Looking Back ~ "Sister Ophelia's Unfortunate Picnic" and "The Uninvited" ~

Hello There:

What a whirlwind week it's been.  Some things good and some things trying.  

I said goodbye to the last bouquet of Autumn Roses ~ 

Opened the last bag of 2012's Boysenberries ~ 

Which is now a pie ~ 

...and found a new home for the front porch Chrysanthemums ~

The chaos of Christmas is almost here.  I can feel it creeping up in my bones ~ 

I love the idea of Christmas, but the chaos and materialism exhausts and disappoints me every year.  

But...onward I go.

I am still in "sales mode" in my Art Shop.  Everything has been marked down by 50%.  This includes original art, art prints and even a few "gnarly-dolls" thrown into the mix.

I was looking back today, trying to find some of the little stories that I originally wrote to go along with my collages.  Last year, when my computer crashed, I lost all of my little short stories.  

Well, I found them on JacketFlap!!  JacketFlap is a site that connects authors, illustrators and publishers of Children's books.  My blog posts run through their site each time I post.  So....they have a record of all my old blog posts and I found my stories!!  I am so excited.

So....I thought I would share 2 of them with you.  They're just simple little stories, mind you. I don't publish an ending to the stories because I like the reader to come up with their own endings.  However, I do have the endings written for myself.  Would you like to read 2 of them?

Okay!

"The Uninvited"

"Today is Miss. Laramie Rabbit's big tea party.  All of her friends will be there, ready to have a day of fun and food ~ yummy little rosy cupcakes, delicious boysenberry turnovers and sweet, minty tea. But....someone dark and eerie has made an appearance...someone or something Uninvited!! What will the day bring for Miss. Laramie and her friends?"

And...

"Sister Ophelia's Unfortunate Picnic"

"Do you like picnics? My sister Ophelia loves them... 

A warm day under the full moon....waiting for our friends to arrive ~ oh the lovely flutter of summertime butterflies.  I remember so well, that day.  The day of the unfortunate picnic.  You see, we had everything perfectly planned,  and then..." 

So...you see?  You get to make up your own ending for the stories.

Both of the originals are long ago sold, but....you can get them both in print version for 50% off right now in my shop.  

I think art,  and anything handmade really, makes spectacular gifts.  So unique and heartfelt.

Do you agree?

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

P.S.   I am overwhelmed by the kindness of fellow artist and blogger Cat's Wire.    She wrote a lovely blog post about me.  Can you believe it?  Thank you Catrin!! ♥♥

Just a Heads Up ~ Cyber Monday Sale

Hello There:

Just wanted to offer you a quick reminder about my Shop Sale.  Everything in my shop is 30% off through tonight at midnight.  No need for a coupon code as the discounted prices are already in place.  

Also, if you have a chance, pop over to Vanessa Valencia's blog A Fanciful Twist.  She's hosting an amazing give-away for a $50.00 gift certificate to my shop.  If you'd like to enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on Vanessa's blog.  Ohhh...and she's having a fantabulous sale in her Shop as well!

Thanks for stopping by.  I truly appreciate each and every one of you.  Some of my readers go way back to my old Garden Painter Art days.  So....thank you for coming by and continuing to read my blog even though it's sometimes maddening to leave a comment!

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

Thanksgiving Week, A Shop Sale and a Fanciful Giveaway ~

I admit it...

I heart Thanksgiving!

The warmth of the Autumn sun and colorful Thanksgiving bouquets ~

The endless blue sky in my out of the way neighborhood ~

Golden star leaves ~ 

Natures confetti ~ 

What a fun and busy Thanksgiving week I had....

For the first time in a few years, I found myself in the pit ~ 

Oh how I adore Epica

I know, I know...I don't seem like the type that would listen to Symphonic Metal, but I just adore it.  I listen to their CDs while I work in my studio ~ 

It was so much fun standing at the outside of the circle pit.  So much energy and life.  A really big guy stepped on my foot in the frenzy, but that's okay.  It was all in good fun!

