Easter spells out beauty,
the rare beauty of new life..
~S.D. Gordon ~
Muscavy duck with a duckling
I went to Burke Crenshaw Park three times on different days to visit with this sweet family..These creatures let me sit very close amongst them on all of my visits..The mom and her ducklings took naps at my feet while I enjoyed some fresh air and nature scenery from my park bench..
These ducklings were protected by the adult ducks AND geese :-)
Of course I was quiet and didn't make any sudden movements...
On my first visit, this mom and her babies (seen in video ) were startled away by the cackling of a large bird flying overhead...
I am grateful to wake up to another sunrise....Each new day has its promise of opportunities to make positive improvements in my life and in how I see things..
I wish each and every one of you an awesome Easter Weekend :-)
This year is my third year to participate in the LYA postcard swap hosted by Kat Sloma and her helpers...Check out Kat's blog here..Kateyestudio :-)
I fell in love with this postcard swap from the time I found out about it..The LYA main swap takes place over several weeks, starting mid March..Once the main swap is over, there are side swaps for those who are interested.. Last year I received pretty postcard surprises from side swappers through mid summer :-)
Such a wonderful way to exchange art and reunite with old friends / meet new ones..I enjoy seeing how other people express and share their talents...
These are my postcards liberated for the main swap :-)
These are the postcards that I received from the main swap :-)
My first postcard was received from Ma Forgette in France.. Luscious berries captured during a hike...Nice to meet a fellow hiker/nature lover... http://manuelles.canalblog.com
My second postcard received from Joan Hemsworth..Postcard features "Scary Cat " an art piece made by Joan..Body and tail are made from a gourd, the face made of "quick wood"
Another safe landing, postcard #3.. Art named " Field of Dreams" Quote on back of postcard reads " Everything you can imagine is real." Thank you Susan Watson from Frederick Maryland :-) ~ IG @paperpenbird ~ ~ Twitter @eatcherveggies ~
My fourth postcard to arrive, this beauty from Kate TerHaar..The scenery brings back my childhood memories of winters in Chicago :-) This afternoon, in Texas, it is a blazing hot/humid 87 degrees outside! www.timetotakeashot.wordpress.com Instagram - kateterhaar Quote on the back of postcard reads "Do the things that make your heart sing!" Thank you Kate!
My 5th postcard ....I decided to go to my favorite nature spot and find a way display this beautiful postcard from there..I was hoping for birds, lots of them for my background! I couldn't find any birds who wanted to pose for me, but the setting sun was magnificent! This postcard is from Annie in California...It is rubber stamp and ink art..She writes that birds are one of her favorite artistic subjects..This is her first year to participate in LYA
A postcard from David Wolanski, came just in time for spring...David sends me postcards at various times throughout the year..This work is titled "Windsor Ruins"...I love David's photography work..These images are mostly limited edition, shot with a toy film camera...See more of David's art here :-) www.davidwolanski.com.
Last but not least, Kat's postcard...It is always a nice surprise :-) Her postcard is mailed to us after ALL five of our main swap postcards are well on their way to various mailboxes across the country / around the world..
This year I decided to feature Kat's beautiful postcard next to the items I use for a favorite hobby of mine..I like to spin yarn with a drop spindle..After I spin my yarn, I weave, knit or crochet various projects with it :-)
This beautiful video, compiled by Kat, features many of the postcards liberated by us :-) Please view in full screen!
876 pieces of art were sent around the world 146 people took part, and those people came from ... 12 different countries
Please check back regularly.. I will share info and pics of all of my side swaps here.. LYA side swaps will often take place throughout the spring / early part of the summer!
The quote on the back of her lovely and colorful postcard reads "To practice any art, no matter how well or badly is a way to make your soul grow...So DO it!" ~Kurt Vonnegut ~
The second side swap I received is from Sharon (Snap) Lane, who is from Houston Texas...Her website is Twistylane . Sharon's beautiful postcard features a watercolor that she painted, titled "Spring Fling"...On the back reads a quote, " Bloom where you are planted". This postcard landed in my mailbox along with with these delicious extras pictured!
My third postcard ( side swap ) to land in my mailbox is from Sheila Delgado... She lives in Arizona :-) Her website is http://www.sheiladelgado.com . I love her encouraging message as well as the gorgeous pastels and abstract design !
April
My fourth side swap is from Kate Lehman in Woodridge Illinois... See more of her work here :-) https://www.instagram.com/sunnytoo/
Beautiful postcard! I decided to photograph it with my vintage cast iron piggy, because the pattern / texture of the angel's wings are similar..
