Izabella's Blue

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

Tell Congress: Don’t censor the Web

Fighting online piracy is important. The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There’s no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs.

Too much is at stake – please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION HERE!!!!!!!!!!! https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

ETSY~ protect Creativity & Innovation!!! Please read!! Pass this on!!

January 18, 2012

We at Etsy have spoken out against legislation in the US Congress, known as SOPA and PIPA, that we believe is unnecessary, over-reaching, and ultimately harmful to the fabric of the Internet. Last November 23, we posted a letter here stating our position (see below) and on December 13, we urged everyone to speak out against SOPA when it was going to be up for vote by the House Judiciary Committee on December 15. The vote was delayed indefinitely and continues to be delayed as your voices are being heard. Some of of the most concerning pieces of the bill are being reconsidered. Thank you for speaking out.

The fight against the legislation is not over, though. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is planning to proceed with a vote on PIPA in the Senate on January 24. We think it's important to make sure lawmakers understand our continuing opposition to the legislation, so we are joining companies like Google in protest by putting a message on our home page today. We know that many Etsy sellers depend on Etsy for their livelihoods so we are limiting the protest to the home page as not to disrupt buying and selling on Etsy, but this is too important for us to remain silent.

To make sure our voices are heard, I will be joining a large group of Etsy employees and concerned members of the local community here in NYC to protest outside the offices of Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today. If you live in the United States, we urge you to contact your representatives by phone to tell them you are opposed to SOPA and PIPA. (You can find their contact info via the US Senate Directory or use "Find Your Representative" on the US House site).

If you don't live in the US, you can make a difference, too. We offer you the advice that Wikipedia is offering to its readers: “Contact your local State Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or similar branch of government. Tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA, and any similar legislation. SOPA and PIPA will affect sites outside of the United States, and actions to sites inside the United States (like Wikipedia) will also affect non-American readers — like you. Calling your own government will also let them know you don't want them to create their own bad anti-Internet legislation.”

We invite you to join the discussion in the forums with any thoughts or questions you may have. I’m confident that we can defeat this legislation working together and wanted to let the community know we are taking action.

Chad Dickerson
CEO, Etsy

---

Original letter posted on November 23, 2011

Lawmakers are debating legislation in the U.S. Congress that we at Etsy believe is unnecessary, over-reaching, and ultimately harmful to the fabric of the Internet.

The legislation — the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House of Representatives — grants copyright owners unprecedented power to block or shut down websites entirely for copyright infringements that are already being successfully addressed via existing laws.

We know that this is a concern for some of you in the Etsy community, too. We wanted to let you know that we have contacted our representatives to oppose this legislation. In doing so, we stand with AOL, eBay, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Twitter, Yahoo! and Zynga (see their letter). We also stand with friends in our local New York City community who are against the legislation, Tumblr and Kickstarter.

Our protest of this specific legislation does not mean that we support piracy or platforms that promote piracy. Etsy is a community of creators and we take intellectual property very seriously. Like other major Internet companies, we have a clear policy and set of procedures in place for dealing with infringing content under the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act. We have been successfully working with rightsholders to enforce those policies since Etsy was founded in 2005. But under SOPA, anyone who is a "holder of an intellectual property right harmed by the activities" of even one shop on Etsy, could hypothetically serve our technology partners (e.g. payment processors, hosting services) with a notice that would require them to suspend Etsy's service within 5 days. That means that a trademark violation in one shop could affect everyone’s business.

We are asking our lawmakers to defeat these bills and to work with the Internet community to come up with tailored, appropriate solutions that enhance innovation and creativity, rather than risk harming the foundations of the Internet for everyone based on the actions of a few.

We encourage you to educate yourselves about this legislation, starting with the Protect Innovation site built by some of the Internet companies listed above, many of which you probably use every day. The Protect Innovation site provides a simple tool for you to find your representatives and also provides sample letters that you can edit and send to them.

We hope you'll join us in opposing these bills.

