"You are NOT Invited..."

to my daily tea party...

which has been going on waaaay tooooo long!

This

congestion business is a pain...

nasal passages, chest, sinuses, ears, throat...

You name it...it's stuffy.

It's hard to breathe without gels and sprays and misted air.

The only thing "light and breezy"

around here is my

humidifier!

I really need to find myself a magic rabbit hole.

I need fresh breezy air!

IF Challenge: Friday, February 27, 2009

"Breezy"...(or...in my case NOT!)

"Of all the silly nonsense,

this is the stupidest tea party I've ever been to

in all my life."

~Alice

"Mom's Orchids..."

From Susan, David and the twins...

...partly captured here in a super quick sketch

while visiting

mom at rehab last week.

OOOH MY!

In real life "she" (the plant)

was gorgeous...and voluptuously lush

with lustrous green leaves.

making her stand close to 3 feet tall.

She was

decked out with dozens of lime green blooms

cascading one upon the other...

...and

from across the room looked "so easy to draw".

HAH!

After getting lost in all the foliage

I gave up on sketching the whole plant

and

I zeroed in on a single bloom

which I placed in the lower right corner...

In less than 5 minutes of sketching

I felt I was done.

Then I looked at it last night

added some color...okay...a lot of color...

and realized...

what "might have" been if I "would have" taken my time!

Oh well..."live and learn!" as they say

Or...

better yet...

in the words of Sarah Jessica Parker

...alias Carrie Bradshaw:

"As we drive along this road called life,

occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost.

And when that happens,

I guess she has to let go of the

coulda, shoulda, woulda,

and

buckle up and just keep going."
~Carrie Bradshaw from "Sex and the City"

"Lost...A Reprise..."

...and an addiction!

Just about a year ago...March 3rd , 2008...to be exact

I posted one of my "pen-tangled" designs

on my brand new blog...Water Blossoms.

The specific design was inspired

by a whole boatload of big philosophical ideas.

(Click here if you'd like to see it.)

Today

I post a similar piece...

drawn as a release of artistic energy...

right after watching yet another "Lost" episode

last night.

Yep!...Here I am...2009

still

addicted to my "faves" on television

and

still lost in oodles of doodles!

Time...Reality...Space ???

Not to worry.

No harm done in getting lost...

Right???

:)

HAPPY 23RD B-DAY COREY !

WE LOVE YOU! XO

"Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one."
~Albert Einstein

"It's a Small World..."

...of ATC cards...

The 1st three of my "Sunlight Series"...

Sun Flower...

Suntangle...
...and Sunkissed.

I am dealing with Day #3 of a miserable head cold...

I have been "told" to think happy, positive thoughts...

:( on that!

Instead...(in-between complaining and whining)

I have chosen to draw teeny things...

in small doses...

that's about all I can handle...

small doses...

and

then I breathe and try to decongest...

and

drink more tea

and

then I attempt

another

small

dose

of art.

:(

Tomorrow had best be better!

Fingers...Toes Crossed.

"If you treat a sick child like an adult and a sick adult like a child,

everything usually works out pretty well."
~Ruth Carlisle

"Envelope Please..."

...And the winners

of my 1st year Blogiversary Giveaway are:

Cactus Postcards...Of 32 entries...3 winners:

Joan Sandford-Cook...UK

The Gypsy...Dubai

Lisa Reed...USA

Zentangle B/W Bookmark...Of 21 entries...1 winner:

Soulbrush...UK

Lost in Fantasy Bookmark...Of 21 Entries...1 Winner:

Shirley...Paper and Threads...USA

Feather Zentangle Bookmarks...18 entries...3 winners:

3rd Eye Muse...USA
Lauren...Studio Lolo...USA
Teri C...Teri's Painted Daisies......USA

I was amazed and truly overwhelmed at the number of responses
to these little bits of celebratory art.
For this go around
all I have left to share is a genuine
Thank You...from the bottom of my heart...
to all who passed this way
and left a comment and a bit of
yourself
with
me!

"Introducing..."

...the 2009 starting line-up for

my first ever Fantasy "Cactus League" ATC Cards...

(with lots more to come!)

Just in time

to coincide this week with

the opening of major league baseball Spring Training

and

the arrival of the wonderful Cactus League teams

playing

here in Arizona.

If you are a baseball fan...our state is jumping with action...

Click here for official league info!

"Batter Up!" Try to hit a home run in Life today!

