Seeing 'Red' ~ by Mysticsilks

My daughter needed to get rid of her worn out van with its 130,000 miles of traveling rough roads. I had a PT Cruiser which I had only cruised up to ,4000 plus miles--in other words , it was hardly broken in. However I have a back that allows for only adjustable comfort seats, and that PT did not have it.
My son wanted to know why I wanted the PT Cruiser in the 1st place. I told him it reminded me of my Uncle Andy's car from the mid 40's;nostalgia and nothing more had a hand in purchasing that car.


Now, let it be known before we go on with this story, I HATE to buy cars. I think it is one of the biggest wastes on money that there is. In that you lose $3,000 the minute you sign your name and drive off the car lot! And that car salesmen are trained to double talk you, place 'reel them in ads' with prices and deals you can't ignore, only to tell you that the ad expired,or that car was a basic( a basic what I wonder?) Anyway you're not going to buy that car that was in the ad for $15,599---just not happening.
In fact the salesman told me after I mentioned the ad, "what ad"? I replied, I had just seen in in this last weeks paper. Well, he couldn't remember, and it was then I knew we were all in for the long haul of negotiations:Hours, and days of negotiations.

I went home after the 1st day and mixed an energy drink. Next day I went in, and again told him the price I wanted to pay;in fact I found the ad with the 'bargain price, and showed it to him.
"Hmmm,", was his response and he promptly left me sitting in my chair for the hundredth time to go yadda, yadda with his sales manager, and to show him the ad.
I think after the 101th time of this 'go ask the sales manager' I finally said, " Why don't you have the sales-manager come to this table ,and the three of us can hammer out the details?"
He simply chuckled and went again to confer with his sales manager.


In the meanwhile my grandson and I looked at colors of the vehicle I was interested in.
I thought maybe a silver, or grey, or even a crystal blue color.
" Na," Zach offers, " your too alive gram for those pale colors why don't you get the deep cherry red.?"
You're right Zach, why not get a lively color, I thought. And that's just what I did.
Now, to add the finishing touches to this buying of a new car, my son came in to do a bit of man-to-man negotiations with the sales-manager.
An additional bumper to bumper extended 5 year warranty was requested. The sale-manager agreed.


Next ,they were going to put out a search for the car that I wanted and would call me when it came in.
Next day I got the call, and went in to buy the car, do the paper work while they were detailing the car( washing, vacuuming the inside, and full wax job). I took a walk back to the service area , and it was a beauty!
Went back to the finance manager , he was processing the paper work while we joked back and forth. Soon we were done, I took the keys , the paper work and headed home.
A bit later after the dealership closed I took apart the paper work to gather the info I would need for car insurance. I noticed on the documents , that it stated I had purchased a blue Dodge Avenger.
I grabbed the paper work and went out to the living room to show my son.
" Did I buy the wrong car Bill?" I showed him the papers. He laughed. " No, you bought a deep cherry red Chrysler 200: Better call them in the morning."

I called them next morning and told them I was coming in to get my Avenger,which thoroughly confused the sales-manager until I told him what transpired.
So we got the paper work straightened out. The finance manager said, it was an 'honest mistake'.
I said it was OK, but not really. If I had been stopped by the police the night I brought the car home, and he had asked for my registration paper, I would have given him the blue Avenger registration. I am sure he would have said," follow me lady we're headed for the station so you can explain this."
I shudder to think of what could have happened.
OK, it's a beauty, I call her " Red"
But, I HATE buying new cars.

Please visit:http://mysticsilks.etsy.com

Happy Feet Goes Silent~By MysticSilks

Remember Happy Feet , the emperor penguin, who washed up on a New Zealand beach in June with his belly full of sand. He was treated at Wellington's Zoo, and then released back into the ocean after his recuperation. He was fitted with a tracking device but has not been heard from in awhile since his release into the ocean:His tracking system has gone silent.
What really took place?

Well, Happy Feet was the Johnathan Livingston Seagull of the penguins. He knew that his chances of survival in the Arctic Ocean were near to nil. After all he had seen his mother, father, brothers and sisters, and probably some cousins get swallowed by Orca whales, or Great White sharks;penguins were on the daily menu for those big boys!
Happy Feet decided he wanted a different fate. He made up his mind to jump into the ocean and swim in a different direction , away from where his carnivorous enemies lived. He figured if he could beach himself in a place where humans would see him---well, they'd take pity on him and find a nice zoo in which to place him.

