Wings for flying...

Wings....angel wings....fragile, translucent dragonfly wings...vibrant patterned butterfly wings...
These ones on this post are about the silver wings that my hubby received in 1988. It's a symbol of something he had dreamed of accomplishing...

Even way back when he was only 2yrs old...

(photo taken on his 2nd bday - Dec 25)

He would hold his hands and "make" them "fly". He remembers doing this when he was little.  & in this photo of him and his brother, his hand was caught in action :o)

Fast forward from 1963 to 1988...

(2nd row...he's my handsome hunk...the last one that you can see on the right).

Here's a closeup:

This slideshow has some past photos during flight school and during our first assignment at Schofield Barracks/Wheeler Airfield, Hawaii.

This photo was one I found after I made the slideshow.

It is another one of Mr. B pinning on my little wings :o) 

(1988)

Each of the spouses received mini wings too :o)

(I think it is so cute :o)
I took this by a penny dated 1988-the year he completed and graduated from flight school.
I meant to ask him where his wings are... so I could take a picture of his next to mine.

Here's Mr. B, in Iraq, after flying his Apache helicopter (aka AH-64).
...cooling off in his tent with a little photo album we sent to him in a care package.

(2003)

A wee bit late (ok...pretty late!) ...but I am hurrying to get my "W" post in at

Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday.

(Thank you! Thank you! for letting me into "class", even though I am quite tardy!)

Another blogger mentioned to me to link up with
the ABC Wednesday Team's ABC Wednesday Rounds,
so I'm joining with this one too.
Please let me know from where you are hopping over from :o)

&

Alicia's Friday Photo Flashback.

Here are some drawing orders inspired by a variety of "wings".

This first was actually the Solo Flight certificate that I designed for each of those in my husband's flight class to be given after their Solo Flight was taken in the little TH-55.

(The TH-55 was enitrely drawn using the words PURPLE PIRATES)

**In trying to get these posted more quickly, I have combined the drawings on Photoshop** 

You can click on each, if you wish to see a bigger view. 

The following are three separate drawings...

1. The butterfly was drawn with the name KYLA.
(This was an order that was done in memory of a beautiful young teen).

2. The dragonfly was drawn for my sweet little niece with her name BRECKEN.

3. And the hummingbird & flower were drawn with the name LORI.

These three are also separate orders.

1.The shuttle was drawn with the name JIM.

2. The two little darlings are of a brother CALVIN and his little sister JULIETTE.

(Their mom and dad wanted little angel wings on their little angels :o)

3.The flying Tigger was for a wedding gift done with John & Anmy's last name SCHRADER.

Thank you for stopping by and please do leave a comment :o) I love to hear from you and will get by to visit too :o)

Blessings & Aloha!

(***Remember to come back and check on my blog

...cuz on my 100th post, 

I will be doing some giveaways for some drawings 

and also "Percents off" gift certificates to be used towards drawing orders.***)

Me...and My...

...blog called Personalized Sketches and Sentiments...
It's about the artwork that I do and a bit about my family and friends that are dear to me...
& random things in our lives...


...I started this blog at the same time as my on-line Etsy shop, so that hopefully you can get a glimpse of who is behind the artwork. 


In past posts, I have done slideshows of my hubby, children and other family, so I thought this would be a good place for a slideshow of the photos I found of me when I was little. (I love how easy Roxio slideshows are to put together).

& With each post, I try to include a sample of the Personalized Sketch (aka drawings done with a name).

The timing for My post "Me...and My..." works out Magnificently :o)  And I'll explain why...                   

On Thursday, I am joining in with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY "M"

&

on Friday, with Alicia for 

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK. 

I have been joining with another wonderful blogger Midday Escapades and meme Friday Follow, but I am having a hard time keeping up, so I thought I would just do these 3 this time. I really enjoy meeting new bloggers, as well as catch up on the amazing blogger friends that I have met since I started blogging.

This is Me... at about 7 months old...


& 
 a recent photo of me...today :o)

(I just took this "self-photo" this morning! Whew! if you only knew how many "self-photo" shots I had to delete! ...I look so tired!)

These original drawings, I draw entirely with a person's name. & have been doing them since 1985. 

