LOVING FRIDA, Shining Star: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

PAINT PARTY FRIDAY

Well how fast time goes by. The month is over, can you believe it? Lots of b/days this month, lots of working around the house, planning, buying hardboard at Home Depot for projects in the spring and lots of other things this month and now it ends and it's Paint Party Friday time, thanks to Eva and Kristin. Thanks Ladies for your hospitality.

This book is my Haiku book. I do my Haiku's on Wednesday and then print out the Haiku along with the photo and paste in this book. I have the one page for January but haven't printed out my last Haiku so I didn't show the page, just the outside of the book.

3 Ladies and a fourth at the bottom of the page. I don't know if it's complete yet. Eventually I will do my Haiku on there.

Doodling and having fun in this Haiku journal book.

That's all I have for today. This week has been hectic. Getting paperwork ready to do taxes. We do them early to get out of the way. Did you notice how taxes went up in payroll deductions? Well they did. I was under the impression that they would not go up but it's part of what happens when we have to pay the rising costs. I won't go any further because anger will set in. Case closed!

My Family Pet Member Chocolatte' (fpm) has to go in for her Bordadella shot or something like that. She isn't due for her rabies till 2015. She's going on Wednesday when hubbers is off.

Lot of washing clothes, getting paperwork together, baking bread, buying food and other for the Super Bowl. I'm breaking tradition this year and not making the same thing.

Have a great rest of the week.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

HAIKU HUMP DAY

Linking up with:

HELEN

for her Haiku Hump Day

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Although I did get a flu shot back at the end of October, I am as of late getting stomach pains and other, that feel like the onset of flu. They say that even if you get the flu shot, you may still get the flu, but a milder case. Hmmm, that beer looks good down there, wish I could find it in the states. Loving her face on the box. That would be a great six-pack to save. Onward to the Haiku. Have a wonderful rest of the week.

(from the Internet)

Somewhere I did read

Tequila was Frida's choice

Oh but if she knew.

Monday, January 28, 2013

PANTRY ROOM BLUES

Things in my kitchen, because that's all they really are, just things. You ever have that feeling of why do we have so many things? Thoughts in my head lately have been of just hurrying up and cutting back on loads of "stuff." Our plans for the future are to move out of California and just go elsewhere. We love our life, even if it's mostly "ourselves" with my Mom and son and a couple of friends. That's all we really want. It's the way we've always been and we don't want change. Well other than some day in the near future leaving CA as I said. Who knows? You ever get the feeling that someone is stalking you online??? Lately I've felt that way. Going to check on backtracking. I wish Blogger would come up with ways of only allowing the blog friends you know on your blog. Does anyone know ways to do this?

I was looking at my pantry room and then walked into the kitchen and seen this shelving that holds various things in jars, a crock pot, wooden spoons, and other, and thought of all the other things in the pantry room. Gosh, why So much stuff!!

KITCHEN SHELVING

This here below is the pantry room and just one wall of it. Come on lady, why so much? When I go shopping, I always buy extra. It's something that couldn't been done in the past. Sometimes I give Manuel across the street soups and pasta. There are cabinets in this room where the pasta and beans are at and other staples.

PANTRY ROOM BLUES

So I give to you my pantry room in all it's overstockfullness, if that is a word. Have a wonderful week and I'm off to the post office and other duties for this week.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Greens from the garden

Greens from the garden. There is an abundance of greens outside. Husband picked some today and we decided to have quesadillas. Rinsed a lot of the greens and then bagged about 3 large plastic storage bags.

rinsed and bagged

Onions, red hatch chili from the garden, and the greens

The veggies done, cheese and the corn tortillas

Excuse me says the tortilla while I melt your cheese

These are for husband but I did have two. Greens are awesome.

Time to kick back for today. Watching a movie, doing crosswords, reading and sorting pictures are on the agenda for this evening. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.

