My Artful Heart

To the Letter - Practice makes Perfect

2011-09-06T15:37:00.000-04:00

I am currently working on the different lettering exercises that are a part of Hope's e-course (Paper Relics) - 'To the Letter'.

It is really all about trying to find your own style within her personal font and becoming very comfortable with your own creative skills to experiment with the different ways to create unique lettering in our own journals.

My handwriting in 'real life' really is not that great, I feel anyway. However, I am trying to embrace it: So a practicing I will go.......

I doodled this at work on a scrap sheet of paper - I did not not have a practice journal handy, so I used what was on hand.

Well, of to work on some more exercises - As they say, practice makes perfect!

My New Focus - An Art Journaling Blog

2011-08-24T09:41:00.000-04:00

I have been pondering quite a lot on what I would like for this blog to be. I have been doing a TON of journaling projects lately, one of which is through Kelly Watts's page. It is for a tentative book publishing project. I also just signed up for a lettering e-course via Paper Relics (Hope). Her courses all look so good, it is REALLY difficult to only pick one to do for right now. My goal is to complete every one of them (if possible). Her journal work and her other art works are really fun and shabby chic like in 'flavor'.

I have gone back and forth doing a lot of craft things that I have been really interested in through the years - Scrapbooking, cross stitch, collage, journaling, etc. I am now very content with my choice of journaling. It really comes naturally to me as I scribble in my note books and also do work in my actual art journals. I also want to expand on sharing the various journals that I have shared in the past in previous posts.

**If any of you out there would like to join me in taking the lettering class at Paper Relics, go here to sign up. It is only $15 and will start on September 1st (the price will then be $18, so sign up early)**

Back to Pink!

2011-07-22T21:19:00.001-04:00

Hi all, It has been a LONG hiatus from Pink Saturday! Lots has gone on the past couple of years (through my husband's LONG unemployment and a BIG move) and I have "slacked" on many things it seems. Anyway, I am back to share some pink stuff with you all.

For this week, I am working on some more comfort art dolls for Dorcas Project. If some of you are not familiar of it, it is an organization that works with women and their families in an Oklahoma regional area that are dealing with breast cancer. Also, this weekend is also my niece AJ's 4th birthday party. We are celebrating here with cupcakes and all :-)

Have a Happy Pink Saturday all - *remember to visit other pretty pink pages*

Everyday Creative Clutter - FOCUS!

2011-06-28T10:39:00.000-04:00

Hi again my fellow bloggers! Time and clutter can still take a toll on everyday things and thinking. I need to get back into the blogging groove. I dislike it lots when life gets in the way and creative things like this go by the wayside.

How do you keep from getting sidetracked with your creative endeavors?

FOCUS is a hard word to make a practice of ;-)

Gentle Art of....Some Pink Inspiration

2009-06-20T00:00:00.003-04:00

Hope that everyone is having a great Pink Saturday!

One book that I have been reading recently is 'The Gentle Art of Domesticity' by Jane Brocket.

It focuses on the "gentler" side of caring for the home (mostly about knitting, embroidery/stitching, wine/chocolate, simple yummys, home comforts and creative travel). It is a wonderful , illustrated guide with a vintage twist. It is also not intended to be an instruction "manual". It rather serves as an inspiration gold mine.

With our upcoming New York trip in the near horizon (this time we are house sitting for friends of ours), I was inspired to create something to take with me to keep me busy or whatnot. I noticed the author created a Travel Survival kit out of (she even focused on a trip to New York).

So here are my pink versions of my New York Survival kit - I needed to create two of them because I actually had two similar tins and I also decided to make one with 'general' items in it and then one with just a small stitching things. I still need to find a mini version of a Manhattan Subway map.

I plan to stitch a mini stitching item while on the road.

Stay tuned for Pink New York on another Pink Saturday (it will be an addition to the last Pink New York post that I did at one time). On this trip, we are planning on stopping to Coney Island and other neighboring places to the city....like part of Long Island, Boston and Atlantic City...I can't wait.

To visit more pink sites, head on over to Beverly's place at 'How Sweet the Sound' (just make sure to head on over to the far right link for this Saturday).

Enjoy your weekend and be pink :)

My Pink Heart is Full in Branson

2009-05-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Well, another pink journey that my husband and I made. This time, we took a 'quick' trip to Branson, MO, primarily to visit a cousin of Tim's.

This is a more abbreviated pink travel post:

I found this short in a thrift store in Springfield, MO (very close to Branson).....it says 'My Heart is Full'...how appropriate, as I feel that my heart is full of hope and love at the moment (not only the trip but life in general).

Pink peonies at one of the wineries that we visited....I love these flowers, they remind me of my grandmother's peonies that she had planted near her farmhouse. Friday night, we went to Branson Landing. There was a fountain and light show after the sun went down...very cool!
On Saturday night, we went with our wonderful hosts to a show called 'Liverpool Legends' - a very true blue Beatles tribute band....they were even personally handpicked by George Harrison's sister, Louise. These guys are good. They really look and sound just like the real thing...talk about doin' time travel. Here is a pic of Tim and I before the show....
In Branson, people are allowed to take photos during the show....This one was during the representation of the Sgt. Peppers 'era'.....the outfit for George is actually more pinkish than the photo.

I now just want to wish dear Beverly at How Sweet the Sound a happy Pink Saturday birthday...woo-hoo! To help celebrate this momentous occasion, party on and see other great pink posts (**Remember to mosey on over to click the May 30th link to the right**)!

Till next time :-)

Let's take a relaxing, musical walk....

2009-05-28T20:57:00.011-04:00

I was experimenting with uploading/converting videos for my brand new Sansa MP3 player (after my other smaller one got really soaked by accident, ugh). This Dan Fogelberg video is definitely a keeper...the video nature pictures are so pretty with the music...so enjoy a 'walk' with "To the Morning"....

