I am...humbled. Let me explain.

The time has come for me to tell everyone about some amazing news. Utterly astounding news to be exact. Ready? I won on the One World One Heart blog event. Now I know that doesn't sound all that wondrous. Let me explain. I won multiple times. Again, not all that uncommon. Let me explain. Following is a list of items, gifts, works of art that are coming my way. Trust me, this is going to be a long posting.  (Updates included in black type.)First: I was awarded a magnificent art journal from Shelly at http://shellyraewood.blogspot.com I've never seen with mine own eyes an art journal. I look at the photos in magazines and online and think, "Wow, I could never do something like that". Now I get an opportunity to view one and yeh, even encase some of my randomness in it. I can't wait to see it. Thanks Shelly.  Shelly's beautiful journal arrived this week and I am in awe of how gorgeous it is.  I don't want to mess it up, but am going to take the plunge and use it for the reason it was created.)Second: I am being honored with a gifting from Jennifer at
http://jenniferconway.blogspot.com/ She picked my number/comment to receive a Scrabble tile with bird artwork pendant, along with a set of tile birdie magnets. I will enjoy wearing the pendant as I adore birds and Scrabble is one of my all-time favorite games. Great pairing of images for your artwork.

Third: Kara from http://motherhenna.com/ has picked me to receive a reading from "Madame Zolda" using cards created by Kara. I have received this enlightening and informative reading from Madame Zolda but am still processing the valuable findings. I may blog about this at a later time when all the pieces come together in my head. Thanks Kara, I will continue to read your information and get back to you, soon I hope.

Fourth: Over at http://atomicwarbride.blogspot.com/ Rita has created Isis the Monster, a fired tile that she absolutely states is going to be mine by virtue of being picked by a random number generator. This lovely "creature" is without a doubt, one of the most "sketchy" items I could have had the pleasure of being gifted with. Isis is a fiery red, one-eyed beauty against a vibrant yellow background. From the photo of Isis it appears she is all sparkly & shimmery. Yummy monster love. Rita, Isis is just "the bomb".  ISIS has arrived safe and sound at her new home.  And is more spectacular than the blog photo can show.  Thanks Rita for sharing ISIS with me.(Now, I said this was going to be a long post, so keep reading as the abundance is not over.)

The date is now February 16th. I'm mosey-ing along checking gmail, going about my average day at the computer when I see an email with the OWOH heading. Huh? I've answered all the emails from the 15th. Still overwhelmed to say the least. When I get this news:

Fifth: Wendy the Gourd Witch will soon be enlivening my domicile. This is a sweet art doll created by Debb, mistress of http://halloweenjinglesbellsboo.blogspot.com With her gourd body and vintage jello mold/tin base, bright orange & black paint, she will fit right in this household. I kid you not! Debb, your art dolls are so much fun and full of quirkiness. Amazing.  Let me tell you about Wendy.  She's just too damn cute for words.  Ok, that doesn't mean I won't come up with something to say anyway.  Her precious little face shows all the wrinkles that any self-respecting witch must have to remain a witch in good standing.   Her hat is the top of the gourd used for her body, with her stringy hair flying every which way.  I love Wendy.Dateline February 17th, 2010: Again with the "just checking my gmail" routine. WHAT? A surprise from another participant in the OWOH event telling me she's sorry that she was a few days late with her notification.

