Secrets

I have been so busy making jewelry that I just had to stop and so something else...just a minor detour....I worked feverishly on pages for a calendar round robin and then stopped. My soul yearned to be me, yearned to journal. So I took my art journal out and did a page. I felt so free once I was done.

Secrets...why secrets? Because we all have secrets. Secret desires, secret thoughts, just secrets that are only known to us. That is what makes us mysterious, interesting and very complicated. On the opposite page I have written, "Reality is, beneath it all, we are all really the same."

My Birthday

Today is my birthday! I am a whopping 45 years old and if you say it real fast, it doesn't sound to bad! The way I look at age is that Madonna will always be older than me, so I'm "safe!" Funny the mind games we play with ourselves!

I've had a great birthday. Contemplating my age made me think about all the things I have to be grateful for. Here are a few:

1) I am grateful to have lived to be 45.
2) I am grateful to be an American.
3) I am grateful for a wonderful and supporting husband.
4) I am grateful for my animals, even when they drag toilet paper throughout the house (okay, so at times I am ungrateful for a moment).
5) I am grateful for my Sisters who believe in me.
6) I am grateful for the gift of creativity.
7) I am grateful for friends.
8) I am grateful for the roof over my head and food to eat.
9) I am grateful for rainstorms and the smell that follows.
10) I am grateful for music and the ability to hear it.
11) I am grateful to have faith in God.
12) I am grateful for chocolate and the ability to taste it.
13) I am grateful for the sun and the ability to feel the warmth on my skin (I'll be really grateful when the temp. drops too!).
14) I am grateful for Starbucks mochas on Saturday mornings.
15) I am grateful I have a car to drive.
16) I am grateful I have clothes on my back and shoes to wear.
17) I am grateful for the education I received.
18) I am grateful that I am sensitive and emotional.
19) I am grateful for the ice cream cone I'm going to eat tonight (Ben & Jerry's).
20) I am grateful for the person God made me to be!

Jeff is home, so off to birthday dinner!

Feel Ok

I love the Internet...I have met some pretty remarkable people, and some wonderful artists. I received this canvas in the mail today from Ziggy Hill. We recently completed an art trade. I have always been drawn to outsider art, abstract paintings, and just "different". I love art that moves me emotionally. I really like Zig's art because it is simple, with a simple message, a little abstract and heart warming...Thank you so much Zig for parting with this piece as you have absolutely made my day! Now off to find the special place in my studio for this to hang....

Pink & Orange Swap

Whew! I'm almost done with these suckers!! For those who know me, I love color and couldn't resist when I read about this swap, hosted by
Joleen. Bright pink and orange...reminds me of bubble gum and being a kid! I have seen some of the other pages posted to blogs and this looks like it will be a really fun swap. Now to add fibers....

A Recent Drawing

One of the hazards of flying is getting delayed, and delayed, and delayed. When we left for the airport on Weds. afternoon, we had no idea that we would be there for over six (6) hours. At first it was a delay of 15 minutes and then before we knew it, it was 10:20 PM and we still had not borded the plane! So...I took advantage of the time and began to draw in my Moleskin journal. She just appeared as I contined to draw and she haunts me...she has a story...hopefully that will come to me soon.

Rotary Gardens

We spent the past 5 days visitng my Husband's family in Beloit, WI. While we were there, we went to the Rotary Gardens and I was able to capture some of the beauty surrounding us that day. I would love to have spent more time there but it was so hot, in fact, it was warmer in WI than it was in Texas! Pretty bad when you have to come back to Texas to cool off!! It was a great vacation and I had time to reflect on many things....

A Young Painter

I spent an evening with my Mother about a month ago, looking through old photographs and a variety of items she had saved from when my Sisters and I were kids. Mom is a pack rat and has never been able to part with anything that had any sentimental value to her. We had some really great laughs and it was a very special evening for me. We came across these paintings I had made while I was probably around 10 or 11. My Mom was always putting me in art classes and art camps. I could never figure it out why I had to go to art camps and my Sisters were off to ride horses...but after all these years, I realized that my Mom saw something in me that she wanted to nurture and I will forever be thankful for that...

New Banner

There are so many incredibly talented people in this world and Denise (Boho Blog Banners) is one of them. I had seen some other blog banners that she created and had her do one especially for me. Those red shoes, yep, they are mine and they are my favorite shoes! Funny thing is, when I sent Denise the picture, she emailed back that she has the same shoes! Coincidence? I think not....Thanks Denise!

Tribute to Frida

A good friend and I spent last Friday in San Antonio taking a class from Kathy Martin, co-owner of Post Modern Design. I wasn't sure about the class at first, but was pleasantly surprised. Because the book is made with dimensional layering, you end up with really neat effects. Unfortunately, you can't see the dimensions with the scan. I'm looking forward to using this technique in the future...many possiblities.

Great Mail Day

I actually received this on Thursday, but have been out of town. This is a piece of art made by Paul Jackson. He is a very talented collage artist and new online friend. I saw this piece and couldn't stop thinking about it. Paul was kind enough to sell it to me...she is one of his simple pieces, but so pleasing to look at.

My Artist Muse

Every artist has to have a muse...something or someone that inspires you. My muse is my cat Ziggy. I am his Mother, or so he thinks anyway...he's usually in my studio sitting under my bench and watching for lizards to go by the window. He simply cracks me up. My husband calls him "stretch", for he simply does not lay like an ordinary cat...he lays all stretched (like a back bend) so that he looks like he's reaching for his toes...If I ever need a smile, I can count on Ziggy to brighten my day and to get the juices flowing....

Venice Fat Book

This is my first experience participating in a fat book swap. I definitely learned alot, like make all your modifications BEFORE copying! Here are two images, the first was the image before I added more stamping and highlighting, so needless to say, I spent the entire day adding to each one (26 of these suckers) and then gluing them to the backing, etc....I've signed up for another one and I think this one requires me to make 40! What was I thinking??!!!!

Listen

I've been experimenting with transparencies lately. Here is a piece I just completed. It will be framed with the collage slightly raised from the matting so that the tags and ribbons will appear suspended.

The Earnest Prayer

I just love this image. I saw it and immediately thought about the earnest prayer.

Tribute to Dad

I found this picture of my Dad and his Grandfather this morning while cleaning my room. I felt compelled to make a collage with it.