Baby its cold outside

I dont drink coffee I am a diet coke girl, morning , noon and night. But I do like to go to Starbucks and have their hot chocalate...so here is my ode to hot chocolate

Help wanted elfs

Its time to get elved. Just always wanted to say that. Well am making headway in the present department nearing the home stretch. Next year we decided the daughter and I havent told hubby yet. We were chucking it all in and going away for two weeks, enough of this stress we need relaxation and warm weather....

Day 12 and still going....

Well here is day 12, my angel looks like he has had a few....Should he be flying....Well the weather outside is not delightful, the shovel had been getting a good workout, had dinner with my pals and had a good time, I needed to do that being kind of down this week. Having a hard time getting in the Christmas spirit....

Baby its cold outside...

Well here it is day 11 and my swans are swimming, not here, the river is frozen but one can always dream. We put up the christmas tree (we have a fake one) put on the lights and the dog went crazy and that was enough for one night. Tommorow all the decorations around the house and on the tree, some more wrapping of presents, and I think a little resting.

Follow the red nosed.....

I had fun doing this one, didnt want to do the whole crowd, so concentrated only on one. How is your holiday shopping going......mine is not going so great. I had to wrap some of them, so I could remeber who I bought what for, oh well I have a few more days left....

Chirping a christmas tune...

found this paper amd I think the bird was on it. Just used a little paint, some emblishments, some felt pen and some wooden leters, here it is in all its glory....keep posted I still lots of days left....lets get your inspiration going..

Christmas marches on ......December 8

this one is a mixed media piece, I found the images on a card, cut them out individually and lined them up. Painted the background, I thought It turned out quite nice. I was going to draw something and paint it, but I decided to try a different way. The day has been very busy with christmas shopping, etc and already I am tired out and it is not christmas yet...still lots to do.

Inspiration Thursday -Ice

This is my Inspiration Thursday rendition of Ice ...Mother and baby bear stuck on a ice berg........and it also works into my Day 7 of the 25 days of Christmas Art.....

Star of wonder star of light

I quess the image speaks for itself, I must say I like the way this way turned out....Well went to my mothers building christmas party,,,,80 years and up, but I had a good time, and so did my mother which was important. I waiting for Greys Anatomy to start. I have not done any challenges in a while, but am going to start again. Last Inspiration Thursday was way over my head...Well talk to you soon.

A time to remember....

This is a poem that I wrote about a Christmas past in my life.

2 little girls and there dolls

This is my sister and I in France (where we lived for 3 years) on Christmas day, I was 3 she was5and we got dolls that year and were really excited......

December 3-Mary did you know

Well I created all of these last year I think I did 25, I challenged myself every night to create one, I am telling you I will not do that for awhile. A new set maybe next year, but starting earlier thatn December. I will also post any new pieces of art that I do. I am still working on my art journal. The blocks I have put away for now, I get obessive and cant do anything else so I put them anyway so I can stew over them and try and picture them.

Mixed Media Challenge - Wings

Here is my entry I have made a christmas piece for every day until christmas, please feel free to come and check them all out...

Playing with blocks of wood

Yes i was down in the stuido playing with these 2 x 2 blocks of wood, trying to make something out of them, maybe christmas tree decorations, and this is one I came up with which is going straight to the recyle bin. I got the idea of http://djpettitt.blogspot.com/ site. I love her work, in fact i am in awe of her talent. Of course mine are not like hers and I would never want to copy her, but I did borrow her idea, go to her site, its on the side as a link and look at her work it is amazing, she started painting late in life just like me, but the talented gene pool is all on her side. I am not giving up, I am just taking a day to think it through and go another way. I know I am going to use those cup screwy things and maybe a bead hanging at the bottom. Lets just say its a work in progress, instead of a peice of xxxx. Well again its late, went shopping for presents tonight, came home with one,at that rate I should be ready by next christmas. No really I am just about finished just my daughter and a few odds and ends. Well got to go catch some beauty sleep and be bright eyed for work tommorow. Talk to you then...

Change Room Nightmares

I dont like going into changerooms and trying on clothes, I know that is really stupid. I usually just buy them and try them on at home. Dont ask me why, I have no clue......I should have put that in one of of my 7 random things you dont know about me. Well this little ditty dont ask me where it came from, I was trying on clothes at home, and thought I should do a little art piece on this. Note who I put in there, no not me, the girl from Greys Anatomy..love her, she is not model skinny. Was out at Costco tonight with the daughter did a little shopping 100.00 later. Came home and shovelled snow, yes the dreaded shovelling has began. Hubby is out of town on business, so could not help. Seems he is always away when the snow shovelling is needed. Well working on a Christmas piece about my christmas tree, riveting stuff I bet you can hardly wait to see it. Well hope to have it done tonight....Well talk to you all again tommorow.

