Saturday, January 31, 2009

25



25 random things you may or may not want to know:)
Ok, I've been tagged a few times so I guess it is time to play! These are fun to do when you have the time and it's always fun to learn new things about folk:) Participate if you can:) I was tagged on Facebook:)

1. I am an eldest child, I have two brothers.

2. My first pet(s) were two Siamese cats named Topaz and Gigi. Topaz had kittens in my bedroom closet and when they were older, would carry them by the scruff of the neck, one by one, over to my bed and hop up, depositing them under the blankets. No matter how many times I picked them up and moved them, there they would be again:)

3. Growing up, we lived on the edge of a small subdivision, and all of us kids spent most of our time in the woods climbing trees, building forts, picking berries, spying on each other, playing hide and seek, tag, scouting for wildlife and causing trouble:)

4. There was a brook nearby that dwindled to a trickle in the summer but the shallow banks were lush with moss. We once created a burial ground there for small animals. Easy to pick up a big clump of moss and deposit the wee corpse underneath. Hamsters, a dead robin, a squirrel, insects. We performed elaborate rites and made up special rituals and prayers, thoroughly enjoying ourselves and feeling very compassionate. Well one day soon after it that it rained, the brook swelled and there went our graveyard, floating off to the sea.

5. We used to hold a neighborhood fair every summer to raise money for Rainbow Haven, a local camp run by the local newspaper for under priviledged kids. It would be held in one of our backyards, koolaid, hot dogs, fortune teller, fish pond (Stick,string and clothes peg), three legged races etc. We would call the paper to let them know and a photographer would arrive to take a picture of us. I think we organized it more to get our pictures in the paper than for any philanthropic reasons.

6. Scariest book I read growing up was The Haunting of Hill House The movie terrified me too. The Haunting , I remember watching it on TV in our rec room by myself one night and I was too scared to get up and turn off the TV, let alone move from where I was! It was remade it in 1999 but it strayed from the story and wasn't as good.

7. Christopher Walken and I looked over our shoulders at each other as we passed by one another on a deserted side street in London. I looked back because it was him, he looked back because I think he was frightened by the face I made when I realized it was him! lol

8.I backpacked through Europe on my own. Wasn't alone much, you make a lot of friends when travelling like that. Hostels and train pass.

9. Started a blog because an old friend of mine had one and I was fascinated by hers and enjoyed reading it and I like writing and thought why not. Sadly she has passed away at far too young an age, but some of her internet presence still remains and I find it comforting.

10. I was a news film editor in its dying days. News stories had to be finished by 2:30/3pm because the lab took an hour to develop the film and then it had to be brought back to the station to be edited before going on air at 6. There was a magnetic stripe on the side of the film that carried the sound. B reel was a second film reel that carried the "cutaways"( interesting visuals) so you wouldn't have to stare at a talking head too long, also to cover the reporters intros etc. We had to cut manually and then time everything, make up a cue sheet ,when b reel should start etc. so the projectionist would know when to start it. Two film reels for one story. Lots of work and done several times over with various reporters as the film came in. Sounds like the dark ages and it wasn't that long ago really. I'm not that old!

11.Lima beans are not a favourite food.

12.I was a taxi driver for 9 months. Interesting. I wish I had kept a journal.

13. I saw Halley's Comet when I was in New Zealand.

14.I would like to see a ghost but I know I would be scared. I did see ghostly stuff once that I cannot explain but it wasn't scary because it did not take a form. It lasted about a minute. I thought it was moving white smoke at first.

