ARTIN'

I've actually done some art, and sold some too.
The heart, is a custom piece I just did, for an Etsy customer.
She had me make a "First Christmas" ornament. She just got married in July. I feel kinda special, thinking that maybe this ornament will be a treasured keepsake, that they'll look at every Christmas.

I just sold the "Snowman" greeting card/ornament, and two others, to a repeat customer. I love when they come back!

I give my kids an ornament every year. This year, I made them ones, using an old picture of MOI! when I was about 7 years old.
I remember taking that photo. Wearing that dress, and my mom telling me "don't get dirty" or something like that.
I love that photograph. There aren't very many pictures of me when I was little. I love that its at Christmas, and most of all, I love that you can see the painting in the back. It was done by my father.

Work was busier then I expected it to be. I guess everyone is scrabbling to get their orders in, and shipped out in time for Christmas. I think it will be very slow next week.

I'm excited that I don't have to work a weekend, till Dec 22nd!!!!! ahhhh. I have all these weekends to myself! I'm hoping to get more greeting card/ornaments made and listed on Etsy.

We've been lucky with the weather so far. We did have our first snow on Thanksgiving. Most of it came overnight, while Gloria and I were up alllllll night, working on an art project. It was good, because by the time she went home at 11:30 a.m Friday... the roads were dry. I helped clean off her car.. and I hate cleaning the cars! The ice.. the scraping..the snow blowing back in your face!!! GGGRRRRR.. & brrrrrrr.. !

LEFTOVERS...

.... art project almost done...

a gift for Gloria's Vegas friends....

Some images from my Thanksgiving.

It was nice!

Just Eddie, Jamie & best friend Gloria for Dinner. Allison had to work, and joined us later, with her boyfriend Andy.

We got to meet Ethan, my kids new nephew, his mom Stefanie and Kyle.

It was nice just to be with family and eat!

Much later, Gloria and I worked on an art project, to give as a gift for friends of hers.

We stayed up all night!! I didnt' get to bed untill after noon the next day!!

But it was so nice having 4 days off.

So now, it's Sunday evening, and MY time is ticking, before I have to go back THERE to work.

I'm expecting it to be really slow, and contiplating bringing some art projects to do at my desk.

Maybe I'll wait till Tuesday and see what happens.

Sooo

That's it for now!

I have leftovers!... mmmm and they're alll mine!

I think I love leftovers even more than the Thanksgiving dinner!

QUESTIONS...AND ANSWERS...

TAKEN FROM THE AWESOME BLOG: "Ink on my Fingers"...
I couldn’t resist doing too. I haven't even read the questions yet.. so here goes....


*a special talent:
I can turn one eye in, and keep the other straight. Amazing isn't it?

*a secret nobody knows:
Sometimes when I'm craving Chocolate late at night, I will take a giant swig right from
the bottle of Hershey's Syrup.... tell me you've never done it!


*a personality trait you find attractive:
confidence.....it's sexy don't you think?


*a personality trait you find unattractive:
conceitedness

*a song that melts you:
"You Send Me"... by Michael Bolton


*the biggest truth you have learned this year:
That things don't always go the way you plan them, but God will guide you.


*an item you are currently coveting:
My Sterling Silver "Artist Palette" necklace. I just got a new chain for it, and I can finally wear it again. It's my most favorite piece of jewelery.

*what gives you peace :
My Faith in God


*what perfume are you currently wearing:
"Celine"... by Celine Dion

*do you dream much?:
Yes... awake, and asleep

*what word(s) do you tend to say too much:
" Oh Shit" "no kidding"

*in school, what kind of teen were you?:
The Class clown, friendly, and an insecure extrovert!

*describe yourself in 5 words:
Creative~witty~worrier~loyal~procrastinator


*have you ever been in love?:
yes ...and I really believe "It is better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all"

*a weird quirk?
I can't clean the house if I'm wearing slippers, or just socks, I have to put on "real" shoes.

*Has your heart ever been broken?:

Yes.. a few times.. but I got through it.

*favourite things to wear?:
My Artist Palette necklace.. (again)... and anything comfortable.... like what I have on right now. A pair of Black sweat pants, and an over sized sloppy paint stained sweatshirt, socks, and slippers. My regular "at home" attire.
So... you might want to consider calling before stopping by... or what you see is what you get!

ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN, AND THE SKY IS GREY...

Another fun weekend with my sisters!

We were out celebrating sister Susan's 58th.

