Some Christmas shots

The view from Manning Point cafe

Umina Beach, Lion Island, Barrenjoey Lighthouse in the distance

Boxing Day, looking at the dolphins

Christmas morning at the beach

I can't seem to get the captions quite lined up with the photos today, so hope you can work out which is which! They are almost all from around here except the one with the headlands in the photo, which was taken just north of Sydney. I've been really enjoying being back in New South Wales again. The water is lovely and cool and refreshing and the natives are just as friendly as they are everywhere else in the country. It just isn't quite as cool as Victoria (the southern state) or as warm & humid as Queensland (where the giant stick insect was found!)

Still no fairy sightings, although there have been emus, snakes, and dolphins in the last week. I didn't manage to get photos of any of those wonderful creatures, and haven't spotted a mermaid yet. There are lots of wonderful beach scenes, like the ones above on Christmas and Boxing Day. It's so great to have a nice relaxing Christmas in warm weather at the beach! Two years of snowy Canada in a row is enough for this refugee from the north.

I've started some more paintings in the last week or so and am looking forward to doing some more, leading into my week-long course in January. And right now, I'm charged with making a communal dinner in the beautiful house I'm staying at, owned by cousins and their friends, so I'd better get to the kitchen.

The year is ending soon!

It's been an amazing year, full of fun, fairies & magic. Not to mention a fair bit of art--both creating and viewing. I've worked with many mediums this year, from ink, silk, pottery, stone (tiling the ensuite shower is definitely a work of art!), photos and reproductions, to the last one, abstract watercolour on plastic paper with Greg Allen, a noted Melbourne watercolourist! It's been excellent to put out some more creative branches and fun to think about how that will continue in the next year. Might even think about some music--the cousins have inspired me with their playing, singing, and bands. Can I get back into the piano or is the guitar somehow easier?

It's also been a year of travel, exploring, and connnecting or re-connecting with family from 3 continents--some after almost 40 years! Very cool, and lots of wonderful memories, photos old and new, and old and new stories to enjoy and pass on to others. Sometimes I think one of my strongest roles is as a connection.

As I type this there are only 9 days left in the month, and I have hardly thought about next year at all, which was what this walkabout was supposed to be for. I am usually a very future-oriented person however at this point I'm not sure what I want to put in place for 2010...I do have a short (and general) list for my art, including getting a website developed, and I have a sense that there are other things which are more important in life--like enjoying family & friends and supporting others. I'm noticing how much distraction I put into my life, and how difficult it is to hold a focus most of the time. Perhaps it's just a stage...or perhaps life is one big distraction?

Anyway, I do want to wish you all a very merry Christmas, you loyal blog-readers (whoever you are!!) and I might possibly put in a short message before 2010, when I return to my favourite city Sydney for New Year's Eve fun!

photos and music

My Citizenship tree doing nicely

Dorothy (note the red slippers) & Toto in the land of Oz

Echidna (above) stick insect below

Welcome to Australia!

El Presidente heading to Golf

Bec and Seb at their gig in Newport

Watts boys jamming--part of 61 Trees out of Sacremento Ca

Well, I think I've found a better way. You tell me! Hope you enjoy the photos, not sure if the video will work well, and the sound...from my little camera! Anyway gives you a view of what I've been up to and will try to put more photos on soon.

Must run, the pool and beach are calling as is my painting!

More photos before I hit the road again....

Thought you'd all like the Financial Abundance Fairy that is pictured here...sent by a non-believer in fairies, just in case...and I pass it on to you!

Along with this I'll put a few more California photos since I haven't gotten anything uploaded from the last few weeks in Australia...except that now I've uploaded one photo and started typing it appears I can't upload any more until the next post. Sigh. Isn't technology wonderful? I can't figure out how to put captions on the photos either as my mom requested.

Maybe by the time the next posting comes around I'll work out how to put up the sound-track and photos of 30 1/2 Trees and Rick Watts jamming in California...could be an interesting challenge and I wonder how the sound would be coming out of my camera's studio! I call it 30 1/2 Trees because it's half the Watts Boys band, 61 Trees, from Sacremento, California (check them out on Facebook--you'll find out what the name is about there), jamming with their dad. Didn't get to see the whole band although I hope to someday!

Tonight I go to see another family musician, Bec Watts, of Williamstown (Melbourne) Australia, play in a local cafe. There will be a big turnout to see her and her partner Seb play and sing. Earlier in the year I was very impressed hearing them at a local pub gig they had for a few months. I'll get some photos and put them on next week for you.

And meanwhile, it's Christmas coming in full swing here in Australia, although I must say I often forget because of the weather. Go into the shopping centres, as I have over the last 2 days, and you are quickly reminded--the bustle, the decorations, the full carparks...horror! I think I'll go to the beach today for a walk instead!

Melbourne weather is so funny--the week before I arrived they finished an unseasonably hot November, having 8 days over 30 degrees and a top of 37, but since I've been here I've had to put my fleece on most days, at some point, and it might have made 27 one day. Yesterday I broke down and bought myself a cardigan (sweater, as we'd call them up north) along with a pair of dressy sandals (nothing like consistency eh?) so that should make the weather get hotter very soon. Not, however, until late next week, according to the forecast at present.

I've also started drawing and painting again and have a session with Melbourne artist Greg Allan on Tuesday morning so that will inspire me to get off my butt and do what I say I'm going to. Stay tuned for further details and photos! I'd better get a few things done next week before I hit the road again, heading north for Sydney and past...

Those darned fairies are at it again!!

Some of you may recall the saga of the fairies that got into the works of my 2010 calendar printing & sent some to a photographer in Virginia...(if not, see backdated blogs, try, October). Well, I thought I hadn't gotten any of his in return, I looked thoroughly through my box of calendars, and they all looked like mine.

I sold most of them through, and amongst the sales were 6 to my sister-in-law in Ontario, so before I left Vancouver I very carefully packed up her order to send with her sister when she went back east to visit. And lo & behold, when Suz unpacked the magic bag 3 calendars of Virginia appeared. And I haven't even seen any of them yet!!! Guess this means more work for Santa's elf, aka my husband, who I'll call tomorrow to get to mail replacements asap to Ontario. What DID I do to get those fairies playing their mischief on me again?

Meanwhile, back in Oz...I'm having a great old time settling into the Down Under life. I keep forgetting it's nearly Christmas when I'm golfing, walking the beach, bbq-ing outside, late sunsets, seems like mid-summer. Then you see someone in a Santa hat & go "????" Oh yes, it's almost that time! What do I need to do to get ready? Not much when you're on the road, except join in on the parties!

I've spent most of the last week down at a town called Lakes Entrance where a friend has a big house close to the golf course & the beach--absolutely fantastic, relaxing, watching all the birds from his back deck. On the first day there I counted 20 different types of birds while walking the golf course--from Crimson Rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, pelicans, white herons, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, wattle birds, black swans, some kind of oyster-catchers, yellow-crested cockatoos, to Willy Wagtails, galahs, magpies, whip-birds (they make a sound like a stock whip snapping), mynahs...the variety is incredible. And that's without all the different little ones, little thrushes, wrens or whatever the tiny birds are, that flit around the bushes so quickly you can hardly catch them. They all move pretty fast so are hard to capture with paints. I have a bit more luck with sketches...but they keep moving!!! And most of them are even hard to capture with a camera, because they do keep their distance, and seem to be aware of you watching them, at which point they fly off.

