Ace of Cups

Ace of Wands

Tarot Class

I have been asked in my Tarot Class to come up with 5 online images that I feel encapsulate the series of tarot cards that I am currently studying. Unfortunately (or fortunately however you choose to look at it) I do not have unlimited access to Internet. The good part about this is not being distracted into a mind boggling oblivion of fantastic sites I discover every time I go out searching for my homework. And the bad is, well look at all the amazing sites I miss out on by not mindlessly searching for whatever suits my interpretation of the cards. So I had to come up with a solution to this dilemma and my solution was to invent or create my own tarot cards for my homework assignments. I have taken my obsession with digital scrapbooking and turned it into amateur tarot card designing. And please forgive me because it is amateur!! I love love love to digital scrapbook because first of all I can’t draw a stick figure, second there is never anything worth watching on TV and third it keeps me out of the bars (really though I don’t have piles and piles of scrap accessories from one end of my house to the other. When I am done with digital I just put the laptop to bed. Got to love that!!

So here it goes with my first series of 19 cards. ( I gipped you on a Sword card. I sort of lost my mojo and yet I loved designing this card best.) I can only hope I get better at this as I become more familiar with the cards meanings, more familiar with my truckloads of digital files and find some semblance of an imagination. I may look back at these cards and laugh. Only time and more discovery unleashed will tell the tale. Anyhow that is my story and I am sticking to it.

Ace of Swords

I have only made four of the Swords. I seemed to have run out of creativity at this point. I really enjoy trying to creat a card from digital images I have.

Ace of Pentacles

Five Samples of the Ace of Pentacles. My tarot class assignment.

Magician

I thought it would be fun to have the rabbit pull the Magician out of the hat for a change.

This has a Mardi Gras feel to it.

Fool's Journey

Somewhere over the rainbow this little gal is going. She didn't bring a little dog along, she brought her bunnie buddy, only he is having fun of his own. Wouldn't it be nice is everybody's Fool's Journey had only a rainbow path. Her optimisim believes this is what is ahead for her.

She seemed to have made her journey off the rainbow and back onto land. What is going on with the mask? Her bunny friend has disappeared and she found out her true friend was her bluebird. Maybe when you are being a Fool you find out who your true friends really are.

This little lady is back. Looks like her crazy bunny friend once again took the plunge before she did. What lies behind the door? She is about to find out.

This fairy fool seems to be a bit hesitant about starting her journey. She cant seem to step off her ledge. And yet there is beautiful music to be played. Her bunny friend is doesnt seem to understand her fear but realizes this is her journey.

I guess the Fool is long gone. Best Wishes.

She is my favorite Fool. Her life is a series of notes. Each key played a different note for her. She has left that to try her path of cards. It is a long long path that seems to go on for eternity. Will this unlock her new Fool's path? She will have to take the journey to find out.

Christmas Puppies

This is Sophie at two and a half months old. How could I resist.

I decided my house was just to empty without the pitter patter of little feet. I could go on grieving for my sweet Ginger forever. Finding Papillon puppies can be a huge challenge. My daughter located someone in her state that had two females a few days a part. I really was only interested in getting one but then I started thinking about how lonely it would be for the one pup and eventually getting another and going through the puppy stage all over again and ended up with two. Mind you I have never had two of anything at the same time. For Pete's sake I only had one child. I have to say I was a bit scared to do this.

This is Pippy. Named after Pippy Longstocking. Her ears weren't up yet. Was not sure they were going to go up. Then she would be a Phalene instead of a Papillon. Just a matter of ears up or down. Her litter mate sister also did not have her ears up as well. I almost did not get her because of this but her breeder kept telling me how sweet she was and how loving she was. Okay sucker I caved. Well all I have to say is these two pups must have switched personalities on the car ride home because this little gal is spunky, feisty, bouncy and a clown!! That face actually grows on you. She is ten days older but smaller than Sophie. She however does not know this.

Well about a week ago one of Pippy's ears went up. I wanted her ears up, my mom wanted her ears to stay down. So we both got half a wish. One up, one down. Every time I looked at her I burst out laughing. She looked completely silly. Three days later the second ear went up. Well for about three hours. She looked like a bat!! Those are some honking big ears. Then the next day the ear was back down where it has been for several days until this morning when it decided to poke back up. In the last couple of weeks she has become every ones favorite. I should not say that because you should never pick a favorite with your kids. I still however am crazy about them both. Sophie is completely opposite of Pippy. She is more tender hearted, does not warm up easily to people. She reminds me of an old soul.

Pippy loves loves our older Papillon Cecily. Anytime she can be near her she will be. Cecily on the other hand does not even remotely like either of these two pups and wishes everyday they would just disappear. Cecily will actually hide in the corner with her face to the wall as to not look at either one of these pups. She always has been a bit of a grump. Just likes to be left alone. As you can see, Cecily in no way is enjoying sharing her bed with Pippy.

They are such a joy and make us laugh everyday.

Christmas Eve on the French Quarter

What is the French Quarter if there isn't a carriage going by?

This guy was amazing! He never moved. How difficult would that be to stand frozen for hours at a time?

