Things that warmed my heart today!
A few things happened today that I just needed to sit at the computer and write about!

Our oldest is home from college on Spring Break and I just LOVE having him home!!
Like he's always done his entire life, he comes and finds me many times throughout the day just to give me a hug, say hey, how ya doing, is there anything I can do to help you today, etc. 
We were coming back from the gym (which thankfully he dragged me to) and I told him how incredibly proud I am of him and just like he used to do when he was 2 - he rested his head on my shoulder and told me he loved me. When he was 2 it was my lap or chest as I held him but it felt just the same! FLOODS of emotions rolled over me and I could feel my eyes start to swell ~ I held the tears in ~ didn't want him to think I'm emotional ~ hehehehe ~ Just made me smile from the inside out!! A small but oh so wonderful moment for this mom!

Today at his dentist appt. (I know he can drive there himself)  but I decided to tag along and I'm so glad that I did.

As we were sitting there one of the hygenist called a patient back - saw us and greeted us by our first names and then she said...I worked on your husbands mouth yesterday....he is so sweet! I looked at my son and he was just smiling - you could see the pride and probably a few sarcastic comments - my boys think their dad could talk to anyone and does.  :)

Melted my heart to hear her say that and then the ladies behind the counter said ~ he is always so nice and happy - is he always like that to which I replied just about every day! He is really!

They went on to say he is so nice and polite and you feel like you've known him your whole life in the short amount of time he is here. I can relate. We met in April 1990 and legally got married in July 1990 and then church wedding in Sept. 1990.  23 years this year ~ he treated me like his bride 23 years ago and to this day he still does!

I sat there and was flooded with memories of my friends throughout the years telling me what an incredible husband I have ~ so good with our boys, so organized, and such a clean freak and could they borrow him for a day!
I sat there feeling and knowing how incredibly blessed I am that my husband is such a NICE and well liked guy!
He doesn't let much get him down. He doesn't let things affect him like I do and is able to let things roll off his back and move on and not let it ruin his day. I've tried to learn that lesson but still fail at it miserably. He VERY RARELY has a bad day - ever.
Sorry - just had to gush on him!! He is my everything!

Then the hygenist called Austin back and here I was again ~ proud momma grinning from ear to ear as I heard - yes ma'ams and thank you's and chatter chatter chatter about college and his upcoming trip to Peru in the summer, etc. etc. etc. 
This used to be our SHY son that didn't really talk a lot to people he didn't know.
Again, melted my heart and I'm sure I sat there with a cheesy grin on my face the rest of the time he was back in the chair ~ feeling extremely BLESSED that I get to be mom to these three amazing sons of mine and wife to such an awesome man!

Very BLESSED,
Sandy

Basic Strokes Art Journaling Class
Had fabulous classes on Monday of this week ~ we painted a teardrop/5 petal flower stroke and then created a page in our ART Journals using the stroke that we practiced. This classes are proving to be quite popular and filling up very quickly once I announce the date.  It's also inspired the students to start art journals of their own.
Using the stroke we learned in class we painted geraniums, basic butterflies, and geranium leaves.

My morning group
Beverlyn, Gloria, Dee, Barb, Glo, Debi, Sherry, Pat, and Patty
sitting: Susan, Sue, and Roz (sorry Roz didn't realize your book was upside down) :(







My evening group:
Deborah, Fran, Kitty, Kari, and her granddaughter Maddy

Hope you have a GREAT DAY!! Smile - it's contagious and you'll feel so much better when you do! :)  Sandy

Painting up some SPRING!!
In class last week we painted some SPRING icons ~ butterflies, bird, and best nest with eggs!
We painted on 4x4 canvases and then I showed how they could displayed individually with an organza ribbon wrapped around each of them, hung on a satin ribbon or glued to a bigger canvas.

I used a Plaid Crafts stencil for the background and then we painted on our designs.

Ann

Lindsay

 

Travis

 

Glo

 

 



Patty

Mary


It's not been feeling much like SPRING yet and I'm so ready for some steady SPRING weather!! My house desperately needs to have the windows up while I'm cleaning and painting!  Hope we don't just skip right into the dead heat of Summer but right now I guess that would be better than being cold! lol

Hope you have a wonderful day regardless of what the weather is where you live!
Sandy

Happy Spring!

 

We've had some beautiful Spring weather going on down here in Middle GA and I'm loving it!

I am really super ready for SUMMER - I'd much rather be HOT than COLD any day!

 

I've been painting up a storm lately - getting ready for classes and have enjoyed just playing around in the studio while my pups lay in the window sunbathing next to me!

 

 

I'm teaching my Signs of Spring tomorrow in class and love these little canvases (4x4). Gonna show them how they can display or hang them and bring some SPRING indoors!