Happy Cactus Monday All!

“Every day is a new opportunity.

You can build on yesterday's success

or

put its failures behind and start over again.

That's the way life is, with a new game every day,

and that's the way baseball is.”
~Bob Feller*

*NOTE: For a bit of Serendipity...

Bob Feller, age 90,

threw out the opening pitch today right here in Surprise Stadium

(which just happens to be the Spring Training home

for

the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals)

to begin

the "Old Timers" baseball game!

"I love when things like this happen! "

~Me

"4th and Final..."

...my Blogiversary Giveaway Finale!

An original, fun, fabulous feather

from me to 3 of you...

drawn on Bristol board with ink,

measuring ~2"x 6"...

and tied with a teensy, thin black and white ribbon...:)

So, if you like,

just leave me a quick "howdy do" here

and, of course, a way to find you

by midnight tonight...(U.S. Mountain Standard Time)

February 22, 2009...

Time is a-ticking!

All the best! :)

"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."

~Aesop

"IF: Instinct..."

...or in this case ...
"Flying by the seat of my pants!"

I am fascinated by the concept of "Artist Trading Cards"

and

recently have seen that several friends

have created them.

Sooo...thought I would play around Friday...

follow my instincts...

no plan whatsoever..."paintbrush first-straight in"

and simply see what might happen!

My efforts resulted in the "test" cards posted above.

Gosh...they are so small!

And now...what does one do with them???

Hmmm...

Anyone up for a trade? :)

Illustration Friday Topic: "Instinct"

February 20, 2009

"Good instincts usually tell you what to do

long before

your head has figured it out."
~Michael Burke

"Instinct is action taken in pursuance of a purpose,

but without conscious perception

of what the purpose is."
~Van Hartmann

"Flying by the seat of one's pants
Definition: Deciding a course of action as you go along,

using your own initiative and perceptions

rather than a pre-determined plan

or mechanical aids."

Source

"Points of View..."

...I was in the mood for exploring more roses today

especially

since the petals are opening up so beautifully.

I love that!

My pen has a tendency

to get mesmerized and lost in their structure.

About the time I get that somewhat down...the light changes!

Go figure, eh?

Mother nature never fails to amaze me!

"It is at the edge of a petal that love waits."
~William Carlos Williams

American Poet, 1883-1963

"Lost in Fantasy..."

...Inspired by...and drawn during

Wednesday night's episode of one of my favorite

TV programs...

"Lost" !!

And... it is also

G.I.V.E.A.W.A.Y...#3!!!

...a tag or a book mark...

...it measures 3"x 7"

and is

tied with a brown and turquoise

mandala patterned ribbon!

Leave a quick "Howdy Do" from your little corner of blogland

right here on this post...

Deadline is midnight Sunday February 22nd.

Join the fun if you like! :)

"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves."
~Henry David Thoreau

"Tag or Book Mark...?!

...You decide which...

because

I present it here as my Blogiversary

"G.I.V.E.A.W.A.Y....#2"!!!

WooHoo!

It is an original zentangled design in ink on Bristol Board...

measuring 3"x 6"...

and tied with a perky dotted ribbon.

Are you interested? If so...

You know the drill...

...Leave a comment by midnight Sunday, February 22nd

and a way for me to reach you.

Enjoy!

"A Dozen..."

...from my "Sweetie"...

They are absolutely gorgeous...and make my heart smile.

Mmmmm...:)

"If I had a rose for every time I thought of you,

I'd be picking roses for a lifetime."
~Swedish Proverb

"I once had a rose named after me

and I was very flattered.

But I was not pleased

to read the description in the catalogue:

no good in a bed,

but fine up against a wall."
~Eleanor Roosevelt

"Well, Here She Is..."

...my postcard entry

for Anita Davies' 2008 Postcard Pen Pal Exchange,

which started me on my road to blogdom,

just 1 year ago...February 15, 2008!

I felt it important to post "her" again here today,

...in this most honored place,

as part of a very

special

Cactus Monday celebration!

Special?

...Did she just say "Special Cactus Monday"???

Yep, I sure did...

Why so special, you might ask?

Well, how about a 1st Blogiversary celebration

G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y!!!

to spread a bit of cactus cheer and good will

around bloggyland!?!
Sooo...
...simply leave a comment here
by midnight next Sunday night February 22,
and
I will draw two lucky names to receive
one of the postcards pictured above
OOOH! Also,
Be sure I can get a hold of you via your blog or email
in case your name is drawn.
WooHoo!
This should be great fun!
Psssst...More fun Blogiversary goodies are planned...
stay tuned! :)
Have a Happy Cactus Monday All!

