May your heart beat faster!

What do you love?

What is it that just makes your heart beat faster?

Now , now girls I speak of the gifts and talents that you have developed.

When you think of an activity or project, what makes you thrive?

On this Valentines day

my wish for you is a time of thriving in something that enriches your day.

Friday I got a feather in my bonnet...no not from the chickens.

From my new bead catalog. This issue is perhaps the 4th year copy I have. so I cut up the old ones. Using a mat cutter and exacto knives.

Every time this thing comes I sit and turn pages and my heart races with the beauty and creativity of it all. The majesty of all the natural stones and elements created for our pleasure.

 click to enlarge images

Over the weekend the pleasure that has enveloped my heart was begun a listing of all of the gem stones. Then it also turned into a collage of ideas for necklaces (it is sideways). Another is in the works for earrings and bracelets.

Best get to bed, I have had so much fun time got away from me.

This will hang over the beading area. I made it 3D on purpose.

Love your day for it is a gift, that's why it is called the present.

Bet you can tell I'm feeling better :)

Children and the arts

We have had so much fun this week!
We had art time last evening and this morning. See the kids works  to see kids art click here
Earlier this week my sweet efforts took shape. This was the vision I have had for a year or two. It took a year to remove the rock and dig the arbor garden, fill it and plant the annuals this week. Next week the perennials go in.

 It was a cool morning here and feeling a little punky from a cold a blanket was called for. 

Fall has finally come to my realm. At least for two hours in the morning and then two evening hours at best. This morning however the children asleep refuge was taken here with my life manual.

 Now if the view behind me had it's way my respite would of been disturbed. 

But I held fast.

 Rest is the call of the day. The morning began in the book of Daniel chapter 10. It is a wonderful thing to follow the instinct of my soul. It lead me right where I need to be. To remind me of the hand of love that is upon me.

 The view from my little thrown was really improved from this time last year. The lawn is setting for winter with the rye thrown. This new tip of early toss of seed really helps. I did not want to have dog in dung in house. Manure is the normal way we do it here to cover the seed for warmth. Tossing seed while the Bermuda grass is yet green is suppose to limit the shock of cold on the seedlings.

The same day the patio got a good hosing off. Now if only that grass in the stone boarder was replace with a drainage pipe under grass it would really look great. Too much work for this old gal. Have to pull the hubby into that. Or get rich and hire it done HA. Same under the clothes line, however that needs to get done first I think. It is a real ankle biter when I hang out the laundry. I love to hang out the laundry in my bare feet. Don't know why but it just feels natural. Like I were up in the forest. The forest in in my imagination. See the pine trees and smell the breeze.

The kids are playing and I am resting the bones to go back at it on the morrow I hope. The antibiotics are working the wonders. The chest pressure is receding thank the Lord. Hay I made it four months. This was pretty minor too from what history has told.
Please pray for the nation those who morn and toss, turn into despair for the wages lost. Those who suffer the hardships that follow the desperation of a nation.
I sit here blessed, prosperous. Abundant in life with the love of my little family. Favor of my God, and the kindness of friendships forged.
Be blessed ya all. Be blesses and see it. See it all that is done for you. That goes before you. We will go on in our days knowing it will not befall us to be without that love forging a way through the darkness into the light of day.

A comment from a local reporter

Over at the other blog "A Place to create" I received a request to be interviewed.
Returned a call this morning and the whole thing is legitimate. Incidentally I am now in her contact lists. Wow that is one way to set your soul to getting things done. Ideas in place. Kindled a light that had dimmed a bit. Sorta clipped the wick. Peaked my interest in continuing on my creative expressions.

Dear Donetta,

My name is Laura, and I am a reporter for the Arizona Republic.

I am working on an article about DIY home decorating projects.
I happened upon your blog, and I was very impressed by your decorating skills.

If you are located near the Phoenix area and if you have two simple home projects that you could easily explain,

I would be happy to feature you and your design ideas.

