Medeah

Thankful Thursday, November 1st, 5:30-8:30 Paper Crown 848-2389 45.00 Thankful is the name chosen for this canvas and class for a few reasons. Partly because it is Fall and almost November. A time when many reflect over the past year and hopefully find many reasons to be thankful. I have so much to be thankful for. I do believe God is always good and I am truly thankful for his grace. I am going to be a Mimi in May. I am so excited. So many blessings, too many to count. If you would like to join us for an evening of Fall fun just call Cindy at Paper Crown 848-2389 and she will be happy to sign you up. No experience needed to make this beautiful canvas and only a few supplies if you have them, such as; scissors and a brown ink pad for distressing. The class is only 45.00 and you will leave with a piece of art and some knowledge on my mixed media process. Hope to see you there.

Wow! I cannot believe today is Oct. 1st. Where did the summer go? This is going to be a very busy month. I have a class at Paper Crown on Oct. 18th at 5:30. We will be doing this fun 18x18 in. canvas. Call Cindy to reserve your spot. 848-2389 This canvas has a subtle yet very interesting background. We are going to have a ton of fun using all of that Washi tape I have been collecting to make these adorable birds. And then there is burlap. I love burlap! This class is seriously going to be a lot of fun and the canvas could be altered for the holidays or it would look darling in a child's room or anywhere really. Glitter Market is going to be on Oct. 27th this year in Cassidy Square. Get a jump on that holiday shopping with some of the best artists in the city. I will start posting sneak peeks soon. I have a lot of other fun things going on that I will blog about later. Have a great week!

     A few months back I donated an art party for Positive Tomorrows Cork and Canvas event and Susan from Regier, Washecheck & Jones, P.L.L.C graciously purchased the party for her office. I was a little nervous because I had never taught a group of CPA's, but the nerves quickly left as I got to know each of these spectacular women. They were more than willing to learn and I hope they had as much fun as I did. Here are some pics. Thanks ladies for an evening I won't ever forget! And now as promised here is a list of supplies we used; 11x14 canvas tissue paper from 7 Gypsies matte Mod Podge Liquitex flexible modeling paste palette knife Golden liquid acrylic Ultramarine Blue Golden liquid acrylic Teal Golden liquid acrylic Quinacridone Red Tim Holtz dabber paint Aqua Bombay ink black Ranger heat gun Inca Gold Paste Versifine vintage sepia ink pad and ink sponge Various tapes from 7 Gypsies and Smash book I think that is everything....

Wow! It has been a busy summer. I can't believe it is halfway over. I have taken some fun classes this summer and have learned some cool techniques. I love to learn, especially when it relates to art. I hope everyone is having a great summer. I am currently preparing for classes and hope to have the examples ready soon. Above is a picture of my sweet niece Emily who is currently in Uganda on a missions trip. Please say a prayer she is kept safe. She is living her heart's desire. Uganda will never be the same.

Keep on Sailing I will be teaching this class on May 24th at 5:30 at Paper Crown in Oklahoma City. Call the store at 848-2389 to reserve your spot. Cost is 45.00. Bring your scissors, distress ink, and heat gun if you have one. All other supplies will be provided.  I have been a little obsessed with birds lately. I think it is partly due to the fact that my Mother would sit forever on my patio and watch birds and drink coffee. It was obvious she loved them. Sometimes she would know things we had said or done and when we would ask her how she knew that she would reply "A little birdie told me." Darn those birds! I often wished they would just keep their beaks shut!  Also in times of sadness I would marvel at their ability to just fly, high above everything. They are so small in comparison to us and yet they are brave. They battle the rain, the wind, stray cats and a myriad of other obstacles in their lives and yet they sing. They sing as if no one is listening...

Gethsemane by Ella Wheeler Wilcox In golden youth when seems the earth A Summer-land of singing mirth, When souls are glad and hearts are light, And not a shadow lurks in sight, We do not know it, but there lies Somewhere veiled under evening skies A garden which we all must see -- The garden of Gethsemane. With joyous steps we go our ways, Love lends a halo to our days; Light sorrows sail like clouds afar, We laugh and say how strong we are. We hurry on; and hurrying, go Close to the border-land of woe, That waits for you, and waits for me -- For ever waits Gethsemane. Down shadowy lanes, across strange streams, Bridged over by our broken dreams; Behind the misty caps of years, Beyond the great salt fount of tears, The garden lies. Strive as you may, You cannot miss it in your way. All paths that have been, or shall be, Pass somewhere through Gethsemane. All those who journey, soon or late, Must pass within the garden's gate; Must kneel alone in darkness the...

