The Scarecrow of the Wizard of Oz

Farewell October we will see you next year and enjoy your fall colors you bring to us.  OK got that out of the way or should I say I have that little farewell speech to October said?

I know now how the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz felt, being covered in hay and the dirt that comes with it while he was hunting for a brain along with his fellow companions.    Yesterday  we mowed for maybe one last time of the season.  Maybe.   Well I thought ----Annette why don't you lower the mower to like 2 1/2 inches and then when it snows maybe Jewel won't rub her tummy so much in the grass and then in the spring we won't have so much more to cut off to get the yard ready for the 2013 season.   Sure Annette, why not?  So in my yard attire, long sleeves, gloves, hat, goggles and a mask off I go on my green lawn mower.  No this was not my Halloween costume just what I wear when doing the nasty mowing in the back yard.  I usually though wear all of it but the mask when doing the regular mowing. .   I was covered in dried grass clippings, dirt that was in the grass and who knows what else.  The whole time I thought poor Scarecrow how he must have felt.  OK you have a lot of time to think and dream while mowing.  

I had trimmed the patio plants for Eldon  or DH to put in the back garage with their little heaters to keep them warm.   Now we use to have and I kid you not, over 50 or more plants but now have culled them down to 15 or so.  


OK, now I did get carried away with some pictures but one last hooray for the flowers.

Some of the blooms I cut off of the bougainvilleas, I hate to cut them off but if you don't they will take over the garage and become space hogs and stab you when you are not looking.  They have some thorns on them and will get ya.  They will never know the difference that I gave them a winter hair cut.  In fact they are back to blooming their little heads off in the garage, good job they have  a short memory.

 

A close up of their beautiful blooms.  They are a true delight to look at.

 

The Hibiscus is still blooming in the garage also.  The hummers are gone for the season so they won't miss these not being outside.  We do try to plant something for them to feast on.

Something, I forget what it is but the hummers love it, it stays basically green all winter and stinks to high heaven.   BUT it blooms and stays outside to add some life to the patio.

Angel Wing Begonias, now we treat this as an annual and let it freeze,  I know you can call us a plant killer but we have trimmed them back and they do not winter well in the back garage.  Usually get those awful little mealy bugs and it is a cheap plant.  So say good bye to it when it freezes really bad.

Some wild geraniums, I do think these little things would take over the world if we let it but they are pretty and grow in the flowerbeds.

 

 

One of the last roses of the summer/fall, I think roses just like it better when it is cooler and not 100 plus weather. 

                          


I had to include the rose hips, funny little things but they have such pretty colors in them.

Sedum is a wonderful desert flower  and you can break off a stem, remove some of the leaves and stick this little stem in the ground and you will have more of these.  The blooms are really pretty. 

The purple jew, love this stuff and again break off a piece stick it in the ground and you have more.  It freezes back but pops it's little head up in the spring and goes at it again.  It never lets you down at all.

 

The day lillies are still blooming but not for long.  Just had to let it be seen also.

 

There you go, I did get carried away with these and like I said we just don't have as many plants here as we did in our fairy land of a yard that we did have at our old house. 

 

Have a great day and Happy Halloween

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.  

 

Like Arnold says~~~~ I'll be back.

 

XOXOXO

Annette

One Man's trash is another Man's treasure

You know that saying----"One Man's Trash is another Man's Treasure?  Well another version could be one man's trash is another man's trash.  Guess it could be true.   And isn't it funny that things I threw away years ago I am now thinking oh I wish I had that.  Probably was pure junk but today I am a junk collector to create pretties.  Sounds like a good thing doesn't it?   Now I am not a hoarder but well maybe a hoarder of art supplies.  A friend, Nelda, once said who ever has the most china, painting supplies, fabric ( rats I donated all of my fabric years ago) or whatever you create with wins.  So OK I am not going to win that race but it is fun to play.

Since we have moved here Hubby has picked out of the newspaper Estate sales, so every once in a while we do this little past time.  The only difference between an Estate sale and a garage sale to me is Estate sales can charge more for the very same thing than an garage sale.  But to Estate sales we wander.  Sometimes we even spend $20 for the day and come home with a lot of treasures or not.   Funny what you do when you go to another town isn't it?  We have never really done anything like this, just seems like the thing to do. 

