keeping busy

Finally, I have all the holiday "stuff" put away. Why is it so fun in the beginning and such a chore at the end? I love Christmas and all it entails but I pretty much do it all and most women and get tired of not having help. But....I'll do it again next Christmas....

moving on....

I am gessoing a blank book to make into an altered book on angels. Got to do something with all those beautiful Christmas cards. ..

I am working on a shrine of my maternal grandmother, using a wooden pastels case, given to me by a retired artist...

I am ready to start back with my Woman journal coop project...

I am ready to start that new watercolor I sketched on wc paper 3(?) years ago of my son and I at the beach when he was less than 2. He's 22 now...

I need to pick up art from the Holiday shows...

I am trying to find valances to match the curtains that I got to match the new quilt I got for Christmas...

I am planning my lessons for my art class for the quarter...

I am trying to finish the directory for our UMW at church....

Like I said....keeping busy....

New Beginnings?

Who am I kidding? I've already made all the same mistakes I have for the past several decades of new beginnings. Why am I so hard headed and stubborn and out of control? Is it hormonal? I do blame all my bad habits and attitudes on hormones since menopause hit a year ago.

That's no excuse!

SNAP OUT OF IT!

Get it together and ENJOY the rest of your LIFE!

Worry free.

Healthy.

Happy.

Content!

Women for ages have had these problems and worse and WON!!!!!

Happy New Year

Trust God for the New Year!

Find Peace through His Son.

Find Joy in His Spirit.

Accept His Gift of salvation.

Share it with all.

Revelation

I had a revelation in the strangest place-a financial planner's office. . .

I keep looking for the path I'm suppose to be on....well, at 51 years old, maybe this is the path God intends for my life. Maybe it's wasted energy to seek a path; maybe it finds us. We may waste a great walk on this earth for the short time we are given if we are too concerned with the path search. God created us and understands us. He knows our needs, strengths,and desires. He gave them to us. It only makes sense that he directs us and settles our journey. He gave us free will and choices but if we stay in tune with His spirit then our spirit finds its true destination.

The image attached is a group of mini collages I recently made. It was great fun gluing bits and pieces of color, texture and painted swatches on tiny bits of cardstock. I covered the finished product with Mod Podge which really added a great deal of depth.

Trust and Accept

Not a resolution but hopefully a way of life for 2007.

Trust and accept.

The past is passed.

Revel in it.

Trust and accept.

The future isn't here yet,

Look forward to it.

Trust and accept.

Today is the present,

A gift.

Use it wisely.

Happy New Year!

A Glorious Day

My husband is home after a two week business trip.

My son is home from college for the holidays and

we were all in church together.

I felt so blessed.

I saw a family with the father's arms around his wife and daughter. He just had brain

cancer and is on chemo and healing. How blessed they felt.

I heard many describe what JOY is to them and it was such a blessing.
I wanted to witness myself but knew if I tried I'd cry.

If you are reading this and haven't found Christ, this is the perfect time, to pray and receive

his salvation and join the family of God.

Christmas Mania!

It's almost Christmas and my ideal simple enjoy the moment has turned into the usual do too much, too tired to enjoy, list of things that I ALWAYS do. Do I do it for me? For them? For show?

What is the reason and now did I get like this?

I declare my calendar use to have more days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than it does now so what happened?

I still need to do some baking, a tiny bit of shopping, wrapping and then stop and have Christmas.

My dad who is working a job he loves after retiring from his career in textiles is actually working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and that really bothers me. We will get together on the 23rd! Oh well!

Merry Christmas! The reason for the season is found in a humble manger...the baby Jesus in a feeding trough!

Time

for me
for my art
for my thoughts
for exploring
for gathering
for releasing
for finding
for living
for appreciating
for understanding
for enjoying
for remembering
for knowing

Creative Integrity

Don't you hate it when you have to make art that is acceptable as a creative effort even when your style is to throw caution to the wind and be as free, tacky and different as you want. I'me dealing with that right now by changing the styles of collage for gifts I am making for family.

Look at the two and see which you find more creative. Let me know what you think.

Also, I am getting work ready to show at the local Little Theater for their holiday production.

Of course I feel obligated to show what the public accept rather than who I am as an artist.

PS I also realize that people who read other people's blogs get disappointed when they check a few times and see no updates but as all of us I stay busy just staying afloat so I tend to blog only when I have something new to say or show. Be patient with me.

a day of FrUsTrAtIoN

I hate to start stuff and not finish....