Pink 'Festival' Find

2009-05-09T00:00:00.006-04:00

While rummaging about at a small resale shop in Canal Winchester (Ohio), I found this beauty.....and to my surprise, it was pink! I did get this Brother Festival for only 6 dollars and it actually works and appears to be in good condition. The story behind it was a son who was cleaning up his mother's things (so she could move to an assisted living apartment), brought it to the shop to 'let it go'.

I have been thinking about for a long time to get my own sewing machine since I have been using my grandmother's extra one and she always needs it back for certain projects when she returns from her jaunts to Florida.

However, I am not much of a sewing expert. Maybe one day I will pick up quilting or something. For right now, I will just focus on little projects (not sure what exactly tho).

One problem remains to be solved: I need to figure out how to thread it. If anyone has any experience with this model, has a similar Brother machine or a good link to a manual, please send some advice my way, as this machine came without a manual. I did search the net and could not find anything as of yet.

Thanks so much for stopping by :) Hope that you all go and visit Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday fun.

~Till next time!

A Pink Trail to New York

2009-04-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

Hi ya'll :)

Last weekend, hubby and I went on a little 'vacationette' to the Big Apple, New York City (even the apple itself was pink to me - a Pink Lady to be exact). I found here and there some little pieces of pink:

On the way, we stopped at a few wineries in Pennsylvania, one of which was Greendance; this place also was part berry farm too.

Our lodging for the first night was the Lincoln Motor Court just outside of Bedford. Not many of this little pieces of history left anymore. What caught our eye to stay here, is that it was part of a documentary, "A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway" (which was on PBS stations nationwide last October) done by Rick Sebak. It was a very charming place too....The pink bathroom really caught my eye, oh so very 50's.....

While there, we got to chat with the owners, visit with one of their cats and build a campfire in the one designated area (you can't do that at the Super 8 or Holiday Inn).

That evening, after checking in and getting dinner, we stopped for some ice cream....

In the morning, we went into town in search for breakfast, so we stopped by The Green Harvest Co. There, I purchased on of their specials, a blackberry chai tea. To my surprise, it was....well pink! It was very yummy :)

After getting out tummys' filled, onward to New York.

We made a lunch stop in New Jersey (another Lincoln Highway sight to see) - Beana's Unique Mexican Restaurant. We even got to chat with the owner for a bit
Pink chair out in the front....
The sombreros in the back....
We then went to our lodging over to Staten Island, The Harbor House Bed and Breakfast. the place was right on the waterfront and we had a wonderful view of the city skyline.

One of the pink pictures in our room....

After checking in, we needed to get on the move to Manhattan for a 'express' walk in the city before heading to the theater that night to see Mary Poppins, the musical....Supercali-huh?

Look closely, you can see her flying (which she did in the play esp. at the very end when she flew out into the audience, WOW)....

If you are ever in the city (or if the touring company comes to your town), you have got to see this show!

After the theater, it was onto the subway and over to the ferry terminal for a very late boarding back over to our lodging...YAWN!

The next day we were pounding the pavement to many places....we stopped at a few cupcake stops, hubby wanted to visit his media 'meccas' (like ABC, NBC studios), looked more at the theaters and stopped at a tea place that we have been at before....Alice's Tea Cup.
One of the bathroom murals (yes, the bathroom)....

Also, we noticed that Macy's department store was doing a Flower Show that weekend (tho we did not have time to go in to see it), I got some picture of the outside....

While in the city we visited and stayed with friends of ours in Brooklyn. On the way home, I noticed a pink bicycle that was for some reason tied to a median that we passed somewhere in Brooklyn (tho it caught my eye, I was however unable to get a picture of it since we went by it so quickly).

We are planning to head to the city again really soon, as our friends need a house sitter during a week in the June...and well, we volunteered :)

I enjoyed sharing my pink travels with all of you, hope that you enjoyed it.

Travel on over to Beverly's place - How Sweet the Sound to see more pink inspiration.

Till next time....

Long Time No Post.....Back to Pink Saturday :)

2009-04-11T00:00:00.001-04:00

Hi all,

It seems that my blogging for Pink Saturday (as well as in general) has kinda taken the 'back seat' lately.

I have been here, there and everywhere. From doing family stuff to being at a Sweet Adeline regional competition - where we placed 4th overall (from 15 choruses).....wooohooo :) But now, back to reality (somewhat anyway).

Tho I have not been keeping up with my electronic journal (aka blog), I have been working with my traditional cut and paste one. Lately, I have been pondering on loving those who dislike you (or some that just drive you crazy). So, I was inspired to create something reflecting my thoughts on the matter.

When I was working on this, I immediately thought of a song from one of my favorite Sandi Patty albums, 'Le Voyage'...."Love can Open the Door".

Have fun wandering about more pink blogs.....How Sweet the Sound (remember to hop on over to the far right for the current date link).

Hoping that all of you have a grand Pink weekend :)

Seating for One

2009-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all, and Happy Pink Saturday to you!

Here is a simple journal page that I did about 3 weeks ago:

I found the art while skimming through some magazines and came across a Starbucks ad. The phrase and wonderful simple scene really caught my attention.

It reminds me to take time for myself, to slow down and to reflect....while enjoying that journaling time (or whatever) with a cup of tea or hot cocoa.

We all need that time to ourselves in these hectic, crazy days.

For more wonderful pink, head on over to Beverly's @ How Sweet the Sound (remember to stop by the current date link).

Valentines are Everywhere

2009-02-14T00:00:00.001-05:00

For the love of simple, pretty things....

For the love that God showed us, tho we really don't deserve it....

For the love of the arts and part of my past (I was a Girl Scout)....

For the love of my husband, Tim....
For the love of life's little pleasures (nice smelling lotion, yummy)....
For the love of creativity that abounds in everyday living....

For the love of little woolen warm fuzzies and learning something new (learning how to do small felted things)....

For the love of doing little sketches....

Happy Valentines Day to all and have a great pink Saturday!

For more pink love, go and visit more pages over at Beverly's - How Sweet the Sound (remember to stop by the current date link).

Pink Blessings!

Miss Sugar Says.....