It was great to just relax and recharge my batteries after so much travelling, and get lots of sleep in a more rural setting. Watching the stars of the Southern Hemisphere at night is spectacular, and there was a big full moon shining most of the nights we were there. No curtains at Surge's so it shone in my window almost all night the first few sleeps. Now it's not rising until the middle of the night so it doesn't seduce me away from my sleep so much.

Well, that's all to report for now, back to civilization & time to get more photos uploaded, pick up my art supplies tomorrow, and catch up with my uncle & aunt and more cousins that I haven't seen yet this trip.

Catch you later! Please tell the fairies to stop!

Are you following me?

That is, if you know where I am...or if I know where I am! Since November 11 when I left Canada I've never been more than 3 nights in the same place. This morning I woke up in the peaceful bedroom where I'll spend most of the next few weeks so it's very nice to unpack & settle a bit. Thanks to my wonderful cousins in Melbourne who have a fantastic home with room for me to stay, and the generosity to open their house to me as they do annually. I hope I never wear out my welcome here!

It's been great to talk to some of the Melbourne cousins, there's a new little addition to the family who I haven't met yet, an all seems to be well down here. Australia has been strangely untouched by the GFC (as they call the "global financial crisis"here--an Aussie tradition to shorten words and phrases!) Everyone is well, happy, working away in the world, and the kids are almost all grown up. Lovely to see them all.

It was also good to see the box of things I left here in April including my pallet and some paints & some paper & big brushes. I started sketching too, on the sketchpad I left here, and will get my paints out tomorrow, I think. Lots of things to be inspired by here, and wip (work in progress) too.

So, while I must go now, I have access to a bigger computer & a bit more time to play with my photos so stay tuned & I'll show you my travel stuff!!

Ciao until later

From the Sunshine Coast

My first few days in Australia have been excellent, and I'm settling into my adopted country very well so far. Yesterday I had my first go at driving on the opposite side of the road (for this time) & didn't go wrong anywhere! It was a manual/standard transmission to boot, just like my little car that's waiting for me in Melbourne on Thursday, so that was a good start to my "walkabout" for 4 months, which is actually more like a "driveabout"!
I haven't been on the internet much due to travels so the photo upload will have to wait again. My camera is getting more painting material on it each day, and I still want to tackle the photos from California!
So busy catching up that it's hard to find time to draw or paint however I did sell a few cards & another calendar yesterday, and get some kudu horns drawn for a friend who is a kudu fanatic and wants a design for his cabinet. People in this area are very creative and artistic, it's a bit of a retreat that way, and I find it a very supportive and inspiring environment. Not that I don't have inspiring and creative people around me almost everywhere--they just don't have that funky Aussie accent to try to figure out!
Tomorrow I start heading south again, first to cousin Lynda's place in a suburb of Brisbane, then on to the airport for the short (2 1/2 hour) flight to Melbourne on Thursday. After a couple of days there, getting my carand seeing some of the cousins there, I'll be headed off to another beautiful little town called Lakes Entrance which is a 4 hour drive east from Melbourne & we'll be visiting our wonderfully funny friend Surge at his mansion that he built himself (& probably isn't yet finished).
Will keep you posted as I go, right now I must get off the internet at this local cafe. Too much fun to be had to sit inside!!
Oh yes, no fairy sightings yet however have had some wonderful bird spotting including the yellow-tailed black cockatoos, lorikeets and butcher birds. Heard the kookaburras calling this morning at dawn (5 am) but haven't spotted any yet.

Back in the land of Oz!!

So now you know, I am here! (Actually I guess I am usually "here", like, where else could I be--except away in lala land!)
Had a great week in California re-connecting & meeting for the first time with some excellent cousins there--was amazed by the creative talent, both musical & artistic, watching cousin's band 61 Trees playing, with the addition of their father, & my 2nd cousin, Richard Watts, and absolutely loved the whole time! The singing & art was amazing! Threw in some quick trips to Monteray, Carmel, the Lone Pine, Sacramento legislative buildings, trying to find Clint & Arnie with no success. All the spots were superb however, and I was really impressed with the richness of California.
And then, leaving those cousins along with UK cousin Mike who threw the whole week together so beautifully (some photos will be posted when I get my electronic act together along with internet time), it was off to LA then to Brisbane to visit 2nd cousins there & get re-established in Oz. Lynda & mother Dorothy are such excellent hosts, I had a swim, 2 walks by the beach, prawns for lunch, and a wonderful welcome & bed last night. This morning I woke up to the sounds of lorikeets chattering & squawking outside my bedroom window at dawn. So great to be back in my country of choice (for the northern winter!)
I do leave a marvelously charmed life, I must look out for some fairies around to keep the magic going!
More posting later, I promise!
e

3 days & counting

The time is flying by and yet I'm pleasantly relaxed for someone who hasn't started to pack for a 4-month walkabout! That hypnotherapy session last weekend really made a huge difference this week--really it is the only explanation for my internal calmness given all that's going on.

Today I held the first art show of the weekend, the next is tomorrow, and I was delighted to sell 5 original paintings along with lots of seasonal calendars and cards. All that & a great time was had by all. Wes cooked some most delicious appies, and served those along with a preview of his Christmas baking which is unsurpassable, and many bottles of wine were drunk--and almost as many bottles of beer! I think I'm sober as I type this!

Tomorrow is an open house for previous clients & will likely prove to be a bit more sedate--although hopefully some good buyers there too. Then it's time to get on with the packing, painting once more before I go, getting my surplus stock stored safely for the winter, some more paintings into exhibition at my massage therapist's office, along with various & sundry activities that go along with preparing for a long journey. Not to mention getting Christmas presents organized for leaving behind!

Meanwhile I've had some bad news about a couple of friends who may not be here when I return. One in particular is in intensive care with a rapidly advancing form of leukemia and the prognosis doesn't look good. Her family is around and it must be a very difficult time for them all--such great people who I have known for decades. Mel is in a lot of people's prayers this week.

I guess the fabric of life as we know it has many patterns--some of them we weave ourselves and others are woven for us--by who I don't know. Right now my life is absolutely beautiful and it's hard to imagine it could get any better, or that it might not stay this way forever. Then there are those things that remind us to enjoy the day as it comes, as there are no guarantees, except that it will end (again as we know it) at some point. I guess in some ways if you have been given a prognosis (as my father was, when he was diagnosed with lung cancer spread to the brain, of 4 months remaining) you have an opportunity that others don't get.

Anyway, enough with the bad news, and enough for the evening. I'll sign off from Vancouver & probably won't blog on until I'm upside down on the other side of the world, back to summertime! Until then have fun!
e

Getting ready to head south

Just like a snowbird (why do they call them snowbirds when they fly away from snow??) I'm getting ready for my annual trip to my country of choice--Australia. I'm on the count-down, 8 full days left to go and lots going on to fill them.

Last week I seemed stuck in some kind of glue & it seemed like nothing I did worked, no-one wanted to do anything that I wanted to do, & there wasn't much fun to be seen. No sense blogging when you feel like that!

