.....Tumboweed Grows.....

Time to Move On

2011-07-04T15:43:00.001-07:00

"Fly Karma #1" digitally colored

It has finally come. The end of our time of living in this house. The house was small, but it was enough for us. It is time to look for a new home and we've got two months to find something that will work for us. I am still planning to homeschool our Toot for Kindergarten and I'm looking forward to this very much.

I am also managing to get some artwork done and having a great time with it.

"Fly Karma #2" hand colored

Time to purge the clutter that has accumulated in the two and a half years we've been living here.

This will be the easy part. The challenge will be to find a home in an affordable and nice neighborhood.

I have learned to stay in the now and do the next best thing.

A Gift

2011-06-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

A gift to a cousin for graduating from a university.

What a relief!

2011-04-03T00:46:00.000-07:00

Title: March Hare

My Toot's birthday party is done and gone! Phew...am I glad that is over. Now we can get back to our projects and home schooling. I did manage to finish this little piece last month. I've also started a new one today and it's going to be a nature piece.

I've been reading this book, Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes. Yes! Yes! Yes! I'm so excited to be reading something that blends well with me.

It's been a great read and again it's nice to know that I'm not crazy to want to live differently. I feel I'm on my right path. Like my home schooling decision I am getting a lot of skeptical remarks from friends and family when I talk about Radical Homemakers. At this point of my life I've finally made the decision to live my life the way I want to and not how everyone expects me to live it. What a relief!

A Cheap Greenhouse

2011-04-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

It's time to start some seedlings. Found this great video to make a small greenhouse with household items. Toot got some gardening tools for her birthday and she's ready to get some dirt on her paws. We don't have a lot of windows that get a lot of sun so I was lucky to find this great video.

This is who I Am today.

2011-03-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

I was looking at what I identified myself as "Artist/Homemaker" on the upper right of my blog.

Yes, when I started this blog my Toot was a baby and I had time to paint when she slept. She'll be five this month and so much has changed since then. No longer do I have an art table with fabulous light coming through the windows.

This is what my table looks like today.

It's full of toys that manage to get on my work space because I don't use it.

Whenever I want to paint I move my painting tools and papers over to the dining room table to work because it's the only room that has the best light in the house.

Today I am making our home a place to homeschool.

I've been researching everything about Homeschooling and finding support groups around our area. Also reading a great deal about homeschooling and enjoying every bit of it. Yes, I'd like to paint more regularly, but right now this is what I have to do and it's rewarding for me to see my girl learning so much. So I may have to change my title to, "Homemaker/Homeschooler/Homeartist". Like that!

I'm making up my own words here.

Look out Oxford dictionary. Do they even print the Oxford dictionary anymore?

2010-12-20T23:48:00.000-08:00

Here is something I wrote this morning on a scrap piece of paper while I waited for Toot to have her fill of fun at the McDonald's play gym.

It's another rainy day. Toot and I are at the McDonald's in La Canada for breakfast. What a pleasant surprise to find out that they have an "indoor" play gym. I decided to give her a break from being indoors all day yesterday because of rain and my baking cookies. She was in the zone- Kids! Kids! Kids! I'm sure all these kids are happy to get out of the house and have some good fun. She made friends so quicky. I admire and encourage her to be sociable. I on the other hand am far from being the social butterfly. I am taking steps to change for the better because of her and because I know life is a better place when one changes their attitude to be happy. We've been here an hour and it's time to go back home and continue with my Christmas cookie baking.

It's now 12:05 am.

I finally finished all my baking. Tomorrow we'll have a great time delivering our Christmas cookies to family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

The Last Drink

2010-12-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

It's 4:30 am and I can't sleep anymore for this morning. This past week I've been plodding along with my homemade/handmade Christmas cards and I finally finished twenty=nine of them last night. Now the next step is to sign them and address them. Small originals is what my close family and friends will get. I hope I don't forget anyone.

All is good here at home. I'm taking it pretty slow and simple. The house is still a slight mess and that's okay for me and my wee family. Not to many presents to give out this Christmas and that's okay for me and my wee family too. Every year it gets easier to not feel the pressure to fall into the buying frenzy. I will bake cookies and be dropping them off to family and friends later this week.

My twenty-nine Christmas cards have been my creative outlet for the past week. I've been busy with my Toot's classes and researching Homeschooling that I haven't had anytime to paint. That creative surge is starting to rumble in my head and heart. I will be making something with my paints and paintbrush very soon.

Is that all there is?

2010-12-05T23:46:00.000-08:00

I've just finished putting my mother-in-law to bed.

One hour went by in the restroom.

I apologize to her because I have to clean her.

Is this something she does not remember a few minutes later- I think.

She thanks me. I'm sorry and at the same time I'm humbled.

I say to myself...I can do this...I can do this...I can do this.

A list:

The smell of stagnant water

Wipes

Liquid Soap

Night Time Depends

Gloves

Layers of clothes

Raining outside

My Cave

A bottle of boooooooze sounds goooooooooooooood about now.

AA cake

My commitment..

4th step

5th step

Everyone is asleep and I am not ready to turn out the lights.

Not yet.

Smell gone away.

A second list:

Lysol

Middle Aged Me and Mini Me

2010-11-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

"Middle Aged Me"

Halloween is done and gone! Hoooray!!

"Mini Me"

at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Another fun time at this event. Move over Halloween because I want to make Dia de Los Muertos my favorite day of honoring.

Friday Night Cumbia!

2010-10-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

Finally a finished piece

2010-10-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

" Five O'clock Shadow "

Yes, I know it's a bit gay and I love it!

I think she looks a bit like me..if I were a man.

Sea Sketches

2010-10-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

Getting Ready to Spook!

2010-10-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

Here we are in October! These are some photos of my girl just before we got sick with a cold for two weeks. We were shopping at Big Lots and she wanted this mask so badly. She knew what she wanted to do with it and couldn't wait to get home to start her mask. She's lucky that I've got different paints for different canvases or projects. We used Acrylic on this and it worked perfectly.

Booooooo!

Having fun with Toot. The summer came and went so quickly and we were busy with an awkward schedule that we didn't have much time to just have fun and paint. She's doing so well with her ideas and making them come to life. I love the energy and when Daddy's at work I let her make her messes and we clean it all up when he's getting close to coming home.

She reminds me of a character in the movie The Warriors.

photo: Google Images

So our cold keeps coming back. I was finally feeling better today and she woke up coughing. It's been tough and I think Daddy's caught it today too. I hope I don't get it again because it hit me hard this time and my head felt like a watermelon. I couldn't do anything for a whole week. I've got sores in my nose from all the nose blowing. Too much information? Lucky I didn't post photos.

I am posting here that I've decided to write a children's book myself. That's it. I've said it and now I'm going to have to do it.

I've renewed my membership to

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

so I can stay in touch with my goals. Small steps is all it takes. That's just right for me.

I am reading this:

Photo: Amazon images

and I'm enjoying it very much. I am dreading the day when my girl has to go the public school. I'm afraid of the bad habits she will pick up and the attitudes she'll be facing. It's a scary thought. So, I try to learn from these books and apply as much as I can while I have her. Hopefully!!! I am building a strong foundation for her and she will not lose her drive for learning.

2010-09-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

"Apple Lotion"

My girl and I have started our class. I suppose you can call it a preschool, but I'm still with her the whole time. We go two days a week and that's plenty. There are a lot of free preschools opening up this fall, but I'm not interested in having my Toot in school five days a week. I am in no hurry to send her into the public schools. Financially we are managing just fine and I don't feel I'm missing out on any of the new phones and pads coming out every few months. As you can see I'm perfectly satisfied with my sketchbook and new markers.

"Snacks"

I am no longer caring for my mother-in-law. Sista has come up with new

arrangements and has raised the rent another hundred dollars. We can manage and we are ready for more unexpected changes. I can handle change well, now.

I focus on NOW.

Hiding Comments for Awhile

2010-08-22T23:22:00.000-07:00

Photo: Our summer field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

I've decided to omit the option for my readers to post comments. Not because I've been getting undesirable comments or spam, but because we are going through some changes here at home and I need to get through this with some sense of empowerment. Is that right? Is it okay for me to want to have a feeling of control when I know that everything I ever plan doesn't comes out the way I hoped it would. Most times the outcome is good and I've FINALLY learned to see the good in just about everything that's been happening in my life...once a major hurdle for me.

