Low Cost/No Cost Adventures in Las Vegas

Hi, I am starting a new series about adventures in and around Las Vegas.  I initially thought of this at the beginning of the year and got busy with other things.  However, I have been doing a lot since my birthday and thought it was time to act.

Adventures on budget is really important to me, especially when living on a fixed income.  So for the next two years, I am going to be researching low cost Las Vegas adventures and posting about them here on my blog.  You dear reader can do the same thing in your city.  Let's get started

Bellagio Conservatory

My adventure today was to the Bellagio Conservatory.  The fall display will be closing on November 25th so I had to get there and today, Nov. 21st, was perfect.  Nice weather and it is FREE!!  I took the bus down to the strip and there is so much to see.  The Christmas display opens the first week of December and I am planning to visit it.

Photo's from this adventure:  Fall Display

Too the City Center Tram to the Monte Carlo Hotel and walked through the hotel on a quest to find the Strip.  Got a little lost but a nice guard gave me direction to walk through a really cute park that was across the street from the T-Mobile Arena.

T-Mobile Arena

As I entered the park, I saw men setting up the Christmas Tree display

Tree set up in progress.  Will be sure to take a photo of the finished product.

I did not spend any money on this adventure, took my own bottle of water (water is really expensive on the Strip).  Next time I am going to pack a light lunch and take a journal.  I think this is going to be a fun project and I am going to create a list of more places to visit.

Until the next adventure, peace and love....pilgrim adventurer.

A Bright Spot on the Horizon

Let there be light

I have finally decided to work on journal pages from my own thoughts and desires.

This page started out with just the background of buff's and grays.  I loved the neutrality of the colors.  I sat with it for a couple of days trying to figure out where the page would take me.  As I listened to the news events of the week and the sadness from the shooting here in Las Vegas on Oct. 1st followed by the attack on innocent bicyclists in New York,  I wanted to bring a bright spot to my world.

The end result is this thought:  "No matter how bleak my world may seem....There is always a bright spot on the horizon."

until next time.....pilgrim

Week 5 End of #Inktober

Well it is over my friends.  #Inktober has been a real help to me this year.  Drawing, coloring and typing these blog poses has been a perfect part of my therapy.  

The month went by so quickly.  Tomorrow starts my favorite month of the year, November.

see you soon,,,,,pilgrim

Inktober Week 4: 10-22 to 10-28-2017

This week was a mixture of African designs and tangles.  It was so fun.

Progress this week:

Open the snaps on pants hangers with right hand and did not hurt.  Progress

Inktober is almost over and I have enjoyed every minute every small drawing,  I have used the same book for the past two years; however there are only a few pages left so I will start a new book next year.  I already have it, it is so cute.

Have a blessed week....pilgrim

Inktober October 15 to 21 - Doodling can be fun

I have to say that I am really getting to like this Zentangle/doodle process.  I have done it before, but I was never comfortable with it.  Mainly because I have been guilty of at looking at what other's do and think that I could never be as good.  I know, I know, I should not think like that but sometimes old habits are hard to break.  Anyhoo, I have started to enjoy the randomness of it all.  I have a couple of reference books that I am using, one is dedicated to African symbols that I bought years ago.  Plus I am just making some up (that is a lot of fun).

Accomplishments this week:

• Able to comb my hair with my right hand and no pain
• typing on the compter is getting faster, although my hand does hurt if I work too long so I work in shifts
• I can use scissors with my right hand, thank goodness
• Writing is getting more comfortable
• ring finger is getting closer to touching palm slow but steady

Inktober Day 15

Inktober Day 16

Inktober Day 17

Inktober Day 18

Inktober Day 19

Inktober Day 20

Inktober Day 21

This was a fun week....pilgrim

Inktober - Week 2

Inktober Day 9

Inktober Day 11

Inktober Day 12

Inktober Day 13

Inktober Day 14

Inktober Day 7

Inktober Day 8

Second week of #Inktober 2017.  This is both fun and therapeutic.

