gemmasdaybook

Closing Daybook

2011-12-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

Having 2 personal blogs has been fun. However I am closing my daybook now.
All posts and art will be @ gemmashouse from now on....
with love and good wishes to all.

2011-12-25T17:39:00.000-08:00

2011-12-13T17:57:00.000-08:00

Prayers

for my dear friend

Ninnie Tharpe

and

family

RIP

Jamie Tharpe Chancey

a simple womans daybook

2011-12-10T15:32:00.000-08:00

working 8 hours a day

home briefly

make food to take to a party

Party party

home again

make food to take to another party

then off to photograph a virgin a day

which are posted here

then off to work again.

How are things in your world?

Gothic English novels

2011-12-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

Inspiration avenue has a unique theme this week. We were asked to create something that
evokes a feeling or represents English literature. In many of the gothic novels I have
read such as Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, Jane Eyre,to name a few, there is usually a full moon,
a rocky outcrop, a craggy coastline, stormy seas and a dark mysterious old house sitting on a hill.
This is my entry into IA this week. It was fun. To see the other entries go here.
Now back to my book.
:)

A simple womans day book

2011-11-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Outside my window..... sunshine and shadows

Inside....relaxed cozy morning

I am currently reading...The Sound of Paper

Listening to...Arcosanti Bells

On my mind...planning to deck halls with simplicity this year

Noticing that...the dust bunnies are multiplying again

From the kitchen...a fruit smoothie.

gratitude for you

2011-11-23T16:13:00.000-08:00

Friends

Thanks for being you

Arles gate

2011-11-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

While traveling to Arles France with virtual paintout,

I found an old gate

for inspiration.

Gates inspire me.

I love

the spiritual symbolism

associated with gates.

The link to the actual gate is here.

2011-11-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

The southwest desert

welcomes all the snowbirds

and

other birds flying through.

Hail to thee, blithe spirit!

Bird thou never wert,

That from Heaven, or near it,

Pourest thy full heart

In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

To a Skylark.

Eleven's the number for me.

2011-11-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

An auspicious day.
11.11.11
I am working on a painting.
Tall palm trees to represent the date
and
11:11AM and 11:11 PM.
It's not finished so I'm not putting it here.
It has about as many palm trees as
this street in San Deigo.
:-)

Hope everyone enjoyed their day of elevens.

Art Nouveau Angels faces

2011-11-06T06:18:00.000-08:00

Art Nouveau angel face

The faces are made of sculpty clay, fired and painted.

Their wings are green and gold brocade

with swirls and flourishes.

The angels have wild hair

(the only style I know.)

These little angel faces ornaments I am making

fit into this weeks Inspiration avenue theme :

Art Nouveau.

They will have wires for hanging.

Strawberry Shortcake

2011-11-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

Miss Strawberry Shortcake stopped by last night....always fun to see her!

2011-10-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

This diamond Harlequin page I made is from a Round Robin altered book with a Masquerade theme.

There are lots of sparkles and feathers and very bright colors in this treasure of a book compiled by friends.
Inspiration Avenue is having a Masquerade Ball this week I want to share this Fleur de Lis party favor there.
Please visit IA to see more party guests and their disguises.

Golden Lotus Blossom

2011-10-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

My creative inspiration grows like a flower in my heart. Before the flower can bloom into a piece of art
it goes through a growing process from its roots. I have contemplated this deeply and came up with
the letters from the word inspiration to explain the unfolding:
Inspiration Avenue
Nature
Spiritual seeds
Passion
Ideas
Reflection (joy)
Angst
Truth
Imagination
Opportunity
Need

This watercolor piece was done for Inspiration Avenue blog party challenge "What inspires you?
What gives you wings?"

FEAR

2011-10-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

Inspiration Avenue asks:
What do you fear?

"No fear" was my motto for a number of years.

It still is in a way.

However

having courage and being fearless

would not help me a bit if I became senile

and could not care for myself.

So I fear

Out-living my usefulness

and

being a burden on others.

Visit Inspiration Avenue for more FEAR

Owl be loving you always

2011-10-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

Funny how synchronicity pops up regularly. While working on my ofrenda for dia de los muertos celebration,
I came across an owl necklace that belonged to my mother. I plan to put that in the shrine I am building.
Inspiration avenue also chose an owl as the theme for this week. We have owls that live here in this urban habitat in the desert. I just love how nature works things out harmoniously.
We must take care of the natural world and our earth home....always.
xx

Mantilla

2011-10-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to visit and play is Inspiration Avenue.

This week the theme is Spain.

My entry is a pencil, pen ink drawing with a water color wash.

A Spanish woman wearing a traditional lace veil

worn over a tall comb

known as a mantilla.

