This will be Thrusday's blog..

I forgot about this picture..It was found in my mother's home after she died.
The antique dealer told me to get it rematted and put a price on it, which I wasn't interested in selling..Still haven't had the matting done..but thought you might like seeing it..It is a watercolor..I just think she is so beautiful and love the flowers in the hair..Hope you all see the beauty in her.

Till next time, keep looking up..

My Newest Angel and My First

I was at a Pastel class and the instructor told us to do what we wanted..Well, I didn't have any pictures to use and I kept looking at the board..I saw an Angel and that is how it all started..Then I started having ideas of Angels, and tried them in watercolor..All winter, I kept painting Angels..I think I have over 28 done..
It has kept me going when things would upset me, I would work on an Angel..
All I know is, I am very thankful for the topic, it has kept me working in the positive.
As we all know, there isn't any of us that are free of troubles...It is how we handle the troubles. They either makes us or breaks us. The choice is up to us..I chose Angels..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Bluets, A Wildflower in Maine.

The excitement I had, when I found this little clump of Bluets..Again, my pictures do no justice to the lovely little wildflower..They are just coming up and when I saw a little clump of them, I wanted to share a picture on my blog..They usually cover the back yard, which will happen as time goes on. I won't kid you, I was moving fast. In order to click this picture, I was on my knees, head almost in the grass and afraid someone would think I passed out on the lawn and start yelling..I did try and hide myself near some bushes..but I was a nervous wreck. You will get the idea of how cute they are. They are a light blue around the edges, very delicate. This is the first flower, in my yard so far, so you know why I am excited. Wonderful spring, makes life so much happier..and very thankful to see winter move along.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Frozen Chocolate Treats.

This is a fun recipe. It is great for children and adults alike..
1 cup instant cocoa mix
2 cups powdered milk
2 1/2 cups water
Combine all in bowl, stir till all dissolved, pour into Popsicle molds/freeze.
If you don't have the molds use dixie cups..when almost frozen add popsicle sticks.

I make this for the grandchildren and when I want to watch my diet..It is low in calories and gives you a nice little sweet..
Can you ask for anything faster than this? As you notice, my recipes are usually quick, but they are tasty. Enjoy..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Pictures By Marc..

Wanted to share some beautiful pictures that our friend, Marc takes..These pictures are just some of the wonderful shots of Maine. To me, he tells a story about Maine and he shares it with everyone through his photos. The photos I have up are only a few..There are lighthouses, ocean views, and many more..If anyone is interested in buying some of his beautiful work, just email Marc at..OLDMANZ@verizon.net
and put "Photos" in the subject line. His pictures are worthy to hang on anyone's wall..He is using his gifts and you can see it in the quality of his work..

Till next time, keep looking up....

My Little Shed..

Will be opening it up in June.We had a metal roof put on it in November..so it looks much nicer, then these pictures..This is a nice way to get my stuff out there, even though we don't get that much tourist traffic past the house..
It is a way of keeping me busy and it is fun. Will change things around again, but here are a few pictures of the inside..
Have to admit, the bushes need trimming..
With Etsy, craft/art shows and this little shed, even if things don't sell fast, it is a positive move..Anything you do, the main thing is don't get discouraged..You just don't know what the next day may bring.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Here is my picture for Fingerprint Friday..

God's fingerprint..Whenever I see rainbows, they always excite me..My pictures did the beautiful rainbow in front of our home, no justice..But it is truly a
"Fingerprint from God"..Don't believe me, Ask Noah...


Till next time, keep looking up.

Getting the garden ready..

Well, the manure was dumped and now the tiller will be doing the work..Hoping this year will be a successful one..Last year, was good..some years are better than others.
As I have said before, it is good my husband takes care of it.. The thought of freezing/canning our veggies, is exciting.
Just to know what you are eating, is a big reward. Something ,I can't stress enough to everyone. Please pay attention to labels and what you put in your mouth..Use your common sense, it is a gift..
I remember when oleo was pushed and I say pushed, with all the hype on how great it was for you..Now, they are finding out it did quite a bit of clogging in the ole arteries..Makes you think, what else is being pushed at us, cloning, gmo, etc..
Just giving you "food for thought"..

Till next time, keep looking up...

The Number 8...

Now here is a fun thing from Numerology..It tells about putting a piece of paper with the number 8 on it, in your wallet, or near where you pay your bills..They say the number 8 is a very lucky number and will draw good from the universe..I thought it might be fun to try..I have the link to Glynis Has Your Number.
She is a fun read and kind of surprises me with her knowledge and the way numbers work. I have said this before, I always keep my mind open to all things. It makes for a very interesting life and I just sift through what I want to keep and let the rest fall by the wayside. So if you want a fun read, check out Glynis, you might be surprised.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Thank you, LaVieEstBelle..

