Christmas Roundup-

I have failed miserably at doing the monthly roundup of creativity. It is a nice way to archive things for future use. I did this the year I was into learning Photoshop. I did a lot of occasion specific artwork. I did not want to keep it all on the PC so a would burn it to  CD. I really should do this again this year. I have amazing photos of holiday retail store windows that would make great reference next year. There are failed and inspired ideas for cards as well. {I gave up this year and sent purchased cards}. I should really add my ideas for home decoration. What am I going to do for lighting outside is always an issue to be addressed.

Good to include information would be shopping, cooking, recipes,mailing list  and supply inventory. Christmas 2007 Retrospective CD… A good thing...Dec. 29, 2007

Emeril Lagasse

Emeril is no longer with Food Network. The station elected not to renew his contract this coming year. I am gob smacked. It is no doubt an example of age-ism. A common thing in the common world, I am surprised it happened to him. Emeril is very much the corner stone of Food Network. Granted, I did not watch as frequently as I had in the past, I know  he is being replaced by cute and young things like Tyler Florence or worse  by Jamie Oliver. Reruns of Emeril Live will continue to appear on the channel and Lagasse will "continue to be a part of the Food Network family", according to Carrie Welch of the Food Network. Lagasse's defection follows Mario Batali's exit back in September. Ten years and now, no Emeril...Dec. 27, 2007.

Favorite things...

this time last year...

...i was reveling in adventure. I went to Italy and France for the holidays. It was a wonderful time. I grinned so hard at times, I gave myself a brief headache. The sights of the trip were more than I imagined it would be. I had the opportunity to go to Europe before, but it was never so special as on Christmas. December 24 was spent at the Coliseum, ending the day at the Vatican. We saw thousands there to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The day of Christmas, we expected to be a quiet day of rest. We quickly discovered that the world was up and out in Rome. Off we went to visit all of the chapels we could in Vatican City. We ended the day by taking a bus tour of Rome. It was a wonderful time...dec 22,2007

Chefs Talk

Watching another holiday cooking show, Michael Chiarello, Nappa Style, on Fine Living. Chiarello has been writing cookbooks for years and has a line of specialty foods/home products. I was interested to watch him because his style is devoted to the Tuscany of America, Napa Valley. On his holiday showing, he took a one minute to rant. the rant was all about leftovers.

As a chef, he realizes he is seldom invited to others homes for meals during the holidays. quite naturally everyone looks forward to being invited to his home. Finally he was invited to a cousin's for a holiday meal. Chiarello was ecstatic. Later that night, he got the hankering for leftovers of the day's meal. NOTHING! "Send your guests home with a garbage bag of leftovers" he screamed.

I thought that was way funny from a chef...dec. 16, 2007

I Love Magazines...

It is a well known fact I love magazines more than I should. This past August I brought back every shelter magazine I could from Montreal. My tastes in magazines come and go, as they well do on the magazine stands. Recently a few good magazines have gone. Today I saw the following headlines, "Martha Stewart Living to Curtail Blueprint Magazine". Wow. Little did I know. I always wondered why I liked the magazine, but I found myself looking forward to it each month. Evidently, the demise of shelter magazines is a direct result of the demise in the housing market. House and Garden left the news stands last month. I misssed that one as well.

According to the Magazine Death Pool, more will go particularly in the categories of parenting and children magazines. The internet is a big player in the that regard. Parents and children get a lot of information on the web.

The blog, Blue Lines, seems to be continuing while the magazine Blueprint, will fold into Martha Stewart Weddings. I don't see myself buying Weddings. I wonder if Somerset will be culling it's growing publication empire? 2008 will be an interesting year... dec 11,2007.

 

 

 

Looking @...

Style Files Full of the best ideas from around the world. You can't help but find the perfect gift. Look at the new design wave. With the Natural Wave, designed Byung-seok You, you can warm up coffee, tea and snacks without needing an outlet.

Sfgirlbybay- Bring on the young and beauriful shops and design haunts in San Francisco. I loved above all the article about Iris Apfel. I so want to be Iris one day! "Iris Apfel rocks. I mean look at this incredibly unique personal and timeless style. Because it is so completely her own, makes it timeless. No one is putting any shelf date on what she collects and what she chooses to put together, and I just love that. It takes guts in today's society to wear what you like, love it and not care if people think you odd or even ridiculous."

Black Eiffel keeping eyes open for Antrhopologie holiday windows...dec 11,2007

Paris Christmas Decoration

They hang on to an outdoor cafe like no other.

Louie Activity

One new and wonderful thing I found about my new camera, Panasonic Lumix FX18, I can make custom settings, save them and go back to them. In order to accustom myself to not using the camera in IA mode (ultra automatic) all of the time, I frequently will go to PMode or one of the custom settings. It stretches my use of the camera. Don’t get me wrong, you will always get a good picture on IA, but you often times have less control. For instance, even though it will recognize a face and focus on it, you sometimes want to control where the focus lies in the shot. Hard to explain...nov 26,2007

Decoration and Memory

During the infamous flood, I lost most of my holiday decor. Most holidays, I have some sort of holiday decoration in the house. It is so strange this up coming holiday season to realize I am in many ways starting from scratch. Thankfully, the restoration company was able to salvage a few of my collectible cherubs.

Since my children were younger, I had collected Possible Dreams African American tree ornaments. I cried at loosing so many of them during the flood. Luckily there have been few Ebay auctions that allowed me to win victoriously. Now, I just don't know where to start! I feel I should enjoy starting over more than I am. I suppose it is missing the process of unpacking them.  There was an entire process of memories behind find each angel.

I am sure that the entire process will turn out beautifully. An entire new  book of memories will be written. Let the memory and decoration begin...nov 23, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving to You All

Playing in the Dark

I can't possibly get up any earlier in the morning. Yet, morning is the time to go play in my studio space. I try to at least wait until daybreak. This is a little difficult during the week, when I should be concentrating on getting to work on time! I am so easily distracted. When I get to "art" in the morning, I at least try to be organized.  Does this look like organized?... Playing in the dark...nov 19,2007

 

Monday Mosaic...

1. Anne-Claire Petit, 2. Anne-Claire Petit, 3. MrPS, 4. MrPS, 5. MrPS, 6. earrings, 7. plate by enna, 8. new candle from hannover artist, 9. plates by enna :), 10. plates by enna, 11. House to Home, 12. House to Home, 13. House to Home, 14. House to Home, 15. House to Home, 16. House to Home

compliments of FD's Flickr toys...Gleanings from Decor8 blog.

Today I am Liking...

Stanley Clarke's new CD... Karen Russell's photography tips...nov 9, 2007

Reusable

Reusable grocery bags are quite the topic as of late. Traveling around with my daughter, I saw the phenomenon in France and Canada. She always carries a bag with her for shopping. In my heyday, I had a few French style string shopping bags I probably got from an import store. I didn't really use them faithfully at all. Now I see reusable bags everywhere...instores, on the net and in print!

The answer, according to many environmentalists, is high-quality reusable shopping bags made of materials that don’t harm the environment during production. Reusablebags.com. "Since 2003 ReusableBags.com has been a major force providing facts and news on the global push to reduce plastic and paper bag consumption. Plus, simple actions you can take to help the cause. " They have some very groovy looking bags made from hemp or cotton.

