"Silken Effects..."

...the "Silk Sari" collection...

a product of loose painting on a rainy day in the desert.

More to come...:)

"With time and patience

the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown."
~Chinese Proverb

"On Wildflower Watch..."

...here in Arizona...:)

(Click on image for a fresh breath of Spring)

This shot was taken at the Desert Botanical Gardens

in Phoenix

while I was on a sketch crawl

two years ago...toward the end of March.

I can't wait

until the desert is in full bloom again

and share that with you...

but, until then...

click HERE for the latest updates

of "what is blooming where" in Arizona!

Have a "Happy Blooming Tuesday"...

and keep the faith:

Spring IS coming to an area near you soon!

"Squeeking By..."

...with a rather lame "Cactus Monday " post

of this spiky (cactus inspired?) mandala

drawn in my

zen journal a couple of weeks ago.

Sorry folks...

the ole artistic Muse isn't up to 100% yet. :)

The greatest wealth is health.

~Virgil

"A Butterfly Swap..."

...at Illustrated ATCs

a perfect way to herald the coming of Spring. :)

Mine fluttered out ...3 for the trade...plus a hostess card...

and these fluttered in...

L-R from

"Blackdog" in Texas, Kat in North Carolina,
and Linda in Australia...:)

"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued,

is always just beyond your grasp,

but which, if you will sit down quietly,

may alight upon you."
~Nathaniel Hawthorne

"Taking Two Steps Back..."

...feeling more Bleh than before.

So, the beat goes on...and history repeats itself...

almost one year to the day!

See the original full page illos of my progress from

these very same symptoms

at the very same time last year...here and here!

I guess there are some things

one never out grows!

"Several Notes to Self..."

Note #1:

One must practice if one is to improve...
...And/Or...
Note #2:
learn how to digitally flip it over to the "dark side"...
where one's mistakes
take on a whole different light!
What a mess!

"Practice like good musician; draw every day."
~Sergei Bongart

"Bountiful and Beauteous Mail Art..."

...From Debi in Illinois...
...from Lisa in Arkansas...

...from soulful Joss in London, U.K....

...from Carey in California...

...from Lucie in Quebec, Canada...

...from Lubna in the U.K....

...from Elina in Finland...

...from Lisa in Arkansas...

...from Heidi in Saute Ste Marie, Canada...

and lastly, another from Carey in California!

My ATC collection

is growing in leaps and bounds

and each little artwork is a treasure...bar none...:)
If you have a minute...grab a nice cuppa...

and pop in

on these lovely artists.

Enjoy! :)

"Raw and on Fire..."

...this is exactly what the inside of my throat feels like.

Chloraseptic and Cepacol

have now become my intimate companions.

Bleh!

Now, here's some food for thought:

"Only in America -

do drugstores make the sick

walk all the way to the back of the store

to get their prescriptions

while healthy people can buy cigarettes

at the front of the store."

~Author Unknown

"A Matter of Perspective..."

Whether it be a "foggy dawn"...or...
a silent "midnight snowfall"...
mankind continues to get lost in the beautiful depth
of Mother Nature...:)

Illustration Friday : Perspective

"If you do not raise your eyes
you will think
that you are the highest point."
~Antonio Porchia

"A Barrel and a Pear..."

...served up sunny "desert style" just for you!

Happy Cactus Monday!

Happy March!

“It was one of those March days

when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:

when it is summer in the light,

and

winter in the shade.”
~Charles Dickens

"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!

"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

"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

"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!

"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

"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. :)

♥

"Join Me..."

...for cocktails, music, and appetizers

while strolling

through the Desert Botanical Garden

in Phoenix by starlight

and seeing night blooming cacti

in all their glory...

and

beautifully lit sculptures

by 20th century American Indian artist

Allan Houser...:)

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!

"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

"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