"what a wonderful world":
I was cruising around on youtube and came across this Eva Cassidy version of a song I love very much. I thought it would be appropriate to include with my post for today.



I was able to complete the vintage Christmas stocking for my swap partner, besusans. It went into the mail yesterday. I had been getting somewhat panicky about the whole arrangement but truly I create better under pressure. I loved making treasures for Susan which I believe will be meaningful. I also purchased some gifts. I also love Christmas shopping, especially for folks who have similiar interests to my own. Vintage fabrics and ephemera are not so readily available where I live but I found a few pieces in my own stash which I thought might be appropriate. I am assured that Susan should be receiving her package in about 11 days so I'll try to keep in touch with Susan so that I might show more of my own photos of the items I made, after she has received the stocking ;-).

In the meantime I want to share just a couple of the reasons why I love the the above mentioned song. So often I feel so blessed with angels. I had received MY swap package from Mandy, pearl maple, a couple of weeks ago. I promised I would not open it until after I had Susan's package away in the mail. Last night I was very tired but it was the perfect time to be opening my surprise. Tears come easily to my spirit, but especially when I'm tired, especially when someone recognizes, surprises, touches me so closely. And so the tears were present as I found the beautiful angel filled, blue filled, ribbon filled, vintage filled, hope filled diamond treasure chest which Mandy had sent. The angels were on everything, it felt. I love the colours, the richness, the handcrafting and thoughtful choices. I felt so blessed Mandy. Thank you so very much. You have truly touched my spirit.

Another surprise also arrived yesterday. There is a very kind elf on flickr who has such a talent with words. He chose yesterday to write another of his poems for me. Tom is such a wise and kind elf. Thank you Tom.



When Angels Dance in Snow
© Thomas R. Farrell
A Poem for Windy Angels

Did you know
That black and white will marry ..…
Giving birth to blue
Whom they will rest here
In the shadows of their love!

Bushes and snow and lattice fence
Lost in yesterday's passing fall of snow,
Welcoming their sun to sit a while longer
As shadows praise their God
For this dress it wears so well.

Clouds I’m sure will come
In an hour or a day
Giving all a grayer cast
And muting songs from snow..

But for now, we have the music
And contrast beaming bright,
For now I hear the sound of songs
As angels dance about --
And I hear the sound of songs they sing,
Sweet foot prints in the snow.

Swaps and right brains: Yipes. They don't fit together. I had signed up for the vintage Christmas stocking swap hosted by the wonderful MaryAnn. I'm two weeks past the date for sending and I'mstill not quite ready. Hopefully everything will be ready tomorrow. My very right brained self is having an extremely difficult time completing anything for the swap.

Until I've any pictures to show I'll share this quotation from Inspiration Peak which I love:

When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at a college - that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared at me, incredulous, and said, 'You mean they forget?'

Howard Ikemoto

Explanations, no apologies necessary:
I don't really know if anyone cares, but perhaps it will help me to put this here, for you to see. I have not been creating nearly as much art in the past months as I feel capable of, perhaps especially in the last weeks. I truly had hopes to have an open house here to show my art. I truly had hoped to have an etsy shop open and be mailing many of my creations to you. I truly had hoped to have much more available in the line of photographs to sell for my family and friends, any who might have been interested. There is not much interest locally in mixed media, at least not that I've had time to pursue. But remember that I am not apologizing. I am explaining. If you looked at my previous post about the kind of flower I am, it mentioned pride. That is truly what I'm feeling.
While I've not been noticeably ill, those that are my helpers, my therapists, tell me that I have been "working very hard". This has nothing to do with physical labour - absolutely very little to do with physical labour. I have been healing myself. That is much more an emotional, psychological, spiritual kind of work. I can see that for anyone that doesn't know me very well, for anyone that believes in the "protestant work ethic" and in fact this would include some Catholic friends (Humboldt is a very German Catholic community), or just generally those that do not understand, they would sweep away my explanation as quickly as the dust on the floor. Yet for one of my helpers to tell me recently that is something he admires of me, the "hard work", and for Naomi to be nodding her head up and down with a little (or maybe not so little) glow in her eye when I'm repeating that admiration to her, makes me feel even more proud of what I am doing, accomplishing. Other helpers have reiterated how much better I have been doing also.