Chad Dickerson
CEO, Etsy

Seth Apter's new book ~ The Pulse of Mixed Media ~ 99 artists + me = 100

I am a huge fan of Seth Apter’s work and completely thrilled out of this world to be participating in his first book!!!  Which is now on preorder at Amazon!

The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed you can order here

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Listen closely...can you hear it?

Can you hear the voices? Thoughts, insights, confessions from the creative community sharing ideas, trading secrets, venting frustrations; asking and answering questions such as, "What color rarely shows up in your work?" or "How do you express vulnerability in your art?" Or "What is one current trend that you wish would go away?" As artists, we are curious by nature and there is a longing to see inside the hearts and minds of artistic souls of our own kind. That is the beat of our lives - The Pulse of Mixed Media!

Visual Insights: Many questions are answered not only in words, but often through visual art, and include self-portraits from 31 spotlight artists such as Pam Carriker, Danny Gregory and Judy Wise.

A diverse sampling of provocative questions: Over 100 artists share their thoughts on everything from color, media and tools, to emotions, secrets and self-revelations. Insightful sidebar statistics: Data from thousands of participants collected through polls on the author's blog reveal a remarkable analysis of the creative community at large. Indulge your inner voyeur and soak up some inspiration with The Pulse of Mixed Media today!

In this book - a complex survey of artists around the globe - there is much for you to discover:

 Seth Apter is a mixed-media artist from New York City, focused primarily on works on paper, book arts, and textural assemblage. His artwork has also been exhibited in numerous group exhibitions and can be found in multiple books, independent zines, and national magazines including Somerset Studio, Cloth Paper Scissors, Studios, and Artful Blogging.

His blog, The Altered Page, is a visual journal of his own artwork and photography, as well as a showcase for artists he admires and his creative experiences in NYC. He has developed several large scale, international collaborative art projects, including The Disintegration Collaboration (DisCo) and The Pulse, the latter of which forms the basis for his first book, "The Pulse of Mixed Media" to be released by North Light Books in Spring 2012.

Learn more about Seth, visit The Altered Page at www.thealteredpage.blogspot.com

To find out more about Seth and his work, please visit his blog and website, details below. 

• Blog: http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thealteredpage
• Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thealteredpage
• Twitter: @alteredpage

Welcome to our first ever, Black Friday through Cyber Monday Creative Soul/Digital Whisper self promotional event!!!!  Whether you are a shopper, creator or both!  We want  to see your awesomeness in all it's glory this Holiday season, we want to help support our fellow artists' & handmade community in providing this venue to help promote your creations!  So, come shop & share! Come join us to help self promote your beautiful, art and handmade items in our newly revamped “Selling Your Art” group, with your host & leader Judy Keefe.  She has set up the place all pretty for you!  You can add photos & links by individualized categories.  Be sure to add your shoppes, links, photos, sales, discount codes. Information regarding your sale and your products from your Etsy, Artfire, blogs, websites, etc.  Please join Judy’s group “Selling Your Art”...here  to add yourself to the list & join the party! Please continue to use this group even after the season to help promote your "for sale items" all year round! We also have a cool new widget that is on the main page of the site & in the group where you can add a thumbnail photo & link to your online sites!  Just look for the “inlinkz blue button, to add your link to the mix of other artists. Also, be sure to regularly check out the main page of the Creative Souls site for exciting updates regarding upcoming events! Remember to share the banner!  Be part of the handmade revolution this Holiday Season...BUY HANDMADE!

Creative Souls main page:  http://creativesouls.ning.com

Funky Junk Sisters ~ Junk Salvation show ~ Fall 2011

Funky Junk Sisters Show ~ Fall 2011 - slideshows

♥ Paris ~ Locks of Love ♥

Pont du Carousel is the famous bridge in Paris that leads you from the Left Bank to the Louvre.  Couples write their names on locks and attach them to the fence, then toss the key into the Seine as a sign of their love, where there are thousands of locks attached to the fence. Beautiful ♥

 

photos 99 days in Paris

Love-locks on the Pont de l'Archeveche, crossing from the Latin Quarter to the Cité island.

Love-locks glam up a couple of Seine bridges, the idea being to write or even better, engrave a romantic message on a padlock, lock it to the wire fencing and throw the key into the river. Voila! Everlasting love!

