Oh Canada...I will miss my nightly visit to a land of wonder...

magnetic wooden paper dolls...sand...paint...transform...alter...
more mother of pearl buttons for inspiration....
Java Love coffee cups to start my day in my artist process with strong hot coffee...


I had a busy day with a live chat with an artist Violette Clark from Canada but born in Casablanca, Morocco to Spanish parents who encouraged her in her artistic pursuits. She has written a wonderful book filled with inspirations and guides to get you started called Journal Bliss. Violette is energetic, spontaneous and uses clear ,bright colors in her journal pages that are examples of her "mind maps" that can be developed in both images and words. "Live your dreams and Miracles will happen." is an example of her journal and is full of a childlike abandon to release of her authentic feelings in brilliant colors and whimsical illustrations. She was the guest artist today in a live chat at Fiber Arts/Mixed Media with Susan and Creative Awakenings and artists from all over the globe. I found her to be a delightful, generous woman who describes her passages as an artist in her twenties, thirties, and forties. Using her cartoons she advises me to "Scan"my images so I can let go of the fear of ruining my drawings in a collage or assemblage and enjoy the process of new discoveries. She collect verses from Sark and Anais Ninn ...Images to inspire...describes the difficulties from the act of creating to selling her works and portraits of women artists...hers of Frida Kahlo is so powerful it emits an energy from one artist to another artist. I will investigate her "mind maps" in the next couple of entries in my journal and I felt a sense of relief that she does not do anything the same way every single day...variety is a major motivation and helps her keep fresh in her approach to mark making. The mind map is the central image with radiating lines coming off from the main image. Violette even explained how she made file folders for each mind map but the illustration processes kept her in a creative mode. She not only has a yearly calendar but she maintains five different yearly calendars. "magic follows you wherever you go!" and you might enjoy visiting her at her blog http://www.violette.ca/blog.html you will have to register with her process but I am excited to meet and greet a new friend from up North...the wonderful Canadians.

I did a weeks worth of cooking and will send dinner over to Erin's busy bed and breakfast including four little ones under the age of two but almost three. I baked a lean pork roast with fresh carrots, onions, garlic and mushrooms in a wonderful gravy/sauce. Ken worked on his schedule for the week of classes and observations. I am off to the bank tomorrow and then off to Moot's Tea Room to find an delicious tea for a Tea for Tuesday exchange...with other ea lovers and writers. I truly am trying to drink more green tea but it is impossible to give up my morning cup of Java Love in my Java Love coffee cup. The ice and snow are dwindling right in front of my eyes and the air felt a wee bit warmer today...above 32 degrees... a heat wave!

I have spent an hour looking for my Wabi Sabi paperback today. On Seth Apter's Secret Sunday 15 at the Altered Page and one of the contributors renewed my interest in the wabi sabi processes...things are either devolving toward or evolving from nothingness... truth comes from observation in nature..."Greatness" exists in the inconspicuous and overlooked details... beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness...getting rid of all that is unnecessary... and each one of us can have a real sense of place in the natural order of things.... Now you can see why I need to find my book for renewal of interests...it is so poetic in the presentation. Well I had better get back to work tonight...I am working on what several other fiber artist are now calling "Slow Cloth"...mine is definitely a slow process. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

postcards written with love...

Feel free to enlarge the images to check the art marks...the top one is 1910
Valentine's for a missed, loved brother serving his country....
I think this was published before the TV series The Honeymooners...a wee bit violent
I have gone on a journey with the handwritten messages and affirmations written on the back of postcards in 1908. I was drawn to the St. Patrick's "Erin go Brah" because of the upcoming date for my brain procedure with my neuro-surgeon on the 17th. I am going to make a small fabric assemblage with this funny 1908 image embellished with a special green leaf button that I received in the mail today from Button Flozzie. I plan on sneaking it in the surgery room for good luck...if not it will give Ken something to hold onto during the six hour procedure. The next postcard with the bathing beauties may end up as a birthday card...the "little difference of opinion" cartoon cards are quite violent and I was surprised to see how they were created before my own mother was born!

