One World One Heart 2011

Welcome to the wonderful One World One Heart Event here at the Queen of Arts blog !

"One World One Heart is a worldwide event for bloggers only. It gives all those who blog a chance to meet and mingle and form connections with those they may not have otherwise met from all over the world….Think of it as a GIGANTIC open house allowing you to travel without ever leaving your home........going from blog to blog in various countries, and meeting all the fabulous people behind them. As a bonus each blogger participant will offer up a "door prize or prizes"....just for dropping by, saying hello and seeing their world."

I am Kim de Broin Mailhot, aka the Queen of Arts, the Rock Fairy (see my Rock My World link on my sidebar for more info.), Artist and Life-Lover. My home town is Montreal, Quebec, and I now live in New Hampshire with the love of my life, David, and our 3 furry kids. Getting home to my Canadian roots and my close knit family there is very important to me and I do it often.

I have been writing this blog for almost three years now, sharing my art, especially my art journaling, bits of my life living adventures and a lot of my heart. (click on any image to enlarge).

Art Journal page 2008 Art Journal page 2009

Art journal pages 2010

Art journal page – January 2011

My Blogland friends are very important to me, as are my “real life” ones, and I have built some wonderful relationships with many of my dear Blog Pals. What would a girl do without her super yummy friends ?

My mantra for life is “Love is the answer to every question” and it is one thing that I know deep down inside is absolutely true !

This is my third time participating the the OWOH lovefest and I am thrilled to be a part of it !I have met so many wonderful people as a result of this project and discovered some incredibly inspiring blogs along the way. I want to send out a big thank you to our hostess with the mostest, Lisa Swifka, for all the wonderful hard work that she has put in these past five years to bring us bloggers together this way !

I will be offering four door prizes this year. The drawings for all four are open to anyone in the world with a blog who is participating in the One World One Heart project. Just leave me a comment on this post that includes your email or blog address so that I can get in touch with the 4 winners. I will do the drawing for the prizes with a random number generator at 9:00 pm Eastern time on the last day of the OWOH project, February 17th, 2011.

This is what I am giving away this year :

One set of two round Winged Heart Love magnets :

One set of four square Rainbow Hearts Love magnets :

One sweet orange, lavender-stuffed Love Bird with a beaded tail :

And finally one set of my 4 original art “Love is” notecards with envelopes :

and who knows, a few little Rock My World rocks may find their way into the winner’s packages as well !

I hope you enjoy your One World One Heart blog travels and look forward to connecting with you along the way !

Big Love to you, Beautiful Ones !

Haiku My Heart–Tender Heart

You of Tender Heart

Remember show Compassion

For your own sweet Self.

Have a wonderful weekend, beautiful Ones !

For more haiku my heart, got thee to Rebecca’s beautiful blog.

Share the Joy Thursday–Celebrate, Honor, Inspire

So a few weeks ago, I received an order for a bag of Rock My World rocks through Patti Digh’s 37Days Shop. The order was from a man named Ross Kinney, and he requested a couple of custom rocks with the words “Celebrate, Honor, Inspire” on one, and “Run 26.2 for Kelly” on another. When I got Ross’s mailing address and saw his blog address, I went and visited, and discovered that Ross is a runner and a fund raiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and has been for well over ten years ! As I read all about what this man was doing  and the passion he had put into making a difference in the world in his own way, I felt really glad that my rocks were going to be a part of something bigger somehow ! I happily mailed Ross his custom rocks.

After he received the rocks, Ross sent me an email with thanks for his order and with a inquiry. He wondered about how much 100 rocks with the words “Blood Cancer Freedom Fighter” on them would cost and if this was even possible. He wanted to offer a special keepsake rock to the first 100 people to make a donation of over $10.00 to his fundraising project.

I wrote Ross back and told him that not only was it possible but that I would love to donate my time and the rocks to the fund raising project for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and to the race that he and his daughter Laura were preparing for in France, in April of 2011. 

So now, 100 people who donate to the project will be receiving a rock with the words “Blood Cancer Freedom Fighter” on one side, and a word of inspiration from the Rock Fairy on the other in thanks for their participation.

This collaboration has touched me in so many ways. I was able to connect to this wonderful man and his daughter who are using their own strengths to make a difference and to help find cures for these horrible diseases that take the lives of too many. I was able to use my own strengths to make a difference as well. I felt the joy of being just a little kinder than necessary. And I can also share the story with my friends in the hopes that you will take a look around you and see where you can add some of your own strength to help make a difference some how…

Little acts of kindness, stretching yourself just a little, reaching out, sharing the joy and being willing – just the pebble that starts the sweet ripple…

“Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams

Ross and Laura are now at about 27% of their $10,212.00 Fund Raising Goal for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Race in France this spring. If you would like to help them reach their goal, you can visit them here to find out more.

