Christmas Cheer

How to keep it:

• focus on true meaning


• give to others


• expect nothing but the miracle of the joy fo the season


• listen to lots of good holiday music


• believe in the Christ child, virgin birth and star of bethlehem


• attend church


• sing loudly


• smile at everyone


• let someone in front of you at the checkout


• look at children's faces


• look at the elderly's faces


• look up


• listen for bells


• take long walks


• sleep enough


• eat healthy


• share your abundance

Please add your own thoughts to the list of ways to spread the holiday magic!

Image is from last Christmas's family gathering.

Another day closer

Each day I know Christmas is one day closer. The joy and anticipation of the season is the best part. Once the day is here, it is gone so quickly. So we should take each day beginning December 26 and with great excitement and anticipate the Savior's coming. The family gatherings. The cheer to spread and the amazing feeling of peace on earth. Many times we think there can be no peace with war, sickness, failures etc. but I read somewhere that true peace comes in the midst of strife. So seek it out. Even if it's a mere few minutes. If you just have to draw away for a few moments alone with yourself and God. Feel His love and embrace and know that each day we are one day closer to fulfillment of life.

Image is another Christmas card design from my kid's classes. Hope it inspires you to take out the paints and paper and paint some original cards for the special people on your list.

Rainy Days and Mondays - Guilt Free?

So much to do and just wanting to relax and enjoy the quiet day....is that bad? I need to finish decorating for the holidays, bake, shop, wrap, clean, make art, mail cards and art submissions and the list goes on and on and on just like yours I'm sure. Please share how you take advantage of rainy days just for you and not feel guilty. I find myself going from task to task, saying, "I'll just do this and then take time for me." BUT after an almost entire day of little chore to little chore, the day is gone and I took no time for me. I am a firm believer in taking time for me to be better for my family. When I don't for weeks on end, I often get resentful and turn out to be a not very "nice" person to live with....so share your thoughts on how you make time for you and not feel one bit bad about it!

Image is a card idea for my kids class. It's just little strokes from various paint pens to make the tree shape.

A Season to TRUST

TRUST

• the reason for the season


• peace on earth


• glad tidings


• joy to the world


• shopping will be finished


• baking will be finished


• good will toward your fellow "artist"


• the smile of a child


• time with relatives


• safe travel


• a kiss under the mistletoe


• a white Christmas for some

Add your own thoughts of things to trust at this wonderful season of the year! Please share with us!

A Good Artist is Easy to Find

As I was visiting a local art gallery and holiday sale yesterday, I took time to once again look at the work of a favorite local artist's exhibit. She died a couple years ago and her work has been on display since then. I own a few small pieces but was considering a larger purchase.

The thought came to mind that we have so many fine artists come and go. They are talented and and prolific but once they are deceased, their work is either in high demand or forgotten. I'm afraid that is what is happening with this fine artist's work. My work is not nearly as fine but will soon be forgotten and discarded once I am gone. I wonder how much great art has ended up in thrift shops, basements, attics and worse yet the local land fill. Which also makes me ask many questions. Are we too prolific as artists? Are we wasting money, time and supplies? Can we limit creativity? Should we? What is the answer? I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions and ideas.

Image is one of my vessel images done in relief on a canvas board.

Thanksgiving is more than

Thanksgiving is more than
sitting around the same dinner table
being in the same town
eating turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie
watching football and parades
planning for holiday shopping and sales events
Thanksgiving is about a heart bursting with appreciation for the gifts God has given us all year.
We should celebrate that every day of every year we breathe.

Blessings to you all!

It's my BIRTHDAY!

I am 52 today!

It's not too painful!

I counted my blessings this morning first thing...not what I wished or wanted.

I already have everything I need and most of what I want...

• a happy loving family


• 2 homes


• transportation


• clothes and food


• skills


• a loving SAVIOR!


• and so much more!

We are here to serve

We often hear only the negative about computers....malfunctions, people doing bad things to systems, people leaving their families for other lives...the list goes on but I'm here to say computers do good too. I have a whole network of friends that are there at the click of a button to pray for needs, friends to keep in touch with during busy times, inspirational sites continually feed my spirit and my artistic endeavors. Other people's blogs tell me that we are all in this world together. We all have similar problems and goals and needs and like the old song goes...people need people and people need the Lord...we're all in it together so let's help each other out at every chance possible.

