connection, gratitude & hope

Sharing our thoughts & creations takes courage, but the rewards are worth the effort and with each step, connections are made & confidence grows. The creative blogging community is a wonderful web of support & encouragement that is sometimes hard to find in one's local community. Though we don't all have the same tastes and preferences (how boring would that be?), we look for something good in each new soul we encounter. I thank all the wonderful friends I've made through blogging, and welcome the new friends who have recently become "followers."

One of my new pals, Tammy at Bonsai Habits, posted this video on her blog last week. It's such an important message, I'm passing it along too. I hope you'll take a few minutes to take it in....



Believe,
Di

OWOH winner

OWOH = WOW! I am so glad I made the effort to participate in this wonderful event. I haven't even scratched the surface when visiting all the fabulous creative souls & their blogs. Heck, I haven't even read the comments on my own blog (I'm sorry for this ~ it's on the top of my to-do list for tomorrow!). For now, it's February 17 pm and time to announce my winner. Drum roll please...
#131.... Nicole at Beadwright! Nicole, I'll contact you for your book choice and mailing address.

My sincere thanks to all the visitors to my blog during this event. I'm anxious to read the comments tomorrow as well as continue visiting others from the event.

Believe,
Di

Walking Through Illusion

This week's snowstorm took out our internet last night, so I curled up & finished a good book I'd started in January. I don't normally share much on my blog about the books I read, but this book was different and since it's not a best seller or on Oprah's list, I want to get the word out about it. It's Walking Through Illusion by Betsy Otter Thompson. Here's the description on the back cover:

"Walking Through Illusion features a series of short stories about biblical people who either knew Jesus or knew of him, and were influenced by him in one way or another. It is about people who lived long before Christianity began. The author believes that we don't take our beliefs with us when we leave here; we take the love we found from having them.

"Each chapter focuses on the growth of a particular person and each chapter is complete within itself with a specific theme. The end of each chapter has a worksheet with questions, designed to bring the ideas from the book into the reader's everyday life in a meaningful way."

Let me share up front that I'm not Christian nor do I know much of the bible. As such, I was a bit skeptical about reading this book. However, I do pride myself on being open-minded & inquisitive, and I thoroughly enjoy books that help me grow & evolve so I decided to give it a try. While I believe it would've been an easier read if I had known something about these biblical characters, my naivete meant I came to the stories with no preconceived notions. Topics addressed included Morality, Approval, Confusion, Death, etc. (23 in all). Most of the stories were easily relatable to my own modern day life. To help with that connection, the author shared her own personal insights on each story/lesson. I would not have guessed it when I read those first few pages, but I ended up highlighting multiple passages in the book, having been touched by them, and even tabbing a few powerful pages. I'm very glad I opened my heart & mind to this book. It was well worth the time.

If you too pursue personal growth, or just enjoy a good read, I recommend Walking Through Illusion. http://www.betsythompson.com

One World One Heart 2011

Last night was the official kickoff of One World One Heart 2011. I am excited to participate this year and want to thank Lisa Swifka for hosting this wonderful event. I'm anxious to blog hop all over the world the next couple of weeks, meeting other bloggers and peeking into their worlds. We are all alike in one way or another, and it's fun to uncover those similarities and learn from our differences.

Oh, silly me... introductions....

Hello, and welcome to my blog! My name is Dianna but my friends call me Di. I live in central Iowa, USA. Having worked in the corporate world my entire adult life, I decided a few years back it was time to nurture the other side of my brain/self. When I could make time in my schedule, I started dabbling in various creative areas, starting first with silk flowers & greeting cards and more recently playing around with mixed media, jewelry, essential oils, a wee bit of photography, etc. I've been having a blast! The biggest challenge has been finding time & energy while working a full time (plus) job. That issue is being resolved for me, as I'm one of 1,500 being laid off at our company. My last day will be 2/15/11, so while I've been busy & will continue to be busy finding a new job, I intend to find one that affords me more time to enjoy life & express myself through creative activities! One of these days I hope to land on one or two creative outlets that truly make my heart sing AND bring joy to others. My dream is to take that creative outlet and turn it into career in some way (hey, a girl's gotta have goals, right?). In the meantime, I want a job supporting someone else reaching their goal. When I'm not working, I'll continue learning, practicing & sharing various art & crafts.

