Arriving at Indiannapolis

 Natalie and I

Audrey Myer and I

With Audrey and Lynn

Natalie and I

I just got back from going to Delta Gamma's National Convention.  Had a great time with friends in my chapter, Natalie and 3 friends from college.  Two of them I had not seen since college days.  They had an actual race car painted for Convention.  I received the Outstanding Alumnae Officer Award for my region. 

Andrea at Camp

So Ken just got back from visiting Andrea at SCICON's Summer Camp in the Sierras.  She took some great pictures.  They discovered a great place to see the Sequoia. Check out her blog for the pictures:  andreawayte.blogspot.com

Kristina's Mad Dog paper cutouts

My daughter, Kristina, works as a digital artist for Kabam, a social gaming company.  Here's a link to her latest work creating "Mad Dog" paper cutouts for a game called, "Realm of the Mad Gods".  http://blog.wildshadow.com/

I always love to see what she is up to.

Day 2 - 75 Day Sketch Challenge

Today is Day 2 of the 75 Day Sketch Challenge.  Got my hair done today and brought my sketchbook along with me.  Decided I would use good time management skills and get my hair color and sketch done at the same time.  I did the sketch of the chair at the salon. Added the other items in the sketch and the color at home.  Still trying to get this "cross hatching" thing going.  Got a new pen that should help-Pitt XS.

Day 1 - 75 Day Sketch Challenge

Started my 75-Day Sketch Challenge today.  Why today?  I'm not sure.  Hope I don't get behind.  Pleased with my first day's sketch.  Brenda Swenson swears by the fact that you improve after 75 days.  We'll see.

Had a fun time with my daughter, Natalie today.  We had breakfast out, went to the movies and saw Rock of Ages, and then went shopping.  I was on the hunt for a white linen dress for New Orleans' White Linen Night in August.  I got lucky and found it!

Sewing in French

Finished my "Sewing in French" painting yesterday.  I am planning to hang it in my sewing room/laundry room.  The fabric in the room's valance provided the inspiration for the colors, objects and words.  All the words are in French.  It's collaged with papers and painted with watercolors and gold paint.  I only need it critiqued now before framing.

Today is my weekly watercolor workshop.  It's a workshop in which we paint anything we want and get help from our teacher, Teri Gammalo.  I always look forward to this day.  I get together with about 10 artists.  Today, I am going to continue working on my latest abstract piece with sewing objects.  Going to hang this one in my sewing/laundry/art room.  The inspiration for the painting comes from the fabric curtain in the room that has sewing objects and  writing in French on it.  I'll post it as I go along.  I don't have a title for it yet.  Any suggestions?

Paintings accepted in Orange County Fair

So these are the entries that were selected for this year's Orange County Fair.  Who knows what they are looking for and why they pick a painting.  Each judge looks differently at the same painting. Submitted 5 and got 3 selected-I was happy about that. 

Andrea's Solo Bike Trip

Trying to get used to the fact that Andrea wants to take a solo bike trip this summer from Portland to Santa Cruz.  She is planning it out.  I don't think it is unusual for a mother to worry, so I think this is a normal feeling on the subject.  I am sure she can do it.  I think next it will be rock climbing.  Got to get used to her adventurous spirit.

Father's Day

Spent Father's Day with Ken and Natalie.  We went to Mesa Verde Country Club for a Pancake breakfast.  Ken spent the day watching the US Open.

Mother's Day Weekend

I spent Mother's Day weekend with my daughters, Natalie and Kristina.  We stayed at the Sheraton Marina Hotel in San Diego.  We planned to go to the Gator by the Bay Festival.  On Friday night, we picked up Natalie and ate a great restaurant, Brazen Barbecue, in the Hillcrest neighborhood.  We ate crawfish and other dishes, listened to music, attended cooking demonstrations, and made crazy paper hats.  On Sunday, we ate at Searsucker Restaurant in the Gaslamp Quarter, for Mother's Day.  Natalie gave me a silver anchor bell and Andrea gave me a camping memories picture frame with a picture of her and I building a snowman at SCICON where she works.  It was a great weekend and one that I will treasure.

Picking up the Coachella Music Festival trash bin

Went to visit Kristina in San Francisco.  Had a great visit.  We went to some great restaurants.  Discovered one in an alley way that had about 7 restaurants.  We ate at Tiramasu.  Got to meet Kristina's boyfriend, Zach.  We got to play tourist-went on a double-decker bus tour.  We picked up the trash bin she painted for the Coachella Music Festival art contest.  The trash bin turned out great.  The only thing bad about it was the drive to Los Angeles with it-the smell of the paint & varnish was overwhelming.  Try driving 7 hours with the windows down on the 5 Freeway!

Just start somewhere . . .

I took a journaling class and the teacher made a great statement.  She said, "Instead of waiting to start-just start somewhere."  I think that can apply to many things besides starting a journal.  I get hung up on "starting a sketchbook" because I think it has to be chronological order.  It's the same with a scrapbook.  I am learning just to start somewhere rather than not to start at all.  So it's been a while since I tried my hand at blogging.  I gave it up and have decided to give it a try again.  As much time as I spend at the computer, at least I can find 2 minutes to post something.  I am not sure who will read it!