A couple of weeks ago we did the Estate sale jaunt and went to one house and the daughters were there and so sweet and of course we had to talk baseball just a tad.  Don't have a clue how we got on that subject but we did.   We did discuss the 4 homer game that Josh Hamilton did back in April or May.   They had put their sweet mother into a home, we are pretty sure, and selling her treasures.  So for $5 we got a big box of lace and linens I can use for the journals I am fixin to make for my friend Ginger and her beautiful wedding "home".  What a fantastic place to have a wedding.    Lytle Cove Cottage is the name of it.  So the linens were purchased and found some earrings.   Oh not just any earring but some EARRINGS!!!!! With Bling.   $2 a pair now that is a deal of the century, well almost after reading further down you will see what is. 

 

 

$2 a pair these were and just begging to be purchased and used on one of pillows or throw I am fixin to make for our bedroom.  Don't you know this sweet lady was stylin' wearing these?   I promised the daughters I would make something pretty with them and they said they would tell their mother. 

 

After this sale we went to another, it was suppose to be an Estate sale but I think, being in the garage it was a garage sale.  Just a guess, we looked and really saw nothing.  Then as we were leaving Hubby of all Hubbys said oh look at this.  I came over and lo and behold was the again a mother load of pearls.  I knew when I saw it OMG I have to have it.  I could cut this up and make so many things out of it but then after the excitement brought me down to the concrete floor , I thought wonder how much they want for this?   $5  only  $5 , I snatched that up in a New York second and that my friends is fast.  I have only been to New York City once but a second there is pretty quick. 

 

Here you go, I do believe in this Estate Sale hunting ladies opinion it is well worth $5.  I have a fortune in pearls and trim alone not even including the  lace and it is decorated also. 

 

 

 

 

OK now you can quit drooling .   It was, we found out a second marriage dress and then that didn't work out.  So we will make this pretty dress happy and can proudly be shown off like it is suppose to be.  

 

There you go our exciting adventure of ,  I think a week or so ago. 

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

 

XOXOX

Annette

What a Day for the Mother Load

The Mother Load, now when I think of this I think when they were panning for gold and they would find the Mother Load of all Mother Loads of Gold.  Yep there is gold in them thar hills.  Anyway that is what comes to mind when I hear that.

Hubby came in yesterday and said "You have hit the Mother Load of mail today".  I thought what? What?   What came in?  I had not been expecting anything YET !!!!  Well, Tisha in Tisha's needlework shop had sent the Red and Purple goodies I needed to make a Red Hat Day purse for a lady that ordered one of my purses.    The Red and Purple fabric, ribbon and beads.  All enough to make a Red Hat Lady love it .  I mean who wouldn't love Red and Purple together?   Some beautiful Victorian looking clasps, with enough fufu on them to choke a horse, they had come in from China that they said may take 3 months and only took 10 days.  A beautiful Calendar I had order featuring Pat Winter's beautiful work.  Will I write in it like I do to keep up with events that I write down and don' t look at again.  Don't you touch it.   Some chains for the purses, AND a letter from Uncle Jim and Auntie Thelma in England.  Please remember that I didn't even know I had an Uncle Jim and Auntie Thelma until what a year ago?  A found treasure indeed  was finding them.   Now I consider all of this together to be the mother load of all mail hauls.  Each one by it's self would be a treasure but all together?  WHEW my heart was pounding.   Now you do have to agree this was the mother load of a mail haul.  Well a few bills but that is a given.  Even our Long Term care quarterly bill, now that will choke a horse.  But it is an important expense. 

I felt like it was Christmas morning.  I guess I should have taken pics of it all but Miz laziness here just took of what came in the mail from England.  A wonderful letter and some lumpy bits in the letter. What was it you ask?   I certainly didn't know, so uncarefully I ripped the envelope open.  I did not open it gracefully let me tell you.  Just ripped and tore the envelope open.   I felt like the little boy opening his presents in Christmas Story before he found out he got a Red Rider B B gun that he might shoot his eye out with.   Wonderful movie by the way if you haven't seen it a million times like we have. 

I then read the letter after looking in awe at what they had sent me. 

WHAT Annette?  Show us!!!!

Some of Uncle Jim's patches.  Oh what a treasure and I am going to frame them with a picture of him in his  white competition suit and his black belt with some of his grandchildren.  Is that not the coolest thing?  I will always treasure these and that they thought enough of me to send these to me.  It looks like he was a Referee also and the bottom patch looks pretty important and older in my eyes.  


