Is it Fall Already?

It seems like this Summer just flew by. We just had our County Fair and for me that means the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall...We had a cool change in the weather and even a little shower, but it didn't dampen the spirit of all the Fair goers.  Saturday night we enjoyed the bull riding. Today my back is paying the price for sitting on metal bleachers and benches and walking for three days.  It was fun to connect with friends and family. Have an Artful week...................Hugs, Diane

GIRLS JUST WANT'A HAVE FUN

I was working on these before our trip. The Red Head Rosie was inspired by my friend in Ireland. She makes these cool flower hair clips.http://cheekyurchin.blogspot.com/  I have finished the painting on the left and will show it another time.  Also started my 4th. painting.  They are amusing and all have a different personality.
It is hard to get back in the grove of work after being on vacation. Looking forward to Thursday...maybe I can finish my forth girl.  I did find three bead shops on the Big Island and have started laying out a project to start for a necklace with my finding bought over there.."Have a creative day!!....DIANE

Thankful

As the end of the year approaches I tend to reflect on my life.  The things that I have enjoyed, the people who have enriched my life. Growing another year older, the love of family. My aging parents and the troubles they are having almost daily it seems.  I think a lot about the loneliness's they each have, having lost their partners in the last few years, living alone. The unwillingness to change and downsize their homes.  The forgetfulness that comes with age and the memories of their childhood that become so strong. Stories that I have never heard are coming out.  The bike that they shared with their brothers.  One bike and three kids.  This week my mother-in-law locked herself out of her car with the groceries on the front seat. Today the locksmith comes to open the car..luckily she didn't by ice cream.  My mother got out of the hospital only to find that she couldn't get in her house.  The neighbor that so lovingly took her to the hospital, carefully locked my mothers purse and keys inside the house. Luckily my niece found a front door key.

Yes, it is the little things in life that we can be thankful for.  Family, friends and the creative moments.  Mostly our health I guess.  We don't always think about it until someone we know is going through ill health.  So I give thanks for all I have and I pray for the ill, the lonely, the out of work, the down and out and the hungry............DIANE

WHAT A FUN SWAP

I received my returns from the latest swap I was in and boy was it fun. I just love my returns they are all so different. It was fun doing a bird shape. I wasn't sure how I would put them together. Some people were going to make a mobile and some a book, where do you bind them? They were facing in different directions and I had thought I would ring them at the top but didn't like the way they would flip because of the different direction of the head and tail. So I choose to ring them at the tail, I like to bind them because then I can hang the whole group together and flip through them anytime. I made one for myself to keep and since I am into STEAMPUNK at the moment I made the BROWN BIRD with the watch parts and the heavy metal beak which was a rusty something-or-another I found in the backyard. Have a Art full weekend.............DIANE

Art Gives Me Wings

Chunky Bird Book made to trade. I made 6 of these little guys. They are 7.75" long by 2" deep. Everyone in the group has a different idea on how to display them when they arrive at our doorstep. Some people are going to put them together in a chunky book and some are making a garland and others still a mobile. I can't wait to see my returns and I still have a couple to make before I mail them off. I am leaning more to a book. I think this was a fun idea and I really enjoyed making them, hummmm wonder what is next on my list of things to do.. Art On..Diane

LIVE LAUGH LOVE

Take giant steps. Get your art out there to the neighborhood. Share your JOY. Tonight I am sharing my work with a few friends. We are having a wine tasting/Art Show at the Tea Room here in town. I invited a few close friends. Most of them have not seen my art before. Or seen it on line only. My BFF is coming up. I am nervous. It took almost three hours last night to set up, but we had fun. Tomorrow is the B I G day. I invited all my family and a few close friends to a open house. We are serving cookies and punch, and for four hours I will be out of my element. Showing my art. Its funny how you get talked into something. And here I am trying to talk you into sharing your art with others too. We have a large Quilting group here in our little town. They all know me but didn't know I do art...They do now, and after tomorrow the will have seen it all...I am taking pictures for my Mom and family down south so maybe I will share some with my blog friends too. This is a big step for me, but I figured it was time. Wish me luck!!! Diane

Dream Big

I have done a series of 6" x 6" canvases. I enjoyed this little guy. Last night I started a bigger canvas. I love working on canvas and I love the larger size...I can't believe I haven't used my Epson printer to its fullest capacity. It will print 13 x19 paper and I have a brand new pack sitting here. I have only used it once to print one of my photographs. After struggling to print some legs for my new project I went....duh... make a copy with the big paper....I have not used it because the paper is expensive and of course the ink cost go up too...but I finally have just the right project for it...stay tuned. Diane

Bloom and Grow

This little 6 x 6 Canvas was fun. The image of the little girl was purchased from Etsy and the wings were carefully cut out and gifted to me from Tumblefish Marsha. If you haven't checked out Marsha's site and art you are really missing something. She is H O T......her work is pure. Pure color, pure original and pure fun. Her link is on my last post so go there and check her out you will not be disappointed. http://tumblefishstudio.blogspot.com/

Vintage Princess

She is dreaming of her handsome prince, riding up on a white stallion. Waiting for him to take her somewhere wonderful. Maybe her favorite................ art room......tee hee?

Really I did escape when I did this canvas. It was so fun. It is done on a stretched canvas 11 x 16 a mixed media collage. Hope you enjoy her.

Love Blooms

This collage is 12" X 16". The saying is from Walt Whitman. It is on a stretched canvas.

Messy Day

Yesterday took me back to my Mother's home when I was 16 years old...I was working in my bedroom doing a large collage and spilled a cup of glue on her carpet. What a mess...I was rushing around trying to clean it up and get it out of the carpet. Maybe she wouldn't notice. Ya right!! I could never sneak anything past my Mom....Anyway yesterday I put the lid on a brand new 32 oz. jar of GOLDEN MATTE MEDIUM and you know the rest...the lid was not on tight and the whole jar fell to the floor and B O U N C E D--------spreading the white stuff everywhere even the bottom of my chair, the magazines on the floor everywhere!!! I just about cried. I grabbed a sheet of stiff card stock and scooped the biggest pile up and back into the jar. Along with all the other little bits and pieces that an art room floor has, thus contaminating the whole jar I am sure.........My dear husband heard me scream or cuss or something and came in and helped me clean the mess up...Oh well...S tuff happens and then more S tuff happens.
This little house shaped card is 4" X 6" I made a set of six in all and will share them later..CREATE and SHINE.. Diane