Preach It Sister!

Last week I gave my testimony publicly for the first time EVER at a Woman's Recovery Centre and I discovered two things... First, is that my testimony is very long-winded and I really should have shortened it up;

and Second, some people can be mean in a subtle way, you don't even realize when they are dissing you until you think about it afterwards!

When I was giving my testimony, the supervisor of the ladies group said, "Preach It Sister" as I was reading a poem that I had written during my depression. After giving my testimony she said in front of everyone that my testimony was very God-based and that she has read the Bible cover to cover and that was precisely why she did NOT believe... okay... that was strange of her to say that to me...

then I thought about it...

When she said "Preach it Sister" while I read my very personal poem I thought 'wow, cool, she's touched by my poem'... then after her stating she was not a believer the thought crossed my mind...

wow, okay... she was actually dissing me and my beliefs instead of being touched by my poem.

That was really mean.

It bothered me for days after and I didn't really know why... maybe because I wasn't expecting that from the supervisor, from the ladies who were in a really tough spot in life sure, but the supervisor?

I guess I should be thankful because my testimony made her put her guard up and lash out at me, that must mean that Jesus is working through my testimony... why else would a complete stranger persecute me, right?

So now I am thinking about it in a positive way and thanking Jesus that I am worthy to be persecuted for His Name. It still hurts though.

I really hate how mean some people can be and I try to pray for those who are because they must be hurting if they feel the need to hurt others. Can't we all just get along? :)

Well, I pray that you are all having a wonderful week. Many hugs and blessings.

The Ups And Downs

Prepping for teaching at a Woman's Recovery Centre in December. I thought I would start off with making Mood Chart Calendars for the ladies to track their emotions. I found it very helpful when I was going through a difficult time in my life when I tracked my mood swings. Hopefully the ladies will enjoy making them as much as I did.

Did you all remember to change your clocks this weekend? It was the longest day EVER for my hubby and I! We both woke up at 4:30am and couldn't get back to sleep! I hate it when that happens!

Well, have a wonderful week everyone. Many hugs and blessings to you all.

Add a little Pink Whimsy...

Having fun doodling this weekend and was able to do this whimsical drawing "Pink Whimsy". Now that I have an Etsy store I am having to copyright all my drawings with watermarks... so thus is the reason for the copyright overtop.

Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend.

Hugs and blessings

New Notecard Series

These are my new notecard series called "Comfort Series"
I was planning on making them into t-shirts to do fundraising but that fell through, so I am making them into notecards to sell at the three fairs in November and on my Etsy, which I made my very first sale the other day(Thank you so much Krista!)



Can you help me decide which one to print of the last one?



Or this one without the texture? It just seems so plain without texture on it.



What do you think, would you print it with or without the texture???

I hope you are all having a fabulous day. Many hugs and blessings to you sweet friends.

Finally I'm On...

It has taken me a long time but I finally have my own Etsy Shop! How exciting!
To go there please go to www.kellysartjournaling.etsy.com

Hope you enjoy looking through my shop, browsing the aisles, taking in all the eye candy:)

Hugs and blessings Everyone

On The Wings of Inspiration Blog Party!

This is my first participation in a blog party. Over at Inspiration Avenue they are having a blog party called "On The Wings Of Inspiration" and will be giving away prizes and everything.





You are invited to join in the celebrations of On the Wings of Inspiration Blog Party hosted by Inspiration Avenue. The blog party will start on Monday 16 October and will be happening the entire week with the cherry on the cake served on Monday 23 October 2011! But the fun starts already today: every few days we will be revealing one of the many giveaways set out on our party table and there are many digital freebies available on Inspiration Avenue right now. Read below how to accept our invitation and join in to make this an inspirational celebration.

So go to their blog party by clicking on the Wings of Inspiration in my side bar and join in on the fun!

Here is my entry.



Have a blessed Day!

The Art of Zendoodling - By Kelly Watts

For the upcoming Craft/Art Fairs in November I have put together a little booklet on how to make 'zen-doodles', at least how 'I' do my zen-doodles anyway. I thought since much of my art work incorporates doodles in some way I would put a booklet together and see if there was any interest. It is twenty pages long and has everything from texture-pattern sheets, to namedoodles, to using the alphabet fonts in your word processing program to create doodles in the letters. I have also included some of my ladies that I have doodled over their faces. I am putting the booklet in a presentation binder/duotang and am charging $20.00. I do not know how to price these things. Do you think that is a reasonable price?



This is a doodle page I have been working on for a couple months, not that it takes that long to complete but is one of those projects that you do a little bit at a time until completion. I just finished it today! It's not a very good picture as it looks a lot darker in the picture. It was a fun project nonetheless.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week. Sorry I am not posting as regularily as I usually do... still prepping for the fairs.

