Fat Froggie

My college friend, Amy, asked me to share my mother's Big Mouth frog joke.

Click here to go to THE BIG MOUTH FROG

Most of you know why I paint so many frogs, but maybe a few of you still wonder.

I have been taking a blog break.
I do that with stuff to refresh.

It has been a hot summer, and we still have August to go! Yikes...🤤

Time is going so quickly.

I have stayed busy.

Charcoal doesn't like this hot weather, either.  I almost have to push him out the door to go potty--he must have an iron bladder.

Just like many of you, life has been challenging for me, but everything will somehow work out.

At the same time, some areas of my life have been going really well, and I pray they just keep getting better.

That is life.

I just pray that God's Will be done in my life, and that I will Keep listening for His still small voice.

Here is a little something for you.
He can be drawn on cards, embroidered,  inked, watercolored, painted...use your imagination...

Link to free Fat Froggie

I hope you are happy.

I hope you love yourself.

I hope you feel loved.

I hope you know that YOU MATTER
And you are needed.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world and for your love, support and encouragement of me.

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

Poppa Bear

I am blessed.

I have to remind myself of that when things go wrong and/or break.

I know,  it is just part of life, but, sometimes, enough is enough. 

We all get to that point. We take a deep breath and go on.

It is ok, as long as we don't allow ourselves to wallow for too long and stay there.

Some days, we just have to try a bit harder to remind ourselves of our blessings. 

In a few days, it will be 15 years since Daddy died.

May 24th would have been his 95th birthday.

Still, it hurts as much as ever.

Grief has no time limits, like some may think.

Y'all have heard me tell so much about Momma and Daddy,  and it makes me smile to know how many good memories I have of them, both.

I was a Daddy's girl to the core.

Brian would make me go ask Daddy when he wanted stuff, cause he was convinced that Daddy could not say NO to me.

What he didn't understand, was Daddy would do anything humanly possible for any of us--anything! 

He made my life too easy, but he taught me so much by watching him. He lived his life the same as he spoke, though often, his words were few.

Don't get me wrong, that man was a talker.  When people described him as quiet, they didn't know him.

He didn't speak loudly or unkindly. He spoke his mind. He was not a mushy person, but was never afraid to cry. He loved children, and was a sort of baby whisperer--a crying baby was little challenge for him! 

You have all read this before...

Recently, I was painting the second installment of 3 of Amy Mogish's Going to Market Club. It was an ear of corn. She described "corn hair", and I burst into laughter. I hope that will forever be in my vocabulary. 

Corn, of course, makes me think of Daddy. 

So often, I have heard people talking about FINALLY getting a day off of work, after maybe 7 days or more, or even less.

I chuckle, because, Daddy worked 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  Those cows needed milking twice a day--no matter what.

He never complained...

BUT, the difference was, He loved what he did. It wasn't simply a job, but a way of life. He knew he was blessed.  He loved the land, and took care of it, as God told us to do. He loved God, too, and put Him first in our home.

After Daddy "retired" from milking cows, he and "the old man who lived down the road"  starting raising a big patch of silver queen corn. After Mr. Arms died, I became the main "picker" with Daddy. 

Daddy drove the tractor and we threw the picked corn in the front end loader. I am pretty sure I can't count how many ears of corn I had the pleasure of picking with Daddy.

As his health declined, I knew he would keep going as long as he planted the corn. I would breath a sigh of relief each spring when that planting took place.

Sure enough, the last year of his life, there was no corn planted...

So, here we are again as another year without him ticks off the calendar...

I wouldn't have him in his earthly body for anything, but I miss him as much as ever.

I know how blessed I am.

So, thank you for allowing me to mumble on, some more...

You KNOW I will keep doing it.

I just think we need to share our joys with each other.

So, here is a little something I have decided to share with you.

Happy hedgie...Click here to download the pattern.

Daddy was forever bragging on me and my creating...

One day, he showed something to the meter reader, and the man wanted one.

