Temporarily Closed

I have signed up to do an online art course with Brave Girls Club call "Soul Restoration 1" and I have been waiting for a month!!!! I am sooooo excited to be doing this course because it not only is art projects but soul restoration too.  So much healing and creating to be done for the next 8 weeks!!!  After going over the first weeks info yesterday, I have decided not to blog for the duration of this class because it is so personal.  I have decided to take out the things that take up my time and would pull me away from this class.  I want to give it my all and this will take much needed me time.  So before I go, I thought I would show you some pictures of my studio that I was working so hard on to clean up before this class began.  I am not completed but clean enough to feel at peace while I am working on this class's projects.

A side note regarding the title picture above "Art n Soul Journey":  I just love the way Melody Ross uses different things to deliver messages in her videos and blog posts and I have adopted this idea and hope its okay?.  Well, if I don't do anymore at least this one is fitting for the class I am taking.    I love words and art so this was just what I was looking for!!!!  She is sooooo like me and I love all her creative pieces she has done so colorful and expressive which is another reason for taking this class not to mention the whole soul restoration thing!!!

Also, while I was at the dollar store I was looking for a book with the right cover size to use for a class project and came across a book with kids alphabet letters on it too and I thought... I guess I am behind on the idea and was nothing new... but I think it  is cool and colorful. 

I have called mine "message boards" because I will not be putting any permanent messages on them so that I can reuse them thus the title.  The one at the top of the post is my first one and inspired by Melody.  You will have to read thru the Brave Girl blog so you can see all the ones she has used.   So creative!!!

Well, on to my studio.........

I got this chalkboard from my grandpa and it really means a lot to me. When we were little we would go to the farm in Warroad, MN for 2wks every year and I would love playing on this chalkboard in the coat room so I was thrilled when he said I could have it!!!!  I used it in our kitchen back in Minnesota forever and was sad when this place was so small that I couldn't put it up in the kitchen.  Then one day I got an idea "why not put it in my studio so that I could put messages on it"!!!!   It turned out to be a perfect fit on the door that  I leave open.  When I am sitting at the table all I have to do is look up and I see it, this made me so happy.  I love painting ladies as you all know so I had to put one on there, didn't she turn out cool?  I used the lady from a Belk's ad I kept from a year or so ago and she turn out just how I wanted it to look.  At first I wasn't happy with it because it just didn't have the detail then I came up with the idea of using a charcoal pencil and that was just what it needed and not permanent. 

My theme in this room is girly and the colors are pink and white so I had to paint the chalkboard white.  I like seeing all the colors of the chalk just sitting on the little shelf, so colorful.  Plus, I love the message I have on it now on Letting Go.  It says:  When one door of happiness closes, another one opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we that we do not see the one which has opened to us. Author- Helen Keller

I am a collector of vintage Christmas balls and have them out all year long in these glass jars.  I like seeing all the pretty colors and glitter and I am a collector of Susan Palsy Girls by Ganz.  I don't know what it is with women things all I can think is that I really love to minister to them some how.  These sit on a cabinet that hold magazines on the same side as the sewing machine.

I have stacked decorative floral tins on the left and my Shabby Chic/Decor books on the pedal.

I have a whole wall of all white frames and put some of my art work that I have done and some I didn't, it feels like a gallery.  Got the idea from the 700 restaurant art displays there.

These hands I had just stuffed away somewhere and while cleaning I came across them and thought how perfect for the "truth cards" I will be making in this class.  I did a sample so you could see what it would look like with one in.  Of course, I had to add some floral and it is sitting on the box that I will put all my cards in. Loved this Idea.  It sits on the table in front of me while I am working.

This is just a shot of some of the things sitting on my table, pen holder, salt n pepper shakers with glitter in them, and a lotion bottle that holds my ink well pen, and a glass bowl for misc items.

This shelf is on my left and is filled with things I use a lot and need to grab easily.  I was glad to find a container from the Dollar Tree that fit perfect.  So organized right?

This is on the bookcase behind me with items I have made and/or painted.

This is the other bookcase with my art books and some art I did on the top shelf.  I so enjoy all the neatness it really makes things so much more peaceful. 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my little tour and when I say little the room is the size of a closet.  I will miss all my friends but I hope you will understand my taking a little break, so take care to all of you and see you in 8 weeks!!

xo

barb

Water And Laughter

I just have to show you some pictures that I took when my hubby and me were at the beach one morning.

