I have dissappeared!

I can't see my blog. I just get a blank page. Yikes!

Today's journal page

Sometimes it's so incredibly hard to do the everyday routine of getting up early, going to work, coming home, and it starts all over the next day. I find that there is not much energy left for myself at the end of the day. I'm struggeling with the heat and humidity here, it wears me out. The other day I was thinking: "I don't want to go to work..." and I thought about where I'd rather be. Well, here you can see where I'd like to be....

Altered text ATCs

Some play with words ...

First stamp carving

Inspired by my artsy-sweety friend Aimhleas over at http://aimhleas.blogspot.com/ , I tried my hand at carving a stamp. This is the result. It was easier than I thought, and harder than it looks. I definitely want to explore that further !
If you want to see some really cool carvings, you should visit Aimhleas' blog!

On Creativity

To create - to cause to come into existence; make, originate, produce

Every since I can remember I have always loved creating or making stuff.It is my way of connecting, of feeling alive and of being totally in the now.I know many of you feel the same way...Feeling that inspiration, we pick up the brush, the yarn, the pen, the cooking pot. With these tools we express ourselves, adding beauty, truth and positivity to the world. We celebrate the energy that enables us to create and become one with it . We draw, paint, sculpt, weave, write, design web pages, bake , run our own business, sing, dance, doodle.....it matters not what we choose to do, it only matters that we recognize our need to be creative and honour it. Creativity gives to you and the world. It empowers us. It nourishes us. It is what life is all about. Never forget that you are a creative being. Honour that creativity. Honour it in others as well. Focus. Creativity needs a nurturing environment. without the many distractions that are continually available. Busy work and creativity are not the same thing. Don't allow negative self-talk or negative comments from others to stop you from your creative pursuits. .When you chose to share your work with others, don't be overly influenced by their reactions. Most will respond positively, but there will always be the critics, the nay sayers. Don't share your work with negative people unless you are strong enough to not let it affect you. Allow for "mistakes", see them as lessons and opportunities for more growth. Focus on the process, not the finished product. Work without being attached to outcome. We must enjoy what we are doing, not be product driven. View your work, as well as yourself, as "a work in progress".Take risks, go out on a limb. Listen when that small voice inside, says "what if we did it this way instead" The act of creativity is also the act of discovery.Respect those times, when creativity appears to be blocked. Don't get overwhelmed thinking you'll never get it happening again. Trust these times of fallow. They happen to every creative person and often precede the birth of a new creation.. Never give up, keep at it. Suspend the inner critic. Keep it humble. Keep it real. You are just one of the components required for creativity to flourish. Like the brush, the yarn, the clay, the wheel, the computer, the guitar see yourself as one part of the cosmic chain of creativity.

......"and there is only the dance"........T.S. ELIOT

copyright 2000Penn George www.womenscreativity.com all rights reserved

Today's journal page

From her hand spills forth the sea...

How I would love to be like this -- silent and solitary, powerful creator of life that stays hidden
Does that sound a little too conceited?
It's not meant to be. My heart feels so big sometimes, so much to give, and it goes by unnoticed.

(rubber stamp by Meer Image, collage art, water color, and gel pen art by Etayne)

On my way to work

This is what it looks like when I drive to work. It's early in the morning, the far distance has a hazy quality, and it's green, green green.. I only managed a couple of pictures today, maybe more tomorrow....

summer art doll

I had a wonderfully artsy day!
These are some little art dolls for a swap over at http://vb.nervousness.org/. I was originally going to sew the doll, but chickened out. I think I'd rather try that on my own first, not for a swap. These little gals are not quite finished yet, they are waiting for embellishment: pretty beads, nature's bounty, shiny things...
I don't know yet which one I will keep, either. But altogether it made for a lovely afternoon creating. I had to share with Fiona, who delighted in stealing my twigs and chewing them up.

The Rules!

I saw this at Dollywood, in an old one-room school house exhibit. It's one of the nice things that Dolly Parton does here -- the preservation of old times, old things, old arts and crafts.

School Mistress Etayne would have never made it in two petticoats!! (And I work in Green County!) :::giggle:::

Goddess Root

Today's journal page

Here is that same drawing, I touched it up with a soft pencil, and photographed it in the daylight. Artificial light always adds such nice warm toasty colors, but this is what it looks like now.
Still something missing. The dragon? The knight? The damsel in distress? It'll come to me in time...


Just a doodle, really... was watching a fairy tale on TV and this came onto the page. I lost a lot of the texture detail with the water color crayon wash, and something seems to be missing. I dunno...
What do you think?

Fiona has the right idea

I'm much too sleepy to write anything much tonight. I'm taking my clue from Fiona, and am going to sleep. Good night to all you night owls, that come to visit here! May sleep and sweet dreams find you.
I have a snoring dog to aid me.

Purple heart ATCs

I made these for a swap over at Artella. The theme was violet/yellow/gold.
I like playing with texture, layers and lines.
The more, the better the result. Well, most of the time.
I used watercolor brush markers, gel pens, colored pencils, a rubber stamp by Teesha Moore, and the key is a shrinky dink. The pictures look very blue, but all that blueness is really purple in natural lighting.
I had fun!

Take a look here for last months' swap: artellaartistcards.blogspot.com/

If I was a Southpark character ...

...this is what I'd look like:
REMARKABLE likeness, isn't it?Try this at http://www.sp-studio.de

Today's journal page

Thoughts about the past... some things are just there, mostly in the background, some days they surface, and I wonder why certain things were the way they were. The ones' were my actions caused something to happen or not to happen, are easy... but other peoples' doing -- well you just have no control over that. I remind myself that most people don't set out to hurt you, they just look out for themselves.

another Goddess in the water...

Another view of a dream....

Things that happened today

1.) I fell down the basement steps.
This is the hole I made crashing into the wall. Yikes!



2.) Fiona immediately recognizes the bread machine as evil intruder and barks at it while it's
kneading dough.

3.) The date-nut bread turns out wonderful in spite of or because of the fierce dog protecting me from evil machine.

4.) Life is good. Even funny at times, depending from what angle you look at it. I have to admit, looking from the bottom of the stairs on my tushie wasn't so funny, but all's well that ends well, eh? Thank you, Mr Shakespeare!

Good Dog!!

Here is the "good dog" at beginning of class, she hates the "gentle leader", and it was very hot.


Demonstrating "emergency come": she has to respond to me calling her , she is waiting with trainer Melissa for my "Come quick!".


Her class mates Binx and Jake and their Mommies.


Fiona tied with class mate Lexie for first place!!


...and here she is, all tuckered out on the way home.

There is hope for my shoe eating, underwear chewing, cat chasing, neurotic high jumping dog!! She did so well.. and even though sometimes she drives me bananas, especially when she eats my art supplies, I love her dearly, and she is the best doggy I could ever have.
:::proud smile:::

How about that???

It was once again too hot too move much, so I surfed on the net, and found lots of goofy stuff, that makes me think there is others with too much time on their hands. Or maybe it's too hot there too.
Anyhow, I searched for silly quizzes, and found one titled "what kind of sexy black heel should you wear?"

Well, here you have it!

Now, shall I wear my lacy black bra or my leather black bra with that??

anyhow, it's time for Fiona's puppy class, she is graduating tonight! :::stalking out on high heels::::

something pretty

My Mama gave me sun flower seeds two years ago, I never planted them while I lived in Seattle. I tried here -- and this one made it! I enjoy it very much...