Reaching a goal...

One of my goals for 2014 is to get caught up on my Artist Trading Cards.

My bowl of bits and pieces was overflowing and I had a stack of backgrounds that I needed to do something with. It was getting out of control. Due to the small size, I found them more challenging after my stroke. Well, who am I to shy away from a challenge.

So...I've been back at it and had set a goal to get to 300 by the end of this year. I was at 253 at the end of 2013. The challenge has been good and I now have 378 cards finished.

Here are a few...

 

I

Many more to come...just need to get them scanned.

Enjoy!

Color...

Experimenting with color and texture.

Each piece is 12 x 6 on canvas panel.

Acrylics, modeling paste, ink & glazing medium.

Enjoy!

Brave Girl...

Be Brave

8 x 8 canvas panel

Experimenting with faces and I must say, I'm pretty pleased with this one.

I have issues with eyes, noses and lips, pretty much the whole face.

Her face is a bit childlike but I think I like it that way. Makes

her look so sweet and innocent.

Have a beautiful weekend.

Enjoy!

Take time...

to stop and smell the roses.

And that's just what I did.

Not only are they beautiful and

some of the most lovely smelling roses ever.

I could have stayed all day...

Happy Friday.

Enjoy!

And then there were three...

Hannah, Gabe and Maddie.

Just having too much fun.

Enjoy!

Just playing around...

Maddie & Hannah

Each 6 x 12 mixed media on canvas board

What fun these were!

Enjoy!

Dramatic change...

I think this might be my favorite makeover to date...

Before 

After

Love, love, love the color!

A beautiful home for my Willow Tree Angels.

Enjoy!

Thrift store treasures...

I found both pieces at a local Goodwill...

Beautiful framing and matting, this piece

is called Ice.

This piece is also professionally framed. It's titled Sailing the Valetta and is an oil colligraph. This piece still had the artist's bio and price tag which was for $295. Both pieces are by Staci Miron who resides in Florida. I paid $7 for the two pieces and felt a bit guilty about it. They now have a very happy home. You just never know what you might find.

Enjoy!

Art Journals...

My art journals, all stacked up.

I've just added another to the collection

and am working in two others.

Some are altered books, some spiral journals and a few I made myself.

This is what keeps me sane.

Enjoy!

Happy May Day...

Enjoy!

More with Pan Pastels...

Orange Flowers

 

Close up

This is my favorite so far, I think it's the colors.

Enjoy!

The process...

I've been working with pan pastels lately

and thought I would document the process...

Watercolor paper covered with paper and

pieces of sewing patterns.

Applied gesso and Naples Yellow acrylic paint, randomly.

More gesso and paint.

I lightly sketched some flowers in a vase.

Outlined sketch with pan pastels.

More pan pastels...

and a bit more

Using a baby wipe, I removed some color.

And then added some color.

More color...

and it's done.

Close up to show how the papers show through.

Another close up to show that how

I highlight the wrinkles in the papers with

extra color.

Enjoy!

Happy Easter...

Our Easter Bunny, Zoe.

Have a happy Easter.

Enjoy!

Good news, bad news and journaling...

 

The several weeks have been crazy, and that's putting it mildly.

Back at the beginning of March, I was having some dizzy spells. Since there is a family history of diabetes, I went and had mine checked. Sugar is fine, good news. Bad news, still not feeling "right". Back to doctor a week later and this time they checked me for a number of things...nothing, which is good news. I was then referred to a specialist that deals with Vertigo and that is what I have finally been diagnosed with. Good news is that normally it's a couple of treatments and it's taken care of. Bad news, I've now had 6 treatments in 3 weeks and it's still not gone. Many times between treatments I have to spend 3 days without bending over, looking up or turning my head too much. Doctor wants to do a few more treatments, so we'll see how it goes. Good news, many, many hours spent working in my art journals. Here are a few new pages...

Red Balloons

Bird & Books

Breathe

Choose...

Untitled, still working on this one

Fish out of water

Home

I love...

Pure Joy

 

Even though I'm dealing with Vertigo, I feel great.

Hope my art reflects it.

Enjoy!