My View of the World

This is the view from my beach chair, April 2, about noon, North Myrtle Beach, SC. Obviously, it is a little deserted. And I am fine with that. Trying to learn to relax. So far, so good.

Is This (Vacation) Art?

Sunrise. Sunrise. Sunset. Sunset. Sunset. Swiftly flow the years. One season following another.....

Just playing around with my photo editing settings on vacation at North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Vacation: Day Four; Inland forecast? 90 degrees

On learning how to relax again on vacation

Loads of laundry done 3*
Beds made 0
Dishwasher loads 0
Times used Windex 0
Sunscreen bought 1
Aloe vera bought 1
Bananas consumed 3
Ankles twisted 1
Photos taken 200
Photos uploaded 40
Books read 0
Art projects done 0
Trips to the grocery 3
Seafood eaten 0**
Sunny days 3/3
Wine purchased 1***
Wine consumed 0
Number of colors in living room 27
Number of naps 0
Number of burkas or muumuus required for beach 1
Number of burkas or muumuus brought 0
Number of horrific, white, beached whales spotted 1
Number of great white sharks caught in North Myrtle Beach and reeled in 2****
Number of books or magazines able to read on beach with new sunglasses 0
Number of cleaning efforts (any kind) made so far 0
Number of favorite spots torn down: several
Number of backsides now burned 1
Times coming in for bottled water - several
People on beach - 1 gazillion + assorted dogs
Dogs seen:
Boxer and dalmation mix 1
Dachshund 1
Golden lab - 1
Yorkies- 12 (or maybe it's the same one)
Shitzus- 2
Whippet 1
Puggle 1
Corgi 1
Misc 10
Cats 0
Minutes spent gazing at ebay 0
Bad hair days 3/3

* stacking apartment size appliances (cute, though)
** yet
*** juice box size and shape, in fact, it is wine in a juice box
**** that I know of

Beach update

6:35 a.m. 04.05.10. Woke up, decided to try sunrise pictures. Captured spooky white circle (sun wasn't up yet and moon was behind me). Went back to bed.

How not to go on vacation?

Ahhhh! North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Arrived April 2. This is approximately my 40th visit in 25 years. This vacation was so needed; doctor's orders even. I haven't blogged here lately or posted (or made) much art. Haven't been feeling too creative or inspired or energetic.

So, I thought I would bring plenty of inspirational supplies, reading material and the like on vacation. The pics above don't even include the four Blythe dolls I brought to photograph and all of their belongings and props. But what you do see are enough supplies to knit, crochet, embroider, paint with acrylics, paint with watercolors, draw with charcoal or graphite, and of course equipment to photograph, blog, listen to music or do real work.

I wonder if I need "help" in learning how to take a vacation? I didn't used to. Already I have a sunburn. That might be viewed as a positive in this situation. We shall see. More to come...

First Day in North Myrtle Beach

Fifteen hours of driving were rewarded with lots of clouds and rain, so after a brief nap and laying in of supplies, we decided to venture out to see what has changed in six months. The Hard Rock Amusement Park is supposed to open in May, but it hardly looks ready. The park is located behind the now-defunct Waccamaw Park Outlet Mall, which was my first haunt 23 years ago. The mall featured two buildings and a third was built in the late 80's/early 90s. Now, it still stands in front of this new mammoth park. So one assumes it will soon be torn down.

Opening today, however, is the Market Commons- upscale shopping and dining- another amazing addition, considering Myrtle Beach just welcomed the state's largest indoor mall only about three or so years ago. Market Commons looks a lot like the outdoor mega-malls I see in the Midwest like Easton Town Square in Columbus, OH or Clay Terrace in Indianapolis, IN. I believe Charleston, SC also has one of these just two hours up the road. PF Chang's is calling my name for this week, for sure.

Tonight, however, was a pizza-in night, in light of the weather, driving and Final Four. I did manage to squeeze in a couple of art supply stores today: AC Moore ( a big box store), Artful Legacy, a great rubber stamp and altered arts store I saw for the first time, and Moonstone Beads, in the same plaza as Artful Legacy. How convenient is that? I hope to head there again later in the week.

Who Wants to Go Out when You can Just Nest?

I'm nesting when I should be flying. Something like that. I have to go to St. Louis Monday for a three-day trip for work, and instead of packing, or even making list, all I can think about is making nests. That, and finishing about a gazillion other art projects by Sunday night, or at least before my plane takes off Monday morning.

I did devote some time to shopping Friday night and Saturday, which is one of the first times I have ventured to a mall, or a non artsy-store since well before Christmas. I think my last clothes shopping adventure was October in Myrtle Beach. I've just been nesting throughout this relentless Midwest winter- which makes that first spring shopping trip that much more difficult. But enough about that- (I could have once had a shopping blog!)- now, back to nesting.

The pink birdie in the photo second from the top started my obsession. This one was actually made on the same Myrtle Beach vacation as the aforementioned shopping trip. I just recently sold it on ebay, and discovering other people liked little birdies in little nesties spurred me on to make more. So, The Little Love Bird above has been sent to my etsy site http://www.hpsgsmith.etsy.com/.

