Karaoke

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I can't sing!!! I stink at it, Oh yes!!! LOL

BUT

I love to sing ;-)
SING OUT LOUD
very loud!!!
And have fun, and laugh!!!
and when i heard my favorite songs, the volume goes up, sometimes real loud ;-) and love, love, LOVE to replay the same song over and over again, LOL, I love to listen to the lyrics.

And If (only IF) I have to EVER do a kareoke, These are the three or five songs, I would dare to stand up regardless of my awful voice and start singing and embarrasing myself BUT that's ok, I will make sure my best friend comes with me to cheer me up, LOL

1. Andrea Bocelli's "Con te partiro" (video playing above, in Italian, my favorite version)
And this is my favorite part:

Quando sei lontana -
sogno all'orizzonte
e mancan le parole
e io sì lo so
che sei con me
tu mia luna tu sei qui con me
mio sole tu sei qui con me
con me con me

2. Radiohead's "Creep" I know too depresing of a song but I do real good with this one ;-)

3. Julieta Venegas, Paulina Rubio and Coti's "Nada fue un error" I love jumping in bed when i heard this song, and stand up, and do more jumping, LOL I can't help dancing to this one too ;-)

okay, two more as a bonus to keep embarrasing myself,

4. James Blunt's "You are Beautiful"

and numero 5 because it is my hymn Hey Jude;-)

And my daughter makes me laugh to the point that my tummy hurts when I see her singing this song She is so funny! and since she has a raspy voice, she is great singing!

What songs you enjoy singing out loud or Would you dare to karaoke? I know Scarlet loves to go for Karoake night with her friends, I haven't ever done it but I am willing to do it and have fun and laugh ;-)

I LOVE to sing!!!

Hugs,
Carmen

Gemma

She is creative.
She is an artist.
She is a dancer.
She is joyous.
She is passionate.
She is spiritual.
She is perceptive.
She is healing.
She is loving.
She is a mermaid, a beautiful landlocked mermaid.
She is my friend!!!

Happy Birthday my dearest Gemma!!!
Today in your special day, all I am wishing is the best for you, and to be surrounded with the love of your wild man Lee and your family and friends. And us, your bloggy friends, who respects you and believe in YOU;-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Love and BIG Hugs to you,
Carmen

p.s. Are you ready to party? Where are your red shoes? Click HERE if you wish to say hello and happy birthday to her.
Let's eat cake ;-)

Pink

The Pink Artists have raised so far for Susan G Komen for the cure Foundation:
$2,110.34
(last updated September 29, 2008)

We are fighting breast cancer with art. The Pink Artist Drawing is going on now through October 15, 2008. The last day to make a donation & to enter our giveaway is 10/15/08. Thank you for helping us by giving BIG and please go and schedule those mammograms TODAY. Thank you!

The Pink Artist Drawing- raising FUNds for a cure! $10 puts your name in our art giveaway TWICE.

This is my offering, a pendant as wearable art. And there is more prizes: This artful doll or one of these art prizes, too. For 10 dollars you get a chance to win any of these prizes. What are you waiting? Go here for information where to mail your check ;-)

Weekend

How is your weekend going? Mine is FABULOSA !!! (according to my daughter) LOL
Very hot weather in southern California, How is your weather? What did you do? Where did you go? Who did you see? What's new????
Please share, please, please!!! LOL

Seasons

"And you would accept the seasons of your heart just as you have always accepted that seasons pass over your fields and you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief."
-Kahlil Gibran



And here I am ;-)
I accepted "the seasons" and began again ;-)

Yes, it wasn't easy, better said, it hasn't been easy...
And I am sure there is more to come, to learn and endure.
And that's fine, I like it that way! I have new wings to give more power to my mermaid tail ;-)

You know I am proud to say that I am a proof of the healing powers of art, creativity, gardening, soul and heart exploration and the decision of releasing LOVINGLY the past. And yes, for a solution to almost anything, keep these words in your heart and mind: LOVE and FORGIVE.

Soon, it will be a year when I saw my everything, my world, my love, my dreams going to ashes...

So yes, in the begining of my road to healing, in my grief, and my very dark moments, there were lots of yucky things in my head, and there were some not good words, emotions, and actions in my part towards myself. I felt embarrased! I felt being mocked and laugh at, I felt so down and sad. Okay, yes, for a while, I blamed myself with the thoughts of being too naive, too trusting, and too blind not to see the BIG elephant in my tiny house...

