White Gel Pen Doodles

I experimented using white gel pen on a layout with vintage cabinet card images.  I really LOVE using the  Uni-ball Signo pens, I order mine at JetPens. These write beautifully on black and dark cardstock.

Cards my kids and I made for Dave's birthday

 The large card is the one I made and the 3 smaller ones were made by Sera, Cody and Jamison.  I think they did me proud!

Now you can listen to my kid sing!

My son, Jamison, is heading back to Connecticut tomorrow.  I am excited that he is starting his senior year, but I am always sad to see him go knowing he is on the other side of the country!

I posted a slide show of the play he was in this summer and many of my friends left such sweet comments.  This video was just posted on Youtube and it's Jamison's duet with Belle.  Now, you can hear the song, which is always nice when seeing part of a MUSICAL, huh? Thanks for indulging my inner mommy, these opportunities are farther and farther apart as the kids grow up.  **** You need to scroll to the bottom of the blog to click on the video! Don't forget to turn the Playlist off first. ********

Guess what? I'm in 4 magazines on the shelves now !

    I was at Borders last night and realized that I have pieces published in these four magazines and I saw 3 of them on the shelf. The new Holidays and Celebrations won't be on the shelf until September.  And they only spelled my name wrong in one of them!

I always get really excited when I get something published and it's so cute when  people say I should do this full time and get rich !  I have a 3 page spread and article in the new Altered Couture and I will get paid a little for the article I wrote.  Otherwise, if you get a photo of your work published you DO get a free copy of that magazine in the mail!  I keep telling my friends I can't quit my day job yet.  I still enjoy teaching second grade and sharing my love of reading and art with my students.  

Present for Princess Lillybelle

I made this painting/collage for my friend Leah's daughter's first birthday. The picture was taken when she was about 4 months old.  Her room is decorated in a fairy theme and I knew I could  make the perfect giggling fairy.  I really liked how it turned oout and Leah absolutely loved it !

What do YOU think?

Spectacular Sunday....

Talk about a perfectly delicious day, I got to hang with my art friends, get messy and paint for a whole afternoon. Yesterday, I went to Jesse Reno's workshop at Carol Parks North Hollywood studio.  People had flown in from all over for the 3-day workshop. I was lucky that Tamara gave me her spot. Then, surprise, surprise! She showed up after driving 6 hours- talk about kismet ! I was so happy I got to hang with her and Mija, Kelly and Tally. I met some other very cool artists as well. Check out Pilar's blog  that I added to my list- she is an amazing artist.  The first photo is  one of my attempts at playing with colors and shapes and seeing what evolves.  I did several background canvases and I will let them develop and share the results.  Jesse and his girlfriend were  very accepting and encouraging. I love listening to full time artists talk about their thinking process as they create.  I feel as if new doors were opened in my own artistic journey.  Thank you Jesse, Carol, and my beautiful friend Tam!

Jesse Reno Workshop Rocked!

Here We Go- Up A Row !

I was inspired by another bloggers row houses and I tried making some of my own.  I haven't figured out how to add a click to the link in my post but I will add her to my favorites so you can check it out.  Her blog is called THE LAST DOOR...DOWN THE HALL.  She used vintage images,which I loved, but I wanted to use photos of my family.  They were really fun to make and add to over the past week.  I love to get ideas from other people and then put my own spin on them.  My Northern CA buddy, Tamara,was unable to make it to an art workshop in L.A. this weekend. She graciously offered to let me go in her place!  So...on Sunday I'll be meeting up with a few other art pals in North Hollywood for a Jesse Reno workshop.  It looks like we'll be having a wild time painting on BIG pieces! I'll be sure to take some pictures and share whatever it is I create.  I'm sorry you couldn't join us Tam, but thank you for the awesome RAK!  

Jamison's Show !!!!

My 21 year old son, Jamison, just finished his latest show, Beauty and the Beast.

I added a slideshow of photos from the play.  He played Belle's father, Maurice, and did a great job playing an older character.  He is a musical theater major and will be starting his senior year at the University of Hartford at the end of this month. I just couldn't help doing a little mom show and tell !

Vacation's over!

After a nice long month off, I am flying headlong into a new school year!

I teach second grade at a year-round school and get 20 new students tomorrow!

I had a whirlwind weekend Jamison's show and getting together with relatives and friends.

I will post photos from the show when Jamison gets them tonight.  He played "crazy old Maurice" in Disney's Beauty and the Beast at RCC in Riverside. I am posting a card I made because it reminds me of the relaxing weekend we had at the beach this month. Ahhhh....

Goodbye summer- Hello new second graders!