Serendipity Art

Latest work in progress...progressing...

2012-01-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

Having fun with this lovely Lady Tree - I am seriously thinking about making this piece two panels as I'm not feeling like I will be able to 'finish' her with the paper size shown here... 12"x24".

Love to know what you think as always! :-)

We are enjoying 6-7" of snow here and life has really slowed down as a result! Still we are warm and cosy and spending lots of time baking and basking in front of the fire ~ kids are out of school and out playing in the snow and then rushing in for hot chocolate breaks. So reminds me of when I was a youngster, sledding and hot chocolate and fresh cinnamon rolls. YUMMMM!

What did you do when you were young and you were gifted with those wonderful 'snow days'?

Hope you are all enjoying the first month in this new year wherever you are!

Hugs and s m i l e s!

Julia

Latest WIP...

2012-01-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

Happy January Everyone!

Here are a few pics of my latest work in progress...

Feels lovely to be back at my drawing table!

This lovely lady is taking a while, but I am enjoying the process!

Hoping your New Year is off to a wonderful start!

Smiles

Julia

Happy Christmas and New Year!

2011-12-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Happy Christmas to you All my friends!

And the very best to you in the New Year!

Thank you for sharing all of your joys, triumphs, artistic accomplishments and

sometimes rough patches too ~

And thank you each and every one for your encouragement and sweet visits and comments.

Hugs and Smiles!

Julia

Starbucks Art, Little Gems, and Holiday Baking!

2011-12-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

Had to share - just hung my canvases in the local Starbucks this morning! They look wonderful and I'm so proud they asked me to share my art in such a fun location!

Aren't these little bookmarks cute! 4"x2.5" - great stocking stuffers! $4 each ~ I've got these in a local bookshop and one local coffee shop - We'll see how they go.

i'magine, dream, believe, explore'

My favorite! So tiny and so cute!

Oh yes we've been baking! Would you believe every one of these cookies was

gone the same day my little boys and I baked them!

Love the frosting and sprinkles 'skirts on these angels! This is about as fancy as I get :-)

All the kids contributed to this fun little house! Turned out sweet!

What are you all up to this holiday season? I hope you are enjoying lots of time with your families and friends - Such a joyful season!

Wishing you the very best of the Season!!!

Smiles

Julia

Did you know you can open a shop on Facebook?!!!

2011-12-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

Did you know you can open a shop on Facebook?!!!
I just opened one on my art page 'Serendipity Art' for my bookmarks and canvases and prints - Go give it a looksee and let me know what you think! It has a glitch currently where it won't take me to the individual item when I click on it, but I hope I can iron that out and get it working soon.

I have a lot more bookmarks and cards to add, but at least I got two added to the shop :-)
I am so open to any and all feedback, so let me know what you think!

Some of the custom bookmarks I just finished ~

An Art Show and Xmas with the Family!

2011-12-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Posing with one of my canvases - Amazing to see my work giclee printed on such a large canvas ~ the original work measured 12"x24"...This canvas was 18" x 36"! It turned out so well!

All dressed up for the art show last Friday nite at Ryan Chanel's here in town! The owner there put on a mind blowing hair and fashion show also ~ It was amazing!!!!!! I got so much wonderful response to my canvases! May have one possible buyer too so that is exciting!

My son Jordan and I - He is the only one of my boys (I think) that looks a lot like me ~ out of four you'd think there would have been more! :-)

He's 6' 4" and was still much taller than me even though I had high heels on! So wonderful to share my exciting night with my kids!

Probably the most exciting part of the past two weeks is that the local Starbucks has asked to feature a trio of my canvases in their main shop here in town! STARBUCKS! I went in yesterday and one of the barristas flagged me down and reminded me that the manager is anxious to get my art in there! So I will head in there tomorrow to talk to her and set up a time to install them. Pinching myself...!

ON TO CHRISTMAS TIDINGS :-)

And on to Christmas - this was the whole group (except Britt who was snapping the pic) out to pick out our xmas tree!

Three cuties: Rayne, Amira, and Vidal - love the braces on the older two! So cute!!!

We got to ride on a wagon pulled by two ENORMOUS black percheron horses - Eamonn, above, was a bit overcome...Not to mention the pressure of finding just the right tree! :-)

A smooch from Papa made it all better!

With so many of us on the hunt we were sure to find just the right one...

Liam seems pretty optimistic :-)

Silly girls...

And we found the perfect tree! ALL of the kids insisted on the tallest one they had!

Liam, tuckered out after decorating the tree...He has been soooo looking forward to getting the tree :-)

Had to share this little bookmark I blinged out for my friend! Oh I had so much fun creating this packaging! The pink outer 'envelope paper had a velvet embossed floral pattern and has a velcro closure. I glued lots of little crystals to the bookmark and the envelope - All hand made - The gold paper on the back of the bookmark and little crystals really make it extra special!

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday season! May your lives be filled with JOY and PEACE and of course...

Lots of S M I L E S!

Hugs

Julia

Getting ready for my art show tonite!

2011-12-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited!!! Above you see my canvases ready to be hung on the wall for a show during the months of December and January! Yeah! Tonite will be an event with a fashion show and my art - should be very busy!

I have been very busy in my little studio creating custom card/bookmarks for the show too...

Aren't these cute! I love how they turned out!

Mass Production! :-)

My favorite! Brown strip of paper has a velcro closure on the back of the card - so fun!

And this was our table at Thanksgiving - Had all the kids over and some friends and it was so fun! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

So many wonderful things happening this season - Have to say congratulations to Heather of Rose Hill Designs for reaching 100 fans on her facebook page! She is creating some really magical holiday cards and paintings! So is our dear Sophia over at Blue chair Diary! Head over to each of their etsy shops to take a look! Fun fun fun!

Smiles to you all and lots of JOY!

More fun in the studio and punkin patch with my boys!

2011-11-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Had to share a couple of 'Bookmark /Cards' that I have just finished!

I've combined the laminated bookmarks with a custom greeting card by attaching the decorative brad at the top of the bookmark to the front of the greeting card ~ My latest idea: Give a card and a gift

(the bookmark) at the same time!

Would love to know what you all think of these - I have several other styles made up too! I am having so much fun and getting some great feedback here locally! Beginning of next week I head out to some local shops to see if any of them would like to carry these beauties for the holidays! Wish me luck! :-)

I just love this color combination!

And this sweet gal is a huge hit with all of my friends little girls! I've sold a couple of these

bookmarks already.

The little local show I did last weekend was pretty slow, but I am doing another one in a couple weeks that may be busier... I did get to meet some really fabulous local artists and that was so much fun!!!

I also got two of my pieces printed as giclee prints on gallery wrapped canvas and they are so beautiful! I showed them to a local business owner and she sent me over to talk to another business that may be interested in doing a little show for me - I will keep you posted about that! I plan on bringing the canvases over there early next week!

And had to share a visit to the local punkin patch with my boys ~ Here is little Eamonn feeding the chickens with fresh ears of corn! Both the boys LOVED the animals and wanted to stay feeding the chicks FOREVER! Soooo much fun!

Eamonn did start out the day very reserved - I just love this pic!!!

And Liam, Proud as punch to be feeding the chicks! He was truly in heaven!

The stayed with the chicks for at least 20 minutes.

Boys waiting for their turn to pick just the right piece of corn for the chickens! My sweet Lovies!!!

So I am full of creative spirit and enjoying my family and friends and Art!

I hope you are all enjoying a creative holiday season, and spending time with your families and friends as well

Smiles!!!

Julia

Bookmarks and Cards! - Sunday Sketches

2011-11-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone! Look what I have been up to in my little studio! :-)

Getting ready for a local craft show and making lots of pretty laminated bookmarks and greeting cards!

This is such great way for me to share my art with people at a reasonable rate! And my creativity is going wild as I look for new ways to embellish each piece.

Love this beauty! :-)

The details on these two at this tiny size are insane! I just love what shrinking my work

does to the detailing on each piece!

Fun!

Dreamy!

Just back from a trip to the Oregon coast where I attended several gallery events and had an absolutely inspiring weekend! I got to talk to several artists that, like me, got serious about their art later in life. I am so full of ideas and so inspired I could burst! :-)

Don't you just love when that happens!

Smiles and exhuberent hugs to you all!

Julia

PS - the bookmarks are available to purchase here :-)

And I will have the cards up soon...

And for new work...These are some bookmarks I did for the kids a while ago...

But I am working on new ones to add to my online shop with popular girls and boys names - These can also be custom ordered. :-)

Please stop by lovely Sophia's and check out all of the other wonderful artists that participate for

Sunday Sketches!

My Art is now offered for sale HERE...!

2011-10-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce that Archival quality prints of my work are now offered for sale HERE!
Artful Explorer is a new sight I found that does not charge you a fee to list your work and they do a great job setting up a little 'shop' for you with pay pal capabilities and everything! This will be my first time offering my prints for sale online, so I am quite excited!!! :-)

Just listed a couple of pieces so far, but I'm excited to have it out there to share with people! Yeah!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day and have exciting things going on as well.

By the way, I am thinking about offering some of my work as cards - would anyone be interested in a set of cards and envelopes? Just trying to see what the market may be...

Smiles and hugs!

Sunday Sketches - Ode to Klimt's 'The Kiss' Complete!

2011-10-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Update: Here is the professional scan which should allow you to zoom in on the detail a little more...

Enjoy!

Happy Sunday Morning Everyone!

I worked several long hours on this piece and it is finally finished! Yeah!

It's often difficult for me to know when to stop embellishing...I could keep adding details forever I think! :-)

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. I definitely learned A LOT with this piece and I'm really getting comfortable with etching the paper to bring out details, something I have not seen a lot of people do - it's fun to be using a technique that not a lot of people use, since I really have to push

myself to develope my own style.

I have to give a shout out to Rebecca over at Penny Lane Ink for some inspiration with patterning and the medalion on his chest in this piece. I never leave without being inspired when I visit Rebecca's place! If you haven't visited her, please take the time and treat yourself!

Hope you are all having a relaxing Sunday, and get the chance to visit all of the wonderful artists that participate in the Sunday Sketches group over at dear Sophia's place!

Big Smiles

Julia

Sunday sketches Latest work in progress - More Klimt inspiration...

2011-10-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

For Sunday Sketches too...Head over to Sophia's place and check out the other participants!

Latest work in progress - Inspired by Klimt's 'The Kiss'...

Still not sure about drawing men, but I like how this is turning out overall.

Hope you are all enjoying a great week so far!

Smiles

Julia

'Bliss' finally finished and new work in progress...

2011-10-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

'Bliss' 12"x24"

Hello All!

I have finally finished this piece that I started over a month ago! It is filled with details, but I haven't had it professionally scanned yet so you may not be able to catch them all with these photos.

