It was MY BIRTHDAY! Friday, October 30, 2015

What a Great Day...

It should always be fun to CELEBRATE!

I wanted to share the AMAZING Gifts I got from my friends on My Birthday!

These are gifts from people that I have never met!  HOW awesome is THAT!!

These people have become friends because of common interests, and YES, it is probably easier to be friends with people you have NEVER met...ROFL...

This was my birthday present to ME.. Made by the absolutely talented Wendy Young of Olde Moonlane Primitives

Christine is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met!  She is talented, funny, giving, supportive...I wonder if the wool on that sheep is real...it felt AMAZING!

This is so special.  Lisa lives close to where they have a SECONDS FIESTA WARE sale and I LOVE this stuff!  I had told her that I think of her most every time I turn mine over to wash it...She bought these and painted them for me...She didn't know I would get them on my birthday...SOOOOOO special...and the sweetest note was enclosed.

Lisa sent me this gift as a JUST BECAUSE gift, but funny that it got here on my birthday...Aren't these two pins great and THAT snowman ornament is Fabulous!!

Wendy's Aunt made these for me!!  I LOVE them...and chocolate and a hand made dish cloth...and Charcoal's ornament is just THE BEST EVER!!

I LOVE these...a sitting frog and a frog magnet and CANDY...and yes, this is where Charcoal STOLE the snickers...ugh...I think Lisa must use a ruler to cut her paper...I have never seen such PERFECTLY wrapped gifts...I just put on mine that Charcoal wrapped them!  ;)

Wendy and Her Aunt Sheree designed the frog and Sheree made it...there is soap, Candy and FROG CANDY!!  Oh and a kitty pop that Wendy made!!Another very special gift!!

The frogs sure did remind me of my mother...It is fun getting this collection going...My friends REALLY must want me to find my prince...kissing all those TOADS has gotten old, so ONLY PRINCES from now on!  ;)

Getting these gifts, made me WANT to be more thoughtful...I wish I would remember birthdays and special days, but it just isn't what I do...I do other things, and that is ok!

Wendy, Sheree, Christine, Lois, and Lisa....THANK YOU VERY MUCH, said the BIG MOUTH FROG!!

I got a lot of FB wishes yesterday too...PLEASE KNOW that I did finally find them to READ them, but they would NOT let me comment on them....I have tried EVERYTHING I know to do...SO please accept my big old huge THANK YOU!  I did not delete any and I wish I could explain what happened, but I have no answers...I just can apologize and move on...

Thank you for helping to make my day special...I look forward to MANY new adventures as I hopefully journey ONE MORE TIME around the SUN...I wish you MANY BLESSINGS...~charlotte

Comfort Food, Tuesday, October 27, 2015

It is a rainy fall day in Middle Tennessee...the kind of day made for sleeping and for being lazy and for eating COMFORT FOOD.

Yesterday, a college friend posted asking what COMFORT FOOD her friends suggested for a horrible day she had experienced...she decided on Mexican and who can blame her~~ooey gooey cheesy goodness and warm tortillas!  yummmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeee!

Don't think for a second that Charcoal doesn't know what a buzzer in the kitchen means!  He is on the move!!

At my house, Potato Soup was the cure all for just about anything~~to heal an upset tummy...to nourish a hungry soul...to prepare when nothing sounded good or a run to the store was badly needed....ANY TIME.

Now, when I share with you HOW we made our Potato Soup, most of you will YAWN!!

The way it came about was quite out of necessity.

Although we lived on a Dairy Farm, no one in my family really liked milk...to this day, I do not like the taste of MILK, but if you put some chocolate in it, I'm good with it...Mother was allergic to dairy products.  Luckily, we were able to support the industry through the cheese and the ice cream that Daddy ate~~cheese could NOT be cut too thick for my daddy!

I NOSE you have something I WANT...I can smell it AND I can SEE it!

Mother would start to save some of the potato soup without milk for her.  Since she couldn't taste ours to season it as well as she seasoned all of our food, I could taste the milk and did not like that at all.  I would ask her to set some aside for me without milk and one day, Mother asked if Daddy wanted milk in his and he said NOT NECESSARILY...so Potato soup became:

1 onion, chopped finely
LOTS of cubed Potatoes
Water/Salt/Pepper

Place the top on the pan and bring to a boil, turn to low as soon as it boils and cook for 10 minutes!!

OH MY GOODNESS...the thought of that with a pan of crunchy hot cornbread cooked in a skillet makes my mouth water now!!

