Area Event...

If you are in the Grand Junction area....and want to pick up some good quality art for great prices make sure to check out this event....

5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
The Art Center
1803 N 7th Street
Grand Junction, CO 81501

Admission: $20/person

Over 145 pieces of fine art, ceramics, Persian rugs, Russian Impressionists, and collectibles will be auctioned in a fund raiser for The Art Center's exhibition and education programs. Silent Auction from 5:30-6:45pm. Live auction starts at 7pm. Cash bar, hors d'ouevres.

Phone: 970-243-7337
http://www.gjartcenter.org

Michael and I each have works in it. He has his Barbwire I and II and I have Tap the Maidens.

Friday Gratitude with an Update...

So tonight is when I should be doing a gratitude post and I will end it with it...but I do need to get the not so good stuff out of the way first.

Today was a little long. I didn't expect us to be where we were quite so long...either did Michael. By the time we got home I was feeling pretty...well...cranky. And I know Michael was too - we were just trying hard not too be grumpy with each other. So we get home and were going to check email and kind of veg. Just as we sat down to do that....power went out. There was a short circuit many blocks away...that affected our area as well as many others. And so we were without power for 2 1/2 hours. The candle smell was getting to me. The power going out just put me kind of on edge. So all and all today hasn't been the best. It wasn't horrible but not fantastic.

Oh a funny note during our power outage Michael sang to me. Actually he has a decent voice when he is being serious but he was singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall tonight...with kind of a country twang to it. Thank goodness I got him to stop at 94! It was that or Carpenters! See he makes me smile and laugh in the midst of....that day...a long, hot, tired, cranky, on edge type of day...smiles and laughter...that is what is about....awww love!


So Friday Gratitude...

I did the letter E on December 15th so I think I will do F tonight.

~F~

Family - I am very grateful to my family. We don't always agree. We don't always understand each other but we love each other very much. I have good memories that really show me the meaning of the family. That include my biological family and my chosen family. Chosen family is to me friends that are just so close that they aren't just friends they are family. You can be yourself with them and I am thankful for them also.

Friends - I have many friends and I am blessed by their support and just friendship. I am grateful for all that do and have done for me.

Food - I am grateful for food...yep I am...it nourishes me when I am lacking energy or a certain vitamins, it comforts me, it is an passion too...creating and sharing the things I cook with others.

Friday - Thank goodness it is Friday. Although we have lots of work to do this weekend. Fridays are usually the sign of the end of the week and just time to relax. Very nice day indeed!

Fabulous - I am thankful for the word fabulous because there are just so many fabulous things in this world from incense that makes the house smell fabulous to fabulous friends who I can laugh, cry and vent with, fabulous socks I got from sock dreams recently. Fabulous!

Female - I am grateful to be female. I love being a woman.

Future - I am grateful to be able to look forward to our future. We have goals and dreams that we are working towards for our future.

Falling - I am grateful for falling although it probably pains me to say that. But it is true. I am grateful for falling so that I learned how to try again and keep trying.

Faces - I love faces. I have a thing for faces. I love the all the different looks...each unique. Some hard and worn with age and hard work. Others innocent, soft just starting their journey through life.

Fur Babies - we have 2 kitty cats that our babies. I love and adore them. I also think of Cali too when I think of fur babies.

Fairy Tales - Princess and dreams! I am grateful to dream and escape through Fairy tales.

Firefly - It is a Joss Whedon creation that I really enjoy...great characters & writing.

Frida - Frida Kahlo an amazing artist that I find new inspiration through every time I see a painting or read about her.

Free Speech - Being able to say what we want....is something I think that is slowly being taken away. Those that seem to speak against the government get told they are not patriotic. Anyway, I am thankful for free speech and hope it will be around for a long time.

Fall - my favorite season. It is beautiful - crisp & colorful.

Faith - my favorite word. Faith...in self, in him and I, in the journey...faith in so much.

Fairies - I have several Amy Brown prints with fairies and a book of her art. They are so playful, sensual, magical.

Sock Dreams!

A good friend of mine told me Sock Dreams has a clearance sale...I ordered 3 pairs! I used some Christmas money for it! So I am getting 3 pairs - Super M's, M's Ribbed and the O Chevrons. Doing a Happy Girly Girl Dance!

Friday Gratitude

I got out of the habit of doing gratitude posts during the holidays so I want to get back to them. There is so much in my life to express graitude about as I am living a very blessed life.

