vertically spectacular

i have actually been busy making art, more paintings. i finished this small sunflower piece last week and hand delievered it to the recipient. a coworker asked me to paint several canvas of sunflowers, so that she could decorate her kitchen. the first painting i did wasn't as hot, so to speak. but this second go around, though the picture isn't necessarily proof, went a whole lot better. i will be doing two more sunflower paintings as soon as i finish the bicycle. i wanted to thank you guys for encouraging and uplifting words re: my last post. being so short is the underlying thing in my mind. if there was ever something i'd want to change about myself that'd be it. i'm older now and the heighth thing doesnt' get me down. but the challenge becomes my weight. anyway, when i was in highschool i always felt heavier than the other girls, even though i wasn't. it was just the vertical thing. but really i am thankful for the looks i've been give. i am thankful too, for looking like a young'in. so yeah thank you for writing and letting me know that you're thinking of me. my long time friend a.h.b. wrote me and reminded me about how she, her sister and i used to have sleepovers, cram into my single bed and stuff our mouths with fireballs, contesting ourselves into a giggling, drooling mess. truly a long time ago. we also used to make mudballs and wrap them up in leaves. i think i must've tried to get my little brothers to eat mud.

my weekend was just alright. and today, here at the workforce i've felt really on edge. totally pissed. and i'm not really sure why. my day started out in a slightly difficult way, when i found out that c in the city was in the emergency room. so georja and i walked over there to find her as pale as a ghost-she's the practices receptionist who had nasal surgery almost two weeks ago. she woke up this morning, gagging and choking on blood. totally scared she ran to the bathroom and got and ice pack but began to black out so she called the ambulance. she finally got a hold of her sister, but she really doesn't have family here in the area. totally sad, immensely scary. she'll be alright but my head has been elsewhere all day. anyway keep the girl in your prayers. she'll be outta work another day or two.

i have tons of pictures from my brother's last performance with jairus-indie rock band breakup party at lamar's on saturday night. so that's it.

a different person

we started the biggest loser in our office on february 14. i participated and lost fifteen pounds in 2005. this year weighing in at 147 and 3/4 i have a goal weight lose of 30 pounds. i may seem totally crazy, but if you only knew. honestly i am not even five feet tall. and in highschool i weighed 100-110 pounds. i have done very much in last eight/nine years or so. i've just kinda let my image lay waste, sloth style. i hadn't owned a full length mirror since 2004 and did truly see myself until christmas 2005, which is when pic left was taken. i'm not exactly photogenic, but i rarely feel the need to hide my averagity (not a word, i'm sure). i have nearly never worn make up and have only recently begun making strides at becoming or looking more like a thirty year old woman.

i struggle with making my appearance the most important thing ever. so i error on the side of not trying and not caring. it comes down to being rebellious about looking nice. geez, i was a teenager in the grunge era. my little sisters have no idea what the grunge was like. times oh they've changed. so far in my weight lose this year i've dropped seven pounds. i probably won't win the money, even if i'm currently in a tie with three other people. i have until the day before memorial day. four weeks isn't it? i picked up two pound weights for my legs and arms and wear them whenever i walk. i have become more motivated and energetic about my appearance, whereas before i'd shrug the responsibilty. i think i can tell the difference between the two photos. i am not trying to brag or boast. to me it is a serious thing. it scares me and makes me think about how quickly i became obese. and i know that the older i get the more difficult it will become to lose unhealthy weight.


a nice new haircut helps a whole lot too. i like the whole short style in the back and long in the front. helps me feel feminine, afterall. so onto other things, supposing a little less personal. but before i move on i must say how much i love the grey shirt. it maybe the shirt of the summer for me. oh and i know it's not self portrait tuesday. i'm just a little...i don't know.

i worked on my bicycle painting last night. i think i like how it's coming along. can't wait to show it off. how did you all like the links yesterday. and have you all be catching and keeping up with all that is the news. man i suppose it's been forever since i watched television. i got my swap partner for the vintage love swap and i'm super excited about gathering the goods. she totally seems like this ultra cool girl. i especially like her blog. check it out here. see what i mean? that's probably all i've got in me. i'm working tonight and this weekend so i'm kinda blah. but the weather has been absolutely wonderful and i've had two nights open window paint times. so i shouldn't be complaining. i'm not complaining.

freezing tree & more

this morning i woke up tired and less than willing to work. on my way to the office the sun broke and the temps were cool. i rolled my window down and let fresh non humid air wake the motivation. i am working on a couple of paintings simultaneously. i am really excited about these new things. i think i'm going to beable to build up my amount of finished work easily, especially if i stay focused. freezing tree is still a work in progress but i may be finishing this one up before i even feel comfortable taking pictures of the bicycle i am working on. kate called me the night before last and told me that der hund was a feature item on the etsy's opening page. i never was near a computer so i totally missed it, but i have noticed the "views" increase immensely. i noticed the other day that etsy was have a townhall meeting re: changes they were going to be making...blah blah blah, nothing i thought that would really effect me at this point. considering i've not sold a thing. but what interested me was a comment made by someone who said that etsy should work harder at advertising their sellers. i suppose i have got to find my nitsch (sp?). i'm not worried, artistically i feel things are moving forward now.

