WOYWW: Singapore

I just got back from a short trip to Singapore.  And although I collect a lot less brochures when I travel now, I still came home with a few.  Even the paper bag from TWG didn't escape me.

Staying in a spic and span hotel room made us want to clean up our bedside windows which used to be piled high with books.

So I had to make room for the books...

While in Singapore, we visited the Singapore Art Museum (free on Friday nights).  Here is a piece painted right on the walls...

and some paintings by children...

Pretty good, huh?

And for Word Art Wednesday,

...some words from Pope Francis' "Evangelii Gaudium" The Joy of the Gospel:

"The primary reason for evangelizing is the love of Jesus which we have received, the experience of salvation which urges us to ever greater love of him. What kind of love would not feel the need to speak of the beloved, to point him out, to make him known? If we do not feel an intense desire to share this love, we need to pray insistently that he will once more touch our hearts...The best incentive for sharing the Gospel comes from contemplating it with love, lingering over its pages and reading it with the heart. If we approach it in this way, its beauty will amaze and constantly excite us.

For more desks to visit, my dear blog friends, drop by Julia's and be amazed about what's on desks from around the world.  Thank you for dropping by!

WOYWW: Easter Gifts

I've been busy!  My brother-in-law and his wife celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary last Sunday and my gift was their wedding giveaways.  This was my desk last Saturday, filled with finished bookmarks...

each with a little Holy Family charm (they have one son, just like in the charm).

And today for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, I am making a similar giveaway for a 75th birthday...

another gift to a precious friend.  I have only finished a few...

with lots more to go!

And in this Easter season, I thank God for His greatest gift to me, Jesus Christ, and what He has prepared for me through His death and resurrection...

Also sharing this with Word Art Wednesday and wishing all of you abundant Easter blessings!  You, too, my dear blog friends, are gifts to me!

WOYWW: The Paint Party Friday Auction

What's on my Workdesk this Wednesday?  This Friday, to celebrate Paint Party Friday's 2nd Anniversary, there's going to be an Auction Blog Hop to benefit the Sandy Hook Elementary School.  I am thinking of joining and looking for something to auction off.  Which one of the paintings do you think I should choose?  Perhaps you would like to join in auctioning something off or buying one of the pieces?

I also want to have an Easter giveaway but maybe I should paint something new.  What do you think?

If you were following my posts about my trip to the Holy Land, you might enjoy my latest post about Israel.

For more desks to take a peek at, drop by the Stamping Ground's WOYWW list!

Paint Party Friday: Madonna

Happy Paint Party Friday, my dear blog friends! Here's a Studio Sneak Peek at my latest Madonna painting.   She is one of my favorite subjects in my art because she is an example to me in the way she said "Yes" to God.  Have a Faith Filled Friday!

I'm giving away one of my artist trading cards.  Please let me know in a comment  in my previous post if you would like a chance to join my giveaway! I will pick a winner by November 20.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Signs of Christmas

It's that time of the week again and here is my desk showing my attempt at getting some Christmas gifts wrapped.  All throughout the year, I buy presents and put them away somewhere and sometimes I can't find them so I have decided to start wrapping early (or at least to try).

I'm using kraft paper, recycled bond paper and ribbon I bought on sale last week, together with all sorts of other craft materials.  These are some I haven't found a place for yet...

My latest Madonna is done and although the picture doesn't show it, her halo, veil and dress and the flowers have bits of gold that my daughter says makes a big difference in how it looks...

And here are some flowers made by an inmate in the jail we visit every Friday.  They are woven out of paper covered in cellophane.  Aren't they amazing?

Julia, who hosts the WOYWW link party says "Reciprocal visits are polite" and I am so sorry to say, I haven't been polite.  The internet connection inside my room is (again) not working so it's been challenging to go visiting.  The week just seems to go by so quickly.  My sister Patsy gives out an ATC to make up for not visiting and I've decided to give one out this week as well.  Let me know if you want an ATC from me and I'll pick a name from my visitors this week.  And as always, I will also try to visit back.  Hope springs eternal!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Madonnas

Happy WOYWW, my dear blog friends!  This is the tidiest part of my desk and I haven't even shown you the floor (Robin once commented that we should have "Floor Time Fridays"!)

