tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6182247778663355562024-02-08T09:43:03.446-08:00Happy Me, Laurie.an intention to be...Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.comBlogger256125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-40336162016648770032014-04-20T15:57:00.001-07:002014-04-20T15:57:04.822-07:00"I Made This!" Monday-Full Moon DreamboardThis week, for <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/">Jamie Ridler's</a> "<a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/i-made-this-04-21/">I Made This!</a> Monday blog share, I am sharing my<br />
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FULL PINK MOON DREAMBOARD</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What dreams need tending?<br /><br /></td></tr>
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I was pretty disappointed (but not really surprised!) that it was far too cloudy to catch even the tiniest glimpse of the moon during the full blood moon lunar eclipse...maybe next time! (Oct. 8, 2014)<div>
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Thanks for reading, hope you have a happily creative week ahead!</div>
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Happy Me, Laurie.</div>
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Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-75354475343700376562014-04-15T20:26:00.002-07:002014-04-15T20:26:39.207-07:00Gallery 52-CloudsThis week for Gallery 52 of <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing photos of CLOUDS!<br />
OH1 One of my very favorite things in this beautiful world, clouds! Oftentimes, I will say to my husband, "it;s such a BIG SKY day!", meaning the sky and clouds are just so enormous and enthralling and unfathomably breathtaking, rendering us measly humans so microscopic and unnoticed in the scope of nature! I am lucky to have lived in three places where "big sky" days are plentiful-the Midwest (Missouri), Washington state (where I live now and relish the ever-changing cloudy skies!) and the Gulf Coast of southern Florida state, where the following photos were taken, on Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida. My mom lives there, and my grandparents before her, so I grew up visiting there and have been to this beach dozens of times...in fact, I leave in one week from today to spend 14 days visiting my mom (with my kids and grandson meeting me there too!). These were taken on my last trip there, in September, with my best friend (who lives in St. Louis!) I couldn't choose which one I liked best between these two, so I am sharing them both! Same beach, different days!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how teeny the people walking along the beach look in this image!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cloud was so huge I couldn't even fit it all in my viewfinder!</td></tr>
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Do you have a crush on clouds like me? :)<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-31544090807531351062014-04-14T23:19:00.001-07:002014-04-14T23:19:10.195-07:00I Made This!-Summer Fest Poster SubmissionsThis week for <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/">Jamie Ridler's</a> fun weekly blog share <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/i-made-this-04-14/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JamieRidlerStudios+%28Jamie+Ridler+Studios%29">I Made This!</a>, I'm sharing photos of three mixed medium pieces I created for a local call for art. It is a bit unusual for me to create specific art for a specific reason, as I have so many photographs, as well as a growing "stock" of various art work that I can choose from to submit...but this time, since the chosen art is to be used for a local town's annual summer festival poster, I decided to create some new summer inspired mixed media pieces made just for this event call for art, instead of just "falling back" on my previously made art & photos.<br />
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They are all made with acrylics, assorted papers, glitter, paint pen, and watercolor pens. I also made sure to leave spaces on each for the text information about the festival that will need to be added by the festival sponsors. I wasn't really sure what I would end up making, I just kind of had little "inklings" of possibilities, and, as I do with most of my creativity, it evolved intuitively as I worked! I am pretty "ok" with how they turned out, and think that this last one is my favorite, although the top one is probably better for the necessary informative wording to be added to. I try to put my art aside for at least a few days after working on it, to be able to look at it again with "fresher" eyes than after I have been looking at it for hours as I work on it! Of course, I will "clean up" these images before submitting-I just took these real quick with my iPhone to be able to have for this post!<br />
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Thanks for reading-hope you are able to create something today!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.<br />
<br />Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-29413005772511621362014-04-09T10:37:00.002-07:002014-04-09T10:37:42.645-07:00Gallery 51-PetalsThis week at <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing photos of PETALS!<br />
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When I saw this week's photo prompt, I knew exactly which image(s) of mine I wanted to share!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A curb catches the many small beautiful pink petals of nearby cherry blossom trees</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a pile of pink!</td></tr>
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I also thought you might like this photo which a friend took of my & my hubby being our goofy selves, having a cherry blossom petal "fight"!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">I believe I "won", although I DID find petals in the oddest places that night <br />when I changed into my jammies for bed, lol!</span></td></tr>
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Thanks for reading, have a beautiful day!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-26228215755740289682014-04-07T10:47:00.002-07:002014-04-07T10:47:38.426-07:00I Made This! MondayA few months ago, I started a <a href="http://www.meetup.com/">Meet Up</a> group called "Collage and Mixed Media Artists of Sno-Co" ("Sno-Co" being short for Snohomish County, where we live!). I did this to be able to meet & mingle with other local artists during a dedicated creative time together; sharing ideas, inspirations and like-minded friendships. As a work-from-home artist, I know that the time working alone, day in and day out, in your studio can often feel a bit isolating, and desired another way (other than the internet) to connect with artists. Within a few weeks time, I was pleased that 25 local artists had joined the group! We meet once a month for 2 and a half hours on a weeknight, in a large meeting room/art gallery at our local library. There are usually between 5-10 of us gathering to work on whatever artsy goodness we feel called to bring along, ranging from ATC's, collage and beading to browsing magazines for eye catching images and words, watercolor and wool felting...which is what I am sharing for this weeks <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/category/creative-living-activity/i-made-this/">I Made This!</a> sharing at <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/">Jamie Ridler Studios</a>.<br />
