Sunday, February 28, 2010

"Four Black Squares..."

...mounted in my square white zen journal
drawn lead free
while trying out some new metallic pens
on black paper.
Question:
Has anyone else had trouble scanning
black paper??
(Check out all the streaks especially in the lower right square.)
Drats!
Any suggestions are welcomed!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

"Swirls and Curls..."


...dots and dabs...
and all kinds of silly frilly things...
drawn in my zen journal
during a beautiful February snowfall
while we were
in Illinois...then
flipped for fun in Microsoft Editor.
It was a sheer delight to do!
(Both the drawing and the flipping! LOL :)...)

“Begin doing what you want to do now.
We are not
living in eternity.
We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand-
and
melting like a snowflake...”
~Francis Bacon, Sr.
English Lawyer and Philosopher. 1561-1626

Friday, February 26, 2010

"Oh, Those Wickness Girls...:)"

...What beautiful hearts...what beautiful souls.

In Memoriam:
Lillian Mae Wickness Krahenbuhl
June 14, 1920...February 26, 2007
and her sister
Eleanor Gertrude Wickness Randall
June 3, 1915...February 22, 2010

We love you
and miss you each and every day.
"A ministering angel shall my sister be."
~William Shakespeare
"In the night of death, hope sees a star,
and
listening love can hear the rustle of a wing."
~Robert Ingersoll

Thursday, February 25, 2010

"Food for Thought..."

"Only as high as I reach...can I GROW,
only as far as I seek...can I GO,
only as deep as I look...can I SEE,
only as much as I dream...
can I BE."
~Karen Ravn
For JGL......Shine on, Girlfriend!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

"One Thing..."


...leads to another...:)

Illustration Friday: "Propagate"

"Why don't they:
Do what they say, say what they mean
One thing leads to another...
You told me something wrong,
I know I listen too long
But then one thing leads to another.
One thing leads to another
Yeah yeah
One thing...
one one thing
leads to a...na...a...a...ther
One thing...
one one thing
leads to a...na..a...a..ther..."
~Lyrics By: Agius, Curnin, Greenall, West-Oram, Woods
"One Thing Leads to Another"
Recorded by : The Fixx
1983

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

"Bunches of Blooms..."














...in multiple color palettes
for a beautiful "Blooming Tuesday"
taste of Spring!
These photos were taken yesterday
while I was "out and about"
running errands at our local Arizona Target.
May your errands today
bring a spring to your step and a blossom
to your heart. :)

Monday, February 22, 2010

"Join Me..."

...for cocktails, music, and appetizers
while strolling
in Phoenix by starlight
and seeing night blooming cacti
in all their glory...
and
beautifully lit sculptures
by 20th century American Indian artist
Click here for all the "Spiked" details.
Now, wouldn't this be a memorable activity!!!???
(Must remember to bring your sketchbook, too!)
Happy Cactus Monday!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

"Some Sunday Sunshine..."

...digitally captured
this very morning while awaiting
a table for brunch....
and sent through cyberspace to you!

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather,
always bring your own
sunshine.”
~Anthony J. D'Angelo

Saturday, February 20, 2010

"A Few More Bits..."



...from my Illinois travel sketchbook...:)
(Click on any image to enlarge...)
A snowy view...
An very commonplace airport gate scene...
and
A life sized ad for Halls cough drops
hanging directly across from our gate waiting area
complete
with a poor fellow with bleary swollen eyes
and a red stuffy nose.
Ah Choo!
That's the Midwest in winter for ya!
LOL :)

"O, wind,
if winter comes, can spring be far behind?"
~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Friday, February 19, 2010

"Adrift..."

...in an infinite sea of white puffy clouds
floating somewhere over Iowa
my Muse's thoughts
sought safe harbor in the point of my
trusty Pitt pen.
This drawing was the result.
I was so intent on keeping a steady, smooth hand
during the drawing process
that I did not even notice that people in my row,
on both sides of the aisle even,
were watching me draw.
Good thing I was oblivious
and
artfully adrift in my own little world.
Drawn aboard
USAir...Flight 1...Phoenix to Chicago...02.07.10...
then colored at "home" in Illinois.

Illustration Friday: "Adrift"

“Twenty years from now
you will be more disappointed by the things
that you didn’t do
than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream.
Discover.”
~Mark Twain

Thursday, February 18, 2010

"Beautiful Mail Art..."

...From Julie in Florida...
...from Melody in Utah...
From Debi in Illinois...
from Sabrina in Canada...
from Dana in Michigan...
from Lisa in Indiana...
from Anne in the U.K.
and from Carey in California!
(click on any image to enlarge...)
What a treat to have these mini art pieces
awaiting
my homecoming!
It's soooo good to be back in the warmth of
Arizona...
and back to the flow of an everyday
routine...:)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

"Up, Up, and Away..."



(Click on any image to enlarge...)
...A few recent travel sketches...
drawn lead free...
from my Illinois travel sketchbook/journal.
These were drawn on my lap
while awaiting
departure of our early morning flight
from Phoenix to Chicago
last week.
I love travelling with my sketchbook! :)
Watercolor
was added after I returned to Arizona.

“A good traveler has no fixed plans,
and is not intent
on arriving.”
~Lao Tzu

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

"Some Blooming Color..."


...to wash away the grays and the blues
of a long snowy winter.
One day
last week in the U.S.
there was measurable snowfall reported
in 49 of the 50 states!!!
Enough is enough!
This post is for all of you who need a blast of
color to get your artistic mojo
in creative gear
again.
Think in COLOR!
I hope this blooming Tuesday surprises
you with a bright festive palette
where you might least
expect it!