The on-line creative community (bloggers, yahoo groups, etc.) has become an important part of my life, just like creating/crafting is now integral to who I am.

Anyhoooo, I encourage you to roam around my site. If you have a question, comment or suggestion about anything, please let me know.

Oh, and as a thank you for visiting my blog, if you are an active worldwide blogger & leave a comment on this OWOH post between 1/30/11 and 2/17/11 (with a way for me to contact you in the event you win), you name will be entered in a drawing. One lucky blogger will win this bookmark I made along with her/his choice of one of the following books (just three of my favorites, and don't worry, the winner will receive a new book and not my marked up, written in, tabbed version).

• Life is a Verb by Patti Digh
• I Can Do It by Louise L. Hay
• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

I'll draw the winning name on 02/17/11.

Believe,
Di

craigslist virgin no more

Well, I made my first craigslist purchase this evening. While I don't typically get pulled in by trends and such, I've been taken in over the past couple of years by the versatility of dress forms. Keeping my eye open for an inexpensive one for many months now, I stumbled across this one late last week. She reminds me of my late-teen days working in the dress/gift shop. I can't wait to clean her up so she adds a bit of style to my craft room!

I hope you too are enjoying unexpected delights this week.

Believe,
Di

you are worth the time

This message is too important not to share...



Thank you, Jan Phillips.

bookmark swap

It's been many months since I participated in any of the activities in the Yahoo groups I'm in. I finally ended that cycle today. My plan was to make a bookmark from polymer clay, but for some reason the clay wouldn't harden so I switched gears and used metal. The recipient likes deep colors, nature-inspired themes, suns and moons so I choose jewel-toned ocean colors and end beads that have a sun on one side and moon on the other. The back reminds me of rain.

It was fun to make ~ I hope she likes it!

Believe,
Di

winter's splendor

Winter blessed central Iowa with so much beauty this morning, my heart was full...

May you too find peace & quiet beauty this last week of 2010.

Believe...
Di

it's the fifth & final but it's my first

Lisa over at A Whimsical Bohemian has announced the details for the fifth & final One World One Heart event. I plan to participate (my first time!). Won't you join, too?

haiku expressions - part 4

This is the last post for the collaborative challenge Phyll & I did. Here is the piece I created, followed by two haiku she wrote to express her interpretation of it:

The black hole confounds.
Man ponders its mystery,
But what if it's white?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I cut the black hole.
A total absence of light
Reflects in my eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Aren't these haiku thought-provoking? I really like what Phyll did with them!

As for the art, the background is something I started nearly a year ago and have added various layers to and tinkered with off and on for months, never quite sure what I'd use it for. When it came time for me to create a piece for our collaboration, I knew it would be the perfect starting place. I toyed with making it an underwater scene of some sort, but my love of moon and sun items won and thus it became cosmic space. The sun was made from Friendly Plastic (both stick and pellets) & alcohol inks. The moon too was made of FP. The photo doesn't show it well, but there's pearl ink forming craters. While I liked it the overall piece just like that, my intent was to illustrate balance.... internal balance.... but how? The idea of something busting through intrigued me, so I pursued it, adding the mirror to reflect on the viewer and imply the internal/personal balance breakthrough. Something like that anyway.... When my hubby saw it, his initial reaction was a black hole had consumed our earth. Then he saw it was a mirror and made some wisecrack about the universe revolving around him... LOL!! I like all our interpretations, and love that the piece has a voice at an individual level. It has become one of my favorites.

My thanks go out to Phyll for her creative talents, open mind, willingness to try anything and loads of patience! You are a true gem, Phyll!