2009-02-07T00:00:00.002-05:00

Meow....Happy Pink Saturday to you! We normally cannot get a decent picture of our kitty because she is either always on the go or hiding under the bed. So I was delighted to be able to capture her with the camera lens last week. She is doing one of her many grooming sessions on her little mini afghan that 'Nana' made for her at Christmas.

I also wanted to show off a little touch of Spring in the midst of all of this winter. This little pink carnation I found and I took it home after a women's event that I went to with a friend. It is starting to wilt some on the edges, but it is still beautiful :)

I hope that all of you are enjoying your day. To experience more pinkness, go on over to Beverly's - How Sweet the Sound (remember to look for the current date link).

Till next time......

Pink Within Journal Covers

2009-01-31T08:03:00.004-05:00

Happy Pink Saturday to you all and thanks as always for visiting me :)

I am still in that artful journaling mood (of course with a pink flair). I am loving playing with my oil pastels, gesso and magazine images.

These two images are the cover of my journal that I have been working in. The 1st is the outer part of the cover while the 2nd one is the inside part of it.

Again, I love all of the comments that I receive. I am so sorry that I have not had the chance to really visit with all of you. My goal this Pink Saturday is to do so. It is really getting that precious online time (which has been really sporadic recently) and while trying to stay warm downstairs (where our computer is) that does not retain the heat very well....brrrrr.

Plan on seeing you all next week for more pink!

~Amy

**Remember to visit Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for more pink fun.

Be Transformed in Pink :)

2009-01-17T00:00:00.001-05:00

It has been a long couple of weeks....I have been worrying quite a bit, mostly over the crazy stuff at work. I decided to bring out my trusty journal and work with it.

I am one that has a really difficult time in 'digesting' worry...which I know is wrong to do on a constant basis. I was inspired to create these two pages after reading my new Art Journals magazine (Stampington and Co. publication).

I was also inspired by the Biblical verse of thinking about renewing your mind of unwanted thoughts and feelings:

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

After your visit with me, go and stop by the other pink blogs at Beverly's place @ How Sweet the Sound (go and look at the current Saturday link).

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your Pink weekend :)

Blessings to you!

The 3 Pink Saturdays of Christmas.....No. 3

2008-12-27T00:00:00.002-05:00

OK....Christmas has come and gone for another year (the official day on the calender anyway).

Here is what my creativity brought to me....a fabulous pink journal that is all decked out for the holidays. I actually found this at a second hand store and I could not pass it up. I however have not had the time to really do anything with it...I think I will consider it my "after the holidays" project so it can help get me ready for next year.

I found some clippings (tho not all pink) from some of this years' holiday supplements and some cards that I have received. One ad that I really liked in particular was the Macy's 'Believe' (or Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus).

Here's to a grand pink holiday weekend and a wonderful 2009. In the midst of your celebrations and get togethers, please visit Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound and check out other pink blogs that are all decked out (remember to head over to the right sidebar for the 27th).

**One note from last Pink Saturday...so sorry that I am behind getting to your blogs, I will get there and make comments (I am normally not online a whole lot due to doing other things off-line). And those of you who do leave a comment, I truly appreciate reading your lovely notes :)

The 3 Pink Saturday's of Christmas....No. 2

2008-12-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Pink Saturday to everyone! So hard to believe that Christmas is almost upon us....it is next week......

For this Pink Christmas Saturday......a artful card from my artful friend, Judy Delsano.

This lady creates so many wonderful Christmas cards for us (and others they send to) EVERY year :) What a true gift this lady has...I LOVE her work and I am really blessed to receive it in the mail.

To visit other Pink Saturday participants...go to Beverly's place @ How Sweet the Sound (remember to go to this Saturday's date link).

The 3 Pink Saturdays of Christmas....

2008-12-13T00:00:00.001-05:00

OK, so I am a Saturday behind....

For this Pink Christmas Saturday Day...my creativity brought to me....a painted, pink, cookie plate (with lovely chalkboard paint).

My sister invited me to her in-laws day after Thanksgiving "tradition". Their family gets together at a place in Lancaster, Ohio called Art and Clay on Main.

Here, you get inspired by the endless selection of finished items. The 1st step is to pick a plain piece of pottery (this is the most difficult...the choice). 2nd, you go to town decorating it with all of the colors of paint and specialty glazes. 3rd, the painted piece dries completely and the staff place it in a kiln to complete the process. 4th, Your piece is then picked up to then enjoy it. Of course on little color note....after kiln firing, the color will have a different character and will be nice and shinny (I don't have my finished version yet).

It was a real joy seeing my nephews do their painted masterpieces....

Darek (the oldest), painting with Papa Greg.....

Mason (with his mama's hand to help out).....
Hope that you all are having a lovely Pink Saturday and a great holiday season.

For more Pink Saturday blogs, go on over to Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound (look under the link to the right sidebar for this Saturday of course). See you next week!

Pink 'Good Health' Saturday

2008-11-22T00:00:00.003-05:00

For this Pink Saturday, I thought I would show off a book that I noticed at the local library the other day....."Good Health Magic" by Gill Farrer-Halls.

I actually kept looking at it and then kept adding it back to the shelf. However, that bright, vintage art cover kept starring back at me and calling my name. I then finally decided to take it home with me to really look at it. The vintage style of the cover and other pages really caught my eye. What also caught my attention, was the actual contents within it's pages: the focus of many of the timeless remedies that our grandmothers and mothers knew about and knew when to use them (when we were home from school because we did not feel well). It also has info in it about natural cleaning supplies (something different from the chemical-laden stuff that we would normally use).

It is truly amazing that many herbal, homeopathic and "kitchen"remedies have been passed through the many countless generations and are still being used today. This is one topic that I really enjoy exploring. I really enjoy learning about the many herbs and their uses....the many plants and other natural substances that were created to help us heal and live a more healthful life.

Hope that all of you are having a grande and 'healthful' Pink Saturday! Stroll on over to Beverly's at 'How Sweet the Sound' (remember to look for the November 22nd link) to discover other pink joy.

