MORE PUZZLE PICS....

Here's a few more puzzle pieces. There is so many wonderful pieces, I wish I could show you all of them!
I just got an email from Kelly, and we're gonna do another Altered puzzle project!!! yay! I think I 'm going to have "Vintage Halloween" for my theme.
Here's a link to Kathy & Kelly's awesome Pottery place called "SPIRIT OF CLAY" check it out, and stop in, if you are around the Cleveland, Mayfield Hts. area.
Well, we're having a little hot spell here in Cleveland. It's not too humid, so I will live.
And, we'll have a "cool front" come through, and it will be cooler soon.

I'm hosting my 2nd. PSMWG art night, this Saturday. I love that I'm doing art with my best girlfriends! and I love that they love it too!... Pictures to follow.

I'm likin' my new job. still not crazy about the hours, but I get to "chill out" in the morning, like I am right now, watching Martha Stewart.. (not a really big fan, but nothing much else to watch) I'm getting used to driving home late at night, and the time at work goes really fast. So... my next plan, is to work on moving! whoa... scary. I've been in this house since 1995, 3 years up (I live in a double).. and the rest down here. I've become very attached to this house, but I have already begun "separating" myself from "it"......I'm looking forward to a smaller place (less to clean!)... and apartment life. I'm looking forward to living in Brunswick, (that's if I get the apartment I have my eye on there!).... and I'm looking forward to living just down the street from my sister Deb and her husband Herb. She and I can "hang out" together! I'll also be closer to my best friend Gloria "G".. and another friend Laure. It's all very exciting, and a little nerve wracking, coordinating money, and moving, with the new job. I fast forward to the Winter, and hope I'll be all done with the BIG move, and settled by then.
SOOOO... anyway.... It's only 11 a.m... and I still have a few hours to "play".... before work. I think I'll do some cleaning or art?.... hmmmmm that's hard to chose... ya right... well... maybe I'll wait till that cool air blows through... don't want to bust a sweat now do I?

Nothing much else happening. I'm just adjusting to the new job, and the hours. Trying to work on some new collages, and a few orders I have.

Life is good.
M

FEAST YOUR EYES...

Here's a few more puzzle pics... ENJOY!...
more coming soon..
also check my website for even more...
www.artkissed.com



..............have a wonderful week!
bless you...
~MaryEllen~

AND THE PUZZLE CAME TOGETHER...

Yayyyyy! the puzzle is complete! We all gathered on Saturday, to swap back, all our our finished puzzle pieces, and the result was spectacular! Such imagination! such creativity! I just loved them all. The first picture, is my finished puzzle. I had several themed pieces, including all 4 seasons, hearts, stars, the 50's..... Just look at it! We all "took turns"opening" our pieces, then passed them around for all to see. Nothing but "ooooh" "ahhhhhh" and "OMG" could be heard. I loved this project so much. The photos also shown: my contribution to my sister susan's puzzle, the them was "peace" for this piece.
The next photo is of Susans completed puzzle... wayyyy coool huh???!! The bottom picture is Terri's completed puzzle, that had the theme "Oriental".... wow.
I took pictures of all the pieces, unfortunately, I forgot to put my camera on "macro"... and a lot of them are blurred.
It was so fun hanging out at our host Maureen & Terri's house, with this creative bunch of women. We dined on Casadilla's and potluck goodies. Afterwards, my sister and I, stopped over at Kathy & Kelly's house. I loved all the cool, original artwork at both homes. Marlane, and partner Sue, were there too, and we sat around talking about the puzzles, art ideas, drinking coffee and eating chocolate cake! ... did you hear what I said?... "ART"... "CHOCOLATE"... FRIENDS?"... does it get any better? : )
So, now our next project is "INCHIES"... I've heard of them, but never did them before. They're 1 x 1 inch square little artworks. We'll all make 10..... then, make copies (one for each person participating). then pass them out. Everyone will get 10 pieces from each person... and ... in the end, I'lll end up with 100 pieces of art! The theme will be "color" each person drew a color, and that will be the domanent color in the piece. I picked "White"... challenging, but I think it can be very cool! So, We'll all meet up again, at the end of September to exchange pieces. What an interesting collage, these pieces of tiny art will make!
Another weekend gone. I will start my regular work hours tomorrow, 4 p.m.-11 p.m... ugh... Oh.. if I forgot to mention it.. and you may have guessed, I'm finally back to work, at a new job, in a call center. Already the calls are proving to be very.. uh.... interesting! I'm not crazy about the hours, but I do like being able to stay up late and sleep in. I just don't like the driving hope late at night. Oh well, guess we can't have everything.

Ok, I'll post some more pictures of individual
pieces... the ones that arent' blurred!

HI MARLANE!... Thanks for reading my blog..... !

ANCESTORS....

I'm obsessed!

I'm obsessed with finding my Ancestors! I've always been intrested in doing a family tree. We have the general line started on my mothers side. But after visiting the Ancestry.com website, and meeting a long lost cousin (who I never met before) through a posting, I found (he found) a whole bunch more! He is a geneaologist! He has spent the last 7 years tracking his/our family line. He's gone all the way back to the Late 1600's!

My daughter Jamie, (who has also become obsessed) and I, were practicallly in tears, when our new found cousin, sent a Word Doc, 22 pages long, tracing my mother's maternal side. Then he sent a 188 page Doc, tracing my Mother's paternal side!!! I felt like I had struck gold!

That was last Wednesday. I haven't been able to stop reading since. All the Births, deaths, Marriages, Baptisms.

I always knew about my "Famous" realatives. The one's who settled an area in Alabama, called Bon Secour. It was named by my 5th. Great Grandfather: "Jacques Cook" According to the information, he was a young man from Montreal Canada, who came apon the shores of Mobile Bay.

Many documents, trace his time in Bon Secour, as well as his sons and grandsons. My Great Aunt Edna lived in the house Jerome (her grandfather) had built.

Also, on her property sits a beautiful little white church, Built by Nicholas Cook, called "Our Lady of Bon Secour"(Shown in picture) Named by my Great Grandmother (Odile pictured above) that still stands today. There is so much history in this little town. There is even a family Cemetery across from the church, where many of my family members are buried, including Nicholas I & II, and there children Jonathan Cook, and Jerome Cook.

After reading My grandmothers line, I learned the name of another "Grandmother" Her name was Isabella Bertrand, Who married Syvestre Gomez. I did a search online, and I found a photo of Isabella's headstone, in St. Michael's Cemetary in Florida. (See photo) She lived to be 103 years old! as it states on the s head stone.

Also pictured above: Top left: My great grandmother Nancy Jain Lantron Cook, Top right: A young Odile Bertrand. With the image below that, of her older. Below that, is her daughter Honorine Bertrand. The young girl is Honorine's daughter, Mary... my mother!

Here is a link to more information on the beautiful , historical little town of Bon Secour, Alabama. The maps are especially interesting, as they show the land my gr. gr. gr. .... grandfather's owned.. ( see the names: Nicholas & John Cook) Aslo realated to me Are Henry, and Alexander Baudin.

I learned a lot of things about my ancestors. Some things were surprising, others shocking.

But I feel like I know them a little better now. And what kind of lives they might have had. To them I say thank you! I love you all!

Go find your family!