Cheryl's Excellent Adventure

Red Haiku-Senryu

2012-01-31T14:22:00.000-08:00

Back in the alley

where all my fine-feathered friends

go smoke cigarettes

Nicotine addicts

might as well be mainlining

heroin spitballs

I'd rather see them

writing on the walls than blow-

ing smoke out their ass

I'm fairly certain I'm contributing to the delinquency

of all participants at Ruby Tuesday 2 and

Nature's Walk Studio.

I hope I don't get banned.

I've done far worse.

Wordle Time

2012-01-29T15:49:00.000-08:00

"This week’s words come from “One Day You Wake Up,” by Ann Hunkins. You can find the poem in I Go to the Ruined Place, a compilation of poems written “in defense of global human rights.” One of the editors of the compilation is M. L. Smoker, a Montana poet. A member of the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes, Smoker is a poet in her own right. For an excellent read check out Smoker’s first book of poetry, Another Attempt at Rescue. A link to more information about both books is in the sidebar"...at The Sunday Whirl.

The permeable layer of fresh, frozen earth

shocks the newborn feet to flame,

as they walk across the field in anguish.

A rising flock startles serenity.

I am born in a frozen flame

upon a field of serenity

fresh feet shocks the earth

permeable to the seventh layer

ode to god

heart-felt anguish

winter startles me from sleep.

I awake

from the dream of Spring.

Writing On The Wall

2012-01-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

Mexico retreat

brick red with yellow ochre

soul satisfying.

Italiano

oh, what do I know

ev'ryone, "Buon giorno!"

It's time to play Writing On the Wall.

Do you love graffiti? Do you love architecture?

Do you go for Sunday drives to photograph barns, castles, or the homeless sleeping in doorways?

1. Do a post that tells and shows us

a wall or doorway that holds

interest for you.

2. Capture the URL of the specific post and

paste it into the Mr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Then click the "next" box to choose an image

from your post to hook to Mr. Linky's list so that

people are enticed to your blog.

4. Visit other players -- as many as possible--

and leave a comment.

Everyone enjoys getting comments.

Friday

2012-01-27T05:16:00.000-08:00

Pantyhose and shoes

Bought for an interview I

went to on Monday.

Playing today for Haiku My Heart Friday at recuerdo mi corazon

and In the Picture by Urban Muser where we present a self portrait on the last Friday of the month.

A Time to Share

2012-01-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

Where I lay my head down is the theme this week at 52 Photos Project and while this isn't a place I snooze, it is MY PLACE to read, think, talk on the phone, do my homework, go online and create in my art journal. You could call it my GO TO place. And it is most comfortable with my shoes off. The chair seat is just the right height for me. I love it. I picked it up for $10 at a community garage sale in Walnut Creek, California.

This is the lower right quadrant of my grunge board quilt.

This is the middle right side.

This is the middle left side.

Send me a postcard

mail it off to me with glee

and I will read it.

That's my haiku for Hump Day Haiku and Haiku My Heart. Simple, I know, but I worked today. I got a call for a temp job and started work at 6 am. Got up at 4:50 am. Right now my head is buzzing from not enough sleep and too much shit going on. A close friend of mine died last Friday. I found out yesterday. This is him.

His name is Jon Frost, owner and operator of Wheel Alignment Shop.

AND I HAVE HOMEWORK TO DO...

I'm not yelling at you, I'm just sayin' I need to be working on that instead of going out for dinner to Guiseppe's for my niece's birthday.

Mosaic

2012-01-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

This is the lower left quadrant of the grunge board quilt I made in class Saturday. I'm putting it up for Ruby Tuesday 2. The pieces fit into a 12x12 frame that I'll add tomorrow. Some of the squares are stitched together as you can see. I used an awl to pound the holes thru the grunge board, glue, and paper backing. Once I've decided where to add more stitches, I'll complete it and frame it. It will be the first piece of art I've framed aside from my photos.

I've also decided to join in the fun at Mellow Yellow Monday with this photograph.

And Macro Monday.

Sunday Wordle #40

2012-01-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

The Scatter sisters

had a knack at whispering

'Twas part of their charm

Their story will crush

your own survival instinct,

leave you pale, ashen.

Their urges were bad.

Cooking children in the pot,

Gingerbread House gone.

First, they scald the bones

until the shards leave only

marrow to be sucked.

Next they fed the birds

to keep them trained against the

grain of wheat and rye.

Last but not least, they

upchucked on request in the

Vomitorium.

One was bulimic,

the other anorexic,

together they ate.

I'm playing with a host of others at The Sunday Whirl. I was moved by the words to tell a strange tale. I wrote it in the form of a haiku. This gives me an additional constraint that I have a lot of fun with.

Yesterday, with the snow melted, I had no trouble getting to a class I signed up for three weeks ago called Patchwork Pandemonium. We used grunge board as our quilting squares.

This is the one made by Debi McManus. This is the one we aspired to make. I'll show you mine as it is, in progress.

I'll show you again when it's complete. I have some stitching to do, framing and gluing.

I see no one showed up yesterday at

Writing On the Wall.

If it's not your cup of tea how about

spreading the word to your friends

who photograph architecture or graffiti.

Out and About

2012-01-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

I don't let the weather hold me down for long. Just until I go stir crazy. I tell ya, I was out of here as soon as my morning cuppa was gone. I skedaddled around in the snow with my ice sculpting chain saw and carved myself a pretty nice car with front wheel drive, if I do say so myself. And off to Michael's Dollar Daze Sale I went. I trudged thru snow and ice to get to the front door. I batted away hundreds of shoppers to get to the acrylic paint aisle and foraged for the "good" colours.

Whew! I found 27 of them that weren't too badly scratched up from frenzied shoppers and stood in line for what seemed like ten whole minutes. I coulda used a couple half minutes in there, I'll tell ya. I meandered through the parking lot of Costco, Office Depot, TJMax, and Best Buy to shave off a few minutes of my return route home. I made it just in time for the paint to explode out of the bottles onto my waiting canvas where they then coalesced into the most fabulous painting of my glorious career. Whew! I wonder what I'll do tomorrow!

I managed to snap a few photos of raindrops against the wall which tells me we have a few days of slushies coming. If you have found an interesting wall or doorway that you want to write about, come play with me. I don't bite.

Wednesday Adventure

2012-01-20T00:02:00.000-08:00

Hump Day Haiku

at Nature's Walk Studio

I went on an adventure in the 16 degree weather.

Here's my self-portrait.

I asked a stranger on the street to take my photo.

I was wearing a double layer of clothes and thought I looked pretty funny.

It takes a pair of

yak trax to traverse icy

snow packed parking lot.

Invigorating

adventure taking woman

open to dating.

Hee-hee-hee!

I'm also playing with Haiku My Heart Friday.

Initiative

2012-01-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

I was reading a little from Seth Godin's book Poke the Box where he lists seven characteristics for success. The first six have been written about thousands of times and can be found in libraries and bookstores all over the world. The 7th characteristic is "initiative". Buying the books to learn the first six takes initiative but when do we ever follow through? How do we obtain initiative?

I don't know about you but I have a couple dozen books in paper and eBook format that tell me how to discover my Muse, play with paint, plaster, wax, paper, etc, and bookbinding. I already know how to do these things.

I have another dozen books that could best be described as inspirational, giving me ways to tackle fear, write morning pages, listen to my Muse, and read about other artist's journeys into the BIG unknown.

I've taken online creativity courses up the yinyang. I recommend all of them because they all gave me something of value.

About 50% of the online teachers I've interacted with admit the fear they have, in the very first lesson. They spent months preparing and now they are committed and must deliver and they're all afraid. Whoo-oo-oo!

The other 49 1/2% start right in on the lesson plan because they've done this before, they know how to do it, and they actually give you more value since they're not emotionally attached to the lesson plan.

The other half percentile are teachers who believe in a higher purpose. They are 100% emotionally invested in you as a student and the technique they want to share with you. They interact and learn from the students because each is unique and brings something different to the table. These teachers teach a version of their technique online but most often it is done in person. And they believe 100% that each student is creative, intelligent, lovable, and has something special to share with the Universe. And she wants us to share it and experience it through her class.

All of these teachers and book writers have something in common. They have initiative.

Initiative doesn't have an end result. It is an ongoing process. Book writers go through rewrites, publishing inquiries, etc. Teachers have to have something to teach, so we know they started at the beginning. Each had an idea and took the initiative to follow it through, to see where it would go.

When I was little I learned to "save the best for last". I also learned to "preserve, for times of famine" (Star Trek episode circa 1965). I've somehow mixed the two of these up to mean "buy now, save it for when I need it/want it/have time for it."