Sighs!

Today, I am relieved.
Today, I can say that I feel wonderful. My life is better than ever. I am growing in great ways, I am having the kind of life I love and have envisioned. I am healthy, I look great! I have a job, people respects me and are friendly towards me, My new neighbors are super! I have new women friends in my life!!!
And MY blog friends are one of a kind, (YOU ALL KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN TO ME, right?) blogging has been a great healing way to become whole again ;-)

And then, My daughter, my sweet and smart daughter, Have I said before that she is the smarter in her class, and speaks and writes in English and Spanish amazingly good! And has the heart of a real mermaid, a lovely and beautiful landlocked mermaid ;-)

I am so lucky! I am surrounded by beauty and love.
Yes, LOVE has won over the shadows.

Today I don't want to forget to say how grateful I am.
ThankFULL I am!
Life is good!
I am blessed!
Light and hope is in my life.
Thank YOU!!!
Thank you very much!

Ladies, my friends who blog, I LOVE YOU ALL!
You are in my life, We have become friends over the years, You have witnessed my life journey, my joyful silliness, and then unfortunately the not so good things but I am sure you know how hard I have tried and done my best to become me again to regain the confidence to start again to a new and better me, an adorable beautiful mermaid queen. Please know that you can always count on me permanently FOREVER, I will always be there for you. I know you will be with me, too ;-)

Now, Have I told you that I have a secret?
Yes, I am teasing, LOL
Love, light and hugs to you all!
Carmen

Bliss

My soul is awakened,
my spirit is soaring
and carried aloft on the
wings of the breeze
-Anne Bronte

Busy

Mermaid Carmen with busy hands ;-)

I am working on pages for an altered art book and last night, I made pendants as wearable art. Also, pictures of a mermaid paper doll coming soon and guess what? I wrote a short poem (am a little shy to share it, though)
yes, i have been in lala land with my muse these past days ;-)
Did you check my heart rocks? Please check them out, it is the next post below ;-)
And one more thing!!! I have a secret...
LOL
A sweet secret...
You have to wait, LOL
Hugs!
mermaid me

My hearts

With open heart and new eyes, I look for beauty, for the real, for connections, in the quiet and in the city noise... I watch nature, gaze at trees and clouds... i listen to birds, the ocean and its breeze, the lyrics of a song, gurus and sages words, bible verses and books, God and Angels, in inspirational cards, in people's eyes and hearts, in the magic and mystery of everyday's life, in creativity and art...
I look and look...
A mermaid always curious, always seeking.
A mermaid trying to connect,
and belong...
This is me. A mermaid singing a song...
Here I am, accepting life as it is with no fear and full of LOVE.

Heart

After almost three weeks of finding hearts everywhere, every day! Today, just now, while reading some poetry, I think, I am positive, I got it! better said, finally! I get it!

this is the message for me...

May I have the courage Today
to live the life that I would love,
to postpone my dream no longer
but do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.
-John Donohue

Dance

When in doubt... DANCE!!!

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Friday dance ;-)

There is no better day than Today, It is Friday!!! And I am naming it Friday dance because I am dancing, LOL ;-)
Friday is the most perfect day of the week for me ;-)
Right here, right now, everything shines on me.
At this moment I have all that I need...

But wait, let me confide you something, some little facts which were part of my not so perfect imperfect everyday mermaid life;-)
My week was crazy busy at work, lots of exhausting stuff going on, but I manage to have fun during my lunch time (like shopping, yay!!!) and, then in my way home, while commuting, I enjoy reading and working on this challenge, and then, by the time I get home USUALLY I have forgotten how hard my day was, and I am energized again, magical, right? LOL then I fix something to eat, but before that I have played with paints and gotten all messy, and that’s ok, it is fun to get messy that way ;-), specially if it is for backgrounds for my soul journal and altered art books, and then, also, I went to dig some holes, and guess what? This mermaid (that’s me) has now, a new garden, small but lovely, now I have basil, rosemary, lavender and mint in my new cottage by the sea;-)

I also want to share with you that during these past days, I had three conversations, and what was said was totally unexpected, yes, every one of them impacted me somehow.

