PICTURED ARE SOME OF THE MOST RECENT 3D KALEIDOSCOPE PHOTOS I HAVE COMPLETED AND LISTED IN MY SHOP ON ETSY. THE BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO IS OF A KALEIDO THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS AND SHOULD BE POSTED TO MY SHOP SOON. 
     TO VIEW EACH KALEIDO FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES, VIEW THEM IN MY SHOP. THE ORIGINAL IMAGE THAT THE KALEIDO DERIVED FROM IS ALSO VIEWABLE THERE.

Troop 3028's Bridging Ceremony

     On June 11th 2016, my Mom and I bridged our Girl Scouts from Ambassadors/Seniors to Adult Girl Scouts. These are some of the most amazing young ladies I have ever met! I honestly can't express how proud I am of them.
     This day has been 13 years in the making. It had always seemed so far away but it slowly crept up to the forefront. My how time flys! 
     I have always tried my hardest to give my girls something that no one else has ever gotten. It didn't matter if it took me days, weeks, or even months of sleepless nights, they deserve nothing but the best. 
     So when I started planning their very last bridging ceremony I knew that it had to be spectacular...and in March of this year I started constructing the bridge they would cross signifying moving from one level to the next in Girl Scouting.  

     My goal was not to just bridge them from Ambassadors/Seniors, but to bridge them through ALL their years of Girl 
Scouting  as a GIRL to their start of Adult Girl Scouts. The bridge was built out of about 95% recycled material and materials found around the house. Mostly cardboard. From left to right it started with cut-outs, photos, and patches from the very beginning of our Troop in 2003 as Daisies, then Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and ending with Ambassadors. Each section was assembled with some (not all) of our most memorable trips and activities as a troop over the course of our years together. 
     When it came time for the big reveal, the girls were practically speechless. Mouths were wide open, some had tears while others sat almost motionless. It felt like time just froze for a few seconds. In that short moment, I knew I did what I had set out to do...Surprise, Spoil, and absolutely blow their minds. It was so fun to just watch them take it all in as the rush of all the memories  came flooding back. 

Top Photo: Finished Bridge
Middle Photo: Bridge with the railing removed and all 6 of my amazing Girl Scouts
Bottom Photo: 2 Cakes; Left: A special cake I made just for my girls made out of the Lofthouse frosted sugar cookies (part of an inside joke with my girls); Right: Store bought sheet cake that I decorated with the exact photo replica bridge used in the ceremony.

Coming Soon!

     Coming soon to my Etsy Shop... Kaleidoscope of stained glass window in the Natural History Museum, London. Both photos were taken while on a trip to Europe with my Girl Scout Troop.
     The stained glass windows are just so colorful in a kaleidoscope. I can't wait to get started on this new one.
     I am in the middle of a large project (which I will post after June 11th) which is taking up a bunch of my time right now. Maybe during a break from that I can do a few cuts and glues here and there and get this  one going.

The Opening Of My Etsy Shop

Stained Glass Windows; Notre Dame

Central Criminal Court; London

     I have just recently embarked on a new adventure and decided to open up a shop on Esty. I am not a huge fan of selling my art, but I have been encouraged to push myself out of my comfort zone and try something new. It is something I have had to think about for quite some time, and on May 16th 2016 I opened up my shop. I am pretty excited about it and can't wait for some time to free up so I can really dive in and add some new pieces for sale.

     I have started a new art form in the last year or so after seeing a piece of work that is similar to what is pictured above. I was really inspired by the creativity and the colors so I decided to give it try and have fallen in love with 3D Kaleidoscope Photos. My original intention was to create the kaleidoscope photos for my own personal enjoyment of different places I have visited...sort of as an abstract scrapbook displayed on the wall. Interestingly enough, none of them have made it on this so called wall, but 2 of them have made it to Etsy. Funny how plans change. But I do see the development of this wall in the future.

     So please take a look at my shop...there are only 2 listings at this point, but some time will be freeing up soon and I will be adding to it every chance I get. Soon to come are Disney Kaleidoscopes for all you Disney Fans out there. If anyone has any ideas or anything they would like to see please leave me a comment.