Then...a few days later ~

A book signing with the fabulous author and grand wearer of pink hair...

Laini Taylor

Laini is truly a gifted and inspirational author.  She is always so nice and she always remembers my daughter and me. ♥♥

I am so thankful for music and books.  Do you like music and books?

Do you remember that I posted a photo of this treasure a few weeks ago?

Yes...a conjoined pumpkin.

I am in love with this giant and orange double thing.  I am such a lucky girl for finding it.  Well, guess what!  Of all the people in the world, I found another treasure last week ~ 

Yes...that's right.  A conjoined potato!!

How lucky am I?

Isn't it or aren't they spectacular?

Yes, everyone in my house has already discussed what they look like, but I won't mention that.  Plus, I don't care.  I love it/them.

I am thankful for small surprises and heartful treasures.

Hand written recipes left behind by my mom.

Treasures indeed ~ 

Sometimes, when I'm cooking a holiday meal, I find myself picking up the phone to call my mom and ask for cooking advice.  Then the burning in my heart reminds me that she's gone.  Together again with my dad.

Thanksgiving in my home is warm and simple.  Too much food and my immediate family (just the 5 of us).

This picture makes me giggle.  I didn't realize it until I looked at the photo, but my 3 guys had already grabbed their plates off the table.  The photo shows 5 place settings and only 2 plates...my daughter's and my own.  The guys had already taken their plates to the serving area and were huddled around the food ~ 

I am thankful.  I am thankful for my family and for my Everydays.  

I am thankful for music and books and memories.

I am thankful for the opportunity to work from home in my little studio.

I am thankful for my Art ~ 

If you get a chance...have a look at my online shop: Gerushia's New World.

I am having a Holiday Sale that will run through Cyber Monday (November 26th at midnight).

Everything in my shop is 30% off.  No need for a coupon code, as prices are already in place.  Mention my blog at checkout and receive a free ACEO print of your choice!

Ohhhhh....and one last fantabulous thing!  The always amazing, always magical Vanessa Valencia is hosting a give-away for a $50.00 gift certificate for my shop!!  You can read all about the details on her blog A Fanciful Twist.  She's also having a holiday sale in her shop too, so be sure and pop over to Vanessa's to enter the gift certificate give-away and have a peek at her shop sale as well.  

I ♥ Vanessa!

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope you all had a lovely and warm Thanksgiving.

If you have any questions about the sale, please feel free to email me.

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

Stitched, Stuffed, Cold and Icy Blue ~

Finally....finally I have a new "Gnarly-Doll" listed in my Shop.  This guy is cold and icy blue and perfect for Christmas and the entire winter holiday season!  

Introducing "Jack Frost Humpty Dumpty" 
(You can call him Old Man Winter if you like) 

Isn't he chilly and frosty?

Do you know who Jack Frost is?

I remember seeing a Russian movie about Jack Frost on television when I was a little girl and it scared the guts out of me.  

I mostly remember that he was chasing some poor girl around a tree.  Scary stuff!!

My Jack Frost isn't scary in any way.  He has a button face on tea stained muslin ~ 

Icy printed pantlings ~ 

and a fabulously fancy vintage silver belt buckle ~ 

This guy is big!  He's 30" tall and about 9" wide at his plumpish belly.

Jack Frost is completely hand stitched.  I did not use a sewing machine.  I do not own a sewing machine.  I am altogether terrified of sewing machines.  They're too fast and chaotic for me.  I prefer the rhythm of a hand stitch.  It is truly meditation.

If you're interested in purchasing Jack Frost, you can read more about him Right Here.

Until Next Time

Kim

Gerushia's New World

I Would Be So Grateful ~

Good Morning:

Just a quick pop-in on this sunny but chilly California morning.  I need to ask you a favor.   I would be over the moon happy if you would click This Link and vote for Los Angeles. 

Select a City For the Opal Release Party.

