Tuesday, May 30, 2006

The Chocolate Queen

Altered postcard for a friend.....

Raspberry...Orange....Lime...

This is my art deck challenge card...for week 7...(7 of Hearts)...the theme is Raspberry...orange, and lime. The colors make me think of a sherbet ice cream cone...so I came up with something having to do with Summer. After such a busy weekend..I'm tired, and have a sore throat..so I'm working in the art room....and watching a movie with Ty..I fed the kitties first thing this morning...they are growing like little weeds....I love just sitting in the sunshine..being very still...and watching them.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Crazy with the babies!!!!

What a wonderful weekend....as you can tell I've been going nuts for these baby kitties!!! They are the cutest things! Ty and I sneak down to the back of the garage every chance we get to watch them..talk to them...and take photos! Here are the latest photos of the little cuties! I also finished some art work....help do some planting with the garden....and cooking up a storm...today it's steak with a green salad...and I'm going to bake a cake...more later!





Yep!!!! it's okay...take a little "breather"....on the front porch...I'll bring out some homemade lemonade!

I cannot let the weekend go by without posting some more beauty in the yard! I love these white roses!

The Weekend Art Project

I've been working on the gift for my "Spring Sprite"...I finally finished it yesterday...here is the little tin...and inside is the altered book...I'll post pictures of the books pages later...

Memorial Day Weekend

Here is a good shot of the flag on the front of the house....

new veggie garden

The new veggie garden...so far we have...squash...green peppers...Italian peppers...cucumber...eggplant, and soon to come tomatoes and beans.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Wild baby kitties....


Oh my God!!! Here is one of those baby kittens!! This little tiger one is the most brave...I think there are 4....2 of them are black...I'll try again later to get some more photos.

The Weekend...so far....


Guess what!!????? it's raining!! It woke me up this morning..and I could not believe it! Not only is it raining...it's cold! I can't remember the last time it rained over Memorial Day weekend!
Found this photo of Richard Gere in one of my old journals...since I posted a photo of Stevie...thought I'd put this one up also...ummmmm....
Andy and I worked most of the day outside in the garden yesterday...digging for a veggie garden..we went to the nursery and got yellow squash..cucumbers..eggplant and peppers...now we must put up some fence to keep all the critters out of it..I put a pot of eggs on to boil for some deviled eggs...went back out to the garden...and YES...I forgot the eggs...finally Andy says to me..."Didn't you put eggs on"?....I dropped the shovel and ran in the house..but I was too late! The eggs were popping and had exploded all over the kitchen! What a mess..everywhere...all over the floor...stove..yuk! So...I put more eggs on...(did not leave the house until they were done)..and made the deviled eggs...Then last night at dinner (we had hamburgers) I forgot to take them out of the fridge....Geez! We'll have them tonight with the barbequed chicken...(if I remember them).
Today I'm working on an altered book for my Spring Sprite through Artella...and baking a coconut cake...and hope to do some more gardening...I'm enjoying Andy being home for 5 days...Oh YIPPEE!!!! the sun is starting to peek through the clouds...YES!
We found 4 tiny kittens living behind the garage underneath a bunch of old junk...so now Tami and I are on a mission to save the kitties...Mama cat is wild...we've been taking food down to her and trying to get them use to us...I'm going to sneak off in alittle bit with the camera and see if I can get a photo...the hardest part is trying to keep the dogs away from them so Mama cat doesn't get spooked and move them where we can't find them....I'll keep you posted!
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend.....don't explode any eggs!

Thursday, May 25, 2006

The Fabulous Stevie

I have always been a Stevie Nicks fan...she is my favorite! Here is a photo taken of her in Aussie country in 2005. Doesn't she look great! I wish I had all the clothes and shoes that are in her closet!

Vision

The weekly theme for the art deck challenge is vision..here is my card.

