I'll miss you 2013

What a busy year that was filled with many changes and challenges.  Our biggest change was our move to Alabama in July.  It signified more than our typical military move, this move is the start of a new chapter in our lives.  We PCSed from Ft Leonard Wood Missouri.  It was the most difficult assignment we have encountered.  Normally, I find pride in my ability to make anyplace fun; however, the entire family didn't adapt well during the two years we were in MO.   I had to accept that some things don't change no matter how badly we want them to and things I wanted to stay the same, like our wonderful friends and neighbors, do change (and move).  I guess I learned to look for the positive. When we received our orders for Redstone Arsenal we were thrilled.  This was a place we always wanted to live.  We carefully chose a house to purchase in a school district we loved because we plan on staying until the girls graduate.  Gene is still in the Army but his retirement is coming up in about two years and we are looking forward to being settled.  It has been six months in our home and we still love it.

I found a new level of comfort and excitement with my art.  I embraced  painting and it has gone so well.  People seem to really enjoy my art work and the creative process calms my soul.  The rest of the time, well, I have been so disorganized (which is not like me).  That will change in 2014.

The girls have done well in their new schools.  Greta had her usual adjustment period but is doing great.  She enjoys singing lessons and made the choir at her school.  One of her biggest joys is living in a subdivision with a pool.  This kid is a fish and loves to swim laps just for fun.  This upcoming summer she is going to try out for a swim team.  It is exciting to live someplace that has these opportunities.  Gigi has continued with piano and continues to excel in academics.  If I just had a tiny bit of her smarts.  It is so fun watching her become her own young lady.  One of the biggest changes I have seen is her decision to step back from competitive softball.  Gigi still loves to play  but wants to play at a recreational level.  She has decided to focus on music and academics and is considering martial arts.  I have a tough time stepping back but at least Greta still holds my hand to cross the street. 

Gene enjoys his new position at work.  It is a secret so I don't  know much about what he does all day but I do know that he comes home with a sense of satisfaction.  He has the biggest changes to anticipate.  When I refer to our retirement I really mean that Gene will be retiring from the Army.  It will be a big change for him to not be a soldier and a big change for us to not be a military family.

I can't forget the pets.  They are such a big part of our lives.  We lost our sweet border collie Friday in April 2013 due to a seizure disorder.  That was heartbreaking but it also opened our hearts to adopting Maizy May Flower, a super shy Corgi/Sheba Inu mix.  May loves four people and gosh, we love her back.  Then after we got settled in Alabama we adopted August Blue.  He is an Australian Shepherd/Basset Hound mix and a bundle of energy.  I can't even begin to count the number of funny things he has done... or chewed.  Well, that's not true, I have a hard time forgetting all the costly things he has chewed up.  ha ha  Bandit is still hanging in there, despite all the changes.  He continues to follow around his favorite person, Greta.

So, here's to 2013.  It was good year with so many changes and challenges.  Welcome 2014, I am looking forward to the joys you will bring.  This year will be about living with purpose and finding our place.

Curtains, who needs them?

I wonder if this will be me by the end of summer?  I am thrilled that the empty lots are selling in our fabulous subdivision.  The lot beside our house and the lot behind our house have sold.  I can feel our property value increasing.

 

 

 

 

.However,  I must admit that I was a bit surprised to see this giant start to go up behind me.  The majority of houses on our street are for people with arthritic knees, just like me.  They are lovely single story homes.  There are a few two story houses mixed in, no problem.  All the houses are beautiful, just like this home will be.  It just feels odd to know that folks can look into my backyard.  However, they may be sorry for two simple reasons.  First, I don't care for blinds.  I like the sun to shine in.  As a result, I don't have curtains or blinds that cover the window.  All my curtains are for looks only.  I'm sure the neighbors have learned to look away.  Second, Gene takes the dogs out back in his skivvies late at night and early in the morning.  It makes me giggle just thinking about those poor people looking out their bedroom window in the morning, stretching, and enjoying the start of their day only to look down and BAM!  there's Gene on the back porch.  ha ha!!! I don't know, maybe he will start putting on a robe.

 

I have reminded myself that once spring arrives that I won't be able to see the house.  There is a beautiful mature tree already there and I planted apple trees in that corner.  Plus, it is a great excuse to continue to landscape - one of my favorite things to do.  Get the shovel ready Geno, I need some evergreens.

August has been guarding the yard.  He normally doesn't hang out in the yard but he is really enjoying being a guard pup.  Isn't he the cutest?  I wish I had a picture of him standing.  He is an Australian Shepherd and Basset Hound mix.  He has those adorable short turned in Basset legs.  It just makes me smile to look at him.

Lastly, I wish I had learned more in my Spanish classes.  The construction workers enjoy their day.  They are always joking and laughing... loudly.  I want to laugh with them.

