HALLOWEEN...THE HOLIDAYTHAT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING!...NOVEMBER 5TH BLESSING...

My blessing today, this 5th day of the "Month of Blessings" is this simple fact......
It is a blessing to me when I am not feeling well, for whatever the reason, if I can muster up the energy to be a blessing to someone else. And yesterday I was able to see to fruition one of those VaLiaNt efforts with these wonderful Halloween tags you see below!
I saw these tags on roseyposeycreations' etsy shop and even though it was less than a week until Halloween, I had to have them!! I thought they were precious and though I didn't have a clue what I would do with them...and even though I knew that if they were something I really needed, I could make my own Halloween tags, they just screamed my name and so...I bought them! LOL
Cheryl is an amazing artist and I love her work - I say this to encourage you to visit her etsy shop and see what I mean first hand!

So, the tags come, Halloween is upon us and I'm feeling badly...*the scene is set*...so what to do with these darling tags???.....I filled white lunch sacks with Snickers, Butterfingers, all of the best of candies!, scallop cut the top edge of the sack, folded it down and stapled Cheryl's tags to the front *with orange staples*. I put a list of people together at church that I felt could use a hug and off I went yesterday morning with my blessings.....and it worked! I was so blessed in the blessing of others as I handed out the darling bags of candy and a hug that I momentarily forgot about my own aches and pains!... As I went from person to person (many of whom weren't really sure who I was....that was the best part!) I knew in my heart that my hug or my touch on their shoulder might be the only time they were physically touched yesterday... I realized *yet again* that sometimes we get so busy with our own lives that we overlook the quiet one sitting alone in the sanctuary or the harried single mom trying to get her three kids out to the car, the widower standing along the wall missing his wife or the sweet, sweet lady that is going through chemotherapy but has managed to pull herself out of bed so that she can be at worship...

Try it! The next time you feel badly *for whatever reason*, try blessing someone else with a smile, a touch, a meal, a Snickers!, a phone call, a compliment or a gesture and see how God turns one blessing into two!

I am totally loving this "Month of Blessings"!!

AN AFTERNOON OF BAPTISMS....CONTINUING THE MONTH'S DAILY BLESSINGS....WITH THE NOVEMBER 4TH BLESSING....

Wow! What a Sunday!!.....It started out this morning with church and that was great *I'll tell you why in tomorrow's "blessing" post"*, and then church was followed with an amazing afternoon.
Get this.....okay, I co-sponsor a group of high school athletes at our school called F.C.A. which stands for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It's an awesome group of kids from our school that are involved in some type of school athletics. We meet every Monday night for fellowship, food, prayer, games, speakers, testimonies, questions for the sponsors that we have to some times "get back to ya on that!"; all learning and growing in our Lord; all swimming against the current of peer pressure and society to be the young man or woman that God is molding them into.

And this year has been amazing! It's like I tell the kids, "GOD IS IN THE BUILDING!" He is doing powerful things through the lives of these young men and women and Kim (my co-sponsor and dear friend) and I leave the meeting every Monday night in awe of how God is shaping the lives of these precious young people.

So, here's the deal!.....TODAY'S BLESSING....
WE BAPTIZED SIX OF OUR TEENAGERS THIS AFTERNOON IN A LOCAL CREEK!!
SIX!!! SIX KIDS ON FIRE FOR THE LORD!


I'm still so excited I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to sleep
tonight. With all of the turmoil in the world, with all of the turmoil in our own little corner of the world, it blesses me so much to see proof that God is indeed "IN THE BUILDING!"

THIRTY DAYS OF BLESSINGS

NOVEMBER 1st: I am thankful for God's grace.

