison to my favorite store of almost all time....Hobby Lobby.  My sister stayed overnight and we laughed a lot together, it was great actually!  My brother dropped in one evening for dinner, we were doing it simple, hot dogs.  Jordan was actually with me.  We served Jordan a hot dog and he made the funniest face and squealed ewwwww!  I swear to this day it cracks me up to think about it.  I mean seriously, how many kids do you know that won't eat a hot dog of all things!?  I tried and tried but he would just turn away and squeal ewww!  I tried a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next, to no avail.  My daughter keeps telling me he doesn't like PB&J like I do (it's still my favorite sandwich).  Funny thing here is earlier in this particular afternoon the kid had no problem eating peanut butter with Nilla wafers!  Anyway, he had hardly eaten all day, I was worried being a Nana and all.  I finally found a box of cereal to try on him, remember now I'm at MY mother's home and she isn't prepared for little ones.  Low and behold the boy likes Rice Crispy cereal even with out sugar poured all over it!



His daddy got a little concerned because he was eating cereal for dinner but I didn't care.  He was finally eating something that wasn't loaded with sugar or fat and that made Nana happy.

I left Mom's and headed back toward my sister-in-laws home for a few more days of their love and comfort.  We had a really great visit, at least I thought so.  It was kind of have a challenge for them because they were all still in work mode while I wasn't so we had to be mindful of a family's work week schedule.  I think we did pretty good with that overall.  They are wonderful host I might add.  I got to pick dinner just about ever night!  They took me to all my favorite 'have to eat here' places.  Anemia's in Flower Mound, mmmm love their crazy nachos and bean soup. 

Then there was Logan's Steak House in Lewisville, ya' I know I could have gotten this in the Northwest but hey, it's the dinner salad dressing and spices on these skewers that I was after.



I had a Bowtie Festival at Johnny Carinos along with a tasty Bellini and a wonderful mini Turimasu. Mmmm. I could so easily enjoy a repeat of this dinner right now and I just ate lunch!  Oh, well good thing I can't have it as I would probably be terrifically sick from over eating.

With all this wonderful food and there was more mind you.  I have to tell you my most favorite thing of all did not even register in my little brain until a few days into the trip.  Once I had my little paws on it there was no holding back.  To make things even more interesting, my sister-in-law had never experience the joy of this wonderful treat, she's now enlightened and joyful!

Ta-Da!  The most wonderful thing in dessert world,

especially when you can't just run out and grab some.

We all had a terrific visit all in all.  My niece drove in from Killeen and brought her beautiful baby girl to visit me.  Thanks Cynthia!  Sadly, it wasn't until I returned back home that I realized I didn't get to hug up our little June bug.  I reflected back on that and realized my sister snagged her up before I could and then it was nap time.  Darn!  Well, that's all good because they are moving to Colorado and I might just be able to make a weekend visit next spring!  Then there is the fact I was a bit distracted by the most entertaining man there.

This all takes us up through just the first two weeks of July if you can imagine that!  I'm going to stop this post here so you aren't too bored with this klip.  Check back in a day or two for more Klips from Kim and I'll show some small town fair entertainment.  Until then,

Hugs of Love,

Kim









Car Show and Charms

Oh my goodness!!!  Have you ever typed something with such excitement that you actually said something entirely different from what you meant to say?  You hit send and think all is well with the world, only it's not and you don't even know it yet.  Well, I did that today.  I felt so foolish when I realized what I had done, silly, silly, silly me.  I put out a correction and apologized for my blunder.  What else can a girl do?

