She's Gone Abroad

Howdy!  My eldest daughter is a student of architecture at Texas A&M, and is currently on a 6-week study abroad in Spain.  Although my family and I miss her, we are very excited about it and proud of her as well - she earned a $5,000 scholarship to help with the course expenses!  I am dedicating the following post to her.  (Since she usually only reads my blog when I point something out to her, I'm not concerned about her seeing the last photograph - LOL!)  I hope you enjoy my creative spurts.

Sacred Heart
5"x7" Canvas - Acrylic Painting
The Three Muses - Some Like It Hot
Lorik's Mandarin Orange Monday #95
Karen's Word Art Wednesday #134
Eva & Kristin's Paint Party Friday - Week 12 Year 4
Maria's Orange You Glad It's Friday #92
Jenn's Artist's Playroom #108
Alexandra's Sunday Sketches

The painting above is part of a Sacred Heart series I worked on a couple of years ago, but hadn't posted in my blog.  I used different medias and techniques in each of the pieces in the series, so it was a lot of fun.  You may recall the one I posted about a month ago, which I donated to my wife's civic organization.  During my daughter's stay in Spain, she will be visiting a distant cousin of ours who lives in Barcelona.  My daughter chose it and will present it to her as a hostess gift.  I hope she likes it!

Love
iPhone Photograph
Ramona's Inspire Me Monday #125
Denise, Rodger & Leslie's ABC Wednesday - T is for Typing Touching Thoughts
Bella's 52 Photos Project Gallery 4 - {Talisman}
Julia's What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday #260
Jen's In the Studio

Congratulations and Thank You, Julia,
for 5 years of allowing Bloggers to share their creative spaces.
Blessings!

Bella, the host of 52 Photos Project, asked us to reflect on something that we kept with us that brought us comfort and good things.  Other than my grandfather's gold cross, which I wear close to my heart as a reminder of Christ's sacrifice, I always wear my wedding band.  Not only does it remind me of the comfort I've had in my lovely wife for over 20 years, but how this commitment blessed us with 2 sweet, smart, and beautiful daughters.

She's Gone Abroad
Greeting Card
Freshly Made Sketches #137
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Vacation/Travel
Craftitude Challenge #65 - That's Die-licious

I made the card above for my daughter's 21st birthday celebration, which will take place during her stay in Spain.  I used a miniature tag that I designed last year as my focal point, which was cut using a Tim Hotz Tiny Tabs & Tags die.  I also used Kraft papers, Tulip fashion bead paint, and a strip of jute cord, as well as various prints and dies from the K&Company Par Avion series to complete my card design.  The tag has miniature pages where my wife, youngest daughter, and I wrote special sentiments for her.

I hope you enjoyed my humble spurts of creativity.  I also want to thank everyone who is following my blog, as well as everyone who took the time to leave a comment during my last post.  In closing, I'd like  to leave you with a Memorial Day prayer found in the 1928 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer:

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.