A Whimsical Bohemian

There are so many hearts of gold in Blogland - these are but 2

See this lovely face peeking out...........this is Monica of Girl Gone Thread Wild. Monica has a giving heart the size of the state she lives in.   Monica has ideas and Monica makes them happen.......and all her ideas benefit others. Her enthusiasm for these endeavors is catchy and you can't help wanting to jump on her wagon.  You can't help but feel her pride swell when so many want to take part or help or bid or leave her a supportive comment.
Monica makes things happen!
Remember the Pink Artist Doll called "Love Squared"?
Artists from everywhere sent her 2"x2" squares with the theme of pink and fighting breast cancer. She fashioned those treasures in to an exquisite doll that was featured in Art Doll Quarterly and later auctioned off (with other art donated by various artists)  in support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
BUT when that was done she wasn't.........oh no not Monica!
She had many left overs of those wee squares and asked several people (including myself) if they would make a 10"x10" quilt block in any design they wanted but include the squares she'd send us in some way. 
NOW.......in the inaugural issue of a new Stampington publication called Art Quilting Studio (hitting stands on June 1 I believe) these quilt blocks and an article are featured.
Another dream of this kind heart realized....she now has all the quilt blocks back and will be sewing them together in a wall hanging to be auctioned off July 31 thru September 1.....further benefiting Susan G. Komen for the cure.
Monica thinks of others.......I can almost see the wheels go round in her lovely mind of who can we help next?!
Well there is a next.........this time a campaign to protest the horrific murders of women in Juarez, Mexico. Please click here for her call to this cause.

I haven't received my issue of the new magazine yet but my dear friend Vanessa did. I received an excited and wonderful call from her when she got hers because not only was she also a participant and proud as me to partake....but (I am not boasting here at all) the pic of my square was on the first page. Now that's a good friend!!!!
She scanned these images so I could see and subsequently emailed them to Monica who hasn't received her copy yet either. :(
We are all thrilled and excited that yet another project, another vision of sweet Monica is happening again. You can't help but feel pride in being even the tiniest part of her vision....her heart!  Way to go Monica!

I feel SO honored!

That's Vanessa's beautiful square first one in row 2.


Look at that stack of deliciousness, I can't wait to see the finished art quilt!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
And there's someone else

...............if you don't know who Bernie Berlin and her "A Place to BarK" you can click on the link.  Bernie is another amazing soul who gives all she has to the rescue of dogs and cats for certain demise.  Read her stories, watch her videos, to know what it takes to further her quest for a safe haven and eventual placement of these beloved animals.  If you Twitter  follow Animal Planet today and request they do a reality TV show of her and her shelter.  Bernie needs grants and money to keep her dream alive, to have the proper facilities, build more shelters, feed, vet bills, equipment and more.  A show would not only bring attention to her facility but also earn her money to keep it growing and thriving.  She, like Monica, has a huge heart for giving. Bernie's belongs to all those 4 legged "babies" she works hard to get thriving again. This request isn't about Bernie in any way or her desire to be a TV personality..........A Place to Bark needs this......it needs funding to keep it going. Her love knows no bounds and since it's up to us humans and if you love animals, if you've ever adopted an animal..........you know how essential what she is doing is.
This is her passion and all those dogs she has placed in loving homes are happy now because of her efforts.........her lack of sleep......her love for them!!
There is a place on her right side bar on her blog where you can make donations OR there is an address where to send much needed items.
Think about it the next time you look in to your pets eyes, especially if you adopted that pet..........there by the grace of people like Bernie Berlin is your 4-legged family member!
 

Oh the wonderful, giving, generous people you find in Blogland...........they take your breath away. They make you want to be a better person.  They lead by example.
I honor 2 of them today!



Love,
Lisa
XOXOXO

A Store, some salvage, redecorating, dreaming and remembering

The weather here Saturday (and Sunday) was not even springlike in that the temps were cool, there was a breeze and I got to wear a cardi all day! It didn't bother BohoMan (new name for G) or me. We set off in the afternoon and ended up at Ohmega Salvage yard in Berkeley. Funny when you go to places like this you really don't need to have anything specific in mind to perhaps find something that sparks your imagination.

(having forgotten to take a street photo this one is from the internet)

They have all sorts of things like bathroom fixtures, locks, knobs, handles, hinges etc. for doors......bits of furniture and lamps, a few pieces of furniture, tons of old doors and lots of windows. As we walked around perusing the selection of windows large and small I couldn't help envision my Enchanted Cottage Studio all built and surrounded in various windows like these......come on now, I never said I wasn't a dreamer.