15. I can speak pig latin. Esyay I ancay.
16. I took theatre at University.
17. My daughter was born 5.5 weeks early and was tiny but fine.
18. I don't know how to type properly.
19. My answers are getting shorter:)
20.Grade ten English, I was in a special class and all we did was write poetry.I still have them all and some of them surprisingly are ok.
21. Reconnected with an old pal through Facebook. We were mad about the Monkees:)
22. I love going to the movies.
23. I love being outside.
24. I prefer photography to painting.
25. Wiley Coyote over Bugs Bunny

Friday, January 30, 2009

Friday



Getting back to basics. For some reason I am out of sync with myself these days. Have had trouble getting back into a routine since the holidays. I cannot seem to get out of my own way. So...... this post is a reminder to myself to get with the program! Time to get organized, sweep away the fluff and just get on with it :)

This is a shot from the Bluenose Resturant. Serving customers since 1964. A great place to eat in downtown Halifax. Basic good diner food with a bit of Greek thrown in for variety. Bluenose is a term for people from Nova Scotia. Some say the name gets it's origins from the blue noses of the fishermen who worked on the big Grand Bank schooners. In the winter they wore blue woolen mitts and would be wiping their noses in the cold staining them blue in the process. The Bluenose is also the name of a very famous racing schooner that was built here and graces the face of the Canadian ten cent piece. A replica still sails and is seen here in the Harbour each summer.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Frou frou


Wild Rose Cottage on eBay

It is like a skating rink outside. Cancellations are in force and there are reports of numerous accidents everywhere. The sun just burst through and it looks beautiful out there but I can hear the wind howling and everything is shiny with ice. Brr.

This painting I think is an antidote to all that. A frou frou summery cottage. Ah, wouldn't it be nice to be sitting in a deck chair sipping something delicious, overlooking the ocean with warm summer breezes caressing our skin.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Blue Poppies


Blue Poppies on eBay

I've got a big bag of beets in the fridge and I have to do something with them. Any ideas? I will be checking the wonderful internet but it's always nice to hear suggestions from "real" people.It is one of the interesting quirks of getting the organic veggie box, you never know what you are going to receive and often get things that are not on your regular grocery list:)

I am sure some of you have heard about CPSIA in the US but maybe some haven't. It is the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The implications are very scary! HERE is an informative post by Gretchen written about it and how it will affect you and your children and those of you who make things for children. Libraries will have to remove books for ages 12 and under. I don't know if Canada is planning on doing anything similar.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Cadbury Eyebrows

My daughter said I would enjoy this. Yes! I am a huge Cadbury egg fan and the season is just starting:)Turn on your sound:)

Monday, January 26, 2009

Year of the Ox


Happy Chinese New Year 4704! Fifteen days of celebration ahead:) Their new year starts on the lunar new moon and continues until the full moon! If you have any tangerines, put them out in a bowl and pass them out for good luck. Oranges and tangerines are symbols for abundant happiness:)) This is an abacus I got as a teenager. I used to know to use it, but have forgotten.. must brush up again.
Ok, I seem to be constantly giving weather reports but it is COLD again today. -20 earlier this morning with no windchill. Ouch. I have spent more time inside this winter than I think ever before. Last year I slipped on the ice and got a concussion and have become very wary of walking when conditions are icy:( that plus I have grown lazy I think :)
I'm painting flowers today. Good subject for a winter's day.
Have a great week:)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Chilly Sunday


Um, who's been sleeping in my bed?

Happy Burns Day! The day the Scottish celebrate haggis and Scotch and the poet that wrote these words.... "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!" I actually like haggis. Served with tatties and neeps. (potatoes and turnip)

I lifted the duvet on my bed and look who I found! Eyes still closed. He stretches out full length when warm and toasty:) Today is another really chilly one so it's a good place to be:)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Heading home



Road home. Yesterday evening, driving back home from Truro. An hour along a good highway. I enjoyed it. The pavement was clear and the sun was out on my way to the funeral and it was clear sailing on the way home. Got back at dusk.

