Fairy wings and Elfin things

I decided to post some of these photos of my collection. This started out as a couple of pixies that I bought at a garage sale about 25 years ago and the collection has grown to two cabinets full and overflowing. I bougt a LLadro Prince of the Elves and decided that I was finished collecting these wee little ones but who knows there might just be a pixie, elf, or fairy out there without a home and mine are such friendly little folk that they always welcome newcomers to their domain.

Peppermint Fairy

My husband gave me this fairy. Isn't she sweet? shes called The Peppermint Fairy and Even though she's a Christmas fairy I might have to just let her hang out , at least till Easter.

Winter Wonderland

This and the next few photo show the various changes I see as time goes by. My life is like a circle seasons come and seasons go and there is beauty everwhere! Which reminds me of one of my favorite poems.

For you who dare to wait in quietness
I have a stengthening music that shall bless
Your ears when skilled by listening; some hear
But noise; be patient till the song comes clear
In fall of flower petals you shall catch
Enchanting syllables. But lift the latch;
You are removed from witless hurry's curse,
You have free entrance to my universe.*

Excerpt from " Invitation to Beauty" Catherine Baker, Be thou a splendor, p. 11.

Sumptuous Summer

Springtime how sweet It is

My Wonderful Journey

Clouds are mountains of the sky, they become the plain on which I walk.
As I step forward and look back, where mountains were, clouds were naught.
So forward and onward did I go, high and upward and descending low in my country of light and snow.
I stopped to rest on a rosy glow and gazed upon a great orange globe that was encompassed with a ring of solid gold suspended in a smelting pot of swirling hues, steams of turquoise and azure blues and lapis lazuli stairways too.
A dark grey cave emitting something like a violet ray tinged with gold like the wings of a giant butterfly.
All this and more did I find, on my journey in the sky,
My eyes such splendor did behold, but from my heart is where the story's told.
So I'll go down and tell some more, through the gates of heavens door.
I soon came upon the birds of wing, they came across in steady stream and disappeared through a deep blue tunnel and beyond.
I waved goodbye and journeyed on, to skate upon a silvery pond and gaze upon an ocean deeply green, to rest again upon a deep grey puff and wrap myself in pure white fluff.
As I did float in comfort sleepily, I saw such wonders, my eyes delight, from fairy creatures to ones of the height, mythical creatures made of pure light.
Soon I was woken by a swirl of wind, that threw me right from my floating plafond, and spun me around my face to the ground, and once more again I was earth bound!

Wecome Home

I hope you all are as warm and cozy inside as I am tonight. Guess we will have a white Christmas and possibly be in a deep freeze for the rest of the year. Happy winter solstice to you all!

Welcome to snowy town

Winter Mushroom

These are three paintings recently finished and now hang in the Dutch Pet Motel in Crete Il. I had promised my son in law to do some dog paintings for him and delivered six of them to him on Thanksgiving. I have started a painting of my sister Jonis' dog Iggy but haven't gotten beyond the sketching stage yet. I'll be glad when this temp job ends as it cuts into my creativity. I made a New Years Resolution list today, actually for my church newsletter and used scripture as a point of reference. The first on the list goes like this. Exercise a little....For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 . I think my fellow church members will enjoy this one.

A few winters ago this was the veiw on my way to work one mornimg and this was only a glimspe of what lay ahead. I hope this winter is a little mildersince I have to drive those awfull roads at night.
The trip to Chicago was uneventful and we missed the bad weather by a day. I did get that Chrysler Pacifica and enjoyed a very smooth ride all the way there and back.
Went out last night to celebrate my friend Arlenes birthday and have spent the day decorating the house for the Holidays and just kicking back. good day to nap!

I took this photo last year after an ice storm. It looks like a little chick nested in the wisteria. Winter isn't without its little delights! Sounds like I'm trying to psych myself up for the inevitable. Kevin and I test drove a couple of vechicles today. We really liked the Chrysler Pacifica, what a smooth ride. This morning we installed a new stained glass light fixture in the dinning room. I ordered it on line and of course it came with instuctions that were so vague we could have just thrown them away. Anyway it looks swell, after all our bitching, and it really warms up the place. I've been really busy these past few weeks with work and study. I hope to finish one more painting before Thanksgiving so I can bring them to My son in law for his kennel. I'm giving him them for a birthday gift and hope to when his customers see them they'll want to commision me to paint their dogs. Headed to Chicagoland next week forThanksgiving at my daughters . Hope you all have a good one.

Just last week this was the view outside and now the gold is gone and is replaced by the ever greying gloomy skies of winter. UGGGH! We have been busy around here getting some badly needed repairs scheduled , new basement windows and blown in insulation . Also on order a new front door . I think it might almost be ridiculous to have this work done now but that's how things work out here in the Galloway household. I had to do some patching on the front porch before it rotted any further. I only hope I'll have one more day warm enough to give it a coat of paint, otherwise it will have to do with just primer on it for the winter. I hope I can get it done before then but what will be,will be. I have actually been enjoying the days working at the store as I have been seeing allot of people I haven't seen for a while. I am working on another dog painting and of course spending a great deal of time in study. I'm looking forward to doing some good work this winter and also looking forward to spring!

