tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90966020511342407832024-02-21T08:08:10.063-05:00Creative SolaceHeather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.comBlogger1215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-11057635450765241502017-03-19T17:11:00.001-05:002017-03-19T17:11:29.845-05:00Gratitude <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is something about Sunday mornings that summons forth strong feelings of gratitude. Perhaps it is because it is often the one time in the entire week when the cares of the world fall away and there is actually time to just sit and savour...a cup of coffee brewed just the way you like, a crochet hook in your hand rhythmically pulling yarn through your latest project, soft music in the background summoning dreams and perhaps plans for the rest of the day (or not). My favourite Sundays are ones without plans....the whole day is stretched before me with the promise of surprises and space and healing breath. And I am grateful for the simple pleasures in life...and there are many. <br />
<br />Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-31786209167372219182013-11-10T14:39:00.000-05:002013-11-10T14:39:29.063-05:00Silent Retreat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've just taken a deep breath and have decided to dive back into blogging. This time I won't begin with an apology for taking so long to write a post. Instead, I'll talk about the journey back. Last weekend, I had the honour of taking part in a Silent Retreat at <a href="http://www.fiveoaks.on.ca/main.cfm">Five Oaks Retreat Centre</a> near Paris, Ontario. This is my third year attending and each weekend that I spend in this sacred place brings new lessons and a deeper discovery of myself. Before I leave for each of these retreats, I experience a myriad of emotions ranging from excitement to trepidation. But once I arrive and launch into the ceremony that takes us into silence, I feel a sense of peace and assurance that this is "right". Those who participate with me are all women...this year 26 of us. We are free to do what we wish with the hours of silence. Every once in a while a meditation, yoga or art session is offered but they are mandatory and we are told to partake of them only if we feel called to do so. When the weekend is over, we come out of silence as a group and it is often a very emotional experience as we share the lessons that we learned with one another. Even though the women who attend are strangers to one another, they form a strong and powerful bond as they move through the weekend, sometimes spending time together or meeting by chance on a nature trail or in the hallways. We put so much stock in talk but I realize that in silence we can connect equally as well and perhaps even deeper and in a more meaningful way.<br />
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I'll sign off with a quotation from Franz Kafka:<br />
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<i><b>You don't need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your</b></i><b> <i>table and listen. Don't even listen, simply wait, be quite</i> <i>still and solitary</i></b>. <i><b>The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked. It has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet."</b></i></div>
Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-43464411279142567832013-04-23T13:06:00.000-05:002013-04-23T13:06:11.345-05:00Paper Traders Blog Hop WinnersMy apologies. I had fully intended to use the random number generator yesterday to select the two winners of my altered notebooks and somehow the days slipped away on me. So today is the day! A big warm hug of congratulations to Cynthia and Pattie McClimans. I have contacted you both via email and will be awaiting confirmation of your mailing addresses so that I can send along the notebooks.<br />
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A big huge thank you to each and every person who took the time to stop by and leave a lovely comment. They were all very much appreciated and it was a pleasure to meet other Paper Traders folks. Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-63367373415239708862013-04-18T18:19:00.000-05:002013-04-18T18:19:44.838-05:00Paper Traders Blog Hop<br />
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I am excited to participate the First Paper Traders Blog Hop. I hope it will be a way for you to get to know me and a few of the other group members better, see our art, and get a chance to win some nice prizes that are being offered along the way. Maybe you'll even be inspired by what you see and want to join the group. The Blog Hop will be open the entire weekend of April 19-21, 2013. Be sure to start at the Paper Traders Art Blog here http://papertraders-art.blogspot.com/ and follow the blog hop list of participating members below: <b><!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=192531" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script --></b>Each member will share a little bit about herself and offer either a handmade art piece or other quality prize that will be randomly awarded to blog readers who leave a warm, fuzzy comment. Just comment below and provide a way for me to contact you and I will pick a randomly drawn name from those who leave a comment. One entry per person, please. Have fun on your journey and I hope you'll come back to visit soon! <br />
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Just thought I'd tell you a bit about myself. I'm a librarian by day and a lover of art making by night and weekend. I began using rubber stamps almost solely in my work until I discovered collage and it felt as though I was "coming home". I think it is because I can tell a story with words and images. Collage led me to explore assemblage, altered books, encaustic, beeswax collage and art journaling. There is nothing I love more than sharing my artful passion with the children and teens at the library. I have a teen who tells me that art journaling "saved her life". She carries an actual discarded library book with her everywhere she goes and paints and collages and writes in it whenever she feels that she needs to express herself. This makes my heart sing. <br />
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My giveaway is two notebooks that I've altered. The pages inside are blank for you to add your own thoughts, your lists or whatever you desire. <br />
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I can't wait to "meet" all of you. Happy hopping. <br />
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With hugs.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-65798248333715511872013-03-26T12:58:00.001-05:002013-03-26T12:58:12.234-05:00"Nature attracts our attention softly"<div style="text-align: center;">