It was early and cool and we decided to go for a dip and I brought my camera with me in the water.  This is our spot we chose with our pretty umbrella.

My hubby doesn't like to pose for me that often, since he is not a picture taken kind of guy, but sometimes it can be a real treat to see what was captured.

So this is my story.  For some reason I didn't load them on the computer the same day and when I did load them it had a few days on it and I didn't look at them all.  But the other day I remembered the day and wanted to see how they turned out.   I just had to laugh and new I should share!! 

We get our umbrella and chairs all set up and my hubby decides to go in for a dip and I follow.

I am always trying to get us both into the pictures just so I can say "yes I was there" and in some of the pictures, so today this is what I was trying to do.  Here I was trying to get him going into the water but it didn't work since he was right behind me but I didn't give up on that perfect shot.

There he is waaaayy out there.

I am alittle unsure about bringing my camera out here since it is fairly new and don't want to get it wrecked but it turn out to be okay.  Now just keep your eyes on my hubby as I try to get that perfect shot.

on the left....

on the right...

on the left with water up to his nose....

and yes the fully body pose, what a hunk right?!!!

Isn't that just funny?!!! Sometimes he just makes me laugh and that is one thing I love about him.  Then when I decided to turn around this is what I saw....

I just cracked up at this shot.  The way all his toes are spread apart while he floats, so funny.

Since the sun was in the wrong position I had him turn around so that the sun was on my back and show that to me again and I got this shot.  For a guy who doesn't like to take pictures I just realized he is okay with the fun ones and has no problem posing for me then.

This is the man I fell in love with and who can make me laugh even when I am by myself just looking at pictures!!  I love you babe!!!!   I hope you enjoyed our morning swim and to be honest with you I still have a hard time swimming in the ocean knowing there are sharks and jellies out there.

xo

barb

I'm the girl who laughs out loud in the middle of  silence about something that happened the day before.

author: unknown

Cherished Memory

Its a little girl who was excited to know that it was that time of the year.  The time for a two week adventure full of love, laughter, and the unknown.  The drive is long but the excitement builds with every mile getting closer.  The night sky is full of stars and the fresh air smell that is always remembered with this trip.  We pass a landmark, which is a large fish, and she knows its not long before she is there.  The place that holds so many wonderful memories and places she can't wait to investigate again.

She spots the little gas station on her right and her excitement builds because she knows there is only 4 miles left to get to the turn that leads to the house.  We stop to make the turn and she sees the house in the distance.  We pass a house on the left where a girl lives with the exact birthday as hers.  Then a right hand turn past the large mail box and an old rusty truck sitting in the field just behind it.  We pull up to the driveway the door opens and we are finally here!!!  The first thing she notices is the smell of the garage which is wonderful because it reminds her of this wonderful place.

We bring our things in and I look around just to take it all in.  Everything is exactly as it was since the last time she was here and that makes her happy, something that doesn't change.  She sleeps upstairs with her siblings but there is one thing that she absolutely loves to look at and has to check it all out every time.

She runs her fingers across the detail of the drawers and opens them up...

such beauty.....

all the fancy ironwork......

and of course the pedal that she has to try every time....

its an old Singer sewing machine that is her grandma's.  This machine holds memories of her and the farm which she lives on, and yes the story is about me and our two week vacations to Warroad, MN we took every year until I was 16yrs old. 

And that is what went through my head as I spotted this machine at the thrift store!! I walked so fast to it but it didn't have a price on it so I asked how much was it.  I guess they had just put it on the floor so it hadn't been priced yet.  I ask for a price and hoped it wasn't more than $20.00 since that is all I had to spend. 

I looked it over and there wasn't a sewing machine in it and there was a hole cut into the top to hold a machine without lifting the cover but luckly there was a thin piece of wood painted to match to cover the hole.  As I waited, I hoped and then the man came back and said it was $20.00!!!  I said I WILL TAKE IT!!!  I was sooooooooo excited!!  I didn't care that the machine wasn't in there or that someone cut a hole in the top because every time I look at it it reminds me of my grandma.  How wonderful!!!

It fit perfect in the trunk and no there wasn't anyone to help me get this heavy thing into the house but did that stop me no!!  I did it and it was tricky and heavy but I was on a mission and knew just where I was going to put it.