I'm quite amazed at the response to One World, One Heart event! Wow, I think there are almost 500 people from all over the world participating. How cool is that. Everyone giving away a gift or two:)

I had a great belated birthday brunch with a good friend today. Hooray! It was a charming restaurant full of light and bright colours. Here's what I had.......scrambled eggs, home fries, sausage and fruit. (I love taking pictures of food)


and finished with this!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Thursday


Candles. This small shop is just across the street from where we stayed in Paris on Rue de Seine. It has been in operation for over 400 years! Imagine! I love candles. Don't care for the scented ones much but I LOVE beeswax candles. They have a soft warm honey small and the light appears to glow golden:) Lovely on these dark winter days. I' have one flickering as I write:)

It has started snowing outside. Just a soft dreamy curtain outside my window. My mum was sick last night and today with a stomach flu, poor thing. I just got back from administering chicken broth and toast. We all know how yucky a bug like that can make us feel. I left her wrapped in a snuggly blanket primed for a nap. I am lucky I live so close to her.

Tomorrow we are going to the funeral of a great lady. My sister in law's mother. Dot died very suddenly earlier this week at 86. She was an active, interesting and interested woman. Her daughter,( my sisterinlaw) took her to Switzerland just this fall for a train tour. They had a ball. She was an avid cross country skier and a couple of years ago decided that she wanted to learn downhill skiing(!) her daughters dissuaded her:)) Dot was always baking pies and giving them away, researching topics that interested her, travelling and volunteering. She was a wonderful role model and I am sad that she is gone but she went with her boots on! Living life to it's fullest:)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Winter still life


I popped in to visit a friend last week and she made me the most delicious coffee with chocolate soy milk in it. Wow. She had run out of milk and this was the substitution, really good. Tasted like an exotic cafe latte mocha something or other:) Her windowsill looked so pretty in the winter light that I had to snap a photo.

I've been nominated for three awards in the last week! Thanks to Chichibouli, Biddy Brain and Four Dog Day. I find that they take a lot of time to do that I just don't have so I will graciously say thank you and I really appreciate it:)

Yesterday was quite the day. Time to get back to work:)
I am working on some new little things for my shop. Will keep you posted:)

Cheers

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

January 20


Big day today in the United States! I'll be glued to my television for part of it. Watching history being made. Remarkable..............

The One World One Heart event is rocking! There are 239 people participating so far, lots of wonderful bloggers offering terrific gifts to giveaway and it will grow daily until the 12th of February. I've discovered some neat people and some lovely blogs. So far there have been 81 visitors to my OWOH post! I might have to add another prize:) I think I will use a random number generator for this one.

Monday, January 19, 2009

One World, One Heart

Photo
CLOSING FEB 11 MIDNIGHT, ATLANTIC TIME GMT+4

I am participating in the One World, One Heart Giveaway. "Hello!!" to everyone arriving from there!!! One of the largest giveaway events in the blogging world. Fun to visit everyone and see what they are doing:) Yes! Another giveaway:) Just scroll down to leave a comment on this post, say HI!.... anything you want:) and the winner will be drawn on the 12th of February. If you have won something from me already, please don't hesitate to comment again, how exciting to maybe win twice!!! Make sure you let me know how to reach you.:) Click on the blue badge to get more info on this event and see all the lovely artists participating.
Here are the words of Lisa "oceandreamer" Swifka who created this ..."The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way...This is more than wanting to win something.......that is only the means.......in the end it's about finding kindred spirits. Someone who may be fairly new to blogging, not sure how to navigate, find others and have others find them....Some are long time bloggers and in some cases well known in the art community. Whatever the case it brings all of them together...We are not solving the worlds problems nor are we curing anything nor are we changing the world. We are merely generating a closer community between humans through blogging."

So, in the spirit of sharing:) my contribution will be two pictures of the winners choice. One print and one photograph. Click on the pictures to see what you can choose from:) You don't have to choose now but have fun browsing if you desire:)





Have a great week:)

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Comfort


Today's lunch. Sweet Potato and Carrot Curried Coconut soup. Yummmm. Good food for a cold snowy Nova Scotia Sunday. Those are pepito seeds on top.

Here's the recipe sort of, I kind of made it up as I went along.

