On the Eleventh Day of Christmas ...

Be still my little beating heart. I know, I'm posting these links in all sorts of order / no order ... but seriously, each time I visit WHERE WOMEN CREATE, another Day of Christmas seems to have snuck onto their blog ... no, really, I can't explain it. How do I miss any of these?

At the risk of pushing some of my readers to COMPETE with me for a most coveted prize, I have to do it - I have to add this one. You're going to FLIP for these fabrics, and believe me, if I win -- SO. WILL. I. !!!!!

http://wherewomencreate.typepad.com/blog/2009/12/on-the-eleventh-day-of-christmas-wwc-gave-to-me-.html#comments

-- Princess "i SO have to win this, i just do .." Magpie

you have to see this ... from WWC, of course

I just love WWC: Where Women Create.

Today, they feature the beautiful work of artist Dara Dimagno ... who says ...

"I am a self-proclaimed antique junkie. Like a pack rat, I am always hunting for things that I can transform. Looking for new ways to use forgotten parts and bits of flotsam is challenging and oh so much fun. My art is my therapy after a hectic day at my real job. After my children have drifted off to sleep I get to spend the night and wee hours of the morning playing artist. Using odd bits and pieces of vintage treasures I create one-of-a-kind wearable art pieces, holiday ornaments and talisman wall art. Creating keepsakes that capture moments in time, I like to incorporate antique photos, old buttons, buckles, the words from pre-1930 books, vintage hardware, and even old German doll heads into my pieces.... "

http://wherewomencreate.typepad.com/blog/2009/12/on-the-thirteenth-day-of-christmas-wwc-gave-to-me.html

VISIT WWC at the link just above to read more about Dara, to see more of her beautiful work, and to enter WWC's "Days of Christmas" contest (again!).

-- Princess Magpie

Love Yourself Unconditionally

I found this gem in my e-inbox today ... and thought today, amidst all the holiday hustle & bustle & hurriedness ... it would be a good idea to post.



Read it as a "meditation" and you will feel SO affirmed and peaceful ...

{photo taken Christmas season 2007 ...}

I Love Myself Unconditionally





I see my heart expanding and feel an infinite abundance of love


I allow my heart to expand and allow the love to flow through every part of my body

I feel this unconditional self love fill my heart, my body, my mind, my consciousness, my subconciousness, my entire beingness

I allow the love to shine and radiate out from me in all directions and know it will return to me with more power and radiance

I feel a loving connection with the pure essence of who I am - pure love


I know at my core that the more love I give to myself the more I have to give to others


The supply is endless for as I love myself and share that love with others my love multiplies a hundred fold


Being in a continuous state of self love brings me feelings of deep inner joy and peace



I only attract loving people in my world for they are a mirror of who and what I am



I love myself; Therefore, I commit to taking time for me and dedicate time to do the things that bring me great joy without feeling guilty

I love myself; Therefore, I commit to removing the word 'should' from my vocabulary



I love myself; Therefore, I will feed my mind with loving thoughts



I love myself; Therefore, I will continue to work on healing my mind and dissolving the old thought patterns I have created that have prevented me from loving myself unconditionally



I love myself; Therefore, I will behave and think in a loving way towards all people for I know what I give out will come back a hundred fold

I love myself; Therefore I forgive and totally release the past and all past experiences - I set myself free knowing I am perfect the way I am



I am Pure Love

Namaste, PJ & Nancy
© 2009 Reconnect from Within

POSTED HERE WITH PERMISSION ...
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this blurb with it:
Reconnect from Within® is a company dedicated to Empowering You for Your Awakening and is devoted to providing you with tools to live a more joyful, peaceful and loving life. Visit: http://www.reconnectfromwithin.com

Happy Sunday the thirteenth of December to you all ...



-- Princess Magpie

12 Days of Christmas - a Where Women Create GIVEAWAY

Friends, if you look to the right, you'll find a "widget" that will connect you to the beautiful WHERE WOMEN CREATE website ... where they are hosting a 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS giveaway !!!

Visit them daily, make a comment daily, and you're entered to win !!!

I hope today, the first Saturday of December, finds you happy, healthy, and NOT worried about ... all your "to-do's" !!!

Be well, my creative friends ....

