Painted Hands

Yes, I have been playing in the paint!!! I spent all evening playing in my studio last night...and got up super early and started again!!! Wow, there is nothing more fun to me than to be in my studio...it makes me ever so thankful that God has blessed me with these hands that can paint and a wonderful space to do that in!!! That studio is a blessing for sure...it was for years just a crummy workshop/storage building ...twenty years ago I had the dream that it could be a studio...then life happened and years (many years later after my divorce) I began to clean it out and start the dream of a studio...It is really more like a small house, it has siding and windows, a french door for the entry, and now a pair of french doors on the backside that look out at my flowerbeds and little pond....(these looked so much better last year before the heatwave hit!!) Now the pond sits empty, because Vegas my studio dog, loves to get in it and pull out all the water lilys and water iris...and swim in that not so clean water! So it is now waiting for him to calm down a little before we redo that....but back to the studio, my wonderful neighbors took an interest in my redoing the building, two of them that are retired went to work on it....think it was like a coffee club for them, both their wives are on the go lots, so they would meet up at my little building and work until it got hot...they rewired the whole building, sheetrocked the walls and insulated the ceiling, hung vintage light fixtures for me....made sure there were lots of outlets... they just jumped in there and made my dream happen in fast motion!!! I can never thank them enough for helping me with that!!! Yes, thankful seems to be my middle name...thank you God for all your blessings....and for letting me have the time to create so that I can just empty this overloaded mind!!!

Whew! What a week....Oh, has it been two...

My how time flies...wow...is it Friday already??? Well, F is for Frog, but also for Friday. Love those Fridays, because the next day starts the weekend!! The chance of my getting some art done increases by 50% at least!!! I have three canvas just waiting to have funky kitties painted on them for a little girls room, and may try and get some ready to go to the childrens shop that I have been working on some lately....but the most important thing is that I am going to clean out my garage and storage building this weekend, in preparation for our neighborhoods annual street yard sale....hmmmmm, sure I can find a few things for that one!!!LOL, especially if you have ever been in my garage!!! The storage bldg is my dad's, and it has been almost four years now since he passed away, so I think I can finally narrow down the "keepers" out of it....time to take care of it and close that storage out...because I now have my mom's entire house in storage and she and I will begin the task of going through all of that. That one will be a treasure trove of cottage goodness and I will be offering some of that abundance on the blog to all you gals that love frou-frou, crackeled paint, old roses and cottage lovelies...so stay tuned for that! Should have the first "collection" of goodies up to shop through by the end of the weekend!!! Hope your week was a good one and that you are headed into a weekend of relaxing and creating whatever makes you happy!!!-Sandra

Creative Fix

The creative juices have been flowing and I have finally gotten my fix....an evening of painting!! Although I was too tired to go out to the studio, I did find a stash of acrylic enamels in a closet in the house...and a new unopened pack of brushes, so I just sat down and painted with my limited palette!! I have really been admiring some of the female faces in artwork lately...there are so many styles and subjects...so I decided to try my hand at it, well, at least half a face...then of course a floral on the next canvas so I could use up my palette. No paint going to waste around here...if I have any left, I just rub it all over a blank canvas to build texture, so never say I am not thrifty!!! Anyway...just wanted to share a pic and let you know that I have begun listing on Etsy again (checkout www.warehouseartchix.com for the link to our Etsy shop) and hope to keep adding to it!!! Stay tuned for more art, lots of vintage treasures and lovely little treats!!-Sandra

It's been a long time....

Just so you know I really am still here, thought I would post a recent picture....can you see the extra wrinkles life has added since we last spoke???Here I am in Waco, at my daughters with my everfaithful sidekick Vegas, what could be better in life than a dog that loves you!!!

Wow! How fast can time fly???? It has been two months since I posted on this site...and man has my life changed since then!! I just posted an update on the http://www.warehouseartchix.com/ blog, so I will give a condensed version here. I have not created art for the last two months either...to say that I am having withdrawals would be a major understatement!!! Oh how I long to spend just one whole day in the studio to empty my mind...but , life has me by the coat tail and is pulling me along on this bumpy ride. I know well and good that life is not all smooth sailing..if it were, we would not need our awesome God...so as we travel through the seasons of life, he most definitely shows us how much we need him. I alone can create chaos and confusion, but if I give it to God, he will lead the way and deliver me out of all of that.

