Felt good...

to get some painting done today. I finished this angel in purple on wood that was headed to the dumps that I got in SC. My cousin fished it out of my aunt's dump pile and cut it for me. I loaded the car with lots of wood and brought it home. It was a good thing I didn't drive over the Rocky Mountains or my car wouldn't have been able to make it up any hills! I love painting on wood that is doomed and turning it in to something pretty. While I was in SC I painted a pink one like sort of like this one for my cousin. She's going to put her in her garden and I think she's going to plant something underneath her which will be her dress! Cute idea don't ya think?! These angels on long pieces of wood would look good over a doorway as well. I have another started and may be up late getting trying to get it finished. If I can stay off of Twitter. haha Yep I'm Twitteraddict now!

We bought a walker for little JJ aka Doodle Bug the other day. He liked it but he can only move it backwards for now. He would want to go forward and get so mad when it went backwards! It was hard not to laugh. He's getting big so fast! I got busted holding him while he slept when my son came in to pick him up. haha That felt good too!

Wordless Wednesday

My "Roadie"

Make it a fun day!

Dag Blast it!

Just logged on and checked Etsy and surprise! The front page has featured artist selling tiles with trees on them like the trees I have been doing for quite some time now, even same colors. This person just started selling on Etsy. Compliment? Not so much. It sucks when you work hard and are trying to make a living. It got my panties in a knot but oh well what can you do? This is not the first time. Last year another artist apparently printed out one of my paintings, it was a mirror image, then added a word to it and sold it as her own. I was given the heads up on that one by another artist. On the bright side Yoko Ono started following me on Twitter!

I wanted to start a diet today but my hubby insisted on taking me out to breakfast. I got a club sandwich & only ate 1/2 of it, not really diet food but I could have eaten the other half. haha I have hardly seen him since I got home. He has worked or had gigs every night & day since I got back. He has a few days off and doesn't have a show until Friday, then another on Sunday. Sweet man is taking my car to the wash as I type. It's a real benefit to me that he's such a neat freak. haha

I have my painting clothes on! One day I'm gonna post a picture of this nasty splattered outfit that I live in! hahaha. That's a first step anyway. After this post I am forcing, yes for some reason I have to force myself into my studio, and I'm not coming out until something is painted. I am going to be painting an angel for a dear friend of mine that has cancer in South Carolina so I can get that mailed out to him. I am also swishing some ideas around in my head for the May show at the Marco Fuoco Gallery. The theme is music. I'm not sure if I am going to do a painting or a few altered photographs. Last month the theme was "The demise of the newspaper". I did this altered digital photo for the show but missed the show because I was in South Carolina. I really have a lot of fun doing these photos, like my angels they are a mystery how they will turn out. I think I'm gonna have an altered photo play date at my house with my Swell Sisters. Here's the altered piece I did last month...

Inspired...

by my sister & family of gardeners I actually used a rake & hoe today! It was a beautiful day. I made a big breakfast then headed to the back yard, even though my front yard looks like the Adams Family lives here. My youngest son helped me and we got a lot accomplished in a few hours. I even...are you sitting down?... bought some seeds today! I keep saying I am going to paint, I need to paint, but I haven't been able to pick up a brush since I've been home.

I watched little JJ aka Doodle Bug yesterday and just in the couple of weeks I was gone he learned to pull himself up into a standing position, walk along the couches, coffee tables and crawl as fast as lightening. I definitely have to buy a walker, 2 fences for the stairs, child proof gagets and maybe some zanax to take after he leaves! hahaha

Cross Country Country Music

I've never been a huge fan of country music even when my husband was in a country band that opened up for George Jones, but after my trip it's really growing on me. My little brother made 3 CDs for us to listen to on the road and we listened to them for 3000 miles. There were several songs that we just loved but every time these songs came on they perked me up, made me smile & laugh so I thought I'd share them with you!

Where Do I Start?...

I've got so many stories to tell from my trip I don't know where to start! It's good to be home but I will miss my family & friends so much. I will also miss the street lights that dangle from wires, the smell of the ocean with a hint of Coppertone & Hawaiian Tropic that have permeated everything over the decades, kudsu coiling itself around trees, moss dripping from old oaks and peanuts boiled on the side of the road. Oh yes and Ruth's pimento cheese! When I was 15 I ate that on toast every morning before heading to the beach to get that perfect tan that only the locals had and the tourists envied. I brought a few containers home with me. The boiled peanuts I bought didn't make it to Atlanta. haha I'll also miss silly signs like this one in Conway, SC...