Fashion is important in this "go green" phenomenon. She's a Betty has a fashionable guide for the reusable bag issue. I love the bag that says, "I Am Not a Plastic Bag".It is so chic, it sells at Handbags Outlet for up to $20! Oprah got into the act on her Earth Day 2007 show. I don't believe there is an American living who has not heard of Al Gore's awards for the documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth". Plastic bags don't "biodegrade", they break down into tiny toxic bits which contaminate soil and water. They can take 1,000 years to break down.

I suppose with all of this information, I would be real silly not to at least attempt to follow the recommendations. One can even be fashionable about it...nov1, 2006
 

Now I Know...

Information is a wonderful thing. Weather. COM has an aches and pains index mapping daily. It is more than a phrase, "This weather is gonna kill me." Granted everyone feels better on a sunny day than on a cloudy day. There appears to be more to it than that. According to Weather. COM, "areas of quiet, dry weather during the warmer times of the year are most commonly associated with lower levels of aches and pains. High (or rising) surface pressure, low (or falling) humidity values, low probability of precipitation, calm winds, and daytime temperatures higher than 70 degrees would all be expected for lower levels of aches and pains to occur from a meteorological standpoint". Ha. I always said I was a walking barometer. The map is updated once per day. Should I read the forecast or just go with what I feel?...Oct. 17,2006.

Monday Mosaic...

Cleo Ann Woodard...Oct. 15.2007

Mise–en–place (the French culinary concept of having your ingredients in order)

Preparing for Sunday dinner with a little mese en place (MEEZ ahn plahs]...Culinary fun this morning at Williams-Sonoma. I attended a knife skills demonstration. There were new tips and techniques. I learned I have been holding my cooks knife incorrectly.  At least I knew what a cooks knife was.It was good to find I was doing a few things right. For instance, the steel that I own has been put to good use. I love to cook, so it felt good that I was not totally out of the water. I took copious notes and a few photos.  Evidently, I have learned a few things watching Top Chef. Ready for the mise-en-place and a new Kersahaw knife...Oct 14, 2006

G Garvin- Chef

I have discovered a new chef to love. I have been doing too much family cooking lately. Full Sunday dinners and weekly fill ins have become a regular thing. Recently while in Borders Books, I stumbled upon a new cookbook. The Chef is G.Garvin. He has a cooking show on TVOne. I don't get te channel and was un familiar with him. After perusing the cookbook I decided to utilize my weekend coupon. It is a really nice cookbook. Slightly different takes on very familiar foods. Garvin has a lot of videos from television shows on his website. I so wish I could get the programs. I would be in his face on a weekly basis. Garvin is quite handsome and appears to be able to cook as well. Got to get TVOne...Oct 13,2007

I lied

I lied. I am back! I tried the world of blogging and did not grab me like my funny pages do, here. I am sure that FrontPage will die on me and I will need to use a new web editor. When that time comes, it will come. I lost a few files in the transition. That is to be expected. I got a lot of files back via a backup done to a disk. Thank God for back ups...Oct. 9,2007

Blogging...

I decided to take the plunge into blogging. I have used this as a means of learning a lot about a webpage via FrontPage. A lot of people really donot like it for web publishing but I have learned a lot. I have moved although I will still use this domain. My almost daily web log of what inspires me in my life can now be found at Word press.

Soulnoir~ http://soulnoir.wordpress.com/

Stop by!082307

Web Censorship

english: "If your Yahoo! ID is based in Singapore, Germany, Hong Kong or Korea you will only be able to view safe content based on your local Terms of Service so won’t be able to turn Safe Search off. In other words that means, that german users can not access photos on flickr that are not flagged "safe" ... only flowers and landscapes for germans ...Copy and upload this picture to your account - show Flickr who we are!"..translated from Italian. The world is a big and different place. Never take for granted what you have...aug 18,2007

Having Fun

Lately I have been playing around. Sometimes play consists of a mere 20 minutes as part of my morning routine. It has been fruitful. I finally finished a "Book of Me" from self portrait photos I had taken last summer. Needless to say, a lot has gone on since these photos were taken. I really wanted to use them. While working on it I took the opportunity to hone some aperture priority skills with my camera. It all led to a gratifying experience. Though the camera experience was gratifying, I also now want a new camera. Is the creative experience ever ending?...aug 16, 2007

What Color is your Soul Painted?

A fun quiz I ran into while surfing. My soul is painted red. Are you surprised? Take the quiz here...aug14,2007

Heat Wave

Thank you Lord for air-conditioning. Over the past few years, I have had to work in non air-conditioned environments. It is not easy when it is a heat index of 100 degrees. Getting up in the morning you begin to perspire and drive to work with no air-conditioning in the car. Once you arrive you simply continue to perspire the balance of the day. Looking cute is not an option. Baggy linens and a tank top were the fashion statement. My hair was a wreck of at least four tortoise bobby pins on the top of my head. The heat and humidity made my face shine like a new penny. The look was not appealing at all.

This summer I have been working in an air-conditioned office. There is merely the hot car to deal with. I can dress like a human being. The requirement is that I do so. It has taken several weeks to get past the automatic early morning perspiration. We are into August now. I may be able to make the transition complete. It has entailed a little shopping along with the mental adjustment. Suits in the summertime. Go figure...aug 12,2007

Studio Layers

I have had opportunity the past few months to envy a lot of art studios. The reality is that it will not happen overnight for me. Each week brings a new item layered into the mix. Everything will come in layers. My best efforts are ordinarily done in layers.

I found yet another mud crusted item from the flood. It was a clear crystal ornament. It looks like something found from an excavation. I think I will leave it as is. The ornament will be a conversation piece and a gentle reminder. It has become just one of the many layers to make up my space...aug 10,2007

I LOVE Trey

I will admit it. I am in love with Trey. Season 3 Top Chef is a winner and it isn't over yet. I so hope he wins. It is looking really good, although you can never tell. I am holding out hope for this one. Trey won this weeks elimination challenge with a fabulous dish of bacon wrapped shrimp and grits. These were small bites for late night clubbers. they had to cook in a mobile kitchen (roach coach) on the parking lot of the club. I am going to "make" reason to try the dish...aug 8,2007

Mad Men

There were seven deadly sins practiced at the dawn of the 1960s: smoking, drinking, adultery, sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism and racism. In its first few minutes “Mad Men” on AMC taps into all of them, according to the NewYork Times review.

Men and women both dressed splendidly. That is why Mad Men was so highly recommended by Retail Design Diva, in discussion of Slobville.. Men wore white shirts, drank Manhattans and martinis. Minorities were non-existent. Note that by minorities we mean both Blacks and Jews. Women were called “girls.” Men who loved men kept it to themselves. Smoking was done any and everywhere by everyone.