November is an extremely difficult month for me but here I am telling you all about my hard work. There have been many trials in the past year, particularly months, but I have weathered them. I've even been involved in a "soap opera incident" as I will refer to it. It wasn't really pretty. I was drawn into it totally without my awareness. I am to forget about it but because I have this loyalty to friends it is being extremely difficult to walk away from. Also because of my diabetes and the swinging blood sugars that have always come with that, I tend to a vicious cycle of inferior thoughts, particularly with the high sugars. I have been weathering that. I have been flowing through it with an added height to my awareness, to my strength.
And so I have tried to keep this post positive. I have tried to explain rather than apologize. I will take a moment to say that some of you have noticed moments of huge creative energies. They tend, however, to be frequently interrupted with all this other hard work and I have had major difficulties in arranging the typical help which has been made available for our daughter. Normally at this time of year I've had much help with her. This year it has been interrupted to a large extent.
So I will continue to create, when I can. The creating needs to be more again for me as opposed to being for you. The etsy shop will open when it opens.
Angels be with you my friends. Thank you for all the angels you send to me,
Wendy

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."

More winter splendour: I actually love the snow. I just had Billy out for a late walk, as we frequently tend to do. There's freshly fallen soft snow. The sky is bright, with the full moon behind clouds. The air is calm and still. I could see the fairies zipping off to hide behind the trees, thinking they'd escape my sight. How could I possibly not feel them with all that floating fairy dust about me?

solitary tree

alone I stand
tall and free
while others
around
might gaze
in amazement
awe
and wonder

alone I stand
tall and free



rabbit tracks in the snow

True to November we are having many dull, grey days. Some of them have started sunny but it doesn't take long and the clouds dullen my brain AND the skies of course.
We are back to Saskatoon for an appointment AND I'm going to the Artisan's Craft Market. I thought it's about time I tried to investigate more the local scene. Hopefully I'll have a drop of time to tell you about it.
Meantime I'll show you quickly these couple of creations. You'll have to read about them at flickr as I'm on the run.





Angels be with you,
Wendy

wintery clematis:
I didn't quite have time to finish either of the projects I was working on today so will share one of the photographs I took.

Creating:



Sunday, later in the day was very productive for creating but today, well, just wasn't. The only creative things I've done today, which don't really count, are this blog post and singing at chorus practice. There were no new songs - just the same ones we've been practicing since the end of August for our Advent concerts, on December 7 and 9. Oh well, I think I did enough yesterday to make up for today.







I finished three art quilts for autumn richness and got some pictures of trees. I did a bit of photoshop with one too and added a couple of words but I won't be showing that until tomorrow.





I hadn't actually shown this one yet. The picture and scan are quite lacking in the richness. The black trim is velvety ribbon. If you want to see it for real you'll have to stop by for a visit. Please let me know when to expect you, LOL.
Hmm, maybe I'll fiddle around with my blog colours a bit yet. That would count for some creativity. I think it's getting too late to tell you much about the art quilts. Please click on the photos and see the tags at flickr for sizes and other information.
Till tomorrow ~ angels be with you,
Wendy

My dear, dear friend Suze is going through such a trial right now. If you know her or even if you don't please stop by and show your support.
Angels be with you dear friends,
Wendy

