Mad Tea Party 2010 Special Giveaway

The amazing dollmaker Christine Avarado of Du Buh Du Designs is celebrating her 200th post and special giveaway of one of her most lovely dolls pictured or a custom design of the winner's choosing, for the Mad Tea Party 2010!! The contest ends July 4th, so hurry on over to her wonderful site and be carried away in the rickshaw along the enchanted river of dreams.

Better late than never!

I know, it's been too many moons since I last posted...but for now I will share a few highlights of the past month, and my recent trip to CA. to pick up my youngest daughter Mariyah after her boarding school let out in Monterey. On the way I was able to spend some time with my oldest daughter Shekinah, and one & only most precious grand-daughter Sofia. We even got to spend a fun day at Disneyland for her 3rd birthday!

Then onto my mom's home for a week, where I got to see a few other friends and family. Here is pictured my beautiful niece Courtney and my mom (86 years!) Doesn't she look great!

From their homes in So. CA. I made my way up to visit sweet friends in Santa Cruz and shared a delightful meal and good night's sleep.

I always love to bask in the beauty of my friend Ray's courtyard and inspiring, artful home.

Then early the next morning, I went onto Monterey and loaded up Mariyah & her 'stuff'. She could hardly wait to be headed home to Montana for the summer!

The next day we arrived at my sister Lori's beautiful home in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She is a new blogger and has recently rediscovered her passion for painting, and is such an amazing artist! You must check out her blog (http://lori-diane.blogspot.com/)! I love all the special 'still life' around her home.

Heading home to Montana from Cali is always such a long road, but always so good to be back with my beautiful daughters & friends. Pictured are 4 of the 6 girls, l-r: Zionah, Mariyah, Miriam, the lovely Yim-Q, and Mikaelah (Shekinah & Shariyah are missing).

My girls and our extended 'family' shared some amazing meals together with Yim-Q's Vietnamese cuisine...loved that gorgeous, flowering papaya salad!!

Then we spent the evening listening to the band rehearse. The photo is of my girl Miriam & her love Micheal, lead singer & songwriter for their music. Check it out: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-love-ep/id349433158

Before the band left Montana for their Pacific Coast tour, Yim-Q and her & Marco's baby Carmela, stayed with us a few days. How sweet it is to have a baby around the house!!

Farewell gathering of the kids at my home the morning they left on tour....sweet blessings of life and family!!

OWOH Love Connection!!

One World One Heart - A LOVE CONNECTION???

You just never know when or how love will come your way, or how you might be used to bring hearts together!! Lisa Swifka tells this beautiful story in her recent post, and I'm amazed to be apart of this story (as the match-maker)!!! As a participant in my 2nd year of Lisa's One-World One-Heart gathering of bloggers, I 'met' through an email an amazing artist June, who contacted me specifically about one of my daughter's pieces for sale. She was so friendly and her questions about my family and home in Montana, caused us to exchange a few emails. Since she lived in Santa Cruz, I couldn't stop thinking about my (single) friend Ray, also from that area. To make a long story short, I connected the two, and now their relationship is blossoming into LOVE!!! Who would have ever thought that OWOH would also be instrumental in such an amazing turn of events!! Oh and also, Lisa is good friends with June! This magic carpet ride Lisa initiated, has taken some new twists and turns this year, much to our surprise, and delight!!

"Lines of Life"

My 18 year old daughter Mikaelah, just finished this amazing graphite rendering of an old gypsy woman....can you believe it!!?? It is such photographic quality of realism, it almost takes your breath away! I'm so proud of her and her accomplishments, as she's only been drawing and painting the past 3 yrs. What an inspiration!! If you're interested, we will be offering prints of this piece in our etsy shop.

OWOH Winners!!

How exciting it is to finally announce the winners of our One World One Heart giveaway! It has been an amazing and wonderful journey visiting so many beautiful blogs around the world and to meet so many artists who are following their hearts!!

Congratulations to our three winners!!

Robin at http://aroundtheisland.blogspot.com/ wins the print, "Eternal Spring."

Louise at http://raggedystitcher.blogspot.com/ wins the print, "Version Mary.

Joy from http://joytotheblog.blogspot.com/ wins the dream-catcher earrings.

Again, Congratulations to all!!

OWOH Giveaway!

Blessings of LoVe and inspiration, with welcome to the One World One Heart gathering of bloggers and art lovers, created by lovely Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian! Join the magic carpet ride that will take us all on an amazing journey into blogland, to visit many enchanted sites, and possibly win some prizes!!

We at Rusted Wings will be offering 3 prizes...created by myself and 2 of my lovely-artsy daughters!!! These prizes are open to all, but make sure you leave contact information, with your comment at the end of this post!! This event runs until Feb. 15th at which time we will announce the winners. Also, check out our etsy for more offerings!! We look forward to visiting each of you as well, and wish you much joy on this journey...

THE PRIZES~

1st prize: A print by me, Abigail Folk, of the painting 'Eternal Spring".

2nd prize: Print by Zionah of "Version Mary"

3rd prize: last but not least, Dream Catcher Earrings made by Miriam of wrapped leather, waxed linen with turquoise & red glass beads, red strung guinea feathers and strung rooster feathers.

Sketch 1

I am a week late with the first lesson in the "Drawing & Painting Portraits" online class with Misty Mawn, that my sweet daughter Shariyah gifted me with. This being, because Shariyah and her new husband Cameron spent a few days with us before returning to New Zealand, their home. Then daughter Miriam (21st birthday today!) and boyfriend & musical partner Micheal, moved back into the household for the Winter, while working on new music and getting inspired with our beautiful land in NW Montana. So the house has been buzzing with energy, friends, parties and lots of LoVe!!

This first drawing was a great graphite meditation in the early hours of the morning, and I'm looking forward to catching up in the next few days. I need to begin a new habit of drawing daily....