Seeing with New Eyes

A monk asks, "Is there anything more miraculous than the wonders of nature?" The master replies, "Yes, your awareness of the wonders of nature." -- Angelus Silesius

Something old, something new....I love old dolls and this is one who's eyes always speak to me...
made by someone many years ago she wears old silks and her hair is blue...I'm sure she laid on someone's bed and saw many things. I played with her for a bit on my photo imaging program and decided to keep the background(a decorative cardstock)but made it into just a mosaic of the colors.

Then I printed her out ready to use in a mixed media collage of some sort...

First I tried just a few things...

I had the eye piece already made from a while ago....the key is old and rusty...the typewriter letter also vintage, the tag, new from Graphic 45. I did love that gold color behind it though, and that was actually on a torn book cover I had... a real old torn book cover. I just cropped it out so you can't see the edges of the book.

Seemed to lack something...a feeling of cohesiveness to me was missing...

So I decided to try some new copper chain to be the thread to bind it together. A touch of old lace...to add just a hint of sweetness.An old watch face...
always intriguing to me.

What do you think? Is it finished? Would you add more? Less? How do YOU SEE it? Is it missing something? What would you add? Do differently?

Can you see something else that is different here? That background is no longer just a stark gold, but I made it more mottled and aged looking...more to my fancy.

To me, this is what Art truly is....seeing things in different ways...you being you, me being me....and all expressing who, what we are in our own unique ways.

I don't think my piece is quite done. I need to look at it again in a day or two....I think that's the hardest part for me...knowing when it is finished.

I wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR...be healthy, be happy, SEE WITH NEW EYES, and create your own vision.

Be sure to visit THE THREE MUSES to see their challenges each week and to see others

interpretations of "Something Old, Something New".

See you Saturday for more PINK!

Pinkness!

Happy PINK Saturday!!!! Just thought I would share
a little pink necklace I made for my sweet niece MacKenzie for Christmas.

Pink happens to be her favorite color and she loves jewelry, so I found the heart,
added a silver bail and strung some pale pink pearls, Swarovski crystals, pink floral caps,
and a touch of silver bali spacers here and there.

I added a silver crown charm and a floral
clasp.

I think she'll look so pretty wearing it. She's such a cutie pie.

Speaking of cutie pies, here is my sweet "Hoochie Koochie"....I think she looks good in pink as well. She is such a sweet puppy just like her mom.

Have a relaxing PINK SATURDAY and be sure to visit Beverly at

How Sweet the Sound to see her blog

and all the other PINK participants today!

Ornaments

The winner of the Marie ornaments is Sheila from The Quintessential Magpie!

Congrats Sheila!!! I decided to pick the fifth person that commented yesterday since we only have FIVE days left until Christmas!

Have a fun week and hope you get everything done you need to!!! Hope I do too!

~Betzie

Christmas Is Upon Us and So is Pink Saturday Once Again!

I am writing this post on Friday night awaiting a winter storm that is brewing...I would usually be excited but instead I'll worry all weekend until my son arrives safely home on Monday from college. Just hope he stays close to his dorm this weekend and doesn't go partying off campus! I've given him strict orders, but so much for that....I guess those days are over now....just have to say a prayer that he stays safe and sound

Onto Pink Saturday and family traditions....we don't have too many really...my dad would always make homemade eggnog and we'd always go to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

I still make stockings full of goodies for my sons....and we always open up gifts Christmas morning... pretty simple traditions. My mom used to always have a big party each year and all the relatives would come. Those were the best of times....

This year she can't get out so I'll go over there and make just the two of us a homemade meal to share together. Everyone else will travel up to Baltimore to visit other relatives. I'm just as happy to stay home, as my gift will be to have my mom still here....

A few more decorations to share and at the end, two PINK Marie Antoinette ornaments....

I will be choosing a name from those who leave a comment today to send these to....I put a thin layer of beeswax over them...love working with that stuff.

I didn't end up making a pink tree this year, just a silver and red one...something different for me though.I just love the silvery old ornaments and the antique glass glitter.

Have been redoing our guest bedroom and hope to share some pics of that soon too.

Enjoy your Saturday and hope you are about finished your Christmas shopping.....I am all done other than some wrapping and I need to make a few jewelry gifts yet for a niece and sister-in-law....

Be sure to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for more Pink Saturday fun....THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!!! STAY WARM!!!

Mail Art

I happened upon the Three Muses blog and noticed their art challenge this week was "MAIL ART".

