Happy New Year - almost









We had such a fantastic time up at the farm (my in-laws place).
We played lots of games, had lots of fun and ate way too much food!

Here are some of the pics i couldn't upload earlier cause they were Christmas gifts ~



I painted and gave this saltbox house window to my friend Terry. Her husband purchased 3 windows of mine for her already and I hated to give her another but had already started it before he purchased his and my mind was set on it. It started out as a winter scene but when he purchased the Santa window and Harvest/Fall window I wanted to do something that wasn't seasonal so that she could have it out year round.

Here are some of the teacher gifts that I did - forgot to take pictures of all of them -phewy.















We're having another weekend filled with fun, laughs, games and lots of family time. My hubbys brothers, sister-in-law and nephew are here for the weekend (from up near Augusta, Atlanta, and Texas). My husband and I are really not LATE night people but we were up til midnight last night playing games and then started watching a movie - we of course were the first to go to bed. My brother-in-law Michael has a habit of scaring people and last night he got me really good. I walked into my room and started to get into bed and he jumped out from just beside and half underneath my bed - I screached very loudly! I think I half expected him to scare me but didn't expect him to be under my bed. His wife and I got him back though - when he got in the shower - we hid out in two different places in house and scared him as he came out! He seemed a bit spooked but it takes a lot to scare him!
My two boys come back today - YAHOO! We surprised them with Atlanta Hawks tickets for Christmas (they don't really care for the Hawks but they were playing the Cleveland Cavaliers and they are big Lebron James fans) so were thrilled to go to an NBA game. After the game my hubby dropped them off with my sister in law and neice and nephew and they stayed at a hotel to get a head start on seeing Atlanta. They toured Altanta all day and then headed back to her house to stay until today. I'm sure they've had fun but I sure have missed them so much. I was thankful that my sister-in-law called every day just to say hey and let me know all was well - I'm a bit over protective and I didn't want my boys to think I was checking up on them. I hope they haven't driven her crazy ~ too much. hehehe

Happy Holidays - last post til Christmas!
Loaded a bunch of pictures and hit the delete button so will have to wait until after Christmas to show what I've been up to. Broke down and did teacher gifts - couldn't convince myself that I didn't need to make anything and that a box of chocolate was fine - but that just isn't me.
I'm looking forward to spending time with my in-laws and family for Christmas. Looking forward to not getting on my computer which I do way too much.
I wish all of you a very blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!

Here is on pic that I managed to not delete by chance - a cake plate that my friend Carrie ordered for her friend for Christmas - she made a red velvet cake to put on the plate - YUM.






















I have yet to address and mail out my Christmas cards and letter. I thought about taking my address book and the box of cards but don't know that I'd sit and do them - sorry friends! Thanks for your cards and I'll get mine out hopefully the day after Christmas :(

OKAY...I couldn't leave you hangin'


These are the very vintage - 70'ish things that I purchased the other day. I bought these at the base thrift shop for $15.00 and thought "hey, I have paint that I can use on that"

I think they will really look awesome - once I get the chance to paint them.

Went to the Mall today - hate the mall. BUT it wasn't that bad. Took son #2 after his indoor soccer game which they won 8-4 (he scored a hat trick - 3 goals for all you non soccer fans). He LOVED every sports store that we went into and since we don't go to the mall - EVER - he was just amazed at all the stores. NOW...they've been to the Mall of America and know about stores but I stay away from malls - too many people (especially this time of year) and too much temptation to spend money that I don't need to spend.

Mad Hatter Tea Party
Had our Tea Party today with the spouses group! We had a blast!
We ate the best scones, tea sandwiches, and lots of yummy goodies that we dipped in the chocolate fountain ~ marshmellows, strawberries and pound cake. YUM. I was very good though and only ate 1/2 of a scone, 2 marshmellows and 3 strawberries (covered in chocolate).
Here are some pics - the rest were blurry - hating my camera the moment - maybe santa will bring me a new one or maybe I can get the instruction booklet for this HP and see what's up with it or what's up with me.
Here's a pic of Terry and I in front of the Christmas tree.















Terry and Jamie - they dared each other to lick the chocolate off their plate - had to take a picture of that!


