Getting ready for the weekend

"Little Birdie"

Oil on Cigar Box

Poppy Field Village

Oil on Cigar Box

I really had plans for today but I think I "over did it" a little yesterday! It felt so good to get out of the house, then I came home, made dinner, then went to my studio and painted until after 1 am. So today I didn't feel great and I was going to paint but just couldn't get into it. So I did some stuff upstairs, printing and planning. My friend Sandy came over after work and we met Kenny at BiBa's for a lovely dinner. She visited for a while then drove home. I think I'm ready for tomorrow night - it's going to be hard not to "Dance"! I did find out today I sold 3 paintings at the Enable Gala so looking forward to that check! And Shane now wants two paintings for the show he is doing. He is having an open art class on Sunday afternoon and it may kill me but I AM going. I probably won't be there at one in the afternoon - DUH - but I'll get in a little painting time. So it's going to be a very long weekend but I'm looking forward to it! Oh, yesterday it was so nice and I had the doors open and of course a little bird flew in - I chased it around for a while with a broom - well, hobbled around - and it kept flying all over the place with Tatiana and Matilda chasing it too. Poor Birdie. He finally flew into the laundry room and I closed the door really fast. There was a blanket on the washer so I threw it over the little bird, took him out on the deck and let him go. It was a great feeling! I'm sure it was for the little birdie too! I did finish a couple more cigar boxes - I love doing these but I've got to get back to some big canvas painting!


Best of My Day: Holding the little birdie in the blanket and freeing him back to the skies....

Already Tuesday

"Martini Cigar Bar"

Oil Painting on Cigar Box
I know I missed a few days but it's already almost the middle of the week. And welcome to Georgia in the springtime - we had snow flurries yesterday and it will be 70 tomorrow and 75 by friday. And who knows - maybe snow next week! This is why we don't change over our closets until April or even May! I'm doing better and can even walk a little on my knee. It still hurts but I can already tell a difference. Today, I finally cleaned out my "jewelry" chest. Lots of junk and some pieces I just could not let go of (Old or sentimental) but Emma has a gallon baggie full of treasure! I've got to figure out what shoes to wear to Beluga this weekend.......Silver High Top Tenny Shoes??????mmmmmmm And I need to paint a little tomorrow (got to get down the steps) and the girls really need a bath - wait - I'm supposed to take it easy this week. Lettuce needs to be planted, another bird feeder built, prepare dirt for garden, oh the list's I have in my head! And that's probably where they will stay for now. I did finish a cigar box for Belloo's last week - we ARE a Martini Cigar Bar - and I think I need a Martini right now! That's it for now - I think I'll think about all my lists and go to sleep!!!

Best of My Day: Touching jewelry that Grandmother wore.....

Shane's Show

http://shanemcdonaldstudios.com/events/

Check this out - me and Shane working..................click on web site above

Shane's Art Show with Students

"Oriental Figurines" 24 x 30 Oil on Canvas
Shane McDonald, my art instructor is hosting a show in Calhoun, Ga in April and I have been asked to put in a painting. Shane always loved "Oriental Figurines" and I have never put it in a show so this is going to be the one. This is very nice and I'm excited.

Not so good today

Sunday has been rough - very sick this morning and woke up at 4 am in a lot of pain. Mother had to go home but I did keep some breakfast down and took a shower. I've napped off and on today and now Kenny is home so that is wonderful. I'm surprised I feel this bad but maybe the third day is the worst - I hope so. I hate to throw up! It's going to be cold again tomorrow so I think I'll just snuggle in for another day. I have enjoyed talking to my friends but today didn't feel like talking at all but I appreciate all the messages......

Best of My Day: Daddy's Home!!!!

Day after Surgery

The Old "Frozen Peas" for knee!!!!!