I have long been fascinated with the fiber arts but equate them with sewing skills, of which I possess nada...sewing on a button is a major undertaking for me! Duct tape, a stapler and a glue gun are my buddies when it comes to tasks requiring anything remotely associated with sewing! (just ask my kids who endured years of homemade Halloween costumes held together in some very, uh..."interesting" ways other than needle & thread!). I met a new artist friend last fall who has been creating amazing fiber art for over 30 years, and after wistfully remarking to her that I had long wanted to learn some simple wool felting techniques, showed up at one of the MeetUp group gatherings...and proceeded to generously share a few hunks of newly shorn and hand dyed wool along with needles, a few other basic supplies, and, most importantly, her patient expertise...and off I went, into the world of wool felting! I started with a few multicolored strands of wool that evening, in hopes of simply getting a feel for what the technique entailed...and soon found the repetitive movements of the needle punch tool quite calming and meditative. After about 20 minutes or so, I happily discovered that I had created a small oval shaped disc of pleasing color pattern, which I immediately thought to make into a pendant, adorned with other beads and perhaps charms on a necklace for myself! I was so surprised at the relative ease and simplicity of this creation and knew I wanted to explore this artistic practice further with the hopes of creating more similar possible jewelry and adornment pieces. Upon returning home after that evenings meeting, I was excited to share my little felted piece with my husband and start perusing my jewelry supplies to make a lovely unique necklace to show off my first ever wool felting attempt/creation...but soon discovered that the little oval piece was nowhere to be found! Not in my purse, wallet, coat pocket, art supply bag, just NOwhere! After much mind wracking and lamenting my carelessness, I finally came to the conclusion that after completing the piece at the gathering in the library room, I had set it on the table where I was working, and at the end of the meeting, neglected to pick it up and it got folded in among the newspapers covering the tables for protection from possible creative messes (paint, water, etc.) and got thrown away as we cleaned up the room. My sweet husband called the library first thing the next morning, in the hopes that someone had found it on the floor or somewhere, ANYwhere...to no avail. I was so upset, disappointed in myself and genuinely sad that the beautiful evidence of my first attempt at an art technique that I was so certain was beyond my capabilities had gotten tossed like a piece of trash, and surprisingly, stopped short of asking him if he would help me dumpster dive out back of the library...! Fast forward a few months, to our most recent Meet Up group gathering two weeks ago, where I unpacked my very own wool, needle tool and mat, and proceeded to get back into the rhythmic pattern of wool felting, creating these three pieces shown in the photo below. I was verrrrry careful to place them into a zippered pocket of my purse when completed, and am pleased to report that they managed to make it home with me, safe and sound! I have plans to make these into pendants as well, and perhaps the finished creation will be shared in a future I Made This! post!<br />
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What have YOU made lately?<br />
Thanks for reading, have a creative day!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-67457718986081628592014-04-03T11:16:00.004-07:002014-04-03T11:16:40.426-07:0052 Photos Project-"A Day In My Life"This week for Gallery 50 of <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing photos for the prompt:<br />
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<b><i>A DAY IN MY LIFE</i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I only remembered to take a few photos specifically for this prompt, so I will just share a sort of "run down" of my day and a few photos I did manage to remember to take throughout the day!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">9:00 am: Woke up to (dumb!) woodpecker drilling on the living room window & two dogs in my face, as usual!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sleepyheads Annabelle & Dottie</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">*9:30-ish : went downstairs, turned on Pandora, let the dogs out, filled their bowls with their breakfast, let them back in, and hand fed our one dog (Dottie) who often eats so fast that she barfs...while hubby made our morning lattes.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">*9:45-ish: made us breakfast of Dave's Killer Bread toast topped with organic raw pistachio nut butter, bananas & flaxseed.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">*10 am-noon-ish: hubby got down to work in his home office (at the kitchen island, and yes, still in his robe, lol!</span><span style="text-align: left;">), while I checked my emails, watched a few videos, listened to a few podcasts, researched healthy food items we discovered this past weekend at the Seattle Veg Fest, made copies of new recipes, wrote out grocery list, did a load of laundry, texted with my son, let the dogs in & out a few more times, and joined a new creativity Meet Up group.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hubby hard at work</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the girls hoping for a taste of my breakfast!</td></tr>
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*noon-2:30 pm: went outside to work on phase 2 of Operation Fern Spring Haircuts! Yesterday I trimmed 24 giant ferns in our side yard and today, I began tackling the 65+ feet of even bigger ones growing against the fence along our driveway. It is not "hard" work, just very hard on my back with all of the low stooping/bending over...so I had to take breaks every 10 minutes or so to stretch out my back! Also went inside for a quick snack or fresh avocado with garlic on Mary's Gone Crackers and a handful of super sweet fresh raspberries! Got about 25 feet to the ferns trimmed...and my back (and the blister on my finger!) is saying that is enough for today!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEFORE</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AFTER</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">snack time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OUCH!</td></tr>
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*2:45 pm: made us a late lunch of brown rice, quinoa, refriend beans, fresh avocado, salsa & garlic, with raw fresh baby carrots, broccoli, spinach & a sample bag of Way Better multi-grain tortilla chips (from this past weekend's VegFest!)</div>
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*3:30 pm-: left to run errands...Comfort Vision to pick up my new prescription sunglasses, Mattress Depot to try out latex mattresses, Michaels Crafts (for some on-clearance "impulse" type goodies, jewelry findings and felt for a project), Oroweat Bread Outlet store (for whole wheat Bobli crusts & salsa, both of which they were out of!), Redbox to return & rent movies, and finally, WalMart (for a watch & pita chips for hubby, craft stuff, Hello Kitty coffee mug, panties, nail polish remover, and make up remover pads for me and new Nyla bones for our dogs!)</div>
