Ooooh, pretty...

I really wanted to post an update, but I'm pretty tired. And I just realized it's three in the morning. Hmmm... that's no good. So here's a pretty picture for you. I wanted to post about something I made, but I've been pretty distracted the last couple of days. I have finals this week and a research paper due on Wednesday. Really, I'd like to know why professors insist on requiring research papers- 10 pages, mind you- during the summer sessions. I can understand a five or six pager, but 10! Give me a break!

Lists are easy, so here's a list for you.
Things I'm loving right now, otherwise known as the "I-List"
1. Jason's deli party trays and free delivery. They let me be the hostess with the mostest with minimal effort.
2. Keeping the house clean all the time. Makes it so much easier for last minute entertaining.
3. My mom. She's the best, hands down.
4. My boyfriend. I asked for a huge favor and he said yes when he really didn't have to and it would have been perfectly acceptable to say no. And as he said yes over the phone without hesitation I thought to myself, "Wow, he really does love me." And I felt so grateful. And, by the way, I didn't take advantage of his generosity and go through with my plan because really, it was too much. But I thanked him nonetheless.
5. Facebook. It's just nice to see what my cousins and friends are up to.
6. Iced coffee from starbucks.
7. Summer dresses and flip flops.
8. Twilight. The movie, the book, the saga.
9. Rice Dream rice milk.
10. Air Conditioning. Today it was 102 degrees outside, heat index was like 115. Basically hot enough to make you want to jump off a bridge and end the suffering -- as long as you landed in a nice cold river or lake, or ocean.

Okay, people it's bed time. Til tomorrow...

Second collage and a crazy bird

Alright, people, I'm posting because I promised I would and I hate to disappoint. This is Collage number 2. I haven't tried to title these because they're really just exercises. I like to use my own photography whenever possible but I love the look of old photographs. I especially love photos of my mom and other women in our family when they were young women - teenagers, early twenties. This image is taken from a photo of my aunt. I'm not sure, I might add more to this later.... hmmm. We'll see.
I must go get some rest because tomorrow is a busy day- farmer's market, shop for baby gift, drop off at airport, baby shower, and the rest of the day I need to get ready for flea-marketing with my mom on Sunday. Oh yeah, we're gonna go sell some junk! Tomorrow I'll share a new technique I learned - well, I think I learned it a long time ago, but just found out about it again.

Oh, one more thing, we have some crazy-ass bird in our front yard that is determined to sing every night.... in the middle of the night!! Like at 2 and 3 am! Right now he/she is singing at the top of his ever-loving lungs! (I just decided that he's a he. We don't need to further encourage the stereotype of a crazy female.) Omigosh, this bird is so loud! You have no idea.

So Much to Entertain

Have you all seen Pride and Prejudice? The one with Kiera Knightly and Matthew McFayden that came out a couple years ago? Well, if not then you need to Netflix it right now, or OnDemand it or old-fashioned Blockbuster it-- whatever it is you do, get your hands on it and watch it because it is one of the best love stories ever and this film has a gorgeous score and amazing scenery. Just beautiful. Anyhow, there's a scene in which Jane is trying to convince her sister that she is over the boy who jilted her months earlier and she tells her that "London is so diverting. There's so much to entertain." Well that's what my life is like right now. There is just so much going on and so much I want to do and take advantage of and experience this summer. That is, aside from the 102 degree weather.
First, I want to share our newest addition. And no, I'm not expecting. In fact, I purposely have stopped drinking the water because every girl I know it seems is having a baby. Anyhow, D and I were exploring a local furniture store a few weeks ago and stumbled across this artist's work. Not only were the pieces affordable, but D and I both really liked the work without either one of us launching into a sales pitch to persuade the other.

Unfortunately this photo isn't great, but I wanted to share right away. So that's our new painting leaning on our mantle next to an antique mirror that came with D and a black ceramic lantern I picked up in Cabo. There's also a sunset photo of the Catalina foothills in Tucson, AZ and a vintage photo of an estate on the edge of a cliff I picked up at an estate sale. I love it (the painting) in my living room, I think the blue and aqua play off the pumpkin walls well and there's just a touch orange to pop off the canvas.
Okay, very quickly, because I absolutely must go to bed- I've got school tomorrow, people! I wanted to share some little projects I've been working on. In an effort to make art-making a daily practice, I've been trying to complete some type of little project each day. So a couple nights ago I was curious to try a transfer/collage technique I had been tossing around in my brain. This is the result- it's about 5 x 7 inches and again not the greatest picture, but it's better than asking you to imagine, isn't it? (I'm having to rely on my iphone because I've got some iPhoto/camera issues going on.)

