It has been my experience that for the most part, Arabian horse owners and breeders are not the audience for my giant contemporary futuristic Arabian horse paintings.

It is not that the Arabian horse crowd does not appreciate beauty and aesthetics, because they do.

It is just that they prefer their aesthetics to be in a more realistic, illustrative, standard style of art depicting the Arabian horse, ideally, their own personal horse or horses. They are quite willing to spend enormous sums of money on a traditional well rendered portrait or bronze of their beloved horse.  This is understandable.

Horses are their passion, not necessarily contemporary fine art, and one does not have anything to do with the other.

Inspiration for Painting "Vitorio" Midwest Arabian Horse Farm

Original Arabian Horse Painting 48" X 36"

Arabian Horse Painting by Karen King

So why do I paint so many Arabian horses when I am constantly saying my art is not about horses and why do I abstract them when I am quite capable painting them with precise super-realism if I choose too.

“You better shop around, good-looking horse paintings come a dime a dozen” and any artist with technical skills and a dose of talent can paint a realistic looking horse.

This video link is a bit off point for this blog posting but it is so gloriously “kitsch” because “It’s a joke son”; I could not resist.

Inspiration for Painting "Amir Jamaal" Hawks Flight Arabian Horse Farm

Original Arabian Horse Painting 36" X 48"

Original Arabian Horse Painting 36" X 48"

My art is NOT about horses.  It is about “Strength of Spirit”.  My goal is not to paint a horse. It is to create a work of art that communicates a message.

The beauty and symbolism of the Arabian horse combined with a fearless kinetic technique, creates a work of art with so much energy and life force that it is palpable.

Sophisticated art collectors get this.  They don’t particularly care that the subject of the painting is an Arabian horse; however, they appreciate the symbolism which adds another layer of meaning to the work.  If they have a special affinity for horses, so much the better.

 THEY are my audience.

So are little kids.

The tiniest of toddlers are CONSTANTLY trying to drag their robotic parents over to look at my giant futuristic horse paintings.  I take this as the highest and purest of compliments.

Teenagers seem to be drawn to these paintings as well.  This has been my consistent firsthand observation.

Neither has the means to purchase art at this point in their lives but never the less it communicates to them and they revel in it because they feel the uplifting energy which lends power and hope.

Young people need to know that there is more good, and more love in this world, than ignorance and evil.

It is the unsung heroes that carry the fate and salvation of humanity and one person can indeed start a snowball effect of good because, love and kindness trumps all.

Even if I won the mega lottery tomorrow, I would still paint these horses because this is what I have to offer.

Arabian horses are so ethereal in their beauty they don’t even look real.  They look like exaggerated fairy tale horses with those big expressive eyes, delicate dished faces, and dragon like necks.  They are also smart, playful, and family oriented, like big puppy dogs.  I find them irresistible and like any artist, I am prejudiced toward my muse.

Exquisite Arabian Horse From Midwest Farms

Original Arabian Horse Painting 36" X 24"

I guess I have always falsely assumed that my appreciation for Arabian horses and the use of them in my art will automatically communicate to the Arabian horse crowd, but this is not necessarily the case.

I have been “beating a dead horse with a stick” by directing my marketing to them, when they are not my audience.

I love the expression, ”beating a dead horse with a stick”, especially since I paint horses with sticks that I find on the ground.

So what now?

Art Basel, are you still out there?

UH OH, I DON’T THINK SO!

BECAUSE,

“IT’S STILL A JOKE SON!” 

"Art Basil" Fine Art Print

I don’t paint chickens and Looney Tunes characters on horses to be cute.  There is a method to my madness (calculated irreverence and truth) and if you are curious to know why then please read my previous blog posting ART BASEL MIAMI “IT’S A JOKE SON!”

http://artistkarenking.com/art-basel-miami-%E2%80%9Cit%E2%80%99s-a-joke-son%E2%80%9D

WARNER BROTHERS please note that this is not about your chicken but by all means sue me anyway

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

and

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/chick-fil-a-eat-more-kale_n_1116695.html

Am I from an alternate Universe? 

Oh well, if I am, I am not alone.  Everywhere I look I see funny wonderful people and animals amidst awe-inspiring beauty.

What do you see when you look around?

If you won the lottery tomorrow and you did not have to work for a living, what would you do?

What would give your life meaning and purpose?

Feel Free to post your thoughts below.

We can learn so much from animals. 

Animals (unlike people) don’t recognize handicaps.  

Animals comfort us, play with us, love, listen to, and adore us, and sometimes literally keep us going, when the going gets tough.

When I was in Junior high I used to skip lunch in school so I could go to the library and read poetry. This gave me somewhere to go and something to do since I did not have any friends to sit with in the lunchroom.

I was one of those invisible kids, pretty much a loner through my miserable teenage years.

I did however have special animal friends, and they were my salvation.

I would like to qualify my childhood and say that I had, and still have the most fabulous parents. In fact, my “young” childhood was quite idyllic.  My parents allowed me a childhood of trust, freedom, inspiring art, music, and of course all the pets, wild and otherwise, that I brought home.  Animals were my friends and comfort.

I just did NOT understand at the time, what my purpose in life was, and why I had to go through the ridiculous stage of being an awkward confused teenager.

I remember thinking here I am, trapped in this weird teenage body going to this stupid school with shallow idiots that only care about being popular.  WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!

I had no idea at the time that we are all in this together.

I think I was simply ahead of myself.

Now I understand.

When I was young I said that when I grew up I  was not going to get married.  I wanted to live alone in the wilderness in the mountains with no one except the animals ( yes, sounds kind of uni-bomberish ). 

The funny thing is that now I live in the wilderness in the mountains with not only lots of animals, but a wonderful husband and my 13 year old daughter.

BUT OK, “My Kingdom for the Ritz Carlton” (proof that I am not a Uni-bomber)!

The Ritz in Sarasota was a great place to go dancing. I now go dancing at the neighborhood how-downs in my “Harper Valley PTA” Lady GaGa outfits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOZPBUu7Fro.

I love to affectionately “Sock it too my little tiny town” every chance I get; it makes them smile; we are all this it together.

I may be a fearless Mountain Madonna but I still love my stilettos as much as my snow boots.

I will always love poetry.

I also adore wonderful quotes, and I LIVE for a good pun.

“My Kingdom for a Horse” (I don’t think so; I have plenty of them); I just love that quote. That one was Shakespeare and  I actually do say it quite often.

Original Horse Paintings

Now back to the point of this blog posting.

I remember reading a poem  one day as a child many years ago, that particularly resonated with me.  I think I was actually in elementary school at the time because I was really young.

