JEWEL Bugs!

These are just a few of the wonderful 'jewel' like bugs made by 'ODD imagination'. Denise has the amazing skill of being able to create small, delicate, extremely detailed and whimsical objects of art. Whether she is crafting figures, jewelry, paintings or these stunning bugs, Denise's art ALWAYS fills me with joy and wonderment. 

Look at the variety!

I love the colors in this one!

Amazing detailing!

Too many !!!!!'s - I don't think so! 

(Ok, so maybe I'm a little biased, but darn I'm lucky to have her for a sister!)

Sydd in his sweater!

Need I say more? Ok, I will any way! Isn't he just adorable and doesn't he have the greatest great aunt to make him his cool outfit?! Yeah, I'm modest too...

Fortune Cookies and ATC's

This is an ATC I made a couple years back using a fortune cookie message. I like to work in complimentary colors and the combination here is striking I think.

'Blessings' card Received

This is the WONDERFUL 'Blessings' card I received from Deedee. This is the envelope front and back...

A great quote from RW Emerson is on the stunning sparklie card (with close ups of front and back)

Frida's arrive from UK!

Micki, in the UK, sent me these wonderful 'Frida' ACT's she made for our February swap. I just love the colors and quirkiness of these cards!

This one is 'Frida love Diego'

Here is 'Frida's Moustache'

 

And this one of Micki's paintings made into a card.

Thought for the Week

'If you were arrested for being kind, would there be enough evidence to convict you?' 

-source unknown, submitted by David, Madison WI

A wonderful friend at work shared this and I thought it profound and worth sending out into my world. 

At first glance I answered 'yes', but then I started to think 'Am I as kind as I could be?' Granted we all have our days, I have days when it wouldn't matter if you were wrapped in $100 bills and said you'd fly me to Italy, I would still be a pill. 

Thankfully those days are getting fewer and farther between as I reach toward my maturity with more understanding and grace. Still...I have to say there are times, times when I'm not unkind,  I'm just sort of 'indifferent' and that is almost worse. And even sadder still, I'm indifferent to myself, which is reflected in how I treat others. You know the 'do unto others...' well if you can't be kind to yourself, how can you be truly kind to others? I don't mean the total self indulgent sort of 'kind', I mean true kindness where you recognize you're human, you make mistakes, but you don't bang on yourself FOREVER over it. You recognize your error, apologize where necessary (even to yourself) and try to move forward with more understanding, compassion and awareness.

So, with the posting of this thought, I'm going to try to be more aware of my attitudes - the good, the bad, the indifferent attitudes, to myself and others. It takes so little to make the world a kinder place and starting with myself is a good place to start.

Frida ATC's

I swapped these ATC's I made with Micki in the UK!! I'm excited to get to send something overseas. The theme was based on Frida Kahlo. I've been an admirer of Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo's artwork forever so it was fun to use Frida as an inspiration. I've included photos of the original inspirations for the cards. I just wanted to show how what inspires me doesn't always translate directly to the final product and of course there is my own artistic bend that comes through. I found for this endeavor that I had a difficult time making Frida look as masculine, as she can, so my cards have a more rounded, feminine look to them.

February White

As much as I'm not loving the cold weather, I can't help but marvel at the colors and textures of winter. Crisp lines, soft edges, blurred distances. Beautiful colors of palest pinks, greens, blues, browns and grays, of bright red berries, burgundy dogwood stems, deep green pines. It's really amazing how much there is to see and wonder at in winter! My most favorite thing about winter, beside all that I've mentioned, is the silhouette of branches and grasses against the snow or softly shrouded in a misty glaze of frost. Ice covered trees and grasses are beautiful too, but I don't like the damage it can do. Today the sun is out, but earlier in the week it looked like this...

  

Sumac is always a treat to view in winter.

 

The redbuds are just gnarly wonders, I have scads of picture of them!

 

  The air is soft with blowing snow and frosted trees.

Ponytails Doll #3

Ok, I couldn't wait until tomorrow, so here is 'ponytails girl' with toes and a wash of color started in her hair and on her face. I also got a little closer to her face so you could see her features a little easier.