TODAY - LIFE IS...

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We can plan, schedule, work, create, hope, dream.... it's all good.... but bottom line...

TODAY... LIFE IS. 

Every morning when I wake up... 

I am thankful for another day.

Even with it's challenges... 

I am still thankful for another day.

TODAY... LIFE IS: 

an opportunity to find one positive thing. 

TODAY... LIFE IS:

a moment to see one beautiful thing. 

TODAY... LIFE IS:

a time to savor a moment of peace..

 a moment of fun...

a moment of joy. 

TODAY... LIFE IS:

????????

Can you finish the sentence? 

I painted this 20" x 24" mixed media on canvas for the theme:

SUMMER ROMANCE by Samra

 The challenge: to make a romantic scene/beach scene/or both. 

Here is the mood board: 

Pamellia's
Anything But Cute Challenge #3

I have to tell you... this was a tough challenge for me. 

As some of you know... I am not a beach gal nor have I ever been enamored by sea shells and the like!! 

I am a lake gal and love to fish.

So I thought and thought and thought - what can I do.

Wanna hear something funny??? 

I am not the romantic type either.  

Just a simple gal happy with a simple life. 

BUT...

secretly - I always wanted to go to a romantic island somewhere and go skinny dipping with hubby.  So crazy huh!!!!

We never went but... remembering that - made me think of this setting plus I saw a picture on the internet of balcony table too. 

So... off I went to create my skinny dipping beach - eheheheh!!

I'm really bummed because I forgot to take pictures. 

The background with the water was so pretty before I added the railings - I wanted you to see it.  I'm trying to remember how many layers of paint it took to make the water look like 'water'.  I just kept adding one color over another in a Z shaped pattern.  I know it has more than a dozen layers - of about 5 different colors!  Some of the colors had shimmer in them too.

I really thought I took one but it's just not here - boo hoo.  

But I did take a picture of the products I used!

I used a Hero Arts Stamp Set that I bought used so I think it is an older set - for the sentiment on the  mugs.

I stamped with Teal Blue StazOn Ink on tissue paper and Deco-paged the stamped sentiment onto the mugs.

Guess what they say!!!???  Today... Life Is!

I painted the water and the table first.  

Then added the railings... whew... now that took patience! 

But I had so much fun painting them.  

The whole picture was just such a wonderful experiment in techniques and products. 

The canvas is 1.5 inches deep on the sides and painted to match!

The flowers are hand painted.  I looked up tropical flowers in white and looked at a picture as I drew them onto the canvas. Sorry to say - they don't look like the picture but at least it gave me an idea!

I didn't get a very good picture of the flowers on the left side. They were just some I made up as I went - just thought it needed a vine up the side.

Not a very good tutorial this time... 

but perhaps it's because I was just enjoying the painting experience so much.  I really loved doing this one.  

Thanks for pushing me out of my comfort zone Samra!

As always... thanks bunches and bunches for stopping by to read my blog.  And I want to tell you too that I recently got a few comments that just left me teary eyes.  You guys have no idea how much your sweet thoughts touch me.  I know how busy you all are so... again thanks bunches.  

Hugs. j. 

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