Regalo

2012-01-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

December Birthday

2011-12-15T09:38:00.001-08:00

As of 4 a.m. this morning there are to teenagers in the household.
Happy 13th Birthday Navid, my Christmas baby . Love you.

The Christmas tree is decorated. So far we've only had to pull the cat out of the tree twice.
For the teen cousins that are receiving gift cards or money, these are a few gift boxes I made. I'll add a few extra trinkets and candy inside.
Daughter's Gingerbread house that we had to spray with "Fooey" (cat retardant). I'm now off shopping to find a few more gifts.

Mid-November

2011-11-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's mid- November and Thanksgiving is next week? I have all these projects in mind for Christmas (both for decorating and gifts) and I just realized I'd better get started very soon. I have to finish up a couple of items I'm working on but then I'll have to focus on the holidays.

I just finished this small stuffed doll that I'll be listing on Etsy in a bit. ***

Last week, just as I was thinking of getting dinner started, my son reminded me that he needed a jester type hat for a school activity the following day. He'd mentioned needing the hat the previous week but I had forgotten all about it. Anyway, I managed to gather the materials and put together the hat in a couple of hours. My sewing machine is in the laundry room which is right off the kitchen so I was able to go back and forth between preparing dinner and working on the hat. I was lucky to have some felt in my stash that matched the juggling balls and I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out.

The Beauty of Pollination

2011-11-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Had to share:

What Happened?

2011-10-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

Mothers and Daughters/Fathers and Sons

I didn't plan to be away for so long. Not that I've always been a frequent poster but it's been months and months since my last one.
So what's been happening the last few months? Well once the weather warmed up I spent more time outdoors in the garden or hiking. Soon after the kids got out of school we left for Puerto Vallarta and had an absolutely wonderful time (twelve of us all together- best friends and their two kids, my sister, her husband and their two kids and myself, my husband and our two). We stayed in Nuevo Vallarta, visited downtown once for dinner and dancing, took a side trip to Sayulita twice but mostly spent time at the beach or poolside. Came home relaxed but that didn't last long.
A couple of weeks after arriving home I started feeling not so good. Each day it was something different, neck pain, lower back pain, mild nausea, no energy, low grade fever and then it all of the sudden hit me. I thought it was the flu but it didn't explain some of the other symptoms I was experiencing. To make a long story short, after a couple of days of blood work, and an ultrasound, I was told that I had an inflamed liver, I was tested for Hepatitis A and it came back positive (my doctor suspected this when I told her I'd been in Mexico). It was most likely something I ate in Mexico, when and where, I'll never know but I have my suspicions. I was told it would take time but that it was something I would recover from completely unlike other forms of Hepatitis. I was in bed for three weeks- my skin and eyes turned a lovely shade of yellow, I had no energy whatsoever and I lost 10 pounds ( I'm skinny anyway so this wasn't good). I was told to drink lots and lots of water, keep away from sugar or fatty foods and to have blood work done every 3-4 days (now just once a month). For weeks I was struggling with anxiety and I wasn't motivated to do much but I'm so much better now. I'm still recovering after 3 months and it's only been in the last tw0 weeks that I've felt somewhat back to normal. My liver enzyme levels are still high but nowhere close to what they were when I was first tested.
I'm grateful that I'm feeling better and if there's any good news in all of this it's that I'm eating healthier, exercising more and I'm now immune to Hep A. Get vaccinated against Hep A if you haven't, you don't have to travel to get it.
Looking forward to posting on a more regular basis.

Fabric by Dena Fishbein

2011-05-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

Excited to find this fun fabric at our local arts and crafts shop.
http://www.denadesigns.com/

Working on:

2011-05-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

A little knitting,

a bit of painting,

and some Mermaid making.

Woodland Style

2011-05-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

Woodland Style by Marlene Hurley Marshall

I received this beautiful book from my sister on Mother's Day and had to share some images.

Filled with photos of creations by talented artists and designers.

Ideas and projects for creating, decorating and even cooking with natural elements.