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I was recently at a library conference and attended a session called "Boosting Your Brain: The Restorative Benefits of Interacting with Nature". Sure, I always knew that I felt better after walking or running outside, gardening etc. but I didn't realize that studies were actually confirming the positive effects. The speaker was Marc Berman who is currently a post-doctoral fellow at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute in Toronto. Marc examines the brain mechanisms involved in controlling thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and how to improve those abilities. <br />
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Did you ever wonder why after a day of staring at a computer or paying attention in meetings, you just feel exhausted? According to Marc, that's because we are using directed attention for these activities which causes fatigue. Nature, in contrast, is rich in interesting stimuli which activates involuntary attention while at the same time not taxing directed attention. <i><b> "Nature attracts our attention softly."</b></i> In studies he's conducted, Marc found that a 50 minute walk increased short-term memory by 20%. Even just looking at photographs of natural locations can have a similar effect.<br />
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Let's hear it for time spent in the great outdoors. <br />
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<br />Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-77876352710590841862013-01-22T13:21:00.000-05:002013-01-22T13:21:16.483-05:00Modigliani Inspired<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I try to visit the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto as often as I can. It is so inspiring, humbling and such a privilege to experience original artwork by people whose names are written in art history books. Some exhibits stay with me and move me more than others. The Modigliani show tops my list to date. What a fascinating life he lead. You can read about it<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amedeo_Modigliani"> here</a>. When I look around my house at the artwork on my walls, I see glimpses of Modigliani's work in my choices. Imagine my delight to discover a collage sheet also inspired by this talented artist. It is created by Ceremony and can be found on Etsy<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/81705290/paper-dolls-for-altered-art-digital"> here</a>. As you can see, I've been playing with some of the images.<br /><br />Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-58720111823781499932013-01-14T16:54:00.002-05:002013-01-14T16:54:48.308-05:00In Praise of Dogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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" No", we said. "We'll never get a dog. They are messy, too much work. How would we ever fit in all of those walks?" Well, that was our attitude until my DH saw a sweet little guy in the local newspaper with "Adopt Me" on a scarf around his neck. "Maybe we'll just go to meet him", he said. "Tyler" was scheduled to appear at a seniors' event at a pet store so off we went "just to look". Needless to say, we fell in love with the little guy immediately. After a series of home visits, he came to live with us for good and we really can't imagine not having him in our family. Tyler is an 11 year old rescue dog, poodle terrier mix we think, with no teeth, a chronic cough and the most loving and dear personality. He's brought great joy to our lives and I can honestly say that I learn so much from him. He takes life as it comes, doesn't grumble, accepts us for who we are including those days when we are far from perfect. In return, he asks us to feed him, exercise him, scratch his belly, give him a warm, comfortable bed, treats and most of all to love him. Honestly, is that too much to ask?<br />
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I honoured life with a dog as the first spread in my 2013 journal. Feel free to tell me about the pets in your life. I'd love to hear. Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-1084609900613439992013-01-07T15:13:00.004-05:002013-01-07T15:34:39.218-05:00Serendipity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Call it serendipity, call it kismet....call it what you like....the universe always seems to provide guidance in the most unusual ways. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I chose "Enough" to be my word for 2013. Within a week, this quotation had cropped up on Facebook:<br />
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<i><b>"I am enough. I am full of sparkle and compassion. I genuinely want to make the world a better place. I love hard. I practice kindness. I am not afraid of the truth. I am loyal, adventurous, supportive and surprisingly, I am a woman. I am enough. I make mistakes but I own them. Sometimes I make a lot of mistakes."</b></i><br />
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Seriously, I couldn't have said it better myself. I thought "yup, that's it". Hope you have many moments like this as you travel through this new year.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-23029760059363874822013-01-05T09:54:00.000-05:002013-01-05T09:54:10.653-05:00Raven Fascination<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I admit it. I'm addicted to round robin journal projects. I like the challenge of taking a theme and creating around it. One of the Yahoogroups I belong to has a tip-in project just beginning. Instead of swapping actual journals and incurring the cost that goes along with that, we just send a spread (2 pages) once per month. It is always a delight to get artful mail, don't you agree?<br />
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The theme of this journal is Ravens (with Crows, Magpies and Blackbirds also acceptable). I've always felt that there is something powerful and spiritual about these birds and this is certainly supported by poetry and literature. Take this quotation from <b><i>The Painted Drum</i></b> by Louise Erdich:<br />
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“Ravens are the birds I'll miss most when I die. If only the darkness
into which we must look were composed of the black light of their limber
intelligence. If only we did not have to die at all. Instead, become
ravens.”
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They are also the source of many myths and beliefs:<br />
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<i><b><span id="intelliTxt">The Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Semitic and Siberian
legends depict the raven as a messenger of storms or bad weather. In
African, Asian and European legends, the raven forecasts death.
