Word Magic

 

‘If you fall in love with the imagination, you understand that it is a free spirit. It will go anywhere, and it can do anything. ‘~Alice Walker 

The word this week is IMAGINATION 

Definition:

the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.

"she'd never been blessed with a vivid imagination"

 

 

I have always had a bit of a child's whimsy in my thinking. When I see a toadstool I can imagine little people hiding underneath them. When I hear the word "imagination" I often think child-like or whimsy. In a way it seems like it could go along with curiosity too.

A bit of magic also can go along with imagination.

This dream catcher I find to be rather magical and whimsical.

Dream catchers were created by American Indians to hang over the bed and catch dreams during the night. I am wondering if imagination might show up in those dreams?

Sometimes, especially with my morning tea, I love to sit in the quiet of the house and let my mind free float, imagining delightful stories and dreaming up whimsical things. I love mind play, I love going outside and finding whimsy in nature.

 

In my office I have a shelf designated the "shelf of whimsy".

On the shelf are miniature tea sets, a tiny chair, a marble, sea shells, a paper boat, some mice, a dormouse, a hedgehog, fake flowers, a tiny car, and a few very cute rocks. This might sound silly and whimsical, but for me when I look at that shelf my mind floats to silly stories, sad stories and my imagination becomes quite active.
 

Are you fascinated with imagination?

Do you enjoy letting your mind play a bit?

 

Happy Monday, dear friends!

Let's play a bit this week.

Celebrating 80

This week I am celebrating turning 80.

One of my best friends, Annette, just turned 60. My daughter, Jill, will soon turn 50.

We had talked about how to celebrate each of us turning a new decade.

When I found a local photographer taking pictures of "gal" friends I decided this is what we should do.

What fun! I loved sharing this with these "gals".

And then D, my one and only grandchild, decided to join us. He recently turned 10.

It was so fun to share this play time with these special ladies.

The photographer knew my daughter and snapped a couple pictures of mother and son too.

I loved it!

 Do you take time to play with those you love?

I had not done anything like this before, but it was so worth it.

It was a fun way to celebrate my birthday and theirs.

There is more play this week yet to be had, but I highly recommend this as a way to mark the day.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Whimsy, a Word Today

 

whim·sy     

noun: whimsy; noun: whimsey

playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor.

If you haven't guessed by now, I like having a bit of whimsy in my life. A bit of silliness, the spirit of a child. There are two places in my house where whimsy prevails. One shelf in my office/studio, which I call my Shelf of Whimsy, and this antique doll cradle filled with small animals and Raggedy. My grandson calls them "stuffys".

Just for fun today I decided they needed their own photo shoot; so out they came. Some waited patiently and others had to jump right into the middle of things.

That one rabbit with the soft green bow seems to show up quite a bit.  He was a rather pushy, not timid at all.

There he is again.

The little guy wasn't that thrilled about the whole thing, but I captured him in my camera anyway.

When I worked Raggedy would sit on my desk and observe. She doesn't say much, but I think she takes it all in and has learn many things over the years.

Now there he is again. He was dreaming of adventure and wanted to pose by this outdoor shot.

This little bear was getting ready to leave for school; so stopped for one quick shot and he was off.

And the green bow bunny invited another bunny for tea.

This bunny said he would pose for only one picture because really it wasn't his season. He would much have preferred a long winters nap.

Early in the pandemic I found this tiny kit on Amazon. Rather than doing a puzzle I decided to do this kit. The pieces were so tiny my fingers had a hard time putting it together, but it is on my Shelf of Whimsy now and my grandson likes it the best. He wants to do one together with me. The kit says 14 years or older; so I may wait awhile. But then on the other hand I think we would have great fun making it together.

Do you add a little whimsy in your life from time to time?

I haven't said this for awhile, but I would encourage you to add whimsy, dance, put on that tutu, and sing to your hearts content. There are days we need a bit of whimsy surrounding us and this week is definitely one them.

 

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Teabag Art

In 1985 I graduated from design school and went to work as an apparel patternmaker.

During design school I learned to move watercolor paint around the paper.

After I started to work and was also raising a family there was no time for painting,

so my paints dried up and others "borrowed" my art supplies.

Well during the pandemic I decided to take back what supplies I could gather together

and then ordered some new paints and brushes to add to the stash.

What made sense to me was to combine my love of tea by using the used teabags

as my painting palette and make cards.

It has been great fun to send them to friends.

The paintings above are works in progress.

It seems like I have about 5 in progress at one time.