Why in the world would you want to know 7 random facts about me.....because I said so...

Where have I been the last few days, I am a bad blogger. I have been busy with life, it seems to get in the way quite often. I read my fellow blogger Krissies blog and she had 7 random facts about hereself. So I thought I would tell you a few random facts about me. Just in case you ever wondered what is she really like>

1. I love diet coke, i do not drink coffee, never have
2. I have been married to the same man for 35 years, quite a feat some days
3. I have one child, had her in my later thirties and is the light of my life
4. I have worked for the same company for 35 years and am retiring in April.
5. I have travelled quite a bit in my younger years as my dad was in the Airforce
and have lived in France and England\
6. I was born a middle child, Pisces, and March 17, St. Paddys day is my birhtday
7. I was named after a lady my Mother met in a beer parlour.

Well there you go 7 random facts you probably never wanted to know about me, but now know. I have been in the studio creating some art journal pages, they are drying as we speak, so going to post some tommorow. Well till then take care.

Inspire Me Thursday - Gratitude

I am blessed to have a loving family and great friends. I am grateful everyday to have these people in my life. I have had these 3 friends for abut 35 years or so. I have other friends of course. But these three have been there for each other and me, we have gone through many of life's trials and survived them together. I think every woman needs a woman or women in there life for emotional support, fun and laughter. They cant replace your family, but you need them in a different way.

4x4 Challenge - Trees - First Snow

Here is my 4x4 challenge about Trees. I envisoned being in a forest with the snow coming down. I dont know if I caught that feeling in this small painting. Lee

Mr. Winter is making itself known soon

This is me I do not like winter. Its getting cold here and I have a to do list, plus I got my winter coat out....I quess I better start wearing socks again.

The Red Shoe Diary Revisited

I decided this needed to be in my art journal, not my sketch book. I had this idea and I still might do it, to incorporate these designs and the story into an art series for my studio, each on its own canvas. Well today I am feeling very warm and fuzzy thinking about Christmas and what I have to do and get and when it has to be mailed. I noticed the neighbour putting up their christmas tree tonight, a little early for me. I am one of these anal types that dont like a mess or things out of place. So we put up the tree about the 15 of December and take it down the day after Christmas. I can just about stand it that long and thats enough. Well I did another art journal tonight so I am going to post that one now to.

Sisters

This is a special art journal peice I made. I am actually going to do something like this on canvas for my mother for Christmas, but I am going to add my other sister to it (10 years younger). This art journal peice was about our connection just 2 years apart and when I last saw her.

Finding my Style

I have been reading a few blogs, and they seem like me to be having a problem finding there own unique style. I am trying to find my style and thats what these two pics are trying to find my style. Been doodling down in the studio, and here are some of the works that were done. Not great, not awful somewhere in between. Practice at your craft is important, and I find that the more I draw and paint and doodle the better I become. I try to draw, sketch or paint each day, there fore by the time I am really to old to hold a paintbrush I should be draw and paint like Van Gogh....

So I look like the Green Eyed monster

This is an old image I reworked and put in my art journal. Yes I do feel envy once in awhile. You often doubt you have any talent, when you surf the web and see what others are doing, and you begin to feel like yours is pre school looking. But then I sit back and say to myself I am making this for me and I like it that should be enough. We have had a busy couple of days around here. Wednesday was my daughters 19th birday, so we were out for dinner, tonight she had a bunch of friends over. Tommorow she is leaving for Seattle for 3 days for shopping and fun with a friend, they are flying. The dollar is so good right now you have to take advanatage of it. I ordered some stuff on the net as well, could not resist. I might even do some christmas shopping on it as well. The weather is turning cooler and snow is forecast......Well I am going to bed now as tommorw I am going to the studio, you should see some new work soon.....Its a long weekend here, called Remberance Day.....so we have Monday off as well.....

Faceless

This is another journal page that I made in my book. I have not done much art in the past 5 days since my last post. Life has a funny way of interfering with my art. I mean could someone else clean the house and cook the meals, really I am an artist.....Really time just flies by and before you know it, it's a week since my last post. It snowed here on Saturday night and its stayed around, today was quite mild, but the nights are cool. I know the bad weather is coming its just a matter of a week or so and Mr. Winter will be here until March. Well I should go I will post again tommorow....

