* A little progress

Worked on my new painting most of the day. Until it got dark. I really must to do something about lighting in the studio so I can continue painting after dark in the winter.  It annoys me when I have to stop so early in the day.

 Let me see. What can I tell you about her now. As I may have said, she has indicated she is here to keep me company, so I will never be lonely. Another interesting thing she has said is she is part of myself from pervious life time in this country. She says I will one day feel very much at home. She is a very old soul. I have also had instructions that I must never sell the original painting. It is important I keep it. I have no idea what her name is yet - or for that matter any  more about her. I'll keep you posted.

lots more to be done

Thanks for dropping around today.  It's been really cold here!  Sort of like Scotland in the winter.  I put extra blankets on the bed tonight and had the fireplace on for a little while.  Hope it doesn't freeze - I don't have the ficus trees covered.  I must be adjusting to this climate, because believe me this really feels COLD.  (at this moment, which is 3:05 AM, it is 45 degrees F)  I'm not quite as bad as the people who live here though.  If it hits 70 degrees, they get their parkas out.  :o)  PS:  I love this quote!  I'll take the plane any day.  Not going to help me move forward in the art department though is it!  Ratts!  Have a great day, everyone.

“Daring greatly…is stepping up and letting ourselves be seen. Jumping out of a plane would be easier.”

 

* I am so surprised ...

at this painting! I don't really know why. There is something ever so familiar about her. She told me she's here so I won't be lonely. She wanted her hair braided with ribbons in it. WOZZA .... hold on - how the heck do you do that? We are getting there. I have worked non stop all day and I'm beginning to fall in love with her.

You are all so lovel y to 
come and see me. Much appreciated and I adore reading your comments.  Keep them coming.  :o)  Take care and create something.

JoAnne Kenrick

Have you ever met someone for the first time, but in your heart you feel as if youve met them before?

 

* Another Lady ...

... has shown up on my canvas. Honestly, I'm always to releaved when another appears. The in between time causes me so much restlessness, which of course I fill with other creative things. Nothing, though, and I mean nothing, settles me like painting. I worked all day yesterday and I still see more which has to be adjusted. She is barely blocked in. I know you all have great imaginations. It always amazes me how the paintings look so terrible in the beginning and then gradually improve. There must be a metaphor in there somewhere. :o) I'd like to introduce her to you. I have not heard a word from her as yet, so I don't know who she is, or what her message is. I will have to wait.

Hope you are all having a great creative day.  If not, find a little time for yourself and do absolutely anything.  It's important.  Art is not optional.  Thanks for dropping by.  It's a beautiful day here - I know many of you are suffering from what is known as 'winter'.  The sangria is always on here... :o)

If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.

~ Nora Roberts

 

* Journal Binding

Finally got my journal together today. Haven't finished decorating the inside covers - so will only show you the binding and the outside. Double Diamond Stitch, the newest stitch in my repertoire, learned in Ticket to Venice with Mary Ann Moss. I only had red book binding in stock which I was a little disappointed in for this particular book because of the maroon corners on the journal, however I'll get used to it. A fun binding to learn and execute.

That's all for today.  Thanks for stopping by. 

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to 

live forever.” 

― Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi 

  

* Word for 2013

I've been having issues settling on my word this year. Tons of them have taken the route through my mind.  None of them felt right. Then I thought of 'uncover', ... that turned out to be a no. Then 'reveal'; that didn't feel right either.

A couple of days ago my inner voice got involved. "Both the words you have been considering indicate to you have 'do something' to make things happen. This year is not going to be like that for you. It's my impression your word is "Allow". Light bulb moment. It just felt so right. Nothing to do, nothing to resist, nothing to stress over, simply ALLOW life's opportunities to come, then do the work involved for completion.  YEAH!  Sounds good to me.  Perhaps I can RELAX this year.

I'm in the middle of making a hand bound journal. I have my signatures ready, however have not done the stitching or the binding. Still, the photographs will give you an idea of what it's going to look like.

The cover is a vintage ledger cover.  I LOVE it!

I gotta tell you - I upgraded (??) to Google Chrome and doing this blog has never been so frustrating!  None of the photographs are in order -- they seem to land exactly where they want to and won't budge. I've had to cut and paste text because it wouldn't behave either.  Anyone else had these issues?  I think I'm going back to simple Google.

It's a rainy day in San Miguel, dark and dreary.  I'm not used to it anymore.  Hope your days are not too dark and dreary.  Love seeing all your creations.  Thanks for stopping by.

“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles.” 
― C. JoyBell C.

 

* First creative venture of the year ....

Felt like doing a journal spread. Felt like doing something significant which I've been working on for some time now. I'm making progress, I can feel it deep inside. I've been holding on to 'old stuff' so tightly. It's been affecting my health. Thought somehow I might loose it, but now realize I don't really have it. So, I set an intention. Now I will put it in writing. Always very powerful for me.

I've chosen my word for 2013 - or rather, it has chosen me.  I was pondering two words, 'uncover' and 'reveal' for a long time.  Neither seemed to be a perfect fit.  The word which was given to me today feels right - you know that feeling, I know you do.  We will discuss more about this tomorrow.

