"Lydia"

Sometimes developing a character can be difficult...

It's one thing to draw kids and let the drawing tell a bit of of a story...

 ... you can capture bits and pieces of a personality and express emotion 

but sometimes you just feel like something may be missing...

Then, one day you meet a kid like "Lydia" - an instant character!

Her imagination is already so animated that all the hard work is done for you! 

You just have to be smart enough to scrawl it down on paper before she runs off 

on some other crazy adventure of her own making!!

And you just know that this character is meant to be in a book!

 

 ♥ Cath-

In Love With July

I love the month of July!

My little sister has a birthday in July, 

the kids get out of school for summer break (in Canada), 

Our country celebrates its birthday at the beginning of the month - so there are always fireworks!!

AND

July is the month my husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary!!!

I love it! 

A whole month of celebrations!!

And this year it's EXTRA SPECIAL!!

This year we are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary!!

Woo-hooo!!!!

So needless to say, I've had my favourite guy on my mind 

whenever I have sat down for some down-time doodling!

My first doodle began on an envelope - as you can see toward the middle of the design:

The next was more intentional, I used some art quality paper 

and again snatched up my favourite Staedtler Fineliner pens...

"Happy Thoughts"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 7" x 9.5")

I loved how it turned out, and that inspired me toward beginning another one the next day...

I wanted to created something of a companion piece or a series to celebrate our anniversary

so I thought I would start with a word that describes us...

I thought about words like "LOVE", "HAPPY", and "JOY"

but when I really thought about it the word that describes us best is "TOGETHER"

We decided to spend our lives TOGETHER.

We have been TOGETHER for twenty years 

(22 years if you count the years we dated!)

TOGETHER we built our marriage on God and His principles.

TOGETHER we endured the heartache of losing a baby mid-pregnancy.

TOGETHER, four years later we welcomed another baby.

We prayed TOGETHER and clung to God TOGETHER when our new baby 

had to undergo open-heart surgery 14 days after she was born.

We praised God TOGETHER when we were blessed with taking our darling girl home!

Three years later we welcomed another little girl into our family!

 TOGETHER we are raising our children to love God and pray to Him and read His Word.

We mourned TOGETHER when we each in turn, lost a beloved parent.

TOGETHER we have been through A LOT! 

But we are determined to be TOGETHER come what may

Because being TOGETHER is the BEST WAY!!

  "Together"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 9.5" x 7")

Well, I had no idea how many design ideas were still waiting to be doodled onto paper!

The next day I had to begin another!

 "Heart of Hearts"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 9.5" x 7")

I really like the 'swirling'  effect in the centre of this design - this one was very calming to work on...

The end result just makes me smile!

Today, yet another idea popped into my head and I grabbed up my art paper and pens

 and started working it out... some hours later (I get into an art zone and I lose track of time!)

I completed this design:

"Sweet Dreams"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 7" x 9.5")

July is a month all our own to celebrate special occasions and watch fireworks...

It's a month filled to the brim with fun and activity and especially LOVE!

"Is there any felicity in the world superior to this?"

Nope, I don't think so!

♥ Cath-

Lookin' Back - Waaay Back!!

Waaay back, way, waaay back in my portfolio...

...to when I was only 6 years old... 

...I drew this extraordinary and fully labelled 

drawing of a bird and my Mom saved it for me! 

 ...and on the flipside of that red and yellow bird 

were some of my first drawings of mice and bunnies!!

 ...Jump ahead 10 years to high school... 

Experimenting with watercolour and graphite 

- my art teacher didn't like the results!

 ...My first attempt at full-fledged watercolor...

 ...Then I got into music... 

The late 80's/early 90's 'hair band music

 And I really loved the movie 'Dances With Wolves'

...Then I met the wonderful guy who I would 

eventually marry and I started drawing couples...

 Yep, that was twenty years ago... 

Work, marriage, two kids and three moves later, I'm finding new styles, new techniques, new interests... 

But it is fun to look back to see where I've been...

A portfolio that allows me to time-travel 

- that always inspires felicity!!