A Fabulous Life

Well I did say I was not going to post tonight but it was very quiet around here for Halloween we only got about 50 kids and it was all done at about 8:30. So I went down to the studio to work on this piece some more. I am actually doing this women on canvas for my bedroom. Of course the canvas is long and skinny the background is not the same, and the woman is more defined, this was just a quick outline piece for my art journal. On the canvas there will be no words....Well tomorrow night is out with the girls, for a few drinks, dinner and good times. If I have time I might post and have some pictures to show you. Hope you all had a great Halloween.

Mixed Media Monday-Birds

Here is my entry for mixed media monday...I painted and sketched this bird in the summer, it landed on my deck. You might have seen it on my blog before. I made it as part of a gift exchange and sent it on...Hope you like it it took about 5 minutes but I think turned out pretty good.

Who Says you can't go home.

I was listening to this song on the radio today on the way to work. It stuck with me all through work, you know when you can't get something out of your mind. So on the way home from work I thought ok I should make a journal page about my hometown with some of the lyrics to the song. So here it is my hometown (well some of it)I used acrylics, watercolour, colored pencil and gesso. I use gesso alot to get the page ready to paint, I mix in with some colours to give it a muddy appearance. I love gesso..Well i was not going to post tonight, but no work in the studio tommorow as it is Halloween and all the little trick or treaters will be about. My puppy is going to go crazy, I haven't decided what to do about that, she might have to go downstairs till its all done. Well gotta go Happy Halloween and lets have some comments I really like them.

Hotel California

I am so done with Halloween art, there will be no more from me. I dont even really like Halloween, never did even as a kid, did not like the whole dressing up bit, but did like the candy. This is my favourite group of all time. They have a new CD coming out tommorow Long Road out of Eden, debuting at Walmart if you will, a 2 disc compliation and I am so going to go get it as soon as work is over. Since I like them so much I decided to make an art journal page about here, so here is my work. When you look at the hotel it looks a bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, oh well, its not about perfection it is all about perception (I dont know if I spelled that right). Well its time to go once again, hey dont be shy leave some comments, I like to hear from all of you, dont have to comment on my art you can just comment and I will answer back....

Skinny Saturday Challenge-Halloween

Here is my entry...hope you like it, paint and black felt pen.....

Halloween-4x4 FRiday Challenge

Here is my Halloween 4x4 Friday challenge....

Inspiration Thursday-All things Halloween - The underworld

I had a blast doing this one, Underworld
The wind begins to howl and moan
A coyote is on the prowl and all alone
The from nowhere the ground opens up and what should appear
The devil in a glossy coat of green is here
He hunts alone and with his spear
Sniffs the air and knows his prey is near
He seizes the man who moans in fear
The ground opens up and they both disappear

Lee

Another Late night...

Yes here it is another late night for me..I get my second wind at 11:00 but my body does not thank me at 6:00am when I have to get up for work..I have been in the studio, trying ideas, working in my art journal and looking at the canvas that I am working on. I just look at it, I have sketched in my idea, but cannot bring myself to put paintbrush to paint. What am I afraid of, I have done this before, but never for myself. I am keeping this one for me and putting it in the bedroom. Oh well I better get going and I will talk to you tommorow.

Love your curves...

Another art journal page. Well had a great weekend, the weather was beautiful, did not do to much. Hung out with the family, daughter included she is studying for mid terms (so she was home for a change). Did lots of comfort cooking and baking muffins (much needed around here nobody has time for breakfast/ Well its back to work tommorow. Looking forward to this week Friday I am taking a day off.

Getting in touch with my inner muse

Here is another art journal page that I worked on tonight....Getting in touch with me.....I also started my new picture on canvas....drew in what I wanted.left it against the wall to come back to it tommorow and touch up the drawing part if needed. Then its the painting, I already know I want a red dress......I will leave you with that little tidbit to guess and think about what I am painting...

Love Blooms all around the world

This is one of my journal pages that I have been making with suziblu. I love that site, it was to use collage techniques, not to much of that here, but she posted the man for us to use, and I painted him and sketched and painted the girl and did the rest. I cant belive I have not posted since Sunday. I have been bogged under at work, working till 6:00 at night, on Saturday and I feel wiped out. I am glad the weekend is here. I missed all of you, but I am back and will be posting more.

4x4 challenge - Create

Here is my entry for the challenge. I am awed by all the talent at this site. The stuff that these artists come up with is amazing.

