Thoughtful Thursday – Earth Day

Photo taken by Maria Vidaurre, Marco Island, FL

Earth Day started April 22, 1970, as a way to bring awareness to environmental issues and changing the public’s outlook. We are all interconnected on this planet. Every action causes an equal reaction whether it be good or bad.

Everyone chooses their battles to fight. Some battle to reduce air pollution while others battle for the forests. My battle is for the oceans because they are one of the biggest sources of life on this planet. It’s heartbreaking to see the islands of plastic that have formed as a result of dumping garbage into the oceans. Some of the plastic breaks down, pollutes the waters and eventually settles on the ocean floors. Marine animals mistake plastics for food causing them to get sick or even die.

As humans we consume tons of fish, crabs, lobsters and shrimp from the oceans every year. With the amount of plastics, garbage and toxins that have been dumped into the oceans the marine life has become toxic for humans to eat. Yet it still is a very large food source for us, so what does that say about the state of our health?

This is just one small part of a much larger problem in the oceans and I could go on and on about the issues at hand, but I think you get the gist of it. Everyday we wake up we need to be mindful of the role we play on this planet and be proactive in taking care of Mother Earth so we will have a beautiful tomorrow.

What are some of the things you do to help make a better tomorrow?

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“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” ~Unknown

All photos above in the slide presentation were taken by Maria Vidaurre, Bahamas.

Flower Girl Colored Pencil Journal Page

I wanted to try something new so I decided to create a flower girl in my Strathmore 9″ x 12″ Colored Pencil Journal using only colored pencils and nothing else. This turned out to be quite a challenge.

I have a library of art books that I go to for reference or to simply get inspired. After a little reading I was surprised by the recommended color combinations. Truthfully, I never would have used these colors for the skin tone or hair but because of the all the layering, it turned out different than I expected. I was pleasantly surprised.

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Wishing you a wonderful week!

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The Power of You Mini Book

Just a quickie post today. I created this little 3.25″ x 4.5″ mini book in an online class by Joanne Sharpe called Art Sparks 1 through Ruzuku.com. I filled it with some of my favorite quotes which I’ll be sharing with you over the next few weekends.

If you don’t know about Joanne Sharpe, she is a super talented artist and instructor. I’ve been a big fan of hers for a long time and just love her work. I highly recommend her classes as they’re so much fun!

This is my first quote:

Have a great weekend!

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Thoughtful Thursday – “No Tuna” Salad Sandwich Recipe Review

Vegan Chickpea "No Tuna" Salad | Forks Over Knives

I’ve been exploring more vegan recipes, especially the ones that don’t necessarily appeal to my tastebuds. And I must say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. So far, they have all been quite delicious and tasty.

My family likes to eat tuna fish sandwiches but tuna is one of the most toxic fish you can eat. They’re high in mercury and other heavy metals because of pollutants in the water. So I wanted to find a vegan alternative. I finally decided to give this recipe a try and I’m glad I did. It’s a “No Tuna” Salad Sandwich. It’s great because it doesn’t have that fishy smell like real tuna but it’s super delicious and quite filling. Plus it’s quick and easy to make.

The recipe was published in the latest Forks Over Knives, “100 Best Plant-Based Recipes,” 2021 and it can also be found on their website “No Tuna” Salad Sandwich.

Forks Over Knives  100 Best Plant-Based Recipes  2021 image 0

The main ingredient is chick peas aka garbanzo beans which is not necessarily my favorite but they work well in this recipe. I served my family these sandwiches and they were a hit! Lots of flavor, very filling and satisfying, vegan and most important, No Mercury! It’s a win win.

I recommend getting a little crazy and giving it a try. You may discover new flavors on this adventure!

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“Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.” ~ T. Collin Campbell

Snuggle Bunny Angel Watercolor Journal Page

Hope your week is going great so far! I created this new angel in my Strathmore 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor Journal. I tried something new this time and added a zentangle design to the wings. I kinda like it, and then I kinda don’t.

Also, with the lighter color background, the white detailing got a bit washed out so I used gold for more contrast. Would love to know your thoughts, just leave me comment below. 

