Tuesdays with Maggie

Maggie has been home for Spring Break, so I've been trying to alter my weekly routine to include her in them.  This way, I still try to stay on task and we can do something together. Of course, it takes a bit longer....haha!

Tuesdays are my designated art day.

I made some room at my table and we worked side by side.
We started with 2 sheets of 9 x 12 inch white Bristol Board.  We chose patterned papers to tear and adhere to them.

 

Here they are all covered.  Mine is on the left.  Hers on the right.

 

 

We then took some watercolor pencils and scribbled them on in different spots.  We applied gesso to the surface to pick up the color and tone down the papers.

 

 

Then it was time for paint and stamping....

Here, Maggie is rubbing the stamp pad directly onto her surface.

 

 

They looked like this after that layer.

 

 

Now we were ready for our main images and inspirational quotes.

Maggie wrote her own :)

 

 

"Enjoy wildlife,

Be friendly,

live life.

Enjoy!"

 

Then she chose this image to put on her piece.

 

 

Her finished art :)

 

 

I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do with mine when she proclaimed she was done and went to play.   

She compares herself to me sometimes and feels badly that she can't draw or paint like I do.  I tell her it's taken me years and years of practicing and doing art regularly to be where I am today....and I'm still learning and improving...and that she will, too.  So, I was planning on keeping things loose and simplistic, so we could both do similar styles, when we began.

 

 

But since she was done...well, I could let loose....haha!

So I began to see a face in my background.

 

 

I sketched her out in white pencil and began applying washes of thinned acrylic paint.

Those are the 3 colors to the left there that I usually use for my fleshtones.

Americana Brand - Light Buttermilk, Fleshtone and Light Cinnamon.

 

 

I apologize for not having more in-between stages, but I started working quickly once I figured out what I wanted to paint.  I chose a Rumi quote to feature "Unfold your own Myth"

 

 

Above are her finished eyes....

 

...and below, the finished piece.

 

 

All those layers paid off, I think. It gives the background such a lush look.

She has the quotes "Reveal the greatest version of you" and "The possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another" written on her, also.

Click to enlarge if you like :)

 

 

 

She has a neat Renaissance feel to her. 

She is listed  in the shop, fyi. 

 

Love that Maggie and I both made art this week.

 

I also received some awesome art from my friend, Micki Wilde aka The Secret Hermit

 

 

 

Isn't she adorable?!

And look at that yummy texture!

 

 

Thank you, Dear Micki!

Please visit her shop to see more of her whimsical girls :)

 

I'll be by to visit before the big weekend festivities!

Don't overdo the chocolate....or, instead, do indulge, but hide all the evidence....heehee!

 

Reveal your gifts to the world, beautiful creative kindreds!

Cam

Summer Fun on the Books

Hello everyone!
This post is bittersweet for me.  I love that I can join in one more week over at Butterfly Effect,  the theme is BOOKS....
....but, I'm going to miss you sooooo very much!

You see, we are leaving for our annual camping excursion tomorrow....so, I'm going to be disconnected and unplugged from CyberWorld for a while.  Please don't do anything too exciting while I'm gone!  Then, again, it will be fun to catch up with all of you upon my return.

Plus, I'll get to subject you all to lots (and lots...heehee) of pictures ;-P

We look forward to being together, enjoying the great outdoors and getting away from the heat of the Summer every year.

I love trees, always have...and one of my most favorite things about camping where we do.

I was thinking about them at sunset when I tried coating book pages in black acrylic paint and smooshing (such a technical term, I know...haha) them together to see how the image would transfer to the other side.  The answer....

Not very well...but interesting to try.

Maggie was so intrigued by the whole notion of painting inside books...she wanted to join in.

This is her tree, complete with grass, sky, flowers, the 3 of us....and the words, "I love my family" :)

I also just played around with a quick face and lots of bubble wrap stamping....

Maggie told me her next page represented her room...and how we switched the blue, dark space into a bright and happy place for her. (You can read about that transformation HERE)

She added glitter as the last layer, which is hard to see here, but really does make the whole page sparkle.  I  was smiling to myself thinking how easily she grasps the whole concept of expression.  Proud Mama moment :)

Well, I guess that's it for now....

Need to finish cleaning the house and packing up the pantry items...so, I better go, but I'll most definately be thinking about you!

Sandy toes and Adventure awaits!

See you Mid July!

Yep, you read that right!

Enough hugs to last you,

Cam

Your Mission...

...if you choose to accept it...

*Mission Impossible Theme playing*

Bum Bum Dudda   Bum Bum Dudda

Is to read through this very long post...

Are you up to the challenge?

