The twists and turns of life can be so curious and interesting. Throw the internet into the mix, and we can go places, reach places, know people in places that we might never have met, if it weren't for these intrawebs…
As an artist, living on a dead end street in a hidden little world, somewhere in a bizarre Arizona, the internet has allowed for miracles really.
It has allowed my art to travel to places such as New York, Virginia, California, Alaska- all over the United States, and as far away as Australia, Paris, Austria, Canada, Holland, Dubai and more.
This could have never happened without the internet.
As you are reading this, many of you feel the same way. Things you create traveling all over the world..
Heck, we all gather in cozy little internet spots, from all over the world, on a daily basis. Nothing short of miraculous.
Friends all over the world…
Peeks into far away places, and intimate visits into the lives of so many people.
People I have grown to love.
I feel connected to your lives, family members, furry and winged too. Lives change, and twist and turn, and there we are, living it in a way, with each other, far away –
And yet, so close…
I cried last night as I read Alicia's post. In fact, I couldn't even eat dinner, I felt for her and Andy so deeply, and for that baby girl. I woke up with them, and baby, on my mind. Folks I have never met in person, yet feel for.
I laugh with so many of you, think about your children, your homes, your health, your kitties, your pups, your work, your happenings. Endless thoughts…
All because of the internet.
In 1994, when I was a freshman at the University of Arizona, I heard about people connecting in chat rooms on-line, talking to people all over the world. I wanted to try it. I made a friend in Belgium. It was exciting, unfathomable.
17 years later, the internet is a huge part of my life, greater than I realize at times. It makes it possible for me to even be typing these words to you right now, as you know, since many of you have your own warm internet homes.
To have a home in this space, where my doors are always open to you, is incredible to me.
It is such a wonderful part of my everyday.
Sometimes the fact that we can connect in such a way is taken for granted, just a part of everyday life. (until we lose internet service, and then panic sets in)
It is amazing.
But you don't need me to tell you that 🙂
My point to this tale?
About 5 years ago I stopped traveling.
I just plum stopped, when I once traveled to everywhere with my family.
Traveling, shopping, parties – social life at full throttle, stop.
I had changed.
My heart tune, was changing…
One day…
I simply didn't want to get on an airplane anymore.
Not a bus, or a train.
Not even a car if I could help it.
I didn't want to stay out late.
I wanted peace.
I had lived such a fast paced life, that I just wanted to be.
Full stop.
I quit my stressful job, I started a blog, I made art full time.
A little scary, but I had saved up a tiny nest egg, and plunged.
I officially moved to the country house.
I didn't/don't have cable, but I did get phone and internet.
I listen to a lot of radio shows.
I love them.
Music is constant.
I never turn on my cell phone.
I don't text.
We watch Netflix.
I garden, I paint, I try to keep a peaceful heart.
I love my pups and Mister Lovee.
I don't go dancing at discos.
I swing from a tree though.
I dance in my garden, and kitchen.
I sing really loud, but probably not that well.
I always have paint or garden soot on me.
I used to blow dry my hair everyday for work.
Now I can count the times in a year when I do so.
But.
And here it the big but.
BUT,
I get to travel all around the world, and visit with you, via my cozy chair.
And, I love it.
I do.
I don't miss anything, or at least, I don't feel like I do.
And, in such cases perception really is the ticket, isn't it?
The bonus is that, from time to time, my art gets to travel.
The little faces that are my heart and soul, get to go to all sorts of places (near and far), when someone gives them a home…
Adventures a plenty, if they are lucky…
It is always hard to say good-bye…
But sometimes, you get word that they are doing great, and love their new home…
Really, it is all you can hope for.
But mostly, if someone gives your art a home, it is because they feel a great connection with it. Almost like, it came from them. At least, that is how I feel about art that I have in my home, created by other artists.
This leads me to the tale about an art voyage to Dubai.
Over the last year or so, a handful of my paintings have made their way to a beautiful young woman named Sophie, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Sophie Katirai is owner and CEO of a an amazing shop called Sophie's Closet.
I was overjoyed to find that, not only are my paintings happily living in Sophie's beautiful world, but because of Sophie's company and home getting so much press in Dubai, two of my little girls were published.
And so, the internet allows for more exciting twists and turns.
Violetta seems to be beaming with excitement…
She joined Sophie in Emirates Home Magazine (Sophie's home is on the cover)…
I love the florals, yumm!
So wonderful to see Violetta, more than happy, and oh so well, living with Sophie!
