Author Archives: Maria - FlowingWatersArt

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About Maria - FlowingWatersArt

I'm a self-taught mixed media artist and have been creating art and a positive atmosphere in my life for as long as I can remember. I live in sunny South Florida, which serves as my inspiration for my use of bright fun colors with a whimsical flair. My goal is to inspire and empower you to find your inner happiness through creativity, as I have in my life. This website includes different tips and techniques that will hopefully inspire your inner muse to create. Welcome and join me on a wonderful journey in creating art!

Baby Mocking Bird Rescue

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You never know what the universe has planned for you. It always amazes me how the timing has to be so perfect in order for things to happen. Yesterday morning I went on a walk with my hubby. On our walk I was busy looking up in the trees for our new herons. Thankfully, hubby was looking on the ground and saw this tiny little chick just sitting in the middle of the road.

We quickly scooped him up and got him out of danger but weren’t having any luck finding the nest or mama bird anywhere. He was too small to be on the ground and on his own, especially on a busy street. We ended up taking the little guy to the South Florida Wildlife Center where they will care for him and release him when he’s ready. This also gave us the opportunity to donate to the center for all the great work they do. I love their slogan: “Saving Wildlife in our Urban Jungle.”

Sadly I’ve seen quite a few birds that have died this summer. The National Audubon Society sent out an email blaming the extreme heat for killing lots of babies. Although there’s no one better than a mama bird caring for her young, the odds were stacked against this little guy and the staff at the wildlife center agreed we made the right choice to bring him in. It was a small deed but nevertheless a good one and it felt great saving this little life!

I was surprised that we still have little babies like this in the middle of summer. Always thought this was more of a spring time event. Do you have the same where you live?

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Believe in you Journal Pages

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Sometimes I like to create small pieces of art like these tags. I normally don’t have an immediate need for them, but I enjoy the creation process. I end up putting these small artsy pieces in a box for later use. The fun happens when I go my stash box and pick out pieces to create journal pages like these.

You end up working backwards starting with the colors in your ephemera and then picking a background color that complements it. This is a fun way to create journal pages even if you’re short on time.

Hope these pages inspire you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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Dangers of Keto Diet

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Photo by Total Shape on Pexels.com

I’ve talked about this before but it’s really important to remember how truly unique each of us are. From our personalities, to our looks to how our bodies react to foods, especially diets. A little over a year ago, I gave the Keto Diet a try for 15 days. But it didn’t agree with my body. I ended up losing weight but not fat. When I went back to eating my normal diet, which is vegan and I reintroduced the carbs, I put the weight back on and then some.

I came across some people who loved the Keto Diet so much that they stayed on it for a long time. But what most people don’t know, is the Keto Diet was designed to be followed for short periods of time. This is a diet of high fat. Even though some say it’s the good kind of fat, bottom line is fat is still fat. And too much of anything will take a toll on your body.

Long story short, by staying on the Keto for a long period of time, the people I spoke with developed serious health issues and were told to get off of the diet. The adverse affects of prolonged Keto Dieting is dangerous and include:

  • Hepatic Steatosis (fatty liver disease)
  • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
  • Kidney Stones
  • Hypoproteinemia (abnormally low protein)
  • Keto Flu (symptoms mimicking a cold flu)
  • Rapidly Increased Cholesterol Levels
  • Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies
  • Dehydration

Also keep in mind if you already have pre-existing health conditions you very well could make these worse or add more complications to your list. So please always consult with a doctor before and during major dietary changes so you can monitor your progress and avoid any serious adverse affects.

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“Every human being is the author is his own health or disease.” ~Buddha

Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Space Odyssey Abstract

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You may have noticed I’ve been fascinated with stars and planets lately. This painting started out as an abstract and when I painted in the shapes based on the underlying texture, it quickly took on an outer space feel.

I thought the drips on this one turned out kind of cool. I wanted to bring more attention to them so I accented them with glitter and added a bit of shading for more depth. I named this one Space Odyssey and it’s painted on a 10×10 inch stretched canvas.

If interested, it’s available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.

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“Space exploration is a force of nature unto itself that no other force in society can rival.” ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson

Galaxy Art Journaling

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I’ve been having fun experimenting with different color combinations in my watercolor journal. I really like this color combination. It’s a dark turquoise, deep magenta, rose and light blue.

I think I like it better than the last one. What do you think – A or B? Cast your Vote in the comment section below 👇

A (left) / B (right)

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“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Thoughtful Thursday Mission Organization

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Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

Imagine going to the library and the books are randomly placed on the shelves. You’d get frustrated because you can’t find what you’re looking for. If you were the person in charge of getting new books for the library you wouldn’t know which books to add because you don’t know what’s already there.

