"Summer School" and a Birthday Bash!

Summer School!

Well, I've been telling you that I had some big news on the horizon - now I can tell you what we're up to...

This Summer, hubby and I are renting a sweet little space in this Antique/Gift shop called "Whispering Willow Gifts and Antiques" to sell our creations!! We are SO EXCITED!! We're signing a 3 month lease starting June 1st - so it will surely be a Summer of learning - learning what our customers are looking for, learning how to price, learning how to merchandise, and learning how to restock (hopefully)... I KNOW how to buy stuff - but can I sell it...? SO, that'll be my Summer School adventure - and I'm sure it'll be quite an education...
This is the space we will be renting - they will move all this vendor's products out, then over the weekend of May 30 - June 1 we will get in there and make the space our own!! When you walk through the shop, which was previously a 70's ranch-style home, this space stood out to me - it's walls are buttery yellow, and it's just cheery, bright, and sunny, having really good lighting and a big window....
(It looks dim in this first photo because my flash didn't go off...)

It'll be fun (and a lot of work) to get these, this, those, and all that in there, but it'll be SO worth it!! Let the schoolin' begin!

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Birthday Bash!
(Coming Soon!)

This humble little blog will turn three years old on Monday, June the 9th!! It's hard to believe... SO, we are going to celebrate this momentous occasion in style with a BIG BIRTHDAY BASH including a wonderful giveaway package, a graphic to share, and a few surprises too - so please stay tuned for future updates, a sneak peek at the prize package, and other goodies to set the stage for the big event!!

Hope your week is filled with dreams come true!

Frogs, an award, and other things...

Frogs...

Got the A-OK from my sweet customer, aka my awesome, wonderful, dear friend from Colorado, on this F.R.O.G. illustration that she commissioned, so I can post it now. I just showed you a teaser of this illustration last week - now, here's the whole enchilada...I started out with a pencil design on illustration board, then I added the ink...

...then I used colored pencil to add color and shading (reminds me of coloring in a color book, which I've never outgrown, btw)...and finally I added the name and birthdate (and I prayed really hard not to mis-spell anything at that point!!)

...and here's the finished scan...

This will be for her nephew's new baby boy. His room was being decorated in frogs, and my friend found out that the acronym F.R.O.G. means "Fully Rely On God" - so, that was the genesis of the illustration. It was SO much fun to work on...it has been a long time since I had done a piece like this in traditional media. (here's the last one I had done) I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks Susie for the order - it was my pleasure!
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An Award!...

My dear, sweet friend and fellow artist Celestina Marie of La Rea Rose was gracious enough to honor me recently with the "Arte Y Pico Award". Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Celeste, you sweetie!! The award you received initially was so well deserved, and couldn't have been bestowed on a nicer, more talented person - Congratulations!! I now have the honor of passing it on to 5 talented, giving blog buddies - this is REALLY hard as I know SO MANY super-talented, super-sweet artisans - so please consider this a sampling of the finest I know from a variety of artistic endeavors...and by all means check out my links on the right - they all deserve this award!!

The rules are as follows:

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for creativity, design, materials used, and their contribution to the community no matter what the language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his/her blog to be visited.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and the name and link to the blog that awarded it.

4.The award winner and the one who has given the award have to show the link to "Arte Y Pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. Show these rules.

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My 5 special friends/awardees:

Geninne of Geninne's Art Blog - Superb watercolor illustrator , collage artist, handmade stamp maker, and all around wonderful person, Geninne has been a blog friend of mine from very early days of doing Illustration Friday back in 2005. BTW, If you like birds, you simply must check out her 20 bird designs she's just completed for her new house! Stunning!! Please stop by and say hi...you'll be glad you did!

Samantha of The Handmade Dress - You'll be blown away by this sweet young mother's unbelievable talent with a needle - be it sewing and appliqueing the most adorable little dresses for her girls or hand-crocheting lace trim (yes, people still do that by hand!!), Samantha will amaze you with her God-given gift. She even offers tutorials and has published a book on her crocheted edging technique. Give her a visit - you'll love it there!

