Memories from HOOT (Heart of Ohio Tole convention)

Ya, this "report" is really long... was going to break it up, but thought "what the hay", lol. It'll give you something to read with your coffee.

Whew, well HOOT is but a memory for another year. The theme this year was "Painting is a Buzz". It is a well-run and fabulous week with tons to see and do: project room; art competition; charity of painted bras - seen in person they were dynamic and moving, especially when you learned that a couple of them had been painted by those who have personally and bravely won the battle with breast cancer - my friend, Donna Scully and also Barb Jenkins; HOOT Boutique; class sales area; memory box painting area; demo area; raffles; Trade Show; monitor/teacher room; banquet ticket table; registration table for registrants; table for teachers and vendors; info booth and more that I've probably over-looked in this senior moment.

Andy Jones did win the "People's Choice" award for his "play on art/words" watermelon bra, but in my eyes, each and everyone of those donations and artwork were winners. $1600 was raised through the silent auction and donations for the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research (Jamie Mills Price took home Andy's Watermelon Bra as the highest bidder)! Now I do have to say, I think Andy's rendition would've "won" regardless of whether we knew who painted it or not... it was great. But again, I think they were ALL winners and the "buzz" around the display was positive and "uplifting". Heeheehee. It was all in good fun, with lots of "pointed" jokes and innuendos and so well received.

I arrived via plane on the Sunday (August 8) and waited around for a bit for my friends to show up so I could join them in the room. I'd brought my own large checked bag, a large computer bag and a small carry-on suitcase full of miscellaneous booth supplies (cash box, pegs, sales books, lots of notes, bags, pens, etc., etc., etc.). Monday was my day to check out the convention area where the ladies of HOOT had done their organizational magic. I checked in and got my Exhibitor package after I'd told my roommates where they should register (in the hallway between the Hyatt and the Convention Center) and then checked out the book to mark down which classrooms "my" teachers would be in (so I'd know where to "run" and find them if needed, lol). Then I helped out in Willow's class (Basic Bluebird). One of the ladies in the class was 95 years young! She was an absolute doll and we spoke again as we met each other over the next several days. Sure hope she does get to come again next year. What an inspiration!

Tuesday we started to set-up our booth and I helped out in Willow's second class (Gentle Flight - Hummingbird). Wednesday, we finished putting the booth together then went to get a light meal before the Trade Show opened up for the registrants. It was a great opening night. I don't think I put my head up once, so if you came by our booth and I didn't notice you, I apologize. It was all a blur, lol. After the opening show, we went to the Hyatt Regency Ballroom for a reception and to celebrate Betsy Edwards' retirement.


Thursday was a really busy day, and this is where my awesome friends come in, Shirley Edmiston and Janet Thompson. I worked the booth 'til about noon then joined Willow in her classroom. Actually, two rooms that the divider had been rolled back to make room for close to 100 students! This was her Special Event. Janet and Shirley, bless their hearts, met me in the room and jumped in and helped set up each spot for the students with all they would need to make this a great class. After they'd done all the set-up, the doors were opened and the students rushed to take their seats. The monitor assigned by HOOT took the attendance and made the introductions of Willow and the class was on. Willow had divided the class up into sections and called up each section individually to step through the initial instructions. As she finished with each group, Janet, Shirley and I circulated to make sure all was well. Being a Willow Wolfe Certified Instructor, I was able to offer further assistance and clarification to some of the painters. The class couldn't have been better or run more smoothly (between the help and the awesome teacher). Almost each and every student came uber-close to finishing and at the end of the four hours, there were glows on their faces and they had nothing but compliments for Willow and the project. It was awesome. A truly amazing event that you had to experience.

I finished out the day in the booth (my home away from home, lol) and then we went to dinner at a local Italian Restaurant to discuss the day and sit back and relax. It was so nice to share it with my friend, Janet (Janet is from London, Ontario and flew in to help me with Willow's Special Event and take in all that is the atmosphere of HOOT; she was able to sign-up for a couple of classes that had openings).

