Bird Song Tag Book

I recently participated in a tag book swap, hosted by Karla Nathan. I love to create art with birds and music so I jumped at the opportunity to make tags for the Bird Song Tag Book swap. Blue was my color of choice. Here's what I came up with.


Karla always has the best swappers. I love my book and each tag in it.


I can't imagine hosting such a swap. Karla made the covers for each book, packaged them up nicely to send to us and impressed the heck out of me when I heard she had 150 swappers! It's so nice when someone takes on such a project that brings such happiness to so many.

Sullivan

I think I am falling in love, though my heart breaks. Tonight I met Sullivan, a ten year old Weimaranan who was surrendered by his family because they are having their first baby and feel Sullivan is too energetic for their new lifestyle. Hmmmmm.

My friend, Hope, asked me to help with the fundraiser she's chairing for The Big Dog Ranch Rescue. We are coordinating a Howlin Hoedown to raise money for this amazing organization. Our committee meeting was held tonight at the Rescue so we could all get an opportunity to see exactly what our efforts will benefit. They currently have about 120 big dogs waiting for placement.

My heart went out to Sullivan. I cannot understand how someone can give up a ten year old dog. Do you know the average life expectancy of a Weimaranan is ten to twelve years? He just got to the Rescue today after a five hour drive from Jacksonville, Florida. I snapped this photo quick, Sullivan looking out the front door, waiting perhaps for his family to come? He probably doesn't know what's going on.

I never used to like dogs. What the heck? I already have two! How will I ever sleep tonight?!

"....and now that I am old and gray, Oh God, forsake me not" . . . .

Cruisin' The Mississippi

For our final night in New Orleans, we took a two hour cruise on a steamboat on the Mississippi River. New friends from our art classes joined us and it was such fun. The sunset was beautiful and the New Orleans skyline at night was so pretty. It was a guided tour for the first 45 minutes, which is always interesting, and we enjoyed a very good jazz band for the rest of the cruise.

This was the perfect end to a great trip!

More New Orleans

I didn't participate in the soldering class today so I cruised the French Quarter. Such fun!

New Orleans

I am visiting New Orleans for the first time. I am with two of my girlfriends for an art retreat with the reknowned Thomas Mann.

The class we took Thursday was entitled, "Fastenation". It was amazing. When I was listening to Thomas lecture, I was pretty lost about half way through. My head was swimming with thoughts like, "what am I nuts"? "What the heck kind of class did I sign up for"? "Joyce, do you really think you can do what he is describing"? I went back to my workstation after the lecture, looked at my pile of nuts, bolts and other pieces of metal, plexiglass and other doodads and wondered how I would pull this one off. Well, here it is . . . my creation.

I sawed metal. I drilled little holes in metal. I sawed plexiglass. I drilled holes in plexiglass. I attached things with nuts and bolts. I sanded. I created. I love it! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever, or could ever enjoy making something like this. Just amazing the thrill of it all. And we still have to see New Orleans! I'm pretty much just beside myself in awe.

Art Show and Tell Part 1

I had such fun this past weekend making the things I needed for my groups. I often wait until the last minute as I've often felt I worked better under pressure, but I'm starting to change that thinking pattern. I'm not liking it when I have to rush. I want to take my time and think things through and change it up if I'm not pleased with the results. I did have fun playing this weekend, though, even if it was last minute and wanted to share my projects. This is the two page spread I did for the "Lovely in Lace" altered book.


And here are some of inchies I did with the theme of "Faces".

The ATC's this month were, "Place You Would Like To Go". I did Disney, because it was quick and easy. Everyone's ATC's were amazing and I will share those in another post. One was really creative - a picture of Michelle, our scrapbook store owner. There was a little door at the top of Michelle's head with a replica of her brain inside. Michelle is full of incredible ideas that she always gets so excited to share with us, her groupies. Yep, inside her brain would be a great place to go!!

I really need to make a point of sitting at my art table more often because once I sit in that seat, my mind is on art and I love that thought process!

