Altered Book Lovers - Hello

My blog buddy Elizabeth over at Altered Book Lover can guilt me better than anyone else I know. Love her blog. Have had such fun over the years emailing (when she had an email), sharing art, sharing cards, and just laughing over the blogland universe. Recently, I sent her a small box that included a number of items such as one of my notebooks I make and call  "make it your own," a DVD, a book, etc. In her note on my blog, she once again implored me to please post more often.  Since she is not on the social media, she does not catch me on Facebook or Instagram where I post a lot.  The blog, unfortunately, has taken a back seat to the other social media.

I am not the first to note this. I have had other friends who have left Facebook and Instagram in order to focus on other projects - which could mean their blogging.  Is blogging a thing of the past.  I don't really think so. My problem is that I am literally using my iPhone to take all my photos and these are not downloaded to my computer automatically.  When I was using my digital cameras - I would literally plug that into the computer and just use what I wanted. Now I am not that apple savvy and do not go back and forth between a PC and iPad or iPhone but - I should just suck it up and do what I usually do... I really love my iPhone photo apps - I really do.....

OK - hold on I'm getting back to the main thought -- And that is going to my iPhone and sending photos to my AOL account and then opening those and saving to my computer.  Do you hear me whine? So here are a few photos from the holidays.... Yes, two glorious weeks off and over the holidays, I was able to organize and clean up my craft room.  Will post photos later since they are not downloaded onto this lap top. And after the cleaning, I made a lot of art in two weeks. Oh my was that liberating. Mess upon mess downstairs as I watched and streamed Netflix old TV series to my TV. Have I told you how much I love the 70s show Kolchak - The Night Stalker? I watched all 20 episodes while "creating" -- which meant I also then had to clean up the downstairs mess:

Made two little altered books and got them sent off. The one below was for my blog friend Diane over at My Art Journal as a "trade" for a beautiful Poppy Box she made for me.

And then - I had been saving this box since 2009 when I traveled to NYC and bought a Dunder Mifflin shredder. Been saving it for someone who would appreciate it.... and Elizabeth was lucky "winner."

Also on my two weeks off, I cooked and had a ball doing it.  My friend/neighbor gave me a wonderful rough linen pinafore apron.  Overall it was a fantastic time off, created a lot of art and just want to say Happy New Year to all of you.  Love you all! And as a final note to Elizabeth - you guilt really well, girlfriend! LOL

On this Tuesday night, I am sitting here watching the Big Bang Theory waiting for family to arrive in order to begin our Thanksgiving Celebration.

Been a busy few days preparing for this annual visit when my brother and nephew drive from St. Louis. This year they have been driving in rain but are not that far away.

Wishing all of you a blessed Thanksgiving!  More later when the chaos begins. LOL

Quotes Illustrated

100 Works of Art inspired by 100 Words authored by Lesley Riley.  I don't think I can share with you how excited I am that one of my art pieces is one of the 100 Works of Art.  For many months we were not able to let anyone know that a work of art we submitted to illustrate a specific quote picked out by Lesley was going to be published in a book.  I was so excited when Lesley put out a call for artists to illustrate a quote she would select for you. I created a collage and when we can order the book and it is out there, I will show you a photo of that work of art and lead you to the order form.

Although November 22 has always been a reflective day for me - this 50 year anniversary is made less somber with Lesley sharing the news that the book proof is in and we will be able to order maybe by next week.  As we head into this Thanksgiving week, let us all be reminded and grateful for all we have. My brother, nephew, Larcy, Phil, and Oliver we all be over at the Nest for Thanksgiving. I will keep you posted on my progress this week (yes I am off) with preparations!

Oliver is suppose to come over tonight and be with me to help with cleaning and shopping.  He is such a great help in the craft room as he lies on the desk and directs me to what to do. Most of the craft room is cleaned up and Aaron will have a bed to sleep in but now we (read in here - Oliver and me) just need to refine more space for Aaron to toss his luggage.

Happy Friday! Don't know where you are - but where I am, they have started their Black Friday sales today. If you remember, retailers are losing a whole week from the shopping spree before Christmas since Thanksgiving falls in the last week of November. Last year, literally, this Friday would have been "Black Friday." Be kind to those shopping who get in your way. I will try to keep this in mind when I am driving my grocery cart around the aisles.

The Day After

The Christmas Day was wonderful. Meals with friends, laughter, and gratitude.

Today it is has been raining, snowing, sleeting, raining, sleeting, and still coming down in the form of light rain. I went so far as to cancel my boxing just because I have become a weather yucky wimp when it gets dark and I have to drive in conditions I am not totally convinced are not slippy sliddy .. you know the kind of weather I'm talking about? It is the yuckiest. Neither here nor there .....

Back to yesterday -- Had a wonderful Xmas breakfast with cranberry muffins to start the day. Then proceeded to making wicked mashed potatoes for late lunch.

And finished the day by watching the Dr. Who marathon on BBC America. Have two shows on the DVR which I need to watch. I ran into the office today and got last minute items ready for my travel on January 2nd to San Antonio for a board meeting. I so love love love that city!

Stay warm.... I need to create some art so I will disappear and show up later on.  Blessings!

And next up is......

wishing all of you honeysuckle peeps a happy upcoming new year. I am getting ready to go upstairs and slap some gesso on this naked book. Not sure what is developing but we will soon find out.

I am still reading slowly Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children and some of the PaperWhimsy gals are doing an exchange on the peculiar children and the results that I have seen are spectacular! They are such a talented bunch of artists. Anyway, I thinking of something like the Peregrine Children. I read up on the Peregrine Hawk and it is an amazing bird.

So we will see. I have this paper from a pullout section in Somerset Studio and I would really like to create this paper onto the cover using paint and the silhouette of the young girl. Stay tuned for updates.

Also this year I have "signed" up for an ATC exchange - one a month. For January the word is "Hope" - so I will also be thinking about where I want to go with that. "Your ATC should reflect what hope means to you or what visual the word gives you."  Hmmmmm... Nope, Harley won't cut it for the "H" - back to the drawing table. Be safe over the next few days if I don't get back before New Year's Day. Don't drink and drive. Find a designated driver or take cab companies up on free rides. Whoop Whoop!

And not a creature was stirring

A very merry and blessed Christmas to all of you! Enjoy the day. And yes, I am creating the second layout in the art journal *wink*.... more tomorrow. And yes, Harley is fine with the Rat taking the lead. Harley is still recovering from his Christmas morning bacon and eggs!

Thanksgiving 2012

 

Good Afternoon, Peeps, and a middle of the week post, do tell.  All Thanksgiving items have been put up awaiting Thanksgiving 2012. And with the cleaning and "filing" comes the satisfaction on one more Thanksgiving complete.

A number of years ago I went to a class sponsored at the now-extinct Recollections Store and created a Holiday Recipe Book.  Never in my wildest dreams did I realize how much use I would get out of this book. It too is in the "tradition" ranks.

 It has notes, photos, recipes, grocery lists, and movie tickets all tucked inside.

Recipes can be handwritten or cut from magazines and Sunday supplements. Anything goes and everything goes in my recipe books. Notes from the 2011 Thanksgiving have been placed inside including several notes on the size of the turkey and where to "slit" the bag the turkey cooks in - trust me only on top (which is logically and don't ask why I decided to slit on the side by the leg) and this lesson was learned by the juices leaking out into the shallow pan splashing to the bottom of the oven causing some good turkey smoke?! Got Aaron's butt out of bed. Would I do that? I'm taking the Fifth.

I love cookbooks and can't control myself when it comes to creating them. Right now I have three that I use:

I will once again slip into the night and get some more items separated for the Goodwill. Later, peeps,

PS, can we believe that tomorrow is December 1st?

Good Morning StarBright

5:30 am - Alarm goes off. Up and about we begin getting the family ready for their drive home to Indianapolis and St. Louis. Hmmm, you think maybe I could go back and take a nap. Nope, once awake and up, yup, I stay up and have a cup of coffee.

Just want to say one thing about the video with Aaron that was posted yesterday. When Aaron comes to his Auntie M's place he gets bear hugs. Yes, he has Asperger's Syndrome and he tolerates my bear hugs. In the video you will notice that I come up behind him and put my hand on this shoulder. He handled that so well because he was in the "moment" acting and it was not real. Aaron has just moved into an apartment on his own and travels throughout Missouri giving presentations on "Living with Asperger's Syndrome."

Finding Kansas will be released again in April 2012, and I love this quote by Dr. Keith Schaefer, Director, Missouri Department of Mental Health, "Aaron Likens may be the most courageous, intelligent and tenacious young man I have met in my long tenure in the mental health field. Being profoundly touched by Asperger's Syndrome, he is fiercely determined to better understand himself and the world around him."

Yes, I am very proud of my Aaron. OK, now back to .... Thanksgiving is still up and won't be "taken down" for at least a week. Yes, the same oh same oh - am I gonna pull out the Christmas decorations from under the stairs this year? I can honestly say I don't know... Maybe not this year since I really do want to get this place cleaned out of its clutter and the clutter given away to let others enjoy it. Remember the closet,

Doesn't look that way right now. Right before family showed up last Tuesday, I had to start hauling the leftover stuff into it but I also now plan to pull each item out and deal with it now. Time ran out and thanks to all of you sending me your comments on FaceBook and here on this Blog, I feel OK with it and not overwhelmed! Progress not Perfection as they say.

Right now it is 11:00am and we have had a shower, cleaned the kitchen, and am now on laundry load # 2. On a roll, on a roll and hopefully will keep rolling on today.....

While my brother was here, he did work for his food.  Got me a new fantastic kitchen faucet, (looks like we can play beauty shop with that sprayer - oh yeah),

Got the laundry sliding door fixed along with a new light switch.....I am now starting to make a list for next year. Don't want to forget why I started this blog.... so onto some art work for you... been a while and these items were created years ago.... First of all is a Thanksgiving clock I made in order to submit to Somerset Holidays (and no it was not selected which has nothing to do with anything...),

And then a "place card" using a Martha Steward "gobble gobble gobble"... She (the stamp not Martha) is one of my favorite stamps which I used a lot in years past .....

And again for this Thanksgiving, the Christmas Cactus did not disappoint.....

Have a great day.... I am still hanging out in my "Fight Like A Girl" lounging pants while keeping the cleaning going for a few more hours and then it is into the recliner with mindless TV going on, my kind of day!

And one more thing about my new iPhone.... I have discovered iSpeak, man oh man, words I think I am typing are not the words I am typing. For example, left a post on FaceBook for my niece which was suppose to say, "What a joy it was to spend Thanksgiving with my precious niece. . ." It came out in iSpeak as, "What a joy it was to spend Thanksgiving with my previous niece. . ." to which she responded, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated - Mark Twain" As to why I am not turning the auto-correct off? - it is way to convenient .... even with words getting all mussed up.... Hey, I don't have to blame me for my senility - just the iPhone.... Have I told you how much i love my iPhone lately - yes it is a little senile....