Share the Joy, Beautiful Ones !

 

For more Share the Joy Thursday, visit the lovely Meri’s blog.

What’s my line…

So before the plan to go to Seaside came into being, I had a goal for the months of January and February to be an Artist for awhile.

Pre-Christmas was about getting ready for the Craft Fair and making a few $$ for Christmas shopping.

Then came the hustle and bustle of the holidays and visits to family, etc…

I knew how winter can be a hard time for me emotionally and mood wise so I decided to dedicate these two months to hibernating with my Artist Self.

I am a few weeks late in the process, but I think I am finally settling into this gift I am giving myself.

I am still playing along with Carla Sonheim’s Art of SillinessIII on-line class though I was far behind until yesterday.

The activity yesterday was all about making “one-liners” – drawings using one continuous line without lifting your pencil or pen off the paper.

I had such fun with it !

I was loose, and free and well, maybe just the right amount of silly !

These faces came to be on my page…

I used an ink pen that I hadn’t realized wasn’t permanent.

So when I started to add color with Inktense watercolor pencils, Twinkle H2O’s and water brush, my lines blurred a little…

But I kind of like the final effect anyway…

This is Richard, the very intense Prince who is in love with Princess Linea.

This is King Boris, Linea’s father, who is totally against Richard as a son-in-law. He is just too intense for the King, who is a mellow guy most of the time.

And silly, little Linea, well, she is more concerned with her waist line and her hairdos than anything else, so I think Richard is in for a struggle with this Royal Romance.

This morning, I played some more with line-y characters in my art journal.

I am loving doing the lines with india ink and a dip pen (permanent when dry !!!)and then filling in the color with a variety of water color paints. Those intense colors are warming me up inside!!!

This lady came out onto the page :

It would seem that something in this sometimes terribly mean world has broken her heart in two and left her in tears.

There sure are days like that in this life, aren’t there ?

This quote I found kind of made me feel better and I am sure it would help my sad friend feel better too if she could hear it :

“A final comfort that is small, but not cold. The heart is the only broken instrument that still works.” – TE Kalim

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I am really enjoying settling back into the artistic practice. I do have to make sure I get out and spend time with friends though, in spite of the hibernation mode. Too much time in Kim’s brain is a dangerous thing.

After art time this morning, I escaped for a really nice lunch with my friend Lois and a little shopping.

Plus is was about 30 degrees today – not too cold to leave the nest for awhile!

More snow coming tonight and a possible snow day for David tomorrow too.

More time in the studio will be just fine with me !

I hope you find some sweet time with your Artist Self, Beautiful Ones !

Big Love !

A Queen-sized Oops !

Yesterday when I wrote about how inspired I had been by the post on the 3X3X365 blog, I mistakenly referred to the part of the post that inspired my artwork and touched me so deeply as being written by Kathryn Schuth, when in fact it was written by Amy McCracken from Richmond, Virginia. Amy was the one who shared the wonderful bits of her love for her sister beautiful Petra.

As much as the gracious writers apparently enjoyed their role playing time, I wanted to take the opportunity to fix the reference.

I wrote a correction on yesterday’s post and also added a bit of a band-aid on my art-journal page ! It will serve as a good reminder to slow down a little when reading…

Thank you, Amy and Kathryn, for your understanding at my mix up!

And once again, thank you, Amy, for your inspiring post.

Let’s Hear it for the Girls !

edit : Please note that the author of the wonderful post about love and her sister Petra mentioned below was written my Amy Mc Cracken on the 3X3X365 blog, and not Kathryn Schuth. I am fixing my art work to reflect that too. Big Oops on my part !

I have been getting inspired by so many incredible women these days.

So many examples of inspiration that it would be impossible to have them all listed in one post.

But I wanted to celebrate and share just a few today.

Today is actually the birthday of my wonderful friend, Darlene.

Happy Birthday, Dar !

Darlene has inspired me in so many ways throughout our 16 year friendship.

Most recently, she has inspired me to walk my talk, and put the lessons I have been learning into real practice.

She has also inspired me to be a true friend, offering love, support and understanding unconditionally.

I love you dearly, my Friend, and I hope you celebrate all the wonderful things you are today !

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Now, anyone who knows this blog, knows how much of an inspiration Miss Patti Digh is for me!

Well, recently, Patti has joined with two friends, Amy McCracken and Kathryn Schuth. The threesome has embarked on a year-long writing and photo adventure on the blog :

3x3x365 Three Friends.

Three States. Sharing One Photo Every Day in 2011.

There has been something that has touched my heart in every single post that these remarkable yet ordinary ladies have done since January 1st!

Sunday’s post was about “love”.

Amy wrote something that touched me to my very core as she shared just a glimpse into her love for and relationship with her sister, Petra, who is no longer in this world.