I had a bad day....

I had a bad day...just like the song.. On Saturday things did not seem to bright for me...just a bad day. Well today Sunday I look back and say it really wasn't that bad...so here is my art journal page I made tonight just to remind myself....On a brighter note the weather is perfect and all is right with the world. Except its late again and I need to get to sleep for work tomorrow. I hope you all had a great weekend and here's to next weekend....The dress was made from old paper towels that I use to wipe my paint brushes with, its take paint and felt pens really well..

Inspire me Thursday - Hats

Its all about Hats today. I had fun with this one thinking of what to do. I immediately thought of Cancer, and how women wear so many hats during one day of there life. So here they are I hope you like them.

4x4 challenge-Numbers

I decided on this because of peoples obession with wieght and the scale the numbers mean everything to them.....

So you think your sexy....

Well another art journal page. I am really loving working on my art journal.....This weekend I am leaving the journal and going to work on a canvas that I am going to do for my bedroom. Keep your fingers crossed that It turns out the way I see it. I wont finish it but I want to get a good start on it. I think that I am going to do a small version of it first to get it right and then go for the big one. If the peice turns out the way I want it I will show it on my blog if not you will never see it.....Today was a perfect fall day, it was warm, a hint of a breeze. Went out with my daughter and mother for dinner (hubby was at a meeting)a little shopping at the mall (bought a couple of christmas presents it is never to early to start your Christmas shopping. This year I am going to make Christmas cards, paint a something. I just dont know what yet. Have you ever made christmas cards, what did you do....

Old work, reworked

This piece (the girl with the wild hair) is an older one I had laying around, was never to happy with it. So I reworked or recyled it.....I made it into a journal page in my art journal, I added paint, words, an older picture from a magazine and kind of made it a story -. Well I am having that early night tonight so gotta go..talk to you tommorow.

4x4 Challenge Men

Here is my 4x4 Men challenge hope you all like it....

It's all about not being a target

This is my newest page for my art journal. Its all about women not being targets for anyone. I love creating these art journal pages, its still about art but its like creating a scene. Well it was back to work today and the usual routine....after the long weekend its hard to get back in routine. I have exciting news to tell, I have won a framed print of my favourite artist Karine Swenson, (see the side of my blog) go there you will see what I have won. I put my name in and won. I am not that lucky so I did my happy dance, can hardly wait to get it. Well times ticking have to check my fabourite sites and then hit the sack. Will talk to you all tommorow...

Its Thanksgiving in Canada and I am turkeyed out..

Had a great day today family, food, and fun. Even better its a holiday tommorow and leftover turkey for sandwiches. Nothing better than a turkey sandwich. Well this is picture I did a few days ago in my art journal Its cancer month in Canada, I had a friend in walked for the weekend to end breast cancer, 60 kilometers and in the end all her toenails fell off. She raised I think just about 2000...to support the walk. So this picture is in honor of her...

Inspire me Thursday-Birds

Inspiration Thursday is all about Birds this week. As it happens I have been drawing birds lately for practice
so here they are in all there glory. I wanted to try and draw a turkey vulture, which I did with felt pens, I like the way it turned out
This one was a gift (my first ever painted,drawn gift for someone at make a connection I felt safe giving it to her because she didn't know me)
This last one I made I think almost a year ago, as you can see no legs, pretend they are under them. So here they are my birds. As it happens my favourite movie of all times is the Birds, to this day I am afraid of birds that sit on telephone wires, haha.

Working on my Art Journal

Assignment as Suszblu blog was to do a self portrait, ok this is not what I look like, but the intent was not to try to draw what you look like...well I succeeded. I am having alot of fun with my art journal....Tonight I went to my fav store Ikea with my daughter, bought a new down filled comforter and duvet for her, winter is coming, today felt like it a few items for my self, came home and did a little clean up, cleaned out the fridge which need it badly. And here I am posting at 11:19.....My sister from Winnipeg arrives on Thursday for the long weekend in Canada its Thanksgiving weekend this weekend. She is coming without the kids they are going to the dads, she hasnt really been here since she was born here. So my mom is coming for the weekend as well as her so should have alot of good times....

Inspiration Thursday-Intimacy

Whether it is the intimacy of your studio, the intimate relationships between colors or images, an intimate knowledge of your technique, or other intimate issues, this week, let us find inspiration in intimacy.

Again I found this one hard and was not going to participate, and then this one came to. No I have never done this, somewhere in my youth maybe I would have liked to but no. So this is my take on Intimacy.....