The 2010 Olympics

The 2010 Olympics
Because we have a projection TV that we can project onto the wall with a picture of 5ft X 8ft. Having such a blessing I invited my dear friend of 42 years who is an avid sports fan to come and enjoy the 2010 Olympics with me. While we are not watching the games we have done several other activities. One we have been listening to mood soothing music. Chopin, Puccini, Verdi, Beethoven. One day we thumbed thru old magazines and tore out pictures and made personal collage. It was fun to see just what appealed to each of us.


On another day we were reminiscing about days that were much livelier, we made a paper-mache pig. When my daughter was in Campfire Girls I was the guardian. On one occasion we had a Lieu. For the center piece I made a pig it was a big hit. Cass still remembers the pig and thought it would be fun to re-create it. We used two balloons and a 2oz cup for the snout and toilet paper rolls for the legs to make the form, and then we covered it with glue like substance and strips of newspaper, and paper towels. Then we covered the whole form with a thin coat of Elmer’s glue and allowed it to dry. After the form was dry we painted the pig with acrylics. Now she will have a pig for her summer cookout.
We have been watching the Olympics faithfully but are disappointed at the way NBC are presenting them as we are interested in skating an they are feeding us one skater at a time until 10:00 P.M. after this old woman’s bedtime.

Snow Days

I did not go to my painting class this morning. I am snowed in. I have a rule that I have lived by since 1977. “Ice on the ground I stay home“. This is the biggest snow fall ever in North Texas. We have about 9 inches in our driveway. But the record snow that has fallen in Dallas is 12.7 inches as of last midnight. It looks like a winter wonder land. It is suppose to freeze this evening. We lost a large limb out of our big magnolia tree. That makes me sad. My friend was supposed to come from Frisco Texas to visit me to watch the Olympics on the big screen but the roads are terrible. Frisco is about 40 miles from us, and the freeways are traitorous.
I have accomplished quite a bit however this week. I got out my notes from Jane E. Jones’s watercolor classes from 1988-1990,the cover came off the book from much use, so I am transcribing the notes into a word document. I have done five I have much, much more to do. I am having such fun planning the Creativity Classes. Last week I started by having the students draw a simple drawing in several ways. This week we were to start with pictorial organization. I am excited to watch their imagination growth.
Be Blessed

Teaching Creativity

I know reading this it may sound a bit boring, but what can I say. I believe given the tools one can do amazing things. My children never had a coloring book, but they had a THINGS TO DO box. They had the encouragement to invent, to use their imagination. In the box were crayons, colored paper, bottle caps, cute jars, colored string, beads, clay and loads of paper that their daddy brought home from work. They were free to use the backside.

I started my lesson plans yesterday for teaching Creativity. I know 10% of creativity is inborn but with encouragement I believe you can bring out 90% amazing qualities. Like harvesting wheat, you plant the seed, water it and watch it grow to ripening and then you harvest.

I will teach all the basics, give assignments and watch them interpret the assignment. I started with drawing. I ask them to do a simple drawing, one that they could re-draw in many ways. (ie) vertical, horizontal, oblique and on and on. We will go on to color and pictorial organization some rules. I wrote a notebook on the principals and elements of design in 2008. I will be using that as well. I will teach technique in watercolor.

Onward and upward in 2010

I am so thankful for my recovery form a double total knee replacement.I went to my 6 week post-op appointment on Tuesday January 26Th. The Dr was just blown away at my progress. He said that most people at their 6 week post-op are still on a walker or at least on a cane. I haven't used a cane since week 3. I am walking so beautifully. I can get up out of a chair without using my hands and I can sit without falling into the chair. That is amazing to me.

I had a movie party for a few friends to celebrate my recovery. I called it my "coming out party" I went to the grocery store to buy the few things I needed. I made a lovely lunch of soup and salad. I set the table beautifully and I bought caramel corn for desert, to have while watching the movie. A friend brought the movie “Julia and Julie” We have a projection TV that projects a 5ft by 8ft screen. The day was just beautiful all of this just 7 weeks from point of knife to party.

Now not another word about my surgery. Onward and upward. I am so eager to start teaching my "Creative Art" class. I will be using the notes that I took in Jane E. Jone's watercolor class in 1989 - 90 and Nita Leland's The creative Artist.. We shall see what we shall see.

I am bored. I had it fixed in my mind that I would be doing all kinds of creativity projects while I was recovering from my double knee replacement surgery. NOT About all I have been able to do is read. There is not a bit of creativity in me. That is very surprising to me. I have been however been writing my lesson plans for my painting class. I am going to try to teach creativity this year, hopefully. I do not know how many will be interested. But we shall see what we shall see. We will touch on design and color and inspiration by solving problems.
Yesterday I picked up my brush for the first time. I did not do very much. I am painting some greeting cards with fantasy shoes and boots. And completing some little note cards started some time ago.
Be Blessed

Prview to a Day of Beauty

I am a fun loving gal. If it isn’t fun I just don’t want to do it. I have no animosity in my heart. However my husband seems to me to just go around looking to find something to be unhappy about. It may be that he just doesn’t feel well and cannot seem to find a doctor that is willing to discover why. Maybe he us getting a little toastie around the edges. Burn out from playing nurse maid. :>)

I need to blog today, but I am empty. I have nothing to say to the world. I am recovering very well except for my left hip is so inflamed because of the exercises I have to do to build muscle stamina.

I can’t wait to have enough stamina to clean my house.

There is a fine film of lint that covers everything. It’s on the fan the lamps the walls the curtains, everything. And my Kitchen floor has not been mopped since before I went to the hospital. My daughter says "All I need to do is take off my glasses :>)" I am blessed however that the surgery has been easier than I expected. If the pain meds had not played havoc with my stomach it would have been even easier.
My daughter came down yesterday. We had a day of BEAUTY. We each had our hair done ,me I got a cut. We each got our nails sculpted, and a pedicure. We also went out lunch. I was really over extended. I came home and went to bed but we both felt good about ourselves.

Be Blessed!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

Now, how many times have you already heard that in Two Thousand and Ten, or is it Twenty Ten? Which will it be? :>)

Every year we hear this refrain but what does it really mean. Well for one thing it is a time to rethink your circumstance. Can you really change just where you are? Or, to look with-in and consider if there are anything you yourself can do to improve yourself, well maybe. How much can we really change? Can a leopard change his spots?

Aren’t we just who we are? Yes you can resolve to quit something or add something, but how about resolving to just choose to be happy?

Happiness is a choice. You can choose to let that person in your life that makes you less happy. The one who knows how to push buttons, maybe choose to let it run-off you’re back, like water off a ducks back.

Now that is my resolve.

I choose to be happy. I choose to be kind. I choose to be a better volunteer. I choose to be an encourager and not a destroyer. I choose to help build confidence in my fellow man/woman. To share what GOD has blessed me with. And I choose to be kinder to me, I am not perfect. (Who knew) :>) I choose to loosen the ties that bind. :>)

Be Blessed