29 Faces in September - Day 14 - Back to charcoal

 This is how he started out....lighter...I actually ended up making it darker...think I like it better darker..it is more dramatic. I chose Kim Woo-bin because he has very unique and extreme features...and I really like him. He is a South Korean actor/model. I am testing out applying charcoal over textured surfaces as well..to make clothing and sweaters look textured

29 Faces in September - Day 13 - just something simple and fun

29 Faces in September - Day 12 - zentangle time

20 Faces in September - Day 11

charcoal and pencil - used an old vintage photo for model

29 Faces in September - Day 10

charcoal and pencil - my grandmother as a child

29 Faces in September - Day 9 - back to charcoal

Still working on this one....it is South Korean actor Jang Hyuk as his role in "Fated to Love You" playing Lee Gun (an incredible drama if you have not ever watched it)

29 Faces in September - Day 8 - Something ABSTRACT

I decided to do something TOTALLY different today and ABSTRACT because I don't really like abstract art that much and figured it would be a nice challenge. This is what I ended up with. I added gold patina to make it look more like bronze or gold

29 Faces in September - Day 7 -

Okay...well I decided to take a break from the charcoal and just have some fun. I ended up using watercolor pencils and markers in a book whose pages were not suitable for getting wet. The paper tore up...almost disintegrated. I put glitter Mod Podge over it...but still was not totally happy with how washed out it looked so I ended up enhancing it a bit in a my pics....anyway...here it is

29 Faces in September - Day 6 - South Korean actor Hyun Bin

Charcoal and pencil (yes..I keep making myself try to work with it because it is like my least favorite and soooo messy...at least for me) haha

29 Faces of September - Day 5 - Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun

charcoal and pencil

29 Faces in September - Day 4

Watercolor pencils and gold shimmer Mod Podge

29 Faces in September - Day 3 - Jang Keun Suk

Charcoal and pencil (cause I just love him lol)

29 Faces in September - Day 2

a sketch of my niece when she was younger using colored pencils

Day 1 - 29 Faces in September

I decided to do something I have not done in years...finger paint. I used regular acrylics and basically only 1 finger lol. I still wanted to show a definite mood and use lots of gorgeous color...so this is the result.

It is pretty simple but I really like it and it was actually pretty fun to do.

Nothing much......

I have not really been doing too much lately art wise. I get in a mood but then can't seem to come up with what I want to do exactly so end up doing nothing the majority of the time. I am in a funk I guess...I mean I still do some artwork most every day..but nothing elaborate and/or no big project.

I apparently do not even take time to update my blogs very often anymore.

My grandma was in a bad car accident in May and died on May 29. Things have been just off since. A lot goes through your mind when someone passes on. Things you yourself need to make sure are taken care of...things you have not yet done......things things things things.....your brain becomes like a giant washing machine mish-mashing all those thoughts around in a huge spin cycle.

Anyway.....I really miss grandma. We all do. Of course we all think about the what ifs...like if she had not gone for the ride with her son to his appointment..she would still be alive most likely. She was a very young 91 years old. I try not to look at it that way because she did make the choice to ride along with him in the car that day......and he pulled out in front of someone and her car that he was driving was hit on the passenger side. It broke her neck, she had several hematomas in her brain.....it was just not good all the way around. She lived for 2 days after and then passed away.

We had all thought about what it might be like one day when she was no longer with us. We all knew it was going to be hard and nothing like we had ever experienced before because grandma has always been around...since we were born. Since my mom was born. Seems like forever..and part of us hoped she could be around even longer. We never got enough of grandma.

I have memories, cards, letters, photographs, voice mail, videoclips, but it is not the same as going in person to visit her and talking every Sunday afternoon. Or calling her on the phone or her calling me just to check  up on me. Things are very different now.

I  guess while I am slowly getting things done around here...I am a bit limited in what I have to throw out there right now.

Summer of Color Week 6 - Raspberry, Tangerine and a Pop of Lemon!

Summer of Color Week 5: Red, Royal Blue and Light Blue

Summer of Color Week 4: Pink, Apple Green and Smudge of Dark Green

Summer of Color Week 3 - Lavendar, Gray and a pop of Plum

things I am working on........

Summer of Color Week 2 - Coral, Teal and pop of White!

I decided to use the same new techniques for painting these new little beings that I learned in my Sunday Mornings art class....