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*6:30 pm: finally home again...made dinner of brown rice spaghetti with butternut squash sauce, garbanzo beans and steamed broccoli, and a big salad of mixed greens, baby spinach, shredded carrots, roasted red tomatoes, baby peas, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, nutritional yeast flakes and a freshly made dressing of pureed pesto with oat milk, olive oil, black pepper & garlic. (and also fed dogs and let them in and out...and in and out!)</div>
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*7:30: watched "Jeopardy", talked to my son on phone (he is on a road trip for 9 days in New Orleans, working as a cook for the WCW event)</div>
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*8:30-10 pm: researched mattresses & watched NBC Nightly News" "online with hubby, watched a few videos and read a few blogs (and finished writing this blog post!)</div>
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10 pm: snuggled up on the couch to watch "Dallas Buyers Club" on DVD...</div>
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I am assuming that my day will end like most do after heading to bed when the movie is over, to read for about an hour and fall asleep listening to our favorite rain sounds CD!</div>
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And what did YOU do today?!</div>
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Thanks for reading, whatever you did, hope it was a good day for you!</div>
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Happy Me, Laurie.</div>
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Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-45236906775421625522014-03-31T20:59:00.001-07:002014-03-31T20:59:42.298-07:00I Made This Monday!Yay! It's Monday again, so that means time to play along with <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/">Jamie Ridler</a> & friends blog share <a href="http://www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/i-made-this-03-31/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JamieRidlerStudios+%28Jamie+Ridler+Studios%29">I Made This!</a> Monday.<br />
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<b><i><u>I MADE THIS!</u></i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">So...I have a fascination with all things clay...but the only creative clay experiences I have involve a long-ago middle school class where all I learned was the how hilarious it is to toss wet clay onto the ceiling when the teacher was not looking and wait a few days for it to suddenly fall from the sky...and cutting Play Doh hair when my kids were little! I recently purchased a Groupon to take a beginners pottery class (on a wheel just like Demi Moore, lol!) but have not yet summoned the courage to actually make my class reservation...so I thought I'd start slow at home...using this Crayola brand air drying clay I found in the stationary/kids craft aisle at our grocery store! This 2.5 lb. tub cost $6.99, and came in white and natural colors. I went with the white so I could paint what I made (though I already have ideas for the natural color too!). </span>I am a complete jewelry fixings/findings hoarder, so I decided to attempt to make a few pendants to incorporate into more elaborate beaded/charmed/found object necklaces (someday!). It was pretty supple & easy to work with, though a bit sticky at first, then got drier the more it was handled.<br />
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I used a very small cookie cutter & this handwritten stamp for the heart pendant, and this mold (found at a thrift store) to make the face pendants.<br />
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I let them air dry for about 4 days before I got around to painting them, using these paints:</div>
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I am pretty happy with the way they turned out, and will probably make more soon, using letter stamps to make word pendants, and other assorted items to press patterns and designs into the clay. And hopefully some upcoming Monday, my I Made This post will be sharing photos of the finished jewelry pieces, embellished with beads and charms and such into completed necklaces!<br />
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What did YOU make recently?<br />
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Thanks for reading, have a creative day!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-81464219506909701682014-03-25T17:26:00.004-07:002014-03-26T09:26:01.256-07:00Gallery 49-An Old Film PhotoThis week for Gallery 49 at <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing<br />
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AN OLD FILM PHOTO</div>
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Just after graduating from high school in 1978, my (then) boyfriend loaned me his Nikon Nikkormat 35 mm SLR film camera, which I did not really use much whatsoever, but which he somehow never regained possession of when we broke up a few years later! I used that camera (now considered a classic and one of the best cameras ever) when, on a "lark", I enrolled in a beginners black and white photography course at St. Louis Community Collage at Forest Park, in 1982. I learned how to develop film and print my images in the campus darkroom...and quickly fell in love with photography. I adored my teacher who was so supportive and encouraging, and proved to be the catalyst to open me up to my passion for capturing beauty and intrigue in my images, with much of her instruction focusing on the art of seeing (aka composition and emotional aspects of images). She was a great inspiration to me as I learned and grew as a photographer and I often think about how lucky I was to have such a close creative connection to my first photography mentor. She received special permission from the head of the art department to designate my last semester course as "independent study", because in 2 years time, I had taken all of the black and white classes the school had to offer! As a wonderful finale to my studies, I also ended up being awarded "Best In Show" in the Fine Arts category of the school's Annual Juried Art Department Student Exhibit, for a black and white photo I had taken on a trip to Mazatlan, Mexico, in 1983. I am sharing the photo for which I received this award, and which was also included in the 1984 issue of "Persona"- An Annual of Poetry, Prose, Art and Drama, by Current and Former Students of St. Louis Community College at Forest Park". I do have the original 8 x 10 image which I printed myself, but it is packed away in a box of memorabilia, in a hard to access space of our home. I recalled that the original publication resides among the books crowding our bistro bookshelf, so I just took a photo of the page it is printed on (which explains the texture effect of this photo!)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fun fact: for my first published photo, my name was spelled incorrectly, lol!<br />
