"The Artistic Touch of JW..."

...has influenced my life

and my spirit from the minute I was born to this very day.

Happy Father's Day

to the most wonderful, imaginative, and loving dad

a daughter could ever have.

I love you...:)XO

"Fly Away With Me..."

...this first day of Summer...out here in the "Old West".

The first day of Summer is earlier in western North America:
For the years 2009 and 2013,

people in the Mountain and Pacific time zones

and farther west greet the first day of summer a day earlier,

on June 20.

So when people ask what the first day of summer is,

it not only depends on the year

but on where you live.

See this Source for more info...:)

“Imagination is the true magic carpet.”
~ Norman Vincent Peale

"Skywatch Friday...(#3)..."

The view from my patio to the northwest...

...and the view from my patio to the northeast.

The photos were taken seconds apart...at about noon today...

camera held in horizontal orientation

for both shots...

I simply pivoted on my feet...from left to right...

What an

amazing contrast in "verticality!"

The second photo reminds me of smoke signals

or even a bit of a "cloud tornado".

After bring these up on my computer screen

I decided to take some more shots of the vertical cloud formation...

But...

it had simply vanished

into a thick milky white cloud bank of a canvas

as if washed away

by a wet paintbrush in an artist's hand.

See other views of the sky today from around the world here.

"A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction

and at such a speed...

It feels an impulsion...this is the place to go now.

But the sky knows the reasons

and the patterns behind all clouds,

and you will know, too,

when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons."
~Richard Bach

Thankful Thursday...(#4)

"Happy Mail"...

sent from around the world

landed in my mailbox this week...and today it is posted on my blog

for all to see!

From Lynn in California...amazing bobbin art cards!
Lynn is always up to something...her plate...better make that a platter...
is always full with imagination and energy.
She has a special blogspot for her ATCs here.

From Rhonda in Kentucky...some cool contemporary ATCs

and special watercolor papers to have fun with...

some spattered with color...the some gessoed in gold...

Yummy!

Check out Rhonda's new front door sunflower project here.

Rhonda love to works in a variety of mediums...

and she's great at them all!

From Marianne in the Netherlands...a bountiful batch of surprises...

It is so hard to keep up with her...

she is the

"mistress of mandala magic"!

You can check out here special ATC site here!

Finally, these hand painted beauties are from Judy in Tennessee.

What a fun gal and delightful artist Judy is...

She also has a blog journal which

you can visit it here!

The intro is simply serene...turn on your speakers!!

This past week has been a wonderful whirlwind...

47 total ATC cards sent out...

22 sent internationally...

25 sent stateside...

each tenderly nestled into 20 decorated envelopes

addressed to a total of 20 individuals...

which involved 7 separate visits to the post office.

Cost of this week's adventure:

PRICELESS!

Now,

do you see what happens when I am left alone

to make mischief??!! LOL :)

And, by the way...

who is responsible for starting all this anyway??? :)

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing."
~Helen Keller

"Wordless Wednesday...(#2)..."

"Good, Good, Good..."

..."Good Vibrations" ATC series...LOL:)

#1 ^ Gifted to Lolo...

#2^...Available for trade...
#3^...Available for trade...
#4^...Traded to Lynn.


Happy Blooming Tuesday All!


"Good, good, good, good vibrations (oom bop bop)"
~Beach Boys

"Tying Up Loose Ends..."

...and organizing my ATCs...What a crazy job! LOL :)

"Desert Mirage" Series ATC Card(new) #5^...traded.
"Desert Mirage" Series ATC Card (new) #6^...Available
"Desert Mirage" Series ATC Card (new)#3^...Available
"Desert Whimsy" Series ATC card..Barrel Cactus (new)^...Traded.
"Desert Whimsy" Series ATC Card #6 (new)^...Traded

So...
at long last...I have now somewhat organized my ATC cards
and have created a special file on my Flickr Page
HERE...for those cards which available...
and
HERE for those already traded or pending trade (reserved).
If you are interested in a trade...drop a note here
or Flickr mail me the info.

Have a restful and "put together" Cactus Monday all!

"The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious."
~Marcus Aurelius

"400 Sun Songs..."

...and glorious droplets light paint a joyful feeling in my heart

on this my 400th blog post.

I dedicate this post to my late mother-in law...

Lillian Mae...

who would have celebrated her 89th birthday this very day.

We all know she is singing in heaven tonight!

“And in the end,

it's not the years in your life that count.

It's the life in your years.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

"...Life is oh so good..."

~Lillian Mae

February 2007

"Skywatch Friday...(#2)..."

This is the "skyview" looking west from my back patio...

A beautiful

and unseasonably cool day in Arizona's Valley of the Sun today-

Highs to reach only into low 90's...

Currently 86 degrees at 11:00am...cool and delightful outside!

Now, if this could only last all summer!

Enjoy your view of the sky

from wherever in the world you are today!

Touch it's magic!

(To view today's sky from all over the globe...click here! )

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky."
~Jalal ad-Din Rumi

Persian Poet and Mystic, 1207-1273

"Thankful Thursday...(#3)..."

Another week of special surprises and wonderful snail mail...! :)

...Presented by Fadwa in Dubai...
an artist, writer, and jewelry designer extraordinaire.

