Up For Some Fun???

I received this from my dad today via email...

and thought it to be so extremely

artsy and creative

I couldn't resist passing it on...Read the instructions first...

then Enjoy!

INSTRUCTIONS:
Click on the link

below and a playing card will appear on your screen...

wait a few moments for it to load,

then scroll down below the card

and you will see a line that has a little red slider bar in it.

Move the slider gradually to the right and stop

and watch the show take place,

then move it a little more to the right

and stop and another show will take place

and keep doing this till you are to the end.

This is soooooo cool. The marvels of technology.

P.S. It has sound to accompany the piece.
http://www.adobecards.com/

Well....What did you think??? :)

"You've Got Mail..."

...Marianne's Moos

arrived "safe and sound" here in the desert of Arizona,

via late afternoon postal delivery,

yesterday.

And...

tucked inside the festively postmarked envelope

was a lovely little note...and

a extra special treat...

an original "Marianne" creation...WooHoo!

It was a

refreshingly cool, aqua blue mandala

splashed with fish, shells, and spirals of sparkle!

Mmmmm!

It will definitely act as a "bit of zen refreshment"

this summer

when the red hot Arizona heat kicks in.

This little package

had a long, long flight travelling across the sea

from the Netherlands.

It can now rest easy

in a special place in my heart and in my home.

Thanks, Marianne! :)

"Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle souls;

for, thus friends absent speak."
~John Donne

English poet, 1572-1631

"A Cellular View..."

...no microscope needed...LOL:)

"Nature will bear the closest inspection.

She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf,

and take an insect view of its plain."
~Henry David Thoreau

"I'm Wiped Out..."

...have a hoarse voice, scratchy throat,

and a dietary guilt complex

from indulging in way too many

Super Bowl

food bites and frantic moments yesterday.

Rooting on the

home team Arizona Cardinals Sunday

was a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows

for sure.

(We still love you guys...win or lose! You did us proud!)

Soooo...

my dear friends...my Cactus Monday post for today

features

my artistically decorated "Super Bowl Splint"..

all dressed up for the neighborhood party

posing before a little artificial (shhh...don't tell anyone)

succulent plant from my kitchen....

I attempted to sketch the scene...but was emotionally spent...

my artistic muse elsewhere "snoozing on the job".

(You know...

I have to keep telling myself that "it was just a game"

of millionaires... tossing about a pigskin ball...!!!

It was just a GAME!!! LOL!)

Happy Cactus Monday All!

Hope your personal muses are awake and energetic all day! :)

"Health is the first muse, and sleep is the condition to produce it."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Postmarked: UK..."

Early last week

a special little envelope arrived in my mailbox

postmarked from far, far away

in England.

Inside was a beautiful note card from Ely Cathedral

with a lovely handwritten note from

Anita Davies.

Oooooh! MY!!!! What a treat it was to receive!!!

I am sure you can imagine! :)

(BTW...in case you didn't know...

Anita has drawn a series of sketches from Ely.

What a charming and historic area!

You can check out her Ely sketch series here...

They are simply an artistic feast!)

So,

to celebrate receiving such fun overseas mail ...

I decided to post a montage of images of Ely Cathedral

drawn in my Moly.

The tower is known as the "Octagon"...

The colorful patterns in the lower left corner of the spread

are part of the flooring near the

shrine of Etheldreda..."Saint and Queen".

The patterns on the right side of the spread are

drawn from a medieval glass window.

(There is such rich and interesting

history here...

a visit to the website is highly recommended...gorgeous photos!)

Lastly, the simple candle

and it's "flame of friendship" was the central photograph

and main theme of the note card itself.

Anita...

you are the best ever!

Like this candle...

YOU have shined your artistic light on so many of us

and kindled our imaginations.

It was a serendipitous delight that our paths crossed.

What an honor and a pleasure

it is to have you as my

friend.

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases

by being shared."
~Buddha

"Geraniums..."

...(Mom had seven pots filled with them)...

and two tangelos on the counter...

was the theme of what I quick sketched, lead free, yesterday

while waiting for dinner to be ready

at mom and dad's.

We just popped in for a visit and an easy computer file fix for dad

and ended up staying for two meals!

Serendipity at it's finest...I love when that happens.

