FUN DAY FUN STUFF....

"A" was for their last name, and "G" was her maiden name....wish I had pics of each letter with all the different children....maybe later! This was a joy to do for them!!! A picture for the author page.... An old page piece from a book.. AND now the fun day with a grand daughter!! The old fifties case was a dirty blue color and we got to work to make it something new!! The first pictures are of a small "ABC" book I made for a special new baby in our circle of friends! There was a "tree letter" for each letter with different pictures of children or a horse etc painted on them....then a blank page opposite for the new parents to add their story each day....the cover paper was a manipulated antique page from an old book....and inside a little collage from another antique book....I used my "Zutter" for the first time to cut the pages and align them....can't wait to do more personalized little books with my art!! THEN here is a series of an afternoon project with my grand daughter before she moved. She needed a bag for hair stuff etc....so we went to the garage and found this old makeup suitcase from the fifties and we mixed a color of purple she so desired and we printed, quickly, some photos and began to arrange it the way she wanted....It was all HER design and with her favorite Kitty, Sunny! ....and all her cousins, grandparents and family! Her favorite things this year while living next door were the birthday parties, cooking, spending time with family, friends and the cat!! So here is her finished suitcase!!! It was another "special day" to remember for us two!! My first grand child!!! Enjoy doing something with one of your family or a friend today!!! Blessings to you!!! sherry

WHERE I'VE BEEN...and back!!

The cottage where my grandchildren live next door for now...... a short walk to my back door ..... each day....... a blessing. My doll from 1956 ... ironic, the grandchildren have worn us both out!! This is how I feel! We are both a little frazzeled..... A pile of extended relatives.... it was a long day!! It says...."SLOW"................I WISH!!!!! Swinging ...... lasts about 2 minutes!!! No FOX News tonite!!! .....it's movie time..... Some on the floor..... some on the couches.... My NEW decor....someone has moved in!!! My 40 year old kid's toys from the past have made a comeback!!! That's what I get for not ever getting rid of anything!!!! It comes back to haunt you .... in a wonderful way. Thank the Lord for the WII Games!!!! Lunch preparations ..... in plastic and wood .....yummmm Legos .... wonderful millions of pieces of legos!! .... and I BOUGHT THEM....what was I thinking...? The toy house matches my house!!! Is that Mimi hanging from the rafters? Earlier in the day ... they were bored ... humfph!!! So we took an old sheet .... made a tent fort, they drew targets on the plastic lids , which were also shields.... and with our trusty water guns and water soakers we divided up and I drove the attack vehicle.... at times surprising the enemy ....we were soaked!!!! This was at least a two hour battle .... no photos of the defeated driver .... she looked like a giant wet hen!! Now this is true distraction ..... relaxation? .... well, maybe just distraction...... The most enthusiastic with lots of screaming was the three year old ....I am surprised the neighbors didn't call the police!!! A pretty nifty tent fort.... if I do say so myself!!! I love old sheets .... we built houses with blankets and chairs when I was a youngster ....and lots of clothes pins!!! YES, they do still make them!!! READY FOR BATTLE!!! The cat hid all day!!! Sunny , the cat was a present to us a few months back....from some generous stranger passing by! Sweetest cat!!!! My grand daughter was blessed .... so blessed because Sonny looks just like Sunshine (her first and only cat five years ago that got run over.) It was like "Some one " knew.... she was here in Texas again..... A birthday in February....you can barely see my Christmas tree to the right.... most people don't notice it is still up..... at least they don't "mention" it! And besides .... my grand kids don't care if it still up....they still turn the lites on sometimes when they come over. Now for some sanity and some beauty ....a gift from HIM in my yard. He is GOOD!!! Our famous Texas "Bluebonnets" with a few Indian Paintbrush!! Old Irises ....given to me from friends long ago.... Yellow Antique Rose "Graham ...something?" Just a ROLL of photos to show you life lately..... and why I'm too tired to post art or anything you might want to see .... here it is .... I CAN say we had a GREAT ANTIQUES FAIR ... and I'm still recuperating and trying to finish up paper work. Even though life has been on a different track lately .... I feel very blessed and thankful for all of THIS in my life! If you go back a few years to my Christmas open house, you'll see a very clean and very decorated house .... but NO MORE!! ALAS! ... the grandchildren have taken over and done their own decorating!!! I will end it with the ever present beauty of my yard which helps me to breath and feel His love and care for us .... even if we can no longer keep up physically .... or keep up appearances!! You may see my Christmas tree in a few photos .... yes, in March!! A grand-Mimi has to make choices .... and it hasn't been the Christmas tree!! Oh, what can I say?!?!? .... just enjoy the photos for what they are and then say a prayer for me if you feel led! ... really do! , even though I am laughing I would welcome prayer!! So pray for me ..... Or for the grandchildren, ...... or maybe for their Grandad!!! GREAT BLESSINGS to you during the upcoming SEASON OF A NEW LIFE ... the celebration of a HOPE for our hearts to know our future in the Ressurrection of Christ!

CHILD'S PLAY....

Now with eyebrows and a little charcoal outline.... and her title....and signature....and a little lip color.....she's done....the story is told....she is looking at God's creation and her life....as Olivia said... I've been taking a class with Mystele, called Gut Art, also called pulled art, where you scribble, throw a little paint or color on a canvas or paper, add more.... take away....and look for a story.... WELL, I had some simple scribbles that when I turned it upside down, had nice lines of a face and some nice scribbles looking like plants or something. So I put it aside for today to start developing....and when Olivia came over (my grand daughter, age eight), she immediately picked it (12x24) up and commented on the face she saw! When I told her what it was...pulled art...where you find a story in the shapes, she insisted on doing it herself. SOOO, I got the craft paints out and she began developing and drawing what SHE saw in the scribbles....it was really fun watching her loosely find and enjoy painting what she saw....explaining as she went....seeing the face, then the funky hair, two colors, then the flowers and leaf shapes, then the blue lake and the hills, then said the green/blue middle area was the sky, then she saw the eagle, a golden brown eagle.....I had already decided to put the black edge that seemed to border what she was seeing....she named it "God's Creation...Genesis 1"...she said it was like the lady was looking down on God's creation.....and her life. Well, she told me each color she wanted and I mixed until she was happy and when she finished, I had her outline it with black charcoal....well, she was pleased as punch!!! And so was I!!! She is hooked and now wants her own paints and brushes and canvases! We settled on gessoed cardboard for future practice and craft paints for now....but she is ready to sell!! I had such a giggle, because she is planning to hang it in the gallery....and it IS a "little?" better than some of mine!!! HA!!! Today was a grand art day for us both!!! Blessings!! ENJOY!!