A fabulous "super-bowl" day!

OK, that was just a teaser - no Superbowl at our house! 

We went to a BOOKSTORE instead!

 

(Lassley's used paperbacks)

 

My favorite larger paperback books were on SALE!

 

Because of the S-bowl?

 I didn't ask. 

 I just started snatching them up until I had to get a basket to carry them around in!

 

$1 each!

They are usually $3.

That's the kind of thing that gets me excited!

 

lets see, at about a book a week, these will last me until April!

 

We also had SUPER bowls of Thai food (Thai Garden).

 

Red Curry - to cheer for!

lemongrass stir fry chicken - Better than a half-time show!

 

OK, I'll calm down.

 

Random souvenirs

ANOTHER rustic peach pie!

This time I had my wits to get a photo before we gobbled it up.

 

 

Over the weekend retired husband got a notion to renovate the front porch!

Who'd a thought?

removed, leveled, repainted

nice and clean.

 

 

And something new from my art journal.

The following are from a two page spread. 

 Somehow they looked way better photographed separately

and in close up "pieces".

At least to me.

 

Techniques are from the Suzi Blu on-line class I'm taking. 

I never thought I'd be able to draw a nose!

Next lesson is side and 3/4 views of faces.

 

They look pretty ordinary until you start adding layers,

 

 

and textures,

 

and more layers.

I'm having fun finally using a lot of the supplies I've been collecting over the last ten years!

On these pages I used pencils, colored pencils, acrylic paint, water soluble oil pastels, book paper, washi tape, a star punch, jelly pen (white), a palette knife, water soluble crayons, rub-ons, ink and rubber stamps. I might even have a go at it with a little sandpaper now. or maybe I should leave well enough alone.  Nothing is ever really "finished".

The thing I like about this kind of art is I can do it 10-15 minutes at a time.  I can put the pasta on to cook, and work for 12 minutes.  Then it can dry while we eat. Then I can add another layer and go clean up the dinner dishes.  Then another layer and go watch tv for a while. This is how I work well. Its good to get away from it and come back later with a fresh look.

It finally feels like summer!

I love this hydrangea that is blooming in front of the house.

 So, why don't I work outside when the weather is finally beautiful?

 I'm afraid I don't want to dig that deep into my subconscious.

 Here is what I did instead:

I started with an overwhelming urge to reorganize my pantry.  That turned into reorganizing nearly everything in my kitchen!  I worked at it ALL day and FILLED my garbage can (the outside one!)

I got rid of a bunch of stuff that was never going to be used, and reorganized the rest.  I put the baking items in my double turntable above.  That freed up some space.  I organized the food around the edges, leaving the front centers more open for the things I use on a daily basis (salt, pepper, sugar bowl, etc.).  I even found room for cookbooks.  I have a ton of cookbooks, and put the ones I use most in the pantry for easy access.  I had a glass cutting board I don't use much anymore and put it on a shelf to place the syrup, ketchup, oils - all the gooey stuff.

I was happy with my progress. 

You may wonder if I was avoiding some other job.

You might be right.

Tiny Treasures

Many tiny treasures around my house...

The first Spirea - teeny-weeny

a bitty apple, about the size of an olive...

hardy fuchsias...

unknown blossoms, but so cute!

another tiny hardy fuchsia...

But, the one thing I couldn't catch on my camera but see a couple of times a day...

twin fawns,

grazing with their mom - in our back yard,

walking our paths, crossing the road...

When they are this cute, I forgive them eating up my lupine plant in its entirety!

This photo from google, not my own unfortunately.