Humans are not always so smart. Yes, they did rescue him. Yes, they did nurse him back to health. Then what did they do? They tossed him back into an environment that could prove most disastrous to his well-being.

And, I think since they can no longer track Happy Feet, it might just mean that he ended up as dinner. So much for trying to find a different way of life.

But, nice try Happy Feet, nice try!


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"Wild Things " ``By Mysticsilks

OK. Here we are with the last three in my "Wild Things" six silk series.
As you may have heard the total large wild cat population is declining. And if the decline continues at the same rate as it currently is, the only large wild cats you'll see will be in a Zoo.
So, to represent the large cats I've used the King of Beasts, the lion. And how regal they are!

Next are the whales. And if you've been into the Discovery series, Whale Wars you'll know that their population is declining due to the killing of whales.


Thirdly, I've created the hummingbird, not because it is at risk , but because it is so wild and free.
Please enjoy!

http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/

What To Do When the Art Muses Go on Vacation~~~ Mystic Silks

What do you do when your spirit of creativity just seems to elude you?
You seem to lack any imagination;you're feeling a funk? This seemingly desertion of the artistic muses happens to many of us;it's happened to me.
Lets look at what could be taking place.
You're holding down a full-time job: You've got a home , children, and husband, that you devote much of your time to.
You walk into your workshop, studio, your office, wherever you create, and nothing happens. No new ideas come to you. That page of poetry, or the story you were writing sits blank, and glares back at you. That piece of canvas remains white;lacking images, bare of color. You heave a big sigh, leave the area, and go back to the kitchen to finish the dirty dishes.

Now here's a secret, be gentle with yourself. Do some self talk, like," this weekend, I am devoting 3 hours to my creative spirit. I will find someone to keep an eye on the kiddies." On the weekend let the dusting go till the evening: Who needs to sit in front of the boob-tube anyway.

When my four children were small, I used to get up early in the morning , at least an hour or two before I knew they would begin to stir. I'd brew my coffee, and get my paints out and work away right at the kitchen table. Oh, my those were the most inspirational time, the early morning hours. I discovered later in life, that the wee morning hours were the best for poetry, too.
Now, many of you may not find the wee hours your best time. OK, then you create your own best time, and stick to your guns!
Those art muses will return when they see you have set aside the time just for them! It just works out that way;trust me.

Thank you for reading!
Mysticsilks

http://mysticsilks.artfire.com
http://mysticsilks.etsy.com

A Silk Painting and A Poem ```Offered by MysticSilks

If you have been following my blog,
you'll note that recently I have been pairing my paintings along with poems by e.e.cummings.
This painting was inspired by a photo that my son took while he was stationed in Alaska. I was so impressed by the photo that I created both this silk painting and a water color painting.
The poem by ee cummings that fits best with this silk painting is:


when face called flowers float out of the ground```e.e.cummings

when faces called flowers float out of the ground
and breathing is wishing and wishing is having
-but keeping is downward and doubting and never
-it's april(yes,april;my darling)it's spring!
yes the pretty birds frolic as spry as can fly
yes the little fish gambol as glad as can be
(yes the mountains are dancing together)


when every leaf opens without any sound
and wishing is having and having is giving
-but keeping is doting and nothing and nonsense
-alive;we're alive,dear:it's(kiss me now)spring!
now the pretty birds hover so she and so he
now the little fish quiver so you and so i
(now the mountains are dancing, the mountains)


when more than was lost has been found has been found
and having is giving and giving is living
-but keeping is darkness and winter and cringing
-it's spring(all our night becomes day)o,it's spring!
all the pretty birds dive to the heart of the sky
all the little fish climb through the mind of the sea
(all the mountains are dancing;are dancing)

Ah,yes (all the mountains are dancing;are dancing)

Thank you for reading.

MysticSilks

http://mysticsilks.artfire.com/

http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/

Selling Fine Art Online~~~~~~~MysticSilks

Selling fine art online is a challenge. And, I can understand why buyers are, for the most part, hesitant to purchase. The texture of the paint strokes in a painting are difficult for the artists to photograph;the camera simply can not pick up the color nuances found in a painting.

As an example, this photograph of my silk painting " Faeries in Our Midst" does not capture the soft blue patina on the fairy statue or the grooves in the stump she sits upon.

The subtle green colors of the leaves in the trees;nor the fact that a breeze is blowing through that tree.

Also, in viewing the second photo, can you see the faint images of people sitting between the stump and the bush of roses?

I have this painting displayed next to my bed. Each day I get to look at the beauty of this painting, and I see it in a way that a camera just can not capture.