Friday, January 25, 2013

A Dream About My Mom

I had a dream last night about my mother. For some reason my husband and I were across the street, kind of kitty corner from her house. I told my hubby that my mom had her garage door open and it was getting late. He said, we'll wait a little while and if she doesn't close it, we'll close it for her. Just about that time my mom comes out in a long white robe, kind of terry cloth, like the one I have, and she is walking without her walker or cane and just moving fast.

She bends down to pick something up and then looks around. There is a little dog by her fence and she starts to talk to it and then she is turning round and round as if she was dancing. She has a big smile on her face and she is laughing and talking to the dog. She even jumps up and down and of course my mom is way past the stages of dancing and jumping around. When she walks, it's very slow and with a walker. It felt good seeing her move that way, it's been a long time.

We kept looking and I told my husband, "look at my mom, she's jumping up and down!" After I said that my mom turned her gaze towards us and then put her hands to her mouth as if we had caught her or something. I heard her say, Oh no, you caught me.

I was confused. Had she been acting sick all this time I thought?
Of course I knew she had not been acting sick or ailing. I've been there to see all she is going through and soon I will be there daily with her. Right now she just wants to do her thing and when she is ready to have me go there, she says she will let me know.

What a weird dream. I told my mom about it and she cracked up saying, "Don't I wish I could dance and jump around." She said, "Was I wearing your white robe?"

I just needed to do a Haiku for my dear mom:

Mom, you looked so happy

How I wish you could still dance

May I dance for you?

Thursday, January 24, 2013

PAINT PARTY FRIDAY

Hi and happy PPF. Thanks to Kristin and Eva for hosting this weekly event that keeps on growing.

Hope life has been good for you all. I'm trying my hand at painting/drawing/sketching the Egyptian era which is pretty difficult as I am finding out. I am drawn to this time period though, therefore I'm going with the flow for now. The photo of Nefertiti is from Wikpedia as is the info. I just pasted a small bit about her. You can click on the link if you wish to read more about her.

Nefertiti (ca. 1370 BC – ca. 1330 BC) was the Great Royal Wife (chief consort) of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for a religious revolution, in which they worshiped one god only, Aten, or the sun disc.

She was made famous by her bust, now in Berlin's Neues Museum, shown to the right. The bust is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. It was attributed to the sculptor Thutmose, and it was found in his workshop. The bust is notable for exemplifying the understanding Ancient Egyptians had regarding realistic facial proportions. Some scholars believe that Nefertiti ruled briefly as Neferneferuaten after her husband's death and before the accession of Tutankhamun, although this identification is a matter of ongoing debate.[2]
(Wikipedia)

My piece does no justice to her "beauty." I read though, that at one time they did a scan on the bust and discovered that underneath the bust it showed her wrinkles and other abnormalities. Who knows? Maybe she wasn't as beautiful as her bust shows. Watercolors, acrylics, pens and other were used on watercolor paper. I'm not really pleased with it as it needs a lot of filling in, but here she is in all her "unglory." tee hee.

NEFERTITI

Have a wonderful weekend and HAPPY PAINT PARTY FRIDAY to you all. I will be down to visit your blog. Thanks for stopping by.

Video Day-Francesa and Robert

Have you ever watched a movie that stirs your feelings so much that you just cry, cry , cry? I have the movie, Bridges of Madison County and decided to watch it this morning and I've been crying since then. I just get so moved by it and at the end it is so sad. This is a clip towards the ending when Francesca is trying to decide of she will go with Richard Kincaid or not. If you've seen the movie and who hasn't, then you know what I mean. When it first came out I went to see it because I am a dedicated fan of Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. That also prompted me to buy the DVD long ago and from time to time I watch it. Below are some of the heartfelt quotes of the movie: Words from Robert Kincaid and the last one is from Francesca and the words were shareable with the public, so I share with you:

The old dreams were good dreams; they didn't work out, but glad I had them.

This kind of certainty comes but once in a lifetime.

