Just Imagine Originals

I'm struggling

2008-09-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

I've come here every day for the past few weeks wanting to write something that makes sense. As you can see, I haven't left any posts except for the occasional quote. I'm struggling with day to day life as I'm trying to recuperate from my surgery. I thought I'd be feeling great by the end of July.....ha, ha on me. SO, I'll keep coming and I have faith that, one day, something of substance will come into my brain......something besides my health issues.

Thanks for stopping by.

marsha♥

quote of the day

2008-09-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Cherish your visions and your dreams
as they are the children of your soul;
the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

Napoleon Hill

quote of the day

2008-08-31T08:28:00.001-07:00

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

quote of the day

2008-08-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got.

Janis Joplin, American singer

quote of the day

2008-08-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

"People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering."

St. Augustine

quote of the day

2008-08-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."

anonymous

quote of the day

2008-08-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

“Today a thousand doors of enterprise are open to you, inviting you to useful work. To live at this time is an inestimable privilege, and a sacred obligation devolves upon you to make right use of your opportunities. Today is the day in which to attempt and achieve something worthwhile.”

Grenville Kleiser

thought of the day

2008-07-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

For every fork in the road, there are often two paths to choose from... the one you "should" take and the one you want to take.

Take the second. Always take the second.

I'm Baaaack!

2008-07-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a much long recuperation period than I was expecting, but I am finally feeling well enough to be on the computer for a little while each day. Unfortunately, I don't have a whole lot on my mind except my health issues....I'm far from the point of being able to create, but I am starting to, at least, think of doing something constructive. I'm not going to bore you with my problems, so check back in awhile when I'm hopefully back to my abnormal self and can talk about some of the things I've loved and learned in this crazy life of mine.

I'll be away for awhile

2008-06-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm having surgery on Monday, the 30th, so won't be around for a little while. I hope to be back by the middle of July.

If you pray, please say one for me.

quote of the day

2008-06-28T08:27:00.001-07:00

Carl Jung:

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.

quote of the day

2008-06-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live.

~Jackie Windspear

quote of the day

2008-06-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

John Lennon:

Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one.

quote of the day

2008-06-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

John F. Kennedy:

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

quote of the day

2008-06-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

"There has never been another you.
With no effort on your part you were born to be
something very special and set apart.
What you are going to do in appreciation of that gift
is a decision only you can make."

Dan Zadra

Random acts of kindness

2008-06-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

I love doing random acts of kindness. I usually don't talk about them because keeping them a secret is part of the fun. I am, though, hoping this blog will be inspirational to others.
When I first started doing these acts, I used to travel a lot and driving on toll roads were quite boring. So, I decided to pay the toll for the car behind me. I'd watch in my rear view mirror for their reaction. Sometimes, I would still see them pay and I can only assume it was for the car behind them. Paying it forward....have you done a random act of kindness lately?

quote of the day

2008-06-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

Ralph Waldo Emerson:

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

quote of the day

2008-06-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

"Do all the good you can, and make as little fuss about it as possible."

Charles Dickens

we've got puppies!

2008-06-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to go to my daughter, Michelle's house so I can see lots of puppies. She helped one of her golden retrievers deliver 10 little babies. Two of the pups weren't alive when they were delivered and she actually breathed life into them. They are so small that they fit into the palm of her hand. She is so great around animals. When she was little, Michelle used to say she wanted to be a 'dog doctor' or a 'roller derby lady'......thank goodness she's not a roller derby lady.

Check back often cuz I'll be adding new pics regularly.....from little tiny babies to chubby little fur balls.

quote of the day

2008-06-19T10:30:00.001-07:00

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand -- and melting like a snowflake."

-- Marie Beyon Ray

quote of the day

2008-06-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Denis Waitley:
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

quote of the day

2008-06-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand -- and melting like a snowflake."

-- Marie Beyon Ray

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

For all of you who are lucky enough to still have your dad, I wish you joy on this, his special day. I lost my daddy very suddenly when I was quite young and it was a life altering event. I remember getting the call that he had been in a car accident and by the time I got to the scene, he was gone. Being daddy's little girl, I was devastated. Now, I keep the picture of him and my mum dancing at my wedding. I often dance with him in my dreams and sometimes, I dance while holding his picture.

I loved him with all my heart. Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

quote of the day

2008-06-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

Thomas Edison
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.

quote of the day

2008-06-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

Leo Buscaglia
Too often we under estimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

quote of the day

2008-06-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

"Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we
know that we have for sure is what is right here and right now.
Don't miss it."

-- Leo Buscaglia

quote of the day

2008-06-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance”

Jane Austen

quote of the day

2008-06-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

"Smooth roads never make good drivers. Smooth seas never make
good sailors. Clear skies never make good pilots. A problem
free life never makes a strong and good person. Have a tough
but winning day ahead! Be strong enough to accept the
challenges of life. Do not ask life, 'Why me?' instead say,
'Try me'."