Summer of Color 2014- Week One - Aqua, Yellow and a POP of Hot Pink

This year ...at least for my 1st week...I wanted to do something a bit different. I at first thought about doing all 6 weeks of prompts just with some sort of photography....but then I am not sure I will want to do that EACH week...I do like to mix things up sometimes. This week though I did decide to try to either take a photo of something having all 3 colors in it or find a photo of something that had all 3 colors in it...and I found this. The hair is aqua, the eyes yellow and the belly button ice cream cone the pop of hot pink. Maybe I am being a bit lazy this week...but it is what it is for now lol

Sunday Mornings - Tim's Sally - Week 4 - LIGHT

This week was about LIGHT...and GOD's light in our lives. I tried to illustrate just how BRIGHT HIS light is when you come out from a gray, dark, rather void space..... For more photos and to join this class (it is free) please see the side bar!

the sun light streamed through my blinds right when I snapped the pic

Sunday Mornings - Week 3 - Awakening

I find it a bit interesting that I am doing these art classes and reflecting back on all that has happened recently with my grandma and other events in my life.

As some of you might know by now, my 91-year-old grandmother died May 29 from injuries sustained in a car accident on May 27. It was just bad news all the way around. The car was driven by her youngest son, my uncle, who is now 67 years old. My grandma suffered a broken neck, multiple head injuries, broken ribs, bruises. It has been a very sad time as we all miss her terribly and feel lost without her. I try to keep my head above the water as I know she is reunited with all our loved ones who had already passed on..but her absence is daunting to say the least. I was so blessed to have her in my life as long as I did...and being able to see her every week as she lived only 7-10 miles away.

One of her favorite songs was "Open My Eyes That I May See"...which made me think of one of my favorites "Open The Eyes of My Heart Lord."

We buried my grandmother on Monday. She loved the Lord probably more than anyone else I know. She only knew how to SERVE those around her with LOVE. If she was not serving or doing something for someone other than herself, or cooking for someone or crocheting baby hats, booties and afghans for donations, she was truly lost. She was her happiest serving. She was a good representative of being as Christ-like here on Earth as any human could be.

My son and I love her so much and miss her even more. She was a very strong, healthy woman and I think if this had not happened, I imagine she would still be busy serving us all up with her love.

I tried to do this page in honor of her and how she loved that particular song.

My little one this week is very, very primitive lol

Sunday Mornings Week 2 - In His Hands

We were focusing on Psalms this week and I wanted to show art from the passages I chose and show the trees, mountains, seas, all singing Joy to the Lord

Pan-kabobs

I sometimes make kabobs in my rotisserie and sometimes on the grill but today I did them loose in the oven. The house smells terrific and I forget how easy and quick it is to make these and how good it is to eat and good for you too!



They are simple. You can use whatever you have on hand or whatever you like.



Today I used:



A handful or so of frozen chicken cubes

1 sweet potato peeled and cut into chunks

1-2 Yukon Gold potatoes cut into chunks

at least 1/2 Vidalia onion cut into chunks

mix of orange, red and yellow mini peppers cut into chunks



(you can add black olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, anything else you  like)



Line a shallow pan with foil. Place the above on the foil and drizzle with Italian dressing or you can use olive oil and your own spices. Mix well. Put in 370 degree oven till potatoes stick tender.



DELICIOUS and easy and good for you! You can use low calorie dressing even if you want.



The foil makes easy clean up. You can let it all in the oven until it starts to carmelize..the onions and everything become so sweet and tender! You can serve over rice or even salad greens cooled or eat as it is here.



Your house will also smell FANTASTIC!

Sunday Mornings art class Week One

Please see sidebar for link to this free online class!

working on my art journal..did a spring/summer double wide spread...

I decided to do the first half..the pink/springy side....and then with the other side of the page I decided to do a green/summer look. I still want to blend this out more....add more detail and enhance the eyes and add some flowers I think....anyway....here it is

Happy Easter!

 This year I decided to make some homemade decorated peanut butter Easter eggs. I have not done so for a long time and we were not having many for dinner. I am going to give 2 to my grandma and my uncle.

Anyway...I want to wish everyone a Blessed Easter Sunday!

OH...aren't these peppers cute? Kroger's had them in bags from this farm for 1.99...the entire bag. I got me a bag. These will be delicious grilled or tossed in salads....etc.

Make some good memories today!