One World One Heart 4th Annual Global Blog Event

I just learned about a really fun way to get to know other bloggers from Stacey and I am so excited to share it with you. One World One Heart (OWOH) is the brainchild of Lisa Swifka - A Whimsical Bohemian who began this project in 2007 to build community among bloggers. Lisa says "The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way."  Very cool, right?!!

To join in the fun...  Between now and February 15th bloggers from all over the world who are participating in OWOH's Magic Carpet Ride will display their "ticket" on their sidebar which indicates they are hosting a giveaway. Just leave a comment on their blogpost for a chance to win. Winners will be randomly selected on February 15th. Be sure to leave contact information if it's not in your profile. Click here for a list of participants. If you are interested in hosting your own giveaway, click here for directions. Most importantly, make new friends and have fun!

My giveaways...

 

There will be two separate drawings. The first is for "Pocket of Shells" -  a lovely little watercolor painting I created in 2008. It measures 5"x7" and is matted to 8"x10".

The second drawing is for my "Pears & Apples" art card set created from my original watercolor paintings. The set includes four 4.25" x 5.5" blank cards printed on premium matte paper with matching envelopes.

Only comments left on this post will qualify for my random drawing. Your comment must be left before 1 a.m. (EST) on 2/15.

Might I recommend a super fun stop on the Magic Carpet Ride at my daughter, Christine's blog, ticket holder #801...

Craft Hope for Haiti

Through my daughter, Christine , I learned of an opportunity to contribute to relief efforts in Haiti through Craft Hope, an organization with a rich history of connecting artists and artisans with people in need. Craft Hope has opened an Etsy shop featuring donations from crafters and artists from all over the world with 100% of the proceeds from these donations going to Doctors Without Borders. I was happy to have an opportunity to donate this painting, which surprisingly has already sold. Or maybe not so suprisingly, as 1,540 sales have already been recorded thanks to the many wonderful people wanting to contribute to this cause.

Why not stop by the Craft Hope Etsy Shop to check out the many beautiful items for sale? If you'd like to donate an item yourself, contact Craft Hope. It's amazing what the art and craft community can do collectively!


"It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world." ~Craft Hope

purple for Mary Kate

I have a dear cousin who loves all things purple. I mean she really loves them! I'd been working on this painting on and off for a while but without real inspiration. Then I thought of her and it became really easy to finish this piece. There are times when I'm painting when I just need a little inspiration in the form of where a painting might be headed, what would I like to do with it or where it might hang to help me complete it. For you, Mary Kate...

embracing the new year

Each year I start out enthusiastically embracing new ideas, projects and plans for growth. This year is no exception and here is just a sampling of what I'm setting my intentions on:

living more consciously making steady progress on a greener lifestyle restarting my yoga practice growing my art business and being more daring! (this one borrowed from Christine http://unspeakablevisions.com/)

There is so much I'm looking forward to this year. My daughter, Kate is marrying Joey - losts of festivities. I will be finding a day job and looking forward to whatever that new adventure may turn out to be. I have oodles of new art projects and things to explore. And I'm looking forward to lots of good times with family and friends!

What are your hopes, intentions and dreams for 2010?

happy holidays!

I love this time of year and all the goodness that it brings out in people. Amidst your hustling and bustling, remember to thank and hug the people in your life who enrich you and celebrate life with you, the ones you love and the ones you try to love despite the messiness of being human (or maybe because of it).

Thank you, dear readers, for checking out my blog and making me feel welcome in the online art community. I look forward to sharing a creative and inspiring New Year with you.

Wishing you and your families a very happy holiday season!

blessings,

Susan

new group of artists...

There's a wonderful new group of artists who have come together through Etsy's WMASS (western Massachusetts) Street Team to share ideas, to market, build community and work together called Artisans of Western Mass. I have joined the team and am looking forward to participating in events in the near future. If you have a moment, please check us out.

http://artisansofwmass.com/artisans.html

holiday show ideas...

