August has kicked my butt!

Man, What a busy month this has been! Daughter's surgery, 30th class reunion, family reunion, busy at work ... and trying to make time for art!!

Had a great time snuggling the granddaughters in Boise. Nothing like a new baby smell ... and the adoration of the others! (well, Clare -#3 - still doesn't know what to think of me, but she did hug and kiss me goodbye! LOL)

30th class reunion was a BLAST!!! The women looked great and the guys got short, fat, and bald! FUNNY!!! There were a lot of us that went all the way from 1st grade thru 12th ... found ourselves sharing more grade school stories than anything else!!

Family reunion was nice and relaxing. It was great to have a "small" group. Really enjoyed SilverLake. What a beautiful place!

Now on to ART!!!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh ............

We've received pictures of our newest granddaughter. The kids settled on the name Eden Rose. I really think it is a beautiful name ... but I'll still call her Juliette ~ it's my perogative ... I AM the grandmother afterall!

In my art I have finally crossed the artistic hurdle of 4x4 chunky pages. I get it! How funny that it took me so long to be able to make a slightly-larger-than-an-ATC piece of art! I'm getting better at doing layers, although I have been drawing my ATCs more and more. My drawing seems to be more "cartoony" than realistic, but I am enjoying it.

I was in a "Skellie" swap recently and started getting all creative with the skeletons. I've been doing more and more. They make Phil and I laugh. Apparently, the girls at ATCsForAll laugh too. Since "laughter is the best medicine" I've become a laughter pharmacist ...

Lesson I've learned this week: Customers are NOT always right, but I must make them feel as though they are. Even when they are old hags.

The Baby is Here!!!

My Jessica had her 4th baby this morning!! Healthy little girl. 6:50am, 7 lbs 4 oz, 21.5 inches long. No name ... can you believe it? no name ... I think Juliette would be a good name!! LOL

I'm hoping for a picture ~ at least on my cell phone! ~ soon! :)

Baby on the way ...

My darling daughter called about 11:45pm ... water broke ... they're at the hospital now. Granddaughter #4 is on her way!!!

I still keep telling her that Juliette would be a wonderful name. She doesn't seem to agree with me ... ah the independence of our children.

I'm so proud of her. My daughter is a great mother. She has embraced the role with her whole being. I fought it. Thank goodness that Phil was here to be the daddy. He was the best role model for our children, and they've both gone forth and become good people.

Here are some cards I made for some PIF trades for ATCsForAll this week.

The Fairy was drawn on Bristol Vellum that I had sprayed with Glimmer Mist and then drew with Micron Pen, then painted with Twinkling H2Os.

I drew the mermaid with Micron Pen and then colored it in with Prismacolor Pencils, then I painted Glass Bead Gel Medium over the card. It turned out looking like bubbles. It's really cool stuff!!

I'm shrinking

I am on a mission to organize the closets! I have been going through my closet (one down, two to go) and trying on all my clothes. I have been losing weight and have shrunk out of a ton of my clothes. I have a huge pile started already. I'll be taking most to the store and offering them up to my employees. The rest I'll take over to the South Puget Sound Community College for their Women's work program. Helen ~ my sister ~ gets first pick. My god I have a ton of clothes. It's rather disturbing! I DO manage a women's clothing store, but, holy crap! I have way more clothes than a woman needs!!

I've been losing weight by cutting my carbs. I really am not trying that hard. I just have been NOT eating potatoes or bread (very often). I do read labels, and I drink a lot of Crystal Light. Drinking 1/2 gallon or more of ice tea every day is helping me! I love my Peach ice tea.

All Kinds of Art aThon (ATART)

I had a fabulous weekend of creating art for the ATART on ATCsForAll. I made 22 trades!! I did some Zetti figures and painted them in with Twinkling H2Os that I really liked. Only traded one of those. Made some treasure maps with Micron pen on Alcohol Ink backgrounds... couldn't make them fast enough! I traded 8 of them!!!

This is truly my "art group". They are friendly, supportive, fun, funny, loving, and accepting. I cannot thank my sister Helen enough for introducing me to the site - and these wonderful women (and men). I even belong to a Pagan group that gives me great joy.

I am making art. I am happy. :O)

Nancy's Home

My friend/cousin is home from Arizona. She is about 6 to 7 weeks later than usual. My goodness how I have missed her! She pulled up in her motorhome and stayed the night.

We took her out to dinner to a nice restaurant that we loved. Unfortunately ... it was the worst service I have had in many years at any place! I was embarrassed. The food was great, but I actually left no tip at all. I was just so disappointed! I don't know that I'll go back. How bizarre that in this economic climate we have recently had two of the worst customer service experiences at local restaurants. Interesting ...

Now that Nanc is back, I'll go haunt her at the Canal. We lived with her for 3 years or so and I just love being on the water. We're going to set up a time for my sister to come down and we'll have a girl's art retreat. I am so looking forward to having my friend home. At least I have someone close by that I can go hang out with.

Dinner with my Handsome Husband

Phil and I went to dinner tonight at Cascadia in downtown Olympia. It was absolutely fabulous. Now that I have eaten there, I don't think I'll ever need to go back to McMinamins (however you spell it). Fabulous Beer Braised Beef for me ... wow ... yumm ... and Phil loved his fish and chips. Then we had an amazing ice cream dessert. We have decided that we can eat a great dinner at home and go there for dessert anytime (it's just down the hill from us) ... wow ... yummy!!!

We are going to clean out the camp trailer (1957 Dalton that we have refurbished) ... you know, we got it for $300 years ago. Love that trailer. It's 13 feet long (that includes the tongue!) and then we can refill it and start going camping again! There is a campground that is only about 20 to 30 minutes down the freeway and we can park it there and live in it all week and commute to work. It's time for campfires and stars... it fills your soul.

Just so you know ... my husband is amazing. He fills my heart. He makes me laugh -EVERY day. He adores me and I adore him. I am so blessed. We dance in our kitchen ... as we have for 25 years ... and we garden. He is the sweetest, most tender, kind, loving, supportive person I have ever met. I am in awe that I am his wife. How lucky am I?!!!

Art makes me happy

I've decided that blogging could be a good thing for me. Writing things down. I used to do this. So I think I'll start this out with how art makes me happy.

My sweet sister Helen introduced me to ATCs last November. I've been bitten by the bug! I am really enjoying doing these little bits of creativity. Was involved in a local art group until recently. Their loss. Long story short ... some people make no sense. As Doris Day would sing, "Que sera sera". I really enjoy trading online with the ATCsForAll artists.

I am kind of obsessive-compulsive when it comes to art supplies now. If it looks interesting, I get it. Haven't tried all the things yet, but I am ready to!

Went to ArtFest with Helen and met wonderful artists there. We were in "house 15" and what a fabulous group of women! I am in awe of the talent. Very inspiring. Lovely, funny, sweet ladies!

My Handsome Husband, Phillip, is a great artist on his own. He loves what I am doing and puts up with the "art mess" that is encroaching every room of the house. He has begun drawing again. I just love it. He is a goldsmith by trade and I am always amazed at his work.

When it gets right down to it ... I am truly blessed with love, family, friends, and .... art!