CELEBRATING MILESTONES

Hi Everyone!

I'm taking a special trip soon to visit my very best friend! We are celebrating a milestone in her life of 65 years and who better to celebrate it with than family and your very best friend.  We've been friends for 38 years so that makes us family! 

 To surprise her I've been working on these little paintings.  

To Live Simply With Purpose & Gratitude

I've chosen a graphic Spoon (Knife and Fork are on the sides) to represent my friend's gourmet cooking skills. She is self taught and one of the best cooks I know! The graphics are from The Graphics Fairy.  I've included a poem written by Henry Van Dyke "A Mile With Me", you can find it here. My friend and I have walked many "miles" together in our years of friendship. And written in purple is one of my favorite quotes (so sorry, I don't know where I got this from, but if you know this quote, please let me know so I may give credit to the author).

Using the KISS (Keep It Simple Suzy) method and the Less Is More theory to paint the Live Simple design, and Yes, it is simple in design, I collaged scrap papers onto the canvas and textured the papers with random stamping and a dab or two of paint. The flowers are freehand and highlighted with Twinkling H20's to give them depth and sparkle. I love the simplicity of this canvas painting. I think my friend will like it too.  

Live Simple. 

There's a new grandson in her life too! So we are celebrating that too! I've known Brody's father since he was 4 years old and I wanted to make something special for his new baby. The inspiration for this little painting for the baby's nursery came when I saw what Ashley was doing over at Lil Blue Boo. 

You can see the multi-talented Ashley Hackshaw's adorable creations over at  http://www.lilblueboo.com/baby!   I'm also working on a quilt for baby Brody but it isn't quite done yet, I'll post pictures of it next time. 

Bee Creative,
Suzy

Linking to: Paint Party Friday; lilblueboo; Sew Many Ways

GELLI PLATE SPECIAL

Hi Everyone!

Last week my Gelli Arts Printing Plate arrived on the doorstep! I hope you had a chance to check it out, if not just click on the link above and it will take you to the Gelli Art website where you can get the scoop on what this is and how to use it. 

I have to confess right here I jumped up and down, clapped my hands together and squealed with delight when the first print came off the printing plate! Yea, I know, a grown woman and all that...but seriously, it was super fun!!! 

An added bonus to each print is a "ghost" image (below) from paint left on the printing plate.  I also kept a piece of paper handy to clean my brayer on and it can be used for original wrapping paper or in a journal.  

I put some of the gelli prints through my printer and this is the results:

 I used my own black and white photograph of iris over the gelli print. If you look closely you will see lots of texture too. 

 Two photos over two different colored backgrounds. The first is a free download from www.friendlyscrap.blogspot.com. They have lots of free downloads and kits.  I'm sorry I can't remember where I got the flower photo, but if you recognize it, please let me know so that I might give credit to the photographer. 

Here's one of my favorite images of a bird over the gelli print. I love that you can see the textures and peek through colors of aqua and yellow. 

It's been fun experimenting with paint combinations, textures and printing photos too! I hope you enjoy them and will come back to see what other ways I discover to use my Gelli Printing plate.  

Bee Creative! 
Suzy

Linking to:   http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

New Year 2013

Happy New Year Everyone! 

During the month of December I unintentionally fell off the blog-o-sphere I caught a super bad cold from the grands. Yup, right up until Christmas I was down and out, huddled under blankets  quilts and eating nothing more than soup for days on end. All plans were cancelled (missed our live nativity at church, Christmas caroling, all craft projects went on hold as well) and I just gave myself permission to be sick for once. Enough said! I'm back now feeling well enough to get this post out. 

I'm truly excited about the New Year! Don't you just love the idea of a fresh start and new beginnings? I do! The New Year holds such promises and hope for a brighter future. This year we are expecting our first grandson to be born in April and we'll be traveling to Texas for that blessed event. I look forward to spending time with my grand-daughters each week and of course working  two part-time jobs and continuing with church activities and more art challenges. 

There are quilts to be made for my grand-niece, a family friend and my new grand baby. I found the cutest pattern for baby bibs too, can't wait to sew a few of those up for the wee ones. Also found a cute pattern for a rag doll I want to make for my grand-daughters, they are really into playing with their dollies. The list of projects goes on and on. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about! 


 Check out what Santa and his elves left on my doorstep yesterday! A Geli Plate. It's a fab printing plate for making your very own paper prints!  Seriously, if you love making art journal pages and like your own original design work you gotta get one of these babies! 
I could hardly wait to get the package open this morning and give it a go... It's so simple! There's going to be a whole lotta printmaking going on this weekend in my studio.  

I'll be posting more on Geli Plate printing soon! Stay tuned.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year filled with promise and bright beginnings!  

Bee Creative! 
Suzy

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT

Hi Everyone!

Happy December! Yes! It IS December! It is hard to believe we are well into the first week of December already and every year I wonder where the time goes between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With Thanksgiving being earlier this year, it kinda threw me off! Hubby was raring to go to get the Christmas Tree as soon as our daughter and SIL pulled out of the driveway on Saturday after Thanksgiving. I tried to convince him it was too early to put the tree up but tradition stands and that means going to get a Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving. Okay, so the tree is up in the stand and there are strands of lights on it however, it is yet to be decorated. 