I haven't been at my drawing

table for that long! Yikes!

Life has been challenging lately and getting in the way of blogging and my art, writing, etc.

It felt so good to finish this piece!!!

As you know I had been on a Klimt kick before this last break, and below you will see the sketch I started today, inspired by his work 'The Kiss', one of my favorite pieces of his. It will be fun to see where it goes.

We are heading into Fall, my very favorite time of year, and I am enjoying every moment of this wonderful season! Lots of hot tea, baking has begun, (two punkin' pies in the oven as we speak) and just that general crispness in the air! I do hope you are all well and enjoying this beautiful time of year, happy and healthy.

Looking forward to visiting you all more often to see what you have been up to!

S m i l e s

Julia

ps ~ my thoughts go out to Sophia at this very difficult time...please stop by her place

and give her your support.

Summertime...

2011-08-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

A glimpse at what I have been up to this summer...

This is an old table that I sanded and painted a cheery red! I covered the cushions on these two chairs with this beautiful red toille fabric to match! This was a fun project and now a favorite place for everyone in our family to perch with a hot cuppa tea and a favorite book while looking out over the small pond where the birds, squirrels and butterflies are always busy...

I love how the chairs turned out!

This last week has seen me busy sewing new little man shirts for my little men...

This bright blue one is for Liam who is 4. He looks so handsome in it!

And this cheery plaid is for sweet Eamonn - It looks perfect on him! I am quite proud of how I was able to match up the plaid stripes on this one :-)

Another cheery color for Liam! The wooden buttons are perfect don't ya think?

A long drive up the Cascade loop into the Cascade National Park and we stumbled upon this old steam engine that was used to ferry workers and supplies up to the Diablo dam while it was being constructed in the early 1900's. The boys had a blast climbing all over it!!!

Eamonn on top of the engine!

Liam is in his element!!! They just didn't want to leave!!!

Two boating trips out into the San Juan Islands - We were very fortunate to have a friend loan us their beautiful 32' Nordic Tug and as you can see the kids loved being out on the water! Above Vidal, age 11, can hardly contain his excitement at being able to sit out on the bow while we were underway!

(I just love his braces!!!)

Liam stayed inside for the most part, but loves being out on the water!

Lummi island where we stayed for several days...You can see the boat anchored out off shore a ways!

Enjoying the day...

And finally, lots of berry cobblers being made around here...My absolute favorite dessert! With fresh vanilla bean ice cream - Oh I am in heaven!

I hope you have all had wonderful summers so far!

I know I have been absent from bloggerland for most of the summer,

but now you have a little peak as to why :-)

Looking forward to Fall, which is my favorite season!!! As well, when everyone has returned to school I will have much more time to visit you all and catch up on all you have been up to!

Hugs and S M I L E S

JULIA

Incredible artist Marcio Diaz

2011-08-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

'Sunflower Dance'

'Spring is in the Air'

'Ladybug'

'The Red Barn on the Hill'

I just had to share these INCREDIBLE paintings by Marcio Diaz, a Nicaraguan-born painter who now lives in Seattle and had a booth at the arts festival here in my little town!

I got to chat with him for a few minutes and what an interesting artist! (also got to brush off my spanish and tho a lot rusty, I didn't do too bad:-)

Both he and his wife were very nice and didn't mind a bit when I couldn't find the right words in Spanish to explain what a HUGE reaction I had to his work! You know how much I just love COLOR - well I sure found it here!!! Marcio's work just MOVES as you look at it!

Don't you just love it when you find an artist that makes your fingers itch to just get home and CREATE something, anything! If you have the time, click on his name above and take a delightful journey through his inspiring work!

Sunday Sketches - 'Bliss'

2011-08-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday!

This is the progress on my latest piece that I have titled 'Bliss'. I was inspired again by Gustav Klimt ~

His picture 'Mother and Child' is just so beautiful!

Started with a sketch of course :-) and had a bit of difficulty with the baby's face...

I like how the faces turned out though!

This, to me, is perfect BLISS, having my babies in my arms...Such precious moments.

I wonder how all of your summers are? Mine has been very busy and not left me much time for blogging! Been really missing Sunday Sketches so up early this morning and posting this to share. I hope you enjoy it!

Head over to Sophia's for more talented artists.

Now off to the Arts Festival which is one of the biggest events here in my little town...Love all the inspiration I always find there!

Smiles and hugs to you all!

New work in progress... Another 'Gustav Klimt' inspiration

2011-07-31T18:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday Sketches - Water Sprite finished!

2011-06-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone! Hope you are enjoying a sunny relaxing day today. I didn't get a chance to start a new sketch this week as I was so busy finishing this one, but I had to share her with you - She is off to the printer to be scanned ~ don't have the scan back yet so this picture will have to do.

Can't wait to see what you have all been up to this week!

Head over to Sophia's for more great Sunday Sketches!

Smiles!

Julia

In honor of Valentine's Day ~ 'She fell in Love' - short story

2011-06-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

She fell in love.

On a rainy Autumn day she fell in love with him. They talked and held hands and her heart was broken by her capacity to love him. He smiled into her eyes and said he loved her, and she cried when he left, closing out the afternoon with a torrential storm of tears. She took her limping heart tenderly home and earnestly tried to forget what she felt, filling the days and hours and minutes with everything but him. But always the tug, always the sense of something just missed.

Do you know the kind of love that tugs at the deepest part of your heart, slows it’s beating, and turns it into an achingly beautiful sonnet written just for you?

Have you wandered through the dark of the night, your love consuming you, your chest rising and falling to the rhythm of its melody as it washes over you in powerful dreamlike waves? Have you reasoned with it, analyzed it, twisted and contorted it, asking in vain for release?

In the Spring she tried to tell him how she felt, but her natural capacity to express herself failed her and he just smiled teasingly, unknowingly; He was lightness itself when it came to this love of hers, like a feather floating up and around the subject without actually landing and settling on anything. This should have been torture for her, but by this point he had become a dear friend and she realized that what he had to share with her, whatever that was, must be enough.

Years passed.

She is older and sure of herself, bursting with self-knowledge and control, her patchwork heart tucked deeply within the protective exterior of those mocked-up defenses called ‘maturity’.

So they meet again and he is much the same, funny and guarded and lonely. Still, there is a brittle transparency about him that was not there before, and she feels that tug, compelled to soothe him, comfort him, love him. Involuntarily his heart reaches out to hers and asks for what he is missing.

She sees him, you know. She does. So strong and careful, so resilient, yet she sees how empty he is in this moment and her heart turns, wrenched with tenderness.

She fell in love with him in the Autumn and she loves him still. Her hand is out, extended, and if he likes she will walk with him a quiet while until he is restored, her dear, dear friend.

Sunday Sketches - 'Water Sprite'

2011-06-18T23:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday

Everyone!!!

I've missed my sunday sketches group the past couple weeks - summer is starting to get busy and I was out of town last weekend, but I'm so happy to be back and can't wait to see what you have all been up to this week! For more great Sunday Sketches, head over to Sophia's place and say hello!

Above is the piece I shared earlier this week with more color and detailing completed...I am in LOVE! I call this piece 'Water Sprite' and she is inspired by the magical weekend I had touring some really beautiful gardens in Oregon recently ~ I fell in love with all the incredibly lovely water features sprinkled throughout too, and this idea was born! Started a rough sketch while away, and got right to work when I got home.

Close up of her face - I initially found it difficult to draw her with her eyes closed, as eyes are such a big part of the pieces I normally do...Maybe that is why I chose to make her hair and headscarf so vibrant!

This shows some of the detailing up close and all the blank spaces just waiting to be filled in with lots of color and detail - I just love this stage - everything just FLOWS! This is another large piece (12.5" X 24") and so takes much longer to complete, but oh is it a rewarding journey!

I hope you are having a peaceful week, full of LOVE and JOY, and if you aren't, I would be happy to send some of both of these your way along with a

S M I L E!

Julia

Hello Stranger! and sharing my lates WIP!

2011-06-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hello dear Peeps ~ Soooo very sorry to have been absent so much lately! I am missing my blogger friends so much and can't wait to find out what you have been up to :-)

I have been away on a little trip which I will tell you all about soon!

This sleeping beauty is loosely patterned after the incredible piece ' Sea Serpents IV' by Gustav Klimt

which I found when searching for another piece of his that I just LOVE called 'The Kiss' !

(You can see either one of these gorgeous paintings by clicking on the links)

So of course I had to try my hand at a similar pose, but decided to make this lass much more fiery, powerful, and passionate! I am really having a lot of fun with her and can't wait get her completed! At the 'working till all hours of the night' stage on her, and it's tough to go to bed, let me tell you!

I really miss you all and will be stopping by to catch up on what you have been up to soon!

Hugs and as ever

S M I L E S!

JULIA

Sharing the Art of Amber Rain Forest

2011-06-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hello All! Hope you are enjoying sun wherever you are! Not so much here in the Northwest, but there is talk that we may see some this weekend! Yeah!

I wanted to share some art by Amber Rain Forest, who also happens to be my Sister :-)

I have two of her paintings hanging over my bed and I am in love with the colors and sheer JOY that she conveys when she paints!!

Love the dots in this piece and the detailing! (of course I do!)

Yummy flowers!

I think this one should be titled 'Rebirth'

I see water here - an impressionist feel to this one I think.

And this is a relief carving she finished this spring - Amazing details here too. She used a dremmel tool for most of the carving and then glued clear glass beeds randomly throughout for a 3-D bubble effect.

Click for a close up.

Thank you for dropping by and sharing this lovely art with me.

Hugs and Smiles

Julia

In honor of Memorial Day...

2011-05-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

In honor of Memorial Day, I am re-posting this short story I wrote about a woman that has lost her love in combat, and how she finds him again. I have renamed it 'Never Forget'.

'Never Forget'

Part I

All day the rain beat relentlessly against the wall of windows at the front of the house. By late afternoon the powder grey sky had descended over the entire island, and the pounding rain eased, as though a giant atomizer was disbursing a heavy misting over the gardens and the winding lanes, leaving everything chilled, but crisp and fresh as well.

I thought about him in the morning as I sipped my coffee, scalding from the pot and sweet with heavy cream and sugar. Leaning against the French doors, watching the rain, I ached to be out in it, to let the steady droplets wash the memory of him from my being, from my soul.

I busied myself with home chores ~ laundry and beds to be made, supper shopping to plan, and still he filled my thoughts, intruding like the heady aroma of a cloying perfume, musky and insistent, sliding around my ‘busy work’ and searching me out. I am not sure he will ever leave me completely.

Habit is a plastic friend, unrecyclable, more brittle over time, and dull with use. All day, my fingers checked my phone expectantly, waiting for contact, any contact. Our habit of constantly checking in with each other had shattered when he left, but I couldn’t reconcile myself to this truth. His messages never came. They would never come again.