Many hugs and blessings to you all.

Prepping For The Fair

In prepping for the 3 upcoming Fairs I am attending in November I was going through some of my previous art from a few years back and rediscovered these shoedoodles and handbag doodle. I had hidden them far away in the back of my closet and upon finding them a renewed love for them came to the surface. These particular doodles are from 2009, I had not yet discovered my usual technique of darkening in my doodles with beautiful black edges as I am prone to nowadays, so... I went over them again with my black zig marker and created the dark edges. I love them even more now!



I don't know what prompted me to draw these shoes and handbag in the first place but I am so glad I did them. It reminds me how much I love looking at beautiful shoes, even though I cannot myself wear them, I can adore them just the same!



I have a great deal of things to do before November - oy vay! All good things though.




I hope and pray you are all having a fabulous week. I cannot believe how fast October is going - whew! Just flying by for me.

Hugs and many blessings to you all.

Fashionista!

No offense to anyone ~ honestly okay... but I seriously cannot fathom spending money on a matching purse, jacket and shoes! I can't do it! I am a simpleton and I am just fine with being a simpleton. I have a few black pairs of shoes, one black purse and a few necessary jackets each relating to the season at hand. I would much rather save my money up for a vacation than pour it into my wardrobe! That being said however, I absolutely LOVE the look of it!

I cannot wear high heels anymore but I gotta tell you, when I walk past a shoe store and see a deliciously colored pair of high heel shoes my mouth waters (actually my mouth is watering just thinking about it!) I think I can totally understand why some women will spend their entire paycheck on their fashion! Maybe if I had money I would be one of them?... hmmmm... I don't know. I think I will always love fashion from a far and appreciate the designs, textures and gorgeous colors that come out every season... oops drooling again:) Maybe I am a closet fashionista ~ one who observes fashion, loves fashion, but will never wear the current fashions that cost an arm and a leg!

Besides... my boys have braces (which is like a car payment), they are both getting their learners licence for driving (which may one day be another car payment) and then in just a few short years (4 at the most) they will be in College/University which is like another house payment! Yep, so I guess you could say I won't be a fashionista anytime soon:) I am okay with that though. God has blessed me with so much I would never trade it all in for a pair of shoes, gorgeous as they may be...



This is a work in progress drawing... it needs more, and I don't like the way the hair turned out. Do you think I should doodle in the background? I'm thinking I might journal the background(?) I would love any suggestions.


Hugs and many blessings to you, I pray you have a wonderful weekend. For us here in Calgary it is Thankgsgiving on Monday and bonus it is also my Anniversary with my wonderful amazing hubbub of 18 years! Happy Thanksgiving to all you Canadians out there, and Happy Weekend to everyone else.

How I've Been Feeling Lately

My Hubbub and youngest son say that this drawing shows a lady with arrogance...

I say it shows a lady who is tired, frustrated and just 'DONE', standing or leaning up against a wall with 'nothing' left to give.

That kind of describes how I have been feeling lately. I have no energy, I am so tired, I have been riddled with pain from my toes to the tip of my head with not much relief and I am just plain DONE! I am not complaining, really... or I am trying not to complain. I have been blessed with an amazing Husband, two awesome sons, a house to live in, shelter, food, clothing, clean water, a car to drive... so many blessings. So I really have nothing to complain about. God who created me is my Father who loves me, who cares for me and who is right here with me helping me through the pain. I am never alone, so... no, I'm not complaining but basking in His love and worshipping my Creator who deeply loves me.

Many hugs and blessings my Dear Friends, I am so thankful for you.

What I've Been Up To

I know I have not posted every day and I am so sorry, however, it has not meant that my brain has been idle and I have not been creating! I am working on my 'Inspiration Binder' trying to fill it up with tips, techniques and all sorts of tid-bits to have on hand for my three Art/Craft Fairs coming up in November. I want to be able to show something of what I can teach for Art Journaling as I will be handing out brochures and business cards as well as selling prints of my art (FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!)

The above pages are from my Inspiration Binder with fun borders and alphabets that I can teach.



Filling up those texture pages for some eye candy to look at...



Creating different images and shapes to fill with texture...



Adding some flare to new alphabets to reveal the 'juicyness' of creating your own letters and lettering techniques!

I am looking forward to meeting some wonderful women that will be interested in learning some art journaling and having fun with me in these three Fairs.

I am a little nervous selling my art for the first time, thinking to myself 'What if no-one likes it?' etc., I psych myself out all the time... but I am going to be strong this time, pray that I will sell some of my work and book some teaching classes, and most of all... enjoy myself because that's what it's all about!