This means I a) buy books to read later, b) buy art supplies in case I want them later, c) shop in bulk at the grocery store, and d) subscribe to magazines so I don't miss a single issue but never have time to read cuz I don't make time. These things all suppose I'll be around later to enjoy them. I want to start enjoying them now. After all, I like going on adventures. Couldn't an adventure be reading a book? Couldn't an adventure be using an art supply I've been hoarding? Cooking a meal with only the ingredients on hand? Feeling joy and excitement at a stolen hour curled up in your favourite chair reading the latest Somerset Studio or Vogue? I think so.

It's time to bring the joy back in life. Show initiative. Show up in your own life. You'll be amazed at the results.

Week 39 Colour with Emotion

2012-01-18T15:47:00.000-08:00

When has color stirred something in you?

Which room in your house lights you up when you enter it?

What color makes you happy when you wear it?

I like to wear orange.

and red.

What colour stirs up emotions in me?

the ocean and the city

the colour most often see in my house or art

red and orange

It is a time to share at 52 Photos Project. Hop on board.

I really love sharing my photographs with all the wonderful bloggers

and photographers at 52 Photos Project. It's been a gas!

Put On Your Red Shoes Baby

2012-01-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

Cuz we're goin' out tonight.

Yeah! It's RT2 time!

That means "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday"

and "Hello" Ruby Tuesday 2!

I'm the lady in red smiling for the camera because that is one of my "paintings" on the red wall to the left of my head. It shows three whimsical flowers and sun, in paint, paper collage, and doodles.

Last night we had a break in the weather so I hopped in my car and drove to the grocery store to pick up some bread. I am a bread addict. I bought two loaves of Franz Columbia River Sweet Dark (two because one never lasts very long), a bag of rosemary rolls (LUUUUV rosemary, just sayin'), a couple maple bars (naughty girl), and a deli sandwich (as if I didn't already have fixin's at home which is why I went to the store to buy bread in the first place, whew!). Do you think I bought enough bread?

Why did I do that?

Because of the SNOW!!!

and more is on its way...

4-15 inches by Wednesday.

these 2 photos were taken yesterday

and already melted by the time today's

precipitation showed up. The flakes were

about 1/2 inch diameter but only produced

about an inch on my street. I live at sea level.

We have some sizable hills that I'm sure got 2-3 inches today.

A friend sent me the url's for 2 traffic/weather webcams here in the Ham. Very interesting... the one at the harbor updates every 5 seconds and was endlessly fascinating. The one downtown was more static and updated only every 60 seconds. But at least the roads were cleared.

Wordle 39

2012-01-15T02:02:00.000-08:00

Wordle 39

The object of the game is to write a poem using all the words in the box. This week there are a baker's dozen.

Kneeling on the crisp

broad surface of the king's bed

I contemplate life.

My resolution

to be a dormant housewife

picture of still life.

A reel spectacle

played vain opportunity

depth of lies twisted.

Dotted line I signed

divorced by a dormant judge

surface returns smooth.

Now I linger on shore

my rod and reel comfort me

poetry in worms.

Honk For Peace

2012-01-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

Every Friday afternoon there is a protest

staged in front of the Federal building

on Cornwall Avenue. Today, people were

being fed. The writing on the wall is

"Snow is coming."

It's time for Writing On the Wall.

1. Do a post that tells and shows us

a wall or doorway that holds

interest for you.

2. Capture the URL of the specific post and

paste it into the Mr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Then click the "next" box to choose an image

from your post to hook to Mr. Linky's list so that

people are enticed to your blog.

4. Visit other players -- as many as possible--

and leave a comment.

Everyone enjoys getting comments.

My Lucky Day

2012-01-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

I've always believed Friday the 13th to be my lucky day. While everybody else is weirding out, I'm out there enjoying myself. I hadn't planned on doing that today because I have homework. But I do have a weird picture for you.

My new challenge is to take photos of myself, called Selfies. This month is just body parts. So last night when my son came to visit I decided to photograph my eyeball. I had trouble with the lens at first because I was holding the camera towards me. Turns out I was holding the camera by the lens. Duhhh! That's why it couldn't auto focus. So then I figured out how to hold it but I couldn't get close enough to my eye. I kept snapping shots of a weirdly distorted face. Mine! I was laughing at myself. I tried to photograph myself laughing and that made me laugh even harder. I could hardly breathe. I was laughing so hard and for so long my ribs were aching. My son just looks at me and shakes his head. I threw out the other shots and kept the one of my ear.

It's time for Haiku My Heart so I think I'll write a one.

H - E - A - R - T

"Ear" and "hear" and "art" and "earth"

All in the one word.

Come back tomorrow for Writing On the Wall. While your at it, pick up the badge on my sidebar. Thanks in advance.

Hump Day Haiku

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

Always pursuing

a life I cannot lead on

dead end road again.

No, I'm not depressed

just couldn't find a picture

worth a thousand words.

I'm playing Hump Day Haiku at Nature's Walk Studio.

I hope you'll decide to join us.

Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town

2012-01-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Yeah, it's Ruby Tuesday 2. I've added a video today of Kenny Rogers singing "Ruby". It is accompanied by photographs of our beautiful country. There are some pictures of buildings from the wild west days you've read about in books.

A couple days ago I met with my art journal group. After we shared what we were working on, we started a project. Most everybody made luminaries out of canning jars. I made a new home for my bamboo instead. I cut out an elephant picture from a napkin and glued it to the jar. Then I wrapped rusted wire and string around the lip of the jar. When I got home I transplanted my bamboo from one glass jar to the new larger one and added larger glass marbles for the roots to grow around and to add colour. Although the marbles are white and clear coloured. Photos below.

On top of the elephant's head is a red hat. This is my contribution to Ruby Tuesday 2 today. I am very happy to be continuing Ruby Tuesday in its new form of RT2 with Magical Mystical Teacher and Gemma Wiseman. Thank you Ladies.

I'm also playing with Bella Cirovic at 52 Photos Project.

Wordle Time

2012-01-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

I'd forgotten

how many stones it took

to rebuild the hearth

of my ancestor's home

in the land of Scottish tors.

No need for a gate.

The highlands rolled down

to a bubbling brook.

You grope for my hand

and my heart starts fluttering.

In a flash,

thousands of blackbirds

soar over the thatched roof,

breathing life into the vast view.

I'm playing Wordle #38 with The Sunday Whirl.
If you'd like to join us go Here.

Writing On The Wall

2012-01-07T00:02:00.000-08:00

It's time for Writing On the Wall

I just had a really long conversation with my brother about the amount of stress we have in our lives and how much we can handle. According to Holmes-Rahe on the life stress meter, I have an 80% chance of contracting a stress-related medical issue. This is the writing on the wall. Between December 10, 2010 and February 5, 2011, I lost my job, moved twice (once was out of state), and lost 3 close friends to illness. That's the equivalent of a death every ten days for 2 months.

My brother and I were talking earlier about the stresses in his life. He was feeling very confused about how to deal with them. He just wanted to go to bed and sleep. That's one way to deal with it.

Some people eat. Some people sleep. Some people drink or take drugs. Some people exercise. Some people develop disorders that help them cope or to gain control over their lives. There's only so much the human psyche can handle. For me, it was 6 items in 2 months. For my brother, it's 2 items in 6 months.

We all have our breaking point. I wonder if there are red flags to life events. You know, like in a relationship. Like the first time your husband hits you or cheats on you. Those kind of red flags. Like the night I met Charlie when I overheard him ask his friend for money right before he sat next to me and asked if he could buy me a drink. Now that was a red flag. Seeing red flags is like seeing the writing on the wall.

I'd like to invite you to participate in my Writing On the Wall meme.

Please feel free to link your post to mine with a picture of a wall.

This is my first selfie in a new meme with Urban Muser

called In the Picture. We're starting out with body parts.

First Friday Haiku

2012-01-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

I'm joining Rebecca at recuerdo mi corazon for

Haiku My Heart Friday. It keeps me connected

and truly gives me a sense of belonging.

Orange by day and night

you are precious in my sight

rave on, my beauty.

This picture is one my brother took several years ago. I taught him about photography because he seemed interested. He's taken it in his own direction (good student), and joined his local photography club and astronomer's organization. He takes photos of celestial objects. He also does a lot of cool stuff with coloured filters and light.

Thank you Gloria and Robin for letting me know about RT2 and thank you Gemma and Magical Mystical Teacher for continuing the journey. I'll join you next week. Thankfully the rain has stopped.

