Etsy update!

I have added some more items to my etsy store. Some great collage packs, sheet music, book pages and ledger pages.







Take a peek!

What I've been up to...

Yeah, Lotsa fun! When I got back from artfest, I wanted to get a spot made to actually PRODUCE art. So I had to figure out a plan for this room and once I did that, I got to work! This was from a couple weeks ago, and I am just now getting everything in its place! I was away for a bit last week and weekend and we have been doing yard work since there haven't been any bugs!! Love it. So now outside is getting better and the bugs are coming. :( So now I can get to work in here!

I will have some before and after pics soon. The biggest thing I did is put my table right in the middle of the room instead of against the wall. It used to just be covered in crap! So now I hope to keep it clear and have a place to work! And YAY I actually did some last night. I am working on some cards and I have made up a schedule since I find it hard to get away from this computer. agh! Hopefully this schedule and some kind of deadlines will help me get some stuff done. I have to be on the computer for ebay and etsy but I am trying to make certain times and days for that.

So I don't leave you with all these nasty pics, I added two below...







These are the tulip fields in Holland from the air this spring.. isn't that amazing?

Artfest finally!

Just a few pics..


Great roomies!! Michelle, Nikki, Alex and me. Lots of fun.


Does this count as a heart rock? I don't have a heart rock.. this was too heavy anyways, but...


More fun with new friends and old!


Awesome pic of the mountains as I flew east.. sniff.. I miss the mountains and the water...and everyone there.


Speaking of which, here is a great shot of a bunch of us on the beach before we all left. A great time for beachcombing and saying goodbye.



I like this pic cause it looks like a butterfly, but it's not and it reminds me to fly even though maybe I'm not made for flying?

Some art pics of Costa Rica.

Isn't that cool? I love this shot.

This will be the last post of CR and then onto Artfest! Yeah, and it's only a month later...ohwell.

After about 8 days, I was happy to have a day that had some art filled things in it!


First, this was the mosaic behind the bar at the resort.. very cool.


Sarah standing INSIDE the trunk of the tree... the outside of it was all carved - you can see part of it there on the left.


These were hand carved wall hangings, all different sizes and animals.


This is the typical oxcart that were used to take coffee beans across the country to the pacific for shipping. We were at a museum that showed all the paintings on these carts through the years. They are all hand painted by eye!



This is one in progress, no pencil marks, no stencils, just freehand designs. Below are close ups of the wheels.







Hey guys, want this on your art table? lol


And a neat shot of all the paints...

Costa Rica Animals

we were pschyed to see some animals and we were not disappointed! These are some of our shots...



So Cool to see a Toucan! Loved it.


Geckos around the cabin,


A tree full of iguanas - crazy!




Howler monkeys with their babies jumping in trees right in front of us..




Poison dart frogs..


And frogs that looked like dinosaurs.


Caimans(whcih are like small crocodiles) Sarah had done a project on these and didn't realize these were here!)




And a sloth.. we didn't think they were here either. Pretty neat.



HUGE beetles and we touched them!


Oh.. and elephants? In the jungle? lol Our towels at the volcano - she used leaves for eyes and plants. Loved it!

Costa Rica!!

Well, getting caught up now! I sorted all the Costa Rica pics, have unpacked and organized from artfest and the snow is almost gone. Hurray!

So, I changed my banner.. no flowers yet, but at least get the snow outta there.



Now to Costa Rica. It was amazing. I am so glad I went. I booked it right as the economy took a tailspin and our dollar started rising. ugh. but it was booked and too late to back out! I am happy now.. this might be one of the last trips I can take with Sarah before she leaves home - sniff- and I wanted to make it count.

We booked with Caravan which is a tour group out of Chicago and I recommend them to anyone! Great Mercedes buses, full meals and snacks, all admissions, great guides - everything was bang on.

We started in the main city SanJose and from there took a day trip to Paos volcano at 8,000 ft. I had heard that there is only a 30% chance of seeing the crater but we lucked out!



It was like that all the trip, no rain except at night, no bugs, not too hot - but still wonderfully warm with breezes.


Huge rhubarb type leaves!

From there we took a 1 1/2 boat ride into the jungle to our resort there. It was supposed to be rustic, it had no tv (wonderful!!) and no phones but it was great. The only way into this village is by this boat ride or a plane ride. There are no roads. Very cool. It was on the Caribbean sea.






Each group had their own cabin with a front porch and rockers. We would take these little paths to the docks and dining room and wake up to the howler monkeys. They are so loud!

We were there for 2 days and then went to our next place which was at the base of an active volcano! Very cool. We had little cabins and air conditioning! and the bathroom was the size of a living room. We went ziplining on our 2nd day there. This was something we did extra and booked before we came. They picked us up and drove us back. It was beside the volcano on the other side and again we got lucky that is was clear! Sarah got some great shots.

That's us geared up. We took a cable car ride up and then ziplined down. This was at 4 and the sun sets at 6, so we had a nice zip down!. Wow. It was amazing. The first line was over 400 feet in the air and you are going over 45 mph. Intense, but oh so cool.

This was the last one - see how you can't see the end? ahh! This took you through a little path through the woods. As you were zipping if you looked to one side you could see the volcano and the lake.. very surreal.




This is one big ass tree that we had near a place we stopped for lunch. Can you say HUGE?

Then we were off to the pacific for 2 days at a great Hilton resort - all inclusive and beautiful.
We took a day off from touring and lazed around the pool and went into the ocean, all the while having some beverages and food of course! A great day to relax.
This is the sunset from the beach and of the pier of the resort.

so.. I have some more Costa Rica posts, some animals! and some arty ones of course. Then some artfest posts. Come on back and see. And if you EVER get a chance to go - jump!

My "baby" and the bunny

A message from me...

To all my friends and family - Happy Easter!

Whew!

Finally a day to catch up and take a deep breath. I have been on the go for the last 3 weeks and its been wonderful! 10 days in beautiful Costa Rica with my super daughter and a week in Seattle with artfest with beautiful art sisters. I have gone through the 640(!!) emails and now to catch up on google reader with still over 400 posts to read - tough I know!

I have tons of pics and stories and art and I will get to it. But right now I am still in a funk after leaving 70 degree weather to come home to this.



Yup. This is not a pic in Jan or Feb but today - April 8. And I'm not happy about it, so I am going to hibernate till it is gone. We are supposed to get warm weather soon, so cross fingers for me.

I was also gonna change my banner, but looks like no hurry now. Welcome to Canada.

Phooey.