Ducks in a row, birds are taking flight...

Well just after I was lamenting that I had to keep my nose to the grindstone and get all my ducks in a row, we've decided to take flight for a couple of days. We are headed to Oxford (yes, Oxford, Maryland). Seems that they will be having an early July 4th fireworks show so we're heading out to see what's what and get our fill of crabcakes!!! I shall be taking party pics and posting asap.

Character Constructions and Doojies Collaboration

Well if y'all are just going to continue to barrage me with requests to see the finished piece from the Catherine Moore workshop I attended, all I can do is try to please my public. So here it is. I didn't do too much tweeking after I brought it home but wanted to use real tree branches instead of commercial ones. And I want to have my fave moss and feathers in it. I called it a "collaboration" in the title because it's Catherine's images with with my arrangements. I even used the box that she picked out for me as a special treat to myself. And hey, I spent good money (and by good money I mean money WELL spent!) to get to be in her workshop so I could just be around her and bring home a little piece of "collaboration".

Look away Miz Gilley...Bits and Pieces Swap

Oh my gosh, am I glad I didn't look at the B & P swap group photos on flickr until after I finished? Or not...I started this by telling myself to get out of that f'in fetal position and put my big girl panties on and let it come naturally. Well it did, kind of. This is way more "MacKenzie-Childs-on-acid" than I usually do but all I hope is that Tammy Gilley likes it.

She said she likes fuchsia which, in Doojie's world, means that it must be paired with chartreuse. So that's what I did.

But first I started with my real love and passion which is d-3 collage assemblage using antique figurines and new art papers.

Then I started using some new cool stuff then totally got into using some really great things I've had hanging around that I've never used which I thought was kind of the idea of this, to use BITS AND PIECES left over from other projects And also got into an area where I usually don't go and THE WHOLE THING WAS SO FUN!!!! I love how these swaps challenge us to think outside our own little comfort levels. Thanks so much to Jenny of everyday-is-a-holiday for sponsoring and organizing this!

In case you aren't seeing me as often...

As I was saying, I've been having to take care of my doodies. So, just to let you know that instead of working on getting my ducks in a row, I'm getting my birds in a row. I did have a very nice outing yesterday with Nene, Fran, and Nene's cousin, Chi Chi. Fabulous food and even better company so don't cry too hard for me Argentina, I got to squeeze that in. You know I'll be back to giving you more info that you'd ever want soon enough. Until then, have a blessed, beautiful day.

Don't try this at home...

...only at your gyno's office. I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted which only goes to show that I've been doing my doody instead of having creative fun. I finished my three week (not every day by any means) painting job, very rewarding. Then the summer schedule kicked in with daily swimming lessons starting Monday. On Wednesday I was lucky enough to have what I was distractedly calling "my spa treatment" which was really a procedure at the gyno's office which involved a position similar to this one. That was the comfortable part. Next part of the fun and games is getting to have a little surgery in a couple of weeks. I have an honest-to-goodness needle phobia so I'm really going to milk this thing as much as possible. Oh the pain I'll have to endure, etc. Don't tell hubby it's just outpatient and I'm supposed to be able to go surfing that afternoon. Yeah well, I've heard the same thing about vasectomies too, and if you can hold a bag of frozen peas in your wet suit while surfing, go for it. I've never know a man who'd had one that wanted to do much but bond with any frozen vegetable for a while. Anyway, I'm gonna need a lot of distracting time in my studio making art to keep my mind off of the impending poo poo. Yippie for the milking...

You know it going to be a good day when...

...when you can take these pictures first thing in the morning IN YOUR OWN HOME!!!!!! It helps if the night before, up until you turn your light out, you spend a couple of hours soaking up all the fabulous artwork that you have been blessed to have at your fingertips on your laptop. If I get this wrong I shall correct it later...the final study was Jenny of "everyday's a holiday" who had a party hat on a doll head. That image must have really seeped in during the night because the first thing I did this morning was put two and two together. Just last week I had bought a box lot of doll heads on eBay and hadn't even opened it 'cause that meant opening a pandora's box of comments from all of the four men I live with (not as sexy as it sounds). I had popped them out yesterday and loved them so...then last night...then...yippie! I love how Bettie Mellie Kersnowski (BM, for short) can't stop looking at her new hat, she loves it!!! And who wouldn't 'cause this fab party hat was a gift (swap?) from Mellie of the famed Little Melfie's Studio (gotta click on link on right), it's been in my powder room in a little "ode to Mellie" area. I had to ask her if it offended her that it was in the powder room but she said no 'cause she loves that room. I really love that room too, it's very cool if I do say so myself, so I thought it was fitting but I wanted to make sure she knew where I was coming from...