Luckily I had scheduled a session with my world-class hypnotherapist on Saturday & things took a turn for the better after that. Thanks Jackie!! Somehow I came out of there, into the autumn sunshine, got some framing done for my 3 shows this weekend and started selling my art again. I don't know how I get off-track sometimes, maybe it's just to keep me knowing I'm human & not a fairy who can twitch her nose or wave her wand or cast a spell & everything goes right again.

So, now I'm into the homestretch, planning for the parties this weekend, the packing, the farewells, the travel, what paints to bring, all those electronics we haul around these days & have to remember chargers & batteries for...the list could be endless. Not to worry, I'm headed to a civilized country where you can buy anything you need or forget. Although with all the deadly snakes, spiders, sharks, jellyfish, droughts & fires & hurricanes some people wouldn't call Aussie civilized! For a Canadian-born person who hates snow & cold & winter, however, it's a paradise!

I'm looking forward to painting those magnificent gum trees again, the beaches & oceans, swimming & playing in the surf with cousins and friends, hiking around Sydney's beautiful headlands, exploring some new territory, seeing the Musee d'Orsay exhibition at the National Gallery in Canberra, and who knows what else for the next 4 months! Not to mention Christmas in Oz, usually a delight of seafood buffet, great wine, a trip to the beach, long sunlit days and evenings, maybe a bit of yoga for exercise! It's been 3 years since I was down under for Christmas so I'm ready for a hot one!

And this time I'll be looking closely to spot some Aussie fairies, or other creatures of magical ilk. All those dreamtime legends must have some basis in reality! The nature gods are very strong in Oz & there is definitely a magic to the call I feel to get down there. Going walkabout is good for me, being close to nature, finding some new spots, renewing my acquaintance with old favourites (no, Di, you're not an OLD favourite, just a favourite!!). And I'm really looking forward to re-connecting with all the family & friends I haven't seen since April. They are all very special to me and I love spending time with them.

That's about it for now, I might have time to post one more time before I leave, so stay tuned!

More fairy stories

The fairies are gathering around & creating mischief for me again. Actually they're not gathering around here physically, they're out there in the world setting little events off in my life so I know the magic isn't gone yet.

The latest evidence this week:

I was sending out emails about my calendars to people who had expressed interest at the shows I was in last summer, letting them know I could deliver their orders this week. I had a few replies back, some nice orders (thanks Jennifer, Caroline, Connie) & in the midst of these emails there was one from an address I didn't know, wasn't on my list, saying "I like your calendars, and do you have one of mine?"

Well, that got my attention...when I replied back it was a photographer who had ordered his calendars on-line and when his box of 50 came, there were 2 of mine in there!!!

Now if that's not fairies getting into either the mail system or the computer system I don't know how else you could explain it. He emailed me from VIRGINIA!! I'm in Vancouver!! I've never been to Virginia. My shipment came from ONTARIO!! And, although the fairies were good enough to send him 2 of my calendars I don't have one of his. So, we've commenced a very interesting conversation about what's happening in both our worlds. There must be some reason the fairies have put us in touch...can you think what it might be??

Maybe it's my fairy that headed down to Australia to do some work with my cousin Heather & got sucked into a computer system down there. Last I heard Fay (isn't that a great fairy name?) was trying to get helped out of the system so possibly she ended up being spit out with my calendars. She'll be a nasty one to come across for a while, if that's the case--look out for her!

I asked Garrett (that's the Virginia photographer) how many fairies were there on the September page of the calendar (in case there's an extra one squished on the page a la "Lady Cottingdon's Book of Pressed Fairies"), & I must ask him if there are any fairy footprints on the calendar itself. Last summer there were fairy footprints over a lot of my magic books but there haven't been any fresh tracks (& I've got to get Wes the hunter looking for them) lately that I've seen!

That's the latest fairy news for now! Stay tuned for tales of more magic events (like my open house November 8 before I head south. Someone has sent me some fairy dust in her reply so it's already starting out well. She had to do that because the fairies stopped her from opening the invitation until she sent some fairy dust my way!)

Getting ready to head south...

Ok you lot out there! I thought I'd put a couple of photos up, one of my 2010 calendar that is hot off the press, the other is a small (4"X6") silk painting of koi that was my "sample" piece at the class I took a few weeks ago. The larger piece, the mermaid, is coming once I get a good photo of it. I will have to get it mounted first, so you can see it better, flat and square against the mount.

And look out, I'm getting ready for lift-off! 3 weeks tomorrow, as it happens. First, a trip to San Francisco & surroundings to meet a wonderful recently-found cousin of my dad's from Bournemouth, who's coming over to visit his brother (obviously also a cousin of my dad's!) & celebrate his retirement. I'll stay around the Bay area for almost a week with them, then have booked a flight on to LA & then down to Brisbane. After a week there with friends & family I'll head on down to Melbourne to catch up with my Aussie cousins there, retrieve my car, & think about what road to hit & when. Sydney will be coming up soon, late December if not before.

Lovely to have the basic arrangements booked & now all there is to do is finish off some things I've started here, get other things (like the garden) in shape for the winter, sell my 2010 calendars and order a reprint if demand requires, and get our annual party (The "Last Chance to Party" Party--with me before I go, that is!) & an open house organized for the weekend of November 7 & 8, just before I head off.

Meanwhile I've completed my arrangement with my brilliant coach Tymothea, as of today. A little sad, and also very grateful for all that she added to my life and awareness over the past 4 months. It's been an inspiring period of growth and I look forward to more as I plan for what I intend to accomplish and learn during my Down Under tour. As she suggests, the priorities are to play, paint, explore and look after my inner creative child. Maybe I'll find some fairies along the way! And some mermaids to swim with...wouldn't that be fantastic?

That's all for today, there's lots going on as always and while I'm enjoying the beautiful fall colours here, I'm very aware of cooler temperatures, signalling the arrival of winter, and looking forward to getting back to the southern sunshine for the...winter? summer down there? What to call it, depends on where you're reading this!

Ciao for now!

e

Sorting things out

Well, I have some responses from my last post....thanks! And I'll let you know off the top that I THINK I may have sorted out how to allow comments directly onto the blog. Of course, I reserve editorial/posting discretion but why don't you try to put a comment onto here & we'll see if it works? Learning all the way...

This weekend I'm having a bit of a retreat, into the mountains, away from the "big smoke" as some people call Vancouver. I also caught the first snowfall of the season--we got about an inch on Thursday night just after we arrived & it's been about -10 degrees (Celsius) at night so VERY COLD for those who want to head to warmer climes when it gets below +10 degrees!! The hubby is up even higher in the mountains (crazy fool!) after mountain sheep, camping out. After a lovely 3 hour hike yesterday at about -2 I'm delighted not to be up & out with him! Even though it's bright, sunny & dry it's still cold enough to put my appetite into high gear to try to keep myself warm.

Last night I watched (again) Slum Dog Millionaire with my hosts, in their cozy downstairs "screening room". It was a long way from sitting in the Outdoor Cinema on Sydney Harbour where I first saw the movie in January with my wonderful Aussie friend Di who knows all the best ways to enjoy her gorgeous city (& country, too, I might add). There was no Harbour Bridge or Opera House in the background, and although we had a delicious dinner beforehand here there was no bubbly such as went with the ambiance & warm evening air of Sydney. The movie was as good as the first time around (although I must admit I still couldn't understand about half the dialogue--thank God for subtitles!) & again I was left grateful for the life I live, & thankful that "It is written" for me somehow.