I did another portrait of Zinnia and this one looks more like a what I had intended to do the first time.   Of course I still see things I could fix but i think that is part of learning. At least for me, so next time and onward and upward.

 

I hope I captured her love of life and spunkieness.  

 

So there you go  this is what has been happening in my world and no telling what the mail will bring today or what will happen in my art world. 

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

 

XOXOXO

Annette

Nothing New Under the Sun

Hello and I am hoping you are enjoying fall wherever you are.   I do know that some of y'all are now going into Spring though, so happy Spring.  Y'all are fixin to go into the warm weather and we are possibly not looking forward to the cold, I know we are not but warm weather people is whoDH and I are.

Now this may be a bit heavy for me what I am fixin to write but it has been on my heart so here is my opinion,  did I ask for this you are saying?  Nope just a freebie from Annette. 

I have always heard the saying there is nothing new under the sun and I do believe that.  Oh there may be a new technique or little different spin on something be it art or fashion and in fact anything that comes to mind.   I do believe the main thing is to just do your own thing with whatever technique you learn and it will be yours.   AND always encourage each other in whatever endeavor you  try.   Isn't that what fellow artists do with each other or should be anyway.   What if a negative word would have been said to Mary Cassatt?  A wonderful pastel artist and she would not have created her work?   Maybe  she did have negative words but was a strong lady and said phooey on you I am going to do my own thing.  Well, don't know if they uses words like that then but could have. 

I guess what I am trying to say is Art is a personal thing and NO ONE has a right to say it is mine, you cannot do it like me.   Be it a subject or size or color or technique or anything.  It has already been done.   Yes I know about the copyrights but trust me as a professional photographer for 24 years I do know about copyrights.  This is another subject and I just don't want to waste my time about it.  I think it has been stated and stated about enough.   I don't believe any of us in the 21st century has discovered the wheel in the art world.   Now I took  lessons years ago,  in the 70's and yes the world still was working back then,  off of an artist.  Ben Konis what a teacher !!!!! He would always say that you can copy me all you want but it will never be a Ben Konis and that has always stuck with me.   In photography also you can copy an idea but it is your take on the idea not being a copy cat just playing and adding your touch.   Take Anne Geddes, what beautiful images of children she does create.  I can safely say she is secure enough in her world that she isn't afraid that someone will steal her ideas and copy anything she creates.   She probably takes it as flattery to her skill and art.

 I also feel that taking their ideas and going with it is highest form of flattery. That you think enough of the artist that you love their technique enough to go with it.  

I have been blessed to take off of some wonderful artists and teachers of art and they have been so secure in their world.  They teach us with their heart, not to make dollars but to share their knowledge.   I have purchased DVDs with lessons on them and when I do those or take a lesson on line I try to do exactly what they do to get the feel of what they are teaching and then go off my way to interpret what I feel with their teachings.   

I just took another class at Life Book with Tammy's crew and it was with Juliette Crane and her wonderful animals.   She doesn't mind you " copying " her to a tee or spinning off on your own.  Such a gracious lady and teaches with her heart.   Here is my animal totem  she said for us to do, an animal that speaks to us using her technique and background style.  It was truley a fun techinque and study to do.   I do hope you can tell it is a painted pony.    Thank you Juliette Crane.  I just took her technique and had fun with it.   

 

Painted Pony

 

I have been doing some sketching of faces, something I had done years ago and been rusty and now just having a blast with them.   Hummmmm I wonder if people have done pencil sketching of celebrities?  Bet so.  You saw my attempt of Condaleezza  Rice, OK pretty lady  will try you again.

 

I have tried Matthew McConahay and Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow (sigh).  Now calm your hearts down my dears, don't let it beat to hard.   Here they are

 

 

 

 

 

This is my take on these two heart throbs, maybe not perfect but I do see a couple of things to readjust but that will come.   LOL what am I saying ?  Several things to readjust but that gives me another excuse to draw them again.  SIGH .  You know sometimes it is a tough job sketching heart throb celebs. 

 

Sooooooooo a giant thanks to Zinnia, Mary Jane Chadborne, Pat Winter, Karen Bonaker, Marilyn Sholin, Nellie Wortman and all of you who have shared your hearts and let us spread our wings in the art world.   I know I have left some out but my fingers are tired.   I do promise not to mention this subject again.  Well the sketching and painting yes but the other NOPE no more.  Onward and upward.   