Until next week.....pilgrim

Inktober week 1

October first was the beginning of Inktober.  I participated last year and it was fun so I thought I would give it a go again this year.  I thought about working on Zentangles and improving my process with 31 days of practice.

Since drawing is a part of my home exercise program it turns out that working on Zentangles and doodles is perfect because of the intricate details.  This week I have better control in setting up my work for photo's so here is week one's offering.

October 1st

October 2nd

October 3rd

October 4th

October 5th

October 6th

October 7th

Holding the pen and pencil to do this work takes a lot of time and patience because it does hurt; but if I am going to gain my range of motion and strength in the joints of my fingers on my right hand, this is type of work I need to do.  I am so blessed that part of my therapy encompasses things I love to do.

Hmmmm, what will next week bring?  Stay tuned........see you soon pilgrim

Things I have learned week of Oct. 1, 2017

This is the third installment in the things I have learned that are related to my hand injury.  It is amazing how things has changed or is changing my outlook on many things.

Oct. 1 - The ability to be able to smile in the face of adversity is priceless.

Oct. 2 -

•  Stitches removed today.  I am normally a woose when it comes to things like this but I put on my big girls pants and was brave.  It did not hurt much.
• the mass shooting in Las Vegas was very emotionally draining.  So many lives lost and so many injured.  It saddened me greatly

Oct. 3 

• I was able to crochet today.  It hurt a little, but I have to use my hand as much as possible to get my range of motion back into my fingers.

October 4

• Washing dishes is a good way to soak my hand and fingers and get exercise. Who knew.

Oct. 5

• Exercise 6 times a day, wow, made a schedule so I can get it done.  
• While at PT yesterday I realized how blessed I am  when I see the injuries of others.
• drawing is good therapy also.  All of the things I like to do will help my hand.

Oct. 6

• Exercise hurts a lot, but it is worth it.
• Working on a scarf (knitting) and it is going ok.  
• I am project managing my exercise plan....it is in my bones.

Oct. 7

• Last day of what I have learned----everything I like to do, paint, draw, crochet and knit are part of my therapy program.  This is going to be good.  Getting ready to make some cards.

Love this flower, so bright and this is how I feel today.

See you later....pilgrim

Lesson I have learned week 2

Second week of healing and living in the non-dominant hand world.  I am doing something a little different and writing something each day of the week,

Saturday - Sept. 23rd:

• decided to concentrate on my art as if I only had a left hand.  Today's lesson, it is not possible to paint and not be messy; hence paint on my bandage, so much for trying to keep it squeaky clean.
• you have to be willing to laugh at yourself.

Sunday - Sept. 24th:

• exercising fingers to rocking music at church is pretty cool.
• drawing faces with left hand has a sketchy look which I think I like
• use my tools (more on this in a later blog)

Monday - Sept. 25:

• Time to evaluate things and places that no longer suit my needs or represent me

Tuesday - Sept. 26:

• I cannot knot or crochet with left hand.  boohoo
• a hot cup of tea before bread is so relaxing
• paint crackle medium on deli paper and use as collage pieces.

Wednesday - Sept. 27:

• Healing takes time and you just have to be patient.

Friday - Sept. 29:

• It is better to be open and honest when making major changes.  It can help to eliminate rumors.

Art work done with non-dominant hand this week:

This has been an interesting week, would not have changed a thing.  until next time.....pilgrim

Things I Have Learned......

Results of a Fall

You know how people always say it could have been worse?  Well, truer words were never spoken this week.   Early in the morning on Sept 18th I fell dislocating fingers 3, 4 and 5 on my right hand.  Fingers 4 and 5 went back into place with heavy sedation and a pull.  Finger 3 required surgery, stitches and a soft wrap to fix.  Now I am at home resting and healing.  I have had a time to think and the result will be a few blog posts about what I have learned through this experience.