Sooooo as I face this day filled with the care of my mom, the selling of her home, the moving of it's contents into storage, the workload that is never ending, an ex husband that is filing bankruptcy ( meaning I need to go to the courthouse and find out why I am listed in his list of creditors along with my daughter...does it ever end??? The divorce is over, but the drama continues.) the process of getting my daughter into college for her junior year and all the time and expense that takes, remembering to pay my own bills....and so much more....my brain is on overload!!!!! Calgon...take me away (maybe not, the bathtub being cleaned is at the bottom of the list!) But, it is a new day and I am looking for the silver lining in it!!!

Life is Sweet!!

Thought this little painting was oh so appropriate for today, this is the second week of my efforts to shape up and get healthier! I have walked three days out of each week, eaten healthy, had lots of water, no sodas.....you know the routine! So far I can tell I feel better, my energy is up.....but as for pounds.....just a few....so far. I am determined to take better care of myself! And that includes some creating time just for me in the studio this weekend! I have been busy with a commercial job, redoing the interior of a children's retail shop. I love this job...can not wait to show pictures of it! Just as soon as I clean out the van from work to see if my camera is buried in it somewhere!!!! Have a great Friday and may it lead into a fabulous weekend!-Sandra

Counting My Blessings!!!

Have you all had a chance to check out the creations for the Bird and Bonnet Swap, hosted by Karla (www.karlascottage.typepad.com) and Beth (www.bethleintz.typepad.com)??? The Vintage Workshop contributed some wonderful images to be used in this swap. I was so intent on finishing mine up and getting them in the mail....I forgot to take pics of them!!! Oh well, I probably couldn't find my camera anyway.....my life is on overload and overstuff (supplies for jobs and projects are piling up in my home and van....come on three day weekend!! I need ya!!!) Sometimes I wonder what would happen if my life were in order and all things were in their place.....would I have a bad case of artist block??? You know, like writers block....would the creative juices refuse to flow in my brain??? The older I get, the more I am willing to try the organized life (I know, those of you that know me are laughing really loud right now!!!) I am really trying to work on ME right now...so if you want to join me in prayer, that God will bless me with the gift of organization, all prayers are welcomed!!! You know how they say God has a sense of humor...please tell me he is not laughing right now too!!! I really want to be organized, almost as much as I want to paint when I should be cleaning house or cleaning out my van or studio.....painting just brings me such joy, it is so therapeutic to me, it is just part of who I am....cleaning and organizing just have not found their niche yet in my life!!!

Oh well, on to the blessings of this day!!! My mom had surgery today on her left hand. She has Osteoarthritis and her hands are knotted and bent from it...it really limits her ability to use her hands. She has always played at sewing, crafting, painting and plain puttering....so it is a tragedy to see her so limited in using those talented hands!! They operated on two fingers today, using local instead of anesthesia due to her use of oxygen and her COPD. They scraped the bone removing all bone spurs, then they fused the middle joints on both. They then "wired " the upper and lower joints once they were repaired. Recovery is about 8 weeks, then we will know if she wants to try the right hand and continue the repairs. I am so praying that this is a major improvement for her!!! A wonderful surprise today was that while she was having surgery, the administrator of Day Surgery came in the O.R. and it was her room mate from the Specialty Hospital where she had spent the month of February. Dee was in the bed next to my mom recovering from major back surgery and had not been able to walk for three months!! So it was a real treat to see her back at work and up and walking!!! She came out into the waiting area and found me to visit!!! A lovely surprise!!! It is such a blessing when someone crosses your path and makes an impact on your mind....when you know God placed them there for just the right reason....Dee was a sweet room mate for my mom and we enjoyed many evenings of visiting with her!!! Sooooo, a successful surgery behind us and recovery on the horizon....we are counting our blessings on this wonderful Wednesday!!! And the thought of the three day weekend headed our way is just what I need!!! -

Happy Mother's Day !!

My two darling children planned a special day to celebrate Mother's Day...they took my mother and I to brunch at a French Bistro and then had lots of presents and lovely cards! I got a new gas grill (wow!) and two new large coffee mugs, both pink (one Baylor Mom and the other an insulated travel mug)...think they get that coffee is the start of my day??? I love that my kids make every occassion special and always choose just the right gifts for me!!! So sweet! My daughter drove in for the weekend from college, right in the middle of finals. I love when she comes home, it is such quality time together. God has truly blessed me with two wonderful children!! Hope all you other mothers out there had a great day too! My mom is getting stronger every day, and it was so wonderful that she was able to get out with us and have some family time. I am off to enjoy the last bit of sunshine left to this beautiful day....thinking I might need to cook steaks on that new grill tonight!!! -Sandra