This was so exciting to see, and I am so happy for Sophie. She is one of those super duper kind people, plus hard working and always busy with wonderful shop projects, so inspiring.
Then –
As if that wasn't already good news, Sophie wrote me to say there was a 2nd publicaiton, and that Camille was pictured in a Dubai magazine called Grazia Interiors, which also featured Sophie's home and business.
And so, while I like to stay put, on my little parcel of land, some of my girls are seemingly having a blast on their voyage to Dubai..
I bet you thought I was finally getting on a plane again, and going there myself?
Not quite, but, it seems Violetta and Camille are having a marvelous time with Sophie. And that makes me smile from ear to ear. It is all you can hope for, when you put your heart and soul into your art.
I have made beautiful friendships with many people who own my artwork. It is like, we have a connection found through the art itself.
But then again, it was the art that connected us in the first place…
Funny twists, funny life.
You never know where it might lead to?
I am just glad, it led me here.
Blogland.
Almost better than Wonderland.
I can't imagine never having gotten to know so many of you.
Let's keep having a blast!!
There might be some stinky days thrown in there, but let's shoot for mostly a blast, deal?
Love, Vanessa
Dearest Vanessa, you are a treasure! Am so happy our paths crossed and so many of your beautiful paintings live with me. It’s a wonderful thing to see your talent and art getting worldwide recognition! But I am still hoping you and Mr. Lovee can be persuaded to hop on a plane someday to Amsterdam. 🙂 xoxox
I love this post. Thank you for the reminder of the wonderful connection we can have with one another. I too disconnect from many of the things you listed: cable, texting… But the internet? The internet, I love.
I wept last night when I read Alicia’s post. I wondered aloud to my spouse how this could happen to such good people (and how would I know how wonderful they are if it weren’t for her blog, the things she doesn’t say as well as the things she does…)
And Thank you for sharing your special brand of magic with us 🙂
How wonderful that your art does the traveling for you now, Vanessa! Amazing to think that you’ve got a bit of yourself in many states and countries across the globe.
Thoughts and prayers of healing and peace for Alicia and her husband. So sad, but hope for a reason will endure.
Yes, the internet and the connections made is amazing. Queenie might never have met Honey Man without it.
Thank you for your presence on the internet!
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
Darling Ms V,
I love seeing your art all the way across this big planet! How amazing! Celebrating with you!! 🙂
I too remember the first chat rooms in the early 90’s and I was a college student too! Only I was much older and had three small children to boot. Fun times!
Since then I’ve been divorced and found my own Mister…online. We chatted, emailed and finally met in person. He’s such an amazing and loving person. We’ve been married for 11 1/2 years now. Oh the amazing people I’ve met on the interwebs. Best girlfriends, mentors, partners in business and creativity and my sweet Mister.
I love getting to know the people at the other end of the keyboard, such wonderful people.
Like YOU! 🙂
V
Dear V,
Oh, I am so glad you shared this post with me! (us). It makes me look at the bright red leaves on the trees in my front yard seem magical–like I am in a little world full of wonder! I glance at the red sparkles sitting on a napkin on the table in my living room and instead of seeing it as a mess, I see it as a beautiful symphony of color and sparkle! Glorious, isn’t it?
I know what you mean about meeting people you would never have met before because of the Internet and blogging. I “met” you, for instance, just as I met several others who have visited my blog in the past. And the best part? I don’t even have to leave my living room couch or undress from my over-sized navy blue sweatshirt that belongs (or DID belong) to my dad in order to do so! If that isn’t a miracle, I don’t know what is!
And so, I depart on a note of highest joy. Thank you for everything, Vanessa. I am so glad that your little girls Violetta and Camille have found a wonderful home and that you were featured in that magazine. Sophie seems like a wonderful person!
Have an amazing, magical little day 🙂
xx Jessica
A Woodland Fantasy
P.S…on A Woodland Fantasy, I just posted a very special Winter surprise especially for yooou…teehee 🙂 come check it out!
http://www.awoodlandfantasy.blogspot.com
Yes for just a moment I thought you were off to Dubai, one can really never tell what you’ll be up to next Vanessa. Congrats on being published once again.
Your’s is a lovely post that as always was a joy to read. Alicia’s post was so beautifully written, she was being so incredibly brave while her heart was breaking, it’s all so sad for everyone concerned especially, I’m thinking, for that little baby.
It is so good to leave ones home in our minds and travel from place to place. I love traveling while sitting in my confy chair. I like popping in and out, looking and reading how really creative and inspirational everyone is. We all have stories to tell. Yours, Miss Vanessa is wondrous, artistic, well written and creative. I check on you often. You are very inspiring.
