Notecard using Prima Oil Pastels

Brandy lent me here wood stamp so I quickly stamped this image.   The coloring was completed during some of my travel last fall, but I just recently made this into a finished card.  The stamped image is just fabulous all on it's own.  Ultimately, I used my Prima Oil Pastels colored onto a piece of Palette paper to paint this image.  I'm so very pleased with the end result that I just had to share with you all.

He is Not Here, For He is Risen

 I've prescheduled this post as we will be celebrating this Easter morning at a sunrise service - acknowledging the original Son rise which saved us all.  When I saw this Our Daily Bread Designs chalkboard stamp, I just knew I wanted to make a card for Easter.

I also am enthralled with the new trend to call the teal color, pool.  My card is pool colored because I just love the color right now.  So bright and cheery when paired with white.  I will hope that your celebrations (if you have them today) are filled with the hope and peace that Jesus is indeed risen.

Coloring with My Besties - Sisters

Sharing this beautiful image colored by Brandy using her Copic markers.  So incredibly beautiful, don't you think?  The hair on these girls is just fantastic, realistic and admirable.  The image is a digi stamp from My Besties.  My girlfriend, Brandy, is on fire this week!

Sending Prayers - Making Card with Stencils

I followed Jennifer McGuire's technique she shared in this post.  I also used the SSS/Hero Arts Prayers stamp and die set.

I also  sent this set of cards each with a handwritten note inside to the Lasting Hearts card drive.  While my near family has not been directly affected by the lost of a child later in childbirth, Brandy's family has and I've know other friends who have been affected.  This is a very good charity and one that I'd encourage you to support.  You get to make some cards and a person going through one of the worst things that ever happens to them receives a thoughtful encouragement.  Win\Win.

Our Beautiful World - Hide

Dusk at Ko Olina Beach

I decided to join the photo challenge over at Our Beautiful World again this week.  In part, because I have been enjoying the very summer like weather here in Arizona and pondering the hidden beauty of the desert and in part because it is always so much fun to join.  The word prompt this week is Hide.  

What I really wish I had a picture of to share is our long gone St. Bernard, Jilly.  At 125 lbs of dog, it was difficult for her to hide and she was a "fraidy dog".    She would stick her head (a sizeable head at that!) into a bush and stand very still - certain no one could see her.  Instead, the 110 lbs of the rest of her body was standing where all could see.  This behavior would incite riotous laughter from the family...

Instead, I am sharing this quote and some pictures that, for me, represent the hidden secrets found in the beauty of nature.  I've tried to caption the shots. 

And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” 
                                                                                                                                                                           ― Roald Dahl

Sunrise looking inward on Ohau

The sky on fire out my back porch in Chandler, Arizona

Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished.

                                    ― Francis Bacon

December sky at dusk, Chandler, Arizona

Of course, there is hidden beauty in us all.  My precious daughter Katie in Ohau, Hawaii.  She is a quiet girl (sometimes!).  As she grows and matures, I am often struck at her quiet beauty - the kind hidden on the inside that escapes out for us to see.

Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

                                                               ― 1 Peter 3:4




When you think of the word Hide, what comes to mind.  Either snap a picture or simply post one you've already taken and share it over at Our Beautiful World.  Or simply stop by and see what everyone else has shared.  They never disappoint!

Hippity Hop, Easter's on It's Way!

Brandy graciously allowed me to share this Easter card with you.  She diligently die cut all the pieces using Impression Obsession's Bunny die set.  I honestly can't remember where the grass and flower dies are from, but this scene is set and the eggs are hidden.  I think these cards are ready to wish family and friends a Happy Easter.  What are you planning for this week?  Any crafty goodness?

Andie's Feeble Attempt at Freehand Watercoloring

So I mentioned yesterday that Brandy is encouraging me to practice my own freehand watercoloring.  These samples are my feeble attempt - having said feeble it may seem that I'm diminishing my attempt.  However, I just mean that these are my first baby steps at freehand watercoloring.  While they aren't the most realistic versions, they are appealing to me and don't feel as though they are unworthy.
I suppose I might one day make these into a card. We'll see.  Until then, Brandy gifted me the most wonderful pool colored Jesus Journal.   I intend to use it for some Bible journaling and freehand watercoloring.  This will be somewhat more personal art, but I'm inspired by Anni over at Handgathered.  She regularly shares some very personal art with lots of different methods and types.  I find her work facinating and feel privaledged to get to share in her work over the distance.  Check her out and keep checking her out!

Freehand Watercoloring

Okay you people.  I get the distinct pleasure of sharing some freehand watercoloring that Brandy has completed.  These poppies are simply mesmerizing to me.  All pieces were colored with a watercolor brush and some traditional pan watercolors.

