Bringing the Color Back…

I woke up feeling unlike my usual colorful self.

I even had some company in my “paint it black” mood.

A big, noisy black crow cawing away outside the studio window.

It took me a minute or two to figure out what he was cawing at…

Little Black Boo was hanging in the window, having a staring contest with the big black bird.

Or perhaps the Crow had a message for me.

That’s the significance of the Crow paying you a visit, you know.

Maybe the message was get out of your black mood by turning to what you love and to the color in your world.

That’s how I interpreted it, anyway.

Here’s what I did :

I took a few minutes to be creative and packaged up Lisa’s Creative Sistahs Swap Sketchbook for Jennifer. It was the first time I had gluey fingers in a few weeks !

Then I packaged up some Rock My World orders to bring to the post office today.

I also filled my new Rock Fairy pouch that I bought on my sweet outing with my friend the Bodhi Chicklet a few weeks ago.

It came from a store called Ten Thousand Villages in Pointe Claire, Quebec. They sell free trade items and help international artisans make money from their artwork.

This beautiful embroidered pouch was only $5.00 and is perfect to keep a supply of rocks in my purse for anytime use !

This afternoon, I am headed to my friend Patti’s poolside paradise for some girl friend time.

That is sure to bring my color back, right ?

This song was playing in my head all morning after the visit from Messenger Crow.

I love this version.

I hope you have a colorful Tuesday, Beautiful Ones!

Big Love !

Gorgeous Mail, Kitty Cat Tails…

Having been away for a week meant coming home to some juicy mail !

David complained that he got all the bills and annoying flyers while I get all the colorful mail.

Just another example of what happens when you send the love out and it comes back to you tenfold ! I am blessed to be part of such a great arty community that loves to share !

The first package I opened was from my blogpal Bethany from Bloom.

She has been a little quiet in Blogland lately but a while back she send me a note saying she had picked up two copies of Pam Carriker’s Art at the Speed of Life by accident and wanted to share her extra one with me !

Of course I am thrilled ! This book looks like such a juicy one !!! Can’t wait to spend some time exploring it !

Then there were of course many wonderful pieces of art in the form of the DIY Postcard Swap that Hanna of  iHanna’s Blog hosted for so many of us.

Talk about your colorful mail !!!

One piece was from our hostess with the mostest, Hanna from iHanna’s Blog

This pointillism pretty is from P Strangetown in Spain.

The cactus beauty comes from Regina from CreativeKismet in Arizona.

Some playful painting from Mary from joyful ploys in Arkansas.

The gorgeous gift of collage from my long time blogging friend Roberta from RCS Creations.

My fellow Montrealer, Sylivie from The Art of Miss KoolAid sent this beautiful cuppa with a reminder to take time just for me.

This interesting piece from S.Arden Hill from Winnipeg, Canada at fourfortheday.com had me looking and looking…What do you see ?

This pretty stitched watercolor tag piece was from Charlotte from Sweden (not sure of her blog).

And this exquisite drawing is from Tari June at studiomailbox.com in Germany. I am in love with the heart in the hands…

I really loved doing this swap, both for the fun of creating pieces of art for others and for receiving these amazing gifts in rethurn!

Thanks so much again, Hanna, for all you do to make it happen !

One last treasure graced my mailbox yesterday.

That was these amazing teabag origami peace cranes that I purchased from Kim Anderson at art in red wagons.

Kim lovingly folded and strung these little treasures and has them for sale for just $10.00 in her etsy shop with all proceeds going to the Japan Relief Fund.

They will be hanging in the studio later today and I will be reminded of how grateful I am for all that I have every time I look at them.

While the mail art was a lovely homecoming, the less wonderful part of my first day home was that sill Cosmo cat swallowed a 15 inch linen cord from a necklace he found in the studio.

 

I got him to the vet quickly as I saw him do the deed ! But though they tried to induce vomiting to get him to throw it up, it was still in him after an afternoon at the vets.

