daretodream

halloween and stuff

You know your kids are almost grown when  you don't have to participate in halloween.  I spent so many years painting each kid as a cat (they loved cats)...and this year with Katy being a Jr. in high school and Kimber being in 8th grade, hubby and I took the night off and went to see The Departed.   It was such an awesome movie.  In my opinion, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon were ranked right up there with Jack Nicholson....almost. :)  The acting in this movie was mind blowing.... you'll see...if you go see it. :)

Katy opted out of the "trick or treat" thing...Kimber on the other hand stuck with her traditional outing that she has taken with her dad since she was teensy.  I was always the door person and kimber and her dad always went out in search for the BIG candy bars.  :)  The past several years she has taken Lily with them...one year Lily was dressed as Dracula....last year  she wore her denim jacket and went as a sunflower...(silk flower pinned to her back)....(lily, of course...you think I'm talking about the human kid? :)   This year was a little different, as Kimber's dad has is about to adopt a new dog...Lily was left home.....I don't mean that in a bad way...this year, Mozart, who is a sweetheart,  got to go trick or treating with Kimber and her Dad this year....I'm not sure, but I think it's his first time ever.   He's 18 months old and the size of a pony!  It was funny having him over tonight...lily, who is usually very vocal with new dogs in the house was quiet as a mouse....sniffing away at this mountain of a dog.  :)

I've been meaning to post for several days now about the gorgeous, victorian, bohemian garnet pieces I've had for over a year now...I discovered days ago what they were and was SHOCKED!  I'd bought a sun tea jar filled with "costume jewelry" at a local thrift store 2 summers ago...sorted through them, pulled out what I liked and put everything else back in the jar (gave it to Tami to sift through)...I'd not even taken 1/4th out and still, I was able to get lots of sterling sliver things, a pair of gorgeous, victorian screw back pearl earrings  (large pearl in the center surrounded by little pearls), a bangle bracelet with red stones and pieces of another matching piece...necklace with red stones.  I had a hunch that these pieces were old and something special, but it took a year to find out what they were....wanna see?

The necklace was actually in several parts.  I roughly attached it so I'd be able to keep all the pieces together.  It was a fluke this weekend when I stumbled upon something almost identical on ebay.  I learned that what I had were Victorian, Bohemian Garnets from the late 1800's.  :)  Now, keep in mind, I'd already found lots of sterling and beautiful pearl earrings in this $12.99 sun tea jar...these victorian pieces were icing. :)    oxox

Ebay

  What is it that makes me resist listing on ebay?  I used to do it all the time but now it feels like I'm about to walk the plank to my doom. Yes, I'm feeling somewhat dramatic today.  I've been building some html pages for some vintage what not things for ebay and playing Zuma after I've typed a word or two....so, as you can imagine, it's been slow going.  Here are some thumbnails of some of the stuff I'll be listing...eventually!  oxox

One final thing before beddy bye

I took some photos around my new garden early Friday morning...the roses are miniature...so pretty.  oxox

Sunday Night

  The weekend is almost over.  I've had the most relaxed day today...the girls spent the weekend with their dad and Kem was working....I attempted to take a nap around noonish and after the millionth phone ring, I finally answered (saw it was hubby, who had just left knowing I was laying down for a little nappy poo)...I groaned into the phone like..."what the??"  He was letting me know that the other 999 thousand calls were from the girls dad (yep, my ex, but that's okay, he's like a brother)...he was coming over to get the lawn mower...his is on the fritz and we will no longer be needing one as we're using ground cover instead of grass...YAY!  Hubby told me that Steve had the "code" to open the garage door but he didn't want me to wake up to hearing the garage door opening and freak out.  (yes, he knows me well)...After hanging up the phone, I figured out how to turn our new phone ringer OFF and was just starting to drift when the doorbell rang.  Lily freaked, started barking and I thought..."he knows the code to the garage, he'll be fine."  Then 2 more DING DONG...ugghh...I called for him to come in, he did...that was the end of my nap. :) 

I've sat down at least 3 times to write here since the last post but get side tracked.  I want a new banner, so I'll start on that, then get pulled away, yada yada yada....I'm determined to get this posted before I head for bed.  It's already 1am. 