Hugs and blessings everyone!

Starving for Love

Having fun with my copics on Watercolor paper, but yes... watercolor paper uses up alot of the ink in my copic markers! The one thing I noticed though is that the colors blend so nicely on watercolor paper whereas not-so-much on sketch paper.

This little lady is full of attitude having her heart broken one too many times. You know what they say about a woman scorned... actually I forget the saying but it's not good:)

Happy weekend to all of you, I wish you many blessings and joy for this fall weekend.

Hugs and blessings

Window To The Soul

Wouldn't it be absolutely amazing to have a window to your soul, an opening that you could view your soul ~ that concept sounds so good to me right now. It's always good to know yourself.

This is a larger Windswept piece called, "Window To The Soul" ~ it is how I would like to see myself in my soul, free of worries, carefree and surrounded by nature, God's creations. This piece was done on 11x15 Watercolor paper using copic markers and zig marker for lining, and my trusty white gel marker for outlining.

I love the details on this piece, the butterflies and the texture.




And here's the full piece "Window To The Soul" (Double click on the picture to show the fine details up close.



I hope and pray that you are all having a fabulous week.
Hugs and blessings everyone.

Sharing Poem From 2009 - If You Need A Boost Read On...

I forget writing things sometimes... it is really very much of a strange occurance. The only way I know that I have written it is that it is in my own handwriting with my name on the bottom. Our brains are complicated, there's no doubt about that! I have over four years of almost complete memory loss when I was sick from 1997 to 2000 and from those years have come much of my poetry located in binders at the bottom of my closet or on my computer.

This poem is one of those that I cannot remember writing but finding it today on an old post from 2009 has been a blessing. This Thursday I have a meeting with a lady at a Woman's Recovery Centre and I think that I am supposed to share this poem with her and the other ladies at the centre. I also may create a drawing or painting to go with it as it has sparked my imagination and I have a beautiful vision that would go perfectly.

Don't you just love it when things fall into place like this?

REDEEMED

She lays on the vile ground dead in spirit... earth fallen free of life, wanting desperately to be free... longing for a way out!
Torn... broken into pieces... shattered even to the point that she feels she will never be made whole again.
A presence approaches...
Laying still, silent but for the pounding of her heart... too numb to be afraid or care that she is not alone. Her head aching from the ground beneath... eyes glazed over and blurred with tears. She watches two feet stop in front of her.
So tired... so weak... 'it must be one more person coming to judge her', she thinks.
'Like they can judge me more than I already judges myself!'.
These feet do not move... just standing there in the same place before her... they do not look firm and ready to judge but soft... so soft... they are beautiful and glowing like the sun. She is confused by them. 'Why does this person of obvious great beauty stand before her?' Her... a lost soul broken... damaged...
She waits for words accusing...
Nothing!
Not a sound escapes into the gentle wind this presence has brought with it.
Momentarily forgetting who she is a small hope rises inside of her. A mysterious knowledge wakens her senses building up determination from a place long forgotten.
If only she can gather up enough strength to lift her arm... if only to touch the feet that have emanated sudden warmth from darkness hovering!
She breathes a strained heavy sigh... lungs refusing to fill with air... all strength failing. In desperation she mouths the words, 'please help me' not knowing if this presence can even see her lips.
A light much like a tiny star falls down upon her skin, she watches as it sinks through her skin feeling it flowing like rushing water to her limbs... lifting them? The upward motion of her arms is unmistakable... they are definitely lifting... reaching without effort from her failing fallen body!
The moment the tips of her fingers graze the surface of these angelic feet her body is jolted! Electric currents of living water race through her!
A love unlike any she has ever experienced or received fills her. Tears, long run dry, flow freely as they wash over her skin cleaning the grime away, thick layers becoming smooth. Strength renewed in newness unabashed by anything in the world, now more than restored, race through her as mountains of adrenaline released have made new.
Joy... indescribable joy has conquered the darkness, the bareness of her heart!
She remains still though her spirit soars within her. Eyes flooding with tears again shed heavy scales falling to the ground with lightening, thunderous movement and sound.
Quiet...
No...
Silence...
The Earth is completely silent!
Even her breathing and pounding heart... all is still as she lays waiting... waiting.
With one flicker of movement at a time her eyelids open... a brightness never seen fills her vision. She is in awe!
Lifting her head now with ease she turns to look at the beautiful angel that has saved her... revived her from death... it is gone leaving only a fading glow in its place.
She stands and looks over her body for any sign of brokenness that just minutes ago enveloped her like a dark cloud following closely... nothing! Not even the scars remain to remind her!
Her skin glitters like precious jewels. She remains in awe as a foreign movement lifts her face... something that has not occurred in decades...
...
...
she smiles!