💜 Cath-

Consider the Dandelion

Today "Inspiring Felicity" welcomes a guest writer... 

my Dad, Brian V. Sullivan.

Without further ado...

Consider the dandelion...

     Organic evolution cannot account for its skills to advance through these various cycles and then be preserved by the sending forth of seeds. The plant could not have randomly done this, for it would have perished long before it accomplished that.

    

    Every dandelion goes through the same cycle over and over in its given lifetime. John H. Gerstner declares that “Its very survival demonstrates a built in characteristic of preservation and continuation.”  The plant itself does not have a brain but yet functions with deliberate action toward a definite end. God alone is the answer to this “purpose” that is so evident.

    

    How does it know when to cease being a flower bloom and become a seed-bearing plant? Either there is an intelligent Cause behind this plant and its creation or it just happened. If it just happened, how did it happen to exist long enough to do what it is known for doing: budding, blooming and dispatching multitudinous seeds for new plantations?

    When you see a dandelion think of how it came into being and what it is that makes it bud, bloom and become a virtual seed house. It exudes design in its very nature of moving from bloom to seed dispersal unit.

Without human intervention, just grand design, the dandelion greets each spring visitor and heralds the truth: There is a God and He made me!

    Without human interference the dandelion has gone through generation after generation of growing, blooming and seeding. Yet, the basic plant itself remains the same suggesting clearly the “fixity of species”. Yes, there may be different variables in the plant, but the basic structure and development remains the same throughout the species. This demonstrates “purpose”.

   Only one reasonable explanation remains for the persistence, tenacity, and continual supply of generations of dandelions– God made them in the first place, and gave them a role to play in the natural realm.

    Imagine if man had declared the dandelion a flower rather than a noxious weed? They are one of first harbingers of spring, a yellow orb of sunshine, a ready bouquet for little boys and girls to pick, a virtual salad and to some other purposes that we will leave untold. How could something so useful be classified as a weed?

    Did you realize the dandelion in rapid succession reminds us of the fleeting nature of our life? It begins as a young and tender plant, then advances to maturity and blooming, then it advances to silvery-grey and ultimately a precious part of it “flies away” much as the Scriptures suggest we do (Psalm 90:10).  In spite of dying it lives on.

Every flower has its season, is this your day to shine in God’s sight? 

Mom

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.   Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."~ Proverbs 31:26-29 ~(NKJV)  "Mom" In that one simply spoken single syllable is a lifetime of memories - of treasures."Mom" equates love - unconditional, unending love - no matter what! Just three weeks ago my beautiful Mom passed away quite suddenly.She was only 65 years old, her heart simply failed, and she was gone.And life will never be the same. There is no way to summarize all that my Mom was, nor is there a need to do so here...      I would like, however, to share this. These thoughts have come to mind recently and cause my heart to smile. Mom always looked forward.She looked forward to big events like weddings, grandbabies, and birthdays.She looked forward to traveling with Dad to visit their kids and grandkids.She looked forward to when her kids and grandkids traveled to visit her!                                  She looked forward to every Sunday worship service                                                and every bible study time with fellow Christians.She looked forward to quiet times to draw and paint.She looked forward to volunteering at the local benefit shoppe. She looked forward to trying out a new recipe.She looked forward to 'catching up' with each of her children and grandchildren on the phone each day.Mom looked forward to loving us, hugging us, reassuring and encouraging us, cheering us on!But most importantly, she looked forward to a home in heaven.She lived her life faithfully before God.

As a teenager Mom learned the Truth (Romans 10:11-16). She believed it (Romans 10:17) and she obeyed it. She followed the examples of the men and women found in the New Testament - she understood her need for repentance (Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30, 2 Peter 3:9) and she confessed that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God (Acts 8:37, Romans 10:8-10), and she was immersed into the waters of baptism for the remission of her sins (Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21). She rose to walk in 'newness of life' (Romans 6:1-4) and from that day forward Mom never looked back. She never wavered in her faith. She wholly committed herself to God and was determined to continue to learn and know His will from studying the Bible. When she had struggles she prayed to God for help, comfort, and forgiveness. When she rejoiced, she filled her prayers with praise.  