Shakespeare presents ravens as messengers or exponents of evil (like in
"Julius Caesar", "Macbeth" and "Othello"), while in "Titus Andronicus"
they are described as benefactors feeding abandoned children. In his
poem "The Raven", Edgar Allan Poe associates this bird with lost love
and despair. </span></b></i><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1717200"><br /></a>
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It is their intelligence that has always fascinated me:<br />
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<i><b><span id="intelliTxt">Ravens are considered the most intelligent birds,
displaying high learning ability and use of logic for solving problems,
in some tests bypassing the chimpanzees. In one experiment, a raven had
to reach a piece of meat dangling from strings bound to perches. To get
to the food, a raven had to follow a series of actions: pull up a string
stretch, hold a loop of it on the perch with a claw, then pull up
another stretch and hold that loop. The birds had to repeat the action 6
times till getting the meat, while even after 30 trial crows did not
succeed. </span></b></i><br />
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<i><b><span id="intelliTxt"><a href="http://news.softpedia.com/news/10-Amazing-Facts-About-Ravens-70914.shtml">Source </a></span></b></i>Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-59723309995048111312013-01-01T17:03:00.002-05:002013-01-01T17:03:20.877-05:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is dusk on New Year's Day and the snow is falling gently. It's been a peaceful, art-filled day in my part of the world. I have always liked the idea of coming up with a word for a new year but find it difficult with all of the choices available. I stopped short of digging out the dictionary though....thankfully! I just seemed to come back to something that <a href="http://www.fredeaglesmith.com/">Fred Eaglesmith</a> had said at a concert. He talked about "Enough"....about deciding that you are enough and that you have enough. To me that's powerful and challenging at the same time. It's so easy to compare ourselves to others, to feel that we fall short in some way, to stress over not being a good enough daughter, friend etc. but what if we were just "enough". </div>
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Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-58574341222922345062012-12-31T13:51:00.002-05:002012-12-31T13:51:11.416-05:00On the Cusp of a New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my Facebook friends posted a quotation today that really connected with me as I think about leaving the year 2012 behind and heading into 2013. It is a quotation from Neil Gaiman who is such an eloquent writer. <br />
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<strong><em>"I hope you read some find books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can."</em></strong><br />
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Just wanted to share some of my favourite books of 2012 because there were some fine ones indeed this year.<br />
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Wishing you all contentment, love amd laughter in 2013. Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-15987138169204164162012-12-30T15:01:00.000-05:002012-12-30T15:01:00.791-05:00Sleeping MuseI call her Maisy, my muse, and she has been sleeping, for months! I just looked at the date on my last post and couldn't believe that it's been that long since I was inspired to write. I guess I haven't been creatively dry but rather have redirected my energies into gardening, cooking, crocheting. I must admit though that I've felt a restlessness and a void where art lives within me. Thank you to my faithful friends who gave me a nudge every once in a while by leaving a comment. <br />
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It's funny....when you haven't created art for a while, it is difficult to ease back into it. Fear and insecurity has a way of taking over. In my case another artist was very instrumental in urging me forward. Her name is <a href="http://coridantinimakes.blogspot.ca/">Cori Dantini</a>. I don't know her but I purchased a desk calendar/planner with her artwork in it. Initially it was to go to a friend but I couldn't part with it. I knew, however, that I wouldn't use it so I (gasp) cut it apart and reconfigured the illustrations in it. I spent two delightful days making cards, art journal pages and a round robin spread. Thank you Cori for your delightful artwork. It is amazing.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-74178066386720907492012-04-30T12:41:00.001-05:002012-04-30T12:41:48.013-05:00A Birding Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLcDMPaGqHhcvfgn1K8cVt0lixa4uuoeYhkLSm8gmT-RcGmmuQFHYsbgIBydFSMmuntCzUTfKOpD-EnI3CrwFF_5I9XjtQc50jpXv8bfYoE3MBRtlyyigfcyAjdeloy2J-K0nTfzaAp4/s1600/For+Connie+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLcDMPaGqHhcvfgn1K8cVt0lixa4uuoeYhkLSm8gmT-RcGmmuQFHYsbgIBydFSMmuntCzUTfKOpD-EnI3CrwFF_5I9XjtQc50jpXv8bfYoE3MBRtlyyigfcyAjdeloy2J-K0nTfzaAp4/s320/For+Connie+1.JPG" width="159" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjhyle9oNqjeIFnC-r7RBQY5on7pXXPeMPMjRMH10u6tS3WrxJAeG91piJd13rvi2xoCguTG0AXl6N8vVDUIIa7dddax23vWWG3gxM-Z6aLr0F80KQJ-yZQVB_r1EUDvpfpEDvMchujw/s1600/For+Connie+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjhyle9oNqjeIFnC-r7RBQY5on7pXXPeMPMjRMH10u6tS3WrxJAeG91piJd13rvi2xoCguTG0AXl6N8vVDUIIa7dddax23vWWG3gxM-Z6aLr0F80KQJ-yZQVB_r1EUDvpfpEDvMchujw/s320/For+Connie+2.JPG" width="159" /></a></div>
