it's thursday...

and I have a "sinus thing" going on.  Yes, yesterday was a full moon and it sure has been a "full moon week".  The Frost Moon; also called the Beaver Moon because it was the time to set traps before the waters froze over.

Yesterday's class was fun; everyone making some pretty special holiday cards.  And, if I can ever get this problem figured out, I will show you some pictures!  It's quite boring without pictures; they seem to be my inspiration.

My calendar from yesterday says "If you don't like something, change it.  If you can't change it, change the way you think about it!"

Well, let me see, maybe no one really cares about seeing a photo of me blowing out my birthday candles.  And I wanted to show you the wonderful glowing Christmas trees lined up down the entire lobby at the Rialto when we went to see The Nutcracker on Sunday.    And...today is my class and I wanted to show you the lovely little collages we are going to make...but maybe I wasn't supposed to because it needs to be a surprise for my class.

Well, I am still disappointed.  Today's calendar page says "I DON'T GET 
                                                                                                                     IT"
with the "it" running off the page sideways.

I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.
I will not moan about blogger today.

Yesterday, Julie and I went with Dan, Angel and the girls to see The Nutcracker at the Rialto.  When we walked into the lobby, it was full of beautifully decorated Christmas trees; their Festival of Trees.  The Von Heideke's Chicago Festival Ballet's performance was lovely and entertaining!  Beautiful costumes!  A wonderful afternoon!

Today, I will wait to see if blogger catches up with me.  I have deleted my posts from my "april's art shoppe" blog in hopes that it will give me more space here.  I have been wanting to do something with that blog anyway.  Sooooo I cleaned it out.  Where are they?  Slow.

Julie and I had a lovely visit yesterday with a dear friend.  The weather is sure changing and it was a cold and windy day, but this is a friendship that makes us feel very warm inside.  And she has a new dog.  A cocker spaniel named "Kandi".  A little sweetheart...she looks just like "Lady" from "Lady and The Tramp".  We had Julie's "Squash Soup" for lunch, a stick-to-your-ribs soup, and it was so warming and good!  Maybe I will show you soon.  Until then...

Be happy with what you have and you will have plenty to be happy about.

Irish

Well, blogger doesn't want me to post pictures again; says I'm full.  So will delete some old posts and see what happens.  Meanwhile, Happy Thanksgiving Day; it's a beauty before the snow flies.

Thanksgiving

Gettin' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin' more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an' men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment of prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home for the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.

Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.

Edgar Albert Guest

Art Show Today!

Don't forget!  Today is the art show at The Center and I'm looking forward to seeing all the holiday goodies!  Yesterday, we had our Thanksgiving dinner and celebrated my birthday but more about that later...

I'm in the Christmas spirit today!

the holidays

Looks pinkish in this picture but it's not - it's Christmas red, along with pine green.  We're making a Log Cabin hanging quilt in Denise's quilting class.  See all those dots?  You know me and pointillism!  I was even drawn to them in the quilting store.

Today, we have our Thanksgiving dinner day.  Last year, it was on the day but sometimes it has to be when we can all be together.  That's what's important.  The illustration on my Mary Engelbreit calendar for today is two little girls making a wish on the turkey wishbone.  When I was young, my dear Uncle Albert and I did that every Thanksgiving and I guess I won more times.....he stayed a bachelor.  His birthday was this past week, the same as my mom's, and he is strongly in my thoughts today.

"There is nothing more properly the language of the heart than The Wish."

Fun in the classroom!

Yesterday, in my class, we made gel prints.  Using stencils, paste paper tools, bubble wrap and lots of toys we all enjoyed making these monoprints without a press.

Some of us have the gel printing plate and the others made their own with unflavored gelatin in a pan.

Pretty, huh?

Barb brought in her beautiful piece, all framed and ready for the wedding they are going to this weekend.  What a lovely wedding gift!

And a few other finished pieces.  Kristin's lovely journey piece and ...

Her little landscape.

Denise's

and Peggy's.

Today...

I can't repay the lessons

that you taught when I was small,

or give you gift for gift,

each special moment I recall...

I can't return encouragement

and loving words of praise

in quite the way you did for me

through all my childhood days...

But there's one gift that I can give,

it's all the love you've earned,

for love is what you always taught...

and love is what I learned.

happy birthday, Mama

I miss you...

the countdown!

This coming Sunday is the art show at The Center.  Getting my cards ready and also lots of other little things...ornaments...

books for notes...

tags...

and more.  Still working!

Nature notes

When I take Henri out in the early morning, I am always looking up at the sky to see what's going on up there.  The little crescent moon was so pretty and bright this morning, a perfect little sliver,  just bobbling along on a sea of fluffy whites, that I could see even in the dark.

Another exciting thing happened in the late afternoon yesterday.  My next-door neighbor has some bushes that the cardinal seems to like and he will fly over to my window feeder sometimes from there.  You can't miss that beautiful red color flashing through the air.  As we were peeking out at him, we saw another little visitor perched on the side of my window frame...a downy woodpecker!  Couldn't get my camera fast enough, so I think I have to have one sitting right there near that window.  Who knows what goes on when I have my head in the paint and medium bottles!

Some of Wednesday's class

Everyone kind of working in different stages of their collages this session; I think because of the background papers we were, and some are still, making.  Some finished as is Sandy's above...

and Bernie's.  Both framed and beautiful!

Didn't get pictures of all, I see, but here is Teri's, almost done...

Judy's

 Maryann's

 Donna's

 Denise's

 Mary's

Barb putting the finishing touches on a wonderful wedding gift.

 Carolyn's

 Maryann's

Barb's

Teri's

and Marge's.

Continuing on...

Tomorrow is my collage class and I was very inspired to finish my pieces before then.  I enjoy working from poetry and the thoughts it brings.  But, working along with some disappointments and dilemma, I still have some work ahead of me.  It seems I ordered the wrong medium this time and it seems to be turning my whites to pink!  It must have been by mistake, I ordered something called "Open Acrylic Matte Medium" instead of just "Matte Medium".

I wonder if the snow loves

the trees and fields,

that it kisses them so gently?

Lewis Carroll

I just couldn't quite finish this one and then I decided on something which I don't usually do in a finished piece.  Text.  Ransom note text.  I knew this bird was looking up at something and there it is!

The earth has music for those who listen.

George Santayana

And I always tell my students "not to fall in love with their background"...but I did.  I'm leaving most of it to show through.

Adopt the pace of nature,

her secret is patience.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

an artful weekend

Lots going on and so worked on things started for the whole weekend.  Nice time!  Not quite done, but almost...

this one too.

oops...this one has a transfer on it; has to sleep on it till morning.

and one Fall drawing.  Continue tomorrow.....