Happy Birthday to MEEEEE flowers from sweetie-pie Husband who is the best of all flower picker outers and givers in the whole world.
Well, he is. Aren’t these blue and purples magnificent?!
Have been busy running around and in the studio. Am working on new torsos and masks for ArtOMatic. Have a pregnant torso (she’s going to have a belly button charm). Been meaning to get an armature and start on these but didn’t until just recently and, lucky me, it came in just in time – I’ll be able to dry it today and tomorrow with the 3 other torsos and still fire on Friday even though most of tomorrow I won’t be here. Husband and I will be driving up to Havre de Grace to drop work at River Gallery. This is part of my birthday gift (birthday being March 22): he’s driving. Not that I wouldn’t. After all I just drove all the way to Asheville and back, by myself. Tammy’s year of adventure. Every now and then I have to do something like that to be sure I still can. And I can. And so can my marvelous 419K+ car.
Today I went to Corner Studio in Charles County which is a studio (and it is a BIG studio)
in a private home whose owner opens it up every Wednesday at 1 for several hours for anyone to drop in who wishes. Classes are also offered there in conjunction with the Charles County Arts Alliance. I went with close friend (and another wise woman in my life who I love dearly and am so grateful to have), Connie, who just started doing art this year when she won 10 watercolor lessons. She and I watched a video on watercolors – I have no background in watercolors and I want to know how to do them, and I have a heavy hand, too, tending to more intense color than watercolors generally give. Unless you go straight on the paper with them. Which I often do. We did 2 pictures then I left for the hour drive home to I wouldn’t hit rush "hour" traffic which ranges from around 4 – 7 pm here. Or 3 – 7 on a bad day. But today was a good day and I hit none at all.
Monday Husband and I worked at our cottage – putting together IKEA furniture. Now I know why they are
so inexpensive. Because you have to spend hours and hours getting them together. But they do make it about as easy as they can. And we have some lovely small space storage cabinets now. Here you see the tall white cabinet toward the right by our utility closet and the shorter dark cabinet mid-picture by the jacuzzi. I slip covered the chair and put the lamp together. We have two closet spaces and the couch bed to put together yet and then the rug down and then we’ll be finished (except we need to also lay some more stones from the driveway to the front door where it is soppy muddy right now from all our rain).
I got my book, Photoshop: Masking and Compositing recommended by Karen from Amazon in the mail today and will soon begin (Friday probably) my commitment, made at retreat, to try something new for 30 days. This is it. I’ve been whining about not knowing how to do this stuff for way too long. Fifteen minutes a day til I work through the book. Quite a commitment for me since I am not a big fan of working through books. I like the show me school of learning. But that’s okay. Book it is. Plus Ascender gave me a quick off-line tutorial in how she made one of her glorious Photoshop prints.
Speaking of retreat, while there we did our Enneagrams. I’m an 8. I’ve been all over the web and I am so an 8. Which takes on different names depending on what you read where. I like this one, so you can hop over and read it if you want, although the name that fits best is "Challenger." I got a book on Enneagrams to try to learn a bit more. As a matter of fact, I think I have about 5 books going right now. For about 15 minutes before I fall dead asleep at night, I read a few pages. I seem not to be on a book reading rampage at the moment. Too much other stuff to do.
thought for the day: Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
oh, one for all of us. Ahem.
Part of what gets in our way, I think ,is that we tend to think of ourselves so concretely, as if we are fixed in stone. Think of all the ways you stop yourself by saying something like, "Oh, I couldn’t do something like that. I’m the kind of person who…I’m too..I’m not…" What if you weren’t so sure you knew who you were? What if deep inside, deeper than thought or guilt or worry, you told yourself you were a soul in wonder? How would that change the way you live your life? Dawna Markova, I will not die and unlived life: reclaiming purpose and passion.
15 Comments
Happy birthday!! woot woot!
that torso would be great fun to work on.
thanks for the mention… though I am sure you will get much more tips from your new book; my photoshop is very old
(can I come and sit in your tub for awhile???! will bring my own towel.)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! You're right, you're husband did a fine job choosing flowers! The iris are so big and beautiful, and hydrangeas are always gorgeous, no matter what. When I used to make arrangements, almost always started with iris, and then added yellow, and went from there. Can't wait for a flower to bloom in the yard, so I can bring it inside! Hope you had a wonderful day:)
HAPPY BELATED B-DAY!!!!!!!!!
You did watercolors??? Do we get to see them? I always wanted to learn that too, but it frightens me how "permanent" marks you make are. Like, totally uneraseable… *gulp*
I just noticed your virtual spider on the page… lol how cute!!!
Hi Tammy,
Bealted happy birthday!You sound happy. Love the idea of a whole day of delights with your husband. Anapolis is on our list of "to do" as a get away, within reason, of where we live. (Water, art, the whole feel of the city (more townish I hear) since I last visited years ago.
And now: APPLAUSE! That wall sculpture is brimming in talent and eye-stopping appeal. Seems like I might need to brave a bridge for an artist date…one where I'll see such inspiration in person. I love the flowing curves to Athena, the texture, the colors, and the metallic use. I'm in love, period. Speaks to women on so many levels from the circle of life to more. Oops I see I commented on the wrong post.
Rambling on but with praise and you are so inspiring! Using the elements is something I do in my art in a different way. I can only imagine what your work looks like in person.
Oh my gosh, wait. I just saw that you will be at Artomatic… Wheee! I've been checking my show schedule to see if I have a conflict this year from exhibiting. If so, I still hope I can drop by. Keep up that creativity! (Although, I think there is no stopping you.)
Happy belated birthday! May a great day be the start to a year of abundance in all things!
Happy belated birthday! May a great day be the start to a year of abundance in all things!
happy belated birthday…hope your life is good.
hugs,
sage
Oh, no! I'm late to the party – but this is still a heartfelt wish to you: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TAMMY!!! Wishing you everything you wish for yourself! (and maybe even a little more, since we tend to not want to seem greedy when wishing!)
I'll have to check out the links you gave on Inneagram – sounds interesting. I do the 15 minute read and snooze, too – makes the books last much longer, lol.
Love that view of your jacuzzi tub – that would be nice to climb into after all that putting together of furniture, you've been doing.
Have a happy and prosperous New Year of You! xo
Happy, happy birthday! I love the Dawna Markova poem, which I guess inspired that book.(?) http://tinyurl.com/2lyk9f "…allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid…" Ah. Good birthday words for you!! So glad you're alive the same time I am! LOL
Happy Birthday! I wish for you a day filled with much joy and inspiration. Thanks for sharing all your inspiring thoughts with us everyday.
Oh Happy Birthday today!
And I love intensely coloured watercolours my favourite type.
I don't know anything about Enneagrams so thanks for the link – I wonder how I'll work out which I am…
happy birthday again!
Happy Hatch Day chicky. Love the expectant torso..what did you use for the armature?
Happy Birthday! I feel out of touch, everything's been so hectic here at my house. It sounds as though you've had such a busy, adventurous, productive month! I'm inspired! I hope you enjoy the photoshop book–I have learned so so so much from it.
Love the pregnant torso! I wish I'd taken a Demi Moore-type picture of my HUGE self on at least one of the three pregnancies–I can hear my sister and my mom saying "ewwww" but wow–the whole thing is amazing, and I'm so glad you can capture it that way!
happyhappyhappyhappyhappyhappyhappy birthday to you my new and already dear to my heart friend Artist Woman Tammy!!!
love, love, mka
that markova quote reminds me of a recent post, i think by christine kane?
happy birthday to youuuuuuu! i hope this year is full of wonderous creations, pure bliss, and unadulterated fun! xoxox