Saturday, November 26, 2022

Christmas Tulips by Crystal Expressions

This artwork of the tulips in blue vases was done by Crystal when she was in the 4th grade. I liked it so much, I framed it for her. She showed so much talent at a young age. The Christmas decor was added to include the card for Christmas.

Snowy Night Christmas Greetings - Crystal Expression

Sunday, November 20, 2022

She Believed in Magic

Crystal Michelle Fallin

She believed
In magic. Not
Because she was

Naive, but

Because she

Lived through

Times when

Darkness was

All that she saw,

And all life’s lovely

Things were gone.

But her soul was

Wise enough to

Know that its

Survival depended

Upon maintaining

The memory of love,

Light, hope, and all the

Other things that magic

Is made of.

By Mona Nyman

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

“I Know You as a Painter Knows their Art”

Crystal Michelle Fallin, St. Augustine, Florida

San Marco Ave., 2018

YOU MAY BE GONE

You may be gone

but I feel you

when the cool breeze

brushes by

You may be gone

but I hear you

when the music plays

its last song

You may be gone

but I know you

as a painter knows

their art

You may be gone

but I feel you

right here in

my heart

Friday, November 11, 2022

“Beauty in the Darkness”

Crystal Michelle Fallin, St. Augustine, Florida

Beauty in the Darkness

Beautiful things happen in the dark,
When the sun goes to sleep,
When the stars give light kisses,
When the moon is a spotlight,
She stayed beautiful,
Even when she was covered
In the evening darkness..

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Seashells and a Lighthouse for Alice of Bishopsville, South Carolina

Alice of Bishopsville, South Carolina is in a nursing home and enjoys coloring with pencils. She is receiving a floral bookmark and Sea Dream seashell card.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Land & Sea Lighthouse for Bobbie of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

Bobbie of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is 92 years old in a nursing home. She is receiving a floral Bible Verse bookmark.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Land & Sea Encouragement Card for Barb of Brigham, Utah

A Land & Sea Bible Verse card for Barb of Brigham, Utah who is In assistant living facility. She is a Christian and is 87 years old. She is receiving a Bible verse bookmark.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Sea Dream Bible Verse Series - Genesis “Deep Waters”

Bible Verse Cards Sea Dream Collection - Genesis 1:1

Under the Deep Blue Sea - Sea Dream Collection

Inside card:

May the shells on the beach remind you that treasures arrive every day in the form of simple things! Thinking of you and wishing you peace , love, and God’s blessings.

North Beach Park Vilano - Isaiah 43:2. “Deep Waters”

When you go

Through

deep waters

I will be

With you.

Isaiah 43:2

Dolphins Sea Dream Card - Genesis “In the Beginning…”

Egrets Sea Dream Card - Genesis “In the Beginning…”

Humpback Whale Card - Genesis “In the Beginning…”

The Sea Dream Collection has a Bible Verse Series with the theme of God’s creation of the sea, sea creatures and birds.

Monday, November 7, 2022

Footprints on the Sands of Time

Crystal Michelle Fallin, Costa Rica

Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Her Light Won’t Be Dimmed

Merritt Pecan Company

Crystal Michelle Fallin, October 2018

“Life is Short Art is Long” Hippocrates

Art Lives Forever

Crystal Michelle Fallin artwork for her grandma Mary,

Columbus, Georgia October 2018

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Air of Mystery and Wildmess in her Bones

Crystal Michell Fallin

Grand Lake, Colorado, 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

“Hope” is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson

Artist of Hope

Artist of Compassion

Artist of Love

Crystal Michelle Fallin with her grandmother Mary

Columbus, Georgia

October 2018

To the prettiest grandma in the world

Crystal

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

BY EMILY DICKINSON

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

Whitefish Pointe Station, Paradise for Susan of Columbia City, Indiana

Susan of Columbia City, Indiana is 82 years old and is bedridden and loves animals and horses. She is receiving a Sea Dream Lighthouse card and Bible Verse bookmark.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Proverbs 31:10 for Eva of Ashland, Virginia

Eva of Ashland, Virginia is 84 years and needs smiles and encouragement. She is receiving a Proverbs 31:10 Bible Verse card that she is more precious than jewels.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Sea Compass and Starfish for Clara of Wyndmere, North Dakota

Clara is 95 years old and lives alone on a farm. She is receiving a Land and Sea Compass Card with a encouragement message and a bookmark.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Blue Sea Turtle for Shirley of Herber Springs, Arkansas

Shirley of Heber Springs, Arkansas is 83 years old and loves her dog and reading her Bible. She is receiving a Sea Dream blue turtle card and a Bible Verse Bookmark,

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Encouragement for Anita of Tampa, Florida

Anita of Tampa, Florida is 95 years old and is a Christian and homebound. She is receiving a Sea Dream Encouragement card and a Bible verse bookmark.

