pookieville

You get what you get...

That WAS NOT my original title, but after loosing the post I had been working on for about an hour, that is my mantra right now. I will quickly share some pictures with you of something I found this weekend. I found my happy place! Yes I realized in this life sucking heat that the only place that makes me really happy right now is watering my lettuce. ?? I know it is strange, but I just gotta go with it. Jackson comes out and tells me long long stories that I have yet to decipher, but at least she keeps me company... She talks and I water while our veggies are safe from the direct sun under these sweet umbrellas I set up for them.. So come back soon for a story called " adventures in laundry" its a good one.

Good morning darlings~

It's 7 am and it is still cool out ( lovely actually) and I have a big tortie cat sprawled across my lap- happy as can be and a cup of coffee. Yup, that is just about the perfect morning. It is so nice outside I want to go do some weeding in my bare feet and enjoy the cool soil~ but it is a "work" day, and I will don my uniform and pretend to be a normal person and not a wild mountain garden woman. My gardening outfits can be very creative I have found that if I wear my wellies NOTHING gets into my shoes, but shorts and pink wellies can be a little frightening. I used to wear a similar outfit when I was 2 or 3. I actually try to work in a manner that I never venture too close to the street so that I don't scare the neighbors. I am turning into my grandmother. That's a good thing. So, would you indulge me and tell me what you are doing this morning, and what you want to be doing instead? I would really love to know!! Have a lovely day no matter what you do!!! reality I will leave you with this picture- a little charm bracelet I have been working on, made with odds and ends and lovely mother of pearl buttons-Yum!!

what a bad blogger-

Oy- I keep composing posts in my head- and I gotta tell ya, working in my garden isn't that interesting, nor is the 95 degree heat we are having. So my appologies for lack of posts lately. My Ojai classes got canceled, but the good part is that since I didn't go I got to see a dear friend who was visiting from Texas. We had an impromtu bbq last night for 10 and it was great to see her and family. I did teach a class for a group of co- workers at Zinnia on Wed. and they were very fun. Made some great stuff too! Today I head back to Zinnia to so a soldered charm class. It is a small class, and I am looking forward to it. Sometimes it is nice to get to be more one on one. So that is about it around here, hot, minimal crafting, a bit more than minimal yardwork- yup, that's it. Hope you all are cooler and doing well-

Lots of classes!

This next week is going to be so fun filled with art stuff- I just might forget I have a day job. On Wendesday I am teaching a private class at Zinnia for 10! Wow. That should keep me outta trouble. Thursday June 19th 7:00pm is the 3rd. Thursday make and take at Zinnia, (626)441-2181, where Paul will be showing us how to craft wonderful boxes from old album covers. If you are too young to know what an album cover is, come on out and us older folks will tell you all about them. Friday June 20th I will be at Artful Living in Ojai again ( yeah!!!) teaching a collage technique class, and on Saturday 21st. we will be doing "the perfect birdhouse" Call the store at (805) 640-0800 for sign ups. AND, then back to Zinnia in South Pasadena on Sunday the 22nd. for a soldered charm class. I Think it is going to be a blast of a week!!! Here are some samples of Collage techniques class. We go over things like glazing, crackle and peeling paint and my favorite, image transfers just to name a few. s-

And in the Perfect Bird House class, we will collage and image transfer and then solder up our sweet and care free bird house. No seed or water to add or papers to change- lovely. These can be made double sided and students will have time to make 2 in class. And finally the soldered charms. This class is always so fun, because once people get over their "fear" of the soldering iron, the ideas just start to rush in. In this class we have glass and images and all the soldering stuff to get started and become familiar with soldering. It's not so scary- really. All of these pieces were done by first timers with a soldering iron. As with all of my classes, materials are provided. I like you to not be worrying if you got the "right" wire or glue etc. I want you to be able to come and play and leave with the knowledge to re-create the techniques we used and morph them into your own. BUT, if you have your favorite papers,a copy of a family photo, your special kit that you always use, please bring it along, whatever will enhance your experience. Hope you can make it out for a class.

The great mole ...

Yesterday, I decided to have a NEW experience. That is the spice of life right? New things?? Maybe it should be naps instead. I had to go to the opthomolgist, that is after seeing the dermatologist, and the optometrist ( and yes, glasses are on the way.) The Dr. I saw was really great- and as he examined my eye he asked if I had a cat- perhaps a white one, and then he took the cat hair out of my eye.... nice. Then he kindly informed me that the growth on my eyelid was most probably not the growth I knew as the mole of my childhood, but probably more in the wart family. What did you say??? Oh a WART?!?!? EWWWWWWW!!!! He explained that I could have gotten it from someone spitting on me while talking. What??? EWWWWWW!!!!! This isn't really going as I thought it might. I have had this thing formerly known as a mole as long as I can remember, and now I find out is is mostly likely a wart ?!?... great, it is official, I am a hag. Nice Dr. said he could remove it. The thing is, if I can avoid EYE SURGERY I would like to do so. Never having had eye surgery though I said well, lets do something new- lets take that sucker off and take me outta the hag category. Now, I know how much you all love it when I draw for you- so here is the before and after....