It is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, and the harvest is mostly in (here in Cranbrook if you haven't got it in it's almost too late--the ground is frozen solid!) and it's a wonderful moment to take time to appreciate & recognize how wealthy we are, in the richness around us, within us, the
beauty we have around us, the priviledge of living life in a first world country, and the comforts of home and hearth as winter draws near. Just take a moment to look around and be aware of what's there. If you're reading this on the computer you're almost certainly one of the wealthiest people on earth!

"Sorting things out" definitely includes being aware of what's there, what the priorities are, and I'm focusing on being purposeful for the next month, rather than "doing doing doing" all the time. Taking time to remind myself of purpose, look for purpose and be calm. All that doing will happen naturally (if I know myself!!!) and without much effort on my part. Steering the creativity, writing, painting, sales action, travel plans is where my creative self comes alive. Being focused on the purpose will make it flow easily.

So, when my 1st printing of 2010 calendars arrives next week (once I'm home I'll put a photo on as a preview for you!) I'll be ready to generate some sales. I'm test marketing my calendars with "Magical Watercolour Landscapes and More" on the cover, along with my new email address mymagic@shaw.ca . And I've gone into partnership with a friend to bring my favourite teacher Faith Love Robertson to do a watercolour workshop near us next Saturday so that's another magical event to look forward to. Paintings I do with her influence always turn out magically well!

Any more magic comments? Tell me what you think, of magic, of the blog, of life! And I'll keep you posted!

e

Success!! (Well, with posting more photos at least!)

Aha, I think I've got it! Guess once you upload one photo that's it for your blog so I've put 5 up there--not that there's much rhyme or reason to them other than they are things I've been working on & that are available for ordering, if you like! (OK, the slate shower stall is NOT available however some people have asked to see what it looks like after so many complaints about my "Gulag" for September).

Now if I could just work out how to put captions onto the photos & a comment in the right place I'd almost look like I knew what I was doing! The books (these & others) are $5-$12.50, the Magic Bags (I have both black & white magic bags) are $5, and my 2010 desk-top calendars (very similar to this one, going to the printer's tomorrow with my images) will be selling for $12 instead of the $12.50 I was expecting after the first print quote. And, if you buy 10 you'll get one free which effectively makes the price $11 each.

Now, on to words! Yesterday & today I've been in a bit of a funk, not sure why, feeling a bit off, un-inspired, tired, & cranky about, well, just about everything. Which is really not appealing to me or to others! So I was keeping my distance & keeping my mouth shut, unless spoken to, at which time I mostly said nasty things. Today I'd had enough of myself & so, luckily, I had nothing to do except sort myself out, which I did by going to the pool & swimming my solitary lengths instead of doing the usual class, then hitting the library & getting some inspirational books out--on fairies, unicorns, and other magical images to read about & paint or sketch this weekend when we go away to the mountains. Somehow that all worked to revive my spirits & I got a lot of other odds & ends accomplished after that.

One of the items was booking my flights to & from Aussie for November to March 15--& I'm almost there. I just have to get down to San Fran about Nov 11 or 12 for a weekend with a long-lost British cousin who's visiting his brother in Monterey--will be fantastic to visit them before I head to LA/Brisbane for a week/Melbourne on November 17. It's getting cooler here in Canada & I can feel the sunshine of Australia calling me louder every day!

I do feel so blessed to be leading the life I do. It's pretty fantastic and I don't ever want to take it for granted. However, something in me just seems to want to create more--art, wealth, happiness, fun, love, peace...& that's where my mission comes in, I guess. Playing with fairies and magic is great fun! Today I started writing a story about a fairy so we'll see where that goes. I don't know if I'm up to doing the illustrations (as yet) however you never know what will come off the end of my brush--look at that mermaid I did in silk! And there seem to be lots of fairy tale books in the library so there's a market for them apparently!

Tell me, what do you think about magic & fairies? Are you interested?? Enquiring minds want to know!

More photos please! Will be coming when I figure out how!

Well, something's NOT happening right now--like my "add Image" button is not working. Stay tuned in case I solve the problem before Thursday!

Some of my work

Hi again

I'm getting myself sorted out for the next 6 weeks, until I head off for Australia via California, and got some of my photos organized. Primarily I'm working on my 2010 calendar which I'll be sending to print next week, however on my camera there are also a few photos of my September "art" project as well as some sample "Magic Books" so I thought I'd give you a peek!

And, techno spaz here, I can't seem to figure out how to get more than one photo onto the blog at a time (any tips from you savvy bloggers out there??) so I guess I'll be doing more posts to get the images up!

Next weekend (starting on Thursday for me actually) is Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada & my hubby & I are headed east to the Rockies for the weekend. He'll be hunting with a friend, for sheep, & I'll be trying to stay warm in Cranbrook. Also plan to fit some painting in as I've been putting my energies to other chores (see photo above!) for longer than I like!

OK, I'll close this post & start another so I can get more photos up!

More Magic!

Well, the tiling job is finally finished (to my delight & artistic satisfaction, I might add) & I'm off & running with creating art again. I might take a photo of the beautiful honed beach slate with handmade glass mosaic tiles to show you how well my design turned out...if you'd like to see it let me know!

It was so exhilarating to go to a silk painting workshop with a wonderful artist, Deb Strong (cat 'n mouse designs) on Saturday. She's a great instructor & I was really happy with the two pieces I created during the day. I've put the mermaid up for your viewing pleasure.

This image could be used as a t-shirt print, & I'll be looking at it for cards & calendars too. The photo was taken with a phone camera on-site so it doesn't do the painting justice. The silk still has to have the dye set in a steaming process, which Deb is doing for us, so I won't have the original back for another week. I could really be seduced into this art form--the dyes were amazing in how they flowed into the fabric, and the colours are really strong. Unbelievably compelling. Could I be steered away from watercolours? I'm starting to wonder...who was that person who said she was satisfied with watercolours & didn't have any intention of exploring any more mediums?

I also had a great time painting on pottery the weekend before & I'm looking forward to seeing how the second batch turned out after firing. I guess I'd better send off an email to my cousin to get some photos.

That all said and done, I'm feeling a little freer with my time, and have organized my 2009/10 trip down under. I'll be heading out of LA November 17, stopping in Brisbane for a week, then moving on to Melbourne & will hit the road from there after spending some time with cousins & friends & picking up my little car. After 4 months in the sun, painting and developing my art business & contacts there I'll return to Canada mid-March. So, the future in my crystal ball is becoming a little clearer!

Is the magic back? I'm looking for it! If you see it pass by your way send it on!

Back to the future

Hello followers!

Well I'm not quite finished the tiling yet but wanted to get back to you & to my blog, and return to a pattern that was working for me. My latest Landmark course, "An Invented Life--My Life, My Design" is working on me. That is to say, I am seeing how my brain patterns work on my actions and in then my brain starts using those patterns to predict what's in my future...and I'm wanting to shake that up a bit. Not 'cause my life & future isn't already great, it is...just that, well, creating is much more fun that blindly following some pattern that has happened before & unconsciously repeating it because it's easier to be on automatic pilot than to actually generate something new. Of course all that MAY just sound like babbling to you so I'll get on to what else is going on.