Mom walked all her days honouring God and doing her very best to obey His will. 

That is why today, Mother's Day, is bittersweet... I won't be getting Mom's phone call telling me how cheery the flowers we sent look on her table, I won't hear her laughter on the other end of the line. I won't hear her say, "I love you bunches and bunches Sweetie!" after telling her how deserving she is of all the happy thoughts and well-wishes that come on this wonderful day set aside to honour Moms...

No, none of that will happen, but one thing that can and will happen - I can and will praise our glorious Father in Heaven for blessing us with a Mom who was an example of love and faithfulness in all things - especially in her walk before Him - because of that I have every confidence that Mom is resting from her labours (Revelation 14:13). I can't help but be thankful to God for providing a hope for life beyond this life! If we live our life according to His will and command we can firmly trust that when our life here ends (or Jesus returns) that we will see her again! We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our dear Mom and together, with the saved of all ages, we will praise our magnificent God for all of eternity!!

       So today I will think on the forty Happy Mother's Days I did share with my Mom - and every day in-between! I will continue to rise up and call her blessed! I will rejoice over the many reasons I can thank God for her and for all that she means to me -  in doing that, I will never stop being thankful for my Mom!! ♥ Cath-

                 

The Mood Swing

  There is a lovely lady I have known for a long time who, in recent years, 

has made mention of a place that she looks forward to after a hectic day... 

...a place that is relaxing and refreshing to her. When it is hot in the house, 

she can escapes to this place for a cool retreat... 

This place is in her yard. I imagine her flower garden may be nearby... 

...this place of calm cool comfort is her swing.  

And her frequent mentions of it and it's joy-invoking qualities sparked something in me...

Can you imagine having access to swing that enhanced one's mood?? 

What would you call such a device? 

It could only be called... wait for it...  "The Mood Swing"!! 

 

Pow! Inspiration struck! Boom! Pow! - "The Mood Swing" - a perfect play on words!!

I grabbed up my sketchbook and start jotting down the pictures in my head.

    First, I began with a quick thumbnail sketch...                  Then I sketched one with more detail....                                                         

Then I thought about some of the components of the picture...

 While I painted the final piece I tested out colour and design ideas before adding them... 

And, after several months of working away at it in-between other projects...

 I finally completed it!

   "The Mood Swing"

(watercolour, 8" x 8")

A cool place to sit, read, relax... the possibilities are endless!

And so are the inspirations!!

♥ Cath-

Abundance of Beauty

It is the year of the tulip!

At least it is in my house...

On the evening of my birthday I received a beautiful bouquet of cut tulips. 

They are of the softest lavender - so feminine and graceful!!

 I've never enjoyed such an abundance of beauty and inspiration - all in one week!!

Beyond the tulips I'm enjoying, my parents sent me a basket overflowing with Spring flowers!

There are so many beautiful blooms that I couldn't even begin to sketch them, let alone paint them!

As I finish my tidying and my bible reading during the day I find myself just sitting and gazing at them,

enjoying their colours and textures - a little time to recharge and get inspired! Thanks Mom & Dad!!

Guess what?!

Today is my 2 year Blog-versary!!

It's interesting to go back over the last two years and see the work I've accomplished

and the fun pieces I've developed!  I hope to do more painting than I have in the past year.

I have rather large commission pieces still in the works, 

hoping to have them completed by the end of June, God willing.

I have some fun paintings I'm enjoying now too, I hope to post them soon!

Also, I'm developing some stories and characters for a couple of picture book ideas 

I want to follow through on and there's no time like the present!

Speaking of the present, here is my painting of the tulip bouquet 

I received as a present on my birthday:

"Birthday Bouquet of Tulips"

(watercolour, 9" x 12")

Wishing you all a wonderful year!! Thank you for your encouraging words and your nice comments!

I feel very blessed to be able to draw and paint pictures that inspire felicity in others, as well as myself!!

♥ Cath-