Transitions

2012-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

So many things are different in the new year. First of all, it hasn't stopped raining. Second, Ruby Tuesday has gone away. School started Monday. I've been approved for six more months of unemployment. Paper Zone is closing so I bought some of the metal boxes they use for showcasing reams of paper. I bought 10 of them. I'm still trying to declutter my home. I started reading about feng shui online and discovered the wealth area of my home has absolutely no purple in it at all and that's a no no. I learned how to use Skype and talked to a friend for one and a half hours. I bought a telephoto lens for my camera and it is so cool but it's raining so I can't go outside. I entered a painting in the Allied Arts members only show but I can't work on any new art until I declutter my art table. I know...I'll take a picture of it for you. Wait right there...

See that? Told you so...

Saturday I'm going to Village Books to take some free classes from 11-4 pm. It's called "Resolutions", a free inspiration day devoted to starting the year off right. Local experts will present various mini-workshops and one of them is on decluttering your space. Another is from the inspirational Janet Ott, from Excellence NW, who will be presenting "Courageous Conversations."

One more bit of technology I learned how to do. I burned a set of six CD's for my altered book group participants. I tried to do this in October but I bought the wrong contraption. Now I have the correct one. Last night I downloaded the software to do this. When I got up this morning I started burning copies of the songs I'd chosen from my CD collection that I thought fit the topics of each person's altered book. I played them to make sure they work and I really like the order I set the songs in. I hope they'll love it as much as I do.

These are the songs:

1. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

2. I Put A Spell On You by Creedence Clearwater Revival

3. I've Gotta Get A Message To You by The BeeGees

4. Buffalo River Home by John Hiatt

5. Moondance by Van Morrison

6. Words by The BeeGees

7. Mr Moonlight by The Beatles

8. The Word by The Beatles

9. Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen

10. Shelter from the Storm by bob Dylan

11. Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen

12. The Wreck of the Barbie Ferrari by John Hiatt

13. Words of Love by The Beatles

14. Positively 4th Street by Bob Dylan

15. House of the Rising Sun by Eric Burdon & the New Animals

The themes of the altered books were: Words, Pathways, Faeries, Altered Residences, Women Villains, and Cut Up, Cut Out.

Oh, and last but not least, I'm letting my hair grow. I wonder how long that will last?

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Wordle #37

Unexpected friends

stop by to shovel wind-driven snow drifts,

wearing plum-coloured sweaters.

At a loss for words,

I drop letters from their names

like stitches bound in yarn.

This is my poem for The Sunday Whirl.

I went to my brother's house last night. We had stew and garlic bread for dinner. Cookies and brownies for dessert. Champagne to ring in the new year. We had a lot of fun playing cards. My niece won. We had so much fun I forgot to take pictures. My brother is on a new diet, similar to Nutra Systems and has lost a few inches around his middle already. Last night I noticed his face is thinner. I don't remember it being this thin since the 1980's. Wowza! This might be something I want to try.

My first goal of the new year is to get an enhanced driver's license so I can visit friends in Canada. What are your goals?

Writing On The Wall #6

2011-12-31T11:34:00.000-08:00

Paper Zone is closing all 8 of its stores in Washington and Oregon so right now they are having a 30% off sale. Their parking lot is full. There are lines inside. I managed to stock up on blank books that I use for journaling and I bought a couple reams of cardstock I use for making greeting cards. I've seen the writing on the wall for the past year that sales were down. The one here in town let go the people who knew all the customers and knew the difference between felt and laid paper. They hired people who don't. I know several people who have stopped shopping there.

Writing on the wall can be seen in your neck of the woods, too. What's happening where you live? Tell me everything.

Morning Has Broken

2011-12-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

Like the first dew fall

a new year is beginning

fresh & light as air

With a smile I walk

on the path I have chosen

happily intent

Whimsical laughter

startling blackbirds again

blue jeans dance away.

I'm playing with Rebecca and other fine haikuers at recuerdo mi corazon

today on this last Haiku My Heart Friday of 2011.

May the Lord bless and keep you safe throughout the new year holiday

and may you always dance.

52 Photos Project

2011-12-28T09:12:00.000-08:00

The last 2011 prompt from 52 Photos Project is "What will you leave behind in 2011 or...What will you welcome more of in 2012?"

I welcome more road trips,

family outings,

more dancing,

lunch dates,

bagpipes,

natures's bounty,

God.

I leave behind...

unemployment.

There is no photo for that because it is emptiness.

World View

2011-12-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

I finished reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. It's a good read. So I picked up The Girl Who Played With Fire and am now up to pg 79. It's even better. I've had Stephen King's latest 11/22/63 waiting on my nightstand for a couple weeks now. I wanted to read the dragon tattoo novel first because the movie is playing at a theater near you. I'm hoping to see it before it leaves town. My SIL and I were talking about Amy Tan books and I just found The Kitchen God's Wife at the free book exchange, so I picked it up to reread and then pass on.

I'm working on my last page in my art journal. I received a Kelly Kilmer art journal class for Xmas and I plan on starting that tomorrow with my art student. I've been in a holding pattern for a few weeks while I await the fallout from school and unemployment. All is going well now but once I get into a holding pattern I find it difficult to maneuver out of said pattern. School starts again in one week which is a whole new pattern so I'm trying to kick up my heels a bit right now.

The Last Ruby Tuesday of 2011

2011-12-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

There were lots of smiles and red shirts at the family gathering.

My son and I are going to the movies today.

Mission Impossible is playing at "a theater near you".

I've been taking him to the movies since he was 2 weeks old. There was a theater at the end of the block where we lived and when he was little he would see commercials on television for movies playing at a theater near you. Sooner or later we would walk down the street to go see the movie. I soon discovered he thought the name of the cinema was "a theater near you" all this time. He didn't know it's real name. This is one of those priceless memories that is unique to a family. We still use that phrase.

Linking up to Work of the Poet for Ruby Tuesday lovers.

Feliz Navidad

2011-12-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

The Sunday Whirl is upon us with a Christmasy wordle:

The angel pondered

at the hospital room door

shepherds all around

Afraid not her heart

as the decree of life read

great tidings of joy

No need for haste was

heard in the manger for Peace

assured us Joe lived.

I imagine we're all a little out of breath now that the big day has arrived. We still have dinner to cook and guests to greet but assuredly there will be many helping hands. Yesterday I visited my niece and we watched a video filmed in 2002 by her uncle. Athena and I were riding our bikes at the park. Her joy shined. She was having so much fun the camera caught her laughter. My heart swelled with happiness and joy that such a precious moment was caught on film. You see, she was 5 years old in the video, and has no memory of bicycle riding with me. She doesn't remember me in her childhood years and this saddens me because I've been there since she was born. When we were watching the video on the computer, everyone was laughing and crying and oohing and aahing. We watched it 3 times. Athena took pictures of it with her iPhone. At the end of the video were a list of credits just like a real movie. We were very impressed and called my brother to thank him for this lovely gift and tell him how proud we were of his editing and filming skills. On the way home I stopped at that same park to photograph the day.

I have had many blessings this year,

not the least of which has been you

my dear readers and friends.

Thanks for visiting and leaving your

wonderful comments. I appreciate

each and every one of them.

Writing On The Wall #5

2011-12-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

Guess what I'm eating 3 days before Christmas?

Tacos!

My son and I did a little last minute shopping. Tomorrow we'll be preparing a vegetable dish as our contribution to family dinner on Sunday. We'll open our gifts to each other Christmas Eve and watch a DVD. Probably something funny.

Good news about school. I got 2 A's and made the Dean's List.

And, I'm working on my first cityscape. More about that coming up.

Here's my photo for writing on the wall. Hope you like it and choose to play along.

A Travelling Sunset

2011-12-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

Already sunset

angels gathering on shore

singing praise for Joe.

It is Haiku my Heart Friday at recuerdo mi corazon.

We are sending up prayers for Spadoman.

Get Your Rock On

2011-12-21T17:27:00.001-08:00

Dance to CeeLo Greene

Get your groove on baby oh

rock, rock, rock steady.

Today I'm playing with Hump Day Haiku and

52 Photos Project. I don't know why Ruby Tuesday took the day off yesterday. Had a fabu lunch with the girls today. I was over my base line of weirdness today. I think it was either too much caffeine or the Xmas tree sugar cookies. We laughed so much I almost peed my pants. Good thing you can't tell... The photo above is one of about two dozen I took of my sister-in-law dancing to a song on the radio and everybody was singing along to it. That was back in April. We had a lot of fun that day.

Alley Ways

2011-12-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

I went on an adventure with my Nikon

looking for some graffiti, or

otherwise cool, alley art.

Behind the Parkade on Commercial St.

is an underground bar. I was excited to

see they'd painted the walls and such.

