Rembrandt in American

Hi guys!  How are you doing?  I have had a hard time transitioning back to NC - my internal clock is all off and I am really not motivated to do anything.  I did however convince myself to go to the North Carolina Museum of Art today.  They are having Rembrandt in America right now and its only there for a few more weeks so I knew I needed to get there quick.  So, I drove up there today and I think it was totally worth it!  I learned a lot about Rembrandt and especially the history of Rembrandt paintings in America, which was the focus of the exhibit.  I was amazed at some of his pieces - they were so realistic, as if the subject was a real person sitting right there in front of you!  Here are some photos of pieces that I saw:

Rembrandt van Rijn, Self-Portrait, 1659 (Source)

 

 

 

 

Rembrandt van Rijn, Lucretia, 1666 (Source)

 My favorite one was:

 

Rembrandt van Rijn, Flora, aprox. 1650 (Source)

There was also an exhibit of self-portraits by college artists.  They varied wildly in style and idea of what a self-portrait is.  It was a very interesting exhibit.  If any of you are near Raleigh I highly encourage you to go!  The show lasts until the 22nd of Jan. 

On a non-art related note, are you guys ready for New Years?  I am 100% ready!  I don't have anything special planned for tonight, but bring on the new year!  I have so many exciting things that are going to happen this year, I am really looking forward to all the new experiences!  I hope you guys have something wonderful coming you way too.  "See" you next year!

Bye Bye TX

Today is my last day in TX - I am flying back to NC tonight.  I get in really late and then still have to go on base to sign in from leave.  So, I will probably not "see" you guys again until Saturday.  Have a great couple of days!!

Super Exciting News!!

Hi!  I finished an art journal spread a few days ago:

Christmas themed of course! 

Also wanted to share a few photos with you!  Do you guys take pictures of family opening gifts on Christmas morning? We always do!  I got a really good one of mom:

And here is one of me wearing a cute headband from Coco and Cocoa:

I love it - I can't wait for summer because I'm going to wear it a lot!

We spent some time Christmas day working on this puzzle:

We finished it the 26th.  It is of the Biltmore that we went to see in November. 

Last, but not least, I have some GREAT news!  I got the phone call today that my paperwork for my disability percentage is at the office and I can come in to review/sign it on the 3rd of Jan!  I am so excited.  This means that for sure I will be going to FSU this fall for Art Therapy!  I can't wait.

Craziest Christmas Day Ever!

Hey guys, just a short post tonight but wanted to tell you about our crazy Christmas day.  Around 3 pm yesterday we saw some cops drive up to the house across the street and walk up really slowly and sneaky like to the house.  Then a few minutes later they pulled the car diagonally into the street blocking it and started talking on the loud speaker for the neighbor to come outside with his hands up and they just wanted to talk.  Within an hour there was several cops with M16s!  Two of them were behind trees in our yard.  A little while later, right as we were about to have dinner, a police man told us we needed to evacuate the house because it was unsafe. 

We left out the back gate through the neighbors yard behind our house and went to a friend of my dad's house where we had (unplanned) dinner.  Then after we had been gone for 2 hours or so, we called the police station and they said we could go back home. 

The man across the street was apparently threatening suicide and the cops were just trying to help him, but since he wouldn't come outside they had to enter the house on their own. 

No one ended up getting hurt.  The neighbor was taken into custody yesterday and hopefully he is now getting the help he needs.

This was the craziest Christmas I have ever had.  I think I will remember it forever.

I hope you guys had a nice day with family!  "See" you tomorrow with some journal pages!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you, your family and your friends have a wonderful day filled with love!

1, 2, 3, 4 - Finished!

Hi guys!  Sorry for being so absent!  I have been super busy!  Shopping for my Christmas presents, and my moms and my dads!  But shopping is finally over and the next few days should be much easier!  For instance, today we are going to get groceries, then get pedicures and see a movie!  I finished a journal spread:

I have been inspired by the December daily posts that I see going around and the pages people do that cover a week at a time.  I don't think I have completely embraced it yet, but this spread was my first dabble into that type of style.  I have a whole other layout (5, 6, 7 8) that goes along with this one and then I plan on doing one more layout (9, 10, 11, 12) once I get back to NC.

The other day while I was out running around shopping I stopped in at Whole Foods (Love that store!) and one of the things I got was:

I am kind of obsessed with cuffs lately - I just really like how they look.

I hope you guys are having a nice relaxing holiday break!  "See" you tomorrow!

Handmade Ear Warmer and Headband

Hi there!  I am back home in TX for Christmas! I started off my day by going to pick up an order I placed with my friend Julie.  She makes tons of cute knit and crocheted items. You should all check out her Etsy shop, CocoCocoa!  What to see what I got?  First I got an ear warmer:

I have been seeing tons of these at holiday shows, but could tell they were mass-produced and just purchased for resale at the show.  So, since I know Julie makes things like this (and tons of other cute items) I knew I had to get mine from her!  I sent her pictures of an ear warmer and flower that I liked and she did a perfect job matching them!

I also got one of her 3 strand headbands with a flower on it:

Aren't they both so cute?  And she gave me this bag:

I thought it was so smart to use the ribbon on the bag like that!  I am totally stealing that idea for future use!

Later on in the afternoon I went Christmas gift shopping.  This is probably the latest I have ever waited to get gifts.  I think I am now done, with the exception of 2 gift cards that need to be purchased.  Tonight I am going with my mom to finish shopping for my dad, and then tomorrow with dad for mom! 

