This post is especially for Jann

HAPPY VALENTINES!

I hope you like it.

I love collage, in the past I have only done it for my own enjoyment because I like to use pictures from calenders, cards, magazines and catalogs that were created by artists whose work is fun and detailed. James Christensen, Mary Engelbreit, and Charles Wysocki are some of my favorites. I like to do intricate collages, put in a lot of surprises and detail. These are four of my favorites. The top three are quite large pieces, the last one is an ACEO titled "Birds Of A Feather" I made in honor the blog party theme.

I love art and I enjoy working in many mediums. My cartooning is one of the ways I enjoy using both the quotes I collect and my drawing in a way that I hope makes others smile.

Images that illicit two different emotions. I love how art and music can effect the way you feel. Especially this time of year when I'm on my seventy-sixth chorus of Paint it Black.

These are just some of the pictures that I love to collect, things that touch me I some way, that is what this blog is for, it's a room in which to place the things I love and share them with friends, or possibly to showcase what a flippin psycho I really am.

ABOU BEN ADHEM

by James Henry Leigh Hunt

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight of his room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold:
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the presence in the room he said,

"What writest thou?" - The vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

But cheerly still; and said "I pray thee then,

Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."
The angel wrote, and vanished.

The next night It came again with a great wakening light,

And showed the names who love of God had blessed,

And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

Soul Journal is having a Valentines Day Blog Party doesn't that sound like fun. They said anyone could come (I signed up and no one has complained yet??) So if you're interested just click on my Soul Journal link under the Places to go People to See list, head on over to Soul Journal for the details.

A Red, Red Rose
by Robert Burns

My love is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June :
My love is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I :
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun :
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only love,
And fare thee weel a while !
And I will come again, my love,

Thou’ it were ten thousand mile.

FEBRUARY LOVE TO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS

The Subject is Angels

It never ceases to amaze me how we express ourselves in art, in music and writing. That you can give a subject to one hundred different people and they will express that idea one hundred totally different ways. I find it absolutely fascinating and wonderful.

Love it, love it, love it!!!!

BEFOREAFTER

Inversion:

The view before and after.

(Hey, where have all the mountains gone?)

illustration by Daniel Merriam

If it isn't spring soon I will be forced to call out the flying monkeys.

There is beautiful artwork to express almost everything, need I say more.

If all of our troubles were hung on a line, you would take yours and I would take mine.

Swedish Proverb

" God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December.".....or maybe January!

J.M.Barrie

Fear Less, Hope More,

Whine Less, Breathe More,

Talk Less, Say More,

Hate Less, Love More,

and all good things are yours.

Swedish Proverb

Today is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, you know the one with the drummers drumming for your true love. Anyway it is also know as the Night of Epiphany (revelation or revealing) when the Christ Child was presented to the Magi (Three Wise Men). In my case it is just an excuse to post another piece of beautiful art and remember the birth of our Lord. May we all have our own personal epiphany.

THE FROSTED PANE

When I wakened, very early,

All my window-pane was pearly

With a sparkling little picture

traced in lines of shining white;

Some magician with a gleaming

Frosty brush, while I was dreaming,

Must have come and by the starlight

worked through all the quiet night.

He had painted frosty people,

And a frosty church and steeple,

And a frosty bridge and river tumbling over frosty rocks;

Frosty mountain peaks that glimmered,

And fine frosty ferns that shimmered,

And a frosty little pasture full of frosty little flocks.

It was all touched in so lightly

And it glittered, oh, so whitely,

That I gazed and gazed in wonder at the lovely painted pane;

Then the sun rose high and higher

With his wand of golden fire Till, alas,

my picture vanished and I looked for it in vain!

by Evaleen Stein

January, icy, hard hearted, January, greeting us arms wide with a New Year, resolution and the promise of new beginnings.
Only to turn its back reminding us that redemption and change
are illusive as winter sun, and hard won as a mile through drifted snow.