Last week my car was totalled when someone ran a stop sign and t-boned me, the furnace stopped working (after-hours on Friday night) and all week I had been dreading the surgery that I had this week (which really was a piece of cake, the dreading it was the hard part) and now it's Friday and the dust has settled. I am thrilled to be getting back to painting and art-related business again. So, while last week didn't result in much artmaking, it was pretty good for perculating ideas for the two holiday shows I'm doing in December.

I already have a good collection of watercolors and mixed media paintings to offer, and I'm working to finish up a few smaller pieces as well. I also have some really lovely art cards made from original paintings, but I want to add some more small items to tempt the buyer who isn't shopping for paintings this holiday season (weird I know, but there are a few folks out there in this category - and you know who you are) but who still enjoy original art.

I took out my pile of "banned" paintings that have beautiful parts, but don't really work as a whole. I usually save them to use in collages and mixed media paintings. I have decided to use some beautiful snipets to make holiday ornaments, covers for journals and bookmarks. I will add paint, ink and other bits to them, maybe even add a poem to the bookmarks, and see where the spirit takes me on this project. I'll post a photo of the finished project later. If you are looking for a few small items to add to your own booth this holiday season, maybe you have some paintings that can be recycled, too. Do you have any ideas to share?

loving November...

Despite the trees dropping their leaves, having to wear multiple layers of clothing to keep warm, and the shrinking hours of daylight, I really like November. November can be a pretty gray month here in the Berkshires, but on a day like today with the sun shining and leaves swirling about, it's pretty fantastic. I'm more tuned into hearth and home thinking about holidays, family and friends and long walks in the woods. Plus it's a time to really focus on gratitude with Thanksgiving around the corner. It's a good time to compile or revise one's list of things to be grateful for. I am blessed and want to bring an attitude of gratitude to my days in a more focused way. It's easy to get caught up in life's problems and concerns. I've certainly done my share of that lately, but focusing on gratitude will only make life more joy-filled!

I'm adding to my long list of things I'm grateful for the recent shipment I've just received of new paints and watercolor paper. I just love opening a new tube of paint! Today I'm working on some winter landscapes to be hung at the Inn at Stockbridge, but it's definitely a day to make time for a walk among the dancing leaves this afternoon.

What are you grateful for?

It seems I've come to a little fork in the road. It's not one of those huge life decisions; I'm just trying to determine the next step I want to take artistically. Don't we all have these moments? And over and over again, just when we think we've settled on a path, something sparks inside us that asks us to throw the cards up in the air to see where they land this time. Or at least that's what it's feeling like for me right now. I love painting my mixed media pieces while at the same time I've sold many more watercolor paintings, so maybe I should create a larger body of watercolor work. Add to that the fact that it's getting close to the holidays and I know I could make some cash if I make more cards, holiday related items, and little things like bookmarks from original paintings. So, it's all swirling around in my head... Philosophically it seems sound to just keep painting what I love painting without any detours, but pragmatically it would be nice to make some cash right about now. Is this just a matter of balance or do you feel more driven to keep painting what you love painting? What are your thoughts? Do you struggle with this as well? Blessings on the journey!

I've spoken of illuminating moments in one's life as a real inspirational, motivational force to do something better, in this case it's art and loving - but not necessarily in that order. For me it was a pre-admittance test for a minor surgical procedure that got my attention. Something didn't turn out quite the way it should have on one of the tests and it gave me a moment's pause, OK maybe alarm would be more accurate. But after some reflection, it really is a pause. We have those moments of pause all the time. Usually we are too rushed, busy or distracted to pay much attention. Today it's different though, I'm feeling more loving and grateful for what I've been blessed with than anything else - for those people in my life I love, for the new day's dawn, for all that's left to explore. That transfers to making art, too. I feel a spaciousness, an openness, a no-rules kind of painting day coming on. It really is the journey that counts most, the moment by moment living and loving. Happy Friday!