Stars and anniversaries

The challenge this week on Take a word is

'Stars'

The image of the lady is from a collage CD called 'Fairytale Follies'

from Lisa Kettell's Art Fire shop

The rest of the images
 are from Deviant Scrap.

It just so happens that I'm having my FOUR year blog anniversary give-away

starting today:)

I've probably written about this before...

The whole reason I started blogging is because I bought an awesome book 

by 

Lisa Kettell

called

'Altered Art Circus'

The photos and the stories were so very inspiring to me....

I took that book (and a sketch diary) everywhere.

It was like an escape into a sweet colorful fantasy land, 

where everything is happy.

I found the artist's blog and I was hooked. 

My give away is star themed and it happens to have a 

few Lisa Kettell products in it too.

leave a comment on this post

to get a chance to win!

Can't believe it's been four years!!!

More Spring stuff

Hi

Oh my gosh!

It's been a little bit since I was here 

and I quickly wanted to check in with you all.

Ive been trying to keep up with the yard work, 

wow did my dad do a lot!!!

I'm really enjoying myself though...

I can feel both my parents

right there with me though.

I recall advice they gave me 

and their voices are so clear.

I've also been creating more outdoor goodies.

I have a couple to share with you:)

this was an old bird house that had faded and fallen apart

 I painted it and covered it in glass stones and moss.

 & this was a plain wooden birdhouse

 that just needed to be turned into a fairy house. 

Again more moss usage..I love this stuff!

Ok!

Monday I'm having my blog anniversary give away thing-a-ma-bob

that I should have had in January...

So hopefully you'll come back to visit for a chance to win some

silly fun stuff!

Have a great week-end.

m

Spring birds

How are you today??

I'm doing well...other than a little back pain, I've been working

outside, outside, outside!!

Spring is definitely here! 

It's breezy in the low 80's

& I have to be out there.

That's the main reason I've been away..

You see not long from now 

the temperatures will be holding steady at

105+

so....taking advantage of this cooler temperature is a must.

Yesterday I sat out in the tiny "backyard"of my gypsy wagon and

created a little project using some of

my awesome Lisa Kettell products.

It's simple and it's a little tribute

 to this beautiful season.

Supplies

unfinished china doll head  

6x6 canvas

paper mache bird box

hot glue gun/glue sticks

acrylic paints: black, navy blue, medium blue, dark pink, light pink, orange, peach

oil pastels:dark brown, green, light pink, fuchsia, peach

red lace trim

Directions

paint canvas dark blue

add a bit of light blue for interest.

using the oil pastels, draw branches and flowers

paint china doll head peach, add facial details and hair color

cut the top part of the bird off

paint dark pink, orange and light pink.

Hot glue china doll head to bird body

add lace trim

hot glue to the canvas

paint feet on with light pink paint.

There's a lot of different things that can be done

with this one...

she could be a raven for Halloween, or a dove for Easter

her body can be covered over in sheet music

or she can placed in a little cage...

there's endless possibilities1

I hope you try this out & have loads of fun.

Visit Lisa's blog and artfire shop 

for a happy inspired day:)

 

Blackbird

The
Take a word challenge 

 this week is 

BLACKBIRD

"Some birds are not meant to be caged, that's all. 

Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. 

So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. 

And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.” 

-Stephen King

Rain, moss, stars and blossoms

It's a windy overcast day..
 At 63 degrees, it's not cold but the intermittent rain that falls
 makes the temperature seem colder. 
I sit here, in my little wagon with the door wide open, 
to better feel the breeze, 
to breathe in the incredible energy that this magic day brings. 
I love to sit in here and let my mind wander.
The colorful sheets and curtains I have hanging right outside
fly around and
 snap sharply..

Music from the many wind chimes 

masks the whistling the winds makes as it dances 
over the trees.

 (As a child I was terrified of that whistling/ howling sound. In my mind it was a 
giant invisible monster that would whirl you up and gobble you down.)

It was warm last week... Hot even, high 80s.
Since my dad has gone, I've found myself outdoors more often.
Raking, watering, talking to the plants and trees, 

letting the smell of wet soil 
and warm sun push the sadness away. 

 I've been creating some garden art lately... 

 Metal mushrooms,

made from an old bowl and a dollar store waste basket... 

 Spoon and fork wind chimes

from yard sale utensils .. 

and a tin fairy house covered in moss

(also a yard sale find) 

 are the products of my 
imagination right now...

 
Oh! As I write this, I hear the drops tapping away at the roof.. 

sounds so 
incredible!

:) 

 For years the garden was dormant 
I thought a lot of the trees would have to come down, dry as they were,

 no amount of watering seemed to help.
They all seemed to be in a weird period of waiting... Wondering .
Now everywhere I look new life is springing up.. 

 An orange tree covered in blossoms and bright green leaves 
Pomegranate. 

mulberry,

 grapefruit

 and lime trees

 all pushing forth 

beautiful delicate growth. 

And look at this tree...it's just gorgeous!!

Last week as I pulled weeds and dodged bees I realized

that I'm grateful

for

everything

I have

and for the promise of what's to come. 

(I think the universe heard

my word of the year...)

Blossom!

Now as the day begins to melt away

the chill really starts to build..

how was is so hot last week!?

This weather is so bizarre.

It's getting cold in this gypsy wagon...time to go inside I think..

 gonna make a cup of cinnamon tea

to warm up.

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my ramblings.

drop by soon

I'm going to have a 4 year blog anniversary giveaway!!!