Art in My World

The Lone Tree When the children were very young, only the first two were born, after dinner all four of us would cross a busy road/highway to spend the last hours of daylight walking down our "country road." Luke and Jarmon would scamper about looking for rocks, bugs or whatever little boys dream about. We would bring a plastic wagon their grandmother had given them for Christmas one year to pull them alone when they got tired. Ruth came alone later and she joined us, first in a front pack and then in the wagon. It was a magical walk full of laughter and chatter. So peaceful and calming after a hard day.

A Little Orangey We had this assignment: to paint this seascape using two complimentary colors on the color wheel. I chose yellow-orange and blue-violet. All colors must be mixed from those original two. I have much to learn about waves and rocks and seagulls and atmospheric perspective. One must look boldly at ones mistakes to move forward... So far I am the only one who has used these two color combinations.  I actually like the use of the colors, it just needs a bit better execution in the waves and a little less chroma and somehow make it all look less busy? This actually was my third try :)

Homemade Household Cleaners For a long time, I had a problem. Whenever I would clean the house and the bathroom I would come down with a huge headache, a cold, or I would feel nauseous. After years of feeling this way, who could blame me for not wanting to clean? Then I realized, maybe it was the cleaning supplies I was using? After looking at the ingredients and reading the side affects online of these cleaning products it was clear that they just had to go. Part of me bought all the lies that unless I used these products my bathrooms and counters would not be clean, especially if I did not use bleach. So, I read around a bit and realized that by using simple ingredients I had around the house, like baking soda, vinegar, and salt, and by adding some herbs (which actually I had been using to make some medicines and body care products)and some essential oils, I could make great cleaning and wonderful smelling products. The smell of these cleaners are an extra bonus and therapy. N

Just Down the Lane I was blessed to have grown up in Virginia where we actually had four seasons. Summers were great, but the weather would begin to turn crisp and you knew what was about to happen. I never tired of looking at all those yellows, and oranges and reds that would magically appear on the trees. As a child my mother and father would take us hiking in the fall looking for beaver dams, or up into the Blue Ridge Mountains along Sky Line drive...there never was a prettier sight than all those trees in full flame! Every now and then Louisiana will burst out with a tree here and there full of color and it brings me back to those Fall days as a child seeing those trees in all their glory. Each season has something about it that is special, something different to look forward too. God is good to give us this change!   Tried my hand a little bit this weekend with fall trees...I tried and tried, but ended up liking the first painting the best. It did not come out like I had env

Smoky Mountain Sunshine     Continuing to tackle trees in my watercolor paintings. With this one I added the challenge of a bit of sunshine and fog. I like the background affect, but realize now I am not comfortable doing the foreground. What does one do with all that space? How can I vary my brushstrokes to add interest? And how do I learn to add atmospheric perspective with watercolors? I think I am off to do another tree painting, this time fall trees lining a path...

Muffin in a Mug Many of you know I have been battling with my weight for a long time. One thing that I have learned is that due to our American way of eating, many of us suffer from what is known as insulin resistance. So, I have been on a journey to find a way to cook for my family, many of whom suffer from more severe gut issues. A dear friend at church steered me to a book called Trim Healthy Mama. The basis of the book is two types of meals. Each meal has its own fuel to burn, one being good fats, the other good carbs, but never the two shall meet! I was skeptical about the recipes they provided, for many of them looked so easy. The ingredients were not your common ones for many who have not yet tried to get rid of carbs, but for me, who lives at Whole Food, and who has been trying to get rid of certain flours for the past year, many of the ingredients I was at least familiar with. So I thought some of you might enjoy these recipes, and as I find ones I like I will share. T