Happy New Year 2008

I wish you all a wonderous and magical new year. I wish you health and peace in 2008 for you and yours.

Dreaming

I must be dreaming. I know better than this. Looking out of my balcony doors today, I see blowing wet snow, swirling and twirling around my space in this world not a sunny beach. The 2 photos below is what I really see but in my mind's eye and maybe in my heart, I am dreaming about this glorious sight you see before you. White sand, warm breezes and a cool drink in hand, blue waters tickling my toes. No, this isn't California dreaming but Aruba dreaming. I will be back at this beach in April to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary with my sweetie. So until then.....

Merry Christmas to Everyone

Bright and merry wishes to all. I hope this Christmas you find yourself with family and friends. I know that I will be enjoying myself with family for Christmas with the same old jokes and funny stories, little gifts of cheer to exchange and cherish, traditional foods, and home made cookies and cakes. The best part of the celebration is our family group hug. We are a smaller group now but we make a big circle and wrap our arms around our dear ones and pray that we will be together again next year, God willing. Try a group hug it is delightful and the best part of my Christmas, yes, even better than presents. I am hugging each and everyone of you right now!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Early Xmas Present

from my sweet husband. He knows that I love my Pirates so very much. I mean since Pirates 3 came out on dvd, I have watched it, oh, about a hundred times. So he treated me to an authenticated signed photo of my 2 favorite Pirates, got to love it. I was so surprised and delighted and now this photo is my screen saver of the moment. I am all a tingle!!! Now that is the kind of present I like to receive something unexpected and so very much what I would buy for myself. Thank you, honey.

December, 2007

Yes, my friends, it's December 1st and already I can hear the music of the season and the chill and snow in the air today reminds me that soon it will be Christmas time. I am looking forward to the holiday with family and friends, the exchange of cards and gifts, and the pure silence of a snow fall. I am working hard to complete several gifts I need for the holidays, of course, I work well under pressure seeing that it is only 24 days away. To think that I was thinking of those hand made gifts in October and now I only have a few weeks to finish. That's just me, but I am sure many of you can count yourself in this group with me. Never fear, our muses, dressed in red and green and all a sparkle with be with us to help finish just in time. So go and be creative.

It's Beginning to look like Christmas

Saturday

so it's Saturday again. I went to the post office this morning to get out a few things. I thought for a Saturday it would be crowded but it wasn't and that was a pleasant surprise. I don't know why folks buy one stamp at a time. Do you? I buy 100 stamps at a time so that I won't have to stand in that line. Anyway, on the way home, I stopped at StarBucks for a venti size chai latte and then home again. I wanted mine iced but they made it hot so I didn't say anything, I guess they did that because it is 35 degrees out. You think? I came home and looked at my favorite blogs and enjoyed my chai. So I have finished the chai and thought I would say hello before I move on with the day, which I plan to fill with artful and creative endeavors. Hope your day is filled with the same.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

My Thanks banner for the holiday. The banner is for all of you that visit my blog and leave such sweet and encouraging messages to me. Thanks. The banner is for all my artist friends who share their art and joy with me. Thanks. The banner is for my family who love and support all my adventures in this life, to my husband who is the kindest, most thoughtful guy I know and I am so thankful you are in my life. Thanks. I am so blessed. I wish you all a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Enjoy.

November, 2007

Happy November to you. Here are the calendar pages I made for my sister and D. This little girl looks lost and a bit sad, but she should be happy because Christmas is about 60 days away. When she learns that fact it will put a smile on her little face. The other lady is one of leisure because she does all her holiday shopping online so what does she care about crowds and weather? Time to think about Thanksgiving turkeys, cranberries and pumpkin pies. Enjoy this coming holiday season, plan now, do now and relax when the happy days are here because you will be ready for them.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Pumpkin Man

I had to share this other plaque with you. The other is the sleeping lady below. I found these 2 at a lovely shop in Long Grove, IL. and both were on sale, 1/2 price, now how could I walk away from these two charmers. I couldn't. Every fall I display them and thought you might like a look at them as much as I do. I really should keep them out all year, but when to keep them? I need a bigger space to live in. LOL

BOO

What a spooky little pumpkin this is. I couldn't resist it's sparkly message when I saw it on the shelf in the store and I had to take it home with me. My little pumpkin and I wish you the most delightful Halloween night. Hope you fill up your bag with lots of candies and treats. There are no tricks here. Have fun.

A little bit of Halloween

It's almost midnight, you are getting very sleepy but you know that it could be a frightful night. Halloween Time. "Tonight, upon your pillow, close your eyes and hide your head, for the fairies and goblins will be hovering round your bed." Sweet dreams, my friends.

Know A Ghoul that Needs a Home?

This spooky little number is dirt cheap, the tenants moved out long ago, altho, no one can remember when. This is my Oct. atc for the ATC Guild. I love the blood drops on the card, once I started I couldn't stop!!! Some thing wicked comes this way - 6 days from now.

Hello Everyone

Well, I have been busy lately and that's why you haven't heard from me. I am working on several projects that need my attention. You know, those art projects that must be ready for the holidays and then before you know it, the holidays will be here. I have worked late into the night many times just because I thought I had just one more week to go. Not this year, I started early and hopefully will be done by the magic hour.