NOVEMBER 2nd:
I am so very thankful for my husband.....I have battled some health issues these last 18 months that have been a total hassle and he has picked up the slack, done what needed to be done, stepped up to the kitchen sink and loaded the dishwasher....all without having to be asked, reminded....you get it. And now, well, for the last several months, we have added yet another chronic illness to my list of "pains in the bum"! And this latest one is very messy. Yet there is my husband, always asking if he can get me anything, always willing to do whatever it is needs to be taken care of, always willing to listen........
......And please know that I struggled with posting today's blessing because to explain to you why I am so thankful for my husband I had to tell you about 'stuff' I don't share but with a couple of people and that was hard for me.
However, I thought it was important that you know WHY Frank is such a blessing and why I am so, so thankful for that man, "Frank the Tank"!

NOVEMBER 3rd:

About 25 years ago I lived the life I had always known.....the "city and suburban" life......college, sorority, job in the "city" (Oklahoma City), big downtown church.....many of you know what I'm talking about.

If you would have told me THEN that I would move to Texas, to a family owned working ranch, married to the rancher, would have three boys and would live *happily* outside a wee little town (Center Point, Texas) where my kids would go to a school whose average graduating class was 20 students, I would have braided my chin hairs and joined the circus. (that's a joke and a whole 'nother blessing....no chin hairs)

But that's exactly what I ended up doing and that makes today's blessing, "I am so thankful that God gave me the oppportunity to raise my boys in the country, on a ranch, in the middle of all kinds of different people...."

And I am now seeing what effect that has all had on them....they have grown, and continue to grow, into young men that don't see color or economic situation when they cross paths with people.

I could go on and on about that but I think you get the picture....

I wouldn't have hoped to raise my children anywhere else but on our family ranch.

WHY "THIRTY DAYS OF BLESSINGS" :
I have a very dear, sweet friend, Keesha, that has inspired me to do a similar blog post this month, the month of Thanksgiving, as she is doing on her blog.
She calls it, "Thirty Days of Thanks", and the idea is, in her own words,....
"Today is Nov. 1st, so that means we begin the 30 days of thanks!......I'd love for you to join me either by commenting on my blog or doing it on your own blog! It doesn't have to be anything long or lengthy, just a little blurb like, "today i am thankful for xxxxx". Feel free to discuss why you are thankful or just leave it at that! Simple rules!"

Isn't that just the most wonderful idea?

Recently we have been aware of the amount of negativity that can surround us and that we can become focused on. I think this is a wonderful way to turn all of that around! I give her all of the credit and thank her for the idea!

So, every day I will add to this post, #1 today, #2 tomorrow, etc., until I have 30 days of entries telling you about the things that I am thankful for and that bless me.
Please join me in this wonderful excercise!

CREATIVE SNIT AWARD- OH, YEAH, BABY!

You heard me right..............an award for being a snit.

BUT a creative snit! There's a difference! LOL

Instead of writing more about it myself, I'm going to cut and paste Lennea's blog post - it'll be much simpler that way!

From Lennea's blog post:
The AMAZING, TALENTED and VERY FUNNY Jan Thomason (that'd be me - thank you, Lennea) presented me with the FIRST EVER CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!!!!!!!!
Unlike many other blogging awards, THIS award requires much thoughtful deliberation and strict adherence to the following CREATIVE SNIT AWARD criteria.
This award shall be presented only to worthy artists who have shown evidence of being in a creative snit. To help with the selection, we need a common frame of reference. I found this definition of snit: snit - noun. a state of agitated irritation; "she was in a snit.". However, I think a CREATIVE SNIT requires a somewhat different definition....creative snit - noun. a state of creative chaos, creative frustration, or a state of obsessive creativity: "she was in a creative snit.". Therefore, worthy recipients of this prestigious award should demonstrate one or more of the following criteria: 1) photos of their chaotic creative studio spaces (see my blog for example). 2) reports of staying up till the wee hours of the morning while consuming large amounts of coffee and/or chocolate in order to finish a swap or prepare for a show. 3) documented frustration over the creative process. 4) evidence of a large quantity of art created over a small period of time. 5) photos of the recipient at vendor night at any art retreat because it goes without saying that ALL attendees at such events are either in, or will soon be, in a creative snit.

