1-1-11

Inevitably a new year!  All those ones.  Welcome to 2011 and happy new year to all of you my blogger friends.  You inspire me daily, and I get excited when I find someone new to follow.  Today was a quiet day.  I played with my cat Bailey whose favorite game is "hide the cat in the bag."

He likes to hang out inside the bag, only parts of him sticking out.  A gentle poke with my toe on his hip makes him crazy as he scrambles to turn around in the bag to swat at me.  Usually my toe is long gone by then.  :)  He knows that... the crackling sound of the bag is what's music to his ears, go figure.  He also has a catnip ball that he loves, and if you toss that into the bag with him, he gets lively.  Mostly though, he's a super laid-back dude, like the Dude, minus the dope... :)

I made veggie soup for dinner with black-eyed peas.  Yummy, and I loved the colors!

 

It had red cabbage, onions, celery, garlic, parsley, balck-eyed peas, olive oil, and seasoning.

Then I finished a shadow box project that I've had sitting around for such a long time it had a 1/4" of dust on it.  I used an old hook rack that I painted and distressed, then filled with meaningful words and symbols.  Hearts are close to my heart, and also anything natural, like the outdoors.  I had glued on some bought eggs in the nest of Spanish Moss, but they were too big so I had to make some polymer clay eggs that I painted robin's egg blue with brown spatters. 

Happiness is NOW, look within for peace and love. (Rather than the outside where it doesn't exist.)

 I had a red plastic heart that I covered with paper from a paperback I wrote myself then glued inspirational words like "live your bliss" and "choose joy."  It is a choice, either we decide to dig for that good feeling inside or we spend the day being negative.  Gratitude is a good path toward feeling joy!  The twigs are from outside where there is no shortage of those! :)

 Nature has a thing or two to teach us, so I like to include natural elements to honor that.  I'm grateful that I live in the midst of glorious nature!

The whole piece is about 16" inches long and 8" high.  Lots of fun to make!

Bailey now fell asleep next to me.  He's dreaming and twitching.  I wonder what he thinks he's catching...  He was not happy during the fireworks last night.  It sounded like they were setting off bombs in the neighborhood...

Do you know what you want to accomplish this year?  On a physical level I'm sure what I want.  I know what I love to do-art and writing.  On a spiritual level, I want to follow my Inner Voice more closely and also find the bliss in every situation.  I don't want to waste any more time on letting things "happen" to me, or to wallow in pity parties, or dwell on the horrendous things we do to each other and Nature.  If I can be an inspiration for upliftment, I'm one less problem in this world!  So, I wish all of that for you too, savoring living in the moment and looking toward things that uplift you and make you happy!  Happy people make good choices that are good for everyone.  Happy people spread the happy bug around!  You know what I mean! ;-D

I wish you a GREAT creative year!