Hello and Thank You to Anyone who even has a chance to read my journal.
Thing is, I KNOW that time is VERY precious.

I hope JUNE, JULY, & the first part of AUGUST have been going at least pretty well or better for you, my dear friends (AND family, should they see this), and now I WISH ALL Who May See This, an AWESOME rest of AUGUST!
Sending you all my love across various directions of miles, all over the planet.




GIFTS from dA Friends

Thank you to my sweet amazing friend: for:
Such soft delicate roses, to put me at ease. Lily is like a little younger sister, but who checks in and looks after me, as much as one can, given such physical distance.
Please visit more of Lily's fabulous work, HERE: annissina.deviantart.com/

Thank you to my beautiful very long-time friend: for:
I'm so touched by her caring nature. Always so lovely! What a gorgeous work of lupines, too!
Please visit more of Jocelyne's stunning work, HERE: jocelyner.deviantart.com/

Thank you to such a dear friend: for:
What a very sweet and thoughtful surprise! I just love it, loved it right away! It's very cool!
Please visit more of Mark's wonderful work, HERE: morningstarskid.deviantart.com…

Thank you to my darling friend and sis: for: and
Such a gorgeous, but completely different scenes! Teresa is always brightening my days! She's awesome like that! It is an honour for me to be included in both of these.
Please visit more of her dynamic work, HERE: tigles1artistry.deviantart.com…

Thank you to my very kind and thoughtful friend: for: and
Both are so amazing, with a supportive messages for "The Shelter Project". How nice is that!!
Please visit more of Casey's amazing work, HERE: crgphotography.deviantart.com/




A Different Kind of Gift

A really huge thanks to my very good and supportive friend: for:

a beautiful set of adoptables with which she thought of a most creative idea in which to raise funds for "The Shelter Project"!!!
I was totally floored and shocked by both the beauty of these adoptable cats and the fabulous IDEA,
even before anyone adopted! Just the FACT that she put together something so brilliant touched my heart, all on its own- it's hard to explain.
But, in time, there were some very generous participants who became a HUGE PART of this gift,
when they each adopted one of these amazing KITTEHS!

And so I want to thank each:

for participating in this event, which contributed wonderfully to "The Shelter Project"
where you have literally helped REAL LIFE ANIMALS,
and you have received a GORGEOUS adoptable kitteh of your own from
the brilliantly talented STYGY Stygma!!!

PLEASE, CHECK OUT 's CONTEST:

Furry-Tales summer contest 2014 - Closed Contest has ended - Results will be announced in a few days! 
It's time for a new contest!
Actually for two contests in one! One competition will be a Comic and Story contest. The second competition will be an Art and Literature contest.
General rules
Those rules apply for both parts of the contest!
 Deadline for both competitions is August 31, 2014.
 Everybody can enter; you don't have to be a member of Furry-Tales.
 The main subject/character must be feral or anthro (animal, beast-type fantasy creature, beast-type alien, werewolves, ...).
 Humans and humanoids are only accepted as secondary/background characters.
 You can submit any number of deviation your like, in either or both of the competitions, but y

It sounds like TONS of fun! And there's still time to enter!





PERSONAL MESSAGE

Good news is a lot of various art/photography-related business has picked up throughout this Summer, which is what I would surely want- as it allows me to collect donations for donating to the very animals I continue to speak and write about in regard to "The Shelter Project".
I do not want to give that up, and I want to keep this up, as it is increasing to a level of greater meaning... and even at this local level, it IS BECAUSE of what YOU DONORS HERE ON dA have helped me to accomplish through your own donations of POINTS, since we began the points widget here together in the Spring!  There is simply NO way, I could pull this off on my own.

I will update more about "The Shelter Project" and what is happening with that, and what is next, below in that appropriate section, but obvious it is also a BIG part of my personal life, too.