With a yard full of oaks though you never finish getting up leaves until late winter or early spring.

So I spent 2 1/2 hours getting up the piles in the front yard and then got the lawn mower out to cut up and pile up more until suddenly the mower wouldn't move! Belt! I think but it appears to be in place. Leaf clog! No!

So there it sits waiting for Terry to get home and figure it out and get himself frustrated.

Did some cleaning and sorting but too much to finish in one day so I here I sit writing this and waiting to finish the leaves, finish dinner, and get on with my evening plans.

But how BEAUTIFUL fall is despite the frustration of leaf maintenance............

Good Motivation

Even though artists, true artists, must make and create and perform even when there's not a request or commission....
it is great motivation to receive some validation.
I won a Merit Award in the Gaston Co. Art Guild members only Miniature art show.
The Road to a Friends House is Never Long

Always Learning

I was making great progress on my commission for UAC holiday concert, even had a color test piece started when I discovered a huge
error. One that even existed on the Christmas card piece of Unity Place from long ago. The steeple was not right. I guess I could have gone with and called it artistic license but it really bothered me, so I tape paper over the error, redrew it right, then it was too big for the size I'm trying to do to make it work for the printer; I reduced it at the post office copier last night after Bible study, came home and put it on the light box, traced it on wc paper; finally I think it's ready to start again. Everything is a learning experience. I keep telling my kids that drawing is mostly looking and seeing and I didn't follow my own advice.
Here is today's verse given by God...Autumn's Golden Light.

Daybreak

More silliness and challenges

This collage is called "Queen of Travail."
I just accepted a poster commission to do a watercolor for the holiday concert sponsored by the United Arts Council in Gaston Co. I hope I can do it in 2 weeks?! Yikes!
I am still doing my funny little collages of people and it is so much fun and relaxing. I may even try a collage for the poster just to warm up!

been to the mountains

A retreat in the mountains is a wonderful way to revive your spirit and refresh your energy for your work, whether your work be making art, writing novels, teaching, or digging ditches. I always seem to find my heart and voice in the mountains or at the beach. My two very favorite places for each of these retreats are Kiawah Island if it's the beach and Jonas Ridge if it's the mountains.
Here is a photo from Jonas Ridge that I took this week. The mountains raising through the fog look like little mountains in the ocean.
There was much solace and serenity there for me and my husband.

Brain Alive

I am definitely not brain dead. I have woke early the last two mornings, earlier than usual because my brain is alive with "to do" lists, ideas, chores, errands and everything under the sun to worry about...what I really wish I could do is be a full time artist. I sneak into my studio off and on finding inspiration and spilling it out onto anything and everything standing still.

Today I keep finding references to "light" in quotes, emails, lyrics on the radio and in my morning Bible and Prayer devotions.
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22 and
...that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:13

I love that "walk before God in the light of life."
(scripture for Matthew’s email today)

Much gratitude to you, those that nurture you and the incredible moonlight that has been illuminating our night sky.

(from The Spiral Muse Newsletter)
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your innovations
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book beginsT
he rest is still unwritten...Natasha Bedingfield

What is the message for me? Seek the light, follow the light, be illuminated, get out of the dark, the dark is over…)
God please do lift the dark cloud I seem to huddle under and illuminate my life.
I feel so close to happiness and worry free but I just refuse to grab the bright illuminated brass ring of the rest of my life.

I'm doing lots of collage, with layers of paint and ribbon and images.
Here are the latest art pieces.

Given by God

My devotion booklet "Given by God" is barely finished and I have words to start a new one. I have combined the words with a recent photo.
Despite a restless sleepless night, I will face the day's errands and challenges with peace in my heart and praise on my lips

Reconnections

I heard from a friend from the past yesterday. She was my best friend and roommate in college. We talked for an hour catching up on the happenings in our families. It was nice. I suggest you contact an old friend today. Life is short and we should never forget the
good folks we have known.

Here is a recent wishful self portrait. I'm hoping to submit it to skirt magazine.

Productivity

I did go to the doctor for my pain and of course he gave me meds and wants to see me in a month but the pain isn't totally gone.

However, in my little studio I can find much to do to occupy my mind and take it off of the pain. I carved a new stamp (inspired by a wonderful photo of my mother in law who died less than a year after we were married). I am making cards with it and did a polymer clay piece from it to put on canvas. I just can't decide how to embellish it yet. Any ideas?

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