Etsy Treasury

The lovely, Ixela, from Torino, Italy, included my 'Dahlia Center', in this Etsy Treasury, which is appropriately titled, 'Lovely'! Thank you Ixela for surrounding me in such wonderful company!
This treasury ran until Monday.

Under the Sea....Really????

It was one of those great surprises. While out shooting some photos one afternoon at a local nursery, I came upon this tree. These budswere tucked away under a branch, behind some leaves. The lighting seemed good, but really, I never know for sure what will work until I start editing and then download the pictures on to the computer. I LOVE that this doesn't look like what it is. I LOVE that it looks like it's floating underwater, like seaweed. I can almost see the fish coming out from behind this mass of good green nourishment....little air bubbles, gurgling in the water. But, no, this is well above ground, somewhere in Rhode Island. Someone noticed it, maybe in not the same way I did, took it home and gave it it's rightful place on the planet!!!

From Flowers to Ferrari...Hey Guys....

My friend, Donald, from college just bought a (red) Ferrari. You can see the very powerful motor through the rear window. It is every guys' dream...the Ferrari...I think. He's had it for about 1 month now and said that people a constantly taking pictures of his car, while driving, with their cellphones! This is a big deal, this car, so how could I possibly pass up the opportunity to take my own pictures of Donald and then little me, standing with this dream of an automobile. Yes, I did go for a spin it it. Donald said that going 125 feels like 70. The great thing, the poignant thing to me, the really nice thing for me, is that when we were in college, Donald had a blue VW bug, which, on many a freezing upstate New York winter morning, that little bug wouldn't turn over. I think that Donald has permanent key marks on his fingers from 'willing' the engine to start....you've come a long way baby!

Wordless Wednesday

Pink Gerberer

Swan...with Attitude

This lovely swan was saying, 'Look at me, I'll fluff up a bit so you can take my picture. Here's my pose...NOW!' Yes, I got it, I know that you are lovely....

Just to follow up on all the buzz about the Arte y Pico Award, I have seen so many other amazing blogs as a result of one giving to 5 others. What a wonderful, talented, funny, truthful, original, sometimes painful, supportive and consistent world wide community we have become a part of. This award is being handed out from EVERYWHERE with such a great spirit of recognition and humility.

Please, when you get a chance, check out my dear friend, yomamaforobama BRILLIANT point of view on the topic of Politics!

Winners of the Arte y Pico Award

There are so many wonderful choices, but, I could only pick 5. This award is blazing through the blogoshpere. So, congrats to everyone who has received a well deserved nod of recognition!



First up is Triz's Beading Mania. Triz is from Israel and she does the most intricate, feminine and delicate bead work with her inspiration coming from modern and ancient applications of these tiny glass beads.

Next is Buried Treasury. Tim Adam has single handedly changed the face, the depth and breath of the world of Etsy by creating the Buried Treasury blog. (Of course, there's the Handbook to Handmade, the Buried Treasury web site, and the list goes on!) People can come and dig it up from over 10,000 handmade treasures! I am also honored to call him, 'friend'.

Art Constellation is the most courageous woman in the blogosphere. She challenges us to take a good look in the mirror in the face of her brilliance, pain and the ultimate freeing of her spirit.

Christy deKoning lives in Canada, by way of Australia. Christy is such a gifted watercolorist and is always teaching us with her words, her grace and inner strength and we are blessed to see such stunning results in her paintings!

Last, but not least, is Holy Cuteness. What can I say? On those days when we need to ooooh and aaaaah and awwww, we can go straight to this blog and put a guaranteed smile in your heart.

I've Won an 'Arte y Pico Blogging Award'!!

My new friend, Matthew Urban, has bestowed upon me, not just a beautifully written recommendation, but now, this most honorable blogger award, started by the blogger, Arte y Pico. Here is what Matt wrote on his blog:

'I recently discovered Amy's blog after I advertised on her EntreCard widget and watched my day's traffic explode. I had dropped on her widget previously, but only after I stopped to really look at her blog after she generated so much traffic for me that I had to really stand up and take notice. Her work is fantastic, and I am a fan for life of her photography and her point of view. You have to check out her work.'