Heather of Speckled Egg's Sweet Little Nest Swap http://speckled-egg.blogspot.com/ encouraged me further with her swap, and the darling nest I got from Sarah of http://gypsymermaidlife.blogspot.com/ just added to the frenzy of hunting and gathering. So, If course one assignment was to make Sarah a nest in return (green birdie above). You can't see it, but it has a great rhinestone brooch to add sparkle to the front.

Then, I spied a darling paper clay Easter chickie paper box made by Vivian of http://vivs-whimsy.blogspot.com/ and I asked her if she would like to trade for something. Sure enough, she asked for one of my pink curly bird nests, so that's her nest above also, "Little Miss Whimsy," with her "sneak peek" being the first photo. Vivian! Stop reading, and close your eyes!

I have two birdies and nests left to do- a yellow bird and a tan one, that one of my cats had a little fun with when I wasn't looking. That one will need a lot of vintage baubles added!

I'd keep going, but I have yet to make a handmade poetry journal for fellow ZNE Artists and Poets member Allison Berringer, http://musingsofnosilla.blogspot.com/ in our journal swap. This, too, needs to go out Monday, flying off to Canada and not to Missouri with me. A couple last packages have to be done up by tomorrow night-western US ephemera for ARTchick Jeri of http://artfulgathering.typepad.com/ and an ephemera and supply goody box for Teri aka pumpkinseedmama on Flickr, and ebay and etsy and swapbot and ZNE and wherever else we all hang out~ another great reason to nest ~ the internet art and blogging and buying/selling communities!

No Doppler. No Radar. Just Weather.

My Beautiful Day turned all Marilyn Manson (that would be ugly, sorry MM) on me in a flash, literally, with a big ol' thunderstorm, angry ocean and the whole War of the Worlds sky. I only wish I could have captured it better, but the rain was blowing in. Now, it's just the perfect time for a nap! If only the thunder were louder.

A U2 Day

It is absolutely gorgeous here at the beach. The Weather Channel has been wrong every day, and even though I had a dream about Marshall Seese the other night, I may have to change my allegiance. In fact, it is so hot and humid my camera keeps fogging up. I had to wipe between photos, and I don't like to touch my lens. The weather makes one think it is going to storm every night, but something about the shore and the tides and the shape of the coast and the phase of the moon seems to keep it at bay. Gobs of seaweed were washed up last night, which is the first time this week, so something was different.

I swam in the ocean yesterday. It was so fun to just let the big waves knock me over. It's been a few years since I've done that, and I quite forgot the water is salty! I hated to come out. It's such an easy way to get sun and so relaxing! I don't like it unless it is extra-warm, which it was. Something slinky went past my leg; it was either a shark or a leaf. Something big and black was leaping way out; either a shark or a dolphin. My foot got sucked into a mucky hole and went thrwap thrwap when I pulled it out; either a killer crab or muck. As you can see, I am a wee scaredy when it comes to ocean creatures, another reason I don't swim too often. A nest of water mocassins by our pier when I was about 15 scarred and scared me for life. But, hey, this is the Ocean.

So What IS it About Myrtle Beach?

So just what it is about Myrtle Beach, S.C., North Myrtle Beach to be exact, that would bring a 40-something here nearly 40 times in the last 22 years? Uncrowded and wildly pretty beaches? Dolphin sightings? Pre-Civil War history? Low country food? Outlet shopping? I do love it all and think Myrtle Beach and South Carolina in general have long taken a back seat to Florida when it comes to southern vacations.

However, MB has enjoyed steady traffic since post-WWII as northerners came straight down I-95 for fun in the sun. Canadians made the trek, too, as evidenced by MB's salute to them annually in March called Can-Am Days. In fact, in the 1940s-1960s The Grand Strand had its heyday, with teens piling in cars to drive across several states to come to The Pavillion - an amusement park on the ocean's edge. That landmark was just torn down this year and the site remains vacant with no current plans.

I can remember coming to Myrtle Beach in the mid-1980s when one could not drive down Ocean Avenue in the late spring for all the foot traffic, cruising cars and general mayhem. Not long before that, Myrtle Beach was home to the now-famous band Alabama (who would have followed a band named South Carolina?), who in their early days played spots like The Bowery and The Spanish Galleon and provided accompaniment for couples dancing The Shag. Thankfully, I am too young to know what that is, but it was created and made famous on the Grand Strand. Alabama paid homage to their MB roots by opening The Alabama Theatre and playing here several times a year. At one point they also opened an Alabama restaurant, but that has since become a Nascar Cafe, complete with driving experience, go-carts, big-name cars on site and bungee jumping (not sure of the tie-in? death, maybe?).

But, I don't come for any of these things. In fact, I've never been to any of the attractions I just mentioned. I do love the history. It's not hard to imagine shipping captains stopping here for the white sand beaches, and from there it's a short leap to thoughts of pirates, mermaids and all sorts of ghost legends, which run rampant here.

