April Calendar

This month’s calendar is another one that I made.  I think I mentioned in a previous post that I did two calendars this year and ended up keeping both of them.  The second one was for a friend and I ended up giving her something else. Anyway, I get a choice between which one I want to put out every month. Since I made this one-and I love it because it makes me smile-I  chose it this month.

Isn’t that little duck in galoshes and stomping in puddles just adorable? So far, we haven’t had too many rainy days in April but the month isn’t over yet!

Doodling with Watercolors

Last weekend I sat in on a FB live with Ann Corbiere, an artist and stamp designer that I’ve been following for a while. She had a free ‘class’ on a doodling watercolor and I was so excited to be able to join in. I love watercolors but it is not my first choice of a medium because I’m really not very good at them. Honestly, I’ve never tried it much because it’s easier and quicker for me to use my Copic markers or my colored pencils.  I keep saying that I’m going to practice and get better but I never do, so I was happy for the opportunity to play with them some. The more you practice the better you get at anything so I guess it’s like anything else…I just need to practice, practice, practice!!

We did a Stay Home collage since we’re all practicing social distancing and staying home these days. It was a fun piece to do and while she had an example for us to look at, she left it totally up to us as to draw what we wanted. I pretty much followed her example! I  am pretty good at copying things but I’m not very creative when it comes to coming up with stuff on my own. Once I had it drawn, I started painting it but color choices are something I usually  struggle with so it took me a few days to get it finished. I finally got it done last night. I’m pretty happy with it for a first piece. I made mistakes and learned a lot and already have some ideas for a second one! 

Easter Memories

Normally, on Easter Sunday, if we were ‘home’ (in Alabama) we would gather at my grandmother’s for fabulous food, eggs hunts, and those dratted family pictures that almost everyone hates but tolerates because it’s important to some. This year is so different and  it feels odd to not be together.  But, we all have to do the right thing and stay home because the last thing any of us want to do is bring this stupid virus into Nanny’s house! 

I have such wonderful memories of Easter over the years.  Of course, when we were little, we got all dressed up and went to church and then we would have dinner at one of the grandparents’ houses. Then we’d go to the other grandparent’s house. Someone would hide eggs for us kids and  we’d have so much fun finding them. Even when it rained and we had to hide them inside. One year my  uncle -who is still the master at hiding the eggs where they’re hard to find-hid one behind the pillow on the sofa. We looked and looked all over that sofa for it! It fell down between the back of the sofa and the cushion and it was several days later before it was found because it had started to smell.  LOL I think that may have been the last year we used real eggs inside. We would almost always have to play the hot and cold game to find that last egg. 

Everyone has their traditional meals or foods they eat on holidays and we are no different. Our traditional meal is not that much different than any other time we were together for a holiday except ham would be the meat instead of turkey or roast. But, the desserts…coconut cake was the Easter dessert. I wasn’t a fan as a kid but oh, how I’d love  to have one this  year! My mother would make one in the shape of a bunny.  Y’all have probably seen the recipe for it making the rounds on Facebook. She was doing that 50 years ago!

This year, we’re all staying home and watching church on tv or our computers.  Our church here had a drive in church this morning and it was great! We had over 100 cars attend. We honked our horns in response and as our way to participate in the service. It was fun. The pastor brought a great message and our praise team sang several songs. One of the songs we sang was Because He Lives. It brought back wonderful memories of my great aunt and uncle singing at family get togethers. That was one they would sing. Rise Again is another one. I get goosebumps thinking about it. 

In years to come, this Easter will be one we’ll talk about because it’s so different  than any other Easter we’ve ever experienced. But, just because we aren’t doing the  things we usually do, the meaning of why we celebrate hasn’t changed. The tomb is empty and Jesus, our Redeemer and Savior lives.  “He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:6  That’s the best thing we can remember about Easter!  

My Easter card this year.