We asked our members to bring at least 2 dozen cookies/candies/fudge or other yummy desserts that we could package up for the men and women living in the dorms on base. I brought all of the goodies home and packaged them up into 22 turkey pans. I'm not a very good judge of how long it takes to do things ~ I thought I can whip that out in a couple hours - 5 hours later ~ my husband chipped in and helped me! He cleaned the kitchen from the mess I made from making a dinner for a friend that just had a baby, he picked up all the trays and put them up on the table (my kitchen was covered with trays) and brought them to me to cover with plastic and then loaded my car up ~ all after getting home at 9pm from taking son #1 to basketball practice. We fell into bed at 11:30 p.m. which is VERY late for the two of us.
OKAY....I've tried to upload a picture of something else I bought yesterday (VERY VINTAGE) and it won't load - OKAY...I'll be honest I got the picture loaded and hit the wrong button and it deleted it and now I can't get it to load again (12 tries now). SO, I'll try later. This is certainly going to be a before and after opportunity for me and hope I can get to this project done soon so I can show you the after! Maybe I'll wait and show you what I'm talking about once I've finished it ~ or do you want to see the before now?
IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SUMMER! 72 degrees today and suppose to be 74 tomorrow - this is after last week's 18 degrees and my pipes freezing!

$1.25 ~
That is how much it cost me for these vintage doves and plastic reindeer and faux pearl necklace. How cute are they?
I had a meeting at the base thrift shop and they were sitting on the table ~ too cute and too cheap to pass up!
Here is a close up of the doves and my youngest son insisted that the reindeer go on top of the tree like they were flying ~ so there they are.












WISTERIA CLASS
Taught this wisteria class yesterday and had a blast! Everyone did so well and I hope had a lot of fun. Missing photo of Sherry ~ she had to leave for a doctors appt. but did such a good job and hopefully she'll send me pictures?? to post.

This is mine. I created this class adapted from an original that I did this summer at Super Convention ~ designed by Angela Anderson (see my July Archives). I wanted to do something that people could hang all year round and not just something for the holidays. I still am amazed at how well these ladies ~ some that have never ever painted before can do this in 2 hours!


Vaunna ~ this was her first class and was so very quiet and unsure but I think she did an amazing job!

Not only did they have to paint the wisteria and rosebuds that learned how to faux finish their canvas too!





Brenda ~
Her very first class too! Proud momma to the two lovely ladies below - Mauri and Nicole. Talent runs in the family!


Mauri ~ this was her second class ~ gorgeous wisteria ~ she wanted to do three wisteria bunches to balance out her picture and isn't it beautiful?! It was also her birthday and she spent it with us!

Nicole ~ her third class and she really is a natural - she has been making teacher gifts and Christmas plates and they are absolutely gorgeous! Way to go Nicole! Keep up the painting!
















A Family Painting ~

Brenda (mom)
Mauri and Nicole (sisters)

How awesome is that? Very neat that these two girls are painting with their mom and they are all learning very fast and doing amazing things!




Terry ~ again! At almost every one of my classes! She is awesome and has learned to paint so fast!
After the class she took it over to the frame shop there at Hobby Lobby and had it matted and framed and it looks amazing - she is giving it to her mom for Christmas ~ she's gonna love it girl!

Off to a Mad Hatter Tea Party this morning with the Spouses group on base. Have nothing to wear - I do have a hat but have to go dig through my closet to see what will fit today ~ a daily issue ~ BUT after watching the Biggest Loser last night and seeing the amazing weight loss I'm motivated to get out there and get it OFF!

BACK TO SUMMER~ It's supposed to be 74 today - Is it December?? 70's all week and back down to winter temps next week they say! CRAZY.

CONVINCED!
Yesterday I heard a report about the increasing number of women getting Alzheimers and starting in their 40's. Today I heard a report that sodas carry a carcinogen - BENZENE which can cause several types of cancer - levels were higher when sodas were stored in the heat or direct sunlight. The FDA of course said that the levels were fine and that Soda drinkers have nothing to worry about. Wasn't that the same story with cigarettes long ago?
I have to tell you that I can tell a HUGE difference in my body and my mind since I've stopped drinking Diet Coke. I know your are asking yourself "how many times is she going to blog about it?"
Well, it took me a long time to stop drinking it ~ but I am convinced now more than ever that it does do something to our body and more importantly to our brains that isn't good.
I had gotten to the point where my thoughts were so scattered that I could go around in circles all day long and get nothing done. I use to feel very ADHD sometimes. I FORGOT a lot of things ~ mostly short term memory things like what did I just say? what just happened? what happened last week?
It tastes so good and I think has something in it that causes us to become addicted to it - not only the caffeine but the other chemicals that do something to us that feel great short term but I BELIVE are doing long term damage.
Okay....off my soda soap box ~ for now. hehehe
Off to a painting class this morning. Have a full class and have my camera already packed so I won't forget to take pics again. We are painting a fabulous canvas and I'll share those photos with you later.
Didn't go bowling yesterday as I got in the car and drove up to the farm to get some goodies out of my in-laws freezer. They needed to defrost it and make room for some fresh meat going in next week so I loaded up 3 coolers full of yummy farm grown vegetables (I didn't take the ones I had never eaten before in my life ~ like greens? I wouldn't know how to cook them) and some steaks and hamburger meat. Lots of Strawberry freezer jam too! YUM!
I had a blast driving up by myself and singing very loudly to some Christmas songs - my boys usually ask me to stop singing~LOL. More this time than others driving up to the farm, I noticed how many OLD wooden homes that are run over with weeds and falling in roofs and so WISHED I could have taken out the windows that were in them~ such a waste ~ sitting there rotting ~ when I could truly use them.
Better get. Will share photos with ya later!

