Works in Progress

On Saturday I attended a Mixed Media Workshop at the 2nd Helpings Gallery in Roanoke.  We transferred photos onto contact paper and then applied them to our Mixed Media piece.  This is my completed 12 x 12 piece and, no surprise, Jake was my subject.  It was such fun to get out and be with other artists.

The workshop was hosted by The Double Line Painters of the Blue Ridge.  I hope they decide to have more workshops. I sure enjoyed this one.

I am taking a Creative Workshop online class from Jodi Ohl right now.  It is called Fun with Faux Encaustics.  We are doing 4 canvases (mine are 8 x 8) depicting the four seasons.  The photos show how far along I am right now and I would say I am only about 1/2 way through ~ just layering to make an interesting textural background.  I will post more photos when I finish them.  

Here are my cacti cuttings showing new growth every day.

HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY, Jonathan !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Constanza !!

Many good wishes to my beautiful friend out west.  It seems like you live on the other side of the world.

You are a beautiful lady with a beautiful soul.  I love that your home is filled with beautiful whites, creams, and floral pieces.  I hope your birthday brings you inner peace and I hope that Our Lady blesses you with good health and happiness.

Happy Day, Constanza!

♥

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mita !!

I never dreamed that I would have a special friend across the sea in Indonesia.  Your friendship is one of many blessings that blogging has bestowed on me.  I am sending you love with hopes that this Birthday will be special and happy, filled with many good things.  Make many memories today, Mita, to hold close in your heart always.

♥

Snow Day

Our beautiful "snow day" last Thursday is already a thing of the past.  The sun that shines most all the time here in the Roanoke Valley has melted almost all signs of it away.

 View from the back of the house.

 View from the back of the house.

 View from the back of the house.

 View from the front of the house.

 Large clumps of heavy wet snow had put a lot of weight on all the greenery and the branches were bowed to the ground.

 

 Visitors to the woods in the back were easy to spot in the white beauty.

 

 Jake LOVED romping in the snow.

 Still some snow on his nose when entering the house.  So cute.

Getting warm and dry in the sun once back in the house.

Jake and I both hope there will be more snow days in the future.

Grow Your Blog Party

Hi!!  Welcome to the GROW YOUR BLOG PARTY hosted by Vicki of 2 Bags Full.

I'm thinking this is a great day to have a party since today is my Birthday!!

My name is Audrey.  The little fellow I'm holding is our mini doxie, Jake ~ he had his first Birthday in September, he's the first dog I've ever had, and I love him to the moon and back.  I post photos of Jake on my blog from time to time.  

I lived in Ohio all my life until 2006 when we moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia ~ to a small town that is part of the Roanoke Valley.  It is beautiful here and I post many photographs that I've taken showing that beauty in many forms.

Audrey and Jake

I started this blog in December of 2008 and I continue to enjoy blogging to this day.  Blogging has introduced me to many wonderful people with like interests and I've made some very good friends along the way.

My main interests are art and photography, but I post articles and photos that have to do with gardening, flowers, trees, nature, family, and anything that I think might be of interest to my readers.

"Silent Color" by Audrey, 2009

I'm caregiver for my 95 year old Mother who lives with us, so I only have limited time to make art right now.  I enjoy Mixed Media and if I do any creating, I post photos of it.  I love purchasing art made by the many artist friends I've come to know through blogging and I try to remember to post those works of art.

"White Ice" by Audrey, 2013

I invite you to become a follower and make return visits often.  Please scroll through some of my older posts to give you an idea of what my blog is all about.

To find others who are participating in this GROW YOUR BLOG PARTY, go to Vicki's Blog, 2 Bags Full, for a complete list.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.  Feel free to leave a comment ~ I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy the party!!!

Audrey

Reasons to Smile

I don't always remember to post a photo of the art I buy.  Here are 4 pieces I've purchased over the past several months.  Once I hang the art, I can't help but smile when I pass by it.  I still have several paintings that I need to frame and hang.  Once I get them all up, I'll photograph the wall and post a picture.  