The poem enchanted and intrigued me, haunting my thoughts through out my entire life. I could not remember the name of the poem or who is was written by and I wondered about it for years.

Recently I found this poem and low and behold it turns out it is part of a most famous poem called “Song of Myself” http://www.princeton.edu/~batke/logr/log_026.html  by Walt Whitman.  

Here is the excerpt from Section 32 of “Song of Myself” that I was so drawn to as a child:

So there it is.  That’s it.

I was just a little kid when I first read this but obviously the poetry of Walt Whitman transcends time and speaks directly to ones soul which is ageless.

Now let me tell you a story about “Galena”, my daughters little cattress as it relates to this poem.

It all started when my 21 year old daughter thought that she would like to have a cat but she was not going to actively seek one.  She said that if one just sort of fell into her life, and it happened to be a little black and white female, well, she would consider it.  For the record, she did not specify a preference for the number of arms or legs the cat possessed. 

The Universe being the Universe, and a postulate being a postulate, her wish was soon granted.

We happened to be visiting Sarasota Florida Summer before last when suddenly my husband who is a veterinarian, received a distressed call from one of his clients.

A kitten had just been violently thrown from a car in front of her, at full speed onto the hard hot asphalt of the highway.

EVIL exists.

But so does awareness, kindness, compassion, love, and heroism.

She saw the kitten hit hard, spinning and rolling in the road. 

 Horrified, she pulled over and swept the damaged little creature up.

 As it turns out, along with cuts, scrapes, and bruises, the kittens arm hung limply and useless from its little body. 

The Angel of mercy who rescued the kitten already had several cats, so she wanted to find it a loving home, not an easy thing to do, especially for a damaged kitten possibly needing costly medical care.

My husband (the veterinarian)  took our daughter to meet the kitten.  When our daughter picked up the quiet little sad looking creature, it just melted into her; it was love.

For several weeks the kittens arm hung limply but we held out hope it might heal. Over time however there was no improvement. When my husband determined for certain, that the forelimb had too much nerve damage to ever recover use, he decided to amputate it.

He did surgery and removed her arm all the way up to the shoulder.  He spade her at the same time.  An hour or so later he brought her in the house where upon, she  hopped, romped, and ran around on three legs, playing like nothing had ever happened.

She is now a happy, trusting, fearless, loving, precious little thing and the love of my daughters life.

Having three legs does not slow her down at all or keep her from doing anything she wishes.  She can even wash both sides of her face by using the front as well as the back of her one front paw. I curiously observed this.

She does NOT recognize her handicap.

Therefore, it is NOT a handicap.

I love this about animals. I love animals.

And I love Walt Whitman’s timeless poetry.

Do you have an animal or a poem that has touched your life and inspired you?

Please do tell!  Write your comments below.

Do you believe in divine signs from the Universe?

I love seeing things for myself and indulging in the luxurious (not always scientific) proof of my knowingness.

I recently received an email with a picture of what are supposedly the hands of God opening the sky.

It looked like a mediocre photo shop job to me but never-the–less I enjoyed looking at it and it got me thinking about how cool it would actually be to get some kind of sign from above, be it God, Jesus, Buddha, a deceased relative, pet, kindred spirit in another dimension, the Universe, someone, something, anyone, anything.

I did Google that picture of the hands in the clouds and immediately ran into lots of different people claiming to have taken it, and many claiming to have photo-shopped it. See http://www.hoax-slayer.com/hands-of-god.html.

I remember reading an article in Time Magazine some years ago, about Mother Teresa entitled, “Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith” by David Van Biema Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007.

What struck me about this article was that it talked about how Mother Teresa felt alone and empty, having no sign from a silent God.
Read the article at : http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1655720,00.html#ixzz1bumDi498

I know you can’t believe everything you read, but even the idea of Mother Teresa feeling as though she was getting no acknowledgement or feedback from her God, was quite shocking and sad.

I am always pondering the meaning of life, as well as my own purpose and place in the Universe.

I believe I have a pretty good idea of my purpose or purposes.

One of my purposes is to be supportive, encouraging, and uplifting to my family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, animals, and really all creatures great and small.

Most people are good, however I have no false illusions, or tolerance for downright evil or for those that cowardly bully and attempt to suppress others because of their own ignorance, fears, and insecurities.  I am no Mother Teresa.

My other purpose is to create positive, uplifting art depicting strength of spirit, symbolized by the horse, to bring joy, strength, beauty, light, and inspiration into the lives of people.

Is this what I am supposed to be doing?    

I recently opened a small fine art gallery in Santa Fe called the Santa Fe Pony Express and I was wondering if it is the right thing to do.

Running the gallery in Santa Fe takes me away from my home for weeks at a time. I keep painting horses, taking care of horses, hauling them around with me, talking to them, trying to help them find their families, trying to help their families find them, etc. etc.

It is not without sacrifice and effort but I refuse to give up. It seems like I have been working on this forever, constantly counting on the fact that my ship is coming in from the stormy seas, ideally in my current lifetime.  It is such a drag for an artist to have to die to become a recognized sought after success; what fun is that?

The other night while in Santa Fe, I could not sleep and I was bored so I decided to play a game I call “looking at pictures”.  I simply close my eyes and watch the slide show of images that pass before me in my own mind. 

The most important rule of the game is that I am willing to look at what ever presents itself.  Sometimes it is beautiful scenery, sometimes it is alien creatures, strangers, weird things, etc.  There is no rhyme or reason to what floats by as far as I can tell which is what makes looking at the images so fascinating.

Anyway, on this particular night I kept seeing the head of a horse, particularly the beautiful expressive eye, even though is was more of the essence of an image than a clear cut picture.  But I definitely kept sensing the head and face of a horse hovering a few inches in front of me.

The next day it was finally time for me to leave Santa Fe and drive back to my home and family in Colorado.  It takes a little more than three hours and is a gorgeous drive through the mountains and valleys of the Great Southwest.  I drive right through the middle of “The Faraway” as George O’Keefe called it.

So I am driving and thinking about signs from above like the picture of the hands opening the clouds and I thought to myself how cool it would be to actually see and experience a sign from above.

It was a beautiful day, lots of billowy clouds, and so on I drove.  I put my favorite CD on.  I call it the Santa “Fe Pony Express Road Trip”.  It is an eclectic mix of songs I bought individually off the music sights online and compiled them in a flavorful order.

About 2 hours into the trip I was just driving, listening to music, and not really thinking about anything in particular that I can remember. 

