This is Me :D

A few weeks ago one of my nieces painted my Mom some pictures, amongst them was a picture of me.  She was very adamant and sure as to what I'm doing in this picture: Swinging on a swing while swinging a yo-yo!!  XD  Honestly not once have I ever performed such an act.  It's sweet that she thinks I'm capable. :P  Had a good laugh over this.  Kids are the sweetest.

Joy in Flowers

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul." ~ Luther Burbank

Everyone has little things that make them happy: Their children, favorite team winning a game, seeing something new, spending time with loved ones, a beautiful sunset, a good book, etc, etc, etc.  It's always nice to find joy in the little things and in little moments.

Flowers hold such joy with their beautiful colors and wonderful scents.  Spring just wouldn't be Spring without buds on the trees and flowers dancing up from the ground.

I'm so ready for Spring.  It's technology here, starting over a week ago, and the weather is in that confused state where it doesn't know if it should be cold or warm, and so tries both, sometimes on the same day.

The trees a starting to color, dead branches coming to life in greens, pinks, and white.  This time of year is always so beautiful.

PS. The vase is from the Worthington Gallery in Springdale Utah.  Their shop is quite nice, but you can purchase items online.  Mad Art Studios made the actual vase, a husband and wife team living in San Diego.  I fell in love with it immediately, and even though my funds are tight this vase seemed to beg to come home with me.  Doesn't it look so beautiful with the tulips?  A piece of art I'll always treasure.

"I must have flowers, always, and always." ~ Claude Monet

 

Holding My Heritage

I've decided to take up art, which is part of embracing this time in my life.  Give it a try.  The only drawing experience I have is a class in Middle School and High School.  Not much.  Maybe sometime this Summer I'll share those HS drawings, which show potential, but I never did anything with it after the fact.  My Mom and one of my brothers are artists, and I have extended family on both sides who are artist.  It's just something I've wanted to do, but felt intimidated by.

To start off I'm focusing on drawing/sketching and color theory before delving into Watercolor.  (Acrylic and oils can wait).  But while searching through books to study on Amazon I came across Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction by George Bain.  According to Ancestry DNA I'm 49% Irish/Scot.  The rest of me is a mixture of Anglo Saxon/German/Scandinavia.  This book retails for $18.95, but Amazon had it listed for $10.76, containing 160 pages and originally published in 1973.  Yesterday it came in the mail, and after flipping through the pages all I've got to say is, "Wow."  It's so cool.  Love the bits of history. Celtic Art is filled with so many pictures and diagrams, which will always be timeless.  They're just fun to look at.

Below are sample pages.

I'm going to have so much fun trying to draw these designs.

Learning About Tapestry in Aubusson France, April 2016

April, 2016: There was a tapestry museum Patou wanted to take my Mom and I to while visiting Aubusson, France.  Unfortunately it was closed.  Luckily, while wandering around, we came upon the gallery and museum AM'Carta, which was wonderful.  We had a small guided tour filled with so much information.  The tapestries are beautiful.

Before going to Aubusson I didn't know its history.  I didn't know it was a tapestry capitol.  It was wonderful learning about this beautiful place and seeing all the tapestries.  Aubusson was a trip highlight.  Loved this place.

Photos by Sarah and Robin Stufflebeam