I don’t think I have stopped running in the last few weeks.  (don’t get confused it was NOT the exercising kind of running) . . . . just a lot of things happening in life.

First, at the beginning of March we went on a Paper Muse Cruise to Cozumel and Belize aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas.  It was a wonderful time and during the “at sea” days I taught mixed media classes.

In the first class we constructed an Art Journal using a number of fun techniques on watercolor paper.

The 2nd class we created a canvas using Tim Holtz Distress paints and beeswax.

 

Here are some of the different canvases that everyone made.  They were just absolutely fabulous

 

The third class was the Mariner’s Box

we left two compartments open so that we could get souvenirs from the cruise.  I managed to buy a beautiful shell and some Worry Dolls that will go in mine.

and the fourth one we continued with more techniques in the Art Journal

Here are some of the photos from our Art Days.

we had 38 in our party and we were able to get the whole side of the restaurant reserved for us, although trying to get everyone to wave at the same time was impossible.

In Belize some of us booked a private tour through NCQ Adventure Tours.  If you go to Belize I highly recommend them.

These are some images of Belize

 

We went to Altun Ha which is the most extensively excavated ruin in Belize and was a major ceremonial center during the Classic Period, as well as a vital trade center that linked the Caribbean shores with other Maya centers in the interior. The ruin consists of two main plazas with some thirteen temple and residential structures.

  The “Jade Head”, representing the Sun God, Kinich Ahau, was the most significant find during Dr. David Pendergast’s excavations. At approximately six inches high and weighing nine and three-quarter pounds, it is still to this day the largest carved jade object in the whole Maya area. The Jade Head is locked up in a bank vault so we did not get to see it, but, the ruins were amazing.

 

Two of our group were teenagers and they decided to climb the first ruin we came to:

this was taken from far away.  Up close it is quite steep and tall!!

Apparently I mistook myself for a teenager that was in shape and I decided to climb up as well.

Half way up and I am still smiling

The girls were watching me and saying to each other “what an idiot I am”When I got back down I was told that this was the ruin that was not recommended to climb as it is quite treacherous.  Nice of them to tell me AFTER!!

After we had explored this ruin we went to the Baboon Sanctuary where we had close encounters with the Howler Monkeys.  It was amazing to hear them howl to each other.  I loved my time spent with them.

Nacho and his wife who gave us the tour were so nice and provided us with water, sodas, tons of local snacks (yummy), took us to lunch and to a local grocery store so we could stock up on spices and then dropped us off at a market after giving each of us gift.  They are very knowledgeable about the history of their country witch they obviously love and we had a fantastic time with them.

Next stop the cruise ship made was Cozumel where we were treated to some street dancing and enjoyed shopping and lunch at a local eatery.  The dancers were incredible and their costumes amazing.

 

During the cruise my Dad unfortunately suffered a stroke, I did not find out till I was in Cozumel and had phone service.  So once we docked I ran to Orlando.  (Luckily my Dad is expected to make a full recovery but, I thought I was going to have a break down when I found out).  Two weeks later I flew to Connecticut to teach an Art Journal Class at one of my friends stores and from there I went to Framingham, Ma to attend a retailer event.  Then I flew back to South Florida to host an amazing Mixed Media event with DJ Pettitt.  I brought a horrendous cold back with me and I am now just starting to feel like a normal human being again.  . . . . So it does not seem like I have stopped to breathe this year.  Anyway stay tuned for my recap of Connecticut, Framingham and DJ Pettit.