The Winner Is!.....

The winner of my 100th post Giveaway is the lovely and talented artist Shariyah Garner! Please click her name and visit her blog and Etsy shop. She produces beautiful work and she is only 24 years old. So talented! She is having a giveaway on her blog too. A limited edition artist block print is the prize.
Thank you to everyone who entered my little giveaway. I'm wishing you all a wonderful, blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Here is another picture I took of our visit to the Riverwalk last Saturday evening. I love it there! I had a good time even though my kids got tired of me taking pictures. It was so beautiful I could not help myself.

And OMYGOSH!
Sherry at EspritDArt just informed me my interview with Mind Wide Open is up and running.
I'm so honored and yet feel exposed. LOL. I have never been interviewed period...for anything.
xoxoxo
Charlie

Riverwalk San Antonio

Going to the Riverwalk to see the Christmas lights is a real treat for me. We can act like tourist in our own city. I'm practicing taking night shots with my camera. This shot is my favorite. I got some other good ones and I'm posting them on my other blog. The Riverwalk is wonderful this time of year. The weather is awesome. There are all kinds of fun events going on: arts and crafts for sale, carolers singing on the river boats and of course all the fabulous restaurants. The riverboat ride never gets old to me. The best part is doing this with my family.

Wish

Here is my Angel painting. "Wish". The original is going to be a gift for one of my family members. I'm not going to say who in case they happen to stop by. That will never happen because none of them blog. I will be listing it as a giclee print over on my Etsy shop.
I still have loads of Christmas shopping and decorating to do. I did manage to get the tree up yesterday. Boxes are everywhere and the outside lights need to be hung. I'm waiting for my son to come home from college to help me with the outside lights. I'm sure he will be thrilled.
I can't seem to pull myself away from this computer long enough to get any work done.
Don't forget to leave a comment so you can be entered into my 100th. post giveaway. The drawing will be Dec. 17th. I'm giving the Kiss pendant away. And leave an email for me if yours is not listed on your profile.
Merry Christmas,
Charlie

100th Post GiveAway

Hugs and kisses!
I am giving away this Kiss memory glass pendant in honor of my 100th. post.
Wow how time flies! I joined this wonderful blogging community the beginning of this year.
So here are the rules.
All you have to do is post a comment and you will be entered into the drawing. I will be taking entries until December 17th. Then a name will be drawn out of the pot. Don't forget to leave your email if it is not listed somewhere easy for me to find.
Good luck!
Charlie

Sketching

I have not been taking too many pictures lately, and my painting is taking a while to finish. So... I thought I would post a sketch instead. I have not been too inspired to work in my altered art journal either. I'm looking forward to taking Pam's journal workshop to get some fresh ideas.
I hope everyone enjoys my Christmas music. I love to listen to the old songs from Christmas. They bring back some great memories.
Enjoy.

Work In Progress

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was fun and spent with family and friends eating lots of turkey and pie. That's exactly how mine was. Now I have to get back to normal and stop eating so much. I also have to turn my thoughts to Christmas and all that goes along with it. I am determined not to get stressed out this year. I am going to enjoy Christmas and try to get into the Christmas Spirit. I usually have all my decorations down from the attic by now, so I am already behind. I do not care. I'm not going to let it bother me....small lol, more like a hah! I can't do it by myself any more. The boxes are too heavy and my back just will not let me.
I started this painting before Thanksgiving and I'm going to try to work on it today. I am itching to get back to the studio. It was nice to have a break from the art work and blog world. It's good to get away and fill the well so to speak.
But...today I'm aware of how I am enjoying the moment and living for today. I am just now learning how to do this. I'm the worlds worst at thinking too far ahead and dwelling on past problems. I know there is a happy medium. You can't not think of your future, but at the same time you can't forgo the day for thinking too much. So here's to living in the moment.

Blog Award

I received this award from Sharon last week. Thank you so much Sharon I am honored. It is called the Proximity Award. The award states that:
This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.
I am nominating these wonderful girls for this award.
Sherry, Laurel, Candy, Pattie, Karen,Pam,
Please check them out. I love reading their blogs and know you will too.