Paula Becker of Whateverings - Paula is one very funny, talented gal - wow! Digital cartoons, smart greeting cards, cool children's resource and book illustrations...the list of her work goes on and on! She's always been so very helpful and encouraging to me, and her site never fails to make me smile - head over there and smile for yourself!

Dawn of The Feathered Nest - This sweetheart excels at taking humble bits of this and that and making gorgeous collage and assemblage pieces out of them - I marvel at what she can create with twigs and twine, vintage papers, old watches, lace, ribbons and the like! Her work inspires me to see beauty in the little everyday things that surround us, but that we don't always take notice of. Please go and check it out - I'm sure she'd love a visit from you!

Kari & Kijsa - If you've never been introduced to this delightful-dynamic-duo-of-diet-coke-drinking-decorating-designers, then you're in for a real treat. They are clever, resourceful, multi-talented sisters who have quite a knack for balancing the lovely and the practical - and always with an extra helping of whimsy! Always inspirational, always accessible, always fun, they will most assuredly make you feel at home, and make you feel like you can really achieve the great looks that they do. In fact, they regularly invite readers to post their own ideas to the numerous decorating dilemmas that they receive. Head on over and prepare to be delighted!

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and other things...

I know, I know...it's Wednesday and still no Way Back Wednesday for May yet :o( - alas, I will likely go to writing them once a month since I can't seem to get them done twice a month...and I was doing so well when I started - EVERY week...oh well, thanks for your understanding. But I am still planning to do 1997 next. But in June, get ready - BIG stuff happening for me that I can't wait to share - let me just share these little tid bits...3 year blog birthday, big party and giveaway, and a grand opening - whew...it's gonna be a whirlwind of activity and fun and inspiration, so please don't miss out!! Full, official announcements coming REALLY soon!!!

You are a blessing Mom...

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Proverbs 31:28 - 29

Thank you Mom for being my very best friend...and close confidant. You've always believed in me and encouraged me in everything I set my hand to do. I treasure each and every moment we have together...and every sweet memory we share. You are are so very beautiful inside and out. Thank you for loving God with all your heart and modeling that for me all these years - I am so grateful. I am so proud of you and so proud to be called your daughter! I love you with all my heart!

Happy Mother's Day!!!______________________________

And a special Mother's Day greeting to all you sweet Moms out there - hope your day was just what you'd hoped for! Many blessings to you and your family !!

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"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."
3 John 1:4

Wow, What a Weekend! (Part 2)

"What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations..."
Psalm 104:24

Sunday morning, I took off on a walk on the trails in our neighborhood, camera in tow. It was a gorgeous day here in Houston...and it would have been perfect, but my sweet hubby works on Sundays, so alas, he wasn't with me. :o( I walked a path that we've travelled many times, but for some reason I've never had my camera until that day...so glad I did...


This is one of our favorite spots - a little hill overlooking a beautiful cove surrounded by woods...this is a perfect spot for picnics and cuddling :o)

This is the pavilion where we typically stop our bikes or our walk for a breather and watch the ducks, turtles, egrets, and herons frolic...

I wish I could've captured this better - the water was sparkling like diamonds...

This is oleander-blooming season, so I was delighted to see the HUGE oleander bushes in full bloom across the cove...

...so I set out to go around to the other side for a closer look...

...I was not disappointed...




I was tickled to get a glimpse of a mama duck and her two ducklings - how cute is that...?

It was a lovely walk...it got my day started the right way!
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Afterward, I was able to make excellent progress on a custom illustration I am doing for a dear friend in Colorado - it's a cutie-patootie piece for her grand-nephew. Here's a little sneaky-peek of the design early on...(at the time of this posting, it's finished and en route to CO). I'll show the completed illustration once it reaches her...

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The incredible garage sales, spending time with my Baby, drawing for a friend, drinking in God's wonderful creation, praising Him all day long ...

...yep, that's my kind o' weekend...