Suddenly up in the sky before me in the distance was the most beautiful horse jumping up through the clouds.  It was a silvery blue gray and it had a beautiful white flowing tail.  I couldn’t believe it.  I thought about pulling over and rummaging for my camera but within seconds it had changed as clouds will do.

I thought to myself, “Did I really just see this”?  Is this a sign? No, it couldn’t be, could it?  It is probably just a coincidence.  As I was thinking these thoughts, the sky suddenly displayed the most beautiful rainbow of iridescent colors in the clouds, like the colors of a rainbow but it was not a rainbow.  This lasted only a half a minute or so.

I thought to myself again about how I had asked for a sign, and yet here I was doubting it.

One thing I know for certain is that if I was to receive the sign of my dreams, it could not have been more beautiful or poignant then the horse in the clouds.

I can still clearly see it in my minds eye as I type this blog.  Maybe some day I will paint it.

So that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I guess I will keep painting horses.

Do you believe in divine signs from the Universe, or perhaps maybe from yourself?

I would love to hear any stories you may have so please do tell.

THE PEOPLE WHISPERER

I don’t know what it is about this horse but for some reason people are CRAZY for this horse.

Original horse painting

The Santa Fe Pony Express is full of fanciful, flamboyant, flirtatious, Arabian horses prancing around showing off in all their glittering glamorous glory.

BUT for some reason people are drawn to this simple, quiet, stoic, brown horse.

It’s name is “Sarasota Bay” and honestly I don’t know if it is male or female but I kind of like not knowing.

What I do know for certain is that this horse is a PEOPLE WHISPERER!

The Santa Fe Pony Express is now offering this captivating horse as a museum quality 19″ X 20″ giclee reproduction print on fine art paper with a hand torn deckle edge and archival ink.

We also offer this horse and several others in an artist hand embellished version which makes each print a one of a kind original.

A COLLECTORS DREAM HORSE!

Embellished fine art print

I actually use a REAL paintbrush and acrylic paints to add tons of extra flowing mane and tail which cascades outside the borders of the image.  I also paint subtle, shimmering, strands of highlights which catch the light, enhancing the life and energy of the image.

That's me embellishing the fine art print

The funny thing is that I actually hand paint the prints {the old fashioned way} as opposed to the original paintings which I don’t even touch because they are created by spraying, dripping, and splashing paint from above; their are NO brushstrokes on the original paintings.

BY THE WAY: Congratulations to the proud new owners of “The Yearling”.

This endearing, adorable young horse has been following me around like a puppy dog all of it’s life.

"The Yearling" original horse painting

As much as Shelley and I were getting tired of letting this “heavy” horse in and out of the gallery all day for fresh air, we will miss this precious joyful yearling.

BUT he is so EXCITED and happy to be with his new family. They are avid art collectors and are absolutely thrilled with their new addition.

The Yearling is now where he truly belongs, in a loving home of his own.

When I was little I wanted to be a boy because I thought they had more fun, freedom, and choices.

I liked hunting for turtles and snakes barefoot in the swampy East Texas lakes. I would chase water moccasins and flip them out of the water with a stick, just for fun.

I liked climbing to the tops of the tallest trees (the death zone) in 10 seconds flat with my pet raccoon.

I liked running faster than the wind and riding wild horses bareback at full speed through the woods with nothing but a tangle of mane to hold on too.

I WAS FEARLESS!

When I was little I thought these were boy things.  Now I realize these things have nothing to do with gender.

I HATED BEING A TEENAGER!

Navigating the teen years can be really difficult for girls.  It can be a bizarre and confusing shifting of gears.

Girls often struggle with maintaining their identity, confidence, hopes, dreams, and sense of power, in a world that seems to value stereotypical appearance over talent and personal integrity.  Peer pressure can be brutal.

It is vitally important that girls feel empowered from the very beginning.  A sense of inner strength and self confidence will serve anyone well for life.

Santa Fe has a phenomenal non-profit program for girls 5 to 18.  It is called “Girls Inc. of Santa Fe”. http://www.girlsincofsantafe.org Their mission is:

“INSPIRING ALL GIRLS TO BE STRONG, SMART, AND BOLD.

GIRLS INC. HAS A BILL OF RIGHTS.

Girls have the right to:

• Be themselves & to resist gender stereotypes

• Express themselves with originality & enthusiasm

• Take risks, strive freely, take pride in success

• Accept & appreciate their bodies

• Have confidence in themselves & be safe in the world

• Prepare for interesting work & economic independence

Here is a link to “ways adults can help girls achieve their rights”

http://www.girlsincofsantafe.org/uploads/PDF/Ways_Adult_Can_Help_Girls_Achieve_Their_Rights.pdf

To find out more about Girls Inc. of Santa Fe and see how you can contribute, go to

http://www.girlsincofsantafe.org

The SANTA FE PONY EXPRESS is honored to be participating in the 39^th annual Girls Inc. of Santa Fe Art Show and fundraiser on the Historic Santa Fe Plaza.  It is the 3^rd largest juried art show in Santa Fe.  It features the works of over 250 national and local artists.

I will personally be “Pony expressing” a number of my giant original equestrian paintings to booth #85 for this event.

I am so excited about the concept of “Girls Inc.” because my work is really not about horses.  It is about “STRENGHT OF SPIRIT” and all girls should be inspired to be STRONG, SMART, AND BOLD.

When I was little, I wish I had known it was not only OK, but SUPER COOL to be a girl.

If I had known this then, I would not have been a boy.

Here is a YouTube link to a song by Dar Williams. When I first heard this song I felt she had written it for me, but I know I am not alone.

WHEN I WAS A BOY

http://www.youtube.com/embed/BE5YzRr9yPo?rel=0

The Santa Fe Pony Express is New It is an artist owned fine art gallery outlet located in the heart of Santa Fe’s own beloved “Jackalope”* which everyone knows is more fun than a barrel of prairie dogs and a “must do” when visiting Santa Fe.

The Pony Express features the legendary horses of the Kinghale Gallery by world renowned artist Karen King, at special express pricing. You will also find “one of a kind” handmade jewelry by artist Karen King.

Santa Fe Pony Express also offers the “Tender Heart Ranch” Collection, an eclectic collection of Southwest inspired treasures from design artist, co-owner, and longtime Santa Fe resident Shelley Hale.

THE BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!

Want the biggest bang for your buck on some of the most exciting cutting edge original fine art on the planet?  “Look out” Canyon Road, the Pony Express is about to give you a run for your money. Our fearless, fiery, futuristic ponies have stunning style, stamina and star quality.  They have big brave hearts and will not be beat.

All the original selected equestrian paintings you see featured in our charming little “Jack-shack”  at Jackalope are 50% off regular gallery pricing.

