Earrings and more...from Jen

One of the very fun things for my birthday was getting a gift from Jen---three sets of earrings---turquoise flower with a sparkle in the center, light blue glass drops, and a hamsa design.  They are nice and go great with jeans...my favorite Summer-wear.  What was really fun was that she put them in a handmade card and packaged it all in a decorated bag:

Thanks Jen..69 is fine indeed!

Is a "Bacherolette" Tiara Necessary to Celebrate a Birthday?

Well, for me it was...that little gesture lifted me out of a funk about the whole birthday thing.  It was very sparkly and  pink...and I am not sure my little rendition of it did it justice.  It was spectacular, really...and VERY sparkly.  That doesn't show up on line.  As I like to point out (thanks to Virginia)---"You can never sparkle too much!"  I almost pushed the envelope wearing it at Camp 18....but that was part of the fun.

Celeste also gave me something that has become my constant companion...a beautiful little planner/journal/notes/todo list with wonderful illustrations and quotes.  This is my rendition of the cover:

"Write everyday" is the message of the top bird...and I do!!!

But wait!  There's more....the bag my birthday goodies from Celeste came in was a work of art in and of itself--with many colorful candles:

Plus, there is a pen that has a sparkle on the end of it (I didn't even TRY to capture that) and a birthday cake  when we were at Camp 18.  

Birds...candles...tiara...cake....I think my birthday was great!   And Celeste is very thoughtful.  She didn't even mention my actual age! She gave me these on our plein air painting outing at Camp 18.  It doesn't get any better than that!  

Birds at Camp 18

I had a great outing on the day before my birthday with Carrie, Celeste, and Eileen.  We went to Camp 18, where there's a lot of old logging equipment, a creek, a huge lodge, and lots of birds.  We've gone almost every year for my birthday for several years now, and we always make a fun day out of it, with breakfast in the lodge, and painting on the grounds for the rest of the day.  Celeste and Carrie gave me little bird figurines because birds are a favorite gift for me to remember these outings.  These ones seem like they are friends having a little chat, so I painted them together.  The little chick with the yellow hat is from Carrie, and the imaginatively painted one is from Celeste.  We had a great breakfast, and then set up to paint.  It rained off and on the whole time we were there, but we were able to find a shelter and painted what we could out of the rain.  Carrie gave a watercolor demonstration.  Kathy Pugh joined us a little later.  Before leaving, Celeste and Carrie brought out a surprise birthday cake.  What fun!  The painting is in gouache.  There is more to come!

Flowers from Virginia

A beautiful rose arrangement arrived on my birthday afternoon.  As soon as I saw it, I knew it was from Virginia.  The card of course affirmed that.  Speaking of cards, Virginia sent me two!!!   Both very nice, of course.

Virginia is so thoughtful in making sure that I am treated like more than a friend.  "We are family!"  She is a beautiful woman and an inspiration to all who know her.  I am so grateful for Virginia and her role in my life.  It is more than gifts and cards...Virginia gives support and love and always seems to know exactly what I need.  I am so fortunate!

Happy Birthday to me....with Orchids!

I just had a birthday and it was fun to get phone calls, cards, and gifts as well as many hugs.  I'll be making posts of thank you cards for the gifts on this blog over the next few days...maybe even weeks.  My family and friends are very generous to me.  

I got TWO fresh flower arrangements.  This one is from my daughter Louisa and her family.  There are two kinds of orchids, tiny ferns, sweet william bunches, bamboo, dramatic leaves and little green chrysanthemums. Very nice!   

I really wanted to have a certain electric tea kettle and I put it on my Amazon "wish list." The system works!  I got just the one I wanted....it was also from Louisa, Peter, Griffin and Sophia.  Here's my little sketch of it on the back of the thank you card:

The blue curved line on the lower right is the cord.....for serving, the kettle lifts off the base and is cordless.   Makes me want to sing "I'm a little teapot...short and stout" with Sophia!

Man Cave Show at Art on Broadway

This painting is in a show of "Man Cave Art" at Art on Broadway in Beaverton.  A celebration in the month we honor our fathers and the guys in our life.   It's done in the style of Thomas Kitchell, which was a real challenge.  I thought it looked easy until I started!   This piece is call "Hot" and it has a companion piece, "Cold."  The artists' reception is Saturday at from 6 to 9.  Hope my Portland area friends can come and see it.

I'm in a Group Show

The Art Wall Committee at First Unitarian Church is having a show of our own.  Usually, we jury other artists for shows and don't get to show our own work.  For June and July, as a special event, we are showing our own work.

Showing with me are Harriet Levi, Lynn Thomas, Igrid Wagner, Joanna Zondervan, Joanne Booth and Lynda Byers.  We heard a lot of postive comments yesterday at the unveiling of the show, and I sold the little painting above.  It is small, 3 1/2" x 5", matted to 5" x 7".  Let me know if you want to see this show.  It is open Sunday mornings from about 9:30-12, and other times by appointment.