The Valentine post cards were for a special brother serving in the service...maybe the Navy from the anchor image shown... and he was away from home for the first time. The tenderness and consideration demonstrated in these special love cards seems so genuine compared to some of the craziness I saw being marketed this past Valentine's day. The holiness of a family celebration at Christmas time in 1908 was a gentle reminder that I may have lost my consciousness about keeping the quiet family renewal in the season of Christmas was refreshed by the loving messages on these holiday greetings of love from across the country. The snow scenes seem a little too familiar after the month of snow we have experienced in the Midwest.

I am not too sure how these messages will become a fresh approach to my assemblages ... to writing the old fashion way to people who matter... you can always reach back and hold their words in your hands when they are gone. I am having a tough time tonight...my typing and spelling is all over the place and backwards at times... with a severe headache so I better stop and be still...still in the moment. I just thought I would share these bits of history in a family's passage. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

A Norman Rockwell life...boy do I have you fooled...but not on purpose...

I apologize for not posting yesterday..we were doing something we both love best..giving our grown children a date night after they had their doctor's visit. Yes my Erin was smiling...they heard the heartbeat...just typing this affirmation makes me tear up. Cole kept asking why do they need a date night and we assured him all parents need to have time with themselves. Plus for a couple of hours we hold the future in our hearts...dinosaurs and roars...peek- a -boo and hide and seek with Morgan. I now appreciate why my Erin goes to sleep when the little ones go to bed. Erin's college room mate and dear friend is here from Phoenix to help her sister who had twins this past week. Jenny had a fireball named Carson who will be three in about three months and a little roly poly angel Cameron...they are all camping out with Erin and Chance. The childhood bond between these young people who are now parents is an act of love and Artful living. I am so blessed to be able to witness them with a renewed sense of appreciation. Our world is not a perfect place ...yet with these incredible heroes ...in my eyes...in my heart... we will be just fine with the blessings of our heavenly father. We took our time driving home last night after we tasted four different delicious cheesecakes....I know...but a little tiny taste was so rewarding and today it is back to fresh fruits and homemade bean soup!

Tonight I have plans to work with my handwork...I typed "handwords" at first... and somehow this description seemed so appropriate for my processes. We have a Netflics movie for our entertainment and the final performances from the Olympic Super stars will be on NBC. Ken loves the curling...I guess I do not understand this Olympic sport built around a 44 pound sport. The quarry where the stones are made looks intriguing...I would love to visit Fairy Rock in Scotland... a large rock island. There is a place and a time for everything!

I am praying for friends in Chile...and my neighbor's son lives in Hawaii where the tsunami is progressing. I have heard that the large wave has already hit my beloved New Zealand. May the Gods of all Nature guard and protect my beloved friends there. The snow is gently falling outside and it is such a quiet poetic sight to behold...my small furry dear deer were busy munching on the newly uncovered plant life on my hillside. They were here first so I should learn to plant indigenous wildflowers on my hillside and lean back to enjoy the wilderness outside my door. I wish you Peace and comfort tonight. Cuddle down and just "Be". Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart


CUPCAKES for everyone!

Maple Tree Tapping...at Dawes Arboretum...

Early this morning I slid down my driveway to meet Erin at Dawes Arboretum for story time with her Mothers group. "If you feed a Pig a Pancake" was the delightful story and the Dawes teacher was just great with all the three and four years old. We went downstairs in their small child library and gallery to spend a little time watching the birds feasting on a buffet of seeds in the various bird feeders. The full length window was mesmerizing for Miss Morgan...she did not want to really leave the bird watching for the story but was easily convinced to sit on my lap behind her big brother. For this moment in time I was in heaven...Erin got a chance to rest for a moment or two...she was craving sea food so badly today...that goes with her pregnancy. Cole was a big man and totally confident enough to sit by his friend Jackson and listen to the story...he has grown up so much this year with his going to school on Wednesdays. I had Miss Morgan on my lap and she was as perfect as a little one year old could be for the whole story. She did glance over at her Mom to make sure she was still in the same room. The group bundled up in coats ,hats and mittens to walk into the winter woods to the cabin where the men were cooking the maple sap down into a delicious maple syrup...yum yum! As we walked into the woods on the snowy path we saw deer...they heard us first... saw the buckets and sap bags collecting the sap...the old fashion kettle cooking over an open fire ...down past the Spring house by the creek...all of this was an adventure for all big and small. They had a roaring fire in the fireplace and we were treated to fresh syrup and watched the men stirring the sap ever so carefully. As we all made our walk back to the Nature center I realized how very lucky I am to actually be here ...in the moment with these young courageous mothers holding the hands of our future! Yes, Cole you are going to change to world...and Morgan you delight my soul just being Morgan!