I frequent <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Goodreads</a> and<a href="http://www.librarything.com/"> Librarything</a> often seeking out interesting books that I might otherwise not stumble across even with all the resources at my disposal as a librarian. I am always so thrilled to read a "sleeper" that just captures my imagination whether it be fiction or non-fiction. One that definitely intrigued and frankly unsettled me is Life List by Olivia Gentile.<br />
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This is a biography about a woman named Phoebe Snetsinger who, at 34 years of age, set out on a walk behind her house, an activity suggested by a neighbour. What she discovered was a Blackburnian Warbler with a blazing orange throat. In her words, "I had never seen anything like it. And at the same time, I realized that the bird had probably been in the trees in my own backyard every spring I'd been alive." It was, as she described "like a blinding white light", as profound as a religious awakening, bringing intense joy, lifting her from the frustrations of her life and ultimately changing it irreovacably in both good and bad ways. She became frankly obsessed with birds almost to the exclusion of everything else in her life including her family. At the time of her death, she had recorded seeing 8398 species of birds worldwide! She actually passed away in a car accident while in Madagascar, chasing down a little peach-and-green bird called an Appert's Greenbul, that had been found and named only three years earlier. This is a fascinating read and an extraordinary woman.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-62960401142024558602012-04-29T16:27:00.003-05:002012-04-29T16:27:57.425-05:00Teens and Creativity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have to admit that I believe that the world balances itself. For every awful, rotten thing that happens, there is something good and inspiring. That pretty well sums up my week, to be honest. It had its low points and it definitely had its high points, one of which was the art journal workshop that I offered to teens yesterday at the library. Eight souls showed up at 11:00 a.m. (yes, time to sleep in but still...) and chose from the array of weeded books available to them. We prepped their "journals" by tearing out pages and applying gesso to their first spread and they were off! Paints, papers, Sharpie pens, collage images and a whole lot of imagination combined to make a memorable experience not only for them, but for me. I realized that they very much appreciated the art supplies (which they can't yet afford) and the uninterrupted time to make art. I very much enjoy working with teens and feel blessed to be able to do so. Nurturing their creative souls just makes me happy, inside and out. This is the journal spread that I started at the workshop yesterday and finished today, still riding the wave of my delight at the experience.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-22403459191751617692012-04-23T07:21:00.002-05:002012-04-23T07:21:41.779-05:00Springtime at Hidden Vintage Studios<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhTKsDpBAXUkQXvcEcAZPkMHrWPMHOdaQ3gIVk-8ajE2iRbwOxAWpcUb9lc43R6ZAZ7u7SEPn7srVVL2bnduapoglk4lENe8lvbMOqBAf5rD98WJLISFZ5bWAVwbejPN5FrXv14kvUCI/s1600/For+Deanne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhTKsDpBAXUkQXvcEcAZPkMHrWPMHOdaQ3gIVk-8ajE2iRbwOxAWpcUb9lc43R6ZAZ7u7SEPn7srVVL2bnduapoglk4lENe8lvbMOqBAf5rD98WJLISFZ5bWAVwbejPN5FrXv14kvUCI/s320/For+Deanne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Spring has sprung, the grass is ris...." My Dad was a great source of random tidbits of poetry and verse and this was one of the gems that he imparted ever Spring. Well, spring has sprung at Hidden Vintage Studios and they have created some whimsical and comical collage sheets to celebrate. It's a pleasure just playing with them and that's what I've done above. The first two images are from a round robin journal spread with the theme "Six Little Words". The idea was to use six words to convey a story in a spread....great theme, eh? The last two photographs are altered journals for friends. You can find the collage sheets at <a href="http://deviantscrap.com/">Deviant Scrap</a>.