January so bereft of warmth even air the snaps with cold.
Color flees, shades of grey and white take its place creating splendid vistas of crystalline beauty in its wake.
Life ventures outside reluctantly, scurrying quickly to finish its business
and escape the cold wrath of January.

DSW 2008

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

George Elliott

Best wishes to all for a very Happy New Year!!!

This is my latest collage "The Straight Gate". I made it for the laundry room because it needed a little prospective. I can't sell these because they have a lot of copyrighted art that I love in them they are just for my own enjoyment.

For anyone who is interested today is the fourth day of Christmas, so if you are someones true love, you need to round up four calling birds in a hurray.

I love this picture, it was ruthlessly stolen off of Sketchpot's blog because it is the perfect image of how I feel the day after Christmas, with my too much shopping, cooking, wrapping, rich food & candy hangover. Christmas 2008 is gone and hopefully a good time was had by all. I know we were very blessed, but now I just want to sit here and veg with no dip please.

May the peace and joy the Savior brings for each one of us be yours at Christmas and throughout the year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

GIFTS IN GODS NAME

When we give each other

Christmas presents in His name,

Let us remember that He has given us

the sun and the moon and the stars,

the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans-

and all that lives and moves upon them.

He has given us all green things

and everything that blossoms and bears fruit-

and all that we quarrel about

and all that we have misused-

And to save us from our foolishness,

from our sins,

He came down to earth

and gave us Himself.

Sigrid Undset

For some reason unknown to myself I have always been fascinated by Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" a wonderful tale of hope and redemption. Ebenezer Scrooge has been a favorite subject of mine and I have created my version of his image in almost every art medium I work in, this is the latest version, his crabby old face always makes me smile. I think it's because he renews my faith in our ability to change ourselves for the better. It's nice to see someone triumph over their lesser nature. Anyway to quote Tiny Tim "God bless us every one."

SOLD!!!

Take a moment from your oh so busy day, go to my playlist and scroll down with the roller on your mouse to "Angels We Have Heard On High" by Josh Groban, press play and just listen. Take time to enjoy the holiday and have peace in your heart. I love you all, let it be a happy day.

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely, Love Divine;

Love was born at Christmas,

Stars and Angels gave the sign.

Christina Rossetti

This is my newest ACEO it is titled

"Christmas Dreams & Christmas Wishes"

For somehow, not only at Christmas, but all the year through, The joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you.

John Greenleaf Whittier

What can I give him

poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a Wise Man

I would do my part,-

Yet what I can I give him,

Give my heart.

Christina Rossetti

The Blessing of Friends

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. Anais Nin

If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things; if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have the time to make the long, slow journey across the desert as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? For each one of us, there is a desert to travel. A star to discover. And a being within ourselves to bring to life.

-Author Unknown

IMAGINE INNOCENCE.....

Sometimes it seems that we have completely lost the simplicity and innocents that Christmas used to have. The lovingly handmade gift, decorating with greenery from the yard. Everything seems so manufactured so artificial. We have such abundance it is mind numbing the prevailing attitude is bigger, flashier and more. The simple joys that used to belong to Christmas are gone. These are the kind of things I long for at Christmas, a true remembrance of the Savior, gifts from the heart, charity, carols, stories, poems, family traditions, homemade decorations, peace on earth, and good will to all men.

"St. Nicholas Headed Home" is the name of my latest ACEO.

DECEMBER

December sparkling crystalline December

a beautiful glowing hearth of a month,

filled with plum pudding joy, and twinkling pine tree dreams,

brotherly love, and candy cane mistletoe anticipation.

A carol, a prayer, a brief respite from a care worn world,

the promise of divine deliverance accompanied by angels and a star to follow.

All wrapped in a shiny gold package tied up with a great big bow.

Lovingly delivered by three wise men and a jolly fat elf in a red suit,

that's December.

D.S.W. 2008