Its not the New York Times

Today was all about family, resting, talking, revisting when we were young, remembering my Older sister.My mother, me and my younger sister(who is visiting)it really helped us all. We all went out tonight for Chinese food and had a great time. My sister leaves tommorow for home and I will miss her....The newspaper is for my art..hubby went out to the mall and found me one, the mall apparently was crazy.....I am itching to spend some quality time in my cleaned up studio. New Years eve will be quiet which is the way I like it...I will talk to you all in 2008 and you will see some new art from me.

Christmas is over and the studio is on display

I am back and all the christmas frenzy is just about over. I have taken down my trees and decorations I know early but I like a clean clutter free house. Now I have also did the same in the stuido. I had a declutter this week . Spent all week getting rid of stuff I will never use, organizing the cupboards and drawers. They were not functioning the way I wanted to work. This arch is how you enter the studio, I also share space with the treadmill, which keeps calling me to use it, but I havent answered that call in awhile, New Year coming...

I am lucky to have space to do what I want to away from the family and be able to leave out my mess if I want to, which is very often, I am not a tidy artist. The white cabinet which I really cleaned out I got at IKEA and it is really a handy cabinet.

I cut big watercolour paper on the cabinet with the cutting mat, it is just the right height.







Well that is my studio and the drawers hope you like the tour and I would love to see yours.

Have your finished your shopping

This is an ornament that I have hanging on my tree. Well today I just did not do to much, just lazed around the house. I should have been wrapping the presents but no, I better finish that tommorow. The puppy layed on the couch and napped.

A gift from a generous friend...

As promised the gift I received from the lovely talented Patti Is it not beautiful? It came wrapped in brown paper, stamped and with the tag. I totatlly love it and really came out of the blue, generous spirted and really talented. Go to the side of my blog and you will see a link to her site, Patti.....you wont be disappointed.

Flowers for Christmas

Well I only have one more art peice left, I never did get to Day 25, but did my best....Well today was a day of last minutes, trying to get some sleep, I am having trouble in that department, must be all the stress of christmas. On the 25th I will take a big long sigh and relax...

2 posts in one night ...

Just wanted to show you a page in my art journal, its good therapy for me, to art journal, plus I love it. You can try out new techniques...

Only 5 more sleeps

Only 5 more sleeps till Santa comes....Wonder what he will bring me....Well today was a cold and crisp day, a day for a little walk for the Sofie the puppy, a day to sleep in, wrap some presents, anc clean the studio a little. I am cleaning so I can take some pictures of it to show on my blog....what did you do today...

Two days in one post

Missed posting this one yesterday as it was hubby birthday. So out to dinner, then cake at his sisters.
Here is todays and truthfully I think I only have one left, that is all I did. I going to try and upload my picture of pattis gift so you can all see it.

Camel Travel...

Alright I know these dont look to much like a camel, but I have never been on one, so this is my rendition. I have been thinking, that I am going to take some pictures of my studio and show you where I work. I always wonder what kind of space everyone has to create in. I love looking at other peoples studios. I am cleaning it up first it is a total mess. Well its my plan to get to bed early tonight so I am off talk to you tommorow. Oh I recieved a surprise in the mail today. Patti set me a beautiful present I will post the pictures of it on my blog. It is to beautiful to explain, the picture will show you...

The Countdown begins....

Well today we decorated the house and put up the oranaments on the tree. Dont ask me why it has taken me so long to do this, I am not in the Christmas spirit this year. Plus we have had the tree up for a while with the lights, just testing Sofie the puppy, she hasnt bothered the tree to much, now the oranments time will tell. I have been tagged by Patti Mosca about 7 random things about me. I have done this once already but I tell you 7 new ones.

I met my husband when I was in grade nine

I am the middle child of three girls

My dad and sister both died at age 55 and I am scared I might be next

I was born on St. Patricks Day

I have size 10 feet (I wish I had size 7)

My favourite junk food is French Fries from McDonalds (its the salt)

I went to Europe with my Mother for two weeks on a bus trip
So, now it is my turn to tag, here are the rules and here is who I choose!!

The rules: -Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.-Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself-Tag 3 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.-Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here is who I tag: Krissie http://bowerwood.blogspot.com/
Janet: http://jkbees.blogspot.com/
Ankehttp://ankemartin.blogspot.com/

I dont know how to get the links to work sorry about that.

Stressfilled Saturday

Alright your wondering whats with the Green N, well I cant find the wooden N and no other N is available so I went with the green felt pen......This whole layout is done in white...if I had it to do over again, I would not do it,,but a girl has try new things. Well its getter closer to Christmas, so I am full system alert, trying to close in on finishing the shopping. Hubby and I went out for dinner, he now is sleeping on the couch, the puppy is beside me, sleeping under the computer, the daughter is working, and I should be wrapping instead of here on the computer. So I better get at it. Talk to your tommorow.