In my studio in front of a window facing the street.  This is the back of it and it fit perfectly.

The funny thing about this is that it is painted ivory so shabby chic and that was another thing I loved about it, so me.  I would have never been able to paint such an antique so how cool that someone else did it for me.  You just wonder what was going through their mind as they painted it and making their own style not knowing that I would cherish it as well.  Well, this is my latest find and I thanked God for having it be within my budget!!! 

So now when I sit at my table to make art all I have to do is look up and I see this sewing machine and it makes me smile.  I hope you all are having a wonderful summer full of family, friends, and laughter and thanks for stopping by you know I just love our visits.

xo

barb

Vintage Cookbook Page

I have been watching aaaalot of art videos on utube lately and once I start it is hard to stop!!! So today I decided to take a short break and show you my summer page I have on display in my vintage cookbook.  I really wish I could find another cookbook that is like this one with all the vintage ladies in them but the ones I do find only have the food in them, go figure, it is a cookbook right?  Well this one has ice cream and I thought it was perfect for this time of year.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream

2 tbsp granulated gelatin (unflavored)

1/2 cup cold water

1 cup rich milk

1 1/2 cup (1-lb can) Hershey's Chocolate Flavored Syrup

3/4 cup granulated sugar

few grains salt

1 pint light cream

1 pint heavy cream

2 tbsp vanilla

Allow the gelatin to soak in the water in a saucepan for 5 minutes.  Add the milk and heat, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved.  Remove from heat and add the chocolate syrup, sugar and salt.  Cool.  Add the creams and the vanilla.  Freeze in a crank freezer. 

Yield: 4 quarts ice cream

To Freeze, fill the chilled container 2/3 full with ice cream mixture.  Cover tightly and set into freezer tub.  (For an electric freezer, follow manufacturer's directions.)  Fill tub with alternate 3-inch layers of crushed ice and 1 part rock salt.  Turn the handle slowly for 5 minuets.  Turn rapidly until the handle becomes difficult to turn (about 15 minutes).  Remove the dasher and pack down ice cream and cover with waxed paper.  Again put the lid on top and fill opening for dasher with cork.  Repack freezer in ice using 4 parts crushed ice and 1 part rock salt.  Cover with paper or cloth.  Let ripen 2 to 3 hours.

Wow, sounds like to much work for me but maybe you would like to give it a try.  Stay cool and enjoy a bowl of ice cream.  

xo

barb

Savannah Fireworks

This was our first year to find a place to see the fireworks in Savannah and we were glad that it was easy.  We decided to try to see them downtown Savannah on river street next to the river.   Back in Minnesota we went just about every year since it was so close to us and for the past three years we haven't been to one since we moved.  I wasn't feeling well (to much time in the sun I felt like I had the flu, no fun) but that didn't stop me I so wanted to go and was glad when we did because it made me feel like I was back home.  We parked on President street and walked in and it only took about 15 minutes a little longer if you were behind a group walking slow but sooooo easy, we will do this every year.  People were everywhere but we decided to go next to the river and I would say it was perfect like you were sitting on the 50 yard line at a football game it was so perfect so here are the pictures I took of this event.

River Street before the shops start.

River Street

This was the spot we picked next to the river.

This was aross from us and there were people line up there too.

Here is a pic of them but of course my zoom isn't good enough.

The guy driving the boat was so funny because he was dancing while driving, just wiggling his booty.

Here we are as we wait.

This is where we thought the fireworks would be coming from but they didn't.  We didn't even need to turn our heads just look straight up. SWEET.  My new camera has a function to capture fireworks so I was excited to try this out.  I wasn't happy on how slow it was so I really couldn't take them quick to capture them because I was always waiting.  I was pleased with how the ones I did get turned out thou.  The fireworks begin....

oooooo.....

aaaahhhhh.....

I like that one......

oooooooo.....

aaaaaahhhhh......

coooooool.....

aaaaaahhhhhhh.......Then comes the grand finale...

ooooooooooooooooooo.........

wooooowwwww sooooo cooool.......

loooooove iiiiitttttt!  It ends and we all clap with an applause!!!!!  Then it only takes us 25 minutes to get home and walk in our door. Perfect!!!

So happy that we have a spot to see the fireworks every year and thanks for enjoying it with me.

xo

barb