The Queen is so thankful for her friends !

So when I did my quick "simple things" post on Monday, I mentioned that the Famous Craft Fair was a bit of a bust. Thanks for all your sympathy and encouragement but it really wasn't that bad...

It was only a bust financially. I did learn a lot, made some good connections, and had a really nice time meeting people and of, course, sharing my Rock My World rocks. I got a lot of positive feedback about my display and my products which felt good.

The main obstacle was the weather. It was very raw and poured rained very heavily all day long ! That meant the attendance was way down, and in fact, many people didn't even make a single sale ! I did quite well compared to many but made only about enough to cover my costs and have enough left over for a craft store trip for myself to replenish my stores a bit !

I was disappointed with the turnout money wise but I am very satisfied with my own set up, the time and dedication I put into it all and what I have learned that can be applied to the next one ! The Queen Did Good !

Here's a few photos...

The table...

some birds, necklaces, Queen of Arts sign...

magnets, rocks, angels and soaps...

original art cards (love those !!!)

Me at the table...

My friend Suzanne came down for a few days and was sweet enough to spend the day with me at the high school cafeteria in spite of the s l o w-ness of the day. My hubby was our driver and made sure I had everything I needed to set up my table just how I wanted it which I so appreciated. All in all it was a good experience.

Suzanne and I spent some good friend time together, shopping, and hanging out and she just left this morning. Life is not always easy but when we relax into stuff and just take advantage of what is good in the present moment, it sure feels easier. I love my good old friend very much and I am very thankful for the friendship we share.

The rest of the day today is all about taking care of me. I am carrying around the tail end of a cold. I am exhausted from the go go go that is now gone, gone, gone and I need some time to rest up and feel well again for the next adventure....

Sherry is coming in THREE SLEEPS!

Yes, my dear friend who I have never met is coming down to visit me from Toronto. That is about a 10 hour drive, my friends ! Sherry was in fact the first person who ever commented on my blog when I started it two years ago, and we are in contact in Blogland or on Facebook everyday ! Sherry and I have developed a friendship based on the heart and understanding that means a great deal to me. I am thrilled that she felt the impulse to find a way for us to meet in person and that it is on its way to becoming a reality ! We talked on the phone on Monday and I can already tell that finding stuff to talk about will not be a problem ! ;)

On Saturday, Sherry and Kim will spend the day eye to eye and heart to heart and probably with something arty in our hands ! Yay ! Life is good and so full of sweet treasures when we open ourselves up for them.

And now I am off to get out my art journal and my paints, put on some music and get into a zone....I am missing it so much my fingers are itchy !

Have a happy Wednesday, Beautiful Ones ! And give your friends a big squeeze and remind them how much you love them !

Simple things on this Monday...

simple things

a cat's nose touching mine

the smell of my man's neck

the smell of fresh sheets

the crunch of an apple

a bottle of acrylic paint

india ink

anything green

a splash of raspberry red

a grapefruit cut in half, sections cut, and eaten with a small silver teaspoon

a rock with a word on it

a smile from a stranger

this moment....



(I have lots more to say about a craft fair where I made little money but got lots of life lessons, forgiveness for yourself and for others, and the sweet sweetness of friendship but I am finding the days too short and the focus on other things for now. I hope to catch up more with my pals and then get back to posting later this week. I so got caught up in the "simple things" that many of my friends were sharing today, having been inspired by christina. I love this idea and had to play along. Sending love and appreciation for the simple things...Happy Monday, beautiful Ones.)

Changing Myself Up a Little !

Just a fast post to say "ARRRRRRGHHHH !"

I miss you guys ! I don't have much time to visit. I feel like Blogland is going on without me and I can't possibly catch up...

Can you tell I am a little stressed ?

Busily trying to get things finished for the CRAFT FAIR !!!

Thank God, it will be done on Saturday at 5:00 pm.

I am excited about it but man, it is a lot of work !

David has been great helping me whenever he can, with putting labels on things, packaging things up, and pricing stuff, not to mention putting up with the edgy Queen ! ;)

I am down to the final designing of the layout of my table today. Display ! I am a bit of a loony when it comes to placing things just right. That is great when working in a zen garden but not so great when you have a few short days and a teeny tiny budget to put out all your wares on a 6 foot long table ! Oh well...deep breaths and my great deBroin eye for detail will save the day, I think.