My article is slotted for next Friday, so we would need to find a time within the next week that I could interview you quickly and have some photographs taken.

I hope you are well,

Laura Gottesdiener

Our day today at Arizona State University

Some time back Dash was privileged to take Part in a research study on hearing impaired children s hearing aids to better create aides fitted for class room environments and needs.

We were called to have Dove join the study as a control participant.

She earned the same as he did when he did it. 

$30.

We had free VIP parking so...

What better way to expose them to a university then to have an adventure.

We walked over to the fine arts section.

The children saw some dancers at practice.

The felt the class area of a university building.

we then toured the museum

it was free and wide open to the public

we and perhaps 5 other people it was very nice

Photos were discouraged.

We spoke of the mediums used the techniques and the use of culture.

I asked them what the message was that the artist was trying to get across.

The exhibit is on transportation.

Many oils, pen and ink, acrylics even ceramics.

At the end and on the way home we spoke of grants for costs and the difference of college and university. Oh character and dreams. Setting the mind early to consider the goals they might light in the lives they will have to live out. We spoke about the efforts Daddy Man and I are taking in saving for their education. Spoke of cost and benefit and loss in a job market that many graduates are finding no employment. How they MUST simply pursue what the heart leads them into. To Love what ever it is they do.

Then as we were so relaxed in conversation I asked them what they liked best.

It will be that Dove wants to oil paint as her Grandmother does (realism)

Dash wants to use acrylic and splash chunks of paint onto a canvas.

Oh The Magic Box

Art Masters

Klee

Face to face

Face Art Print

 Glackens

Luxembourg Gardens

Siqueiros

For the complete Safety of all Mexicans at work

Remberant

The Apostle Simon

Thankful Thursday * Masterpiece...

Join us here at Women Taking A Stand

This morning the coffee was out and I needed to grind some to have a cup.
I looked up to see the beauty of the tea pot...
I delight in beauty.
It is my comfort.

A long over due pot of tea was prepared
The tea cozy pulled into use.
Just for me...a china cup and saucer.

We are his workman created for good works in Him.

How do you comfort your soul in times of trial?
What is it you do for your self when stress is high and fear or anxiety rush you?
When shame loneliness sorrow press you how do you still your heart and manage your emote?

Breath deeply.

I was asked recently...
"How do you comfort your self?"

I have thought on this for some time...days.
I tend to comfort in self sabotaging ways...a false comfort.
Really just invoking more pain to dull the other...we all do this I think in different ways. Perhaps even questioning if we really even deserve to be comforted if it is so easily and readily set before us to hurt.

Today...
The air a little cooler out in the yard tasks called for beauty.



The porch cleared as the BBQ grill sad and broken needed beauty.
New knobs were called for and my hand even wounded as I repaired the sharp edges of the broken handle bled.


No reason really but for beauty sake did I scrub the grill.
Yes , an odd thing to do for I have no coals to light a fire for a meal.
Yet it being on the patio called to me...Ugliness... fill me with beauty.

Apparent as the the wound on my hand...
stung!
Reality is ...beauty is the master comforter.
It is my comforter...
To create beauty.


I found myself feeling so well nurtured as I attempted to fashion this little corner of my yard.
You see this is a picture of "MORE WORK TO DO!"
to my husband. I know when done to him it will become a thing of admiration.
Once I was so very thrilled to do so tending to tidy home and decor.
Yes I still do a bit not like once when it was a treasured pursuit.

Over the years I neglected using beauty to comfort me.
Both my own beauty and the beauty of the masterpiece of my hands at any given moment seem to become wasted efforts supper fluent waste of time.
An annoyance and expense or just not really favored as in just different taste.
You know I made so many beautiful things a couple of years ago.
I was just thriving and here they sit...
The comfort for me is in the creating...if I were a good sells man and found comfort in it I am told a fortune is before me given my skills.
I did a few sells and find I really enjoy seeing the delight in the eyes of others who find pleasure in them. If folk talk me down my price and all I just would rather walk away. It is a sorta disregard somehow for the pleasure I hold in the item gets lost.



I believed a lie that my created beauty did not have a big difference really.
It seemed it had become an annoyance of chore, or even an ineffectual pursuit for every time I had created some nice little corner it would be dismantled by careless junk tossed here or there.
Messes made moments after the tidy...you know PARENTING :)
Or a room done only to have a change requested when the next new thing came along.
So alas I just tossed up my hand and gave up.
My comfort did not matter so much to others so it must not really matter...
I did not see that IT IS creating the beauty that comforts me.

This day while walking past the mirror where my little self table is...I looked up!
I looked up...
raised my eyes to her
who had stopped finding comfort in creating her own beauty.
I think that there is a lot of comfort to be offered to this reflection who longs for the loving beauty she withhold from her own soul.
I was struck with the realization what was once a pleasure to become beauty was now a worthless pursuit
Lie! YOU SAY?

Wounds are based in lies.

Masterpieces are always pure for they are the divine expression of truth.
Even in Art.
The most hideous of image when truth based is a Masterpiece.

Later this day a dear friend who is one of heart with me returned a call.
Our talk was a divine appointment.
Once was a day when the very thing that she uses to comfort herself was the foundation of our friendship.
Her and I suffer a similar fate in that this comfort we find when practiced often makes everyone else around us most uncomfortable.
She stopped being able to comfort her soul, even in church! the very place where all is suppose to be ripe. In our homes we too have lost a part of comfort.
Our comfort is this...The Word of God.
In her home she a gifted teacher is not welcome to share her knowledge for it hinders the pleasures of the flesh of the members so even in church she stands a silent teacher broken hearted as error is flushed like refuge across a room and folk just wallow in the false comfort of it.

In my home once it too was a Master of the Word.
In that the study of it was as honey and buttered bread to a starving man.
Studying the word however is a dangerous thing...
IN THIS

I am literalistic and if it says this...that is what it means...
not suggestions, guidance for our own well being.
Being literalistic is a real annoying thing to be in this world and can often become prudish in the eyes of others. At times accurately so.

Consider the cost?
Well I considered the cost at one point and became a silent doer...
I sometimes feel so very alone but today my girlfriend was unalone with me.
The world has swallowed her up and I too to some degree...

Oh but the masterpiece of all of this...
The call to comfort oneself...this question...this provoking question offered to me woke back up that memory of comfort and posted once again that query to count the cost. I know that many things learned in my study lacked the balance of a sage.
A lack of balance however is in no way a reason to remove the very comfort that will be my life blood.

The manual now dusty in my mind asks me if it might comfort me once again...
If I were to be comforted at the cost of an others discomfort what then?
Balance I guess the best attempt to draw comfort without removing the ease and comfort of another is balance.

The Scriptures post the greatest beauty in all of the written language.
It is corner stone to all I am.
I have been comforted with a memory one that fades with time, as does it's comforts.

Beauty it comforts me.
I am grateful to understand that.
For I need comfort every hour.
It is in the beauty of the friendship I have with God that all comfort comes a truth yes.
He is that Masterpiece within me that is the core of the passion I find in comforting myself with the surrounding beauty of all that this world , my hands and most importantly THE WORD has to offer me. His Holy Spirit through His Presence is my crystalline delight pure utter beauty.

How do you comfort yourself?
If we do not have appropriate ways to offer our souls, or others for that matter, comfort we will comfort with a false comfort that will only bring self sabotage.

Life is full of variety

Grumpy

Now I have been exceedingly busy...

and for me to say that
(those of you who know me)
know that this is no
"whistling hi ho hi ho its off to work I go"
...although I have been rather Grumpy.

