Echo - Fauna

Our task must be to free ourselves...

by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures

and the whole of nature and its beauty.

Albert Einstein

Memorial Day 2010 we toured Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as dusk approached. Even with relatively heavy traffic at 7pm in the evening, the Park deer were grazing on the damp grass. I'm always amazed at the fauna of urban areas, but being so close to the Mississippi River I shouldn't be surprised. I had seen their presence, on previous visits, as they had  dined on flowers left at my parents grave. This was the first time I had seen them in action. Peaceful and perfect.

Seagulls along Marco Island Coast,  September 2009.I hope they are safe from the oil slick.
Fauna is the topic for Echo 14, Click on the link to the left to see Susan and Chyrsti's Blogs and see more photos.

Click here to see our Flickr Group.

Riders enjoy the Galveston Coast line in November 2009, I hope the folks in Galveston are spared more destruction of the coast line.

Digital Expressions- Susan Tuttle

Check out Susan Tuttle's new book! I've just added it to my wish list on Amazon.com. If you click through to amazon on  Good Search and enter Board of Religious Organizations - St. Louis, the BRO will receive a percentage of your purchase! (http://www.brostl.org/ )

"Susan Tuttle guides the mixed-media artist through 25 stepped-out digital projects created with Adobe Photoshop Elements. Projects like manipulating single photos, collage on a digital canvas, and digital illustration will inspire you to tackle all kinds of digital mixed-media projects using stock photography, custom brushes, textured backgrounds and your own digital photos. A team of talented contributing artists further illustrates the techniques in action. Plus, a bonus CD includes more than 20 digital design elements for you to use in your own projects!"
Note: All projects contained within the book can also be carried out in Adobe Photoshop/CS -- as long as you are familiar with the tools and functions of your program, you should be fine.




Click here for Susan's blog and enter to win a free copy of her book!

The Sunshine Vitamin

We all think we're immune to illnesses, other people get sick. I've been blessed with pretty good health for these past 50 + years. It's hard to complain. I do take meds for depression and anxiety, and feel those issues are being managed. So imagine my surprise when my bone density test indicated that I should take one of those once a month pills.

During the first month I experienced severe pain in my hips for several days. I was ready to buy a new bed, and throw out all the furniture that was now uncomfortable. I had checked out the meds on the Internet and saw this could be a side effect. I mentioned to the Doc at my next appointment. She suggested it might be a Vitamin D Deficiecy. Blood was drawn and tested and sure enough, my level was 18 and the Doc likes to see levels at 50. Another once a month pill. Pretty easy. I'm also increasing my milk intake, which I admit , I wasn't drinking what I should.

In addition I'm deliberately standing around in the back yard, in the sun for 15 - 30 minutes. I hang out with the dogs and read a book. I know I could garden , but there is something calming about just being . This sounds all so dumb.....duh.

Since Christmas I haven't felt like doing much, prefering to hang out at home and read. I was blaming it on the 300 sunless days we had last fall and winter. ( ok, my math is off , but you get the picture) and actually that probably was the reason. So if you live north of me, and have been feeling more gloomy than usual, have your vitamin d levels checked, drink more milk, and worship the sun, sunscreen free for about 15 minutes a day. Check with your doc if you have a family history of skin cancers and put on that sunscreen after 15 minutes or so!




The art journal pages are for my Journal 365 on line class with Pam Carriker. I'm inspired!!

Posted using my iPhone and o Blogpress.

Location:Colvin Dr,St Louis,United States

Journal 365 - My Best Friend is the ONE

My Best Friend is the One who brings out the best in me!

I have been blessed with a fair number of best friends throughout my life. As we have grown or our lives have changed we have grown or moved apart, but we don't love each other any less. We spend our time in new ways.I have been blessed by these friends who have touched my life and have made my life richer and I hope I have had a positive effect on them. Where would I be without them?

Power of One - Journal 365

I've seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people living ordinary lives. ~Tracy Chapman

I'm taking an online art class with Pam Carriker at Creative Workshops. Journal 365. Pam is a fabulous artist and instructor. I met Pam through ZNE, and was honored to be able to spend time with her last summer at the ZNE Convenzione.

One of the things I have learned about artists is that they share the Power of One. They share their knowledge, time and love. Pam shares her "power of 1", Gail Schmidt shares her "power of 1" and Chel in the Land of ZNE shares her "power of 1".

My journal page attempts to address April's journaling prompt "One" . I think of all the individuals who have impacted my life, my parents, husband, brother, family, friends, teachers, preachers and yes, even strangers.

Try to be the power of 1 for someone in your life.

Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light. ~Norman B. Rice

Squished Pennies and Presidents

Squished Pennies and Presidents

“It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire”
Robert Louis Stevenson























I love collections and collecting. I have a passion and addiction. There is a fine line between the two.


Post cards and squished pennies are great to collect. They are small and flat, easy to store and are inexpensive.






















Squished penny machines are found everywhere from the Cafe Du Monde in the NOLA French Quarter to the Grand Hall at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. Only 51 cents at most locations.


And of you're lucky you might find a squished quarter machine, like this one at the World's Largest Mc Donald's on the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma. ( A little more expensive at $1).


To date I can account for 24 pennies and 1 quarter in my collection.


