Love Locks ..read more info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_padlocks

 

♥ pass it on ~ buy handmade this season ♥

♥ pass it on! Buy handmade ♥

BUY HANDMADE THIS SEASON

Please share this banner & help support handmade this season & beyond!

Creative Souls Self Portrait Challenge #6 "The Spooky Side of You"

This was a fun & hilarious self portrait challenge, there is still time to come join us. Have fun altering your face! :) This by far was the funniest challenge we have had so far! We are in the sub group section under "Soulful Self Portraits" at the Creative Souls site http://creativesouls.ning.com

 

BOO!!!!!
 

Junk Salvation ~FJSisters Show

Fall Funky Junks Sister's Show JUNK SALVATION Nov 4th & 5th

Just a few short weeks away!  All the vendors be hauling all the good stuff to PUYALLUP to present to you in the finest of fashion a junk-o-holic wonderland that we like to call a VINTAGE MARKET!

Friday Night is our Breast Cancer Benefit... Lots of PINK will be seen here! Right now (until October 31st) you can buy tickets online to this event! You will still be able to purchase at the door, however, all ONLINE ticket sales will get in 5:30pm instead of 6:00pm. One more great thing about going Friday... it gets you in Saturday too! To purchase tickets "click" here.  Buy early to get in early!!!

Here is where the COUPON comes into play! Saturday Morning everyone restocks... Yep, you heard us! More NEW merchandise for you to drool over... (We can't fit everything in those booths.)
Remember Christmas is just around the corner!!! Great 1 of a Kind gifts... Just saying!
This coupon is for SATURDAY only~ Print off as many as you like... share with all your friends, family, and maybe some people you see at the mall.

Visit the Funky Junk Sisters blog for more detailed information http://funkyjunksisters.blogspot.com/

 (thank you FJSisters for allowing me to borrow your post :)

we sell things....

Michelle & Izabella combine their love of found treasures at Space #36. Tacoma Antique Center

 

 Visit our Fan Page on Facebook ~ Space Thirty Six

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

♥ Michelle's Etsy Shoppe~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/MichelleReneeArt
Michelles' Blog~ http://michellerenee777.blogspot.com/

♥ Izabella's Blue Etsy Shoppe~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/izabellah
Izabella's Blog~ http://izabella.typepad.com

The Tacoma Antique Center in Fife ~ Over 120 booths of Vintage, Antique, Retro, collectibles.

Open 10 to 6 -7days a week. Exit 137 at Fife Square, just down from the Poodle Dog restaurant. 253-922-1297.

Exit 137- next to the Poodle Dog restaurant.

Art Flirt ~ The Painters Keys

 

I love reading Robert Glenn ~ The Painters Keys Twice Weekly Newsletter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Art flirt

May 27, 2011

Dear Izabella,

Yesterday, Karen J. Jones of Boston, Massachusetts wrote, "I'm a self-confessed art flirt. When I see the work of others that I'm attracted to, I fall in love. I want to be that artist, I want to create that work, I want to live that life. I'm willing to give up my current style, all my materials and even my pets if I could just paint like that. It happens often. With the convenience of the Internet, I can fall in love more than once a day. I'm suffering from infatuation overload and it's really getting to me. Can you help?"

Thanks, Karen. The condition you're talking about is widespread. The good news is, if it's like having an occasional drink, it's fairly harmless. Out of control, it can ruin careers and bring artists to states of hopelessness and depression. Yours sounds like a serious case of Chronic Creative Promiscuity (CCP). You need to take the cure. I know of no organization catering to really outrageous flirts like you. I'll take the case.

The reason you compulsively accept the paths of others is you don't have confidence in your own path. If you ever had a path, you need to find it again by quitting cold turkey. You need to choose a day to begin a new life of media celibacy. Explore your own creative wanderings and drag stuff up from your fantasy bank. Be assured that you have enough talent and character to pull it off. FYI, we've put some of Karen's work at the top of the current clickback.

