Merry Christmas!

   I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday.  This one is definitely different than I envisioned it.  I am . . . surviving.  It will be hard but that is expected.  It is incredibly lonely since I have no close family to visit with (except by phone).  But overall I am okay.  I have found a lot of strength in prayer and reading. 
     This week's inchie was Sweden.  Mine is rather simple but here goes.  I also am sharing my year's inchie work.  I like how it looks with all the flags.  I wish I had started out with flags, but I only missed one.

    Rambling through some old scrapbooks I found these pictures.  Thought I would share.  The first is one taken in 1959 for our family Christmas cards.  The second one I just one I found, I am not sure when it was taken. 

   Have a wonderful week and thank you for dropping by!  Hugs!

Poland Inchie

    This year's inchies are almost over.  Seems hard to believe.  This week the country was Poland.  I decided to use the national flower - the corn poppy.  Poppies are such gorgeous flowers.

     I hope everyone is having a great week.  Mine seems a bit like a roller coaster.  Up and down. Sometimes within a few moments time span.  I have tried everything to fight off the "tidal waves"  but they just come.  Thanks for dropping by and have a blessed day.  Hugs.

Brrrrrr . . .

   Winter has arrived.  Only very typically of here we do not get pretty white snow, we get rain.  And then some more rain.  And when that is over, more rain.  I don't want mountains of snow like my homestate of NC, but I do wish for just a tiny bit. 
     The inchie this week was Montenegro.  I know nothing about that place.  I did look it up and decided on an icon that I saw that was interesting.  It looks like a pretty place.

  Diva's challenge was to do something festive for the holidays!  I saw something similar to this online and thought I would change it up a bit and use this.  Would make a nice card front if I had gotten cards done.  I bought new Christmas paper and cut outs and  everything for cards this year and then . . . well, I just haven't felt up to it.  Maybe next year.

  And lastly a coloring page I have been working on for a bit. 

     Thank you for dropping by and lots of thanks for all the kind words on my last post.  My days are long right now.  I have good moments and not so good moments.  But I guess that will be the case for quite a while.  I am glad I have my art to entertain me.  It helps.  Hugs!

I did it.

    Scanning my art work and being able to display it means a lot to me - obviously.  Ray usually scans it on the big computer (I call it his computer but it really is both of ours).  Then he emails it to me - all the way across the room, lol - to my laptop.  I tried all morning to figure out how to scan my work.  No luck.  So I went to trying it on my laptop.  The program isn't as filled with perks, but hey, I did it.  I can at least put my work up until I can conquer the other one. 
      Two inchies from me this week - Cyprus and Chile.  It is hard to believe the inchies for this year is almost over.  Wow.

Chile

Cyprus

      Diva's tile was to use the tangle 123 O'Leary.  I decided to do it in blue and add a word that has been heavy on my mind this week.  I may gift this card to someone who has helped me a lot.

      The last is a coloring page I did weeks ago.  I just never got it scanned. 

      The days are good and bad.  Slow and quiet.  Lonely.  But I am going to survive this.  I have a lot of faith and I trust in Jesus.  Thank you for dropping by and leaving me some much needed sunshine.  Hugs.

No art this week

    Here I sit.  Just me.  No art.  I cannot create anything right now.  I can barely function.  This past Saturday night, I lost . . . my world.  My brother died suddenly.  I have been in an up and down state and just adrift.  I am sure I will get back to drawing and coloring.  I will need that release.  That peace.  I will have to figure out how to use the scanning software so I can continue to share - as he did that for me.  But I will.  Bear with me for a while.  I need to continue to write here.  I will try not to over burden with gloom, but I do need to write.  I just need prayers right now.  Please hug those close to you until they yell for you to stop because you never know.  You just never know.  Hugs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

      At least to those of us in the U.S.   To the rest of my friends, just have a wonderful blessed day.  While it is just Ray and I (and of course, Lakota), we still have a rather good sized meal for Thanksgiving.  The plan in doing a larger meal is leftovers!  It means I don't have to cook for a few days at least.  I enjoy that.  Plus there are things we simply must have that remind us of our childhood dinners at our grandparents.  For me, cranberry relish salad.  For Ray, deviled eggs.  I have started a bit of meal prep today so I don't have much to do tomorrow.  I also got my Christmas tree up today!  It is so pretty.  I love this season.
     The inchie country was Denmark.  That is such a beautiful place (at least according to photos).  I chose a Viking ship and the flag.  Simple but I like it.

       Diva's challenge was to use fengle and pokeroot.  Again a rather simple drawing but it uses the two tangles.  I love fengle.  It has always been one of my favorites. 

     And last some of the past week's coloring.  I have a few more drawing challenges to work on, but they are not done . . . yet.  Perhaps as I chill from my meal tomorrow. 

     Now I must go work on a few Christmas cards.  Please have a wonderful day and I hope you find it full of blessings!  Hugs!

Please, no yodelling!

     This week's inchie - Austria - had me humming Sound of Music songs!  I love that movie.  I went with my 5th grade class (as a student) to see it at the theater.  That was a fun experience.  Nowadays you want to show a movie at school, you rent it at Netflix.  Fun, maybe.  But not the same as 80 5th graders hitting the popcorn stands and going in a theater.  Brave teachers, lol!  Anyway, Austria is our location.  Such a beautiful place - although I have never been there.  I would love to see it in person.

       Here is the MOJO challenge for this week.  I normally do not name my art work, but when I finished this one - I could not get past the name, "Standing Under My Ceiling Fan".  Didn't plan on it, but it sure fits!

  Last but not least a couple of string challenges from one of my Facebook groups. 