I have to say that I'm so very proud of my two step sons...Ben and Alex have grown up so much since those wedding photos in my album here...   Alex has started his 2nd year in high school and Ben graduated last year.  I spent Friday with them and their wonderful mom, Traci, (yes, my hubby has been married twice...to traci and to me, tracy...what can I say?  Traci has been plagued all her life with horrible strep throat.  (I think she's even had someone in her family die from it)  Friday she had her tonsils removed and I happily played her surrogate mother.  Traci and I have always gotten along so well, it's a huge blessing because it makes holidays and family gatherings very peaceful.  There have been several occasions where we have had traci and the boys over as well as Steve (my girls' dad) over for holidays and events.  It's so much nicer when everyone gets along.   So, Traci, Ben & his gfriend, Alex and I load into the car and head to kaiser...poor girl is so worried.  She is the strongest woman I know, an incredible mom, an assistant DA for Multnoma County.  Like all of us when we're scared or having to face the unknown, she wanted her Mom....my heart so goes out to her for that.  I went in with her for the preop stuff...it took forever for her to finally get going with the meds and the surgery.  I sat there with her while she was in her hospital gown, blankets, clutching this cute stuffed german shepherd that one of the nurses brought for her...I kept trying to talk, to get her mind off the worrying but it was so painful to watch.  We've all been scared, but not often do we have an audience for it.  She was very brave and all the "be prepared for..." advice we were given before surgery were non issues.  She went through the surgery like a pro...did great through recovery and by the time we got home, she was doing so great!!  I felt so proud of Ben and Alex because of their devotion to their Mom.  I knew that Ben would take such perfect care of her that night.  We'd been told by one of the nurses that she should take her pain meds every 5 hours, even in the middle of the night...that meant that Ben would need to wake up at 4am to give her her meds.  I wrote down the times  she was to get  each dose so he wouldn't forget, told Traci that she didn't have to worry about it....ben assured me he wouldn't need me to call at 4am as a wake up for meds.  I'm rambling...I got one call from Ben after I got home on Friday Night...I brought Cheese Soup and bread over and a huge bag of our dvd's to tide them over during traci's 2 week home stay.  It was just awesome to go over there and see how Ben had been taking care of his mom....alex ran out to the car when I pulled in and helped me carry everything in.  I'm just in awe of all three of them.  What an incredible family. 

I have so much to be thankful for...a great family, wonderful friends, beautiful daughters and loving hubby (who brought me up a glass of champagne while I was in the tub tonight)....oh, and Lily, who is curled up in my lap right now. 

oxox

sarah gifties

I received the sweetest surprise in the mail yesterday from my friend Sarah. There were 3 tiny buttons with images of her work and a pair of bottlecap earrings. They made me happy. :)  Thanks Sarah, oxox....I've had lots going on in my head the past couple of days.  I had an epiphany of sorts and immediately called my wonderful counselor, Susan Giberson, to set up an appointment.  I haven't seen her in forever and knew that I'd have to to work through some things that have been holding me back. 
What started all this introspection had to do with my lack of trusting people the way I used to.  I've always been way too trusting and believed that if you're kind and respectful of people/feelings, other people would be the same way...I've always just laid everything out there, the good, bad and the ugly and I've always found it easy to love people unconditionally.  I've always assumed that it's easy for me to overlook the "quirks" of others because I've always been the queen of quirks....
this is so hard to even think about, let alone, type it.
A couple of years ago I'd had some wonderful things happening artistically....around that time, some people I felt close to hurt me...from that point, things went downhill.  I honestly thought I was so over this, but it just hit me the other day ...I'd been stuffing the hurt and to this day I rarely make art, have turned down many opportunities to be published, have virtually cut myself off from art friends and have retreated into this safe place...but it's not safe.  I'm so stifled and this overwhelming sense of a fear of failure, of a fear of letting people down, fear of allowing myself to trust new people and letting them get to know the real me...it's all so different than the person I was.  I believe there is wisdom in being cautious with new people...my girlfriend, Tami, had me over for lunch today...I began telling her about this and was shocked by the emotion and pain that rose up...I knew I had things I needed to work through and let go of, but not having vocalized it before today I hadn't felt super emotional about it.  She told me that where people are concerned, trust is something that is earned, not given away.  I've never ever thought of it that way.  I would always trust with reckless abandon, get the rug pulled out from under me, be hurt and heartbroken which would add bricks to the wall I've been building around me for the last 4 yrs or so. 
I'm rambling because I'm working this out while I type. :)   
I used to not be such a horrible emailer...hubby used to complain that I spent more time emailing than I did making art (back in the days we needed my artwork to generate household $$).  Over the past few years, I've not only become the worst at responding to emails,  I've also stopped answering my phone, most days...don't listen to voice messages more than once a week, have a hard time committing myself to new friends for fear that we would get close and it could blow up on me.  I find that if something happens and my feelings get hurt, I now tend to completely withdraw from the person involved instead of working things out....I'm so overly protective of my heart.  Things have definitely got to change. My Dr. appt. is in a week...we'll see.

