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Originally uploaded by Denise Mares ~ Artful Bliss

Here is a fine silver charm I created last week which I donated for auction. I will be making some more and selling them on etsy.

Stay tuned!

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I often feature some of my favorite artists and their work. Today is a little different. I want to tell you about Ron & Joanna. I have met neither of them in person. I am acquainted with Joanna’s art through her blog, her Etsy and ArtFire shops, and her online workshops. She is a gifted and generous artist – her online workshop if full of secret techniques – and I admire and respect her a great deal.

Recently, she mentioned that her husband, Ron, needed some medical treatment. Unfortunately, he had lost his job and they are without insurance. After jumping through hoops, Joanna got him in for an MRI which indicated the worst news ever: Ron has a brain tumor and without surgery, he has a month to live. My heart breaks for them. I cannot imagine the emotional roller coaster ride they’ve been on. Their story goes beyond the current situation… they have battled health and life issues in the past and survived.

A fund has been set up to help Ron and Joanna. And my dear friend, Kecia, wrote a very candid and touching blog post about how the kindness of others helped during  a very difficult journey of her own. I know times are tough for everyone but if you even have a couple extra dollars, please consider chipping in to help Ron and Joanna.

I’ve been absent from my blog… seems like forever since I last posted anything! I hope I still have a couple readers out there.

Here are some pictures of a charm I created for a round robin swap I’m involved in. I just loved this image but it was long and skinny. I wound up cutting it in two pieces and using the face for the front and the other piece for the back.

I need some sunshine… that’s all there is to it. I want to go outside and feel the rays warming my body and soothing my mood. Winter is always difficult for me but this year, I’ve found it to be unusually draining. Maybe partly due to the weather… maybe partly to all the changes I’ve set in motion in my life. All I know is I am longing for escape from the wet and dreary.

There have been some glimpses here and there that the grey is waning. And I have celebrated some wonderful successes in my personal life. I have been prioritizing, learning to be more assertive, valuing myself, and dealing with anger. I have also been working through some trauma from my past. This work is probably better suited for a more pleasant time of year but that’s just not how everything has progressed.

So I find myself being more gentle with myself. Permitting myself to veg when I need to. Enjoying the small things in life. Spending lots of cuddle time with my dogs. I am ready to turn the page on the past and begin a new chapter. What that will bring I do not know. I face the prospect with a little fear but a lot of excited anticipation. In some ways things remain the same… in other ways, my whole world could be in for a change. Wish me luck.

I hope this personal revelation isn’t off-putting to you. I hope as spring unfolds, you too find lots to look forward to.

I haven’t been very active in blogland lately. I have been so busy. I won’t go into all the details but life can be overwhelming at times. I try to pare down when needed and unfortunately, one of the things that gets bumped on my priority list is writing. Besides that, I haven’t been feeling very creative lately… I think it’s called Oregon Winter-Funk Syndrome. But days are getting longer, my daffodils are on the verge of blooming, and the sound of birds singing announces that spring is finally here. I am so glad!

I received my order and these are now
available for your purchase!

I am adding something special to my etsy store, artful bliss, and I wanted to give you a sneak peek…

I love to use hands in my artwork and I had a lot of fun taking these pictures. The last picture is an example of a pendant I made for a round robin I’m participating in. I have also used these hands in assemblage and other mixed media work. I hope these will inspire you to create many beautiful and creative masterpieces.

I will be listing the first set of hands tonight. I should receive more sets of hands later this week and will add them as demand dictates.

Stuff has been flying in my Etsy store, artful bliss, so I had to restock the shelves! Here’s a peek at the latest buys:

I’ve been spending too much time on facebook lately… it is so addictive! Here are 35 odd facts about me that I am borrowing from facebook.

1. Do you like bleu cheese? Yes
2. Have you ever smoked? No, thank goodness I never picked up the nasty habit
3. Do you own a gun? No… I know how to shoot but don’t feel the need to own a gun
4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite? Pink lemonade
5. What do you think of hot dogs? As long as they’re kosher I can deal
6. Favorite Christmas movie? Elf
7. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Ice cold Diet Coke
8. Can you do push ups? Can I or do I?
9. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? A PMC pendant I made
10. Favorite hobby? Arts & Crafts
11. Do you have A.D.D.? No, but anxiety and depression are a problem for me
12. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Went to the eye doc today… picking up a new pair soon… they’re cute!
13. Middle name? Ann
14. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment: 1. I’m ready for spring; 2. I wish it was Friday; 3. I should be doing something productive
15. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Diet Coke (can or bottle), Diet Pepsi (fountain), water
16. Current worry? My daughter
17. Current hate right now? I try not to hate
18. Favorite place to be? At the beach on a warm, sunny day
19. How did you bring in the new year? Watching the count down on TV
20. Where would you like to go? On a cruise
21. Do you own slippers? No, but I should… my feet are always cold
22. What color shirt are you wearing? Brown
23. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No, I like to be warm and prefer flannel
24. Can you whistle? Yes, I could whistle before I could talk!
25. Where are you now? At home
26. Would you be a pirate? Who wrote this thing? Um, no
27. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don’t sing in the shower, do you?
28. Favorite Girl’s Name? Amber Nicole
29. Favorite boy’s name? Never had a favorite boy’s name because I only wanted a girl… what the hell was I thinking?
30. What is in your pocket right now? About 74¢
31. Last thing that made you laugh? My two-year-old grand-niece, Lilly, singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” – She’s the CUTEST!
32. What vehicle do you drive? Honda Accord but can’t wait to fire up my scooter this spring
33. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Four stitches across my eyelid
34. Do you love where you live? I love my house but not my neighborhood
35. How many TVs do you have in your house? Two