Monday, December 13, 2010

Candace in Sao Paulo


Our traveling doll Candace has been getting some culture in Brazil before heading to her next destination.
Li has been drawing and painting her likeness and taking her to museums. Be sure to visit her blog for some visual treats here.


To see the original post about the traveling doll follow this link.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Incoming and a Collaboration

Part of a collaborative winter journal with Corrine of Dosfishes
and Lyle of Just a Note
We're doing three journals with each of us adding to the others with a winter theme.
It's interesting and challenging to be leaving room for the other's additions.




So nice to be getting mail from other artists in exchanges and giveaways



Another page from Corrine's journal. I've added a couple of Arctic animal stamps.




This is what I won from Lorna of Artymess.
It's perfect for our desert home near the Mexican Border.
She was a bit skeptical of the random number generator I had recommended 
because I ended up winning when she used it!



She also sent me this fabric collage




And this wonderfully colorful and textural fabric postcard.
I just love the feel of her work!



And this ATC that is also fitting for this part of the country.



And a decorated Kombucha bottle from Corrine.
Here's a link to see more of  her Kombucha Bottle Madness                                      




You wouldn't believe how much stuff we had to move off of this shelf to make way for these decorations!



Kind of Christmasy even though it's in the 70's here  ( low 20's C)



 Oh yes, and the tree!
 The Dewi Sri rice goddess Christmas tree topper
from my brother in Bali


It actually is getting to look like Christmas here.




Saturday, December 11, 2010

Getting Into the Mode

It seems like I've been too busy to blog practically since I got down to our Southern home.
I guess I've been focusing on getting back in shape now that I can enjoy warm temperatures again.
Between walking, hiking and going to the gym with a bit of yoga thrown in it seems that I haven't been creating as much, at least not blogging about it anyway. I guess I'm still kind of adjusting to the move.


I did get few sessions in at the torch. I keep thinking that my tank is about to run out of oxygen since it's zeroed out but now I'm beginning to wonder if my regulator went kaflooey while we were absent the last 7 months. To be safe I've only been making smaller beads so I won't be cut short in the middle of one I'm making.




I've been enjoying some hiking around here. Plenty of inspiration abounds.


In the Dragoon Mountains of southern Arizona









Finding balance in the Dragoons



It's a funny kind of Christmas spirit for me living down here. Being a northern girl through and through it takes a bit of extra effort in short sleeves and sandals to make the Christmas charm come alive.   Seeing everyone's posts about their sales and creating makes me a bit wistful but I really left the selling season behind me in Alaska with all of my inventory too.
    
Our house is fully decorated and bedecked with lights and most of my gift-giving happened before I left the northland. It's kind of freeing but I really feel as if I should be doing something, promoting my wares somehow. I think I'll get over it and realize that I don't need to pressure myself to be in sales mode and actually can relax and enjoy the season. 

It's all in finding that balance of fitness, relaxation and creativity for me at the moment.
I think the holiday will shine its light on me just perfectly!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Shabby Yin and Yang

Shabby Yin Yang







 Picking up the pieces ~ our collection




These still seem so exotic to me



View of the town of Warren
The mining company is planning on contouring the tailing piles and planting shrubs.
You can just imagine the hole left behind when they took out all of this material.

Well, here is a picture of the pit in case you can't imagine it
This pit is on the road between Old Bisbee and Warren




some shabby and empty houses



stately agaves



 Lone pomegranate 



Even the sewer covers are cool




Some houses are very nicely kept up.





The house of the  former big boss in this mining company town.
For sale at $650,000



Tailings that created a new landscape



The old Copper Queen  Hospital



arch to the empty house




Good old funky places



Italian cypresses piercing the open sky



Gateway





Prickly Pear Cactus





 I'm taking you on a little walk through our small Arizona town. Warren is a part of Bisbee, an old copper mining town  that was established at the end of the 1800's. After Bisbee got too crowded they set up this company town called Warren in the early 1900's. Bisbee had been one of the largest cities between St. Louis and San Francisco then.  Warren is in fact, an early planned city with sewer and water and it's nicely laid out with it's Vista Park that views the mountains across the border in Mexico. These days there isn't as much work since the copper mine shut down and it's a rather sleepy town comprised of many retirees.

 Coming from Alaska we relish the funkiness of the place with it's similar mining history as where we had been living up north. I can walk through the town with few cars on the road and do my explorations of the neighborhood on the way to the gym. My husband says it reminds him of the Flintstone's town of Bedrock. There's always so much to look at and little treasures to pick up on the roads and ditches. 

My rusted "roadsmithed" smashed bottle cap earrings were made from pieces I've been picking up on my daily jaunts.

I often say that the most magnificently warm winter's day here is so similar to an Alaskan summer's day with the big sky and desert dry air. That's one of the reasons we picked this place.


I relish my walks as it keeps this old truck driver's hip joints moving and I can take it at my own speed and lose myself in thought. It's been a crazy past week of  bad news about all sorts of friends, family and acquaintances. 


 One friend in Alaska was charged by a mad mother moose as she was trying to take a photo of the baby calf that was nibbling at her flower pots at her house.



 Mad Mother Moose Charging
( my friend has bruises from hip to toe but is otherwise all right, fortunately)


Another friend fell flat on her face at work busting her lip and smashing her face.

And another blog friend, Terresa taking a spill on her travel trip, suffering bruises yet fortunately not too badly injured.

The musician gentleman that lead the band that played at my wedding took a nasty spill on the ice from the ice storm that crippled Fairbanks and has been in and out of consciousness since then. We're praying for his recovery.

My own father facing yet another health crisis that he seems to be bouncing back from, I'm happy to report.

And another friend whose condition is too raw and dire for me to even express. I hold her in my heart.

All that is putting me in a pensive and yet expansive mood as I meditate on it all  and feel grateful for this day and all my friends and family and far reaching connections in my blog world as well.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Candace goes to Brazil!

An excellent rendition I must say!
I almost thought I was looking at a photo.






She is a good model for Li, sitting so still.





Sao Paul, Brazil









Looking kind of cold on the Riviera de Sao Lorenco




A moody, cool sky but at least she's had another good adventure




Candace has gone of to Brazil to visit  artist Li Ferreira Nhan. I suspect she's having a good time despite the muy frio weather.