I’m busy creating fun whimsical ornaments in what is now the official “Santa’s Workshop” as indicated by this sign (shown above) which hangs on my studio door🎄 I’m adding fun phrases to these 4×4 inch canvas ornaments and thought I’d ask for your advice. For the first two I used “making spirits bright” and “the Wonder of Christmas.” But the other two still need a fun phrase. So make sure to cast your vote for each in the comments section below!
4×4 inch
Snowman House Choices:
A) Baby it’s cold outside B) Deck the Halls C) Home Sweet Home D) Or submit a new idea!
4×4 inch
Gold Trimmed Trees Choices:
A) Magic happens B) Creating memories C) Good tidings to you D) Or submit a new idea!
Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to cast your vote!
Santa’s Workshop is in full swing🎄 I’ve been busy in the studio working on new batches of ornaments in varying sizes and these are the first ones. There are a lot of layers in creating these little treasures so it takes a bit of time but they’re coming along nicely and will be ready to hang. Now I need to squeeze in the time to get them photographed so I can add them to my shop😅
If you haven’t stopped by my Etsy Shop, I encourage you to do so because holiday shoppers are already out and snatching up Christmas ornaments and paintings. So if you’re looking for an original, one of a kind gift for someone special make sure to stop by and check back periodically as I’ll be adding more.
Wishing you a lovely weekend, thank you for your support!!
Have you ever been in a tough spot and found you didn’t react to the situation as your best self? You let your feelings and emotions get the better of you. I know it’s happened to me many times during my life and I’m sure you’ve had some moments too.
Learning about personal growth helps us to become a better person and teaches us not to react so harshly and negatively in certain situations. It helps us to better understand ourselves and those around us so that we may live happier and more meaningful lives.
Brendon Burchard is one of New York Times best selling authors and he’s also one of the leading Life Coach and High Performance Trainers in the industry. Brendon wrote “The Motivation Manifesto,” to help the reader with personal growth by reclaiming personal power and freedom.
This is a well written book and Brendon does an excellent job explaining the nine declarations of motivation and personal power so the reader is equipped with the knowledge needed to unleash their inner strength. In addition, he also includes strategies and exercises to help apply these principles to life. Plus Brendon gives insights from his own personal journey and from some of the greatest leaders in history.
Happy August!! I can’t believe that more than half the year has already flown by. With all of this summer heat, I’m definitely ready for the cooler weather this year.
Dick Blick Art Supplies was hosting a watercolor contest so I thought it was a good opportunity to practice my portrait painting skills. I worked on her for some time and this was my entry into the contest. I named her “Crystal” because of her crystal blue eyes.
I feel I’m getting better but the eyes are still a bit wonky. However, I recently found a better technique to get them more even so I’m working on that at the moment. I love how her hair turned out, it took lots of layers. Overall I was happy with the painting I entered into the contest. There are so many talented artists who entered and inspired me to keep going!
Hope this inspires you to create today, thanks for stopping by!!
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“If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.” ~Unknown
I can’t believe that Father’s Day will already be here this Sunday, June 18th. This is a special day to celebrate those great dads who are here with us today and also to honor and remember those who are no longer with us.
Dads have a unique style all of their own in how they handle life and teach us what they know. I learned so much from my dad and he was the one who inspired me to create art. My love for photography, roses and birds all came from him. So how will you show your love to that great man?
Here are a few ideas for Father’s Day:
Make a handmade card with a personal photo.
Make a photo collage of memorable moments.
Have an outdoor celebration in the park, beach or your own backyard.
Take dad out on a sporting adventure of his choice.
Go camping for a night.
Cook his favorite dinner.
Have a backyard movie night.
Build something fun together.
Spend an evening star gazing.
Spend a nice day together talking about fun memories.
Take him on a fun road trip.
Go to a sports game together.
Tour a vineyard or brewery.
Wishing all Dad’s a very Happy Father’s Day!
Thanks for stopping by!!
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“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.” ~Unknown
I was working in an online class where I created a detailed sketch of a girl with flowing hair and butterflies (I’ll share that with you later this week). But it had taken quite a few tries and quite some time to get the sketch just right.
I needed to paint her so I could bring her to life, yet I found myself stuck. I really wanted to paint her but was afraid to ruin the sketch that had taken hours to complete. I came up with all sorts of excuses as to why I couldn’t or rather wouldn’t paint her. Finally I thought this is ridiculous because I’ve painted so many portraits before that turned out pretty good. Then I remembered Wayne Dyer’s book, “Excuses be Gone!” and silenced those negative nellies in my mind. I painted her and you know what, she turned out pretty awesome.
But I wasn’t paying attention to my thoughts and let them run wild. So this whole thing was a good reminder for me of what I need to be doing, minding my thoughts. I had read Wayne Dyer’s book a while ago and loved it. In his book he explains why all of us at one time or another become victims of our own self defeating thoughts that can immobilize our progress in life. Wayne also describes how to silence those negative thoughts so we can move forward.
It’s not always easy because sometimes we forget to keep up with the practice. But this book was well written and quite an eye opener and I’ll be putting it on list to read again😊 I highly recommend Wayne Dyers book “Excuses be Gone!” You won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for stopping by!!
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“If you really want to do something you’ll find a way. If you don’t you’ll find an excuse.” ~Jim Rohn
Have you ever thought about how color affects how you feel? Many people associate colors with different things like trees, the ocean, flowers or even a cool summer’s breeze which evoke positive emotions and make us feel good. But you can also associate colors with negative things because we create these associations in our mind through our personal life experiences.
Our brain reacts to sensory impressions. Visual impressions make up 80% of that. And that’s a pretty big chunk. So it’s no wonder that color can greatly affect our moods. Studies have shown these are some of the generalities of how colors can make you feel:
Pay attention to the colors in your environment and how they make feel, especially the clothes you wear. You may be quite surprised and discover new things about yourself!
Hope you enjoyed this post today, thanks for stopping by!!
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“Color was not given to us in order that we imitate nature. It was given to us so that we can express our emotions.” ~Henri Matisse
I was listening to a recording of Wayne Dyer today and thought I’d share this wonderful quote with you on one of my abstract watercolor paintings:
“With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.”
Flowing Waters Art 