Thursday, August 15, 2013

Back From The Beach!

 We recently returned from Delaware and it was an awesome 11 days resplendent with great weather, lots of fun, friendship and great food!! Now that all is caught up at home it's high time I get caught up with all my blogging peeps. First I'll share a few beach pics but if you just want the art scroll down a bit.






  On the day we arrived there were some thunderstorms. Despite the dark clouds and rain over the ocean side, on the bay side the sun was shining brightly thru some blue skies. I just knew we'd find a rainbow. We not only found one, but a double one and these rainbows extended end to end over the ocean-pure magic! It was so moving I wrote two haikus:

                                       Storms over the sea
                                       Sun breaks over the bay side
                                       Magical rainbows

                                       Calls from a distance
                                       Sounds of joy and crashing waves
                                       The beach life's for me

   On our first walk on the beach I found three heart shaped stones in a row and my friend Lynne found a sand dollar (not so common to find in these parts). The next day I found a sand dollar and the tiniest little conch shell. Though everyone else searched high and low there were no other sand dollars to be found.

   We ate and drank very well...




                                           Friend Chad and I preparing for our lobster feast :)

  Good thing I got a good LONG walk on the beach each day. I also attended my first drumming circle (something I was looking into going to at home this fall) and it was such an incredibly freeing and exhilarating experience!! Lynne and I went with her two drums but we all tried out different drums and shared with each other. I see a drum in my future ;)

                                             Here I am using Lynne's beautiful shaman drum. Linking this to Inspiration Avenue -Native Arts theme this week.
  One last pic I couldn't resist:

 Annie decided to take my spot and pillow as soon as I was up. She was royally spoiled with attention and special treats and was happily exhausted.

  The art part: Just before leaving, my last lesson in the 52 Weeks of Creative Abundance online course supplied us with a video on making origami butterflies. I made one for each of the ladies along with leaving an Irish blessing in their rooms ( I'll link this to Glue It Tuesday since I did use some glue :):


                                                  May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
                                                  And find your shoulder to light on,
                                                  To bring you luck, happiness and riches
                                                  Today, tomorrow and beyond.
                                                                                  ~Irish Blessing

   And about a week or two before I left I came upon this blog ( I believe I found it thru the Summer of Color challenge) MyFlowerJournal.com . Tammy does these amazing watercolor flower paintings and generously shares her techniques on her blog. I decided to try one of her techniques and these are the first two I made:


 On the first one I just used watercolors and on the second I experimented with twinks (Twinkling H2Os). I was tickled pink with how well these turned out thanks to Tammy's wonderful tutorial. I packed a kit and played at the beach making a card for each of my girlfriends.






  These are WIPs showing the beginning layers of colors using the twinks. I took some inspirational quotes to stamp in the centers.








                       

   I LOVE painting these and they can be finished in no time! If you have any inclination to try painting flowers please do visit Tammy.

   Linking up to Art Journal Every Day, Creative Every Day, Glue It TuesdayInspiration Avenue, Mandarin Orange Monday, Paint Party Friday and Show and Tell Saturday. Looking forward to visiting you again!

  "My soul is full of longing for the secrets of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me."   Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

44 comments:

  1. Wow! I love how your watercolor flowers turned out. The twink colors are beautiful. I haven't used those before, but I really need to. Sounds like a fun trip to the beach. Thanks for the link back to my site. I will be checking back to see what else you are creating.

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  2. Wonderful post, Linda! So glad you had good weather to enjoy your time at the beach. Love all of your artwork; especially the watercolored pieces.

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  3. Glad you had a good holiday! Lovely art, too! Valerie

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  4. so lovely to catch up with you, Linda! What glorious photos. It looks like you had a most wonderful time and I know how the beach speaks to you! I love the butterflies and the flower art cards you made. Everything looks simply delicious! Thank you for sharing : )

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  5. Welcome back Linda, you look so cheerful on the photos. I can see that you had great time! gorgeous butterflies. Big hugs and thank you for sharing your beach memories.

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  6. So glad you had a nice time, the pics are wonderful...and love your butterflies!

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  7. Hi Linda. Looks like you all had a wonderful time. The photos show that. Very nice flower art card and your butterflies are awesome. Love those photos.
    gloria

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  8. So much to enjoy when I come to visit you dear Linda!
    Welcome Home from your vacation by the sea which looks and sounds really really special...3 ♥ rocks in a row is extra special!
    We attended a drum circle in the park in Asheville NC last year and the energy there was amazing with young and old drumming and dancing or just tapping their feet.
    Thank you for sharing those rainbows too = WOWEE!
    Your cards are extra lovely as are your origami butterflies ... I will check out your links
    Happy August Weekend to you and yours
    oxo

    Happy Weekend to you

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  9. Oui, photos magnifiques, un bel endroit, magnifique arc-en ... J'adore ces papillons!

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  10. Yes, wonderful photos, a nice place, wonderful rainbow ... I love those butterflies!

