HAPPY NEW YEAR

I just want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I hope it is filled with much HAPPINESS, PROSPERITY, and LOVE!!!

I have updated our collaboration blog if you would like to check it out at:
MOTHER & DAUGHTER PROSPECTIVE
Stay Safe - May Peace Reign Freely in Your Lives!!!
Thanks for Stopping By!!!

PURPLE REALM

My favorite color - PURPLE - I just love it.....I like the hint of orange and the greens
in this one...how I got them - who knows (as usual) but this creation really turned out
nice....I think after this past month of Kaleidoscopes I finally have them down...I am totally
addicted to making them...I think mostly because they are instant gratification and that
is what I need at this point...the longer a project takes the harder it is for me to stay
motivated to finish it....
So I played some more...and this is what happened:

Yes - I used the watercolor filters and played with the settings and this is the result.
I like the brightness of it...it really makes me happy. I know that must sound strange
but if it makes me happy - then I find it easier to share and talk about. (my warp sense of reasoning).
Well - I played out and have watched LOTS of football....and now I think I will have some
coffee and watch the news (I don't know why - but I have always needed to know what
is going on in the world around me).
I think I will enter the watercolor one in MaryAnn's HandMade Monday challenge...YAY!!!
I hope your Sunday is Peaceful.
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!!

SOME PASTELS

Ahhhhh - some soft colors today. I like the combination of the purple - yellow - and greens..
really soft and subtle....they go well together I think.
Soft lines...pleasing to the eyes...but of course - I never leave well enough alone
so I played again:
In the mosaic filter and the above image is what I created....took a bit for this to appear...
it takes some manipulating to get a "similar" looking image in mosaic...I also
lightened the image because I did not want anything dark...so I am happy with the results.

Have been lazy around here.....watching football bowl games and just vegging out.
It has been really nice.
Unfortunately the weather today will be hot and humid and around 84 degrees UGH!!!
Just way too warm for me!
Well I am off to play some more...hope you all have a wonderful Saturday!!
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

STRETCHED STAR VARIATIONS

Today I happily created....I seem to be dragging again - just feeling out of sorts...but
I don't feel like I am in such a fog so this is good....
The above image looked like a stretched star to me...(hence the title)..I like the look
though the colors are not as bright as I was hoping for...so I played some more...

So I played with more filters and again played with my favorite mosaic one..
and this is what I created...though again the colors were not bright enough for me..
However I do suggest that you click on the mosaic image because it looks SO MUCH BETTER
in a bigger image...I created more little mosaic pieces in this one...so they look smaller...but
the image looks so much more defined - which I like...
Then of course I still wanted to brighten up the look and this is what happened:
LOVE IT!!!! This one was manipulated with the watercolor filter...I so love
the brightness of the colors....and if you click on the image...it has such a cool watercolor
look to it...really turned out nice...made me very HAPPY!!! This is a good thing!!
Well - this is was...and I thank you for stopping by and Looking...Have a great friday!!!

BUBBLY - PINK - AND VIBRANT

I hope everyone had a FANTASTIC Christmas...mine was marvelous...I received many
surprises and we ate until we could not move....it was all perfect!
Yesterday - we just relaxed from all the build up to actual Christmas...being lazy is a good thing.
I am back to creating...well at least online to show you...for the last two days I have
been working on a few other creations...and I will show you them when they are done.
The above image just fascinated me...the colors is stunning to me...a VERY vibrant pink...
kind of bubbly to me. Again soft lines...I really like it...you can click on the image to see
the actual size...it looks nice bigger.
Of course I played just a little bit more and this is what happened:

Now the center reminded me of two things...one being a flower and the other being
a mandala...I really like it either way....
Both images really surprised me...definite eye catchers.
I think I will submit these to MaryAnn's Handmade Monday Challenge which is COLOR...
(which these are definitely full of color)
Thanks for stopping by and Looking...