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-86076587420538442542012-04-22T18:42:00.003-05:002012-04-22T18:42:33.318-05:00A Philatelic Tribute to the Titanic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6N8klH9OF8hehEdGRebNCZ3KSibffLphfLHSZe7Gvh5I1FkxPAJ2pAgiz61JvtObgrv8rcKgTUn1eNcozFmlbhEd_hUGUmmg0l__RJiU-2K3A-vPSOE3PFnTs6HBbcYlxJoQ7UpluLg/s1600/2012-04-22+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6N8klH9OF8hehEdGRebNCZ3KSibffLphfLHSZe7Gvh5I1FkxPAJ2pAgiz61JvtObgrv8rcKgTUn1eNcozFmlbhEd_hUGUmmg0l__RJiU-2K3A-vPSOE3PFnTs6HBbcYlxJoQ7UpluLg/s320/2012-04-22+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I have an obsession with postage stamps. I'm often in the post office....I know you'll find that hard to believe....and when I am, I find myself drawn to the display of commemorative, collectable stamp sets. Well, to my delight, the 100th anniversary of the Titanic and Canada's connection to it was the subject of the beauties that I've woven into this art journal page. I've never stopped being fascinated by the Titanic disaster. I went to see Robert Ballard at the Ontario Science Centre a few years ago. I was mesmerized by his telling of how he discovered the wreckage and was even more moved by the fact that his voice cracked as he told of finding "personal items" on the ocean floor.....a boot, a doll, a bowl....things that made the discovery "human" to him. I've also visited the Halifax cemeteries where so many of the victims, particularly second, third and crew whose families couldn't afford to bring them home, are buried. Even after 100 years, the stories attached to this great by fated ship survive in the hearts and imaginations of people of all ages.<br /><br />Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-55630558165558738532012-03-04T17:14:00.000-05:002012-03-04T17:14:57.331-05:00Exciting New Collage Images from Hidden Vintage Studios<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9na35-Rc5GsnbVqhiGtLWqLnozx0qbBoC1zNgossKVk53JvpfER1fqBUGSfJt5U1EB1Lhk0Q5970kX9U5WrTIQgg2KJf-cFYCxhc8JBR71hRGu_aOlZeqDPbe6jjB3JkQaaP9kmG0uZI/s1600/2012-03-04+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9na35-Rc5GsnbVqhiGtLWqLnozx0qbBoC1zNgossKVk53JvpfER1fqBUGSfJt5U1EB1Lhk0Q5970kX9U5WrTIQgg2KJf-cFYCxhc8JBR71hRGu_aOlZeqDPbe6jjB3JkQaaP9kmG0uZI/s320/2012-03-04+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh75jNfOOJlq2um7FE7WZsQOCdzEx9AwEClysx3KJ7Xkp3Oy1kVV9DjrRQ8lC4hYV0oqzVolqZjBkyNRo7BhdvHTxc5IUnc3RO7UVUEZxEVYGAlI0s3QXI2np_4tPZ9_zytqZwIbPtbs/s1600/2012-03-04+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh75jNfOOJlq2um7FE7WZsQOCdzEx9AwEClysx3KJ7Xkp3Oy1kVV9DjrRQ8lC4hYV0oqzVolqZjBkyNRo7BhdvHTxc5IUnc3RO7UVUEZxEVYGAlI0s3QXI2np_4tPZ9_zytqZwIbPtbs/s320/2012-03-04+006.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>Well, I have the pleasure of being on the Creative Team for the new Hidden Vintage Studios at Deviant Scrap. The dynamic creative duo of <a href="http://glitterbugstudios.blogspot.com/">Tracey</a> and <a href="http://honeygirlstudio.blogspot.com/">Melissa</a> have just launched two sets of charming vintage images and there are more to come! The added bonus is that they are available in both png and printable jpeg sheets. Check them out by clicking on the links below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.deviantscrap.com/shop/product.php?productid=19634&cat=&page=">Sibling Rivalry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.deviantscrap.com/shop/product.php?productid=19633&cat=&page=">Red Headed Stepchildren</a>Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-48890928025810031022012-02-22T14:00:00.000-05:002012-02-22T14:00:49.625-05:00Don't Forget to Breathe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtcx1j9ja6XdnoCL8sog6d6X5xT-z6BVUY5k1DCUdk_gQBkZK5NexZFN3KJc_ulJwXe2UcN457jN6i5XvCRopd6RIoTx456QCWwhCS9Eb5stSwwnNzNFA8mqI7M2KN48VKzXPsdOc6h4/s1600/For+Beckie+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtcx1j9ja6XdnoCL8sog6d6X5xT-z6BVUY5k1DCUdk_gQBkZK5NexZFN3KJc_ulJwXe2UcN457jN6i5XvCRopd6RIoTx456QCWwhCS9Eb5stSwwnNzNFA8mqI7M2KN48VKzXPsdOc6h4/s320/For+Beckie+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I stumbled across an amazing quotation by Andrea Gibson:<br />
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<i><b>"I open my palm and my lifelines look like branches from an Aspen tree, and there are songbirds perched on the tips of my fingers, and I wonder if Beethoven held his breath the first time his fingers touched the keys the same way a soldier holds his breath the first time his finger clicks the trigger. We all have different reasons for forgetting to breathe. But please let my lungs remember."</b></i><br />
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When I read this, I thought about the first time that I was told to "breathe". I'm pretty sure it was in yoga class and I remember thinking to myself, "Is this woman crazy? Of course I'm going to breathe. I have to in order to survive.". It was after the instructor talked to us about awareness and that we do indeed hold our breath when under pressure that I began to revise my thinking. I've become much more aware of how I breathe and when I hold my breath and how mindfully breathing can calm me. Every morning I have established a bit of a ritual. As you likely all can imagine, I find mornings stressful after the exercise and the breakfast are over. They seem to be filled with a multitude of details that need attending to before I can get to work. Pack my lunch, brush my teeth, choose my outfit and accessories, find my mittens, charge my blackberry....and on it goes. As I'm putting on my watch, I always stop and take a deep breath and tell myself that I can face the day no matter what it brings. I'm not sure when I started this ritual but I find it helps center me and brings me a feeling of calmness even if that calmness only lasts for a few seconds.<br />
