Wedding Invitations - The Number Keeps Getting Larger!!

A young friend of mine named Rode is getting married in October and she asked if I would make her invitations.  "Of course," I said, "It would be my pleasure. How many do you think we will need?"

"175", she said, as I gulped. But now that number is 225, and I think growing. Good thing my friend Laura likes to scrap and craft, because this project is big.  We both like playing with paper, canvas, etc so this will be fun.. 

I created a few examples for Rode to choose from.  This Tri-Fold was her first choice.  And, mine too.  I love using the Provo Craft Cuttlebug Embossing Folder of swirls.  It's so rich.

My friend Rode is Hispanic, and I was not aware of their customs when it comes to weddings and invitations. First, the wording is going to be in Spanish. Ooops, I don't know Spanish, even after two semesters in college...a long time ago. No problem, she can write it out exactly, then we print and email to her for her review. This will be a fun adventure.

After more phone calls from Rode, I am told that members of the family contribute by paying for portions of the wedding costs and their names are to be listed on the invitation.  Our little Tri-Fold card is looking a bit to small, even if we use
the backside.  Fortunately,the only paper that had been cut was for the sample.

Now I'm back to the drawing board and sketch pad.  I had to keep the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder swirl in the invitation as she is having her cake decorated to match.  Cute idea.

Here is the next invitation that I came up with; and, fortunately, she likes it equally as well.  With this portrait layout we now have plenty of space. I will have ample room to add the people who contribute to the wedding on the back side. The next thing I had to overcome was to emboss with the Cuttlebug Swirl folder.  Aha, by folding the top portion of this invitation, I was able to incorporate the  swirl embossing and the aqua ribbon.  Her colors are Aqua, White and Black.  A Fiskar border punch was used on the ends - top and bottom.  By adding a small black strip of paper behind the border, I was able to get all of her colors into the invitation.  Whew, so glad to be able to create another invitation that she would be happy with.

I am relatively new to this blogging thing, so I don't yet know how to keep the text in the right place, but with time and practice, I will get there.

My hope is that you were inspired to create something fun...and something that will bless you alot. 

Created In His Image!  

  

My Garden

"Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation,; seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.  And, it was so." Genesis 1:11

There is another form of creating that has evolved in my toolbox of art forms, and it is flower gardening.  We have been in our current home for five years. Little to no landscaping had been done, but we had the vision.  The large machine you see was there to build a pool and it gives you a picture of the back yard at that time. 

What you will see in the next few photos is advancing from the bulldozers in 6/2005, to today. 

I like to sit outside in the morning, drink coffee and read the bible.  This morning, I also brought my camera to take a few photographs.

I love getting my hands into the dirt.  Most of the plants are perennials:  Calas of various types, Day Lillies, Lambs Ears, Wood Fern, Elephant Ears, and other types of ferns and Cone Daisy's that return each year, so I am not having to plant and replant each year as I did for so many years until I got smart.  I was a little slow to figure this out, but when I did, Oh what a difference it made!

This is where I sit to have coffee...under the umbrella where I can see the birds feeding in the many bird feeders.  Cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, wrens, and others I don't know names of. :)

You can see a corner of my Art Shop where I spend another good part of my time creating.

The best news of all today was that I spent a good 2 hours this morning from about 6:45 to 8:45 a.m. trimming, cleaning the pool deck, and the pool, and cutting off dead buds and fertilizing.  I was hot and had a great work out and for the first time in what seems like forever, I did not have any Fibro pain in my back or legs.  Normally, I have to use a cane to stoop and get back up.  That was simply amazing.  For that I thank the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Centers.  I have been going since October 09 and have been a stellar patient, following the protocol to the letter; and, it is working!!!  God is Good!!

I hope you enjoyed this little slice of heaven that my husband and I get to enjoy each and every day and maybe it will inspire you to do a little gardening yourself. 

Happy Creating and God Bless!

Painting a Self Portrait in Acrylics

This was one of my first portrait paintings on canvas.  I have always drawn peoples faces, but had never attempted to paint one.  Not wanting to insult another person with an image that didn't please them, I chose to do a self-portrait.  Then, I could only be mad at myself if I hadn't conveyed the image correctly. 

Paintings have many "ugly" stages until you reach the "finished" piece and I thought I would share those different stages.  If you have never painted, you might find this interesting.

In the first stage, the image is roughly drawn on, using a very liquid Raw Umber and a paint brush.  I need the acrylic to stay wet while I'm doing this so with the use of a water mister and gel medium, the image can be roughed in and corrections made as I go along with the paint staying wet.  The picture below defines placement, values, composition... 

Now that the drawing is roughed in, the full palette of color is introduced.  In this next image all attention has been focused on the face.

Here I am moving around as details are given to the bible, chair, shirt, etc.

Looks like I'm having a bad hair day! :)

The hand, book and background are coming together. As with many artists, it is all too easy to overwork the image....but if you feel you are heading in that direction, it is wise to lay the painting aside for a week or so, then go back and critique yourself, asking the question, "Does this work?

Created in His Image.