Now after 3 doses of laxatives, and a night in his own private room in our house, he isn’t eating, hasn’t pooped, and just isn’t well.

A call to the vet this morning now has me bringing him back in for some more fluids and checking him back in to the pet hospital, and probably facing up to the fact that he will need a costly surgery to get the damn cord out of him.

Poor little Boo. Poor Mommy ! Bring on the credit card debt.

Send your kitty prayers for the little bugger, okay ?

I hope you have a sweet and colorful Tuesday, Beautiful Ones.

Big Love !

Tuesday in the Studio

Owed it to myself to have a much needed art day…

  Owed it to some friends to complete some projects I had committed to…

I wanted and needed to have some ART LOVE flowing.

And I had a feeling that the best way to “Be OK” was to create the day away…

Cranked the tunes – even found a sound track !

Finally completed a prayer flag for a dear friend who is healing from surgery…

I guess it is never too late to send some love, right ?

Finished a Mail Sketch project that should have been passed on long ago…

Like months…

I am hoping that the extra effort I put in to jazz up the envelope

as well an added little giftie inside will help me be forgiven for my procrastination.

If not, that is okay too.

Time to let it go…

 

I have said for many many years that having a paint brush in my hand is the cheapest and most effective therapy there is for me.    

Using my creativity, losing myself in my art, finding ways to put my heart out into the world through what I create…

 

That is one way I know that I can always BE OK.

For me, Art is LOVE,

and

we all know, Beautiful Ones, that

Happy Tuesday !

(This post was inspired by the beautiful visually rich post on Alisa Burke’s blog yesterday. She is an awesome artist that inspires me in so many ways ! Talk about your eye candy !)

Yipee ! I Got Some Mail Art !

So my friend Kathy at Love Letters just became my new penpal !! She sent me this beautiful piece of mail art. Here's the cool collage seal on the back of the envelop :

And here is the lovely calligraphy piece she sent me on a card inside :

Isn't she talented ?! Thank you, thank you Kathy ! I was so happy and excited to get the mail today !!! One of the many great parts of receiving this beautiful piece was that it was totally in my colors! I don't think I ever told Kathy that my favorite colors were green and turquoise but the piece she sent fits me to a tee. I want to frame the card and add it to my dining room where I display my some of my favorite turquoise, blue and green found and made objet d'arts !

Tag, I'm it ! Tomorrow's studio play time will be spent making something special to mail to my sweet penpal ! Such fun ! You should try it !

Who You are Makes A Difference and Synchronicity

So this morning I had just finished creating my first ever piece of mail art that I wanted to send to my neice Jessica. We had had a lovely girl's night together last week and I wanted to let her know how much it meant to me. What better way than with some fun and funky art work and a note inside telling her what a beautiful, funny, sweet and brilliant young woman she is. In the bottom right hand corner, I had included a little square with the quote "Who I Am Makes a Difference" that I had found somewhere along the way.

Front of Jessie's Mail Art Envelope

Back

Then I checked my e-mail and my sister Natalie (Jessie's mom) had sent me the wonderful and touching video (below) called " Who You Are Makes a Difference." I immediately tried to pick up the phone and call her to share the synchronicity of it all but she wasn't around ! Still , the video made me cry and feel wonderful about this world and most of all, made me want to reach out and honor someone for just being who they are. I guess I had kind of already done that with the note to Jessie but that video made me want to do that some more !!! I had a nice ladies lunch with my dear friend Lois and when I got back I checked out some of my favorite blogs. This is when the synchronicity got especially juicy and especially incredible for me.

Jennifer at The Stumbly Diva honored me on her blog for just being who I am ! She wrote that I had inspired her to "explore a more nurturing creative path". You cannot imagine just how honored that made me feel ! I mean, how often do you get told that you have inspired someone ? It really made me feel like who I am makes a difference ! What a great gift !

The whole thing has just kind of blown me away with how when things are good, they are very, very good, indeed ! I hope you are inspired to honor someone today ... it really does make a difference !