Daddy told him that he promised if we didn't have one, then it would be painted by the next day...Daddy even went and cut it out, just to be sure! 

Well, after I arrived home from  12 hours of being gone, he smiled and told me about "the deal"...

I wasn't as happy...

I said, unless he learned to paint real fast, he best never make THAT deal again...bwah ha ha ha...

Luckily, we had one ready to go! 😉😀😁😂😃😄

Yep, I would have painted it,  if we had not had one. I would have done anything for him! 

That is what love is all about.

So, just like most of you, I pay the price of love--grief.

BUT I know that

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

Click here if you want to read more about my sweet Daddy

Celebrate YOU

Time is sure marching on!

I have a long list of "to do's", 

like most of y'all do, 

But 

I am pretty pleased with what I have accomplished this year.

I am not going to 

beat up on myself; instead, 

I am going to pat myself 

on the back.

We don't do that enough.

We remind others to BE KIND, 

While we point out each flaw 

we see in ourselves.

This world is filled with hurt.

People are screaming 

at each other, 

with few of us listening. 

Fingers are pointing all around, 

instead of us looking 

within ourselves to see 

how we are contributing to

 the problem.

We fuel pettiness with our posts...

divisions with our tunnel vision...

Where and when does it end...

When will we decide to 

be part of the solution?

I am at a crossroads,  

again, taking 

inventory of my life.

I have much work to do on me, but TODAY, I am going to be kind to myself, and find some qualities that I am proud to posess.

I won't bore you with them.

I am not everybody's 

cup of tea, 

and I am fine with that

AND

Not everybody is 

my can of Coke--

I changed that cause

 I do not like tea.

😁😂🤣😎😍

Today, I am going to 

CELEBRATE LIFE

And love on me.

I hope you will do that
 for yourself, too.

When we love ourselves, 

We can pass it on.

So, I am throwing on
my SASSY PANTS
and struting my stuff...

Who am I kidding...

I am going to sleep...

Nite nite!😁😂🤣

I am simply blessed
 to create~~charlotte♡

Here is a weedle something to keep you out of trouble as I sleep.

Click here to download the file for Good Morning Froggie

Be Still..

Hey, y'all.

I hope you have had a happy week.

I have been ticking things off of my
TO DO list, and I am happy
with what I have done.

Sometimes, we need to remember to be kind to ourselves, and rejoice in what we get done, and just offer grace to ourselves for what we didn't do.

I had to make a run to town, this week,  and boy, where is everyone going in such a hurry?

At the grocery store, a man came swerving around the parking lot like an Indy car driver. Going home, I had to slam on my breaks to avoid a man hitting me head-on while he was passing another car, and the SUV behind me was so close on my bumper, I prayed for safety.

I admit, that I understand road rage, well, to a certain extent, and I remember always running to meet a deadline, but I tried to be safe and never put anyone's

 Life in danger...I tried to think of others.

When Daddy was so sick,
it was a lesson for me
to slow down.

I pushed him many places in a wheelchair, while he gained back his strength, and marveled at the rudeness

 Of so many people running to get in front of us, lest they have to slow down.

While I rejoiced when he was driving, again, oh, how I prayed for those behind him, but I also recognized that he had just as much of a right to be on that highway, as everybody else!
He paid his dues by living a good, honorable Life.

I was forced to slow down, and I am grateful for that lesson.

I often wish for others to experience a lesson in compassion, so they, too, can be better people.

We all need to stop, and listen.

In the silence,
we can pray to be
 bound to the heart of God.

When we wander, often the gifts of the Spirit disappear, too.
Our focus changes, and we lose our compassion, and kindness.

It takes work to live peacefully with others whose values are different, but we have much to learn from each other.

Thank y'all, for what you teach me.

You are my sunshine!

I am simply blessed
to create ~charlotte♡

Click here to get a pdf of the line drawings of the 'Be Still' and 'Sunshine'

A Friend is a Special Blessing

I shared this picture on my social media accounts and someone asked for the pattern...so, here it is! 