Christmas Ornaments For My Girl Scouts

 Well, I haven't posted anything in a really long time and decided that maybe I should give it a go again. This is my most recent work... I wanted to give my Girl Scouts something kinda special for the last Christmas that we will be spending together (they are Seniors in high school and will be bridging to Adult Girl Scouts at the end of the school year). It was inspired by the previous image.  I thought it would be so fun to draw it on a christmas bulb and give it to them. They were so excited. This is not actually what the final product looks like though. I added snow and lights and a few other things but I was finishing them at the last moment and forgot to take a picture. I still have to make two more (for myself and my mom) so when I finish those I will post a picture of the final result.

Size: Large Christmas bulb
Materials: Christmas bulb and sharpie
Date: January 11, 2016

Europe Shirts Graphic

 My Girl Scouts and I took a trip to Europe over the summer... June 24th-July 2nd 2015 and this was the graphic that we designed and put on the back of our shirts. One of the girls (my niece actually) came up with a rough sketch for the shirts and it was voted as the one that would be used. I took it and turned it into a design that would be simple enough for us to put on shirts.

Size: 16w x 13h
Materials: bristol board and sharpie
Date: May 2015

Paper Mache Snowmen

I was shopping with my mom at Target during the holidays and we saw a little paper mache snowman and she thought it was really cute. I told her that I could make one that was cuter that the one she saw. I got home and immediately started looking for materials I could use to make this festive stack of snow balls. I have been taught to use resources wisely and I mustered up materials from around the house. My niece sat watching wondering what I was doing but eager to help. I told her we had to work fast to ensure that it was ready for my mom to unwrap the next day.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house there were plastic bags and tissue paper strung all through the house. Two artists stand working without time on their side, impatiently waiting as each layer dried. Cutting, snipping, and gluing each square in place, creating art out of materials most people would waste. After we stand back and look at our creation with glee, we quickly run out and clip limbs from the tree. We put in his arms which was the finishing touch, knowing my mom would love it so much!

The top picture is the first one that I made (for my mom) and the next picture is one that I made for a friend.

Size: about 10"
Materials: plastic grocery bags, masking tape, thin cardboard, news print, empty tape roll, wrapping paper, decorative tissue paper, a straw, and tree limbs.

Snowman

I love the holiday season. it brings such excitement and creativity if you will. Its like i wait all year to draw my favorite specimen . . . a snowman. I have draw this little dude for a couple of years now. I never get tired of drawing him. I change him around and alter his decorations, but he is always the same little guy. Sometimes when Im in a really creative mood, I add a little family.

Size: 2" x 1"
Date drawn: Dec. 8th, 2009
Materials: Markers


Given to Lola (mother-in-law) as a gift tag.

Hello Kitty Pinata

My preschooler came home with a family assignment to make a pinata. Thats a huge task for such a small child. Bianca just adores Hello Kitty at this time in her life, so a Hello Kitty pinata is what I set out to create. I have never made a pinata before. The closest I have ever come was making a paper mache giraffe for my mom when I was in 2nd grade. Thats been well over 15 years ago. As I researched the plan in my head all I could think was it had to be perfect. My original plan was to create a full body Hello Kitty but as the due date drew nearer and Thanksgiving dinner was being hosted at our home, I realized that time was running out . . . just her head would do.
I started with and enormous balloon and put layers upon layers of newspaper with a mixture of water and flour. It was very time consuming due to the chill of the temperature. It didnt allow for quick drying time. I was thankful for a few days with warmth from the sun. I think I put on about 8 layers to make it nice a sturdy and durable for a travel to school and eventually back home again. Decorating it was even more fun, but also very time consuming. I would have loved to have spent more time with the girls, but their time with us is shared with their father. Though they were able to help with the final touches that made the friendly little cat come to life. I am very pleased to with our pinata, and to see the look on my babies face when she turned it in at school was enough to make my heart melt. She was a proud pinata bearer.
I am not sure of the exact dimensions, but as you can see the pinata is enormous compared to my 5 year old.

Size: about 21" w x 15" h

Date Completed: Dec. 6th, 2009