Tim Holtz is a genius!!!

Saw a new video (at least new to me) with Tim Holtz using Perfect Pearls and Distress Ink. Take a look!! You will love it!!! I will be using this technique a million times until he comes up with some other wonderful technique!! Gotta love this guy!

(NOTE: Click on "new video" to see the utube video)

I DREAM IN COLORS

Got my first page done for my I Dream in Colors Journal. Wanted to share it!

Getting things done.....

I haven't "blogged" (how techy does THAT sound?? LOL!) since Mother's day but I've been really busy. I made an ATC Art Doll for the very first time for Vals' group, The Sum of All ATCs, and have been working on my I DREAM IN COLOR journal which needs to go out this weekend!!!

The ATC Art Doll was actually a lot of fun to make! I had been telling Val I was going to join in her monthly art doll swap for months and months but never really had the guts to do one. For some reason the idea of doing it really intimidated me! I'm really glad I did though because they were a lot of fun.

The other two pages are my layout for my I Dream in Colors Journal. My colors for the journal are white and gold which means that everyone who works in my journal (a group of 14 FABULOUS ladies) has to use those two colors. Everyone chose their own colors so it will be an exciting project!!

The page with the woman image is actually from a magazine. I used Chris Cozen's face to face transfer from her new book and LOVE the way it looks! The second page is a work in progres.... not really sure what I am going to do with it yet!

Let me know what you think!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO EVERYONE!

I hope all of you had a wonderful mother's day! We had a family picnic at a park yesterday and had a wonderful wonderful day! Everyone was there (about 30 of us) and it was just an easy fun day. No drama!!! And you have no idea how amazing it is for a Cuban family to spend an entire day together (10:00 am - 8:00 pm) and there not be at least 10 incidents of "drama"!!! I had all four of my kids there yesterday and it was probably the best Mother's Day I've ever had!

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS: A BALM THAT HELPS YOU HEAL

I am a member of various on-line art groups and over the past 2 years have made so many friends that I feel blessed. In the past few days since losing Candy, I have received cards, and art work from these wonderful wonderful women and it has been not only overwhelming, but humbling. Truly an inspiration and a testament to the kindness of strangers - a validation that it still exists.

This beautiful watercolor of Candy was made for me by CT Hawes who is a member of The Sum of All ATCs group - one of my very favorite groups.

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.