Friday, March 30, 2007

My day


Its been a long one to say the least! I have been pressing loads of rubber today. Then one of the two of my machines sort of died so I had to order the part. Its just the switch so it will be an easy fix for my husband once we get the part in. It should be about a week till we get the part.

So, its longer work days for me :( As busy as I am at the moment I will have to work tomorrow as well........I have a very large order to fill.


I took Aidan to the Art Gallery/Art Center for his drawing class today and it is always a thrill to see my art on the walls in the gallery. While I was there I saw a pair of beautiful Dichroic Glass earrings that I HAD to have. The color blue on these was just to die for. I know the lady who makes these and she is such a lovely lady.

Today I have worked on potty training Gillian-so far she's done pretty well. She has had some accidents which I guess are to be expected, but she is catching on, I believe. I think its going to be much easier to do this since she has slowed down . Wish me luck!LOL


I sent off my entries for another art show-both of the Orange Related pieces I have had on here before. Send me some positive vibes! I hope they get juried in-I would be thrilled.


Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Snow!



Its snowing is SoCal today! Its not really sticking, but what fun!

My poor son gets the short end of the stick lately as far as attention goes, and I have felt so bad about it. I took him out of school a bit early, took him to lunch and we went shopping and got him a few things. I think it made him happy-I don't get much time with him by myself much. It was nice.
While we were at the outlets we hit the Harry and David Store-they have the bestest ever Bing Cherry Preserves-I have gone through 2 jars this past month-had to grab a couple more. Plus, it was still on sale. Heck, I might even go back and pick up more. We use that stuff on everything.
They had these cookies and cream malted milk balls too, and had to get a bag of neopolitan ones. That store can get me into serious trouble! And the sales people don't help coming around with all those samples!


I also got me a pair of Skechers that I have wanted...........I took a picture to show them off. Nothing better than a pair of new shoes :)


And, got to attach a pic of Gilly with her pink fleece jacket and hat my mom made a while back-its so cute on her.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Orange Show Crow is done!


Okay, tell me what you think! He's done :)

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Gillian and Spiderman


What a pleasant surprise.........Spiderman was at Walmart this morning and Gillian went bonkers-They had him posing with people for pictures. This made Gillian's morning.

She even has a partial smile (which she never does).


Hearing her giggle as much as she did just totally made my morning..........its such and addictive giggle that even people around us were giggling.

Friday, March 23, 2007

On the up and up


I think I am over being so sad about Gillian's diagnosis. I am feeling much more positive since talking to her preschool teacher yesterday. whew. I am tired today, but I feel close to being myself again. I got pretty upset the other day when I found out that the preschool has seen Gillian have these autistic tendancies since she was enrolled back in Aug 2005 and they never bothered to tell me. ugh!! I know there is nothing I can do about that now, but still! I could have gotten her help SO much sooner. oh well. Gotta move on.

Nothing much today-I dropped off 3 wall pieces and 2 small table art pieces at the gallery today-it was fun to be at the gallery today just briefly.

I need to get the move on for my 2nd piece to put in another art show-another orange related one. I am attaching a photo of my progress. So far I think its pretty hot :) Notice the crow has a human eye :)
All 3 items so far on this canvas are transfers. The "Meet me at the National Orange Show" is from an old postcard I got and scanned in and transferred. I am having fun with this one-I had to incorporate a crow in an orange show piece somehow, and this was a fun way to do it. Its 11x14 in size.
I hope to get this done in the next few days-I need to have my 2 pieces photographed and burned to disc to send in.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

"Delightful"


Just felt like doing something with an egg and this kid today........................


