~~~Oh How Sweet It Is!!!!~~~~

SWEET!!! Oh how sweet it is to have had two days to create and play! The canvas are flying around here! I finished several paintings this weekend and even got started on a few Valentine goodies! Now, it's Monday, a new day and the fresh beginning of a new week! Sooooo....as I promised, here are the last two Meme questions and answers and then...the three people that I tag to do the Meme next (are you ready????).

#8. 4 places I would rather be:

Ohhh, in Italy of course!, or Switzerland...but back to reality, in the kitchen cooking and hanging out with my kiddos or in the studio with my two dogs, listening to music and painting my heart out!!!

#9.4 things I look forward to this year:

Creating...yes! much more of that!!

Stepping out of my comfort zone ...to try new things, meet new people, see life in a different view (I promise this is not some new age mumbo jumbo...I really do like to challenge myself to try something new- this year, I would like to serve, maybe as a volunteer at Scottish Rite Hospital or something along those lines!)

Getting more organized-any tips? or maybe a magic wand you want to share????

Being the best I can be, saying no more often, not overloading my schedule, spending more time at home, eating healthier (really!) and getting more exercise...even if it is just walking...looking at the birds, the trees and the flowers!

And can I add one more...no sense following all the rules. I want to be thankful and grateful for all the blessings in my life and follow where God leads me!!!

There!!! That is it. If you want to know anything else about me, you will just have to ask me...questions anyone????

Now for the fun part of passing on the Meme to:

1. Cari at http://www.warehouseartchix.com/

2. Kecia at http://www.lemoncholys.blogspot.com/

3.Hmmmm, Karla at http://www.karlascottage.typepad.com/

if you don't want to participate, then I will choose someone else, but this one is a little easier than some of the tags I have gotten!!! Have a great day and a fabulous week!!!

More on the Meme!

Here it is...a little more Meme...in case you are saying?? huh?? Laura has confirmed it! My definition of Meme was correct (see post below). Sooooo, lets get some more answers to those questions she has asked

#3. 4 Places I have lived:

I am really afraid this is going to be quite boring to those of you who have moved around a bit!

I was born in Irving , Texas.....spent my childhood in Irving, Texas, moved to Dallas, Texas right after college and during early marriage...then moved back to Irving, Texas to raise my family. And this will not surprise you....I still live here!!! But if you are looking for excitement, ask me how many times I have painted the walls in this house...especially the living room. Never a dull moment there!!!

#4. 4 TV shows that I watch:

Hmmmm...just so you know, I really do have morals and values...but I do watch

Gray's Anatomy (last season was better)

Desperate Housewives (dito above)

Brothers and Sisters

But my all time fav is DANCING WITH THE STARS!!! I love it!!! If I could, I would dance like that too!!!....but the only thing I can move with rhythm (to music) is my paint brush!!!

#5. 4 Places I have been outside the U.S.:

I have been to Italy, Paris, Switzerland, Capri (the most beautiful island) and Monaco.

#6. 4 people that email me regularly:

whew! finally an easy one...my dear friends Cari, Deb (both part of WAREHOUSE ARTCHIX http://www.warehouseartchix.com/), my fun friend Gigi and my lovely daughter Syd.

#7. and I promise to stop for today- 4 favorite things to eat:

wish I could say this one was not easy...but it is, in fact I could name many more!

First would be pasta, love pasta...maybe due to all the time in Italy, then I love a good steak (ever so often), hot tamale candies...they are my stress relievers, homemade pancakes or waffles which I often make on Saturday morn for my son and I to share together and of course we have bacon or sausage links with them!

O-key-dokie...that does it for the questions for today, tune in tomorrow to see the last two questions and to see who I tag to do this next!!! Oh! I almost forgot...the pic above is one of my latest paintings I just finished...this seems to be my favorite combo of colors lately...think I might be pining for SPRING !

Tagged for a Meme (?) by Laura...so here goes~~

My friend Laura (http://www.restaurantreviewsbylaura.blogspot.com/ ) has tagged me for a Meme. What is a Meme you may ask??? Wish I knew but I am guessing it is a name for telling a little about Me, and then a little more about me.....did I guess right Laura??? So here goes my Meme!

#1. 4 jobs I have had:

My very first job was at Sanger Harris, when I was 15! I was so excited that I had convinced the personnel manager to hire me a year early (required age was 16). Probably did not hurt that I already looked 20...always grown up! I sold clothing in the Juniors department and the Women's department, but the best part of all, was when the Gift Wrap department needed help! Ohhhh how I loved wrapping those packages and I was good at that! I would make up extra bows for the next shift and tape them to the wall above the colorful papers....still can make those bows and I wrap a mean present!


My second job was as a bank teller while I was in college, I worked the commercial window and loved it! I did that until I left for Europe to study.


Upon returning to the states, my mother and I have opened a retail store (gifts and antiques) that was about 18 yrs ago, the name of the store was Return To Romance . Now remember that was 20 years ago....think victorian and country... ahhh ....now the name makes sense.

After having my first child, I closed up shop and came home to run a handpainted clothing line. I painted clothes, shoes, handbags, socks, jewelry...could paint that stuff in my sleep! I sold the line both wholesale to stores and retail to clients. When the painted clothing thing became outdated, I began painting on furniture for designers, then walls...then faux finishing. This was a natural fit, because my background was in fine arts.



Funny how all of this job experience adds up to what I do now...I have a design firm in Grapevine, Tx called RTR Designs (yes, still using the intials of the original Return To Romance ). Through the years of being in clients homes, I would often offer suggestions and then end up doing way more than just painting on their walls or furniture...wasn't long before I was designing whole rooms and window treatments...then whole houses...etc....What a gift it is to do daily something that I love! I am blessed !

o.k., back on track here~

#2. 4 movies that I have watched over and over:
that's a hard one...


Bambi would be one...my daughter watched it several times a day when she was little.


next...would be Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers when my son was little


other than that...I hate to watch movies twice...my son will laugh here though, because lately I have ordered two movies from Net Flix just to put them on and then say "I have seen this one!"...it must be an age thing!


since my answers are getting so long...I will wait till tomorrow to answer more of the Meme questions! See Laura, you may wish you had never asked....no quick answers to these! Loved your answers! -Sandra