We all met at her house, for coffee. For her birthday, I gave her a really old purse that once belonged to our Aunt Ruby. Ruby was a very colorful character, and liked to "tip a bottle." She was a quirky, nervous person, with very distinct mannerisms, that Susan had learned to imitate PERFECTLY!... Watching Susan "do" Aunt Ruby, was exactly like looking at Aunt Ruby herself!!.... it's uncanny!... and wildly hysterical! So, when I came across the old purse, full of papers, I knew Susan should have it. I don't even know exactly when or how the purse came into my possession. I made a Tag collage, with a picture of Aunt Ruby, and tied it to the purse handle using some old twine that I found in the purse. Susan loved it. I suggested she create a dried flower arrangement in it, and display it proudly! so that's what she's gonna do!

I also gave my sisters a collaged Christmas ornament, using a photo of our Grandfather Vernon (Ruby's father) as a young boy. It was a photo they had never seen before, nor I, till our (long lost) cousin Aristide sent it to me, along with lots of other never before seen photos of family. What a treat that was!!

We had a late breakfast at a cool place called
"My Friends Place" We visited a few art galleries, hit "The Flower Factory" and "Pat Catan's.. local craft stores here in Cleveland. Debbie ran into an old friend, Bernice, who coincidentally looks a lot like her! They were even wearing leather jackets! Weird! Even their daughters look alike! We ended up at one of our favorite restaurants called "Cheddars".. (formerly called Snickers) And I had my usual favorite Burger and a beer.

The day just flew by!... wayyy tooo fast. But we had a great time!

The leaves turned late this year, and they color was brilliant!

I was surprised that they weren't all blown away after last weeks high wind.

So I had fun taking a few pictures before they were gone for good.

I got sent home from work early today, because we were slow.

It gave me a chance to catch up on cleaning, and to get ready for Thanksgiving.

... and as luck would have it, Oprah was doing her "Favorite Things" show. So I could drool over all the great gifts.

Now I'm sitting and having a midnight snack. A Spam Omelet, with Cheddar cheese, and a can of Pepsi. Yes.. it is a Gourmet lover's delight!

It feels like a Friday night, and I have to remember to get up in the morning and head in to work!

I'm kinda hoping work is slow tomorrow too. It will be nice to come home early again, and start my sausage stuffing. .. Not good for my wallet though. Oh well what can ya do right?

Sooo. I'd like to wish you all a very Happy, Blessed Thanksgiving,

I have so much to be thankful for!

~MaryEllen~

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

Well.... another weekend gone.
It's 12:50 a.m. I had a cup of coffee earlier, and it will probably keep me up, but I really wanted it, and it hit the spot.
I had to work on Saturday, 3-9p.m. it was the slowest I've ever seen it!
Worse, was that up until Friday, I thought I was scheduled for 9-3p.m.... and made plans to meet my girlfriends for dinner. I was so disappointed that I had to cancel! Oh well.
So... I stayed up all night on Saturday, not going to bed till 6 a.m. I miss pulling an all nighter! I spent the night doing art. Well most of the time I was working on the Ruffled Card ornament above.
I really like the way it turned out. A few last minute touches, and I'll be listing it on ETSY.
I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving where did those last few months go? WHOOOOSHH! I can only hope the Winter months go as fast, and it will be Spring again soon.
I'm mourning the leaves leaving the trees. I hate when the trees are bare.
And, I hate the time change, leaving us to drive home in the dark every evening. Ahh ok, ok... I'm done Whining.
I have to remember to close my storm windows, and take the screen out of the front door, oh, and put in a new furnace filter. The Rites of Winter.
My house is still a disaster. I still have boxes that I packed, and a sheet hanging on the front picture window. .... Thinking I would be moved out by now. Ah so, I've put that dream on hold till Spring.
But now I have to get the house in order for Thanksgiving.
We had a great time, at our last PSMWG gathering. We held our last "Coronation" as "S".. Sheila turned 50. I was so excited that I was finally able to give her my gift. An old children's storybook called "365 Bedtime Stories"... It was a book I got for Christmas in 1964?.... I LOVED this book. There was a story for each day of the year, and the stories were all about the children that lived on "What a Jolly Street" I found the book on Ebay a couple years ago, and I hugged it like a long lost friend. When Sheila saw it, she teared up too, saying she had that book and loved it too. Of course the light bulb went off, and I was on a quest to find her a copy too.
I finally found it last December, but I had to wait almost a year to give it to her!
She was very choked up when she opened it, and couldn't stop crying! I know how she felt, seeing this old friend.
She got great gifts from the other PSMWG's.
I made her a special "S" shaped Pizza!
It's always fun when we're together.

So now another week ahead. I'm wondering if work will be as slow as it was on Saturday.
I've been told many times, that catalog sales drops off In December, and to be prepared for getting sent home, during that time. Cool... I'll do art... not cool... .. I'll be losing some $$$. But, I'll get by as always, with God watching over me.
Have a great week!