Sunday, January 29, 2012

A Long week has passed, now for next week.

I really am pretty proud of myself,,I know it's been a week and a day since I have posted but I am still keeping up with blogging, when I have the time.  Last week was long and busy.  Monday morning I had to have my stepbrother at Hospital in Nashville by 9:30 a.m.  He had to have an arteriogram of his heart.  He had a bad heart attack 20 years ago and had to have several by passes done.  Then 4 years later, he had two more stints put in his heart.  Heart disease runs in his family.  His Mother passed away with a Massive Heart Attack when she was 40 years old. They found out Monday the two stints were partially blocked again.  So we had to go back to hospital on Friday to have them replaced.  On Wednesday, my daughter had to go to OB doctor in Nashville for a Gestational Diabetes test. She had to drink a very sweet drink and then have her blood drawn an hour later.  Next day we found out she does have Gestational Diabetes.  But it is fairly common in alot of women. She has to go tomorrow morning to see a nutrionist and then back on Wednesday for two more Doctor's appointments.  And my brother had to stay in the Hospital after the stints were put in Friday, hoping he will be able to come home today.  So I am rather sick of Doctors and Hospitals after last week.  Never have been too fond of either places.  
My daughter should be okay as long as she watches her carbs and gets some excercise.  This is a girl who has never ever liked vegetables or fruit, every since she was a baby,,a very picky eater.  But now she is going to have to make some changes because she knows if she doesn't she is risking her health and her baby's health.  She has gained ALOT of weight with this Pregnancy and I am pretty worried about how things will go.  I am glad that she is living with me and I can keep an eye on her.  She only has 10 more weeks till she is due but with this new development, she may have to have a c-section before the due date.  I will find out more next week.  So this has been my wonderful past week,,lol.  I did scan a few more pics of some of my recent art so I will post them for something a little more pleasant than Doctors and Hospitals.  I hope you had a better week than I did and hope you have a great week ahead. XOXO
























Saturday, January 21, 2012

A Fun Time with Mom and Rosemary!!

Well good grief,,I have been slacking a wee bit this past week as far as posting on my blog.  But I was busy trying to get my Website up for my Hair bows and Headbands. I am still working on it and it isn't published yet but when I do publish I will post a link on my blog of course.
We sure have been having some crazy weather.  Really warm one day and then cold the next.  I haven't been out much lately either.  But last week Rosemary and I started texting and we were wanting to take a class at one of the new Scrapbook stores that is new to our area.  We found a class at Archivers.  They just opened this past November.   So we found a class to make Valentines Day Cards.  I signed up Mom and I and we hooked up with Rosemary at the class.  It was a really fun class and we had a really fun time.  Any time I am with Rosemary I have a blast.  That Girl can make you laugh and smile all the time.  Love her so MUCH!!!  So here are some of the pictures from yesterday.


This was Barbie, our really Sweet Instructor,,and Mom  hard at work making her cards.


The cute cards that we made! We used stamps and embossing  and also quilling.
This was the quilling card.  They are suppose to be Lady bugs in Love.
But my quilling skills are not the best. I just never have been able to master
that talent.  I think my fingers are just too large to be successful at it.

 I thought this card was really cute!
 And on this card we put the little pleated material on the bottom.
This is another one that I really enjoyed making too.

And here is Mom,,don't she look so good?  And still going strong. After such a rough year last year
I have been trying to get her out and about and she really enjoyed going to this class! I had to help her some with her cards as her hands are a little shaky now days.  But she will be 83 next month and I am so Thankful that she is still with me and still able to get out and enjoy fun times together. We are going to the Casinos in Tunica next month for her Birthday,,she loves to play the slots!




The pictures above were some really cute Ideas that they were displaying at Archivers.

Mom is working away on her cards!

And Last,,but certainly not Least,,,is my VERY WONDERFUL AND DEAR FRIEND
Rosemary!!!  We just had a blast,,but I always do when I am with her!!!  Love You, Ro!!!

I tell you,,I am glad I was broke yesterday because I could have easily spent quite a bit of $ in that 
Store.   I am really glad that it is in Nashville now and planning on taking more fun classes there.

I hope every one had a great past week and hope you have a wonderful Week-end too.   I will be watching the NFL Play Offs tomorrow.  Love Play Off time!  And ready for the Superbowl!! 
Hugs to all!