The way this award works is that you have to pick 5 blogs that you find deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

--Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

--Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

--The Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of the "Arte y Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.
Here it is.

Well, Matt, I am, again, totally blown away, and I thank you for the recognition. All this hard work, all these many hours on the computer, certainly has it's rewards, this award being one of them. I have to say, I have met some artists extra-ordinaire and writers from all over the globe as a result of this blog. When I started blogging, I had no clue how the world would open up to me, but WOW, look @ this! I now have my work cut out for me to pass along this honorable award to 5 deserving fellow bloggers!

Pretty in Purple

I know, I know, this is the 'Art' category and I've been posting alot of my photographs lately....but, I did mention in my bio that I would. Have I thought about starting a 2nd blog, you ask, just for the photos? Well, yes, I have thought about it.
This time of the year for me, goes beyond being a 'kid in a candy shop' as an artist and photographer. Of late, on more than one occasion, I have literally been in the middle of a conversation when something caught my eye, and I was gone...suddenly EVERYTHING has potential for being a beautiful picture! I continue to learn about lighting and distance as nature BECKONS to be captured in that one unique moment!

Any Minute Now....

The amazing thing about Spring is the actual 'springing' forth of nature. Everything comes back to life, one little bud at a time. With flowers, sometimes it all happens SO FAST, that capturing the moment is an understatement. If I went back to these flowers today, at exactly the same time, everything would be different. I love the time, the breath, the blink of an eye, just before the full burst of color appears, where you can take a very close look, maybe snap a photo, and appreciate from whence they came!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Hot Cat in the City....

Dahlia Centers

Dahlias have graceful, flowing petals that whisper to me 'take my picture!' Yesterday we went to Schartner Farms in South County, RI. It's one of those places where, almost as far as the eye can see, you want to take it ALL home. From perennials, to annuals, trees, herbs, hanging plants, shrubs and the list goes on. I am late with planting my garden because we were away last weekend, but I'm certain, I'll have a great harvest and I will continue to 'fill in', over the week or so. On the way out, I knew that there was a treasure waiting to be found and BINGO, these Dahlias caught my eye. Yes, a treasure for sure!!!

Artisticflair

These two stunning works of fused glass art, are of two of the most recognizable gals whom we all know and love...Audrey Hepburn, in her famous 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' style, and the always classy and independent, Betty Boop. Deb DiSalvo, the brilliant, energetic artist extra-ordinaire is also a classy and independent gal with an amazing gift for bringing to life, not just these two lovely ladies, but you should see her fused glass sushi, bacon and eggs....good enough to eat!!! Her talent has breath and width and she never ceases to put a smile on my face when I see her new creations, from electric guitars to ballerinas.

Check out her Etsy shop and her blog. As Deb alsways says,

CHEERS!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Amy Lilley,
Mixed Media

Heavy Metal in NYC

We were out of town, as mentioned in the previous post. We went to NYC, Bethesda, Md., and Oakton, Va., from Thursday to Sunday. We're back in RI, and happy to be home. As soon as my husband and I set foot on the island of Manhattan, we just want to get out there and walk. Mom lives downtown, way downtown, right next to where the Twin Towers stood. The area of Battery Park City is a 'village' unto itself. Bustling with activity, playgrounds, parks, schools, shopping, plenty of restaurants to choose from. The building of condos, etc., continues at a frantic pace. Anywho, the picture of the creatures is from a sculpture garden of strange cartoon like critters, big and small, all made from molten pennies. Hence, the 'Penny Park'. A very recognized area of the very busy Battery Park City scene.

The second picture is of a playground, well protected by this very, very old wrought-iron fence. Behind the thick iron are slides, swings, wooden bridges and forts, sandboxes, Mommy's, Nanny's, book bags and MANY children, having a fabulous time on a beautiful Spring day in NY. Couldn't help but whip out the camera for this shot!!!