There are rows and rows of them..........imagine all that light.
BUT
Since it's all just a dream right now we moved on looking around and THIS is what I left with...


Not the wood they're sitting on....just the various parts. When I told the guy what I was going to do with these random old pieces he was actually quite excited. In fact when I am done they want me to bring in what I end up with for them to see.......they  said they'd like to put a pic of the finished thing on their main website gallery of what people do with the things they purchase.   I am being vague for a reason....I want it to be surprise here too. You'll just have to wait and see what it all becomes.  Suffice it to say it's a fun place to explore, in fact we bought my studio work table there a while back and I love it.

From there we stopped at a store also on San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley that you could easily miss driving by. It's a combination of 2 stores and it's called Juniper Tree. It's one of those places that no matter how many times you wander round and round and round you miss something. It smells lovely inside and there are there items to suit all tastes and themes. One side is for lotions and soaps and things to make your own of both...the other side has all the eye candy. I asked if I could take photos and she was quite obliging.







It wasn't until I was about to leave that I swear I heard it..... "psssst, Lisa, up here on the shelf behind that big chandelier hanging above you. pssst, you'll want me, quick before you leave". And sure enough I happened to glance up as we were walking out (I told you it's easy to miss things in there). I was like a whiny child pointing and saying "oooh, ooooh"......it was almost too high for BohoMan to reach....and he's TALL but he finally got it down.

You guessed it.................it's in our house now!
It's lovely, it's heavy, it's rather large.
We're going to hang it in the living room unless I can find some vintage stand.
The living room we are making plans to redecorate.
The following images are from a new publication I bought called Color it Coastal by the publishers of Coastal Living Magazine.
The other night I said to BohoMan "This room doesn't reflect us at all" as I looked around to the latte colored walls and well.....a mish mash of some good things, some not.  Funny thing was he had been thinking he was tired of the wall color and when I showed him the magazine he looked at me and nodded his head in complete agreement. I told him I didn't know what I'd do if he and I didn't like the same things. So beach vibe it will be, if only in the color scheme. Hooray! Painting walls is an easy fix to start.  Wanna come over and have a paint party? I'll make margaritas or whatever you want.

The color scheme will be restful and inviting. We're going to paint the walls white (they haven't been white in years) The black and white diamond rug is going in our room and the sisal looking rug from our room will go in the living room.

I have lots of blue accents scattered about AND packed away. Of course we won't have a sea view but we can bring those colors in more.


We already have some sea glass and this will be a good excuse for excursions to find more and we have a collection of cobalt blue bottles and sea shells we can bring back to the room.


The hues of various blues and greens are so beautiful. I love the look of colored glass in any form. I keep my eye out in various places for different shapes and sizes.
I have so many plans to redo this room that are easy and inexpensive. It was perfect timing to come across the magazine to help us get even more inspired.  We have so much in garagapalooza we can "shop" for now to redo/repaint/repurpose.  That's the one good thing about having too much stuff........you finally come full circle in to using some of it again.
Naturally I want it all done tomorrow but my ever level-headed BohoMan keeps telling me "be patient".  Hmmm, patience? That's a virtue isn't it? ;)
The thing is I know once we get the living room going we'll be able to segway right in to doing our room too. I'm jazzed.
Why you ask doesn't an Oceandreamer already have a restful coastal colored room? That's a whole other story.

Look at this image above...........
Is it too much to ask for in a backyard?  tee hee hee!

I sure talk about dreaming for lot of "things" I want to do/build/have don't I?

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one". J.Lennon

 Of course nothing is impossible but I know what is and is not a reality. Dreams don't cost anything. Dreams keep our minds alive.
Dreams don't mean we aren't grateful for what we've already attained.
"It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting" - P.Coehlo


So what did you decide? Coming over for that paint party or not?

Much love,
Lisa, the dreamer
XOXOXO


Memorial Day......
Remember all those who have lost their lives to defend this country and our basic freedoms.
Remember those loved ones who we loved and they loved us, who helped to shape us and enrich our lives.
Remember they remain with us in our hearts!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

P.S. Thank you  for your comments and emails on Free Thinking Friday. These subjects aren't necessarily about me...but I keep my eyes and ears open and hope in some wee way it can help someone struggling with certain issues to step back and rethink.
I'm keeping it real, that's how I roll.   Next Friday's "FTF" post I hope will make you laugh.

Free Thinking Friday...... Opening up your ART

Last week I posted about not letting blogging comments define your self worth. I am not done with blogging subject …..in a manner of speaking. I’ve thought about this for awhile now…… being an artist blogger.  By simple definition an artist is a person who creates art but certainly there are various more complicated or at least more meanings than that depending on the dictionary or person who is defining it. 