Friday was not quite as busy on the Trade Show floor, but it was steady. I got a little bit of time to check out the other booths and pick up a couple things on my wishlist. Not a lot of time to visit with my fellow booth friends, but did manage to say quick hi's.

Classes for attendees were busy all week. I had short, but frequent conversations with friends as we passed in the corridors. Even peeked in on a couple classes to see what was going on. Sure wish I'd had some time to partake of a couple of the classes. Another time.

Friday night, the Trade Show closed early so we could all prepare for the Banquet. Dress code ranged from ultra casual to really dressy. It was awesome. I'm not sure how many were there, but my best "guess" would be about 500-600. I think the show's registration was just shy of 1000. The place was packed. The speeches and introductions from the Head Table were short but informative and the table decorations were simple but so-thoughtful. Everyone got a note clip (a wooden clothespin painted with flowers, bees and/or ladybugs painting the flowers) with a painting tip clipped to it and the oldest at the table won the centerpiece. Janet, Denise (friend of a friend who helped in our booth) and I sat with Lorie, MaryJo and Joan from the Gateway Decorative Artists in St.Louis, Missouri. The meal was very tasty and the service great. The company, conversation and ambiance were something you need to experience. Glad we went. And again, sharing with my list buddy from Tolefriends.com and friend, Janet, was the icing on the cake.


Saturday was very quiet on the Trade Show floor. I was able to split my time between the booth and Willow's last class (a repeat of Thursday's special event, but on a much smaller scale - about 30 students). When 2 pm came, we started the long pack up. 5 hours later we had everything inventoried and boxed and on it's way to it's destinations. Dinner and a relaxing evening then early to bed for the trek home on Sunday. Of course, it wasn't uneventful. Not as long as some of my friends (Kathy Swigon's 20 hour trip home), but an extra 2+ hours of trepidation on whether or not I would get home as they'd oversold the flight and my name was pulled. But... finally made it and have been playing catch up ever since. As an aside, picture me sitting on the floor in the Columbus airport handing over stuff I really didn't HAVE to take home (peanut butter, crackers, hair gel, honey, extra plastic bags I was saving for our next show...) and offloading from my checked bag to my two carryons, lol. Good thing I left plenty of time knowing this would probably be the scenario .

I got some brief time to meet some new-to-me faces and chat with some of the teachers in the monitor room where the class supplies are oh-so-organized. Met Earline Padgett and chatted away with her. I could listen to her melodic voice forever, lol. My friends were lucky enough to take one of her classes. Got re-acquainted with Shelley Hankins, from the UK. She was teaching a couple of classes (Sunflower in oils; single poppy in acrylics) and taking a bunch as well. What a fabulous painter and teacher. I took her double poppy class at the SDP Convention last year in Peoria and wrote then that she was one of the most relaxing teachers I have ever had the pleasure of painting with. Quite something when you can say that on the very last class of the very last day of a long convention when most of us have "hit" that wall, lol. Would take with her again in a New York minute. Lovely lady. Met Nancy Dale Kinney-Stout. What an elegant southern belle. She and my friend, Donna Scully, are best buds and Donna's always imitating Nancy's drawl. Too funny.

Of course Tina Norris, Pat Lentine, Janelle Johnson, Bobbie Takashima, Rebecca Baer, Maxine Thomas, Joan Dixon, Sharon McNamara Black (and hubby Marty) all got big hellos from me. Also, many more of my fellow exhibitors (Jo Lutness of Painters Paradise, Linda Heller and Brett Cohen of PaintWorks, Jamie Mills Price and Don of Between the Vines and Valhalla Wood - THAT was a busy booth, Brushes and More, Bear With Us...). I talked with many more when I could "escape", lol. Our booth was across from Robert Warren's booth so we talked and kibbitzed with Robert and his lovely family (wife Donna and daughter Amanda) and of course salivated over his paintings. I took home a couple of his packets and am anxious to play with one of them and while I don't have his talent (or the special mediums he has) I am looking forward to attempting them. He's definitely on my list of teachers I would like to take a class with someday and what a really, really nice person (as well as extremely talented).

