My Christmas our way Paint Party Friday

Yesterday my son in law turned Ten thousand days old!!

 The world did not end! So we got him and ice cream cake to celebrate!!!

 I tried to edit the colors but the colored swirls literally looked like poop....

Hope that dispels your craving for an ice-cream cake!

Thoughts whirl in my brain this season.

The worlds is a frenetic sad place

I can barely keep up.

Christmas has changed.

The poor struggle to give to the rich

Divorce has obliterated seasonal routine.

Still you

 

 Juggle dates to suit all!

Give money and gift cards

to those with everything

Days off are banked for later

when it doesn't really matter

People are over tired

or sick,  Still you

 

 Bake, clean

drop off gifts to 

 food banks

  women's shelters

 while news reports

spew carnage 

of women and children

making it  difficult to

 and concentrate on

preparing  the promised dessert

for the pseudo Christmas dinner

created for

children of divorce.

So you

Kick back sip a cocktail

and reflect

on what was

what is

and

what will be

Take a deep breath

 Continue on,

 Wishing,

those who have less

 to have more  

For violence to

dissipate

and 

the true

spirit of Christmas

to regenerate!!

Wishing those who celebrate Christmas

a Merry one filled with happiness!

To all others a joyous season filled

with everyone and everything you love!

These are my loved ones  

My Nephew, brother, and niece

Beardo and Cupcake

Cupcake and I celebrating Christmas 

at My brothers

My sweet sister in law who  is such a fun person!

Every year we promise to see each other more

yet life gets in the way!!

Fifty one year old handsome,

Mr. Domestic puts on the Ritz for his family!

Christmas although it's not been on the actual

day for well over ten years now is his favorite

day of the year! 

He does everything in his

power to recreate Christmases from our childhood

right down to Nat King Cole singing 

the Christmas song as his son walks down 

the stairs on the designated day!

Christmas may not be celebrated on the 25th

but one can never take for granted a special 

family gathering, because you just never know

 how many you have left!!

Today I feel  so blessed and full of gratitude!!

Please visit paint party friday to

celebrate the artists I adore!!

Halloween Past Paint Party Friday

 What do you mean you gotta go "BOO?"

Why didn't you do it before you left the house?

 About twelve years ago and long before I discovered my artist within I played a pivotal role in a haunted house. A woman having her throat slit several hundred times a night, as onlookers sauntered through. It was a school fundraiser. One of the parents loaned his home for the event, preparation took months.

Production included many volunteers to decorate, act and man the crowd during the Halloween season. It was a blast! 

Interviewed for a Vancouver news cast, I was asked how it felt to scream so many times in repetition,  I told them it was extremely cathartic to scream all evening after such an ugly divorce!

Richard, who loaned his home, is known for throwing manic parties of epic proportions. I've missed several of his New Years and Halloween Parties featuring live bands in the last decade but it's not likely you'd ever forget any of his themed soirees. That Halloween turned out particularly exciting. Too bad the Slasher was married… to a woman with my same name!

 

True Fantasy

Jostled, and giggled,
during each scene.
A grope transpired,
a tickle, a scream.
Some of it acting,
much was not.
Crowd In progression,
mischief he sought.
He killed in succession,
within seconds she’d revive.
Arousal emerged,
she'd never been more alive

My daughter 22 years ago

The artwork here was done five years ago but I thought it might be fun to share it with my new readers!! 
Funny how much it reminds me of my niece and nephew! 

My daughters first Halloween, 24 years ago

 Daughter and Son in Law about eight years ago

My heart is in such a pensive state as I pray for those caught in the devastation of the horrible storm in the east! I've always been grateful for the everyday comforts of my home, somehow I feel even more grateful. If that's possible! Do you ever wonder what you'd take with you if you knew you'd never see your house again?

 I hope you'll be as inspired as I am by all the artists at Paint Party Friday that I feel so blessed to have found!! 

 

Gypsy Goddess Fiftieth

Our friend Artist Violette hosted a wonderful art party at the magic cottage Friday evening. We all brought appetizers, wine, and gifts for Gypsy goddesses 50th birthday celebration! What a blast we had!

Ahead of time each goddess individualized a pocket for an apron. Then Dream goddess and I attached the pockets with a backing and added trim. Gypsy goddess was overjoyed with her new treasured apron!

Violette hand painted the Gypsy soul in a heart,

 and I  painted the gnome and cupcakes!

