Happy New Year 2010!

Nigel hopes everyone has a wonderful new year. Believe it or not, the New Year holiday used to be a holiday that his mother was not particularly fond...that is the folly of youth. As an older person, Nigel's mother now realizes that to make it completely through a year is quite an accomplishment. Far greater than that, it is a blessed gift to be treasured and thankful! Here is Nigel and his mother celebrating and sending happy thoughts out into the universe for everyone's best year ever!

Ghosts of Christmas

Unlike Scrooge, I do not call mine 'Ghost of Christmas Past'. I call mine the ghosts of Christmas. I have many ghosts that haunt me and not just at Christmas time. So, it stands to reason that at Christmas time, I would just have more ghosts. I have a recurring dream that a ghost lives in my back bedroom. It is a room I rarely go in so pretty much he lives there undisturbed. In my dreams, he is not scarey. He is nice and friendly and just crops up from time to time. Obviously, he is a part of myself as are all of my ghosts even these ghosts depicted here. Rudolph and Frosty are a part of me. Memories of a banana seat bicycle are part of me. The ghost that haunts me most is the aluminum tree. I still vividly remember being with my mom when she bought our aluminum tree with pink ornaments. It was so 60's. I feel perfectly at home with ghosts because I am a ghost myself...the ghost of the woman I always wanted to be. But like I said, I do not mind ghosts.

Blue Christmas

We had some Christmas festivities with friends today. Plus, I finally have some time to post some Christmas projects. This little 4X4 piece depicts an icey cold winter night. Just a few little stars are twinkling and the moonlight is glistening on the new fallen snow. I am pretending some little forest critters came out and decorated this tree like they do in "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". I like to pretend stuff like that. I think everyone's worlds could benefit from some beautiful fantasies especially at Christmas time.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday to This Girl

Hope you have a Happy Birthday! From your greatest fan,

Kitty Love by Nigel

Nigel finally got around to that self portrait that he has been meaning to do. As you can see, in his mind's eye, he sees himself slightly differently than he sees Henry and Ollie...but he tolerates them anyway.

Mystic Nigel For Lisa By Nigel

Nigel made a tribute. He even tried his 'paw' at some writing. He could not help but include a picture of himself in it which may indicate that he is becoming slightly egotistical about his artistry. Oh, well, I love him anyway even if he is a diva. He is a mess but he is all my mess.

Welcome Home By Nigel

I think Nigel's artistic style classifies as 'primitive'. He gets that from me because 'primitive' is also my style. I like 'primitive'. He made this piece for Tammy who had a short stay away from home. She is feeling all better now. Nigel used some embossing skills, chalk, water colors, pens, paper (various mediums in other words.) Anyone who has been away from home for awhile and is glad to be back will appreciate this piece. Nigel is an amazing kitten. TaTa and MeowMeow!

Odds and Ends

I found myself a new artform that works for me. I have no time to call my own. Time is the most precious commodity anyone has. No one knows how much of it they truly have. I often think of it as a bank account that you do not know the balance of yet you continue to write big checks on it not knowing if you are spending wisely or not. At any rate, I know this much. I have no time of my own. I am either at work, working on school work, taking care of an animal, taking care of my mom, or taking care of something at my church. I rarely ever have any time to spend just dawdling. One thing I do love to do is write. It is more than fun with me. It is a necessity. Seriously folks, if you do not write something everyday, your writing skills will become severely lacking. I think it is important to keep one's skills up to par. I have found a way to make these little journal pages then, write something on them. When I finally collect a handful of them, I intend to bind them like a book. I think they will come in handy in the future. I write short vignettes of dreams, reality and anything I find interesting. It is fun. Time is precious and these little pieces are all I have time for at the moment. I just do not have that much time for blogging presently if ever. My little blog approaches extinction quite often and someday, no doubt, will be the last blog entry. Will I know it at the time? Probably not. Don't you wish a little man would pop out and tell you when the 'last' occurs? Like "Hey, lady, this is the last time you will ever write in this blog." just so you would know to appreciate it more and take special note of it?

Speaking of school, I am growing very tired of it. Sometimes I become extremely disillusioned with it. I have spent so much time, money, and energy going to school and what has it gotten me? I am not saying time spent in school is not worthwhile. It is. It makes a person grow in ways they never anticpate but do not expect it to help you find a job or keep a job. It will not. It does hurt you not to have it but it does not help to have it other than the personal growth aspect of it. I love school. Do not misunderstand that. All I am saying is that if prosperity matters, don't spend a lot of time in school. Although it may bring you education, it will not bring you fortune or security. There are ever more employers out there everyday that do not value an education. Sad yet true. Instead they value 'cheap' but they get what they pay for, right?

