Category Archives: Inspiration

Sep11

Thursdays Time out for Art

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Barbara's Morning Glories 6" X 4" Deep Canvas

Barbara’s Morning Glories
6″ X 4″ Deep Canvas

This is an interesting technique…..I covered a canvas with masa paper that had been put in water, and rung out.  It’s a bit delicate when it gets wet, so care needs to be taken while doing this process.  I put gel medium down first,  then placed the damp masa paper on the canvas.  I will never be smooth, and you want it to be crinkly.  After it dries, I trimmed the sides, roughly sketched my subject lightly in pencil, and painted it in watercolors.  These Morning Glories were in my friends backyard, and so beautiful I couldn’t help but paint them.

I learned this technique from my friend, and teacher Helen Shafer-Garcia, check her out she is a fabulous watercolorist.

Thursdays Time out for Art is inspired, and hosted by Zebra Designs, and Destinations…

Jul24

Thursdays Time out for Art!

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Thursdays Time out for Art!
The Art of Gardening!

The Art of Gardening!

I think the art of putting a garden together is magic.  Sometimes at first everything looks rather scrawny, but give them a few months, or even a year, and your garden transforms into magic!

Time out for art is inspired by Zebra Designs & Destinations…Thank you Z for all the inspiration you provide!

Jul11

Strange Midnight Movies

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The Mystic Masseur

The Mystic Masseur

When I was a teenager, every once in a while Mom, and I would find ourselves not able to sleep.  I would walk out of my bedroom at maybe 12:00 am to find Mom sitting in front of the TV watching some strange, off the wall movie. Usually they would be foreign films, the ones  that we could barely understand!   I’d sit down with her, and before you knew it we’d both be deep into this strange movie.  These were movies no one had ever heard of, and it was easy to tell why.  They were so quirky, and odd that we were transfixed, and couldn’t shut  off the TV until it was over.  This was sometimes 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning.  Most likely this was either a weekend event, or happened during the summer, because I don’t ever remember having to go to school the next day.

A couple of weeks ago, the weather being  hot, stuffy, quite humid, and not particularly a day that I was able to get motivated to do much work.  I turned on Netflix to see what I could find to occupy a couple of hours, maybe getting through the humidity the easy way.  What I found was another of the same kind of movies Mom and I use to watch together many years ago!  Admittedly, the picture caught my attention, and that’s exactly why I persevered.

I had a deja vu moment!

This movie was so different in a kind of fun way, and I couldn’t stop watching it. The audio was poor, and  the accents made it difficult  also.  But I had to keep watching anyway!  All I could think of was how much fun Mom, and I had watching these midnight movies, that were much like this one!

The story was simple…..how the characters lived, and enter acted was simple, and it was the perfect solution to a hot, and humid day that wasn’t good for much else but an interesting movie!  Maybe the simple lifestyle pulled me in, or the cute way the characters talked to each other, but I was fascinated.

Good memories are the most fun, and maybe when we get older, the memories are what sustain us.  I didn’t think I was old enough to sit and rely on my memories, but maybe I’m wrong.  Maybe it doesn’t matter what age a person is, if it bring them joy to remember the good….bring those memories on!

What do you think?  Does it make you feel good to remember good memories, or do you think there isn’t time for it now?

Jul10

Thursdays Time out for Art

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I was sitting outside realizing the other day, and looked over to the side of my yard only to see this amazing slash of color.  I haven’t any idea what their names are, but the oranges and reds were a glow in the sunlight, and it took my breath away.

Since this is Thursday Time out for Art, I thought Zebra Designs & Destinations would like to see what a Southern California back yard might look like.  We’ve gone succulents because of our water shortage, but with these colors we’re not missing out on much.

Jul8

Excited Dusty!

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This last weekend Dusty found himself with a new four-legged friend that looks just like himself! He is so excited, he can hardly contain himself.  His new little friend is a girl bunny, and they named her Bubbles!

While Bubbles is being litter box trained, and getting use to her new home, Dusty is keeping watch on her enclosure.  Between you and me, I don’t think Dusty is going to get much sleep.  He doesn’t want to miss a single thing, so each and everything Bubbles does, Dusty is going to be right there helping her learn the ropes!

Dusty keeping guard!

Dusty keeping guard!

Jul3

Thursdays Time out for Art

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If you hadn’t realized before, I love color!!!  The more the better, and I often get into trouble because I’m unable to edit, and soften my color choices.  I’ve been doing little sketches, and journaling like this for quite a while, but it wasn’t until I found Zebra Designs & Destinations that I realized, if Z can do it, I can do it!!!

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