So here's the change: We may be moving out of our home and back into an apartment within a year. At the present time I am taking care of my mother-in-law 2 to 3 days a week. I won't get into the details of all I have to do for her, but she basically needs everything done for her and I am the one who is doing it for her. This is her home and she needs 24/7 care and I can't do it. It would be

impossible for me to take Toot to her classes two days a week. We pay rent, but we are living on the edge with an unpredictable relative ( Let's call her "Sista") who has been unreasonable with our schedule and the care my mother-in-law's needs. Sista has been making changes to the house and we've been cooperative with her schedule of people she's been sending to make these changes. Now September is coming and she's starting to dig her heals into the ground with the schedule we will need to go by so my girl can take her classes. Tomorrow we (might) find out what her problem is with the schedule. We had given her a schedule back in July and she's now telling us that it's not going to workout...a week before classes start. I don't know what to expect, but having to move out just may be our only option.

Enough of that. I have obviously been busy and I have not been able to paint. This has been a real disappointment which I have not been able to turn into a positive. Stop! That's not true because I have been sketching a lot and this has been a relief from the caregiving. I've got sketchbooks everywhere: My backpack, my car, dining room table, and my bedroom. Just so I can sketch for a few minutes. Here's an outline drawing I did of my Toot while we had an afternoon snack.

I just want to say that we did have a great summer filled with many new places and new friends. I'm sad that it has come to an end. We will have many wonderful memories of our summer here in Grandma's house.

Our First Harvest - Onions

2010-07-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to have a farm. I think most kids like the idea of farming. As you can see, my girl is basking in our first harvest of onions. At first I wasn't sure if I was doing it right, but I kept an eye on them and we watered pretty regular and here we are. It sure feels fantastic knowing that I can grow some edibles.

One of these had a flower growing from the end. Toot put the flower in a vase with water and it's on our dining room table now. Fresh smell of onion while we have our breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's right, the flower smells like onion. You can kind of get see the flower on the first picture. It's bent forward and touching the ground, white flowers.

They need to air dry for a couple of days. I'll also be cutting off the stems and roots in a few days and letting them dry some more.

The Gorilla was even impressed with our gardening. He said, "You ARE a hippie!".

Chasing the sun for good light

2010-05-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

It always feels good to get several hours for painting. I've been working on this piece for several months now. Lately I've been lucky to get a Saturday or Sunday to paint for a few hours. Come this summer I will have more time to paint. It's probably difficult to make out, but it is a landscape. Landscapes have been on my mind a lot and it's been easy for me to express these visions in my latest paintings. I need to get out in open spaces. My girl has been noticing how much I enjoy painting. On this day she gathered her art supplies and started to draw on her table beside me. She's learning to spend more time on her drawings. Her details amaze and inspire me. Love!

Her Favorite color is Green

2010-05-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Her favorite color is Green!

*image from Google Images

It's been two months since I've posted here on my blog. I'm glad to say that things have settled a bit and I can concentrate on projects that I've postponed because of lack of time and money. I had to do a lot of thinking about my situation and not get sidetracked into a different direction because I was isolating.

Back to my goal: Simple living, recycle and reuse anything that can be fixed or given to someone who can use.

I did go through a month when I felt a strong urge to become friends with a mother in one of our Mommy & Me classes. She and I went out to dinner in the city at a popular somewhat upscale restaurant. To tell the truth - I wouldn't be able to say what upscale is. All I know is that I felt uncomfortable. I had no dressy clothes for the kind of restaurant it was and it turned out to be a bit more expensive than I had expected. The parking was $7 and I'm not used to paying for parking to eat out at a restaurant. The food was good, but the conversation was one sided. It was difficult to make my food last an hour and a half when I was doing the listening. My new friend had made it clear that she enjoyed fine dining and pampering herself by spending money. I knew I could not keep up with her tastes or entertainments. When I got home I felt like a pup with my tail between my legs. What did I expect? Why couldn't I find like minded friends? A week later, after my bruises had slowly disappeared, it became clear that I had strayed from my goals.

So the fog has cleared and I am back on track. I am growing some yellow onions outback. I've gone to St. Vincent's to purchase three new "used" t-shirts - $4 for all three, and I wear them proudly. I've decided to continue with the Homeschooling and a couple of Mommy and Me classes for another year for my Toot. I am still painting, but it's coming along slowly.

I have also met an amazing woman who has taken me under her wing to guide me into a healthier body. We've already met and we walked for an hour yesterday. While we walked she gave me tips on healthy eating. I was amazed to see her lunch bag filled with one ingredient foods. Six meals a day and all small portions. Wow!! Her favorite color is Green and for fun she plays her guitar at home and would like to be a Hippie full-time!

******

Here are some photos of a project the Toot and I worked on in April, but never found time to post.

Caterpillar to Butterfly

The caterpillar came in this container with food already packed at the bottom. You can't see the caterpillar, but when we got the little creature it was about 3/8".

I was amazed how quickly it grew in 7-10 days. Here it was about 3/4" and plump.

Making a background for the caterpillar's new home, a box.

The Toot's drawing of the caterpillar inside he chrysalis. We got so busy with the construction of the box that I forgot to take a photo of the chrysalis stage.

Out and all grown up with its new wings!

Getting ready to release in our backyard.

Luxurious butterfly home - vacancy!

At Kidspace they were selling netted butterfly containers about this size for twenty dollars. We didn't spend a cent to make this homemade one.

Nice Home for Worms

2010-03-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

We've been in this house a little over a year now and we've recently been getting a taste of how expensive it is to keep up with repairs on a home, especially since it is an old house. I've been trying my best to stay optimistic and hopeful, but it does get difficult during these cold rainy days. I still love the rain, but I don't like the mold we've discovered on the north side of the house because of it. I know it's not good for us and I've been dealing with it as best I could with the information I can get off of the internet. We also have very old old old plumbing and we recently had our plumber fix a leak which made our water bill go way up for the past two payments. I've been buying water filters every two months because the water is also full of rust. The furnace is also old and we recently had some work done because we were breathing carbon monoxide. Smaller items needed to be replaced like our phone and yesterday we had to spend $100 dollars on a new modem for the computer. And to add to our major expenses - one of our cars has been consistent with unexpected car repairs. All I can say is, "We're doing the best we can with what we've got".

And our got is getting pretty slim.

My other self is thinking:

I'm ready to build my canoe and drift away from all these expenses - of course with my papoose in tow.

Buzz Light Year - Cardboard and Thick Gray Tape

2010-02-25T00:17:00.001-08:00

Head hung low. My knuckles are dragging because I haven't had time to paint, but I did make this last night. This is our latest creation out of cardboard. A Buzz Light Year space suit for my gal. This is all her design and I fabricated it. Tomorrow (if I have time) I will paint. She's thrilled with her space suit and I'm looking forward to see what details she'll add to it. You can't see the empty vitamin bottle that is strapped with tape to her back. Again, this was her idea. The vitamin bottle is her rocket launcher so she can fly in space. This pose was her idea and she had many more. She's got style!

We've been busy with classes and learning. The learning never ends and I'm enjoying every day I get to share with her. So my painting will have to wait for a short time.

Tempest

2010-01-18T02:11:00.001-08:00

It's late and my Toot is sleeping on the couch while I finish putting up this piece. Something quick that I promised myself to do in a couple of hours and put up tonight. This is what happens when I don't have any time during the day to paint. Made this on the computer in Painter. A bit rough, but I wanted to get a basic composition and have fun with it. It was raining when I started and now as I'm putting it up on my blog the rain has stopped. I'd like to make this into a painting or a drawing.

I spent Sunday organizing my desk and paint supplies. The next few days we will be going through several storms and it'll be a perfect opportunity for me to make some quick pieces. If the Toot lets me. Lately, she's been wanting to takeover whatever I start and then I have a hard time finishing. How am I'm going to go about this? Quick pieces is my latest idea. Or...more of these late night computer pieces. 2:30 am and I'm going to pay for it when I have to wake up on her schedule.

I don't think I've mentioned this on my blog or anywhere else, but I've joined The Society of Children's Bookwriters and Illustrators! I've been a member for several months now, and I've put up some of my drawings and paintings. Not much activity there (on my part) lately, but I am glad I finally joined. It's something I've been wanting to do for myself to keep me focused. Take a look at my gallery. I know I've got a long way to go to get my portfolio up to par with the professional children's book illustrators, but I've taken a step forward and that's good for now.

These Curtains were not made in China

2010-01-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

These are the second set of curtains that I made last Saturday, but I didn't have time to put up until today.