feeling dreadful while excited - near to the point of exhilarated:
I feel dreadful because I've not taken time, had time, to comment on so many friends blogs. But there has been so much happening. I am "this close" to being ready to open my etsy shop. I may not have lots in it to start with but I'll see how it goes. EVERYTHING takes so much time. YAAH, so what else is new Wendy!
I'm also near ecstatic because I finally felt comfortable to try doing something on canvas. I was terrified for the longest time. Fran said to me once it's not a big deal. Then I was very much the mixed -up media artist. I think I still am, but I'm finding much comfort in that place.
Between suziblu's inspiring videos and the creating in my journal I feel like I'm really finding my place. Now if some fairy, some fairy god-mother, any fairy, particularly my daughter, would decide to help a bit with the laundry, I'd be dancing my way to the stars. Wouldn't you think a 16 year old girl might like to do her own laundry? NOT this one - I guess we'll rationalize for her and say she has issues (which she really does) but that's not a suitable response LOL.
We'll proceed on the dance regardless.
This is a picture from Wednesday. It shows a couple of the canvases I'd splashed paint on. There are also a number of fabric pieces with pictures and words printed on them. Some day I might try to do a tiny tutorial on how I do that. I'd also printed parts from some of my poems which I'd translated to french with babel on some recycled paper. That would be the one that says confidential. tee- hee - really confidential. Actually I'll really miss all that recycle paper when it runs out, which it nearly has, WAHHHH!
These are some mini quilts in progress. The fabric with the gold is my own design done with permanent ink and the gold which is shiva paintstik. I love this fabric.
I'm also showing a flat canvas of 8x10 inches which I painted on and then applied some of those french words. Sometime if I remember I'll share the words as I wrote them. Don't hold your breath though.
I believe I forgot to show this journal quilt which I think I finished on Tuesday night.



In order to see the details of it, which you really must, please click on it and then do the view on black at my flickr.

I'm off to the big city again for some more tuning up.
Angels be with you dear angel friends,
Wendy

being creative everyday:
Participating in art everyday month is a different sort of challenge for me. It's not so much about actually being creative. It's more about trying to share with you what I all DO create in a day. Typically I do much creating. I often can do much writing in my mind. I am fortunate to remember, usually, what I've written in my mind. You can find some of the latest writing I've done at windyangelsandyou. I often write long hand now so I've backgrounds for my artjournal pages.
I was realizing that much of the time I create in larger numbers but don't necessarily complete much in a single day. Then suddenly it seems I've completed lots. It's like with the tags. I often work on them when I'm on a road trip with Greg. These were started one time when I was waiting at the hair stylists.



With sewing it works well because it makes sense when I'm using the machine to do more stitching at the same time as opposed to doing a couple of seams and then needing to sit down again another time. When I'm putting printer images onto fabric I work with more pieces at the same time also.
The flat canvases were kind of accidental. I have the tendency to put out far too much paint at one time. Then I run to get more surfaces on which to apply the paint. Some day I might learn.

Here's a journal page I completed last night. The words are here.



I've also put together another slideshow with the journal pages. They are so much fun to make - the slideshows and the journal pages. If you click on the show it will take you to a larger version. You need to click on "original", top right side. This show is dedicated to Suze.

yellow orchid:
taken in the conservatory at the Mendel art gallery in Saskatoon

journal quilt for autumn: This is the first of a number of these autumn quilts. I have so many photos to use and so much fabric, so many trims and so many ideas. I'll try to tell you more about it next week when I can get to it. I've shown it in very large size so you can see the details.

Oh yes, it might not be finished. The time is very late, almost time for Suze to be waking already in the UK LOL, so will be all for today. Not sure how much I'll be able to post over the next days for AEM - will see what I can do.

Thursday: At least I think it's Thursday. The days seem to blend together at times. I realized I would not be able to complete the journal page or the quilt. I'm trying to check enlargements of some of my photos. It's quite frightening. One of them turned out very well but Greg is picking up four more this evening. I was kind of upset when I realized the double rainbow picture did not quite cut it. Oh well.
I'm preparing a number of projects to take along to the farm for the long weekend. We have an extra day holiday because Sunday is Remembrance Day in Canada. Tomorrow we have to go to Saskatoon for appointments. That seems to use pretty much the whole day.
So I'll just show you this photo which I worked with on photoshop. I won't tell you what I have planned for it. That would spoil the surprise.That's all for AEM this day.

A quotation I've been wanting to share for awhile which arrived from Inspiration Peak:
"Anything you do from the soulful self will help lighten the burdens of
the world. Anything. You have no idea what the smallest word, the
tiniest generosity can cause to be set in motion. Be outrageous in
forgiving. Be dramatic in reconciling. Mistakes? Back up and make them
as right as you can, then move on. Be off the charts in kindness. In
whatever you are called to, strive to be devoted to it in all aspects
large and small. Fall short? Try again. Mastery is made in increments,
not in leaps. Be brave, be fierce, be visionary. Mend the parts of the
world that are within your reach. To strive to live this way is the most
dramatic gift you can ever give to the world."

