Beelieve

Think positive...

...for a cure to cancer!

I have so many words that need to come out for this newest art piece of mine. I think I will have to write about it in a few smaller posts.  My friend Kim in CT asked if in lieu of donating money to her Relay for Life team would I be able to create an art piece that they could purchase for a discount and auction it.  I responded, "NO WAY!....I will create a piece for FREE" (for those who have followed me all along or have been to my about page you know that is was the Relay for Life that gave me the push to make my business official)

My personal challenge was to create a piece that would be bright, have depth and meaning as well as go with a variety of interiors. 

 My message needed to be broad, covering all aspects of life an not just the Relay.  It needed to be positive..."that's it", the light bulb went of.  It needed to be POSITIVE!  What could be more positive than...

"+"

  Exciting  since I am seeing the "first aid" or red cross sign everywhere these days.  I automatically think "help is on the way".  Who is it that helps?  Are we always waiting for "that other person" to step up and help, or are we the first in line to help?  If you have ever witnessed a Relay for Life, you know the answer to that.  Millions of people pulling together to raise awareness and money for a cure.  If you have been there, you have experienced the emotion and yes the positive energy.  If you have walked with a survivor, that energy is 100 times as strong.  Their energy stems from believing in a cure...that cure stems from the money that is raised...which all circles back to us.  The one that helps...the one who steps forward and is first in line. I also invite you to my post from last year, where I shared the best I could, my feelings and motivation for this cause.

I had to...

 

in this piece as I created it.  Then, Victor Hugo came to mind with a quote I kept jotted down for a different idea.

"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings"

I may not have wings, but I do have paint ,brushes and a whole lot of other art materials to work with so I added a bird, a branch and that very positive quote.

Words are "carved" into the background.  They are all words that can be followed by the word "positive".  "believe" "think" and "love" to be exact.    I have even used the word "think" again in a leaf on the branch.  I cut it from one of my favorites, and most popular, Robert Frost poems: "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".  I used the page as one of the many background layers in this piece and love that you get a glimpse of it on the profile of the canvas. I also have "many miles to go before I sleep". 

It will be hard to part with this piece of me but I hope the person who has the winning bid at auction displays it where they will be reminded to come first to aid those who are in need. That they will "believe, love and think" positive in every aspect of their life.  May they believe in themselves  as playing an important role in coming up with a cure for cancer.

If you would like to support my friend Kim's team in CT you may do so here

If you would like to support my friend and cancer survivor Nancy at our local event you may do so here

Pictures of us at last year's Relay may be found here

In the days ahead I will post about actual art making process of this piece.

Think positive and stay tuned in...

.......I have so much more to tell about my newest canvas but wanted to share a glimpse!

"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings" ~Victor Hugo

Bee Spotting~ A very special one!

I have always found it interesting how people enter our lives, why they are there and how kindred spirits find each other.  Even more so since the introduction of Beelieve.  I marvel at our paths through life and how we end up meeting. This holds true for all the priceless friendships in my life.  When I first met Maya from Maya*Made I felt a strong pull to explore her weblog and there I discovered she was playing on my old stomping grounds.  We started emailing and a friendship bloomed.  She is an inspiration and there is a synchronicity in so much that we do.  A very positive energy is shared. 

I have enjoyed how Maya lives her life by respect for others, nature and the simplest of resources. Her dedication to upcycling just about anything and appreciation for fabric patterns along with her assistance in fueling Mama Goose, a "gently used" children's store that prompted me to gather several of my daughter's hard to part with clothes.  Knowing Maya has a little pajama girl of her own at home just a year younger than my daughter, I asked if she wanted these items.  I could not think of anyone else with the right sized child who would appreciate the beauty and design of special clothes barely worn.  I also knew if she could not use them they would go forward as mapped out for them. 

When Maya and her daughter received the items the email was one of the most energetic and jovial emails one could read....Maya has a way of making you feel you are jumping around in the same room excitedly hugging like teenagers who just saw a rock star.  Out of the goodness of her heart she made the most wonderful thank you gift box full of surprises for me.  This is something I would have done, but to be on the receiving end of it this time lifted my spirits so high...a gift for me so custom it make me well up in tears just looking at the pictures. 

So in the spotlight today I have the honor to show you first, Maya's printed work from a hand carved bee stamp.  There were so many fun goodies in this package.  Look at the fun Bingo card below...It sure was a BINGO I won package!

 

Maya also made a cute door knob tag, excellent idea by the way!  A fun Blue Bee sketch book and I knew by the smell of the box there was lavender in there...what a great sachet indeed!

 

The scream of the day...the CUSTOM MAYA*MADE BLUE BEE BURLAP BUCKET!!!!!  (say blue bee burlap bucket 10 times fast)

 

If you have ever read my "philosophy" on my about page, you will understand how much this all means to me...right down to the box it was delivered in.  Thank you Maya, big honey coated hugs to you!

(there are some bee links, including one from Maya, I will share as soon as I get permission to show some pictures)

Razzle-Dazzle in our own back yard

 

Hope you all had special memories this weekend!

Bench Monday~Memorial Day

I am thankful for this beautiful morning...

  

but it does not go without a moment of Memoial Day silence

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

This beauty will go at half-staff from sunrise until noon tomorrow, Memorial Day 2009.  I beg you all to check the flag code if you need to.

O! say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Thank you to this Wikipedia link  for the words.  Thank you to all who have died for our country, that form of bravery will never be overlooked by myself or my family.  God bless you!

 

Too cute not to post

Spring Petals in the wind

Back on Mother's Day, a very windy Mother's Day, I declared a day to paint something!  Anything!  I just needed to get paint on a canvas.  That is exactly what I did.  Started throwing random paint on a canvas, adding papers , more colors then leave it alone....then go back and do more.  A progressive canvas.  I just added to it when I felt I needed to then left.  Petals started to develop, flowers, a breeze even.  I remember thinking with how windy it was I hoped all the apple blossoms would not blow off our trees.

Last week, Inspire me Thursday had "petals" as the challenge.  I am late getting this posted but may toss it in anyway.  It was a great topic for spring.  It also helped that Nature is the perfect theme over at Leah's Creative Every Day for the month of May...at least I won't miss that...it is still May isn't it?

You know when something is worth the wait...

...when you can take these pictures through a dirty window with the subjects several feet away and they turn out like this

 

and this

 

And before I learn all that is inside this:

I love it and it was worth every penny.  Work hard for your dreams, work hard!  It is so worth it in the end!!

Bee Spotting~5/19/9

 

A super short and sweet bee spot today. 

First, how cute is this Mason Bee House from Gardeners Supply? 

 

It was found once I started link hopping from this post on Indie Fix that featured beekeeping paintings from Kim Fox. 

Next I find it only fair to mention that

Beelieve has been spotted

by two real honeys this week.  I can not thank you ladies enough. Your kind words are heartfelt, thanks for the love!!

I have been a busy bee lately but would like to thank Chrissy from One Crafty Place for the sweet as honey write up about the poodle skirt I just made.  Stop by and say hi, you will enjoy yourself for sure!

I would also like to thank Sinclair at Sharing our Gifts for the lovely feature about the little sandbox I made with the old dresser drawer and some very nice words.

Thank you all so much for all your kind words and dropping in.  I would love to spend time with each and every one of you.  I just mentioned in a comment elsewhere and will say it here.  There was a time I did not even know blogs had "stats".  Once I learned about them, I started feeling like Beelieve was more than just my art journal. From that point on, I have sent a "thank you" vibe every time I saw the numbers.  I hope you have felt them!  Sweet dreams!