All right, let's get something happier on this old blog! Thank you so much for all of your kind words about my Gram. I am working away on my collage and it looks like I will be representing my cousins sharing some memories of Gram at the funeral Saturday. So spare me a few kind thoughts Saturday morning, I am hoping not to turn into a big bawling pile of mush!


This is a painting I worked on last week when I was up late and couldn't sleep. I sketched it while we where still in California. Some of my blog friends do the loveliest commissioned family portraits. I wish I could afford to have Tracy or Jenn do my family. But they got me all inspired to try my own poor imitation. I had a ball messing around with it. I have been so inspired by so many things I see in blogland. I had to email Jenn when I was done though because I love her paintings where she uses a stripey or dotted house like this and flies a banner overhead and wanted to use the idea in mine. She said she wouldn't hate me forever for being the kid in grade school who copies your art project. She was very gracious and adorable as always but you really should check her out, her work is amazing.


When I was all done I crackled it, something I have seen Diane and Adri do. I really like how it turned out, I didn't realize how really thick it needed to be to get a good crackle. These girls must buy it by the gallon.

I have this funny little ledge on the way down the stairs. I think it will be our little gallery. I will add some of the kids work eventually but for right now we are hanging out with the paper mache house I did a bit ago, also inspired by Jenn. Not a very good picture, but I was too impatient to wait for better.