Rain’s prompt this week is Churches.  I found inspiration mostly looking at Pinterest.  I like an idea behind one of the images and decided to use my sketch to create my own.  I pushed my illustration through the Brushstrokes app for that painting-like effect and then uploaded it to my computer to add an overlay (borrowed image) using Pixelmator Pro (photo editor) and reducing the borrowed image opacity.  Here it is!  

 

 

 

Tomorrow is DH’s off Friday and am sharing another Procreate illustration for Nicole’s FFO date.  With “churches” on the brain, it was only natural for my brain to click to the reason we attend church.  We go in search in of answers. For me, I found it at the foot of Jesus.  

 

 

Using another artist’s work (Greg Joens), I tried replicating his piece. It’s no where near as good as his but I enjoyed the challenge.  My Jesus’ needs to be more upright but I like His expression. It seems he’s seeing right through to my heart and knows everything on my mind. In my Procreate drawing the lines are a bit harsh.  I was able to soften my drawing by using Brushstrokes on it creating a black and white painting like illustration.

 

 

I found a new confidence drawing the face of Jesus and really hadn’t planned to sketch Him again so soon but that’s what I did.  You can shuffle through the 3 slides below to see how my second try went.  The first in the set is the original Procreate followed by two Brushstrokes recreations.

 

 

The two faces do favor, so I’m very happy about that.  I hadn’t realized until just now I illustrated Jesus’ hair part different in this new drawing.  I added color this time but somehow managed to not get the blending just right on His hair.  I’ll have to fix it.  That’s one of the coolest things about digital art is the ease at which I can make changes without destroying my work. 

 

 

I wanted to make cinnamon rolls last Christmas but ran short on time, so I told DH that I would for Easter weekend.  I used the same recipe from 2022 that I found great success with with my adjustments.  OMC! The copy-cat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls turned out even better than the last time I  made them! The changes I mad was primarily to the filling.  DH loves a lot of that cinnamony gooeyness and that’s where many bakery’s fall short, even Cinnabon.  I used 2 cups of packed brown sugar and 8 tablespoons of cinnamon.  I didn’t increase the butter nor did I make it into a paste like the blog author instructed.  It was a little tricky rolling up because it was loose but I managed.  The other change I made was to the frosting I went with 8 ounces of cream cheese.  These changes really made quite the difference in my opinion and DH couldn’t have been happier! 

 

I’m thankful to live in a country where we can still worship openly and speak freely (most of the time) of our faith in Jesus. 

I have a special thankful, my mom.  Today, she celebrates her 79th birthday! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think this week I can throw my two cents worth out there for John’s Writer’s Workshop by answering the below prompt from his list.

5. Tell us about the most exhausted you’ve ever felt.

 

The most exhausted I felt was when we came home from vacation in September 2022.  We drove home nearly straight through from Bar Harbor, Maine. Making minimal stops once for a 90 minute nap,  a handful of times for gas and food in our 1200 mile journey.  By the time we climbed into bed for the night, we had been away almost 40 hours.  It took us most of the new week to begin to feel like normal again. Scratch that, it took almost two weeks because we had our son’s wedding the weekend after our return.   

 

I’m sorry for being long winded today. I’ll close with a touching music video DH shared with me over the weekend of Dennis Quaid singing Amazing Grace that’s on the album playlist.  I’ll be back next time boogieing with the 4M crew on Monday’s Music Moves Me on Sunday, so come join the party! 

 

 

 

Are you looking for new Thursday blog connections? Consider visiting a few of my friends!

• Rain Frances Creations for Thursday Art Date 
• Brian’s Home for Thankful Thursdays
• Moonwashed Musings for Weekly Poetry Prompt
• The Sound of One Hand Typing for Writer’s Workshop