Animal Wednesday: Mystery Box

Well what do you think is in this big box that came from Robin?

The lilac tissue is SO her :)

WOW!!! Look at the size of this guy! He's tired after flying all the way from San Francisco.

Well, he sort of flew :)

Emma took off like a shot and hid under the pillow!

It could be that she remembers the story about her daddy (Brian) getting attacked by ravens in Bodega Bay at the same place where "The Birds" was filmed. See the schoolhouse? She just KNOWS Alfred Hitchcock sent this damn bird!

It's true, they showed no mercy.

Bliss is a lot tougher than Emma, believe it or not.

Here she is checking him out near one of her beds.

There'd better not be bird poop in there, hairy guy!

Nope. Good thing for you! I'll be watching you though.

But I love him and he apparantly loves our Rhode Island Red Rooster.

Aww, he'll find a place in Em's heart soon. And Bliss will lighten up too.

Meanwhile, guess what I named him?

Really.....guess!

He's a bit more hairy looking than feathery, probably because he's still young and downish.

Ready?

Hairy CAWnick Jr. !!

Happy Animal Wednesday, my dear friends.

Thank you Robin! I love him. Can I keep him, huh, can I?

xo

Lo♥

Healing Friends

Most of you know this has been a tough couple of weeks at our house.

Hubby and I have been crying "UNCLE!" for two weeks now because of a nasty virus that has chosen us as hosts. Today I finally feel like a human being and he is close behind me.

That didn't come out quite right!

 

And our dear kitty Bliss sent us on a spin to the emergency vets for the past six days when she became covered head to toe in blood as she was grooming. She was severely anemic with a chance she wouldn't pull through. She barely escaped transfusions because she stayed borderline critical. She has been poked, prodded, ultrasounded and xrayed to the max and we still can't find a single reason for the bleeding. Unfortunately we were finding other things of concern which had us going back.

Long story short, miraculously, as soon as we got home from the hospital last night she turned the corner to wellness! I personally think St. Francis hitched a ride with us and I'm not a particularly religious person (in the traditional sense.)

Every leg is shaved in a different pattern but vain as she is, Bliss could care less.

She's happy to be home in the studio listening to Debussy and watching the rainbow maker dance across the room. And Mom is very happy ;)

Thank you all for your prayers and love for her recovery. Let's hope we're home free.

Now here are some other reasons why we're all getting better in this house.

The love ♥ of friends!
 

This wonderful orange polka-dotted box was on my front stoop this morning.

That Mim!! She emailed me and told me she was sending a little something my way, "kind of a Jewish mother thing" she said.

Look at this!

A wonderful container of homemade chicken soup, a big cup-shaped bowl filled with an assortment of mini brownies, a big thing of hot cocoa mix and a chocolate/espresso cake!

And oh, a chicken cookie complete with a little chickie.

How sweet and caring is this??

Thank you Mim! I'm looking forward to all of it. I feel so much better already!

This is definately chicken soup for the soul♥



More love arrived in the form of friends buying from other friends to send to friends!

Marianne bought this wonderful coffee cozy from Lori and asked her to include this note.

I love that she chose the Bonsai for me.

Lori wrote the note and tag on recycled cardboard which makes it extra special.

Thank you ladies!!

BUT how did you know my friend needed a ...

New sweater?????

xoxoxo!

So here we sit in the studio, candles lit, Debussy and rain playing~me, Bliss and Emma. So nice.

And this beautiful pomegranate cloth was given to me from Marianne when she visited me.

She saw me ogling it in a gift shop and the next thing you know it's mine.

That's how she operates!

I found white tulips at Whole Foods to complete the calmness I feel right now.

Thank you, everyone. I hope to catch up soon!

xoxo

Lolo♥



Thankful Thursday: Tinker's Talent

I have a dear friend in California who is an amazing artist and jeweler. For years she has spoiled me with many gifts on my birthday, this year being no exception.

Besides all the other things she sent, I just want to showcase what she made for me.

This beautiful necklace with a bluebird pendant delicately crafted with the softest colored green stones and fresh water pearls. My photography doesn't do it justice. Please click the photos to enlarge them.

The amazingly delicate acorn earrings were made by her but given to me by another dear friend that I miss, Gloria♥

I wore everything as a set yesterday and I felt special!

I really miss my California girls! ♥

Catherine also sent me this bird dish made by her talented friend, Sandy Kreyer. Maybe some of you are already lucky enough to have some of her things in a collection.

Each piece, every flower, leaf and color is handpainted on her potter's wheel!

I have four things made by her now, three of them given to me from Catherine, The Tinker's Daughter.

Here are the links to their Etsy shops. Stop by and feast your eyes and say hello!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TinkerBelleDesign

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SandyKreyer

I'm grateful for friends, near and far, young and old.