When I think of why I make pictures, the reason that I can come up with just seems that I've been making my way here. It seems right now that all I've ever done in my life is making my way here to you.

Things change. They always do, it's one of the things of nature. Most people are afraid of change, but if you look at it as something you can always count on, then it can be a comfort.

They came home. And with them, my life of details. (Francesca)

Split the atom (Francesca) means to:

It means to carefully consider a situation or matter, taking into account even the smallest details.

the end...

Be back Later...sob...sob:)

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

HAIKU HUMP DAY

As usual I'm here for Helen's Haiku Hump Day

glv-2013

A sight to behold

This beautiful sky of ours

On a cloud I sit.

Happy Hump Day to all. Shredded carrots, cabbage, celery, spinach and other in deep fried wonton wrappers and white rice for dinner.

Enjoy the rest of the week. Take care.

Monday, January 21, 2013

LOTS OF PICTURES

This bin, huge bin was received from my Mom on our visit there at Christmas. It is filled to the brim with hundreds of pictures. Pictures of events in her life, her family, her friends, the senior center she used to attend and lots of old photos from long ago. What to do....what to do....

I knew they needed to be sorted out. At the bottom of the bin are about 10 albums filled with pics and in the middle are a variety of different bags filled with photos. My gosh I'm lost, but happy that I do have them. I say lost because already I have bins and tons of albums filled with pictures that I took and don't know what to do with. Mine are fine, they'll stay in the bin until a decision has been reached as to what to do with them.

My brain has been filled with ideas. One idea was to do a collage of some of her pictures on various trips taken, or maybe a collage of her pictures with friends at the center or maybe just buy more albums and insert the loose photos in there. Thinking, thinking and more thinking. The the other night during the wee hours of the morning as I was moving around in bed getting ready to wake up, it dawned on me. Superior, I felt superior that my brain could function in such a manner and at such on early hour of the morn.

I thought it was ingenious! What to do? Well first off, pictures have to be separated, some of the best of family and her friends. My mom doesn't have access to a computer and she wouldn't know how to use one anyway, so I'm not worried about her finding out what I am going to do.

After sorting, scan them into my computer, start a private blog to upload the pictures, add words, and then, this is the good part:

HAVE A BOOK MADE FOR HER WITH SOME OF HER PIX IN INSERTED AND A STORY LINE ABOUT HER LIFE. START OUT WITH HER YOUNGER PICTURES AND WORK MY WAY THROUGH THE PICTURES TO THE PRESENT.

THE TITLE WOULD BE:

JUANITA, QUEEN FOR A DAY

This book I hope to finish in a couple of months so that it will be ready for Mother's Day and since her birthday falls on that day, it's a winner! Of course her last name would be added to the title. So what do you think?? Is this a winner or what? Of course, SHARED BLOG would be the one making the book. They are the ones that make my blog books twice a year. It's going to be a lot of work uploading/scanning and will take time so I'll be getting started before this month is out. It will be a lot of scanning. I can't take good pictures so hopefully they will come out clearer with scanning. A project for me to work on and a meaningful one at that. I'm hoping she will love it when she receives it. She'll be NINETY (90) years of age this May.

My mom's sister and someone else. I'll have to ask my mom.

Me, at my mom's.

My mom long ago

So this is my plan for the next few months and it's going to be time consuming. I hope to do all the scanning in the early morn and late night. Excitement is setting in, but also worry because I'm wondering if I can get it done and not give up because it's a lot of work. I hope to succeed. Wish me luck.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

PPF and Tutankhamun, The Golden Pharaoh

Welcome to my blog and of course Paint Party Friday hosted by Kristin and Eva. Thank you for hosting as always.

As I mentioned before, I am drawn to the Egyptian days of past and how they lived. I'm reading a book right now about King Tut and his life and so I attempt to paint his "mask" so to speak. Next week I will be attempting Nefertiti.