Thanks for stopping by to visit me :)

Pink Nashville Saturday, Part 2

2008-11-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the continuation of my pink adventure!

OK, as you will see, not everything posted will be pink, but you will find pink here that is for sure :)

During the ceremony in the garden, the pastor passes the ribbon-tied rings amongst the attendees. Everyone is to say a little prayer or blessing upon them.....

So, after the exchanging of rings and the saying of vows, we all head off to the reception site in downtown Nashville. It was really crowded in that area due to a Rascal Flats concert going on. We then escape the crowds neat the entrance and go up an elevator to the 4th floor of a building to the Aerial.

Everything was all set up and ready for a wonderful evening of celebration. After looking about and (filling up my buffet plate), I noticed a nice pink rose in a very unique vase on one of the tables.....

On the wall, a lit up poem also caught my attention.....so sweet!

After dinner, it was time to cut the cake....or I should say to take a cupcake. I picked up a very pretty red velvet cake one with cream cheese icing on top...so yummy!

As the night was coming down to a close, my cousin and her new hubby came by every table to greet everyone. While Michael was at another table, I was able to chat with my cousin for a bit....
Tim and I then departed with some of the family to head back to our hotel.

You would think the wedding festivities stop here, but they continue on for part of another day....on to the family softball game at Greer Stadium (the home of the Nashville Sounds)! My cousin worked there, once upon a time. It was a time of no formal score taking or rules...just pure family fun :)

Tim, my dad and myself head off to the game that Saturday afternoon. We did not play since they had so many people that formed up the two teams, but it was really fun being the spectators. While talking with my family, my 2nd cousin, Ryann was sitting right next to me and was running about and playing along with her little sister, Brayden.

She let me guard over her pretty pink sweater.....

Yup, no need to adjust your monitors...I took the picture sideways...how I was sitting in the stands.

After leaving the ballgame, it was off to visit with some friends of ours that live in the area.

On Sunday, it was a long trip back but it was wonderful to be safely home.

After reading my pink post, please stop How Sweet the Sound (look under the November 8th link)by some other Pink Saturday bloggers for more pink fun!

thanks for stopping by :)

Pink Nashville Saturday...Part 1

2008-11-01T06:03:00.015-04:00

As you all know, I traveled to Nashville for my cousin Jenna's wedding. Here are some pinks that I found along the way....Stay tuned for Part 2 next Saturday!

During our way down, we stopped at two wineries, both in Tennessee. The 1st one was called Sumner Crest. They were a very unique in the fact they had old antique cars inside the winery. They also had very pretty glass and chandeliers. I fell in love with this swirly glass pattern of some wine goblets. Tho I could not afford the majority of these delicate pretties, I was able to experience the great wine and took some home with me - Muscadine (a type of grape variety well known in the southern states) and a great blackberry wine; they were right when they said it is a party for your taste buds!

As we got closer to Nashville, we stopped at Long Hollow Winery. This one is owned by Stu and Aldona Phillips ....Stu is a member of the Grand Ole Opry...very Nashville. There, they also had wonderful wine and lovely glass beauties, like these glass grapes....

OK, now we are in Nashville.....we checked into our room at the Embassy Suites and decided to go out and take a look of interesting things outside. After receiving a tip from one of my cousins, we ventured across the street to a cute, small shop named Gigi's Cupcakes. As I walked inside, I had all of these wonderful little artsy cupcakes staring back at me - what a difficult decision to make. The bummer about it is they don't ship to other states, yet; hopefully one day tho.

We also stopped at the local Farmer Market near downtown.....

After visiting with some of the sights and some family, we got all gussied up and headed off in a carpool caravan to the Cheekwood Botanical Garden for the wedding. There are so many individual garden collections that we were not 100% sure where we were going. So after the trial and error and finally finding the visitors' center, we made it to the ceremony site at the Wills Perennial Garden.

The pink wedding journey will be continued on next week's Pink Saturday....so stay tuned!

For other Pink Saturday goodies, travel on over to Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound.

Stitching Pink

2008-10-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

For this Pink Saturday, I was not too sure what I wanted to 'show off'. I then thought of a piece of cross stitch that I did about 2 years ago. It is a Shepherd's Bush pattern called 'My Hearts Garden'.

I enjoy to do stitching stuff, especially Shepherd's Bush but don't do it as much because my hands get a bit stiff. I tend to gravitate toward the smaller pieces....not only for the more faster completion but for their wonderful simplicity.

To see more pink splendor, travel on over to Beverly's - How Sweet the Sound.....just click on the October 24th link in the right sidebar!

Pink Love and Joy

2008-10-18T00:02:00.002-04:00

Another quick Pink Saturday post....This time, I am off to see the state of Tennessee!

We were on the road about 6:00 yesterday morning....More sleeping in the car, ugh! This time, my dad is joining us on this 6 1/2 hour road trip.

Hubby and I attended a family wedding in Nashville! My cousin Jenna and the love of her life, Michael were wed yesterday afternoon, on Friday) in the presence of friends and family at the Cheekwood Botanical Garden. The reception was held at the Aerial Nashville.

To see some more pink love and joy, head on over to 'How Sweet the Sound' and.go to the Pink Saturday October 18th link.

**Picture posts of my recent 'pink' adventures to come soon**

Halloween Fling Masquerade

2008-10-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Come, follow me.....

Into a Halloween whimsical wonderland....the window awaits you to jump right through it{who needs doors :) when magic and dreams abound}......

The moon and stars in this Halloween wonderland are high on this wonderful night shining it's magical rays down onto the party underneath......

There are tables with plenty of room for all....of the fairies, witches, kings & queens, jesters, harlequins, Bohemian spirits and of course, kids at heart.

They are filled to the brim with every tasty treat that one can imagine (without the tricks) and yummy tea from the Gypsies to warm and nourish the soul....the cups and treat jars are so abundant here they never go empty.

Pumpkins here don't just grow on the vine, they are spun magically by hand (and they can also fit into the hand too).....

