Funky Art Queen

I'm still getting entries for the Ten Tiny Things Challenge. So, I'm going to keep the contest alive until midnight my or your time as I won't be up that late anyway. I will end for reals at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow. So it's not too late to get your entry in. So far, I have 8 entries. I think the more the better! So, get your little booty up, and gather those tiny things and take a pic. PRONTO! HEEHEE XOXO Lesley

I completed this one last night. It is a 24"X 24" Mixed Media on Wood piece titled "In The Flowers". I love doing my work on wood because of the durability. I also like the low cost. I picked this very large piece of wood up at Home Depot for $6.97. I have spent 5.o0 on a 12"X12" piece of wood at Michaels. Hmmm..... Yesterday, we celebrated my Grandmother's 93rd birthday at the nursing home in which she now resides. She really seemed to enjoy herself as you can see by my collection of photos here . Just a reminder and some news about the Tuesday's Ten Tiny Things Challenge . I'm going to extend the deadline to Tuesday which seems to make perfect sense and will allow more time for some more entries. I have a few already (come see) but would love to see more. I love looking at all of your little tiny collections! FUN!!!

I love, love, love that Kim called this my "second annual Tuesdays Ten Tiny Things challenge" on her blog! It just sounded cool to me. Thanks to my dear and always present friend Kim The Queen ! XOXO The above pic is my interpretation for this challenge. This is a few of my pins and broochs that I collect. Each one has a special meaning to me. I have been collecting these over the last few years. I have many of these and I love to take them out and look at them. Each one was either given to me by someone special or I bought it (garage sales and estate sales)because it made me think of someone or something special. They have very little monetary value but they mean so much to me on a sentimental level. As you pic your ten tiny things for this challenge, do not be bound by any ideas......let your imagination run wild. Just come and be a part of this fun challenge. Thanks so much for stopping by.

You know, Tuesday kind of has a bad wrap. It is not the beginning of the week, not the end, not even the middle! It is kind of a bland day if we let it be. But, I want it to be fun so I am bringing back the Tuesdays Ten Tiny Things Challenge~! Yay! FUN! Several of you participated in this challenge last year and you produced the neatest photographs of your Ten Tiny Things collections. See them here on my Flickr. Let's do it again! Here is the challenge. You have until Sunday of this week (JUNE 28) to send me a link to your blog post about Ten Tiny Things . All of the pics will be posted and one of them will be randomly selected for this challenge. Whoever wins will receive a prize from me. I don't know what it will be yet. I want it to be something fun though. I will keep you posted on that. Meanwhile, I will also be thinking of my Ten Tiny Things to post. Have a Happy Tuesday and rest of the week. Now get going!

I received this wonderful and heartwarming letter from a complete stranger several months ago and I have had it posted on my bulletin board at my desk. Then, I moved it to the fridge.....then to my desk to thank Zoomdoggle. OMG, I landed on this guys blog a while back and (well you just got to go and read his offer) then come back please! LOVE LETTERS So, I signed up, thought it would be fun. I have so enjoyed this letter. The whole hair thing really made me smile....all of it did really. Then I found this ABC News Post on his Update about "Love Letters". Please watch the ABC News Video and it will really move you! I just think it is so cool that someone is so willing to create good feelings in this world. Think about this, he is taking the time to hand write letters to everyone who responds to that post. How exausting....and unselfish. It just amazes me. This is a framer.....this letter.......I will keep it forever. He is a dork like me.....that is why I like h...

I finished this piece today. I decided to call it "Party Hats". I have a few other backgrounds waiting to be worked on. So, tomorrow, I will have plenty of projects to choose from and I like it like that. Speaking of tomorrow, did you know that tomorrow is "Naked Hikers" day?!!! O.K. I know it is Father's Day, I get that! But, I heard on the news that Sunday, the first day of summer is also Naked Hikers Day . I just felt like it was my duty to warn you. My sister is a hiker. I don't think she will be hiking this weekend (not because of the possibility of nudity......but because of a recent fall and minor injuries). So she is safe. However, there are so many people that might be "exposed" to. LOL Just be cautious is all I'm sayin' or enjoy......what ever the case. Tomorrow is Sunday, I hope you enjoy your day. I hope that you take some time out for you.

In order to counter the negative energy of a Monday, we decided it was time to grill some shrimp and veggies on the grill. Nothing says "Ahhhhh" like something as beautiful as this on the grill. While my skewers smoked on the grill, I watered and photographed my container garden to give you an update. Everything is doing fairly well.. ..I did have to replant my cantelope in a bigger container as it was looking kinda puney in the little planter I put it in. I'm also having a littl e problem with insects but I got an organic insect killer for vegetables and I have been applying religiously. I really want success here! Can you tell? Every night, I go out and water and tend to my little garden. I don't know much about gardening except you need dirt, water, and more water. Then you might have to kill some bugs and pray. That is it! That is my knowledge of gardening. But I love it. I love seeing the results of your labor. Like this little tomato gave me the biggest thrill! ...

This is one of my latest pieces. I love doing these pieces on wood that I have been inspired to do lately. I am knee deep in creative projects and I love it. I feel so very blessed to get up everyday and to feel excited about all that I have to do. I'm also very blessed to get to interact with some wonderfully creative people. Just today, I met so many amazing and talented people at the Stanton Trade Days. I had so much fun. Heather and I met Lisa, Meagen, Catrina, Seathen and Hannah in Stanton to enjoy all the festivities. Though is was so very hot (103 today), we managed to have a great time. I bought a beautiful wooden dragonfly that was mosaic. (LOVE IT). I also purchased a few other things that I am very pleased with. I bought a train case that was in the most beautiful condition for only 10 dollars! That is a find. Can't wait to paint it. It was great fun. It was also Lisa's birthday. I gave her the present I bought her and something I made her. She made it seem like ...

chocolate mayonaise cake Originally uploaded by Funky Art Queen We got the sweet tooth tonight like we often do on weekend nights. I did not have enough butter to make brownies so I made a chocolate mayonaise cake. I can't tell you how many times I have told someone that I made a mayonaise cake and I watched them make the most horrible face. I guess mayonaise does not sound good. But, believe me when I say, it is good, IT IS GOOD! The mayonaise takes the place of eggs and oil and this is a very moist cake. I always make it as a sheet cake. My grandmother used to make this cake often. I used to love to lick the spoons and skillet from which she made the cooked chocolate fudge icing. Ummmm that was the best stuff. I guess it is one of those nostalgic recipes. I am going to share this recipe with you. It is from my grandmothers pantry so don't go sharing it with everyone. It is TOP SECRET!!!! If you make it, please let me know what you think. Preheat oven to 350 degre...

I decided this morning that I wanted to make a fabric birdhouse. I saw one a while back on the internet and for the life of me, I could not find the one I liked so much. The one I liked was quilted and all kinds of crazy fabric was used. But, I just had to do it anyway so I came up with this one. I started out by using 8X12 canvas pad pages for my pattern. After some folding and cutting I was able to construct a paper birdhouse. I used masking tape to put it together so I could see if it would work. It all seemed to fit together nicely so I dove into the fabric and cut out my patterns. I filled each piece with batting to make it stiffer and easier to stand. I used the sewing machine to sew the quilt like pieces. I applied the little "opening" with a felt circle and the blanket stitch. I used the blanket stitch to assemble the entire piece. I stuffed with polyfil. Now that it is done, I have all kinds of ideas to make it a little more creative. Oh, and hubby says I should put...