Art makes me happy!!

ABSTRACT LANDSCAPE IN BRILLIANT PURPLE

by Corrine Gilman 

FRAGMENTS OF A DREAM

by Seth Apter

ANGEL IN TEAL

by Danita

 SISTERS

by Sarah Wyman

The Artist

Folk Art Tree, by Audrey, August 2008

A love of poetry (which is an art in itself) often goes along with the love of art on canvas.  I used to write poetry often, but that urge only strikes me once in a great while these days.  I have a binder full of poetry I wrote in my younger days.  I'm not fond of those poems now that I'm older and never thought they were anything special.  I did have two of them published a long time ago and that was quite thrilling.  My sister, Patty, also writes a poem once in a blue moon.  She recently wrote this one and I thought it was really good and I want to share it with you.  She will just throw it in a box and it will never be read by anyone, so I am putting it out there for my friends to enjoy. 

The Artist

he strikes the board with confidence and ease

meaning fills his head with plan

the flowing brush agrees with all the lines as if a blueprint lies beneath the canvas

whatever subject drives the man to explain his method

pours out in color and design

no scientist needs to review

words are nil but results refine

keep going and bloom with hand

the story that cries aloud so that you will escape

~Patricia Gallagher Ellis

Cactus, Loved Ones, and Candy

I think the Night Bloomer likes it here in Virginia ~ it is going gangbusters.  Only 4 days since the last photo and it has grown considerably.  I'm not sure what it is going to do.

Casey had some business in town and was here for two nights this week.  I loved having him here.  We went to dinner last night at a place in Downtown Roanoke - Blue 5 - I loved it.  We had a great dinner and laughed a lot.  Spending time with him is good for my soul.  He was very tired, but found time to play with Jake before going to bed.  I hated to see him leave for home very early this morning.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the beard.  He said it is going away next week, so I didn't need to get used to it.

This was the look I got when I told Jake to leave the room and let Casey go to bed.  Priceless.

Mom received this gigantic box of candy from granddaughter Maria today.  She was so happy with this box of chocolates.  

We had no idea that any candy company made boxes this large.  Nice assortment and hard to resist!!!  She certainly has enough to keep that chocolate craving happy for quite a while.

january

january

no snow

no ice

no sleet

only cool air

wind

and dull grey brush

brown twiggy trees

call birds to rest

upon their brittle branches

even the moon

frowns

to light the sky

seeing a drab coat

upon the earth

no soft white blanket

to warm the wilted flora

animals scamper

at the sound of dry leaves

crunching beneath their feet

searching for that first sign

of green to burst through

the sad hard ground

photo and poem by audrey, 1-9-13

New Growth

On December 4, I posted a photo of the cacti cuttings that my friend, Linda, sent me from New Mexico.  I am thrilled to post this photo showing new growth already!!!!!  The Zig Zag cuttings are not doing anything yet, but the Night Bloomer is going strong.  I know it is going to be quite a while before I see one of those gorgeous blooms, but just watching the new growth is enough for me right now.
Thank you again, Linda, for sending these.
♥

Flags of Hope for Newtown

The HOPE FLAGS sent to Leighanna Light for the Newtown Community.

Leighanna has taken it upon herself to string all these flags before mailing them to Newtown, CT.  They are ready to go ~ all 608 of them!!!!  She has bundled them in stacks of 13.  Aren't they beautiful?  She deserves some BIG blessings for hosting this project, allowing her mailbox to be jammed daily with package after package containing flags from all over, and for stringing all of them to make banners.  

I would like to thank each person who made a flag for this project.  December is a busy month for everyone.  Knowing that people took the time to make a flag (some made more than one), is heart warming.   

Nothing can remove the pain that the Newtown Community is experiencing, but hopefully all the love that has been sent there in various ways can help a tiny little bit by letting them know our hearts are with them.

Anyway

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.

Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end,

it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway."

~Mother Teresa
~Photo by Audrey