Acorn Days

Alas, Alas... here I am again! Sorry for the delay in posts... getting ready for an art fest is sooo much workis!

Anyway, here are some of the cutest pics of this year's Acorn Day festivities complements of Susie-Q (also known as my sweet mom). For those of you who are not in the Chattavegas area... Acorn Day (instituted by me moms) is a day where everyone big and small gets together and takes a little time to ponder what their thankful for and to look for the small little miracles that happen everyday... like the way an tiny little acorn makes it way into a big, beautiful oak tree. We also go on a nature walk, have a little crafty time and listen to a special story. So fun!

These pics will open a little window into the festivities...

First, This beautiful girl is our sweet Lou... who paused for just one moment when I called her name!

Second, is sweet Juden showing off an Acorn of his own. What a treasure!


And last but certainly not least, is Ella...STANDING!!! Way to girl... so proud!!! Too bad you can't hear all the cheering that ensued after such a feat!

I have to say these past few days have made me fall in love with Fall all over again. smile.

More words lata, kids! miss yous guys... smile

ART news

Good news on the artistic front here!!! You guys will be able to check out my work, if the need pulls you, at the One Bridge Folk Art Festival or perhaps at the Legacy Fine Arts Fest (Legacy is in Cartersville, though).

I will have a booth/tent set up at One Bridge (txs, kate!) which is large enuff to feature a large selection of works... so come check it out, kids! The fest is produced by Winder Binder Gallery on Frazier Ave. next to New Moon Gallery. All of the artists are going to be showing work in the little parking lot next to the Gallery right on Frazier.

October 30th from 10am to 6pm - save the date, kids... Can't beat free entertainment, right?
More words lata... so busy gettin everything all ready for these events

Gansta girl

A little Chickamauga gansta girl! Word up eh eh eh... yeah, she actually just has a onesie on her head. he he - that is about as gansta as it gets out here in the sticks. smile - cute though...

in other news...
Cat, Kate, Joel and I went tromping around downtown this weekend visiting most of the galleries featured in the Chattanooga Gallery Hop event. It was so fun to see so much art all at once and so nice to be a kid free for a few hours in the city!!! Speaking of our little city... I am just more and more impressed with it all the time! So nice to see so many working artists involved in the community and so much activity taking place... She made me proud! So happy to be living and working here.

My Sweets

My 2 most favoritest peoples in the whole wide world!!! So cute, aren't they?? I think little Lavender looks so much like Joshers here!

So sweet!
So cute!
Gush gush gush

Sweet little shoes

These are the cutest little feet ever, eh!!! Lavender wore these little shoes on our outing today. We went wondering about the city today and enjoyed the absolutely perfect weather. We stopped by the Tanner Hill Gallery, Rembrandts, Blue Skies and AVA... so fun to have an arty day with Lavender and Mimi (aka my mom)!!! If you guys haven't been by Tanner Hill you should definately check it out... I was very pleased with both Terry Turrell and Frank Shelton's works... very layered and symbolic... great colors! And the gallery space is so nice. It's in the Southern Saddlery Building on Broad... amazing how they have transformed that space.

Disclaimer: Lavender chose to stand in the lovely pose above... no forcing or setting up here. Yes, I'm afraid we might have a model on our hands here... or dare I say... diva??? ooooh

Tumbleweeds & Babies

Here are some tidbits I have been workin on. The little softies to the left are my Tumbleweeds... cute little stuffed guys for wee peoples. I am trying to make a whole lot of them in order to sell them this holiday season. The same goes for the babies you see strewn across my table. I can't get enough of making little baby collages. They just turn out so charming every time. They are like new shiny little pennies to me! Enjoy.

Labor Day Exstravaganza

Here are some pics from our Labor Day festivities at the pool. So nice to be with everyone and enjoy the last few days of summer together! As you can see, it takes sooo much to entertain us... a few pastic cups, some water and presto.... fun is born! I love that simplicity.

It seems like it is that time again... the sun has begun to take a little longer to get up in the morning and the pool is not quite as warm as it once was... the changing of the season is here guys! More and more these past couple o days, it has become apparent to me just how much the turning of a season really marks the passing of time. I love thinking about what has been and what will be...


This year, beyond all others, has really left its imprint on me. I love these in between times.

For my Jana

I am posting this cool clip in honor of my sweet friend, Jana... as she is experiencing the joys of such things as well!!! The new addition of baby #2 coming soon... smile!!! congrats!!!! Here is a short description of the video from its sender: I took a series of photos every other day as my wife was pregnant with our first child. Watch the belly expanding fun!

Postcards from Chickamaugie

So I had this idea to do a series of collaged postcards (for looking at, not for sending)... and here are 2 out of 12 I finished a last week or so.

It's kind of funny... I started with these little postcard sized pieces o paper, but then I found these great (and cheap) 5" x 7" frames. So, the postcards grew... and grew... and grew a little more... until they fit into their big boy frames.

I really like the buzzard in the yellow Q postcard.
I guess I should call them something other than postcards, eh. Hmmm.... Yostcards, toastercards, boastingcards, roastingcards... AAAGGGHH - no more Rhyming I mean it!!!

Me and my girl

Sweet Joshie took this pic of me & Lavender today. We had just gotten back from a super fun BBQ with lots of old friends. Today was one of those days where you just get so overcome with gratitude for your life and all its blessings.

I love this pic of me and Lavender... I look like her mommie and she looks like my girl. What a sweet expression on her little face!