This is a costume from the past. I made the collar out of fright bite wrappers . Happy Halloween!

Unfinished painting

I really should find the time to finish this painting someday but after my first day back to work I realize why I retired cause I'm dead tired! Good thing this job thing is just temporary.

Summers gone

This is where I'd like to be , just laying here and reading a good book or perhaps just admiring the flowers and birds that come to visit. It really was a wonderful summer with temperatures that were just right. Well unfortunately even though it's sunny today the wind's just a howling out there. I still have allot of work out there in the gardens but I haven't had the heart to cut it down yet. Perhaps after the first freeze I'll do it. The maple tree in the front yard looks beautiful all golden with contrasting bark, and the burning bush is turning bright red and the fall garden is striking indeed as the colors deepen to russets and purples. As much as I love the summer I really do enjoy the beauty of fall and think that today would be a good drive through the trees. See you later I'm on my way out the door to enjoy some scenery.

I have finished a couple of more paintings and am now working on another. I don't know how I will find enough time for all I want to do as I have committed myself to a temporary job working at a small gift shop in Iowa City that I used to work at. The owner called me and asked me to help out for the next couple of months as she gets ready to close the store. Just another sign of economic upheaval . Everyone's feeling the pinch these days and gifts are just one of those items that are not too high on the list of necessities. It's finally sunny today and I must get outside and do some yard work before the snow blows. Kevin and I went to the Golden age brunch at the church this morning. We were the youngest oldsters there but it was fun and the food was good. I put up a new stewardship poster in the narthax which turned out pretty well. I did a drawing of the image of Christ and filled the body with photos of eveyone in the congregation the caption reads... The Body Of Christ.

Chihuahua and Beagle paintings

Summer Splender

I just long so for those sunny days of summer.It's kinda grey and gloomy today so I had to put out this sunflower photo for all to see. I made some chicken soup so that should keep the chill off. Been busy today writing a monthly article for the church newsletter and am about to work on a new dog painting that has alot of yellow in it so that should be cheerful. I finished a chihuahua painting which turned out pretty well and a small one of Blizzard, a dog I used to have when I lived in Door county Wisconsin. Hope your day is sunnyside up!

Yummy Halloween

My Heart is in your Hands

For Stephanie,

Fifty years from now,
you'll not remember me,
nor see my face,
nor be in my grace,
although I'm with thee today.
I'm seeing you in my place, years from now, old and full of grey....
And remembering those that lived before
in time and in another space
The world changes day-to-day
and this all I need to say.

Dedicated to Denise who keeps the family-tree and to my uncle Bill who wrote this poem for me:

The Artist's Touch

A restless and empty canvas
nervously awaits the artist's brush
Along with palette productive of
creation's initial blush.
Oils of varied tints and hues anxiously
expectant of proud display,
Yet only when a spark of genius
surpasses uncertain way.
Act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose
set forth in Burke's Pentad
Does lend to art from rhetoric a means
that should make the heart glad.
The view might inquire what was done,
and when and where it was done,
And by whom, why, and how it was done,
so lauded be creation.
But, the seed of inspiration must impregnate
the artist's soul
Until disassembled imagery blends
together as a whole,
So that life is breathed upon the canvas
by the artist's steady stroke,
Til the ultimate outcome represents
the standards he would invoke.
There would be countless lesser-knowns carving
their niche sans pomp and heraldry
Yet their portraits hand for all to see
on the hallways of eternity!

By William A. Narkis 11/03/84

A Masterful Work

Can you belive that such a small creature can accomplish such a great feat in a just a small amount of time. It makes me wonder what might be possible for me to accomplish in a lifetime. I think we could all learn something from this little spider.

Hey Grandma look at me!

This is my grandson Aiden on his first bike that I bought for him when he came to stay with me this summer. Isn't he the sweetest ?

three muses

This is an older painting which may or may not be finiished. Seems like I have alot of these around.

Still life

This is a rendering of of a painting by Edgar Yaegar that I copied from a photo. He was an artist from Detroit . There is a cool website of his work out there. my newphew now owns the original. my husband liked the painting so I made a copy for him.

Fairywings

This is a watercolor that I did and gave away to a newborn named Taylor Rae. She was born with downs syndrom and looks just like a little fairy.

This tower is made from fast food cup holders

lower level and middle of tower.

This is the top level of a tower made from fast food cup holders.

This is the first of a series of sculptures made from recycled paking materials and found objects. I make them using mirrors so when you look into a mirror you can see into infinity.

Spring is here

Photo of my side yard in the spring.