I had to recharge the battery to my drill and then I got busy with other home stuff before I found time to hang these blue lovelies. I'm pleased with the cheerful pattern and color.
It's nice how they've changed the mood in the kitchen. These are the third set of curtains I've made in my lifetime. All three sets were made with my mother's old sewing machine. I am improving and again I am grateful that my mother taught me how to use her sewing machine. It sure is so much nicer to make my own curtains. Pre-made, store bought curtains are so impersonal. It also costs me a lot less to buy three yards of material and make them myself. I get to choose a pattern and color that are to my liking. And now with my experience on my mother's sewing machine, I can now get a little fancier with the pattern. This time I made these two sets in one day. Not bad at all. It feels great to complete another project.

Happy New Year! oooops! A little late...

2010-01-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

in the post and it's still okay. It's all good.
I'm enjoying a nice warm cup of coffee this morning. The Monstritos are asleep and I like the quiet. I got to hear the neighborhood rooster while I admired the kitchen curtains I made yesterday. I will post photos later today (..Here's my photo). For now, I just want to post something to keep my blog from feeling abandoned. I've got my brand new schedule book and it's been filled with activities, projects and thoughts. I decided to get back to a schedule book that I can write on and look at without having to turn on the computer. Getting on the computer to check my emails, schedules and everything else became a time consuming distraction....oh and Facebook too. I'll have to admit that I got drawn into Facebook. It has been nice reconnecting with old friends, but there is only so much I want to know about what they are doing. Anyway, I've finally weened myself from Facebook and I plan to get back to my blog and artwork on Etsy.
Got to go! The Monstritos are up!

Winter Days with my Gal

2009-12-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

A chilly view of silhouettes from our bathroom window. When the sun comes up in the morning these are the shadows that reflect on our pebbled glass window. It's a striking sight when I walk in at the right time.

We have been busy making our decorations for the holidays. You can also see Toot's turkey made from construction paper, pine cone, feathers and eyes that move around in their plastic casings. The Christmas decorations are also great because we will recycle the paper and make new ones next year.

We also made it to the Huntington Gardens on the 3rd. We went with some friends in Toot's class. We had a fabulous time. So much to see and enjoy! I did get to take some photos of textures and nice shapes for inspiration. I'm anxious to paint again, but the days go so quickly and the sun is gone so early in the day. I need natural light to paint. I did have a great time photographing the desert gardens. So photography will have to be my creative outlet for now.

Potato printmaking this year for our Christmas cards.

We're making our Christmas cards this year. Well, I've been making them for several years now. It's become a Christmas tradition that I've started since my girl has been with us. It's possible that I did make our Christmas cards before she was born, but I don't remember anymore. This year she has added some details to a couple of cards. I did let her print a couple and I'll post the finished product in a few days. We're still working on them.

Clouds, Sand, Kite and the Sea

2009-11-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

These kind of days are my favorite. The clouds are amazing and so is the feeling I get when I see what a lucky woman I am to have my family. Sometimes I need to get out to open spaces to shake off the grimy crowded city life feeling. This beach was nice and clean. I don't know much about the beaches here off our coast, but this one was clean and not full of sewage from the city. It hadn't rained yet so I wonder what it looks like after a shower. This day it's perfect!

Toot finally got to fly her kite. We've had it in our car for months and this was an ideal place to finally get to fly it.

Video: Wait behind the line.

Mini Hanging Art Series up on Etsy

2009-11-12T11:37:00.000-08:00

I have put up six new pieces in my Etsy store. Click here to see the other four in my Mini Hanging Art Series.

"Tunas"

"Ladybug Feasting of Aphids"

Update: This piece Sold :)

I'm so excited to have my Etsy store open again. I am still tweaking some things while it's open and I am open to any suggestions.

My girl has been so patient with me by letting me get all this done. It sure takes a lot of time to create, photograph and put up on the site - but I sure do get lot of pleasure in accomplishing my goals. All is good and now I must go hang our clothes to dry in our foldable clothes dryer. We are expecting some moisture this afternoon.

Please let me know what you think of the new items or my Etsy store.

I would truly appreciate some feedback.

Thank You!

Drafting sketches and independence

2009-11-11T01:15:00.000-08:00

I'm exhausted, but I wanted to post some quick sketches of some sculpy pieces that I've been working on and finally finished. I'm getting ready to post the finished pieces on Etsy in a day or two. It takes a lot of time to get everything ready for display.

"Bloomer"

These are some quick drawings that I had fun creating as part of my photo display in my Etsy store.

There is something about measurements and drafting lines that fascinates me. When I finished these drawings I remembered when I took a drafting class in high school. I was the only "yound lady" in the class and it was a little unsettling at first, but that didn't stop me from doing well in the class. It's interesting how I was already forming my interests in details, measurements, and independence.

"Canary Egg"

"Earthworm"

"Ladybug Feasting on Aphids"

"Tunas"

"Sunflower"

I am grateful that my parents never told me that I shouldn't be taking classes that didn't have other females enrolled. They let me blaze my own path. I'm still blazing my way through this amazing life I've been given.

Update: Click on Titles to see the actual finished pieces.

Good Thought for the Day

2009-11-05T10:10:00.000-08:00

DailyGood: Contagious Love Experiment

Dia de los Muertos Hollywood Forever Cemetery 2009

2009-11-03T16:43:00.001-08:00

Found this on utube. Great photos of the event. Nice music too.

Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery 2009

2009-10-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year when we remember our relatives who have passed on to the other side. Dia de los muertos is becoming just as popular as Christmas. I prefer the Day of the Dead a lot more than Halloween. This year we went to celebrate at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where there were altars, music, vendors and grave sites. It was a an amazing visual experience. Here is my gal in her princess costume and her face painted like a calavera. She loved it as much as I did. It's nice to have a companion to enjoy these wonderful experiences. Click on this link: Hollywood Forever Cemetery: Dia de Los Muertos to see the website.

Life size paper mache sculpture in the mausoleum.

My sister with Toot watching a performance in the mausoleum.

Toot was also drawn to these two women (men?). Their costumes and makeup were wild. I wish I had taken a better photo.

This was the stage background. It was enormous and beautiful. I was reminded of my childhood when we would go to Tijuana. In Tijuana I was mesmerized by all the amazing colors and smells that were so different from here at home. I want my girl to experience as many places and events like this while she is young so that she may also have the connection of my family's culture.

Oh! and we got to see and hear Lila Downs perform on this stage. Great voice and performer! A first for all of us.

I will leave you with these photos of our experience. Celebrate! May you have a safe and fun Halloween or Dia de los Muertos and remember your family and friends who have gone on to the spirit world.

Earthworm and A Ladybug Feasting on Aphids.

2009-10-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

Pleased to say that I've finished a couple of small pieces. Well, almost finished. I still need to add string or wire so they may be hung.

This is an earthworm. Worm compost inspired.

I do love this piece! Nice flowing lines on the worms outline. My favorite green and I do like the contrasting pink. The black lines are grass. Earth and grass meeting at the bottom.

Ladybug feasting on aphids.

Today we worked on a leaf painting project that kept us busy for a while. The leaves we collected were from our front and backyard. Finger painting the leaves was a lot easier than using the brushes I first had her use. It's refreshing to watch Toot dive into the paints and not be afraid to get her fingers full of paint. The paints are non-toxic.

We glued the leaves beside their print and I put them in a clear sleeve to keep them for memories.

As you can see Tootie is also learning how to write. She can write her name without my spelling it out for her. All other words she asks me to spell out and she'll meticulously write each letter with great care. She likes making lists for when we go to the farmer's market. The last list she made had a single word, "Strawberries".

Home Improvement: The Bench

2009-09-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of before and after photos of a cute little bench that I've given a makeover.

The weather has been ideal for painting outdoors and I found the weekends the best time to work on it. This shade of green is a favorite of mine and I find myself using it in my paintings quite a bit. Now, it's the bench's turn to wear it for a while. There is an old picnic bench that is next on my list. I hope to get it done before the cool weather comes.

This is what she looked like before I fixed her up.

Cute design on the metal frame. I lightly sanded the frame with some sandpaper and steal wool before I spray painted with a lightly textured paint that required no primer.

It was very easy to take apart and I did label each slat with tape and a number so I could put each one back in its original place.

The slats were individually sanded with a sanding pad and 80 grit sanding paper. Great exercise!

Ta Da!!

