Letting Go

Yesterday we had a DELUGE (6-plus hours) of heavy rain, flooding, gusty winds and thunderstorms that may have caused power outages/downed trees. As our little "cabin in the woods" is surrounded on all sides by 80-100 foot oaks, we tend to be prepared! (candles lit, our lights flickered twice, but it wasn't to be!)

Listening to the constant downpour reminded me of the long list of weather extremes we've been experiencing lately. Brown winters, cold springs, ridiculously cool summers, therefore... as much i love you fall... I worry that I'm not prepared to move on from the way that the warm summer sun on my bare shoulders relaxes me, the meditative joy and sense of calm that washes over me while tending my flowers and the peace I've discovered while listening to the night sounds of crickets, Barred Owls and "peepers" from the candle-lit screened porch.

But, alas, it's time to let go!   



One of the reasons I'm able to concede, is that I am learning to live in the present, not worrying about what tomorrow will bring. Open, willing, trusting and letting go. And enjoying the rain!

"I should like to enjoy

this summer

flower by flower

as if it were to be 

the last one for me." 

~ André Gide

This favorite quotation describes it to a "T!"

Gratitude & Little Henry

After somewhat of a drought this summer, I'm happy to report I've felt a :: RUSH :: of creativity over the last week or so, and have been busily working in my art journals, being open to the process and letting the creativity f.l.o.w.

I also attribute my continued affection toward art journaling to the amazing wealth of inpiration I find in my artist friends:

• Effy Wild
• Samie Kira
• Stephanie Gagos
• Tamara Laporte

..spending time catching up on their amazing work through their blogs, facebook groups and social websites on NING. Please take a moment to see the WEALTH of information, classes, youtube tutorials, workshops & private coaching that some of them offer!! 

And here's my latest spread about my 17 year-old father's favorite photography subject: his littlest brother, Henry and their family dog circa 1937 ~

A Love Affair

Yes, I must fess up, it's true! I'm head-over-heels in love with my iphone/apps, since i bought my phone on 3 July (who's counting?) and I've already maxed out the memory :C

Could you blame me???

15 July

27 July

7 aug

14 aug

29 aug

Surrounded by so much captured beauty, i am exhilarated; invigorated and therefore inspired to continue making art, taking more photographs... and have even returned to writing poetry after DECADES of silence. For all of that, I remain forever grateful. This is what truly makes my heart sing!

Been Too Long

This shot, taken in August, seems to sum things up perfectly. A lovely warm, summer glow has settled over me these last few months and I suppose that's why it's "been too long!"

- i've immersed myself in iphonography with instagram, hipstamatic, snapspeed, and a few more of those addicting photo APPS! Soooo, lots more photography to follow!

- we spent a blissfully perfect vacation with my extended family at the south jersey shore resort of Ocean City (see above)

- many productive hours spent in the summer studio, both in solitude and with friends!

- been to Fenway Park a couple times and go again in a few weeks!

- my husband and i celebrated 22 years of wedded BLISS <3>

- lots of lazy days making art while my honey makes music in one of three bands (2nd from right, lead guitar)

- and my morning walks, as well as lots of other wonderful things, have inspired me to begin writing poetry again.

All is well, in my little corner of the world and i hope the same goes for you, my friend! 

Parade, Pool, Picnic, Pyrotechnics

Of all the happy memories from my childhood, 4th of July in my small, suburban Philadelphia hometown (pop 5,000) tops the list!

Ages 10 & 7, 1962

Early morning, my brother and I would race through breakfast to decorate our bicycles out on our back patio with red-white-and-blue crepe paper. We'd tape little flags to our handlebars, and, for "neat" sound effects, attach a pair of playing cards to the handlebars with WOODEN CLOTHESPINS!

not mine ~ ("web grab")

We couldn't wait to ride at the back of our tiny (pop. 5,000) hometown parade down "main street!" Our parents and all of the neighbors would bring folding chairs, sit at the top of our street and wave excitedly as we rode by. What a festive sight ~ I can still hear the fire engines!

