This is what a perfect friday looks like..... for me....

Today was such a fun day....we enjoyed a wonderful family dinner...BBQ'd Salmon steaks...mixed vegetables also on the BBQ and the best fresh broccoli salad ever....We ended dinner off with some nice lattes al fresco and then proceeded to go fly our kites...lol...that kind of sounds funny ...go fly a kite...but these are no ordinary kites....we have way too much fun with these and Cole is mastering this fun stuff too....

see here is Cole with his Dragon kite...I wish I had a close up of the coolest kite ever....this Dragon is fierce and has some scary eyes too....Brad snapped this shot while I was flying my mermaid kite...yeah ...me and the mermaids....you know I just love them....
see here is my mermaid...she is pretty cool!! and hard to fly because of her wing span...but I always love a challenge....
and last but not least....Brad's airplane kite...this thing is really neat with it's propeller and all...It was one of the funnest days ever...and the weather..wow!!! it was like summer.....warm winds ....perfect company and great food...and laughs too....
and here is a shot from yesterday...when Brad did his first kite fly of the year....see in this shot it was cold....Cole even has a hat on...and his coat...boy the weather is pretty unpredictable here right now....
all in all this is what makes me happy.....a perfect day with my family......

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Art Creations Friday - just clowning around with this background

Hi Everyone.....We got a really cool and funky background over at Art Creations Friday and you have to take it and use it in some piece of art...so I felt like clowning around and made my little clown Jazz....hope you like him...he is highly skilled and highly sought after...since he also juggles cupcakes...that end up in the audience....

Happy Friday....

Tweet

BugTreasury....they look pretty cute in this collection....

My one of a kind art spool doll just got featured in this cute Bug Treasury curated by reneeleonestudio....how sweet is this collection....You can pop by the Treasury and show us some love.... and see all the cute pieces .....and if you want to purchase my lady bug doll you can head here.

Even bugs can be pretty!!!

Tweet

Theme Thursday - Black and White - New Digistamp - Doggy with a cupcake

I am expanding my digital stamp line...people love using embellishing with Copic, Letraset Promarker or Prismacolor markers, pencils and chalks. The possibilities are endless. I hope this new design is a big hit....these are some sample cards I made with this design....and who doesn't love puppies and cupcakes.... I used black and white with the card samples below...so I am submitting these to Theme Thursday......

Tweet

Three Muses....My pieces as inspired by this music....

This week over at the Three Muses Challenge we are to get some inspiration from music...so I added this song above as it was the inspiration for these two mini mixed media pieces...I even used some burning on the art pieces I created for more vintage impact........I do love Paris in the Springtime...and in the Summer and Fall and winter too...

Any season is bliss there..... I also added some art Cole and I created today....we made Birds from our hands and he was so proud!!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Tweet

CAC Challenge - birds....

I was working on some new sketches today and these birds on blocks just came to me....so I created a bunch of block animals...This is one of the sketches I created and made into this card...I am also adding this new sketch to my Digital stamp section of my Stamp shop...I think it will make some fun cards.....

and what fun that over at CAC this week the theme is birds...This sample card just seems perfect for the theme....

Have a wonderful Tuesday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Sunday Sketches and my final piece for Mixed Media Monday....theme....I feel pretty

Sunday Sketches is hosted by Sophia at Blue Chair Diary and I thought it would be fun to work on something for the theme over at Mixed Media Monday... the theme this week is "I feel Pretty" and even though we may all have our own little flaws they are the things that make us unique....and pretty in our own way......so feel pretty!!!!

I took my Sunday sketch and show my steps from rough to colour....

Thanks for popping in!!!

Tweet

Sunday Postcard Art - Theme "Oriental"

This week over at Sunday Postcard Art...the theme is "Oriental" so I made a postcard from this stamp I created for my handmade stamp shop.....Isn't he the sweetest little panda?

In the postcard I used bamboo for his background....he loves bamboo!

Have a wonderful Sunday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

More Cupcake Art - I love making these toppers...

I have been busy as a bee creating all kinds of fun cupcake toppers for my Etsy Shop and for custom orders for some fun clients...these are so much fun to work on...

These are some of my latest cupcake toppers that are all available in my shop....I have also had some really fun custom requests with photos of people....I love the custom requests....I wish I could show you all of the designs.....

