sharing across the pond. . .

for that matter, around the world!  That is what I love about this artful blogging community.  For the last five years I have been learning about blogging and working on my art interests.  Sometimes I have obsessively blogged and then been MIA countless times.  Whether I am consistent or not this community still encourages and supports.  I wish the world could be like that!  Just imagine if everyone was supportive and encouraging...makes you wonder.

Anyways, in my meetings of artists', Joss has been a cosmic bond.  We share the same birth month - we are Aquarians (that does explain alot).  We are both mature - well, numerically anyway.  AND we both have a love of art.  She is an accomplished artist - showing and selling her passionate pieces of her soul.  Which leads us to the name of her blog, Soulbrush!

I am fortunate enough to have a piece of her work!  I am in search for the perfect frame!

She also has shared a piece of her spirit with me when my spirits were down and needed a hug.  So I wanted to say thank you and celebrate her new studio with some light!  Sent it across the waters to let her know that she reaches many!

your soul and your brush reach across the pond

cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it!

all works copyright dana strickland/sinderella's studio 2013

Under the Sea swap complete!

Clare Lloyd received the tags I sent for my part in the swap.  So I will share them with you now!

I had "chicken of the sea" - a fortune telling mermaid and swimmers!  These were really fun to do!

                         this was an extra chicken of the sea I did...I was cracking myself up!!!!
For any of you that aren't in the states, chicken of the sea is a brand of canned tuna here.

Not much but hope it makes you smile.  Thanks to Kirstin McCulloch for hosting the tag swap!!!

Also sending a piece across the pond to Soulbrush! So, once it has arrived I will share!

cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it!

copyright 2013 dana strickland - sinderella's studio

Yep, I am still alive!!!

Received my Under the Sea art tag today!!!!  It is soooooooooooo me!  It is funny how cosmic the art-blogland is!  People and art that are worlds away and have no knowledge of you send art that is YOU!!  I am always in amazement each time this happens.

I signed on with Kirstin McCulloch's art tag swap - Kirstin's Big Eyed girls are a favorite of mine. As I said, themed: Under the Sea.  I who love the ocean could not resist.
Kirsten paired me up to receive from Lillian Mederak.  COSMICALLY SPOOKY!!!  Lillian does an art retreat every year in the Keys!!!  Anyone that has read my blog knows I am a Key West loving girl!!!!  So how crazy I get to receive something from an artist that lives in Canadian but retreats in the Florida Keys every year. More cosmic.  I love green.  Now green is a color you either like or don't.  It is not usually an in-between color.  So my tag is SOOOOOOOOOO me - My fantasy Key West self.  The words Lillian has applied to the tag - I am sure are about her but seriously...it's me too.
"Have I dreamt I am a Mermaid -or- Am I a Mermaid dreaming I am Me?"
does it get any better???!!!  I think not.  The tag is absolutely a treasure!  Thank you Lillian!

My tags are off to the UK...I posted them five days late but they are well on their way.  I shall share them once I know that Clare Lloyd has received them.  Hope she enjoys opening her package as much as I have enjoyed mine!

I posted 2 weeks ago my side trip to Lake Michigan to help get me in the mood to create!  I did a sketch in my journal and worked a bit on it while floating and basking in the sun.  I finished the page and need to go back to do another.

cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it!

all works copyright dana strickland, sinderella's studio 2013

water time on Tuesday

I am participating in an art tag swap and the theme is "under the sea".  For inspiration I went to the shores of Lake Michigan yesterday and floated about.  I had a bag of random art stuff along with a journal.  Packed a sandwich and my floaty.    Plopped my butt in the sand, took out my journal, dug through my bag to find out my tools were really random!  oh well, it is an adventure day anyway!  Just did a little sketch - then went out and bobbed around in the water for quite awhile - just soaking up the day!  Came back to my journal - added some colored pencil then some watercolor - using lake water, of course.

I am going to keep going with this - too much fun to just leave as is...then onto my tag project.

So as I was leaving town to head home...I had to get a photo of this incredible house...it is THE perfect Practical Magic house!  Don't you agree???

Once at home the sun was shining through the most beautiful spider web.  A day filled with beauty and inspiration!

cheers, dana

live is short, make sure you LIVE it

all work copyright Sinderella's Studio/ dana strickland 2013

merry monday

no art just planning a day on the shores of Lake Michigan tomorrow.  Just me = some paints, crayons and a journal!  will share my day on Wednesdy!
cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it

dark spaces are not always friendly places...

darkness

Guilt cast a dark shadow.
Sorrow draws the dark curtains closed.
Strength pulls the blinds back open.
Faith restores what I need to know.
Courage lets me step forward.
Love restores my drive.
Teach so others may be inspired.
Share your lessons & the you - you know!

soul prayer - white light, white light, white light


                                                   
 time to remove the weeds from my mind:

I watched The Secret of the Wings, totally by accident, my grandkids weren't even here...it's amazing how fairies make life seem so much nicer!  Time to get my glitter back on!!!

glitter

cheers, dana

Liberate Your Art Swap 2013

Once again it was a joy to go to the mailbox each day in anticipation of receiving MORE ART!!!  Thanks to Kat Sloma for hosting such an awesome event!  This is my second year participating and I am looking forward to 2014 already.  Thinking - first year I did separate postcards of original artwork; this year a favorite photograph I took out my kitchen window.... humm - time to think and create to see what 2014 brings!

2013 Liberate Your Art

Each card came with special hidden meanings attached.  The first card was from Jo in New Zealand!  Oddly, my step-daughter was in New Zealand at that very same time.  In fact, when I first saw the card I thought it was from her.  Isn't that cosmic!  The scene is sooooooooo peaceful and Jaimie (said daughter) says the entire countryside is just like that - peaceful and beautiful.  Next came the beautiful photograph of a felted art piece by Caroyn, all the way from the UK - I love the water and felt the wash of the ocean as I held her piece.  love it!  Then  a soulful flower from Cindy in Phoenix, AZ.  I had been trying to find some flowers to photograph up close and personal for a painting - wha-lah - got it!  I am not sure if it is pollen dew or fairy glitter on the flower but love its softness!  From Amanda - and at this moment I don't know from where (again I procrastinated in contacting her to thank her for this wonderful piece), the island of Paradise.  Now, for any of you that visit regularly you know I am an island girl!!!  Key West is my personal paradise and I so hope to someday live there on a houseboat!  This card could not be more perfect for me!  Then a bouquet of tulips to light up my day!  These are from Deb - also from AZ, Chandler.  I see that she is just returning from what looks like an incredible trip to England!  Anyways the cosmic connection here besides my love of flowers is the name of her blog:  paperturtle!  I love love love turtles...I try to photograph them, watch them and had a small collection at one time.  They just mesmerize me!  So, double bonus!  Then, of course the serenity of Kat's postcard.... It is like meditating when you look into it!  absolutely LOVELY!

This is the postcard I sent out, he is a critter that visits our bird feeder on a regular basis - he just cracks me up!  I hope it made the recipients smile too!

The quote on the back is:  Life is short, make sure you LIVE it!  That is my mantra for this year and I close each post with it!

http://kateyestudio.com/2013/05/liberate-your-art-2013-blog-hop.html

cheers and enjoy the hop!  Thanks Kat!

dana