Per the New York times article, Mad Men is described as “…a sardonic love letter to the era that wrought “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” and “The Best of Everything,” but homage is paid with more affection than satire.” The first episode I watched I enjoyed only for the photography and costuming. By watching th second episode I skewered in on the “conservatism” and morals. The program's situations aren't especially stirring, but the atmosphere, draws you into a picture of the relatively near past. The show illustrates that period's own form of excess without "wagging fingers, while reminding us"...Matthew Weiner, who was a producer and writer on “The Sopranos,” created “Mad Men” and utilizes some of the same talent and techniques for Mad Men. Great cinematography and sound...aug. 3,2007

Living in Slobville

"Recent observations of people at malls, restaurants and other locations, in a number of middle-American cities, have revealed the total lack of fashion sense, and of any degree of care or consideration by most people today, as to how they dress. Casual dressing may be the worst thing that ever happened to America --my how the complexion of society has changed over the last decade or so. You can’t even get a good dose of “people watching” any more, because no one looks nice enough to rate attention [with the exception of a few major cities, most notably New York --it’s always a great people watching hot spot]. Head for smaller towns and mass-market America and the way people dress is truly appalling. It’s Slobville out there", so starts the article by Retail Design Diva..

I have got to give a resounding "Yes!". I have been guilty myself from time to time. I have to catch myself. When I travel I love to people watch. The difference of quality of people watching in Charles de Gaulle airport versus O'Hara (a major US airport) is like night and day. It makes for a disappointing layover. Are we lacking inspiration? Is it the fact we are allowed to do so for so much of our lives? What's the problem USA? Retail Design Diva recommends watching the new TV series “Mad Men”--based on the late '50s and early '60s. I personally enjoyed watching Tudors this past season. These are both stylish shows. You need inspiration from somewhere. Enough with Slobville. ...jul31, 2007.

Somerset Magazines...

Ten or so years ago I was working in Ohio. Our office manager, Mary, loved interiors and flowers. As a result we always had something to talk about. Ond day she came sailing in the door from lunch, screaming. "Look what I found! You will love this magazine. It is new and perfect". The magazine in hand was Somerset Studio. It was their first issue. I promptly went out to get a copy. It was great. I had at that point thought the idea of rubber stamping was dumb and elementary looking. Somerset Studio gave it an entirely new perspective. It was sophisticated and elegant. Although I for some reason never owned a subscription, I bought it every other month. Over the ten years, I threw very few of them away. The flood came and resolved my dilemma of what the heck was I going to do with ten years worth of magazines.

Somerset has grown to a house of many magazines. All of them are cutting edge periodicals covering various paper, textile and jewelry crafts. I still don't have a subscription, but I do not buy all of their publications. Some cover crafts that quite frankly don't interest me.

As of the past few years, Somerset has started a periodical hybrid, I call it a "magabook". These are $15 magazines with as much information as a $25 book. I just got the second issue of Somerset Home. I love it. I like to utilize my talents in home decor when ever possible. This is a wonderful inspiration to do that. The only problem I have with the "magabook" is most bookstore coupons don't cover it. These are sold as periodicals, but it is $15. What a dilemma! It hasn't stopped me from buying anything, but it does make you think. I wonder what publishers say?...jul 30, 2007

Seeing Red...

Red is hot. Red conjures up emotions from passionate love to violence and warfare. Red is Cupid and the Devil. It is a stimulant. red is the hottest of the warm colors. The expression seeing red indicates anger and may stem not only from the stimulus of the color but from the natural flush (redness) of the cheeks, a physical reaction to anger,

increased blood pressure, or physical exertion.

The NestMaker, aka Sheila Bridges design did a weekly newsletter recently on the color red. Bridges recommends some high style accents of red for your decor. I use the color red to grab attention. A little bit of red goes a long way. Small doses can often be more effective than large amounts.

Scarlet, crimson, vermillion, carmine, maroon, burgundy, ruby, rose, madder, rouge, brick, blood red, blush, fire engine red, cinnabar, russet, rust, Venetian red, flame, Indian red, tomato. I love them all...jul 26,2007

First...

I did a little layout to hang on one of the closet doors. It is the first I have done in the new space. I love little hangings on doorknobs. I felt spontaneous and chose the first photo that fell from the new pile on my worktable. It is a collage done from photos taken in Paris in 2004. The collage includes elements of a Metro map, a train platform and the infamous Metro signs. I am really liking the idea of printing digital collages and utilizing them as wall decor. The Metro signs in Paris are wonderful and oh so memorable. So is Paris... jul 20,2007

Birds, Bugs and Leaves...

Anthropologie, a store I love to hate, had this lovely inspiration board going on. Fall on the way already. I will admit to searching for fall type handbags and shoes already. Summer is not my favorite fashion season. I love the soft sensibility of Anthropologie.

Anthropolgie's store displays are always just the right touch of the unexpected. It speaks to my less than conservative side. On the other hand, I wonder, "should I like Anthropologie at my age?" That is an entirely long discussion on age and perception. Additionally, I hate the prices. It is entirely too expensive. God bless a markdown. Well, this is the first of fall I have had opportunity to see from Anthropologie. Good ideas and a change in seasonability. Collars, jackets, colors...jul 16,2007

Mood Swing...

Ran across this artist on Flickr. I thought this was really inspiring. Love the colors and textures. So many ideas here. They are from Mood Swings Studio. I have been making baubles and considering setting up shop again. I think it is studio newness. At the very least, I need new accessories for myself. The internet is such the wonderful place...jul 14,2007

 

 

 

 

Studio Friday

I have not taken opportunity to participate in Studio Friday in months and months. Wow, a lot of things have changed at the site. Change is usually a good thing. It is indeed a good thing that I am even taking the opportunity to look. A sure indicator that things are looking up.

This Friday, it is all about the the Aha moments. I have truly had some of those in the past few months. Jamie Smart wrote the follow: "The people who are happy and fulfilled measure their progress by comparing where they are against where they’ve come from. The people who are stressed and dissatisfied measure progress by comparing where they are against their ideals. Just think about that for a moment. The happy, fulfilled people look at how far they’ve come. The unhappy, dissatisfied people look at how far they have to go to reach an ideal. "

That is profound to me. It really speaks in a direct manner. This is not rocket science, yet there are so many people out here in the world just making themselves and others crazy. So, I am going to take a snapshot of where I am now and where I have come from in the re-claiming of my home. It has been a long soulful endeavor. Life has gone on with me and around me and I have forged ahead. There was a large bible left to me by my Grandmother. It was salvaged in the flood. It is worn, swollen and crusty with mud. It stands open on a small pedestal.

“ So let's celebrate our accomplishments this Friday!”…Studio Friday...jul 13, 2007

Secrets...

Michael deMeng's "Secrets of Rusty Things" is a new favorite book for me. deMeng is a assemblage artist currently making the "serious crafter" circuit. His book is not a tutorial, but a trip through his thinking process.

Personally, I am not quite adept at multi layered art pieces, this gives me some varied insight. The photography and organization of the book is very appealing as well as revealing. I could be inspired to

try something similar to one of his pieces just from the fabulous presentation of the book. Start small, I say...july 1, 2007

 

Junkie...

I am a magazine junkie. I love to buy, look, read, collect magazines. It is serious downfall of mine...Somerset Studio publications, jewelry magazines, decorating magazines, photography, you name it! I lost (flood) a 10 year stash of Somerset Studio magazines. I was relieved of the collection and chose to find a better way.

