The Journey Begins...

I know I won't have words for today. As said many times it is history in the making. In 2004, Michael and I heard just a little clip on CNN of a speech by Obama (weren't hooked on MSNBC at that time). I turned to Michael and said one day that man will be president. I didn't know anything about him. I had never heard him speak before. But that night how he spoke and more importantly the words he spoke were powerful and moved me. And that hasn't changed. When I listen to him, I am nodding in agreement and end up feeling hopeful - in a way I have never felt.

So today I am going to be spend my day glued to the TV. I will have kleenex box near me as I usually am so moved by Obama and in a few hours I can say "President Obama."


*image from Wallpaper for Obama

We are One

I watched the We are One concert at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday on HBO with Michael. We were disappointed that HBO didn't air Rev. Gene Robinson's opening prayer. Supposedly it was the Inaugural committees fault. But still it was odd to me. If you didn't know Rev. Gene Robinson is an openly gay bishop of the Episcopalian Church. (Read the text and watch the youtube video)

Many things said and sang at the concert made me tear up. I am going to need a kleenex box planted next to me during this whole Inauguration.

So my favorite part of the concert was U2. I have been fans of theirs since high school - maybe junior high. As always Bono got political which of course at this type of concert was the right place. He commented that Obama's election is "not just an American dream but also an Irish dream, a European dream, an African dream, an Israeli dream and also a Palestinian dream." I also liked what he said about four Irish boys..."What a thrill for four Irish boys from the north side of Dublin to honour you sir, Barack Obama, to be the next president of the United States." They sang one of my favorites Pride(In The Name Of Love)- which is their tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

So here is U2 form the concert....



* by the way the link above to We are One Concert is to HBO and it says watch now so looks like you can watch it online there.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful...
1. That although I have a very swollen and sore knee - I got through the filming and did some set up.
2. For really good chili fries for dinner! Junk food I think tastes even better when not feeling well.
3. For the arrival of 2 books I ordered using some of the amazon gift certificate my sisters gave us for Christmas.
4. For inspiration found in those books.
5. For Michael - as always he just has been amazing with me being down and out. Taking care of me - making sure I am elevating and icing. Getting up in the middle of the night to get me more ibuprofen. Just doing everything he can to make sure I am comfortable.

Face Plant on the Driveway

Always a great way to start the day by doing a face plant on the driveway. I was walking to the car and looking at the things in my hand to make sure I had everything and tripped. I landed half on the driveway and half into the snow next to the driveway. My face and all the stuff in my hands ended up in the snow. And my knee hit the driveway hard.

When I first came into the house, I couldn't put any weight on my left leg/knee. Now after icing it - it is weight bearing. Bruised and battered looking but movable (mostly). Thank goodness. We leave for Denver this afternoon. Hopefully I will be able to film tomorrow. I think filming is possible as I would just be able to sit and film. I don't think I will be able to help with set up though and that will almost kill me watching Michael do that all on his own.

Art Journal 2009

For Christmas 2006, my sister Michelle gave me a little suede covered journal. And in it she wrote a little sweet note about using to create. I have wanted to do an art journal in it but it is one of those things I always have thought in my mind "I need to do it everyday" so it stopped me as I knew I would never be able to keep it up everyday. So this year I finally gave myself permission to not create in it everyday. Mostly after reading Visual Chronicles and Living the Creative Life.

So I don't expect to create in it everyday, but I hope to capture either moments that were important to me or just be creative without worrying about the "right away." It is my test ground for things. It is where I can do as little or as much as I want. Whatever I need in the moment to express.

My first entry in it is my favorite as it really represents me right now and of how I have felt at times and especially in turning 40.



Quote that is on the left hand side is from The Mermaid Chair: "I lived molded to the smallest space possible, my days the size of little beads that passed without passion through my fingers. So few people know what they're capable of. At forty (42) I'd never done anything that took my own breath away, and I suppose now that was part of the problem--my chronic inability to astonish myself."

(the book had 42 but I used 40 for me although I am 41)

It is acrylic paint on the background with rubber stamped images to just give it a little more texture (I am all about texture) and beads glued on - and then a mermaid that I had in my stack of ephemera that I painted just every so lightly.

Homemade Christmas Gifts

This year I did lots of homemade gifts as we had a big investment in our business recently. My other criteria was I needed simple just like the clothes pins and little notebooks as I didn't have a lot of time this year as we were so busy with work.

So here are a few simple gifts I made...