HOW AND WHY CAN WE OFFER THESE MAJESTIC HORSES AT SUCH SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS?

1. You are purchasing directly from the artist so there is no middleman.
2. Our overhead is a fraction of what most galleries are saddled with;  we pass the savings directly to you
3. In the spirit of quality and value in this economy, everyone deserves the best deal.
4. It is time to cull the herd and do some horse-tradin.

This reduced pricing is no reflection on the quality, integrity, or personality of the individual horses offered so don’t tell your new horse you bought him or her on sale. Each horse is chomping at the bit to find a home and a family to love, honor, and cherish.

These horses grace the walls of some of the finest homes, businesses, penthouses, and palaces around the world, including Dubai and the UAE.  They are valued for their cutting edge futuristic style, hurricane force energy, and uplifting message.

From Karen; I now live and paint in Colorado so I literally “Pony Express” or drive a herd of ponies from Pagosa Springs to Santa Fe through the “Faraway” as Georgia O’Keefe called it. It is some of the most breathtaking landscape of the Great Southwest and truly an inspiring and spiritual experience.

THE PONY EXPRESS RIDES AGAIN!

http://santafeponyexpress.com

info@santafeponyexpress.com

*Jackalope is located at 2820 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe, NM 87507-2303

I Had A Farm In Africa

I Had An Art Gallery In Sarasota

Sarasota Florida, home of the famous “Ringling school of art and design” is known as a cultural gem by the ocean.  It boasts the Ringling Museum, fine art galleries, its own Theater, Ballet Company, Opera, and offers something for everyone when it comes to the arts.

In the year 2000, I jumped off a cliff like they do on cartoons, and opened “The Kinghale Gallery” on Main Street in Sarasota.  I knew nothing about the art “business”.  It was a complete leap of faith.  Fortunately I had a number of other things going for me.  First of all, an inventory of exceptional art that I truly believed in.  Second, a supportive husband willing to haul horse.  I also have a keen interest in design and I had a very clear vision for the gallery.  Last but not least I adore engaging people and although I am a very private person {I know you can’t tell from my blog posts}, I am not the least bit shy when it comes to the arts and discovering someone’s area of interest and passion and helping them create a beautiful meaningful environment.

On the down side, the rent and overhead was astronomical and the location was just a bit off.  Yes I was on Main Street but Main Street was just a little off the beaten path about a block or so from the famous Palm Avenue where all the prestigious galleries were lined up like ducks in a row, in more ways than one.

I was also next door to a disgusting smelly bar.  It was not the cool kind. Unfortunately it was the kind with degraded derelicts and drunkards. There were also transients and pan-handlers constantly harassing everyone in the downtown area.  Boy do I have some stories!

Another challenge was that I opened the gallery with absolutely no capital, money for marketing or advertising, or any cushion to allow time to build a business.

So, on a wing, a hoof, and a prayer, we were off and running, the horses and I. We were ready to take on the art world in all our passion and innocence.  To make a long story short, we actually survived remarkably well, thanks to the strength of the horses, because they had a heavy load to bear.

I never seem to take the traditional route in any thing I do and I had not approached the art business with a background in business or a résumé a mile long, nor did I have tons of awards and prestigious shows or critics accolades to back up my work.  However, this was no hobby for me; I was serious.  I have been an artist from a family of artists my entire life, not to mention past lives. My paintings were huge, extremely unique; with fabulous over-the- top framing, so there was an immediate perceived value.  They were also stunningly displayed in an exquisitely elegant gallery so there we were; the horses and I.

We were in business.

After a couple years of hands on experience in the business of art, my lease was up and I decided to relocate the gallery.  Main Street was under going major construction and to be honest, I was ready to get away from the weirdoes that wander the streets, especially since I ran the gallery all by myself.  Boy do I have some stories. I never knew Sarasota had so many self proclaimed Ninjas etc.

My next gallery was even more beautiful than the first.  I had what I thought was the brilliant idea of opening a gallery directly adjacent and literally attached to a French restaurant owned by a friend of mine on the far end of town.

The gallery was drop-dead gorgeous, positively magical.  I painted all the walls and ceiling black.  The giant front window wall of glass was covered in theatrical purple satin curtains to control the light.  The gallery was divided into two sections by a wall with a double sided fireplace.

The front half of the gallery was ultra contemporary with contemporary neon blue lighting, light hardwood flooring, black leather furniture, lots of stainless steel and glass and of course, a shinning black baby grand.  This is where we displayed the paintings with the very contemporary framing.  The back half of the gallery was very elegant and ornate with the most magnificent gold and crystal chandelier and old world ornate desk, table and accent pieces.

The aura and energy of this gallery was electric and palpable.  People would walk in and just be floored at the beauty, ambiance and the feeling of calm.

See gallery video:.

So what happened to this gallery? Well, remember the part about the gallery being adjoined to the French restaurant?  I learned a costly lesson about how to choose friends/business associates wisely.

In the end, as much as I enjoyed owning and running an art gallery, I had little time to paint so it was a catch-22 from the very beginning. It was my giant equestrian paintings that carried the weight of the gallery, paid the overhead and brought in business, and there I was running a business and not painting.

The art business, like any other business is a business.  It is a numbers game and the best product in the world is not going to sell unless people know about it.  Not many artists know how to market themselves. Selling art is also about establishing relationships and earning the trust and confidence of the clients. It is about consistency, reputation, and truly caring about and helping people create their own best environments that they can love and take pride in.

I have found a really enlightening resource that offers help and advice backed by knowledge and years of experience, to both artists and art buyers.  It is www.artbusiness.com

Having been on both sides of the fence (gallery owner and artist), I have the utmost respect for art galleries, allowing me a perspective that most artists will never have.    We artists can be touchy about our art but one has to admire the artists whose work actually sells for what-ever reason and one has to admire galleries that do justice to their artists, their clients, and themselves.  The art business is not for the faint of heart.

Knowing what I know now, I would not recommend opening a brick and mortar art gallery unless you really know what you are doing; have tons of stamina, capital, a passion for business and hard work, a solid background knowledge of art, marketing, a willingness to socialize and network, a competent accountant, good connections, and a sensational location. Oh yes, and really GREAT ART!

Having said that; I learned a lot by jumping off the cliff and taking that leap of faith.  It’s just like on cartoons.  You have to grab a lot of little branches to break your fall, but sometimes magic happens and you find you can fly.

NOW I AM BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

I can’t believe it; here I go again.   I just opened a small gallery in Santa Fe New Mexico, yes “SANTA FE”!

