Here is Earl's new career...

One is gleaning....This a really neat thing he has gotten involved in with Terry Delaney. They are gleaning and getting left over pastry from The Solvang Bakery and fruits and veggies from the farmer's market and local grocers and taking to the Rescue Mission, Salvation Army and some other organizations that help people that help themselves or are involved in helping others. No pay but he is feeling very rewarded. His other new job is painting slot cars for as slot car track in Santa Maria....He of course loves that....I am not sure yet if it will pay the house payment...

I am busy working on my proposal for ArtFest next year....I am a little frantic right now but excited too.



Here is a peek at the progess...Besides repeating the painting class I offered last year..oops that was this year...with a little twist, I am hoping to teach a painting class focusing on the merits of value and contrast in a painting....called "more for your value...." We will see if the ArtFest committee sees my vision...

Happiest place on Earth...

Yes I am talkin' about Disneyland....Madison loved it and was so good and happy.
She had a "makeover" by a fairy godmother in training at Bibbiddy Bobbiddy Boutique...
before:
and after:

We met some of the Princesses
and went on boats, a submarine, tea cups, Smallworld...of course, and visited Pixie Hallow....and more of course....like the Matterhorn macaroon...
It was all great!

Our bad news was we had a massacre in the coupe....the raccoon(s) left one. Jill thinks we should call her Nemo. We went right out and got 5 new ones and "Nemo" is mothering them a little....It's like that "16 and pregnant" show...she's a little young to be a mom.

Is this cute or what.....

Madison is sewing up a storm on her new sewing machine I bought from LK at ArtFest. She has already added paper to her "sewing". I may have to put a needle in it if she keeps this up....

I am busy finishing up my pieces for the cage doll show at Indigo in Santa Barbara. The opening is June 2. That is first Thurs in Santa Barbara...a citywide art walk.

Madison and I made a bouquet of flowers today. She is so much fun right now...most the time.

Isn't this a cute couple?

Fun day in Malibu....

Sue, Carol, Mary, Penny....
and I went to Paradise Cove for an art class with Katie Kendrick. It was really great. We all enjoyed it. It reminded us how much we love to paint and collage. Wish we could have taken the class Sun. too.

We were this close to Disneyland....

Spent the weekend in LA with Jill and Madison. Jill was there for her work and I was there to babysit. Madison had a few firsts and I had one too...Madison rode a bus, visited Disney Downtown, stayed in a hotel with an elevator, tried out legos, went on a merry go round and we both rode an elephant....Becky. Hot and East windy but we got the job done....I have almost recovered.

It was a great Easter...

We just missed our LE and Jon...

Easter bunny's comin'

We dyed eggs today. Madison called this one "her boy" ...maybe that is from "Finding Nimo" ???? She is something else....

HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!

Happy BD Jill

We had a nice family day for Jill's birthday. We played with our new chicks, planted in the garden and had bar-b-qued hamburgers and cake with a flaming lotus candle.
Wendy is a little too curious abot all those "peeps"....
This is the cute little bunny Mary made all us house mates at ArtFest. LE and I slept with ours...He is sitting in one of the new chairs I got at Punch in Santa Barbara. Love them!...so does bunny.
This is the chicks coming home from the feed store. Madison put the stuffed duck in there for them.

Back from ArtFest....

It was great. Saw old friends made new friends....got some new tricks in my art bag. Can't believe it was 10 days...except for the 10 day stack of dishes Earl left me....It was a great trip too... with lots of lucky things happening...like I did not get a ticket going 83 in a 70...and Anahata's shop newly open in Ashland The Nick Cave Show at the SAM and many more small wonders. I think Mary and I should call this the cookie trail. We know all the good ones along the way and those cookies help us get through the long stretches.... All kinds of weather...sleet, snow flakes, harsh wind and rain but lots of sun in Port Townsend!!! All kinds of food...from cereal eaten with a barret in the room to delish Italian in Berkley with Mary's son and his buddies. ....and LE and I getting to hang out alot is always the cherry on top...
I am posting all the photos from my amazing students on my Flickr. They were the best!!! I sold some art, dropped some off at Broadway Books in Portland and now I am out of work....Everything else I had is in the amazing store Punch on State in Santa Barbara. So I need to get back at it!

Happy Birthday Madison

It was a great day!
Here she is pretty much exactly 3 years old....
Earl got home in time to help her blow out the candles...
There is nothing happier than a three year old on their birthday... It's like she won the "Piston Cup"....Ka Chow!

What a week...

I feel so bad for Japan. So many lives changed forever....

Sunday we had another Sue Spargo day. Really fun and great to see what everyone had done. I put the pics in my Flickr photostream in the side bar. I could do that every week! Maybe we will plan one for the beach....

I am busy painting for the Artists and Easels Show this Saturday, Mar 19 in Los Olivos. I will be painting in the park and other artists will be demo-ing thru out the town. My work along with 9 other members of the Artists Guild, will be in the Grange next to the Park. Should be a fun day. Everyone is really excited with the new event.

I sold a painting in the guild room at Los Olivos Gallery. I am pretty surprised. My art is so different....I guess someone saw my vision...yea!

....and here is the amazing work of Colleen and Pam .....It is Pam's design and Colleens hand work. I just love it and I would never have gotten around to working on it or done any where near as great a job. I really love it!

Speaking of love...I think this is the cutest thing I have ever seen..".cute" as in the cuteness only a mother could love. Thank you Mary for knowing how much I would love it.

More deadlines....

....but Spring is here....
ArtFest is speeding down the tracks at me....yikes! I am excited to be teaching a painting class again.....We are going to have some colorful fun!

I have a group show on the 19th in Los Olivos called Artists and Easels. It is taking the place of the Women's First show. It is a collaboration of artists and businesses. There will be lots going on. I plan to paint while I am there. I will hopefully have my big painting done...the one on a door....and a few other new ones....but I also need work for ArtFest and Broadway Books in Portland....


Then I am in 2 invitational shows.....one is a co-lab with Jill. We are very excited about it. It will be at Art from Scrap. And the other show is very exciting. I am just getting the details. It is a show using a cage doll....I have a couple ideas I am anxious to start on.

But right now I think I will go to bed early...I have exhausted myself just thinking about it all....

I did want to share a picture of my childhood friend that we just lost....so hard to believe she is gone...Til we meet again Kristine.