Great Weekend!

Even though I came home early Friday sick from work, went straight to bed for 17 hours sleep, and was shaky all Saturday, it was a blast!

First, performed at MacConnell Arts Center in Worthington with Honk, Wail, and Moan. We opened for Planet D NoNet from Detroit, another Sun Ra inspired group. At the end, both groups TOOK the stage, and played together, and THEN I joined them for the very last tune, Love in Outer Space!

After the applause, hubby & I dashed to the Short North and 83 Gallery to see the opening of this month's show, where I'm one of the featured artists. Lots of people, a blue grass band playing, and my work looked great, although there was a lot of really killer art there.



That's baby brother Mike and girlfriend Cathy checking out the exhibit, and Hubby on the bench, watching my coat!




A little more resting Sunday, then Monday I drive to Flint, Michigan to pick up art for the museum; we're switching shows again, people!

More New Art Quilts

It's 11:34pm, and I've finished a few more pieces for the exhibit for February at 83 Gallery! (They're also on Facebook!) The black & white and the Black & Red are pieces I silk-screened my very own self, thank you very much!




The bouquet of "roses" goes along with the whole Valentine series (a little creepy)




yay!

Valentine Hearts

....and here are 2 finished Valentines! Yay!

I used madiera metallic thread on the ex voto heart, for a little sparkle!

Hearts for Valentines

I'm making new work for February, as I am one of 3 featured artists at 83 Gallery in the Short North that month! Very excited, only a tad bit worried about getting it all finished.

I'm expanding my Valentine: anatomical heart series. Had to replace Burning Love, which sold last year (yay!) and am doing a larger one, "Hearts and Flowers", thinking about stitching a bony hand holding the creepy "flowers". It all depends on how cold it gets in the studio, and how much my own right hand hurts. Yep, that blasted trigger thumb is a bitch, people. Surgery is scheduled, though, so there's hope down the road!

Super Couponing

Dear Daughter and I have watched just about all the reality shows in the weeks that she's been on break, and one of our favs has been Extreme Couponing. I'm still not sure exactly how they manage to do it, but DD & I have decided to really give it a try, and see what we can do.




Yesterday, we went to CVS & Kroger's, armed with DD's research and packets of coupons. At CVS, we stocked up on some laundry detergent, personal and beauty items. After the store discounts, store coupon and manufacturer's coupon, we saved 50% PLUS got a $10 CVS card! At Kroger's we stocked up on personal items, some pasta, cleaning stuff, and saved 42% after all the store sale prices, e-coupons loaded on my Kroger's card, manufacturer's coupons, plus bonus savings.

It's not the stunning 90-99% savings they get on TV, but way better than I would normally do! I'm hoping to do even better each time; we would have done better at Krogers, but we missed some fine print; if we had broken up our purchases into 2 transactions, we'd have saved another $4.

Our goal is to get a nice stockpile going, so this summer when I'm off work from the museum, we'll be good!

Heart and Soul

Just hung a nice little show, "Heart and Soul", at The Works in Newark. A really great space, with an art gallery, children's area, lots of glass blowing, ceramics, all kinds of workshops. The main draw is the Ohio Art League juried 3-D show in the museum, but I'm just across the courtyard!

If you take the link above, they mention me at the bottom of the page. Just found out today, there's a reception this Friday the 13th from 6-8pm, so I'll be there! Wine and fruit!

Oooohhhh.....so full!

So much food!

So many presents!

So much fun!









Big piles of wrapping paper, family surrounded by their toys, Spook looking a bit dazed and confused, the AWESOME steampunk gun Dear Daughter MADE me! (nerf gun, painted and embellished, SUPER COOL!)

All the presents I was making got finished in the nick of time (I wrecked my sewing machine on the last one!) I made a few more Etsy sales, very exciting! Dear Daughter & I have been watching marathon TV for 5 days; Hoarders, What Not to Wear, Extreme Couponing; all the stuff I won't watch when she's gone.

Looking forward to a couple of days straightening up and cleaning out, to welcome in the New Year!