Mumford & Sons

2011-04-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have to share my love for this band. They'll be in Oakland on Thursday (Railroad Revival Tour) Unfortunately, it's sold out. Pause my playlist at bottom of page before playing videos.

http://www.mumfordandsons.com/

I recently bought their CD and I have to keep myself from playing it over and over again.

Spring in Our Garden

2011-04-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday

2010-12-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

He was due on the 25th but arrived 10 days early. My Christmas baby. I can't believe it's been 12 years. Love you Navid.

World Series Winners

2010-11-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations SF Giants!

Summer 2010

2010-09-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Happiest Place on Earth

Hogwarts - Universal Studios in Orlando


with Yasmin and Aladdin at Epcot

The Atlantis - Bahamas

View from our window

Milo Hobbes

2010-09-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

Milo Hobbes b. July 12th

My 50th Birthday

2010-06-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

Celebrated my 50th and Father's Day with a drive to the coast. Spent time on the beach exploring tidepools, hiking, a nice lunch outdoors in Pescadero and on to Half Moon Bay for coffee and a stroll down Main Street.

Crochet

2010-05-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

I've been inspired to crochet again after finding a couple of books featuring some fun and colorful projects. This one arrived all the way from Japan. Forget that I can't read Japanese, it's worth all the beautiful pictures. The instructions do include diagrams that I might be able to figure out.

The photo of the sweater above is from an Anthropologie catalogue. I Love Anthropologie.

My Great Aunt taught me to crochet years ago but I still consider myself a beginner. Here are a couple of recent projects.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

In My Kitchen

2010-05-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

In the Garden

2010-05-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2010-05-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

Happy May! Photography by my son.

Alice in Wonderland themed Easter/Birthday Celebration

2010-04-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Mermaid

2010-03-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

WHO would be

A mermaid fair,

Singing alone,

Combing her hair

Under the sea,

In a golden curl

With a comb of pearl,

On a throne?

Spring

2010-03-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

My favorite time of the year! I've suffered with seasonal depression for many years but Spring always saves me. My daughter was born on the first day of Spring which makes the season even more special. Yesterday was her 15th birthday - 15th! Happy Birthday my Love!

Recent Paintings

2010-01-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Dia de los Muertos

2009-11-02T21:07:00.000-08:00

50th Anniversary

2009-09-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

July 24, 1959

My parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on July 24th. We (my parents, my sister, myself and our families) spent the weekend visiting Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz and Capitola.

My Mom ( Catalina Dolores) on the corner of Dolores and Ocean in beautiful Carmel

My Dad at a restaurant in Monterey.

Happy Anniversary!

Dahlias

2009-08-16T23:10:00.000-07:00

My Uncle Raul and Aunt Hope brought this back from Mexico when I was a little girl. It has my name written on the front and I use it often as a vase. My Uncle (my Mother's first cousin) passed away this afternoon.

Last week of July

2009-07-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

From the veggie/herb garden. We've been enjoying using what we grow in new recipes. We have lots of squash and we've made: Squash Soup, Summer Squash Bread, Squash filled omelets, etc. Any good squash recipes out there?

Besides working in the garden, I've been doing a little painting. I'm hoping to start listing again soon, not sure if on Ebay, Etsy or both.

I'm happy to report that this little girl is doing much better. About a week and a half ago she stopped eating and was very lethargic. After x-rays, blood work, and mucho dinero; they still weren't sure what the problem was. They found a mass in her left lung and guessed that it might be pneumonia or possibly a tumor. We decided to treat it as if it were pneumonia and crossed our fingers. After a number of days on antibiotics and lots of TLC, she's been back to her old self for about four days now. She'll have a follow up appointment soon and we're hoping that the lung will show up clear.

Sadie Blu

Coldplay

2009-07-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

What an amazing show! Great music and the evening weather was perfect for the outdoor venue.

The only decent shot of Chris despite all the photos I took.

