Have fun Saturday

Ah Saturday! The most fun day of the week. Its the day I go sleuthing around to the antiques mall and my crafty stores to see how I can "waste" my hard earned money. I love the collage art, ATCs and the altered books, but I'm beginning to think that photography is cheaper (once you shell out those bucks for the camera and lenses)...Okay back up..forget I said any of that. It all costs a lot to have fun--when it becomes a passion-- but I wouldn't stop for the world. I'm having a ball!

Yesterday, one of my friends from work, picked up a card I was about to put in an envelope and said something that made me stop in my tracks. She said, "These look like they should be in an art magazine." Well, that did it...I'm not stopping now!

Hello Michaels, Hobby Lobby and Paper Garden!

I hope you enjoy your day and do something fun!






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New collage art piece - greeting card

Remember this gal? I had fun making this piece of art. I just wish it had photographed better. Its very glittery...but hard to tell in any of the photos I took of it. And the black "blob" on it is some black sealing wax with a French Fleur di Lis impressed in it. I've also used some hemp string, cut outs of swallows and a French advertisement. I've also used some glitter and chalk inks to enhance it.


This art piece is a greeting card and its going to be sent to a special friend!









Here is a pretty vintage lady with a hat for your to enjoy.

I'd rather play...

...than work. Oh well!

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Fashion

“I wear my sort of clothes to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear.”
Katharine Hepburn

"I base my fashion sense on what doesn't itch." Gilda Radner

"There is one other reason for dressing well, namely that dogs respect it, and will not attack you in good clothes."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fashion is nothing but an induced epidemic.
George Bernard Shaw

Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new. Henry David Thoreau

Moulin Rouge Diva

Don't you just love her? You can bet I'll make a paper doll out of her. She's just too cute and quirky to ignore. I have a feeling she'll be an adornment on my desk at work.

Artsy Weekend and the Movies

I spent a lot of time working on art this weekend. I find it relaxing and timely. So much is going on to this week to tear this country apart and so I simply turn off the news and put all my energy in creating something pretty. I didn't even watch a second of all that inauguration hype.

Guess what? I'm taking a Spanish class with some co-workers from the station. We've ceremoniously labeled things all over the office with Spanish flash cards. So far, so good.

I was given a stack of Somerset Life magazines from a art friend of mine and they are so inspiring.

Our weather turned somewhat colder, but still its very dry. We need rain.

We also watched some Netflix movies - namely "Mamma Mia!" (which was a tad silly) and "27 Dresses. Both were entertaining, however, the best show we watched was The Hallmark Hall of Fame film, "Loving Leah". Very good!

This wouldn't work today

I was admiring the beauty of this old Palmolive soap ad.
The artwork and layout is stunning and the message is
sweet and tender. But this ad would never go over in today's world. Why? Too much text. People would never stop to read it, because we are all in a big hurry.

Back then, they really worked to sell you on their product.
I'm not sure if they make Palmolive bar soap anymore. I know they make the dish soap, because I still use it. (I love the scent).

Vintage Art

I adore vintage art and old photographs. I have quite a collection of it.
I use it for making collages, ATC's and greeting cards. Sometimes I frame it with an appropriate poem to go along with it.

They are a unique reminder of a gentler time.

This little gal has been gathering flowers. I love her white pinafore and the ribbons in her hair. Flower picking was a favorite past-time for me as a child. Grandma and mom had many gardens. Wild flowers attracted me like a bee!

These ladies remind of the movie we watched last evening called "27 Dresses". They look like they are going to a wedding.

Ladies looked like real ladies back then. Hats were certainly the fashion and ladies carried fans and handkerchiefs.

Lovely White Roses - With A Delicate Hint of Pink

I'm becoming very spoiled! Thursday, I came home to a dozen roses in a vase sitting on my computer desk. Dale does this when I least expect it. How thoughtful is that? He's certainly a keeper. Thank you Dale.

I'd rather have roses on my table
than diamonds around my neck.
--Emma Goldman

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Please Sit Carefully!

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Soaring

Don't you wish you could fly?

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Lark of the Mornin'

Singing the sun up!
Dale and I got out early this morning to capture a few shots.
Meadow larks have the most cheery song.

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Valentine Collage Art

Here is a 4x4" collage I made this morning. The "challenge" I made to myself was to use some elements I had in my scrap box. This is for a Valentine swap I'm doing with friends later this week.

