Happiness is...

hearing that your artwork is appreciated by others.

I was supposed to attend a District 14 arts and crafts meeting in St. Petersburg this morning but woke with a really bad headache, caused I am sure by a storm system coming in from the Gulf.  I felt better after getting some meds and a little something on my stomach.

Then my friend, Sherry Orr, who is the District 14 Arts and Crafts Chairperson for the GFWC (General Federation of Women's Clubs) called to tell me that I had been awarded two first places in the District Show.  She said the judge for Fine Art loved my Puffin!

Puffin

And on top of that, my Moonlit Birches painting on tile also got a first place and will go on to the next level at State.

Moonlit Birches

I am so sorry I got that darn headache this morning.  I really wanted to see the arts and crafts from all of the clubs -- and did not expect my entries to garner blue ribbons at that level.  There are so many gifted artists in the clubs in our region.

Oh, and I took some pictures of Bella with her new "do".

She is such a pretty thing.  I wish she would cooperate more often.  And I am finally getting the hang of my new camera.

Banner morning even if it did start off very poorly for me.

Tropical Paradise

Not talking about where I live or today -- though both would fit the title.  No, I'm referring to the Tarpon Springs Woman's Club's annual charity fashion show.  Something I have been helping with for the past 8 years.

Our table decoration team has been working on butterfly topiary centerpieces for the tables at our March 18 show at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.

I did one last night and decided to take a picture of it this morning.

The actual pedestal for the topiary will be a wooden candlestick holder painted in pastel colors.  I set it on an upside-down bowl to take this picture.  A friend brought it to me from Morocco recently.

I took a picture of Bella, too.

She is not happy with me.

I had some butterflies left over so I made an ornament.

That was fun to do and didn't take long.

Need to go find Bella.

She's hiding from me now.

Busy Getting Ready

I have been amassing all the supplies for an art workshop I am teaching on Monday.  They have been occupying most of the dining room table this week.  Today they take it all up with one small space for me to check off items as I put them in the kits that will be given to all who attend.

It is a fundraiser for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) which has benefited from being the Florida Federation of Women's Club's President's Project for the past two years.  President Carole Weaver's goal was $300K for the two years.  Carole is a past president of our club and is still a member.  She was able to give them $125K last year.  Not sure how the project is going this year.  The net proceeds from this workshop will go to CCI.  My goal is $500.  I am hoping to be able to do more but alcohol ink is expensive.  Each person will be taking home their kits and the cost of the supplies was included in the $30 for the workshop.  I am not charging a fee for teaching.  I never charge a fee.  I do them for fun.

I am taking short breaks between each group of 5 kits to give my back a rest.  It's been a busy week and some of the things I have been doing were very hard on my back.

This is the painting that I will be teaching:

Some of the class has already had this class -- they were my guinea pigs in October.  I am going to seat them together and give them some additional inks to create their own paintings.

I'll try to get some pictures of their creations before we leave the clubhouse on Monday afternoon.

New website for Bella

I set up a new website on WordPress for Bella today because we were having major problems with Blogger on her posts.

So for all Bella's poasts, go to Day by Lovely Day with Bella

My little pals are still waiting....

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Br-r-r-r-r-r-r...

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Baby Doll

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Oh. Ugh.

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I'm very social...

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Fun with "Under the Streetlamp"

I'm giving Bella the day off.

She was so good last night while we went to the Capitol Theater in Clearwater to see Under the Streetlamp in concert.  We had great third row seats in the orchestra section and enjoyed a "Meet & Greet" prior to the concert.  We got to meet the "boys" and had our picture taken with them.

Then we went to the rooftop of the old theater and looked out toward Clearwater Beach and enjoyed the lovely breezes.  It was a balmy 73 degrees.  My hair was already a wreck from walking two blocks into the wind before we got to the theater so I just thought, "What the heck -- I don't know any of these people anyway," and enjoyed the lovely night.

We went back down to the theater and got a cold drink just in time to be ushered back into the theater.  The show started at 8 and before we knew it, it was 8:45 and time for an intermission.  They were back at 9 and the concert ended a little after 10.

Awesome show.

We hiked back down to Harborview Center parking lot where we had parked.  Lot easier going down and this time the wind was to our backs.

What a great evening!

When I bought the tickets before Christmas, I had planned to take Butch to dinner over on the beach and then the show.  Bella wasn't in the picture then.  So we went for an early dinner at Jimmy's instead so we could come back home, spend an hour or so with Bella and let her get her walk in before we left for the show.  It is only a 25 minute drive to the theater.

Bella was a very happy little lunatic when when we got home and BBB took her for a walk before we all went to bed so then she was delirious with joy.  Win-win for all of us.

If you have the chance to see "Under the Streetlamp," be sure to go.  Their new show is even better than their last.  I am so grateful that these guys and other groups are keeping our generation's music alive.

I am not happy with Mom...

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A "ruff" night

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I'm gradually wowing them with my accomplishments....

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