"Each day offers us the gift of being
a special occasion
if we can simply learn that as well as giving
it is blessed to receive
with grace and a grateful heart."
~Sarah Ban Breathnach

"Unbelieveable...!"

Who would have ever thought it???

Waterblossoms' 1st Anniversary...my 300th post...

and this week's

Illustration Friday Theme: "Celebrate"!!!

The stars must be aligned in blog heaven for sure!

WooHoo!

My deepest thanks to each of you

for your continual artistic support, love, wisdom,

and kind words.

Thanks, too,

for the quick little "pop-ins" every now and again

as you navigate

through the beautifully mesmerizing avenues of blogland.

You have certainly treated me right this past year...

I have travelled via your sketchbooks

to the beautiful destinations

you each call "home"...

Together

we explored parts of this great artistic world of ours

coloring our imaginations with new perspectives and ideas.

Your words have have brought me smiles...

...big wide ones...

that almost hurt they were so big!

Your words have also brought me tears...

...soft gentle ones...

of friendship, sympathy, and support.

We have giggled a bit, too...well, actually a whole lot!

Sometimes, I just sit here and roar with laughter!

You have encouraged me

to attempt new artistic endeavors

and

I have thoroughly enjoyed each ride along the way.

Our little artistic community

has invigorated my love of art

and

has enriched my heart with a world of amazing

friendships.
Today...I celebrate YOU!

And...that's a big WOOHOO!!! of happiness

you hear

coming all the way from the Arizona desert to a

computer near you!

:)

"Do not cease to drink beer,

to eat, to intoxicate thyself, to make love,

and

to celebrate the good days."
~Egyptian Proverb

"At Last...!"

On Tuesday, February 9th...

after spending an entire day playing the

"hospital discharge waiting game"

Mom was, at long last, transferred to a surgical follow up

rehabilitation center.

Despite the fact

that her surgery went extremely well,

some severe leg muscle spasms

have been causing her bits of distress

here and there.

In rehab, she will receive therapy for 3 hours daily

to work out her new knee.

Muscle relaxants and massages will hopefully

help alleviate the spasms.

(Fingers and toes crossed! )

Her new "digs" at the rehab center are awesome...

her room is like a mini suite in a luxurious hotel.

It is really plush, soothing, and upbeat.

What a change from the hospital!

It's so interesting to observe

what a huge difference environment makes

on one's well being!

"There is an old Tibetan saying:

wherever you feel at home, you are at home.

If your surroundings are pleasant,

you are at home."
~Tenzin Gyatso,

The 14th Dalai Lama

"Back Tracking..."

a week or so...and catching up with a couple

sketchbook journal entries.

On February 7th,

while en route to the hospital to visit mom...

we stopped at AJ's..."Purveyors of Fine Foods"...

for a quick bite to eat.

We sat outdoors on the sunny patio

and

enjoying the crisp, fresh February Arizona air

we downed a grilled bratwurst

and blackberry jasmine green iced tea....Ahhhhh!

It was delicious.

On the other side of the valley...

a different perspective on dining...mom's room

(where she felt she was being held "captive"...LOL)

and some views

of the things that became all too familiar to all of us.

"You never really understand a person

until you consider things from his

point of view."
~Harper Lee

"Blogging Goodies..."

...From some truly wonderful Blogging friends.
What joy

these little surprises have brought!
I thank each and every one of you...

and

am humbled by your generosity...

and embarassed by my late posting and

lack of email organization...

Some of these date back to the end of December!

Geesch!

"How did it get so late so soon?

Its night before its afternoon.

December is here before its June.

My goodness how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?"
~Dr. Seuss

From Marianne in the Netherlands!

From Soulbrush in London!

From Soulbrush in London!

From Kazumiwannabe in France and Clare in Australia!

From Ann in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

From MuseSwings in Florida and Soulbrush in London, U.K.!

From Alex n' Alicia in New England...and Soulbrush in London

From Trish in Colorado!

From Serena in Brooklyn New York!

From Snarky in California!

"Doing What You Love..."

...is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life."

~Dr. Wayne Dyer

"In our life there is a single color,

as on an artist's palette,

which provides the meaning of life and art.