Flowers are often worn with a mantilla.

I love to wear flowers in my hair too.

In fact I have one behind my ear as I post this.

It's from my birthday bouquet.

OLE

OLE OLE

:-)

2011-09-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy Sedona while I get my computer fixed

paper play and hot spiced tea

2011-09-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

In Arizona we don't get typical autumn weather like much of the North America gets.

Our fall weather is mild.

It feels cool to us after a blistering hot summer.

We do get lovely colorful show on the trees in the cooler regions of our state.

Locally we are content to enjoy a change in the sunlight,

our harvests of chiles, corn and greens,

We also enjoy our autumn flowers

such as geraniums and marigolds.

On a day like today

playing with paper

and

hot spiced tea.

Simple Woman' Daybook

2011-09-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Daybook for September 11,2011

FOR TODAY

Outside my window… it's just beginning to sprinkle.

Thinking about.... the history of this day and hope for the future

Thankful for…my family most of all.

In the kitchen… there is a little leftover chocolate cream pie
wonder if I can get it before Lee does.heh heh

Wearing… khaki pants /shirt no shoes,funky looking glasses.

Creating…in my sketchbook

Going to…take a trip this fall.

Wondering if all of the Hatch chilies I bought this weekend are too mild.

Reading…a book of prayers

Hoping to spend some time making art this week.

Looking forward to a good week.

I am hearing…Alicia Keys singing New York, New York

Around the house…evidence that my grand children play here

One of my favorite things…music

A few plans for the rest of the week… working,laughing,playing,living, loving

2011-09-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

A Day

I'll tell you how the sun rose,

A ribbon at a time
The steeples swam in amethyst,

The news like squirrels ran.

The hills untied their bonnets,

The bobolinks begun.

Then I said softly to myself,

"That must have been the sun!"
But how he set, I know not.

There seemed a purple stile

Which little yellow boys and girls

Were climbing all the while

Till when they reached the other side,

A dominie in gray

Put gently up the evening bars,

And led the flock away.

Emily Dickinsen

My new gypsy skirt unfurled

2011-09-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Bees Knees has cute vintage clothes at affordable prices.

I love my new funky turquoise and black gypsy skirt.
Silver sequins dance around it in fractal patterns.
This is my entry into Inspiration Avenue patterns theme this week.

It's the bomb!
Simple pleasures....
Find more Joy at Meri's.

Gray Sphinx

2011-09-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the kitty who has been hanging around our back door.
Yes we fed him and gave him water.
He is a beautiful gray color, very unique looking. I think he is part Siamese.
He is very very sweet. This week he is going to the vet for check up, shots and a flea collar.

From my Sketchbook

2011-09-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ordinary everyday things.....
~a jar filled with pencils,
~my favorite little doll
~ keys
~a pair of scissors
~this and that from around the house
~ a Conch shell

My entry for Inspiration Avenue's "Beach" theme this week.
Amanda and Jeff brought this to me when they came back from the Caribbean several years ago.
They actually caught it, cut out the conch that was inside and ate it raw. They said it tasted good.
It now sits in my bathroom with all of my other sea shells and a sand dollar I found.

Sunflower sovereignty

2011-08-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

As it is with most things there is synchronicity in my life.
This week Inspiration Avenue celebrates Sunflowers.
My entry is a little pastel chalk drawing.

The other day after a promise to myself, I went out and bought Sunflowers.
They looked beautiful in my cobalt blue vase.
Unfortunately they didn't last too long.
Their pretty heads were so heavy they hung down after just a few days.
However it did my heart a world of good to keep that promise I'd made to myself.

~Always keep promises you make.

Our lady of the red chrysanthemum seeds

2011-08-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

A red Chrysanthemum is a symbol of love.

Our lady of Red Chrysanthemum seeds has within her heart the potential for continuous blooming chrysanthemums.

Confucius thought of chrysanthemum flowers as an object of meditation.

In Japan, the process of unfurling of the petals of a chrysanthemum is said to be reflective of perfection.

The red chrysanthemum is associated with love and perfect when you wish to send messages of love.

....as I am sending a message of love

and the potential for love

to you right now.

Namaste

2011-08-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

Learning to paint from within.....
Let me introduce you to The Goddess of Divine Contentment.
She is painted with twinkling H2O's, metallic gold paint and her heart sparkles with glitter.

Painted for the Artful Gathering class, "Our Lady of the Divine Spark", by Shiloh Sophia McCloud.
It has been eye opening. (which could be why my goddess has such big eyes)...
(don't know why she has big lips)lol
I am learning how to throw away the critic, invite the muse in, think about what I treasure and want more of in my life....and pray as I paint. Putting those emotions on the brush and in the paint as I scrub it on the page.
In the past I often listened to my intuition as I did art, but not always.