I am so glad that you could join me for a wonderful, splendiferous, magical evening....so before you travel through that window, remember your special touch to attend the wonderland masquerade!For an 'extension' of this magical, whimsical wonderland, fly on over to Vanessa @ A Fanciful Twist!

A Halloween Gathering.....

2008-10-16T17:29:00.002-04:00

Come and visit me during our 'fanciful', anything goes gathering....in only two days!

Wanna join in? Go over to 'A Fanciful Twist' and Vanessa will have an invitation just for you...it is not too late.

Be there with orange shoes on and ribbons galore.....

Have Pink will Travel....An Early PS Post

2008-10-10T17:34:00.004-04:00

This will be a very short and early Pink Saturday post. I am getting ready to head out of town on all girls' retreat in Kentucky to visit with some old friends that I have not seen in a little over a year and to also meet some new ones.

We will be campin' out under the stars at one of the houses (complete with campfire and Smores') and doing a progressive style meal too at two other homes.

I am finishing getting my pink bags packed... and I am on the road at 5:00 tomorrow morning.

Where I am goin, I will not have Internet access, so I will check-in with other Pink Saturday posts when I get back late in the day on Sunday and on Monday.

After visiting me, head on over to dear Beverly's blog at How Sweet the Sound (and look for the Pink Saturday, October 11th link).

Have a grande pink day!

Pink Comfort Saturday

2008-10-04T06:42:00.001-04:00

It is time to rest and relax with a nice crocheted throw (that a good friend here in Columbus made for me) and a good, inspiring book while the weather outside is now becoming more autumn-like. I was supposed to go out this weekend to visit some friends out of town but something came up with one of them.

Feeling a tad bummed about not going and worried about my friend on how she is doing, I figured that maybe staying home for tomorrow is actually a good thing as I need to be ready for Sunday's all day busy stuff.

So, as you are relaxing on your Saturday, go and visit other Pink Saturday blogs....Beverly over at 'How Sweet the Sound' would love to see you.

Pink Petal Tea Saturday

2008-09-27T07:13:00.002-04:00

Happy Pink Saturday to everyone!

I feel like some tea today. Tea is one of my most favorite beverages to enjoy (next to wine of course). So filled with lots of healthful goodies, tea is so wonderful for you.

Tea can be pink, believe it or not. Rose petals can be used to create a great relaxing herbal tea (also called an infusion or a tissane). Another good 'pink' herbal tea is hibiscus or rosehip, lots of vitamin C in every cup.

One of my new favorite herbal infusions is from a place that I discovered called Mootz Run Tea (Petali teas). The infusion is called Manzanilla (pronounced man-zan-ia). It is a relaxing blend of rose petals/buds, chamomile and olive leaf (a powerful cold and flu buster).

This relaxing tea shop is somewhat in my backyard. tho it is about 18 miles away from my little apartment in Reynoldsburg. Joy, the owner is soooo sweet and her shop is well worth the visit when in the central Ohio area. It is inside an old fixed up barn...very cool.

You can also purchase the tea online or through their tea consulants (also called Tea Designers). I am meeting with Vicki, one of the consultants who lives not too far from me next week. I am so looking forward to trying lots of the other new teas and talking about them as well as getting to know another tea lover in my area.

Hope that you all enjoy some tea today even if it is not pink. And while your tea is brewing, go and visit some other pink blogs....visit dear Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Pink Clean Saturday

2008-09-20T06:55:00.001-04:00

Happy Pink Saturday!

I actually started my cleaning house yesterday.....me and my Mrs. Myers Clean Day (geranium scent...yummy) and my pink cherry blossom candle to freshen up the stale air that is in our upstairs area. Looking forward to fall that is to come in officially on Monday!

Hope that everyone has a grande day/weekend....go and visit Beverly to see a list of others who have pink posts for today.

Pink blessings to all :)

Pink Saturday PJ Party

2008-09-06T07:13:00.002-04:00

For this week's Pink Saturday, I was not really sure on what I wanted to "showcase". Then, while I was cleaning and putting away some laundry yesterday (my usual Friday chore), I came across some pink pajamas. They remind me that tho I need to do my 'grind' work...I need to remember to take the time to relax too! Enjoy a great RELAXING Pink Saturday!

Hope that you all have a grande Pink Saturday and hope you all go visit all of the other great "Pink Participants"....make your next stop over at How Sweet the Sound!

Pink Coaster Saturday

2008-08-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

It is time for another Pink Saturday post!

These are some coasters that I created for an art swap where I was able to keep some of my original copies. Using coasters as a canvas for creativity is a good recycling project but also a way to keep works small and simple so it is easier to make a little piece of art everyday.

Here is my favorite one of the bunch:

To see more Pink goodies, travel on over to Beverly's place @ How Sweet the Sound.

I hope that everyone experiences sprinkles of pink goodness this Saturday as well as enjoying the Labor Day Holiday.

Pink Saturday Fabric Fun

2008-08-23T07:03:00.000-04:00

I unfortunately don't have too much Pink for this Saturday. I chose for this Pink Saturday to show off a piece of Barkcloth fabric that a Farmgirl friend (Stephanie aka queenofdreamzs4U) of mine gifted me with a little while back. I know that it is not too much pink....but the one little house on it showcases a splash of coral pink on it.

I think this neat panel will be great to make a tote bag /purse out of....hummm, the creative wheels are definitely turning.

Thanks for visiting me this Saturday....so mosey on over to Beverly's (How Sweet the Sound) to check out more pink pics :-)

Paying it Forward Street Team Style

2008-08-16T09:49:00.004-04:00

For this next crusade over at Green Pepper Press Street Team HQ, the focus is a "crusade of the heart" - Paying it Forward. We all have many different God-given gifts to help spread the joy to others in time of illness, death and uncertainty...even just a little pick me up after a bad day.

For us creative beings, there are many ways we can help spread the healing love...here are two that I am recently taking part in:

The Dorcas Project...created by Mo Wassell (a breast cancer survivor). Volunteer artists create a variety of fabric dolls that are to fit into the palm of the hand for women going through the disease as well as survivors.

