First Snowfall at Quail Hill

Winter is On It's Way..Good thing we got Garnet her snowtires on, at the first of the month!
The Sunflower Shot: Yes I know..silly thing, this sunflower still insists on blooming in my garden plot outside my office window and I don't have the heart to cut it down: it's about 8 ft tall.

Blessings of food and warmth

Happy Thanksgiving!

 October 6 2011

In honour of the Day (October 10) and the many wonderful Tangles that had come my way from Rick and Maria at Zentangles and the TanglePatterns site - here is my 'TangsGiving' card that I am sending out to friends and family this year.
I am very grateful to Carole Ohl for an absolutely stunning and amazingly inspiring site and of course the PUF Tangle (in this case Tripoli) on which this piece of digital artwork is based.

This digital artpiece I am dedicating to my dear friends and wonderful couple, the Calimentes.
Don was my Geometry teacher and since retiring, both he and Bette devote their time to THE GARDEN ( a wonderful 1/4 acre showpiece that takes my breath away every time I see it!)
So from Geoemetry to Gardening: a Tangle for Don and Bette and in the true Gardening spirit: here is it's name: Puf x Tripoli Tangle Ohliensis and how to do it:
Harvest of Blessings to all who read this.
Shanti

The Castle of My Goals

Across the water lies the Castle of My Goals.
Every turret, nook and cranny (not to mention that doorway) contains a Goal of mine - to write, to get more exercise, to transplant my seedlings, to WEED! and so on..
My only question is how to get over there without drowning in the day to day'ness of it all?
I also have to balance and feed my Spiritual side as well (the cloaked figure) so that she doesn't feel neglected and start inhabiting my dreams with LARGE HINTS..(which she has a wont to do!)

Paris in the Spring : Arlene's "La Secretaire" Envelope Album

One of my oldest and dearest friends Arlene is in her (censored) year and when her husband Gordon asked her what he could give her for her birthday, she replied:
"PARIS." (that's France btw, not Illinois!)

So on May 1st, this lucky duck is winging her way with husband in tow, to the City of Lights.
As they are staying with us this weekend, I was wondering what could I give her to take with her that would be light, handy and functional?
Dawn's Stamping Up site to the Rescue!
Dawn had revamped an old video of how to do an Envelope Album and at MIDNIGHT last night I put one together. (thank you Dawn!)

Here it is: Arlene's La Secretaire
Closed and Open photos

I used velcro for the closures on the side pockets and for the album cover.
The main body of the album is composed of (yes you guessed it!) the May page out of last year's France 2010 calendar which this couple had given us! (talk about your re-gifting!)
The left side pocket holds 2.5 x 3.5 glassy envelopes for restaurant cards and itsy bitsies that one picks up along the way during travels. The right side pocket holds a small pocket of mini post it notes.
Then there is the middle 'piece de resistance' ..a five envelope file folder for postcards and whatnots.
I used Tim Holtz Nostalgic Tissue Tape which has TA DA! a Paris theme. The only problem I found with it, is that it does not stick as well as it should - which is why I had to tape the corners down with transparent tape.
But all in all, considering it was one of those 'midnight madness mayhems' - it didn't turn out too badly if I do say so myself (GISC.Gosh I'm So Clever).
Blessings on those lucky souls who are traveling for PLEASURE!
Shanti.
PS. Gave it to her yesterday and yes She Loved It and Will be taking it with her! (Couldn't ask for a better compliment!)

Desktop Challenge: ApRiL ShOwErS - I WON!

WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote
When fair April with his showers sweet,

The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,
Has pierced the drought of March to the root's feet

And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
And bathed each vein in liquid of such power,

Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Its strength creates the newly springing flower.

- Geoffrey Chaucer – Canterbury Tales
*
Photo: Frog’n’Boots: © LadyNorth 2011
(I found this lil feller lurking among the Gardening Gumbers at Dinter's Nursery (my fave in the Whole Wide World!)
Kit Used:
Background and Frame: Flergs Dreaming of Spring: Paisley Paper
Daisy: cut from Flergs Dreaming of Spring: Paisley Paper
Calendar Frame: Flergs Dreaming of Spring
Calendar Fonts: Tangie’s Tweedledee and MockTurtle
Raindrops: Tangie’s FieldNotes: Spring – Elements 1 - dew
*
April 17/11 - WOOHOO! I WON the Challenge!! Got a ten buck gift certificate to spend.
O Joy! More digikits!

I have Been Tardy in Posting

This is my excuse.
Shanti
Blessings.

Vintage Roses

Faded Romance

Hope, Faith and Love - A Study in Blustery Spring Tulips

Simply Beautiful Dried Roses

Dried Roses from the Venus Sophia Tea Room in Victoria.

Simply Beautiful.

Brighid's Day Altar

For all those in need, Her candle is lit.
Happy Beginning of Spring -Happy Imbolc/Imbolg!



Brighid's Brightest Blessings!

Waiting At the Oasis Cafe - Challenges. Challenges..

While Sophie has been schmoozing and getting to know the other camels and elephant! on this Journey, I have been communing with my Midnight Muse, who has been prodding me and telling me to stretch my artistic wings so to speak.
Here are the Challenges and Credits

1. Monthly Desktop Challenge - Underglass: Save February Alone

When I worked for the telephone company as an operator, our portion of the switchboard had a glass top which you could lift to put things under.
It was known as the 'underglass'. Treasures from home like photos and a calendar and of course important stuff like Area Codes and GMT zones made its way there as well!
Hence the title: "Underglass; Save February Alone"

I couldn't find a European style calendar with Days Down the Side so I created one with the Impressions of Time kit and Tange Baxter's Vintage Newspaper.
I also used Tangie's red paper background from AJC11.
Font:Tangie Baxter - Director
Poem: my mother's version - I'm sure there are others out there.