Oh I miss you SO MUCH!!!! Can’t stay tho since I just popped in to take a peek into your beautiful delicious world. If I don’t see you before, I hope you have the loveliest of Thanksgivings.
xoxo Cori
Your title caught my eye – my son Ted was just in Dubai last week. He is on a Fullbright scholarship in Bahrain and said the emerites were quite an experience!
Love you post and you!
Hugs,
Lisa
What a wonderful day today is.
Sharing dream light.
Spreading our wings into flight.
Yes, when I was clearing the fallen jasmine flowers,a swirl did say: that V. would keep them a few more days. Oh alright, I shuffled them around, and as I looked up at Esmeralda a flower fell down. It landed on a wee grass hanging from her hat- another grass reached out to hold the flower and that was that. The wee little flower hung on magic 2 silken grass threads, I looked in amazement, smiled and nodded my head. Alessandra was watching and saw it too, the connection my dear was true blue. So across the sunset skies a dried Jasmine flower from us to you. Have a wonderful holiday WhoooWhooo.
Dear Vanessa, thank you for this beautiful and heartfelt post. I couldn’t agree with you more. We have been having a hard time lately – which explains why my personal online presence has been erratic as of late. But I am heartened by the love and support of online friends like you who CARE. And it fills me with great happiness. Like Vicki who commented above, I met my Mister online as well…married for 14 years. It never ceases to amaze me – this magical online world. And I am happy we connected through it. xoxo
It truly is amazing.
I too cried for Alicia and Andy. I have kept them in my heart all day, as I kept you there when you lost Baby. There have been others as well over the years and in most cases we have never talked voice to voice, muchless met face to face, but the kindness we show to each other is not any different than if we had.
Truly amazing and beautiful.
It is fascinating and wonderful this online world we all get to create together.
Happy that your girls are now living and famous in Dubai!! What a lovely treat for you to see.
Oooo! I love your magic wand in the last photo.
I have met many wonderful people via blogland and the doll ning sites I am a member of…so many wonderful friends out there, their joys and their heart aches, babies born, elderly parents failing, but the creativity that blossoms around the globe is amazing! Such inspiration to keep any artist believing in themselves and in others.
Yes, it would never have been possible except for the internet…what an experience of a life time we have at our fingertips.
What a lovely friend to have in Dubai to share your lovely girls with the world via her magazine articles. That is a friendship to treasure.
I too live half in the artist dream world and the reality of the waking world. My dreams are astonishing at times…closing my eyes as I drift off to sleep and envisioning glorious realms of unbelievably detailed beauty…similar to a Michael Angelo painting.
I always see things more magical then they appear. I guess that is the ‘dream believer’ inside me knowing other fantasy realms exists somewhere.
May you have a fantastical voyage into dream lands of far away places…
Thank you for this! I had a horrible, heartbreaking day and this reminded me of something. In your blog, I always have a home, here on the internet, with your wonderousness and beautifulness. You make me grin from ear to ear and you remind me of what is important in life. There is no lesson more worth learning than that, and you embody it everyday. You cherish the people and things that you love and you pay no mind to the nastiness and horridness of life. You’re a treasure, thank you for being you 🙂
Love,
Jenn
We’ll all keep dancing, drinking tea, partying, pulling up our gypsy wagons & creating together for a long time to come. ^-^
XOXO
Vanessa, I truly appreciate your lovely post! I feel so much like you, only I have not yet moved to my house in the country (fingers still crossed!).
Blogland is really such a fanciful place…so full of opportunity and imagination. I love it as well and really appreciate all of you. One of my favorite things this year was participating in the Mad Hatter Tea Party you hosted. I just loved that! You gave me the opportunity to really let go and enjoy just playing! Which I am normally good at, but that blog hop and creating my tea was tremendous joy! Thank you for that!
Hugs,
Terri
from North Carolina : )
OH this is pure magic!! I feel much the same myself, about sending my little loves off into the great wide world….and smile inwardly when I step into the post office and ship packages off to Germany, France, England, Australia…..places I know I shall never go myself! It’s a magical thing, is it not! Congratulations on having your beautiful work featured, too!! How lovely!!
Happy Almost Thanksgiving to You and yours!!
Congrats on the Dubai news and the magazine inclusion, that is so wonderful!
