FLOWERS ~
Here are some more pictures from our recent trip to DC. They have the most amazing Bontanic gardens. I was the sickest on this day with runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and I couldn't spend the day in there like I wanted - in fact I don't think I lasted 45 minutes. I went through an entire pack of tissues (eeeww)

Orchids























Anthirium















Amaryllis















Easter Lillies - there was a room just covered with the largest most beautiful Easter lillies I've ever seen.




















One of my favorite flowers ~
Hydrangea

















Calallilies





















I couldn't capture in a picture how beautiful this GLASS art is. There are so many different glass flowers in there and at one point when the sun came out that day it sparkled and was simply magical.

















In one of the wings of the gardens there was an informational section and I was mesmorized by the ART in there.
These are all made of heavy duty metals and in the centers of some of the flowers were tv screens that showed pics of those particular flowers in nature.





Bird of paradise





Sunflower
















Gerber Daisy
















Also, in the Natural History Musuem they had a featured section and it was all about orchids.
It was so crowded so I wasn't able to get too many pictures without limbs, cameras, etc. in them ~ but I did capture a few of the prettiest ones in there.




















I hope you have a blessed day! SMILE lots today!

VT
My heart is so sad today!

Weekend creating ~

What a chilly, rainy, cold weekend - one that was perfect to stay inside in my jammies and create. Plus, my neice and nephew came over yesterday and we had a good time playing with trains, light sabers, etc.

I made these roses out of coffee filters. I was checking out some blogs that I love to visit daily and Danielle had this on her blog (her rose is GORGEOUS). These roses were featured on Martha the other day and the lady that makes them has a webiste Mommy Makes Roses. You can watch the video if you go to here. She has directions and templates as well but I was too LAZY to do that and just went with it. I learned to make silk flowers when I lived in Japan many many years ago and just cut my own template. HOWEVER, I wish I had taken the time to get the pattern and directions and better yet - wish I had waited til I had floral wire (I do, but don't know where it is) so I used a wooden skewer as the stem. TIP: The floral tape does not like the wooden skewer and it was very hard to keep it in place. THEN: I painted my edges way too dark but it was the first test try and I'm sure that I'll get the directions and make them the correct way.

Here is my basket that I did for the May Basket Swap Artsymama organized. I love it. Some of the buttons I got from a swap I did last month Bonnie organized it and I got the buttons along with a bunch of other goodies from Lisa B. It's hard to see how much is going on it and around the basket unless you see it up close which is what my swap partner gets to do. Now, the funny part of that. I am not sure if Artsymama knew or not but my partner lives in the next town over from me. I emailed to let her know it was done and asked for her mailing address. I had to look twice and was surprised that I could drive it to her instead of mailing it - yippee! It won't get smashed up in the post.

I took the buttons and made them into flowers - the bee and butterfly are also buttons - too cute!

Spent yesterday afternoon getting ready for my painting classes this week.

I'm sure you'll remember this painting from last month ~ I taught this class twice last month and gave away the two originals in the ONEWORLDONEHEART giveaway that organized by Lisa and the other one (Yellow Hibiscus) I sent to my sisters mother in law as a thank you for all the times we visit TN and she treats my children like her own grandchildren!

I painted the yellow hibiscus today and Sharlee won the drawing and got to take it home with her today! They all did such a fabulous job on their hibiscus and am sure that they will paint it on many many things to come! Awesome job ladies!

Sharlee

Brenda

Alice

Since I have a schedule on when I clean things in my house - today my bathrooms get cleaned - I better get off this computer and get started!

Dogwood ~


That's what we painted today!

Mine














Jane




















Brenda - she won the drawing and took my project piece that I painted during class home!











Sherry's painting-


She was dressed to the hilt but didn't want her picture taken today -thankfully she brought a shirt with her to wear over her gorgeous outfit!






Sierra
























Carmen


I hope all goes well with your surgery on your arm (again)


like Carmen told me today - "painting can be therapy" and IS therapy for many that I know!!





Alice



Alice's husband is impersonating ELVIS tonight at a local church ~ proceeds going to the Relay for Life campaign ~ and her job is to be at the front of the stage screaming like a love crazed fan (my words not hers). Hope you both had lots of fun Alice!





I'm participating in the Artsymama's May Basket Swap! Got my partner information today and will shop tomorrow for some fun things to put in the basket I have!
Will share pics when I finish the basket.


My youngest and oldest have their last day at bowling league and I think have decided that this will be the last year. Middle son is off to Atlanta for a soccer game and will most likely be driving home in the middle of all the really BAD weather we are supposed to be getting her in GA tomorrow evening.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend! I have lots of things that need to be created, painted, and mailed and hope to get all of that done by Monday!

