An Award for me

Carol Stocker gave me this award, Thank you Carol :-) it is wonderful to get this from you xxxx
Here are the rules
1. The winner can put the logo on their blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you nominated.

So here goes my nominees are......drum roll....
1.Jan
2.Sherry Goodloe
3.Carol Heppner
4.Scrapping the music a new blog I have found
5.Adrienne Goodenough
6.Cynthia Powell
7.Sherre Hulbert

I have put some new people on this list, I still love all of my regular reads and don't want you to feel that I don't enjoy your blogs :-p just thought it would be nice to highlight some new blogs to me that I love to visit

Flowers from me to you

 
 
 
I tried to upload some pictures in my last post but they wouldn't load so I am trying to do it today. These beautiful flowers are from my gardens, the dandelion seed one from my garden in England and the Hibiscus and Passion flower from my villa in Spain. We are expecting sunshine for the next few days so these pictures are in celebration of that. Thank God for the sunshine mind you cos my oil for heating ran out yesterday and I am due a delivery by Tuesday next week. Last night I hunkered under the duvet on the settee watching the football...lovely and cosy lol.

Not much art work going on

But I thought I would drop a line to let my friends know that I am still around lol.
So what have I been up to? Well seeing as you asked I have been mainly getting my house in order. Thought I better do so as Stuart has go it into his head that he wants to move... best be prepared I thought so I have been in the loft sorting out all sorts of weird and wonderful things and getting rid of the old toot!!!
My art room has been a priority too with all the stuff I have I thought it best to have it in a "ready to move " state! 36 Really useful boxes later I still need more to organise....
I have been reading too, need something to help me unwind after the back breaking work in the loft. Currently reading No Time for Goodbye, really enjoying it... good page turner. A good choice for the Richard and Judy book club.
I recieved Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art today - I will write a review when I have had a chance to devour it!!!
I have included the flower pictures here for a bit of eye candy as it won't be long before the cold sets in (not that it has been unduly hot here, summer came and went by all accounts!)anyway thought they were lovely pics to share - if you want to use them in your art feel free. [pictures not here at this time, start to upload and then freeze so will try again later]!!!!
Dwain is in the Maldives, having a great time no doubt. Jazz is out and about all the time now that he has passed his test and China has settled into 6th Form so all quiet on the home front.
Been to look at a few houses but none really have the WOW factor so I shall stay put for now.
Must take time to catch up on my fave blogs - give myself some MORE me time.
Anyway that is it for this brief post so take care all of you that drop by xxxx

Shoes and Book Spread

 

Yesterday I was able to work in "How the West was Fun" an Altered Book for the I.C.E. Yahoo group. Being a Betty Boop fan I thought it would be appropriate to make her the theme for my spread - after all it is How the West was FUN! So here it is. I colored Betty using Sakura pens so she has a nice rich glaze and the added the embellishments.
I went shopping to Bluewater on Saturday and found this wonderful shoe that was just screaming out to me to be bought and altered, so I shall endeavour to do just that some time soon.
 
Yesterday evening I was debating whether to stay home or go and watch Croydon F.C. play in the 1st round of the League Cup; staying at home would have given me 6 hours to myself but I couldn't do it as my son Jazz likes me to watch him play. They ended up winning 4 - 1 so worth missing out on those crafting hours lol.
We are experiencing some nice weather at the moment so that is a blessing. I keep seeing the devastation on the news that the hurricane caused in Texas, awful, just awful I am so glad that hurricanes are a rarity here! My son Dwain was supposed to go to Cuba last Monday but had his holiday cancelled because of the hurrican that hit there, instead he flew out to the Maldives with his girlfriend Charlotte on Sunday and I am sure they will love it there!
Anyway that is it for this post - take care everyone, especially if you are in a hurricane zone xxx Dawn

Glad to be back

It has been an age since I have posted. With one thing and another this is the 1st opportunity that I have had to sit down and post.
The summer holiday seems an age ago, since being back I have been busy sorting out the house, unpacking, rearranging my art room. Sorting China out for 6th form, watching Jazz's football team... washing, cooking, cleaning and I have been desparate to create. I managed to make 3 Gothic Arches for a Paper Whimsy swap, the only art I have done since late August - so frustrating. I have a couple of RR Altered books to work on but as my head hasn't been in create mode I have started them as I like to do my best for the book owners, tonight I shall be starting on them - promise!
I have lots of pictures of art received to take, Row Houses that I received from Charline and Jeanie
apologies girls will get round to it... THANK YOU for your art work it was lovely to swap with you both.
That's it for now, gotta get on... hugs
Dawn

Recently received art

 
This was created by Patti - see her blog here http://7rosepetalpath.blogspot.com
 
and this is another Patti creation.
 