Not only do I miss posting and visiting and commenting in Blogland, but I am missing playing in my art journal big time ! This morning I did a piece because I just HAD TO ! All this crafty stuff is fine to make a few bucks but my soul is an artist's soul and it needed to speak today !

The page started with a painted background to which I added this figure from a mask made with a "praying" lady from an ad in a magazine.

Added some pieces of painted papers for the triangles, a flower shaped rubber stamp, some pen work with white Elmers Pen pens and black Indian Ink with a dip pen, and here is what I ended up with...(click to enlarge)

"Pray can change your life." - art journal page

November 11, 2009

I love the quote from Sam Shoemaker, the Episcopalian priest who help found Alcoholic Anonymous.

I love the idea of prayer changing you inside and out rather than giving all the power to some Being outside of ourselves.

In my mind, we are children of God and we have the power to change things for ourselves and our world.

Through prayer...

and through Love, sweet Love...

Taking the time to do the journal page is like taking the time to pray for me. I will admit that this was some rushed praying today, but I feel better for having taken that time and also for taking the time to share it with my community of artist souls. :)

I think it has changed me just enough to get through all the little details of the day a little more calmly and peacefully...

I promise to catch up with you all asap, beautiful Ones !

Big Wednesday Love!

Love Echoes...

David and I and Chica made the trip up North this weekend. It was a few days filled with sweet, sweet moments. You know the kind that just keep playing over and over in your mind and fill your heart with joy at being alive, and loved and loving ?

Love echoes you could call them...

Like witnessing the first snow of the season (way up North in La Conception, Quebec!)

No rush down here in Manchester, Momma Nature !

Or noticing that lilac leaves look a lot like hearts!

And feeling the love that happens between two hearts, in this case mine...

and his...

Or moments where you snuggle and hug and kiss and play with angels like this

in spite of runny noses, and coughs and media hyped up germs...

And get close to those you love,

the ones facing big changes and going through rough times...

or the ones in celebration,

like sisters turing 40 and getting blown away by the surprise !

Colorful celebrations

with many warm wishes,

a few tears of joy,

and of course, the loads of laughter !

Yes, I had myself a big dose of

love echoes this weekend...

and they are still ringing in my heart today...

Had a great weekend ! Attended my sister Natalie's 40th Surprise Birthday Bash on Friday, thrown by her best friend, Cindy, and her Man, Dave (Nat's Dave!). It was a sweet blast with lots of family and friends !(her actual birthday is November 29th)

Spent Sat. with my sister Kristina and her hubby John and Thomas and Kate (all of who have been feeling icky and under the weather but were not too bad when Uncle David and Auntie Kimmy spent the day there !)

Spent Sunday Brunch at my beautiful friend Andrea's house with her hubby James, and my gorgeous Darlene friend and her two boys. Yummy food and lovely chatting time.

David and I got home late last night...Monday has me feeling a little draggy and with tons of odds and ends to do...

But it is all good...

as I have all those sweet moments,

those love echoes...

to get me through...

Happy Monday, Beautiful Ones !

Meet You at the Deli Counter...

(Art journal page - "It happened at the deli counter")

(November 2, 2009)

So there has been a story in my head since Monday morning. This is what happened. I had a nice exchange with a lady in the produce section of the grocery store. I don't remember what I said, but I know I spoke first - probably something about the beautiful day outside or the condition of the produce or something. She gave me a smile and a nod of agreement and we both continued on our way.

(Bottom half of journal page tells the story...)

Then we met again in line at the deli counter. She was ordering turkey breast. The deli guy offered her a piece of the turkey to try. She took the piece of limp beige in between her fingers to check the thickness, told the guy it was fine and then proceeded to check in her purse for somewhere to put the turkey, grimacing big as she did. I caught her eye and laughed ! "No way do you want to eat that piece of turkey right now !" I said. She laughed too, and replied "I like turkey but it is a little early for me !" (It was about 9:30 am).

A moment or two later, she asked me a question - "Are you new to the area ?" Startled, I replied, "No, I have lived here for almost 10 years....Why ?". "Well," she said "You are just so nice!"

I have to say that I have found this town to be a hard one to be a Big Heart Walking in at times. People are close-knit, clique-ish I guess you could say. Oh, they can be friendly if you make the first move but rarely does the level on friendliness go beyond really common courtesy.