Some may argue that unless you are a painter and paint like the masters you aren’t really an artist. Some may argue that any creative endeavor, regardless of medium, makes a person an artist. Some may argue unless you’re “exposure is vast” you can’t call yourself an artist.

 Have you ever met someone and they ask that inevitable question? (You know, the one ALL Americans feel necessary to ask) “So, what do you do?” Hmm. What do I do? For me it took a really long time to answer with conviction, “I am an artist”. This is usually followed by a barrage of questions “So what kind of art do you do? Are you in any galleries? Do you sell your work? Do you have a website? And so on. 

I would admittedly stand stupefied for a moment………in my head I’m thinking I don’t have any work in a gallery…….at that time I didn’t have an online shop and early on no blog, thus no website of any kind. It would give me pause and a bit of trepidation to continue the conversation because clearly WHY was I saying I was an artist?

WHY was I allowing this stranger to give me a nanosecond pause? I truly don’t care because my lot in life is not to convince other people what my passion is. I KNOW what my hearts delight is and so should you!

 

The thing is we(humans) tend to get our self esteem through the mirror of another persons eyes.  We sometimes wait for a certain reaction that will either put a bounce in our step or cause us to recoil in defeat.   And that brings me to blogging………. we blog hop now…….we see another blogger mentioned on a site, we click………we look…….we compare.  We look at artists people list on their blog rolls as artists…..we click, we look, we compare.  Now admit it………you’ve done this haven’t you?  Maybe not all the time but you find yourself thinking “dang, that person is amazing” and you go back to something you were working on and wonder “eeww, this doesn’t come close to what that person did”.    AND oftentimes the comparison is made more acute because that person has been in magazines and/or wrote a book and/or taught a workshop or class.   So of course since you haven’t done any of those things you make yourself feel inferior.  Why?   

Do you know how many undiscovered artists are out there? Some who could easily knock the socks off anyone who sees their work……yet they are obscure, hidden almost and no one sees their beauty. THIS can come from someone comparing their work to others and immediately feeling ye old inferiority show its ugly head so they stay in the shadows. Not all of course, but you get what I’m saying.

 This contrast and compare thing is not healthy in any aspect of our lives.  There are times it may make a person work harder, it may spur them on to achieve more and get out there…..but that is actually what we all should be doing.   Don’t let yourself look at another’s work and STOP what you’re doing because YOU don’t think you will ever be good enough to achieve something. Again, WHO SAYS?  Ok, maybe it doesn’t happen for everyone. Not everyone gets notoriety and exposure….not everyone’s work will be that of awe and wonder. But to let it stop you from doing something you TRULY love is a crime. Art has so many forms….and MANY people are out there doing it and further they are doing it because oh how they love it.  The bonus comes in the form of someone actually wanting to buy that work or showcase that work.

When you are working in your art space….be it an entire studio or a corner of the kitchen and you are in bliss as your hands create whatever your medium is…….do you sit and think to yourself “I am so loving this” or “I am so proud of this”? OR do you wonder “will this sell?”   You know history is littered with great artists who never sold a thing until either much later in their lives or after they left this earth.  Of course I am not advocating that what you do won’t have worth until you’re gone……certainly not. What I am saying here is DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT first and foremost. Don’t let yourself create to the masses….don’t do what you think others may want….it’s imperative your voice is loud and clear in whatever it is you’re doing. Work with and through your authentic artistic voice and vision.

It’s sad to think how many truly talented people there are in the blog world who don’t even realize it.  And they don’t because they are too busy looking over the shoulders of other bloggers thinking “I’ll never be that good”.

WHO SAYS?

Don’t worry what the other person is doing……keep your eyes on your own paper if it's going to make you feel anything but inspired!  Inspiration is a good thing.........envy, the green eyed monster, self doubt is not.

 

The basis for this discourse today is again, all about self worth and self esteem as an artist blogger. I know there are plenty of self help books out there where people have written about this I’m sure. It’s not a new subject. BUT again, with the advent of blogging……….more prolific art publications…….more and more workshop venues…………and other means of exposure…. it’s hard not to know what others are doing and accomplishing and not want it for yourself. Want it but don't base your entire artistic life on it either. Don't sabotage yourself my wonderful, artistic, talented and beloved friends....let your creative light shine....bright!

 

There is one more thing…..I know this is long and if you’re hanging in there with me I am so grateful.  OFTEN times you may be in your work space with ideas swirling in your head…….you may make prelim sketches and work out the details. Perhaps the subject is a circus act you’re either going to paint or maybe do an art doll.  