South Carolina in general also has plenty of Revolutionary and Civil War history, and although I haven't done it, I would love to visit some really old cemeteries. It's also not hard to see how South Carolina could have gone the way of the Confederacy and become it's own little country. The really old folks seem to recall those days fondly. The roadside shacks, although today a sign of severe poverty here, seem to harken back to those renegade times.

One place I have visited on several occasions is Brookgreen Gardens, one of the largest American sculpture gardens if not the largest US collection. Brookgreen Gardens was founded by sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband and their former summer home/mansion can be seen at Hutington Beach State Park. At Brookgreen, which I last saw in March, I particularly enjoyed Frog Baby, whose Baby cousin (I guess) is a famous statue full of lore at my alma mater, Ball State University. I also really liked AHH's huge aluminum sculpture of Don Quixote, which appealed to the Spanish major in me, having read that a time or two and doing a couple papers on Miguel de Cervantes' hero/anti-hero.

Shelling is not the best here, at least not anymore. Twenty-five years ago we could find whole, large sand dollars and starfish, best found after a storm and more likely up the coast in North Carolina, at Sunset Beach or Holden Beach. It has been so long since I have found a whole shell bigger than one inch! Certainly, shelling is better in Florida, at places like Sanibel, Bradenton and others.

South Carolina also seems to have a more specific "menu" than the melting pot that is Florida. Low country cuisine includes very certain things and preparation styles. When I'm here, I say, bring on the cold boiled shrimp, the hush puppies and honey butter and those with a stronger constitution will add the collard greens, fried green tomatoes, crawfish, sweet tea and key lime pie (also a Florida specialty). Dining in MB is so popular there are caution lights and warning signs for driving on "Restaurant Row" during the dinner hour. Now, there is every possible chain restaurant and fewer and fewer famous local spots. Ella's in Calabash, NC, "just up the road" remains open for glorious fried seafood.

Sitting on the beach is of course a favorite and famous past-time here, made more enjoyable by the fact that the beaches are usually not too crowded, except during high season of June-August. Even then, it is not as elbow-to-elbow as Hilton Head, four hours to the south, or anywhere in Florida for that matter. But, in spring or fall, my favorites here and at home, one can sit on the beach, lie in the sun all day and not be bothered by anyone near. There are relatively few boats, fishermen, no motorized traffic allowed, no vendors hawking anything and only the occasional airplane with an advertising banner trailing after.

When I first came here, I used to think Myrtle Beach was only for "old" people. Now that it appears I may be one of "them," I see the last 22 years have taught me a lot about this favorite second home, and it is also much easier to see MB offers a lot for young people, children, adults, seniors and even late-night bloggers and artist wannabees. Something for everyone.

Shadow Boxing and Absurd Theatre

All my little beach treasures and mermaid paraphernalia got put to good use tonight- in my beach shadowbox and my Mermaid Theatre: What Arial and Flounder Did Next. I had such fun using my beach finds: rocks, shells, sand, feathers, driftwood and some purchased goodies, like vintage postcards, beads and pieces of net. The theatre box I painted with Liquitex Baltic Green and Pearl Ex Duo Green-Yellow as well as Gesso. Inside I added vintage clip art, green micro beads, pieces of bamboo, sponge, driftwood, a 3-D Mermaid with tatas enhanced by beads and "diamond"-tipped head pins. There's also a tiny message in a bottle (inserted by me) caught on an old fishing hook which is caught in an old net, that also wrangled up some driftwood and shells.

So what does one do with a Mermaid Theatre, you ask? I've planned all along to send both pieces off for hopeful publication in one of my favorite art mags, and when they return, I am sure there's a little girl somewhere who would like it. The shadow box is for my office, unless I cave in and give it for a gift. There are a lot of beach-loving Smiths.

YOU are HERE. X Marks the Spot

Okay, wait a minute. Sorry. That's actually ME and I am HERE and that X is a starfish (okay from a placemat). But, still, I am at The Beach and that's the view out of one of two sets of patio doors. We've been coming to this same condo in North Myrtle Beach, SC once or twice a year for 22 years, having scored one of those friend-of-a-friend deals. Rental used to be $10 a night for 2BR, 2BT, first floor, ocean front. Now it's up to $60. Oooh! Is everyone jealous? Come on down, the water's fine. Truly! October is a great month to swim in the ocean, and it's about 80F and sunny right now. Gotta run....

Card-making

The cards below are some I made for Stampington.com with nautical elements and stamps by Christine Adolph in hopes of getting published in The Stampers' Sampler or Take Ten, both great publications!

Speaking of the beach...

My Beach

Here are a few photos I took this spring at North Myrtle Beach, my vacation spot since 1985. Lost count of the visits. Heading back in Oct. Great for chilling. (Do adults say 'chilling'?) I am sure there are some other readers, like one Judi, who will tell me it is not my beach!