babies, children, life and love ~ day 3

i can hardly believe
already october

i can hardly believe
tomorrow will be
nineteen weeks


i can hardly believe
people's actions
choices

i can hardly believe
my strength
my courage
my hope
my light

i can hardly believe
my ability to laugh
to love
to cry
to pray

i can hardly believe
near ten months

i can hardly believe

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird

And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull
And if that cart and bull fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

                                              ~ traditional lullaby 

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

something different

from me.

I had encountered some mixed media artists in the past year or two that have been doing different sorts of things with jewelry. I was intrigued. Also I have observed that people sometimes are more interested in purchasing something they can wear more than something to hang on the wall to decorate a space or to be admired as art. 
 
Some of the newest mixed media for me involves working with sculpey clay. The above larger beads are my own. These groupings will be worked together to form a beautiful necklace. I will show you another day.



The above necklace is unique, being made with an empty, sterilized insulin vial. I have had diabetes for 50 years now. I am proud of the fact. I am happy to have determined a use for some of the daily medication "waste" and happy to be able to recycle. "Hope" has been a very important word to me all along. I hope that you have found a place for it within your heart as well.



More jewelry parts made with sculpey clay.

Now I am away to more adventures with creating.
Angels be with you my friends.

about love and hope and art

Some new art pages using pretty tape. They make it "pretty" easy to create a lovely journal page. The first picture is from a 1967 issue of Chatelaine.

 

 The following includes an image of my very dear friend - husband Greg - and myself, taken a couple of years ago on the occasion of our 25th wedding anniversary.

  

This art journal page for "HOPE" is my favourite of this group. I found the picture in a 1966 issue of Photoplay. It's about Carolyn Jones and her struggle with "mental illness".

My wish for you today is that of love and hope and many creative dreams, as well as the usual ~ "angels be with you."

without cease

These words come to my mind so easily this day. How many people in the world are still thinking, and  praying, without cease, for the situation in Haiti? Most certainly there are those with seemingly "no heart". Yet I see around me so much good, so much thought, so much consideration, for these people, this land of Haiti, which was already so impoverished.
I choose to not listen to the news. I choose to not see the pictures. My heart already bleeds for all the sadness in the world. Instead I will try to concentrate on peace and calm and joy, that my prayers, my thoughts, may perhaps impart some tiny bit of calm to those in fear, in grief, in suffering. I will concentrate on sending angels to whatever poor suffering souls may recognize some tiny bit of light within their darkness.

 I will try to share with you some of the people whom I have encountered online who are trying to help, some who are, or have been, very near geographically, and still others who are near in spirit. Please put thought to ways in which you may be able to help. Every tiny bit makes a difference.
The Livesay [Haiti] blog was brought to my attention a couple of days ago. I find it more comfortable to read than looking to ongoing news coverage. I know the tragedy is immense. As I said - trying to maintain for myself some calm.
Jenny Doh at her CRESCENDOh blog has written a thoughtful article where she also introduces Rebecca Sower who recently visited Haiti and speaks to the importance of trying to assist crafters of Haiti at the recently opened Haiti by Hand etsy shop.  At the time I am preparing this post I observe there are currently no items for sale. I am certain Rebecca will be attempting to list more hearts as soon as possible.

There are numerous ways of assisting fiancially. We chose to donate to Unicef as that is a place we have been donating for many years. Where will YOU choose to donate? How will you choose to assist? I know that you will be helping through thought, and prayer (if that is what you believe).

Angels be with you dear friends as you continue to hold hope within your heart for those near and dear to you as well as for those most needing hope in this time.

~ ((((Haiti))))  ~

"When you're smiling"

In the last couple of weeks I felt quite often that the word "floundering" wanted to hold some huge space in my thoughts. Then I stopped to look back at all the good that has happened in the past years and I found much that this video represented was so true. Thank you dear Elena.



I had done the following piece about three years ago. At that point in time I had already identified that hope was very important.