One conversation was with my doctor, (I am allright, I am all healthy) don't worry, it is not related to this but he kind of confused me, still I listened to him and I will be paying close attention. But I am so sure that I am allright.
Two, a dear one, asking me to try harder on some longing and obsession,
and three, my daughter’s grandmother expressing her biggest wish for me and my future (shocking, yes!). Now, this one made me cried dearly. And can’t get over her sweetness and honesty. Now, for sure, I know how much I mean for her and how much she loves me...
As you can see, lots of thinking and pondering has been going on in my head, and I am still with messy thoughts, figuring things out. But you know, all of this is for good, and it was said to me with lots of love and compassion, of that I am certain and SMILE! LOL I will be allright real soon.

Before I go, let me tell you one more time, It’s Friday!!! Come on let’s do the Friday together.
LOL


I am planning for a quiet weekend, no soccer games, a quiet house, My daughter is away in this paradise attending her aunt’s wedding in her father’s side. I was invited and as much as I love weddings, I decided to stay home, and enjoy life by the seaside, in my sand palace.

Have a wonderful weekend, a perfect and safe weekend!
Love and hugs,
When in doubt...Dance!!!
Carmen

p.s. this weekend, I am making paper dolls or should I say, mermaid dolls ;-)
Who wants to play??? Blessings to you all!
oh, oh, oh! one more thing, check out my curves in this picture, LOL, super curvy! LOL I am a hot mermaid ;-)

A fairy’s first wish dress

Wish upon a fairy...

A new dress must be made!!!

Inspire. Believe. Dream. Play. Create. Be.

“Come fairies
take me out of this dull world,
for I would ride with you
upon the wind and dance
upon the mountains like a flame.”
-W.B. Yeats

I am so glad to be part of this. My daughter and I watch this show, Project Runway, almost religiously. It's interesting to listen and see Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn's opinions, and of course, the rest of the judges along with the challenges and the designer's projects and personalities.

This Blog challenge is hosted by Lisa and Terisa. It is named Project Blogway. Ladies: thank you very much for this opportunity to play and have fun. Thank you very much ;-)

The challenge is to create a garment.........ANY garment we want. It can be a blouse, a skirt, pants, an apron, a whole dress, a jacket, a vest, or a costume.

Using the imagination is a big MAIN requirement.

Requirement numero DOS: the main garment you create must be made out of PAPER!!!

This is all about having fun, using ones imagination to fashion couture from an unlikely source.............paper!
The entire concept of the look and feel of the garment (along with their accessories) is entirely up to me and my VISION and It can be displayed on a hanger, a dress form, a mannequin, something you can fashion as a model.

So, let's make it work!!!!

My dress is inspired on what a fairy wishes to wear for an afternoon dance in my garden. Do you want to know why she is so giggly and content? she LOVES the ocean breeze and the wind a lot. She is very content with where I live, with this my new place and loves my cute little garden, mostly you see, she is very happy living so close to the ocean and with a mermaid;-)

So I really wanted to surprise her and make her wish come true, Unfortunately, My daughter who was supposed to be my model is currently in Massachusetts enjoying lovely Cape Ann wearing a couple of new dresses re-designed and fixed by me ;-)

Instead this hanger was what I used to finish my project ;-)

These are some of the materials I had on hand to made her dress: needle and thread, scissors, tape, glue, staples, hole punch, paper crimper, paint, and PAPER of course. Newspapers, tissue paper, and crepe paper were my choices ;-)

Her dress had to be joyful and colorful, with mostly yellow color dominating the eye ;-)

Here it is almost ready. Selecting some embellisments. Butterflies made out of felt around her neck. Some yellow and green tulle for a more flirty look.

Almost ready... I know!!! It needs some flowers, I have to look for flowers, too ;-)

Somewhere in a sunny city sidewalk...

Excuse me, Hello, Can you please help me? I am involved in this project and I really need to take pictures of this fairy dress to show that it is a 3 dimensional dress. Can you tell me what do you think? What else does it need? Please, I really really need your opinion, Please help here.

You have GOLDEN HANDS!!! That's what he said!!! Seriously!!! LOL ;-) He is in my list of nice people now ;-) I think he is a merman. He absolutely looks like one ;-)

By the way, yes, he said, it is perfect for a fairy dance ;-)

The skirt...

