Kelly Rae Roberts Collection by Demdaco

The first time I saw Kelly's name was on Facebook. I'm not sure how we became friends. I probably saw her post on another friend's page, loved her art, and asked her to be my friend. However it came to be, I've enjoyed the "fb" friendship for quite some time.

She has a wonderful talent in creating soulful works of art in mixed media. Although thought provoking, Kelly's art has a light touch and a bit of whimsy. I love the "spirit" her art conveys.

I was thrilled to discover her book: Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings. Her book gives readers an opportunity to see how she develops her thoughts into works of art. She shares techniques and gives encouraging words to budding artists.

 Kelly's art is now licensed through Demdaco and can be purchased through Amazon.com and other stores. There are so many things... illustrated journal (Publisher: Brush Dance) , figures, wall art, and much more. I can hardly wait for my Kelly Rae Roberts print to arrive!

Paris Rags Romantic Clothing

 Paris Rags offers several retail lines of romantic inspired clothing. However, the crème de la crème is the “one of a kind” creations.  The original designs are hand sewn pieces made of vintage textiles and lace.

 Most pieces are hand dyed to create a vintage look. The colors are unique to Paris Rags. The original designs include: clothing, scarfs, hats, and belts.

  In case you’re wondering about sizes, the mission state of Paris Rags is, “Make every woman feel beautiful no matter what size!” 

Kimberly Ryan, founder.   http://www.parisrags.com/

Dancing Flame by Artist Jillian Crider







Dancing Flame by Jillian Crider



Jillian Crider's watercolor paintings are so detailed, it is difficult to imagine that most are only 2.5 x 3.5 inches --the size of a trading card. Having found her niche in Artist Trading Cards (ATC and ACEO), she sees the market  growing along with her passion for creating the highly collectible miniature works of art.

A self-taught artist, Jillian applied her talent in graphic design and other art related work before she "started painting seriously" in 1998. By 2000, she had opened her own gallery and studio. Her paintings are also for sale at shows throughout the United States and online.

In addition to being a freelance artist and writer, she also enjoys teaching others to paint. Jillian says that, she's a  "Jill of many trades," but it appears she is best known for house portraiture. After all, she's painted over 9,000.

Jillian Crider is from Australia. She currently lives in White City, Oregon, USA.

More of her work may be seen at:  http://jilliancrider.com/   and   http://www.artistjillian.com/



The Ultimate Vacation Destination

A "staycation" would include forty-eight out of the fifty United States. I would hardly call that a stay at home vacation. If I limit myself to the South Eastern portion of the United States, there would be more to do and see than I could possibly squeeze into a two week period.

The beach, any beach, sounds good, but I don't necessarily want to bake on the sand for ten days. A crystal blue pool would be nice. Relaxation is number one on the list of purposes. Visual arts is a tight number two. Delicious and healthy food is important and a zen-like quality in the atmosphere rounds out the list of must haves on my vacation.

This trip will be captured on film --a resource for future art work. It won't be a working vacation, but I will certainly be taking notes.