Our recent participation in the Online Card Classes Watercoloring for Cardmakers: Intermediate Techniques.  If you haven't taken an Online Card Classes, we would both recommend several of the watercoloring classes and the Creative Chemistry (both of the them).  This techniques class is particularly helpful if you are interested in beginning to work with watercolors.

From these simple paintings, we can all see how very talented Brandy is.  She is also very encouraging to me - reminding me that repetition and practice impact our talent.  Still, I'm ever so impressed by these works and couldn't help but share them here with you.

Elizabeth Craft Stickers with Watercolor

I'm back today to share the rest of the cards made with my Elizabeth Craft sticker set, Flowers in Frame,  In these cards, I adhered the sticker to a piece of watercolor paper.  I then used my Distress inks and a waterbrush to color the insides of each sticker, also creating washes around the sticker in some cases.  The result is this simple, but elegant card set.

I am playing with the watercolors trying to blend and soften the colors.  I will admit to needing some more practice, but I think these cards really turned out nice.  I'm going to set them into the stash to use as gifts for special occasions.

This inspires me to keep after those supplies that have been accumulating.  Realize, the finish of this set gets ONE sheet of stickers from the pile. However, one at a time baby!  Go, use a supply that has long since been crying out to be used.  Feel the satisfaction, don't look back at the pile.

Delicious Ending to St. Patrick's Day

I made these yummy treats for a few co-workers today.  Simple, but homemade, the sugar cookies were baked by my daughter - she's so kind and helplful most of the time!.  Those are 4 leaf clover and gold medallions on top of the powdered sugar icing.  I found the tag online as a printable - simple and to the point for today.

I ended the day with a home cooked corned beef and cabbage dinner served up by my husband, Dan, himself.  He's the Irish in this household and I told him how very pleased I was to be his wife tonight (and every night!).

What were your St. Patrick's Day celebrations?  More exciting than mine I hope.  Either way, enjoy tomorrow.  It's Friday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day Love

Good day and the Luck of the Irish to you as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day today. I thought I'd stop in to share this card that Brandy made with you.  I believe Brandy used the We R Memory Keepers Dotted embossing folder to create the background which she then inked with greens and yellow green ink.  The edge is embossed with gold embossing powder - simply edge the card with embossing ink, sprinkle with powder and melt.  The Hearts were die cut from coordinating green (my favorite!) patterned papers and edged with gold embossing powder in a similar manner as the background.

Simply fantastic, yes!?  I'm going to link Brandy up to the following challenges:

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week#303 - Make It Green
Word Art Wednesday's Challenge Weeks222 and 223 Anything Goes
Get Creative Challenges Happy St. Patrick's Day

It's the day of Green!  I mean, Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all.  I hope your corned beef is tasty and your day is filled with green-goodness.

Using Hollyhocks for a Birthday Card

I just have to share this card made by Brandy.  The card is based around some die cuts made with Impression Obsession's Hollyhock dies.  Brandy cut the hollyhocks out onto watercolor paper.  She then used her pan watercolors to color the flowers.  Exquisite, don't you think?  The wash in the background was created using the same pan watercolors - super impressionistic, but it looks like hills with a stream running through at sunset or sunrise.  Perfect for this birthday card.  Notice Brandy's signature at the bottom - a true artist's rendering.

I hope this inspires you to give watercoloring a try.  We've both really been enjoying playing in this medium and hope you join us!

I'm  entering this card into the following challenges:

SSS Wednesday Challenge Simon Says Bit-o-Green
Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #221 Anything Goes

Our Beautiful World - Easter

 Our Beautiful World has a word prompt this week which immediately tugged at my heart.  The word is Easter.  Of course, Easter first makes me think of Jesus, the King above all Kings who sacraficed Himself to save sinners like me.  Celebrating Easter in our family is always a special time and like many families, we have many traditions which have become our expression of joy as we celebrate Jesus.

One of our first traditions is coloring eggs.  We first did this because I did the same as a young child.  Quickly, the eggs became our contribution to Easter dinner and so we turned the activity to a purpose.  Plus it weighs in on the Egg Wars.

My husband's family had a tradition where they cracked the eggs together, seeing which egg doesn't crack creating an ultimate winner.

My role is photographer and this post shows several years of egg wars.

However, the tradition that is closest to my heart is the Smelling of the Eggs.  We've always had St. Bernards and it has always interested them - how the bowl of eggs smells after the coloring treatment.   For being such big dogs, they are most tender in the smelling.

We'll have our first Easter without a dog in a very long time.  I will try to go through it without the actual Smelling of the Eggs with a good spirit.  Guess this might be the best year to join the egg wars.  I'll have pent up energy that can be turned for good and maybe a win!

When you think of Easter, what comes to mind?  Come join the fun over at Our Beautiful World.