Its been a while...

It has been a while since I posted, but life has a way of going by way to quickly.  I wanted to share with you pictures of some of the items I made for our ARTHaven January Swaps.  I hope that those who receive them will enjoy them. 

Let me know what you think!!

Sherri

I am not sure why blogger rotated the last picture, but I think you can still get the idea.  Have a great day!

A Fun Fungi

We have had a lot of rain lately and it is amazing what will sprout up after a good rain.   When we were out the other day I found this amazing fungi growning in the moss under and old oak tree.  It fascinated me, reminding me of a creamcicle.  Enjoy!!

Growing up so fast....

The last eleven years have flown by.  My baby is now a young lady, and I couldn't be more proud.  Of all my creations, she is by far my masterpiece.  This was taken on her birthday, June 14, and I just had to take a minute to share with you what keeps me motivated and moving forward. 

Botanical Blooms

Our theme this month in ARTHaven was Botanical Blooms.  Anyone who knows me knows that flowers are my favorite subject to photograph, so this was a great theme for me to play with.  We were challenged to create a card with matching envelope, a tag, a pillow box and a gothic arch hanging piece.  Here are the first three of mine -- I will post the arch later tonight when the final addition to it has dried.  I hope the ladies who will be receiving these enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them. 

Thanks for looking and have a wonderful day!!

A Little Bird Art....

I wanted to share with you an art piece I am proud of.  It is not often that I am really happy with what I create.  I always feel like it needs something when I finish...except this time.  With input from my dear friend Kerry, I was able to make something very special for our friend Diann.  It was a swap in the ARTHaven group, but I was struggling and not happy with the fabric hangie I was creating.   It just wasn't speaking to me.  One day while visiting Kerry, I wandered into Joann's and this fabric jumped up and shouted at me - and I knew it was just perfect for Diann with her love of birds and flowers.   And so I started over... and I am so glad I did. 

The background is natural canvas and the bird piece is layered on top of that with frayed edges.  The berries are all French Knots.  There are paint accents on the bird and branches to highlight them, and a bit of sparkle was added to his beautiful beak.  The lace was hand dyed with Tim Holtz Distress Reinkers, and couldn't have turned out more perfectly.  A raid of Kerry's incredible stash of flowers provided the perfect branch and a flower that was made just for this piece.  The orange of the flower is the perfect accent for the birds beautiful colors.

The best part of the whole project was Diann's excitement and enthusiasm over this.  It made my day knowing she liked it and thought it was worth the wait. 

Thanks for visiting and letting me share with you.  

Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

Have you thanked a veteran yet today?  If not, please think of the meaning of the day, the history, and do so.  I would like to share with you the following from William J. Federer's American Minute:

American Minute for November 11th:

The 11th hour of the 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH of 1918, World War I ended. Though the Armistice was signed at 5:00 AM, fighting continued till 11:00 AM, killing nearly 11,000 more men.

In 1921, President Warren Harding had the remains of an unknown soldier killed in France buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. Inscribed on the Tomb are the words: "Here lies in honored glory an American soldier know but to God."

Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all U.S. Veterans. In 1958, President Eisenhower placed soldiers in the tomb from WWII and the Korean War. The soldier from Vietnam, buried by President Reagan in 1984, was identified by DNA tests as pilot Michael Blassie and was reburied in 1998 at Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.

On NOVEMBER 11, 1921, President Harding stated: "On the threshold of eternity, many a soldier, I can well believe, wondered how his ebbing blood would color the stream of human life, flowing on after his sacrifice...I can sense the prayers of our people...Let me join in that prayer. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come..."

I am proud to come from a long history of service to our country and our people.  While I myself did not join the military, my grandfather, my father and my brother-in-law were all career soldiers, as were several dear friends.  I am so very proud of them, and thankful for the sacrifices they made for our proud nation.  We are truly the land of the free, because of the brave - men and women who have fought so hard to protect the rights we have been given.  We should never take that freedom for granted, or forget those who died to preserve that freedom. 

Operation Write Home ~~ Cards for our Troops

Operation Write Home is a special group that ArtHaven is supporting by making cards.  I managed to get a lot of time to create some while I was in South Carolina, but I never got them posted.  These will be heading out of here Monday to Celeste, a great friend who supports this wonderful cause and helped make it possible for the rest of the group to do so too. 

Christmas Cards are next on the list!