I'm pressing it right now to hopefully correct the warp that took place. The second collage I will share with you tomorrow.

Back to the Desert

March 25th!
Really?
That's pathetic.
There's no excuse.
Moving on.

So I'm home from dropping Cristalynn at the airport. She flies home today and I'm sad to see my oldest friend go. We've known each other since we were teeny little 17 year old freshmen. We had a great visit though and it was so nice to have someone to hang out with and talk to about creative endeavors and artists and art and gardens and perhaps most importantly, the future we each want to create for ourselves. I feel as though each of us are at a turning point in our lives, myself with an impending college graduation and reentry into the full-time-trying-to-make-something-of-yourself world and her in the midst of a career change. I find that unless you yourself have a passion for art (or some other typically right brained vocation), then it is very hard to explain how important it is to have it be a part of your day, everyday. And how when you haven't been creating at least something, then you feel not-quite-right and unfulfilled and you're just not you're usual laid-back, happy self. So it is very nice to have someone that can relate. And someone to "make stuff" with.
We had a great time visiting the McNay Art Museum and the Botanical Gardens, even though we almost melted in the South Texas sun. And she even introduced me to 30 Rock, which by the way, in case you haven't heard is by far one of the best shows on television. We watched the entire first season in a span of 48 hours I think. I hadn't laughed that hard in a very long time. She helped me get my studio in order and helped me organize my photos and actually put them into albums! Major accomplishment. And I taught her how to carve stamps and work with water soluble oil pastels. All in all, we had a great visit and although being between jobs is hard, I'm thankful that we had the opportunity to spend that time together. When else would you be able to take off for three weeks unless you were unemployed?!

I Love Clouds

Monday was one of those great days in South Texas when its cloudy and overcast, but there's actually no humidity. Believe me, days like that are few and far between, so I enjoyed it immensely knowing full well that soon we will have no escape from the sun and the only breeze will come from my ceiling fan. We had lunch on the patio at one of our nearby restaurants and headed over to Milberger's Nursery to check out the herbs and palm trees for sale. Unfortunately this fall one of our potted palms by the pool bit the dust (now, it is a big potted stick) and D is obsessed with finding it's replacement. While he strolled through the palm forest and inspected the unending variety, I checked out the selection of herbs and contemplated following through on the intention to create an herb garden out back. Still thinking... I stumbled across some beautiful hibiscus plants that reminded me of my Aunt Trish. I remember her always having those in her back yard in Houston and in the kitchen she kept a single bloom in a glass holder. It's funny the details you remember.

I thought the bark on this tree was really cool, I think it would make a great background texture for a piece. D, on the other hand, said it looked dead and reminded him of the trees in Missouri... depressed.
Aaahh, back to work- I have much to do before I leave on Friday.

So, here's a thought for today:

"We are the only species on Earth capable of preventing our own flowering."
-David Whyte

Happy Square Root Day!

Yesterday was Square Root Day; did you know that? It was a day for Geeks to unite the world over and celebrate this 5-9 times in a lifetime event, myself included. I love that kind of stuff! In honor of the day I examined my roots and contemplated my next hair color, drank a root beer, listened to The Roots old album, and attempted carving a beet into a square.

It's harder than you think.

Anyhow, enough with the mathematical revelry. I thought I'd share some photos from my recent jaunt to Colorado. We shared a condo with some friends and spent a few days attacking the mountain. Well, they attacked, I really just tried to survive. Fortunately it snowed every day so most of my falls were cushioned by all the fresh powder on the ground. I think I did pretty good for my first time skiing and I even handled being in the cold again like a champ.

This is a view from the lift of one of the ski runs. (I didn't attempt this one.)

A view from the condo. Love all the snow! It makes everything white and shimmery and lovely.

Look at me! I crashed immediately after that picture was taken. Ha! just kidding


I loved Colorado! The mountains were beautiful, so different from the landscape I'm used to.

I love trying new things and going new places, doing things for the first time. First time to Colorado, first time skiing, first time on a ski lift, first time skidding down a mountain on my backside... good times.

Don't worry, I'm still here

Okay people, I don't know what's wrong with my iphoto or card reader or computer or what, but suffice it to say that something is being temperamental and testing my patience. So, I still thought I'd check in and let everyone know I'm still alive. Tomorrow I will share some recent events with you starting with my latest travels. It's funny, a couple weeks ago I was talking to a friend about how I realized that since I'd started my blog, I'd hardly written about art, travel, food or the other fabulous things that make life worth living. And yet, those are the things I seek out on a daily basis, so what gives? I don't know...