Color Me Happy

Geez. It's been a while since I posted. Been busy, busy busy. I've begun in earnest to paint some of the millions of mismatched pieces of orphaned furniture we have stashed here , there and.....where else did I stash stuff? Oh yea,-Ma graciously took some of my orphans.---

I'm soooo lucky. My Ma and the Mr. 's Mom both have taken in the overflow. O YES. Overflow. Add all that to the inventory that came with the purchase of the shop. That is still at the previous owner's storage space. I haven't done an official inventory, but I can tell you that it is not just overflowing, it's overwhelming . But I think it is fair to say that I'm happily overwhelmed.

Happily overwhelmed because I LOVE paint ! Just love it. All those luscious colors. (I can't get enough paint chips ; those delectable color swatches that suggest all manner of renovation/renewal . And their names. I wouldn't mind having the job of naming all those paints. What FUN. But I digress. ) Just a little paint and a girl can change her space or mood, inject attitude, lighten & brighten or, darken & introduce a little mystery. Possibilities are yours for the imagining.

As I've mentioned before, I find myself responding to change of season through color. Just a very few weeks ago, I was all enthused about the Whites, the Winter whites. And since I'd begun the painting, that's what I painted with.--will post a photo of a sweet little cabinet just as soon as I get it "finished" off. These past couple of weeks I've begun to catch tiny glimmers of Spring ( though we are predominantly surrounded by snow still , AND there are predictions that there will be even more this week-end ----- ARGH ) ; the song of the birds, the slightly swelling buds on some trees, a bare touch of warmth in the air. And with that and the yearning it induces, I've found myself leaning toward the pastels ( my latest piece is a valet chair, now completely painted in pink- a nice chalky pink. But I'm not quite through with it. I've come to believe that "she" is begging for a flirty little skirt. And to complete the ensemble, , a strappy little belt. Oh yes! Just in time for the Easter Parade. )

Do you too crave change of color with the change of season? What are your colors? Are you a Spring? Summer? Winter? Autumn? Maybe you are a color chameleon? And what , if anything, does it say about you? I'm always drawn to turquoise & purple. Blues run a close second. Too, I will sometimes gravitate toward coral,burnt orange. And for wardrobe , I have quite a bit of black ; such a wonderful base on to which the other colors can pop.

If you're curious as to the psychology of color, associations and symbolism try http://www.sensationalcolor.com/content/category/5/43/144/.

Have a colorful week-end, Cyth

Oh Woe --More Snow

Oh YES. More snow today. More winter white for as far as the eye can see.

The 3+ weeks of reprieve was wonderful. We even had a little snow melt. There was a vague , tiny to be sure,hint of Spring. I heard , then saw, robins in the yard. ( I've been told that they've been around all Winter this year --global warming? ) but to hear their sweet trill was as though Spring had snuck up and tickled me from behind. And I heard the phoebe calling. First I thought some crazy bird had been a little too anxious for Spring ( like me ) and had made his appearance too soon. But no, there were at least 2 of them ; one would call ,the other in the distance would answer. Ahhh , I thought to myself, YES, Spring is coming !!!

Ahhhh. I was so wrong, for here we are today with the white falling all around us, shrouding driveways, branches, bird feeders, clotheslines, sheds, rooves, garden decorations that were just beginning to appear again. All is white again.

Three and a half + weeks ago I was reveling in the tide of white, carrying on about the varying hues and tints of this "poor man's fertilizer". I was planning an interior scheme for a small corner of the shop, to be decked in white, of those same varying whites/off-whites. To that end , I've been furiously painting some chairs, cabinets, & small accessories in alabaster, "teacup"white ( a slightly pinkish white) , and white white. And I've relished it.

In my head that little corner is to be a cool, refreshing oasis of tranquility amid the summer heat of the non-air conditioned barn the shop is housed in, and the exuberance of the other vividly painted furniture.

Well I've gotta tell ya, right now I'm just not needing that cool, icy oasis. All I need to do is look out the window and shivers run down my spine.

Oh yes, I do think I'm "skating" on thin ice right now. My heart AND my mind are searching for the signs that tell of warmth and renewal.

In years past , I would start popping little seeds into those peat pots in my effort to hurry Spring along. The window sills would be lined, filled in every last inch, with seedlings. And though they were a joyful sight , it was a l-o-n-g time before I could put them out. In the meantime, I drove myself crazy trying to water them and not the windowsill and floor, streaking the wall as it cascaded down. They needed to be transplanted into larger pots that would not fit on the sills.And I had no room to give them the light they needed. Oh woe.