I began the EDMR secessions three weeks ago and we are still doing the history time line. Each time I remember more and more blanks are filled in...a good thing but I get pretty angry that my reality is defamed by a few. This is however a normal part of denial and the efforts to keep that in place. The fact that I must respect others keeps me from going off the handle on them. Some days though just barely...

Some of the adults just under this generation are now remembering and asking. I also send then to their Other Aunt and Uncles for information. I have a genealogy that is very well established by Dear Elder Sister. She is such a gift and a blessing to me.

The Baby shower was a Swim BBQ party with all the old friends of my Nephews...bitter sweet and the best efforts to make a very painful sad thing a joyous time for the Mom to be...who birthed my Great nephew the next day.

This is cute little Nico my Nieces sweet baby boy.
He is so fun, just thinks his Grammy (my sister) is the best entertainment in the whole of the world. She is so enjoying being a Grandma again. He other little grandson who is 7 was there too. It was real good to see him. He came up to my kids and almost plowed them over with his happy exuberant hug. That was so beautiful to see him so happy to see his cousins

Now if you ever go to a party with one of these....yikes this is too yummy!
Served with lots of fresh fruit and other tid bits.
It is a chocolate fountain.

The party had a luau theme and the girls did a great job with it.

This lovely pool had a bit of a challenge for my poor sister trying to get it ready last minute.
The Daddy Man of course on life guard duty with my other Niece who is a new mom herself.
The party turned from a small gathering into a large BBQ over night on her and the pool had to be shocked.

Mommy to be in blue
Boy blue born the next morning (induced).

Many of these are Great Nieces and Nephews.

I did a post on the creative process over
here at A Place to Create.

The Sewing room was so ready to receive some attention.
The other day while on the phone I saw some great ideas on how to improve my space.

This will become a scrap booking and paper center for scanning as well.
I love the improved storage. I was given that wonderful counter top from under the giving tree last month. This is how I actually made use of it.

With that cabinet out from under my table I am once again able to store these properly so I can make use of them . Now no longer are they up on top of the shelving unit. The count was perfect! This is all of the scrap by color and also all of the various notions. Now I can sew and not have a battle with getting up on a stool or chair to get what I need down from up high. So much safer for me too.
It is so much nicer in here.
I think I see a quilt getting closer.

The other day I stumbled upon another yard of the black beaded trim.
I just finished it last night and still need to get this hung right.

Adding color where I can...This is the new curtain for the back door.
The walls all white now call for color! But the walls need be white to respect my sweet man who simply wants white walls.
Well I have had walls my way many years it is his turn.
I am just a color junkie:)

This a new dress...it was a $65 dress I found for $12. so...
I made a layout of a necklace yesterday for it.
I think I will really love the look when I get done.
Look at that just for me!
:)

One of the other activities has been to finish up the garden
This morning I was able to work a couple of hours on it before the heat was too much.
I have notice the last two days the promise of fall as the lows are now in the 80*'s
I worked in the garden this morning
There is a post over at
BEE BLISS GARDENS

My cool little son is getting into the Rhythm of drumming.
I love it!
If I were able I would love to own a set of drums.
At our house creativity makes way to drums of items that give this child fondness of sound. Now Dash is hearing impaired.
We went through the garage and the yard this morning looking for sounds he liked.
Very interesting to watch and to with him.

I think it is also a very good outlet.
He needs so much attention, it is very hard to fill this sponge.
I think I fall short here.

Look at that intensity!

Now if only we could get him to flow with it.
Like for instance the Lab...
Speaking of intense!




This is the fix that had to be done for that dog went through several pounds of very expensive (he has allergies) dog food!
So then after this was solved...
He got into the chicken feed!

Speaking of the chickens ...
We got an egg this morning!
The heat is so hard on the poor things.
We moved the coop under the gazebo for the time being to give them some better releif. The birds are in such a hurry for fall as am I.

So there ya go...
Whether I am Grumpy,
Happy,
Sleepy,
Sneezy,
Doppy,
Bashful
or being my own
Doc...
Life is full of variety for me.