Here is another Madonna and Child that I worked on while we were at the beach this weekend...

and last month's issue of The Word Among Us, a devotional I use.  This issue features "The Year of Faith" which is on October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013.

"Pope Benedict XVI opened his announcement of The Year of Faith by telling us that the "door of faith is always open for us' (Porta Fidei, 1).  It is a door that we can pass through every day, deepening our relationship with the Lord and with all our brothers and sisters in the Lord."- The Word Among Us.  May we pass through this open door!

And lastly, a page from my prayer journal...

Take a peek at more desks joining What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Women Works in Progress

Happy WOYWW, my dear blog friends!  Here is my desk today.  As you can see, I decided to put my Paint Pods in a cardboard tray.  I can take them out when I am painting and slide them under the desk to keep them.

While tidying up, I found some half finished ATCs.  I am getting ready for a trip to the beach for the long weekend and deciding what to bring along.  Perhaps I will finish these ATCs.  I know, I know, what a thing to bring to the beach, huh?

My Madonna WIP is sporting a new halo...

And what about you?  What have you been up to?  Join in the fun of showing off your mess, I mean, desk!  Here's the WOYWW list!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Back to Normal

For WOYWW this week, gone is the spotless desk and it's back to normal after my trip to Korea last week (and this is after I already tried to tidy it up).  Today's prayer journal page in progress is about the Fruit of the Spirit.  As I drew and colored, I reflected in the ways I have grown in these areas and in the many other ways I still need to grow...

Here are some cheap paint brushes from Korea...

and as promised, I had Mr. Random pick a winner for my giveaway and he picked...

Gill , who said... "I love the first one - 'seek and ye shall find'" and so I will be sending her this painting as soon as I get her address...

In case you are interested, here are some photos from Korea (with apologies to Julia for my long post)...

It happened to be the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Festival and there were a lot of performances and exhibits.  Here is a booth where you could paint some masks...

and here is a Korean felting artist in her studio in Bukchon...

I went to the artsy "Free Market"near the Hongik University where artists and crafters display and sell their original works on Saturday afternoons from March to November.

From October 1 to 7, it was also the Hi Seoul Festival 2012, "a spectacular assortment of outdoor performances by Korean and overseas street art groups."

Happy WOYWW, dear blog friends!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Space!

I finally tidied up and here is my desk today, with lots of space!  Last Saturday, we had a painting session and here is a picture of the painting I made...

Julia, who hosts What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, reminds us to keep our posts short.  I usually have a hard time doing that.  But this time, I am posting from an iPad and I can't seem to get blogger to do what I want.  So I will just have to end now.  Happy WOYWW, everyone!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Paints

Dear blog friends, thank you so much for dropping by!  I have been quite busy and haven't been able to go visiting so please forgive me if I haven't been able to return your visits.  I will try to do better this week.  I still haven't had the time to tidy up and the pile on my desk is even higher, this time with my paint tray on top.

Here is the Mother and Child I was working on.  I haven't decided if it is finished or if I will go back to it later.  Meanwhile, I started on another painting, just so that I would have something new on my desk to show you...

There's still time for you to join my giveaway.  If you want a chance to win one of my original paintings, please leave a comment in my giveaway post.  

Drop by Julia's Stamping Ground and get a peek at more desks!

Edit:  And because it is now Friday and I didn't have time to make a new post, I thought I'd share my paintings here with blog friends from Paint Party Friday and Studio Sneak Peek as well!

WIP for PPF

Just a quick post to share with you my WIP.  I started out with a piece of Illustration board, glued on some scraps of music sheet images and scrap papers, did some stamping and covered it with a light layer of gesso. And if you have been visiting me for some time, you'll know that the mother and child theme is one of my favorites.

Sharing this with blog friends in Paint Party Friday and Studio Sneak Peek!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: WIP and a Giveaway

On my desk today is a Low-Carb cookbook I bought for the equivalent of £ 0.30 or $ 0.48 (has anyone tried this and does it work?), a WIP and a clearbook binder filled with letters I've collected honoring a friend who is celebrating his birthday soon.  Here's a closer look at the mother and child I started.

I finally got to make my giveaway post and if you would like a chance to win one of these paintings, leave me a comment on my giveaway post (not on this WOYWW post).

For a peek at more desks or to show off your own, Julia has the WOYWW list!