Thank you for my two awards..You have made my day...

Meteor Shower

This morning was the Lyrid Meteor shower..Down I came early, just to see what was happening..It was a waste of time..The cloud cover and fog, blocked my wonderful sky..It was a disappointment, but there will be others..
It is so exciting to watch the meteors falling in different places, something I never get tired of seeing.
The meteor showers in August/November are usually the best..at least they have been for me. Well, this one didn't work out, but there will be others in the coming months..Hope the weather will be accommodating . If you haven't seen one, be on the look out for the next and I promise you, you will be thrilled..I am always impressed with God's fireworks..they go all over the sky and in different sizes.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Pictures.

I came across a picture of our five daughters and it brought back many memories.
The only one married, at that time, was the oldest girl..she is on the bottom of the picture..Anyway, Delia was working for a photographer and set this picture up..
I think it is kind of neat and thought it was blog worthy..
Bittersweet memories..
Your life is but a blink.. This I know and very pleased with "Our Blink"..

Till next time, keep looking up.

Fingerprint Friday.

Yesterday, Pamperingbeki had fingerprint Friday..you picked pictures that you thought were God's fingerprints..put the pictures up and join the link on her page. I won't kid you, there isn't anywhere I don't see God's work, but I picked the Volcano in Maui, plus our little friend, the jackman..At first I lost the pictures and if you want to know the truth, I still can't find one...Anyway, I hope you enjoy the volcano/jackman..even the Aurora's below are still another fingerprint.


Till next time, keep looking up..

God's Fingerprint..

One of God's fingerprints on this earth..Haleakala Volcano
in Maui, Hawaii..

Books on Tape..

Have you ever listened to books on tape? I have to say, it can be very relaxing.
Put a tape on at night before going to sleep and it quiets the mind..Especially if you have had a rough day and can't seem to calm down. Sometimes, I listen to old radio tapes..Since I am not a t.v. watcher, these tapes are a good listen.
Of course, the book tapes you listen to, should be light mysteries and just good stories..nothing real exciting, but interesting.
I have a few language tapes I will put on when painting..just for the fun of it. It is even more fun listening to me trying to pronounce the words..
If you haven't done this before, try it..I bet you will be surprised at the enjoyment you will get from it..it is a good way to use the mind.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Auroras

Aurora's are something that is to do with ice crystals and light. I was lucky many years ago,to see one from our deck. I put a couple of pictures of them, from spaceweather on the side of the blog.
There are many beautiful pictures at http://spaceweather.com/
I wrote about this link before. They have such good information about the sky.
Meteor showers, sundogs, pillars and rainbows, just to name a few..I really never knew half of these things existed. Even if you don't witness them first hand, it is fun to take a look at the pictures.
There is something so beautiful about the sky, even the cloud formations..take the time to look up. You never know what you might see. At night go outside, sit and look up at the stars..the peace you will feel is wonderful. It gives you food for thought and it is there for all of us to enjoy. Don't waste this beauty..

Till next time, keep looking up..

The Face.

I had something all planned to write about and then I read this article about the
face in the glass..Thought you might like reading about it and I am sure some of you read it already.
It seems the face of Jesus Christ appeared on the glass of a door, in the hospital..
People with cell phones got the picture..They said He was crying..The image didn't stay that long, but the picture is very clear..So the picture is on the right and the article link is on the blog..http://www.local6.com/news/15875360/detail.html
Makes you wonder why there and what is the reason?..At least that is what I am thinking..It really doesn't matter the whats/whys..I am enjoying the beautiful picture and happy I got to see a picture of it. Hope you all enjoy it

Till next time, keep looking up..