I bought a raffle ticket for a beautiful car and posted this on my Facebook page via my cell (that's the root of the problem--posting from the cell).  Anyway, I wrote a caption stating I had purchased the winning ticket.  I think I wrote it out of context because at the time of purchase we were all kidding around that I had the winning ticket and stuff.  Apparently, my mind was still on that track and didn't switch to the HOPE part in time of texting.  The fact is the drawing isn't until April 2012.  It's for a wonderful cause, check it out:



1956 Chevy Bel Air 2 door Post Sedan or $25,000 cash
Friends of American Lake Veterans Golf Course 1st Annual Car Raffle
$10 per ticket
need more tickets call 253-589-1998 x305 for more info visit
www.veterangolf.org
Drawing April 16, 2012 5 pm

I have absolutely no clue if you have to be an in-state resident to win, you'd have to call and ask.  I do know it's a worthy cause.  They are helping the wounded veterans of this generation become active.  We have several members of our family and extended in active duty, these injuries could happen to any of them and we are blessed they have been kept safe from this harm.  If I should win the car, great!  The point it this is the least I could do to help others be restored to some activities in life many of us take for granted.  Do your part.

New Subject:

I have also been working on my Christmas projects this week and weekend.  I know, it's just the end of June but see these things take time and money.  I have a large family!  I'm one of four kids.  We average 2-3 kids who are now getting married and adding their partners, as well as beginning to blessing us with grandbabies too.  That may not seem like a lot for some folks but were I come from it's pretty big.  Would you like to take a peak at my pieces?

I'm trying out working with EnviroTex Lite an epoxy resin.  I don't get paid to work with this or anything.  I just ran across their blog and find it interesting.  I did resolve this year to do different kinds of crafts and art, so this qualified.  It seems pretty easy.  I made my first pour today.  I already think I messed up though.  You have to get the 2 part mixture done in equal parts.  I thought I had but after the pour, as I was cleaning up I noticed one bottle had a smidgen less remaining than the other.  Go figure.  Well, it'll take 24 hrs -72 hrs to know if it sets up hard enough.  I can already tell it's clear which is at least one worry dismissed.

I've also been working on some that have a base of abandoned keys and the parts of deconstructed watches and whatever else I find that looks like it might need a new purpose in life.

I have other types of charms that are pretty cute too and plans for more.  It's amazing what you can do with little bits and pieces of things if you just stop and think outside the box for a little while.

Well, I'm off now to play some more with my bits and pieces.  I'll try to get back here a little more frequently.  I've sort of slacked off in the last week or so mainly because I haven't felt to spiffy lately.  I'll be heading to Texas shortly, woo-hoo! I hope to have a few post ready to go before I leave and maybe a couple while I'm away.  Stay tuned for more to find out!

~hugs of love to all.

Monday Madness

Someone recently suggested we make Mondays longer.  I liked to have fallen out of my chair!  Could you just imagine how awful that could be.  However, if it happens to be one of your regular scheduled days off then longer might just be better.  Not so much for me, though. 

Weekend recap, nothing, nothing and more nothing.  Sorry but it's true I did much of nothing all weekend long.  I felt really bad physically.  My blood pressure is out of line and it's a big demotivator when your head feels like it's about to pop like a balloon.  The doctor has me keeping a journal of sort of my pressure readings through out the days.  I've started to think seeing these number might actually be exacerbating the situation, so I backed off the frequency to hopefully calm myself down.  We'll see.

Saturday, I did make my first time ever Strawberry & Banana slush smoothie.  M.m.m it was so good.  I drank it up before I could get a picture to mark the occassion but that's okay.  I made another Sunday and took it's portait before it was all gone.  My kids will probably laugh at this because they used to love to go get these.  My daughter tried and tried to get me to make them, I never did.  Guess that makes me a bad Mom on some level.  All I can say is, "sorry Kiddo! We'll make some when I visit!"

I did go into my craft room Sunday and try to take my self to a quiet place by creating.  It didn't work!  I played a little in my art journal.  Take a look.

Here are a few more pages from my journal I don't believe I've shared with you.  I hope you enjoy them.  They were really fun to do and ever so simple.  Pull out your 'crayons and markers' and make some art.  You're never to old to doodle or cut & paste.

~hugs of love.

Goodies from Texas

Don't you just love packages in the mail? 

I sure do and this one was a surprise.

So a while back I had asked my family to go through their jewelry boxes and send me their "junk" jewelry.  Things like broken watches, an unpaired earring, you know stuff you hold onto for some silly reason.  Well, dudette, they really got into it!  Today I received a box for of goodies.  Mom even had her co-workers and neighbors bringing her things for me.  Thank you, Angie, Joyce, Myra & daughter, and of course Mom!

