getting out of the doghouse

although my daughter didn't say anything, i know she was disappointed that i had not made anything for her soon-to-be-born son when we had her baby shower last weekend. my intentions had been good, but i just had not gotten anything made. so today i bought some wonderfully soft and cuddly polyester fleece in a lovely creamy shade. then i bought a dotted and a striped cotton fabric that coordinate. the shades of brown, cream, rust, blue, green and yellow looked so fresh against the cream polyester. i really had no idea what design i planned to make; it is fun to wing these things.



a few hours later, i've hand cut and stitched a dog and a doghouse onto one half of the fabric. now i'm in the process of knotting the two pieces of polyester together with embroidery floss.
it's turning out quite cute and i'm pleased with it so far.

i also bought a few new canvasses today. i'm brewing a few ideas for art for the new baby room. they'll be fun and i'll post photos soon.

i'm off to bed. we're having jenna's 4th birthday party tomorrow -- the day before her baby brother is born. busy family times and we're loving every minute of it!!!!

heavenly pampering

warm glow
of candle light
gentle kiss
of bubbles
heady scent
of jasmine
and seductive
vanilla

stress ebbs away
muscles relax
thoughts gently
travel to
exotic places
of surf
and sand

warmth
comfort
luxurious
moisturizer
magic
carpet ride
to heaven

soft chenille robe
hot cup of tea
super soft slippers
jodi picoult book
wondrous evening
lucky, lucky me
heavenly

just for today

just for today
may i find
peaceful solace
in the pink glow
of sunrise
the gentle breeze
on my face
the soft snore
of my beloved pup

just for today
let me bask
in the love
of family
the hope
for tomorrow
the sounds
of spring
on the air

just for today
let me take nothing
for granted
feel blessed
in life's bounty
strive
to live simply
learn
to want less

just for today
just for today

where have all the flowers gone?

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Taken husbands every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

--pete seger, 1961--

all images (c) 2009 julie king

my northern exposure moment

dance with abandon
mixed media collage
8 x 10 solid aspen
(c) 2009 julie king

i love taking the long way to work. a back road leaves our sleepy little town and meanders over a river and winds up a hill through a wooded area. between bill and me we've seen deer crossing the road several times. the first time for me, i was driving alone and came around the last curve at the top of the hill and 3 deer were slowly making their way across someone's back yard and over the road. they are always going the same way in the morning -- toward the river. once we saw them come leaping away from the river and across the road, making me comment that they wanted to get home before dark. lol

around 6:20 last thursday morning, bill called me to say he was stopped in the middle of the road as 5 deer took their sweet time crossing. and all at once a memory from a few years ago came flooding into my mind. i was living in my little indiana home town and presley was still a wee lad of a pup. i was on my way out bright and early one october morning to take him for his 12 block walk (3 blocks west to the cemetery, 3 blocks north to high street, 3 blocks east to ruth's house, and then 3 blocks south to home). as i stepped off the porch a funny clip clop noise came riding on the wind. puzzled, i stopped and looked around. and, there about 1/2 block east was a doe standing in the middle of the street looking at me. it was quite a stalemate as i watched her and she watched me. presley was oblivious and just anxious to get on with the walk. after a few short minutes the doe turned and headed on her way toward the elementary school and the creek that ran behind it. it was just like the moose (or was it an elk??) that walked the streets of cicely, alaska in northern exposure. now to be known for ever more as my northern exposure moment. hee hee

i just finished the collage in this post this evening. it's a sweet little nothing of a piece on an 8 x 10 piece of solid aspen. it features pieces torn from 2 books i bought at an auction this last fall. one is the accounts ledger of a mr. wilbur foreman with detailed listings of expenses and income from 1950 to 1958 (all written in pencil). it tells a sad story of decline as the last 2 pages of entries you can barely read his very shaky handwriting. i've saved the pages with writing but tore pieces from the blank sheets for the background of this collage. the second book is a thesaurus of quotations, copyright 1941, the property of iona warren. it has seen a lot of good use, with the bookbinding all shot and the pages falling out. she had gorgeous handwriting but alas only her signature appears in the book.

