Thirteen

9 X 13 journal page
Golden Acrylic paints, collage fodder, paint pen, stamps

Thirteen was the turning point in my youth and in no particular order, everything was changing, mind, body and soul. There was lots of daydreaming, about boys, marriage, future, family, all the things you dream about at this tender young age.

Afternoons were spent playing with make-up and trying to look pretty. I begged my mom to buy me some make-up and she came home with Yardley of London, pink cow lipstick and pink twinkle blush and I remember being aghast because this was just not hip enough. I wanted Mary Quant, this was hip and va va voom. My mom wouldn't have it. I would have to begin this transformation, demure and sweet. There was talk about pink ribbons in my hair and eating apples everyday to stay healthy. I was coming of age. I was lucky.

and speaking of luck... I had decided that '13' would be my lucky number. It was an awkward number and that's why I liked it. For many cultures it was considered 'unlucky', especially on the 13th day of the month, when it coincided with Friday.

My dad's birthday is on the 13th of October and I would get such a kick out of it when it would fall on a Friday. I thought it was so cool to have a birthday on Friday the 13th. My dad's not at all superstitious, you see... because he informed me that 13 is actually a lucky number for us eye-talians. So there you have it, besides you can't divide evenly into it, so something or someone was always left out and as luck would have it, we always had a referee.

I'll leave you with this quote:
"Never trust a man who tells you all his troubles, but keeps you from all his joys"

I love her voice, the music of Alison Krauss here is
"The Lucky One" for your listening pleasure.


Have a wonderful weekend and thank you always for your visits and kind words.

My other blogspot: "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

Masculine/Feminine

Bougainvillea in my side yard

My contributions to Masculine/Feminine for 2thingsphotochallenge.
Most plants have masculine (stamen) and feminine (pistil) reproductive organs. This bougainvillea's filament stamen are surrounded by beautiful fuschia bracts, paper-like leaves. The white flower is the pistil.

I spent the first 5 hours of this glorious Saturday playing in the dirt, gardening, which is something I really enjoy doing and have not done for some time. There is something about the smell of potting soil and earth that is so refreshing. I needed to repot my planter boxes and tend to all my flower pots that had struggled through our winter cold spell. Yes, winter in our neck of the woods, sunny SoCal a 22 bone chilling degrees.

We have a difficult demographic to cultivate here in zone 20 according to my Sunset Western Garden Book. We have unusual thermals and micro-climates that come through our canyons due to marine/coastal influence and the interior desert climates. Our winters can be frosty and our summers extremely, dry and hot. Most of the surrounding area of our home is in full direct sun, so I have to be mindful of what will survive the summer heat. It's taken 4 years to find the survivors. This Bougainvillea is one of them.

Now for a little tool time, masculine/feminine.

I don't remember how I came upon this pink hammer, but I've loved it ever since. It wasn't initially pink, it's a Craftsman and comes with a lifetime exchange for a brand new hammer. No way am I exchanging this hammer, it has a little electrical tape around it's neck and has a time worn, lovely feel. I am a hammer junkie, I may have mentioned this in an earlier post. A girl can't have too many hammers, once I learned that not all hammers are created equal. One blue hammer secretly absconded for this post.

I thank you for your kind words and visits.
I hope you are all doing what you love and loving what you're doing.

My other blogspot: "ThE ArTful EyE"

Domicile

9 x 13 journal page
Golden acrylic paints, Montana spray paint, college fodder,
custom stencils (made by moi) and word stencils by Stamper's Anonymous

Let me begin by saying that stencil burning is not as easy as you might think. I've sucked in enough toxic mylar fumes to choke a horse and still haven't produced anything to brag about. My dear friend Julie here at Lost Luggage is an expert though and she's been trying to teach me the tricks of the trade, but to no avail, I have not been a good student. Michelle Ward is responsible for starting all this craziness here at GPP Street Team a.k.a. Green Pepper Press. Thank you both for the push and inspiration.

now on to the matter at hand, "Domicile" pg. 6 in "The Book of Eve"

You've heard the sayings, "Home is where the heart is" or "Where your story begins,"

My story begins in the first house that I can remember, the house where I was born, 2324 E. 73rd St. Brooklyn, New York, Bergen Beach to be exact. The dwelling was split level, we lived in the upstairs. Last time I was in N.Y. the house was still standing, small, very small quaint charming little house in a neighborhood now overrun by ungodly mansions and a complete disregard to any sense of community or architectural informity.

In the 1950's this was the new affordable community to raise your family. The streets were not paved, nor were there sidewalks. I lived in this house until my sister Linda was born and then we moved around the corner upstairs in my aunt Mary and uncle Tommy's house, I believe the address here was 2348 E. 74th street. We liked living here. My uncle Tommy had a pool in the backyard and this is where I learned how to swim. I love swimming, even today. Soon my sister Gina was born and we needed more room so we moved to a larger flat across the street 2357 E. 74th St. This was the last stop. It would be here in this domicile, where my heart would grow, and my wonderful childhood memories would unfold. I lived here 13 years.

We moved from this home in 1974 to Denver, Colorado.

When I think of all the places I have lived in my life, I realize today that I'm still searching for the home where my heart lives. Please don't get me wrong, I have a lovely beautiful home with a wonderful husband, but there is a feeling you have when you and your domicile are one and I have not had this feeling for a long time. Home is definitely where the heart is.

I hope your heart finds you home.

One final thought,
"Once you are outside your door, the hardest part of the journey is behind you."

Thank-you for your visits and kind words.

Have a wonderful week! My other blogspot: "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

Telling Fortune

9 X 13 journal page
Golden acrylics, collage fodder, image transfer, paint pens, real fortune

Do you believe in fortunes? things that happen or are predicted to happen in our lives? Is it fate, destiny, or purely chance?

We should not live our lives by 'maybe's' or 'what if's', instead we should write our own fortune, tell it to the world, then live our fortune and watch it unfold.

Here's what I wrote for myself:
You will find joy in the strangers you meet and help them seek their potential.

If you wrote your own fortune, what would it be?

Buona fortuna a tutti!
Thank-you for your visits and kind words. My other blogspot: "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

Numbers/Letters

In response to this week's 2thingsphotochallenge Numbers/Letters, abound.

On a recent road trip to Idyllwild, CA from inside the car.


I thought this sign was interesting for the description of the towns people.


and just as we rounded the bend on this small country road,
before entering the main town of Idyllwild we came upon this sign
in front of a local artist's home.
My mouth dropped open, and my immediate thought was 'this is the town for me'.



Idyllwild is a small alpine village about 2 hours from our home in San Diego. There is a wonderful art community here Art Alliance of Idyllwild.



Here's (1) thought for you:
"Mind your p's and q's, but let your a's and b's run wild."

Have a wonderful day! Thanks for your visits and kind words.

My other blogspot: "ThE ArTfuL EyE"