...and A Happy New Year!

2010,

It has been "ok" knowing ya, but I'm not gonna miss ya.

Don't take it personal.

2011,

I am looking forward to you. Welcome.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Friends! It's Christmas Eve and I need to get busy, but I wanted to put up a little post here first. My baby girl is asleep on the couch, my dog at my feet and my first born should arrive with her beau a little later. I am looking forward to a very nice Christmas time with my family. I have finally gotten to a place in my life where Christmas is not a dreaded time of stress. Praise God!

We will hang out here until late afternoon when we will go to Christmas Eve church service followed by a casual dinner with extended family. Tomorrow I am cooking a nice breakfast before S and her beau leave to have Christmas with his family. I think H and I will stay in our PJs all day unless we decide to go to the movies. Doesn't that sound nice?

I even enjoyed wrapping gifts this year, decorating my own paper. That being said, I am not finished, *ehem* one of the reasons I need to get up and get busy.

More later, loves.

Merry Christmas!

Candy

Coffee Table Talk

It was a great long weekend. Uneventful and spent mostly at home. The weather has cooled a bit and the promise of fall is in the air - my favorite transition of the year.

I did a little thrifting on Saturday. I scored a new coffee table, two really.

The round shape frees up some space here.

And look, it has a bitty, little table that rolls out to hold my stuff. I think we will hang together for a while.

And now this one, given to me by my generous friend, which has served me well and remains a worthy table, has gone to live with my friend, B.

I have some other things to share but I've been distracted and now it is past my bedtime. So...

Later kids,

Nitey Nite.

Random Stuff - Mostly Art

• I had an art party last weekend with a few of my friends. It was a sleepover. We had fun hanging out and chatting while playing with art stuff. Here's the table after everyone went home. Now, doesn't that look like fun. I felt like a ten year old girl coloring with her friends. We plan to make this a regular event. We all need it!

• See the brie box that I turned into a button box. I got the graphic off someone's blog. They were giving away printable images. I sure wish I could remember who.

• Recently, following the lead of my friend B, I joined A.R.T., which is a yahoo group of artists. It seems to be a cool community. I signed up for a workshop based on a book by Carla Sonheim, Drawing Lab. Well, I have issues finishing things so I quickly fell behind the group and just gave up. I regret that quality in me and am working on it. Even though I dropped out, I highly recommend this book, especially if you think you can't draw. I still want to go through it. *sigh* These were exercises from unit 1. Fun.

• However, when I ordered Drawing Lab, I also ordered another book, Totally Tangled. This is partly to blame for my neglect of my drawing labs. I love to doodle and that's just what tangles are. Here's one of mine, copied out of the book. I am signed up for another workshop based on this book. Maybe I will stick with this one since I have a head start!

• And then there is the Pam Carriker journaling class, Shades of Grey, that I signed up for. There are only three videos and I have watched one and a half - there's the finishing issue again. I must go back and finish because she decided to retire the class right after I signed up. Now she's given plenty of notice for any normal person to complete the lessons. But me, not so much.

• I did get inspired to make a journal page this week. It is not yet finished. I must add some text but I must wait for inspiration (uh, the finishing issue). Oh well, here it is in its current state.

• And finally, here's my cute companion asleep on the other end of the couch.

Nitey Nite, Kids!

Trapped Inside....

...and loving it! I have been in the house for two days because of the winter storm that passed by here. All my work and church services have been cancelled. Thankfully, we didn't get the ice accumulation that was expected so we didn't lose power. I have spent my time watching Hallmark movies, knitting, napping and finally, today, got into a little artwork. The fruits of my 'leisure'...
Coco Vee Cape
Last weekend I had the privilege of attending knitting workshops with Jane Slicer Smith. She is a designer from Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed 2-1/2 days of listening and learning. The workshops were related to her new book, Swing Swagger Drape. I bought a kit from her last year and have been too intimidated to start knitting. Now I feel fortified with knowledge and technique so the imtimidation factor is way down. I am knitting this cape to practice the mitered squares techniques that she taught in the workshop. I want to be consistent when I start my jacket. The technique is fun so I am enjoying the process.




This is a baby blanket that I am knitting for an expectant friend. The baby is coming in the spring so I am knitting the blankie in cotton. This is an easy and pretty mindless project.



This is the portrait that I showing in my previous post. I added some collage element to her and am considering putting a little 'tight and buff' on her to add some subtlety to the face. I like this girl and have to leave her alone a lot because I tend to overwork things and I don't want to mess her up.

Now it's time to venture out with a friend in search of food.

Thank You, Sondie

I went to my first in person art class tonight at Flynn's Coffee Bar. Artist Amy Smith taught techniques for making collage papers using acrylic paint and other things. She makes many cool things, some of which can be found in her esty store here. We were a nice group of six and it was fun. The picture above is one of my papers. It is painted on a sheet of scapbooking paper which we drizzled paint on and then smeared it around with a pallette knife. After that dried we added various embellishments. Some were created with everyday objects like bubble wrap and drywall tape. Think this one kinda looks like a garden. I am looking forward to more of Amy's classes. I must remember to save my pennies.

I much appreciate my friend inviting me to this.

Simply Stated

I discovered The Simple Woman's Daybook over at my friend B's blog. I decided that I would participate. I thing I can handle a list. So here goes...

FOR TODAY January 11, 2010...

Outside my window...It's cold. The light if fading as this day is running out.

I am thinking...about times past. Carefree days of early childhood spent with my first friends, sitting on an old army blanket in their backyard playing with paperdolls. I was at home there. We lost touch so many years ago. I am going to visit my old friends this month. Anticipating with happiness.

I am thankful for...God's providence, for the grace and mercy that has been afforded me.

From the kitchen...beans, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and smoked paprika waiting for a spin in the Cuisinart to become yummy hummus.

I am wearing...comfy corduroy pants, a fleece top and my favorite felted wool clogs. Made 'em myself.

I am creating...experiments in mixed media as I try to find my own voice in my art.

I am going...to see my daughters on Wednesday.

I am reading...A Chance To Die, the inspiring biography of missionary Amy Carmichael.

I am hoping...that my headache will go away and stay away.

I am hearing...the fan on my portable heater and the TV in the next room.

Around the house...bathrooms are screaming to be cleaned and the clutter everywhere is really bothering me. I planned today for serious cleaning but, alas, it didn't happen. One bathroom will be cleaned before I go to bed. Mean it.

One of my favorite things...I love trees.

A few plans for the rest of the week: some art time with my friend B, a visit to my daughters, a Tea with my Bible study group, work, worship.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...my artwork. Inspiration for this came from Pam Carriker's youtube tutorial on mixed media portraits. I'm not finished with her yet.