I feel feverish today, most days. There is no cure for this hot, intense aching, no pill that will cool my head and numb my heart. No elixir to still my racing thoughts, no tincture for my soul, to anesthetize it and leave me capable of moving on. Two years are like two hours to me.

Morning eased away, and the early afternoon found me with my feverish forehead pressed against the rain-tattooed glass. My fingers splayed around a hot cup of sweet tea, as I peered down the drive all the way to the curve where it winds out of sight, willing him to appear, willing his tall lanky form to stride purposefully around the very curve where I first saw him. He’d be hatless in this downpour, heedless of the rain with another casual comment tossed to me like, “What’s a little rain on a day?” and one of his reserved smiles that hid so much about who he really is.

By most late afternoons, I am fairly despondent, unless I plan some sort of mini-date with my friends. Then the knowledge that I will have to perpetuate the charade for my friends that I am healing, that it is getting easier to live without him, that I am nearly ready to move on, stops me from sinking completely into despair.

Tonite is such a night. I am meeting my friends for before-dinner drinks at a small bar in town. I have to keep it together.

So after a long scented bath and a careful run through my closet to choose just the right dress, not too morose, hopeful perhaps, if clothing can convey hope, I slide rebelliously into my favorite slicker, his slicker, and head out to meet my friends.

I have no way of knowing how my life is about to change.

PART II

I saw him.

Everyone was so kind about it, sure that I was just wishing him there, sure that I had imagined it, sure that I was having a little ‘episode’, much like those I had after he first left me.

But I know I saw him.

In the middle of Sable’s funny tale about her doorman and her neighbors’ rabid Pekinese, while trying to focus on her story and find the part of me that not so long ago would have laughed uproariously, I looked up from our table by the window just as he hurried past.
Even with the rain on the glass, the well-lit interior of the bar illuminated him completely, head bowed, shoulders hunched against the rain, thready thick sweater and bare-headed as always.

I must have made some audible sound of shock, because everyone at our table turned their focus on me in unison, all heads swiveling at the same time. That should have brought me to, but all I could think of was ‘I have his slicker and he’ll get soaked in this downpour!’

He had barely passed and I was up out of my chair, weaving through the other diners, muttering ‘excuse me’s’ as I made my way to the coat rack just inside the main entrance. I tossed coats left and right frantically in an effort to find his slicker, finally did so, and ran out the door and up the direction he had been headed when he passed.

Sheets of rain coursed down my neck and quickly soaked me through. I felt none of it. Like a woman possessed I raced up the street in front of me. There were few people out in this weather so he should have been easy to spot, but there was no one headed in this direction. Thinking he may have crossed the street, I swiveled in a half arc, scanning the sidewalk opposite and finally looking back down towards the bar. Nothing but an elderly couple getting into a car outside the bar, and a mad jogger running up the sidewalk opposite.

He was gone.

I think I really must have lost it for a brief bit then. I remember the brick wall of the building behind me, a firm support that I slid down slowly as I collapsed into a soggy pile on the sidewalk. By now my worried friends were into their own coats and headed in my direction. Someone kept moaning ‘no, no’ and the pitiful sound of it filled my head. As if through a long tunnel I recognized my own agonized voice. Sable’s husband Michael efficiently scooped me up and deposited me gently into the passenger side of my car; Sable was already in the driver’s seat.

For the second time that day, I pressed my feverish forehead against a cool rain-spattered glass. My eyelids closed slowly, like a curtain coming down after a bad dinner show, shutting out the cruel lights and empty streets, the familiar trees and houses as they rushed by on the journey home. My mind was racing, analyzing what had just happened. I know I saw him. I also know that there was not even a remote chance that anyone else would believe me.

The next hour was spent allowing Sable to dry me off, put me to bed, bring me a hot restoring cup of mint tea, and generally flutter about trying to console me. When she finally left, after numerous assurances from me that I was fine, that yes, I must have been mistaken and after just as many promises to call her the next day, I fully exhaled for the first time since I’d seen him outside the bar.

Then I did something I hadn't been able to do in forever. For the first time in two years I snuggled down into my bed, on my side, and I slept the night through.

The rain never let up.

Part III

Copper colored leaves swept gently against the glass of my bedroom window, and the early morning light, that wonderful fresh-washed light you get after a good storm, streamed in steadily, waking me in the best way. I sleep with my window open year round, so my bedroom smelled of late Autumn; fresh, frosty, almost spicy.

I lay very still in my deep, velvety bed, my eyes closed, and let wakefulness steal over me slowly. If he had been here, there would have been a leisurely morning snuggle to look forward to, followed by a walk together down to the coffee shop for a latte and a paper. Before last night, this thought would have left me absolutely miserable for the rest of the morning, but today was totally different. This morning I was finally able to accept what my heart has been telling me every day for the past two years. He is still alive.

I could barely breathe as I lay there and let that realization percolate slowly. I don’t know where he has been, I don’t know what happened to him, nor why he has been so long in coming home; I don’t need to know those things. I just know that he has finally come back to me.

The morning that followed was surreal. I rose and showered, a small smile as I washed my hair with his favorite pear scented shampoo, and shaved my legs, something I had neglected to do more often than not since he had left. I dressed, slipping into my long-legged jeans, the faded ones I’ve had since college, the ones he says make me look so tall and slender and elegant. Donning one of his flannel shirts over my soft grey long-sleeved tee, and thick wooly socks, I padded out to the kitchen and started the coffee pot.

I spent the morning going through the things they sent me when he went missing. The official notice that he was Missing in Action Presumed Dead, delivered by his Commanding Officer on a sunny Fall day full of brittle heartbreak. I pulled his dress uniform out of the closet and slowly unzipped the black plastic bag I bought to store it in, black so I wouldn’t have to see it hanging crisp and white every time I walk into the closet, black because they told me he was dead. Crushing the jacket to my face I inhaled deeply, searching for any remnant of his unique smell, his spicy after-shave, his integral ‘maleness', but no matter how many times I’ve done this, it still smells like the dry cleaners have just finished with it. His kit bag unzipped, I repeated the ritual laying out of his things, things he would have used every day that he was away from me, serving our country. It used to send me into near hysterics to picture his strong thick fingers wrapped around the razor or toothbrush that I was holding, but today, by touching his things, I just feel even more connected to him.

By late morning I am tucked in the wicker chair on the deck, wrapped in a thick grey sweater, onto my third mug of creamy coffee. I feel quiet inside, like what I imagine the center of a storm must be like. I should feel stormy, shouldn’t I? But there is such a peace with this Knowing, no rush, no sense of urgency, no feeling that I must rush about town, hunting for him. I Know and that knowledge calms me like nothing else could. My mouth has become possessed overnight; secret smiles work the withered muscles of my face, and it feels so alien that I cannot stop myself from repeatedly reaching up and touching my cheeks, feeling the smile lines, which only makes me smile even wider.

He’s coming soon.

In the trees the squirrels jump from branch to branch, stashing their hard won winter forage into every nook they find. The late birds are happy today, and sing especially for me. They know this is a special day.

I feel like I have awoken from a long dream and am fully awake for the first time in a long, long time.

I need to be busy so I bundle up and head outside. I cut the grass, probably the last cut of the year, it grows so slowly now.

And I wait.

I barrow the cuttings up the drive and into the compost heap.

Still I wait.

I rake leaves fallen from the Japanese maples that line the drive into a giant pile and add the branches fallen from the storm last night to the pile. I start a smudge fire, inhaling the sharp, smoky aroma, loving the snap and crackle as the branches ignite and perfume the area with scents of sap and evergreen. Leaning on the rake, I stare into the fire. And wait.

And then it happens.

Everything stills expectantly. I raise my head, and for the last time, I gaze down the curve of the drive, straining to see around the bend, searching. There is a rushing sound in my ears, and I realize I am holding my breath.

I see the copper top of his hatless head first, as slowly, unevenly, he walks around the bend. Head bowed, he’s watching where he walks carefully. He’s limping quite badly, enough to warrant a cane, something I did not notice last night. I’m so quiet, still holding my breath, willing him to raise his beautiful head. When at last he does, he sees me and stops abruptly, teetering a bit. We pause, eyes locked, and with a slow smile, he continues towards me. It’s everything I can do not to rush over to him but I stay where I am, just as I always have, waiting. When finally he reaches me, I see that he is much thinner than the last time I saw him, making him seem even taller than he is, and his face is very much more worn.

“So,” he says and his smile stirs me as no other’s. I can barely contain the fountain of emotion that washes over me, as I slowly reach up and place the palm of my hand on his rough cheek.

“You’ve been a while,” I say smiling up into his eyes. His free hand comes up to rest in a similar position on my face and with his thumb he gently brushes a smudge of dirt from the tip of my nose.

“Yes.” His deep voice catches and my eyes fill. “But then, you knew I’d be back, didn’t you my love.”

This story is dedicated to all the men and women who risk all to serve our country, and to those who wait paitiently, hopefully, at home, risking just as much. Never Forget.

Sunday Sketches

2011-05-28T23:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!!!

You can find more great sketches over at Sophia's place!

Above is a doodle I did last night - Just for fun! Haven't finished laying much detail, but still fun to just doodle! Very relaxing!

And just in case you missed this lovely - this is last weeks sketch finished.

I love how vibrantly she turned out!!!

Looking forward to seeing what you have all been up to!

Hope you have had a wonderfully relaxing week!

Smiles and hugs

Julia

This one's for you Jg!!

2011-05-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

Had to smile at Jg's comment on my latest gal:

He says "okay, seven brides for seven brothers commission. serious ... I would LOVE to see how you pull off men to match-up with these lovelies."

Sooooo...got out my graphite and worked up this rough sketch - He looks a little more preppy than I intended, (not my type at all!) And I see a little disdain there, which would never go over with this gal!

Of course I could not resist adding some green to the eyes - but I have to say he was really challenging to work on! Didn't get to do any embellishing and you know how I love to add my textures and details. Probably a lot I could add to make him pop,

but I confess I am not super motivated to continue working on him.

Sigh....

Sorry Jg, I just love my ladies!

Smiles

Julia

Wonderful Surprise from Heather at Rose Hill Designs!!!

2011-05-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Yeah! I came home from a stressful morning to find this incredible gift waiting for me from

Heather Stillufsen over at Rose Hill Designs.

If you haven't found Heather be sure to head straight over there for a simply joyful experience!!!

Aren't these amazing!!! I cannot think of anyone who deserves to have a series of children's books more than Heather and her muse, Madeline. I was soooo excited to receive all of these pieces of her beautiful illustrations and two beautiful cards too! You can bet that I will be saving these as I couldn't bear to part with them! I always leave Heather's place smiling, and full of joy! She is so full of so many gifts not the least of which is her joyful spirit which you can read in all of her comments!

