Spring on Garrison

            Happy Spring 2012!  Spring has arrived on Garrison in all its splendor.  Due to the early warmth, my azaleas are as pretty as they have ever been.

I have had such fun this week pulling out my favorite spring decorations to adorn my outdoor space.

This wooden bunny is soooooo old, but I still love him.... created in a tole painting class taken years ago.

I couldn't pass up this cutie in the garden center a few weeks back.

Of course, when the "spring decoration" box was opened down in the basement, up came all kinds of other favorites to liven up my inside space.

It's so hard to make a photo of my garden window sill, but it is lined with this resin bunny couple and a sweet lamb.

I have been continuing to have such fun with Donna Downey's online classes.  I went "ga ga" over her latest Canvas Create class.  Here is my version...

May you plant some seeds today that will produce the most delightful flowers in the days ahead!

Happy first spring weekend of 2012...

"Springing" forward

Are you rubbing the sleep from your eyes on this first Monday after "springing forward"???  It is a real jolt to my system, as well as to the internal clocks of my "boys" Gabe and Buttons.  My little household usually runs on a schedule of sorts and things seem a bit "wonky" this morning.  Hopefully in a few days, we will be back on track! It surely will be lovely to have those longer evenings to be outside basking in the delicious spring weather to come. 

I have been playing in my art journal with soft colors and textures.  I adore using PanPastels.  After taking several of Donna Downey's fabulous online classes, I am totally in love with the possibilities these butter-soft pastels can create.  In celebration of the arrival of daylight savings time, 2012, I created a quick page, with a quote to guide my thoughts for the day and for the season.

Looking in my back yard at the barren trees that line the perimeter of my lot, I am invigorated by the knowledge that in just a few weeks, the brown will be adorned with luscious new green foliage... I can hardly wait!  In the mean time, I am in awe of the beauty that I sill behold here in the last vestiges of the winter season.

I am thinking ahead to the days when the wildflowers will flourish as butterflies and dragonflies twirl about...

Our interstate system is often lined with fields of wildflowers... among my favorites are the poppies... I do adore the poppies...

The little nests that I so enjoy are such a great decorative touch for this time of year.  Last year my dear friend we affectionately call "Baby Chik" sent me these great eggs from her "girls".  She had blown out the insides and carefully packaged and sent these my way.  I used some Glimmer Mist sprays to decorate them and then nestle them in a precious little vignette.  

My eyes keep going to this box in my bedroom, a "house" for a project from several years ago...

When I haven't been playing with mixed media and decorating, I have been shopping, too!  A girl surely needs a new pair of shoes for the season... doesn't she??? Sure she does...  

I hope you catch some extra "z'ssssssss", as we all get used to that lost hour that won't return until November.  Make every moment count!

Ode to spring

Ahhhhh.... after all the rains and storms of last night, it is glorious to see the sun, bask in  the warmth... and hear so many sweet birds singing on this Saturday. I adore the birds and all they represent.  They are a constant thread running through all my work... always...

I also adore using quotes in my journals.  It is so meaningful to reflect on the wisdom of others.  Today as I was looking back at a journal I had completed a while back, I just loved the meaning of these words.

May you live these words, too...  Make this day one worth remembering.

Feeling poorly... feeding the spirit

For the last few days, a yucky virus has taken up residence at my house.  This unwelcome guest has left me coughing, sneezing, feverish and feeling pretty awful.  It is my turn, I guess... but I had forgotten how unpleasant it is to be stuck at home with no energy.  I have slept and taken in lots of fluids, so hopefully I am turning a curve toward healthier days.  It is so delightful here outside this week, making me doubly sorry I am housebound, except for walking my boys a few times each day.  These items have been my closest companions this week.

Arriving yesterday was a delightful surprise from Ille, a much needed pick-me-up for the day. Ille's girlie-girl creation sure made me feel lots better.  

Thanks, Ille!

    I have been thoroughly enjoying Teresa McFayden's

     Letter Whimsy 2.0. 

