Building up my health and my card supply!

Well, like I thought, I wouldn't be posting much to my blog!  Between trying to stay healthy and actually doing my art, it seems like I just don't have the energy!
Got a weather headache today, so just doing some tea stained mandala pieces for cards.  Here's the latest!  Ron said when I'm all done, he'll glue all the parts together for me!  Love that man!

Happy Halloween and More to Come!!!

So that's it for today!  Here's wishing you all a Happy Halloween and Happy Samhain and Happy Dia de los Muertos!  I hope to be blogging more as I get ready to roll out my greeting cards and books!  Wish me luck!

Now for the fun stuff!

I was able to take a few online art classes, and continue to do so.  If you look under my Labels on the left to "Old Work" and scroll down, you will see the kind of art I did a long time ago.  I knew I wanted to loosen up my art as I am looking to get back to my roots & create some whimsical greeting cards.  And to dig out those old children's books I started way back when, and get them finished up & ready to get published!  Hopefully this will help with recovering some of my medical expenses in a really fun way!

The first class I took (and am still involved in) is called "Doodle Arts and Lettering".  It's offered by Joanne Sharpe and you can find her at Whimspirations here:  joannezsharpe.blogspot.com   She has been a teacher forever (sorry Joanne!), and is wonderful and inspiring!  Just what I need to loosen up!

So here are some of my homework pieces from her class:

First, in a little ring book of 100 pages, she gave us prompts for making our own doodles.  It was hard for me to doodle!  I wanted to make things look real!  So it was good to get out of my comfort zone!  These are just a few pages:

Leaves

 Hearts

 Stars

 Flowers

And here are some of the lessons:

The one below wasn't from the class.  

I just did it when I had a headache & needed some relief!

Doodling is very zen!

 Before

After 

Before

After

 This was a birthday card for my mom.

The inside reads:  You can wear purple!

Earth Goddess Diva

I'm still finishing up on the lessons in the class!  Her next class, "Draw Your Awesome Life" starts at the end of October!  Luckily her classes are "forever classes", so like buying a book, you have access to them forever!  Whoot!

Mothers' Day Card and Gift

A long while ago, on the island of Kaua'i,

we took a pohaku class.  (Rock carving)

My mom saw what we had made and asked for a candle holder.

So we saved her this heart shaped one.

She also happens to like beets (UGH!) and broccoli.

So I made her card using beets cut in half,

and added some watercolor crayon to a piece of broccoli

to get some green suggestion of leaves.

I hope she likes both.  I know she'll laugh at the card!

Here they are:

I hope she doesn't see this!  We mailed it

awhile back & she still doesn't have it!

I called her and warned her!



Happy Birthday Pal!

Been working on this since 10/2010!  And I finally finished it and got it mailed to my pal.  It started as a friendship bracelet bookmark 'cuz she loves to read, but ended with two-4 cord braids so I could add some beads and charms on the end.  Here's a couple pics:

Here's a card and the bookmark once I was done:

It was fun making this tiny card and envelope for her too.  I'm just sorry it took so long to get to her!  I don't know how many of you know this, but I was diagnosed with ME/CFS awhile back, and am busy building my immune system up.  Slows me down sometimes tho'!  But I'll be back to my old self asa I can!

The Handmade Card & Needle Felted Heart

Here's what I worked on for my DH's bday.

Handmade card & envelope:

Hand Needle Felted Love Heart:

And he liked 'em!

Happy Birthday DH!!!

My DH had a wonderful birthday back in March.  He got a handmade gift from me, as we're watching our pennies, & ate all his favorite manly foods for dinner!  Here's some pics:

First Happy Hour out on our patio on his birthday!

A box with my gift and ribbon that says I Love You, & a small envelope:

Here's his little card with charm:

Here's his hand needle felted love heart gift to hang in his man cave:

A package from his pals in WA:

He was Spammed:

And the Prince said the shoe doesn't fit:

Here's the start of his meal:

He's a happy boy!

I hope all his wishes come true!

Final Museum Order?

I thought the last order we brought up to the Museum was gonna be the last, but thought I better call up & check before my Honey packed up all our inventory! Good thing...she wants it all! So this weekend we are busy finishing off some things, packaging, etc. Whew! Good thing I called!

Thank You!

This is a little thank you card I made for a pal. I used some handmade paper from my DH, & a tiny pipe cleaner heart that a pal in Malaysia made for me. I stitched it on the paper & added some card stock inside to write on. I am so blessed to have such creative friends & family!!!