Another Work In Progress...:)

Just a couple of peeks of my 4 page spread in Jen's

rainbow themed Moly.

My color was

green!

This book is part of the international G8 Moleskine exchange

I am in over at Illustrated ATCs.

As of this past Saturday this book is

en route from the burning hot Arizona desert to

art studio of Elaine in New Zealand.

My dear friend Jan was also en route to NZ Saturday...

but due to a delayed flight out of Chicago...

her Qantas connection was missed!

She will try again tonight.

An adventure? or and Inconvenience?

Knowing Jan...it will be a memorable adventure!

I wonder who will arrive first???

Please click on images for detail.

I will post the full reveal of the final pages

tomorrow...I Promise!

For Jan:

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.

An inconvenience

is only an adventure wrongly considered."

G.K. Chesterton

"Wall Art..."

..."Cactus Monday" style...

on display in the beautiful general reception area of the

Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Upbeat and hopeful...is this

artistic expression of comfort, joy, and wellness.

These are

my wishes for each of you this day. :)

Click on any image to enlarge...:)

“Hope is the dream of a soul awake.”
~French Proverb

"Happy Cactus Monday!..."

“Joy in looking...and comprehending...
is nature's most beautiful
gift.”
~Albert Einstein

"Bananagrams, Cookies, and Dice..."

"Wheee!...Thanks, Jan!...Girlfriend, you rock!!!"

♥

(Miss you lots...what a great getaway weekend we had!

Pictures soon to follow!)

(Click on image to enlarge...)

See other Six Word Saturday posts here...:)

"As Promised..."

...my cards (above) traded

in the 3 Part Rainbow Swap at Illustrated ATCs...

...and my returns, sent in three separate mailings,
the final of which was received
last week...:)
YAY!

Click on images to enlarge...:)

"Oooo...Look at What I Found..."

...blooming

in my local U.S. Postal office today!

They are the newly released

Chinese Lunar New Year "forever" postage stamps

which

are celebrating the year of the rabbit....:)

They are absolutely scrumdilly-icious!

Hmmm...

why make it a really special Blooming Tuesday

and

pick up a bunch for yourself?

♥
“Be like a postage stamp.

Stick to one thing until you get there.”
~ Josh Billings

American Humorist, 1818-1885

"I Treated..."

...myself this past holiday

to the publishing of my blog over at Sharedbook.

I saw the idea on Lynn's blog here...

and the rest was history.

Above are pictured the volumes from 2008 and 2009.

Yes, I will be publishing my 2010

volumes soon!

Thanks Lynn for the great idea and the link.

I am very pleased with this product!

♥

It is fun to note that

my first blog post ever was a cactus...

you can see it on the cover of Volume One

on the far right.

So, then, I think it is only fitting

and perfect to wish each and everyone today

a Happy Cactus Monday, too!

:)

"No Tricks...Only Treats..."

...especially of the ATC variety. :)

(Click on photo to enlarge for detail...)

There is a major Art-athon taking place this weekend

over at Illustrated ATCs.

These are several of the pumpkin themed cards

I made yesterday...

with more to add to the collection today.

I will post the cards I receive

at a later date.

Right now I am pretty much "pumpkined out"!

Happy, Happy Halloween

to those of you who celebrate it...

and a special Happy Pumpkin Festival weekend

to my good friends back in Sycamore.

Have the time of your life...

♥

Miss you!

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin...

and have it all to myself...

than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

~Henry David Thoreau

"Forever Stampin' Love..."

...in case you haven't seen these yet...

they are the new "Forever" stamp just issued days ago

and now currently

available at your local U.S. Postal office.

Whee... I love new stamps!!!

:)

"Cactus Art is Everywhere..."

...my new Cactus Monday feature

will depict some of the

fabulous botanical themed public art

here in the

state of Arizona...:)

This mosaic piece is featured at

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport...Terminal 4

Lower Level...Baggage Claim Area.

As they say in the desert...

One can never have enough water!

Happy Cactus Monday All!

I hope you discover something special today

to wet your artistic Muse's whistle.

"Wordless Wednesday..."

"Hmmmm..."

...Where's Waldo?...and Waterblossoms??...and Margaret???

"Toto...We're not in Kansas any longer!"

~Dorothy

Wizard of Oz

"Catching Up...With Artistic Beauty..."