Your case is particularly serious because you want to be in someone else's shoes. You'll even sacrifice your pets. You need to fully understand that you are your own person. To be satisfied in our game, you need to own your style and your direction. Put a sign on your studio wall: "I shalt not covet the work of others." You've had enough of playing the field. You now need to look within. 

Permit yourself only occasional dalliance in your new world of media chastity. Abstain for a day and you can abstain for a week. The rest will be history. More great careers have been built on habit modification than this world dreams of.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "Be careful that you do not write or paint anything that is not your own, that you don't know in your own soul." (Emily Carr)

Esoterica: The main joy in art, apart from acquired proficiency, is to get the understanding that you are truly special and unique. This understanding is a defense against all setbacks or misgivings. In the words of Emily Carr, "If you're going to lick the icing off somebody else's cake, you won't be nourished and it won't do you any good." It's true, artists need to see themselves as pioneers, and when they possess their own uniqueness, they thrive.

"They copied all they could follow, 
but they couldn't copy my mind,  
so I left them sweating and stealing
a year and a half behind." (Rudyard Kipling)

---

Current clickback: Art and the tiger mom looks at the implications for fine art in the current interest in Chinese rigour in education. We've also put in a selection of Karen J. Jones's current work. Your comments will be appreciated.

Read this letter online and comment, if you will, on the plight of this flirtatious woman and your own ways of dealing with dalliance. Live comments are welcome. Direct, illustratable comments can be made at rgenn@saraphina.com.

love's secret

 

Never seek to tell thy love,
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind doth move
Silently, invisibly.

I told my love, I told my love,
I told her all my heart,
Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears.
Ah! she did depart!

Soon after she was gone from me,
A traveller came by,
Silently, invisibly:
He took her with a sigh.

~William Blake

benighted

 

Troubled, wildered, and forlorn,
Dark, benighted, travel-worn,
Over many a tangle spray,
All heart-broke, I heard her say..

~william blake

illusion

 

Optical Illusion...
No, this isn't an animated gif. It's simply an optical illusion. As you move your eyes the wheels seem to turn. You can prove this by just staring at one circle. Click on the image for a bigger version.

angels unawares

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2).

                    

Blue Monday ~The most depressing day of the year?!?!

This is the last full week of January, and it is reported that today is the most depressing day in the year.

According to a press release by a mental health charity, the formula is:

where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=N_a. 'D' is not defined in the release, nor are units.

The date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action. This date allegedly falls on the Monday of the last full week of January.

 

Turn to me and be gracious to me,  for I am lonely and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.  ~Psalms 25: 16-17

are you waiting for an invitation to life?

 
2011 is knocking at the door!! I love this time of the year!! A time for new beginnings & new resolutions.  Its also a time to gently close or slam the door on last year!  I personally, am slamming that door really hard & going on with the new, just like my Grama used to do, she was a door & cabinet slammer, she was a fiesty one ;) 

a toast! clink clink with the champagne glasses..here's to the New Year, I hope it is your best one EVER!!

Wanted to share this... 

Have you had enough of feeling stuck in a rut.

Are you ready to break free from the self imposed chains that are binding you?

Are you sick and tired of having your greatness held hostage?

Well in that case what are you waiting for, an invitation to get unstuck?

The only person that can get you unstuck is you.

I can give you the key to getting unstuck, (action) but it is you who will have to turn the key in the lock (and take action) otherwise nothing will change.

So what are you waiting for?

If you spent as much time taking action as you do worrying about being stuck in a rut you wouldn't be stuck in a rut, you would be too busy living the life that you always dreamed about.

"Fear and apprehension are not conducive to the mindset required to induce success."

That antidote is action.

You must stop feeling overwhelmed by all the choices that you have and decide on a course of action and then take steps towards a positive outcome.

It is always better to walk 5 miles in the wrong direction than it is to sit on your ass hoping for help to come to you.

God helps those that help themselves.

If you want to break free from the self imposed chains that are keeping you stuck in your rut, then there is no time like the present for you to take action and get yourself unstuck.

Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Don't you think you have wasted enough time feeling fearful and apprehensive about the future?