I feel like I've lost the magic, hopefully temporarily...although I did think I saw a fairy at dusk flying up into the trees in my garden tonight. So, I'm dreaming that the magic will reappear tomorrow too. Looking for it (as I've written earlier--either here or in my magic journal) is what has it appear, & I've been keeping myself much too busy to look for magic, or be inspired by it. I must say, I have been noticing magic (words or phrases) popping up in some unusual places, and so have some of my friends...so maybe I'm creating a little wave somewhere that I'm not aware of yet. I live in hope!!

I just came back from another session of painting on pottery in my Duncan cousin's studio--learned from the first time, learned more the second time (& looking forward to seeing what happens after firing) & if I get another chance to do some more direct painting, using her straight chemical pigments instead of glazes, before I go to Australia, that'll be even more fun! Some of last week's items will be put in her Christmas sales so we can see if there's a demand for some joint projects next year.

On Saturday I'm excited to be trying yet another medium--dying on silk (ok, I'm not going to kick the bucket, even though my friends tell me that's a guaranteed way to have your art pieces triple in price immediately!) in the studio of Deb Strong, a wonderful Langley artist who does beautiful work with silk as well as more traditional forms of art. (When did I say "I only like watercolours--don't have any interest in doing any other type of medium"??) I've also been toying with the idea of collage so we'll see if that comes to fruition soon.

Maybe I am going through another creative phase--I've certainly enjoyed playing with the slate tiles & patterns that I've been cutting out in the bathroom. However that is such heavy work, & mixing all the thinset & soon the grout isn't my favourite, so I don't think I'll be taking that up seriously. I could be talked into some mosaic work very easily though! From light (silk) to heavy (stone)--I can see I'm all over the map again! I wonder if my coach is going to steer me into more of a focus when we have our session again this week....

Well, I'm off to bed to rest up for another big day--there's a new instructor at the pool where I do deep-water classes & she seems to think we're all hard-bodied 20 year olds. While I am training to climb Mt. Kilamanjaro in 3 years I think it might be easier than her classes!

So, dear reader, stay tuned & I'll be posting more regularly for the next few weeks! Ciao for now
E

Sorry, still tiling!! Finished for the day...but it's tomorrow already!

Hi all
Apologies for nothing! (That is, no postings for a while!) I've been tiling, it seems like forever now...& there doesn't seem to be any magic in that I can tell you! Maybe when it's all over???
Meanwhile I am musing about how to write about magic...something that just appeared (as magical things do!) & seems lately to have disappeared a bit from my life...(as magic can do too.)
However I have created my first fairy painting--actually 4 fairies have appeared in the painting when I only intended one!! So that was kind of cool. I might give you a glimpse of it if you're good!
I have one more day of tiling before I head to Vancouver Island with my mom to paint on cousin Lyndsay's beautiful pottery again, will be thinking more magical themes. I'm also going to watch my Ontario niece play field hockey in Victoria & celebrate her 15th birthday with her! Very exciting. Then back to Vancouver, more tiling, hopefully grouting & sealing & finishing!!! and seeing some Olympic venues with the Ontario girls which will be cool.
And on my list for September is getting my flights to Australia organized for November to March. The 2009/10 tour is about to begin!
So, back to the magic--I have a question for you. Do you have magic in your life? Or do you wish you had some? & what does it look like to you?
Stay tuned, back in a few days.
I'd post a photo of me tiling to show you how hard I'm working but it's really not very attractive with the sweat running down your face! & I thought I was in shape!

A Lick & a Promise

Where are the fairies? I know they're out there somewhere! I just haven't had time to look (or to blog) so since a picture is worth a thousand words feast your eyes!

I'm defaulting to the little fairies looking for fairies in my back yard. And if I wasn't so busy getting ready to re-tile the 70s ensuite shower that was lavender flowered tiles (to match the lavender toilet--now at the dump, & the lavender sink--sometime soon to head to the dump) I might be out there looking. Until then the nieces will have to do it for me--& they're heading to school tomorrow so that doesn't bode well for fairy sightings in the near future.

And I am still holding onto my promise to tell you about how the magic came into my life & art, just getting the composition right...so stay tuned! I'll be back, don't you worry.

Does everyone feel this busy, always?

I can't believe it's over a week since my last post--sorry to anyone who was looking for news more regularly than that! I am back...albeit briefly. I seem to keep creating more activities in my life than I can easily manage...just having too much fun! And then some of the things I love to do get either squished into little slots which is somewhat unsatisfying, or totally missed which is REALLY unsatisfying. Those activities, for me, tend to be reading, writing (& I include blogging in that category), quiet time & (sadly indeed) my painting.

However, today I had LOTS of time painting with one of my favourite, if not the most favourite, instructors, Faith Love Robertson (can you NOT love a person with a name like that?) And tomorrow more of the same. Today we were doing sunflowers (to which I added some fairies) & tomorrow I hear we're doing garden scenes which I might also hide some fairies in! I'm always inspired by Faith & how she teaches--lots of fun stuff to get some paint in various patterns onto the page in a sort of "sub-painting" & then see what you can create from there. I'm almost always pleased by the results & learn lots about colour, texture, composition too.

Today Faith brought me a lovely fairy book to keep overnight & do some research on the various types of fairies & magical creatures, along with instructions about minimizing their wicked spells, and the hazards of playing with them...so I'd better pay attention, since they seem to keep popping up in my life!

Alongside me painting this week is my gorgeous friend Sharon who is a coach in her own right, and so much fun to be around that I remember how lucky I am to have friends like her in my life. She has done so much corporate work as well as start her own training business & go through some of the branding questions that I have been struggling with that she is an excellent resource for me, and so generous in her advice. I want to join her in her "Champagne Club" venture! (& wouldn't you too!!)

The next few weeks are falling into place with the startup fall routine--and a few less visitors to entertain. So I plan to be blogging a little more, although I do have a big bathroom renovation project on the go as well--demolition has already started & will hit the tile removal job hard this weekend while Wes is still available, before he gets into his passion--hunting season. While he's away I'll be (hopefully) creating new slate walls in our shower, and organizing the cabinet/countertop replacement for October. No rest for the wicked!

But right now, off to bed I go, with my fairy book to study!

Stay tuned, I'm going to blog a bit more about how the magic came into my art world, as lots of people are wondering about that...

Ciao for now!

No fairy sightings last weekend but lots of interest and a close encounter with a bear.

That was a most exciting weekend! Minnekhada Lodge was quite magical, full of surprised & interested people & lots of great art and artists. The "First Annual" may turn out to be a regular event. The organizers said there were almost 600 people over the 2 days & with shorter hours (11 to 4 pm daily) there was a steady flow of folks to entertain.

I was pleased to sell some of my magic books, cards, magic lists and at last, an original painting! Seems like this year is a bit tight for original art so to sell a watercolour at this sale was a breakthrough for me. There were lots of others there who didn't. My business cards also vanished at a surprising pace so my presence and name is getting known. And I had lots of fun with the magic draw, the magic pencils (almost sold out of those & they were a real hit with the kids) & playing with the magician & other people who were interested in magic, fairies, and the like.

