a different autumn dance

this years dance of autumn
was so different

there have been so many
major transitions in my life
the past number of months

I thought this autumn
would be more calm
more art filled
more peaceful
more creative

but not.
instead filled with more arrangements
more meetings
more phone calls
ensuring peace
and safety
for those I love


still nature danced
all about me
in the familiar stride
which nature takes


my own dance
felt fretful
sometimes near frantic
sighting as impossible
this slower
stronger

dance of self


yet here I am
taking longer
courage filled strides
filled with the knowledge
accomplishment
pride
peace

if only for a moment
still certain
almost always
in self
in courage
in knowing the joy
of the dance


regardless

November 2011

I was reminded this evening about November being a special month in which art, blogging, and art journaling are all encouraged as a daily activity. I have participated in Art Eevryday Month a number of times but have not been involved with the other two projects previously. While art is almost an everyday piece throughout the year, I have decided to try to share more of my projects with you this month. I might even try to show you some of the activities from the past few months just because I have not yet shared them.


Today's art involved further prepararion for a small trade show I will be participating in on November third in our local senior citizen's home. Some of the newer things I am working on is more tags. A few are for Christmas and others are just something lovely. The butterfly tags need to be cut out yet. Hopefully there will be some time tomorrow.

summer
slipping
sliding
through my fingers
not only now
as the days grow chill
when the sky threatens
rain
perhaps just gloom
the winds
blow more chill
yet also through the sunshiny
heat filled days
beach days
seashore perfect days

for i had
 well ~ this and that
i would not want to bore you ~
yet mostly
it was the change
the immensity of change
(i know that change is inevitable
normally i embrace change)
yet this
this was different
this was in almost all
areas of my life
too much to have to deal with
in one passing of a year
perhaps even too much
for one passing of a lifetime

yet i endured
i was courage
i was hope
i was guide
i was shoulder to lean on
i was present

i was crying
i was smiling
i was speaking
sometimes in a voice too loud
sometimes in a voice imparting hurt
i was present

i am present
yes
i am courage
i am hope
i am laughter
i am tears
i am smiling
i am laughter
i am encouragement
for self
for others
i am present

June Is

bustin' out all over 
and I love the excitement in the air
the birds are singing
baby robins are exploring and observing
daisies are dancing
peonies are near bursting
daylilies wave hello
and good bye
bachelour buttons stand proud
lilacs are glowing
allium stay tall
doves coo-ooo
baby ducks scurry
staying close to momma

 











                                     ************
June is a wonderful month. I love it particularly as I am able, every year, to do a retreat on my own. I find this to be extremely rejuvenating. I am preparing to leave at this moment.
When I return I will have much news to share with you from the past months and hopefully more art to share which is new, and also from the past months.


Angels be with you dear friends.

thoughts for a Tuesday

time slipping by
moments to remember
moments to let go
moments to celebrate
moments to mourn

so much to share
so much to record
prepare to share
when the next moments
come slipping by

too much to remember
too much to share
choosing
to embrace
the moment
embrace it until the next

greening
of my world
babies
birds
blossoms
colour
bursting
breathing
beauty

embraces
yet again more
embraces
endings
beginnings
always prayer
so much pain
so much joy

always prayer
for our world
for our friends
for mere stranger
for selves
for friends

robins growing
doves cooing
black birds squawking
pedestrian crossing
duck crossing
robin baby
crossing

time slipping by
always prayer

as spring blows through

I am embarking on new adventures
attempting to share my creations
in a more local
face to face way

opportunities have appeared
I have acted to affirm
my interest


this weekend presents 
a chance to show in Regina
at tHe art of the Matter
with friends
 in support of those 
who have had ovarian cancer
and their supporters

hoping you will be with us also
to share art
and friendship

if it is impossible 

for you to be in Regina on Saturday

I will be presenting numerous 

new creations 

in my shop at Etsy 

as I have joined a new team

Angels be with you dear friends

subtle spring

sometimes spring can be very subtle
as it enters our world

sometimes the world seems almost silent when suddenly the leaves burst forth
one sees the robins gathering worms
sitting softly midst the grass
sometimes the first crocuses peek through

the dry hillside without any announcement

sometimes spring can be very subtle

tomorrow

a new day

a day to rejoice

in whatever peace

we may find

within our hearts

within our lives

a day to rejoice

for living

in a democratic land

where choices

are very available

at least 

to most of us

though not all

a new day

tomorrow

shine

a paint by number background



which has been 



totally



transformed



"shine" for an exchange of postcards hosted by ascender rises above.

Happy Birthday

I want to take this opportunity to wish a very dear friend of mine a Happy, Happy Birthday. 

not only

was the sun shining
but there were other visitors
as well

love never fails

do I actually ever

complete any of the works in progress? I frequently ask myself. And you may wonder also.

