"Agave and Friends..."

We are back home now...

adjusting to

the "new normal" that invariably follows

tragedy and loss.

Scott and I want thank each of you

for your prayers, cards, comments, and emails

of sympathy and condolence

regarding the passing of his father

"Ollie."

Your words and thoughts lighten our hearts.

Ollie, who was an artist and woodcrafter,

loved to watch me draw

especially during these last months.

As I look through my sketchbooks

filled with the many sketches I have yet to paint

fond memories

of him and our visits flood my mind.

At some point, when I feel ready, I will finish them...

and post them for you to see.

For now though...

I will keep them tucked away...

and

attempt to slowly work back into the

blogging universe

where

all of you wonderful artistic friends

make my spirit soar.

Happy Cactus Monday...Cherish the day...:)

"Today a new sun rises for me;

everything lives,

everything is animated,

everything seems to speak to me of my passion,

everything invites me to cherish it.”
~Ninon de Lenclos

A May Day Bouquet...

...of well wishes...

snail mail...

and delightful little bits of recognition.

I am so deeply touched by your kind words and sweet wishes

and am

so very thankful that you enjoy...what I love to do!

Today...My heart simply swells with smiles!

First of all...a cactus ATC!!!...from Lolo...
It arrived "Snail Mail" style today...this was a fave of mine!
LOVE it!
(...also, see the beautiful award Lolo designed further down on this page.)

This was received from Aimee...in Texas...

via email...just today also...

and now passed along to each of you who pop in for a visit

everyday...or every now and then.

Pass on the love! :)

This was received from Lolo...in California.
Laurel is a brilliant writer and a deeply soulful artist.
Her pieces are always a treat for me to see...
filled with imagination and uniqueness.
The marriage of her words and her brushstrokes take my breath away.
I feel good about the world around me each time I visit her.
Laurel not only designed this beautiful award
but who also wrote these heartfelt descriptors
gracing it:
"This award goes to fellow bloggers who visit frequently
and raise my spirits with their kind words of encouragement,

their beautiful images

and their wonderful outlook on life.

They make blogging a positive experience

and

continue to make my life richer."

Please feel free to pass this award along to your friends.

Thanks to all of you who raise me up! xox

Laurel...

you know this means the world to me! :)

This was received from Caroline...in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

If ever you wanted to do a bit of armchair travelling...

visit Caroline.

You will be in for a big treat.

Her posts are filled with exotic photographs and beautiful artwork.

I love stopping by regularly

and seeing what she is doing in her little corner of the world.

She is amazing!

This beautiful award was created and designed by the talented Peter Breese.

So, in the true spirit of the award

I pass this on to each of you "even keeled" friends

who through thick or thin

always seem to artistically cheer me on

to do my best

and have joy in my heart.

And...

if you are reading this...that means YOU!!!

Thank you all for sharing your art/photography/writing

and being such an inspiration!

Finally, this was received from Rhonda in Kentucky...

An amazing and talented artist

whose blog is filled to the brim with glorious artistic expression.

Her photography always interesting and engaging...

Her paintbrush an extension of her heart.

Her words lift one up.

I feel I always learn something new about our craft

when I visit her.

The actual "guidelines" for this award are

to list seven things

one is passionate about

and then

to pass this award on to seven others.

Tonight...I am gently tweaking the rules a bit...

my intentions in doing so are

to simply spread the joy I felt in receiving this

and pass this on

to those of you who also deeply love what you artistically do...

To those of you

who live your artistic life

with passion

and who, like Rhonda, paint it with the colors of your soul.

"Blushing a Bit..."

Cynthia at Muse Swings blogspot bestowed a

"Blog In Bloom Award"

(which she created herself)

to several blogging buddies who she felt had "wonderful blogs

that just bloom with art, originality, creativity, beauty, humor, fun

and bring joy to those who read them. "

WOWZA!

I am so in awe of her prolific creativity

that it blows me away to receive this...

Thanks Cynthia!

Again, Cynthia , at Muse Swings blogspot,
who has an awesome, imaginative, and joyful blog of her own,
has bestowed this wonderful Premio Dardos Award to my blog.
"This award is given for recognition of cultural,
ethical, literary, and personal values
transmitted in the form of creative and original writing..."
I am touched and honored by this Cynthia...
Thank You. :)

In honour of this beautiful season,

Lavinia at Bird Bath Chronicles blogspot, created a brand new award.

And it's name says it all.

To the recipients of this award...

feel free to pass it on to blogs that you yourself have 'fallen' for,

before this glorious season is over.....

Thanks Muse Swings for passing it along to me.

Now,

I pass it along to all my regular blog followers...

and also

to those who pop in for a peek every now and then.

Thanks so much for your support.

Pick up your award and pass it along...before Autumn passes us by...

Winter is just a bit over a month away!

"I would never have thought that blogging

would be this exhiliarating and uplifting to me as an artist...

