V Day Is Near

Valentines day is right around the corner...

Here's a peek at some "Heart Cards" I've made

~ Enjoy~

Every Day Is Heart Day

This Weeks "Heart" Finds

Found on North Beach in Port Townsend, Washington

 

How many do you see? I couldn't believe I found all of these in one place...

~With much Love~

Chel Marie

Famous Woman In History Featuring Maya Angelou

January 2013 Post Card Swap Featuring 

Maya Angelou

I belong to a wonderful Ning group called 

There's A Little Goddess In All Of Us

It's an inspiring group of ladies from around the world,

 a place to find goddesses, art, poetry, friendships and discussion.

I joined the monthly postcard swap a couple years ago to discover myself and as a way to heal through art. It was during a time in my life when I was home-bound due to my illness. 

Spending many hours at home and in bed left me longing for a sense of community and purpose.

I was very depressed, sad, and lonely; I'd spend most of my sleepless nights scavenging the net

for inspiration, friendship and a sense of belonging. I found it in an art chat room.

I had met Carol and a few of the other ladies in an on line art class called Art Heart and Healing

It was a free on line class which I used as a form of therapy.

There I was inspired to dig deep into my creative self and learn new techniques I never knew existed,

all the while of healing through the process of art.

 

The woman I've met in both of these Ning groups are filled with love, compassion and inspiration. 

Carol, our fearless hostess of the postcard swap shakes our world with a new topic every month.

We are encouraged to interpret each artist as we like, utilizing any medium to express our take on each topic.

I view each month as challenges to help me find my creative style and grow as an artist.

Each challenge teaches me new techniques as I learn about the featured artist.

Last year, the theme was famous artist. Each having a wide array of styles, most were new to me,

like: Di Grazia, Basquiat, Amedeo Modiglian and Freda.

Carol has opened my eyes and creative world. 

inspiring me to learned more about myself as an artist and refined my techniques as a result.

Each month a new topic is announced, I research and learn everything I can about it. It helps me to learn how they created their particular technique, form and style.

Some are more challenging then others, some take me several days to complete, some I whip off in no time; Each push my boundaries and are unique in their own way, becoming near and dear to my heart. 

Joining There's A Little Goddess In All Of Us  has been a true blessing.

Every month I receive little treasures in the mail from all walks of life, I call these fun mail. 

Is there anything more exciting  then receiving a handmade postcard from other artistes around the world... 

I think not! It makes opening the mail fun again...

Here is my take on our January's  "Famous Woman" postcard swap, 

I hope you'll find as much inspirations in my creations as I did in Maya's life's work.

 I decided to do a multimedia collage for 3 of my cards and a drawing for the last one.

For the 3 collage cards, I used magazines cuttings, watercolor paints, 

markers, napkins, and quotes from Maya Angelou.

I always like to draw the featured artist as my tribute to them. 

I used an ultra-fine Sharpe pen and markers.

Come check us out, I'm sure you'll enjoy our group as much as I do...

Until next time....love, hugs and many blessings to each of you!

XOXOXOXOX

Finding My Heart

Finding My Heart Is Easy, 

Love Is Everywhere I Look

 On a Beach...

 In the Sky...

Have you ever gone out for a walk on the beach or in the woods and notice that everywhere you look there's a heart waiting to be found?  I seem to see hearts in everything...

Maybe it's that I look for the good in every aspect of my life so seeing the hearts comes natural. 

Here's one  nestled in the rocks...

On a path...

OK... This one is more like a butterfly, but it still warms the heart...

 In the garden...

In the moss...

 

In my art room...

Here are some I've found on the beach and painted... 

Ready to be put back out into the world, 

Abandoned....

 This one was a gift from one of my dear friends,

She carried it back from her beach walk,

calling me to tell me she had found my heart...

It must weigh 15 pounds

It's 9" wide, 8" long and 7" thick.

This is my heart rock stash for my future heart rock garden...

say that three times fast...lol...

 

Some of my heart shaped sea glass I've found on the beach..

Another collection of my favorites...

One of my collage's

 and two hearts my husband found for me

He gives me one every year for my birthday...

