The 48 Weeks Journal Workshop By Donna Downey My Version of Week #18 ~Love the Story~

Hello once again....since I wrote in the blog last a lot has happened, as you know that's life! I told Bruce that all I wanted for Valentine's Day (however I expected nothing) as we worked and traveled that day to the Wine and Chocolate Festival which I spoke of in my last post see below. For Valentine's Day was to paint....it is really hard for me as someone/somebody/something always needs or wants me. No complaints there! So when I get to paint its just so wonderful and relaxing. The last time I got to work on the 48 Weeks Workshop was my last entry for the Week #17  back in late October 2019. You know the rest is history....always busy. I am always tired too idk if its the Fibromyalgia or just old age or the fact its winter, raining, no sunshine, and COLD. So I have been extremely tired. I keep working as I have too, when I am finally finished (if that's a word on a farm), I am too tired to paint. So for Valentine's Day I wanted to paint....SO I DID...it wasn't Valentine's Day but it happened and that's all I care about. I GOT TO PAINT!!!! YAY!!!! I went way off path of Donna but that's me...when I am on roll.....other times it will be very very similar to Donna's with as Mindy Lacefield always said "with a touch of Dawn" referring to the paintings. I spent a whole weekend with Mindy Lacefield at Donna Downey's one weekend when Dina Wakley came to teach at Donna's place. If you would like to check out the 48 Weeks Workshop. She has some amazing classes to offer online and in person. 

I was so very happy with this painting in the journal I am calling LOVE THE STORY. I love to paint and journal so much its a true LOVE that I am very passionate about....and absolutely LOVE!! I think it, dream it, and talk about it all the time. 

If you would like to see any of my other weeks go to the week below. As I have said this all started back in 2013/2014 and here I am only on week 18....as I always say "better late than never"....works here! 

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6 

Week 7

WEEK 8

Week 9 

WEEK 10 

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15 

Week 16

Week 17

I used the Rebekah Meier stencil I bought back in October at Art and Soul..... Go HERE to see the post. In that post you actually see my cat Jack who now is not so tiny anymore....he sleeps with Bruce every night. The flowers I punched out with an EkSuccess flower punch. The paints are Golden Paints. The paper I used is the Basic Gray which y friend Beverly gave me awhile back its called Lime Rickey (that goes way back......) 

This stencil was also Rebekah Meier as well I had bought this one so time ago now.  

TEXTURE.....you know I love that. 

More texture 

Love, Live, tell the story

A sticker by Tim Holtz 

When we were on our way to Fayetteville for the Wine and Chocolate Fest we stopped here at Kenly 95 truck stop talk about a shopping experience....of course we only left there Colby getting a Dairy Queen blizzard.  Of course make it a cookies and cream. 

Dairy Queen Blizzard time 

He was thrilled to be with Capt Jack Sparrow....aka Johnny Depp. He is his most favorite actor!! 

Want to go back down memory lane......

Halloween 2014 

Colby as Jack Sparrow 

Dusty was The Mad Hatter (another Johnny Depp character) 

Amanda made the hat back in like 2010

Cooper was Edward Scissorhands which is another Johnny Depp. I made the hands from Dollar Tree stuff. Aves Apoxie clay. 

Anyways back to the Wine and Chocolate Fest

it was fun and we met a lot of awesome folks....of course a bunch of Army guys and gals...it was a BLAST!

I was telling about the Mead 

This was one of the Instagram Props 

Another one of the Instagram Props 

Photo OP

All Set up at the Wine and Chocolate Fest.

It was so busy Bruce had lines.......LINES!!!!! 

There was an hour break from 4-5 pm which really wasn't a break we still busy...it started at noon for the VIP and went till 4, then 5 the VIP came in for the second session from 5-9. Colby went and found the Funnel cakes....always a great find....am I right??? Well they certainly enjoyed it!!! 

