Skywatch Friday - Burano

Bright colors, humid heat, intricate lace work, friendly locals, warm memories, that was Burano. Did I dream of living in a colorful home with a rooftop patio overlooking a canal? You betcha.

To see what other Skywatchers are looking at around the planet, visit Skywatch Friday.

Remembering Joe Kelly

Joe Kelly - spring in his step, twinkle in his eye, unmistakeable Dublin brogue. At age 44 our friend Joe decided to spring no more, twinkle no longer, his very lovely lilting, lively and engaging conversations came to an end. Joe was overwhelmed and ended his own life on Monday, November 9, 2009.

We will miss Joe's lively gait, most unique and fun to see. Joe arrived in a flow of energy that was electric.

We will miss Joe's bright conversation, the light that shone in him when history, music, faith or travel were up for discussion.

We will miss Joe's gentle forgiveness and faith, he reminded everyone that we are human, frail and faulty, no matter, for all is forgiven. Thank goodness for that.

Joe, inveterate volounteer - guide to Kilmainham Gaol, reservist in Ireland, Confirmation leader in California, search and rescue member, provender to homeless and seekers. Joe sought ways to be of service to his community, and was determined in his attendance and reliability.

We will miss Joe.
A friend,
a leader,
a light.
God bless you, Joseph Kelly.

Happily Ever After

My beautiful niece Sarah was married in England on Saturday. Once again we're on the opposite side of the planet, but we hear a very good time was had by all, and hope Sarah and Thomas feel all our love and blessings being sent from here. Aren't they a cute couple?


Here's Sarah with her sister (and bridesmaid) Lucy - gorgeous girls!

British postal strikes being what they are, I just hope the card arrives this year :) Thanks for stopping by - have you witnessed any wildly romantic events lately?

Card Credits:
Patterned paper - Basic Grey
Paper flower - Cuttlebug/Spellbinders Nestabilities (Peony), pages from vintage French romantic literature book, spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.
Brad, pearl, text stamp and frame - Stampin' Up!
Kaisercraft bling

Skywatch Friday - Zug Sunsets

We shall find peace.
We shall hear the angels,
we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds.
Anton Checkhov

From my brother's balcony, you can see the most beautiful view of Zug lake, and it seems that every day the view is different. I don't think I'd ever tire of looking out from that balcony and seeing what each day would bring. Here are two Zug sunsets - one blue, one red, both beautiful.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
To see what others see
when they look up and out around the planet,
check out Skywatch Friday

Fiesta! Dia de los Muertos

Catrina, the universal Abuelita (little grandmother)
of Dia de los Muertos, isn't she jolly?
Her hat reminds me of my grandmothers,
they both loved a good hat!

What is my preoccupation with Dia de los Muertos? I think it springs from living here in Southern California for so long, being exposed to the celebrations and coming to understand it a little better, I just love this tradition. On Dia de los Muertos you honor your family members and loved ones who have passed, by remembering them, celebrating their life, setting out an 'altar' (offerenda) with photos of them, food and items they loved, so their spirit comes to visit again. There are flowers (marigolds), traditional food (pan de muerto, or 'bread of the dead'), traditional music and dance (folklorico), gathering at the cemetary to visit with those who have gone ahead, some very fun and funky art featuring skeletons (calaveras) acting as they did in life - dancing, eating, playing music and being merry, and wonderful parades in costumes and make-up.


Some time back I found some great fabrics to play with, I have made a journal cover with a little of the fabric, but mostly I've hoarded it - I need to break down and make something with it!

My friend Hope gave me this cool skull for my birthday, she knows how much I love DDLM and correctly thought I'd love this too. It sits on top of my computer armoire, keeping me company year-round, I love the cheerful smile :)

Imagine my surprise, and yes, total delight, in Switzerland this summer when I found these cases displayed in the monastery church at Engleberg! These are skeletons decked out most beautifully in silver and diamante brooches, even the eyes are diamantes, with ornately tooled silver adorned cases. I wasn't able to find out who they are, although I'd guess they are either past priests or saints, preserved for all time.

In Italy you see a lot of relics in glass cases in the churches, but they are usually clothed and masked, these are the only ones I saw in Switzerland at all, and certainly the only ones with the bones exposed that I've seen anywhere. I loved all the jewelled adornments, wow!! There are rows and rows of jewelled 'brooches' in the cases below the skeletons too. I'm thinking that maybe they're like the silver hearts I saw in Italy, all offered in thanks for miracles and favors bestowed by the saints/venerated.