By Kelly Watts

Butterfly Kisses

What can be sweeter than butterfly kisses? There was a song called Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle a few years back and I used to love hearing it all the time. This picture reminded me of that song although it really has nothing to do with the contents of the song. (lyrics are at the bottom of this post~ a must read)
I thought about how I would draw butterfly kisses and this is what came out, I know that the kisses themselves are actually done with eyelashes but for some reason I put a butterfly coming out of her mouth (where kisses usually come from) to represent a butterfly kiss. Sometimes my crazy brain works this way!

This drawing I did for my son Ben who continues to tell me that I only draw women, so I drew a man in the page too! First thing out of his mouth was, "Mom, I hate to tell you this but that looks more like a woman than a man!" Great! My dude looks like a woman!!!! LOL! Wow, that would make a catchy song! (hee-hee)

I have the hardest time drawing men, what is that all about? Does anyone else relate? I know there are many gorgeous men out there in the world but when I look at them I do not feel inspired to draw them, they are just men who look good in an Armani suits (of coarse I am talking about actors or models). Women are so much more, what is the word I am looking for... beautiful to draw I guess. Most men do not have long flowing hair, mens fashion is pretty basic with literally no frills to capture your romantic spirit. I need to feed that spirit in my art it seems ~ it inspires me to create beautiful, whimsical drawings.

Here are the lyrics to Butterfly Kisses By Bob Carlisle.

There's two things I know for sure:
She was sent here from heaven and she's
daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes and
I thank god for all the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all
For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;
sticking little white flowers all up in her
hair; "Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried."
In all that I've done wrong I know I must
have done something right to deserve a hug
every morning and butterfly kisses at night.

Sweet 16 today
She's looking like her mama a little more everyday
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world.

But I remember
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking
little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, Daddy, But if you
don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time."
With all that I've done wrong I must have done
something right to deserve her love every morning
and butterfly kisses at night.

All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly.
Spread your wings and fly.

She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not
sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
She leaned over...gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk my down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"

Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have
done something right.
To deserve your love every morning and butterfly
kisses-I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.

I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses.

Enjoy your Manic Monday. Hugs and blessings Everyone ~ with butterfly kisses to all!

Windswept Calendar ~ February

Aaaahhhh, to be in love mon'cheri(?)... I love LOVE, everything about it makes me all mushy and gushy inside, however, I HATE HATE HATE the commercialism of Valentines Day! Commercialism sucks the life out of any holiday don't you think? I can't stand walking in the mall and seeing items already displayed for a holiday three months down the road! Yuck!

So why have I given into the idea of romance for February? Well, that is a good question Kelly ~ wow, you are so darn smart! :)

I am in love with having a day dedicated to LOVE and it just so happens that that particular day is in February (I will not call it V-day, just LOVE day, how's that?) I do not want to be one of those individuals (insert names here, here and here) who gives into commercialism. Hmmm... now I've just confused myself:p

I feel like the very idea that I have associated romance with February has made me a hypocrite in mine own eyes! Do I love it, do I hate it? Oy vay! I wish I would make up my own mind for darn sakes!:)

So... to make it perfectly clear... I love ROMANCE and LOVE and everything to do with a day dedicated to love but I DO NOT love commercialism? Make sense? Good.

Okay... moving on.

Here is my February portion of my mood calendar (completely unassociated with commercialism in any way shape or form!)

Hugs and many blessings

Windswept Ladies Mood Calendar ~ January

I decided to get ahead this year (because last year I didn't even get to one) and make my mood calendar for 2012. I think I did one in 2010 but I never got to filling it out completely. So... I am making one for next year and am calling it "Windswept Ladies Mood Calendar 2012". I so enjoyed making my last few pieces of art with the flowing hair that this idea of a calendar floated to the surface and voila! ~ I'm putting my idea into action! Tomorrow I will post the month of February as I am already finished two months ~ only 10 more months to go!

I plan to use this calendar for all the ladies at the centre to use in tracking their moods, a fun way to motivate them I'm thinking!

So, until tomorrow where the romantic month of February shall be posted!

Hugs and many blessings

Gone With The Wind

I had this image in my sketchbook for a long time now and I finally decided to do another one of her as I really love the side view. The purples and greens go so nicely together which is unusual for me to use purple in any of my work as I am not really a purple gal. She's 'Gone With the Wind' as she looks like the wind is carrying her off to another land.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Hugs and many blessings.