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Flower & Garden Obsessions

Flower & Garden Obsession - On the subject of flowers: I'm always looking out for those places off the beaten path where treasures such as fresh flowers can be had. I'm cheating on this post since most of it, not all was a reply I had made on another blog. It was at that very moment I thought, you aren't even taking care of your own blog, so get over there and write something !! SO I'm sharing 3 such places that came to mind when the blogger asked the question "Where do you go to buy flowers and trim ?" In her post she talk's about Trader Joe's as a favorite local. I too think TJ's are so convenient and accessible for flowers , their prices are reasonable and in addition so are Fresh n Easy or Whole Foods Market. Warning to the wiser than I ...I once grabbed a flower bouquet located conveniently by the check-out area in one of those stores and ran home with my purchase as I was the hostess of the evening dinner party, only to find 1/2 of the bouquet under the cello had gone partially brown, so I've learned that in such situations, or when in a hurry, duh...look under the cello 1st ! I live in So Cal and I'm 2 hrs from The LA ROW Shopping District where among'st a shoppers mecca for anything you can think of there's the Flower Mart....even if you never make a purchase in this place it's well worth a visit,a feast for the eyes and nose. Idea #2 I live in Palm Desert and we have Farmer's Market here and in nearby La Quinta on altering days,I believe that there's more than my town where farmer's mkts. are popular, lots of flowers, fruit, veggies, botanical's and more...it's a joy to buy there because typically you must be the actual grower-farmer to have a booth, I could spend hours just chatting with all of the vendors at the Farmer's Market, you can learn so much and there's never been anyone I've ever met that didn't enjoy talking about their own business. For example I had a conversation with an orchid farmer who told me how I could change the color of the orchid by what I added to the water ! who knew? #3 Finally, the other blogger I mentioned earlier mentioned how she loved to buy flowers during her travels to keep in her room and my response to her was this...I like many of us who travel love to grab a fresh bouquet to bring back to the room/vacation home / cruise cabin. I noticed that if I keep my eyes peeled oft times near a hwy or freeway in resort areas there are either vendors selling flowers under an umbrella or even a hut that is a regular location to find flowers and greenery of all kinds, cut, potted, arranged in a porcelain urn or vase...quite a fun experience. Once in Hawaii I bought an arrangement and found a beautiful vase later in the resort gift shop, the vase was made of Hawaiian Sugar Cane or Bamboo, it was bleached blonde and very tall...so my purchase housed those flowers and doubled as a souvenir of my Hawaiian Vacation to take home with me. Let's keep this chain of blogger on blogger dialogue going and by all means, add your comments, stories, obsessions and experience here on anything you care to add , relivant or not !

Dion Dior & More...: When Artists Cook...They Love To Wear Aprons

Dion Dior & More...: When Artists Cook...They Love To Wear Aprons

Anyone can be a Picasso with this free software online

Coming Soon-My Store- Dedeanna's

My funny french neighbor

http://youtube/qFS3FGQCKVo

MTV EMA 2011 Promo

Calico Fringe Flower Project for Oct

This is sooo fun whimsey and adorable for many uses, not just scrapbooks.
I've added the how-to video from JenniferMcGuireInk Blog Below

Canvas with Fringe Flowers

Facebook

Today I added an explanation on my facebook wall photo album entitled 'My Cancer Journey'. I don't know what has gotten into me. All of a sudden I feel like some kind of spokesperson for Skin Cancer Awareness. I felt complelled to add an explanation to the pictures posted because the questions and well wishes came pouring in, for days. Some of my friends didn't even know there was a journey. Until now, I kept it pretty much to myself. I think what has happened is that opening up, sharing the what's when's, how's...etc I've learned that a few of my fiiends have also had battles and won.  Other responses have been from those who have a spouse, parent, brother, child, etc....suffering.  So why wouldn't I share if it provokes conversation and makes people aware? 

It's personal for me and knowing several who have struggled or are in the struggle of thier life right now. I have lost a friend at age 39 to melanoma. She thought she had won the battle, kind of let her guard down. During a long period of time after her cure she had no medical insurance.She let herself go for almost 10 years before her next visit to a dermatologist's office and less that 18 months later, Cancer Won. I called her cell phone over Christmas only to get her mother answering. I was in a vehicle, parked just out side Trader Joes when I made that call. Just wanted to talk to my friend since I knew she had just started clinical trials. The biggest surprise for me when her mother very delicately tried to explain what happened was my reaction to hearing about her death. Maybe my tears were selfish inpart knowing her, and knowing that I too could suffer the same mortality. It's so different when you hear about someone you had lunch with, had shop-office chatter with, laughed with, worked with, mentored, smelled her favorite perfume every morning, younger than you and now her face is there in your memory and you are looking right at her (spirit). That's the best way to describe the shockwave that rattled my body and it was all I could do to be consoleing to her mom who was on the line in Missouri trying to keep it together herself.. Once the cell phone hit the leather seat next to me I was hysterical, head on my arms resting on the steering wheel is where I sat for I wanna say at least 10 minutes before I called my husband. He can calm me, and I needed to hear his voice. That was more than 5 years ago, I still mail a Christmas Card to my friends mother every year, what else can I do?
The photo above represents how I feel though there's something pretty about the model who is all stitched up. Excluding pretty, I feel like that photo, being held together by stitches. If you have a question or you would like to share a story I would love to hear from you. I've provided a link to my Facebook Photos (3) that show day 1 of 26 stitches, 2 incisions 1-3mm  and 1-4mm after they've been stitched on my right shoulder. The biopsies removed (2) were only 4" apart so the bruises showed up the next morining. It was also my first glance at the damages.
Don't forget to PLEASE tell me what's on your mind, share a story or just comment to let me know you were here. Blogging can be lonely sometimes, I just wondering if there's anybody out there reading them?

