Details before the mud........

More pieces....ready to add grout tomorrow.  It's a risk, covering everything with mud, but I usually love the results.....we shall see tomorrow.....then it sits for a couple of days and then I will had a tinted glaze, which makes a big difference too.  At this stage  the handwritten French journal pages, & the music sheets have been applied, a crackle glaze has been added....antiquing has been done, the reiki symbols have been placed.....the nautilas shell and rusted metal leaves have been attached and finally the tempered glass has been applied.  And the Reiki blessing has been done.  Then...it gets covered in mud.

Here's another one in the same stage...pre-mud.  This one has a large Reiki symbol under the tempered glass and over the beautiful French journal pages from 1881

And also this one.....there is a shell of a coconut holding a metal piece framing an iron top from an old iron fence probably.  Found in a Paris flea market....I've added some tarnished silver antique metallic netting to this piece and I'm interested to see how that will show up with the grout added.

Studio table....cleaned up and ready for tomorrow's grouting session.

New Reiki piece........"The Key"

"Nest"

close up of "Nest"....found bird nest wrapped in vintage netting with Hawaiian seeds as eggs.

"Alter"

worked on my second Angel painting....

close up of "Blaize's Angel"

angels watching over me.....

Studio.....

new reiki piece.....face painted on canvas with hidden reiki symbols under tempered glass mosaic....with hawaiian blessings.  Rusted metal leaves, red good luck seeds, fan coral around her face.

just started a new angel painting.  I've decided to do an angel painting for each grand daughter.  This one is for Blaize.  So there will be 7 angel paintings.

I think I'm finished with Aidan's Angel.  I think....maybe.....

Adding blue and tatoo....

Decided to add some clear blue skies.....some vines of growth from the heart.....

then added some Reiki Blessing Symbols on her face....

and started an Hawaiian face......

Loosening up.......

I realized.... in looking at the last work on my painting..... that I was being too tight....too controlling with my brush strokes.  I thought about Aidan and how tight I was holding her, in my mind, and I thanked this angel for reminding me that you can't control  or hold on too tight to artistic expression and certainly you can't hold on to to teenager. Give them wings....let them fly!

Day Four....the symbol of the octopus....

Aidan had an experience swimming with an octopus so that is the symbol that I've added today, in the circle around her head.  In ancient times, the octopus was thought to be a sign of good luck and protection.  I have added strips of tissue paper with words on them onto her wings....words to live by..... and dots over the bees that look to me like their hives...the bees are safe in their homes.  Her eyes have opened more....

Aidan's Angel ....Day Three

Aidan is safe and the uncertain emotion of blue which had moved into a rosey hopefulness, has today,  opened up to optimism and hopefulness and the space of white full wings....a blank slate for experience to be written upon.  And her eyes have begun to open......

Angel landing......

Aidan has arrived....safely....and is with her family for the month. Her adventure continues....and life will never be the same.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers.....

Aidan's Angel....

Day Two....the colors have changed a bit...less blue and more a rosey glow of anticipation.  I've added the symbols of bees as my Meaning of Symbols books says they are the "birds of Our Lady".   Seemed a perfect symbol to add as Aidan boards her flight to Athens after a 12 hour lay over in Canada.

Flying with Angels......

Aidan, our oldest grand daughter...17 yr....is on her way to the airport to fly to Greece for a month.  She will be an au pair for a family there. She has promised to text me at every step of her journey.  Her first text came in while I was in my studio painting an angel.  I told her it was her guardian angel and that I will be painting her each and every day while she is in Greece....and while we were texting the song "Flying with Angels" started playing on my ipod.

.

"Where are you going, inside your mind
I guess were always livin'
on borrowed time
Yes I will be here, to hold your hand
just close your eyes and sleep
I understand
Chorus:
You're flying with angels
above us all and I'll be here
to catch you if you fall
If others leave you, you know I'll stay
My dreams will whisper to you
and guide you way
so sleep my darlin' (sleep my darlin')
one kiss goodnight (one kiss goodnight)
another song awaits you
with rising eyes
Chorus 2x
Oh I'll be here to catch if you fall"