Minnekhada Lodge used to be the summer/hunting lodge of one of BC's Lieutenant-Governers, Eric Hamber, back in the 1920s, and is now a regional park. The Lodge itself is a beautiful building set on a hillside overlooking farmland and the Pitt River where it flows into the Fraser, and the room I shared with another local artist had a fantastic view and light. The Lodge is set into a Metro Vancouver park, with a lovely beaver pond, lots of forest and walks, and also, lots of bears (which hide out in the woods when they're not headed for the local blueberry fields.) There were many sighted by people on the shuttle buses and the local hikers & bikers during the weekend, including a sow with 2 cubs. I was just starting my walk from the original farm down their driveway, & up to the Lodge on Sunday morning when I noticed the traffic on the main road had stopped. I was about 100 metres from my truck at the time, and about 200 metres away from the road. So, I too stopped to ascertain what was going on & sure enough, there was a large-ish black bear between me & the road. Needless to say I didn't carry on for about 10 minutes, until the traffic drove on, the bear continued across the field to my left & into the ditch, over the road & into the blueberries on the other side. At that point I had about 5 minutes left until showtime but I figured the blueberries would be more attractive to the bear than a tough old artist so I hightailed it down the driveway & then onto the main road where there were a few more people, dogs, and bikes. No worries!

The rest of the day was much tamer although I was a bit worried that the smell of the bbq just outside the Lodge would be even more enticing to bears than the old blueberries!

A great time was had by all, and now I'm very ready for bed, a possible meeting with Michael who has a corporate branding & website proposal to present tomorrow, and a well-deserved rest week! I'll be back soon to create some more fun & magic--see you then!

I Know you're out there somewhere...(yes, that was a song!)

Very heartening to get some responses to my last blog, even if they're not here on this site. Thanks to you all for letting me know you're reading, even if you're stumped by the technology here. There are more than a few!

This week is going fast, getting ready for the weekend show at Minnekhada Lodge which is originals only. After my experience at the last sale where very few originals were sold I'm spending some time painting some magic books & will paint some smaller originals in the form of cards tomorrow and Thursday. I've spoken to some other artists & they are also concerned about the amount of work and costs to set up with the prospect of little to show at the end of the day. So, making some affordable original works to sell is my goal this week.

I'm also heading off to Langley to capture some magic pencils to complement my art...maybe I can slip some under the table this weekend for $1, or else see if I can use them to amaze & surprise people coming by my table. The great thing about shows (other than prospective sales!) is the chance to interact with people & have fun. And apparently there's a magician at this show so who knows what trouble we could get up to together!

I'm one of the fortunate who doesn't have to worry about starving (or getting evicted) if I don't sell my artwork--so in some ways I'm freed up from anxiety, stress, wondering if people will like my work enough to buy it, should I change my style for others, all that survival thinking that I'm sure many creative people are impacted by. I have created a lovely lifestyle, with family & friends and support everywhere I look, by luck & hard work, so anything I do in this field is really freeing and I'm just loving that. Had I started in art earlier, when the demands of being financially stable, building home & security seemed necessary, I'm quite sure I wouldn't have the same sense of possibility. Then again, maybe not...and you never get a chance to live things over, do you? Certainly I'm grateful for the chance to express my creativity now, in this fashion, in the world I live in which is already so rich in so many areas.

And, my aim IS to sell my stuff, to have it generally available in the world, at prices that are affordable to anyone who likes it. I dream of the day when people see my art on the street, or on transit, (in Canada, Australia, Europe and the US for starters) and start a conversation about it with the person carrying it around because they think it's gorgeous and they want to know where to get some for themselves! I'm really happy with the decision to branch into beautiful items with my art on them that are also functional and serve people in the world...(calendars, journal and drawing books, bags, cards, fridge lists, and so on), so if you have any wonderful ideas for me please send them on to me! I love new ideas--something with a distinctive twist (preferably with an enchanting element), not the same old, same old, is right up my alley!

That's it for tonight, probably for the rest of the week. Not only is the show coming fast but some family just left and more are coming to visit for the weekend. I'll be back to let you know what happened after "Art in the Park", probably Monday night.

The latest news

I'm not sure if anyone is actually watching since no-one replied to my last blog!! However, my coach said she tried to but was stopped by some site restriction that even her high-tech son couldn't figure out a way around (I think you have to join google to comment) I guess at least someone was there reading. I'll keep going & see what happens next! The invitation is still open--talk to me!!!

My art sale last week was a bit slower than I expected, didn't sell any originals (nor did many others, I gather), however was very happy to have some sales of my magical reproductions & cards. It was also a great networking opportunity as there were lots of fabulous artists there, and I got lots of interest in my "Magic Box Draw" (guess what's in the magic box) & am just about to send out the winners' names to all who wanted to hear more about magic, from my new email address mymagic@shaw.ca. We'll see how that translates into further interest in my paintings, calendars for 2010, and other items with art on them (original and reproduction) that I'm creating. If you want to know more, email me there & I'll tell you what I've got!

And, I'm taking further steps regarding website development, marketing & branding with a wonderful experienced man who my coach introduced me to today. I'm very excited about seeing what magic he can add to the business of art, particularly MY business in art!

So while Michael is thinking about what he might be able to do for me, I'm taking this weekend off the art business & spending some good home-time with hubby & my own place--the grass needs mowing, hubby has volunteered to make me a display rack for my work for next weekend's sale at Minnekhada Lodge in Port Coquitlam (just google it for directions, it's out in the country as it was originally a hunting lodge for a Governor or Lieutenant-General in the 1920's). August 22/3, 11-4 both days, and I'll be inside the lodge (there are other artists outside along with musicians, cafe for food, even a magician--besides me--apparently!)

So, that's the update for today--hope you're enjoying following my trail!

Notes To the Universe

Is there anyone out there? If so please speak!
(Not that I have much time to listen this week but there's deafening silence out there. Is everyone on holiday or what?)

I've been running full tilt getting ready for my art show launch Sat/Sun in Langley, 4860 203 St, 10-5 just in case you're interested in going! By the way, you're invited! It's in someone's beautiful garden, spilling over to the neighbour's place, which is where I'm going to be situated. I haven't been there before but heard about it through Opus (a great art supply store that I use as often as I can get there) & although it's been family-run for over 15 years apparently this is the last year they want to do it. Sounds like they're going to go out with a splash so I'm going to be there with bells on (ok, not really but you get the picture).

As an artist getting into the reproduction end of things has been very educational & also surprisingly inspirational. I'm looking for ideas everywhere for functional objects that I can put my art on, & also objects that inspire other people's creativity. And that seems to be a circular type of flow which inspires my own creativity! Very cool.

My new printer Darren is awesome & I have so much to learn about computer graphic designs that it's scary. I can see a new computer, new programs to learn (Indesign & Photoshop are his recommendations & I have never worked with either) in my crystal ball & no idea how I'm going to find the time to do that. And yet, it's quite magical, what you can do with an image, or piece of artwork, once you have it in one of those programs. Add another thing to my to-do list (which is actually one of the things I'm printing up for sale at the show, btw!--with my art on it, of course!)

My coach is lining me up with her corporate branding expert, hopefully next week, to get my game expanding as it's meant to. I'm looking forward to our next coaching session too. It's quite different to be coached in this field, as compared to in the sports field which is my previous context or reference. And, it seems to be working very well so far--at least I'm being open & taking things on board. We'll see where the flow takes us next--& it's all good (if not great) so far.

