I love Handbells...

I just didn't know they were High-Tech now!

The best way to begin 2011

Intention and awareness...

I don’t know where I’m going with this post…probably where I go when I journal honestly, except this time with words instead of art.

I know that watching these women work on the tapestry in singular purpose, with intent and care; joining each other in song reminds me of our Taizé service. I put the link there so that if you are interested, you could read and see what it’s about. I consider what we did a form of meditation. Even though it takes place in a religious setting, it lifts your heart and soul to wherever it needs to be…kinda like painting?! Hmmm…have I thought that?

I had attended a different one for a long time before I was asked to help with getting my hubby’s church involved. I attended a Taizé service for the first time at another very Gothic chapel and heard the voice of an angel, Sally, begin each chanted song. Our voices were creaky and faint as they joined with hers, but they were a part of our meditation.

I used to set up the small chapel at my husband’s church for this service. It gave me peace and joy to draw the art for the bulletin, arrange candles, fabric, icons, paintings I had made, and peace and calmness to light the candles, lower the lights and wait for the very few people who were our regulars. Just the gentle guitar and our verses repeated together, sometimes with Spanish or Latin sung along with English.

We finally gave up when, even after four years, we didn’t seem to get any of his church members to attend…it was those of other faiths or even no particular religion who joined us. I miss it very much. One lady even sent me thank you cards to tell me how she loved what we provided in her busy life. A place of peace.

I’m beginning to believe that my art needs that sense of divinity in creation that Connie spoke about. I need intention and purpose to accompany my work. I need that sense of dedication that I had when I set up for that very special celebration and meditation.

Whether attending or creating that space for worship and peace, I believe it’s a wonderful thing to create your art in that way. I want to remember these words when I begin my next fearless adventure.

A sad Monday for Dee-Dee...

My friend forever, Dee-Dee had one of the saddest Mondays of her life.  On October 4th, she had to have her two horses put down.  Magic, the Arabian gelding, was the full brother of my horse, Tiger.  Magic was more beautiful than Tiger and so kind around children.  Cafeto was her very first Paso Fino horse and she rode him in many parades.  Magic had an intestinal blockage, most likely cancer.  Cafeto was simply very old and arthritic.  Life was not what it used to be for him.
They went quietly and together...and one will not be left to mourn the other's passing.  They join all our other wonderful pets at the Rainbow Bridge.  May they rest in peace.

October is special ~



Madness...

Thanks to "66 Square Feet" for posting this quote:

"I know it's a great temptation to go mad, but don't go in for it, you wouldn't like it."
                                                           ...George Eliot, Middlemarch...

God dislikes a vacuum...

I think that on his way to the Rainbow Bridge on August 6th due to a poisonous snakebite, our Bubba cat, "Mirage",  (note the markings)

had to send his spirit back for just a minute to flip the "VACANCY" switch on the barn roof.
Before he left us, we had seen a shadowy figure slinking around the barn and the back yard.  God does know what he's doing.  Hubby started putting cat food out in several places.  Last night, she decided to turn on the "NO VACANCY" sign.  I was sandpapering a piece of art and realized who was meowing at me.  It took about three minutes for her to decide we needed a replacement.  I couldn't keep her far enough away from me to take good pictures!  *lol*  She likes to tuck her head in my elbow and stick her paw out to make "air biscuits"...*knead knead*!

And no, she's too young to be his offspring...he was neutered 9 years ago, but when he arrived back in those days, he was as thin as she is right now.  We believe she's about 9 or 10 months old...maybe a year old.  Taking her to visit daughter vet tech tomorrow or Friday for tests and to be spayed.  "Marigold", house cat, has decided she feels the same way she did with Bubba...*GRRRRRRRRRR*!  Gonna have to get over it!

Zen Habits...

 ~ The Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits ~

      "Smile, breathe and go slowly."
                                                            ~Thich Nhat Hanh~

21 Secrets! A workshop...

The absolutely amazing 21 SECRETS goes on sale MONDAY!!!! Wahoo!!!

21 Artists :: 21 Art Journaling Secrets :: One Inspiring Playground

Videos galore!

More downloadable .pdf's than you'll know what to do with!

And even mp3's!

I want to learn some *BIG SECKRETS* from:

Connie Hozvicka :: Dirty Footprints Studio

Because she is one FEARLESS teacher

Who will enable you to put your fearless ART onto paper!