There were a few new products, packets and books around the show. Our booth showcased the new "Twinks", lol. Love that name. Twinkling H2O's and Radiant Rain misters. Beautiful glittery results on our painted surfaces. Lydia Steeves has been playing with these products and creating beautiful backgrounds for her artwork. The results are stunning. Willow carries these products and they just flew outta our booth (along with Lydia's new book, Pause for Painting 4 and Willow's new book, Painting Home Decor, which is almost, what I'd describe, as a technique book as each project steps you thru an additional add-on, embellishment or technique to use in her paintings. I picked up a few extra of each book as per requests from friends "stuck" at home, lol). I will be making time soon to update Willow's site (as
soon as I'm a little more awake and can function, lol) so keep watch.

So much to see and do. Am looking forward to next year's HOOT Convention and the theme will be Painting is a HOOT (LOL). Can't believe in 30 years that they've never used that theme! Amazing.

Am still so very, very tired and trying to play catch-up. Next on my list is the painting convention in Calgary (PIA - Paint-in Alberta) September 9-12, 2010, then I'm off to Boucherville, Quebec for my final convention of the year October 14-17. Hope to see some of you there.

~Shelley

Of flowers, charms and especially CHARMERS!

EXHAUSTED! EX-haus-TED! Hit the proverbial wall, lol. Back from HOOT (Heart of Ohio Tolepainters painting convention) and had all good intention of trying to do some updates, but... just no time and when I did have a few minutes that I could nab my 'puter I only had energy to "talk" to my DH (dear hubby) and that was it. Will update later. For now...


My trip back was, of course, eventful - Murphy's Law, lol. It was long (not as long as some, obviously, travelling by car to far destinations - some of my returning friend's were about a 12 hour drive), but a simple plane hop turned into a bit of an adventure. It was only a 1/2 hour plane from Ohio to Detroit. Didn't bother to check out duty free 'cause it was in another terminal and no shuttles to the different terminals (am so going to try to go thru Philly again next year - they have shuttles!) so I thought to heck with it... far too much walking and rushing with extra carry-ons. Had about an hour and a half between flights. Of course, they'd oversold my flight and then also had a weight alert/restriction 'cause of full fuel tanks and amount of people and luggage. Asked for volunteers and they'd give chits to be used on another flight. Not interested 'cause might never take with this airline again and has to be used within the year anyway. Think two volunteers came forward and everyone else wanted to go home. So... they decided to just pull luggage and decide who was not going to be permitted on the flight. Yup, my name and luggage got pulled along with 7 others. So I was not permitted to line-up.. they'd figure what to do with us later... maybe the 9:30 pm flight if there was room. They continued to re-jig and then I was lucky to finally get on (after plane already 1/2 hour late and I sat in terminal with other "rejects" waiting and hoping, lol). Then... they decided still too heavy after they let on a few more so maybe might have to re-boot some off again. Geesh. Well, they finally decided to dump some fuel so we sat on the tarmack running for another hour. Sigh. Then a further delay 'cause of storms. Got in close to 6 pm ('bout 2 hours later then it should've been) ... a long day. But I hate flying, lol. I get sick and nauseous and clammy. Nothing to do with the "fear of crashing" or anything like that... probably because of the pressure change, re-circulated air (or not... when you're sitting on the tarmack and the air isn't on full, grrrr) and my motion sickness. Feel like a limp dishrag.

