AUGHHH! TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH LIFE AWAY FROM HOME!!

No pictures.
Nothing except me whining about how difficult it is to keep up with life when I'm on vacation!
I have a lot to post and several pictures to share and to upload onto Flickr but not only is my time being taken up with family but my computer isn't working here in Kalamazoo (Michigan). I'm using my sister's computer at the moment while dinner's cooking (note how late we're eating - I am NOT european and don't usually eat this late.....but with all of this activity going on!.....anyway, when I get to Ohio I'll be in a position to get my computer looked at and hopefully get caught up.
Am having a very fabulous time on this trip and know it will continue to be wonderful as I leave Michigan tomorrow and head to Indiana to my sister's. We're going to Shipsie to the Amish auction - oh, I'm so excited about the finds that could be there!!!!
Later!
Jan

MOM'S BIRTHDAY PRESENT

I just finished my mother's birthday present and I wanted to share it with y'all....She turns 80 this summer and my brothers and sister and myself are surprising her with a surprise "week at Lake Michigan" which will include all of us, grandchildren, nieces, in-laws.....it might just kill her! LOL - The surprise element is going to be intense - she doesn't have a clue!
I wanted to share with y'all the present I have spent weeks working on.............it's about 2' x 2' and I scoured for the pictures I wanted to use on this project, scanned them, resized them, turned my brother, Randy, into a fairy, an aunt into a mermaid, and, well, just take a look ........... The pictures I took of it aren't the highest quality so I'll tell you what will be oh, so noticable when it's viewed......all of the pictures of me - I'm precious!!!

GREAT THRIFT SHOP BUYS - WOO HOO!!

Had a fun morning hitting a couple of thrift shops in town with two of my "girls" - Skyler and Amanda...
thought I would show you our finds........my absolute favorite thing is an old brass sprinkler for $10.80 - I'm going to use it as a frame! Oh, I'm so excited!! I also found a great old brass tea pot trivet that will work as a frame - thought I would do something kitchen-ee w/ fairies - it was 4.99! Woohoo! Also got an old coin purse, some old dress patterns, a 1967 dictionary and some trims, oh, and a postcard. Oh, oh, and it's all sittin' in wooden cigar box with I got for .99!! And, last but not least, a brass tag thingy - the picture shows the front, but I like the look of the back. It was 50 cents...........................THAT WAS FUN!!

I'M GOING TO ART & SOUL!!!

Art & Soul in Portland, October..............watch out, here I come!!!
I am way past excited! I gave the idea of attending days and days of thought and woke up this last Monday morning and knew I was supposed to go! So, I signed up for my classes, made my hotel reservations and now just spend all of my time "way past excited!"!!
I was a wee bit disappointed that all of Sally Jean Alexander's classes were filled as I would dearly love to take a class from her, but I'm happy with my choices just the same.
I'm taking two classes from an amazing artist and photographer, Angela Cartwright, and a class working with metals by Leighanne Light - I'm very excited about that class!
*Anyone wishing to donate to the "send Jan to Art & Soul" fund, just email me and I'll hook ya up! LOL

MY STUDIO.....

Well, I can tell you this, the Hill Country has had so much rain this spring that we're still reeling from it and I really don't think it's over *and it's June!*.
Anyhoo, because of the rain, my pink polka dot barn has suffered. I have new leaks every time it rains, the cracks in the cement floor are seeping and all of this is horrid for a paper artist!! I hate it but it doesn't surprise me because I mean, it is a 1930's barn!
Sooooo, we've moved the studio to the house.....it's still "a studio at the ranch", it's just in the main house now instead of the precious polka dot barn that we have nurtured along for three years.
What we did was hire a carpenter to put up a few shelves for rubber stamps and hang my buffet topper for shelving and viola, our new studio!
I thought you might like to see the photos of it so have attached a couple and the link to see the rest of them. I hope you enjoy my studio as much as I do!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7945102@N05/

MY BOYS, MY LIFE

Both boys were home from college this last week and I had them gather with their younger brother so I could take some current pictures of them. Frank and I, along with Clay, are going up north for a family reunion of sorts to celebrate my mom's 80th birthday *surprise* and I know I'm going to be expected to have current pictures. Thought that as long as I had them I would share them with you.
I have the best kiddos! I am so proud of them all and they are.................


Craig (dark basketball tee) age 21, will be a senior at San Angelo University, San Angelo, Texas, this fall
Clay (letterman's jacket) age 17, will be a senior at Center Point High School this fall
Blake (Michigan tee) age 20, will be a junior at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX, this fall

Craigers is majoring in Criminal Justice and has just taken his test for his Physical Trainer's license.
Blakers is majoring in Sports Management, and
Clayman hates high school......what can I say.......! LOL

That about covers it, just thought I would share with you my pride and joy(s)!!!

FROM CHICAGO TO CENTER POINT.....

The distance from Chicago, Illinois, to Center Point, Texas, can not only be measured in miles but in cultures! Oh, my.....it was a cultural shock arriving in Chicago after living in Center Point for the last 22 years and it was DEFINATELY a cultural shock coming home! LOL
But, oh, I'm glad to be home...........it's always so much fun taking a trip, but seems like sheer heaven coming home again...............However, I could EASILY live in a downtown Chicago condo or in Lincoln Park; I just can't mention that fact to my Texas born and bred, family ranch owning and working husband.
Never.
Anyhoo, I'm home but before I get back into the swing of things I must tell you about the two highlights of our trip................first being the Architectural Boat Tour of the buildings and second................but really FIRST.................WE GOT TICKETS TO WICKED. Oh, yeah, baby....we saw Wicked and we sat in the center of the orchestra seating and all for $85.00 a ticket......oh, yeah.
How do you do that???
You drop by the theatre on the afternoon of the day you want to go and buy tickets that haven't sold:) A filled cheap expensive seat is better than an empty expensive seat.
It was fabulous. OMG. I would see it a dozen more times if I could.
The costumes! The set designs! The singing, acting, building....blah, blah, blah.

And after all of that excitement we headed home. The flight home was uneventful and I'm still trying to recup from all of the excitement!

Now I have two weeks before we leave as a family to go up north for my mom's 80th birthday and for more travel. I have sooo much I need and want to accomplish so I best get busy doing something!

Enjoy the pictures:) You've got street artists, an old drawbridge building in front of a newer highrise and you've got the inside of the Oriental Theatre where we saw Wicked.