Maybe she doesn't exactly look content....I like her more for the feeling I got....
When I painted this I was thinking about one particular day. It was sunny, flowers were blooming,nothing special was going on, but I felt content.

Laden with fruit

2011-08-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

"...i dreamed my feet suddenly became roots that drove deep into the earth and into the sky my arms became branches...and suddenly i was an ancient fig tree..laden with fruit."

A friend told me a dream she'd had.

I did this little painting for her.

It is my entry into Inspiration Avenue

for

"Tree" theme this week.

Couldn't let a tree theme go by

without participating.

2011-07-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

It's just an ole
swimming hole.....

Taking a bit of a break
with love to you all.

All in the family

2011-07-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is supposed to be my niece. A delightful girl. A fun girl to play cards with at family gatherings.
She is a natural redhead with lots of freckles. A real spark plug!
A while back she used bleaching cream to get rid of her freckles.
I wonder why, because her freckles are really cute. Angel kisses.
Anyway....
She tried lots of beauty tricks as we wanna be diva girls sometimes do.
Once she glued fake fingernails on with superglue,then she painted them bright red.
She wanted to look "cool" for the first day of school.
She laid down while her nails were drying and fell asleep.
Unfortunately blanket fuzzies got stuck on her fingernails.
Great!
Frustrated, she used fingernail polish remover to get the blue blanket fuzzies off of her red nails.
However the nail polish remover had a chemical reaction with the fake fingernails.
They curled up corroded and funky looking, and still had fuzzies on them.
Super glued on tight!
Yeah she looked real cool on the first day of school.

No names mentioned to protect the innocent.
:-)

Gimme wings

2011-07-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Wings needed for drifting around the sky at dawn and dusk.
I want to play among the tree tops and visit the island of the birds.
How about you?

Illustration done for Inspiration Avenue and also posted to PPF.

Summer reads

2011-07-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading Distant Hours. It's about some insane old spinster twins who live in a castle. There is a Mudman who lives in the moat. He climbs up the castle walls. OOOoooo murder and mystery. Liked it!
~
Before that I read Julia Child's book My Life In France.
Loved it ! She was an interesting character, a great cook and writer,her own woman,very opinionated, spoke several languages. Every time she moved to a new country she learned the language. What a concept!
Loved some of her opinions and political views.
Go girl!

Usually I have several books going at a time.
Another great book that is on going is True Balance by Sonia Choquette.
I've been reading it all this summer and I'll probably still be looking in at this one through out the year.

Now I have started another book.

It is one I have read before.

I will be joining a friend who is also reading the book.

We walk the earth path and sometimes we need reminders of our earth centered values.

This book is about grounding your spirit in the rhythms of nature.

The Earth Path calls to me over and over.

So I joyfully picked it up again today.

Then the mail came.

A letter and reminder that I have to go back to work next week.

July 25th

back to the library.

And more

BOOKS!

Picasso collage

2011-07-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

This week Inspiration Avenue is paying respect to Pablo Picasso.

I chose to make a collage to honor his painting "REST."

Being a vintage woman,

Rest means more to me now than it ever has before.

I need all the rest I can get!

Shhhh

The joys of an afternoon nap.

Picasso's REST:

It is one of my favorites.

Isn't it awesome?

One thread

2011-07-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

At Tapestry of Art Through Time, there is a challenge there each month to explore and create something from a particular historical period in art.This month the challenge is Byzantine art. Art from the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Here is my entry:

A picture of Christ from the Byzantine period was in an art magazine. I had an old pressed wood cross from the dollar store waiting to be embellished. It was cut and pasted with care to get the details like his hands on the flower petals. After the collage was done I added gold paint to reflect the Byzantine period. All in all this was a fun challenge.

:-)

Homemade Serpent

2011-07-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

Save used bottle caps of different colors

Poke a hole through the center

String them on a wire

Make a 5 foot snake with alternating colors of caps

Finish with button-bead-button-bead tail

Viola!! A serpent you don't have to fear.

