pics for Mad Art

Originally uploaded by bufferzone

pot head

pot head
Originally uploaded by bufferzone

pics for Mad Art

Originally uploaded by bufferzone

pics for Mad Art

Originally uploaded by bufferzone

No paints this week, palatte cold !!

It seems the only time I have my camera, is with Princess Grace. tee hee...

Yesterday, my sis, Linda, was able to come and play for awhile while Grace was here. She really hasn't gotten to "meet" her, really. In this pic, she and my hubby, Bus, are trying to iron out our plans for both of our families to take a trip this fall !!

This is week I've only gone to lunch, and babysit... I have made a few interesting creations in the kitchen. One being an "easy as 1,2,3," coffeecake from a recipe that my good friend Wayne got out of a Paula Deen book, or telecast. SOOOOOOOOOO EASY! and the second was a homemade soup from a new book I purchased while at lunch this week at the BLUE OWL restaurant in Kimmswick. It's called Cream of Spinach and Bacon soup, and was wonderful, but fattening, with it's cups of whipping cream, cream cheese and 12 strips of bacon- but tasted great !!!

Kimmswick

My friend Kris and I had a delightful time at the Blue Owl restaurant in Kimmswick, and searching for bargains in the cute shops afterwards. (No camera, boo hoo)
What a cute little town. Kimmswick is a river town just south of St. Louis, and has developed into a community of Antique and Specialty shops. A few of my favorites are no longer there, but new ones crop up, and we found an artsy one yesterday that had beautiful creations!
So fun to be retired and have the time to explore and visit with friends like that !!!

A Day Trip for 2 recently retired sisters.

My sis called me this morning, and wanted to go on a "road trip". Well, we found ourselves out in the country, touring the small towns, looking for antiques, old buildings to snap some pictures, and having a light lunch. Unfortunately, most shops pick Monday to be closed, which we had somehow forgotten, but we still had a blast just being together and looking around. We plan to do this "often" , and I'm looking forward to it !!

Day of Grace

I just couldn't resist.... I spent the day with Grace yesterday, and captured some cute moments...

A Day with GRACE.....

Lauren and Latoria

Got a start on Lauren, this darling girl who was in my ANP (Academic Networking Period) for the last 3 years. She was a fabulous student with almost straight A's, and played in the band, so she wasn't able to have room to take much art.

Worked a little on Latoria's hair, but it's still not done !

Aunt Marge and Uncle P.J.

Here's Bus' adorable Aunt Marge and his Nutty Uncle P.J.

Evansville Indiana

Bus' aunt Mary, his mom's older sister, passed away last week at age 87. It has been 3 years since we have seen any of his cousins on that side of the family, and even been 3 years since we have seen his brother Brad. We were able to visit and spend time with his dear aunt and uncle, Marge and P.J. ,listening to the funny stories of things that happened long ago. ( Bus' mother's family had a very great sense of humor, and they always entertain you with their tales of the past).

Aunt Mary had three daughters, and each has three children. All of them were there, and a couple of them had small children as well. Being from a very small family, I was fascinated with all the life and vitality of the larger group of relatives. Mary's husband of 64 years is a Baptist minister, and still is in remarkable shape mentally and physically for 89 years old. He even painted the outside of his house last year on a ladder! He sat with us at the meal they served at the church and told us the story of how he first met Mary. It was so sweet and touching to hear him remember and share it with us. While Mary has been sick, and in a Care Center the last 3 years, he has gone every single day, and eaten meals with her there every day! Carolyn, Bus' cousin said that Emmett would prepare something special at home, and bring it to give Mary with her meal, since she didn't like the food at the home that much. He was so dedicated to her. It was very sweet..... We'll miss you Aunt Mary.

Getting a little done on Latoria

Before we leave for Evansville for a funeral, I got a little work done on this portrait. I also managed to get paint all over me (easy to do) but got it off before it got on my clothes ! yuck !!

Millie is coming along.....

Here's the progress on the Millie painting. I've been hoping for 5 hours a day to paint, but it seems as though after an hour or so my back and neck are killing me, so I have to take a break after awhile and do something else. I've also found that having two or three paintings at different stages is helpful-timewise for me to work.

Boy, am I Lucky !

I can't stop looking at this beautiful creature. I love holding her, and hugging her, and making her smile. I can't get enough !!

Guess Who

My friend Kris and I went out today - to give each other moral support, and celebrate our state of "retiredness"-

We had a lot of catching up to do, and had a delightful visit, and planned to get together for some "inspirational" time every other week, or so. We both sure do miss our buddies at Mehlville.....

I did have enough time to work on Latoria a bit, and start a new piece-- Guess who ?!--- tee hee !!!

Day 2 of "work" plan

I got in the studio by 6:30, and am finishing up at 11:30- not bad, when you get off from work before noon -!! tee hee.....