I cannot believe that it's Thursday...this week went by so fast...it's like a blur in my mind. I have been so busy with doctors...
My Dad had to have blood work done yesterday morning at 6am...my son had an MRI at 11:00...I didn't get home until after 1....Do some of this and that...it's time for dinner...on and on...when I did get home the phone was ringing..it was MY doctor saying it was time for my yearly MRI and visit...then I scheduled a mammogram...geez!!
My Dad has another appt. in early June...and my son goes to another doctor next week...As much as I don't really like having to deal with all this...it is a relief that everything is getting done...I'm looking forward to the Memorial Day weekend with my family...putting up the pool...working in the garden...cleaning the studio..having a barbeque (or 2)...doing some art work...playing with Ty...bringing in the start of the Summer...and being so thankful for all that I do have...and for my most precious family and friends!
The picture above is from one of my journals...and the poem below (for poetry Thursday)...is one that I happily found accidently while looking for another one...I had forgotten how much I like Erica Jong and her poems!

The Poem Cat

Sometimes the poem
doesn't want to come;
it hides from the poet
like a playful cat
who has run
under the house
& lurks among slugs,
roots, spider's eyes,
ledge so long out of the sun
that it is dank
with the breath of the Troll King.

Sometimes the poem
darts away
like a coy lover
who is afraid of being possessed,
of feeling too much,
of losing his essential
loneliness-which he calls
freedom.

Sometimes the poem
can't requite
the poet's passion.

The poem is a dance
between poet & poem,
but sometimes the poem
just won't dance
and lurks on the sidelines
tapping its feet-
iambs, trochees-
out of step with the music
of your mariachi band.

If the poem won't come,
I say: sneak up on it.
Pretend you don't care.
Sit in your chair
reading Shakespeare, Neruda,
immortal Emily
and let yourself flow
into their music.

Go to the kitchen
and start peeling onions
for homemade sugo.

Before you know it,
the poem will be crying
as your ripe tomatoes
bubble away
with inspiration.

When the whole house is filled
with the tender tomato aroma,
start kneading the pasta.

As you rock
over the damp sensuous dough,
making it bend to your will,
as you make love to this manna
of flour and water,
the poem will get hungry
and come
just like a cat
coming home
when you least
expect her.

Erica Jong

Monday, May 22, 2006


This is the tag I made for the tag book swap...We had to use an old vintage picture of ourselves..I used this one...I am 8 years old.
It's been raining......which is fine by me...everything is getting a good drink of water. The guys went to the Hangtown Motocross races yesterday and I had the day pretty much to myself. I worked on the tags...and managed to get some housework and laundry done. Today is do errands day...pay bills...all that good stuff. Hope to also work on more tags...I have 19 of these to do. It does seem strange to go from 90 degrees back down to the low 60's....

Friday, May 19, 2006

Books.....

I have so many books that are piled in stacks everywhere waiting for me to read...I decided it was time to start going through them. These are the one's that I have read lately...
"Before women had Wings" by Connie May Fowler...this was okay...about a very abusive family...pretty depressing.
"The Virgin Blue" by Tracy Chevalier....I enjoyed this one...I like her writing and I liked this story.
"White Horses" by Alice Hoffman...I thought this was a very strange book...I didn't like the ending..I kept waiting for something to happen but it never did!
"Salem Falls" by Jodi Picoult...So-So...this was too juvenile for me...I kept "skimming" over the blah...blah....parts! Tell me what you are reading now??? and if you like it!

Secret Treasures

Made this atc yesterday and got the "In My Garden" atc's mailed...now I have to finish working on the tag book. Today is absolutely wonderful outside...it is a good 20 degrees cooler...cloudy..(the sun does peek through now and then)...and chance of a few showers..it is still very nice outside! A good day for me to mow the lawn...it has been in the 90's..very warm!I'm also going to go for a little photo taking drive today since it is so much more comfortable. Hope everyone has a good "Free-Day".....and weekend!

"Ducks House"

This is the atc I got yesterday from Val....(29,000 Floating Ducks). It is for the journal project I am involved in. I just love it! It's the "Duck House".

