Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Posting With Dragon

It's good to be writing again although it's making my throat sore. My doctor told me not to use my right hand, it's terrible not writing, I can't really go an entire day without writing. I tried using my left hand to do everything but it's giving me trouble as well. Yesterday my brother installed Dragonfor me, I had my doubts about it but, it's good to be writing again even if it's giving me a sore throat. It's a lot harder writing with Dragon I have to work without music, words just don't flow for my head the way they do from my hand. It's fun to though, it even works in Adobe, and now I can to leave comments on your blogs without feeling guilty about using my hands to type. I'm starting to get used to it still I have a lot to learn.

Chocolate


A page from one of my altered books.
Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine.
Geronimo Piperni, quoted by Antonio Lavedán, surgeon in the Spanish army, 1796

Monday, May 29, 2006

change a light bulb?

Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; it's conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?


thanks to Written Revolution for this joke.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Cousins

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." ~Phyllis Diller
All God's angels come to us disguised. ~James Russell Lowell

I found this photo of two of my favorite angels while I was going through my photos today. They grow so fast, they both look very different now. They are my blessings and before I turned around twice he was all grown up even the little one is growing as fast as a nasturtium.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Everything Has a Gender


This is from an email my friend shared with me I laughed myself silly, and want to share it with you but instead of forwarding it to your mail box I thought Iwould just post it.

  • You may not know this but many nonliving things have a gender.
  • Ziploc Bags are Male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.
  • Copiers are Female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. It's an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can wreak havoc if the wrong buttons are pushed.
  • A Tire is Male, because it goes bald and it's often over-inflated.
  • A Hot Air Balloon is Male, because, to get it to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under it, and of course, there's the hot air part.
  • Sponges are Female, because they're soft, squeezable and retain water.
  • A Web Page is Female, because it's always getting hit on.
  • A Subway is Male, because it uses the same old lines to pick people up.
  • An Hourglass is Female, because over time, the weight shifts to the bottom.
  • A Hammer is Male , because it hasn't changed much over the last 5,000 years,
    but it's handy to have around.
  • A Remote Control is Female. Ha! You thought it'd be male , didn't you? But consider this - it gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know the right buttons to push, he keeps trying!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Thursday, May 18, 2006

What Kind Of Camera



Wander over and look at Abort, Retry, Ignore? at Rambling it is funny, entertaining and I am sure you must have had an experiance like hers, I know I have.

Forever ago, Marybeth asked what kind of camera I used for one of my photos. I kept telling myself that I would check my camera and answer tomorrow. I am sure I don’t need to explain the problem with that to anyone. So now I am going to look,( no I don’t know) and the answer is wait just a second while I open the case. It’s a Kodak … DC4800 3.1 meagapixel. Its the one I use almost always. I keep my camera on the little flower setting so I am always ready for the next close up. The photo above was taken at Clark Botanic Garden.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Book of Dreams - What I did

The cover of my book
Parts of the book will show through. Since I didn’t like the cover of my book, I painted it red and gold and let it dry before I began the foil process.

I glued directly to the cover although C. covered chipboard and glued that to the cover of her book

Mark the size and area of your book that you want to cover. Or cut your chipboard to size.
Crumple cheap thin aluminum foil
Smooth it out
Spread glue (we used Elmer’s’ Glue but any good glue will work) one side at a time on the book where you want to apply the foil. As you spread out the foil work it tightly against the cover. Make certain there are still wrinkles and folds in the foil.
Continue working until you have finished applying the foil.

When dry, clean the aluminum foil with a soft lint-free cloth or lint-free paper towel dampened with ammonia.

Use Golden ®GAC 200 medium and mix with liquid acrylic. Ten parts paint to one part of the medium (Do not add water!)

Paint the foil. I used several layers of different metallic colors. Allow a bit of the foil to show through. Let dry between each color of paint.