EVERCHANGING BLUES

It is finally Christmas Eve and all is quiet...calm...and the perfect day for just
relaxing and doing whatever it is we feel like...
So of course I played for a while in psp and came up with the above creation.
The reason I called it EverChanging Blues..is because if concentrate on one of the green blots
the blue seems to change. Like one of those 3-D dimensional images that you can
see other things in...At least for me....if you click on the image-it will take you a larger version
and then you can try it out...very unique! I like it!
Then just the fun....I played in mosaics and came up with this:
I do not think this one had enough colors in it to really stand out as
a mosaic for me....but I like it...Mosaics just fascinate me.
I hope you have a peaceful Christmas Eve...and if you do not celebrate it
then a peaceful monday...no stress...lots of joy!
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

Now that the New Year is quickly approaching...I have thought long and hard about
what I would like to set out for 2008.
Not really resolutions...but goals (personal achievements) for myself..(Some Brave Moments)
So Here are my goals for 2008:

GOALS FOR 2008

1- Create some form of ART every day – even WIP is good (at least 3 times a week is my minimum)

2- Go OUT at least once a month OUTSIDE into the real world (off our property)

3- Go OUTSIDE the house at least once a week

4- Organized arts and craft supplies – craft room

5- Take Pictures – lots of pictures – at every opportunity

6- Take time to pray – meditate – breathe – think things through

7- Open an Etsy Shop

8- Make MORE handmade gifts for Christmas 2008 (less store bought)

9- Find SOMETHING positive – a blessing – everyday – write it down (keep track)

10- Live – Love - Laugh

Do You have any personal goals in mind for the new year?...if so I would love to read about it...
Let me know!!!
BTW---I did not write anything about my family, intentionally, because they have been and always will be my number 1 priority.

RED MELODY

Just playing in reds ....really quick and easy....had loads of fun.
I like all the little hearts and stars...seems to be an on going theme...lol
Of course I played some more - tweaked some filters and this was made:

I think if you click on the photos you can see the details better...they look better
larger.
Of course I love the mosaic look.
I know the closer the holidays get - the less people are creating...but it is fun!!!
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

ORANGE LAYERS

WOW - orange and lots of it!!! It really fascinates me.
It looks like there are layers of orange coming upwards in this one.
I really like the look and have also noticed that there are A LOT of hearts in this one..
love it!!! I have no idea how I achieved the black outline to some of the orbits
around it but I just think it makes it stand out so much more!

Keeping this entry short...it is about 3:30 in the morning and I am starting to get tired
(this is a good thing) so I think I will stop here.
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

3-D DIMENSIONAL

I know the colors in this one are not bright and eye catching
but I like this one because if you look closely the outside images almost
look like boxes giving it a 3-d dimensional look...
I guess if you click on the image you would be able to see what I am
talking about better.
I really like the look...but how the darker colors came in I have no idea.

I have finally updated my collaborative blog (that I have with my daughter) -
so please feel free to check it out - A MOTHER & DAUGHTER PROSPECTIVE.
This entry is short and sweet...just real tired right now...
Hope your friday is FABULOUS...
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

WAVY FLOWER EFFECTS

Feeling better - not so dragging today (Thank God)...so of course I played a while in
Paint Shop Pro..it was fun (as always) and came up with three creations that make
me feel happy today.
The top one seems almost dreamy to me...I like the soft lines -waviness and it has a
flower look to me..I also like the way the colors work with each other.
So playing with some more filters - this is my next one:

This one I added a watercolor filter to...really looks terrific (to me)
and then of course I had to work with mosaic filters (my favorite) and this next one
popped up:
I am really pleased with the results...really enjoyed creating today...
it relaxed me...and made me feel like I really accomplished something.
Well - I am really pleased with myself - I have been on a roll to blog and create
every day now since the beginning of November...This is a HUGE brave step for
me because it takes A LOT of inner strength for me to share my creations...I am
so in fear of being rejected or someone claiming that what I do is NOT art..
Truly it scares me...but today I am feeling so much more better with it.
So - I hope you all have a BEAUTIFUL thursday - enjoy it all.
Thanks so much for stopping by and Looking!!!

