Other People's Words That Move Me

Excerpt from A Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
(a well loved, well read, often read novel of mine that sits comfortably on my bedside table).


When true love is lost, life can bleed all meaning.  We are left blank.

But the possibility of destiny remains.

What we are meant for may yet be discovered, and once in a very long while that journey to find our destiny may defeat even time itself.

Pastel Painting - Beautiful Ladies

Getting back into my soft pastels and just absolutely loving the results.  Trying to learn how to paint pretty - no, no, - beautiful ladies!

So this one is actually darker than painted because I sprayed it with permanent fixative hoping that the pastels would not fade out.  Unfortunately the fixative makes the painting darker than originally painted.  I later read in the Pastel Journal never, never, ever use fixatives . . . . I think that may have just been a personal opinion because later I read yeah, use them . . . . just saying. 

Let's Give Them Something To Talk About. . . . .

1. My Movie Critique

   
   

   
   
   An Air Force drone pilot (Ethan Hawke) begins to question the ethics of dropping bombs on Afghanistan from the safety of his post in Las Vegas.
   
   I give it 4 stars!!
   2,970,000 results

1. 

   Good Kill

   2014 Movie

   Watch TrailerWatch Trailer

Poetry . . . "The Dead Poet's Society"

Some friends and I have a small but intimate group and we call ourselves "The Dead Poets Society."  Yeah you guessed it!  After the Robin Williams movie.

Our goal is to learn more about poetry and from that learning grow to love it even more than we already do.  (A side of me you didn't know eh?).

So we take turns chosing a DEAD POET'S poem (hence the name) study it, and then share it with the group.  We do much of this over the internet.  We keep our own notes or if you are like me - you actually buy a very special journal to keep all your notes in!  (Type A personality here!).

BUT  . . . straying slightly --  a BIG exception was made for Mary Oliver who is still very much alive!  I just love her writings!  She won the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize and the New York Time discribes her as "far and away, this country's best-selling poet!"  Not to shabby!

Mary was born September 10, 1935, in Maple Heights, Ohio.  She studied at Ohio State University and Vassar College in the mid 50's but never received a degree at either college.

Here is one of Ms. Oliver's poems that I just love!

Mysteries, Yes

Truly, we live with mysteries to marvelous to be understood. 

How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of lambs. 

How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of rising. 

How two hands touch and the bonds will never be broken.

How people come from delight or the scars of damage, to the comfort of a poem.

Let me keep my distance, always from those who think they have the answers. 

"Look!" and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads. 

by Mary Oliver.

Water Color Fun! Just Hanging Out to Dry!

Water Color Fun - or is it . . . sometimes I wonder . . . I'm not really that good with watercolors but I really want to be, so I keep at it, keep trying.  John Singer Sargent did a fantastic outdoor clothes line.  I pulled my idea from his.  But of - he was a art genius, I on the other hand am an art novice!

Oh My You Are A Creative Genius!

Just a follow up (from June 14th) for those Creative Genius Cards I am making.  I posted how I was making them, but index cards will do just fine too.

So here is one that I will share.

Remember that Creative Genius Cards are made on those days you are feeling very creative, and then on the days you do not feel at all creative - you just pull them out and read them - inspiring yourself and reminding yourself that you are indeed "Oh My You Are A Creative Genius!"

Oh My You Are A Creative Genius!

Just a follow up (from June 14th) for those Creative Genius Cards I am making.  I posted how I was making them, but index cards will do just fine too.

So here is one that I will share.

Remember that Creative Genius Cards are made on those days you are feeling very creative, and then on the days you do not feel at all creative - you just pull them out and read them - inspiring yourself and reminding yourself that you are indeed "Oh My You Are A Creative Genius!"

Let's Give Them Something To Talk About . . .

My Movie Critique

Academy Award winner and Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds star in this remarkable true story of one woman's battle for justice!

I give it FIVE STARS!

Oh my You Are A Creative Genuis!

Creative Genius Prompt Cards

I am a big believer of prompts.  I started doing a daily meditation in 2001 - rarely missed a day - with  prompt cards that I made myself.   Cards to keep me focused.   

