Happy Birthday to my Bestest Girls!

My bestest friends Karen and Mad share the same birthday! How synchronistic is that?! So here's to you my
superwarmcaringcompassionatewonderfulbrilliant
Grilfiends!!!
Love you!!!

{I've known Karen since BK (before kids) 21 years now and this old picture is the only one I have of her! We so need to change that!!!}

Lucky Duck!

I am soooooo SPOILED!!!

MandyKay made me a holder for my butterfly series ATCs. Isn't it gorgeous?!
Its all handmade, even the little pockets! That's a button, on a button, on a button, on a button, all held together with a heart brad. Cool!!!

She also sent me this running skellie pendant! It makes me giggle!

Love both!!! Thanks MK!!! : .)

Good Morning Sunshine

I forgot to extend 2 projects for work. the brain reminded me AFTER THE FACT with a bolt upright bodily reaction at 4:23 AM. still reeling from the shock of it all. I'm gonna be tired today.

the good news is I achieved consensus on the projects without knowing. I just checked. so all of the above was for nothing.

shower now. lotion, perfume, dress, brush, blow dry and off to GET A CHAI with 100 mg of caffeine. I may need a cup of earl grey green tea after that, then a cup of good earth's spiced tea, then a cup of jasmine tea. then maybe a ROCKSTAR too from vendoland, if there's pomegranate. oooh, the roach coach sells rockstar. yay for rockstar, yay for the roach coach.

can you just feel the enthusiasm?

I think I'll go to Maple Leaf and get donuts for my work peeps too. chocolate old fashioned. yeah.

habe a gud day, Amigos!!!

I'm Seeing Yellow!

I saw Lance Armstrong today. He rode not 5 feet away from me coming into the finish of his
65 mile ride. And me without my camera!!! (I also had a Kate Hudson sighting. She ran the 5K race and was nice enough to have her picture taken with a few enthusiastic spectators!) More volunteer work for the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Livestrong Challenge this morning.

I like to give back to my running community and I volunteer at races occasionally. I was really excited to be part of this event. I didn't think about the purpose of the LAF. I was more interested in supporting the runners of the 5K, the x-sis-in-law. I didn't realize how emotional I would be surrounded by cancer survivors, especially the children and participants in honor and in memory of, hearing their stories.

Yep, it was a really hard morning.

Still very weepy. The past 2 weeks, I have been missing my Mom something awful. Today made me miss her more.

I also finally finished watching Into the Wild.

oh.

wow.

RIPPLES...small ones. Big ones.

heavy sigh.

Days like this really make me think of what it means to live this life. What purpose does it have. Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing? What's the frickin' point!
There are those who's struggle is so much harder than mine, but...

I am sure mine is important too.

I want light and wishes and hopes. Dreams. Connection. Love. Fairy cupcakes. For this life to have meaning.

yeah.

big DUDE!

5 Things...

uh...

1. Vintage 3D letters that used to be used for titling home movies and slides...Duuude!
2. Fairy Circles
3. Visiting perfect bebé Owen
4. Visiting Thomas and Lucas
5. Strawberry Shortcake

Immunity?!

o.k. I so didn't ever watch Survivor, but I get the concept of immunity. My bloggy pal Sharmaine from Australia (Tasmania) is in a design team contest over at Project Scrap Away.

Sharmaine rocks scrap layouts like you wouldn't believe!!! She's often the inspiration for my own work, and loves paint even more than me!!!

Please toodle over to her blog as well as PSA's site and give her some love so she moves forward in the challenge (P.S. vote for her too...on the right side of the blog, under "Who Will Win PSA...click on her square...S Kruijver.)

Merci mes amis!!! Happy Friday!!!

The photo is of tissue and paint decorated coasters. And yes, I did get the inspiration from one of Sharmaine's challenge submittals!

Edited:

5 GOOD things...(yeah, I've been slacking!)

1. Volunteer work, stuffing goodie bags for the Lance Armstrong Foundation events in San Jose this weekend. So inspiring to be surrounded by cancer survivors. The oh so hot Dr. Steve is doing the 100 mile ride : .) The x-sis-in-law is doing the 5K.
2. Soluble fiber.
3. One of these. Jamaica ROCKS the clean elegant art!
4. Rainier cherries. Crunchy!
5. This post by Rumor!!! She's an amazing kid! Fairy cupcakes..imagine! Wow!!!

