Red, White and Blue

Today is Memorial Day in the United States when we proudly wave our American flag to thank ALL who have served our country so we can live in freedom!

Hoorah for the red, white and blue!!

On a side note, it has been a windy, rainy and cool weekend at the lake.  We have spent much of it indoors; reading, napping and eating! 😉

What have you been doing over the weekend to relax?

Cheers! 🙂

A Season For…

December is a season for…

Holiday celebrations with family and friends near,

A bouquet of flowers with reds and greens from my dear,

It’s a season of giving and sharing good cheer,

And saying, thank you, to YOU, my blogging friends this time of year!

Wishing you ALL a very Merry Everything!! 

Cheers! 🙂

A Milestone…

I read an article from our local newspaper yesterday about a mom whose son recently graduated from high school.  No big deal, right?  Happens all the time…

Upon further reading, I learned that her son was born with a hole in his diaphragm and the doctors only gave him a 50/50 chance to survive.  While he was in the hospital Neonatal ICU, struggling for every breath, this new mother placed two fingers on his laboring chest and whispered, please.  When he exhaled, she whispered, thank you.  

In the weeks that followed as her son grew healthy and strong with no lingering complications, each breath seemed like a miracle.  This mom continued her prayer ritual of whispering, please when her son inhaled and thank you when he exhaled.  Faced with the fragility of life, each year became a milestone to celebrate with her son!

This story reminds me of taking the time to say, thank you to people who I appreciate in my life.  Sometimes it is good to recognize the milestones that are big and small…

I made the above card for a friend recently.  I was inspired by these beautiful pink roses:

I thought you might like to learn how I made it.  🙂

I discovered that sea sponges make great roses!  Just dab a damp sponge lightly in acrylic paint  and twist your wrist as you apply the paint to paper.  Adding several colors, gives it some depth.  And a few splatters of watercolor gives it pizzazz!

My lettering came from an idea in this book from Joanne Sharpe.  I used a permanent black Micron pen.

One doesn’t have to have a milestone to say, thank you; who do you know that would appreciate getting a handmade card in the mail?

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads this weekend…

Cheers! 🙂

Just Words?!

I’ve been drawing my own patterns lately for collage papers.

I got the idea from Kara Kramer’s online class, hosted by Carla Sonheim.  You can check out her class at Improv collage

She got me thinking about words…

So I started cutting out JUST words that “spoke to me” from old magazines and junk mail:

It helped to think about words I like AND different lettering “styles.”

Then I created a page of words that I can copy and use in my own artwork:

What WORDS speak to you to write and doodle on a page?!

I have to say that YOU inspire me every day in your art, poetry, photography, blog posts and encouraging comments.  Thank you!

Cheers! 🙂

A Little “Extra” Lake Time

It is difficult to believe that summer is almost over!  September brings cooler evenings, shorter days and changing colors.

In the states, we are celebrating an extra long weekend called Labor Day (always the first Monday in September) which pays tribute to contributions and achievements of American workers.  It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and came a federal holiday in 1894.

I took a little extra time to paint outdoors at the lake today.  I gathered some flowers, a wild rose hip and a couple of beach rocks.

I’m not really liking the black online but I wanted to try something different.  I gave this little painting to a friend who kindly brought me dinner last week.  It was an extra nice treat for me! 🙂

How do like to spend a little extra time to relax?!  I hope you share it with me!

Cheers! 🙂

 

A Day To Reflect

Some days I just need to slow down and reflect on life…

Yesterday seemed like the perfect day at the lake!  😃

A good morning reflection – so thankful to be alive here at the lake!

An evening boat ride on calm waters:

Just breathe!  Love these cotton ball clouds and calm waters.  Thank you God for this beautiful place to unwind and recharge.

Pink clouds… such an amazing view!

Thank you for this day!  Wow!  God!  Your masterpieces are such a work of art in nature!!

Wishing you a day to relax and enjoy what brings you happiness in life!

Cheers!  🙂

Harold’s Surprise

Perhaps you remember Harold from last week…if not you can find him, here.   Well, he is here today to reveal his surprise!!  (Drum roll, please!!!)

Meet Harold’s wife, Henrietta!  She always makes the sun shine even on a cloudy day!

Henrietta is all dressed up in her finest feathers to greet you!

Her feathered do is stylized in a bouffant with a branch and leaf or two.  She is wearing the latest glamourous party dress by Robyn’s Egg  paired with an authentic “Nine-Nest” bird-wing bag.  The tip of her beak and the tips of her bird feet are tinted in Autumn Berry Blush.

Harold is thankful for his styling wife, Henrietta!  She lights up his world!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!  🙂

P.S.  And thanks for lighting up my world with all your kind comments throughout the year on my blog!  Cheers!

A Moose On The Loose

I wrote this moose haiku for you:

Cow moose from the woods,                                                                                                 Your size towered over our truck,                                                                           Thanks for turning back!

On the way to the lake this last weekend, a very LARGE cow moose came onto the highway as we were driving.  We swerved and luckily for us, the moose on the loose decided to turn back towards the woods.

So here is a quick drawing of a moose.  So very grateful that we made it to our little home in the woods safely.

So to celebrate, here is a beautiful lake sunset for you to enjoy!

Cheers!  🙂

A Heart of Gratitude

I was playing with some new tubes of watercolor today and created this:

It says, “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into Blessings.”                               – William Arthur Ward

I tore the definition of gratitude from a Children’s dictionary and used one of my gelli-prints for the heart.  I glued them to 140 lb cold press watercolor paper using Matte Medium.  After it dried, I applied the watercolors.

I used Winsor & Newton watercolors in Opera Rose, Prussian Blue, Cobalt Turquoise Light and Quinacridone Gold.  They aren’t colors I normally use but I like how they blended into each other.

May your heart be filled with gratitude today!  🙂