2. Chat Challenge (while chatting with Flergs one of the Designers on SBG, she gave us a weekly challenge - Design something around "Twilight".
I am beginning to love Story Boards, so I couldn't stop at just one but did two.

DayBreak

The Dawn is breaking and with it so does my heart.
"Ah Love must ye go?"
"Aye Beloved, I must away."
*
Credits:
Castle: Medieval Faire
Gypsy Frame: Impressions of Time
Everything else: Dreamcatcher kit

Moonlight.

Poem fragment from The Highwayman by Noyes.

*
Credits
Castle: Medieval Faire
Rose: PoetsKeepsakes
Elements, background, frame, letter: Dreamcatcher
Photo: the Lady taken by Mr Bear
Font: Blood Crow Condensed and Dark Half

Blessings to those waiting for FRIDAY..AJC Parcel Day!

Gems of Virtue: Maryam and Nicolai

Note to my faithful readers: This is a A Story..I wish to heaven I had a real Granty Maryam who left me all those gems... But just in case you thought the Story was Real..it's only real between my heart and head. (If you believed it true, then I offer my apologies but even so, believing in my tale is the best compliment any StoryTeller could ever hope to have.)

The Story Thus Far:
The following was found in the back of the old framed photochrome that belonged to Great-Aunt "Granty" Miriam (Maryam) and in a secret compartment of her battered Steamer Trunk.

A faded letter from Nicolai (who was he? as far as we know Granty never married and last we heard was a professed Nun who died in a Beirut convent),
photographs,
an orange blossom botanical card,
a bar of orange oil soap still in its wrapper,
dried orange peel
an Eastern Orthodox 'lestovka or Ladder to Heaven',
and most surprising of all, cut and polished rubies, citrines, emeralds and amethysts.
(These were secreted in the bar of soap and it was only when I unwrapped it and bits of the soap fell away, that the gems were exposed)

The orange blossom is traditionally associated with Betrothal - is this why the botanical card was enclosed?

The Butterfly Project: My Contribution

At the Oasis Cafe, there was a note pinned up on the cork board with a small paper butterfly attached.

It read: "The Houston Holocaust Museum is asking for 1.5 Million Butterflies to be made and sent to them by June 30, 2012, in honour of the 1.5 Million children who perished during that terrible time.

Read here for instructions and address.

If you wish to join a group project (which is more fun) Two Dresses Studio is playing Postmistress and inviting you to send your butterfly (or two) to her and she will send it on after photographing it. Read all about that here."

Sophie and I thought it was such a good idea, that I created one right then and there.
I used the DSA2 stencil feature (which HAD a Butterfly already installed woohoo!), overlaid it on top of my 'raindrop peony' photo. printed it on 4x6 photo paper and then carefully cut it out.

On the back I penned a small poem:

Butterfly, you fly so high

In your wings, I can see the sky.

It is now in the mail (Sophie licked the stamp) to Two Dresses Studio in Alberta.

Blessings of Butterflies to all who send one (or more!) along to either place.

LN

Butteflies are Free...The Butterfly Project

You may have noticed a new 'blinkie' on my sidebar of a Butterfly landing on an outstretched palm.
My new Caravan Friend Bill had a link on his site to this wonderful Project sponsored by
Two Dresses Studio in Lethbridge Alberta.
It's a wonderful idea and a Good Cause and besides I Love Butterflies -
You can read all about it here and join in.
Blessings of Butterflies to one and all.
Shanti

Too Many Late Nights Watching Ellery Queen Mysteries

I love murder mysteries, especially those set in the 'gumshoe' era of the late 1940's: Ray Chandler, Ellery Queen to name just a couple.
When I saw Fifi's pages on the SBG site, I was inspired to go hunt out Clementine Designs, download her Ladies and Gents kit and well..here is the result.

I call it: 'She Hated Opera, But Most Of All, She Hated That Hat (as well as Its Owner)

Did he escape certain death by nipping outside during intermission for a quick smoke and leave his hat behind?
How did the Mysterious Lady in Red manage to cause the Chandelier to fall? (Was she in cahoots with the Phantom?)
And what is the meaning of the Queen of Clubs? A call to Ellery Queen perhaps?
Blessings to those who like Late Night Mysteries.
Shanti

A New Year, A New Journey, A Crow'ning

Over at Soul Caravan I have been busy creating new digiart pieces based on weekly themes.
So far so good as far as keeping up with things ..(stay tuned..you know me..)
However..this week, I halted my camel Sophie at a rest stop and under a palm, pulled out my mental sketch book and had a good long Think.
This year will see the end of my 'Outrageous 'Baby' Cronehood' or OBC and in 2012 I will proudly become a full fledged Outrageous Crone.

This piece is called 'Reflections On Being Crowned'.

In the word 'crone' is the root word Kron or Crown, as women who reached that August Age were indeed Crowned and honour paid to them on their special day I have also included a blackbird on a branch, which could well be The Crow, The Voice of Inner Wisdom for many of us.
I am also dedicating this piece to my dear friend Charlene, who took her leave of us on November 13, 2010 and never achieved Cronehood.
We shared a February birthday so the Amethyst diadem in the Crown is for her.
Blessings to all my OBC and OC' sisters out there!
Shanti
Credits The Louvre castle comes from the Book of Hours of Jean, Duc De Berry - public domain I adapted the Crown (Tangie Baxter -AJC 2011 parcel) and added gems from the kit: Arock CU Gems - Scrapbookgraphics.com