Through My Eyes

photography,crafts,lifestyle

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about

I love art, especially photography and painting. My next addition is crafts or primarily needlecrafts. And as if that was not enough, I am a genealogist.

  • Through My Eyes

    This is my first post.  A little about me.  I am a senior citizen and at 68 while my body may be aging, I still love to try new things and experience all that life has to offer.  My loves in life are my family, photography, art, crafts, camping, music and any other mischief I can get into at my age and get away with it.

    I am a nut for cloud formations.  As an artist I try to make anything look good.  Being artistic brings out something in me that nothing else does.  This is just the beginning so I hope you will keep coming back to see what I am into.

  • Art – Painting- Adding Dimension

    If you reviewed my previous painting, the Colonial Madonna, you probably would have seen what I did. This was a painting that needed dimension, something that would make it seem real. Here’s what I added.

    Added lace.

    While the lace was not easy to apply because it kept coming off, it achieved the look I was going for. Now, it has both texture and dimension. I did not have a strong glue , which I highly recommend, so I used double-sided tape and painted.

    Since my lace was not the same color as the dress, I needed to paint it anyway, so this was not an extra step. The final step was to paint out any of the red that was overflowing onto the floor.

    Adding lace, fabric, twigs, or any other lightweight objects to your painting can take your good painting to the next level.

    Don’t be afraid to venture into the unknown or add the odd or not so normal touch to achieve your desired effect.

    Happy painting, and have a great weekend!

  • I John 4:4

    Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! This is one of the most profound statements that is in the Bible.

    Think about what that means! We are in a time of spiritual awareness. While some days it may seem like evil is all around us, those are the days when thousands of angels surround us.

    The faith of one person can save an entire family. If you have faith in your relationship with Jesus, there is no fear. During those times when you question how you will get through the day, just whisper His name.

    That’s right, just a whisper can send demons running. I kind of gauge faith like a thermometer. You are either on fire for Jesus or you are lukewarm and are waiting for a nudge. Then there are those that are downright cold!

    I can hear one of my sister’s right now, “Yep, you sound just like one of those Baptists”.  Well, I am not offended by that. I no longer serve any particular denomination but just the holy trinity.  Jesus doesn’t care which church you attend as long as it honors him!

    I don’t know about you, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord Jesus.

    Have a great weekend. Keep a pew open. You never know when I might slide in!

  • Day Trip – Carolina Beach/Wilmington

    Today, we got up early and set out for Carolina Beach. It was a pleasant one and a half our trip. Our first destination was Carolina Beach State Park. Here are a few pics.

    After dipping my toes in the Cape Fear River, we decided to ride up to the ocean front. Unfortunately, like our previous experience in Beaufort, we could not find a single parking spot on the beach without a sign the read “Pay to Park.””  The irony is I did not see but one car that was parked in any of the spaces. At $6/hr that you could only pay by phone, the empty spaces spoke volumes! There was no way I was going to pay $6 for a ten minute walk on the beach. The idiots that impose these regulations not only deny visitors the right to visit the beach, but they are cutting their own throats when potential beach goers stop coming because of the restricted parking.

    Frustrated that we did not get to walk on the beach, we proceeded on to Wilmington. The atmosphere in Wilmington is much more embracing. Being an artist myself, I always seek out galleries. Pulling into the mall parking lot, we found Art In Bloom Gallery. It was a nice but small gallery. The focus of this gallery was pottery and collage. It was different but inspiring.

    It’s time to head back home to check on the dog. Our trip may have been short but a nice break.

    Have a great week!

  • Dabbling Into Digital Art

    While I much prefer a paintbrush, today I am playing around with drawing on my desktop computer.

    Ever artist has their own choice of software. Mine is Autodesk Sketchbook. Why, you ask, because it is simple to use but still has enough tools for just the right touch. Here’s a piece I just created.

    Maybe it’s not as good as a painting, but since I have a touch screen, I could still draw by hand. That’s right, no AI. If you can draw a line, even a beginner can use this software.

    The key to great art is to not rush through it. Take the time to really know your software before beginning a project you may want to sell.

    If you want to take it a step further, you can print on Canvas paper and add to it with water color or acrylic paint. You are limited only by your imagination.

    You can download a free version of Sketchbook and make a few digital strokes.

    Have a great day, and don’t forget to pray.

  • New Start – Creating Vintage

    Starting a new painting today from a photo. A little background on the photo. The original photo was a tin type owned by my paternal grandmother. Some years ago I photographed all of her tin types while she was still living. I scanned the images into my photo enhancing software and converted to black and white. A lot of times you can find vintage photos at flea markets and antique shops.

    Today I sketched this image from one of those photographs. This is just the image and background. Normally I use water when I paint but to do the background today I used white vinegar. If you have never heard of this I guess you are shaking your head right now. If you spray it before you paint it just gives the paint a slight sheen. I’ll show you a second painting and what happens when you spray the vinegar on the paint!

    Vinegar before painting.
    Vinegar after painting.

    You will notice the paint separates and drips, creating a different effect. Don’t be afraid to try new things like sponges and other household products to create something different.

    Have a great day.

  • Faith, Vision And Art

    There are a lot of components to creating art. Lately, I have struggled to even be motivated to create art, but then I realize that is just the devil trying to derail me.

    So, back in the saddle again, I make a few strokes to finish this piece that has been sitting on my easel for a few weeks.

