Easter Egg project with acrylic paint

Easter Project

We are going to make paper Easter eggs to decorate our front living room window.

 My sweet girls precious hands after our project. We had such a great time!

This is how we did this project.

supplies needed; acrylic paint, cut out paper eggs about 2 inches in length, Styrofoam plate, clear plastic wrap

First thing you do is let your child pick out their favorite colors and squirt them around the edges of the plate in a circle. Then squirt white in the middle. Place a sheet of clear plastic wrap across the top of the plate with enough to tuck under the bottom.

Then you let your child take their finger and stir it around and around in the plate over the clear plastic wrap. Sometimes you may have to push the paint more to the center but it should begin to look like this. Don't mix too much or it will blend too much and not be pretty.

Then take the clear plastic wrap off the plate and lay it aside. Take your egg and lay it into the paint and tap your fingers all along the backside of the egg. (Yes you will get messy so be prepared and HAVE FUN!!!)

Pull the egg up and lay it out to dry and VIOLA you have beautiful looking eggs. Emma and Abbie had so much fun doing this project. I am thinking of making a paper tree and letting the eggs hang on it for a pretty decoration for Easter. Dern, I love this kind of mess.

A shot of the eggs drying.....I will post pics of the end result another day.

If you want to see where I got this idea from and see some other fun projects to work on click HERE.

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You may see weeds, but I see beauty

My girls picked this beautiful arrangement for me from our own backyard. I put them in my kitchen window above our sink so I can look at them all the time. Most of them are weeds and some are azaleas and dogwoods. I can't help but think when I look at them how each one (including the weeds) brings a unique kind of beauty to our world. Reminds me of people. 

God has made each one of us unique in our own ways. He sees our beauty inside and out. It is so mind boggling the stories we are hearing in the news of people or children bullying, hating and discriminating against others. I imagine Jesus walked and talked with all kinds of different people.


I find as I am getting older and especially now since I have children I stand up for what I believe and have been taught. I stand in confidence in my Jesus and am willing to take the criticism and rejection. However I see the beauty in people and know that we are all human. Who are we to judge or reject others. Isn't our Jesus "LOVE".

Life is too short to hate and hate makes a person ugly.

Key to my Heart

My good friend text me a few nights ago about a folk song she knew I would love. I fell in love with it. I am going to teach it to my little birds. Here is the link if you are interested in hearing it. It is by Elizabeth Mitchell called Little Bird.

I painted this piece the other day. I'm thinking it is my favorite. At least until my next one is my favorite. I had such a good time working on it. It was a peaceful, beautiful first day of spring and I will always remember it when I look at it. The hard part about being an artist is selling a piece of my soul and memory to someone who wasn't there the moment I created it. Sometimes I give myself permission to keep them.

I remember when Emma would cry and get upset that I was packing my art to go to a show. She didn't want anyone to have them. I can relate to how she felt. Sometimes when a piece has sold I get so excited knowing it is going to be hung in someone else's nest and they will smile every time they look at it and yet I am saying goodbye to something that I created from my heart.

My sweet little baby birds do have the key to my heart. They are 2 reasons why I  take a breath each morning.

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XOXO owls mixed media

While Emma worked on her math and writing I painted. That is one reason I LOVE homeschooling. I haven't painted owls lately and so I wanted to do something with owls. My supplies were scrap paper, acrylic paint, felt, buttons, and some stamps to add texture and more layers.

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"Masterpieces" Display is finished.

Oh my word I haven't posted in a few days. Yikes! I got sidetracked with this beautiful weather and besides playing outside with my kiddos I have been painting!

I posted a few weeks ago about wanting a cute way to display my kiddos artwork. Well it is finished! I received my vinyl letters in the mail I ordered from my friend Brie and it made the piece complete. I decided on the word "Masterpieces" since everything my children create are masterpieces and I am sure you feel the same way with yours too! I just love it. This hangs in our kitchen and I can change out the girls latest art and put the new art up.

If you want to see how I made this piece you can see my last post on this project HERE. If you want to check out Brie's website and see what she offers you can click Uppercaseliving. Here is her email address brie.aitchison@gmail.com

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My friend Ashlie Blake with Painting Bliss

I am so excited to pass the word along about my friend Ashlie Blake with Painting Bliss. She has been an Internet art friend for several years but we have communicated more in the last few months and opportunities are popping up everywhere for her. I am so happy and keep watching in amazement on what is happening in her art career. Her work is centered on nature and life and the beauty she sees in it. I am drawn to her and her work because of the colors, her use of texture and style....oh and SHE LOVES HELLO KITTY so that means she is definitely a sista to me!



This is one of my favorite pieces! I love birds. Another reason I am attracted to Ashlie's work so much.

Ashlie

Check out her about me page.

Ashlie is a Kindred Spirit and I am so lucky to be her art friend! Check out her newest adventure with her blogging and art Here.

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Our little Nature walk

Although our adventure was in our backyard to the fence we needed to soak up the beautiful day and be outside. This winter has been strange and I am hearing others all over the States saying the same thing.

I am ready for picnic's in our backyard and getting the slip n slide and baby pool out for the girls while I soak up some sun.

Here are a few pics of our day.

God has completely blessed me with my sweet family. I am complete!



The sky was so pretty today. Our world is truelly made with vibrant colors.