These blue shutters against the brick was so beautiful. Check out how quiet the Quarter was on Christmas Eve.

I could have listened to this group all afternoon. The female singer had a great voice.

I love this sign. These voodoo shops are so interesting to wonder through. The smells of herbs and potions. Gris Gris, magic stones and some very interesting statues. The Palm/Tarot readers are in the back behind the beaded curtain.

Another great name.

I think I could just wonder the Quarter for days taking photos of signs.

Holidays in New Orleans

Tea Menu

Candy Land Entrance to Tea at The Ritz

The Ritz Lobby

The Ritz decorations in the lobby.

The Ritz Bathroom

It has been many years since I left my home for the holidays and celebrated elsewhere. This year we went to New Orleans to spend Christmas with my daughter. Christmas Eve was spent having Tea at The Ritz in downtown New Orleans. That was such a fun way to spend the afternoon with my daughter and mother. The champagne flowing and the tea delicious. The service was impecable. We had finger foods, wonderful scones and lots of fancy little pastries. The Ritz was decortated beautifully and elegant.

After all that delicious food the three of us wondered out to the French Quarter to walk off some of that champagne and pastry. There was not a lot of people on the Quarter Christmas Eve and it was so enjoyable!! The weather couldn't have been more perfect for an afternoon stroll. There was great entertainment in the streets as usual, we drooled peering in the jewelry shop windows and wondered in and out of some fabulous shops. One of my favorite shops was called Fleur de Paris. A custom millinery shop along with some pretty darn fabulous couture and vintage clothing. Beautiful hats packed this adorable shop. I could have stayed for hours looking at these gorgeous hats but we had to move on. We stepped into one hotel on the Quarter that was like walking into a Magical Winter Wonderland. But alas our time ran out and we had to leave, but not without a few purchases.

I so enjoyed the beautiful homes being carefully restored throughout the city. The architecture there is candy to the eyes. The gingerbread, rod iron and great color schemes of homes makes this such a unique city. My daughter loves this city. It took me a while to figure out why but I understand it now. The people were friendly the weather was great, the food delicious.

My daughter also took me to a great Karaoke bar where if you are brave enough, you sing to a live band called The Molly Ringwalds (gotta love that). No cover charge for the great laughs. It has been a long time since I have had tears of laughter running down my cheeks. We went to the horse races at the fair grounds (also no cover charge). All in all there was so much more to do but time goes so quickly. I still didn't get my street car ride to one of those amazing cemeteries. Next time.

Little Ginger

Everyone should have that one special dog in their life. That amazing little four legged furry child that does no wrong in your eyes. Makes you laugh, keeps you on your toes and has the joy for waking up everyday and making a new friend. My little four legged replacement child was Ginger. She was all of that and more. Ginger never met a person or child she didn't like and before that person walked away they knew they met a friend for life. She had friends everywhere. From the ladies at the vets office to the drive through windows, everyone loved her.

You never had to guess how she was feeling. Ginger had no problems telling you. When hungry she would stare you straight in the eyes and give you a head bob. If that didn't work or you were trying to ignore her she would give you one of those nasty hair raising bitch barks. And if that didn't work she would do this crazy butt wiggle, back up and buck like a horse. She knew that would always get a laugh out of us and she would win. She would throw her head back and howl if I asked her where the kitty kitty or piggy piggy was. That never got old.

If you were leaving the house, Ginger always felt she should go. Once she realized that wasn't going to happen she would grab you around the ankles with her two front legs and and growl "How dare you leave me". In her world she was human and had the right to go everywhere. Car rides were heaven in her mind. Regardless if it was to the end of the driveway or across country.

Ginger even had this funny way to pee. She would balance up on her two front legs and walk as to not get  her back feet wet. Her favorite daily thing to do would be to stretch flat out as long as she could, lay really still with a dog cookie at the tip of her nose, trying to get the other dog to come after it so the race would be on. And if that didn't work she would walk up to her dog friend and poke it right in her face.

If there was negative side, she could be a bit needy. Okay a lot needy. She liked sleeping on your head or laying up on your chest to sleep. When she was a pup she would sit on my shoulder like a parrot when we were in the car.

Ginger never grasped the whole obedience training thing. I gave up after three different training session attempts. In her world she didn't really need to know how to sit or stay. It really never mattered anyway because she knew her boundaries and how far she could push them.

In the middle of the night if she had to go out she would bounce her little wet cold nose on mine to wake me up. Now mind you she had a doggy door but it was more fun to wake me up.

She brought life and humor to the house. Loving, needy and bratty. I miss her every day. I wouldn't change a single minute even though I feel cheated only having her seven short years. When they say only the good die young I wonder if that goes for dogs too.

She was buried in a handmade quilted blanket in one of her favorite places in the backyard. Over her grave hangs a big bouncy colorful butterfly chime for my little butterfly dog. Hopefully where ever she is, she is happy and teasing other dogs with her cookie. They say you can find your beloved dogs over the rainbow bridge. She was our rainbow. She brought all of the rainbow colors to our house and to anyone lucky enough to meet her.