She Wishes for Fishes!

When I read the prompt for Friday I thought for a while and searched my mind for something that was Mesmerizing to me. So many things came to mind I'm not sure how I ended up with the idea of patterns and fishes. I have always liked drawing fish and patterns fascinate me. I think they mesmerize me. I feel relaxed when painting them and figuring out pleasing patterns makes me happy. I used one of my favorite blue greens and used the complementary color,orange for her hair. Gotta love those colors. Working on so many things these past few weeks I haven't joined If for a few weeks. It feels good to take the time to create on the run so to say. ....I want to post a picture of my favorite flower I have on my deck but it is dark so I will try to remember tomorrow....Watching my Granddaughters can also be mesmerizing as they change and grow each and every day. It's funny I didn't seem to notice my own children growing as much. I think raising children is the hardest thing to do and while it is going on we take each day as it comes and almost become robots in the process. So much to do in so little time.... I was swept up in the everyday drama and the time passed sooooo fast...But now not being totally responsible for them I can enjoy their changing from a distance. It is a hard job to protect these little critters but a wonderful chance to give wonderful people to the universe....If we would all just treat others as we ourselves would want to be treated...what a great place the world would be...so next time you are not in such a good mood try to remember to be as nice as you can as the people around us are all in the same boat. Just wanting to be treated desently and with respect....it's funny how others react to a little kindness.....it can be mesmerizing........

IF Disguise

This little bear of mine is really sure that no one will recognize him in this disguise! In a way don't we all wear a disguise of some sort? I know that I disguise myself as an adult and I am really a child. I still want love and food and to be taken care of. But the reality of it all is that I have to take care of MYSELF....Not so bad...but sometimes it would be nice to be patted on the head and told "it will be all right". And know that this person knows what they are talking about. Sometimes a frantic feeling takes over and questions fill my head, what if, how and why will it all work out. But I guess in the long run it is what it is and I then look elsewhere for distractions and like a child go on to a new subject! I love this bears headdress. Wouldn't it be funny if we all walked around with headdresses on. Not hats just lovely whimsical head dresses. Might cause a problem on a bus on in a restaurant...funny idea....oh well ...not much to say, I send my healing thoughts to all affected by the Hurricane and I hope they get back to normal soon. I'm posting a picture of one of the planters outside of my city hall. I love the colors and the succulents.....I feel a painting coming on..........

IF Imperfect

This little girl has worked very hard to make her Mother this cake. She is sooo excited to present it to her. And I think from the look on her Mother's face the cake is a big hit! My Grandmother used to make the best white cakes with white icing and place it on a white milk glass plate. She knew it was my favorite so every birthday she would make me one. I'm sure my face looked much like the little girls in my picture. I have the stove my Grandparents bought in 1935. I use it everyday and think of them all the time. When my oldest Granddaughter was about 3 years old. I had her make a cake (white of course) and use my Grandmothers old bowls and bake it in my oven. It was delicious of course and if I can find the picture I took I will post it....I was going through old photos of my family this weekend. Both paternal and fraternal. I have always wondered if I would have been friends with my Grandparents if we had not been related but been the same age. I think I would have liked them and I hope they would have liked me too. ...Overcast skies today and a chance of clearing later...these skies depress my already depressed Mother....so pray for Sun....working on my greeting cards later and hope for some time outside as I like the grey skies for a change....have a good one and buy yourself a cupcake of your favorite cake...sit quietly and just enjoy!

IF Obsession

So obsessed you can't see straight! Have I ever been there? I don't think so. I sometimes feel my emotions run shallow as I watch people get soooo excited about some things in their lives. Celebrities, Coffee, Shoes, Television programs, the list continues. I remember being a little obsessed with my first real crush in high school. Walking home from school with my girl friends calling each other by the last name of our crushes. And writing my name as if I was his wife. That all sounds so silly now but then I was really hopeful that things would end up the way I was hoping. Not many of us girlfriends ended up with those crushes, we went on to others and made full and happy lives. I remember one of my friends used to boast that she was never going to clean toilets...My Mother used to laugh and say "Never say never". But the reality has been shown through the years and by gum, ( as they used to say) she hasn't had to clean many a toilet. Her high school crush became her husband and she has had help cleaning for most of her life. I now wish I would have made more outlandish statements....I will never want for money.... I will never be fat....I will never miss a love in my life.....statements about things I might like in might life right now. ...I'm not complaining,but money brings options, being at the right weight limits the things that are not uncomfortable doing, and having a male companion is always fun....still without those things in my life I am happy. I look into myself all the time and manage to keep myself busy and interested in most everything....I think being an artist is what gets me through the times that are not so good! ....I attended an Art Walk this Saturday. And as a participant I was ask to demonstrate my work. I don't really paint on demand so, I cut out some of my greeting cards I make and I gave them out to people brave enough to find out about what I was doing. I met a little 9 year old girl. She was so cute and excitedly told me that she was an artist too. I encouraged her to keep on working and every day she would get better. I gave her a couple of my prints and when I saw her later she was telling me how she was looking for all the fun things I had put into my Halloween print. Smiling ear to ear she left waving at me. I knew then that my art had done just what I had hoped....Make just one person SMILE.....so after all maybe I am Obsessed, obsessed with my art and the ability to reach a person on a personal level and to help them feel better!....If that is the case I am Obsessed!

