Butterflies of Hope

I have a friend who is in a horrific family crises.  It is of a very personal nature.  And I do not feel it is my place to share the details of her story.  My friend's name is Sarah.   Several months ago as a distraction, I sent her a book called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  She began to do the exercises in the book and then sent me her first drawing.  It was done in pen and ink - a bit daring for one's first drawing I'd say.  In this drawing she expresses her faith in the midst of her circumstances.  I think the drawing is beautiful and creative.

As an effort to help her financially with the situation she is currently in, I have printed her design on some blank notecards.  They are for sale in my etsy shop in a variety of colors.  I did contact etsy admin. and got permission to do so.  All profits from the sale of these cards will go to Sarah.

Please take the time to look.  

Thank you, Elizabeth

The Lion King!

The Lion King is the most incredible experience of creativity I have ever had.  Actually this wasn't my first time to see it.  My daughter was in NYC for a semester on a scholarship/apprentice 2 years ago.  I went up to visit her and we got to see The Lion King on Broadway.  It was such a captivating experience.  I left determined that my husband and son must experience it also.  Yesterday we all 4 went to the off-broadway production.  It was wonderful!  If you have not had the chance to see it, you simply must.  It is worth the money and whatever driving you would have to do to get there.  I agree with a friend of mine who when asked what she thought could only close her eyes, shake her head, and hold her hands out.  It just leaves me speechless.

Baby pictures

Per many requests, here are baby pictures.  She is with Mama, Claudette Colbert for size reference.  Claudette is about the size of a grapefruit that is flattened on one side.  Baby would not come out for the pictures - sorry.  And Claudette was determined to leave.  So I had to be quick.

We are contemplating creating a turtle nursery in the flowerbed outside of the fence.  So she hasn't gone to the country yet.  At the house we used to live at, we had a turtle nursery and they lived in it until they were as big as biscuits, which was usually their 3rd summer.  Until they are that big they are tasty morsels for large birds.   The nursery was not moveable when we came here.  And Captain Jack, our male decided to skip town.  I guess his name fit.  So we didn't think there would be more babies.   But sometimes the eggs can stay viable for a couple of seasons before they hatch. So.....

Anyway, its too late in the day for any face pics today.  They are already starting to snuggle in for the night.  Baby is staying in a hotel called The Clay Flower Pot on the Front Porch temporarily.  I won't be here tomorrow cuz  I'M GOING TO SEE THE LION KING PLAY!!!!!!    Excuse  me.   I'm terribly excited.

Anyway, the point is, I will try to get some pictures of baby's face Monday.  I usually don't name the babies cause then I get too attached.  They have no handicaps so I like to let them go in the country when they are bigger.  So she will just have to be "Baby".

Elizabeth

Babies are blooming in the Garden

Spring is officially here.  The rains have come and the perennials have risen from their winter sleep.  And Saturday mornings are begun with the buzz of weed eaters in the background.  How I wish someone would design a silent weed eater!  But on a more positive note, yesterday when I was pulling weeds (silently, by hand) from my flower garden, I found a tiny baby box turtle.  She was about the size of a silver dollar and sooo cute!  And yes, she is a she.  Yes, you can tell.  If anyone really wants to know how, you can contact me and I will tell you.

I am sure this tiny garden dweller is the offspring of one of my backyard family members.  Today I will take her out to the country far from busy city streets where she can live a long and happy turtle life.  She could simply live in my backyard with her mama and 2 aunts.  However, although I've taught Lydia that turtles are not balls with legs, I'm not sure this cookie with legs might not be beyond her limits of self control. 

Speaking of garden blooms, I've found the cutest shop on ETSY - WarmandFuzzyBaby.   In her love of a handcrafted life, Hilda has designed these precious baby caps.   They will keep your little one's head warm while expressing the hope of new life.  I can hardly wait for a friend to have a baby so I can buy one.  Just look at these little rose buds.

Lydia the Angel Dog

I've got to share the story of what happened yesterday with Lydia, my 17 month old Great Pyrenees puppy. We were going for a walk yesterday. She's still got a lot of puppy in her so its quite a romp. But she's pretty obedient. And she doesn't usually think she has to greet the people we pass. We just walk on by. We were walking past a house and she kept looking over at a very elderly man who was doing yard work in his back yard. Already this was unusual behavior for her. He was probably about 40 feet away from us. He was busy and not even noticing us. Finally she stopped and turned her body sideways from the way we were walking. She was facing the man and his backyard. I pulled a little on the leash and told her to come on. She stiffened her legs as if to dig in her heals and wouldn't move. And she looked at me with a gentle but determined look that said, "I'm not going anywhere." It was at that moment that the elderly man came walking through his gate. She got so excited and began to bounce around. By now he noticed her and as he walked toward her, he talked to her. As soon as he got close, she sat down very calmly for him to pet her head. Then she lifted herself up on her hind feet slowly and gently and he reached out and held her front feet in his hands. She then put her face about 1/2 inch from his face and smelled his breath - something I've never seen her do. After that, she sat down again and he rubbed behind her ears for a while. And then we went on with our walk. 

One other time she showed this kind of awareness of the feelings of others. She saw a woman in the vet's lobby. Without any hesitation the first moment she saw her, she reached slowly and put her feet around the woman's neck and lay the side of her face against the side of the woman's face. I was afraid the woman would be upset and reached for her, calling her name. But the woman, who now had tears streaming down her face, said, "No, she's alright. She knew I needed this hug today."

I've had animals my whole life and believe they are very sensitive to our feelings. But I'm starting to think this puppy has an extraordinary sensitivity. I can't help but wonder what is going on in the elderly man's life that Lydia felt the need to "minister" to him yesterday. I was glad to have been able to facilitate the moment for her.

Mattie Rose's Glamour Shots

I know......its only been a few minutes since I posted.  But I remembered I'd not shown you Mattie Rose and her glamour shots.  A few weeks ago I was getting ready to take pictures of some new items for etsy.  I got it all set up with a vintage lace background.  Then I turned around to pick up the piece to be photographed first.  When I turned back to the lacy box I'd just fixed, this is what I found.

Needless to say, I let her stay and found another way to photograph that day.  She was just too cute to move.

Elizabeth

If Only I Had Thumbs!

Well, I'm back into blog land.  I've  been in kind of the twilight zone for a while.  I've had lots of things going on in the other side of my life.

But on this sunny spring day, I want to share my newest collage with you.  It is titled "If Only I Had Thumbs"  It reminds me of early marriage days when we lived in a VERY shabby chic house.  The difference is it had become shabby chic all on it's own.  No one had created it for decorative purposes.  We had a cat that would sit outside the screen door like this.  She would actually wait to be let in so she could use the litter box - not terribly bright.

This piece has lots of 3-D elements and different techniques to it.  It was fun to create.  I hope you enjoy it.

I've been learning more about the 'how-to's' of blogging.  I'll be back soon and more often with some interesting additions.

Have a bright spring day, wherever you are.

Elizabeth