makes me want to go to an auction, an old bookstore or an outdoor flea market. anyone care to join me??!!

daughter mine

daughter mine
heart of my heart
full of sunshine
oh so smart

child of joy
wonderfully grown
mother herself
loves of her own

woman of beauty
believer of dreams
love increases
each day it seems

awesome journey
stars align
here when you need me
daughter mine

thinking about the circles of life

breathe in life's beauty
mixed media collage
on solid aspen
9 x 12 x 1.5
(c) 2009 julie king

this evening has me thinking about the circles of life. i spent the day in my hometown where we gave my daughter megan a baby shower. she has a c-section scheduled for monday, march 2nd to have her little boy. after several disappointing pregnancies megan and joe will get their second child and jenna will get her long-awaited baby brother. such a wonderful group of women and children attended the shower -- mothers, their daughters and their daughters' daughters!! and i just couldn't help but be touched by the wonderful circle of life. megan and her best friend meghan used to play non-stop as children and now what a delight it is to see their daughters, jenna and korah be so cute and giggly together. megan was a blonde with blue eyes and meghan was a dark-haired, dark eyed opposite. and now it is the same with jenna being the fair one and korah the opposite. but as life circles around and we get to see our grandchildren play together one thing remains constant -- our love for family and the close friendship that warms our hearts. the circle of life surrounds us and binds us together.

as i arrived at meghan's house today, the noon church bells were ringing. tears sprang to my eyes and an overwhelming feeling of homesickness spread over me. funny how that simple sound can evoke both melancholy and joy! but at moments like that i hold fast to my hope and conviction that some day soon bill and i will be able to retire to that little town that lures me. and when i'm back there, the circle of life will be so sweetly, wonderfully complete!

love means

in the very early daylight hours today, in those moments between awake and asleep, i found myself sitting in my high school junior english class. it was 1970 and there i was between brian oler and dale oakes, in a short skirt i'm sure since it was a sign of the times. we had a dress code and were not allowed to wear pants to school but mini skirts were allowed. go figure. mr. avery had written these words on the blackboard: "love means never having to say you're sorry". the assignment: either defend or refute that statement. it was the time of love story. i'd read the book and seen the movie. i'd cried the requisite tears when jenny died. i'd also had a complete fit of giggles during the movie when ollie climbed into bed with her with his shoes on. although not at all worldly and quite naive, i was smart enough to recognize the commercial aspect of both the book and the movie -- designed to make all us teenage girls sappy and weak in the knees. i think i was a bit resistant to that kind of brainwashing and i thought the line from the movie was pure crap. so, pencil in hand, i poured my thoughts out on paper. i wrote of the need to always apologize to our loved ones. that in my mind saying i'm sorry ensured a successful relationship much more than i love you.

the next day, mr. avery started class by reading my essay. he didn't give my name away; i'm sure my crimson face did just that! he talked of my maturity and ability to see past a pop culture slogan which had the masses in awe. i was proud; i loved writing then and i've found my blog to be a wonderful way to practice those writing skills again.

and so, here i am today, 38 years later, a failed marriage, 18 years of raising two kids alone and over 12 years with my wonderful hubbie. is that naive, yet wise girl still here? i still see glimpses of her today. yes, i'm older and wiser and my journey has had twists and curves i did not anticipate. i let cynicism creep in occasionally. but i still wear a wonderful pair of rose-colored glasses that let me see the world as beautiful and full of hope when newscasters try to convince me otherwise. has the "always apologize" mantra served me well? yes, it has but where in my early life i was quick to say i'm sorry and take all the blame, the more confident me is much more apt to hold out a bit and wait for the apology i'm due. i'm better to me than i was in my early life. plus, i picked a much better partner to share my journey with this time around!!!

it's time to announce the winner of my give-away!!! drum roll, please! the name pulled out of the hat is diahn at art by diahn!! diahn, please let me know by e-mail your address and which design you want on your notecards and which design for your print. i'll get them out to you soon. thanks to everyone who participated. and, thanks for reading my little ramblings here. you all enrich my life so much by your participation!