KING TUT

(From Wikipedia)

How King Tut would have really looked.

is it only me but does king tut look like an Eritrean -

Credit to:
From the Internet/National Geographic

also HERE which is the photo gallery of pictures of the Reconstruction of King Tut's face.

Then here below is my interpretation of the Golden Pharaoh. My mode of operation is to lay the paint on, and work from there. Acrylics, pitt pens, gel pens, gold markers and other markers on thick paper from my Strathmore cold press,
12 x 12 pages.

NEXT TO COME IS NEFERTITI

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

SPYS ON MY BLOG

AdSense watchdog and some place called Zombie stat have been coming to my blog and I do believe taking/copying my posts. Yesterday one of them had viewed 1,375 posts? Impossible to do in one day. I'm not sure who these sites are and why they are doing it but I went ahead and put into draft the majority of my posts. The only visible ones are Paint Party Friday, Haiku Hump Day, and whatever was posted for the day. Been thinking though of reverting to draft on a daily basis.

I am going to report them to Blogger. Check your stats to see who is coming on your blog. I don't want to change the "who I allow to visit" button because there are friends in Type pad who stop by from time to time. It does mean there will be viewers lost but that can't be helped. These people are either copying the posts or adding my site to their statistical data.

I will have to check them out and as I said let Blogger know about it. There are other sites that I haven't heard of as well. Something called Vampire something or other and a few others that sound like adult places, if you know what I mean. This is starting to bug me. Maybe I should just delete this blog and start over in a different format?

To the people (intruders) I mentioned above, stay off my blog!

Hope this isn't happening to you too.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Haiku Hump Day

Time to do a little Haiku for tomorrow, Wednesday, and Helen's Haiku Hump Day . This past Saturday was my birthday and we we went off to Red Lobster Inn and had a nice dinner and then later at home, there was a beautiful red roses cake and presents. We don't throw big bashes for our birthdays. We just take the time to remind each other that we are partners in life-forever.
HAPPY HUMP DAY HAIKU!

Sweet tasting rose cake

Today I eat your sweetness

Tomorrow I cry.

I did eat a few pieces as you can see. Oh well, enjoy today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.

Have a wonderful rest of the week. I'm trying to lay low a little and limit my time online as there is always too much to do here at home. Today for dinner is Black Bean, Mushroom, and Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers. This recipe is from Spark's Recipes and I got the link from Diana's blog. Thanks for the link Diana.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Mozart - Requiem in D Minor

JUST FOR FUN....ACTUALLY FOR ENJOYMENT FOR THOSE WHO STOP BY TONIGHT.

BE BACK TOMORROW.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

PAINT PARTY FRIDAY 2013

FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2013

I like to be early so here I am, even if it's not Friday yet.:)
Happy Paint Party Friday to everyone. Thanks to Eva and Kristin
for their hospitality as always. The year has started out being a busy one. A few birthdays this month, lots of errands to run, lists to be made and a strict and better meal planning agenda. So far so good. I've visited my studio that is outside and it sits messy as you can see here.

I also had to switch to Fire Fox of which I'm not pleased with. The screen is too big and I can't figure out how to reduce the size. I had to switch because Blogger is having problems with it's button feature on uploading photos. It's missing and they are aware of it and supposedly working on it.

In between my chores and errands, I did do a piece. For some reason, in my pieces I've started to add words. Wondering what this means? These words are probably everyday words. Don't know, but they are there. Pens, watercolor, some acrylics on Strathmore paper. Perhaps these ladies can figure it out since they have 3 heads on one neck. This piece is called:

"THREE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE"

Gloria V. 2013 January

Gloria V. 2013 January

Remember this mermaid?
I titled it:
Mama and Baby Fish

Gloria V. January 2013

Have a great weekend and enjoy everything you do in life. I will be visiting your blogs to see your work. Thanks for stopping by. I've started work on a painting of King Tut and I found a picture of a statue of Cleopatra and want to paint that as well. As far as taking pictures, I don't think I'll ever get the hang of taking good pictures.