THEN you see it…..on another’s blog someone is showing a circus act! You think to yourself “well there goes that, they already did it?” and you scrap what you felt was going to be fantastic. WHY????????  Do you know how many subject matters there are in this world of imagination? And further do you know how many people may be interested or fascinated by the same subject?  That person doesn’t OWN the circus act theme, right?  YOU can put your own spin, your own vision, your own style on it and at the end of the day you both may have used the subject but the outcomes are entirely different. (think birds, nests, crowns, pointed hats, vintage photos, castles, gypsies) I hear about this all the time. The list is endless of how many people gravitate to the same theme. So what?

Subject matter is one thing.........trying to recreate another's vision is something else.  Go for whatever you want my friends..........just be YOU at the end of the day!

 

In conclusion my message is to let you know not to talk down your own visions...... create from the heart, the passion of it and do not compare yourself or your work to anyone!!!  Make your artistic statements genuine to YOU.  Don’t take a class off line or on line and think you have to produce the exact same thing. Actually it’s better that you don’t. Learn new technique, learn working with other mediums but in the end make it YOU!  Don’t fear that your subject matter has been done before…….it hasn’t been done by YOU before so it’s different right there.  And ABOVE ALL ELSE…….don’t let what others do or show on their blogs inhibit your creative expression……please, please, please.  Individual creative expression is essential to being an artist………who wants to be a clone?. Nurture yourself, let yourself grow as you let the seeds in your artistic heart flourish in to something fantastic!

I am no philosopher, psychologist or know-it-all.......I merely am thinking out loud here and hopefully in doing so maybe one person will feel better or different.

 

Now go out and create something supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – something that is uniquely…..YOU!

Much Love,

Lisa

XOXOXOXO

Have a spectacular weekend!!!

P.S. If YOU have something on your mind....if you agree or disagree....I'd love to hear it! We all have the right to free thinking!

Today, I choose me!

Wake up
Stand up
Take a deep breath
Look around
Twirl with arms outstretched
Eat to nourish
Hydrate the soul
Take on the day
What will you do?

I choose to go out
I choose to listen
I choose to observe
I choose to move at my own pace
I choose colors in fuchsia, lime and turquoise
I choose to see what comes next
as the clock ticks, the birds sing, the breeze moves
Today, I choose me.

Tomorrow, I may choose YOU!

Have a spectacular day!

Thank you to ALL who commented or emailed on my previous post. It was eye opening to find that the subject  touched a chord in so many.  I really believe it's important to have an open dialog because we truly discover how kindred we all truly are.
I have decided Friday's will be my day to talk about various things I've been thinking about....
Free Thinking Friday. 


Love,
Lisa
XOXOXO

Be authentically you, don't let blogging completely define your self worth.

I’ve been really trying to make the effort to blog more…..but the truth of the matter is sometimes there is simply just nothing to say. It happens.

It is then that I start my introspection about blogging and how it can play with ones head if you’re not careful. There are days when someone may put their heart and soul in to a post, complete with outstanding photos and essay. You would think that it would draw readers in to not only savor the interesting post but take the time to comment. BUT what I am witnessing is that isn’t happening as much as you’d think.

There are some who have an amazing following, their readership, comments and stats are through the roof. It is those people who can post the bare minimum and still have a slew of comments as if they just wrote the great American novel.  There is no rhyme or reason. 

There is also a sort of tit for tat mentality that happens as well with blogging……you come to mine and then I’ll come to yours. You don’t comment on mine so I won’t comment on yours. Now personally I don’t feel that way but it’s happening to a lot of bloggers nonetheless.  The other thing that happens is some bloggers wrap their self esteem and self worth in their blogs so that when the readership/comments/stats are low they feel bad about themselves. Suddenly they are questioning blogging all together, they feel uninteresting and a waste of time. It’s sad to think that so much importance is put on these things because it brings people to a low state of mind. It messes with their heads and obliterates their egos.

There are millions of people who blog. There are millions of various types of people who blog. There are millions of various types of blogs themselves.  It’s truly hard to say what makes some click for some and not for others.  But the bottom line is if we wrap up our self worth in it there are going to be times you feel kicked down.  For those who have an outstanding readership and following that’s all they know and sometimes it can work the opposite and give some a huge ego.

So where is the middle ground?

