Resolutions

I have been so busy lately with work and making Christmas gifts, and the house, out of town trips, and (OH NO) the Scrabble App on Facebook, that I haven't had time to update my poor, negleted blog. However, I am going to do better in the new year. Along with being a better friend, daughter, spouse, and mother to my two felines. Along with just being a better person in general. I am going to try to remember that Helen Keller only had 24 hours in every one of her days, and look at what she accomplished in her lifetime. I am going to get back to my watercolors, and back to perusing blogland, where inspiration flows like a river, and remember how very lucky I am to partake in all this joyous beauty.

My First Blog Award

I am so grateful and flattered that Paula at Tattered Gold gave me the following blog award.  My very first and I love it,because it's from someone with a truly gorgeous, thought provoking blog, and a beautiful heart, and also, just because the award itself is just lovely, lovely. 
I am supposed to pass this on to 15 lovely blogs.  So after much thought, and because all of these blogs and bloggers are friends, artists, inspirational, beautiful, touching, soulful, gracious, and truly lovely, I pass this on.
Just copy the photo of your choice, add it to your blog and pay it forward.
...at the shores
...by the hill
wild.precious
Vintage Susie & Wings
The Purple Caravan
A Million Words Project
nigeArt
Latitude (...and longitude)
The Shabby Chic Bohemian
The Gypsy Magpie
the gypsy's travel journal
The Rusty Cage
Raiders of the Lost Art Room
Kelly's Art Journaling
Pieces of Me

Thanks again, Paula.  For everything.

Post for Purple Hum

 "All grown-ups were once children... but only a few of them remember it."
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Once upon a time, far away, and long ago, there were three young girls who listened to Pink Floyd and called themselves Moon.  They shared secrets and dreams, and  always knew they'd stay friends forever.  Well, forever is a long time, and it's here right now.  Live it.  Love and Peace forever, your Blue Fix

Chase Your Passion

Photo taken in Athens, Greece, July 2010.  May we all be inspired by the World and hold on tight.

Blog Block Apology

Open up those windows and start fresh.

I can't believe that it's been nearly three months since I've done a blog, and can't really explain why. It's been a very strange time, but I'm determined to get to all those bloggers that I have come to consider friends. All of those blogs that inspired and fed me color, and light, and joy. I can only apologize to those of you who emailed me, and thank you for your thoughtfullness and caring. I'm determined to make a fresh start, and hope to do better, and thanks to all of you who have not given up on me.

Greece

Istanbul, Turkey

Today is the first day of....

Doors of Greece & My Scattertwig Mind

 

I can't believe how hard it's been to get myself together after this last vacation.  I took over 950 pictures over three weeks and I haven't done much with them.  I usually have an album done two days after returning, but it took me two weeks to find an album big enough and worthy enough of those magical days. 
I have enjoyed looking at your blogs though, and they inspire me beyond measure, as always.  Hopefully tomorrow will be the day I leave this scattertwig mind behind.  Mostly, I just want to say thanks for looking and hanging in there.

Exhausted but still Befunkied from my Vacation

These are all images from Greece and Istanbul, Turkey. Had an incredible time, and was sorry to see it end. Upon flying back into Philly, had the most incredible long weekend with old high school friends, most of which I hadn't seen in 30 years. What a lovely, lovely group of people, and I feel so lucky to have reconnected with all of them. (Reading this, Andrea?)

Saw all your nice messages on my previous post, and know that I have so missed checking out all your beautiful blogs and plan to do a serious catch-up this weekend. I can't wait to be inspired and touched and awed by everything I've missed.

Off to Wonderlands!

These are postcards I've received from other postcard loving strangers through Postcrossing.com.

Tomorrow I start my trek through these three wonderlands, Germany, Greece and Turkey, and I won't be back until about a month from now.

I will miss all my blogger friends and wish you all a lovely next summer month!

A Beautiful Place to Grow

A card for my Stairway to Heaven, reggae lovin', London livin', Lady Godiva friend Lorraine and her new husband Lynn. Heartbroken that I can't be there to celebrate with them. May their marriage be a beautiful place to grow.
Made with watercolors, markers, scrapbook piece by Jolee for you, and my cat Jeunefille's lovely hair living again as clouds. She doesn't mind, she has acres of clouds to spare.
p.s. TWO blogs in one day. What's up with that, I wonder???

Friday BeFunky World View

The view from my back porch. Sometimes we see egrets and big turtles. Sometimes when it rains really hard, little crabs find their way into my living room.

The sky has been extra wonderful lately, the clouds skipping and scattering into my dreams.

Who knows when this gate was broken? Perhaps the vines needed more air & light.

