I survived the weekend...

2 beautiful days ...but I am exhausted! I still have not unloaded the car....2 events back to back is hard on old people like me. I had to miss the fireworks and sleep...not like me at all. I love fireworks! But I met some great people and visited with some friends. Thanks everyone who stopped by my spot in SB and Shell Beach. I guess I got my pic in the SB News Press today. Jill picked one up for me but I have not seen it. I have a "ringer" customer, Penny, in the photo too.
Now it is time to start up my acrylic painting classes at the Art Clinic again. Carol is doing a metal clay class and we are having a felting class on Sunday the 12 with Barbara Carr. I can hardly wait!

I am back....

physically anyway....still exhausted....I am the last to post from the ArtFiberFest posse of Mary, Charolette, Pam and I. So go check out their lovely posts and I will write more after this weekend. I have a show in Santa Barbara Sat. and Shell Beach Sunday with too small of an inventory...yikes! Anyway I want to say I had a really great time at AFF. New amazing friends and warm re-acquaintances with old friend. And of course Mary is so great to travel with. She likes the same things I do. We did get lost several times but it just added to the adventure.
I had amazing students.
Emily, Reenie and Alma made the class a real treat. I had a really fun time with Reenie at some nearby garage sales. I think anyone would have fun with her...she is so fun and super sweet. And of course there are not enough adjectives to describe how great Teesha and Tracy are.....they work so hard so we can all have this amazing experience. I love them both....


On the home front...Earl is on his way home from his NewBeetle show in Roswell and visit with his folks in Cortez, CO. He called from Barstow. It looks like the mothership missed him again...but by this photo, it was close.


These are my latest sockies....

One more hug...

before I take off for FiberFest....Please don't forget me Madison while I am gone.

I went to a class get together in Santa Paula Saturday, the Gerry Griffin Memorial kegger, with childhood buddy Billie Jean. We had such a good time! It feels more like a family reunion than a class reunion thing. Thanks again Birkys for opening up your great home for us all. I did not take too many pics. I did not think of it until it was almost dark. For any of my classmates: I think my biggest surprise was to see Ronnie Everett there..aka Bamboo...Anyway I always leave those events feeling lucky I had such a great chilhood and...that I survived it!

more of the co-lab....

This is the new doll Tara made. She is trying to cozy up to Captain Nimrod.....

This is the treatment Tara did to the portfolios that hold the double sided art. I have to do my part...but it will have to wait til after FiberFest and the July 4th show I have in Santa Barbara.

I just love these little things! They say they are for mayonnaise. The banana is a tiny flat spoon thing...also from Tara.

A quick post

My big news is I am teaching at ArtFest next year!!! ...Trees of Mystery. I will post pics later.
Here is an Earl update. You see him here in the shirt he and LE did for the Roswell trip end of the month. I think we have finally started on the road to normal eating.....so he is feeling stronger now and will be able to return to work in July as planned we think.

This is part of the co-lab Tara and I have been working on...did I already post this? If so it is good to visit it again. I have more pic to post but will probably get busy on that when I get back from FiberFest and the July 4t show is over....As for AFF...Mary and I are doing our road trip again. This time we are only going as far as Portland. We are both teaching, vending and I am taking classes too. I am hoping LE can make it down for a visit. I am teaching a custom apron class...basically make an apron to suit your personal needs from a pair of Levis...and paint it. I am looking forward to teaching this class. Teesha said I have some awesome students!

...and of course a pic of Maddie with Grandpa...


I liked this email funny:

I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape,
So I got my doctor's permission to
Join a fitness club and start exercising.
I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.
I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour But, by the time I got my leotards on, The class was over.

Here is what Madison is up to

Art and Soul

Penny, Susan B B. and I went to Asilomar this week for a 3 day art retreat. It was great. Easy drive, outstanding teachers, relaxing atmosphere and fun travel-mates. I had great tablemates: Liz, Dana and the oh so fabulous Penny. It was great to catch up with some old friends: Bee, Catherine, and Michael...and meet some new friends. I had Richard Salley for found object bezels,
Judy Wise for encaustic

and Stephanie Lee for a painting on cracked plaster technique.
I loved it all. We stopped in Pacific Grove before we checked in and went to our fave fabric store, Back Porch and then checked out a beautiful shop
called Diamonds and Rust.
On the way home, after breakfast in Carmel at Katey's Kitchen, we tracked down a lovely shop in Carmel Valley called Tancredi and Morgan. I would like to visit this area again. We saw lots of cool stuff.

