Simply Beautiful...

'Evolution of a Rose'

This phenomenal piece of art from his series "Order from Chaos" was done my very dear and special friend, John, who just so happens to be quite a famous artist. World famous, in fact. I love this painting so much that it seems I can almost smell the sweet perfume of the rose when viewing it. For one who needs an explaination, John states:

It is my little slam on the theory of evolution. The same principal applies to this painting as it does to 'natural selection'. The same chance that all life and the amazing creativity and variety that is found there all happened by accidental chance, is the same probability that the rose in this painting just 'happened' out of the chaos of paint in the background. The paint in the background is the same color I used to paint the rose, its just a jumbled, haphazard, accidental application, not the 'masters touch', as it were. To add a little intensity and acidity to the argument, the painting is entitled, 'Evolution of a Rose.'

What a brilliant and special man John is---and he is truly as unique and wonderful as his breathtaking work. I am very, very thankful to call this man 'friend.'

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 12

"There is no drop of water in the ocean, not even in the deepest parts of the abyss, that does not know and respond to the mysterious forces that create the tide." Rachel Carson

Happiness can be found in enjoying a work of art when I have the blues. I felt like I was all alone on a big, big sea this day. But the sun still shines and GOD IS, therefore, all is well.

Thursday Trivia...

the 'dressy' (but not formal!) dining room
"After the Bath"....in the dining room

Unfortunately, the front of my little cottage---where the so called 'formal' rooms are located---faces the east, making that part of the house uncomfortably warm this time of year. Realizing that today we would again see temperatures in the mid 90's, I knew I should do something which would in some way remedy the situation. After much wavering, I removed my favorite ivory colored Belgium lace curtains from the dining room windows and replaced them with a window treatment which would provide a significant amount more insulation. Actually, I liked the end result more than I thought I would...though not enough to pass on the pretty lace ones! On the wall not seen in the picture is a painting entitled "After the Bath." I had originally planned to hang it in the bathroom upstairs but it actually looks quite nice in the dining room as the color of the walls brings out a lot of the colors in the background of the painting. I really enjoy painting but have difficulty finding enough time to devote to art right now. I hope that in the not too distant future I will have plenty of time on my hands to paint and garden and quilt and do a number of other things which are constructive and creative as well as enjoyable....

Dreaming and Creating

So, if you can't be where you really want to be, with whom you really want to be with, doing what you'd really love to be doing on a cold and rainy afternoon, being creative is the next best thing. I guess. So, with a $4.00 pair of Goodwill jeans and a fabric remnant from the craft closet, I created a funky little full length skirt that will be the admired by many. I saw some that were similar, but not quite as cute, at the Levi's store in Chicago a little while back and even the plainest ones started at over $100.00. I love thrifting and creating and keeping my hands busy, busy, busy. Guess it's part of that nesting gene.

With a Little Luck and Creativity....

Sometimes when I stumble upon something, I end up with much better results than when I carefully plan a project. Point at hand--I much prefer old treasures that have been cast aside over new ones but recently, out of curiosity, I decided to make a quick pass through a furniture store that was going out of business. Near the back of the showroom I spotted hundreds of fabric samples hanging neatly on racks awaiting, I suppose, to be tossed out. I asked the manager what the plan was for these lush, beautiful fabrics and much to my surprise, he said he would love for me to rid him of the stash. I quickly packed them into a couple of over-sized trash bags and had a grand time that afternoon organizing them by color and texture. Most of the pieces are rich earthy tones and I can hardly wait to create some unique carpet bags from them to give as gifts next Christmas. Any ideas of what else they could be used for besides the pillows? After all, it's not too soon to start planning is it?