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Don't forget to breathe.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-76420611529425518282012-02-18T14:37:00.000-05:002012-02-18T14:37:18.469-05:00The Importance of Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmeiWlye2kOLwEQnvRTTNloIGx4kQ-QcJB_f9MbUj2RsRt3Iu-s-SzYhSKovhC_BrZWd5nxSPkjRmB9gt3VU6K5vw9ej0_emnlK_Og1OWQkEJ-thd8IqEhvDWXLZUwuQf-viX22tvjK4/s1600/For+Sandee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmeiWlye2kOLwEQnvRTTNloIGx4kQ-QcJB_f9MbUj2RsRt3Iu-s-SzYhSKovhC_BrZWd5nxSPkjRmB9gt3VU6K5vw9ej0_emnlK_Og1OWQkEJ-thd8IqEhvDWXLZUwuQf-viX22tvjK4/s320/For+Sandee.JPG" width="318" /></a></div>I was reminded this week of the importance of playing and remaining youthful throughout one's life. I have been coordinating a library renovation project for the last year or so. I worked with an interior designer to select furnishings for the building. She found the most amazing pieces for the children's department from a company called TMC. One of these pieces that we purchased was a puppet stage. From the minute it arrived and was set up, adults, teens and children alike flocked to it. One of our first groups of customers to play in it was a father and his three little ones. Dad nipped behind the stage after getting the children settled on little stools in front of the stage. For several magical minutes, he created a story for them using the puppets available. They were mesmerized. It gave me great delight to watch these interactions. I've seen children who are strangers to one another band together to perform. Even teens and tweens (when they think we're not watching) create plays for their friends. Our desire to play is a strong one and there are few places where it can be nurtured and released in the most amazing ways. I couldn't be happier that we've created one of them.<br />
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I'll leave you with a quotation that moves me:<br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination. ~Robert Fulghum</span>Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-35850982275977064892012-02-13T16:47:00.000-05:002012-02-13T16:47:11.820-05:00Living with my Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzDsvtW846woOHPyK8f9UdoGUz5FetZhASGE4GEkZC07nrVqfPJ6TdAbDpUuPikflA-Pqr30EGkxdNFPjk3zCTUClG4PZFhzDKM7X7R9XF5bG3c_QwkIPD5qi5YYQjkjp-Imn9JUgeSs/s1600/Doll.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzDsvtW846woOHPyK8f9UdoGUz5FetZhASGE4GEkZC07nrVqfPJ6TdAbDpUuPikflA-Pqr30EGkxdNFPjk3zCTUClG4PZFhzDKM7X7R9XF5bG3c_QwkIPD5qi5YYQjkjp-Imn9JUgeSs/s320/Doll.JPG" width="246" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOsb-S7YqWnK1B2WRssMTR6CNWjFYmFLdtPGb9H1rYFHZingJYBDJi3Y6Y6xOa1uIXZMWuM7lbr1DpJhR5gunppNV-hcljkMH_nga6hNMngxu1CMa5Xu3L8R0YXFTPJIqXbBjn2Hvm-U/s1600/Whimsy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOsb-S7YqWnK1B2WRssMTR6CNWjFYmFLdtPGb9H1rYFHZingJYBDJi3Y6Y6xOa1uIXZMWuM7lbr1DpJhR5gunppNV-hcljkMH_nga6hNMngxu1CMa5Xu3L8R0YXFTPJIqXbBjn2Hvm-U/s320/Whimsy.JPG" width="262" /></a></div>I have a friend who literally lives with his art. Honestly, until I visited his amazing home for the first time, I hadn't even thought about how important that could be. His walls are filled with his paintings which rotate as purchases are made or as his mood changes. His walls are painted bright colours so that he can switch his pieces around to see how colour makes a difference to them. I love visiting and I've thought a great deal about this whole idea of "living with one's art". I remember when my Friend visited and he asked where my art was....um, living with others around the world. Why didn't I have even one piece to show him? I've decided this year to begin to make art just for me. Okay, I don't yet have a piece of mine on a wall in my home but I have dug out journals that were never finished and I'm working on them. I've also launched full force into art journaling and this has given me another opportunity to create just for myself. I think it's somehow about having the confidence to say to a visitor "and this is one of mine". I'm working towards this day. These are a couple of journal pages that I created today.....just for me!Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-86508076614501390052012-02-12T10:31:00.000-05:002012-02-12T10:31:09.415-05:00Snug at Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQR9kTE2MrdZmffwy7ipWs9ycDKZTBiRlKlB01UHr0JrrPbDoMj_adRXXUjjrzX4ZZFoefOClT5rCNVl3HAgYz3gszVzPiT78k28ICGwXLmV4FhizIdf9D6XF5gueaydi00ylO79h-R4/s1600/2010-03-14+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQR9kTE2MrdZmffwy7ipWs9ycDKZTBiRlKlB01UHr0JrrPbDoMj_adRXXUjjrzX4ZZFoefOClT5rCNVl3HAgYz3gszVzPiT78k28ICGwXLmV4FhizIdf9D6XF5gueaydi00ylO79h-R4/s320/2010-03-14+006.