     That's all for this week!  I plan on getting the Diva challenge done, but haven't tackled it yet.  Thanks for dropping by and I hope you have a wonderful day.  Hugs.

A Bit of Blue Sky

        It was so nice this morning to look out my window and see blue sky.  Last night our area was under storm watches and flood watches.  Schools all around were either cancelled or starting under a delayed time.  I am not a person who enjoys storms at all.  Certainly not when they could be severe.  But we were blessed with very mild storms, yet some pretty heavy rain.  This morning is very nice.  There may be some more headed our way tonight, but for now - enjoy the blue sky!
        The inchie this week for Every Inchie Monday was Honduras.  I usually start my inchie by doing a google search for icons for the country.  There I find some interesting ideas for my inchies.  Not here.  The only icon shown was the flag.  That's it.  When I searched for images I saw a gorgeous country - blue water and luscious greenery.  Oh well.  I suppose my flag would have to do. 

       Diva's challenge was number 375 - wow!  Almost 400!  That's amazing.  This was the week for the Use My Tangle challenge.  So we had to use the tangle burtz.  I combined it with munchin for my tile.

       The other challenge I completed this week was the MOJO challenge.  The tangles we had to use were spirox, sandswirl, and tupuk.  I had only ever used sandswirl before.  The others were new to me.

       That's it for this week.  Except for some coloring pages in my new books.  Coloring and tangling are so relaxing for me.  I enjoy just chilling and doing either.  I was thinking this morning how happy I am not to have worry about delays or missed school days.  Stormy weather brings about extra pressure for teachers.  We are responsible for our children's safety and emotional comfort.  Not an easy feat. 

     Have a wonderful week and I look forward to reading your comments!  Hugs and blessings!

Inktober is over!

     Okay, I really am not unhappy to see Inktober end.  Both of them.  Not to imply I didn't love them and won't be doing them again next year, I will.  I just am glad not to have a daily tangle challenge.  I "cheated" and went ahead and did the 31st on both so I could post them on the blog. 

     Every Inchie Monday's country was Belgium.  My first thought was waffles!  Might know I would think food.  Anyway years ago when the World's Fair was in Knoxville TN we had Belgium Waffles at the exhibit.  Oh yum!  Since I have fixed them occasionally. 

     Here are a couple of Weekender challenges for the Line Weaving community.  One is from last week because it took me awhile.

     This stripey piece is for the Mojo challenge.  It reminds of something out of Dr. Seuss!  Oh I love that author.  Have I ever told you I have his autograph?  I wrote him when I first started teaching and asked for it.  He send me an autograph on Cat in the Hat stationary and signed his name in green CRAYON!  I love that.  Only him.

   Just a few coloring pages from my new books.  The cool thing about these books is that for me they were free because I won that gift certificate awhile back.  That makes them even better.

     Well that is it for this week.  I haven't done Diva's challenge yet so I will probably either post separately or add it to next week's post.  Have a wonderful week and take care!  Hugs!

Happy Wednesday!!

    I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.  I am doing well today.  Lakota is thankfully back on the road to recovery.  He is eating better and that is a blessing.  The deal is he has never ate real well.  He is incredibly picky and being sick hasn't helped.  We even took to making his dog food.  Sometimes he would eat, sometimes no.  I do not know how he is as big as he is (around 120 lbs.  when back at his top). 
     Lots of challenges this week.  I am loving the Inktober challenges, but growing a bit weary at the same time.  It is my own fault - I should know better than to commit to 2 different ones.  But I did, so I will see them through.  Here are the 3rd and 4th installments for both Inktober challenges on Tangle All Aroumd and Pattern Collections.  Only eight days to go!

     What is better than getting a new coloring book?  Getting two for free.  Remember when I told you I won a gift certificate from Color It?  Well they had two new books I wanted so used part of my certificate to order them.  They are so cool.  I got Colorful Unicorns and Colorful Scriptures.  Here is one that I finished from the scriptures book. 

      Every Inchie Monday's word or country was Italy.  Lots of wonderful historical and architectural finds there.   I chose to do the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Simple but recognizable.

      Oh Diva, the things you ask!  It was time for the non dominant hand challenge.  My brother can pick up a pencil and write or draw with either hand quite comfortably.  He is left handed but had to use his right hand when he broke his left wrist a while back.  Me?  I have to put the pencil in my hand with my right hand and force my finger in to submission.  So here is my piece, and yes, I know it is awful.  Really.  No shading or anything.  I simply could not hold the pencil any longer. 

      The last challenge I have is the Mojo challenge for the Line Weaving Community.  This was a bit of a throw together.  I could not "see" any way to do this.  It proved to be quite another challenge!

      One more thing I did this past week but for no real reason.  Just because I love doing mandalas!

      I have another challenge I am working on, but it is not complete.  Maybe next week.  We shall see.
      I guess I shall go.  Take care and I hope you have a blessed day.  Hugs!!

Wednesday swaps and challenges

    Our lovely fall weather continues!  I love the feel of fall in the air.  Actually I love most seasons and the changes they bring.  Summer and the heat is my least favorite, bur even so for awhile that is nice.
    I have lots to share today.  I am doing two Inktober challenges, my regular weekly challenges and several swaps - which are loads of fun! 

Every Inchie Monday - Argentina



Diva challenge - Dewd

Line Weaving Weekend challenge - Fall Colors

One of my swap items with Joyce Bruns

Cabbit swap with Lisa Bierema

Mojo challenge - bwiya, leaf pod, and arkles

Second installment of Inktober for Tangle All Around

Second installment of Inktober for Pattern Collections

      Thank you for dropping by and leaving me some sunshine.  I love reading your comments.  They truly do make my day.  Take care and have a blessed week!