A New Tradition?

Sometimes, when life changes things, you might have to cultivate the old traditions and then make new traditions.  Our precious Granddaughter suggested this to be a new tradition.  Even after walking a ways to our car.
After the Amityville Thanksgiving 2010 we thought we needed a treat, so a treat we did do. 

Now I know some about football and especially when Grandson played in high school and before that.  To me they wear colorful costumes and just run about chasing the ball and listen to lots of crowd noise.
Never in a thousand years did imagine this treat would be such a production.  Not one second was dull, not one. I thought hey Annette, you can do this again with Hubby, wonderful grands and 100,000 other people.  At least I didn't have to cook for them.  Just think of all the dishes.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooo a picture is worth a thousand words so here goes.  Now I didn't take tons of them but I think you will get the idea of the production and grandure of it all.

Here you go the surprise.   it was certainly an awesome stadium and I think this TV screen may even be bigger than our TV at home. 

Here are the loves of my life.  I just had to get up high enough so you can see the whole shooting match.  We were in nose bleed section but the view was spectacular.   Now Allex is holding her new Dallas Cowboy T-Shirt almost ready to be a good fan with it on.  

Close up of my favorite people. 

the opening ceremonies are just as spectacular as the stadium.  Makes you proud to see our flag and the service men holding it. 

Now this is an entrance.  I can't remember but don't think they did this when we got to the stadium. 

You could watch the field and then see close ups of coaches, players and the Cheerleaders of course.  Oh the game also.  That is why we came isn't it?  Whew almost forgo there for a second. 

The half time show, now what can I say that would top all that we have seen this day.  It was presented by The Salvation Army.   We saw people rolling out all these metal things and thought what are they doing?  Well in about 7 minutes they put this stage together.   I kid you not.   When they announced who the concert artist was Allex and I looked at each other and grined real big and said OHHHHHHH.  Well Eldon and Addison weren't near as impressed as we were.  But they probably enjoyed the Cheerleaders more that we did so was a good trade off.

Here it is the 7 minute stage, had fire and all coming out.  They let the fans in and the ran to the stage.  Had we have known what to do ahead of time Allex could have been down there.   Hopefully next year we can get her there, wonder who they will have next year?

                       Just had to do a close up of him.  Oh and he can sing also

There you go, just had to share with you.  Some people call this Jerry's Place or World but I think it is still a woderful place for the Dallas Cowboys.  Oh did I mention they won at the very last 3 seconds?   I won't mention the game of December 11th. 

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

Birds of a Feather at the Water Cooler or Stop and Smell the Roses

There are little sayings in the world which I know everyone has their favorites.  There is one about birds of a feather flock together.  Now I could almost guess that one is semi correct, I am known for not getting the sayings right.  BUT, I think this one is close enough.   Now you wonder what the little things visit about at a water cooler, or you may not have thought about it at all.    Maybe some idle chatter or wondering where they are going to fly when it really get cold.  You never know what the little feathered friends are chattering about.  Sometimes they are pretty noisy about it.

We have a little fountain at our back patio in a close area where we can view it all year.  Water trickles thru it most of the time.  Not that it is like Niagara Falls but the birds love it.  Being as my blog is decorated with little birds for Christmas  I just thought I would post them for you.

This little guy was the first to arrive, perhaps he is just looking for his friends and saying come on over it's good water.  Of course he had to flutter around and take a bath in it also.

Yea his friend came to visit, looks like a female came over to get a drink.   For some reason only two or three come at a time.  The others just waited their turn on the edge of the patio chair.  Really couldn't take their pics because if we moved ever so slightly off they would fly. 

We just had to keep taking pictures of them they were so cute.  We haven't seen them lately I suppose they got to cold and off they flew.  It is good to stop and smell the Roses and enjoy some free things in life.

This sweet little fairy has been part of our life for many years.  She just sits patiently waiting for the seasons to change.  Love her little face.

This is what the pretty Oak trees in our front yard looked this year.  They certainly out did themselves. 

 There you go what is going on in my world today.   I have a fun trip to share in a few days but didn't want to wear your eyes out.  Now off to go and do something else.   Thanks so much for stopping by and hugs to all.  xoxoxo

Geometry ? Who would have thought ?

In High School Geometry I remember doing some wonderful designs with the compass.  Now truthfully I don't remember another thing about geometry except the designs.  If you would  have told me that I was making Mandalas I would have said what ? No way.  I wouldn't even have know what one was then.   To me it was making pretty designs and not having to mess with numbers and formulas.