Lola’s Smile Bunch

Friday, October 28, 2022

Dreamy Whale for Joyce of North Olmstead, Ohio

Joyce of North Olmstead, Ohio is 83 years old and her husband is in a nursing home. She is very lonely and requesting cards. She is receiving a Sea Dream Whale card and bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Bottle of Seashells for Pearl of Breckenridge, Minnesota

Pearl of Breckenridge, Minnesota lost her 90-year-old husband last year. She is receiving a Sea Dream Bible Verse Card and bookmark for encouragement. May the LORD shine his face on her and give her peace.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Seagulls in Flight for Tennie of Buena Park, California

Tennie of Buena Park, California is in her 90's and loves flowers and animals. She is receiving a Sea Dream Seagull card and bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Orca Whale for Donna of Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada

Donna of Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada is 95 years old and is a Christian and likes cards with Scripture. She is receiving an Orca Whale Sea Dream Card with a Bible Verse Bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Seahorse Land and Sea Card for Michael of St. Louis, Missouri

Michael of St. Louis, Missouri is 99 years old and is an Army Veteran-Infantry Division, Catholic and enjoys receiving mail. He is receiving Land and Sea Bible Verse Card and bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Proverbs 3:15 Card for Gloria of Miami, Florida

Gloria of Miami, Florida is 94 years old and loves Miami Dolphins, Birds and Nature. She is also receiving a bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Blue Rose for Chris of Crane, Missouri

Chris of Crane, Missouri is a widow, disabled and lonely. She is receiving a Sea Dream Blue Rose encouragement card with a Dolphin and fish swimming across white roses. She is also receiving a bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Sea Turtles for Hazel of Calhoun, Georgia

Hazel of Calhoun, Georgia is 80 years old and is caring for her sister who is under Hospice. She is receiving an encouragement card from the Sea Dream Collection and a Bible Verse Bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Land and Sea Compass for Steve of Peabody, Massachusetts

Steve of Peabody, Massachusetts lives in a senior center and is a Christian. He is receiving a Sea Compass encouragement card from the Land and Sea Collection and a Bible Verse Bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Sea Lion for Charlotte of Madison, Wisconsin

Charlotte of Madison, Wisconsin is 98 years old and blue is her favorite color. She enjoys nature and birds. She is receiving a Sea Dream World of Mermaids, Sea Turtles, Fish, Sea Lion and Roses against the backdrop of Matanzas River.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Dreamy Dolphin for Marcia of Centennial, Colorado

Marcia of Centennial, Colorado is in a healthcare facility; she loves to crochet, read, and do simple crafts. She is receiving a Dolphin encouragement card from the Sea Dream Collection and a bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Sperm Whale, Sea Dream Card for Mamie of Danbury, Connecticut

Mamie of Danbury, Connecticut is 94 years old and loves walking and playing solitaire. She is receiving a Sea Dream card with a Sperm Whale, turtle and mermaid. She is also receiving a bookmark.

Lola's Smile Bunch

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Sailboat, Seahorse and Mermaid for Mildred of Spartanburg, South Carolina

Mildred is 85 years old and likes red birds, Jesus, family and the Bible. She is receiving a Bible Verse Bookmark and a Land and Sea Collection greeting card with a scripture inside and message of encouragement.

Lola's Smile Bunch

“Let there be Light” for Lori of South Ogden, Utah

Lori of South Ogden, Utah is in a care facility and loves stickers and coloring. She waits for the mailman every day. She is receiving a sheet of red rose stickers.