Oh ya... all this was after I sat on the floor in the Columbus International Terminal and dumped and re-jigged my checked baggage to my computer bag (thank gawd my dad gave me his 'cause he didn't like that it was so big, lol) and little carry-on luggage with my booth supplies that were left. Hee hee, had to get rid of 10 lbs! Tubes of oil, modelling paste and stuff kinda weigh a lot more than you think heehee. Thank heavens I'd emptied my suitcase of stuff I no longer needed and sent it home with a
couple of friends travelling by car. Whew, lol!

My sweetheart met me at the airport with a bouquet of flowers, a new charm (a plane!) and an offer to take me out for a light dinner. Ahhhhh. He's a keeper. Told him that he shouldn't keep doing this 'cause maybe I'd find more times to go away to capitalize heehee. Rolled into bed at 10 pm after fighting to try to stay awake that last hour from 9 and don't think I've ever fallen asleep THAT fast. Don't remember even dreaming and didn't wake up 'til close to 9 am and now I'm on a snail's pace. It's amazing where I found the energy to go, go, go this week, lol. You just do when you hafta. I love coming home to my Better Half. My gawd he makes me feel like a million bucks and that I'm so valued. Sigh. Yes, I'm a lucky woman.


~Shelley

It's still here

The Windows Vista AND the laptop, lol.

I have reached a tentative peace agreement with the VISTA. It's more trouble to try to go back "down" to the Windows XP (and my son will so frown at me) and to try to make it forward compatible to the new Windows 7, well, we're so not prepared to go there right now.

I've had few problems after hubby and computer-literate son wrestled a few of my existing programs. And I'm so capable and ready to "google" when I have a problem. I tell you... as soon as I start typing "xyz" compatible with or to work with... Windows Vista in the search box on my google page... I get all kinds of help, lol. Whatever problems/changes I encounter, dollars to donuts someone else before me as had it, lol. Yup. The last holdout/problem is that our colour printer is so NOT compatible with the Vista. Oh well, my flashdrive is at my fingertips and I have
access to another couple 'puters here so off I'll go if I want that printer. No biggie; life goes on. I'm having more problem getting used to the new-to-me Word 2007. ARGH!!!!

Until today. Grrrr. And I cannot blame it on the Vista. Nope. Not this time. It has to do with our power outage yesterday from a big storm that blew in. Happened before and it's a pain to bounce around the house from 'puter to 'puter and router, to modem to... Can't print from any of the 'puters. Have re-set the print server myself, cleared cache, powered down, turned off and re-set printers. Heehee... wait 'til the hubby gets home, lol. Remember that childhood song?

The toe bone's connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone's connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone's connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone's connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone's connected to the back bone,
The back bone's connected to the neck bone, ...

Think someone needs to re-visit it and refer to computer networks... the printer's connected to the computerOH, the computerOH's connected to the ethernetOH, the ethernetOH's connected to the main computerOH, the main computerOH's connected to the internetOH...

If you "google" (love that word and that site) why 'puters are like men, you'll nod your head in understanding:

Computers are Like Men...
In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.
They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are the problem.
They have a lot of data but are still clueless.
As soon as you commit to one, you realize that, if you had waited a little longer you could have had a better model.
They hear what you say, but not what you mean.

Now... I MUST put a disclosure statement here. My hubby is SO not like the above, but from what I hear from girlfriends... he's one-of-a-kind and one of my friends is quick to say, "he's perfect" (see? not even having to come from my lips [grin]). But I just love the above. It's how I feel about this computer/printer issue today.


Why especially today? Well, I have so gotta prepare my "binder" of materials for the upcoming painting convention. My "bible" with all the schedules for the booth and the teachers and price lists and orders and my plane reservations, hotel info and ... whew, just all the "stuff". Good thing I haven't TOTALLY left it 'til the last minute. Heehee (just about). So what am I going to do then? Well, go and get my small carryon case that I take the booth SUPPLIES in (sales books, pens, cash box, calculator, bags...) and inventory what I have and what I need. Intend to get all this stuff done by Friday. Then I can throw my clothes in a suitcase Saturday ready for the flight to Columbus, Ohio and the HOOT Painting Convention on Sunday.

It'll be a whirlwind week but I'll try to post about some of it. If not while I'm there, when I get back sometime. Hopefully it'll be sooner than later [wink].

~Shelley

It's so gotta go

What? The VISTA of course [wink]. But you all knew that didn't you?

After trying to load a few of my tried and true favourite programs (games being the most important [grin]; Adobe Elements...) we've realized that the fact that Windows Vista doesn't make/play nice (network very well) with some of these old programs is, well, a problem. It also played a big role in not allowing me to wirelessly hook-up at my Dad's on the weekend. Even with the password.

Frustrating, baffling, head-scratching, depressing, discouraging, disheartening... I could go on, but you get the picture. All these emotions, well, I'm not experiencing them, lol, the hubby is. He wanted everything to be perfect for me, but life is perfect WITH HIM and it's only a computer. It'll all work out when...

We downgrade to Windows XP, lol. Yup. After only a few days, I say "uncle" as the machine does not have the drivers/support (?) for Windows 7, according to the guy at the computer store, and even if it does, there is no guarantee that our existing software will work and we'd rather not have to go and buy all new software. Gee, then the 'puter would not quite be the "deal", lol. The 'puter store did offer to take back this 'puter and find me a new one, but... I'm quite taken with this one.

So... we shall see.

~Shelley

It's s'posed to be easy...

Nyah. Murphy's Law always come into play.

Hubby bought me a new computer. A Dell Inspiron. It's new, but was a "deal" price at our local go-to computer store. Probably because... it's PINK and the operating system is... Vista. The latter probably being the main reason. I love the pink. I am so not a pink gal, but every once in awhile, I just have to do the "girly" thing, lol. Makes life interesting.

We thought that the extra power/ram whatever-it's-called would be fine for Vista and uploading programs... hubby is finding out differently and not liking it, lol. I loaded some stuff to the new computer but I rely on my significant other as well as my computer-savvy son to do most of it. I'm lucky for these two. Vista isn't agreeable to several of the programs (as many people know) and you need to find "patches" and "backdoors". Not fun. And NOT quick.

Hmmmm, we'll keep you posted, lol.

And remember that patio? Well, the picture you see is the "after"... after my wonderful man spent a lot of time scraping the weeds out and then washing it down. Yup, he's a keeper.

More pics of my garden. Enjoy.

~Shelley

Make hay while the sunshines...

Maybe literally, lol.

Back to reality. Weeds. Lots of them. Big, monstrous, plant-eating weeds. It's absolutely amazing how much they can take over in a week. My patio looks like a jungle and is swallowing up my dogs, lol. The bird feeder is beside it and of course all the cast-offs need to grow and prosper . Now, to be fair, there were a "few" before I left, but they were, like, little bits of grass here and there. Now they've transformed and seem possessed. I wouldn't be s'prised to see a fly-eating or dog-eating plant there, lol. Got into a couple corners of my garden before the rain and cleaned out the 2 foot high thistles, but the patio has yet to be done. Just too warm to stay outside for long. More like a sauna with the moisture and clouds moving in. It'll be there tomorrow (and the day after, and the day after that, lol).

And I'm under siege. Least it feels that way. There is a small parcel of land behind me that was left when they moved the main road back a few hundred feet (I didn't want a four-lane major route behind me and so quite a few years ago, I put a petition together and made an argument for it to be relocated. We succeeded.), so it was purchased by developers for some homes. Well, their construction crews are now in and ripping up the old road to make room for new sewers, etc. Feels like they are right in my backyard. The big power shovel was parked behind my shed at end of day yesterday and looked like a new, but rather obscene, garden ornament. House is shaking and rattling and the hydraulic hammer on the end of the shovel is pounding away the old pavement. Argh. And it'll be over when?