... Presented by Soulbrush in England...
who is currently "over the moon" in blogging joy and "Maggie-ness."
...A balmy tropical ATC trade with Lazzelle in Virginia...
What a glorious array of ATCs she has created! Pop over for a visit!
...A second trade...this time a 2 for 2...with Melody in Utah-
again, beautiful papers included as a fun extra...
I hope to hear from her soon on a third trade...fingers crossed.
And finally, yet another magical and wonderful "trade package"
from Marianne in the Netherlands.
(Simply click on images to enlarge and enjoy.
Click on highlighted names to visit individual artist's work!))

I want each of you to know
that
each precious bit of art that crosses my door...
each little comment you share on my blog...
each time you just silently pop in for a peek...
EACH OF THESE
is dear to me.
They are the magical "stuff" that makes me smile
deep inside
that place in my heart where my Muse lives.
Lately, she has been dancing
and leaping with
joy!

"Muses work all day long
and then at night get together and dance."
~Edgar Degas

"IF: CRAVE..."

Right now in my art life I seen to CRAVE the marriage of

lavish juicy color and my faithful Pitt pen...

stimulated

by a healthy dose

of the magical desert southwest,

...a "pop" or two

of a zentangle inspired design for spice...

all tossed together and dressed with

a trading session of ATC cards,

the joy of visiting fellow artists' blogs,

and

trying to keep my artistic muse engaged.

I am addicted to art

and

there's no stopping me.

I CRAVE! :)

Now...

does anyone know where I put the dark chocolate? :)

Illustration Friday: "Crave"

"Crave for a thing, you will get it.

Renounce the craving, the object will follow you by itself. "

~Swami Sivananda

"Les Fleurs Françaises..."

Four of the dozen gorgeous roses my "sweetie" gifted me before his trip.

He left just yesterday morning...

but it already feels like he's been gone a lifetime!

LOL:)

As I stood at the dining room table painting these...

my Red Hand*Book journal in one hand...

my paint brush in the other,

squinting my eye

and

measuring distances very knowingly with my thumb...

I felt very French indeed.

And...

as my high school French could take me only so far...

(...Sorry Mademoiselle Evard...)

I used a web tool for translation.

My sincerest apologies to anyone who reads or writes French!

I couldn't help myself...

I was just in a French state of mind! :)

Floraison joyeuse Mardi!

Happy Blooming Tuesday!

"Voila!"

~Me

"Aubergine Desert Skies..."

Card #1...Night Blooming Cereus...
Card #2...Blooming Saguaro...
Card #3...Barrel Cactus Bloom...Card #4... Prickly Pear Blossoms.

Feast generously today...upon the sky above you
and
have a lusciously delicious
Cactus Monday All!
(As always...Drop a line if interested in an ATC trade.)

"The sky is the daily bread of the eyes."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The Rest of the Primordial Bunch...!"

#3^...
...#5^...
...and lastly #6^ which has already been taken! Whew! LOL :)
Remember to drop a line if you are interested in a trade...
The other three from this series
"Primordial Blooms"
were posted yesterday here in case you are interested. :)

“I think I did pretty well,
considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper.”
~Steve Martin

"...LOL!"
~Me

"Primordial Blooms...

First... #1 of 6^...
...and #2 of 6^...
...and #4 of 6^...
My newest collection...the last three to be posted tomorrow...
Enjoy...and drop a line to trade.
More ATCs can be viewed in my flickr set here.

"I am convinced
that it is of primordial importance
to learn more every year than the year before."
~Author Unknown

"Skywatch Friday...(#1)"

..."X" marks the spot...Hmmm...I wonder for what!!!! LOL :)

Do you have any ideas?

This is the view from my side yard

in Surprise Arizona,

looking toward the west Thursday.

See more skywatch photos from around the world here.

"In the sky,

there is no distinction of east and west;

people create distinctions out of their own minds

and then

believe them to be true."
~Buddha

"Thankful Thursday...(#2)..."

...Glorious snail mail arrivals...

These three cards above are from Chris in California...they are

so richly textured and blazing with color and life!

Chris has a magical touch with stamping and layering.

I wish you could see and feel them in person...luscious!!!
Then came this delightful surprise from Patty in Alaska...

beautiful notecards inspired by her nature-filled local surroundings...

Patty's blog is fun to read...

it makes me feel like an "armchair outdoor adventurer"!

Then lastly an arrival from Babs in Oklahoma...her

"Lady with the red hat and veil."

Boy! Did this bring back the memories

of going hat shopping with my mom...who had several veiled hats

that I thought were so cool!

What a treasure trove from around the country!

I spent a good part of the day today

getting my long overdue trades ready to be sent out in the post.

Several more to finish up tomorrow...

and then they will all fly free to their new destinations

around the world.

Don't give up on me...They are definitely coming!

"Who has a trade may go anywhere."
~Spanish Proverb

Wordless Wednesday #1..."

"IF: Adapt..."

...to the changes in your life and your art...from bud to blossom...

from light to dark...from paint to pen.

Adapt.

Happy Blooming Tuesday!

"The wise adapt themselves to circumstances,

as water moulds itself to the pitcher.”
~Chinese Proverb

"More Desert Whimsy..."

Card #3...

...and Card#4...

...All ready for a little Cactus Monday ATC card party!

Now who's dealing? LOL :)
Hope your hand holds a happy "Cactus Monday"!

"Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her:

but once they are in hand,

he or she alone must decide how to play the cards

in order to win the game."
~Voltaire