1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick chopped
2 sweet potatoes, chunked
2 carrots, chunked,
2 inches of fresh ginger sliced thinly
1 Tablespoon curry paste
4 cups ( 1 box) Organic President's Choice Chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk

Saute onions and celery in oil till a bit browned, dump in carrots and celery and ginger and curry.
Add chicken broth and coconut milk. Simmer until carrots etc soft. Whiz in blender or use immersion blender( my favourite kitchen tool). If wanted you can add a splash of lemon juice to brighten the flavour. ( I didn't this time) Done!
Cilantro chopped as garnish at end is good. Also you can add chopped garlic to the saute mixture if you want. Yummy:)

Had a fun late night last night with friends so today will be a bit subdued I think.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

You've got mail :)



This is my mailbox. It sits at the bottom of my front door on the step. I love lifting the lid to see if any goodies have arrived. It is like opening a present. Don't you just love getting mail? I used to regularly write to my grandmothers and could always count a letter or two from them, full of recipes and bits and pieces of their daily life. I have another friend M :) who has always been a wonderful and faithful letter writer. Something I am sporadic at and now with email, have almost stopped :(
I want to change that because the gift of a hand written note or letter is something that adds a brightness to the receiver's day. Who doesn't love getting a delicious letter to savor over a cup of tea at the kitchen table or curled up in a comfy chair with a glass of wine. Simple pleasures....

Friday, January 16, 2009

Friday



I was looking for a bright and cheery picture to dispel the cold blue white splintery winter outside. This is the Nova Scotia Art Gallery Cafe. I have been thinking that it has been too long since I have been and this is the perfect time of year to do so. I love poking about the exhibits especially the Maud Lewis one. I always leave the gallery inspired and ready to create.

It is still FREEZING outside. I have been putting out extra food for the birds and some peanut butter too. I am still perplexed at how the tiny ones make it through. It is bitter out there. Looks nice but step out the door and you immediately fold in on yourself to keep warm.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

How cold is it today?

-33 windchill.............

Rural mail carrier, 1915 See his little face peeping out.


All my winner's packages have been sent out:) Thanks for participating.

I've got to bundle up and get out there. Things to do, people to see, places to go

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Kitten Monty


Bliss. Just looking at this makes me feel peaceful. zzzzzzzzz. It is Monty as a wee babe.
I came across it today and thought I would share. I noticed his colour has changed, the light fur is more ginger now.

I've got a pot of chili simmering on the stove. Good meal for cold icy days. I put cumin and cinnamon in mine as well as the regular chili and garlic. Love to have a pot of something warm and tasty, that's easy to reheat as needed. Comfort food. Yum.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Alice and her Cat



Alice and her Cat , hot off the brushes:)
Original available on eBay now and prints available in my Etsy shop

Down the Rabbit Hole



More snow forecast for tonight. It is -12 outside now too. This has been a rough winter. Same all round I think. Anyway, the sun is out for the time being and that is better than gray!

I'm working on an Alice in Wonderland painting. Fun for me. I love that tale. Speaking of which, Tim Burton is filming his adaption of Alice in Wonderland right now, to be released in 2010. Johnny Depp to be the Mad Hatter( who else?) Anne Hathaway the White Queen, Helena Bonham Carter the Red queen. Here are some interesting production pics .

Monday, January 12, 2009

Blue Garden


Garden Blue available on eBay

Freshly planted this morning. It is nice to be back in the swing of things. I even made it to the gym for a short visit. I'm always amazed how much fitness I lose when I have an exercise "break". It takes a while to get back to my previous strength and stamina. It's a reality check. Use it or lose it:)

A question for any artists who are reading. Do you use gloves when you paint? Latex ones? I am a messy painter and always get paint all over myself. I was wondering about absorbing it through my hands. It can't be good:( Hmmm.........