Reflections

I got this list from Sherry at Esprit "d art... It's a fun exercise. Just highlight the things you have done on the list below. You can copy and paste it to your blog or just do it however you want. I got 40 out of 100....seems like I need to do more living.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Memory Glass Pendant Abundance

The prompt at Arty Girls this week is to use a quote in your work. So here is my entry. It is a photo copy of the mixed media piece I did called "Abundance". I decided to make a memory glass pendant out of it. I found this wonderful quote about Abundance by Anthony Robbins "When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears" to place on the back side of the pendant. And by the way I listed it on my Etsy shop yesterday. Thanks for looking.

Altered Art Journal Letter K

Moving along slowly here on my journal. I finished this page last week but did not want to post it. I'm so weird. I did not think the colors would match my blog. My last post looked so pretty and matched so well.
I'm starting to feel ansy. The holiday season is almost upon us. I get so stressed during this time. Sometimes I just want to run away and not have to deal with it all. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves? There is so much to do. I know it will be wonderful. It will be fun. I just have to close my eyes and jump in, like I always do.

Abundance

Here it is! I am so excited today! I listed my first ever giclee art print of this mixed media painting over on Etsy.
I decided I really wanted to sell this one, but I have such a hard time selling my originals. It is a copy of an original 8"x10" mixed media collage on canvas. I did a lot of research and leg work and finally found someone to make giclee prints.
This one was all about counting your blessings. I am thankful because I am blessed in so many ways. My life is full and I see all the abundance around me.
I am very fortunate. I had a fabulous week last week. Things seem to be clicking along. I am ready to get back into the studio to do more art. It seems like it has been awhile since I've been there. Last week was so full of errands and simple pleasures. You have to go to my other blog
Picture This. I am giddy.

Success

This was taken the night before the transplant. Kelly and Irene are about to retire for the night. They had a busy day of testing and Irene had way too many enemas. LOL. She was not happy that Kelly did not have to have even one.
Today which is a day after the transplant, both are doing fine. Kelly accepted Irene's kidney right away, so far so good.

What's Happening

I'm almost finished with my latest painting. I'm very excited about it. I do not want to show any pictures yet. I'm glad the weekend is over. We had loads of fun. Halloween party Friday night, and then Saturday we went to the Trinity Vs Millsaps football game. Millsaps was getting revenge on poor Trinity because of what happened last year. Then my Texas lost to Texas Tech Saturday evening. I don't even want to get into it. This is me with girlfriends at Halloween party Friday night. I don't know why I always shut my eyes. I always have fun though.
But anyway we have some major things going on here. My sister-in-law is going to have a kidney transplant tomorrow morning. So we need your prayers that everything will go OK. She has been looking for about a year for a donor. It is finally happening tomorrow.
I have been asked to share my way to make an altered art journal over at mind wide open. Needless to say I'm thrilled about that.
We want to remodel my kitchen. I'm just getting bids now. That is such a chore. Half of the people I have called don't show up. You would think in this economy people would want the work. Who knows if we will be able to afford it.
My dog has an ear infection and I have to take him to the vet. Did I ever say he has allergies and I have to give him allergy shots every 20 days. He has become a very expensive dog.
Well that is about it for now....
Charlie

Alphabet Charms

I just listed these cute little alphabet charms on my etsy shop. They are made the same way I made the last batch. I took left over shards form vintage plates and cut into little squares, soldered, added alphabet stickers and then sealed with diamond glaze. They are only $5.00 each because they do not come with a chain.

Altered Art Journal Letter J

I'm a junker, have been for a long time. I can't throw anything away. It is a constant struggle between me and my husband who is a neat freak. But, I also have to admit that it does feel good to go through the junk and get rid of it sometimes. I don't know where it comes from. It multiplies like rabbits. I clean things out, have garage sales and it's still there. I know one day I will need that extra little do- hickey for something, like this journal. I knew I would need that little egg dipper one day.