This is for my daughter, Ava. She is a phenomenal girl, a reader and a writer. She and a group of reader/writer friends are hoping to win the contest to get author Jennifer L. Armentrout to hold her book release party at Mysterious Galaxy in Redondo Beach. Your vote would mean the world to her (and me too). It's super easy to vote and you can vote once per IP address. 

Voting ends November 13th at midnight, PST.

Los Angeles was in front for a good part of the contest, but Houston is ahead by over 20 votes right now, so L.A. really needs the votes!

Thank you so much!

Until Next Time:

Kim
Gerushia's New World 

The Desert Blues ~ (Updated with links to other auctions)

I am torn in half today.  My heart is singing and crying all at once.  This day...this lovely day of desert blue skies and Autumn breezes.  

I see hope above me ~

Warmth ~

Fallen leaves...quietly promising the soon to be bursts of Springtime ~ 

I try to focus on these glorious Everdays.  These simple gifts that are free.

The blue of a desert sky ~ 

But...today, I am questioning.  Wondering wondering wondering why some people are put into situations of suffering.  How is suffering distributed?  Why do some folks seem to slide through life with nary a glitch, and other folks seem to struggle daily?

Let me get to the heart of this blog post....

I have an art friend.  We met several years ago selling art online.  At the time, we didn't realize that we lived very close to each other.  So, we are now "in real life" friends.  She and her family are going through a terrible ordeal right now.  Her husband was laid off about 5 years ago.  Then, they lost their home.  They lost both of their cars.  They packed up most of their their belongings, put them in storage and moved in with my friend's mother.  The mother has just listed her house for sale and my friend and her family will have nowhere to live.  There is a chance that they will become homeless.  During this time, they haven't been able to pay the bill on their storage unit and the unit is getting ready to be auctioned off.  So now, they are losing everything they own.  I want to help.  I wish I had the money to pay their storage bill....but alas ~ my family is not in the best financial position right now either.

So, a group of artists have pulled together to offer their art in blog and facebook auctions.  The money received for the art will go directly to my friend's Paypal.  

I am auctioning this framed, original.  Entitled:  

"The Changeling Moon"

Here's a photo of the piece framed.  

It's not a very good photo.  The colors are wonky, but you can get the idea of what the piece looks like framed and hanging.

Please please please, if you are interested in this piece, leave a bid in the comments section.  I sometimes have problems with people being able to leave comments, so if you aren't able to leave your bid in a comment,  you can email me at gerushiasworld at aol dot com.

The bid starts at only $20.00.

Highest bidder wins at the close of auction on Monday, November 12th, 6:00 pm pacific time.

I will contact the winner with my friend's Paypal email.  Once the piece is paid for, I will send it directly to the winner with free shipping.

Please help my artist friends and me to keep this family safe!

Here are a few links to some facebook pages that are offering art auctions for The Bergmann's

Bob Lee
Shell-Rose Creations

Thank you so much.

Until Next Time

Kim

Gerushia's New World

Falling Back

Today's the day.  The day I dread.....the end of daylight savings time.  Short hazy days and long nights.  I do not like this at all.   So, I grab a hold of the bright confetti colors of Autumn and breathe them in.  

Leaves of fire

Leaves of sunshine

I've said my good-byes to the Orioles

and I'm thankful that the neighborhood Hummingbirds are still zooming about

These short days leave me foggy and interrupted.  Faceless....shadow-like

So today, I am in need of color.  Yellows ~

and reds.

This day brings a rush of panic too.  I am desperately trying to hold onto these lovely Autumn days, all the while, my television is telling me that Christmas is just around the corner.

I don't want to be rushed.  I want to grab my bright Fall days and take them straight into Thanksgiving.  

Can we please have this ~

before we have this?

So, I will begrudgingly "fall back" Sunday morning at 2:00 a.m.  All the while, I will be waiting to "spring forward" into my long days of sunshine.

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

P.S.  I just re-listed my last set of gnarly-dolls ~ 

Zeb and Essy have been on a photo shoot mission and were taken out of my shop.

  They have been re-listed and are ready to be adopted!  You can find them right here in my Art Shop.

Thanks for having a look!