simple pleasure

Limitations live only in our minds.  

But if we use our imaginations, 

our possibilities become limitless.

Jamie Paolinetti

(the photo is one of my favorite collections...

the quote is from Carla Sonheim's wonderful book 

Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists)

What limitless possibilities

are you imagining today?

spring bloom has bloomed

finally finished...

but let me tell you -

this painting was torture

and if the art process was always like this...

well I would quit painting...

 it started like this -

an innocent beginning...

 but soon advanced to getting every art supply out of every drawer

to try and steer it in the right direction.

I blogged about the plan for the painting here -

innocent enough I thought...

 but soon it was clear to see that my plan for stamping was too busy,

and the composition didn't work 

(no photos - too painful)

so I covered all the stamping with paper flowers,

but I had too many 

so I scraped some of them away...

 and added and subtracted

and finally got to something I liked...

 that made me happy...

and ready to bloom.

This painting will be for sale at 

The Up Front Art Gallery In Issaquah

during their 150 Feet of Art fundraiser in May.

Our books are being published!

My art desk looked like this last weekend.

as I stitched up 10 of these little books for the art clubbers...

who can hardly contain their excitement as

we just found out that I get to write an article

about our book 

for Stampington's new magazine 

Create with Me

on newsstands in July.

Yippee Yahoo!!!!

You can find the original blog here.

Now I need to clean off the art desk, 

put on my writing cap,

and start writing.

a Spring Bouquet

some spring beauties for your weekend -

made in art club last week...

fills the air with hope doesn't it?

first glue...

lots of thick glue lines are necessary...

 let dry...

 then fill each area between the glue lines with oil pastel color...

 add final dots of white tempera,

sparkle beads,

flowers and butterflies too.

 then move onto your other vase...

 and outline in a dark oil pastel...

 and add the same goodies as above...

then take home to your mom who squeals with delight.

so what makes you squeal with delight this fine spring day?

cut, stamp, paint, repeat...

 no words needed...

 like riding a bicycle...

 haven't done this in years...

 wanted to use the idea from this page...

 and threw together fun foam

for more dimension...

all to be added to this auction piece

which is due in a week -

and if I write about here

I just might finish it...

come back in a couple of days to see the end product.

there, I said it.

A Sunday Blessing - LGLG

or

Let Go Let God...

 bought this lovely in Port Townsend while

attending Art Fest.
It's called Grace.  
"they will be life for you, 
an ornament to grace your neck"
Prov. 3:21-23 
speaking of discernment.

 I just love it

and it makes me smile...

 especially love the the secret code on the back

as it says

LGLG

(Let Go Let God).

something I need to remember daily.

I am starting to return to the land of the living

as this illness really took its toll.

you see I will admit that I totally freak out when I am sick

and I think I will never get well -

I think it's a lack of control thing really.

instead I need to rely on Him...

"My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness".

 it came wrapped in chiffon 

and packed in its own little travel tin.

 there is a gratitude rock

and even a blessing

"in all things the hand of god"

wrapped in irish thread...

oh how lovely...

for more check out Kathy's site.

could use some fairy dust...

not been the best week here...

bronchitis, 

bad pneumonia vaccine, 

2 migraines,

 the worst bladder infection ever,

2 antibiotics...

I am so ready for this week to be over 

and spring to 

spring

sprang

sprung!

photos from Anthropologie and Ravenna Gardens

in U Village not taken this week...