Baby its cold outside

I dont drink coffee I am a diet coke girl, morning , noon and night. But I do like to go to Starbucks and have their hot chocalate...so here is my ode to hot chocolate

Help wanted elfs

Its time to get elved. Just always wanted to say that. Well am making headway in the present department nearing the home stretch. Next year we decided the daughter and I havent told hubby yet. We were chucking it all in and going away for two weeks, enough of this stress we need relaxation and warm weather....

Day 12 and still going....

Well here is day 12, my angel looks like he has had a few....Should he be flying....Well the weather outside is not delightful, the shovel had been getting a good workout, had dinner with my pals and had a good time, I needed to do that being kind of down this week. Having a hard time getting in the Christmas spirit....

Baby its cold outside...

Well here it is day 11 and my swans are swimming, not here, the river is frozen but one can always dream. We put up the christmas tree (we have a fake one) put on the lights and the dog went crazy and that was enough for one night. Tommorow all the decorations around the house and on the tree, some more wrapping of presents, and I think a little resting.

Follow the red nosed.....

I had fun doing this one, didnt want to do the whole crowd, so concentrated only on one. How is your holiday shopping going......mine is not going so great. I had to wrap some of them, so I could remeber who I bought what for, oh well I have a few more days left....

Chirping a christmas tune...

found this paper amd I think the bird was on it. Just used a little paint, some emblishments, some felt pen and some wooden leters, here it is in all its glory....keep posted I still lots of days left....lets get your inspiration going..

Christmas marches on ......December 8

this one is a mixed media piece, I found the images on a card, cut them out individually and lined them up. Painted the background, I thought It turned out quite nice. I was going to draw something and paint it, but I decided to try a different way. The day has been very busy with christmas shopping, etc and already I am tired out and it is not christmas yet...still lots to do.

Inspiration Thursday -Ice

This is my Inspiration Thursday rendition of Ice ...Mother and baby bear stuck on a ice berg........and it also works into my Day 7 of the 25 days of Christmas Art.....

Star of wonder star of light

I quess the image speaks for itself, I must say I like the way this way turned out....Well went to my mothers building christmas party,,,,80 years and up, but I had a good time, and so did my mother which was important. I waiting for Greys Anatomy to start. I have not done any challenges in a while, but am going to start again. Last Inspiration Thursday was way over my head...Well talk to you soon.

A time to remember....

This is a poem that I wrote about a Christmas past in my life.

2 little girls and there dolls

This is my sister and I in France (where we lived for 3 years) on Christmas day, I was 3 she was5and we got dolls that year and were really excited......

December 3-Mary did you know

Well I created all of these last year I think I did 25, I challenged myself every night to create one, I am telling you I will not do that for awhile. A new set maybe next year, but starting earlier thatn December. I will also post any new pieces of art that I do. I am still working on my art journal. The blocks I have put away for now, I get obessive and cant do anything else so I put them anyway so I can stew over them and try and picture them.

Mixed Media Challenge - Wings

Here is my entry I have made a christmas piece for every day until christmas, please feel free to come and check them all out...

Playing with blocks of wood

Yes i was down in the stuido playing with these 2 x 2 blocks of wood, trying to make something out of them, maybe christmas tree decorations, and this is one I came up with which is going straight to the recyle bin. I got the idea of http://djpettitt.blogspot.com/ site. I love her work, in fact i am in awe of her talent. Of course mine are not like hers and I would never want to copy her, but I did borrow her idea, go to her site, its on the side as a link and look at her work it is amazing, she started painting late in life just like me, but the talented gene pool is all on her side. I am not giving up, I am just taking a day to think it through and go another way. I know I am going to use those cup screwy things and maybe a bead hanging at the bottom. Lets just say its a work in progress, instead of a peice of xxxx. Well again its late, went shopping for presents tonight, came home with one,at that rate I should be ready by next christmas. No really I am just about finished just my daughter and a few odds and ends. Well got to go catch some beauty sleep and be bright eyed for work tommorow. Talk to you then...

Change Room Nightmares

I dont like going into changerooms and trying on clothes, I know that is really stupid. I usually just buy them and try them on at home. Dont ask me why, I have no clue......I should have put that in one of of my 7 random things you dont know about me. Well this little ditty dont ask me where it came from, I was trying on clothes at home, and thought I should do a little art piece on this. Note who I put in there, no not me, the girl from Greys Anatomy..love her, she is not model skinny. Was out at Costco tonight with the daughter did a little shopping 100.00 later. Came home and shovelled snow, yes the dreaded shovelling has began. Hubby is out of town on business, so could not help. Seems he is always away when the snow shovelling is needed. Well working on a Christmas piece about my christmas tree, riveting stuff I bet you can hardly wait to see it. Well hope to have it done tonight....Well talk to you all again tommorow.