Butterfly confetti during "Lover's in Japan"

After the show, everyone received a free CD (live album)

Mexico Mosaic

2009-07-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

La iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe
Downtown Puerto Vallarta

Things to remember: downtown Puerto Vallarta, trip to Sayulita and surfing lessons, canopy zip-line, sea turtle laying eggs on the beach near our hotel, evening thunderstorms, celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary, beach combing, feeding the kitten at our hotel every morning, reading poolside (my sister's keeper), beach and pool volleyball, art galleries, evening entertainment at our hotel, the food, the music, the colors and all the inspiration

Click on mosaic to enlarge

I've Still Got Sand in my Shoes - Dido

2009-07-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Back from Puerto Vallarta but not quite able to get back into the swing of things.

Happy First Day of June

2009-06-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Oh my, I can't believe I haven't posted for over a month. Now that the weather is so nice I've been spending more time out in the garden, I get lost out there for hours. We've also been busy with end of the school year activities. My daughter will be graduating from middle school this week and my son will be finished with the fourth grade next week- where did the school year go?

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-04-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

Make sure to pause my playlist before viewing. I can't wait to see this.

Published

2009-04-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

Received my copy of Somerset Studio a couple of days ago and there I am at the bottom of page 109. It's a fun issue and for those of you familiar with sweet La Donna Welter, there's a special feature on her her gorgeous art on pages 22-24.

Recent Paintings

2009-04-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

Spring

2009-03-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy First Day of Spring, Happy Norouz, and Happy Birthday to my daughter. Tonight we'll be celebrating with my husband's side of the family.

Friday the 13th and the Lucky Winner is ...

2009-03-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, it's 5:30 a.m. and my husband just left to take our daughter and a couple of her friends to the Oakland Airport. They'll be visiting Washington D.C. for their school interim trip and won't be back 'til Tuesday. Sniff, Sniff.

I'll be back to finish this post in a couple of hours, I need coffee.

O.K. I'm back, I'm awake -

Dear blogging friends, here are the names of those in the running for the giveaway (previous post) and as promised, blog followers that left a comment were entered twice for a total of 15 entries-

Cris of Mommy's Midwest Mountain

Flor of Flor Larios Art

Jennifer of Hot Tamale Art Studio

Jenny of Wonders of Whimsy

Jody of Smilin'Moon Studios

La Donna of La Donna Papercutting

Lisa of Lisa Lectura Creations

Naija of Gumseline

Thelma of Painting by Thelma

Congratulations Jenny! Thank you all for being such sweet and inspirational blog friends. Have a wonderful day.

100th Post and a Giveaway

2009-03-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

I've been gone for a bit but I'm back with my 100th post and a little giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and I will enter your name. For my current followers, if you leave a comment, I will enter your name twice. Sometime in the morning of Friday, March 13th, I will draw a name and announce the lucky winner. I'm giving away this original painting that I did on a 2.5" x 3.5" mini wrapped canvas and also this crochet pouch that you can use to hold a number of things, perhaps:

your cell phone

tissues

tea bags (in your handbag)

or maybe to present someone with a giftcard or piece of jewelry

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Birthday Mami

2009-02-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

My mother is 83 years old today. She was born in Mexico and came to California in 1959 after marrying my father. My parents live about 40 minutes away so we get to see them often. Tomorrow the family will be here to celebrate.

Her Morning Elegance

2009-02-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

I love this. Before watching scroll down and pause my playlist. Enjoy!

Art on the Go

2009-01-28T09:56:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time in my car, getting the kids to school, picking them up, getting them to after school activities and such. I'm often waiting in the car for 1/2 hour to hour stretches, I don't mind too much because it's actually relaxing when I can listen to some music, knit a bit, write in my journal or do a little reading.

I just put this little kit together so I can take it along with me when I feel like doing a little crocheting or x-stitching some small motifs. I bought this Maisy lunch box back when my 13 year old was a toddler thinking that she could store her little trinkets and toys in it. I put it away and never actually gave to her but now I'm going to put it to good use.

Beantown Handmade

2009-01-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

You've got to visit Beantown Handmade, an Etsy shop, and check out this adorable Boston Terrier (named Bean) modeling crocheted hats, neck scarves and sweaters. Too cute.

Christmas Mosaic

2009-01-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

I never got around to posting any Christmas photos so I put together this little mosaic of pics taken here at home and at my sister's. Traditionally, we leave things up until January 6th- Epiphany, also known as the 12th day of Christmas. I just finished taking things down and putting them away.