Aug 1957: my best friends, barbie & terry. Terry's dad, Earl.

Afterwards, the entire town would follow the parade to the park for hot dogs, soda and all the fixins. A band would be playing, lots of laughter and good times as we eagerly anticipated family gatherings followed by FIREWORKS!

Back at home, mom & dad would begin to pack the car as we grabbed our suits to meet up with friends at the pool and yes, you guessed it, later we'd have a picnic spread out in the grass.

And the BEST PART: driving to Philadelphia with a box of sparklers, taking the long walk to the (School for the Deaf) schoolgrounds with thousands of others to eat ice cream and watch the pyrotechnics!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Winds of Change Are In the Air

First I want to say, unfortunately, I lost my last post! It was about the latest Ancestry.com discoveries which led me to an adventure in a pennsylvania cemetery that I promise to share more on later!

Back to more personal stuff. Lately, I feel a soft wind is beginning to blow in my life and I've been experiencing a loosening and breaking free of "debris" in several areas..

(1) now that summer has finally arrived, i've been able to take over a section of my summer kitchen table out on the porch. This has me feeling extra P.L.A.Y.F.U.L. as it's allowed for a constant flow of creativity.

my happy place!

(2) in June, i began my morning walks again and this weekend i experienced renewed determination to get healthy/lose weight.

only a bicycle ride away!

(3) I decided that I can no longer postpone an interstate road trip with my sweet mom to pay a visit to my favorite aunt laura. She is 95 and my mother just turned 89! We leave next week and will take a brief detour for an overnight in our favorite south jersey shore resort.

sisters-in-law

(4) I am thisclose to booking my first out-of-state art journaling classes.. hoping to pull it off! If I can, it will be at ink about it in westford, MA with the one-and-only kelly kilmer.

page from kelly's "New Directions" journal

(5) i just activated my first iphone!

(6) there is so much more life out there for me to sample, I'm not going to wait another MINUTE!



Fellow Blogger-Inspired

..so, thank you! Without their realizing it, two bloggers have inspired this post. One is a friend and visitor here, sweet Mary of Tin Can Tart, who regularly posts her lovely pics of seaside life in the UK. Be sure to see her most recent post of Pirate Fest photos!

While re-visiting her blog yesterday, I "met" one of HER followers, Ana of Introverted Art, and came across her stunning 'Visit to Key West' post (dated May 28th). That was all it took to go back in time and share a bit of my 'fantasy isle' photo shoot ~ key west, Nov 2011.

And now it's all your fault that I've begun counting the months again, until we return!

Remembering Those Who Have Fallen

Remember to proudly display your american flag today!

On Memorial Day the flag is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.

The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

For this post, I asked my mother, now 89, who could recall no losses to family or friends during WWII as well as my brother, who had several friends that served and were wounded but none killed during the Vietnam War. As far as I know, my family hasn't experienced any personal losses, yet I am deeply grateful for those who HAVE died in service and honor each and every one of them and their families on this Memorial Day 2012.

Fort Logan National Cemetery gravesites during a previous Memorial Day Weekend

LINKS:
The Memorial Day Museum
Virtual Wall of Remembrance
Support the American Widow Project
Free mental health services to US military families

Faces #11, 12 & 13 ~ Mixing It Up

All three of the latest faces were sketched, initially, and then altered digitally! Being a photographer for almost 30 years, i've embraced the idea of digital manipulation YEARS ago and find it such an exciting way to express myself, artistically. I love taking the initial "vision" and then creating several fresh, new versions!

Trying a "cartoon" effect and playing with color, proved to be the most rewarding tweaks for the latest batch of sketches. It was exciting to see the results of thinking a little bit outside the box. I think you'd be quite pleased with the results using one of your sketches and either photoshop or one of the many free websites available!

