Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Made my heart sing...

  I was so excited when I went to check on the "frog eggs"...seems as though they are not frog eggs after all.  Looks like they are tiny salamanders!!  I think I squealed when I saw this cute little fellow still tucked inside the comfort of his jelly egg:
I'm heading back there today to check on their progress.  At least now I know why it has been taking so long.  Here I was all worried about the fate of the tiny frogs, since their gestation period is only about 21 days and I had not seen any of the eggs with tiny tadpoles inside.  Come to find out, the gestation period for salamanders can be between 40 and 50 days, so "yay" ~ I might actually be able to witness a live birth!  I can be a salamander life coach!  Wouldn't that be a hoot!
On my way home from checking on the eggs, I stopped at a cemetery that I've been wanting to checkout.  It's a beautiful old cemetery, with some rather interesting headstones and history:
And don't you know, right on the ground [apparently had fallen from the tree] was this beautiful little nest:
the bottom of it has a big hole in it, so it was most likely robbed by a black snake and then knocked out of the tree.  Now it's resting on my bookshelf.
 The sky is starting to clear!!  Looks like it's going to be a great day to see some little baby salamanders!  Life is good!!

love & peace always ~ Kathy
"I'm Nobody!  Who are you?
Are you -- Nobody --Too?
Then there's a pair of us!
Don't tell!  they'd advertise -- you know!
How dreary -- to be -- Somebody!
How public -- like a Frog --
To tell one's name -- the livelong June --
To an admiring Bog!" ~ Emily Dickinson

Saturday, February 25, 2012

All About Art!

While I was searching for my paint brushes yesterday, I came across my box of colored pencils and my old journal that I haven't written or drawn in since 10.03.06.  What a fantastic find!!  I was just about sure I had given those pencils to Broc when we moved to North Carolina from Baton Rouge.  So, this was my entry and drawing for today, using my favorite words with "L" - "Live, Love, Laugh".  Of course, after I took a photo of it, I had to tweak it some in PhotoShop [of course].
I just had to share this crazy photo with ya'll.  I took this last night, when Greg was pouring me a Blue Moon from the tap...then, I funkied it up with Topaz Software in PhotoShop ~ it's epic!  We had some great beers and burgers at "The Square Root" restaurant and then headed over to celebrate Annie's 59th birthday!  It was a great evening!

Happy Saturday, ya'll!!  Life is good!

xoxo & peace always ~ Kathy

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." ~ Thomas Merton

Friday, February 24, 2012

Outdoor Photography Show!!

One of the photographs I'll have on display next week for the "Outdoor Photography" exhibit at the "Transylvania County Arts Council".  I think I'm going to name this "Sun Salutation".  And, it goes perfect with my limerick:

 If I were a beautiful tree, I'd have eyes so that I could see..
My branches would sway with the breezes all day...
And your shade is what I'd long to be. ~ Me

Happy Friday!!

xoxo - Kathy

Saturday, February 18, 2012

love stories in my mailbox today...

I love this book!!!  Sophie Blackall is a wonderful illustrator and writer.  She decided to create a book [one of her many publications], using "Missed Connections" from Craigslist [which is, in and of itself, a funny and beautiful read].  I think my favorite [or at last one of my top 5 favorites] is this one:
titled "Owl Lady in the Red Dress" and reads "We both purchased owl statues today.  You are the classy looking dame in a red dress.  I am the mustachioed gentleman.  I think we should meet up and discuss further wildlife decor." - I love it so much I could squeal!!!  Such great little stories and they are all true!  And then, along came this:
my long awaited copy of Ms. Emily Winfield Martin's book "Oddfellow's Orphanage" ~ I've had it pre-ordered for months!  It is so adorable.  And, as I'm sure you all know, Emily is one of my most favorite artists ever!  I have several of her prints, lots of tiny books, buttons, pins, lockets and a couple of her original paintings and now I have this!!! 
I think my favorite character is "Ollie" - the little onion-headed boy ~ so cute!

Off to read!  Happy Saturday everybody!!

xoxo ~ Kathy

"To the world you may be but one, but to one you may be the world." ~ unknown author

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Valentine's Day & Mardi Gras Goodness...

