It is Sunday night

Earl is coming home tomorrow from his week working in Corona, CA and Jill just got back from her 3 day trip to Monterey. I had all these big plans for my time here by myself. But of course I planned way too much. But I did get some projects out of the way. I have my tin reveal nearly finished for the CALL girl's birthday party on Wed. I can't post the birthday gifts I worked on because it wouldn't be a surprise if Pepa or Susan checked my blog....so I'll post them later...

We had a great ACT gathering at Jill L. fantastic home in Santa Barbara. It was fun to have a place big enough to put all the ATC out at the same time. We are back to the Good Cup next month.

Other stuff I worked on: mailed off ATCs to Tracie for the swap and 5 more to the show in Ohio.



I got notices posted and mailed out about the altered book class Carol and I are teaching.









I got back the post cards for the Queen of Arts Show to distribute. I finished some bags for Billie at Imagine to look at....But mainly I seem to have been on the computer these last few days. These days I think I spend as much time getting photos worked in Photoshop or write blurbs for one thing or the other or just catching up on other people's blogs and Flickr sites...which is also necessary for an artist....as I do actually doing some art....and I got to some garage sales on Sat. My favorite things I got was 4 bowling pins for $1. , some old tobacco tins, a neat little ceramic boat, a dusty but good paper cutter and an old leather bag. It will be great to throw paint supplies into.

New ATCs

Here are the ATCs (artist trading cards) For Tracie's fabric ATC group trade. As you can see I started out one way, the surfer girl, then went another ( I lost almost half of them in the middle of making them).....Who is keeping an eye on me?....Anyway....I should accept this pattern of always losing things and having to start over as my normal way of doing things. You know what I say ..."If I had back the time I have spent looking for things, I would be 14 years old!" Tomorrow I meet up for our local ATC group and I have not started those yet. Maybe I will make more of these.










yikes

Here he is

Tikiman...or maybe I will rename him. I mention the name "Wooden Eye" and that brought up the old wooden eye joke. It is not politically correct but one of my favorites.

Another first Sunday in Shell Beach

This was the best day weather-wise yet in Shell Beach....and I got 2 paintings done! ...except for some "tweaking". I had no "slaves" to help me. Jill wanted to sleep in! Imagine that! And Earl has been called away on business. So I bought a trolley to help me with the hauling. A dolly just isn't the right thing....well the trolley is not the best either. It is not fond of the uneven ground...like grass. But it was still better than hand carrying some of the boxes I use for display etc. I sold some small items and of course ran right over and bought a tiki....you will understand (those who know me) when I get a photo of it posted...Flickr friend Tara...I think he looks like some of you images....Anyway...maybe this is why I never make any money.

Lots of art challenges are coming up: Fabric ATC's are due over in "Tracie-land", a bookarts show in Ventura that I plan to enter, ATC group is meeting Wed, some birthday gifts, I just got the latest RR self portrait journal ...it's owner is LK Ludwig (It is amazing! I am definitely challenged with this one), I have a tin challenge due for the CALL girl's reveal, Carol and I are putting the details together for our Sept. altered book class and things are really heating up for the Queen of Arts Benefit Show and Sale in Nov......and I need to lose 50 lbs. by Aug 19 for my class reunion....right....hand me another cupcake will ya...



Oh and I am working on some new creations and more of the old stuff too for Imagine in Santa Barbara.





Here is some fabric I painted for scissor maidens.

Went to the LA gift show Sunday

I went with Colleen and Penny. We had a good time and did a little damage.
This nicho is from Ecuador. I had seen it last year and it was sold. But this vendor got it back by some odd reason and I felt it was destiny that I should get it. It is all metal. I love it!



I got a great deal on some hupils from Guatemala. They are wearing out but I still love them.




Then of course I had to get some beads....We talked to a really interesting African bead seller. I learned so much.




We ate at California Pizza Kitchen in Ventura on the way home. Always good.

Another day at the beach..poor me

I work til I can't stand it anymore then head for the beach. I went to a beach in Santa Barbara. I call it Henry's Beach. It is actually named something else. Arroyo Burro I think. Anyway Captain Nimrod wanted to come and he was actually quit helpful. He cleaned up a little trash but then had to get out of the sun. Evidently sock super heros worry about toxic sock....This is a fun beach because dogs are allowed and in some areas they can be off their leashes....It is so fun to see the parade of happy dogs.

