I love to Dream, live to Create and hope to Inspire!

I'm back!
I went to Orlando, Fla. for the One Stroke Painting Super Convention. I had a blast, learned so much and can't wait to share all of what I've learned.
Thanks to all of you that stopped by while I was away (I missed updating my blog and looking at all of my favorite blogs out there. I've got a lot of catching up to do and I cannot wait to see what all of you have been up to this past week).

First off ~
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO MY DAD, MY HUSBAND, MY FATHER-IN-LAW, MY BROTHER IN LAWS AND TO ANY OTHER FATHER'S OUT THERE READING THIS!! HOPE YOU HAVE A FABULOUS DAY!

I had a giveaway while I was gone and thanks to all of you that left comments. I put your names in a basket this a.m. and my son Kendall drew the name.
And the WINNER is......

This is my son Kendall ~ he turned "12" while I was gone!

SOUTHERN HEART! Andrea, if you could email me your mailing address I will get this off to you tomorrow!!
I was going to give something else but after learning some new techniques at the painting convention I had to come home and paint something NEW to give away.
Here is the giveaway prize ~

We painted this table runner cloth in one of our classes with roses (design by Donna Dewberry) and I took a Wispy Rose class taught by Angela Anderson ~ she is an awesome teacher and painter. I just had to come home and put the two together with the roses that I learned to paint for the giveawa prize! Hope you'll enjoy it!


Close up of the roses
I learned how to paint water droplets (see it on the leaf) by a fabulous painter Frank Dumlao from Hawaii. I will have to keep myself from painting them on everything because I absolutely LOVE them and they are much easier to paint then I thought.


















I cannot believe I didn't take more pictures ~ but we were so busy from about 6a.m. - midnight almost every night. The theme was the Roaring 20's and we had such a great time getting all dressed up for it.

I created a headband that funny enough I do not have a picture of but some of my friends do ~ so once I get those pictures I'll share them with you. I won 3rd place for the headband which was awesome.

I also took my portfolio down there with another book FULL of all the classed that I've taught and it was great to get recognized for that as well. The comments that I heard from people I didn't know was just uplifting and fantastic!!! It really did mean so much to me that people liked what they saw.

Here is my portfolio ~ it has so many of the pictures I take week after week of the amazing work my students do.

Plus, there are two things that I will be submitting to get published in an online magazine called The Stroking Edge.

I went down to the convention with Hazel (we went together last year as well). My friend Terry joined us this year and we had so much fun. (not pictured is Hazel ~ she went up to the room early and we didn't get the pictures done after the last dinner like we did last year - phewy!).








Me Norma Renee Terry
















Norma and Renee


Friends that I met last year and ADORE! They are so much fun.




Terry & Me

















Pictures of me and Donna Dewberry




















Terry & Donna Dewberry










Every year there is an auction to benefit the Maria Dewberry Foundation and these are items that Terry and I donated.
I painted the box below with roses and wisteria and put some long High Definition paint brushes in it.
I also painted this cute little desk calendar with pansies and greenery.






























Terry's dad makes these fabulous clocks. I painted them up for Terry since she had 1,000 and 1 things to do before we left for Florida. I painted this one with dogwood and the other one with my favorite seascape scene.















All of the items did really well at the auction which is awesome!

I had such a great time and although tiring I learned so much! I'm off to go and take a nap with my hubby. Have a great day.