 

 

 

I was playing around with containers and have wanted to paint this urn for a while. Still on a rose painting kick too so I painted some pink roses in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another friend is having a birthday in April so I painted these white roses for her. Love the way they turned out and hope she likes it.

 

 

 

 

 

I had a lady contact me about painting a sign for her a few months back which she loved and she called me again to paint a sign for her daughters upcoming wedding. Love the way it turned out! They will put a dried starfish between the names and then smaller ones on the boards below.  Looking forward to seeing pictures of those on there and at the wedding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you have a blessed day!

SMILE ~ it's CONTAGIOUS and can turn someones bad mood or day into a good one!

Blessings,

Sandy

 Happy Birthday!
Today two very special people in my life are celebrating their birthday!

Our oldest son Austin turns 19 today!! So hard to believe 19 years has alredy flown by! I remember so many milestones in his life like they were yesterday and couldn't be PROUDER of this young man of ours!! Can't wait to spend some time with him this weekend and show his girlfriend the college town he lives in! :)

Next, my friend Nicole is celebrating her --rd Birthday!! I'm looking forward to spending some time with her today and can't wait to give her her presents!! Nicole and I do Mistletoe Market and Christmas Made in the South together and I have so much creating things with her!

 

So BLESSED to have these two amazing people in my life! Love them both and hope they have the best day ever!!

 

Smiles,

Sandy

SPRING TIME  ~ well in paint class anyway!
We painted tulips using wOils this past Monday in paint class. I couldn't decide which color (there are soooooo many tulip colors) and there are so many different varieties of tulips that I love so I painted two paintings and had the familiy decide ~ the yellow with red stripes won the vote so that is what I taught.

I loved how both turned out so I ended up giving my students a color picture, supply list and pattern for the pink ones as well.
Everyone did a beautiful job on theirs and I they learned so many techniques they can use on other paintings their working on.
Some decided not to put stripes on their tulips ~ liked the plain yellow tulips instead. :)

Beverlyn

Fran

Deborah

(Deborah and Fran) are attending their first Donna Dewberry workshop at Plaid Headquarters in Atlanta! They're gonna have so much fun! :) Enjoy ladies!

Glo

Pat

Patty

Roz

Sandi

Jenny

 

Ellen's

Lisa

Looking forward to seeing spring flowers popping up from the ground! The trees have already started to bloom and the birds are beginning to hang out in the trees in our backyard - lots of chirpping which I love to hear!

Have a blessed day!
Sandy

Painting and Clay Classes
You would think as little as I posted that I had classes everyday! YIKES! Didn't realize I had posted some of these already!

This past Saturday I had a wonderful class with three adorable young ladies!
We painted Butterflies & Blooms and they all did such a beautiful job!

Then I taught a clay class and we created clay cuff bracelets and then painted monograms on them. I loved the way these turned out and had originally created them for a taping I was doing while in Vegas for Interactive Artist Magazine but a different project won the family vote so I decided to teach them as a class here instead. Kim and Lisa joined me in creating them and did a wonderful job on theirs. We had a little extra time and extra clay so I showed em quickly how to make a flower!

Have a FABULOUS day!
Sandy

Creative Painting Convention ~ Vegas Paints 2013
What a busy but fun week in Vegas last week. I took some amazing classes and learned so many techniques.
All three paintings were done with Permalba Oils and I think all are getting framed and being hung in our house.
Each of them still need a touch her and there - haven't had a chance or the energy to get that done since getting home but will soon and then get them framed for hanging!
























I was honored that my friend Dawn asked me to help out in her booth! If you don't have a subscription to Interactive Artist Magazine you need to get one! FULL of painting and creating inspiration! :) She was also a sweetheart and let me sell my packets in the booth as well!
She used two of my paintings too on her banner (see below). :) Thanks Dawn! You rock my friend!

Dessert at the Bellagio with Barb and Patty





 
Monday I took an all day class with Bill Bayer ~ we painted Constable's painting (1800's) and I LOVED this class and learned so many techniques.

None of us were quite sure what the boy on the left was doing ~ we all thought he fell or was dead ~ but he is actually drinking water from the small pond.

 

Tuesday, I took an all day class with Dorothy Dent and again learned so many new techniques! She is such a patient and wonderful teacher.
This mill is actually located here in Georgia (have never been to it) but thought that was cool that it was in my home state.

 
Thursday, I took an all day Bill Bayer class ~ After the Storm and again ~ so many new and different techniques learned!! I can't wait to try all the things I learned in my own designs!

Will add some touches here and there to all of the paintings and then I think I'm going to get them frame and actually hang in them in my house!