36 YEARS of FRIENDSHIP and still counting!!

I spent this last weekend with four of my closest friends from college.
All five of us were sorority sisters at Oklahoma State University;
we are KD's.
We are also five friends that have gotten together every year for the last 25 years for a long weekend of shopping. We've helped the economy in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nevada and Texas.
This year was my turn to host and I let them experience San Antonio and Fredericksburg, Texas, or should I say that S.A. and Fredericksburg experienced US??
We had such a fabulous time! We always do!!
I swear, I laugh more this weekend every year than I do any other time of the year!

One thing that we did that was totally the hit was to take a beading class at a bead store in Fredericksburg on Friday night. The owner, Shelli, graciously offered to teach us a private class when she heard about our gathering. So, on Friday night we met at the Garden of Beaden (https://www.shellivandegriftdesigns.com/) and Shelli struggled to teach us how to make a tumbleweed pendant! We had so much fun that we almost didn't get finished! Shelli's a hoot and such a wonderful teacher that she made the evening a real treat.
I'm posting two pictures of our finished product so that you can see what an awesome piece of sterling silver jewelry we made in just one evening!!




The weekend went by entirely too quickly and now we're all back at our homes until next year...............oh, want to know where we're going next year???
Get this.................SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO!
OH
MY
GOSH!!!

THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN A FULL ETSY STORE!!

I am so excited!!! OMG, I did it. I not only finished uploading all that I had ready onto my Etsy website, I took a drive with my sister-in-law (visiting from Ohio - yes, I just spend two weeks up north with HER......we're close, what can I say?) in my convertible with the top down and we drove down some ranch roads looking for good photo ops. Found some, too. I'll save those for another post.
Right now I want to show you one of the things I uploaded onto my Etsy store.
It's an ATC holder and it comes with these eight ATC's. This is my first attempt at ATC's and I'm very pleased with the outcome. I had fun making this project actually.
The first photo is of the holder with the ATC's inside and all tied up.
The second picture is of just the holder and is made out of a designer folder - most of what I used to make this project I bought as a kit of "stuff" from my blogger, Etsy, ZNE friend, Astrid - it was the first thing I bought after opening my Etsy store. So, thanks to Astrid I attempted my first ATC's and ATC holder:)
And, the third picture is of the ATC cards.
I'm so happy to be finished with this project and to have it and a bunch more uploaded into my store so now I can create something new!

It tickles me every day when I think about what I've planned for my day and I find myself at about 3 p.m. and NOTHING I had planned has been accomplished! God does that to me just about every day and I can just picture him blowing some sort of liquid out of His nose as He laughs at me and my plan making!!
Well, today he obviously decided to give me a break and all college financial aid problems and computer problems appeared to be solved and I was able to actually sit down in my studio and upload about 20 new items onto my Etsy store.
I had the choice of that or creating something new.
I came to my senses and realized that unless I get my creations uploaded into my store that I'm simply creating for 'me'! That's a good thing until I remember the financial aid problems are for two boys in college......LOL

I invite you to my etsy store, www.jthom03.etsy.com, to check out my newest items!!
And, I'll have even more listed by next week.

THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!

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.

I'M IN CHICAGO!

Yep, here I am...............in Chicago!!! Woohoo!
I'm here with my BF, Annette (she's the one in the picture:), who has a medical conference and I came along as her "guest" - she spends her days in mid-wifery classes and I spend my days on my laptop *without the guilt*, catching up on my art mags, reading my book and watching re-runs of Law and Order.....it doesn't get much better than that!
I met her for lunch yesterday at the Billy Goat Tavern which was the inspiration for the SNL skit "cheezburger cheezburger" - she loved it! And then she went to class and I found my favorite shop on Michigan Avenue, Chiaroscuro, and browsed around in there. Didn't leave until I had spent about 70 dollars.....but I figure it was cheaper than browsing around Armani's - LOL.
This afternoon we're taking the 'architectural river cruise' through the three tributories of the river that runs through downtown Chicago - we'll get the history on all of the old buildings that make up downtown - I cannot wait! It's going to be amazing.
Then tonight her conference is having a fund raiser performance (that means expensive tickets!). SECOND CITY is performing - it's gunna be so cool! AND funny!
We will definately eat at Topo Gigio's and Gigio's Pizza before we leave town and I would like to take her to Lincoln Park to check out the shops there.

This is a wonderful get away *you should see our hotel* and I'll post more pictures later:)

SHE WAS A GIFT

I am so excited to get this magnet finished! Actually, it's 20 magnets to be given as party favors to family that attends a surprise 80th birthday week at Lake Michigan for my mom in June....I think they turned out precious and am so excited about them. The photo is an old photograph of my mother and I think it is absolutely adorable!

I'm working on a large collage for my mom and will post pictures of it after it's finished - I'm almost there! It's turned out better than I could hope and I'm so excited about it!!

I leave on Friday for Chicago. My BF and I are going for five days.....she has a convention thing to go to and I'm going along - yippee! I'm loading up on all of those art magazines that I haven't found time to read and so look forward to vegging out with them while she's at meetings:) Then we'll terrorize Chicago properly - I've been twice so kind of know what is worth doing............like Michigan Avenue! LOL

I'm going to list some things on Etsy this week so must get busy!