Week 23 of Donna Downeys 48 Week Journaling Workshop and the End of Second Semester ~Positive Intentions~ with a lot of Tam

Hello I hope all has been going well with you and yours. We have been working hard here as usual. We have planted even more than usual....which in turns makes for more duties. Colten has had a new girlfriend and he hasn't had time to help out as much. So Bruce and I have been working extra hard. The boys have had a lot of school work and are getting spring fever to get out more and ride their skateboards. Mother's Day was nice Bruce put up a storm door on the second floor door to the front porch so we could have a screen to get a nice flow of air. I have asked for this door for more than 10 years...no joke. Now as Colby said "this door is amazing" it allows in such a nice few of air and a tremendous amount of beautiful cascading light. We have now had it almost a week, so we have certainly enjoyed it to the fullest. I can see all the hummingbirds we feed now without looking out the closed front door potentially scaring off the hummingbirds. I love seeing them!! Well this one took me approximately two weeks to complete. I did not have the stencils for the one Donna did nor did I feel for that one. This inspiration actually came from Tam's book  or you can view her wonderful community at Tamara Laporte Willowing.com she is full of beautiful sweet calming words and a passion for helping others to see the beauty in ones self and getting rid of that inner critic. ALL I CAN SAY TAM is AMAZING!!!! I started her first Life Book 2012 and one of what I call my best painting was on she taught me. Love ya Tam! Every since I saw her painting in the book I have wanted to paint it. She makes it so easy and it is nice to actually complete a project from a book and being able to use the inspiration. I enjoyed the process immensely. My aunt came out for Mother's Day and I fixed her a good meal and a cake. I didn't invite her for Easter (hello folks we are in a Pandemic) however she thinks I should have and was actually crossed with me. She works at a pharmacy and is a frontline cashier with no mask, no shield and no gloves. Anyhoo she came here and it was a very nice day. So this week which I can hardly believe it is Week 23 and almost the end of the second semester. I am feeling so accomplished!!! YES! Go check out Donna's 48 Weeks. She is fun and a great teacher! 

I love making these oh my do I ever! I actually learned this technique back in 2010 at a Donna Downey Inspired workshop I can't remember her name but she was actually a mural painter. This is what we made in class that day, but I had to finish it home....

this is what I made in 2010 

This is where it hangs in my room....going out to make back porch. 

the full spread of the two pages I just love it so much fun and whimsical 

if you would like to see the full last 22 posts see below on each of the weeks 

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

Week 18 

Week 19

Week 20

Week 21 

Week 22

I can hardly believe I have made It this far....but so thankful and feeling so accomplished. 

Now on to week 24 and the end of the second semester 

YAY!!! 

Two more semesters to go

So basically I have almost completed half of the 48 weeks ~happy dance 

Dusty has been picking roses like crazy for our rose water we even have a new drying rack that hangs from the ceiling and is huge so now we have even extra room for drying roses and other herbs

I have been making bracelets again to add to my Etsy store GO HERE 

On the Etsy store 

So please if you would like to see Tamara Laporte go to her site Willowing dot com and you can find her book there and it was lesson 6 Looking Inward. 

I have been making more jams too getting ready for new fruits of the season to come 

Made raspberry again this is always a delicious jam 

its on my Etsy store too 

Love raspberry jam 

mango habanero 

Oh my delicious mango habanero 

I made a bunch more wintergreen salves these are excellent for my fibromyalgia pain and putting on your chest as a chest rub and for super dry hands and feet again on my Etsy store 

I already have beautiful tomatoes loving it!!! 

I have more than 300 tomato plants so we are hoping for an amazing year of tomatoes....it really helps our family out 

I planted a bunch in cloth bags this year a new thing we are trying just to see and easy on my back and my fibromyalgia pain I have fields of them too 

Go to see our pickle video on YouTube 

As you can see the fields are loaded 

Take care stay safe missing you all!!! 

Hugs to all and until to next time 

Love you guys!! 

Dawn Gallop 

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Week #19 of Donna Downey's 48 Weeks Workshop My first painting of Frida Kahlo "Don't Build a Wall"