I saw this on Christy Tomlinson's blog and had to share. Plan B Life is all about how you handle Plan B. Plan A is always my first choice. You know, the one where everything works out to be happily every after. But more often than not, I find myself dealing with the upside-down, inside-out version.  Where nothing goes as it should. It's the point that the real test of my character comes in.. Do I sink, or do I swim?  do I wallow in self pity and play the victim, or simply shift gears and make the best of my situation?  The choice is all mine... life is all about how you handle Plan B. (Suzy Toronto)    This reminds me of my life and probably everyone else's. We all have an idea of what we think life should be, what we think will make us happy. The truth is, Plan A rarely happens and we can let it destroy us or embrace what is probably our true path. When I was a child, teenager or young adult I never dreamed I would have gone through what I have in my li...

I had so much fun with this group of ladies. Thank you so much for coming! Your pieces all looked amazing. Fran, Mary, Lisa and Amy working hard on their projects ( and talking a little.) Beth multi tasking, Barbara concentrating and Tiffany is there you just can't see her beautiful face. Mom and daughter - makes me smile Everyone except Tiffany, I don't know where she went. Sorry Tiffany. I can't wait to see you girls again! I am going to try and link the brownie recipe here. Man they were good if I do say so myself! http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/02/22/salted-caramel-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/

We will be making this mixed media canvas at Paper Crown, Thursday, March 8th at 5:30. There are just a few spots left in this class. Cost is 45.00. Call Cindy at Paper Crown to reserve your spot. 405.848.8329

This is a picture I took last weekend while shooting a wedding for a friend. I love the simple image of a heart and the saying love hopes is so true. This particular friend has lost so much in the past several years and yet on this day her heart was full of hope. You could see it in her face, in her eyes when she looked up at the man she was marrying. So many losses and yet the hope of a future filled with love was there staring grief in the face. I don't know if it is appropriate for the photographer to have tears stream down their face during a wedding, but I couldn't help it. It was a spiritual experience for me. I'm sure the wedding didn't look exactly like the bride had envisioned it. There were people very dear to her that were not physically there, not by their choice, but by fate. And yet there was still joy, bittersweet tears, and hope. Hope for happiness and healing. Congratulations sweet friend.

There are so many reasons, but I will only share a few. First, there are children in this country and all over the world that will go to sleep tonight without a true home. They don't know what it is like to have a Mom to cradle them in their arms as only a Mom can. They don't have a Dad to kiss them on the forehead and say "Everything will be okay." There are some who will have enough to eat and many many more who are hungry right now. I'm not talking about what we consider hungry. The "I think I need a snack hungry." I don't even know if I can describe it because I haven't ever felt it. They will cry, but many have given up the act of crying because it didn't do any good. It didn't change anything. No one came. No one came and patted their backs with reassurance that they were not alone. This is happening right now in every country. My heart aches for them. There are so many people who feel that tug at their heart to help these children ...

I have been thinking a lot lately about getting into shape, eating healthy, exercising, etc. etc. etc. You get my drift. Every year about this time I think okay I am going to start now, so I can look great by summer. I will then start a program, lose a few lbs. and slowly (or sometimes not so slowly) go right back to those same unhealthy habits. I want this year to be different. I choose to be different. I want to do right by my body. My Mom had diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis and died from kidney failure. She didn't die young. She was 82, but her quality of life could have been so much better if she would have taken better care of herself. Maybe she did the best she could. I don't know. My sister died of lung cancer. She was 46 years old. She had met and married the man of her dreams just a few years before the diagnosis and only lived 3 weeks after receiving the news. It was horrible. I cannot describe the fear that ripped through my body after he...

My hope for my children must be that they respond to the still, small voice of God in their own hearts. Andrew Young