Art Glass in Seattle - Dale Chihuly

Do you LOVE glass like I do?  I have always been fascinated by it.   This Fall I was so blessed to go visit my friend Laurie that lives in the Seattle area (there's another post about her amazing house is you click HERE).  And while there Laurie & a couple of my friends (Cindy Craine &Vickie Orlando) & I went downtown to see the Dale Chihuly Museum  (Also click  HERE or on anything in blue for a link).  AMAZING!!!!  There beneath the Space Needle sits an EXPLOSION of color & design.  Anyone who love ART has to appreciate this amazing work.  The pieces above & below are displayed on the ceiling in one room (much like his pieces in the Belagio in Las Vegas).

The exhibit below was in a room with dark walls & the center of the room just filled with COLOR!

Below was an almost floor to ceiling (as you can tell by looking at the people standing next to it) piece & the colors were divine.  This room was called Sea Life.

A little closer up shows the detailed sea life done in GLASS!  Anyone who knows me KNOWS  I'm an Ocean/Sea Life/Mermaid Girl.

   
    People always ask me what my favorite color is...  I don't have one!!   I guess that's the Gemini in me but, I can't choose A favorite color.  I just love color!   GREEN is so beautiful to me so, this gorgeous swirling green beauty also spoke to my soul.

Just look at the detail!!!!  Some day I would love to take a glass blowing class.  On the plane a passenger I visited with gave me the name of a place in Seattle to study glass blowing...

Seattle Glass Blowing

Outside in the gardens the sculptures were everywhere in EVERY color you can imagine!

As I said, this garden sits right below the Space Needle.

To get to the garden you walk through a huge glass hall (I bet they have Events & Weddings in here... I can just see it can't you?)  Look at the beautiful glass hanging from the ceiling!

                                 
         This is looking at it from the outside on the other side.

Seattle is truly a beautiful place & this little piece of ART HEAVEN just makes it even more special!

I hope you enjoyed this BURST of color.  I'm in the middle of YET MORE remodel work in the house so, I needed something happy to look/post about because right now my world is workmen & dust.  And no money for travel.  But, I can reflect on my previous adventures & dream about the future ones!  HUGS!

Vintage Case Round Robin

The last thing I needed was another project but, I COULDN’T SAY NO!  When I was out in California in January, all the girls were at dinner in Pasadena after being at the Bead Show & Joy threw out the idea of a vintage train case/suitcase round robin.  I knew we’d just signed on the new house but, thought SURE why not!   It sounded like so much fun!  What was I thinking?  I didn’t need anything else on my plate but,  I found a little time to work on my case before boxing it up & sending it to Gig Harbor, Washington!  These cases will be well traveled when it’s all over!   I really thought the OLD American Airline tag on the handle was cool.  This is back when travel was glamorous!!!! Do you love the crocodile embossing on the case?  I DO!

Sorry for the shadows but, it’s so hard to find good light…
I found the case last year at The Urban Barn when Sandy & I were shopping on one of my MANY trips out to California.  I LOVED IT & knew I wanted to do something with it.  Joy’s idea was to do a bit to the outside & as it went to each of the girls they would add something to the outside & then put 4-5 treasures inside!  I LOVE the color of the inside of this case.  It was in such good shape.  Ms Cindy stuffed the goodies she had collected for me in a couple of the pockets.  A beautiful tea died sleeve (with pearls, lace & beautiful buttons) & other goodies all packaged up so pretty.

The trim on the outside is chocolate brown & a soft blue (with crystal like beads hanging from it).

And the image that I used was a Blog Banner my friend Tiffany Marshall designed for me a few years back.  I’ve always loved it (& I think I need to use it again soon so, MAYBE when I get back from Round Top I’ll change the current Princess Elizabeth on here now for this one).  Love the sweet little vintage coin purse with the white hankie peeking out. It has a long way to go (literally) & I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it returns.  
Back to keeping reign on all the contractors at the house. 
IT’S LIKE HERDING CATS!
Hug!  Charlene

Outdoor Wednesday & An Amazing Painted Rock

Welcome to Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan! For today's post I wanted to share a rock that has been painted by a TEENAGE BOY in rural Iowa. This HUGE rock is near a gravel pit on Hwy. 25. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, & even obscenities on this rock, changing it's character many times. A few months back, the rock received it's latest paint job & since then it has been left undisturbed.

That beautiful flag looks like a real flag draped across the rock but, it's really part of the ART & is PAINTED onto the rock.

Here is another side of the rock. I love the saying on this side "We will not waver; we will tire; we will not falter; & we will not fail. Peace & freedom will prevail" Oh how I pray that is true!

And after just passing the anniversary of 9-11 how can this side of the rock not just touch your soul at it's very deepest part?

Is this the most AMAZING thing you've seen?

THANK YOU VETERANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And here is the AMAZING young man that created this true work of art. THANK YOU Ray Sorensen you are a gifted artist & a true patriot at heart. THANK GOD we have young people that understand what this young man does & can share it in such awesome ways. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

If you enjoyed this please let me know & be sure to join Susan & the other girls playing Outdoor Wednesday HERE or by clicking on the button on my sidebar.

Art Exchange Goodies

Gotta LOVE the mailbox LOVE that has been going around! I know there are a lot of you that have been involved with the Art Exchange. I got my invitation from Diana Frey while my mother was visiting from California for 2 weeks & I did not get my gift for my Exchange Partner completed in the week time allotment. Since my Exchange Partner was Diane Cook & she is my friend she understood. In the meantime I started getting packages in the mail but, just didn't feel like I could open them until I mailed mine. Well, I mailed Dianes goody yesterday so today was the day to open my goodies... A DRUM ROLL PLEASE! The package on the top is from Lisa Hessabi & the bottom one is from Tiffany Marshall.