Oh yes, and I purchased a black Copic marker today.  I currently own Prismacolor, Pitt Pens, Sharpies and Microns so I got one Copic to try it out.  Those suckers are expensive! 

Are you guys ready for Christmas yet?  Only 4 days left!

BOSS Volunteers at Hospital Christmas Party

Today BOSS volunteered at the Army Hospital's Christmas party.  We sang Christmas carols.  Here are some photos:

Did you notice that our reindeer have hot pink noses?  They also have earrings!  We love being super extra over the top girly!

And this evening I went with my fiend Madison (pictured above in the photo with candy cane reindeer) to a volunteer vent her church was doing.  We did free gift wrapping of presents at Walmart. 

Tomorrow is mostly free so I should be getting in some art!  Have a great night.

Sea Turtle

Tonight I drew a turtle:

I used watercolor pencils to color him in.  I drew him on the backside of another page in my art journal which is why you see a bit of the color bleed through on the page.

I was super productive today.  My entire house is now clean and I am almost done with laundry.  Also I submitted my teaching assistant application to FSU and my return volunteer form to Victory Junction!  Plus, I drew that turtle!

Best thing about today - I am now off work until 3 Jan!  I am so excited!  Only a few more days and I go back to TX to visit my family!  I can't wait.

Have a great night!

The President's Speech

Yesterday I was one of the lucky Soldiers that got to go hear the President speak!  I think its a once in a life time event.  I think we don't value our President like we used to (say back in the 50s or 60s).  Everyone wants to say terrible things and place blame but it is an extremely hard job.  I also think most people don't realize what exactly the President's job is as compared to the job of congress.  Anyways... I was excited to see the President.  Here are some photos:

It was a long day.  We reported in to work at 0500 hrs and were not able to go home until 1430 for lunch.  I got really sick because I was not able to eat much during that time - what they did give us was processed unhealthy food.  I ate a little of it but not enough to keep from getting sick due to low blood sugar.  So, when I got home I tried to eat but felt too terrible and decided to just go to sleep.  I woke up at 8pm and had something to eat and then went back to sleep! 

Hopefully tomorrow I will have some art for you!  Have a great night!

WWE Tribute to the Troops

Before I get to the WWE Tribute to the Troops, I want to tell you some good news!  My unit agreed to let me take college classes this Spring while I wait to get out of the Army!!  I will be taking drawing 2, design 2 (sculpture), computer art 1 (photoshop), and art by women (art history.)  I am so excited!  So, this means that I will be here in NC until at least May.  I REALLY hope that by the end of the semester I am out of the Army.  At least this way I won't feel like I'm wasting time.   I can't wait to do art every day!!

Last night a group of us went to WWE Tribute to the Troops.  It was a lot of fun.  There were wrestlers, and Ms. USA, and Mary J. Blige and Nickleback. Here are some photos:

We got done REALLY late (even though we left before the event was over) so I just came home and went to bed right away.

5, 6, 7, 8

Following my spread for 1, 2, 3, 4 ... I created one for 5, 6, 7, 8:

Here are the pages by themselves:

Next up... 9, 10, 11, 12.  12 is the last number of those little cards so that will be the last spread...but I am out of things that I think work with that color scheme so I will have to hold off on that one.

I have also been working on a Christmas spread in my smaller journal (the numbers are in a 9x12 journal) but its not finished yet!!

I am really wanting to do some other Christmas art journaling as well, but as of yet have not gotten to it.. I just have piles of images and papers and all that jazz.  Hopefully I will get to it soon!!

Also, I decided to offer to make flower pins for my friends for 2$ so that they would have a way to give  a cute little homemade, one of a kind gift to their other girl friends.  Here a few examples of the type of pins:

So far my friends want 10!  I got my work cut out for me!! 

WOYWW 7 DEC

Hello and happy WOYWW!  I am currently working on re-purposing junk mail:

At Art of the Carolinas I saw a piece that another artist did on junk mail.  She had painted gesso on both sides of it and then made art.  So, I decided to give it a shot and see how it turns out.  This is my first go at it - I think I want to try another coat on some of the pieces before actually doing art on them.

Also, on the shelf next to my desk:

Lots of art journals and collage bits and pieces.  I have been working on art journal pages as I watch TV at night.

For more peeks at desks, go to Stamping Ground!

Have a great day and thanks for visiting!

1, 2, 3, 4

An art journal layout that I have not yet showed you:

I really like it..so I'm currently working on 5, 6, 7, 8! 

Sorry to be so short, but I gotta run!  Have a great day.

BOSS Christmas Shopping Trip and Last 2 Christmas Cards

Hi!!  So, yesterday I went with BOSS to Streets and Southpoint which is a mall and adjacent shopping center in Durham, NC. 

It was a lot of fun.  I got some Bath and Body Works items and some Lucky Brand Jeans.  After shopping we ate at Cheesecake Factory.

 I ordered the spicy chicken salad for dinner:

It was huge!  I was so full I could only take a few bites of my peppermint bark cheesecake until we got home.

Today I finished my Christmas Cards with these last two:

Now all I have to do is write and address them all!  I'm hoping to get them done by Saturday.

Have you guys started or even mailed yours yet?  How are all your other Christmas preparations going?  Let me know!  Have a great night and I'll see you tomorrow.