Love this post, even more so because of how the changes in your life speak to me. Unlike you I didn’t make some big choice to slow down or to shift my focus. I’m still working as much as ever and I never was too much of a jet-setter, but I did use to travel more and there was a time in my life when I had more of an urge to be out doing something, going to movies, whatever rather than just being at home. But gradually that changed. I think it took a bigger jump 10 years ago when we bought our first home. Once we finally owned something and could do with it what we desired the ability to truly “nest” kicked in and gradually the realization has come that we much prefer to stay at home, watch Netflix, read, have people over rather than running all over the place.
We both still love to go to the theater to see movies but we just don’t do it often. We haven’t had cable for 3 years now and we rarely watch network television live. We much prefer to find something to watch that fits with whatever mood we are in rather than being controlled by the network’s schedule.
Life is full of adventures and they can be had without constantly being on the move. Yes, it is easy to get complacent and find yourself aimlessly going through the day to day motions, but that isn’t what you are describing and by and large I don’t feel like that is what Mary or I do. More often than not we are consciously choosing to savor the home experience and to revel in those quiet, relaxing times.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!!!
What a post. Hope. Sadness. Friendship. Support. I’ve followed Rosy LIttle Things for years, and I remember when she lost a little puppy. I cried for her then, and I cry for her now. I know in this blogging world, we don’t “know” know one another, but I deeply hope for Alicia and Andy that the support receive from the readers of her blog will help temper their heartache by a tiniest little bit.
And congratulations to you for you wanderin’ artwork.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Oh Sarah, yes yes yes! So beautiful. I remember when Alicia
lost Audrey…. When I lost Baby I looked towards Alicia for hope/pain
understanding.guidance, and she was sooo kind to me via e-mail…. such beautiful souls
Alicia and Andy…. I feel that, the one who really loses is the baby..
you know….. the wee baby who could have had the most beautiful kind
parents in the world… And I hope she is protected in a way that, her
biological father can care for her and loves her. It is hard, you know,
the full spectrum of what is happening…. I just pray so much for the
baby……
What a beautiful post Vanessa. Your blog is such an inspiration to me and one that I visit often. I treasure our blog friendship and am always inspired by your beautiful spirit and the way you are living your truth xxx
Your world is so beautiful! I was in Arizona (all the way from Australia!) earlier this year and I’m amazed at the wonderland of plants and flowers you have managed to grow there. I’ve been following your blog for years now and thought of you as we drove through the vast arid landscape, wondering if your magical realm was just around the corner. The internet is truly a marvellous thing and can be used as a sacred space in which to connect with likeminded beings. So glad that your work is winding its way around the globe. I’ve been to Dubai and I’m sure your girls love it there with all it’s eastern splendour. Happy day to you!
What lovely ladies…so glad they get to travel! And love that you stick around your compound these days. The internet is a wonderful thing, it’s true! The friendships that we get to build are just amazing! I am sad for your friends story and not being able to keep ‘their’ baby, it just doesn’t seem right does it!? 🙁
Big hugs,
Jamie 🙂
Hi Vanessa,
I felt such a companionship with you reading this blog post. Several years ago I quit my regular job to work from home through the internet, doing what I love to do. I used to love to travel everywhere, and I loved to fly…but the past year or so has been very different. The last time I was on a plane, I cried and told my husband I didn’t want to fly anymore. I just want to be settled somewhere, create a lovely little nest to enjoy together. We, too, don’t like going in the car places. We haven’t had cable for years and get our fix on hulu & netflix. Our lives are so peaceful. Most members of our family don’t get it and wonder when we are going to get “real jobs”, but we love and enjoy every day of our lives. We spend each day together (he works from home, too), and that’s what we love. It was so nice for me to read this post and hear that you have experienced a similar change in lifestyle and enjoy the peace and joy that it brings. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Lots of love to you,
Melanie
Dear Vanessa,
Yes! You are a world traveler via cyberspace- And what great press in Dubai. Beautiful and exciting! Just today I was cleaning my daughters bedroom. The wee little red polka dotted mushrooms I bought from you, had gone missing a year or so ago. And there they were, in her room, behind a jar of gumballs. I have missed those lovely magic mushrooms and now they sit pretty in my woodland Christmas vignette, here on this tiny island off the cast of Seattle. Your joy is contagious and it is spreading throughout this world! xoxo Suzy
Isn’t life grand!! Wow…so exciting to hear of your virtual travels. I am so thankful to have virtually met you!!
x…x
Hi Vanessa,
I am so glad I started following your blog…This post was lovely, I can see myself becoming something like you one day. Unfortunately, I still need to find a job to support myself and my parents (since I am a college student), but eventually I hope I can slow down enough to enjoy the simple pleasures in life as well.
Wishing you the best,
Karen