Don't hate me because I live such a FLAVORFUL EXCITING LIFE!! ;)

As I got older, I discovered this soup was the basis for lots of other additions~~a frozen bag of California Veggie...replace the water with chicken broth...add some peas and carrots...how about noodles...AND might as well throw in some chicken...(Isn't this called Chicken Noodle Soup??)

Tonight, I wanted potato soup for my comfort food, but then I thought some chicken broth would make it homier...then of course, I added some chicken and threw in some tortillas for some added depth...I almost had chicken and dumplings!  

This made me want an open-faced cheese sandwich~~another childhood memory.

Mother "got" to take Sunday Night off from cooking...EACH of us usually made ourselves an opened faced cheese sandwich~~slather it with Salad dressing and chop off some American Cheese from the 5 pound block that was always in our refrigerator.  We would sit around and see the first one who went to the kitchen to get the cheese, and of course, that person "got" to cut a slice for everyone...it was quite a strategic operation to wait until just the right moment!

Yep, Charcoal gets his own sammie...and look at that yummy cheese melted onto the pan~~perfection!!

I have discovered that most any food becomes comforting when you are sharing with those you love!  I am so thankful that I was raised around a table that expected us to be present and to participate each and every night...We didn't eat before we said our blessing, and I believe to this day, I am receiving blessings because of those said by my parents...HOW BLESSED I AM...I send blessings to YOU...~charlotte

Live Thankfully, Saturday, October 24, 2015

I have to admit that I have jumped on the band wagon with both feet!  I am having so much fun with the DecoArt Media Line!!

I also have to admit, when it was introduced, I thought WHAT IS THIS?  And I kept seeing it and I kept wondering the same thing!!

Somehow in my mind, I thought it must be paint that can be used for media...such as coloring on Poster Board or paper or to paint cartoons...I had no idea...NOW, to be honest, it CAN be used for these things, but it is so much more!!

I have another thing I must admit...I can't say the names of these colors!...sigh

 BUT it doesn't matter...I am in love!  I can learn to fake a name here and there!

The question I keep getting is WHAT is this and WHY do I need it...

WELL, first of all, IF you are a true painter, you ALWAYS need another kind of paint, right??

These paints lend themselves to mixed media, but PLEASE don't limit them to just that...they can be incorporated into all of your work.  If you want to make something RUSTY, you cannot do without the Quinacridone Gold~~it is magical.

The paints are HIGHLY pigmented.  They are bright and vibrant and do no lose their intensity when added to the mediums that are available (crackle paste, paste).
These colors are transparent, but DecoArt would not let you down, they came up with a tinting base that you can add these colors to to make them opaque! 
You can stack the colors on top of each other and still have the base coat shine through...You can paint on top of your newsprint/music and it tints the paper without covering up your original object.

I thought I would share one of my projects.

I began by covering my canvas with Crackle Paste and let it dry overnight...I randomly covered 5, so I could have fun playing...I added it thicker around the outside edges and on the thick canvases, I added it to the sides, also.

I started by cutting my sunflower petals too big!!  YIKES!  But have no fear, scissors were near!
 

I then started by adding yellow to the center.  I wiped it off of my brush by spreading it on other sections of the canvas.  My thinking is light in the middle and darker on the edges.  I guess I had beginners luck, because I didn't have to wipe off a lot of paint.  It kinda came out neat the first time, but just keeping adding colors until you are pleased with the look.  I WISH I could figure out a way to make a living by doing only backgrounds...YES...it is THAT fun!

I really thought I was going to paint a larger pumpkin with just the word THANKS, but it didn't happen that way.  I drew a couple of pumpkins but did not like them, so I was happy with this.  I started by adding Orange and it was TOO orange, so I started grabbing colors of darker oranges and toning it down.  I added the darkest color to make the pumpkin sections.  I did this with the edge of my brush and just blended it in.  Then I ended with adding some yellow for a highlight in each section.  The stem was done the same way.  I just added the brown and added lighter/darker colors until I liked it.

Right click to save the picture to your computer if you need it...remember to cut the flower petals longer to go behind the circle so it will be easier to assemble!

I painted the petals of the sunflower with all the colors left on my pallet.  Let me tell you, it takes just a very very small amount of paint.  I put out a dollop smaller than a dime.  I painted half of my petals darker, thinking they would be the BACK petals.  I lost some petals during the process of attaching them with Matte Medium, but no problem, no flower is perfect...I like the uneveness of it and think it adds to the charm~~that is my thinking and I am sticking to it!!

The center was painted with brown and then a little Carbon added to the left side.  I added dots of white/yellow/black.  

I printed my words on the computer, cut them, painted them with the paint on the pallet,  and attached them with Matte Medium.