I observe the "darkness" of the above creation. Yet it was probably about the same time I wrote the following poem.

The Color of Hope
“Is what you see hope?”
Oh yes, It is hope.

Hope ~
In abounding quantity.
“You do not give up.
You will never give up.
You must never give up!”

A time,
A place,
I feel like giving up.
And again.
And again.
It haunts me.

Maybe that is the black hole inside of me!

Optimism is hope.
I strive to optimism.

Maybe that is why pesstimism angers me so.

Patience also walks hand in hand
With hope.
If there is not patience,
Hope
Will be near
Impossible to find.

What color is hope?
It can be Orange,
Yellow
Or Pink.
Blue is my favorite.
It can be Blue.
Or Purple ~ Majesty, faith.

But regardless
Of the color of hope,
It is bright.
There are angels hovering all about.
Hope.

And even yet I see darkness in the words. I have come to be much more relaxed with the understanding that some people choose the path of pessimism. I have come to realize that rather than anger me I should just try to step away from these folk that have chosen a different path. Sometimes that is more difficult than others. I have to say that I still let others' impressions affect me (part of the reason for the floundering?) but I am not nearly as concerned.

I try to remind myself of the individuals I have touched in the past years by something I said or more recently by something that touches in one of my creations - be it a video or photograph or words or art. I am astonished at the number of views for some of my photographs like the following which has received over 2000 views, at this point 95 comments and 41 people marking as a favourite.



The number of views on my videos has been astonishing. The most viewed video is this one called "creating an art quilt - tutorial".

This one about art journaling has had over 3000 views. I am so pleased to be helping people in some way with the sharing. Maybe you would be helped by it also.



The list goes on. I am certain that if you took a moment or two you also could find many ways that you have touched people's lives. Sometimes we have to think about it but I am certain that you could make a VERY LONG list.

I do want to return momentarily to the difficult years. I created this digital art last week. Click on the image to get a larger version at flickr so you can read the words.



Please remember you can find links by clicking on the words with different colours and if you click on the images in posts you may get an enlarged version so that you might be better able to read the words, as in the link to "suicidal tendencies". "They said" speaks to the suicidal tendencies (particularly of about five years ago) and depression (long term). I do want to emphasize that while I chose no medication, that is certainly not for everyone. It is what I chose but there were some family and friends watching closely over me, offering prayers and support. If you are going through a situation in which you are feeling hopeless and especially if you are feeling alone, medication is probably an excellent choice. I have included a couple of links to the more difficult times. If you want to search for more feel free to go back to earlier days on my windyangels blog. You can do so by going to one of the links mentioned above and scroll down to just above the delphinium photo. You can go from there to older or newer posts.

Please remember ~ try to smile.

Taking some time to recuperate. I was feeling quite uncomfortable on Sunday but in my way, kept going, through the morning anyway. Yesterday was better and today even more so. My family commitments should be diminishing somewhat, I think. My main area of discomfort seems to be in my jaws. I could barely open my mouth on Sunday. I carry on though as I know there are folks much worse off than I. I also can wreak havoc with family who over-react to discomforts. OR they think they have to compete - with a worse cold or a more sore head or WHATEVER! So you see - I am fine :D

I am trying very much to complete a video about the "strong, free, me" girl. I am planning to introduce a "line" at my shop around her. Next week, if not sooner.

In the meantime I wanted to share this new video:



I was also astonished to learn yesterday that I have a couple of pics on flickr with over 1000 views. I can hardly believe it. Here they are:





May angels be with you dear friends,
Wendy

Thank you for all the fabulous birthday wishes- to Suze who is probably extremely busy today but has granted me so many gifts already, to Karen, Elena, Jeanne, Darcy (going through a difficult time right now and needing our prayers), Barbara, Jenny and all my dear family and friends.
Angels be with you,
Wendy
p.s. much art to follow in the next days, certainly weeks
Thanks again.

