WE'RE MOVING!

We've decided - for lots of really good reasons - to move. I have a five bedroom house with a huge studio and garage...packed FULL of stuff...to move into a three bedroom apartment. 

That means that I'll have to sell some items. Like about...half of what I own. Well OK...maybe only a third of it. I'm really good at fitting stuff in though. To be a pack rat...you have to be good at it. To say the least, I'm gonna be busy for the next couple months and won't be online very often. 

Before I 'sign off' I wanted to give a great big thank you to some very special people - beginning with Ann Hyde of Ann's Art @ Studio Hyde.

We found each other through the Sketch Book Challenge on Flickr - her sketches are awesome - and have been following each other's blogs for awhile now. She is a terrific painter! Go see for yourself. Ann saw some of my pictures on my blog last year and asked for permission to paint them. She perfectly captured - in watercolors - my hubby's body language and the feel of our boat beached at Cayo Costa in SW FL where we used to live and where I love more than any other spot on earth. 

She also amazingly painted our Miss Kitty who is no longer on this earth. 

When I saw the paintings for the first time...I was flabbergasted. I cried. After a few months Ann offered to mail them to me as a gift - if I wanted them - and of course I was thrilled and definitely wanted her to. She mailed them to my brother in the States and they just happened to arrive the very weekend my daughter was visiting there and she picked them up and brought them back to Colombia. Ann even matted the pictures so all I had to do was find frames for them. I had some old ones on hand (I'm a pack rat...remember) which needed a little paint and for now, they'll do. I'm on the look-out for the perfect frames though because what I've put them in doesn't quite do them justice. I've taken I don't know HOW many pictures and they keep coming out wonky...but there they are. I love them SO much. I get the most unimaginable pleasure from them not only because of the subjects but because Ann, whom I've not met in person...yet...painted and then sent them to me out of her generous heart. Thank you Ann. I treasure them. They are SO right.

I also want to thank Momma Spud - who might not want her real name mentioned here - for the lovely post she put online last week in which she talked about my art and her philosophy. I cried again. Thank you SO very much for your beautiful words. My heart is full. I always enjoy her posts - especially when she talks about her personal life because she's a woman with a great big beautiful heart. I hope you'll visit her blog, t'was brillig and to say hi.

Then, I was pretty amazed and delighted and totally honored to be featured by Kim of IMGIRL without Wings and Inspiration Avenue - on Living The Color Filled Life .com - which is a site inspired by artists who journal. Thank you so much Kim!

I look up to each of these women and their amazing art and lives and they've each touched me in a very special way this week.

Actually, I look up to EACH and EVERY one of you. A special ThankS to those of you that follow my blog...new and old. It always amazes me that you're interested in what I have to write...or show. I love your comments and you'll never know how much what you have to say motivates and encourages me. 

Thank you.


Thank you.


Thank you.

Create Your Life,


annie!

THE OTHER HALF...

I'm showing off again with all these pictures. 

Can't help it. 

I really love this journal.

It's kind of funny because I don't always 

(usually) 

love them until they come together as a book. 

What a difference it makes to get them bound and all the tags stuck into their slots and pockets. 

And to realize...again...that it was made out of TRASH!!!

Now...all I need is enough nerve to write in it. 

front cover

As you can see from the following picture (which I forgot to include in this post)...of my latest altered book page - 

my handwriting isn't very wonderful. 

This and the following two art journal pages are ones I've shown before...but keep tweaking.

Sounds like practice coming on! 

Create Your Life,

annie!

And...since art journals are one of my favorite things, I'm linking up to Jenn's Artist's Play Room. (Go!!! You'll love it!!!)

OH BOY DID I HAVE FUN WITH THIS

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I wanted to show you the pictures of my completed art journal but there are so many it'll have to be two posts!

I can't help but say, "I love it"!

This is the journal that I worked on while in the States last month.

The one that I used as my sample during the workshop that I taught at Marlene's studio.

I used only materials that I picked up AFTER leaving for the airport on the way to FL.

With the exception of a few pieces of painted cardboard left over from another project.

Most of my supplies came from yard sales. The only thing that I bought new..was glue.

I loved teaching this workshop and can't wait to see pictures from the ladies who are hopefully finishing up their art journals!!!

Create Your Life,

annie!

PS - I'm linking to Pink Saturday since there IS a lot of pink in my journal! AND...a great new, fun, linky website that goes by the name Craft-O-Maniac!