HAPPY PAINT PARTY FRIDAY!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

PHOTOS STILL NOT UPLOADING.....Haiku Hump Day

.....but I can copy and paste. That's what I did here and as you can see it probably shouldn't have been copied. This is the mess I'm in. It's been this way for a few months now. Ayeeee!

Woo hoo hoo, actually I meant boo hoo hoo. tee hee.

I'm living the Vida Loca here. Brother, what a mess.

So a Haiku is in order for Wednesday but done on Tuesday.:)

That is for Helen's Haiku Hump Day.

When my husband gets home I will need to show this to him, just in case he is available to help. :DD

Messy Studio

(my haiku for Wednesday)

The studio needs work

Organizational kind

Husband where are you?

Happy Haiku on Tuesday meant for Wednesday. Enjoy your day. I'm working on my calendar for the year, things to do list and I guess the studio should be one of the things on list. Oranges to be juiced, lemons to be juiced and dinner to be planned. Family pet members to feed, call to my mom and other.

Just your typical stay at home wifely duties.

Ah, I am living.....

THE VIDA LOCA AND THANKFUL FOR IT TOO.

Monday, January 7, 2013

HUELL HOWSER

REST IN PEACE HUELL HOWSER. YOU WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL CALIFORNIA'S GOLD SHOWS.
MY MOM WILL REALLY MISS YOU A LOT. SHE WATCHED YOU ALL THE TIME AS DID I. YOU WERE TO YOUNG TO LEAVE US.

REST IN PEACE DEAR MAN.

Problems uploading pictures?

Is anyone having problems uploading pictures? I can't seem to upload any pictures from my computer to my blog? There is no space provided now to upload from your computer. This is new to me.

It just says you can upload from picasso, from a url, from a phone, webcam, from this blog, but there is nothing saying from my computer as I have done all these years. It's weird.

How about you, any problems?

Thursday, January 3, 2013

PAINT PARTY FRIDAY

FRIDAY and IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK AT PPF!

It's good to be back at PPF. Last post for me on PPF was on the 13th. or 14th of December. Hope everyone had a good year and I wish nothing but the best for all of you.

This first piece was done at the end of December as a start for January. Watercolors and Pitt pens and other were used. It's painted on my new watercolor book for 2013. Thick pages, I think it's cold press. I painted the cover of the book and forgot to note down the thickness of the paper and what type it was. I do know it's watercolor paper. I did a regular post on this piece at the end of December but thought it would be included in this post as well. The years have gone on by and that's what prompted the years included and other numbers that have meaning as well. I titled it:

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

This is the cover of the new watercolor book that I painted and doodled. The color red is awesome. The fish was on a previous book. I cut it out and glued on this book. I didn't paint the fish, just re-painted it so to speak. The outline of the fish was made by someone else. Some of the leaves are cut outs, glued on, and some I painted. I like the way the cover of the art book came out so that in itself will get me to open the book and start painting.

This is a work in progress (wip). Watercolor and pens. Not sure where it's going yet.

There is nothing on TV that I want to watch so it's time to start another book. Just finished reading Lost Arts by Lynn Alley, great read and lots of great old fashioned recipes. It's about just what the title says, "Lost Arts." The old fashioned way of cooking and going back to how one really cooked old school ways. The writer really makes it interesting and entices you to learn to make jams, grow your veggies, and even go as far as making your own wine. I highly recommend it for all you gals that like doing your own "thang."

I really should make an attempt to go in the studio to clean it but it's too darn cold. I have visions off the studio in my head and the clutter it holds. There is heat in there but if it's used, the electric bill will be too high.

Have a wonderful weekend. It's great to be back. I will be visiting you at your blogs if not tonight, then tomorrow for sure. Stop by Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday blog and visit all the other participants. You'll have fun I promise.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting. Looking forward to this year.