To see my past ramblings about Dia de los Muertos, including the fabric journal cover, just click HERE and scroll down.

Playing!

Stamp credits: Magenta (Crafty Individuals), Stampin' Up!
Papers - Basic Grey, Cardstock - Stampin' Up!

Thanks to some recent challenges on a stamping message board, I played around with ink, stamps and paper this weekend, and the results were surprising to me! I ended up using bright, happy colors, AND bright happy stamps - wow!

I started by stamping the image on several brightly coloured papers ...

... then paper pieced them by cutting out the butterflies and postmarks, and assembling them. It's fiddly doing the cutting out, but meditative, then playing around with colour placement is just plain fun. The butterflies are glued only along the body, so the wings are free flying.

Thanks for stopping by, wishing you joy. Have you taken time to just play lately?

Walkies

Stamp Credits: Text - Darkroom Door,
Leaves - Stampin'Up!

I love the quote on this card, and find it so true; In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous. That Aristotle fellow knew what he was talking about!

I'm about to go walking with friends, which is uplifting in so many ways. To talk and laugh together, maybe even grumble together at times, is a balm to the spirit. Being outdoors is inspiring in any season, but for me, particularly so in Autumn/Fall. The crisp freshness of the air, contrast of colors (even here in Southern California), there's a particular beauty to this season. So I'm off to go tramping along the cliffs, maybe even down the steep paths to the rocky beach, which means a heart starter climb back up those same cliffside trails - all the better to get this lazy bod moving and motivated for the week to come. Adios Amigas!

Skywatch Friday - Real Weather!

Cloud Convention - storm rolling in

Those of you in places that have 'real weather' on a regular basis please don't laugh at this - we had REAL weather in Southern California this past week! Real clouds, real wind, real rain - it's all so REAL! OK, not freezing, and yes, we're back to blue skies and sunshine now, but in the interim it was fun to wrap up warm, dodge the rain, talk about the weather, and trash-talk all those crazy people who just can't drive in wet weather :)

Sunrise - see those little black clouds scudding in from the right?
They were moving so fast!

I would have loved to take more photos as the storm rolled in, but alas I had to go to work. To see what other Skywatchers are looking at when they look up and out, click HERE

Stamptoberfest '09

Stamp Credits: Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous

If you like to stamp you'll want to check out the challenges at Two Peas in a Bucket for Stamptoberfest '09 - lots of creative ideas to get you good and inky. This pennant was made for Nancy's pennant/banner challenge.

I had great fun breaking out the Halloween stamps, and lots of orange/brown products like distress ink, distress stickles, glimmer mist, diamantes and patterned paper, also some pages from a vintage Russian book I found here at a used book store that is, sadly, closing it's doors for good and always.

Since the book was fairly damaged (the cover) I don't feel too bad about tearing out pages, it also helps that it cost me only $2.50USD - I look on it as giving the book a new life, my little bit of repurposing to aid in the global recycling project.

What's Brewin' ?

Stamp Credits: Stampin' Up!
Cuttlebug background, Martha Stewart punch

Isn't there almost always something brewing? Even on the quietest day, there's something in the works. This little card was made for a stamping message board, they posted a tutorial on using markers for stamping, so I adapted a pumpkin card to turn out this one. I don't use my markers a whole lot these days, so it was fun to break them out for a little exercise. For me, the cups are full of tea, since there's almost always a pot of tea brewing at my home, but possibly they contain hot cocoa, coffee, or even a mocha, depending on your preference :)

What's brewing at my house this weekend? Well, my living room looks like a furniture store - DD cleared out her room yesterday and pulled out the bunk bed, so until my friend comes by to pick it up I'm living in a furniture store (OK, so when I was younger I did think about living in a furniture store, they're so cool, but now, I'm over it - get rid of that bed!). When the old bed is gone it's time to get her a "grown-up bed" - she's 18, the bunk beds really did have their day :)

My son needs to go to a school activity later today, and I'm supposed to meet a friend - just waiting for a message to tell me what time (she has her own stuff brewing and we're working on her clock this time around). In the meantime I've been brewing up ideas for a felted tea cosy, some cards, and I need to pick up my quilting again. Apart from that? Church, laundry, groceries, cooking, homework (mine), you know the drill, the usual weekend stuff.

I also need to put music back on the blog, the speakers (or perhaps the sound card) on my 'puter are kaput, that's a really bad thing for me, I do love to have some music going on. I deleted the old music and now I can't road test anything new - I may try to build a playlist on my son's computer and transfer it, or perhaps I'll just post an older one. So, playlists are brewing too.

What's brewing at your end of the world?