-- Princess Magpie

Quick! Contest Entries close at Midnight 11/16/09

WHERE WOMEN CREATE, a fantastic magazine for us crafty gals, is having their FIRST ANNIVERSARY CONTEST ...

click here to go directly to their blog, and to the Contest details.

http://wherewomencreate.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/its-our-first-anniversary-time-for-a-contest-.html#comment-form

I sure hope you're up and reading tonight, 'cause I just found out about this 10 MINUTES AGO over on Facebook, where I am a "fan" of WWC.

-- Davielle
aka, your PRINCESS MAGPIE

Weekend at Dusty's !!!

"What is your hobby? Every woman ought to have some pet interest in life, outside of the everyday routine which composes her regular occupations. What is yours?"
- The Mother's Magazine, January 1915

Well, behind with blog posts or not, I am leaving town tomorrow for an all-girls, all-weekend SCRAPBOOKING and FUN HAVING Retreat at our friend Dusty's home in La Quinta.

above, our hostess-with-the-mostest - Dusty Burgmans

Yup, it's time for my semi-annual RETREAT with some of the most amazing women in my life, at the most amazing Retreat set-up ... Lyn and Willie and Cynthia. All, friends I have made through CCI (Canine Companions for Independence; www.cci.org ), and all, women I've grown much closer to in three full years of monthly BUNCO get-togethers! {I am so, so truly blessed ...}

I mean, WHO can resist a welcoming committee like this?!

If you haven't visited Dusty's website, you can find her at: www.ScrappinatDustys.com ... what she offers is simply beyond description.

Dusty, left, giving me some advice ...

I've posted about her before, on both this and my other blog ( www.DH2travelers.blogspot.com ), including photographs. Will try to take more pics this weekend and post next week about the experience.


a glimpse of how we work ... and the big screen TV that keeps us entertained all weekend { can you say "chick flicks" ?! }

For now, I'm just tickled pink that we're all heading over tomorrow afternoon ... let the fun and games begin! I'll be back on Sunday evening - with a whole lot of scrapbook finished up and pics to show you just how much FUN it is out at Dusty's !!

yes, I realize this ended up sideways ... but it's a tiny idea of the surprises we each find at our individual work tables upon arrival :-) ...

Dusty SPOILS us rotten !!!

-- Princess Magpie

Woman Is Born to Create

My thanks to my Facebook "friend", WHERE WOMEN CREATE (a fabulous magazine that features just that ... spaces 'where women create' ...). They have this posted this evening, and I found it TOTALLY wonderful and encouraging and validating and inspiring. You can read more about WHERE WOMEN CREATE by visiting their website, here: http://www.wherewomencreate.com/ .

And so, I wanted to share this quote with all of you creative Women ....

"Woman is born to create … in creating she becomes herself, accomplishes her destiny. Her whole life is only an initiation into creative power. To create is not merely to produce a work … it is to give out ones own individuality."

- Jeanne de Vietinghoff

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday - November 2, 2009

This being the beginning of November, I thought it would be nice to offer up an image taken in our canyon of our ROGERS' RED (California native) Grape (vine) -- turning color. Most of the year, it's green, but here, you can see the leaves are starting to turn ... RED. It produces adorable, tasty, yet seed-filled TINY grapes that are a favorite of not just the neighborhood birds, but our grandkids like them, too.

The birds like them SO much, we've got a 'volunteer' growing along with our climbing white rose up against the chimney, right near our front door - this year, I've been tickled by the little grape cluster that hangs perfectly framed within one of our living room windows. It's charming ...

So there you have my BSM {Best Shot Monday} for this beautiful first Monday of November, 2009.

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday - October 19, 2009

I actually have what I consider one of my BEST EVER (yet) Best Shot Monday images for this week; I'm so excited about it, I am posting it on Sunday evening, a whole 12 hours early ...

This was taken from our front walk on Wednesday, 14 October 2009 ... as I ran out to capture the beautiful sunset that evening, I was even more excited once I saw the enormous military helicopters slowly lumbering their way south over the ocean ...

What do YOU think?

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday - October 5, 2009

BSM ... Best Shot Monday.

It's another Monday, and that can only mean one thing: BSM !!!

Puzzling over what to post, what to post ... do I go far back in the archives, pulling a botanical? an image of the sky? something close-up and detailed? an action shot? a travel photograph? So many memories, so many images to choose from ...