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I still have boxes and boxes of printed photographs, both from film and digital, as well as some negatives and lots of photo discs. But I never set foot in a darkroom again after "graduating" from black and white photography courses in 1984, and probably could not develop film or print in a darkroom if you offered me a million dollars to do so! And although I "fought" going digital for some time, I admit that it has now been years since I have used a film camera. I still retain some "old school" skills of "what I see is what you see"...in other words, my use of cropping, enhancements and other methods of altering my images is non-existent to very minimal. I credit (my teacher) Katie Knight for instructing me in the fine art of composition, which I believe to be a crucial element in capturing a "good" photograph, and reducing the need for additional enhancement. </div>
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(And YES,with 30 years of practice since then, I MOST DEFINITELY see SEVERAL things I would change in the composition of my photo, lol!)</div>
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Thanks for reading, hope your day is filled with wonderful images to behold!</div>
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Happy Me,Laurie.</div>
Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-22506013929246791352014-03-25T12:26:00.002-07:002014-03-25T12:28:27.375-07:00The First "I Made This" Monday!Yesterday, one of my favorite creative divas, <a href="http://ht.ly/uTP5a">Jamie Ridler</a>, started a fun new blog share on her site, called<br />
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<b>I MADE THIS!</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.450000762939453px; text-align: start;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Each Monday here in the studio, I’ll invite you to share what you’ve made over the week before. It can be anything – a flower arrangement, a crocheted cap, a painting, a poem, a party, an outfit, a cake! Show what you made and tell us a bit about what the experience was like for you. What inspired you? What did you learn? How were you challenged? What did you love? </span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.450000762939453px; text-align: start;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And hey, if you want to share the inspiration, the pattern, the recipe, </span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.450000762939453px; text-align: start;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">the kinds of supplies you used, we'll all be the richer for it!"</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">So last week in my studio, I spent most of my time finishing up detail work on mixed media collages I have been working on over the past month or so. I finished TWENTY THREE pieces, including photographing and posting them on my website <a href="http://www.laurierichardsoncreates.wordpress.com/">Laurie Richardson Creates</a>, as well as submitting to several local "call for art" postings on Craigslist, and to the Northwest Collage Society's Annual Juried Spring Exhibit. (fingers crossed for acceptance!)</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">The collage I am sharing here today for the first I MADE THIS blog share is one that is quite different from the style I usually create. I had a dream about making this piece, and I am pretty pleased that it turned out very close to what I saw in that dream, even though I must admit to having my doubts along the path of the process!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">This piece was made using a 16 x 20 stretched canvas, which I purchased for $2 at a thrift store. Canvas can be so pricey, so I like to find already painted on ones for re-purposing into my artwork. It is much less expensive, as well as a way to utilize my love of making new things out of the old, which is what I strive to practice in most of my collage creations. I mainly use things like old magazines, found objects, recycled paper and packaging, thrift store book pages, handwritten papers, etc. as elements in my work. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">For this piece, I first applied various colors of Ranger brand Tim Holtz "Adirondack Brights" alcohol inks to the existing painting (basically just squirting it randomly here and there on the canvas!) and then covered the entire canvas with black acrylic paint (cheapo kind from Michaels). After it dried completely, I used a ceramic tool to scrap the letters/word "be" into the paint, and then used fine sandpaper in and all around the letters, to reveal a bit of the underlying alcohol inks and original painting. I then used Liquitex Matte Gel Medium to affix various descriptive words I had cut out of magazines, following the lines and curves of the two letters. I am a collector of all things ephemera, so always have several shallow boxes filled with various cut out words and phrases to choose from for use in my art. (You probably don't want to leave me alone with any magazines or books you cherish, especially if there are also scissors within my reach, lol!) After adding all of the words, I then used a silver Sharpie marker to draw the arrows following the path of the letters. I finished with a very light coat of Tulip "Diamond Glitter" Dimensional Fabric Paint and then sprayed a coat of Rustoleum Matte Finish spray to seal and protect.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">Even though this is different from my usual style, I really like how it turned out, and feel that it conveys the message I was wanting to share: that you have the power and ability to be so many different things, and that I believe, in fact, that everyone posses many if not all of these descriptive qualities- some at the same time, some more often than others, some possibly only rarely. But the most important thing is just to be who and what you are, and we are all many different things at different times. I do realize that I purposely used pretty much all positive and affirming words as the descriptive qualities, because I think it is important to focus on and let those "higher self/good" qualities be the ones to aspire to, seek out within, and strive to embody in order to inspire and brighten the world (and yourself!) through living and BEing!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">Here is a list of the words used in my collage:</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">"happy, spirit, perfection, inspirational, sophisticated, evolving, yourself, more, different, new, needed, your best, complete, home, mega, radiant, big, reasonable, active, better, clear, fair, all that, connected, rockin', invigorating, strong, nice, still, irresistable, open, intriguing, outstanding, successful, decadent, wild, classic, bright, effective, super, healthy, charistmatic, childlike, free, funny, confidence, necessary, natural, creative, iconic, alert, generous, thoughtful, well, stylish, exceptional, majestic, useful, pretty, hope,wonder,passion, special, true, transformative, ready, caring, change, delight, beautiful, available, stellar, weird, high-quality, you, balance, good, perfect, giving, ravishing, magical, deep,comfort, next, important, one, cool, peaceful, romantic, artistic, power, breathless, great, wise, delicious, found, empowering, love, colorful, unforgettable, relaxing, friendly, excitement, stunning, sensitive, unique, polished, otherworldly, timeless, powerful, the one, bold, lucky, knowing, kind, clever, interested, ambitious, amazing, cooperative, innovative, up-and-coming, edgy, something, fabulous, refreshing, independent, spontaneous, sweet, experimental, united, funky, hilarious, shimmering, elegant, great, energized, alive, soothing, real, carefree, fancy, pure, incomparable, prepared, subtle, satisfied, mysterious, enticing, dedicated."</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">Do you see yourself in any of these words? Do you see words you would like to BEcome? Any words you would NOT like to be? What are your favorite words to describe yourself? What words would others use to describe YOU?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful week and remember to BE yourself!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.450000762939453px;">Happy Me, Laurie.</span></div>
