thankful {things I love} thursday ...

cardinal couples

nests

beautiful in every season

pieces of art in themselves

Archer ~ my love

unconditional

x

snow glistening like diamonds

and tree branch shadows

the serenity of the woods

& the deep love , respect and connection I feel for mother earth...

shared in my newest painting

bound to you

crow * owl * badger * hare * moon *trees

the "story" became more of a love note

I am bound to you

heart and soul

living fully

brave and bold

sky watcher

earth walker

tree hugger

bird talker

bound to you

body and mind

precious *mother earth*

you leave daily treasures for me to find

how you nourish me

in simple, gentle ways

a cooling breeze, sky filled with clouds

warmth on my neck ... Namaste

in gratitude, I bow...

you keep me grounded

keep me aware

keep me well rounded

I am bound to you

in every move I make

I walk you gently

giving back more than I take

© deb dunn

whispering ancient wisdom ...

how did you know what I needed to hear?

whispering ancient wisdom into my ear.

how did you sense my need to learn more?

everyday I have a longing to know more than the day before.

thank you,

dear one,

for entrusting in me 🙏🏻...

for always opening my ears & my eyes to the beauty 🍃🌿

helping me

to hear and to see.

reminding this crone

she is never alone ✨

~deb dunn~

one walk through the woods

fills my head {and heart}

with images & words ...

and while Mr .Crow may have been my only companion as I walked

his beauty and presence was enough to stir my imagination x 

catching dreams ...

Walking through the woods with Archer ... on a very cold January afternoon, the beauty of our surroundings kept me from thinking of the cold {although I was thankful for my warm jacket, hat, gloves and boots which allowed me to stay out longer}

"Like walking a dream" crossed my mind amongst the tall trees as snowflakes danced in the air.

Each snowflakes pattern could be seen on Archers beautiful black fur...

Oh how I adore January and this sacred walking space ...

I held my hand out, palm up to gather a scattering of falling flakes ... dream catcher ...

& then I thought ...

How often do/have  we place our dreams in the hands of others?

Here's to being our own dream catcher!

***

Little girls with dreams

become women with vision

"Your dreams are a poetic reflection

of your soul's wishes.

Be courageous enough

to follow them"

~Dr. Steve Maraboli~

If your dreams don't scare you

maybe they're not big enough!

"Never settle.

Fight for 

the life

the career

the dreams

the love

that you deserve"

~Mandy Hale~

Happy Dreaming!

d x

New Year ... New Painting ...

Happy New Year 

***

I have so many ideas for paintings

{and like my guiding word, they are just waiting to flow ...}

I am so  looking forward to painting my thoughts & dreams & visions

& seeing them come to life on paper.

Santa knows me well {and I must have been on his 'good girl' list

as lots of new brushes, paints and paper were under the Christmas tree for me this year.

~Walking Hibernation~

the first painting of 2018

polar bear & yearling cub, trees, ice & frosty branches, moon wisdom, nature loving woman, cloudy blue skies ...

mixed with lots of love and gratitude

"Silent world,

I find myself,

glad no one hears my thoughts.

In dark cocoon, I hibernate,

yet spirit spills every thought.

A second chance to try again.

The risks I know too well.

Two sunsets

turning into six~

awaits tomorrows will"

~Giroge Leedy~

the woods, the wind & the wild ...

With all the busyness of this magical season,

I need to carve out time for a few things ...

time to paint

& my time in the woods  :-D

Not surprisingly, the two go hand in hand for me as most of my ideas come to me as I walk quietly and mindfully  with my sweet lab Archer. Both taking in the serenity of the woods and Archer enjoying off leash time where he can walk and wander {though he never strays too far from my side}.

Time with the trees, the birds {such sweet bird song being the only sounds heard}, a gentle breeze on my cheeks, crisp ground under my feet, and when I am really lucky, the occasional rabbit and deer

~ bliss xo

As I walked the woods the other day, I could picture in my mind this painting ...

I was walking the painting ...

and feeling the words ...

She needs this quiet time. Bringing her thoughts & worries to the woods 🌲the wind * the wild 🍃🌿. With each gust of wind & drift of snow ❄️she feels the cobwebs 🕸loosen & clear from her mind. Her eyes watering from the cold, she closes them, each blink bringing clarity 🙏🏻. The trees stand strong. The birds sing. The animals rest. She feels at peace. Surrounded by love and her connection to the woods, the wind & the wild. x ~ my love for the woods, wind & wild in a painting

peace & love,

deb

An occasional glance ...

I've been working on a few abstract pieces in my sparrow studio, going back and forth, adding and observing.

Setting them aside ... returning again ...

Turning the paper and getting excited seeing the  little glimpses of images appearing ...