AND today...I got a package from the fabulous Tara! We are working on a co-lab that is sooooo fun. I will add some pics soon...but Tara did the most exciting doll, portfolio and painting for me......now the burden is on me...yikes!

T and T in the house...

That is code for Tracy and Teesha Moore...they are stopping by the Art Clinic Wed. afternoon. If you are in the area stop by and say Hello....

This girl needs a name...Any ideas?

a peak at what I am working on....

This is a ArtFest proposal idea I am working on. I am just showing you a little part of it. I have 2 other things in the works. This part is always tougher than I think it is going to be so I am a little overwhelmed right now...

I have a busy week ahead but I wanted to give an Earl update. He is doing really good. We thought this chemo round would be tougher but it has actually been the easiest one so far....and it is the last! The 2 rounds after the surgery were just to make sure they got it all. He will have a scan on the 15th which they do not expect to see anything and he is done with all that! He is eating more and more normal things and his taste buds are coming back so that is helping. He is really excited about his trip to Roswell end of June. All the Newbeetle people are meeting there for a reunion. This the 10th year that they have caravaned there from all over the states and Canada to see if the mother ship comes...It is a fun time.... newbeetle enthusiasts

in case you need to see something really cute....

...here she is! Little Miss in-to-everything- walkin'- 4 teeth Maddie!
What the heck here is one more.....

Our little get away...

Jill, Earl, baby and I went to Los Gatos Sunday so Jill and I could take a 2 day journal making class. Earl came to baby sit..Madison came for our entertainment. It was a great class with DJ Pettit. Cindy O'Leary was the organizer of this premier Art Journey class. Jill and I talked all way home about what a great event it was. It was a great group of artists. A few I knew from ArtFest. Los Gatos is such a cute town. There were 5 baby shops in 2 blocks. We went to a great shop called Vintage on Santa Cruz. Lots of good restaurants and cute houses to look at. Baby was not crazy about being in her car seat for 4 hours...but we made it.
This is the journal in the works with the work of my tablemates.
Here is the finished journal...well almost finished.


We came home to another awful fire in Santa Barbara. Jill's work lost power and she came home early. Earl and Jill have workmates that are in areas that are in danger. Tomorrow they will tell which houses were lost.

Also here is the journal from ArtFest.
This was Carla Sonheim's Junk mail journal class.

A full weekend...full to overflowing...

Friday was Susan H.'s birthday. We spent a fun day at her house mostly just enjoying her new remodel. Melissa made us a de-lish brunch with fun candy gift bags....Sorry no photos of the candy at this time....Maddie came and did alittle "cleaning" in her Oaxacan apron Colleen brought her.

Such a cozy day with Susan's family coming by and calling in their well wishes...
Nothing is a better gift than family!

Saturday LE and Jon were here and we had a relaxing day doing some art projects topped off by a great meal at the new Carlitos in Santa Ynez...Thank you LE!
LE came for her 20 year reunion...can that be true!....She had a great time catching up with the Dunn Alum.

Sunday Mike arranged for a boat to deliver my brother Steve's ashes to their finally resting place, the waters off Ventura, where Steve spent many happy ...and some harrowing ...times mostly with his sons, Mike, Mark and Jeff and our dad, Bert. It was a great way to get some closure started. We then moved to Manning Park in Montecito where many of Steve's friends came by to say their good byes. He would have been so pleased....some came from Riverside even. It was good to reconnect with life time friends of ours and our parents. There were good stories shared and some beautiful words from family and friends. Our family has met at this park many times for family birthdays, so it was nice to have this event there. At Neale and my Jan. birthday gathering and Steve's and Nate's Oct. gathering, many times we would have a fire....no fire today even though it would have been nice. As Steph pointed out...Steve was the one who brought the wood.

Here is a piece I like....

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
 
Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"
 
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"
 
And that is dying.
 
- Henry Van Dyke

If you are thinking about ArtFiberFest....

Here is what my buddy Teesha wants you to know:

Top 10 reasons why you should come to our Artfiberfest retreat this summer:

1. The price is inclusive (all meals and lodging for 4 nights)...there will be no hidden expenses at the retreat.
2. Everyone will get an added bonus of 3 mini workshops on thursday night in addition to their 3 BIG workshops.
3. The dorms are amazing at Reed college. They were just built a year ago and represent superb architecture and layout.
4. Portland is a destination in itself, FULL of funky inspiration. You'll get a double whammy!
5. The food is superb at Reed. Tons of choices!
6. This will be a nice start to a creative and productive summer...Our teachers will kick start you on some project ideas.
7. I will give a mini lesson on how to make my quilted fabric journals for anyone who wants to learn.
8. The women who come to this are absolutely the best. Always happy and content....we think it has something to do with working with fabric.
9. You deserve this! You've worked hard!
10. Being creative is one of the best things you can do for yourself and the world around you. And there isn't any place better to get energized with the creative bug than Artfiberfest.

All workshops still have space at this point....but won't for long. we will update our website every few days as workshops fill. Find out all the information at www.teeshamoore.com

Artfiberfest is happening on June 24-28 at Reed College in Downtown Portland, Oregon.

see ya there,

Teesha Moore

It was a happy birthday Jill day

Jill, baby and I went to one of our fave places, San Luis Obispo. We did some shopping...mostly for Madison, of course....had lunch a California Pizza Kitchen...more shopping...Therapy, Paper Sky, Boo Boo's Music, Urban Outfitter and of course Hands Gallery.
It was hot so we got pretty pooped out. We picked up a Jaba Juice for the trip home and baby finally took her nap.

This is the famous SLO gum wall....I am always amazed.

Thurs. I took baby to Santa Barbara to meet up with Jill for Madison's check up and shots. After that I stopped by Art from Scrap to pick up the elements for the assemblage show....I also got some extra treasures....some cool broken toys.....I know some of you won't get it but I am so excited to get working on them in some kind of assemblage.

This is part of the cool show that is at Art from Scrap right now. I loved it. It was all with paper and plastic bags.
This is the piece I put in the "Lost and Found" show at the Elverhoj Museum. It is called "Findings".
The reception was Saturday. It was a really nice event. Thanks everyone who came.

I am in the Lost and Found Show!

Come by if you can...The reception is Saturday....

I forgot to post this

...it is to be documented as Madison's first art day.....She actually made some dots....

What a beautiful day....

I think it was the smallest family Easter gathering I have been at. But we all had a good time. Madison does not think finding Easter eggs is too tough. The bunny must have been alittle rushed. I love this adorable dress with coral/white polk-a-dot undies.

We ate our faves: El Rancho bulk sausage balls, Dutch babies, raspberries, pineapple, OJ, topped off later with deviled eggs....and mochas to keep us awake...

We took time out from our "busy day" to dress Maddie up in her hula girl outfit. It took her awhile to get used to it. But we loved it.....

I got a call from my brother Nate. That was nice. I guess we were both remembering so many Easters with Steve. That is Steve talking to LE in the high chair....I am p.g. with Jill.....so that makes in 1974...just the other day...

Happy Easter everybody!

Here is a cool thing I got from my friend Pepa. It was the perfect thing to veiw today. It lifted me right up...enjoy!

click here

I saw a funny card

...in my fave store in Port Townsend, Summer House: "The economy is tough on dogs too. Dog food is 99 cents a can...that's 7 dollars in dog money! "

Back from ArtFest

This is our cozy house.
We had a great time. Everything could not have been better. We had snow on the way to the ferry so it was a little cold the first few days. I loved all my classes and the one I taught I loved all my students. They produced some amazing things!


And of course getting to be with LE is the cherry on top. Here we are in our awesome Richard Salley's enameling class....
and here is a page from LE's junk mail journal....I LOVE it! Carla Sonheim really pulled it out of us...great class!

I had a good vendor night and got to see some ArtFest buddies...
Flew home Sunday so I could catch up with my side kick Madison on Monday. She has gotten to be such a big girl while I was done...so close to walking.

Now for the sad news. The night before we left I lost my brother, Steve McNutt. I had gotten to say my good byes to him and even got one last treasured smile from him.....He will never really leave me of course but I will miss seeing him so much. Neale, Nate and I will have to carry on the family stories and jokes without him now. Mike can help us too. Nate was with him. He had spent every night with him. He came by while I was gone and built this shrine to Steve on my mantle. I love it so much...for so many reasons. Thank you so much Nate.

Till we meet again dear Steve.

Madison is one year old today

We had a perfect day. Jill made her this adorable crown.

It was beautiful in Santa Barbara at the zoo.

Jill wanted to start a tradition of having her photo in the Solvang Shoe Store shoe....but Maddie had a different idea.

Then we had a delish cake Susan made for her at the Solvang Bakery. Baby had her own and seemed to know what to do.
HAPPY DAY BABY!

a great quote...

Be the kind of woman
that when your feet
hit the floor each
morning the devil says
"Oh Crap, She's up!"

My latest ....

Here are some pieces I am pretty much done with. I have a couple more in the works to pack up for ArtFest.





This was our Ladies and Gents Show in Los Olivos Saturday. I think there were 9 artists. The 3 of us : Ron, Becky and I painted outside. It was really fun and I got something done.


Here is Earl doing a trial run for Easter. I am posting 2 pics here. One is good of Madison and one is good of Earl.


I am happy to report that Earl is doing good. It is still tough to stick to the new eating pattern....small amounts and frequent....but we are working on it. He got his last tube out last week so he is completely tubeless...which he is very happy about. We see the other surgeon, West and the oncologist Wed. Then I plan to visit my brother, Steve. I can't really talk about it right now but I will post a picture of him with our oldest brother, Neale. I have always loved this picture even though Steve looks a little bothered to have to take time out of play to pose with me etc. I love you Steve...

Any BSG fans out there....

With the end of Battlestar Galactica, millions of Cylons hit the job market.
.....This is from my Flickr friend ShelleyS...I love it!!!

I am soooo busy...

It's that pre-ArtFest time again...yikes...so I will do a quick post. This is a small painting I finished.

I have 3 more in the works.

I am entering an assemblage/collage show. I have one piece done. This may be all that I get done.

Here are 2 more pics of Santa barbara Arts. They are better than the last ones. Those are some of my paintings in the window.


....and here is my favorite 2 toothed girl...Madison!

Now back to meeeeee....

I am in a new gallery in Santa Barbara. I am very excited about it. It is Santa Barbara Arts. Located in the alley next to the Santa Barbara Art Museum on State Street...the La Arcada. Now I just need to get more painting done....

Another good day....

Earl continues to do well. He had a sandwich at the Longhorn and walked around the block a couple times and even mowed the lawn...in little spirts and rests. Here is a pic of him with his new comforter from Frank, Sue and Paula. It has been quite handy since our heater only works from time to time. Thanks again Frank, Sue and Paula.

Here are LE and Madison doing a little work before LE left. Madison grabbed LE's coffee cup seconds later...just to show how helpful she can be...

Earl is in the house...

I picked him up about 1 today and he has gone around the block twice, eaten 2 small meals and had visitors from the Newbeetle Club visits and bring fun gifts..I'llI take photos tomorrow. Thanks again Sue, Paula ( who came from San Diego!) and Frank. You guys really made a great day even greater.....

update....

Earl just called and they are letting him come home today now....yipeeeeeeeee!


This is the first day in ICU....just to give you a hint of what was going on ...and this is not all the tubes either....

...the big day

....went really well! By the time I got there he was unleashed and unleaking. He wasn't even in his bed or dragging around his Christmas tree. He was freeeee...He had already been up to the "Lido deck" to work on his tan. The removal of the tube went well and he had eaten his first "food" aka clear liquids....but they were like prime rib to him. In the afternoon we had a dietitian tell us the rules but they are very livable...in fact everyone should do some of these....."eat slowly"....etc. Jim Knight stopped by for a visit and everyone admired the fragrant flowers from Dr Arnette ( Jill's boss) and crew and from ATK. They had said he would be coming home tomorrow but the doctor who did the lower surgery wanted him to stay another day and eat thicker food while under their care. So it looks like it will be Saturday. I have Madison tomorrow and LE and Jon are heading home so I might not make it down. But I will be there with bells on Sat.