Said I Loved You...But I Lied

Remember how all of my cats have theme songs? I realized Henry's theme song last night. I had a dream about him and in it, it became exceedingly clear how much I love him. He is new but I love him so much already. "How can I love these animals so much?" I ask myself. I do not know. I seem to have a never ending well of love to draw from regardless of how much they put me through. Henry's theme song:

You came to me like the dawn through the night

Just shinin' like the sun

Out of my dreams and into my life

Said I loved you but I lied

'Cause this is more than love I feel inside

Said I loved you but I was wrong

'Cause love could never ever feel so strong

Said I loved you but I lied

I know it is silly to love a cat so much but hey, it works for me. Mine is not to question why.

Masquerade of Life

I made this little art piece from a dream I had. It is just a depiction of how we often try to hide behind a brave face our flaws and disappointments.

Remember "This Boy"?

It isn't all about Nigel around here. Remember Ollie whose theme song is "This Boy"? He is still "this boy" but he likes to sport different looks trying to be "that boy". Here he is trying out his pirate look. Don't you love it when cats do this? No matter how many times I see it, I still love it. Now, when they get both ears turned over like that, I really love it! Cats just make me crazy with a warm, fuzzy feeling on my insides and I must admit with a furry look on my outside at times. However, I love 'em anyway. Bet you couldn't tell. ;)

For: Tammy From: The Nige

Nigel is full of bravado. He likes to play the tough guy but really, he is a softie. A couple of nights ago, he made this art work for Tammy because he really wants her to know that there are those out there that are understanding of her situation and are praying for the best possible outcome to her current challenge. This piece that Nigel made is pretty but does not photograph well. Apparently the time Nigel has spent with the BCP has bode him well because he chose to take an excerpt from The Comfortable Words. I apologize for my photography skills as the words are nigh unreadable, therefore, I will transcribe them here:

The Comfortable Words

Hear what comfortable words our Savior Christ saith unto all that truly turn to him.

"Come unto me all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." St. Matth. xi. 28


Eventhough Nigel is an excellent artist, he depends on me for his blog entries...aye, there is the rub! The art he can whip out so quickly lays in wait for his Mom to make a post about it and she is not nearly so apt to jump right on that. Anyway, Nigel hopes you enjoy!

From: Nigel To: Lisa (Haiku Speaker)

Nigel created this art piece for Lisa. Plus, he wrote a haiku.

How Lisa Got Her Groove Back

She has been freed from her thoughts!

Oh, Henry

Henry has made himself completely at home. In fact, he 'may' be King Henry. He and Nigel are still battling for the title of king. Here Henry is playing in Tent City. Tent City is looking kind of like Shanty Town now though.

ATCs

I made some ATCs back on July 20 in honor of the 40 year anniversary of the moon walk.

Card Making

I made this card for a 2009 graduate from her graduation announcement.

One Cat at a Time

Some people,A few people, Not many people live lives that effect the entire world. I have found in my life that I cannot do much to change the course of history for better but that does not mean that I should not try. I am trying to change the world for better by saving one cat at a time. See, I have always felt like an interloper or a squatter on this planet. This planet is not mine or anyone else’s. The opportunity to live here and share the world with all of the other life here is a gift. All life is precious not just human life. Wild creatures may not know much but I can guarantee the one thing they ALL know is to protect their lives. In the end, it is all we have. Someday, I only hope to have given more than I took. This world will not survive much longer unless more giving is done than taking. I can make the world better by saving one cat at time. Meet Henry Tooter…my latest opportunity to make the world a better place.

It is Okay to Admit It

Go ahead. Admit it. How many of you have tried to do this in the past couple of days? There is nothing funnier than watching an amateur "trying" to do this.

Is It Just Me?

Does anyone besides me think this commercial is weird?! There is a commercial on tv that shows a little girl playing with the black pepper. Does she not have any toys? What is going on there. It was a long time ago since I was a child but everytime I see this commercial, I cannot help but think of my own mother's reaction if she had ever caught me playing with the pepper. I can just hear her now asking me if I realized how much damage that would do if I somehow got that into my eyes. Then, there would be that part about how the pepper belongs in the kitchen and how no one would want to use it after I had been dragging it around all over the house. Yet, on tv, this mother acts like everything is just fine after Suzy carried the pepper off. She even calls her into the kitchen and has her pepper the salad. That commercial is so weird that it gives me the creeps.

2009 Round Robin

Meet the Ladies of NetChix

As promised, here are the NetChix ladies. First, meet Linda. Her style is breezy and outdoorsy.
Linda - Boho Chic

Second, there is Barbara. Her style is eclectic. She loves all colors and can put them together to make them work for her.
Barbara - Eclectic

Third, meet Tammy. Tammy's style is sophisticated. She is the kind of lady armed with a complex artistic arsenal and is not afraid to put it to work.
Tammy - Sophistication

Fourth up is Lisa M. Her style is sassy. She does everything in a sassy way especially writing haiku!
Lisa M. - Sassy!

Fifth lady of NetChix, Cindy. All I have to say about her is retro, retro, retro.
Cindy - Retro

Last but not least by any means, is Lisa C. Her style is elegant. She has a Victorian flair that she expresses by creating vintage period artwork.
Lisa - Elegance

And ladies, there you have the ATCs of the NetChix Ladies.