Drawing is still basically the same as it has been since prehistoric times.  It brings together men and the world.

It lives through magic.  Keith Haring

I have had the privilege to share my art work with 9 other women, as I mentioned in a previous post. 

Each of us designing an Artist Trading Card to share.  Without really knowing much about the artist we were sharing with, I had a hard time deciding which card went to whom.

Most of mine were painted on a basket ball card and watercolor paper.  Others were on paper, cardboard, playing cards and so on.

I  was more than excited to receive my first card....."Dream", a wonderful collage from California!  She even made her own envelope!

It was fun going to the mail box each day to see if one of the cards arrive.  I received three in one day.  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  Interesting that  three cards arrived with a similar color palette and affirmations and came at the right time.

"I am Open Book", all the way from South Africa!  "Believe in the wisdom in your heart" Both beauties!

"Hope" has the same color palette as the last two. Love the butterfly!  Then, all the way from Vancouver, B.C., this charming little whimsy.  " I touch your shore dancing angel sailing the water of love."

Love how this sweet little girl is incorporated into the playing card.  The second is from a series "Ladies who Lunch".    This is Mae and her favorite gem stone is garnet.  Excellent choice, my son's birthstone is garnet!

"Moon Dance" traveled from across the pond!  And, don't you love the little bird added to "Charm"?

The backs of some of them. 

 Many came with more than just the card and I was overwhelmed with the extra little treasures and generosity.  Napkins from Africa, old key, stickers, collage papers, and even a bag of Detox tea!  Just to name a few. 

A nice mix of individual styles.  I am looking forward to getting to know each one of these artist's better.  Our host, Mariette keeps us up to date on things and I appreciate her efforts on bringing our little group together.  Friends sharing art!

Our next project will be post card size.  Our theme and date due has not been decided, but I look forward to sharing that with you as well.

I will leave you with a quote from Roselyn.

"The meaning of life is to find your gift.  The purpose of life is to give it way." Pablo Picasso

 

 

So excited to get two of my designs in Somerset Studio.  I was so surprised and delighted when I received the email that they selected TWO!  Both are on separate pages of Expressions section of the magazine.

                                                She was created on a birch wood canvas. 

The flower design is placed on a stretched canvas, using a cork background and watercolor paper on top of the cork. 

Thank you Somerset Studio Gallery!
Get your copy, on news stands now.

Ursula

Summer Memories....

Every summer has a story; what's yours?

Summer is my favorite season of the year.  Filled with friends, picnics, cookouts, beach, the lake, boating, swimming, reading, long walks, ice cream, flip flops.....

I could go on and on.  When I think of summer, it conjures up many memories from childhood and now into my adult world.  Swimming until my lips turned purple.  Building forts in the woods with my brother and his friends.  Roller skating down the side walk.  Hopscotch and jump rope in our driveway.  Playing in the puddles after a summer rain fall.  Baseball in the field near our house. Sleep overs and tents outside.  So many good memories.

I want to invite you to journal your summer memories along with me.  I will be teaching a class on line.  www.creativeworkshops.me/

Class is titled:  SUMMER MEMORIES

Prompts, sayings, watercolor technique with fluid acrylics.  Mixed media and so much more!

Please join me for four great projects, all at the low summer price of $20.00

Can't wait to see what we create together.

 I'm a summer kind of girl!  

See you June 17, right before Summer Solstice!

 

Ursula

 

 

My Mother just turned 93 this month.

We have spent the last three weeks with family celebrating her birthday and Mother's Day together.  

Both my brother and sister live in other parts of the world.  My brother and his lovely wife, Kim, live in Ohio, near the Cleveland area.  My sister flew in from the British Virgin Islands, she just left this morning.  Her husband was unable to join her this time around.

So, needless to say, I am a little behind on writing, painting and all things creative!

It took an entire week to scrub, clean and tend to the flower beds before their arrival.  My mother lives next door and my sister stayed with her.  Ron and Kim stayed with us.  It's always fun running back and forth sharing time and meals together.  My husband calls it The Compound!  We were so fortunate to have gorgeous weather during our time together.

In the midst of all this, I have tried to keep up with the Artist Trading Card commitment I have made.  All need to be done and shipped off by the end of the month.  I managed to get 5 done before their arrival and have worked on a few more this week.  I got a sneak peek of a couple of the artist's cards and hope to finish the back in the next couple of days.  One artist is from Canada,  South Africa, England and the others are from various U.S. states.  All so very talented!  A great group of 9 other artists, ten of us all together.  This is the first time I have ever participated in anything like this and we hope to do more exchanges in the future.  We met on an online class we were all taking by Misty Mawn, Art Entwined.