Painting In Progress

Pass It On

Retro cafe art is having a giveaway on October 31st. Go there and enter so you too can have a chance to win this wonderful prize. All you have to do is link them back to your blog.
How fun! I hope I win...I never win anything.
Just a quick update. I started a new painting....yea. I love the process.
I'm in the middle of doing the background. I have an idea of the girl I will be painting for the focal point. So far so good. I am soooo loving this feeling.
And on the flip side it is also exciting to share my art with people and see their reaction. So I have to tell this little story. I went to visit my mom yesterday. She is in an assisted living home in Yoakum. It's a wonderful place. It has a nice family atmosphere. One of the young girls who works there commented on the painting I gave my mom for her birthday. She really liked it and started asking me how I did it. She is a budding artist as well. She was working on a painting and could not finish because she felt she could not do faces. So I told her about Paulette's class and gave her all the information. She ran upstairs to get the painting she was working on, to show me. By the way, she lives upstairs. But anyway she was so excited to show me her work too. Long story short ...it was so much fun to meet someone who actually noticed my art. I was thrilled to share what I know, hopefully to point her in the right direction. I think that we all want to be recognized and appreciated for what we do. We like to share and help each other grow. It was a wonderful feeling to know that my art touched someone else and that I was able to help someone else as a result.

Pumpkin Patch

Here is my little pumpkin patch ready for Halloween. I did not get to participate in Amusing Muses Halloween party this weekend because I was busy with my garage sale. The idea was to post something related to Halloween and post your blog on their page then everyone was to visit each others blogs for the party. I would have liked to participate but I had my garage sale scheduled for a while. It was the neighborhood garage sale. It brings loads of people into the neighborhood and I don't have to pay for an ad in the newspaper. I love having garage sales. I get to make a little money and get rid of a lot of junk at the same time. I bought a new microwave oven with my earnings. Whoo hoo...my old one was about 20 years old. It was time for a new one even though the old one still worked.
I'm ready for fall. The temperature has finally gotten into the 80's. That's cool for us. The leaves are starting to fall. The sky is clearer. It feels great. All I want to do is putz around outside. I'm itching to start a new piece of art. I think I'll move my studio outside today.

How To Make An Altered Art Journal

Someone asked me how I did this journal, so I thought I would share my way with all of you. It is a very simple process. I thought it was a good idea to use an old vintage book for my journal instead of a new one because it is supposed to be an altered book. I found this one at a thrift store. As you can see I have not decorated the cover yet. That will come later. My journal is an ABC journal about me, but pick any theme you would like.

Divide the book into your desired number of pages and glue the pages together.
Use a glue stick to glue the pages together. This gives substance to each pages so you can add paint and elements. I like this blue colored glue stick best because I can see where the glue is. I've tried gel medium and it is too messy and makes the pages warp too much. Make sure you really cover every inch of the page with the glue. I've gone through about 3 sticks and I'm not finished gluing yet.
Take a plastic credit card or plastic piece like this one here and use it to press the pages together as you glue each page. This helps to eliminate air bubbles. If the pages are wrinkled don't worry, to me that adds to the distressed look. You are going to cover it with paint or scrap pages anyway. Decorate it how ever you want. There are no rules here. Just get creative and have fun.
Here is the next letter in my journal....Letter I for I am Indigo. I do not know where this idea came from. I just like the word indigo. I'm using techniques from Paulette's backgrounds class.

Friends

This one is for my best friend. Her birthday is coming up in November. I did it with friendship in mind and really love the result. I love the quote I found "Friends are the Angels that help you fly." It is for all of my friends, even everyone here on the net who have helped me learn to fly.
I have to admit I have learned so much from this experience and have made some wonderful new friends as well. So happy blogging everyone. It has been nice to talk to and get to know each of you. I look forward to more interaction and growth. And a big thank you to all of you who visit my blog and give me support and encouragement. It is a wonderful feeling.