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  11. Oh Linda, seems you are having tons of fun and joy! magical rainbow over the sea, great happening :) love your sweet cards ♥ Conny
    http://piaromsartjournaling.blogspot.de

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  12. So much creativity here ~ love it all ~ especially the butterflies and family photos and beach ~ glad you had a wonderful vacation ~ Happy Weekend to you, carol, xo

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  13. Beautiful pattern on your drum what a treasure. I love your origami butterflies too gorgeous.

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  14. lovely art, butterfly inspired! And thanks for sharing your beach pics, I enjoyed them all!

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  15. Enjoyed your post this week, Linda. Your 11 days in Delaware look like so much fun from your photos. I enjoyed your beautiful art work, too. Especially the butterflies.

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  16. Wonderful post Linda! I enjoyed your beach and friends photos and your watercolors and poetry are wonderful. Thank you for your comment on my blog.

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  17. Loved seeing your beach pics makes me look forward to our summer and all the treats it has in store. Most of all I love the pic of Annie. The butterflies are so beautiful.

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  18. Your water colors are so pretty! Sounds like you had a great time with your friends!

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  19. Looks like you had fun. Love the little dog sleeping =), so sweet.
    ThanX for your sweet comment on my blog earlier.
    xx Monique

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  20. Looks like great fun. Love the paintings and the photo of the rainbow.

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  21. I love, love, love all the beautiful garlands you painted on your cards, and those butterflies are really special too. Looks like you had a blast in the beach. Blessings!

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  22. I loved the visit to the beach thank you for sharing it. Your paper butterfly's were lovely and I am sure well received I do like the WC flowers I may well pop over there as well lovey work Dxx

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  23. I love your photos so much...so nice to see you with that yummy lobster...lucky you! They cost a fortune here... Looks like fun was had by all!! You go girl getting that drum!! And all these flowers with quotes are gorgeous!! Good job!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  24. Great photos, looks wonderful. I love your beach finds:)Your flower garland boarders are beautiful:) HPPF

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  25. Wonderful photos, nice drum.....I love your butterflies. YOu did a fantastic job. xox

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  26. Welcome HOME!
    What a wonderful trip! everything about it looks so fun and restful! I am soooo jealous too! I wanted to go to the Great Lakes so badly this summer - just a few moments was all I needed. Your beach photos make me feel like I was there - thanks for sharing! Love your gorgeous butterflies too!

    Have a great weekend!
    Nancy

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  27. pure magic and i LOVE your butterflies! xo

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  28. Yay you are back! yet your picture are a testament to a wonderful trip! Thanks so much for sharing them with us!!! The cards and flowers are just gorgeous Linda! And the sentiments...right on. xox

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  29. Hello Linda, you've had a great time, beautiful beaches and the drums look like such fun! Lovely flower pieces too, it's been a pleasure catching up with all your lovely art and news! Ciao xx

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  30. Wow - great post. So much fun and food! Hope you are feeling very refreshed. Your flowers are lovely. I think I saw the tutorial. Haven't had time to watch it yet.

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  31. Oh Linda, those flowercards are really amazing. So simple yet so powerful. Love them! And your origami-butterflies are gorgeous. Sounds like you had a great time away! Glad you're back :-)

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  32. Great pics, seems like you are having fun! Just love your origami butterflies and the cards, so very pretty! <3

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  33. Wonderful dear Linda! So nice to see and read you about
    your trip! S o much good things! Hugs Erika

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  34. What happy, and colourful journey you have taken us on:)

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  35. You look like you had an amazing time away - I love the beach so much! I have always wanted to join a drumming circle I have heard such cool things about them! Loved your beautiful art too! Welcome home x

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  36. Your trip sounds like it was wonderful... and your photos are gorgeous... how awesome is the drum too... love your butterflies... and the Irish blessing is just beautiful...

    Jenny ♥

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  37. Welcome back Linda. I can see that you'd a wonderful time. Wow! to your watercolors. They look amazing.
    Wishing you a peaceful and creative week.
    SusaN

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  38. oooooh that is the most adorable dog in the whole WORLD!!!!! I almost missed seeing the cool rainbow pics and the 'twinks' just looking at the precious little beast. Cool! lots of cool stuff

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  39. There is so much to love and comment on here!

    What a special trip you have had :)

    I still find rainbows so magical and love to see them, especially a double one! I'd never heard of a 'sand dollar' what an amazing find.

    I'm sure your friends must have loved their origami butterflies and gorgeous cards so much.

    I smiled at your sweet dog in your bed!

    So many happy memories for you :)

    Karen x

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  40. Wonderful images from trip. The trip of 11 days really exciting.

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  41. What beautiful prints! I love your flower techniques and the phrases you chose. They're so inspirational.

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  42. Wow, Linda, there is so much goodness in this post that I don't know where to start! The beach looks fabulous, love the shells you found. I would LOVE to join a drumming circle. I can imagine it being a very powerful experience. And I love your beautiful butterflies and prints. Thanks for visiting through GIT and your kind comment.

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  43. Beautiful pictures!!! and your prints are so lovely. Have a wonderful day!

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  44. I am returning to thank you for sharing your happy pics on Mandarin Orange Monday :))

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!