You see I follow a very creative lady's blog:  Roni Johnson.  She held a charm swap which I participated in several months ago and has started another.  Go check her out: 

http://inkstainswithroni.blogspot.com/2011/06/altered-charm-swap-due-8-6-11-sign-ups.html

It was so much fun and so easy!  She'll lead you with ideas and then off you go!  Challenge yourself to do something different outside your comfort zone.  I think you will seriously find it rewarding.

That started my obsession with collecting bits and bobs.  Seriously, when I treasure hunt I'm looking for these orphaned pieces I can incorporate into a charm or other altered piece of wonderfulness.  It's amazing what you can do with the guts of a wrist watch or old alarm clock or a circuit board.  I also have another motive for collecting from my family in particular.  Take a look at what I created for my daughter which made little "Miss J" cry at Christmas (not that making my daughter cry was the goal mind you).

You will recognize some items store bought, sure.  Just keep looking.  The framed pictures are craft frames found in the jewelry section at places like Joann or Michaels.  I filled several of these with tiny prints of my grandson, then there is one of my daughter we got back in the 80's as a photo package deal and I did an image transfer of her man as a little boy.  The coins from Canada, Europe and Japan I added after I had holes drilled in them, this way she will never be broke (I didn't use US coins because they are harder to drill).  On the upper left side I altered an earring from my grandmother and my mother then added those. Although the fairy charm was store bought years ago for my own charm bracelet, I took it off (and she knows this) and added it to hers.  I should probably point out this is not a bracelet but a long rope like necklace.  This year for her birthday, I sent her a teeny-tiny bottle of sand we collected from Galveston years ago on a family vacation, this way she'd always have a little bit of home with her.  This all started by following a blog!

I thought this might be something I could carry over into my Christmas gift giving this year for other loved ones.  Which takes us back to needing the "raw" materials to work with.  In the box from Texas I found some fun stuff and had to go inside to really explore the contents.

I spent a short two hours going through it all.  Hubby actually got just a little grouchy for his dinner, (can you image that) but I ran and brought him back his favorite pizza so all was forgiven!

I have to say though this bit was my very favorite to explore.

There is absolutely nothing of monetary value here.  What is so valuable here are memories, see this jewelry box itself was my grandmother's.  The contents are mix of hers, my mothers and a few miscellaneous pieces.  There are several pieces I can recall have seen worn as a child.  I think I told you in a previous post my grandmother had given me a large amount of her costume jewelry over 20 years ago.  I believe she'd be happy to see I put her things to use in a second life, she was puzzled even back then I'd want her "junk" jewelry.  It's funny I can remember that conversation as if it were just a recent visit at her home yet it was about 22-25 years ago.  I've had the other pieces on display in my bedroom using a wire dress form, I may let it rest a while in it's former box.  I'll have to think about that because I really enjoy seeing her there every day.

Well that's what I was up to today.  That and an ugly sinus headache all day!  I'll need to get seriously busy for my gifts to be done in time for Christmas.  I do seriously highly recommend you commit and participate in the Inkstains charm swap.  There is nothing in it for me what so ever.  I just really enjoyed it and actually received charms made by others from all over the world.  The WORLD!  I have a hard time actually putting them to use but I do take them out every now and again and admire the craftsmanship and creativity.  For me it was more about the creativity:  "How in the world did they think to do that with this?"

So get out there, get out side your comfort zone, make life an adventure! (you'll see me say that often just ask anyone who knows me).  Enjoy!

~Hugs of Love

At any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end

WOW!  Now that's some title.

The title is however, very descriptive to the piece I started last night.  You may recall I recently purchased a set of Pan Pastels.  I've been playing with them a little in my art journal but still felt there was more I could do.  So, yesterday I got brave and pulled out a canvas.  I had seen an inspiration piece on the Facebook wall of Melissa Bolton.  I wanted to recreate something similar in blues, grays, and a taupe color.