So, if I was of the creepy ilk I might have thought

that one of Mellie's other fab art pieces in the

same room was telling me what to do...but, as you can see, she's way too sweet to be subliminal, right? Right?

So, here's a shot of the newly decorated nook over my sink. I was having blog-withdrawal as I'm still working on my painting job in Annapolis, making actual money, and had otherwise not been too creative lately...ummm, Tammy, email coming soon to that effect...have a wonderful day!!!

You always know just what to say, Sis...her shared wisdom for today...

I get up every morning determined both to change the world and to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning the day difficult. -E.B. White (1899-1995)

Specked Egg Spring Card Swap

I'm finally getting around to posting the cards I received from the Speckled Egg spring card swap...this first one from Michele Witchell who can be seen at flickr: this good day... ...this one from Barbara Burkard...

...from Heather Simpson-Bluhm...

...from, well I don't know, we'll call them "anonymous"...

...and this one from Connie...

Thank you all, I love them all. And thank you, Heather, for putting this all together. Stay tuned for the button card swap at the end of June!!!

Grits from the Dirty South

My mother asks me if having a blog isn't a little self-indulgent...durrrrr. My husband says there's more information here that even he wants to know about me. My mother thinks that the internet is all porn and identity theft. My husband has to use a computer for work all day. This is the epitome of what I love about the internet. I would never have gotten to meet Shelley (Gypsy Wagon) were it not for the internet and/or mine and/or Amy's blogs. If you read Shelley's blog you'll see in the comments that she and I have had many parallels and so many things in common that it amazes me. Nene and I had gotten to meet Shelley and her hubby, John, when they came to Nene's sale but since I recently discovered yet another connection with Shelley I immediately called for more in-person time. So, today we got to meet up at Starbuck's. Soul sisters...girls raised in the south but we're from the DIRTY SOUTH. There's a strong common thread that we are connected by; we understand each other's humor, we are, well fire up The Ya-Ya Sisterhood DVD, we are loyal and fierce friends (you too, Fran, in the dentist's chair instead of Starbuck's today). No restraining orders needed here! And we already have an over-night field trip scheduled in July to Northern Virginia. Watch our hickory smoke go!!!!!

There's Hope!!!

Okay, I didn't get the point of The Road. I didn't realize what I was supposed to get from it until Oprah did the follow up on it with the author then they explained that the book was supposed to make you think about what things are really important and necessary in life-ewe. I get pretty close to that on a fairly regular basis but waiting for the end of the world and then being happy with piles of ashes and...? It's not for the roller-coaster minded folk like me. Deep for sure but also quite dark. But this CD is one of Oprah's classically good picks. Casually, in a relaxed manner, considering at all times the blessings of your life, get your ass to http://www.amazon.com/ or Borders, etc. and get this CD asap!!!! It is the perfect combo of perspective and reflection in very uplifting, soothing music. Don't miss out...p.s. I had forgotten to mention that track #6 should be all our mantras...

Sweet Home Has Come to Roost

The first art swap I have participated in has now come full circle with the delivery of this wonderfully sweet and beautiful fairy jar from Beth Quinn {please see her blog/website listed in links}. Out in the "wild" and sitting on the beautiful cake stand that Amy gave me, this little fairy seems very happy with her new surroundings.

Thank you so much, Beth, for this beautiful, fabulous treasure!!!! How lucky I am!!!!

Riding life's roller coasters...

Today is a deep-thinking day for me for some reason. I "suffer" from clinical depression although I take medication. Between that and being peri-menopausal for too many years {just pause already} I do have my own inner roller coaster that I have to deal with. Then there are the exterior roller coasters that I can easily fall prey to if I'm not careful. Today was a good example.

First thing this morning, before leaving for church, I started what is a weekly routine of spending most of Sunday reading the Sunday Washington Post. On the front page was a story regarding a 50,000 year old tribe in Tanzania which is in jeopardy of vanishing due to a financial deal Tanzania is making with an Arab family to take over more of the tribe's Serengeti territory for recreational hunting purposes. A member of the UAE royal family had indicted that their 2,500 square miles of land was getting "too crowded" and that member had requested his own parcel! I mean absolutely no offense to The UAE, any Arabs, or to this royal family specifically, hunters in general, sure. An official called the Hadzabe tribe "backwards" and declared that the tribe would benefit from the many gracious offerings of help as compensation from The UAE. Of course the UAE is making very generous offers such as schools, etc. but it sadded me to the core at the thought of that ancient tribe being at the very least "modernized". And I also believe that all people should have a say in what is best for them themselves. Then I start my decent into the "what's the world coming to?" black hole that sometimes sends me to my bed in the early afternoon.

