2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 53

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 53: A Woman Reaching

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 52

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 52: My Desires Are

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 51

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 51: Oh, Yeah!

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 50

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 50: What's Next?

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 49

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 49: Memoires De Femmes

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 48

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 48: Someone Who Loves Me

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 47

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 47: Travels

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 3: Animal Power Oriel -- Bobcat

Animal Power Oriel: Bobcat

In the past few months a friend of mine, Nise Santiago, and I have collaborated in designing necklaces for my Animal Power Oriels. Nise creates magic with gemstones and silver, and is a wonderful teacher. We just recently went to a bead show, which opened my eyes to the completely primal and beautiful world of gemstones. I felt that Nise's necklace creations could complement my oriels, especially the Animal Power (or Totem) oriels that I wanted to start making. These collaborations would showcase specific wild animals and the power, beauty, and substance that these animals bring to this world. And -- if you wanted to go one step further -- in wearing these necklaces you would draw on those physical, emotional, or creative qualities that each animal symbolizes.

This first Animal Power Oriel collaboration features the Bobcat, a small wildcat not easily spotted, but very familiar to the Western Hemisphere. The Bobcat constantly observes his environment, but only rarely shows itself in public. In ten years of walking my local Deer Island I have only seen a Bobcat twice -- within the same month. It was only about 10 yards down the path in both instances. It looked at me boldly, then jumped off the trail into the bushes the one time, and the next sighting casually slinked around to the other side of a fallen tree and watched me carefully as I moved on past him! Knee high in height, with a coat beautifully marked, tufts of hair at its ear tips, almond-shaped and colored eyes -- this is no ordinary housecat -- the Bobcat radiates exotic, wild beauty! In my readings about Bobcat energy, the trait that speaks loudest to me is the ability to "see deeper" or to pick up on hidden things. "Trust in your senses. Even if there is no logical reason, trust in what your inner voice is saying." -- Lin Here are some other links to Bobcat totem information: Wildspeak, Animal Properties.

Animal Power Oriel: Bobcat

Necklace: agate, muti-faceted crystal quartz, silver beads and findings
Oriel: lead-free solder, (3-D) beveled glass, paper, hand-dyed ribbon, Swavorski crystal rhinestones and beads, dried flowers, silver beads

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 46

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 45: No Wall Can Contain Me

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 45

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 45: Kick Up Your Heels!

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 44

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 44: Breath of Fresh Air

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 43

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 43: Surface Tension

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 42

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 41: Only Make Believe

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 41

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 41: Our Flirtation Was Not One-Sided

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 40

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 40: Briefly Noted

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 39

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 39: Toward My Encounter with Myself

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 38

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 38: Not All the Way

Street Fair Prep: Trial Booth Set Up

Trial Run Set Up

In my prep for my participation in the upcoming Caledonia Spring Street Faire in Sausalito, I decided to do a pre-booth set up to get a hold on what I still needed to do within my 2-week deadline. I asked my girlfriend Shara (queen of space design, decoration and tchotchke placement) to help me. Prior to our meeting I picked up my EZ-Tent from the local hardware store. Meeting back at the house we "easily" (with a few minor comedic errors) set up the tent under our old oak in the front yard and opened the tables. Next was bringing out "stuff" from my art studio: altered journals and books, oriel pendants, necklaces, ribbons, chains, assemblages, framed collages, more jewelry, notecards, vintage boxes and mannequins for display....Kentucky Girl Magical Stuff

It all fell together very easily, and within about 3 hours, had things arranged, categorized, and knew what holes needed to be filled and where. I also took photos to refer to when we set up Sunday morning (May 30th), everything will be grouped in boxes, and set up should go pretty quickly. Now back into my studio to make more oriels! To tell you the truth it felt good to see it all out there in the daylight.

Inspector Numero Uno (Angelina Beautyquina)

Inspector Number 2 (Zeus the Magnificat)

P.S. I should not fail to mention that Shara and I had two very important, nay essential, helpers that did their share of overseeing, inspecting, and channeling good vibes.

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 37

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 37: Redeemer

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 36

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 36: Into the Mystic

In My Garden: Double Delight in the Evening Light

Emptying out my car this evening, the roses surrounding the driveway coaxed me away from my errands. The last bright rays of the day were highlighting various bushes. It was a "beckoning of the lovely" as some would say, and I walked around sticking my nose into the tall blooms. I lingered over some Double Delight blooms and inhaled her sweet, almost tea-like perfume. I pulled out my camera and caught her bold, red blushes. I love the way her petals look in the second shot -- almost like a Folie Bergere dancer with a feather tail!

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 35

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 35: Garden Party

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 34

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 34: We Are All Beautiful

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 33

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 33: Our Vanishing Night

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 32

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 32: How Much Life Could You Find

My Mane Has Been Blowing in the Wind for Quite Awhile!

Can you see my mane blowing in the wind? I was seventeen and this picture was taken by my high school senior year boyfriend, Lloyd B. I had totally forgotten about this photo, until I reconnected with him in Facebook. I am involved in searching out our fellow classmates for our high school reunion next year and Lloyd was on my list. I was looking at some of his current photos and suddenly remembered he had taken back then some pretty cool ones of me and my filly, Gedi. I went searching for them, no luck. And then about a week later, this photo album magically appeared on my art studio bookshelves and there it was. Isn't this cool, My Mane was Blowing in the Wind, even back then!

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 31

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 31: All the Things

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 30

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge: Day 30: In Touch with My Inner

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 29

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 29: She Breathed a Sigh

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 28

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 28: Nothing Artificial About Me

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 27

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 27: Treasure Reveale(d)

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 26

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 26: The Power of Symbols

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 25

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 25: Divine Intervention

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 2: Harem Wish

Harem Wish Oriel Pendant (Front)

This is a 3-D oriel that I just created. It still seems unfinished to me, but I'm posting it anyway. I'll let her sit around for a while, maybe even wear her and perhaps the inspiration will come. The front of this oriel features a beautiful harem girl. It was taken from an advertisement, probably from the 1920's. I like her open face and the colors of her garments. She is resting on the middle pane of glass. A fused ribbon and Swavorski crystal rhinestones ornament the bottom of the oriel. On the reverse is another harem dancer, this one is an Erte drawing, also from the 1920's or 1930's.

Harem Wish Oriel Pendant (Back)