Granny taking care of the "Girls"

Yesterday I had no pain but a lot of pain pills! Today I got up and felt fine but waited too long to eat breakfast and take my pill! Ouch! But I iced my knee and rested so it's still pretty easy. Mother and I decided we would go out for an early dinner. We went right up the street to Norman's Landing and had a wonderful shrimp dinner. It was a treat for both of us. It has been a fun weekend - I don't when my mother and I have had this kind of time together. It's been great and of course she has taken very good care of me. I've had lots and lots of calls from friends and that is always nice too. Kenny will home tomorrow and and I can also take a shower tomorrow too - yeah. Next week will be a little tough especially when my "Mommy" goes home but I'm still so glad to have had this done.





Best of my Day: A Mommy and Me Weekend

Surgery in the Morning

OK, ONE more time - the left knee this time and I'll be glad to get it over with. Surgery is at noon and my Dear Mother is here to take care of me. Kenny and the Boys have to go to Columbus so I'm taking the weekend off and being "babied" by my mother!!! Last time I had the right knee down and did an art show and worked 2 nights 2 days after surgery - Not going there again! But I will be back at Beluga next friday and saturday - maybe not in my 4" heels but then again - who knows???? I really hope this is the last surgery I need for a while - I've had enough in the last 2 years! I'll try and post sometime this weekend but I plan to sleep alot and chill on Vicadon! But I promise no photo's of the knee>.........

Best of My Day: My Mommy coming to take care of me....

Wild Weather!!!

No we didn't get hit by the several tornado's in Atlanta but they came close enough! And the club was packed this weekend too so we are glad we got to work. I did a "double" on saturday - performed for the Enable Charity here in Atlanta then Beluga - I could hardly walk on Sunday or Talk! Pat and Kenny cut down the huge cedar tree by the garage - it needed to come down because it was laying on the roof. I hated to loose it but it doesn't look too bad at all. And we are going to get the house painted so it saved us a lot of money by them doing it. I sat in the driveway and "supervised"!! Then I did make them a fillet steak dinner but I was so tired I could hardly stand up. AND, today I went to see Dr A and he said my cartilage is really bad, then he grinned and said how about this friday!!! So, I'm having surgery at noon on friday - yeah, whoopie and I'll be better by gardening season. Having spent last summer with the shoulder operation I could not stand to think of going weeks (or months) before getting it done, then doing the re-hab. He's great to get me worked in - but of course this is his third surgery on me. And my Mother and Daddy are coming to "take care" of me. Kenny and the guys have to go to Columbus so it will be very nice having "Mommy" to nurse me! At least I won't have to get up and fix myself beanie weanie's!!! I'll have about a week to lie around then get the stitches out then work on my re-hab. I already have the bike from the last knee so I'll get back on that and hopefully be better very soon. We are very grateful that we did not have any damage here at our house. The pictures are pretty bad in Atlanta and one news channel tonight had a photo of the actual tornado - it looked very scary! And the best story I heard was a fireman went in and rescued a 3 month old puppy from the Cotton Mill Lofts - it had been trapped in there for 2 days and it's doing fine! I've got a lot to do now in 2 days to get ready for the surgery so I'd better get some sleep! Thanks for all the concern and prayers about the weather.....

Doctors and Artists!

"Cat on a Bench"

Oil on Canvas
After TWO Doctor appointments this week I'm ready for the weekend and actually got a couple of painting days in. I only finished one painting that I start over a year ago. But I've got several in the "works" right now plus some cigar boxes. Monday I had my MRI on my knee then my regular checkup on Wednesday. Now I finally go back to Dr. A on Monday and hopefully he will work me in on his surgery schedule. I want to get this over with and be without pain for a while. It was a beautiful day today 75 degrees and Matilda and Tatiana wanted just to run in the yard. Also, I spray painted my bird feeder that I built a few weeks ago and hung it in my garden. We'll got feed the birdies in the morning - didn't want them to high from the spray paint!!! We are suposed to have storms tomorrow and saturday and while we still needs lots and lots of rain I'll be holding Tatiana when it thunders because she gets so scared. We have a very busy weekend - along with performing at Beluga we are doing an hour long show at 6 on Saturday for a great charity "Enable" and I have donated an art piece plus have 4 more up for silent auction. So I could make a little money this weekend on the art - hope so. This week has just flown by so let the fun begin.



