Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

We have a funny tradition in my home that revolves around a cartoon. Thanksgiving night we prepare our Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Dinner and watch the show together.

Our dinner consists of...
jelly beans, popcorn, buttered toast and pretzels
we throw in a few pieces of chocolate for good measure.

It's silly and a lot of fun and my children really love it!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

This is my youngest son Ryan when he was around four. He made this turkey hat in preschool and was so proud of it. He would die if he knew I posted this picture! Shhh, don't tell.

Monday Monday

Flowers Are Nature's Poetry
paper, dye ink, pigment ink, paint, wood frame


I know my pictures totally stink!

Building Sunday

I love my sawhorses!

I was working like a busy bee today. It was a perfect day to work outside making the frames for my artwork. I got six done and I was so happy to be able to place a check mark next to "build frames" on my to do list. I like to make several at the same time so I don't have to drag all the power tools out as often. You should see the looks I get as people, mainly men, check out what I am doing. I just think...Yes, I like power tools and I build my own frames. A little sawdust is good for a girl.

Little Felt Houses For You and Me

I have that song by John Cougar Mellencamp "Pink Houses" stuck in my head right now. Why? Because I made some little FELT houses...I know it doesn't make sense but that's the way the weird mind of Jen works. They don't serve a purpose except to be something that makes me smile.

I made these with felt and lots and lots of felt scraps. I also used embroidery floss to make all the flowers and such.

Self Shot

ME

Tiny Flower Bottlecap Pincushion

I made a new one for my little collection...love blue and brown together!

All Finished!

I finished it today...yay!

It has a quote that says Gardens Can Grown In Tiny Places. I took a pic of me holding it but it looked awful.

Work In Progress

I've been busy working on some new artwork for a show in December. It's so long it doesn't fit on my desk so Ive been working on the floor and my back is letting me know it hurts.
Here is a peek...

I decided to use the handy (disposable) sponge bushes to paint the base because I didn't want the rough wood to ruin my good brushes. Let me tell you I was glad I did because the wood was a lot rougher than usual and I think it would have pulled some bristles out.

I still have a lot of work to do painting and sanding but I hope to have it done tomorrow.

My Sweet Cat

Look who I caught chewing on my thread from my sewing machine. Maddie is just the all time best cat and we are just in love with her. She follows me around and keeps me company while I work on all my projects.

Kitchen Tile Major Improvement

Do you remember these pics? It was when we started the nasty, dusty, dirty kitchen tile redo. We had some really funky monkey ugly tile. It was actually black with a white glaze on top. So when the tile got chipped the thin white glaze was gone and black would show. Oh, yeah the grout was black also. My parents surprised us with the money to buy the many boxes of tile we needed so we dove in. It was a MESS...but look now

I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and bright! The best part yours truly did the entire job. Yep, I cut the tiles and everything.

Artful Blogging Winter

I have this irresistible impulse to mention Artful Blogging Winter 09. I'm not going to say very much about it except its a really good issue and I'm in it. YAY!

Michaels Coupon Web

I am not the largest fan of Michaels craft store. I think it's because of the one near my house. It's overcrowded with merchandise, the aisles are way to close together, it tends to be a bit messy, the parking is bad but my biggest peeve...the lighting is horrific! It makes me crazy nuts that I have to go to the end of the paper aisle to be able to see what color card stock I have in my hand. Believe me when I tell you I pulled out card stock and couldn't tell the color of the paper. OK, wait what shade purple is this? ARRGGGG! I guess I can get some extra activity points on my Weight Watchers diet for walking extra so I guess that's helpful. However, I don't think they had that in mind. End of my rant...sort of.

Just let me say Mr. Michael is a genius! Even with a messy store, crowded aisles and no light I still end up going from time to time. I get the ad in the mail each week so I know I am guaranteed to get at 40% off coupon. But now they have me tangled in a web of coupons. Now you get a 50% off coupon with your receipt. I don't know what it is but somehow in a woman's brain a 40-50% coupon flips a switch that can't get turned off until we use it. I found myself wandering the dark, crowded aisles last night looking for something to use that darned coupon on. Maybe I can get those scissors...no, I already have 20 pair. What about that cute gingerbread man punch? Paint maybe?? I have to free myself from the dangerous coupon web Michaels has weaved me into. So many coupons and somehow I ended up standing at the register with sale items that you can't use a coupon on. Michaels 1, Jen 0

Cheese Is Good

I know what you are thinking...Oh, I know she didn't do an illustration with a big chunk of cheese. Yep, I sure did.

Happy Monday
Jen

IF Wise

Who cares what people think...be unique

Little friend is so WISE!

Your Own Perspective

Here is some new artwork I have been working on. I just love trees, birds and my funky swirls. What do you think the little birds are thinking about?

New Art Sunday

New in my Etsy shop...

Never outgrow fun!!
paper, paint, ink, wood block

More Pincushions

Here are some new pincushions garden, pie and red and blue

gotta love pie that is
0 fat
0 points
0 calories
0 on the hips!

Happy Memories

I caught my seven year old looking at this little scrapbook of my husband and I when we were dating. It was funny to see the look on his face at pictures of us when we were so young.

Houston International Quilt Show

This year I wasn't feeling good so I only stayed for a short time at the market. I didn't quite make it to see all the booths but what I did see was fun.

The above picture was a great little booth called Sew Serendipity. The quilt on the wall (bottom picture) I thought was cute. The pattern is available at www.sewserendipity.com

It was the end of the show and people were packing up and heading home.

Favorite Music New Print

I have a new print in my Etsy shop. It's so fun because it's an old school cassette tape. Do you remember those? It seems ages ago. I recall one year I receive a boom box for Christmas and my Aunt got me the Olivia Newton-John cassette "Let's Get Physical". I had my baby blue leg warmers and headband on and I was just awesome like, fer sure! Do you think leg warmers will make a comeback?



Instead of Olivia I put ABBA (love them!) on my cassette but if you buy this print in my shop I will put your favorite group in the title or song. How fun is that?

New Stars

I got busy making some new stars. Yay!
I just love these suckers.