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world. 

 

XOXOXO

Annette

 

Paper stumps and pencil

Alright I forgot to say welcome to October at the first of the month and I think it is paying my back.  It is "cold" for here right now.   I think the high is suppose to be 47 ish.  Come on Mother Nature it is early in the month for this cool snap, but next week back to the 80's so that will be good for a while.  So Welcome October and all you bring, the fall leaves, the crispness of the air, the making of good yummy soups and stews, candy corn and  Halloween at the end of the month.   I know I could go on about October but just flat forgot to welcome it in.   So  WELCOME OCTOBER.

We are all getting back into the swing of things after fall gets here, not that us being retired ever changes things.   We still look forward to the weekend and it's doings.  Why? Who knows but we know that when the weekend is here it is a different life.   I don't cook bacon and eggs like on the week day mornings and Eldon heats the Jimmy Dean breakfast thingies sometimes I eat one and sometimes I eat a bowl of cereal without milk.  Funny what age does to you with food, seems like  am now kind of allergic to milk, does that stop me from eating ice cream?  Well of course not.

At Roses on my Table, she is on my side bar and a fun place to explore and play with art I might add, Zinnia wanted us to draw someone that we have looked up to and not necessarily be a likeness but how our heart perceives them  .  I first did Condaleezza Rice, the only picture I could find of her is her wonderful smile.  Now open mouths and smiles are hard just pure hard but I went ahead and drew her.   She is a pillar of strength to me and a kind lady, I have always thought so.    I have not done this type of portrait in a while, a long while.  I use to take art lessons in the early  to late 70's off of Ben Konis.  What a wonderful artist and teacher, I don't know how many times I took off of him but several.  He used bright and brilliant colors and was patient and not.   He would teach the same way but until your head is ready to hear his words they just go in one ear and out the other.  A lot of what he taught helped me in my professional photograpy business of 24 years.    Now  I am back to art of all kinds.  So Ben Konis these are for you kind sir, looking down from heaven.

 

 

 

Here is Mz. Rice, doesn't look like her at all to me and I will try again.  I do hope it doesn't insult her in any way,  a chuckle here--- like she would ever see it.   Maybe a young  C.R.  ?  Could be, bet she was as strong then as she is now.

 

Now the next one I did was of Zinnia herself.   She also to me is strong and kind and leads us into different parts of art and teaches us to spread our wings in the world.    I try to make my portraits non real but sometimes they just pop out on the paper and I have no control over it.  Like the cute little fairey I did earlier with the wonderful thick eyelashes.   Man those were some eyelashes weren't they?

 

Any who here is Zinnia

 

 

 

Well thanks for coming to see what is going on in my world today.

 

Little Red Riding Hood and Santa

I think you all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the pretty little red cape she wore.  When doing photography I was always trying new and fun things when photographing children.   So Red Riding Hood was the next project, now trying to find bright red velveteen in February/March was like looking for  a needle in a haystack.  Which would be impossible in my book.  Anyway we were gong to Biloxi , Mississippi for a little R and R , well lo and behold there was a fabric store that had theatrical material and there shining like a star was Red Velveteen.  So of course I had to purchase some and I bought enough for two.  A dear friend Carol Gee was on the same quest.  I made two when I got back and she had found the cutes baskets that we use for Red Riding Hood to carry. A perfect prop for our capes.  

So you are asking what in the world does Red riding hood and Santa Clause have in common?   Well, sometimes things happen in life and you need a change.  I thought I am going to make new stockings for Santa to fill.   Pat Winter's magazine had a wonderful pattern by Kathy Shaw and being as I have fallen in love with Crazy Quilting it just fit the bill.   The girl one is almost finished, just have to put a few charms on it and line it and back it.  This is where Red Riding Hood comes in.   I had left over fabric and what better way to back the new, 1/3 the size of the old, stocking?     I am not sure though of the guy stockings though, is this to girlie for them would Santa be embarresed to fill a guy stocking with beads on it?  I am still pondering this one.

 

 

The almost finished stocking.

 

 

 

The little angels are upside down here and I got the idea from one of the  photos in Pat's magazine.   

 

 

 

 

There you go, won't Santa be surprised Christmas Eve?  

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.

 

xoxoxox

Annette