In Remembrance this Memorial Day

For the 30 heroes below who died in May, 2011 in Operation Enduring Freedom.  I pray:

O God, by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, look kindly on your departed veterans who gave their lives in the service of their country. Grant that through the passion, death, and resurrection of your Son they may share in the joy of your heavenly kingdom and rejoice in you with your saints forever.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Please take a moment to read each name and reflect on their sacrifice. Keep their families in your prayers.

5-28-2011 Hamilton, Adam S., Specialist,22,  Ohio. Hostile fire, Helmand Haji Ruf.  U.S. Army, Fort Riley, KS

5-27-2011 Johnson, John C., Private 1st Class, 28, Arizona. Hostile fire,  Kandahar. U.S. Army, Fort Drum, NY 

5-26-2011 Runkle, John M., 1st Lieutenant, 27, Ohio.  Hostile fire,  Kandahar. U.S. Army, Fort Campbell, KY 

5-26-2011 Mills Jr., Edward D.,Staff Sergeant, 29, Pennsylvania. Hostile fire, Kandahar.  U.S. Army, Fort Campbell, KY 

5-26-2011 Osman, Ergin V.Staff,  Sergeant, 35,  North Carolina. Hostile fire,  Kandahar.  U.S. Army, Fort Campbell, KY 

5-26-2011 Bohall, Thomas A.Sergeant, 25,  Kansas. Hostile fire,  Kandahar. U.S. Army, Fort Campbell, KY 

5-26-2011 Velazquez, Louie A. Ramos, Sergeant, 39, Puerto Rico.  Hostile fire,  Kandahar. U.S. Army, Fort Campbell, KY

 5-26-2011 Patton, Adam J.Specialist, 21, Washington. Hostile fire,  Kandahar. U.S. Army, Fort Campbell, KY 

5-26-2011 Solesbee, Kristoffer M., Technical Sergeant, 32, California. Hostile fire,  Kandahar.  U.S. Air Force, Squadron Hill Air Force Base, Utah 

5-26-2011 Hamski, Joseph J., Staff Sergeant, 28, Iowa. Hostile. Kandahar U.S. Air Force, Schofield Barracks, HI

5-26-2011 Thibodeau, Christopher R., Chief Warrant Officer, 28, Ohio.  Hostile - Helicopter crash. Paktika. U.S. Army,  Fort Hood, Texas 

5-23-2011 Lorenzo, Kristofferson B., Staff Sergeant, 33. California. Hostile fire,  Kunar.  U.S. Army Schofield Barracks, HI

 5-23-2011 Blevins, William S., Private 1st Class, 21, Ohio. Hostile  fire, Kunar.  U.S. Army, Schofield Barracks, HI

 5-23-2011 Krippner, Andrew M.,Private, 20, Texas. Hostile fire, Kunar.  U.S. Army, Schofield Barracks, HI 

5-23-2011 Allers, Thomas C., Private, 23, Michigan, Hostile fire, Kunar. U.S. Army ,Schofield Barracks

 5-18-2011 Kirton, Brandon M.Specialist, 25, Colorado. Hostile fire, Kandahar.  U.S. Army , Fort Campbell, KY 

5-16-2011 Self, David D., Staff Sergeant,29, Mississippi. Hostile fire. Zabul. U.S. Army, Vilseck, Germany

5-16-2011 Melton, Bradley L.Specialist, 29, Missouri. Hostile fire, Zabul. U.S. Army Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, AK

 5-16-2011 Tucker, Lamarol J.Private,26, Florida. Hostile fire, Zabul.  U.S. Army, Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, AK 

5-16-2011 Pressley, Cheziray, Private, 21, North Carolina. Hostile fire, Zabul.  U.S. Army, Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, AK

5-15-2011 Riley Jr., Brian D., Specialist, 24, Florida. Non-hostile, Kunar.  U.S. Army, Schofield Barracks, HI 

5-14-2011 Schlote, Robert C., Sergeant, 26 , Nebraska. Non-Hostile – Illness. U.S. Army, Army National GuardOmaha, NB

 5-13-2011 Aguilar, Amaru,Sergeant,26, Florida. Hostile fire, Kandahar.  U.S. Army, Fort Riley, KS

 5-12-2011 Palmer, Benjamin J., Lieutenant Colonel, 43, California. Hostile fire,  Helmand . U.S. Marine Cherry Point, NC

5-12-2011 Balduf, Kevin B., Sergeant,27, Tennessee. Hostile fire, Helmand . U.S. Marine, Camp Lejeune, NC

 5-10-2011 Frison, Demetrius M.,1st Lieutenant,26, Pennsylvania. Hostile fire,Khost.  U.S. Army, Fort Knox, KY 

5-09-2011 Hermogino, Ken K., Sergeant, 30, Californa. Vehicle accident, Heart. U.S. Army, Fort Carson, CO

 5-04-2011 Spaulding, Riley S.,  Specialist, 21, Texas. Non-hostile, Kandahar.  U.S. Army, Vilseck, Germany

 5-02-2011 White, Kevin W.Corporal, 22, New York. Hostile fire, Kuna. U.S. Army, Schofield Barracks, HI.