Wow, What a Weekend (Part 1)

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."
Proverbs 24:3-4

Well my sweet thriftin' buddies, we had one of those magical weekends where you have great weather, ample garage sales, great finds, and the blessing of a wonderful spouse who loves to do what you love to do - it was SO MUCH FUN - we are indeed blessed! Saturday the 3rd was the twice-a-year-neighborhood-wide garage sale at a wonderful, huge subdivision near by. You drive in to the entrance of the subdivision, you're handed a map of all the participating homes (about 50+), then you're off to the races. We stopped at a bunch...not nearly all...but came home with some awesome treasures...for CHEAP!!!! Here are the highlights...hang on, there's a bunch...

Vintage embroidered picture (can't resist 'em) and a Tiffany-style lamp...

Another lamp (I have a lamp thing going now)...this one is large and quite beautiful with its ceramic floral base - I will likely put a shade on it instead of the glass globe...

I paid $8 instead of $10...

Pretty spinning lazy-susan for $1.50...

Sweet little blush quilted box...a freebie...

A wide assortment of sweet, sparkly things...

Love the mirror dresser tray...and I always buy candlesticks when I see them to be used for a variety of re-purposing projects (like this).

The teensy tea set was just 50 cents....

Cute little vintage girl's jewelry box and a unique, tiny individual covered butter server...


Liberty Blue Staffordshire china plate (Independence Hall design) and 22K gold trimmed Eggshell Nautilus by Homer Laughlin (love the pink roses!)
$2 for both...


Now THIS I love...beautiful sweet picture...wonderful scrolly oval frame, and domed-glass on the front...$2!!


The patchwork shades were 2 for $1!

Vintage plastic scrolly frames were 10 cents for all (me and a can of spray paint are gonna have some fun!) And I usually always pick up vintage craft books when I run across them - this one from Family Circle is in a ring binder made up with sets of instruction cards that would arrive periodically in the mail...$2...

But the VERY BEST buy of the day came almost at the very end of our journey through the neighborhood...it may not look like much here...

...but this bag is CHOCK FULL of vintage/antique linens...all from one person's sale...they were former antiques dealers who were trying to get rid of the last of their stuff (my favorite kind of people)...I was picking through the HUGE basket of vintage linens and the gal says "those are 25 cents each"...to which I thought, "cool"....but then I asked, "what would you take for the lot?"....to which she said, "how about, uhh, $15...?" I've never paid anyone so fast in all my life...I had looked through enough to know that for the most part these were true antiques - old and very good quality...and there was a BUNCH...

I counted them all when I laid them out to take photos...there are 33 embroidered pieces of every shape and size...

27 hankies and napkins...

...and 55 doilies!!!


Got to looking at the retail prices that were still on many of the pieces - just these 8 doilies alone totaled $79.50 retail!!

I also found this sweet hidden treasure amongst the linens - an adorable little tiny white dress with lace trim...marked $18.50...

All told, the linen collection is 116 pieces, and for $15.00, that comes out to about 12 cents per piece! It was a VERY good buy indeed!!
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SO, what in the world am I going to do with all this...? Well, stay tuned - I have some BIG, EXCITING things coming up in the very near future - I will be giving a "Coming Soon" announcement on Friday, so be sure to check back!!

Meanwhile, if you see anything in the photos that you can't live without, leave a comment and your email and we can discuss it...first come, first served...

I love you guys...besides my Mom, you were the folks I wanted to show this stuff to the most!! I knew you'd appreciate it! I'm blessed by you sweet things in Blogland - I really am!

Illustration Friday: Seed

They always said that little Appleseed was just a dreamer...

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I'm compelled to use an existing illustration yet again for this week's Illustration Friday topic: "Seed". How could I not use this...? Here's what I wrote back in August of 2005 when I created this for the topic "Dreams" - I think it still works...

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It's very easy for us to look at a person's outward appearance and see inadequacy, fault, and even foolishness. In fact, we even tend look at ourselves that way fairly often. But our God-given potential is beyond calculation. We each have dreams - wonderful things inside us that yearn to be expressed. We just have to plant and nurture those dreams and trust God to make them grow.