Since February, I have started to snap shot the pages from magazines and discard the pages. Tearing out and retaining pages doesn't work for me. I end up with files folders and file folders. I tried scanning, but that is too cumbersome. I chose to take a digital snap of the page. I am filing them on my computer by category (decor, artsy people, things, art tutorials, etc.) So far it is working very, very well.

I have been looking for a new sofa. I have tons of photos of sofas that have caught my eye. I simply referred to my decor folder. A clear pattern emerges. In steps Google's Picassa. They have a collage feature that builds this nifty graphic POSTER size! It can be a big as 22" x 22". This is good. I think I can do this! I have 6 magazines here to shoot and burn to CD.  Junkie resolution... june 20,2007.

Amuse Buche...

More with television.... I started watching the latest season of Top Chef on Bravo. It is really inspiring during the winter months. I would be sure to cook something fun to eat before the show. I have learned a lot watching the last three seasons. I have been moved to take a knife skills class... Haven't made it there yet but I have been inspired to do so. This week, I learned the new term "amuse buche". An Amuse bouche according to Wikipedia are  tiny bite-sized morsels served before the hors d'œuvre or first course of a meal. These, often accompanied by a proper complementing wine, are served as an excitement of taste buds to both prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse into the chef's approach to cooking." The word is French, literally translated to "mouth amuser"...Amuse buche was also the title for the "foodie things to do" for the month in the local "Sauce Magazine". I feel so up on things now... june 15,2007.

Ending...

The past 8 years I have watched 6 seasons of the Sopranos on HBO. I am ashamed to say I have been so involved in such a sociopath mobster's family and business life. Every season involved the growth of family and it's members (extended and otherwise) and how they grow and evolve. The lead character, father and mob made man, Tony Soprano, was just amazing. Some of his crew members were horrid people who on a personal basis were very endearing. The level of violence and social commentary was carried out with finesse and suspense.

This season, the Sopranos series came to an end. The creator, David Chase swears this is the end of the show. Fans in many corners hope that is not the case. The final season was much debated. the final episode was very highly anticipated and debated.  The build up of suspense was unbelievable. I think the idea was for the audience to feel the daily buildup of suspense that was the life of Tony Soprano. All this is going on while having a family dinner at a unpretentious diner.

The series ended as it started; family and suspense. Initially I was flabbergasted at the ending. Upon much thought, I am alright with that concept. Remember, the Sopranos was about a regular family guy that happened to be in the mob. Life goes on, unless you are dead.... june 11,2007

Close...

 I am close to being able to put together my art space after the rehab of my basement. I have been on the lookout for inspiration for the last four months. An inspiring sight is on Flickr, "Pretty Organized" pool of photographs. There are plenty opportunities on an international scale to see pretty organized studio spaces. I particularly love the labeled boxes versus items just out! There is a tendency in my mind to hybridize a "living room" type space with a studio. It is such the opportunity for me.

I have the entirety of the summer to bring it all together. Oh how inspiring. I am close, just not quite there...June 7, 2007

Inspiration....

I love XMRadio. This is nothing new. Several times a week I step into my car to hear something new and wonderful to my ears. The other day I heard an old tune by McCoy Tyner.  He is the only living member of the classic  John Coltrane quartet that recorded "A Love Supreme" in the 1960's.  I have been fortunate to see him live on several occasions.I love his piano.

Riding home, I heard "Makin Out" by McCoy Tyner. As soon as I arrived home, I made it a point to find out more about the tune and get a copy. It has become my song of the week. "Makin Out" was recorded live in San Francisco in 1974, on the album, "Atlantis".  At a time when many musicians were going electric, I believe McCoy's response was to play harder but still acoustically. If you love fusion, McCoy Tyner and/or contemporary jazz, check it out. You can learn something new everyday...June 4, 2007

Russell + Hazel + Planning

Everyone has a simple downfall in shopping. You have those things you love and are willing to pay all too much for, knowing it is ridiculous. Personally, one such thing is the contents of premium paper stores. I love paper. In Europe, I noticed that stationary stores still exist. Just cards, papers, journals, stationary, supplies and inspiration, done with style. I loved these little stores to pick up tiny items to remember the trip.

Not long ago I found Russell + Hazel premium stationary and organizational goods. It is a planning and organization system based on customization. It is totally beautiful and abhorrently expensive. Oh the cost of beauty.

For the past several years I have been road testing different planner systems. At least ten years I used Franklin covey and was very successful. For unexplained reasons, I needed to explore the world and got away from it. I decided to do some customize Franklin pages (using Publisher) and choose a 5x7 binder for them. In marches the Russell + Hazel mini binder. Tactile perfect and wonderful colors and patterns to choose from. More perfectly, in marches a coupon from ArtMart. Now I am a happy customized bear. My choice is Orange. I mean really orange. It need smack me and it does!

Let us see how long this works. We are hitting the road, June 1....may 25, 2007

Women's Day

Last Sunday was Mother's Day and Women's Day. It was both amazing and magnificent!...may 15,2007

Everyday Life...

Life in it's everyday form...simple flowers, Cleo the Cat, serenity, reconstruction, over grown foliage, dining light, creative dreams...All at one time. How nice to have such diversity, dreams and beauty in life. What the blessing...may 13,2007

 

 

 

 

 

As Is...

Long on the list of things I want to do while I am alive, is a live performance by Avishai Cohen. I love his bass work and I am sure it is not the first time I have made mention of him. Cohen is an Israeli bassist who until late in 2003, was a member of the Chick Corea New Trio  and accompanist to other jazz musicians, including Bobby McFerrin, Roy Hargrove, Herbie Hancock, Nnenna Freelon, Claudia Acuña, Paquito D’Rivera and others. Bassist and composer, Avishai Cohen was one of the first Israel-born jazz musicians to make a big splash in the U.S. Cohen moved to New York permanently in 1992 after studying classical/jazz piano and bass in Israel,  and in the United States (in St. Louis). I totally missed this St. Louis period. Who knew. I think I was busy raising children then. Now is now and I want to see him in person while I am still alive. Since Cohen is young and no sign of stopping, the chances are good. He plays a lot in Europe so that may mean a road trip. As good a reason as any and better than some others.

In the interim, I am happy to find out that his new recording is live and accompanied by a DVD! Ha! As is ...Live at the Blue Note is on the way. I am so looking forward to seeing as well hearing. I just can't make that concert in Paris this summer...may 11, 2006

They Are Back

Look at who I spied out of the window the other day. The bunnies are back. A sure sign of spring. At ten years old, Cleo the cat my opt not to chase them. It would be good exercise I am sure. The worry is concerning her suitors. She evidently can still turn the head of a male cat or two...may 4, 2007

Funky Flowers

How time flies when you are having fun with carpenters and plumbers. I have met some great people through all of my restoration. It has gone on just a little too long and I am all too tired of the process. Greg the Carpenter in the basement and Eric the Plumber are just a riot. I have help now because my Bohemian child is home. Yeah.

A couple of weeks ago I was inspired by some cute paper flowers I saw at First Born Studio. They were done by Denise Lombardozzi. She is very talented. I decided to decorate my dining room table with a larger version. It needed just a bit of floral accent. Funky and fun. This is my big 6 inch version. They have big yellow brads in the center. Just the right touch for the season...may 2. 2007

Survivors2...