Lola's Smile Bunch

About the Artist

This Blog is dedicated to honor Crystal Michelle Fallin's artistic and creative spirit; her love of writing and drawing, and her passion for performing arts and dance. Crystal loved art and was a self-taught artist and color pencil was her favorite art medium. Her techniques of multi-color layering and blending gives her drawings the effects of a painting with intricate details. This is a collection of Crystal's colored pencil artistry consisting of creative drawings of her own unique interpretations of classic Disney characters. The collection includes Chateau de Chambord and Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Ariel inspired mermaids from The Little Mermaid. Her art graces the covers of Greeting and Handcrafted Cards, Notebooks and Journals. Crystal Expressions© Cards were developed to continue Crystal's legacy as an artist, to give hope and encouragement to the needy, and for the lonely-in-heart. Her coloring techniques, concepts and artwork is the inspiration and vision for the cards. The cards are distributed throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Europe to Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Home Bound Seniors, Foster Children, and many others.

Biography

Crystal Michelle Fallin was born in Newnan, Georgia on June 19, 1984 to Douglas and Peggy Fallin. Crystal grew up in St. Augustine, Florida where she attended St. Joseph Academy and First Coast Technical College where she received her high school diploma in May 2002. She attended St. John's River State College, majoring in business. She worked in the hospitality and retail industries in St. Augustine and Auburndale, Florida. Crystal was a lover of Performing Arts, dancing and listening to music. As a child and youth, she was a member of the St. Augustine Premier Ballet Company and Academy of Performing Arts. She danced in the Nutcracker Ballet for seven seasons and won multiple dance awards at international championship competitions held in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Daytona Beach, Florida, and Columbia, South Carolina. She was a member of the award winning APA Group “Theater Street Express” and the musical theater ensemble, “The Stage Door Players.” She performed in musical theater productions such as Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Robin Hood, and The Chorus Line. Theater Street Express won multiple awards for Song & Dance and Production numbers: “Patriotic Tribute, Café De La Trebein, Gangster Drag, and A Salute to America.” She was creative, artistic and loved art. In school, she was awarded a Certificate of Academic Achievement in Art. She became interested in color pencil drawings in her twenties. She was a self-taught artist in color pencil drawings and techniques and it became her favorite art medium. She shared her love of colored pencil art and writing with her beloved grandmother Mary. She often exchanged her drawings with her friends and grandmother. She collaborated with her mother to design greeting cards; particularly ones with nautical and mermaid themes. Designing greeting cards, drawing, and writing notes to family and friends were her favorite pastimes. She developed a love of Disney characters as a child and practice drawing and coloring them throughout her life. She used her art to show love and support to her family and friends. Crystal was caring, kind-hearted and always reaching out to people in need.

Dance Biography

Crystal Fallin was outgoing, independent and had an indomitable free spirit and loved dancing. She received her dance training at the St. Augustine Academy of Performing Arts; Master Workshops at Santa Fe College (Gainesville), European School of Ballet (Ormond Beach), FloArts (Palatka), and Master Classes at International Championship venues (Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale), and at the APA summer dance intensives. Her choice of dance genres were ballet, tap and Lyrical dance. She was a member of the St. Augustine Premier Ballet Company and the La Mirage Jazz Club. She performed multi-roles in the classical ballet 'The Nutcracker' for seven seasons: Spanish Chocolate Soloist, The Solider Doll, Harlequin Doll, Arabian Coffee Soloist, The Arch Angel, Snowflake Demi-Soloist, Marzipan, Waltz of the Flowers, and many others. Each season, the Premier Ballet Company performed two full length performances for the community as well as six condensed performances of “The Nutcracker” for St. Johns and Putnam Counties school children. Twenty-Five schools from both the public and private sectors attended the performances. Crystal and her dance troupe performed on stage at Flagler College Auditorium, Kirk Auditorium at FSDB, and numerous community venues throughout Northeast Florida. She was a senior member of the Academy of Performing Arts competition team. The dance team completed annually in "I Love Dance" International Championship Competitions in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, Florida, and in Columbia, South Carolina. They also competed in Champions of Excellence by "Dance Troupe, Inc." in Daytona Beach. Crystal and her team won awards in ballet, jazz, tap and modern/lyrical dance in all major categories as well as top honors in “Song and Dance” and group ensemble theater “Productions.” As a Soloist, she won multiple awards at International Championships in Ballet, Lyrical and Student Choreography, and Gold Awards at “Champion of Excellence” National and Preliminaries Competitions. The Inspirational Dance Collection emulates her free spirit and love of dance. Inspirational dance symbolizes the freedom of spirit and captures the joy of worship: “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.” Psalm 149:3