Friday's Found Objects

FRIDAY'S FOUND OBJECTS...............

Newly items added each Friday to our online store

These are a few items this Friday November 23rd!

Giving Thanks!

Ok, It is cold here! Yikes, So the flowers make me feel summery!

The Thanksgiving Holiday was yesterday! Thinking about Thanksgiving makes me think of.........STRESS!

Why you ask???? Ok, only those who have sane families have to ask this question!

Basically, in our family the stress comes from the overly ambitious menu for Thanksgiving. Not by me of course, she who can heat up a frozen pot pie in 6 minutes..

It is my Mom! I love her but she needs to know that the amount of food does not indicate the success of a holiday meal!

But to my surprise to me this year, It was simple.....

Meat (Turkey- Which had a moment of crisis because the balance on the rotisserie for the grill was not quite right), Potatoes (Sweet & Mashed- ok a little over the top on the carbs), Stuffing (a must for Thanksgiving, yet more carbs), Brussel Sprouts (really good but mostly for my 10 year old, he is cute but weird (I mean that lovingly becuz who at 10 years old luvs brussel sprouts) & two pies (pumpkin & Walnut-tradition)




More Flowers..... My feet are getting cold!


So, I started to think about Giving Thanks!

Not the holiday, but what I am thankful for.


For those of you who know me, I don't pour out the compliments, flow with gushing, gushyness.



But I am grateful, every single moment of every single day! I know that is hard to believe that one can feel that when one cuts you off in traffic, is short with you on the phone, wants more than you can possible deliver...........................


I look beyond that in a person, in a moment......... That moment is what it is and I am not responsible for that reaction.


What I can enjoy is those who cross my path.................... My Friends (which really encompass lots.....each one who walk into my doors at the store, those who email me and so much more)


I cannot truly express my gratefulness in words.... It truly comes from the heart.

I am grateful that I feel this on a daily basis!

My wish for you is that you do too!

A Sad Day!

We had to put our family dog "Max" down today!

He lived 17 years.

The past 2 weeks, we could see each day his quality of life was not what it used to be.

A hard decision but a more peaceful way for him to go.

It totally sucks that pets have short life spans.

Max, you will be missed.... Mostly, by your boys! Rest in Peace!

deMeng de los Muertos

Now, How was Mexico? You ask?







Fabulous! I have never been to Mexico so when I found out that Michael deMeng was doing a workshop in Mexico and over de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I knew I had to go!







It could not have come at a better time for me! I have been stretched pretty thin trying to balance everything, running away for 10 days to a whole different world was just what I needed!







We had the most amazing group of people who attended the workshop! I got to spend some time with several people from The Artists' Nook network of friends. It was great to have that time away from the shop to spend with them. Connie, Karen, Laurie, Tom, DeeDee, Joe, Fran and an extension of these friends, Amy & Kathy who have visited The Artists' Nook in the past.







I had a really fun roommate, Wendy! Plus new friends, Colleen (the other), Lisa, Melissa, Ramona, Dianne, Sue, Marcia, Kristy, Marilyn, Syd

Colleen Darling coordinated this trip and did a 5 star job at it! She found us the best tour guide, Juan. And planned just the right amount of tours with some additional ones for us hard core sightseers! A superb Job all the way around!


I had 4 days to create art! Go figure! No interruptions of store responsibilities. Just art!











I finished one piece, mostly that is. I just have to glue in my tiny brass number nails and touch up some paint. It is a square cigar box that I covered with heavy brown kraft paper which was wet, crinkled and dried.




deMeng color washes were added on the outside starting with the "uszhh" combo of Quin Gold w/ a little black, then adding goofy grape (dioxanzine purple) some splashes of white then a final Quin Gold wash. The interior was a Crimson with "uszhh" over that.

I am pretty sure I added some Micaeous Iron Oxide on this piece. Love that crusty paint!

The Sacred Heart was purchased at a local Oaxaca store & the metal ray thing behind it was from a Catholic Supply store in Oaxaca as well. The background behind the heart was embossed metal with words that mean something to me, like art, create, live, love etc. Which I added a color wash of "uszhh"


More metal embossed hearts on the sides which I painted and nail my numbered brass nails around. Then finally, the saying "Let your values be your compass to drive your passion" embossed in metal & painted.

This is a saying that I made up for myself to keep my focus on what is important.

Our values, what makes us who we are, are important to keep in check as we go about our direction in life following those things we are passionate about. And mostly, Respecting everyone who touches our lives along this journey.

More about the actual trip in the next post!

Back from Mexico!

Back from Mexico! Reluctantly, I will add!

It has been 1 1/2 weeks since returning, and have been trying to get back into the swing of things!

My new store hours of Thursday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm have started. This will give me a better balance of Family & Business.

So on my first day back, I took my mom to lunch for her Birthday! She so enjoyed as did I! I have not spent much time with my mother since running the store full time.

It is weird how you miss things once they return but were too busy to really notice their absence.

Too much work & no play!

This can be truly said about my family, my children mostly. It seems like time has slipped by! It is good to be home when they come home from school at least 3 days a week! My husband appreciates me being here too! It is all about Balance!

Here are some amazing shots of the Fort Collin's Colorado sky outside of my store. Two days in a row, one of the artist who have a studio in the Gallery/Studio section of my building pulled me outside to see the amazing sky!

I have some wonderful people in my life! Always, looking out for me!