My Jumpin Bean!

She gears up... She looks...
And she JUMPS!
LOTS & LOTS of Jumps!




Lavender on the Move!!! This is little one's favorite thing to do. It is so fun to watch her go go go... and to see the proud look she sports after you cheer her on! Love this jumpin bean!

Sweet peas

We were lucky enough to sqeeze a little slumber party with good friends into our weekend. Here are a few snippets of our times. I love these pics of the kiddos being so sweet... of course, what could be sweeter than hugs and napping??? he he
You will see that Lavender is clutching her favorite toy even while she sleeps!


so sweet

Project Runway Dismay

So my absolute favoritest show in the whole world is Project Runway. I know, I know - its a reality show and all, but I have to say I am just so obsessed with it... I just love watching the creative process in action!!! To me, art is art - creativity is creativity no matter if your working with clothing, bits of paper or garbage, stone, whatever.

All that to say, I am just soo bummed that one of favorite designers was booted off the show last night. The dress she made (out of recycled paper!!) is the pic to the right. I think its cool (despite the crazy bow atop the head)! I am just so bummed when reality show peeples eliminate candidates for silly miniscule reasons and keep others b/c they make good/dramatic tv watchin. ugh. Bon voiage, Allison! I will miss looking at your great styles!

Framing wonders

I meant to post these a while back... These pics are of a piece that I finished a couple of years ago and gave to Ginny (Josh's mom) for xmas. She had it framed so well that I just had to post it... I was amazed how the framing added that perfect finishing touch! Ginny liked the marbly matteboard in the framing so much it influenced the paint color of the wall. I think it all just looks great! so neat-o!! I am always very impressed by great framing... I guess that is b/c I am really not skilled at making things look clean and polished. All that attention to detail drives me bonkers if it isn't essentially tied to the composition of a piece.
Anyways, here it is.

The CNC experience

So, one of my new favorite things to do in our little Chattavegas town is exploring the Chattanooga Nature Center. So lovely!!! Here are a few pics of my outing with my pa and little Lavender girl.
We all fell in love with this wonderful treehouse they have that you can only get to via a stroll down a shady boardwalk. This is my dream home! Someday I will live in a house like this one... In the exterior shot it might look like it is built around 4 trees, but it is really just one big big big girl stretching out her lovely branches! NEATO - can't say that enough!!!!! The other shot is an interior (duh, jen) and you can see why I am so mesmerized... this thing is decked out with stained glass winders, intricately carved posts and even a swing to relax in! I have about a trillion more pics of all these things, but even I realize that not everyone wants to see every crevis of this thing... eh .

Now for the most important pic of all... my pa and my little one. I love the way my dad looks at my daughter... it's like you can see the love, pride and happiness that only a father knows. I love this picture!

I could say a lot of things about everything we saw today... the beautiful flowers, the bobcat, a bald eagle, some snakes, and friends from other seasons... but the day is fading and there is a cool swimming pool waiting for me & my sweet family. lata, kids!

'A Beginning'

I thought I would go ahead and post a piece I finished a couple o' weeks ago. It was the one I was referring to when I said I had hit a wall and nothing seemed to work quite right with it. I think it turned out ok... and I have to say I have it to thank for forcing me into a really productive season. I had started this piece 2 other times and those 2 others are now getting their own start. we'll see how they turn out!!

Ella, Cantelope and First Words

here is a pic I tried to post a few days ago. Lavender and I went a swimmin' with josh, lindy and the kiddos...so fun to play together before josh had to go back to school! This pic is ella checkin' out little Lavy's fine hair...obviously Lavender is really concerned with keeping up her do. smile
and yes, here is more Lavender! Shocking, I know. anyway, I was really excited that she was able to hold her own food for the first time. Cantelope - yum. She definately did not inherit her daddy's taste buds! She'll be like her mama... actually eating green things and such.

I also would like to ask for your opinions here...
Lavender has been saying 'DA DA' for the past few weeks... I think this counts as her first words. However, Josh here says that it doesn't count since she does not know what she is saying. First of all, all communication starts with mimic, so how do we really know when this tiny little person really knows what they are saying? there is no way to tell... so in my infallible book (eh eh ) DA DA is the first words. done... let me know what ya'll think.

Sweet one!!!

Here's little lavender eatin' up some rice cereal the other morning! I love how she starts with just a little cereal around her mouth and then ends up covered from hair to toe in a glorious mess! She is such a good eater even if it ends up everywhere. smile
And yet another pic of my sweet girl playin' tummy style on her boppie. what a bold look on her sweet face!!! love this girlllll!

dancing fruits

Here is a wee video clip that joshie and i made while lavy was a nappin'. we had so much fun making this little thing! and yes, it is very silly.

Fruits of my labor

here is a piece o' art i just finished. i'm very happy with the colors and the look of it... we'll see how long this happy feeling sticks around, considering that most of the time i like a finished work for a total of 1 week tops. smile.
not really sure what to title this guy... i find the task of titling artwork such a drag. there seems to be only a few pieces in my world that really need (deserve?) a title. perhaps some of you other arty cats know what i'm sayin'.

and this here cute little grape tomato is the first fruit of my vegetable garden! it now lives in my tummy and i hate to admit that it didn't even taste super good... hmmm. i think i should stick to growing herbs and ornamental plants seeing that all my veggies have gone south or been eaten by june bugsies or woolie marmots. somehow growing a baby girl seems easier to me than keeping my tomato plant alive!