I have a most SERIOUS case of Lampshade Envy

Oh my, friends. My blogging mentor and dear, dear friend Ann has done it to me ... she has found something I just can't stop thinking about, and I now have my first (and hopefully last!) case of SLE {that's Serious Lampshade Envy, for any of you that were not Psychology majors}.

I need a support group. Intervention. A straightjacket. HELP !!!

Check out her THE ENDLESS SUMMER blog at: http://www.adeakers.blogspot.com/

Scroll down a bit, and THERE it is. The cause of my new Disorder. SLE. Serious Lampshade Envy.

How can I ever forgive this one? How can I get over wanting that lampshade?

Your oh-so-pained-and-envious,

-- PRINCESS MAGPIE

very cool giveaway today at iHeartFaces - a cool CAMERA BAG

check this out, friends ... this is a way cool CAMERA BAG giveaway over at iHeartFaces:

http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/2009/05/tracy-joy-camera-bag.html

Do visit them today to enter to win.

;-)
your,

Princess Magpie

Bone Sigh Arts ... beautiful words of wisdom

During my recent read-along with Brene Brown (and community), I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME (BUT IT ISN'T), an artist was 'introduced' to us, an artist that Brene met at one of the many conventions she is asked to speak at. As the story went, someone approached Brene and showed her a poster of this:

Brene tells us she was captivated by the piece, and when she returned home, the next thing we knew, she was posting a post and offering a copy of this as a giveaway.

You can imagine my surprise and delight when I was a winner of this !!! The day it arrived, I took photos of the packaging, because the artist, who sent it to me directly, had made such a presentation of it ...

Since the day it arrived, I have been quite "taken" with the soulful work of TERRI ST. CLOUD of Bone Sigh Arts. Visit her site here:

http://www.bonesigharts.com/

Do tell me what you think. I find her words deep, meaningful, deliberate, sometimes to-the-core, and sometimes simply soothing.

Continuing on my artful journey, I remain your ...

-- Princess Magpie

Transformation of a Garage to a Messy Art Space

Click on over to my other blog, www.DH2travelers.blogspot.com , if you'd like to take a look at my new cupboard for storing MAS {Messy Art Supplies}.

My husband Mark has been a real trouper, helping me clear out and re-organize the garage over the last 2 months, readying this corner just for me. And my art. My MESSY ART, that is.

I'm in creative heaven. Yes, I am.

:-)
Princess Magpie

Taking Flight, the Pendant

Jewelry artist STACY DE LA ROSA created a soulful piece just for Kelly Rae Roberts and a handful of her appreciative fans ... TAKING FLIGHT, the pendant ... Kelly Rae recently gave one of these beauties away, and Stacy then agreed to make a limited edition (really, just over a handful) more to sell on her Etsy shop ...

http://www.bellawish.etsy.com/

They are all sold out now, but I am so grateful that I was one of the fortunate individuals who placed an order pronto ... because I just heard from Stacy this morning, via e-mail, that my pendant has now TAKEN FLIGHT [pun intended] and is winging it's way to my mailbox as we sit here together, blogging.

I can hardly contain my excitement.

If I have not yet told my FULL CIRCLE story of how I came to be a blogger, and a budding artist (or should I say "fledgling" artist?! it seems appropriate) ... I will, and soon.

Kelly Rae and her TAKING FLIGHT, the book, play a huge role in my journey.

{here is a link to Taking Flight - the book - at Amazon}

http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Flight-Inspiration-Techniques-Creative/dp/160061082X

And here is a link to Kelly Rae's blogspot ... http://kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com

Smiling, blissfully, your ...

-- Princess Magpie, aka Davielle

The Clutter Tango

Well, fellow blogger TRACEY CLARK has done it again. She has put into words so very much of what I am currently struggling with / against:

This is what Tracey wrote this morning on her Facebook page:
Source: www.superherodesigns...
"In theory, the idea of clearing out the old to make room for the new makes perfect sense. I believe that energy moves about freely when there is proper space to do so. I have experienced the freeing feeling of sorting and cleaning ..."
Such an honor to be guest blogging at Superhero Designs!

http://www.superherodesigns.com/journal/archives/001674.html

My life seems to be this continual dance - if I had to name it, I'm sure it would be a tango - with CLUTTER. DISORDER. CHAOS. Although in recent years, the chaos has taken a far back seat to the other two partners.