The sky has been covered in rain clouds

the last four days. As long as it doesn't rain,

this is a perfect time to be out taking

photographs. Colours are saturated

when the sun is behind clouds. When

the sun is out, colours are leached by

the brightness and do not photograph well.

I set my camera to shutter priority.

Then I slowly spin the dial to change

the shutter speed until my camera

tells me there is enough light to take

the photo. This was a lot of fun. The

cool thing about going digital is you

don't have to wait to get your film

developed to see whether or not you

got the shot.

I'm linking up with Ruby Tuesday at Work of the Poet

The Wordle on Sunday

2011-12-18T12:10:00.000-08:00

As a citizen of the Earth,

I believe in luck

and

always wonder the why of trouble.

God states we are

hung by the tongue.

My dream is vividly purple.

Next year my dream job

will manifest without lag.

It will fly to me

on an angel's wings.

Mine by divine right,

it will happen instantaneously.

I play the game of life.

My word is my wand.

I'd like to thank Sharon, Dale, Florence, and Esther for their inspiring words and thoughts. I'm playing today at The Sunday Whirl with some amazing wordsmiths. I am so glad I found them as they are truly inspiring as well.

I had so much fun yesterday meeting my fellow Artist Trading Card makers. We ate brownies, peppermint Almond Rocha, gingerbread person cookies, peppermint swirls, sugar cookie Xmas trees with M&M's on them and we each received a paper ornament stuffed with hard candies. Yahoo! We have some amazing artists in our group and not everything was Christmas themed. One of our original members returned to the group after retiring (again). Ha-ha! The weather has been cooperating (no snow) so we had an easy drive into town. I must say, I really love this group. They're fun gals.

Last night, a feeling came over me. I muted the TV and pondered it. I could hear the rain outside. The rest of the world was asleep. And I felt inside that inner peace that comes with knowing my reason for being here, right here, right now. I need to be here to teach the merit of journaling. Some times we can get bogged down by our minds conjuring up stories (fantasies) and we are trapped in a ping-pong game. The best thing to do in this case is to write it all down to get it out of your head. Feel that emptiness. Now think about those fantasies. Do they really have power over you? Are you experiencing fear? What ifs? I say, "Get thee behind me Satan", to thoughts of doom and fear. Do one thing right now that brings you pleasure, and feel it, truly feel it. Memorize that feeling. Carry it with you for as long as you can. Practice feeling good about who your are. It is your God-given right to feel good. Now journal about it.

Curtain Time

2011-12-17T00:02:00.000-08:00

Writing on the wall

is my favourite past time

now and ever more.

I received a CD for an early Xmas present. It's "Modern Love" by Matt Nathanson. It's fantastic. It's now on rotation in my stereo. There's this song called "Run" that I'm in love with. Actually I think I'm in love with the whole album and that song is a star above the rest. Thanks Sharon.

I used one of the techniques Tim Holtz used in his 12 Tags of Christmas on my Artist Trading Cards. We meet tomorrow at Stampadoodle. Some of our old members are coming back. Yahoo!

I went to Safeway to get gift cards and while I was there I bought some of their flavoured waters that I like and I bought a Tuscan chicken sandwich in the deli. It comes in pesto bread. It has marinated mozzarella and pickled artichoke hearts on it with grilled chicken breast, lettuce & tomato & onion. The sandwich was delish.

I love Italian Vogue Magazine. The models are different. The landscapes are different. And the architecture is different. With different architecture comes different walls so the March 2011 issue I just reread and tore out the Summer swimsuit pages. The photos were taken at some museum and of John Galliano attire on anorexic models with curved spines. I cut around the models to get the good marble walls and statuary to write on in my journal. I love that it looks like I'm writing on texture. Although I'm discovering I used the wrong adhesive on the pages. I'm busy regluing. Yeck!

You know, another texture I like writing on is photos of streets. I love to take photos of streets and roads. That's why I would love to go to New York City. I want to photograph the Brooklyn Bridge. I want to photograph it at different times of the day, late afternoon shadow, dark of night. I just think it lends itself so well to advertisement. To having words written on it. Juxtaposition. It's like graffiti. So if you care to join me, click on the link below:

I'm linking to Haiku My Heart Friday at recuerdo mi corazon.

You Make My Heart Sing

2011-12-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

I am feeling good

like I knew that I would now

you make my heart sing.

Today is Hump Day Haiku and I woke up feeling great so I just had to share it with you all. My haiku is a mix of words from an old James Brown song and "Wild Thing" by the Troggs. Two of my favouritist songs. My art group had our annual Xmas party last Sunday and I won a Bingo prize! Yeah! I love Bingo! My prize was 3 sheets of red specialty paper. See the picture below:

This is my submission for Ruby Tuesday. This paper is so luscious and beautiful I want to use it for something really special. I think I might use it as a layer in a new card series. Yes, that's what I'll do.

Holiday sweets, treats, and feasts is the prompt at 52 Photos Project today. I don't have a kitchen big enough to cook in let alone bake in so I'm not making cookies this year. But one treat I have indulged myself in is tools and ephemera from Tim Holtz line of products for the holiday season. He made some wonderful tags during the 12 Tags of Christmas extravaganza.

Without a doubt, Starbucks is the way to go for a holiday treat. I can't get enough of their peppermint mocha, caramel brulee latte, and gingerbread latte.

I hope you'll come back on Saturday for another edition of "Writing On the Wall".

Wordle 34

2011-12-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Enigma

I lay in bed at night, weightless.

I cut loose my grip on reality,

where tumbling down the rabbit hole,

I am released into dreamland.

I am oftentimes a lucid dreamer.

The elements of Hollywood

breach the glass partition of my psyche

and before I know it

Johnny Depp is entering

my spacious boudoir.

Trust me, this is not a rare occurrence.

We engage in rapid sex.

Then go on about our day,

talking, walking, holding each other.

When I awaken

I still feel pulsations in my heart

for the love we shared.

Spasms of earthly delight

encircle me.

And I wonder if it is possible

to sleep forever.

I'm hooking up at The Sunday Whirl which is a fabulous place for poets and wordsmiths. Just sayin'...

Writing On The Wall #3

2011-12-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

Snowflake Sparkle

2011-12-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Snowman tree topper

ornamental snowflakes can

embellish the tree.

Multi-faceted

diamonds fall from the sky

covering the ground.

Individual

unique specimens unveil

God's wondrous beauty.

I'm grateful to have family members close-by. I appreciate being able to call them and visit them at a moment's notice. As I drive to my brother's house I see the neighborhood homes decorated with Christmas lights. The days are so short it is difficult to gauge when to go out with my camera to snap pictures of these houses. I think this would be a fun adventure and it would teach me how to use my camera better.

Tomorrow I'll be posting another installment of Writing On the Wall with a Mr. Linky tool. This is the perfect place to add your photos of houses draped in Christmas lights or a nativity scene with a barn wall. Think outside the box. It's not rocket science. It's actually a lot of fun. Graffiti anyone?

I'm linking to Haiku My Heart at recuerdo mi corazon today. Rebecca is a marvelous hostess with haiku running thru her veins.

Joy Is...

2011-12-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

Joy is finishing my homework and watching flash mob videos. I'm hooking up with Meri's Musings today.

More gingerbread houses.

Colours of the Season

2011-12-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

For 52 Photos Project this week the theme is "Colours of the Season". These two photographs are of the gingerbread village my friend Llew submitted. The village was so large it had to be divided and submitted as two entries. She won 1st and 3rd place. This is her 6th year in a row to win 1st place. Her roommate Vonnie won 2nd place. The little buildings represent businesses here in Bellingham.

This little fellow here is my submission for Hump Day Haiku. He's one of three squirrels who visit my area of the communal yard. He is not as shy around people and almost ventured into my house the day I took this photo.

An almond a day

keeps the ravenous, squirrelly,

friendly squirrels at bay.

Last night I ventured out into the cold December evening with a friend to visit the Bellingham Photographers Club at Roeder Home. This will be a good place to meet people and develop digital skills.

Ornamental Overture

2011-12-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

We just celebrated the Festival of Trees at the Leopold.

This was my first time visiting so I didn't know what to expect.

There were about fifteen trees decorated by groups, each with their own theme. Quite exquisite.

There is also a sit down dinner and silent auction. I don't know what was on the menu but the gift baskets were unbelievable. One was a 200 lb. keg of wine donated by one of the local wineries. Oops! I almost said breweries. We have lots of those locally, too. Some of the auction items were Christmas wreaths. One wreath had the theme of "New Year's Eve Party". It had champagne glasses strung on it, and booze, and horns & party hats. It was a party on a wreath. Rather inventive, I must say!

It's Ruby Tuesday. Follow the red bouncing ball at Work of the Poet.