Now, I should mention that The Gorilla thinks I should be cleaning the house (vacuum, bathroom, mopping....) on weekends. I have a hard time picking up the broom and mop on weekends when I would much rather be sanding and painting on projects like this.

I can never please The Gorilla.

Peace.

"Red Leaves"

2009-09-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

"Red Leaves"

Opaque watercolors and ink

I've finished this piece, finally. It's part of my Dream Landscape Series. Landscapes have become a personal discovery which I will continue to express with small paintings and drawings. I've always got one in the background. They patiently wait for me to add some more. Lately, I've got about four projects that I am working on, and each one is different from the other. I do well with variety. In the end I feel they all have a bit of me which is apparently mine. Like the Toot.

2009-09-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a little something I made as a birthday gift for my second cousin,Citlali. It was a lot of fun to make and I know now what direction I'll be going with my Etsy store.

Saturday I went to buy more art supplies to make more pieces like this. The art supply store is always a great place for me to visit. Especially when I've got a $100 dollar gift certificate. On trips like this I always bring along plenty of meter money for parking so I can take my time. This is a methodical task which I take much pleasure in executing. When I step inside the store I feel the creative energy like a strong wind and I'm On!

An hour later I'm walking out with a bag full of 6 bottles of liquid acrylic paints, Matt finish spray, 2 nice detail brushes, 7 basic brushes for loose work, 2 sketchbooks for my Toot, 1 tube of titanium white acrylic, 20 tiny viles with airtight seals, and 1 box of Sculpy. This is all I need to keep me happy. I must get to bed so I can get an early start.

Good Night!

Gardening - Sanding - Reading - Bird Watching : Our Lists

2009-08-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Several projects going on here at home. This is the reason for my lack of posting. There's so much to do and I get so involved in what I'm doing that I forget to bring out the camera to take photos. It's good that I'm staying busy, but I do miss posting here on my blog.

I'm trying to grow some herbs, again. This time I'm researching and watching several How To videos and I'm inspired to see the many great people who make videos on how to do anything. Here are a couple that I found very helpful, and will be visiting often.

MonkeySee: Green Gardening
GardenGirlTV

I'd recently purchased some basil and cilantro at the farmers market and two days ago the basil was looking pretty bad. I hadn't transplanted them into larger pots right away. I quickly read up on how to take care of both of these herbs. Toot and I went to a local nursery and purchased organic soil. Watered very well and left them outside overnight.

The next morning I woke up to find my basil looking alive again.

So glad I didn't kill the poor plant.

What is marvelous about gardening is that Tootie is enjoying the process as well. She helped me transplant the herbs into bigger pots and watered them. It was an enlightening experience for her to get to see the transformation overnight. She's learning so much and every morning I look forward to our next adventures and discoveries.

A list of what I'm working on:

1. Three paintings. One is a landscape and it's almost finished. I will be posting soon.

2. A new compost heap. This time I'm using greens that my father is saving for me from his garden. He doesn't use any chemicals.

3. I'm sanding and painting our backyard benches. Yes, Kermit Green. Isn't it yummy!

4. Worm compost bin.

5. Reading three new books: The Food You Crave, The Garden Primer, and How to Raise Emotionally Healthy Children.

My Girl's List:

Learning to tell time.
Spelling and writing her name.
Math puzzles.
Creating stories and songs off the top of our heads.
Identifying our backyard wildlife.
Bird watching and paying attention to the different bird calls.
Hula dancing
Made and erupted a volcano out of paper mache.

book cover photos: Google Images (Amazon)

How to cut a Prickly Pear (Tunas)

2009-08-12T17:02:00.000-07:00

As a young girl I grew up eating Tunas in the summertime and now I am passing this delightful tradition to my girl. The ruby red ones are delicious too. My mother was the one who usually cut them for us because they have tiny bristles or thorns (espinas) that can be irritating if you pick one up right where the bristles are. Eventually I learned how to cut them with a little tutelage from my mother. At the beginning there were many espinas to remove from my fingers with eyebrow tweezers. I'm a pro now.

These were washed with the rubber gloves I wear to wash the dishes with.

Cut the ends off. It's easier for me to hold from the ends to avoid the espinas.

Cut across lengthwise. About a quarter of on an inch deep.

It's a blurry shot, but you can see how far to cut-Right where the fruit begins.

Gently pull the skin back. The fruit will stay intact as you continue to pull all the way around.

Pull the pear shaped fruit out and you are done. I put the peels in the compost. Nothing wasted.

They are ready to eat.

I've cut this one in half so you can see that it has small seeds in every bite. Don't try to chew them because they're hard. It's okay, you can eat them whole. Some people are uncomfortable about eating the seeds. I've never had a problem eating them. They are juicy, sweet and very refreshing on a hot day. Enjoy!

KarmaTube: Alan Watts on Life and Music

2009-07-24T12:50:00.001-07:00

KarmaTube: Alan Watts on Life and Music

A sketch called Ambrosia

2009-07-16T00:44:00.000-07:00

Ambrosia

This is a sketch that I've been working on a bit at a time. I'll be approaching this in a different manner. Thinking about adding color on the bond paper. I'm usually transferring a pencil sketch to a watercolor block and adding watercolor and gouache to the second generation. I don't want to go through that process with all this detail. I did the pencil sketch about two months ago when I got sick with a cold. I then went over the pencil sketch with a black art pen. This took several days to do. Now, I've been visualizing how I'm going to add color. It'll be different than my usual applications.

Her feet remind me of my mother's feet. Especially her big toes.

Painting her view.

Ambrosia

My Little Helper and The White Oleander

2009-07-01T23:40:00.000-07:00

Here's Dorothy washing dishes. The ball has ended and it's back to work for my chickadee. It's not all glamour around our home. There are responsibilities to be taught and learned. I probably give the impression that I'm always cracking the whip with my Toot. No, I enjoy having her next to me while I'm washing the dishes and she practices on a cup or a spoon. She loves the idea of helping with the dishes. Most of the time she's playing with the suds and water. I do like that her Dorothy dress became her very first apron-Why not.

These are the Oleanders that have been on my mind. I found out that these healthy looking flowery bushes are poisonous. When I found out about this I couldn't sleep that night. All sorts of horrifying thoughts flashed across my mental screen.

They grow on both sides of our backyard. This is a bush growing over the fence from the neighbors yard. Ominous....I try not to look, but they are there and I'm trying to figure out what to do.

Here they are next to my compost bin. Could I have raked some of the flowers and leaves and mixed them with my compost? I haven't used any of my compost on any plants. It's still pretty low, and now I'm afraid to use any of it. Honestly, I haven't had anytime to garden. Anyway, I'm thinking about starting over and moving the bin to a new location.

The movie that kept me up and lost sleep over was White Oleander. I was fine until I watched the bonus features and heard that it grew abundantly in California. It's everywhere! So I looked it up and there it was The White Oleander. Scary and at the same time so interesting. Plants, I mean. I just want to grow a couple of herbs, but I didn't realize that there could be some evil plant putting its noxious branches around my harmless rosemarie. I've got to rethink this whole set up and process.

I think they call this a "Meme"

2009-06-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Tantra tagged me

Well, I've been tagged and Tantra Flower has got me out from hiding - at least for today.

Here are the rules:

1. Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention & add one more question of your own.

2. Tag eight other people

What is your current obsession? Recycling and reusing - It's a lot of fun trying to come up with new uses for old things.

What are you wearing today? My old faded blue work pants and my washed out yellow t-shirt from Old Navy that I purchased 4 years ago.

What’s for dinner? beans (w/cheese) and rice burrito...watermelon.

What’s the last thing you bought? groceries - yesterday.

What are you listening to right now? Pandora - Lila Downs (Station). I don't buy music-unless I like something a lot. Pandora lets me listen to other artists that are similar to my taste. I also love the variety and unexpected surprises.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Machu Picchu - When the tourists and film crews are not there.

Which language do you want to learn? Sign Language. It's nice and quiet, but loud visually.

What do you love most about where you currently live? The backyard. We lived in an apartment last year and we had no yard or a patio.

What is your favorite colour? Green! Has been for a long time and it's nice to know that more people are realizing the importance of Green.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? My apron - It has become my second skin.

Describe your personal style? An inquisitive hermit.

If you had $300 now, what would you spend it on? Sweets from different countries and share with my family and friends.

What are you going to do after this? Put my girl to sleep with a couple of books we got from the library.