I've stopped planting seeds in February, though I do, indeed must , stop at every seed package display I can find. Their small envelopes are appealing in so many ways. They hold out the promise of things to come. A little package, a little price tag and the promise of new life, warmth and beauty. I am especially drawn to the packages that have hand painted images. And at this time of year, I find that in particular I am riveted to the the softly colored ones.

I find myself yearning for the soft , gentle colors of a new Spring, the pale tones that whisper promises of new life---the muted pansies, Easter eggs, soft chicks, new grass, budding leaves. I'm ready ( oh so ready ) to shed the icy whites of Winter , but not yet ready for the vibrant , full, deep colors of the hot weather. And the seed packets offer me this too. And I can fill my eye with a large bouquet of flowers to carry home with me.


Have yourself a wonderful day. Fill it with dreams of things to come-inspiration to carry you through the last days of this stubborn Winter. Warm wishes, Cyth

Valentine Soiree

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Welcome ! Welcome! The Time has come and I'm sooooo glad that you could make it to my little Valentine soiree.



If you would like to come in and sit for just a quick minute , I'll be with you in a jif.

I'm just finishing up hiding all the little envelopes for the Mr. Tee hee. I've inserted a little rhyming clue into each of the wee envelopes that I'd made a couple weeks ago. Now he has to go find his treats. I think I might stump him on at least one clue. Tee hee.

But anyway, I will join you back here in mere moments. I first must find my pearls. A girl without her pearls at an event like this is an almost unthinkable circumstance.

I'm back. Oh I see that you've met my little friend. He's looking a glum right now , but just wait till later. What I know , that he doesn't know , is that his sweetheart will be joining us a bit later. She had things to attend to "across the pond" , but has made it a point of coming home to surprise him on this festive day.

Well, this little "love bird" has been patiently waiting for you. He was hoping that you'd stop by , if only for a few minutes.


I just got word that another friend has just "blown the coop" and will be joining us as well. She doesn't get out often, but she's dressed for this occasion and ready to party.

Can't you begin to feel the anticipation? Friends, like yourself, are arriving and the atmosphere is getting lively. Don't you just LOVE Valentine's Day ? !


So , please grab a cup. There's plenty of tea .

Oh, but , that's right, there is punch as well. Mmmmmmmm. Everything is looking so good. Help yourself.

Oh do you see that devilishly good-looking gentleman over there? He's unattached at the moment (though it's hard to understand why. Not only is he good-looking but SUCH a GENTLEman. ). I do believe that he likes something a wee bit stronger than punch. Maybe you would like to take one of these glasses over to him and introduce yourself.

Ah. Here is our guest of honor !! Welcome. Surely wherever he is , Love springs eternal. Yes indeed, today is the day for honoring LOVE, of whatever flavor one chooses---platonic, romantic, passionate, familial, whatever. Let's raise a glass. And drink to LOVE.

I'm thinking that if you don't get on over to the table, you might not get one of the delicious cupcakes. What dreamy confectionery perfection ! Oops. I guess I've given myself away. I have to admit that I just HAD to sample one before my guests arrived. All in the name of quality control, of course. No truly. And it was only one !

Oh , you say you have to go ? Well I'm sooooo glad that you could stop by for a bit. Before you leave , be sure to take along a rose. I hand picked them just for this celebration. Maybe you should take another to give to a special friend. Do be sure to have a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day and thanks so much for coming.

With Love, Cyth

Stop and Smell the Roses

cough, cough.....cough...cough,cough,cough,cough...gasp........cough. Blasted "congestion" turned into a tsunami of unending noseblowing, coughing, gasping, rasping,tearing.. My sides ache from coughing,my throat is raw from coughing and there no amount of honey that's gonna soothe this. I think only time will heal this.

I'm actually feeling a bit better today. Yee haa. Can't get out of my own way, but at least I'm up and trying to dance. Cough---ouch. I'm usually down with the kids on Tuesdays, but I just couldn't do it this week. Probably won't make it tomorrow either. ------ I'll miss our Valentine's celebration. Ah well, LOVE is good any time of the year, wouldn't you say.

I always find it interesting that when I'm feeling sick, even when if on the mend , that all my perceptions, reactions, thoughts, pretty much everything,.........excuse me, chest-racking COUGH.............. s-l-o-w way down. On the one hand , I find that I'm surely not the brightest star in the sky , but on the other hand , I seem to notice nuances that usually go unseen,or at best relegated to unimportant. But , when ailing, it's as if everything is in slow motion and I can see details more thoroughly .