ATC's Around the World Challenge

Today I read the latest post at The Shabby Chic Bohemian which is the beautiful home of Sharon. I was truly touched and wanted to share the story of Beth Meador who is a wonderful artist with only 1% of her vision remaining. Following is almost exactly what Sharon wrote, because I couldn't say it better:

Beth has retinitis pigmentosa which means that she suffers from retinal degeneration and will lose her sight completely eventually. Her challenge is to get her art and her story out all over the world, to raise awareness of this and similar conditions, for which there is no cure, before she loses her sight completely. She is a member of the Milliande artist group and she put out a call for people willing to receive an ATC from her with the aim to get to as many regions of the world with her story. If you are a member of the group and live in an area of the world where there are not too many artists (so not the UK, USA, Canada, etc.) she would particularly like to hear from you. However, I did notice on her page that she has sent multiple cards to some of the more "common" countries. If you are not a member, but would like to find out more about this project and Beth's progress, please use the links provided below. Please help her to reach her goal and spread the word. Thank you.

You can check out the Millande artist group at: http://www.milliande.ning.com/ and look at Beth's page directly at www.milliande.com/Beth-Meador-Blind-Girl-Artist.html
The Shabby Chic Bohemian is at http://www.theshabbychicbohemian.blogspot.com/ and it's a lovely place to hang out a while!

Reinventing Chalmers Street

I spent the afternoon painting Chalmers Street. In 1712, the Pink House served as a sailor's tavern. It's done with watercolors and markers.
Earlier today, on Diane's beautiful blog, I found a "blog hop" that's going on, and spent quite some time checking out all the incredible blogs out there. If you are interested in participating, look at the right side of my blog for details.
Sunday's almost over, and the muted sound of lawnmowers sadly humming can be heard in the distance...

No. 17 Golden Lane...Postcard & my new Journal

I sang Please Mr. Postman on my way home this afternoon, and VOILA, my beautiful new journal from the Etsy shop of my fabulous artist friend Andrea, arrived today! Her shop is located at www.etsy.com/shop/bluehighways .

You should check it out!

Received a beautiful postcard from Kattys of Golden Lane in Prague. I loved it so much that above is my interpretation made with markers & watercolors.

Thanks Kattys!

Romanian Rainbow

So I spent nearly all day doing this piece. My inspiration was a photograph by Jacqueline Jones. I loved the houses, the rainbow of colors, the shapes, the bursting with life quality of it all.

AWATB: Funky Friday 2

The sky was so beautiful, I kept looking upward.

AWATB: Life on King Street and Behind the Gates

Another walk around the block with the help of Befunky.

Technicolor Dreams of Amy's Fence

A piece I did from Amy's 'A Million Words Project'. The bottom picture is the original. I inverted the colors in the top picture. I love the original photo, and thanks to Amy for letting me doodle with it.

Trio of Middleton Chairs

Once again, playing with BeFunky.

A picture I took at Middleton Place in April.

Card for Susana Banana

Happy birthday to my fabulous friend, Susan!

Mail, Glorious Mail!

I love mail. Really.

Yesterday I received the beautiful antique card from Paula at Tattered Gold, a Waterhouse postcard as a gift from a Postcrossing friend, my nieces confirmation graduation in Germany and today I received the palm tree from Ann Vivian, a friend of mine from 7th grade when I lived in Lousiana.

My mailbox is doing back flips!

Doorway Around the Block

I take a lot of walks around the block while I'm at work at the Main Library downtown.
This is my favorite doorway, and I love to watch it change with the seasons, mild as they generally are.

Hat Puzzle

A House in Chalkis, Greece

I guess you have to have an open mind for this one, because my husband said the cracks underneath the window look like a giant clam shell. Now that's all I can see.

Just Another Walk Around the Block

A couple of photos I took this week and after playing around with
befunky.com again, this is what I ended up with.
Happy funky Friday!

A Chair to Sit In Postcard

For Sumiko in the U.K. who likes homemade cards. My mother told me once long ago a story about "just wanting a nice chair to sit in." I love you Mom! Happy Mother's Day.

Yesterday a Child Came out to Wander

Thanks to Joni Mitchell for the lyrics of my life and to David for making my Beacon Hill dream come true. All the inspiration I needed on a Friday night, as well as the seasons going 'round and 'round. (p.s. Annie's music, as well).

The Fisherman's House

From a photo taken by Jeffrey Becom, from the book Mediterranean Color. A house in Portugual.

Postcards for Jackie

Top is my interpretation of an African Daisy. Bottom is my take on a photo from Jackie's Blog. Both are pencil, markers, and watercolors.