Don't you think that its time that you said “enough is enough?”

Don't you think its time that you started living the life that you always dreamt of?

Don't you think that life has more to offer you than the feeling of being stuck in a rut?

Action is the key that will set you free from the self imposed shackles that have been holding you back and keeping your greatness held hostage.

Put the key to good use, take action and get yourself unstuck.

~Sean Mantack ~ http://www.stuck-in-a-rut-coaching.com

fading Christmas memories

 

Reminiscing about Christmas memories....

~every Christmas eve our family would have hot chocolate with peppermint & marshmellows, then we could open one present. Late that night, almost midnight, we would meet up with more of our family for candlelight church service, it was always spectacular with the trumpets, harps & singing, it was magical.

~remembering the loveliness of the vintage tinsel swaying on the Christmas tree from the heat from the fireplace at my beautiful Grama's home, I would lay just beneath the tree staring up at it's majestic beauty & take in the smells of the fresh green tree & the lovely foods the family was busy cooking in the kitchen.  I miss that tremendously.

~The traditional eggnog with 7up in my special Christmas cup. I loved the fizz that would tickle my nose, oh such innocence, such simple pleasures.

~Decorating the Christmas tree with my family & looking forward to watching the ornaments that had the liquid that would bubble when they were warm.  gosh I wish I still had those~

~Listening to my Grampa read from the bible, Jesus's birth, on Christmas before we would open presents & listening to him sing Ava Marie, still my favorite song, I can't listen to it without tearing up~

~I remember the day I found out that Santa wasn't really coming to visit my house anymore.

~I miss the innocence of it all.

What are some of your favorite Christmas memories?!  xo

it comes with cries of lamentation

 

Be near me now,

My tormenter, my love, be near me

At this hour when night comes down,

When, having drunk from the gash of sunset, darkness comes

With the balm of musk in its hands, its diamond lancets,

When it comes with cries of lamentation,

with laughter with songs;

Its blue-gray anklets of pain clinking with every step.

At this hour when hearts, deep in their hiding places,

Have begun to hope once more, when they start their vigil

For hands still enfolded in sleeves;

When wine being poured makes the sound

of inconsolable children

who, though you try with all your heart,

cannot be soothed.

When whatever you want to do cannot be done,

When nothing is of any use;

At this hour when night comes down,

When night comes, dragging its long face,

dressed in mourning,

Be with me,

My tormenter, my love, be near me.

~Faiz Ahmed Faiz

 

kiss eternal

 
First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write,
And ever since it grew more clean and white, . .
Slow to world-greetings . . quick with its "Oh, list,"
When the angels speak. A ring of amethyst
I could not wear here plainer to my sight,
Than that first kiss. The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair. O beyond meed!
That was the chrism of love, which love's own crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.
The third, upon my lips, was folded down
In perfect, purple state! since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said, "My Love, my own."

~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

unrequited

"A mighty pain to love it is,

And 'tis a pain that pain to miss;

But of all pains, the greatest pain

It is to love, but love in vain."

~Abraham Cowely

Funky Junk Sisters Fall Show~ Junk Salvation Oct 2010

The show was beautiful~ the people were amazing~ It was truly the best one yet, I am craving the next one already!  

seemed midnight at noonday

 
~john clare (1793-1864)
I ne'er was struck before that hour
With love so sudden and so sweet,
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower
And stole my heart away complete.
My face turned pale as deadly pale.
My legs refused to walk away,
And when she looked, what could I ail?
My life and all seemed turned to clay.

And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away,
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start-
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.

Are flowers the winter's choice?
Is love's bed always snow?
She seemed to hear my silent voice,
Not love's appeal to know.
I never saw so sweet a face
As that I stood before.
My heart has left it's dwelling-place
And can return no more.

 

The irony of love

 

"Loving the right person at the wrong time, having the wrong person when the time is right, and finding out you love someone right after that person walks out of your life...

Sometimes, you think you're already over a person, But when you see them smile at you, you'll suddenly realize that you're just pretending to be over them just to ease the pain of knowing that they will never be yours again...