The second picture is three that inspired me from a vintage tablecloth.

Most often I like painting from nature.

Sometimes there is a bit of whimsy.

And sometimes I like tucking something in a bag. This one has dried tea leaves.

Here is where I work while I can also gaze out to the back yard.

The artbox on the table was mine from school and still works for me today.

 It's felt good to be moving the paints and pens over the paper again.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Word for the Day - 2020

Whimsy

    from Wiktionary:

whimsy (usually uncountable, plural whimsies) A quaint and fanciful idea; a whim; playfully odd behaviour. An impulsive, illogical or capricious character.

If you have followed along on my blog for a long time

you might have figured out I like whimsy.

I like to imagine fairies dancing in my garden,

bunnies sipping tea,

or flowers smiling up at me.

Playfulness just makes me happy

and after all right now we need a bit of whimsy in our lives.

So for today let's play a bit, let our imaginations run wild,

sing to our hearts content, and dance our hearts out.

Happy Monday, dear friends!

The picture is from my garden, a door to welcome the fairies.

Wintry Play and Tea

A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas:

“It snowed last year too:

 I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down 

and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea.”

 

I hope each of you have begun the new year with the delight

of play and then some tea.

Happy New Year, dear friends!

Happy weekend too! 

 

 By the way, there is no snow here right now.

It has been unseasonably warm, perfect for a walk. 

I can dream I am sitting by the fire, sipping tea, and watching the snow fall.

The Pumpkin Patch Adventure

Sunday there was an adventure to Sauvie Island, to Kruger Farms.

We had a goal!

The corn maze awaited, corn to nibble, caramel apples to imbibe, and pumpkins to find.

Well as you see there were flowers too.

You know I wouldn't miss an opportunity to photograph flowers.

All I could get was silly faces among the pumpkins.

He was imagining the silly faces on the pumpkins he was going to take home.

There was the maker of caramel apples to watch.

Some of the delights waiting to go home with us.

I don't think I have had a caramel apple since my own children were little.

With loose teeth this was a challenge,

but he persevered;

afterall, it was good roasted corn from the field.

He said it made all his teeth feel loose.

Now for me the adventure was trying to keep up

and find one 7 year old in the corn maze.

He and I entered the maze and he told me to run.

Sorry, but I don't run anymore.

He would run ahead, then stop and wait for me.

Well needless to say I found out later that he was

going out and telling the lady at the entrance that

he had lost his grandma in the maze.

It was all kind of funny and we did have fun.

We found a few zombies, but came home with pumpkins.

For a few hours it was fun to play at being a child.

Right Now at this Very Moment

I was thinking of senses, but have already done that.

What do I think of right at this very moment.

Dreaming of beauty and adventures is in my soul.

Fantasies and fireflies tickle me with delight.

Singing in the rain and Dancing in the Moonlight,

a fantasy to behold; but truly in my dreams,

I sing!

 I sing for you
I sing for me
I sing for justice
and
I sing for joy.

I dance in the speckled light under the trees.
I dance through the rose gardens.
I dance just to make my heart happy
and
I dance for all the twinkling stars up above.

I laugh the laughter to ward off the pain.
I laugh at the silliness in a story that doesn't even make sense.
and
I laugh because sometimes it is just better than crying.

At this very moment joy surrounds me
like petals of a roses falling from the sky.
At this very moment stars are tickling my eyes.
and
at this very moment I twirl under the sun and moon.
The sun is setting and the moon is rising,
I notice both with my arms out stretched.
I welcome each for what choice do I have.

At this very moment I send you love.

Dance in the Moonlight

When I saw the lights twinkling in the trees

I wanted to find the fairies

I wanted to dance

I wanted to swoon under a full moon

I wanted to have a feast at the table

I wanted to step lightly

I wanted to sing

But most of all I wanted to join you by the fire,

share stories of delight,

and just savor each moment of the evening.

Can you imagine what you would want to do?

Would you sit by the fire, sip on a glass of wine or something warm,

wrap in a cozy blanket or dance under the moon?

Embrace the Kid in You!

No matter where you walk.

No matter where you go.

Water and dirt or sand will call to you.

Find that kid in you.

Embrace him or her!

Stomp through the puddles.

Leave the umbrella home.

And if there is running water,

running through the sand or dirt

kneel down and play awhile.

What castles can you build?

What dreams can come true?

If only in your imagination

and a bit of water too.

Embrace the kid in you!

Delight in a little play.

~m.miller