Click here to get the pdf...Enjoy

I will leave this here until 5/30/18
Ok...so maybe a bit longer...lol

I hope this will put some
 SPRING in your life.

I am, sitting here, cold, from
our cold weather.

It is nothing new to have cold weather in the Spring, but to see Snowflakes!

🤤😁😂🤣😃

I am most thankful for a
warm heater, and being able
to sit next to my warm puppy.

This cold weather day
is simply another day
that I have been gifted.
It just happens to fall
in the season of Spring,
and doesn't meet
our expectations of what
we envision a
Spring day to be.

You know what--
I Don't always live up
 to what I claim to be.

I am grateful for this day.
I have ways to get warm.
No biggie.

I find myself shaking my head
over what irritates us.

I get tired of stuff, too
BUT good grief,
why do we complain so?

(She types with a complaining question...😉😊😁)

What will it take to share our JOYS?

Today, our area of Middle Tennessee  mourns the murder of a 5 year old, non-verbal, autistic little boy, committed by his father.

For 3 days, people came from near and far to help search.

I can't understand such evil, but then, I Don't think we are supposed to understand, because, most of us are built to love and to nurture.

What  are YOU are putting out
 in this world.

What are you contributing?

What are you posting?

What are little eyes seeing in you?

For the life of me, I Don't understand how we grumble so much, when we are so blessed!

Today, I offer you an
Act of Kindness and ask,
only, that you
pay it forward in some way.

The purpose of my art is to
make you smile.

I hope I have done that.

Let's share our joys.

Let's pray for others.

Let's meet the expectations of a loving, caring, kind, compassionate person.

Celebrate life and all that is good!

I am simply blessed
to create~charlotte♡

Easter

Happy Easter!

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

May you live the message of Easter and of Christmas in your life, each day.

We serve a living Savior, who is very much in the world, today.

God does NOT cause our problems, nor does He lead us to problems to teach us.

God does allow us to reap what we sow, because we have been given free will.

We make bad decisions, but NEVER does God tempt us with evil.

We are given mercy, and grace by a loving Father, who more often, than not, gives us far better than we deserve.

We MUST extend this grace to others, and, yes, to ourselves.

The blood of Christ made us worthy.

Eternal life is offered to everyone.

Please ask Christ to live in your heart --to make you a new creation.

Yes, you will still make mistakes, and this doesn't exempt you from the troubles of the world, but living for Christ offers you better decisions when following His words of truth.

Easter marks a new commandment to love as He (Christ) loved you.

Let's truly love each other.

May our lives reflect the eyes, ears, hands, feet, and heart of God.

I pray to help with the harvest~~That I will be willing to go where He sends me, and to follow His plan for my life.

I pray the path will be plainly laid in front of me.

I ask forgiveness for my sins and short comings and for the times I was harsh and unkind, and responded with anger.

I ask that my life will be a better reflection of my many blessings.
I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

Click here to download the pattern

Scraps

I found myself picking up a scrap of wood to paint as a RAK.

A Facebook friend said, "waste not, want not."

It got me to thinking...

STOP IT--I know that is nothing new.🤤🙄😛

Are you giving scraps or keeping Scraps?

When we were young, Mother always took the "heels" of the bread, and gave us the good pieces--that is what good mothers do.

She would do without, so we could have better--that is what good mothers do.

Daddy always went the extra mile, so we wouldn't have it so tough--that's what good Daddys do.

He always "walked backwards" and climbed to the top of the tobacco barn, where it was dangerous, so we would be safe. He ate the "heels" of the bread, too--that's what good Daddys do.

We go through life, meeting all kinds of people.

Some people will always keep the best and give others the scraps.

Then we encounter those who keep the scraps and give the best they have to others.

A few years ago, I met a man who collected clothes for others. He told me he went through each piece, checking them, taking only the best to the poor. He told of the trash that was given, with people saying that it was better than nothing for them. He didn't believe this. He felt the poor deserved the best he could find.  He touched my heart by teaching me that scraps shouldn't be what we give away, especially to those with less than us.