Paula Phillips :: Journal Artista

Because her mind sounds SO interesting

And Paula will teach you to open doors and windows into your soul!

 Heidi Newstrand-Dilley :: Heidiology

Who is going to keep you looking in cabinets for

household supplies to use as wonderful art journal HELPERS!

PSSSST....you won't believe who else is teaching these classes!

Just think about it...*TWENTY-ONE* fantabulous *ARTISTAS*!

Check it quick...don't miss one single secret!

Never forget...

Practice tolerance.


Find more videos like this on Lovin Mixed Media

Big Bucky...

Big Bucky isn't really very big, but he's beautiful.  Hubby was in the barn taking pics with the good camera and the big lens.  I don't know the settings or the lens size, but he was about 100 feet away from the group of deer that showed up in the morning.  Such lovely antlers in velvet!

Tiger in the sunlight...

He has been spending most of his time in the barn where the fan blows cooler air.  The heat is awful here this summer and we have a bumper crop of huge horseflies.  He eats, then bucks and runs back inside.

This morning, hubby heard him talking to his paint mare next door.  (Yeah...she started it...neigh, neigh!) He's missed her since we had to keep him off the big pasture.  It's such a shame to have a horse who is an "easy keeper" (read that: gets fat and founders if he eats too much!).  The only food Tiger gets is some carrots in the morning, all the not so good quality grass hay he can have and the little bit of good grass in the small pasture behind the barn.  We love him, but he's become a big pet now since Big Al (my riding horse) developed cancer and we had to put him down.  Tiger is just has too much spirit for me to ride.  (He's an Arabian gelding, by the way.)

Paintin' in the Rain...

We had one of those "pop-up" thunderstorms this afternoon.  I knew it would probably be done soon.

I quickly tore a sheet of watercolor paper, added dabs of liquid acrylic, ran to the deck with bubble wrap under it and let the rain do some painting for me:

The thundershower was almost over in 10 minutes, so I took it down to the concrete patio and began spritzing and dripping alcohol on it, then decided to try some kosher salt and a bit of clear gesso:

I'm soaking wet, but at least tried something new today! *lol*

Miss Kay's Art...

Wow!  I was traveling home from a trip to Nashville today and was behind a white van with a logo and a website address on it.  When I saw it, I wanted to see more...the picture on her homepage was on the back of the van along with the addy.  Evidently she was on her way to Bowling Green, KY for this: 

•International Newgrass Festival Bowling Green, KY
August 20th,21st, and 22nd

Glad I had that Starbuck's napkin and a pen handy in my truck!  *lol*

Y'all go meet:   Miss Kay  Her work is fun and fine!~

One big happy family...

...with a few exceptions. 

Sometimes the turkeys chase the deer. 

Occasionally the bunnies chase each other. 

Now and then the horse chases them all!

Mr. Velvet...

Oh, I gave up.  I couldn't decide on which one to share. 

I just grabbed one of the hundreds of hubby's pics.

There's a hen turkey on the same rock, two feet behind this buck!

Two of the four bandits...

The birdfeeder pole is greased...this time with "Ben Gay" ointment!  So are the lids to both of the sunflower feeders!   Science is discussing the theory that an ingredient in Sunflower seeds acts as a narcotic to both adult and juvenile raccoons!  The photographer (husband) is merely five feet away taking the photos.  Auntie Em has been cropped out of the last picture to get the full effect of the joy of the little thief during his stolen meal.  I am just to the right bent over double with laughter.

Happy....

Happy 71st Anniversary, The Wizard of Oz!

And remember:

There's No Place Like Home!

Freedom to do something new...

How interesting that the class I've taken online has made me feel the freedom to do some artistic images I would never have tried before.

"The Lost Beret"...is a long story, and sad for me.  I suppose it is journaling without words.  Still needs to be finished...the wings in white need shading.  It's done in a variety of watercolor pencils. I'm debating whether to touch it with water or leave it as is.  I'm thinking leave it.

"Blue Butterfly"...is a first for me.  It's a beeswax transfer onto pre-painted canvas.  Thanks to our friend,  Sheila, yesterday we had five members of our Art Club all working with this process for the first time.  We enjoyed ourselves and made some wonderful art pieces. 

BIG "Scribbles"

In our online class, BIG with Connie Hozvicka, I felt the need to show some of the work that developed when I started to let myself really take charge and paint.

The Loss...