I have been thinking about all the embellishments I would need to complete my artwork and then I stopped and yell " but I have so much stuff now." So I got a shopping bag and went shopping in my own art space, it was wonderful. I picked through all my "stuff" and dropped all the goodies into the bag. Some of the items I hadn't used yet, others long time favorites, and still other items that I FORGOT all about. I can safely say that I don't need to spend a penny on any embellishment to finish all the things I want to create. It feels so good and it was so much fun. Try it for yourself, I know you will surprise yourself. What is even better is that all the items I want are in the bag, next to my work table and I won't have to go on a hunt when I need something. So freeing!!!!

Hope you are working on your holiday items now, remember, it is LATER than you think.

Autumn Blooms

Am I right about the colors? This arrangement on my kitchen table just wouldn't cooperate for a full photo, too blurry, so a close-up had to do. I like this because it looks so Zen. Fall can be Zen, no? I think it can. Go out and look at those trees in all their fall finery, look quick because it will soon be gone.

Haunted

My home is haunted and I am not scared at all. This great banner was an exchange with my friend, Michel. I love the colors so much. Most of the colors in my home right now reflect this color scheme. I am bringing the fall indoors eventho the temp. right now is about 75 degrees. Will the winds even blow from the north again, I am so ready. Thank you, Michel.

October, 2007

Okay, October is just one day away.
Let's celebration the changes in the weather,
the chilly breezes, falling leaves, and pumpkins.
Although the tempatures are still in the 70s,
I am already thinking about thick sweaters and
changing out my summer clothes. Have you
notice how dark it is so early in the evening?

Pumpkin Man

Found this little guy on a shelf filled with
a lot of other Halloween figures, but this
fellow was smiling at me, so how could I not
take him home?

So now you know what a bit of my kitchen
looks like, oh my, is that really black and pink
wallpaper, oh yes it is!!! Wild, but it still
appeals to me. You can tell that I have a
small captain kitchen and sometimes, we
clear off the counter and have our morning
coffee there. I really, really need to work more
with my camera, I drool everytime I see the
photos on other blogs because each photo is
so wonderful. This is a start, stay with me,
I hope to get better. Or maybe this is just
my style. I just wanted to share these
images with you.

Autumn Flowers

I think sunflowers make for a lovely fall flower,
together with a few orange flowers, leaves and a
little black crow (you have to look really hard
to see it!) this makes me smile everytime I walk
in and out of my door.

Autumn Time

Yes, the colors of autumn are filling the spaces in my home. I love this little arrangement of sparkly pumkins and fall leaves.

At the Stroke of Midnight...

and I have been dazzled at the Blogland Ball hosted by Elizabeth and friends. It was fabulous and beyond my wildest dreams. I danced, swirling and twirling with most gracious ladies I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Their gowns were sparkling, colorful, wicked, chic, stunning and beautiful. Beautiful, that is a word I have typed many times to night as I visited all the blogs to see their delightful creations. Ladies, you out did yourselves, take a bow. The food, the drink, the pictures were wonderful and I thank you for sharing a wonderful evening with me. The stories each took the time to weave - WOW!!!

I leave you now to sleep and dream about each place I have visited tonight, some very faraway places, but we were a community of like minded women in this art fest.

Thanks again, Elizabeth. Sweet dreams to all my new friends.

Blogland Ball

Tonight is the night, we don our finery and dance the night away. I will dance under the sliver of the moon with my art sisters. Twirling, swirling under the light of the moon, we declare our creativity and uniqueness. We will share our creations for all to see.
Hope to see all of you at the ball. I will be looking for you, hope you are looking for me, too.

I am so Excited...

I have just signed up for the Blogland Ball. It is my first time to partake in a blog event. You can see details (and lovely artwork) at ARTTEALIFE on the right side, click on and see what it's all about. That blog will direct you to the blog to sign up.

I have seen and heard about these events. ArtsyMama had a tea party. She invited everyone to put tea party related art and pictures of tables laid out for tea parties on their blog on a certain date and then everyone could partake in the tea party by hopping to other like minded blogs.

It should be a blast. The Blogland Ball is Wed. Sept 26. I will post my 'dress' on that date and then lots of other gals will be stopping by to take a look, just as I will be on that date.

Back to School

Looks like I got carried away with the dots!! But I love the 'I am up to no good' look on the little girl's face.

September, 2007

Happy September, Everyone!! I am so glad that it's September and that Fall is not faraway. I am ready for crisp breezes and falling leaves in red and gold. Time for purple and maize color mums and sunflowers. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. As I look at other blogs, my fellow artistes are changing out their art and homes for the fall season. I see a lot of Halloween art works and I love it all. Hope that the Fall season awakes your creative spirit like it does for me. Be delightful, be artful. (that's me, all ready for Fall, my tresses flying in the breeze!)

ArtVent Day 31

Lovely hand charm by Harriet Swindell, thank you, it's so cute.

ArtVent Day 30

Look at this charmer, I couldn't imagine what it was until I turned it over, it's a computer key, with beads going through the key. Way too clever, Margie Randall, thank you. I love it.

ArtVent Day 29

How different, a puzzle piece charm, thank you, Julie Snidle.