So this lady's comment gels with what I kind of know about where I live already, but at the same time, what she said has been ringing in my head all week. It made me very sad on one hand, pretty proud on the other, and it also made me hopeful in my heart.

Sad that we have lost the common action of showing kindness, connection and friendliness to our fellow women and men; so much so that when one person acts that way, it comes as a surprise to another.

(Top half of journal page - spread the love !)

Proud because I have been living my life this was for a while now, showing kindness and love whenever I can, and worrying so much less about what people think or being rejected or getting embarrassed if I get ignored. I do it because I have learned that when I spread the love, even just a little, I get rewarded with wonderful exchanges with people I would normally never have connected with. I have also learned that life is too damn short to worry about looking stupid !

Finally, this little exchange at the deli counter one Monday morning has made my heart hopeful because for that moment, there were two more people connecting and sharing the present moment and spreading the love. And if we cool, somewhat distant Manchesterites can do it, so can you !

"The best portion of a good man's life - his nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love." - Wordsworth

"A little bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses."

- A Chinese Proverb

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."- Mother Teresa

Plant kindness and gather love. - Unknown

"Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair., but manifestations of strength and resolution." - Kahlil Gibran

(Busy getting stuff ready for a weekend away. I am leaving tomorrow and will be back Monday. Only one week until the craft fair and I still have lots to do. Next week is going to be a busy one ! I hope your weekend is filled with love and kindness and just the right amount of silly fun too !Big Love, beautiful Ones !)

A Circus of My Very Own !

Have you visited Teesha Moore's blog "teesha's circus" lately ? She posted a ton of videos this weekend on her art journal techniques. Free, available to everyone and wonderfully descriptive videos showing Teesha's art journal process every step of the way !

I spent most of the morning watching the videos today. I got so inspired to try things the teesha-way that I spend the rest the morning playing away in my art journal. I learned a lot and it was very fun to try new techniques out, guided by teesha's own words.

Here is where my page is at now :

This is very different for me but I am liking it. I don't know that I will adopt too much of teesha's techniques into my usual stuff but I think it is so fun to just be loose and relaxed and try things out and see what happens. I love that Teesha uses the word "intuitive" a lot. Just following your gut, letting the inner artist place things where you want to, avoided that nay saying voice that says "but that looks weird !!!" and just going for it ! I love it ! Fearless creating by the Queen !

The next series of videos Teesha shares will be about lettering. I will then work on completing this page with some journaling. I love, love, love Teesha's lettering style! It is very distinctive. I would love to really develop a lettering style of my own. I think that experimenting with someone else's style and taking little bits I like from here and there may just bring me where I want to go !

I added a Rock My World rock in these shots of the page. It was the one that jumped out of the bowl for me this morning.

Kind of fitting, don't you think ?

I love it when those little messages keep coming !

I hope you find some time to play and open your mind to some new possibilities this week, Beautiful Ones !

Happy Monday !

The leaves of my Heart are changing...

So the other morning, the talented and oh so inspiring Connie at Dirty Footprints Studios wrote a beautiful post about Autumn through the senses of a true morning person. I so related to her poetic words. The post made me sigh with understanding...

One line in the post really resonated with me - like a line of the sweetest poetry really. It just went to what I am feeling at the end of this Fall season, as the leaves are blowing off the trees and the branches are being struck bare, and changes are happening within and outside of me at a pace that I feel unprepared for.

One line that Connie wrote, and my soul read, inspired me to clear the desk of all things crafty and grab my journal and my paints and get the stuff onto the page...

And here are the results :

"Leaves of the Heart" - art journal page

October 31, 2009

(click any images to enlarge)

(acrylic paints, Portfolio Water Soluble Oil Pastels, India Ink with dip pen)

These are the words that Connie wrote that touched me so much :

The leaves of my heart are changing. That is what I am feeling. That uncertainty, not bad and not good, just different,

that feeling that some things are ending and other things are beginning,

that desire to go inward yet knowing that that means letting go of some things...

The leaves are changing and falling away...

And I need to remember to be kind to myself

as I make my way through...

This beautiful heart deserves that.

(Thanks to Connie for the inspiration and for the permission to use her words here.)

Enjoy this Autumn Sunday, beautiful Ones !