Luka's Spot

2009-01-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

First of all I want to thank you all for the sweet comments you left, it's been a tough week and it helped so much to hear from you. The night before we lost Luka, we somehow knew it would be the last, we all slept together in our bedroom. Luka started out curled up next to my husband, after a bit he moved over next to me, awhile later he wanted to get down (I had to help) and he slept with my son and finally he made his way over to my daughter in the early morning.

Late that same morning our Vet called with the test results and it was obvious what we had to do. At about 1:15 I picked him up in my arms and carried him out to the garden and walked him around to all his favorite spots, I said my final good-bye and handed him over to my husband and daughter. They took him to the Vet and my husband held him during the process (I couldn't- even though it's what I had planned) he then brought him home and buried him under a tree outside my daughter's bedroom window. We planted 17 Violas, one for each year of his life. (The concrete is an architectural piece that happened to be under the tree). It's nice that we have this spot that we can visit and remember. Anyway, he will be missed, I have not known married life without him and he's always been in the kid's lives. Again thank you and now on with the new year.

Luka

2008-12-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

LUKA

Adopted February 10, 1993 - December 29, 2008

diciembre

2008-12-03T22:46:00.000-08:00

I made this little guy and am working on some others to put on my niece's and nephew's Christmas gifts this year. I used Crayola Model Magic to form the head, used seed beads for the eyes, painted the face and added glitter. I used leftover yarn to knit up his cozy outfit and then stuffed it. Added a paper cone hat and a heart pin.

Twilight

2008-11-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

I have a thirteen year old daughter currently reading the fourth book in this series- guess what we did yesterday?

Beeswax Workshop

2008-11-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited. For some time now I've been wanting to try using beeswax in my work, but even after watching a couple of video tutorials online, I shied away from it. (After my experience with wood burning, something about working with hot wax and a quilting iron at the same time scared me) Well, Saturday I had the opportunity to take a class with the very talented Iva Wilcox. I had so much fun working on the above project (sorry for the blurry photo) I can't wait to start using the techniques in my own work.

Ebay or Etsy

2008-11-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

I've been having fun with the woodburning and painting, I'm almost finished with these two. I haven't been listing any of my art on Ebay because I've been considering listing on Etsy instead. Those of you that have tried both which do you prefer?

Tagged

2008-11-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by the sweet and talented La Donna and here are the official rules…
Link to the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged.

Here you go:

1. I'm a pack rat -

2. My favorite sweet: anything Dulce de Leche

3. I dated my husband for 10 years before we got married (3 years engaged)

4. I delivered both my children without epidural - poor timing on my part

5. I'm the oldest of three sisters

6. I speak Spanish (my parents were born in Mexico)

I now tag the following: Lisa, Babs, Jennifer, Cris, Steph and Suze.

Wood Burning

2008-11-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

I bought my son a wood burning set about a year ago but never actually gave it to him-instead I opened it up recently and started using it in my own art work. After a couple of burns, I'm so glad I kept it for myself- a little dangerous for a nine year old. Ouch!

Fun Film and a Novel

2008-10-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Both were lent to me by my sister. The film, Penelope, not only has a cute storyline but is a visual treat (think Nanny McPhee, Big Fish, etc) If your looking for a family movie that you can watch with the kids and not get bored this one's a lot of fun. Loved Penelope's wardrobe.

The Thirteenth Tale, a gothic mystery novel is the perfect book to read while curled up in your favorite chair with a hot cup of tea by your side. I still have a couple of chapters to go but it's been one of those books that I've stayed up way too late reading.

2008-10-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

Nurture

2008-10-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

Taking Flight

2008-10-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading this beautiful book by mixed-media artist Kelly Rae Roberts. An inspiring book which includes interviews with other artists as well as fun techniques to learn and possibly incorporate into your own art work . What I enjoyed most were Kelly's insights into the creative life-lovely book and I highly recommend it.

Ruffles

2008-09-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

I had to post a picture of an apron I bought at The Tinsel and Tresures show a couple of weeks ago. Isn't it cute? I bought it with my sister in mind but I just might keep it for myself. The apron was made by the very talented Gina over at Eleven Morning.