Follow Your Bliss!

that's Joseph Campbell

o.k.
its been quite a day.
Monday is always hard.
I got up late b/c I was so tired,
then my x-sis-in-law called to let me know
that my x-grandfather-in-law died this morning.

very heavy sigh.

I went over to hang out with her after work.
had pizza and wine.
she seems alright.

I only got my envelope album photographed tonite,
its hot and I am exhausted.
Warning: photo heavy...get yourself a lil drinky-poo and read on : .)

So, I was paying bills and was trashing the envelopes and that flash of insight occurred. I gathered up the envys, stacked, and stitched them together in a little album. I added some of my favorite quotes and favorite bits I've been collecting for awhile. I wasn't going to include photos, but since I was going to make the album about the things that are close to my heart, I had to have some more documentation.

Title page...The album is held closed with a hair bungee and a plastic pistol.

You can't see the clear flowers, but they're there, button and brad centers and all. Painted bubble wrap. "Ask.Believe.Receive" thats in the Bible ya know...The pix on the other page is of my painty hands, the quote is "all art is an attempt to map the territory of the heart."

This next page has a mulberry covered heart, angel wings, pixs of my spinal x-rays, (o.k. my blood, I poked myself with a pair of scissors while working on this, so I had to make it more dramatic!) and the quote "you've got to trust your instincts, and let go of regret," which trails to the opposing page later on. Ticket to a past Sharks game. On it is a picture of Scott Hannan, my favorite (X) Sharks player. In a Sharks 'zine during that season, there was a photograph of a 14ish yo girl standing on the glass during warm-up to a game, with a sign that said "Merry Me Scottie." My friend Mike said, "Linda, I didn't think you were at the game last night!" HAHA!


The next page has a piece of art I created based on an activity from a design class I took at a local community college. I used acrylic paints and various objects to "stamp" the paper. The quote here says "Living in process is being open to insight & encounter. Creativity is being intensively absorbed in the process & giving it form." Gosh, I love that!!! I love process!!!

The next, self-explanatory : .) That's a Disneyland price tag.


"Hold on tight to your dreams." I love dragonflies & I was made in Japan. Couldn't be a mini album about me without evidence of my running.


My favorite punched butterflies, vintage/antique trim and a plastic grasshopper. Didya know that I LOVE bugs?! "Follow Your Bliss!!!" Doncha just love how the colors of the embellishments coordinate with the envelope?!

Intention. Mine is to be a couple.

I love The Wizard of Oz. I can relate to the Wicked Witch of the West! (Elphaba, you know her if you saw Wicked). The quote is from a Lee jeans commercial, "Whatever you do, don't flinch!" Tea bag tags from the next page.

Starbucks! Ode to Starbucks!!! Oh yes, my alter ego... And there go those butterflies again!!!


Butterflies punched from recycled painted scrap paper. Fish skeleton stamped on acetate, more recycled scrap paper.


Ooooh, Mike Ness and a camera from a Nikon ad. Pix MadRetz took of me at Queen's Bath in Princeville on Kauai. What a lovely afternoon!


Fin!!! The End!!!


5 things good things...a bit hard today

1. Sleeping in
2. Wendy was working at Starbucks...Always a bright spot in the day!
3. Light traffic.
4. Pesto pizza.
5. A place to put my thots.

Good Day Sunshine

Some recent art:

Album for "The Art is Found." I may never complete a challenge, but I like how the cover turned out! Tattoo fabric as seen on SiljeVanilje's blog, (the pencil roll) stitched with felt for a quilted look. The flower was made with the same fabric, button/brad/bling, felt, and netting.


I've also posted pixs of the "Grow" album I made out of a kit I purchased at Picture Me perfect. I changed the title to say "Sweet Life." Maya road tree album, various papers, embellies...All about me!








CD embellies we made at stamp club last...painted CD pieces, buttons, glitter glue, bling, and stamps.


Did you miss me??? I popped out for a quick 5 mile run...Do any of you know why people would just sit in their cars parked by the side of the road? Its a conundrum.

Nikki Peterson's Journey album class was very cool! I didn't get a chance to take pixs MandyKay, I'll try to do it tomorrow : .) I stayed at the store and cropped, got most of Ragged's album done.