Now the part I did not draw for you was the super cool eye patch that I got to wear. Man were the other patients jealous of me.... as I bumped into chairs and partitions.... yup. That is me, wart hag with eye patch. I would also like to let you know that you can totally see the needle AND the scapel, and the goop that I have to put into my eye 4 times a day makes life blury, and cat hair sticks to it. Other than that I have to say Horray for new experiences! So how was your Monday?

I think I will blame typepad for my lack of posts lately. They "upgraded" their service, and it is slowing me down. I am having to re- learn stuff, and I didn't really want to. I just want it as it was- I could pop in and in moments have my post as I want it, and now I am searching and struggling, and obviously complaining. O.k. enough complaining ( but I reserve the right to continue at any time). What's new? Still struggling with art projects- there is something on the tip of my brain and I just can't quite see it to make it yet, I only see parts of it. So, I go into my studio, and walk around and touch stuff and think I am on to something- and then realize that I am not and I leave. I decided to make myself a list for this weekend, so that my mopey popo-ness wouldn't eat all my time and that has been very very good. I did get the bathroom clean ( walls and everything), and I did finish my bark project. Oh- the bark project?? Yes, that involved carrying 20, 65 pound bags of bark ( o.k. that is just an estimated weight) up 30 stairs. It has taken me easily a month because some weekends I moved none. I have also set up my pool (YIPPEE !!! ) and done I think 102 loads of laundry. We are a dirty couple. H and I hauled out the wood chipper and finally dealt with a huge pile of bramble, and I weedwhacked part of the yard. 5 hours in the yard will change your outlook in general. My back is screwed, but my outlook is pretty great right now. Also- I have started the next session of dance classes. I decided to take the 101 class again just for more dance time, and I am in 102 as well. I love it, it is so dang fun. We have a good group of people in both classes. That pretty much covers it for now- I am off for a date with my couch- I will leave you with this picture actually taken in my car, some flowers I took to a friend. I love peonies.

short weekend review

I've been struggling lately with being very motivated and super un-motivated. The house has gotten to that place where it is so messy it might really just be easier to move. The project list is growing but the cash isn't ....hmmm... I wish those dang cats had some income. I did go to a beautiful wedding this past weekend, very nice, and then dragged myself outta bed early for the swap-meet the next AM. Can't miss a chance to buy old used junk/treasures!!! O.k. so here is my loot from Sunday-

Quiet

Hi... sorry I've been so quiet this week. It has just been one of those struggling along weeks. And I've been so so tired. Last night I got 9 hours of sleep and still didn't want to get up when my alarm went off. hmmmm.. Maybe I've got some cooties. I have slowly been working on some things- some chunky book pages which were SO HARD this month! Religion/spirituality. Mine are very simple this time, they aren't done yet, I am waiting for inspiration to strike me in the forehead- hard. Also playing with a soldered doll, and a large canvas. Nothing to show you yet... still lots of tweeking and fixing to do. I have also been tossing ideas around in my head for a tag I got from this one an artist I met at Artfest. I have not forgotten my tag Clarissa!!! Still working on it- I will take some pics to share this weekend. Going to a WEDDING ( hehe yeah- I haven't been to a wedding in forever- ) I am so looking forward to it. It is being held at a botanical garden! On Sunday I am off to my favorite swapmeet to treasure hunt. Hope you have all had a good week and plans for a fun weekend.

Heat, Rain and teaching~

It is so hard to believe that a week ago I was just dying from the heat. My big plans for this weekend were to garden, garden, and garden. It's been raining here for 2 days which is kind of unusual weather for us. I will say that the yard is happy and we did need some water. I might just venture out into it tomorrow if it isn't pouring. A little mud is good for the soul. So in art news, I got a huge compliment from Zinnia as I was requested for a private class of 10!!! Wow - my ego. AND Artful Living has booked me out for 5 months! It is just so super flattering- I love doing it, and to get paid for it makes it even better. I am going to noodle around this weekend with some new class ideas. I want to do a printing class, and need to figure out how to showcase the techniques in a class and have a product/project at the end that the students have completed. It is still in my head, and I am working out the kinks. For now I will leave you with this~ taken last weekend in Ojai at the farmers market~ orange radishes. Pretty.... Hey, what are you doing this weekend??

Some flowers for your Thursday- Have a great day!!!!