~~~~~NOSEy ROSEy~~~~~

This is what I wake up to each morning...the large wet snout of a Great Dane! Her name is Bella Luchia, Luchia for short...(that is lucy in Italian, beautiful lucy!) It is better than any alarm clock...she is quite persistent and does not have a snooze feature!! This morning though, you might notice something odd...I know I did. when she came to wake me up this morning, through half asleep eyes, I noticed that her nose was pink! At first glance, I thought maybe she had gotten it caught in something...she is notorious for sticking that big snout where it does not belong. I patted her on the head and said "poor puppy"....as I tried to roll over and go back to sleep. No such luck, as she continued to push that cold wet nose into my back....o.k., o.k., I will put you out. As we headed to the back door, it dawned on me that she had gotten into my paint...pink paint at that!!!

She had decided to get into the kitchen trash during the night, only to find a paper plate filled with paint instead of some yummy leftovers!! Ever since we adopted a new pup this Summer, she has had a few behavior problems...mainly getting into the trash when I take the pup in the van with me ( gotta have a van for a dog as big as Luchia....she is the size of a pony!). Guess she was going to show me a thing or two, as I had taken Vegas (the pup...named by my 15 yr. old son who also has a cat named Reno...go figure?????) any way, I took the pup to visit my mother for the day, as he is great entertainment for her. My mom has COPD and is on oxygen 24 hrs a day now, so she doesn't wander out much. So it is a real treat for Vegas to go visit her and her little Rat Terrier named Molly (gotta get a pic of her...all her spots are heart shaped!). That explains the midnight trash dive that Luchia took....I think she was sorry, as she gave me that sweet "Awww Mom" look when I got on to her. Think maybe I should rename her? Nosey Rosey or Rosey Nosey!!!

I Brake for PINK!!!

Have you ever seen a PINK stop sign??? Well I am telling you , here in Texas we have one of everything! As my friend Cari and I were driving out of the Home Depot parking lot yesterday, there it was... a PINK stop sign!!! We had to go back there today with our camera in tow, just to snap a picture of it....do you think they might let me take this one so they can replace it with a standard red one??? I need (you know I like to use that word!) it for my studio and garden!!! Or I could put it in my front yard with a banner that says in the name of love. Get it??? Stop in the name of love...Cari and I got a big laugh as we sang that one on the way to the office!!! Do you have PINK stop signs in your town???

~Polka Dot Pink Whimsy~

Polka Dots and Pink! Top that off with sugary sweet pink roses and a little rick rack trim...makes for a fun little painting. This is a sweet 8 x 10" canvas in shades of frosting pink topped off with a little glass glitter for that extra dose of glam! Do you think maybe the thought of Valentines coming soon had some influence? why yes, it did...I love that holiday filled with love and hearts, but most of all the combination of pink and red just makes my heart throb! February is one of my fav months, and not just because my birthday falls in there somewhere, but also the birthdays of many of my dearest friends...a month filled with love and celebrations!

It makes me so happy that I find myself buying all sorts of pink items for creating...large bottles of pink paint, pink velvet ribbon, pink pom pom trim, pink rick rack, pink glitter....and then I just get to spend all my creative time painting and making art with these items!! If anything PINK just makes your heart soar, then we are kindred spirits! And if you need (you know like we need a hole in our head!...that kinda need...the kind that fills you with daydreams of decorating and painting...provides inspiration). Well like I was saying, if you need this little confection of a painting, just let me know and I will send a paypal invoice your way and then package it up really pretty (with some of that pink ribbon I spoke of earlier!) and send it your way. You can own it for the sweet price of $42.00 and that includes shipping (unless international shipping is required). Stay tuned for more sweet paintings from this last week...They make a great grouping...just so tempting!

SWEET~~~Life is wonderful, Life is sweet!

I think that may be the words to a song!!?!! but it is so true! Life is SWEET. Blogging about life, art and all things beautiful is one of the things that make life even sweeter! As I began laying out some of my fav things today to shoot for the blog banner and button...I realized how many beautiful things I have right here at my fingertips...lots of beautiful things and inspiration (the majority which are pink!!). I am looking forward to posting some of these beautiful things and some whimsical artwork here for all to enjoy. I just hope it makes you as happy as it makes me! Cheers! To the beauty in all things both big and small!