MY FACEBOOK PHOTO LINK : 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150819109670507.729137.533295506&l=5111f470e3&type=1

One Beach

What a fantastic collaboration and approach to cleaner oceans and beaches around the world. It does take a village of the right kind of people to start a movement such as this.....will there ever be too many of us out there leading,engaging and promoting the cause? I think not.

The phrase in this clip "if the beach is something you love and enjoy then you should take care of it by doing your part" . What a bold statement to make to someone, but you have already earned the right to make such a statment by being an example and getting recognition...that's how the conversation get's started in the first place, don't you think?
An amazing approach of just being on the beach, others around you who don't even know you, they observe your behaivior with respect and admiration and then, before you know it they follow your lead and your example.
I will probabaly do a blog post here about the other part of this collaboration, that is not shown here in this clip. It would be a post on my blog about who would be the inspired, where does the trash and plastic go, how is it used, is there art, jewelry, skate/surf boards, tiles, etc etc etc ...and what does it look like...I would really like to know, wouldn't you?

deDeanna's Simple Pleasures' favorites

deDeanna's Simple Pleasures' favorites on Flickr.

Summer

Say Goodbye Summer ! Each day the passes a little bit of her is lost. The mornings are brighter sooner and evenings, well, the opposite. The only thing good about daylight savings time in the fall is that we get an extra hour of sleep, big deal. Speaking of daylight savings time for 2011 it will occur on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 2:00:00 AM clocks are turned backward just one hour.

So, what did you do this summer? Vacation, beach, visit family, friends, clean out the attic or spare bedroom maybe?  Other than a very relaxing vacation over the forth of July week most of our summer was spent close to home this year. Last summer I was at my mother's home more than I was at home. That's just what happens in life sometimes when you get to be of age....for me, I knew it would be me, the middle child, to help mom when she needed to move into assisted care and get her property sorted, refurbished and on a rental or lease.  Yes, it took all summer and then some! Let's just say Mom liked to shop !  So at the end of Summer last year we.......

escaped for a month to the UK, to visit my husbands family and our friends. If relaxation is what you need there's nothing better than that. In the middle of our home away from home visit to the UK we escaped to Barcelona for a week.  It was at a time when they just had won the world cup in soccer. So many business' and homes in Barcelona proudly displayed the spainish flag in support and recognition of thier achievement. So that is why we really didn't need to stray to far from home this summer...it was time to just settle down, be at home or with friends we have here in Palm Desert, CA, USA.

So other than a week of vacation over the 4th of July we spent the summer catching up on business, organizing our home and all that kind of stuff.  Sounds exciting right?  No not really but necessary....so my husband has taken on......

new business projects. Yes, that's right, projects..one, after the other and after the other. I love to cook so I enjoyed spending time in the kitchen cooking up new recipes that I normally don't have time for. In addition to the kitchen I spent some time selling things on eBay to make room for all the new things I may want to get.  I also......

had started a new job but that job allowed me lots of time to explore my interest in painting.  I continue to paint, just to feel what I like and know what I don't like as much...just trying to find my way as a new artist. I got the bright idea to give my sister a painting for her birthday which is in August. I don't know why, but I recall hearing her say once upon a time, that she would love to have a painting depicting the island lifestyle that she and her boy's have lived over the last 8 years. She lives in the San Juans of the coast of Seattle, WA. A beautiful.place to visit late spring, through summer and up until September. There's nothing like living the island life.....the daily agenda.....

is so much more planned and coordinated. Afterall, it's an island....you may not be able to just walk to the store to get what you need on a whim...you must be prepared....  Living on an island so close to Seattle there are many island residents who work on the mainland. Have you ever spent any time commutting back and forth on a ferry ? I learned that it's definately a coordinated effort...if your late to board the Ferry, car and all, it's another  :45 minutes before the next one. If you ever had a glimpse of passengers on the ferry arriving from the islands to Seattle enroute to work in the morning it is quite a scene. Just take a walk downstairs to the 1st level where the restrooms are...in to womens rest rooms...the hairdryers, make-up and curling irons are busy doing the deed.   If it's the men's room (according to my husband) there's full on shaving, hair styling, flossing and brushing going on! What else are you going to do if your morning commute takes 30 - 45 minutes on the water ?  Makes sense to me !

So anyway.....back to what else I did this last summer besides blogging ?   Yes, of course, more painting. As I said, my sister's birthday is in August, and this year I thought I would try to come up with a painting for her reminiscent of island living...also, I wanted to put her boys (my nephews) in the painting...

So, I came up with this piece called " A Boy's Summer" .   Remember, it's my first sttempt at a portrait.  I really enjoyed this piece...trying to capture the character of both nephews age 12 and 5. 

These are the photo's of   'likeness' I used to derive the portrait.

Thank-you for your comments...D. Fountain.

Thank you for stopping by to visit this journey of a new artist who is trying to find her way.....All I can do is just to keep painting and enjoying my journey.....