Playing and Packing

Hello Friends and Family. I have been busy getting all of my utilities, cable, phone and Internet turned on at my new place. I will move on Friday and Saturday. I am trying to finish up a few projects before I finish packing up my studio. The piece above it the cover of one of those $1 calendar/address books for your purse. I made this one for my grandson's girlfriend for her birthday. She loves paints and collage, and I am hoping we can get together to make some art since she will only be about 10 minutes from me after I move. Her name is Jamie, and she has her own unique style, and she is a beautiful girl. Here is a photo of her and my grandson, Alan. This was taken a couple of years ago, so they are older now. I am hoping that they will marry some day. My grandson is 25 and Jamie is 21. Part of the reason that I chose the place where I am moving to is because of Alan. He and I are very close, and he will help me with anything I need done in the future. I love him and Jamie and I hope they will continue to be happy together.

At the Auction Tonight

Hello Friends and Family. In a small town close to where I live there is a little country auction on Friday and Saturday nights. I went tonight, first time in over a year, and I really had fun. I bought some little cabinets for the bathrooms in my new place, so old threads and spools, a little bottle, and a rug. I will get some photos and upload them so you can see my finds. I have found lots of really good deals at this auction, especially before summer gets here when more people come out. If you have an auction house near you then check it out. You will be surprised what you can get for a great price.
I am wanting to do my new place with more shabby chic stuff and less traditional, and I am going to make some canvases for the walls, and some new art pillows too. You will get to see all this and more, and I will even tell you how I make them. I will move next Friday, the 27th, and then I have to get set up, but then I will get to work decorating my new place. Photos of that will be here too. I haven't even been inside of it yet so I am so excited! If you don't remember, I am a retired art teacher, a widow, and I am moving to a retirement community.
I will try to add the auction photos tomorrow, but I am going to go see my Sis and take her to lunch at La Madeline's and maybe do a little shopping. TTYL

Love Valentine

Hello Friends and Family. Well, this is my last piece for today. I have new things coming tomorrow though, and I hope that you will stop back by and take a look. This one was fun to do with the paints in the background. I first traced my bird on some cream and red paper, but it seemed to get lost in the background so I added a black cutout over it. I also used glitter glue in the background on the hearts, and then added the 3D flowers. Have a great evening and a wonderful Monday....if you can!

Forever More

Hello Friends and Family. I really like the way this one came out. I have another bird one that I am working on now. I love the contrast and that it isn't too fussy. Just find yourself a bird image, and you can cut it out to make a pattern, and then trace it onto black paper. Add an image of your choice, and some eggs, and you are done! I hope you will like it too.

Valentine Art

Hello Friends and Family. I can this piece Kiss Me. If you know me at all you know that I am a dyed in the wool, forever, and ever romantic! So, at Valentine's I get to make as much sappy art as I want, and I get to mail it to other people! So, here is my first piece for today. I am putting some others together, and I will upload them when they are done. I hope you like this one.

Free Images

Hello Friends and Family. I am taking a break, and went to Lisa Vollrath's Ten Two Studio. She is again giving away some awesome images to use in your art. If you are making Valentines for anyone you can find the perfect image here. Please stop by her site, and leave her a message that you love the new images for FREE! There will continue to be a new free collage sheet or something everyday for 14 days! I'll post an image later of what I am working on today.

This and That

Hello Friends and Family. I have been searching and printing off some things today for a Red challenge lottery. I love the red theme, and I am having some fun with this one. I am adding paint, texture and images for a neat 6 by 6. I will post my finished project tomorrow. Also, I will be making a LOVE themed piece of art for a mingle. I am not sure what that piece will be yet. After I finish these 2 pieces, I am going to finish my Arti-Gras mask for one of my groups. I may upload some photos that I am taking as I make this mask. I found a blank mask at the Hobby Lobby, but you can make your own pattern or find them on the web. Let me know if you need a pattern and you can't find one.

I hope you are all taking advantage of Lisa Vollrath's free images for Valentines. I sure am. I am going to make a decorated envelope and send it on to her too, and maybe some chocolate too! I really appreciate it whenever I find some awesome free images. Be sure to visit
Go Make Something.com for your free downloads.

Next weekend on the 14th I will meet up with my local group. That will be a fun day! Food, fun and friends! Can't beat that. We usually do a make and take also, and we bring in anything we are working on to share with the group. We sound like a flock of magpies, all talking at the same time! I have not been to a meet up in months because of my back surgery, and I am really looking forward to this one. Valentine is perhaps my most favorite holiday because it is all about loooovvvveeee, and I am so sappy about that subject!

Well, I hope you all had a great Friday, and I will be posting some more art tomorrow. Bye for now.

Hello Friends and Family. I have included a piece of art that I made today for a mingle at one of my Yahoo groups. It took me forever! I am so rusty from not creating. I have got to loosen up, and the best way to do that is to make a whole bunch of art, so that is what I am planning on doing. I'm sure that I will be posting every day for awhile anyway. I do have to start packing soon. It looks like I will be moving to a senior retirement community. I am so excited about this move, and I am really looking forward to hanging with people my own age.

I hope you all had a great day, and I will be talking at ya tomorrow.

I Am So Happy To Be Home!

Hello Friends and Family. I 'm back!! Many of you know that I had back surgery in the fall, actually on Oct. 6th. After surgery, I was not breathing well, and I was placed in ICU. However, that wasn't my only problem. My kidneys and bowels were not working either. I was still getting pain medication that was not being filtered out of my body, and even the anesthesia was not leaving my body, and then with the breathing problem I developed carbon monoxide poisoning. I was told that on day 10 that I was due to go on dialysis, but thank God my kidney function rose by 1 point, and one of my 7 doctors said they would hold off on the dialysis for another day, and the next day my kidney function was up another point! After 12 days, I was moved to a rehab center.

This will sound strange, but I have no memory of any of this happening! I remember speaking with my doctors before my surgery, and I don't remember another day until Thanksgiving. Well, actually I thought I went home for a few hours for Thanksgiving, but then later I found out that I didn't, and then I remembered that I didn't. That is as far back as I can remember! My doctors said it was because of the toxins in my body.

I remember at the rehab that I worked on cognitive work sheets every day to bring back my skills. I couldn't add or spell or any thing when I first started to work with the Speech therapist.

I worked really hard there with my Physical therapist, and my Occupational therapist also, and learning to walk on a walker with my Physical therapist. I am still on the walker, and I am so happy about that! Some of you may not know that I was in a wheel chair before this due to the muscle atrophy and scar tissue, and compressed nerves in my spine. My back surgeon released the compressed nerves, added some metal rods to stabilize my spine and replaced some broken bone fusions in my spine with metal spacers. I had what the medical profession refers to as the 360, meaning that I had one surgeon who did surgery on my tummy to put in the spacers, and then I had my spinal doctor who did surgery on my back to repair the other problems.

I have been home about a week or 10 days, and I am slowing returning to normal here. I have some art to do, and I wanted to get this update out to you. I hope to upload some new art in a day or two.

When I was in the rehab, I met many other seniors there, and we all became friends, encouraging each other and laughing together, and even doing activities together. I miss that enviroment so much that I have decided to move to a senior community. I am very happy about this decision, and I have been online looking at various places this past week. I may have found a place nearby, and I am going to go over there tomorrow. I hope we are a match! I will let you know when I know.

Well, I am going to post and go off to bed. Not that I will fall asleep yet ( I am such a night owl, trying to reform some), I will dim the lights, and turn on the TV and see if I can drift off before 4 in the morning! Goodnight, sleep tight!