Just A Reminder

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to remind you all I am still blogging.

Come to MY NEW BLOG!

JennyBaio@blogspot.com

Where's Jenny?

Here I am!
I'm here only briefly as I have a new blog home.
I've been gone a while getting settle into my new home and new life in Arizona.
And with all the changes (including my name) I figured it was time for a new blog address.

I have loved blogging here and I am most grateful to my faithful blog followers!
My wish is that you will continue to follow me HERE.

Thank you!

Graduation

Last night, my daughter graduated!
She is third generation to graduate from her high school.
There she is with my mama.
We are very proud of her! She is a wonderful girl.

Moving Ain't Pretty

Ha! My art table is still messy! (last photo)
I can't quite bear to pack every art supply away just yet.
My colored pencils are out and I left some wool felt and embroidery floss out to play with.

No matter how much you may try to "organize" a pile of boxes, they are still just that...a pile of boxes.

Yesterday, my daughter dove into her room. (phew!)
She got a great start - willing to let go of a lot of little stuff.
But there were some things that I quickly grabbed out of her pile. You can see them all there in the second photo. I have so many of Chloe's kindergarten pictures (on left) but I can't stand to part with one. Tomorrow is her last day of school. Thursday she is her Graduation. (sigh)

Notice the wee box of crayons next to the big box pile.
My daughter didn't want them anymore. I kept them.

Moving ain't pretty.

More Coloring

Coloring

Today I colored!
Coloring is my favorite!
My first love.

Back in 1977, when I started kindergarten, I went in the afternoon.
That meant I had the TV all to myself in the morning as my sister and brother were at school.
Me. A box of crayons. A coloring book. Sesame Street.
HEAVEN!
And it still is...even now as I approach 40.

By the next school year, it was all about hearts and rainbows.
It remained that way for a couple of years.

For this drawing, I brought then all together.
But this time I used my new colored pencils rather than my crayons.

Don't Forget...

...to breathe.

New Chapter!

Simple.
Sweet.
Courthouse.
Married.

The Arizona blue sky on the day.

Say Thank You

"You cannot say good-bye until

you say

thank you."

I have been reading Kelly Rae Roberts e-book: FLYING LESSONS.
She shares this statement in her book; something she learned from a friend.

It melted my heart when I read it.

My moving day approaches!

Before I can say good-bye to my apartment,
Will say thank you for keeping my daughter and I safe, for being our home.

Before I can say good-bye to my downstairs neighbors,
I will say thank you for making us feel welcomed and for providing laughter in the early evening that would come up through our door.

The list goes on.
I will hold this thought - especially when it comes time to say "thank you" to my family.

Sweet Gray Monday

Swimsuit

she loved her new swimsuit

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I am excited about the new resin rings I have for sale in my ETSY shop.
Click HERE to see!

Have a wonderful day!

Overalls

standing in a wee pool of light

Lovely

A friend sent this to me yesterday. I thought it was lovely.

Content

she needed very little to make her heart content

Courage

A poem my daughter wrote a couple of years ago:

Courage is a kite that flies among our dreams

Courage is a flash of genius that makes us smarter is seems

Courage is a gambler that risks his goals

Courage is a mother that uplifts our souls

Unexpected LOVE

Hello All!
Here I am!

I took this photo the other night. I got to the end of the toilet paper roll and there is was: unexpected LOVE!

Well, I now know moving day is June 8! That is coming right up.
I am excited. And just when I think I've done enough shedding of STUFF, I find I am willing to do another layer. Each time, I begin to feel the freedom of letting go of STUFF and THINGS.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Absent

I have been terribly absent from blogging lately.
But I must be realistic that in the next couple of months it may just be that way as I get ready to move, my daughter finishes High School...and such.

I did create this painting last week.










































And yesterday, I spent wonderful time with my sister, knitting in her backyard on a perfect spring day.
I have feverishly been knitting cotton dish rags.

I listed new items in my Etsy shop - like this ONE.

I have new Finger Pincushions like this sweet BIRD.
A boutique in Los Angeles, 8 Limbs, will be selling some in their shop, too.
I was honored they found me.

I hope you are all well!
Cheers!

Hello Toes!

It has been a while.

Simplify

Our life is frittered away by detail...Simplify, Simplify.

