Hey people!

If you are all still with me I just want you to know that I'm still here. DON'T LEAVE YET! I still have so much to share. And I have to tell you more about my silly projects and other ideas. I want you all to be a part of my artist journey and for you to read about my challenges and accomplishments. You know? you know?

anyways, I've been working on school projects and paintings but right now, I'm just have been making hats. Hats, hats, hats, hats....haaaaats. I've made quite a few hats and I still have a lot to go. I'm crocheting slouchy beanie hats to sell at an event in Detroit called, Noel Night. Its on December 7th. there are going to be other artists selling their art and crafts and a whole bunch of other fun stuff! Like caroling, I think sleigh rides, demonstrations, and other things. Fun Fun Fun!!!

I am just so excited for winter. I know, you can hate me all you want, I love winter. (to an extent) I love snow and cold weather because I like sweaters and scarfs and hats. I don't like to be sweaty. I rather it be cold than reeeeeally hot. Lets just say Autumn and Fall are my favorite times of the year. (yes they are two different things)

So, I don't have much else to say except hang in there. There will be more to come. Just making hats. Go make some cookies or something. Or go knit a sweater. Clean your house or wash your car in the mean time. haha

I know I'm not that funny and you can't really tell what kind of tone I'm using but its an uplifting cheerful tone. Just so you know. =]

Peace, ya'll 

I am happy when I know I'm making progress. It show me that I'm getting better or closer to where I want to be. Progress is good. 

Anyways, speaking of progress in my artworkings, I am working on my next illustration. I haven't posted any progress from my illustrations for awhile so I'm finally doing it. yay! Arn't ya'll so excited. Well here you have it. Farm animals playing bluegrass music! Based on my memory of playing with some friends in our bluegrassy band for our fund raiser for our trip to Paraguay. 

It's been pointed out that an accordion is not a bluegrass instrument...yeah..I didn't think it was. But I just really wanted to draw an accordion. And besides, the pig looks adorable playing an accordion don't ya think? So thats my excuse. The accordion stays so now they are farm animals playing folk music. So there. 

So I started painting the folk playing animals and I'm having trouble figuring out the lighting of the painting. My painting of Campfire Friends, I did a cool blue wash first and added the highlights of the fire. But this painting of the farm animals I'm doing the opposite. A warm burnt sienna wash and painting in the cools and then the highlights. It messed me up in the beginning but I started painting today and I think I'm going in the right direction. 

And I'm also creating hipster animals. I will update you later with that...

Liz Craft, out. 

I am happy to say that my devotional is completed. It has been interesting and a challenge to write this devo. First the images had to fit what I wanted to talk about. that was the easy part. But what made this devo such a challenge is that I'm still going through heartache. Maybe you are asking yourself, "How can you even write a devotional if you are not healed yourself?"

That is a good question. I even asked myself that question. I prayed about it if it's something that God wanted me to do. When I got the assignment the idea of creating a devotional popped in my head. And then instantly thought to make broken hearts the topic. I felt okay with writing it because I thought I was in a good spot emotionally.

Things started to come together. I felt like each page fitted all together and my outlines for each page seemed to be writing itself. The thoughts just came to me. I felt like I had a strong outline to start writing. I started to create the images. The first was the cover with a pair of hands (God's) holding a broken heart. I felt at peace when I just stopped and studied at what I was creating. I really felt that God was holding my heart and taking care of me.

I was doing well with creating the images. But when it came to write the devo. I felt like I couldn't write it. I wrote out one entry and it was just crap. haha I mean, it just didn't sound right and I didn't really make any sense. I felt like I was struggling. I remember praying to God if this is something you really want me to do.

There was some days I couldn't focus because I would just start thinking about my past relationship that I have yet to get over...I felt like, "How can I even write this devotional??!!" I was just so upset.

But don't worry. Let me finish. After a couple of weeks just spending my time working on the illustrations and spending time with friends, I think I was ready to write. As I was writing each entry it was like I was reminding myself of God's promises. God's love is enough, he will never leave me, he is providing for me, he knows my needs, he has placed encouraging people in my life, he made me beautiful, its God's plan not my plan, God is in control, and so much more.

Though I still am recovering...and I have my moments of sadness I know that I have hope. I know that God will pull me through this. And I'm reminded of this through his Word and the friends that are helping me through this. There is more I want to say but this blog will be super long...so I'm going to just leave it at that. Thank you for reading.

I hope to figure out how I can save the book as a PDF so I can put it here to download. Because Adobe InDesign is getting on my last nerves...I hate that stupid program. haha

But you can view my selected illustrations from my devotional here.

Okay, so it wasn't a piece of cake. Teaching is a challenge. Truth. It was time to present a lesson plan to a group of 6th grade students. It was like I was being put to the test on applying everything I learned from my art ed. classes. How do I mange the classroom? How do I get the student's attention, to follow directions, how do I guide the students with the lesson, how do I manage my time...wow...It was definitely a learning experience. 

I presented a lesson on one of the elements of art, Shape. There are seven elements of art if you are not familiar. Value, form, shape, line, texture, color, and space. So for my lesson I choose shape and I talked about what shape is. What are the two types of shapes, (organic and geometric) and then I introduced and artist, Jayme McGowan. She is an amazing paper art artist. She does some pretty great paper cut out art. 

So my project was for the students to create a paper cut out illustration of their own. You can find the whole lesson here. The students were required to have at least three of each geometric and organic shapes and create an animal in an environment using only paper. You can see their work on the elementary lesson page here. Some of the students didn't understand how to create an animal only using shapes. So I had to stop and explain. Some struggled but majority of the students followed directions and understood. All of them did their best and were excellent in putting effort into their artwork. And some students thought outside the box by making it 3-dimensional! pretty great. 

Since i mentioned cake earlier I want some now...so bye for now!