Paint Party #43 and Sunday Scribblings " Normal"

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Water color patterns I had fun creating before Christmas 

and want to share for Paint Party friday #43

Sunday Scribblings  prompt this week is  " Normal"

Boy this gave me so much food for thought. It's really interesting to read what others have to say about " Normal." Personally I think it's becoming obsolete, or revised daily! Each of us invent our own standard of normal. Routine can be normal for some.  Many young people seem to crave it being that life has been changing way too fast the last decade. My own daughter considers her very old school in-laws to be the most normal thing she can relate to, and she loves it!! Although wonderful people they are not flawless. They stick to a fairly rigid routine of home, work, and church, celebrating pivotal occasions with family gatherings. I on the other hand balk at routine, and enjoy
marching to the beat of my own drummer, sprinkled with a tad of eccentricity and creativity!

  Past Normal

 Normal was a black rotary telephone attached with a spiral cord
The whole family gathered to watch the same  television show
Dinner at five around a rectangle  arborite table
Hand washing and drying the dishes afterwards

Normal was playing outdoors on weekends
Skipping lunch and arriving home in time for dinner
Seeing only one car in most driveways
Knowing the majority of the neighbors in a two block radius

Normal was wearing mandatory dresses, skirts
or jumpers paired with white knee socks
that got mud splashed on the lone mile walk to school
during a cold rainy winters day

Normal was playing board games and cards
Riding a bike without a helmet,
exploring the forest with a group of kids
Walking to Sunday school by myself

Normal was the security of two parents
Who loved each other, but still fought
An annual family camping trip with relatives
dancing and singing with my dad

Normal was running to avoid a spanking
Ducking to avoid a smack
Too many chores, too many lectures
Too many instructions with not enough understanding

That was my childhood normal
And I’d never want to go back!

Paint Party Friday #42 and Sunday Scribblings " New, with recap of Old"

Recap of 2011 

I'm Sneaking in My Digital art for  Paint Party #42 late this week!

Sunday Scribblings 300th prompt is "New"

To get the full affect of this post you  can click on the photos to read

more stories about events and completed projects

In January 

I created this  " Mountains of Courage in Bloom"  Bustier 

for " Bras for a Cause"

In Honor of my friend Helen who proudly fought Breast Cancer!

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In February My daughter turned quarter of a  century old!

And My Dear Friend Gypsy Goddess turned half a century old! 

We celebrated at my friend Violette's Art Studio! So much fun!

In March my blog turned five years old and in April

my HANDSOME baby brother turned 50!

For a funny story about him click the photo below!

  

 In May I turned 55, 

June I completed a guitar " Covenant of Color" 

to be auctioned for Childrens Hospital Music program

In July and August I worked on these four chairs,

which weren't a quick process!

September  I opted to paint my wood kitchen table rather than 

buying a new rectangle black one like I originally planned!

 This old side table was my test piece, it was originally going

look more whimsical, but I was convinced not to make our home

look like " The Cat in the Hat House"

      October I  conservatively painted my oak rocking chair silver!

       November I completed a  large whimsical canvas that I have no home for yet!

  December was spent preparing for Christmas, doing art, visiting with family and friends! Instead of exchanging gifts this year we donated  two huge boxes of sundries that daughter collected all year from Coupon clipping.

Photograph by: KEVIN HILL, Surrey NOW

My Son in Law held a art guitar auction at work to raise money for music program at Children's Hospital! For the News Clip featuring this Special mans endeavors go Here

              My New word for 2012 will be Nourish! Body, mind, and creativity!

2012 will be dedicated to  finishing off projects, gathering my art and poetry to focus on something marketable, entering some poetry contests, finding a way to make my bedroom more loveable and completing another Art Guitar!  I am dreaming of big things in the New Year! How about you?

Happy New Year 2012

Wishing you all a Happy New Year filled with Creative Abundance, good health, Peace and Joy!!!

More Later!

Offer to help the Host please!

I was fortunate enough to be invited to two turkey dinners a week apart. My brother slaved all day to feed a large group of family and friends. Making a wonderful Christmas for his children.  He's always sure to included those singletons and their kids too! I made my traditional raspberry dessert, a favorite for my niece and brother. Also brownies for my nephew who doesn't eat sweets but loves them! 

Then I  joined my daughters in-laws Christmas day where I made the raspberry dessert for that one too! I  brought two pounds of starbucks beans and flowers  in appreciation for all the work that goes into hosting a dinner. 

