Pretty Laces

I did a swap with my online art group and we each dyed various laces and they were send to me and I mixed all the colors up and will send them back out tomorrow. We dyed them by various methods and some are color safe and some are not. I think they turned out so pretty. And some of the girls did little tags that we can use on our art and one dyed some ribbon to go with her lace. I thought I'd share how pretty they are with you.

Mix It Monthly - another side to my art journal layout - Theme Maps

I did a fun picture of a girl that wants to ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail and after I made it, I knew that I wanted to put a more detailed explanation on the other side of the layout in my art journal. I used a picture of a model from a fashion magazine and cut her out with dotted paper and put a map of my home town behind her. Then I wrote about my home as many other have done for this challenge. There must be something about those maps that make us think of home. I did lots of journaling and some doodling. I cut out the heart for home and on the same dye, there is a flower so I put that in the girl's hair and I think that helps to tie the two pages together.
Now I feel that this layout is complete!

Mix it Monthly - theme maps

This is done in watercolors in my art journal which is my favorite way to paint. Her hair is a map of Greenville, SC which is very near where we live. Greenville has a bike trail which is called the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Part of it is on old railroad lines. It goes a long way through the city and it seems that all near by cities are getting on board and making their trails to connect with the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Greenville has been named a top 10 city to bike in. The Swamp Rabbit Trail is very big here and this girl is looking forward to a ride on the trail.

Finally some time for art!

This is an altered book for my friend, Linda in our altered book club. Her theme is trees. The quote part of a quote that she put in the front of her book. It is done in watercolors. I hope that she will enjoy it.

Orchid April 2, 2014

This is my orchid now. I thought that it was through with 20 blooms but it now will have 28 blooms!
My front window was so bright that I moved it into my den and put it on top of our gas stove. With that dark background you can really see the orchid. And there are still a few blooms not open. You see this one that will probably open today or tomorrow and These two that will take a few more days to open. Now that is amazing to me! I wonder if this is all or if there are more to come?
I am posting this for a friend who gave this orchid to my Mother in Law and she gave the orchid to me because she did not know that it would bloom again. But she is enjoying the orchid here and she loves seeing it bloom here. Everyone who comes here just loves it. It has surely brighten up a long winter for us!  Thanks, Bill for your kind gift that keeps on giving!