adorable, new shadow box!!!

how fun this little shadow box project was!!!! i printed my original art out in miniature, cut it out and added it to this original mixed media shadow box!!



after sorting thru my vintage button box, i added the little metal buttons for the flower centers and a copper wire and ceramic bead hanger. i personally signed the title and my name on the back, sealed it for protection and listed it in my etsy shop!!


i think this piece would make a very touching wedding or anniversary gift for a young couple. the leaves read love, home and family and the path to the house reads "happy journey together". i listed it as a 5" x 7" print in my etsy shop but the original is also available by e-mail request.

off to comfort presley as he's having a tough night of stumbling and disorientation. he just needs to sit on my warm lap while i sip my hot tea.

take care!

7 things i love!!!

linda and elizabeth, wonderful artist bloggy friends, both tagged me to name 7 things i love!! well that was easy!!!


this guy!!!! my son matt is one of my very, very favorite people in the world, not just because he is my son, but also because he is such a free spirit. his life journey is one of owning experiences rather than possessions!


this girl!!! my granddaughter jenna allows me to experience my youth all over again and oh what a glorious trip she's taking me on!!


this dog!!!! precious presley came into my life at a time when i needed to be needed. 16 years later he's still my go-to man when i want a shoulder to cry on!!


this tea set!! even when empty this tea set is filled with so much love, family history and cherished memories!



this home!! a nuturing nest of creativity, solace from the storm and heavenly haven to share with my hubbie!


this set of kayaks!!!! leisurely hours of solitude and long, slow sips of nature's beauty are ours when we slip these into the stream!



this activity!! the play of sunlight on the mist, the sound of water on gentle leaves, the feel of cool water on my feet, the light-hearted soul of a child coming out to play . . . these are all mine when i water my garden!

want to play along? consider yourselves tagged!!

heavy-hearted, bummed out me!!

a few months ago i made myself a promise that i wouldn't blog unless i had something positive and uplifting to say. kind of like grandfather farmer used to say, "if you don't have something nice to say about someone don't say anything at all." i came home tonight with no intention of blogging. not in the mood is how i thought of it in my head. nothing bad has happened, no major incident. it's just a gloomy, unmotivated feeling. so when i got home, i changed into my extra warm, snuggly pajamas and sat down to start a new book, second glance by jodi picoult (loaned to me by my daughter). only 3 pages into the book, i thought surely there are others out there feeling this way tonight as well. maybe it is my mission to spread some cheer. so, here i am, heavy-hearted, bummed-out me saying winter can't last much longer. harbingers of spring are just around the corner. don't let dire economic talk get you down. feel blessed and glory in the little joys of life! all of the photos in this post were taken by me last spring and very early summer. they make me smile, bring back happy memories and renew my faith that a spirit reawakening is on the wing. enjoy my friends!!











i promise that my old light-hearted, joyous self will be here when you next visit!!

my first blog give-away!!!!

in honor of my 217th post (quirky, huh?) i'm hosting a blog give-away!!!!! there are 2 ways to enter:

1) leave a comment here telling me what your favorite sound is = 1 chance to win

2) post a notice on your blog to let your readers know about my give-away plus a link back to my blog = 5 additional chances to win (if you do this, please e-mail me a note to let me know you've posted the link on your blog)


the lucky winner will receive their choice of 1 of my art prints and their choice of 1 pack of my notecards. the print size will be determined by whether the original art is square or rectangular but will be as big as i can make it centered on an 8 1/2" x 11" epson matte art paper. and, hand signed by me of course.

i will draw the winner by random pull on sunday, february 15th! i was able to post a few of my art prints in my etsy shop last night and more to come soon! please check them out.
tick, tock, tick, tock . . . the clock's ticking!!!

sending you flowers

for me?
you say
for you
i say

why today?
why not
today

thanks
i say
every day

for you
my friend
for you

photo and poem (c) 2009 julie king

sunny sunday stroll

sunny sunday
you and me
to the river
leisurely
water's edge
crunch of snow
geese in flight
delightfully
vivid image
slant of sun
day of happiness
we as one

all photos (c) 2009 julie king