Do you ever ask yourself why you blog? Many started out as a way to keep family and friends informed of the goings on in their lives. Far and wide they could keep up with happenings, children and life in general.  Many started as a way to showcase their art or knitting or sewing or photography etc.  They could talk about it, show photos of it and find kindred spirits who did the same thing as them.  They can promote their work too, advertise a website or Etsy shop. There are swaps and challenges and Blog events happening all the time. Some people amaze me at how they can keep up with SO many things going on at one time and be involved in all of them.   It’s all about how much time and effort you, as an individual, want to put in to it.  And even those people who are consummate “joiners” don’t get the comments on their blog you’d think they would.  Not because their blog isn’t interesting, I think people are spending more time on life…..reading a few blogs a day but just not commenting. I am guilty of that myself so if I do lament the lack of visitors I  remind myself of that.

I truly feel that you could have every bell and whistle on your blog………photos galore………and still maybe not get the readership you wanted or anticipated or hoped for.  It’s basically a crap shoot!

 

The hard part I know is if you go to blogs where in a matter of 5 minutes after posting they have 47 comments and you think to yourself “I posted all about such and such with beautiful and fun photos but I got only 6 comments in 3 days”.  Don’t do it! Don’t compare yourself!  That person has followers that wait with bated breath for that person to post……..and many of those followers may only follow THAT person or very few others.  You can’t beat yourself up over it and you’ll never figure out the whys of it.  Just remain true to yourself, your vision and your life.  Don’t try to emulate another in order to get people to comment because then you lose the authentic you in the process. 

In the art arena where blogging is concerned you have those who are highly visible…….they’ve had work in several publications, other blogs have mentioned them, interviewed them, they maybe even teach at all the venues in and out of the country. They may even have other websites with a link to their blog.   So as someone who does art you probably long for that kind of visibility.  Right? I mean who doesn’t. You post 15 pictures of your hard work and barely anyone comments and then what do you do? You question the worth of the art you put your heart and soul in to.  DON’T!  Be true to who you are……don’t measure against what other bloggers do in determining if you are a worthy artist. It’s ludicrous!

By doing that you are giving over power to people you don’t even know to validate you when in fact MANY people may see what you’re doing and think “wow, she/he is fantastic!” but as I said before……..they just don’t say it.  It doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

Every human being wants validation that they are worth something. Worth someone’s time. Worth being heard. Worth being seen.  But the truth is self worth starts inside……..we need to love ourselves….respect ourselves…..believe in ourselves before we can expect anyone else to. And perhaps you won’t get it from blogging……but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t blog.

If it gives you joy to post daily, weekly, monthly, or way more than that………and it’s things you want to share and maybe even enlighten……..do it………do it for YOU!  Do it because it gives you pleasure not out of obligation. You are obligated to no one to do anything……..except be yourself.   Remember this too, with the advent of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Flickr there are so many choices to connect with people that it’s spreading people thin.   Life, husbands, wives, kids, jobs, projects, elder parents and so on take precedents over commenting or even reading blogs sometimes.  The economy the way it is people are struggling to stay above water.  AND sometimes those who read a blog that they truly are drawn to don’t know what to say.  That’s the other side of the coin here………..there are some who don’t feel what they have to comment is worthy or “this person doesn’t even know me”.  Oh the variables in this blogesphere.

Think about it and give your self worth, your mind a break.  This is all about ego….

I didn’t write this because I am feeling low or unworthy………..I’m just seeing and hearing about people who are feeling hit with doubts about themselves.   Sure I’d love to get tons of comments and notoriety and my art seen in many places………….I’m human…….BUT at the end of the day I am not going to stop doing what I love based on that. I am defined by who I am as a person, a friend, a spouse and artist and so on. I love blogging but I am more than my blog. It's up to me to get myself out there.

If you like what you see… fine, if you don’t like what you see…. that’s fine too.   Blogging is only a small part of what I do or even who I am……..we are all the sum total of all the facets of our lives. Bask in your humanness and stay authentic in life and in blogging. Try to find the balance in all aspects of your life without letting blogging tip the scales in either direction.

 

This post is not meant as a cry for comments here on my own blog.........NO, NO.....this wasn't meant for any other reason than to hopefully help those who are feeling down.

For those that sing that old kids song:
"no body likes me, everybody hates me...I think I'll go eat worms" based solely on how many come to their blog. 

It's not true!  People DO like you!

You are you - you have lots to offer!

Don't worry..........keep blogging......

 

Love,

Lisa

XOXOXO

I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree

When we first moved in our house it had 2 big orange trees on the side, they produced quite a bit of fruit, so much so that people came from all over to knock on the door asking to pick some. I always said yes, gave them a bag and told them the only thing was they could only pick what was reachable, they weren't to climb the trees. We had one woman who had a sick child she would pick the oranges for and one day out of nowhere she came to the door with a tray of baklava for us as a thank you.  Sometimes we would look out the living room window and see an entire family posed in front of one of the trees with someone taking their photo. We have a lot of people of foreign extraction in our area so for them it is a true phenomenon to see fruit trees growing in someones yard. I remember one day when this little old Asian woman came by, sort of hunched over but carrying a big bag with her. She stopped in front and just looked at the oranges dangling. Finding one she could reach she picked it and sat comfortably under the tree peeling the orange, eating it and leaving the peels behind after having sat awhile enjoying the sun and the taste.

