Busy Bee

I’ve been a busy little bee today! I started my morning with a mocha latte, and a few phone calls to friends & family.

Afterwards I cleaned the house, did some baking and rearranged the studio so I have more space to work in. Whew!

Fridays always seem to fly by for me. I think it’s all those little last- minute ‘have -tos’ and unexpected interruptions that get in the way of my plans for a laid back Friday. I guess I will have to wait until next year when it slows down a bit for me. After all, ’tis the season.

Have a great weekend!

Christmas Music: “Let It Snow”! Dean Martin

Swan Maiden

The Swan Maiden painting is almost finished, but I have a few more details I want to add to it. I have been working on this painting off and on since February of this year and promised myself it would be finished by January 2009.

This painting was loosely inspired by the Irish legend of the beautiful Swan Maiden “Caer Ibormeith”. She was the daughter Of Prince Ethal Anbuail of Sid Uamuin in Connacht.

Legend has it that every other Samhain she would change into a swan and would remain in this form for a year before becoming human again the following Samhain. Visit the post on June 17th for more info.

The Swan Maiden – Mixed Media – 16 x 20

Caer Ibormeith

I wandered down to the waters
And walked by the riverside,
I wandered down to the waters
Some solace there to find.

I sat with a heart of sorrow
Beside a silent pool
I sat with a heart of sorrow
And wept for the lonely world.

When over the silent waters
A creature to me came
When over the silent waters
A swan with a golden chain.

She sang out her song so sweetly
Her wavering melody
She sang out her song so sweetly
That it put my heart at peace.

Sing on, fair swan, I cried to her,
Sing on, to bring the day
Sing on, fair swan, I cried to her,
But she had swum away.

– Jamie Alexandre.

Another Journal

I spent most of the day finishing yesterdays journal and then started a new one. I was having so much fun that before I knew it, the sun was setting.

Now, I have just enough time to take a nice warm bath, slip into my pajamas and watch a movie with my husband. Sounds like a perfect ending for a busy Friday.

Minoan Journal – Work in Progress – Collage,  Acrylic, watercolor, Mixed Media

I also baked a Chocolate Truffle dessert for later. Yum!

Chocolate Truffle Brownies

“There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.” –
Anonymous

Stacks of Magazines

Today, I took one look at the stack of magazines on the floor by our sofa and said enough is enough … I started ripping out quotes, meaningful words, slogans, images and tossed these into a clear plastic container.

Afterwards, I remembered purchasing a couple of blank journals a while back, so I decided to collage the covers with the magazine scraps, tissue paper, acrylics, watercolors, ink, etc.

It’s a creative way to reuse old magazines and it’s fun! I love giving journals as Christmas gifts to friends and family.

The Mermaid Journal – Tomorrow I will be adding sea shells, ribbons, metallic watercolors, etc.

“Each of us has an inner dream that we can unfold if we will just have the courage to admit what it is. And the faith to trust our own admission. The admitting is often very difficult.”
Julia Cameron

Creative Everyday Challenge

I have enjoyed Creative Everyday so much this year that I’ve  decided to participate in Leah’s Creative Everyday 2009 Challenge. I believe it is important to have a place that encourages creativity and a sense of community, and Leah has created just such a place.

“In order to create, we draw from our inner well. This inner well, an artistic reservoir, is ideally like a well stocked fish pond… If we don’t give some attention to upkeep, our well is apt to become depleted, stagnant, or blocked… As artists, we must learn to be self nourishing. We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them — to restock the trout pond, so to speak.”
–Julia Cameron

Watercolor Pencils

I felt creative today and experimented with making some watercolor Christmas cards. I already have prismacolor watercolor pencils, but would like to try Cretacolor pencils in the near future. Tomorrow is my birthday so maybe I will treat myself to a trip to the art store.

Watercolor Pencils: Cretacolor

Watercolor

I spent most of the day working in the studio trying to clean up the mess from yesterday. Whew! Here is a great video about using Ph Martin’s Liquid transparent watercolor.

Birds of Sorrow

A friend of ours has recently died, and we just heard about it today. We were very sad to hear of his passing. Our deepest sympathy to his family at this sad time. He will be sorely missed.

Goodbye November

Oceanscape Series – Moon Rise

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, . . . manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty.” – Albert Einstein

Happy Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is the big day so I am out & about. Happy Thanksgiving!

David Lanz

T hanks for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather.
H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.
A for autumn’s frosty art, and abundance in the heart.
N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.
K for kitchen, kettles’ croon, kith and kin expected soon.
S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that about.
That spells THANKS for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.
–   Aileen Fisher, All in a Word