Last Minute Details

27 Anniversary Cruise Countdown

Day 6 - less than a week away. We are making final preparations to leave on our cruise. The packing will begin, last minute paperwork to family in case, well just in case. Reminding my sons where we keep all of our important documents if they were to need them, and phone numbers posted on the frig of doctors, vet, etc. I remember 27 years ago making final preparations leading up to the 20th of December. My wedding day! Last minute details, coordinating relatives/friend's travels to the area, checking, checking and rechecking. Every year my DH and I recall all the wonderful times and a few hard times we have experienced through the years. It's good to reflect where we have come from and great looking forward to where we are going. But most of all I want to enjoy this day and all God has for me today.

Final Step - The Artist Circle Tags

Here is the last step in the painting/prepping stage of the 12 tags. I had to dry brush them with gesso. It makes them all appear with a flat finish. This technique is hard for me because you put gesso on the brush and then wipe it off until there is very little left on the brush. Seems like such a ridiculous thing to do. I remember when stenciling first became a popular technique, I felt the same way. I never seemed to remove enough paint. I am too impatient to keep rubbing it off the brush. But there were only two tags that I had a blotch of gesso on. I have gotten better over time.

After the first of the year we will have fun with embellishments and binding the tags into a book. So between now and the New Year I must decide on a theme and find ephemera-related items. I am not sure but I believe my theme will be "27 Years."

Missing A Piece of The Puzzle

Yesterday I ranted and raved for several hours because I could not find my cutting mat. I had prepared to finish my postcard exchange project. Needless to say that did not happen. But what did happen? What is the saying "the best laid plans of mice and men.." My day turned into the most productive day. I worked on my FAT puzzle d'art trade. At first I could not even find the puzzle pieces. My dining room was in such disarray with my project stuff sitting everywhere. So I began to clean and sort while looking for my cutting mat. I am sorry to say I accused and inquired of everyone that entered my home whether they had taken my mat and thrown it away. I even called sons and DH on phone to see if they had seen my precious mat. I called a friend who took a class last month with me and inquired from her. I realized I had also lost a green cutting mat that travels to all the classes with me. That truly looks like junk - warped and broken. It looks kind of ratty; to the untrained eye it would be considered junk.

As I was calming down around lunch time my DH called me and through the conversation I realized where the mat might possibly be. Remember I had worked on my first rust project. Well at 4am that morning I had walked outside to clean the vinegar out of the fabric. I needed something to place it all on and guess what I used - the cutting mat. But when I picked up the plastic bag my cutting mat fell off the railing of my deck. I had not even noticed as I was more interested in what had transpired with the rust and fabric. Oh my, now what to do!!

Immediately I called my DH and had to apologize and ask his forgiveness. When my son returned home I had to apologize and ask his forgiveness. And believe me - it was important to hear them both say "I forgive you." With a clear and clean conscience I could move on to finishing my puzzle pieces. I had never used gesso before. I learned it is a waste of time to put coloring in the gesso; paint after it dries. The entire project just flowed until all three pieces were finished. If I had found my cutting mat I can assure you not one project would have been finished. The puzzle art would not even be started today.

I realized I felt like the green cutting mat - warped and broken. I had let my emotions run rampant. I was out-of-control over a mat. I learned an important lesson yesterday - take a step back when things are not going your way and ask yourself - What is God trying to show me that I am missing? maybe change gears, you ain't all that, let it go, what else can I do, where's your focus!? My eyes had shifted to the "doing on demand" not the "being" that I enjoy as I work on the art projects. Relax, enjoy what life brings your way today.