There's an old saying that goes something like this:Don't ask how many apples are in a tree, but instead ask how many trees are in an apple.

"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
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One more seed-related illustration to throw in as a bonus...

"Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."
2 Corinthians 9:10
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"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Matthew 13:23

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"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:7-9

Happy May, Y'all

Just a quick post to say Howdy and welcome to the month of May! It's also National Day of Prayer today!

I've been really swamped with work at my full time day job, but I couldn't stand going one more moment without saying hi. I don't know about you, but I am amazed at how fast this year is flying by! I flipped my calendar over to the design above in utter disbelief that yet another month has come and gone...my oh my.

Hey, if you like that May design (or any others from the calendar), you can order notecards with each design here at my CafePress store!

Well, that's all I have time for at the moment - but I have LOTS to catch up on....including a MeMe and a wonderful award, both from sweet Celeste over at La Rea Rose (I haven't forgotten Celeste, I just want to take the time to do it right!)

Love you wonderful citizens of Blogland! Have a happy, happy May!!

We interrupt Way Back When-sday to bring you this special message...

Hi friends,

I am loving creating the Way Back When-sday features (it has been so great to read your fun comments as we reminisce together!) - but they take a fair amount of time to do right (time is not a commodity I have in buckets) - so I am going to do them twice a month rather than weekly. That will give me a bit more time to work on the various other goodies that are in the works in the studio that I am excited to share with you very soon... SO - I will feature the year 1997 on Wednesday May 7th and will try to stick to the first and third Wednesdays of the month as the official "Way Back When-sday" schedule.

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Meanwhile, speaking of goodies in the works, I have a sneak peek to share with you of a couple of the products I will be offering on my upcoming Etsy site -

This sweet little confection is a covered "Cupcake Plate" featuring...

...an oh-so-shabby pink rosebud china plate...

...a glass cheese ball cover festooned with gradient pink ribbon and a teensy pearl bling accent...

...all footed by a sturdy glass candlestick.


I will be selling this for $30.00.
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You may remember this little makeover - she will also be available on Etsy...

BEFORE...

AFTER...

The verse reads:

"In all that's gentle,

pure and true,

we see God's love

come shining through"

This re-loved cross stitch collage will be offered for $34.00

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Thanks as always for stopping by - I'd love to hear from you about these samples, Way Back When-sday, or anything that's on your mind - you are more than welcome here any time!! I am starting to make a real effort to get out there and comment more on your blogs - there are so many that I love to visit daily, and I truly want to be a good citizen of Blogland and leave a "calling card" when I visit. Thanks one and all for your hospitality, grace, and patience!

And thank you as well for your thoughts and prayers for my husband during his recent injury and recovery - he is so much better and is back at work. He still has some healing to do, but he is well on his way! Praise the Lord!!

Junkin' Like a Drunken Sailor (Oh the Guilt!!)

Why guilt you might ask...? Because I cannot seem to quit buying this stuff!! It's not that I spend very much money - quite the contrary (this stuff is dirt cheap)....it's that I DON"T HAVE ANY MORE ROOM!! I have begun, AGAIN, in earnest, to clean up and re-purpose a few pieces, preparing them for selling and really, really soon I will be unveiling my new Etsy shop - Yay!! Then, maybe, just maybe, we will begin to move items out of the garage, the studio, the dining room, the closets, etc, and into some of YOUR hands (HOPEFULLY!!)

OK, now lets be honest - how could I pass up this stuff...?? Especially since practically none of it was over $2.00 - most were $.25 - $1.00!!

Love this sweet embroidered piece of Jesus and animals...lovingly done by a woman's Grandmother...I assured her I would re-love it into something wonderful...


$2.00 for this yellow rose afghan! SO much work went into this!!

$2:00 also for this entire box of vintage 50's - 80's era greeting cards - unused...

These summery dishes were my only "big dollar" purchase at $15.00 - there are lots more of them in the box - these are just a few of them...