Oh, my.

-- Princess Magpie

Mixed Media with Jane LaFazio - a 3-week RECAP

At last, I am finding & making & taking the time to catch up on this blog ... my "creative adventures" have not slowed down, not one bit, but I have ... so forgive me for posting plenty of new material now. I know that can be overwhelming, but I have so very much to share with you!

I was fortunate to just squeak in under the registration wire for another six-week session of MIXED MEDIA WITH PAPER AND CLOTH, through the La Jolla Athanaeum (I love spelling that word; don't you?!), taught by local artist extraordinaire, Jane LaFazio. You might recall that my artistic journey, as far as acrylics and mixed media / collage work really began just this January - with Jane, and a classfull of beautiful, amazing artists - of all levels of experience (though I believe I was the very very very novice of the group).

So this round began for a new group of us on Monday, April 13th ...

Jane showing us how to wet the paper and apply (Ranger) Adirondack Color Wash to create a background that we would begin working with next week.

don't know why it posted UPSIDE DOWN :-) ... but these are my 2 backgrounds

and Jane, in the mirror, showing us how to create GEL SKIN TRANSFERS ... to work with throughout our upcoming weeks together.

I AM SO GLAD she challenged us to work with these -- I had good success with my first attempts, and it opened up big doors of possibility for me !!!

Week Two: Monday, April 20

Jane first tells us where to take our backgrounds -- we were to apply tissue paper transfers with matte medium to our painted backgrounds -- and if we needed to soften the color/s, we were to use some Titan Buff (Golden acrylic) to the surface ... as Jane did here.

then Jane shows us what's next: applying a shape to the background by TRACING the outline with a permanent ink pen. Jane will be using a kimono shape (which is also what I ended up choosing).

then Jane goes around the room, looking at everyone's work thus far; I love how enthusiastic she is about our process, and how much problem-solving she helps us work through (when necessary).

and then, the super fun part of Session Two: making PASTE PAPERS with Al Rodriguez of San Diego Book Arts ... man, was this a fun experience !!!

Unfortunately, I had a major migraine on Paste Paper Day (week 2) and had to leave class 30 minutes early. It didn't help that temperatures had reached 94 by 11:30 am and the heat just brings on the migraine that much heavier. Woe was me !!! Still, I was able to produce about six sheets of really cool paste paper to work with in Session Three.

Week Three: Monday, April 27, 2009

We're halfway through our sessions with Jane, now. It's time to put those first-class backgrounds to work with our paste papers from class-two.

but first, an exciting discovery: SPOONFLOWER fabric. Jane had some fabric printed using her own art - here, her RABBITS, with the original watercolor journal page.

http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome

the always fun & effervescent Kenneth & his bride, Rachel - sharing their papers with the class. and BTW, they have their own Art Studio 'coming soon' down at Liberty Station - we can hardly wait to see their new digs !!!

Here's a link to Kenneth's BLOG - he is a very gifted photographer, and he participates in BEST SHOT MONDAY, a gig that I also participate in ... check it out:

http://kennethgreenephotographyanddesign.blogspot.com/


Jane, showing us the silhouette that one of us wants to use - the original artwork was done by Jacqueline, another local and very talented artist, who likes to work with encaustic (wax) finishes, too.

and this is the darling Jacqueline ...

SO THERE YOU HAVE the first three weeks of our class ... April 13, April 20, and April 27.

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday - May 25, 2009 (posted 5/26)

I actually TOOK this shot on Monday, May 25 - Memorial Day, 2009:

It is one of our two great horned owlets - I call this one "Owlet Number One" - s/he is the smaller of the two fledglings, and this was the first time that Mark and I saw them out of the nest - last evening, when we got home from spending the day with friends up in the mountains (where we saw our first Bluebirds of 2009, too).

How adorable is Owlet Number One ??

-- Princess Magpie

Oh, to be in Kentucky the middle of June - just for the time with Randel, I would sign up for BOTH days, even though they cover the same things. :-)

Randel Plowman has inspired me for about a year now - his COLLAGE A DAY project is way cool, and I was fortunate enough to score a purchase of one of his works earlier this year ...