Your favorite smell? Guavas!! My mouth waters whenever I'm lucky to get a whiff of this unusually scented fruit.

Do you collect anything? Plastic insects - I especially love winged insects.

What makes you follow a blog? Bloggers who enjoy doing things for themselves. Makers and creators who aren't looking to get rich or famous with their blogs.

Do you like to comment on blogs or just lurk? a little of both. When I see that they already have more than 10 -20 reader comments on every post they make, I don't bother commenting. What can I say that hasn't been said.

What’s one thing you dream of doing? Printmaking in my own studio. I already have an etching press, but I've never had a place of my own to claim a studio space. I keep my dream and my etching press...someday.

What is your biggest regret? Not saying goodbye to my mother when she passed away in the cold hospital.

What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Listen to the sound of rain.

Do you have a tattoo? Sort of....The letter "S" under my left toe. "S" for Spinach. Barely visible now. Self made with an exacto blade, black ink and a bottle of XXX.

Do you play an instrument? Yes, I have two harmonicas that I like to blow just for the fun of it.

[Replacing "left or right" hand question]

This is my question for the next person....

Who was your hero or shero when you were a child?

These are the people I am tagging:

Pura

Liz

Cindy

M Lou (a lurker)

Ralph - He hasn't posted in a while and I'd like to read more in his blog.

and i guess I'm mostly a lurker because I'm having a hard time tagging people that I sometimes visit or I hardly ever comment on their blog. I feel like an intruder. Let's see who responds.

I'd like to go back in my shell and hide now.

Just kidding! I've got some photos of Oleander plants I've got in the backyard, that I'd like to post. I didn't know that they're poisonous. I've got much to learn about gardening.

My first Sewing Project

2009-06-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago we went to our Toot's Dorothy recital. It's a Ballet/Tap class which she has taken three times now. The first time she was in the recital (she was two) she cried off the stage. Not this time. She's got this whole performing on stage concept down now. The Gorilla and I are still smiling from her performance.

This time we parents had to sew the outfit and I was eager to get my mother's old sewing machine out and give it a try. Not bad, if I do say so myself.

I'm a little sick right now, but I managed to sketch a drawing in my large sketchbook. Hooray!

Photos will have to come later. It's a large piece, so I'll have to photograph it.

I'm so excited for summer to get here. These gloomy days are getting to me now.

What's happening....

2009-05-25T00:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some snippets of things going on.

My old camera is not working again. It went out two weeks ago and I'm weighing my options. Trying to figure out how I'm going to deal with this minor dilemma. I love that camera because it has a video feature that we use to record our girl's antics. We don't have a video camera and we can't be spending money right now on things like this.

In the mean time I have brought out my new camera that I got for my birthday back in June. It doesn't have video, but it will do fine for photos. I'm in the process of learning how to use it. Getting sleepy from reading the instructions.

Still haven't painted anything creative. Trying to figure out how to get a better spot with better natural light. This new home has very limited lighting. This is driving me mad too.

I've started walking for exercise. Yes, and it feels fantastic!

I'm reading Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature. This has been a great read and I've finally found something that has been relaxing and inspiring.

I miss my father. He has been on Vacation in Texas for over a month now and I'm glad that he finally had time to get away from the Coo Coo's Nest. He deserved this vacation and I wish he could stay with his brother and sister a little longer, but he has to come back. I miss our nature observation in his backyard.

My Toot will be having her ballet recital in a couple of weeks. Theme: The Wizard of Oz. I've brought out my mother's old sewing machine and have sewn her Dorothy dress. Not bad. Sewing made me grateful that my mother took the time to show me how to thread her sewing machine and to let me sew some small projects. It all came back and it felt wonderful to be able to do this for my girl. My Toot loved it and she thanked me with a big kiss and a hug. I got all choked up and thanked my mom.

From Bookcase to Sandbox

2009-05-11T22:19:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I've finally finished the sandbox and here are some progression photos.

Here is the bookcase before I cut off about two feet from one end. The back was a 1/8th inch plywood, which I removed.

I added slats to give the box support. The white is primer and the baby blue is the final color.

Gave the Toot a section to paint herself. This lasted a few strokes before she moved on to another activity involving dirt and water.

Five $5. bags of sand made specifically for sandboxes was all I needed to fill the box. I did line the inside with a plastic tarp to keep the sand contained at the bottom and in the box. I started this in February and finished in April. It did take me a while because of the overcast days we were having during these months. With the Toot's classes and potty training I was a bit busy.

Found this caterpillar in the bushes when I was pulling weeds one sunny morning. It's a beauty!

Oh! Potty Training Camp is completed and with great success!

Portrait "Pausa"

2009-04-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

Pencil sketch scanned and digitally colored.

I've finally devoted time on some work. This was great fun and I am hooked on the process. This is a small sketch that I did in a 5x8 sketchbook. I then scanned the drawing and colored digitally. Small. I would love to make some large pieces. I'm thinking about feet not inches. We'll see.

I have neglected my blog. There is so much going on and I will have a lot to post in a couple of days. I need to spend more time on my projects so that I can have some great photos to post. I've got a sandbox and a watercolor (landscape) that I've been working on. I'm looking forward to putting up the step by step photos.

Thank you to my blogging friends who have come by and commented - even when I have not posted for quite a while. It's great encouragement for me to keep blogging. Hugs to you!

Again, It's late and I'm tired. This piece has taken me about five hours to color and another hour to get it ready for posting.

I'm off to sleep.

The White House Grows A Vegetable Garden

2009-03-20T03:16:00.000-07:00

I was pleased to read an article about the Obama's starting a vegetable garden on the South Lawn - Read here.

I finally bought an organic gardening book The Garden Primer to help me with my vegetable and herb garden.

The composting is coming along just fine and I've even planted a small rosemary plant that I purchased at the farmer's market about two months ago. It hasn't died on me yet so it must be happy. The Cilantro and Italian Parsley didn't survive the indoors so they never even made it to the backyard. I had the plants inside because I was afraid they wouldn't survive the continuous rains we were having right after I bought them. I will try again.

It's 3:37 in the morning and I should be asleep, but I've been feeling antsy about not posting anything for a while. I'm frazzled from organizing Toot's birthday party that is finally happening this Saturday. I wish I had the inspiration to take photos to post here, but I'm feeling overwhelmed about the whole thing. It's obvious I'm not the party making kind of mom. She will have a wonderful time and we are looking forward to seeing the joy in her face when we finally get to celebrate her day. For over a year now she's been wearing an old beat up birthday hat she got at someone's birthday party. (this is where a photo of the hat would be great). She's going to love her party and it's going to be well worth these sleepless nights.

I've got to get back to bed. We've got a doctor's appointment later this morning.

Two small drawings

2009-03-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

These are small pieces that I am experimenting with. Since I don't have a chunk of time to finish a watercolor that I have waiting on my desk I've decided to do these small drawings.

I will try to do more of these small drawings before I post them for sale on my shop.

This mama is tired and she is going to bed early tonight. I hope.

A Birthday Party is brewing for March

2009-02-27T17:57:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much time for painting. Here is something I created on the computer for Toot's birthday invitations, which I've sent out last week.

This will be her first birthday party where we will invite her friends from her class. It's fun to see her face light up when we mention her birthday party. I - on the other hand- feel the pressure of commercialism trying to squeeze its way into our party. I was asked what "The Theme" of the party will be and I thought....Her Birthday?! That's what it is. I'm not going to fall into the trap of getting everything to match. It will be colorfully festive with a pinata (imagine, the accent mark over the n ), cake and balloons.

The Toot and I were in the car and while I was waiting for the traffic light to turn green I decided to ask her what kind of cake she wanted and she hollered out, "Chocolate!". I then asked her what kind of pinata she wanted and she hollered out, "Red!". Simple requests, I love it.

I'm just winging it and letting her decide what kind of pinata she wants at the pinata store. I was warned that she may fall in love with the pinata and cry when we have to beat the candy out of it. We'll see.

The little one has been keeping me busy and I've been a lot better at spending more time trying to figure out what causes the tantrums and how to handle them. I dusted off my books and read up on what goes on in the minds of the little people we love so much. It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who is going through the emotional battles. It's normal and she's on queue.

Here she is helping me make cookies. The little Angel. This shot lasted a minute until she discovered the sweet stuff at the end of the mixer blades.