-- Author Unknown

huh?

2008-06-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

OK, OK, so I told you I don't know a whole lot about blogging, but I do know that there was a little thingy to click on when you wanted to choose the color of your text in one's new post. Where'd it go?

quote of the day

2008-06-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Melodie Beattie:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

quote of the day

2008-06-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

Charles Swindoll

quote of the day

2008-06-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office.

~George Bernard Shaw

quote of the day

2008-05-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened. We all have a choice. You can decide which type of person you want to be. I have always chosen to be in the first group.

Mary Kay Ash

2008-05-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Rachael, from 'The Rose Room,' is having a nice to meet you party in honor of her 100th post. She wants to see where we blog from and then answer some questions about ourselves. What a unique way to meet some new people. I can't share where I blog from because it's not really ready for the world to see, but I can answer the questions. So, here goes.

1. Relationship.

Widowed from the love of my life, Rick.

2. Children.

My son, Mark and my darling daughter, Michelle. The new loves of my life are my four grandchildren, Chad, Ché, Ty and Dylan.

3. Pets

I am now an apartment dweller and can't have any big dogs here, but my daughter shares hers with me. Zonka, Anja, Auraleigh and Jenko.

4. Age

yeah, right!

5. Star Sign

Taurus

6. Favorite food

definitely pasta, no wait.....ice cream!

7. Favorite drink

water

8. Home decor style

shabby chic, cluttered, not enough room for everything art studio

9. Collections

Nothing, anymore.....I don't have enough space in my shabby chic, cluttered, not enough room art studio.

10.How did I start blogging?

I tagged along with some friends from my ebay sellers group.

quote of the day

2008-05-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day - Today we honor those who have serve or have served our country and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Thank you for your committment and bravery. We honor you.

We are the land of the free because of the brave.

quote of the day

2008-05-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.

Anne Frank

quote of the day

2008-05-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

quote of the day

2008-05-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt

quote of the day

2008-05-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can see the beauty, believe in them,
and try to follow where they lead."
Louisa May Alcott

a great tip

2008-05-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking lately about some of my favorite tips that I could share with you. This one is definitely among my top five.

Did you know that the little colored pieces of wire that are used to close a loaf of bread actually mean something? The color is a code for when the bread is its freshest. They come in blue, green, red, white and yellow. The easy way to remember the code is that the colors are used in alphabetical order, B, G, R, W and Y. So Monday is blue....Tuesday is green...no bread is delivered on Wednesday, you'd want to find red for Thursday's bread, Friday is white and Saturday is yellow. I haven't bought day old bread since I learned this little trick, but I sure say my alphabet a lot when I'm in the bread aisle .

quote of the day

2008-05-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

"You have not lived a perfect day... unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

Ruth Smeltzer

newest creation

2008-05-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

I've been busy painting all day and this is one of the things I finished. I think it is my new 'favorite thing I've ever done.' I love the way it came out. I never even thought of it being too big to list on eBay. It's a full two feet across, so I guess I'll be bringing it to the Cape with hopes of finding a great gift shop to sell to or consign with.

quote of the day

2008-05-18T14:13:00.001-07:00

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.'

quote of the day

2008-05-17T10:36:00.001-07:00

This is one of my very favorite quotes:
Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open.

Sir James Dewar

2008-05-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

I love going to bbq's and cook-outs where everyone brings a little something special to eat. So many good cooks, so many good recipes and I'm usually on a diet, but I've been known to cheat when there are such goodies. One of the favorite recipes in my family is from my sister-in-law, Linda. I thought you might like to try it.

Broccoli Toss

1 head broccoli, flowerettes, uncooked
1 lb. bacon
1 med. red onion
1 shredded carrot
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

for dressing,
mix the following ingredients at least 12 hours before serving.

2 cups good mayo
4 tsps. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

To serve, toss the dressing with the broccoli mixture and enjoy.

Even people who don't like broccoli love this dish.

Let me know how you like it!

quote of the day

2008-05-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Robert Louis Stevenson:

To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive.

quote of the day

2008-05-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.

Albert Schweitzer

quote of the day

2008-05-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Joshua J. Marine

quote of the day

2008-05-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you who are moms had a great Mother's Day. I enjoyed being with my daughter and especially my two youngest grandsons. The boys couldn't wait to show me the gardens because the roses have little tiny buds. My daughter is so wonderful, she lets me help her plan her gardens every year now that I no longer have one. I'm painting a garden chair for her and I think it's going to look great tucked in to some little corner of the rose garden.

The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all. - Leo Rosten, American teacher and humorist

2008-05-11T08:18:00.001-07:00

Meet my mum

I am so blessed to still have my mum. She will be 91 years young soon and I think she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She has a twinkle in her eye that shines so bright and a laugh that is infectious, but the love in her heart is what makes her radiate the most. Not only did she raise happy children who could go on to raise happy children of their own, but she shares her love of life with everyone around her. She is my mum, and she is my best friend.