2008-09-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

Witch and Pumpkin

2008-09-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

Just listed. 5"x7"

Back on Ebay

2008-09-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

I haven't listed on ebay in a long while but I've recently finished some small Halloween themed paintings that I'm going to auction off. SOLD

Back to School

2008-08-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

To begin with, I want to thank the very sweet and talented Lisa of LLCreations for this award. She received the award herself and it was very much deserved. Please visit her blog to see her beautiful work.

Well, I'm all alone, my son is back in school and I just went through registration with my daughter, I then left her at the school for orientation. They'll have lunch at the school then get on a bus and head for the coast, it's an overnight adventure trip so I don't pick her up 'til tomorrow night.

The weekend was a bit busy with my son playing in three soccer games. On Sunday, after a morning game, my daughter and I were able to get away for a bit and we headed for Pleasanton where we had a nice time at Art Paperie and Pleasantries. We met a couple of fellow art bloggers, had a nice lunch together and brought home lots of goodies to play with.

Well, I just want to end this post by wishing everyone a Happy Back to School Day whether it was last week, this week or the next. Cheers!

English Garden Cottage

2008-08-21T08:17:00.001-07:00

I fell in love with this house. No, I'm not back in Carmel, the house, built in 1935, is right here in Alamo. I dragged my family to the open house about a week ago and it's just as quaint on the inside as it is on the outside. We're not in the market for a house but I've always dreamed of living in a cottage. So I mention this house because a couple of days ago the kids wanted Subway for lunch

and since the thrift store is right next door I had to go in. Look what my daughter found. A miniature garden cottage. Look at the details. Do you see the nest just above the window?

Look at the details inside. The side porch is below complete with a heart wreath above the door.
And guess what? It lights up at night!
The house is signed on the back (Pamela Reynolds) and is titled "English Gardener," when I googled her name I found one article from 2000 commenting on her work. She's from Chino, CA , her houses take 24+ hours to complete and they sell from $275. Well, I brought this one home for $25 and after hot gluing a couple of pieces back in place and dusting it completely using paint brushes and Century Duster it now sits in my daughter's bedroom.

Recent Find

2008-08-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

Found these two little bears (mother and child) at a nearby thrift store. They're hand sewn (little tiny stitches) using felt, bits of fabric and trim. When I find handmade items like this, I often find myself wondering about the story behind them. Who, when, where, for whom, and why did they wind up at the thrift store or buried in a box at a garage sale? I bought these two for $5 and they now have a home on my desk.

Kahlo and Chihuly in San Francisco

2008-08-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

We got together over the weekend with my sister and her family to view the Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. It was everything I thought it would be. Being of Mexican decent I was familiar with Frida's life and her art years before she became so popular here.

We had lunch at the Thai Cafe on Geary Street - the best. My husband and I ate here all of the time when we were dating, he lived just a couple of blocks away. Little did we know then that we'd someday be eating there with our kids. The restaurant has been there for 28 years and my husband and I met in '82, that means that they had only been open a couple of years when we started dating.

After lunch we headed to the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park for the Dale Chihuly Exhibit - it was amazing! Eleven galleries filled with beautiful art - brilliant colors, lovely shapes and textures. We finished our outing with a little walk through the Botanical Garden and then headed home. We really should drive into the city more often, it's only a 45 minute drive and brings back so many memories.

Art Play Date

2008-08-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Two very talented ladies were over last week for a little art play date. Connie (Govea Stuart) and Colleen Moody came by for a couple of hours and we worked on some fun paper tags.It was easy to be inspired with all the goodies that Connie brought over. My kids were home and though I knew my daughter would join us I was surprised when my son asked if he could make tags too. Love art play dates.

Oh and Connie gave me the heads up and I was finally able to visit Friendship Farm Antiques and find it open. I've lived 5 minutes away for almost 2 years and I didn't know what I'd been

missing. Inside Tricia sells "Ribbons and Fine Things," including all kinds of treasures that one might want to incorporate into their art. It was fun hunting for item in all the baskets, boxes and dresser drawers. Wish I had taken a picture.

The Ruth Bancroft Garden

2008-07-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

Monday I had a couple of hours to myself in Walnut Creek and decided to visit the Ruth Bancroft Garden http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org, I took the self guided tour and had a nice time strolling through the garden taking pictures of some amazing plants (mostly succulents and cacti). Ruth Bancroft will be 100 years old in September and still lives in her home adjacent to the garden.

Wylde Women Award

2008-07-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

I have been honored with the new blogger "Wylde Women Award" that Tammy Vitale recently created along with the artwork above? Thank you so much La Donna http://ladonnawelter.blogspot.com/, you are a sweetheart and you so deserved the award.

-The Purpose of the Award is "To send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy."
By receiving the award I get to share it with some of my favorite bloggers.

Here are the rules.
1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post.
2. Link back to this blogsite (www.tammyvitale.com/) so Tammy can go visit all these wonderful women.
and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy.

I would now like to pass the award on to these talented women that brighten my day when I visit their sites or when they come by and leave me sweet comments:

Lisa at http://www.llcreations.blogspot.com/
Connie at http://www.conniekonnykards.blogspot.com/ and
Mystele at http://www.mystele.blogspot.com/

2008-07-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

I was shopping for some plants at the nursery this morning and I found this planter, isn't she cute?
Dahlias from the garden. The pitcher was a gift from a great aunt in Mexico when I was a child. My name is painted on the front.

Inspiration

2008-07-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

A small 5"x7" painting inspire by our holiday in Mexico.

Part of my birthday gift from my sister is an invitation to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Chihuly exhibit at the de Young Museum- can't wait.

Mazatlan Mosaic

2008-07-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

It was wonderful! We've been back a week and though I'm glad to be home I'm also missing Mazatlan, especially the climate - we came back to 100+ degree temps. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things and that's difficult after a week of lounging poolside, eating great food, spending quality time with the extended family and enjoying all the beautiful sites and sounds of Mazatlan.

City Tour, Water Volley Ball,Water Polo, Margaritas, Pacifico Beer, Shrimp, Ceviche, Reading by the Pool, 4th Of July Pool Party, Fireworks, Lunches Poolside, Pelicans Flying Overhead, Gorgeous Sunsets, Walks on the Beach, Doing the Limbo , Hool-a-Hoop Contests, Dancing, Loteria Games, Dinners at: (Le Cordeliere, Cilantro's, Il Mosto, and Panchos),Walking along the Malencon, Painting Ceramics by the Pool, Hunting for Hermit Crabs, Shell Collecting . . .

Mazatlan

2008-06-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

I'm busy packing, I have my journal, colored pencils, camera, reading material all ready in my carry on. We're leaving Monday morning for Mazatlan (Pueblo Bonito-Emerald Bay) we stayed there last year and it's beautiful. There are twelve of us all together (my in-laws) and we'll be gone for a week.

16th Anniversary

2008-06-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were married 16 years ago today. He proposed 7 years after we met and we married three years after that, so in total we've been together for 26 years. Here's my birthday/anniversary present - a Wasabi Dragonfly.

Finished

the Garden Fairy - I'm enjoying incorporating both painting and needlework in recent art.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

2008-06-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

My Birthday

2008-06-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday. I celebrated with my husband and a couple of friends on Wednesday night at Teatro ZinZanni -love.zinzanni.org on pier 29 in San Francisco. It was a beautiful, warm evening so we decided to have a drink out front of The Fog City Diner before crossing the street to the dinner/show. If you've never been I highly recommend it. I think this was my 4th show (it changes every few months) we even attended a wedding here and it was so much fun. Tomorrow we'll drive down to one of my favorite places, Carmel, weather should be great. It's been hot the last few days here and we're expecting 100+ today. Happy 1st Day of Summer!

Connie at Sweet Magnolia

2008-06-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

Took a class with the always creative and talented Connie Govea Stuart yesterday. The class was held at Sweet Magnolia in downtown Danville where Connie showed us some wonderful, new techniques. The necklaces are beautiful pieces of art and these photos do not do them justice.

Sweet Magnolia

404 Hartz Ave.

Danville, CA

" No, she isn't from the South -- owner and interior designer Jill Cox just happens to love magnolia trees. Her shop features antiques, new furnishings and accessories for the home and garden. Mixed-media creations by local artist Connie Govea Stuart, who utilizes vintage pieces, offer unusual gift choices. For the garden, there are whitewashed birdhouses and weathered bistro sets. (925) 855-9845." -SF Gate

Just Finished

2008-06-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the garden.

The Month of Roses

2008-06-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

Whence comes this mist of sweet perfume of fragrant blooming roses That fills the air at early dawn and after daylight closes, When through the day the song bird sings and in the night reposes? Tis June, the fairest month of all, bright June, the month of roses. The sky has changed its grayish hue for that of deepest azure, And fleecy clouds are floating o'er and dancing as in pleasure; While near these fairy clouds are seen great Alps of cloudland glory, Where sunbeams darting to and fro mount each lofty story, When comes this grandeur in the skies that in winter time reposes? In June, the fairest month of all, bright June, the month of roses. The trees spread out their leafy boughs, the meadows bloom with flowers; The air is cooled, the dust is laid by calm, refreshing showers; The sun is up at early morn __ his eyes he scarcely closes, For sunny June is with us now, fair June, the month of roses. The yellow rose blooms, the white, pink, red in prairie, field and garden, And for the number and variety seem to ask your pardon; Their rich perfume so fills the air, the world seems naught but roses; A rosy crown they've made for June, and crowned her Queen of Roses.
__Elva May Root.

In My Sister's Garden

2008-05-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

2008-05-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

Look at this beautiful pin cushion I won on ebay and just received all beautifully packaged. Thank you Lisa. http://www.llcreations.blogspot.com/

Abstract

2008-05-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

On our way home from dinner out on Friday night we stopped for gas and drove through the car wash. I took out the camera and shot some interesting pics.

Out of Storage

2008-05-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

These are some things I made a few years ago. The felt pins were made when my daughter was a baby and she just celebrated her 13th birthday.

In the Vegetable Garden

2008-05-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

What I've planted in the vegetable garden:

Sparkler radishes (photo), Icicle radishes, Lemon cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, green and yellow bell peppers, basil, rosemary, parsley, chives, mint, and cilantro. Flowers too: Marigolds, Nastariums, Sunflowers, Dahlias and Hollyhocks.

Fabric Art

2008-05-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

cinco de mayo

2008-05-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

May Day

2008-05-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

Happy May Day. Just returned from my morning walk. I walk not only for the exercise but it clears my mind and gives me a chance to go exploring in the neighborhood. Today, I saw a hawk, stopped to pet a cat looking for some attention, admired some bearded iris in a nearby garden and enjoyed the scent of honeysuckle in another - this smell always takes me back to my childhood.
Geranium and Lobelia
Look what we spotted on our drive to school a couple of days ago. I thought they were rocks until we got closer. It's amazing how much these guys consume in such a short amount of time. As of this morning they were still there but they've moved on to another part of the hill.

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to get together with Connie and a very sweet friend of hers and visit with the very talented Peggy Gatto wwwpeggysamusement.blogspot.com. She was so sweet to welcome us into her beautiful home and show us her creative space. Wow. On Saturday, my daughter and I attended A Joyous Spring Fete here in Alamo. So much talent, so many wonderful things to look at. Here's some of what we brought home:

We entered our names for the raffle and look what I found on our doorstep on Tuesday addressed to my daughter. An original painting in a vintage frame by e. crowley! It's about 2" tall and look at the detail. So sweet!

Blurry but look how cute!

Drought

2008-04-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

Weeks are flying by. It seems like the kids only just started the school year and now we're counting down the remaining days left before Summer vacation (30 something I believe)

I haven't finished anything creative lately - I have a number of unfinished paintings, a small quilt that needs batting and a backing, a couple of knitting projects on the needles and not much motivation to work on any of these. I'm going through a period of drought that I hope passes soon. "In a creative life, droughts are a necessity. The time in the desert brings us clarity and charity. When you are in a drought, know that it is to a purpose." - The Artist's Way

Murphys - Queen of the Sierras

2008-04-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

Spent a couple of days skiing in Bear Valley during the Spring break - husband and kids skied, I read and knit. We stopped in Murphys on the way home which is always my favorite part of these trips.

Celebrations

2008-04-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

I've been without my own computer for a few weeks so I haven't been able to post. Last month we celebrated Easter, my daughter's 13th birthday and the Persian New Year. My daughter was born on the first day of Spring which also happens to be the day of the Persian New Year or Norooz, a holiday celebrated by my husband's side of the family. It's always a special time of the year filled with family events and get togethers with friends.

It's Here

2008-03-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Happy 1st Day of Spring!

In September

2008-03-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

TinselandTreasures.com

Workshop with Connie Govea Stuart

2008-03-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here are photos of the projects we worked on at the Cottage Jewel a couple of weeks ago. These were so fun to make. Connie showed us some great new techniques!

Computer Problems

2008-03-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

I've been having problems with my computer for the last week so I'm using my husband's. I wanted to show a couple of pictures of the projects we worked on in class last week but it'll have to wait. I learned some great techniques from Connie and had a great time as well. Looking forward to more classes with her.

I'm currently reading this book. I did watch the first webcast and am planning to watch the rest.

Cottage Jewel

2008-03-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Spent all of Sunday at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire with my husband and a friend. Though it started out a bit cold it turned out to be a beautiful day. Came home with a couple of windows: a mirrored one for the dining room and a narrow leaded one that I'll have to find a place for.

I'm cooking dinner for the family because tonight I will be at this place -www.cottagejewel.com for a workshop that will be taught by Connie Govea Stuart. I've been a fan of her work and had a chance to meet her just a few weeks ago so I'm really excited to be able to take a class with her.

Rebecca Sower: a day to disconnect

2008-02-27T12:22:00.000-08:00

Rebecca Sower: a day to disconnect

2008-02-27T06:59:00.000-08:00

Thank you to sweet Adriana from adris art for this award. I will now pass it on to five others whose blogs and comments have inspired me, I do realize that the award has been around, so if it comes your way again that's a good thing. The award goes to: Lisa at llcreations, Pam at pamkittymorning, Jan at pinkhousepages, Sandy at sandyberry and Gennine at blogdelanine.

I'm new at linking so I hope this works. Please take your award and post to your site. Pass the award on to five others and let them know by posting a comment on their blog. Again thank you to all.

2008-02-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a fun but busy last couple of weeks. My mother just had her 82nd birthday last week and we were all together to celebrate. For the long President's Day weekend we were in Bear Valley for a little skiing and were lucky to have and enjoy some beautiful sunny weather during our stay. We were also able to stop in Murphys, a historic little town in the Sierras that is a favorite of mine. I've also been working on a classroom auction art project that's due Friday and so I haven't done any painting or art of my own except for a bit of knitting. Here in Northern California the trees and bulbs are blooming, I've seen house finches getting ready to build nests and the days are getting longer. Though we still have some time before the rainy season is over, Spring is definitely in the air.

NPR: Arguing the Upside of Being Down

2008-02-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

NPR: Arguing the Upside of Being Down

2008-02-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to this and it's right here in Alamo!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO

A JOYOUS SPRING FETE

ANTIQUE

ARTISTS

WHIMSY

APRIL 26TH

9 AM TO 3PM

ALAMO WOMEN'S CLUB

1401 DANVILLE BLVD

ALAMO, CA

WWW.AJOYOUSSPRINGFETE.COM

Birthday Gift

2008-02-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

Painted this for my husband last month. His birthday gift.

Toby

2008-01-31T10:10:00.001-08:00

About a year before I got married I bought my parents a Lhasa Apso puppy. Yesterday morning, their faithul companion of 17 years had to be put to sleep. Toby's hearing and eyesight had been deteriorating for the last couple of years and he had arthritis making it very difficult to get around. A couple of days ago he stopped eating. My parents were told he had a stomach tumor and that at this point the most humane things to do was to put him to sleep. My father held him until the end (my mother couldn't and waited outside).