-Henry Thoreau

In anticipation of moving in June, I have been shedding old stuff.
I've taken many donation drop-off trips to the library and the Goodwill.
Alas...I think I've made a dent but it still seems like I have so much STUFF!

Simplify. I'm trying.

Breathing Spring

Today I was walking home from an appointment.

I love hearing the sound of someone practicing piano through an open window.

Breathing Spring.

Something New

I found this tiny old photo in a used book store.
It measures about 2 x 2.5 inches.
I love it!
So I decided to my interpretation of it.

























My painting is 6 x 9 inches.
I may even be so bold as to buy a large canvas and try this again.

Have a safe and fun Saturday.
I have a new listing in my SHOP. Click HERE.
Cheers!

Grateful

This past Sunday, this ITEM from My Shop was featured in four different treasuries on Etsy.
(A treasury being a collection of themed items from fellow Etsy sellers...if you're wondering.)

I was featured HERE...

and HERE...

as well as HERE...

and lastly HERE!

I am GRATEFUL!

Spring Sunday

and still nothing could be found...

there would be no surprise,

but plenty of assumptions.

tiny little sorrows build up into a giant hug

love leans against God's leg

safe

Late Afternoon Outing

Tuesday

Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come.
- Carl Sandburg

Monday's Art & Poem

Good night! Good night!
Far flies the light;
But still God's love
Shall flame above,
Making all bright.
Good night! Good night!

- Victor Hugo

Today's poem, as well as the one from yesterday,
were pulled from an old book I have titled: Time for Poetry - A Teacher's Anthology, copyright 1951. It is full of good stuff!

Sheltered So...

Within your heart
Keep one still, secret spot
Where dreams may go,
And sheltered so,
May thrive and grow --
Where doubt and fear are not.
Oh, keep a place apart
Within your heart,
For little dreams to go.

-Louise Driscoll

Pig

I took this picture last Saturday.
We were at a wonderful petting zoo.

Some may find then unpleasant, but I loved this pig...or shall I say hog.
He was HUGE! And he made me smile!

A Wednesday

she knew how to keep her serenity

Thank You

Thank you for the prayers for my pa!
He should be going home soon.

I have been fun working larger (6 x 9 inches) and in more pattern work.
Even when I am painting, I am really coloring.
Coloring is good medicine for me!

Cheers to you all!

A Thursday

love

and rest

and forgiveness

and gentleness

and another reason to laugh

and a moment to weep

and a pillow to rest your head

and a shoulder to cry on

and a silly song

and a goofy comment

and a sandwich to share

and reason to reminisce

It will be a good day.

Please keep my dad in your prayers. He is still very sick.
Thank you!
Hugs!

Striped Shirt

the day wore a striped shirt

with laughter

and heart ache

New Art & Hafiz Poem

The heart is the thousand-stringed instrument.

Our sadness and fear come from being
Out of tune with love.

All day long God coaxes my lips to speak,

So that your tears will not stain His green dress.

It is not that the Friend is vain,
It is just your life we care about.

Sometimes the Beloved takes my pen in hand,
For Hafiz is a simple man.

The other day the Old One wrote on the Tavern wall:

"The heart is a thousand-stringed instrument
that can only be tuned with LOVE."

-Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky

My Gift

Michael Leunig is a wonderful artist I was introduced to by my fiance.

After sharing some of his quotes in blog posts, a fellow blogger offered to send me a gift.

You see...in Australia, Leunig is a national living treasure.
At the new year, there is a free calendar and a sheet of wrapping paper available to all.

Betsy B was kind enough to offer to send them to me!!

I was thrilled! I love them!
I am still basking in the unexpected kindness of another!
And all the way from Australia!

THANK YOU, BETSY B!

I am so very grateful!

Rainy Day Prayer

God help us

to live slowly:

to move simply:

to look softly:

to allow emptiness:

to let the heart

create for us.

Amen

-Michael Leunig






Tomorrow I shall share the wonderful gift I received from a fellow blogger.

Today it rains! I LOVE it!

YES!

Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive.

One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

A simple prayer: YES!

Happy Valentine's Day

love
love
love
love

You Just Know

for brief moments...

you love beyond the pain and smile at the tiny picture

you hear the old man talk on the phone
he speaks of Jesus and baking cookies

...and you know...

you just know