I made a few stops and errands and then stopped by the gallery for a wonderful cup of coffee with Kathy....our docent of the day...and Tony the president of our Licking County Arts group. They we handling intake for tomorrow's new exhibit and we just had a chance to quietly catch up.... it feels with the snowbound weeks we have just experienced...like I had not seen them forever! When I came home I machine felted two woolen sweaters...hopefully to make them...repurposed...into a woolen bag. This is another process I have been experimenting with so little by little next Fall I will have a couple new hand crafted purses for gifts or sale. I made some fresh cornbread to go with our 16 bean soup for tonight's dinner. I made vanilla fun-fetti cupcakes with milk chocolate icing and sprinkles to take to Erin and Chance's tomorrow while they have a date afternoon. The doctor's office for prenatal check-up, lunch out with adults only and a movie! They are great parents who work extremely hard to make a home for their family and I am lucky enough to be able to witness their loving family grow.

I have had a very busy day but the household chores are almost caught up and the last load of laundry is in the dryer. Now I want to have my quiet time and quilt my meditation onto my quilts. My gel mediums are still a wee bit tacky so I have to wait until tomorrow to apply the next possible process. I am very pleased with how the night photo is shimmering...and hope I can maintain a fiber softness when I go to add the crystal beads with needle and threads.

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. (unknown) Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

today I heard that naps make you smarter...I must be as smart as Einstein

We went out to a quiet lunch for a break in the week... I had grilled chicken with roasted red and green peppers, onions with grilled fresh squash and olive oil coated roasted herb potatoes. Yum Yum! Hot coffee and a renewed energy to seek out 8 more safari hats for Cole's third birthday in a few weeks. Success and giggles as we walked out under a soft snowfall. We tackled the needed groceries and continued our fresh foods and the less processed the product the better. It will take time but we both can feel a difference physically and by the summer months we should be able to see some visible changes...no I will not be a model who is a size 4 but possibly my blood pressure will be down and the healthy approach helps me prepare for my procedures. I came home and put away half of the multiple bags and went to lay down for a moment. After three hours I woke up to make a huge pot of 16 bean soup for the next couple of days...the soup always taste better a day later.

Now I am back into the Olympics and reading the messages on the back of the old vintage postcards ...why did I stop writing my little letters and postcards. I love receiving mail ...you can save it and read it over and over again when friends have to move away. This simple handwritten message is priceless and can never be replaced. My ATC's are a small avenue to send to people who like a hand touched, written message to let my Golden friends are still in my heart.

I will add another glimmer of golden glaze to the photos I am showing you tonight...poor Ken woke up to several art processes drying on kitchen counters this morning. God bless this patient man who supports my passions and vision. I am also heading to Dawes Arboretum tomorrow morning for story time with Erin's mothers group ...hopefully the sun will come out and a few photos will enter my mind's eye to layer into my smaller works. I have been thinking about finding a written form to add context onto a few pieces. I did this before with Pigma pens but it is so light you have to come very close to see the messages of farewell to a brother. I have also considered stamping with permanent inks and various fonts but I will totally need to practice on some smaller design elements. I need to get back to work now...know how much I appreciate out threads of connection. I have a small group that makes it easy to read and relish each person's challenges and passages. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

a snowy foggy day...the woods are clearing...

the fabrics from my past in transition with layers...

my constant companions ...the fluffy fur keeps them warm on my cold hillside...

my photograph altered by adding metallic threads and a Liquitex opal surface treatment... I am not too sure about this step... we will see...

today I heard my sparrow sing...

