"Nursing is Like Gardening" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Heather Thompson

As many of you know, I am a nurse but also an avid gardener.  I enjoy them both immensely. During the summer months, I try to bring some cheer to work and I wear a real flower in my hair. Every morning after the long night shift, I pull my hair down and throw the flower on the dashboard while I unwind on my drive home from the crazy night I’ve just had.

This particular flower dried on my dashboard and it was just beautiful. Instead of throwing it out the window as I drive down the driveway the next night, I actually left it there to enjoy the beauty it had transformed into. Finally I decided that I just needed to capture it in time forever.

Since nursing and gardening are so similar, I wrote a small comparison and inspiration piece.

Nursing is like Gardening

Nursing is like gardening;
Everyday is a new day. Each day will bring new
Beginnings, new experiences. A new chance at life
To Bloom, blossom and grow.

Nursing is like gardening;
You will always have your pests.
Your frequent visitors, your difficult
Ones that are needy, that you don’t
Understand and never will. The
Ones that will present a problem
Around every corner and the ones that will never leave.

Nursing is like gardening
You will always lose some. No
Matter how hard you try and how
Much time and effort and heart you put
Into it. Some were just not meant to live.
For what ever reason, it was meant to be.

Nursing is like gardening;
Rewarding, hardworking, a learning experience,
Frustrating, fulfilling, distressing
Beautiful. From one end of the spectrum to the other.

Nursing is like gardening;
Worth every minute -the good, the bad and the ugly (and the stinky)

Enjoy every aspect and learn everyday. It’s
A good day when you can learn something new.
In every bad situation make it a learning experience,
And find something good with in it.
Nursing is like gardening.

Supply List:

Relics & Artifacts® Egg Shrine
Ice Resin
Spellbinders Designer Series Seth Apter Gridiron
Amazing Casting Resin
DecoArt Fluid Acrylics:
Phthalo Green-Blue
Cobalt Teal Hue
Ultramarine Blue
Titanium White
Americana Decor Crackle Medium

"A Fair Lady's Shrine" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Heather Thompson

During ancient times of heroic knights and young fair maidens, kings and noblemen would have their young daughters fancied up in their most beautiful courting dresses and glamorous facial paint.

They would capture the eternal youth, first in portrait, by the most talented artists in the region, then they would encase it in a magnificent shrine made with the prettiest jewels and dressed in trims of gold and silver. The shrines were painted with the brightest pigments and tones for the most dramatic and eye-catching effects.

Conceptually, the more beautiful and alluring the shrine, the more appealing to the eyes of would-be suitor knights, all in the hopes of marrying the young maiden to a rich and wealthy family and unifying powerful families. 

After accords were struck between the fathers of the noble maidens and the suitors, the fair ladies dressed in the most magnificent formal attire.  In this final show of beauty and opulence, maidens were officially affianced to their future husbands in hopes of finding their happily ever after. 

Supply List:
Muse® Art Stamps St. Cecilia
Muse® Art Stamps Oculus
Relics & Artifacts® Dresden Trim Wrought Iron Gold
Relics & Artifacts® Bohemian Jewels Ruby
Ice Resin
Iced Enamels Shattered Mica
DecoArt Media Primary Magenta
DecoArt Media Primary Yellow
DecoArt Media Phthalo Green-Blue
DecoArt Media Cobalt Teal Hue
DecoArt Media Cerulean Blue
DecoArt Media Cobalt Black
Liquid Pearls Buttercup
Coffee Break Designs Mini Ornate Framed Shrine Kit Style 5
Seth Apter Stamps Spot Lights
Seth Apter Stamps Border Lines
Metal Frame
Rhinestones

"Follow Your Heart" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Milagros Rivera

We all have it within us, a need to look to the skies above, a need to improve ourselves, be better, set goals and reach them.  We just need to follow our heart and reach for the stars!

As always, the Relics & Artifacts® pieces have a way of whispering which direction they want to take me.  I debated on this one as I had two possible choices that would lead me through different paths. By incorporating Seth Apter's new die, I had the perfect platform to work the Relics.   I envisioned the hands, holding a fragile gold thread, representing the good in our lives.  This one was dictated by Cat Kerr's stamp, "follow your heart". 

When I was little, my dad used to call me Sol.  He would say, "Oh the sun is out!" I don't know if it was because my hair was really blond or because I was a very early riser, but I have very fond memories and those prompted this next piece

I decided to add Cat's stamp,s"he flies with her own wings", both in Latin and in English. I also gave her wings.

(One last close up.)

As on my night version, I added stars here as well.  You'll be able to follow along on Snapguide for the first piece!

Supply List:
Relics & Artifacts® Archival Case Wood Tray I
Relics & Artifacts® Milagros
Seth Apter "Ray of Light" die set
Cat Kerr "Follow Your Heart" stamp
Cat Kerr "She Flies With Her Own Wings" stamp
The Crafter's Workshop paints
The Crafter's Workshop white gesso
fabric
chipboard