Quality materials are a must - don't be cheap like me.

A big sigh...

I have a habit of being thrifty.  I always try to go the less expensive route and more than once, I have paid the price.  My lesson I have learned is to always use quality art material where it matters most - the foundation.


See the slightly messed up lower left corner?

I had a slightly warped and inexpensive canvas I had been saving.  I thought it would be good for an experiment in mixed media.  I mean, what would it matter?  If the painting was a total pile of yuck then I didn't lose much money on my canvas.  It never crossed my mind that I might love the painting.  I have learned my lesson.























I started painting on my wobbly warped canvas, ignoring that it was bouncing all over the table.  It was just a little warped.  I didn't know that the paint would eventually make it worse.  So, now I have this experiment that I love, that is hanging on my wall for everyone to see right when you enter my home, and it drives me crazy.






















Moral of the story... use quality material.  The canvas matters.  Oh, and be careful if you bump up against the painting that is meant to be touched.  It is hanging a bit precariously and may jump off the wall.

Christmas Mixed Media Paintings

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted.  We moved into our new house six months ago and I finally found my camera battery but I am still missing my SD cards.  I'm really wishing I had been more diligent about backing up my pictures.  boo hoo

Christmas is around the corner and I had a great time painting these mixed media paintings.  My husband has been in the Army for over 20 years.  This Christmas I was inspired by all my military friends who have endured and tried to enjoy Christmas during deployments.  It is an unbelievably emotional time.

I always try to add a ton of texture to my paintings.  I want the viewer to pick them up and touch them.  My favorite part of this group of paintings is the snow.  It is molding paste that is swirled, painted, and then sparkled.  That's how I imagine snow looks like when it is fresh and the sun makes it sparkle.  I normally add a saying to my paintings, which are normally inspired by scripture or a song, but this time I left two blank so they could be personalized.  The fireplace painting and the Christmas tree painting now have personal messages.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

... and the fire is so delightful

Goodwill towards men

Joy

Peace & Joy

Peace

Winter Cabin

Getting Settled

I has been a month since we have moved to our new house.  So far we love it.  I would post some pictures but for some unknown reason I haven't been able to load pictures since we moved.

The actual move was a little frustrating and Gene is still trying to catch up.  The mover/driver chose to not hire helpers and had his family help him unload our household goods.  He had a 13 year old son, and 10 year old son, and his wife (who didn't seem to embrace his decision).  Although I applaud him for teaching his children the lessons and benefits of hard work, they were too small to carry a lot of items and didn't seem to understand the process.  As a result, a lot of furniture was slightly damaged, things ended out in odd places, or things didn't get any farther than the garage.  I think the most frustrating part for Gene was that the mover took apart a lot of furniture that shouldn't have been taken apart and didn't put it back together.  As a result, we have had to order new parts, etc.  But like I said, I still like a family that works together.

We  have been spoiled by our military moves the past 20 years.  After we have unpacked, the moving company always came back to pick up our boxes and packing paper.  The sweet life is over.  The girls and I tackled that job.  We found a recycling area the next town away and filled up our little red car multiple times.  Even though it was hot and humid work, I thought it was fun.  It cracked me up to see the girls in the car with paper packed all around them.  They even talked one of the neighborhood kids into helping.  It was so satisfying to see the finished project... our garage floor.

We are still hanging curtains... a job Geno and I both despise, but for the most part, we are settled in.  The girls have enjoyed the neighborhood pool.  Gene has taken Gigi fishing at the river that runs beside our subdivision.  The absolute best part was that the first week there we were invited to a neighborhood barbecue.  The neighbors are so fun and friendly.

I know we are going to like it here.  Now, I just need to get Gene to dig more holes in the yard for my landscaping obsession.  ha ha

Mountains and Fireflies

Before my dear friend Jen moved to Utah she asked me to paint her a picture with mountains and fireflies, her two favorite things.  I had never painted a firefly picture before so I was excited about the challenge and wanted the picture to be extra special for her. 

Jen is so vibrant and fun that I decided to make the painting bright and colorful like her.  I normally age my paintings but this time I went for all the joy and wonder I could create.  Gosh, I'll miss this girl.

Late For Class

July is more than half way through and I still have some late June-early July posts yet to write.  I started this post before we moved in early July and have since lost the draft.  No surprise there.  I've lost multiple things in the past few weeks during our move. 

Some wonderful ladies came over for a mixed media painting class.  Their paintings turned out beautifully and we had such a great time laughing.

I am a messy free spirited painter and reminded them several times to PUT DOWN YOUR PAINTBRUSH (Gina).  I wanted them to feel their art... literally.  Paint washes off eventually.

Beautiful paintings ladies.