I have had a little bit better day and when the energy comes back I begin to move when I can. I have had a visit from an artist that I totally respect...her name is Leah Pikens Kolidas at her Blue Tree Art Gallery.com Once a month I receive her newsletter and a serene blog with connections about things that light up your life. Her paintings and prints deal with guiding light as we as artists journey through our processes and techniques. Today she shared an interview over the radio a couple weeks ago about what actually inspires her when she is in a darker place. When I view her works I find it hard to believe she experiences a dark period because her color palette has a softness and clarity in brightness that I personally find very soothing. You may want to check her our and sign up for her free newsletter...I think she is now living in Boston but I could be wrong. She emailed me back and came to my blog with kind words of support in a cool "blue tone" voice...that is what I imagined after hearing her voice on the radio interview.

I have an intuitive flow right now even if my body is not quite on board in the energy department. I heard a quote by Maryann Williams "Who are you not to shine?" Remember the small steps that lead to small successful processes...find comfort in your/my space in the present moment and be gentle with your/my spirit. I played in my journal this afternoon about the upcoming new version of Alice in Wonderland and found pleasure in splashing colors on the page and remembering the song"go ask Alice when she is ten feet tall" from Jefferson Airplane back in the 1960s. Johnny Dep is one of my favorite actors and he seems to be a chameleon when he adopts personalities for his roles. One of my favorite is his portrayal of the older brother in the story of "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"...Leonardo de Caprio as a mentally challenged younger brother. Our Columbus Dispatch had an article about the various illustrations that have become icons in our childhood memory. I am anxious to see this new version of a fascinating story of Alice.

I was given a large zip lock bag of postcards and mailing envelopes from the dates from 1908 until the 1960's with messages from relatives and siblings ... a true treasure load of America's intimate family histories. The handwriting, the script lettering, the stamps and the messages kept me enthralled as I waited for Ken to arrive home. I am planning to scan many of these images into the computer to allow me the freedom to mix and combine both sides of the postcards into my fabric transfers. I found a 1908 "Erin Go Bragh" postcard but I cannot read who the artist was that created this illustration and the message was about a break in communication because someone had been hospitalized and would soon be out of his trolley job...hey this sounds familiar to what is happening right now in our present economy. I will attempt to register some of the images that speak to me and post them on future blogs as I begin my re composition.

Tonight I pulled out a couple fabrics from storage in my studio secret surprises...stuff I refuse to let go of... that I created with Ann Johnston years ago and began staging them in a new light...I was so timid back then with colors...so now I am adding fresh strokes and spurts of greens, coral reds and yellows. I took some photos but I am not sure they are clear so when the fabrics dry I will try once again to capture this effort. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

the foam hat to decorate for Cole's third birthday...Dinosaur dig theme

ATC's trading cards from altered papers recycled from junk mail and newsletters...


this last photo is of a dear friend who has had two brain surgeries and checks up on my progress...he is a hero to me and my heart's journey

revisiting the little prince...

"One sees clearly only with his heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes." The Little Prince

I have had a rough day after last night's injections. Fevers and aches and to top it all off it was a sky covered with a gray velvet blanket...Ken and I both were feeling out of sort. When I was able to be up and around I cut up some art papers given to me to use in some of my works. Yes it was mechanical but at the same time I washed some batik fabrics for my Snow Moon composition. My mind has been foggy like the day and just keeping my feet moving was a goal for today. I finally received my new book for long cold winter days ...A Guide for Grown-Ups ...the essential wisdom from the collected works from Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It is an immediate relief from the grayness of the end of February. This small book has little quotes and vignettes to read and think on ...and the fact that my copy of the Little Prince I have had since 1975 is all highlighted this is a way to renew my appreciation for this gentle writer who graced our earth for such a short time. (1900-1944)