It is called, “The Santa Fe Pony Express” because I literally express ponies from Colorado to Santa Fe through the mountains and plains of the Great Southwest.

But this time it is different.

How is it different? Well, I learned a lot over the years.  First of all, I am not investing a ton of time and money to get it off the ground.  My overhead is microscopic compared to the galleries I owned in the past.  I have a partner and co-owner so I don’t have to do everything myself.

My partner is also my sister in law who I love and trust. We share duties of running our business.  She lives in Santa Fe so I am able to stay with her for several days at a time as my commute is too long to come and go each day.  This gives me time to paint back home in Colorado as well as spend time at our gallery in Santa Fe.

Our location is fabulous. We are right in the middle of Santa Fe’s own beloved “Jackalope”.

Jackalope has been a favorite of locals and tourists for years.  It is like a little village with many different shops, venders, and artisans. You can find pretty much anything you would find around the Plaza in old downtown Santa Fe but for a fraction of the price.

Kids love Jackalope because it is kid and dog friendly.  It has its own little prairie dog village with the cutest fat little prairie dogs that love to eat and play in front of their audience.  There are also lovely donkeys on the premises, peacocks, and funny looking chickens with big hair.

Our little Santa Fe Pony Express Jack-shack fits right in to the ambiance.  It definitely has charm and the flavor of Santa Fe and the old West.  People love the experience. We offer many fabulous Southwest inspired treasures for sale other than giant horse paintings so there is something for everyone.  Little sales add up and people love to purchase special affordable things from someone they like.

The nice thing about having such low overhead and selling the horses myself is that I am able to pass the savings on to my customers.  It is win win all the way.

People are amazed when they walk into our little gallery outlet because they are not expecting to see original fine art of this magnitude.  They also love meeting the artist and learning all about what they are seeing.  It’s the real deal all the way around.  Everybody loves a good deal and we have the right mix of outstanding quality and value which is especially important in this economy.

The horses have no problem speaking for themselves; they never have.   When people meet them it is often love at first sight.

THE PONY EXPRESS RIDES AGAIN!  And so do I!

My backyard, the mountains at dawn, spiritual and magic

One of my biggest fears about dying is that I am going to take a wrong turn and get lost in some kind of limbo or worse yet find myself living in the body of a three-legged warthog  in a third world country during a drought.

Just kidding, there are much worse things than that.

Do I run to the light, or from the light? Do I have a choice?  Is the light just the protective mechanisms of my brain creating fireworks of endorphins as my brain suffocates from lack of oxygen because my heart has stopped pumping blood.

Is the light God or just the last dance of a dying brain?

Am I going to see a bunch a cats going up a magical staircase to heaven and some really beautiful scenery?  Are my dead relatives and pets waiting for me? Am I going to experience an overwhelming sense of euphoria so great as I am whooshed through the scary tunnel toward the light that I forget about my loved ones left behind?

Am I laughing in LaLa land while they are grieving or am I completely focused on them, seeing only their faces as I pass to the beyond, not wanting to let go of them.

Am I going to come back as a ghost and accidentally scare my family members when I try to help them find the car keys?  I am sure it is hard “not” to want to tell someone where their car keys are when you are floating right next to them.

Do I get to play with my great great grand children who are too young to realize I am a ghost?

I sure don’t want to be one of those annoying forlorn pathetic spirits who stand around staring at psychic kids all day making them feel uncomfortable, and I sure don’t want to hang around with a bunch of pitiful unhappy boring spirits in some old house making a lame attempt to hassle the living; what a downer.

If I am a ghost, how long do I have to be one?  Will I know how and when to cross-over what ever that means?

Very importantly, do I get to choose my outfit and can I change it when I want.  I think I would love to wear a gorgeous ethereal flowing romantic white gown which I know is a clique but that sounds like a lovely ghost outfit to me.

I would like the option of lovely removable white feathery angel wings.  I would love to occasionally switch outfits and float around in my favorite jeans and cowboy boots with my white horse head belt buckle.  Oh, and then there’s the jewelry.

I sure don’t want to be stuck in my everyday sweatpants with no makeup. I wouldn’t want to scare anyone.

Actually it would be loads of fun to haunt and scare the hell out of some bad people; does one need a heaven owner’s association permit for that? Just kidding, who needs permission.

Do I get to float around on my own or do I have to ride in an orb like a hamster who has been placed in one of those plastic enclosed balls for exercise.

Do I get to use my ghostliness in a positive way and help my loved ones, watching over them, comforting them, and keeping them safe?

I saw this show on TV where this guy is living in a home he believes to be haunted by Sharon Tate. She was the sweet, gentle, hauntingly beautiful model movie star 8 months along with unborn child, murdered by the Manson family of evil idiots.

The guy says he saw a pregnant orb (an orb within an orb) floating around and that Sharon identified herself. In a separate biography show I saw about her life, it was said that she had a fascination with ghosts so maybe she decided it might be interesting to be one herself for a while. Who knows?  It sounds crazy but then where did the universe come from; answer me that?

Sharon Tate

I guess we will all find out what happens when we die eventually.  There are some pretty wacky thoughts on what happens after death.  Some of those misguided terrorist that blow themselves up think they will end up with 50 virgins; GROSS!

My husband asked me why I said gross. He suggested absurd would be a better word. I said “gross” is the first word that comes to my mind and it is no reflection on the women.  In the end it’s MY BLOG and I will say gross if I want too, gross if I want too; you would too if you had it to do. Rest assured I’m singing this line.

Distractions aside, I feel that if I start editing myself too much, my blog postings will lose their authenticity and then what’s the point.

Many people believe in a traditional heaven and hell where God or the Devil awaits them, where good is rewarded and evil is punished.  Some people are Atheists and think that we are simply meat bodies and when it’s over it’s over regardless of when the fat lady sings.

Some believe in re-incarnation which sounds exhausting if you don’t get a few thousand years of down-time to rest in-between lives or you keep coming back in less than desirable situations because you are unlucky or unenlightened and don’t know any better.

Some people believe we can choose our next lives and circumstances and that we do not experience anything we have not agreed too and that life is about learning lessons.  Some believe life is the Matrix, a bored spirits way of taking the blue pill.

Some people believe we become energy and are everywhere all at once in matter, space, and time.

Some believe that we travel eternity with our most cherished kindred spirits.

Have you ever played around with “Google Earth” on the computer where you can more or less fly around the earth and zoom in on just about any place?  It makes one realize how small the earth actually is.  It also takes away the mystery of what’s on the other side of the mountain, or the sea, or the edge of town.