4x6 in size-acrylics, pastels, old papers

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

tuesday

I am just doing a bit of venting..............I have been good, I haven't cried for about 3 days now. Today I feel like I have to. I am physically and emotionally exhausted.
It makes me mad that I feel this way. Gillian has obviously High Functioning Autism. There are ways to help kids when they are diagnosed early on and I can't understand why I sit here feeling so blah. I guess they say there is a "grieving period" and maybe this is it. I dunno. At any rate, I am hating this. I still have some unanswered questions-like how long is her treatment going to last, how many times am I going to have to trek to Loma Linda for her treatments ( around 30 min drive each way). Starting her on this new medicine has been a bit scary too. We are adjusting-and she has really slowed down. She takes naps! She hasn't done that in ages-thought I love having some quiet time, it sort of freaks me out. I am sure that will go away as we all adjust around here.
I have been doing lots of reading about this-the more I read, the more it makes sense that she has this. I spoke to someone who used to come out here and evaluate her every few months (since she was a preemie) and she was actually surprised to hear the news. I had to tell her other things have arisen since her being exited from that particular program. The school district was shocked that she was even exited. At that point I got angry about it. I have wondered if she wasn't exited where she would be at right now. But, alas, I can't dwell on that too much.
One thing this whole entire thing has done for me, is to have more patience. For about 2 years I have been beyond frustrated. I knew there was something wrong, but didn't know what.
Even though the thought was in my mind that there WAS a possibility she could have this, to actually hear it was so painful. In my dreams last night and the night before it just replayed everything, and I was feverishly trying to get her this help she needs. That is probably why I am so tired right now.
I just don't want to do anything. I was really good last week and did my normal stuff, even after getting the news. But yesterday and today-I feel like doing nothing but resting. I dunno, maybe that is just what I need.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Rebellious Heart


This sort of reflects my mood today-I have had this picture for a while.........had to use it today.
It was fun doing something less serious..........and so how I am feeling. This photo reminds me so much of my days back in the 80s.







Saturday, March 17, 2007

"Close To Nature"


This is very similar to my "Good natured"

3 1/2 x 5 in size



Going to frame this for the gallery


Friday, March 16, 2007

"Longing For Spring" Matted and Framed


I had this piece professionally matted and framed-isn't it gorgeous! I just picked it up. The photo does no justice-I wish you could see it in real life. Its amazing. I really needed something to brighten me up, and this did it.
I've just been taking things day to day, basically. I have not cried at all today, just sort of feel a little blah. Still very heartbroken too. Gillian is already acting much calmer since I started her on her medicine yesterday-its making her groggy though. I had a hard time getting to wake her up from a nap to take her to her class. I am hoping after a few days she will get better used to it so that she won't be so groggy. But, instead of running everywhere as she usually does, she walks. I even went shopping a bit yesterday-normally its horrible to take her anywhere because she acts up-she did really well, made no scenes or anything. The teacher's assistant today commented she was much more low key yesterday . So, all positive. Good for her, and good for me. Now if we can start this therapy for her soon, all will be well. I am feeling at peace about all this. I did a little research yesterday about Autism and Prematurity. Seems like theres a huge link between the two-I read that Magnesium Sulfate has a link to it-its given to women who are going into premature labor, to stop contractions. I had that. So, it could be a possibility this is what may have caused this. Then again, had I not had that, chances her her survival might not have been as good. Its all hard to say, and I will probably never know the answer.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Neurologist visit-ugh!!!!!

Yesterday was my ever anticipated Appointment with a neurologist for Gillian. I went armed with a ton of information to support my case. I thought it was a sensory processing disorder. I was so not prepared to hear the words I heard yesterday: Autism. She has autism.
Its the higher functioning type, which is good . But still, to hear that hurt pretty bad. I am dealing with it-I have my moments for sure. But, all in all I am remaining calm and just holding on to the fact that "help is on the way." This opens up doors for her so that she can get the help she needs. And, alot of her behaviors make sense to me now. I guess when you put it all together , you can see it. I was just looking at all the different things. I am trying to just digest the whole thing right now, taking it moment by moment. I know its not the end of the world-it really could be so much worse. But still, no one wants to hear this about their child.
I have been reflecting alot on her life since yesterday. Just when we think things are okay, we are hit with something else with her. I just keep asking "why me?" I am not feeling sorry for myself at all.........we deal with what we are given. It just makes me wonder.:(
Something else difficult for me right now is the fact we are going to put her on something -very mild-for her hyperactivity. Its not a stimulant and is not supposed to alter her personality. She has such a sweet personality I didn't want anything to change that. She should start it today. Its just all alot to digest at the moment. One thing is, I feel at peace with it all. I feel like everything is going to be okay. But still tough :(