(http://icasualties.org/OEF/Fatalities.aspx)

So another Sunday Sketch from my 2011 Sketchbook Project....here it is...again the theme was Make Mine A Double:

This also was colored pencil. I had a little trouble with one of their rumps...can you figure out which. If you look close you can see I had to do some readjusting. I don't know what's with me. I always tend to straighten things out. I have trouble drawing or painting something that's not straight. Even the ram that is on an angle still looks weird to me. The one on the right I make straight. Not sure why I always do that sort of thing. Well anyway here it is.

The Sketchbook Project tour came through my area. Actually it went to Washington DC but I didn't have anyone to go with and that week was particularly busy anyway. Maybe if I do it again this year I'll be able to see it. It's supposed to come to Philadelphia which is about 2 hrs away. DC would have been just a bit closer. Oh well.

Enjoy the Sunday Sketch and for more awesome art visit http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com/

Sunday Sketches

Last week I missed the Sunday Sketches. I just wasn't in the blogging mood I guess or got lazy. Whatever. But this week I'm here... Yayyyyyy....This is another sketch from my Sketchbook Project 2011. It's colored pencils.

This is one of my favorites. As you recall, my theme was Make Mine a Double. I love the beach. When my kids were little, I'd take them for early morning beach walks and we'd pick up shells along the way. I always told them the shells were little treasures left for us by God to find. 
I remember one morning walk I really wanted to find a whelk shell and I prayed " Lord send me a whelk shell." As I was walking, a wave crashed at my feet and guess what it was a whelk shell like the one on the right! Ask and ye shall receive!

Paint Party Friday

Well last week I missed the PPF. I had things painted just didn't get to blog about it. Well this one I painted while I was in Ocean City, Md for Mother's Day weekend. It was so beautiful that morning I couldn't resist. It's an ACEO. The nice thing about painting an ACEO (2.5 x 3.5 inches) is that you can easily carry your painting supplies and paper along with you.

It's available in my Etsy shop ArtfulPurpose:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/74258865/watercolor-aceo-original-sunrise

The ACEO Challenge

This is the first time I have participated....the theme is May flowers. Here's my entry. It's called Fresh Picked.
It's available in my Etsy shop, ArtfulPurpose....click here to go to the link.

Sunday Sketches

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, foster mothers.....What are your plans today? I'm coming back from a weekend at the beach. I so needed that get a way.

Today's Sunday Sketch is another one from my Sketchbook Project...theme Make Mine a Double:

Of course I had to do kitties. This reminds me a lot of my girls, Lily and LeeLu. They both like to sit on a bench and look out of the guest room window.


Enjoy the Sunday Sketch and for more awesome art visit http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com/

Paint Party Friday

Today's painting is on porcelain. I love how these turned out. I was inspired by spring. The leafing out of all the trees and vines. I get so excited when I see the first buds on the trees. 

Here's a set of salt & pepper shakers and napking rings. I actually painted 8 of the napkin rings.  First I applied the blue pearl luster fired it and then painted the vine and leaves.  For the napkin rings I put a band of blue tape where I wanted the vine to go.  I love how these.  They are in my Etsy shop. I just put them up this week. The links are below.


Check out some awesome Paint Party Friday art visit this link: http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com
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Napkin Rings: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73442585/handpainted-porcelain-napkin-rings
Salt & Pepper  http://www.etsy.com/listing/73442885/handpainted-porcelain-salt-pepper

Wednesday......it's hump day and....

I thought all my friends could use a little chuckle. Takes you back doesn't it? When life was so much simpler!

The 7-Ups of Life

1. Wake Up - Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice & be glad in it" Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up - The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart" I Sam 16:7

3. Shut Up - Say nice things & learn to listen. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul" Proverbs 13:3 "Gossip betrays confidence avoid men who talk too much" Proverbs 20:19 "Listen to advice, accept instruction and in the end, you will be wise" Proverbs 19:20

4. Stand Up - For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up - To the Lord. "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up - For something higher. "...press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians  3:14

7. Lift Up - Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING" Philippians 4:6
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The ACEO pictured above is available in my Etsy shop. Here's the link:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66749291/watercolor-aceo-original-church-yard

Sunday Sketches

Another Sunday Sketch from my Sketchbook Project! As you will recall the theme was "Make Mine a Double"......so what does this have to do with double....think about it a minute while I babble.

I'm thinking about doing another Sketchbook Project. It's a big commitment. Well maybe not so big because I glued the pages together to give them some substance. The problem with the book is that the pages are so thin any pressure from the colored pencils goes right through. So I read online someone had glued the pages. That worked great.

I cannot decide on a theme. There are 40! Help me Friends.....here's what I've narrowed it down to: Uncharted Waters, Things Found Under Car Seats,  It's Summer Where You Are. Let me know what you think I should choose.


Just in case you want to participate, here's the link for the Sketchbook Project: Then you can post them on your Sunday Sketches as well.: http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject


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 Okay so now back to that sketch.  What do you think? Did you get it right?  The cowboy is shooting a double barrel shotgun. So now you have it! LOL That's the double reference.

Enjoy the Sunday Sketch and for more awesome art visit http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com/