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0rbXcyKMbAl2IS_aYig6kd-h0tWV_NgmflEaBA7-vrUNs8tVx63XHFaaQ7yH2hIlyIQBAktvpso33jfDhH9Iu3foO7ymd5RMhUG7O7TDp8sUijeHMF-FEQpZvCbyTGtcjAwgdNOz44c/s1600/2010-03-14+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0rbXcyKMbAl2IS_aYig6kd-h0tWV_NgmflEaBA7-vrUNs8tVx63XHFaaQ7yH2hIlyIQBAktvpso33jfDhH9Iu3foO7ymd5RMhUG7O7TDp8sUijeHMF-FEQpZvCbyTGtcjAwgdNOz44c/s320/2010-03-14+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijO45wzMjYl9Qp02ASzdB28m-H_E1LKV0iZkvJ2l7YUAYCn7ZvhafnNwuvG-Ew42V9gsw5aYpJwpATNiodiXZuRBK_lUjzZg-wiP43-_UXuXzDizdyqHwr9F2Pq2rapdBwplSckZUkNM/s1600/2010-03-14+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijO45wzMjYl9Qp02ASzdB28m-H_E1LKV0iZkvJ2l7YUAYCn7ZvhafnNwuvG-Ew42V9gsw5aYpJwpATNiodiXZuRBK_lUjzZg-wiP43-_UXuXzDizdyqHwr9F2Pq2rapdBwplSckZUkNM/s320/2010-03-14+004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>All of the elements have come together today. It's cold and snowing gently outside. Breakfast and my run are things of the past. Sweet chamomile tea is brewing and my art journal is calling to me. Nowhere to be....a delicious Sunday afternoon ahead. Ahhh.....well, shoveling may come later but that's later! Hope you have a creative day.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-48630041614706830792012-02-10T13:51:00.002-05:002012-02-10T17:26:10.536-05:00The Sanctuary of Reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpUnZ7PWA5QrterHkwyr301olyM-MOYWKwtZZlBz3d0Bg8oql0xUdq_H5zi8fzF40hDYSrCWDFnDuUvCw9Ddq8fezR4U9OBtGXEidhhpzvjwfFMbBv4nuqygtRmhA3s9W7wtWSEiKE58/s1600/Ode+to+books+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpUnZ7PWA5QrterHkwyr301olyM-MOYWKwtZZlBz3d0Bg8oql0xUdq_H5zi8fzF40hDYSrCWDFnDuUvCw9Ddq8fezR4U9OBtGXEidhhpzvjwfFMbBv4nuqygtRmhA3s9W7wtWSEiKE58/s320/Ode+to+books+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNt5u-ZBAa1IaJ9Uzp7gk96uy8HE0zuenrGXqDot9O_Q3RrXiLFytj7K3RoIsoPkUeW9L9nNE7TNr0o4ODyk8kRH-_TA7JF-qsdvkuC-Jyi-3Pt8AbXPu6qGezT4NAIEz9vzugwkhpKE4/s1600/Ode+to+Books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNt5u-ZBAa1IaJ9Uzp7gk96uy8HE0zuenrGXqDot9O_Q3RrXiLFytj7K3RoIsoPkUeW9L9nNE7TNr0o4ODyk8kRH-_TA7JF-qsdvkuC-Jyi-3Pt8AbXPu6qGezT4NAIEz9vzugwkhpKE4/s320/Ode+to+Books.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have always loved the idea of book clubs and have been a half-hearted member of several over the years. I had really given up hope of finding one that suited me until this year when I was asked to join one that has been running for years in our community. It is different from others in which I've participated in that professors from nearby University of Western Ontario lead the discussion and are paid to do so. This means "no fooling around", two solid hours of talking about the book chosen.....and that suits me just fine! Last night was one of the meetings and we discussed Alice Munro's "Too Much Happiness", a book of short stories written by one of the foremost writers in Canada. The stories are so rich in complexity and sometimes disturbing details and happenings that the discussion was lively, intriguing and literally could have gone on for a few more hours. I walked home afterwards still deeply immersed in thinking about the book and feeling blessed to be invited to be in a group of people who treasure reading as much as I do.<br />
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Just thought I'd leave you with a few lines from two books that are favourites of mine. The first is "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.<br />
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"This is a place of mystery, Daniel, a sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens....In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader's hand. In the shop we buy and sell them but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody's best friend. Now they only have us."<br />
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"....few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart. Those first images, the echo of words we think we have left behind, accompany us throughout our lives and sculpt a place in our memory to which, sooner or later - no matter how many books we read, how many worlds we discover, or how much we learn or forget- we will return."<br />
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The other book is "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt. I love this passage, again about books.<br />
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"Turner" he said, "books can be fire, you know." "Fire?" "Fire. Books can ignite fires in your mind, because they carry ideas for kindling, and art for matches."<br />
