6 Things You May Not Know About Me

1.  I'm a Veteran.  I proudly served 5 years in the Air Force before returning home to be closer to my family.  I think about my time in the service everyday and feel blessed to have met good people along the way.

2.  I have 5 brothers and sisters.  I'm the middle child...always trying to keep the peace.  My mom raised us on her own with very little money or support.  Now that I'm an adult I have no idea how she did it.  I try to tell her I appreciate her as much as I can.

3.  I could sail a boat before I knew how to drive a car.  My dad was Navy and he taught me how to sail a boat.  I have the best childhood memories at sea.

4.  I love pizza & ice cream.  No explanation needed.

5.  I secretly want to to be in a bikini competition.  I have only worn a bikini once and I put a tank top over it!  I know I should be proud of my body but it's so much exposed skin!  Either way I daydream about walking across a stage with confidence.  Sometimes, I look up the requirements to do it and never apply.

6.  My dream is to one day retire by the beach and paint sunsets.  Believe me when I say I'm a long way off from beach livin'.  But it's something I don't plan to let go of.

I would like to know more about you.  Please share two things about yourself in the comments!

Birds at Sea - Visual Journal Progress

I'm a navy brat.  I grew up by the water and it's just a part of our family.  Now we have to drive about 4 hours to get to the beach.  I really miss it.  I remember collecting feathers, shells, and rocks along the shore.  The waves were the best part.  Some days we would be out there all day long. There is a lake about an hour away and I'm hoping we can visit more often this summer.

   

In my last post (hummingbird), I shared the inside of a tag page I'd been working on.  I kinda felt like I had a break through.  Sometimes I feel like "is my artwork going anywhere"?

And the answer is yes!  I do feel like I'm gaining momentum.  I can honestly see the benefits from the 30-Day Doodle and 30-Day Painting challenges.  I created a freebies tab on my blog.  There your can find the 30-Day Painting challenge, check it out as I will be adding more soon.

I'm in the middle of writing an E-Course which seems a bit intimidating.  I've taught art classes in person but never online.  My computer skills are so-so and it's something I'm trying to work around.  

Monday's Post: (click photo)

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Every Day, Creative Every Day, Inspire Me Monday

How do you feel about your artwork?  I'd love to hear.

Completed Visual Journal Page - Hummingbird

This page from last week is all done.  I remember when I used to draw something and the painting looked nothing like sketch.  I tried to remain calm during the painting process.  Sometimes I panic, so I keep my reference photos close to guide me along.

Each painting is like solving a puzzle.  You have to keep trying pieces until they fit.  The more I paint the more I learn about myself and what I like.  I remember being stuck in my cubicle thinking  "I should be outside right now".

When I came to the backside of the tag I had this complex design in mind but it looked forced.  I photographed these flowers on my last walk...it was odd how they were dead while everything else was just blooming.

Well, hope you have a good day!

Linking to Paint Party Friday.

Mixed Media Tags

I have a few projects going on right now.  These tags have been patiently waiting on my desk for attention.  Hopefully you are able to see through my scribbly sketches. 

I set the timer to 15 minutes for each sketch.  This forced me to put down the first thing that came to mind and then move on.  I plan to add paint so they probably won't look the same once I'm finished.

We are off to a gloomy weekend here so I'm off to watch more Alias on Netflix! :)

Click here to see my previous mixed media tags.

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, Creative Every Day

Work In Progress - Hidden Tag Pages

Last week work was so crazy.  I didn't have a lot of time in my sketchbook.  The page on the left is further along and I feel good about it so I decided to share it today.

I used tags and washi tape to create hidden pages.  Spring inspired of course.

I like to use a white charcoal pencil to sketch out my ideas (and to make corrections).  If it doesn't work I can just wipe it away. 

Do you have a WIP?  Please share!

See my tips for Painting Everyday

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Every Day, Creative Every Day

Click here to see the completed page.