Another found object! Out of the middle of the flooded studio space, I was given these charms. I believe they were in a small metal lunch box which held most of my soldering tools. Wet and somewhat rusty, everything was there except the soldering iron and stand. It was not actually in the box. I have once said that I need remedial classes in soldering. I almost got it, but not quite. I am definitely inspired after finding these little gems. Remediation, here I come...apr 29, 2007

New Attitude...

I so love the commercial where there the persons ask their house, "Why are you doing this to me?" The narrator says, "Fall in love with your house again. Get a home equity loan." I am definitely nurturing this love relationship with my house again.  I love my home, but lately it tends to be one thing after another. I love my home, don't get me wrong. I just want to love it without some thing or another going wrong. I call it my birthday house since we were made in the same year. I am starting to feel a little old in all of this as my home is also. We are hanging in there, my home and me. I am still standing and so is my home...apr 28,2007

Photo a Day Project...My poor project just went down hill during my hiatus from webbing. I took photos for sure but ask me if I can find them all. As I manage to catch up, I will post the updates. with my slower than norm internet connections, it may be an extended catch up project...apr 27,2007

Mixed Media Charms...

So looking forward to a wonderful project inspired by this mixed media charm bracelet. Each year there is a wonderful local project spearheaded by Karyl Howard called ArtVent. It is similar to advent but based on art. Each participant has a calendar day assigned and creates an art object for each of the players. On each day of the month, you open a new package. By the end of the month you have a treasure trove of inspiring pieces. It is always a challenge to think of something wonderful and replicate it 30 times!

This year the theme is charms. The collage of photos are from a charm bracelet project featured in Belle Amoire last year. Absolutely fabulous. I am so looking forward to it. There are so many avenues to take. The possibilities! Now I just need to make a decision of what to make as my contribution to this fun project... apr 26,2007

Survivors...

During the flood, there were some amazing sights and stories as is the case with any disaster. Despite the horrors, I was fortunate no one was hurt. You learn to get over THINGS and are amazed at the results. I have a few items that were survivors that I will share over time.

This vase and stand stood in my Grandmother's foyer as long as I could remember. The foyer was not very bright, so the only plant that grew in it were "Mother in Law Tongues". I have always found the name intimidating.  The planting was tight fisted and overgrown most of my memory. Neglected and overstuffed, it sat in the corner of the hallway.

When my Grandmother passed, I was married and living in Ohio. My mother asked if I wanted the vase. As I became older I had gotten over being intimidated. My mother drove 300 miles with it in the back of her Honda. I was ecstatic. It stood in my foyer in Ohio. Even though my foyer was not very bright either, it never had Mother in Law Tongues.

The vase moved back to Missouri with me. For a change it was not in the foyer. It stood in a storage cubby under the basement steps. The day of the flood, it survived, bufferred from the rushing water. Needless to say, it is back in the foyer. I am sure it has the spirit of my Grandmother, it's African heritage and maybe it is those darned "Mother in Law Tongues"...apr 23,2007

Jazz, born in America, enjoyed world wide.

Take an APHistory course in jazz at the downbeat history of jazz. Jazz has inspired painters, writers, filmmakers and persons from all corners of the world. The Downbeat Jazz History starts with the influences of West African rhythms, rag time in the early 19th century and continues through Modal, Hard Bop, Fusion and the modern jazz of today. It is a history lesson that will wet your appetite for jazz music.

What is in my CD player ...all jazz.... Miles Davis, "My Funny Valentine", "Consequence of Chaos" by Al DiMeola, "Brown Street" by Joe Zawinul, "Driving While Black" and "Penumbria" by Bennie Maupin and a compilation of Cassandra Wilson. Yes, I love my jazz, in my own uniquely American way,...born in America, enjoyed world wide. Apr 20,2007

Favorites of the Day... Denise Lambordozzi, First Born Studio and Scrapbook Takeout. check them out...apr 20, 2007

JAM-Jazz Appreciation Month

"What is Jazz Appreciation Month? The concept is simple: designate one month for an annual public spotlight on jazz. Jazz Appreciation Month (or JAM) is intended to draw public attention to the glories of jazz as both an historical and a living treasure. The idea is to encourage musicians, concert halls, schools, colleges, museums, libraries, and public broadcasters to offer special programs on jazz every April" per the Smithsonian.

The sole purpose of Jazz Appreciation Month is to draw public attention to the heritage and history of jazz and its importance as an American cultural heritage. JAM is intended to stimulate the current jazz scene and encourage people to participate in jazz by study of the music, attending concerts, listening to jazz  and support institutional jazz programs.

Many people do not fully appreciate the joys of jazz. JAM is an effort to share it with those who are not familiar with it. JAM will encourage people to take jazz more seriously as a part of America’s cultural history and as a great gift to the world. Quincy Jones helped the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History announce the Jazz Appreciation Month initiative in July 2001. Branford Marsalis helped kick off the first JAM, in April 2002. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the museum’s 18-member big band, performed a weekend of concerts. There were lectures, educational offerings, and an exhibition.

April was chosen for two reasons. First, April maximizes JAM’s educational potential because it is the end of the school year when schools can not only participate, but student jazz ensembles can culminate year-long preparations and play at their best. Secondly, April is also the birth month of a number of leading figures in jazz: Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Johnny Dodds, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Lionel Hampton, Gerry Mulligan,Tito Puente, and Herbie Hancock. So, JAM...april 18, 2007

Home Once Again...

Never take for granted the joys of sleeping in one's own bed. There are custom lumps, perfect weight to the covers and the soft smell that is you. When you first awaken, you can breath of sigh of relief, if it is yours and it is good to you. I finally get to experience it. Granted, there is still Greg the Carpenter in the Basement, but it is home. No matter how imperfect it is mine and I am in it. Cleo the cat is quite happy to be in familiar comfortable surroundings. At 10 years old, change is not a welcome thing for the cat. Familiar scenes that are mine...apr 17, 2007

Memory and Dream

At some point I am sure I will be writing an epistle about the flood. I always have three significant phrases going through my head.  The melody of Contemplation by McCoy Tyner, the phrase "You learn to get over things..." and the "Day the Water Rose". All of these things will lead to some type of art.  I had some strange little items that are survivors. A slightly dirty copy of Memory and Dream, a zine was found. It is no longer published. I read through it and it told me to go back to journaling. Multimedia remembrances of February. I plan to make sure that they are part of the decor of the basement area of my home. It is fitting for such works to be art and to hang there. The sounds of Comtemplation, from McCoy Tyners "Land of the Giants" will appropriately fill the air. It is necessary....apr. 4, 2007

RSS Feeds...

I have really found some interesting RSS feeds lately. I can actually have a live update of any shoe online at Nordstrom available in my curious size. I think that is a wonderful thing. RSS is a method of distributing links to content in your web site that you'd like others to use. In other words, it's a mechanism to "syndicate" your content. There is an excellent explanation of RSS feeds here. I term it excellent because it makes sense to me. Between email notifications and RSS feeds, dang, one can be really current when it comes to the information that is important to you. I get RSS feeds from the local paper, Life Hacker and St. Louis Jazz Notes blog. Did you know that 4 new shoes were added 6 hours ago! Don't know if I want this particular one, but whew what a concept...apr.2, 2007

Regardless of What Some Say....