If your color begins to look to heavy, you can remove some of the paint by sanding lightly with 600-grade sandpaper

I used
Golden® GAC 200 medium
The instructions I learned from use Golden Fluid Acrylics… These were not available in my area and were very expensive so I used FolkArt Plaid Paints
Metalic Periwinkle
Copper
Gold

I finished with Golden Mica Flake Large
And stenciled "Dreams" on the front


Book of Dreams Project

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Have a Beautiful Mothers Day




Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;

they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

Marcel Proust

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Poetry Thursday- My Favorite Poem When I Was Wee


Strictly Germ-Proof
The antiseptic Baby and the Prophylactic Pup
Were playing in the garden when the Bunny gamboled up;
They looked upon the Creature with a loathing undisguised;—
It wasn’t Disinfected and it wasn’t Sterilized.
They said it was a Microbe and a Hotbed of disease;
They steamed it in a vapor of a thousand-odd degrees;
They froze it in a freezer that was cold as Banished Hope
And washed it in permanganate with carbolated soap.
In sulphureted hydrogen they steeped its wiggly ears’
They trimmed its frisky whiskers with a pair of hard-boiled shears;
They donned their rubber mittens and they took it by the hand
And ‘lected it a member of the fumigated Band.
There’s not a Micrococcus in the garden where they play;
They bathe in pure iodoform a dozen times a day;
And each imbibes his rations from a Hygienic Cup—
The Bunny and the Baby and the Prophylactic Pup.
— Arthur Guiterman
This was one of my three favorite poems when I was little. My mother used to read it to me. I used to beg and beg her to read it to me. I think she had to read it so often that she memorized the poem.
I think the funny words fascinated me and I loved the way she read "they froze it in a freezer that was cold as banished hope" and I wanted to bathe in pure idoform a dozen times a day.


Poetry Thursday

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

This Weeks Prompt at Mama Says Om is Juicy

1 juicy fruit
2 juice bars
lemon
grape
orange
lime
3 juicy apples
4 and peaches too
5 your lips ah his lips
your beautiful smile
full and exciting
ah your lips…
yummy…
I’d write more
but
he has gorgeous lips
yes he does…
ah my minds on other things
so this list here will end

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

B&W

This is one of a series of photos of egg and ribbon pictures I took about four years ago. The ribbon is antique, modern ribbon just does not drape the way the old ribbon does and I loved the combination of textures. The ribbon is my mothers antique satin silk ribbon she wasn’t happy to find it draped across the rough wood but she is amazingly supportive of all my artistic endeavors.

While I was at the doctors today he noticed that my hand was bothering me and asked me about it. He told me that people who ignore the pain like I was doing end up unable to even button their own shirts, that would be very depressing. I told him he was scary. Something I now feel kind of guilty about I hope I didn’t offend. But I am not to use my right hand. I am typing this with my left hand but I have to limit that also since I am having a little trouble with it. Anyway the reason I am telling you all this is I want to ask you to be tolerant with me when I am slow answering your emails and leave absurdly short comments.

Monday, May 08, 2006

The Dragon-Fly


When the heat of the summer
Made drowsy the land,
A dragon-fly came
And sat on my hand,
With its blue jointed body,
And wings like spun glass,
It lit on my fingers
As though they were grass.
Eleanor Farjeon

Sunday, May 07, 2006

May

My creation
A May calendar with one of my studies which you are welcome to print a copy for your personal use.

Liquid

A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature. ~Henry David Thoreau

The theme this week at Mama Says Om is Liquid.

Mosaic

My Paintings
I feel so proud of myself for creating this mosaic, OK it was really easy and no big deal except I just learned how to do it today. Try this fun filled page http://flagrantdisregard.com/flickr/

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Ten Most Beautiful Birds Meme

I was taged by Endment for a meme of the ten birds I think most beautiful. Only ten how am I suposed to do that?
  • Painted Bunting*
  • Glossy Ibis*
  • Sandhill Cranes*
  • Red Wing Blackbird*
  • Great Blue Heron*
  • Green Jay
  • Scaled Quail*
  • Scarlet Tanager*
  • Red Start*
  • Wood Thrush*
  • Mute Swan*
  • Scissor Tail Flycatcher*
  • Morning Dove*
  • Snowy Egret*
  • Whooping Crane

* marking the ones I've seen

I am taging Greenish Lady, Jill Writes and Rebekahs Musings

Sunday scribblings

My Grandpa had pure white hair. His shirt, pants, and baseball cap were all alike and always kaki colored, he wore them with heavy work boots. The only other thing I ever saw him wear was his suit when he went to church. He always fell asleep in church. He was always working, and if he sat down without doing something or reading he would fall right of to sleep. He was the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it.
Although I never heard him yell, he had a deep voice that scared me more than thunder.

My grandfather used to take youth groups backpacking in Yosemite. Sometimes an adventurous adult or two would join him. I remember one year he had 60 teenagers hiking with him on one trip. Groups that big are no longer allowed to hike in Yosemite. I was 13 the first year I went along with him without my parents. Our group was much smaller than 60 because of the new Park Service size regulations for groups.

