The Artistic Vortex!!

HELP...I am caught in the middle of an 'Artistic Vortex' ... this sucker hit me dead on and there was no time to step to the left or right of it....BOOM!!!...head on ...smack dab dead center it hit!! OUCH!!.. This I must admit happens to me every so often...so I am no stranger to this ' situation' ...the trouble is, I never know where or when it will hit!! Unfortunately it is not like Hurricane season that they can predict with some sort of certainty ...between this month and that month... it is a confusing little sucker as it comes from 'within' and when you least expect, it finds someway to 'ooze' out ...gather strength and then double back at you full bore

!!! I always know it will come...it always does...it always has... at different ages in different places brought on by who knows what!!!... and once again... this little emotion sapping... creative tapping... senses zapping entity found my address and is camped out on my doorstep...rap tap tapping at my Door!!! ...and I AM NOT falling for the Old "CANDY GRAM" bit this time!!!

My Artistic Vortex (as I like to call it) it when my fingers want to do something creative, but my brain can't make up it's mind on what to do, and then a sneaky side slips in with the voice of doubt that it can't be done anyway whatever I might decide... while yet another voice whispers "why bother" ...and then a mental note arrives about that time with overwhelming messages of 'reason and logic' "doubt and questionings'.... all coming back to my fingers that just wanna do something but they are held prisoner by volumes of mixed signal missages!

And on top of that Artistic Hell ...I am then pelted with a barrage of creative rockets that thrill and inspire ...only to hear that DAMNED little voice again... "Are you Nuts...it's been done, is being done, this is not your style, you have no style, stay within the lines, it will take too long, don't reach that far, reach farther....have another cookie"!!!

If you have not guessed already...my Artistic Vortex is my own inner self throwing up every road block it can to repress the natural flow of Art. My definition of Art has always been freedom of mind, spirit and emotion... ...the Artistic Vortex is like having 'clogged pipes' where nothing flows through ...ahhhhh to have a Brain and Soul 'Plunger' ...

My feet are stuck and my objective is 10 feet in front of me...just out of reach... and I swear it just stuck it's tongue out at me!!!

The Good News....this is always short lived... I will learn to curb the voices with ear plugs, pamper the soul with promises of understanding and let my fingers do the the creative dance they so enjoy doing...

Jodi

Thanks one and all for the Birthday Greeting...Update

I got a Brand New Set of Billiard Balls from my Dear Richard (he KNOWS what I like and what I want!) ... some ladies like diamonds...I prefer a good game of pool! Now to get the table!!! ONLY KIDDING ...we have a table on our back patio it is a 7 ft'r ..what they call 'Pub Sized' just a tad smaller than the regulation size....which is perfect as we don't really have the room for the big'n out there... I love my table and I LOVE Pool! It has always been a dream to get my own table one day as I am really not much for hangin out in smokey bars these days! Happenstance and Kismet aligned a few months ago when a neighbor who is parting ways with her hubby asked if we knew anyone who wanted to buy a pool table.....WHAT!!!!!!... my heart skipped several beats and I was down at her house before she was! Thanks to good friends and a few strong backs we managed to up the table onto dollies and roll it up the street...in the middle of the street to be exact... waving traffic around us (thank goodness we live on a quiet street!) Anyway it happily sits on my patio next to kayaks and dart boards, tiki gods and cloth brick walls (got ya curious don't I) ...Sooooooooo...whose up for a game??????

Birthdays come but once a Year...THANK GOODNESS!!!

I should clarify...I am really not that opposed to Birthdays...YES it means we are a year older, ...YES you can more easily hear the sands of time pouring through the hour glass,... YES we can hear the bones creak 'Over' the sands of time spilling... YES we find stray hairs in the oddest of places,... YES we say "What" more often ...YES the subjects of 'aches, pains and infirmities' are starting to replace the 'Oddest place you have had Sex ' topic at cocktail Parties... YES cocktail Parties are now Wine, Snacks and Sweats gatherings... YES names elude more often but "What's his face" is perfectly acceptable if you pick the right crowd to hang with....and between 6 people...YOU WILL get the name... YES it is now acceptable to 'Share a Brain' with your mate (as long as you are informed ahead of time whose day it is.) ...YES the twinge of excitement has at last replaced the overwhelming urge the 'Strangle Youth' when asked if you want the 'Senior Discount' when out at a restaurant or movie ...YES you can't do many of the things you did in your more youthful days, but they are joyously replaced with a resounding "WHO CARES" ...and you mean it!!

It is 2010... 'Gray is the New Blond' "It is finally Hip to wear Glasses' 'Size 14 is the REAL Norm and they are at last admitting it' "We've seen things others have not, experienced events others only read about and have a wisdom that is ONLY gained with age...

