Beans...Beans...

... are good for your heart.. and art!

Jelly Beans!

I heart the art of stop motion!

.

The eternal God is thy refuge,

 and underneath are the everlasting arms:

and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;

 and shall say, Destroy them.

Deuteronomy 33:27 

Pinterest

1, 2, 3...Snap!...

... I embroidered out this free design I found at http://www.embroiderydesigns.com 

and put it in a frame late last night.

 

I changed the suggested color red to brown.

(yes my wall really is dark butterscotch)

All the designs I have sewn out from this site

 have been great except for the pizza slice; it was a little loopy & my embroidery foot kept getting stuck underneath the stitches. I was testing this one out to make a little case

 for my new camera but when it was finished I thought it would be great on the wall in the guys bathroom. 

It has a few puckers because I used a satin type fabric & I didn't pull the iron out. If I have time today

 I will do that but I thought it was so cute I'd share it. 

How many of us have a picture of ourselves as child in the bathroom? hahaha OhSnap!

Finished Clowning Around...

...I just finished a commission for newlywed performers. It is to be a wedding gift for two fun & talented people! He is a professional clown and she is a professional dancer in Las Vegas.  I had so much fun clowning around with them! It's an honor to be a part of the beginning of their life together.

 

 

I also listed a couple of ACEOs in my Etsy shop today.

 "Dunkin' Darla". 

Darla's her name, Dunk Tank's her Game!

I love her & had fun creating her.

Never stop clowning around & have a great Sunday!

Blessings!

Never Forget You Are...

Blessed! ...

 

... and Loved!

I do get busy & often forget to stop & say thanks for being

a Follower & an Angel of Mine!

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.


 

A Song, A Service & A Show!...

... On Sunday I actually slept in late, which is rare. 

Must have been that cushy bed.

It was nice but at the same time I was very disappointed

that we missed church services at Grace Cathedral. 

We decided to take a walk down to Chinatown,

 just a few blocks at the bottom of the hill. 

While standing in front of a little tea shop,

a big man in a black suit, bowler hat & a

big beautiful husky baritone voice came up to me & 

sang me a joyful spiritual song! 

Unfortunately I didn't get his picture. 

After that Hubby was inspired & decided we should

walk up California Street & go visit the Cathedral anyway. 

Walking up California street on the way up

took every butt muscle we have. But Surprise!

(no pun intended) It was worth it!

When we got there they were having a special

Asia- America service!

So I got a song, a service & a show!

 

 

 

Satyr-1, a street artist we met by the park.

Of course I had to stop & watch for a second.

 I can't wait to go back & see his work finished.

 

 

 

A pretty plant vendor's string gardens on the street. She

was shy & wouldn't let me take her picture.

Hey Tom Hanks I found Zoltar! That's Big! haha

(loved that movie)

 

A beautiful statue on California Street. Half way there.

Had to stop & get a picture just to rest for a second!

 

Grace Cathedral sits atop the highest hill in San Francisco.

A beautiful girl in kimono who did a Japanese dance,

part of the service in the Cathedral.

 

Taiko Drummers in the courtyard of the Cathedral.

After all the walking up & down hills,

and the beautiful Asian service;

Hubby said he was craving Japanese food!

So we popped into Sushi Toni

on the way back to our place and got a little bite.

 

 

Yum...nap time!

 

A Week in San Francisco...

... My BFFs gave me a week in the Nob Hill section of San Francisco for my birthday! They actually got the trip for free on a fluke, so I consider this trip a gift from God as well as from them!  God is great & so are they! I felt very blessed. We stayed at the Powell Place. It was beautiful, like our own little apartment but with all the perks of a fine hotel. Close to the top of the highest hills in the city, at the corner of Powell & California.  We got lots of exercise walking up & down the hills.
Our place was larger than imagined & nicer than expected. It had a bedroom, bath, spacious living room/ dining room & kitchen. It was at the back of the building (house) with a view of a garden (well treetops actually) just outside a big picture window. It was quiet with the exception of the ding ding ding -bell from the cable car that stopped at the top of of Powell Street.  The weather was so lovely & the trees just swayed the breeze into our place, along with the smell of steak, garlic & muffled laughter at night from nearby restaurants.  The staff there was so nice too. Here are a few of my favorite photos I took of "The City" while I was there... tomorrow I'll take you to Chinatown!

 

 

 

The Tadich Grill 

 

 

 

Powell at night

 

 

*****

The horrible plane crash in SF today came to my attention after my initial post. Heartfelt sympathies  go out to all those on board, & to the families of those that were lost.  It was a blessing from God that so many survived.  Another reminder to live everyday to the fullest.

Happy 4th of July!

Free Vintage 4th of July Clip Art

Quick, Cute & Easy 4th of July Table Décor with jars...one of my favorite things!

Click HERE to check out more jar ideas in my
 "Put It In  The Jar" Pinterest Board.

Click on the painted jars picture to get some great 4th of July Recipes.

Have a safe & Happy Independence Day!

The Power of Words...

Mugged...

 

... I love the mugs that people make with Sharpies that I have seen on Pinterest.  These are a few of my favorites I have seen.  For Father's day our little "Bubbie" gave my hubby a hand painted mug, & it has been a joy for "PopPoP" to use.  There are only remnants of the paint left even though it has been hand washed.  So thinking of Christmas, (yes already!), I want to make some special mugs for some of my beloveds. Finding the right words like the first one above is not as easy as making them! Wouldn't these be great way to personalize a gift basket?!

Last year I used a Sharpie on a antique plate & on some old Corelle plates.  A tip I learned  if you make these... even though the most directions say to clean it off with soap & alcohol prior to inking & baking at 350 degrees for 30 minutes,  don't,  just make sure it's clean - I ran mine through the dishwasher. Putting the alcohol on it first seems to make the ink tend to run a little & not stick as well.  I actually used a brown Marvy Marker on the plates, which is a water resistant book marker. Once baked it did not smear at all it was very well adhered. On this first plate I had to clean it up (it wasn't baked yet in the photo) over & over before I baked it, I think because of the soap & alcohol.  The soap & alcohol tended to make the ink slide while you are creating your design. The latter was easier when I did use the soap & alcohol. Of course I would not eat on these, nor would I run them through the dishwasher.  The mugs I would hand wash as well so that the design wouldn't fade.

On this plate I simply outlined the design on the plate & incorporated it into my drawing.

These get your "right mind" gears working and could become addiction, eyeing every flowered plate that you pass by in a whole new way!