I am as back as I am going to be. Time has gone very slowly the past few weeks. 9 weeks later, and I am still suffering displacement at the hands of male bureaucracy. So many creative outlets for me have been stifled and access denied. I have fondly learned that you get over things. Some things regardless are upsetting.  This is especially true when not handled appropriately.  From this point, I am going to handle at least this portion of my creative life appropriately in my eyes. So many ideas have gone through my mind and escaped me...a new blog, new perspective, new queries on life. I hope to be able to corral some of them just as one would at the end of a fabulous vacation experience. This has been no vacation, but it is all I have at present...apr.1, 2007

Art After 5

St. Louis Art Museum hosted the Willie Akins Quartet this Friday. It was a wonderful set featuring Willie Akins on saxophone, Steve Tatum on drums, Ben Wheeler on bass and Tom Picard on vibes. It was very acoustic and resonated in the Griggs Gallery of the museum. As I walked into the night lit museum I could hear the mellow baseline of McCoy Tyner's, "Contemplation"... Follow the sounds...It was purely "art after 5". A wonderful ending to a week and start of a weekend...jan. 26, 2007

Tuesday Twosome Short-term Memory List the last two…

#Movies you watched: Breakfast at Tiffanys and the Devil Wears Prada...having a fashionista moment. The wardrobe in both pictures was wonderful. curious that they were made decades apart. what goes around comes around again...#TV shows you saw: "24" and Desperate Housewives...Items you purchased: Developed digital prints from my vacation and a few groceries (limes, soda and bleach)...#Beverages you drank: Diet Cherry Pepsi and Apple Martini (water with lemon on the side)...#Internet sites you surfed (before coming here)_flickr.com and Google. jan 23,2007.

Studio Friday

This week's topic for Friday January 19th suggested by mereteveian: INSPIRING DREAM STUDIO

The room is based on the ever popular Pottery Barn project room. I wanted to blow it out a bit by doubling the size. I added a craft center on the wall and a sewing machine on the counter. Oh, how I love to dream. See other studio dreams @ Studio Friday.

Friday Fiver-That is the question...

1. What did you eat yesterday? Dinner was the most exciting. I had left over chicken and broccoli cream soup. I make killer cream soups.
2. Are you more likely to yell or give the silent treatment? Dependant on the situation or person involved, it can go either way.
3. Who did you last grieve? A student. He isn't dead, but he so wants to be by his actions. It saddens me.
4. What feels good today? the weather feels good today. It is sunny, 40°Fand slightly breezy. It hasn't been that nice for a few days. I was starting to get sun deprivation.
5. Friday fill in: Thank you God for Friday. Friday Fiver.....jan. 19, 2007

Friday Fiver-That is the question...

1. What feels like home? My bed and bath always feel like home.

2 Do you look at yourself carefully in the mirror before you leave for the day? Yes I do. I had a nightmare once that I did not look carefully.  The results were not pretty!

3. How do you feel right now? I feel good. I had to do some mental assessments of a few situations and make a plan. I feel good I can work my plan.

4. Are you a star-gazer? No.

5. Friday Fill-In: How much time has passed since you last _____? 7 days have passed since the last manicure. I like the current manicure.

Friday Fiver.....jan. 05, 2007

New Year... New Planner

With intentions of keeping the spirit and inspiration of the holidays, I bought a planner while in Paris. After looking all afternoon, we stumbled upon BHV. It is a department store without clothing. Floors of domestics, art supplies, music and books. If I had a tug boat I would have come home loaded. I wanted some student grade fountain pens and papers.  BHV has everything.  Presently they are having a White Sale (le Blanc). BHV is added to my destination list. Quite naturally the planner is printed in French. I need adjust to the fact that the calendar week starts on Monday in lieu of Sunday! Something for continued inspiration... Jan 04, 2007

Metro vs. Stella

While on vacation, life was totally public transit or cabs, except for the necessary airlane airplane. The Paris and Rome Metro systems allowed us to see everything we wanted to see. It was convenient, easily deciphered and reasonably priced. The Metro in Paris and Rome made for a quality time. After about five days I will admit I started to yearn for Stella. I am a lousy traveler from that standpoint. After about five days, I really want my own bed, but also want to continue to see the sights. I admittedly dreamed on the airflight home of getting into Stella my Toyota and rolling out of my garage. Oh so spoiled American... jan 03, 2006

New Year

In celebration of the new year, I chose 100 of my favorite photos posted on Flickr. I have been a part of the Flickr community for one year. I bought a new camera for a trip to California January last year and have been enamored with it since then. A fitting way to celebrate a photographic year. Jan 1, 2007

 

Impressions....

One thing I loved about Italy was table linen. Every little bar or cafe has linen on the table (tovaglia). Often times, the employees wore vests that coordinated in some way with the establishment. That is so very special. I have always loved setting of the table. When the children were small, I would have them set the table and use linens on Sundays and holidays. Don Chiscotte, bar, pasticceria, gelateria, ristorante has Murano chandeliers and lovely green damask linens. Very Holiday. Very chic. Since I was not using my dining room table, I chose to place holiday linens on it. Dress it up and not fill it with junk! My intention is to continue this worthwhile behavior into the coming year. It very much worth it. dec. 31, 2006

Euro with a Swiftness...

Day 1, off to Paris CDG, ending a very long day in Rome. Between the planes, trains and a cab, it was a dizzying experience. Day 2, awaking in Rome and rambling about the city was fabulous. The Rome Metro allowed us to get to most of the major sights on our list. Oh was there a lot of walking in between. A very different holiday eve. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." became a reality. Day 3, started with visiting the Vatican on Christmas Day. The sheer numbers of people in the streets that day was amazing. It made it such a special day of celebration done on an international scale. Day 4 off to France. Another long day of travel with sights along the way that left indelible impressions. Italian security at Leonardo DaVinci airport was special to say the least. The day ended on a late train to Nogent, France. Day 5 started "stupid o'clock early", in order to take the train to Versailles and then Paris. Day 6, a long weary trip home. It is all so priceless. My European holiday. dec.29, 2006.

Best Gift Lists

Approaching the holidays, You see all sorts of best gift lists available. I thought one sent by Archivers was really cute. 12 Reasons to Hurry in features ideas for people who like paper crafting. I like number 6, "You are your own best Santa." That is always a problem when shopping for others at the holidays. You see so many great things for yourself. Hint,..dec 18,2006.

It's Time...

The nominations are out for this year's Grammy Awards. In my favorite categories: Jazz is where the action is for me. Some of my favorites as well as things to check into.

Contemporary Jazz Album: "The Hidden Land," Bela Fleck and the Flecktones; "People People Music Music," Groove Collective; "Rewind That," Christian Scott; "Sexotica," Sex Mob; "Who Let the Cats Out?," Mike Stern.

JJazz Vocal Album: "Footprints," Karrin Allyson; "Easy to Love," Roberta Gambarini; "Live at Jazz Standard With Fred Hersch," Nancy King; "From This Moment On," Diana Krall; "Turned to Blue," Nancy Wilson.