It is the color of

LOVE."

~Marc Chagall

Happy Valentine's Day All...

may each memory of your day be colored with love!

Black Heart Series #7

"Heart Views..."

"We forge the chains we wear in life."
~Charles Dickens

May your life's chains be golden and your heart

"views" filled with growth.

Black Heart Series #6

"Your vision will become clear

only when you can look into your own heart.

Who looks outside, dreams;

who looks inside,

awakens."

~Carl Jung

"Thinking about...

...some of the little everyday things
which
tug with all their might at tender heartstrings.

heart·strings (härt′striŋz′)
deepest feelings or affections
Etymology: tendons or nerves formerly believed

to brace the heart.

SOURCE: Webster's New World College Dictionary

Black Heart Series #5

"The best gifts are tied with heartstrings."

~Author Unknown

"Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings,

and

making music with them."
~ Dennis Gabor

"Dream Catcher..."

"When the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls

And the stars begin to twinkle in the night...

In the mist of a memory

you wander on back to me...

Breathing my name with a sigh.

In the still of the night

once again I hold you tight.

Though you're gone,

your love lives on when moonlight beams.

And as long as my heart will beat,

sweet lover we'll always meet

Here in my

deep purple dreams."

~Lyrics by Mitchell Parish, music by Peter De Rose.

(Written in 1934 as a piano composition - lyrics added in 1939)

Black Heart Series #4

"Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go."

~Louise Driscoll

"Just Wondering..."

Does one's checkered past

continually burn deeply within the heart

transforming hope into ashes

or

does it add needed fuel and energy to one's spirit

and

brightly color the palette of love and life?

Hmmm....

Black Heart Series #3

"A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart

burning with love."

~Mother Teresa

"Rescue Me...!"

I'm stuck...and slowing fraying apart at the seams!

LOL :)

(#2 in the Black Heart Series)

Wishing all a stress free, unfrayed Cactus Monday!

"I am like a book,

with pages that have stuck together for want of use:

my mind needs unpacking

and the truths stored within must be turned over

from time to time,

to be ready when occasion demands."
~Seneca

(Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)

"Hearts, Anyone...?"

How about a whole Valentine's day week

filled with them?!

Introducing here to you today...

the first in my "Black Heart" series of

art designs drawn with a bit of an

urban edge.

"One of the hardest things in life

is having words in your heart that you can't utter."
~ James Earl Jones

"My Sincerest ...

Thanks

to each of you...from the very bottom of my heart.

Each and every Day...

and each and every Night...
your thoughtful good wishes for my mom's
speedy recovery
reach my computer and lodge themselves snuggly in my blog.
They are a major energy boost
and
a refreshing way to end these hectic days.
We are off again in just a bit
back across the valley to the hospital
I expect the next few days will be much the same.

The heart above is a paper strip collage
of oriental calligraphy
I wove into a heart shape..."Day"
and then digitally flipped to show "Night."
This weekend
there is a huge Chinese New Year celebration
at the Chinese Cultural center in Phoenix
with lots of art, food, music, dragons
and ceremonial dancing...
OOOH MY!
What a great sketchbook page that would have made!
For now though...
I have just a paper heart sent with thanks to you
from me. :)

"The greatest treasures
are those invisible to the eye but found by the heart."
~ Author Unknown

"Knee(d) Surgery...?"

Yep! My mom had knee replacement surgery today
and my sketchbook went along to
record the day.
Here is a remarkable fact:
It took Scott and I 70 minutes to get from our house
in Surprise
to the hospital where mom's surgery was done
which is on the other side of the valley
in Scottsdale.
Now get this...
My mom's total surgical time was 55 minutes....
...15 minutes less than our travel time!!!
I find that unbelievable!
Anyway...
mom is doing well, even standing and walking a step
a mere 2 hours
after coming out of the recovery room.
We are blessed her day went well.
Even the weather smiled upon us
as we all spent most of our waiting time
out of doors
in the hospital courtyard.
Fragrant blossoms scented the air
hypnotizing us into
settling back and enjoying the Arizona sunshine...
Susan even "caught a few winks"!

"Language
is the means of getting an idea from my brain
into yours without surgery."
~Mark Amidon

"A Flippin' Feather..."

...drawn in my Moly...flipped here just for fun!

"The day is done,

and the darkness, falls from the wings of Night,

As a feather is wafted downward,

from an eagle in his

flight."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow