My Grama's Soul

I have posted before about my little fireplace project.  Still fine-tuning the darn thing as I am trying to create something I am happy with. OK....here is the latest fix.  See the colored tiles I have incorporated in the recess.  I love them.  Our wall color in this room is still not a color I love...but must live with it for now. Here is another shot of what I have done.  Are you ready for the "rub" with these photos.  The "tiles" are NOT tiles at all, they are some wonderful colored papers I cut from a book I own.  Affixed them with Elmers glue and water and bingo.....looks just like expensive tiles.  When I have to be inside I always put my thinking cap on and try to figure out how I can be creative in some way...without spending any "cash".  The pillows on the sofa are old ones...and I simply pinned that little decoration on the front of the yellow one. Here is a shot of the room from afar...

It seems as though I rarely post on my blog anymore.  Not that I am that busy mind you.... My outside activities mostly consist of just living...seeing friends, going to clubs I belong to and getting together with family. However, lately I have been messing around the house again.  Painting on some of our walls in our sweet little spot.   I really would never consider myself a real artist but I do enjoy the process and my thought is that you can always paint the wall back to its original color.  Although, in this case I think you would have to put on a heavy coat of primer and I have used some pretty dark colors here. I have many pieces of art hanging on my wall but not a single piece of art ON MY Wall!! hahaha.... Hope all of you are having a great day....I am. xo Jo

I am always doing something around here to spruce up our little place.  Since I seem to have accumulated a lot of little cans of paint, I decided I would paint a wall mural.  Now mind you......I AM NOT ANY KIND OF ARTIST....but it is always fun to see what I can come up with.   This is still early days on this project but I do enjoy working on this kind of thing. It started out being something completely different...in fact I was going to do a large face...but that went "south" in no time at all.....LOL LOL.....  So I decided to fill this spot with flowers and birds and foliage.   I decided to paint on this wall as you can see it when you come into our lovely little spot.  We also have a wonderful piece of art that I plan on hanging here when I am finished.   I have become fearless when it comes to paint....as I tell my husband.....IT IS ONLY PAINT.  YOU CAN PAINT OVER IT IF IT IS G...

I don't buy much for our house anymore.  Since our downsize we just don't have that much room and besides I gave away so much when we moved that I NEVER want to have to do that again.   But this particular item....I could not resist.  It is a handmade deer head using old saris from India.  Pieces of straw are intertwined with beads and fabric.  His nose is a little to square...but I like things that are not so perfect.   I added the camel bells and the little bird just for decoration.   Try not to notice the little spackle patch on the wall, as I move things around I try to patch all the nail holes from previous endeavors.  I just have not had time to paint them.   I collect Kantha cloths from India..in fact it is probably the only thing I collect.   You can use them in so many ways.... as door coverings... our entry doors into the rooms in this house are all set back a ways so I can use these K...

I have been away from blogging and my creativity for quite some time.  Like many of you.....I love to mess around my house doing unusual things here and there.  I keep many beautiful things including calendars with beautiful art.   I came across these the other day and decided I would use them in a way so  I could see them daily.   Many of you probably recognize many of these masterpiece works of art. This is the entrance to our den/TV room I'm in here most nights with the dogs watching my favorite net flicks. I plan on putting a frame around the whole thing with trim board and painting it the color of the wall.  Then it will be like one huge masterpiece painting. I hope this will be the start of me getting back into some sort of creative mode.....I do miss it so.   Hugs from here. Jo

I  have never lived alone....although I have a few lady friends that do.   This morning my wonderful soul mate had an early meeting.  That meant I was here alone with my pups for a good part of the early morning. I tried to imagine my life without Brad....it was unsettling to say the least.   As we grow older together it is inevitable that one of us will end up being alone.  I'm not trying to be morbid here but just addressing reality. You build a life with someone and suddenly you are the one who remains. I don't really know what a person can do to prepare for this.....but it will happen in each of our lives if we have a partner.  How do you adapt to doing everything ALONE that you once did with someone else.  It really is almost overwhelming to think about it. So.....for the time being....I just treasure each day that I have with my partner and I know he does the same with me. You know.....when you are y...

Here it comes............. ENJOY!! Art:  Maria Pace Winters hugs, Jo

Hugs from me to you.. Jo

Our house is still on the market and unfortunately not much activity in our area...so, I have been busy doing little projects here. This is a wonderful mirrored room dividing screen.  In this pic the mirror is turned towards the wall. As you can tell, the back was just plain painted hardwood.  I wanted to be able to use both sides in a different way so I decided to gussy up the back side. These are all bits and bobs of postcards and papers I have collected over the years.  Many of the cards came from when we have traveled abroad.  The ones above with the sailboats are from Portofino when we traveled Italy many years ago. The Mists of Avalon is one of my favorite books and I loved the writing script so I included a page from there as well. Several of these cards are from our recent trip down the Rhine and the Danube.  The little boy and girl holding hands above is a valentines card from my wonderful husband .  I wante...

I am a firm believer in displaying the art you, yourself, make.  It doesn't matter whether it is fabric art, painted art, mosaic art, jewelry art, junk art or any other kind of art you can think of. By having your personal pieces around you it gives you inspiration to create additional pieces.  It doesn't matter whether the piece is great or mediocre ...... JUST PUT IT OUT THERE SO YOU CAN VIEW IT... I may have shared these pieces before.....made from old junk wire found in my Father-in-Laws tool box....incorporated long beads I made and other pieces of junk earrings.  Milagro....made totally from recycled material (sounds so much better than......junk.....doesn't it?). Each time I pass this little display in my home it encourages me to think creatively.....I often can't go to my studio to work then and there....but it does get those "juices" flowing.   How about you.....do you display your creativity around your s...

Found this today while going through stuff.... wanted to share it with all of you. xo Jo