This being the first Monday of OCTOBER, though, and the early days of Fall here in San Diego county, I think I'll go with ...

An older photo, taken of our Rocky. (aka, his official name, SureGrip Quail Oaks Rock Star).

Blessings to you all on this glorious Monday!

-- Princess Magpie

UPCOMING CLASSES I'LL BE TAKING

"Josephine" ...
a mixed media piece done (by me!) in a Chris Cozen workshop earlier this year.

Dear Princess Magpie friends:

So as the year draws to it's close, I am gearing up and looking forward (SOOOO forward !!!) to a 4-day ART RETREAT with my friend, Ann Deakers. We'll be at AN ARTFUL JOURNEY { http://www.anartfuljourney.com/retreats/feb2010/index.html } in Los Gatos, California, where we are signed up to spend the entire Retreat getaway under the "tutelage" of artists KELLY RAE ROBERTS and MATI ROSE McDONOUGH. We're very excited - it will be the first mixed media Retreat for both of us, and the first "swap" experience for us each as well. So much newness, so much to learn, so much to do !!!

Kelly Rae Roberts & Mati Rose McDonough - above - photo by Denise Andrade

In the interest of feeling as prepared as I can {you know Princess Magpie: always 'reading, researching, learning all I can about a technique} for said Retreat in February 2010, I am focusing my art goals on learning what I can that will see me ready as I can be (for a new mixed media kinda girl such as myself) for the FUNKY CHUNKY COFFEE TABLE BOOK project we will undertake with Kelly and Mati. Ooooh, it sounds sooooooooo F.U.N. !!!!!

I have just signed up for "COLOR MIXING" with Chris Cozen, a fabulous mixed media artist who teaches for Golden (the product line of acrylics that I just love) ... and I'll also be taking her "FAUX ENCAUSTIC" (ie, faux beeswax effect) class. Both, at STAMPING DETAILS right across town in Poway. Check out their website at: http://www.stampingdetails.com/ for Class details.

here, Chris Cozen teaching a workshop thru San Diego Book Arts / 2009

and below, an assortment of finished / unfinished pieces that I created in

a Chris Cozen workshop / 2009

(that's all in one day, folks!)

I also signed up for BEGINNER'S ALTERED BOOKS, with instructor Pat. Also at Stamping Details, this workshop is meant to introduce us beginners to techniques like cutting a niche, making windows, creating special cover effects, giving color to the pages in various ways, using glass and wire, making pop-ups (oh my!), adding embellishments, doing image transfers, and more! (more!? how could there be more than all that !!!). That class will be held 11 am - 4 pm on Sunday, November 29. { Yup; it's right after Thanksgiving, which I anticipate will be more joyful and filled with THANKS-givings than in years past.}

So ... I do hope you'll join me at one, two, or all three of these workshops.

a group of happy Chris Cozen students / 2009 / San Diego Book Arts weekend

and below, a whole bunch of fantastic Chris Cozen pieces ... ooh la la !!!

I'm a big fan of EVERYTHING at Stamping Details -- and you already know how I admire the work of CHRIS COZEN ... don't miss out! You'll be SOOOOOO glad you signed up. :-)

-- Princess Magpie

Janice Lowry - a Tribute

From April 2009 to September 2009, a woman that I did not know ... lived out her last days after a diagnosis of Stage 4 liver cancer. I learned this as I began researching her for this blog post ... I found a blog that her husband, Jon, started in April of this year. You can visit it here: http://janicelowry.blogspot.com/ And you can visit her website here: http://www.janicelowry.com/

Her name was JANICE LOWRY and she was a mixed media / assemblage artist of the highest order. This is a woman who kept an ART JOURNAL for so many years, and so 'religiously', that the SMITHSONIAN has accepted that collection of Journals for safekeeping (and hopefully, one day soon, DISPLAY) into perpetuity. Janice will live on through not only the memories of her family and friends and the art community, but via those very journals.

