why haven't you posted?...'cause I been busy having FUN!!

Last week my buddy Shelly had a birthday and we had an amazing lunch at Carlitos in Santa Ynez....Isn't she cute!

Then I had a birthday hoedown at the Art Clinic with lots of well wisher dropping by and a really nice lunch at Fresco. Thank you Jack and Sukey! Susan brought my favorite cake..white on white...from of course the famous Solvang Bakery. That night went the the fam to the Solvang Brewery for dinner. Earl snuck in the red plate ....family tradition for good grades etc. I said look they have a plate like ours...Earl says that is our plate...funny...Then Earl and I went to see True Grit....Later I got a call from LE. It was a perfect day. My brother Neale had left me a message too. I also got wonderful cards from friends and family and tons of Face Book good wishes...Really feels good. Thank you all.

Then....Pam and CharChar (Pam Garrison and Charlotte Lyons) hit town....Mary joined us and we had 2 fun packed days together. It was great. We ate and laughed and painted and laughed and thrift scrounged and laughed and laughed some more. Love you guys! We had drop ins by other artists and we did a lot of exchanging of ideas and experiences. My head is still spinning with ideas. Charlott came out from NY to teach at French General. We got to see all the class samples and her amazing sampler patterns. Pam brought her wrapping paper made out of her journal pages by Papaya. It is in a tablet form that can hang on a hook...so cool. The only thing I did not do was get very many pictures...

Sue Spargo

What an amazing artist!! Even though we were there at her workshop to learn applique and embellishing, I was blown away also by her designs. They are folk art with a splash of brut art. She does not like thing perfect. She like it to show the hand that made it. Her work is her journey....she does it for pleasure. To see her use of color and combination of materials is really awesome. I could have stayed there and stitched for days. Colleen, Barbara and I felt really lucky to be there.

I think I feel a Art Clinic challenge coming on....

I am finishing up some deadlines...yeah!

I mailed off a teaching proposal, the Brooklyn Art Museum Library sketchbook project and the Friendship House altered heart....so now I can concentrate on my Sue Spargo homework and Carla Sonheim's drawing online class: The Art of Silliness....and major cleaning....

Happy New Year!

I got this great character from Carol....Perfect for today...Thank you Carol!