A little slow on the uptake....

Aack!  South for the promise I made to myself in my last post.... To reconnect with my blog.  Oh well,at least it's still 2014 and it hasn't been a full year since last time I ventured into the blogosphere.

When I stumbled on this blog again just now, I noticed my last entry was of a thrift shop painting I meddled with.... Guess what: I did it again at Halloween!  For the record take a look at this fun silliness:  

Perhaps it is a little macabre, or as my mother said "Gross", but whatever, I only made a creepy picture a little creepier.  

My third thrift shop redo wasn't quite as successful, but whatever.... Point is I had fun playing around with my paints again.  Here's the before and after:

Ps... Can you guess how much I LOVE Halloween???

Best laid plans

So the balance of 2013 and early 2014 kind of sabotaged the intentions behind my last post (thank you Mother Nature - NOT).

Enough already though, in the last 3 weeks I have felt compelled to get back in the game... Even if it is just a mind game of my own making.  To act on this decision I have taken over a corner of my hubby's man cave, set up my art supplies and started painting again.   

It has been a wonderfully healing act to give myself  permission to be creative again.  I find I have to be gentle on myself through what I feel like is a time of rebirth - I haven't flexed my creative muscles like this in many many years.  I've only completed 2 pieces so far and I love the first but hate the second.... We'll see how work 3 shapes up, but regardless of if I like it or not, I am going to hang it in my little painting corner and celebrate my emerging acts of creation....

My creative rebirth project #1 was a bit of a cheat, because it only involved embellishing a thrift shop find, but the hat and the cat are all mine ....

("Pensive Little Witch" - acrylic and collage on a thrift shop print of Albert Pinot's "Pensive")

(Detail of "Pensive Little Witch")

My creative rebirth project #2...  (Be gentle, I really don't like the painting on this one, but the freehand paper-cut peacock was a fun success)

("Dream Tree 1", Acryllic and collage on Masonite)

(Detail "Dream Tree1)

Creative rebirth #3... A work in progress:

(Untitled work in progress, acrylic on Masonite, based on a self portrait taken by my talented sister-in-law Cathline Dickens... Here's a link to her Flickr account to see my source of inspiration https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/londonscene/5598141804/)

Throughout this time, I've discovered some new musical muses as well, and want to take this opportunity to give a shout out to Karla Adolphe (http://www.karlaadolphe.ca) a local singer/songwriter/musician from High River, Alberta, whose music is making my soul sing. (You can listen to and download her latest album called Honeycomb Tombs from her website)

Ok, enough blogging for now, it's time for tea, a cuddle with my kids, a little bit of office work, then back to the art cave.

Ttfn!

Oh little blog, little blog how have I missed you? let me count the ways...

(With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

How have I missed thee? Let me count the ways.
I missed thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I missed thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I missed thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I missed thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I missed thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I missed thee with an inspiration I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I missed thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if My muses choose,
I shall but spend more time with you after my work day is done, the pets are fed, the laundry is folded and the kids are in bed.

.... A late New Years resolution for 2013

O Fortuna it's cold outside!!!

So, I've been out of the blogosphere for a while, but I haven't forgotten what I've started here.  One of these days I'll get around to filling in the blanks between now and my last post, but for now I just had to post a link to this video - my favourite piece of Classical Music, sung to new lyrics.... . I think this is a brilliant adn timely publicity piece for the City of Calgary and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus, especially given the COLD SNAP that descended on southern Alberta yesterday and today.

Oh well, enjoy the video and KEEP WARM!!!
(MMMMMMM Baileys)

Chocolate may be good for heart health, review finds - CTV News

I LOVE good news stories!!!!

Chocolate may be good for heart health, review finds - CTV News