A little while ago, Heather had a VERY generous giveaway and offered a $100.00 gift card to the lucky winner - I was so excited when she emailed me that my name had been picked!!! Now there are a million things I could spend this on, but I think I will save it for my trip next month to Oregon!

I sure didn't expect to also receive this wonderful mug, which is so special as I met Heather through Sunday Sketches ~ Now I can look forward to filling up this SS mug every Sunday morning before I head down to share everybodies sketches for the week!!!

Love! Love! Love!

And this sweet thank you card too! Heather, I so appreciate your friendship too, and can't wait till we finally get to have that cup of coffee together!

Thank you so very much for such a joyful and generous gift!!!

Julia

Progress on latest piece

2011-05-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share the piece I started Sunday for Sunday sketches and how she is coming along

I am in LOVE!!!

Always love to hear your thoughts and feedback! Hope you are all enjoying SUN and WARMTH wherever you are...it's still overcast and COLD here! Where is that warm weather???

Smiles

Sunday Sketches

2011-05-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!!!

We had a few sunny days here in the Northwestern part of the US, but that was just a dream as the rain and clouds are back today!!!

So tired of the rain, and that is saying something as I just love the Northwest weather.

Above is a sketch I worked on today - trying something a little edgier...Not really sure what I think, but fun always to try something new! messed up on the eyebrows so decided to add a bandana, which turned out to be more difficult that I thought.

And this is a sketch I am playing with for a possible customer, who wants to see what I can do with a specific theme...I'll let you know how that progresses.

How have you all been? Still not getting around to all of your lovely blogs as much as I want to, been so darn busy, but good news is...Drum roll...I sold my first piece of art, and a local business has agreed to display some of my gicle canvases - I am over the moon excited to see how they are recieved!

Be sure to pop over to Sophia's place 'Blue Chair Diary' and check out all the other participants! So much artistic talent and lots of lovely people!

I miss you all and hope your week has been lovely and full of all that is Spring!!

Hugs and S M I L E S!!!

Julia

Sunday Sketches...Back from a break!

2011-05-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends!

After a much needed break and a lot of rest, I am so happy to back participating with the

wonderful Sunday Sketches gang!

You can find more wonderful artists over at our hostess Sophia's place.

Can't wait to go around and visit all of your sketches and just soak up what you have all been doing artistically, and personally! :-)

This is a piece that I am working on for a friend of mine, not quite finished, but having lots of fun laying in the details now...

I really enjoyed this departure from my usual ladies, and it was definitely a challenge as I have not drawn fish before! But lots of fun, cause I could make these Koi fish look just how I wanted.

So SMILES and Hugs to you ALL!!

Julia

Water features and WEEDS!

2011-04-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hello dear friends!

This is why I have been absent the past couple of days...

When we bought our home last year we were excited about the beautiful water feature that runs along the North side of the property....

However, with Spring, come the weeds...and all kinds of brown and green things growing in the little puddle at the top and the slightly larger puddle at the bottom...uck!!

Oh, and did I mention the frogs? What a serenade we are treated to every night!

So we have all been out weeding with the little ones, cutting back pampas grass, and watching an entire pickup bed of weeds be trollied off to the yard waste site (With much satisfaction I might add!)

Still tons and tons more to do, but I have rolled up my sleeves and am dedicated to getting it all in order!

There is a lot of plant cataloguing to do yet, so we know exactly what we are about, and can plan what to remove, what to thin out, what to add, etc. It is very exciting but yikes! there is a lot to do!!

When the mountain is out, (Mt Baker, above) you can see her clearly centered over the red arch that is at the top of the lower puddle. You can also catch a bit of the sound in front too! It is quite something to sip a hot cuppa tea and just take her in!

Hope you enjoyed seeing a bit more of our home ~ I will be around soon to check out what you have all been up to, I promise!

S m i l e s

Julia

Sunday Sketches

2011-04-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday everyone!

For more great Sunday Sketches you can visit our wonderful hostess Sophia over at

Blue Chair Diary!

Better yet, sketch something up and join us!

The above is a new piece I just started called 'Dreamweaver'

Still stretching myself this week, so I decided to try a downward glance and a slightly turned profile. Lots to learn I am finding, but it's fun to try different perspectives!

I had at first thought about trying to leave her hair white, but decided, (so far) to go with two shades: warm grey and a soft taupe color, with teal pieces worked in. This is of course still in the very preliminary stages, but you can get an idea of where I am going with her.

So having fun losing myself in this lovely lady in between baking cookies and apple pies for the brood!

This is last night's baking for family game night, which turned out to be a total blast! It is crazy busy and noisy here when the whole bunch is home, but so much fun to watch them interact, challenge each other, resolve disagreements, and just generally have fun.

Fun for Mama too as I am usually in the kitchen, baking and cooking, and just soaking up the richness that is having all of my children under the same roof!

(There may have been some wicked jeopardy tournaments going on too!)

Every so often I stop and reflect on my fortune at having found such a wonderful community among all of my blogger friends, and I have to say again, thank you so much for sharing your journeys and encouraging mine! Your thoughts and feedback are always so wonderful to read, and really enrich my life!

Wishing you all a fabulous and peaceful Sunday!

S m i l e s

Julia

Paint Party Friday!

2011-04-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

First time participating in Paint Party Friday and I'm so excited!!! You can visit the other participants here, so pop over and check out what everyone's been up to!

Ok. You know I do not have the first idea about painting, so be kind please! This is a little doodle from my sketchbook, started in brown indian ink and then given a watercolor wash.

I did this yesterday with my two little boys - we often take our our art supplies and they paint while I work on whatever piece I have going at that time.

Quite a while ago, I picked up this case of watercolors with the idea of trying to paint something. Yesterday was finally the day I tried them out!

So how was it? I had fun, but I still hate the fact that I cannot get the precision with paints that I can with pencils and ink! I am just a huge fan of watercolor paintings, and wish I could get a clue how to use them properly...hmmmm...maybe a class is in order!

Wishing you all a wonderful Friday!

Smiles

Stretching Myself

2011-04-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

Wanted to share this quick sketch I did from a picture I found on the internet - trying to stretch myself and try new tecniques - this artist used a lot of cross hatching in his portrait, and it was basically two toned, not a lot of color. So I thought I'd try my hand at it!

I like how it turned out ~ fun to try different styles now and again.

Hope you are all having a great week!

Smiles

Creative Tuesdays 'rooftops'

2011-04-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone ~

Here is a peak at a fun little drawing I am doing that is a bit different from the girls I usually do...

I do love anything whimsical, and was thinking of a village that children would love to visit, and my pencil created these cute little cottages in the woods! I had a lot of fun coloring them

in colors I would love to use in real life when painting my children's rooms! I haven't gotten to that yet in our new house, but soon hopefully! I just love color!

Hope you are all having a fun week and enjoying creativity in whatever you are doing!

PS: Heather saw this and suggested I post it for Creative Tuesdays over at Mr. Toast's so this will be my first time participating in this lovely art co-op! Do pop over and check out the other participants!

Hugs and smiles

Julia

Sunday Sketches

2011-04-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

If you are not familiar with Sunday Sketches, just head over and visit our lovely and talented hostess Sophia at Blue Chair Diary. Or if you are feeling sketchy, grab a pencil and share what you've been

sketching with us! Don't forget to link up over at Sophia's place!

The above is the progress I've made on last week's sketch. She is still not finished, but I am happy with how she is turning out! She makes me smile and smile! My daughter loves the colors and so do I!

And this lovely lady just appeared this week in my 'just for fun' sketchbook - She is dedicated to

Miss Tammie over at Beauty Flows because she reminds me of Tammie somehow...perhaps the gentle expression on this lovely butterfly's face...Funny because we both drew / painted ladies

with green hair this week!

I am still enjoying very much sketching just for fun, no pressure! Wish I had started a sketchbook like this long ago ~ I can see why so many of you like it!

We have had a quiet weekend here; several of the kids are away for a couple days, and we have enjoyed the quiet and calm atmosphere! I hope you have all had a wonderful week and are

enjoying a relaxing Sunday.

Hugs and Smiles

Julia

Spring Break!

2011-04-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! How is your week going?

I thought I'd post the progress on this latest piece ~ I am going for a lot of color and have also tried a new (to me) detailing tecnique of scribbling in tiny circles...How do you like it?

It's spring break here and we are very busy with shunting kids to play dates, hosting play dates here, baking, having trampoline tournaments, riding bikes, etc!

Wow! When they are all home, it is a full house! And when you add a couple of friends to the mix, whewww!

Still having lots of fun, enjoying this precious time with them, and yes, looking forward to Summer break, which is right around the corner!

Sending you all hugs and warm thoughts! Off to breakfast them all and get the day started ~

Smiles

Sunday Sketches

2011-04-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Happy Sunday to you All! I sure missed visiting everyone last week and sharing all of your great sketches. I was away on vacation which you can read about here. It was lovely to take a real break and get away for a bit! ~ The young gal above is the latest piece I am working on...so difficult to get a good picture or scan at this stage, but hopefully you can see her outline. You can find more wonderful sketches over at BlueChairDiary, home of our lovely hostess Sophia.

And this is a doodle page from the little sketchbook I bought to just have fun in ~ I do love my hair curly, even though I wear it straight and sleek most of the time, I love me some big 80's hair every once in a while!

(Smiles)

Hope you are all having wonderful Spring weather wherever you are...The bulbs are popping up everywhere here and I am just loving it! Acutally mowed our lawn for the first time today and it was heaven! I love to stripe the lawn, and I especially love to stripe a curved lawn, and our new house has lots of curves in the landscaping! Perfect for me!

Wishing you joy and creativity and peace today and for the week to come!

Smiles

Back from Vacation in lovely Victoria BC

2011-03-29T20:10:00.000-07:00

Craig and I escaped for THREE lovely nights and FOUR days without ANY kids this past weekend!

The above photos capture the absolutely stunning Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC.

We are very fortunate to live within ferry distance of Victoria. You may remember this is where we went last year when our trip to Ireland was cancelled due to the Iclandic volcano.

(And where we got engaged!)

We stayed here, at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria ~ See this link for a photo tour

that really does it justice!

I have always wanted to stay here,

ever since I was a little girl! It is an incredible period piece, and if you love the feel of an elegant English Country Manor, this is your place! It opened in 1908, I believe, and there are photos everywhere of English Royalty as they visited through the years. Very elegant and a truly memorable place to stay! And ohhhh soooo romantic!

The parliament building was designed by the same architect that designed our hotel, Frances Rattenbury and they are situated kitty corner from each other, so the two blocks are just a joy to walk along and just take them in! Incredible attention to detail!

