31 Days of Art Quotations: Day Three

I like how art can mean so many different things and can affect us in different ways. Today’s quotations continue along this theme.

Art should be something like a good armchair in which to rest from physical fatigue. – Henri Matisse

The aim of art is not to represent the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. – Aristotle

Art is an international language, understood by all. – Igor Babailov

Art is both creation and recreation. – Lin Yutang

Art thaws even the frozen, darkened soul, opening it to lofty spiritual experience. – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Do you agree with these ideas? Feel free to respond in the comments.

Igor Babailov

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31 Days of Art Quotations – Day Two

The art quotations for today and the next few days will be about what art is and how it affects people.

Good art is not what it looks like, but what it does to us. – Roy Adzak

Great art can communicate before it is understoond. – T. S. Eliot

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary. – Picasso

All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography. – Federico Fellini

Art is like a border of flowers along the course of civilization. – Lincoln Stefens

What does art mean to you? I welcome your comments.

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Tasty Main Dish Recipes

While searching for a good slow cooker beef stew recipe tonight, I came across a few other main dish recipes that I would like to try. I thought you might like to try them too. They are all from the Cook with Campbell’s website. (By the way I was not paid to write this.)

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Easy Macaroni and Cheese

2 Step Inside-Out Chicken Pot Pie

Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake

Easy Chicken and Broccoli Divan

Do you have a favorite recipe or recipe link you would like to post in the comments?

http://www.cookwithcampbells.ca/en-ca/Home.aspx
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31 Days of Art Quotations: Day One

Today I am starting a series of 31 posts containing quotations related to the theme of art and artists. The quotations for today are about the role of artists.

The artist must create a spark before he can make a fire and before art is born, the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation.  – Auguste Rodin

The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms. Every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him.  – Auguste Rodin

The artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind of artist. – Ananda Coomaraswamy

An artist is like a prophet. He must lead people and get them acquainted with what he sees. – George Buytendorp

The job of the artist is to deepen the mystery. – Francis Bacon

The artist is the person who makes life more interesting or beautiful, more understandable or mysterious, or probably, in the best sense, more wonderful. – George Bellows

To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts – such is the duty of the artist. – Robert Schumann

I would like to paint the way a bird sings. – Claude Monet

In painting I want to say something comforting in the way that music is comforting. – Vincent Van Gogh

Do you think everyone is an artist in some way? What do you see as the role of artists? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments.


The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms. Every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him. Auguste Rodin

The artist must create a spark before he can make a fire and before art is born, the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation. Auguste Rodin

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Happy Birthday, Honey!

This post is dedicated to my niece, Honey, as it’s her birthday today.

Honey is

a caring friend

someone who will listen

if you are down

or just need to talk

always ready to see

the positive side to every situation

sees your potential, what you can become

and offers steps to help you get there

faithful

generous

kind

a special wife, mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister and niece

What is sweeter than honey?

Honey, of course!

Happy Birthday, Honey!

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Make New Blogging Friends with It’s a Social Parade

I have had a couple of conversations recently about Google Friend Connect. Yesterday artist Bonnie Heather, was telling me it makes it easy to follow other people’s blogs and keep up with what they are writing. I have added this feature to my blog, and I invite you to follow me by clicking “Join this site” over on the left sidebar.

Today Honey Brown mentioned to me that Google Friend Connect is today’s topic for the blog meme It’s a Social Parade over at Smart and Trendy Moms. How it works is, on Wednesdays you can go over to Smart and Trendy Moms and read the post. Each week’s topic provides a way to link up with other bloggers. So join the fun and head on over to It’s a Social Parade!

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Resources About Isaac Newton

Last month I posted a book review of Isaac Newton, by Mitch Stokes. I just came across a couple of  websites that I would like to recommend for anyone interested in learning more Isaac Newton. First, there is the Grace K. Babson Collection of Newtonia from Babson College.  This is a collection of various items relating to Isaac Newton. It includes over 1000 volumes of his works, as well as artifacts, including the fore-parlour of the last London residence he lived in. If you click on each link listed on the page, you will get further descriptions of what is included in the collection, as well as access to pdf documents of many of Newton’s writings.