This canvas was created by Joanna Pierotti... I have waited an age to acquire one of her pieces, find her here... http://www.mosshillstudio.com/
And this final piece was created by my friend Lorraine for my birthday, Lorraine is talented but doesn't have a blog yet - come on Lorraine finish that blog :-)

Ribbons and Buttons

 

 

 

 

Had a blast today, went to my favourite merceria (Spanish for haberdashers) and picked out all these delight laces, ribbons and buttons...
Can you see all those glorious buttons, my favourite are the distressed looking ones with the red flower on - divine!!!
Anyway thought I would share with you...

Another face

Sketch for next canvase. Really difficult sketching without a rubber! or maybe it helps cos you have to go with what you have done...

 

 

Spent the day by myself so thought I would try another face. Sketched her out first and then painted on canvas. Let me know what you think please... Thank you
This was done with burnt umber, titanium white, ultramarine blue and a bit of red. Finished it off with carandach pencils...
The background needs to be completed, text to add at some point and got to work on the dress.

Face it....and try again

 

 

Not been happy with my faces, the eyes have proved difficult to me, they always seem to be drooping, not open and clear if you know what I mean. So this morning I sat and sketched out this face and then just colored it with my c'arandach pencils. Little pleased with the result, but more practise definitely needed.....

Another Face

 

So here I am attempting my 2nd face, these are so hard to do, getting the shading done etc. I think I will work on these at home. This is because the heat is so intense here that the acrylics dry so fast and speed is essential to achieve any sort of result. Never mind at least I have tried.


(added this picture a few days later - as you can see the eyes look "better"; can you spot the difference?)just looking at work and then going back to it can help to see what needs doing, just a bit more tweaking required on this face... and this sort of reminds of Penelope Cruz???

The holiday is less stressful now but I seem to be spending more time watching the Olympics - always had a passion for this and find it hard to drag myself into my art room to create. My family think I am nuts when they see my crying as medals are handed out, but hey you gotta admire all these amazing atheletes for their achievements.

I will have to sort through and upload some holiday pics to share with you all, hope the Summer is treating you well wherever you are. PEACE

My Muse has left me

Oh dilemma... I came on holiday with lots of supplies to create and apart from the faces canvas and a couple of birthday cards for China i haven't done anything but lounge and read. Maybe it is the heat, I don't know but I wonder up to my art room and hope for inspiration and is it there....no! my muse has done a runner.
So far this holiday there have been a number of stress factors.
It took us 30 hours to drive here instead of the usual 17. We had thought it would take a bit longer as we were towing a trailer with a quad down but 30 hours - horrendous. The reason it took so long was because the transporter we came in lost the 5th gear by Valencia so we had to poodle along with fingers and toes crossed hoping that we would make it. Thankfully we did.
Then when we got here Stuart's Corvette had decided to leak gear box transmission fluid all over the garage floor!!! nightmare,another vehicle out of commission. The transporter got fixed at a cost of £3,500 euros (the Corvette has yet to be fixed). Then my Betty boop jeep decided she wanted to join in the fun and was misfiring; as i write this Stuart has taken her to the garage to see if she can be mended!
To top it all (yes there is more disaster) when he went down to the beach with the kids to go on the Jetski the steering had seized so the jetski would only go in a straight line.... so you've guessed it that too is in the garage. Things can only get better (or so "they" say lol).
So maybe this will explain why my muse has gone - I need some wooza time and then maybe it will come back.
I have "Vintage Women with Wings" Altered book to work on, I shall give it a go and also a Ball gown to make for PW.
Hopefully the next time I blog I will have some art to share with you all.
Take care xxx

Look what Barbara created

 

 

With the photos Barbara created some scrap book pages....wonderful xxxx THANKS Barbara xxx

How would you do as 1930's Wife?