a view of my station, my motion toward making and completing art. i went last night to hobby lobby and bought four more tubes of paint. working on freezing tree may just open a whole new level of work. i so appreciate artist's like:

blaine fontana

i mean how could i not be inspired. this guys work is incredible, if you get a chance you should watch video too. tell me, does he switch the paintings or does he just paint over a whole bunch of what he's already painted?


come on now there's kathie olivas i've actually contacted her and she just recently had an exhibit up in atlanta see other artists showing at the alcove.

here's another resource for great inspiration, say ah juxtapose's link-age page. um?

and the top drawer of my desk slash studio work station. i am a huge lover of pencils, pens, tape and glue. i love organizing and reorganizing this drawer. it is a simple task that allows me to feel like i've accomplished something. i realize more and more that i need space to make my work. i oughta really look into renting a space, but i'm oh so lame about it. i also shall be getting on the fest ball-34/84 aka legacy is in october, but i'd like to enter early. i'm tired of posting today.

oh where art here there everywhere

i just finished whipping up this little photograph ala mode. i have noticed while frequenting my favorites that this sort of whimsical style graf-design is hot on the street. i have not gotten around to creating my own font, not that i said i would be or had the time or moolah. although one day...let's just say i hope.

this past weekend was a blast, for the most part. on friday night, in which i actually didn't have to work but it poured, stormed terribly. i went to a bridal shower for d. at t's house who happens to be the owner of blueskies. what a wonderful, absolutely enchanting experience and home t. has. amy gast was there and we hit if off, after not having seen her in probably like a year. she's a dear, so sweet and loving. creative too...i hope to get together with her very very soon.

on saturday i went to mom and dad's for brunch. a nice time was had by all. including my mommom and poppop from the great northeast-new jersey. we sat in the newly paint brightly china blue sun room. emoore and i helped mom pick out the color. thinking about the trends re: blue and chocolate brown. she ended up finding these fantastic wicker chairs that are blue/mustard yellow with a table. oh gosh. so gorgeous, so cath kidston!!!! hi five mom on the decor! i had a wonderful time catching up with the gparents. and then headed out to ava's four bridges fest. i did a very quick walk thru and found things to be quite-crowded. i saw friends and great, really good artists. lucinda and nick were hanging out at her booth. carolyn k. and lisa norris. i didn't know lisa had site, but it's a must must must see: madebyonegirl. such a sweet booth setup. i brought my camera but felt too sheepishly about taking any pics. come wednesday i'll have some great links, but for now i'll leave you with that.

i don't remember, but at some point on saturday my key to my apartment broke off, thankfully matt plied it out and we raced to get dups right o way. i literally went a little ape-poop on the situation. i regained so composure and felt entirely embarassed. and truely what it all came down to was that i so so so need a freak n cigarette. how stupid and ridiculous does that sound? i got my fix and was fine until much later that evening. i tend to need the smoke when i'm about to go to sleep. i'm still working on quitting. it's the hardest thing ever.

i cleaned this weekend. and painted too. i just entered ellia's second swap. this time it's all about the vintage. you should join, if you're up to it! i'd like to know who's reading, especially the person in saudi arabia or iraq...do you know who you are? totally curious in chatt. i'm calling out the csi!!!

thursday love

recently we celebrated my little sister's twentieth birthday at my mom and dad's home. i think i have an incredible family and couldn't imagine what our lives would be like without the addition of suzanne and emily. like most families when we all get together it's a rowdy round up. i love how different we all are. i love how we have grown to accept and appreciate each other. i like how both my brothers either talk like my father or act like my father, but also have their own ways. i love how suzanne, my dad and brothers tend to gather and talk. in the past i had often thought of what my life would have been like had i a sister. now i have four! both of my brothers are married, so i have two amazing snl's. ironically both of the snl's are nurses, i too work in the medical field. mc and i have the same birthday even. and aaron and laurie have bdays three days apart. we are blessed to have each other. god has given me two more younger sisters. they were adopted one/two years ago and three years ago. my mom and dad went to court to get emily last year and god saw it fit for her to join her older sister with our fam. they are both older (20 and 16) but nonetheless our favorite baby sister's. they are little joys, little spirit builder uppers, little happinesses, and little big hugs and kisses. i am so thankful, over and over for suzanne and emily. my mom always said she wanted six children and we joke about how god has indeed given her just that. the really cool thing is that i am the oldest of the siblings. i'm also the smallest of all the siblings. i am not sure that my brother's and sister's look up to me like an older sis but really i haven't been that great of an example. we are all so different we tend to lead in our own ways. so the love i have today is for my great big fam. my thankfulness feels like extending to the far reaches.