I actually felt disenchanted after seeing it all. I went for a walk to the beach and stood beside the ocean and I was disappointed because I did not feel small, like in that song by Lee Ann Womack that says I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. What I am saying is that I had lost my sense of wonder.

The reason was because when I looked out across the great waters; I knew what was out there. I knew the breadth, and the depth, and the topography of land and sea, after all, thanks to Google Earth, I had seen it from outer-space. No surprises.  A map is one thing, a globe another, but flying around virtual reality style with real life pictures and video, is another.

I am a big Star Trek fan and silly as it sounds I even felt disenchanted with outer space because it seemed over-crowded with aliens with big “bad hair” that don’t even look like aliens. Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Starship Enterprise and crew never got any peace out there in Delta Quadrant or anywhere else because they constantly had to deal with ridiculous pesky aliens.

Thank goodness for the Universal translator.

Captain Kathryn Janeway

I imagine living hundreds of years ago and standing at the edge of the sparkling waters of the ocean on the pristine glistening sand beaches of Atlantis, all alone, feeling the wind blowing, taking in the sight and sounds of the sea birds, the shimmering dolphins frolicking in the swell of the waves, the crystal clear translucent foamy aqua blue surf rolling in.

I am looking out onto the unknown in total awe, wondering if the horizon is infinite, if the earth is flat, marveling at the imagined adventures and possibilities.

That is the feeling and the sense of wonder I was missing.

Don’t get me wrong, I could still totally appreciate the awe inspiring beauty and splendor of it all.  Aesthetics have always my passion and my way of life, which is why I am an artist.

SO, how did I solve my problem of LACK OF WONDER?

I NOW ponder the frontier of the unknown, unstudied, unscientific?, unquantifiable, or simply forgotten.

There is so much we don’t understand.  I believe we have way more capabilities and power than we are aware of and that is what FASCINATES ME NOW.

We control our own destinies in more ways than we know and realizing, acknowledging, and working with that knowingness is what gives me my new sense of wonder.

Obviously I have fun with my ponderings, hence the ghostly stuff etc.

One thing I do know for certain is that the most important and powerful force in the universe is LOVE, acceptance, respect, and kindness toward all.

WE ARE THE FORCE!

Oh, and back to the afore mentioned song, “When you get the choice to sit it out or dance,

I HOPE YOU DANCE”!

I hope you DANCE

What do you think?  Do you think about these things? What gives you your sense of wonder?

Please leave a comment below.

I am convinced that money guru Suze Orman would hate me and would relish presenting me with a royal financial smack down.  Why is it that every time I see or hear her or read one of her books, I have to actively fight off feelings of guilt, depression, and hopelessness?

She makes the case that we struggling Americans need to have a reality check, happily accept our lot in life, and realize that smaller is better. She preaches LIVING BELOW ONES MEANS but within ones needs.

I am sure she means well and offers some good advice, but I don’t know; I always feel like the life has just been sucked out of me every time I listen to her and I just want to give up and crawl into a box or a hole in the ground where I suspect she would advise me to live so I can save every penny, contribute to a 401K, and invest in stocks that pay dividends, and hope for the best.

I am convinced that Robert Kiyosaki author of the bestselling personal finance book of all time “Rich Dad Poor Dad” would like me and would really want to educate and help me realize my full potential.

Why is it that every time I see or hear or read one of his books I always feel motivated, empowered, and hopeful? I just finished reading his latest book “Rich Dads Conspiracy of the Rich the 8 New Rules of Money.”

I highly recommend it.

He says that many financial words of advice can actually damage a person’s life.  He says that LIVE BELOW YOUR MEANS is a “Financial Fairy Tale”. He calls these words dream killers.

He says this concept keeps many people financially poor, emotionally empty, and spiritually neutral.  He said his poor dad believed in living below his means, constantly tried to save money, was very frugal, did everything he thought was right, and died poor, while his rich dad always encouraged him to go for his dreams saying that dreams are personal gifts from God and to take away a person’s dreams is to take away their life.

His rich dad did not advocate wastefulness, reckless or foolish spending but felt that “simply” advising people to live below their means was psychologically and spiritually damaging financial advice.

He stressed the importance of learning HOW to make money work for YOU instead of the other way around. He believed that FINANCIAL EDUCATION would give people more choices and freedom to decide how they wanted to live their life.

He encouraged his sons to study money, business, and investing and become their own expert instead of blindly handing over their hard earned money to some so called “financial expert” to turn over to Wall Street.

Robert Kiyosaki says that if you want to change your life begin by speaking the words of your dreams, of who you want to become, not words of fear or failure.

He says to look at this financial crisis as a challenge rather than an obstacle.  He says that difficulty is the training ground of champions. Money, or lack of it, should not dictate the boundaries of your life.

It’s vital to educate yourself.

If you want to increase your financial knowledge, READ HIS BOOKS and learn “The 8 New Rules of Money”.

If you are going to WIN the game, you have to know the rules.  The rich certainly do because they make the rules. We can whine at the injustice of it all or we can learn the game and prosper.

Financial knowledge is the only way to level the playing field.

In the end, both Orman and Kiyosaki have some sound “areas” of advice to offer.  Orman is much more conservative and old school and advocates learning how to hang on to what you’ve got and prepare for retirement while Kiyosaki seems to be  more about  entrepreneurship, taking educated calculated risks to create positive cash flow, being responsible, yet” living rich in the present.” I am all for that, (see my blog posting on how to “Live in Luxury for Pennies on the Dollar).”

I am one of those people who would rather ride the wild rollercoaster of life and slide into heaven sideways martini in hand (artists are like that), but there is something to be said for the quiet conservative salt of the earth folks that prefer to sail on smooth chartered waters and not rock the boat.

It takes all kinds and the world needs all kinds. What kind are you?  Are you somewhere in between?  I would love to know your thoughts so please leave a comment.

Two books to read now!

My favorite sweatshirt says “I’m everything I pretend to be”!  The truth is, “I pretend to be everything I pretend to be”!

It’s not that I am trying to look like a diva by wearing gorgeous clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc.  I just like pretty things.  I always have.  As an artist, aesthetics are my way of life; hence I surround myself with beauty.

I just do it for pennies on the dollar.  It’s easy. I can tell you how to do it.  Anyone can choose to live in luxury.

I can tell you where and how to own jewelry, furs, designer handbags, shoes, makeup, furniture, chandeliers, art, cars etc. for pennies on the dollar.

You don’t have to have money to have really nice things.  Money can’t buy love, life, good taste, class, style, or personal contentment although it can buy choices, freedom, a facelift, and a hell of a lot of fun, and it can be used to help others.

