Christmas Traditions Day 8- more traditions

Well, I seemed to come up with enough traditions to keep me going so far, one week down, 2 to go! That's right, Christmas is just around the corner, time to get all those last minute things done that you have been putting off. Sending cards, baking your time is running out.

My dear friend Marta has some wonderful traditions in her home. Every year she makes Tamales for her family to enjoy on Christmas eve. In 2007 I got my first lesson in Tamale making from an authentic Hispanic friend, Marta! LOL We had so much fun and I learned some of the family secrets, which I have been sworn to secrecy. Marta even took the time to make a book of recipes and family pictures which she presented to her family that Christmas. What a wonderful, personalized gift for a family. There are many places where you can just download your pictures and with pre-formatted pages its pretty easy! Check out Marta's blog and read about her family traditions. I think for a small fee you might be able to buy one of her books! LOL

Another Muskateer birthday

It was Dawn's birthday weekend, Mike planned this wonderful getaway at a Winery and spa. He called a bunch of her friends and asked us to come down and surprise her, we did! What fun we had. We started in the wine tasting room where we all purchased some wine. Mike made his way to their little suite where he set out all the wonderful food he had smuggled down for the occasion. Dawn was so surprised and we had a wonderful time laughing, tasting wine, eating and meeting new friends. What a great way to spend a birthday... hint, hint.

Long Beach Quilt Show

Well, as rumors have it, some of you know that Marta and I went to the Quilt Show in Long Beach, CA on Friday. I have classes planned all day Saturday so our plan was to go check in and see the show then I would attend classes Saturday, while Marta went to the Aquarium of the Pacific to sketch and paint.

The show was great, we almost ran through it though since we didn't have a full day and we were starving. Lots of vendors and some cool quilts. I love the art quilts, since that's what I do.

Here are a few of the entries, great stuff!

We stayed at the Hyatt, and had a wonderful room overlooking the harbor! The lights were amazing as was the view, from our window we could see the Queen Mary and the dome for the Spruce Goose.

After the quilt show we changed and decided to walk around a bit before deciding where we would eat. We walked down one of the main restaurant rows where the eatery's lined each side of the street. There was live jazz bands playing and the hustle and bustle of the city hummed around us. It was still a bit early so we walked up and down the street reading the menus that were displayed in front of every restaurant. We originally wanted to eat at this little hole in the wall, cafe, wine bar, art gallery, it sounded perfect. When we got there it was a little lack luster and there sandwich type menu wasn't what we had hoped for so we kept walking. There were plenty of people walking the streets and the police were everywhere. They were on horseback, bicycles, cars, walking, they were all over. Every restaurant had outside seating along the street and I wondered if they appreciated the police on horseback or not, considering that the horses would leave gifts wherever they pleased.

We decided on Sevillas, a familiar place where we found things that sounded good. We ordered Sangrittas (Sangria/Margarita combo) and sat outside so we could enjoy the city. It was interesting to be sitting amongst smokers, most restaurants have banned smoking but I guess outside in Long Beach its still OK. We had our fill and walked along the boardwalk and the pier. Marta was watching moving stars in the sky(she swears they were moving) as I watched the people walking and bands playing. It just proves that you don't have to go far to feel like a vacation! We tried to talk her hubby into coming down to see us but he couldn't so we just waved at all the other firemen that drove by.

My classes were good too, the first was taught by and IQA judge and she was teaching binding finishes. Can I say BORING but I got through it. She was a bit slow and methodical in her approach and she had a hard time explaining herself to the class. I wont do that one again. I loved, loved my second class. It was called Fabric Graffiti and we painted, stamped, drew and colored on both fabric and paper. It was a wonderful creative class, very relaxed and the time flew by. I could of stayed in that class another 3-4 hours easy. These are just backgrounds for either journaling or collaging or whatever. Some I am not done with yet, can't wait to come up with a way to use them.

Peaches in Crystal

Today was really great. Marta got home and came right over so we could play with our new paints and brushes. We had a wonderful visit, she shared all her wonderful sketches, we had lunch and then after painting we swam. It was wonderful. When Randy got home he played cabana boy and made us martini's and served us at pool side, wow, what a day! This is my painting with my new colors, very clean and transparent colors, I like!

Pool and painting, doesn't get much better than that!!

Today we were being baked alive as the sun heated us into the triple digits. Marta came over and we had lunch, swam and watched my grandkids. It was a much deserved lazy day as we drank sangria and thumbed through magazines. It was so nice to just visit and hang out with a friend. So much is going on in her life, I hope she will start to heal. The pool is staying at about 82 degrees now so its easier to get in and it still feels refreshing. Its funny how much work it is to just lay out by the pool. We have to make sure everything is shaved, pulled up, pulled in and we have to have a cute bathing suit and cover up. Waterproof makeup if you decide to wear it and a cute hat, sunscreen and a recent pedicure. Sunglasses, music, reading material and a towel all just to relax. LOL That calls for a nap! I think Marta headed home to do just that.

