Use Your Heart Up

Have you ever loved something or someone and they let you down? And maybe you decided that you were going to guard your heart against being hurt again? And that maybe you would save a piece of your heart, afraid that you might use it all up before you die?

I have found that if you love a human or an animal that eventually they are going to let you down. They are either are going to leave you, die on you or disappoint you at some point.

I decided a long time ago that I wanted to die with a used up, beaten up, bruised up, banged up, worn-out heart. I want to love with my heart to the death. Because in the end- I'm going to get a new one to replace it.

Don't get me wrong. There are boundaries to be set with certain types of individuals. But how they LOVE is their responsibility and how you love them is yours.

Don't be afraid of getting hurt, just give it all away until it's used up. What are you saving it for anyway?

Signed: odd chick

Spring Palette

My spring palette has sprung! I'm still loving faces and the practice has been wonderful for me. This little spring chick (9X9 wood panel) sold in less than 24 hours after painting her. How fun is that??

But you know what is really cool? I'm getting emails from my daughter of sketches that she is doing in her NEW journal with her new colored pencils I bought her and they're awesome. She has a very stressful job and I kept worrying about her when I would hear tension in her voice and in her life. I know that sketching and doodling can sooo relieve stress and if our artful journey taught her that then WOOOHOOO! so worth it!

It is so true that ART can be that healthy drug-of-choice and can bring healing to our lives. It takes so little to put pen or paint to paper, but it gives back so much more.

Sweet Farmer just bought me 8 more wood panels so I gotta get busy!

Art is frozen ZEN - R.H. Blyth

An Artful Journey

I and my lovely daughter, Joli, just returned from an Artful Journey. This is a new little mixed-media piece on watercolor paper on which I practiced some interesting techniques. You can certainly see Kelly Rae Roberts' influence on this piece. Kelly Rae Roberts and Mati Rose are two amazing artists that lead us through 3 days of collage on steroids! The room soon looked like a large pinata full of paint and paper had exploded within, and it was non-stop painting, inspiration, laughing, stamping, sticking, some good tears, more laughter and lots of hugs and "you go girls" everywhere.

I will forever be grateful that Joli and I took the initiative back in July of 2009 to sign up and take the journey together. We made amazing new friendships with women from England, Canada, and Australia, and all over the United States.

(Can't wait to introduce you to their blogs and art!)
I'm a little overwhelmed with the feelings, friendships and the creative spark this kind of retreat sparked in me. It will take me awhile to process. My mind needs unpacking and the new truths I've learned need to be over-turned like fresh compost in a new rose garden - slowly, with intention and gratefulness.

I'll be back soon to show you what is blooming in my head.

A Girl at Any Age

I've been practicing little folk art faces because I took an on-line class from Sharon Tomlinson whose art really speaks to me.

This represents the GIRL at every age. I turned 50, my daughter turned 30 and my mom turned 70 last year. I needed a little painting that would represent that special year for me.

This is a heirloom photo we had made by a local photographer to also commemorate the occasion.

We are a close trio - we talk with one another almost every other day and share our lives and our hearts and our hurts. With me and Mom, its always been about the little one (the beauty in the middle). Whatever we can do to make her journey better in this world you can bet one of us, if not both of us, will step up to the plate.

She is the new and improved model and she passes on the female goddess of our tribe, and the best of both of us.

I'm taking her to An Artful Journey in 3 days to San Jose, California as a special gift and time to share together. We should have lots of fun stuff to show you from that adventure with Kelly Rae Roberts and Mati Rose.

Did I mention that I am feeling like one very blessed girl?

Seeing RED

I'm so into RED right now! It has made crazy creative. I had to paint these roosters and their red beards and cones, and then give them heart effects from FLIKr.

It could be my new red heart I got to decorate my coffee table and to remind Sweet Farmer that he makes my heart beat faster when he walks into the room.

Or it could be this crazy new wine topper my daughter gave me for Christmas. It makes me think of her and her wild, wonky style

Or maybe it's this new red rooibos tea that I combine -cinnamon and orange and pomegranate -that warms my heart!

This is the only decent red flower I ever been able to paint. Getting real vibrant red is harder than you think!

But LOVIN' RED right now!

My hope is that one of these things will make you SEE RED. and get your heart geared up for Valentines.