Arboreal with Julie Prichard and Friends/and we're lucky something isn't upside down on this post...just showing my expertise at the computer, hahahah

wind ravaged, november flowering plum

august, flowering plum

november, chinese pistache

august, chinese pistache

summer remnants...

fall fading.....

Michele Ward / Signs

Just press on Michele's logo to the right if you want to find out about this...

Signs...they are everywhere in my work from Nana (my mom's mother).

She ingrained in me a "CAN DO" constitution. Taught me the value of learning new ways and the wondrous mystery in experimentation. We had many giggles over trials in doing things our way at times, such delight she passed on to her grandchild.

Her signs are everywhere, her gifts passed down... she taught me how to knit, crochet, embroider, braid rugs, sew, darn and repair.

She taught me how to mend ANYTHING, picking up threads and fabric to mimic and match...a hole, a snag, a rip or ravel...just give it to me, i CAN DO!

Nana created the most outstanding braided rugs, filling living rooms. Cutting wool strips, filling them with cord, braided, and sewn into lush carpeting fit for a king, delighting anyone's eyes and senses!

This isn't in MY journal, put glued into Miz Katie's journal (our collaborative affair) in wanting to share my very soul of my Nana who put the gleam into life for me, carrying on in my art forever!Press on pictures to enlarge:

Leading to collaged purses..... Front Back of purse


She sometimes whispers and giggles in my ear, while sewing something. Has opened a door, whooshed in and whooshed out. She leaves her signs, i leave my signs...hopefully to the pleasantries and delight for everyone!!!
I love you my NANA. xo

Thank you

Happy November, and extra happy. Here is what i came home to (ghost busters were busy while i was away).

thank you soooooo much to all of you for your prayers and thoughts for my mom. she came through with flying colors, is better than she has been in yearsssss...considering a pace maker and many strokes. she just is so determined to not lay down and die, even though that would truly be easier for her. she gets those teeny little brittle arms and legs motivating before she can get out of bed in the morning, and then keeps on trucking inch by inch by inch till it turns into maybe foot by foot. such an inspiration for our family. thank you from the bottom of my heart. xo wanda

Flying

life can change in a heart beat. i'm leaving in 2 min. to go to the airport with a sister. our mom is going to have emergency open heart surgery, if she makes it that far. xo wanda

Michele Wards/the dark side

just before i went down with the flu, i started this little painting and thought how fun it was to play in black, something i rarely attempt. i loved it and thought, i know i'll do more. thanks, michele.

after painting on black acrylic i sprayed it down with water...ergo...when you look up close the texture in the paper showed up real nicely...gave her a blouse and poofy shoulders, spray paint w/ stencils and paper at the top. she's kinda special with the right colors for the season!

Purely Sweet

This looks like something you might find stuck to the bottom of your shoe...

well, really...it isn't...

this is the back of mystele's finished piece...

it's off in the mail this monday....just a little teaser...i want mystele to have the best surprise!

Spiritual

Does this happen to you? ...this was one of my very first paintings of women and girls...starting in jan. when following misty's mawn's prompts...she is so imperfect, but i fell in love with her then and am still enamored with her. go figure...

i printed her out on a postcard for this, and well, i still love her?!

it was one of those paintings that seemed to just come out easy, go down easy and then asked...wait...where was i, what just happened and LOOK what happened. i know this has happened to you...................? Annnnd. if anyone is watching and wants to leave a note that really does like her as i do...i will finish her up as a hanging. leave me a note about your own personal "wonderings" and i'll pick a name (if there are any) to send to you.....? xo wanda

hey and sheesh..what i meant was...write what has happened to you sometimes, when it feels so unworldly (my personal connation, spiritual)

thanks mystele, you're such a doll!

Michele Ward "34 Crusade/"Come over to the dark side"/Very Fun!

