You Can Do It!

I've been busy juggling many creative learning curves!
I'm not one for taking it slow. I like to plunge in and truly immerse myself in whatever it is that I decide to learn by shutting off everything else for a while!
Sometimes I have my own doubts about my capabilites or talent.  Imagine how refreshing this video was for me when I discovered it as I was reading the many posts I have missed on the page of my  'flying lessons' group .

I  love this little spark!
Enjoy!

Ooops!!

I don't know how I forgot to mention this free 5 week interactive watercolor live online class!
I realised  some of you  from Flying Lessons might have wanted to sign up for the live classes  which started today!  Not to worry, there is still next Friday. Today was an introduction but if you want to follow through with the rest of the classes here is how you can  sign up for Molly's FREE webinar series, "Watercolor 101" and  "Learn about color, papers, brushes, drawing and composition, as well as many great painting techniques that will help you create your own special works of art."

http://creativelive.com/courses/watercolor101/

 Molly is  a great teacher I found. There is also a chance to win some art material from Daniel Smith for retwitting about the class!

Happy weekend !

How do we choose?

As a subscriber of TED talks, I sometimes get in my inbox a talk that takes me to a deeper level. Going through some changes and choice making  recently, I was  taken by what Sheena Iyengar shared in her research. I thought I would share it here. Enjoy!

Happy Weekend!

I'm off to core some beads with my little coring machine!
I used to core my glass beads by hand, a much more laborious and sometimes unhappy experience when the occasional bead would crack under the hammer!

Then along came  Dave  and his sweet little 'Impress', and the rest is history!

I love tools that make my work easier.. This one gets 10/10 in the long list of tools I use in my work. Beadmakers are known ''tools-aholics ! I invented this word right now, but it's the truth.. LOL!

 Have delightful weekend doing what you love best! xxoxx

Thank you Harvey Ball!

"Never in the history of mankind or art has any single piece of art gotten such widespread favor, pleasure, enjoyment, and nothing has ever been so simply done and so easily understood in art." 
~Harvey Ball


Isn't it interesting how sometimes, as you search on the web for something like a recipe or what have you,  somehow you end up someplace else not intended but that surprises you with a delightful  bit of information you didn't know?




The Story : In the early 60s State Mutual Life Assurance of Worcester, MA initiated a merger that had bad effects on company morale. In 1964, State Mutual cooked up a “friendship campaign” to get employees to smile whenever they answered the phone, paid a claim, or typed a report. The company turned to Harvey Ball for graphic support. Ball reported that he spent about 10 minutes designing the smiley face, and he was paid $45 for it. This was the only profit that Ball ever made from his most famous creation. Neither Ball or the insurance company trademarked or copyrighted the smiley face. In the early 1970s, the smiley face image became a symbol for an entire generation of Americans, emerging as one of the most well-known images in the country.
The smiley face craze, was the work of two brothers in Philadelphia, Bernard and Murray Spain, who were in the business of making would-be fad items. In September of 1970 they drew up a smiley face added the words "Have a nice day," and copyrighted the image and words. Soon they and their many imitators were cranking out buttons, posters, greeting cards, shirts, bumper stickers, cookie jars, earrings, bracelets, key chains, and many other items. The fad lasted about a year and half; the number of smiley buttons produced by 1972 was estimated at 50 million.

Dear Blog....

I'll be  back soon...
Rushing around trying to get caught up with some urgent things...xx

Two for the price of one- Cherries anyone?

 I found these Siamese pair in the bowl of cherries I was eating last night at 2:00am..

It brought me back to the time when I lived in Sydney... In the summertime we would drive, kids, family and friends, away from the city heat to the countryside and the cherry orchards. When we got there each was provided with a large colored plastic bucket so we could pick cherries right off the tree. Needless to say, we ate more off the tree than what went in the bucket!!  It was all included in the price though.. The day would always end with a lovely picnic and much laughter!

I met a man the other day who reminded me that the most important thing is always the present moment..So true!

Don't Worry...

Sometimes when in the midst of our own personal storms, we forget that  there is always a light at the end of our own dark tunnel.  I've been through it, you've been through it or still going through it...
We're all navigating in the sea of life  and this sea sometimes rocks our boat with violence as we learn  to be better sailors ...

This song is dedicated to those of us that are dealing with difficulties right now..

Keep the trust!
With love, May the Blessings Be!

RED

We went  scouting around for skeleton keys again  few days ago  and I found a bunch I was happy with so we bought them! This one above is part of the group.   Shhhhs...I'm  fast becoming a horder of skeleton keys!!

This one is going on Etsy as soon as I can decide if I want to add any more dangles or not..Sometimes less is more, right?  I have a bunch I made.. let me  tell,  you it's  great fun!

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Lost Generation...

This video came in my inbox today from a dear friend in Australia..
Perhaps some of you have seen it..It's new to me and I found it to be profund..
Enjoy!

"A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward.

This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward.

Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.

This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant!

Make sure you read as well as listen...forward and backward.

This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old.

The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place .

When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant.

Take a minute and watch it."

Happy Monday!

This time of the year I love when  my magnolia tree gifts me with gorgeous flowers!

Incidentally, so you  know, and don't think I have flipped my lid, this blog look is undergoing a face lift that may span a few weeks till I find what feels right for me and is  easy reading  on the eyes for you  ..  So bear with  me as I play with blogger's  new many templates options or create my own ..

Feedback is welcomed!

You still have time!

I'm having such a blast being part of
Kelly Rae’s wonderful e-course community!!
You are still in time to join us all there if you wish... Registration is still open. I guarantee you will be totally nurtured, informed and inspired!

I'm off to buy a cool father's day gift!

Here today, gone...

Few days ago I stepped out my back door almost on top of this feather...

 I was tempted to pick it up then decided to let it be what it was, a feather...outside my door...

 Did the cat bring it?

Every morning I took a picture and sidestepped it on my way out to the studio.

This morning the feather was gone. I looked about curious to see where it could have gone, but it was nowhere to be seen in my back yard.. We have had no rain or wind these past few days..

Where do feathers go when they are not wanted anymore? Just wondering...

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

I’m off to fire up the torch and play with
off- mandrel hearts!

In the pink!

I've been resisting making beads on a key for some time.. It seemed complicated.

I relented few months ago and made this little gift for my daughter Trish.
I added the little sterling silver animal paw because she has a darling little dog. She loved it!

For me one of the best things about making beads on a key is scouting for skeleton keys in odd places. It adds to the fun.


Last Sunday we went to Boerne and there I found a nice bunch of skeleton keys in a little shop!

I got excited especially when I found a BIG skeleton key. This one key I'm tempted to keep and make something for myself..maybe!

Life choices...

Time to regroup and have fun again!

Stay tuned as I make my way through the maze of decisions...
Life is about the choices we make...

Choose well...