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sing



This is my favourite birthday gift. My daughter surprised me with it. We had been in a really cool little shop downtown called Drala a few months ago and had fun with these singing bowls. I was fascinated with them. You hit it softly with the stick to make a "ping" and then slowly go round the rim with the wooden stick and the ringing intensifies and resonates and becomes a clear beautiful pure tone. They are traditionally called Tibetan Singing Bowls and are used for mediation and prayer practice in the Buddhist tradition. Traditionally in Himalayan culture, circumambulating anything sacred clockwise is said to spread the blessings out to all sentient beings Whether around a Stupa, a sacred fire, prayer wheel or in this case, singing bowl. I love the idea of sending out good wishes into the Universe.It sits on it's wee cushion when not in use. Here is a youtube video on how they work. There are lots of singing bowl videos on youtube.
We are waiting for another snowstorm today. In the past hour, the sky has darkened and the air feels heavy and still. The calm before........

Good day for catch up and reading, I just got "The Other Queen" from the library and hope to dive into it at some point.
Have a peaceful Sunday:)

Saturday, January 10, 2009

CBC Taping


Here is a shot of Shannon Quinn tuning her fiddle just before the taping. It was a terrible, terrible night for driving, freezing rain and nastiness but some people managed to make it . The good thing was that it was a radio taping so the lack of a big crowd made no difference. I was so happy we braved the storm.
Shannon was wonderful and her banter between the songs was that of a pro! It will be available as a podcast sometime soon through CBC radio and will be broadcast too.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Thanks!


Well my "rip around the sun" as someone said :) has begun again. Thanks so much for the birthday wishes, it was fun to see them. I hope yesterday was a good day for you too!
I had a quiet one and it was lovely. We did go out to a local restaurant for supper and I had a delicious Oriental Chicken Salad. I've never tried anything else on their menu because I don't go there often enough and each time we go I look forward to having this! Kind of sad really:)
Today I am having lunch with my mum and tomorrow another friend and so it goes... the celebration continues. I am going to make it last all year!

So........ the winners please.......

I will start with the print (photo or painting), your choice

Sacred Suzie
!!!!!!

In no particular order, the the pocket mirrors go to..........

Pat

88Greenthumb
Gillian
Leendall
Twisted Hare
Cape Cod Kitty
Susanna

So, if you send me an email at duffettfolkart ((((@)))) yahoo.ca with your address, I will pop those into the mail for you! Hooray! You can also specify whether you would like a photo mirror or a painting mirror.

I think I will do this next year. Giving is fun but you all know that:)

Ok, I HAVE to get to the gym this morning. New start and all that.
Cheers.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

January 8 !!!!!!!!!!!


Awww, me at five years old :) There is one like this of me grinning but I can't find it. This one is nice too, gazing off into the future..... I used to get so excited about birthdays, I could hardly sleep the night before.
So hooray! Ta Da! It's me Birthday! Not worried about getting older, celebrating the fact that I have been given another year......and it is a wonderful gift. We should embrace our birthdays, life is ephemeral and we have to grab it and enjoy it and live it! All of it, the ups and downs . Even standing in line at the supermarket.....if that was the only moment left to you, you would cherish it.
I reflect on the dear friends and family I have lost and send love their way. It is precisely because of their absence that I am now keenly aware of the value of time and what a gift each birthday really is. So celebrate life with me today!

Spread some love and I will write down your names and pick out 8 winners to send gifts to! Make sure to leave an email address or some way to contact you:)

Have a cupcake for me, or a special coffee/tea, maybe even a glass of vino, do something nice for someone, do something nice for yourself, pay a compliment, donate to a charity, make art, read a good book, clean your fridge, do something that makes you feel good!

Happy Birthday everyone!!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

turquoise and green


It is the colour that appeals to me here. I love green. It is my favourite colour, here especially with the bit of blue thrown in. It is this time of year that I start to get twinges of longing for green vistas and splashes of colour. This was taken on our trip to Alberta last summer.
Tonight I am going to a taping at CBC to see Shannon Quinn and her dad. I hope I am going. The weather forecast is dreadful. Snow, turning into freezing rain and ice pellets! Not exactly driving weather:(
"Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you're only a day away!" Yes! my birthday!!! :)) Remember to pop by my blog here, leave me some love and I will enter you in my 8 gift giveaway:) Fun to be giving gifts on my birthday. I am excited about it. Hope to see you then. If you want to blog about it , I will enter you twice but you have to tell me so I know to do it:) Cheers! See you then:))

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Get well:)



Poppies, love poppies:) This is available as a print in my shoppe.
Love spelling shoppe with an extra p and e.