May you know many blessings this Thanksgiving season and share them with many!

Image is a digital collage of my shadow with fall colors and computer text.

All Children are ARTISTS!

Picasso said it best "All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." This was so evident with my kids yesterday. Painting their self portraits, they abandoned all fear and jumped in with both hands. Laying down bright colors, imaginative backgrounds, changing their hair color. What beautiful work! Not labored or filtered. Why can't we maintain that enthusiastic manner when we grow up? Here are their efforts!

How to spend a day off

Imagine a beautiful fall day to yourself. A rare gift. How will you spend it?

These are possibilities; which will you choose or add?

• clean


• sleep


• watch tv


• shop


• create art


• look at art


• visit


• decorate


• launder


• go to a park


• go to a museum


• organize


• pay bills


• meditate


• practice an old skill


• exercise


• relax


• go for a drive


• all of the above

Sleep can be evasive

Despite not sleeping well the night before and being exhausted last night, I was wide awake at 2:30 this morning. I just decided to get up and get busy. I will crash and burn later. My mom said I didn't like to sleep as a child but I sure wish I could now. Ah, to sleep perchance to dream...

Image is from a journal project I am doing for a Serendipity artist.

See others work here: http://serendipityart.squarespace.com/10-day-journal-project/

Spinning Wheels

Seems the faster I go the slower I get anywhere....Morning is mid gone and I only got prep for class and apts made. How can that be?

Time is my most precious asset and fiddling with all the little details of life gets in the way of just living it.

Guess I'll just make art, take care of family, spend time with God.......and forget the unimportant details

digital collage.

Holiday Season already!

How do I let it get here and not be ahead of the game every year? I have bought a few presents and plan to start baking and freezing this week! I've even thought of putting up the tree early since my son will hopefully be home for Thanksgiving for a couple days. He loves Christmas as much as I do. The Southern Christmas Show comes to town this week and it always puts me in the spirit and gives me lots of ideas. I really like a simple holiday with family. I have a small family but it always amazes me how much there is to do. I love it but if only I could do on 4 hours of sleep a night. Not possible.
I also think it's time to start those gratitude lists and let the rest take care of itself.

I am thankful for:

• God, my heavenly father



• Christ, my Savior



• super husband



• dear son



• wonderful parents



• dad didn't break his knee when he fell



• home



• friends



• art



• a good life

Have you started your list?

Image is from a beach journal started with a friend. We are the alias mermaids, Maggie and Mia.

More blessings

I spent the day with my parents yesterday. Dad had fallen a couple days ago and had doctor apts already lined up. He only went to the ER after he decided it was serious. No broken bones but his arthritic knee was messed up pretty bad. He's diabetic and on cumaden (not sure of spelling) so they have to be cautious of what they do. Despite it all we had a fun time going together and enjoying the time together and fall color on the ride.

I realized once there the same stretch of high 70 goes to where my son lives. It felt good to know we were connected by that road even though about 400 miles apart. This short verse came to mind.

A span of Hwy 70 connects the state end to end
as our hearts connect our love and care for one another.
I can never know the depth an volume of this love without
knowing the importance of God in it all.

Blessing on you this day! Enjoy the wild altered me photo. Altered by scratching out the background and adding prismacolor and Elmer's paint pens to the remains.

When is too much too much?

I finally got good at saying NO, but still find myself with too many projects, commitments and dreams. I just want to make art and share it the best way I know how. Seems this blog is the way. I've tried to start a new blog at Artella but I seldom get my self on there to do it. How do those of you who keep several blogs going do it? I have dial up internet service so loading and waiting is so slow for me. Maybe that's one reason I often fall short. I do find a little time for art almost every single day. I do several swaps. I still take care of my husband and grown son and parents and some friends. I'm not old by any means of today's standards (52) but I do get tired easily and chase various aches and pains around. 24/7 never seems to be enough time! Please share you ideas with me. Blessings to you who do it all and do it well.

Check out my weak blog and other GREAT blogs at http://artellacafe.com/blogs/creative_inspirations_2/default.aspx

Until next time....here's a little wc palmetto tree from my Kiawah week.