It was Maggie's Spy themed 6th Birthday last Sunday.

In the sealed envelope on the left of the invitation, was a coded message...

Agent Maggie in her Field Uniform talking on her satellite phone, next to her briefcase of gadgets and sensitive files.

Before her fellow spies could report for duty, they needed to be processed....

After being gathered in the debriefing room...

they were told of their suspect.  The Puzzler.  Called such because of his penchant for riddles and cleverness.

Can you see how all the scenes of his crimes make a question mark when connected?

(My Mom is pointing to her own address that I posted as one of the Puzzler's previously known Safe Houses)

To heighten their reflexes, the Agents engage in an exercise called "Pass the Grenade" (a popper is tossed from kid to kid like Hot Potato to the Mission Impossible Theme.  When the music stops, the kid with the popper, pulls the pin/string, effectively" blowing it up" and sits down)

We then assigned code names.  Each Agent was called up to pick a slip of paper from 2 different containers.  When the 2 words were read together, these became their Code Names. Agent Daddy collected the ID cards from the processing basket and wrote on the Code Names as they were drawn. 

He slipped the cards into a plastic sleeve and clip and handed them to each Agent.

Here is Maggie's...

The Agents were informed that the Puzzler had stolen the Goody Bags!

...but he left a clue behind.  Agents were split into 3 teams and given their first clue.

Jim and I stayed up all night getting this next part ready.  We had 6 stations that sent the kids in revolving fashion on to the next.  We had 3 sets of clues (1  for each team) and started them at different points.

I apologize I don't have many photos of this part...it was quick paced...and we had to employ the help of my family to man the stations and give instructions where needed.  My Dad is the family photographer and we made the mistake of putting him to work....oops!  Lack of sleep...I just wasn't thinking clearly :)

One station was a Laser Room made with curling ribbon.

I know it's hard to see back there.  We had them do an L of tummy crawling, side stepping and ducking over and under...they found the clue on the piano with their team # on it, then exited by crawling under the table.  They loved this so much, they all did it a few more times after the mystery was solved....

...and held a secret meeting...

In their envelopes, there was an encrypted code and a riddle that lead them to the next station. There, they found a legend to decipher the code.  This lead them out to the front yard where my Hubby was waiting for them.They had to tumble over a mattress put in the grass and over to the ammo/water balloons to bust open the Puzzler's lair.

(Again, I'm sorry I don't have pictures!)

From there, they were told to go to the bathroom (not actually go to the bathroom, Sillies....but just step into the room) where a backwards message told them to look under the sink.  A tape recorded alligator roar was waiting for them when they pushed play.

This sent them to the Alligator Swamp.  See the sign there on the right...

This was placed in the side yard.  Stepping stones and balance beams were placed over a blue tarp lagoon.  The team members had to all make their way to the end and place their hands inside a bucket of grubs (elbow noodles) to capture an insect (rubber, of course) and their next clue.

This sent them to our laundry room where this clue was waiting for them:

In the light,

   you’re as blind as can be...

But in the dark, 
you can clearly see!

(all our clues rhymed like this....no wonder we were up all night...sheesh!)

They had to figure out to turn off the light.  A black light then made a clue glow where there was just a blank page before.

This one had (a picture of a pie) - e + (a picture of a can) - c + o

They had to figure out this says PIANO which led them to the piano room where the Lasers were.

With each new envelope received from completing a task, a puzzle piece was included.

When all the Agents went through all the stations, they met in the debriefing room again to put together their puzzle pieces.

They had to all work together as 1 big team now.  The riddle indicated that the Puzzler lured them all into this room so that he could destroy HQ with a bomb drop!

My Hubby reached up and undid the tape holding 80 black water balloon sized balloons (filled with air, mind you, I'm not that nuts...haha!) and the kids had to stomp them out.

A last clue was read saying that the Puzzler was baffled that we escaped and gave us back our treat bags out of respect....until next time....mwuahahaha!!

The Goody Bags were brown lunch sacks sealed with Top Secret stickers I made with that handy 'ol Xyron Machine. 

Inside were these cool pretend passports from Oriental Trading Company.

Compass rings

Play money

Chocolate coins

Mustache Pops

A magnifying glass

Smarties

A pencil that said "Operation Birthday Team Member"

...and a stick on mustache...like this :)

The kids had a blast!

....and when they all left, Jim and I had long overdue naps!

Happy Birthday, Maggie!  We love you!

A super, duper big hug goes out to my wonderful family and dear friends for their help in pulling this off...

...and to my brilliant Husband for making it all work!

Still recovering from Birthday Madness,

Cam