On a happier note, I will be flying to Florida to visit with my dear friend Norma Kooi in less than a month.  I'm so excited, haven't seen her in forever and can't wait to just have girl time with her.  I'm going to be there for her birthday and during one weekend we're going to some huge city flea market...  I've got to start making some spending money FAST!
I'm also getting so excited for the trip to france I'm taking with my mom.  We'll be going on an art retreat taught by Linda and Opie.  Celine and I spent so much time talking and planning, she lives a couple of hours from where the retreat is being held....I think we're going to actually fly to paris early, meet up with Celine and the next day or so, take the fast train to southern france.  She lives near Montpellier (an incredible city that I loved).  We will be going to the same places I visited in France 8 years ago.  It'll be so wonderful to share that with my mother.  We'll visit the gorgeous walled city of Carcassonne.  I spent most of my time in france staying in Nimes, which was a dream.  I can't even believe I'm going back.  I know my mom and I, not to mention our husbands who will be staying home, will feel much better having a french friend to show us around.  Celine works in Paris, teaching classes at the only scrapbook store!  It'll be so fun being in her life, seeing where she works, lives, etc.  Okay, I feel better now. oxox

Simple Pleasures

hi!  It's been forever, I miss my friends.  Life is good and actually peaceful at the moment.  Last week was full and wonderful and fun.  I had my friend, Celine, staying with me for a week.  She flew in on Monday last week and stayed until this past Monday.  She was the greatest guest and has become such a wonderful real life friend.  She had signed up for classes at Art & Soul but they didn't start until Friday of last week.  We spent Tuesday-Thursday playing, shopping, going to a movie (the devil wears prada) and night time hot-tubbing at Tami's house...(she's my across the culdesac neighbor & bff who owns Lily's boyfriend, Larry)...she got a new blog!   Celine had never been in an outdoor hot tub.  It was the perfect night for it, kind of chilly, very dark...
Once Friday came our time was somewhat hectic.  I hadn't signed up for classes, so I'd taxi Celine to the Embassy Suites and drop her off, come back home, crazily get ready for Saturday night's Vendor's night, pick her up at 5ish and try to get some of her family's souvenir shopping taken care of.  We found an awesome flag at Goodwill but after searching everywhere on Friday night and on Sunday night, we had no luck finding her cousin an LA Laker's shirt.  Celine had classes on Friday, Sunday and Monday...on Saturday we had vendor's night.  We had hoped to have some time on Sunday night to play but it just didn't happen...we were going everywhere after I picked her up from the hotel trying to find that Tshirt.  By the time we got home, it was around 10pm and we were both pooped....Celine packed up to leave for the next morning while I went online...before long, I called her to my computer and we spent an hour laughing our butts off at videos from youtube.    By far my favorites were the talking dogs 1, 2, 3, the funny cats and dogs1, 2, laugh & cry baby, crying baby,  and the sleepy kitten.  And, lest I forget...my old favorites...laughing babies and crazy dog.

Vendor's night was so fun.  I got to meet some of my  email friends for the first time...namely, Deb Trotter, Kathy W. and many others who at this second, I can't remember!

oxox

Cute things and My First Car

I can't believe it's Tuesday.  Life is moving so fast.

I've updated my Artsy Inspirations site with details about my new Birds collage sheets and some fun sites!

I'm on my laptop which means I'm limited to the photos I've been wanting to post...(treasures I found at the beach), but I do have a few I've been wanting to share.

I found a photo of my first ever car.  It was a 1967 Pontiac Firebird.  It was actually my dad's bachelor, stud car before he married my mom and as my sister and I grew up, it was passed down.  All I can say is, thank GOD gas was only 93cents a gallon because that puppy could burn through it. This was such a great car to have as a teenage girl.  It was a guy magnet.  They would start whooping before even seeing who was inside.  I can't tell you how many times I'd be at a red light and start hearing a car next to me revving his engine wanting to race...so, the light would turn green and I'd blow his @ss away in two seconds. :)  Things were different in the early 80's in Texas.  First of all, the drinking age was 18 which meant most high school Sr.s could and would take advantage of that.  I wasn't a big partier as I hated the taste of any alchohol that didn't taste like a dessert, but I was a risk taker and didn't think twice about filling this car built to fit 5 people with 10 friends on a stealth mission to TP (toilet paper for those not in the know) the house of some cute guy one of my friends had a crush on.  Ooooh, those were the days. :)

ok, on to real life....I just had to share these awesome things I've found recently.  I just can't sing the praises enough of Jody Battaglia.  She makes the most incredible dolls that I would kill for. :)  Her work just melts my heart.  Aren't these adoreable??

I've also discovered a fun Etsy seller...look at these.... aren't they fun??  You can find these and other wonderful creations by visiting this etsy shop!

Okay, I'd better run.  I've received three wonderful gifties in the mail from my friends Norma Kooi, Leslie from Alpha Stamps and Laurie Giberson....I'll take photos of them today and then gush all over them soon.  thanks girls, you're the best.  oxox

Home Sweet Home

Happy Weekend!  It's my "no kids" weekend which is actually a YIPPEE thing at the moment.  We had an awesome time at the coast but by the time we got home on Friday (almost 6pm) I was needing some space/alone time.