Bird Bath

This was seen on Rebecca's Garden a few years ago..Three clay planting pots, different sizes and a clay tray, that goes under the pots..You pick the size..Stack them upside down, large on the bottom, next size bit smaller, and then the last pot, now put the clay tray on top for water..I hope you have the idea..It is just that simple.
You can paint the pots and the tray that you put the water in, if you want..I made one and gave it away, so I can't show you the results..They are so cute and the size depends on you. Large bird bath, work with the larger pots, small bird bath, work with smaller pots.. I painted mine.
Used a beautiful blue, the rim of the pots were yellow, and the tray blue/yellow..painted a few fish in the tray..I varnished them, so the painting would hold up in the weather, plus easier to clean...With spring here and the birds all around, you will find this a nice attraction to your garden/deck. Even get the children involved..It isn't a real expensive project and one that is fast..The birds will love you..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Few pictures from The Animal Farm

These pictures were taken by CaraRose/Jim on a trip to the Animal Farm in Maine, few years ago.. The animals that are wounded or people can't handle anymore,usually end up here. I think the pictures are worth seeing and you even get to see our friends from Quebec/Japan, plus CaraRose/Jim...
Now a word about the farm..It is really wonderful how animals get taken care of..some are put back into the wild, some aren't. Depending on how bad they were hurt. Hope you enjoy the few pictures I put up..When I look at them, I am always in awe of the beauty that is on this earth. Now, that doesn't mean I want to be friends with the cougar...He looks nice at a distance.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Sun is Out...

We are in for a beautiful stretch of weather..Now the cleanup begins..Isn't it funny what the yard looks like after winter? From the plow, you have all the gravel pushed up the driveway and now we have to rake it back down..Everything looks a little sad.
We had a metal roof put on this fall..Wonderful roof, but on the south side, the side we use the most, the snow was up to the windows..The snow comes off the roof with a vengeance. We do have a small canopy over the door so that helped..but the deck took a beating..Very thankful for our roof, but this year will plan to change a few things on this south side.
All this is minor, we have the sun warming us and I am so thankful..see little tips of flowers popping up and that is exciting. I am so happy we are finally getting beautiful weather..Will try and enjoy every day and never take it for granted..it was a long winter and so happy to see it end..

Till next time, keep looking up.

The Rosebud Collection

Today, I put up a few pieces of jewelery that you can find on therosebudcollection.etsy.com
They are done by our youngest daughter and truly beautiful work. She is the one with Squeaks. Now, I will plug our oldest daughter's blog..http://musicluvamutha.blogspot.com/..she is a great music lover and has great appreciation for all kinds of music..You will be quite surprised at her picks..she is very well rounded in this field..and very selective, especially with two teenage children..Would give plugs to the other three daughters, but they have nothing on the internet at this time.
Would appreciate taking a look at their work..Yes, I am partial, but it's the mother in me...can't help myself.

Till next time, keep looking up.

Fun Project

Looking over some of my patterns for crochet/knit and thought you might like to try this, if you haven't already.
With your odds and ends of yarn, crochet/knit two squares..the size depends on you..cut batting the size of your square, maybe a little less and sandwich between the two crochet/knit pieces. Now crochet them together..Make as many as you like and then crochet them to make a blanket.
This has been done for baby blankets and they are very warm.. I had this pattern for years and alway wanted to use up my leftover yarn..forgot about it and just came across it. Thought it would be a fun project for those that enjoy crochet/knitting..This isn't a large project and travels nicely..Also any beginner can do this.
Have fun and get creative..Nothing more rewarding than seeing a beautiful project come alive right before your eyes...

Till next time, keep looking up..

Thank you

First, I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to write a comment yesterday..You will never know how much they were appreciated..it may seem silly to some, but it was a hard day..
I had painted an Angel with cat during the winter and thought I would put it on my blog today..
Again I thank you all..


Till next time, keep looking up.

Our Squeaks..

Today I write about a cat. Not just any cat, but one that thought he was human..
We found Squeaks in the barn when CaraRose was nine. Never having a cat, I wasn't sure what to do..We fed him formula with an eye dropper, since he was so small..he would snuggle in my bathrobe as I had coffee in the morning..I had to keep telling Cara to stop squeezing him, for fear she would kill him..Did you ever see that cartoon where the little girls squeezed her cat, well, that was CaraRose. As time went on and Cara went to college, Squeaks stayed on with us..Then Cara got married and ole Squeaks went with her. Squeaky is now 18 and quite sick, so now the hard part comes...We will go to Cara/Jims and my husband will go with Jim to have him put down..then bring him home for his final resting place..Some people may say it is "only" an animal, but he was more than that to us..he was family..now the positive side of this story...Squeaks bought so much happiness, laughter and love..we will always be thankful for the gift we found in the barn..

Till next time, keep looking up.

Goals..

I know many of you do this, but for those that don't, I write this note.
Have you ever kept track of your goals everyday? This is such a positive way to start a day and it is fun. Write about five things you want done for the day and as you complete each one, scratch it off the sheet. Even if you write down things that you feel are not important, they are..It helps you get disciplined with your life..something we all need..
So today is goal day.
There is so much negative going around and easy to get drawn into the trap. Some things we can't change, but this is one you have control over. Get out your pen/paper and start writing..

