My Lucky Day

By the way my day started I never would have guessed it would be my lucky day but I am the winner of a awesome handmade journal from Heather Simpson-Bluhm's  from her 750th blog post giveaway. It appears I was the random choice winner.. Yay !!

This is a sweet cheer up journal she did for a dear friend battling an illness.

I love her style, be sure and check out her blog boobyfish.blogspot.com



A visit from the Book Fairy

Back in July I was looking forward to a visit with mixed media, and visual journaling artist Kelly Kilmer as she passed through our fair city of Santa Fe on the way to teaching a class in Colorado. I had been a fan of Kelly’s after discovering her blog this past winter. I flew to Scottsdale to take her mixed media journaling class in April, after which I began scheming on getting her to teach Santa Fe. The plan was to meet up at Stampa Fe and have some time to visit and maybe show her, and the family around town. As it would turn out her trip out, her trip from LA became the road trip from you know where, when they became involved in an accident. Luckily they were okay but her time in Santa Fe was cut short. We decided to meet up at the Verizon store, grab her new "Droid", and have a tea before she headed on her way. She showed up with a gift of tape, yes some of her glorious stash of tape, I was touched. Kelly is a most generous person, anyone that has taken one of her classes would agree. But poor Kelly, it appeared nothing about Santa Fe was going to be easy. The line at the store stretched on forever, and over the course of a few hours we had a chance to really chat. I shared that it had been a difficult winter after the passing of my sweet doggie companion, and my interest and insecurities about the blog I was starting. I ran to a nearby coffee house for some ice tea fortification. When I returned she was smiling and started asking me about Christine Mason Miller , was I familiar with her and the the 100 Books Project. I remembered reading about it, and now I started smiling. That is when she told me she had been entrusted with one, and indeed was a Book Fairy. How wonderful I thought, to know someone involved in this magical experiment. Before you know it she was telling me that she believed I was the one that was supposed to receive her copy. I am a little embarrassed to say just how touched I was, and how much it meant to me.

We went outside and she took the picture of me holding the brown paper package...this is a gift for you, YES YOU! I was beaming like I had just found a pot of gold. To say it made my day would be an understatement.

Kelly and I said our goodbyes, and I started planning on how I would ritualized the opening of the package.

I saved the big event for an art journaling night with a girlfriend. I shared the saga of the journey of the book, and I opened it. I had not seen Ordinary Sparkling Moments  so I didn’t know exactly what I was opening. I  was thrilled to discover just how charming, and inspiring the book was when I read it before falling into a sweet sleep that evening..

For the love of books

This past weekend Santa Fe played host to the New Mexico Womens Autors Book Festival. The amazing event held in the courtyard of The Palace of the Governors under brilliant autumn skies, showcases 110 gifted New Mexican female authors over the course of the weekend

 The Santa Fe Book Arts Group had its first showing of the collaborative journals project in which I have had the delight of participating.

 We where honored to be in historic Palace Press located at the Palace of the Governors which is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the US.

 I had the opportunity to visit with friends and share in welcoming guests, and assuring them is was quite alright to pick up the luscious journals for a closer look.

It would be impossible to pick a favorite but this hand made book with blueprint paper pages

  on Los Alamos was extraordinary.

Your next chance to see the journal project as well the groups incredible hand made books will be at the Celebration of the Book October 21-24 once again at the Palace of the Governors Santa Fe, NM.

September Call to Creatives ~ September Fanta Se

September in Northern New Mexico is pure magic. It is all about the light.
 The air is perfect and landscape golden.

After Labor Day things slow down, and the air is filled with the pungent aroma of roasting chiles. A  chilly nights will have us checking the woodpile, and pulling some sweet seasoned pinon for the first fire of the Fall. By month's end the largest stand of Aspens in North America just up Hyde Park Road will be at peak color. A walk in the golden light of these great Aspens is otherworldly.

Once again I invite your submissions of short stories, poetry, photographs, and closest to my heart: art journal pages in answer to the September Call to Creatives.

Don’t forget to sign up as a follower! Thanks for your comments, and spreading the word by linking Life in a City Different to your blog. I look forward to seeing you in the blog pages, and thank you for accepting my Invitation to Co-creation

Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces

Thursday's response for the August Call to Creatives theme ~ Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces

Here is this weeks submission by photographer Jes McKay Gilmore.
 I know it is September but this is just to fun to pass up.

Jes shares "Here's a few of my summer photography in NM! I loved when the goats came out to Eldorado. I visited them 3 times!  Then I went to the vintage trailer rally for the 3rd year as the photographer."

Two in Truchas

Its all about the light in September in Northern New Mexico.

When a dear friend visited from California recently we took to the High Road to Taos,

 and the enchanted little town of Truchas.

We spent a magical afternoon.. of which I will write more in my next post.

Thrilled to find a collection of wonderful hand made leather journals, we where inspired to gift each other, and start a collaborative journal. I had been thinking this would be a great way to stay creatively connected. The plan is to play in the journal for a month or so, and then

 send it on its way... back and forth between California, and New Mexico it will journey.