So this Saturday we were at Grassfield High School for the craft show which is always AMAZING we have great customers there and I get to see all my vendor family and just have a great time. We had snow on Thursday and Friday there was no school, so I was so worried they would cancel the show....but so THANKFUL they didn't it was a GO! YAY!! They always have a great raffle ticket where for $10 you buy a arms length of tickets and if they draw one of your numbers you WIN...well my number got drawn three times......SWEEEEEET so my number was one of the first drawings and I won the rooster picture by Frank Cambron with his business Paintings, Portraits, Animal Pictures and More, OMG what a beautiful painting!!! Then I won again towards the end of the day....and I got the colored pencil art from Dismal Swamp Girl Studio.....love them both! Then at the very end of the show I won again and it was a yellow crochet blanket.  A very lucky day!! 

This is Jack now talk about not so tiny anymore....He is the sweetest...WE GOT SO LUCKY we Denise gave us Jack. We love him so much!!! He is on my bed....if ya don't recognize it. 

So we have had plants growing for awhile and we have transplanted here and there and now we were transplanting again today....put more lights up...spring will be here real soon!!! We both work so hard everyday. 

Today while we were out taking care of the bees and moving stuff in the greenhouse you could see signs of spring everywhere....beautiful! The peach tree. 

Always like to show you how large this Journal is......

I thank you for stopping by and seeing a bit of what has been going on around here...its the usual with a bit of added work load with all the plants, etc...but as long as I got to paint I am a very happy girl!! 

Have a wonderful week!!! 

No show this weekend....its a Leap Year....yep February 29. My next show will be March 14, 2020 at the Smithfield Farmers Market in Virginia behind the BSV Bank in Smithfield VA. from 9-12 there will also be a St. Patrick's Day Parade. I love that!! 

Sending hugs and love to all until next time!! 

Dawn Gallop

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Week 14 of Donna Downey's 48 Weeks Journal Workshop ~There's Always Hope~

Hello once again beautiful people, I am so very happy to be on my game here to be posting something earlier than usual. It sometimes a month can go by and I still haven't made a post. It's not that I don't have anything to share, just being busy and life can make it a wee bit difficult to make an actual blog post. I even have YouTube Videos to post and have not had to time actually put the videos together....I know YOU get it right!!! I never in my life thought one could be so busy even with having nine children, then it is now running a farm. It's good hard work no doubt and I love all my animals or should I say "my babies" as Bruce tells me. It is just so much to do always and so much to take care of....so that's why I am like impressed I have actually made this post earlier than the usual. 

I am calling this one There is Always Hope, as you can see on the timeline (so it is similar to one) this beautiful bird with "bling" is coming down and so called the paint is getting brighter behind it as this bird has brought back a newness to something. Whether it be this or that SOMETHING that is going on in your life right now may need just a tiny smidgen of hope, this painting sure reminds me of that. It has really spoke to me....a very emotional feeling or thought has come from within...when I watched Donna make this one on a video it was several weeks before I actually got to work on it. I had wrote it down the process and while it was on paper even before we went to Wisconsin which was August 17, so here it is Sunday September 15, 2019 and on Friday once everything was ready for the market and I had all the orders ready. I went up to my craft room which now since the Hurricane Dorian I moved all my stuff back upstairs for the winter weather that will be here in our busiest time of the year so no better time than to get it before the first frost comes. I put down all the ephemera that was in my stash in a fast movement, since I was back in my studio it was easy to find stuff quickly. I was not thinking or being selective I just started laying it down with gel medium. Letting the art speak for itself, using stuff all around me in my studio. When I was done, I looked at noting several things, I picked a July calendar (which is Tim Holtz), I picked a 9. I have a July birthday, I have nine children. The tag says WiSC FARM. We have a farm and some of our family are in Wisconsin. The little girl who is in the dress has blonde hair. So many elements that spoke to me. 

If you would like to check out the class go Donna Downey's Website 48 weeks 

 This journal page was like going "old Skool" for me almost like being a scrapbook page it was nice and felt good.

 the calendar, the license plate, the number, the washi tape, the bird and the girl are all Tim Holtz

                                                    The tea tag "be heard" from my tea tag

the bird I believe is Prima 

crackle paints 

the washi tape 

the paper with the key paper is Bo Bunny 

The textures, the colors, as always had a blast making this 

the crackle paint has always been one of my favorite elements 

If you would like to check out some of the other weeks you can do so here 

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6 

Week 7

WEEK 8

Week 9 

WEEK 10 

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

The power was out during the Hurricane Dorian and we used some of beeswax candles which is always nice to have on hand. 