My Mom bought this lamp for me (she's an enabler :o) But oh the possibilities with this cute teapot/coffee pot lamp, huh...!?!

This one I'm keeping - this is a perfect fit to go on top of our fireplace mantel - once it's all shabbied-up of course - it will make a wonderful setting to stage seasonal decor - can't wait!!

Oh yeah...that's how much I paid for it...

Yep...I got a junk habit.....help....

Way Back When-sday: One Week Break

Just a quick note to say that I will return to Way Back When-sday next week (we'll jump back to 1997 !!) - with all the trauma of hubby's injury and lots going on on top of that, we just need a little break to rejuvenate for a day or two. Thanks much - I'll see you all soon!!

Make new friends, but keep the old...

My heart is overflowing today with thoughts on friendship, so, I could think of no better place to let it overflow than onto the blog...

The blog title refers to part of the old poem by Joseph Parry:

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Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
New-made friendships, like new wine,
Age will mellow and refine.

Friendships that have stood the test -
Time and change - are surely best;
Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,
Friendship never knows decay.

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There's more to it, but you get the idea. I just had a really neat "old friend" experience today with a sweet buddy of mine from my Colorado days, and that's what got me thinking about the joys of girlfriends. I hope you are blessed by girlfriends in your life (forgive me fellas, if any of you are reading this, but this is definitely gonna be a girly post :o)

These were some of my closest friends and awesome leaders in the women's ministry that I had the privilege of launching and leading in Colorado. (that's me 2nd from the left...still in my blond phase) This photo was taken in front of the booth our ministry sponsored at our church's Fall Festival. This is just one of dozens of fun things we did in the 4 years I was a part of the happenings there (I will no doubt do a Way Back When-sday feature on the start of this ministry - so I'll save more stories for then)

One of the neatest things we did in the ministry was called H.U.G.S (Hearts United in Grace and Spirit) - we took time in our schedule on Tuesday nights to encourage all the ladies to simply hug others - to share the love of God in a very tangible, personal way...it was a very sweet and powerful time. HUGS also helped coordinate outreach (meals and such) to those who were ill or hospitalized, sent postcards to gals who were absent, and provided HUGS Online e-cards for the ladies to use to encourage one another. (They are still available to send through Just Bee 'n Me - but this area of my site needs alot of work)

I wanted to share some REALLY neat and exciting girlfriend resources that I think will be a real blessing to many of you who would like to foster more female friendships in your life and in your church or group. I'm so very proud of one of my other dearest friends from the photo above who has done a lot of writing for the women's ministry department at Group Publishing, a Loveland, CO based church resource provider that creates some of the most wonderful and unique ministry tools anywhere. Here are some FUN, COOL affordable resources that can be used in a small gathering in your home or a larger gathering in your church, neighborhood, etc...
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Chick Flicks (Dinner & a Movie event ideas)

This is the coolest book!! My sweet BFF wrote several of the fun at-home-girlfriend-night ideas that center on preparing a meal and watching a wholesome movie together. The meal and suggested activities all coordinate with the movie (like making "30-Flirty" pizza for the movie "13 Going on 30") There are also some light discussion topics for the cooking time as well as after the movie. Just a REALLY awesome idea and so very fun and easy to pull together (I got to be a guinea pig for the 13/30 one - what a blast!)

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Here's a link to other similar event ideas for doing at home or in other small group gatherings:

Other Themed Event Ideas

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Girls Night Out Party Kits

These little kits are wonderful! Included is a CD-ROM with all the printed materials and even music, complete instructions and a goody-bag of helpful stuff too in each kit. These are perfect get-togethers for meeting your neighbors, youth slumber parties, small group get-togethers, or anytime when girls gather for fun! Check out the fun and delicious Chocolate Boutique Party Kit !

Other "Girls Night Out" Party Kits and Craft Resources

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Finally, if you are involved in Women's Ministry, you might want to check out Girlfriends Unlimited.This is a dynamic fresh approach to reaching women and has many great resources. My BFF is also the editor of their online newsletter - very cool stuff!