What will I do with it?
It really is pretty.
Perhaps I'll wear it out someplace funky.
It's bendable I can wrap it around things in my house.
The children want to play with it....
Probably I'll hang it in my art room.
Fun huh?
~

Le Clos de Benaire

2011-07-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Island of Jersey UK, which is really closer to France, is this month's Virtual Paintout location.
Found this graveyard here to draw in one of my sketchbooks. There are lots of things in my little sketch books but I rarely show them due to crooked lines and wonky perspective....
both on the art and the artist.
:-)

Song of Bernadette

2011-07-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite poems is the Song of Bernadette, written by Leonard Cohen.
The poem is about Saint Bernadette Soubirous,
who, from February to July 1858 in Lourdes, France,
reported 18 visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The poem inspired this painting :

The Song of Bernadette
There was a child named Bernadette
I heard the story long ago
She saw the queen of heaven once
And kept the vision in her soul
No one believed what she had seen
No one believed what she heard
But there were sorrows to be healed
And mercy, mercy in this world

We've been around, we fall, we fly
We mostly fall, we mostly run
And every now and then we try
To mend the damage that we've done
Tonight, tonight I just can't rest
I've got this joy in my breast
To Think that I did not forget that child
That song of Bernadette

So many hearts I find, broke like yours and mine
Torn by what we've done and can't undo
I just want to hold you, won't you let me hold you
Like Bernadette would do
~ Leonard Cohen

This is my entry to Inspiration Avenue
for this week.

Star Spangled Boy

2011-07-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Born on the 4th of July

In the year 1999

My grandson Tristan.

Celebrating his 12th birthday this year.

Shocking electric blue hair

and a true blue heart.

Happy Birthday Tristan.

Picture taken at Montezuma Castle Spring 2011

2011-07-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

It's a hot time in the old town.

Today my BIL Dan came over. He is the best!

He helped us do some repairs and paint our family room.

All of the furniture was moved out of the room.

Things were chaotic.

Then the mailman came and left a treat for me in the mailbox.

A giant postcard made by my long time friend and blogging sister

Janet

It is just beautiful and made my day so much sweeter.

Thank you Janet. Awesome art as always!!

Now the family room is painted. Curtains are rehung. Furniture is moved back

and

I have something pretty to put in my art room.

~
Linked to Sweet Saturdays

Heat Wave

2011-06-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

While it's hot outside I'm playin' around inside with my paints. I took a silk flower and used it like a stencil dabbed paint around to make this background.

Messed around a bit using cool colors...

Lots of sticklers and glitter here and there make this page sparkle.

Having fun!

Sun King

2011-06-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

Sun King...
Shines brightly in copper and gold Twinkling H2O's.
drawn for
Illustration Avenue...
BTW
It's Hot!
110 degrees today.
Lucky for me it's nice and cool inside.

Purple cacti

2011-06-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

These purple cacti are growing innocently on my pathway. They deserve to be photographed.
In fact I want to paint them as well.
Love their colors and the way the Teal dissolves into Purple.
Gorgeous!
Thank you Mother Nature for these and other gifts you have bestowed upon us.

Weekend in San Deigo

2011-06-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

This is the view from our hotel;
the San Diego Convention center. Beyond that is the harbor and the beach.

The Gas Lamp district is full of jazz and blues clubs, street artisans, great shopping,

There is fine dining, and all around excitement. Bright red passenger trains cruised down

the railroad tracks from time to time.

Here is my funky rendering of the scene:

Not architectural at all, obviously. It was done on the fly. Just wanted to try my hand
at the interesting building.

2011-06-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

I did this Tic Toc 20 minute challenge in my sketchbook.

Pathway through a Poppy feild

"Yesterday she took a different path, it felt right to her.Passing a garden gate behind a wall she noticed the flowers inside were twinkling like stars.
Intrigued she opened the gate to investigate. Inside she fell into a sparkling bright red and golden flower. She was held there emerged in glittery happiness until she drifted off to dreamland."

If you want to participate in the TicToc 10 or 20 minute challenges contact Kat Wright.

2011-06-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

It's an on going process.
Some days are perfection.
My clothing fits a certain way.
I am assured in my skin.
Birds are singing and love is all around.
I feel happy and have dancing feet.

Other days the opposite is true.
All of my clothing shrank over night.
Nothing fits. There's too much fat on my body.
My imagination runs away and thinks up some horrid scene.
I forget my natural well being.

Is that just the way it goes?
Is it hormones? My diet?
Psychological or Physical?
Still working on it.

Loving my free time right now.
Pondering this and other things.

Baked

2011-06-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Summer temperatures are rising here in Southwest desert.
The ground is parched and dry.
We are in a drought of several years duration.
In fact it has only rained 1" this year here in the Sonoran desert.

Everything is baking except cupcakes.

This Ocotillo cactus is my entry into Inspiration Avenue theme this week: Baked.

Pathways

2011-06-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

While doing self care the other day,
I wrote down a roadblock in my life.
~my rebellious nature~
Knowing art heals I did this little piece.