We walked and walked and walked each day, for hours at a time, shopping a bit, but mostly just enjoying the sights and each other's company. We held hands for hours, strolling along with the requisite starbucks, ducking in and out of shops, grabbing a snack or lunch when we wanted! Then back to the hotel to rest up and just veg, watching TV together or reading, or quite frankly, taking a mid-day nap, something we never get to do in real life. Then we glamoured up for dinner, or drinks, whatever we were up for.

We dined really well every night and had the most memorable evening at an Irish pub where the young man that was heading up the live band blew us away with all our favorite Van Morrison tunes, and many more great songs from a bit 'back in the day'! "-)

This is another view of our hotel, The Empress ~ she is so very grand, isn't she? the ivy growing all over the facade was not yet leafed out, but the gardens, lawns, and spring flowers were in full parade. The Canadians, much like the English, really know how to garden!

A couple more views, one of our hotel ( I never get tired of it!) and of the city, so beautiful!

The parliment building lit up at night with the harbor in front!

Believe it or not, the very best bit of our trip was the walking together; we left our car parked and walked everywhere. It was so wonderful! There is a part in the movie THE QUIET MAN where the matchmaker tells John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara to get down and take a couple of miles together walking to see how they do. It really is a complete difference of pace to put the car away, and take to the streets and pathways, cruise the waterfront, the local hiking paths, watch the seaplanes land and deplane and then take off again...

Of course I am already planning our next mini-getaway, and we have agreed to come back to Victoria this time every year together, WITHOUT the children! Yeah! It's a perfect way for us to strengthen our connection, really enjoy each other's company, and recharge for the busy busy summer ahead of us!

Missed you all, especially Sunday sketches, and I will be around soon to see what creativity I've missed!

Smiles and hugs!

Julia

Sunday Sketches

2011-03-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

I am a little late posting today as I was working on finishing these laminated bookmarks of some of my latest pieces...

They measure 4x6 or 5x7

I print them on high gloss photo paper and then laminate them - for some reason I can't get the pictures to rotate, so I am only able to show them from this angle, but if you click on the pictures, you can get an idea of what they look like.

I am finding these are wildly popular with my daughter's friends at school, and I have given a few of them away as gifts to friends too. They really make wonderful bookmarks!

I also love what shrinking my work down to this size does to the details!

They are crazy tiny and it looks like "How does she do that?!"

These are two panels from the flower catalogue that I finished this week...haven't really produced much in the way of a new sketch, so thought I'd share these two panels.

And finally, I have foto proof that Spring is here! Since we moved into this house last Fall, I am totally unfamiliar with what bulbs have been planted and what plants will be coming up...so every day a new batch of tiny green shoots emerges all over the yard, and I get to anticipate what flower will eventually peek out from the lovely green foliage - Like a new gift every day!

I hope you are enjoying some signs of Spring wherever you are.

This has been a most difficult week for me, watching the events in Japan unfold and feeling so very sad for all of those displaced people.

I hope you are all keeping them in your thoughts or prayers as your beliefs dictate.

Warmest hugs to you all on this beautiful Sunday!

You can find more wonderful Sunday Sketches over at Sophia's place...be sure to head over and see her adorable sketch and visit the other participants!

S M I L E S!

Sunday Sketches ~ Flower Catalog

2011-03-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Be sure to visit all the other great participants of Sunday Sketches over at Sophia's place!

Or if you are feeling sketchy, join us by posting your sketch, and linking it with dear Mr. Linky over at BlueChairDiary.

I've decided to start a flower catalog, much like the doodle directories many artists have produced, in order to keep track of the flowers I use in my pieces. I am always looking at past pictures to get ideas for flowers, and I thought this would be a great way to have a quick place to look for ideas.

I took this 12" X 24.5" piece of paper and marked it off in 3" X 4" sections...

Then I just started filling in squares with different flowers I have used before in my pictures...

I am planning on including lots of leaf and vine sketches also as I love to combine all of these elements in my work.

I got the idea for this from Eden who has made a wonderful doodle directory, but also from our dear Sophia, who has recently started sketching every day, just for fun, with no heavy expectations. I find this flower directory to be very relaxing, creative, and no pressure! I don't have to worry about ruining a piece I have spent hours on, this is just for fun!

Also I posted this below during the week, but wanted to be sure to share it with all of the Sunday sketchers as you have watched her evolve over a few weeks...

You can see the full post about her below.

Hope you are all having a wonderfully relaxing weekend, or if not, that you are enjoying each moment. In light of the tragic events unfolding in Japan right now, it reminds me how much we need to treasure the wonderful people in our lives, not the things, and not let even one day pass without thinking about how we can make this planet a better place for those less fortunate.

Hugs to you all and as always...

S M I L E S

The Re-Birth of an Artist

2011-03-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about how my art is evolving, and what it means to me to call myself an 'Artist'.

I decided it would be fun to share here a little bit about my artistic background.

I remember as a child drawing all of the time - but I was always drawn to any kind of artistic expression - picture me at six trying to make my tiny fingers move correctly so I could knit and crochet like my mother. My brain could see how to do it, but I couldn't make my fingers produce consistent little rows...still I never gave up and eventually mastered the basics of crocheting and knitting, enough to make booties, scarves, and half a baby sweater once.

Drawing is something I remember doing from a very early age. I drew all the cartoon characters of that day, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Road Runner, Foghorn Leghorn. Lots of birds from a bird book my Grandmother had, and really just anything that took my fancy. I made homemade stationary and decorated the edges with tiny flowers and vines, made tons of cards and filled little lined paper pads with tons of little drawings. I don't remember recieving a ton of support for my drawings when I was little; my mother was a single mother of five and stretched far too thin to take notice of my little artistic 'treasures'. For that reason perhaps, I have never known, personally, if my art was ever any good. (an insecure artist, imagine!) :-)

Through the years, I have had periods where I have completely submerged my artistic side, (putting myself through college working 3 jobs with two small children to raise) and focused on my cerebral side. At other times I usually had some sort of craft going, sewing quilts, or children's clothing, or little stuffed animals for my kids, but drawing has taken a back seat for years at a time.

Fast forward to February of 2010.

I was advised by a friend to start a blog about being a busy Mama of 7. My passion at that point was writing writing writing! (that's still true to some extent.) So I started this little blog and reached out tenative fingers into blogland, exploring and looking for like-minded people, people who were creating something personal and sharing it with a community of creatives.

I was immediately inspired by all of the wonderful art based blogs I stumbled across. I dusted off my sketchbook and graphite pencils, my colored pencils and pens, and started drawing again.

I can't really remember how, but I stumbled on the weekly art prompt 'Sunday Sketches' over at Sophia's Blue Chair Diary, where Sophia asks artists to share a sketch every Sunday and comment on the other participants. This seemed like such a no-stress, fun way to draw regularly that I was inspired and started participating every week. A tiny spark started to glow and I found myself looking forward to coming up with something new to share each week.

I'm pretty sure it is also through this co-op that I stumbled across the artwork of incredible artist Rebecca Anthony. She was in the middle of completing a series of Diva canvases, and I was blown away by her intricate doodling on the faces of her Divas! I remember mentally thinking "You can do that?" and answering "Yes, you CAN do that!" It was like a damn of creativity opened up at that point, and I actually felt all the preconceived notions I had about drawing fly out the window.

Several other artists along the way have also provided incredible inspiration:
Ces over at Ces and her Dishes
Jessie at The Purple Treebird
Lissa at A Chance of Sunshine
Heather at Rose Hill Designs
Eden at Draw Doodle And Decorate

And many many more!

Now I am developing my own 'style' I guess you'd call it, (I love detail work!) and I am learning to ask myself if I like what I am doing, and to smile and accept that to me, at last, it is good.

I love sharing each piece with you all, and when I read your feedback, and lovely lovely comments, I am six again, glowing at the praise of those whose opinion matters to me, those who have inspired me week after week to push my self-imposed artistic limitations, and really bloom as an artist.

And with each piece I finish and love and share, each wonderfully supportive comment I read, I start to suspect that I may just be an 'Artist' some day!

So thank you to all of you who follow me and share my artistic journey. Your comments, your blogs and writings and art and personal stories, all of it, mean so much to me! I wish I could travel to meet all of you in person, sit and share coffee, and just enjoy getting to know you all better. You have shared so much with me and your friendship and support have given me wings!

Smiles!

Julia

Sepia Gal finished!

2011-03-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

For her 'skirt' I was going for almost a 'moss covered tree trunk' effect and although that is not exactly how this turned out, I still love it - What do you think?

Yeah! She is finished (for the most part)!!! This is the biggest project I have done thus far, and it has taken me hours and hours of detail work and over two weeks to finish,

but I am over the moon with the finished piece!!

I love how the Henna'd flowers on her body turned out, pretty much exactly as I imagined...

I am also in love with the tree I added to add context to this piece - the tree almost

steals the show, don't ya think?

This was really such a long project (for me) that I was aching to get her finished and put two long days in on her yesterday and today.

Thanks for your positive comments on her thus far. I hope you all like how she turned out!

Smiles

Sunday Sketches - Sepia Girl

2011-03-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday All! I am not sure if we will be having Sunday Sketches this weekend or not - Certainly not without our lovely hostesss Sophia, so I will just post this to share and change it to SS later if Sophia is up to hosting - Either way, our thoughts are with Sophia and her family during this difficult time.

Thought I would post some progress pictures of 'Sepia girl'... :-)

Not sure what to call her yet but I am using lots of sepia colored ink on her so that is her lovely title for now. (I apologize for the shadows in the picture)

Below you can see I have started to layer in some rich browns for the flower and hair - I had originally intended to do the whole flower/leaf part of the drawing in brown tones, but it just didn't come out right so I switched it up with my favorite green and pink pencils. I love the color combinations! You can also get a peak at the lower part of this piece. I am thinking of doing some vinework, sort of like a body hennae treatment on the upper part of her body, and the lower part will be wrapped in a sarong type wrap.

This is how she started earlier this week...

Love to hear your thoughts as always. Wishing you all a wonderful and relaxing Sunday and week to come!

Another work in progress

2011-03-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

Couldn't resist showing you this new piece I am working on today - I just love how she is turning out!

She is nearly full length (all the way to her knees) and nude on top with a sarong draped across her lower half. I'm super excited to work on such a large piece - It will challenge me on many levels. I also have sketched my first pair of folded hands in this picture, so will look forward to showing you how those turn out (yikes!!)

Wishing you all a wonderful day!!

Smiles

Work in progress - call for feedback

2011-02-28T19:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone...

I'm posting this because I desperately need some feedback - I am not too crazy about how this is turning out and want to know what you all think.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome!

This is still very much in the beginning stages, but it just keeps bugging me...not sure why - too much color maybe?

Love to hear your thoughts if you have any!