The youngest of our group's parents had gotten his shoes a bit big - so he’d have room to grow, but they caused him a lot of blisters. The other hiker who had a lot of trouble with his shoes bought jungle boots from the army surplus. I would love to own a pair, they were beautiful shinny and black but not for wearing backpacking. Fortunately my Grandfather knew to carry plenty of moleskin. The rest of the hikers were ether luckier or more experienced in their choice of footwear and got by with only a couple blisters.

We quickly all acquired nicknames. I can remember less than half of them. There were two brothers Dean and Dale one had long blond hair to his shoulders with lot of body he was given the name Mop Head, his brother wore a crew cut and acquired the name Light Bulb. There were two females in the group an adult woman named Clare and myself. We all affectionately called Clare Mom. I think a lot of us were secretly homesick during the two weeks. The young men were all amazed that my grandfather could easily out walk them. Grandpa’s theory was enough walking will keep them from getting into trouble.

Grandpa was called Old Billy Goat, not to his face, but he knew about it. His eyes would twinkle and he would get a cute grin when my mother would tease him about it.

Alcatraz, Hot Lips, I have no ideal what their real names were or exactly why they acquired those nicknames. There are only two others whose monikers I can recall Carl who later named his daughter after my Grandfather was over six feet tall and was bestowed the name Big Foot with very good reason. My own nickname was Barefoot. I’d take my shoes off as soon as we would reach camp and once I had my shoes off I'd rather endure the pain of sticks, pine needles and pine cones than put my shoes back on.

To find more Sunday Scribblings go here
http://sundayscribblings.blogspot.com/

Healing Celebration


I just got back from the Healing Celebration with Peter Goldbeck and YJ Lee.It was an incredibly spiritual experience, absolute serenity a beautiful ending to a horrid day. I was in a truly horrid mood when I got there but that quickly changed I didn't want to leave afterwards and I wasn't the only one but Peter told us we didn't have to go home but we couldn't stay there
I would tell you more but its 12:30 and I am going to find out if I can get some sleep tonight. I am wishing you all many blessings.
Good night.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Book of Dreams Project

The cover of my book

I just found out about the Book of Dreams project at http://artsymama.blogspot.com/
It’s been several years since I have done anything new in my altered books I started a book called Dreams that I've done less than 6 pages in I keep thinking I should work in it some more, and then I never do so this is a perfect opportunity to get some more done in it.

BlueVase

encaustic with oil pastel
"Love is a portion of the soul itself,
and
it is of the same nature as the
celestial breathing of the atmosphere of paradise."
"Life is a flower of which love is the honey."
"The greatest happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved,
loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."
"The reduction of the universe to a single being,
the expansion of a single being even to God, this is love."
~Victor Hugo~

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Energy Workshop


I meet Peter at St Vincent's stress reduction clinic where he has been giving me acupuncture and energy treatments. I went to the clinic because I was going threw a very bad time. The treatments have helped me with both my emotional stress and my physical pain. I have encouraged my friends, my Mother and my son to also have treatments from Peter. O.K. I did more than encourage my son the first time it was more like “I want to stay home, I don’t want to go.” “You don’t have to want to go; you just have to do it.” Why?” ’’ Because I am your Mother, now get your shoes on your coming with me.” I no longer have to drag my son, he enjoys the energy treatments( I was so good I didn’t even say Sam I told you so) and my Mother wow I knew the treatments were great but I was still amazed at how much they helped her.
Peter is having a workshop this Friday that I am very much looking forward to and I just want to let my blogging friends know about it. I know many of you live to far away but those of you here in New York do come it will be a wonderful experience.


Sharing Light....A Healing Celebration with Peter Goldbeck and YJ Lee

May 5th Friday at 6:30 to participate in a 2nd Healing Group facilitated by
Peter Goldbeck and YJ Lee.

There will be a guided Group Meditation, Chakra balancing and Grounding. These techniques
will help center, balance and unify one's sense of well being as well as open up one's awareness for the 2nd part of the workshop.

Healing Celebration

Suggested Donation: $15
Location: A.R.E. 241 W. 30th St. 2nd flr. New York, NY 10001
Suite 102 (bell)
Phone : 917 539-3001

May 1 Sit In at Union Square




May Day although not observed here in the US is an international holiday of the working people. These photos were taken at Union Square yesterday as people gathered there asking for the antimmigrant bills in congress to be stopped.