I was looking out the window yesterday as I lay in bed, and watched the bluejays pilfer all the seed from the bird feeder. And the color of the jays feathers were a blue to rival the color of the sky. The transition of the blue to an area of gray or white was more pronounced. Even the squawk of one bluejay to another was more piercing. It's really quite amazing. Does it sound weird to feel grateful for being sick, when one's senses are pleasurably heightened? I can tell you that I would not wish ill health on myself, or anyone, just for this sensation. But maybe I can be more mindful when I am in otherwise good health.

Enough. I am mending. And I am grateful for that.

Did you notice that despite being SICK , I was able to appreciate the MOON, full and glorious. I really wasn't up to running outside , but I did catch it through the bedroom window. Blessed be. Need I say more?

Good health to you all....and remember to stop and smell the roses,

Cyth

My Valentine Tree

Oh yeah, don't forget that Valentine's day is almost here. Remember someone ,perhaps Yourself, with love.

Just a quick hello. I sure hope that your week has gone well. Myself ? Been fighting a bit of congestion in the head and chest. Kind of like walking through an Oregon fog ----sometimes it moves out , then before you know it it's full blown climatological soup. Me thinks the Winter has stayed over long. But according to Punxsatawney Phil , Spring will not arrive for 6 more weeks-----well I guess now it's just a little bit more than 5 weeks Yee HAAA ! Can't come soon enough---cough, cough.

Hate to say ------ naw, not really------ I was drawing the curtains again this evening against the cold (only suppose to go to the single digits tonight -- a relief from the below 0's that we've been having up here in the Northeast ) and what to my surprised eyes did I spy? YES. Another glorious moon , filling but not full,and gently sprinkled all around it , spangly stars, like freckles on a a fresh young face. Yes , indeed, I'm always delighted by the sight of the moon, in all of its stages , phases & moods. It shines but remains cloaked in a deep indigo blanket. It's light, sufficient tonight, to glint across the heaps of snow , giving a shadowy depth to the night landscape . It's great and ageless mysteries beckon to be explored. It IS magic to me.

Isn't it wonderful how magic can touch us, sometimes even sneak up on us ? And sometimes when it does, it moves the world just a little toward goodness and joy. Let me introduce..... a young girl , pretty , smart, AND a little high-strung. And to this picture , I'll add a younger brother, good-natured, easy going and adoring of the older sis, who most of the time suffers him loudly. Now add to the mix a hurried and harried morning--- Quick kids , out the door, into the car, can't be late for school. On go the jackets and the hats and the mittens and the boots , but WAIT . "WHERE is my scarf?" yells Sis, as if she were two rooms away , not 3 feet from us. And the mad scurry begins. Into the bedroom---nope, not there. Check the mitten tree----nope , not there. "NO .I Can't wear THAT one , it's too short." All the while, Little Brother is calmly watching the maelstrom around him, unflustered by the noise and the commotion brought on by The Typhoon Terrorist. Faintly in the background can heard the weary voice ( and it's only 8:30 a.m. ) of authority warning of dire consequences of being late. Still Sis is running and complaining.

Then,as suddenly as it began, the storm who is Sis, comes to an abrupt halt. Looking from the bright red scarf upon the mitten tree to Brother, and with sugar in her voice thick enough to gag, she plaintively asks Little Brother if she could wear his scarf. HERE COMES THE MAGIC. Unflinching and unflustered, with calm in his voice and a glint of hope in his eye, he answers simply , "You can take my scarf- for a kiss." Time stood still for a split second. She acquiesced. And the world for one young lass and one little brother was again in balance.

I wish that these eyes that had witnessed those few moments of chaos and resolution could adequately describe what had passed between those two. Gratitude , understanding, caring and love in a child-size dose FILLED the room in a way that only spontaneous emotion can. And for that split second, I'd wished that I could have opened the door and let it fill the air. I wish that the skies could have carried it 'round the world , dropping bits of compassion and love like fairy dust, settling into the dark crevices of our meanest human character. THIS WAS MAGIC.

Addendum....... Later that day Little Brother confided to me ,that earlier in the week , he had made a request of dad -I don't recall the specifics of that request,; no doubt something of great importance to the little guy . In return for fulfilling this request , Dad asked only for... a little kiss. This little guy, it seems , learned well. Small magic, big yield.

I send you wishes for small magic to replace your chaotic moments, Cyth