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Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-26097877609481870672014-03-18T20:48:00.003-07:002014-03-18T20:48:59.578-07:00Gallery 48- A PresentThis week at <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a> our photo sharing prompt is:<br />
A Present That Someone Gave You<br />
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My dear friend Koryn had her talented neighbor paint this portrait of our beloved boy Max for us a few weeks after we lost him this past Jan. 24, at age 13+. We miss him so very much and cherish this thoughtful and special present she gave us.<br />
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Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-12738792092824768212014-03-13T11:31:00.000-07:002014-03-13T11:31:23.642-07:00Gallery 47-Where I Would Take YouThis week for Gallery 47 of <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing photos of a special place near where we live which we would put at the top of our list to take a visitor to! There are SO many amazing places around me, honestly, the choices of places to go, things to see and do in the Seattle (and just beyond) area are endless! But since I actually reside in a more "suburban" area about 17 miles north of downtown Seattle called Everett, I decided to stick closer to home...making it a *bit* easier to choose!<br />
So today, we are going to visit the beautiful little waterfront town of <a href="http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/">Edmonds, Washington</a>, which is about 4 miles "as the crow flies" from our house...(a bit further by car because of roads & traffic, lol!)<br />
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I often head there to spend long hours enjoying just the few blocks of things to do & see which are right around the waterfront: My adventures usually include most of the following:<br />
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*enjoying a latte at Waterfront Coffee (boasting great water views), Starbucks (for best people watching!) or Walnut Street Coffee (featuring local art and Vivace coffee!)<br />
*hunting for bargains at the Edmonds Senior Center Thrift Store<br />
*strolling along the fishing pier and marina<br />
*watching dogs play at the off leash dog beach<br />
*happening upon a baby seal who has been left ashore while his mama fishes for his meal<br />
*watching the ferries make their steady way back and forth, back and forth from Edmonds to Kingston...and back again<br />
*walking the several beaches looking for "treasures"<br />
*watching divers at the dive park<br />
*marveling at snow covered Mt. Baker, far away but huge on the distant skyline<br />
*wondering at giant purple starfish, sun stars and anemones during low tide<br />
browsing at the huge Waterfront Antique Mall<br />
enjoying lunch at Girardis Osteria, Resident Cheesemonger, Demetri's Woodstone Taverna, or Red Twig<br />
*taking in the beautiful local art at one of the many fine arts galleries, societies and educational centers on (& just off of) Main St.<br />
*shopping the dozen of specialty boutiques (also on & just off Main St.)<br />
*perusing the library (which has a great super cheap used bookstore & an art gallery)<br />
*taking a class at The Art Spot (owned by an artist friend of mine)<br />
*watching the trains go by (and checking out the awesome graffiti art on the cars!)<br />
*catching a movie at the historic Edmonds Theater<br />
*visit the cuties at the Just Frogs, Toads Too, and Friends Amphibian Center<br />
***AND SO MUCH MORE!!*** :)<br />
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Here is a very small sampling of the literally thousands of photos I have taken in Edmonds during the past almost 6 years of living here...<br />
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You wanna go now too, don't you?!<br />
Anytime, I love to play tour guide! :)<br />
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Thanks for reading, have a wonder-filled day!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-58975296091585475692014-03-05T00:55:00.001-08:002014-03-05T00:55:30.267-08:00Gallery 46-How I Start My DayThis week for Gallery 46 at <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a> we are sharing photos of<br />
HOW I START MY DAY...<br />
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Most mornings, after letting the dogs out & feeding them, and before getting online, </div>
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I try to sit for a moment to enjoy a warm mug of delicious hubby-made latte </div>
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and read a bit of something positive, calming, inspiring or creative to start my day...</div>
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today it was from the new Marianne Williamson daily passage book "A Year Of Miracles".</div>
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How do you start YOUR day?</div>
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Hope it helps to make yours a good one!</div>
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Happy Me, Laurie.</div>
<br />Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-83024250837608405032014-03-03T11:59:00.004-08:002014-03-03T11:59:54.174-08:00Gallery 45-Where People GatherThe current photo prompt at <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a> is<br />
WHERE PEOPLE GATHER...<br />
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Although there are only two (teeny little!) people (in the far upper right hand corner!) shown in this photo I am sharing, this room was filled with 36 artists for 3 days this past weekend, gathering together to create, share ideas and inspire one another at the Northwest Collage Society's annual retreat! We had the Maple Center at Warm Beach camp (about 55 miles north of downtown Seattle, WA) to work in from 7 am until midnight for 3 days straight...I just happened to take this shot during lunch break one afternoon, wanting to capture the essence of having 36 mini-art studios in one room! It was a wonderful experience for all of the participating artists!<br />
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Where do YOU like to gather?<br />
Thanks for reading, have a week of wonder!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-52728955002277555402014-02-16T21:26:00.000-08:002014-02-16T21:26:37.207-08:00Gallery 44-MintThis week for Gallery 44 of the <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 PhotosProject</a>, the prompt for our photos is MINT...<br />
