Meet Backstage

Our weekend was spent driving.   We drove north to middle California to finally meet Jeff who had an offer we could not refuse, even if it took us half a year to get it together.   We just returned from our latest adventure, with our big announcement......  

and here it is.......

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'Backstage'

Rose and Tippy showing us Backstage

 The latest addition to our family.  So this really nice guy Jeff contacted us last year about his Oasis, with a most generous offer.  He offered to bring us any parts we needed for the Pink Pearl.  It was a really generous offer, but when we realized that his Oasis was very similar to ours, and talked measurements and everything, we thought it would make more sense to go up to him and retrieve any parts as it was, shall we say, more than a few.


  Over the course of months my husband kept in touch with him, and finally, we were able to coordinate a trip up to his Mom's place to pick up 'Backstage'.   The plan now being to pick her up, take any parts we need for our Oasis, and then her long and useful life would pretty much be over.

This is Jeff, an all around great guy!  We learned all
about him from his Mom as well :)

We drove about 8 hours in anticipation of picking up the 'new Oasis' (we didn't know her name yet).  When we arrived at Jeff's Mom's home she invited us in and regaled us with wonderful stories of 'Backstage'. We learned that they called her this because she and her husband, David,  traveled all around the US and Canada in her doing their comedy act and later performing in other productions.  Rose, who holds the official title of "Mermaid Maker", sat at her table, and told us story after story of their adventures, and really their life in Backstage.

picture from sunbeamwindow.com

 Fascinating stories of a place called Camp Comfort where they spent some time.  Tales of travel, friendships, love and really a whole life lived in Backstage.   They told us how much of their early years together had been spent Backstage; and some really funny, interesting stories about their travels. The funniest one being the 'earthquake' they were jolted out of bed by while camping in the boondocks in Utah; only to wake up and find they were amidst a pack of wild horses and one of them was scratching his rear end on the jalousie windows, which were open.  I wish I had been there to see that!  Erik told her she should write a book, she had so many wonderful memories from so many interesting adventures.

It took us a bit to then get Backstage all hooked up and towable so I had the pleasure of standing outside enjoying the breeze, and getting to talk with David and Rose for a while longer.   David told me how Backstage was their love shack-  I think his exact words were "this is the most romantic place on earth, you'll see."  I still smile when I think about how sweet this couple is.  In the end we met Jeff's parents, his lovely wife, and his beautiful children.   Coincidentally they are also proud parents of a set of very cute twins!

It took us a full day to drive home with her.  All the way home we talked about what we'd do with her, about the wonderful friendly people we had just met, and really, really liked, and we laughed about the stories we had heard.  Erik and I are suckers for Romance. So on the way home we talked about how we are unsure now that we can just use Backstage like that, and not allow her to live on.  Remember my last post about age and wisdom, and beauty.  She had been such a huge part of this family's life and they had shared so many fond memories of her.  In fact just before we drove off we were saying our good-byes and David was standing at Backstage's front window peering in for one last time.  Ok, now I want to cry...

So as ridiculous as this may sound, we are now the proud owners of two Oasis trailers.  Both in our driveway.  Both needing some TLC.   And so the story begins....

Change for a dollar

A friend of mine shared this video with me, and it was so touching, I thought I'd share it with you.

I love things like this.  Sometimes we give and go on with our lives, and have no idea the good it does.  Sometimes we don't give, because we only  have change, and it's not enough.  Or we don't want to engage, or to slow down a minute to hunt for said change.  Or because it's uncomfortable to look someone wretched in the eyes.  It is a firm belief of mine that in actuality we are all wretched, some of us are just better at hiding it.

Life is energy.  As I said in my last post I have been giving a lot of thought lately as to how I spend my time. I also think about how and where I spend my money.  Money, is interesting.  There never seems to be enough.  We trade our life for money.  An exchange of energies.  As time goes by I find I have less and less energy.  And more and more places I would like to use it.  From time to time I think about things like what exactly is 'enough'.  Why are peoples 'enoughs' so different?  If I did have 'enough' what would I do with the extra?