Thank you for reading, and viewing.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/6887229/original-painting-fine-artsilk-faries-in

http://mysticsilks.etsy.com

The Process Of Creating Designer Silk Scarves, Part 2```MysticSilks

To the left is a photo of me during the dying process of my silk scarves. In this batch I am doing three scarves at a time.I try to wear the same clothes when I am placing dyes on the silks. You can't believe the number of shirts and slacks I have ruined with dyes.

I used to use resist to create images on the scarves. But as I began to lose the fine motor movements in my hands I turned to using a mixture of dyes and blending them with a diffusion solution, which adds beautiful dimensions to the dyed scarf. After each scarf is dyed, I wait 24 hours to allow the dyes to sink into the fibers of silk. When all the dying is completed which is usually a 2-3 day process, I then begin to layer the scarves between long pieces of unmarked newspaper. I use 2 pieces under the scarf, and 2 pieces on top of a scarf. The photo shows me in that layering process.

Layering 5-7 scarves, takes about 2-3 hours. It does for me anyways, because my back won't tolerate bending over for long periods of time. And the layers of paper requiring cutting to accomodate each scarf, plus the scarves need to have all areas covered or you take the chance of a bleed through during the steaming process.

Tomorrow: The Steaming Process

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The Long Road To a Designer Silk Scarf```MysticSilks

I thought I'd share with the general public
the long process of creating a designer silk scarf from start to finish.
The beginning step is the ordering of the pure white silk scarf, which like oranges, come all the way from China: I wish there was a place in the USA to order them from. The scarves arrive, and the next step is washing them all by hand in a soapy water that extracts any remaining silk worm residue. Then it's dunkie, dunkie, into a fresh rinse water, a gentle squeeze, and hang them up to dry.
Or while damp, I usually just iron the wrinkles out. I did not take any photos of the beginning steps.I was saving the reader from some boring views.The photo on the right is the next step. I pin rayon tabs of cloth at the top of my scarf, and around the sides.Then the silk scarf/scarves is/are pinned to a wood frame, which I should mention, were made by a dear friend of mine to whom I am forever grateful. The wood frames are filled with remnants of French dyes from previous dying sessions. I usually pin and frame two scarves at a time trying to pin them taught to help the dyes to flow more evenly over the scarf.. I cover the floor with a drop cloth to keep the floor free from dyes. After each silk scarf is dyed I let it dry for 24 hours. Then I set up another two to dye. My limit for the dying project is from 5-7 silk scarves. After we're through taking you through all the steps , you'll understand why```Smiling~~~ I use French dyes as there are the best and produce the deepest and most beautiful colors.

Tomorrow, I will post more on the process of creating designer silk scarves.

Be aware of this, the process is not a walk in the park.

http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/

http://mysticsilks.artfire.com/

Please read my other blog: In My Personal Opinion.

Thank you

MysticSilks

Mountain's Majesty ~ On Front Page of Etsy!! Original Painting, Fine Art,

"Mountain's Majesty"

If you look way at the top of my blog page, you'll see a copy of the Front Page treasury on Etsy.com on Saturday, April 3rd.

Someone alerted me that my painting, the one you see to the left of this page.

I did a hurried click and lo and behold there it was!!

I was thrilled , because to land on etsy's front page, is a rarity indeed.

The view count increases, and so did the number of hearts on this painting.

Now, here's an interesting tidbit of news on this work of art.

I created this painting approximately four years ago. I wasn't thrilled with it, and in fact placed it in a storage drawer, where it stayed until two years ago.

Then someone looked at it , and asked me why the silk painting was not mounted, and that it was beautiful!

I guess that day I looked at it in a new light. Soon I mounted it, framed it, and put it up for sale on etsy.com.

And then, and then it was picked to be in a treasury byhttp://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSilverDog, then it was chosen by etsy admins to be on the front page!!

So from the obscurity of a storage drawer, to the lime light of the etsy front page!

Come see the rest of my silks and art work on http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/

Thank you!

Ghost Stories Anyone? By MysticSilks

It's almost Halloween, and my favorite talk radio station, WNIR, Akron, Ohio, is inviting callers to call in with ghost stories or strange things that have to do with the afterlife in honor of Halloween.

Well, I could almost write a book about those kinds of happenings.

I remember when my mother, who lived in Michigan, was diagnosed with CA---and we were talking about life after death--I asked her to make a pact with me, that whoever should go first( I mean, I could walk out the door and get hit in the can too, you know) would contact or signal the other--just to let them know that life did go on in some form or another--;)

She asked, " What kind of signal ?" ,she asked.