You can read about that here. 

I've taken orders over the years at shows and through word of mouth, but was hesitant to jump into the world of computers and the internet.  Even though, over and over, customers have asked if I would, so that they could easily show others about the drawings, it has taken a very long time for me to be "brave" with doing things on the computer.

But here I am, and slowly I am feeling more computer savvy as time goes on! haha (but one thing you may notice is it is an accomplishment, if I can manage one post up a week!) 

So, that is why I said that this works out Magnificently...

...because I am able to do 3 wonderful memes at a time!

~~~~~~~~~~

I am joining in with 5 Minutes for Mom for the 2010 Ultimate BLOG PARTY! 
(I'm a wee bit slow in joining).

This party is for bloggers and non-bloggers alike. There are LOTS of prizes.
It's 100% FREE!!
Just write a party post of your own, provide the party URL on Mr. McLinky at 5MFM.
After you have provided your party link at 5MFM go PARTY!!
Start blog hopping, hanging out with new and old bloggers.
Especially try meeting new-to-you bloggers.
Last year there were over 2,000 bloggers participating.

A Little about Me:

(1) I am blessed with an awesome hubby for 28+ years (retired Army helicopter pilot), adorable~and grown~children (Girly~Twirly, graduates in May as a dentist; Girly~Whirly, second year of dental school; Heartbreaker, in his 2nd year of undergrad); amazing son-in-law (our older daughter's MR, graduates in May and begins his residency for Dermatology). ...They all love the Lord.  They encourage me, inspire me and support me...I love just being around them...laughing and sharing.

Our Family Christmas 2009 Photo

(2) I LOVE to blog, even though, it wasn't until our daughter - Girly~Twirly (aka theluckiestmrs.) - showed us hers last year, that I even really knew what a blog was! And this past summer, I decided to start a blog along with my Etsy shop, so that you can get to know a bit about me and my family behind the artwork shown here.

(3) I LOVE doing the artwork that I do!  It is always so much fun to hear what a person is interested in having drawn...for themselves or family or friends.  I have been showing and taking orders for these at local shows for over 25+years, ...but not being "computer-savvy", it was only last summer that I jumped into having an on-line shop.

(4) I LOVE that I grew up as a military child and then a military wife.  I would love to continue traveling, but also would like to live closer to where all our family are...  Especially when all the grandbabies start "a'comin".


(5) I tend to be word-y...but will stop here... So, I'd love for you to stop by any time and take a look around my blog... And if there is something that you would like drawn for any occasion...birthday, graduation, retirement...or a "just because" gift...please feel free to let me know.


And You can go here to read A Bit About Me...my very first post.


It is so fun meeting all of you bloggers!  I do go and visit all those who leave a comment. 


Prizes I would like: 
                                    U.S. Only Numbers
US95, US11,US107, US112,US8,US49, US52,US6


My greetings to you are Blessings & Aloha! 


(Blessings to you and your family! Aloha means many things...such as, hello, love, until we meet again...)

~~~~~~~~~
Ooops! I almost forgot to show some recent drawing orders.  
These were just completed and shipped out. 

(Thank you Brandy for this order 

and for the one of Tyler and his dog Sara.)

(Thank you Alicia for thinking of a monogram for a wedding gift.)

And this one was just received in the mail.

Thank you Amber for your email:

Maria,

I got the drawing today and it looks wonderful. Thank you so much! I know my father will love it!  I am passing your word around on my facebook and also to the FRG! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU~ Always going to keep you in mind for a wonderful unique gift! You do amazing work! Thank you, Amber

(*FRG stands for Family Readiness Group, a great support system for military spouses for the company that their spouses serve in.)

Please feel free to stay a while and look around...(oh and I really do love finding your comments, so if you would, please be sure to let me know what you think :o)


& I'd love for you to pick up my BUTTON and take it with you back to your place :o)
(The code is on my sidebar). ...and if you do, please let me know...











Whew! this is a really huge Blog Party! I'm so glad I was able to join in, but I heard about it too late to submit a giveaway.  However, when I eventually reach my 100th post, I will be doing a giveaway for a Personalized Sketch done in the winner's choice of name. (This is my 88th post...)