Sixth: (Can you believe this?) The enigmatic Risa is gifting me one of her paintings and a set of greeting cards of her artwork! Her piece is a heart painted with various hues of red and deliciously textured paint. Plus cards I can send to loved ones; that someone else spent hours creating! Yey, I can mail without sitting for hours crafting first! You can find Risa at http://createdbyrisa.com/ I've been back a couple of times already.  I got a box full of goodness from Risa today, Feb. 27.  Her painting is so cool, although the colors are so HOT!  I keep touching it because the texture is scrumptious.  Her greeting cards are lovely and I am trying to figure out who's going to get the first one!  Thank you Risa for such beautiful art.
And still, there's more. Thank you's from the heart are forthcoming from:http://collagediva.com/ Everyone who commented on her blog gets to download a great collage sheet for personal use. Way cool. Great imagery is always a boon.
While on my magic journey I came across http://stempelchaotin.wordpress.com Sandy from Germany made a collage/mixed media piece with a photo of an elderly woman using a spinning wheel. When I saw the photo, I was reminded of my grandmother who had just passed away. The strength emanating from the woman, the steel backbone, the straight-forward stare, that's what I saw that made me gulp for air. I said as much to Sandy in my comment. Next day, email with attachment of photo for personal use. Yep, I get to work this image into my own art. Then, on my blog, there's a comment from Martha of http://m-is-for-martha.blogspot.com/ telling me to come back and visit her blog for important information. Ok, off I go to see what Martha's up to. Lo and behold! There's a list of folks that have been picked by Martha to receive a "little surprise" from her. These are extra gifts that she wants to give to a select few whose comments tickled her fancy in one way or another. I admit when I was on her blog, snooping around, I read her profile page and found her answer to the random question posed by blogger to be one of the funniest I'd come across. I just couldn't resist referring to it when I posted my comment. In her email to me she stated that she initially thought my comment was Spam! All I did was offer her a shovel. (Read her profile to find out where the shovel comes in).  (I corrected her blog address above. Sorry Martha, but whoever Trey is, he hasn't blogged since 2003 and really needs to get busy!)Now that you've probably taken at least one "pee break", refilled your coffee or tea cup and possibly wondered if I'm making all this up, I can unequivocally state I am not. Except for the email from Sandy, you can follow up on each blog site to see for yourselves how true all this is.
I did! A couple of times. Cuz, I didn't believe it either!

I've asked myself, countless times, how did I get so lucky?

I think I have an answer. Albeit a very metaphysical reason. Since last autumn, up until this January, I have gone through a great deal of loss, sadness, and, at times, abject depression. It has literally felt like my little piece of the universe has forsaken me and fallen apart.
When I began to lift my head & straighten my spine, I promised myself I would renew my outlook and get on with my life. I couldn't change occurrences but I could use the lessons from life as catalysts for personal change & growth. PTB (the Powers That Be) must've seen this as worthy of reward for coming out of my funk & cloud of self-pity.
Since the universe can't abide a void, it saw fit to fill up the miserable space I had vacated with something positive and astounding. Art. Art from many people who were willing to share their gifts with a stranger. Never knowing that this was not a gift of a "thing" but the presentation of a key. A key to a gate that was in jeopardy of rusting shut. Becoming overgrown with spiny, thorny vegetation. Maybe kudzu. A strangling, destroying entity.

So, I was given a temporary stroke of luck. A little something from PTB to welcome, and encourage, me back to land of the living. But, obviously, with the caveat that I best get busy and contribute a little beauty and creativity as my way of paying back to the sacred realm of art.

Whew! This post is so long I had to take a "pee break!" I can't wait to get some help with this blog so that I can post pictures of the lovely gifts when they arrive. A friend of a friend is willing to help when we can set up a convenient, mutual time. Which is not going to be soon enough for me! I want to show the respect due to all those amazing and talented people who have shown such generosity. They deserve the kudos.

Thanks for staying up and reading this long winded chapter of my life!
redopal

Back to Normal? Why?

One World One Heart is over. But that doesn't mean that we go back to our regular routines.
This event has a purpose. To connect. To share. To unite.

For me, the real event starts now.

All those wonderful bloggers who have been frenzied trying to keep up with all the comments left for them to ponder. Now, I get to go back and check out the closets, cubbyholes, nooks & crannies of each blog that I visited while on the mad carpet ride. All those hidden details that may have escaped me the first time through.

I made a new folder in my favorites and bookmarked all those amazing sites so that I could re-visit. I knew if I just added them without labelling, I would likely forget where I found them. I'd probably miss out on something and well....I can't have that now can I?