Today, I also got a bee in my bonnet (hee!) and made an album out of envelopes from my personal mail. Recycle yeah!!! Landfill, no!!! I added my favorite bits from my stash, favorite quotes, and some photos. I'll try to photograph that later too. It turned out rather neat!!!

I got tagged to play this lil online game by MandyKay , but since I've done this already, I'm gonna change some of the questions...Tagees, feel free to answer which ever questions you prefer!

Game guidelines:

Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 4 people and posts their names with links to their blog, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

Question #1
What was I doing 10 months ago? (Original Q: What was I doing 10 years ago?)

Hoping to get the all clear to run from the HOT Dr. Steve. That was a negative, Ghostrider.

Question #2
5 things on my to do list for today:

Journal and chai @ Starbucks, art, art, art, run
: .) Is there anything else?

Question #3
Snaks I enjoy:

Clementines...ok, most fruit, Jamba Juice, cupcakes, toast or tortillas with butter.

Question #4
Things I would do if I were a millionare:

Buy a house, travel to Ireland/Wales, Greece, Japan, donate to a literacy type cause.

Question #5
Places I have traveled to by plane in the past 5 years: (Original Q: Places I have lived.)

Chicago, IL; Research Triangle Park, NC; Portland, OR; Mexico City, Mexico; Kempner, TX; Kauai, HI; Paris, and various cities in the South of France.

Ok so my 4 tagees are...

Willow Grace [Mad]
Madame Cupcake [Lisa]
So Dear to My Heart [Linda]
Write On [Ragged]

Of course, if you'd like to play along...Rock on!!!

Ok, and enough with the fireworks people. The 4th is O.V.E.R. Did you know that Big Sur is STILL burning?! Sheesh!!! (Off my pedestal now!)

Habe a gud week, Friends!!! : .)

Edited: I forgot my 5 things for today...

1. protein/fruit shakes
2. the realization of how far I've come in my running since last year!
3. memories of my mom
4. new bras, jeans, and blouses (I went shopping, even tho' I only like to shop for scrapbook supplies)
5. I decided "not" to get a donut this morning, LOL!!!

coming in for a landing

5 things...

1. Sleeping in.
2. 8 miles.
3. Nikki's class.
4. Almost finishing an album for Ragged.
5. Email from Dub-ya who will be visiting SF at the end of July.
oh, and a sixth that I didn't note yesterday...
6. Phone convo with Lolo (SisTa Linda : .)

Posting pixs of stuff tomorrow!

Independence Day

Happy 4th!!!

* * * * *

Edited: 5 good things...

1. Easy, no stress morning.
2. Push-ups.
3. Whole Wheat Pasta.
4. Chating with MandyKay
5. Taking time to bake Red Velvet cupcakes from scratch!

5 Good Things About Today...

1. Patricia stopped by and commented on my blog!
2. The many things that aligned in such a way to put Jim across the table from me at lunch!
3. Scrapbook kits!
4. Internet pen pal, Susan and our cool "conversations"!!!
5. 60 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

Girl G is Visitin'!

Danielle is here for a short visit! I call her Girl G b/c I was told that everyone on a hockey team calls the goalie, "G," when they don't know their name. So...established: Danielle is a girl and she plays netminder in ice hockey. She's one tough cookie! Her goal is to deny yours!!! LOL!

Danielle used to live in the Bay Area, but she abandoned me for love and a life in a smoggy, congested region of the state, otherwise known as Los Angeles. Hopefully in the near future she and the significant other will move back to NorCal and make me really happy.

Had dinner with and will then be off with to watch Jimmy (you know, MadRetz's hubby) in an ice hockey scrimmage with the team GG used to stand in for goal. Maybe hottie ice hockey boy Calvin will be playing tonight and distract me from frostbite!

Could it get any better???

Happy, happy!!! : .)

The photo is of the two of us in 2005 when we went to the OC so GG could try out for the USA Women's Olympic ice hockey team!

Sunday Night

This evening I boiled eggs until the water disappeared. There was the smell and there was this weird crackling sound.

I was distracted.

Dropped half my clean laundry on the floor of the laundry room.

I was uncoordinated.

I think its time for bed.

Art:

OBEY Butterfly - Art card, #9 In the butterfly series.
Inspired by (Frank) Shepard Fairey and the OBEY Giant phenomena.
Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking either!