I finished Loutreece, except for the highlights in the hair, which have to go in a day or two after the hair has slightly dried.

I was just going to do the drawing for Latoria, but then I couldn't stop (like eating salted peanuts!) and continued on until the underpainting was complete.... Now she needs a day to two to dry to start the actual color.

I've been working on a painting of my son, Jim, but until I can get a better likeness I won't show it here. HA!

My first day of "Work" at home, I worked on Loutreece, and added more color to the Jim Green painting. I worked a bit on several others as well, and gessoed over some larger old paintings so I can plan those out too !!

School DAZE

Today is the FIRST day of school. In honor of that, I've thought about how I could use my time better now that I am Not Teaching.!!

I don't have to get up at 5:00 anymore, and leave by 6:30 am, and arrive home (most days) at about 5:00 pm. So, instead, I thought it would be completely "do-able" to at least get 5 hours of work done (artwork, that is) a day. I will get to my studio by 8, or so, and work til 1, and then I will have the rest of the day to do whatever I want to do--

I know myself well enough to know that I need this kind of structure, even if I have to impose it on MYSELF.. If I do what I am best at, instead of wasting time doing a lot of scattered stuff, I will be productive, and I know that THAT makes me happy..

It really helps me to organize my thoughts, and in turn to organize my time, when I have a plan like this and stick to it. I sure hope it will work. If I ever plan to be a successful painter, and sell my work, then I need to devote the time and energy to that goal.... Here Goes !!`

Loutreece- Jim Green

This is Loutreece- she is a talented art student, her former teacher Jessica, and I , nominated her for an exclusive art workshop last year. She is a very sweet and respective girl, as well.....

I've always thought this portrait of Jim looked unfinished, due to the background. Well, I picked it up and worked on the background yesterday, and even tweeked a few features too !

I like it better, how about you?

First actual babysitting day

I went to Ted and Diane's on Thursday, and stayed with my sweet, precious Grace !!

She was so good, no sign of her nasty "acid reflex" or GERD...... I'm hoping her little system is outgrowing it.

Here is a pic or two- I know, I know, they almost all look alike. I can't help it, It's part of being a Grammie !!

Budget Decorating !

Well, I forgot to take a "before" picture, but here is the "after".....
Yesterday I was looking for fabric to make curtains for my daughter-in-law for her livingroom/diningroom. These simply designed ones were inspired by some my sister made recently for her kitchen, and familyroom. Anywho..... I stumbled across this cute fabric and the lining of yellow, for $2. a yard, and couldn't resist. I came home and started right in cutting, measuring, pressing and experimenting. I did have to get the electric drill out this morning in order to move the curtain rod up about 5 inches, and then decided to cover the chairs to match... I was very excited about the outcome.... amazing what a little time and $20. can do !!

This breakfast room is not one we use very much, but it is important as an aesthetic element as we pass by it or through it dozens of times each day.... It will cheer me up !

Trip- possibly-

This is a pic from 2005 when I took a trip to visit my daughter in SF....
If I save, and don't spend, maybe her dad and I can go spend some more time doing THIS, instead of selling unwanted stuff at a GARAGE SALE -- tee hee !!

Picking up the Pieces

We are finally getting the rest of the GARAGE SALE stuff put away- what a CHORE !!



My sister and I had a garage sale last Fri. and Sat. ( we thought we'd try for a 2 day sale this time) and we had so much left - PLUS IT WAS SO UNBELIEVABLY HOT - that we decided to let it sit in the garage until the following Sat. and run the sale again. Well, it was worth it, although by the end it looked like a "Dollar Store" -ha ha . We carted the remaining items to Goodwill- it took two carfulls ! and I still had tables, pictures, 2 boxes of books, a few items that I JUST COULDN"T QUITE part with until this morning. WOW- it makes you think about our nature to "Consume" so much. We were sitting in the hot sun, on Saturday, and my sis said she was not going to buy anything she didn't need anymore.... Well, I whipped out our pad to mark our sales on, and wrote out that statement.... Handed it her to sign, and then I signed it too !!!

I hate being wasteful. Being less of a "consumer" is going to be foremost in my decision making from now on. Now that we are retired, that extra cash we save we can use for a little trip somewhere, I hope.....

Transformations

I've changed studio space (moving a small studio into a larger bedroom) and created a small little cozy bedroom for guests with their own private bathroom. The bed is large (queensize) so it's a rather snug fit, but it is very comfortable. Once when our friends from Lake St. Louis were visiting, they stayed over night rather than driving the hour to get home, because it was getting very late. It would have been nicer to let them have a bit more privacy. Also, the larger studio allows me to have a bed and a bit of space for my granddaughter, Grace ! It also will let me paint some bigger canvases, plus a table to assemble jewelry and put up my sewing machine! It seems no matter how much room there is I still run out of space ! ha ha