Summertime.....HOT JULY!!!

so..... its been a fast few months..
This blog is always reminding me
how time flies by without really getting a
chance to hold on to the simple moments.

We lost Duane's Dad shortly after
we found out he was seriously ill.
I found courage to say what was
in my heart at his graveside service.
Heart wrenching to say the least.
But his father is at peace.

The day after we laid him to rest,
Duane and I took the weekend to
get away, rest and belatedly celebrate
our 21st wedding anniversary.
I surprised him with Garth Brook's Concert
Tickets and an overnite stay just down the
street... First time for me to ever go to a concert.
We had a blast! and we got to go to IKEA!!
SHUT UP!!! Great way to remove the funk
we both had been in for quite some time.

I did get a little low on not getting to paint or
create for quite some time... during the month
of april and then may... but little did I know what
June had waiting for me.. and now I'm halfway thru
July!!!

I have been truly blessed these last few months...
I am showing up every day...
ready for the challenges presented to me!

I was hosted by
Heart for Hospice for the 2nd time
in June, for the
Springfield 2nd Friday Art Walk.
Much better traffic when you are listed
in the program for the Art Walk!
Met lots of great folks.

I recently became a member of
Eugene Springfield Art Project...
and will be dropping off two newer canvases to
be shown at the ESAP Pop-Up Gallery at
3rd & Main St., Springfield, OR
this friday July 8th, 2015 from 2pm-6pm.
the Pop-UP Gallery will be part of the Walk

Speaking of newer canvases!
I am super excited to show you
what I have been working on with my painting.

My studio for a day!
Sunny day.. hanging out with my old girl Precious!
I was able to paint 3 of those 4 canvases.. LOOOONG day.

I've been working on making my own stencils..
So cool to upcycle found items. and make new art with them.

"Fire Within"

I've been wanting to make a piece using Yellow, Gray and white...
Love how this piece turned out!

Follow Your Arrow
Grace
two of my favorite bracelets I can't stop wearing

a new necklace!!! LOOOOVE!
Getting ready for the Country Music Festivals!

I was also invited to bring my custom, 
handcrafted, Upcycled Belt bracelets,
Necklaces and a few of my prints 
into one of my favorite Locate Shops -  
Sweet Salvage!!!!!
O.M.G.!!!! 
SQueeeals!!!!

I upcycled a mannequin to look suuper cool
using it to display my upcycled belt buckle
necklaces.

a few of my upcycled belt bracelets!! 

very hard to find belt was used to make this bracelet.
Available at Sweet Salvage.. call to make sure its still available

I have offically been in Jennifer's Shop for 1 month!
Need to put new pieces in there soon..
If you are in the area come check Sweet Salvage out!

while I've been havin all this crazy fun with my ART adventures...
I was able to support my day job in teaching Archery for
the 3rd time at Camp Millenium... it means alot to me to be
able to spend time with the kids at Camp Millenium.
It makes you appreciate what you have all the more.
Every day is a gift...
Still haven't gotten a decision on the position I applied for.
...will let y'all know when that Happens!

What are you doing with your Precious Life?
Are you listening to your whispers?
Are you happy?
Does your heart ache to do what you love?

Thank you for stopping by. As always..
stay tuned! Leave a comment!
Are you following me on Instagram?
or Facebook???

Stop by and say HI!!!!

Welcome Spring... Hello Summer

the regular job has been keepin me hopping!

I applied for a new position... waiting patiently to hear

if I got it or not.  If I do get it... I am hoping it will allow me

to have more weekends off to be able to participate in more weekend events... bazaars, art shows, festivials.. etc... wait and see.

there have been many days I didn't get to paint or touch my studio.. not event to just 

sit and sketch... I have been able to cut and make some of my own stencils.. super exciting!!!!

Allowing me to make some amazing ART!!! 

Which allowed me to sell some prints for a great organization..

Oregon Hunters Association.. this guy was from one of the coastal chapters..

I donated to another chapter as well.  So sweet to see my art

going to great folks.

This piece I named Yellow Sky - and Art & Soul (my first piece of mixed media) was

accepted into Cabela's Outfitter Art Show - in Sydney, Nebraska.. May 8 - June 5!!!

This Piece below is absolutely gorgeous... I made 4 canvases using the same

4 colors... this is my favorite.. the others are pretty but just love how this piece turned out..

you can get items made with this print on my Society6.com/SarahshinesArt

Keeping up with the messes.. have been so much fun. NOT!!!

but its part of the process.  

A painting I just completed yesterday, made with the stencils I made...

the original is gorgeous - Pinks, Mauve, Cream and Browns!

 LOVE it!!!

Played a little with PicMonkey to change the colors up!

they turned out AWESOME!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

 THANK YOU!!!!!

Stay Tuned! Lots going on in the next few weeks.

Have some great pics from my archery class I taught last month in April

and I will be in an art show June 12 - Second Friday Art Walk - Downtown Springfield, OR!!!

April... Sadness, Heartache, Love, Forgiveness.... Letting Go

My family started the first day of April with saying goodbye to my husbands father.

Sadly, an estranged relationship.  We were blessed, after finding out on monday.. that his Father

only has a short time.. and was going home for hospice care.

I say blessed... because a family member let us know before it was too late to say goodbye.

Blessed because he and his only brother/sibling had a chance to simply say...

I love you.

Heartbreaking to say the least.. but substance abuse, co-dependence, anger, insecurities,

have blocked them all from saying how they really felt.

