Handmade Christmas gifts hit or miss

 I'm taking a few minutes this morning for myself before the day gets busy. The nice thing is that my clients are in California so my work and communication with them technically starts at 11am central, and goes late into the evening. I don't mind since I can enjoy a cup of coffee before I start my day.

This year I asked my family what they wanted for Christmas and  a few of them wanted something handmade by me.  Since none of them read my blog I can share.  My daughtrs BF is the sweetest guy and he is plant lover with a green thumb and loves nature!  When he asked me to make something for him, I thought about the colors he loves, the butterfiles that always seem to land on him and all of the green plants he takes care of in his home.   I pulled out my glass, cooper foil,  soldering tools, and patina. The black patina I'm not sure I should have used, but in the end I did. 

It's been rainy grey days lately, and I hope when the sunshine though this, the colors will be vibrant.

I also  made fused glass tiles for the boxes I had ordered.  I created glass dots for the flowers and used a cake decorating tip and bag to draw out the lines, leaves and initals with a mix of aloe vera and powdered glass.  I think I'd like to take a cake decorating class as it would convey with this mixture.  Once you push the glass out through the tip is stays exactly as its created and dries.  So with a tac fuse of 1350 degrees in the kiln, the shape is still there.

I'm done creating in the studio for now, and just need to clean up so my daughter can take over and start creating while she's here.  I stocked the studio with bueatiful colors of glass and can't wait to see what she creates!

  

Thanksgiving and getting creative!

 It has been such a great last couple of weeks! Where do I start!

My friend Debra, who is from Canada, was traveling parts of the world for the last couple of months, and her last stop before going back home was my house. We met at a glass workshop back in 2009 and hit it off right away, becoming very close friends. She flew in on Thanksgiving with her beau, whom he was very nice, and my hubby got along with him very well.  They had some important things in common, football and fishing!

We all had a wonderful time with with them and family over at Thanksgiving dinner!  It was good food with insteresting and fun conversations.  I did miss my daughter since she is still out of the country- but I am glad that she will be home for Christmas.

The first thing Debra and I had to do while the guys were out fishing on the lake, was to get Santa pictures together!

Since my friend is a glass artist I had planned on making some art in my studio with her but first I had to get the mosiac off the floor.  So while she was busy on her I pad, I FINALLY installed it around the side window of my art studio.  I wasn't sure about the "Deep Ocean "grout, but I think it makes the white pop. After the holidays I'll work on the mosaics for the front two windows.

Since the floor in the studio was clear, I was able to set up a table for us to both work.  I purchased these lovely 6"x6" boxes that are lined with black velvet and have a lip on the lid to hold a tile in place.

As she created a couple of glass art tiles for herself, I was busy creating mine for Christmas gifts. We had a great time together!

I gifted myself one (completely unlike the others I made) to keep my tiny cat patterns and fused glass cat elements in it. 

Sunday we all went downtown late in the afternoon to catch the live music and window shop at the Market Square.  San Antonio had the Christmas River Parade and the lighting the night before we decided to go. It was great timing for us since it wasn't over crowded.  Parking was easy, there was no wait to get a table for dinner.  I don't remember the last time I went downtown to walk the riverwalk and see all the Christmas lights.  It was such a nice festive feeling walking around and looking at everything. I do appreciate the mild South Texas weather in December.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

Anxiety, work, Birthdays and holidays

 My anxiety was through the roof yesterday.  If it was a hot day I would have floated in the pool and meditated, but it wasn't, so I stayed up, worked until I went to bed and then scrolled through reels and played word searches until I felt sleepy which wasn't until 1am. Then I woke up at 4am ready for coffee.....  I am feeling much better today.

Today is my daughters 30th Birthday and she is celebrating with her boyfriend in Belize.  Her cousin in NY is also celebrating his birthday today, so they share a special bond 11 years apart.

  

                                          Cousin and Daughter celebrating the same Birthday

The holidays are creeping up way to fast and my house isn't ready for the guests that will be staying with me.  My work has me driving out of town every week if not a few days a week. On the bright side November has been jeans and t-shirt kinda of  weather so that's been nice.  Today I''ve been working from home and it's only a few times a year I can open the windows and air out the house. Today is one of thosse days, low humidity, sunny and just right temperature. I just finished most of my work on the computer pending a few lingering items.  I'm hoping that I can get into my studio this evening and start on some of the ideas I have for Christmas gifts.

Meanwhile the Monarchs are still here as they countinue migrating towards Southern Mexico.

Inspiring

I feel that my attention span has been affected by the social media syndrom.  If it's too long of a read, I'll skim through it or just move on. I like reading novels, and reference books on art, but not much else. So when a friend of mine told me about the book In the Company of Women, published in 2016, I was'nt too sure I wanted to read it.  I bought it anyway, and when it arrived, it was a pleaseant suprise of 100 Makers, Artists and Entrepreneurs that were asked a short list of questions to answer.  The pages are filled with beautiful photographs and each interview takes up a couple of pages for each woman. The answers are inspiring.

One of my favorite things about this book, I don't have to read it in an ordely fashion.  I can flip through it, stop at a profile and read, which make me happy.

