Cover Girl . . .

This is an older Somerset Gallery addition. But the reason I show this today is because my art is on the cover :*) Well okay, not all of it is my art . . . see in the upper right corner, the stencil W . . . that is my piece. This is my first time ever cover la paix d'art. It could possibly be my only cover art ever, so I treasure this closely to my heart!

I thought of this today as one of my yahoo sisterhood groups was having a discussing about submitting art and getting a rejection. Yes, the rejections are hard. It's hard to not feel sad and blue when a piece of your art has been rejected. It is especially bittersweet when yours has been rejected for a publication, yet your sweet friends art was accepted. You are so happy for your friends, yet you can help but feel just a little blue for yourself . . . trust me been there, done that!

But that doesn't mean your art is icky! By no means at all. It just means that it wasn't the right time or place for your art to be published. That's all. Doesn't mean it was butt ugly or anything . . . it just wasn't the right fit for that publication at that time!

So what to do after getting that nasty rejection? Well you turn into Pollyanna . . . you brush off the sad face, put on a happy one, pick yourself out and continue to create! After all, it's the creation of art that keeps an artist going . . . getting published is just the icing on the cake so to say. Heck, use one of your rejection letters in your art! As a collage artist I am always painting up paper to use in backgrounds, so what the heck, why not paint up a rejection letter and tear it and glue it and make it into something pretty . . . altered art at it's finest then I say! And, man, once in a while you have a piece you would love to share with a wider audience. That's when you carefully wrap it up and send it out in the world for publication. And hopefully it is the right time and the right place for that piece of art. If not, well, it wasn't. Don't give it up! Just keep creating like you do.

Because you know what . . . . YOUR A WONDERFUL ARTIST!!!

Holiday Eating Tips I can follow!

Okay, so I get this email from my sister-in-law, Kit. I think yeah, sure, then I start reading them and I think . . . okay, so these I can do!!!


HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. it's rare. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Sleigh bells ring . . .

are you listening? In the lane, the snow is glistening . . .

Well, winter snow is offically upon us. I don't think it will be melting anytime soon. I dread winter more and more each year. I'm never ready for it, I think I try to be in winter denial for as long as possible! One fall back to that is it also means I am never ready for Christmas either. While my friends, neighbors, and co-workers have all gotten their Christmas trees up and are sitting back and enjoying their finely decorated trees, I haven't even cleared a spot for mine! Yikes!

Hazel's and her classmates are all getting geared up for their Christmas program. Yes, I did say Christmas program, not Holiday program. Hazel is fortunate to be going to a PUBLIC school that still allows their students to use the words GOD and JESUS and CHRISTMAS. They still sing such wonderful carols as . . . O Come All Ye Faithful . . . . Joy To the World . . . Silent Night . . . it is wonderful. Anyway, I'm getting off on to a soap box to be explored more on a different day. Let me tell you about Hazel's Christmas program :*)

This year the music teacher has decided to try something a little different. So thus she auditioned all the children in the elementary school (yes, Hazel does go to a very small public school). Hazel was choosen to be in a group who will this year sing seperate songs between the grade group performances. Needless to say, Hazel is very excited. My little song bird. She just loves to sing! And, I have to admit it, I am very excited for her too!

So thus family, if your reading, there are two performances on the 14th . . . one at 1:15 pm, and one in the evening starting at 7:00 pm. If you can make it to the early one, you will probably enjoy a less crowded audience! Sure hope you can make it, Hazel would be thrilled!

I will be there with kleenex at the evening performance. I always cry at school Christmas programs. Heck, I cried at them long before Hazel even started school! The whole thing just makes me feel very nostalgic . . .

. . . a beautiful sight, we're happy tonight . . . walking in the winter wonderland . . .

symapthy cards

I found myself making many sympathy cards over the last year. This is the latest I have made.

If you are interested, here is a little "how-to" for this card:

I used a large tag card that I found at Michael's. I distressed this with Ranger Distressing Inks, adhered different paper scraps, distressed with inks again. I then stamped over it all with on of my favorite handwritting stamps. I then tore the edges off an image from Top Hat and distressed the edges with ink. Using a Mica piece, I stamped on "sympathy" with olive green stazon ink and attached with brads. To finish the card I pounded two large copper eyelets on the end and threaded a ribbon through those and tied in a knot. thinking perhaps just a little more color, I then added the end strps of paper. Wa-la, one card :*) :*)

A little something

I always feel I should have something very profound to say if I am going to post to a blog. Unfortunately I don't, or at least I don't think I do.

I finished a couple of little collages over the weekend. I've had a bit of a dry spell, but only because for some reason, when I try to art I start thinking about having a cigarette. Now this is strange, because I never smoked at all when I was arting! Odd, odd, odd. But hopefully this phase of it all has passed too!