What I have learned 9-18 to 9-23

• I have some really great friends, especially Marge who took to the hospital and stayed with me for hours
• I always try to be the best patient I can be, it can make a very trying experience somewhat better, if that is possible.
• Using a pepper grinder is out for a while, using black pepper in the can.
• I am somewhat ambidextrous and that is a blessing in this case.
• while I try to be a good patient, I DO NOT LIKE getting my blood pressure taken every 4 hours, it hurts people.  That automatic BP machine puts a death grip on your arm.  About the same pressure as the masochistic mammogram machine
• I can make greeting cards with my left hand Yay!!!!!!  
• Cutting up my food is a challenge, but I will not starve
• It truly could have been worse, I could have broken my leg, broken my arm...so I am so thankful and have been letting God know this all week.
• greatest invention ever, sleeve to cover arm and wrap to keep it dry when taking a shower
• I have to learn to slow down and take it easy.

That is my list for this week. Next week I am going to try art journaling with my non-dominant hand, should be interesting and fun.

until then.......pilgrim

Creative Retreat Weekend

I spent this weekend and will spend part of today, participating in the Art is Magic online Creative Retreat and it was wonderful.  Sponsored by Galia Alena, it was a smorgasbord of classes presented by awesome teachers.  A side effect of this retreat was to convince me to get busy working on the online classes with unlimited access that I have not worked on in Ages.  I can have my own creative retreat just working on these classes.

I am going to post a few photo's of paintings and try to get the name of the teacher correct.

Eye Practice - Lauren Rudolph

This is a use what you have moment, so this was painted in watercolor since I did not have the 

colors in acrylic.  I loved this lesson. Takeaway from this session, you can get deep colors
using watercolor. You can see notes to the side that I wrote for myself.

Backgrounds - Amanda Grace

I love creating backgrounds that can be used later or just just left as is. Takeaway from this session
backgrounds are so inspiring and liberating.  I can leave them as is or use them as a basis
for more in-depth painting.

Rise - Lady Mille

Again this was use what you have lesson for me.  I did not have pictures

of butterflies for collage, so I drew one on tracing paper, painted it with watercolor

and collaged it.  The layering was so much fun.  The shabby chic look is one of my favorites..
Takeaway from this lesson,  soft colors is in my soul.

Black and White - Denise Daffara

This was a Sunday after church project.  I only completed the first half and it was fun.  

I do love working in black and white; however, instead of using white I used the color Vanilla

 by Craft Smart.  She is a little crosseyed, but that is okay.  Plus...drawing the sketch with stabilo woody is a great way to  gain depth.  This was my takeaway from this lesson.

Draw and paint what you see - Fiona Haight Clark

This lesson is something I have done before, but not to this extent.

Drawing squiggle lines on a page in charcoal or stabilo marks all and then

looking for items to draw.  Started with the face and then formed a body.  Some of the

class mates had beautiful forms and then there is me keeping it real (LOL).  Takeaway from
this Lesson, develop a discerning eye to see what the marks tell you.

Beyond Word - Gaila Alena

Ok, why do I like this?????The vines and leaves.  I mixed the color using jet black by Apple Barrel and 

Mint green by Craft Smart.  I did not have a leafy green color, so I thought to mix black with the green

to get a deeper color.  My takeaway from this?  I love drawing vines and leaves and color mixing is

a valuable tool.

Garden of Tranquility - Tiare Smith Woods

This is a Sunday project that I did this morning.  I am in love with this painting.  My takeaway from

this lesson?  Using baby wipes and sponges for the majority of the background and the flowers in the grass.

I have a few more classes to complete this afternoon.  Great way to spend a quiet day.

Take care my friends.....pilgrim

#21Embody - Day 10 - Nose

Improving

I really was dreading attempting the nose.  It is not my favorite body part to draw, but it is an essential part of our anatomy.  I did not want to paint it or do too much shading as I like what I did and did not want to mess it up with paint.  I think the eyebrows are a little to high up, but oh well it will be get better with more practice.

For today, this nose actually looks like a nose.  Woohoo.

see you tomorrow....

#21Embody day 9 - Lips

Lips

Lips, I think I am getting better at capturing the contour and expression.  Arting pretty much everyday is becoming a welcomed habit.  It allows me to relax.

see you later