Here's my bone of contention. No one hops up to clear the table or start the dishes. Clearly people have spent the day in the kitchen cooking a very large dinner, cleaning their homes ahead of time, so why do people just leave everything at their ass? Wine glasses, desert dishes, all the plated food, while the same people clear up every single time. Me and my kids! Everyone just leaves the table, or stays seated with no regard for their almost  sixty four year old mom. 

The mother in law has no dish washer either.  She probably sits for a total of ten minutes to eat dinner, then jumps up to get the desserts. After that she puts the food away while we clear and do the dishes.  Same thing happened at my brothers. Only it was worse because everyone left early. When he  finally got to sit down and enjoy his company, everyone started to trickle home early! They do it every time.... feels like a restaurant at his expense. He so looks forward to that moment everything is cleaned up and he can relax with everyone.That's his Christmas! Do you leave the host with all the dishes and not bother to lend a hand or at least offer? 

Personally I have never had a friend who didn't attempt to help with the dishes. If it's just a few of us, I ask them to leave the dishes and most of the time they fight me!

In fact my friend didn't want me to help with the breakfast dishes  this year. I left them knowing she was in a hurry to run out, and would throw them in the dishwasher when she returned. When it's a large crowd it's so easy when more than a few lend a hand. Coming into the New Year I sure hope people will grab a dish towel with gratitude and help the host!!

Christmas Eve

 Well it's that time again! Wishing you all a Happy Holiday which ever way you celebrate! For me it's  "Merry Christmas " but I don't discriminate! 

 I've picked up a bug, but  I won't let that get me down. I'm hoping it's only a cold!  

What better way to celebrate than with flowers, a clean house, and baking!

        This is the kids tree in our family room and the one I view most! It's draped with an old tea towel Peppers class made in grade two or three, just about twenty years ago! Everyone drew a picture of themselves then added their names. It's never been used for it's true purpose, instead I store it neatly away to be treasured at Christmas!

There is a hand painted Ernie ornament crafted out of a walnut,  and probably 37 years old now! I'm surprised at how long it's held up, there are several other hand made characters too! Along side the mice, bought in the eighties, is a mini Starbucks cup added this year! Oh what fun memories Christmas brings!

Here's a glimpse into my living room. 
Thank you to  those who stick with me despite my very infrequent postings!
I appreciate each and every visit and comment! I hope to get back into blogging more often in the New Year! I'm wishing you all a wonderful season filled with love, laughter, good health, and Joy!! 
Hugs To All
To all a good Night!
Giggles!

Paint Party Friday #38

Happy Paint Party Friday #38, check out other artists participating!

This week I wanted to do a painting similar to my digital Christmas header. It took on a life of it's own and I just went with it! 

"Christmas frenzy"

needs one small fix and I should be happy with it!

Wednesday I made soup.  I sauteed the veggies, loads of garlic,  chicken and raw rice, before adding water and tomato sauce. Normally my soup is really tasty. The soup was made with loads of love for Dear daughter who is fighting a virus, but  it wasn't my best!!

Later that night  I was revamping my little fairy painting , trying to redo the eyes), everything got messed up and she died, I painted over her. Anyone remember kitchen witches in the eighties?   I sewed a really quirky one back in the day! I thought it would be fun to rework the fairy painting into a kitchen angel to watch over my cooking and generate some good energy. I just don't love cooking like I used to so I need all the help I can get!!!

I managed to save some of the fairies patterned outfit for my new angel. I changed her face twice!  I'm pretty sure she's finally finished!  I hope my kitchen angel watches over me  while I do some Christmas baking this weekend!!  Wishing you all a creative weekend.

Paint Party #37

Check out all the wonderful artists on paint party Friday!

I have missed a few, still I've been painting quite a bit.
Finally a painting dear daughter loved and asked me not to change a thing!!

Finished large acrylic

" Whimsy Wonder"

If only I could find bed sheets with a pattern like this.... I'd be in my glory

covered in color!! I understand these vibrant colors would not appeal

to the beige people! I respect that!! Just let me have my color

and I'll be happy!

I Like to be able to place my paintings in any directions on the wall for a completely different look.

Below is this painting in the early stages. I mixed  color with silver for a metallic look. 

It evolved and changed so much during the creative process!

   I painted out the stems which I despised. Funny how you start one way and end another. This painting is nothing of how I originally imagined it!

                               

Below is " My little Fairy" 
It's full of texture  because I painted over a  canvas (see here) 

I was so disappointed in!

My daughter hates it, that's a swear word in our house  too!!  It creeps her out so much she  picked it up and removed it from sight! I on the other hand love her but have agreed to change the eyes to see if that makes a difference! The eyes are that shape because there is a small chunk of texture that I formed the eye around! Oh well you win some and you lose some.... Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to my American friends, being Canadian we celebrate in October!