Janice journaling in Scotland (photo borrowed from her blog)

Janice Lowry moved to California from Phoenix Arizona where she attended the Art Center College of Design. It was here that she started doing assembleges, at first as a creative and inexpensive solution for framing. Soon, this solution evolved into an art-form as unique as the artist herself. Janice has also been keeping journals since the age of five. What started as small books with a single lock have turned into creative master pieces over the years. In October of 2007, Janice had the honor of having all of her journals inducted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Archives of America in Washington, D.C. Janice works from her gallery in the Artist Village Lofts in Downtown Santa Ana. (this paragraph, from " comment.com ")

A lovely YouTube video clip of Janice and her Studio (which she called "my church") and her art can be seen on Suzi Blu's blog, the link is just below ... I thank artist SUZI BLU for pointing me to Janice Lowry this morning, via Facebook. Suzi also wrote a very heart-filled blog-post about Janice, which you can view here:

http://suziblu.typepad.com/a_lovely_dream/2009/10/dread-making-was-stalled-because-squirrel-maras-daughters-hamster-died-i-have-5-dreads-on-my-head-and-i-look-pretty-stupid.html

Janice in Scotland (again, borrowed from her blog site)

And here is the link to the LA Times obituary for this beautiful woman:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-me-janice-lowry-gothold3-2009oct03,0,7635613.story

Janice having what her husband refers to as "her favorite meal of the day .." !!! EAT DESSERT FIRST: Life can be Short (this photo, too, borrowed from her own blog site)

Loving thoughts to the family and friends of Janice Lowry ... and thanking God that she is now at peace.

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday 9-28-09

This was taken in August, and it's the coolest CHERRY stem I've ever seen.

In thirty-plus years of going to Montana for his parents' cherry harvest, Mark has NEVER (he says) seen a SINGLE STEM with THREE CHERRIES branching off it.

How cool is this?!

So, I know that from a PHOTOGRAPHY or an ARTISTIC perspective, this is not really a "best shot" image ... but the SUBJECT MATTER is so delightful, I couldn't resist. {and there IS that way cool shadow thing happening ...}

Happy MONDAY.

-- Princess Magpie

September 28, 2009

The Artist's Creed by Jan Phillips (2002)http://www.janphillips.com

I've been quite absent from blog-posting all of September - and even stretching way way back to the end of July ...

But this morning, I feel compelled to post this: The Artist's Creed by Jan Phillips
{you can visit her website at www.janphillips.com }.

I BELIEVE I AM WORTH THE TIME IT TAKES TO CREATE

whatever I feel called to create.

I BELIEVE THAT MY WORK IS WORTHY OF ITS OWN SPACE,

which is worthy of the name Sacred.

I BELIEVE THAT, WHEN I ENTER THIS SPACE,

I HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK IN SILENCE, UNINTERRUPTED,

for as long as I choose.

I BELIEVE THAT THE MOMENT I OPEN MYSELF

TO THE GIFTS OF THE MUSE,

I open myself to the Source of All Creation

and become One with the Mother of Life itself.

I BELIEVE THAT MY WORK IS JOYFUL,

USEFUL AND CONSTANTLY CHANGING,

flowing through me like a river with no beginning and no end.

I BELIEVE THAT WHAT IT IS I AM CALLED TO DO WILL MAKE ITSELF KNOWN

when I have made myself ready.

I BELIEVE THAT THE TIME I SPEND CREATING MY ART IS AS PRECIOUS

as the time I spend giving to others.

I BELIEVE THAT WHAT TRULY MATTERS IN THE MAKING OF ART

is not what the final piece looks like or sounds like,

not what it is worth or not worth,

but what NEWNESS gets added to the Universe

in the process of the piece itself becoming.

I BELIEVE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN MY ATTEMPTS TO CREATE,

and that once I begin the work, settle into the strangeness,

the words will take shape, the form find life, and the spirit take flight.

I BELIEVE THAT AS THE MUSE GIVES TO ME,

SO DOES SHE DESERVE FROM ME:

faith, mindfulness, and enduring commitment.

-- 2002, Jan Phillips

COULD any one of us have said it better? I think not ... this piece spoke to me, loud and clear, the first time I saw it -- I was at a workshop at Ellen Speert's amazing CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR CREATIVE RENEWAL right here in Cardiff, California. I just stumbled across it again this morning, clearing out my office. {you see, there really ARE benefits to sifting thru the piles!}

This just SCREAMED at me to pay attention to it. In a very positive, very good, very challenging way. A loving scream, if there is such a thing.

Don't give up on your art, my friends.

Do. Not. Give. Up. On. Your. Art.

-- Princess Magpie
September 27, 2009

BSM: Best Shot Monday, September 7, 2009

Well, it's MONDAY, and you know what that means ... so here you go ... another BSM {Best Shot Monday, a la Tracey Clark} image to enjoy (I hope!).

