Joltin' Joe

Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
submitted to Photo Friday: Famous  

Do It

a la Beevis and Butthead ;)
submitted to Tuesday's Photo: Sign

The Best Bridge Ever

{I might be a little bit biased}
submitted to Photo Friday: Golden 

Hello Kitty Haiku

 

Android

.......Hello World......

submitted to Illustration Friday: Robot  

Foggy Reflection

A little bit eerie, an early morning boat ride on New Melones Resevoir.
Last September.

Submitted to Photo Hunt: Body of Water

Studio Friday: Sparkle...

Sometimes I have the compulsion to be obsessive.

Like here for instance.

I like to catalog. I like to organize. I like to keep track of things.

When I started using Art Institutes glitter, I fell in love with them. I remember exactly when it happened. It was 1995 and I was in Arizona with Leigh selling stamps at the Scottsdale RS convention. We went to Barbara Trombley's studio and we got to play with all of her glitter. I was hooked.

The problem when I get hooked is I have the desire to acquire the entire line. If you saw my marker collection post, you're getting a teeny-tiny glimpse at my obsession (I have hundreds more markers in and around the house somewhere - actually, I know exactly where they all are).

So, when I fell in love with this glitter, I felt the need to collect every color she made. This was my attempt to catalog the colors I purchased and the ones I still needed.

Thankfully (!) a severe ecomomic crisis hit the Silicon Valley and ducats were tight. And I stopped working for a rubber stamp manufacturer and suddenly had to pay full price for all of my goodies. And {mostly} my obsession has been tamed.

Just don't ask about my paper collection.

Submitted to Studio Friday: Sparkle Shine or Shimmer

Ashes and Snow

Early tomorrow morning, Phin and I are driving to LA to go to see Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow Exhibition on the Santa Monica Pier.

Saturday, on our way home, we'll stop at UC Santa Barbara to see Dan Eldon's exhibition of photographs, collages and journals.

I could write pages on each of these artists, but please, all the artistic people who happen to stop by my blog, visit their websites. I guarantee you won't be disappointed and I'm sure most will be moved.

I suspect many of you have already heard of Dan Eldon, a photojournalist who was stoned to death at 22. I saw his book at B&N several years ago and flipped through it but never bought it. Then Phin and I became great friends and I found out that she has his first book, so I've spent some time reading hers. If they have books at the exhibit, I'll buy 'em there.

I'm sure some of you also know about Gregory Colbert's photography. I just learned about him last month when Phin and I went to Sharon Wheat's studio for a playdate. She flew down to LA to see his exhibit and after hearing her detailed descriptions and visiting his website, Phin and I knew it was something we had to see.

Then, when I get home Saturday evening, one of my favorite persons will be here. Jimmy's cousin (so mine, too!) is visiting and I can't wait to stay up all night chatting with him and Jimmy.

It's bound to be an amazing couple of days. Probably quite a bit overwhelming, too. I'll let you know.

Elephant Seeing Spots

Perhaps too many appletini's.
submitted to Illustration Friday: Spotted 

Travel

Whale watching excursion. Juneau, Alaska.
submitted to Tuesday's Photo: Travel 

Round

Tombow Markers
submitted to Thursday Challenge: Round  

Easter

Ever wonder why Easter Sunday falls anywhere between March and April? Last year, Easter was on March 27th, this year, April 16th.

It's the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

Didja get that? So the spring equinox was March 21st. The first full moon since then was this past Thursday, April 13th so Easter is this Sunday.

I just learned this bit of trivia this year.

Does anyone else find it interesting that 'they' (whoever 'they' are) base when to celebrate Easter on astrology?

Things that make you go hummmmm...

Whale Watching

Since I mentioned whale watching in the photo I submitted to Pxite earlier this morning, I thought I should post a few photos of the whales we saw.
We probably saw more than 10 whales that morning. It was amazing!
There were about 40 of us on the boat and it was completely silent except for camera clicks.
None of them breeched, but we saw lots and lots of fins and whale tails.
An experience I'll never forget! 

Chilkat Mountain Range

A couple of years ago, I went on an Alaskan cruise with my SIL and our Juneau excursion was whale watching. These mountain ranges surrounded us on that cold September morning.

