Farewell to 2023

 

Feliz Navidad

 

Time to Enroll

 

Calling all creative types!  

Beginning in early January my virtual Zentangle art classes resume, including the offerings from the Evanston Art Center.  The link below contains all the details, including costs, supply lists and so forth.  

It is a lot of fun with a supportive group, step-by-step instructions and basic materials you probably already have at home.  Check out the info via the link below, and I will see you on Thursdays starting January 11.

https://www.evanstonartcenter.org/school/search/instructor_s_/29692

Like Kiddos

 

This year my husband and I got a new Christmas tree -- it is prelit with all sorts of lighting options and a remote to easily change the settings that control color, frequency, patterns and so on.  He loved the notion of having all of those options AND a remote.  And, I must admit, having that tree has really been fun as we explore all the possibilities. Each day is a new light show in our living room. 

And, regarding ornaments, we opted for lighthearted fun pieces that make us laugh as well as those that recall things we enjoyed as youngsters -- and still do.  So, yep, I still love Barbie, dance and mermaids plus all sorts of bright vibrant colors.  In case you wondered, the three seen here are ornaments from the 2023 Hallmark collection, including Mythical Mermaids, Barbie Mermaid, and Barbie Beautiful Ballerina.

"Who says we have to grow up?"

                                                                                      --Walt Disney

Winter Expo

Annually the Evanston (Illinois) Art Center offers artists an opportunity to exhibit and sell their amazing creations in the Winter Expo.  After applying and being accepted by a juror, the work begins in earnest....for example, year after year I find myself asking the same questions:

What do I want to create?  

What will appeal to holiday shoppers?  

What is a fair price?  

Can I create enough inventory for the entire month? 

And then, without always knowing the perfect answers to the above questions, I dig in and get creative spending hours and hours absorbed in my craft.

This year I loved tangling on these wooden stars -- ornaments or not.  Anywhere they land, they are adorable.

So, consider supporting me and other artists as well as the Evanston Art Center.  If you don't live in Chicagoland, consider a phone call to inquire about sales over the phone.  Or, reach out to me directly and request something specific.

 

Union Station KC

 

"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style. 

In the air, there's a feeling of Christmas..." 

                                                                 — Bing Crosby, “Silver Bells”

“Christmas is the keeping-place for 

memories of our innocence.” 

                                                                                  — Joan Mills

Light the Night

 

Annually on Thanksgiving night the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City is a destination for those wanting to see millions of tiny lights illuminate the area for the holiday season.  It's festive, fun, full of energy and definitely something beautiful.  Have a look.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” 

                                                                                     — Helen Keller

La Flor de La Nochebuena

 

“Reason clears and plants the wilderness of 

the imagination to harvest the wheat of art.” 

                                                            – Austin O’Malley 

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, 

and try to keep it all the year.”

                                                                         --Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol

Nod to November

“November at its best—with a sort of delightful menace in the air.”

                                                              --Anne Bosworth Greene

A Favorite

If you have followed my blog, there is a strong possibility you have already seen this image as I love posting photos from my collection of these big birds.  

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, may today be an opportunity to rest, laugh, interact with loved ones, notice abundance and let gratitude occupy a space in your heart.

Gobble.  Gobble.

 

Put Pen to Paper

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."

                                                                    --Pablo Picasso

"One eyes sees, the other feels."

                                                                                        --Paul Klee

 

Abundance

 

"Take time to enjoy the season for autumn's beauty and treasures are bountiful and her harvest abundant."

                                                                              --Jacqueline Cooper

Veteran's Day

 

"Our debt to the heroic men and women in the service of our country can never be repaid.  

They have earned our undying gratitude.  America will never forget their sacrifices."

                                                                                                  --Harry S. Truman

Busy Beavers

 

In the past couple months I started to notice various things that suggested beavers were feverishly working in the woods alongside the river where I frequently walk.  And, then one day I found a tree horizontal on my path.  Yep, it was clear from the details that these creatures were definitily working to fortify their lodge for the coming winter.  

They are amazing, and I am captivated by their efforts.  And, I feel lucky to be able to easily observe their progress.  Seeing this is something beautiful.

A Masterpiece

"Sunset is the opening music of the night."

                                                                                     -- Mehmet Murat ildan

Hanging Around

 "Don't wait for inspiration.  

It comes while working."

                                                                                      --Henri Matisse

Halloween Fun

"My Halloween costume was so bad that 

people opened their doors and took candy from me."

                                                                                 --Glen Nesbitt

"Sisters!  All Hallows' Eve has become a night of frolic, 

where children wear costumes and run amok."

                                                                    --Winifred Sanderson, Hocus Pocus

"Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?"

                                                        --Linus, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

 

Seeing Both Sides

"Every truth has two sides; 

it is as well to look at both, 

before we commit ourselves to either."

-                                                                                                                            -Aesop

 

It's That Time

 

Recently Reiman Gardens, on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa, hosted the annual autumn happening known as "Spirits in the Gardens."  It is spectacular to walk through the multi-acre property and take in the diverse and precisely carved jack o' lanterns that illuminate the night.  And there are more than a few pumpkins -- there are hundreds, at least.  Look for more images in coming posts from my visit to this festive event.

"The fifth one said, 'I'm ready for some fun!' "

                                                                          --Five Little Pumpkins

Inside & Out

 

"If I were a bird, I would fly about the Earth seeking the consecutive autumns."

                                                                         --George Eliot

Autumn Splendor

"Autumn carries more gold in its pocket 

than all the other seasons."

                                                                                        --Jim Bishop

 

Sunrise

 "Next time a sunrise steals your breath

 or a field of flowers leaves you speechless, 

remain that way."

                                                                                       --Max Lucado

Black & Orange

 

Are your creative juices flowing?  With early autumn, cooler temperatures and pumpkins everywhere, I am typically inspired to make something that also reflects the season.  Hmmmm....Do I love orange?  YES! Obviously, I love orange and often incorporate it in my work.  Plus, some of my favorite subjects to photograph are pumpkins and gourds...ahhhhh... Each one of them speaks to my heart. Essentially, it is fall, I love the season and plan to feature all sorts of cool seasonal favorites in upcoming posts.

It Came From....

If you viewed my post from Oct 2nd, it is obvious I came across a spider that was easy to photograph.  And seeing these images provides more details.  On this white stone sculpture, the long-legged creature looked like a hair accessory.  Anyway, with Halloween just ahead, I am certain this spider will reappear in upcoming photos.  Stay tuned.

"The best things in life are silly."

                                                                                                    --Scott Adams