Smiles

Sunday Sketches

2011-02-27T07:56:00.000-08:00

Good Sunday Morning Everyone! Sunday Sketches has been cancelled due to Sophia's father's illness. Please be sure to head over and give her your support during this very difficult time. She will need lots of support as this seems like it will be a long treatment and recovery for him.

This is the finished version of the gal I showed you last week - you can see I tried something different here and put a taj mahal type of building in the background. This was a fun departure for me from just doing flowers. I did decide to add in some flowers that were inspired by some red toille fabric I have. I am loving the sepia ink pens I got recently at Michaels! What do you think of her?

And this little gal is from a while ago, but I finally finished her and had the graphic company I work with scan her for me. I am going to put her on lime green and hot pink t-shirts for my 'Smile Campaign'! I can't wait to show you how the shirts turn out.

Share a SMILE with me ~ it’s free!

What do you think? I just love how happy she looks among her flowering SMILES!!

I'd love to hear what is making you smile these days!

Lots of snow and warm cosy evenings are keeping a sweet smile on my face!

Hugs to you all and of course, S M I L E S

My new bedroom

2011-02-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

Since we bought our home last fall, I have been wanting to do something fun with our bedroom. Once again I found inspiration at Rebecca Anthony's place! She showed some decorating pics from her new home and I was so inspired by her tangerine bedroom!

I love lots of color in my home too, so I took a deep breath, went to the paint store and picked out a gorgeous orange poppy color for one wall in my bedroom.

Then I headed off to the fabric store to look for fabrics for a new duvet cover.

I had shopped online for a couple months, just looking for the perfect cover, and never found one that was quite right...

At the fabric store I stumbled upon this collection of fabrics that I just LOVE! All oranges, reds, yellows, blues and greens, and they remind me so much of my art too...lots of details.

The center panel here is intended for a pillow, but I used it as the center of my cover instead... What do you think?

I JUST LOVE THE SWIRLS AND DOTS IN THIS
FABRIC (and of course all the flowers are so ME!)

Loved this pattern and this shade of green, so I decided to add a strip of it just where the cover reaches the edge of the bed on either side ~ Helps when making the bed believe it or not! ;-) I also used this fabric at the top on the backside, so when the duvet cover is turned over, it shows the green against the print and looks really nice!

I am over the moon with how this turned out! (this pic is a little fuzzy, but you get the idea)

I cannot go into this room without smiling! Now I just need to make some custom curtains to match and lots of fun coordinating shams and throw pillows and it will be perfect!

By the way the art behind our bed is done by my very talented sister Amber! It's extra special to have it hanging over our bed, knowing my sissy made it for me.

Don't ya just love C O L O R!

Thank you to Rebecca again for always inspiring me to GO FOR IT!!!

SMILES

Sunday Sketches

2011-02-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends and Happy Sunday to you all!

You can find more great Sunday Sketches over at our wonderfully hospitable hostess Sophia's place. Be sure to check out all of the other participants, or better yet, join us by sketching something up and linking back to Sophia's 'Blue Chair Diary'!

This is a new gal that I am working on and trying a few new things ~ I did quite a bit of layering of a flesh colored pencil as a base and then used my etching tool to work in some flowers, followed by a green pencil to add detail and dimension. I am not done but really like how it is coming along.

As always, I love to hear what you think and your feedback is most welcome. Can't say enough times how much it makes my Sunday to visit all of you and share what we are all working on each week!!!

Wishing you a peaceful day and week ahead!

Smiles

Featured at FAT Tuesday!

2011-02-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the very talented Beth over at Beth's Artworx for featuring me on her FAT Tuesday post!
Every week she features different artists and it is a great way to showcase your work and meet other really talented artists - stop by and share! I just love Beth's art so this is really an honor!

Thanks again Beth!

Sunday Sketches

2011-02-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

Good Sunday Morning Everyone!

How was your week? I hope it was calmer than mine!

For more great sketches be sure to stop by Blue Chair Diary,

or better yet, let your creative juices flow and join us. Just sketch something up and use dear mr. linky over at Sophia's place!

This is a sketch I am playing around with - I am trying to figure out how to do darker skinned women, but it comes out very grainy with my colored pencils, even after using a blending stump...So I will have to keep trying!

Looking forward to seeing what everyone sketched this week!

In case you missed my post this week, here is last week's sketch and how she turned out:

If you are interested in how I finish off my pieces and get them ready for the printer,

you can read about that here.

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday and a relaxing week to come!

Smiles :-)

Creative Process

2011-02-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Ces asked me a little bit about the process I use in getting my pictures ready for printing on canvas. If you've followed my blog for a bit you know I use colored pencils, indian ink, colored ink, and some applique flowers in my work. When I finish a piece, then I have to decide what kind of border I want to put around it. I was quite excited to learn from my Print shop that they can scan any paper, fabric, etc and digitally place it behind my work, thereby 'framing' it. You can see the finished piece below.

This is probably not news to those of you that are super-graphic savy, but I have absolutely no idea how to do anything in photoshop, so I was really excited with this concept.

I found this piece of handmade paper in an art supply store and knew it would be a perfect background for my purple gal.

The finished scan is printed in Gicle on Canvas and gallery wrapped so it is ready to hang on the wall. The super cool thing is the 'Matting' extends all the way around the edge to the back of the canvas!

The graphic designer I worked with was also able to insert a small border between my finished piece and the border to ofset it. I think it really makes it stand out.

Love the hot pink border around this one!

The finished canvases are fairly large, but I can order them in a variety of sizes. I can also have these printed on fine paper for someone that may want to frame it instead. The canvases or prints can be shipped without being framed in a tube, making it that much easier to ship to a potential customer.

I have had several people suggest a card set of these too, so that is an idea to think about.

Just for fun, I printed each one of these on 4"X6" high gloss photo paper and then laminated them for the kids to use as bookmarks. That's also a really great way for me to show someone my art without having to lug a canvas with me.

So figuring out how to finish these off has been a fun creative process for me! Having a gallery interested in representing me is even better!

I know I love it when I get to share in the creative process of all of you wonderful artists. I hope this was a fun way for you to see how my work evolves!

Smiles!

'Lady in Red' Complete

2011-02-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

Yeah! I am finished with this lovely lady. I am so excited with how she turned out! If you click on the image, you will see that I used sepia toned pens (brown ink) for the flowers done without color and for most of the dot work. I really like these new pens! Now I am off to the art store to pick out the border that will be used around her. I will have some finished canvases to show you all soon.

Love to hear what you think!

Smiles

Work in progress "The Lady in Red"

2011-02-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Just couldn't resist showing everyone how my "Lady in Red" is turning out. I am using an etching tool for the flowers, the hair, and the leaf detail and love how it is turning out. I am also laying in a soft yellow background and the combination is soooooo beautiful! Can't wait to hear what you think!

Smiles

Sunday Sketches

2011-02-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone! Happy Sunday to you all. Here is my fourth finished gal in my series of five. How do you like her? I am really looking forward to seeing her on canvas. I went to a local art supply store and bought some homemade paper that is a yummy shade of purple and has a great crinkled texture to it. I plan on having it scanned and then use it as a frame around this piece before it is printed on canvas and stretched. I am getting so excited to see this series of five finished! Can't wait to show you them all in one post.

This lovely sketch is a possible start for my fifth and final gal in this series - the color for this one will be RED, my favorite decorating color (you will find shades of red everywhere in my house). I think this sketch may be too docile for a red theme though so I am still trying to decide...what do you think?

As you can each week, if you head over to Sophia's place, our lovely hostess will provide links to some wonderful and fun sketches. Be sure to stop by and check them out!

Looking forward to visiting all the other participants.

And thank you to everyone that takes the time to leave a comment. I just enjoy hearing your thoughts, feedback and suggestions so much!

Smiles and have a great Sunday!

Most recent work in progress...

2011-02-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! This is the fourth in my series of five gals - She's obviously my Purple gal...haven't come up with a name yet (any suggestions are welcome:-) Still have some background detail to add, and a bit more color but so far I really like how she is turning out.

Have gotten two canvases back and I just love them. I will take pics and post them soon - I can't wait to share them with you all!

Do let me know what you think...I love to hear your wonderful ideas and feedback!

Gathering wood and life lessons...

2011-01-31T11:51:00.000-08:00

Our destination - the local state park on a sunny day - My sister is a Park Ranger there.

This is what it was doing right before we left to go gather wood at the park!

photo credit

It rained, no, it poured here in the Northwest two weekends ago. On Sunday I woke up all cosy in my down covered bed, just the tip of my nose peaking out, listened to the rain outside, and looked over at my sweetie with pleading eyes.

"Is that rain I hear?" I asked tenatively.

"Yep."

I paused and let this sink in.

A little bit of a whine may have entered my voice at this point as I snuggled under the covers even further and asked, "Do we still HAVE to go cut wood?"

"Yep." More firmly this time.

My heart sunk a bit. Darnit anyways.

Now you should know I enjoy going with the family to get wood, but I hate to be wet and cold. I prefer a crisp Fall day to a wet, windy, Winter day. The wood we were after was at the state park where my sister is a park ranger. As the trees had been taken down in the park by the state arborist the day before, and the wood is available on a first come first serve basis, we needed to get it while the getting was good.

So up we got, showered, coffee'd ourselves and breakfasted everyone else and prepared for a long day in the woods.

I should explain what this involves:

Before leaving we assembly line seven sandwiches on the cutting board - that's fourteen pieces of bread all spread out, with a large spatula for the peanut butter and jelly, and away we go. These are practical, not gourmet sandwiches so the PB is slapped on uncermoniously and followed up with a generous slathering of marionberry jelly, the two slices for each sandwich clapped together and towered on a large piece of tinfoil. The tinfoil is then folded and scrunched around the tower of sandwiches and placed in a recycled plastic grocery bag.

To this we add the following: Juice boxes for all the kids, bottled water for everyone, granola bars, apples, bananas, individual packs of teddy grahams or some such snacky thing, and a large bag of potato chips (everything can't be healthy!)

Since Mama is perpetually COLD, a large thermos of scalding hot water is prepared, and several teabags of Twinings English Breakfast are added to the mix. I admit that I have to have my tea with sugar, so a small ziplock baggie with raw sugar and a plastic spoon is included as well. A change of pants for the little boys, who are sure to fall into the mud wherever they can find it, warm hats coats and gloves for everyone, rubber boots or work boots, and we are off!

Fortunately we had a brief reprieve from the rain so by the time we actually arrived in the park, it was cold but dry. Yeah!