It's Christmas and the shopping season is in full swing.  Everywhere I look there are advertisers screaming look here, look what we've got.  You know you want it...   do I?  Maybe.  But do I need it?  Does anyone need any of this stuff??  How has life become so complicated, so full of stuff, so much expectation.  Do I really want to use my energy to add to the coffers of the people for whom there is never 'enough'?  To trade my life for a few baubles, or things someone else tells me I need?   No.  This country was  founded on that.  And I for one will play along no more.  I will buy this bill of goods no longer.  Subscribe to someone elses idea of what life should look like no more.  Look where that's gotten us so far...

I have precious little energy left in this life.  How do I really want to use it?

Find Your Adventure

The Geenie's Lamp is brimming with life, love, and art these days.   If you've been keeping up with me you know why.  So here are a couple of updates.  My Sis and niece are still here, and will be with me through mid August. Our time is drawing to a close, but we are making the most of it.

An update on the farmyard. The ducks and chickens are all grown up now, and should be laying soon.  More on that to come.

I have new things listed in my Etsy shop.  Check the sidebar or click on the link to see them.  Finished a few more things today.  Not the least of which is my new love...  so, did you catch it?  My new passion/obsession/fixation...  I put a hint in my last post....   

 Here's my latest piece for the big reveal....

This is it!  I have found Vintage Travel Trailers and I really, really want one.  This or a Gypsy Wagon.  I can imagine myself now parked at the beach with my trailer and my art supplies...  Or camping with my family, and my art supplies....  or.... the possibilities are endless really.  When I first discovered the "Gypsy Wagon" about a year ago I imagined one built in our backyard for my studio.  That is still a dream of mine, but this.  Oh this. This is gonna happen.  Then the Geenies Lamp studio will be on the road...

and now for something I finished

and she was Loved

and of course, as usually happens, I love her so much I don't want to list her.  Thinking about offering prints.  That's all for now...  Will update you on my Vintage RV procurement as unfolds.  Suzi Blu once talked about a dream of an artist colony of traveling Gypsy Wagons.  That would be a dream.....

Back from Boston

Recently I had the opportunity to take a trip on my own, to Boston for my sister's graduation.   I've been back about a week now, back into "Mom" mode, and out of "me" mode.  It was a very nice time while it lasted.  I had time to draw, time to think, time to sleep.  Time to do anything I wanted.  It's been about 18 years since I've had that.

Lil Gee had some adventures while we were there.  You can read about them here: Lil Gees Adventures, the blog

So while I was there  I had a chance to re-read Codependent No More by Melody Beattie.  An excellent book I read about 20 years ago, and have since learned that I need to read it again.  These are some pictures of my art journal pages done in Boston.  A lot of the writing is quotes from Codependent No More.  It is a constant struggle for me to put myself on my own list.  That's where my adventures in art have re-surfaced.  As a healing tool.  A learning tool.  A growing tool.  Art is a way of expressing myself, and learning and growing through visually working out what's going on.

I have always been a journaler.  And I believe journaling really helps.  My art journal combines the two.  Some art and a little bit of journaling.  Sometimes I still write poetry and prose, and those are included in my art journal too.

One thing I learned while in Boston.  We all need time of our own.  Time to think.  Time to re-charge.  I know, I know, you hear that all the time now.  It's everywhere I look anyway, I imagine it's the same for you.  All I know is I had some time of my own, and I came back refreshed.  With a whole new attitude, and outlook.  If you havn't tried it I highly recommend it.   Year after year I knew this was one thing I needed, but could never justify taking it.  Now that I have I can see more of this in my future.  It is hard to be all things to all the people and pets in my life at all times.  I learned that sometimes I 've just got to take time to be me.

Where the time goes

Wow, just noticed it's been 10 days since I last checked in here.  It's a busy life with kids, animals, and art.  I've been learning a lot, trying some new techniques, reading some books.  I love to read.  There seems to always be something left to work on, or to change in myself and I do this with the help of many authors.

 That is a story for another day though.

One of the girls pointe shoes

Today what I wanted to share with you is what
things take up all my time.  So there was this contest at my daughters ballet studio.  They do this yearly, sometimes semi annually for Galas and such.  They sell these beautifully decorated pointe shoes, decorated by the lovely ballerinas themselves.

one of the girls creations

 Always full of ideas I have been wanting to make one.  This time I did.  I only had a few hours to accomplish this, but I had so many ideas I just had to pick one and execute it.

