Getting my exercise on!

Today was the third day back to my fitness routine and the gym. I really love going to the gym so I haven't figured out why I continually have a conversation with myself in the morning. Telling myself , "Just go!" and then answering myself, "Oh, I can just stay home today. I have so many things to do!" 

Luckily, so far my first self has won out in the end. And I have gone each morning this week. I do have a workout schedule that I try to follow. 

I go Monday, Wednesday, Friday to my gym for spin class. I love spin class! Its hard but I feel so great when I'm done. And then I want to go Tuesdays and Thursdays and work my arms. I add other things in there too. Running on the treadmill. Or walking on a high incline. Using the stair climber. Or the elliptical. There are a variety of things to do and they are all pretty good. 

Then when I am not in the gym, I like to go on runs. I first started running when my coaches from a weight loss challenge that I had joined, told us to run. And I started FROM SCRATCH. I could not breathe! I will tell that story on another day. And how far I've come. I definitely have more to do when it comes to changing habits. So I am not going up and down with my weight. 

But I have really learned so much and even more what I am capable of! And that is the best part!

Just goes to show you how we can all still grow!

Finding time

This is a quick post today. So many things to do. We did manage to get a little art in last night. We, meaning my kids and I. Like I mentioned in the last post, I am taking an online art class, Soul Food. It's so fun! You can register for the class here.
My middle girl and my youngest watched the videos with me and wanted to make their own "collage cake." I will post the finished collages when we're done. But I do have a sneak peek of mine. I started with a sketch so I had an idea for what I wanted to do. And I wanted it to be a St. Valentine's Day collage.

Will be back with my girls collages and my final piece!

Now off to run my errands!

Happy day all!

Back to it...

Winter break has come and gone. The kids are back in school. I am back to an exercise routine that I have neglected the ENTIRE break! And the piles of to-dos and goal lists and task sheets are in front of me waiting patiently for my attention. Hopefully they won't be left all alone! :)

I didn't get much art done over the weekend. Aside from a small mixed-media style painting I made. While my middle daughter was working on hers. And then my youngest daughter decided to join in. They give up a lot quicker than I do. I see making art as relaxing and fun. I can work on something pretty long. And may only feel how tired I am when I have finished for the night or completed something.

But my middle girl sees it as work- hard work. I try to tell her to just relax and don't worry about mistakes. They can most often be fixed and covered and worked over. (What I love about mixed-media painting and journaling) You can't really make a mistake. I just tell her if you don't like what you see, keep going! Eventually it will turn into something you love.

(I'm not sure why I could not get this picture to turn right side up. It is upside down. )

 Now my youngest daughter- she's a riot. She will sit down, gather her tools and just start creating! Thinking. Creating. Until she gets bored and moves on. But she will often come back to the same project and finish it. I like that she doesn't give up! And I usually don't even have to help too much. I just let her do her thing!

 This is actually an old journal page that was not loved and no longer used. I encourage them to use these as backgrounds for something new. She didn't get very far with covering and moved on to something else.

This is a journal book that the youngest started for her cousin's birthday. She is having a Doc McStuffins party. So my daughter thought she would make her cousin a journal to keep her goodies and thoughts in.

And this is a structure she was building for the lizards that run around out in our yard. 

 And then there's my older daughter. She enjoys making art. But can take it or leave it.

 She gets an idea but doesn't have the patience to follow through till the end. Although she did make me a lovely collage for Christmas this year!

 I love when my kids make homemade gifts. Use what is in the house and come up with something clever. Sometimes we take it too far.Such as when my youngest was going to throw a piece of box or trash or something away. And says,"oh, wait mom. Could we make something out of this?" I just laugh. Because I gave her the recycle art bug. Its fun to make something beautiful out of nothing!

Well, enough with the ramblings. I have a very busy week. Have the Desert Discovery Center reopening. I will talk more about what we do there. Some really great things! If your ever in the area of Barstow, California. Then take a peek into the Desert Discovery Center and see all the great things they have to offer.

