pookieville

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!!!!

More Artfull Living weekend adventures~

After class, Kari and I looked around town which by the way closes at 5:00 sharp. That struck me as odd for a tourist town, but it certainly didn't stop us from checking everything out and getting some great pictures!!!

We ended up in the far end of town for dinner at this great easy place called Boccali's (805) 646-6116. I later found out this is an Ojai institution.

Well all I have to say is YUM!

This is where the large amounts of iced tea were consumed. As well as this bit of  this loveliness.  More Yum!

At one point I put down my fork and Kari got happy thinking I was finished,( we were sharing) little did she realize I was just switching to a spoon- much to her dismay.  It was a delicious meal at a really fair price and I am definately going back.  We spent the night in the teacher's quarters of Artful Living, which is a refurbished Victorian ish house.  Here is the part when I say THANK YOU BARBARA!!! For the lovely accommodations, and the AIR CONDITIONING!!!! The house is super fab. and even though a work in progress, so very comfortable and welcoming. A huge library art books kept us happy until we fell asleep.

The next morning I set up and taught a soldered charm class. Again lucking out and having super great students. They just fell right into it, and made some wonderful stuff.
Now remember this is the first time they have EVER soldered- check this out...
This is artist Christine Brennan . How surprised was I to have her in class after ogling her art work the night before!   She used prints of her own work for the charms and they came out amazing!                                                                        This next picture is from artist Julie Lovejoy . I think she is going to be gourd work at Artful Living soon.       
These pieces were done by Toni-          
                                                                                                                                                      

We even got Barbara to come play with us!

And Legend the wonder dog just took a nap ( he was pooped from all the lovin' he got)
I have to apologize again for the blur on some of my pictures- some sadly I couldn't even post they were so bad. :( Maybe a little too much tea and sugar for me! Thank you to Julie, Toni, Donna, Laurel,and Chris for coming out and playing and making the soldering class so fun. You guys blew me away at what you all made.
Thank you Barbara for opening your studio space to me, for housing me in your wonderful and creative space and for sharing Legend the wonder dog! Your generosity and kindness made my first time at Artful Living a wonderful experience!

Artful Living Weekend~

I rarely go out of town, so of course this last weekend while my girlfriend from Portland was visiting, I was in Ojai. Makes sense. We did get a chance to visit and catch up of Friday, and we did it really well with a 16 month old "monkey" running around. He is chatty and curious and smiles and laughs a lot. What a joy.

I've known Joanne, oh- at least  20 years. O.k. fine very well over 20 years! Dang. We met in first grade and have been friends since!It was a pleasure to see her and Andrew, and I am gonna ask you all to cross your fingers that a move back to Ca. might be in the future. I am a totally selfish person.

On Sat. morning, Kari and I jumped in her trust Montero and headed North. It was a beautiful day, and so very very hot. We got to Ojai by 10:00 am and it was easily 90 degrees outside. Good thing we left the Nash and that hat of hers at home.  We got to Artful Living  and met up with Barbara and her delightful husband. We got the tour and then I set up for my collage technique class. It was a full class, and we made a lot of mess which translates to a lot of fun in my book. I had to go out and buy myself a nail brush that night because I just couldn't get all the paint off of me. So check out some of the beautiful and fun that was made in class. For some reason a lot of my pictures came out blurry. I hadn't even started to drink large amounts of iced tea, so I am not really sure why. My apologies. The students were so fun, ( thank you Darcy, Marilynn, Mary Ellen, Kira, Donna, Becky, and Krista!) and adventurous and game to try new stuff.  Students really make the class and these guys rocked it out!!! O.k. more on my Ojai adventures tomorrow!!

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.)