FUN FILLED WEEKEND
Had a fabulous weekend ~ filled with lots of family time and lots of painting. I cannot share pictures of what I painted at home cause they are Christmas gifts. I can however, share with you photos from my two painting classes I did this weekend.
I completely forgot my camera for the first class but my darling hubby brought it up to me after he got home from my sons basketball camp. Luckily Kim and Stephanie stayed for the second class so I got to take photos of their Winter Wonderland canvas.


Charlene - like a lot of people that want to paint, told me she has a bunch of supplies and almost all of them are still in their original packages. She did such an awesome job! First time painting and isn't her plate gorgeous!
I have a feeling she'll be back for more classes.



My good friend and faithful painting class participant ~ Terry. She always does an awesome job! She had a very very busy day and found time to come and have a bit of fun with the rest of us! Thank you Terry for making the time!















Kim ~ another faithful class participant! This was her 4th class! It's exciting to hear too that she is taking what she's learned in the classes and making gifts for Christmas! How special it will be when those recipients open those gifts and have something handpainted by YOU or your daughters! It's amazing how different all the plates are and how beautiful they turned out!




















Stephanie ~
Has been to every class but one with her mother and the one she didn't come to she got to paint at home! Again, I think that is awesome that you guys are taking what you are learning and not only practicing but giving away your very beautiful pieces!
Gorgeous plate!




Here is the Winter Wonderland scene that we painted on canvas. Cute and sweet little painting that could anywhere in the house for the holidays. We had a full class and hopefully everyone will email me their pictures like they said they would so I can share what everyone did!

We had some CRAZY COLD weather here the other day. It was 17 ( a record here in middle GA) and our pipes froze! Thankfully they didn't burst but we had to wait for them to thaw out so that we could use our water. Then today it is 68 degrees. CRAZY! I did go through the boys dressers and closets and switched out summer clothes finally and realized how little my kids have that fit them especially the two older boys ~ they grow way too fast! My youngest of course has way too many with two brothers clothes that have been passed down.

I've made a decision that I'm still not sure I can uphold. I decided that this Christmas I couldn't stress myself out with trying to get Teacher gifts made. Last year I was so busy with everything else and on top of it all painted something for each of my boys teachers - 17 total. Do teachers expect Christmas gifts? Do you think the teachers my older son had last year that teach my middle son this year are expecting something? Will they feel slighted if I don't make something for them this year? I will of course make them something for the end of the year but still have that urge and feeling like I should MAKE them something. What do you think? I did buy them a small box of chocolates but I don't know if it's what I want to send in. My boys don't care and in fact won't take the presents in ~ I have to take them to the office and drop them off cause they are too embarassed to give them to their teachers in class - boys!

MOST SPIRITED!
My sweet neice ~ Gabby ~ was just named MOST SPIRITED for her cheerleading squad! There were two awards and she got one of them! She is as sweet as she is gorgeous (inside and out). Congratulations Gabby! We love you.

HOT CHOCOLATE WEATHER!
BURR! It sure was cold here this morning in middle Georgia! Low 40's so we broke out the hot chocolate and marshmellows! yummy! It has been in the 70's here for forever it seems and it's nice to have that chill in the air! Sure does wake me up.














I painted these glasses and carafe for my friend CeeAnn to give as a gift this Christmas. Hope the recipient enjoys them! I love these stemless wine glasses (not for wine - YUK) but for juice for the kids. Perfect size.











This is a poinsettia plate for a class I'm teaching tomorrow! Way behind on getting everything together for that.




Also teaching a canvas class with a Winter Wonderland scene - will share those pictures tomorrow.




