THANKSGIVING DAY

The economy really is bad... This is our Turkey this year... But We stuffed it ALOT.. and Voila!
BIG TURKEY!...
... JUSSST kidding! Daughter Jamie and I were busy in the kitchen the night before Thanksgiving, busy making our family "Famous" stuffing. She decided she wanted to cook her little Cornish hen, while she was over... and we had some fun with it! We had lots of fun making the stuffing together, and just hanging out.

So... Thanksgiving has come and gone. I missed Allison so much! but she called several times from work, to tell me what a big hit The Turkey breast she cooked in her slow cooker was. She and her co-workers all brought a dish into work, so they could have their own little Thanksgiving.

Friends Gloria and Laure came for dinner.
I over slept!.. and didn't get the Turkey in the oven till 11 a.m!! OMG!
I told them dinner would be around 3.. and we didn't actually sit down to eat till 5:30!!!! yikes!
I felt pretty stupid, but they said they didn't mind at all!

Laure brought a Pumpkin pie... Eddie brought 2 Pumpkin pies, I had one.. well actually I spilled one, and bought another.. before I knew I'd be having so many! LOL. Gloria Brought a scrumptious cream pie with Cherries on top. So we were covered in the Pie department!

Dinner was nice, but just different, being here in the apartment. Eddie and Jamie both took naps, and I felt like it too... can you say TRYPTOPHAN?

So everyone left, and Gloria and I sat at the table talking and talking, drinking coffee and having leftovers, til 3 a.m! I went to bed at 4 a.m. and.. I slept the whole day away!... omg! I was so looking foward to having the day off.. and I slept it completely away!! I didn't wake up till 4 pm!
man.. I guess I was pretty tired!

So here I sit.. almost 4 a.m. again.. and I plan on making some coffee.. getting some breakfast, and doing some art... I just hope I don't sleep the weekend away. I guess I had a lot of sleeping to catch up on.

So.. It's almost December, and I'm trying to figure out when I'll be putting up the tree. I have to work 7 days straight starting on December 7th.. oh goodie.

I haven't even begun thinking about Christmas gifts. I've pared down a lot over the years, and refuse to let myself get stressed out over it.

I sent out an email inviting my family to an Open House on Christmas Eve.. and even extending the invite to Christmas day. I've only heard from a few so far.
This is the point where I want the whole Christmas thing to be over, and have life resume again.
Everything always seems to Stop for Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but it's not what it used to be.

Ok... that's all. Hmmm I'm yawning. Wondering if I should just get to bed, and try and wake up early and get to the artroom tomorrow???

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Enjoy your weekend!

THANKSGIVING EVE...

Thanksgiving Eve...

Lots of snow has piled up .. GRRrrrrrRRRrrrrrrr!!!
.. OK.. but it's pretty!!!! The sunset photo is from a couple nights ago... beautiful isn't it?

24 hours from now, I'll "HOPEFULLY" be finished cleaning the apartment and making my stuffing, Daughter Jamie is coming over and she and I will make the stuffing together, as we have for the past 6 years or so. It's become our little tradition. Funny thing... I don't like stuffing!
I know.. I know... but I never have. I'm more of a mounds of Mashed Potatoes and Rivers of Giblet gravy girl. I make my mother's "famous" Italian Sausage stuffing, but it's Jamie who is the taste tester...telling me when there is "just enough" Sage... Salt... Pepper...etc. It's a lot of work. Toasting 6 large loaves of bread, cooking the Sausage, cutting the Celery and Onion... but it's worth it.. or so I hear from those who LIKE my stuffing!

The photos below, are a few from Last year's Thanksgiving. I can't wait for all the aroma of Thanksgiving cooking to fill my kitchen! It is one of my most favorite smells. No steamy kitchen windows this year though.... no kitchen windows! LOL. Joining me for dinner this year will be my friends Gloria and Laure, son Eddie and his best friend Greg, and daughter Jamie. Daughter Allison, who is a nurse.. has to work! and won't be here!!... I'm gonna miss her!