...ooh, had i known...could have shown beginning to end.

ah well..tribute and thanks to djpettit on this one.

here's a rundown on the pieces used:

~center photo copy of own painting on white printable postcard

~torn, old 1900's bible cover at the bottom of piece

~various fabric, scraps and beads

"I'll be back"

my computer is going to a corrections facility

"simple emotional response to life"

I painted, then added fabric paper to some parts of this piece.

Ah PEACE!

Be sure to enlarge it to see the textures up close.

Arboreal / Julie Prichard / the land of lost luggage

This is a flowering plum we planted out further on our property.

It looks so nondescript at the moment, but wait till fall and spring!

This was such a great idea, Julie!

I've already enjoyed perusing other bloggers trees...and the

gift of sharing come fall and spring...now here's a girl without

tunnel vision! ah ha!

A Chinese Pistache tree...in front of an oak and next to a mimosa.

mainly...the trunk

Julie Prichard/Land of lost Luggage

If you go to julie's sight, then you'll see what the TREE picture is all about.

If i was more savvy on the computer, i could just hook ya' all up but...i just don't know how...yet!This tree i just snapped in seal beach, unbelievable, huh!

Dulling our Senses...

I understand now why some bloggers check out for awhile...

more than one reason, here.

i'll be back much later with hopefully fresh or refreshing

ideas and comments.

i'm leaving with this little humorous post...

down below these sandaled feet is where i slept at

my sister cookie's this last week...and this is where

i stuck my glasses just before shutting my eyes.

i made this beach angel for cookie over 10 years ago

and just can't believe so much time has past!

below...this pic, i hope you enjoy the rest of her.

aloha!

Leaving on a jet plane with my little sister, carolyn to join our littler sisters in seal beach, ca...back on tues! xoxo

...and look out you regular surfer dudes...

danny, tommy, katie...THE "4" body surfers

are gonna take OVER!!!!!

a cooling shot from our garden...

to leave you with. xxxxxooooooo

another "naive" painting/collage...

might turn this into a series...

i'm loving them!

better view of their fabrics...like paper doll play!

new painting and collage

this shows her clothing up close

just framed her...getting others framed,

ready for a portfolio.

An angelic friday afternoon....aaaaaaaamen!

Just a little "naive art"

COLLABORATION

sometimes, people get these big ideas...

and i am loving this one...

if you wander over to mizkatie.com

she explained earlier about our collaboration.

she thought of it, and thought it out to the end,

better her than me. and what a grand idea

this has been for me!

first of all, i've always put my journals together AFTER

making the pages. i find this so inviting to open a book and paint away!

Also, this reminds me of following misty, and painting every single day or putting together a collage.

the challenge brings out the best in me (mostly) pushing to DO...and i am loving it katie!

i won't show anymore pages, well maybe some, heh heh heh!....

Dreams in Her Pockets

this is on top of one of our lessons from, julie prichard.

i love giving credit when and where it's due, thanks, julie!

i changed the colors for making cards

Collaboration with Miz Katie / DELIGHT

Yay, (Miz Katie.com)!!! if you haven't already seen

on katie's blog...we are doing a collaboration of

two journals. she received mine today and these are

just a few of some pages divulged. in between each page

of sorts are heavy water color paper...if she wishes to

put pounds of anything on them, they'll receive it.

katie girl, go to town baby...like she needs prompts, eh?!

one random page

another random page

Back or the front of our journal..or neither...we get to choose!

The back or the front...or both

Still trying out crackle...loving it, but wish i were more scientific and could produce my own

unframed

mat framed with plastic

Crackle Girls Experiment

I applied crackle paint over entire water color paper.

One with Golden and one with tim holtz.

I wanted to find out what it would be like to paint over.

I had a lot of questions. (i know that there are peeps

that have all these answers, but i didn't)

It was VERY fun and interesting. And knowing me, I still

don't know which of these two was done with each product.

I do know that i was happy when done, it's really expensive,

and i plan to do some others, as i just love crackle!

I'm out looking for a sale now.

Unframed

Framed

Framed