(this image is from the internet)

Sadly the larger of the two trees got some sort of disease. We called about it, looked at books and tried various remedies to no avail......it slowly stopped growing. We ended up having someone come and take it out. I felt so bad as they chopped and chopped and heaved out the rest from the ground.  A gaping hole reminder that it had once existed, once shaded, once bore fruit, once gave an organization in this area bags and bags of its fruit for the homeless.

The smaller of the two trees kept trying like "the little tree that could"......the start of an orange would show and quickly fall off the branches. The fruit was bitter and no longer did anyone ask for it.  G was ready to have IT removed too as apparently it had the same disease....but I just couldn't do it. In fact I insisted it be spared. So it stayed. I know I've told you about this before. Part of it still has leaves in abundance as you look from one side.......but the other side is dry and leafless and the bark is peeling off. Two sides to her personality I guess.



 It's sad but even teeny tiny, what might have been oranges, appeared but never ripened.  A couple of years ago I decided to make it a B&B for the birds because fruit or not THEY still liked sitting in it. We hung some regular feeders and a hummingbird feeder and they came in droves. It brought the little tree back to life in that the sounds of the birds and the fluttering of wings could be heard within its branches.  I will be putting more feeders out there and somehow hang a birdbath for them.

I am even thinking as the bark continues to fall off that perhaps we will strip those areas to the smooth wood underneath and I will paint it. Using something nontoxic of course. I am even planning to make some tree spirit flags (after seeing Sharon's lovely flags) and hanging them throughout the dried branches.  I think this tree, this tree that was spared and given a new purpose deserves a bit of dressing up....a B&B the birds will tell others from far and wide is like the PLAZA of all trees. A monument to sparing its life and giving it a new purpose.


Greenery still rears its head in odd places as if to naturally beautify what's left.

It's brittle and dry branches don't deter the birds at all. They sometimes blend in. I've used some of the more twiggy branches in art projects.

The bark bit by bit hangs on for dear life in some spots, as if to say once I let it go I'm doomed.


In the crux of the tree at the bottom the bark has left in some spots and in others it looks as though it's been glued back on. The tree is so smooth underneath it and is getting bleached by the sun like driftwood.

A long time ago G topped off the tree but it never grew back, the flat tops stayed and stand against the sky as a reminder it is what it is now.

and yet when you turn to another view point it seems full of life still. Determined as ever this "little tree that could"


If you stand in just the right spot there are still blossoms, some browned and drooping to look at but there is that unmistakable scent that they emit despite their look. It's an intoxicating lovely fragrance that standing in the sweet spot you can close your eyes and imagine the tree full and healthy still.

While I was out there taking pictures today I was wondering how old this tree must be....the house was built in 1949 so I can only assume the trees were planted around the same time. This tree has seen the neighborhood change........buildings across the street giving way to actual homes many years later....only three sets of occupants have lived in this house....the original owners....then a couple of girls who rented it and then us. I wonder if we didn't live here if those owners would have spared this Grand Dame. Somehow I don't think so.
The prayer flags are hung for her.....................long may she be Orangewood B&B, long may she be "the little tree that could".
Perhaps I will fashion a crown for her to wear at the very top of her, let those that only see a tree that has lost its luster know she still reigns supreme.
 

I hope you are having a lovely start to your week.
Go hug a tree!

Love,
Lisa
XOXOXO

Excuse Me, but where did you get that bracelet?

This is Part 2 of the previous post.....new additions......

Since all the bangles all are covered in various fabric and trim  I decided to combine the words.....
thus...........

"FABRANGLES"

was born.

Later today all 11 of them will be in my ETSY SHOP. Here are the newest ones that will be added to those shown in the post below.
Although I won't reveal the base for the bangle please be aware it's very sturdy and will hold up wear after wear after wear. It is not flimsy whatsoever yet the weight is fairly light. All the Fabrangles are lined and much of it hand sewn. All Fabrangles are 1" wide and could conceivably be worn with other skinny bangles as pictured below....a very Boho/Gypsy look.