Hey Everybody!  Are you ready for Valentine's Day!! I can't wait!!!  Of course, Valentine's Day is the day of the reception and opening of the "CLICK!" Project that I'm a part of!  It's going to be amazing and, the first time I get to showcase my photography.  If any of you live close, please try to come!  There will be lots of wine and yummy dishes from "Wild Indigo Catering".  And I have to give a big shout out to my wonderful friend Connie for hosting it all and getting it all going.  Thank you, Connie and the "The Conn-Artist Studios & Art Gallery"!  You're the best!!!
  This is a collection of little boxes that I painted years ago.  I'm thinking about painting some more and maybe selling them on Etsy.  They were so much fun!  And now, especially since it looks like we may have a wee bit of a "Winter" ~ I can see little flurries flittering around out there right now.  Nothing's sticking yet, though....hmmmm, we'll see.
Just for you for "Valentine's Day".  I'll be giving a pair of these awesome little cuties away on Valentine's Day!  All you have to do is comment on this post and your name will be entered in the drawing ~ Lita will be picking, so good luck!!
So yesterday I'm sitting here making jewelry and the doorbell rings...it was FedEx, delivering this awesome King Cake from one of our friends in Louisiana.  It's been years since I've had one and it's sooooooo good!!!  Yum!  I haven't found the baby yet, but I'm sure it's in there somewhere!  If you've never had a King Cake, you should treat yourself to one...and, the ones from Gambino's Bakery are the best!  Be sure to get the traditional cream cheese filling, too!  You will love it, I promise!!  Laissez les bon temps rouler [let the good times roll]!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!  Life is good ~ Never forget it!!

love & peace always ~ Kathy

LINES WRITTEN BY A BEAR OF VERY LITTLE BRAIN

On Monday, when the sun is hot
I wonder to myself a lot;
"Now is it true, or is it not,
"That what is which and which is what?"

On Tuesday, when it hails and snows,
The feeling on me grows and grows
That hardly anybody knows
If those are these or these are those.

On Wednesday, when the sky is blue,
And I have nothing else to do,
I sometimes wonder if it's true
That who is what and what is who.

On Thursday, when it starts to freeze
And hoar-frost twinkles on the trees,
How very readily one sees
That these are whose -- but whose are these?

On Friday ------- Winnie-the-Pooh

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Happy Groundhog Day!!

Hey everybody!!!  Hope you are having a wonderful Groundhog Day!  I can't believe we are going to have six more weeks of "winter",when it seems as though we haven't even had one week of winter yet this year!  I wanted to pop in and share a Valentine Coupon Code for my Etsy Shop...just enter coupon code BEMINE2012 at checkout and you'll get 20% off of your total purchase!  Now that's a great Valentine's Day gift from me to you!!  You'll need to hurry and use it though, it will expire at midnight Sunday, February 5th. 
And, if you read this post and leave me a comment...even if it's just to say "hello", your name will be in the drawing for a chance to win these beautiful little "Valentine" earrings.  Ozzy will be picking a winner Monday morning ~ Good Luck!!
Before I go, I just had to share this awesome find...literally thousands of frog eggs!  They should be hatching in about 3 or 4 more weeks!  I can't wait to see all of the little tadpoles swimming around inside the eggs...not to worry, I will be documenting it along the way ~ I think I actually squealed when I saw them.  If you are interested in reading about the life of a frog, you can do so here - very interesting.
I also want to mention my brand new website.  It's called "My Handmade Life" and the link is: http://www.myhandmadelife.com ~ I had everything all spread out...my jewelry one place, my blog another and my photography website yet another.  So, this new website is my "landing page" with links to everything else.  Let me know how you like it. 

So, it's time for American Idol...I haven't heard a single person I really "loved" yet...have you?  I just don't seem to be that into it this year...maybe I'll get more interested after I hear someone I like, or maybe I'm just getting old...especially when I sit here and listen to "Yoga Radio" all day long on Pandora ~ it's something about those pan flutes!
Happy Groundhog Day!!  Love & peace always ~ Kathy

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." ~ Thomas Jefferson