IF Gesture

Bear is sooo happy to be able to assist bunny in his berry picking. They have plans to have a picnic in the woods later on in the day. I used this little bear again in my illo as I hope to have a lot of paintings to gather together and make a book out of. Sorry I didn't think of it sooner I would be finished by now. Summer is in full swing here in Manhattan Beach. My Daughter in law has some of her family from Brazil visiting for a time. It is funny how even if we don't speak the same verbal language we still can understand each other. Im always interested in what goes on in other countries and what they do everyday and what wonderful foods they have. We picked up the recipe for the Brazilian cheese balls that we love. One of my Nieces is living in Brazil for the summer so my Sister wanted to make them when she gets home. Funny I like the dough almost better than the finished product. I know the raw eggs aren't good for you,but I can't help myself. I come from a long line of batter and dough family. My Grandmother liked to tell the story of when she first got married at 16years old, one of the first things she did was to bake a cake. She ate most of the batter as her Mother forbid her from doing so when she was at home. So when she was on her own and she could do just that and jumped at the chance. She always made the best pies, and of course the pie dough was even better. Bread dough gotta love the yeast flavor of it...oh no!!!! TMI (to much information.)...sorry you don't need to know how silly I can be...or do you? ...Well time is a flying by today and I haven't gotten much done so here's wishing you a wonderful day....maybe I'll make a cake...or a pie....tee hee...yum, yum!

IF Stay

In this picture the woman has decided that she no longer could stay in the dark woods. She take hold of the colorful flower that promises her light! So many of us are or have been in situations that we need to make a change. If you are like me I always need a nudge to help me to make the change needed. I am usually happy once I find the courage to do what I need to do. But coming to that decision is really hard for me. I'm lucky enough that life has guided me along and presented me with choices along the way. I admit to not always making the right ones but I have always taken responsibility for my choices. It is hard to always listen to the little voice in my head but once I know it is best I charge ahead. Life is so interesting and sometimes is comes full circle when we don't even know it. My Daughter in Law took a job designing costumes for the Oprah company in L.A.. She has worked hard and has done a beautiful job. The Oprah took place at the Santa Monica Woman's club. I laughed when I heard this. When I was 6 or 7 years old my Grandmother was a book keeper for the club and I often went to work with her. It has a stage with a balcony and I remembered playing in this room and exploring the club while my Grandmother worked. Who would have thought my Son and his Wife would be attending a function there more or less being in the room I explored as a child. My kids went to the same school as I and their Father attended. We have walked over each others steps many times. I hope they walk over my good steps and have a wonderful life. I wish for all of you the innate wisdom to know when it is best not to stay and do so with the knowledge they are doing the right thing.... beautiful day...sun is out...slight wind...listing to the water bubbling in my little pond and just being thankful for the moment. I have a plant I call a Wax plant. It has big waxy leaves and bunches of pink flowers that look like wax. My parents had one when I was small and I saved two from a garage sale. They are happy and blooming now. I enjoy these flowers sooooo much. Just thought I share that with you...!

IF Remedy

This Grandma has all the help she needs to make her little Grandson feel better in this book. Baking soda paste applied to the bite making sure the stinger is out is what I remember my Grandmother and Mother used to do for me. My Great Grandmother, that I never had the privilege to meet, was a woman of many talents. She was very superstitious and had a saying for many things, including throwing salt over her shoulder when it was spilt. She attended to the dearly departed by doing their hair and attended many a seance. She loved to cook and used to tease my Mother by saying she was making A"Wind Pudding". For which my Mother sat waiting for many a day. She worked at cleaning the largest house in her town, which an heir to the Coke company lived. She did almost anything to help with the money issues in the home. I have always felt it is a shame that sometimes we are not fortunate to know our relatives when they were young. My Mothers family came from Indiana in the early 1900's to find a better life. I think they succeed in doing just that. Never really finding treasure of worldly goods but the treasure of finding love and closeness of their family. Much like the Movie Roots the stories must continue in order for us to be able to find a sense of who we are. I know she was honest, hardworking and full of love and happiness. I think that is pretty good for a legacy, I hope my Grand kids will speak of good things after I am on another journey. I try hard and I think they know this and I hope I only get better with time. Time.... a funny thing, we tend to waste it and take it for granite, we can't change it or stop it. And many try to cheat it by looking as young as they can. But reality always sets in we are what we are. I think facing it with dignity and a sense of what it is may be the way I will handle it. Stay tuned....it may change....one never knows.....By the way I bought a new printer as my old one stopped working. I tried to download my thumbnail of the IF topic this week and the site says it won't take it for various reasons. I will try to fix this problem but if you took a peek , I thank you......have a great 4Th of July!