Till next time, keep looking up.

Pastels

Today, I will work with pastels..What a fun medium this is..The thing you must be careful with is breathing in the particles. I don't have a filter in my studio, so I wear a mask..also a non latex glove . It is something I am very careful about.
The colors are so pure in pastel and they will last for life..many of the cave drawings were done in pastel chalk. Are still as beautiful as when they were first done.
The only thing I find very hard to do with this medium is mailing. You have to be so careful, because the dust will move in the painting..I don't spray with a fixative.
Was taught it darkens the painting, so only use it to hold an area that will be worked over again..Some may do different.
Will take a picture of my painting, when it is finished and put it on my blog.. Have you ever tried Pastels..if not, you might be surprised how much fun they are. Try something new and enjoy the adventure.

Till next time, keep looking up..

The paintings are up..

I worked the whole day, in between doing other things, on my paintings..On the Icon, I even put Swarovski crystals in certain places. This is my first try at an Icon, the next will be in oil/acrylic and on wood.
My angel is call "Spring angel" and she is sending you all her gift of flowers.
When you see your flowers bloom, be thankful..What beauty and happiness they bring.
You know people always want green lawns and kill all the dandelions. I think they have a beauty about them and may I say, they can be used for a wonderful wine..the early greens are good to eat..Loved picking bouquets for my mother, as a child..So when you see those yellow blossoms, take a good look at them..They are a beautiful flower and worthy of painting.

Till next time, keep looking up.

Trying something new.

I am trying something new..a watercolor Icon. Have another angel in the process, but thought this would be something different.
Ever since we went to Bulgaria, last May, I have been in love with Icons..They are really beautiful and have something so unique about them. So, I have a fun day planned and just hope it all turns out well..In all honesty, nothing ventured, nothing gained..There are things we do that don't work out the way we want, but at least we tried..I read somewhere , "It is better to fail at something, then to never try"..in all honesty..think about that. You really never failed..
So with that in mind, I am off to the studio and give it my best shot..

Till next time, keep looking up...

Sun is shinning...

The sun is out and it is beautiful..Snow is melting and we might even have a barbecue today. Will try and get inspired to paint something outside. It is hard to find things to paint when the snow goes, everything looks kind of sad..then you start to see it all come to life. A few blossoms here and a few flowers there..exciting things. Next will be sounds. My favorite sound will be the peepers and if all goes well, they will start the end of this month..they are little frogs in ponds..They have such a beautiful sound to me..of course all the bird sounds are wonderful too. Do you realize, you don't have to go anywhere to hear a symphony?
It is the greatest medicine in the world and no matter where you are, you have something like it..and it is for free..Never take these things for granted. They are gifts for us to enjoy..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Just a few Folk Art items.

Put up a few Folk Art items..I know the pictures aren't great, but I can't seem to get the right light.
This is a very happy kind of painting and you get results fast.
If you have a handy person around, that can cut wood..You are all set.
Next thing you know, you will be painting all over the house..I found a small shell on the beach and put a lighthouse inside..there is no end to what you can do in this medium. I went to glass ornaments. Sold the ornaments with Hawaiian flowers in Hawaii, winter scenes for Maine..even got honorable mention for one ornament in Decorative Arts Magazine..It is up to you.
It is how much energy you want to put into something. Some day's you have more spirit than others, but you are human and I have found, you can't be on top all the time. It takes going on the bottom, to know how great it is on the top..
Till next time, keep looking up...

Have you every tried Folk Art?

This is painting on wood, some call it Tole painting. Tole painting usually is done with oil paint..this is done with acrylic. I use to sell quite a bit of it. Did welcome signs, clocks and wall plaques. Will put a few pictures up later of some work..I have to admit, I gave most away. This is a very happy art..I was more into painting pictures on wood, but did do some Russian Art from a book on plaques.
I use to laugh, some canvas artist around here, didn't consider it art..To me, anything you create, is art..Look in some of your caves, they used the rock to paint on..The Amish do beautiful work ..People pay good money to get a chest painted by them.
This is a nice way to start painting and when you use acrylics, very easy clean up. So many ways to do this medium..Get yourself a brush, couple bottles of acrylic paint and a piece of wood. You use a water base varnish for the final step. Some seal the wood first with the varnish.
Do your own thing..you can get books to help you get started..Have fun..No matter what you create, it is your gift and will make you very happy..Use your gifts, they are given to you for a reason..don't bury them.
Till next time, keep looking up.