Soooooo I'm excited about my first Thanksgiving in my apartment.
I'm off the rest of the week yayyyy! And I plan on doing more art. I spent almost every waking hour doing art last weekend. I managed to list some things on Etsy, and even had a sale today! I've got a lot of Christmas gift projects in the works too. I guess my Blog title is right.. "FAMILY, FRIENDS, ART AND ME"... It's all I think about!.. well.. not the "ME" part so much.. but I guess I do when I indulge myself with weekends of ART!

~~~~~~So Here's my list of just some of the things I am thankful for ~~~~~~~

• My Faith. It Sustains me, refreshes me and completes me
• My kids. I love them beyond words. I am blessed to have them. Each one gives me great joy in ways big and small. The have turned out to be wonderful people, with loving hearts, strong faith, morals and ethics.... and their mother's sense of humor!
• My sisters. Despite our quirky contrasting personalities, I am so blessed to have them. And I love how close we've become.
• My nephews and nieces. What a wonderful family I have!
• My amazing friends! How lucky am I, to have my PSMWG's.... an amazing friendship that spans 40 years! I have so many friends! Each of which has a special place in my heart!
• My Bestest friend Gloria. there just are no words. I am a better person because of her.
• My ART I don't know how I could function if I didn't have my art. I Thank God for giving this gift to me!
• My Apartment Be it ever so humble...
• All my Internet friends!... These wonderful people, most of whom, I've never met in person, have touched my life! My England friend John (who did actually visit me 2x... and I got to visit him in Cornwall England!) The German couple Rike, Matt and son Yannik (OK.. I got to meet them too!) my wonderful ART Buddy Teri in Indiana, Denise and her daughter Jessie, Thanks for buying so much of my art! And Twyla and Lindsey, my faithful Blog readers... Twyla even knitted me a special pair of Halloween house shoes!!!!!!!!! HOW LUCKY AM I!!!!!??????? The Internet has connected me to so many wonderful people, artists who share my same passion. And given me wonderful opportunities to sell my art.
• My job... even though I really don't like it.... I have one, and it pays the bills right?
• My health, even though things are going snap, crackle and pop now... I'm able bodied and functioning!
• My car. My little Kia Sephia. It's 7 years old and hasn't given me one lick of problems. Is there any wood around I can knock on?
• America. I am thankful for living in a country that allows all these things. Freedom, choice and independence. I am truly blessed and thankful!

It's a pretty obvious list... but It's important to say "out loud" how thankful I really, truly am.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

IT HAPPENED AGAIN!

I've been published...again!

back in April, I had submitted 2 Halloween pieces, for Somerset Studio's annual "Vintage Halloween" issue. They chose one, and I was very excited!! They returned that piece, but kept the 2nd. I was told it was being considered for another publication, "Somerset Studio Gallery" It surprised me, because it was a Halloween piece, and I had no idea they would still be interested in using it. So, I checked my e-mail every day, hoping to get another "congratulations your artwork has been selected' e-mail like the first time, but I got nothing. So, I started waiting for the piece to arrive in my mailbox. Nothing! But, in the mailbox today, was a magazine. When I opened it, I realized it was "Gallery".....my free issue they give for being published YAYYY!... so I started flipping pages, and there it was on page 63, my Halloween piece! And it was just as exciting as the first time. That really made my day!
The issue is full of wonderful art as always. And I feel very
humbled to have been selected once again.
So now, I can't help but wonder (hope) if the piece I submitted for Somerset Studio "Black & White" theme, (on newstands in January) will be selected.....That will be a great birthday treat if it is!

BIRTHDAY GIRL

DAUGHTER JAMIE!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't believe she's 29!!!!
how can that be?...I'm only 35??????
she's bright, and beautiful...just like me.. LOL....
have a happy day!
I LOVE YOU VERY BIG!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got my camera back today! yayy!!!

I'm feeling a little better, but still very stuffed up.
