Billizetti says . . .

I'm still feeling lousy with the flu, so I decided it's time to change the cards. (That probably sounds dumb, but after four days of feeling sick to my stomach, I can't take any more! Yuck!)

Unexpected Visitor

That title applies to both the picture below and to the norovirus my family and I are fighting. It is a horrible flu!!! If you don't hear from me for a few days, it means I've gotten more sick. The Emergency Department at the hospital near here is packed out with people who have gotten the virus. I spent 6 hours there with our daughter Clarissa, because she was so sick with it. She couldn't stop vomiting. Corben, her 16 month old son came down with it first. He was in the hospital on Saturday. Then Clarissa got it on Monday, and  passed it on to the rest of us. Being sick to your stomach has got to be way up there on the worst feelings list!

Well, here's a picture I managed to do while waiting for the next round of nausea to appear. I've always been intrigued with the ocean.

(The big platypus is from the "Dino Safari" kit by Mr. Whiskers I mentioned a few posts back.)

By the way, I tried to keep this post germ free, so hopefully you won't receive any unexpected visitor at your house!

Time Travel

Multiple Personalities?

(Continuation of The Three Muses Challenge "All About Me.")

Three Muses Challenge - All About Me

Most elements from Mr. Whiskers' "Dino Safari" kit at Deviant Scrap.

Art Journal Caravan Week 52 - Love Quote

Beatles Craziness

Last Week Art Journal Caravan 2011 - Week 52 - Love

Sleep in Peace

(See story below.)

There once was a man . . .

There once was a man

who thought there was no reason to live.

But when about to jump from a cliff,

he saw a rainbow of stairs from the corner of his eye.

Having nothing to lose,

and no promise to gain,

he turned and climbed the bright stairs

to wherever they might lead.

At the end of the rainbow

floated a shiny red balloon.

Having nothing to lose,

and no promise to gain,

he grabbed a hold of the string.

He soon felt himself sailing

off to the moon.

Somehow he landed without even a hitch.

His spirits much lifted,

he spied a boat sitting upon

the green cheese of the moon.

It sat there as if needing someone to row.

His brows furrowed,

for there was no water to be seen.

But having climbed upon a rainbow,

and having sailed the skies holding only a balloon,

he thought, perhaps, he should sit down inside.

After all,

he had nothing to lose,

and no promise to gain.

Suddenly moonbeams shot high.

The rowboat shot high into the midnight sky.

Giddy with laughter,

there was little he could do

but sit and enjoy the ride.

Finally feeling at peace,

he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Click picture!

Outlands

Terri St. Cloud

I received this picture in an email from Terri St. Cloud. (http://www.bonesigharts.com/) I liked it so much that I wanted to share it here.

Scripture Picture

Art Journal Caravan Week 51

The word we were given this week to use in our art journaling was "encourage." The digital element packet contained glittery grunge. Well, I'm all for grunge, and at times I even like gaudy. This is my art journal page I ended up with.

Butterflies by Marguerite

There has been a wonderful ongoing project where artists from all over the world are creating butterflies and mailing them to The Holocaust Museum in Houston, Texas. The butterflies are meant to represent the 1,500,000 innocent children who perished during the holocaust. You may read all about the project here: http://www.hmh.org/ed_butterfly1.shtml. I created and sent a butterfly quite some time ago.

My good friend, Marguerite Bryant, who I have mentioned many times in this blog really took this project to heart. She created over 130 butterflies, and is sending 100 of them to the museum. She created a short video showing some of the butterflies she made. I love her talent and ideas so much that I wanted to share her video with you here on my blog. I know you will find it artistically inspiring. I hope you enjoy seeing these butterflies as much as I did. By the way, you will see butterflies of both Corben and I in the video!



If you would like to visit Marguerite's blog, you will find it at http://redballoontothemoon.weebly.com/blog.html

I Want Some French Macarons

I've been visiting a blog named Paris Through My Lens  and looking at the photography of Virgina. The photos were all taken while she was in Paris, France. I hope she doesn't mind, but I'm posting her latest photo here. I would love to taste some real French macarons. They are so beautiful! Plus the French always make such beautiful displays of their food. Be sure to visit her blog if you would like to see some beautiful photos of Paris.

Another blogger who posts incredible pictures of French macarons is Carol Gillott at Paris Breakfasts. I know I've mentioned her before. She actually takes photos of all kinds of French pastries. I guess if I lived in Paris I'd be so fat I couldn't fit through the bakery doors. I'd be eating macarons and pastries all day long! It's a good thing we're broke and can't just fly over there. By the way, Carol paints beautiful watercolors of the pastries, too. Maybe I'll be able to afford one of those one day.

In case you're thinking I'm spelling macaroons wrong, the French spell macaroons with only one "o." They aren't anything like what we think of macaroons here in the US. They come in so many different flavors and colors. I really wish I had one right now to eat with my coffee! Oh well. I did buy a cookbook about making macarons. It's called "Mad about Macarons."  I still haven't gotten the almond flour yet to make them. It takes a bit of practice to get them just right. Something about beating the egg whites just right and then folding them in correctly. One of these days I'll get brave enough to do it.

My Digitally Altered Books Online

Some of you may have heard of Artellaland. It use to be a site for artists where we had blogs, could share in art challenges, post artwork, etc. Artellaland is now closed, but I was very surprised to find out that the links to my digitally altered books that were posted online are still working. If you would like to see them, click on any of the links below. To turn the pages, click in the lower right hand corner of the page.You click on the lower left corner to go backwards.

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_starsofsong/start.html

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_Treasure/start.html 

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_Castle/start.html

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_Science/start.html

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_Poetry/start.html

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_Critic/start.html


http://artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_steampunk/start.html

Winter?

Three Muses Challenge - Tis The Season

Have I ever said I don't like winter?

Finding Friends

Take A Word Challenge - Joy

 

Who wants to grow up anyway?!

(Most elements from Tangie Baxter's "My Fairy Friends 1" kit.

For Lani Gerity

Lani created an "Occupy Elf" that I absolutely love. I created this picture for Lani using it.

The camping trailer is from M. Zimm's "Travel the World 2" kit. The background picture from Eana's Creation "Magic Ice Kingdom" kit.

Art Journal Caravan Week 50 - Shelter Quote

Background is from today's free samples from Dover Publications. House images are from AJC 11 Parcel #50.

Art Journal Caravan Week 50 - Shelter

Some elements from Tangie Baxter's Parcel #50.

When midnight's light . . .

Three Muses Challenge - Land of Odd

Billizetti Goes Ice Skating!

Background from Eena's Creations. Horse from Holliewood's "Stark."

Heart Of Ice

Elements from Eena's Creations "Magic Ice Kingdom" and Holliewood's "Stark."

Take A Word Challenge - Numbers

Elements from Eena's Creations "Circus Adventure Addon."

Winter's Rose

What would you say if . . .

you received a bag like this in the mail?

Yes, it's a pink bag. When I opened the bag, I found . . .

a beautiful pad of paper with a gold Eiffel Tower on the cover, a bag of lavender tea (which is suppose to help people with sleeping problems) . . .

a fake croissant (which is good, because I'm suppose to be following a gluten free diet now) . . .

and a tiny pile of pink poo! Yes, you read that right. Pink poo. (In case you don't know, poo is a very noble character in Japanese kawaii art. In comes in many colors!)

Getting back to the question, what would you say if you received all of these wonderful things in a pink bag? I'd say, "Yahoo!" I received a present from Marguerite. What else would you expect from someone who lives in Eureka, California?! Thank you so much, M, for all the treasures. By the way, you might know M as the Queen of Tarts. She visits all of my blog tea parties. Anyway, I will especially treasure the pink poo! It's setting on top of my computer screen right now. I'll try the lavender tea tonight. Today is a good day thanks to M!

Winter Beauty

It's December 1 st., and we had our first snow yesterday here in Michigan. It's time to get into a winter mood.