"Serendipity. Look for something, find something else,

and realize that what you've found

is more suited to your needs

than what you thought you were looking for."
~Lawrence Block

"IF: Flawed..."

Hmmm...

Flawed...?...Full to the brim...?

or

a funky fun flower study?

Actually, it's all three!

This was drawn and painted in the summer of 2006...

when I was loosely beginning an attempt to introduce myself

to the "wonder of watercolor". :)

It is a spread in one of those inexpensive, thick, beginner

all purpose sketchbooks

with

lots of simply average paper.

I never intended it for a post...I didn't even have a blog then.

But,

When thinking about the Illustration Friday theme for today:

"Flawed"

and paging through past work at the same time...

this spread spoke to me loudly and clearly:

...Could it just be

that the things we once considered flawed in our lives

are really jewels

that have yet to be seen with "new" eyes???

Maybe you too will

discover a "flawed jewel" in your life today! :)

Illustration Friday: "Flawed"

January 30, 2009

“You see, when weaving a blanket,

an Indian woman leaves a flaw in the weaving of that blanket

to let the soul out.”
~Martha Graham

"I like the fact that in ancient Chinese art

the great painters always included a deliberate flaw in their work:

human creation is never perfect."

~Unknown

"Yes, Mother. I can see you are flawed. You have not hidden it.

That is your greatest gift to me."
~Alice Walker

"Held Hostage..."

...all day Wednesday

by a wickedly piercing migraine.

Not even my little lavender filled neck roll,

a long nap, and good drugs

would make it go

away.

"I'm very brave generally, he went on in a low voice:

only today I happen to have a headache."
~Lewis Carroll

"Papyrus-N-Paper..."

...stylized a bit and dressed up in mellow yellow...

and presented here as drawing

#3 in my series of

Ancient Egyptian inspired

Zen-art.

Did you know...

"Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced

from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge

that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt.

Papyrus usually grow 2–3 meters (5–9 ft) tall.

Papyrus is first known to have been used in ancient Egypt

(at least as far back as the First dynasty),

but it was also used throughout the Mediterranean region."

(Source: Wikipedia)

So...

From Ancient Egypt in 3000BC...papyrus

From China in the year 105...cotton rags

From Japan in the year 610...mulberry fibers...

made into a Japanese paper called Washi.

Then...

Chinese discoveries spread through India...

to the Middle East where in 751 linen was used...

then

a paper mill built at Samarkand in 757.

The ideas spread again to Italy...where hemp and linen rags

were used.

In 1276 the first Italian paper mill

was built at Fabriano and until the 14 century

Italy became a paper supplier in Europe.

In 1282 the first watermark was introduced in Bologna.

...And that's only half the story!!!

WHEW!

Hmmm...All this info tends to makes one appreciate

one's temperamental little Moly just a

wee bit more, eh?!

LOL :)

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."
~William Wordsworth

"Gung Hay Fat Choy...!"

or...Gong Xi Fa Cai...!

(click on above for pronunciation and Chinese characters...it's pretty cool!)

...In celebration of the

the Chinese Lunar New Year which began yesterday.
"2009...The Year of the Ox"

A New Year's Market... Image Source: Wikipedia
" Have a Wonderful new Year
Filled With Blessings..."

The calligraphy was copied from a Chinese New Year card

I was given.

The stamps in the lower right hand corner are from

a Chinese chop my sister gifted me

from her trip to China.

For more really interesting information about this holiday

click here...good stuff, I promise!

May Prosperity Be With You! :)

"If you are planning for a year, sow rice;

if you are planning for a decade, plant trees;

if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people."
~Chinese Proverb

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember;

involve me and I'll understand."
~Chinese Proverb

A Quick Fix...

...For the winter blaaaahs...

The British Cactus and Succulent Society!

Click here for a quick, creative, "eye candy" cure...

(just select a favorite...stare a screen and say "Ahhh!")

For more "Extreme Cases"...

its best to get comfy, pull out sketchbook, and begin drawing!

View dosage can be increased if patient is really blue...

or

if found inhabiting the extremely cold northern regions of blogdom.

Rx by : Dr. Margaret :)

Refillable 365 times yearly!

"Lotus, Water, Growth..."

... #2 in a series
of Ancient Egyptian inspired
Zen-art!

"To keep the body in good health is a duty,

... and keep our mind strong and clear.