 This was last years birthday gift, it's one of my faves...

Jade

Another I've collaged with all positive words, verses, and phrases...

Hearts are everywhere, you just have to open your eyes, 

be one with your surroundings...  

Send me your heart pictures or stories, I'd love to see or hear all about them!

 

~Enjoy~

♫¸.·♫•*¨*•. ¸¸(¯`♥´¯).•*¨*•♫.•*¨*•♫¸.•*¨*•♫.·♫•*¨*•. ¸¸(¯`♥´¯).•*¨*•♫.•*¨*•♫•*¨*•.  .•*¨*•♫`·.¸.·•*¨*•.♫.•*¨*•♫•*¨*•.♫.•*¨*•..•*¨*•.♫`·.¸.·♫•*¨*•. .•*¨*•♫

Art Abandonment Project

Most of you who follow me on Facebook may have noticed recently in the past two months I've been a very active member in The Art Abandonment Project created by Michael and Andrea DeMeng.
Art Abandonment is a group designed to encourage random acts of art, left in various locations around the globe. The idea is that folks can make something and leave it for a lucky unsuspecting person to find. Artists can then post locations and photos of abandoned goodies…and finders can let everyone know that they are the lucky finder! O' sweet abandon!

 Here's an intro page on Typepad for full explanation:

Art Abandonment

 

Here are several pictures of items I have left from Port Townsend all the way down to Vancouver Washington. If your one of my lucky recipients... Please post what and where you found the item I've left... I'd love to hear your experience...good, bad, or indifferent.

 Left at Doc's Bar and Grill Point Hudson, PT

 I left this one in the ladies restroom at Costco in Silverdale, WA

Sweet Lorette's Cafe and Bistro PT,WA

At a sweet little shop in Port Townsend

 I've left these all over Port Townsend at the hospital, beach, parks, fair,  stores, and restaurant's

These have been left at the hospital in different books and magazines.

 I left this one at the post office where I mailed out 7 others cards to friends around the world.

 These last three are to be abandoned this coming Monday 

somewhere around the Jefferson Healthcare hospital in Port Townsend 

when I go for my next chemo therapy...

For me it's all about the giving part... the putting a smile in someone's heart that makes me want to abandon my precious pieces of me. I put a little bit of my heart and soul in each piece I make... sending it out into the world as a gift to brighten someone's day is why I've been leaving items for the past several years now... This isn't a new concept to me, I just didn't start six months ago when Art Abandonment launched... no I've been leaving little treasures for many many years now...  I just never publicly advertised that I was doing random acts of kindness....

Ever since I got sick in 2000... something in me changed. I knew it was no longer about me but rather how I make others feel that truly matters. I think when we expect things to happen we become disappointed because it never rarely happens the exact way we imagine... but sending little gifts out into the world, no one is ever expecting that they will find something special that day, which makes my gift all the more exciting.

For the past several years on Valentine's day I've been handing out homemade cards to everyone I come in contact with... normally I'm getting chemo that day so most go to the hospital patients, staff, and visitors... I can't tell you how many people have said that it's the first valentine they had received in years, or the first ever random gift by a stranger or friend. Some even said that they've never received a card or gift on Valentine's day... which broke my heart! I started with 50 homemade Valentines... now I average 350 deliveries. Last Valentine's day I had 10 friends send me their handmade valentines to add to the mix to be hand delivered....There is just something magical that happens deep in your soul when you make another's heart sing....♥ With Valentiens quickly approaching it's time to get those Valentines ready... here are a few that went out last year...

So in the spirit of Art Abandonment leave some art. Leave a contact email for the finder…and if you get notified share the message with this group.

Here is a sample of what I leave for others to find alongside my art piece or attached as shown in my pictures above.

If you prefer you can use the contact email: i.found.artwork@gmail.com
Michael and Andrea we'll be checking it often and share the results on Art Abandonment in Facebook... We'd love to have you join in on this amazing movement and adventure... We started with a handful of people... today the group has grown to 6,211 members strong in less than 7 months...People from all corners of our world have joined in, we look forward to seeing you there

Enjoy and have fun! ♥