The icing on the cake

One of the reasons I went to Paros was to visit  "The icicng on the cake".  It's the most amazing children's store that now carries my work. Maria Kavvadia, the owner, has two stores, one here in Athens and her flagship store in Paros. Most items in the store are handmade and organic, that she picks out on her trips from  all over the world!  I was walking by her Athens store one day, and  I was mesmerized by the storybook design. It reminded me of  a gallery for kids!!  I'm so glad I went inside!

 Ok, now I have to unpack my suitcase and get ready for my next adventure. Frankfurt..see you on Sunday!!

Paros

I had the most creative morning today! I discovered this cute cafe bar called "Pebbles" and spent a few hours painting in my journal. It was early in the day and I was the only customer there. Just me, my journal and jazz music playing on the radio!! Sheer heaven!

Isn't this the most beautiful church?!

All you need..

Yay!!!  I'm so exited to be posting from the beautiful Greek island Paros!! After that horrend heat wave in Athens, here I am, sitting in a cafe by the bluest water and feeling the breeze on my face.. just wonderful to be able to get away. It's a whole different world here on the island!  It's like a fairy tale! The houses are whitewashed with narrow cobblestone streets. So romantic..
My painting is inspired by a very old church here in Paros. I made a photo tranfer of it and was quite pleased with it. Hope you like it! It's also my entry for MMM.
Next week I'll posting from....Frankfurt!!  Can't believe my luck! Two beautiful trips in one week! My bestest friend is going to pick up an award for her company and make a speach and I'll be tagging along for..moral support,hehehe.  Thanks Myrto :)) I'm thrilled about this trip, since I've never been to Germany before!  And since all good things come in threes...please, please God let the next one be Milan or Paris!!
I send you my love, dear friend.

Paros

I'm so glad I was able to capture this picture with the donkey! The old man sells vegetables and fruits with a little help from his friend, mr.donkey!! 

I love all these old churches!!

That's me wearing one of my shibori outfits. So perfect for the islands!

What I love most here in Paros,  are the narrow cobblestone streets. Everything looks like it's from a fairy tale and very romantic..

Heat wave

This is my entry for MMM. It is so hot today I can barely function!! temp is up to 100 degrees and all I can think of is being on a Greek island....hopefully my next post will be from the beach...for a much needed vacation!!
Have a creative week my friend :))

brain power

Numbers! They keep appearing in my art over and over again. I started adding them in my paintings as visual interest along with the text, but then decided to have a little fun with them... using them as old phone numbers and dates, floating in the air... to add a little humor in this soooo serious world!!  I want my audience to smile when they see my work :)

The thing is....I really hate numbers!! lol . They make me dizzy!! and I believe it all started when I was in school. I would panic during math period!! I remember the long hours my dad would spend with me trying to help..poor guy and poor me!  he would go over a math problem over and over again and I still wouldn't get it!! all I could see was a purple haze and my brain would go blank!!..... I have math dyslexia syndrome. Just kidding, I made that up! but I sure will use it if I have to!!

This my entry for MMM.

pink clouds and pink hair

This is the first of a series of paintings I will be working on, this summer. I decided to just make cute stuff, right now,  with Daisy as the star! I was thinking yesterday when I started painting this...wouldn't it be so cool if I could make a product line based on my cute poodle?!  I could make stationary, prints, pendants, shampoos,perfume, all sorts of stuff for little girls. The more I was thinking about this idea, the more exited I got!!
I like saying  this... " the possibilities are endless"  I use that phrase a lot!  it has mystery to it!! one thing brings the next.... yes!!
If your looking to see the yellow submarine...it ain't there!! That ship sailed a long time ago!! lol  


I received a lovely  email last night from my new friend Mandy. ( she's got the cutest pink hair) She wanted me to tell her everything about my life in Greece, what is it that makes it so special here...
Well, Mandy, I have to tell you, that I didn't even want to move here in the first place. I felt "safe" in my big house in the suburbs of Wash. D.C.  participating in various art shows, going to the mall, shopping, accumulating stuff, going to the mall again..work and mall. Too much work and no play. I had gotten into this robot mode, where the more money one makes the better life is. I wasn't actually at the mall all the time, but that was the entertainment for me, and millions of other Americans.  That was my life. Basically it was "please shoot me, I am so bored with my life". Please don't take me wrong, and I don't want to offend anyone, but there's got to be more in life than the stupid mall. Yes, the suburbs have a lot to do with this, and we all do what we have to do,  making sacrifices....and I did...up to the point of falling in a deep depression. I won't even go there..this is supposed to be a happy post. I am a happy person, a so positive person, my friends say that I really don't belong here on earth. lol!  That's ok, I feel good on my pink little cloud!
Anyway to answer the question. I'm not really sure what exactly it is about living in Greece that I love. Maybe it's ,that the sky here is bluer, the sun is brighter, the air.. I'm not sure.  All I know is that I feel reborn!! I'm a different person, more alive, more positive, happy, I smile a lot, I enjoy everything more, even the stupid stuff. I try to make positve out of negative thoughts. I even look prettier! lol. don't laugh! it's how I really feel. maybe it's all in my head.!! but it's the truth!
I feel a kind of freedom that I didn't feel back home. Like I can conquer the world! Let me just say at this point, that I'm really a shy person, and a very private one at that, so telling you all this is the new Joanna !!
I'm not saying that life in Greece is easy! on the contrary... life here is harder, but I will take any bad story and make it happy. I will find some way to turn it around and find the good in it. No matter what the story is.
That's my survival :) Sure I get down,  I allow myself maybe a day or two and then pick myself up and transport me to my little cloud of happiness!
Life is too short and beautiful!   We have to enjoy every moment!!  Yeah, and Mandy... forget Turkey, move here!! the weather is better!! xoxo