Visit his blog at: http://acollageaday.blogspot.com/

Ah, collage work. It so rocks my world !!!


-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday - May 18, 2009

A day late, but hopefully not a dollar short ... here is my BEST SHOT MONDAY for this week. I actually took this on Mother's Day, at the Park, where many of us in the family gathered to celebrate all us Moms.

These are my two granddaughters (above), and I just love their faces in this.

I sure had a hard time choosing just one shot this week, so I've included some "spares", below, all from the same day - Mother's Day 2009.

this is daughter Kristina tormenting her niece, Kaia !!!

and this is my daughter, Cara, with her daughter, Kaia - strolling back from the bathrooms - did you catch the matching STRUT on these girls?

and last but certainly not least, the group shot - "grand" Kaia, daughter Kristi, daughter Cara, and "grand" Kiara (in case you weren't following along above, Kaia belongs to Cara, and Kiara belongs to Kristi :-) !!!).

I LOVE ALL OUR GIRLS - just wish Sierra had been in town to be a part of the celebration and photos.

"Don't get so involved in the duties of your life and your children that you forget the pleasure. Remember why you had children."

-- Lois Wyse

-- Davielle

Best Shot Monday, 5-18-09 (posted on 5-19)

BSM: Best Shot Monday - May 11, 2009

This photo was taken in April (2009) and it's my "Best Shot Monday" for this week. I don't know if you can see the very delicate cobweb from the beak to the chest, but it's what makes this one special to me. :-)

That, and the fact that this duck belonged to my mother and I've been able to drag it move-after-move for decades now. I think it's here to stay !!!

Happy Monday, everyone.

-- Princess Magpie

Mixed Media with Jane LaFazio in the morning; so posting on Sunday night !!

ART IS A VERB from author Patti Digh

Author PATTI DIGH (Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally) had this really fun post on her blog today ... I was so taken with the creative challenge she's putting out there, I just had to "borrow" it and see what you all think:

"10 May 2009
Look for art in your days.
Let's art! Art is a verb, right?

Thanks to all who responded to

the idea of making art for others. In this photo are the five names I drew from the old basket the Easter bunny always left for me when I was a kid.
If your name is pictured, email me at patti(at)pattidigh(dot)com and let me know your mailing address. Sometime this year, before the end of 2009, you'll find a handmade surprise from me in your mailbox!

As I looked at all the other names left in that Easter basket, I wondered if perhaps you'd like to choose someone else who left a comment and gift them with art this year (perhaps the person who commented just after you did?), or perhaps find five people in your life to gift with art before the end of the year. Surprise someone! Or put this whole idea out into the world in a bigger way wherever you are.

There is a certain joy in making. Do you need to be "an artist?" No. We are all artists. That's the truth of it. We come into the world making art. Let's reclaim that insane energy of creation, that space where YES is the impulse, not no. The place where the offer, not the object itself, is the thing of beauty.

There is a certain joy in making. In making something for someone--even someone you don't know and may never meet--to anticipate the smile it brings them, to have them know that YOUR hands, where YOU are, made the thing that is now in THEIR hands, where THEY are.

Creative is a verb, my friends. Let's."

You can visit Patti Digh's blog at: http://www.pattidigh.com/

Oh, Patti, this is the most terrific creative challenge ... thank you, thank you. I hope lots of new people visit your website / blog pages and buy your LIFE IS A VERB book, and take you up on this oh-so-incredible artistic challenge.

Let's all make 2009 an ART-FULL year, shall we?

-- Princess Magpie

BSM: Best Shot Monday 5-4-09

Happy May, everyone!

I chose another nature-themed image for my BEST SHOT MONDAY this week ... this is the 'Chicago Peace' rose in our garden. I chose 'Chicago Peace' over it's parent rose, 'Peace', because my father was born in Chicago. So it's a sentimental rosebush for me, and this year, the bloom is spectacular.

And if I haven't mentioned it before, I want to make note here that I do not have, nor do I know how to use, Photoshop.

Any images I post were taken by me, with my Canon G9, and if anything, they may have been cropped. But never photo-shopped.

I don't know that it would make a difference -- someone's BEST SHOT MONDAY could be crazily-awesome after a session in Photoshop, so I'm not against it or anything.

I just wanted to be clear that mine aren't ... for whatever that's worth.

-- Princess Magpie