And I'm grateful to have so many things made and given with love.♥

Intuitive Friends

There are certain people that come into our lives whom, I'm convinced, at first meeting already know us at the deepest, most personal level.

I am lucky to have encountered a few such friends already where some people wait a lifetime for just one. Your eyes and your heart must be wide open to notice them and let them in.

The friend I'm talking about today has just graced me with her presence for four unforgettable days. As a bonus she brought along her youngest son, Felix, A future Dalai Lama for sure. What an enlightened, delightful young man at the tender age of twelve.

Marianne has always been generous in heart and thoughtfulness. My mailbox has overflowed many times with cards and packages from her (and many other wonderful friends!) I'm very grateful.

The first night she arrived we sat in my studio sharing wine and she started handing me gold-wrapped gifts from a large bag. Oh my!!

  

These silk boxes hold something extraordinary because she had NO idea I was about to try a new art meduim brought to my attention by my most impressive artist friend and fellow Canadian, Neil Ornstein.

He was delighted when he stumbled upon this woman's wonderful etegami blog and shared the link with me. We both decided we must try this and agreed to exchange postcards one day. 

I went out and bought the sumi ink, the watercolor postcards and two basic sumi brushes.

No one at the art store knew what "special red" I was talking about and I had no idea how I was going to carve a signature stamp.

Here comes the magic part!

 

The longest silk box held three of the most beautiful sumi brushes with blue and white china handles. There is a dragon motif pot for holding the brushes, a blue and white bracelet with wonderful charms, a round blue and white pot that holds something, but what? And a little rectangle box, very curious.

I would have never, ever guessed in a million years that the round jar held that very special red or that the small rectangle box would be my very own hand-carved signature "Lolo" in both English and Chinese.

And remember, she had NO idea I was going to try etegami or that I was looking for these things. As I said, magic. Intuition. Knowing me as well as I know myself perhaps?

And last but not least is the blue spiral painting she did for me (up top) which now hangs in our bathroom (at her suggestion because it is sea-themed.) 

The circle of life, the knowing, the ebb and flow and the connection to everything.

Whew! Thank you Marianne, dear friend. I ask myself daily what I have done to have such special people enter my life.

You know who you are. My California girls, my blogging family, old friends who waited for me to come back home and new friends who have helped me feel safe. Thank you, all of you.

And thanks for hanging in for such a long post! 

But it was magical, no?

xoxo

Lolo 

Thankful Thursday: Marianne and Frida

Most of you know that our dear friend Marianne came to visit me all the way from the Netherlands. I still can't believe she was here in my home, my studio!

And most of you know that I have been working on a painting for her for over a year now in exchange for the exquisite birth mandala she painted for me.

I have had such angst over what to paint!  And I have had a few starts and failures.

I knew I wanted to do a portrait of Frida Kahlo for her but I kept trying to make it look like the ones we've already seen painted by herself and other artists.

It never felt "right" to me. And then I knew why.

I was tired of seeing her torment and sadness.

I wanted to paint her in a soft way in my own style.

No thorns holding the signature sparrow around her neck. No scars or blood from the fateful accident that haunted her life and her paintings.

So here I present to Marianne and you, "Young Frida."

Calm, sure, beautiful, feminine and happy at La Casa Azul.

Thank you Marianne, kindrid spirit and sister across the miles.

I will never forget this visit.

♥ 

The last photo was taken by my other new and dear friend, Felix, Marianne's son. He is as magical as she is!

Thankful Thursday: A Bird and A Bowl

I have no idea who linked me to this generous lady's blog, but I was the lucky recipient of this wonderful cut-paper bird giveaway! I had totally forgotten I had entered. I just love it and will frame it for the guest bedroom. Thank you Norma!

Many of you know I had the pleasure of stopping by Mim's house last Sunday.

The meeting was short but sweet, each of us having to dash off in different directions.

It was so wonderful to see her beautiful home and the wonderful spaces and places she has to create her amazing art. And I saw original Miss Ems!! It really is something being in another artists space, especially if it's one you adore ;)♥

On my way out she handed me a gift wrapped in the most luscious, colorful textured paper. She said it was for my birthday "whenever it is!" Too funny.

I handed her lilies from my yard which looked pretty sad by the time I got there :P

Anyway...This is what I saw in the box! A handmade paper bowl with a bird's nest (real) and egg.

I had been lusting after this bowl ever since she posted it and I kept checking to see if she listed it on Etsy. Nope. But now it's mine!

Look at the stars on the inside....love them.

ooops, too dark!!!

This is a little better. I wish I could get a clearer picture to show off the colors. Maybe if you enlarge it you'll see the wonderful details!