I was inspired to create this journal page and Rock Fairy self-portrait in response to her words:

I think I will work hard on remembering and recognizing my own beauty today…

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Of course, last week I was in the company of some incredibly inspiring women down in FLA.

I am still assimilating all of the inspiration that can be gleaned from my time with them.

They definitely inspired me recognize my own beauty.

And also the beauty in all the world around me.

And I will credit Miss Beth with inspiring me to find a new way to get this body moving, in spite of the fact that the winter has made me feel like I want to stay in my cozy nest.

Ain’t no reason not to shake a tail feather in the nest and dance my bootie off, right, Beth ?

So I encourage you to do like Beth does, and shake it this morning…

Turn it up loud, now !

And do the hustle to it if you feel like.

Whatever you do, make sure you take the time to dance to this awesome song :

Shake your bootie, boys & girls !

Happy Monday, You Inspiring Boys and Girls !

We are powerful…

 

This journal page was inspired by the words I read on my teacher, Judy Wise’s blog this week:

“Remember as you go about your day that we who create are part of the solution for what ails the planet.

We are kind,

we share,

we encourage and nurture.

We are powerful.

Pass it on.”

Them be some Artist Words to live by.

Pass ‘em on.

Have a joyous Sunday, Creative Ones !

Haiku My Heart–Fade to White

No delight in white.

Snow has bleached color away.

Thank God for red paint.

(Art journal page from December 2010 – “Just Enough”)

I am craving red.

I even made my Bubbie’s Russian Beet Salad (here is the closest recipe I have found to the one I learned to make at my Bubbie’s side) yesterday, needing that perfect red stain of the beets even inside me.

Today, I will paint the room red as I play in my journal, Golden Fluid acrylics in Quinacridone Red & Magenta, and Naphthol Red Light thrown in for good measure.

‘Cause the world outside my window is too damn white !

The silver in the very white cloud dumping 8 to 10 inches more snow on NH?

David is home for a snow day. Yay !

Happy Friday, Beautiful Ones  Off to see red…

Sharing the Joy Thursday–Everyday Joys

So this is where I sound like a spoiled brat.

Coming home from my awesome trip to FLA

I crash landed.

I have been my least favorite version of myself since Monday.

The weepy, lost, sleepy, unhappy, depressed, self-defeating, unmotivated, basically miserable me that I love to hate.

I laid low, wandered the house, sleeping a lot, tearing up at the drop of a hat and feeling like I wanted to escape from myself and my crazy brain so very badly !

I couldn’t even acknowledge all the wonderful stuff I have in my life, which I really KNOW but couldn’t quite access for the life of me!

ICK!!!! I hate it when that happens !

 

Now whether it is because I just let myself wallow for three days (yes, my husband is a saint !),

David, Patron Saint of Crazy Wives

or because the full moon is over with,

or because some hormonal shift has occurred within this body I am struggling to love and understand,

or because I just got my super shined up diamond engagement ring and my brand new 10th anniversary band yesterday and I needed diamond crystal power to feel better ( I am the Rock Fairy, right ? And these are some really really nice rocks ! Thanks again, Love, for letting me wear these gorgeous family jewels!)…

Whatever it is, I woke up this morning feeling much more like my Self, thank God !

Suddenly, I remembered and reveled in little everyday joys, like I usually would.

Like morning coffee in the great mug I painted at the Fired Up ceramics place in Seaside with the girlies last week,

with a slice of freshly baked Lemon Poppy Seed Bread no less (don’t get to excited, it was from a box mix, but still !)

Or like the Amarylis bulb I got David for Christmas that is blooming in the dining room.

Such a magical growth in the dead winter season !

Or my batch of Rock My World Rocks getting ready for delivery to Arizona and giving me a good message before they go…

Or my furry kids, who love me now matter what, even if I am a mopey momma !

(“What’s up, Mommy ?”)

(“Aw, she will be herself in a day or two, I am sure…”)

(“You should just take a nap in a sunbeam, Momma. It always works for me.”)

(“I prefer snuggling with a buddy myself, Momma. Cheeks and I are willing to nap with you !”)

And even the bright, white snow outside which I can totally see the beauty of as long as I don’t have to go out and shovel or drive in it !

I KNOW that life is good, so very, very good.

And I am grateful to be back in the land of living it.

Here’s to loving and sharing everyday Joys, Beautiful Ones

For more joy and a lot less spoiled brat, check out Meri’s blog and more Sharing the Joy Thursday.

Oh, and I thought I would share two pieces from my art journal that were created in Seaside with Beth working on her photo editing on the big kitchen table beside me.

They bring me artist joy and remind me how good my life is too!

(Pieces of me – Art Journal Page – January 2011)

(Let Me Float More – Art Journal Page – January 2011)

Enjoy your Thursday !

Big Love.