Clarissa Pinkola Estes
American Author, Poet and Psychologist

Angels be with you,
Wendy

Art Everyday Month:
It's gotten very late. I'll just quickly show you this flat canvas I finished. It's 5x7 inches.
I also trimmed up this one postcard.
One of my journal quilts is nearly done - needs finishing touches. Hopefully I'll complete that and an art journal page tomorrow.
Angels be with you,
Wendy

Art Everyday Month:
I'd forgotten all about art everyday month until I found Suze had a picture posted on the flickr pool. I took a look and decided that because I'm doing so much art these days I should try to post some of what I'm doing for AEM V. I showed a couple of things in my last post - the digital images of the "strong, free, ME girl". Now I'll show a couple of pictures of the magnets I made on Sunday as well as some postcards with the same image. There are also postcards of my brother, and cousin Debbie who died when she was about 12 years old with complications of rheumatic heart disease. They are not quite complete.
I also did some self portraits and worked on one with photoshop. Below the picture I've included what I've written about the image. I included it in the "red for the people of Burma" group also.


A friend recently reminded of Annie Lennox. As I searched for her music I discovered this video.

It speaks clearly of my own passion for humanity, my rage about the people who do not care of whom they hurt, as they seek power, for themselves.

As I expect you are probably getting quite tired of the self portraits I'll say that I will be trying not to include so many of them here. They seem to be important for me as I continue the struggle with my self identity.

I also did some more with photoshop this evening on the picture of my brother and cousin. I'll probably make postcards using the image. I'll hope to have more time tomorrow and Thursday to work on the etsy. See you then.

Angelsdreams: I suspect you're probably getting tired of me talking about an etsy shop and not seeing any action. Sigh. I'm REALLY working on it. One of the things right now that I'm needing to investigate really soon and decide about is copyright. because I put a majority of my images on flickr and I know there has been a major problem with people's images being stolen I'm trying to protect myself from that. This is not a final decision but for now I'm using "angelsdreams" for copyright.
I've been playing lots with my photopaint program which I now believe does pretty much the same things that photoshop does. This is just a much older version. and I believe the angels have been with me. I cannot make heads nor tails of the instruction book LOL. I don't actually know exactly where it is. No one has taught me. I have taken no classes. Everything just seems to happen by chance - angels I'm thinking.

I also have decided to break away from windyangels. As I've said, I've encountered some snags along the way. I was actually about ready to go with "pixydreams" for my shop and even had the banner and made the image with photopaint.



But I was feeling totally not comfortable with the image of a pixy. I could not place myself in that unknown territory. I was reassured that angels can be angry too. I was feeling somewhat out of place with my anger in the last few weeks. Now I'm set to run, or fly as the case may be with angelsdreams.

I've also been bookmarking many folks on etsy as well as trying to learn as much as possible about the best ways. I'm not certain how much time I'll have to visit on your blogs in the next days as I try very much to establish myself "over there". I'm not quite ready yet. I have to review my paypal account and also set up to have my photos enlarged. I need photos of my art to set up for business. Keep a watch. Soon!!!

I should mention that I've got about three journal quilts also ready to fly. It's hard keeping my feet on the ground to do the stitching and fabric prep and handiwork.

A reminder that all images are clickable.

Angels be with you,
Wendy

Autumn collages and another journal page:
I'd completed these autumn collages a while back. They were with a friend of mine who has purchased some of my art. There are six altogether. They measure about 8 1/2 x 11 inches. It is one of my photos printed on decorative paper and then applied to more decorative paper with stitching. A brad was then added.


The journal page is, as often, with words. These words are about the castle which is me. As I'm more into country, informal style, there are splashes of that also LOL. The windows show bright light which is what I am seeking. A number of years ago someone told me of the book "Interior Castle" by Teresa of Avila. So developed the idea of myself as a castle.