And I have another class posted in Soul Food! So much fun already. I want to get straight to the next class by Cathy Bluteau! And then I have my sister's and my niece's birthday coming up this weekend! So much to work on! I will show you some of the cute yard signs that I come up with for these gatherings! So I am off to continue with my attempts to learn! Everyday I'm Still Growing.....

A little art every day

I was working on some more art yesterday. Worked on Lesson 2 by Gwenn Seemel. She is fantastic! Her art is stunning and in a style that I love!!
My attempt at marker drawing was, let's just say, a little less than wonderful. ha ha
But I will share, because the whole purpose of being here is to show what I am learning and how it takes time and effort to progress at anything we do in life. I really enjoyed the lesson and am going to continue to work on it and see if I can improve. So maybe in the future I will be able to post some improvements!

This was actually my attempts after the very first. That wasn't even worth keeping. I have made a couple more after this. It seems that if you make quick but deliberate strokes, if that makes sense, it seems to come together easier? I don't know. Hard to explain. But for those artists that use this style. They are awesome!! They make it look so easy and so beautiful! Maybe one day…….

Also, I was working on some recycle art that I loooove…….
I love to use TRASH to make TREASURES!!! It makes me so happy!!! I don't have unlimited funds to go out and purchase art supplies. And maybe if I did, I wouldn't be so in love with recycled art. But I have found that if I work on a piece that is from something recycled and it comes out beautiful, I just get soooo happy and proud and in loooove!! For some reason… Ha ha!!
Anyway, so last night I picked up one of my containers that I like to save. A Pringles canister. I didn't take a before picture, but I'm sure everyone knows what they  look like.
I started by gluing down paper to the whole can. Then a layer of Gesso. Then layered on paint, gelatos, ink, more paper. I painted it up and voila! Ended up with this lovely piece!!

Another view

Then I also took quick video. Just to show all around.

You can throw whatever little trinkets or art supplies into it and it looks so sweet on your shelf!

I made another one before out of a Country Time Lemonade container. It was intended for my youngest daughter's preschool teacher. It was going to be her end of the year gift. But I, as usual, was so disorganized it never made it to her!! Sorry Mrs. Loretta! You are the very best preschool teacher ever! She has been there for like 35 years now! Bless her heart! Like 45 little 3, 4 and 5 year olds! 

I wrote a poem to put on it that went with the idea of putting those flower pens in it. 

Just like a flower, I started out small.

Over the months, I began to grow tall. 

Just like the sunshine, you helped me to sprout. 

You helped and you helped till I figured it out.

You fed me with numbers and letters too!

And soon I had petals, ready to bloom.

Now the year's done and because of your love. 

I am the most BEAUTIFUL flower there was.

~Rhonda Kamel~

In the future, I will post other recycle projects that I've completed ( Or attempted :/ )

Have a great day and go through that trash! See what you find!

Still growing….

Learning and Life

I see I forgot to add a title to the last post. Well, you get the gist…
I started a new online class. Soul Food 2014 by Mystele and other great artists. Its a mixture of art and food! Two of my favorites!
I completed the first project.

"Find your way"

We were told to just play around with layers. But were directed to use a geli plate and prompt cards. Which neither one I had. 

So I just got to work with what I had. Used plastic wrap to make a print. Which this technique would work fine, if it dries all the way. I didn't want to wait that long so I just started on the painting you see here, "Find your way" 

I really like how she came out and the layers I achieved. 

I then finished another painting on the "printed" surface where I had used the plastic wrap. Once it had dried, I went back and added more layers of paint and paper and crayon and gelatos. All those fun things. And this is the result!

"Snuggle Bunny"

Lesson two came out today. It was actually up on the site last night and I couldn't wait so I've already watched it! This artist's technique is so awesome and she makes it look effortless. But of course - no. I will work on it and show you what I end up with! If this class sounds fun to you, sign up! The link is above! We can share in the fun! Now I'm off to clean house and get me some art time!

Always… Still growing…..

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!
It's 2014! I'm still here and praying that this will be my year!
As always, still growing!
Check in for great things!