I take that back, one of the security guards at work has an OBEY poster of Hillary Clinton pointing out like that "We Want You!" guy encouraging men to join the army. Is that Uncle Sam? Urgh, it is late...

Butterflies are so innocuous, ya know?!

OBEY Butterfly!!!

Time Flies - Art card, #10 in the butterfly series.

Doncha just love the crackle paint?!

Chilaxin'. This wasn't on the art agenda this weekend, it kinda just created itself.
Inspired by the art goddess, MandyKay : .)

Mandy, I tried the current Sketch This challenge, #54!

I'm holding a bottle of that new Miller Chill. Its a LIGHT beer, tastes like it, and is only 2 Weight Watchers points. Its selling point, I believe is supposed to be the hint of lime and salt flavor, but it doesn't taste like lime or salt until its warm. And Miller is ick when its warm!

Close-up of the skellies!

Some art cards for my SiStv Happy Mail Swap partner Sarah. I hope she likes 'em!
(Check the Mandy influence goin' on with the last card!)

Working on a trade for Brandy over at SiStv too.

Ragged, I swear, your album is NEXT : .)

Crafty Morning

Took this cute, cute tag class from Kerry Lynn Yeary today.

Didn't learn anything new, but...

It was fun to use so many different types of media and techniques: paper, old quilt bits, felt, embroidery, shipping tags, transparencies, stickers, vintage sheet music, pleating.

There's something soothing and comforting about running a needle and thread thru cloth and pleating paper. Maybe its the repetition? Traveling back to simpler times? I just don't know!

I did take artistic license, changed some of the words and modified the words and the decorations on the HAPPY tag : .) GRACE is a nod to my girl, MadRetz.

Otherwise, been lazing the day away, as its quite hot. Walked over to the really small art show at the museum on the next block (I can hear the jazz music from my apartment!), had a chai, did a short 7 mile run. Debating what to cook for dinner...

Good stuff!

The New Do

My photography skills could be improved...but you get the picture, yesh???

Before

After

The jury is still out, methinks!

DUDE!!!

tee hee hee!!!

(Pearls Before Swine 6/19/08)

Fudgesicles and Green Turquoise

Sittin' here eatin' my second fudgesicle instead of the piece of cake I wanted. sigh. At least they're only 2 Weight Watcher's points a piece. Add to that a group of grapes, 3 corn tortillas with mantequilla, a scoop of cookie dough, and a mini pack of pez.

Indecision...YES!!!

Cooking...NO!

So, it hasn't been such a healthy fuds day. I'm still contemplating getting off my big butt and going to Safeway for that cake!!!

OK, what is really going on here??? I need to sit still with it and process instead of eating random stuff. Eek!!!

Posting pixs of the necklace I made as part of a trade with MandyKay. She got the necklace today
: .) The photos do not do it justice, the necklace is really pretty IRL. I was really pleased with the outcome. Green turquoise, (I don't think it comes like this naturally, it must be dyed) copper spacers, multiple seed beads, handmade Etsy charm. Fun to make!!!

Random art tip...I found this on the DIY network. A tutorial for wood-grain paper! Wood-grain is HOT!!! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!!!

Ok, done typing...Over and out, Peeps!!!

Frog Princes and Wood Nymphs

Been feelin' like a homebody these days, not interested much in interacting with the world at large. Did get invited to go dancing on Saturday night, but a little stomach bug decided to make a visit, so after my run on Saturday am, I was stuck at home.

Did some more scrapbooking, those 2 pages took the entire weekend! Sheesh! MadRetz took this pix of me at an antique store in Sonora. (We were visiting her cabin.)

"You have to kiss a lot of FROGS...Still looking for PRINCE CHARMING. Maybe the FROG is the better choice!"

Silly, but oh so true for moi! Also, gotta love those photobooth strips! If you wanna know how to make 'em, here's a tutorial. I used PhotoShop Elements 3.

The other layout was inspired by MandyKay. MadRetz took this pix while we were on a little nature hike, visiting Mendocino/Fort Bragg in 2004. (4 years ago, my goodness time flies!!!). Mandy custom made the mushroom, which I purchased from her Etsy TheLilMonsterShoppe.

That's it!!!

Monday always comes so quickly!!! Off to bed for me, work tomorrow!!!

Be well friends!!!