So as you can see, I've been spending most of my time taking care of my girl. We've started a new class and we both love it. It's another Parent Education class and it's our first experience of being separated from each other (in a class setting) for about thirty minutes. She gets to play with her new friends while half of the mothers have discussion time, and the other half of mothers watch over them. She had no problem with this. It's obvious that she is ready to spread her wings. I was the one who felt the separation anxiety and it'll take me a while to get used to this format.

The paints and my painting will have to wait a little more before I can add another layer to my latest piece. It waits for me patiently on my table. Everyday I go to it and reassure myself.....I haven't forgotten my painting.

Composting for the first time

2009-02-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

Here is my kitchen bucket for my Kitchen Greens and Kitchen Browns. It's got a tight lid to keep the small fruit flies out.

I've even got coffee grounds and coffee filters in there. They are part of my Kitchen Browns. Once this is filled I take it outside to mix with the rest of my collection of greens and browns. This is so much fun!

Here's my compost bin. It's called the Earth Machine and it only cost us $20. Twenty dollars for Los Angeles residents, which my sister is. Since she is not planning on composting she gave it to me. Sweet!

Here's also a partial view of my all natural drier. No charge for electricity use here.

Inside I've already covered the ground with with Yard Browns.

The top twists off for adding kitchen and yard waste. There is a door on the front bottom that slides up for compost removal . The door also has a place to put a lock to keep raccoons or other animals out. It's fastened to the ground with four pegs that get screwed into the ground.

So simple to install. I look forward to the maintenance of stirring and adding different layers of greens and browns. I was given a pamphlet for care and maintenance of my new compost bin. I can also look online for more information if I need it.

This is a great project for me. I'm excited and pleased to be able do more recycling.

Here's a link for a worm bin which is great for people with limited space or apartment dwellers. I'm thinking of starting one myself.

My next step is to research what types of vegetables I'll be able to grow. Have I mentioned that one of my favorite shows as a young girl was The Waltons.

photo from Google/tvrage.com

I also wear an apron and my toot likes being barefoot just like her mama. And only when we don't have company.

eeeeek!

2009-02-09T23:54:00.000-08:00

I found this alive when I was cleaning the spare bedroom. It made my toes curl and I yelped from the creeps. Now I know how Miss Muffet felt. I caught it and put it in a container with holes on the lid. I had it on the window sill above our kitchen sink and I accidently dropped it in the dish water. Some water got in and the poor thing drowned.

It's called Steatoda grossa or a False Black Widow.

I turned everything upside down and vacuumed every nook and cranny. I get the creeps every time I think about it crawling around in that bedroom. It was only about a half inch long, but a look at that bulbous posterior sure made me jump back three feet. I couldn't find too much information on Google, but I was able to quickly find a photo and the name for this menacing creature. Females could live up to six years!

I'm ending this post because I'm getting the willies every time I look at the photo. I usually like looking at photos of spiders and insects, but when it's one that was inside my home and in a bedroom...well it isn't as fun to look at.

Check out Bug Sufari. She does a beautiful job of photographing spiders and all sorts of insects.

Trunks and a Daisy

2009-02-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken a couple of days ago when we went to the park. The sun was bright and ready to set. She wasn't a very willing model. Good enough.

My little hippie.

Today..right now..it is raining and I love the sound. We need this rain and I look forward to the bright-green- clean colors on the plants and leaves.

Earlier this morning I was pleased to start a sketch for a new painting. The Toot was engaged with her watercolors right beside me. This was a great morning. Both of

us being creative on the dining room table and listening to the rain outside. We are so grateful.

I was feeling guilty for not spending time with her. Again, I got caught up with cleaning and organizing. I would leave her alone to play and I could see that she wanted me to spend some time with her. Today I stopped what I was doing to spend simple fun time with her. We have a great

time when there is no pressure to complete a task. We simply have fun being together.

This home is starting to feel like home. She no

longer cries,"I want to go home".

A lot of kisses and hugs and we are all feeling better.

Researching compost bins

2009-01-28T15:14:00.001-08:00

Isn't this a nice one.

I've just started looking at different links to see how to make one of my own. This is my next outdoor project - A compost bin. I'm so excited. I also want to start growing some herbs or vegetables. I know we've got a lot of wildlife roaming around our backyard so I'll have to research on how to keep them from eating everything before we do.

Here is a link to a great site I've discovered and joined before we moved.
click here : Freedom Gardens

The Path to Freedom Journal blog linked me to Freedom Gardens. They are my neighbors and I've been inspired by their lifestyle. It is amazing what they are doing. Take a look.....Path to Freedom Journal.

Quick Post

2009-01-27T00:52:00.000-08:00

I have organized my art supplies in the drawers of my workspace. Hurray!!!

We got our plumbing fixed this past weekend and I'm so grateful to my sister for recommending a friend of hers. She is Super Manny's mom and she came to our rescue once again.

Thank you!! Super Sis!!

I'm off to bed. It's after 1am and I'm due some zzzz's.

Goodnight All!

Temporarily on Hold

2009-01-20T18:11:00.000-08:00

I've been avoiding having to write this, but I will have to take a temporary break from posting any artwork.

Our transition has not been going smoothly. There is a lot of work on the house that needs to be taken care of before I can get back into my twenty minutes a day of painting. It's been difficult and I've been so exhausted by the end of the day that I sometimes don't have the energy to post anything on here.

I've been looking for classes for my Toot to take in our new area. So far I will not know until February 3rd if I will be able to get her into a class I'm trying to get her in.

Roto Rooter came by today and we've found out that we need some expensive work done to our main line underground on our front lawn. They did a temporary fix for now and the major repair has to be done soon.

The Toot was doing well with the Potty Training before the move, but now we're back to square one. She also hasn't been wanting to take her afternoon naps and she stays up all day. No more 45 minute breaks for me. I've got a whole spectrum of tantrums coming from her. So, when she finally goes to sleep I'm viciously munching on salted peanuts. I can't drink and I don't smoke - so I eat salted peanuts...and late at night. I know I must stop this and I will.

Enough of my whining.

I will try to post again soon.

Thank you to those of you who continue to check up on me here in my humble blog.

I miss my painting.

All is falling into place

2009-01-12T19:48:00.001-08:00

I've found my camera and I've recharged the battery. All I need now is a little time to post something new for you my friends to read. I'm sad to say that I didn't have time to take one photo. This photo is from Google Images.

We're still making some minor repairs and changes to the house to suit our lifestyle. We're also still childproofing nooks and crannies that a little one can get into. It's an old house and the electrical outlets need a little facelift. McGuiver Manny my nephew came by this weekend and gave me a lesson on how to change a two prong outlet into a three prong . Yes, we did turn off the power by taking out a fuse from the fuse box. It was so exciting!

We also don't have a drier (or room for one) so I'm drying clothes on the clothes line in the backyard. Sometimes the clothes don't dry fully with the sun going in earlier these days. That's no problem because I have a portable rack that I can put out in the living room to dry next to our floor heater. I love it! I don't mind the extra work and time it takes to do these daily chores. It's meditative for me and I especially like not having to go to the laundromat anymore.

Life is good.

*photo from Google Images "EnergyTechStocks.com"

Technical Problems with Internet

2009-01-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, so here's an update on my internet connection. I was so happy to be back online, but when I went to bed after posting my last post, I got disconnected again the next morning. I got a phone message from AT&T that they discovered a problem with my connection. Frustrated and disappointed I waited for them to fix the problem and no one contacted me to let me know what the problem was or if it had been fixed.

I just called Tech Support and got my internet back, but I may get disconnected again. Sigh.....I'm taking it one day at a time. I know things will fall into place after we get into our groove.

Still can't find my camera. Still unpacking, cleaning, and Toot started her classes today.

I'm hoping to get some time to paint again soon. I still need to organize my art supplies and desk. This will all fall into place soon too.

I'm back on the magic box

2009-01-05T23:10:00.000-08:00

It's been tough doing without the internet. It has taken eight days for AT&T to get me back online and I've been twitching from not having my tool to maneuver with the outside world. Is Anybody Out There Who Cares About My Dilemma! I must have talked to ten different support technicians who kept sending me to more new voices. Argggg! The voices! I had to pull out my old customer service voice and remain calm. Eight days later with a $70 new modem and I'm back. They saw me coming.

Happy New Year!

It's great to be back in a new home and a new year. We're still unpacking and I haven't found my cameras. So no photos to share on this post.

We are moving

2008-12-18T23:57:00.000-08:00

Baking cookies is what I've been busy doing these past couple of days. The Toot and I delivered our cookies to family this morning.