So again Jill met me there when she got off from work. We have decided we need to go back with boogie boards. Then we went to the Art from Scrap assemblage silent auction and reception. It was really fun. I wish I had worn better clothes not just something thrown over my bathing suit! I had 3 bids on my piece when I looked at it. The way it works is you have to make something from a selected theme. This year it was tile. So you must have a tile in the work that you picked out from
there. I had a hard time with the tile theme because it is so heavy....I was also in a hurry because I was on my way to Fiberfest....so anyway I am so delighted that it was bid on. There were some really great pieces in the show.








From left to right: Mine"Poolside",
the winner by Mary Price,
third place Marcelino's piece
then just one I really liked. Sorry I didn't catch the artist.









still hot

Record heat

Celebrated Earl's birthday with dinner at Los Olivos Cafe on Thur. a day at my favorite beach, Refugio on Fri. and a Dodger game on Sat.

This was a perfect day at the beach. We enjoyed it so much. Jill came by after work and brought us In N Out.

This is Earl using his new birthday present. He is an excellent illustrator. Super amazing since he rarely does it. Usually just on a vacation.

I hope when I read this blog again I am much cooler. The thing I hate the most about it is I can't get anything done. We set up some lights and tubs of water for our feet outside last night so we could do a little art. I have been in my wet bathing suit all day (not a pretty picture). It helps some. OK enough....

Here are some pictures of our day in LA. First we were at the Getty at the So Cal art crawl. We got there late and never found the group. But we enjoyed the paintings and sites.
Later we went to Jon and LE's in Playa Vista. Earl and Jill took a dunk in the pool. It was much cooler there. We headed for the Dodger game from there. Dodger dog and frozen lemonade got me through that. Got home a little after midnight.

...People hurrying to the game + extra hot temps = insane drivers.....We saw some amazing crazy stuff!

OK now some of my sketches from Refugio and from the Getty.

...and more heat on the way

I know that we Californians "don't know heat"...but I am just not equipped for this....The days are wasting away with nothing getting done. I did finish my latest RR spread in Nina's Hands journal. I also signed up for some journals to get sent to me in 1001 journals....If you are a journal-er check it out....but cooking, laundry, vacuuming....anything that takes physical labor is not going to happen....and boy can you tell looking around this place! ( I will spare you a visual) Nights are the only time I want to move around much but tonight it is still hot. I am going to the dentist tomorrow and I am thinking "Oh boy...air conditioning..."

ATCs

Artist's trading cards are one of my favorite things. I get together with a group in Santa Barbara the 2nd Wed of the month to exchange ATCs. Some of the traders are old friends and some are new. We all look forward to it. It gets kinda chaotic sometimes but it is so fun to see what the others have created. Our one rule is they must be originals. No photo copies. I want to post some of the great stuff I get. I will start with some of my leftovers from different trading sections then I will do other artist's work that attend. I hope you enjoy them and if you find yourself in SB some 2nd Wed. ....find our current spot to trade...the Good Cup on the Mesa. 4:30 to 6:30.



This is Jill's work...my favorite!

oops one more of Jill's...I love this one so much...




These are Colleen's...always fun to see her newest batch....














Here are Susan's. Each one is a work of art....





These are Mary's with her unique "Mary" style...










Here is Penny ....another one with a unique style...









This is Carol's work...She is always bursting with artistic visions...





This top row is Jill L. and the bottom is Angela. They are both famous artists...I am so lucky to get to have a small piece of their art....







And some more famous artists and teachers...top row Jeanette and bottom Sara....










And here are some more L - R Lucilla, Sue, Mary R., Judy, Angela and Meagan. There are more great work in our group but this gives you a taste...

Look what I got

This is such a cute card...again from Tracie. I just love it! ..and I got a nice comment in my blog about your cool bookmark.

Happy 4th

Hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July. We went to the mission and saw great fireworks. They were right on top of us almost. Jill went to Mt. Shasta and LE and Jon are in Seattle. I think we all got to see fireworks which makes me happy because we all love them so much.

Tracie Lyn's cute house

I love this little bookmark Tracie made. I wanted you all to see it.

the weekend

I went to my print making class Sat and Dinosaur Caves Art in the Park Sunday. This is a picture of Jill working on her tan at Dinosaur Caves. She spent most of the day working on an amazing Zebra journal page for a collaborative she is in.


I think this is really killer! like all her work is.



This is the painting I worked on Sunday, half way finished. I think I finished it later but I need to look at it again and make sure. I will post the finish when I get a pic of it.













Still tired from FiberFest......

My Wendy girl

Just thought I needed to post Wendy's picture. This is the way we see her the most....napping or almost napping.