I have to admit that my first reaction upon reading this prompt was a resounding 'EWWWWW!!!" Yeah, I am in the minority of people who HATE! MINT! I cannot stomach mint in any way, shape or form...toothpaste, in tea, ice cream, gum, julep. Oh, except that I do like the smell of fresh growing mint. Not essential oil or candles or ANYTHING ELSE. Just fresh growing. Go figure.<br />
Anyway, then I thought, well, mint ALSO could mean the color (which I love!) or even as in condition...right?! So I browsed through my images with a little bit more open mind than my initial thought of "EWWWWW"! This is the photo I decided to share...depicting a mint colored door (& window frame) of an old motel unit.<br />
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Thanks for reading, have a lovely day!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-867137191234651152014-02-12T11:16:00.003-08:002014-02-12T11:18:16.209-08:00Gallery 43-HeartsThis week for gallery 43 at <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing our images of HEARTS! For me, random heart sightings, found when I am out and about and least expecting it, are one of those spirit signs which whenever I come upon, makes me feel joyous, comforted and hopeful. Unexpected hearts are one of my very favorite things to capture in an image. A few years ago, I had a solo exhibit at the local library art gallery consisting of photographs of hearts I had found over the past few years. This image is one of my very favorites-we have a framed enlargement of it hanging in our kitchen, and I even had someone purchase the image during my exhibit. I came upon it one sunny afternoon when my hubby and I were exploring an interesting and eclectic garden shop, and the discovery of not only the heart shape and shadow, but the colors and textures of the rusty iron, and the peeling wall, fascinated and delighted me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine."<br />Ralph Waldo Emerson</td></tr>
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Hope your heart is both light and filled today.<br />
Thank you for reading.<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-20421975612131556092014-02-04T11:45:00.002-08:002014-02-04T11:45:50.039-08:00Gallery 42-Crooked Line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This week for Gallery 42 of <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing our photos depicting</div>
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CROOKED LINE</div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, </i></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>in which you can walk with love and reverence.</i></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>~Henry David Thoreau</i></b></div>
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Thanks for being here.<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-58452733051892416372014-01-31T14:15:00.001-08:002014-01-31T14:15:11.058-08:00Gallery 41-All Dressed UpThis week for Gallery 41 of <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a> we are sharing our photos depicting<br />
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ALL DRESSED UP</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">For this prompt, I chose to share a photo I took at last summer's wedding </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">of the daughter of one of my best friends.</span></div>
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In this photo, my dear friend, the mother of the bride, helps her beloved daughter get all dressed up in her wedding gown before the ceremony. The beautiful bride, who I have known since she was 10 years old, had a black heart sewn on to her wedding dress in loving remembrance of her daddy, who died several years before. It was a touching way to share and include his presence on this, her most special of all dressed up days.<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-18125119409017294222014-01-26T17:26:00.007-08:002014-01-26T17:26:55.620-08:00Gallery 40-My ReflectionFor Gallery 40 of the <a href="http://www.52photosprojects.com/">52 Photos Project</a> this week, we are sharing photos depicting<br />
MY REFLECTION<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My reflection in a mirror, in an antique mall,<br />wearing a vintage 1970's coat I fell in love with...<br />(but did not get due to it's high price tag!)</td></tr>
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Happy Me, Laurie.<br />
<br />Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-42313683066123849782014-01-18T07:05:00.004-08:002014-01-18T07:05:41.248-08:00Wide Open Spaces<div style="text-align: center;">
This week for Gallery 39 of the <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing our images of </div>
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"Wide, Open Spaces"</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Florida</td></tr>
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This is my mom, </div>
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taking in the depth and breadth and width </div>
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of the wide open space that is sea and sky.</div>
Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-71419451052631421912014-01-17T07:52:00.002-08:002014-01-17T07:52:25.600-08:00Jan. 2014 Full Moon Mandala Dreamboard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first full moon of the New Year was a few days ago. This, the Full Wolf Moon, asks<br />
WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR?<br />
I am halfway through a 2 week visit "home", staying with my beautiful daughter, broken-legged, on-crutches son-in-law and adorable hilarious 4 year old grandson! The other night, we pulled out his pile of art supplies, and side by side, we created together! This time, instead of the usual format of using found images to create my dreamboard, I decided to paint a colorful <a href="http://www.juliegibbons.com/2014/01/06/mandala-monday-what-is-a-mandala/">mandala</a>, with <a href="http://www.juliegibbons.com/2014/01/13/mandala-monday-setting-intentions-for-2014/">inspiration</a> from the lovely <a href="http://www.juliegibbons.com/">Julie Gibbons</a>. Rather than writing out my intentions around the sacred circle (because I had no good pens to write with and my handwriting is not that great anyway!), I cut words out of magazines and newspapers to convey my intentions/what I am "hungry for" in this new year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: 17.98611068725586px; text-align: left;">Take good care. Begin. Now. Explore. Mind, body & spirit. Discover. Home. Happy. Do one thing every day that scares you. Celebrate. Dream. Eat more plants. Healthy. Artful living. Know. Inspired. Journal. Spirit. Being in the moment. Aloha. Adventure. Conscious. Compassion. Fulfilling. OM.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and here's my little co-creator, Ryatt!</td></tr>
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What are YOU "hungry for" this first full moon of the New Year?<br />
Thank you for reading, have a love-filled weekend!<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.<br />
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Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-53036997839970360142014-01-07T22:31:00.001-08:002014-01-07T22:31:21.745-08:00My Big Day & Something Really Small!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Today is my birthday! Yay! I love birthdays...even (especially!) mine!</div>