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My new button for my facebook fanpage

I am embarrassed to say that it has been a long time since I was in school taking classes for Advertising and Design and using Photoshop on a regular basis. So I am very rusty with it and feel a bit intimidated by it. However, I am so excited that I found Hellocotton. It is a place for bloggers to link together and get to know each other. Since blogging is a new adventure for me I am following lots of people and learning as I go from some amazing bloggers.

I have been able to learn new techniques on Photoshop to help me with my photo editing and taking pictures with my new IPhone. It has opened my world up to learning on line instead of taking classes and having to find a sitter while I go back to school. Which is impossible for me at this time in my life.

I know that making this button may be a simple task for many but it felt like a huge accomplishment for me since I have lost all basic knowledge of PS.



Facebook Fan Page

                                                                 

By the way I would definitely recommend Hellocotton to any blogger. It has made my new adventure a blast. I love what I am learning.

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St. Patrick's day is right around the corner. I can only remember one time when I wore green on purpose to avoid getting pinched. All the other times I either didn't wear it or did unplanned. I have also sacrificed my own kids to get pinched because I forget.

This year I am making hair clips to wear for fun and to avoid another St. Patrick's day getting pinched. LOL

Here is one of my creations.

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A smile can make a difference

 It is amazing how a smile can completely change your day. Have you ever seen someone who has a frowny face and looks mad at the world? I  wonder why they look so unhappy. Are they dealing with a serious illness or a death in the family, or maybe in an unhappy job situation? You just never know. When I am out and about I try to make eye contact with people and smile.

 A few weeks ago I was at Publix, walking across the parking lot with my grocery cart, minding my own business, when I looked up and this older gentleman was walking towards me to the entrance. I smiled really big...you know the kind when you show some teeth? All I expected was a simple nod. Not even a hi or big smile back, but the gentleman stopped me by putting his hand up with the "STOP" signal (which I might add, did scare me a bit) and said "you have a nice smile and you are going to go far." He also said something to the affect of I was wearing purple and that was a color of royalty. Ha (giggle) Although I didn't know what he meant or how far I was going to go, it felt good to be noticed by my smile and that whatever it was, I made a small impression on him. He then walked on his way and said "Have a blessed day." How can ya beat that? What a great feeling.

I try to remember when someone snaps at me or doesn't smile back that they are hiding a story behind that frown.

Abbie Cake

Ampa and Emma and their grille

Sweet Emma Blue (one of my many favorite pics of her)

ME

Yep, that is a smile from Steve...(better be, ha)

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Memory Jar 2012 These are Days to Remember

I blinked and realized my kids are 2 and 6 years old. I can remember bringing each precious baby home and not wanting to take my eyes off them or even share them with anyone cause I wanted to hold them forever. Time has flown by and sometimes it feels as though I am holding on for dear like and being dragged on my belly by time! Every January 1st I get depressed for about 2 days. I sit and watch "Anne of Green Gables" (the whole series) just to cope with how fast the year has gone by. It's hard as a mama to see the days fly by and feel like you may have missed a moment.

I have kept a journal by my bed since the day I we brought home Emma Blue. I add little stories in it. A new word here or there and try to document special moments. How can you keep up with them? There are so many in a day.

This year I decided to make a "Memory Jar" and put our sweet stories or aggravating at the moment, but someday I will laugh moments in the jar. Our plan is on January 1st 2013 we will sit down and read them together as a family. Emma got so excited about the jar she will say "mom, this is something we need to write for the memory jar." It's really sweet. Even though her little sister gets on her nerves she gets excited when Abbie's says a new word and makes sure to tell me to put it in the jar.

There is a song by Natalie Merchant called "These are the days". It is one of my favorites. Steve used to play that for me while we were dating and even had it inscribed on a photo album for one of our anniversaries while we were dating. Anyway, I think of that song when I look at my jar and have a moment to take a breath and see my little girls. For these are the days to remember.

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Sketches done on a cold and blustery day

I am gearing up for one of my favorite art shows and I want some new work. I haven't done much painting this winter and it is time to get my mojo working. I sat down yesterday, curled up on my couch with my sketchbook, a cup of hot peppermint tea, while Footloose was on the TV. These are just a few pages of sketches I came up with. Although they may not make any sense to you, I know what they mean.

Not all my thumbnails will turn into a painting this year or even next year but I love to look back at old sketch books and see what I came up with. Sometimes it sparks a new idea.

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Crystal shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,
Crystal just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"My thrifting finds!!! Steve and I loooove to go junkin. We find so many treasures. About 95% of the time when someone asks me where did you get that? I say "thrift store". I have so many stories behind my finds. We will load the girls up for a day of thrifting all around Altanta and a nice lunch out. "

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

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chirplove shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,
chirplove just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"I am so excited about this piece. It is a functional piece. All I did was buy an old frame from a thrift store, decoupage over it with scraps of scrapbook paper. Then my handy dandy dad cut a piece of chicken wire and a piece of wood to fit on the back. By the way I used scrap book paper as the background. Then screwed all the pieces together and it was ready to hang. Fun part about this is I collected all my favorite earrings and hung them on the chicken wire. Now I have a fantastic piece of interesting art hanging in my bathroom and it functions as a way to hang my earrings! Viola!!!!"

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