Here is a sample of what I think are my final nine.  Each is full of floral goodness and appropriate for this time of year.  Some are painted on baseball cards, others on watercolor paper.  Each is a mixed media design.  Do you have a favorite?

I still have to finish and put all the information on the back of each card.  My goal is to send them out by the end of next week.  I saw some of the envelopes a couple were using to send theirs.  Even the envelopes are unique!  So the bar is set high.

I will post the other artists cards and share them with you.

Until next time....going for a much needed massage.  Ahhh!

Ursula
 

Find beauty in every day things..........

 

!

A beautiful spring day, the last day of April.........

A lovely day to go and visit some garage sales.  I only went to about three but made some great finds!

My stash included a Michael Kors handbag (white, great for summer), a red utility cart, milk glass, and old history book (great for mixed media designs), a Brighton necklace and an old carved plaque.  I will keep a couple of things and sell the rest in my flea market booth.

Oh, and did I mention that the handbag and necklace both have the original tags on them!  

We are finally having good weather, no more cloudy days please!  

As I prepared for the day, I was reminded to give thanks in every day things.  I am grateful for those every day things and sometimes just skim by them.  I ask God to help me appreciate and give thanks, not only in the big things that happen in my life, but for those every day things.  Like finding a new handbag!!

What are you thankful for today?

 

A Little bird brought the story to me....

A fun little mini journal I have created from a 1967 diary found among my Mother's things.  She didn't want to give it up, but I persuaded her that I would use it in the most resourceful way.

I was inspired by a group of on line artists, exchanging Artist Trading cards.  I am among the group and as the cards come in, I will share them with you.  I wanted to begin practicing and creating ideas I could use for the cards I will be sending out.  This is very exciting to me, as the artists live in different parts of the U.S., and other parts of the globe.
The measurements of the cards are the exact size of the pages inside my mini journal.

I kept the front inside cover as is.  The year 1967 has significance to me, it is the year I graduated from high school.  So, yes, I too am vintage.
I love the size of this little gem as I can keep it in my purse and sketch, write and paint while waiting for appointments and riding in the car.  Keeping thoughts and ideas close at hand.

I didn't spend too much time on the outside covers.  I used DecoArt gesso, fluid acrylics and Washi tape.  Sealed it with DecoArt matte spray sealer.

A peek at supplies used to create the pages, along with a couple of the trading card beginnings.
The pages of this book are thin and slightly fragile.  So, I glue two pages together with a glue stick.  I then gesso the pages and add stencils, sketches, tape, artist paper and so on.  I then have a wonderful background ready to go.

              My first entry, inspired by Gustav Kimt.  An artist that I want to study in more depth. 

One of my favorites, as it was so much fun to do the roses.   I did this one while at work, during a slow period.  Shhh, don't tell anyone!

As you can see, the gesso is thinly applied, allowing the text to show through.  You can even use clear gesso, which will alow more to show through and give you a little more texture.  It is more gritty than the white.

This is the one that inspired my last blog entry..." She took the leap".....................................

                                                 A poem found on a website that spoke to me.

I have many more pages to fill in this little book.  It is addictive, I must warn you.  If you can't find a small vintage book, make your own little journal.  This book measures 4 x 2 3/4.  Cut a piece of paper double the size of each and attach washi tape to secure the pages together.  Add cardboard or card stock to the outside for strength.

"You can't use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have."  Maya Angelou

See you soon.
Ursula

She took the leap and built her wings on the way down....

Sometimes it takes us a while to take the leap.  We are filled with fear and uncertainty.  

I wrote the words above in my new mini journal just recently.  There is always someone better, more qualified and so on.  Fear keeps us trapped in our comfort zone.  Not knowing what the outcome will be, what if we fail!!

Hey, what if we do not fail?  What if what we hoped and dreamed of is better than anything we ever dreamed of?  

I have found that each time I take the leap, so to speak, I learn and grow from it.  So, as they say, nothing ventured nothing gained.  I guess I am writing this to myself right now.  Fear keeps us paralyzed, from moving forward. 

On another page, I wrote; "We must try".  

Sometimes as I look back on my journal pages, I see a theme and don't realize it until I flip back and see recent entries.  

I recently took a leap and things have not turned out quite the way I wanted them to.  But, maybe the outcome is still in process.  I have to trust the Lord in all things and as I take the leap, He is holding onto me and guiding me on the way down.

 Funny how this blog has turned out so different than I intended.  I had photos of a new mini journal that I wanted to share with you.  For some reason, the pictures are not downloading and I just kept writing in hopes they would appear. 

I will try and share my new journal ideas on the next blog.

Until next time,

Don't forget to fly..........