Hope your weekend was a great one.  Thanks for coming over for a visit.  Always greatly appreciated.  

Allow your life to unfold naturally

Know that it too is a vessel of perfection

Just as you breathe in and breathe out

Sometimes you’re ahead and other times behind

Sometimes you’re strong and other times weak

Sometimes you’re with people and other times alone

all of life is a movement toward perfection

So what need has he

for the excessive, the extravagant, or the extreme?”

Tao Te Ching, Verse 29, Translated by Jonathan Star

 

* Digging in the past

I've been digging through a box of old papers today. When I moved to Mexico, somehow I couldn't leave my writing and journals behind. I ripped them from their moorings and piled all the loose pages in a box. A couple of weeks ago, inspiration struck and I decided to rebind the journal I had from my trip to Australia in 2004/5. I'm still working on that, and many pages and photos are missing, much to my disappointment. Today, I dug some more, simply because I was curious. Most of my treasures, photographs and writing were destroyed in a flood. That was hard to take. Today I came upon a painting my husband had scanned into the computer for me. The year was 1990. I didn't value my art at that time and thought nothing of giving it all away with no record of what I had done. When we lived on Vancouver Island and had the small gallery, I actually sold quite a lot of paintings, and thought nothing of it. DUH! Going down memory lane - here's my painting style in 1990.

One of those old English bridges I love so much.

Here's an old poem I came across - I would say, written probably in the mid 60's.

"To feel the glow of the morning sun

To see a day that has just begun

To jump and dance and swing so high

I feel I can almost touch the sky.

To walk and see such wonderful things

To see a bird and long for wings

To wonder what the flowers say

And look for where the fairies play

To just be me - in every way

and not worry what the others say

For I have never seen the world

It's heartbreak tears and sorrow

I've never felt the loneliness

Or dreaded a tomorrow.

I've only seen the lovely things

The robins nest, the birds that sing

The kindest voice, the softest hand

The playing of a big brass band.

For I am only five - so young

So happy - isn't everyone?

And, just for fun, a paragraph from the news letter put out by Allsop & Co., my last employer in London, England.

..."Mrs. Naida Flower, formerly Personal Assistant to the President, has now left work to be closer to home, and has been replaced most ably by Miss Donna Parker, who originally hails from Canada, but is working in this country to gain, as she puts it, "experience in the English way of life"."  Ha! Ha! That was a fun place to work.  All the west end stars used Allsop for their housing needs.  It was never a surprise to see the likes of Diana Rigg pull up in her rolls and take Harold out for a spin.

 Enough of the past.  It's a new year.  Time to look forward and set my intentions.  I am, however,  considering gathering my writing together into a book.  For that, I need to look back.

Thanks for dropping by today.  Always lovely to see you here.  Hope you all had a wonderful creative day.  

Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

(I'm on it, Henry) :o)

 

An Afternoon with Mario Mizrahi - Artist extraordinaire

Mario Mizrahi's work is intricate, colourful and fascinating!  My eyes stayed glued because I wanted to see every detail.  Mario is a charming, outgoing and frankly quite a character.  He entertained us with fresh fruit and bright conversation.  Here are some of his paintings I particularly fell in love with. If I could own one of Mario's pieces, it would be this one.  LOVE! Jackie collects Mario's work, and so we wiled away the afternoon enjoying Mario's company, his studio and his art.  All in all, a lovely way to spend the day. Thanks for dropping by my blog today ... and thanks for all your wonderful comments over the holiday season.  Hopefully this week I will get back to the studio to create.  I am missing it.   Francis Bacon The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.

How I Welcomed in the New Year

A party at Miss Sylvia's. Doesn't get much better than that. She is the most superb hostess and a dear friend. I think these photographs say it all. We had a great time.  Yes, 'the lady' looked HOT.

Sylvia's family are here

to help welcome the new year in.   ... nice

We celebrated Steven's birthday

Once you have seen this photograph, I think one need's say no more about 'how' the party went!  :o)

We made a lot of noise on the 4th floor terrace, watching the fireworks and welcoming 2013.

It was a great way to begin a brand new year.  Thanks again Sylvia for making everything so very beautiful.

Thanks for dropping by.  I'm slowing getting back into my creative mode after the whirlwind social season during the holidays.  Hope you enjoyed your New Year's celebrations, whatever you did.  Thanks for dropping by today.  

“A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.”- Anon

 

Happy New Year - Happy Mail

Received some very happy Happy Mail just before the new year. Valerie over at Craft Attack sent me a lovely package of goodies all the way from Dusseldorf.   Valerie knows just the right things to send.  This package included a lot of RED, which she obviously knows I adore, plus other goodies I have not seen on North America before - although they could be here.  Have a peek.

Thanks Valerie.

The last few Christmas cards arrived. They included a very special unexpected surprise.  It made my heart sing.

2013 is upon us.  A whole new year laid out in front of us with endless possibilities.  It is my hope it will be a kind and gentle year for all of us.  You, my dear friends in blog land add so much richness to my life.  I thank you for that.  For all your comments, your emails and your happy mail.  For simply dropping in to have a lookie-loo.  Thanks for dropping by today.

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

Oprah Winfrey