...from Lisa in Arkansas...

a really unique alcohol inked background and postage stamp.
...From Cathy in Vermont...
...two magical star constellations...specially embedded with
deep personal symbolism for me.
...From Caroline in Australia...
a gorgeous artist hang tag and embellished envelope.
... From Marva in Colorado...
my own personal painting of the Garden of the Gods
with Pikes Peak in the background!
(I want to go there and paint with Marva someday!)
...From Amy in Illinois...
A hauntingly beautiful silver hawk warrior card
drawn completely in colored pencil.
(Amy is a member of the
prestigious Colored Pencil Society of America...
her work is utterly brilliant!)
From Elaine in New Zealand...
a dramatic card made with inks called "Rainy Afternoon".
It arrived the day of a big monsoon storm in Arizona..
the sky for real looked just like this card!
Seriously!
...And, lastly, from Denise in Oregon...
An stunning oriental inspired quilted card with
absolutely meticulous beading.
Denise has won numerous awards for her
fine quilting techniques...:)
♥
Ahhh! Such fun!
As always, I encourage you to "meet" and take a peek
at the work of these fine artists...
Just click on their name and you will be directed
to their galleries.
(Click, also, on any photo to enlarge it.)
May you find some beautiful and special surprises
in your personal life this Thankful Thursday.
Thanks for the visit!

"Off to Canada Now, eh?..."

Yep!

These seven little art pieces...

as of Saturday..

have flown with the wind to Canada

as my contribution to the

August 2010

Ink and Watercolor Swap at Illustrated ATCs.

I will be sure to post my returns...

Can't wait! :)

"To stay ahead,

you must have your next idea waiting in the wings."
~Rosabeth Moss Kanter

"Six Word Saturday..."

"Flower rockets explode...lighting inky skies."

See other "Six Word Saturdays" here...:)

"A Month's Worth of Mail Art!!! "

...from Janet in Texas...

...a geisha chasing butterflies...
...from Maricela in Mexico...
...a glorious bird with berries and a magical unicorn...
...another geisha from Teng in Thailand...
(I am collecting geisha cards...in case you wondered...)

from Carolyn in Wisconsin...

...some beautiful spirea and blooming clover...

(Psst...the card on the left is wood burned and painted!)

...from Erika in Canada...

...my most favorite of all flowers-the columbine...

...from Carey in California...

..another origami piece...so intricate and lovely...

... from Nancy in Oregon...

...a shimmering mountain landscape with trees...

...another delicate geisha from Janet in Texas...

...and lastly two absolutely magnificent birds...

"Mesange" and "Merle Noir"

...from Lucie in Canada.

♥

This past month seems to have flown by...

and

being gone a couple of weeks

really had all my mail art stacking up. :)

I hope you can find a calm moment or two this week

when you can come back

with a nice refreshing beverage...

get comfortable...

and browse a bit in these artist's galleries. :)

Gosh, their work is so lovely and intriguing.

I am so grateful

for each and every card and each and every

artistic friendship I make.

Enjoy!

(Click on any image to enlarge for detail looks...)

"Seeking Relief..."

...Temperatures to peak over 110 degrees today.

This has now become our new

home

especially...after sundown...:)

Ahhhhh! Sweet, refreshingly cool water!

“It is wise to bring some water,

when one goes out to look for water.”
~Arab Proverb

"TaDaaaa! Here They Are..."

...the three ATC cards I received from the

Louis Comfort Tiffany Window Panel ATC Swap

at

Illustrated ATCs.

From L-R:

"Riverbrooks" from Sandra In Oregon...

"Floral detail" from Cheryl in New Hampshire...

and

"Landscape with Irises" from Amy in Illinois.

What beautiful work in each piece!

NOTE: If you click on each artist's name

you will be directed

to their personal galleries at iATC...

well worth your time!

Be sure to also click on the image above so you can

see the marvelous details

easily.

You can see my trades for the swap here. :)

Thanks, ladies!

"What a Twavelin' Wabbit..."

...and

that would be the infamous Sunset Jack, of course,

out "on the road"

wishing you a butterfly-filled Happy Blooming Tuesday!

(Click on images to enlarge...no cropping options

available for Jack

while away from his "studio"...Dwats! :)

"Ideas are like rabbits.

You get a couple...and learn how to handle them...

and

pretty soon you have a dozen."

~John Steinbeck

"Six Word Saturday..."

Tiny feet...vivid imaginations...

awaiting life...:)

See other Six Word Saturdays here...:)