1. That Michael arrived over in Denver safely, has been having a productive week and will be HOME TOMORROW!
2. That it is cold outside but I have warm soft slippers from K on my feet and my purple microfleece robe - how can that not be a marvelous combination!
3. That I got to have fish for dinner. Michael doesn't like fish so I usually just have it when he is out of town.
4. That the mulled cider candle that I got for 49 cents is making the house smell good.
5. Licking hot fudge off a spoon...so delicious and decadent!
6. Some wonderful conversations with friends....this week!
7. And exciting step forward for me with my art. I am thankful my friend and Michael encouraging me.
8. Got some really good art pieces done this week and am surrounded by inspiration.

I'll Take It...

Life this week has been busy. Michael is getting ready to go on a week long trip and had a ton of work to get done before going. He has wanted to also spend as much time with me so had me go with him on errands and appointments so that we could hang out in between stops. It has been so nice to have that time with him. I am going to miss him like crazy next week after being together 24/7 (because he works from home) and then to not have him here....will be very odd for each of us I am sure.

Tonight I was making dinner (meatloaf, homemade mac-n-cheese, mixed veggies - comfort food at its best) and Michael came and basically swept me off my feet. He gave me one of those making me weak knees kisses. It was very romantic and just so nice.

Today Michael had a meeting and offered to drop me off at Michael's Arts and Craft while he did his meeting. They have 90% off their Christmas stuff. I found some silk holly and berry garland that was marked 9.99 and I got it for 99 cents. Michael had said that he thought some garland hanging from our dining room cabinets with ornaments hanging off it would look nice so when I saw that I thought that would be really perfect. It is actually even more upscale on how it looks then what I had in mind so I was thrilled. I also got some art supples - micron pens, a rubber stamp that is all writing, a couple foam stamps (for doing texture on backgrounds) and then just some other odds and ends for art. Oh there were some mull cider big jar candles - that were 49 cents so I got one for us and one a little present.

I have been obsessed with Alias. Michael got me the box set for Christmas that included the whole series. I am having serious fangirl obsessive thoughts and jonesing for the next episode always. (This is said very tongue in check but I am being a little fangirlish...I mean who can't see that Sark isn't a hottie.)

This and That and Ebay

Michael has had a really busy month already and it is only the 9th today. And it doesn't look like it will let up at all this month. He leaves to go out of town next week so I hope to do some things like get bunches of stuff on ebay. And finish some art I started last week. I have some ideas for Valentine's also I want to get working on too.


Back to Ebay though. I took down all our holiday decorations and decided to go through my Hallmark Keepsake Nostalgic Houses and Shops to see which ones I was missing. It looks like I am missing 1986 and 2001. Of course the 1986 one is a rare one and worth the most in the collection. It is worth $300 to $320 in the secondary market (in box - with price tag in mint condition). So I went to Ebay and looked for my 2 missing ornaments that 1986 house doesn't seem to go for anything under $60 (without the box even). And I saw it go for as high as $135. The other one is available and usually less expensive then its price tag. I got up at 7am yesterday morning to try to win a bid on the 1986 house (without a box) and it went higher then I was willing to pay for an ornament - even one that will help make my collection complete. I really was amazed when I started researching the houses how much they are worth. One ornament over $300? WOW!

What else to report...

We shot a friends son's wedding this weekend. I think we got a lot of good footage and I am sure Michael will do a great job on the video. It is going to take him a while though as this month is busy and next month looks as though it will be really busy too.

I woke up with a migraine cluster today - but it is the first I had of that kind in a long while so I was happy although it is really painful. Not much else for me to report right now.

(photos Michael took with the glow of the christmas tree lights on my little village of Hallmark Nostalgic Houses and Shops)

Food Blog Nominations

It is the time of year for the Food Blog Awards. Just linking them so you can go vote!

One of my favorite entires is from Gluten-free Girl Blog...."Yes" Made me all teary!

Photos....

this is a handmade glass pendant my parents gave me for Christmas. I want to find out the artist for it as it is really pretty.






This cute little bear Michael's parents Frank and JoAnne gave me. I am not sure if I told them the story of as a kid always being sad that those stands that have things with your name on it never had my name as it is so unusual. But I thought it was very nice of them to get my name on it. I have her sitting on a bookself in my studio. She kind of greets me as I come in. Thank you for the cute bear Frank and JoAnne!






And this is the Buddha that I bought with a gift certificate Michael gave me for Christmas. The little lotus holder is perfect for a little incense cone burner I have so that is what is in it right now. I have it sitting on the corner of my desk. I think it is a very pretty Buddha and a good source of inspiration for art.