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!