When everything was dry, I outlined everything with a 10/0 liner brush and Carbon...I added random clusters of Carbon Dots...Sealed with the matte varnish...SO EASY and there is no right or wrong to doing this!!

Never be afraid to try new products and new styles because this is how we grow as artists...Do not say you CAN'T, but instead DO...you will get better with each attempt!  I'm still growing and loving it!

Happy creating...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte

These are the colors/mediums that I used.  Do not feel like you have to use all the colors I did...honestly, some of them really didn't add much, so I didn't use enough to matter, but I thought I needed to list everything! ;)  I am in love with the Turquoise colors...they have stolen my painting heart!

DecoArt Media

Fluid Acrylics:

Diarylide Yellow

Green Gold

Phthalo Green-Yellow

Quinacridone Magenta

Cobolt Turquoise Hue

Quinacridone Gold

Quinacridone Burnt Orange

Pyrrole Orange

English Red Oxide

Raw Sienna

Burnt Umber

Titanium White

Carbon Black

Matte Medium

Gesso

Crackling Paste

Other Supplies;

5 x 7 Canvas (a stand if you wish)
Brushes of your choice and a good liner (10/0)

I used scruffy brushes

Dictionary Page

Words of Choice (I printed them on the computer)

The Pale Blue Dot, Sunday, July 26, 2015

It has been tough to be happy and positive these past few months...My goodness, people are going MAD!!

BUT, I STILL Believe there is FAR MORE GOOD than Bad in this old world.  We just don't hear as much of that and in truth, MOST people don't want to KNOW what good is going on.  They seek out the good, juicy stories.

I'm not one of those people who is constantly looking for signs of the end of the world, BUT IF I WERE, boy howdy, I think it would be easy to see~~floods, drought, tornadoes, earthquakes, murders, orgies...

 Let's face it though, NONE of this is new.  It has been around since the beginning of time.  We just have this little thing called, SOCIAL MEDIA! 
(See me waving at you from my blog???!!!!)

Our lives are bombarded from every corner about every negative thing that happens...sigh 

Tonight, I was watching 60 Minutes as was reminded of a quote, so I thought I would share it.

It puts our PLANET into great perspective.  I think it is beautifully written and thought-provoking.  Man has been trying to DESTROY, in one way or another, since the beginning of time...It is just ANOTHER reminder that we MUST be KIND... 

Don't expect anything in return for your good deeds, because if you do, then you are doing them for the WRONG REASON...YES, it hurts to not be recognized for the GOOD you do, but there again, is recognition the reason you are doing it?  When you share love, mercy, grace, hope, joy...then YOU have no worry...

The world is filled with takers, but again, 

I BELIEVE there are MORE givers...

I just want to thank those who GIVE their lives to making our world better.  Thank YOU for all the kind acts that you do...we MUST PAY IT FORWARD.

 I hope you will enjoy reading this (or re-reading)...

May your heart be filled with blessings...~charlotte

This is a picture of Earth taking from under the rings of Saturn...we are the Pale Blue Dot in the bottom right...

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

 The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”

― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

REFLECT the Reason for the Season

Happy Merry Christmas in July!

 WHERE in the world has time gone? Here we sit, only 5 months away from Christmas Day.

I guess my first question is are we to send all those posts about not forgetting the reason for the season, but all the while continuing to paint and share SNOWMEN instead of REASON symbols? I don't  understand that at all...BUT don't get me wrong. As an Artist, I know we need to paint what sells, but we need to be VERY careful that we are following our own advice!

AND are we to remind everyone to be SURE NOT to say HAPPY HOLIDAYS, all the while sharing snippy posts about our political views that share ANYTHING but LOVE and what we PROFESS is what MERRY CHRISTMAS is all about...

And by all means, don't forget to complain about the Christmas items being out in the stores right now...HOW DARE anyone buy something Christmas BEFORE Thanksgiving!!  THE NERVE of those who dare to purchase items when they have the money throughout the year! We are SUPPOSED to STUFF our faces on Thanksgiving day, ACT as if it is a PAIN to gather with our friends and family, be SURE to share all that you have HAD to do for the gathering, watch our watches until the stores open and THEN, and ONLY THEN, we are to RUN and KNOCK people over for all those GREAT BARGAINS...Be SURE not to do this UNTIL after you have had your Thanksgiving meal and then it is A-OK...WHEW!!! 

 It makes me sad to see us being LESS than we tell people what we are...seems our words speak louder than our actions.

A friend wrote me and shared how confused she is by all those professing their faith yet acting otherwise. IT made me pause to reflect on my actions. I wonder often if I do any good in furthering the principles that Christ taught or am I simply a sounding GONG that is described in the LOVE CHAPTER.