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Pictures and Workshop

Hello,,I am so excited today!  I found a free Workshop that is being taught by Traci Bautista. It is being sponsered by Strathmore which makes quite a bit of Artist Supplies.  I love all of their Paper and brushes!   It's pretty much do at your own pace and no pressure to rush.  She has videos posted and also you can download the instructions too.  I Love her Art,,it's really colorful!


Here is a link to the Work Shop if your interested.  They actually have 3 free workshops they are offering. The other two are "watercolor sketching"This begins in March. (which I plan to do too as I Love working with watercolors)  and "Force Drawing"  which begins in May.  I am going to try to do it also.   Hey,,I Love any thing that is free!


I have been working on several things right now.  That's the way I am,,I can't have just one project at a time,,I have to have several going at once,,lol.  This is a peek at one of the projects.


I have been painting on my gourds.  Every summer I plant several rows of birdhouse gourds.  I let them dry outside on my deck during the winter.  By spring I start the prep work on them.  I will go into that more when I start working on the newest batch.   I Leave some of them Natural and varnish and place in all the trees around my house.  But others I paint with White Gesso and start designing with my Fantasy Flowers that I   love to create and paint.  After they are painted the are varnished, but they don't go outside.  I have one hanging in my greenhouse and I have given a few a way.  (of course I didn't make pictures of those,,,kicking myself,,got to get better on that aspect)  I will try to get a picture of the one in my greenhouse that is complete.   I Love to design and create on different surfaces.  

I did my Senior Photography session Friday afternoon.  Here are a few pictures of that session.  





Mandy is a very beautiful and sweet young lady.  Her Mom is a close friend of mine too.  It has been giving me a lot of practice and helping me decide if I really want to go Professional with my Photography.  Right now, I don't think I will be able to as I will have my Sweet Granddaughter here by April.  Her Mommy and Daddy are living with us right now and she will be staying here too. But you know I will be getting alot of baby photography practice in when she makes her arrival. So excited!!!!
Well, I am off to work in some art and then going out to eat with daughter and her hubby.  Hope every one has a Great Day!




Friday, January 06, 2012

First Post for the New Year!

Happy New Year!  Yes,,it's a wee bit late, but at least it's still January.
The weather has been so awesome so far this Winter.  We have had a few flurries but it was back in early December. The rest of the winter has been fairly mild.  Today's high is going to be 64. Loving it!!
Even though I had a rough ending to last year with my Stepdad's illness and then his death, I started a new adventure in being creative.  First, I have been more proactive in working on my Photography skills.  A close friend and neighbor, asked me to taking some Fall pictures of her 3 kids.  It was really great practice for me.  Some turned out really good, but I know I have a long ways to go before I could consider myself "Professional".  Below are some of the pictures I took.










Unfortunately, I took these pictures during mid day and the sun was harsh on some of them.  I Love the last two that was made with them laying down in the leaves.   I also played around in Photoshop Elements with some of them too.  I really Love the results.



They are really great Kids and we had a blast taking Pics that day.  The oldest one will be a Senior next year and Mom has asked me to do his Senior Pictures.  Excited about that too.  
Today, I am going to be doing Senior Pictures for another close friend's daughter.  I have so many ideas on what I want to do with her too.  She will not arrive till later in the afternoon after school so the lighting should be much better for hers.  Also going to do some inside too.
At least I am getting a lot of practice.  
I also took some pictures this summer of my daughter's friend's children.  They are younger and it was a bit more challenging. You got to Love the dirty little faces,,so precious.








I am so Thankful that I am able to get a lot of practice with photographing  children.  I know I will be taking so many pics of my Sweet Granddaughter when she arrives in April.  I have many plans for that little Sweetie.  
Another one of the venues I have been working on this past fall and presently is making  Infant and children's  Headbands, Bows, and hats.  Mom helped me with the hats.   I am trying to get a website up and going to try to sell some.  I have a facebook page with them too.   I also want to do some craft shows this spring.  Here are some pics of just a few.  I will post more in the next few days.












So you can see I have been fairly busy.  But I am enjoying not having to work any more.  I just want to make some extra money so I can buy some more fun toys to play with,,like more photography equipment.            
I hope every one has a Great Week-end!!!