You can find a bunch of these in my Etsy shop...and if you need something special designed for your event...you can send me a note and we can come up with something amazing!!!

Tweet

Eiffel Tower Treasury....my new purse just got featured!!!

oh la la ....what a fun collection....what is it about Paris that just makes us smile....

I was so thrilled to get a note from StarryDeborah about getting my new purse featured in this curated Treasury on Etsy....what fun!!!

Pop in and show us some love...

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Illustration Friday - Ahead

I can come up with some really silly ideas...but from now on....only bright ideas ahead for me....

Happy Friday!!!

Tweet

My Paris Art Purse is finished!....I love this cute piece....

This is a special purse that is created with Paris Art and Pyrography. The custom artwork is created by me and placed on each side of the wooden purse....I then do some detailed work that is burnt into the wood. This purse will make you smile and remind you of Paris...

It will be a wonderful keepsake, an art piece and a conversational piece if you do take it out on the town....

The size of this box purse is .....

6.25 inches x 6.25 inches and has a bamboo handle....

Thanks for popping by and checking out my artwork.

Note: Each art purse is handmade and created with a nod to all things Paris...I hope you enjoy this piece....

This one is for sale now in my Etsy Shop....

Tweet

Happy Earth Day 2010...what are you doing today?

Wondering how you can make a difference? Here are 10 things you can do to help the planet, whether it's Earth Day or not.

1. Leave your car at home for a day (or a week or a month) and try walking or biking. If work is too far away to walk, take public transit or carpool. One city bus eliminates the emissions of 40 cars.

2. Turn off the lights, the computer and the television when they are not in use. Using only highly efficient and money-saving appliances can reduce the electricity consumption of an average household to one-10th of the national average.

3. Try eating meat-free at least one day a week. A meat-based diet requires seven times more land than a plant-based diet. Livestock production is responsible for more climate change gasses than all the motor vehicles in the world.

4. Choose foods produced organically, locally and in season. Support your regional farmers and farming industry: buying locally and in season is better for the environment than buying foods that have been shipped hundreds of kilometres to your local market.

5. Put a composter in your backyard or use your green bin to reduce household waste. Composting organics has two key benefits: it reduces the amount of waste going to landfills and when added to your garden, helps nourish soil and plants.

6. Turn off your car's engine if stopped for more than 10 seconds. If every driver of a light-duty vehicle avoided idling by five minutes a day, collectively, we would save 1.8 million litres of fuel per day, almost 4500 tonnes of GHG emissions.

7. Set your thermostat above room temperature in the summer and below room temperature in the winter. For each degree you adjust, you can save 5% on your utility bill and 1% on your energy use.

8. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). A CFL uses only 25% as much energy as an incandescent bulb and lasts 10 times longer.

9. The simple act of recycling has more impact on the environment than the average Canadian thinks. The amount of wood and paper North Americans throw away each year is enough to heat five million homes for 200 years.

10. This is a great opportunity to brag. Tell someone what you're doing to make the world a better place. Support the cause. Encourage them to get involved too.

Source: Earth Day Canada

Tweet

Theme Thursday - Black and Red....

to the city of love....my submission to Theme Thursday this week...theme ..."black and red"

Happy Thursday!!!

Tweet

We always know Spring is here when this lady comes to visit.....

Every year we get some visits from our special Robin and this year she decided to use our umbrella tree in the front garden outside our formal dining room window...I was so excited to see her setting up her nest and notice that she is there every morning...watching us and I love seeing her too....I took the photo of her through our window and then went outside when she left the nest to take a shot of her three eggs...the colour is amazing!!!

Cole is so thrilled to be expecting her little babies....so so cute!!! we are doing some art now and painting some nests with eggs....

Have a wonderful day!!!

Tweet

Three Muses....wings and things.....

I am working on a new line of purses that are art purses...and this is an image I created for the front of one of these wooden purses...I was hoping to have the whole project ready to show...but I am still working on some finishing touches and will post the purse at a later date....

This week over at Three Muses...the theme is HATS AND CROWNS AND WINGS AND THINGS....I went with the wings and things...since I love angels with wings and I love things like the Eiffel Tower.....

Happy Wednesday!!!!