 I  wanted to send a friend a message the other day to tell her how disappointed I was to see her consistently sending scriptures only to be followed by a hateful post bashing our President...THAT IS NOT HOW A CHRISTIAN SHOULD ACT...but I decided I need to make sure my own glass house was in order before throwing stones....I bowed my head in shame.

 

 I just had to delete a post that I shared in fun BECAUSE of those who had to TELL me HOW smart they are...I can ONLY hope ONE DAY to be HALF as smart as some people THINK they are...People sure do LOVE to ruin others JOY...Why is THAT?

We HAVE TO DO  BETTER...all of us...look at our country...We can send all the posts we want about getting prayer back in school, but THAT is not the problem  We have to get prayer back in our lives, in our homes and in our actions!!!  We have to STOP using the excuse that we are  ONLY human and start TRYING AND DOING BETTER!!  WE need to stop pointing at THEM and saying THEY need to stop taking away our rights and we need to open our Bibles and READ and understand and PRACTICE what we are taught...

YES...this is the SEASON and we have a REASON to spread love....compassion...mercy...forgiveness...Hope...we MUST become a reflection of the change we wish to see in the world...

You know, the birth of Christ PROBABLY happened at this time of year instead of Christmas...Did you see the planets align recently to create a BRIGHT STAR...many historians believe that this is what occurred on the night of the birth of Christ. The date of Christmas that we use to CELEBRATE was a Pagan holiday...hmmmmm....guess it won't be long until  Fanatics start to boycott Christmas because, like Halloween, it was a Pagan Holiday...I just don't know what to do but to shake my head...

We MUST stop calling people out in Public that we THINK have done us wrong...We are taught to go to a person in private...And by all means, do NOT pretend it is alright when you don't NAME the person...PEOPLE KNOW...ENOUGH of the DRAMA!!

We need to stop  using public forums to ATTACK those we THINK are wrong or who have stolen from us...We are taught to keep our enemies CLOSE and God will take care of the rest.

We MUST stop saying whatever we WANT to say because we are OLD and tried of holding our tongues...GOOD GRIEF, I PRAY I will never be that old person who just opens my mouth because we are TAUGHT to do EVERYTHING in LOVE...I STILL shudder when I think of 3 old people at our church who CRUSHED my spirit by telling me how FAT I was...I DO have a mirror and I KNOW I did it to myself...To this day, because of them, I make SURE to let someone whom I haven't seen in a while KNOW that I KNOW that I am FAT so they don't have to point it out to me...I just wish they could see how much my HEART has grown instead of just my body...sigh

I PRAY this will be the SEASON where we start to evaluate our lives and our actions.  I PRAY that JUST BECAUSE we WANT something and because the CONSTITUTION says it our RIGHT, that we will look at the PROOF that our young people are killing each other at an alarming rate and THAT is a PROBLEM...That people are killing people instead of talking and solving problems...That we have LAWS in place that MUST be enforced...That WORDS DO HURT and destroy.

I PRAY that we will CELEBRATE LIFE every single day, not just on appointed days...That we will give GIFTS to those in need...That we will spread Holiday CHEER instead of negativity...That we will ENCOURAGE instead of letting our petty jealousies attack those who are just doing the best they can, JUST LIKE YOU AND ME...

 I PRAY that we will learn Self-discipline and learn that JUST because we WANT it and have the RIGHT to have it, does in no way mean that it is is GOOD for us...EVERY single action has a consequence...Choose WISELY so that the consequences are POSITIVE!

 I PRAY, starting with ME, that we will each LIVE the CHANGE we want to see...that we will stop PREACHING (ooops...I already blew that with this post...heavy sigh) and allow our ACTIONS to reflect WHAT is truly important in life.

I want my HEART to be saddened by the things that sadden God and rejoice at WHAT HE says is good...Mother, I SO UNDERSTAND now what you kept telling me about NOT being OF this world...I GET IT!!!  I wish every little child could have a parent that TAUGHT them by example like you and Daddy did...not just words, but ACTIONS...I HOPE you are happy at who I am trying to become...

 YES...THERE is a REASON for this SEASON...LIVE your life as a REFLECTION of HIS LOVE...it is really so simple...why complicate things?  KNOW that WHEN you LOOK in the mirror, that YOU will see a REFLECTION of one that was CREATED in God's image and that He LOVES so much that He gave His ONLY SON so that we could CHOOSE to live FOREVER with HIM in eternity...You are NOT your past...You are FORGIVEN and LOVED if you but simply ask and receive...Blessings to YOU~charlotte

STOP and OBSERVE Your Surroundings, Wednesday, July 1, 2015

WHERE is time going?  We are now officially half way through this year…WHERE did it go?  What have I done?  What am I going to do????? YIKES!!!