Water surrounds the lotus flower,

but does not wet its petals."
~Buddha

"The Big Sale..."

...at Bath & Body Works...

50-75% off my favorites due to new designs in packaging!

What a deal!

I purchased my goodies the day I fell and am just now

unpacking them today...one week later.

FYI...
This sketch was drawn lead free...on the shopping bag from the store,

and from start to finish...ink to scanner...

it took me just over 45 minutes

to complete. :)

Also...

As an aside to this post...I want to send

my deepest and sincerest thanks out to each and every one...

...for your cheerful and concerned get well comments

left here and on Flickr.

My hand is feeling so much better...especially with the new splint.

What a wonderful, supportive on line community we have.

You all continue to rock my world each day!

"Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,

Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better,

Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,

Put the lime in the coconut,

and call me in the moooooorning..."

~Harry Nilsson, lyrics

"This song is driving me nuts!

I can't get it out of my head...been singing it all mooorning...

...Cuz...you put the lime in the coconut and..."

~Me

"Three Fingers Free..."

...in my "brand spanking new" splint!

Surgery at this point is not anywhere on the radar! Whew!

And...get this...

only 3 weeks until it can come off...

but only... if I'm a "good girl" and follow Doctor's orders. :)

Hmmm...

This I can do...this I can definitely DO!

WOO...HOO!

"Time is generally the best doctor."
~Ovid

"Painting With Lacquer..."

...my toes

while awaiting my afternoon medical appointment

with an orthopedic hand specialist.

I hope the cast they make will be smaller

than this ulnar splint I have been lugging around lately!

For a bit of fun...

click here where you will get to "try on"

various colors of nail polish from OPI...It's really cool!

You get to choose your skin tone...category of colors...then specific hues.

I love going there to play!

BTW...Which was your favorite??

"A Picture is Worth..."

...A Thousand Words...
And what a glorious day is was for pictures!

These were my favorite photos of this historic day.

I couldn't drag myself from the television...kleenex at my side.

(PHOTO SOURCES: Associated Press, Reuters)

"Let it be said by our children's children

that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end,

that we did not turn back nor did we falter;

and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us,

we carried forth that great gift of freedom

and

delivered it safely to future generations."

~President Barack Obama

Source: Inaugural Address...January 20, 2009

"Feeling Whimsical..."

...My pen, my Moly, and me...!

#1 in a series

of Ancient Egyptian inspired

Zen-art!

"It has to be fun. Whimsy and wonder are important.

Keeping things light makes it easier for people to look at them."
~Heather Kent

"Believe In Now...!"

...is the slogan of this year's Super Bowl.

Well,

on Sunday... the "underdog"

Arizona Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles

32-25

to win the NFC Championship

and

are headed to Tampa, Florida for Super Bowl XLIII

to be played February 1, 2009!

Unbelievable!!!

Who would have ever thought !? WooHoo!

Happy Cactus Monday All!

Say, Hey...

Why not do something artistically unbelievable today!

"Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail."
~Charles F. Kettering

American engineer, inventor of the electric starter, 1876-1958

"Fractured Art..."

Yep! That's my hand indeed...

In a split second...on a gorgeous Arizona day...I was on the ground...

right there on the asphalt

in the Super Target parking lot on Lake Pleasant Road.

Dang! I had no idea one could trip on sunshine!

Geesch!

My left hand caught the trauma of the event

and swelled up immediately.

After cleaning out the abrasion and getting ice to reduce the swelling

we headed straight for the ER.

The rest is journaled above...the sketches done while waiting

and the info added later at home.

From start to finish this escapade took 4 hours plus...

not my idea of a fun sketch crawl!

And...as I write this post...yes...it hurts...

local pharmacies were closed by the time I was released...

so I hope Tylenol arthritis does the trick

until we can get the "good stuff".

"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey."
~Kenji Miyazawa

"Sticks and stones may break my bones,

but words will make me go in a corner and cry by myself for hours."
~ Eric Idle

"IF: PALE..."

Illustration Friday January, 16, 2009:

"Pale"

"It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear,

but the pale and the hungry-looking."

~Julius Caesar

"The tones of gray, pale turquoise and pink will prevail."

~Christian Dior

"The moon's an arrant thief,

And her pale fire she snatches from the sun."
~William Shakespeare