Thursday, May 18, 2006

SURPRISE!!!!!!!

Liz and I decided to do a trade...and look what I got yesterday!!!! I'm looking for a special place to put it...somewhere in the art room...so I can look at it all the time! She also sent along some music for me to listen to while I work on my art.
I will be listening today....and also getting in to the wonderful bag of goodies she sent for me to create with...THANK-YOU so much Liz...I feel honored to have one of your very first pieces of ART....
I really am thankful for all the wonderful people I have met through blogging...it's not about the "BLOGS"...it's all about "THE PEOPLE" who create "THE BLOGS".....THANK-YOU!!!!!!!

Stars

Alone in the night
On a dark hill
With pines around me
Spicy and still,

And a heaven full of stars
Over my head,
White and topaz
And misty red;

Myriads with beating
Hearts of fire
That aeons
Cannot vex or tire;

Up the dome of heaven
Like a great hill,
I watch them marching
Stately and still,
And I know that I
Am honored to be
Witness
Of so much majesty.

Sarah Teasdale

This poem reminds me of being here where I live...on top of a hill surrounded by pines. It reminds me of the time we took the old couch and set it out in the driveway in front of the house...just so we could lay on it in the dark, and watch the "Star Showers"....
It reminds me of a hot Summer evening...putting an old mattress out in the yard, and falling asleep while watching the stars dance magic in the night sky.....
We woke up to the doggies licking our faces in the morning.
Don't you just LOVE when you remember your moments of complete utter bliss?

Wednesday, May 17, 2006


I'm going to be working in the studio today...and doing lots of watering outside...I need something to perk myself up... I have the blues...and maybe being outside...and doing some art will help me to feel better. It's going to be another very warm day...Yippee!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Lots of beauty in the yard....



It seems like I post lots of photos of flowers...I can't help myself...they are all so beautiful, and when I put the camera on "Flower Close" mode..I go crazy!

Is this not BEAUTY??????? So much to be GRATEFUL for.....
Today it's a doctor's appt. first thing in the morning...and...who knows what awaits me the rest of this glorious day????????

Monday, May 15, 2006

Tagged by the Gypsy Woman

Okay....I got "TAGGED" by The Gypsy Woman...http://gypsyfroggie.blogs.com/
Here ya go......
5 items in my fridge
1.real butter
2. eggs
3. milk
4. vanilla yogurt
5. home-made lemonade
5 items in my closet
1. old clothes
2. lots of shoes
3. bedspread and blankets
4. box of old letters
5. rolled up American Flag (special occasions)

5 items in my car
1. keys to the mailbox
2. old rag for wiping pollen off of everything
3. tire chains (just in case)
4. some tools
5. little toy kitty from Ty
5 items in my purse
1. wallet
2. old grocery list
3. sunglasses
4. brush
5. altoid tin (cinnamon)
5 People who are tagged
1. Lauri
2. Annie
3. Becca
4. Corey
5. Kim







Garden Fairy

Here is my Garden Fairy that I made for my flower garden...I like her so much that I'm going to make more! We are shopping around for a new computer...YIPPEE!!!! Today Toby goes to the groomers...and I will be working on some "Garden" atc's.....The temps. are supposed to be in the 90's most of the week.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Please Take Note...

Hi Everyone...It's been one hellva weekend....my computer took a major dive...and this is the first I've been able to even use it...I had to change my e-mail...and as of right now I can't post any pictures...I am working on the problem and I will either fix it...or get a new computer..I will try to keep you informed. Hope everyone is having a good Mother's Day...I did get a beautiful new Calla Lily from my son...and a handmade book from Ty...hope I can show you soon. I am bummed...and I hate computers!

Thursday, May 11, 2006

A Treat For You.....

If you haven't seen or heard of ashes and snow then PLEASE go here to check this out..it is well worth the trip. I promise!
http://www.ashesandsnow.org/

Poem for my Mom on This Thursday.....