This was taken in my garden this morning, after the Flower Fairies (aka, Kaia & Kiara) had their way with one ripe cantaloupe and a piece of throwaway blown glass from my friend Cindy McQuade ...

What do you think?!

And then, there is this photo, which I took on the evening of August 21, 2009 when Mark and I were in Montana at his folks' place at Flathead Lake. My father-in-law had saved up quite a pile of kindling and brush to burn, and we had one heck of a fabulous bonfire that night. It was extra special to me because August 21 was my mother's birthday ... well, it would have been her 86th birthday, if she had not died five years ago. SO this fire's for you, Edith. Blaze on !!!!!

I love you, Mom ...

-- Davielle

BSM: Best Shot Monday 8-31-09

My last shot at an August 2009 BSM ... Best Shot Monday.

I'm taking full advantage of the fact that today is, in fact, a MONDAY. I am back on the BSM track, and happy to be here.

I hope you all enjoy this image of a Swallowtail butterfly perched on a Duranta in full blook in our yard, which I took in September 2008 ... 11 months ago, now. It's just been lurking in the back of my mind, waiting for the most perfectly beautiful summer Monday to post.

-- Princess Magpie

YOU ARE AN ARTIST - Suzi Blu Says So !!!

http://suziblu.typepad.com/

Okay, so I thought I had already done a post about the class I took with Suzi Blu last Sunday, the 9th of August ... with my cool and wonderful friend Ann, out in Poway at STAMPING DETAILS. As it turns out, there were other of my cool and wonderful friends in the class, too. Angela, you know who you are, girl !!! :-)

the wonderful SUZI herself, in wings no less, with one of her beautiful art journals - before class

and the AMAZING Miss Gigi ... who kept seeking quiet, dark spots to relax in ...

ANYWAY, apparently all I had done so far was post some pics on Facebook. Sooooo, here you go.

We started at 10 am, making straight lines with a ruler that Suzi gifted to each of us, which says something very kind & inspiring to each of us on the back (a keepsake!) so that we could begin to "graph" our face onto the moleskin journal page.

the lovely & talented MARA, Suzi's friend who is more of a classically trained artist; Mara helped Suzi split our very large class into 2 groups, so we could each have space to see how the process goes ...

After working on three versions of a face, it was time to choose one and move to the next step: colorizing it by shading in with colored pencils.

Suzi, demonstrating her colorizing techniques

MY GIRL ...

okay, so no laughing and no critiquing, please. I know that she looks like she has a nose ring; that was UNintentional, believe me. LOL !!! But there will be a (magic) way that I can soften that later - I hope so, anyway

And then, by following the other magic steps that Suzi told us to take, which I cannot tell you here BECAUSE you just have to take her class. Somewhere, somehow, some day.

no, this isn't my girl - this is Lorrie's girl !!!

So here's the scoop: Suzi makes it SO EASY, offering her LES PETITE DOLLS and her GODDESS / POETS journal dolls - online - wow!

these are the more realistic GODDESS faces that we learned to work with today in class ...

contrast the Goddess faces with Suzi's oh-so-fabulous LES PETITE DOLLS faces ... which I still want to learn how to create ... here:

this, another page spread right out of Suzi Blu's art journal

my dear friend, ANN (Deakers) and HER girl ... cool, huh?!

and THIS is my girl ... nearing completion ... now all I need to do is add some JOURNALING NOTES on that left page ...

I don't have much time to include all the fun comments I would like to right now; I just want to get some of the images UP and IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN before heading out on holiday.

Your,

Ever Faithful, and Always Seeking Inspiration

PRINCESS MAGPIE (aka, Davielle)

BSM: Best Shot Monday - August 10, 2009

Here's my BSM for today ...

It's our youngest "grand", Kaia, holding and directing our attention to ...

The world's absolute SMALLEST SNAIL SHELL. {I'm sure it's the smallest ever.}

Have you ever seen such a thing?

To put this into perspective for you, I also photographed that snail shell side-by-side with a Prednisone tablet. They're rather small themselves, those Pred tabs.

-- Princess Magpie

LES PETITE DOLLS JOURNAL class - today - with the amazing SUZI BLU !!!