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The day after Easter, I received an awesome surprise of 8 side swap postcards in the mail :-)
I took this recent batch of 8 safe landings with me to coffee..I wanted to show them to my besties :-)
This card is a beautiful original made by Trang Kang..She lives in Sachse Tx, near Dallas..The beautiful note seen below was written on the back :-) Trang's work was sent to me in her envelope art, as seen in the coffee photo.. Postcard seen in the same picture as Trang's work is my "Morning Glory" photo :-) Thank you Trang...I love beautiful handmade original art :-)
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These three fabulous postcards are -
Top Center: "Conceive, Believe, Achieve" by Sherry Harmes of Amook Island Creations..Sherry is a retired occupational therapist who lives in Larson Bay Alaska, where it is 39 degrees..Good to swap with you again Sherry!!
Left is from Patsy Lawrence..She lives in Murfreesboro TN..Her art depicted on this postcard is an acrylic and pastel she painted on a page in an altered photography book..Good to swap with you again Patsy!!
Right is from Vienna Austria...Andrea Farthofer. Andrea wrote that she had been doing postcard - mail art exchanges for 6 years..
Thank you so much my friends, these postcards add color to my day :-)
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Postcard on the left is from Lynn Foerster who lives in Pennsylvania..
Postcard on the right is from Patricia Mark in Portland Oregon..Her website is patmarkphotography.blogspot.com ...."To be an artist is to believe in life " ~ Henry Moore ~ reads the quote on the back....Thank you ladies for your beautiful cards :-)
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The postcard seen on the left is from Linda Ursin..She lives in Norway.. Her website is at http://lindaursin.net
The right postcard is from Christine Brooks..She is lives in Arizona..She writes about the legend of "Thistles" that are pictured on the front of her postcard..Thistles are the national flower of Scotland..These postcards are beautiful with many happy colors..Thank you ladies :-))
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This beautiful postcard made its way to me from France..On the front is Louise Mamet's beautiful photography..On the back Louise tells me a little about these buildings and the region she lives in..
I was crocheting flowers for a project when an idea popped into my head, to give Louise's buildings a garden!
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The beautiful eye popping postcard on the left is from Terry Owenby..We did a side swap last year too! Terry is from Portland Oregon...She resurrected one of her old paintings done in a Jesse Reno class by photographing it and cropping it digitally to make small scale art for postcards...The lovely postcard on the right is from Suzette Rothlisberger of Grantsville Utah...You can find her at Sarah's Garden https://www.flickr.com/groups/1379088@N25/ Her postcard depicts a very picturesque serene scene that brings back memories of a field I used to play in when I was a child
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I received some more snail mail lovelies this month <3from LYA side swaps:-)
Top left is from Christine Brooks ..I love spring snowstorms like this one :-)
"Dreamer" is the postcard top right..From Janice Darby . I love all of the layers of color and texture! On the back it reads " Never let it be said that to dream is a waste of one's time, for DREAMS are our realities in waiting..In dreams we plant the seeds of our future" Janice is from Santa Maria California :-)
Botton left postcard is from Teena Lurlene .. Printed from an original drawing that she made ..Teena is from Richmond Virginia.. The back of her postcard reads,
"Never doubt that a group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world..It is the only thing that ever has" ~Margaret Mead~
The bottom right postcard is from Chandra Lynn http://iamchandralynn.com. Her postcard features an edited version of an original coneflower image that she shot..
The back of her postcard reads " We do not escape into philosophy, psychology and art~We go there to restore our shattered selves into whole ones." --Anais Win
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This beautiful postcard is from Natasha Papousek..She lives in Santa Ana California...I love these colorful luminescent poppies with the added surprise of a nice plump bee :-) Thank you Natasha, and happy Spring to you too
------------------------------------ This wonderful postcard landed in my mailbox today! From Barbara Evans..I love the bold colors and simple beauty of the petals..Barbara lives in South England, in Salisbury..Thank you for brightening my day You can find more of her work here ... http://funkyrosebudstudio.com
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May
Two more gems in the mail :-) The postcard on the right is from Kelly Warren, Shelter photographer/artist from Tallahassee Florida, USA...Kelly's awesome work is eye opening, her passion is to raise awareness about the plight of shelter pets..I wish I could hug these doggies in person, scoop them up and find/give them good homes immediately!
The postcard on the left is from Val van der Poel. Val is an artist who works in watercolor, ink, charcoal, pencil and mixed media..Her work is gorgeous!
Three more beautiful postcards landed in my mailbox💌
The postcard on the top is from Kat Van Rooyen..Kat is a certified Zentangle instructor who lives in Tazwell VA..Her art is amazing!
The gorgeous postcard on the left is from Christine Brooks..I love the gentle pastels and the beautiful scenery of this watercolor..Christine lives in Flagstaff AZ..
The pretty postcard on the right is from Deanie Houghaling, who lives in Phoenix AZ.On the back of her postcard reads, "Without music, life would be a waste." ~Frederick Nietzsche ~
