In Memory

One week ago, on Easter Sunday, my dear beloved brother, Jim, passed away. I can never say it enough, "He was the best big brother a girl could have." His smile and sense of humor, which he used deftly to put people at ease and make them feel good, will always be remembered. Only a few hours before he passed away, he had his picture taken with the Easter Bunny who was visiting the care facility where he lived. He made sure to make the most joyful face possible, and you can practically hear him squealing: "Oh, my gosh! It's the EASTER BUNNY!!!!!" He was an 80-year old kid. A lawyer, he had a true sense of justice for ALL, especially children. He taught dance in his younger years, and always told my sister and me: "Whatever you do, keep moving!" When he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, he told us that the body that had served him so well and given him so much joy had proved to be "fickle". But rather than giving in to despair, his motto was "You just gotta laugh!" "Alexa, play John Phillip Sousa!" and he would march around the room in perfect time. He took up African drumming and worked on retrieving his skills on the piano. (He was an amazing pianist who never had a lesson.) He learned Dutch when he was 6, and Russian when he joined the Air Force. I could go on and on about his gifts to the world.

He has been freed from his fickle body, and his memory will always bring joy to our hearts.

Mesmerizing Magicals workshop with 7F5R Studio

After finishing my third kaleidoscope from Zentangle's Project Pack 17, I treated myself to a workshop on my favorite coloring medium: Lindy's Gang Magicals. These are pigment powders that offer brilliant, vibrant colors that shimmer, thanks to their mica. I've admired the tinted tiles that 7F5R produce, and often wondered about their technique. This workshop has empowered me to explore using them in different ways for different effects.

First, my kaleidoscope:

While waiting for my workshop supplies to arrive, I explored "bleeding watercolors" on a black tile. After applying blocks of color to the tile with watercolor brush pens, I tangled with a white Gelly Roll. I was curious about using neutral earthtones. They didn't really show through the white, so I finished the tile with a tan Gelly Roll. 

Now for the amazing colors!

My first go felt quite dark and muddy, but I think the highlights gave it some dimension.

Another dark tile. I "lightened' it by adding black! By making the black lines blacker, there is more contrast.

This tile has no black. I used a purple Gold Shadow Gelly Roll. 

I'm grateful to the women at 7F5R--Stephanie, Debbie and Susan--for their skill and sharing their expertise. I look forward to seeing where this takes me!