I used a piece of red matte board, tore some floral paper and darkened the edge with chalk. It was glued on the matte board and distressed with chalk ink. I had a heart that I had print of a new heart stamp that I had heat embossed yesterday just to try it out. The sweet face is from another stamp I had used and cut out the image from card stock. The dimensional butterfly is from a computer print out and the quote is also another computer print out. For a final touch I added some deep garnet rose glitter glue, rhinestones and some tiny flowers.

Voila! I think I like it.

Life can never have too much glitter.

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Awesome Online Craft Store - Save On Crafts

I don't usually talk about commercial websites, but I have to tell you all about this one! Today, I "googled" for a butterfly rubber stamp and was somehow led to this wonderful craft website filled with page after page of extraordinary merchandise. Its called Save-On-Crafts. I was mesmerized with all the unique merchandise--especially for entertaining.

Each page is beautifully photographed and linked to other ideas for their merchandise. I was very inspired and I looked through their website.

I have no doubt that I'll become a customer. Enjoy!

The Cardinal - Original Poetry

A winter walk
Of grays and browns
A dreary frozen sky
You call to me...
"Don't you--see me?"
And then you caught my eye!
Upon a branch I hear you sing
Right up o'er my head.
With plumage fit for any king
Of deepest crimson red.
You brazen show off,
Look at you!
For all the world to see,
But upon this dreary winter's day,
Alas, tis only me!


Last week, I had a very nice surprise. My dearest hubby had been collecting my original poetry from off the internet and from files in the computer . He bought a spiral binding machine after Christmas. His first project was to present me with a very professionally made bound book of around 60 of my original poems. He touched my heart that he cares so much. And reading some of my old writings was a wonderful memory. It has also inspired me to start writing more. --Thank you, Dale.

Together

Dale and I have so much in common. Besides a mutual love for each other, we like the same things and want the same things.

Mostly, we wanted that deep commitment of marriage. Nothing feels as nice as that.

I'm almost finished with all the paperwork it takes for changing my name wherever it should be changed. Yesterday afternoon we ordered checks with both our names on them. Its been 20 years since I've shared a bank account. That's trust, a big part of commitment.

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Happy Birthday Cammy!

Today is my little 3 year old niece, Cammy's birthday. Here is a sweet vintage birthday card for you little one! (It reminds me of you.)

--Aunt Shelley

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Rim Shot at Sunset

I love scenes like this. I'm glad its just 15 miles from where I live. I'm not a lover of the ocean or tropical places, or big cities or smog and a lot of noise. (as the saying goes, "they are a nice places to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.")

I love the American Southwest and its vastness and wide open spaces. I love the four distinct seasons and the vivid earthy colors. I don't have to travel far to enjoy such beauty.

This is where we "hung out" all this past week. Mild temperatures and sunny days seemed to call for several picnics in this beautiful state park. It was a fruitful week for photographs of birds and wildlife.

As I sat at the picnic table with a gentle warm breeze blowing in my hair--listening to the sounds of nature and other visitors nearby show their delight over a herd of deer walking by, I realized that it doesn't get much better than this!

A lot of visitors--from all over the world come here and stop at the scenic overlook. They always linger to take it all in and their reaction is always the same--silence--breathtaking silence.

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Two Lovely Weeks.

To Dale on our 2nd week anniversary

"The Art Of Marriage"
by Wilferd A. Peterson

Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.
In the art of marriage the little things are the big things... It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude
of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience,
understanding and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner. It is discovering what marriage can be, at its best.



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Park Friend

It was such a lovely day today, that we took another trip down to the state park. We packed a picnic lunch and just enjoyed the 70 degree weather. It was a beautiful day for January 2nd. As we were enjoying out lunch of sandwiches, oranges, and a few animal crackers, a cute little tufted titmouse landed on a bush nearby and permitted me to take his picture. He was more interested in my crackers. These birds are very fast, so I was delighted to be able to snap his photo before he took off!

Goals for 2009

(not in order of priority and obtainable)

1. Go more places - weekend trips
2. Submit some art to several magazines
3. Sell some art
4. Write more poetry
5. Collage a book of my past poetry
6. Scrapbook
7. Take more photos
8. Try something new
9. See more of Texas, New Mexico and Colorado
10. Travel to Mexico (Wedding gift from Dad and Ana)
11. Cook more
12. Save more $ for road trips
13. Go see Dale's family in Iowa
14. Garden more, spruce up the yard
15. Entertain more
16. Spend more time with family
17. Let go of the past
18. Embrace the present
19. Look forward to the future
20. Hug Dale more


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