Tonight I have been trying to get my stitching back into a gentle rhythm so I can get another couple of inches embellished. When I take a break...I lose my momentum and so I reach for inspiration by checking in on other blogs in my small circle on the net. Thank you for being there...I can travel around the world and still stay in my pajamas :o)...thank you for being there. I can begin once again to dwell on my mind dreams until the energy returns and follows my thought process to create. My medications have drained my brain power but I tell myself I will be back to normal by tomorrow. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Green Craft 2010...a new inspiration from Stampington & Company

an etched antique champagne glass with clear crystal beads and mother of pearl buttons for my Snow Moon quilt for February collaboration...
a hand printed kitchen towel from the 1950's ...no one prints tea towels by hand for functional and beauty in use...
a new selection of wooden thread spools and hand crochet pot holders and snaps/hooks and eyes for 10 cents....
beautiful mother of pearl buttons for my moon and small glass crystal beads for snow embellishments...




I also found wooden/paper dolls and a new Nancy Drew book for Maya Rose...these dolls are magnetized so the possibilities are endless...I plan to sand and paint them and maybe add photos of women I knew

Mea Culpa...Mea Culpa...Mea maximum Culpa.

I found a new publication from Stampington and Company today and though many projects were a little raw on the edges for me I found the continued interest for "from Trash to Treasure" to be a fluid starting point for my mind to explore while I wait for something to dry...something to cook... sorting and cleaning vintage fibers. Once again the excellence for presentation in this series of art publications does not let the viewer down in their expectations and inspirations. I have found myself evaluating my thread and paper scraps in a new appreciation...I think my new admiration for bits and pieces will continue to drive Ken batty but now he is seeing more artists examining possibilities. I have to give him a heads up about little collected specimens and describe to him how and where I will be using scraps with an artful flair...hopefully. There is an interesting article about creating leather jewelry from an old discarded leather coat. This whole repurposing energies has me estimating other avenues for using small bits of leather for maybe cuffs, embellishments for my assemblages and further evidence of stamped context words and clues. I have collected several small tins to be sanded and embellished in a presentation with clues or stories in a small sculpture. As you can see the A.D.D. is running wild once again tonight. I need to stand still and digest these possibilities. Several articles are different directions one might take when recycling an old woolen sweater with an emphasis on functionality. I got a free woolen sweater from the recycling box at Saint. Vincent's Thrift shop last week and have a felted purse in mind... with small woolen roving needle felted into designs on the outside with vintage buttons for an organic approach to felting. If you love the challenge and thrill of buying a forgotten item for nearly nothing and transforming this find into a wonderful new application like stationery or files or journals...you might want to check this new magazine out. No I am not being paid for this rural endorsement but today I found it to be enticing for trying new processes. Last year I was in a collaboration with many other artists about disintegration...and I was inspired to think about the possibility of "Zero trash" for our planet. Makes you think doesn't it...what if we had a unified movement?

This afternoon I washed the cotton materials and vintage items I had purchased earlier in the week. This step is often overlooked by others working with old hand created pieces but by washing I have been able to eliminate some stains...often before I add my own touches...and if the fibers fall apart I now know how sustainable they will be in the additional processes I want to use. It also gives me a chance to reevaluate and drool over my wonderful finds ... this slow process of collecting and sorting helps me to tell a story or reflect on a memory and develop an invitation for the viewer to come and take a closer look. Thank you all for checking in...our comments on each others stories is a serene thread of connection with others all over the world. You had my heart at hello.... whoops someone else already said that. Be sure to check out the Sunday Secrets at Seth Apter's blog The Altered Page. There are some pretty neat secrets we could all learn from. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Saturday is thaw day...

I have been researching women in the Arts and are being rediscovered today by designers for handbags and Nike skinny gym shoes. Paule Marrot is a French artist who was an engraved,painter, print maker and textile designer who was born in Bordeaux in1902 and studied Sacred Art decorative arts at the age of 14. At 22 she was hand painting her fabrics that were sold to designers and shown at Salon des Artistes and finally met Jean Schlumberger who collaborated with her until his death in 1963. Now in 2010 many young designers of home furnishings and linens are beings inspired by her colorful designs and rich textures. "You paint with your heart the flowers of the field" and with this inspiration she lived an artist life to the fullest!