I absolutely love this bowl.♥

As if that wasn't enough, she included these three ATC's. She said the last one reminds her on my dog, Emma, although Em would really be the size of his head! When she visited me over the winter she and Emma hit it right off. That's not usually how it goes with my little ankle-biter!

I really love these atc's and all the time put into them.

Thank you Mim!! Now I can get to you with my eyes closed :)

(Did I mention I was over an hour late which is why our time was cut short? Um, well, I was lost because I programmed my GPS wrong! Hey, I was born a blonde.) 

Another Thankful Thursday with so many good things to share, one of them being friendship.♥

xoxo

lolo

Thankful Thursday: Smatterings

This week I'm starting with gratitude at home. My landlord asked if I had any use for this counter. I knew right away it would be perfect for the studio so I could have a place to sit with friends and draw or paint. I recently bought comfy stools in chili-pepper red (not shown here) and they give the studio a little pizzaz! Come on over!

Here's the view from the dining room doorway.

I have to tell you I'm in the studio all the time. I just love it and feel very lucky to have stumbled upon this place after the first fiasco we lived in. Things happen for a reason!

This is my memory board where I keep treasures from all of you. I have to constantly change it because I can't fit everything on it!

Right now it has things from the following friends: Soulbrush, Renee, Marianne, KJ, Mim, Teri C, Debra Kay, and Lynn. Can you find your art? (click to enlarge)

Beieve me, all of you who have ever given me anything has been represented here and will be again. Thanks so much!

Many of you recognize this beauty by Marianne! She sent it to me recently with my amazing letter "P" from our abc/atc swap. I can't show it yet because it's not time. Besides, I don't usually show things from the other blogs I participate in on this blog. 

I probably should because not everyone goes to the other places.

Thank you Marianne! You know I love this dragonfly in my colors ;) ♥ 

I was lucky to get a popsicle stick bookmark from Teri C! She even put crows on it. And she also sent me this cute puppy! I love his wonky ears! Thanks Teri! I love them. ♥

 And finally, Miss KJ sent this Easter raven to me from Babs etsy shop! It was a real surprise! It hangs from my paper storage cabinet which is right where I can see it all the time. Thanks KJ! You're always so thoughtful and generous! ♥

One last note, I entered 3 paintings in a local art guild show which I recently became a member of. Not one of them was accepted! Funny, they raved about my work when I posted it on their site, but for some reason none of them were selected.

That doesn't make me feel too welcome. Still, I'll continue to paint in this wonderful studio and have my own damn shows! ;)

Today I'll pick up my rejected works and hold my head high and thank them for their consideration. It's a tight knit group there. I'm sure no one knew my name and that was that. As long as I know who I am, that's what matters ♥

Thankful Thursday: Catching up with gratitude

I have a huge list this week because I've fallen behind. Stay with me, it's worth it!

This smiling face is a hand drawn card from Mim with a little note about the collage below, saying she thought of me and had to send it to me! You know I love this raven collage!! I'll have to let the artist know how much I 'adore' it!

Thank you Mim!!! xoxo

Up next is this happy yellow ginham bag adorned with a sparkly butterfly in a brown package from the Netherlands.

It was filled with goodies from Marianne and her friend Marja's  from their trip to Hong Kong.

It has a wonderful smelling sachet and a lovely silken drawstring bag with butterflies... 

And this gorgeous pashmina from Marja which matches my eyes! You should see the pattern. Click to enlarge it! The photographs don't do it justice because I took them in terrible lighting.

I gasped when I opened the gift!

And did you see this card they had made for me at the Chinese New Year celebration?

They had it made while they waited. See the artist creating it on this video on Marianne's blog!

The dragon is for power, the fish is for prosperity, the butterfly is for beauty, the bird is for happiness and the heart is for love ;)

Thank you so much M & M!!!

Happy Chinese New Year to you too!

(This is the fun card they sent with a note!)

This is a wonderful bookmark sent to me by Lisa. What a wonderful quote by Van Gogh!

I need to silence that voice more often ;)

Thanks so much Lisa!!

These wonderful cards came from Joss! I love her drawing of the 4 cacti, one of my faves!

Inside was this adorable vintage postcard asking if I'd like kissing lessons from a dandy teacher!

What a hoot!

These wonderful, exotic atc's were inside too! "Mask" and "Market Day." Thank you dear friend. We're all in love with your African style art! xoxo

Is this not one of the prettiest cards you've ever seen? I love the layers of cut paper and the color combos.

It's from my dear friend KJ who now lives just over to hours away from me!

Inside was a little pocket with a tag for a secret message.

It says "Happy Spring, my terrific friend!"

Thank you KJ. Ditto! xoxo

Heartfelt thanks to all of you. Wow, how does this happen?

My gratitude is bursting forth!