  Other good news is the kitten who was rejected by her mother at the shelter at two days old, (after the first two were rejected and died as a result, since no one was on duty to see this was happening to the first two in the night) was subsequently brought to ME, to be fed, and changed, (literally!!) around the clock for the first 8 weeks straight or so, is thriving very well! This just happened just after I got back from the Tucson trip. She's 15 weeks old now, and we have been joined at the hip, although I don't have to feed her nearly that often, and she's been off the bottle a while, and can use the big litter box, etc. She plays and plays hard, and is so extremely observant, wanting to know exactly what I am doing and how to do it, wherever I am! It's been an interesting experience raising a kitten from this young of an age.  
Her name is Xochitl, (Like: Socheel) which is Mayan for Flower. Long story how we came to that, plus we thought she was a boy for a while, anyway.


NOT so good news: We've also been caring for our eldest cat Katie, who is over 16 by three months. She has kidney failure, and while she likes her new food and seems to be doing okay, we have to give her 200 CC's of fluid by IV, twice a week.
Another one of our cats, who is only three years old, but super petite at 4.5 pounds, was recently diagnosed with two types of chrystals, one that is fairly common in cats (our first cat had them when we first got him as a stray, and has been on his special food ever since) but ANOTHER VERY RARE type that is caused by a strange functioning liver, which is why her growth is so stunted- but these chrystals are usually only found in Dalmations and Bulldogs!!! Whaaa??? I know, right???
So the vet had to call their special food provider and come up with a very special diet for her, which was scary anyway, because she hardly ever likes to eat anything... (very skinny) and they came up with TWO types of their foods for us to mix together- one dry and one wet, and so far it's been working and she's even put on a couple of ounces, AND she isn't spending all of her time in the litter box either, which means she is able to go to the bathroom. Let's just hope she keeps her interest in this food, because she doesn't really have options.  She is so lovely. Her name is Piccolo, because of her size.


  My parents were able to visit this Summer, which was mostly okay- it was over the 4th of July. But my Dad has not been well since about last Xmas. And he's been feeling worse and worse. He's had a lot of heart problems for a long time. He had a severe heart attack at 45, and was in CCU for a couple of months, actually. But he did survive and it's about 25 years later... anyway, he has been in AFIB for a while but the medication doesn't work anymore, and he's been getting worse... so he had a procedure recently, where they use "paddles"- well they did in the old days- like the same ones to resuscitate you if you are flat-lining, you know- but they don't exactly use paddles, but it causes the exact same motion on you, to put the part of your heart that is out of sync back into normal rhythm with the rest of your heart.

It usually does work, which it DID! But.. then there is a bit of a waiting game, as there are statistics for different types of people for how long it stays in place or comes back out of good rhythm. So we are hoping his "sticks" of course, otherwise, he will face much more invasive surgeries.


  For me, my health does not improve. The part that has always been bad, since childhood, likely will not, and of course I've been dealing with those ongoing challenges all summer, but this is unfortunately quite typical.

But, this Summer, it's been more than that, as in things or symptoms other than my chronic illnesses- which cause great fatigue as it is, but, apparently one of the symptoms, is great lethargy. *sigh*
I didn't know I could be anymore tired in my life, than what I already usually face. But there are other things... and I've just tried to treat each thing as it comes up on my own piece meal, until I've realized that perhaps each thing is actually all related together, and it's not going away.

I feel in need of medical help, and this is just a huge thing in itself, not as easy as many might think it is. I wish it was, but even the thought brings an anxiety that just makes everything worse.

I wish I could explain more, but that's why I never do, because for some reason being ill, or chronically ill, is not just a human condition or a personal struggle, but it's also a political issue.

But since I've been on dA a while, I just thought I'd mention, that I face these kinds of challenges, and right now it's a bit more burdensome.   