I should mention that cutting wood is one of Craig's favorite things to do. He is literally in heaven with his chainsaw, chain oil, file for sharpening, and freshly felled wood just waiting to be sawed up. I suppose I could send Craig out to saw up the wood by himself. But I happen to be a firm believer that working physically together as a team is a wonderful way to strengthen your relationship - the planning for and execution of something as basic as getting firewood together is something you look back on when you are perched in front of a cosy fire, with a hot cuppa tea and your sweetie beside you. "We did that together." you think as you cuddle up and watch the fire flicker.

Papa and the boys getting the chainsaw ready

As well, I happen to enjoy woodgetting. I grew up going with family friends nearly every year to cut wood, so I too have fond memories of warming cold hands at bondfires in forest clearings, steamy breath angels and stomping cold feet to keep them warm, hauling wood to pickup trucks and just generally enjoying being part of something as basic as gathering wood to stay warm.

And there is nothing better for our children than to see their Mama and Papa working together, helping each other, joking and laughing as they pass each other water, a cup of steaming tea in the thermos top, or a PB&J sandwich. While the children are reveling in being out of
doors, as we hand them each pieces of wood that are appropriate for their size, they swell with pride at being included in this important family 'work'. They laugh at me as I roll the freshly cut rounds that are much to big for me to lift down the hill and over to the truck for Papa to lift later.

Mama rolling those huge logs to the truck! (how do you like the hot pink gloves?)

It's also no small joke to be without this wood if the power goes out in the winter and we are left without a heat source. We are lucky to have a huge Russian fireplace upstairs and a wood burning stove downstairs, so we plan ahead to use wood to keep warm if we do lose power.

Liam, Age 3 and ready to go!

Eamonn, age 2, is ready to go with the chain oil and the ear protection!

So we gathered wood, loaded it in the truck and brought it home and dumped it in a pile in the back yard. I had to smile when Liam, smiling a sleepy smile, spontaneously announced from the back seat on the ride home, "We need to do this day again!"

And Eamonn was right behind him with, "I wan' go woods 'gain!"

Of course there is nothing better after a long day in the woods

than a fresh batch of homemade cinnamon rolls!

Yum!

This past weekend Craig chopped all those hard won rounds up as Liam, Eamonn and I fed him piece after piece until we had most of it split. Then we worked together to get it stacked neatly so it will dry and be ready for next winter. Very satisfying!

Tonite we will take the few dry pieces we have left and have a cosy fire. I think another fresh batch of cinnamon rolls is in order for my hardworking team...What do you think?

'In the Pink' and Sunday Sketch complete

2011-01-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday Everyone! Congratulations to our lovely hostess Sophia over at Blue Chair Diary! Celebrating One Year of Sunday Sketches!!! Participating in this lovely art co-op has meant so very much to me - I look forward to it every week, and the whole family knows Mama will be at the computer with her cuppa coffee for a good hour every Sunday enjoying her art friends and sharing in all the great stories and art presented each week.

So thank you Sophia for making it happen every week, and for being such a great cheerleader for us all!

This will have to be what I share this week for Sunday Sketches - It's the piece I showed you last week now completed. I didn't get time to start a new one ~ just crazy busy! You can find more wonderful Sunday Sketches over at Sophia's place.

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday and a great week ahead!

'In the Pink'

I am hoping to have her printed in gicle on a canvas shortly and will show you how that turns out. I absolutely love how she turned out, especially the flowers - I took lots of inspiration from some brown and pink spode bowls I have ~ I love the floral patterns on them!

So this will be the Pink gal in my series of five. Let me know what you think of her.

It's fairly mild here in the NW and I have been outside a bit with the little boys, but it's been really difficult to get away from my drawing table as I was so into this piece. Don't you just love it when you get lost in a piece of art and it just flows?!

Love to hear your thoughts as always!

Smiles

Sunday Sketches

2011-01-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

Good Sunday Morning!

For more wonderful artists sketches, please head over to Blue Chair Diary, and visit our talented hostess Sophia and all the other participants! Or join us by sketching something up and posting a link at Sophia's place.

I'm excited to show a work in progress I am working on in my series of colorful women. This gal will be all pinks and black and white...

I'm really excited as I have had the owner of a local gallery that also specializes in printing fine art offer to work with me on this series, and I may be able to eventually have a show in his gallery!
So I am working on completing this series of five and getting them printed in gicle on canvas. I have two done already and they turned out wonderfully and need to complete this gal and two others! Very fun and exciting!

Can't wait to see what everyone has sketched this week! I am off to cut wood with the family to build up a store for next winter, but will stop by and visit everyone when we get back!

Smiles and hugs to you all, and thank you for all the wonderful comments last week when I was sick with a cold and tired due to having our floor replaced. Your comments mean so much and always lift my spirits!
I will be posting pics of the new floor soon to share with you. It was definitely worth it and turned out beautifully.

Sunday Sketches

2011-01-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

For more wonderful sketches head over to Blue Chair Diary and visit our lovely hostess Sophia, and all the other wonderfully talented artists that participate.

Or better yet, join us by sketching something, and linking up!

This is a new lady I will be working on in the next few weeks ~ I wasnt able to get much more than a rough sketch done because we have been banished to our downstairs all week due to having our wood floors replaced upstairs. I had no idea how big a job that was going to be and let me tell you it's no small joke to keep five kids out of the main living area and kitchen of a house!

On the upside, I have enjoyed eating breakfast out every morning because I can't get to my kitchen! :-)

To top off my week, I am now in possession of a wonderful head cold, so have wanted more than ever to just cosy up in my bed and sip tea and read...Sigh...Not to be as our bedroom is on the main floor and the flooring guys are using it as a staging area, shoving all the furniture they can into our bedroom, along with trim pieces, padding for under the new floor, etc!

So chin up and charge forward I must. I wish you all a wonderful week!

Smiles

Sunday Sketches

2011-01-08T20:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday Sketches All! You can find more wonderful sketches at Sophia's place - stop by and say hello, or better yet, join us! Just link up and submit your sketch to share with us! This is what I've been working on this week... A colorful alphabet, inspired by Eden over at 'Draw doodle and Decorate'. She is such an incredible colorist - I am just amazed at her patterns and use of color! Stop by and check her out - you don't want to miss her wonderfully fun blog!

I decided to do some bookmarks for each of the kids, so I started with my son Vidal...I love how colorful

and fun this one turned out to be!

I hope you are all having a simply wonderful relaxing weekend...I am enjoying time with the family and though it can be chaotic, it is a fun kind of chaos most of the time.

Hugs to you all and I look forward to seeing what everyone had sketched up this week!

Sunday Sketches - Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

Happy First Sunday of The New Year Everyone. For more great Sunday Sketches, you can head over to Sophia's place. Please join us if you'd like ~ it's lots of fun! This is a new piece I worked on yesterday and today, inspired yet again by another very talented artist JessieLilac over at the Purple Tree bird. Jessie did a picture for the winter solstice, and I loved the pose, so I tried to put my own spin on it here. If you haven't seen Jessie's work, head over and take a look, she is a fabulous artist.

I am planning on framing this for my living room. I am always the most contented when wrapped in my sweetie's arms and it is there that I find my bliss. I still have some detail work to add to this but I'm excited to frame it and hang it on the wall!

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is doing this week!

I wanted to be sure to say thank you again to everyone that takes the time to stop by and leave a comment. Your comments really make my day and I am looking forward to making many more friends this year as I continue to find incredible artists and writers through my blogland rambles.

Scenes from Christmas...

2010-12-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

Me, Eamonn, (my youngest) and Santa who we found just waiting for us at our favorite breakfast spot!

Beautiful Amira with Santa

Santa, Eamonn, Papa and pretty Rayne

The living room decorated for a festive holiday!

Can you tell I love RED!!!

...and I love to bake...These are Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with lemon glaze...Yum!

Several batches of these delicious holiday sugar cookies were baked up by the kids. I think they did an amazing job too!

My oldest daughter, Brittany, (above) and the two little boys and I made this fun gingerbread house. I got it from Costco and LOVED it as the house was already constructed, something I have such a hard time doing! We just had to decorate it, and that is the fun part!

What a wonderful holiday this was for my family. We feel so very blessed! I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing, love-filled holiday with your family. I looked out at these seven children as they tear into their gifts Christmas morning, and I realize there is no comparison to the joy my family brings me. Craig and I are so rich in this regard. No matter what happens, my children soothe me, challenge me, feed my soul, and inspire me on a daily basis to be a better person and a better Mother.

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year!

Smiles,

Julia

Amira and Rayne - and Happy Christmas (and Sunday Sketches)

2010-12-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

I did not find time (again!) to sketch something specifically for Sunday Sketches over at Sophia's place. So I decided to share this piece that I finished this past week.

If you haven't had a chance to visit all of the other talented artists that participate, head over to visit, or better yet, just link up, and share a sketch with us!

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Had to share this picture I just finished for my daughters Amira and Rayne! It is totally copied / inspired from the lovely work of Lisa Lectura, and if you haven't had a chance to see her gorgeous big-eyed girls do stop over and look at them soon. This picture is a combination of two of hers named 'A New Dawn' and

'Mother Earth'. Look for them on her sidebar and you'll see the similarities right away.

I wanted to do a mixed media painting for the girls room, and was looking for ideas.

I certainly found it at Lisa's!

This is one of my favorite things about art blogs. I have a really difficult time coming up with poses for some of my work, and I am continually inspired by the artists I find through blogging.

So I have to say thank you to Lisa for this inspiration! This will hang in the girls room for a long time hopefully! And thank you so much to all of the incredible people I have met this year through blogging. I learn something about life, love, friendship, art, struggling, coping, soaring...you name it, every time I visit you all. And each comment you leave is like a visit from a good friend, treasured, savored, really appreciated!

Hugs to you all, and I just wish you such a Merry Christmas!

New zen doodle portrait - 'Eliza' and Sunday Sketch

2010-12-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

Update: I posted this earlier thinking I would have time to come up with something else to share for Sunday Sketches, but this is going to have to be what I share for this week.

Not really a sketch, but I'm eager to hear what you all think anyway.

If you want to join all the fabulous artists, just head over to Sophia's place and link up! It's lots of fun to see all the great art out there!

Hello my dear friends - I feel like I never get to come see you all lately, just so darn busy still adjusting to the new house and Christmas and five kids at home and you name it! I miss you all and really look forward to visiting whenever I have a few spare moments.

This is a zen portrait I am working on for a friend's daughter. I just do these for fun, and as you can see I couldn't get the whole picture in the scan cause the paper is too darn big! I try to capture the image of the child and do a long interview to find out what things are important to him or her at this specific age. Then I add those things in text at the bottom of the portrait. (you can see that image below)

These scans are really crummy, but you can at least get the idea.

I continue to find these to be very absorbing, and I can lose myself for a couple hours or more at a time!

What do you think? Do you think she'll like it?

