pookieville

Fun stuff-

OOOOHHH it's on baby!!! I'm packing my bags of art stuff and hitting the road to Ojai. My classes have actual live students signed up and  now- I just have to remember EVERYTHING. I barely slept last night, I was so excited and nervous.  So, Kari is going up with me and while I teach, she will be getting a massage and exploring Ojai. I hope that after my collage class on Saturday she will show me around town-I haven't been in Ojai in almost 20 years (Geez-I hate to say that.) On Saturday night we will spend the night at Artful Living- it is a big ole' Victorian in the middle of town and they have a room set aside for teachers to stay over. I will teach a soldered charm class on Sunday and then we will hit the road back to L.A.  Really- I am so thrilled to get to go and do this- keep your fingers crossed that they like me!! ( that is Kari driving BTW)

dance shoes and chop saw~

Dreams of cutting some wood for our upcoming Third Thursday ( Zinnia) event were interrupted by this naughty trio.... doesn't that short one look like he is planning something????                                                                                                                  

They talked me into a short train ride to China Town- always a necessary trip in my book. O.K. , so it didn't take much talking on their part...

I got these for my garden- to protect my tomato plants this summer. I think they will will look super cute in my yard. Don't you?                                                                  

Of course we had to hit the local bakery and get a snack... That hunk of cake was $1.50. YUM!!

BUT, before the day was over, dance shoes were gotten!!! YEAH!!! I really wanted  pink and even considered sparkle silver, but decided on these. I love 'em. Turin picked out a pair of wing tips that look very dapper on him, and we conned Kari into getting a pair of shoes for a class she hasn't even signed up for yet. Shoes were fun. I can't wait to give these a spin around the mini dance floor and I think I will even celebrate by wearing a skirt for the event. The only sad part is that I realized I just can't take a picture of my wonderful new dance shoes without my legs and feet looking as pasty as they really are- sorry you had to see that, and I promise that tomorrow I am hitting the spray tan really hard. I hope your Sunday was as fun as mine! Leave me a comment and let me know what you did!

Just a quick note and update about life. The yard is still winning. The cats are still winning. The laundry is still winning. Everything is as it should be.
Our coyote, ( I let my father name him, Magic . How cute is that? my Dad is 81- and names a coyote Magic! I love it!!) has been showing his face. I respect him, but worry about my cats. So far my cats have been very aware of him, and staying inside and close to the house a lot.  I am going to watch and see for now, I might need to try have him moved someplace safer for all. I call u-haul for that don't I?
This week, I had the honor of helping a friend create memorial books of her beloved Aunt. I had never met her, and I am sorry for that. She looks like and sounds like she was an absolute kick in the pants and all around fun lady. I was touched that I was asked to help with this project, and glad to say that with my SIL help, we got 15 accordion style books done! Whew- it was a job, but they looked great.  It was a touching experience, and I was glad to be able to be of some help and maybe comfort to my friend.
Tomorrow I have dreams of chop saws and dance shoes- well, not together- that would be silly. I hope to cut some houses for our Third Thursday Class at Zinnia( this Thursday! 7-8:30 wine, cheese and craft!!) and to go and get my super girlie dance shoes. If the shoes do happen tomorrow, a picture will be shared. I also need to round up some supplies for classes in Ojai!!! Sat. and Sunday, fingers crossed, I will be teaching my first classes at Artful Living (805) 640-0800.

new fun~

Wow- yesterday was just kind of a hard hectic day, I am so not used to that. At one point I was at my desk thinking "what would make me feel better right now?" my answer was dance. HA! Isn't that funny??
The girl who was allergic to dancing now wants to use it as her drug.  I don't think I told you, but I continued my class and have been going every week and loving it. I decided to repeat the level one, and I am glad I did, and in a few weeks I will move on to the next level. Soon I am going to buy some real dance shoes. That literally makes me giggle! I think I will get some really shinny ones, gold or silver, and not just black.
I finished the last of my shows for a while this last weekend, and feel like I can breath now, I have classes scheduled and I am so looking forward to them.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that classes for Ojai will fill up. I don't love the idea of having to stay up there over night, but I do love the new adventure of it all. Please keep your fingers crossed too.  O.k. so I have to show you what I've been makeing in my teeny studio. I have been having so much fun with these!!!

swap meet booty

I love the P.C.C. swap meet. I always find something that must come home with me, and sometimes true treasures. Yesterday, I was hunting for paper, and I didn't really find what I was looking for, and for some reason, I came home with dolls. ?? Yea- that confused me too, but wait until you see them. My total for the day was  $20.00 including parking and a donut ( a swap meet must.)                                                                                                                                     

Do you know this dog?