 I am taking a FREE class over at Willowing and friends.  The class is led by Guadalupe Brizuela Cabal, a very talented lady and artist.  She is offering the class on Mandalas and teaching it so well.  She furnished a template for week one but me not reading instructions very well just made my own on watercolor paper.  I first used, probably an antique compass and on my trusty watercolor tablet started creating per her instructions.  Such a peaceful art I thought.   I then used my watercolor pencils and watercolor crayons and just played and played.   I thought it needed some bling so added some tangles to it and it is finished.   My first drawn Mandala.  Earlier in the blog I had done one with a paper painting, where I painted the paper and then tore it up and made the design.   This art way just has a different feeling to it.

Here you go, it just kind of evolved to this. I didn't start out with anything in mind, in fact what I first drew was nothing like what I finished with.  funny how that happens, guess our Muse just takes over.

I also have been getting back to sketching.  I know all these goodies I have been doing are going to meld together and something will come out of this.    I do have to stray a tad here--- melding.  Now when I think of that word I think of Spock in Star Trek mind melding with someone.  OK, just a short subject stray here for me.    

I used a mechanical pencil, never really used one before but now it is my most favorite pencil.  It has been years since I have sat down to draw faces so still a bit rusty, but of course the fairies had to pop in there. 

So there you go my sketching and coloring.  Just some peaceful art play.     Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.   xoxo

Don't forget about me !!

It is funny when I was dressing up my blog for Christmas all the while I was thinking what about Thanksgiving ?  I mean there it is kind of sandwiched between Halloween and the cute trick or treaters and Christmas-Jesus birthday, the most important holiday to me. 

I can remember on Thanksgiving, I was maybe in the 4th or 5th grade and just moved to a new town and a new school.  I usually went to several different schools a year.  So I was nervous when our teacher gave us an art project and I was thinking I don't know what they have been doing here.   After I finished my drawing, I can remember it to this day.  The drawing, with crayons I might add, was of corn stalks staked up in the cones as you see them in the pictures with a child and dog playing around it.  I do not remember if it was from my head or a picture.  I can't remember everything can I?

The teacher came over to me and looked at my picture and said come with me.  Now you can imagine how I felt, I thought going to the principals office already or even worse kicked out of school  and I loved school.   She took me into the scary room-THE TEACHERS LOUNGE !!!!! To my relief she just wanted to show off what I had drawn and then we did go to the principals office but for praise.  WHEW !!!!!!  I will never forget that the rest of my life.  What happened to the picture-- only the picture angel knows that. 

Now Thanksgiving always to me is a gathering with no pressures and lots of pies.   I hope you did read about last Thanksgiving's story.  It was a story.  We do have so much to be thankful for  and yes "things happen" but hey that is life and I do believe we just get stronger because of that.   I just can't imagine the Pilgrims and the Indians years ago eating together  it could almost be a tough dried turkey but hey it was the togetherness  I do believe that mattered.

I went on line and found these little pictures of Thanksgiving at a free vintage site, tried to down load their button but it didn't want to play with me.  I will keep trying though.

There you go.   I just didn't want to leave Thanksgiving out,  I mean hey I might not get any pumpkin pie. 

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

The Wind and Fairy Dust

The wind is blowing today, as usual, but I think a cold front is coming in.  Time for the jackets and sweaters.  You know, the clothes that weigh a lot and not as comfy as our summer clothing.  We could call them outfits but don't think guys like their "outfits" to be called that.  Funny isn't it what we all call things according to our gender. 

When the wind blows all little pollens and dust particles are in the air and you wonder what else is in the air floating around.   I like to think fairy dust is there also spreading their magic and good feelings around.   So that made me think of doing a little painting. 

I drew a little fairy, made her hair with tangled line drawings and just had fun with her.  I then scanned her in and colored her in the Corel Painter.  You use a Wacom tablet, you could draw with it but I just have not mastered fine drawing with it so a pencil and paper will just be good enough.  I mean it was good enough for the old masters so should be good enough for a West Texas gal don't you think?  Funny story, when I first started painting back in the olden days I always thought if I bought the perfect brush like the teacher had I could just go to town painting like he or she.   Strange what you think at times isn't it?  Nope, not the brush, it is what is in your head.  When you convince your fingers to cooperate you have it made in the shade with you art, wellllllllll until you try and learn something else that is.
 
  I then added a beautiful image of the roses from Vintage Catnip I do believe and also added some fairy dust from Painter.   Such a sweet little brush.  I chose yellow for mine.  So here she is.  I added the roses in the background and lowered the opacity and then added the same rose in the front.  I added some pastel pencils to kind of tie it all together.  Just playing and seeing if I could still remember what all I had learned during the years.   I am loving the art journaling, the drawing and painting and most of the time the computer so will see if they can get along together.