Jazz Instrumental Solo: "Some Skunk Funk," Michael Brecker; "Paq Man," Paquito D'Rivera; "Freedom Jazz Dance," Taylor Eigsti; "Hippidy Hop (Drum Solo)," Roy Haynes; "Hope," Branford Marsalis.

Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: "Sound Grammar," Ornette Coleman; "The Ultimate Adventure," Chick Corea; "Trio Beyond -- Saudades," Jack DeJohnette, Larry Goldings and John Scofield; "Beyond the Wall," Kenny Garrett; "Sonny, Please," Sonny Rollins.

Large Jazz Ensemble Album: "Some Skunk Funk," Randy Brecker With Michael Brecker, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Peter Erskine, Marcio; "Spirit Music," Bob Brookmeyer - New Art Orchestra; "Streams of Expression," Joe Lovano Ensemble; "Live in Tokyo at the Blue Note," Mingus Big Band; "Up From the Skies -- Music of Jim McNeely," the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

Latin Jazz Album: "Codes," Ignacio Berroa; "Cubist Music," Edsel Gomez; "Simpatico," the Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project; "Absolute Quintet," Dafnis Prieto; "Viva," Diego Urcola, Edward Simon, Avishai Cohen, Antonio Sanchez and Pernell Saturnino. dec. 14,2006

Procrastination, Ice and a Re-Boot

I am a great procrastinator. There are some things I can manage to put off until they bite me in the &*&^%$#$@. Too often I manage to fix it at the last moment, consequently I do it again. Well, I knew I needed to reformat my PC. I have know this for a while. I have been diligently backing up data, but not taking the leap. Finally I did it. Glad I did. This meant being off line while I dealt with getting back on line.

The precipitating event was a recent ice storm. Half a million people were without electrical service in single digit weather for days. Two reasons to be away from the computer. As a consequence of the above, I have not updated DWLiving since Thanksgiving.  A lot of files were scrambled around and I lost my beloved countdown. More information on that later. At least 10 days of life seem lost in all of this. Now it is starting to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, I am as close to back in the saddle as I am going to be and happy for it. Dec. 13,2006

nov 23,2006

,

Desks...

Ran across this blog on Inspire me Thursday.  It is called On My Desk. It gives insight into the desks of various artists. It was so appropriate after my running into the this quote from Renee Pearson's blog, "If a messy desk is the sign of a messy mind, what is an empty desk?"...Unknown. Ohhhhh, my messy mind! nov 22, 2006  PS...KW, the other chair is empty!

Tuesday Twosome...

1. What two things are you most thankful for? Family and health. I am fortunate to have my parents. I miss the fact my daughter is away. For the first time in my life I have skirted with good health. Happy to be healthy.

2. What are two things you like about Thanksgiving? Eating great food and being close to my family. For years I had to do the travel home thing. Now it is around the corner and down the street. So relaxing.

3. What two foods do you like the most for Thanksgiving dinner? Hands down, a good bowl of Gumbo and dressing with my turkey.

4. What two things do you do with the leftovers? Eat as is. Usually turkey, dressing and sweet potato.

5. What are two activities you do after eating Thanksgiving Dinner? Watch the ball game and listen to jazz.There seems to always be a new CD of jazz standards out for the holiday....Tuesday Twosome...nov 21,2006

Sheba Kitty...

Ran into a nice website from the UK, called Print and Pattern.  The writer is a trend forecaster with a love of prints. I am always looking for good prints to make papers for my journal. thought this one was particularly cute. It was done commercially for a cat food by "Absolute Zeo Degrees", appropriately named Sheba. Print and Pattern is a nice spot to look for a bit of inspiration. nov 16,2006.

Crème of Broccoli

Notes from 2Day...I am in love with Crème of Broccoli Soup. It is favorite of mine. I love to get Broccoli Cheddar soup from the St. Louis Bread Company. Soup with half a Panini is a great lunch. When I make Crème of Broccoli soup at home I make it with gourmet crème, cheddar and fresh broccoli. I am sure that my soup is far more healthy. Ohm, love the florets left to float in the soup. A definite sign of winter. nov 15, 2006

 

 

Rest in Peace...Ed Bradley

As long as there has been 60 Minutes, for me there has been Ed Bradley. He was a special person. Ed Bradley died this week at the age of 65 from Leukemia. I always thought he was the most handsome man on television. My late husband fashioned his beard after Ed Bradley. He always wished he had the nerve to wear an earring with a suit like Ed. His biography is legendary. There is great joy in what he did. He enjoyed his life and what he could do for others.  Ed Bradley will be long and fondly remembered as a music lover, journalist, style setter and African American....nov.10, 2006

Photograph your Poll

After having the occasion to be yelled told "No" in some public places, I was shocked to see this website Polling Place Photograph Project. I vote at a senior citizens home. It was a heavy turn out November 7. I think the seniors have a "pack" mentality when it comes to voting. They were everywhere. They were in groups with walkers. The polling place officials are accustomed to the madness and handle them with the utmost of care. I really had to commend them. As I was waiting in line and watching the goings on, I wished I had a camera. I wanted to capture the controlled pandemonium and the seriousness on the faces of the voters. I have this bookmarked for the next election! You bookmark it as well...nov 9,2006

Side Note to Pretty Little Things...

Sally Jeans blog is the Bunny Slipper Lounge.  You have got to drop by for the recipe to the Bunny Drop Martini.

Pretty Little Things...

Learning to solder all over again.... Sally Jean has a new book, Pretty Little Things. Very nice. I took a soldering class some time ago.  Sally Jean was also featured in this months issue of ME.Everything was fine but my jumprings. They would always fall off some time later. Not the only one having jump ring issues. In the blog, SnowAngels, she took a class as well.  The jumprings were the challenge. Scraplatte has some nice directions for glass charms. There is special attention to jumprings and some nice silver accents. I loved the idea of making charm bracelets with family pics and mini collages.  I am inspired to try soldering again. This could well be worth a month of inspirations. I have everything I need to get going...nov 8,2006

Welcome, November

Number 11 is on the roll, the month of November. This is the month for legitimate time off.  We are off for Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. Family will be gathering for Thanksgiving Day. As usual we will honor an empty chair and offer thanks for those that are there. November is also the beginning of the Christmas holiday season. Decorations will go up traditionally at Thanksgiving. By some accounts late, but now I really like the look of fall inspired papers, such as those by Rhonna Farrar. Thoughts of presents and vacations abound. There is always a new recording of jazz standards for family listening. My picks are Gladys Knight, "Before Me" and I think I will pull out a couple of DVDs as well. The average high temperature here is 55 degrees in November. Well on the way to winter..... nov 1, 2006.

Sew What...

Lately I have had a desire to get back to sewing. As a youngster I made Barbie clothes and teddy bear outfits. I moved on to clothing for myself as a teen. As an adult, I got inspired by those perfect outfits that filled a void.  Clothing prices are such that unless you are making something couture, you may as well buy it. Yardage is expensive and my time is valuable. Now, I want certain pieces to fill the wardrobe void. The dreamed of coat or jacket, a weeks worth of slacks that finely fit and match everything or my signature suit of the season. As we age fit is an issue. Personal style and personal funds are as well a serious issue. So, here I go. Vogue Patterns are a good choice for things that are somewhat couture and definitely me. oct 28,2006

Studio Friday...Collections...