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

changed more on my latest collage


here is the new pic with the change.........I made the bottom of it darker -It bothered me being so light. I think I like it better dark.

Monday, March 12, 2007

working on something for another show


Here it is SO far.........my muse went nuts on Saturday night and I did this. I have to get the move on this as I want to get one more done and I still have to have them photographed (professionally) to put on disk and send in to be juried. So far I think this is coming out fantastic. Its for our National Orange show-the main pic in this is my great grandfather. He was the manager of a Sunkist Warehouse back in the late 1800s-early 1900s. This canvas is large for me, and its been a bit scary to do. Its 14x18. The images of the oranges are transferred to the canvas directly, as is the "eat california oranges" on it. I am really trying to give this a vintage feel. The round thing behind my grandfather's head is actually a piece of the packing that they used to package the oranges. I put it there to draw attention immediately to him. I think I accomplished that :) Its just about done, but needs some finishing touches, then I can move on to the next project :)

What do you think of him so far?


Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Tree


I am just finishing this one up-This one took loads of time. Originally I transferred a tree to a canvas-but in the end I painted it in myself. First time doing something like this freehand!

I collaged the little birds on and the "ground" is old dictionary papers. Its all acrylics, texture galore and neocolor crayons.

Quickie collage


This is probably the quickest one I have ever done.

I have been working on another canvas since yesterday and I had one final element I wanted to add and unfortunately it did not end up the way I wanted. Sigh. So now I have to work on it more :(

But to lighten things up a bit, I tried just a quicke collage, with some things I had close at hand. These were things I was going to use in another project but didn't after all.........so I thought "What the heck" and used them in this :)

I may have to do more of these more often.
This is a small one -4x6 on matboard, misc. found papers and added a bit of colored pencil too.


Sunday, March 4, 2007

said farewell to my crow piece at the museum today :(

and it was SOOOOOOOOOO hard. I can't even describe how difficult it was! I am SO happy it sold and the lady who purchased it was so excited and I thrilled about that, but.........sigh. I picked up the other two pieces today, as yesterday was the last day of the exhibit. After I took my pieces down, I walked down and stood in front of my crow piece, and the tears welled up in my eyes. oh my gosh, here they come again! It was like I was leaving a part of me behind. I could have stood and stared at it forever, but I told myself it was time to go. Walking away from that piece was one of the hardest things ever. Its the first time I had sold a piece. That piece was my absolute favorite. and true, had I not taken him and put him for sale, I would have had 1 less award. But..........wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! I miss him. I almost feel like I have this bond with the lady who purchased him, because she has a part of me. She's such an awesome lady (the one who he belongs to now) and I will see her at the art gallery often I am sure. She told me I can come visit him :)

just had to vent about it :( sniff sniff

Good Natured


I felt like doing another crow :)

I am doing some smaller pieces to frame for the gallery-for table art. They have some shelves and they put stuff like Gourds on them, etc.........so I thought, hmmmmmmmmm...........another way to sell my art :)


I like it :)


4x6 canvas piece-image transfers, mulberry paper, found papers, acrylics and caran d'ache crayons

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Tulips Collage


Just finished this today. It was completely out of my element! Only my second ever time doing florals and these bright bright colors. I felt a little shaky doing this, but I love it. The gallery where my art is has a challenge theme for "Florals" so this will be going there.

12x12 on canvas-totally mixed media-neocolor crayons, acrylics, watercolor pencils, found papers, image transfers etc etc

Again, VERY hard to photograph.