Learning everyday about the world around me

and

about the wonderfully artistic people in that world gives me

great joy and strengthens my wings."

~Me :)

"Oooh!..Lookie Here...! "

...This beautiful award

was just presented to me Thursday by

Marva, in Colorado, at Purplepaint's Muse blogspot.

And Friday by Kazumiwannabe.

...Double the fun!

Thanks so much Marva...and Kazumiwannabe! A big WooHoo! :)

The rules for accepting this award are:

1. Choose 5 blogs you consider deserving of this award for

creativity,

design,

interesting material and

a contribution to the blogging world.

2. List the name of each person awarded and a link to their blog.

3. Show the award and the name and blog link of the person who presented you with the award.

4. Show the link to the Arte Y Pico blog. http://arteypico.blogspot.com/

5. Show the rules.

Now...I, in turn,

would like to present this award to a few of the people who

"rock" my artistic and imaginative world.

1. Anita Davies, in England, at Art by Anita.

Anita is, plain and simple, my "self appointed" mentor...
Oprah has Maya Angelou...I have Anita...

Plain and simple -If you haven't visited her before...

Do so now...she's an artistic DYNAMO-she does not disappoint.

2. John, in Kansas, at John a Lookin' Around:

John has beautiful journal pages of life all around him.

He is currently working on a fabulous travel journal

which has inspired me to start one of my own...A must see!

3. Pippa, at Pippa's Porch.

Pippa has a thoughtful and creative blog built this premise:

"The best kind of friend is the kind

you can sit on a porch swing with,

never say a word,

then walk away feeling

like it was the best conversation

that you ever had." ~ Anonymous

I love visiting her!

4. Teri, In Wisconsin and Arizona, at Teri's Painted Daisies.

Teri is an amazing blogger...

She fills her pages daily with

a dazzling delightful variety of topics.

She is active in many drawing forums

and brings joy to my heart with her art!

5. Irene, at Nature Drawing and Journaling.

Irene is both artistic and inspirational.

Her absolute love of nature is prominent in her artwork-

and her workshops spectacular.

I make a great armchair traveller...(don't like bugs)

Irene's site is a world of adventure to me! :)

A "Must See!"

"It's A Small World..."

...And OH! How Wonderful it is!

Since I first received this award from Anita and Kathleen

I have been presented it twice again by another two lovely artists:

Lisa, of Lisa Reed How I See It, in Texas

and Clare, of Mummushka's Sketch Journals, in Australia!

Ladies, I am truly humbled.

Never, even in my wildest dreams, did I ever think

my teeny little art world

would grow to have such big and beautiful horizons.

What an honor to "know" each of you!

You can view my seven nominees here.

"Celebrate Good Times..Come On!"

My 100th...BLOG POSTING!

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul.

Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."

-Ralph Vaull Starr

My deepest appreciation and gratitude goes this day

to all my wonderful art loving visitors and friends

from all over the world...

who "pop in" every "now and again" for a blog visit.

You have excited my artistic spirit and touched my heart.

You have energized my imagination with your comments.

You have become a welcome part of my every-day.

Together may we continue to "reach high"

and "dream deeply"...

For, the best "100" is yet to come! :)

And last, but certainly, not least...

I send, with love, my happiest birthday wishes ever on this day

to my brother Mark...

and to my sister Susan,

Born this date exactly two years apart!

I Love You both! Happy, Happy Birthday!

My oh, my! It really IS a Wonderful Day! :)

So...

Let's Celebrate...Come on...! :)

"Happy First Month Birthday Water Blossoms..."

With all the excitement of a little kid on her birthday... I celebrate this day!

This was the one of last things I thought I would ever do.

Me?...A blog?...You've GOT to be kidding! ;)

Visiting you all, "watching from the outside in", was joy enough for me.

Drawing, painting, doodling, fiddling, class taking, journaling,

THAT is was I did...

...and life was Good!

Then a change happened.

It all started with "call out"

for participation in a Postcard Pen Pal Exchange.

"Why not try? What could possibly go wrong? "

Well, to my surprise, and utter delight,

everything went very, very, very right!

"Water Blossoms", a thought I once had, became a reality.

A blog was born...

Then,

I met YOU...and this time I really MET you...

up close and personal, right here in my own home.

Every morning you would be right there in my email.

You came from all corners of the world...

from the east to the west coast...

from across the rolling seas..

from big urban cities to the quiet open skys of the fens...

...from your world into mine.

You entered my life and decorated it with your individuality,

and your talent,

and your encouragement.

So,

on this "First Month Birthday" of "Water Blossoms",

I joyously celebrate!

I celebrate the vigor it has brought to my art

and,

most importantly,

I celebrate

YOU...

each and every one of you,

and

I thank you for the artistic energy you give me every day.

With appreciation and thanks,

Margaret :)