I call my mom and sister nearly every day. In my 33 yr marriage my husband has occassional told me what the phone bill was but has never complained about it, not once. I have to give him props for that. Once in a while I'll be talking to my sister and she'll say "I gotta go water my plants." I'll say ok and hang up, thinking how long could that take? HA! I get it now! You should see her place! She has a nursery! I had no idea! While it takes me 5 minutes, if I even do it, it has to take her a few hours! She has tables and tables of seedlings and plants she's propigated and her yard has to be one of the prettiest in Pawley's Island. She sells & swaps plants and seeds on Ebay and other gardening venues. So I helped her start a blog while I was there. I think making a post on my blog really motivated her. She also has about 50+ birds. Please check out her new blog Sandy Petals. I'm really proud of her!

I still haven't completely unpacked or cleaned out my car. I was completely exhausted Wednesday & yesterday. Tuesday I got up in Willcox AZ at 4:00am and got home at 4:40 Wednesday morning. I stopped in Phoenix and met a nephew that our family just recently learned we had. When he finally found us he had to learn that my brother, his father, had passed away. Seeing him was very emotional. He looks so much like my brother, who I miss every day, it was hard to hold back tears at times throughout our breakfast. He's a great guy and has a lovely family. When I got back on the road it was 100 degrees. ugh. I did make the occassional pit stop and slept for about an hour in a Denny's parking lot approx 60 miles from home! I couldn't hold my eyes open anymore. I made it home safely but will never do that again! Good thing I love to drive, however, my days of staying up for 24 hours are over!

I didn't sell anything while I was gone but my husband had a lot of gigs and worked a lot of extra days. So this weekend I will be painting like crazy, relisting & listing new things on Etsy and Ebay. Some will be art inpired by my trip. My mom is doing great and my visit did us all a world of good. It renewed all of our spirits and the time spent with my family and son was priceless.

This Carolina Girl is Back in California

Totally exhausted. My arms and legs fell asleep even though my brain was awake yesterday. Not a good feeling while you're driving. I will start telling you some little stories about my trip tomorrow. There are some good ones! I am going to miss everyone terribly, more than I know but there is nothing like getting home to your own bed! I am going to be in it all day.

I am so thankful for all your prayers, for God and all the Angels that got me home safely!

What a honor and nice surprise to find this award when I got home! Thank you Artist Center! Click here to see what it means.

Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER!!
I am really not who you think I am. (haha) I am enjoying my sister, ( your favorite resident blogger) and my nephew being here. They drove from California faster than I ever dreamed possible to get here. Our Mom is home now and is doing much better (Thank you for all your prayers) and there has been a steady stream of family and friends stopping in to visit and today we celebrated Easter with more family than we have seen at one time in years. It was incredible. We were blessed to watch the children hunt for easter eggs , feel the hugs and hear the laughter of those we love. Jana once bought me a toss pillow that said " My Family Tree is Full of Nuts" and today proved that beyone a doubt. We laughed till our bellies ached over jokes and stories and the memories that tie us all together. Aren't you sorry you weren't here too?

I am not sure exactly when Jana and my nephew will return to Ca. I just know that I want to keep them here as long as possible. So for all of you who are missing her and her regular posts, I have just one thing to say.....

Nanny nanny boo boo...

She is here with me.

Wishing everyone a Wonderfully Blessed Easter.

Jana's sister.
Philipians 4:4 rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.

Prayers Appreciated

I just found out that my mother had a "small" heart attack. They are telling me it's small. She's in ICU today but is doing fine right now. I got to talk to her for a bit. I will be leaving tomorrow for South Carolina. My son & I are driving. Prayers would be appreciated for my Mom and for our safe trip out there. I'm sure I will have lots to blog about when I get there and get home. If only I had a lap top you could take the trip with me. I'm sure I find lots of inspiration for new paintings along the way.

San Francisco this week was a really fun trip. I ate buffalo chili at Tommy's Joynt, went down the Wharf & Ghiradelli Square. It was super windy that day so we hopped in the car and drove around town looking at some of the places where my husband grew up and hit a gallery. His face was lit up showing me around town. We certainly grew up in different worlds. Tommy's Joynt was recently featured on Diner's, Drive-Ins & Dives. My husband used to go there when he was young and we had forgotten about the place until we saw it on the show. The food was awesome! Here are a few pictures as promised...

Just want to recognize and give a shout out to Cynmb at Etsy for including my purple angel in her beautiful purple Treasury and Sewmelody at Etsy for including my Rosey Angel in her wonderful colorful Treasury! Please check out their shops and Treasuries. It's so nice to be included!

I'll blog again when I get there!