 Bruce and I have been working non stop as hard as we can go to get more and more done. This was the hemp patchouli soap a five pound and a fifteen pound block after it came out of the mold. Then Bruce cuts them all.

He they are drying on the rack 

                                                         some of the owl drying

Every night when I finally sit down I start making bracelets for the market I have goals to get so many done a night to be ready for Newport News Fall Festival 

Texas Roadhouse on Sunday where we met with my wonderful art group and had lunch. The ladies that were involved in the art swap round robin traded their dolls back after a year of round robin it. 

From the tea cup "Be Heard" 

Terry, me and Lynn 

Terry and I 

sweet Sharron made us all the beautiful slap bracelets which I absolutely love!!!  couldn't stop looking at it. THANKS SO MUCH SHARRON!!! 

We have been so busy making all the pickles still have a few more to batches to get done before the NNWS festival and I should be able to, hopefully. Yesterday Bruce and I canned 63 quarts and 1 pint jars of pickles, from the Grandmas Sweet, Grandmas Sweet and Spicy, I did two batches of bread and butter pickles, and a ghost pickle (for all my HOT loving HEAT Seekers out there) those ghost pickles aren't for me by no means however Colby and Bruce will eat them. 

the sweet and spicy ones as all didn't fit on the table 

Last night we went back to our pottery class which was so nice...its at the Pocosin Arts in Columbia NC which we love going there. Bruce hadn't been not he wheel in a year gets right on and throws this perfect little bowl. I glazed a bunch of pieces last night. Enjoyed seeing our friends and talking with everyone. When you work all the time together its always nice to have a night that isn't work related. 

Well better close for now hope you have a great rest of the week....as it is HUMP Day!!!! 

Saturday we will be at SMITHFIELD FARMERS MARKET from 9-12 in the usual spot

hope to see ya soon. 

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Week 13 Donna Downey's 48 Weeks Journal Workshop ~It's All Perspective~ Lots of pics

Hello wonderfuls!!! It has been an amazing fast summer and as we draw close to the first day of fall. What a busy time it has been. We had an amazing time with our grandsons who we went to Wisconsin and picked up on July 17, well should I say we flew up. We bought our tickets from Frontier which so far we have been happy with their service. Always very accommodating flight attendants and pilots. The boys were here from July 17-August 17 we had so many adventures that they are too numerous to mention. We kept one year old Riggy and two year old Ledger extremely entertained. Plus those who know me I am a big kid too so I was up to any all undertakings and experiences we all could absorb or conquer. 

We also spent from Saturday to Wednesday in Wisconsin seeing some our favorite in-laws and family members and even meeting new ones. On Monday we went to the UP in Michigan with Cody and Amelia and even met Amelia's parents for the first time. Let me just say it was another INCREDIBLE day. We brought her parents mead and she brought us some of her delicious raspberry jam. 

Then we returned to North Carolina it was hot and humid, and we were all tired but it was right back to work. We started off with the usual catching up on stuff, finishing up some of the harvest. The figs were about done at this point, but up to about last week I was still picking off stragglers which are always super yummy and exciting to find. I absolutely love figs and so did Ledger and Riggy. 

On to the post well I started working on this off and on when the boys went to bed however painting was put on hold as I could only do so much while they were here and bees, honey, cheese, pickles, and jams don't take breaks so I was basically burning the wick at both ends. As soon as they went down for the evening, Bruce and I headed over to the kitchen to work. We would from 8ish until 12am or 1am depending on how long it took. I still needed to make product for my markets. Crops did stop and wait for me to pick so many days I had the boys in the fields with Riggy on my back. They helped as much as they could making it fun. 

So now if you would like to find out more about the class go to Donna Downey where you can register for the class or even just look at all the amazing art. 

I was so glad to finally start Second Semester which is where week 13 starts. There are actually four semesters. I have certainly enjoyed the process!!!! So very much....this painting in my journal has actually been done for more than a week now or more, but with the Hurricane Dorian and all the work I have been too busy to post. I have started week 14 but the gesso is as far as it has gotten yet. 