I went out to pick up some paper punches that were 70 % off and a white Deco Color paint marker to use on my fabrics and in my journal as I work out my compositional proposals for several smaller works. I also picked up a Pen Touch quick dry white ink that is permanent... I am hoping that it will not smear when apply wet mediums on top of the page. I went on a hunt for some heavy crochet fibers to hopefully use in my Collagraphs to be incorporated in my printing on top of my hand dyed fabrics. The book I am reading is COLLAGRAPHS and mixed media printmaking by Brenda Hartill and Richard Clarke...they have given pertinent details and simple approaches to hopefully successfully reach the effect I am hope to discover. It sounds like a plan doesn't it? I found a hand-printed kitchen towel from the 1950's by an artist Dauray...I took this as a sign from the muses that I was on to something worth pursuing. I found three frames that open to have a shadowbox black frame with 8 by 10 space for an assemblage and a linen side to stitch a fiber small work on sale from $24.99 to now an affordable $7.99. Life is good! Well I am back to the Olympics and working on my second full moon composition ...The Hunger Moon or The Snow Moon for my collaboration with Bea at her Dog in the Hole Studio. Have a wonderful Sunday morning! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Sunshine on my shoulders...

The sunrise today was so pink and peach and bright I felt this had to be a great day even for going to the hospital for more research and blood work. I try to remain patient and calm but lately I begin to feel the anxious feelings as soon as we begin our journey over to the hospital. Lupus is such a tricky diagnosis and requires a competent doctor/observer and a patient that would really work with the prescribed cautions and advice. My doctor is a humble person who is conservative and listens to me as I make my list of changes available to him. I really think he understands how important my work as an artist and my family is the most important aspects of my life. We left with consideration about possible changes and headed over to see Erin and the kids for chicken tortilla soup and a couple new books to read about dinosaurs before nap time.

The sun continued to radiate in a bright blue azure sky...tomorrow may have a different outcome but for today I promised myself to enjoy in the glow of the day. I am very tired from the whole experience and came home to retreat to my bed and my warm quilts. Tomorrow I will work and continue to study my collagraphs...I think that is the correct spelling. The text is small but mighty in inspiration and I will try to add the title and artists to my blog tomorrow.

"Making a decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have to have your heart walking outside your body." Elizabeth Stone ...tomorrow I am mixing my own crayons by melting remnants for one of my collages!!! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Seek the sacred in the Ordinary...

Women who ran with the wolves...
In 1994 my sacred sister gave me a small book that I revisited tonight...Abraham H. Maslow describes the great lesson from the true mystics...is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbors, friends, and family, ...in one's own back yard. This is so simple but somehow as an artist I forget the simplicity in the daily often mundane movements in my day. A phone call from a friend who needed an ear to "listen with my heart". My dear mother in law called in the afternoon to share some family news and I assured her that every new life is a gift from God no matter when they arrive...my mother said the first child can come anytime...after that they all usually take nine months. I talked to my daughter Erin and she was having a better day today...threads of connections to my heart...and yes I did get some assemblage work tonight. I am beginning to feel the time limits for my process completion for the exhibit...whoa...this is wasted energy. I will get to May 28th one step at a time... I am preparing mentally and doing the work.

Tonight I am enthralled once again by the skaters in Vancouver...Evan Lysacek has performed his finest performance and it is now up to how the other skaters perform and the bonus numbers from the judges. Johnny Weir is wearing silver and sequins but no make-up tonight..."always be yourself" and recognize the beauty in his own soul. His program is called "Fallen Angel" and reflects his growth since the Torino games. These young men display grace and strength with an amazing sense of poise and artistry. The Russian skater was wonderful and only lost by one point in the judges to Evan and this was a night remember. Congratulations Evan for 257.67 Gold Medal celebrations! The promise of our future is evident tonight as the youth of the world unite to share their dreams.