Of course, many of you are aware of The Pink Artist project, started by Monica Magness.....many artists have "flocked" over to this site to create 2x2 inch squares...each of these squares covered a doll's skirt and a mini quilt. Here is a link to the squares that I did...
http://artfulheart.blogspot.com/2008/02/join-me-and-be-pink.html

Being involved in both projects are a wonderful way to use creative energy to help lift up and heal those with hurting hearts....what a blessing to be a part :)

Thanks Michelle for the wonderful crusade idea.

Creative blessings to all!

Pink Sewing Saturday

2008-08-16T07:26:00.001-04:00

It is time for another Pink Saturday over at Beverly's blog @ How Sweet the Sound.

Tho being busy this weekend at my nephew's 5th birthday party, I will be doing some sewing stuff. I am going to work on some more Dorcas Dolls for 'The Dorcas Project'. It is such a very neat project where these dolls are made and are given to women who have gone through or are going through breast cancer. Mo @ 'Mo's Musings', the lady who started the organization, is always looking for loving souls to create more of these special dolls to be handed out.

Thanks for stopping by and have fun exploring other Pink Saturday posts!

A Pink Saturday Journal Montage

2008-08-09T07:00:00.018-04:00

Another Pink Saturday at My Artful Heart with more art journaling - in pink of course!

In continuation to last Saturday's entry, this page is one that I played with yesterday - using paint markers and Souffle gel pens.

Next, is a page (with it's close-up shot) that is based on our winery volunteer excursion. We did have a wonderful time. The weather was great too....not too hot and at night we definatley got the lake breezes - nice and COOL.

On this page, I had to add in the infamous PINK Pug dog icon from one of the wineries (Candlelight Winery)....they even had a sweet Pink Catawba (type of grape) wine named after the winery's resident Pug, Mork ("Nanoo-Nanoo"). Having the picture of their pug dog on the wine label I thought was very kitchy and oh so cute...the wine label is even stamped with a 'paw of approval'. By the way, the wine was very tasty too! They also had a very tasty cranberry wine - great cranberry juice, kicked up several notches!

At our volunteer tent (for Wyandotte Winery), we had a blast and everyone said that we were the best winery there at the festival...I suppose we were because we were having the most fun!

For more Pink Saturday lovelies, go and visit How Sweet the Sound!

I have been Tagged!

2008-08-06T10:29:00.003-04:00

Well what a surprise this Wednesday....I was tagged with a meme by Doves Today. It was originally started by A Girl Named Timmi.

Here is the gist of the meme -Name 4 things you should know about me before you invite me to your house:

1. I clean up after myself...I hate to have my hostess clean up after me....even tho they offer to take my cup or something...I don't want to have them worry about a mess, even a small one.

2. I really LOVE animals, cats especially!

3. I am easy going. I do love to chat, but I am mostly a listener.

4. I love to hear all about those items in your house that have neat stories attached to them.

Then tag 4 others to play along then those people tag 4 more....you have been tagged

Maryjane @ The Beehive Cottage
Heather @ Heather's Heartfelt Stitches
Luna @ Blueball Mountian Spindle Needleworks
Ria the Renaissance Chameleon

Another Pink Saturday

2008-08-02T05:58:00.002-04:00

Happy Pink Saturday everyone!

I decided to focus on some pink journaling, especially when I talked about scraps for journals last week.

I am working on the background for now...I used some crayons in different pink colors and layered it with some gesso and some powdered pigments (Pearl Ex).

While I am on the road tomorrow, going to a winery festival up near Cleveland, Ohio (town of Kirtland), I will work on my journal page more. Hubby and I are going to be volunteering with a local winery (from here at home in Columbus) to help keep things organized and to pour wine samples for all of the visitors. So no doubt my journal will be based on the event.

Aaaah...the pure simplicity of crayons and paint.

Go over and visit How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday goodness!

My 1st Pink Saturday!

2008-07-26T09:35:00.001-04:00

Well....this is my very first Pink Saturday post! I found this through looking at a fellow Mary Jane Farmgirl's blog -Maryjane Lee (The Beehive Cottage). I was hooked by seeing a "sea of pink" and a link lead me over to Pink Saturday HQ!

After looking through my stash of pink items, I decided to post two of them:

One is an nifty apron that was made by another Farmgirl friend, Bev over at Sew on and Sew Forth...she gifted this to me!!!!! The fabric is in different pinks with bees and clover. The apron is also reversible...a polka dot pattern is on the back. It is almost too pretty to wear :-)

The next picture is just of a couple of pink boxes. These boxes I hold all of my journaling scraps. Pages and snippits from all of the magazines that I look at that go into my journaling projects. I seem to have a ton of these type of boxes (not all of them pink tho)...as I always accumulate TONS of scraps.

I am looking forward to seeing everyones' pink stash.

I am Thankful For....

2008-07-24T18:15:00.002-04:00

On this Thursday, I decided to "play" over at "Sting my Heart" for Thankful Thursday.

I am thankful for today that I was able to take it easy on a weekday...tho I did sneak in a bit of laundry. I slept in a bit today and did a little bit of journaling outdoors.....which was a very comfortable July day in central, Ohio.

I am also thankful for the very positive turnout last night at a special church gathering....we did a theology of wine presentation and a small wine tasting at a local winery (the owners are great friends of ours)....the fellowship was awesome!

Inspired by......

2008-07-20T18:19:00.006-04:00

I worked on this journal page today while sitting at the cafe next door from my apartment. My inspiration to do this came from a video that I saw from Milliande. The one I saw was called "A Sip of Bliss"...one of her online journaling workshops. She used collage materials from the local coffee shop that she went to that day....really using what you have on hand (not including your actual art materials). I really enjoyed my trip over to that cafe...however, I would normally not think to do art while sitting there drinking my chai tea latte...so I decided to go "out of my comfort zone" by doing this too. I am thankful that I finally had the courage to go out and do something different to nurture my creativity and to really enjoy its' process. I also need to get into the habit of using what I have on hand and not heading out to my local scrapbook store or whatnot in order to create neat art.