School is almost over. I'm getting an "A" in Finance Accounting. I don't know what's going to happen in my English class as I haven't finished my final project yet and it's worth 30% of my grade. Wish me luck. Anybody want to write a report for me? I'll pay you...

Wordle 33

2011-12-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

December

Subtle mission

vanilla crusted skies,

amorous skiers genuflect

before descending.

Racing for a trivet,

the skier has no inkling

of the depth of the precipice,

nor of the laden bark below.

I've been published again. This is my photograph of Bellingham Bay taken from Zuanich Point Park. It's on page 25 of Bellingham Alive!

I hope more of you come back on Saturday to play "Writing On the Wall" meme.

Playing today for The Sunday Wordle.

Writing On The Wall #2

2011-12-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

Picture on paper

Writing on the wall inside

my new art journal.

Take a picture. Write a poem.

Interpret the theme any way you like.

Connect your blog to mine,

after leaving a comment,

then go visit everybody else's

wall and make some new friends.

Streets of San Francisco

2011-12-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

This gives my JOY.

I finished my homework problems in Finance Accounting. The words in the textbook are difficult to understand, not like a foreign language, but the strings of words do not form into pictures in my head. Yet when I read the homework problem and they give me numbers to work with, I seem to instinctively know what to do. The answers just come out of me. That is, they come out of calculator.

Not so with words. Yes, they come out of the typewriter. My fingers know where the letters are so I can type as I think, but I have to think of what to say. This is the exact opposite of a homework problem. Someone already thought of the problem, wrote it out, and I typed the numbers into the calculator in just the right way to come up with the correct answer. Writing down nouns, adjectives and verbs is like staring down the rifle barrel. Which noun? Which adjective best describes this noun? There are times when I'm a bit gun shy.

That is when I like my camera. I can say so much with my camera words don't even enter the equation. This street is Mission. I know this because I see the cable car tracks and not the overhead cable of the electric buses. The second photo is at the top of Lombard (the crookedest street in the world). In fact, it is not the crookedest, it's the 2nd crookedest. The 1st crookedest doesn't have a beautiful view. That's advertising for you. What I think would be cool is to take the photos for an advertising campaign. I don't know if I could think up the words but I will know good ones when I see them.

This is my city. I've walked most of its tourist traps and driven most of its streets. I've actually driven most of it because parking is expensive. I walk with a special air that illustrates to the tourists "I belong here". It's an inner peace that comes from inside. It wells up out of me, out of my eyes, my mouth, my pores. It has a sound and a smell. Wrapped profoundly in the smell of the ocean are oriental spices, coffee, human sweat, fog, spirit, exhaust, crab, and brick.

As much as I love living in the Pacific Northwest, no words can describe how I feel when I stand next to a really tall building, when I drive by a cathedral, or when I see the Golden Gate Bridge. No, that's not the Golden Gate Bridge in that picture. That is the Bay Bridge and you are looking at one of the piers off the Embarcadero. I like to sit on a bench and listen and look...and breathe.

I'm playing today with Meri's band of followers on Share the Joy Thursday. I'd like to invite you back on Saturday where I will share a photo of another wall at "Writing On the Wall".

Any Other Wednesday

2011-11-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

July fireworks

shoot straight up into the fog

and fall o'er our heads.

I'm playing today for Hump Day Haiku and 52 Photos Project.

Ruby Tuesday

2011-11-29T10:13:00.000-08:00

I'm drinking my morning coffee, enjoying the light sound of my son snoring on the couch. He's covered in a handmade red, white & blue quilt that was made for a wounded vet. This particular quilt was turned away by the hospital because of the red in it. It seems that when the soldiers wake up, they are disoriented, and if they see red they think they are bleeding. So, my mother sent it to my son as a Christmas present one year, told him the story, and he's loved it ever since. I love it because I know he's sleeping warm and safe at home.

The photo at the top of my post was taken on my last visit to San Francisco. I love the Gothic arches of the old churches. I've started a meme on Saturdays called "Writing on the Wall". It's a place to post the photos I collect of walls, doors and buildings, graffiti, stuff like that. I probably should have become an architect. Anyway, if you'd care to come back on Saturday, you can post a photo of a wall (and I don't mean a blank wall-it could be a family portrait in from of a wall, it could be a wall in your house, it could be your mantle area all decorated up for Christmas). Anyway, come back on Saturday and link up so I can come see your walls.

Today I'm playing for Ruby Tuesday at Work of the Poet. Come along and play with me.

Wordle #32

2011-11-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

This is a new game I've started playing

over at The Sunday Whirl.

I get to write a poem using the words in the box.

Smug sunshine

gave an untidy shudder

at its fulcrum,

spinning subliminal

rays of gullible heat,

ruddy complexioned

at its center.

Winter is not mellow.

OMG! That was a fun way to start off the day with my morning coffee. Thanks for visiting my new blog hop on Saturdays, called Writing on the Wall. It promises to be a lot of fun.

Writing On The Wall

2011-11-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

One of my absolute favourite things to do is to tear pictures of walls out of magazines and use them as backgrounds in my journal to write on. I love to photograph cityscapes, walls, doorways, buildings in general. I'm always taking pictures of this and now I want to paint it and blog about it. I'd like to invite you to join me.

The theme is "Writing on the Wall" and this can mean anything you want it to. I hope you will take it literally and take a picture of a wall that speaks to you. Perhaps it has graffiti on it. Doors are fun. Doorways are even better. Perhaps you see someone sleeping in a doorway and it speaks to you---write about it in your blog and hook up to mine with my Mr. Linky tool so we can come visit you. Perhaps you see El Nino weather patterns as the writing on the wall for destroying our ozone. Write about it and include a photo, then link up to my blog so we can share each other's vision.

Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment on my blog.

2. Write a blog post on the subject "Writing on the Wall'. It can be anything about how you interpret that to mean. Please add a photograph of a wall or door because this is about walls. Then link your blog post (not your blog, just your post).

3. Visit other people's blog's and leave them comments.

4. Have fun. Be kind in your comments.

I'm not sure how this all works as this is my first time. Send me an email if something doesn't work. I want you to have an entire week to link up and visit blogs. I'm paying for this service so it better work!

A Cello Plays

2011-11-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

A cello playing

background for digesting food

enjoy turkey sleep

I vacuumed my plate

I drank too much alcohol

I enjoyed my clan.

Mother, daughter, son

brother, sister, son and niece

grandmother, great aunt.

Sister-in-law, nephew

girlfriend, step-brother, cousin

in harmony.

I'm playing Haiku my Heart Friday with rebecca and friends at recuerdo mi corazon. Please join us if you have a mind to. The more the merrier.

I have such a great love for photography and cityscapes I've decided to join them together. Please come back on Sunday for "Writing on the Wall".

Hump Day Haiku

2011-11-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

Yeah! I'm so excited to be doing another haiku this week. This time I'm joining with Nature's Walk Studio.

Cloud bank reflection

spirit of adventure stripped

a reverse masthead.

Sharing Thanks

2011-11-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for a nest of my own.

Gorgeous pine and evergreen sharing this space with me.

Laughter uncontrolled.

A room with a view.

God's greatest gift, my son, Jake.

Friends near

and far.

and family near and far.

If I haven't bored you yet, I'd like to tell you I received my unemployment check and I started a new painting. Spadoman is healing. Snow has not arrived in Bellingham. My grandson turned 16. And everything is beautiful in its own way. Thank you for being part of my life.

I'm sharing with some of you over at 52 Photos Project today where we share every Wednesday. I am thankful for the fabulous Bella, rebecca, Deb, Meri, and so many others too numerous to name for sharing your world online. I think I might be getting a little too sappy so I'll stop here. Thanks for listening.

Winter Poem

2011-11-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Fire and ice

a fleeting glimpse of sky

trapped in oblivious silence

as the planet revolves.

Diamond sparks smolder,

mindless,

trapped,

drowned in winter reverie.

I am reminded once again that I get caught up in the day to day detritus and ignore my feelings. It is as if I fear getting burned. I am not shallow but I have been marking the days as if I am waiting at the starting line. One thing has happened, or not happened. I did not receive my unemployment check last Friday. Now I know I did everything I was supposed to but the fact that this is out of my control has ruffled my tail feathers. I know that thoughts become things. I am trying to move away from pictures of homelessness to pictures of me working at a most perfect job doing what I love to do, making a marvelous wage. I am socking money away for a nest egg. I have dreamed this. The Universe is unfolding as it should.

Bird Flock

2011-11-20T21:41:00.000-08:00

I've been making a mess of things on my art table. I'm trying to finish a flock of birds to trade this weekend at the ATC meeting. Tell me what you think...of the birds, not the photography...