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So, to all my new "silver" friends (who are becoming "gold") in Blogland, I just wanted to share those ideas and encourage you to continue reaching out and being connected with other women - I believe blogging has been so popular and powerful because it provides, to some degree, that connectedness that we all need...it's a wonderful thing, and has meant so much to me to be able to share with so many from near and far, and to pray for and rejoice with you through all the many ups and downs of life. But there are also many women out there who might never see a blog who desperately need the fellowship we all enjoy - keep your heart and your eyes open for them...you never know...you may just find yourself a "gold" friend for life - one of the greatest treasures and God's greatest gifts to us!

Illustration Friday: Save

(click image to enlarge)

I'm sorry to keep using existing illustrations for Illustration Friday, but I didn't want this week's topic, "Save", to get by, and I didn't have the time to create something new - so re-posting this illustration (one I originally did for the topic "Lost") seemed appropriate...

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"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
(Luke 19:10)

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"Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love."
(Psalm 6:4)

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"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
(John 3:17 )

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"All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.We have left God’s paths to follow our own.Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all."

(Isaiah 53:6 )

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"Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
(Psalm 100:3)

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Way Back When-sday: 2001

2001

Hard to believe it has already been seven years since 2001 - wow!!! In historical terms, it was a monumental year with 9-11 and its aftermath, but I prefer to focus on the everyday matters of that year...and the personal milestones and minutia which marked the year so vividly for me.

First off, I was living here in GORGEOUS Loveland, Colorado...

It wasn't snowy ALL the time...I was actually able to successfully grow flowers for the first time in my life...





I also LOVED Aspen trees - especially in the Fall...my-oh-my!!


And of course there were the Rocky Mountains....sigh...

Here's me in those days (the blond years)...

I was working for the same multi-national big-wig company that I still work for today, but 2001 marked a BIG change in my job. From 1998 - 2000, I traveled extensively throughout the USA conducting training sessions and doing software implementation consulting. It was exciting work, and I LOVED meeting all kinds of people from all over the country, but the travel got OLD REALLY fast! But, as 2000 was drawing to a close, I was laid off from the division I worked for...however, within a week I was hired by a totally different division of the same company, working with the same software, but this job was 100% home-based telecommuting!! Whooo-Hooo!!

I am blessed to still be working there today...but now I telecommute from my home in Houston! I conduct training sessions online (webinars) and I write training materials for help desk software...I'm on the phone alot in meetings...I've never actually met my manager face to face and he's been my manager for 3 years...my co-workers are scattered over 6 different states...such is the life in a virtual office. I LOVE it, because I LOVE being at home. (but I STILL want to be a full time illustrator...but that is a post for another day...
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Artistically, 2001 was the year of the Comeback - during all that travelling in previous years, I did some sketching in the hotel room at night and some piddling on the weekends, but I never really had the time or energy to create any major projects. In 2001, however, the big comeback piece for me was this painting I did for an auction at our church...

- it was a challenging piece, and it had been a LONG time since I had done anything so large and so relatively realistic, but it was gratifying to do...plus it fetched $500 at the auction, so I was really happy about that!

I was still creating some cutesy illustrations too, just for fun and to give to family and friends...

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My sweet Aussie girls were still alive in 2001...I miss them terribly - they were my kids and were the most wonderful dogs...

Ginger

Sydney

Here's Sydney heading toward the big lilac bush in our back yard - gosh, that was the sweetest-smelling, most beautiful shrub - I really miss lilacs - they just can't quite tolerate the heat here...