As I was finishing the story I glanced out of the french doors and saw the birds eating out of the feeder I have on our back deck. At that moment there was a couple, the fellow taking and feeding the lady. I watched this and shared it with my young son and off the roller coaster I stepped into a calm, clear world where things were making sense again...

Let them eat cheesecake...

I've had this on my fridge it was in the Post one Sunday a few months ago. Sorry the picture is grainy but I loved what was written. I'm kind of an "eat dessert first" girl, not that I do that literally {okay, sometimes}, but I don't believe in putting everything off. For some reason I felt like today was the day to share this...thank you, Tom Dooley, and so sorry I can't remember the words to the song about you...or is that Bill Bailey?

Oh Boy!!!!

This is my update to this original posting. I took the class yesterday and it was great. I'm afraid I wasn't a very good student as I was mainly there to meet Catherine Moore, our instructor, and a wonderful artist. I did, however, "complete" my project but have some minor adjustments I'd like to make before adding it to these photos. Until then, I hope you enjoy these party pics I took during class. This is Catherine... ...some fun ladies working on their nesting boxes...

...Catherine giving guidence...

..."our" table with great ladies...

Catherine's box...

As Nene says, "I'm lucky!". I get to participate in an art workshop given by Catherine Moore of Character Constructions tomorrow at The Queen's Ink in Savage Mill, Savage, Maryland...right down the road from home. This is the photo of what we will be creating. I shall take a party pic of mine when I'm finished and maybe we'll have another "Fun and Games with Doojie, can-you-find-the-differences-between-these-two-pictures?" contest. In any event I'll take party pics overall and share and I'm tickled to also get to meet Catherine as I've long been a great admirer of her, her art, and her fab website. Did I say, "oh boy"?

Michael Moore... "More we, less me."...Amen!

This is a follow up to my reminder yesterday to watch Michael Moore on Oprah. He was great, of course, I love him anyway, but hopefully, as he said, people will see this as a "people" rather than "political" problem affecting all of us. He made a lot of brilliant points and I personally can not wait to see the film. It is another subject which I feel passionate about. Another revolution to work harder on. If you missed it I'm pretty sure you can probably catch it on Oprah.com, should be able to click on it on the right here. Let's get fired up!

Maya Angelou

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE... enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE... something perfect to wear if the employer,or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE... a youth she's content to leave behind... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a feeling of control over her destiny... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to fall in love without losing herself.. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... what she would and wouldn't do for love or more... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. . whom she can trust, whom she can't,and why she shouldn't take it personally... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table... or a charming inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing... EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... what she can and can't accomplish in a day...a month...and a year...

fairy jar es fine' e en el postillo...

Had to show party pics of my sweet fairy in her jar before she flew off to Arizona to her new home with Beth. I have not named her as that is for her adopted mother to do. She waited (wink, wink) patiently in her antique clock candy jar to see her new digs and now she's winging her way there... I hope that you love her, Beth, I'm sure she will be very happy there as she is in her climate-controlled environment, although she said she's fine with dry heat...unlike her maker...anything over 68 degrees is a sweat shop for me...but I digress (as per usual)...

Beth had told me that she posted photos of the fairy jar she made for me on flickr but I love surprises so I just peeked a wee bit so I could get an essence of what Beth might like and I think Mellie made a good match at least as far as I could see just enough to know I'm gonna love mine!

Thank you so much, Mellie, for putting all this together and bringing all of us together in such a lovely way...Brava!!!

Under the portacache, a plethora of gravitas artists and patrons party...

Last night I was blessed enough to host a little get together of some of the East Coast's finest artists and art and antiques dealers. I had a great time and I think they might have too. Many different types of artists~all fun and fab...

Certainly a little dream come true, Amy Powers, Hope Wallace, and I in my little studio with Mel Lobdell at the camera!!!

Hope placing an order for a commissioned piece-yippie! She looks like her mind is pretty well made up... Some folks just always photograph so well... ...and are always great conversationalists...

I love having the opportunity to celebrate my women friends because without them I'd really be either in the pokey or the looney bin. They are my glue, my inspiration, my rocks, my shoulders, my heroes. I'm honored to call you all my friends. Thank y'all for that blessing.