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

Sunday Sketches and no time...

My schedule allows little time for really creating.  I am a morning person so it is work out or create...currently on the workout path, so when can I art?  I've been taking a paper journal with me everyday now, grabbing my plain #2 pencil and making sure art is part of EVERYDAY!  I have given myself permission to just play - it is not about creating a masterpiece - it is just thinking about it and putting pencil to paper.  No real supplies just something to keep me growing.  It doesn't matter that I am not following a lesson or perfecting a technique - it is about the DOING!  So, crayons highlighters whatever is there - using it and smiling the whole time because NO PRESSURE!

My little bird of mixed whatever was on hand where I was at!  Color therapy - art therapy - call it what you want but it makes you smile!

My alter ego?????

Thanks to Alexandra for hosting Sunday Sketches!!!!  It is always fun to get up, grab a cup of coffee and explore on Sunday mornings!

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

Liberate Your Art postcard swap 2013...

Is underway and I have received my first postcard...all the way from New Zealand!  It is a beautiful pic of the true essence of the country I believe.  NATURE!  Ironically, Mark's daughter is in New Zealand right now hiking and touring the country.  She just completed a 3 week clinical and is taking the country in for 2 more weeks.  I posted the card I received on FB and Jaimie (daughter) sent back - that it looked like where she was at that very time.  I can't wait for her return home so we can figure out if it is indeed someplace she visited.

www.joslittlepictures.wordpress.com

Thanks Jo, I loved the pic and your note!  Love liberation of art all around the globe.

Thanks to Kat for hosting the swap again this year.  This is my second time participating and it is so exciting to go to the mailbox to see what treasure has arrived!

Speaking of postcards,  Robin Panzer has share info that I'd like to pass along...
The Post Card Project - Angie
1920 Centerville Turnpike #117-199
Virginia Beach, VA 23464

Send post cards that Angie, a young cancer patient, will share with her fellow hospital mates...let's help put some smiles into the day for these kids.  Here is my packet that I will be sending:

don't ask why it won't post up the right way - so sorry you'll have to view sideways, but you get the idea!  Hope you can join in the fun!
https://www.facebook.com/CHKD.Postcard.Project?fref=ts





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