Believe...
Di

haiku expressions - part 3

For the second half of our collaborative challenge, Phyll & I each created something artistic and the other wrote a haiku to represent it. Here is the intriguing piece Phyll created, followed by my interpretation, expressed via haiku.

traveling through time
they felt the pulsing rhythm
an eternal dance

Here's a close-up shot of some of the detail of Phyll's piece, so you can appreciate the work. She's truly got a knack for details!

My piece is done and as soon as I take a decent photograph of it for Phyll to work with, I'll share it along with what I'm sure will be a fantastic haiku from her.

Believe...

Di

haiku expressions - part 2

Phyll received my art piece so I can safely post a photo of it now. Phyll has a way with words, so I had a difficult time picking just one of several haiku she wrote. One, in particular, touched me, but my muse wasn't successful coming up with just the right visual representation to do it justice so I stepped away a few days and came back. This time, another haiku called to a part of me, and my muse was game! Here's the haiku Phyll wrote along with the piece I made to represent it:

I'm remembering

How mother loved fresh flowers

Tucked in every room.

She left me all her vases.

They don't fill the same.

Next up... we each create something artistic and the other writes a haiku to represent it. This should prove interesting! *smile*

Believe...
Di

haiku expressions - part 1

To challenge each other & ourselves, my online pal Phyll & I decided to try a collaboration. We each wrote a few haiku & the other person chose one and created a 5" x 7" representation. Here's the haiku I wrote & the beautiful representation piece I received from Phyll:

sweet nectar sustains

hovering so gracefully

blink and she is gone

The Friendly Plastic hummingbird is stunning! She's really taken FP places I haven't ventured yet. And isn't it cool how she incorporated an eye into the piece? Details! Art is in the details! Thank you, Phyll!

I'm mailing my piece to Phyll tomorrow, so will post a picture in the next few days.

Believe...

Di

meet "Heath"

or "Heather" ~ I haven't quite decided... {smile}

This precious & intricately detailed fairy chrysalis was created by the wonderfully talented Heather, over at Heather's Daydreams. I swear she must use powerful reading glasses AND a desktop magnifier to do this work...AND have extremely steady hands. It's quite impressive & she'd make a fortune if she'd sell them. Thank you, Heather! After the month I've had, your love & generosity brought tears to my eyes.

Yes, it's been a challenging month, but everyone has those so I won't dwell here. There's enough drama on tv ~ I don't want it on my blog. I'm finishing up a collaborative swap with my pal Phyll and will share the finished pieces soon. I've been chomping at the bit to share the eye-catching piece she created, so check back so you don't miss it.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a couple quotes...

"The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate and expand her sense of actual possibilities." ~ Adrienne Rich

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, to fly we need only embrace each other." ~ Jessamyn West

Believe...
Di

books aside

My free, gently-used art books didn't fly off the shelves like I thought they might but that's ok. I'm sure I'll find loving homes for them at some point. For now, I'm putting them aside to begin a creative collaboration with my online pal Phyll. She's worked with countless mediums and is always experimenting with new things. I'm anxious to see what she does. Heck, I'm anxious to see what I do, since it's been quite awhile since I've played on that side of the studio! LOL! I'll share the photos/scans of the pieces when they're done. For now, I'll leave you with a quote:

"The root meaning of the word art is "to fit together" and we all do this every day. Not all of us are painters, but we are all artists. Each time we fit things together we are creating -- whether it is to make a loaf of bread, a child, a day." ~ Corita Kent

recipients & a few more books to give away

I'm tickled to be able to pass along these books/publications to three lovely ladies:

• The Princess ~ The Art of Cartooning by Walter Foster
• Tami ~ Art Escapes ~ Daily Exercises & Inspirations for Discovering Greater Creativity & Artistic Confidence, by Dory Kanter
• Jodi ~ Artful Blogging, Aug/Sep/Oct '09 & Somerset Studio Sep/Oct '07, Nov/Dec '07, Mar/Apr '08 & Jul/Aug '09

Tami, would you please send an email to me with your mailing address? My email is shown on my profile ("about me") page.