In this meadow I wrote my angst then covered it with grass.
I take the path less traveled.
Blaze my own trail....
Is it the best path? Probably not always.
But it is my path and has been good one.
I do not follow well.
Some friendships are under developed because
I can't seem to go with the program.
I never could follow a religion or someone else's beliefs.
However...
My spirit thrives.
The Meadowlark sings in my heart.

This fits the Sketchbook theme this month of pathways.

2011-06-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

On the Google street map of Cannes France, I found a chaise shoppe

which inspired this little drawing.

:-)

2011-06-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Rainbow girl

A child who owns all the colors of the rainbow.

She is not partial to a favorite.

She knows that every color is necessary.

Even though the blues and greens didn't show up well in this scan,

they are represented in the original.

Painted for Inspiration Avenue challenge this week: rainbow.

2011-06-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

With this auspicious new moon

gemmasdaybook reopens:

It is a beautiful night
Our temps have been mild so far this season.
I am happy.
Night squares compliments of Maggie.

2011-05-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

gemma's day book is closed for now.
Please visit me @
gemmashouse

Welcome May

2011-05-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

All on the same bush

In the park where I sometimes walk
in the rose garden,
someone has been trying to fool with Mother Nature.
I think it worked.
:-)
~

It's Beltane.
A Celtic word for the month of May.
Usually celebrated on May first because that is
the midway point between the equinox and the solstice.
Happy May to you all.
~
Oh and don't forget to stop and smell the roses.
~

Angel faces

2011-04-23T16:27:00.000-07:00

Inspiration Avenue supports a lovely charity called Angel faces.
It benefits children who have been burned or otherwise disfigured.
The members of IA are having their
2nd annual Charity art auction from May 1-May 7th
for Angel faces.(more information on side-bar)
While I am not a member of the Inspiration Avenue team,
I do support them in their weekly challenges and certainly support this cause.
With that I submit a page from my journal,
my entry for this week which is angels.

Her wings surround her face with a love heart.
Love helps her fly.

Mostly Joy

2011-04-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...Purple roses
Inside my heart.... Mostly joy
Learning.... to forgive myself.
Thankful for...life and loved ones
Today's comfort wear...no shoes, black toe polish, sage green t-shirt, black shorts.
I am Creating... Just finished my shrine for the children of Oaxaca,you can see it here
ATC trade, actually have several projects going now.
Travel plans....San Diego for my nephew's wedding next month
Now reading...Catching Fire (from the Hunger Games Trilogy)
I am hoping...you all are well and happy
In the Kitchen... tea is brewing

Around the house...Lee watching TV in the other room
One of my favorite things...when people come together to do good things for others
A few plans for the rest of the week: Early morning hike on Good Friday,
my daughter Samantha's Easter brunch.

Share the Joy Thursday.
Thank you Meri.

2011-04-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

Virtual Paintout Japan

While virtually traveling through the streets and alleys of Toyko,

I came upon a lovely tree.

The silhouette of the tree against the white of the sky

inspired me to

do this little rendering.

With this a prayer is sent to Japan.

If enough people send prayers,

love,

assistance,

and positive thoughts,

A miracle

could happen.

She

2011-04-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

SHE
May be the face I can't forget
A trace of pleasure or regret
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay
She may be the song that summer sings
May be the chill that autumn brings
May be a hundred tearful things
Within the measure of the day.
She
May be the beauty or the beast
May be the famine or the feast
May turn each day into heaven or a hell
She may be the mirror of my dreams
A smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem
Inside a shell
She who always seems so happy in a crowd
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one's allowed to see them when they cry
She may be the love that can and hope to last
May come to me from shadows of the past
That I remember till the day I die
She
May be the reason I survive
The why and where for I'm alive
The one I'll care for through the rough and rainy years
Me I'll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I got to be
The meaning of my life is
She, she, she
~Charles Aznavour~

posted for Inspiration Avenue

dedicated to my Mother

RRR

1926-2000

Iris blooms

2011-04-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

We have had many Iris blooms this year.
This one went into my sketchbook.
What is blooming at your house?

The golden ticket

2011-04-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

Working in an elementary school library as I do, Children's literature often inspires me.
Reading and storytelling is my favorite part of the job. Students come into the library for a story and then check out library books. It is a demanding yet rewarding position.

The Inspiration Avenue challenge this week is Roald Dahl, who happens to be a favorite children's author.
His book and Matilda is my inspiration most weeks...however because of yummy delicious chocolate,
my inspiration for this challenge came from his book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .
I made myself the golden ticket!

Lucky me.
Now I can do whatever I want to do!
It's kinda great to have a golden ticket.
I plan to put mine somewhere to remind me to GO FOR IT!
Why not?