Here she is, not sure about it though, still just playing around with the several medias and seeing if they will gel together or not.  Be sure and click on her to see her bigger.  If you want.

Well thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.  xoxoxox

Letters and Contests

  I am not a contest enterer, not sure if that is a word but Mary Green on Green Paper.typepad.com  has a monthly contest and I thought hey why not?  I think it will push me more to do art journaling and some more mixed media and make my mind keep plugging along.  I think any kind of art is good for you and certainly is good for you.   Mary furnishes three images and you play to your does heal little hearts content creating whatever you want.  Like Zinnia on Roses on My Table does.  No rules -just do it.  Hope Nike doesn't get me for using that saying. 

So here is what I came up with, I used molding paste, wonderful stick on diamonds and ribbon and lace.  Now somehow in the scheme of things stick on diamonds just really don't jive together do they?  Actually they are stick on somethings but I call them diamonds.  So enough of the build up, I know you are sitting on the edges of your seats wanting to see my play for the day. 

There you go, she was fun to do and just stretching my wings.  I was wondering what the letter said on this.  Hope it wasn't a sad letter just something saying I am here and feeling fancy with my new wings.  You know a sweet letter. 

Funny you know thinking about it, people just donn't really write letters anymore. They email and Facebook but letters are scarce.  I am a keeper and even have all the letters my brother sent to me when he was in Vietnam.  We use to talk about nothing which I thought was good for him to keep his mind off of what was going on over there.

Ok enough for today, thanks for stopping in and seeing what is going on in my world.

xoxox

Fall and Puffer Fish

Hello and welcome to November.  You know it seems like yesterday that we were talking about January.  They, whoever they are, say that time flys  by when you are having fun.  My friends we must be having one great big party here. 

Now I think you know that Fall is my favorite time of year.  Every once in a while our leaves here in West Texas do turn the beautiful goldens and reds that you see.  I can't remember if I posted this painting or not but it is pretty enough to do again.   I did this from a photo that Karen Bonaker shared with us and it is a digital painting.  It is with the Corel Painter program and you do stroke by stroke and don't have to just click a button and the computer paints it for you.  Then in turn you can just whip out your traditional paints and add your own touches to it.   Now if you haven't tried it please do so it is fun.   You can get the little Bamboo tablet for like $99 and then I am thinking it has a little painter type program with it.   I paint traditionally also but sometimes it is just pure fun to mess up something and just delete the layer.  Then tadaaaaaa you have a clean slate to create.  I could use my imagination and say oh this scene is just down the street.  Sorry just in my imagination is where this rests and Karen's photograph that is. 

This post will be a tad long but pictures will just help it along.  It has been a few days since I posted and have to make up for it.

Does this not look inviting?  Welcome to our home type setting? Of course we don't know who will rake all those leaves up. 

Now this is in Montana one year while we were doing one of our wandering trips. Where you leave your home and not really knowing where you will wind up.  The grounds were just beautiful and such a tapestry of colors. 

Now talking about imagination.  How many times in your life have you seen a grown lady sitting in a chair holding a puffer fish?  Now I can imagine a lot of things but never this.  On Roses on My Table Zinnia is giving a quick class about banners and the discovery of more mixed media.  The messy kind  of art, that your fingers are all gummed and gooed.  We ordered some digital images from Land Of Nod and instantly they were on my computer to print up. 

I gathered my goodies together and this is what I created.  I didn't have all the "ingredients" but that is the good thing about mixed media, I don't think it matters. 

Here you go, two of the pennants, now don't get to excited these are not real pearls.   They are from the bridal department at Hobby Lobby. 

On the left is the "momma" with the puffer fish. Can you imagine how it smelled?  Pee yew.  Does make for a pretty fun image though doesn't it?  The little girl with her fairy behind her?  Yep she is holding a zebra, this is believable.   Children often had their little pet toys they carried. 

The end little boy, yes a little boy.  You wonder why they dressed little boys like that back then, maybe not enough money for boy clothes and everyone shared the same dress.  I put the little boys on the end so they could protect the family. 

Here is the "whole nine yards" as I say which means the whole thing, the whole shootin'  match.  I have it proudly hung up in my art room. 

Sorry to be so gabby but just wanted to show you some fall and some fun. 

I hope you all have a good day and see you down the line.  Thank you for stopping by to see what is going on in my world.