It is hard to even think about Christmas shopping when the temperature hovers near 80 degrees.  I know, it is tough but someone has to live here and enjoy the warm weather <wink>, but this is one time of the year I think about the colder climates and the romance of snowy evenings by a fire, etc. Our version of that is candles and if we really want a fire we light one in the fire pit. 

Advent begins the first Sunday in December, to celebrate the meaning of Christmas, we gather for the Advent by Candlelight and hear the story of Jesus' birth.  It is a wonderful way to start the season of Advent and to get our hearts focused on the reason for the season.  Each year as the season of Advent begins in our church, we sing "O Come Emmanuel" and it gives me goosebumps when I hear the words.  Do you have a favorite Christmas song that brings tears to your eyes or gives you goosebumps? Another favorite is "O Holy Night", I love that song. 

Of course there are other fun events like the Christmas parade and parties to celebrate, along with a shopping and gift wrapping and cookie baking. This year will be attending our granddaughter's first Christmas event at her pre-school. I can't wait to see this! 

During the hustle, bustle and business of the season, my hope is that you will take a moment to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas.  

Have a Happy Jolly Week! 
Suzy

Attitude of Gratitude Challenge Wrap Up

Hi Everyone!

Well, here we are the first day of December and I'm wrapping up the final week of An Attitude of Gratitude Journal Challenge for the month of November.  You can see the expanded stories and photos by clicking on the tab above marked Attitude of Gratitude Journal. I hope you will check out the pages in my journal and give me some feedback and comment love. Thank you so much for supporting me through this challenge, it truly was a challenge to complete during this busy month! 

I'd like to say Thank You to Bernice Hopper for putting together An Attitude of Gratitude Challenge. You can click on link above to see other participant's work too or check out the Flickr group.
You are sure to enjoy the variety of styles. 

Thanks again for joining me on the art journal adventure during the month of November! 

Bee Creative
Suzy

Linking to: Bernice Hopper:An Attitude of Gratitude; Paint Party Friday, Carolyn Dube: A Colorful Journey

A THANKFUL HEART

Hi Everyone! 


It is with a thankful heart we celebrate this holiday for God's merciful bounties and for bringing our family together to share. It is not the material things of this earth that bind us together rather it is our God, our family and friends. 

On this Thanksgiving eve I am thinking about those are suffering the after affect of Hurricane Sandy. My heart goes out to them for their loss of home and neighborhoods, of dear ones and the devastating effect on each persons life. The amazing thing I see on the news each night is the attitude of gratitude, determination and a willingness to go on despite the challenges. 
When tragic events happen people pull together in their communities and support and love one another. While we can't be physically there to support the families and communities affected by Hurricane Sandy, we can pray for them and offer our assistance by donating to Relief funds or through our churches, etc. that offer assistance. 

Happy Thanksgiving.
Suzy

Week 3 Attitude of Gratitude Journal Pages can be seen in more detail by clicking on Attitude of Gratitude Journal tab above. 

Week 2 Attitude of Gratitude

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for stopping by! Today I'm sharing my Attitude of Gratitude Journal pages with you. You can see the entire post by clicking on the above tab marked Attitude of Gratitude Journal. 

You might remember in the last few posts about my journals that I have been trying to make a dent into my supplies by using up what I have instead of purchasing new stuff?  Well, I had a little breakdown the other day, a moment of weakness when I was online checking out a "tutorial" and went over to the link to Ranger Ink http://rangerink.com/ . Oh MY Goodness! I should have closed that page right away but being curious about some of the products and watching the "demos", I got sucked right in.  Not a bad thing mind you but a rather expensive one. Here's how I justified the purchase to myself: I've been out of work for the last few years and have had limited income to purchase supplies. My husband said I should spend some of the money on something I liked.  So....art supplies here we come! LOL! Well it's a good rationalization until I get the bill. Here's what I got: Spray inks by Dylusions in Squeezed Orange, Fresh Lime and Vibrant Turquoise. Don't you just love those names? For some time now I've wanted to try Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paints http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com/: Modern Red, Altered Orange, Dab of Yellow, Classic Teal and Landscape Green. Can you see the color scheme going here?  Yes, I ordered those too! My biggest splurge was the Inkssentials Non-Stick Craft Sheet http://rangerink.com/?product=non-stick-craft-sheet%E2%84%A2; it is just the greatest thing! Have you seen them? Do you use one?  They resist every medium you can put on them and they are heat resistant too! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!  If you don't have one, put it on your Christmas list! 

Supplies

I'm so excited to have these products to work with and you will see them incorporated in the next journal pages. 

Thanks for stopping in today and I look forward to sharing more journal pages with you next week! 

Bee Creative!
Suzy






Linking to: An Attitude of Gratitude Journal anattitudeofgratitudejournal.blogspot.com
Paint Party Friday:http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/
Julie Balzer Designs:http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/
Sew Many Ways-Friend Friday:sewmanyways.blogspot.com
Gratitude Friday:http://dryadajournals.blogspot.be/2012/11/gratitude-friday_16.html