A LONG HIATUS

I can not believe it has been two months since I posted anything!

After the March 9th post we had a wonderful retreat for our Keys 4 Art 2013.  I have to say I believe it was the best retreat we have ever had.  We rented a fabulous house here in the Keys which was so much more comfortable for everyone.  We got to spend so much more quality time together.  God I love these women.  They are funny, talented, loving and most of all great friends.  I probably will not go back and post specifics about the retreat - I lost my camera during the retreat and along with it all my pictures - but visit Eileen's Blog which is always wonderful and her five postings on Keys 4 Art 2013.

After the retreat I had some health issues which brought into focus that I am getting older and fighting it every step of the way!

Over the past week my mother has been in intensive care - one day they tell us to contact hospice and the next day they tell us she is better!!!  It's hard to be on this roller coaster!!

My beautiful grandbaby Maddie turned 3 years old on May 4th.  She is such a cutie!  She continues to be a terrorist but she is such a love bug you just have to forgive her!!

So here we are, two months later and I have missed venting with everyone.  Hope everyone is well and happy!  I will be more diligent about my posts!  So many things to share!!!!

So what have you guys been up to?

KEYS 4 ART 2013!!!

Well, today is the first day of Keys 4 Art 2013!  Well,  technically it's tomorrow but today I get the key to the rental house and start taking things over and organizing!!! I swear we need a UHAUL to take everything!!! So excited.

The underlying theme for this year is GRATITUDE.  It's so easy to get boggled down in every day problems and not see the forest for the trees isn't it?

My great friend Eileen is coming and she and WE had a scare with her being diagnosed with possible breast cancer!  She underwent 16  radiation treatment and says that bur for a sore boob and exhaustion she feels fine!  We are so so so grateful for that!!!

It's been a hard year financial on all of us but on some more than others.

It's been a tough year emotionally on some of us.

What am I grateful for?????  First and foremost that my son Charlie is healthy and sober!!!! YEAHHHHH!!!!  It's been 17 years of anguish.  I know he is still recovering but I really think this time he is going to beat it!

He is dating a really sweet girl who is really good for him.  He is working out every day and looks and feels great!

Of course I have my beautiful grand daughters to be grateful for!

Kaitlynn just turned six!

All in all, despite the heartache and trauma, life is good.  I am in a good place right now and for that I am very grateful.  It's the first time in a very long time that I can sleep at night without horrible nightmares.  It feels good.

KEYS 4 ART RETREAT 2013!!!!

Keys 4 Art Retreat 2013 starts this Sunday!!!!  I am so darned excited!!!  Go check out our Keys 4 Art blog for the details on our 2013 RETREAT!!!


Keys 4 Art 2014 will be in Cuba!!!!  Check it out!!!

Kindred Souls Round Robin

Kindred Souls Round Robin

I am part of a round robin project with one of my online groups - Kindred Souls.

The first book I received was from a very talented man in our group - Stephen Jew.

I dont do very much masculine art but I had fun with this last week.

Stephen had an image of Laurel and Hardy on his back page so I included the the Laurel and Hardy image on my back page thinking he will like it!

DAY 3 AND LAST NGHT OF OUR PAN PASTEL WEEKEND!

What an amazing experience this workshop has been!  A group of 22 ladies and I actually liked them ALL!!!  That in and of itself is amazing!  LOL!!  Everyone got along great and there was not one person we wanted to kill!

So today we all worked on a 16x20 Pastelbord.  LOVE those boards!  They really are amazing with the pan pastels.

The most fabulous board was Jacquie's!  She did an amazing job!!

Mine is nowhere near as awesome as Jacquie's but I had fun doing it.  It's whimsical and it's me so i am happy with it.

I started a second board but it's nowhere near finished yet.  The more you "massage" the pan pastels, as Donna says, the more beautiful and vibrant they are.

Bill is probably one of the sweetest men I have ever met!  

In the evening we went to dinner at Cafe 100 in a stretched limo!!!  How is that for royal treatment????

Just imagine 12 "older" ladies in a stretch limo listening to rap and giving lap dances!!!  LOL!! God it was great!

Karen, myself and Cassia.  I know Cassia from Ft. Lauderale.  Had no idea she was attending but was really glad to see her. 

Karen is from Canada.  She is a riot and very very talented!  She kept us laughing the whole time!

The hostess with the mostest!!

We had a great dinner at Cafe 100:

I really love spending time with Jacquie and this weekend has been awesome!  

DAY 2 OF DONNA'S PAN PASTEL WEEKEND!

I have taken MANY many art classes.  I have even taken some other classes with Donna in Florida.  But I have to tell you that I have never enjoyed a class as much as I am enjoying this one!  It is amazing how Donna transforms in her own studio!!  Love it!  You learn so much and more importantly, you have so much fun!!!

Donna takes teaching very seriously so of course there were moments of TOTAL SERIOUSNESS!  (Click the link)

In the midst of all the hilarity and fun we got a lot of things done!  I am really happy with what I've learned this weekend.  Can you believe these are all done with only pan pastels!!!???

Donna's mother brought us breakfast, lunch and dinner!!  This woman is amazing and so is her food!!!  If you ever get a chance to come to North Carolina and take a class with Donna in her studio, do not hesitate.  She is amazing.

Oh yeah, I added more pan pastel to my bird!!!  

Still looks weird but it's all good!

HELLO FROM NORTH CAROLINA!!

Jacquie and I are in North Carolina since yesterday for a weekend workshop with Donna Downey at her new studio in Huntersville, North Carolina.

The studio is fabulous, the company is wonderful and Donna?  Well, she's Donna!! Her and her husband Bill have to be two of the nicest people I have ever met.  I have taken classes with Donna before but had never had a chance to meet Bill!  From the moment you land in Charlotte, they treat you like a queen. They pick you up at the airpot and from then on out its just fun.  They transport you, feed you AND you get to play with Donna all day!  Can't get any better than that.

This weekend workshop is about using Pan Pastels.  They are fantastic and I have owned all 80 for a while now but never truly knew how to get the most from them.  We did a technique last night where you didn't draw anything (thank God because I can't draw), but just put Pan Pastel colors down until something just appeared!  Seriously!  This is my pan pastel bird:

I think it's pretty good for my first time!  None of it is drawn.  It's all just the placing of color until something shows up on your canvas!!  

Jacquie rented a beautiful junior suite at the Hampton and it is fantastic!

These are some of the beautiful works hanging in Donna's studio:

It is an active group with a lot of great people.

Looking forward to today!