Today my wonderfully awesome hubby brought me home my new favourite drink! Strawberry Daiquiri Bacardi Breezer. Yummy. Night, night, lol.

~Shelley

Paint 'til you faint...

Wowsers... and I almost did, lol.

I, along with 5 others, joined Willow for her first ever certification seminar. Five (5) days of total immersion in painting.

LOVED IT!

The first day, we prepped all 8 canvasses we would be painting over the next four days. Then we got homework: creation of colour worksheets; writing out instructions for a painting; creating an original and unique background to a painting; business plan; catching up on the day's work each day, etc. It was fabulous.

We had wonderful lunches each day, short breaks, product testing, shopping. We went out as a group for dinner on most nights (that's when I learned I LOVE Daiquiries, lol - they were the "special" at Earl's one night. Oh my, my... next stop, Winnipeg's version of the LCBO to pick-up Bacardi Breezer Strawberry Daiquiri. Mmmmmmm). Got to see the Artists' Emporium in Winnipeg, a little bit of shopping (I had to hit the Urban Barn which I've just learned has opened a store here in Ottawa! Yeah!) and a lot of visiting with new friends.

One of the girls, Marion (who had arranged to come and paint for a couple days, but not partake of the intensive "study" and learning that the other 6 of us were embarking on), took my roommate, Sharlene, and I to the Club Regent Casino. What an atmosphere. Sharlene was in 7th heaven as she hit the machines. Marion and I mostly people-watched and I was in awe of the design and decor (and people). My most favourite part was the walk-through aquarium. Wow. It was like a small hallway with a huge salt water aquarium on both sides AND THE ROOF overhead. The colours of the salt water sea life and the layout of the seafloor were fabulous. The girls had to pull me away. The machines? Well, I guess they're okay, lol. But I just don't "get" it. The draw. Putting my money in and pushing a couple of buttons and not really making a "choice" on how the games were played... well, not to be a wet blanket, but... I just don't get it, lol. S'pose that's a good thing, heehee, but my lack of enthusiasm for the money eating monsters didn't dampen my awe of the whole experience. Told my husband that I'd like to go to Vegas someday for the scenery and fantastical displays and architecture. He informed me that if you "play", even a teeny bit, on the machines, you get free drinks... Vegas here I come, lol.

I'm still glowing from a comment Willow made to me at the end of the week. Gonna hold it close. She was behind me when she exclaimed "Shelley!" "What?", I jumped thinking maybe I was painting something incorrectly, lol. "Don't jump", she said, "I just wanted to say I didn't realize what an incredibly beautiful painter you are". Wow. And WOW again. She had seen my paintings before, but we hadn't painted in a "classroom" setting for several years so you don't get the feel or watch what someone is (or isn't) doing. And those were big, busy and distracting classes. I was thrilled and warmed with her praise.

Willow was an awesome hostess and a wonderful, giving teacher. We learned so very much from our week of painting and lessons and notes. And, I have been certified as a Willow Wolfe Instructor. I'm humbled as this designation wasn't bestowed lightly. It is something to honour.

My plane trip home was a tad long and tested my tummy. It was s'posed to be a 2 hour and 5 minute trip (guess the wind was at our backsides, lol, as the trip out to Winnipeg was 3 hours+). It turned out to be close to 5 hours. Argh. Apparently there was a weather "trough" over Ottawa. My stomach can attest to that. Nearly had to avail myself of the little bag in the forward seat pocket. We circled for a bit in the turbulence trying to wait our turn to land. Not enough fuel. So off we went to Montreal to fuel up. Then back to the skies to wait again. Eventually touched down and my friend, bless her soul, was still waiting for me altho' I'd called around trying to track down her cell to tell her to go ahead home. I've definitely learned I'm a "fair weather" traveler as I am prone to motion sickness. I do a whole lot of talking myself "well" when in the skies, lol.

Well, I still need to complete my paintings and will try to do that within the next week. Then I will post them to my Webshots.

~Shelley