Change

I changed my blog background. I haven't done that in years. I see many blogs that use the backgrounds on Hot Bliggity Blog so I had to check it out myself. There are lots of pretty ones and I'm not 100% sure about this one so I have to look at it for a few days. It doesn't look real summery, but I think it looks rich and elegant. Now I need to change my header and I don't know how to do that. I want to put all kinds of things that I love in my header. My current photo's are things I love but I don't think it looks good with this background. Well, it's summer and it's time to play around. This might be fun . . .

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We're looking lush here in South Florida! Finally getting some much needed rain, which certainly helps with the flowers. I just love coming out my door and seeing a variety of pretties.

The blossoms just fell off this geranium, but lots of new buds will soon open.

I was going to discard this little palm as I didn't think it would survive with its badly burnt fronds, but all of a sudden new growth appeared and it's looking great!

My friend, Hope, gave me this Gardenia on the left this past Easter. It was so full and beautiful - I just loved it. I flew up to NJ shortly after Easter to visit my mom. When I came back, I realized I never asked Rachel to water it while I was gone as it was dried to a crisp. There were a couple of green leaves still hanging on so I tried to make up for my abandonment and watered it, talked to it and tried to nurture it back to life. It worked! It almost looks as pretty as the day I got it!! Hopefully it will flower for me one day!

So that's what's growing in my neck of the woods. How are things in your little corner of the world?

Saturday

I am feeling great today! I had a miserable task to do that seemed to take forever, but I did it and it's done and it's time to move on. What I have learned over the past couple of months is that stuff is stuff and while it can hold many beautiful memories, our moments together and the memories we cultivate by sharing our time and space in this world, those are the things we will cherish and remember.

Today I am going to make art and I am so excited! I have several projects to do and not much time to complete them but that is my focus and it will be fun! I need to make Inchies with the theme of "faces". What an interesting theme!!

I spent time last night flipping through magazines I've saved for this purpose, cutting out interesting faces. I'm anxious to see the finished product.

I also have ATC's to do with the theme of "Place You Would Like To Go". I'm going to do something similar to one of the photo's in my header, a chair at the beach. Yep, that's where I need to spend some time.

Another project is the new altered book my group started. The book I need to work in is "Living with Lace". I'm so excited about this book as I love all things vintage and lace. I think I will do my page as "The Bride Wore Lace". That will be such fun to gussy up with some of the pretties from my stash.

Last, is a Birdsong Tag Book Swap I'm doing. I have to make seven tags and I will get a little book of seven tags back. I love birds in art and I have a nice little collection of dies that I could use so it will also be fun to sit and design a nice tag for this swap. I haven't done any swaps like this in quite some time so it will be fun to get my feet wet again with this project.

Tonight I'm going to see Bridesmaids with my girlfriend. Sounds like a fun day, so I'm off to enjoy it. Hope you enjoy your day too!!

Guilt

So after my mother proceeds to make me feel guilty for moving away and leaving her . . . which I did over 20 years ago . . . and I tell her to not make me feel guilty, that I would never make my children feel guilty (would I?) . . . she tells me that she is not making me feel guilty, that I am allowing myself to feel guilty and I should not do that . . . I should never let anyone make me feel guilty.

I guess those words and tonights beautiful rainbow give me peace after an extremely stressful, emotional day. My brother tells me not to think about it, that if I dwell on it, the hurt will not go away. My sister tells me it was the only choice. My other sister tells me she is sorry she could not be with me.

Today's Bible verse was, "Lift up your eyes now and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward." Genesis 13:14 And Rachel ended an essay today with . . . "There's not always going to be someone to take you out of misery, sometimes you have to do that on your own." So I shall stand up, dry my tears, brush myself off and try to remember that life goes on . . .

That Peaceful, Easy Feeling

The evenings are so cool and breezy here in South Florida now, which is such a welcome relief after the sweltering midday heat. It is so pleasureable sitting outside after dinner, relaxing, listening to the birds chirping away as they come home to sleep for the night, and watching my puppy try to catch lizards, unsuccessfully!

I've been busy cleaning out my mother's home and have acquired a few things in the process, one being this wooden swing. My brother bought this for my parents and they both always loved it. I've fixed it just the way my mom had it with an afghan she made on the back and some patriotic pillows to make it look very inviting.

When you get something new, it kinda makes you want to spruce everything else up too. I planted flowers along my sidewalk.

It's nice to light a fire in my little fire bowl.