Next week will be the last week we'll be spending here in our apartment. It's time for a new chapter in our lives and we are ready. It will be nice when we are finally out of here. There are a lot of good memories and some bad which are not worth mentioning.

I've managed to put up some lights on our living room window to get into the spirit of christmas. We're keeping it simple and it's been less stressful for all of us.

Between packing, cooking and decluttering I'm making time to read and play games with my Toot. She's growing fast and I don't want to think back and regret that I didn't slow down to spend time with her. I'm also turning off the television to spend more time to listen and talk to my girl. It's too easy to turn on the tv when I need to clean or cook and I've promised myself to not do that anymore. I've realized that when I turn it off that she can keep herself occupied with her toys and books. Having her move around and using her imagination is encouraged. I look forward to having a backyard for us to play and garden in.

We are getting close to our move out day (Dec 27th ) and I may not get a chance to post again until the new year. We will be busy packing, unpacking and settling into our new environment....our home. I may be disconnected for a couple of days. We'll see. It may be a smooth transition if AT&T does their business right...and for a charge of $47.50.

Great day for a stroll at the zoo

2008-12-12T17:28:00.000-08:00

These goats were loving the sun. They were probably meditating and getting ready for the mob of school children heading their way in a few minutes.

.....OM......

I relaxed after being in their space of calm.

It set the pace for us as we continued our trek through the park.

A day at the zoo was our gift to Melissa for her 23rd Birthday.

Happy Birthday Melissa!

I was impressed with all the new exhibits at the zoo. This is under construction.

The day was cloudy and cool.....fantastic!

I'm obviously not wasting my free time stuck in malls and parking lots for Christmas. I've come to realize that I can choose to do what really makes me happy. Being outdoors in Nature and with my family is a much more memorable and pleasant way to spend my time. Every year it gets easier to not get caught up in the commercialism and consumerism of the holidays. I'm not at all interested in getting presents and I don't have any money to waste on gifts that I do not know if the receiver will even appreciate. Most likely "not" because they won't be expensive or the latest name tag or logo. It's all so boring and I'm not going to play the game. I've had enough of commercials and advertisers (and relatives) telling me what I should have. I am grateful for what I've got and that is enough.

Really!

Sharyll Burroughs-Chung : A friend of mine is having a show...

2008-12-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a write-up from MorYork Gallery:

"MORYORK GALLERY is pleased to present the debut exhibition of
Los Angeles-based artist Sharyll Burroughs-Chung.

ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE: Buddhas, Nigras & Other Favorite Things
comprises works in mixed media including wood, metal, cloth, paper and
more. In addition to these, Burroughs-Chung uses concepts of banality,
high kitsch and spirituality as tools to examine the ocean of racial
assumptions in which Americans seem to be drowning. Text is integral
to the artist's exploration of these themes, including liberal use of
that infamous word "which must not be named."

"I feel these are the best instruments I can use to poke at
people for being so rigid about what race really means in this
country," she explained. "And `nigger' typifies not so
much the ways we discuss race, but the ways we DON'T discuss race.

More than 50 works never before displayed in public will be unveiled
in Sharyll's debut at the MorYork Gallery from 2 pm – 10 pm on
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008, with an opening reception beginning at 7 pm
during the NELAart "Second Saturday" tour.

Born in rural Georgia, Burroughs-Chung attended the Santa Monica
College of Design, Art and Architecture, studying with faculty such as
George Herms, Deborah Sussman and Betye Saar. She resides in Echo Park
with her husband and two sons."

I had the fortunate opportunity to see her work in her studio and I couldn't stop smiling for days. Sharyll left me thinking about so many things and I like that. Her work makes people stop to question themselves and society. People who are sensitive to the word "Nigger" should come take a look, if you dare. Come see what she has to say. See also here for more.

Figure Sketches for Fun

2008-12-05T22:25:00.000-08:00

"Crown"

Forensics in my Kitchen

2008-12-03T23:42:00.000-08:00

Melanoma

Bone Marrow

Dry Skin

Ode to My Mind:

There is so much to observe.

Every little detail is a whole new world.

Sometimes I look too hard and I forget to stand back to look at the big picture.

This is a cold case.

We're going to the dentist tomorrow morning.....an unexpected and overdue appointment. A hump on the road and we will get through this. This=I do know.

Update: Everything is good in the teeth department for my Toot. No cavities! Hurray! She just needed a little cleaning. I can breath now.

30 Day Notice and Disneyland

2008-11-30T23:11:00.001-08:00

We gave our notice to the landlord today and we are so glad to be moving out. We've been here for seven years and it is definitely time for us to move on and start a new chapter in our lives. My Gorilla handed in the notice this morning and afterwards we walked to our local farmer's market. It was nice to see The Gorilla with a smile. He's usually so serious.

Later in the day he took us to Disneyland to show us the beautiful light display on The Castle and It's a Small World.

The photos below are my impressions of the carrousel and my Toot's point of view.

She loved it!

We all loved it!

Thank you Daddy!

Brussel Sprouts for Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

Isn't this a gorgeous head of brussel sprouts. This is one of the reasons I love shopping for produce at my local farmer's market. We've got a small refrigerator and I had to seriously make room for this lovely green vegetable. I was told that I could also use the leaves for a soup. I had no idea that brussel sprouts came like this. My local supermarket charges an outrageous amount for a third of these and not as fun to look at.

I'm looking forward to making my brussel sprouts mixed with water chestnuts.

Pigeon Dude

2008-11-23T00:48:00.001-08:00

More can be done, but I will stop here for now. It's taken me a long time to get to this point. I'll think about this one before I decide to do more. It's late and I'm going to bed.

Did it myself: Furniture Repair

2008-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

I've been procrastinating to do this repair. I knew I could repair our chairs, but I kept telling myself I needed to buy a strap for holding the joints tight while the glue dried. So instead of forking out 15 dollars for a strap at Home Depot I decided to make a strap with two belts. Leather worked best.

I could have gone and bought a better glue, but this Elmer's Wood Glue will work fine. Now we don't need to buy a new dinning room set of chairs. It felt great to make this repair and I didn't have to spend a cent.

When we move to our new place I'm going to get out my tool box and do some more simple wood projects. I love the feeling of working with wood. Especially fixing something and saving it from the dumpster. These chairs are in perfect condition except for the glue on the joints wearing out. It's nice to know that I have this skill and can use it for everyday living.

Electricity would be a nice thing to learn how to do. It would be great to learn how to repair electrical sockets and lamp fixtures. Solar! Green energy! The old nuts and bolts in this head are starting to move again.

Pigeons Wait

2008-11-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

While she sleeps I draw. This is only a start and I will continue tonight. The tapping of the keys is making her stir. My little monstrita. Whaaaaaaaa!

Joselito - Abuelita

2008-11-07T17:18:00.001-08:00

I dedicate this video to Manglor and our Mom.

I'm a big crier when it comes to music that reminds me of my mother. This reminded me of the bond my mother and my nephew always had. He probably doesn't like hearing it, but he did have a striking resemblance to Joselito.

I've already had my good cry while I watched this video.

I get a little bluesy when the holidays come. My mother always got the whole family together for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She cooked and cooked for days because she loved cooking. She fed everyone and anyone who didn't have a place to go for the holidays. Every year I helped her with the cooking and cleaning of our home to welcome everyone. I didn't realize back then how much she was giving me. Today I can't seem to enjoy the holidays as much as I did when my mother was alive. I wish I had the room in our home to continue her gift for everyone. I have many good memories of her and I'll never forget what love is.

I love you Mom.

Finished - She's Serious

2008-11-07T00:51:00.001-08:00

This portrait reminds me of a good friend I had when I went to art school. This is Holly. I think of her often and I hope she is well and happy. Holly is someone who left an impression in my life and I will always remember her fondly.

It's late and I must go to sleep. I had to finish this tonight and it's very late, but I am glad I've completed this portrait and now I can start something new. I'm on a roll and I'm loving it! I haven't been selling and I also haven't been promoting. I'm having so much fun painting and drawing with the little free time I have. I will think about promoting a little later. The main thing for me is to keep creating because it's what I need to do now.

Steps 1 and 2 of " She's Serious"

2008-11-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

She's not finished. I am working on her a little bit every day.

Since my painting table is temporarily the space for my altar, I have been painting on my computer with "Painter". This started out as a sketch and then an outline in my sketchbook. I then scanned the outline and now I'm coloring it in Painter. It's fun and since I've already done this process with two other pieces - it's getting easier to manage the different applications I need to use so I may post the process in steps. I am pleased with this one so far.