AND FINALLY,
6) (created especially for Jan) witnessing the recipient in a SNIT at a CREATIVE EVENT!
(note: Jan is a lovely, kind and generous person, who would not normally qualify for this award - However after traveling several hours on a plane to Art & Soul, she arrived at the hotel in the wee hours of the morning only to discover that THEY HAD GIVEN HER ROOM AWAY! And, they didn't have any rooms available!

Now, if that's not cause for being in a SNIT, I don't know what is!)
I am quite honored to be the FIRST EVER recipient of this most prestigious award. Thank you Jan!!!
AND now, I award the following AMAZING and TALENTED artists with the INAUGURAL CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!!!!!!!

Jan Thomason -

for being in a SNIT at a CREATIVE RETREAT and for creating the CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!......................

Whew. . . . .see why I didn't try to write all Lennea had to say??? LOL So, as the creator of this prestigious award I deem to bestow it upon the following artists: Now understand, I'm ASSUMING that the following artists will in some way qualify for the CREATIVE SNIT AWARD!!

Angela - http://re-angelarae.blogspot.com/

YoLisaLisa - http://www.bloggingqueen.com/

Michelle - http://faeriedustdreams-michelle.blogspot.com/

Laurie - http://loudlife-laurieblaumarshall.blogspot.com/

Cheryl - http://roseyposeyconfections.blogspot.com/

And, girls, you keep this award going by awarding it to those artists that you know that would get a kick out of it.........and be deserving at the same time!)

YOU MAKE ME SMILE!

My good friend, Shelly, gave me the BIGGEST compliment this week when she gave me the "You Make Me Smile Award" - wow, when I think about the fact the something I've said and/or the way I've acted has blessed someone, has uplifted someone, makes ME smile.
It's my intention every day to be a blessing to the people that I interact with - my hope every day is to give someone a reason to smile and to be told by Shelly that I've accomplished that *at least with her!* blesses ME.
And there are people in my life that make ME smile! A lot of them don't blog so won't be listed, but they know who they are......so below you will find just a few of the people in my life that make me smile! I'm supposed to pick seven people - that part DOESN'T make me smile! There are so many of you that make me smile every time you leave a comment on one of my posts or send me an email of encouragement.
So please accept this award and pass it on!
Pass it on!!

Deirdra http://www.deirdradoan.blogspot.com
Keesh http://www.lemoncholys.blogspot.com
Twink http://www.sweeteyecandycreations.typepad.com
Roberta http://www.rcscreations.wordpress.com
Dana http://www.eccentricitiesstudio.blogspot.com
Kathi http://www.outonawhimstudio.blogspot.com
Lilia http://www.fleamarketstudio.typepad.com

A WINDOW TO MY WORLD

I've posted photos of my *new* studio for you before.....right after I set up.
Remember last spring when my pink barn flooded twice and I had to move to the house because of all of the damage? Water and paper art just don't mix!
So I moved what I could fit into my new digs and took pictures for you all to see.
I was fortunate that our house has a breezeway *does anyone NOT know what a breezeway is?* that I took for myself and turned into my *new* studio.
After I got everything just like I wanted it, I started to work.
Well, "getting to work" changed everything very quickly!
That's why I'm posting these new pictures for you.
These photos represent what my studio looks like today!

This first photo shows you everything that I keep at my fingertips.
Everything that I use constantly as I create...jewelry makings, melting pot, embossing products, glitter, tapes, paints and brushes, mediums and adhesives, scissors, etc., most often used embellishments and papers, and commissioned projects waiting their turn.
Finished projects waiting for you to go to my etsy store and buy them for Christmas presents, dried roses, and my fabric, old quilts and vintage tableclothes.
Below is a full view of where I work.
Yes, it appears that every inch of work space is covered and that's because, well, because it is.
Don't we all work better in about 6" of space?