Yes, that's right ... Suzi Blu is teaching a full day of LES PETITE DOLLS to the fortunate 16 (or so) of us that registered for her workshop. TODAY. I am SO freeeeeeking excited !!!!!

If you don't live in So Cal, or you can't make it to a class, or her next class(es) fill up before you can blink your googley eyes, well, then, YOU CAN PURCHASE A KIT from Suzi ... yup, that's right. VISIT HER Les Petite Dolls Acadamey right here: http://suziblu.ning.com/ and give it a look-see.

Or visit her BLOG right here for more info on that PARTY GIRL kit (shown above): http://www.suziblu.blogspot.com/

If you want to "paint pretty girls", as Suzi calls her fantastic Petite Dolls, then this is an artist you want to look in to .... I'm hoping she will teach again (and again) at STAMPING DETAILS in Poway - which is where today's class is being held. Some of the best workshops I've attended are held right there at Stamping Details - I love what they offer!

Lots of photos will be taken today, so check back later for PICS and the whole STORY.

Your very excited and happy ...

Princess Magpie (aka, Davielle)

a new look

it was time to step boldly into the NEW LOOK realm, and thanks to Ann, my blogging mentor and friend extraordinaire, I was pointed to a way-cool BACKGROUND site ... where, for free, one can copy and paste the "code" into their customizable settings .. well, you know how it goes.

so what do you think? like the new art-ful look? I sure do !!!

the only problem is -- the "link" to that site where the free backgrounds come from -- it sits RIGHT OVER PART OF THE TITLE of the uppermost blog-post, and that is a problem.

anyone know how to fix that?

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday - July 27, 2009

I know, I've been remiss about posting my BSM images ... I needed a break, I guess.

But now, I am BAAAAACK and ready to select ... that special ... BSM.

Today's image was taken on our first morning in Venice; as Kristina and I sat quietly absorbing the view of the Grand Canal, and the early-morning activity of the Gondoliers and the tradesmen, I put the camera (Canon, G9) on "sport" setting and happily clicked away.

no, this isn't my BSM ... just a lead-in ...

When Kristi saw TODAY'S IMAGE, she said, "well, THERE's your BSM". I was so in vaca-mode, I had to ask her what BSM was !!!

Given that it was early Tuesday morning, it was technically STILL a Monday back home in California, and I could have run upstairs, uploaded this to my laptop, and posted it right then & there. I opted not to do that ... I opted to stay in that vacation-moment, enjoying my morning with my girls.

I told you I needed a break ... :-).

no, this isn't it, either ...

this is Kristi & Kiara at Hotel Monaco Grand Canal / Venice, Italy

So here you go ...

THIS, this, is my BSM image ... note the yellow carton in mid-air ...

I love my camera! Venice, Tuesday 14 July 2009

It's good to be back, friends.

-- Princess Magpie

An ARTFUL Post over on 2 Travelers ...

... I just posted the longest POST I've ever done, with the most photographs, I'm guessing. Whew. What a project. And there are SO. MANY. MORE. photos that I could post from the outing on Friday to the LONG BEACH QUILT SHOW.

at right, artist Jane LaFazio's ZEN EUCALYPTUS quilt on display in the "edges" category ... this was done with pieces that were hand-dyed and wet-felted by Jane ... isn't it amazing?!

For now, visit my other blog at: www.DH2travelers.blogspot.com for a peek at today's post. Then, when I have caught my breath, and maybe even caught a nap :-), I'll post JUST IMAGES on this blog. Later.



Okay?

Your,

Princess Magpie

Calling All Hearts - by Kelly Rae Roberts

Please visit the blog of artist Kelly Rae Roberts, possibilitarian AND humanitarian. Today she shares the story of Megan -- a woman Kelly does not know directly, but whose plight has touched Kelly's heart. It touched mine, too. PLEASE VISIT and PLEASE READ and PLEASE KEEP MEGAN and all who are facing these kinds of (health / healthcare) challenges ... in your thoughts and prayers. AND IF YOU CAN ... PLEASE GIVE.

http://kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/2009/07/calling-all-hearts-we-need-you-again.html

Thank you, thank you.

Absence makes the Heart Grow Fonder ... hmmm?

They (whoever "they" are) that ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER ... and since I've been absent a lot lately from posting to my blogs, I have to say ... I agree. WholeHEARTedly. I agree.