Since I still have a few books/publications available, and have now added three more, I'll make another offer.

• Cloth Paper Scissors, July/August 2009
• Cloth Paper Scissors, September/October 2009
• Creative Cardmaking a Complete Guide, published by North Light Books
• Herbal Pleasures Cooking & Crafts by Katherine Richmond
• Old Age Is Always 15 Years Older Than I Am ~ a book of quotes that are great for making birthday cards
• Paper Crafting with Carol Duval
• Sew Crafty ~ Craft Projects That Are Sew Much Fun They'll Have You In Stitches by Heather Lancaster & Desiree Tanner
• The Stamper's Sampler June/July 2007
• The Ultimate Crafts Compendium, published by Hermes House

If you're interested, email me or leave a comment by 8/30/10 and let me know which one(s) you'd like. If more than one person asks for a particular item, I'll ask my dh to draw names from a hat. The items & shipping are free. I just ask that you only request what you'll actually read/use.

I'll announce winners 8/31/10 or shortly thereafter, and ask that mailing addresses be privately emailed to me at that time (if not already provided).

Enjoy every moment

Di

gently used art book give-away

Today is National Relaxation Day, and what better way to relax than with a good book? I've been doing a wee bit of downsizing and have some art books & publications to pass along (seems appropriate since August is National Artist Appreciation Month). I have the following items available:

• The Art of Cartooning by Walter Foster
• Art Escapes ~ Daily Exercises & Inspirations for Discovering Greater Creativity & Artistic Confidence, by Dory Kanter
• Artful Blogging, Aug/Sep/Oct 2009
• Cloth Paper Scissors, July/August 2009
• Cloth Paper Scissors, September/October 2009
• Creative Cardmaking a Complete Guide, published by North Light Books
• Paper Crafting with Carol Duval
• Somerset Studio, September/October 2007
• Somerset Studio, November/December 2007
• Somerset Studio, March/April 2008
• Somerset Studio, July/August 2009
• The Stamper's Sampler June/July 2007
• The Ultimate Crafts Compendium, published by Hermes House

If you're interested, email me or leave a comment by 8/22/10 and let me know which one(s) you'd like. If more than one person asks for a particular item, I'll ask my dh to draw names from a hat. The items & shipping (gulp, I may regret the shipping part) are free. I just ask that you only request what you'll actually read/use.

I'll announce winners 8/23/10 or shortly thereafter, and ask that mailing addresses be privately emailed to me at that time (if not already provided).

Choose Love,
Di

my 1st solo shop project since jr high

Well, it's not art, but I did create something this weekend...

I've used essential & carrier oils to blend my own body oils the past few years. It was a logical choice when the producer of my favorite body oil discontinued the product. I did a little research, purchased the supplies at a local store & just started experimenting. I found that while I loved the results, the oils were pricey locally & the choices somewhat limited. My supplies were dwindling. What to do?

Internet research indicated Young Living is a leader in essential oils so when my friend/massage therapist invited me to a YL seminar last month, I went to learn more. While their essential oils might indeed be some of the purest on the market, they are simply out of my price range. With more research, I found others that will meet my needs as well as my pocketbook

My reference guide & "ultimate aromatherapy set" arrived late last week. I was like a kid on their birthday! Where to start? What do to first? That was simple for someone who can't resist organizing things. Storage was the first order of business! The oils needed to be someplace they could be easily & quickly retrieved. The solution? Ask hubby to donate scrap wood and allow me to use his shop tools (being stubbornly independent, I'm tickled to say the only help I asked for & received from him was attaching the pneumatic staple gun to the air compressor).

Next step? Learn more about the oils themselves. Having found no classes locally, and not willing to pay the prices for what I've found for online classes (is it obvious I'm, shall we say, budget conscious? :), I'll set aside a little time here & there to read through the 300+ page book I ordered.