Here is the close up of the ART WORK on the envelopes! Don't you LOVE it when a package looks like this? Why don't I make mine look like this?

Below is all of the goodies from Tiffany. A HUGE lot of treasures. A little of this & a little of that. And the amazing thing... Tiffany was one of the names I listed & she sent me a gift as well as the person she was supposed to send to. Such an amazingly generous soul. THANK YOU TIFFANY you are such a sweetie!

More Tiffany LOVE!

And a big bunch of Halloween Goodies from Lisa. I don't know Lisa & I checked out her blog. Also, Googled her & found her listed in a number of places. THANK YOU LISA! I would love to get to know you better. If any of you have posts on Lisa or her work let me know.

Next comes a beautiful stitched art hanging that says FRIEND & this beautiful treasure comes from Michelle May at Tales from the Raspberry Rabbits. I had just met Michelle last week when I found her blog while visiting another blog. She had the most beautiful stitched Christmas trees. When I commented to her that I loved her trees & blog she sent me a message that said "I just sent you a package" And here is my treasure (note & a little chocolate LOVE) from Michelle. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

Michelle's stitching work is amazing. I have placed this treasure on my DREAM BOARD near my computer. THANK YOU MICHELLE! You are indeed a new Friend!

Another generous SWEET FRIEND that was on my list was LuLu & like Tiffany she was to send the gift to someone else but, with her generous heart she sent me one too. AMAZING, GENEROUS, TALENTED, FRIENDS live in Blogland! Here is the box within a box waiting for opening.

I am sorry I don't have a fresh manicure to show off with my treasure from LuLu but, I do so LOVE my white rose ring that she made for me. THANK YOU SWEET LULU!

Now, I'm off to write a comment or LOVE note to each one of these sweeties. Forgive me for being late to post & thank you but, as I said I just could NOT open my goodies until I mailed off the one to Diane. Check back to see what I sent her. Have a wonderful week preparing for Thanksgiving. HUGS!

I wanted to share this Gallery we visited on our trip in California. It is called The Hawthorne Gallery http://www.hawthornegallery.com/html/gallery_frameset.html We were driving up HWY 1 & the fog was so thick that the views were not good. But, as we drove by the Gallery the colorful blown glass jellyfish caught my eye. We had been in the car for a couple of hours & my legs needed a stretch. Here is our Red Mustang Convertible sitting parked in front of the Gallery. The gardens outside the entrance were divine. This was just sitting on the side of a mountain in Big Sur.

In walking around the gardens we found this water design done in a huge piece of metal art.

you can see the winding path up. We did not intrude because I think that is where the artist lived or had his studio. But, the gardens were very interesting.

A bronze bust up in the foliage under HUGE TREES! And another free form piece of art in the garden.

And this work was featured as you walked in the front door of the Gallery.

A couple of the blown glass jelly fish hanging from the ceiling These were a couple of them that caught my eye as we drove by. The colors were amazing. The artist that did them is from Oregon. And... you could be the proud owner of one for $4,800.00 each. Of course you know that one would not be enough... Not a statement made. And since you should not decorate in even numbers... you would need 3 RIGHT? Well, $15,000.00 for jelly fish was out of my reach. But they were interesting.

This is the view of the Pacific ocean off the deck of the Gallery. When Susan & I were there in April we ate at a great place across the road from here & enjoyed views of the BLUE, BLUE water that seemed to go on forever. Well, not this time. This fog is called June Gloom. It is natures way of trying to cool off the country side with the moist cool air off of the ocean. It hangs over for about a mile or less. After that it gets very HOT inland this time of year. Amazing how nature tries to take care of things isn't it. And what a difference just a few months make. In April when we were there everything was the most GLORIOUS GREENS. And in June all the countryside is BROWN!

Bass Hall in Fort Worth Texas

Angels in the sky! Yes, in Fort Worth, Texas that is what you will find. Last night was a cold clear night & my friend Susan & I went to Bass Hall to see Kenny Rogers perform. When we crossed the street I was struck by the beauty of these glorious angels.

The angels are carved on the face of the building. Each soaring many stories high & blowing magnificent brass horns.

These beauties could be called nothing but ART! They are carved out of white limestone. The detail work is unbelievable! Their beauty simply shines.

Here you can see how the arms stand away from the building & the trumpet is held out over the sidewalk. There are beautiful windows with balconies & people could be seen having cocktails & waiting in different lobbies for the show to begin.

Kenny Rogers put on a good show. He certainly doesn't look like "The Gambler" we all remember from his movie days. He is now 69 years old & seemed to not be in good health. He walked & moved as though he had a problem with his back. Very stiff & each step seemed to be thought out & careful. Band members moved his stool around the stage & he would prop himself up & sing his heart out. His voice is still good but, not what it was before. Again, I really think he has been ill. Outside of Bass Hall were 3 huge Prevost Motor Coaches that were obviously his & the bands transportation. Up on stage Kenny shared with us that he has identical twin 4 year old sons. He did a touching song & photo tribute to his wife Wanda & the boys. So sweet. I don't keep up with the magazines so don't know the scoop (if you do share it with us) but... good luck Kenny (he'll need it... he'll be 83 years old when the boys graduate High School). I hope you enjoy the photos of Bass Hall & my little trivia on Kenny. He did sound wonderful with the band playing & backed up by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.