For some, they think that letting go is one way of expressing how much you love the person...

Some are afraid to see the one they love being held by someone else... Most relationships tend to fail not because the absence of love - love is always present. It's just that one was being loved too much and the other was being loved too little...

As we all know the heart is the center of the body but it beats on the left. Maybe that's the reason why the heart is not always right...

Most often, we fall in love with the person we think we love but to only discover that for them, we are just for past times, while the one who truly loves us remains either a friend or a stranger...

So here's a piece of advice: Let go when you're hurting too much. Give up when love isn't enough, and move on when things are not like before... For sure, there is someone out there who will love you even more..."

breath not a whisper

 

"breath not a whisper~ thou unhappy one, Whither so secret away?"

~W. de la Mare

The bell struck one and shook the silent tower

 

The bell struck one, and shook the silent tower;
The graves give up their dead: fair Elenor
Walk'd by the castle gate, and lookèd in.
A hollow groan ran thro' the dreary vaults.
She shriek'd aloud, and sunk upon the steps,
On the cold stone her pale cheeks. Sickly smells
Of death issue as from a sepulchre,
And all is silent but the sighing vaults.

Chill Death withdraws his hand, and she revives;
Amaz'd, she finds herself upon her feet,
And, like a ghost, thro' narrow passages
Walking, feeling the cold walls with her hands.

Fancy returns, and now she thinks of bones
And grinning skulls, and corruptible death
Wrapp'd in his shroud; and now fancies she hears
Deep sighs, and sees pale sickly ghosts gliding.

At length, no fancy but reality
Distracts her. A rushing sound, and the feet
Of one that fled, approaches--Ellen stood
Like a dumb statue, froze to stone with fear.

The wretch approaches, crying: `The deed is done;
Take this, and send it by whom thou wilt send;
It is my life--send it to Elenor:--
He's dead, and howling after me for blood!

`Take this,' he cried; and thrust into her arms
A wet napkin, wrapp'd about; then rush'd
Past, howling: she receiv'd into her arms
Pale death, and follow'd on the wings of fear.

They pass'd swift thro' the outer gate; the wretch,
Howling, leap'd o'er the wall into the moat,
Stifling in mud. Fair Ellen pass'd the bridge,
And heard a gloomy voice cry `Is it done?'

As the deer wounded, Ellen flew over
The pathless plain; as the arrows that fly
By night, destruction flies, and strikes in darkness.
She fled from fear, till at her house arriv'd.

Her maids await her; on her bed she falls,
That bed of joy, where erst her lord hath press'd:
`Ah, woman's fear!' she cried; `ah, cursèd duke!
Ah, my dear lord! ah, wretched Elenor!

`My lord was like a flower upon the brows
Of lusty May! Ah, life as frail as flower!
O ghastly death! withdraw thy cruel hand,
Seek'st thou that flow'r to deck thy horrid temples?

`My lord was like a star in highest heav'n
Drawn down to earth by spells and wickedness;
My lord was like the opening eyes of day
When western winds creep softly o'er the flowers;

`But he is darken'd; like the summer's noon
Clouded; fall'n like the stately tree, cut down;
The breath of heaven dwelt among his leaves.
O Elenor, weak woman, fill'd with woe!'

Thus having spoke, she raisèd up her head,
And saw the bloody napkin by her side,
Which in her arms she brought; and now, tenfold
More terrifièd, saw it unfold itself.

Her eyes were fix'd; the bloody cloth unfolds,
Disclosing to her sight the murder'd head
Of her dear lord, all ghastly pale, clotted
With gory blood; it groan'd, and thus it spake:

`O Elenor, I am thy husband's head,
Who, sleeping on the stones of yonder tower,
Was 'reft of life by the accursèd duke!
A hirèd villain turn'd my sleep to death!

`O Elenor, beware the cursèd duke;
O give not him thy hand, now I am dead;
He seeks thy love; who, coward, in the night,
Hirèd a villain to bereave my life.'

She sat with dead cold limbs, stiffen'd to stone;
She took the gory head up in her arms;
She kiss'd the pale lips; she had no tears to shed;
She hugg'd it to her breast, and groan'd her last.

