Dylusions Sprays

If you haven't made the leap and bought them yet, this video will convince you to do so!! Enjoy!

A rolling sedative!

Savannah is zipping around the house in her walker! She is like a little Road Runner in that thing !

But when she is out - she is OUT!!!!







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Altered Cigar Box

I am part of a great online group that does some great projects. One of their latest challenges was to do an altered cigar box. I have never done an altered cigar box so I decided to sign up for this challenge.

I couldn't decide what to do!! I had this beautiful teak cigar box that I had brought from Cuba. I was sort of hoarding it but I decided to use it so that someone could really enjoy it.

I was stuck because I really didn't want to paint over the beautiful wood and ruin it's authenticity but I couldn't send just the box either!

I must have seen dozens of youtube videos on altered cigar boxes and I realized that what I DIDN'T like was too much "stuff" on the box. I like the simpler ones much better than the ones that had so much "stuff" on them.

Now, what color???? I really don't know what color my partner likes. But I figure EVERYONE has to like cobalt teal right? So I painted the top in cobalt teal and then covered it with the clear Distress Crackle. (Can't really see it on the picture but it looks very cool - very subtle.)

I then painted the inside bottom with the teal also. I didn't want to paint the inside top because, again, I thought it would be great to keep some of the box's authenticity. Besides, on the top there was a Cohiba label I did not want to remove or cover.

Okay, so now what? As usual I had no plan. I envy those artists that can plan out step by step what they are going to do and then just do it. I just can't do that.

The next thing I did was to stamp the top of the box with Wend Vecchi's lace stamp using Gathered Twigs Distress pad. It came out really nice. So now I have the color pallet - blue and brown. Not my usual palette but somehow it made sense for a cigar box.

I know that everyone usually puts tons of flowers and lace on these boxes and its very pretty - but its not me. I like a more "clean" look. I used some lace, some Wendy Vecchi art parts and some Donna Downey flower lace and came up with this cover for my cigar box.

I have to admit I was tempted to put lace all around the box but honestly only because it seemed that everyone else did. I am not the "ruffly" type.

Finally, I put some "feet" to it with Tim Holtz's foundations box feet.

I don't think receiving an empty box is fun so now I had to figure out what to put in it! I was going to put them different "art related" things in the box. But how impersonal is THAT? Finally, I decided to make a travel journal for my partner. I don't know what she likes or what she wants but I figured everyone can find use for a travel journal right?

So I made this journal. I made the same flowers for the journal that I made for the lid of the cigar box to tie it in and also used the same brown flower lace. It came out really cute.

I added a really beautiful stamp:

Finally, I wrapped it all up in teal tissue paper, added some more of the flower lace and it's on it's way to Nicole!!

Enjoy!

No pool??

Maddie does not worry about not having a pool in her house! She made her own pool while her dad washed his car!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Are we becoming anti-social????

When texting first came out I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It was fun! It is especially awesome when you are somewhere you can not talk.

But what about when you CAN talk? I find myself texting with my friends for half an hour instead of just calling them!!!

What is up with THAT???? Isnt it so much better to hear the voice of the people you care about??

I dont have many people I can call "friend" but i do consider my Keys 4 Art ladies my "friends".

Teri Flemal is one of those friends. She is intelligent and sweet and caring. Her friendship means alot to me. So why did I just spend the last 45 minutes texting with her instead of just calling her???

I need to get oout of this habit! Nothing can replace the sound of a friends voice when she calls and says. "I was just thinking about you."

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Luna

How can you not fall in love???




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

She is so tiny!!

This was the smallest bed I found and she gets lost in it!!! I am so glad I got her. She has the greatest personality! Dont let this picture fool you, she is CRAZY!







Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dexter is turning green

My poor Dexter is so jealous of Luna he doesnt know WHAT to do for some extra attention!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Seriously????

I have been back from Mexico since Saturday and have not been able to even open the door to my studio!! I hate it when work gets in the way of the really important stuff!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Xcaret

I had made a long post about this park with tons of pictures. It is sitting on my iPad but wont publish so I will do this little by little!