ROSEY HEARTS

Today I just have one creation to show you all....for some reason I have truly
been dragging for the last few days...my body just wants to sleep...which is unusual because
insomnia and I are on a first name basis...so I am just sleeping...hopefully this DRAG feeling
will go away soon...I did get up long enough to create the image above.
I soooo LOVE the colors....what a vibrant color..so bright...really catches the eye.
I also love the little hearts that have shown up.
Again so different from the rest...Love the wavy lines inside and straight lines on the outside.
Lots of fun to create.
I hope you all have a BEAUTIFUL day...
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!!

LILAC COLORS

I really love the color Lilac (so close to my love of purple)...I thought
the above design was more different then the others I have made...
wavy lines.. I think the different hues of green really pop...pretty cool...
of course I never leave well enough alone so I played with more filters and
this is what I came up with:

The greens have been minimalized in this one....but the lilac color grew...
Looks so soft and still has some wavy lines in it...lots of curves...
I like it!!!
Have to get back to wrapping presents and preparing some things to get
mailed...(packages and such).
So much to do....hope you all have a GREAT day!
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

7 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME - TAGGED

Anke at THE ARTIST IN ME asked me to join in for 7 random things. Here are the rules for doing it and of course I ask 3 poeple to do it as well! The rules: -Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.-Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself-Tag 3 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.-Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
The next 3 persons will be:
JANA at Jana's Journey
MARY ANN at Follow Your Bliss
ANG at Altermyworld
You do not have to participate...but it looks like fun!!!

Here are my seven random things about me:

1-I used to play the piano...quite good (from what my teachers said) even got to play at Carnegie Hall...Have not played in eons...I can still read music but cannot play anything by memory...have to study notes...(have been playing since I was 4)

2-I lack SELF - CONFIDENCE big time....have never been able to over come this...I have always been in fear of being rejected or laughed at.

3-I am very laid back...easy going...I have a 60's kind of style about me.

4-I was a cheerleader in grade school/middle school...go figure - for our basketball team...GO TEAM (what happened to that cheerleading body???)

5-I am obsessed with certain TV programs like: crafts shows, poker, law and order and forensic science shows...

6-I LOVE football - both college and NFL...gotta watch it...

7-My first language was spanish....but now cannot speak a lick of it (tho I understand it perfectly)...my parents decided before I started school that english was more important to fit in. My parents only speak spanish at home - I understand perfectly but answer in english...pretty strange!!!

This was fun!!! Give it a TRY!!!

WOW - CHRISTMAS COLORS

More Christmas colors....bright greens and reds...
stars shapes are overwhelming in this one...as well as the next...
sharp edges...jagged....straight...no smoothness at all...
Love the colors and the look....and just in time for Christmas...
Of course had to play a bit further and this one popped out:

A bigger star....more defined...not as fragmented...I like the look..
looks like little peachy pink hearts in the inside points of the
stars....pretty cool to me.
Really enjoyed making these....
Thanks so much for stopping by and Looking!!!

LOTS OF RED

WOW - what a different look....it is square....now this one just blew my mind
because I have not had a square one yet....and how it came about I have no idea
(as usual) - but the effect is great......I really love everything about it...
there are 4 hearts near the center which are awesome and the white and pink swirl
on the outside looks dreamy....I do not know where the fragmented look came from but
it just makes this one unique and a great addition to my little collection here.
I thought I would play some more (had storms this morning - so I just played off line)
and this is what happened:

I love this one also - the white "blots" add such an interesting look...they make the red
pop out to me...the flower on the inside trying to grow outwards....and the
soft lines through out the whole image is just wonderful.
If you cannot already tell....I really like these two results....

This week the creative prompt over at HANDMADE MONDAY is the color RED..
So I think I will be entering these two images as my answer to the challenge.
THANK YOU ALL for stopping by and looking and for your encouraging
comments...they give me such hope and...this is a great thing!!!!