I went into work today, but ended up leaving at 2 again. I was just tired of putting customers on hold, while I blew my nose! My Supervisor, was out sick? today...I hope SHE feels better. So, I took advantage of the daylight, and went to do some Thanksgiving grocery shopping. I got my turkey, a 23 pounder! I wanted a bigger one, but they just didn't have any. I was concerned about finding room in my freezer for it....I don't have any room in there! Then the light bulb went on...I'll just leave it in my trunk! It's going to be 19 degrees tonight, and highs in the low 30's, that's colder than my fridge would be! I'll bring it in over the weekend, then let it start thawing in the fridge. Just as I was heading home, the snow started to fly again! BIG, FAT, FLUFFY FLAKES! it was gorgeous! I brought in some groceries, then opened all the blinds. It was awesome to watch the snow coming down so heavy! The Picnic table is my "snow gage"... looks like there's about 5-7 inches on there! WOW!
I grabbed my camera, and got some pics. Just look at old Mosley! all bare, but looking so pretty in the snow.







The area kids were back out having snowball fights, and running wild. The apartment complex even looked pretty at dusk.













Here's a little preview of the art I've been working on. I really can't believe I hardly have anything made. The holiday's really snuck up on me this year. I might have to just start working on Valentines Day stuff, and forget about Christmas.

I took a long nap, and for the first time in 2 days, I was actually able to sleep! Ahhhh.

Ok.. so i't almost 2 a.m. wow. the evening is gone already. As fast as the months have been flying, it will be Spring before ya know it!!!... yayyyyy!

Happy HUMP Day!!

MONDAY, MONDAY

Here we are again!

Monday. I started mine with a cold!
Well, I had been feeling kinda crappy all weekend, and today, the headache came, and runny nose. My voice is shot, and I got a lot of sympathy from the customers at work today. I couldn't take it anymore, trying to talk and breath and sniff. I finally told my supervisor that I was going home. She never looked up from her desk (typical) and just said "ok fine"...... I logged off, and grabbed my coat and as I passed her, I said "I'll see you tomorrow hopefully"... I get another "okay fine"... HMMMPH!!!.. how 'bout.. hope you feel better?..... This is her intimidation factor, I'm supposed to feel bad for being sick and wanting to go home! GRRRRRRRHHHH! I hate mind games. I'm sick dammmit! and can't breath, and my head is throbbing! ... let me just say it here and now... SHE'S A WITCH!.... ok.. ok..that's mean.. BUT TRUE! honest.

Sooooo.... here I sit, my head still throbbing, sniffling, with my box of Puff's plus, watching the Cleveland Browns on the verge of losing yet another game, they were once winning. I've never had so many colds, as I've had since I started working at this job. I know it's the darn "hand scan" time clock we have. Everyone has to put their hands on this "thingy" to clock in and out. OMG the germs! I wash my hands frequently, but I guess it's not enough. I'm bringing in the Purelle tomorrow!

On my way home, I stopped at Marc's, to grab more tissues, and to get some (generic) Dayquil... yuk! that stuff is strong! The Snow was really falling on the way home, and as much as I hate it, it really was so beautiful! There are a lot more wooded areas around here, and the Snow was covering the branches, making them look very Lacey and beautiful I came home and had a sandwich, and went to bed. I woke up feeling just as crappy, if not more so.

At least the weekend wasn't a bust. It was the first weekend in a while, that I didn't have to work one of the two days. I spent all day Saturday working on some art for Etsy, and doing more of the same on Sunday. The snow was flying, and it was great sitting in front of my art room window watching it. I also watched 4 little girls making the first Snowman of the season. It was so fun watching them. So cute and carefree. I wish I had my camera!

The "Wizard of Oz" was on Sunday evening, and it was a perfect background, while I FINALLY took down my Halloween decorations.. (yes Twyla, I finally did it! : P)...It's amazing how "clean" the apartment looks now. Very bare, and I like it! I put the decorations away, and moved out some boxes so I could get to the Christmas decorations! in just a few weeks... I still have to organize that darn closet! Speaking of the Wizard of Oz...I must have seen that movie at least 60 times, and I saw something that I never noticed before. In the scene where they are on their way to the witches castle walking in the haunted Forest, and right before the flying Monkey's come... ..the Lion has a Butterfly net and a big Mallet the Tin man has his ax and a giant wrench... I realize the Scarecrow is carrying a GUN! a GUN????.it looks like it's just a toy, but I NEVER SAW THAT BEFORE!! and where did they get all that stuff? in Emerald City when they first get to see the Wizard??? HMMM.. guess I need to start paying more attention to things...UPDATE!!!!!!!!! it looks like the BROWNS are gonna win after all!.... Thanks to a missed field goal by BUFFALO! yay!

