You Make My Heart Sing!

What a wonderful world I have fallen into – the blogosphere is full of such considerate, kind people.  Today I arrived home from work to find an envelope from Italy (!) containing the most beautiful, and MY VERY FIRST EVER, ATC from Timeless Rituals / Black Pumpkin!  She even put in a cute piece of cardstock unlike anything I’ve seen around here – this should be fun for collaging!  Check it out, but then keep reading - it keeps on looking up!

My day was exceptional from this alone, but wait!  There’s more! *G*

When I started this blog a scant six weeks ago I really didn’t expect anyone to notice.  My artwork isn’t exceptional in any way and certainly not the calibre of much that I’ve enjoyed browsing on the 'net, but I was challenged to “put my art out there” and so I did.  Well, guess what?  You noticed!  I’m blown away that I have ANY followers, let alone this number!  Wow!  Thanks, everyone!

Still more!  The fabulously talented Margaret Bremner, CZT, noticed a tangle on one of my posts and not only tried it out but credited both me for the blog image and my buddy, Ruth Howell, the designer of this particular pattern!  She gave us a shout-out and everything!

Still MORE!  The ever-fabulous and talented Kit, CZT, liked one of my posts enough that she gave me a shout-out on a round-up she did yesterday, with a mention in the same post as Laura Harms, Melissa, Catherine Langsdorf and Carole Ohl!  Oh, my goodness - I am humbled!

And still MORE!  I was contacted by an artist asking to link a post on my blog that she credits with inspiring one of her exquisite ceramic pendant designs.  She’ll be posting on Monday and I’ll cross-link so you, my friends, can also enjoy her work (which, by the way, is gorgeous!).

Another online friend has also promised me a lovely ATC that I’ll share when it arrives… what a fabulous bunch of artists I get to enjoy online!  Your generosity of spirit, genuinely constructive criticism and utter lack of malice has impressed me greatly.  I am surprised in a positive fashion each and every time I log on – someone has taken the time out of their day to remark on my art, or another person has posted a piece of art they want to share… life is good!

I'm feeling so much positive energy just now and basking in the deliciousness of it all... I just had to put it to good use so I sat down and drew a "thank you" to everyone for your encouragement, and for managing to stick with it and make it to end of this marathon post.  Thank you, and I appreciate you!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with uplifting possibilities.

Happy Friday!

Open Hearts

Time constraints have limited my opportunities to check out the responses to Laura's latest challenge, but I've been thinking quite a bit about her baby boy, Artoo, and the hearts and minds around the globe bending their will to help him heal... what a wonderful world we have!  I have always said beaders are the nicest people around, but now I realize that it's ALL creative souls.  Not the art snobs, not the insecure people who only feel confident when they can run someone else down, but those who feel a genuine internal NEED to create.  Here are all these wonderful artists, some professional, the majority squeezing art into lives already ridiculously busy with work, family and community, and yet they lay aside their own challenges to send love and hope to a tiny child they will (probably) never meet.  I was inspired by these thoughts to offer up a second take on this challenge - a heart made with a combination of two previous challenges (simplicity and double-string) - and dedicate it to all those fabulous, thoughtful, decent, considerate people who make this world worth living in.  In short, this one's for you!  I hope you like it.

Happy Wednesday!

Challenge #8 - Heart for Artoo

A friend's baby son is experiencing some hard times just now - barely graduated from dual full-leg casts to boots and braces, the poor bunny has a viral infection with respiratory distress that has landed him back into the hospital.  Yes, I mean Artoo, the younger of our lovely Laura's two great boys.  With the upset and worry and activity, she was gracious enough to find time to keep us informed and even posted a challenge this week.  Thanks to her husband's inspiration, we are to create a heart for Artoo, combining any two of the previous challenges.  With such a worthy purpose OF COURSE I had to sit right down and do it right away, tonight, because no one should keep a baby waiting!  I've chosen to make my riff off of Challenge #1 - Simplicity, and Challenge #6 - Ixorus.  I am sending it with all my most concentrated, passionate prayers for quick healing and sweet health plus an extra dose of support and peace for the harried Mommy and Daddy:

Happy Monday!