~William Blake

the vampyre

 

The Vampyre

Near the cliff's sharp edge, on high

Standing out against the sky,

Dost thou see a ruined cross

Weatherstained, o'ergrown by moss,

Gloomy, desolate, forsaken,

By unnumbered tempests shaken?

Not a blade of grass grows nigh it,

Not a peasant lingers by it.

E'en the sombre bird of night

Shuns it in her darksome flight,

Startled by the piteous groan

That arises from the stone.

All around, on starless nights,

Myriad hosts of livid lights

Flicker fretfully, revealing

At its foot a phantom, kneeling

Whilst it jabbers dismal plaints,

Cursing God and all the saints.

Tardy traveller, beware

Of that spectre gibbering there;

Close your eyes, and urge your steed

To the utmost of his speed;--

For beneath that cross, I ween,

Lies a Vampyre's corpse, obscene! 
~

Though the night is black and cold

Love's fond story, often told,

Floats in whispers through the air.

Stalwart youth and maiden fair

Seal sweet vows of ardent passion

With their lips, in lovers' fashion. 
Restless, pale, a shape I see

Hov'ring nigh; what may it be?

'Tis a charger, white as snow,

Pacing slowly to and fro

Like a sentry. As he turns

Haughtily the sward he spurns.

'Leave me not, beloved, tonight!

Stay with me till morning's light!'

Weeping, thus besought the maid;

'Love, my soul is sore afraid!

Brave not the dread Vampyre's power,

Mightiest at this mystic hour!'

Not a word he spake, but prest

The sobbing maiden to his breast;

Kissed her lips and cheeks and eyes

Heedless of her tears and sighs;

Waved his hand, with gesture gay,

Mounted--smiled--and rode away.

~

Who rides across the dusky plain

Tearing along with might and main

Like some wild storm-fiend, in his flight

Nursed on the ebony breast of Night?

'Tis he, who left her in her need--

Her lover, on his milk-white steed!

The blast in all its savage force

Strives to o'erthrow the gallant horse

That snorts defiance to his foe

And struggles onward. See! below

The causeway, 'long the river-side

A thousand flutt'ring flamelets glide!

Now they approach, and now recede,

Still followed by the panting steed;

He nears the ruined cross! A crash,

A piteous cry, a heavy splash,

And in the rocky river-bed

Rider and horse lie crushed and dead.

Then from those dismal depths arise

Blaspheming yells and strident cries

Re-echoing through the murky air.

And, like a serpent from its lair,

Brandishing high a blood-stained glaive

The Vampyre rises from his grave!

~Vasile Alecsandri

les vampires

 

Les Vampires 1915

Of the moonless nights they are kings,

darkness is their kingdom.

Carrying death and sowing terror...

the dark Vampires fly,

with great suede wings,

ready not only to do evil...

but to do even worse

the stranger

 

In the woods as I did walk,
Dappled with the moon's beam,
I did with a Stranger talk,
And his name was Dream.

Spurred his heel, dark his cloak,
Shady-wide his bonnet's brim;
His horse beneath a silvery oak
Grazed as I talked with him.

Softly his breast-brooch burned and shone;
Hill and deep were in his eyes;
One of his hands held mine, and one
The fruit that makes men wise.

Wondrously strange was earth to see,
Flowers white as milk did gleam;
Spread to Heaven the Assyrian Tree,
Over my head with Dream.

Dews were still betwixt us twain;
Stars a trembling beauty shed;
Yet--not a whisper comes again
Of the words he said.

~Walter De La Mare

Flea Market Fridays

flea market fridays hosted by Kecia of Lemoncholy's Flight of Fancy 

Looky what I found Find a flea Market anywhere!! www.findafleamarket.com

Lemoncholey's Flea Market Fridays

 
The lovely Kecia of Lemoncholeys Flight of Fancy is hosting a fine event every friday!  Sharing photos of our vintage finds!!  Please see her amazing blog to find out more details~ 

here is some treasures I have found recently.....