IF : Moon Mother

Trying to come up with a different take on 'moon', I started writing my ideas down; moonglow, moonflower, moon heart and moon doggie (remember him?!) And then I thought of arctic moon and began to draw a seal lit by the moonlight. But then...my idea evolved into this thought and the whole picture changed. Well, at least the moon did.

The young seal asks his mother, "But what if you leave me too soon?"

To which his mother replies, "You'll see me in the moon, little one. You'll see me in the moon."

acrylic on paper, touch of colored pencils, not what I'd hoped for.

IF : Poem...Drink Your Tea

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,

as if it is the axis

on which the world earth revolves-

slowly, evenly, without

rushing toward the future.

Live the actual moment.

Only this moment is life.

~Thich Nhat Hahn~

I searched a million (or so it seemed) poems on the internet to come up with something that sparked a painting. Here it is, a painting I did today just for Illustration Friday. I've titled it "Tea and Ginkos." The cup and saucer are very Wabi-Sabi. Who needs a perfect elipse?

inspiration and acrylic on canvas

IF: Self Discovery

I see myself in windows and mirrors. Squinting, I try to get a better view of my reflection but it's not anyone I recognize. I refocus my eyes, still I'm not sure I know that woman looking back at me. There's a vague familiarity around the eyes and mouth. Her hair is shorter and red. It was never red, always blonde. And her weight, surely that can't be. And then to my horror and shame I realize it is me. As I pick away at my physical flaws I make an important discovery. I AM NOT THIS PACKAGE. I'm more than that. I'm a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a healer, an artist and a kind-hearted, spirited woman.

And so, I've discovered that I am enough.

Collage, sweat and tears. And with love to my dear husband and friends who tell me this every day.

TAGGED...again!

Okay, Andy Doodler tagged me again and I'm supposed to tell you 8 hopefully interesting things about me. I'm supposed to choose 8 more to follow, but I'll let you decide if you want to join in or not. I've already tagged enough of you! Here's my list, lame as it is.
1) I'm pretty shy for the most part. I don't think you can tell that from my blogs though. Maybe because there's a bit of anonymity here :)
2) I'm very self-critical. I really need to be kinder to myself. I would never treat another person like I treat myself. Hey, we all have demons.
3) I have paint on almost all of my clothes! I hardly ever dress nice because of it. I make the attempt to look good, but that darn paint shows up everywhere!
4) I'm an animal communicator. I'm fortunate enough to be able to be very still and quiet in order to help an animal through intuitive communication. I get quite distracted during regular meditation though. My mind is everywhere!
5) I can't bear to watch animal movies. They always upset me, even if the endings are happy.
6) Nature is my church and kindness is my religion.
7) I have a large bank account...in the karma bank, that is! I'm always doing good deeds and not charging for my animal services even though I really need the money. I usually put my heart ahead of my financial needs. What goes around, comes around though. I'm very wealthy in my friends.
8) My mother wanted me to be a comedian! She'd always tell me how funny I was and that I should do it as a living. Other people have said that to me as well. They all drink too much.

IF: 6 things I think are Geeky

Okay, I really didn't like this word. I thought no matter what, someone was going to be offended by nearly every post. And then I thought, lighten up and let it rip Laurel! Still, I kept it tame and to a minimum of insults. Here are six things I think are geeky.

1) Bow Ties...I know some wonderful guys have worn them (and still do) but do you really think "hunk" or "sexy" when you see them?

2) Holiday themed sweaters...ladies, what are you thinking??? Get rid of them. Even homeless people don't want to be seen in them. Thrift stores can't give them away!

3) The Mohawk....do you really think you look cool? Well, you don't! And then if you make the hairdo a neon color you're really sending out a cry for help. Do yourself a favor and get some therapy. Or smoke a joint for goodness sakes if you need to make a statement. Chill out and fix your hair.

4) Socks with sandals...this is wrong on ANY planet! Men or women, please never, ever do this. Dark socks are a bigger faux pas, but still, ditch the socks if the sandals are on the feet.

5) Santa hats...how many store clerks does it take to wear a Santa hat? Every one of them!!!! And what about regular people who are out shopping and donning those hats? I just don't trust them. And how many kids do you think are traumatized by seeing so many versions of Santa out there? It's just wrong. And for those who don't celebrate Christmas (or the commercial version), must they have this in their faces day in and day out from Thanksgiving until Dec 26th?

6) and finally....adults with braces!! I stare at them, honestly. Do you really think at 40 you're going to get the same bang for your buck if you were 12? I think not. I have such a hard time looking at a balding man with wire and rubber bands in his mouth. I usually just hand him a kleenex to wipe the drool before I leave the room.

I'm sure I've offended some of you. Now you've seen my other side. Not so fuzzy is it? It's because the word was limited. I hope you'll still like me in the morning!

(The opinions of this post are not necessarily those of the readers, although they should be! )

watercolor on canson, glued onto scrapbooking paper with sticker numbers. Click to enlarge.