I do embrace all of my 59 years ...and Thank the Birthday Gods of allowing me this many and the clear memories of all those I have shared my years with ... There are days when being a certain age are not pretty, not comfortable, not as popular ...but there are other days when I would not like to be any other age than what I am...and most days age is nothing more than a number jotted down on paper.... One of my very favorite quotes of all times was by the late great baseball player Satchel Page....and I quote " If you didn't know how old you were...how old would you be"?? To me...that speaks volumes on how a person should live their life...

On a personal note.... I found two of my favorite pictures ....and wanted to share. The top picture was of my father and Me on my first Birthday...I was not unhappy ..just tired....you see my Dad was a musician and often did not get home until 2:00AM ...he made my Mom promise not to have my first Birthday Cake without him...so they got me up at 2:00 to celebrate...he was Thrilled as you can tell, I was on the other hand, confused! And do you know that to this day...I wake up at 2:00 am each morning...I kid you not...it may be for just a few seconds... but I do come awake ....hell on the rem stage but I would not trade it for anything.

So at 25 years of age I wanted to recreate the setting ...shy of 2:00am (and my dad shy a few fingers) I donned my grownup footed jammies, hopped up on the table and posed a little more alert while Richard popped the picture. We giggled and cried and enjoyed the moment... Great Birthday Memories.

A Birthday Blessing

Today I received what I will always consider a Birthday Blessing Gift from a New Friend in Sweden! 'Eva-Liisa Eriksson Kukkonen of the Wonderful Blog 'Ottilias Veranda'

I have always believed that things happen for the most wonderful reasons and without the need for any explanation other than...'It just Happens'...and from time to time we are touched by the hearts of others no matter how far.... I have indeed been touched by a Painting from a friend...a new friend that I received the day before my 59th Birthday .... and although it was my VERY Lucky Win from the OWOH Giveaway...I will always consider it a Birthday Blessing!

I have hung this 'gift' in a special spot to me...amongst some of my favorite things...and just below a special treasure , my grandfathers remaining brush....his favorite.

My breath has been taken away...and I am lost in the beauty of this art piece. Everyone Needs to visit this site and enjoy the wonderful works of Liisa...

Thank You from the bottom of my heart.

I truly have been Blessed with Wonderful Artistic Gifts from New Friends ...Thank You OWOH... you truly are just that...'One World...One Heart'!!!

Hugs,

Jodi

Sunday Ramblings...a little of this and a chunk of that!

It is a lovely Rainy Sunday here in the desert ...and though many of you know I am not a big fan of the rain...this particular rain is a nice soaking , readying the desert floor for a Beautiful Spring of lovely desert bloom....that I like! Plus the color outside is amazing...a bluish gray, dappled with dark and light...the kind of sky that stirs up memories of childhood rain days at school! Anyone remember School Rain Days? When it was too wet to go out for recess , and playtime was confined to the classroom (MY FAV) ...where we would paint and draw, play jacks under the desk , sit and giggle with friends in the corner or sit spell bound in our seats while the teacher read stories of adventure ...like Marco Polo or Tom Sawyer, and then eat our lunch at our desks, I can still smell the heavy aroma of bologna sandwiches, bananas and homemade peanut butter cookies that hung in the air at the united opening of 20 paper lunch sacks...OoOOo I loved those days. To me, anything that was slightly off kilter from the normal was an exciting adventure... This feels like one of those days...I woke up with it this morning and it is still going strong, I now have this mad desire for a bologna sandwich!!!! Come On Rain...give me all ya got....I am livin large in my Childhood memories!!

An update on last Thursday's 'TAD' Day.... Well...the wind was there but much less and there were a few more people because of it. But I am now pretty convinced that this outdoor selling venue is really not my cup of Tea!! Although I did sell a 'Small' amount (2 items...please please, hold the applause!) I feel that what I create is not what the Snowbird Capital of Havasu is looking for and if they are interested they want to 'talk you' down in price....WHAT!!!

It was a blast and I so enjoy spending time with good friends... but I can do that without putting myself through the 'slow tooth pulling' agony of trying to sell in a market that looks at me like I have lobsters crawling out of my ears!! SoooOooOOooooo... that was fun.... now back to serious work... new dolls and a few ditty's on EBAY and ETSY.