This picture shows the right side of my work station. You see that I like to keep a lot of personal gifts of art around me...hanging from the air vent, taped to the window frame and perching on the short shelf. It makes me feel that I'm surrounded by artists that "get" me! That's a nice feeling! Oh, and there's my computer. I keep it close so that I can keep in contact with my artist friends and the art world!

Whenever I work I open the three cabinet doors behind which are more art supplies. This way I can see what I've got and I'm not as likely to forget anything! I'm so glad that these built ins were in the breezeway as they make fabulous storage space!

So I had this turqouise shelving unit down in the pink barn - I used it to display finished works for people to see *and buy* when they visited the studio. So I'm thinkin' that it would be great for holding art supplies in the new studio but oh, my gosh, there's absolutely nowhere to put it!All of the wall space is used up. Hmmm, what to do...
Oh, I know, I'll just set it in the middle of my long, not wide, new studio....and you know what?
It's works just great! Now I have even more important supplies at my fingertips - woohoo!
Just extra supplies - not all of them - but the important ones! Oh, and different adhesives and other assorted products that I have seen used on different creations that I just had to have in case I ever decide to make that something new! Oh, brother.
This corner hasn't changed. This is where my teenage girls that work for me sit when they actually show up to work! It's also where you would sit if you ever came to the ranch to create with me! You always have a seat so come on down!
The wooden rubber stamp, printed paper, ephemera file cabinet, big paper storage corner.
So that's the way it looks today! It's my own little space where I go to create, relax, refresh and feed my soul. I love it.

ART & SOUL - JUST A FEW THOUGHTS

I was going to start this post with a photo of one of my class projects but Blogger is not cooperating so, no photo.....just me!
I went to the Art n Soul retreat in Portland a week ago and have just a few thoughts I wanted to share with you. I'm not going to use this post to show you my class creations - when I finish them I'll have separate posts and show you the finished pieces then.
Today I just wanted to tell you a couple of things......
First, if you've never attended an Art n Soul retreat, don't put it off - do it. I had the most amazing time and met the most wonderful people, took the most awesome classes, shopped in the most wonderful Portland shop (Collage), drooled at Vendor's Night, met my really good friend, Keesha, in person, met other friends that I knew from the Charmster's board, and had the most amazing time.
Secondly, I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to be surrounded with women that "got" me! You know what I mean? Other mixed media artists that didn't think what I did was "unusual". Didn't look at my creation and respond with a, "Hmmmm. Nice.".
It was just so much fun to be in classes with other like minded people.
And, oh, the people....the women that I was blessed to spend time with....some I can't even remember their names, some I never knew their names, and others I already "knew" from the board.................it didn't make any difference to me. Everyone was amazing and that doesn't even begin to describe the warmth I felt from every woman I spent time with, whether in the classroom, the lobby trading charms, happy hour or simply passed in the hall.
And if you will be attending Art n Soul in the future, make the decision to participate in the charm trades or the regular trades. It's a wonderful way to meet other attendees and in the process you will make friendships that will last past the last day of classes.
Art n Soul is a retreat that I will attend again. I absolutely loved every minute of it.
And if you were one of the lovely ladies that I crossed paths with, thank you.
Thank you for making a "newbie" from south Texas feel so at home and accepted.

I love every one of you so much that I want all y'all to come over on Saturday for a bar-b-que!

ART & SOUL JOURNAL - It's finished!! WOOHOO!!

Good morning everyone! It's a glorious morning here in the Hill Country - I wish all y'all could experience this fabulous weather with me!
This post is all about a surprise I have made for my dear friend, Keesha. I made this book for her as a surprise that I will give to her next week at ART AND SOUL ! (I've told her to stay away from my flickr and my blog until after the retreat - I wonder if she's the type that peeks at Christmas???) This journal is for photos from the retreat and for journaling of all of the fun she's experienced at ART & SOUL. I even made an INCHIES page for little photos of old and new friends! There are also tags in pocket pages for journaling.
I hope she likes it. I love it!