Thanks for the inspiration Milliande :-)

Friends, Family and the 4th!

2008-07-04T08:10:00.006-04:00

Hope that everyone has a grande, artful and safe 4th.

I plan to get in a little bit of creativity....possibly some journaling......in addition to dancing in some parades and visiting with my family.

Enjoy, whatever you do!

Journal Musings - The Important Things

2008-07-03T19:15:00.004-04:00

This journal page came about when I was flipping through one of the magazines at work. This picture caught my attention when I first saw it...the noticeable blur of the surrounding area around the man who decided to smell the flowers in the lobby of the hotel.

I immediately thought of 'stopping and smelling the roses'. Surrounding the page says, "I want to remember the important things....smelling the roses in this crazy life...how do I slow down."

New Dorcas Dolls Come to Life

2008-07-03T19:02:00.006-04:00

This is a new project that I am getting involved in. I am so excited to help out. These dolls are for the newly founded Dorcas Project. I will be making a couple more and will be sending these beautiful, yet needed dolls to help heal those who have been through breast cancer.

**Updated July 10**

Here are two more dolls that I just completed....they will be on the way to ya this weekend Mo :-)

Happy Tea Party Day!

2008-06-28T11:55:00.002-04:00

It's here, it's here!!!!!!

Well, this is the day....the day that we celebrate a creative posting milestone. Over at 'A Fanciful Twist' we are having a jolly ol' tme. The table is all set in it's vibrant finery and everyone is having a wonderful time!

After arriving on my 'dusty blue' scooter,

I fixed my hair to don my new derby-style hat that I found for this very occasion.....

I also brought with me some yummy tea treats........

What a fun day this will be :-)

Simply 'Irresistible'

2008-06-27T16:59:00.006-04:00

Well, it has been awhile since I have been able to work on a challenge here, and I am so glad that I did! The theme this time was to do wax rubbings and then do an ink/paint 'wash' over that...doing a type of wax resist. I experimented with different rubber stamps till I found one that decided to work with me. I really enjoyed playing with some blue and orange crayon with some black acrylic paint and blue ink. I also did a texture rubbing of the back of an old muffin cup...which produced a flower-like design.
Some close-ups:

Tall flower.....

Muffin cup flower....

Coaster Art Musings - The Beginning

2008-06-26T14:47:00.007-04:00

I love playing with artful scraps and leftovers. I also like the idea of recycling those little coasters that you get at your local favorite restaurant (if they are not too wet that is)....they are such a perfect size canvas.

I got this coaster when I went out to dinner with a friend of mine and we were having a soulful conversation. The card had the word "soul" already on it. So after rummaging through my scraps, paint and cut up paper sheets, I got to work painting the card and adding all of the elements. I even had an extra inchie collage square from an art charity collaborative project.

Doing art on these are a good place to experiment with different techniques on a smaller scale.

I have sooooo many more of these coasters...so stay tuned for more "Coaster Art Musings!"

A Mad Tea Party - Don't be Late!

2008-06-25T12:11:00.004-04:00

I just love a tea party!

Over at A Fanciful Twist, there will be just that on Saturday, June 28th! One HUGE online celebration in honor of Vanessa's 200th blog post - wooohooo!

Stay tuned for all of the happenings and while you are at it, come on over with your "fanciful" party hat and join us for a grand time!

**Photo from Lenny's Alice in Wonderland's site http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/; Illustration by Sir John Tenniel**

Pink Doll Project Update - Lookie at 'Love Squared'

2008-04-16T12:45:00.007-04:00

Wow....Monica and everyone over at the Pink Doll Project HQ! She is breathtaking.

Come over and see all of the wonderful talent and generosity displayed here!

Thanks again Monica for making this collaborative project just come alive with creative healing, celebration and solidarity to kick cancer in the you know what. I am looking forward to the next project!

Received lots of 'Good Things'

2008-02-28T17:47:00.004-05:00

I have lots of cute Martha inspired stuff....a much needed package after a LONG week. Raesha over at 'My Love', you are the best! You made me some wonderful stuff...the little strawberries are soooooo CUTE and the bag I love too...heck I love it all! The added goodie box that you purchased just topped the whole package - thanks so much :-)

Join Me and be Pink

2008-02-05T15:52:00.002-05:00

I just stumbled across a blog called "Girl Gone Thread Wild" and I noticed a neat project that is to help raise money to go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure fight for breast cancer.

I decided to be a "member" of the Pink Artist Community.....you too can join in the artful cause - just hop, skip and jump on over for details.... leave a comment in the participation post and create a 2"x2" collage square...but make sure to mail it to Monica by March 1st. Each square received will be added on to an artful doll, quilt and a journal. The project will be showcased in an upcoming article in Stampington's Art Doll Quarterly.

Hope that you can participate...join me and be pink!

**Here are the squares that I created for this great project!

Happy 2008!

2008-01-02T19:03:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to one and all! I apologize to those who are reading this blog as I feel like that I am falling a tad behind and am not able to post new stuff on here as much as I would like....to much going on. I am planning on doing artwork posts, etc by the end of this month. Thanks for your patience and your reading "patronage". More to come, I promise :-)

Image complements of Kat Tarra - thanks!

Waiting with Heart

2007-12-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the 1st Sunday in Advent and the official countdown till Christmas in the McIntire house. The tree has been up since the week before Thanksgiving (since we were out of town the weekend of the holiday).

This red heart ornament was part of my late grandmother's collection...so simple but yet an important addition to my tree.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

Hope that everyone has a happy, health, joyous and safe Thanksgiving!

Hubby and I are planning on going to my aunt's house not too far from Reynoldsburg, Ohio. I am from one of those American, small farming towns and I am so blessed and thankful to be from the country tho I now live in the city.

