Life throws you all kinds of curves....

Yesterday I lost a beloved pet. Today I got my daughter back! My youngest daughter, Leo, and I have been estranged since June of last year. I've seen her a few times when she would visit with her dad but she and I haven't spoken since June but for one failed attempt to resolve things in December. Today she came to my office with flowers and an early mother's day card with an "I'm sorry" which is all I wanted to hear from her. I've missed her so much. Life feels much more complete right now.

CANDY FARINAS Jan. 7, 1996 - April 28th, 2009

I lost one of my babies yesterday. It was so awful. Candy has always been such a sweet dog, such a loyal and loving "child". She had a quirky personality. Didn't really like everyon - especially kids! She adored my son Charlie and with me she was the best. Her and Cindy (my 13 year old chihuahua) have always been inseparable and Cindy spent the entire night last night looking for Candy and crying when she couldn't find her. Candy died of a heart condition. We were in the car on the way to the vet and she had very labored breathing. I'm convinced she knew she was dying. While on the way to the vet she climbed onto my lap and stood on her hind legs to cuddle in my neck - something she always did when she was scared. All of a sudden she starts to bleed from her mouth and nose. I stopped the car - hysterically crying by this time - and just petted her on my lap until she died. Such an awful experience. But at least I was holding and loving her when she took her last breath.

THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ARTIST

In a previous post I had told you guys about a wonderful project which started on March 31st, 2009. I received my frist journal - Karen Mercado's journal - and it is so gorgeous. It's a little intimidating being the first to work on a journal so it took me a few days to figure out what I wanted to do. This journal is supposed to be about us as women, as artists. The pages we do are supposed to reflect a little about us as individuals.

In thinking about this (and, yes, I tend to over-think everything!) I wanted to show a little of me as an artist - of where my art is. I'm like that Donny and Marie song "She's a little big country - he's a little bit rock and roll"... Well, I've always loved Vintage and most of my work has been vintage. Lately, though, I am more into the Zetti look - actually going to a retreat with Teesha Moore in July!!! Can't wait!

Anyway, back to the subject... (I'm easily distracted)... I wanted to do a page which would show my crossroad between Vintage and Zetti. This was the result for Karn's journal. Hope she likes it!

Projects, projects...so many projects!!!

Ali Brandist, a wonderful friend and artist who lives in the UK invited me to join her, Mima (her auntie), Lillian Mederak and Gina Goodling in a new project she has called Paris Tags. Each of us initially makes 5 tags and sends them on to the other artists to add things. The first part of the project is to do the backgrounds on the 5 tags, do the first "title tag" and the back of that title tag for the artists to sign as they work on your tags.

These are the front and back of the first tag which I did last night. I chose not to do paper backgrounds. Instead I made the tags from my very favorite thing in the world - grunge - and painted the grunge tags with Moon Shadow Mists. I LOVE these mists. They are gorgeous. The image on the front of the tag is my favorite image - has been for a long time - from Artchix Studios. I use this image ALOT. This particular image screams Paris to me for some reason (not that I have ever been in Paris!!!). Anyway, this is the beginning of this project and I'm loving it already!!! It will be on it's way to Lillian in Canada by the end of the week.

I just finished working on Martha's 4x4 Circle Journal for the other project we are doing with Ali. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get my head around this one! The stamp that Martha sent was a bird!!! That should have been so easy!!! But I am not really happy with the result.... I don't know what's missing but it just doesn't do it for me. I did my best and this journal is on it's way to Heather in the UK.

Times slips away from me!

Someone brought to my attention yesterday that I had not added anything to my blog since March 31st! I have no idea where April has gone! It's scary how quickly times flies!

I managed to take some pictures of the some of the things I've been doing so here goes:

I am in this WONDERFUL group called The Sum of All ATCs which I adore! We have been working on laminate lately and when I went to get the small laminate pieces, I came across large laminate pieces (3x5) which I cut into ATC size. They are wonderful to work with! You can use alcohol inks, acrylic paint, anything! The Cropodile cuts through it like butter for holes too. I used by Fiskars Guillotine to cut them and the cut was clean and perfect. Here are three sample cards I did. I didn't change the backgrounds at all so that you can see how great they look with very little effort.

Valerie (the owner of The Sum of All ATCs) also hosted a Treasure Box swap. Everyone altered little boxes and put a surprise in them. I did an ocean theme (since I live in Key Largo it seemed only fitting) and put a really pretty gold decorated sea shell charm as my "surprise". The photos really don't do it justice. I was quite happy with it.

In my other group, Advanced Artist Trading Cards, Sue Young, a wonderful lady and artist, is hosting a chunk book swap of Provence. We each made 10 cards, these are a couple of the ones I made for this swap.

There have been so many other swaps and trades back and forth this month! No pictures though!

Thanks for looking!!!