LOTS OF COLORS

COLOR COLOR AND MORE COLOR....
As always playing around but this time some bright and beautiful colors
have appeared...I love it!!!!
Purple (my most favorite color) and pink (my second most favorite color) just
shinning through in this top kaleidoscope...I am loving the very obvious star in the center
(just appearing on it's own) and the flower even more so in the center trying to break through.
The of course - I went on to play and play with more filters and check
out what has appeared below:

I REALLY love this one....love the colors....love the blossom in the middle....love the
yellow and blues in it....it really came together...now these two pieces made me
really happy today...
I am so glad you dropped by today....Thanks for looking!!!

SOFT COLORS - OFFICIALLY LISTED

Today I just wanted to play with soft colors....nothing bright...nothing dismal.
This top one surprised me--- but I really like the hearts around the star...have no idea
how I got them there (as usual) but I like the look.
This next one I played with other filters:
This one looks like a simple kaleidoscope...nothing really fancy...still soft colors.
I like the softness - my daughter thinks that on the outside of the middle image those little
light green images look like cat faces....hmmmm - what do you see?
Just one more that I decided to show you all...
Now this one looks like tulips to me in bluish tint....I really liked the soft look
of them...and a little star in the middle...
I am enjoying making these kaleidoscopes because they are so open
to interpretation and so random...no two ever the same...now how cool is that?

NOW SOME GREAT NEWS....I am officially listed in - DELIGHTFUL BLOGS.

I am really excited....now I need a BIG BIG FAVOR PLEASE....
could you go and rate me HERE. (1 being bad - 10 the best)
I would so appreciate it...and if your blog is listed there - please
leave me a comment so I can rate yours!

Thanks so much for stopping by and Looking!!!

GREENS COMING THROUGH - CELTIC FEEL

Onto some greens with touches of purple and yellow....truly these are
turning out so differently then when I first started the series...more like some
sort of puzzle pieces.
I like the way it turned out...a bit of a Celtic feel to it - I am loving it!!!
Of course I can never leave well enough alone so I played with more filters and came
up with this one:

Like a dandelion in the middle and chevrons shooting out from the sides...
cool effect...I like it...have no idea how I did it...but I am loving it all!!!!
I like the idea that no "star" images are pronounced in either image...
new and different!!!
I have updated my collaborative blog with more photos and more remembrance
if you care to check it out at: A MOTHER & DAUGHTER'S PROSPECTIVE.
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

BLACK AND WHITE

I intentionally worked in black and white for a challenge from HANDMADE MONDAY.
The prompt was the color white...so the two kaleidoscopes are for my entries
in it!!
I think black is the strongest way to show white off and make it pop.
I really like the above entry - almost looks like a sand dollar that you find on a beach.
I also like the little star in the middle and what looks like a few hearts on the outside.

The next one I put more emphasis on the white...

Again the star in the middle surprises me - have no idea how that occurred.
It is soft on the eyes...almost like a flower opening up...I like the way
the orbit lines on the outside came out...all different hues of white/grey...
so that is my entry for HANDMADE MONDAY...
It was a blast.
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!!

CHRISTMAS AND MORE

I actually managed to create a kaleidoscope with Christmas colors.
I shocked myself. lol The top image (at least to my daughter and I) looked like a
Christmas bulb - I really like the yellow and orange center - I could not get the image
to come up any bigger but I think if you click on it - you will see the original size..
to me it just has some cool effects.
Then I created the next one:

This one looked like a Christmas pointsetta...(again to my daughter and I) and now
the yellow in the middle looks like the pistons of a flower (isn't that what the center
of a flower is called - brain spaz here).
Now - the next two may have black in them but I really liked the mixture of black
and yellow because the two colors together fascinate me for some
unknown reason...how these two colors popped in I have no idea...again
just going with the flow:

This first one reminds me so much of Aztec symbols....
I was so pleased with the results - it does not make me feel
sad or dark...I feel like I created something from the past...
Then of course I had to add a few filters to keep playing and I came up
with this last one:

