Merry Christmas, everyone!  I love the holidays.  Lots of family memories of Christmas past . Also, in Christmas present, I am thankful for my family, my friends, my home, my job, my health...***I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL THOSE THINGS THAT GIVE ME QUALITY OF LIFE***At the right, this image is a family memory; a wonderful vintage black and photo of my mother, my sister, and me (circa 1950).

Happy Holidays

 

I went to the Denver Art Museum the other day. The image at the left is an example (not the actual piece hanging) of a new acquisition in the African Art section of the art museum.  What looks like a beautiful Klimtesque tapestry is actually a wall hanging made up of liquor bottle caps sewn together with copper wiring. El Anatsui, a nigerian artist, created this beautiful artwork.

I attended a performance today of The Nutcracker at the Paramount Theatre.  The Moscow Ballet performed the Nutcracker. I liked the performance--I just do not enjoy the crowds. Also today is my sister's birthday--Happy Birthday, Sis!

I am grateful...

I am grateful for my family, my friends, my health and my new hip!  I like this picture of me...now I am going out to investigate "black Friday"!  The watercolor painting at right was created  around 1974 by me!  I love this painting...

This is a bookmark I found.  I wrote a quotation on the back of the bookmark in pencil.  The writing was in Italic. So I think the the writing was done sometime in the last 70's.  I studied Calligraphy for one year  (1970 -1971) and really enjoyed this class.  I studied not only Italic script but also Blackhand and a Church script called  Uncial.  I am really fascinated with the art of illuminated manuscript.

I must have been about six of seven in this picture (circa 1953).  This picture was probably take at my grandman Wilson"s farm in Colon, Michigan.  She and her husband, Dave, lived across the street from an Amish family. My mother probably took this photography.  She has a really knack for taking great black and white photographs.  I think that this is a great image captured of my grandma and myself.  Once again notice the clues in background to pinpoint the period this photo was taken.

This a black and white picture of me! Notice the clarity of the resolution. There are clues to when the picture was take: probably in the summer of around 1949. I must have been about two years old. I remember that I loved playing outside--fall, winter, snow, rain. My sister and I loved being outside. Of course, this was the era we grew up in. Pre-TV, pre-computer. I looked like a happy little girl. I believe that my sister, Mary, and I had a happy, normal childhood. Have you noticed that children have a good time no matter where they are. Playing is innate behavior for children.

I am on vacation for the next few days.  My plans are to finish a book and sit in coffee shops and stare out the window.  I have an new blog called MUST BE A PUSSY CAT LOVER.  This blog is based on responses I received from a singles ad I posted in a publication.  This blog has adult content so beware!  Happy Thursday!

Hi, I have not visited here in a while! I am recuperating from my surgery nicely. Here is a new quote I discovered at an artist's website:

There is nothing we need to learn; there is nothing we have to do. JUST SIMPLY BE... Tao

A muse visited me this morning

This muse visited me this morning. I initially was intrigued by some green netting from a bag of avocados. I went to my art table and begin opening the little drawers in my plastic storage chests. I wanted to find some trinkets to put on netting and then take a digital.

In these little plastic storage chests I store all the interesting junk I collect: buttons, metal, paper, dress tags--anything that I find inspiring.

I opened one drawer and there she was. I created a crown for her: plastic autumn leaves and pretty coral colored roses. I placed her on a nice textured piece of recycled upholstery material. Presto! My muse appeared! Enjoy...when does your creative muse visit?

I read an interesting article about a jewelry artist who said that the muses visited on some days but not every day. And, that was OK...

This enormous work I've tried to accomplish is

to rediscover the child I was...I walk around those places where I grew up.

Things come up.
Some are still painful. But most are just interesting.

The difference begins when you stop suffering from the past

and begin to look at it with
wonderment.

Louis Malle, director (1932 - `1995)

His movies include: Atlantic City(1980), Damage(1992), and Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)

My cat Jimmy is recuperating with me. I have been on the mend now for about 4 weeks. I had a Total hip replacement done at the end of March. I am mending nicely. I took this picture of my cat one morning. He is also recuperating. Doesn't he look snug and cozy under the covers?

Meditation: visualize yourself as mountain

Picture a majestic mountain, any mountain that you can clearly visualize -the more detailed the visualization the better. The mountain is standing tall and strong. The mountain has been there for thousands of years. All around the mountain the weather changes from beautiful sunny skies to hurricane force winds to snow and ice. But, the mountain always stands firm - the activity just whirls around the mountain but does not affect the mountain day by day. Now, sit quietly and focus your breath going in and out - relax and breath...as the thoughts come in and out of your mind, picture yourself as the mountain. Sit tall and strong like a mountain, firmly grounded to the earth. Let the thoughts and stress and anxiety whirl around you without affecting you. The thoughts of people and situations that are pressuring you are just thoughts and you are a mountain, sitting strong. You are who you are, who you have always been, regardless of the "weather" happening around you. Sit with that feeling of power and majesty, breath in and out slowly and relax for as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

***Happy Easter*** I decorated some eggs based on a project that I discovered while watching the Martha Stewart Show. You use recycled 100% silk in the form of boxers, blouses, vintage scarves. Below is the link to this website. The patterns from the silk bleed onto the the egg surface; the designs are really unique and beautiful. This is really a fun project! The photo below shows my project results. I used vintage silk scarves.
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/silk-dyed-easter-eggs?lnc=4ef2dc5bfca40110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=showarchive_tv_show-archive

WHAT MATTERS MOST--living a more considered life by James Hollis, PH.D. This book looks interesting

This digital image was created by Maria Sands. I love the colors and the reflection of the clouds in the window.

I love Martha Stewart's Living Magazine. Whenever I feel like I need some balance and order in my life, I look at Martha Stewart's Magazine. There is beauty in simplicity and order. Thanks Martha!

The image at the left was captured by John Schoenwalter, a photographer.

Happy Valentine's Day

I discovered this digital image at my niece, Sara's website. I really like colors and the compostion.

I was cleaning out my purse this morning and five lifesavers dropped out on my bed. I was struck by the colors of the lifesavers. I enjoy these colors!

Good things...

Jonz is a bouncy cute little dog that belongs to my niece, Sara, and her friend, Fred.

My sister, after three months recuperating from a serious illness, is able to come back to her own apartment this week. Good Luck, Sis. Welcome Home, Sis!

LEAPANDANETWILLAPPEAR--zen saying

I love morning glories. This is a digital image of the morning glories on our back patio. I have a print hanging on my wall of morning glories and sunflowers. Nice! the yellow and blue plus the nostalgia of days past.

I really like this image. The artist is Bruce Sperberg. He takes very interesting pictures with his digital camera. This image is part of his gutter series.

OPRAH has a theme this week for her show: Spirituality 101. Yesterday this point was made: Maybe you don't think that you have anything going for you. But, you are breathing, and if you are lucky to be breathing without a machine, that is everything.

Pay attention to your breath.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,

but by the number of moments that take our breath away.

anonymous

Happy New Year!

remember that it is not so much about waiting for the storm to pass. But it is more about learning to dance in the rain.