I'm just about done for the night, will try a bit of meditation to get calmed down so I can sleep. So many things going through my mind leading up to the set-up tomorrow. Of course not everything is done yet--some of the printing won't be here until tomorrow night & it needs to be packaged & personalized too. It feels like Christmas coming up! I can hardly wait!

Talk to you when it's all over--although my brother & nephew are flying in from Ontario on Saturday night for a week so I'll have them to spend some time with. Take care until next time & wish me luck!

Cheers!
E

Living an Enchanted Life

Just a quick note before I head out to work very hard this week leading up to my art show in Langley on Saturday. I had such an enchanting weekend, finally caught 2 fairies (along with many salmon, halibut & even a cod for our anniversary fishing charter off Ucluelet) & was away with them! The family reunion was magical too--saw some mermaids in the pool, just off the beach in Qualicum, and in my Aunt Joyce's magical garden by the sea, painted magical images on my cousin Lyndsay's wonderful pottery & will be doing more of that to create a joint business venture.
Now it's time to really get stuck into my art work & get ready for Friday set-up. Most of my printing (for cards, art and journal books, and invitations) is in, just getting the trimmings ready & following up with all the details necessary to put on a good show!
More about my enchanted life & how I got here...but later!
Stay tuned!

I'm running to catch a fairy!!

Oops, make that ferry...the fairies will have to wait to catch up with me!

Signing out for the weekend--the fairies will miss me! (they almost made me type "mess" me!)

Just a short post today as I'm crazily getting all my printing orders (thank the heavens for my new printer who is amazing & if you want to find out who he is & give him more business let me know) & graphics finalized (& thank heaven for Lauren & NO YOU CAN'T HAVE HER DO ANYTHING FOR YOU BECAUSE SHE'S BUSY WORKING ON MY STUFF!) for the August 8/9 show before I head to Vancouver Island tomorrow. I'm going to paint on some pottery, a first for me, in my potter cousin's studio. Should be interesting for a visual artist as the glazes don't go on the same colour that they are when they come out of the kiln after firing! I hope Lynds has some colour chips for me!! And working on 3-D objects is another new creative area for me to work into.

I'm also busy creating personalized journal books and bookmarks and calendars for 2010 for the launch of my new line of magically inspired products--do you know what fairy footprints look like? I do--& the fairies have already been tromping around (well, very delicately, you can hardly call it tromping--maybe tiptoe-ing is more accurate) my books & left their marks! So they're adding their magic, I'm adding mine, & we'll see what happens when they hit the public! I've got a new email address set up to take orders, and we're working away to get all the signage & bits & pieces ready to go in 10 days.

I was inspired today when visiting an artist friend who has been painting for a long time. She feels she is getting to the end of her career (I'm not so sure about that!) & she has been so generous with her assistance to me in preparation for the next 2 shows--with time, ideas, suggestions for hanging & presenting as much of my original art as I can get out there. A lovely woman who is well loved by many & has so many contacts in the artist community it's stunning. I'm very pleased to be the recipient of her knowledge.

So, off to the Island, after the pottery painting it's a family reunion & then a halibut fishing trip on Monday with my husband to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary (that's if you don't count that we were married 3 times in one year, then we're actually celebrating our 15th anniversary!) I'm so lucky to have been with him for 30 years & the last five have been the best ever--hopefully he'd say that too but I'm not sure he'll ever be a blogger. He's more of a woodsy- type guy, few words & lots of presence.

So, see you next week. Enjoy our holiday weekend & the Aussie-type weather--I sure do! The magic will return next week--& keep looking out for the fairies in your garden!

This morning's conversation with the fairies

Hello everyone!
The days pass so fast in my magic garden that I'm just going to have to forget about day before yesterday's events & yesterday's events & report on this morning's musings...& I think I've found a better way to report the fairies' words that is more legible, both to you and to me as I'm recording it in my journal. It was getting hard to read the writing I'd done in the highlighter alone, let me tell you! So I'll try a different colour for them, just not yellow! You'd think as an artist & watercolourist I'd realize that yellow is one of the most fragile & delicate of colours that you have to preserve early in the piece, & be careful not to put much of any other colour overtop unless you're happy to lose it. So, I think I'll try the fairies' words in a variety of colours & you tell me which one you like best.

Today's entry--July 27, 2009

The fairies were calling me when I woke up this morning, but I resisted coming out back until I had a least had my smoothie & put on a load of washing (laundry for those of you who follow this in Canada as opposed to Australia or England). They whispered an invitation to come out & play with them as soon as I woke. Very seductive to come out & sit here all day & never get any work done in the real world.
Pshaw--what real world? This is the real world! You created it & it's here for your pleasure & time. And we love it here too! (That's the fairies talking by the way)
So, what did you think of my friends yesterday? (oh yes, I think I forgot to report from the previous journals that I was wondering if the fairies would be interested in visiting the corporate world & bringing some magic there. They were somewhat horrified by the idea, something about "don't like suits" but they were interested in checking people out who I brought over, into the back yard. And they certainly liked my little nieces (see previous post).
They were very magical beings--we loved the champagne the beautiful dark-haired one brought. And her--what's that word you humans use? "Familiar", that's it. Cedar, he told us his name was.
Oh, so you like dogs, do you?
Well, not all of them. Some of them are horrid and nasty & very snarly. But Cedar (we'd name him Cedric ourselves) was gorgeous. Did you notice how he led you to us?
Yes I did. And I really liked the gum-tree fairy (a present and model for me) that appeared in the fairy cave, on the fairy bed under the bird bath!
We like her too. I think she'll stay around a while so your nieces can visit with her.
I was thinking if she'd like to go back to Australia she could come with me in November. I'm pretty sure she'd slip through the customs easily enough. It looks like she came from there anyway.
They won't see her--don't you worry. Even the US Border Protection or whatever they're calling themselves can't stop us doing our magic work & playing globally.
And so, what about Nikki, my other friend--what did you think of her?
We don't know her as well as the dark-haired one, who we've danced with many times before, in this life and others. Nikki seemed more aware of you than of us. We'd like it if they both came back again & brought some more bubbles for us to play with!
Oh, so you did know about the bubble bath Nikki brought eh?
Yes, she's a very generous person and we could see what a big heart she has. And weren't you going to bring someone else for us to see? The more the merrier is our motto!
Oh, my other friend Brenda. You'll find her very elfin-like & I suspect you may be danced with her before too. I'll invite her out next time we get together to paint--I think it will be soon.
Yes, we could hear you all laughing and playing away while you painted in your studio. And we want you to come out & play with us & paint out here so we can put more of our magic into your brushes while you work! Please Please Please???
Well, I'm a little afraid well fall under your spells & not get anything done if we're that close to you. We almost got lost in time yesterday in the house, we were so enchanted. But, we'll see what we can do when they come again.

I've got to finish up now but maybe tomorrow you can tell me some more fairy stories--like, is there really a cherry fairy? & if so is there an apricot fairy? I'd like to start writing some of your fairy legends and stories for the human world if you're interested. You know, you can't be too rich or too famous, right?
Well, not too sure about the rich part but we like to be legends.
Ok, tomorrow then. And I'll be back at dusk with my candle again & call with with the new fairy bell that Sharon brought over.

