Jeff and I

Jeff looks good, I look weird-
I like the black in Jeff's shirt. It really adds balance and grounds the image.

me and mom and dad

wine bar at santana row

santana row today

from the front yard at 606

up in the middle of the night. allergies keeping me awake. ugh.

made this one so it's  not a totally bad night.

my best pics today

this is what I did today

art is coming to town!

so I can't wait to see this!
http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15087703

the Impressionists are coming to the DeYoung. Wow- no need to go to Paris this summer!
I know the lines will be dreadful but it will be worth the anxiety!

I am listing notecards now on etsy with some new creations. one at least a day is my goal. no sales but in time.

tinting

here's my creative energy for today... also did a rose you can see at Etsy... I am learning!!

bubbles

my dog Bubbles with her new haircut. She isn't like this normally! She should look like a cotton ball.

using the "Good camera"

I went out a dusk and shot a few pics, here's some I tinkered with.. not too much though!
also one from my shoes and a glass I like!

when can the online class start!? I am really excited about this. maybe I'll get an email soon :)

Either way I am out doing something artistic. That's a plus!

first photos

this is one of my favorite rose bushes in the garden.

most of my first photos for my pre-class practice came out out of focus. this is a little bit, but looks pretty.

here's using the "flower mode"- classic up close shot

last one for today...

I like it.

spring rain

it's gorgeous outside. misty Monday. not too cold, just a little chill in the wind.
this morning I went outside to practice taking a few pictures with my digital camera. since I signed up for a class I felt like I should get out and start learning on my own just a bit. burned out my battery in 20 minutes!

i wish i could take pics like this..

soon... just you watch!!!

so far it's just backyard shots. I'll put a few up if I get the courage later..

happy Monday

Mother's Day

somehow i got the gift of having mother's day brunch with my whole family at Amber Indian restaurant at Santana Row. It was soooo good.

http://www.amber-india.com/SantanaRow/home.htm

food: four stations, grilled, a soup/ noodle station, huge dessert station, grill inside! and giant pineapples for Mama Tai's and champagne flowing freely.

dress: hard not to stare at the beauty surrounding me. women with their finest Indian saris and tops, bindis with jewels, the colors of turqoiuse and fuschia and dandelion.

three hours later i am still full, dreading any thought of cooking dinner. i am thinking of a beer and a salad. ok maybe just a salad!


the spice of the food hits my body in the same way the beauty of all the color does. it makes me want to soak it in and feel alive and full. full of love, knowledge, spirit.

i'm not a Hindu, but i love the idea of the bindi and the third eye. perhaps this summer i will again use the warm months to remember the spirit in me. do more yoga, be calm inside and out. 

my daughter gave me my mother's day gift wrapped in hot pink tissue paper.

i think i will tape it up by my desk to remind me of the passion for life i have.

e course for photographers

i just signed up for an e course (online) in photography. i am pretty excited. lots of pictures, weekly assignments and you don't have to physically go anywhere to meet up which fits me wonderfully!

it's here in case you are interested..

http://aliceinparislovesartandtea.blogspot.com/p/sensational-snap-society.html

so that's my art for the day. i am signed up.

I think I sent the wrong address to the letter group

here's where my brain is... we just bought a new house. I know the address one minute and then forget it the next. is it 4991 or 3991? back and forth.

I, in my haste, believe I emailed the letter penpal group the wrong digits for the new house. So the house at 3991 (if there is one) will receive a letter from God knows where for no reason. Kind of a fun thought though! it makes me think of what might happen - a spontaneous penpal - maybe a new friend in France all because of a number mistake.

http://artfulpenpals.blogspot.com/

i had better fix this.

no art ideas today. I am halfway through making a puzzle with my daughter and that's fueling the creative fire.
it's an I Spy puzzle with some pretty little treasures from nature. a few flowers, driftwood, oak ball, a cork, ..

i think i'll be using my best color sense looking at carpet samples today. i want to pick a great deep brown color for my bedroom, but that might be too hot to look at in the summer. i like the island look of white with dark brown, touches of coral and sage and fern - dove grey and some ultramarine and turquoise.I love love love the idea of an all white bedroom. impractical? not really. you can bleach it! well, mostly. anyway, so what - it's what i like.

happy saturday

Letter writing group!

I was searching for online e courses on photography after hearing about one from a friend. This one is called Abbey of the Arts. It was full up till next session. So, page after page I found a link on the side of this blog: http://aliceinparislovesartandtea.blogspot.com/  and saw a letter writing campaign:
http://artfulpenpals.blogspot.com/ I love it!
Writing real letters to people and receiving them! Sounds nuts, but it's kind of a cool, old fashioned "Griffin and Sabine" kind of idea. Using our creative side to make a letter for someone halfway or more around the world. It satisfies the desire to use beautiful stickers, paper, penmanship, and even makes me want to write with careful thought and wording. I don't know the last time I got a real letter that wasn't a card. I really hope I get to do this. If not I'll have to find a penpal some other way who also wants to write cool artsy letters.  Maybe I'll meet a nice lady in England this summer and I can start a penpal that way.