I do wonder where these woman are in their lives seven years later and after Covid. However, I think I'll just let it be, not google them, and just be inspired from the answers they gave a few years ago.

Blood Moon

I am ready for the Blood Moon in it's full glory tonight!  To bring with it  a great shift in my life and clear away all toxic people with bad intention and all toxic energy.  

This week in, my work life, it has been the most stressful and emotional week I have experienced in a very long time.  There were problems that I unintentioanlly created myself, and there are problems that have been lingering on, which I have no control over.  It's one of those weeks where I just wanted to stay home and hide under the covers.  Today I was supposed to be driving over 250 miles but, in it's own good way it ended up that I didn't have to.  I did my laundry instead.

The way I got through this week was by repeating to myself, tomorrow is a new day. I also was trying to keep myself together by thinking about all the fucked up shit that's going on in the world, and all of those innocent lives losts, which make what I'm stressing over pretty petty....  It's just that I'm in my own world worrying what's going on in my daily life.

I created a mosaic a while back which seems perfect for today.

 Trixie under the Blood Moon 

I am blessed and gratefull for my family, health, fur babies, friends and all that I have.

Sunday Morning Vibes

I wanted to follow BamBam's Sunday morning vibes but..........

BamBam

I had to get some work done on the computer that I've been piecemealing since Thursday, and debated with myself if I should wait until Monday to complete it.  I decided to buckle down and spent  my day working until I finished. I am really glad that I did because I'm not sure how my day is going to go on Monday considering I have meetings all morning.  Samantha kept me company making sure I was working while I gave her some chin rubs between files!

Samantha

I was home alone with my fur babies this weekend while my hubby went fishing with his buddies on the gulf coast.  His trip was successful, and he was very happy bringing home some red snapper and trout. They also picked up shrimp directly off the shrimpboat. A lot of shrimp!  The buddies split the weight of the shrimp and took the heads off before bringing it home.  (I wish they would have shelled and deviened them too). We split up the shrimp up with 2 -3 pounds in each bag to freeze.  I left out one bag for tonights dinner.   

                                                                This bucket is all ours!

 

Manifesting

What you manifest is what you get.....

 Years ago I would always think, I'm so bored I might as well just work.  Well, for the last 6 years work has turned into my like.  I stopped blogging, creating, and doing things that I like doing. I pretty much just work.  I like my work, but when people say you work to live, not live for work it is true.   We are all repalceable at work, and I dont want my end of life regret be that all I did was work...

When I went to NYC in late September I realized how much I truly missed the city.  Walking everywhere, the subway, the local stores and restaurants.  I really didn't want to come home. I wish I could pick my home up and plop ot down somwhere in Queens or Brooklyn.  I saw the real estate prices and since I didnt win the lottery, well here I sit in Texas.

This was the elementary schoo at sunsetl behind the apartment I rented for a week.  It was really nice waking up to of the sound of kids laughing and playing.

Since the real  estate market has shifted,  I have a little more time that I carved out for myself, I refelcted back on all my sketch books.  I did create most of the artwork I wanted to create.  Some are just sketches that have yet to come to life and other series have never been completed.  At heart I am an artist.  I just dont want my art to turn into a job, I create to escape, and enjoy the time I'm on this earth.

I will think, pray and find my new way and manifest the life I want. 

Finally took the time to finish Little Mr. Grey in a cup.  5 1/2" x 5 1/2"  

Socrates Sculpture Garden, Astoria Queens NYC

 It has been an entire year sine I blogged! I used to love blogging and reading blogs, I’m not sure what happened. Well I actually do know. I manifested my way into making my job,, my life,  especially when it gets busy. I always would say, If I ‘m bored and not motivated to do anything I might as well be working…… 

Now I want to manifest something better for myself and let you know some interesting things that have happened. 

I just came back last week from a trip to New York. My daughter Ashley and her friend Ndivhuho teamed up, applied, and were 1 of 5 applicants (out of hundreds) that were chosen to create sculptures in the Socrates Sculpture Garden in Astoria, NY! They worked hard all summer and the grand opening was on September 30th!

My husband and I met up with out 2 sons and Ashley’s best friend Natalie and we all went up for the opening! It was such a great event. I was very proud of my daughter and Ndivhuho for creating the beautiful sculptures. My daughter’s boyfriend Drew also stepped in to help them when they needed an extra hand.  Drew’s parent came in from New Jersey for the opening,  so we we finally got to meet them., They were very kind, lovely people. I had easy conversations with his mom, like we were old friends catching up.  I really enjoyed my time with her. 

We were in NY for a week. Some people would ask of we  seen a broadway show, or any of the tourists sites. No, if it’s one thing I learned living in NYC years ago, is that they have the BEST food! We ate our way through the city! I enjoyed every restaurant we went to, and since we stayed in Astoria ( Little Greece) we ate a ton of Greek food! The Greek seafood restaurants are the best in Astoria! Authentic Thai food in Manhattan, NY Pizza for lunch and Bagels every day for breakfast!!!!  By the way the bakery’s are so WONDERFUL!  Also, I can drink the tap water! With all the walking we did, I didn’t care what I ate and enjoyed every morsel!