The outside of the journal is covered in a really pretty blue and red patterned vintage print. On the spine I have tied fiber for added texture and color. The best part about the front (and the BIGGEST part!) is the silver glittered Twinkle Type letters from K & Company. Notice that instead of an "&" sign between "ART" and "SOUL" I used a bird design - Keesha loves birds and nature so I know she'll love that sign!
The inside of the front cover is covered with ledger paper and the first page incorporates this year's Art & Soul themed logo, "At Home with Art and Soul". That's the Keesh there waving the beater over her head because she's so stinkin' excited to be there!
This next spread below has Keesha so excited that she just had to throw on a tutu and do a little jig! Her nickname, Little Ninjja (Ninjja with two "j"s!) is written above her crown which I know will make her happy.
Both sides of this spread leave plenty of room for journaling or photos!

Ahhh, a page for notes and a page for a photo or two pages for notes. She'll be the judge of that! She's an amazing photographer so I'll just bet you she'll put a photo or two on the right side. Oh, and check out the sequin trims I added - aren't they so sweet??
Below you can see on the left side that I made INCHIES for her to use to cram a bunch of pictures on this page of friends, new and old, and there's also room for a picture on the right side!
Another simple layout so that Keesha will have lots of room for photos. She's going to want to remember classes, projects, OPA's (Other People's Art), teachers, classmates, ME......!
Journaling tags and a page for photos. Look at that sweet pink and white garland on the right side! I just love that! And I used the bird theme on the tags - K. can journal right over the stamping. The tags slide down into the pocket page on the left.
Well, look-ie here! A page all about Keesha and ME! And check out that fabulous little pink and black stone earring that I used for the "and"! And there's plenty of room on the right side for a big ol' picture of us while we're lovin' Art and Soul!
More room for photos and journaling!
The last page in the journal has a library envelope with a note from me (I love getting in the last word!) Oh, and one thing that I think is really neat is that I was able to use this "people" paper that I have been hording for years to cover the inside back cover - these people represent everyone at Art and Soul. Cool, huh!
The back of the journal has a clock surrounded by wee bitty rhinestones and pearls just to give it a little personality - you can guess what the clock stands for!

I want to tell you the best part of attending Art and Soul next week - I will MEET Keesha for the first time! How about that! We are what I call "art friends" - we have become friends through our blogs. And hugging her neck at the retreat can only be described as a highlight for me! Oh, I just can't wait to see her!!

KEESHA'S ALMOST AS OLD AS ME NOW!

KEESHA HAD A BIRTHDAY!
KEESHA HAD A BIRTHDAY!
. . . . .AND NOW SHE'S ALMOST AS OLD AS ME!
Somehow in my tiny little brain, that makes sense!
Though I can imagine K. reading that and shaking her head "no"!
You probably remember my post, "24 + 30 = 54", where I showed you all of the blessings that my sweet friend, Keesha *better known to me as Little Ninjja* (don't ask), showered me with on my birthday. Well, after her kindness I couldn't wait for her birthday! I sent her a box full of fun things and you can see all of them on her blog. What I want to show you are the two gifts that I made her that I almost kept. I mean, that meant the most to me.
Below you are looking at the bottom of the wall hanging I made her (I can never load my photos so that they are in the right order! These are all backwards and I could have sworn that I had done it right this time! And, all of the ones of the bird wall hanging are like real small - what's with that? Beats me! LOL).
Okay, I'm digressing. . . .
I love her so much that I gave up a miniature spoon that I have horded for years to make her wall hanging perfect. I don't remember what was engraved on the back of the spoon, it was wonderful and it's in K.'s post, but I pounded the spoon flat and mounted it backwards so that the engraving shows.
Oh. So cool.

