Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

... or not, lol. My hubby has no sense of humour [VBEG]. At least not where this photo is concerned. I mean, really, dontcha just love the character of this 'puter keyboard?!

No, it's not mine, teehee (the hubby is breathing a sigh of relief, while shaking a finger at me and thinking "don't you dare", lol. As if. He'd kill me [grin].). It belongs to a very good artist friend. We had previously corresponded and got to meet each other in person during our week in Toronto at the show. It felt like we'd known each other forever. Wish she were closer. Not only is this wonderful lady a very accomplished artist (just love her stuff), but she is one of the most grounded, caring, giving people I've ever met. Donna Scully is her name. She's been through more than many people I know, but handles it all with grace, dignity and a huge desire to stay positive and smiling and share her journey with others. She handles these speedbumps in life like no other. Yes, Donna has fought and won her battle with breast cancer.

The C2C Painting Convention in Mississauga (Toronto) was great. You leave the convention TOTALLY exhausted, but energized and inspired. You work your tail off (least I did) setting up, taking down and working in between, but you meet old friends and make new ones. It's totally invigorating and yes... fun! The convention goers were excited to be there. Excited to be painting and taking classes and excited to hit the Trade Show floor. Friday was a blur. Kitty and Chuck Gorrell were in the booth directly across from ours. On Saturday, Chuck said to me that he hadn't seen me all day Friday. Whaddya mean, I said, I was there the whole day 'cept for about 10 minutes (9 a.m. right thru 'til 5 p.m.). He laughed and said he didn't SEE me as I was always blocked by a swarm of people at our booth, lol.

Noticeably missing from the show this year were a few of the bigger, American booths. Bear with Us and Brushes n' More didn't attend this year. However, there was still much to see and do and help us part with our money. Many of the teachers had "teacher booths"; DecoArt was represented; lots of awesome canvasses from Gwartzmann's; Sterling Wood Products was there and they have awesome and unique woodpieces; lots of books; packets; supplies... There was no shortage of exciting booths, including our own. Princeton Brush Co., Willow, Speedball, Debbie Cotton and Donna Scully all in our booth. Holly Hanley was right beside us with another very busy booth. I was able to pick up a few donations to send down for the ToleFriends party at SDP. Hopefully it'll get there on time.

I drove home on Monday. This week I just "hit a wall". Total exhaustion. Have been sleeping away much of the week. So next week I'll have to put the pedal to the metal and get some stuff done.

My calf has healed but I still have a raspy voice. Sigh. It's getting there, but still a struggle.

Will post again soon.

~ Shelley

Procrastination... thy name is Shelley

Yup. I have been a very bad blogger, lol. But... because I am being a PROCRASTINATOR right now, ie putting off work, I will give you a brief update on what I'm up to.

Been doing a lot of cardmaking. Such instant gratification and satisfaction in playing with pretty papers, colours and shapes and creating something someone loves for the work that went into it.

Also, managed to get a few paintings done. Finished my parrot triptych. Willow had done a series of two beautiful parrot heads and in my wisdom, lol, I thought it needed a third. So I adapted one of her past designs and added the red macaw head study. Now to hang them together... when I get back.

Back? Well, I'm off to Toronto (Mississauga specifically) to the Coast to Coast Painting Convention to set-up and manage a booth. Right now I should be packing and organizing, but I heard the sparrows and finches twittering in the trees in the backyard, so thought it an optimal time to fill their feeder and see what I could attract. Off I went. No sooner had I put it up, when the trees filled and the twittering began in earnest and as soon as I was securely indoors, the smaller birds descended on the feeder. Beats the raucous noise that those grackles make which is the bird that takes over in my yard. So far this morning... no sign of them. They seem to congregate in and around the yard midday. I am not going to fill the more open feeder for now as they and the squirrels will just empty it within minutes. But in a bit, I will go out and fill the finch feeder with niger.

So... guess I've procrastinated enough for now. I'm going to close this quick post so I can print off some schedules for the booth and price lists and start organizing. Just wanted to let y'all know I'm still alive and kicking. Barely, lol. Still in the midst (almost 2 weeks now) of a major case of laryngitis - only got a little croaky voice back the last couple days, and recovering from a ripped muscle in my calf. How did I do either of those? Well, the "voice" was from a day of shopping in the states in and out of warm, stuffy, dry, smelly (perfumes, air sprays, etc) stores. Asthma set in and didn't move from my vocal cords. The calf? Well, chasing the dogs up the back steps on Monday last week I heard/felt a "pop" that dropped me to my knees. Yup, ripped a muscle in the back of my calf. Ouch. It's healing okay, but will take time. At least I can walk reasonably well on it now with minimal discomfort so should be able to get around the show. Some might've thought I was "faking", but the huge, livid bruise on my calf kinda blew that theory, lol.

