Showing posts with label my photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my photography. Show all posts

hot pink sunshine


My niece sits
near a Palo Verde tree
blooming in my parents' backyard.

Considered "dirty trees" because
of the blanket of blooms they leave behind...


all images mine

Dirty?
Now that's what I call beauty in imperfection!
I found the sunshiny Arizona flowering trees
cheerfully vibrant, not unlike my niece Sofia.

George Marks - Cotton - mixed media

Sofia of the vibrant red hair


who loves pettiskirts,



leaping,


George Marks - untitled mixed media on panel

all things pink,


with Gracie

and cuddly sweet.



Soaking up the precious rays?
Feelin' hot pink sunshine?
What's blooming near you?

shoe confessions, shame, and hormones

guess which foot is mine?


Unless it's morning,
fetch a strong drink before reading this.

Confession is good for the soul, yes?
But is it good for the soles?

S H O E S.

Most of the women I know are wired
 for shoe-love; however, shoefreak-osity
didn't bite me until my mid 40s...
which is like...NOW.
i say i'm pushin 50 'cause that
makes a 45 year old look way younger.


Beige Metallic Pradas - eBay, $40

Anyway, my confession today is not reallllllly about
a new fondness for footwear.


i showed you these the other day - Barney's NY - $5 eBay

No.
More about temporarily losing my mind.
I can hear gasping.

About how donating a dozen dusty pairs (some never worn!)
from my closet to charity caused me to feel...
something new.


have worn these for years

Shoe Remorse.

Weird.
Bless my soles, we have always delivered carloads of
donations with our hearts in the right place.


ooooooooh baaaaaabbbbyyyyy - Manolo Blahniks for 90% off - eBay - HOT!

This was no exception.
Except.
I was too hasty, too caught up in spring
cleaning fever and the joy of purging.

After the donation drop, I felt grief...
I know, this is pathetic.
They're shoes. Material crap.

Springtime weather arrived, and I had no shoes
or budget to replace them.
(true i could have traveled the miles
barefoot to my friend's shop.)



Which is how I discovered pre-owned
made in Italy shoes
on eBay and the beauty of

WALKING IN ANOTHER WOMAN'S SHOES.




Only now I feel something else:
shoe shame.

(Yes, yes, of course, I can't let a simple selfish
scenario just BE.  No. No. No.
I have to deconstruct it repeatedly, overanalyze,
obsess, and discover the spiritual lesson...I mean,
WALKING IN ANOTHER WOMAN'S SHOES...
aren't you relieved you don't have to live with me?)

Making light of it, yes, but actually have been
feeling bad about myself because shoes
have never held such power for the minimalist me.
If I don't find humor in these screwups,
my brain explodes. And by screwup, I mean
caring too much about friggin shoes.


I do not ever intend to repeat this nonsense.
dearlord, who am i these days?

We shall chalk this up to yet
another symptom of imbalanced hormones
and pre-menopausal superficiality no one ever talks about.
oh yes i WILL find a way to blame hormones...


B., M., me, and J. - a couple summers ago (we're not twins)

These are the friends that belong to the shoes
in the first image.

Please share your feelings about shoe remorse,
shoe shame, Manolo Blahniks, or hormones.
I have just confessed so do think: redemption and tenderness.

It's all going in the book, btw!

I feel a little better  now.



For You


my collage

Today this post is for you...



Bella Luna...i love her to the moon

no matter where you are or how you
found your way here.


North Shore Oahu...my favorite place on planet Earth

If this finds you at a moment
of discouragement or defeat,
may I invite you to re-capture
an encouraging vibe here?


they just showed up in my kitchen...

Because...
you matter.

Because...
you are loved and chosen.

Because even if it feels like you just can't...


a French prayer chair and rosary
ALL PHOTOS MINE

you truly can.


I am so grateful for you reading me,
sharing your lovely,
and following along.

I cherish your comments
and just feel extra thankful
for you today.

Hugs.

FIVE DOLLAR fabulous (1)




Five bucks buys very little coffee
or gasoline these days...but here are some
creative ways to stretch it
*oh lord, without pilates*
for a lovelier outlook and nest.


$5 fading roses from the grocery store
smell just as luscious.
And five bucks bought gorgeous white semigloss for
this formerly NARSTY table!



Some new business cards!



These are from the fabulous
pixelimpress on etsy.com.



$5 will buy a dozen of these custom beauties.



Back to the grocery store...
$2 potted basil + $2 potted basil + $1 vintage planter
five dollar fabulous!!


Two vintage books with pretty covers
from a tag sale will set you back about $5.
they provide great texture and boost my shrimpy lamp



You can probably score more "naked books"
than what you see here for $5 at a library
book sale or yard sale.



An old $5 chippy pottery piece like this,
and I LOVE THE CHIPS!


These pre-owned slippers were less than
five bucks on eBay.



The leather J. Crew bag at top?
Pre-owned so $5 on eBay.
I know! I know! Fabulous!


This Kate Spade was also considered
"pre-owned" but shows no wear
and was just a little over $5.
eBay is a craptastically beautiful thing.

all images mine

Isn't bargain shopping rewarding?

Didn't you love your exercise in
stretching today which requires
no traction or vicodin afterward?

Have some thrifty 
f i v e  d o l l a r  f a b u l o u s
ideas of your own?
Dude! Let's hear 'em.

Stay lovely.

p.s. if I've forgotten to
"follow you back" on your blog
please leave a threatening comment
here since i mean to follow everyone back!




linking with Coastal Charm and Common Ground

hello lovely INSPIRING GOODNESS {MARCH}

my photo:
a bit of a vintage collage i completed

Today my thoughts are on spring and a few
lovely inspiring things which have
found their way to me.


my photo:
my collage is a part of a series i'm creating called DISCARDED & WITHDRAWN

1.
Creating new mixed media pieces.

This little guy's called KINGBIRD,
and includes a pieced together
poem from random text.
random is hardly a challenge for me...ahem.


my photo:
all of the vintage illustrations are old and originals

My poem:

"I MADE UP MY MIND TO LOOK.
I KEPT MY EYES OPEN
FINDING THINGS
THAT TO ME
ALWAYS HAD BEEN
CONCEALED IN THICK FOLIAGE."

the first line is the most powerful and meaningful one for me.
  
my photo

I love packaging handmade things
almost as much as creating them.
This was for someone very special and was
tied with raw silk and an old rhinestone
shoe clip made in France.


my photo

2.
Scoring new treasures at my favorite junk sales.

My criteria when I shop:
What can I not live without?
Only those items can come home with me.
Hence, the gorgeous barn pulley and horseshoes.
go figure.


my photo

3.
Monograms...they're irresistible.

Above is an early 1900s engraving from
a jeweler. I use these for my collages.


my photo

4.
Lightened up interiors.

Where heavy cableknit sweaters and wool bags
were strung on a coatrack, now a happy mix of
ballet slippers and pointe shoes brightens the mood.



my photo

5.
Friendship*
 and luxury hotels.

Sort of a match made in heaven.
This was snapped two weeks ago
of me and my little sis in a pillow fight...
yes, we are grown women (each with a pair of teenaged sons)
no, we are not twins but we sometimes say yes when asked
because it seems to make everyone happy.
That headboard?
Like buttah.

Here's to a new month of
new inspiration!

Thanks for following.

*i've met so many lovely new friends
in blogland this month including fabulous Laura
(check out her link party
at this CRUSHWORTHY blog!). 
Also partying here:

The Girl Creative






Thirty Hand Made Days








monogram
Photobucket