We spend this week remembering the events of Holy week. The week where we see Jesus welcomed into the city, riding on a donkey, greeted by singing and the waving of palms.

We then remember the horrible cries of "crucify Him...crucify Him" 

The sounds of nails being driven into his hands, his feet, his side wounded...

We watch as He hangs on the cross...as His Mother and friends watch...as He offers pardon to a thief.

We wait as He battles death so we might live.

It is Friday, BUT Sunday is coming!

God kept the scraps of a broken heart, while He gave us the best --That is what our Father did for us. 

What will you do for Him.

Will you reflect His love in your thoughts and deeds.

Will you give Him your heart.

Or will you give what is left of your time, of things you don't want...the scraps of your life?

God didn't send Jesus to condemn us. He sent Him to save us...to teach us how to live.To give us a new commandment to "love one another as I (Christ) have loved you.."

Love yourself, too.

Only then, can you love others.

The good news is that God can take your scraps and make them beautiful and useful.

Give Him your heart. You will never want to be the same as you were. 

He will make you into a new creation! 

Hey, don't forget that YOU ARE LOVED! 

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

Here is the link to the "ladybug scrap" if you would like to paint it.
Of course, it is created with
Decoart Products.😄😁

Ladybug Kindness PDF Click Here

It is well...

I have been having fun learning different styles and using different supplies.

I have learned palette knife painting. It is fun, but it will never replace my traditional style of painting.

I started these canvases with the intent of painting my home church on them for a childhood friend, but cancer took her life, too soon, and I tossed them aside.

I recently reached a little window of being caught up, so I drug these out, again, and wanted to finish them.

I wanted them to be primitive, and similar to all the palette knife churches that are all over pinterest so I think that I was successful.  I simply used a #12 Flat, and using the dirty brush method, and by George, I liked it!

This is similar to my home church.

I have shared this before, but Mother was a Southern Baptist and Daddy was a Christian, until he met Momma!
😁😂🤣😃

When Mother and Daddy got married,  they agreed to find a church where they both could attend each Sunday, together.

They found Mt. Denson Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

It was a small white wooden country church that had added a basement and a brick wing of 4 rooms.

There was a slab of concrete in front that held 3 beautiful maple trees.

I would play "1,2,3 Red light" AND "Simon Says" with my friends.

The people would gather there, after church and fellowship and share. The left top corner was jokingly called "Amen Corner."

Fast forward about 50 years, and 2 new renovations have been made...the elders are dead, and so, pretty much, is the church. It is a sad thing to watch.

I hold special memories of this church. I try not to reflect on the many hurts.

Mother and Daddy served faithfully, and so did I. I taught many classes, sang many songs, played numerous hymns and designed many a floral arrangement to share on the altar.

I did my best to share the gifts God gave me.  I was taught about service, the Bible, our Denomination, and our heritage.

I made mistakes. Got angry. Said hurtful things. Acted like a brat.

I learned about forgiveness,
mercy and grace.

I wish I had never grown up to see the ugliness of churches. 😔

So, today marks 6 years
since we buried Momma.

It was truly a celebration of her life. We sang hymns, and our former pastor spoke of God's invitation of love.

Mother shared John 3: 16, 17 with people around the world.

She lived Love.

She was my greatest supporter.
Every time I showed her a new creation, she always told of someone that she would like to give it to. 😁😂🤣😃

I have found myself developing her giving spirit. I think she would be proud!

So in her memory, you may have this pattern. I will leave it here until the end of the month.

Click here to download the Free Pattern

If you have trouble downloading it, just send me a message and I will email it to You!
romaland2.1@juno.com

Each day, I am reminded of how blessed I was. I hope you have known that kind of love. If not, let me tell you about my Heavenly Father, who loves you unconditionally.

Make time to create!
It will fuel your soul.

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