WIP Paint Party Friday

2011-04-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

Late to the party
Not much to share except a little wine
I want to paint party Friday
and try something different.
This is one:
A watercolor face
without a sketch or plan
It just came out
and the water colors did their thing,
paper crinkled and warped
Not happy with it...
that's why it's a WIP,
know what I mean?
:-)

Fun day

2011-04-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

Atilla ties knots in her bunnies ears

She knows not to try that with the cat.

2011-04-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

2011-04-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

Paint Party Friday

About a year ago a few of my most wonderful and talented glitter power sister* friends
collaborated on some paint and pass paintings. I want to share.
We each had a canvas and painted a background.
Then passed it on to the next person on the list. Every month or so we'd receive a painting and add a bit to it before passing it on.
It took about a year to make the rounds....I just got mine back a few weeks ago.
Talk about a paint party.
Here is mine:

It's a beauty.
I painted a pale blue background. My friend Violette painted the textured swirl, the blackbird was painted by Lisa. Some details were painted by the very talented Judie and the crazy Aries Gypsy Pamala, Lady Lemonade, Kai added heartz and glitter, crafty Mahala painted the flowers. Tinker painted the Olive tree cross, Kate painted the checkerboard, Sioux painted the feather. All added various colors lots of gold,silver and glitter you can't see here.
How lucky I am to have this wonderful painting by so many very talented artists.

The glitter Power sisters* first met here in Bloglandia.
Eventually a lot of us got together in person in Sedona Arizona.
We danced under a full pink moon,drank wine, made art, had a fabulous time together.
There have been various other reunions since then.
Hope we can do it again!
Meanwhile we have these great collaborations.

pink hair with birds

2011-03-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

A while back Violette started a 101 self portrait challenge.

Mine have been in progress for a few years.

Actually on # 92 now.

My private blog of self portraits will open up after all 101 are complete.

Posting this one for Inspiration Avenue self portrait challenge.

It was a spring day much like today,

we were cleaning out the bird cage.

Nana and Blue were flying around the house.

We ran to make sure all of the doors and windows were closed.

"Shut the front door."

Sitting down to rest,

they both landed on me.

A self portrait worthy moment.

Pink hair with birds.

2011-03-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Playing with paint and paper.

Today I took out some old books, magazines,
some Juicy Couture tissue paper I'd saved. Then I got my
glitter, and glue to play with.

Actually I have not used any glitter on this yet but will add some to the Butterfly wings later maybe.
What fun to cut and paste and rearrange bits of torn paper and things.
Then took out my sharpie and added some little details to make a pink butterfly girl.
This was made for Inspiration Avenue the theme this week is Hello Spring.

Blackbird

2011-03-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

Scruffy bird painting "As the Crow Flies" done for Paint Party Friday.
An Aqua water color was washed over paper. After it dried, I did a pencil sketch of a Raven in flight on it.
Later the drawing was painted in with Black and White acrylic's.
It's been a blackbird kind of week here.... meaning it had it's moments of magic AND there were moments of awareness that there is a black hole in the sky.

2011-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sorrow

2011-03-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

A dear friend and co-worker has lost her son.

22 years old Christopher was just accepted into medical school in Colorado.

On his return home from there,

he was in a terrible accident

and did not survive.

Tears falling

like raindrops.

Sunset Moonrise

2011-03-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the Equinox.

12 hours of daylight,

12 hours of night.

This year the equinox falls on

the time of a full Supermoon.

Making it possible to watch the sunset in the west

then turn around

and watch the full moon rise in the east.

Enjoy the season's change.

Paint Party Friday

2011-03-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

First of all I was excited to hear about and decided to join in on the fun at Paint Party Friday

Usually I dabble a bit in art by drawing on paper with micron pens.

Sometimes I do a little painting with my twinkling H2O's.

But for this paint party I pulled out a canvas and some acrylics.

What a fun party right?

Right!

Using favorite colors for my palette

Lime green

Turquoise Blue

Dark Midnight Blue

Purple

White

Smeared paint on canvas and started painting not knowing where it would go.

She emerged

with a melancholy look.

I let some water color drip across her hair which adds to the feeling.

This was a blast!

Can't wait to see what you did!

2011-03-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

a mandela for

St Patrick's Day.

One O' my favorite celebrations*.

Celtic knots and labyrinth

with an Asian feel.

Praying for Japan

on an Irish holiday.

drawn For Inspiration Avenue
*I'm Irish ya know.

ALSO will donate $1 to Red Cross (for Japan)
for every comment here and at gemmashouse.

2011-03-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia
The iris is a symbol of good news and good luck.

YES! It's good news for me to see them blooming in my yard....
also good luck....
I am on Spring break
and have time to enjoy them.