At the bottom of the page, reference is made to the Newton Project, which is another wonderful source of information about Newton. Many of his writings can be found there as well.  This site also includes a list of what was in his own library. It is interesting to see what resources were available in his day.

If you visit these sites, I would be interested in reading your impressions of them. What interested you the most about what you found about Isaac Newton? Feel free to leave a comment below.

http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk/prism.php?id=1

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14 Free Ways to Add Happiness to Any Day

Quite often I am amazed about how little it can take to make me happy.  Sometimes  taking  simple actions can  make a big difference in how we feel. Interestingly, they don’t always have to cost money either. This morning I thought of 14 things a person can do to help make any day more enjoyable. Here they are:

1. Go for a walk. Look carefully at your surroundings and see if you can discover beauty you didn’t notice before. Smile at the people you pass.

2. Make a list of who and what you are thankful for. See how long you can make the list.

3. Call someone you listed above and tell them what you appreciate about them.

4. Journal about your favorite memory. This could lead to starting a journaling habit, which can be very inspiring and relaxing.

5. Find something you don’t need anymore, that you think someone else might need or like, and offer it on freecycle

6. Sing your favorite song.

7. Invite someone over to your place for a visit, or find another way to spend time with them.

8. Re-read a favorite book or take out a library book on a topic that interests you. If you need ideas, go to the section of new arrivals or look over the carts of books ready to be put back on the shelves.

9. Take 15 minutes and clear out all the clutter in a  small area of your home, such as a table or drawer. Then take a few minutes to admire how good it looks.

10. Write a haiku.

11. Offer to do something for someone else (or help them with something they are doing).

12. Finish a project you have been putting off doing, such as organizing photos or recipes, or finishing a sewing or art project. Think about how good it feels to have it done.

13. Give yourself something positive to look forward to by writing down an achievable goal you will do tomorrow.

14. Go outside at night and admire the stars.

What do you like to do that makes you happy? You’re welcome to share these ideas in the comments.

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Motivational Quotations to Inspire You

I really enjoy reading and pondering quotations, especially those that inspire me to live up to my potential. Here are a few that I really like:

Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start. – Nido Qubein

Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly. – Julie Andrews

Tell Wind and Fire where to stop, but don’t tell me. – Charles Dickens

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. – Walter Bagehot

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

Do you have a favourite motivational quotation? I’d love to see it in the comments!

Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go;
they merely determine where you start.
Nido Qubein

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Tony Melendez, Guitarist Without Hands

I feel humbled and inspired at the same time when I hear of people who have overcome great challenges in their lives in order to develop their skills or talents in some area. One example is singer-guitarist Tony Melendez.

Tony was born in Nicaragua, but has lived most of his life in the United States. He was born without arms. This was a side effect from the drug thalidomide, which his mother took while pregnant with him. However, Tony has not allowed this challenge to stop him from living life fully. He drives and does many other things with his feet, including playing the guitar.

At an early age Tony began to play with the guitar, like a toy, with his feet. Eventually he was practising for six or seven hours a day. He has become a talented singer, guitarist and composer, and has played before audiences around the world. He has produced several albums and received various awards. His bestselling autobiography, “The Gift of Hope: The Tony Melendez Story,” was published in 1989. Here is one of many youtube clips of Tony.

Watching the above video and reading about Tony’s life has encouraged me to do more with the abilities I have been given, to make the most of what I have. We can all do this. We all have something to give, whether it be a smile,  a song, an encouraging word, a work of art, a home-made pie or a listening ear. In my own experience, when I use and give what I have, I am often more fulfilled and receive more joy as I see others uplifted.

Here are two more links about Tony:

Tony’s Official Website

His autobiography on DVD

I would like to end this post with these questions: What areas of your life are you now inspired to develop further? What actions are you planning to take to do this? I would love to read your responses in the comments!

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