You were my mother and my friend,
Which was unusual.
Somehow our characters still blend;
Your wisdom and my will.

I turned, and you were there for me;
I spoke, you understood.
I felt cared for, but also free;
You loved, and I was good.

I'm fortunate that I was born
To someone just like you;
I LOVE you still. Though you are gone,
You live in what I do.

author unknown........
This is a photo of my Mom...taken in 1939...
My Mom died on May 13th...(Mother's Day)... 6 years ago. There is not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could see her face...and talk to her. This poem today...is for you MOM.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Outdoors Around The House....

This is one of the reasons why I've been so busy lately...weeding...mowing lawns...working in the flower gardens...planting...raking....the days just seem to zoom by. I do plan to work in the studio tomorrow..I have some atcs to do for a "In the Garden" swap..a tag book to finish...a gift for my "Spring Sprite"....while all this activity is going on I've been listening to music by Mark Cohn...and really loving these beautiful warm May days....I am very "BLEST".

In one of the flower gardens.

Adam's Tree Fort

This is Adam's tree fort (my nephew). He built it in the Mimosa Tree when he was 13 years old. Adam passed away when he was 16...and I cannot bear to tear it down.

"Miss Bella"

Some of the Flowers.....


The roses.....

Calibracoa

Coral Bells

Impatience

Beautiful Lilacs....there are 2 lilac bushes. 1 purple, and 1 white...I love lilacs...only wish they lasted longer...while they are here I have a bunch in the kitchen, and the whole kitchen smells like lilacs.

Saturday, May 06, 2006


This is my number 3 card for the Art Deck Challenge. The theme is "Specimen".

Friday, May 05, 2006

Happy Friday

Hope everyone has the most awesome weekend!!!!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Bounty from the Sea

I opened a package yesterday from my friend Dorothea who lives in a small town on the Oregon Coast....She is extremely talented! She made this adorable little tin and the pin...and my mermaid says on the tag that she is a "Travelin Mermaid"...and to pass her on...I can't part with her...she is too cute! (besides I LOVE mermaids).
This was such a sweet surprise...so Dorothea...My THANKS and LOVE to YOU!!!!

Birdhouse and Rod McKuen

Oh Aaarrgh!!!!! I just wrote a long little note here...and I lost it! Computers! Sooo..here goes again! This is what I did yesterday...made this little birdhouse. It was one of those days that you start something in the morning and all of a sudden you look up at the clock and its past noon...and you haven't got a thing done! Sooo...then you run around the house like a mad-woman trying to get it all done.....but, I sure had fun making the house! Today I have errands to run...hope to get the front yard mowed and hope to start on another project while in the middle of cleaning the studio. I sat here this morning and posted my poem for today by a poet, Rod McKuen. I told Liz that I was posting a poem by him, and she said she never heard of him! Now...I AM FEELING OLD!!!!!! I thought everyone heard of Rod McKuen! He was one of my favorite poets when I was in High School. He has many poetry books and also albums. Sooo...I hope you enjoy the poem (below)....I have lots more of his poems to post!

Poetry Thursday

How can we be sure of anything
the tide changes,
The wind that made the grain wave gently yesterday
blows down the trees tomorrow.
And the sea sends sailors crashing on the rocks,
as easily as it guides them safely home.
I love the sea
but it doesn't make me less afraid of it
I love you
but I'm not always sure of what you are
and how you feel.
I'd like to crawl behind your eyes
and see me the way you do
or climb through your mouth
and sit on every word that comes up through your throat.

Maybe I could be sure then
maybe I could know
as it is-I hide beneath your frowns
or worry when you laugh too loud.
Always sure a storm is rising.

Fourteen......by Rod McKuen
(taken from his book...Listen To The Warm) 1967

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Victoria's House of Art

This is a wonderful felt art house that my friend Catherine made for me...It is awesome...and I wanted to share it with you. I set it up in many different places in my home...sometimes it is in the Living Room...other times... it might be in the studio...sometimes the bedroom...I just LOVE it!
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