I know it may sound strange but to me it felt like I was swimming in the
middle of bumble bees...and they are just whizzing by as I go closer and closer to
the center....(personally I am allergic to bees and really dislike even seeing them)
but bees is what I see...
So does anyone see anything or nothing?
I really hope you all have a TERRIFIC tuesday.
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

IN THE PINK AND UPDATES

In the Pink!!!! Well onto brighter colors...this one was fun...I think it looks like a flower
blooming inside the star...I do like the soft edges on it..and the pink hues
I really enjoyed playing with it...then of course I decided to play with the amount of
"orbits" in a kaleidoscope...so here is another one that was done differently:

The whirly orbits around the outside are different...and the inside totally changed...
looks like little embellishments have been added and a flower shrunk in the middle...it actually has a feel of celtic to me...and I just love celtic things.
I have also noticed that in both - the whitish green tint almost makes it look
like gold in color from a distance...just the little outlines around the image,
which to me just adds to the magic of the images!!
I like the way it all turned out...and had fun doing it all.
Before I go - did you check out the art book I described in my previous entry...
if not - definitely check it out or go to Amazon.com to see what the book is all about!!!
ALSO...I have really updated my collaborative blog (that I have with my daughter) called
A Mother & Daughter Prospective, and
would love for you all to check it out if you got a minute...there are a couple
of entries I made this past weekend!!!
Thanks so much for Stopping by and Looking!!!

NEW ART BOOK - INSPIRATIONAL

FEELING SO MUCH BETTER NOW!!!

Thank You All!!!!

I forgot to mention at some point that I ordered two amazing books from
Amazon.com a few weeks ago..and they came in.
Now just as a side note - we had a substitute mail person who decided not to
leave the package under the LARGE overhang at our front door/walkway (where all delivery people and our regular mail person - all with common sense leave them)...no
she decided to leave it out on the ground behind our cars in the POURING RAIN.
By the time we discovered them one of the soft bound books that I bought was totally warped
and swollen pages from the rain...the hard bound book I bought my daughter was fine..
and this book below got a big wet but nothing you would notice really...so I only have pics
of the one book I am about to show you...hopefully soon I will take pics of the other...we
blew dry the other one and have clips holding the binding and open ended parts together to
try and get the book looking half way normal...
Anyway...I am so excited about this book below...AWESOME pictures and FANTASTIC
ideas...I highly recommend to others who are into the collage world and free form art, or who are looking for some major inspiration.
I have seen this artist (Traci Bautista) on some DIY craft shows...she is young and hip and very
uninhibited by anything. I love it!!!
Enjoy the pics:

Sorry the pictures are not more clear - but I think you can see she is so inspired
by anything and everything...she loves colors...and this book also has doodles, art words and
other stuffies that you are permitted to use (photocopy/cut out) any way you want to create whatever
you want...now how cool is that.
Well that was my HAPPY gift I gave myself for Christmas...it is AWESOME!!
Thanks for stopping by and Looking!!!

SOME DOUBTS - KALEIDOSCOPE TRIALS

Well for about two or three days now - I have been having some serious doubts about

anything I have created...there is this voice screaming inside my head telling
me - of course I am not an artist - I am just faking it....
I am just trying to fool myself...then there is a lil meek voice that does
enjoy creating whatever but I really do not think I will ever be good enough
for anything...
Of course this is just the mental anguish I have been going through with
trying to live being severely depressed - I really thought that I was
getting some relief from all those negative feelings and doubts but they have been coming
back in full force...Geez - now I do not know what to do.
Today I thought I would share some kaleidoscopes that I have played with but have not shown
yet - not too sure about them...but here they go:


All very different - all evoking different emotions...can you tell that the darker ones
were made just these past two days...during the doubting...
I do not know which way I will go now...just thinking things through...
Trying to stay positive and fighting the demons in my head but it is
a battle I have been fighting way too long and losing...
sorry about being a bit of a bummer here...just tired and overloaded right now!!!
Thanks for stopping by (hopefully I did not scare anyone away) and Looking!!!