Faces #9 and #10 - "Only" 19 Left To Go

Two more faces to contribute to the challenge! I do love them all, but being a child of the 60's I would have to say the inspiration from the 1967 poster by San Francisco (resident Filmore) artist Bonnie MacLean has to be my favorite so far. As i plan to finish these 15 minute sketches with the application of color, i am making notes and recording my thoughts along the way!

So far, it's been GREAT FUN!! 

When i added the little "strokes" around this pretty girl, i wasn't sure what they were and i didn't really concern myself with it, at the time. A day or two later it came to me ~ she is radiating ENERGY. The energy of the COSMOS. Which is just more fodder for my notes, as i want to remember what each face brought to me, as i drew them :)

Face #8 - Ready For a Change

After several, more traditional sketches, today I felt like trying a bolder, cleaner graphic. And since #8 looks as if she's lost her mojo, I'm sending her off on an Artist's Date to try and retrieve some of it.. 

A bit of photoplay ~ pretty cool, huh? It may even inspire how i decide to paint her.

29 Faces ~ #1 through 7

Today is Day #7 and I'm pleased to introduce you to my growing collection of lovlies! 

When i learned about Ayala's challenge at ilove2paint, i was immediately drawn to the idea. Why? Simply put, i love to sketch faces. I discovered my mojo over the past 3-4 years and have kept at it, always aware that by the act of repetition, continued development would result. This was PERFECT for me.

And what has been especially fun, keeping in tune with different layers of awareness (similar to intuitive painting), has allowed each 15-minute sketch to reveal its message/symbolism to serve me later when i finish some of my favorites and add color with paint, watercolor, ink, oil pastels or all of the above!  

#7 "aisha" is communicating self-love as well as NEW love (springtime) through healing and nature's magic!

#6 "anahata" shows me that she has beautiful red hair, an emerald green dress and the feeling of ancient royalty. She represents spirit energy & will wear a beautiful heart chakra medallion.

#5 "sacred feminine" represents beauty, harmony & the "sweet nectar of life" through the symbol of the honeybee.

#4 represents change & transformation/metamorphosis

#3 has a "fierce" (as effy says), somewhat tribal energy to her face. I also sensed her beautiful, black hair and dark eyes contrasting against a deep shade of sunflower yellow flowers at her face.

#2 "strength" The tears flowing across her delicate features sybolize that life brings us challenges when something/someone requires our attention and focus. She represents that overcoming obstacles makes us stronger.

#1 "luna lady" represents the super moon this month on May 5th. My best friend and cousin, who is an accomplished artist/spiritualist/musician/filmmaker, told me she perfectly matched the spirit of the Scorpio Buddah Moon! ~ xo



Art Journal Page 18APR2012

I had such a blast making my Month of March page!

Inspired by a new feature on Dawn DeVries Sokol's blog, called 10-minute-journaling, it was her first prompt called Time for a Quickie. She suggested we journal a LIST, highlight some of the words, the page could already have a doodle on it (it did, at the top), doodle some more, slap on a favorite photo and just re-LAX!



Flea Haul

Some great finds from my first sunday this year at the "Elephant's Trunk" flea market!

Open since the 1970's and spread out over 55 acres, i think that one of the best features, besides being local, is that the merchandise is made up of more than 60% antiques and collectibles. If you plan to attend, the hours are 7AM to 2PM, cost: $2 and I recommend sun protection and comfortable shoes ~ since you will quickly lose track of time wandering aisle after aisle, chatting with all of the knowledgeable dealers & slipping into a time warp!   

1966 kitch-y calendar, 1972 farmer's almanac, california postcards-1953, old photos, sewing machine manual, mini "photo folders," hand-tied book of poetry, children's watercolor set, a bio of Marie Antoinette, some old books to alter and my two major coups: 1874 accountants journal with over 500 pages of meticulous writing and a bright orange astrology-themed metal tray ca. 1968! Link to flea market