    Visionary

    It’s not my best work, but there is a story behind it. I am not a person who dreams, so when I am awakened at night with a vision of an angel stabbing the earth, I took that as a sign I was supposed to do something with that. This is what developed from that vision.

    I still may paint over it, but I feel like there is a real message in the image. As strong as my faith is, I am not an authority on visions or interpretation of dreams. I can only tell you what I feel it means. I don’t know his name, but his purpose is to warn us to turn our focus to Jesus or prepare for the final battle.

    The book of Revelations is pretty clear. Those who turn from God will suffer his wrath. The painting reminds us we are in that last window of opportunity. This Angel may pull out his sword if the world unites.

    Art is a great way to express faith and emotions. We all have a choice. Make sure you make the right one.

  • Making Progress

    Well, this has been an eventful week, to say the least. The first half of the week, we were steaming in heat because our HVAC system died, but we were very humbled on Thursday when our vendor came and installed a new unit.

    We don’t realize until until we have to do without how much we value such conveniences like air conditioning. I came along before there was air conditioning, but we also didn’t have 90-100 degree days either! It’s funny how spoiled we have become. I was raised in a middle-class family that valued the things God gave us, even if that meant a little hot weather. My father worked hard but didn’t believe in throwing money away on the next fashionable gadget.

    We lead a pretty simple life, and my mom taught me things like crocheting, sewing, and embroidery. I have never thrown away the values and skills my parents taught me. I built on them the foundation of who I am!

    The cross-stich embroidery my mother taught me as a child I have continued.  You may have seen this pattern in an earlier post but it is of a girl knitting. I sketched out my designs by hand (no AI) and scanned them into my computer. From there, I import into a cross-stitch software program. After the design appears, I edit for any color changes. I am actually working on this pattern myself. Here is my progress so far.

    Any variations you see are because I altered the colors in mine based on what thread I had available. You can easily make substitutions for any floss you don’t have by going to a site called “thread bare” where you can enter the dmc color your charts requires and it will bring up a list of the threads available that are closest to that.

    If you are interested at all in my pattern, Girl Knitting, you will find it in my Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/listing/4443762402/knitting-girl-cross-stitch-pattern?ref=shop_home_active_11&dd=1&logging_key=ab5f7643adf1680adb349bcf7e0a7f03c03e2d4a%3A4443762402

    Study an old craft and bring it back to life in yours. Have a great day. Jesus loves you.

  • Lap Quilting

    Another of my crafting loves is lap quilting. I actually took a class at my local community college in the early 70’s. I didn’t learn paper piecing and such unnecessary techniques. There were no sewing machines even in the classroom. Our tools were just fabric, batting, scissors, a needle and thread.

    We did everything by hand including sewing the blocks together. It may have been a slow process but a great learning experience. Here is one I am working on now, a bandana quilt.

    While I do piece the blocks together on my sewing machine, the back is hand stitched. If you are concerned it won’t hold you can go b blind stitch over your stitching on your sewing machine.

    The hand quilting is random with no pattern but you can use a template and fabric marker if you want something fancier.

    I like lap quilting because it is easy and portable. For long waits at the airport or doctor’s office, it’s a great tool to fight boredom.

    Don’t have any scraps to get started, just visit your local thrift stores. What to look for? You want predominantly cotton material. Sheets can be used for the bottom while you select random colorful pieces like pillow cases, men’s shirts, cotton dresses, etc. Part of the we fun is selecting fabric. If you are doing your first quilt I recommend the traditional nine patch and if you are purchasing new material you can purchase by the yard or fat quarters (quarter yard strips).

    If you want to try the bandana quilt, you can purchase bandanas in bulk from Amazon. I purchased the white for the borders from Michael’s, but you can purchase white cotton from sources online.

    Trade in your phone time for some constructive quilting time.

    Have a great day.

  • Walking The Walk Of Research

    The first tool of writing is research. As a geneologist, I am an expert at research. The truth is if you look hard enough and in the right places, you can find just about anything.

    I am taking this whole novel thing slowly and in steps so my readers will be able to see and feel what I am talking about.

    I have decided on a general location but with a fictitious town. The story surrounds a pre-civil war home so I have already spent a lot of time looking at and photographing old homes before selecting a style of home I think fits the story line and collecting data right down to the blueprint.

    My style of art is realism, and my style of writing mirrors that. The irony is I don’t like to read, and the two largest books I have read were the Bible and The Hidding Place, both of which have a high concentration on detail.

    I am no strange to research, and in some ways, I find the research to be the most interesting part of the process. While I admire those authors who can just sit down and spit out a novel, I’ll just take my time and cruise! I have lots of ideas for more projects down the road.

    Follow me through this process and more.

    Have a great day.

  • Day TrippingOn A Rainy Day

    Normally I would be hugging my sofa on a day like this but after spending numerous days inside from the extreme heat hubby and I were ready to escape.

    Today we were going to the Hope Plantation in Winsor. NC to photograph the old mansion. So here she is. Nothing fancy but still grand in her own right.

    We didn’t go in the house as they wanted to charge us to do that. For more information on Hope Plantation see https://historichope.org/

    We left Hope Plantation and traveled down hwy 13 and crossed Cashie River Bridge, turned on River Road, and stopped at the Wildlife access and boardwalk.

    This is a very nice area to walk and goes quite a ways. Where you see the ramp goes to the left, it takes you to an enclosed camping platform. It was beginning to drizzle again, so we cut our walk short and ventured back home.

    Never miss a chance to explore the world around you, even if only for a few hours.

    Have a great week, guys.