This one is even more fun for me than her first one.  When I have felt like sitting up a bit, it has been fun to play with lettering in my art journal.  Here is one I completed, focusing on this meaningful nugget of wisdom.

 Here are a couple more, showcasing some wonderful points to ponder.

One idea I love is that of making a window with something behind my acetate portal.

This page is a hodge-podge of remnants from sweet notes and memories from the last few weeks.  This was an artful expression that could feed my spirit, as my body heals and gets back to good health.

I have known for quite some time that making art is a spiritual experience for me.  I can never express how creating puts me in a higher plane... a good place to be any time.

May the rest of your week be healthy and happy.

A jar full of labels

Yesterday was our first look at snowflakes this season, but they were few and short-lived. Our winter has been quite mild here in the South, and that suits me just fine. I already have "spring fever", with some absolutely gorgeous days warming our bones several days this past week.  It has given me the itch to put out some of my light and airy pieces here in my home.

  Several months ago those wonderful gypsy girls showed an idea for decorating tall glass jars with labels.  I had some fun making mine from all kinds of labels I found in my travels.

I took a styrofoam disk that would fit in the bottom of my jar and covered it with some of my favorite paper and ribbons.  Then I stamped and wrote messages on my labels and attached them to funky wire twirls, standing at different heights inside the jar.  I sometimes leave this out on my kitchen table, so I tried to arrange the labels so that I could read them from all sides.  This was a really easy project, one that could be changed for different seasons.

For my handmade wire holders, I used floral wire that had some thickness. Some of our local stores have all sizes and shapes of these kinds of jars, and they are reasonably priced.  Wouldn't it be fun to do a grouping of them?  

Have you heard that Martha Stewart has teamed up with STAPLES for a fantastic line of office supplies, including every kind of label imaginable?  Here are even more new and exciting possibilities!  I just adore using office supplies in my art and in my life. Our local STAPLES has a huge display of all these goodies.  I bought a few already, and know I will be back for more.

The old groundhog did see his shadow just a few weeks ago,  but I'm still hoping for an early spring.  If not outside, I can surely have it inside!  Have a sunny week.

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's hoping your day of love has been absolutely wonderful.

The love of family and friends makes the world go round.

How delightful to get some Valentine pretties from some of my dearest peeps.

A gorgeous handmade heart from Barbara...

A yummy damask Valentine from Kristi~

A sweet stitched delight from Tonya~

A clever creation from Mama Crow~

The only thing that could make this day more perfect

would be for my doorbell to ring and see this figure at my door...

I'm holding my breath... yeah, right...

A busy February...

I have been absent from "blogdom" for a few weeks now, but all for a good reason.  Several weeks ago, a new opportunity arrived at my doorstep unexpectedly.

A new job offer arrived when I least expected it.  As a retired teacher, I can only work part-time, and that suits me just fine!  A girl has to have time for all her passions...  Anyway, I am now working with Algebra I intervention in a local high school... a job I have never done before.  Soooooo, I am having a little homework myself, staying "sharp" on all the key concepts I am helping students to master.  I do love it, and feel it has given me a new purpose.  My kitchen table is now strewn with a graphing calculator, algebra books, lots of paper and some very sharp pencils!!!

I haven't had quite as much time for my art as before, but working only three days a week still affords me the time to "play" with all my art toys... Yes, more COPICS have arrived... I can't seem to stop getting more colors... There are just so many gorgeous ones!!!

I'm still having fun making art about just normal, yet precious events...  like Sunday dinner at Mom and Dad's after church.  Having my beloved parents still here with me is such a gift, one I cherish and love to celebrate.

I'm pushing the math equations aside for a while to make a few valentines... Lace, watercolor, scraps and markers are scattered all over my little art room.  Here's the yummiest heart I received last year from my dear friend Kristi... Nothing could be sweeter...

Love is really all we need.

Share some love with your special ones over the next few days.  

 Life really is so good.