61 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

China trying to hold it together

So China really wanted a watch for her birthday; had to share these pics of her trying to hold it together when she opened a cheap watch and bracelet which cost all of 8 euros!!!! NOT the watch she had dreamed about (the bracelet was an added bonus so she wasnt expecting that anyway)This was the watch she had dreamed about



and here is the bracelet she got with the cheap one at the top and the D&G at the bottom... the slide show illustrates so well her trying to hold it together and look happy with what she got....sooooooooooo funny xxxx


Priceless moment captured in these pics... and amazing she made it to 16!!!! all the trials and tantrums and she got there....MIRACULOUS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHINA XXXX

China's 16th Celebrations

China has never had so many cards on her birthday, she was amazed to receive them all. Thanks to Carol Sweeney, Sue Curtis, Cat Dodt-Ellis, Germana for sending cards, I am sure she will have others arriving and I will post when they get here.
This Sweet 16 was absolutely delighted... little things can mean so much xxxx

WYLDE WOMAN AWARD

WYLDE WOMAN AWARD

Barbara Burkard gave this award to me, Thank you Barbara xxxx


Here are the rules of this award:
1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post.
2. Link back to this blogsite (http://www.tammyvitale.com//) so Tammy can go visit all these wonderful women and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. MINE WILL LINK BACK IF YOU CLICK ON TITLE
These women continually bring joy to my life through their encouragement, humour, inspiration and talent. It is with great pleasure that I award the "Wylde Women Award" to:

1. Mary

2.Jeanie

3.Kathy

4. Cindy

5.Adrienne

6. Last but not least Mommy Linda

I could actually go on and on and I think I will add some more in another post later xxxx

Faces class results

Well I have been doing the Paulette Insall class, all about faces....talk about scary and out of my zone! What a blast though lol. It is okay sketching the face but then the scary bit.....painting. But first before the painting it is the mixing of the skin tones...wowza!!! anyway this is my canvas so far, more work required and I am hoping that with practice I will get better - so this is my 1st attempt at painting a face. I like the lips, don't ask me why I just do. The eyes,not happy with them but this piece will act as a guide so I can see if I can improve.
So I have shared the 1st piece of art I have done on holiday, let me know what you think. peace xxx

Catching up

Me on my birthday, Stuart bought me this dress cos he knows I love these colors

Take a look at these shoes aren't they just gorgeous, pity the nail varnish chipped on my big toe!!!

Jazz wanted his photo taken with mummy!

and China couldn't be left out...
Well so much has happened since my last post. I had my 47th Birthday; went out for a lovely Indian meal at the Calcutta Club in Polhill with Stuart, Jazz, China and Marcus and Debbie. Food was gorgeous and company great.
I received lovely pressies of Lorraine, Sam and Natalie - when I get back to England I will edit this post and put up pictures of my gifts and cards. Marcy from Paper Whimsy sent me a card as did Jo (again pictures will follow) I wanted to pack all my pressies and cards and take them to Spain with me but space would not allow it. THANK YOU to all of you for making my birthday special.
On the Monday after my birthday by door bell rang and it was the flower delivery girl with a beautiful plant and chocolates for me of my lovely son Dwain - that made my day!!!


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On Monday Jazz took his driving test and passed so now he is able to take himself off to wherever he fancies and I won't have so many taxi services to run lol.
Tuesday 22nd we left at 4 a.m. to drive to Spain.
Got to the Eurotunnel early so had to wait for train, arrived in France at 7.30 a.m. and hit the road for the long drive down
It normally takes us 17 hours door to door but this trip it took 30 hours, worried that we might not make it when we got to Valencia as the gear box wouldn't find 5th gear so we just took it nice and slow; the trailer on the back with the quad also contributed to the longer journey time....any way it doesn't matter cos at least we got here safely.
I have just been and picked the kids up, they have been out with mates, 1.30 in the morning here so I am going to go to bed - I will post about my 1st few days here tomorrow...take care everyone, hugs Dawn