So what have you all been up to lately? I intend to blog hop later today/tonight to find out. First I'm driving about an hour north to mow my mother's yard & visit her & my aunt. I'm looking forward to the road time as I have a new audio CD that I'm thoroughly enjoying ~ "I Can Do It" by Louise L. Hay. Anyhoo... c'ya soon in blogland!

Love your life,

Di

what was I thinking?

A friend asked me to share what I was thinking when I created the emotion cards I posted last week. It felt good to be asked. I, for one, like it when the person who created something provides some insight into what they did, be it the technique, the reason for certain images, etc. Ask me questions any time....

Courageous ~ the photo is of a small, cracked glass garden globe. To me, it looks like a planet (I like sci-fi, Star Trek, etc.). It symbolizes the courage to explore and do things one has never done before. The bird in the trees is for the baby birds I've been watching this year as they learn to fly ~ again, courageous in my mind.

Fear ~ of being trapped (the web), of deception/betrayal (the poison), of no freedom/privacy (the eye) and of the unknown (the card).

Gratitude ~ gratitude it very important to me and a part of my daily life. When I was taking various photographs of the garden that day, I was studying this statue and trying to discern what emotion she portrays. Gratitude came to mind, and as it did, it felt right as I was simultaneously grateful for my life and just the blessing of being there in that moment. The attached flower & butterfly are appropriate for the garden scene and add dimension & texture.

Guilt ~ The scan didn't pick this up well. The word is cut from paper that I spray painted with a hammered metal finish so it looks like heavy steel to symbolize how guilt weighs a person down. The golden bottom layer is a polished stone technique using alcohol inks on glossy photo paper. It has a bit of a fiery/flame look I think and could represent a personal hell. Between the top & bottom layer is a mesh that I darkened to represent bars to reflect how guilt can cage a person.

It's looking to be another beautiful day in central Iowa today. I hope it will be the same wherever you are. Enjoy your day!

emotion cards

I'm participating in a 4" x 6" Emotion Cards swap in one of the Yahoo Groups I'm in. These are the four cards I created. It was such a fun process ~ coming up with which words I wanted to use & how I wanted to express each of them. While I have nothing against using non-copyrighted images in art and occasionally do, I prefer to use images I've photographed when I can. This allows me to incorporate my interest in photography with my art.

On a personal note & follow-up, the gray hair color I got in May lasted less than a week but thankfully, my hair grows relatively fast. In June I had another 2-3 inches cut so there's only about an inch or so of blond left on the top, which I'll have cut off in August. YAY! My transition will have taken just under a year. And while I love the look of long hair, I'm thoroughly enjoying the ease of short, wash-n-go hair. I just may keep it short for awhile...

the dragonfly --oops

6/14 AM update: oops! My friend Trace politely informed me off-blog that I had photographed a mayfly, rather than dragonfly. If you google 'mayfly' you'll learn, as I did, these are cool creatures too... not as cool as a dragonfly, IMO, but still amazing. Thanks, Trace!

Look at the wonderful little miracle the pizza delivery guy pointed out to my husband this evening, just outside our front door. I am fascinated by dragonflies, and have never before witnessed this event. My inner child was ecstatic! Dragonflies represent change in many cultures, as well as hope. It's a sign, I just know it. Most everything is, if we're only open to it.

koan

koan (kō′än)
n: a Zen Buddhist riddle used to focus the mind during meditation and to develop intuitive thinking

Q: How long should you stay at something?
A: However long it takes to get what you came for.
Q: How do you decide what you came for?
A: You don't, you discover it.
Q: How do you discover it?
A: You notice what isn't there anymore when you feel like leaving.

From "Refuse to Choose" by Barbara Sher.

change is in the air

I debated writing this post ~ it's a bit personal for my blog. But, I am a firm believer that we are all more alike than we sometimes feel. We all go through trying times. Life ebbs & flows. It's when we connect with each other & share ourselves that we truly live.