Submitted to Pxite: Mountain 

Roomba 1 : Cat 0

Sorry kitty, but when a robot vacumn comes after you, you're gonna lose.

dundu-dundu...
Roomba in search for dirt...he spies a big clump of it...
...and succeeds in......removing the offensive pile from his clean floor.

Run and hide kitty, it's your only chance of survival. 

Studio Friday: Working Hands

Photography. Journals. Scrapbooks. Collage. Rubber Stamps. Paper Arts. Mixed Media. Painting. Jewelry design. Digital Art. Doodling. Altered Art.

These are a few of my passions.

My hands are my tools.

...and...as you can tell...
I like to photograph hands, too!

Submitted to Studio Friday: Working Hands 

Celebrating the sun

The sun made an appearance today and I finally got to wear sandals, whooo hoooo! I got a pedicure last week right after I got back from Seattle, but my toes have been stuffed in tennies and socks till today.

It's suppose to rain again tomorrow, but it won't be that bad since today was glorious. Even if it rains while I'm training for that 5k, I won't be discouraged. Give me just a few rays of sun and I'm good to go.

When I was flying in from Seattle last week, I spied a new Michael's Craft store near downtown San Jose. I decided I had to find it tonight. There's nothing like a brand new craft store, all fresh and everything in it's place. I spent nearly 2 hours there, going up and down all the isles, looking at all the fun things. It was huge, I felt like I was in Texas! I bought a few fun birdie shaped wood pieces, a few sheets of 12x12 paper (on sale for a quarter per sheet!), a tiny butterfly punch (with my 40% off coupon that Doris gave me today!), and some cute "baby boy" 3D stickers for a card I'll make for my new nephew.

Oh, there's a brand new TARGET in that shopping center, too. I didn't check it out, but I suspect I'll be there again within a week, lol! Afterall, I need...household supplies...yea...that's it... 

Happy Cows

You might have to be from California to appreciate this photo...but doesn't this look like it was taken from one of the Real California Cheese commercials?
These are one of the few commercials that I will actually stop the forward TiVo button to watch.

I suspect these happy cows are enjoying one of the rare partially sunny days we've had in the past 6+ weeks. 

Hello Spring?

April 11th and it still doesn't quite feel like spring. Yes, it's a tad warmer and things are blooming, but the rains are relentless. Not little spring showers, downpours. Yesterday, on our way back home from our hideaway in the mountains, it snowed. Forecast for the next 5 days, rain. At least the days are longer now - love that!

I created a handful of these cards in January, waiting patiently for spring. But when the spring equinox came, it was too cold to even think of sending these. Now that it's almost Easter, I thought I should finally send 'em out. 

Studio Friday: Room with a View

This week's theme for Studio Friday is "What is the view like from your studio?". I posted something similar a few months ago, so here's a view out the sliding glass doors – our small backyard with wisteria blooming (ahhh chooo!!). Also, note the hummingbird feeder, perfect spot to watch the hummers drink up delicious sugar water. 

Proud Auntie!

Yahoo!! I'm an Auntie again! I'm just soo very, very happy that my newest nephew came to the world safely and that his mommy is doing very well, too. Congrats to the new mommy and new daddy!

In addition to my new nephew, close friends had a baby girl earlier this week so I'll be an honorary auntie, too! Plus, we found out that another one of our close friends is having a girl later this year.

I've been far, far away from the blogging world this past week but I'm so happy to report that all is well.

I'm bursting at the seams with happiness!!! 

Pizza Chicago

mmm...Pizza Chicago. On the box it says "Voted #1 Pizza in Santa Clara County!"
I'd probably have to agree but I don't really discriminate against pizza.

This particular piece was quite unique - it's called the Blackhawk (after Chicago's NHL hockey team) and has sausage, ricotta cheese, sweet red pepper, lemon zest, fresh oregano and cracked black pepper. Yum. Created quite a unique blend of flavors. Jimmy agrees on the unique part, but not so much on the yum part.

Funnily enough, we went to dinner here tonight with the Haist-Bowen's. Brought leftovers home, logged onto Photo Hunt and this weeks theme (which ends tomorrow) is "A Slice of Pizza". Happy coincidence.

And tomorrow's lunch...or breakfast (hee) is waiting.