Holiday Wishes

This year my wish for all of us,

is simply to try and see

the forest through

the trees.

Sending bright stars, high hopes, peaceful dreams and love to everyone this Holiday Season.

To Facebook or not to Facebook that is the Question?

I have a question and would like your opinion. I need some help making up my mind about something. I think, most probably I am virtually the last person who is not on Facebook!? I have been holding out, not sure why. (Maybe it feels like writing for magazines, working on my own projects, keeping up with my blog and a variety of other diversions, like raising my fur babies, tending to home and garden and husband... etc.) I don't want any one thing to be neglected. Sometimes it all seems like a lot, and then other times I feel like I really need to dive in head first and catch up!! Life is flying by at such lightning speed any more... there is SO much I still want to do. So my question to you is are you on Facebook, do you like it, does it work for you,do you keep up with a blog too? I am trying to decide whether to join Facebook too and would greatly value any input from all of you!

A Winner & Round Top, Texas!

Thank you everyone for all the kinds words about WHERE WOMEN CREATE and my feature! The winner of a free autographed copy is Marsha DiCostanzo of "Cute Stuff Inside". Be sure to pop back in next week, I am going to put up a post showing a recent working field trip to Round Top, Texas. For those who are not familiar with it, they have a most fabulous antiques fair there twice a year.... it is truly a wonderland of international and local treasures... got to hang out with my friend's Jo, Dana, Rachel Ashwell, and Robin Brown,come back and visit to get all the details!

Where Women Create Magazine Giveaway!

The Winter issue of WHERE WOMEN CREATE magazine is a DREAM issue... it features some of my favorite and extremely inspirational artists!

Like the magical, Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl fame, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of the fabulous blog Apartment Therapy thru which I have had the great honor of having my artwork featured and the Oh - So incredible Countess Isabelle de Borchgrave with her super mesmerizing paper costumes.

Oh yeah... and me! My little studio is featured and I am thrilled, I love writing the Creative Rituals column for WWC,

and so to have the opportunity to share my work space with you within these pages is all kinds of wonderful!

To me it is like entering another world and though it is not a very large room what it lacks in square footage it more than makes up for by providing considerable reverie...

by way of excruciatingly beautiful natural colors,

exquisite antique textures,

and a soothing atmosphere of my kind of mischievous chaos!

It is a place where past butterflies can gently rest on bright pink cheeks,

a place where earth and sea meet...

a place where aqua winged paper creatures roam (lots and lots of them)!

It is my magical room... where amethyst jewel ships sail,

and sail,

and sail on westward winds... I can go in and the ideas just start swirling.

I have a habit of keeping all sorts of gathered oddments that easily set me dreaming... when one dream has come to fruition another immediately begins to brew!

It has always been a dream of mine to be in WHERE WOMEN CREATE (my favorite bookazine), Thank You Jo for including me! I know this will become a highly coveted issue and most probably sell out so run and pick up a copy. I am holding a special magazine giveaway... so leave a comment to win a free copy! Whisper or scream... tell me what your biggest dream is, by stating it aloud for others to hear I feel it solidifies and helps to make it come true! I will pick a winner on November 25th and notify them by email. Good luck and see you soon!

Eye of the Beholder

Halloween is our most theatrical of holidays and my favorite time of the year.

So for your hopeful enjoyment, pleasure and in honor of this spooky season,

I offer you a little ghoulish poetry accompanied by photographic illustration.

Beware those who silently watch with wide vacant eyes for they may possibly intend to do you harm...

Take care at every corners turn to be mindful, cautious and wise...

There are unknown prying eyes that follow you to and fro and back again.

Just when you wipe your brow and think that you are safe and all is clear,

that there is no longer anything left to fear...

aware that thin disguise can not fool you...

Beware those who wait and spy and whisper BOOoooo!

Happy, Happy, Happy Halloween!

Painted Lady

Isn't it strange... and unexpected...

how an idea for a new project can come from just about anywhere?!

This antique french bronze bust sits on a desk in my bedroom, I see her every single day.

A few weeks ago she spoke to me as I passed by...

I used her lovely face to create a single use mold. Poured putty into it and out she popped!

I think she came out slightly different than the actual bust but I love the way she looks.

She has more depth and character than the original piece, side by side they look like a younger and older version of the same woman.

An innocent teenaged girl and a wiser, more mature woman, past and present, make believe. I do tend to get lost in my work...

I placed the cast and painted face onto a hinged wooden box

within which I keep special treasures hidden.

As a last touch I added an antique carved ox bone rosette to her hair... I believe it was once a brooch, its a piece I've had tucked away for years in my junk drawer waiting for "just the right spot" for it to go!

Pet Jewels!

I want to share a special find with you.

As you all know ETSY is an amazing place to shop,

there are wonderful handmade items you just can't get anywhere else in the world!

A few months ago I found these gorgeous dog collars made of supple leather and bezel set brilliant sparkling Swarovski crystals, each stone is about the size

of a two carat diamond! When they sit in a sunny spot colorful rainbow prisms are thrown off in all directions!

You can have them custom created in any color you wish, I chose matte silver to compliment my two fur babies coats.

They are super high quality with nickel plated buckles and wonderful details like three smaller stones on the tip end of the collar.

I really think my two little monkeys look adorable in them! The ETSY shop is called JUST FOR BELLA and you can visit it by clicking here!