And enjoy the beauty that surrounds me in my little space.



Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

The Majestic Princess

Had an awesome day on Sunday! We were invited to a 50th Anniversary Party aboard the Majestic Princess.


Not often I spend time on a yacht, so I made sure to enjoy every moment! The first level was the dining area. The second level had a bar area and this picture below is the third level, my favorite!


We had a yummy brunch as we traveled the intracoastal. The weather was gorgeous and it being Memorial Day weekend, many were out enjoying the day.


I grew up in New Jersey and while I loved living there for many reasons, I am perfectly content now living in the tropical paradise of Palm Beach county in South Florida . . . for many reasons. It's human nature to become accustomed to things and maybe even take things for granted, so sometimes it's good to be reminded of the beauty that surrounds us.

Now if I could cruise on a yacht every weekend, that just might be something fun to take for granted. Hope you all had a great weekend too!!

Bags of Life

How many bags of trash, bags to Goodwill and packed boxes can one's life fill? I am in the process of packing up my mother's life and dispersing of it as best I can. I sold her house so I can continue to care for her in the assisted living facility where she's been living for the past four years. I have about three more weeks to get everything organized, sorted and gone before the closing.

My heart breaks as I go through each closet and drawer and see the things she so lovingly cherished and saved for us, things with little notes so we would know of their importance to her so we might also hold them dear. While this is a physically arduous task, the emotional toll is heart-wrenching. I'd like to think it would be easier if she were in Heaven as I would then be doing the job she chose me to do. Knowing, though, that she is living and breathing elsewhere and I am in her home dispersing her life's treasures, I just truly do not know that I will ever be able to get past this. Please be assured that I would not be doing this if it were not the last alternative. It does not make it easier. My friends who know the situation, offer many prophetic words of wisdom and while I love them for acknowledging and understanding my pain, I cry in remembrance of days gone by.

Sometimes I wish I were still a little girl, running through the house on a mission to get outside to play, careful not to knock into one of mom's treasures on my way..... rather than packing them up to send on their way, hoping that my mother would understand, if she could.

Tulips

I have always loved tulips. When I was a young girl living home with my family, I planted hundreds of red and yellow tulip bulbs under our plum tree. Each year I loved when the catalog of tulips from Holland came in the mail. I would sit for hours, pouring over each page, taking the time to select just the right tulips for our area. I would have to plant many new bulbs each year as before the first frost, the squirrels would often dig up my prized possessions. I loved waiting for them to pop through the soil and then slowly and steadily reach for the sun. It was very sad when my parents sold our home after we all grew up and moved away. I often thought about my tulips under our plum tree and wondered if the new owners ever realized their beauty as I did.

I am in New Jersey, where I grew up, visiting my mother for her birthday this weekend. I snapped this picture of the tulips growing outside of my mom's assisted living facility. Living in Florida, the only tulips I see are in the flower buckets at the grocery store. I can't begin to explain how I felt when I saw these tulips today. While I love living in Florida, there are some things remembered from days gone by that just cannot be replaced. The lilacs, the daffodils, the buds on the trees, there is nothing like the renewal of Spring.

Inchies and ATC's

Hope everyone had a great Easter! I thoroughly enjoyed the day relaxing with family and dear friends. Church was wonderful, dinner was yummy and the togetherness was special.

Last Sunday was Art Day for me. My monthly clubs met and we had a great time. We started something new for this month - Inchies. They are exactly that - a one inch piece of art. Our theme for this month was "The Color Pink". Here are mine . . .

We had to make eight sets of four different inchies. Here they are all together. Don't they look nice with all the sets together? I'm going to put them in a little book with removable adhesive dots so I can easily access if good for a project.

We also traded ATC's. Our theme this month was "Shaped ATC's". I made mine in a gothic arch shape.

Here are the others. It's such fun to see how everyone interprets the theme.



Look at this one. Isn't this an adorable little turtle?

Lift his shell and what do you find . . . How cute is that?


And how appropriate for today, Easter Sunday . . .

It's always such fun to see what the others have created. Next month's theme is "Children". I will enjoy making those.

I've been making art for a couple of years now and just cannot believe how much I enjoy it. I've learned a lot and am feeling more confident from when I first began. Makes life more fun!!