We all have a tendency of acquiring “stuff” that seems to pile up and multiply all on it’s own if we don’t tend to it. Maybe we’re just not an organizer by nature or we’ll get to it later but then later never comes. All this “stuff” stops the flow of energy causing you to become unhappy, stressed and lose clarity to name a few.

I’m getting ready to do the floors in my studio. It’s something I’ve been putting off but needs to get done. I’m not looking forward to packing everything up because I have a lot of art supplies I use. On the other hand this is going to force me to really look at what I have and ask “do I really need this, does it bring me happiness.”

I wanted to get some new ideas and a fresh outlook to organizing my studio so I purchased a book by Desha Peacock, “Your Creative Work Space” which is available on Amazon.

I started reading the book and love it so far. Desha shares examples of creative work spaces from different people in different professions. She also shares her wisdom for organizing your sacred space and keeping that way. I’m already very excited to put some of her ideas to use and create better energy flow in my studio.

I’m not sure how this is going to work out but I’ll do my best to keep posting and sharing the happy with everyone. Wish me luck 😅

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Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Nebula Art Journaling

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I’m having fun playing with my watercolors and trying new things like this nebula which I painted in my 5.5″ x 8″ Strathmore Watercolor Journal. The picture below was the start of my inspiration but then there were quite a few photos I liked and I had a hard time choosing just one. So I ended up combining different things from each one and putting it into this painting.

Although it didn’t go as planned I really like this color combination and it was lots of fun creating it. But I think I have a bit more experimenting to do. What I love about painting is it’s very fulfilling. When you finish a painting it gives you a sense of accomplishment and that’s wonderful feeling!

What do you like to do that gives you a feeling of accomplishment?

I hope you’re enjoying your 4th of July weekend! Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“The darkest nights produce the brightest stars.” ~Unknown

Thoughtful Thursday Scary Truth about Rabies Vaccine

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Cocoa

I was horrified when I found out the adverse affects of rabies vaccine on my girls. Most vets give you the option of a 1 year or 3 year rabies vaccine. The majority of pet owners opt for the 1 year vaccine because it’s cheaper and they think their pet is getting a lower dose.

But here’s what you don’t know. The dosage for the 1 year and 3 year are the same. The reason is because the vaccine will stay in your dog’s body for about 3 years. So if you’re getting annual rabies shots you’re basically overdosing on the vaccine.

Adverse reactions to the rabies vaccine can be mild like swelling, lethargy, or vomiting or they can be much more severe. Reactions can show up shortly after getting vaccinated or over a period of time and can cause permanent damage. Dogs Naturally Magazine has a good article online that outlines 65 ways the vaccine can harm your dog including cancers, seizures, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases and so much more.

Sadly I didn’t find out about this until it was too late. I had Cocoa vaccinated annually her entire life. She had the energy and vigor of a young dog until she got her last required vaccine. Within 3 months of getting vaccinated, her health rapidly declined and she passed away within a year.

I miss her a lot but at least now I know how detrimental the vaccine is to dogs so I won’t make the same mistake again. I don’t want you to take my word for it, but do your own research as scary as it may be. Your pup will thank you!

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“65 Ways Rabies Vaccination Can Harm Your Dog” by Dogs Naturally Magazine

Rosie at 9 weeks old

Summer’s Simple Pleasures Art Journal Pages

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I really liked these images I found in an old Romantic Homes magazine and thought they’d make an interesting summer journal layout. I painted the background with acrylic paint and added pieces of a paper doily, punched butterflies, glitter, doodles and whatever else came to mind.

It’s a great way to have to some and relax. Journaling is a wonderful stress reliever because there are no rules and anything goes. You simply create what you feel.

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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Night Sky Art Journal

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On my walks, I’m finding myself studying the clouds more than usual. When I was a kid I used to love using my imagination to see what figures and shapes I would find in the clouds. It was a lot of fun then and still is now 😂.

I had some more fun practicing fluffy clouds in my 5.5″ x 8″ Strathmore Watercolor Journal. I used watercolors with a bit of gouache but also added a little acrylic paint to this one. I love how the pinks and purple mixed with the white. Thought it looked pretty cool against the dark background.

Do you like to look up in the sky and find the figures and shapes in the clouds? I think we’re never to old to have fun 😊

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend! Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“When life get too overwhelming, just look up at the night sky and lost yourself for awhile.” ~Deborah A Ten Brink