The thing is, on the one hand, I'm happy because of the "work stuff", as mentioned in the first BULLET!
It's exciting to me, but I just want to be well enough to keep it up.

~~~~~~~~


Special Groups & Info.!

Unframed-Nature
is my main group!
Current THEME: "DOUBLE OR NOTHING, CLOSE-UPS"
Spans TWO MONTHS! Read about it HERE:
VOTE on MAY-JUNE and NEWS!   
Voting on Top Submissions of MAY & JUNE 2014
:icondoublehugplz::icondoublehugplz::icondoublehugplz::icondoublehugplz::icondoublehugplz::icondoublehugplz:
:iconpocketwatchplz: TIME TO VOTE ON MAY/JUNE's FOUR ORIGINAL FOLDERS :iconpocketwatchplz:
:iconcip33::iconcip33::iconcip33::iconcip33::iconcip33::iconcip33:
~~~ :icontulipplz: ~~~ HOW to VOTE ~~~ :icontulipplz: ~~~
MOST Months We Hold a WHOLE GROUP Membership Voting, and we Welcome our AWESOME MEMBERS/[plus ADMIN.!!] to VOTE on what each feel are the TOP Submissions from that time period, out of our Folders!
We believe this is the Group's Group.
:icongrouphugplz::icongrouphugplz::icongrouphugplz::icongrouphugplz:
You May Vote on:
2 from "Birds, Inverts, Aquats, Repts, Amphibs, May-JUNE'14" - HERE: http://unframed-nature.deviantart.com/gallery/49433601/Birds-Inverts-Aquats-Repts-Amph
Scroll to the BOTTOM for the details... AWESOME PRIZES!
ENDS AUG. 31st!

Please, Feel free to donate to us HERE:
Unframed-Nature-PTS
so that we may continue to host these wonderful events and contests.
Thank you kindly!

Another main group of mine is:
dAWishingWell
which is an honour to be a part of.
Please check regularly... we are a highly active group,
whose intent is to help grant wishes here on dA.
You don't have to be a Member to help us help others!
You can also donate directly to us HERE:
TheWishingWidget

Highlights from dAWishingWell regarding other groups and their wishes:

Wishes for more participants for the ARKS Kindness Quilt Contest: fav.me/d7natg8
This is another one of my groups, of which I've only been able to be active with in a small roles these days. But it's a fabulous group full of HEART and COMPASSION!!


Wishes for more people to join and participate: fav.me/d7u1dyv

wishes for donations to renew their supergroup.
You can donate HERE: donatei-heart-colors.deviantar…

wishes for more watchers.

wishes for more points for their contests and events.
You may donate HERE: owl-house-points.deviantart.co…

OTHER LOVELY Community GROUPS!!
These are truly awesome groups in each their own way serving this community, which I am a part of, but I wish I have had more time with these days. I love these groups!




Another lovely group, I'm part of, which I wish I did more for, but I promote it as often as I can!!

-WISHES to be a SuperGroup again, donate: windinthecoffeecup.deviantart.…

Similar as above, wish I did more! Great group!!



This group would LOVE to become a SuperGroup & plan more contests, etc.
Please donate: fractal-love-points.deviantart…
I LOVE THIS GROUP!
^{Just wish I had more time!- well, in general, too.}

Other GREAT Random Groups!










 




News From "The Shelter Project"


The South Coast Humane Society here, on the SW Coast of Oregon continues to keep me very busy...
I do all the photo shoots of the animals for Adoptions for the "Adopt-a-Pet" sections of the areas' newspapers, plus I edit the photos for our page at Petfinder.com. Many of those also go up on our FB page, too, and THEN I share a very FEW, of these same photos with you here on dA!


I also foster cats from time to time, work with AND have a couple of my own ferals who live on my back porch, work with mostly the sick dogs and cats, and work on socializing animals all after hours at the humane society, plus I have my OWN clan (seriously, it IS a CLAN) of rescued indoor cats, and two rescued dogs, too.


I've also been getting more into the selling of my various types of art works at local fundraising events on behalf of "The Shelter Project"- which just like ONLINE, goes to the same animals in need. However, as has been the case, due to my financial situation, I am not able to provide most of these products, which is where my own gracious, generous, compassionate, and understanding donors have come in!
I purchase from VistaPrints and from deviantART, in order to round out the variety I need.
READ MORE, & FEEL FREE TO DONATE HERE: teaphotography.deviantart.com/
Scroll, just a bit- it's on the right side- containing an UPDATE!


This, alone, is always busy!

Info. From The THREE ANNIVERSARY

Thank you to ALL who visited the Information, Celebrated with me, and also who 'd the THREE YEAR ANNV.
of THE SHELTER PROJECT:
The Shelter Project: Three Year Anniversary!Special Edition News Article:
HAPPY THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY to "The Shelter Project"!!!

:iconlovetigerplz: :iconwalkingcatplz::icondoggyplz::iconblack-kittenplz::iconlilplz: :iconlovetigerplz:
:iconhurrahplz: As of just this previous August 2013, "The Shelter Project" is THREE Years Old! :iconhurrahplz:
:iconspreadmoreloveplz: AND... THIS YEAR "THE SHELTER PROJECT" IS CONGRATULATING ITS dA AFFILIATES!!! :iconspreadmoreloveplz:
"THE SHELTER PROJECT" is NOT one person; it's not BECAUSE OF one person, nor is it, or could it EVER BE successful, because of just one single person. For it to be anything AT ALL, of any of the helpful VALUE that it is, and continues to strive for, it takes A TEAM of VOLUNTEERS, who we have called here on dA, "The dA Affiliates of 'The Shelter Project.'"
:icongrouphugplz::icongrouphugplz::icongrouphugplz: :ear

THE FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY WILL BE HERE SOOOOO VERY SOON NOW!


Thank you so much to everyone for all the truly outstanding support of this project during its FIRST THREE YEARS,
and SINCE!
It has meant so very much, but MOST of ALL, to the animals who together we are trying to help!  


REMEMBER- South Coast Humane Society here,
DOES welcome The Shelter Project: teaphotography.deviantart.com/… as an official fundraiser!


NEWS, New Events & Fundraising

To date, I want to thank the all the gracious, generous, compassionate, and understanding individuals who have donated points: @ teaphotography.deviantart.com/
I am absolutely delighted, and so grateful...
I mean when I think of all of the potential that we now have, together, to raise the funds for the animals in need, through "The Shelter Project" I am just so amazed!

It has been another way to help, and a fairly NEW way, since Spring of 2014!

It started with two LOCAL Summer fund-raising events, and the need of actual physical art products to sell which the humane society was hoping I might be able to come up with... but without so much want to go into the details of my financial situation- I knew I simply couldn't. More of my long-time and closer friends HERE, know more about that, then those from the shelter.

When the first donors began to donate, I was beside myself with emotion, because I never thought it could happen... and every single time, I am SO moved that anyone would want to help.

I don't know if I will ZERO out The Points Widget again, or not, with The MUTT STRUTT, so close:
teaphotography.deviantart.com/

But, I am going to change the message for the Points Widget, and the intent/reason just slightly, HOWEVER, it WILL still be 99% exactly for "The Shelter Project" products!

You WILL LOVE the idea, and you can still donate HERE: teaphotography.deviantart.com/

Basically, at these local events, such as the first one "The Tea Photography Open House" and this upcoming "Mutt Strutt" there wasn't and is not the room to showcase the 11x14 framed prints, and most of the coffee/tea mugs.

BORN, from this issue, came the idea, to re-arrange the lobby at the humane society, into a charitable art gallery- with my work--

It contains ALL of the framed 11x14 prints and ALL of the coffee/tea mugs!

It has been up about half the Summer now, and I had NO IDEA it would be as successful as it has been!


And all because YOUR POINTS helped provide for MOST of this!!!

I have sold already 3 mugs and 4 prints, and am in need to replenish the "spaces" on the walls!

So, um, wow... I will keep the Points Widget open, and continue to collect points, to ANYONE willing to help out with "The Shelter Project" in this kind of way!

I would like to thank ALL future donors in advance... it's really difficult to put into words the extent of what your help truly means, for these ANIMALS IN NEED!



The Upcoming "MUTT STRUTT"!

So, "Tea Photography's Open House for 'The Shelter Project'" went pretty well, for a first time event. I sold a little bit of everything- (except mugs and the 11x14 prints- SEE ABOVE- no space)
Some jewelry, some photo greeting cards, some stickers, and some magnets. It was never very crowded though, but we never got great advertising out. Still, it was okay, for the first time.

The "MUTT STRUTT" (Yes, they have always spelled it with TWO T's, just to be cute, and it drives me crazy, cause now I forever spell "Strut" incorrectly, on accident! ) is literally THIS Sunday, Aug. 17th, all day long. This is the humane society's biggest funder raiser of the year. This is my 4th one. I am taking pet portraits, as I've always done, and this is my 2nd year to have all my other products there- but again no space for mugs or 11x14's, but I will try to bring a couple examples of each!  I will have one other person in the booth with me, at all times.
 
Then I spend the following week sending the portraits out by email to those who made those purchases.
It is a very busy time!

Again, thank you very much for your support, and for the points which provided a lot of my things.


The NEW Charitable GALLERY!

As I think I described well enough above. I will continue to collect points, if anyone might be able or willing to help, in order to continue and improve upon "The Shelter Project's" NEW CHARITABLE LOCAL GALLERY, right in the lobby of SOUTH COAST HUMANE SOCIETY!

I will continue to purchase 11x14 prints, of mostly cats and dogs, and sometimes of nature in general, for the lobby at the shelter. I will purchase shelter tea/coffee mugs of cats and dogs, that can be displayed there... I also might bring magnets, also from dA, and stickers, which I've had to get from VistaPrints.

I MIGHT leave some jewelry pieces at some point, but really, I am not there daily during business hours and I need to be careful that I don't leave too much responsibility to the front desk, regarding things like theft.

Anyway! So that is what this summer events, etc., has led to: A CHARITABLE GALLERY!

I have you to thanks! And we can all keep it going together!!!

I think I will take photos of it, sometime, to SHOW YOU!  That might be a good idea!





"The Shelter Project" Affiliate NEWS
EXTRA SPECIAL THANK YOU to my friend RICHARD who purchased:

for his dear wife IRMA!
How sweet is THAT!
Supporting the animals via "The Shelter Project" via direct purchases means the world for me, but so much more importantly, FOR THE ANIMALS!!!
Feature for:





Special Thank YOU to More Recent Supporters
    
A Special Thank You to the Following Artists and Groups who have either featured for the FIRST time, or very recently RE-featured The Shelter Project in their Journals or on their Profile Page, or perhaps created something special FOR The Shelter Project, or who donated POINTS on behalf of the PROJECT, or did something else, or thought of some other creative way to support this Project.






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Can not hateCruelty-
hating heart;
through your eyes,
I see your pain.
hurting soul-
Sympathy






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WastelandI shudder in fear as I stare out at the grey wasteland before me.
Dark, ominous clouds roll in from the blackened mountains to the south. Vultures circle high in the distance; ravens line up along the power lines and burnt out buildings like sentries for the portents of doom.
Far below the window the streets are lined with rusted vehicles and litter blows forlornly in the wind. The majority of the windows, of both vehicles and buildings alike, are shattered and broken; the glass shards lie glinting dully across the pavement and streets.
As I stare at the bleak scene before me a slight movement to my left suddenly catches my attention. I quickly crouch down, not wanting to be seen myself but still able to catch glimpses of whatever is moving in the street below. Whatever it is, its moving very slow yet purposefully. As if its looking for something. Everyday MagicEveryday Magic
Is the dawning of a new day;
That first ray of sunshine
Bursting through the window to warm your soul.
Everyday Magic
Is that first deep breath
On a cold, frosty morning
As you walk through the snow in the dead of winter.
Everyday Magic
Is the laughter of a child
As they stare in awe
At the beauty of a butterfly floating on the breeze.
Everyday Magic
Is the bond shared
Between two childhood friends
Reminiscing in the late afternoon sun of a summer day.
Everyday Magic
Is the love of a child.
That warm, soothing feeling
When they say "I love you" and hug you tight.
Everyday Magic
Is knowing that every moment is a gift
That grows in value the more you share it. DarkSurrounded by darkness
He is dragged
Over the edge
Into the deepest depths.
Eternal torment
Searing his heart
As the force of all evil
Drowns his spirit.
And he is thrown
Into The Fiery Pit
As the screams of the cursed
Burn through his soul
And he falls to damnation.



Because we can't all be starsI feel like glitter
A one shot beauty spot
that's litter the morning after
I'm two shades short of sparkling
Two fades left me failing
To reflect the noon sun
back at it's source
I woke up last night screaming in my bed
and I swore I'd never spend another night alone You Don't Have to be Wonder Woman...I think these walls are collapsing around me because I'm not smart. I don't think with my head, I think with my hands in terms of what I can make, what I can break, and how to put back together what was previously given up on.
No, I don't always have a steady grip on reality and sometimes my abstract sight, the only one I can really see with, wavers and I'm blind to everything around me. So I feel my way through the thorns and the storms and put my friends in poetry so that way, when they leave, I can still say we're gonna be best friends forever.
It won't really surprise any of you to know that I auditioned to be Wonder Woman. They told me I had great spirit but that cape was way too big and those boots were too tall and I just didn't have the look, you know, that superhero look. But I had great spirit! And if I just stuck around long enough, they were sure I could change the world.
But even if that doesn't quite work out, even if the world is exactly the same fifty year


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The Tree's PrayerDear Lord,
Don't let the rain wash away the dirt from my roots,
For without it I would have no place to stand
Dear Lord,
Don't let the sun shrivel my roots
For without them I would have nothing with which to stand on.
Dear Lord,
Don't let the axe cleave my trunk
For without it I would not have the will to stand.
Dear Lord,
Don't let the knife sever my branches
For without them my will to stand would break.
But please Lord,
Don't let them burn my leaves
For without them I could not stand at all.



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Those who CONTINUE to feature, have featured other times before, or also maintain a Promotion of The Shelter Project on your Profile Page or Journal- Thank you for your ongoing support.


The names of those who have taken The Shelter Project further in a variety of ways, through their various types of features of the Project, on behalf of the project, and Purchases DIRECTLY through Tea Photography© are placed on my Profile Page inside the Custom Box, titled: On Behalf of THE SHELTER PROJECT and are listed in the AFFILIATES SECTION, because their type/s of support have earned them their official AFFILIATION with this project. Their names, or Group's names are also placed inside, in the Artist's Comments sections of each one of certain official pieces of associated with The Shelter Project. This is a permanent status.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS KEPT AND MAINTAINED PROMOTIONS & OF THE SHELTER PROJECT ON THEIR JOURNALS OR PROFILE PAGES! THIS IS MORE THAN I COULD HAVE EVER EXPECTED!

"THE SUPER AFFILIATES" Custom Box is for those who have made DIRECT PURCHASES, on behalf of THE SHELTER PROJECT which benefit animals in need, DIRECTLY!!

is there for the OTHER project that we worked on together, where she sponsored the 5-piece set of framed prints of my images for the Shelter, as asked of me by the manager to donate, HERE: fav.me/d3cxhwn . While not the same as The Shelter Project, "The Shelter ART Project" STILL went to benefit that SAME Shelter!




 are ALL there, and will remain there, for their business AND in a few cases, their repeat business of my work.

Repeat business, is not even all that some of them have done, and continue to do, even though that's the epitome of awesome, and is direct help. But the repeat & ongoing promotions on the Journals and Profile Pages of Philippe, Jocelyne, Cheryl, Dana, Cecelia, Sandy, and Teresa, etc. ... is phenomenal.
They have worked so hard to help promote, in addition to their purchases. I never could have imagined, not just awesome customers, but PARTNERS, throughout this whole Project.