OK...The Oscars tonight.... I like to watch them...lets face it, I am one of those that likes to see what outfits are being worn and guess who is drunk by the time they exit the limo!! Richard and I were at one time BIG movie goers, but lately with the expense and incredibly Bad Popcorn being served at ridiculous prices....we opt to stay home, buy the movie and enjoy without someone kicking my seat or sneezing over my shoulder!! So several of the movies I have not seen that are up for awards... We did rent 'Hurt Locker' last night ...though a disturbing Movie (I hate war) it was brilliantly directed and acted... I think this one could get best of both those categories! Avatar was great, but I still have issues with it winning best movie. Visually it was one of the most stunning movies, but I must admit too, I am not a big fan of 3-D !! I admit I am more the Film Noir type!!!

But I will enjoy the show tonight with a glass of wine and cheer, cry, laugh and sigh with everyone else...I always get very weepy over 'Those we Lost' segment...

There are at least a dozen or two birds chattering outside my window right now...I took a peek, seems they have found shelter from the rain on our 'Tipi Poles' housed on shelves Richard made on the side of the house... always makes me feel good to know they found comfort....but I have to lay down the rules early...you can keep dry there...BUT NO NEST BUILDING!!! Maybe I should put up a sign...hmmmmm!!!

Cleaning Studio today ...such a mess, need to organize a bit before I get seriously into work... or it will be Mess on Mess!

Hope everyone is having a Wonderful Sunday....filled with unexpected things that bring smiles and good memories!

Hugs,

Jodi

If it's Thursday...it must be Havasu!!

Yes Friends in Bloglandia ...it is Thursday once again ... and you all know what that means....

It's 'TAD' (Torture Artist Day) ... After much Pontification and Convincing by my Dear Richard ...I have reluctantly decided to once again brave the elements (we may have winds gusting to 22 mph this afternoon, believe me I am asking myself WHY!!) and drag Art Work down to an open lot in downtown Lake Havasu at 2:00 pm until 7:00 this evening....GULP!! We will once again batten down hatches , Reef the Tops'L , Secure the Rigging and begin to pray!! I think I have said this many times before throughout my blog posts..."I do love a challenge" so this has to explain WHY I am putting myself through this yet again...

But then when I think more on this Blustery Subject...I guess it comes down to 'Braving the elements to meet with friends for a few hours of fun and to Announce and Laugh in the face of 'Mariah ... B*#ch Goddess of Wind' "HELL NO.... you won't get the Best of US"...

WOW...can you tell I am approaching this whole thing with a bit of an attitude today!!! Onward and Upward..... Give Me Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of something really heavy to weight things down.

Send Good Vibes....

Hugs,

Jodi

OK...so a funny thing happened on the way to the Mailbox...

Have you ever ventured out to your Mailbox preparing to retrieve the mail only to hear a muffled voice coming from inside the mailbox ..ME Either ...well I have now had that experience!!! No wonder the mail lady sped off quicker than I have ever seen before...

There inside the mailbox was a Package from my Friend Jacqui of ODD Dolls
and it was then that I discovered that the small muffled voice that I had heard before came from that box!! I can't be sure but I swear the 'box' claimed to be thirsty and hungry and also asked "where in the hell am I"??
Straight to my studio I headed to open my OWOH Winning Giveaway from Jacqui .... when out popped the fastest little creature I have ever laid eyes on ...It was none other than 'Lenny the Elf and his little friend 'Lyle' ...already, gone out of sight in my home...Now I have already been warned that this duo was a handful and pay close attention for they live to conduct mischievous deeds at every turn...well, we were off to a good start in that department. Even my dog Tess could not find them.... the refrigerator was open and my white wine open...so I knew they were headed to the back part of the house.
At last I tracked them down in the back yard (actually with a lot of help from Tess...who kept a noticeable safe distance from the naughty Duo)
I got my camera and popped a few pictures from a safe distance (right next to Tess) ...seems Lenny found our old Gravestone out back (real gravestone...no body!!) He seemed fascinated with it, a little TOO Fascinated if you ask me!!!!.... now what I would like to ask Jacqui is ...should I be nervous in the fact that Lenny has started to dig a little hole right next to our gravestone (I have NO IDEA where he got the little shovel!!)...I mean, should I be worried??? I suppose if I see another one next to this one ...I will need to give you a call for further instructions on 'Handling' Lenny and Lyle!!!
I eventually coaxed him inside with cake and Cheetos and convinced him that he looks absolutely stunning sitting on my Nightmare Before Christmas Shelf...next to Jack!! (he actually insisted that he thinks he looks 'Better' than Jack... I agreed with a wink and a nod... I think I am getting on his Good Side ...at least for now... I will be in touch soon if things turn ugly!!!
Thank You Dear Jacqui ...this little Pair brought a smile and I absolutely LOVE them
to pieces!!! Your Work is SUPER!! I am a lucky lucky girl!!

But I must admit....I intend to keep one eye peeled at all times!!!

Hugs,
Jodi