And to you, my blog readers, have a great day & maybe you have some children or grandchildren, or nieces & nephews that you'd like to share this with--go ahead!!
See you soon!
e (I'm now away without the fairies at the pool)

Yesterday's magic garden story--see photos

This might be very quick as I have some more fun friends coming to show to my garden fairies, as well as to paint some magical stuff. Yesterday was great fun & my two nieces came over dressed like fairies to be painted, to paint, & to hunt for fairies in my garden. No, not like trophy hunt, (like my husband who is MIA since yesterday morning when he called), but more like hide & seek I think.

There were some signs that were found about fairy visitations, proof of a kind, & when I was writing this morning the fairies were very interested & interesting. I'll share more from my journal later when the fairy dust from today settles down.

Meanwhile enjoy the photos & look in your own backyard to see if you have some resident fairies there!

Away with the fairies

No, I don't mean, "away with them", like, they should all be exterminated, or anything like that...I meant, today I'm "away with the fairies" on some magical journey...a further iteration of the Magical Mystery Tour, I think.
After my coaching session yesterday, with my Irish-blooded coach in my garden which she called "magic", she suggested I watch for fairies in the garden. And, this morning, when I was out there writing in my journal, the most miraculous thing happened.

I'm going to quote from my journal, I must warn you, THIS REALLY HAPPENED!!
So, here goes:

(I'm generating ideas for my magical business here--give me feedback if you like!)

Maybe I could magically send my fairies to give some corporate messages..Or send myself "Representing magic & fairies in the world" through my art & other magical ways...promoting magic & art in the world...working magic with art & Ink.

(Looking out into my garden now where a hummingbird just swooped down for about 3 seconds)

The fairies even get rides on the hummingbirds. I didn't have my glasses on but I swear I heard one laughing on the back of the hummingbird that hovered to say good morning & then flew back to the shade of the big fir to deposit her. Something like a helicopter ride but even better--more natural!

(& looking downwards, towards my journal)

In the corner of my eye, I just saw some little shimmers of fairy wings approaching across the patio. And now one's sitting reading what I've written about them. Aren't they gorgeous little creatures!

(And then I heard clearly & started writing)

"I'm not a c r e a t u ! !

(you have to imagine this in ink writing, the fading type was the best I could do on this blog program.) Just to prove her power she ran me out of ink!!! So, luckily I had my favourite PHN pen with a wedge-shaped yellow highlighter on the end so I just turned it over & started using the point to write, very finely,)

Fooled you~ (ok, originally I typed this in the yellow colour that I wrote " fooled you" in, which was a lovely clear lemon yellow, but it's way too hard to read on the computer so I'll darken it a little for your reading pleasure. Say, maybe that's why we don't notice fairies writing on the internet--we can't read the colour they write in, we only notice that things don't work for mysterious reasons, sometimes? Anyway, I digress)

Fooled you--I have a magic highlighter *#$(@( (I can't read this bit because the gold is too faint & I must have scribbled so I can't tell that word) pens to continue. And this is much more lovely & vibrant & fairy-like writing anyway. I guess you were just showing me a better way, eh? Well, Thanks! (because at this point I didn't want to write anything else that could be construed as nasty & have her jinx me again, or take off)

So, should I write about you to Terry? Tell him how gorgeous you are & see if he'll have you come to stay & inspire his muse both at home & at work? (Terry's my wonderful cousin who writes music & plays it as well as doing a huge corporate job in Calgary, & who's said he'll coach me in 2 1/2 years when he retires) Oh, you have to get to know him first, eh? Ok, well, let's start writing him some emails. You can skip through the ether & watch him reading. Maybe you'd like to talk to the big corporate honcho & work some magic on him? Maybe he'd write a song about you? Ok, you'll have to hear his music first to see if you'd like that. Ok, well, somehow we'll have to organize a secret way for you to hear it, I guess.

At this point, I was at the bottom of the page, so I turned the page over to 2 blank pages (as you do when you're writing in a journal) and sat there for no more than 30 seconds, mulling about what to write next, when "poof" she disappeared.

Guess she was easily bored--I'm told that fairies have the attention span of a gnat (not, however, wanting to insult them, I might add that I sometimes do too...& I have said that out loud about myself too, as well as written it.) So hopefully she didn't/doesn't see that & decide to never again grace me with her presence for all of eternity.

Well folks, I hope you enjoyed that fairy story (& really, I must protest--it was real, not a fairy tale--I have the proof of it in my journal...which I might show to you...like, if you offered me a significant amount of money...MAYBE! )
But Lauren knows it's real, I showed it to her as I read it out loud, and we might start writing fairy messages in yellow or gold, on things to sell--that would be called, original art, I do believe!) and that's all for the evening.

I'm going off to create some magic (maybe black?) with my friend She-rah Queen of TELUSwhat you think (at least until she gets a buyout), & my sister, who creates her magic in gardens & garden designs. Maybe you want her to design something magical for you??? Her name is Phyllis & if you leave me a note I'll put you in touch with her!

Ciao for now, the fairies are waving goodbye too. bye bye! Do you see one sitting on the corner of your computer desk? (They don't like electricity much I'm told, so they wouldn't be there for long). I'm told trolls & things are much hardier creatures against the electrical vibrations of our modern world so it's no wonder if there's lots of those hanging around corporate offices (I think that was a joke).
Signing off...
e

Aujourdhui je commence a blogger en francais!

Salut les copains! Je sais qu'il y a ceux de vous qui peut lire francais, comme Lauren, Julie (la mere to Lauren), Gael, Gilles, et il y a des autres comme Leo qui sait comment le traduire, gratuitement, avec Yahoo Babelfish!
Alors, je commencerai a practiquer ma francais en preparation pour la prochaine voyage a France--je ne sais pas quand, mais, j'entend l'appel. Et, mon entraîneur nouvelle veut y emporter mes peintures! Bientôt!! (Pardon--c'est seulement possible de faire les accents francais avec l'assistance de Babel Fish--peut-etre quelqu'un peut me dire comment moi-meme?)

J'ai un tas de choses a faire ce weekend, en preparation pour la fete le 8/9 aout. Donc, je vais partir maintenant, sans beaucoup de commentaires.

Et, pour ceux qui sont toujours anglais, je ferai un poteau en anglais ce-dessous--MAGIE!!! Avec Babel Fish!
A bientot!

Hi Everyone!
I don't know how many of you can read French, like Lauren, Julie (her mother), Gael, Gilles, and there are others like Leo who know how to translate it, for free, via Yahoo Babel fish.
So, I'm starting to practise my French in preparation for the next trip to France--don't know when, but I hear the call. And, my new coach wants to take my paintings there--soon! (sorry, it's only possible to do the accents on the French words if it's translated in Babel Fish, unless one of you can tell me how on this keyboard?)
I have tons of things to do this weekend, getting ready for the art show August 8/9, so I'm going now, without any more comments.
And, for those of you who are only English speaking/reading, I will do a translation below through Babelfish (actually I ended up doing it myself because I couldn't copy/past all the above text into French to to program. And since I started it myself in English it was much easier to just write it again in my mother tongue!)
See you soon!