Bead and Design Show in Costa Mesa on August 20, 2017

I will be doing craft shows until the end of this year and finally get a website up to sell my art. That is a big step. Here is a photo of me at my booth at Costa Mesa.

I will post the date of my next show here. It will be in October. I hope I see you there.
My daughter is getting married in September. It is so exciting.

Just finished "The Execution of Noa P. Singleton" by Elizabeth L. Silver
This is the authors first book. So it was desirable to read because it is a fresh voice who is trying to put her best foot forward.
The book starts with a mystery...why is this young woman on death row? The story leads you through her childhood and utlimately to the time she is on death row to try and decipher the mystery. There are a few unexpected twists at the end that sort of explain what happened but I found it hard to understand or relate to this woman's thinking. The book leaves you with a feeling of sadness for the main character. Why is it in life that we have such trouble getting past our childhood experiences. When you think about it, it is kind of ridiculous that we box ourselves into thought patterns that so limit us. All we have to do is open our eyes and see that what happened to us in the past is over and probably won't happen again. We don't need to prepare for it or be influenced by it. It's OVER! You Survived it.
Actually, each of us can do anything. We are only limited by our physical and mental abilities that we have failed to develop and what is legal.

I want to start making a list of the books I have just finished reading. Although I have read thousands of books I will start with the ones I just finished.
"The Three" by Sarah Lotz
An interesting but very long book 471 pages.
It was written in a style of a person speaking to you and showing you references to various correspondence between the charactors that would illuminate the story they were telling.
Four plane crashes on one day with only 3 survivors and they are all children. The story is about the reaction of people to these children. It hints on aliens and the end of the world bible prophesies. It is very imaginative and I found myself engaged in wondering what was going to happen and what had really happened. It was a fun book.

"The Revenant" by Michael Punke
This story is going to be made into a motion picture. After reading it, I can't wait to see it.
My favorite male character is one who is kind and thoughtfully intelligent but strong, almost invincible and willing to fight against a clear evildoer and win. Something terrible and unfair happens and the hero wants revenge.
The story takes place in 1823 when the Rocky Mountain Fur Company was establishing itself in the American frontier. Hugh Glass is the hero of the book and was a real person. The story is based on real events as much as was recorded from the time.
It is a wonderful story and is historically well researched. You learn alot about what it was like to be a frontiersman in the earlier 1800's. Certainly not an easy life but much simpler than our current lives.

The moth!!!!

Closing the door to my studio at night is a bit tricky. The huge tree outside the door has made the doorframe at a different angle than the door. In order to shut the door and lock it, I have to place a certain thickness of paper under the bottom of the door as I close it. This lifts the lock up so that it is aligned and I can lock the door. Last night, as I was doing this something huge was fluttering around my head and scaring me. As I backed away I thought it was a large butterfly or a bird but I couldn't understand why it was flying at night. I ran in the house to get a flashlight and saw to my amazement that it was a moth. I took a picture of it to share. The wing span was 6 inches and it had red eyes. What a treat. Isn't he beautiful!!!

Removed the clock widget

Okay, I had to take the cat clock widget out. It had an ad attached to it. So not cool.

I am back after a year!!!

I have decided to start using my blog again. It is amazing that it has been exactly a year since I have last posted. I found this clock kitty widget, just like one of my clocks. So exciting. I am still working on the book for the Sister of St Joseph History. We are up to the 1980's. It is really fun to work on and I can't wait to see it printed. Probably not till next year.

A garden show!!!

Here is my table at the Garden Show in my Neighborhood. It was a lot of fun. Merry who sells vintage buttons was right across from me. I ran over to explore whenever I could.

It must be getting close to Easter. The Azalias are in Bloom!!!

Every year just before Easter the Azalias in front of my house bloom. They are so pretty. Most years it rains though and washes the blooms off. I think they might be hanging on this year. Here is a picture of them. You can't see the house because of the hedge. I only see the flowers when I come home or go out. It is always a pleasant surprise. Happy Easter.

Happy St. Patricks Day

My mom collected so many little jokes out of the newspaper. This was one that I laugh at everytime I run across it. So simple but so funny. Innocent humor. Plus I can just hear my mom saying it to my Dad. She had such a dry sense of humor and so unexpected sometimes. Ha ha mom, you still can make me laugh and bring joy to my day.

Started a new job designing a book today!!!

So I ordered this magazine in a box to get inspired. Isn't this incredible. I can't wait for it to arrive. Lot of good ideas in here. Yeah.

My new valentine illustration.