Hello again as you know now we are all facing and living in unprecedented times. From lockdowns, to containments, quarantines, self-quarantines, rationing, limited supplies, no where to work if you fall outside of the essential personnel. Airlines, cruise ships, hotels, trains, any tour guides, recreational activities such as gyms, have all had to close or limit to essential needs only. Our medical staff are in high demands and are strained, along with our hospitals and the need for critical equipment. We have all faced uncertainties, but this is a silent unknown unforeseen circumstance, that we are all facing with no certainties known for our future.  Every person on this planet is in this position. What we all need to do is remain calm and take heed to recommendations and safe distances, sanitizing, excessive hand washing, and frankly stay PUT!!! No one can know who has it or where it will show up......PLEASE folks stop going places unless it is absolutely NEEDED!!! I totally get it!!! But seriously do you really need to go shopping for furniture right now, the FedEx driver told us they have been delivering furniture and shoes....etc. yes I can understand you moved or something or your only pair of shoes and a hole. I have talked to some folks and they tell me they out shopping for decor........I'm like SERIOUSLY!!! PLEASE FOLKS TAKE THIS SERIOUS!!! Think of your family members or others. This is no game....stop playing golf, stop having game nights with other families. You health depends on it!! I see these thing going on....and frankly its ludicrous. Oh and the beaches.......HELLO we are in a PANDEMIC!!! Stay off the beaches stop sharing hookah pipes, or any other forms of resectional needs keep it a PERSONAL use only!!!!!! I have seen these pics of YouTube which has been my only form of information or my mom sharing texts to me. Bruce and I have always been preppers being we have prepared ourselves for those HARD times. However with all our shows cancelled until further notice. Being farmers and feeding folks we face uncertainties to face we have been selling our eggs weekly to a grocery store and some honey last week I took him 22 dozen eggs and he called the next day to tell me he had only four left, he is a very tiny tiny store in Va. Beach but we are so thankful he has stepped up to help us with our extra products, since we have no markets. I will continue all my efforts to grow and produce what we can here to meet demands we have been selling our elderberry syrup and pickles, jams etc. If I have to I can bake or even make dinners to be delivered out of my USDA and CS Inspected kitchen. Like in war times "back porch dinners" when needed one family might of feed many just from dinners from their backdoor. 

OKAY maybe enough on my soapbox but I have a lot of anxiety and stress at trying to keep many safe. I worked in the hospitals during the aids/hiv times and fears of ebola. I can remember getting a so called fax (they were not fax machines then) from the CDC on concerns of the Ebola outbreak back in 1989. So as I always say "what you don't know won't hurt you and what you do will" FEAR.

STAY CALM

So this was what I was working on before the trip to FLORIDA my first painting of Frida. I didn't actually get to finish until I got back and we were so far behind in just a few short days. Colten took care of everything while we were gone even did well with the plants that we have growing in the greenhouse, inside our house I have three full racks of shelves. I have planted extra to meet many needs this year. 

I watched Donna Downeys video on the 48 Weeks workshop week #19 and I was like I just can't do another mostly black layer of painting as Bruce thinks automatically "something is wrong" my aunt even said on one of my other paintings that was majority black paint she said "this one looks like you were mad" okay I thought.......maybe I was it was my inner-self perhaps screaming....who knows. Art tells all....but as you can see I did go black with bright pops of beautiful colors.....and AN AMAZING WOMEN!! Who I have been a fan of for many many years!!! I have collected art, trinkets, and made dolls with Frida in mind. What I am saying in this painting.....is so true.....

            Fridas quote "Don't build a wall around your suffering. It may devour you from the inside." is so much a personal feeling at the same time....many don't know but I suffer from chronic pain from the fibromyalgia and the spinal stenosis. Some days are better than others and I always keep going to the best I can. I feel like sometimes I build this wall. I have in the past many many times from being overweight at 300 lbs to separating from individuals due to anxiety. The list goes on but you get it! Now with what we are facing with this invisible enemy (as the President says) we all have had to build this wall in ways never foreseen. From borders closing to self quarantines to social distancing. Then I think of how when I went to all my shows and markets my friends how we embrace each other with hugs and sharing love with each other, sharing and trading items we make that has a wall around that too.  As you may know for any of those who have done the workshop this was TOTALLY a U-Turn for the inspiration Donna provided week #19.

I always like to show you how large this journal is......

If you would like to see any of the other weeks look below

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

Week 18 

 The butterflies really added a nice touch and as you can see they were breaking thru the wall and onto the other side. One bright shiny butterfly makes it to the sweet beautiful roses.

 There is a lot of texture. The thorns on the wall for the hard times and the suffering that Frida endured, thru her paintings you will see some of the pain and some good times as well.

I was very happy with my first painting of Frida and enjoyed the process immensely. Anything creative for me is exactly what I like to do....it can help ease the pain and fears and the anxiety. 

I love my work here on the farm it just is sometimes you need an art break....and it is extremely hard to come by. Today Bruce and I are making sauerkraut we have 10 heads of cabbage and it will go a long way. We make this either in November or March. It's a normal staple here. My boys love it too. 

Frida Kahlo 

Here is a pic of the sauerkraut from a few years ago in half gallon jars. 

With Easter coming and moms and dads looking for something for the kiddos to do this was a option maybe you had already bought some of maybe you can buy some offline....I looked at Amazon and they have them online and Walmart dot com has them too free shipping over $35. See videos below. 

Jet Puffed Marshmellows in the dehydrator   

Dehydrating Peeps 

with us not being able to have markets I have been putting more items on my Etsy store 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LeafLoveSoaps

So please my market friends if you need something please reach out to me as others have I will ship and if you don't see it listed just let me know. 

We started our seed potatoes for planting

I have tons of plants ready if you need some drive thru for a dirt road side delivery. The whole greenhouse if full.

As I close for this rainy Saturday as we continue to make sauerkraut and ship items out from our Etsy store. 

SAFE SAFE

STAY CALM

As Jane Davenport said QuarARTinig (make art)

A lot of wonderful people, companies, and friends have stepped up as we all work together to fight this invisible enemy. 

BE PROACTIVE!!!! 

Protect yourself and others!

Cyber Hugs from six feet away! 

Dawn Gallop

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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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