December 30 2015

I have seen a couple "Call to Artists" lately for artwork for charity reasons.  One is tugging at my heart for the Humane Society.  As you know, I keep a file of photos I have seen on the web, for just inspiration for just such an occasion.  As I was going through some of these, I had to smile at several.  My apologies to the sources of these pics, I would give you credit if I could.  I am definitely not claiming these to be mine, but passing them along for the 3 other people that might read this blog.

Now if those don't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will.  Hold that smile and greet the New Year!
Stay tuned!

Christmas Eve morning 2015

Merry Christmas!

As I am trying to get ready to get this house in shape, I started with dishes, which brought me to the window over the sink.  I realized that this window could be the window to my soul.  Well, at least my scrapbook.   Sure, it looks like a garbage dump to the untrained eye, but see what I see....

The Hubs said, "you are NOT putting winebottles in the window!"  Well, yes, I am.  At least for a bit.  I LOVE light bouncing through that blue glass.  Its cheap, and easy, and I drank the wine just for the ambiance of those bottles in the window.  (Not really, but it makes you smile, right?) There is something about the variations of light coming through cobalt blue that makes me smile.  OK, so maybe not the classiest thing, but worth their weight.  Just wanted to explain those first thing.

 The white poisettia bloom is one that accidentially got broken off my plant this year. It was the best bloom on the plant and I couldn't just throw it away yet.  So its been in a vase my friend Maureen made, (she's a potter and we traded art!)for about two weeks.  then comes a little pot I made for my mom in about 5th grade.   The smiley face is also a piece Maureen made, its an egg separator, and although I have used it a couple times, I love it for FACE value.  It makes me smile.  Then comes the antique bottle The Hubs found and cleaned up.  An old candle cup filled with rocks from a beach is used as a starter for plant starts.  Hanging here is an glass blown angel which has a magical story of its own that I should tell you sometime.  The bauble is from my friend Shells in Australia that catches the sun and bounces light all over the kitchen.

The Green heart on the window is a something that came to me after we did our first reno to the house.  Its been through a lot, this heart, this house, and our hearts.  The little copper one that hangs with it, reminds me of my parents roots in the Copper Country.  There are a couple little clear bottles that I have visions for future craft projects.  The ball jar lids will be on some jars for treats in a day or two.  The coffee cup is self designed and was a fundraiser at work. I gave it to Hubs for Valentines Day this year, but its nice of him to let me dry my paintbrushes in it.  That little bottle has a metal plate inside that says "Let your Light Shine" and it reminds me daily.  Way over is a little brass candle holder that was made by my son Trent, at a museum, on a school field trip.  I remember his face when he brought it home to me.  Hanging by the white ribbon is my chi piece.  Its a piece I bought on a beautiful artsy daytrip Hubs and I took a while back.  Chi hanging in your window is  supposed to allow all good vibrations in.

The sunflower hanging in my window was made for me by my friend Terri and sent as a gift.  The four rocks are all made from miliflori, and found on an anniversary trip we made.  The only way you see their personality is with light bouncing through them.  The blue pot?  Yep, that cobalt thing again, and the daisy is a solar dancer and just reminds me to smile.

So, what looks like a garbage dump of sorts, have all perfectly logical reasons to be.... I am just catching on that the light plays a big meaning in much of what I see.  Things that maybe aren't so pretty, are pretty within when shone through with the light.  Hmmm... getting deep, but there is a meaning in there somewhere.  Now that I have explained all that, I should get back to the dishes.  There is a holiday coming up, ya know.

Only the strong take glimpses in my brain... congrats, you just made it through one.  Stay tuned.

Sunday December 20, 2015

Picture this:  Moonlit night.  A wooded area running alongside a beautiful lake.  Christmas lights on the other side of the lake reflecting in the water.  A luminary-lit path on a snow dusted winter night, where you walk along, until you find a place that is significant.  You turn on your flashlight and read the prose left for you.  Snap off your light and continue on.  The walk ends at the winery, with the chili warming and the jazz band playing.  That was our evening last night. Perfect weather last night for it.  It was one of those events where you couldn't take pictures of it, you just had to savor it. It was beautiful!

 I have shown some of the cabinet samples I rescued from the dumpster, right?  Well, I made some Christmas cards with them... on the back is a large sticker that says Merry Christmas from US!

There is baking to do and wrapping to do and lots of Christmasy stuff to get done.  Stay tuned!

Thursday night December 17th, 2015

Shopping for men has to be the hardest!  I have three, and no ladies to shop for, really.  I am stumped and Christmas is a week away.

I tried making one of those photo books online, of the things we did this year, for The Hubs for a gift, but we really didn't do all that much. I was to page five (May) and asked myself REALLY??? You want to pay for this book?

It seems I forgot to take pics of some of the things we did do,but we don't DO much:  Work. Eat. Sleep. Work. Eat. Sleep.  Throw in a committee meeting, etc in there, and that about wraps up the yawner we will call 2015.  (Sometimes no news is good news and after the last few years, we are just as happy that it was a yawner.) But it just isn't the first few months either.  Oct, and November, Hubs was recuperating and we didn't do much for those two months either. This book has 20 pages! 

But, it was pitiful up to the point where I left off. **Shake my head.** Just pitiful!

I want to vow right here and now that 2016 will have more to show.  We are going to do more to ENJOY 2016.  And to enjoy it you have to be grateful for it in your life, right?  I think I have found my word for 2016.  I want to ENJOY life more.  Be happier.  Do more.  ENJOY!  We are at a point in our lives where we raised our kids and crammed as much into our days as we could while we did it.  The kids moved out and we stifled.  Before we get too old we should be having fun! And dangit!  Its time!

I think I will like this new word.  Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.  Trying it on for size.

Stay tuned!

December 13, 2015

I have a creative, artsy, guardian angel.  I am sure of it.  There are times that my art is better than others and I have these creative ideas that I don't know where they come from.  But POOF! there is art and its really good, and OMG, I had to get up in the middle of the night to do it!

Like this:

 And this!

I have had the hankering to do them for a couple of days, and then took a quick buzz over to the garden center to photograph some.  Then I got up in the middle of the night to do the red one.  The white one this morning.  Thank you to my artist angel for all her (or his) help.  I absolutely love them.

Maybe paint isn't the medium I should work with.... maybe its colored pencil.  The last thing I did though that I felt help with was a painting, and before that, angel pins.  Ok, ok, so we are diversified.

Never know what is going to come next.... fun, isn't it?  Stay tuned!

Wednesday, December 9 2015

Well, the craft show wasn't as attended as they expected.  Lots of holiday things going on in the county, and we had dense fog until noon. But I made back my booth rent plus some, so I dun good. 

The Christmas canvas I wanted to do in my last post, ended up like this.... its 24x36ish.

  I started the other one but have pulled up short... maybe next post.  I also bought 4 smaller canvasses for another project that hit me at the art store.  Where does that inspiration come from?  Just WHAM! there it is!
Still, nothing compares with real nature... (on my way to work the other morning)

Stay tuned!