A Sentimental Season

Do you still mail holiday cards to friends and family?

I do!

But I must confess, I struggle with throwing out the ones I receive…

The cards are so beautiful and I enjoy the family photos…

It is a sentimental season for me. How about you?

What do you do with all the cards and photos at the end of the season?

I look forward to your creative ideas!

Happy Holidays! 🙂

Windows Into Time…

My husband’s mother has dementia and her memory is declining quickly.

It is difficult to visit her at the facility where she lives but she is always happy to see us.

I did this grid in my art journal using some of the blue-toned printed paper I showed you yesterday:

And as I was photographing the pieces of paper where I had punched out my squares, they reminded me of windows:

The book page I gelli-printed on and used in my grid was about flowering plants from an old botany book. My MIL loved planting flowers.

I wrote this haiku with her on my mind –

Windows into time…

Squares of golden moments shine,

Fading with memory.

Cheers! 🙂

A Different Perspective

Sometimes art imitates life…

And I need to look at things from a different perspective:

I experimented gelli-printing on this blue-tone mixed media paper over the weekend:

I printed sections horizontally in different colors and patterns:

When I look at my paper one way, I see a landscape…

And when I turn my paper, I see a different perspective, a memory perhaps?

What do YOU see?

Happy Creating!

Cheers! 🙂

Holiday Traditions

I often find myself thinking about holiday traditions this time of year and remembering times from my childhood…

This drawing of a sweet girl recently appeared in my sketchbook and I was reminded of the faux hand muffs that my sis and I had as young children, anyone else remember them?

I don’t remember wearing them very much as they weren’t the most practical in keeping my hands warm.  😉

One of my holiday traditions that I started several years ago was making this easy and yummy, Caramel Snack mix:

I thought you might enjoy making it apart of your holiday tradition!

Cheers! 🙂

P.S.  Do you have a favorite childhood memory or holiday tradition?  I hope you share it with me.

Joyful Music

One of the highlights during the month of December is the special music…

Last weekend, I heard a trumpet solo and today at church, I listened to a violin soloist.

I like to close my eyes and listen, it brings my heart JOY!

What special music do YOU enJOY during the month of December?

I hope you share it with me.

Cheers! 🙂

Blushing Betty

With Thanksgiving here next week in the States, it is time to start planning the Turkey dinner!

I purchased this old Betty Crocker cookbook from a thrift store.  I use it for collage.  It is filled with stains and comments on the pages… it makes me wonder whose family enjoyed it. 😉

I have been drawing a lot of pears lately so it seems fitting that a pear-shaped weird bird would appear…

Blushing Betty is a variation of the photographed recipe above for Quick Brown Betty. 

I wonder is Betty blushing because she painted her toenails?

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Cheers! 🙂

Summer Clouds Reflect

Summer clouds reflect,

Another season ending…

Autumn’s chill arrives.

My hubby and I went kayaking Saturday before the big chill arrived at the lake.  The early morning rain shower on Sunday brought a new layer of cool autumn air.

We close up at the lake soon.  I always feel a little sad to see another summer season end…

We feel blessed to have so many wonderful memories and seasons with our friends at the lake!

Cheers to good memories! 🙂

P.S. What memories do you cherish with friends?  I hope you share them with me! ❤️

The Power Of Touch

I do not believe we can ever understand the depth of love…

And the power of touch!

I started my two hands in watercolor last week, if you recall:

And added the finishing “touches” in ink over the weekend.

Two people who “touched” my life with love recently passed.  One a family member and the other the mother of a friend.  Both ladies were 95 years old.

It has made me think more about how others touch my life and how I have the power to touch others with love.

Cheers! 🙂

Flowers And Trees

I inherited my mom’s journal with 40 years of flowers and trees she planted in the yard where I grew up as a child.

I love that it is in her handwriting…

 

I treasure it too because it connects us together… we both love flowers and trees.

I’m taking an online class from Lendon Noe hosted by Carla Sonheim called, Inspired By Lives and Letters, which gave me the inspiration to create this piece:

I made a copy of watercolor painting I did last year and a copy of mom’s journal page from the year I was born… to connect our past and present together as a remembrance.

It is a way for me to have a lovely conversation with my past…

A way for me to say, “Happy Birthday,” to my mom whose birthday is approaching in early March even though she is no longer with us.

I’d like to think she would treasure it.

Cheers! 🙂

Roses In Winter

I wrote this quote in my art journal for my square project that I told you about in December.  You can read more about it here, A Square Project 

I have been working on my January pattern and it is complete!  I will post it tomorrow.

I have always liked this saying as it reminds me of my mom and Mary Engelbreit.

My mom grew the most beautiful and fragrant roses.  I can still see the colors in my mind and smell their sweet scent.  Mom had a beautiful yard where she spent hours weeding and taking care of the plants.

Mary Engelbreit is one of my favorite artists.  She created an iron-on transfer of this saying that I ironed onto a sweatshirt for my mom.  When my mom passed away in 1999, I held onto that shirt for the longest time.  As it reminded me of mom and her lovely roses.

I think we all have the ability to gather roses in winter in our minds.  Memory to take us back to a warm breeze, soft petals and love for someone who touched our lives in a special way.

Whose memory do you treasure?

Cheers! 🙂