.
A couple of the Fabrangles were resized to accomodate a smaller wrist BUT you must keep in mind the size of your HAND! The meatiest part of you hand needs to be able to fit through easily so all measurments will be in the descriptions in the Shoppe. If you are like me you like yours to fall to the top of the hand a wee bit when wearing it OR you can push them up a bit on your forearm if you aren't wearing long sleeves. It's all up to you!
I have so many more designs in my head.........so many more fabulous fabrics and trims and adornments to run the gamut of style and colors.(new velvet colors coming too)  But for now I am starting with these beautys. Each one would look just fine whether you are wearing a dressy dress or a sundress or skirt and cardi or just jeans and a tshirt. They will certainly add a bit of ZAZAZU to your day whatever you're wearing!





This one is hand embossed apricot velvet and trimmed with wood bead trim in a pale peachy pink and a sequined trim from India.





This one is covered in a bohemian cotton and trimmed with a burgundy bead trim and a multicolored rickrack with silver threads in it.




This one is covered in a beautiful kimono-like fabric that has multi designs and colors. It is accented with turquoise, purple and lime greed velvet ribbon. I have to say this is one of my favorite fabrics so you will see more of it.





This one is basically the same as the one above but is further accented with the multi colored rickrack with the silver thread.




This one reminds me of a summer picnic. It is covered in a red and white check and accented with a watermelon seed fabric. The adornment is actually a vintage fabric "yoyo" (I bought a bag of vintage fabric yoyos at a flea market) topped with a floral button and a wee bumblebee.





Want to add a bit of romance? This one is covered in a periwinkle silk dupioni accented with purple velvet ribbon, white lace trim and a beaded trim of grapes. Adorned with a metal fairy.





This one is covered in a deep turquoise silk dupioni (even lovelier in person). Accented with a boho trim and red faceted buttons.

So there you have it....the newest line of creations that will be added to A Whimsical Bohemian - The Shoppe!
I hope you like what you see!!

Have a most wonderful weekend..............and to all of you who are Mom's or Mom's-to-be I wish you a beautiful Mother's Day. Cherish your Mom if she is still with you......hold on to those precious moments.  I will be thinking of my own beloved Mom and cherishing her memory, her life and the Mom she was to me. There are no words to adequately say how much I miss her.....every day.



Love,
Lisa
XOXOXOXO

Dangling a new idea.......

Have you ever just been sitting around and suddenly out of no where an idea hits?

Well that's what happened to me the other day.  I was mindlessly holding something I was about to recylce when suddenly I started to see it as something else. The next morning I began and that night G looked around to see if we had more of that "thing" I was looking at. We ended up (amazingly) finding enough for the bracelets below and 2 more not done yet.  G is now helping me find even more.
In fact the more I get the more I can experiment with various other mediums, colors and designs.
Hmmm, what are they? Not sayin'( don't you just hate when people do that?)..... a girl has to have some secrets. Right?
They're going to be in my ETSY SHOP!
(click images to enlarge)

Apricot colored velvet that I embossed. The adornment is a piece of old lace and sheer embroidered fabric and a part of some old jewelry....oh and a strip of gross grain ribbon inside.





Blue velvet I embossed, white lace edging,  blue velveteen ribbon(inside), and pieces of old jewelry.





Very wide black and white gross grain ribbon (beautiful stuff), wrapped and wrapped and sewn, The top is folded and gathered of the same. Trimmed in turquoise velveteen ribbon and adorned with a multi colored button.



Pink and green cotton batik fabric with an overlay of pink dyed lace. 8 heart shaped bone-like buttons sewn around the perimeter.

I have a 7" wrist (measuring against my wrist, not loose) and the inside circumfrance of the bracelet is approx. 9".  The width of the bracelets are 1" to 1-1/8". The opening diameter is just around 3" wide.  I do like bracelets to be loose (which these are) but those with much smaller wrists and hands........well it may be too big. I am working on that next...making it a bit smaller around.
The good thing is they aren't heavy at all....in fact they're quite light.

I am adding these and a couple more to my ETSY SHOP on Friday. "Cheap(meaning inexpensive) and Cheerful" that will add a bit of fun,color and pizazz to your outfit.


Slip on a sundress, some flip flops and a fun bangle this summer.





You know, speaking of flip flops. Did I ever tell you that I adorned the straps of flip flops like the one pictured above and sold them for 2 years? I still have blank ones packed away in various sizes that I've thought about getting out and doing some up for the shop.... as summer is fast approaching. I used to paint designs on the sides, add fabric and bead trim to the straps, sometimes adding a silk flower, charms AND sometimes hand beading the entire straps(not really cost effective). I'm looking for my pictures to show you in a later post.  They ARE the most comfortable flip flops, they aren't a high wedge and those straps are so soft on the foot. I don't know, I'll have to get a pair out and see what I come up with this time around . MAYBE. I don't want to overwhelm myself......
I told you I liked to do various things........I think it keeps the mind fresh, don't you?
Either that or perhaps it's just Artist ADD!