This was taken from the top
If the waterfall. The tiny speck in the middle is a person!




I took this picture from inside the river (I was the tiny speck!)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sacrificing another day

In Cancun.











- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Well, THAT was fun!

We go to the airport in Cancun feeling good about ourselves. For the first time we are early! The flight leaves at 2:41 and we were there at 12:15 !

Problem is my DH read the ticket wrong and 2:41 was actually the arrival time in Ft. Lauderdale!

So here we are at the Courtyard Marriott in Cancun. These are the kinds if sacrifices that we have to make in life.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Birthday Papi

Today would have been my father's 77th birthday.

He should not have left us so early.

I remember listening to people say they wanted one more day - it always seemed sort of masochistic to want one more day to go through the loss a second time.

Yet now I would give up 10 years of my life to spend one more day with my dad. To look into his beautiful blue eyes and ask him stories about the family I didnt know, the family he loved so much. Or just to hear his voice on the phone, the mama hen always concerned about where her chicks are.

Most of all I miss just knowing he is there - totally and unconditionally.

I LOVE YOU PAPI. I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I want to believe you are watching over us and that one day I will be able to hug you again.

I had the most amazing father anyone could have ever had and I am very very proud to be your daughter.

The kids are growing. Melissa is pregnant again! Charlie is still battling his demons and I pray you look over him Papi - please.
Kristina has two more little girls, maddie abd Savannah. They are both amazing and you would adore them.

Hapoy birthday papi. I love you.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Chichen Itza,Playa del Carmen,Mexico

Luna update

Ms Luna is making herself very comfortable in Key Largo! The princess loves her bed and has more toys than most kids.




How frickin cute is she?!?!?!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cozumel for the day!

I give up trying to get Sundays post to upload from my iPad! I will have to repost it.

In the meanwhile we are off to Cozumel today!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

T-Shirt

I couldnt resist sending a picture if this t-shirt to my daughters and friends!!




Got to love it!!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cozumel

We spent the day in Cozumel yesterday. It is not what I expected. I have been to Mexico several times but never made it to Cozumel. It is pretty but 90% stores and 10% restaurants Nd bars. That would be fine except i didnt find a damned thing to buy!! Ugggghhhh! We had a great time though.










We had some totally amazing tacos for lunch that made a disappearing act in minutes!







Back in Playa we ate at a fabulous Argentian steak house and the food did the same disappearing act!




This was a rib eye steack for 2!




This was mine!!!






They both disappeared in minutes!!

Location:Chichen Itza,Playa del Carmen,Mexico

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

We arrived yesterday to beautiful weather and an absolutely gorgeous resort. I am always nervous about making reservations on line because you never know if the pictures are real!!

This is our room. Its a suite and bigger than any 1 bedroom apartment I have ever seen!




-












My husband made the reservation through Expedia. We got this beautiful suite, airfare for my hisband and I and a car for the week fir $1,290!!

It was so cheap I thought it was going to suck!!! But I am hapoy to say it is wonderful!

This morning we had breakfast (included!) by the pool which borders the golf course. Neither of us golf but we love to look at it!











I will post pictures of the resort tomorrow!


ARRIBA!!!!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hasta la vista baby!

Leaving for Mexico (Playa del Carmen) tomorrow morning. It will be fun. My husband and I and Charlie. I am meeting my cousins from Cuba there too! I will post pictures!
See you on the 14th!!

She is here!!!

While I was in Cuba in May I bought a pocket chihuahua.





I was not able to bring her because she was only a couple of weeks old. In addition to that I found out that I couldnt bring her any ways! It seems that the only people who can take a dog out of Cuba are Cuban residents permanently leaving the island.



Thankfully my family had a friend whose family was leaving Cuba for the United State and they brought her to me! Her name is Luna and she was born on April 16. Pretty cool that she arrived in the 4th of July!!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone