Before it's too late...

Here are a few Christmas photos. Some didn't come out so well. I have a camera that takes good photos in the dark, but I grabbed the wrong camera when we attended our daughter's school's holiday musical, and then again when she + her classmates sang at the mall. The first photo is my youngest son with his girlfriend.

Love is in the Air

Sadly, The Creating Place, the fun spot where I had my first show and where I was able to sell my art in downtown Juneau, decided to close its doors. I want to take a moment to thank Anji, for seeking me out and giving me the opportunity to showcase my art. I just feel that our working together some how, some way, in the art world isn't finished yet, so it will be interesting to see what develops as time goes on. (Go to her blog + check out her cool jewelry.)
I also want to thank Jenyfer, who worked at The Creating Place. She was there for my art show setup, and she taught me a lot about presentation and pricing, not to mention she jumped in and helped me make it all happen. Sadly, Jenyfer and her husband have left Juneau (our loss), but we will stay in touch via email and blogging. They are currently traveling around deciding where they will make their next home base. (Jenyfer takes awesome photos; be sure to check out her blog. She's a cool artist, too. I recently scored one of her crow in Alaska pieces.)
I also want to thank Amy, also of The Creating Place, for all her encouragement and support.
Well, as they say, when God closes a door, He opens a window.
My art has been picked up by Nancy of Skeins, located downtown Juneau in the Senate Building on South Franklin Street, the main tourist stretch, for those of you who don't know the lay of the land. In fact, Skeins is located right upstairs from where The Creating Place lived.
A yarn store might seem like a strange place to showcase art. But Nancy's store is very artsy, very fiber-filled, has a friendly atmosphere, and while fiber is the main thing, the store also features finished fiber art, lots of cool baskets, some pottery, and more. In fact, my work, which will be showcased on one wall, fits right in with the vibe of the store.
For an artist it's a pretty good spot to be in. Not only does Skeins have a dedicated line of local buyers, it also, as stated above, gets a good volume of tourist traffic.
So I have peace with the location.
Well, Nancy called my husband yesterday. (She was one of his clients in his former career.) It seems she's brimming with marketing ideas, and knows that sort of thing is right up Nathan's alley, too. I've decided Nathan is my agent. I don't like dealing with the business side of art. This works well for me.
Anyway, Nancy has Valentine's Day in her brain. Therefore, I will be creating at least eight new pieces of love-themed art asap.
I love it!

Here's a photo that shows just a small part of Skeins.
Here's the street and The Senate Building. (see that little white sign a bit to the left above the man? That's the Alaska Fudge Co. --yum! anyway, that's where my youngest son has worked the past 3 summers. and yes, he makes fudge while the tourists watch him work!)

a few houses

here are a few houses i'm making for a swap. i will be adding embellishments--chunkies and danglies--but i've learned the hard way that it is much easier to scan them while they're still flat.

Another Stroke Update

Nathan's mother seems to be recovery slowly, bit by bit. He's very appreciative of everyone's overwhelming support. Thanks!

Finally found time to do another art journal page

This scripture has been rolling around in my head for the past couple of weeks, so wanted to create an art journal page for it.

More Zetti inchies

created these for a zetti inchie swap:

Postcards

Here are a couple of postcards I made for challenges:

last zetti crow pages!

more zetti crows

Zetti Crows

Here are some pages I made for a Zetti Crow swap:

journal pages

Here are a couple of journal pages I made for an art friend who's into Queen Elizabeth 1:

Monday, Dec 22

no change, really, re: Nathan's mom.

here's a puzzle i made for a swap. The idea is to make 9 pieces that represent you as an artist. 9 artists are participating. In the end, we'll each have a piece that represents one another. I did mine in zetti style.

Another update on Nathan's mother

She is bleeding deep in her brain. They have not decided yet whether or not they will perform surgery.
The news this morning is that she will be in the hospital at least until the end of the year.
Thanks everyone for your love and prayers!

Another Stroke Update

Well after I wrote that last post, we received a call that Nathan's mother is deteriorating, and that Nathan might have to go back to Louisiana....

Stroke update

Thanks, everyone, for your prayers.
We really don't have a lot of news other than apparently she suffered a moderate stroke and will be in the hospital for 4-5 days (no insurance!).
She was supposed to have a MRI done yesterday evening and get the results this morning.

Prayer Request

My husband Nathan's mother, Janet, suffered a stroke yesterday. Please keep her in your prayers. Thanks!

On Nathan's Pond (or should I say "in?")

so...we had 11 inches of snowfall Monday night, but then by Tuesday afternoon it turned to rain and washed most of the snow away. By Wednesday it was 42-degrees, and it stayed above freezing until Friday, when the temperature dropped to about 26-degrees.
So I was out running errands early Friday afternoon, and when I came home I noticed Nathan's dress shoes, underwear, and socks--all sopping wet, on the floor by the clothes hamper in the garage, where our "laundry room" is. So we exchanged a couple of emails.
C to N: what's with the wet duds?
N to C: i fell in the pond
C to N: why'd you do that? where are your jeans? (Friday being casual day)
N to C: they're in the bathtub in our room (meaning the master bathroom off of our bedroom)
C to N: oh good. i was worried you wore just your undies and socks and shoes to fall into the pond.
N to C: funny

So later I get the whole story: Nathan came home for a short lunch break, and since it was so pretty out (clear skies), decided to walk around the back yard, and when he reached the pond, he decided to test the ice. Now, really it had not been cold long enough for any serious ice, and he should have known that, but apparently he put one foot out onto the ice, and of course the ice cracked. but he slipped, and the next thing he knew he was sitting with his butt on the bottom of the pond, waist-deep in water (with his good sport coat on, of course).
omg, I'm so sorry I missed the event. I can just picture Nathan sitting out in the pond in our backyard, fully dressed, in the middle of winter, as if the pond were a hot tub or something. Wish I'd been there with a camera....

(Alaska) Governor's Open House 2008

Well as many of you know, my daughter and her classmates sang yesterday at the Governor's (Sarah Palin) Open House, an annual holiday "meet-and-greet" event.
Yesterday was the 3rd year my daughter + classmates have sung at this event. Essentially, they are outside under a covered area created for them, singing for all the people standing in line to go into the Governor's Mansion.
After they finished their half hour of singing, we got into line to enter the mansion. My daughter was so excited; she wanted to get Sarah Palin's autograph and have her picture taken with the governor. I told my daughter she couldn't interrupt the flow to get an autograph, but that she could have her picture taken with the governor.
A staff member overheard our conversation, and said to give our camera to another staff member who was taking all the pictures. So first in line was my daughter, then me, then my husband, who had the camera and handed it over. Well the staff member who was taking photos didn't hear the conversation, so the photo turned out...to be my husband and Sarah Palin!
(my daughter is so disappointed tho)

Tips for a Better Life

A friend just sent me this via email. I don't know where it originated, but I think it's good.

Tips for A Better Life
==================

1. Complete the following statement,
My purpose is to__________ today.
2. Take a 10 to 30-minute walk every day. And while you walk,
smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
3. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock
if you have to.
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less
food that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink plenty of water and fresh juices. Eat blueberries,
salad, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds, etc.
6. Make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires,
issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot
control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner
like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone, so give the
best of your kindness.
10. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
11. Take yourself seriously.
12. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what
their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with
others either.
13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve
great risk.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
So, be happy.
16. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps
to correct it.
17. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for
others; Responsibility for all your actions.
18. Forgive everyone for everything.
19. Frame every so-called disaster with these words:
In five years, will it matter?
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and
fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will
last a lifetime.
20. What other people think of you is none of your business.
21. Read more books and watch less TV than you did last year.
22. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current
situation; don't bring up the past.
23. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
24. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
25. Do the right thing!
26. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a
stroke of luck.
27. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your
family and friends will. Stay in touch.
28. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
29. Keep believing that the best is yet to come.
30. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
31. Each day give something good to others.
32. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
33. Sleep for 7 hours every day or whatever your body needs.
34. Don't trust someone who doesn't close their eyes when you
kiss them.
35. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love
for each other is greater than your need for each other.
36. Each night before you go to bed complete the following
statements:
I am thankful for__________
Today I accomplished_________
37. Realize that as you get older, you are not approaching death,
but heaven.
38. Trust in God, but lock your car.
39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

Fairies Are Cool

4x6 postcard for this week's theme (fairies) at sundaypostcardart.

29 Days of Giveaways for you!

Art by Chrysti has a special 29 Day Giveaway on her blog! Check it out!!!