I put his picture up here on August 1st, when he lay at my feet and purred his love, but now I'll put the picture back of my foremost art critic.   The kitty is "Mirage" (aka "Bubba") named for his habit of appearing and disappearing so easily.

 The painting that follows is a large one that I had to make to express my feelings when Bubba died as a result of a poisonous snakebite just 5 days later, on August 6th.  He had received much care, two blood transfusions, pain and clotting factor shots, but nothing was going to bring him back. 
For at least nine years, he had been the guardian of the ranch, bringer of mischievious rodents and smart enough to stay inside each night with "Marigold" kitty to avoid the coyotes and things that go bump in the night.  He was never going to accept inside life, so we finally had to give in to his decision.  The painting is titled "Big Joy...Big Sorrow":

 

Freedom to post this...

It's a very odd and off-putting composition, but I have fearlessness to post an unfinished piece today. 
I began with several contour drawings from various magazines, using a black Inktense colored pencil.  Keep working it with liquid acrylics.  We'll see what happens.

Finished below:

Connie, Effy, and freedom

*big sigh*  You dear people...too many to thank.  You are freeing my life, my emotions, *lol* even my Belly~  I paint from my soul, not my little pen or little brush or little paper....although I can if I desire, and it's more art and more soul no matter what the size.  Take a look!  For Auntie Em, please!

People...please let them become part of your lives, and hearts, and ART!  "BIG" is beginning again with Connie.  I urge you to become a part of the best Tribe of artists on earth!

Connie Hozvicka

Effy Wild  
(Effy...I am also a recovering "nicotine addict"...and I'm laughing because it's been 5, that's FIVE, whole years!)

"Belly Love" for my She-roes~

This post is for the fine "Fearless She-Roes" of  "the tribe of BIG". 
I can't stand chickening out of a really BIG dare! 
I did it there, now I really want to be brave for the world.

I send you "Belly Love"  

When I woke up from gallbladder surgery at
Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN in August of 2005
(thank you, Dr. Russell and staff!)
this is what I found:

After all, some of my FEARLESS friends

have shared Belly Love too!

The BIG Queen of Belly Love: Connie.

Then:

Lisa did a BIG Self-Portrait.

Our friend:

Lis took up the challenge in the usual BIG way!

Connie finished in grand style

with an Embody Mental Health interview.

How nice to find him...

Just when I needed to hear some words that touched my heart, I found Gary Reef...
...and read about "His Artist Cup"

If he sees this post, then I want him to know how much I thank him for that video tonight.

Fabric Journals

These quilted fabric journals were a joy to make.  Just work on one little pillow at a time and put them all together at the end.  Most of them are not finished yet.  Some will have watercolor pages, others will have lightly padded quilted art pages.

Much gratitude to Teesha Moore for her wonderful set of four videos that started me on my way.

Teesha, I did try a different method for adding the fringe.  I hand-sewed bits of fabric (and yarn) to the edge of the front of a journal.  Once it was all layered in place, I carefully cut it into fringe.  I think it will work just fine.

Fabric Journals

This one may be my favorite journal, so far.  Wish I had taken some close-ups of the stitching detail, my handmade bead and the little gold stars on the navy fabric.

Fabric Journals

This journal, like some of the others will have some added decoration, probably buttons and beads.

Fabric Journals

The back of this one is Iris flower print fabric with the leaf quilting.  More to come on it.  Who knows what it will be?  Maybe more butterflies.  These were cut from b/w fabric and colored with Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils.

Fabric Journals

Not sure if this will be the front or the back of a new journal, but I like it~!

Inside The New Day

These pages seem so much better to me since I added

the text to the song (see and hear below) and the pictures.

The New Day

Having trouble with this post, but I'm persistent.  *lol*

Under the flaps in this journal page are lyrics to the song:

You Are The New Day

I will love you more than me
and more than yesterday
If you can but prove to me
you are the new day

Send the sun in time for dawn
Let the birds all hail the morning
Love of life will urge me say
you are the new day

When I lay me down at night
knowing we must pay
Thoughts occur that this night might
stay yesterday

Thoughts that we as humans small
could slow worlds and end it all
lie around me where they fall
before the new day

One more day when time is running out
for everyone
Like a breath I knew would come I reach for
the new day

Hope is my philosophy
Just needs days in which to be
Love of life means hope for me
borne on a new day

You are the new day

The Venemous Toad.

Guess the only way to do it is to just...do it.

Posting my ol' critic that lives within.