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And this is why:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h095rlMkqns/Uszu1ncDksI/AAAAAAAAH50/dQNksGFgFeo/s1600/sunrise.quote2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h095rlMkqns/Uszu1ncDksI/AAAAAAAAH50/dQNksGFgFeo/s1600/sunrise.quote2.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whenever someone would complain about having another birthday, my wise grandma would always say "consider the alternative". I have never forgotten that. By the way, she lived to be 98, and her sister 102! I hope I am as lucky to live a long, healthy life!</div>
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I am spending my birthday taking a 4+ hour flight from Seattle to St. Louis, to spend the next 15 days with my daughter, son-in-law, grandson, son and friends! Best birthday present EVER! </div>
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Today for Gallery 38 of the <a href="http://www.52photosproject.com/">52 Photos Project</a>, we are sharing photos of something really small...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShMVxjonSGo/UszufnGJeiI/AAAAAAAAH5s/rEUsnaE3whg/s1600/288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShMVxjonSGo/UszufnGJeiI/AAAAAAAAH5s/rEUsnaE3whg/s1600/288.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was captivated by the tiny details of this little keyhole on a post office box I noticed a few weeks ago...</td></tr>
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Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day!</div>
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(and Happy Birthday to Elvis too!)</div>
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Happy Me, Laurie.</div>
Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-67780005993527266722014-01-07T22:13:00.002-08:002014-01-07T22:13:34.025-08:005 "Guilty Pleasures"Here's another journaling prompt I'm using for my topic today:<br />
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<b>5 GUILTY PLEASURES!</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GnOelQdEBi8/Usu3OYcTuPI/AAAAAAAAH40/h9j-pBgI4OM/s1600/200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GnOelQdEBi8/Usu3OYcTuPI/AAAAAAAAH40/h9j-pBgI4OM/s1600/200.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">selfie!</td></tr>
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1. Yeah, the above photo (of me!) was a giveaway. I kinda really love Dirty Chai soy lattes from Starbucks. They use (own) Tazo tea, which makes really yummy chai. It just seems nott too sweet & not too spicy, though I know that true Chai tea is/can be pretty spicy, even harsh stuff. To me at least...the "real" chai I had at a coffeehouse in Haight-Ashbury a few years ago sure was! It was like drinking dirt with cayenne pepper in it! I was too embarrassed to return it so I politely waited until I got outside the shop to toss into the nearest trashcan! The guilty part? 250 calories & 5 grams of fat. And even worse? The $5.42 price tag! </div>
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(and no, it NEVER EVER tastes the same when I try to make it at home, lol!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HgbM5YB_rsg/Uszo7CPTLlI/AAAAAAAAH5I/fFcqyvVKlnM/s1600/6a00d834b1a64569e201053611f6aa970b-320wi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HgbM5YB_rsg/Uszo7CPTLlI/AAAAAAAAH5I/fFcqyvVKlnM/s1600/6a00d834b1a64569e201053611f6aa970b-320wi.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxine TM</td></tr>
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2. Spending the (most of my) day(s) not getting dressed. Well, not not dressed as in naked, but as in lounge-y clothes, like snuggly jammie pants, tee or sweatshirt/sweater and Bear Paws. Heck, I have even been known to throw a coat on over this fancy ensemble and run into the store to grab a movie from Redbox! And lots of people around here seem to view Bear Paws as actual boots. It is the PNW after all. And one of the best pleasures of being a work from home artist! My hubby does it sometimes too...only he wears his robe over his similar get up. I like to call him my "Hef"...!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZNL4Ma0ZwE/Uszo7NExa2I/AAAAAAAAH5M/UUJsKF7GusU/s1600/keep-calm-and-go-thrift-shopping-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZNL4Ma0ZwE/Uszo7NExa2I/AAAAAAAAH5M/UUJsKF7GusU/s1600/keep-calm-and-go-thrift-shopping-2.png" height="320" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google image</td></tr>
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3. If you know me even the tiniest bit, you will already know this one...I am an avid thrift store shopper.</div>
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That is the least obsessive, compulsive, addictive sounding word to describe it. AVID.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j-QcMnXRDNI/Uszo-ULWo9I/AAAAAAAAH5Y/g-acq38f76A/s1600/Goldfish-Crackers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j-QcMnXRDNI/Uszo-ULWo9I/AAAAAAAAH5Y/g-acq38f76A/s1600/Goldfish-Crackers.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google image</td></tr>
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4. I like to eat a snack before bed, IN bed, almost always while reading. Doesn't matter if bedtime is an hour after dinner (rare!) or 2 am (more likely!), I gotta have my snack...which can range from (too many!) Cheddar Blast Goldfish Crackers to a melted in the microwave Hershey Bar. You know that thing guys sometimes say about pretty girls...? ("I wouldn't kick HER outta bed for eating crackers!")...well, my hubby must think I am A-OK 'cause he never ever complains about this guilty pleasure of mine! (and even often participates in it himself, lol!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jn8i4cJ13o/UszrtFctydI/AAAAAAAAH5g/BKteHfBTKTI/s1600/download+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jn8i4cJ13o/UszrtFctydI/AAAAAAAAH5g/BKteHfBTKTI/s1600/download+(1).jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google image</td></tr>
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5. Ripping up magazines and books. Art for art's sake, I say. Some people freak out at the thought of decimating a book. I am fascinated at the prospect, especially old ones which get all fall-apart-y and crumbly and layer-y...ooooh, the textures and colors and creative possibilities are delicious! I wouldn't rip up an heirloom book or someones prized first edition or signed book or one my son wrote...I only rip up ones which I buy and choose specifically for that purpose. But many times, the parts and pieces of a beautifully deconstructed tome become too "precious" for me to choose to use in my art creations...until just the perfect possibility presents itself...<br />
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Ok, there you have it...well, not IT because of course, I have plenty more guilty pleasures, but none are all that bad (if ya ask me, lol!) Do YOU have some you'd be willing to share?! (it's ok, we ALL do!)</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Happy Me, Laurie.</div>
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Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-43524659042791422052014-01-06T10:42:00.000-08:002014-01-06T10:42:14.962-08:00Answering Oprah's "Big Questions"<div style="text-align: center;">
Today I am answering the 10 BIG QUESTIONS I shared in my post yesterday, </div>