Happy Mother's Day, mama. I love you.

quote of the day

2008-05-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

“My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”
George Washington

quote of the day

2008-05-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher

quote of the day

2008-05-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

Norman Vincent Peale

quote of the day

2008-05-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Expect your every need to be met, expect the answer to every problem, expect abundance on every level, expect to grow spiritually

Eileen Caddy

quote of the day

2008-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

"I am a strong believer in luck and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."

Benjamin Franklin

quote of the day

2008-05-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt

quote of the day

2008-05-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right.

Henry Ford

quote of the day

2008-05-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Albert Schweitzer:

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

quote of the day

2008-04-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

quote of the day

2008-04-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

“In the end, the size of a person's accomplishment can best be measured by the size of their heart.”
Unknown

A little about Ché, my precious granddaughter

2008-04-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

When Ché was 4, there were no little girls in her neighborhood to play with. Every day, she'd play with her older brother and other neighborhood boys. Inevitably, she'd come in crying. One day, when she came in sobbing because the boys were picking on her, I gave her a hug and told her that all little boys pick on little girls....it was part of their character make-up. A few days later, she came in sobbing again. When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "Grammy, those darn boys! They've got their make-up on again."

quote of the day

2008-04-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

“If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.”
E. Joseph Cossman

Tips for caring for your paintbrushes

2008-04-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Cleaning acrylic paint from your brushes

Keeping your brushes clean is one of the most important things you can do to help you paint neat, clean strokes. NEVER leave your brushes in water from one painting session to another. If paint is left to dry in the ferrule, the metal band that holds the bristles together, it will cause the bristles to get out of shape.
I rinse my brush in water until it runs clear. If I am doing a lot of brushes, I make a small puddle of soap, Murphy's Oil soap, Dawn or a soap especially made for cleaning brushes, in the corner of the sink. Touch the brush down into the soap and then, move away and stroke it back and forth several times. If you are seeing a lot of color, rinse and do it again. When you no longer see any color, shape your brush with your fingers and run it across a bar soap and dry. I use Masterson's pink soap. Once these are dry, you will have nicely shaped brushes ready to use again. Be sure to get the soap out of the brushes before you load them with paint again.

Straightening the bristles of your brushes

Sometimes, I've been known to leave my brushes in water too long and the ends of the bristles might get out of shape. A liner brush in no good when it has a crooked end. When this happens, a simple remedy is to boil some water and carefully dip the end of the brush into it for a couple of seconds. Do NOT immerse the brush down so that the ferrule will touch the water. The glue will loosen and your bristles will fall out. When the bristles are straight again, shape with your fingers and run across some bar soap to keep it nicely shaped and ready to use again. Be sure to get the soap out of the brush before you load it with paint again.

quote of the day

2008-04-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Winston Churchill

quote of the day

2008-04-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, It is the only this that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

quote of the day

2008-04-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

"The way to happiness: keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine. Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by. Try this for a week and you will be surprised."
H. C. Mattern

so beautiful in blue

2008-04-22T08:39:00.001-07:00

Next to roses, hydrangeas are right up there on my list of favorite flowers. I love going to Cape Cod because they are everywhere! Aren't these pretty?

quote of the day...April 22, 2008

2008-04-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances."- Martha Washington

Quote of the day...April 21, 2008

2008-04-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

If you were arrested for kindness, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

unknown

quote of the day

2008-04-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that I am a quote freak. I plan on sharing some of my favorites with you, so check back every day to see the.....

Quote of the Day

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

Denis Waitley

Spring has Sprung!

2008-04-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

After what seemed to be an incredibly long winter, spring is finally here in Massachusetts. It is such a pretty day with the blue skies and lots of sun. We've finally reached temperatures in the 60's, and spring fever has set in. There are so many things I want to do that it makes me tired just thinking about them. Today, I have some new surfaces I want to tackle. It's always exciting when I find new-old goodies in my travels that can be altered with just a little elbow grease and some paint. So, into the studio I go.......see ya'll later.

a rose or two......for real this time

2008-04-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

I love roses. And I love gardens. When I was a homeowner, I had several flower gardens. I remember walking around my yard in the morning before I went to work and it brought me such a sense of peace. A lovely way to start a day. One morning, when I got to my rose garden, I thought I was going crazy. Something was missing. In the back of this garden, I had a huge yellow rose bush. It had such magnificent blooms. It was gone. GONE! I knew it was there the previous evening because I had cut some of those beautiful blossoms and they graced my dining room table. There was no hole, no footprints. Who steals a rose bush? I can only hope that whoever took it, enjoyed it half as much as I once did.

and now, for a rose or two

2008-04-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

pretty blue hydrangeas

2008-04-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of my new favorite pieces. I consider myself a rose painter, but I love blue hydrangeas, so you'll probably be seeing more of these.