There is nothing wrong with having lots of money if you come by it honestly. Unfortunately the greedy criminals responsible for crashing our economy (currently awarding themselves record high bonuses), the banksters, Wall streeters, Goldman Sachs criminals, politicians, mortgage service companies, credit card companies the Feds, etc. can’t say that. They live by the golden rule, “HE WHO HAS THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES”.  They make tons of money producing nothing but smoke and mirrors while main street America slaves away to support them.  The ultra rich sharks can easily afford the finest money can buy.  The rest of us must be clever to have luxury.

Luxury Cars

Luxury cars.  Although my husband and I have a practical high mileage Toyota 4-runner we bought used, we also both have our dream cars.  I have a Jaguar Vanden Plas  that I consider part of my outfit, and he has a James Bond BMW in the garage.

They are paid for. We have had them almost 7 years and they are still going strong. How and where did we get them?  Sarasota Florida.  Retiree towns are a great place to purchase gently used luxury cars because they are a dime a dozen there.  Sarasota is crawling with such luxury cars; the grocery store parking lots are lined with Lexus, Jags, Mercedes, BMWs, Porshes, Ferraris, and on and on. It’s common to hear the familiar purr of a Lamborghini rolling around the neighborhood.

We purchased our cars at a local lot that sells pre-owned cars nationwide online, keeping the cream of the crop for their local lot.  We paid pennies on the dollar for them because there is an over-abundance of them in retirement towns.

My dreamy dream car cost less than a brand new pile of junk that won’t last as long. That “new car smell” is highly overrated.

Bid for a super cheap plane ticket on “Price-line”, fly down, and drive your “not new but new to you” fabulous car of your dreams back.  I have never owned a NEW car in my life and never will.  I always say that when you work hard for what you want, you should get what you want.  In the words from the famous song by “Queen”, “I’M IN LOVE WITH MY CAR”! VVVRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!

Furniture

Furniture fit for a palace.  Our fabulous furniture comes from a myriad of weird places, including import wholesale warehouses, consignment shops, junk stores, thrift stores, hand me downs, close-outs, the internet, etc.

If you don’t like the color of something, gold or silver leaf it, or paint it, or recover it yourself (chairs not couches). It’s shockingly easy even for people with very short attention spans.

I found the most gorgeous pristine white leather contemporary sectional couch for my mother’s condo when I was helping her decorate, at a consignment shop in Florida for almost nothing.  Again, retirement towns are a great place to find treasures because there is a constant turn-over of very fine furnishings. People are down-sizing, estates being dispersed of quickly, etc. An interesting eclectic eccentric collection of furniture beats a cheaply made expensive showroom set any day.

Art.

Many people are intimidated by art but there is always something fabulous for anyone’s budget, even a Zero budget.

Original art created by kids (kindergarten to college) matted and framed in an inexpensive 50% off frame from Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or better yet, the junk shop.

Remove that old mirror from its frame, spray paint the frame, and you will have a great frame for your original masterpiece.

At the other extreme maybe there is a work of art you saw in a fancy art gallery somewhere with a gigantic price tag that you would never imagine paying. Maybe you don’t have too.  Yes, you can make an offer, yes you can. You might be very surprised to find how much someone will work with you when you show them the money; art galleries included.  It never hurts to ask!

I would much rather see someone take a little effort to hang something meaningful and original if possible on the wall.  It drives me crazy to see designers put boring, cheap, meaningless, crap on the walls on many of those HGTV design shows on TV.

People are willing to spend thousands of dollars on kitchen cabinets yet balk at the idea of buying an original work of art that could be a magnificent focal point for their home, something they could take pride in and cherish for generations.  Believe me, the last thing I notice when I walk in someone’s home is the kitchen cabinets.

By all means, have nice cabinets and countertops, but don’t forget the art. Keep in mind; many artists are more than willing to barter art for goods and services.  The dog of my dreams, my gentle giant black and white pick of the litter Landseer Newfoundland love of my life, was the product of barter for art. When-ever possible, support the arts.

Jewelry

I wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those boring little 10 karat million dollar canary yellow or pink diamond rings one might barely see on the hand of an ultra rich celebrity.

When I wear jewelry I want to be able to see it (without my glasses)! I want maximum bling for my buck. For instance, I love tanzanite and diamonds but I would never be able to justify the cost of the real thing in the size and design I want even if I had the money but I don’t have to go without.

I bought mine on clearance at HSN for less than $40.00 and it can more than rival the real thing. I challenge anyone to dispute this hand to hand in person; seriously.  Many top designers now work with the same diamond cutters and jewelry manufacturing craftsman in CZ’s, created gems, semi precious gems and vermeil (gold plated silver), that produce the finest Italian jewelry.

The craftsmanship is exquisite. Look up Victoria Wieck online.  She designs one of kind exquisite pieces for wealthy clients as well as multiple editions of gorgeous silver and vermeil versions with CZs and semi precious gems for the rest of us.

The CZ’s and created stones are more spectacular than the real thing I kid you not. If you have a little money saved, invest in something you will love and wear forever like a fabulous hand crafted substantial silver work of art, jewelry piece purchased directly from an artist.

You can own an amazing piece of artisan made jewelry for the cost of a microscopic chip of a diamond on a pathetic little skinny band from Tiffany’s.

Art fairs are great places to find wonderful handmade pieces. Otherwise, cruise the clearance sales online at HSN if you need a special gift for someone.  I can’t even buy raw materials at the gem and mineral shows out here in the Great Southwest to make jewelry myself for less than what you can get quality gemstone jewelry on clearance at HSN.

Furs, designer handbags, shoes, etc. EBAY BABY!!!

Don’t be afraid of EBay.  Sooner or later everything you could ever desire turns up on EBay. . Designer shoes, handbags, you name it, can be found for pennies on the dollar on EBay and they are often brand new, never used.  EBay is a happy hunting ground goldmine of treasures, absolutely unbelievable.

I have a stunning, out of this world, full length designer vintage fur coat that women swoon over every time I wear it.  I mean they literally drool.  I bought it several years ago when I moved to Colorado.

It has been around for decades before me because it is well made, tough, durable, super warm. It can withstand rain, snow, mud, and falling down on ice while wearing stilettos on the way to the truck, martini in hand (not driving) to the neighborhood ho-down.

It’s GORGEOUS!  I paid $60.00 for it on EBay. That included shipping to my icy driveway. You would likely pay more than that for an ugly polyester fiber filled coat at Wal-Mart that would probably fall apart in one season, not to mention the fact that your Wal-Mart coat was most likely produced outside the USA, with a toxic manufacturing process involving plastics and oil, extremely harmful to the environment.  Purchasing a treasure from an individual on EBay might just put food on the table for their children that day. It’s a GOOD thing.