I did make myself pull out my much neglected paint brushes and paint and do the Wet Canvas WDE challenge. Here is the girls husband, Duane. He has a great smirk and I loved the picture. Maybe he was checking us out by the pool!! We did look pretty cute.

Dinner with Friends

I invited Marta and Rudy over for dinner last night. The weather was getting quite blustery and waited to hear if Marta had to work or not. They arrived about 6ish and she brought me a beautiful colander from the cooking store, filled with lemons and blood oranges from her tree. We had a wonderful dinner. Randy braved the elements to barbecue our steaks and I made rice pilaf and a salad. We sat and talked about their trip to Europe over some wine and dinner. It was such a wonderful relaxing evening, dreaming about all those exotic places that they got to see. Cheers! I am so excited to get two more pieces of fruit for my fruit series! Thanks Marta and Rudy! Here is the sketch of my gift with fruit, done in my handmade watercolor sketch book!

So Thankful for.....

I am doing a ATC exchange at Wet Canvas. I love to do these cuz they are fast and fun and I enjoy getting surprises in the mail! Marta and I have our own exchange, its an TATC, which is travel ATC. We paint something from places we have been and send to each other. We started last year and to be honest, Marta has owed me one for sometime and she goes to all the good places!!!!! I received this beautiful ATC from her a few days ago. It is just beautiful and she wrote a little story of when she was in Paris with Rudy and how its her favorite city. We artists have this wonderful gift where we can freeze a moment in time and then share with others. I love sharing her travel adventures with her, I hope that this year we will have lots more to share. This is Notre Dame Cathedral. It also came in a great little envelope that she had done at Moo.com. On one side she wrote me a note and the other side was one of her tomatoe paintings. It was almost like two gifts.

Home again

I got home safely but I was in such a bad mood getting home. I think its that coming off the mountain let down. I enjoyed having some time to myself and it was hard to get back to my reality. I was really getting into a good pity party when I figured I best stop now or end up in the black hole of despair. I don't know why I would be feeling like that. I had just spent the last three days playing, laughing, sewing, being cooked for, someone making my bed and cleaning our room each morning. HMMMMM

The weekend was fun and we laughed so hard my sides hurt. I can't remember the last time I laughed like that! Oh my, what a story, to long to share but Ursula and Marta know what I am talking about here. Marta, Dawn and I all shared a room. Dawn got us a gift bag of bath goodies which she put on our nightstand. Then everynight she read to us until we fell asleep. Wow, that was the best! Thanks Dawn! Her voice was like music that just quietly lulled us to sleep. On Saturday we walked down to the main street and had breakfast on the patio while the mexican women that worked there made fresh tortillas. Saturday night the whole group went to a resturant we go to each year and had a wonderful dinner. I got alot of quilting done, Marta taught us all to bind books and Dawn knitted Christmas gifts for her hubby. It felt as though our friendly group was a bit clicky this trip. I know there was some tension with some of the women in the group and I just wish we could all just get along!!! I volunteered to have the Christmas party at my house on the 7th so I need to get busy and finish the yard! I will post my new sketch book tomorrow. I love it, it turned out so great, I have yet to sketch in it. LOL It seems to be so hard to make that first mark.

" The Little Artist's"

Saturday was my latest venture with the Plein Aire group, this time Marta went along. We agreed to paint at a function called "Art in the Garden" at some private homes that were having tours through their gardens. They scattered the artists at all the homes that were on the tour. Marta and I were assigned to the same home. We decided to walk the property and decide where we would paint without all our gear first. We were required to paint from 10:30 - 4:30. It was only 10 am but it was in the 80's, we knew it was going to be a long, hot day. At one point during the day the owner, showing the property, referred to us as "the little artists". We had to laugh because we knew she was referring to her assumption of our social status but we decided to claim it as our body size. Its all in your perspective, right!? I have decided that everyone has an opinion about artists, maybe because the term is over used and is too vague. I hate to even call myself artists most of the time because I think people expect someone with blue hair and tons of jewelry with only part of their brain working. I think I look too main stream to qualify, so who really qualifies as an artist? Is it an education in art, or a teaching degree, award winning recognitions or just a gift to create. This word "Artist" is used to describe painters, sculptures, people who draw, designers, quilters, hair stylists, and Michelangelo. There seems to be no true qualifications to call ourselves artists, we can just assume the title. Years ago you had to study under the masters as an apprentice for years before you could consider yourself an artist. So maybe, we are little artists, that's OK, because its a journey. We come with different skill sets and exposure but with a desire to learn and improve, so I will enjoy being little because I have the ability to grow.

Here are my two paintings I did, they are fair, not too exciting, this plein aire thing is almost as challenging as some of the people I have met lately.