I Have Been Tagged by Torrie Smiley!

Three Olive Martini IV

16 x 20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

by Torrie Smiley

I just got tagged by Torrie Smiley.


Here are the rules:

1. Place a link to the person that tagged you.

2. List seven unusual things about yourself.

3. Tag (and link to) seven other artists at the end of your post, and post on their blogs to let them know they have been tagged.

Unusual Things About Me

1. I am an afghan junkie! I LOVE them...almost all of them. The women in my family all know how to make them and when I see one it just takes me back to warmth and family and security. There's nothing better (maybe chocolate!) than getting cozy with an afghan, something you know someone worked hard on, to bring comfort and that "oh I feel much better now" feeling.

2. DH's big contribution to this list was Butterfly Kisses. My father and mother and aunt and grandparents always used to give me Butterfly Kisses. It's when you take your eyelashes, get real close to someone's cheek, and flutter your eyelashes against their skin...their cheek usually. If you get really good at it, you can do it eyelash to eyelash! I love it, think it's sweet, and DH thinks it's odd.

3. I live in an apartment complex with a lovely courtyard in the middle of several buildings. I've lived here almost six years but this year our gardener as been MIA. So, I've been pulling weeds, removing the dead flowers from the rhododendron so they can bloom again, and generally keeping an eye out for the welfare of the plants. It got to the point where new tenants were asking me if I was The Gardener...

4. I don't like diamonds. Really, never have. I love gemstones, the colors and surprises they can hold, but I do not like diamonds. I find them somewhat boring and would rather a sapphire or fire opal.

5. For some reason, I give nick-names. Always people I love or have a strong relationships with. My nieces and nephews are as follows: Chicken, The Kid, Princess, and My Sunshine. I have a bunch for DH...most of them good.

6. I am a messy person. I like to blame it on the artistic license, but I know where everything is located. You may not be able to see it in the boxes or under the bags but I know where all my belongings are hiding.

7. I can not tell a joke. I am a very funny person with a great sense of humor. I can make people laugh all the time. However, when it comes to telling a joke, it might as well be in Middle English because I suck at it! But, I'm more of an intuitive person and can get to the humor that belongs to that particular person and have them on the floor, crying while they're also laughing!

I don't know if this is considered unusual...we all have our quirks, abilities, and preferences. I thank Torrie for tagging me - she is a wonderful person and stunning artist, I have never seen anyone paint water as beautifully as she can.

I'd like to tag the following fabulous artists:

Diane Clancy

Heide Hibbard

Noelle Hunt

Gillian Lee Smith

Sidhe Kalas

Maryann Kudera

Jennifer Busby Matas

One World - One Heart Event Winners!

Just so you know, I used a random number generator that was not my husband. He tried...but in the end, he just kept coming up with meaningful numbers...like the ones he uses to play the Lottery. I love him, but ixnayed him for something online and impersonal.

The winners are:

Hermine Koster
"One World - One Heart" Gemstone Necklace

She Became a Butterfly
"Um...That's Mine" Wine Charms

Diane Clancy
"Vibrant" Gemstone Earrings

Claudia
"Bacchanalia" Polymer Clay Pendant

You can click on their banners to visit their blogs and get to know them a little bit. A special thanks to all that participated! I absolutely enjoyed reading every comment. I wish I had more to give...and more money for postage (hint, hint...USPS rates are going up again this year!). In the meantime, please visit my Etsy and Ebay shops and drop a line from time to time here on my blog!

You Make My Day Award

Just to have someone express their feelings about you - something we do less and less, taking for granted the important people in our lives - is overwhelming and heartening! So, when Diane Clancy, a fellow WWAO member and Etsy artist intimated at a little special something on her blog, I KNEW it was going to be good - she's so supportive and a complete dear besides.

Like Diane points out on her blog, Diane Clacy's Art Blog:


Delightfully, Diane has bestowed the "You Make My Day" Award. She received it, I think, for the same reason she gave it to me. She is simply an extremely supportive person and inspires me to take the time and do the same.

So here are the rules: “Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about blogland! Beware! You may get the award several times!”

And, I can't wait to reciprocate!

Diane Clancy's Art - Enhance Your Sprit

"I create vibrant paintings that feature color and vision to inspire and uplift people. I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to express myself through painting. I love that people say my artwork enhances their lives. I have cards and prints I have printed from my original paintings. I use high quality paper and archival inks so that these images will last for many decades. I offer ACEO (ATC) 2.5 x 3.5" editions for any of these images. I offer some original ACEO originals also."

Please visit her Etsy shop and wonderful work by clicking the banner below.

Diane Clancy - Enhancing My Spirit

Diane Clancy, a fellow WWAO and Etsy artist said to me, "I want to hear about your hopes and dreams and what you are doing to fulfill them! "


I think this is a loaded question and I'll try my best to answer it honestly and as artistically unpretentiously as I can!

I have had my creative spirit yanked right out from under me. After an accident, I suffered major trauma and am now a chronic pain patient. I have always been an artist or crafter in some way or another but after the accident I was immobilized for quite some time. And, oil painting in bed just wasn't very practical! Besides that, I suffer from increasingly painful TMD and while my voice still exists, speaking, singing, even sneezing is painful!

My hopes and dreams are to heal. But, it might mean healing in a way where I might still encounter my pain, but be able to continue my art. I still sing in a Salsa/Klezmer band, Meshuggenismo. I am highly medicated and I end up in bed for days afterwards easing that pain. But, when I sing, I am in love with my band, the music, our audience! I tell my doctors: "It's good for my soul, bad for my face."

And, while I still have medical issues that keep me from my canvases, on those good days, I paint up a storm!

In the meanwhile and sometimes on those bad days, I use my talents to create gemstone jewelery or decorate picture frames - I connect with other artists, work on my Etsy Shop and write in my blog.

Quite simply, I dream of finding my place in my own world. A new world, a world that has drastically changed and hope I can find a new self that fits and enjoys her art.

100th Post & Nice Matters!

Indifference scares me. We live on a fairly large globe full of myriad of living beings and it's difficult to grasp that love, companionship, and kindness do not have their places as well.

At least, I believe nice matters. And, when I needed help, I got it, and am proud to pass this award on to Rose Haven Cottage and Diane Clancy.


And, I will be dedicating my next three posts to some fabulous ideas!

Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage suggested that I blog about the piece that you've made that was the hardest for you to sell because you fell in love with it as you created it. Which actually happens a lot to many artists! Please visit her blog by clicking the banner below:


Diane Clancy said, "I want to hear about your hopes and dreams and what you are doing to fulfill them! " And, you can visit her art blog by clicking her banner:


And, a shout-out to the wonderful woman that gave me this award and deserves it a million times over, Emma Alvarez suggested that I write about my bestseller. Take a peek at her fabulous blog by clicking her banner:

Thank you for making my 100th post special!