Best o My Day: Painting.......

Brock's Birthday

Wow - we had a great birthday party on Saturday in Columbus with Brock. He was 5 years olds and we had lots and lots of "Trucks"! He is very precious and we are feeling like "grandparents" again! And I'm not sure who had more fun with the Trucks -- Brock or LeBron and Will trying to get them out of the box and the batteries put in! Brock is Autistic and just a gift from God and we all love him very much......

Bath Day and Packing for Columbus

Our bird feeder right outside the kitchen window - we love it!

My beautiful girls.....

This is a "morning after" picture of a great St. Paddy's Day Party!

It was a beautiful day - 70 degrees and sunny. Now, tomorrow is suposed to be really rainy and cold - I love spring in Atlanta - one day spring and the next may be snow!! I feel a little better - getting over my "bad" day but still in pain. I haven't even attemped to paint any more this week - I'll start over next week after my MRI. So bath time for the girls and they both hid as soon as I get the shampoo and towels out. I had to go with the "Trick" - which means ringing the doorbell! They both came running out and I grabbed Tatiana. If I don't bathe her first she will realize what I'm doing and hide under the bed for hours! I don't know why because they feel so good after the bath. I groomed them on the deck which is nice because that means no mess in the house. We put our "St Patrick's Day" bows in and they look very festive! We're going to Columbus tomorrow and celebrating Brock's 5th birthday on saturday. That is Pat's son and we got him bunches of "trucks" - it should be a lot of fun. I did finally get my nails put back on yesterday and they look so nice. "Bright Red, of course". I tried to go without them but my nails just won't grow and my hands are ugly - so I figure I cut my own hair, color my own hair so I deserve the nails! Kenny got his Desktop Computer this week and he's setting it up on my dining room table until he can clean off his desk - ha - I'm going to give him one week then I'm going to pitch a fit for him to move it. I know this man - he would leave it there for years! Another thing we enjoy every day is the bird feeder and all the little birdie's that come to snack! Well, it's time for a nice "read" in the bed and hopefully a good night's sleep - a great weekend to all....

Best of My Day: Grooming Tatiana and Matilda Mae - our "Bonding" time...

Some Days just don't work

I went to the studio to paint early today. I had cooked a roast in the crockpot and cornbread so I was ready for a day of painting. Well, NOT going to happen. First, Tatiana was scared by the rain and thunder and wanted me to hold her. Matilda could care less about the rain and wanted me to throw Blue Elephant. So you can imagine what my concentration was like and also my painting. I tried working on my new still life which I did get some work done on but can't quite get the drape right. So, I decided to go back to Miss Donna - a commission for a friend in Columbus. She saw a painting of a woman in a hat (that sounds like something right up my alley) except - it was a water color on white paper. No depth, no demension, and white face and arms. NOT my style so I am trying to make an oil painting of it and I've already wasted too much time for what I'm charging her. I just hate days like this and it didn't get any better. I keep reading about every artist has to do bad paintings to get better but it frustrates the hell out of me. I'm in such a need for a "creative push" and I just can't find it. I'm in pain and I know that's part of it so I'll just have to keep trying. What I really need is about a 7 day sabactial somewhere by my myself. I've done that three times and it was amazing and the work I did always sold too. But now I have to work every weekend just to keep up and pay for the knee operation. I keep hoping this year will get better but so far it hasn't turned around. Ok, I'm going to try again and start a new painting. And it WILL be a master piece!!!

Best of My Day: I'm not sure......OK, the rain.....and both girls in bed with me now wanting to play so that's what I'm going to do.