Hearts....

It's been a long time since I last posted in this blog.  I miss it, just as I've missed my inspiration for art for a while now.  Anyway, got some art journaling done, and that felt really good.  I also finished this mixed media piece that has more layers than a double-decker cake!  In the end, the art work turned out very simple....  It felt like I went around the block five times to get there.

Inspiration, hope, faith, joy, truth, happiness all come from the heart...

I went on a recent trip to Sweden where flowers were in full bloom... here are some pictures.  

Uppsala cathedral built in the 14th-15th century

Uppsala castle from the 16th century 

Supreme baked goods and tea/coffee... yum

Rune stone

Heart is in the air!

I guess Valentine's Day is one of those days...."eat-massive-amounts-of-chocolate" days, but we can also remind ourselves about focusing on heart related things like LOVE!  Or "lurve" or "luv" ...  Beloved thing that has many names that basically mean the same thing.  I think of a great big heart that encompasses our entire planet where people will lay down arms and instead make a joint effort to make sure everyone has enough to eat, a decent place to live, and clothes on their backs.  It could be easily accomplished if our attention wasn't focused on "this is my border" or "I want to control your oil/money/minerals/diamonds."  I would think it's time to grow out of this disease of "mine and yours" and focus on what is best for all.  What affects people in Africa affects us here in the U.S.  Time for humankind to grow up, don't you think?  I visualize a world where there is peace and people are happy, sharing their hearts with others!

Anyway, on a lighter note, I have been thinking "hearts" lately, and came up with some mixed media wall art with my ubiquitous polymer clay tiles.  I posted one on etsy which sold in 20 minutes!  I was so shocked I almost fell over!  :)  I made another one and posted that as well, and I'm working on another.  Running out of puffy hearts to use, though.  They are actually Christmas ornaments that I sanded and covered with strips of paperback books, and then painted and embellished with uplifting words.

The trees are dancing in the windy yard.  They are so happy it rained!  The cat wasn't too happy, but he could at least sit on the porch to prevent any water drops from touching his precious fur...  :)

Winter is back here in FL!

It didn't snow yesterday in the Tampa Bay area, but the panhandle got the white stuff!  As I sit in my house bundled up with 3 sweaters I wonder if it ever will get warm again!?  I love the warmth, the hot chili pepper living, the sultriness (or you can call it muggy) of our summer days.  Can't wait!  My most beloved plants are inside, crowding my living room, but a lot of them froze dead in the past hard freeze we had.  It's the coldest winter here since 1956!  (So they say.)  I know, I know, I shouldn't be complaining.  For Valentine's Day have lots of LOVE and Chocolate, in that order! :)

Another Live from the Heart creation...

Living from the heart is the only way to go in my opinion. Everything else is exterior fluff and busy-ness. It's a bit of a challenge to live from the heart but well worth the effort (or non-effort really.) When we let go, we go with the flow...

This is a mixed media collage with layers of paper and paint. The hearts are made from polymer clay and painted. Can't have too many of those! :)

It's a 12x12" canvas with deep gallery wrapped edges. For sale on Artfire. (Click on my artfire icon in the sidebar.)