I think if we each would stop for just a moment and reflect, we might not seem as disappointed in ourselves and we might realize that we are pretty awesome creatures who have accomplished much…For some reason, we can fill the list of DIDN’T DO so much faster that DID DO…we MUST stop doing that!!

A Facebook friend posted yesterday about SLOWING DOWN and observing her surrounds.  When I was in management, I would tell our employees to ALWAYS observe their surroundings because someone is going to stop and ASK where something is and you SHOULD be able to tell them…I guess that comes from me being self-sufficient at a young age…Mother and Daddy were so busy with 3 children and 3 people past 80.  I am CERTAIN that every break they could catch was welcomed.  I was about 5 years old and Mother was trying to gather me so she could wash my hair…I told her that I did NOT need her to wash my hair and that I could do it…She said “have at it, child” and I did and that was the end of Martha’s Beauty Shop in my life.  I have always been quite stubborn and the kid who took NO as a challenge…poor Martha and Robert, which was a loving phrase uttered OFTEN by one of my co-workers.

 

Back to the story of my FB friend…This friend went on to tell about having to go to the hospital each month for blood work and what an inconvenience it was and how she always ran in and out without stopping to look, BUT for some reason, this day, she observed her surroundings to notice people standing and crying…she was certain that family has received bad news…she saw an elderly man who was so weak, he could barely hold up his head…she saw a lady that she knew who told her of her husband’s death and they talked and hugged…another lady shared her testimony and made sure SHE knew of Christ…when it was time for the friend to leave, she got up and then stopped to ask if she could give the elderly lady a hug and so she did…She recounted that she HOPED that from now on, she would slow down and count her blessings more often and notice others around her who had times far tougher than hers….WOW…just WOW…

I don’t think I need to give a synopsis of that story because the lesson is clear…SLOW DOWN and OBSERVE your surroundings…YOU are WHERE you are for a REASON…GOD can and WILL use you when you heart is open and ready…YOU CAN BE the CHANGE in the world…YOU CAN make a difference in this world~~make it a POSITIVE CHANGE!  I posted on my fb wall this week that IF you think you are TOO small to make a difference, you have NEVER spent a night with a mosquito in your room!!  YOU ARE GREAT ENOUGH!!  Besides, if you have been TAKING Blessings lately, it is time to pass them on.

Another friend from College has been doing some amazing work helping people in her area…who KNOWS what doors have been opened because of her willingness.  She has helped two people get air conditioners, helped people with water and electric bills.  These are NOT people without jobs.  These are people who cannot make the paycheck stretch far enough.  STOP and OBSERVE YOUR SURROUNDINGS….

I DAILY read Prayer requests on FB…People are hurting and searching…STOP and OBSERVE your surroundings…it take little effort to utter a prayer on their behalf…PRAY is the GREATEST gift we have…what an honor to be asked to pray together with other believers…

There is too much evil at work in our societies…we MUST learn to LOVE and to SUPPORT each other…build each other UP with every chance instead of TEARING people down…GOD will take care of our enemies, and BELIEVE me, GOD is FAR MORE POWERFUL than KARMA…Karma doesn’t hold a stick to what my GOD can and WILL do when I follow Him.  OBSERVE your surrounds…offer smiles…hold doors…help those SHORT people get items from the top shelves…STOP and say HEY to those who look lost or sad…LOOK at PEOPLE…SLOW DOWN, you are just going to be standing in the checkout line anyway…AND find a reason to strike up a conversation with those in line with you…ASK the cashier HOW they are doing instead of WAITING to be asked…it takes NO EFFORT to be kind…

Make the SECOND ACT of this year memorable!  Keep your eyes, ears and heart OPENED to needs around you…YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE in my life…Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte

OH…TODAY the NEW ISSUE of PAINTING EZINE comes out…IF you are not getting it, PLEASE DO…There is a link on each side of my blog that will take you RIGHT there…just click on it…IF you are on your phone, scroll down and choose to view as web and you will see the links…easy peasy…A one year PRESCRIPTION is $16~~what a value!!  If  you use only 3 patterns the entire year, and you will want to use MORE, then you have paid for the PRESCRIPTION…

 

Why am I typing PRESCRIPTION?  Because PAINTING is my daily medication to keeping my sanity…it is my passion…it is my joy…it is my challenge…THANK YOU GOD, for this gift…may I always use it to YOUR GLORY and honor…peace out, dudes…