I miss the time I spend posting; I miss the comments you share with me in return. I miss the creative outlet that my blogging allows me.

I will be back ... if you want the long version, visit www.DH2travelers.blogspot.com for today's post about WHY I've been quiet, WHAT's been keeping me away, and WHEN I intend to be back truly focused and ready to post again.

Until then, all I can say -- especially on here, Princess Magpie's creative journey space -- is this:

ITALY was a whirlwind of amazing happenings, our family ROCKS, totally and absolutely ROCKS, and all the artistic inspiration I gleaned from the trip -- was worth all the exhaustion during and now after the holiday. TOTALLY. AND. COMPLETELY. WORTH. IT.

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday 6-29-09 (on Wednesday)

How did Monday slip away ... it was Tuesday night before I realized that I had failed to post a BEST SHOT MONDAY image.

Monday was our oldest "grand"s 14th birthday, so I wonder if I should post another image of him? I could. Or should I post something "artsy", or something from our garden ??? or of Rocky, our rat terrier?

I can't decide, so I guess I'll just peruse the photo files until something strikes me as reasonably worthy enough to join the ranks of the AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHERS who participate in BSM !!

Well, you know what they say about a girl and her horses ... it's a match made in heaven.

My AHA moment for this week occurred when I was happily reminded of seeing the Lipizzaner show in San Diego last summer with family and friends .. when I came across THESE images:

my Canon G9 was still new to me at the time (heck, it STILL is), so indoor shots were a challenge for me - the arena was completely dark, and there were spotlights on the horses and riders ... but I like this, with that shadow of the horse and rider ...

this was another one I was happy with after reviewing the 100 or so that I shot that afternoon

but THIS is it -- the best of the bunch, as far as I'm concerned .. THIS is my BEST SHOT MONDAY

-- Princess Magpie

Lisa Bebi's PAINT OVER TECHNIQUE Workshop, June 27, 2009

About 6 weeks ago, I picked up the new issue of SOMERSET STUDIO GALLERY and the very first article ... led me to artist Lisa Bebi and the workshop that Cara & I attended on 6/27/09.

Wow. Cara and I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa's workshop in Escondido yesterday afternoon. It was quite hot outside, but the inside of the Gallery was nice and cool, and we had a great set-up.

Lisa, getting us all started on the process ...

and Lisa with her quickly-completed example of her Paint-Over Technique ...

I have to say, Lisa teaches well -- she doesn't fuss -- and this particular technique of hers was rather easy to pick up. And FUN ... it was soooooooo much fun. Transforming magazine images and our own photographs, printed on plain paper from an inkjet printer ... what a way to make art!

Cara gets into her projects ...

and she's off and running!

sitting back to gain perspective ...

My daughter Cara, who is quite artistic and can draw anything FROM AN IMAGE of it ... hasn't worked much, if ever, with paints. Probably next to never, other than creating birthday party scenes for children, and transforming her daughter's bedroom into a Parisian Street Scene once ... but as for working with acrylics, I'm guessing never. (Cara has, however, been a drawing fool since she could hold a pencil and/or crayon).

I've only been working with acrylics since January, and my art background consists of ... making collages as a child, learning the very basic basics of architectural / interiors drafting when I was taking all the interior design classes, and that's about it. I've had color theory (interior design requirement), I've had art history; I've made scrapbooks and cards and such .... but as for MAKING ART, this is all new to me, too.

And while our class was small, it was "full" of interesting & talented women; one of which I was so happy to meet after being a FAN of her on the radio all these years ... The infamous "RUTH 66" from radio station KGB (101.5 on the fm dial here in town). Oh, and by the way ... she has a real name ... and it's not Ruth :-) ...

me 'n "Ruth 66", getting to know each other at the end of class

So to wrap this up ... here's how we made out yesterday:

Cara's finished / near-finished image of herself from a bridal shoot she did this year ... I love her use of color and line!

Bike-Mama from a vogue-style magazine - a la Cara --

again, her use of color blows me away!

a bridal mag image that Cara "techniqued" over ... luscious!


And my work for the day ... this from a bridal magazine ...

And this, my own daughter Cara from that same bridal shoot ... this was SO much fun.

Thank you, Lisa, for your hard work teaching us how to do this paint-over technique and for making it so much fun. I can't wait for another class with you!

-- Princess Magpie