"I-I-I love JEESUS!": My soul feels so uplifted each time we go to pick up Cat after she's been at camp. She absolutely loves spending time there. This photo, while not a very clear image in reality, is a very good depiction. This last session was a teen camp with 125 campers ages 15- 17 years. This number fills the friendly camp to near overflow. On the last day there is always chapel at 11:30 a.m. Parents are invited to attend chapel. Seeing these young people standing on the benches and standing at the front of the chapel ALWAYS brings tears of joy to my heart. In those moments when the voices are uplifted in the words "I-I-I love JEESUS!", one can't help but feel surrounded by miracles.

sliding through shades of blue:
I've always loved the colour blue. I was so entranced when we were returning from Regina to the farm a couple of evenings ago. Greg was very kind and made some minute detours so that I might capture photos. The clouds, their many colours, the moon, the sunset - all were intoxicating. This photo shows in some small way the layers of blue.



The summer days often make me feel as though I'm sliding through shades of blue, not necessarily in a good way. I'm thinking more of the moody blues. Cat's frequent need for attention, our holiday time being spent mainly at the farm (not really a holiday if you can imagine) and little time to create, especially in my mind, bring on these blue shades.

Here are a couple of examples of some creative time I've been squeezing in between the other blues. Some of the journal pages mention snow, heaven forbid. Some of the writing is newer. I tend to write while on longer road trips. The inks are kind of a new fave - cat's eye color box fluid chalks. Yummmm. They're nearly as scrumptious as the Reese's miniatures I mention on one of the pages.





I've also been doing a tiny bit of writing at windyangelsandyou - more on shades of blue. Take a look.

"How do you spell Heaven?"
To see these journal pages please visit "windyangelsandyou". And thank you in advance for leaving the tiniest of comments there to say you've stopped by. I've not got a stat counter there so would greatly appreciate your thoughts.
Hugs, Wendy

I believe in faith and hope. I believe in angels. I believe in miracles.
I have been so happy to be a part of seeing the miracle of Mark, and his mother Darlene and to see what can happen when people pray, when people have faith in a higher power, when people gather together, even in the land of blog. I was so amazed today to see the wonderful smiles of Mark - the wonderful smiles of Mark today. If you are not familiar with Mark and his amazing family go back to mid-December on Darlene's blog and read about something tragic. Continue to read the posts. Look at the number of comments. Read the comments. It is a wonderful story.
Mark and Darlene and the rest of the family still need our thoughts and prayers. If you are so inclined, please say a prayer. Grieving, anger, fear, questions - they do not magically disappear. They do not disappear overnight. Relationships change. Our prayers are needed. Maybe a prayer of thanksgiving would be called for also.
"Believe - you may see miracles happening all about you."

HOPE:The last few days have been difficult as we struggle with our daughter having side effects of the medication she was started with for seizures. For four days she has been hardly able to keep any food down, has had very little appetite, and has been very drowsy. Today she has been more alert but she became very frustrated this evening with the discomfort in her stomach and the whole idea that it is caused by the medication. This is apparently very common when individuals are started on this medication.

Cat has been trying to think happy thoughts. She was having difficulty finding them tonight. She is finally resting.

Hope is what has carried us through. See "HOPE" at windyangelsandyou.

AEM, November 27 - a journal page: I've not been able to do much art the last couple of days. That is frustrating for me. Creativity helps me to cope. Other necessities have been pushing their way to the front of my being.

I've been attempting transfers for some time. On Thursday I finally got some Golden soft gel medium. I decided it would be quick to try to do transfers tonight. It will still take some practice but at least I finally had some success. This was the third attempt tonight. I hadn't taken time to look for directions anywhere. I don't like the streaky lines but I don't care. With practice and some studying I think I might be able to have more success.

Someone questioned my actions, and beliefs, today. I am trying not to let it concern me but when there is such fear in me anyway, it is difficult. I will continue to trust. I will continue to pray. I will continue to ask for your prayers.

Wishing you magic in whatever form that takes - perhaps a stronger faith in God.