Another fun collection is postcards stamped with the National Park/Monument/Historic
Site Passport Rubber Stamp.






















I'm especially fond of Presidential Homes, Libraries and Historic sites and Presidential Kitsch. Who can live without a Jimmy Carter Yard stick, a Fala( FDR) coloring book, or a Bill Clinton Library Christmas Ornament. And before you ask my collection is bipartisan. I've even been to The Nixon Boyhood home and Library! So there!




























Tell me about your collections and check out the photos at Chrysti's and Susan's Echo Challenge.

- Posted using my iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Colvin Dr,St Louis,United States

International Postcard Swap

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Sometimes my "art" gets set on the back burner by involvement in assorted BRO projects. Really, I try to plan my time better! I'm blaming it on winter. So when I feel a need for some creatively, I find that a  swap opportunity sometimes presents itself.

Hannah lives in Stockhom, Sweden and has a fabulously creative blog. I found Hannah through my ZNE friend Eli Wain on Facebook, of course.
And  Hannan's  swap? Postcards! 160 swappers signed up from throughout the world. Amazing! We were assigned the task of making 10 postcards, and Hannah emailed us the addresses. My cards, went out all over the world. Boulder, Colorado; Suffolk, England;Northamptonshire, England, California; Rochester,New York; Annandale,Australia; Highlands Ranch, Colorado;Downers Grove, Illinois; Iha Santiago, Cape Verder; Pasadena, California.

My art post cards are shown above, as assortment of Freida Kahlo Art Revolution, made from San Francisco Museum of Art flyers I picked up while visiting at the ZNE Convenzione, May 2009. And I'm into the ransome note style lettering.  The base was made from scrap mat board and an old game board. I gessoed the base, layered a vintage book page, added ochre fluid acrylic, and sponged some brown staz on ink. There are little pieces of scrapbook paper, looking like rulers, along the top and bottom. Layers of matte gel medium and soft gel medium.

;













I've received 4 cards back so far! First "a Sunny Hello" from Amanda in Minnetonka, MN

Coming in this week as well was this colorful postcard complete with stamp from Chestnut Hill, Honeoye Falls, NY, I can't find a blog or website for this one yet, but I'll keep looking,

This fun card with a wonderfully painted flower is from Cynthia Clack, with an art quote. "Art? You just do it1? " Martin Ritt. You can find Cynthia's art on her blog http://cynthiaclack.blogspot.com/.

Also arriving in time for this post is this "paper pieced" work from Anne Redwood in Hampshire, UK. I don't have a link for her yet either.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/postcards2010/ Be sure to check out the flickr group.

And here are some links to the swappers I sent cards to.

Vickie Porter, New York

Suzy S, Australia

Lisa Colorada

Nancy in Downers Grove, IL

Jennifer J Smith Cape Verde

Heather , California

Chelsea O'Neil

Christine , Suffolk, England

Cara Law, Northamptonshire, England

Rosalind, California

More to follow as the USPS makes its daily delivery.

Juicy - Trumpet - Echo

Echo with Chrysti & Susan, check out the link in the side bar.




This week's word is "juicy", which brings forth all sorts of interesting images.

For some reason brass instruments came to mind, and this image I took in Galveston Square, Galveston Texas, November 2009. It is of course taken with my iPhone and manipulated with at least 3 photo apps.

Ya need a bit of juice to play these contraptions and I gave it a bit of a watery overlay.

Won't you join us with your echo?

- Posted from St.Louis,MO using my iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Colvin Dr,St Louis,United States

Whisper - Echo

 
"The snow did not even whisper it's way to earth, but seemed to salt the night with silence."
Dean Koontz, Brother Odd

Check out Chrysti's Blog and Susan's Blog

Won't you play along?

Location: Washington, DC USA

OHPC Candy Making Night

We're at OHPC tonight having chocolate fondue and other goodies, and making candy! Join us next time!


- Posted from Oak Hill Presbyterian Church,using iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Connecticut St,St Louis,United States

On time?

The computer board says we are expected to leave on time at 6:40 pm EST. Check out these blue skies.

BUT, the NWS reports 10 - 20 more inches of snow heading to the DC area, Tuesday into Wednesday.





- Posted from Washington DC using my iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Access Rd,Arlington,United States

We cleared security!

We cleared security!

- Posted from Washington DC using my iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Access Rd,Arlington,United States

Women Cab Drivers Rule

We made it to the airport ! A very nice woman driver gave us a ride and drove safely and sanely! We have our boarding pass and our luggage checked! Now the waiting begins, but I'm happy to be here!


- Posted from Washington DC using my iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Access Rd,Arlington,United States

Con men on the metro

Well we wandered to the Metro thinking there was service to the airport, we waited around for the Blue Line. A little Eastern European fellow told us we could take the orange line to L'enfant plaza and get the yellow line to the Pentagon and get a bus. We arrived at L'Enfant and there was the little man offering us a ride to the airport.

I gave him that middle school teacher lecture, and said we were going the other way! No way I was riding with him!

We reported him to Metro Police, who directed us to the Hoilday Inn where we hope to get a legitimate cab ride

More adventure to follow!


- Posted from Washington DC using my iPhone and Blogpress.

Location:Independence Ave SW,Washington,United States