I'm having a hard time staying away from extra food. Winter is always hard for me in that respect. I am not drawn to crunchy cool green salads but warm stews and buttery slabs on anything! Watched Oprah as I made supper last night. She's on a start the year off right kick and it was motivational to watch. Talked about all the weight she's gained yet again. I am going to pop over to her site to see what sort of support stuff they have. Actually, I just did. HERE

Got caught up in it:) Here are some numbers that are very important to our health by Dr.Oz. I didn't plan on turning this entry into a health bulletin but I want to keep these numbers in a place where I can refer back to them again and I thought you might find them interesting too:)

1. Blood Pressure 115/75 is optimal. Most North Americans are 130/80, the number guidelines for healthy pressure have dropped lower. Exercise so you are sweating 1 hour per week to help lower your numbers. It takes ten minutes to start sweating so if you do 30 min workouts you'll need to do three.

2. Resting heart rate 83. Take it in the morning when you are just getting up. Anything higher means you are at increased risk for heart attack. To improve it, make your heart beat faster for at least one hour per week.

3.Cholersterol 2:1 ratio. You should have LDL (bad) 2 times more than (HDL good) Try to keep LDL under 130 and HDL above 50. To improve numbers, include soluble fiber in your diet from sources such as oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples, aiming for 25 grams a day.

4. Omega-6s to Omega-3s: 4 to 1 ratio. We need more Omega 3s. You get it from Flax seed oil, crushed flax, seafood, fish, beans, nuts. The ratio in North American diets is 20:1!!!

5. Inflammation: 1 If you've seen an apple slice turn brown 20 minutes after being cut, you can picture what inflammation does to your body: It causes the rusting of tissue. You can gauge your level of inflammation with a blood test that measures C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver and is part of the body's battle response. A healthy level is under 1—meaning you've got less than half the chance of heart disease than if your level is greater than 3. A number above 10 suggests you may have another ailment (such as an autoimmune disease) that should be diagnosed. To reduce CRP: Try to eliminate low-grade irritants like gingivitis (floss daily) and vaginitis (see a doctor, especially if it recurs). Also move toward a Mediterranean-style diet (lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; fat from olive oil; moderate amounts of wine).

6. Vitamin D: 30 When you're deficient in vitamin D, you may be at increased risk for heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and immune disorders, not to mention osteoporosis. To make sure you're getting enough, take a blood test for vitamin D: Your level should be greater than 30. To boost vitamin D: If you can't get 15 minutes of sun exposure daily, take a supplement containing at least 1,000 IU of D3, the most potent form of the vitamin, or chug a tablespoon of cod liver oil every morning.

7.Waist Size: 32.5 Ideally, your waist should measure less than half your height (do it at the belly button—go ahead and suck in). That means if you're 5'5", yours would be less than 32.5 inches. The reason: The omental fat beneath your stomach muscles causes inflammation, which drives many of your body's other critical numbers in the wrong direction. To lose inches at your waist: Focus on slicing off 100 calories a day.

8. Blood Sugar: 125 The other danger of omental fat is that it can block insulin's ability to work, which increases blood sugar and puts you at risk for diabetes. Your blood sugar should be less than 100 after an overnight or eight-hour fast and less than 125 if you aren't fasting. To lower blood sugar: Try chia seeds, which contain omega-3s and fiber (sprinkle them on yogurt or salads). It's believed that they form a gelatinous substance in the stomach that helps slow the speed at which sugar is absorbed.

9. Bone Density: -1 It's a good idea for all postmenopausal women to get a bone density scan, especially those who are not on hormone replacement therapy, stand taller than 5'7", or weigh less than 125 pounds. You should also be tested at around age 50 if your mother has had osteoporosis or either of you has had a hip fracture, if you take steroids, or if you drink excessively or smoke. The standard DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan provides a T score—your bone density compared with that of a healthy young woman: Above -1 is normal; between -1 and -2.5 indicates osteopenia, which may lead to osteoporosis; below -2.5 means you have osteoporosis.