I was excited to get back to see how my studio was looking.  We'd hired someone to put in a beautiful distressed maple wood floor (5" planks) which would be replacing the grotesque, 16 yr. old, off-white, pee stained, etc. carpet.  The floor was absolutely gorgeous but the PVC siding (that I will need to paint or stain to match the flooring) was lacking in good workmanship.  Now tell me this....If I pay $1000 for someone to install my floor as well as the baseboards, (he also removed and hauled away the carpet) and the floor looks great but the baseboard job is crappy...(the mitered ends don't match up, there are big gaps between the baseboard and the wall, etc), that's not acceptable, right?

Unfortunately I was at the beach when he was installing, but my hubby got home as he was packing up.  The floor guy (he has a name, I'm just gonna keep it quiet for now), came inside with him and let him look at the work.  Honestly, as you can see, the floor was gorgeous....Kem questioned him on the baseboards and he had some lame excuses (in my estimation they were lame)....not only that, he had thrown all the original baseboards in our yard.  Kem asked about them and he said..."in case she doesn't like these, I'll put the original ones back on.")  The job hasn't been completely done as he wants the floor to set up before doing some finishing touches...but I'm left with having to do the confrontation thing, letting him know that we approve of the baseboards, but don't approve of the job he did installing them....as well as expecting him to take away the old baseboard debris.  Fun fun.

SO.....What about the cabinet photo at the top?  It's my most wonderful find in the WHOLE WORLD!!!!
When I took my sweet friend, Paulette, out on her birthday, we went to an estate sale.  This antique, hardware store cabinet was in the garage screaming my name.  It is 9ft long, 4ft high, has 48 partitioned drawers and is what I've been searching for for my studio.  It cost $250.  It now sits in my garage, along with the rest of my studio, until the wood floor is ready for furniture.  I'll be making tags for each drawer and organizing all my crap, er...art supplies, to fit inside. 

I have more to say, but am pooped...and I have the most powerful hiccups...blah!....will share more tomorrow.  oxox

Peek in at my Ebay Auction!

Happy Sunday, everyone.

I was having big issues with listing my html on ebay and thanks to my sweet friend, Paulette, it's finally done!  Thanks girl!! 

Click HERE to see it!!

oxoxox

Dad Update

Hi! I've been wanting to give an update on my Dad forever but just haven't been up to it until now.

Thanks to all of you who've prayed for my dad and for those of you who sent notes/comments about it.

I've answered some, but honestly, I've answered maybe 10 emails since I've gotten back from hawaii, it's HORRIBLE!!  Please, if you read this and have emailed me, know that I'm reading your emails but haven't had  a sane moment to sit down and respond.

I can't believe it was just a week ago that I posted...it feels like it's been so much longer.  Since my Dad was admitted into the hospital on Tuesday May 9...about a week ago, my youngest daughter  started her period for the first time, my Lily (my dog) is spending the night at the vet tonight  after being spayed and having 5 teeth extracted...not to mention getting her shots up to date and having a microchip implanted.  I feel so sorry for her, but fortunately, my vet is very big on pain meds for pets.  They've got her pretty doped up and will be sending her home with pain pills and antibiotics in the morning. 

Now, about my dad...things were totally up in the air with him from the time he got into the hospital until Saturday.  The surgeon had him sign a paper giving permission for him to amputate the top half of his foot if needed.  He convinced Dad that he wouldn't do it in mid surgery...that if it looked like it would have to be done, he would wait, talk to him and my mom and go from there...my dad had this fear of going into surgery and waking up in recovery without his toes.

After the first surgery on Wednesday, things were very bleak.  The foot was full of sand (about a teaspoon full had been blasted into the foot), there was major infection.  The surgeon did his best to clean it out but did not feel positive about the outcome.  After that first surgery was when they wanted dad to sign the waver.  He had dad do an antibiotic foot whirlpool treatment the same day as that surgery.  The next morning, they repeated the surgery and the Dr. was so surprised...he said that the foot looked so much better than he had expected.  He did more cleaning and scheduled dad to have 2 of the antibiotic foot baths a day.  Things have continually gotten better....much to the amazement of the Drs.  He was finally released to go home today but is hooked up to an IV, has some kind of vacuum antibiotic pack thing on his foot.  Mom said that there were some medical personnel who were arriving soon after they got home to get everything set up for them.  He will have a nurse visit every three days for the next 6 weeks to treat it.  Mom will have to clean his wound, do the IV thing, etc.  They're both just exhausted but his foot is 99% out of the woods.  Mom told me today that it won't ever look the same, but he'll have all his toes.  The Dr. predicts a full recovery in 6 months. 

My dad said that he is certain that the outcome was positive because of all the people we've had praying for him.  I agree.

Thanks so much for your encouragement and support...I'm going to post this now and will post another thing right after.  oxox