Thursday, January 31, 2008

The birthday events are winding down....


sorta....Earl and I leave for a cruise tomorrow. A combo birthday/anniversary/Christmas gift...
Yesterday Mary and I celebrated our birthday together with some art buddies/dear friends at Opal's in Santa Barbara. We had asked everyone to give us a quarter yard of fabric and we got some really fun pieces.

We also had asked everyone to bring a pin cushion to exchange. Everyone brought a winner! We found out we all love pin cushions...


I want to thank everyone who sent me good wishes for my birthday. It was so nice to hear all your comments...took the edge off of being sixty!

This is an adorable vintage doll Carol gave me. I love it. It is so neat that it has "Japan" pinned to it. Maybe it was part of a girl's doll collection.

Monday, January 28, 2008

The birthday


I had a beautiful lunch with Susan, Colleen, their mom Jean and Melissa at Fess Parker's Inn in Los Olivos. And as you can see I had an embarrassing large pile of gifts. All 60 gifts were things I love. I will get some pic later. Not only were they wonderful and fun gifts they were wrapped in amazing paper with luscious ribbons and silk flowers and some hand sewn wrap too. Then there was a delicious surfer cake. White like wedding cake. My Fave! It was storming like crazy outside but we were warm and toasty in our little private alcove.

That eve Earl and I went to Mattei's Tavern for a great meal topped off with a shared mud pie. It was a perfect day.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

OK one more....


This is my kindergarden class. Roberta Dyer from Broadway Books, Portland fame, is in the front row, first on the right. Linda Stine is next to her. She is one of my buddy's from the beach last Spring. Jimmy Murphy, top right, was the first boy I liked and I am in the top row middle with dark hair. This was McKevett School in Santa Paula.

Sometime in the 80's


This was a typical weekend lunch with my parents on our front porch. They lived where I live now and we lived around the corner across from the Ballard School at this time. I love this picture because I can remember so many days like this. I wish it was a sharper pic but I enjoy looking at it anyway. L.E. is next to me and Jill is between my mom and dad. Earl was into his beard phase. Our crazy Wiemerainer, Misty, is there along with Tweed our cat too.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

On the eve of the big 6 0....



I am reflecting on my life a little. I cleaned up the small backyard altars I have for my parents. My mom worked for a vet for many years so I have the little broken animal and bird (she loved birds) along with a seashell because she loved the beach. The berries are from a plant in the front of my house that she loved. Her best friend since childhood, Louise, had one also. Cedar Waxwings come every year and pick it clean. I hope I don't miss them. The shell windchime is something they had at every home they ever had. The scoop is the scoop my mom had in her flour tin always. The vase is from England where her dad was born.

My dad shared my mom's love for the sea. He was a member of the Power Squadron in Ventura and the Yacht Club there too. He sold ag chemicals and was also the last of the citrus tree fumigators. The red chalk-like thing is something he always carried in his pocket so he could circle a hole in any of the huge canvas tents that are put over the trees before they pumped cyanide under them. Scary huh? So he learned to use an industrial sewing machine to patch the holes which lead him to make boat covers etc. for people. If we went to the house to visit, we always left with a bag he would have run out to the garage and sew up from some old patched canvas, usually full of citrus. I still have a few special bags.

I feel so lucky to have had such great parents. My brothers do too. It is our favorite topic when we are together. I see so many things in my life that I do and are interested in that are because of them. They are why I am the way I am. I see it more and more everyday. I am so thankful....old but thankful.

Friday, January 25, 2008

soooo cute



Mary Price brought her new puppy to the ART CLINIC today. Who could resist this mug?

Thursday, January 24, 2008

My latest find


I have a Winabego to match it....

Isn't this beautiful!


My nephew, Mike, gave it to me. He is the artist that made it using an alcohol reduction technique for the glaze...for any potters out there....

Here is another cool thing ...this adorable mini outfit on a hanger from Sukey....I love it!

I am published


Altered Couture covered my sweater cuffs...page 132. It turned out really good I think. Thank you Jenny and Amanda!

Exquisite Corpse Day



Here is my results from the exquisite corpse challenge. We plan to do another of these fun challenges. This is how it worked : We started with 6 artists who drew out a secret slip of paper with either leg, leg, arm, arm, body or head on it. Then you make 6 of this body part. The only rule was it should be stuffed. Today we reached in to a bag with out looking and drew out one of each and sewed them together and added a face. It was really fun! Check out the ART CLINIC blog to see the group shot.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

I love this card!


From my nephew Mike and his wife Denise. It says "May all your dreams come true" on the inside.
Colleen, is this what Bella and Lilly say to each other?

Sunday, January 13, 2008

latest ATCs



We had a big group with lots of variety. It is always fun to see what others come up with.

Mary and I taught a class at Art from Scrap yesterday. We had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, stopped by See's then peaked in at Imagine. We had 29 students they said. It was so fast paced we did not even know there were that many. I did not get one picture but Mary did. She will probably post them.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

LE in Lilliwaup


Jon's mom, Liz, sent this cute pic of LE digging a trench at the cabin that belongs to Jon's family in Lilliwaup, WA . They had some major flooding during that big storm. Thanks Liz for sending this.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Here is what Earl got for Christmas


We are both a big fan of Ron's work. He is amazing at capturing light and shadows. You know what the weather is and what time of day it is, when you see his work. This piece is Earl and my old stomping grounds, the Rincon in Ventura County. This is a near the freeway view of the Hobson campground with Santa Cruz Island in the background. We love it! Thanks Ron!

more Xmas goodies to share

Let me see if I can get these to load....This is Tracie Lyn's fab star ornament..I LOVE it. And here is Mary Lin's equally lovely vintage ornament...

Here is Tara's way cool Xmas card!
Don't you love the snowflake cheek rouge?
...and check out this adorable needle felted snowman by Colleen! So sweet...

Felt day

We, at the ART CLINIC, are having a felting workshop Feb. 16 taught by Mary Stanley and Barbara Carr. Barbara is teaching us to felt on silk skarves. You can see the examples if you scroll down...and Mary is teaching us how to make felt beads. These are both really fun projects and were a big hit last time. So if you are available go to ART CLINIC and get the info and sign up.

Trying to get some painting done....

Here is what I am working on...

I have tried to blog several times now and I have had a heck of a time getting a photo to load! I am way behind on what I want to share here....I am having to do it one at a time! Anyone else have trouble? Anyway sorry....