To strengthen your bones: Along with 1,000 IU of vitamin D, take 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 milligrams of magnesium (to prevent the constipation that calcium can cause)—half in the morning, half in the evening. Also, start a program of resistance training (using gym equipment, dumbbells, or exercises like pushups and squats) for at least 30 minutes a week.


Don't Forget...2 days until my birthday giveaway!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Routine


Buckling down to work today. Time to get serious. I've been distracted and not as focused as I need to be so....this is it. Back to productivity and routine:)
I'm even going to the gym today, got out of that over the holidays so, yay me.

Don't Forget...3 days until my birthday giveaway!!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Sunday


1941. This was an ad for paper plates. It is so very odd. I realize that the pattern is a nautical one, but what an unlikely scenario. Sitting on the dock with picnic paraphernalia and no food. Man standing in the water..."Hey honey, nice plates." ( he's probably in a boat, right?lol) I love her bracelet!


McCall, HOMEMAKING COVER,1944


McCall Style & Beauty Cover, 1942


McCall Homemaking Cover,Jinx Falkenberg in California,1938

These are all the work of Nickolas Muray(American 1892-1965) and are part of the George Eastman House Collection.I am fascinated by them.

Last night I played Trivial Pursuit for the first time in years! What a great time. I am surprised by what I knew and what I didn't know. Brains are so strange. Who knows what info is stored in there waiting for a reason to pop out. I must say that I do enjoy playing board games, don't do it enough. I forget how much fun it is sitting around with a bunch of people plotting and gabbing and laughing. The strangest things come up. I think Pictionary is my fave game.

Don't Forget...4 days until my birthday giveaway!!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Birthday Giveaway......not a Wii :)


New. shoes, new Wii.
Really liking them both. This is the first game system we've ever had. No Nintendo, no Xbox, none of them. It was the "Fit" that captured us:) So far we've really been enjoying it. My balance has improved in the last week! Each morning you can do a "body test" if you want, takes about 2 minutes. Checks weight and balance and gives you a couple of balance extras to try. My weight has not changed but that's good...at least it is not going up:) My balance has improved! that's just after a week:) Anyway, it's still a novelty around here.
New Year's is over and for most of you that's it for a while but for me.......the fun continues! My birthday is on the 8th of January and to celebrate, I am going to give away a print or photograph, your choice:) and......... 7 smaller gifts! Stickers or magnets. 8 in total. Guess what? Elvis Presley and David Bowie share my birthday too!
Here's what you have to do.......remember to pop back here on the 8th, that's next Thursday, and wish me a Happy Birthday! I will enter all the well wishers names into a vessel of some sort and draw the winners:) Also, if you blog about it, and put in a link, let me know, I'll enter you twice:) A bit of shameless promotion (It's all about exposure)
The fun continues.... you can get one print free with every purchase at both of my shops. Just write Happy Birthday in the notes to seller and also the print you would like for free:)

Still cold here. Still snowy. Just got back from the Vet. Poor Monty's had a rough couple of days. I think he snuck (sneaked?) shrimp as it was being prepared and has been sick ever since. Better today, he's on the mend! Gosh it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with that cat. Good thing he's cute.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

January 1

Happy New Year!

A white and cold vista outside. We have been pounded by a blizzard all night long and it is still raging. The good thing about high winds is that it tends to blow the snow into drifts and sometimes that means less snow to shovel!

The storm also meant that last night was spent at home. Watched Larry King moderate a debate on the existence of UFOs, our local City Hall outdoor concert/celebrations, Cooper Anderson in Times Square and lots of peering out the window with a glass of wine in hand :)

So, today is a day for cleaning, making lentil soup (good luck you know), sketching, and reading. Might even get some Wii action in there too. Oh....and shoveling.

Here is a good song start off the year!