“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”
~Marcus Aurelius


Monday, February 15, 2010

"Two...For Two...Today..."


Why??? Well first,
in weekly celebration of Cactus Monday...
and
then secondly...(drum roll please)
to celebrate the
2nd year
blogiversary of my Waterblossoms Blog!
WooHOO!!!
(My Muse scampers about...barefooted...
and scantily dressed...
tossing flower petals into the air.)
You can check out my very 1st blog post
HERE if you like...It's even a CACTUS post...
and my first piece of mail art!! :)
Whew! It is so amazing how time flies!
Speaking of which...
I have been out of town for the past week...
...actually in Illinois...
where we
experienced a fairly decent-sized snowfall,
(first Midwest one I've witnessed in quite a while)
accompanied by
several nights of sub-zero wind chill temps,
and
even an EARTHQUAKE...
...the epicenter of which was 10 miles from
"Home!"
We were awakened in the middle of the night...
3:59 am to be exact...
by the sound of horrendously severe rattling
and shaking
followed by an enormous boom
It sounded as if one of those huge snow plow trucks
barreled down our street...full speed ahead
and
ran smack dab into our house!
Seriously!!!
We thought it was a bomb blast
or even a gas line explosion
somewhere in town.
We were really mentally shook up!
It wasn't until my sister called from Arizona
later that morning to tell
us
that it was a 4.3 seismic event
(aka "EARTHQUAKE")
and that it
was the lead news story on the Today Show
and
also on the news headline marquee
in Times Square, New York City!
Shazammm!
Later, it was downgraded to a 3.8 event...
I know, all you California readers are saying
"Is that all???" LOL :)
Whew! It was certainly big time for me!
Who would have ever thought, eh?
Any way...
I promise to get back soon to my routine
and start visiting all your blogs...
popping in here and there,
to see what you have all been up to.
In the meantime,
I hope you find something wonderful
and non-scary
to shake up your day!
Have a really great one!
Thanks, too,
for TWO wonderful blogging years!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

"In Joyful Celebration...."

of Valentine's day 2010...
♥♥♥
and the Chinese Lunar New Year ...
which is actually year 4707 in the Chinese calendar.
It is also the year of the Tiger.
This piece was drawn in my 2010 Zen Journal
and is the last piece in my "Lemony Hearts" series.
I hope you enjoyed this year's hearts
and I also hope that
what ever you choose to celebrate today
that chocolate will be involved
and
you savor every morsel/minute.
XO :)

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010

"In Pursuit..."

“There are many things in life
that will catch your eye,
but only a few will catch your heart...
pursue those.”
~Michael Nolan

“Don't be reckless with other people's hearts,
don't put up with those
who are reckless
with yours.”
~Mary Schmich

Thursday, February 11, 2010

"600 Times..."

...OOOOH, MY! How time flies!
Today is my 600th Waterblossoms blogpost.
It seems like just yesterday
when I first met and started my love affair with
Google "Blogger".
Mmmm...I remember fondly
those sweet first days of our relationship...:)
I was so timid and unsure...
but,
Blogger...you faithfully stood by me all the way...
holding my hand,
answering my questions,
encouraging me to be expressive,
introducing me to lots of wonderful friends
worldwide.
Now, here we are, after 600 times...
all those
words and thoughts and emotions and frustrations
we have shared...
and still our daily, often late night, relationship
is continues to grow strong!
You are my Muse's wildest dream
come true.
And, aside from a few minor hesitancies
every now and then,
you have willingly given me the world.
You have made my ordinary days
extraordinary, adventuresome, and exotic
and
I thank you for it!
I also thank each and every one of you
who have popped in for a visit at one time or another.
I am over the moon with new art ideas...
and I promise you
the best is yet to come!
Here's to the next few hundred posts! :)
XO

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

"Just To Double Your Pleasure ..."


...and to double my fun...
I'm posting two bitty hearts today...
Instead of just one! :)
These two ATC cards were made especially
for my two 7-year old twins nieces
for Valentine's day!
♥♥
"Happy Blooming Tuesday" everyone!!
May your hearts also bloom with
"double extra" joy
today!
♥♥♥♥
"The greatest treasures
are those invisible to the eye
but
found by the heart."
~Author Unknown

Monday, February 8, 2010

"You Won't Believe This..."..."


...but according to the
ultra newest update of the world famous
Wripley's Believe it or Not
Guide to Unique and Odd Cacti...Volume III
published right here in
Surprise Arizona...
(actually, just yesterday, as a matter of fact)
a brand spankin' new species of cactus was found!
Cacti aficionados from the Tucson area
are calling it the
"Lemony Prickly Pear Heartissimus Cacti Grande."
Amazing isn't it???
And there's more...get this...
would you believe that I just happened to
spot one...??!!
AND
as quickly to my ATC cards as I could fly
was able to capture it
in all it's Valentine Week magnificence
(during both the day AND the night!)
for your ultimate viewing pleasure
this beautiful Cactus Monday.
And it's all right here on my blog...
no need to even buy the book!
Imagine that!
I can hardly believe it either...!!!:)
You just never know
these days!
May you be surprised
by some wonderfully unbelievable events
today too!

"Nothing is so unbelievable
that oratory cannot make it acceptable."
~Marcus Tullius Cicero
Ancient Roman Lawyer,
Writer, Scholar, Orator and Statesman,
106 BC-43 BC