We went home that night, and started right away with a few pages.

We had a blast committing to paper our experiences of the day.

More to come on our adventures in paradise.

Indian Market Weekend

What would a blog about Santa Fe be without a post on Indian Market weekend. Many locals have a love hate relationship with the eighty-eight year old Native Arts show. The reason being in a good year our population doubles for a week. The wide open spaces get a bit snug. We may actually have some traffic, and maybe have to wait for a table at our favorite restaurant. For me this is a small price to pay to have the largest gathering of indigenous peoples art right in my backyard.

For me, Market kicked off Thursday night on the Plaza. Every gallery and shop was hosting an artist reception and party. On the Santa Fe Bandstand, Micky Free and American Horse was rockin the house.

Friday night we walked out my door and headed over to Canyon Road. With this being the biggest art weekend of the year in Santa Fe, every gallery had openings, and special happenings. One of my favorites was the Chiaroscuro Gallery complex. We happened to be there just as a blessing was being offered by one of the native artists. Those present where touched, and reminded of the roots of the great work being presented.

Outside in the courtyard Yatika Fields, and Rose Simpson where painting to the delight of a very appreciative crowd.

My friend and continued our stroll to the top of Canyon Road, and miracle of miracles, got a street side table at El Farol. For non-locals, El Farol is the oldest restaurant and bar in Santa Fe. So much for waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant. El Farol is a Santa Fe institution, always great for music, people watching, and scrumptious tapas.

It was a magical Santa Fe night as we walked home in the moonlight.

The next morning I was up early, and happy to be among the throngs Saturday as the weather cooperated to make it a spectacular day. Because I was early the booths and tables where to crowded to get shots of  some of my favorite works.

I did get close enough to fall in love with this Tuscarora Beadwork from the Tuscarora Nation on the east coast. Very different from the traditional beadwork, something we don't have the opportunity to see in the southwest.

Summer Spaces,Summer's Traces

Thursday's response for the August Call to Creatives  theme ~ Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces

This spectacular photo is submited by Santa Fe photographer, and lover of beauty Paul Cutright.

This is my response for Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces this Thursday.

I was amazed that the colors of the banner came through in the shadows on my adobe wall.

Now it is time for your response. Anything goes: art, journal pages, haiku..have fun.

August Call to Creatives~~ Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces

Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces ~ Theme for August

It is time for the August Call to Creatives theme for the month. Actually it is past time, but since today is the day I get the word out that I am here, hopefully no one will be any worse for the wait.
Here in Northern New Mexico the summer of 2010 has been the most beautiful I have ever experienced. Exquisite clear blue skies, and generous monsoonal rains keeping it green, and cool in my corner of town. August is high season in the City Different, with everyones date book full of outings, gatherings, and events. With so much going on this summer has inspired me to slow down
 as things speed up, soon enough there will just be traces of a summer past.

Here are two of my Summer Spaces, Summer's Traces journal pages I created in my

Memories and Reflections book I made from an online class with Kelly Kilmer.

I invite you to participate in the August Call to Creatives .
 Every Thursday I will be posting your submissions.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by.

.

Taos Sunday

Last Sunday I had the joy of sharing some of my favorite Taos spots with a girlfriend who had not been there in a decade. I packed some snacks, grabed the camera and headed out. We had a spectacular NM day with skies even more sparkling blue than usual. Our first stop was the Mabel Dodge Luhan House. It is one of my my secret retreats..so lets keep this between us.

If you are unfamiliar with Mabel Dodge Luhan you may be unaware that she was instrumental in introducing New Mexico to some of the greatest creative talents of the early 20th century. Salon hostess, art patroness, writer, and larger than life character, Mabel's was home and haven to the likes of  Georgia O’Keeffe, D.H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams, Martha Graham and Carl Jung, among many other notables.

 Every time I step though the doorway to the main house it never fails to thrill me with thoughts of those that came before.

Still very much alive with creative energy, the house and conference center offers workshops on mixed media journaling, writing, photography, painting and much more.

 And oh yes, let's not forget to mention a ghost or two. A story, a ghost story for another time..

On the same Cottonwood sheltered hill, and next door to Mabel's is 

 The Henningsen Gallery and Sculpture Gardens

The lush green grounds are a feast for the eyes..

 and treat for the desert weary traveler.

After a relaxing lunch, and some fun shopping
 (which will have to be a separate post since I took so many photos)
 we ended our day exploring what was new at El Monte Sagrado

I love the grounds, decor and the art..especially the amazing glass art by Susan Gott.

and the work of Ed Sandoval

Heading out of town we caught the Rancho de Taos church (which has been painted and photographed by everyone and their brother) with some great lighting.

The soft, and sensuous, newly adobed walls where to much to resist.

Leaving Taos behind, it bid us adios with not one, but two rainbows to send us sweetly on our way.