Two frames - one for each set of parents. The frames I picked up at Dollar Tree. They were really flat plain wooden frames - perfect for embellishing. The ripped up paper is layered and glued on the frame. The paper is from a daily meditation/devotion book - and I used all the love, marriage and companionship type entries.


A frame for Michael's parents with a photo he took of them at their 50th Wedding Anniversary party. I rubbed antiquing tint on it with a sponge and then turquoise blue as it is a favorite color of Michael's Mom. And then they both really enjoy scrabble so I used scrabble type letters to spell out love.


This one was for my parents. The photo is one that Michael took of them when they were here for my birthday in October. On my parents I rubbed with antiquing tint again but then used white over it instead of the blue like Michael's parents frame. I embellished with scrapbooking elements.


And then I made this for my Dad. It is a clipboard that I picked up at again Dollar Tree. It has a little slide hanger on it so it can be hung up. I just basically did a scrapbooking layout on it. I glued down 3 different papers, then 3 photos on top were again from October when my parents visited that I roughed up around the edges. I embellished with tags and other little bits.

Visual Chronicles

We got home from Denver maybe 30 minutes ago but I didn't want to forget to do this so signed online right away...

Last night before bed I was reading from Visual Chronicles by Linda Woods & Karen Dinino. It is a book that Michael got me for my birthday and I love. The sub-title to it is "The No-Fear Guide to Creating ART JOUNRALS, Creative manifestos and altered books."

Anyway..here is the quote I wanted to share...

"I AM ART. Say it loud and say it strong. You are art -- right here and now. You do not have to do anything to be "artistic" or learn anything special to be quotable. You are a living, breathing, perfect example of art. You are color, light, form, words, song, sound....You are a unique, ever-growing, ever-changing masterpiece."

I think that last part of..."You are color, light, form..." is really amazing.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful...
1. for a productive and successful day of work/business.
2. for a much more relaxed set up and take down of equipment. It takes us an hour but we have felt rushed the last few times and this time was much more laid back. I think we are getting the hang of it.
3. for being able to have Frank's famous spaghetti and meatball dinner while here in Denver. They are SO GOOD!
4. for Michael finishing a wedding video he had been working on. He put lots of time into it and I am thankful he is done with it. It of course turned out amazing as he is a very talented man.
5. for time with family.

I recognize that I have much more to be thankful for in my life.

Crafts @ Christmas

We get peanuts at Sam's in the BIG tins. I have thought there has to be things I can do with them. And I have used a couple for art supplies. But then I thought for Christmas they might make good treat tins. This is the tin I did for Michael's parents.


I had 2 simple little crafts I did this year that I included I think in everyone's Christmas presents. The first is what I was calling gratitude journals. Just little journals to jot down gratitude as you think of it or need. I then expanded it to wish journals, simple pleasure, everyday moments, ideas, memories and so on. So the next 2 pictures are just a sampling of a few of them.





The other craft that was so so simple. I painted clothes pins and then used rubber stamps on them. On the back of the clothes pins I attached magnets. So little magnet memo clips....

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful...
1. for a wonderful holiday - Christmas and New Years were very nice, quiet and relaxing
2. for tea, hot chocolate and hot apple cider - hot beverages during the cold cold winter
3. for a great phone call from a friend...we laughed and shared and I am thankful for our phone call and more importantly for my friend. And we made a resolution that we would have a monthly phone call.
4. for finding a 50% off coupon for Michael's and having a Michael's gift certificate that I got for my birthday and hadn't used yet. So going there tomorrow.
5. for the Penzeys Spices that a good friend gave me for Christmas. When I opened them, they filled the house with wonderful aroma so I couldn't wait to use them.

Happy 2009!

2 More Trip Photos...

Unfortunately I have been hit a string of migraines. It started lightly on Sunday evening when we were out of town. And has gotten progressively worse. So today hasn't been very productive.

But here are a few more photos of our trip...


I love this shot that Michael got of the picnic table. I bet it would look lovely in black and white too.


This photo has an effect on it too - similar to the one in the last post. I have been wanting to play with those kind of things but often feel I shouldn't with Michael's photos. This one and the other one with the effect were shots I took while he was driving.

Escape to Ouray

Back from our overnighter. It was great! So beautiful! I packed sandwiches and such so we didn't have to spend money on food. And our night in the hotel was free too. So we just paid for gas. Oh we did stop and have breakfast on Monday in Montrose so that was the only meal we spent money on. So not too bad. And more importantly we had a lovely time.