I actually cooked a meal today. I baked some frozen chicken tenders and microwaved some rice. Then I got out my large Pampered Chef lasagna dish. I filled it with a large can of cream of chicken soup and a cup of milk, the torn up chicken, rice, chopped onion, black pepper, a package of fresh broccoli, and some shredded cheese (just to get rid of it before it molds) and I baked it for half an hour. It was scrumdilly-icious. I did all this while writing a paper that's due next week in Finance Accounting. As fortune would have it, I have enough leftovers to last most of next week which will be good cuz I have a paper due in English as well.

I met a couple friends from The Practice at Woods Coffee at Boulevard Park this weekend. We had a lot of catching up to do and it was so good to see them. Hilary told me one of the photos I submitted to her magazine will be published in the December/January issue. I'm thrilled to be published again and will put a badge up on my sidebar soon. The magazine's name is Bellingham Alive!

I managed to do a little in my art journal as well. The one with the tree has a quote by Joseph Campbell.

"Find a place inside where there's joy

and the joy will burn out the pain."

I found my joy. Did you find yours?

Sunshine Creeps Softly

2011-11-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

Snow forecast today.

Sunshine reigns supreme for Joe.

Hope, prayer, lifts spirit.

A circle of prayer and haiku surrounds Joe

as we send well-wishes to a dear cyber buddy.

Join us at Haiku My Heart.

Something Borrowed

2011-11-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

A year ago my mother let me borrow an unfinished crocheted bedspread on the pretense that I would finish it for her. I'm keeping it for myself.

I'm playing for 52 Photos Project today.

This is my most recent art journal spread. The theme for NaNoJouMo was "make a map". I'm not doing very well at keeping up with the prompts due to school but I'm writing them down for the future.

Hello Joe

2011-11-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

Here's my family, Joe.

We are wishing you well.

Get better soon.

Sending thoughts, get well wishes, love and prayers to

Spadoman

whom I met thru recuerdo mi corazon

haiku my heart fridays.

Weekend Getaway

2011-11-14T19:09:00.000-08:00

These are some of the things I made over the weekend.

I'm playing for Ruby Tuesday over at Work of the Poet. Come join us?

Brain Fog

2011-11-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

San Francisco fog

bleaching vision like a cloak

dampening the ear.

Ebb tide is stalking

the wintry shore bereft of

residential gull.

I'm joining other cool folk who write haiku

over at recuerdo mi corazon. Rebecca is

a marvelous hostess, bringing people

together from around the world.

Aqua Blue Persuation

2011-11-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Week 29 at 52 Photos Project is "Aqua" and it just so happens I added some aqua paper scraps to the page I did for NaNoJouMo yesterday. I've been going thru my stash boxes in order to USE some of what I've been collecting over the years. I found these cool tags I made that were part of another project. As always I collect all kinds of alphabets in paper form, sticker form, stamp form, and rub-on form. Oh! I even have metal alphabet letters.

Last night's art lesson with Brittany involved making marks in gesso and stencils. She had a lot of fun and thanked me. As you can see I keep showing up at my art table and my Muse keeps showing up as well. Today I'm playing for 52 Photos Project at which you can find the lovely Bella showing us all how to do it well.

Cut it out

2011-11-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

These three pages I did in MaryAnn's altered book. Her theme was "cut up, cut out". She was using a day planner for a book. This project has lasted for 5 months. At our next mmeting we will give them back to their owners. I'm excited to get mine back as I have some ideas I want to add. My theme is "This Sacred House, or Altered Residences".

These 3 pages are in my art journal. I went for a walk the other morning and on my return I picked up four types of leaves lying on the ground. I lay them one at a time on a blank journal page and then sprayed walnut ink over them. Then I layed a brass stencil of a brick wall on top and sprayed again. Bricks are my favourite thing to doodle. "See the Possibilities" is the theme for Day 2 of National Nonstop Journaling Month. I'm playing today for Ruby Tuesday and NaNoJouMo.

Sketchbook Project

2011-11-06T00:03:00.000-07:00

Some days my journal pages are simply glue bookish. Some days my journal pages are like a smash book. Sometimes a page can be filled up with writing snippets everyday. I like those pages a lot.

Since I write a lot and because I like to write, I've signed up for two upcoming art projects. The first, Sketchbook Project 2012, is a small 32-page journal that I can fill with my art, writing, whatever. My book will tour the United States with all the other thousands of entries before ending up at the Brooklyn Art Library as part of a permanent display. It will also be digitized so it can be viewed online around the world.

The second project is Sketchbook Limited Edition. Same as above except it is only open to 5,000 participants and will become part of a limited edition hardcover book.

The theme I chose for the first project due January 31st is "Writing on the Wall". The theme I chose for the second project due April 30th is "Distance and Time".

Two Steps Back

2011-11-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

After all the cool stuff I posted for "The Art of Remembering" I failed to participate in Dia de Bloglandia because I had my nose buried in school books. Sorry folks. I did add a skeleton head to my offrenda. I painted it white, outlined the teeth and glued plastic marigolds in the eye sockets. I like it a lot.

Yesterday I was blog reading and read about Nancy baking cookies for the holidays. She taste tested them to make sure they were fit for human consumption. I thought that was great so when my brother called me last night to invite me over for taste testing my niece's cookies I said, "Yes!". I ate more dough than cookies but it all tasted good so I can vouch for them. We had a good time. I'm glad I live near them for these impromtu gatherings. This is what life is about. Enjoying the moment.

Today is Haiku My Heart Friday. Every week we meet over at recuerdo mi corazon to share our haikus and support each other.

Orange, pink, blue velvet

adorn the backdrop of pines

my heart is at home.

Tribute to Frida

2011-10-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

Today is the last Sunday to celebrate "the art of remembering" with rebecca at recuerdo mi corazon and all the other great people who follow her blog. I started my first offrenda to celebrate Day of the Dead. It doesn't have photos in it yet but I'm working on that.

As you can see, it's just a small box for now. It will grow as I acquire special objects to decorate it with. I have a few tiny picture frames to mount the photos of my loved ones who have passed. I'm also thinking of putting one of my doilies on the floor of the offrenda. I think I will go to Michael's to see if they have yellow marigolds to add. That would be cool since I don't have a garden to grow my own.

These next few photos are of a quilted wall hanging I made to honor Frida Kahlo. I used applique, embroidery, photo transfer, beads, buttons, liquid sculpey, and ribbon. I copied one of Frida's letters to Diego on the fabric with a Sharpie. This quilt took me over two years to make because of the central photo. I did not know how to get Frida's painting of her bed with the skeleton floating above into something I could quilt. The solution arrived with liquid sculpey and a toner photocopy of the painting. This was a most satisfying discovery. The following photos are close-ups.

This next piece is a metal wall hanging made by Vivian Mazzolo. She's a local artist and I own several of her pieces. She works with glass, and does oil paintings. Her husband is known as the candy man. They own a cute little shop downtown called Sweetart where they sell her art and his chocolates (which are to die for).

Cloudy Skies, Yellow Sun Rise

2011-10-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

I'm still in a bit of a fog after yesterday. I spent the entire day studying Finance Accounting. It took me three hours to write my answers to the discussion questions. I retook the quiz that I got a D on and got a worse score the second time. The questions are formatted into "Choose the statement that is false." And the questions involving algebra are unlike any of the examples given in the chapter so they require process evaluation which in turn means I have to understand the processes. This is not how I learn. I learn by doing and then analyzing similarities and differences. It's a good thing my English class is easier.

I'm still drinking my morning coffee. Taking my vitamins. Thinking. Planning my day. Today is Haiku My Heart Friday at Recuerdo Mi Corazon. I love writing haiku because it is concise and creative. Writing haiku helps me focus on what's important.

Sunflower yellow

stretching tall toward the sun

a bee collector

Innermost seedlings

coaxing nourishment for all

flavorful crunches

Look Up

2011-10-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows if you live in the Pacific Northwest, looking up won't get you anything but cloudy skies most days. So for this challenge from 52 Photos Project I've gone to my archives for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy while I reminisce.

Driving on the Bay Bridge, entering San Francisco. 2009

Mt. Shasta or Mt. Lassen, sorry I don't know which. California

Tree at Berkeley Marina, California 2009

My brother's photo of Mt. Rainier, Washington

My brother's photo of Mount St. Helens, Washington

2010, Sunrise in Folsom, Ca just outside my apartment.

July 19th, Cornwall Park, Bellingham, WA

Thanks Bella, for giving me a fabulous place to share my vision.

New Journal Pages

2011-10-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

New journal pages. I applied red and black acrylic paint on the pages with a credit card. Then I went thru a folder of journal fodder. You may remember from an earlier post that I am trying to use my collection of ephemera instead of accumulating more so periodically I'm going thru my stash and putting items into a folder that now resides on my art table. These first two pages are me doing just that.

