Creativity on Late Blooms

Feeling Grateful

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

I have lots to be grateful for each day. This post is a special one to express my gratitude to my brother, Ronald Janki, for updating Late Blooms for me. I received a text from him a few days ago saying that he had been doing some “big changes” on the site and for me to take a look. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. We hadn’t had any discussion about this which makes it especially meaningful to me. The changes are awesome! From the very beginning of my blogging adventure, he’s the one who has enabled, encouraged, and promoted this site. This adventure has brought much joy and meaning to my days and I am truly thankful. “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ’thank you?” (William Arthur Ward)My own experience of being grateful in life has taught me that the more grateful I am, the more good comes to me. I’ve noticed that people who do nice things for others are often genuinely caring and kind people whose hearts are in the right place. They are not seeking anything for themselves. Their own joy comes from making others happy and promoting their well-being. This is certainly the case with my brother. “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.” (Albert Schweitzer)

Ladybugs

Mon, 24 Mar 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Beauty or ugliness, order or confusion are only relevant in relation to our imagination. (Baruch Spin__oza)

These chocolate ladybugs drew my attention while I was thinking about my friend’s birthday. She had invited me to an overnight excursion with her to Niagara where we were going to have a buffet dinner and see a live show called “Hurrah for Hollywood.” This was going to be her birthday celebration. I knew the buffet would include lots of cupcakes, sliced cake, and many other types of desserts. The last collage will reveal how these ladybugs were actually used for the celebration.

Fruit Extravaganza!

Sat, 05 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

__To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” – Osho

I wanted to bring a little “something special” into the life of someone I deeply care about. We were having a special celebration lunch for a special happening and these kinds of events always seem to bring forth a burst of creative energy from within me. I was also already dancing in my heart. My thoughts turned to fruit and I remembered admiring edible arrangements at parties I had attended in the past - and enjoying them too. I thought: “Why not make an edible arrangement?”

A Visit from the Muse

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

[caption id=“attachment_974” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“TheThree Graces (with forsythias - in bright sunshine)”][/caption]

_“Each of the arts whose office is to refine, purify, adorn, embellish and grace life is under the patronage of a muse, no god being found worthy to preside over the_m.” (Eliza Farnham)

[caption id=“attachment_973” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“The Three Graces (in greenery - in shady location)”][/caption]

The lovely bright, yellow forsythias, were in full bloom in our garden a few weeks ago. I don’t know how the idea came to me, but it did, to take my painting of “The Three Graces” and put it in the forsythia bushes and take some pictures. I also decided to try it in some greenery and you can also see the effect of this idea. I did this acrylic painting about ten years ago since dance and dancers have always had a special appeal for me. I was captivated by the beauty, elegance, and the poses of these ladies in their white, flowing dresses, in this work of art. I liked how their hands were intertwined and since the visual appeal was so great, my “muse” got to work.

More Blooms

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I hope some day to meet God, because I want to thank Him for the flowers. ~ (Robert Brault)

When I visited “Canada Blooms” yesterday, my heart resonated and echoed these words. The flowers were magnificent and it was truly a taste of what we are all looking forward to seeing outdoors in the not too distant future. In my last post, as I mentioned, I had not yet started collaging or blogging. I have also never used several collages in one post. However, in this post I will share several photos that I took yesterday and made into collages. Springtime is truly not very far away.

Birdbath Fun

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

“Say not, “I have found the truth,” but rather, “I have found a truth.” Say not, “I have found the path of the soul.” Say rather, “I have met the soul walking upon my path.” For the soul walks upon all paths. The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed. The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.” ― Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Mosaic

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

[caption id=“attachment_280” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“Elephant Mosaic”][/caption]

The elephants in this collage and the background were done by me. I don’t have any formal training in art and I don’t consider myself to be an artist in the traditional sense of the word. Even before I had retired from my day job, I started to have an urge to create. It came up just as subtly as was my desire to have a pet. I followed these urges and have been fortunate to have been able to try different expressions of this creative urge. Many people I am fortunate to know have always expressed themselves in artistic ways so I was somewhat lucky to have these kinds of friends to emulate. These feelings may have come from viewing the work of my friends. Otherwise, it was a longing of my soul.

Busyness

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

[caption id=“attachment_105” align=“alignleft” width=“300”] Busyness[/caption]

“You are not too old and it is not too late to dive into your depths where life calmly gives out its own secret” ~Rilke

The photos in this collage were images that I liked when I took them and had no idea that I would use them this way. While I was actually putting them together in a way that would be aesthetically pleasing to me, I reflected on the question of time. Time was always something that I never seemed to have enough of. It always flew. Busyness was my whole life, day in and day out.. I wondered often when there might be some time for other pursuits. Many other women I know have felt the same way.