A few years ago I found some old old letters written by my grandfather to my grandmom when he was serving in WW1. They were in an old box and even in their original envelopes. My grandmother had saved them all those years...both are long gone now but they left such an impression on my life and will never be forgotten. I loved reading those letters...nothing that a young child couldn't even read...almost like mini journal entries of what my grandfather was doing, even what he had to eat that day. Nothing super romantic either!!! Still, I loved holding them in my hands, knowing my grandfather had touched them as well as my grandmother...they were written before they got married back in the early 1900's, probably around 1916 and 1917.



Here's my mail art that I made using some snippets from the letter,some old Japanese money, and some pics of my grandparents...and the baby was my dad. :) I must confess though, I made these a while ago...

So happy I have these old letters...

Christmas Tea

I love this tea and make it every Christmas for little gifts. I make labels and put them on simple canning jars, add the lids and a pretty bow. It smells so good and some times I'll use cinnamon sticks to stir it or you can add red hots(the candy) as well if you like those. There are a lot of different versions out there, but I usually go with this one. I've also used the sweetened canned Lemonade mix instead of the lemon ice tea mix...both are good. Great on a cold morning!

Spiced Tea Mix - All Recipes: "Ingredients
1 (3 ounce) package lemon-flavored ice tea mix
2 (1.8 ounce) packages orange-flavored drink mix (e.g. Tang)
1 1/3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
Directions
Combine iced tea mix, orange flavored drink mix, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Store in an airtight container.
To serve, stir 1 1/2 teaspoon mix into 1 cup hot water.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 109 Total Fat: 0.2g Cholesterol: 0mg
Nutritional InformationSpiced Tea MixServings Per Recipe: 6Amount Per ServingCalories: 109Total Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 76mgTotal Carbs: 28.7g Dietary Fiber: 1.1gProtein: 1.

Be sure to stop back on Saturday. I plan on giving away two Marie Antoinette ornaments that day for Pink Saturday. Hope to see you there!!!

Favorite Christmas Decorations and Pink Saturday

Beverly of How Sweet The Sound suggested this week we share some of our favorite holiday decorations for our Pink Saturday posts.

One that I always have to bring out is my old metal/tin Santa Plate. It belonged to my grandfather and I just love the scene. The funny thing is once I was antique shopping and found this exact same plate with a price tag on it of over $600! I had no idea, but do know that it is one of my favorite Christmas things.


Next is a photo of my son Kyle in an antique frame my in-laws gave me one year. I just love the frame, but the photo is so cute of him in his little Christmas outfit.



I sit it on an old marble top table in our dining room. See that red globe lamp? My mom had that in our home when I grew up and she gave it to me after I got married. I used to hate it!!! Now I love it...funny how our tastes change.



I also love the old ornaments and display some of them in this PINK bridal bowl that my cousin gave me one year.



Next to it I have this Santa Claus and beautiful old pink etched vase.



Another pretty pink cherub plate....


Love the old Dresden ornaments....this little pink and aqua angel is so sweet swinging on a moon...



I usually do a tree in our foyer but this year kept it simple...don't you love the Byer's Choice carolers? I don't collect them, just have this one, but he reminds me of Williamsburg holding his little pineapple and apple plaque.


On the side wall, I hung this little sampler made by two sisters on ebay. They do wonderful work.


On the other side of the foyer I have this old Chinahead doll and added a little wood sign that reads, "You Better Not Pout."


Of all my decorations though, there is one that I could never be without...
When I was little, my mom would use this simple little creche every year. It's like holding a memory in my hand...
still in good shape, I just love the story that it tells and the meaning that it holds.





I hope you all enjoy the decorations today and visit Beverly to see more participants. Wishing you a very happy holiday and please come visit me often!

Pink Saturday Bears

Happy Pink Saturday!

I used to make teddy bears when my sons were little and thought I'd share two today for

Pink Saturday. This one was a burgundy and pink mohair bear. The ornament is one from my

childhood...I just love it...pink with a handpainted blue bird. My dad would always go out and

get the tree and my mom and I would decorate it.

Every year my mom would choose a different theme for the tree, so this little

ornament reminds me of our Bird Tree. I still have many of the old ornaments from it.

This guy is one of my favorites. I loved making him. I embroidered his patchwork and added the date to his foot...1995. Not one I wanted to sell or give away...he will hopefully find his way to a future grandchild someday.

Enjoy visiting all the Pink Saturday participants and thanks to Beverly

for hosting at How Sweet The Sound.