Collages or are they assemblage?

Cuba Red
5" x 5"
Mixed Media

Buddha Mango
5" x 5"
Mixed Media

I have a bunch of jewelry to finish but have been inspired to make these simple collages. I have a show this weekend in SB- Jill of All Trades at the Presidio Motel on upper State St. 11- 7pm. should be fun with good music, food and lots of Indie Arts and Crafts.

Eggs
5" x 5"
Mixed Media
I'm not sure I am finished with this. It looks so much different in person. These pieces are small and intimate and on the computer they are more imposing.

Big Sky
5" x 5"
Mixed Media
I love this one. I am inspired to do some landscapes.

meditation, health and a full life

I truly apologize to anyone who comes to my blog and finds that I have not up dated forever. I have open a shop on etsy and that eats up so much of my time. On top of that I have made a promise to myself to exercise and meditate daily before I go to the Art Clinic. That means I have to get up early to at least meditate before Ruth gets up otherwise I'll never fit it in. The exercise I have chosen is bike riding and I travel across town on bike paths for 45 min. I have gone everyday save one for over 3 wks now and have noticed an improvement in my butt!!! Thank god, because I am a lousy dieter!!!
The meditation is something I have done on and off for years but never made it a priority. I've decided, as I turn 50 next week, it is important to finally make the commitment to my improved health both physically and spiritually as that in turn will help my emotional self (though today was really hard, I probably should have stayed in bed, but I am better now).
While I ride my bike I borrow Ruth's MP3 player (it's called a Creative Zen) and I listen to inspirational audio books. At this time I have been listening to Deepak Chopra recite the Bhagavad-Gita, something I have wanted to read but never got very far. He does a wonderful job explaining the metaphor of the story and the power of language. I highly recommend this audio book. I borrowed it from the library. It is called, "Sacred Verses, Healing Sounds."

I am truly grateful for my life.

Gocco Prints into Mini Books

Do you remember my book printing escapade which I started a few months ago? Well, I'm almost finished with the cover- but before I could do that cover I had to make a prototype for it 'cause I wasn't sure of things would print-so that process became a whole other series of limited edition books.
I call these Matchbook Books because they are in the style of a matchbook. They are about 2" x 3" and have watercolor paper inside. The one above is called "Safe Journey" which is an affirmation for the journey we all take in life no matter the map (or lack of one).

This one above (the close up and open view) is called, "Four Crows on a wire".

Above is "Pomegranate Abundance" and is the image that started this whole thing. I want to use this similar idea for the cover of my limited edition journal, you know the one I started way back in May.

Just today as I was putting this book on my etsy site I realized I spelled Pomegranate wrong!!!
This is how my brain works and one of the so called faults that used to make me cringe. But tonight as I realized my mistake I know I have done a lot of growth lately as I am laughing rather than feeling like a complete idiot and thinking"what will they think of my intelligence?" As for now, I think it is okay and adds a bit more uniqueness to the piece. These are Art Books after all. Who says I didn't plan it that way!!!!