" Well, I went on, " I think the spirit of a person is made up of electrical energy. So send me something in the sequence of 3--using electrical outlets."

" Why 3 ?" she inquired.

" Because the words I Love You is 3 words. " And if something should happen electrically 3 times , I'll know it's you."

Well, a year later she had surgery for the CA, except the doctors nicked her colon while they were operating. As a result, the e-coli escaped into her system and she died from sepsis. About 3 weeks later I am doing laundry in the basement.

The light is on above the stationary tub, and I'm bending over putting clothes from the washer into the dryer, when all of a sudden the light goes off then on--At first I didn't pay attention--I reached for another arm load of laundry, and the light goes off and on again---this time I stood still and waited--again the light turned off and on.

I waited. Nothing more--no more on and off with the bulb. I thought , well maybe the bulb was loose, so I reached up to tightened it--but it was as tight as could be.

I believe it was Mom , doing our signalling, as we promised to do, the year before.

http://mysticsilks.etsy.com

Original Silk Paintings, by MysticSilks

It's a rather chilly day in NE Ohio. Seems too cold, 39 degrees, for this early in the fall season, but then as many have said, it was a cool summer season, too.

I haven't painted anymore paintings since early this summer. Why? you may ask. I haven't got the room for storing them;my closet is loaded.

Etsy , the online site where I have my art work displayed for sale, is still in the process of dealing with the tagging issues. As an example, if you have someone who has painted a cheese board, they put the tags, art, 'original painting',housewares, and so on. Well, if you go to etsy and search for 'original paintings' guess what will also show up along with a zillion other things---a cheese board!

I don't think serious art collectors will stay too long on etsy. In fact concerned fine art artists on etsy have created a thread , and also a petition. This is the forum thread:http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6105708

And this is the petition:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/artonetsy/index.html

In the meanwhilke I am going to upload some of my 'original paintings'--and there's not one cheese board among them: http://mysticsilks.etsy.com

African Serengeti Sunset

Recently I had been working , or should I say 'creating' two new silk hangings.

Now, the differences between a 'silk hanging' and a silk painting, are the time involvement, and cost." African Serengeti" took approximately a month, working once a day for about an hour, to finish the silk hanging.
Then it took another 21/2 hours to steam, to set the dyes. Then another 24 hours to allow the steamed silk to dry ,only to wet it again by washing it in a special soap, rinsing in a conditioned water rinse. Then, ironing it,then temporarily pinning it to a foam core board to take photo shots. Another two-three hours to photo edit it, then uploading it to the http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/ website to
write up a description, a price, add the tags, then click finish.
OK, at this point it is a silk hanging, which the buyer may purchase at the cost of $75.00, plus S&H. The buyer can then mount it on a dowel , or have it framed on their own.

If they choose to have me mount the silk on foam core, and to have it framed, add about another $100.00. , plus the S&H will be more.

So, here is " African Serengeti Sunset"

An Unusual Silk Painting "Bluebird Garden"

When I created this painting, or really any painting,I expect to see what I have added to the silk, not something that just shows up mysteriously.

That happened with this pretty painting of a fairy like sculpture holding a bowl, upon which a bluebird decided to rest for awhile.

If you look between that statue, and the clustered rose bush to the right,there is a faint image of a man and a woman.

Now, I didn't paint those images: They just showed up to enjoy the garden.

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Interior Design Team by Mystic Silks

I am belong to a team on www. etsy.com that is promoting home and yard decor items to interior decorators and designers, and to the public in general.
We have many talented crafters,artists, that display and offer everything from pottery, to quilts, furniture, lamps, stained glass, pillows, yes, and even live beautiful plants.
Do a search on etsy for interiordesignteam, you'll be amazed at what we have to offer!
And, while you're there take a look at my shop http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/

OK, our team name is: Design Style Guide

Team Website: http://www.designstyleguide.netTeam Private Network: http://designstyleguide.ning.comTeam Blog: http://designstyleguide.blogspot.com

Hummingbirds--Think Of Spring- by Mystic Silks

When I'm feeling blue, in the middle of the winter blahs, I picture hummingbirds. There is something spiritual and full of spring time in those tiny feathered creatures. They lift my spirits and for a moment in time, I am lost in their beauty. Their colors are various, and vibrant, every good thing about being alive.

They have inspired many of my silk creations.

Here are two that are at my silk shop http://mysticsilks.etsy.com