play day

What does one do when you decide you don't want to paint today? Well.... I play! Yup...... today was deemed a day of messing with collage! First thing was to choose a background and then adhere it to my canvas.



I then photocopied an old journal page and cut out the figure.



My next step was to glue down some magazine pages that had texture and color.



Ok...... I did use gesso and some paint to start blending the background. I then played with some item placement to see what looked good to me.



I added a lot more color and sanded down certain areas. Black charcoal was used in the final stages.
Here's my finished product...... well.... I think! I'll probably end up messing with it a little more!





fill your heart with art

-manon

come as you are

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.
- e.e. cummings

It's time to take off our masks! Be yourself! Let's stop being who someone else wants us to be! This is a lesson learned with age. It is a valuable lesson. A lesson that I wish would of come sooner in my life. It's never too late to show up for this party called life! Come as yourself...... come as you are!



fill your heart with art

-manon

stamps

Here are my baby stamps...lol! It's pretty easy to carve so I'll try something a little more difficult the next time! They're actually kind of fun to make.

 
                                               
 Got to clean up the edges just a little.  

                                                

Just working on this new piece. I think her face looks a little weird right now. I'll keep plugging away.

  

fill your heart with art

-manon                                           

meet domenico

Last year my daughter, Alex , gave me a huge shock. She'd been hounding me for years to get a hamster and I never caved . We had two dogs and a beta fish. The fish lived for six years...... four years longer than expected. Anyway, I'm the one who took care of them all so a hamster was out. So last March I needed something in one of the rooms that is rarely used and when I walked in I saw something move...... I screamed.... of course! When I calmed myself down I noticed it was a cage with a little critter. Apparently, he had been living in the house for over eight months! Ugh! My first thought was to ground my kid for life! After about a week I calmed down and we now have a hamster named Domenico living with us. Alex named him this because she was watching the MTV show Shot at Love at the time! Yup....... she's a nut job like me!!



Domenico lives like a king! This is his cozy pad in the laundry room. I couldn't believe my eyes when I came in one day and Alex had set this thing up!



He's a furry little guy! BTW...... when Alex cleans his cage she puts him in a ball and he rolls around. Guess who tries to swipe at the ball when we're not looking? Yup..... Otis isn't too fond of Domenico!



I bought this Speedball cutter because I'm going to take a page out of Melissa Langer's book and try to make some stamps for my mixed media backgrounds. Yikes! I remember doing this in high school. We'll see how it goes.



fill your heart with art

-manon

the truth is inside

We can know the truth through body, through the heart and feelings as well as the intuitive mind. The discovery of personal truth becomes an exploration of body, mind and soul. When you experience truth of knowingness you will know it, your whole body will know it, for knowingness is recognized by all levels of our being.
-christa faye burka



Today I went to Brian Monroe's office at Blue Laser Design to add a few things to my website. He showed me how to increase the size of my blog pics. I got it accomplished but I couldn't size it down a bit to prevent the roll over that is happening on the right. You can probably see that the frame doesn't go around the pic. Anyway, it worked on his PC but not on my Mac!! Ugh! I'll call him tomorrow to see what I can do.

This is a wonderful song for you to watch. It is called Hallelujah and was performed by Damien Rice at Leonard Cohen's induction into the Rock & Roll of Fame. I have the version by Jeff Buckley on my Ipod and that is excellent! I do, however, love Damien Rice and think this is an awesome performance!



fill your heart with art

-manon

alex

My daughter, Alex, is a senior this year and I thought I'd post two of her senior pictures. She had many more poses but I thought I'd show a couple! I can't believe that she's almost done high school and will be heading off to college next year! I still remember her as a five year old...lol!





This weekend I started two paintings and this is one of them. When I look at her I'm starting to notice that I've been painting women with big lips..... it kind of freaks me out! Maybe I'm seeing to many images of women with botoxed lips...ugh!

fill your heart with art

-manon

Love Your Heart

love your heart, originally uploaded by manondoyle.

When you smiled you had my undivided attention
When you laughed you had my urge to laugh with you
When you cried you had my urge to hold you
When you said you loved me, you had my heart forever
-anonymous






Here's my little valentine! I can't take a proper picture so I got lucky with this one. I think Otis turned out great and I didn't have to do anything to the photo! I love my little guy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

fill your heart with art

-manon

embrace life

The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
charles r. swindoll

As I grow older I realize that time has passed by so fast.... it's crazy. Even though I'd love to stop time, it seems to be speeding up before my very eyes. I have chosen to live everyday with a positive attitude because it's better to be happy than miserable. Embrace life... yup.... that's my motto!!




A glimpse of another new painting! I did her dress with tissue paper. It was messy but I think it's going to look cool!

fill your heart with art

-manon

new work and old work

I'm currently working on a series of paintings. This one is only about halfway done but I decided to show it anyway. I'm using my Caran D'ache Neocolor ll crayons again. They've become my new favorite thing!!


Yesterday I was going through an old portfolio and found this unfinished painting from about 10 years ago. I brought it up and decided that I should do something with it. It was supposed to be lemons and grapes....... what was I thinking? Anyway, I'll probably go at it and try to save it or do something with it! If it doesn't work out.... there's always gesso! LOL!

Have a great Monday!

fill your heart with art

-manon

tagged

I was tagged by my friend, Nancy of Nancy Medina Art. Check out her beautiful art!! Anyway, I was tagged to play The Sixth Something. I'm supposed to find the sixth photo from my sixth folder! Here it is. This table was done for the Columbus Parade of Homes a few years ago. The house designer wanted a contemporary table so this is what I came up with.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

fill your heart with art

-manon

my heart

my heart close up, originally uploaded by manondoyle.

I would rather have eyes that cannot see; ears that cannot hear; lips that cannot speak, than a heart that cannot love.
- robert tizon

Valentine's day is coming! I felt like I should do a journal page in it's honor!! Hearts have become a theme in many of my pages.


The girl on my journal page was done with my Caran D'ache Neocolor ll crayons. I had so much fun using them that I think I'll use them more often. I felt like a little kid again!!

fill your heart with art and oodles of crayons

-manon

for kim

The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.
h. humphrey

for kim, originally uploaded by manondoyle.

My good friend Kim is in the hospital after having had surgery. She's going to be just fine! I thought I'd make her a get well card to bring with me when I go see her tomorrow.

I just started a journal page. Not really sure which direction I'm heading in so I've decided to sleep on it!

fill your heart with art

-manon

here's......chelsie

I just finished Chelsie! I hope her owner, Krista, is pleased with the way she turned out.
Here's her poem!

Chelsie is my girl who sleeps in my bed
She has her own pillow where she can rest her head
She has a zest for life and loves to eat
Chelsie can never pass up on a treat
When she hears a song she has to sing
Walks and rides are her favorite things
Chelsie is my super girl and my best friend
My love for her has no end

I'm not to happy with the photo I took. I'm actually thinking of getting a new camera soon. I currently use a Sony Cybershot but I'm thinking about a Canon EOS Rebel XTI. If anyone has an opinion please let me know. What I need to do when I decide on one is to take a course because I'm so much of a beginner when it comes to photography!

fill your heart with art

-manon