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Ever wonder what books in a bookstore or library do when humans aren't around? .....Check out this YouTube video:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/SKVcQnyEIT8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-18940035844259343072012-02-08T08:32:00.001-05:002012-02-08T11:44:31.900-05:00Special Energy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7IqefCy2vvok42V_Qb9zFkH6krO9bLIkXn4ECWtvZAZUwqlxtDYZikXZWtzsaLHUvHIRdJ_Lc7Ts9VrfeJbN96cjKtpAAjTcLG7BTLBTSCbbTdQlZ2edHWDvXqYGdE6wev0Cw316tB8/s1600/For+Lenna.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7IqefCy2vvok42V_Qb9zFkH6krO9bLIkXn4ECWtvZAZUwqlxtDYZikXZWtzsaLHUvHIRdJ_Lc7Ts9VrfeJbN96cjKtpAAjTcLG7BTLBTSCbbTdQlZ2edHWDvXqYGdE6wev0Cw316tB8/s320/For+Lenna.JPG" width="311" /></a></div>I just spontaneously decided to send the photograph below to a few of my lovely friends. I have it on my background at home and at work and it honestly makes me laugh each and every time I look at it. Whenever I'm having a bad day, I seem to gravitate towards things in nature that give me great pleasure and comfort and this little guy is one of them. We met him at a cottage that we'd rented and we fed him so well on peanuts that we're quite sure he's still feeding off them from his "stash". I always am tempted to write a caption to accompany him! I had a response from one of my friends who received the photograph. She sent me her own picture of a squirrel with attitude taken that day and she said this,<br />
<i><b>I know that artists tap into a special energy that connects us all together. <br />
Cool. </b></i><br />
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How wise and how very true. Thanks dear Trudi!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTPSGOq0zalLAdwwG5G5_B5jh-BC_R8-T9YsVNRD7xj6tVXwtpz-W2DVRBRUtl6Rj5NWNVM5TBLPKCIHXopOqr7JjOXSOAV6ReVNXBCbxPEoqyzwRaD14X5jwuQLzzUUFQr3-s3M9DUo/s1600/2009-08-23+077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTPSGOq0zalLAdwwG5G5_B5jh-BC_R8-T9YsVNRD7xj6tVXwtpz-W2DVRBRUtl6Rj5NWNVM5TBLPKCIHXopOqr7JjOXSOAV6ReVNXBCbxPEoqyzwRaD14X5jwuQLzzUUFQr3-s3M9DUo/s320/2009-08-23+077.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-35758411710911167332012-02-07T19:21:00.002-05:002012-02-07T19:23:38.493-05:00One of Those Days.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P4fZwU2NAw4wLQMYYVotQcqaDm8_u_1hpUGh5efNiueqL6epAt9-Z5lgC-QPw0ijx6AFfYQ8JYyQTzrNoitX34t-gt6UJ8fpAWI0Q0G3WGVSp0G2Aku8w5l7Jk-JUfRtohDHxp9k_Ds/s1600/IMAGE0288.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P4fZwU2NAw4wLQMYYVotQcqaDm8_u_1hpUGh5efNiueqL6epAt9-Z5lgC-QPw0ijx6AFfYQ8JYyQTzrNoitX34t-gt6UJ8fpAWI0Q0G3WGVSp0G2Aku8w5l7Jk-JUfRtohDHxp9k_Ds/s320/IMAGE0288.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HleRd9t_wtg7-56kLzEpm1566EG58MgOIWs4WlIDI_CxXGShnXgTwklW8LA01DUN8Cw1uiBiwobRbIh0CjTO2VvlQrc0XrQHw7j-Av_rwHsPHmRti0xBYF9TYIxUjXL8ChcbV0AqRss/s1600/IMAGE0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HleRd9t_wtg7-56kLzEpm1566EG58MgOIWs4WlIDI_CxXGShnXgTwklW8LA01DUN8Cw1uiBiwobRbIh0CjTO2VvlQrc0XrQHw7j-Av_rwHsPHmRti0xBYF9TYIxUjXL8ChcbV0AqRss/s320/IMAGE0289.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P4fZwU2NAw4wLQMYYVotQcqaDm8_u_1hpUGh5efNiueqL6epAt9-Z5lgC-QPw0ijx6AFfYQ8JYyQTzrNoitX34t-gt6UJ8fpAWI0Q0G3WGVSp0G2Aku8w5l7Jk-JUfRtohDHxp9k_Ds/s1600/IMAGE0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
Do you ever have "one of those days" when you feel as though you are so different that you barely seem to fit into the world? Your beliefs seems to be so at odds from everyone else's and are ridiculed by others? It's that old "square peg in a round hole" syndrome. These pages above were created for a round robin journal swap that I'm participating in and just seemed to epitomize my feelings about myself....in a rambunctious and positive way. Somehow I just need to put them out there and remember that life doesn't always have to rhyme!!<br />
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I thought I'd also share this YouTube video that was awaiting me when I arrived home this evening. It was exactly what I needed to hear and perhaps for some of you, it will be the same:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/E15sYx-cpso?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096602051134240783.post-56333426106305542632012-02-06T07:02:00.000-05:002012-02-06T07:02:12.191-05:00Shrine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMbl565ylPfTuu8oZCMBjnmxE__ahxta6zSLAEIMVQqsfrBJIRu55PKzJbjKXEMPhAbZYJEqF4arAxK3vOtlbGJLhaIpw0PdOiy_d5DFq7DRxqBJ3cqfvkzf1hE3V8nOzBq0fWyo3t3s/s1600/2011-11-20+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pfg9kZ0ZuKgP1m50iQmQ3R71gjF-_RwOOYvXbagVV6Nzvzki1fXsB6c1ookYn-UOzlAEHqLuo2HUB7snbhjk79m-pA9f24tLEmWbU0rKx3J56r4sqwSG6WTIwE31CW-fqWuFAuczw24/s1600/2011-11-20+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pfg9kZ0ZuKgP1m50iQmQ3R71gjF-_RwOOYvXbagVV6Nzvzki1fXsB6c1ookYn-UOzlAEHqLuo2HUB7snbhjk79m-pA9f24tLEmWbU0rKx3J56r4sqwSG6WTIwE31CW-fqWuFAuczw24/s320/2011-11-20+010.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I have always been intrigued by shrines. I think it's because they appeal to my librarian sense of gathering and organizing. After all, items on a particular theme are brought together to create a three dimensional object. I had taken a course from<a href="http://zinniasart.blogspot.com/"> Zinnia</a> on how to make one "from scratch" and had painstakingly done so but that's about as far as I'd gotten. The empty shrine had been hanging around in my cupboard for months. As so often happens, a shrine exchange was posted on one of my groups so I jumped at the chance to give my piece some meaning. The shrine for the group was to celebrate their 6th anniversary so I incorporated some sixes in the piece. The rest is open for interpretation.Heather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04651013895595834794noreply@blogger.com8