A full view of week 13 with my Hoka Ones I wear around here I have had these for five years if you are ever looking for a great long lasting running shoe this is it! I use them on the treadmill and or some days for working in the kitchen. 

the shadowing 

the circles were so much fun 

the great big circle really shows all the colors well 

Its all perspective and this IS the plain truth!!! The little snippet of wording is a Tim Holtz sticker sheets. 

This one was in the evening that golden hour of sunlight I added the sparkles 

My book in really getting big and thick and as Donna says it just makes me HAPPY!!! 

I am so glad I took this class and although it was Christmas of 2013 I was gifted it by my husband.....and I haven't worked in it until this year since 2014.....it really just makes me HAPPY! 

If you would like to see any of the other classes go to the weeks below to see each week. Thank you and enjoy. 

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6 

Week 7

WEEK 8

Week 9 

WEEK 10 

Week 11

Week 12

I have been making apple butter non stop trying to be ready for Newport News Fall Festival which I have many customers. 

Always making soap of course ALWAYS  

Bruce and I in our soap room with our lye safety glasses on

our All American Pressure canner 941 which we can all our non acid foods in for ourselves like potatoes, meat, carrots, soups, broth, etc 

We canned carrots which I made a video on too 

of course more jams all I want to do is make some different ones but never can get past the so called regular ones. 

This pic is before the sugar went in too so once that happens the pan is full its a 15 quart copper pot

Dusty is in the band this year and has picked the euphonium as his instrument 

this is the 3/4 size and its still pretty big he is super excited 

Our son Cody has purchased himself a brand new Yamaha motorcycle and he gave us all rides it was really enjoyable I am always so proud of my kiddos

Cody taking his mom (me) for a swing around the block 

One of my favorite days in Wisconsin where we all went to a park in Wisconsin and climbed this lookout tower

From left to right Bruce, Me, Cooper, Amelia, and Cody 

We went to the movies right before school started to get some more clothes, shoes, etc at the mall when I carry my crew to the movies its EXPENSIVE....it cost $59 to get in and then in snacks popcorn etc that was $57 I MEAN MIND BLOWING......LOL

I said WHAT? when the girl said $57 for snacks I got a drink...ok well Colten had a $5 Icee and Colby and Bruce had $7 nachos plus the popcorn.....I really need to limit them I thin????UHMM 

It was a lot of fun and we are ready to go back but seriously DUDES lets get one snack not two and three Dusty had Icee, popcorn, and a Snicker bar. No complaints at all!!! Everyone enjoyed themselves. Well worth everything 

 Ok as you know they all really don't like pictures.....but bless their hearts they did it for me. Colten is now a senior, Colby a freshman, Cooper is in the seventh grade, and Dusty now at Middle School as a sixth grader. They all had new clothes, shoes and socks I tell you socks cost more than clothes.....I spent more in the shoes of course but the socks I sworny it they can be extremely pricey. Then when I wash clothes I find more missing socks than anything.....really boys! Oh I know its the sock people they came in the back of the washer and took them!! LOL My oldest son when he was like 10ish we had went to the laundry mat and we were using the big washers and he opened the door of the washer and YELLS HELLO ALL YOU SOCK PEOPLE! I busted out laughing because surely at 10 he even knew socks just disappear!

We had to help my aunt to get a new car, we took he car shopping and here it is an adorable small hatchback which she is loving. Her engine blew up and she was walking to work which is ok but not when you get off at 9:30 at night, all I did was worry until we could get there to go shopping with her. 

We have another beautiful grandson from our oldest son and his wife Kim. I think I already told you this but he is growing fast....Levi we love you! 

Happy Painting!! 

lots of cyber hugs! 

Riggs painting while here at my house! I love this pic such concentration!

We will be at Smithfield from 9-12 tomorrow for the farmers market. 

I have a lot I have made for tomorrow the apple butter, cheese, eggs, bracelets, earrings, more soaps, salves, tinctures, new lip balms.....I am ready!!! See ya soon. 

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