I went with the NWIP today - that means - No Weigh In Pass - Know that I gained a few lbs. while on my mini spring vacation with the family and although I was only 1lbs up on my scale today didn't feel like having to weigh in - PLUS, I have this outfit that I weigh in in - it's a pair of very THIN plastic sweat pants and light weight black t-shirt ~ well, since I taught a painting class this a.m. I didn't wear that and I knew that the jeans and shirt/sweater that I had on would weigh A LOT so I opted for the NWIP today!
Had a light bulb moment this past week though and think I've cracked the code ~ it has to be a CHOICE to make the CHANGE in what I eat and it's NOT something that will happen over night but over TIME! I was playing a numbers game ~ weighing in on Friday and being really LAX all weekend and starting Monday thru Thursday working hard so that I'd be at the same or less on Friday than I was the week before - well, my light bulb moment helped me see that even if I lose that week I'm still NOT making that LIFE CHANGE of CHOOSING foods that nourish my body and are better for ME! I HAVE STOPPED PLAYING the numbers game and have CHOSEN to make the LIFE CHANGE of eating HEATLTHY because I want to be HEALTHY!!!!

Okay, enough about that!
Can someone please help me!!! I need to know how to add a button like the one above for the Artsymama May Basket Swap on my blog to the side - I've tried for hours and can't for the life of me figure it out!! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!!

More Wednesday fun!
Here are some pics from my painting class last night ~ we painted Gerber Daisies


Dee ~ Her husband purchased a gift certificate for her to come to a painting class ~ this was her first and aren't her daisies gorgeous! She is a complete riot as well and has a fantastic laugh!















Lisa


















Connie















Mother and Daughter painting duo ~
Stephanie and Kim
They stayed late and painted a butterfly on theirs.

Here is the one I painted during class and KIM WON the drawing for it.
















Got to get ready for my painting class tomorrow - we are painting dogwood - one of my favorite flowers. I'll share pics with you tomorrow.
Have a great THURSDAY!

Wednesday FUN ~


Made another ATC yesterday to send off to someone with a huge THANK YOU for sending me an awesome goodie last month!















Had a painting class today - we painted Gerber Daisies and had so much fun.

Jenny - this was her first class (with me) and didn't she do an amazing job!

Alice H

Sharlee

Brenda - this was her first class as well and she did a beautiful job!

Jane

I'm sorry Jane - I didn't realize your eyes were closed - the downfall of not looking through the lens on my camera and relying on the screen on the back of it! PHEWY!

Nicole

Joanna ~

This was Joanna's first class as well and I know she has a sister that is an artist and she obviously has some artistic ability as well! Great job Joanna.

Hope to see you at another class soon!

Alice J.

I woke up with the most excrutiating migraine this morning. It managed to subside during my class but has now come back ~ hoping to get a nap in before my class this evening!

TIME OUT
for a little creating!
I woke up this morning after a bit of urging from my darling husband yesterday to dust this house! He is such an awesome cleaner and does dishes, laundry, cooks, etc. (I know you are saying shut up already ~ hehehe). There is one thing he doesn't do though and that is DUST!
I started dusting and that lead to sweeping floors, washing base boards, cleaning the bathrooms, vaccuming the house and in between I managed to crank out these two ATC's
(for my non-blogging friends ~ that means Artist's trading cards).
I've actually made these as some Thank You's I need to get out to some bloggin' friends! Would love to get some more done before my week gets crazy busy but right now a good soak in my tub sounds more fun and much needed. I'm hoping to share some pics of DC with ya this week as well and am hoping even more that I can get them scrapbooked and off my camera and out of my computer.
Have a great week!

SOAR




















Grow & Learn
Learn & Grow

Spring Break ~
We've returned from our Spring Break vacation to Washington, DC. It was peak time for the Cherry Blossoms and let me tell you it was packed! We had a fabulous time and although I was sick the entire time I feel like I'm on the mend - hopefully.
I took 210 digital pics and the boys took 6 rolls of regular film which I have to remember to take along with the other 5 rolls that I recently found and have no idea when they were taken.

We got to visit with my grandmother (my boys great-grandmother) which was AWESOME! She took us to this "fun/loud" place called Medieval Times ~ we had a great time.
I'm gonna go and try and recover from this trip and flu like cold. Speaking of COLD ~ it's cold here in GA! We had to come home and turn on the heater again. PHEWY!


I hope you and your family have a very BLESSED EASTER!

Here are a few snapshots of our trip and the cherry blossoms. I'll share more after Easter.