Black,White,Pink Puzzle

2011-03-12T19:04:00.000-08:00

Here is my entry for Inspiration Avenue theme: Black,White, Pink.
A puzzle.
All the pieces are there...
but she is uncertain.
Should she wear her Pink tutu with the Black sequins or the White faerie wings?
Such a perplexing problem.
but...
She'd rather try to solve this one
than the problems of the world right now.

South African woman working

2011-03-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

Virtual Paintout is in South Africa this month.
The thing I really enjoy about VP is finding interesting people to draw/paint.
My recent VP subjects have mostly been human rather than architecture.
Here is a slightly smudged little color pencil and pen drawing of a South African
woman on Solomon Tshuku Avenue Cape Town, South Africa.
It's wonky and the perspective isn't quite right but it was fun.
I've included the link so you can explore this street for yourself.

Beautiful bead work

2011-03-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

Souix Indian woman with traditional deerskin beaded dress

This past weekend Lee and I went to the Indian Market held here in Arizona. It is the largest display of native American arts and crafts, music, dancing and food in the world. It was a wonderful day. I loved the native flute music, cedar fires, Navajo fry bread, and chatting with the various artists.

2011-03-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

Celeste

Sometimes I try too hard

and force art.

And then other times it just comes out.

This week when I sat down to draw a celestial theme for

Inspiration Avenue.

Thought perhaps I'd draw something

like a curtain of stars across the page

but

Celeste came out instead.

Thanks for the inspiration IA team.

DeGrazia Doors

2011-03-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Unexpected art.
I had heard about these doors
but seeing the painted doors on a shed,
exposed to the elements like they are...
Delightful!
The artist: DeGrazia.
Visit Meri for more JOY!!

Flower Power

2011-02-28T19:10:00.000-08:00

There are times when life

surprises one,

and anything may happen,

even what one had hoped for.

~Ellen Glasgow

2011-02-27T08:24:00.000-08:00

Breathe

Take a deep breath.
Breathe deeply.
Ahhhhh....a miraculous transformation, from uptight, shallow hold your breath anxiety,
to deep fill your lungs with fresh air and peacefulness.
Breathing meditations calm us.
I am convinced the act of deep breathing relaxes us.
Taking deep deep breaths make me healthier.

Click on Breathe links to Inspiration Avenue for more words and art about breathing.

2011-02-25T06:55:00.000-08:00

Haiku my heart

Bright hat rack display
Diva and Goddess boutique
communicates peace

That was then

2011-02-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

Found this old photo of me taken many years ago....back in the day.....
when I was a hippie girl..... ..
smoking and drinking, playing in the sun and not taking care of myself ...
"Everything in excess" was my motto
Believe me I have earned every wrinkle I have today!
Just sayin'

2011-02-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

~Friendship tree from me to thee~

What makes a friendship tree?
~a key to happiness
~the wires which connect us
~pearls of kindness
~love beads
~a new dawn on the horizon.

atc background made with alcohol inks and some other things I have not used in a while.

Faded Love

2011-02-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

Virtually everything fades away eventually.

The challenge for Inspiration Avenue this week:

FADED

Often when things fade away we let go of them

not so with my old faded jeans.

Using fabric marker I proclaim my love.

Virtual Paintout Romania

2011-02-14T17:07:00.000-08:00

Virtual Paintout goes to Romania February 2011. On the google street map I found this woman walking.
Whoever she is I hope her troubles are few and that she walks in peace.

dreadlocks valentine

2011-02-12T09:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at the post office I saw a guy with dreadlocks to his waist.
His hair was so furry, it reminded me of the Inspiration Avenue challenge this week which is fur.
In my sketchbook I drew a tangled mess of smudged up words in my art.
They represent the message in furry dreadlocks which is often natural freedom, spiritual journey.
...and ONE LOVE

around town

2011-02-09T17:57:00.000-08:00

old packing shed

new art gallery

SHINE

2011-02-06T06:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I painted a glittery girl with bright and shining colors.
A gold face and pink hair. I put stars in her eyes and a sun in her heart.
I painted her from a glossy magazine ad.(see previous post)
She wasn't true
It was an artificial shine.

Today I present to Inspiration Avenue my other SHINE painting.
It shines with:
~truth
~years of kindness shine from her soul
~bad memories have been polished and changed to lessons learned
~her forgiveness sparkles
~Love radiates from this old woman.
~Courage twinkles in her eyes.
~Her warm hugs let you know she has a heart of gold.

KEEP SHINING EVERYONE.

2011-02-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Shine
She shines
with gold paint

and twinkling H2O's.