As a person who didn't have anything to giveaway I have benefited so much. So many whose blogs I visited, came over to say hello. Some gave advice for the technical difficulties of blog ownership. Most importantly: there were so many who gave support for the personal hardships that are encompassing my life. To each and everyone of you, I give my most sincere thanks. You have shown that the Blog-o-sphere is a tiny little village where everyone is a friend.

My blessings are many and to each I share a bit of that fortune.
redopal

"Special Times"

I don't have any special topic that I wish to write about. I have "itchy palms" tonight. I've been playing with some small art projects for the past few days and needed a break. But apparently my palms don't know when the mind needs a nap. So, I'm gonna "scribble" a few lines instead.

I'm frustrated. No, not the sexy kind, gutter brains! I am having one heck of a time trying to figure out some of the intricacies of this damn blog. I've been having a ball on the OWOH ride but there are so many blogs that I can't leave a comment on. The funny thing: MY stupid blog has the same kind of response "box" as those I can't access. How stupid is that? I make certain I'm signed in, I post the comment, and I get a response that tells me that I am not inputting the "visual verification" correctly. Now, I know what the visual verification is. It's the jumbled up letters that you have to type in. Well, I am not receiving any jumbled up letters to begin with. Can't put in what you're not given.

Now, the real reason this irks me is that there are people out there who's blogs are so cool, or their personality is really amazing and I want to keep in touch. Some of these folks have left comments on this blog. But, I can't get in touch with them because I can't leave a comment and there isn't an email address in their profile. I am going to try to figure out how to get a third party to intervene. Isn't this just the crappiest way to become friends? It reminds me of when I was in grade school: "Hey Brenda! I don't want to talk to Victor myself, would you tell him that I really like him?" I am almost 50 years old, wouldn't go back to grade school if you paid me and I just don't have time to go "blog-spelunking". IWANTABEAGROWNUP. (Foot stamping sounds inserted here) OK, OK. I promise not to act like such a baby, any more tonight.

It took a long time to get to this point and I guess I just wanted one technological thing to be easy. When, in truth, I don't usually trust that which comes....easy. I've found that the things I have to work hardest at are those which mean the most to me in the end. Yep, even this computer stuff. Most of the time, I don't know what I'm doing. I just click away merrily. Believing that things will be okay. Now, there have been, oh let's call them "special times" when stuff just goes poof. Really, poof. Leaving little smoke trails behind. Those "special times" eat up my writing, disappear my artwork, turn blues to greens, post photos upside down or lay them on their sides. Yep, having a computer is just freakin' grand. Truth? Still having a blast with it.

So, in the next week or so, I promise to have artwork posted on this site. Now, there aren't any guarantees that they won't be upside down. And I can promise that the photography will probably be crap-o-la. Or the scans will be itty bitty teeny tiny little pics. Cuz, that's what seems to happen. OR, everything will turn out just fabulous and will possibly elicit an "oooh" or an "aaaw" from some of you. And, if you're able to post a comment to my blog, in the stupid box that won't let ME post comments on others' blogs, well go ahead. Or if anyone has any tips or tricks to pass on......PLEASE, PLEASE do so. I promise to be very grateful although I may not be able to tell you so on your blog!

Kindness is never a weakness.
redopal

Big Ol' Honkin' Thanx

Still in disbelief.

I am dumbfounded that so many folks have stopped by to say hello. Some of you have left very inspiring messages that make me feel there's hope for this big "chunk" o' rock we congregate on. It takes an event like OWOH to put things in perspective. We don't take time to stop and consider that our days of complexity are intertwined. That the persons on the opposite side of the "chunk" aren't affiliated with us except possibly through an email or two, once in a great while. In fact, we are all part of the whole. It's the connections we make with each other that assist the "chunk" in healing itself. All those little things we do to clean up after ourselves are the catalysts. Those catalysts create the intersections that bring us together.

This "intersection" is very proud of all those who take time to become catalysts for connection.

Much love and adoration to all,
redopal