Okay... off I go and I'll try to be better at posting.

~ Shelley

P.S. - the picture of me is a recent one, a "self-portrait" if you like, lol. It's a little grainy, but not a bad pic. Whatever did we do before digital cameras when we wanted to goof around, lol?

Gone

January is but a memory. Where did it go? It was a busy month for me, but still seemed to fly by quicker than normal.

I've been having a ball playing with papercrafts/cards. Instant gratification and the feel and sight of pretty papers. Also created a cute pop-up invitation for a Stampin' Up Party I'm hosting in March. Love those free-standing pop-ups. Wouldn't they be neat design for a dinner party with the menu displayed?

Busy planning my painting convention get-aways. Just four "working" vacations this year (I work for Willow Wolfe and Princeton Brush at these shows), but I'm toying with the idea of an intense certification seminar with Willow in June. Still trying to strike a balance between decorative painting and the papercrafts, lol.

I did sign-up for and complete (well, still haven't speckled the piece, but that doesn't count, lol) an evening painting workshop at our local decorative painting shop. Seem to have found my mojo as then, this week, not only did I teach Willow's Cockatoo design to over a dozen of our guild members (with resounding success, I might add [smile]), but I started a gorgeous poppy designed by Peggy Harris and featured on the cover of one of the PaintWorks magazines last year. What made this particular painting even better was using a Lunar Blender from the 3750 Select series by Princeton. Can you tell I love this brush? It's my new favourite-can't-do-without-and-need-several-in-my-painting-kit-brush [grin]. Wet or dry application, I love, love, love what it can do. It's similar (but different) to the Loew Cornell Crescent Brush but the price point is much more justifiable to stock up, lol. You can see them on Willow's site .

My mother-in-law is still waxing poetic (read: she loves it!) about her album that I created for her 80th birthday. The family organized a party and invited all her friends and relatives and I appointed myself official photographer and snapped close to 400 photos. Then I went through the photos and made sure I had each person attending represented, printed those pics and added them to the album. We presented it to her the week after the event and she was almost in tears (I admonished her not to cry, lol). I will admit, it is a pretty neat little album and I did enjoy creating it. I am thrilled that she is so thrilled. It makes for great memories.

Well, I should try to update some more, but today a friend and I are having a Girls Only shopping day to the states (upper New York - probably Watertown). Looking forward to it.

~ Shelley

Hunter

Of late (really, her whole life, but more apparent now) she should've been called "Shadow", as "me and my Shadow". I cannot go anywhere in the house without her seeking ("hunting", lol) me out. If I get up to make a cup of tea, go downstairs, to the front door, to get the vacuum... to pick up a piece of fluff - she's moving and following me.

This is no mean feat. Hunter is over 14 years old now and when she sleeps, it is very soundly. I find myself having to hunch down and pet her first thing in the morning and look for a "pulse". Sometimes I can even roll her over (with concern) before she stirs. But... during the day, her job is to not let me outta her sight.

Sometimes it's a great feeling to be adored that much. Sometimes, it's claustrophobic as she is so worried she won't "hear or see" me move, so she lies against my feet or directly in my path and I cannot move for fear of tripping. Or, I get cramped for not moving and not wanting to disturb her.

Each day is a gift. She is really slowing down and we notice it especially this last couple weeks. She has a growth on her belly which has gotten bigger and at some point might interfere with movement or encroach on her organs. Sigh. We have our four-legged companions for such a short while. I treasure each day now and try not to get cranky as I maneuver around her and/or almost fall (literally) over her. She doesn't see as well either. Her senses are failing her.

All this is more apparent today as my friends have made that difficult and painful decision to send their four-legged friend to the Rainbow Bridge. They have scheduled "that" final appointment for the morning. Sally will be at peace. They have made the right decision. But I am here for the living. They will need me and my menagerie to help them through it.

~ Shelley

Do ya think a winter coat might've helped?

12:10 a.m. phone rings. It's my eldest. He's finished work and "closed" and ready to go home (he lives on his own). Bus hasn't come. He's freezing, says he feels like an ice cube, lol. I believe him. It's -27 degrees celsius and dropping. Nevermind the "windchill". Where are you, I say, and I'll come pick you up and take you home. Really? he says. And he called me because...?

So, I get dressed and off I go to pick him up. He's shivering in the bus shelter and looking rather pathetic, and yes, like an ice cube. He's wearing a thin hoodie over his t-shirt and jeans. No hat, no gloves, no boots, no winter coat. Where's your coat? At home, he says. He didn't think he'd be that cold or standing outside for any length of time. Geesh. Youth.

He warms up quickly in the car as the heat is on full, I take him home through the whited out night (visibility sometimes dangerously low due to all the blowing snow and the moisture icing over on the roads) and he's happy. Thanks, Mom. Yup, I'd do it again.

~ Shelley

December in review

Whew, I have been negligent in posting (as pointed out by my wonderful husband) and thought I'd try to make a synopsis of the month. December just zoomed by me.

After fighting with my surface, I completed the Bobbie Takashima Santa for my husband's secretary. I am quite pleased with it. It's a lovely piece. I had problems (again) with the mdf surface and the JoSonja paints. I'm thinking it's the "type" of mdf. I liken the particular piece to masonite. The paint seemed to stay active and just "slide" despite glazing layers etc. (I had this same problem in June with a piece on the same type of surface that I did with Sharon McNamara Black). It finally cured and I completed and varnished the piece. Apparently the recipient loved it. Gives me a nice glow. Now to finish my own, lol.

My youngest went to a work party. Imbibed a little too much... again. Picture a young bull moose ping-ponging up the driveway and into the house, lol. Needless to say, his dad and I had little sympathy when he was a little green the next morning and talking to the commode, lol. We just relayed that we hoped this wouldn't become a habit and was just a "rite of youthful passage".

Held a full turkey dinner for my painting group executive members. We had a great time. I gave them each personalized brush roll-ups and a collapsible water bucket and they gifted me with a most awesome giftcard to the art store, DeSerres. Yippee Skippee! I love an excuse to go shopping!

I had a card making day for a couple friends and we made the TriShutter cards and had lunch and fun catching up.

Mother-in law will be 80 on New Year's Day so with the help of my sister-in-law, we prepared a couple of display boards of pictures and then I created a small album with the pictures and it can be added to with family pictures and photos from the planned party. Hope she likes it.

Christmas shopping took up a good part of the month. A lot of fruitless trips and searches, but ultimately success and everyone had a great day. Especially me...

My husband SPOILED me (again). No complaints. I love it. He is the most caring, generous, thoughtful, loving guy I know. He's mine. I say all this not because I know he will read this, but because it is true.

My very SPECIAL, FAVOURITE gift? He created a book from one of the online book creators. The theme? My beloved shelties through the years with little captions throughout. Wow. I was so touched. It is beautiful and a real treasure - for what it holds and for the thought that went into this touching, priceless gift. Wow. Yes, hubby is a keeper.

Of course I received other gifts, charms for my bracelet, Trans-Siberian Orchestra CD's (love the instrumental music), scrapbooking stuff, battery operated Ott-Light, magazines, giftcards, toiletries, a cool red high heel tape dispenser, chocolate... a lot more goodies.

My youngest gave me a McDonald's giftcard and a really cute little welcome dog figurine. My oldest gave me a small replica of the Roman Coliseum (he and his girlfriend visited Rome in early December) and a beautiful sheltie figurine. He went over the top and both my boys were so thoughtful.

We had dinner with my parents and brother and his family and my aunt at a downtown restaurant. That way no one has kitchen duties and we can go back to my parents for coffee and a leisurely gift exchange and more visiting.

Of course a couple days were taken up with grooming dogs (visiting dogs - a "tad" bit of hair, lol), driving my neighbour to her radiation treatments, visiting friends, giving my parents' cats their "pedicure" , visiting family, baking cookies for home and hubby's work, doctor appointments...

The dogs got dressed up by my youngest (ya, I know he's 18 but...). Not sure they were completely happy about it but they were good sports and one is still roaming the house with a "jingle" collar on. Poor things.

So... that is a little bit (well, okay... a lot) of the last few weeks. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and wishing you all the very best for a happy and blessed New Year.

~ Shelley

Dog day afternoon

Well, it started innocently enough. I'd planned to get some painting done (I'm a class behind as I missed last week and am painting a Bobbie Takashima Santa), laundry and start cleaning up the diningroom from my cardmaking extravaganza (okaaaay... CHAOS, lol).

However, I've been experiencing some computer problems and decided I better download and offload a whackload of files and extraneous "stuff". Holy hannah that takes time. Did I tell you I've always hated "filing"? Well, it rates right up there.

So, the dogs, sensing I was not going to play, pet or otherwise entertain them, settled in at my feet. Three literally touching and two on the soft couch. Yup, right couch potatoes they are. The pic shows Molson in his favourite position. Totally lacking in any inhibitions, lol. That's our Molson.

The mailman brought a welcomed s'prise for me! Yup, my stamps from Impression Obsession! Yippee skippee! They're awesome. However did I miss that company? I got three chickadees and a various assortment of Christmas stamps. Super price, super service and super product. I'm a happy camper. Cards tomorrow after painting class!

~ Shelley