So much snow that sparkled in the sun. It was so pretty. As I mentioned last time we had our overnight and went through there was no snow. And for some reason I just think of Ouray with snow. It looks good with snow.

When we got back in town we ran a few errands and then went to pick up a calendar. We got one with the art of Daniel Merriam. Surrealist that kind of reminds me of Michael Parkes in some ways but not at the same time.

A couple photos of our trip - and I will post more later...
(click on the photos to get a bigger view of them)
I did a texture on top of this photo to create lines in it.


This photo Michael took and it is beautiful hotel in Ouray.

Prayer for Christmas

A friend shared this in her Christmas card to us this year and I thought it was beauitful prayer for Christmas...


I salute you! There is nothing I can give you
which you have not; but here is much, that,
while I cannot give, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts
find rest in it today. Take Heaven.

No peace lies in the future which is not
hidden in this present instant. Take Peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow;
behind it, yet, within our reach, is joy.
Take Joy.

And so, at this holy time, I greet you,
with the prayer that for you, now and forever,
the day breaks and the shadows flee away.
--Fra Giovanni,1513

Christmas Eve Breakfast: Gingerbread Muffins

The picture trying to show off one of our new plates in addition to the muffin.

Recipe on my other blog.

Christmas Ornaments - Part 3

Pets are important to us so they get their own ornaments on the tree too. One for each the year we got them. And then we picked up that kitty cat ornament in 2005. It is the closest we have found to both of our kids.

Christmas Baking

Today was really just a good day - really good memories made today. We had a day of baking and making Christmas goodies together. Michael usually just lets me have my domain of the kitchen and baking. It is something I enjoy obviously. But I have been a little stressed this year with the everything. I just haven't had my mind in it as much as years past. So Michael spent the day with me in the kitchen and we had a lot of fun. Michael made a batch of Festive Bark and then helped me dip Ritz crackers in pepperminty chocolate. We laughed and just had lots of fun.

So this year I made:
Maple Fudge
Chocolate Fudge
Mint Thins
Festive Bark
Chocolate Caramels - which didn't turn out - we over cooked them so too hard first year that has happened
Sour Cream cookies - which didn't turn out either
Molasses cookies
Cream Cheese Cookies with white chocolate drizzled on them
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Cardamom Butter Cut Out Cookies
and Magic Bars

I made the magic bars because the caramels and sour cream cookies didn't out this year. I made them while listening to the Nutcracker. It is a favorite of mine. 

So heading to bed as I am tired tired. Will post pictures and recipes soon. 

Gratitude Friday

1. For having creativity to get some gifts made
2. For getting gifts mailed out this week
3. For Chinese take out
4. For finding 2 Christmas tree ornaments for 2008 - Santa Magic Man and then another we are happy we found but won't get here until the 24th
5. For XM Holiday Pops channel to hum with when baking and wrapping gifts
6. For still getting so much from Eat Pray Love - as I am reading it again - for the 5th time
7. For a winter wonderland here - lots of pretty white fluffy snow
8. For my family sending us a package of little gifts to open until Christmas. They are a lot of fun and cute! It was very thoughtful of them and I am thankful for their kindness.

Christmas Ornaments - Part 2

Just a few Santa ornaments...which seem to be a favorite of ours. The one that my Aunt and Uncle gave us is a favorite of Michael's and mine. The 2008 Santa is called the Magic Man. We also have another yearly ornament coming but it won't be here until Wednesday. It is one that we were really searching for and having some problems. But did find one we liked on Cafe Press.

Just some daily stuff...Thursday night I made several batches of candy and then got dough ready to bake today. I made chocolate caramels, maple fudge, chocolate fudge and festive bark. I mixed dough up for molasses cookies, sour cream cookies, cardamom butter cut out cookies and cream cheese slice cookies. I haven't baked the cardamom cookies yet but will tomorrow. The sour cream cookies totally flopped. It seems to be an altitude issue as I never had this problem before living in Colorado. They just are flat and melt. I think I need to cut the sugar down but not sure. I still want to bake peanut butter blossoms and the cardamom tomorrow. Oh and the Ritz cracker mint thins - I need to make them too.

Christmas Busy in Full Force

* We sent off a BUNCH of packages today. The clerk at the post office was amused that all our packages went to different places.... California, Idaho, North Carolina, Washington, Missouri, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas.

* Our neighbor had Christmas carolers earlier. I think they were from her church. I was hearing fa la la la la la la and I couldn't figure out what I was hearing at first. But then muted everything and finally figured it out.

* I am utterly exhausted. Going to bed.