I've used this page to journal on. I cut up one of my fall leaves photos into mosaic tiles and glued them down haphazardly.

Applying paint with a credit card is a down and dirty way to cover up the white page which can be daunting at times. I've been art journaling for 14 years so I've learned to paint and glue without overthinking the process. It's a lot of fun and it's relaxing as well.

Dancin' the Night Away

2011-10-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! I graduated last night from "The Practice"

and did we ever throw a party! Each of us stood at the

microphone and told our vision, our goal, our daily

action step, and the outcome. I sang a song I wrote

about living my dream and curtsied to an

enthusiastic audience. I was so stoked!

We had great food and drink(s) and I danced!

I don't have pictures of the Gala yet. Today I want to join rebecca at her blog

for Dia de los Muertos.

Yesterday was the day to trade Artist Trading Cards with one of my art groups. We had a blast. I brought a new person, Brittany, who had loads of fun. I saw lots of spooky cards, including the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Oooooohhh!!!

I guess it's time to share Tony, my first husband, and father to my son, Jake.

He was 33 years old when he died in a car accident

(minutes go by as I stare at his face on the screen).

We had a red Ford station wagon with an even numbered

plate, so back in 1974 we waited in line at the gas pump

on even numbered days. He loved to drink and party. He loved

to play with his son. They rough housed all the time. We took

our first vacation together to the Redwoods to visit my

aunt and uncle when Jake was just a year old. We stopped

at the Eel River to swim. This was at a tiny park on the Redwood

Highway that I remembered how to get to after all those years.

I still have photos of that trip. I cherish them. I have very few

photos of him after 1975 because we separated and he became

estranged from his family. We had no idea he lived a mere 200 miles away from us with a whole new family. His unexpected death hit all of us really hard and expecially my son.

Tony's photo will be added to my offrenda for Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov 1 & 2. Thanks for listening.

No Payday Friday

2011-10-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

It's really a drag not having a paycheck coming in. It's depressing. It also feels like limbo. It's like I have to put my life on hold until I have a job. Lord knows I'm not doing that but maybe a small part of me is. After all, how free to express ourselves are we when society judges us by an undefinable set of parameters.

I'm going to Rock on...

Life is harder when

we don't pursue the dreams we

encounter each day.

Dream a little dream

dance away and tomorrow

we will smell roses.

Harken the daily

musings of invention and

you'll soon say, "So what".

Week 26

2011-10-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

I've been having so much fun with Bella

and her weekly photo prompts. I encourage

all of you to venture on over there and join in the fun.

This week's prompt is fall colours so here's another photograph of the driveway.

The next photo is the compost jar in Jackie's kitchen. The colours were very inspiring.

Last night was the last meeting before the gala of my "Practice" group.

Each of us has made great strides toward our goals.

I'm proud of them and proud of me for pursuing my dream

to finish college and treating my art like a job.

I am now mentoring a young artist. Yeah!

Fall is moving full force into the Pacific Northwest.

Cold overnight lows meant I turned the heater on yesterday

and discovered it shorted out the refrigerator and kitchen light

so I nixed that. I'll purchase a small radiator soon. In the meantime

it's long pants time and socks on bare feet to keep my tootsies warm.

The Art of Remembering

2011-10-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

I'm playing with creative folks at recuerdo mi corazon

for Dia de Los Muertos.

I won the bid for the picture above at the Oaxaca Grassroots Art Auction earlier this year, held by rebecca. This piece is from Yole Mazo. I include it in my offrenda for day of the dead celebrations.

This is my dear friend Sherri. She passed away on February 5th. I miss her exuberance, her creativity, and most of all her laugh. The world will miss out on her art and her view of making art. She had tiaras in every room of the house so she could wear one when she was doing laundry or cooking. She was a fabulous teacher who thought she learned more from us than we learned from her. Maybe, I don't know. She had a way of experimenting with colour that really turned me on. And then she would doodle on top and make these splendid flowers, triangles, and loops that spun out of control. She left us way too soon. I appreciate having known her for the past 14 years. Thanks Sherri for teaching me how to reach for the stars...and beyond. I love you still.

Haiku my Heart Friday

2011-10-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Rebecca has an awesome time at recuerdo mi corazon with people who like to write haiku and share them.

Stained glass coloured leaves

whispering soulfully in

childhood memories.

I remember you

dancing in the fallen leaves

never going home.

I remember you

dancing in my melting heart

never going home.

For Sherri. R.I.P.

Week 25-handwriting

2011-10-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is the last journal page I prepped before starting school a week ago. One of my assignments for "The Practice" is to start a gratitude journal so I incorporated that into my regular journal. However, at the meeting last night I remembered I needed to prep more pages. Oh, what to do. what to do. Should I paint or study Finance Accounting? Paint? Study? Paint? Study? Hmmmmm! You choose...

October Festivities

2011-10-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

One of my art groups met yesterday for our Halloween party. Lisa has been collecting decorations for over 20 years and so she was put in charge of decorating the club house.

Tea light candles were lit. Decorated goodie bags were filled with treats and exchanges. Food was served. Art was shared. We had so much fun talking and sharing we didn't have time to play games so the prizes were given out as door prizes instead. Everyone won something!

As part of celebrating Dia de Bloglandia with the folks at recuerdo mi corazon I'm sharing a story of my father who passed away in 1979. His name was John and he loved to garden. He taught me how to till the soil and plant seeds to grow tomatoes and strawberries. He taught me about caterpillars and worms. He taught me to love the taste of what I'd grown by eating them right off the plant.

My father also loved to fish. He built a small workshop in the garage where he tied flies. He designed 3 of his own which he then consigned to a sporting goods store downtown. He fished the Sacramento River, the Eel River, and the American River. He caught salmon, steelhead, and trout. Some of the fish were bigger and longer than us kids. Fishing was a solitary activity my father enjoyed immensely. And I admit I don't eat salmon anymore because I ate it all the time growing up.

Haiku my Heart Friday

2011-10-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

Writing a haiku

fulfills need for connection,

healing for my soul

Gratitude

2011-10-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

Three things I'm grateful for:
1. My parents insisting I take a typing class in high school.
2. Mending the relationship with my brother a couple years ago.
3. Music.

I'm sharing the joy with Meri's Musings. Better late than never.

Week 24-Capture & Share A Circle

2011-10-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I took my son to the Monterey Aquarium to see the jellyfish exhibit.

I took many pictures. I was using a Minolta X-370 at the time. I used Kodak Gold 400, Kodak 1000, and one other. I no longer remember the brand but its speed was 3200. The top picture is a jellyfish approx 8 inches in diameter with a lovely, flowing skirt. The second picture, as you can see, is of hundreds of the same white jelly as babies. In the original photo print you can see bokeh.

The picture below is one of my favourites. It clearly shows the colourful canopy and underskirt.

These creatures are mesmerizing.

Years later, I took another excursion down to Monterey.

I used 10 rolls of film to capture more of these amazing creatures. An interesting side note: whenever showing these photos to someone, I would call them mushrooms, then correct myself. To this day,

the first word entering my head is mushrooms.

I'm playing for 52 Photos Project today

and for Ruby Tuesday yesterday.

In Preparation for Dia de Los Muertos

2011-10-02T22:26:00.000-07:00

"Treasure all those

who have graced our lives with their own courage and verve.

To reaffirm the promise to live life fully,
straight from our hearts, boldly, with great unending passion,

one full day at a time."

~rebecca brooks at recuerdo mi corazon

Each Sunday during the month of October

I will be participating in Dia de Bloglandia

in preparation for Dia de Los Muertos.

Here's an Artist Trading Card I made for the occasion.

This morning's gathering was spent checking in on our goals

and sharing how we appreciate the other members. Each brings something

unique to the table and we're feeling more comfortable with each other. I hope

we continue meeting after The Practice is over.

This is my Aunt Kay and Uncle Nick. They passed on many years ago.

My uncle was a quiet man, never saying much to us kids. My aunt, on the other hand,

was my favourite aunt and always very generous and loving. They worked in the

lumber industry and lived amidst the sequoias in Northern California.

My uncle built their home. The living room was big enough to play basketball in.

The dining room table sat ten comfortably and had a large window looking out

on the front porch. I have many fond memories of this house and the people in it.

I loved visiting them.

Haiku My Heart Friday

2011-09-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

It's Friday again and I am busy, busy, busy getting all my ducks in a row for school to start on Monday. I have completed one more project and discovered three more to do by October 9th. I'll be busy all weekend with "The Practice", a group project I'm currently involved in. I'm managing to get a little art in.

I'm playing with folks at recuerdo mi corazon for Haiku my Heart today. Here's mine:

Projects completed

the house is clean, books ready

All roads lead to school

Along the Fence

2011-09-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

This photo is for 52 Photos Project. This week the theme is 'along the fence'. Along this fence is growing mold as it is in shadow most of the year.

I have five days until school starts. I'm cleaning off my art table to make room for school books. A friend gave me a set of cubby holes for organizing my art supplies into. I'm going to keep the supplies I use frequently in the cubby holes and move everything else over to the shelving unit. I sure hopes this works.

Endeavor to Persevere

2011-09-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

One of the great lines from the movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales" is said by Chief Dan George, when he said, "Endeavor to persevere" in a conversation with Clint Eastwood. I've never forgotten it.

The rubber stamp design of the cabbage is one of my favourites and is made by Paper Parachute. I layered it over a specialty paper with pears on it. I love the pear shape. It is infinitely mutable in art.

Today, I'm playing with Work of the Poet for Ruby Tuesday.

Journal Pages

2011-09-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

Thirsty

Here's a photo of parasitic mushrooms growing on a burl.

From my graveyard photoshoot.

Last Monday, I set a new big, hairy, audacious goal for myself. Treat my art as a job. Show up everyday and produce artwork for sale. I've decided to start making blank greeting cards again. The last few days I've not only been making cards, but I have accomplished these related tasks:

bought 3 ink pads & 1 re-inker
bought "Season's Greetings" rubber stamp
cut cardstock for A2, A7 & 5 1/2" square cards
reviewed existing rubber stamp collection
reviewed card sample index in binder
bought envelopes & plastic sleeves
bought 100 pack of gold flecked text-weight paper for inside cards

I have also eliminated several tolerances, i.e. things I tolerate because I'm too lazy to fix them. I bought a fly swatter and hung a decorative flystrip, I bought the proper light bulbs for my reading chair & changed out the bulb in the light (alas, I can see!), bought windshield cleaning fluid and had son put in engine compartment, attached rubber suction cup to new shower puff. I also went to the local restaurant supply store and purchased items for taco salads for the next few weeks (large bag-low cost). I feel good inside because I was actively engaged instead of playing a stupid game on Facebook.

I'm playing with rebecca today at Postcards from Paradise.

Red

2011-09-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is the first Christmas card I made for the season. Last night I cut red linen card stock and green linen card stock into 5x7 cards. I also cut 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch cards. Today I'm going to be pulling out all my rubber stamps and punches in that subject just to see what I have because I got rid of a lot of supplies when I moved to California in 2009. I also need to go to Michael's Crafts for a few supplies. I'm really excited to use my Tim Holtz die-cuts in my Cuttlebug this season. More of this to follow.

I'm playing with Bella Cirovic at 52 Photos Project today

and with Ruby Tuesday.

A visitor from afar

2011-09-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Angel, come to us,

in our grief, we are in need,

serenity please.

Heart, hearth, separate,

comfort each and ev'ry one

bring us together.

Be still my children.

Fear not the gathering gloom.

Peace shall reign in hearts.

Playing with rebecca and other fine folk at recuerdo my corazon today.

Week 21

2011-09-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

A time to share

pictures and words.

This photography project is quite an adventure.

I am so lucky.

Abstract

2011-09-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

From my living room window I saw the sunset shining thru the leaves out near the end of the driveway. I saw vivid reds and oranges.

This photo is abstract in that you cannot tell what it is. I was changing dials on my DSLR trying to capture what my eyes were seeing.

The flash went off in this picture. This enabled the camera to catch the individual leaves, but my eyes were not able to see them because the setting sun was shining directly into them. I don't like this picture because of that.

By this time, in a space of 5 minutes or less, the sun is too low to shine thru the leaves. My auto focus wasn't even working. So, I turned my camera onto Manual to catch this picture. I was so excited by this procedure that I flew back to the house and grabbed my camera manual and read about how to adjust my shutter speed and aperature in the Manual Mode. This is a major break thru because I learned photography on a manual SLR. Now I know how to reenact this procedure on my Nikon DSLR, I can teach myself photography on a digital camera. The difference between digital photography and film photography is like the difference between taking a shower and taking a bath.

http://www.murrieta365.com/

Texas Wildfires

2011-09-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Reposted from Debdidit. Deb is a friend of mine from "Women in the Woods" days who has since moved back to her roots in Texas. I share this with a hope-filled heart.

I just received word from Laura's Mom that both Tim and Lauras
employers have been generous with the next 6 months

of living expenses,
so there is not a monetary need right now. But oh how those boys love their Beanie Babies!!

and Laura is on the streets helping

her neighbors with their own losses.

She is just that kind of gal!

....and we are OK...but thousands

of families are not.

photo by me

Our friends above lost their home,

burned to the ground.

photos by Laura

and all the boys have asked for

is Beanie Babies. Got some?

You can mail them to

LAURA CRUISE

PO Box 2177

Bastrop, TX 78602

Laura Cruise is the daughter of my

neighbors Linda & Richard Hamilton of

Texas Trash & Treasures

photo by me December 2010

Week 20: Quiet Place

2011-09-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

I have many places to play and/or meditate on life. The parks, the ocean and my art table. Walking on a path in the woods is a quieting gesture for my body. My legs like the walking. My eyes feast on the road ahead, wondering what is around the bend, idly curious.

The ocean touches my soul. This is a part of me no person can reach. No art. No word. No thought. No deed. I'm dumb struck by its magnificence. Nothing can stand in its way. No man or levee can hold it back. The sound in my heart of waves crashing ashore create such a roar in my ears that all other sound is blocked out. It is like listening to the blood in my veins travelling their path, being pushed ever onward my the beat of my heart. The ocean is my mother. Calling me.

As usual, I am posting for 52 Photos Project with other like-minded souls. thank you for visiting and have a fabulous day.

Red, White & Black

2011-09-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun with the colours red, white and black over the last three days. I made these first two for the theme "blackbirds and music". I rather like them. These next three are for the theme "abstract art-red, white & black". I discovered I had red embossing powder and so I drew a swoosh of clear embossing medium on the striped paper, poured the red embossing powder over it and heated it up till it melted. I then made dots with the black and white pearl pens. I liked these as well. The next three items are of a different colour scheme entirely. I made them for a paint chip ATC swap. I like the orange one the best. I layered a napkin on top of the paint chip, added a little Queen's Gold embossing powder to the top, then added a Tim Holtz bottle cap photo under an epoxy bubble. Per usual, I'm playing Ruby Tuesday and Postcards from Paradise. Come visit me and others like me tomorrow at recuerda mi corazon and Work of the Poet on Tuesday..

It's Never Too Late

2011-08-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of my grandmother, my dad's mother. She helped raise me till my littlest brother was born. Then she moved near where this photo was taken, in Weott, Calif. This is/was her daughter's house. My Aunt Kathryn has since passed on.

This is Lubov in one of a myriad of wedding photos, the likes of which I've never seen before. I was a professional photographer for years in the City. I never did a wedding. I am envious of the photographer's skill in composition. There were a few classic poses, but many were avant garde. Get a load of her dress and cape. Wowza!!! She was a delicate flower in her close-ups.

Two pictures: one taken at the end of a life, one taken at the beginning of a life.

I'm stuck in the middle.

So, I applied for a Federal grant and a loan and I'm going back to school

to complete my bachelor's degree.

School starts October 3rd and I am very excited.

As usual, I'm playing today for 52 Photos Project and Ruby Tuesday

and August Break 2011.

Recent Journal Pages

2011-08-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

I did the orange flower page today and the black page yesterday before my Artist Trading Card meeting. I love cutting out images from Vogue magazine. Not only do they have a plethora of awesome images but their advertisements offer fantastic verbage.
The orange flower is actually a closeup of an orange. Since orange is my favourite colour I tore it out of the mag. Today when I was playing it called out to me to be used as flower petals. I always trust my muse. Notice how I left the background white? On purpose...you don't have to be afraid of white pages. Once you glue something down, it is no longer a blank page, therefore you have nothing to fear. Voila!

In just a few days, I will be taking another class thru Excellence NW. It is called The Practice. This is where the rubber meets the road. I will learn how to use the tools I learned in the earlier classes in a practical way by doing a project. More on this later.

Regarding the weather: I feel the heat wave plus humidity is just too much. Yeah, I know this isn't Texas or Louisiana, but throw a little wind our way why doncha! As to the eastcoast weather: one very good reason why I don't live anywhere near it-hurricanes. My heart goes out to the people who have lost loved ones. Natural disasters are cruel. Are the end times near?