Oh and before I go.........look what I see out of the studio window.........

Could it be? Could it be BLUE sky and some sun?

Love,
Lisa
XOXOXO

Surround yourself in color and enchantment!!!

It's another gray day here today.............it really does affect ones mood, ones light, ones demeanor when it continues for days. I adore places like Seattle but I don't know how the residents do it when it's like this for an long period of time.
I went around my house looking at colors.........absorbing them......drinking them in and touching it and holding it to the dim light of the windows in some cases. On days like these it's more important than ever to surround yourself with hue and saturation's of color wherever you can find them.




























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The mail came and with it brought the brand new DVD release of one of my other all time favorite movies.(up to now it was only available in VHS). I am so thrilled because I had TiVo'd it and watch it on repeat...........now I can play it in my studio whenever I want.


This, in case you've never seen it,  is my synopsis.
It is about a woman named Lottie (Josie Lawrence), who on a gray, rainy, miserable 1920's London day while riding the train sees an advert in a newspaper:

TO THOSE WHO APPRECIATE
WISTERIA AND SUNSHINE
SMALL, MEDIEVAL ITALIAN CASTLE
on the shores of the Mediterranean to
be Let Furnished for the month of
April, Servants remain
Write Box z 1045, The Times E.C.4.

It occurs to her how very much she needs to get away....away from the weather, her miserable, dreary, ordinary life(including her husband).  In a local Woman's club she approaches a woman named Rose (Miranda Richardson)who she doesn't  really know but who also seems to have seen the advert by the look on her face as she reads the paper. Lottie begins to tell her how she pictures them there.....renting the castle.  After much persistence Lottie gets Rose(who also feels somewhat lost and alone in her life and marriage as well) to agree to share the castle. But in going over expenses they decide to advertise for 2 other women to share the month making it easier to manage financially.  The third person ends up being an older woman who walks with a cane and who lives in her memories of all the people she knew but were now dead. Seemingly aloof and almost unyielding Mrs. Fisher(Joan Plowright) agrees to share the castle. The Fourth is a beautiful woman used to receiving lots of  attention, mostly from men, often times unwanted. She just wants to sit and not think and not talk and not be the center of everyone's attention. Time to just be alone and unfettered and quiet...so Lady Caroline(Polly Walker) decides to join the other 3.
This movie is about the affects of San Salvatore on all 4 women when finally they have a chance to think, reflect, ponder and open their hearts. Four different women, four strangers, who at first do not mesh....and who otherwise would never have met nor connected in any social circles....... become enchanted.....in April, in Italy ...with life, love, friendship, each other ....something that no doubt lasts the rest of their lives.
I also love the music.
The movie was based on the book An Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim in 1922.

and filmed in Portofino, Italy.

So if you haven't seen it RENT it, if you have seen it but it's been awhile.....SEE IT again. I think you will agree everyone needs a "Lottie" in their life!
And who wouldn't want to stay in a castle by the sea in Italy for an entire month??

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
 Go now.........surround yourself in color.........and seek some enchantment!!
oh and if you should find that castle for let.......please, do ring me!

Love,
Lisa
XOXOXOXO

It's May............It's May......The lovely month of May

One of my favorite movies is Camelot starring Vanessa Redgrave and Richard Harris.

Truth be told I I've seen it about 25 times, probably more.  I was 13-14 when the film was released and then they brought it back to the theater when I was in high school. I went 3 days in a row to see it on the big screen again with a sketchbook in hand. One of my favorite scenes is the May Day scene. I loved the way they all had flowers in their hair and danced in their beautiful dresses barefoot. So in the dark theater I did my best to sketch Guinevere's dress and made my version of it for summer. For a high school Christmas dance I made a long velveteen dress that was a golden color and I added flat braid trim on the front and down the sleeves.  It was my ode to Guinevere and I remember I loved that dress and wish I had kept it. (though I couldn't get a toe in it today) I also wore 2 rings on one finger the way she wore her wedding ring....I did that for a couple of years.
 
I know every song.
I know it's all very silly - what can I say?
But anyway..... when May Day rolls around I always think of that scene and the song "The Lusty Month of May"....and thought I'd share it for those who haven't seen it or for those who haven't seen it in years.
Come on, let's all dance around...........kick your shoes off and put some flowers in your hair......grab a ribbon, let the music play and lets whirl around the May pole today.

image from http://www.moonsmuses.com/beltane.html

Who will be Queen of the May?


Have a lovely May Day all!!!

Love,
Lisa
XOXOXO