And here its is!!!

I love it!!! I am proud of myself!

I am a designer Today!!!

Heart and Soul Designs ;-)

I am part of the Fashion industry for a day!

My daughter made this bag for me to collect fairy treasures

For more life size paper designs click HERE
Enjoy the rest of the show.
Mermaid me, Carmen ;-)

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Imagination

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Knowledge is limited.

Imagination encircles the world.”

-Albert Einstein

Gratitude

I am grateful for:

the air i breathe, my daughter, my cute home, my work, my Morty, the ocean, my books, the moon and stars, the trees and clouds I gaze at when i am walking home from work.

I am grateful for the blue light in these eyes. My soul finds peace and comfort.

I am grateful for my wonderful internet friends (that's YOU) Thank you for your thoughtful and honest friendship.

Also, I am grateful for the strangers I have been meeting lately.

I am grateful for every single experience I had to endure this year, for the change and the transformation, that was the way to learn!
I am grateful that things have not been that easy for me, still courageously I am trying to give closure to the past, to cut the cords that bind me, and unmade the spell of longing and obsession, and welcome the future accepting life as it is.

I am grateful for being more calm and centered, for creating the life I love, for choosing to stop and appreciate the quiet and beauty that surrounds my life.
I am grateful for the inner child in me...

Right here, right now, everything shines on me.
At this moment I have all that I need.

Lists

Well, if you ask me what's in my Christmas list NOW in the MIDDLE of the month of SEPTEMBER, yes I know what I want and NEED
(and I needed it yesterday very bad, LOL)

This is what I want Santa Claus to bring me on Christmas DAY ;-)

Numero Uno:
-A mannequin Dress form

-Numero Dos:
This, a digital picture frame ;-)

Do you have already in mind what you want for Christmas? What is it?
Please tell me I am not the only one wishing for something for Christmas in the middle of September,
Yes, I feel so materialistic... I do! LOL
LOL.

I really needed numero uno a lot Yesterday ;-)
On Wednesday you will see why
You will see my creation. I promise ;-)

Love and hugs,
Mermaid me

Learning to breathe

What makes your rising sun so new?

I could use a fresh beginning too

I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies

This is the way, this is the way
Learning to breathe
-Lyrics by switchfoot

And yes, that is my voice you hear in this video.
That day was special for me, it was filmed in the spur of the moment, a mermaid playing in the ocean, embracing life as it is ;-)

Have a great weekend. Mine is going to be a busy one, a soccer game, going to see movies, Chargers games, some cooking, and some sewing for the project blogaway ;-) yes, I am going to have lots of fun this weekend ;-)
Let's get busy! playing and enjoying life, yes? please?
hugs,
mermaid me ;-)



“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.” (cecil beaton)

Mi casa es su casa

My home is your home!!!
And you are welcome anytime!

Well, as you can see, I am getting there, My mermaid studio is almost the way I have been imagining it.

You would like to come and help me, yes? LOL
please?
I promise you that besides organizing and putting things together we can have lots of fun playing arts and crafts. Also, I promise you yummy foods and why not, we can have some vino tinto (red wine), too. LOL.
It sounds fun, isn't it?

Well, as you can see, I have still lots to go.
I wanted my books close to me and they are there, just a few more and I will be done. Well, not really, my bedroom is next, te-hee!

If you wish to see more of my casa (home) and my libros (books) click HERE ;-)

This is it for now, I have to go back to work on another pile of stuff ;-)
One more thing before I go, Guess what? I have a new mermaid friend, and she is super cool, and has a very creative blog, her name is Diana. Please go and check her out HERE. You are for a treat with her art and mermaid persona. She rocks!
hugs and love,
mermaid me

p.s. I really wish you could come to visit me and play and make some mermaid necklaces or maybe a collage together...
Smile!

be a queen, be a mermaid ;-)

Hoping this video makes you smile big time ;-)
it is from my favorite tv show: Flight of the conchords

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I love crowns, I wonder why, te-hee ;-)
This picture needs a crown, right? oh yes! LOL
We should all play with a picture (a picture of you, yes, YOU!!!) and add a crown, what do you think?
Let me know if you do. I want to see it, please? yes? YES!!!
hugs on a Tuesday ;-)
Carmen