I love the month of February because it is so full of red things. What a way to brighten up a dull month. Although I must say, here in California we are having warm springlike weather. Very unusual. February has always been about RAIN. I guess now that my roof is fixed the rain needs to stay away. Ha Ha. I am busy making red bracelets and cute valentine buttons. Here is a valentine sketch for my husband.

Finally, I am back. Sort of!!!

I have been on such a long adventure. My trip to North Carolina was divine. I even was able to stand in a snowstorm. That alone was worth the trip. I was so inspired by the Richmond art scene that I created these ear rings for my daughter as soon as I got home. I have had these glass striped beads for some time and am delighted how they turned out.

Oh I found the purrfect boots!!!

I braved the black friday sales and although I did get a few things at some very deep discounts, the boots weren't on sale. I did get the HUGE California sales tax forgiven though. At least I got something. Almost every person I ran into had red bloodshot eyes. Guess they got up at 4am to be out there shopping. Wow it was really amazing the amount of people out shopping. The spirits were really high and I loved the good vibes. Noone seemed grouchy. Plus, Plus, the weather although cold was beautiful. Big bright sun and beautiful blue skies with puffy white clouds. So Nice.

These boots are the best. I have been wearing them for three days and my feet are so happy.
They will make my trip so nice.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Well, I am getting so excited about my trip to see my daughter and my sisters back east. It will be one year since I have seen them. It will just be a couple of weeks before I leave now. Woo Hoo
I have been watching the news about the new search techniques at the airport and I must admit I am a little scared. For some reason (I don't look weird) I always get pulled aside and searched at the airport. I ask why and they always just shrug and indicate it is random. I accept this, after all I want to be on a safe flight. But getting searched while holding your arms out and them running a bar along the outside of your body is not like them actually touching you with their hands.... I don't want that, yikes.... Hopefully the news has exaggerated the situation like they always do and it will be a piece of cake. I am also madly looking for boots that I can wear for the whole trip. I have found some really good UGG ones that are slip on and waterproof.  I intend to go out on black Friday so I can get the best possible price. That will be exciting, I haven't been out on black Friday in years. Hope I don't get trampled. HA HA Yet another news exaggeration.

Here is a pin I am making for my home sweet home warm and fuzzy feelings. Don't you just want to be in the picture. So lovely.

Racoon Scarf!@!!!!! WOW!!!

 

This is such a cool scarf. It is felt. The creativity shown here is amazing. I would totally wear this. How much fun!!!
Here is the website for the artist that made it.
http://www.livemaster.ru/item/244303-odezhda-gorzhetka-enot

Buffy and the Late Fall Sun!!!

Buffy is really gettin to be old now. He turned 13 this past August. Here he is enjoying the sun and laying in the new Rye grass. He is so sweet.

Wow Time flies!!

Well Halloween came and went. Now we are into November. I made a little photo box to take small pictures. I followed directions from online somewhere. It came out so good. Now I can take pictures at night instead of having to wait until daylite. COOL! This is one of the photos from it.

Playing with buttons

This is my newest piece. I wanted to really show off some of the buttons that I have. Especially the marquisite ones and the black glass. Also I purchased some dyed fabric pieces from Cathy Cullis and I wanted to use some of those. The image on the fabric button that I used was takenfabric button that I made I want to do a series of these type of pieces using a lot of buttons.

Today I purchased my airline tickets for a Christmas visit to North Carolina. Thrilling.

So Hotttt on Saturday and so cold on Monday!!!

Look at this amazing praying mantiss that I found in the lillies when I was watering on Sunday. I think he was looking at me.
California's weather is going through some really strange things. Saturday was so hot at Glitterfest that I thought I was melting. I am sure it hurt artists sales since we were all selling mostly fall stuff. Not the right mood.
Plus a few days before Los Angeles recorded the hottest day (113º), since the late 1800's. Now on Wednesday I am freezing in my studio. I hadn't had the gas guy come to light the pilot light in my gas wall furnace since it was so hot. I arranged it for this Friday and now I find out from the news that this weekend it will be hot again.

Glitterfest was so fun!!!!

Well, Glitterfest was really wonderful. I met all kinds of new creative people. Everything that I am passionate about was up for discussion. From the moment I arrived at 8:45am till the time I left at 4:45pm I stood and talked and shared. Here are some pictures of the day before as I prepared my buttons for sale.  The last picture of my table at the show wasn't taken until the day was over. I didn't get a chance to take it at the start. But at least you can see some of it. We were packed in there pretty tight behind those tables. Me and the artist behind me kept laughing cause we kept bumping each other in the buts.