I first prepared a canvas board with some Golden Gesso.  I thought I remembered Christy Tomlinson saying the Pan Pastels would move best on a prepared surface.  I did this but I wasn't getting the lush color I was expecting.  Take a look.  This is actually after applying the three colors.

It's a bit lacking isn't it.  Then I thought, well lets activate the pastels.  I spritzed the area with some water, just a little at time and spread the media with a wide brush.  Still not a very lush rich pigment I was wanting.  I gave up and switched gears a little.  Pulling down some aqua blue acrylic paint I went to town.  This started working like I wanted.  I lost some of the taupe so I pulled down a home made distress ink spray in my mini mister and applied some randomly, but it got too dark.  Out came a little  Studio Calico Mr. Huey's cream paint spray.  Spray, dab, spray, dab, spritz with water, spray, you get the idea.  Now this is what it looks like.

The inspiration piece had a butterfly and I was unusually attracted to this little creature.  (usually butterflies are not so much my thing.)  I soo-o can not draw or free hand paint, but I get crazy with a stencil!  I remembered I had cut a really large butterfly with my Cricut on a previous project and had the smarts to save the 'scrap' to use as a stencil.  I pulled it out and pounced a butterfly in the corner with the watered down, lightened aqua acrylic paint.  I then used my Faber-Castell pens to add some texture to the piece.  Take a look see.

It's still needing something.  The inspiration piece had a layer sitting over the butterfly but just barely.  I was scared to mess this up now but at the same time I wasn't exactly thrilled with the looks of my butterfly.  So more spraying, dabbing, spritzing took place keeping with the same three colors only difference this time is I was spraying a little Glimmer Mist - Patina which matched the aqua perfectly.  I then did what I refer to as a Donna Downey dribble which is were the media dribbles/runs down your project.  I really liked how it turned out.  About this time the hubby pops his head in my room and is totally amazed!  Yea score one for me! (see he doesn't always get it.)

I was on a role now, my mojo was flowing.  I wanted more and more but I wanted to remain true to my inspiration.  The only other item on the inspiration was a quote in the center of the piece but I felt mine was still missing something.  I turned a tight circle in my space (because that's all I can do) my eyes land on what is quickly becoming my favorite stencil.  Out with a little acrylic paint and a dry natural sponge.  I ever so lightly stipple some white paint with the stencil.  Then it hits me I need to finish the edges like I would a scrapbook feature by inking the edges, only I use the white paint and sponge.

Ta-Da!

 This lovely is 12x16

I haven't decided if I want to add the quote now or not.  Hubby says it looks wonderful as is, I think so too but I really liked the quote:

"At any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end." 

I'm going to walk away for a day or so and then decide.  However,  my mojo was flowing and I wasn't stopping here.

I decided to try another smaller canvas with the pan pastels only this time I wouldn't prepare with Gesso, maybe I got it backwards.  Guess what, apparently I did!  I still didn't get the rich lush color but it was much closer and I didn't have to add the aqua acryclic paint.  It worked so well, I pulled down a third canvas.  Hey!  I was thinking these are going to hang somewhere in my home and I needed the odd number for a grouping. 

Again, more spraying, dabbing, spritzing took place keeping with the same three colors only difference this time I used a different stencil.  The burst seemed too large for the smaller canvases but I sort of wish I had tried it anyway, oh well, maybe next time.  I traced some butterflies this time and painted them in with my Faber-Castell pens and highlighted with a white paint pen and white gel pen.

Take a look at the finished project.  I think they still need something but I really don't want to add flowers.  What do you think?

These little sweeties are each 5x7

So that's how I spent my early evening yesterday and today.  My husband keeps suggesting I sell whatever it is I create.  I keep telling him, someday.  Right now I feel I'm learning how to make my art.  I find inspirational pieces everywhere and I don't want to just 'copy' the original artist I want to learn how they did 'that' and recreate the technique in my style-whatever that maybe.  It's fun!  I hope you enjoyed following along my creative process. 

~ hugs of love.