Duane and I have dealt with it our whole lives.. and have chosen a different path for 

ourselves, our children...

We were done with family drama, dysfunction and crisis after crisis..

Not saying our 26 years together haven't had those.. but we

choose to "Just Love".

Just Love

WIP above.. click on the link to see the other WIP's I am 

currently working on.

Dealing with grief, letting a loved one go will never be easy..

But we can choose to remember the things, 

the memories we loved about that person.

And let the rest Go.....

______________________________________________________

Showing up! Hubby and I working table for 

Green Valley Archers Club

Spring Great Outdoors Day at Cabela's

green-valleyarchers.weebly.com

Tonight I start teaching my first Archery class... for adults.. at 

Willamalane Parks and Recreation

EXCITED!!!!!!!

I have been invited and will be featured at 

Heart for Hospice in June - 2nd Friday Art Walk in Springfield,OR

Stay Tuned!!!!

Seriously! Its March People!...

So overdue to post on this blog! so neglected... so its March! Lot's moving and shaking...

going to back track to January..brief recap~

I posted a few terrible pics of my "new" table...still need to finish the drop leaf's..jerry-rigged(spelling?)them for now..It works like a dream!

So MUCH nicer on the Back!!

Loaded up my two rolling carts I got for my birthday... from World Market!

slides right under my table :)

I was commissioned to paint this great photo... of the Oregon Coast..

first time painting something like this.. a little nervous. 

Painting the grasses were a little tough.. but I got thru it.

Customers were extremely happy with the finally results!

Yeah!

 If you'll remember, earlier last year...I was commissioned to paint a large canvas for a local Resale Clothing Shop... the Defiant Diva!

I recieved a sweet share from the Shop Owner Michelle! <3

Last year during Archery Hunting Season.. I was commissioned to make to special belt bracelets for a Sweet Friend and her Brother. They hunt every year together... and they have a special quote

"Hunt Happy".  

She presented the bracelets, one for her and one for him, to wear.. and then wore them during the
HUGE ATA archery convention! my bracelets traveled to Nashville!

Thanks Krissy and Ryan!!!!

I tried something new in February..I challenged myself to make something from nothing..

I got a cool box from MECCA in Eugene, OR

It had a bunch of funky stuff.. record album, book of sheet music, junk..odds and ends of wire.. etc.

The challenge: Using EVERYTHING in the Box: make a Music themed piece from Trash...

I went with a 3-D piece.. 

I only used my own paint - 3 colors, hot glue sticks, a metal necklace/jewelry holder -as the base, 

blue painters tape, and a blinking heart necklace. 

BEATS REMIX was the program... 

after turning in my art piece it was auctioned off to raise funds for the U of O Art department. :)

getting ready to paper mache the head and torso/top of dress. taped off the 

bottom to protect the wire form

I melted (safely) the record album to form the dress. Using the album cover.. I decorated the dress.

the head and torso are strips of sheet music, onion bag made into a layer for the skirt,

and a birdcage hat for her head.

paper crinkles were used to make her hair... spray painted red, from paper bag brown.

Album cover was also used for the hat.

 I used scrap piece of paper from the box to wrap a heart shaped cookie cutter

to make it the microphone.. then covered it with some rhinestones..

used a paper punch to make the butterflies..

the ballerina and the boy scout in the next photo are from the record album..

its a sweet love story :)

I hung the heart necklace that lighted up inside the

wire dress form.. used more of the sheet music to decorate the microphone stand.

"Beat Shines from Within"

At the regular job.. I was sent to South Carolina for 8 days, to train 2 other 

PTS -Product Training Specialists 

~ to help train  160+ outfitters at the new Cabelas in Fort Mill, SC.

I had never flown that far before.. it was a long day! left Oregon at 8am..

didn't arrive to Charlotte, NC until 1am...

I got to stay at a very nice Hyatt Hotel.. the bed was devine!

I got to eat a TON of Southern Food!! 

and I got to visit my Dad's only Sister

"Aunt Tweet"

Beautiful Audrey - Aunt Tweet!

I had 4 very short hours to spend with her... I got to make her 

lunch and coffee just the way she likes it.

I didn't want to leave.. I could have stayed for a week.. just to

catch up and to get to know her better.

I hadn't seen her since 1993 ( I was 17 years old), 

shortly before my grandma Bloom passed away.

I saw my dad in her eyes.. in her smile.. 

her mannerism's when she talked.

She has the cutest giggle!!! :)

I found a treasured photo of my Grandma Bloom and my Grandpa Bloom

the photo had been taken when Idella and John were still in high school.

So surreal.. I have my grandpa Bloom's smile - his teeth... down to the canines!!

sounds weird.. but I always wondered where I got them from.. 

none of my siblings had them.

These two had loved each other since middle school!

they broke up when they graduated.. then they got back together..

married and had 7 children! 

Lastly... I was finally able to complete a long past due commission bracelet..

I made a second bracelet.. and turned it into 2 sets of earrings and a pendant.

to say thank you for being so patient! 

First time make leather earrings!

Customer requested a custom quote from the bible: Song of Solomon 8:6

and Cerulean blue.

I do have more to post.. but its late.. need to rest up.. 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my blog!

Next post.... my hubby and I celebrated 21 years of marriage in March!

...got a sweet gift we will get to celebrate in April.. stay tuned!!!

Sarah