This saying is very dear to my heart and one I try to remember every morning before I start my day. It reads, "Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." So dear. And, very meaningful when I think of K. as I think of that saying. She talks about how that saying touched her on her blog.
This 'vintage french hanger' holds the wall hanging up. I added the walnut stained ribbon to soften it and you can almost see the pearls that hang down both sides of the wall hanging.
Here's the finished product......mmmm, I do so love it! I am going to have to make some more because I must have one for myself! LOL
I also made her a bracelet. I have recently learned how to work with wire and beads, the whole enchilada, in a class at my favorite bead shop, Garden of Beaden, Fredericksburg, Texas, and thought that she would like a bracelet. I mean, I made the entire bracelet - I'm so impressed with myself!
So, there ya go. Keesha's birthday has come and gone, but the joy that I received in making her gifts will stay with me for a long, long time.

Thanks for visiting and be sure and go to the top right of this page and you'll see this "Blogarithm" box where you type in your email address? Go ahead and do it. Don't be afraid, it's legit. If you do as I say then you'll get an email whenever I post on my blog.
Now, we both know that keeping up with my fascinating life is at the top of your favorite things to do list, so Blogarithm me!
See ya later! Jan

MICHAEL'S, STAMP ANTONIO, A FLICKR AWARD AND THE MIDDLE NAME GAME....

Michael's was so much fun!
Stamp Antonio was amazing as usual!
The flickr award was such a surprise (bowing and thanking, bowing and thanking!).
And the middle name game..............well, let's just say I thought I had slipped under the radar on that one but, oh, no, Keesh tagged me! Oh, she'll pay. This is going to cost her plenty - do you know what my middle name is????
Do I look like I have hours and hours to spend thinking up words to go with the TEN LETTERS of my middle name?
Keesh - yer dead.
Okay, as I understand it from K., you basically share your middle name - give it descriptive adjectives using the letters in the name and then tag the amount of people as in the letter of your middle name.
I'll be a good sport and do the adjectives but finding 10 people to do this gives me the urge to hold my head over the toilet.....I'm too busy, too tired, and too old to waste what little time I have left looking for 10 people that haven't already been tagged! LOL

Middle Name: VERMILLION

V: Vivacious - it's true, at moments I can be vivacious
E: Eclectic - another word for strange
R: Razor sharp - what my mind used to be
M: Mixed up - I like to think of it as 'mixed media'
I: Idiot - first "I" word that came to mind
L: Laughter - I LOVE to laugh!
L: Love - I love to LAUGH! and I love God, my family, my friends, my art and you
I: Insecure - I have my moments....between Mixed up and Laughter
O: Outspoken - I'm workin' on it!
N: Nice - because nice matters

Whew. Finished. Aughh!
Now, here's what I thought would be fun.....if you're reading this and you have a blog, I choose you to play this really fun game and pass it on:)

The End

Oh, alright, one more thing.....go visit Keesha's blog because she is an amazing artist AND an amazing friend.....she'll probably want to get me a little something to make up for the stress she brought into my life. It's what makes her so nice.

CIRCUS CIRCUS shadow box

When I started working on this cigar box the only thing I knew for sure was that i wanted it to be a shadow box that was funky in nature! I often find myself vacillating between cute and eclectic and I was in the mood for eclectic! Who would have thought that I'd end up going to the circus!? The picture above is a view of the inside of the cigar box (i.e. shadow box)....it's where the action is....where the clowns, trapeze artists, acrobats, jugglers, and the rest of the excitement under the big top can be found! And it's all there for kids from 2 to 92!!

Below is a view of the back of the cigar box. I love that dog! I added glitter to the balls on his hat and pasted him on polka dot Basic Grey paper and fell in love with the back of the shadow box!

The picture below is of the acrobats on the bottom left edge of the inside of the lid. I carried the polka dot theme into the main spread of the piece and pasted the acrobats on same.