I would be really remiss if I did not mention that the real pro at these portraits is Rebecca Anthony, an amazing artist that inspires me every time I visit. She actually offers her portraits on a custom basis, and it's pretty wonderful what she does! If you haven't visited her, do take the time to stop over and say hello and check out her inspiring work.

Sunday Sketch

2010-12-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

This is a little doodle done tonight after decorating our Christmas tree with the kids - relaxing and you all know how I love my 'Smile Campaign'!

Hugs to all my blogger friends and wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

You can find more great sketches over at Sophia's place. And feel free to join us - it's tons of fun!

oh...and of course...SMILES :-)

2010-12-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished version of this lovely lady...I posted her beginning a while ago and wanted to share how she turned out.

Hope you are all enjoying this holiday season!

Hugs

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

PHOTO CREDIT

Wishing All a very Happy Thanksgiving today! Hugs of thanks to all my wonderful blogger friends and I wish each of you a very special day.

Smiles
JuliaChristie

Sunday Sketches

2010-11-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

This is a work in progress that I am having a lot of fun with. I am thinking about toile as I pattern the background, headpiece, and some of the flowers...I love black toile especially, so this is a fun experiment for me. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and a restful, creative Sunday.

You can find more fabulous art over at Blue Chair Diary. Be sure to say Hi to our lovely hostess Sophia - a very talented and interesting woman.

Smiles to All :-)

Sunday Sketches - Sara

2010-11-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

HAPPY SUNDAY SKETCHES ALL!

THIS HAS BEEN ANOTHER BUSY WEEK, BUT LOTS OF FUN CREATING THIS LITTLE PORTRAIT FOR A FRIEND'S DAUGHTER 'SARA'. I DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS TIME AND ADDED COLOR, AND I THINK I LIKE THE RESULTS. UNFORTUNATELY MY SCANNER TURNED THIS OUT A LITTLE BLURRY, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN STILL PICK UP THE DETAILS....

I CONTINUE TO LOVE DOING THESE LITTLE DOODLE PORTRAITS, REALLY RELAXING AND FUN TO INDIVIDUALIZE THEM!

HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING A FABULOUS WEEKEND AND FINDING TIME TO RELAX, CREATE, ENJOY YOUR FAMILIES, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAKES YOU SMILE!

You can find more incredible artists at our lovely hostess, Sophia's place. Be sure to stop over and have a look. And if you have a yen to share your doodles with this great group, post a sketch of your own and link it on Sophia's site. Everyone is welcome!

S M I L E S

'HIM' Short story - part three

2010-11-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

photo credit

Copper colored leaves swept gently against the glass of my bedroom window, and the early morning light, that wonderful fresh-washed light you get after a good storm, streamed in steadily, waking me in the best way. I sleep with my window open year round, so my bedroom smelled of late Autumn; fresh, frosty, almost spicy.

I lay very still in my deep, velvety bed, my eyes closed, and let wakefulness steal over me slowly. If he had been here, there would have been a leisurely morning snuggle to look forward to, followed by a walk together down to the coffee shop for a latte and a paper. Before last night, this thought would have left me absolutely miserable for the rest of the morning, but today was totally different. This morning I was finally able to accept what my instincts have been telling me every day for the past two years. He is still alive.

I could barely breathe as I lay there and let that realization percolate slowly. I don’t know where he has been, I don’t know what happened to him, nor why he has been so long in coming home; I don’t need to know those things. I just know that he has finally come back to me.

The morning that followed was surreal. I rose and showered, a small smile as I washed my hair with his favorite pear scented shampoo, and shaved my legs, something I had neglected to do more often than not since he had left. I dressed, slipping into my long-legged jeans, the faded ones I’ve had since college, the ones he says make me look so tall and slender and elegant. Donning one of his flannel shirts over my soft grey long-sleeved tee, and thick wooly socks, I padded out to the kitchen and started the coffee pot.

I spent the morning going through the things they sent me when he went missing. The official notice that he was Missing in Action Presumed Dead, delivered by his Commanding Officer on a sunny Fall day full of brittle heartbreak. I pulled his dress uniform out of the closet and slowly unzipped the black plastic bag I bought to store it in, black so I wouldn’t have to see it hanging crisp and white every time I walk into the closet, black because they told me he was dead. Crushing the jacket to my face I inhaled deeply, searching for any remnant of his unique smell, his spicy after-shave, his integral ‘maleness', but no matter how many times I’ve done this, it still smells like the dry cleaners have just finished with it. His kit bag unzipped, I repeated the ritual laying out of his things, things he would have used every day that he was away from me, serving our country. It used to send me into near hysterics to picture his strong thick fingers wrapped around the razor or toothbrush that I was holding, but today, by touching his things, I just feel even more connected to him.

By late morning I am tucked in the wicker chair on the deck, wrapped in a thick grey sweater, onto my third mug of creamy coffee. I feel quiet inside, like what I imagine the center of a storm must be like. I should feel stormy, shouldn’t I? But there is such a peace with this Knowing, no rush, no sense of urgency, no feeling that I must rush about town, hunting for him. I Know and that knowledge calms me like nothing else could. My mouth has become possessed overnight; secret smiles work the withered muscles of my face, and it feels so alien that I cannot stop myself from repeatedly reaching up and touching my cheeks, feeling the smile lines, which only makes me smile even wider.

He’s coming soon.

In the trees the squirrels jump from branch to branch, stashing their hard won winter forage into every nook they find. The late birds are happy today, and sing especially for me. They know this is a special day.

I feel like I have awoken from a long dream and am fully awake for the first time in a long, long time.
I need to be busy so I bundle up and head outside. I cut the grass, probably the last cut of the year, it grows so slowly now.

And I wait.

I barrow the cuttings up the drive and into the compost heap.

Still I wait.

I rake leaves fallen from the Japanese maples that line the drive into a giant pile and add the branches fallen from the storm last night to the pile. I start a smudge fire, inhaling the sharp, smoky aroma, loving the snap and crackle as the branches ignite and perfume the area with scents of sap and evergreen. Leaning on the rake, I stare into the fire. And wait.

And then it happens.

Everything stills expectantly. I raise my head, and for the last time, I gaze down the curve of the drive, straining to see around the bend, searching. There is a rushing sound in my ears, and I realize I am holding my breath.

I see the copper top of his hatless head first, as slowly, unevenly, he walks around the bend. Head bowed, he’s watching where he walks carefully. He’s limping quite badly, enough to warrant a cane, something I did not notice last night. I’m so quiet, still holding my breath, willing him to raise his beautiful head. When at last he does, he sees me and stops abruptly, teetering a bit. We pause, eyes locked, and with a slow smile, he continues towards me. It’s everything I can do not to rush over to him but I stay where I am, just as I always have, waiting. When finally he reaches me, I see that he is much thinner than the last time I saw him, making him seem even taller than he is, and his face is very much more worn.

“So,” he says and his smile stirs me as no other’s. I can barely contain the fountain of emotion that washes over me, as I slowly reach up and place the palm of my hand on his rough cheek.

“You’ve been a while,” I say smiling up into his eyes. His free hand comes up to rest in a similar position on my face and with his thumb he gently brushes a smudge of dirt from the tip of my nose.

“Yes.” His deep voice catches and my eyes fill. “But then, you knew I’d be back, didn’t you my love.”

If you missed the first two installments of this short story, you can find them here:
part one
part two

This story is dedicated to all the men and women who risk all to serve our country, and to those who wait paitiently, hopefully, at home, risking just as much. Never Forget.

Sunday Sketches - At last!

2010-11-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hello to all my lovely blogger friends! Finally back in a place where I can participate in Sunday Sketches again! Yeah! This is a quick sketch done on the couch last night just so I'd have something to submit and it feels so good to be drawing again!

Can't wait to take my hot cuppa and head over to Blue Chair Diary, Sophia's place, to see all the other wonderful participants this week.

If you have the time, I am also dabbling in a little writing again, so go see the two previous posts for my latest short story and do let me know what you think.

Finally, I realized yet again, after this long absence, how much you all mean to me, so thank you each and every one for taking the time to stop by and say hello! It really makes my day!

Smiles

'HIM' Short story - part two

2010-11-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

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I saw him.

Everyone was so kind about it, sure that I was just wishing him there, sure that I had imagined it, sure that I was having a little ‘episode’, much like those I had after he first left me.

But I know I saw him.

In the middle of Sable’s funny tale about her doorman and her neighbors’ rabid Pekinese, while trying to focus on her story and find the part of me that not so long ago would have laughed uproariously, I looked up from our table by the window just as he hurried past.

Even with the rain on the glass, the well-lit interior of the bar illuminated him completely, head bowed, shoulders hunched against the rain, thready thick sweater and bare-headed as always.

I must have made some audible sound of shock, because everyone at our table turned their focus on me in unison, all heads swiveling at the same time. That should have brought me to, but all I could think of was ‘I have his slicker and he’ll get soaked in this downpour!’

He had barely passed and I was up out of my chair, weaving through the other diners, muttering ‘excuse me’s’ as I made my way to the coat rack just inside the main entrance. I tossed coats left and right frantically in an effort to find his slicker, finally did so, and ran out the door and up the direction he had been headed when he passed.

Sheets of rain coursed down my neck and quickly soaked me through. I felt none of it. Like a woman possessed I raced up the street in front of me. There were few people out in this weather so he should have been easy to spot, but there was no one headed in this direction. Thinking he may have crossed the street, I swiveled in a half arc, scanning the sidewalk opposite and finally looking back down towards the bar. Nothing but an elderly couple getting into a car outside the bar, and a mad jogger running up the sidewalk opposite.

He was gone.

I think I really must have lost it for a brief bit then. I remember the brick wall of the building behind me, a firm support that I slid down slowly as I collapsed into a soggy pile on the sidewalk. By now my worried friends were into their own coats and headed in my direction. Someone kept moaning ‘no, no’ and the pitiful sound of it filled my head. As if through a long tunnel I recognized my own agonized voice. Sable’s husband Michael efficiently scooped me up and deposited me gently into the passenger side of my car; Sable was already in the driver’s seat.

For the second time that day, I pressed my feverish forehead against a cool rain-spattered glass. My eyelids closed slowly, like a curtain coming down after a bad dinner show, shutting out the cruel lights and empty streets, the familiar trees and houses as they rushed by on the journey home.

My mind was racing, analyzing what had just happened. I know I saw him. I also know that there was not even a remote chance that anyone else would believe me.

The next hour was spent allowing Sable to dry me off, put me to bed, bring me a hot restoring cup of mint tea, and generally flutter about trying to console me.

When she finally left, after numerous assurances from me that I was fine, that yes, I must have been mistaken and after just as many promises to call her the next day, I fully exhaled for the first time since I’d seen him outside the bar.

Then I did something I hadn't been able to do in forever. For the first time in two years I snuggled down into my bed, on my side, and I slept the night through.

The rain never let up.