LOVING FRIDA, Shining Star

Karen a friendly blogger friend with a great blog,  sent me this wonderful shrine box that I will treasure for always. She said she had made it with myself,  and my son in her mind. I was really touched when she said that and even more touched when she said she would mail it to me. Very generous person. Thank you so much Karen. I just had to post about it so that everyone can see what great work you do.

I was looking at it closely and seen that she had threaded the buttons before gluing on. Great idea. The material is thick and very textured. Everything is glued precisely. I think she has done an excellent job.



The interior with print from a dictionary which I love and a little pillow inside with the same material as the outside. Don't you just want to get inside and read the dictionary. Tee Hee.

This beautiful gift card that she handmade. Is this not exquisite? The same material as the box but a dress. Look how darling this is. Oh Karen, thank you so much. I just have to learn to make beautiful cards like this. Great ideas.

The dress alone. I wish I could wear this dress. It's awesome. Great job Karen and again, thank you so much.



Valley Springs is definitely a  quaint town. We have loved that little town for about 11 years or so and had plans to buy a ranchette in this small town and still want to, but find it very hard to think of uprooting. Right now the home prices are very low. You can get a 4bdrm, 2 1/2 bath, garage, amenities,  with 3 acres, for about $120,000. The going price is good but the idea of moving just doesn't get it.

We have so much here with all our plants, bushes, trees, roses galore and much more that it would be so hard to leave it behind and start all over again. We've lived here since 1989 and in those 22 years you know that we have done a lot. What we don't like about this area, is the area itself. In Valley Springs there is a lot of space between homes. My mind tells me to not miss out on the chance while the prices are low, but my heart is beating in the other direction and then I tell myself that you only live once and you do what you must, that includes taking a chance sometimes.

Everything in the yard  is established. Of course we can uproot and take with us and some plants would make it, others wouldn't. I try to think of the downside in order to make me turn away,  and that is snakes, other critters that live in the hilly sides, deer that would eat up the plants, no shopping districts. The commute would be the same amount of time for my husband, but for me I would have to travel to a big store in Stockton, the closest place although there is a grocery store there. Not a very big one, but a store.

Lordy lordy lordy, I have to try and be happy with what we have and I am, so why is wanting to move on our minds. Many years ago, we talked about buying acreage and having a ranchette and in a sense our property right now is pretty big and it could be called a mini ranchette, but that dream has never surfaced...owning acreage.

I have to try to do what we always do when we start thinking like this and that is to not look up homes, don't go visiting the town to look around, be thankful for what we have and stop wanting more and on and on. I also have my studio all done now. Ayeeeeeee. That painting I did on  my previous post titled:

 LIFE IS HARD is doing it's thing on me. I'm getting this out of my system so that I can close my mind to these tempting thoughts and be grateful for our lives now.

That's what happens when we go to this little town, we seem to get rejuvenated by the smell and feel of the quietness of the town. We get turned on by the casual living. Oh my word. I'm glad tomorrow is the start of a new week, except  that we are going to San Jose tomorrow and that's okay because that is one town I wouldn't want to move back to. Sorry, I talk too much.  For now, have a great week ahead peoples, enjoy.

3 acres

 coconut bark .

ISAMU means COURAGE and BRAVERY

ISAMU 勇 m Japanese

Means "courage, bravery" in Japanese

Well,  some one  has tempted me to start using oils again. I once used oil when  practicing with the Master's paintings. There was an oil of Dr. Gachet, Van  Gogh's doctor and a few other paintings that were completed a few years back. Having used oils really made my senses rock, so to speak. One seems to get lost in the thickness of the oil until it's smoothed out or sometimes even left thick so as to provide lots of texture. Yes, it's OILY MOOD time.

The problem with oil painting is that you have to find the right paint or it just won't work.

$68.98

Who knows  if you have to have all this stuff, but I don't remember using all these things when last oil paint was used.

Oil this, oil that. Why with Acrylics, all you need is water and it works fine. Brushes are also a vital part of oil painting. There are a lot of brushes in the studio, in fact about 4 drawers full of various brushes.

Me thinks me will stick to the cheap oil paints and the type of oil that can be rinsed out with water.

Any suggestions on oil products and if you've used oil, what type did you use? It's been so long. Wait a minute....if I'm not mistaken there are Bob Ross oil paints in the studio, but they may not be good. Will check to see if they have hardened. Please let me know if you have any ideas as to oil paints, it would be appreciated. I'm thinking FRIDA in oils. (someone suggested that) Now that sounds like a winner. The same Frida that I just painted but only on canvas and in oils. The scent, almost remembering it just by thinking it.

There were too many things on my kitchen countertop and space was limited, so I decided to put my pantry shelve in the kitchen and put what was on my countertop on my pantry shelve so that there would be more space on the countertop.

It worked out well because now there is ample room to work my arms,  making tortillas.

Which I did today.

I always enjoy making tortillas because it takes me back to when I was a young girl.

I always tried making the tortillas right before my dad got home from work, that way they were still warm.

Since we had hungry folks at home, there was always about 3 dozen made, sometimes more.

Also decided to make a nice pot of hot stew or caldo as it's called in Spanish. Caldo de Res, or beef stew.

It's been a chilly day with rain, and thunderstorms are expected in the valley in a short time. I was watching General Hospital and the news announced that the valley was in for a few thunderstorms and even a small tornado? I'm sure, since when do we over here have tornados? I haven't heard or seen anything yet but they are still announcing it on TV. I won't worry, I'll hide in my house.

The weather prompted me to be in a nice warm kitchen, and I now have plenty of space on the countertop. Have a great evening and enjoy tomorrow.

VIVA LA KITCHEN