mandala

I have been playing with some of my watercolor mandalas, finishing a bunch up that I started weeks ago....and making a calendar on Lulu, and i just realized that the theme at Inspiration avenue this week is mandalas...i couldn't miss it since that is one of my favorite things to create....

Tuesday tea at work

I haven't posted a mandala in awhile so here's my newest one along with some loose tea that I don't remember the name of.... (kimmy at art in red wagon's is taking a tea break but there will probably be some tea links at her post today anyway).....

I had intended to keep this all mustard and green but then i added some shadows to the zentangles with payne's gray and i seem to get carried away with that color and ended up with more of it than I planned. The theme at Inspiration Aveneue is zentangles so of course I will have to link up there...

Tea and Mandalas, of course

Chamomile or chai

Or peppermint with honey

In a pretty cup

Random tea facts about me...

*I remember asking for seconds of a delicious homegrown herbal tea at an herb farm my Mom and Dad and I visited so many years ago. I remember it being the best tea!!

*Honey and lemon tea makes me feel better when I'm sick with a cold.

*I loved Wu Wie tea from isabella catalog but they discontinued it so now I buy Immortalitea from there. It is made from the jiaogulan leaf which is said to be what some of the civilizations that live to be over 100 drink and have in common. I need to order more.

*I love all the tea packages with pretty boxes and quotes . I can stand in the tea aisle forever. Makes me wish I designed packaging.

***Tea is good but wine is better.

*I have a special teacup,just for reading tea leaves but I forget to use it.

I'm linking to paint party friday, and
IA whose theme is inspired by words, as this was inspired by the quote on the side of the Bigelow box: "Bigelow tea.... good for the mind body and soul" maybe not what they had in mind when deciding the theme but it worked for me!
and to Justaddwater as their theme is coffee or tea.
And to haiku my heart for all their wonderful haiku!

leaves

leaves of earthy green

artichokes , shoots unfurling

nature begins fresh

linking to paint party friday, inspiration avenue for their green leaves challenge and haiku my heart!

Thanks for stopping by!

color, color, color

When I think I'm done they just keep calling to me to add more color and more lines....

and here's two dolls, one old one new.... the first bought at an antique store and loved by some unknown boy or girl, the second made by my mother to try to save the first from my son who likes to toss her on the floor.

You can go to Inspiration Avenue to see more dolls this week....

bees fly from her mouth

My last two faces for the 29 faces challenge will have to be posted later today...
That was hard to keep up with but fun! I actually have a plan for something to do with all my ACEO's from this but i don't want to mention it yet in case i can't quite work it out.

Here's my entry to the butterfly effect for "the wild side". Not sure if i show my wild side much but the ladies i paint do, they are free and happy and don't care much for conventional rules and restraints.

I did this with another challenge in mind too, at inpiration avenue the theme is Bottecelli's primavera. I seem to be drawn to the nymph, Chlora, or the goddess of flowers. you should go there and check out the painting. I started this months ago then put it away and just finished it this week. I had meant to have flowers coming out of her mouth but when i got this far it didn't seem to fit anymore.

She also reminds me of  paintings i just loved by kit williams... i can't find the exact one but i think my favorite was one with bees coming out of her mouth...

I had all his books and would stare at the art forever, studying how he did them, years ago. I just googled him to see what the name of that painting was and i found an interview where he said he was very influenced by botticelli, which makes sense now seeing both.