There is a lot of clip art of the circus type and a lot of it has a Paris-feel; like the couple below. They are on the front of the box in the upper left hand corner. I added some really fancy yellow 'sequins' to the hem of the madam's skirt and her hat - and that poor clown to the right just didn't look right until I put a gentleman's top hat on his head!
The main act in this circus is the juggler....the one with the gold foil fish on her head! She is in the shadow box and is pasted to harlequin Basic Grey paper. I added black glitter dots to her clown costume and gave her felt balls studded with wee bitty seed beads to juggle. The trapeze artist in the background doesn't seem to be bothered at all by the juggling going on in the foreground!

There are extra purple juggling balls on the ground in case she drops any of the orange ones she's busy keeping in the air!
There are three sweet fairy girls in the foreground that have been watching all of the different acts going on around them! The are pulled forward by vintage dominos that I mounted to their backs to give more diminsion to this piece. Their wings are adorned with glitter and they have party hats on their heads that were given to them by the clown ladies you see on the inside of the lid. And don't miss the beautiful roses that the 'arena' has been decorated with to give it just the right touch of glamour!

I call this guy below "Party Boy"! He's got the hat, he's juggling bobbins *great party trick!*, he's got glitter on his shirt and shoes, SEQUINS on his pants?!, and the always fun red glitter nose! He's squatting on the front of the cigar box collage and those colored metal bobbins?? . . . they're the real thing! CIRCUS CIRCUS!! Again, the inside spread of the shadow box is below.........when you sit and look at it you will see things the second and third time that you look that you did NOT see the first time! The circus is full of fun and frantic action just like this shadow box!
I hope you have enjoyed visiting my circus! If you're interested in giving it a home you can find it in my shop on Etsy. Thanks for stopping by!!

24 + 30 = 54

Today's my birthday.
Last year's birthday was a disappointment. I don't remember the specifics of it but I do remember being a wee bit depressed because it was kind of a bummer. I do know that I was two months into recovery from the surgeries on my ankles and still bed/chair ridden - I'm sure that didn't help my reception of another year. Anyway, that's in the past and maybe was allowed to happen so that in retrospect my birthday this year would seem oh, so fabulous. And it has been good....I've gotten several phone calls, cards, presents, am getting taken out to supper tonight, my best friend made me a cake, all good things. And in the mail I got the most wonderful present from my 'art' friend, Keesha aka. Kecia, Keesh, Ninnja, Little Ninnja, Lemoncholy, and I just have to share it all with you!! She wrapped everything separately, made me a card, and made me feel so, so special. We haven't been friends for all that long but I think of her as one of my best friends.
I have two 'art' friends that I am in contact with on a regular basis, Keesha and my friend, Twink, and every time I speak to or email either of them I am reminded of how much God has blessed me through my art. I have made these two amazing friends and have numerous other 'art' friends that I wouldn't have if not for the gift of art that God gave me and I am so thankful for all of you.
Okay, this first picture shows the entire contents of the gift box I received from Keesha.
Let me tell ya, I was feelin' the love!This second picture shows the precious little "Cworky" person thingy she made me. It's made out of a cork! How about that! She mounted it on a wooden block and he will be resting on my work table every day making sure I'm not just sitting here watching yet another rerun of Law and Order.
This photo shows the wonderful framed piece she made of "us" - I LOVE IT! Isn't it just the best? I want a label maker! I never think about a label maker until I see something that's been 'labeled'!! (postscript: It says, "The best mirror is an old friend" - Do you think she put any extra emphasis on the word "old"???)
As I said earlier, friends that I have made through my art are many, some I'm closer to than others, but I know that I can count on all of them for just about anything! And the really fun thing is that I continue to make friends I never would have had if not for this gift called ART.

Keesh, I think you're wonderful and you bless my socks off!
Not just on my birthday but every day.

Happy birthday to me!