Pretty in (mostly) pink...

Just adding a few of my loves together...flowers, especially hydrangeas and cone flowers, (though i will probably have a new favorite this year), drawing, creating one of my Curlie Girls, photography and altering my photographs...
Enjoy...
Marianne :)

Photo Fun with "Little Owl"...

I'm having way too much fun photographing my new (and only) grand son this week... My mind can not stay still with all the creative and crazy ideas that are popping through it! I'm also enjoying...holding, feeding, burping, cuddling, admiring...lovely... Such a sweet time...What a blessing and gift a child is...
Thank you LORD for Wylie Jackson...
Enjoy...( I certainly am! )
Marianne :) :)

Bloom! Journal page...

One stamp, many colors...This is a simple journal page where I took a favorite stamp and placed it in random places on the page...I had an idea in mind, make a different "flower" from each stamp, with different shapes and colors...I tried to make them all as individual as could be, with the face as the common theme... See how the amount of ink and shading of the faces actually makes them look more intense or innocent? Anyway, just a bit of black ink, one "baby" stamp as I call it, a sharpie pen ( fine, non-bleeding) and AquaMarkers make for a fun, easy and relaxing journal page, card or small art piece...The sky's the limit!
Hope you Enjoy,
I did!
Marianne :)

I AM AN ARTIST! SUZI SAYS SO!

I am an Artist. Suzi says so!
I remember the first time I saw this, heard her say this... I am referring to the fabulously talented Suzi Blu! I was sick, in bed and depressed a couple of years ago and stumbled onto Suzi's great YouTube videos and then her website... I watched her videos over and over again, so attracted to her art and style... and when I heard this statement, something in me was set free... I didn't have to be trained in art school, have graduated from art college... I could just be me, little ol' me, drawing, painting, crafting, majorly enjoying these things and be an Artist! It didn't matter that I was a Mom too and wife and that I had dedicated many years to bringing up kids, throwing birthday parties, making painted T-Shirts and custom cakes and homemade hair bows...Singing, teaching, cooking, crafting, taking pictures, decorating my home, gardening, raising chickens and making a cozy place to live...It didn't matter because...I was an Artist too!
I took Suzi's online drawing class and ended up getting to meet with her several times. ( I wrote about this last year in a couple of LONG blogs.)...Anyway, I will continue on this subject in the next couple of posts but I just wanted to tell you that I got her AMAZING new book this week from Amazon and this picture and her statement are in it. I highly recommend this delightful and beautiful book, it comes with a video too but I have been SO into the book that I haven't even had a chance to view it, yet...
From: MIXED MEDIA GIRLS with Suzi Blu
"I AM AN ARTIST! SUZI SAYS SO! Yes...you. Little and meek, wanting so very badly to make beautiful paintings, you think, "Who am I to do this?"..."
"YOU ARE AN ARTIST! And if you don't believe it yet, believe that I believe!" Suzi Blu

Thanks Suzi, for the vote of confidence, for sharing your skill, for your fun videos, for teaching us, for believing in us and setting us free to draw, paint and enjoy and for your wonderful new book!
Enjoy...And go order that book!
Marianne :)

Mason...part 1

Dear Ball Perfect Mason Jar, how I love thee! I love the bubbles captured forever in your shining glass, I love your raised letters that reflect the light and show off who you are...I love how you look so good, just sitting around being yourself! It doesn't matter weather you are in the kitchen, living room or bathroom, people just can't help but notice how handsome you are...I love how anything that you are holding looks extra special, from buttons to cotton balls, you are always dressed so smartly. But Mr Mason, my very favorite thing about you is that you are an incredible shade of blue, and oh how I love blue! You are that snappy peacock blue, that look-how-good-I-look-today-kind-of blue...that kind that looks so great on its own...
(see Mason part 2 below)...

Mason...part 2

...and holding flowers!
Enjoy!
Marianne :)

"Working" on...

So this is one of the things I've been working on lately... I should say "playing", because that is what it feels like, pure pleasure!! These are Twinkling H2o's, just dabbled in the general shape of a flower... Then I come back, and this is the REALLY fun part, with a Fine Sharpie and start "picking" flowers! Hummm, what type flower does this one remind me of? And I start outlining, adding details... I'm not quite finished with this one and I'm showing that on purpose. In the top right hand corner of the first rectangle, you can see some unfinished flowers. I've already decided that they will be poppies, but just for illustration sake, I'm showing them to you undone...
Hope you Enjoy!
Marianne :)

My Big "Little" news....

I'm very happy to announce that a new, beautiful little life has entered this world: His name is Wylie Jackson and he has completely captured my heart. ( And ALL my camera lenses, believe me!) The fact that I am his Oma (Dutch for Grandma), makes it amazingly special! I feel much too young to be a Grandma, but I wouldn't change this love and feeling for him for anything in the world!
Welcome to this imperfect world little guy, you just made it a whole lot more beautiful!
Love from Oma...
And Enjoy from Marianne :) :)