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Thoughtful Thursday

Photo by Maria Vidaurre – Mockingbird fledgling

I have to share with you the progress our baby Mockingbirds are making. There were 3 babies born around March 25th. Both parents have been feeding these ever so hungry little ones nonstop from sunrise to sunset. Last Friday we noticed the babies had left the nest but could hear them scattered in the bushes in the front of our house.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to witness one of the parents feeding this hungry little one. It was quite a show with the wings spread and the mouth wide open, waiting for food. The tail feathers in the front are from one of the parents coming in to feed. The babies long tail feathers haven’t grown in as of yet.

In between feedings, the parents are teaching the babies to fly. You can see them sputtering about in front of the house. They fly for short spurts and safely land back in the bushes where they’re completely camouflaged.

It amazes me how much they have grown in 2 weeks. The parents started by feeding them little worms and small insects. Now we see them coming in with large dragon flies for the babies to eat, it’s just incredible.

Have a great weekend!

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“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~Henry David Thoreau

Photo by Maria Vidaurre – Mockingbird fledgling

Duckling Colored Pencil

I was going through some of my old sketch books and came upon this cute little guy. I created him in my 9″ x 12″ Strathmore Sketchbook quite a few years ago. He was made with Prismacolor Pencils and nothing else. I remember making him and thinking it would be so hard to draw fluffy down feathers. But I think I pulled it off, somewhat at least. Considering it was spring I figured it was the perfect time to share him with you.

Hope he brightens your day!

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Thoughtful Thursday

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Easter Family Traditions

Growing up, Easter was a fairly big day of celebration. I remember how excited I was to color Easter eggs with mom the night before. Easter morning we started our day with breakfast and then off to church we went. For us kids, the highlight was getting back home to the Easter baskets filled with all kinds of goodies.

Mom would always get us something new to wear. Whether it was a new shirt or swimsuit, it was always exciting. Then it was time for the infamous Easter Egg Hunt in the garden which was a thrilling event! I held on to these wonderful family traditions with my kids and we all have a lot of fond memories and more in the making!

My kids are grown now but I still make them some type of basket. I’ve switched it up and gotten pretty creative over the years. This year I was going to try making these cute wafer decorations which can be found at SmartSchoolHouse.com. My Pinterest Easter Board is full of inspiring ideas on celebrating this Easter holiday.

What are your Easter Traditions?

I wish you and your family a Joyous Easter!

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“Easter is the only time of the year when it’s safe to put all your eggs in one basket..” ~Unknown

Angel Watercolor Painting – Isabelle

This is my newest angel, Isabelle and she’s painted on 9″ x 12″ 140lb Watercolor Paper with professional paints. She’s a little larger than some of my other ones which I think I like more. I painted her with bright, fun colors and lots of love 💖

Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop:FlowingWatersArtShop

Here’s a snippet of my creation process:

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” ~ Michelangelo

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Thoughtful Thursday

Photo by Maria Vidaurre – Mockingbird hatchlings

Welcome Little Ones

Last week I wrote about the coming of Spring and the Mockingbirds that made a nest in our topiary just outside of our front door. I still find it odd that they did this with all of the foot traffic in and out of our home, but I guess they felt safe enough.

We’ve been watching Momma coming in and out from the nest a lot from our window. One time we saw her come back with a worm so we investigated once we knew she left. When we walked outside you could hear tiny little peeps. Lo and behold, we had 3 new babies in the nest and I was able to get a quick photo before Momma came back.

Life is beautiful, precious and just amazes me at times. We were blessed to see the birds build the nest, lay their eggs and now welcome the new babies. I’m still in awe with these precious little ones.

Mockingbirds are the Florida State Bird and are here all year round. They are about ten inches in length, sing beautiful songs and are excellent mimics. We’re keeping everyone away from the nest area so the babies and parents don’t stress. We can see that Momma keeps an ever watchful eye over her babies as Mockingbirds are known for fiercely defending their nests.

Take the time to slow down and breathe in the beauty and new life all around you during this very special season.

Have a lovely weekend!

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“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with life itself.” ~L.W. Gilbert

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