Creative Dawn

Remember yesterday when I said this beading thing could be addictive?  Well, here is another beaded project.  Originally the flower was supposed to be pink but the yellow seemed to work better.  For now it is attached to a headband but that may change to a brooch.  While I was photographing the subject of this post, it reminded me of a cruise that we went on.  The ship was the Carnival Conquest and until we got aboard the ship, I was unaware that the decor was all impressionist artist influenced.  Just wandering around and looking at the decor was like being in a floating gallery.  Why this post reminds me of the cruise, the gigantic sunflower in this atrium!  Here is a picture of it.  Yes, another item influenced by Van Gogh, go figure.

My little idea for the day is another frame, but I glued toothpick to it for this project. From a distance it kind of looks like wicker. For a project like this, hot glue doesn't work it was plain old tacky glue so it did take longer to finish and set. I am still trying to decide whether or not to paint it. I guess it just depends on what picture goes in the frame.  I need to really find my muse again soon!  This job is draining my inspiration.  To overcome a bit of this, I am posting about my husband's Uncle John.  John was one of those incredible souls, he was a free spirit and enjoyed life so much.  He is the one who got my husband interested in Jimmy Buffett and was a very important person to my husband.  An avid outdoors man, he was always on the hunt for the perfect walking stick.  Here are three of them that we now have.  He had an eye for finding perfect branches for his creative outlet.  We lost him a few years ago at much too ...

Sometimes we need a reminder that no matter how old you are, having dreams and plans are important.  I always think about the what ifs in life.  No dream is too small or too big.  I would love to be paid for my artwork and maybe someday I will, maybe I won't, but it doesn't hurt to think about it.  If there were no dreams where would we all be?  Life is busy, time slips away and having a reminder is helpful.   This is was an unfinished wood plaque that was a few dollars at a craft store.  I decided to paint DREAM BIG on it to keep myself motivated.  Being artistically inclined isn't even a requirement for this idea.  Use your computer and print out a sign in a large font and hang it on your fridge or tape it to the wall.  I hung mine in my living room in a spot that I look at daily.   DREAM BIG!!! Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you...

Today, I had to run a few errands.  It was right around the time that the sky is starting to dim, the clouds were wispy and it was beautiful.   I love sunsets!  The sky was mostly a soft blue with a hint of pink and yellow.  This made me think about painting, so I went home and gathered up my stuff.  This piece of wood was a find at a home improvement store.  They always have odds and ends of cut wood that are next to nothing for cost.  This one was less than a dollar and a really nice heavy piece of oak.  I just brushed on yellow and pink and let them mingle together a bit for the sunset effect.  Then added the palm trees.  A little background about the trees, my husband is a HUGE Jimmy Buffett fan and has got me into the music as well.  Before I met him, I really didn't do much for tropical, but he got me involved in the fan club and once they found out about my art, they started calling me for items that w...

When I graduated from high school, a friend of mine gave me this plaque. Actually, I got two. The quote from Alan Alda has remained one of my favorites. I have since used it in gifts, cards and many other things. I have had people visit my house and comment on it and asked if they could have a copy. It always inspires me when I read it. Today, instead of sharing a project, I am sharing this... "Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself. - Alan Alda

I love to look to at ads, but many are now computer designed. Although, I love the ads with the hands painted to resemble animals and other things. They are definitely creative and unique. This was two different ads for Perrier that I cut out and duplicated by hand painting it on a piece of scrap wood. It is an older painting, but it proudly hangs in my kitchen. I like to keep a file of things that I can use for ideas. Ads, cool photos, labels, whatever I can find that is artistic in nature and makes me think of things in a new light. What inspires you?