Her glow shows through the muddy mix of colors.
Mostly she gleams from paint...
All that glitters is not gold.
Behind her eyes there is star light.
and in her heart a Sun.
But she's not there.
Painted for the shining group at Inspiration Avenue.

2011-02-03T17:41:00.000-08:00

A cold front moved across Arizona...

we have had record low temperatures here in the desert.

All bundled up trying to keep warm.

but my nose is still cold.

2011-02-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hi
For all the hearts around the world and in honor of special friendships connected through One World One Heart, I made this little Frida doll.

She will be given away to to a new friend who comments here sometime between now and February 17th.

She is made with fabric,clay, paint and corn husks.

With love from me to you.

Posed in front of Frida Picture Book illustrated by Ana Juan

2011-01-31T18:09:00.000-08:00

Though I have not gotten around to posting

or blog visiting much this past while,

I have been thinking of you.

And...

Have been busy doll making,

bead making,

molding/painting faces out of clay,

Oh and I made this funky shirt:

I used an old black t shirt, cut out a heart and some wings put them on the shirt, then sprayed
50% h2o and 50% bleach on the front of the shirt all around the cut out shapes. Let it set a bit and
watched the shirt charge from black to purplish. Rinsed it out, let it dry and added a few sparkles.
It is my first attempt at this...and it's a kick around shirt anyway...so it was fun.
What have you been doing? Be around to see you soon.

2011-01-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

Open your heart wide
Practice kindness
Delight in peacefulness
Remember what you love
Celebrate simplicity
Breathe in beauty
You
Shining spirit

2011-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

From my sketchbook

January challenge:

Highly prized

'the light within'

I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released

Bob Dylan

2011-01-25T16:51:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the idea of January being the doorway to the year....
from my sketchbook and for a Virtual Paintout's visit to Boston: A red door.
A red door means "welcome."..
A while back I painted the front door to my home with a "redwood" stain, with the welcoming intention.

Supposedly Albert Einstein painted his front door red
because he couldn't recognize his house without it.

Matinee de Septembre

2011-01-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

This week the Inspiration Avenue challenge: What is your favorite month?
Loving all the months....
I will choose my birth month.
Born in the morning on a September 30th....

This lovely painting of a nude maiden by French painter Paul Chabas
is entitled Matinee de Septembre or September Morn.
It is altered here with colors and texture for Inspiration Avenue.

My mother told me she loved this painting because of my birth hour.
I had a poster of it when I was a young woman.
The image stays with me....though many years have past.
It is one of sweetness and innocence that comes with the morning.

2011-01-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

From my sketchbook...
Every day I wake up and remember a gift I was given.
It's my first order of business.
Gratitude for this life, this body, this day....

2011-01-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

Drifting on the weekend and into the week......
Today I play~
Tomorrow Nature girl and I are going hiking. It will be a moderate trail with good views.
Looking forward to seeing her, and having a nice long chat. She has recovered a bout with cancer and is doing well. Her motto: Faith not Fear.~
Tuesday through Friday I'll be drifting back to work.~
Will honor MLK~
Hoping to do some art~
Eat delicious food~
Laugh~
Enjoy special moments~
Extend kindness to myself as well as others~
Spend some time with family~
Wishing a lovely week to all of you as well~

Meditation and a humble prayer

2011-01-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

Amanda wanted me to paint her a cross for her birthday. I had extreme difficulty making 2 lines cross. What should have been a simple thing became rather complex. Previously I had done the Lords prayer like the image above in pen and ink. Trying to paint it out on wood didn't come together as imagined. I like the Lords prayer as a meditation....Ahhhhr Father
With Ahhhhhhr as meditative chant. Enlongate all of the ahhhhhhr syllables.
It is similar to JAPA meditation.
Happy Birthday Amanda.

2011-01-14T08:52:00.000-08:00

From my sketchbook:
January 11, 2011. Or 1-11-11, like pickets on a fence, was the eleventh anniversary of my Mother's death.
I did this little sketch that day in her memory.
She died 11 days into the new century.
It is amazing how fast those pickets add up.

from my journal...

2011-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

The words of a poem

and the song sung at last night's memorial

inspired this journal entry:

Tis a gift to be simple.
Tis a gift to be free.
Tis a gift to be
in the place
you ought to be.

When you find yourself
in the place thats right.
It will be
in the valley
of love and delight.

A moment of silence

2011-01-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

Please say prayers for those who were shot, killed and injured in Tuscon, Arizona this past Saturday.
Our political climate is stormy. Many people do not understand what to make of it.
Violence never helps.

One of the victims is a 9 year old girl the same age as my Tommy. Please pray for her family.
As well as all of the others who died or are injured and in critical condition.
Thank you