Texas Size Flea Market

Just a few of the photos I took at Warrenton. It is huge. Since I'm not in the business any more I just enjoyed being a host and looking. Of course I had to buy a few things but not like when I bought to resale. My friend had never been to the flea market part. She went to Marburger Farms last year, which is the high end antiques show. You cant see everything in a day. Lots of people go for a week. I unfortunately do not have that luxury.
I have more pictures of the flea market on my other blog Picture This.

Our Deepest Fear

No pictures today. I am so behind. I had a busy weekend I went to Warrenton. The biggest flea market in Texas. It happens twice a year. In spring and fall. I had a wonderful time and took some great photos. I'll post some tomorrow. We are down to one car this week. I wont get into it. I'm having to drive my hubby downtown to work and then pick him up. Traffic from my side of town to downtown S.A. is terrible. No wonder my hubby has high blood pressure. But anyway I was reading Paulette Insall's blog and she posted this poem. I absolutely love it and had to copy it for my own blog. I know that to fail is so much easier than to succeed. I am guilty of that more times than I want to admit. I'm trying to break through my own creative blocks and free myself of the inner crititic so when I read this I felt so moved. I really needed this today.

Our Deepest Fear
by
Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us;
It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Altered Art Journal Letter H

H is for heart....
The heart has reasons that reasons do not understand. Jacques Benigne Bossuel
Give expression to the noble desires that lie in your heart. Gordon B. Hinckly
Let your heart guide you. It whispers so listen closely. Unknown
Beauty is light in the heart. Kahil Gilbran

I am what I am

Here is my latest painting. When I started out I had a completely different theme in mind. As it developed so did the meaning. Through all of my self discovery from writing in my journal and sketching each morning I have come up with this. "I am what I am." I still view the world the same way I did when I was teenager. I still think I look the same way I did when I was twenty. At least in my eyes I do. Oh I know I do not look the same way. I know I have wrinkles and a saggy butt. I know I have grown in many ways and learned from my mistakes. I have incorporated new techniques and styles in my life and in my art. I realized this as I look at my old art work. My drawings look just like they did when I was young. I hated the way I drew. I felt my drawings were juvenile. After all these years the way I draw has not changed. It is all right. It is who I am. I'm OK with it. I have learned to embrace myself and love who I am. It is a good thing. It is OK to be me.

Celebrate

Hi everyone! I'm back. I can not believe it's been over a week since my last post.
It has been a week of celebrations. My husbands birthday was last Friday, my nephew got married last Saturday on my mom's birthday. Then yesterday was my birthday.
My husband took the week off and so we have been on a staycation. We decided not to go away for vacation but to stay right here in San Antonio. There is so much to see in our own backyard.
Yesterday I had a day of indulgence. My friend and I went to a day spa. It was fabulous. I had a facial, massage, manicure and pedicure. Boy do I feel pampered and special.
Needless to say I have not been doing much in the creative zone. Hopefully I will get back to normal soon.
I am so thankful for the wonderful week I have had. However, is anyone else feeling a little worried about the economy? I really do not want this to be a political blog or anything to that nature, but I am having a hard time not being concerned.

Altered Art Journal Letter G

Here is the next page of my altered art journal. Letter G for garden.
The words are not mine. It is a quote that I found. At this point the author is unknown.
"My garden of flowers
is also my garden
of thoughts and dreams."

by the way I posted some great shots from my backyard.
Head over to my other blog Picture This to see butterflies, a spider and a cardinal.

Award

Thank you Pattie for this cute award! I am very honored. Just look to the right and visit all my favorite blogs. I honor them today. I have so many therefore I can't just pick a few.

So...today I start in a much better mood. I realize how much I need to create. I worked on my altered art journal and it is coming along great. It's amazing how the simple little act of painting can make me feel so much better. I was in such a funk the last couple of days because I spent too much time blogging... I know I'm addicted to it but too much is too much. I have to get in my studio and create at some point. Yesterday I finally pulled myself away from the computer and pulled out the paints. And wow what a difference it has made.
Now I have to go outside and secure all my hangy things on my back porch just in case we get some high winds from Ike. We are not in his direct path any more but we'll probably get lots of rain and wind. That's what they are saying on the news anyway. Hurricanes have a mind of their own. Who knows we may not get anything from it. It's better to be safe.