I live in Pasadena. The city. So I am always surprised by sites like this.  Harry and I guess this guy to be under a year old. We have seen him before, but dang he looks relaxed in our yard. I saw him, and ran to usher the cats into the house and then we all huddled around the windows to watch beautiful him.

The Amalfi ~

More weekend activities- On Sunday, I packed up my treasures and headed to, Santa Monica  a to vend at Canyon School. It was a big family school carnival- super fun, great people. All the parents were involved and had it organized ( it was the 114 year for the event after all) Despite the heat a good day was had. I want you to notice that M.A. is not the only one to go to Amalfi this summer- o.k. I didn't get to the Amalfi  coast, but I made it to Amalfi court... its a start.

Miss Denise- looking good!!!

My stuff with Mr. helper guy behind my table ( thanks Mr. Helper guy!!)

A cake made by one of the kids for the cake walk- I loved this one!

Where have you been?

Oh yeah- it's me that has been missing. I was still recovering from Clark's demise. Actually I had such a filled weekend I can't even remember everything that I did. That's bad, especially when no alcohol was involved. On Friday, I did something I just can't recall. On Saturday, I did a class a Zinnia and Diane, Celeste and Gina rocked out these soldered glass luminaries- even overcoming my wonky glass cutting skills. Uh- hello, how cute are these?!?   O.k. I gotta go crash for a while, but more tomorrow- I promise.         
                                                                                                                                     

So, that M.A. is in Italy. We hate her ( not really, but just a little) . She asked me to go visit her cats while she was away. I think she thought that would be almost as good as going to Italy. Well she was wrong. MA has rowdy cats. Cute, but rowdy. Today, while humming in my head, "doh de doh doh doh" and looking for said rowdy cats I turned into the bathroom at Moss cottage to find this!!!

Oh the horror. Poor dead squirrel. I actually gasped and put one hand up to cover my mouth in shock when I found him. I couldn't find any ID on him, ( as he was wearing no pants) so I'll just call him Clark. Services were short and only M.A.'s one female cat attended. She did tell me a long story most of which I was too distracted to follow. Come to think of it, I may have judged the boys too quickly- A long time ago my father told me that squirrels don't fall out of trees, they have heart attacks. And really have you EVER seen a cat catch a squirrel? NO! So, Clark must have died of natural causes- oh and that would explain the bottle of nitro pills  clutched in his tiny rigid paw.  Sorry for judging your cats so quickly M.A. hope you are having fun on your Italian vacation- we are having super duper fun here in L.A.!!!

Bee Art~

Whew- those lady's at the womens club can wear a girl out! I did a small show in Eagle Rock yesterday with some of my art posse ( Denise, Joe and Paul , Shari and Michelle) Great company and lots of laughs- but those Lady's held a lunch and fashion show that started at 11 and ended around 3. That's a lot of fashion show!
I'll tell ya about the mimes later.... no really ....mimes. What I have to show you today are two pieces that I just recently finished. Collage on canvas which is new for me, as I usually work on wood, but since Artfest, I decided that I work on wood so that people won't think I am trying to be an "artist" well I learned on my trip that I am an "Artist" and I am not ashamed any more to work on REAL surfaces like canvas. So there. I created these pieces to generate some money to donate to bee research and the study of colony collapse disorder. Our bees are dying, so go plant some lavender and sunflowers in your yard cause they like that. And don't use any pesticides. o.k.? Cause they don't like that.
Anyway I sold this one yesterday !! YEA!!!!

this one is still for sale Canvas size is 5 x5 and the edges are painted. $30.00 and it all goes to bee research.
Have a terrific Sunday, and remember to hug a bee!!!- well, maybe just wave nicely to one. :)