Designer Clothes

The original cost of my designer ski outfit from the Swiss Alps was around $2,500.00. It is pristine perfect. You can’t even find one this exquisite at the fancy ski chalet boutiques in Aspen.

I paid $15.00 for it. Where did I get it?  “The Humane Society Thrift Store”, in fact I have several others I got there of the same price and caliber.

A good percentage of my college age daughter’s wardrobe comes from Humane Society thrift stores and she always looks “marvelous dawling”!

If you don’t mind hit or miss shopping this type of store has unbelievable treasures.  The reason is because wealthy people love a good cause and are more than happy to donate their over-flowing closet full of high end expensive treasures to support animals. The Humane Society Thrift store in my town and a nearby town are my daughters and my FAVORITE place to shop!  We are helping animals as well by shopping there.  It is win, win, win!

Makeup

The Dollar Store has perfectly lovely makeup for a dollar.  Invest in healthy skin; eat blueberries and drink lots of water and cheap red wine.

Entertainment

Dancing at the Ritz and the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas!  When my husband and I lived in Sarasota one of our favorite things to do was to get all dolled up, have a fabulous martini with top notch ice cold vodka and giant fresh plump olives in a gorgeous tall twisty fancy martini glass WE MADE OURSELVES AT HOME!  Then we would either eat something wonderful we cooked ourselves or maybe go out to dinner and have the lovely DISCOUNTED summer special at a really nice restaurant.

Afterwards we would head for an evening of dancing at the Ritz.  The gracious valet parking crew welcomed us like movie stars.   There was always a nice band playing in the lounge with no cover charge.  Having already had our poison at home earlier in the evening we would splurge on a big bottle of fancy water, catch as many dances as we felt like, then breeze on out.

It was FABULOUS AND ALMOST FREE!!! Word to the wise; kindness, good manners, and generous tipping will get you everywhere, over and over again.

Occasionally my husband is required to do continuing education and these sessions are often hosted in Las Vegas.

Only the best will do.  We could always seem to find a super great deal at the Wynn Five Star Hotel. They are always offering special deals because they know they will make it up with guest gambling and expenditures NOT.

We fly into town, get the rental car and head straight for the nearest liquor store for a fine bottle of our favorite vodka, then make a bee-line for the local “Food For Less” and fill one of our suitcases with yummy foods like olives, cheeses, sardines, apples, nuts, and other ready to eat gourmet items and Oh yes, a big bag of fresh ground Star Bucks coffee.

On to the Wynn we go.  A word to the wise, DON’T EVEN BREATH NEAR THE AREA AROUND THE DRINKS AND TREATS THAT THE HOTEL PROVIDES IN YOUR ROOM!!!  They are motion activated and will cost a fortune if you accidentally touch them.

We have cocktails and eat in our room (from our own supply of goodies} before going down to dance at the hottest night club in town with our free hotel passes happily given to us by the concierges.

We smile as we are ushered to the head of the line that is reaching all the way out the doors.

We splurge in the morning at the first class buffet brunch; it is unbelievable and not expensive for what you get. That is our main meal of the day.

We pick ONE evening only, to have a nice dinner at one of the restaurants in the hotel and that’s it for our time there.  I don’t like the sport of throwing away money so I don’t gamble in Vegas.

The Wynn hosts some amazing shops and boutiques and we see many foreigners in them buying very expensive Louis Vuitton handbags etc.  BORING!!!

Of course I feel like a princess in my sparkling gown, dripping in over-the-top jewelry, glittering stilettos and decadent handbag, all bought for pennies on the dollar elsewhere.  What fun!  I do have a story to share now that is going to lead to one of the best ways YOU can find outrageous bargains.

THE SHOPPING GENIE!

I was window shopping at the Wynn in Las Vegas with my husband and we looked into the Brioni store and hanging before our eyes was the most exquisite Italian white linen suit either of us had ever seen.  Just for fun my husband tried it on.  It was priced at over $4,500.00.  No way Jose!  I will now tell you how he got that suit.

Recently, we discovered a secret weapon in finding unbelievable bargains online really fast and it’s FREE. It’s called the “My Shopping Genie” and it’s a free App that you simply download on your computer.

So he downloaded the Genie on his computer and typed in 90% off bargains on the Genie.  Up popped his designer suit, the exact same one we had seen at the fancy high end store at the Wynn.  It was discounted to $159.00.  He bought it!  IT’S GORGEOUS!!!  WHO KNEW!!!

You can download your own Free Genie by clicking on the link to the right of this post.  It even links directly to Amazon and EBay and lots of other places to instantly find the best deals, WOW!!!  My Gift to You.

We have already saved tons of money using it. It found us a brand new snow-blower for less than the used ones in the newspaper and Craigslist. (saved $500.00)

Since I am not shoveling snow this year and need more exercise, I had the Genie find me a fabulous deal on an elliptical that I love and use for 30 minutes everyday. (Saved $75.00 plus free shipping)

Yes, the Genie even found me the most gorgeous Old Gringo python cowboy boots for pennies on the dollar and believe me they look and feel like butter.

I may not be rich in money but I feel like I hit the Lottery in life.  My most valuable treasures are my family, friends, and pets.  In the end you can’t take STUFF with you but you CAN take all the love in the Universe while leaving it as well.

In the meantime, in the words from a famous song by Melissa Etherige, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE A REFUGEE”!

One more thing!  If you got it FLAUNT IT!  TODAY!!!

Living rich is an attitude! Put your lipstick on and wear someone’s gramma’s glamorous vintage jacket from EBay along with the super cool Old Gringo cowboy boots and fancy designer bag you snagged for pennies on the dollar.

Add your shimmering necklace earring set and the sparkling bling ring you got on clearance and head to the grocery store for some frozen blueberries.

Dressing up in daily life for yourself and others will not only make you smile it will bring a smile to everyone else.

People LOVE  to see other people dressed up for no reason.

Be honest, when you look up and see a darling lady all spruced up and she even has a rhinestone cowboy belt on to boot.  Now doesn’t that make you smile?  And not because you are laughing at her but because you just feel happy in her presence.  Well there you go.

My Barter Baby

I’M SPOILED!  I have been using the shopping genie for about 2 months now and I don’t know how I got along without it before I met it.  The compare button is my favorite.

If you find that you love it as well please feel free to share the link with your friends so they can download it and find treasures in seconds for pennies on the dollar.  If you have any info on fabulous bargains you have found out there, DO TELL!  We would all love to hear so please leave a comment.