Just found out this morning that my oldest is in NEED of braces! YIKES! They showed me the bill and it's gonna be painful. My youngest needs them too but has to wait for his 12 baby teeth to come out before they put them in. Austin (my oldest) said to me this a.m. "Great, I just got rid of the 4 eyes and now I'm gonna be known as brace face" poor kid! Hope no one teases him! I could have them on this month but have decided that I want him to be able to eat lots of things during the holidays that I know will be off limits after he gets them on so January 4th it is.

Have I mentioned lately that I'm still off Diet Coke?
These are things I have noticed since I've stopped drinking them:
* I do not have mood swings ~ okay maybe I do every now and then but it's not every 10 minutes like it was before.
* I do not crash around 1p.m. like I was doing every day ~ feeling exhaused and having no energy.
* I do not CRAVE sweets or get urges to binge like I did when I was hyped up on DC
* I do not have headaches, body and muscle aches like I was having daily.
* I have gone to the grocery store LESS. I was always going cause I was always drinking all the DC I had in the house and then you know what happens when you go....you buy other stuff and other stuff that I was craving and my stop for 1 item turned into $100.00 of other things. So, I'm saving money too!

Better run and get organized and ready for my classes tomorrow. In the words of my good friend (Chris Comeau) Have an OUTSTANDING DAY!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my older sister & her hubby
19 years today!
Lovin' these snowmen!
Taught another SNOWMAN painting class yesterday. We switched it up a bit by painting a larger round box and changed the way we painted the bottom half from my last snowman class.
So impressed with what these ladies accomplished all in 2 HOURS! Can you believe it?

Kay ~




















Ashley





















KIM
(SHHH! She took off work this morning to take my class)







Mother and Daughter



Ashley was a complete RIOT and great fun to have in class! She wasn't quite sure how her snowman was turning out but doesn't it look AWESOME! They all did so great~

I love the way we painted the base this time. Last time I taught this class I painted holly leaves and evergreen sprigs around it. This time we did a stripe to make it look like the snowmans scarf. This would make such a great gift filled with snowman ornaments or cookies and candies!
Off to bowling ~ will hopefully have good scores to share!
Have to get ready for some painting classes this weekend - we are painted canvas and glass. Plus, got a huge box of scrapbooking stuff yesterday and am ready to get some pages done ~ not that I really needed anything new but it sure is fun to play with new stuff isn't it. My photos are screaming at me STILL to do something with them.
Have a fabulous Tuesday!
Do something nice for someone today without them knowing it's you!
Sit down and write a note to a friend that you haven't seen in a while ~ I did 2 yesterday! Won't they just fall over when they get that letter - handwritten and for no special reason ~ other than to tell them that I think of them so often and miss being around them (they live in England) and me in Georgia.
Here are my bowling scores from today - not that great but consistent~ 143, 148, and 158.

December already?
I'm still trying to figure out where September, October, and November went! It's the last month of the year! I just can't seem to wrap my head around that it's almost 2007!

My baby (okay ~ he is 12) my first born ~ just got contacts. He has truly amazed me with the responsibility that comes with having to care for contacts and putting them in his eyes and taking them out. For the first few days I was having to coach him through it (his PopPop helped him out too when they were here). Now when I remind him to put them in before school or take them out before his shower in the evening ~ it's already been done. He is a bit on the OCD side so I knew he'd get it down quickly! I have to admit too that I thought for sure that by now I'd get a call from him from school all in a panic cause one of his contacts popped out and he can't find it and needs his glasses but NO that hasn't happened. My 12 year old is growing up and before I know it he will be in college and out of my house. I'm so scared thinking about that.
AND with the years flying by like they are now it will be here before I know it.

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from this guy John with the local Habitat for Humanity office. He is retired military and the Director for HGH here. He makes these amazing bird houses at the wood shop on the base here. He was asking around for a local artist to paint the bird houses he makes to auction off at their event in the spring to raise money for HFH. (I thought about teaching classes there but it is 30 minutes from my house and I'm not too keen on driving at night when most of the classes would be held) So, they had my information and passed it on to him and we met and he saw my portfolio and asked if I'd be interested in painting them as the lady that did them for the last several years had been diagnosed with colon cancer and they didn't want to bother her with it this year as she is trying to win this cancer battle. I was very honored and honestly have always wanted to be a part of HFH. I painted these awesomely constructed bird houses and here are some pictures of what I did ~

Sunflowers with bees and butterflies


























English Cottage




Roses















Patriotic house











My favorite - barn style with sunflowers and daisies






Blogger is not cooperating with me at the moment and letting me upload all the pictures so I will share those maybe tomorrow as I've tried about 22 times now to upload the same picture and although it says that it's been done the picture is not there. SO.....I'll share more with you tomorrow.