As you comment, please mention 5 things that you are thankful for. Here are some of mine:

1. My husband and cat "daughter"/My family

2. That I can create art for others

3. My health

4. That I am working at a job

5. Freedom to practice my faith

**After the holiday, I hope to get some of my art up that I am doing.

Here's to turkey, family/friend fellowship, football and yummy leftovers - Enjoy

SF: Color Wheel

2007-11-17T21:22:00.000-05:00

Color....Color Everywhere!

I love many colors, so sometimes it is so difficult to choose my favorites. I love it when I go paper shopping, especially the many colors of Bazzill cardstock....I just want all of the colors!

Here is a trivet that I like and the color combo is nice....one of my finds at one of the second hand stores in town.

I enjoy bargain shopping and discovering unique finds like this.

The many colors available on the color wheel offers endless creative possibilities....I LOVE that!

Could Not Help Myself

2007-11-06T11:25:00.000-05:00

Well, I just had to squeak something creative in before Friday. I wandered over to Michelle Ward's inspiring challenge blog, GPP Street Team. I saw the new challenge (aka crusade) no. 14: Imaginary Friends...Who or What is your Muse.

After thinking for a quick moment, this is what I came up with......

My muse is many things that inspire me, but here are a few that really speak to me.....

The beach and it's surrounding scenery....with it's calm waters, sand with built in therapeutic massage, gorgeous sunsets to drink in and lots of unique shells to take home.
The clouds....Their playful shapes change daily with the weather...they remind me to take my time to dream. The holidays....especially the Christmas season. With it's delightful music, bright colors, festive times with friends and family.

On the Road Again

2007-11-05T14:56:00.000-05:00

Here on Friday, my husband, myself and my dad will be hitting the highway on our way to Pennsylvania for a mini weekend getaway (we are going to Gettysburg and Lancaster County).

While riding in the car and looking at the numerous fields, cows and the Turnpike, I will be working on some artful projects along the way.

I may not be posting here for a little while, but do not fret, I will be back here soon to update my adventures and artwork. Stay tuned!

It is Halloween Time

2007-10-31T18:45:00.000-04:00

Good spooky evening to everyone!

Thank you for stopping by my Halloween party post. I am finally flying in on my broomstick and the evening autumn moon is about ready to rise over Bloglandia Hill.

I am all dressed in my Halloween "finery" and ready to have a great ghoulish time with you all.....even my black cat decided to hitch a ride.

I even brought with me in my goodie bag, an assortment of wickedly delicious sweet treats.....grab some up and sit a "spell" by the glow of candlelight....before you go and hit the dance floor again.Well off I go to mingle with everyone and possibly cast a few spells or too!

It is Almost that Time......

2007-10-30T14:13:00.001-04:00

For Halloween! Of course, many "celebrate it today" even though the official day is tomorrow.

The weather here in Ohio is finally feeling like fall and harvest time and the kiddies in the area are going to be going house to house. However, where our husband and I live in our apartment complex we don't have many kids that come about looking for yummy treats and showing off their costume creations.

Speeking of Halloween, I am presently getting ready for a creatively, spooky time over in Bloglandia...it is the big halloween party and of course, you are invited too...but hurry over on your broomstick and your magic carpet as it is almost here...don't miss out on the fun.

"Bloglandia Halloween"

I am putting the last minute touches on my witchy costume and I will be flying to the party tomorrow before the evening moon rises in the sky.

Sprinkling Crafty Goodness Everywhere

2007-10-29T13:55:00.000-04:00

Paying it Forward:

How great is it when we all look out for one another and brighten the day of someone else who we do not know yet?!?!

After looking at some inspiring blogs, I noticed one called "The Feathered Nest".... the lady's name is Dawn. The post was called "Paying it Forward". I thought, "wow this is really neat and would love to brighten someones day with some artwork and then pass the PIF task on to someone else willing to jump in and do the same for 3 others. So I jumped over to another link from her blog, I came across Karin blog "Meandering Travels of Mindless Thoughts" where I decided to respond to the PIF "challenge".

It is that simple - 3 people answering the "kindness call" to spread the goodness and then asking 3 more to do likewise onto others.

So, the first three sweet commenters to this post who are willing to partake in this incredible opportunity will receive a little creative token of love from me. Below are the rules of the game (copied from Dawn & Karin):

1. You comment on this post.

2. You receive a handmade gift from ME.

3. You post this message on YOUR blog and offer THREE more handmade gifts to the first three commenters.

4. Thus, the cycle continues and everyone has fun and beautiful crafts to display in their home.I will contact you for your addresses.Please leave a comment if you choose. Spread your wings. Sprinkle joy. Lift another. Pay it forward.

Studio Friday "Orange" Challenge

2007-10-26T12:23:00.000-04:00

The challenge - finding something(s) orange within the nooks and crannies of your artsy studio. Well, I still have much of my studio covered in many shades of pink - after just finishing the swaps and projects that called for it. So, I dug about in my "stuff" and found some orange hiding about. I found some ribbon/fabric scraps, a pair of candy corn napkins and a candy corn crock. I even found a pumpkin napkin that I got from my aunt's hayride party....which adds some more orange and a Halloween flair.

Just Feet and Art

2007-10-25T19:31:00.000-04:00

Lots of great art with heart and well um' feet........
Well, I am just keeping busy this week doing my artwork in my what else, bare feet :-) I am currently working on a couple of projects for a neat thing called 'Art for Cures'. The project for this month is benefiting breast cancer research. Tons of artsy fun for a great cause! The cutting and adding of lots of collaged elements is well worth the extra detail work and effort.

Still in Progress

2007-10-17T11:26:00.000-04:00

After reading a new creative publication by Stampington Co. called Artful Blogging, I was inspired to "finish what I have started" from earlier this year. I am starting small and working on things bit-by-bit so I can get my own blog up and running. I am now trying to get my artsy heading up...after that I should be good to go! BTW, if you are thinking about starting your own creative blog, go and get the magazine - it is a wealth of inspiration!

2007-02-15T17:07:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my new blog!