Why in the world would you want to know 7 random facts about me.....because I said so...

Where have I been the last few days, I am a bad blogger. I have been busy with life, it seems to get in the way quite often. I read my fellow blogger Krissies blog and she had 7 random facts about hereself. So I thought I would tell you a few random facts about me. Just in case you ever wondered what is she really like>

1. I love diet coke, i do not drink coffee, never have
2. I have been married to the same man for 35 years, quite a feat some days
3. I have one child, had her in my later thirties and is the light of my life
4. I have worked for the same company for 35 years and am retiring in April.
5. I have travelled quite a bit in my younger years as my dad was in the Airforce
and have lived in France and England\
6. I was born a middle child, Pisces, and March 17, St. Paddys day is my birhtday
7. I was named after a lady my Mother met in a beer parlour.

Well there you go 7 random facts you probably never wanted to know about me, but now know. I have been in the studio creating some art journal pages, they are drying as we speak, so going to post some tommorow. Well till then take care.

Inspire Me Thursday - Gratitude

I am blessed to have a loving family and great friends. I am grateful everyday to have these people in my life. I have had these 3 friends for abut 35 years or so. I have other friends of course. But these three have been there for each other and me, we have gone through many of life's trials and survived them together. I think every woman needs a woman or women in there life for emotional support, fun and laughter. They cant replace your family, but you need them in a different way.

4x4 Challenge - Trees - First Snow

Here is my 4x4 challenge about Trees. I envisoned being in a forest with the snow coming down. I dont know if I caught that feeling in this small painting. Lee

Mr. Winter is making itself known soon

This is me I do not like winter. Its getting cold here and I have a to do list, plus I got my winter coat out....I quess I better start wearing socks again.

The Red Shoe Diary Revisited

I decided this needed to be in my art journal, not my sketch book. I had this idea and I still might do it, to incorporate these designs and the story into an art series for my studio, each on its own canvas. Well today I am feeling very warm and fuzzy thinking about Christmas and what I have to do and get and when it has to be mailed. I noticed the neighbour putting up their christmas tree tonight, a little early for me. I am one of these anal types that dont like a mess or things out of place. So we put up the tree about the 15 of December and take it down the day after Christmas. I can just about stand it that long and thats enough. Well I did another art journal tonight so I am going to post that one now to.

Sisters

This is a special art journal peice I made. I am actually going to do something like this on canvas for my mother for Christmas, but I am going to add my other sister to it (10 years younger). This art journal peice was about our connection just 2 years apart and when I last saw her.

Finding my Style

I have been reading a few blogs, and they seem like me to be having a problem finding there own unique style. I am trying to find my style and thats what these two pics are trying to find my style. Been doodling down in the studio, and here are some of the works that were done. Not great, not awful somewhere in between. Practice at your craft is important, and I find that the more I draw and paint and doodle the better I become. I try to draw, sketch or paint each day, there fore by the time I am really to old to hold a paintbrush I should be draw and paint like Van Gogh....

So I look like the Green Eyed monster

This is an old image I reworked and put in my art journal. Yes I do feel envy once in awhile. You often doubt you have any talent, when you surf the web and see what others are doing, and you begin to feel like yours is pre school looking. But then I sit back and say to myself I am making this for me and I like it that should be enough. We have had a busy couple of days around here. Wednesday was my daughters 19th birday, so we were out for dinner, tonight she had a bunch of friends over. Tommorow she is leaving for Seattle for 3 days for shopping and fun with a friend, they are flying. The dollar is so good right now you have to take advanatage of it. I ordered some stuff on the net as well, could not resist. I might even do some christmas shopping on it as well. The weather is turning cooler and snow is forecast......Well I am going to bed now as tommorw I am going to the studio, you should see some new work soon.....Its a long weekend here, called Remberance Day.....so we have Monday off as well.....

Faceless

This is another journal page that I made in my book. I have not done much art in the past 5 days since my last post. Life has a funny way of interfering with my art. I mean could someone else clean the house and cook the meals, really I am an artist.....Really time just flies by and before you know it, it's a week since my last post. It snowed here on Saturday night and its stayed around, today was quite mild, but the nights are cool. I know the bad weather is coming its just a matter of a week or so and Mr. Winter will be here until March. Well I should go I will post again tommorow....