So I thought to myself - I should have some for my creativity.  

I used Strathmore Bristol board paper and sprayed it with liquid watercolors!  Folded it in half. 

Use an artist's bone stick (may go by other names, but this is the one I am familiar with) to help press the paper in half.  Once it is folded well tear (or cut with scissors if you prefer) to the size you would like for hand held prompt cards.

I than used Distressed Ink around the edges for that perfect 'old' and well read look!

These have all been torn down to the size I like to work with.  

You can always use index cards if you feel those work for you.  When I finally write on a card I will share it with you!

A Great Night's Sleep . . . .

I want to share with you how to have A Great Night's Sleep. 

For years I struggled, some nights sleeping well, but most nights not.  No matter what I seemed to do helped me.  I wanted to be holistic in my approach, so after many tried and failed attempts to regulate myself with a good sleep pattern I finally hit upon one that has been very successful for the past year!  Yes, one year and I have slept like a baby EVERY night.  Will it also work for you?  I cannot promise that, but it has worked for me. 

What you say - what already!!

A MILLET HULL NIGHT PILLOW (from Brookstone but I bet you could get it almost any where).

so this is the pillow (has a zipper at one end) looks like a very ordinary pillow.

Here are the LAVENDER millet hulls!  The pillow comes chock full of these.  Too many for me, so I emptied some out to save and add at another time.  These are 100% certified organic millet hulls. 

Huh you say!  Millet seeds are tiny in size, round, and amazingly smooth.  When hulls are separated from the seeds, these tiny emply shells ratin their soft and velvety texture and feel sikly and fluffy to our touch!  

Millet hulls fully contour our neck line and smoothly shift along as we move in our sleep.  They provide solid neck support throughout the night and offer relief from shoulder/neck tightness.  

So 100% certified organic millet hulls, U.S. grown and are hypo-allergenic.  I chose Lavender because I like a holistic approach to my wellness - lavender is a natural relaxer!  

Sleep well!

Sunday Special - I Believe . . . . .

Wisdom of the Sacred Feminine . . .

When you stand up and share your story in an empowering way, your story will heal you and your story will heal somebody else, too. 

Every Day in June 2016 Art Challenge

Every Day in June Art Challenge 

Day 8 - Theme:  Green 

Every Day in June 2016 Art Challenge

Every Day in June 2016 Art Challenge

Day 7 - Theme:  Nuts

Just couldn't help myself.  

I Love to Quilt!

A Texas Theme Quilt

Lap size/Tv size

When I do my free motion quilting (on my sewing machine) the quilts are usually so large that I have found it to be pain free (shoulders and neck) if I use my dining room table to support the quilt.  My sewing table just cannot handle large projects.  

The center of the quilt is made from a panel.  I added a variety of Texas theme fabrics around the panel to make a completed quilt.  The quilting is done on machine with an Even Foot Feed (aka - walking foot).  Remember when using this particular foot to quilt you do not have to lower your feed dog.  

Let's Give Them Something To Talk About

My Movie Critique

This is definately a chick flick movie!  Husband did watch it with me but gave it a thumbs down.  I on the other hand gave it FIVE STARS and will watch it over again for sure!  I watched it ON DEMAND, but Netflixs may carry it since it was made in 2000.  I just really enjoy these types of movies and would love your suggestions!

I Love To Quilt

Mature Fairies

I love this quilt!  I made a lap top size for my daughter-in-law Krys and a queen size for myself.  Hee hee.  Some day I want to draw some of these characters!  They are so cute!  I have received so many comments and compliments about this quilt.  Enjoy the view!

I Love To Quilt

 A Quilt for Sherry

Finished this quilt some time ago and sent it off to my neice Sherry in Massachusetts.  Of course she loved it!

Every Day in June 2016 Art Challenge

Day 6 - Theme:  Cupboard Love

Every Day In June 2016 Art Challenge

Day 5 - Theme:   Love

Every Day In June 2016 Art Challenge

Day 4 - Theme:  Cartoon