More birthday and other stuff

I really had a great day. LE and Jon came from Seattle. And Earl got me a kick ass camera!
I love it. It has all the features I wanted plus stuff I did not know I wanted but love!

Jill took Thurs and Fri off to have some much needed family time. Madison had been looking at pics of LE and was so anxious for her to come. She already loves her so much!

LE held a workshop at the Art Clinic on gel transfers, gelatin printing and her own method for making a quick journal with thread and duct tape binding.

We all had a blast and learned lots of fun stuff. It was so great to have her and Jon here. But I miss her like crazy now. Madison had a great time in class too. She found out she loves to water color...heavy on the water part.

It's official....

...I am older than dirt.....

But I had a great day with friends and family and good food...what could be better? Nothin'...

Susan from the famous Solvang bakery made this delicious cake! My fave...white on white..just like my fave foods: bread, potatoes, milk and pasta...are cherios white too?

Snow

This is our local Grass Hill. It is always recognizable by it's bald triangle shape.. I have never seen snow this far down on it. I had to stop and get a pic on my way home...

Happy Birthday Jon!

It's the big 4 0 for our beloved "J Dog". I love this picture of he and his sister Britta. I better post it on FaceBook too. Jon has eyes that light up...especially when he looks at LE. What more could you want for your daughter? Hope you are having an amazing and memorable birthday sweet Jon.

Happy Birthday Martin

...."I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.".....Jan.15, 1929 - April, 4, 1968

A busy week

Earl (mostly) and I got the sun porch done this weekend. I still need to put books in the shelves and stuff in the closet and drawers but I LOVE it!
And so does Madison. She plays her favorite pretend game..."night night"....on the "bed".

I had my first week of classes and I have great students. Even though I threw lots of stuff at them they did a great job! This is going to be fun to see them all grow with their art.

Earl is in Utah on biz and comes home tomorrow. I hope there are no flight delays.

LE has been having serious trouble with her eye. She probably had a particle in it...but she is on the mend...just in time.... she is throwing a "NerdFest" for Jon's 4oth birthday. Sounds like a fun time. We wish we could be with them but at least we will get a visit with them end of the month...yeaaaa!

Tomorrow I am going to Santa Barbara with a painting I did to be entered into the Summer Solstice poster competition. I have always wanted to give it a try. Maddie and I will go see Jill and maybe fit in a lunch.

My thoughts are with all the people in Haiti. Our local New Frontiers is matching funds. Stop by and help if you can.

Brother Neale's birthday today

...and I forgot to call him. He and Elvis....I never call Elvis...anymore... Neale is organized, an early raiser, tidy, thin, good looking and super sweet. Hard to believe we are related sometimes. I am always so proud of him and his family. The only college grad...so far....Nate and I could still do it I guess. Anyway Neale I am thinking of you and will call tomorrow.
This has to be at least 20 years ago...both our hair is white now. It was the big ass glasses era...

"stepping foot into 2010"

...I read that on someone's blog and it made me think that stepping into 2010 is like stepping into a swimming pool or into the ocean on a hot day....at first it is slow going...not sure you want to make the effort, not really comfortable and then after awhile you finally get yourself emerged and it feels great...even refreshing! This is how I think 2010 will go. By the end of the year we will have a good feeling about all the "suffering" we went through to get there...especially if someone throws us a blow up floaty thing....

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This will start you off with a good feeling... HERE

That went by fast...

We all had such a fun time watching Madison open her presents. She wanted to just play with the first gift...her tea set. But finally got the idea. She was so sweet. She sat in her new chair Earl made...I have to paint it...

Wish LE and Jon could have been here....but we will see them in Jan. LE got me a new washer and Earl got me a dryer. Anyone need a gas dryer and a washer? They still work. New ones coming next weekend.
The good fairy Susan brought us goodies from the world renown Solvang Bakery...so sweet of her.
Nice to have the weekend yet to get things done. Hope everyone is enjoying their family and friends.

Like little kids.....

...we just ran away...Colleen and I had a fun day. We headed for Cambria to our fave: Birds of a Feather. She had the most stuff I have ever seen there. We could have looked an other hour and not seen it all.



We stopped in at our old fave: Hearts Ease, then Taco Temple for a great lunch in Morro Bay along with a quick stop at The Cotton Ball and then on to San Luis Obispo to Jeff Claassen Gallery.

Teesha and Tracy had told us about him last May and we had been wanting to go ever since. Sweet guy and he gave us lots of tips and good info. He sells some great spray paint. It is from Spain and has amazing colors. I got a silk screen kit too.

We hit Hands Gallery real quick and we were off to Grover Beach to Georgia Moon. Basically it is a junk store for an assemblage artist. I got a bird cage and a suitcase. I think you need to come check it all the time to see what is new.
We popped in Ron's Garden to see his Christmas displays.

Our 40% off coupons were burning a hole in our pockets so we stopped by Michael's, grab a Pollo Loco tamale and were back home before they knew we were gone....

I feel like I charge up the batteries and got the creative juices flowing again. So Sunday I was hot to do some spraying....I am now looking around for more stuff to spray.

A fun day

Madison had her first Santa encounter ...and to my surprise it went really well. She sat in his lap even. He got a baby doll from Santa that now accompanies Tigie. She also got a little folio wrapped chocolate with Santa on it. She gave it to her new doll.

Later in the day I taught a sock creature class at the Solvang Library.

I had some great little artists. It is so fun to see what they come up with. One girl was trying to figure out how to do a nose ring....

Holiday time

Instead of a Charlie Brown tree .....this is a recession tree.....a limb off the neighbor's tree.....but I like it.

Here is Madison in her rocking chair. She love to get in it all by herself.
Had a little get together with high school buddies.


We could have laughed and talked for days. Khristine came out from IL to visit her family and took time to visit. So good to see her. Marion, Sally and sister, Susan, Melinda, Linda and Mary.....so good to see you all. Thanks Linda for making it happen.
We had a fun day at the ART CLINIC last Thurs A brown bag/ornament exchange/Food bank collection/UFO (unfinished object) get together...


fun day...

Carol and I had some fun

...at the ART CLINIC today. From an example we saw of Sukie B. we started our personalized calendar...Really fun. We also had a visit from Marti Fast's watercolor class. Fun to share ideas with everyone.

Madison's first snowman

We went to the Santa Barbara Zoo for snow leopard day. They brought in snow. Maddie was not to sure about it. She liked to go point out the wayward snowballs on the grass. She did build a "snowman" Jill and I watched her put one piece of snow on top of another...I call that a snowman.