I've been wandering these past few months, allowing unprecedented work stress & family issues/responsibilities to consume me. What little free time I've had I've spent reading and just sitting... a little lost... searching... looking for my authentic self... the me I was created to be, not the person everyone else expects me to be. It's been an uncomfortable time, sensing a change is needed but not knowing what or how. Knowing something is coming.

In the last year, I've had my long brunette hair cut above my shoulders and dyed blond to allow the true salt & pepper color to grow in a little less noticeably (i.e. less skunk-like). This week I had much of that blond hair cut off and what was left, dyed to match my real silver/gray/pewter hair. It was liberating. And it's pushing me to move past this immobile stage I've been in and emerge anew. I don't know where this is going, and I know there will be challenges and trying times ahead, but I'm taking action & gaining momentum. As I learn things that others may find worthwhile, I'll share them.

As I write this, a Barry Manilow song from my youth comes to mind...

"Did you ever feel somethin' in the air

And you block it out, but you know it's there

Did you ever find, things about to change

I can see the signs all along my way

And I can feel that

Something's comin' up

And I don't know what it is

Something's comin' up

And I don't know where it's gonna take me

But there's something dyin'

Something bein' born "

And since you know I love quotes & I haven't shared any for awhile:

"A little stress and adventure is good for you, if nothing else, just to prove you are alive." ~ Lady Bird Johnson

"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations. If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won't exist because you'll have already shut it out ... You can hear other people's wisdom, but you've got to re-evaluate the world for yourself." ~ Mae Jemison

"My father said there were two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better." ~ Marlo Thomas

"Feeling insecure is good for you. It forces you to do something better, drives you to use all your talents." ~ Helen Gurley Brown

"We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light." ~ Mary Dunbar

"In each of us there are places we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them." ~ Dr. Joyce Brothers

"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." ~ Marie Beynon Ray

"Human beings have an inalienable right to invent themselves." ~ Germaine Greer

"Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it's letting go." ~ Sylvia Robinson

"Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in life unless you do this." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

part three ~ getting arboreal: a nature collection

It's the third & final check on our trees for the photo excursion Julie & JeriAnn hosted. I'm amazed at how much taller my tree has grown since my first photographs August 28. Now, rather than the golden leaves of November 8, we have tiny green buds.

This last photo shows the height growth (ok, you might have to squint to see the branches reaching up to the top of the photo), as well as reminds me how luscious green this tree will be in a month or two.

Thanks for coming by to visit. I'm off now to visit the other trees/sites of participants in the photo excursion. If you'd like to come along, click here, scroll down a little and you'll find a list in red on the left side. Enjoy!

sunshade

"A sequoia can live two thousand years. A squid has a four-year life span. A mayfly, born with the dawn, is gone by dusk. Each life is a whole life, complete in itself. The quality of that life has nothing to do with its longevity, but everything to do with how it is lived." ~ Barry Neil Kaufman

I celebrated my birthday this month & thought the above quote was appropriate. I don't know about you, but I'm wondering... where the heck did March go? I mean, I'm excited that spring has arrived, but this month sure seemed to slip right on by. Besides work & family time, I spent a lot of time reading & just resting. I think my mind/body knew it needed to prepare for the warmer months, when I'll get active outdoors again. Studio time will decrease, but hopefully not disappear like it did this month. Balance is a good thing...

This piece is displayed in our living/reading room (tied with the studio for my favorite room in the house). I completed it three weeks ago and enjoyed the process & the results so much I immediately started another (before going into r&r mode). I may do a series combining acrylic work with metal ~ there's a voice inside me telling me to go this direction, at least for now. Hey, I'm game!

"Sunshade" 8" x 10" mixed media, copyright 2010, di-did-it

"What you love is a sign from your higher self of what you are to do." ~ Sanaya Roman

Enjoy your journey.
Di