First Date...Remembered?

Well...like I mentioned at the end of my last post of how we met, Mr. B called me up after being "shy" when he saw me at the commissary.  He really is "Mr. Social man", so I thought that was so not "cool" when he basically passed me by as I was bagging groceries. Later, he tells me that he went to to pick up a couple of groceries knowing that I was working, but when he came by my line, he got cold feet. (Too cute!)  Thankfully, he got up the nerve and gave me a call.

Here's a picture of me "back in the day"...by my house phone...that I was "patiently" waiting to ring. (this photo was not actually taken on THE night that he had called me, but it is the phone and when I found this photo, I thought how neat that you can see the phone I was talking about...haha, that magical phone).

Participating in Mama M's Valentine's Extravaganza!  

This is Day 2: Favorite Date Story

            

...so, our first date was to go to the theater on base.  My title to this post is "First Date...Remembered?" because, all that we both remember was:  

1. He walked to my house from his barracks...

2. He met my parents and brother... 

3. We walked to the theater...

4. We sat in the theater (I do not even remember what movie was playing! I was too focused on Mr. B!  Since he has an awesome memory, I asked Mr. B tonight, if he was sure that he absolutely could not remember the movie...he couldn't... so that must mean that he was too focused on me. :o)

5.  After the movie, we walked back to my house.  

(When we first started dating, Mr. B did not own any "wheels", so we walked.  Living on a base or any military installation is pretty convenient. They are like little towns, with a grocery store, shopping store, fast food places, theater, bowling, gym, swimming pools, etc...) And like I mentioned, my dad was pretty strict... there were not too many places that I had permission to go.  We got to be pretty good bowlers :o)

***so as far as first dates go...not too much was remembered, except the "excited-to-be-near-him", butterfly-in-the-belly, "can't-believe-he-asked-me-out" feelings.  It definitely was the beginning to an amazing journey :o)*** 

~~~~~~~~~ 

Here are a few photos taken when we were dating:

Mr. B and my little brother. (I have no clue why they are pinching each other's cheeks!) haha

at my house, before my high school prom

close up of the "official" school prom photo

a classic 1981 prom pic!

Mr. B did buy a Scout from one of my dad's friends, so we didnt have to walk to every date ;o) 

It was a gas guzzler! 

I found this photo of Mr. B (in his tshirt and white corderoy shorts) washing his old Scout.

And here is a picture of Mr. B riding one of his friend's Harleys.  

Thanks for stopping by...check out more Dating Stories on

  Mama M's Valentine's Extravaganza!

~~~~~~~~~

I do try to post some drawings with each post.  This one isnt a Harley or a Scout, but it's an El Camino that was given as a gift from a lovely customer to her hubby this past Christmas.

Blessings & Aloha!

First a customer...Forever a friend!

...This title reflects a sentiment that I have found to be true over the years I have been doing Personalized drawings.

I have always loved doing the drawings that I do and meeting those who have either ordered or have been given one as a gift. I have been blessed to hear the stories behind the reason for a drawing or about the person that the drawing is for.

One story is about an order of an old steam engine from a daughter to her father.  She didnt have a picture of one & so I went to the library and found a great photo in a book (this was in "ancient times" before the wonderful world of google and now bing). Well, after Christmas, I heard from her and she said that her dad loved it and that he got teary-eyed, because it happened to be the same EXACT steam engine that he had started out on as a very young man! He had been retired from working with trains for many years. 

(Click on to the photo to see, it is drawn using his first name "Reine". sorry about the quality- I have always made a copy of the originals that I do, so that I have a record of the drawing (this copy has faded slightly) and I looked at the date in the far bottom left corner '89... I remember this story so well, that it doesn't seem that it should be 20 years!)

I have been getting emails from those of you after your order has arrived (thank you for your responses), those who have seen and asked to order drawings (thank you for the "word of mouth" connections), and also with all the military moves, those who have searched and found me (thank you for being persistent and resourceful!) 

In the section of posts that will be shown under Sentiments, I will be adding some of those stories and what past customers have to say...

Thank you so much for your interest and sharing your stories.

Blessings & Aloha!

Maria