Tweet

look what I made.....

look what I made for my costume jewelry....what a fun project and this frame cost me 8.00 dollars....it was 40.00 and on sale!!! hip hip hurray.... I am making two for my closet....and it makes everything look like art...and easy access too!!! I got the idea from Martha's website....

this was so much fun...and really easy...I am making two for my closet!!!

Tweet

CAC Theme "Flowers" my watercolour paper cutouts

I make these fun cutouts using watercolor paper and then paint them and people use them for all kinds of projects and even as artwork in frames...I thought these would be perfect for CAC this week with flowers as the theme....I also sell these in my shop....

Happy Tuesday!!!

Tweet

Mixed Media Monday..."look what I found" or shall I say "look who I found!!!

I was working on some rough sketches for a Coastal and nautical line of holiday cards and this is one of the pieces I did...

I always wondered whether or not Santa got a nice vacation...but the truth is....he has been spotted on many wonderful beaches all around the world...

He even loves to surf of all things....my kind of guy!!! So this Christmas you may want to leave him some sunscreen with those yummy cookies and milk...he will be so happy and safe from any harmful UVA UVB rays.....!!!

I just love Santa!!!!

Happy Monday!!!

Tweet

Sunday Postcard Art - Theme - "Springtime" - mixing a Spring photo with my illustrations....

Many of you know this from the past...but I love flowers and I love honey bees...Ever since I was a wee little girl I remember my Dad and his bees...he was a bee keeper in our forest and he loved taking care of these wonderful little creatures that create gold....

He taught me a lot about them and how important they are...so as soon as I saw this week's theme over at Sunday Postcard Art...I immediately thought of flowers and I also thought about the wonderful bees that would love my tulips...so here is a piece mixing my photography with my illustrations....

now "Bee" good everyone.....

Tweet

Share Saturday...some fun photos....

I am often drawn to the water...and all the wonder it brings...the sound of the waves , the seagulls, and the peacefulness of walking and enjoying some inspirational scenery....We always walk at the beach and when I forget my sketch pad I use rocks as my paper...and even do some fun pieces...Cole has been into his abstract watercolours lately and this is his latest piece...he usually sticks with only a few colours...but this time he went all out!!!

Happy Saturday!!!

Tweet

Illustration Friday - "Detective"

Hank was going to do whatever he had to to figure out the mystery of the honey bee and this delectable super food...His detective skills were very proficient and he was on the verge of figuring out why the bees visited flowers....The pollen!!!

His next task as Honey Bee Detective would be to figure out what the bees did with the pollen...off to follow the honey bees......

Wish him luck!!!

Tweet

The coolest ring bearer pillow ever....what great memories...now available on-line! and my submission to Theme Thursday - hats or crowns..

Hi Everyone...I am always adding new things to my Custom Stuff Shop...and this time I looked back at the past and thought I would offer up something super special and one of a kind to the new Brides out there. I handcraft custom one of a kind pieces for Weddings and am now offering this service on-line to anyone....not just locally....this piece above is my pillow...hard to imagine we were married almost 11 years ago...so I did a little photo shoot with my rings tied to it for my shop...( I also love my rings...Brad had them designed especially for me...isn't he the sweetest)

I love this piece and know that many new Brides would love one too....

Why do things like everyone else...when you can have a special memento from your Special Wedding Day. This is a ring pillow that is a wooden canvas that is customized by me...with your Names and Date....it is something special that will be a conversational piece for years to come...This piece is created with Pyrography and burnt into the wood as a symbol of love and permanence.

You can use this for the ring bearer and then add it as a decoration at the Reception site...and ultimately in your home to remember the day that started it all....

I am also submitting this piece to Theme Thursday...theme "Hats or Crowns" since I wore the coolest crown of jewels at our Wedding.....

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

What a sweet day....

What a sweet start to the day....I just got a note from Artiseveryday about my cake stamp being included in an oh so sweet Treasury....how cute are all these finds...and zero calories to boot...

Pop by and show up some love....


I also am a member of the Crafting in Color Etsy Team and was featured in another cool colorful treasury today by Evihan....thank you!!! Please click on the photo to head over and show us some love!!!

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Three Muses Challenge - Map - Paris Day & Night

A map challenge can only lead me to create more Paris inspired art....here is a vintage map of France that I used as a fun foreground in this piece...I added the hearts instead of stars as Paris is the city of love.....

Happy Wednesday Everyone....

Tweet