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 Tuesday, Inspiration 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