Rise Above

Sometimes change is hard for me. Although I know that it is necessary if we are to grow. I find myself fighting it. Even though I know it is inevitable. I don’t know why because I know I always get through it. It is exactly where and who I am supposed to be at that time. I will welcome the next change in my life. I am learning. Always learning. Even if it is painful it always seems to come out all right in the end. Therefore……..

I will rise above and live to my fullest potential.

I wanted to speak to the people last week that left comments. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. It made me cry in a good way. I can not begin to tell you what it meant to me. For the people that spoke about their loved ones with Alzheimers. I am feeling your pain and I am thinking of you. You are strong and you will be ok. It is tough I know. The most important thing is this “ They may not be able to remember you but you remember them” Do not forget them. Keep them close.


Please everyone go and visit the people at Paint Party Friday. I am so sorry for not getting around to enough people last week. I love to see everyone’s creative endeavors. Everyone is so inspiring!

New Mixed Media Painting

" When you are joyful, when you say yes to life and have fun and project positivity all around you, you become a sun in the center of every constellation and people want to be near you"

I love this quote it is from the book "Much to do about Loving" by Jack Murnighan and Maura Kelly.  I saw the quote in the O Magazine. I just loved it. I am going to make a big painting with this quote on it and hang it on my kitchen wall so I can read it every morning before I leave the house to remind me.

So true.

And now some of the process

Steve cuts wood for me and it is primed.

Pick out the colors. I tend to gravitate to these colors. Red, Green and Cream

Throw some paint on the wood.  Add some paper and texture.

Make my own stencils

Make more textures

Paint the face and the first signs of flowers

Figuring out what flowers and where I want to place them. I cut out many different flowers. Not all of them made it.

More paper flowers and more painting.

Finished

 I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!

If you have time go and visit all the artist at Paint Party Friday!

Circle Journal Page - Hope



Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune--without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

~ Emily Dickenson ~

Work in progress and Paint Party Friday

I always keep a large painting going when I am working on other things.  I have been working on this for a couple of months in between all the other stuff. 

I have changed her face a few times. And have added all kinds of lovely flowers.

All I have to do is add the icing (As Flora Bowley would say)

Finishing touches as you will.

The painted frame around it is just getting started.

She waits for me to pay attention to her while I paint other things

Patchwork skirt

I made my own paper for her hair

To be continued.......

Don't for get to visit everyone at Paint Party Friday!

Queen Bee and Paint Party Friday

This Sunday was my niece Liz's Baby Shower and I wanted to make something special for her baby.  So I did this mixed media piece. (don't have a picture of it frame)

 Liz and Josh own a apple farm and they have  real bee's on there farm. They have the bee boxes and someone comes and tends to them. Very cool.  Well anyway our (you notice how I say our)  new baby is going to be the Queen Bee. 

I wrote on the back how much I love her already even though I haven't met her yet.  She is going to have 2 wonderful parents to romp around the woods. I know she will be a wonderful free spirit like the rest of our family. Makes me cry thinking about it. 

Oh and I wish I had pictures (maybe I can get some for next week post) My sister made a Tutu with a tool belt attached to the tutu. (Josh is a contractor) So adorable.

Josh say's no Fru Fru girl for him.  So we tease him that she will be a contractor with a TuTu tool belt. 

Liz and Josh and Baby Mc

People always want to know how I can let go of my pieces.  But this is a perfect example of why I do.  Liz had a mound of presents that she was opening. And when she got to my present to her and she opened it up.  She burst out crying.  The feeling I get from that is so much greater then holding on to a painting. This way I know that baby is going to wake up in the morning and see my painting in her room and give her a little sparkle of joy to start her day.  And that gives me so much more satisfaction then just having it sit in my art room.  I can't wait to meet her.

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Go visit all the wonderful artist!

Think about what you can do today to add some joy into someone else's life. If everyone would just do one thing each day to brighten someone elses world.  Wow.... what a great world this would be.

FLOURISH

Happy New Year !!!

I am sorry it took me so long to blog but I have been feeling a bit under the weather.  It has been a rough month or so.

I think I have to get the good Mojo going again. 

I did choose a word of the year and it will be....

Flourish

 (hence the above journal page)

 I want to flourish!!!! I want to boommmm with excitement. I want to grow and learn all that I can. I have such a hunger for art.  I want to learn everything I can! I want to thrive!!! I want to break open!!!!  And Flourish!!!

"The Wise Men" Old Post worth repeating

This is a painting my mother painted when we were kids. We always knew when the holidays began when this painting was placed over the mantel.

The year my mother died I painted four of these paintings. For my sisters Heidi and Jamie and my daughter Nelly and my niece Keely. My mother died in October so I started painting them soon after and by Christmas they were done. It was very cathartic almost necessary for me to do. I cried alot during the process. And I managed to keep it a secret. It was wonderful to see their faces when they opened them up. They sooo appreciated the gesture. There was not a dry eye in the house. It is a beautiful memory. I miss my Mommy...

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Joy to You and the Winners are.........

Wishing you all Joy in this Holiday Season.

And the winners are......

(These where picked by Random.org)

Jaime Haney

http://artsyfartsyus.blogspot.com/

Pam Tucker

http://pamtsartloft.blogspot.com/

Bren

http://esynergy.blogspot.com/

If you girlie's will please email me your addresses to shfoust@msn.com. I will send them out to you.

Don't fret if you did not win because I will be having many more giveaways

 in the near future everyone!!!

Don't forget to visit Paint Party Friday!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Kwanzaa!

Happy Holiday!

Seasons Greetings!

Journal Pages, Paint and last chance to enter into my first Giveaway!

I am still loving my Copic markers.

I have been so busy this week. Trying so hard to get things done for Christmas.

Burning the candle at both ends.

Everyone knows what I am talking about.....

I had a great surprise this week. My Dad came walking into the door the other night with another box of paint!

Hallelujah!!!! Hallelujah!!!!

I am singing!!!!

If you remember my Art Saves Story from Cresendoah. These are the paints I was talking about. My Dad got a whole new batch from his friend.

What a wonderful friend she is!!!!

Every color that you could imagine!!!

I am loving it!

It makes my mouth water!

I could eat them!!!

Also wanted to let everyone know this is the last week to enter my Giveaway

Enter here.

Just follow directions and I will be drawing names on Dec 15th.

There will be 3 lucky winners

Hootie Clause (Nelly my beautiful daughter named him)

And also everyone please visit all my lovely friends from Paint Party Friday.

Join in the fun!!

Have a great week and try to enjoy it .  Don't get all stressed out.  Take deep breath!!!

Ahhhhhhh!!!!

Christmas Owl and Paint Party Friday

Happy Holiday to Everyone!!!

Meet my new holiday Owl!

If you have any suggestions for a name I would appreciate it.

Ok this is the deal if you leave a comment and you are a member of my Google Account I will put the names in a hat and in 2 weeks I will pull out 3 names and they will get a free 8 x 10 print of my little Holiday Owl.

Sounds like a deal!

Had a bit of a rough week.  Thank you all for your well wishes. I know my friend Marilouise is wrapping her arms around all of us.

She was a sweet soul.

And I am so sorry to everyone at Paint Party Friday. I did not get around to anyone.

I will this week though. Thanks again to all of you!