 Here is the outcome...

It was fun, albeit a little stressful with my time constraints.   And I am very happy with the way it came out.

 I hope some little ballerina in the making is happy with it too.


I have this way of letting myself get distracted and sucked into things my kids do.  Especially if it's a creative endeavor.

One of the girls did this one

So this was a welcome distraction today.   A piece of art to create in a very busy week.  I am in the home stretch with the graduation over and ballet dress rehearsals in two days.  

Isn't it gorgeous?! 

 I got a new tattoo ...

   and my mini has been out having too much fun once again...




that too is a story for another day...

The chicks and the ducks are pretty much full grown now.  They are less work, but still occupy some of my time.  I will post pics another day.

This is the final piece.  Giselle.  My lovely daughter has been working on Giselle for her auditions.


This is where my time goes.  Love, Art, Life...





Enjoy life loves.

      It's the only one we get.

Something New

Thought I'd post a few pics of some of my current works.  I have many things going on at once and finish things all the time, but don't always take pictures, or do anything with them really, except look at them.  I get attatched. It's always been difficult for me not to. So, here's some of the latest paintings.  Hope you like them!

I've been experimenting a lot with textures.  Took a close up so you could see some...

Beauty

Tonight I found some beauty.  In fact I was privileged to sit in a room full of beautiful women, all there hoping to find some grace.  It was wonderful.  I am cynical of meeting new people to say the least, and seriously debated staying home and 'holing up' as I prefer to do.  But I mustered the courage and went.  I am so glad I did.

I met a wonderful woman tonight.  Her name is Wendy Joy Hart.  I found her through Meetup.com.  Going into this I thought surely this woman is selling something, or pushing something.  The last meetup group I joined was more of a way of drumming up business for the woman who led it than a meetup group.  I promptly quit that group.  But this one was so different.  I left feeling better, lighter, and happier than I've felt in years.  I learned a whole lot of new things, and hopefully made some new friends.   Beautiful friends.

Driving home I was struck by the fact that I was in a room full of beauty and could easily, very easily, have missed it.  These are the moments, the light I need to retrain my eye to see.  My memory to hold.  I had pictured this being a scary thing.  Me and all my baggage.  My deep deep shame and shyness to boot.  But whenever I am in a group of women who are real and honest I find that we all have baggage, and shame.  If we can just be real for a moment we find that none of us wants to be left out or judged.  We are all looking for love and a little acceptance.  That is my motto as you know choose love.  On my way to the group I kept telling myself, it'll be ok, just choose love.  It was exactly where I was supposed to be tonight, and I almost robbed myself of the opportunity.

Graduation time!

It's been a very busy couple of weeks.  I had my first High School graduation to plan, and as a homeschooler it's not as easy as that sounds.  There are many things to tend to besides the party afterwards, the gift, and the guests.  There are photos, programs, music, a slideshow, a display table, cap and gown and a boy scout uniform to find and make sure is ironed so he can lead the flag ceremony at the beginning.  Not to mention the other million and a half things, grad night, events, and all those little details.

Now that it's all done I'm happy.  Happy to have graduated one.  Happy to have been able to share this with family and friends.  Happy that he's happy.

I wish being happy came easily to me.  As you can tell from my art it does not.  I am trying to change that.  There really is so much beauty and grace in the world if I look for it.  

This is what I must remind myself constantly.  

I went through a period last year where I realized that I must retrain my eye to see light.  As with Art, art is a process of training oneself to see- to really see things.  I think there is beauty in everything and everyone if one looks deep enough.  It is my hope that people have that kind of grace for me.  That they look deep enough, beyond the external stuff, the tattoos, the funny clothes messy hair and pack of children I travel with  to really see me.  