Gypsy goddess has an affinity to gnomes, 

and has  always created fun cakes and cupcakes!

Here I captured Gypsy's pure bliss! Overwhelmed with joy

over the apron. She's an old fashioned girl

who honors anything creative or homemade!

Here are some of our creation done in the Creative Juice Studio.

after wonderful instruction from Violette!

We topped it off with a colorful cake I made in honor of gypsy! Note the striped candles. Gypsy loves to wear whimsical striped socks under dresses, so I thought they were fitting!  It was fun and I'm satisfied Gypsy goddess felt truly loved after this celebration!

Thanksgiving

Twenty four of us sat down to celebrate Thanksgiving at Peppers in-laws. I'm always reminded of my childhood when I join them. With no dishwasher we scurry to do dishes the old fashioned way. Many of the matriarch's dishes are similar to my moms, as well as her floor and cupboard knobs.

 It's comfortable with constant giggles and  chatter as eight of the ten kids kibitz back and forth  catching up!

Everyone doted on the five day old nephew. Bryans sisters first child. Everyone inquired  when his brothers wife would have their fifth, due in a few weeks. 

  
 It's hard to say how long these large gatherings will last as families grow and parents age.

I can think of  nothing better  to be thankful for than this wonderful large family who include us with so much love! And these two who brought us all together!

Goddesses Christmas Magic

Happy Houses by Happytiler

   
Goddess night was magical beyond words. Dining on cuisine made with love. Ambiance of peace and harmony. These photos don't do it justice. We all bring a small gift to trade. I used a Starbucks mug template with two pieces of art as my surprise offering.

My caricatures garnered a giggle....nothing makes me happier! Our slight Faery goddess wondered who the one in the red was, boy did she laugh when she realized it was her! I just hope no one was insulted....it was all in fun and not an actual likeness. 
Besides it's  impossible to create the multifaceted perfection these gals possess!

  Faery Goddess as our cute little tree elf

International Womans Day 2008

Today I celebrate my good fortune of living in a country that endorses peace and equality for woman. Where I can live and create in a place of peace! I pray for those women less fortunate living in barbaric conditions facing oppression, forced to endure atrocities!

Canada's theme for 2008 is " Strong Woman, Strong World"

Empowered Woman secure a brighter future for everyone

This is a purse I made to commemorate International Woman's Day
I debuted it at Purse-onality, it was met with a few really nice compliments. Pepper scored me a huge canvas bag from a lingerie store, only because she went to great lengths admiring it. The incentive to purchase canvas bag was relinquished free when Pepper offered to buy it! Full of joy she presented it to me knowing it would be perfect to paint on. I painted over the company name with acrylics then coated it with flexible varnish. I put my regular purse inside of it, then when I need an extra bag I quickly remove my purse! It held a large amount of groceries.

This poem was written two years ago for INWD

I thought I'd repost it to go with my purse!

Mother, daughter, Sister, Lover

I am a woman, and I cry when no one can hear
I have huge dreams, I never share
I have fantasies, I dare not reveal
I have unrequited love, that is never recognized

I am the white noise in the home
Persistently preparing, repairing and doing at all times
I love deeply, with vision, constant hope, pride and joy
I have a relentless faith, in life, in god, in family, in future

I carry the burdens and secrets of others
Hold guilt to my heart, where empathy,
Forgiveness and optimism obstinately reside
Often suppressing passion, and creativity

I do my duties without fail, or resentment
I stand alone in my failures and regrets
I give, even when there is but a pittance
I get less, expect less, and take less, feeling like I am less

I am taken for granted, heard with rare acceptance
I am courageous, beyond my expectations
I am the unpaid teacher, waitress, homemaker, and psychologist
I am the solver of problems, and scarcely put first

I have thoughts, I feel ashamed to share
I have wants, I will never reveal
I have needs that no one will heed
I have a lonely soul, which I can not seem to feed

I am a woman, and I cry alone, about what isn’t
What will never be, what is lost, forgotten, not forgiven
Not recognized, or realized, or capitalized, I cry about
Poverty, and love forlorn, for loved ones, and love forgotten

I am a woman, resilient in majestic proportions,
I am a woman, of maternal magnificence
I am a woman, with imperial abilities
I am a unique woman, the queen of my family
And heart of my home!
The other side of my purse also altered has this poem modge podged over the heart, then again coated with varnish!