Rosebuds & Lilacs  ~
Last Wednesday we painted these cute metal calendars that I purchased and sanded & repainted the tops so that we could paint on them.  Aren't they adorable?

Ann

Mary (brought her two daughters with her to paint ~ Liz & Laura below)

Sherry

Glo

Laura

Patty

Keli

(Sisters ~ Kim & Keli)

Kim

Liz (was visiting her Mom Mary & Sister Laura above and came along to the paint class)

Mary

Ann

Hope you have a great week! Have two more classes to post.

Has been a busy week with three classes and then packed weekend.
Sandy

Hollyhocks 

Yesterday we painted hollyhocks in paint class. It's a stalk of flowers that I've loved since living in England the first time and having huge hollyhock plants in our English garden. Everyone did such an amazing job.

Carolyn

Beverlyn

Glo

Barb
(Don't forget to send me an updated picture
when you finish painting your leaves! :)

Patty

Sherry

Sandi

Roz

Ann

WHERE DID JANUARY GO? Thankfully February has an extra day this year cause it's gonna be super busy!
Have a great week! Sandy

Bluebird in meadow of wildflowers

A couple of months ago I saw this picture on Pinterest and it inspired me to paint the bird in this beautiful "misty meadow" on a wildflower stalk.  I loved the way it turned out and think everyone that learned how to paint it yesterday did such an amazing job!

Loved hearing all the "oooh's and awwww's" in class.

Didn't get a picture of my friend Nicole - she had to leave early and Sue won the drawing and got to take home my picture but she couldn't be with us in class cause she just had hand surgery earlier in the week! We missed you Sue!

I love the way this turned out so much that I'm painting it on a 12x24 long gallery wrapped canvas right now - will share the pic with you when I get it done!

Lanelle

Beverlyn

Sherry

Glo

Ann

Patty

Roz

Sandi

Patti

Karen

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Getting ready for another class on Monday - we're painting hollyhocks!  Enjoying this beautiful weather too - feels like Spring and seeing daffodils blooming in January just isn't right but I'm not complaining ~ would rather be hot than cold any day!

Blessings,
Sandy

Have a fabulous week! Blessings, Sandy

Landscape Workshop 

Saturday we painted a landscape with trees and a meadow of Texas bluebonnets.   It was nice to not RUSH through the painting and take time to talk about clouds, shadows, light source, etc. 

Everyone did a beautiful job and many were going to continue painting bluebonnets on their canvas when they got home.  I did the class and the top painting here in acrylics but then showed them how to paint the same project using wOils (2nd painting down).

Have a feeling many will paint over their acrylic with the oils too!

 

wOils

Monica

Sue

Ann

Beverlyn

Glo

Lanelle

Patty

Barb

Roz

Sherry

It was nice to get back to classes after taking a break after the middle December.

Have some wonderful classes coming up in both acrylics and oils and soon back to Clay Classes too! Have missed creating with the clay!

Have a great week!

Sandy

 

INSPIRATION!

So I've been wanting to do a post on how PROUD I am of my baby sister on her healthy lifestyle change and losing 150+ lbs. over the course of a year and some months. My older sister did a post today so I thought I'd share her post with you since she did such a great job writing it and added a bit at the bottom from me!

DayDay (aka - Debbie) we LOVE you and are so PROUD of you!



From my sister Linda over at Engraved in His Palms

Do you need a little inspiration????Got it right here!

I am the oldest of three girls. I love my sisters. Sandy, the middle sister and I have always looked the most alike-we look like our mom's side of the family. Debbie has always looked more like my dad's side of the family. Sandy was never overweight in high school, she has struggled some as an adult but has always had pretty good control over it. I, too was very thin in high school but have struggled my entire adult life with my weight and am currently about 50lbs heavier than I would care to be so overweight is the term I am labeled right now.(Having said all of that about me I must tell you I have a saint for a husband who truly loves me just the way I am . I know he would like us both to be healthier but everyday he asks me how I could be more beautiful today than the day we met? In fact he will probably be upset with me for talking bad about myself because he hates it when I do that. I seem to self deprecate a lot!!!)

I have digressed because this post is supposed to be about my sister..
Debbie, the youngest has always struggled with her weight. She was an overweight child, a happy child that had tons of friends and a family that loved her but the weight kept mounting and I know she tried to take it off several times but, like most of us, it never worked for very long.. Well as she was watching Biggest Loser one night something clicked for her and she never turned back...
I am so incredibly proud of her taking control of her life in this area. She has worked very hard and used the weight watchers program. She is truly an inspiration.

Sandy- the middle one

Debbie with her family about a year before she started her journey

Debbie and her kiddos with Ruby- from TV-- she drove a couple hours to workout with her and tons of other people

Debbie today-- love it!!! She does say after so many years of being overweight she has to deal with accepting the new her and trying to keep it off.
She started in May of 2010 and had lost over 100 pounds by May of 2011--this picture was taken 1 year and 5 months into her journey.
I am sooooooo proud of her- She got off the couch and out from in front of the TV-she made no more excuses and just did it.... She is an inspiriation!!!! Love you Day Day!!!

Here's hoping that she has inspired me enough to begin, yet again.... Linda

***************************************************************

Thanks for writing that today Linda! All of Debbie's friends and family saw her struggle with her weight and she always tried to fool everyone into thinking she was happy - but she'd be the first to tell you that she wasn't.

The repeated trips to the doctors office for her heart, thyroid, etc. AND it seemed like she always had a cold or was sick. 

Something "clicked" which is what I think has helped her have long term success!

She had a LONG road ahead of her (see picture above - probably at her heaviest) and she took it one step at a time - literally - in fact she's still taking them.

She works out and continues to check herself on what she eats ~ which I might have to add is a lot more vegetables than I think she never knew existed. She doesn't drink soda anymore (I've given up Diet Coke more than I can count - but it's my weakness). She INSPIRED & continues to INSPIRE me!

I think we all have to remind ourselves that we only get ONE shot at this life and we have to make the BEST of it while we are here ~ we're gonna stumble, fall and even sometimes fail miserably ~ but we also have to remind ourselves that WE can pick ourselves UP, look forward to another day - a better day, achieve and succeed!!

Blessings,

Sandy

Happy New Year!

Loved this and wanted to share! Looking forward to a NEW YEAR!  Make the most of it and ENJOY!

The Charlie Schulz Philosophy
(This is marvelous!! Scroll thru slowly and read carefully to receive and enjoy full effect) 

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.

You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them.

Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.



The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday.

These are no second-rate achievers.

They are the best in their fields.

But the applause dies..

Awards tarnish.

Achievements are forgotten.

Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners. 

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with. 

Easier?

The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials..
the most money...or the most awards.

They simply are the ones who care the most .





''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hope you and your family have a wonderful 2012!!

Blessings,

Sandy

Merry Christmas!

I adore vintage postcards and wanted to share a couple of my favorite holiday ones with you!

It's hard to believe this year is almost over. It's been a busy, amazing, sometimes painful, but all together GREAT year! 

I'm blessed with a wonderful husband and three fabulous sons, family and many friends all over the world! I don't count any of this lightly but with a humble and greatful heart and am truly thankful for everything I have!

I hope you and your loved ones have a very Merry Christmas!

Blessings,
Sandy

Wasn't sure if I had shared this or not! Too good not to share!

 The Wooden Bowl



A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.
The family ate together at the table, but the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating difficult ~ peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor and 
when he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up. '

The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.  Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.  For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:
a rainy day,
the elderly,
lost luggage,
and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life.'

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back sometimes.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you
But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

Have a wonderful week!
Blessings,
Sandy