Time Flies

It seems the only art work I've been able to do lately are these sketches. It is a good thing I enjoy drawing these girls in my journal each morning, or I would not have anything to show.
I'd like to use her in a painting. These are my intentions of course. I still have the task of trying to make the painting look like the drawing.
I don't know where the time goes. I spent most of the morning trying to change the look of my blog. All I wanted was a simple little background change and before I knew it the whole morning was gone. It gets really frustrating after awhile. With the help of a blogger friend, at least I figured out how to get it done.
This afternoon I worked on the next entry of my altered art journal. I'm using magazine cutouts to collage the background. I thought it would be so neat, but at this point I'm not so sure. I should probably wait until I learn some of Paulette's techniques. The backgrounds class starts next week.
It will be fun. The only thing I worry about is I don't want my work to look like a copy of Paulette's. It is so hard to come up with your own style. I'm trying to learn and grow as an artist by taking classes and expanding my horizons. But at the same time I feel I'm just going to look like a copy cat.

Alphabet Charms

I have spent the better part of this week taking pictures, editing pictures and then putting these on my Etsy shop. What a job! I made these a few months ago, before I got into face painting and blogging. I have been wanting to put these up for sale for awhile now but knew the task would be difficult.
So here they are anyway.
I made these out of left-over broken vintage china.
I soldered them like the memory glass pendants. Then I placed alphabet stickers on each and glazed with diamond glaze to seal.
I think they turned out really cute. You can go over to my Etsy shop to get a better look at each one. I am selling them separately.
I do not have the charms in letter M, N, Q, or X.
I am selling them on the chain, but of course they would look great on a charm bracelet too.

In Memory

My daughters best friend left us a year ago today. So today we remember Erica. We miss you and love you.

IF......Remember When

I made this for my mom. Her birthday is coming up in September. She will be 89. It kind of represents our conversations. "Remember when we did this, or remember so and so, wonder what they are up to now." She is a simple remember when angel.

Faces Progression

I did not realize I could embed a slide show through my google account. Just goes to show you learn something every day.

My Girl

Ever since I took Paulette Insall's face painting class, I feel so much more confident in my sketches. I love to sketch in my journal each morning. Here is one of my sketches I did from memory. Sometimes I draw from memory and sometimes I draw from a picture. I really enjoyed and learned so much from her class.
If you want to take her classes I think she is now taking sign-ups. I am going to take her background class next. I cant wait.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Tomorrow is my son's Birthday. He wants Lemon Meringue Pie instead of a cake. And I thought great because it is so much easier than making a cake. This pie is our family favorite at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is not the typical lemon meringue pie made out of a custard. It is so easy and delicious.
Here is the recipe:
3 eggs separated
1 14 ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk ( not evaporated milk)
1/2 cup lemon juice, few drops of yellow food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, beat egg yolks, (save whites for meringue in separate bowl) stir in eagle brand, lemon juice and food coloring. Pour into a prepared vanilla wafer crust.
For crust you will need about 1 1/2 cups (36) vanilla wafers, crushed into crumbs,6 tbls. butter or margarine melted. Mix butter and crumbs together then
Press firmly into a 8 or 9 inch pie plate...chill for a little bit. Line pie with whole vanilla wafers then pour the lemon mixture into prepared crust.
Top with meringue.
Take the saved whites and beat with a 1/4 tsp cream of tartar until soft peak forms then add 1/3 cup of sugar gradually, beating until a stiff peak forms but not dry.
Spread on top of pie sealing carefully to edge.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
Refrigerate when cool.

Altered Art Journal Letter F

F is for family. Here is the next page in my altered art journal.
My family is the most important thing in my life. I am what I am because of them. The only thing I ever wanted to be was a Mom.
It is funny how these paintings came out. We really do not look like any of these people. My daughter and son are only two years apart. And my poor husband does not wear a cap all of the time. oh well hopefully it looks like a family.