I have high hopes for these turquoise pieces. Actually one is for an exchange so I must complete it. Very soon. But not today or tomorrow. I have a little gathering I plan to attend tomorrow. There will be other artists, perhaps only a few. There will be a chance to visit, a chance to share experiences and creations. There might be an opportunity for showing some of the art to customers and EVEN selling some of it. Unfortunately our weather has been, ummmm, to put it nicely, disgusting. Road and travel conditions have not been good. And so the turnout at the first annual Prairie Earth Crafters Artisan Marlet may not be spectacular. Does not matter to me. I am looking forward to the opportunity to get out. I am pleased to have a chance to visit with like minded people. That does not happen very often in my real life.

These pieces go back to the turquoise theme which I have been toying with the last couple of posts. They are some very tiny canvases which I thought I might complete for tomorrow. Not sure if I still have time to finish them.

The next is an older piece in the same colour theme together with a cd I am altering.

This is the piece I must complete soon for the exchange.

In my last post I mentioned needing practice with painting faces. Drawing and using pencils and charcoal pencil is more familiar to me. I'm thinking these faces are not so bad for some of my early attempts. Of course they are not complete yet either. This one is not quite turquoise but another older one that was very handy. That nasty habit I have, of almost always putting out too much paint, prompted me to work on it as well.


I will be adding many new items to my shop next week. Hoping you will take an opportunity to check back then.
Angels be with you dear friends.

as the dance continues to gravitate

towards turquoise

with the above piece in its background
and about 30 smaller pieces
I worked with at the same time

"seek peace"
was a challenge to playing more with paint
even a very inexpensive children's paint set
playing more with body poses
as opposed to just faces
and a remembrance of how much I love to use stamps
and inks

"seek peace" my friend

turquoise dancing with

other shades of blue

 
and pinks
and even red

something about
this time of year


spring has just
arrived
but in my part of the world
I see snow
and wind
and bigger wind
and more grey
skies
and thoughts
and more grey
and white
too bright
of snow
more grey
within my mind
would be so easy
yes so easy
to withdraw
within


instead
I choose turquoise
and creativity
and bright shades of pink
 
and copper wire
all
to warm
to remind
that spring
is just around the bend
at least
in my heart
and I rejoice
in the friendship
of art
of creativity
my own strength
my own courage
my own
hope

shades of green

I do not often take time to think on the colour green. Yet green, well, green almost seems to reside in me, to be a part of me. I love, love, love nature and especially its multitude of greens. The recycling green seems also to be a part of me. Recycling comes naturally as an everyday part of life. I almost think more about it if I choose for some strange reason to not recycle.

For today, I have chosen to share just a few of my most favourite brighter greens which reside in our home, some of them quite newly acquired. Certainly my constant companion, Missy Hope, did not want to miss any of the excitement. Even though her eyes are most certainly blue, they do seem to have taken on a turquoise hue for the special occasion.

striding through March

I have been trying
to stride through March
with all of its changes
all of its roaring
few of its calm "bleating" 
moments

in some moments
I
have been trying to organize
my creations
and sharing
of them

in other moments
I
have been looking for colour
and joy


hoping your own striding
through March
brings much colour 
and joy
and certainly
many angels

time for

a happy dance

 as the numbers align

and each new tiny step is taken

as I feel more free

to experiment and play

and the freedom to share

as the new day dawns
I feel gratitude within
as the gift of creativity
burbles up
through my spirit
the gift of art
leads me on a path
of further
discovery





Over the past few weeks I have been busy preparing for a local "Women's Day" show and sale. Because the focus was on fashion, personal care, fitness and health, much of my art was not really appropriate. So I was focusing on making jewellery. I had hoped to do some painting of canvas bags also but ran out of time. I only started doing a wash on the inside of a bag on the very day before the show.

There were things I was made aware of through the preparation time as well as things of which I was strongly reminded. 
1. I am very good at planning and starting projects. Finishing them is an almost impossibility for me. Thank goodness my dear husband is so dear to have helped me with every single one of the closures. My hands are not very good with jump rings and tiny pieces. Snaps would be very tricky for me also. YAY! Greg.
2. Doing the same thing over and over is extremely boring for me. Cutting and gluing papers to insulin vials - hmmmm - any volunteers to assist with these chores would be greatly appreciated.
3. Comical talk show hosts can be extremely helpful in uplifting my mood in a winter that has been very harsh. The ongoing snow, wind chills and extreme cold have been brutal. There been a few sudden heat waves which every time have resulted in freezing rain or blowing snow across road ways. When one lives in a very rural province and many activities require travelling, icy and snow blown roads put cancellations high at the list of very frustrating. Yes, it has been a very harsh winter all in all. And so I have been grateful to Ellen and STEVEN and CHRIS for bringing to me joy and laughter over the past few days, weeks, when I tired of listening to HGTV momentarily.
4. When I am uptight and very tense, it truly helps to try to sing. Sometimes I sing familiar tunes. Sometimes I make up my own words. 
5. I must never forget how much I love to create and how much art saves me. Seemingly, I had not painted for weeks. On Saturday morning, day before the show, when I chose to splash a teal wash onto the inside of a bag, well, I felt enthused and energetic once again. On Monday, the day after the show, I did up the three art journal pages above. The backgrounds were completed and I had only to use a black pen and then fill in some extra colours with watercolour pencils. Immediately soothing. 

as the new day dawns
I feel gratitude within