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which Oprah's often asks of the guests she has on her show.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mr10Zd1lZK0/Usr4xBACTCI/AAAAAAAAH4k/HbnfRkqjpIQ/s1600/supersoulsunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mr10Zd1lZK0/Usr4xBACTCI/AAAAAAAAH4k/HbnfRkqjpIQ/s1600/supersoulsunday.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">THE WORLD NEEDS: more love & compassion for ALL fellow creatures who call this planet their home.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">I BELIEVE IN: the power of love.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">LOVE IS: the vital force for and by which we exist.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">I AM GRATEFUL FOR: the abundance of incredible blessings in my life.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">WHAT IS THE SOUL? The innate essence of who we are.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF GOD? The mysterious, ethereal, unknown, unexplainable, omnipotent fateful, miracle by which all things have come into being</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">WHAT DOES PRAYER MEAN TO YOU? A conscious connection of energy directed towards the highest good.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL PRAYER? Let me be a light in this world and shine on/for those who need it the most.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? The energy which comprises our manifestation as humans is dispersed and reorganized into a new and possibly different form.</span><br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><span style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;">WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE? That I am a very blessed woman.</span></div>
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I welcome you to share YOUR answers with me, if you'd like.</div>
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Happy Me, Laurie.<br style="background-color: #c3cc99; color: #333333; font-family: 'Just Another Hand'; line-height: 52px;" /><br /></div>
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Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-64788271417023448252014-01-05T16:47:00.003-08:002014-01-05T16:47:29.004-08:00Super Soul SundayHappy first Sunday in 2014!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QIbeTZEjMoo/Usn6vSRG_HI/AAAAAAAAH4M/aReUe7aOU6M/s1600/20120729-super-soul-sunday-marianne-williamson-8-592x333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QIbeTZEjMoo/Usn6vSRG_HI/AAAAAAAAH4M/aReUe7aOU6M/s1600/20120729-super-soul-sunday-marianne-williamson-8-592x333.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
I just finished watching today's episode <a href="http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Full-Episode-Oprah-and-Marianne-Williamson-Video">Oprah's Super Soul Sunday</a>, (<---click for link to watch), which featured one of my favorite spiritual mentors, <a href="http://www.marianne.com/">Marianne Williamson</a>, who was first on Oprah's show twenty years ago, just after her first book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Return-Love-Reflections-Principles-Miracles/dp/0060927488/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388968092&sr=8-1&keywords=a+return+to+love+book">"A Return To Love-Reflections on the Principles of "A Course In Miracles"</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xwerPGf8GJI/Usn7w-BSCMI/AAAAAAAAH4U/YV5q-rq5xio/s1600/bda3aaa118e56f20ee36019b96cda6ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xwerPGf8GJI/Usn7w-BSCMI/AAAAAAAAH4U/YV5q-rq5xio/s1600/bda3aaa118e56f20ee36019b96cda6ab.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a></div>
I am continually struck with wonderment at many of the words, thoughts and ideas which Marianne shares. Not only are her words profound and deep, but her voice is powerful and certain, yet gentle and mesmerizing. My experiencing watching her in <a href="http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Full-Episode-Oprah-and-Marianne-Williamson-Video">Oprah's interview today</a> (<---click for link to watch) was no exception. I just wanted to share this with you in case you'd like to watch it too.<br />
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I was going to share MY answers to the 10 "Big Questions" Oprah asked of her today...but I think I may need more time to ponder them.<br />
(Here they are, in case you'd like to ponder along with me!)<br />
THE WORLD NEEDS...<br />
I BELIEVE IN...<br />
LOVE IS...<br />
I AM GRATEFUL FOR...<br />
WHAT IS THE SOUL?...<br />
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF GOD?...<br />
WHAT DOES PRAYER MEAN TO YOU?...<br />
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL PRAYER?...<br />
WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?...<br />
WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE?...<br />
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Thanks for reading, hope you'll come here tomorrow to read my answers, and you are invited to share yours if you are willing! :)<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.<br />
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<br />Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618224777866335556.post-80190007139555352042014-01-04T18:46:00.001-08:002014-01-04T18:47:09.818-08:00Parental AdviceToday I am using the first (of what I predict will be many!) journal prompts I have collected to share in this post. I have literally hundreds of questions, prompts and "ponderments" to make my (longed for!) daily journal practice a reality...but honestly, this is the very first time I have actually utilized one of them! (lucky you, lol!)<br />
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WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOUR PARENTS GAVE YOU THAT STILL STICKS WITH YOU TODAY?<br />
I would have to say that one thing which I think of often and wish to help guide me on my path is something my daddy always said:<br />
<b>"DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HURT ANYONE ELSE"</b><br />
I'm pretty certain that I have NOT followed this advice on FAR too many occasions...but I also am pretty certain that I try much harder NOT to do that (hurt anyone) these days. However, I have also come to see that oftentimes, the "hurt" is not necessarily about what I did, but is more about the other persons "stuff", so it can become a fine line to figure it out. I may choose to do something which does not really get the popular vote from others, but that, to me, is not in actuality "hurting" them...it is just no doing what THEY think I should be doing. So this advice says/means to me: follow your heart, listen to yourself, do what makes you happiest because at the end of the day, it is YOU YOURSELF you have to live with and feel proud of and know you are being true to yourself. I have learned it is poitnless to do EVERYthing just to make another person happy. That being said, of COURSE I do things I know will make those I care about happy...which in turn, almost always makes ME happy as well! Yeah, can be a fine line there, but still good advice if you ask me.<br />
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Thanks for reading.<br />
Happy Me, Laurie.<br />
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<br />Laurie Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483597792015357701noreply@blogger.com0