I recently went thrifting with my friend, Ramah who’s become a real pro at scouting out all the best buys.  It’s really amazing what her eagle eyes can manage to find in an hour.  We usually try to hit 2 or 3 places within our one hour time limit.  This is all the time we get since Ramah’s son attends half-day kindergarten and she needs to be back  to meet him off the bus.   Although our jaunts are quick, it’s still enough time for us to chat and catch up while we hunt around for bargains.   I always look so forward to my outings with Ramah and it’s literally like taking in a breath of fresh air.  And with all the time that I spend in my studio, these regular outings keep me sane, human…connected.

On a recent trip I picked up all of these goodies for about eight bucks.  I think that the necklace is kind of okay as is, but since it’s just okay and not great, I’m planning to take it apart and re-use the sparkly elements some other way.

These paints were included in my eight bucks spree.  They’ll come in handy this Spring (I can paint the day away indoors while the rain pours outdoors.) And when the paints are all used up, I plan to alter the tins into something else entirely.  But I might not make it to the Spring to get moving on these projects since I’ve been itching to swish some color around.  With the weather getting warmer I feel my energy revving up again, and just in time to start toying with new creative outlets.

As it turns out I was able to sneak in a mini painting session – guess I couldn’t wait for Spring to begin.   Using the watercolors that I found, I painted vibrant colors quickly and randomly onto canvas paper.  After this dried I experimented with selecting and arranging several door and window image options which I pre-copied (reverse option) at Staples.  I’m planning to use gel medium to transfer these images onto canvas or muslin.  Btw, I took these photos during our trip to Europe last November.  The colors from that region are so spectacular that this has inspired me to play with a palette that is outside of my normal range.  Here’s a look at where I’m at so far with this project.

Gathering bits and pieces for making art feeds my adventurous side.  Traveling overseas in search of interesting images and unusual souvenirs is on the top of my list, but doing this requires a lot of time and money so this opportunity doesn’t come around very often.  However, I love the fact that I can still gather unique materials closer to home.  And what a big bonus to be able to do this with a good friend.  Sometimes having just an hour or so is enough – enough time to find inspiration but more importantly, enough time to bond and connect.  I’m very thankful for my relationships…the people who bring color into my life.

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