Nothing in mind as I paint and swirl the luscious colours about ...

so freeing and utterly enjoyable... just me and the paint.

Often, the brushes are moved to one side and it is all "hands on" ... cool paint on my fingertips, covering the sheet of paper ~ bliss!

And with each happy "find" I smile as there is always, undoubtedly, a bird, somewhere amongst the swirls :-D

This little white treasure appeared from my fingertips ♥

Wondering where it will take me today...

"Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain.

An occasional glance towards the summit

keeps the goal in mind,

but many beautiful scenes are to be observed

from each new vantage point"

~Harold B Melchart~

Have a wonderful weekend

d xo 

Where you can find me ...

5 Ways to Reuse the

Paint Splattered Paper

from your Art Table

***

some of the brown paper wrap from my art table

holding lots and lots of memories

& recycled into journals, notebooks, cards and envelopes, friendship seed packages

in the Autumn 2017 issue of Green Craft Magazine

Page 65

Green Tips from the Artists

friendship seed packages

card & envelope sets

some hand carved stamping

*joy*

journals and notebooks with directions on how to make your own

page 8-14

as always, Green Craft Magazine  is filled to the brim with tons of gorgeous images and inspiration.

The greatest masterpieces

were once

only pigments

on

a palette

~Henry S Haskins~

flowers remind us ...

~flowers remind us~

♥

The artist

is the confidant of nature.

Flowers carry on dialogues with him

through the graceful bending of their stems

and the harmoniously tinted nuances

of their blossoms.

Every flower has a cordial word

which nature directs towards him.

~Auguste Rodin~

and a few phases of the painting along the way ...

birch bark

and white ink

stamping

lots and lots of layers

of transitioning

The moment

in between

what you once were,

and who you are now becoming

is where the dance of life

really takes place.

~Barbara De Angelis~

drawn towards the wanderings of the woods ...

with my bundle of tiny twigs getting bigger by the day

I sat and painted a few

and looked through old discarded/damaged books

for words that spoke to me ...

*her heart was drawn towards the wanderings of the woods*

♥

"the forest and I

was all there was.

In the deep still silence

I could feel

the Earth's

beating heart"

and looked through found treasures from walks past

~heart shaped stones~

♥

owl faced walnut shells keeping me company

{and making me smile}

spotting hearts amongst the beauty of fallen and gathered bark

the trees fingerprint

"you were you

and I was I;

we were two

before our time.

I was yours

before I knew,

and you have always been

mine too"

skeleton leaves

oh how I love finding them

the epitome of life I think

what may look delicate and fragile and aged

has lived to tell a long story

of holding its own

and while some may look and see an old weathered leaf

I see resilience, life lived  and pure beauty ♥

I remember carrying this leaf home ever so carefully thinking it would crumble before I reached the front door

but what a lesson it taught me as it has sat in a bowl now for years  and has not changed :-D

acorns

rattling about

some with caps

others the caps have fallen off

"she lost herself in the trees

among the ever-changing leaves.

she wept beneath the wild sky

as stars told stories of ancient times.

the flowers grew towards her light,

the river called her name at night.

she could not live an ordinary life

with the mysteries of the universe

hidden in her eyes"

~Christy Ann Martine~

~painted bark fairie~

"Forests will always hold your secrets,

for that's what forests are for.

To separate and hide things.

To protect, to comfort, to hold, to envelop, to demonstrate, to slow down, to hold, to teach.

Go to the trees to explore your questions and dreams.

Go to the trees to desire and seek.

The world will listen

as you walk, watch, soften and breath"

~Victoria Erickson~

abuzz with thoughts

~her mind was abuzz with thoughts~

{as many of ours are}

I love bumble bees

{when even your name has a bee in it, how could you not} :-D

we've planted our English country garden with bees and birds and butterflies in mind

and I've been keeping a close watch on our peony bushes ... buds swelling and ready to burst open any day, they will be the next to supply big dollops of colour in our garden.

I love how it isn't all at once and then over , but bit by bit ... first the crocus , tulips and daffodils, ending with the hibiscus in late July/early August... we only need be patient and mindfully enjoying each and every one as they arrive/depart.

Peony blooms and bumble bees found their way into my latest painting.

Many of my girls are found with their eyes closed ... cultivating mindfulness ... in meditation ... pondering ... serene ... quiet.

I stumbled across a {new to me} quote that I thought was lovely ...

"If you think positively,

Sound

becomes music

Movement

becomes dance

Smile

becomes laughter

Mind

becomes meditation

and Life

becomes celebration"

~Rishika Jain~

&

something to ponder upon ...

~listen & silent are spelled with the same letters~

have a bee~utiful day ♥

d xo