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As to what was going on in the wider world, here are the top grossing movies of 2001:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
3. Shrek
4. Monsters, Inc.
5. Rush Hour 2
6. The Mummy Returns
7. Pearl Harbor
8. Ocean's Eleven
9. Jurassic Park III
10. Planet of the Apes
    
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    So what in the world were you up to in 2001? Did you have a different hair color then :o) ? Did you have pets then that have passed on...or any that are still with you since that year? Were you working inside or outside the home? Did you ever go to Colorado on vacation in those days? Come on, let us know what you were doing that fateful year - we can't wait to hear all about it!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Easter Photos - Schultea Family Picnic

Easter 2008

With everything going on of late, I am just now getting around to posting photos from the Schultea Family Picnic on Easter. My sweet hubby comes from a BIG extended family - wow - I just love it! This was the first time I was around all of them in one place, and it was wonderful (except for that little mishap on the softball field). I love big families - in fact, I used to think that I came from a big family until I met the Schulteas. The following photo is just a fraction of them all standing in a circle to say the blessing before lunch. There were 85 - 90 in attendance...

Hubby and his sweet Mama...

I just love seeing all the generations together...like the mom, baby and grandma in this photo...

The azaleas were in full bloom, providing the perfect backdrop for a wonderful day...


Little Miss Maddie hanging out in her nifty dog carrier/stroller...

...poking her head out to get a better view...

Maddie made fast friends with one of the many cousin's kids (I am still trying to learn who's who in the family tree)...


My lemony Easter Egg cookies seemed to go over well...


...the eager kiddos are taking their positions
for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Nothing prettier than a new Easter dress and a basketful of pastel eggs...

The old timers are enjoying a game of 42...


Getting ready for the big game...

They start 'em young in this family...

There's my baby playing short-stop...

Multi-generational game...it was SO much fun....

...until this....


Happy to report that sweet hubby is MUCH better - stitches are out and the wound is healing nicely. LOVE this photo of my 2 sweeties...


I am so very blessed....

Illustration Friday: Homage & Way Back When-sday: 1977

Homage to Holly Hobbie

Hi friends - This will be a multi-purpose post today. This week's Illustration Friday topic is "Homage", so, I recycled an illustration I did for IF in 2006 for the topic "Simple". I did the illustration as an homage to the Holly Hobbie style of illustration, and used a quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie) to complete the 70's prairie vibe. You can read what I wrote about it back then here - suffice to say I was very influenced by Holly Hobbie's illustration style - loved EVERYTHING Holly Hobbie...and you can read more about that in my next segment...

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1977

1977 was the year I turned Sweet Sixteen. And how's this for a segue - I had a Holly Hobbie cake that year!...most of my church youth group attended my party at my home; cable TV was a brand new thing, and we all sat around and watched "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"...it was an interesting birthday...

1977 was also the year I got my first job...$1.75 per hour as a concession stand worker at the city swimming pool!!

And oh my, I was in the full blush of High School classes and fun, youth group trips and activities, driving around Pasadena chasing boys (4 girls would each pitch in a quarter for the evening - a dollar's worth of gas would get us around town all evening and then some)...ahhh, carefree times....

How in the world did we learn to fold those origami-esque notes that we passed in school...? (see above) I was probably more interested in who liked who and what movie we were going to see on Saturday than I was in Physics, as evidenced by the only 'C' I ever got in High School...ugh, did I hate Physics....

Speaking of movies, of course the number one box office smash in 1977 was...

Star Wars!!!

I kid you not, I saw it 27 times at the movies that year!!! There had never been another movie like it - it was spectacular and breathtaking and fun...oh yeah, and it had Harrison Ford in it!!!

Here are the other top grossing films of 1977:

2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
3. Smokey and the Bandit
4. Saturday Night Fever
5. In Search of Noah's Ark
6. The Spy Who Loved Me
7. Annie Hall
8. Across the Great Divide
9. For the Love of Benji
10. Kingdom of the Spiders

Disco got a huge boost in 1977 with the release of Saturday Night Fever- I had a love/hate relationship with that music...it was great for dancing, but I was really more of a rocker at heart in those days....but I also liked sappy ballads...I had (have) eclectic tastes in music.

Here are the top pop songs of 1977:

1. Tonight's The Night, Rod Stewart
2. I Just Want To Be Your Everything, Andy Gibb
3. Best Of My Love, Emotions
4. Love Theme From "A Star Is Born", Barbra Streisand<