One of our guests commented on the love he felt.  So much love in that room.  He was impressed.  Did I feel it?  No.  I was horribly stressed and hoping everything was ok.  One guest gave us his interpretation of our sons biography which was, well let's just say non-traditional, as a statement of our belief that none of this really matters.  I hadn't seen it that way, but I had to laugh, because that is how we entered homeschooling.  Wanting our kids to be the best people they could be, regardless of what they knew or had accomplished.  Wanting to give them a love of learning, not just a set of facts memorized and quickly forgotten.  Not a host of  painful school memories, but a family they know they can turn to, and be loved unconditionally.  These are all very lofty goals.  I am not sure we accomplished them.  But I think what I will choose to remember from this past week and this past 17 years is the certificate of appreciation our son gave us during the ceremony and his beautiful smile.  Life is good.  Life is indeed good...

Monday monday

It's been one of those weekends, you know the kind of weekend you should be cleaning, or at least doing something productive, since you'll have a house full of people next weekend and the 6 kids, pets and farm animals are a lot to keep up after... but instead curled up in a ball and slept the panic off...  sometimes it's all I can do.

oh well...    the Harpie is back...

Don't know who let her out??  I had her silenced for a while...

Just thought I'd give you a little glimpse into my Art Journal of late.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?? 

 It's all I have to say right now...

Love is the Movement

Life is not a fairytale.  There is no 'happily ever after' I'm learning.  I have learned this, the hard way.  There are always ups and downs.  Sometimes there are even bottom places where we land and have to look for help.  For me words help, art helps, music helps. I think these are true for a lot of people.

I think I have always known the struggle and the pain with which many suffer.  I thought it was just that I was a melancholy person.  I tried everything I could think of to get out of the pit I was in. Looking for help out from a bottom place once I stumbled upon Renee's story.  Her story touched me so deeply. This was the first time I'd heard of such love. From mere mortals. I was convinced this did not exist.   To Write Love On Her Arms is a group, or a movement I found one day graffitied on a college bench where I sat with my son and a friend from Art class- The name intrigued me and I had to know what it meant.  To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.   I read Renee's story and was so moved by it, by the fact that there were such loving, caring people out there.   People who would give everything to help a total stranger who was suffering.  It touched me so much I had Love tattooed on my arm by a great guy named Turbo at Goodfellas tattoo.  A daily reminder that there is hope, there is love, there are people who care, and I am not alone.

This is a group that has been very near and dear to my heart.  A cause I gladly support.  There are many people in this world suffering with depression and loneliness.  It breaks my heart to hear of children taking their own lives because they had reached their end, and felt there was no hope.  I know that place well.

I'm not sure what inspired me to write about this, this day.  I can only imagine someone needed to read this.  If you are suffering I am here.  You are not alone.  I have found that love helps, and caring friends help.  I know they are hard to come by.  But this group reminds me that they do exist.

photo credit ©2009-2010 ~Siluriformes

Please love.  There is enough pain in this world.  Here is one of my all time favorite quotes



"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
Philo

and be kind to you.  It's a tough lesson to learn sometimes, but a necessary one.  It all starts with love.











Love is the Movement!

When the darkness closes in

So you know the saying "Art imitates Life".  Well, if you've seen my latest WIP or any of my facebook statuses you know where my state of mind has been.  I try hard to fight off the darkness.  But sometimes it just is.  And it feels like it's closing in.  

I have many fewer dark days than I did just a couple of years ago.  Of course when one is grieving every day feels like a dark day.  Now, after some time has passed they seem to come and go.  I try to remain calm and realize it is just a day, it will be over soon.  And be gentle with myself, not expecting too much.  It's on these days that creating really helps.  I think it helps me focus and stay calm.  Sometimes I paint.  Sometimes I am moved to write something.  Yesterday I did not feel like painting, or writing, drawing, or doing much of anything.  So I sat at my desk in my studio.  Sometimes I just sit and stare for hours.  Thinking...  I guess it ends up being a sort of meditation for me.  And after a while I worked on her.  


It is hard for me to show hope in the darkness.  I struggle with seeing it myself.  It's an interesting world we live in, if you think about it.  I saw this quote recently on the To Write Love On Her Arms facebook page.  It read ‎"We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence into something beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands." – Cathy Better   I often wonder if this is true.  If it is the responsibility rests solely with ourselves doesn't it?  Does everything come down to a choice?  I learned recently that most of our lives do.  I had no idea.  


So today I remind myself, and you, to be calm.  The choice is up to you.  I choose me.  I choose love.