So, the FED-EX guy tried to deliver my camera on Friday. I left a note saying to just leave it at the Fed-Ex office, because it's almost right across the street from work. Hopefully I'll be able to pick it up tomorrow. I'm hoping It's fixed for good this time. It's 5 years old, but it was the "defect" that caused it to act up. I'll be able to photograph and list my few art pieces. Oh, and the Winter pic above, was taken by my very talented sister Debbie. It's of Winter past. You can see more of her amazing photos at WEBSHOTS

UUUUUUGHHHHHH! I'm feeling horrible. I want to go to bed, but I know I won't be able to sleep because I can't breath! So I get to drag myself into work tomorrow, and just hope I'll be feeling better by then. So sorry to whine! I'll be more upbeat next time, promise.

THE FLAKES HAVE LANDED

Hope you had a good weekend, and a good Monday!
Mine started out with SNOW!... grrrrrhhhh!!!!! Just the "perfect blend" of melted then frozen snow, I had to SCRAPE off the car windows this morning. Parked next to my car, was my daughter Jamie's car... with a dead battery! She stopped by after work on Sunday night, for a quick visit, and to get some homemade Vegetable Beef soup. When she was leaving, I walked out to back door with her, and watched as she got in her car. I waited for the car to start, and just saw the headlights dim with every crank, she gave it a few more tries, then out she came, slamming the car door, and heading back to the apartment. She was crying and upset. She hasn't had very good luck with cars. So I tried to calm her down, and told her it was just a battery or maybe the Alternator, and nothing major worth crying over. I gave her some pajamas, made up the couch, and she got herself a cup of tea. It was now 1 a.m. and so she just emailed her dad, who is a mechanic. When I woke up this morning, I was running late as usual. She was going to sit tight till she heard back from her dad. She had to be at work at 11:30. So I kissed her goodbye, and headed for my snow covered car, and started scraping, I looked up, and realized Jamie was at the apartment door, I couldn't hear her and finally got close enough to hear her ask me if I could give her car a jump. Why it never occurred to use last night I don't know, but now I was running late, and didn't have time. Anyway.. long story short, her dad did come and give her car a jump, she got to work an hour late, then after work, went to her dads house. he got her a new battery, and she's happy now! Fewwwh!
So.. the first flakes have flown. Actually we did have a little bit snow about a week ago. I promise not to whine about the snow as much as I did last year...well I'll try anyway!

To answer Twyla's question if I've taken down my Halloween decorations yet...the answer is NO!....and frankly.. I'm REALLY sick of looking at them now! LOL.. Maybe it's because I put them up mid September, because I "just couldn't wait" And now... they just look sad! I just haven't had time to get to them. So that's what I get to do this weekend... yippee! I think my problem.. (among many) is that I'm not used to having such limited storage, and I haven't figured out how to get everything organized and in easy reach. Maybe that will be something I can work on while I'm putting away the decorations....and getting the Christmas stuff ready to go. What a vicious cycle it can all be! lol

So...It just dawned on me that it is the middle of November already!!!!!!!!!! and I had plans to list some new Holiday Items on Etsy!... when??? OMG the months are flying! I managed to get a few little greeting cards made, but time is running out! throw in Thanksgiving, and when will I do all of this!? Ok..so I'll do art all day Saturday, take down the ornaments on Sunday. Then I'll start photographing and scanning in the new art (not even made yet).. then list on Etsy during the week. Oh, did I mention I had to send my camera back for repairs again? It started "acting up", during my PSMWG Halloween party, turning the pictures Purple, so I sent it back last Tuesday. I'm hoping for a quick turn around again, and a camera that is functioning again. Maybe they'll just pitch it, and send me a new one!.. ha.. right.

So that's the latest "very exciting" news here in Brunswick, Ohio. I'm exhausted just thinking about my little chores just waiting to be done!

Since I don't have my camera, I wasn't able to take any pictures of the first "lovely" flakes of snow, so I decided to share some of my artwork that sold back when I used to sell on Ebay. Enjoy!

Happy belated 20th Birthday to LINDSEY over at "Two Crazy Crafters!" and hello to her mom Twyla, my faithful Blog watcher! I hope you had a wonderful birthday.
I really enjoyed reading the post about the day you were born! how amazing you are!