We did it!

2008-11-04T21:54:00.000-08:00

Our 44th President, Barack Obama.

Amazing!

I am so happy to see this day.

The day is finally here!

2008-11-04T01:22:00.000-08:00

Go out and VOTE!

Obama! Obama! Obama! Obama!

Update:

I have voted and I took my big sister to vote. No provisional ballots for us! We want our votes to count.

We had a little scene at my sisters polling place because they almost had her fill out a provisional ballot. She should have been directed to the next room for her voting place, but they took the easier (lazy) route by sending her to a table a few steps away to fill out a PB. On our own we found her polling place and she voted (this was in the same building). I couldn't leave until I said something to the people who told her she wasn't registered. It felt great to speak up. I usually don't like to make waves or have all eyes on me, but this time I had to say something. Especially when I saw how unprofessional and unhelpful they were to my sister. I knew there were going to be many more confused people coming in to vote and they don't deserve to be treated this way.

I'm done. I'm off my soapbox.

Dia de los Muertos

2008-11-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

An altar for our family and friends who have left us.

We miss you.

I made this to keep you in our memories.

St. Martin de Obama

2008-10-27T19:03:00.001-07:00

St. Martin de Obama
Originally uploaded by manglor_y_que

This cracked me up. My nephew took a photo of this candle when he was over in San Francisco this weekend. Click on the Manglor Link below to see more of his photography.

We all need our Obama votive candle for this presidential election.

I don't know who the artist is. Did you get the name Manny?

I'm it! I've been tagged!

2008-10-22T23:56:00.000-07:00

This is my first time being tagged. I've been tagged by my blogger friend Pura and I want to thank her for including me to play. It took me a while to come up with something to share. Here goes....

HERE ARE THE RULES:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Let your tagger know when your entry is UP.

HERE ARE SOME NON-IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT ME:

1. I am not a phone person. There was a time when I cringed every time the phone rang. I felt invaded. I'm getting better now....thank goodness for caller id and answering services.

2. I was a woodworker for nine years and I loved it.

3. Cloudy days are my favorite kind of days.

4. I like old trucks. The older and rustier the better.

5. I was once registered as an Independent, but after four years of George Bush I changed to Democrat. Four more years later, I'm still a Democrat and I'm proudly voting for Barack Obama.

6. I don't have a green thumb, but I want to learn how to grow my own herbs and vegetables.

7. I hate shopping and I don't like malls. I do love flea markets!

I'm a small fish in this big pond of internet bloggers. The people I'm adding may not respond or have time to do this. We'll see what happens....

Liz

Jesse

Vanessa

Gene

Melsky

Flea Market Galoshes

2008-10-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

Only $2.00!

The bandages are a painful detail that will remind me to keep her in pants when we go to the park.

What's for Dinner Mom?

2008-10-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

Golden Curry and White Rice!

Pork, onion, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper and water.

Put in the (mild) S&B Golden Curry bars and simmer. I know it doesn't look good, but it is so good!

The ginger on top is the cherry on top. Delicious! This is a favorite dish of mine and I've made it enough times for the Gorilla to like it. The little gorilla has been eating it too. She's like me and can eat the

ginger by itself. I appreciate and encourage trying different foods.

For desert we have guayavas. I had some amazing guayava ice cream at the County Fair this summer. This too has an unusual flavor and it's a favorite fruit of mine. It's got a unique STRONG scent that makes my mouth water whenever I smell it in the air. Today we were able to buy some at the farmer's market.

Dancing Queen

2008-10-19T00:51:00.000-07:00

Isn't fun the best thing to have?

Reclining Figure

2008-10-17T00:39:00.000-07:00

When I did this (a couple nights ago) I didn't have the energy to type in any information about it. Today I've got a few minutes before we're off to the park. I also got asked by a blogger friend to write about it.

I created this on Illustrator and played with it for a couple of hours until I was happy with the composition. I usually start drawing and keep adding more of the figure if I have enough room. I've always enjoyed drawing the nude figure. If I had the space and time I would do the figure in a large scale. Working so small is beginning to feel limiting and uncomfortably contained. Break loose! Where's the free spirit!.......? Give me a 3 inch paint brush and a 10x10 foot canvas. Square.

What motivates me? Lack of time, my age, gratitude and an inner spark that never quits. I have a need to draw something everyday. When I was pregnant I could not use my hands to do anything. They were swollen and the finger tips had a burning sensation all the time. So for about six months of my pregnancy I couldn't write, draw or hold anything. It felt awful to not have the use of my hands. I am so grateful now. Never again will I take my body and my creative spirit for granted.

Enough about me. We're off to the park! It's another beautiful day. Enjoy.

Koi Pond - Dream Landscape Series

2008-10-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't had time to put this up on my Etsy shop. This is a better image (Scanned) than the previous one posted here. It is a lovely piece and I've grown to like it even more after finishing it. I'm getting fidgety because I don't have a painting to work on on my desk. It gets tough when I'm not painting after a week or so. There are things to take care of before I can start a new piece. Family stuff and we will be moving in a few months.

Change.

I will definitely be making something to put up in my Etsy store while we are packing to move. This will force me to work on something that doesn't take days to finish. Something quick and simple. It's been a while since I've worked like that. I guess this is the time.

"Fester" in Etsy: Treasury West

2008-10-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

My print "Fester" has been included in a Treasury West on Etsy. This is a first for me and I'd like to thank FreshlySkweezed for including me in her Treasury. The theme is "chairs" and I'm in the second row from the top, in the middle.

Click here to see the Treasury West page. This link will be good until Monday.

And click here to see FreshlySkweezed's Etsy store. She has great Gocco printed cards for sale in her store.

She Sighed

2008-10-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

" Sigh "

I've found some time to draw while the family napped. I don't have much time to write because the Toot is now awake and waiting patiently for me to give her all my attention.

I'm also sick with a cold. Felt it coming this morning and it's on me now at full force.

Aaaachoooooo!

October Field Trip to Huntington Gardens

2008-10-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of the heat, but I do love desert plants. Yesterday the Toot and I went to the Huntington Gardens on their free day. There's a whole procedure that we have to go through to get tickets for their one day of the month that we can get in for free. Well, I got tickets a month ago for yesterday and the Toot and I went on our own this time. I usually get five tickets and invite three friends or a relative to come along, but not this time. I wanted to take my time and walk a little more than usual. All their gardens are amazing and I especially enjoy their desert gardens. The Toot is also a little more easygoing so I was able to take some photos.

Lovely landscape. I could easily stand there and get lost in the varieties, textures and shapes. The colors are a pallete I'm comfortable with and it would be nice to someday have a garden like this. Someday!

The flies were attracted to this flower. It's probably an insect eating plant. There were some carcasses in this one.

There's a little frog at the bottom left in the small pool of water. This was a nice surprise when I looked closer at the photo after downloading.

Hug.

A pretty hat.

Great hair.

Pretty colors. The black tips are what caught my eyes.

Singing.

This is in the Children's Garden.

A Break from Painting

2008-09-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

I've finished this piece and I am very pleased with it. Now, I plan on taking my inventory of paintings and making something extra with the images. I do have ideas hovering overhead and I plan on making them come to life.

The second photo is the before view and I was about two thirds done.

I will still be making quick sketches and posting them here. This way I won't get rusty and my images stay moving from thought to paper or computer. Also, I should start taking photos with my new camera.

We had light showers this morning and the colors outside were inspiring for my palate. This piece has an abundance of water in it. My rain dance painting is a prayer for some cooler weather. The Toot is eager and ready to wear her gently used red raincoat we got from a friend.

The McCain Follies continue.....

2008-09-25T23:32:00.001-07:00

David Letterman Reacts to John McCain Suspending Campaign

This is a nice weekend And Productive!

2008-09-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

I love this weather. Yesterday when we went to the market there was a pleasant breeze that's been long overdue. Yes! I welcome it. I made this last night in Illustrator and could have gone on with more flowers. When I look at it now - I know I will do more to it. Let's see what I have time to do tonight.

The Artist's gaze.

The Artist's pause.

Two Polymer Pieces

2008-09-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

It sure took long enough to get these two pieces to dry. I also made some stands for them and you can see more photos in my Etsy store. Click on the titles to see more.

"Aura"

"MaMa"

Mathews on Lipstick on a Pig commercial

2008-09-11T18:27:00.000-07:00