I am going to risk something new for my smaller works...I am creating callographs from fibers to be used to print textures of sheer fabric to add layers before I even add the story with my threads and embellishments. I retrieved a fabric that I collaborated with Susan Shie and Marge Burkell back in 1994 where we played with an airbrush and some newer paints designed for fabrics. I had wondered where this piece would take my sacred marks and now I have planned a prayerful memory page of our very own Wooster Woodstock 1994. Susan Shie has been a very important inspiration over the last twenty years...she is my lady of white light! I am not sure what Marge is doing ..we drifted apart as she moved into Amway and her family. Marge was an incredible colorist and I miss her wonderful way with design and colors. Now I will recapture that August afternoon collaboration and barbecue! I am pulling out several important narratives and love stories from the women who have guided my vision and my life as an artist.
I need to get up early tomorrow to see the OSU hospital Lupus specialist and double check the availability for my March Brain procedure. I am not sure I will be able to sleep tonight. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Merci...Gracias...Thank You for your support...

writing is me being pulled by the cycles of a gentle moon...one moment at a time
I have been going along watching in other blog spot celebrations when the writer hits the 300th post on their blog and I looked down tonight and realized I hit this number without realizing actually accomplishing this feat. What have I learned? I am no longer afraid to put my feelings and words down...releasing intimate fears... celebrating the smallest family joys...sharing processes...adding photography and free verse when I feel it is worth sharing...participating in several global collaborations just for the pleasure of sharing a moment in time with a person I may never meet... gentle spirits who read without judgment and often with words of comfort and support... this Internet gathering is a gentle circle to hear and share our truths. Thank you for all of your kindnesses and patience as I learn my own limitations along with my skills to develop a meaningful dialogue, personal and quiet most of the time...ordinary measures of a day shared ...this alone is enough to empower me to focus a brief account or evidence if you wish of my life as an artist. My best quote I have given this year is "calm quiet movements...calm quiet moments...have become my guardians ...and for all artists" Imagine and Live in Peace, Thank you all. Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Celebrate...Ash Wednesday ? not quite but at least we only got a tiny bit of snow....

red rose in the afternoon...
candlelight...midnight sky with hints of vanilla
icicles drape the edge of the roof...add bells and I am sure you have music...
I tried to capture the ice dripping off the tip...I am not sure I captured this magical moment...

I did celebrate getting out of the house this afternoon and a short run to my favorite Goodwill where I found a small electric skillet to employ with my friendly plastics...and it was on sale for half off. I have been on a quest for an electric skillet but this small crepe size pan will be perfect to play with as I layer friendly plastics in an experimental button approach. I will keep you posted if this works out. I also made a run to pick up a baby gift and actually retrieve the mail from the phantom mailbox at the end of our hilly driveway...only bills but at least we still have our mailbox. The little buggers have been out of school too long and someone found excitement by "batting" several mailboxes on our circle drive. I only want to ask...WHY??? I have never understood the fascination of this so-called sport in my rural county??? I made a huge pot of chicken vegetable soup and Ken made a fruit pie...blackberries and raspberries baked in a luscious crust...whoops Lent began today...now you understand why I am an outlaw Catholic. I watched a favorite movie of mine...Tea with Mussolini...filmed in Florence, Italy. I have got to get back to Italy...the landscape mesmerizes me and the language exudes romance...even if I do not know what they are saying. In this movie the villains were easy to pick out even in German and the Fascist followers of Mussolini's regime. Now I am channel surfing while the Olympics pull on my heartstrings...last night was so exciting even if I misidentified the male skaters...Thursday night should prove to be interesting. Now I am back to my handwork and the news...go Sadie Sadie lucky lady you stole my heart...today our Scottie Rescue organization was on the news with special traits and details of this breeds characteristics. Supposedly the Scots are not good companions for small children..who knew? Enjoy my icicles on the roof edge this morning...they were almost three feet long and glistening in the meager light available. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart