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.