New...To Me

I have admired Michelle Ward's work for a long time. I love the drawn alphabet she does. Definitely the result of artistic training (of which I have none). Occasionally I will see her work in concert with others i.e Lynne Perella. She was part of the infamous "True Colors" from Somerset. Ward has a blog and website. It is a new favorite spot to peruse. It is enough to inspire one to use rubber! oct 24,2006

Busily Working...

Busily working on life and the newness it can bring. Busily working on renewal. Busily trying to figure some things out for my future. Busily planning and dreaming. Busy saying thank you. Busy. In all of this, it is time again to say the prayer...

The Serenity Prayer...

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen. oct. 22, 2006

Happy Birthday to Me!

The name opal probably is derived from the Sanskrit name for precious stone, upala. It has been mined for centuries, at least since Roman times when they extracted the opal from areas now within the Czech Republic. The Aztecs made use of local Mexican sources as did the Spaniards when they exported the material back to Europe. Today most precious opal comes from Australia, Mexico and the Western United States. Peruvian blue opal is only found in the Andes mountains near San Patricio, Peru. It is a very translucent stone with color similar to the Caribbean Sea. This is the national stone of Peru. Folklore & Legend: The Peruvian blue opal has soft relaxing energies. Legend says that it takes the tension out of communication and helps ideas flow freely. It softens the impact of stress from the outside world and can help one to release the trauma of old wounds. It facilitates facing the future with a tranquil healing nature. There are meditations based on Opals at Glimmerdream.  I am proudly sporting my opals in celebration of my birthday. A calm, relaxing birthday to me... oct 19, 2006

October

A new chapter of life has begun. A new month. New involvements and things to do. Always a wonderful way to live. Not all is fantasy but some things are very very good. I am starting on a new venture and journal. May through September is a along time for one little journal. It is always fun to look back on some of the fun pages and things that have happened, lists that were made, accomplishment had. That what journaling is all about. Project plans for October include, starting holiday gifts. I purchased a wonderful new book..... and I still have Somerset Home as a wonderful inspiration.  Cirque de Soleil is in town. It is full of color, color and more color. Since my calendar of accomplished creativity is getting sparse, I should turn to celebrating the ideas that cross my mind this month. Many are as simple as a commercial on television or a person walking down the street. I don't necessarily get opportunity to photograph them all or even sketch tem, but I need to document those little kernels in my mind. It is October...oct 2,2006

Blue Study

to add to the tribute to blue this week, I ran about the house looking for blue. There is actually little blue to be found. It is not a decor color of mine.I am very much into neutrals in the yellow or green family.I sometimes use blue coupled with golden yellow in my journals. Here is a digi-scrap page of blues, with a hint of golden yellow.The photo of downtown was taken in the "golden hour" ...that time during sundown.  It goes well with the color blue.

 

Paris Breakfast Color Bleu

One of my favorite new sites is Paris Breakfasts. It is done by a very talented artist, Carrol Gillot. The site is painterly and very visually appealing. In a recent post, Carrol, talks about her love of color mixing and matching. She does watercolor test sheets that are wonderful. They are small works of art. One of her color matching projects for blues are seen here. Go to her site for additional color mixing inspiration. Additionally, there are hundreds of wonderful photos of Paris in her site. Carrol travels there frequently. Paris is said to be a city of blueness. It is the only place I have seen blue candy, and it was quite good. Needless to say, the color of the week is BLUE...sept. 18,2006.

I am a  Lamborghini Murcielago!..Sort of...
  You're not subtle, but you don't want to be. Fast, loud, and dramatic, you want people to notice you, and then get out of the way. In a world full of sheep, you're a raging bull. Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz. And it's yellow! Sept 16, 2006.

Studio Friday...

This week's topic suggested by Leslie: A FLORAL TREAT. In the past I have kept flowers in various parts of the house. The dining room table and the bedroom dresser were favorite places. With the exception of using the bouquet in a project, I for some reason never kept them in my art space. Why Not! Unfortunately, I have gotten away from keeping flowers in the house. It is just part of a general dearth in life. I recently wrote a resolution for the coming season, to myself, that included flowers. This is so perfect the timing. Now there are flowers in my art space. See the floral infusions by other artists at Studio Friday...Sept 15, 2006

Yellow Pool....

Flickr is by far one of my favorite destinations on the net.  There is a pool  of photos for every conceivable thought, idea, concept, event or destination. There are several color pools. Are you looking for inspiration by color? Is yellow your favorite color? There is the very new "I love Yellow" pool or the group for pics with the colors of the Brazilian flag, Green and yellow, Verde e Amarelo - Vert et Jaune.  There is yellow everywhere!...sept 14,2006.

 

 

New Week, New Color

Color of the week is Yellow.  According to Wikipedia, yellow is any color of light that stimulates both the red and green cone cells of the retina, but not the blue cone cells.  In English it associated with caution, cowards and happiness. In varied contexts, it means various things. To see the HEX information on colors go to the list of colors.  You never go wrong with HEX...Shall it be amber or corn?...Sept 11,2006.

Red Papers

I have a couple of red papers I am loving lately.7 gypsies has JOURNEYS-MUMBAI-MASALA, JOURNEYS-SUSHI-KOBE, and JOURNEYS-SUSHI-SAKI. I am using them in my Book of Me.  Guess what the feature is?...Sept 9, 2006

 

Studio Friday...TOOLS

This week's topic for Friday September 8th suggested by Carrie: TOOLS OF THE TRADE.
My art everyday consists of entries in my journal. My journal is part scrapbook, calendar and collage. I journal a lot in it. It's a journal. My everyday tools go in an old red school filmstrip box.  It is sturdy and portable and holds my everyday needs. I am happy to say I have passed the point in life where I need every new item that comes out. Consequently, my choice of everyday tools are simple. The choice of pens is important to me.  They need to be fine, able to write over painted surfaces and waterproof. See what other artists feel about their favorite tools, at Studio Friday...Sept 8,2006

Playtime- Any Color

Check out Jackson Pollock... found this link on Dave's Flickr site. This is a great source for backgrounds when doing digital artwork. It is so much fun...sept 7,2006

Adicolor RED

Color of the Week...

Color the week is red.  No it is not Valentine's Day or Christmas this week. I just want to concentrate on a color. Make wardrobe decisions, art or photography centered on one color. I like red.

Red is a primary color. In our culture it means stop, the Red Hat Society, American Red Cross, Red Envelope or Red Lobster Restaurants. Let's not forget it symbolizes Redstate.org political action committee. Not all things red are my favored choices, but there is a lot of red in our world. So, off I go on a week of RED...sept.3,2006

Studio Friday

This week's topic  suggested by Gabi: ARTIST'S BLOCK... I usually look at those blocked moments as something that will pass. It is a mood. That's why I hate deadlines! Being a real magazine junkie comes in handy at times like these. Pick up a fresh batch from the bookstore and flip through. Look for collage ideas from the torn magazine images. Try "My Favorite Things I Cannot Afford from this Magazine." Cardstock, glue stick and a magazine.

Studio Friday, see how others break through their artist block moments.  Remember, it just a mood that will pass!...sept 1, 2006