Be a queen. Dare to be different. Be a pioneer. Be a leader. Be the kind of woman who in the face of adversity will continue to embrace life and walk fearlessly toward the challenge. Take it on! Be a truth seeker and rule your domain, whatever it is--your home, your office, your family with a loving heart.
Be a queen. Be tender. Continue to give birth to new ideas and rejoice in your womanhood. . . My prayer is that we will stop wasting time being mundane and mediocre. . .We are daughters of God--here to teach the world how to love. . .It doesn't matter what you've been through, where you come from, who your parents are--nor your social or economic status.
None of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through your work, through your family, through what you have to give to the world. . .
Be a queen. Own your power and your glory!
-Oprah

Soul Journal

How was your weekend???
Mine was the best I have had in a long long long time!
I cook and ate a lot. I went to new places. I did some shopping. And I got a couple of gifts, too, oh, you have to see them, you have to see them!!!! LOL, one was this and the other one is for my new place, I will take a picture as soon as it is ready (it needs some assembling)
"just because" gifts are super cool, right? LOL

Yay for my wonderful weekend!

I also play with my camera and my soul journal a lot.

I commute to work everyday in a train so for me it is delight to work in my soul journal pages, just for fun and soul searching ;-)



This one is very important for me. I do not like following the crowds and do enjoy the most acting on my own, for my own contentment, and I am absolutely very good about the "shoulds" and "the rules" BUT here comes my weakness. I tend to overthink some of my actions and sometimes (or a lot of times) regret my decisions in some situations and I want to stop it and live free of any regrets.
A mermaid has to live her life in the present with no regrets, only with hope for a better future.
I would like to keep explaining to you about every one of these pages but I think the images may tell you all.
Please know that this was a very fun exercise and I hope you may want to give it a try, too, yes?
Talented sweet Kathryn, thank you very much for this challenge and, of course, for your lovely friendship.

Dear mermaid

I see your beauty and your talent.

I see your heart.

I see your power.

Smile !!!

You have everything!

You are loved ;-)

"Every day, think as you wake up,
today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive,
I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

I am going to use all my energies to develop myself. To expand my heart out to others,
to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings,
I am going to have kind thoughts toward others,
I am not going to get angry, or think badly about others,
I am going to benefit others as much as I can."
-- Dalai Lama

Have a wonderful safe weekend!

Hugs!

mermaid me

My kind of day

Mermaids:

Let's go and play in the ocean, please?
Come on! let's go and have lots of fun and laughter

Click here


hugs!
mermaid me ;-)

p.s. And do you want to know what else I am doing Today? I am getting my nails done! Yay!!! A mermaid taking care of herself, nurturing herself, and treating herself like a queen because I DO have all the royal markings of a queen ;-)

You bet! Mermaid Carmen is celebrating herself ;-)
I feel like dancing to my favorite song ;-)

What nice things are you doing Today for yourself?

This I believe

Part of my everyday morning rituals, is to listen to these NPR podcasts titled This I believe.

Can I tell you something? I am inspired by this show, I wrote my own essay to share my beliefs about why gardening guides my life and guess what? I am going to submit it in the next following days. And as you know, I am not a writer and one friend of mine, who is a HS teacher offered me to double check my spelling and grammar. He already read it and told me that the flow is there but it needs some fixing, so I will share it here as soon as it is corrected.

Before I go, please, I invite you to follow the link to listen to this I believe, this is the one that inspire me to write my own. And yes, please know that I am a nervous person, and I can be a chicken BUT I am also a very courageous mermaid. If it scares me I have to try it.

Here are some other of my beliefs:

I believe in LOVE
I believe in DREAMS
I believe in imagination and creativity
I believe in magic, mystery and surprises
I believe in gardening
I believe in happiness
I believe in blogging for my soul's contentment ;-)
I believe this is the life I am supposed to live
I believe life may throw me another curve ball anytime again and that too shall pass
I believe in change, transitions, and transformations
I believe that it is ok to cry and admit about my pain
I believe in the power of prayer and art to heal my heart
I believe I am NOT alone grieving
I believe in friendship
I believe that I have to practice being courageous
I believe in my hard work and I celebrate it!
I believe I am beautiful
I believe the best is yet to come

I believe...

What do you believe?